Abstract This study was performed to screen out the various species of ‘Cucurbitaceae’ family, musk melon (Kalash and Durga), bottle gourd (Crystal Long and Nuefield) and squash (Green Round, and Squash Malika) against the salt stress. All genotypes were treated with five different levels of NaCl (T0 = control, T1 = 1.5 dS m-1, T2 = 3.0 dS m-1, T3 = 4.5 dS m-1 and T4 = 6.0 dS m-1) and half strength of Hoagland’s nutrients solution as the base nutrient solution. Results showed that the bottle gourd varieties “Nuefield” and “Crystal Long” performed best by maintaining the highest germination (93.2% and 85.6%), number of leaves per plant (4.5 and 5.7), shoot length (16.84 cm and 16.14 cm), root length (13.48 cm and 13.00 cm), plant fresh weight (942.2 g and 918.6 g), plant dry weight (118.4 g and 107.5 g), leaf area (171.2 cm2 and 169.1 cm2), chlorophyll content (3.5 μg/cm-2 and 3.4 μg/cm-2) with low chloride (1.57 ppm and 1.59 ppm) and sodium content (0.47 ppm and 0.51 ppm) under salt stress followed by varieties of Squash (Green Round, and Squash Malika) and musk melon (Kalash and Durga). It was also found that a higher level of salinity (4.5 dS m-1 and 6.0 dS m-1) has more adverse effects on the performance of all selected genotypes. Conclusively, it can be recommended that as compared to all tested species, bottle gourd varieties “Nuefield” and “Crystal Long” have the ability to withstand against salinity stress and should be planted under salt stress conditions.

ABSTRACT Endobronchial lipomas are rare benign lung tumors that can cause bronchial obstruction and parenchymal damage. While an uncommon etiology, they are often misdiagnosed due to a clinical presentation similar to obstructive pulmonary pathologies such as COPD and asthma. Upon review of English-language literature, under 50 cases of endobronchial lipomas were documented in the prior 10 years (2011-2021). There are no clear guidelines regarding the management of this particular entity, but typically interventional debulking is the treatment of choice. Here we present another unique case of endobronchial lipoma along with our diagnostic and therapeutic methodology. The patient underwent bronchoscopic debulking via a cryotherapy probe. Based on the histopathologic analysis, a diagnosis of endobronchial lipoma was made. Endobronchial lipomas must remain in any clinician’s differential when a patient presents with dyspnea. We report the unique location of this lipoma based on our literature review and the importance of investigating endobronchial lesions due to a possible diagnosis of endobronchial lipoma.

Abstract The pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is an important insect pest of the cotton crop worldwide. Sex-pheromone and light traps were used to monitor the adult P. gossypiella population in Bt cotton field for the years 2017-18 at southern Punjab, Pakistan. The sampling of infested bolls was done to record the damage level of P. gossypiella. The sex-pheromone traps captured approximately 2-3 times more adults than light traps in all locations during 2017-18. For sex-pheromone traps, temperature showed negative and strong relation (R. = 0.63-0.80) with trap catches. Fewer bolls (7.0-9.0%) were infested in plots where sex-pheromone traps were installed compared to check plots (32-37%). Therefore, the pheromone trapping proved an effective and eco-friendly tool for the monitoring and management of P. gossypiella. Our findings enable forecasting of seasonal P. gossypiella population providing additional information for the development of an integrated pest management program for this pest.

Resumen La lagarta rosada, o gusano rosado del algodón, Pectinophora gossypiella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) es una importante plaga de insectos del cultivo del algodón en todo el mundo. Para monitorear la población adulta de P. gossypiella en el campo de algodón Bt, se utilizaron trampas de luz y feromonas sexuales, durante los años 2017-18 en el sur de Punjab, Pakistán. El muestreo de cápsulas infestadas se realizó para registrar el nivel de daño de P. gossypiella. Las trampas de feromonas sexuales capturaron aproximadamente 2-3 veces más adultos que las trampas de luz en todos los lugares durante 2017-18. Para las trampas de feromonas sexuales, la temperatura mostró una fuerte relación negativa (R. = 0,63-0,80) con las capturas de trampas. Se infestaron menos cápsulas (7.0-9.0%) en las parcelas donde se instalaron trampas de feromonas sexuales en comparación con las parcelas de control (32-37%). Por lo tanto, la captura de feromonas resultó ser una herramienta eficaz y ecológica para el seguimiento y manejo de P. gossypiella. Los hallazgos permiten pronosticar la población estacional de P. gossypiella proporcionando información adicional para el desarrollo de un programa de manejo integrado para esta plaga.

Abstract It is understood that drugs regardless of their order of administration can exhibit drug interactions. Established on the fact that treatment of hypertension may last for decades and prolong usage of multiple drug regimen may induce substantial pathophysiological changes. Hence, This study was designed to evaluate the possible synergistic toxic effects of anti-hypertensive (carvedilol), and anti-inflammatory drug (celecoxib) alone and in combinations. Well-established MTT assay, Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (SCGE) and Ames assay were employed to evaluate the toxicity at cellular level. Results from MTT assay on Vero cell line revealed that drug combinations have more pronounced anti-proliferative activity with combine IC50 value of 13.7:47.8 µg/mL. Likewise, exposure of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with drug combinations revealed significant (P<0.05) DNA damage (Class 3) in a dose dependent manner at concentrations ≥ 0.78: 2.34 µg/mL. However, carvedilol and celecoxib were non mutagenic against either mutant strain (TA 100 and TA 98) and combinations have also shown mild to moderate mutagenic potential. Nevertheless, upon addition of metabolic activation enzyme, concentration <12.5:37.5 µg/plate exhibited significant (P<0.05) mutagenicity against both tester strains. In conclusion, this study provides additional genotoxicity and mutagenicity data that could be used in considering options for formulating regimens with reduced mutagenic potential.

Derivatives of steviol, isosteviol and betulinic acid were prepared and tested in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum W2 (chloroquine-resistant) and Trypanosoma cruzi. The best results against P. falciparum were found for the betulinic acid derivatives 3-[(2,4-dinitrophenyl)hydrazono]lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid and 3-hydroxy-20-[(2,4-dinitrophenyl)hydrazono]-29-norlupan-28-oic acid (values concentration in that the growth of the parasites is 50% inhibited, IC50 = 9.96, 6.45 and 21.06 µg mL-1, respectively). Isosteviol was inactive but its 4-nitro- and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone showed moderate activity (IC50 = 17.50-22.58 µg mL-1). The derivatives of betulinic acid were more selective to the parasite when compared with hepatoblastoma HepG2 A16 cells. The results showed that nitrophenylhydrazone derivatives of lupane and beyerane terpenes are promising prototypes of antimalarial agents. Among the compounds tested against T. cruzi the oxime of isosteviol was active against both epimastigote and trypomastigote forms of the parasite.

In the present investigation aqueous suspensions of nano- and colloidal range particles are stabilised by changing the ambient pH. Rheology is used to establish the stability of the suspensions and it is found that the rheology of the suspensions is strongly dependent on the pH values. The viscosity is highest close to the iso-electric point of the powders. At the iso-electric point the net surface charge on the powder particles is zero and is the cause of the high viscosity. Away from the iso-electric point, the particles are charged, giving rise to a double layer phenomenon and causing the reduction in viscosity. It is also found that increasing the solid contents of the suspensions reduces the pH region of low viscosity.

The use of cone and plate rotational rheology to characterize the flow properties of concentrated dispersion and extrusion methods to determine the rheological properties of pastes have become established rheometric techniques. Direct comparison between the results obtained from the two techniques has not previously been demonstrated. In this article the results of such a comparison using established experimental methods and associated analysis are reported. It is found that for most samples investigated the difference in the calculated values of shear stress at a shear rate of 5/s is <10%. Data for a series of slurries, composed of various solid fractions of lime waste, are reported over a shear rate of 0-10/s. The computed results for two techniques are shown to be, within the experimental error, identical over this shear rate range.