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Background: Breast cancer constitutes a significant proportion of malignancies among the female population, accounting for approximately 25% of all cancer cases on a global scale. Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) is the more reliable marker in breast cancer diagnosis. Objective: This study investigates the potential of soluble salivary HER2 in breast cancer diagnosis and explores its correlation with demographic and hormonal factors. Materials and Methods: A total of 45 subjects were selected and divided into three groups: Group A: healthy patients (n = 15), Group B: HER2-negative breast cancer patients (n = 15), and Group C: HER2-positive breast cancer patients (n = 15). Patients’ saliva was collected, and assessment of salivary soluble HER2 was performed by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Results: Salivary HER2 levels were 32.3 pg/ml in healthy group, 43.2 pg/ml in HER2-negative group, and 147.8 pg/ml in HER2-positive group. On evaluating the risk factors associated with the salivary HER2 levels, increased age (P = 0.007), positive family history (P = 0.006), patients with the habit of tobacco chewing (P = 0.001), and patients with no breastfeeding history (P = 0.001) showed a statistically significant result. Conclusion: Salivary HER2 levels were higher in both HER2-positive and -negative breast cancer groups compared to controls, indicating its potential as a noninvasive diagnostic tool for breast cancer screening.

Background: As a prerequisite to start a medical practice in India, Foreign Medical graduates on returning have to sit for FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduate’s Exam), organized by NBE. The time and effort involved by the students with adjustments to various changes in educational and examination pattern may manifest as psychiatric morbidities while awaiting a positive outcome. Aim: To evaluate depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia in Foreign Medical Graduate students and to understand the various factors associated with them. Materials and Methods: A total of 80 MBBS students appearing for FMGE were enrolled during the period of April 2023 to May 2023, after obtaining their written consent on the Google form to participate in this study. The participants answered a semi-structured proforma consisting of information about sociodemographic data, DASS-21 (depression, anxiety, and stress severity scale), ISI scale (insomnia severity index), and RSES (Rosenberg self-esteem scale). Results: In this study, 76.2%, 80%, 72.5%, and 78.8% of students were found to be suffering from depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia, respectively. A significant statistical correlation was found between anxiety and the students appearing for July FMGE 2023. Stress and depression were associated with insecurities/comparisons faced by the participants due to peers clearing the examination before them. Low self-esteem was associated with 3 or more failed attempts for FMGE and the presence of other stressors preceding/concurrent while preparing for FMGE. Clinical insomnia was found to be statistically significant with depression, anxiety as well as stress in this study. Multiple regression analysis showed that stress and anxiety predicted depression while the young age of the student, low socioeconomic status, low self-esteem, stress, and depression predicted anxiety. Stress was found to be associated with anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Insomnia was corelated with having extension in the UG course and stress while low self-esteem was corelated with students who were attempting for the July 2023 examination and anxiety. Conclusion: The significantly high proportion of psychiatric morbidities among Foreign Medical Graduates is suggestive of the need for the necessary psychological aid and counseling as these foreign medical graduates can be viewed as an opportunity to correct India’s physician shortage.

Background: Nimbolide, a bioactive compound derived from the neem tree, has garnered attention as a potential breakthrough in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Recent updates in research highlight its multifaceted pharmacological properties, demonstrating anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. With a rich history in traditional medicine, nimbolide efficacy in addressing the molecular complexities of conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer positions it as a promising candidate for further exploration. As studies progress, the recent update underscores the growing optimism surrounding nimbolide as a valuable tool in the ongoing pursuit of innovative therapeutic strategies for chronic diseases. Methods: The comprehensive search of the literature was done until September 2020 on the MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus and Web of Knowledge databases. Results: Most studies have shown the Nimbolide is one of the most potent limonoids derived from the flowers and leaves of neem (Azadirachta indica), which is widely used to treat a variety of human diseases. In chronic diseases, nimbolide reported to modulate the key signaling pathways, such as Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), Wingless-related integration site-β (Wnt-β)/catenin, NF-κB, PI3K/AKT, and signaling molecules, such as transforming growth factor (TGF-β), Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), inflammatory cytokines, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) proteins. Nimbolide has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer properties, which make it an intriguing compound for research. Nimbolide demonstrated therapeutic potential for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular, inflammation and cancer. Conclusion: The current review mainly focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapecutic effects of nimbolide in chronic diseases.

ABSTRACTColorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease that requires new diagnostic and prognostic markers. Integrated bioinformatics approach to identify novel therapeutic targets associated with CRC. Using GEO2R identified DEGs in CRC, and Funrich software facilitated the visualization of DEGs through Venn diagrams. From a total of 114 enhanced DEGs, potential hub genes were further filtered based on their nodal strength and edges using STRING database. To gain insights into the functional roles of these hub genes, gene ontology and pathway enrichment were conducted thorough g: profiler web server. Subsequently, overall survival plots from GEPIA and oncogenic predictive functions like mRNA expressions for stages and nodal metastasis were employed to identify hub genes in CRC patient samples. Additionally, the cBioPortal and HPA databases also revealed genetic alterations and expression levels in these hub genes in CRC patients, further supporting their involvement in colorectal cancer. Gene expression by RT-PCR shows upregulation of hub genes in HT-29 cells. Finally, our integrated bioinformatic analysis revealed that ABCE1, AURKA, HSPD1, PHKA1, CDK4, and YWHAE as hub genes with potential oncogenic roles in CRC. These genes hold promise as diagnostic and prognostic markers for colorectal tumorigenesis, providing insights into targeted therapies for improved patient outcomes.

The horticulture sector, essential for global food production, confronts significant challenges with prevalent pollutants, mainly microplastics. The presence of microplastics in the food chain has induced physiological stress and a multifactorial food safety concern. The complexity of the problem, arising from intricate interactions among microplastics, organisms, and ecosystems, poses a substantial challenge to food safety, necessitating an immediate strategic perspective due to the associated risks to human health and eco-toxicology. Significant knowledge gaps persist regarding their impact on terrestrial ecosystems, especially in horticulture. This study addresses the urgent need to comprehend the implications of microplastics on soil health, eco-toxicological risks, and nutrient dynamics in horticultural environments. The review covers potential sources of microplastics, their impact on horticultural crops including eco-toxicity, various identification techniques, and proposed mitigation measures, offering insights for environmentalists, biotechnologists, and policymakers to proactively mitigate risks.

The position of the nucleus before it divides during mitosis is variable in different budding yeasts. Studies in the pathogenic intron-rich fungus Cryptococcus neoformans reveal that the nucleus moves entirely into the daughter bud before its division. Here, we report functions of a zinc finger motif containing spliceosome protein C. neoformans Slu7 (CnSlu7) in cell cycle progression. The budding yeast and fission yeast homologs of Slu7 have predominant roles for intron 3' splice site definition during pre-mRNA splicing. Using a conditional knockdown strategy, we show CnSlu7 is an essential factor for viability and is required for efficient cell cycle progression with major role during mitosis. Aberrant nuclear migration, including improper positioning of the nucleus as well as the spindle, were frequently observed in cells depleted of CnSlu7. However, cell cycle delays observed due to Slu7 depletion did not activate the Mad2-dependent spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC). Mining of the global transcriptome changes in the Slu7 knockdown strain identified downregulation of transcripts encoding several cell cycle regulators and cytoskeletal factors for nuclear migration, and the splicing of specific introns of these genes was CnSlu7 dependent. To test the importance of splicing activity of CnSlu7 on nuclear migration, we complemented Slu7 knockdown cells with an intron less PAC1 minigene and demonstrated that the nuclear migration defects were significantly rescued. These findings show that CnSlu7 regulates the functions of diverse cell cycle regulators and cytoskeletal components, ensuring timely cell cycle transitions and nuclear division during mitosis.

The global increase in the prevalence of oral neoplasms and related deaths can be attributed to social development and lifestyle factors, leading to poor prognosis and a lack of early clinical detection. Oral cancer ranks ranked sixth mostly diagnosed cancer and is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. In light of these circumstances, our objective was to assess the potential of β-sitosterol, a naturally occurring herbal compound, as an anticancer agent against KB cells, a representative cell line for oral cancer. Our study primarily focused on evaluating the cytotoxic effect and mRNA expression of apoptotic proteins by β-sitosterol on KB cells. The results demonstrated a remarkable cytotoxic effect, leading to cell death. Further investigation using flow cytometric analysis revealed that this cell death was mediated through the initiation of the apoptotic signalling by β-sitosterol. The use of the bioinformatic tool, STITCH, supported our study by predicting drug-protein interactions and suggesting that β-sitosterol may play a significant role in targeting apoptotic pathways. Additionally, docking results were employed to validate the findings demonstrating high binding affinity of β-sitosterol with apoptotic-mediated signalling targets. To gain deeper insights into the molecular insights, we measured mRNA levels for BAX, BCL-2, MCL-1, P53, P21, MDM2, caspase3, and caspase9. Based on our comprehensive findings, our study concludes that β-sitosterol holds significant therapeutic potential against oral cancer cells. These results strongly suggest that this herbal compound should be further explored as a potential treatment option for oral cancer for clinical trial.

The aim of the study is to develop an environmentally friendly development of isolating silver nanoparticles using Argyreia nervosa plant leaves and examine their potential pharmacological properties, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic activities. Various analytical techniques were employed to examine the isolated silver nanoparticles, encompassing UV spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, EDX, FTIR, zeta potential measurement, and particle size determination. Furthermore, Argyreia nervosa-mediated silver nanoparticles exhibited strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activity, and good anti-diabetic activity. Argyreia nervosa-mediated nanoparticles showed a significant antibacterial activity against selected pathogens. The findings indicate that Argyreia nervosa demonstrates encouraging pharmacological properties. However, additional in vivo research focusing on molecular-level investigations is necessary to substantiate these findings and explore the potential of Argyreia nervosa-mediated silver nanoparticles as a viable drug for antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-diabetic purposes.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most typical form of liver cancer. Apart from modern therapies, various natural chemical constituents have been tested for the treatment of HCC. However, the usage of the latter has declined due to their low bioavailability and stability. Objectives: Considering the above drawback’s, in this study, we describe a gelatin-syringic acid/ zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocomposite for liver cancer treatment, which showed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. Methods: The hydrothermal method was used to synthesize ZnO nanoparticle and it was encapsulated with gelatin-syringic acid by coacervation technique. The nanocomposites were characterized by UV spec, FTIR, SEM, XRD, EDX, and DLS. The drug release profile of nanocomposite was studied by dialysis bag method, which exhibits a sustained drug release. Results: The antioxidant ability of nano-composite was studied by performing an ABTS and DPPH assay and the IC50 was recorded as 76.5 and 47.63 µg/mL, respectively. The anti-inflammatory potential was studied by assessing the ability of nanocomposite on denaturation of protein and the results exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition. The acute toxicity of nanocomposite tested on zebrafish liver and heart showed that it is non-toxic. Moreover, the nanocomposite inhibits the Hep G2 cell viability with an increasing concentration and it increases oxidative stress caused by the mitochondrial damage, which leads to cell death. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, gelatin-syringic acid/ZnO nanocomposite has been shown to possess antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, and thus can be used against HCC.

In the original publication [...]

Uncovering the molecular mechanisms of autism spectrum disorder (autism) necessitates development of relevant experimental models that are capable of recapitulating features of the clinical phenotype. Using non-integrative episomal vectors, peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from three unrelated individuals diagnosed with autism were reprogrammed to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The resultant lines exhibited the expected cellular morphology, karyotype, and evidence of pluripotency. These iPSCs constitute a valuable resource to support investigations of the underlying aetiology of autism.

The prevalence of obesity in contemporary society has brought attention to how serious it is all around the world. Obesity, a proinflammatory condition defined by hypertrophied adipocytes and immune cells that reside in adipose tissue, is characterized by elevated circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines. The pro-inflammatory mediators trigger a number of inflammatory pathways and affect the phosphorylation of a number of insulin-signaling pathways in peripheral tissues. In this work, we pointed the outcome of the leaves of Carica papaya (C. papaya) on the inflammatory molecules by in vivo and in silico analysis in order to prove its mechanisms of action. Adipocytokines, antioxidant enzymes, gene and protein expression of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules (mTOR, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IKKβ) by q-RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, as well as histopathological analysis, in adipose tissues were carried out. C. papaya reinstated the levels of adipocytokines, antioxidant enzymes and mRNA levels of mTOR, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IKKβ in the adipose tissues of type 2 diabetic rats. Molecular docking and dynamics simulation studies revealed that caffeic acid, transferulic acid and quercetin had the top hit rates against IKKβ, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and mTOR. This study concludes that C. papaya put back the altered effects in fatty tissue of type 2 diabetic rats by restoring the adipocytokines and the gene expression.

Abstract Background Mammosphere formation assay has become a versatile tool to quantify the activity of putative breast cancer stem cells in non-adherent in vitro cultures. However, optimizing the suspension culture system is crucial to establish mammosphere cultures from primary breast tumors. Methods This study aimed at determining the self-renewal and sphere-forming potential of breast cancer stem-like cells derived from human primary invasive ductal carcinoma and normal breast tissue samples, and MCF-7 breast cancer cell line using an optimal suspension culture system. Mammosphere-forming efficiency of the mammospheres generated from the tissue samples and cell line were compared. We evaluated the expression of CD44+/CD24−/low and CD49f+/EpCAM−/low phenotypes in the stem-like cells by flow cytometry. CK-18, CK-19, α-SMA, and EpCAM marker expression was assessed using immunohistochemical staining. Results Breast epithelial cells isolated from the three samples formed two-dimensional spheroids in suspension cultures. Interestingly, mammospheres formed from patient-derived primary breast tumors were enriched in breast cancer stem-like cells with the phenotype CD44+/CD24−/low and exhibited a relatively more number of large spheres when compared to the normal breast stem cells. MCF-7-derived SCs were more aggressive and resulted in the formation of a significantly higher number of spheroids. The expression of CK-18/CK-19 and α-SMA/EpCAM proteins was confirmed in breast cancer tissues. Conclusions Thus, the use of primary tumor specimens and breast cancer cell lines as suitable models for elucidating the breast cancer stem cell activity was validated using mammosphere culture system.

The high incidences of COVID-19 cases are believed to be associated with high transmissibility rates, which emphasizes the need for the discovery of evidence-based antiviral therapies for curing the disease. The rationale of repurposing existing classes of antiviral small molecule therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 infection has been expected to accelerate the tedious and expensive drug development process. While Remdesivir has been recently approved to be the first treatment option for specific groups of COVID-19 patients, combinatory therapy with potential antiviral drugs may be necessary to enhance the efficacy in different populations. Hence, a comprehensive list of investigational antimicrobial drug compounds such as Favipiravir, Fidaxomicin, Galidesivir, GC376, Ribavirin, Rifabutin, and Umifenovir were computationally evaluated in this study. We performed in silico docking and molecular dynamics simulation on the selected small molecules against RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, which is one of the key target proteins of SARS-CoV-2, using AutoDock and GROMACS. Interestingly, our results revealed that the macrocyclic antibiotic, Fidaxomicin, possesses the highest binding affinity with the lowest energy value of −8.97 kcal/mol binding to the same active sites of RdRp. GC376, Rifabutin, Umifenovir and Remdesivir were identified as the next best compounds. Therefore, the above-mentioned compounds could be considered good leads for further preclinical and clinical experimentations as potentially efficient antiviral inhibitors for combination therapies against SARS-CoV-2.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe and common chronic mental illness characterized by recurrent mood swings between depression and mania. The biological basis of the disease is poorly understood, and its treatment is unsatisfactory. Na+, K+-ATPase is a major plasma membrane transporter and signal transducer. The catalytic α subunit of this enzyme is the binding site for cardiac steroids. Three α isoforms of the Na+, K+-ATPase are present in the brain. Previous studies have supported the involvement of the Na+, K+-ATPase and endogenous cardiac steroids (ECS) in the etiology of BD. Decreased brain ECS has been found to elicit anti-manic and anti-depressive-like behaviors in mice and rats. However, the identity of the specific α isoform involved in these behavioral effects is unknown. Here, we demonstrated that decreasing ECS through intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of anti-ouabain antibodies (anti-Ou-Ab) decreased the activity of α1+/− mice in forced swimming tests but did not change the activity in wild type (wt) mice. This treatment also affected exploratory and anxiety behaviors in α1+/− but not wt mice, as measured in open field tests. The i.c.v. administration of anti-Ou-Ab decreased brain ECS and increased brain Na+, K+-ATPase activity in wt and α1+/− mice. The serum ECS was lower in α1+/− than wt mice. In addition, a study in human participants demonstrated that serum ECS significantly decreased after treatment. These results suggest that the Na+, K+-ATPase α1 isoform is involved in depressive- and manic-like behaviors and support that the Na+, K+-ATPase/ECS system participates in the etiology of BD.

The main channel for disseminating information is now the Internet. Users have different expectations for the calibre of websites regarding the posted and presented content. The website’s quality is influenced by up to 120 factors, each represented by two to fifteen attributes. A major challenge is quantifying the features and evaluating the quality of a website based on the feature counts. One of the aspects that determines a website’s quality is its completeness, which focuses on the existence of all the objects and their connections with one another. It is not easy to build an expert model based on feature counts to evaluate website quality, so this paper has focused on that challenge. Both a methodology for calculating a website’s quality and a parser-based approach for measuring feature counts are offered. We provide a multi-layer perceptron model that is an expert model for forecasting website quality from the “completeness” perspective. The accuracy of the predictions is 98%, whilst the accuracy of the nearest model is 87%.

Cancers of blood arise when the abnormal blood cells undergo uncontrolled growth which outpaces the natural production of normal blood cells, interfering with the cells' normal functions. Leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma are the three types of blood cancers. The aim of our study is to assess and create awareness of hematological malignancies among college students. A questionnaire was prepared using Google Forms based on the awareness of the Hematological malignancies disinfection methods among dental students in Chennai. It was then circulated among a certain set of participants using an online Google Form link. The participants were asked about their knowledge level regarding hematological malignancies and a majority (68.97%) were aware of the same, whereas 27.59% were not aware and the rest (3.45%) were not sure. When asked about how dental care detects various hematological malignancies, 10.34% of the participants replied as “patient speaks about any abnormality,” 75.86% replied as “oral manifestations,” and 13.79% replied as “dentists cannot detect hematological malignancies.” From the above results and discussion, we can come to the conclusion that most of the dental students who participated in the survey are aware of hematological malignancies and its various types.

One of the traditional plants used in Siddha medicine is Kabasura Kudineer Chooranam. It is said to possess antiaging, life-strengthening, and disease-preventing activities that have an enormous influence on health care. It has significant therapeutic potential and ethnobotanical significance. The aim of this study is to investigate the antidiabetic activity of Kabasura Kudineer Chooranam. The antidiabetic potential of Kabasura Kudineer Chooranam was determined in vitro using established methods such as alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase activity. We used one-way ANOVA to see the statistical difference among the groups. The significance thresholds were considered at the P < 0.05 level. In comparison with the healthy group, the extract showed a significant antidiabetic effect. The proportion of inhibition increased as the concentrations increased. Previous studies established the antiviral, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antifungal, antioxidant, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, antiasthmatic, immunomodulatory, and antipyretic effects of Kabasura Kudineer or Choornam. The current findings demonstrated that the Chooranam has good antidiabetic action at a significant concentration. Plant-based products have recently proven to be effective and economical antidiabetic items.

Consumption of gluten triggers an autoimmune disease known as celiac disease (CD). This is also referred to as nontropical sprue, celiac sprue, or gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Gluten is a protein present in wheat, barley, rye, and other grains. It is due to gluten that the dough becomes elastic and provides bread its chewy texture. The aim of this study is to assess the awareness and knowledge of CD among dental students. This survey is totally based on CD and its awareness among dental students. A survey was conducted among 100 students who are volunteers underneath. This survey contained questionnaires of CD causes, symptoms, treatment, etc., and the accrued was analyzed using SPSS statistics. The result shows that CD affects mainly the small intestine being chosen by 38.61% of students. The symptoms of CD as chronic diarrhea are chosen by 63.37%. The main cause of the disease is due to gluten chosen by 9.90%. Some of the gluten-free foods are chosen by 22.77% of students. In the Chi-square test, the association between the awareness of CD and students shows that postgraduate (PG) students are more aware than undergraduate (UG) students. However, this is not statistically significant since P > 0.05 (P = 0.088). The correlation graph says that the PGs are more aware than the undergraduates, and UGs have poor knowledge about this disease.

Pit-and-fissure sealants of the occlusal surfaces for the posterior teeth are well susceptible to develop dental caries compared to the smooth surfaces due to its complex morphology, which makes dental hygiene a challenging fact which give rise to increased plaque accumulation. The use of pit-and-fissure sealants is to provide inhibition toward microorganisms and aggregation of food particles, thereby inhibiting caries initiating and preventing caries progression. The study aimed to assess the effect of pit-and-fissure sealants postbrushing simulation through photography. For this photogenic original study, eight teeth were selected, with two groups each and four teeth present in each of the groups. Brushing simulator machines are well-established methods for analyzing the efficacy of toothbrushes. A total of 10,000 cycles were accounted for by the machine with linear X-axis and Y-axis = 2500 in each group. The clockwise and counterclockwise = 2500 in each group. From the research, it can be concluded that Group A is found to be more effective than Group B, where Group A is Clinpro sealant and Group B is YuSeal. This pit-and-fissure sealant application is very important in clinical practice to prevent the tooth from getting decayed. This research helps us to establish the amount of reduction in both the groups of sealants postbrushing as various brushing patterns influence the retention of pit-and-fissure sealants.

The aim is to create awareness about Patterson syndrome among dental students. Patterson-Stevenson-Fontaine syndrome is a very rare condition marked by irregular facial bone and tissue growth (mandibulofacial dysostosis) as well as limb abnormalities. A recessed jaw (retrognathism), cleft palate, and external ear defects are all possible symptoms of this disorder. A total of 112 undergraduate dental students participated in a longitudinal cross-sectional sample. To assess college students' awareness about Patterson syndrome, a self-administered, closed-ended questionnaire was developed and distributed. The only language allowed was English. The results were analyzed in SPSS software version 23. 10.71% of females and 14.29% of males were aware about Patterson syndrome. 32.14% of females and 38.39% of males were aware that Patterson syndrome was a rare adrenal disorder. We can conclude that very few of the population which was only 25% of the dental students were aware about Patterson syndrome and this survey helped in creating awareness about this syndrome.

For nearly a century, hairs of animals and humans were employed in forensic research. It is found to be stable in certain environments, and thus, they are frequently retrieved at scenes of crime, and it is important to verify whether they are either human or animal. The present research was done at comparing the morphological differences among human hair and animal hair using a stereomicroscope. Samples of hair forming the outer coat of some autochthonous domestic and human remnants were evaluated in this study. Long strands of guard hair shaft were investigated by stereomicroscope accordingly. Microphotographs were taken in an iPad camera. The microscopic characteristics of cat hair samples showed the presence of small spikes on the surface, whereas the human hair sample showed a smooth appearance with no irregularities. The microscopic analyses of the human hair sample and cat hair sample under stereomicroscope suggest hair samples can be used as forensic evidence in crime scene investigation. The comparison of both the hair samples was done, and the differences were significantly evident.

Hair is a feature that is only found in mammals. In all species, it is an epidermal protrusion composed of an outer cuticle, middle cortex, and inner medulla. Hair's primary purpose in mammals is to aid with thermoregulation. Every domestic animal species has a distinct hair pattern that can be used in forensic investigations. The aim of the present study is to observe the different animal hairs under stereomicroscope for forensic analysis. Hair is a unique characteristic seen only in mammals. It is an epidermal protrusion composed of an outer cuticle, middle cortex, and inner medulla in all species. The primary function of hair in animals is to aid with thermoregulation. Every domestic animal species has a specific hair pattern that forensic investigators can employ. The shaft profile was straight in all the animal hairs. In the proximal end, the root was absent because the hair was cut from the respective animals. Cuticles were absent in all the hair strands. The surface texture was smooth in dog hair, rough and spiculated in cat hair, and coarse in horse and rat hair. Microscopic examination of hairs reveals morphological distinctions that allow animal hairs from different species to be distinguished. In forensic investigations, microscopic examinations of various animal hairs are useful.

The pulp is removed, and the interior of the tooth is cleaned and sealed during root canal treatment. Root canals are dreaded by many people because they are considered to be painful. The following are indicators of pulpal damage, color changes, swelling, thermal sensitivity, and pain in the gums. The pulp gets inflamed or diseased when it becomes infected, then RCT or extraction is needed to eliminate the inflamed or infected tissue and heal that particular region. The questionnaire was circulated to the sample population through a Google Docs link. Pie charts with a frequency table were created when the survey data were acquired. The Chi-square test was used to evaluate the connection using the SPSS software. Eighty-four percent of people are aware of RCT and what it is intended for and 80% of the participants themselves have undergone endodontic treatment. Most of the South Indian population were aware of root canal treatment and have undergone an RCT procedure.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels. Periodontal problems, bleeding gums, dry mouth, and gingival hyperplasia are common oral manifestations seen in cardiovascular-related problems. To assess the extent of awareness and knowledge, the general public has toward the oral manifestation related to that of CVDs. A questionnaire was distributed among the general public in relation to that of the extent of awareness and knowledge of oral manifestations with regard to CVD. A total of 161 responses were collected from the survey. The collected data were compiled and analyzed by the SPSS software; the Pearson Chi-square test was done where P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The study showed that 65.22% of the population is aware of the types of CVD. About 59.63% of the population do not know that periodontal problems lead to cardiovascular problems. About 39.75% have vague knowledge about the maintenance of poor oral health causing cardiovascular problems. The study concluded that the general public is not much aware of the oral manifestations related to that of CVDs.

The outer cuticle, middle cortex, and inner medulla make up hair, which is an epidermal outgrowth. Hair is resilient under harsh natural conditions, thus it is frequently collected at crime scenes, making human hair analysis important in the forensic sciences field. It aids in the formation of a triangle connecting a crime scene, a victim, and a culprit. The aim of this study is to observe the microscopic structure of male and female human hair. Samples of hair specimens from males and females were collected. The materials used were ethanol to degrease and a stereomicroscope to observe the structural differences between the male and female hair samples. The comparison between male and female hair is done on the grounds of color, shaft profiles, the proximal and distal ends of the hair, cuticle, and surface texture, and the other found characters. This study of comparison between male and female hair specimens revealed that the hair color at the distal end is found to be brown for females while it is completely black in that of males, and the surface texture of males is found to have some irregularities while there are no irregularities in female. This study can be concluded that the structural comparison between male and female hair specimens can be used as evidence for forensic analysis at crime scenes.

Background: Currently due to the easy accessibility of virtual gadgets connected through the internet, there is a constant negative impact from on-screen media exposure, which is seen increasing among toddlers. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the impact of screen exposure on toddlers. Materials and Methods: A convenient sample of 80 toddlers aged between 9 and 36 months were enrolled for the study, conducted for 3 months after obtaining written informed assent from parent/primary caregiver. Prior I. E. C. clearance is obtained for the study. A sample of 80 toddlers who were exposed to screen and attended to constantly by a parent/primary caregiver were included in the study. All were assessed by a pretested questionnaire regarding screen media use and Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers Revised. Results: About 52.5% toddlers were male and 47.5% were female. Around 36.5% toddlers screen-viewed for only about 1–2 h/day. 53% of the toddlers with more than 4 h of screen time per day were at high risk for developing Autism. Thus, a statistically significant correlation (P = 0.001) was established between the duration of screen use and the score of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-Revised scale, with increased screen time showing greater autistic-traits. Conclusion: Toddlers with high screen media use developed autistic-like traits that may even progress to Autism. Hence, it is advisable to educate the parents/primary caregiver regarding the hazardous effects of early exposure to screen use.

Abstract Background ASD and ADHD are prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders that frequently co-occur and have strong evidence for a degree of shared genetic aetiology. Behavioural and neurocognitive heterogeneity in ASD and ADHD has hampered attempts to map the underlying genetics and neurobiology, predict intervention response, and improve diagnostic accuracy. Moving away from categorical conceptualisations of psychopathology to a dimensional approach is anticipated to facilitate discovery of data-driven clusters and enhance our understanding of the neurobiological and genetic aetiology of these conditions. The Monash Autism-ADHD genetics and neurodevelopment (MAGNET) project is one of the first large-scale, family-based studies to take a truly transdiagnostic approach to ASD and ADHD. Using a comprehensive phenotyping protocol capturing dimensional traits central to ASD and ADHD, the MAGNET project aims to identify data-driven clusters across ADHD-ASD spectra using deep phenotyping of symptoms and behaviours; investigate the degree of familiality for different dimensional ASD-ADHD phenotypes and clusters; and map the neurocognitive, brain imaging, and genetic correlates of these data-driven symptom-based clusters. Methods The MAGNET project will recruit 1,200 families with children who are either typically developing, or who display elevated ASD, ADHD, or ASD-ADHD traits, in addition to affected and unaffected biological siblings of probands, and parents. All children will be comprehensively phenotyped for behavioural symptoms, comorbidities, neurocognitive and neuroimaging traits and genetics. Conclusion The MAGNET project will be the first large-scale family study to take a transdiagnostic approach to ASD-ADHD, utilising deep phenotyping across behavioural, neurocognitive, brain imaging and genetic measures.

Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1), a protein molecule, has been identified as a tumor stem cell marker in the cancer cells of gastrointestinal, pancreas, and human colon. DCLK1 expression in cancers, such as breast carcinoma, lung carcinoma, hepatic cell carcinoma, tuft cells, and human cholangiocarcinoma, has shown a way to target the DCLK1 gene and downregulate its expression. Several studies have discussed the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation along with neoplastic cell arrest when the DCLK1 gene, which is expressed in both cancer and normal cells, was targeted successfully. In addition, previous studies have shown that DCLK1 plays a vital role in various cancer metastases. The correlation of DCLK1 with numerous stem cell receptors, signaling pathways, and genes suggests its direct or an indirect role in promoting tumorigenesis. Moreover, the impact of DCLK1 was found to be related to the functioning of an oncogene. The downregulation of DCLK1 expression by using targeted strategies, such as embracing the use of siRNA, miRNA, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, nanomolecules, specific monoclonal antibodies, and silencing the pathways regulated by DCLK1, has shown promising results in both in vitro and in vivo studies on gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. In this review, we will discuss about the present understanding of DCLK1 and its role in the progression of GI cancer and metastasis.

Mitochondria play a crucial part in the cell's ability to adapt to the changing microenvironments and their dysfunction is associated with an extensive array of illnesses, including cancer. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been identified as a potential therapeutic target for cancer therapy. The objective of this article is to give an in-depth analysis of cancer treatment that targets the mitochondrial genome at the molecular level. Recent studies provide insights into nanomedicine techniques and theranostic nanomedicine for mitochondrial targeting. It also provides conceptual information on mitochondrial biomarkers for cancer treatment. Major drawbacks and challenges involved in mitochondrial targeting for advanced cancer therapy have also been discussed. There is a lot of evidence and reason to support using nanomedicine to focus on mitochondrial function. The development of a delivery system with increased selectivity and effectiveness is a prerequisite for a theranostic approach to cancer treatment. If given in large amounts, several new cancer-fighting medicines have been created that are toxic to healthy cells as well. For effective therapy, a new drug must be developed rather than an old one. When it comes to mitochondrial targeting therapy, theranostic techniques offer valuable insight.

Background: Esophageal cancer is a sixth most cause of cancer-associated mortalities worldwide with increased global prevalence in each year. It has a poor prognosis with 5-year survival rate are less than 10%. Objective: The present study was focused to fabricate the chitosan-sodium alginate-polyethylene glycol-crocin nanocomposites (CSP-Cr-NCs) and evaluate its in vitro anticancer potential against the esophageal cancer KYSE-150 cells. Methodology: The fabricated CSP-Cr-NCs were characterized using different techniques such as UV–visible spectroscopy, photoluminescence assay, DLS analysis, XRD, SEM and EDX analyses. The antimicrobial study was conducted by well diffusion technique against the S. pneumoniae, K. pneumoniae, E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. The viability of CSP-Cr-NCs treated KYSE-150 and Het-1A cells were assessed by the MTT assay. The ROS production, MMP level, and apoptotic cell death in the CSP-Cr-NCs administered cells were assessed by using different fluorescent staining techniques. The cell migration of CSP-Cr-NCs treated KYSE-150 cells were assessed by wound scratch assay. The levels of TBARS, GSH, and SOD activity in the CSP-Cr-NCs treated KYSE-150 cells were assessed by kits. Results: The outcomes from the different characterization analyses witnessed the formation of CSP-Cr-NCs with the 100–210 nm size, tetragonal and agglomerated morphological appearances. The CSP-Cr-NCs effectively repressed the microbial growth. The CSP-Cr-NCs treated KYSE-150 cells were demonstrated the decreased cell viability and IC50 was found at 2.5 µg, furthermore it did not affected the normal Het-1A cells. The formulated CSP-Cr-NCs treatment at 2.5 and 5 µg improved the ROS production, and decreased the MMP status in the KYSE-150 cells. The elevated incidences of apoptotic cells death was found in the CSP-Cr-NCs treated KYSE-150 cells. The CSP-Cr-NCs also inhibited the migration of KYSE-150 cells. The increased TBARS content and decreased GSH and SOD activity was also found in the CSP-Cr-NCs treated KYSE-150 cells. Conclusion: Our findings proved that the formulated CSP-Cr-NCs treatment effectively inhibited the esophageal cancer KYSE-150 cell growth via increasing ROS production and apoptotic cell death. Therefore, it could be a promising anticancer candidate in the future for the esophageal cancer treatment.

Replicating the naturalistic biomechanical milieu of cells is a primary requisite to uncover the fundamental life processes. The native milieu is significantly not replicated in the two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures. Alternatively, the current three-dimensional (3D) culture techniques can replicate the properties of extracellular matrix (ECM), though the recreation of the original microenvironment is challenging. The organization of cells in a 3D manner contributes to better insight about the tumorigenesis mechanism of the in vitro cancer models. Gene expression studies are susceptible to alterations in their microenvironment. Physiological interactions among neighboring cells also contribute to gene expression, which is highly replicable with minor modifications in 3D cultures. 3D cell culture provides a useful platform for identifying the biological characteristics of tumor cells, particularly in the drug sensitivity area of translational medicine. It promises to be a bridge between traditional 2D culture and animal experiments and is of great importance for further research in tumor biology. The new imaging technology and the implementation of standard protocols can address the barriers interfering with the live cell observation in a natural 3D physiological environment.

Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) is a common healthcare-related infection occurring in patients admitted for various ailments. Approximately 80% of hospital acquired Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are catheter associated. The purpose of the current research was to find out the level of knowledge, attitude and practice on prevention of CAUTI among healthcare professionals working in tertiary care hospital. A descriptive study was done among 95 health care working in tertiary care hospital in Chennai. The researchers administered standard questionnaire and statistically explored the knowledge, attitude, and practice levels about prevention of CAUTI among the participants. Among 95 participants, 28.4% and 71.6% of the individuals had moderately adequate knowledge and adequate knowledge about CAUTI. About 4.2% of the participants had unfavourable, 88.4% had moderately favourable and 7.4% had favourable attitude towards prevention of CAUTI. About 4.2% of the individuals had moderately adequate and 95.8% had adequate practice towards the prevention of CAUTI. There was significant correlation between attitude and practice. The professional experience of the participants showed statistically significant association with the level of practice among the demographic variables. In our present study, we found out that health care professionals had adequate knowledge, attitude, and practice on prevention of CAUTI. Medical education programs, frequent auditing with a checklist about catheter care must be conducted to maintain the achieved knowledge and practice levels.

Abstract Background Despite the fact that cervical cancer is preventable and curable in the early stages, it still remains to be a major public health problem in India. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and awareness regarding the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination among health care professionals working in a tertiary care hospital in urban India. Methods To this aim, we conducted a cross-sectional study among 318 health care professionals working in tertiary hospitals across Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Our research group designed a structured questionnaire with 31 items to assess the knowledge and attitudes on cervical cancer, its prevention, and HPV vaccination. Results Among the 318 respondents, 90.6% were aware of cervical cancer, 83.3% were aware that PAP (Papanicolaou) smear test detects cervical cancer, and 86.2% of the respondents knew that HPV causes cervical cancer. 29.2% of the eligible respondents underwent the screening against cervical cancer, and 19.8% of the study participants were vaccinated for HPV. Only 34.9% know that the HPV vaccine could be given to boys. The most common reason for not being vaccinated against HPV was the lack of awareness. In our study, 77.2% of the respondents were willing to be vaccinated and recommend HPV vaccination to their family members. Conclusion From this study, it was evident that there is a lack of awareness about HPV vaccination and its importance in preventing cervical cancer among healthcare professionals. Our finding clearly establishes the need to devise intervention programs to promote vaccination against HPV and periodical screening for cervical cancer among healthcare professionals.

Regardless of socioeconomic or demographic background, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, which affects more than half a billion people worldwide, has been steadily increasing over time. The health, emotional, sociological, and economic well-being of people would suffer if this number is not successfully handled. The liver is one of the key organs accountable for sustaining metabolic balance. Elevated levels of reactive oxygen species inhibit the recruitment and activation of IRS-1, IRS-2, and PI3K-Akt downstream signaling cascade. These signaling mechanisms reduce hepatic glucose absorption and glycogenesis while increasing hepatic glucose output and glycogenolysis. In our work, an analysis of the molecular mechanism of Carica papaya in mitigating hepatic insulin resistance in vivo and in silico was carried out. The gluconeogenic enzymes, glycolytic enzymes, hepatic glycogen tissue concentration, oxidative stress markers, enzymatic antioxidants, protein expression of IRS-2, PI3K, SREBP-1C, and GLUT-2 were evaluated in the liver tissues of high-fat-diet streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats using q-RT-PCR as well as immunohistochemistry and histopathology. Upon treatment, C. papaya restored the protein and gene expression in the liver. In the docking analysis, quercetin, kaempferol, caffeic acid, and p-coumaric acid present in the extract were found to have high binding affinities against IRS-2, PI3K, SREBP-1c, and GLUT-2, which may have contributed much to the antidiabetic property of C. papaya. Thus, C. papaya was capable of restoring the altered levels in the hepatic tissues of T2DM rats, reversing hepatic insulin resistance.

Stroke is one of the main causes of mortality and disability, and it is due to be included in monetary implications on wellbeing frameworks around the world. Ischemic stroke is caused by interference in cerebral blood flow, leading to a deficit in the supply of oxygen to the affected region. It accounts for nearly 80–85% of all cases of stroke. Oxidative stress has a significant impact on the pathophysiologic cascade in brain damage leading to stroke. In the acute phase, oxidative stress mediates severe toxicity, and it initiates and contributes to late-stage apoptosis and inflammation. Oxidative stress conditions occur when the antioxidant defense in the body is unable to counteract the production and aggregation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The previous literature has shown that phytochemicals and other natural products not only scavenge oxygen free radicals but also improve the expressions of cellular antioxidant enzymes and molecules. Consequently, these products protect against ROS-mediated cellular injury. This review aims to give an overview of the most relevant data reported in the literature on polyphenolic compounds, namely, gallic acid, resveratrol, quercetin, kaempferol, mangiferin, epigallocatechin, and pinocembrin, in terms of their antioxidant effects and potential protective activity against ischemic stroke.

Background: Osteoarthritis is a severe degenerative joint disease characterized by swelling, joint pain, degradation of cartilage extracellular matrix, synovitis, callus formation, and loss of normal joint movements, which leads to functional limitations and seriously affect the patient’s life quality. Objective: The current research work was focussed to synthesize and characterize the chitosan-sodium alginate-polyethylene glycol-d-pinitol nanocomposites (CSP-dP-NCs) and evaluate its antiarthritic activity against the freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA)-triggered arthritis in animals. Methodology: The CSP-dP-NCs were synthesized by standard method. The development and properties of formulated CSP-dP-NCs were confirmed by several characterization techniques like UV–visible, photoluminescence, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopic (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analyses. The arthritis was induced in experimental rats via administering 0.1 ml of FCA subcutaneously and then treated with 10 and 25 mg/kg of synthesized CSP-dP-NCs for 25 days. The bodyweight of animals were tabulated and then haematological parameters, organ index, and paw volume was examined. The levels of liver marker enzymes were assessed by standard techniques. The contents and pro-inflammatory cytokines and antioxidant parameters were quantified using assay kits. Results: The findings of characterization studies confirmed the development of CSP-dP-NCs with size ranging from 180 nm, tetragonal appearance, and narrowed distribution. The CSP-dP-NCs treated arthritic animals demonstrated the improved bodyweight and haematological parameters. The levels of thymus and spleen index and hind paw volume was decreased by the CSP-dP-NCs. The administration of CSP-dP-NCs to the arthritic rats also exhibited the decreased contents of IL-6, IL-10, IL-1β, TNF-α, MDA levels and increased the GSH level, CAT and SOD activities. The activities of ALP, ALT, and ASP also decreased in arthritic rats by the CSP-dP-NCs treatment. Conclusion: Altogether, the findings of this study demonstrated the antiarthritic activity of formulated CSP-dP-NCs against FCA-induced arthritic rats via modulating oxidative stress and inflammatory parameters. Hence, it could be the effective drug for the arthritis treatment in the future.

Objective: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic illness and it is a result of hyperglycemia ensuing since a deficiency in insulin production, insulin function. Based on WHO statistics, more than 347 million peoples are suffered from the DM globally and it may increase to 694 million in 2030. Vanillic acid (VA) is a phenolic derived compound from dietary vegetations and fruits with the many biological acitivities. This current research was planned to investigate the antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory potential of VA on streptozotocin-challenged DM in rats. Methods: Later than an overnight fast, the rats were induced diabetes via one intraperitoneal treatment of STZ (40 mg/kg b.wt) in a newly organized 0.1 M citrate buffer. We analyzed body weight, plasma glucose, liver marker enzymes, insulin, carbohydrate metabolic enzymes, glycosylated hemoglobin, protein profiles, oxidant/antioxidant levels, inflammatory mediators and also evaluate histopathology of pancreatic tissues in normal control and investigational animals. Results: Diabetic animals were revealed an increased in HbA1c, blood glucose, food and fluid intake and relative weight of kidney and liver, whereas the reduced level of insulin and body weight. Furthermore, augmented levels of ALT, glucose-6-phosphatase, AST, TBARS, TNF-α, creatinine, LOOH, fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase, ALP, IL-6 and IL-1β whereas, reduced status of antioxidant enzymes were observed in diabetic rats. Histopathological analysis of pancreatic tissues was in support of the biochemical parameters. Conclusions: Diabetic rats treated by VA significantly alter all these parameters toward normal levels. These results recommended that the VA is a potential antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effect for the cure of DM.

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are infections which are absent at the time of admission and would have been acquired after hospitalization. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the knowledge and perception levels on preventing HAI among health care professionals in tertiary care setup. The semi-structured tool was used for data collection. Out of 367 health care professionals, 262 participants were included in the study. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. The mean level of knowledge and perception score on HAI was 19.58 ± 2.70 and 51.97 ± 5.62. There was a positive correlation among the level of knowledge with level of perception on the prevention of HAI (r=0.16) at p>0.01. The knowledge and perception level was significantly associated with few demographic variables such as following protocols of hand hygiene,trainings on HAI within last year and functioning infection control department in their institution at p = 0.001. Health care professionals have adequate knowledge and perception regarding the prevention of HAI. There should be emphasized refreshment and updates on the current trends on the prevention of HAI among the health care professionals through intensive education and conducting training courses.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most cancer type and the third most cause of cancer-associated deaths worldwide along with the 5-year survival rate is less the 30%. This investigation was aimed to synthesis the piperine-loaded zinc oxide nanocomposite (ZnO-Pip-NC) and investigating its anticancer activity against the GC by in vitro and in vivo models by the inhibiting the apoptotic and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. The synthesized ZnO-Pip-NC was characterized by different techniques. The cytotoxicity of zinc oxide, piperine and the formulated ZnO-Pip-NC was tested against the AGS cells by MTT assay. The intracellular ROS level, mitochondrial membrane potential, and apoptotic cell necrosis in the AGS cells was examined by fluorescent staining techniques. The expression of apoptotic and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling markers were inspected by western blotting and the expression of pro0inflammatory markers analyzed by RT-PCR technique. The antioxidant levels were examined by standard methods and histopathology of gastric mucosa was analyzed. The ZnO-Pip-NC treatment appreciably inhibited the AGS cell viability. ZnO-Pip-NC treated cells also exhibited excessive intracellular ROS, diminished MMP, nuclear damages, and apoptosis induction in AGS cells. The enhanced expression of pro-apoptotic proteins and inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway was noted in ZnO-Pip-NC treated cells. In vivo studies proved that the ZnO-Pip-NC noticeably restored the antioxidants in the GC animals and also prevented the gastric mucosa and inhibited the GC tumor formation. In conclusion, the findings of this investigation confirmed the anticancer potential of ZnO-Pip-NC against the GC via inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

The urolithiasis/nephrolithiasis are a major health problem among the peoples, which could lead to severe clinical complications and kidney failure and most men were affects than women. Fucoxanthin, is an active compound present in brown seaweeds, and has the numerous pharmacological benefits. Present investigation designed to assess the anti-urolithiatic role of Fucoxanthin against ethylene glycol (EG) stimulated calculi in experimental rats. Adult male albino rats were segregated evenly into five groups. Group I: Normal Vehicle. Group II: 0.75% ethylene glycol (EG) in potable water for 4 weeks. Group III: 0.75% EG in potable water + Fucoxanthin (40 mg/kg bodyweight) was administered through orally for 4 weeks. Group IV: 0.75% EG in potable water + Fucoxanthin (80 mg/kg body weight) was supplemented orally for 4 weeks. Group V: 0.75% EG in potable water + Standard drug Cystone (750 mg/kg bodyweight) was supplemented orally for 4 weeks. The rat urine was collected before the anaesthesia. The animals were generally anaesthetized and killed by the cervical dislocation. Kidneys and blood (Plasma) samples were collected and processed for further investigations. The biochemical (BC) markers, renal, stone markers, antioxidants levels and Lipid peroxidation were analysed using plasma and kidney tissue homogenate of both control and investigational animals. Our results revealed that the elevated levels of biochemical markers were observed in lithiatic rats. The renal and stone markers were abnormal in lithiatic rats. The antioxidants were markedly decreased and lipid peroxidation (LPO) was increased in lithiatic rats. The histopathological study confirmed that the Fucoxanthin treatment (80 mg/kg body weight) prevented the damage of tubular membrane and reduced the deposition of calculi in glomeruli of the kidney tissue. Fucoxanthin treatment normalized the biochemical and renal stone markers in the experimental rats. Fucoxanthin treatment restores the antioxidants and decreased the LPO in experimental rats by its anti-urolithiatic properties. Keywords: Calcium oxalate, Creatinine, Urea, Kidney stone, Ethylene glycol, Fucoxanthin, Urolithiasis

Artabotrys suaveolens is an evergreen shrub that belongs to the Annonaceae family, traditionally known for its use in regulating menstruation and in treating cholera. Other medicinal properties of this shrub remain to be studied and validated. The current study was aimed to evaluate the anti-diabetic property of methanolic extract of Artabotrys suaveolens leaves in vitro using 3T3L1 cell line. Antidiabetic property of methanolic extract of A. suaveolens was evaluated in vitro by assaying for glucose uptake and the translocation of glucose transporter (GLUT4). The effect of A. suaveolens extract in inhibiting the activity of α-Glucosidase and, α-Amylase enzymes was also evaluated using colorimetric assays. The cytotoxic effect of the extract was determined using the MTT assay. A. suaveolens (AS) extract treatment enhanced glucose uptake in 77.39 % of the cells, and GLUT4 expression was found in 74.87 % of the cells treated with AS extract. The extract inhibited α-amylase activity by 70.29 % and α-glucosidase activity by 74.06%. MTT assay showed that, AS extract had no cytotoxic effect on 3T3-L1. Our results attribute a promising anti-diabetic property for the methanolic extract of A. suaveolens leaves. Further studies that elucidate the molecular mechanism behind the anti-diabetic property of the extract must be carried out to recommend this as a possible alternative treatment for diabetes.

Colon cancer is one of the major prevailing types of cancer worldwide. It has been the most important public health difficulty. Thus, we planned phytoconstituents arbitrated synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and examined their curative efficacy against the colon cancer (HCT-116) cells. In this current study, we formulated the AuNPs by using Albizia lebbeck (AL) aqueous leaf extract by the green method and synthesized AL-AuNPs were distinguished by UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (XRD), selected area (electron) diffraction (SAED) pattern, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Synthesized AL-AuNPs confirmed by the UV absorption highest at 535 nm and the crystal structure of AL-AuNPs was additionally established by XRD and SAED pattern. HR-TEM images explained the size and morphology allocation of nanoparticles. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of alkynes, aromatic compounds, and alkenes of biomolecules in AL-AuNPs. Furthermore, AL-AuNPs induced cytotoxicity at the IC50 concentration 48 µg/ml and also induced apoptosis by enhanced ROS production, decreased ΔΨm, apoptotic morphological changes by AO/EtBr and altering pro and anti-apoptotic protein expressions were analyzed in HCT-116 colon cancer cells. The findings of this investigation proved that the AL-AuNPs were revealed the potential anticancer activity against colon cancer (HCT-116) cells.

Background: Evidence on the influence of psychosocial factors (social support and social network) on dental caries is scarce in the Indian literature. This assessment is even more important in children, owing to the serious complications of caries that could make their daily activities painful. Aim: We aimed to study if social support and social network influence dental caries among 12–14-year-old schoolchildren of Hyderabad city. Methodology: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted on a sample of 1015 students, and information about social support (using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support) and social network (2 questions on number of friends and family members) was recorded. Caries was assessed through the “WHO Dentition Status and Treatment Needs 1997 pro forma” and Decayed, Missed, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) (caries experience) was calculated. Correlation between psychosocial and outcome (D and DMFT) variables followed by binary logistic regression with D and DMFT as the outcome variables in two models were conducted using SPSS 24 with a significance level set at P < 0.05. Results: The mean social support score was 4.10. Almost half of them had a good network of friends and family members. A significant negative correlation was found between “social network family” and both the outcome variables. None of the psychosocial variables predicted caries in the regression. Conclusion: Although psychosocial variables could not predict caries, teaching children about their importance in life and influence on oral health would not only minimize caries but make them healthy and happy.

Nutritional overload in the form of high-fat and nonglycolysis sugar intake contributes towards the accelerated creation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia. Glucose absorption and its subsequent oxidation processes in fat and muscle tissues alter as a consequence of these modifications. Insulin resistance (IR) caused glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation to encounter a challenge that manifested itself as changes in glycolytic pathways and insulin signaling. We previously found that beta (β)-sitosterol reduces IR in fat tissue via IRS-1/PI3K/Akt facilitated signaling due to its hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic activity. The intention of this research was to see whether the phytosterol β-sitosterol can aid in the translocation of GLUT4 in rats fed on high-fat diet (HFD) and sucrose by promoting Rab/IRAP/Munc 18 signaling molecules. The rats were labeled into four groups, namely control rats, HFD and sucrose-induced diabetic control rats, HFD and sucrose-induced diabetic rats given oral dose of 20 mg/kg body wt./day of β-sitosterol treatment for 30 days, and HFD and sucrose-induced diabetic animals given oral administration of 50 mg/kg body wt./day metformin for 30 days. Diabetic rats administered with β-sitosterol and normalized the titers of blood glucose, serum insulin, serum testosterone, and the status of insulin tolerance and oral glucose tolerance. In comparison with the control group, β-sitosterol effectively regulated both glycolytic and gluconeogenesis enzymes. Furthermore, qRT-PCR analysis of the mRNA levels of key regulatory genes such as SNAP23, VAMP-2, syntaxin-4, IRAP, vimentin, and SPARC revealed that β-sitosterol significantly regulated the mRNA levels of the above genes in diabetic gastrocnemius muscle. Protein expression analysis of Rab10, IRAP, vimentin, and GLUT4 demonstrated that β-sitosterol had a positive effect on these proteins, resulting in effective GLUT4 translocation in skeletal muscle. According to the findings, β-sitosterol reduced HFD and sucrose-induced IR and augmented GLUT4 translocation in gastrocnemius muscle through insulin signaling modulation via Rab/IRAP/Munc 18 and glucose metabolic enzymes. The present work is the first of its kind to show that β-sitosterol facilitates GLUT4 vesicle fusion on the plasma membrane via Rab/IRAP/Munc 18 signaling molecules in gastrocnemius muscle.

Bioactive compound (5E,7E)-4,5,6 trihydroxy-3-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-ylheptadeca-5,7-dienoate (compound 2) was isolated from Euclea crispa (E. crispa) by the chromatographic methods. Further, the compound was confirmed by spectroscopic techniques such as ultraviolet-visible (UV/Vis) spectrometer, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, and 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Compound 2 exhibited a significant antioxidant activity with IC50 values. It restrained the auxesis of HO-8910 cells in a shot-dependent mode. CXCR4, HER2, and Akt proteins involved in cell proliferation and metastasis were found to be significantly reduced (p

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is the most excellent anticancer theranostic nanoparticles synthesized through efficient, simple and green synthesis method using extracts of Trichosanthes kirilowii, extensively characterized by UV-spectroscopy, FT-IR and TEM techniques. The AuNPs, synthesized by means of T. kirilowii extracts identified that nanoparticles were ∼50 nm in size, which is an admirable nano dimension attained by green synthesis. In agreement with the outcome of microscopic cellular morphological observations, MTT assay showed effective, selective, anticarcinogenic effect of AuNPs on HCT-116 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The AuNPs significantly enhance ROS generation, cause mitochondrial membrane damage and induce morphological changes using AO/EtBr staining assay. Furthermore, AuNPs treatment induces G0/G1 phase cell-cycle arrest in HCT-116 cells. Also, AuNPs treatment activates caspase expression and downregulates the anti-apoptotic expression in HCT-116 cells. Our results point out that the phytoconsituents isolated from T. kirilowii can act as appropriate reducing and stabilizing agents in the properties of AuNPs; hereby, it leads to the green synthesis of an anti-carcinogenic agent with highly efficient potential for cancer treatment.

The rhizome of A. officinarum possesses immense pharmaceutical properties like antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, anticancer activities. The foremost downside of herbal-based drugs is their poor bioavailability, to trounce this we synthesized a herbal based silver nanodrug with Alpinia officinarum rhizome extract and assessed its effect against the cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in in vivo model. The A. officinarum biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AG-AO) were characterized using UV-Spec, FTIR, XRD, TEM and SAED analysis. The antioxidant and the nephroprotective property of biosynthesized AG-AO nanoparticles were assessed by estimating the levels of kidney biomarkers, cytokine, inflammatory markers, free radicals and antioxidants induced in control and experimental. Antiapoptotic effect of AG-AO nanoparticles were evaluated by measuring the levels of apoptotic proteins in control and experimental rats. Further, it is confirmed with histopathological analysis of kidney tissue with haematoxylin and eosin staining. Our physical analysis confirms the biosynthesized silver nanoparticles by A. officinarum and it satisfies the qualities of potent nanoparticles to be used for medication. Our biochemical, molecular and histopathological results confirm the antioxidant, antiapoptotic, anti-inflammatory properties of AG-AO. Overall our results authentically confirm AG-AO is a potent nephroprotective drug, which can be a supplementary drug to prevent cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.