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Newly emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has now spread across the globe in past few months while affecting 26 million people and leading to more than 0.85 million deaths as on 2nd September, 2020. Severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection increases in COVID-19 patients due to pre-existing health co-morbidities. This mini-review has focused on the three significant co-morbidities viz., heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, which are posing high health concerns and increased mortality during this ongoing pandemic. The observed co-morbidities have been found to be associated with the increasing risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 critical illness as well as to be associated positively with the worsening of the health condition of COVID-19 suffering individuals resulting in the high risk for mortality. SARS-CoV-2 enters host cell via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors. Regulation of crucial cardiovascular functions and metabolisms like blood pressure and sugar levels are being carried out by ACE2. This might be one of the reasons that contribute to the higher mortality in COVID-19 patients having co-morbidities. Clinical investigations have identified higher levels of creatinine, cardiac troponin I, alanine aminotransferase, NT-proBNP, creatine kinase, D-dimer, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase in patients who have succumbed to death from COVID-19 as compared to recovered individuals. More investigations are required to identify the modes behind increased mortality in COVID-19 patients having co-morbidities of heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. This will enable us to design and develop suitable therapeutic strategies for reducing the mortality. More attention and critical care need to be paid to such high risk patients suffering from co-morbidities during COVID-19 pandemic.

The association between vitamin D and cancer has been studied with different focuses. As far as the beneficial effects concern, studies have shown the effects of vitamin D in inflammatory response and oxidative stress in relation with cancer regression. Indirect anti-cancer effects of vitamin D also due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is considered as a major mediator of inflammation and key transcription factor linking inflammation of cancer development. On the other hand, caspase protein also has an important role in apoptosis. Further, apoptosis and the BCL-2 family now inextricably linked to human cancer, since, the vitamin D has proven to exert numerous tumor suppressive effects the relationship of vitamin D on the regulation of apoptosis and NF-κB is yet to be studied in detail. Hence, the present study aims at evaluating the efficacy of vitamin D on NF-κB and Caspase 3 in the human colorectal carcinoma - cell line (HCT116). The treatment of HCT cell line with different concentration of vitamin D shown dose-dependent effect on the expression of Caspase 3 not on NF-κB. This finding suggests that vitamin D does not have any effect on NF-κB, but have a positive effect on Caspase3 on HCT116, which might play a vital role in preventing the colon cancer.

Autism is a prevalent developmental disorder that combines repetitive behaviours, social deficits and language abnormalities. The present study aims to assess the autistic subjects using DSM IV-TR criteria followed with the analysis of neurotransmitters, biochemical parameters, oxidative stress and its ions in two groups of autistic subjects (group I

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide that arises from the transformation of normal cells into tumour cells in a multi-stage process. There is always a stable demand for new therapies to treat cancer. Research communities is showing interest towards nanoparticles along with naturally-derived compounds as they are considered as less toxic compared to chemotherapy and radiation. The present study is to develop a fast, eco-friendly synthesis of Gloriosa superba nickel nanoparticles (GSNiNPs) using methanolic extract of Gloriosa superba tuber which acts as a reducing agent and has an active principle against cancer activity. Nickel nanoparticles are considered as good adsorbents due to their chemical and magnetic properties. The synthesised GSNiNPs were characterized using UV Visible spectroscopy, which showed a prominent peak at 350 nm verified the formation of NiNps by the reduction of bioactive compounds of Gloriosa superba towards metal salts. FTIR confirmed that the GSNiNPs were functionalized with biomolecules. SEM and TEM analysis revealed that GSNiNPs are slightly spherical and agglomerated nanoparticles. The in-vitro cytotoxic activity of Gloriosa superba nickel nanoparticles in HeLa cancer cell lines was analyzed using MTT assay, wound healing assay, DAPI staining and double staining. In vitro anti-angiogenic efficacy of Gloriosa superba-nickel nanoparticles was evaluated via the expression pattern of caspase 3 and 9, VEGF A and VEGF B through reverse transcriptase-PCR. The results revealed that Gloriosa superba nickel nanoparticles possess apoptotic and anti-angiogenic effects in HeLa cell lines by inhibiting VEGF A and B and increasing the levels of caspase 3 and 9. GSNiNPs can act as an effective anti-cancer therapeutic agent for cervical cancer cells. In conclusion, the synthesized GSNiNPs can bring a new approach to improve the bioavailability of drug-responsive for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Carrageenan, a sulfated polysaccharide, was produced by certain species of marine red seaweeds, which have been used as a significant source of food, feed, and antibiotic agent throughout history due to their alleged human health benefits. The present study aimed to derive the polysaccharides from

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a toxic metabolite produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi commonly found in raw plant sources and other feeds. This review comprises an extensive evaluation of the origin and proprieties of OTA, toxicokinetics, biotransformation, and toxicodynamics of ochratoxins. In in vitro and in vivo studies, the compatibility of OTA with oxidative stress is observed through the production of free radicals, resulting in genotoxicity and carcinogenicity. The OTA leads to nephrotoxicity as the chief target organ is the kidney. Other OTA excretion and absorption rates are observed, and the routes of elimination include faeces, urine, and breast milk. The alternations in the Phe moiety of OTA are the precursor for the amino acid alternation, bringing about Phe-hydroxylase and Phe-tRNA synthase, resulting in the complete dysfunction of cellular metabolism. Biodetoxification using specific microorganisms decreased the DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, and cytotoxicity. This review addressed the ability of antioxidants and the dietary components as prophylactic measures to encounter toxicity and demonstrated their capability to counteract the chronic exposure through supplementation as feed additives.

Placenta is a crucial source of Tissue Factor (TF) to initiate coagulation. As far as the TF is concern, aberrant expression of TF has been reported to have a significant role in thrombosis, inflammation, cancer metastasis and atherosclerosis. It is evident that TF and TF-FVIIa complex has major roles in the disease process beyond hemostasis and thrombosis. On the other hand, TF-FVII-dependent signaling primarily activates PAR2 and inducing pro-angiogenic and immune-modulating cytokines in tumor environment. However, the role of TF has not been delineated in placental functions. Integrin typically binds to the extracellular matrix which in turn mediate cell-cell adhesion and cell behavior for migration. Dysregulation of integrin expression affects cell interaction, proliferation, and migration. Therefore, this study aims to ascertain the expression of TF in HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cell line and its role in signal transduction of integrin (ITGα1, ITGα2, ITGβ1) regulation concerning the invasion of trophoblasts. We have used RT-PCR and Western blot for the gene and protein expression analysis respectively. In addition, cell migration assays, MTT, and DAPI were performed to examine migration, cytotoxicity and apoptosis effect of FVIIa. The results suggest that the gene and protein level expressions of TF were predominant in HTR-8/SVneo cell line. Further, the cytotoxicity and apoptosis in HTR-8/SVneo cells were not observed when treated with FVIIa. The cells treated with FVIIa shown a dose-dependent up-regulation of integrin(s) (**p0.01, *p0.05) when compared to control. Migration of the HTR-8/SVneo cells was observed without any apoptosis in FVIIa-treated cells when compared to that of control. On the whole, these observations delineated the TF-FVIIa interaction in modulating the TF-dependent integrin signal transduction in HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cell line.

Objective Local chickens were spontaneously sampled and slaughtered in the central markets of Coimbatore, Erode, and Namakkal districts, South India. Materials and methods Wet digestion was used to extract lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn) in their blood and selected different organs (intestine, breast, liver, and gizzard), and their concentrations were measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results Apart from the blood of chickens from Coimbatore and Namakkal, where Pb was not found, the concentrations of Pb in the blood and organs of chickens from the three towns ranged from 1.8 to 8.33 mg/kg, exceeding the maximum tolerance thresholds (0.1 mg/kg) in internal organs of poultry birds. Except for the intestine of chickens from the three areas, Cd was only found in the heart, blood, and gizzard of Erode chickens, as well as the liver and gizzard of Namakkal chickens, in concentrations ranging from 0.13 to 0.58. According to threshold level, the upper limit met the maximum limits (0.5 mg/kg). Zn was found in all sections of chickens from the three selected districts, with concentrations ranging from 4.96 to 174.17 mg/kg. Conclusion Its concentrations were within the permissible limits (10-50 mg/kg) in some areas of certain chickens, but it surpassed the permissible limit in the liver of chicken from Coimbatore. Any organs and blood from local chickens sold in Coimbatore, Erode, and Namakkal areas can be hazardous to one's health.

Electrons exchange amongst the chemical species in an organism is a pivotal concomitant activity carried out by individual cells for basic cellular processes and continuously contribute towards the maintenance of bioenergetic networks plus physiological attributes like cell growth, phenotypic differences and nutritional adaptations. Humans exchange matter and energy via complex connections of metabolic pathways (redox reactions) amongst cells being a thermodynamically open system. Usually, these reactions are the real lifeline and driving forces of health and disease in the living entity. Many shreds of evidence support the secondary role of reactive species in the cellular process of control apoptosis and proliferation. Disrupted redox mechanisms are seen in malaises, like degenerative and metabolic disorders, cancerous cells. This review targets the importance of redox reactions in the body's normal functioning and the effects of its alterations in cells to obtain a better understanding. Understanding the redox dynamics in a pathological state can provide an opportunity for cure or diagnosis at the earlier stage and serve as an essential biomarker to predict in advance to give personalized therapy. Understanding redox metabolism can also highlight the use of naturally available antioxidant in the form of diet.

This chapter discusses exosome nanoparticles and their unique biomolecular functionality and role in diversified pathological conditions, cellular physiology, and related pathways. We examine and compare isolation and detection techniques for exosome analysis. Exosomes are nano-sized extracellular vesicles biosynthesized through the lysosomal pathway via fusion of multi-vesicular bodies (MVBs) with the cell membrane and exosomes are secreted by different cell types. Exosomes contain a mixture of proteins, nucleic acids, and lipid components with the exact signature characteristics of their parent cells. These entities can signal and change the phenotype of target cells, hence they can impact the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. Exosomes have also been identified in several biological fluids, such as plasma, nasal lavage fluid, saliva, breast milk, and in edible plants like ginger, grapefruit, carrot, and grape. This review provides updated and comprehensive information about the isolation, characterization, and role of exosomes in diseases and therapeutics, with a special emphasis on their biomarker and drug delivery applications.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the globally prevalent and virulent types of cancer with a distinct alteration in chromosomes. Often, any alterations in the adenomatosis polyposis coli (APC), a tumor suppressor gene, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene are related to surmise colorectal cancer significantly. In this study, we have investigated chromosomal and gene variants to discern a new-fangled gene and its expression in the southern populations of India by primarily spotting the screened APC and MTHFR variants in CRC patients. An equal number of CRC patients and healthy control subjects (n=65) were evaluated to observe a chromosomal alteration in the concerted and singular manner for APC and MTHFR genotypes using standard protocols. The increasing prognosis was observed in persons with higher alcoholism and smoking (P<0.05) with frequent alterations in chromosomes 1, 5, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 21, and 22. The APC Asp 1822Val and MTHFR C677T genotypes provided significant results, while the variant alleles of this polymorphism were linked with an elevated risk of CRC. Chromosomal alterations can be the major cause in inducing carcinogenic outcomes in CRCs and can drive to extreme pathological states.

The present investigation was aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential of ethanolic extract ofThe rats were divided into 6 groups and each group contained 6 rats. CClThe levels of liver functional markers were increased and protein, albumin and A/G ratio levels were decreased and the decreased levels of mitochondrial enzymes were noted in CClFrom these results, the isolated quercetin fractions have better activity than that of the ethanolic extract of

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the recurring and lethal gastrointestinal tract disease rankings as the primary cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality. In general, the tumour node metastasis (TNM) and Dukes classification assist in diagnosis, prognosis and treatments of CRC along with haematological examinations and tumour demographic characterisations in patients.The present investigation is carried out on clinically acknowledged sixty-five CRC patients based on haematological findings and are sorted into stages using TNM and Dukes. The present study is to find the association between haematological findings, demographic characters, differentiation position, lymph node invasion and tumour node metastasis in CRC patients in accordance with their age.We observed significant (p0.05) nexus between lymph node metastasis and tumour node metastasis on the basis of tumour's differentiation demographic positioning and age of the individuals.Earlier location tracing and medicinal treatment or surgery lessen the chance of CRC morbidity and mortality along with prolonging survival rate via prognostic factors and disease position determination.

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and main protease (MPro) are significant target proteins, mainly involved in the attachment of viral genome to host cells and aid in replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome‐coronaviruses or SARS‐CoV genome. In the present study, we identified 11 potent bioactive compounds from ethanolic leaf extract of Ipomoea obscura (L.) by using GC‐MS analysis. These potential bioactive compounds were considered for molecular docking studies against ACE2 and MPro target proteins to determine the antiviral effects against SARS‐COV. Results exhibits that among 11 compounds from I. obscura (L.), urso‐deoxycholic acid, demeclocycline, tetracycline, chlorotetracycline, and ethyl iso‐allocholate had potential viral inhibitory activity. Hence, the present findings suggested that chemical constitution present in I. obscura (L.) will address inhibition of corona viral replication in host cells.

The present study was investigated to the sequel of dietary supplementation of algae (Chaetomorpha aerea) on growth, exploitation of food, haematological, immunological parameters and disease resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila in Labeo rohita for 28-days trial period. A total of 180 fishes with a body weight of 55 ± 0.9 g initially, were selected and allotted to one of five dietary treatments, in which the basal diet supplemented with 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 g kg−1 (w/w) of C. aerea. The fishes were subjected to challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila and relative percentage of survival (%) was recorded for 14 days after the feeding trial. Accordingly, the fishes fed with C. aerea increased the growth rate, feed conversion rate, specific growth rate, haemoglobin, neutrophil and lysozyme activity, when compared to the control group (P

Nanotechnology has underpinned vital progress in current research and has immensely promoted the food production chain. This review projected the critical intervention of nano-based technologies like modern advancements of nano-based biosensors in detecting mycotoxins, microbial contaminations, antibiotics, pesticides, food additives and dyes. It also highlighted the starring roles of nanotechnology in terms of active, intelligent food packaging and food safety. These approaches have certainly intensified the strength of food processing technology and improved food quality and maintenance standards during shelf life. Apart from these trending facets, this review threwlight on the utilisation of food waste for the biogenic synthesis of nanoparticles and the application of nano-based materials for the recycling process in food production units to ensure a complete cleaner technology. However, monitoring the chronic exposure of food contact nanomaterials should be critically evaluated to ensure food safety. Nanotechnology embraced an influential role in the food sector by providing effective avenues for energy conservation, sustainability and cues to improve the capital funds well.

Post COVID-19, mucormycosis occurred after the SARS-CoV-2 has rampaged the human population and is a scorching problem among the pandemic globally, particularly among Asian countries. Invasive mucormycosis has been extensively reported from mild to severe COVID-19 survivors. The robust predisposing factor seems to be uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, comorbidity and immunosuppression acquired through steroid therapy. The prime susceptive reason for the increase of mucormycosis cases is elevated iron levels in the serum of the COVID survivors. A panoramic understanding of the infection has been elucidated based on clinical manifestation, genetic and non- genetic mechanisms of steroid drug administration, biochemical pathways and immune modulated receptor associations. This review lime-lights and addresses the “What”, “Why”, “How” and “When” about the COVID-19 associated mucormycosis (CAM) in a comprehensive manner with a pure intention to bring about awareness to the common public as the cases are inevitably and exponentially increasing in India and global countries as well. The article also unearthed the pathogenesis of mucormycosis and its association with the COVID-19 sequela, the plausible routes of entry, diagnosis and counter remedies to keep the infection at bay. Cohorts of case reports were analysed to spotlight the link between the pandemic COVID-19 and the nightmare-mucormycosis., Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image

Autism, a pervasive developmental disorder typically characterized by repetitive behaviour, social skills deficit (or a deficit in social communication), speech and language impairments. Our prime focus is to analyze the clinical features and phenotypical behavioural changes using the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition, text revision (DSM IV-TR), and locating the biomarkers associated with specific autistic characters using karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques. The prevalence rate of the neurexin 1 (NRXN1) gene polymorphism was also assessed in the current study. The study group involved 196 samples with 98 autistics, and equal age-matched (±2) controls based on their birth order and carrier. The participants include 35.2% males (n = 69) and 14.8% females (n = 29). The autistic and control participants were categorized based on their ages as group I ( ( n = 37) with higher DSM-IV TR score (≥30 ) . Only 30 FISH tests were negative for subtelomeric deletions with NRXN1 polymorphism genotypic frequency as 62.50%, 25% and 25% for A/A, A/G and G/G genotype respectively. Our study suggests the link between a haplotype with clinical signs of autism for the single nucleotide sequence (SNP rs9636391) and links autistic characters and gene among autistic children according to their birth order, age and gender in India.

Background: Evolvulus alsinoides (Linn) is a perennial herb found throughout India that belongs to the family of Convolvulaceae. Shankhpushpi was traditionally used in Unani and Ayurveda. Shankhpushpi was used in the Medhya Rasyana (nervine tonic) as a brain and memory tonic. Traditionally, Shankhpushpi has been used as a memory enhancer, a sedative; for antianxiety; as an antiepileptic, anthelmintic, and anticonvulsant; and against leukoderma. Aim: The objective of this review is to summarize the phytochemical constituents, traditional uses, ethnomedicinal uses, and pharmacological properties of E. alsinoides L. Materials and Methods: The articles regarding E. alsinoides L. were collected using keywords such as E. alsinoides L.; pharmacological activities and traditional usage were obtained from accredited scientific databases such as Pubmed, Nature, Wiley, Springer, and ScienceDirect. Results and Conclusion: Based on current observations, a literature review suggested that the E. alsinoides L. may possess pharmacological properties such as wound healing, hepatoprotective activity, cardioprotective property, antidiabetic activity, memory and learning, and neuroprotective activity.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a stern dominant progressive neurological development disorder linked with X chromosome ranking second for mental slowdown, exclusively in females after few months of birth with normal development and growth period. Genetically any defects in universally expressed methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) transcription regulator gene are considered as radix for RTT in almost all the previous studies. Our study mainly focuses in unraveling the genetic alterations like identifying MeCP2 gene polymorphisms, chromosomal abnormalities, or X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) as underlying cause of RTT in prototypes sorted through Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Text Revised (DSM IV). In addition, we have examined the probable surrogates of brain function disabilities like serotonin, homocysteine (Hcy), calcium, potassium, and lead from blood in both RTT porotypes and their mothers. In our investigation, we have observed varied amino acid substitution of MeCP2 and varied frequency of skewed XCI in RTT prototype. Our study validates that the demonstration of chromosomal analysis, biochemical analysis, and genomic observations helps in concluding RTT condition and can be helpful in providing appropriate treatment and counseling as well as improve the currently available protocol of diagnosis.

The neoteric severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been jeopardizing the world with the symptoms of seasonal flu. The virus contagion predicted to have been originated from Wuhan, China has by far trapped 4,198,418 cases from 212 countries in the world with two international conveyances with 284,102 deaths as of 11 May 2020 (10:18 GMT). Researchers around the globe have indulged in deciphering viral mode in the body for devising a cure. Affirmations from autopsies and preliminary findings on SARS-CoV-2 hypothesized on viral pathogenesis within the host, for instance, source of inflammation in lungs and pneumonia. This hypothesis assigns the platelets as agents of infection after viral entry. Presently, curbing infection to stall the spread of SARS-CoV-2 is the prima facie intervention employed, worldwide. However, public health authorities must monitor the state of affairs scrupulously, as the deeper our understanding of this novel virus and its associated outbreak, the better we can deal with it. Knowing this idea might be far-fetched, yet this postulate would serve as the groundwork for the present situation.

Autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affects the areas of social awareness and interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and behaviors and interests, which are grouped among neurobehavioral disorders. One in 68 children is affected with ASD according to the estimate from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network and an increasing prevalence observed worldwide. A characteristic heterogeneity in ASD determined genetic variability as a major contributor. Whole-exome sequencing of ASD individuals revealed that discrete de novo mutation (single-nucleotide variation or small indels) also contribute to the overall genetic risk of ASD apart from rare genetic variation affecting single nucleotides of protein-coding DNA or rare genomic copy number variants as assessed through other high-throughput genomic methods. These genes are involved in synaptic transmission and regulated during brain development by acting upstream or downstream of Wingless- related integration site (WNT), bone morphogenetic proteins/transforming growth factor-β, sonic hedgehog, fibroblast growth factor, and retinoic acid signaling pathways. The current review focuses on genes involved in synaptic function, undergoing de novo mutation leading to ASD condition.

Background: Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase is an important enzyme which plays a major role in folate metabolism and DNA methylation. The objective of this study was to analyze the MTHFR C677T polymorphism in infertile men. Study Design: Blood samples were collected from 58 infertile men and 55 control subjects were taken which are fertile. C677T mutation analysis was done by Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism PCR-RFLP Method. Results: The present study reveals that 23 Homozygous CC, 28 heterozygous CT, 7 TT were found in infertile men, whereas in control, the allele variations were 38 Homozygous CC, 17 heterozygous CT, but no Homozygous TT was found. Conclusion: As a result, Genotypes and allele frequencies found in infertile patients and controls but mutant allele was found only in infertile men. Homozygous TT was observed only in azoospermia infertile men whereas heterozygous CT was found in both oligozoospermia and azoospermia subjects. The study has to be extended with a large number of samples.