Efficacy of a novel combination of aloe vera gel and pineapple extracts in improving post-extraction pain and healing: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Absorbable gelatin sponges are able to reduce the incidence of post-extraction complications when soaked with antimicrobial agents. However, the drawbacks associated with the injudicious use of antibiotics warrant the need to explore alternatives to the existing drugs. Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an absorbable gelatin sponge soaked in a combination of aloe vera and pineapple extracts in reducing post-operative pain and improving the healing rate following dental extractions. Material and Methods: Patients aged 18 to 60 years undergoing a single dental extraction of a posterior tooth were provided with either plain absorbable gelatin sponge (control group) or absorbable gelatin sponge soaked in freshly prepared solution of aloe vera gel and pineapple extracts. The pain levels were measured after one, three, seven, and fourteen days post-extraction. The socket healing status was evaluated by Landry Turnbull and Howley Index after one and two weeks post-extraction respectively. Results: The mean pain was significantly less (p<0.05) for patients in the experimental group on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th postoperative days as compared to the patients in the control group. No significant differences (p>0.05) were observed in the healing status between the two groups at any time interval. Conclusions: The present study found the combination of aloe vera gel and pineapple extracts to be effective in reducing post-operative pain following dental extractions. While the improvement in the healing rate failed to reach statistical significance in the present study, generally less inflammation was observed in sockets treated with absorbable gelatin sponge soaked in the a combination of aloe vera and pineapple extracts. Key words:Post-extraction pain, Socket healing, Aloe Vera, Bromelain.

Ionic Pairing and Selective Solvation of Butylmethylimidazolium Chloride Ion Pairs in DMSO-Water Mixtures: A Comprehensive Examination via Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Potentials of Mean Force Analysis.

Ionic liquids (ILs) with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and water act as a promising solvent medium for the dissolution of cellulose in an efficient manner. To develop a proper solvent system, it is really important to understand the thermodynamics of the molecular solutions consisting of ILs, DMSO, and water. The ion-pairing propensity of the ILs in the presence of DMSO and water plays a crucial role in governing the property of the solvent mixtures. Employing all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we estimate the potentials of mean force between BMIM+ and Cl- ions in DMSO-water mixtures. Analysis reveals a significant increase in the thermodynamic stability of both contact ion pair (CIP) and solvent-assisted ion pair (SAIP) states with a rising DMSO mole fraction. Thermodynamic assessments highlight the entropic stabilization of CIP states and SAIP states in pure water, in DMSO-water mixtures, and in pure DMSO. The structural analysis reveals that in comparison to the DMSO local density, the local water density is relatively very high around ion pairs, more specifically in the solvation shell of a chloride ion. Preferential binding coefficients also consistently indicate exclusion of DMSO from the ion pair in DMSO-water mixtures. To enhance our understanding regarding the solvent molecules kinetics around the ion pairs, the survival probabilities of DMSO and water are computed. The calculations reveal that the water molecules prefer a prolonged stay in the solvation shell of Cl- ions.

A Survey of Deep Learning Techniques for Underwater Image Classification.

In recent years, there has been an enormous interest in using deep learning to classify underwater images to identify various objects, such as fishes, plankton, coral reefs, seagrass, submarines, and gestures of sea divers. This classification is essential for measuring the water bodies' health and quality and protecting the endangered species. Furthermore, it has applications in oceanography, marine economy and defense, environment protection, underwater exploration, and human-robot collaborative tasks. This article presents a survey of deep learning techniques for performing underwater image classification. We underscore the similarities and differences of several methods. We believe that underwater image classification is one of the killer application that would test the ultimate success of deep learning techniques. Toward realizing that goal, this survey seeks to inform researchers about state-of-the-art on deep learning on underwater images and also motivate them to push its frontiers forward.

MED12 is overexpressed in glioblastoma patients and serves as an oncogene by targeting the VDR/BCL6/p53 axis.

Glioblastoma is the most life-threatening tumor of the central nervous system. Despite recent therapeutic advancements, maximum survival of glioblastoma patients remains dismal. The mediator complex is a set of proteins, essential for eukaryotic gene expression. Abnormal expression/mutations of specific mediator genes have been associated with progression of various cancers, however, its role and status in glioblastoma remains largely unknown. Our work shows overexpression of a subunit of kinase assembly of mediator complex, MED12, in various glioblastoma patient cohorts including Indian glioblastoma patients and cell lines. Functional characterization of MED12 using both overexpression and knockdown approach revealed that it promotes glioblastoma cell proliferation, migration and inhibits apoptosis. Transcriptome analysis post MED12 knockdown revealed Vitamin D receptor (VDR) pathway to be one of the key pathways affected by MED12 in glioblastoma. We studied direct interaction of MED12 with VDR protein using docking studies and co-immunoprecipitation assay. We identify BCL6, a secondary regulator of VDR signaling, to be directly regulated by MED12 through a combination of chromatin immunoprecipitation, qRT-PCR and western analyses. We further show that MED12 brings about the inhibition of p53 levels and apoptosis partly through induction of BCL6 in glioblastoma. Overall, this stands as the first report of MED12 over-expression and involvement in glioblastoma pathogenesis and identifies MED12 as an important mediator of VDR signaling and an attractive molecule for development of new therapeutic interventions.

HIF1α and p53 Regulated MED30, a Mediator Complex Subunit, is Involved in Regulation of Glioblastoma Pathogenesis and Temozolomide Resistance.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common, malignant, and aggressive form of glial cell cancer with unfavorable clinical outcomes. It is believed that a better understanding of the mechanisms of gene deregulation may lead to novel therapeutic approaches for this yet incurable cancer. Mediator complex is a crucial component of enhancer-based gene expression and works as a transcriptional co-activator. Many of the mediator complex subunits are found to be deregulated/mutated in various malignancies; however, their status and role in GBM remains little studied. We report that MED30, a core subunit of the head module, is overexpressed in GBM tissues and cell lines. MED30 was found to be induced by conditions present in the tumor microenvironment such as hypoxia, serum, and glucose deprivation. MED30 harbors hypoxia response elements (HREs) and p53 binding site in its promoter and is induced in a HIF1α and p53 dependent manner. Further, MED30 levels also significantly positively correlated with p53 and HIF1α levels in GBM tissues. Using both MED30 overexpression and knockdown approach, we show that MED30 promotes cell proliferation while reduces the migration capabilities in GBM cell lines. Notably, MED30 was also found to confer sensitivity to chemodrug, temozolomide, in GBM cells and modulate the level of p53 in vitro. Overall, this is the first report showing MED30 overexpression in GBM and its involvement in GBM pathogenesis suggesting its diagnostic and therapeutic potential urging the need for further systematic exploration of MED30 interactome and target networks.

Insights into the regulatory role and clinical relevance of mediator subunit, MED12, in human diseases.

Transcriptional dysregulation is central to many diseases including cancer. Mutation or deregulated expression of proteins involved in transcriptional machinery leads to aberrant gene expression that disturbs intricate cellular processes of division and differentiation. The subunits of the mediator complex are master regulators of stimuli-derived transcription and are essential for transcription by RNA polymerase II. MED12 is a part of the CDK8 kinase module of the mediator complex and is essential for kinase assembly and function. Other than its function in activation of the kinase activity of CDK8 mediator, it also brings about transcription repression or activation, in response to several signalling pathways, a function that is independent of its role as a part of kinase assembly. Accumulating evidence suggests that MED12 controls complex transcription programs that are defining in cell fate determination, differentiation, and carcinogenesis. Mutations or differential expression of MED12 manifest in several human disorders and diseases. For instance, MED12 mutations are the gold standard for the diagnosis of several X-linked intellectual disability syndromes. Further, certain MED12 mutations are categorised as driver mutations in carcinogenesis as well. This is a timely review that provides for the first time a wholesome view on the critical roles and pathways regulated by MED12, its interactions along with the implications of MED12 alterations/mutations in various cancers and nonneoplastic disorders. Based on the preclinical studies, MED12 indeed emerges as an attractive novel therapeutic target for various diseases and intellectual disorders.