Concomitants of Diabetic Foot Ulcer - A Review.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus leading to foot ulcer is a serious complication, and it is considered a global epidemic. Neuropathyand high blood glucose levels are the primary causes of foot ulcers. Fifteen percent of people with diabetes develop foot ulcers, and these foot disorders are the main cause of lower extremity amputation among such patients. INTRODUCTION: Complications of diabetic foot, affecting the lower extremities are common and quite complex and life-threatening. This review focuses on the life-threatening factors associated with diabetic foot ulcers and also the diagnosing and preventive measures. Neuropathy assessment and the range of foot ulcers were accurately examined. CONCLUSION: Novel therapies focusing on the vascularity of the lower limbs, infection control, and ischemic control are being developed to mainly treat nonhealing ulcers.

Phase 3 efficacy and safety trial of proposed liraglutide biosimilar for reduction of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Liraglutide is indicated for glycaemic control in adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as an adjunct to diet and exercise. A proposed biosimilar of liraglutide (Levim Liraglutide) was investigated for efficacy & safety in a phase 3 study against the originator reference liraglutide (Victoza®) manufactured by Novo Nordisk A/S, Denmark. Patients aged 18-65 years of age with glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) between 7 and 10 %, among other criteria, were included in the study. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive daily doses of either Levim liraglutide or reference liraglutide for 24 weeks. The least square mean (standard error, SE) for the primary efficacy endpoint of reduction in HbA1c% at Week 24 was -1.09 (0.15)% for Levim liraglutide group and -1.04 (0.14)% for reference liraglutide. The upper bound of the confidence interval for treatment difference was less than the non-inferiority margin of 0.4 % at one-sided alpha of 0.025 (P-value = 0.0003). The secondary endpoints for proportion of patients achieving reduction in HbA1c, glycaemic level and weight, changes in cardiovascular parameters and the overall safety profiles of the study drugs were comparable. Levim liraglutide demonstrated non-inferior efficacy and similar safety to reference liraglutide and may be an option in treatment of T2DM (CTRI.nic.in, no. CTRI/2022/02/040261).

Visible light driven reduced graphene oxide supported ZnMgAl LTH/ZnO/g-C3N4 nanohybrid photocatalyst with notable two-dimension formation for enhanced photocatalytic activity towards organic dye degradation.

In this study, 2D/2D/2D heterostructured r-GO/LTH/ZnO/g-C3N4 nanohybrid were synthesized through hydrothermal method. The strong electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged g-C3N4 and r-GO nanosheets with positively charged layered triple hydroxide (LTH) nanosheets are effectively influences the successful formation of heterojunction. The LTH nanosheets are well spread on the g-C3N4 nanosheets combined with r-GO. In particular, the as prepared heterojunction shows a better photocatalytic degradation activity compared to pristine samples and the significant enhancement in the photocatalytic performance is mainly accredited to the large interfacial charge transition of photogenerated charge carriers under the visible light irradiation. Although the 2D/2D/2D heterojunction effectively hinders the charge carrier recombination resulting high photocatalytic activity with good stability. In addition, the r-GO supported LTH/ZnO/g-C3N4 heterojunction shows high photo-stability after sequential experimental runs with no obvious change in the dye degradation process. Consequently, the role of active species was investigated over the r-GO/LTH/ZnO/g-C3N4 heterojunction with the help of different scavengers.

Fish pond water treatment using ultrasonic cavitation and advanced oxidation processes.

This investigation explores the efficacy of employing ultrasonic cavitation and coupling it with advanced oxidation processes (hydrogen peroxide and Fenton's reagent) for reducing the levels of total ammonia nitrogen in fish pond water containing Tilapia fishes. Ultrasonic cavitation is a phenomenon where the formation, growth and collapse of vaporous bubbles occur in a liquid medium producing highly reactive free radicals. Ultrasonic probe system (20 kHz with 750 W and 1000 W) was used to induce cavitation. Besides, to intensify the process, ultrasonic cavitation was coupled with hydrogen peroxide and Fenton's reagent. Using SERA colour indicator test kits, the levels of ammonium, nitrite and carbonate hardness were measured. The results obtained from this study clearly show that the advanced oxidation processes are more efficient in reducing the ammonium and nitrite levels in fish pond water than using ultrasound alone. The pH and carbonate hardness levels were not affected significantly by ultrasonic cavitation. The optimal treatment time and ultrasound power to treat the water samples were also established. Energy efficiency and cost analysis of this treatment have also been presented, indicating that ultrasonic cavitation coupled with hydrogen peroxide appears to be a promising technique for reducing total ammonia nitrogen levels in the fish pond water.

Proteome Based de novo Sequencing of Novel Conotoxins from Marine Molluscivorous Cone Snail Conus amadis and Neurological Activities of Its Natural Venom in Zebrafish Model.

BACKGROUND: Conus amadis is a carnivorous snail found abundantly in coastal waters of India. Despite its abundance in southern coastal waters of India and the fact that most of the conotoxin act in neuronal system, research work on Conus amadis venom was not much focused. So we have made a brief study on the venom complex of Conus amadis to identify the library of novel conotoxins and to screen the natural venom for neurological function. OBJECTIVE: De novo sequencing of novel conopeptides from the venom cocktail of Conus amadis and to screen its natural venom for the presence of biological activities in zebrafish model. METHODS: Proteome based MALDI-TOF and LC-MS-MS analysis for identification of novel conotoxins and subsequent sequencing. Due to the complex disulfide rich nature of the venom peptides, the study also involves global chemical modification experiments of the venom extract to unambiguously determine the sequence of novel conotoxins. Biological function analysis of natural venom was tested in zebrafish model to ascertain anti-epileptic properties. RESULTS: In this study, we have identified 19 novel conotoxins containing 1, 2 & 3 disulfides, belonging to different classes. Among them, 2 novel contryphans, 3 T-superfamily conotoxins, 2 A-superfamily conotoxins and 2 Mini M-Superfamily conotoxins were sequenced to its amino acid level from the fragmented spectrum of singly and doubly charged parent ions using de novo sequencing strategies. ama1054, a contryphan peptide toxin, possesses post translationally modified bromo tryptophan at its seventh position. Except ama1251, all the sequenced peptide toxins possess modified C-terminal amidation. Crude venom exhibited anticonvulsant properties in pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure in zebrafish larvae, which suggested anti-epileptic property of the venom cocktail. Acetylcholinesterase activity was also identified in the venom complex. CONCLUSION: Based on the preliminary evidence, if this study is extended further through bioassay guided purification, could possibly yield peptide toxins with anticonvulsant and other neurologically active molecules.