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Excessive wildlife hunting for commercial purposes can have negative impacts on biodiversity and may result in species extinction. To ensure compliance with legal statutes, forensic identification approaches relying on molecular markers may be used to identify the species of origin of animal material from hairs, claw, blood, bone, or meat. Using this approach, DNA sequences from the COI "barcoding" gene have been used to identify material from a number of domesticated animal species. However, many wild species of carnivores still present great challenges in generating COI barcodes using standard "universal" primer pairs. In the work presented here, the mitochondrial COI gene was successfully amplified using a novel primer cocktail, and the products were sequenced to determine the species of twenty one unknown samples of claw material collected as part of forensic wildlife case investigations. Sixteen of the unknown samples were recognized to have originated from either Panthera leo or P. pardus individuals. The remaining five samples could be identified only to the family level due to the absence of reference animal sequences. This is the first report on the use of COI sequences for the identification of P. pardus and P. leo from claw samples as part of forensic investigations in India. The study also highlights the need for adequate reference material to aid in the resolution of suspected cases of illegal wildlife harvesting.

Background: Urinary tract infections are found to be commonest bacterial infections across the globe. Various studies have demonstrated high prevalence rate of UTIs in Pakistan. Multiple broad spectrum antibiotics are being used for the treatment of UTI but the resistance by the pathogen against these drugs is increasing worldwide. As the resistance in the organisms is increasing day by day, and it is now hall mark and matter of concern for clinicians to treat uropathogenic E. coli, so there is a pertinent need to explore new sensitive antibiotics or alternative options to manage the disease. Aims: To determine the pathogen burden and susceptibility pattern of ceftolozane/tazobactam against MDR E. coli isolates from clinical specimens of urinary tract infections in Karachi. Study Design:  It was an in-vitro clinical study. Study Settings: The study was conducted in department of Pharmacology, Baqai Medical University and isolates were collected from Microbiology laboratory of Karachi. Methodology: On the basis of identification methods, one hundred and fifty (150) strains of E. coli were isolated from 650 specimen of urine. Clinical isolates were identified by standard and specific microbiological methods. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern was determined by Kirby Bauer Disc diffusion method. Samples were processed as per procedures defined by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines 2018. Results: Out of 150 isolates of E. coli, 95 (63.3%) were MDR E. coli. majority of the cases were obtained from age group 61-80 year (32.6%). Highest sensitivity was seen by ceftolozane/tazobactam (96%) followed by ceftriaxone (88%). Least sensitivity was observed with Imipenem (13.70%). However increased trend of resistance was seen among all empirical used drugs.

Background: Salivary fluid creates a particular environment of oral cavity that helps in mastication, lubrication of food and mucosa and in speech. Intake of food and different liquids (drinks, juices, milk) causes modulation in pH of saliva that lead to change in the environment of oral cavity.  The pH of saliva decreases to acidic side when bacteria breakdown the carbohydrates and start releasing acids, these acids damage the structure of tooth and leads to cavity formation i.e. dental caries. Objective: The current study is aimed to evaluate the salivary pH of diabetic and healthy individual before and after using honey and vinegar mouth rinses. Methods: It was a pre-clinical experimental study conducted in dental OPD of Baqai medical college Karachi from 1st January to 15th February. The calculated sample size N=80 was divided in 4 groups, Group A, n=20 healthy participants who rinsed with honey mouth rinse, Group B n=20 diabetics patients who rinsed with honey mouth rinse. Similarly, Group C, n=20 healthy participants who rinsed with vinegar mouth rinse and Group D, n=20 diabetic patients who rinsed with vinegar mouth rinse. 2 ml of saliva was collected by asking the participants to collect it in the floor of the mouth and swallowing for one minute was prohibited and after that they were asked to expectorate it into the sterile container. Then they were given the mouth rinse according to group distribution and after rinsing they were asked to wait for half an hour after that saliva was again collected from same participant to identify the rinse induced change in pH of oral cavity. Results: There was no any significant change in healthy participants of either group however in diabetic individuals significant change was observed by honey mouth rinse (p-value = 0.033) followed by vinegar mouth rinse (p-value = 0.043). Conclusion: Honey and vinegar mouth rinses are effective in maintaining the salivary pH in diabetic individuals.

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