Global distribution of pesticides in freshwater resources and their remediation approaches.

The role of pesticides in enhancing global agricultural production is magnificent. However, their unmanaged use threatens water resources and individual health. A significant pesticide concentration leaches to groundwater or reaches surface waters through runoff. Water contaminated with pesticides may cause acute or chronic toxicity to impacted populations and exert adverse environmental effects. It necessitates the monitoring and removing pesticides from water resources as prime global concerns. This work reviewed the global occurrences of pesticides in potable water and discussed the conventional and advanced technologies for the removal of pesticides. The concentration of pesticides highly varies in freshwater resources across the globe. The highest concentration of α-HCH (6.538 µg/L, at Yucatan, Mexico), lindane (6.08 µg/L at Chilka lake, Odisha, India), 2,4, DDT (0.90 µg/L, at Akkar, Lebanon), chlorpyrifos (9.1 µg/L, at Kota, Rajasthan, India), malathion (5.3 µg/L, at Kota, Rajasthan, India), atrazine (28.0 µg/L, at Venado Tuerto City, Argentina), endosulfan (0.78 µg/L, at Yavtmal, Maharashtra, India), parathion (4.17 µg/L, at Akkar, Lebanon), endrin (3.48 µg/L, at KwaZuln-Natl Province, South Africa) and imidacloprid (1.53 µg/L, at Son-La province, Vietnam) are reported. Pesticides can be significantly removed through physical, chemical, and biological treatment. Mycoremediation technology has the potential for up to 90% pesticide removal from water resources. Complete removal of the pesticides through a single biological treatment approach such as mycoremediation, phytoremediation, bioremediation, and microbial fuel cells is still a challenging task, however, the integration of two or more biological treatment approaches can attain complete removal of pesticides from water resources. Physical methods along with oxidation methods can be employed for complete removal of pesticides from drinking water.

Cinnamomum zeylanicum Extract and its Bioactive Component Cinnamaldehyde Show Anti-Tumor Effects via Inhibition of Multiple Cellular Pathways.

Cinnamomum zeylanicum is a tropical plant with traditional medicinal significance that possesses antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-parasitic, and anti-tumor properties. Here, we have elucidated the anti-tumor effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum extract (CZE) and its bioactive compound cinnamaldehyde (CIN) on oral cancer and elucidated underlying molecular mechanisms. Anti-tumor activities of CZE and CIN were demonstrated by various in vitro experiments on oral cancer cells (SCC-4, SCC-9, SCC-25). The cell proliferation, growth, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy were analyzed by MTT, clonogenic assay, propidium iodide, annexin-V-PI, DAPI, and acridine orange staining, respectively. The binding affinity of CIN towards dihydrofolate reductase and p38-MAP kinase alpha was analyzed by molecular docking. Western blot assay was performed to assess the alteration in the expression of various proteins. CZE and CIN treatment significantly inhibited the growth and proliferation of oral cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. These treatments further induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and autophagy. CZE and CIN inhibited the invasion and cytoplasmic translocation of NF-κB in these cell lines. CIN showed a high affinity to MAP kinase P38 alpha and dihydrofolate reductase with binding affinities of -6.8 and -5.9 kcal/mol, respectively. The cancer cells showed a decreased expression of various PI3k-AKT-mTOR pathways related to VEGF, COX-2, Bcl-2, NF-κB, and proteins post-treatment.

Efficacy and safety of rituximab in children with difficult-to-treat nephrotic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Rituximab has emerged as an important medication for patients with steroid-dependent or steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. PATIENTS: We report the efficacy and safety of therapy with intravenous rituximab, administered once weekly for 2-4 doses, in 193 patients (mean age 10.9, range 2.2-18.7 years) with difficult-to-treat steroid dependence (n = 101), calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-dependent steroid resistance (n = 34) and CNI-resistant nephrotic syndrome (n = 58) managed at this center during 2006-13. OUTCOMES: Therapy in patients with steroid dependence and CNI-dependent steroid resistance led to significantly reduced relapse rates (respective mean difference 2.7 relapses/year and 2.2 relapses/year, corresponding to a decrease in relapses by 81.8 and 71.0%; both P < 0.0001). This resulted in a significant reduction in steroid requirement (mean difference 104.5 and 113.6 mg/kg/year, respectively; both P < 0.0001) and a trend to improved standard deviation scores for height (P = 0.069) and body mass index (P = 0.029). Remission was longer in patients with steroid dependence compared with CNI-dependent steroid resistance (median 16 versus 10 months; P < 0.0001). Prior response to cyclophosphamide predicted a lower risk of relapse in the former (hazard ratio, HR 0.56; P = 0.045); patients with initial resistance and CNI-dependent steroid resistance had increased risk of relapse (HR 2.66; P = 0.042). B-cell recovery, noted in 62.5% patients at 6 months, was not related to occurrence of relapse; redosing (n = 42 patients) was safe and effective. Response to therapy was unsatisfactory in patients with steroid- and CNI-resistant nephrotic syndrome, with remission in 29.3%. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis was associated with higher odds of non-response (odds ratio 11.1; P = 0.028) and lack of response was associated with progressive chronic kidney disease (HR 9.97; P = 0.035). Therapy with rituximab was safe; adverse effects or infections were noted in 19 (9.8%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Therapy with rituximab is effective and safe in reducing relapse rates and need for immunosuppressive medications in patients with steroid-dependent and CNI-dependent steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome.