Circular economical approach of extracting nanocarbons from waste pea peel for sensing of p-nitrophenol and its conversion into paracetamol

An important paradigm shift towards the circular economy is to prioritize waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and recovery before disposal is necessary. In this context, a sustainable protocol of converting waste pea peel (wPP) into low-cost carbon nanomaterials for sensing and conversion of p-nitrophenol (p-NP) into value-added paracetamol is being reported. Two fractions of the carbonaceous nanomaterials were obtained after the hydrothermal treatment (HT) of wPP, firstly an aqueous portion containing water-soluble carbon dots (wPP-CDs) and a solid residue, which was converted into carbonized biochar (wPP-BC). Blue-colored fluorescent wPP-CDs displayed excitation-dependent and pH-independent properties with a quantum yield (QY) of 8.82 %, which were exploited for the fluorescence sensing of p-NP with 4.20 μM limit of detection. Pyrolyzed biochar acting as an efficient catalyst effectively reduces p-NP to p-aminophenol (p-AP) in just 16 min with a 0.237 min-1 rate of conversion. Furthermore, the produced p-AP was converted into paracetamol, an analgesic and antipyretic drug, to achieve zero waste theory. Thus, this study provides the execution of sustainable approaches based on the integral valorization of biowaste that can be further recycled and reused, offering an effective way to attain a profitable circular economy.

Comparison of Intraoperative Imprint Cytology versus Frozen Section for Sentinel Lymph Node Evaluation in Breast Cancer. A study along with Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of literature

BACKGROUND

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) is the first lymph node to drain the lymph from a particular region involved by cancer. The commonly performed intraoperative methods for SLN evaluation are touch imprint cytology (TIC) and frozen section (FS). The present study aimed to determine the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of TIC and FS with histopathological diagnosis as gold standard.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The nodes were bissected along their long axis and wet surface was imprinted on to clean glass slides followed by toluidine blue and rapid Papanicolaou staining. Subsequently the lymph node slices were cut at three levels using the cryostat machine and stained with Hematoxylin and eosin stain. The cytological and FS findings were compared and the specificity, sensitivity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of TIC and FS was evaluated taking histopathological diagnosis as gold standard. In addition, pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy for touch imprint cytology and frozen section were assessed for the studies included in the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The specificity, sensitivity, diagnostic accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of touch imprint cytology were 100%, 88.2%, 90%, 100% and 60% respectively. The specificity, sensitivity, diagnostic accuracy, PPV and NPV of frozen section were 100%, 94.1%, 95%, 100% and 75% respectively. The sensitivity of TIC and FS for detection of micrometastasis was 60% and 80% respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for touch imprint cytology were 85.24% (95% CI, 83.46%-86.90%), and 98.99% (95% CI, 98.69%-99.23%) respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for frozen section examination were 90.45% (95% CI, 85.15%-94.34%), and 100% (95% CI, 99.24%-100%) respectively.

CONCLUSION

Even though the sensitivity of FS was better than imprint cytology in detection of micrometastasis, TIC is a rapid inexpensive technique which can be utilized in remote areas in absence of cryostat machine. The sensitivity of the two techniques with respect to detection of macrometastasis was comparable. This meta-analysis highlights the accuracy of the touch imprint cytology and frozen section examination in the intra-operative detection of malignancy in breast cancer.

Overweight among Medical Students of a Medical College

Introduction

Overweight and obesity are rapidly increasing worldwide, posing a significant global health challenge. Medical students are at a higher risk of developing obesity due to factors such as a sedentary lifestyle, inadequate physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, elevated stress levels, and the extensive amount of information they need to learn. The aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of overweight among medical students of a medical college.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students of a medical college from 5 October 2022 to 10 November 2022 after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee. Height in meters and weight in kilograms of students were measured to calculate body mass index. A convenience sampling method was used. The point estimate at a 95% Confidence Interval was calculated.

Results

Among 261 medical students, 43 (16.47%) (11.97-20.97, 95% Confidence Interval) were overweight. Among them, 32 (74.41%) males and 11 (25.58%) females were overweight respectively.

Conclusions

The prevalence of overweight among medical students is lower than in other studies done in similar settings.

Keywords

body mass index; obesity; overweight; prevalence.

Unravelling the genomic origins of lumpy skin disease virus in recent outbreaks

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) belongs to the genus Capripoxvirus and family Poxviridae. LSDV was endemic in most of Africa, the Middle East and Turkey, but since 2015, several outbreaks have been reported in other countries. In this study, we used whole genome sequencing approach to investigate the origin of the outbreak and understand the genomic landscape of the virus. Our study showed that the LSDV strain of 2022 outbreak exhibited many genetic variations compared to the Reference Neethling strain sequence and the previous field strains. A total of 1819 variations were found in 22 genome sequences, which includes 399 extragenic mutations, 153 insertion frameshift mutations, 234 deletion frameshift mutations, 271 Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 762 silent SNPs. Thirty-eight genes have more than 2 variations per gene, and these genes belong to viral-core proteins, viral binding proteins, replication, and RNA polymerase proteins. We highlight the importance of several SNPs in various genes, which may play an essential role in the pathogenesis of LSDV. Phylogenetic analysis performed on all whole genome sequences of LSDV showed two types of variants in India. One group of the variant with fewer mutations was found to lie closer to the LSDV 2019 strain from Ranchi while the other group clustered with previous Russian outbreaks from 2015. Our study highlights the importance of genomic characterization of viral outbreaks to not only monitor the frequency of mutations but also address its role in pathogenesis of LSDV as the outbreak continues.

Corrigendum: Dichotomous sperm in Lepidopteran insects: a biorational target for pest management

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1198252.].

Application of CL Detect™ rapid test for diagnosis and liposomal amphotericin B for treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis: A retrospective analysis from a tertiary care centre in a non-endemic area in India

Background Increasing urbanisation has led to the occurrence of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in new areas, which was otherwise localised to endemic areas. Healthcare workers should be made aware of this entity to ensure clinical suspicion of CL and investigations needed to confirm CL. The article describes patients seen at a tertiary hospital in Delhi. Aims To establish the utility of the CL Detect Rapid test as a diagnostic tool and the efficacy of Liposomal Amphotericin B (LAmB) for the complete cure of CL patients. Methods Data of patients of CL (n = 16) was retrospectively analysed concerning diagnosis and treatment. Diagnosis rested on histopathology, real-time PCR, and CL Detect Rapid Test. Speciation of the parasite was based on the Internal transcribed spacer-I gene. Patients were treated with LAmB (i.v., 5 mg/kg up to three doses, five days apart). Results A positivity of 81.3% (95%CI, 54.4-96) was observed for CL Detect Rapid test in comparison with 100% (95%CI, 79.4-100.0) for real-time PCR and 43.8% (95%CI, 19.8-70.1) for microscopy/histopathological examination. L. tropica was the infective species in all cases. All the patients treated with LAmB responded to treatment, and 9/10 patients demonstrated complete regression of lesions, while one was lost to follow-up. Limitations It is a retrospective study, and the data includes only confirmed cases of CL at a single centre. Conclusion This study highlights the utility of CL Detect as a promising diagnostic tool and the efficacy of LAmB for the complete cure of CL.

Natural medicinal compounds target signal transduction pathways to overcome ABC drug efflux transporter-mediated multidrug resistance in cancer

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters such as ABCB1, ABCG2, and ABCC1 are the major players in drug efflux-mediated multidrug resistance (MDR), which severely affects the efficacy of chemotherapy. Several synthetic compounds block the drug transport by ABC transporters; however, they exhibit a narrow therapeutic window, and produce side effects in non-target normal tissues. Conversely, the downregulation of the expression of ABC drug transporters seems to be a promising strategy to reverse MDR in cancer cells. Several signaling pathways, such as NF-κB, STAT3, Gli, NICD, YAP/TAZ, and Nrf2 upregulate the expression of ABC drug transporters in drug-resistant cancers. Recently, natural medicinal compounds have gained importance to overcome the ABC drug-efflux pump-mediated MDR in cancer. These compounds target transcription factors and the associated signal transduction pathways, thereby downregulating the expression of ABC transporters in drug-resistant cancer cells. Several potent natural compounds have been identified as lead candidates to synergistically enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy, and a few of them are already in clinical trials. Therefore, modulation of signal transduction pathways using natural medicinal compounds for the reversal of ABC drug transporter-mediated MDR in cancer is a novel approach for improving the efficiency of the existing chemotherapeutics. In this review, we discuss the modulatory role of natural medicinal compounds on cellular signaling pathways that regulate the expression of ABC transporters in drug-resistant cancer cells.

Nitric oxide: An emerging warrior of plant physiology under abiotic stress

The natural environment of plants comprises a complex set of various abiotic stresses and their capability to react and survive under this anticipated changing climate is highly flexible and involves a series of balanced interactions between signaling molecules where nitric oxide becomes a crucial component. In this article, we focussed on the role of nitric oxide (NO) in various signal transduction pathways of plants and its positive impact on maintaining cellular homeostasis under various abiotic stresses. Besides this, the recent data on interactions of NO with various phytohormones to control physiological and biochemical processes to attain abiotic stress tolerance have also been considered. These crosstalks modulate the plant's defense mechanism and help in alleviating the negative impact of stress. While focusing on the diverse functions of NO, an effort has been made to explore the functions of NO-mediated post-translational modifications, such as the N-end rule pathway, tyrosine nitration, and S-nitrosylation which revealed the exact mechanism and characterization of proteins that modify various metabolic processes in stressed conditions. Considering all of these factors, the present review emphasizes the role of NO and its interlinking with various phytohormones in maintaining developmental processes in plants, specifically under unfavorable environments.

Enhancing Biocrust Development and Plant Growth through Inoculation of Desiccation-Tolerant Cyanobacteria in Different Textured Soils

In recent years, there has been a burgeoning interest in the utilization of cyanobacteria for the purpose of land rehabilitation via enhancements in soil fertility, prevent erosion, and counter desertification. This study evaluated the ability of Nostoc calcicola BOT1, Scytonema sp. BOT2, and their consortia to form biocrusts on the substrate of coarse sand, fine sand, and loamy soil. A nutrient- and water-deficient substrate was inoculated with cyanobacteria to facilitate biocrust formation and evaluate their impact on agriculture. Cyanobacteria inoculation resulted in significant improvements in soil fertility, especially in coarse and fine sand, which initially had the lowest fertility. The findings of this investigation underscore that the consortium of cyanobacteria exhibited greater efficacy than individual strains in enhancing soil fertility and stimulating plant growth. The loamy soil treated with the consortium had the highest plant growth across all soil types, in contrast to the individual strains. The consortium of cyanobacteria showed promising results in promoting biocrust formation and fostering rice seedling growth in fine sand. This study provides empirical evidence supporting the potential utility of cyanobacterial consortia as a valuable tool for the rehabilitation of degraded land. Furthermore, the results indicate that cyanobacterial species can persist in soil environments even following prolonged periods of desiccation.

An Investigation of High-Z Material for Bolus in Electron Beam Therapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Electron beams are frequently used for superficial tumors including: primary skin cancers, surgical scars, cutaneous lymphomas and benign conditions like keloids. However, due to electron beam characteristics the surface dose is 75-95% of the prescribed dose depending on beam energy thus requiring placement of bolus to augment surface dose. Various types of boluses; wet gauge/towel, superflab, superstuff, aquaplast, 3D printed plastics, customized dot-decimal bolus, thermoshield, brass and tantalum wire mesh are commonly used in clinics with variable difficulties that are not perfect. As majority of these devices do not snug to the skin contour and create air-gap that is known to produce significant dose perturbations creating hot and cold spot. The variable dosimetry has cosmetic implications and potentially increased risk of recurrence. A new cloth-like high-Z materials; Tungsten, (Z = 74) and Bismuth, (Z = 83) impregnated with silicone gel are now commercially available which is investigated in this study for bolus purpose.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Commercially available, super soft silicone-gel based submillimeter thin Tungsten and Bismuth sheets were investigated for bolus properties in electron beams in the range of 6-12 MeV using 10x10 cm2 applicator. These materials were tested on various body contour for perfect snug without any air traps. Using parallel plate ion chamber measurements were performed in a solid water phantom on a medical linear accelerator machine. Depth dose characteristics were measured to optimize the thickness for surface dose to be 100% for selected electron therapy.

RESULTS

Surface dose for a 10x10 cm2 cone for 6, 9, 12 MeV beams were measured to be 75.1%, 80.1% and 86.2%, respectively. Silicone-gel Tungsten and Bismuth sheets produce significant electrons thus increasing surface dose. Based on measured depth dose, our data showed that Tungsten sheets of 0.14 mm, 0.18 mm and 0.2 mm and Bismuth sheets of 0.42 mm, 0.18 mm and 0.2 mm provide 100% surface dose for 6, 9 and 12 MeV beams, respectively without any changes in depth dose except increasing surface dose.

CONCLUSION

The new Tungsten and Bismuth based silicone-gel clothlike sheets are extremely soft but high tensile metallic bolus materials that can fit flawlessly on any skin contour without any air trap or variable thickness or spillage of the water as in conventionally used wet gauge. Only 0.2 mm thick sheets are needed for 100% surface dose without degradation of the depth dose characteristics. These materials are reusable and ideal for bolus in electron beam treatment. This investigation opens a new frontier in designing new bolus materials optimum for patient treatment.

Treatment of Mantle and Inverted Y Fields in Modern Era: A VMAT Approach

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Hodgkin's lymphoma has been treated with combined modality therapy (chemotherapy and radiation) with a very high degree of success. Total Nodal Irradiation (TNI) performed with large AP/PA mantle fields for treatment of axillary, cervical, and mediastinal lymphatics, provide adequate coverage to the mediastinum and bilateral axillae and hila, while blocking lungs. The para-aortic and pelvic lymph nodes are treated with the so called inverted-Y AP/PA fields, which often includes the spleen in cases of TNI. Multileaf Collimators (MLC) have been tried, but due to the irregular shape of the fields and necessity of island blocking in 3D treatment, they have not been successful in full elimination of Cerrobend blocks. We hypothesize that using two or three matched Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) fields will not only eliminate a need for Cerrobend blocks or island blocks, but will also provide better target coverage and better organs at risk (OAR) sparing.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Under IRB study, 10 patients were retrospectively planned using two or three matched VMAT technique for mantle and inverted-Y treatments of TNI that had been previously treated using MLC and Cerrobend block combination. Pinnacle treatment planning system version 16.2.1 was used to generate plans using mantle/inverted-Y technique and corresponding VMAT plans using 2-3 arcs per isocenter (2 isocenters per plan). Optimization was performed to cover targets with the prescribed dose of 1500 cGy in 10 fractions per institutional protocol. The VMAT plans were compared with traditional 3D plans.

RESULTS

VMAT consistently provided better or similar results to traditional field arrangements. Target coverage: V15Gy - 95.45% vs 77.99% (p = 0.00017), OAR coverage: total lung V5Gy 63.7% vs 68.8% (p = 0.016), bone marrow mean dose 539.1 cGy vs 727.8 cGy (p = 0.00047), Integral Dose 464.1 mJ vs 573.9 mJ (p = 0.0026). Low isodose lines- mean volume of 5 Gy isodose line was not significantly different - 24036 cc vs 25091 cc (p = 0.271). Cord maximum dose was 40% lower for VMAT plans (p = 0.00006). Mean bladder dose was similar in VMAT plans compared to 3D plan - 821.7 cGy vs 804.9 cGy (p = 0.454). One counter-intuitive result is that the mean integral dose for 10 patients was 24% lower for VMAT plans.

CONCLUSION

VMAT based mantle fields for TNI eliminates Cerrobend blocks and improve dosimetry significantly for target volumes and all OARs; including bone marrow, which plays important role in patient's recovery after chemotherapy, radiation and often stem cell transplantation in recurrent disease. Lower integral dose for VMAT plans is explained by the large irradiated in-fields and small out-of-field volumes. The VMAT process requires minimal effort for optimization and is economical compared to the traditional planning, while improving the target coverage and decreasing dose to OARs.

Stage IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment and Outcomes: A Single Institution Retrospective Analysis

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Treatment of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains challenging, with a multitude of treatment options available for Stage III patients. We hypothesized that Stage IIIA outcomes differ by treatment received.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of NSCLC patients ≥18 years old with Stage IIIA disease treated 1/1/2010-03/01/2022. Demographics, treatment received, treatment outcomes, and failure patterns were collected. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA was used to compare groups.

RESULTS

Of 352 patients identified, 160 had Stage IIIA NSCLC with a median follow-up of 29.1 months. Patients had a median age of 63 years, 79 (49.4%) were male, and 137 (85.6%) were current/former smokers (with 30 median pack-years). Patients were treated as follows: 17 (11%) surgery alone (S), 91 (57%) definitive radiation ± chemotherapy (CRT), 52 (33%) neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery (Neo). 6 (12%) of the Neo group received chemoimmunotherapy, and 21 (51%) of the 41 CRT patients received adjuvant immunotherapy. Between the three groups, there were no significant differences in tumor size as measured by T-staging (p = 0.83) and baseline FEV1/FVC (p = 0.92). Median PFS was 33.5mo (95% CI 13.2-NA) for group S, 18.4mo (95% CI 12.7-42.2) for CRT, and 19.7mo (95% CI 13.9-NA) for Neo with no significant intergroup difference (p = 0.72). Median OS was 33.5mo (95% CI 13.2-NA) for S, 48.7mo (95% CI 36.0-88.9) for CRT, and 50.9mo (95% CI 41.9-NA) for Neo with no significant intergroup difference (p = 0.94). Among the 17 primary surgical patients, 11 (65%) experienced failure: 6 (35%) local, 5 (29%) regional, and 7 (41%) distant. Among the 91 CRT patients, 57 (63%) experienced failure: 40 (44%) local, 35 (38%) regional, and 28 (31%) distant. Among the 52 Neo patients, 26 (50%) experienced failure: 14 (27%) local, 15 (29%) regional, and 17 (33%) distant. There were no significant differences in rates of local failure (p = 0.26), regional failure (p = 0.59), distant failure (p = 0.79), or any failure (p = 0.41) among the three treatment groups. The most common locations for distant failure were pleural effusions (n = 15, 29%), CNS (n = 14, 27%), and bone (n = 11, 21%).

CONCLUSION

In this single institution retrospective study, we find no significant differences in PFS, OS, and failure patterns between patients with Stage IIIA NSCLC treated with definitive (chemo)radiation and neoadjuvant therapy. Numeric improvement in PFS in surgery-only patients is consistent with expected patient selection of this group. Further work in the immunotherapy era is needed.

Crowdsourcing Deep Learning Algorithms to Automatically Contour GI Luminal Organs on Serial MRIs

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

A major barrier to a sustainable real-time adaptive MR-guided radiotherapy workflow is the time-consuming process of contouring the target and organs-at-risk (OARs) before the delivery of each fraction. While auto-contouring algorithms perform relatively well for many solid organs, the performance on luminal organs in the abdomen remain difficult due to the variability between patients and variability in daily shape and position. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of crowdsourced deep learning algorithms to automatically contour GI luminal organs on serial MRIs.

MATERIALS/METHODS

The stomach, small intestines, and large intestines were manually contoured on MRIs from patients who had undergone radiotherapy on an MR-Linac by a team of radiation therapists and medical physicists and were verified by a board-certified radiation oncologist. The MRIs and the contours were de-identified and uploaded to Kaggle, an online machine learning competition platform with portion of the data open to the public as training data and the remaining data hidden as a test set. Prize money was offered to teams submitting the best auto-contouring algorithms based on the Dice coefficient and Hausdorff distance evaluation metrics. The average performance of the winning algorithm and of manual contours were compared using unpaired t-test.

RESULTS

Four hundred sixty-seven MRIs were collected from 107 patients who underwent 1-5 serial MRI sessions between 2015 and 2019. The most common anatomic site of treatment was the pancreas with 41 patients, followed by the liver with 38 patients. The manual contours of the stomach, small intestines, and large intestines on 4 representative MRIs had mean and standard deviation Dice coefficient of 0.90 +/- 0.02, 0.76 +/- 0.04, and 0.85 +/- 0.03 respectively and Hausdorff distance of 18.0 +/- 6.9, 35.5 +/- 12.6, and 32.3 +/- 12.3 mm respectively. The Kaggle competition was held from April to July 2022 and 1548 teams submitted algorithms for evaluation. The auto-contouring performance of the winning solution on the stomach, small intestines, and large intestines, when evaluated on a hold-out test set with 188 MRIs, had mean and standard deviation Dice coefficient of 0.92 +/- 0.04, 0.80 +/- 0.09, 0.85 +/- 0.08 respectively and Hausdorff distance of 15.2 +/- 11.2, 33.9 +/- 15.2, 34.8 +/- 20.3 mm respectively. Unpaired t-test was performed to compare the average performance across three organs of the human (N = 120) and of the algorithm (N = 564). The results suggest that average algorithm performance was statistically superior to manual contours for Dice (p = 0.01), yet not for Hausdorff (p = 0.64).

CONCLUSION

Crowdsourced deep learning algorithms to auto-contour GI luminal organs on serial MRIs perform superiorly compared to manual contours when using a Dice coefficient metric but not when using a Haudorff distance metric. These auto-contouring algorithms may be used to efficiently adapt radiotherapy plans according to the anatomy of the day for patients with abdominal tumors on MR-Linacs.

The Role of BRAF Inhibitors in the Management of Ameloblastoma: A Literature Review

Ameloblastoma is one of the most prevalent but enigmatic benign odontogenic tumors of the jaw, accounting for approximately 10% of all maxillary and mandibular tumors. This neoplasia is distinguished by exhibiting several clinical and histological variants along with several mutations that affect its behavior. The ameloblastoma treatment plan is determined by the tumor's size, anatomical location, histologic variant, and anatomical involvement. On chromosome 7, there is a proto-oncogene called BRAF. When BRAF is mutated, it becomes an oncogene and continuously produces proteins like MEK and ERK, members of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). In the signaling pathway, these proteins activate transcription factor inside the nucleus that helps in cell division and growth. Numerous neoplasms have been linked to more than 40 BRAF mutations. The most common one is BRAF proto-oncogene serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) V600E, whose treatment has been linked to a positive outcome. BRAF inhibitors like vemurafenib, dabrafenib, and sorafenib have shown excellent results, especially in metastatic ameloblastoma. BRAF, particularly in the case of metastatic ameloblastoma, inhibitors such as vemurafenib, dabrafenib, and sorafenib, has demonstrated outstanding results. Targeted therapies have been employed as adjuvant therapies to enhance cosmetic outcomes, even though no reports of serial cases demonstrate their effectiveness in ameloblastomas. In the treatment of ameloblastomas, the identification of BRAF V600E and additional mutations as the prime targeted therapies has proven to be a significant breakthrough where surgical treatment was contraindicated. In this article, we review the presence of BRAF V600E mutations, their inhibitors, and targeted therapies in ameloblastoma.

Expediting the drug discovery for ideal leads against SARS-CoV-2 via molecular docking of repurposed drugs

SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus spreading worldwide urges the need to repurpose drugs that can quickly enter clinical trials to combat the on-going global pandemic. A cluster of proteins are encoded for by the viral genome, each assuming a critical role in pathogen endurance inside the host. To handle the adverse circumstances, robust virtual strategies such as repurposing are coming to the fore due to being economical, efficient and rapid. Five FDA approved repurposed drugs proposed to act as inhibitors by targeting SARS-CoV-2 were used for initial evaluation via molecular docking. Moreover, a comparative analysis of the selected SARS-CoV-2 proteins against five ligands (Clemizole hydrochloride, Exemestane, Nafamostat, Pregnenolone and Umifenovir) was designed. In this regard, non-structural proteins (nsp3, nsp5, nsp10, nsp12 and nsp15), structural proteins (Spike, Nucleocapsid protein) and accessory proteins (ORF 3a, ORF 7a and ORF 9 b) were selected. Here, we aim to expedite the search for a potential drug from the five FDA approved repurposing drugs already in use for treatment of multiple diseases. Based on docking analysis, Umifenovir and Pregnenolone are suggested to show potential inhibitory effects against most of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins. These drugs are noteworthy since they exhibit high binding towards target proteins and should be used as lead compounds towards in vitro and in vivo studies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Low-Birth-Weight among Term Newborns Born to Anaemic Pregnant Women Admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in a Tertiary Care Centre

Introduction

Anaemia is one of the most common conditions which affects a significant proportion of pregnant women worldwide. These patients may have adverse effects on both the mother and the developing fetus. Detecting and timely treating anaemia in pregnancy help in the overall improvement of maternal and fetal health. The aim of the study was to find out the prevalence of low-birth-weight among term newborns born to anaemic pregnant women admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in a tertiary care centre.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women who were diagnosed with anaemia and admitted for delivery in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee. Data was collected from 10 December 2022 to 10 March 2023. Convenience sampling method was used. The point estimate was calculated at a 95% Confidence Interval.

Results

Among 300 newborns, the prevalence of low-birth-weight was 106 (35.33%) (29.92-40.74, 95% Confidence Interval). Among 106 newborn, 64 (60.37%) were male and 42 (39.62%) were female.

Conclusions

The prevalence of low-birth-weight among newborns born to term anaemic pregnant women admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in a tertiary care centre was found to be higher than in studies done in a similar settings.

Keywords

anaemia; infant; low birth weight; morbidity; pregnancy.

Regulation of ethylene metabolism in tomato under salinity stress involving linkages with important physiological signaling pathways

The tomato is well-known for its anti-oxidative and anti-cancer properties, and with a wide range of health benefits is an important cash crop for human well-being. However, environmental stresses (especially abiotic) are having a deleterious effect on plant growth and productivity, including tomato. In this review, authors describe how salinity stress imposes risk consequences on growth and developmental processes of tomato through toxicity by ethylene (ET) and cyanide (HCN), and ionic, oxidative, and osmotic stresses. Recent research has clarified how salinity stress induced-ACS and - β-CAS expressions stimulate the accumulation of ET and HCN, wherein the action of salicylic acid (SA),compatible solutes (CSs), polyamines (PAs) and ET inhibitors (ETIs) regulate ET and HCN metabolism. Here we emphasize how ET, SA and PA cooperates with mitochondrial alternating oxidase (AOX), salt overly sensitive (SOS) pathways and the antioxidants (ANTOX) system to better understand the salinity stress resistance mechanism. The current literature evaluated in this paper provides an overview of salinity stress resistance mechanism involving synchronized routes of ET metabolism by SA and PAs, connecting regulated network of central physiological processes governing through the action of AOX, β-CAS, SOS and ANTOX pathways, which might be crucial for the development of tomato.

Dichotomous sperm in Lepidopteran insects: a biorational target for pest management

Lepidoptera are unusual in possessing two distinct kinds of sperm, regular nucleated (eupyrene) sperm and anucleate (apyrene) sperm ('parasperm'). Sperm of both types are transferred to the female and are required for male fertility. Apyrene sperm play 'helper' roles, assisting eupyrene sperm to gain access to unfertilized eggs and influencing the reproductive behavior of mated female moths. Sperm development and behavior are promising targets for environmentally safer, target-specific biorational control strategies in lepidopteran pest insects. Sperm dimorphism provides a wide window in which to manipulate sperm functionality and dynamics, thereby impairing the reproductive fitness of pest species. Opportunities to interfere with spermatozoa are available not only while sperm are still in the male (before copulation), but also in the female (after copulation, when sperm are still in the male-provided spermatophore, or during storage in the female's spermatheca). Biomolecular technologies like RNAi, miRNAs and CRISPR-Cas9 are promising strategies to achieve lepidopteran pest control by targeting genes directly or indirectly involved in dichotomous sperm production, function, or persistence.

Salinity-Induced Physiochemical Alterations to Enhance Lipid Content in Oleaginous Microalgae Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 via Two-Stage Cultivation for Biodiesel Feedstock

In the recent past, various microalgae have been considered a renewable energy source for biofuel production, and their amount and extent can be enhanced by applying certain types of stress including salinity. Although microalgae growing under salinity stress result in a higher lipid content, they simultaneously reduce in growth and biomass output. To resolve this issue, the physiochemical changes in microalgae Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 have been assessed through two-stage cultivation. In stage-I, the maximum carbohydrate and lipid contents (39.55 and 34.10%) were found at a 0.4 M NaCl concentration, while in stage-II, the maximum carbohydrate and lipid contents (42.16 and 38.10%) were obtained in the 8-day-old culture. However, under increased salinity, Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 exhibited a decrease in photosynthetic attributes, including Chl-a, Chl-b, Fv/Fm, Y(II), Y(NPQ), NPQ, qP, qL, qN, and ETRmax but increased Y(NO) and carotenoids content. Apart from physiological attributes, osmoprotectants, stress biomarkers, and nonenzymatic antioxidants were also studied to elucidate the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) facilitated lipid synthesis. Furthermore, elemental and mineral ion analysis of microalgal biomass was performed to evaluate the biomass quality for biofuel and cell homeostasis. Based on fluorometry analysis, we found the maximum neutral lipids in the 8-day-old grown culture at stage-II in Scenedesmus sp. BHU1. Furthermore, the use of Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy analyses confirmed the presence of higher levels of hydrocarbons and triacylglycerides (TAGs) composed of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in the 8-day-old culture. Therefore, Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 can be a promising microalga for potential biodiesel feedstock.

A highly stable δ-MnO2 cathode with superior electrochemical performance for rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries

Recently, aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) have attracted significant attention owing to their high safety, low cost, and abundant raw materials. However, finding an affordable and stable cathode, which can reversibly store a substantial amount of Zn2+ ions without damaging the original crystal structure, is still a major challenge for the practical application of ZIBs. It has already been demonstrated that δ-MnO2 is a promising cathode for AZIBs owing to its layered structure and superior electrochemical performance; however, the reported results are still unsatisfactory (especially cyclability). Thus, using an oil bath method, we have fabricated a δ-MnO2 cathode that exhibits a unique mixed phase morphology of mostly spherical nanoparticles and a few nanorods. It is believed that some of the nanoparticles are agglomerated to form nanorods, which may eventually help to offer numerous active sites for Zn2+ diffusion, enhancing the electrolyte osmosis and the contact area between the electrode and electrolyte. The obtained cathode delivers a high reversible capacity of ∼204 mA h g-1 for the 100th cycle and ∼75 mA h g-1 over 1000 cycles at a high current density of 3000 mA g-1 with stable long-range cycling. Ex situ results indicate the mechanism of formation of ZnMn2O4 during discharge, followed by the evolution of the layered δ-MnO2 during charge.

Near-lossless Compression of Tc-99 m DMSA Scan Images Using Discrete Cosine Transformation

Aim and Objective

The objective of this study was to optimize the threshold for discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients for near-lossless compression of Tc-99 m Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scan images using discrete cosine transformation.

Materials and Methods

Two nuclear medicine (NM) Physicians after reviewing several Tc-99 m DMSA scan images provided 242 Tc-99 m DMSA scan images that had scar. These Digital imaging and communication in medicine (DICOM) images were converted in the Portable Network Graphics (PNG) format. DCT was applied on these PNG images, which resulted in DCT coefficients corresponding to each pixel of the image. Four different thresholds equal to 5, 10, 15, and 20 were applied and then inverse discrete cosine transformation was applied to get the compressed Tc-99 m DMSA scan images. Compression factor was calculated as the ratio of the number of nonzero elements after thresholding DCT coefficients to the number of nonzero elements before thresholding DCT coefficients. Two NM physicians who had provided the input images visually compared the compressed images with its input image, and categorized the compressed images as either acceptable or unacceptable. The quality of compressed images was also assessed objectively using the following eight image quality metrics: perception-based image quality evaluator, structural similarity index measure (SSIM), multiSSIM, feature similarity indexing method, blur, global contrast factor, contrast per pixel, and brightness. Pairwise Wilcoxon signed-rank sum tests were applied to find the statistically significant difference between the value of image quality metrics of the compressed images obtained at different thresholds and the value of the image quality metrics of its input images at the level of significance = 0.05.

Results

At threshold 5, (1) all compressed images (242 out of 242 Tc-99 m DMSA scan images) were acceptable to both the NM Physicians, (2) Compressed image looks identical to its original image and no loss of clinical details was noticed in compressed images, (3) Up to 96.65% compression (average compression: 82.92%) was observed, and (4) Result of objective assessment supported the visual assessment. The quality of compressed images at thresholds 10, 15, and 20 was significantly better than that of input images at P < 0.0001. However, the number of unacceptable compressed images at thresholds 10, 15, and 20 was 6, 38, and 70, respectively.

Conclusions

Up to 96.65%, near-losses compression of Tc-99 m DMSA images was found using DCT by thresholding DCT coefficients at a threshold value equal to 5.

Impact of dehydration on the physiochemical properties of Nostoc calcicola BOT1 and its untargeted metabolic profiling through UHPLC-HRMS

The global population growth has led to a higher demand for food production, necessitating improvements in agricultural productivity. However, abiotic and biotic stresses pose significant challenges, reducing crop yields and impacting economic and social welfare. Drought, in particular, severely constrains agriculture, resulting in unproductive soil, reduced farmland, and jeopardized food security. Recently, the role of cyanobacteria from soil biocrusts in rehabilitating degraded land has gained attention due to their ability to enhance soil fertility and prevent erosion. The present study focused on Nostoc calcicola BOT1, an aquatic, diazotrophic cyanobacterial strain collected from an agricultural field at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. The aim was to investigate the effects of different dehydration treatments, specifically air drying (AD) and desiccator drying (DD) at various time intervals, on the physicochemical properties of N. calcicola BOT1. The impact of dehydration was assessed by analyzing the photosynthetic efficiency, pigments, biomolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, osmoprotectants), stress biomarkers, and non-enzymatic antioxidants. Furthermore, an analysis of the metabolic profiles of 96-hour DD and control mats was conducted using UHPLC-HRMS. Notably, there was a significant decrease in amino acid levels, while phenolic content, fatty acids, and lipids increased. These changes in metabolic activity during dehydration highlighted the presence of metabolite pools that contribute to the physiological and biochemical adjustments of N. calcicola BOT1, mitigating the impact of dehydration to some extent. Overall, present study demonstrated the accumulation of biochemical and non-enzymatic antioxidants in dehydrated mats, which could be utilized to stabilize unfavorable environmental conditions. Additionally, the strain N. calcicola BOT1 holds promise as a biofertilizer for semi-arid regions.

Waste to value transformation: Converting Carica papaya seeds into green fluorescent carbon dots for simultaneous selective detection and degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride in water

Rampant use of antibiotics has resulted in their seepage into groundwater and ultimately ending up in the food chain, causing antimicrobial resistance. To address this issue, it is imperative to not only quantitatively detect but eliminate them from water. An eco-friendly, one-step microwave-induced pyrolysis of waste papaya seeds (PS) with ethylenediamine (EDA) for just 5min gave green fluorescent nitrogen-doped carbon dots (PS-CDs), which are capable of detecting and photocatalytically degrading TC. The fluorescence properties of PS-CDs displayed that it has high sensitivity and selectivity towards sensing of TC with a detection limit as low as 120 nM. Also, the method gave satisfactory recovery results when extrapolated to determine TC in spiked milk, orange juice, tap water, and honey samples. On the other hand, PS-CDs alone potentially function as an efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of TC. PS-CDs' dual functionality provides an effectual method for the simultaneous detection and degradation of TC by a single nanoprobe.

Monitoring amyloid aggregation via a twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT)-based fluorescent sensor array

Imaging amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregation is critical for understanding the pathology and aiding the pre-symptomatic intervention of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid aggregation consists of multiple phases with increasing viscosities and demands probes with broad dynamic ranges and gradient sensitivities for continuous monitoring. Yet, existing probes designed based on the twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) mechanism mainly focused on donor engineering, limiting the sensitivities and/or dynamic ranges of these fluorophores to a narrow window. Herein, using quantum chemical calculations, we investigated multiple factors affecting the TICT process of fluorophores. It includes the conjugation length, the net charge of the fluorophore scaffold, the donor strength, and the geometric pre-twisting. We have established an integrative framework for tuning TICT tendencies. Based on this framework, a platter of hemicyanines with varied sensitivities and dynamic ranges is synthesized, forming a sensor array and enabling the observation of various stages of Aβ aggregations. This approach will significantly facilitate the development of TICT-based fluorescent probes with tailored environmental sensitivities for numerous applications.

Oral Involvement in Borderline Tuberculoid Leprosy: Report of a Case with Review of Literature

Leprosy is a chronic infectious granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, primarily affecting the skin and the peripheral nerves. Variable involvement of internal organs and mucosa has been reported with incidence ranging from 19% to 60%, more commonly seen in lepromatous spectrum of leprosy (LL and BL). We report a case of borderline tuberculoid (BT) leprosy presenting with oral mucosal lesions involving the gingival mucosa and lower lip.

Metal-binding and circular permutation-dependent thermodynamic and kinetic stability of azurin

Native topology is known to determine the folding kinetics and the energy landscape of proteins. Furthermore, the circular permutation (CP) of proteins alters the order of the secondary structure connectivity while retaining the three-dimensional structure, making it an elegant and powerful approach to altering native topology. Previous studies elucidated the influence of CP in proteins with different folds such as Greek key β-barrel, β-sandwich, β-α-β, and all α-Greek key. CP mainly affects the protein stability and unfolding kinetics, while folding kinetics remains mostly unaltered. However, the effect of CP on metalloproteins is yet to be elaborately studied. The active site of metalloproteins poses an additional complexity in studying protein folding. Here, we investigate a CP variant (cpN42) of azurin-in both metal-free and metal-bound (holo) forms. As observed earlier in other proteins, apo-forms of wild-type (WT) and cpN42 fold with similar rates. In contrast, zinc-binding accelerates the folding of WT but decelerates the folding of cpN42. On zinc-binding, the spontaneous folding rate of WT increases by >250 times that of cpN42, which is unprecedented and the highest for any CP to date. On the other hand, zinc-binding reduces the spontaneous unfolding rate of cpN42 by ~100 times, making the WT and CP azurins unfold at similar rates. Our study demonstrates metal binding as a novel way to modulate the unfolding and folding rates of CPs compared to their WT counterparts. We hope our study increases the understanding of the effect of CP on the folding mechanism and energy landscape of metalloproteins.

Enhanced delivery of quercetin and doxorubicin using β-cyclodextrin polymer to overcome P-glycoprotein mediated multidrug resistance

In this study, we prepared a β-cyclodextrin polymer (β-CDP) co-loaded quercetin (QCT) and doxorubicin (DOX) nanocarrier (β-CDP/QD NCs) by freeze-dried method to combat P-glycoprotein (P-gp) mediated multidrug resistance (MDR) in KB-Ch^R 8-5 cancer cells. Various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques were employed to characterize the prepared nanocarrier. The molecular docking studies confirm the effective binding interactions of QCT and DOX with the synthesized β-CD polymer. The in vitro drug release study illustrates the sustainable release of DOX and QCT from the β-CDP nanocarrier. Further, we noticed that the QCT released from the β-CDP nanocarrier improved the intracellular availability of DOX via modulating P-gp drug efflux function in KB-Ch^R 8-5 cells and MCF-7/DOX cancer cells. Cell uptake results confirmed the successful internalization of DOX in KB-Ch^R 8-5 cells compared with free DOX. Cell-based assays such as nuclear condensation, alteration in the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and apoptosis morphological changes confirmed the enhanced anticancer effect of β-CDP/QD NCs in the resistant cancer cells. Hence, QCT and DOX co-loaded β-CDP may be considered effective in achieving maximum cell death in the P-gp overexpressing MDR cancer cells.

Unusual Observations in Leishmaniasis-An Overview

Leishmaniasis significantly affects the population of the tropics and subtropics. Clinical features and infective species of Leishmania are the primary factors driving the direction of diagnosis. The rise in incidences of atypical presentations present a challenge in patient treatment. Knowledge of unusual/rare presentations can aid in having a broader perspective for including the different aspects during the examination and thus avoid misdiagnosis. A comprehensive literature survey was performed to present the array of atypical presentations confounding clinicians which have been seen in leishmaniasis. Case reports of unusual findings based on the localizations and morphology of lesions and infective species and the predominant geographical sites over almost five decades highlight such presentations in the population. Information regarding the clinical features recorded in the patient and the chosen treatment was extracted to put forward the preferred drug regimen in such cases. This comprehensive review presents various unusual observations seen in visceral leishmaniasis, post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, cutaneous leishmaniasis, and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. It highlights the need to consider such features in association with differential diagnosis to facilitate proper treatment of the patient.

Xanthogranulomatous Orchitis Mimicking a Testicular Malignancy: A Rare Case with Brief Review of Literature

Xanthogranulomatous orchitis (XGO) is a rare, distinct type of chronic inflammation causing destruction of the tissue by infiltrate of lipid laden macrophages. It is commonly seen in the gall bladder, kidney and is rarely reported in the testis. Authors hereby, report report a case of a 32-year-old man who presented with a swelling in the right testis since 3 weeks. On clinical examination, ultrasound findings, a provisional diagnosis of testicular neoplasm was made. Simple right orchidectomy was performed and on histopathological examination the testis was found to be replaced with large lipid laden macrophages (Xanthoma cells) along with lymphocytes, foci of necrosis and hemorrhage, a diagnosis of XGO was rendered. The preoperative diagnosis of XGO is very challenging as the condition often mimics a testicular neoplasm, thus the final diagnosis relies on the histopathological examination. Extensive sampling of the tissue should be done to rule out any concurrent testicular neoplasm

Estimating Center of Rotation of Single-Photon Emission Computerized Tomography Projection Images Using MATLAB for Standardization and Calibration

Objective

The objective of the study was to develop a Personal Computer (PC) based tool to estimate the center of rotation (COR) offsets from COR projection datasets using methods mentioned in IAEA-TECDOC-602.

Materials and Methods

Twenty-four COR studies were acquired on Discovery NM 630 Dual head gamma camera fitted with parallel hole collimator, and COR offsets were estimated with the software available at the terminal for processing a COR study. These COR projection images were exported in DICOM. A MATLAB script (software program) was written to estimate COR offset using Method A (using opposite pair of projections) and Method B (using curve fitting method) as mentioned in IAEA-TECDOC-602. Our program read the COR study (in DICOM) and estimated COR offsets using Method A and Method B. The accuracy of the program was verified using simulated projection dataset of a point source object acquired at 6° interval in the range of 0°-360° angle. Bland Altman plot was used for analyzing the agreement between the COR offsets estimated using (1) Method A and Method B mentioned in IAEA-TECDOC-602, and (2) Our program and vendor program available at Discovery NM 630 acquisition terminal.

Results

On simulated data, offset from center of gravity (COG) in X direction (COGX) and COG in Y direction (COGY) estimated using Method A was constant (same) at each pair of angles while using Method B, it was found to be in the range (-2 × 10-10, 1 × 10-10) which is negligible. Most of the differences (23 out of 24) between the result of Method A and Method B, and between the results of our program and vendor program was found to be within 95% confidence interval (mean ± 1.96 standard deviation).

Conclusions

Our PC-based tool to estimate COR offsets from COR projection datasets using methods mentioned in IAEA-TECDOC-602 was found to be accurate and provides results in agreement with vendor's program. It can be used as an independent tool to estimate COR offset for standardization and calibration purposes.

Phylogenomic and Structural Analysis of the Monkeypox Virus Shows Evolution towards Increased Stability

Monkeypox is an infectious zoonotic disease caused by an Orthopoxvirus and results in symptoms similar to smallpox. In a recent outbreak, monkeypox virus (MPXV) cases have been reported globally since May 2022, and the numbers are increasing. Monkeypox was first diagnosed in humans in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has now spread to throughout Europe, the USA, and Africa. In this study, we analyzed the whole genome sequences of MPXV sequences from recent outbreaks in various countries and performed phylogenomic analysis. Our analysis of the available human MPXV strains showed the highest mutations per sample in 2022 with the average number of mutations per sample being the highest in South America and the European continents in 2022. We analyzed specific mutations in 11 Indian MPXV strains occurring in the variable end regions of the MPXV genome, where the mutation number was as high as 10 mutations per gene. Among these, envelope glycoproteins, the B2R protein, the Ankyrin repeat protein, DNA polymerase, and the INF alpha receptor-like secreted glycoprotein were seen to have a relatively high number of mutations. We discussed the stabilizing effects of the mutations in some of the highly mutating proteins. Our results showed that the proteins involved in binding to the host receptors were mutating at a faster rate, which empowered the virus for active selection towards increased disease transmissibility and severity.

Compression of 99mTc Methylene Diphosphonate Bone Scan Images using Discrete Cosine Transformation

Aims and Objectives

The objective of this study was to find the optimum value of threshold for compression of 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) bone scan images using discrete cosine transformation (DCT).

Materials and Methods

DCT was applied to 51 99mTc-MDP bone scan images and then the image of logarithmic value of DCT coefficients was inspected to determine the threshold. After inspecting the number of images of DCT coefficients, we estimated the appropriate value of the threshold to be 10. After the application of threshold = 10, compressed image was reconstructed by applying the inverse DCT. Compression factor was calculated by dividing the nonzero element after thresholding to the nonzero element before thresholding DCT coefficients. Nuclear medicine physicians compared the compressed images with its input images and labeled them as acceptable or unacceptable. During comparison of input and compressed images, we considered points such as smoothening, blocking artifacts, body contour, gap between closely placed lesions, and detectability of lesion.

Results

Forty-four compressed images (out of 51 images) obtained at threshold 10 were acceptable to Nuclear Medicine Physician (NMP). Compressed images were less noisy compared to its input image. Compression factor was found to be 13.03 ± (minimum = 2.71, maximum = 42.92).

Conclusion

The optimum value of threshold for compression of 99mTc-MDP bone scan images was found to be 10, and the average compression factor achieved was equal to 13.03 (92.30%).

Attending Training Workshop of BLS/ACLS

From the beginning of day one in medical school, students are always looking for ways to do something practical and skilled based instead of just reading a textbook. Having said that, learning a skill to save a life is the most fascinating thing. Although as a student, they may not have to attend to the patient, they could be present in accidents outside of the hospital, where they should be able to perform the necessary actions to save a life. After attending the training, one becomes somewhat confident that they can take control of the situation because they will know what to do until the emergency services arrive.

Keywords

cardiac arrest; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; life; medical students; workshops.

Emerging nanotechnology-based therapeutics to combat multidrug-resistant cancer

Cancer often develops multidrug resistance (MDR) when cancer cells become resistant to numerous structurally and functionally different chemotherapeutic agents. MDR is considered one of the principal reasons for the failure of many forms of clinical chemotherapy. Several factors are involved in the development of MDR including increased expression of efflux transporters, the tumor microenvironment, changes in molecular targets and the activity of cancer stem cells. Recently, researchers have designed and developed a number of small molecule inhibitors and derivatives of natural compounds to overcome various mechanisms of clinical MDR. Unfortunately, most of the chemosensitizing approaches have failed in clinical trials due to non-specific interactions and adverse side effects at pharmacologically effective concentrations. Nanomedicine approaches provide an efficient drug delivery platform to overcome the limitations of conventional chemotherapy and improve therapeutic effectiveness. Multifunctional nanomaterials have been found to facilitate drug delivery by improving bioavailability and pharmacokinetics, enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs to overcome MDR. In this review article, we discuss the major factors contributing to MDR and the limitations of existing chemotherapy- and nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems to overcome clinical MDR mechanisms. We critically review recent nanotechnology-based approaches to combat tumor heterogeneity, drug efflux mechanisms, DNA repair and apoptotic machineries to overcome clinical MDR. Recent successful therapies of this nature include liposomal nanoformulations, cRGDY-PEG-Cy5.5-Carbon dots and Cds/ZnS core–shell quantum dots that have been employed for the effective treatment of various cancer sub-types including small cell lung, head and neck and breast cancers.

Quick and hassle-free smartphone's RGB-based color to photocatalytic degradation rate assessment of malachite green dye in water by fluorescent Zr-N-S co-doped carbon dots

Sunlight active blue emissive zirconium, nitrogen, and sulfur co-doped carbon dots (Zr-N-S-CDs) have been synthesized by microwave-induced pyrolysis for achieving efficient photocatalytic degradation of pollutant malachite green dye (MG) in water. Surface morphology studies using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy confirmed the formation of spherical-shaped CDs with an absorbance peak at 350 nm and emission peak at 437 nm in UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. Surface functional groups, elemental composition, and metal/non-metal co-doping were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. To understand the photocatalytic performance of Zr-N-S-CDs, various parameters, such as the source of energy, concentration of dye, catalyst dosage, and change in pH, were investigated. MG dye (20 ppm) at a pH 7 with 0.5 mg/mL of Zr-N-S-CDs could be photodegraded efficiently in 90 min under sunlight (99%) compared to dark and artificial light conditions. Moreover, real-time analysis of degradation rate could be conveniently calculated by integrating the colorimetric responses of MG dye with RGB values obtained by the "Color Picker" app of a smartphone. The degradation rate obtained using a smartphone (97.89%) was found to be in agreement with the UV-vis spectroscopy (99%), thus, providing a new, handy, and instrument-free route for speedy and quantitative estimation of the degradation of hazardous MG dye by Zr-N-S-CDs.

Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Bicarbonate Supplementation on Biomass and Lipid Content of Green Algae Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 Isolated From Wastewater for Renewable Biofuel Feedstock

In the present study, different microalgae were isolated from wastewater environment and evaluated for higher growth and lipid accumulation. The growth adaptability of all the isolated microalgae were tested for carbon source with supplementation of sodium bicarbonate in BG-11 N⁺ medium. Further based on the uptake rate of sodium bicarbonate and growth behavior, microalgal strains were selected for biofuel feedstock. During the study, growth parameters of all the isolates were screened after supplementation with various carbon sources, in which strain Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 was found highly effective among all. The efficacy of Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 strain under different sodium bicarbonate (4–20 mM) concentration, in which higher growth 1.4 times greater than control was observed at the concentration 12 mM sodium bicarbonate. In addition, total chlorophyll content (Chl-a + Chl-b), chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm, Y(II), ETR max, and NPQmax), and biomass productivity were found to be 11.514 μg/ml, 0.673, 0.675, and 31.167 μmol electrons m⁻² s⁻¹, 1.399, 59.167 mg/L/day, respectively, at the 12 mM sodium bicarbonate. However, under optimum sodium bicarbonate supplementation, 56.920% carbohydrate and 34.693% lipid content were accumulated, which showed potential of sodium bicarbonate supplementation in renewable biofuel feedstock by using Scenedesmus sp. BHU1 strain.

Effect of stabilizer on optical band gap of ZnO and their performance in dye-sensitized solar cells

ABSTRACT. In dye-sensitized solar cells, transparent metal oxide working electrodes play a vital role in defining the power conversion efficiency. It was found that the size of nanoparticles influences the electrical, optical properties of these electrodes. Herein, we describe the synthesis of ZnO with zinc acetate dihydrate and different stabilizers (diethylamine and triethylamine) by using a modified solvothermal process. The obtained materials were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, HRTEM, UV-visible, FTIR, and Raman methods. The crystallite sizes for ZnO-1 and ZnO-2 samples were indexed as 39.0 and 40.5 nm for the highest peak intensity with diethylamine and triethylamine stabilizer, respectively. We examine the effect of stabilizers on the morphology, optical band gap, and photovoltaic performance of the prepared ZnO. We found that ZnO prepared using diethylamine stabilizer exhibiting significant efficiency of 1.45%, open-circuit voltage 0.454 V, short-circuit current density 2.128 mA/cm2, and 0.66 fill factor were achieved under 44 mW/cm2 illumination powers with dye-3.                 KEY WORDS: Dye-sensitized solar cells, ZnO, Band gap, Photovoltaic performance   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(1), 209-222.                                                        DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i1.17                                                      

Synthesis of phenol esters by direct C–H activation of aldehydes using a highly efficient and reusable copper-immobilized polyimide covalent organic framework (Cu@PI-COF)

In the present study, we report the design and fabrication of a thermally and chemically stable copper-based polyimide covalent organic framework (Cu@PI-COF) via a facile and straightforward synthetic approach for the oxidative esterification of aldehydes.

Critical Antileishmanial in vitro Effects of Highly Examined Gold Nanoparticles

Introduction

The current therapeutic armory for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania donovani complex is inadequate, coupled with serious limitations. Combination therapy has proved ineffective due to mounting resistance; however, the search for safe and effective drugs is desirable, in the absence of any vaccine. There is a growing interest in the application of nanoparticles for the therapeutic effectiveness of leishmaniasis. Aimed in this direction, we assessed the antileishmanial effect of gold nanoparticles (GNP) against L. donovani in vitro.

Methods

GNP were synthesized and characterized for particle size by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and for optical properties by UV-visible spectroscopy. Cytotoxicity of GNP was measured by the MTT proliferation assay. The antileishmanial activity of the nanoparticles was evaluated against L. donovani promastigotes and macrophage-infected amastigotes in vitro.

Results

GNP showed a strong SPR peak at 520 nm and mean particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential of 56.0 ± 10 nm, 0.3 ± 0.1 and −27.0 ± 3 mV, respectively. The GNPs were smooth and spherical with a mean particle diameter of 20 ± 5 nm. Nanoparticles [1.2–100 µM] did not reveal any cytotoxicity on RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cell line, but exerted significant activity against both promastigotes and amastigote stages of L. donovani with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) of 18.4 ± 0.4 µM and 5.0 ± 0.3 µM, respectively. GNP showed significant antileishmanial activity with deformed morphology of parasites and the least number of surviving promastigotes after growth reversibility analysis.

Conclusion

GNP may provide a platform to conjugate antileishmanial drugs onto the surface of nanoparticles to enhance their therapeutic effectiveness against VL. Further work is warranted, involving more in-depth mechanistic studies and in vivo investigations.