Cucumis sativus L. is globally cultivated as an edible vegetable. Besides its nutritional benefits, it is used in traditional medicines against various ailments. The current study was designed to elucidate the multi-target mechanisms of a C. sativus seeds extract against asthma and diarrhea using network pharmacology along with a molecular docking approach. Furthermore, in-vitro and in-vivo experiments were conducted to verify the mechanistic insight of in silico studies. LC-ESI-MS/MS was performed to identify the bioactive compounds in the extract; later, some compounds were quantified by HPLC. C. sativus seed. EtOH has kaempferol in higher concentration 783.02 µg/g, followed by quercetin (693.83 µg/g) and luteolin (617.17 µg/g). In silico studies showed that bioactive compounds interfered with asthma and diarrhea-associated target genes, which are members of calcium-mediated signaling to exert a calcium channel blocker activity. The seeds extract exerted a concentration-dependent spasmolytic response on isolated jejunum, trachea, and urinary bladder preparations and caused relaxation of spastic contraction of K+ (80 mM) with suppressed calcium concentration-response curves at dose 0.3 and 1 mg/mL. It also showed antiperistalsis, antidiarrheal and antisecretory activity in animal models. Thus, C. sativus seeds have therapeutic effects by regulating the contractile response through a calcium-mediated signaling pathway.

Background: The spleen plays a central role in a range of diseases. As such, great emphasis has been placed on the procedure of spleen removal, the benefits and the numerous associated complications. Given the immediate risk of the thrombotic complications, the aim of this study was to evaluate clinical and laboratory patient characteristics in non-traumatic diseases of the spleen, and to investigate possible predictive factors for platelet count variation following the procedure. Methods: A total of 72 patients who underwent splenectomy were included in this retrospective study. Correlation coefficients as well as multiple linear regressions were used to assess the relationship between post-splenectomy platelet count and various preoperative clinical and laboratory patient characteristics. Results: Following multiple linear regression analysis, we determined that 54.93% of post-splenectomy platelet count variation was explained by admission platelet count (p = 0.00), lymphocyte count (p = 0.04), WBC count (p = 0.00), LOS (p = 0.00), patient gender (p = 0.00), spleen accessibility on admission (p = 0.02) and PT (p = 0.00). Conclusions: Platelet count variation following splenectomy for non-traumatic diseases can be predicted by assessing preoperative patient characteristics. The implications of this study suggest that by means of a prediction model, patient care could benefit from assessing and addressing various preoperative factors that lead to these complications.

Panicum miliaceum L. is a medicinally effective plant used in indigenous system of medicine for a variety of ailments. However, there is no comprehensive study explaining its effectiveness in gastrointestinal tract, respiratory, and cardiovascular system ailments. This study was designed to validate the pharmacological basis for the folkloric use of Panicum miliaceum L. in diarrhea, asthma, and hypertension. Panicum miliaceum extract was analyzed to detect the presence of bioactive compounds by HPLC. The isolated rabbit jejunum, trachea, and aorta were used for in vitro experiments using tissue bath assembly coupled with Power Lab data acquisition system to explore their relative effects. In-vivo experiments were performed for anti-diarrheal activity. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of gallic acid, butylated hydroxytoluene, catechin, and quercetin. Concentration dependent activities were observed by relaxing K+ (low) induced contractions having spasmolytic effect with EC50 = .358 ± .052, bronchodilator (EC50 = 2.483 ± .05793), and vasorelaxant (EC50 = .383 ± .063), probably due to the ATP dependent potassium channel activation. It was confirmed through pre-exposure of glibenclamide (specific ATP-dependent K+ channel blocker) having similarities with cromakalim. Pm.Cr revealed its antidiarrheal via in vivo experiments on rats. This study indicates that Panicum miliaceum has antidiarrheal, spasmolytic, bronchodilator, and vasorelaxant activities probably due to the ATP dependent K+ channel activation.

The antibiotic resistance of microorganisms involved in pediatric infections represents a significant cause of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), and is also a matter of management, requiring specific intervention. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of some antibiotic molecules on pathogens isolated from patients admitted in a pediatric hospital. We carried out a descriptive study on a group of 411 patients admitted to the Sf. MariaClinical Emergency Hospital for Children Iasi, between January 1st and March 31st, 2016. Bacterial infections were most prevalent in the age group of 0-1 year (54.98% of the total isolates). Most affected by multidrug-resistant bacterial infections services were: general pediatrics (24.08% of the total isolates), then the intensive care unit (19.95%), surgical wards (14.84%), and acute therapy (11.43%). The germs were isolated from pathological samples: most often pus (23.85%), hypo-pharyngeal aspiration (21.65%), conjunctival secretion (12.42%), and ear secretion (9.48%). Penicillin G and oxacillin were inefficient in 30.26% of the Staphylococcus aureus strains, while erythromycin in 18.42%. Antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae was observed for penicillin G in 7.14% of the strains, while for erythromycin in 13.09%. Klebsiella pneumoniae strains were resistant to amoxicillin + clavulanic acid in 35.85% of the cases, and to cefuroxime, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefepime in 33.96%. Our study highlighted that Staphylococcus aureus was resistant to penicillin G and oxacillin in more than one-third of the isolates, Streptococcus pneumoniae was resistant to penicillin G and erythromycin, and Klebsiella pneumoniae to amoxicillin + clavulanic acid and 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation cephalosporins. Continuing antibioresistance monitoring is crucial in order to promote appropriate guidelines in antibiotic prescription, which could result in decreasing HAIs� rates.

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