Biochemical, Toxicological, and in Silico Aspects of Trillium govanianum Wall. ex D.Don (Trilliaceae): A Rich Source of Natural Bioactive Compounds.

Trillium govanianum is a high-value medicinal herb, having multifunctional traditional and culinary uses. The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the phytochemical, biological and toxicological parameters of the T. govanianum Wall. ex D. Don (Family: Trilliaceae) roots collected from Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. Phytochemical profiling was achieved by determining total bioactive contents (total phenolic and flavonoid contents) and UHPLC-MS analysis. For biological evaluation, antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, CUPRAC, phosphomolybdenum, and metal chelation assays) and enzyme inhibition activities (against AChE, BChE, glucosidase, amylase, and tyrosinase) were performed. Moreover, cytotoxicity was assessed against three human carcinoma cell lines (MDA-MB-231, CaSki, and DU-145). The tested extract was found to contain higher total phenolics (7.56 mg GAE/g dry extract) as compared to flavonoid contents (0.45 mg RE/g dry extract). Likewise, for the antioxidant activity, higher CUPRAC activity was noted with 39.84 mg TE/g dry extract values. In the case of enzyme assays, higher activity was pointed out against the cholinesterase, glucosidase and tyrosinase enzymes. The plant extract displayed significant cytotoxicity against the cell lines examined. Moreover, the in-silico studies highlighted the interaction between the important phytochemicals and tested enzymes. To conclude, the assessed biological activity and the existence of bioactive phytochemicals in the studied plant extract may pave the way for the development of novel pharmaceuticals.

Comparative analysis of the equilibrium, kinetics, and characterization of the mechanism of rapid adsorption of Congo red on nano-biosorbents based on agricultural waste in industrial effluents.

This study aims to remove Congo red dye from industrial effluent using economical agriculturally-based nano-biosorbents like magnetic orange peel, peanut shells, and tea waste. The nano-biosorbents were characterized by various analytical techniques like SEM, FT-IR, BET and XRD. The highest adsorption capacity was obtained under the following ideal conditions: pH = 6 (orange peel and peanut shells), pH = 3 (tea waste), and dosages of nano-biosorbents with varying timeframes of 50 min for tea waste and peanut shells and 30 min for orange peel. The study found that tea waste had the highest removal rate of 94% due to its high porosity and responsible functional groups, followed by peanut shells at 83% and orange peel at 68%. The Langmuir isotherm model was found to be the most suitable, with R2 values of 0.99 for tea waste, 0.92 for orange peel, and 0.71 for peanut shells. On the other hand, a pseudo-second-order kinetic model was very feasible, showing an R2 value of 0.99 for tea waste, 0.98 for peanut shells and 0.97 for orange peel. The significance of the current study lies in its practical application, enabling efficient waste management and water purification, thereby preserving a clean and safe environment.

Establishing the Most Important Clinical Skills for New Graduate Veterinarians by Comparing Published Lists with Regional Stakeholder Expectations: A Bangladesh Experience.

Veterinary clinical skills training is evolving rapidly around the world and there is increasing interest in Bangladesh in opening clinical skills laboratories and using models in teaching. The first clinical skills laboratory was opened at Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in 2019. The current study aimed to identify the most important clinical skills for veterinarians in Bangladesh to inform the further development of clinical skills laboratories and ensure resources are deployed effectively and efficiently. Lists of clinical skills were collated from the literature, national and international accreditation standards, and regional syllabi. The list was refined through local consultation, focused on farm and pet animals, and was disseminated via an online survey to veterinarians and final-year students who were asked to rate the level of importance of each skill for a new graduate. The survey was completed by 215 veterinarians and 115 students. A ranked list was generated with injection techniques, animal handling, clinical examination, and basic surgical skills among the most important. Some techniques requiring specific equipment and some advanced surgical procedures were considered less important. As a result of the study, the most important clinical skills for a new graduate in Bangladesh have been identified for the first time. The results will inform the development of models, the use of clinical skills laboratories, and the design of clinical skills courses for veterinary training. Our approach of drawing upon existing lists followed by local stakeholders consultation is recommended to others to ensure clinical skills teaching is regionally relevant.

Phospho-heavy-labeled-spiketide FAIMS stepped-CV DDA (pHASED) provides real-time phosphoproteomics data to aid in cancer drug selection.

Global high-throughput phosphoproteomic profiling is increasingly being applied to cancer specimens to identify the oncogenic signaling cascades responsible for promoting disease initiation and disease progression; pathways that are often invisible to genomics analysis. Hence, phosphoproteomic profiling has enormous potential to inform and improve individualized anti-cancer treatment strategies. However, to achieve the adequate phosphoproteomic depth and coverage necessary to identify the activated, and hence, targetable kinases responsible for driving oncogenic signaling pathways, affinity phosphopeptide enrichment techniques are required and often coupled with offline high-pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separation prior to nanoflow liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS). These complex and time-consuming procedures, limit the utility of phosphoproteomics for the analysis of individual cancer patient specimens in real-time, and restrict phosphoproteomics to specialized laboratories often outside of the clinical setting. To address these limitations, here we have optimized a new protocol, phospho-heavy-labeled-spiketide FAIMS Stepped-CV DDA (pHASED), that employs online phosphoproteome deconvolution using high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) and internal phosphopeptide standards to provide accurate label-free quantitation (LFQ) data in real-time. Compared with traditional single-shot LFQ phosphoproteomics workflows, pHASED provided increased phosphoproteomic depth and coverage (phosphopeptides = 4617 pHASED, 2789 LFQ), whilst eliminating the variability associated with offline prefractionation. pHASED was optimized using tyrosine kinase inhibitor (sorafenib) resistant isogenic FLT3-mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell line models. Bioinformatic analysis identified differential activation of the serine/threonine protein kinase ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) pathway, responsible for sensing and repairing DNA damage in sorafenib-resistant AML cell line models, thereby uncovering a potential therapeutic opportunity. Herein, we have optimized a rapid, reproducible, and flexible protocol for the characterization of complex cancer phosphoproteomes in real-time, a step towards the implementation of phosphoproteomics in the clinic to aid in the selection of anti-cancer therapies for patients.

Anti-oxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Lactuca serriola and its phytochemical screening by HPLC and FTIR analysis.

Lactucaserriola (L. serriola), commonly known asprickly lettuce, is an annual and biennial herb. The plant is traditionally used as sedative, hypnotic, cough suppressant, expectorant, purgative, diuretic, vasorelaxant, demulcent, antiseptic and antispasmodic. Aim of present study was to evaluate protective effect of L. serriola in paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity. Silymarin was used as a standard drug. Hepatoprotective effect of extract was determined by liver biochemical markers, anti-oxidant enzymes and blood lipid profile. Methanolic extract was found to be the most potent in in-vitro antioxidant assays and used for further studies. Treatment with paracetamol increased the level of hepatic biomarkers, blood lipid profile and decreased anti-oxidant enzyme levels. Pre-treatment with Lactuca serriola caused restoration of hepatic biomarkers, blood lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes. FTIR represented that L. serriola contains hydroxyl (-OH), carboxylic acid (C=O) and alkene (C=C) groups. HPLC analysis showed presence of polyphenolic compounds in the methanolic extract of L. serriola. It is concluded that the methanolic extract of Lactuca serriola possesses hepatoprotective potential that might be linked to the presence of polyphenolic compounds and their anti-oxidant activities.

Effect of varying quantities of polymer on preparation and stability evaluation of carbamazepine cocrystals with dicarboxylic acid coformers.

The current study is an attempt to explore the effect of varying quantities of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) polymer on carbamazepine (CBZ) cocrystal formation with dicarboxylic acid coformers i.e., malonic acid (MA), succinic acid (SA), glutaric acid (GA), and adipic acid (AA). The cocrystals were first prepared without polymer by slurry crystallization method and then tried with different quantities of the polymer. The prepared samples were characterized by Powder X-ray Diffraction (XRPD). The characterization results indicate that in methanol pure carbamazepine-malonic (CBZ-MA) and carbamazepine-adipic acid (CBZ-AA) cocrystal can be prepared, while in ethanol and acetone pure carbamazepine-succinic (CBZ-SA) and carbamazepine-glutaric acid (CBZ-GA) cocrystals can be obtained respectively. The same cocrystals were tried using HPC polymer in three different quantities. The characterization results showed that a higher quantity of HPC polymer transforms CBZ-MA cocrystal polymorph-I to polymorph-II. The CBZ-SA and CBZ-GA cocrystal formation somehow inhibited as the concentration of HPC polymer increases. But on the other side, the formation of CBZ-AA cocrystal utterly not inhibited in the presence of varying quantities of HPC polymer. Furthermore, 11 different quantities of HPC were tried to know about the inhibitory concentration of HPC on CBZ-AA cocrystal formation. The CBZ-AA cocrystal preparation was not inhibited even at higher quantities of HPC compared to the coformer. Additionally, the effect of three different quantities of HPC on the thermal stability of the CBZ-AA cocrystal was investigated. Moreover, the stability of pure CBZ at 92% relative humidity (RH) condition was compared to CBZ-AA cocrystal with and without HPC polymer. The CBZ-AA cocrystal with and without HPC polymer was more stable than pure CBZ.

Preoperative Salivary Cortisol AM/PM Ratio Predicts Early Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction After Noncardiac Surgery in Elderly Patients.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) requires complicated neuropsychological testing and is often delayed. Possible biomarkers for early detection or prediction are essential for the prevention and treatment of POCD. Preoperative screening of salivary cortisol levels may help to identify patients at elevated risk for POCD. METHODS: One hundred twenty patients >60 years of age and undergoing major noncardiac surgery underwent neuropsychological testing 1 day before and 1 week after surgery. Saliva samples were collected in the morning and the evening 1 day before surgery. POCD was defined as a Z-score of ≤-1.96 on at least 2 different tests. The primary outcome was the presence of POCD. The primary objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the ratio of AM (morning) to PM (evening) salivary cortisol levels and the presence of POCD. The secondary objective was to assess the relationship between POCD and salivary cortisol absolute values in the morning or in the evening. RESULTS: POCD was observed in 17.02% (16 of 94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.28%-24.76%) of patients 1 week after the operation. A higher preoperative AM/PM salivary cortisol ratio predicted early POCD onset (odds ratio [OR], 1.56; 95% CI, 1.20-2.02; P = .001), even after adjusting for the Mini-Mental Sate Examination score (odds ratio, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.19-2.02; P = .001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the salivary cortisol AM/PM ratio in individuals with POCD was 0.72 (95% CI, 0.56-0.88; P = .006). The optimal cutoff value was 5.69, with a sensitivity of 50% and specificity of 91%. CONCLUSIONS: The preoperative salivary cortisol AM/PM ratio was significantly associated with the presence of early POCD. This biomarker may have potential utility for screening patients for an increased risk and also for further elucidating the etiology of POCD.

Efficacy and safety of prophylactic use of ketamine for prevention of postanesthetic shivering: a systematic review and meta analysis.

BACKGROUND: Postanesthetic shivering is a common complication of anesthesia, which accounts for much discomfort in postoperative patients and may increase postoperative complications in high-risk patients. Due to the lack of high-quality evidence, it is difficult to draw a conclusion about optimal anti-shivering medication. The main purpose of this meta-analysis was to analyze and evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic use of ketamine for preventing postanesthetic shivering. METHODS: We searched the following databases: Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trails for randomized controlled trials. The primary outcome observed was the difference of the incidence rate of postanesthetic shivering between ketamine group and placebo group. The secondary outcomes were the sedation score and incidence of the side effects caused by ketamine and any other drugs utilized in the studies. RESULTS: In this meta-analysis, we analyzed a total of 16 trials including 1485 patients. Ketamine reduced the incidence rate of postanesthetic shivering compared to a placebo (odds ratio [OR]: 0.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.06 to 0.26, P<0.01). Regarding side effects, there was no evident variability of the incidence of nausea and vomiting. Usage of ketamine was associated with a lower rate of hypotension and bradycardia when compared to a placebo. Hallucinations were more frequently observed in patients who received higher doses of ketamine. No significant difference was found in the incidence of postanesthetic shivering with ketamine versus other pharmacological interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Ketamine can prevent postanesthetic shivering without severe side effects. However, ketamine shows no advantage over other anti-shivering drugs.

Anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of sterically tuned bis-N-heterocyclic salts.

The current study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial, antioxidant, antileishmanial and cytotoxic potential of designed derivatives of 1,1'-(1,3-phenylenebis(methylene))bis(3-alkyl/aryl-1H-benzimidazol-3-ium) salts. The antibacterial potential of the test compounds was investigated against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and two methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains (MRSA10, MRSA11), where compound 6 showed the best results. For brine shrimp lethality bioassay (BSLB), compound 6 again showed up to 100% mortality at 200 µg/mL and 56.7% mortality at 6.25 µg/mL. Antileishmanial assay was performed against Leishmania tropica at 20 µg/mL dosage, where 6 showed the most promising activity with 16.26% survival (83.74% mortality; IC50=14.63 µg/mL). The anticancer potential of the selected benzimidazole derivatives was evaluated against two selected cell lines (human colorectal cancer, HCT-116 and breast adenocarcinoma, MCF-7) using sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Compound 6 was found to be the most effective cytotoxic compound with 75% inhibition of HCT-116 proliferation at 1 mg/mL concentration. Succinctly, 6 exhibited impressive pharmacological potential that might be attributed to its higher lipophilic character owing to the longer N-substituted alkyl chains when compared to the other test compounds.

Functional importance of PP2A regulatory subunit loss in breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a family of serine/threonine phosphatases that regulate multiple cellular signalling pathways involved in proliferation, survival and apoptosis. PP2A inhibition occurs in many cancers and is considered a tumour suppressor. Deletion/downregulation of PP2A genes has been observed in breast tumours, but the functional role of PP2A subunit loss in breast cancer has not been investigated. METHODS: PP2A subunit expression was examined by immunohistochemistry in human breast tumours, and by qPCR and immunoblotting in breast cancer cell lines. PP2A subunits were inhibited by shRNA, and mutant PP2A genes overexpressed, in MCF10A and MCF7 cells, and growth and signalling in standard and three-dimensional cultures were assessed. RESULTS: Expression of PP2A-Aα, PP2A-Bα and PP2A-B'α subunits was significantly lower in primary human breast tumours and lymph node metastases, compared to normal mammary tissue. PP2A-Aα and the regulatory subunits PP2A-Bα, -Bδ and -B'γ were also reduced in breast cancer cell lines compared to normal mammary epithelial cells. Functionally, shRNA-mediated knockdown of PP2A-Bα, -B'α and -B'γ, but not PP2A-Aα, induced hyper-proliferation and large multilobular acini in MCF10A 3D cultures, characterised by activation of ERK. Expression of a breast cancer-associated PP2A-A mutant, PP2A-Aα-E64G, which inhibits binding of regulatory subunits to the PP2A core, induced a similar hyper-proliferative phenotype. Knockdown of PP2A-Bα also induced hyper-proliferation in MCF7 breast cancer cells. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that loss of specific PP2A regulatory subunits is functionally important in breast tumourigenesis, and support strategies to enhance PP2A activity as a therapeutic approach in breast cancer.

Identification of TBc: Using MTP 64 protein and cord formation.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The genus Mycobacterium comprises over 150 species. Non-tuberculosis Mycobacteria are the cause of opportunistic infections and frequently presents with similar clinical features like tuberculosis so species identification is important for management. The current study was designed for presumptive diagnosis of MTB by detecting MPT 64 and Cord formation and the sensitivity and specificity of Cord Formation in MGIT positive samples. A cross sectional study consists of 100 MGIT positive samples. Ziehl-Neelsen Staining was performed to detect Cord Factor and TBc ID was undertaken to detect MPT 64 protein. Out of 100 MGIT positive samples 92 were positive for Cord factor and 08 were negative, whereas 89 samples were positive on MGIT TBc Identification Device and 11 were negative. The sensitivity for TBc ID was 94.6% and specificity was 100% with Positive Predictive Value and Negative Predictive Value of 98.9% and 81.8% respectively. TBc ID and Cord Factor seem to be highly sensitive and specific for rapid diagnosis and accurate differentiation Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Non-tuberculosis.

Cytotoxicity of the Roots of Trillium govanianum Against Breast (MCF7), Liver (HepG2), Lung (A549) and Urinary Bladder (EJ138) Carcinoma Cells.

Trillium govanianum Wall. (Melanthiaceae alt. Trilliaceae), commonly known as 'nag chhatri' or 'teen patra', is a native species of the Himalayas. It is used in various traditional medicines containing both steroids and sex hormones. In folk medicine, the rhizomes of T. govanianum are used to treat boils, dysentery, inflammation, menstrual and sexual disorders, as an antiseptic and in wound healing. With the only exception of the recent report on the isolation of a new steroidal saponin, govanoside A, together with three known steroidal compounds with antifungal property from this plant, there has been no systematic pharmacological and phytochemical work performed on T. govanianum. This paper reports, for the first time, on the cytotoxicity of the methanol extract of the roots of T. govanianum and its solid-phase extraction (SPE) fractions against four human carcinoma cell lines: breast (MCF7), liver (HEPG2), lung (A549) and urinary bladder (EJ138), using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide cytotoxicity assay and liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis of the SPE fractions. The methanol extract and all SPE fractions exhibited considerable levels of cytotoxicity against all cell lines, with the IC50 values ranging between 5 and 16 µg/mL. Like other Trillium species, presence of saponins and sapogenins in the SPE fractions was evident in the liquid chromatography mass spectrometry data. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Antidepressant-like effects of methanolic extract of Bacopa monniera in mice.

BACKGROUND: Bacopa monniera has been used as a cure for various ailments that include anxiety, epileptic disorders, dementia, blood purifier, cough and rheumatism, and some important local uses of the plant are in dermatitis, anemia, diabetes, promote fertility and prevent miscarriage for many years in Bangladesh. According to this background, the aim of the study was to evaluate the antidepressant-like effect of the methanolic extract of B. monniera (MEBM) in different behavioral models such as forced swimming test (FST), measurement of locomotor activity test (MLAT) and tail suspension test (TST) on mice after two weeks treatment. METHODS: Mice were divided into five groups (n = 5/group): control group (deionized water), standard group where Imipramine hydrochloride (30 mg/kg) was used as standard drug and three test groups where three doses of the methanolic extract of B. monniera (MEBM) (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) was used for two weeks treatment. All the drug and test samples were administered via gavage through oral route. To assess the antidepressant-like effect of MEBM forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST) and measurement of locomotor activity test (MLAT) have been done in mice. RESULTS: The results showed that a strong and dose-dependent antidepressant effects in different mice models. The main findings of the MEBM significantly reduced the duration of immobility times in the forced swimming test (p < 0.001). Likewise, the extract significantly decreased the immobility time in the tail suspension test (p < 0.001). Moreover, we employed an additional measurement of locomotor activity test to check the motor stimulating activity of the MEBM. The extract also significantly increased the locomotion, rearing and defecation effects in comparison to the control group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The present results clearly demonstrate that the methanolic extract of B. monniera possesses antidepressant-like activity in the animal behavioral models. The current study warrants further investigation into identification of the active compounds in herbal medicines, in particular extract of B. monniera with antidepressant-like effects.

Antimicrobial and toxicological studies of Ochthochloa compressa plant.

The present study demonstrates the biological activity of Ochthochloa compressa, since extensive literature survey has shown no documented biological activity of this plant. Ethanolic extract of whole plant was prepared and evaporated under reduced pressure by rota vapor. The crude extract was further fractionated into n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol soluble fractions. These fractions were screened for antifungal, phytotoxic, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities. Dichloromethane soluble fraction showed significant phytotoxicity whereas n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol soluble fractions showed non-significant phytotoxicity. Similarly, ethyl acetate soluble fraction was the only fraction, which showed significant cytotoxic activity. There was no antibacterial but moderate antifungal activity was shown by these fractions against selected strains of bacteria and fungi. This is the first report on the biological activity of O. compressa.

Formulation and characterization of glipizide solid dosage form with enhanced solubility.

Glipizide, a poor water-soluble drug belongs to BCS class II. The proposed work aimed to enhance the solubility of glipizide by preparing solid dispersions, using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Solvent evaporation method was used for the preparation of glipizide solid dispersions. Solid dispersions were prepared in four different drug-to-polymer ratios i.e. 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4. Mainly effect of three polymers (PVP K30, PVP K90 and PEG 6000) was evaluated on the solubility and dissolution of glipizide. The in-vitro dissolution of all prepared formulations was performed under pH 6.8 at 37°C using USP type II apparatus. In-vitro dissolution results revealed that the formulations having high concentrations of the polymer showed enhanced solubility. Enhancements in the solubility and rate of dissolution of the drug were noted in solid dispersion formulations compared to the physical blends and pure drug. Solid dispersions containing polyvinyl pyrrolidone exhibited a more favorable pattern of drug release compared to the corresponding solid dispersions with PEG. An increase in the maximum solubility of the drug within the solid dispersion systems was observed in all instances. Two solid dispersion formulations were optimized and formulated into immediate-release tablets, which passed all the pharmacopoeial and non-pharmacopoeial tests. Fourier transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to indicate drug: polymer interactions in solid state. Analysis of the solid dispersion samples through characterization tests indicated the compatibility between the drug and the polymer.

Exploring the antimicrobial and cytotoxic potential of novel chloroquine analogues.

Aim: To synthesize novel chloroquine analogues and evaluate them for antimicrobial and cytotoxic potential. Methods: Novel analogues were synthesized from chloroquine by nucleophilic substitution reaction at the 4-amino position. Results: Analogue CS1 showed maximum antimicrobial potential (30.3 ± 0.15 mm zone) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and produced a 19.2 ± 0.21 mm zone against Candida albicans, while CS0 produced no zone at the same concentration. Analogue CS9 has excellent cytotoxic potential (HeLa cell line), showing 100% inhibition (IC50 = 8.9 ± 1.2 µg/ml), compared with CS0 (61.9% inhibition at 30 µg/ml). Conclusion: These synthesized chloroquine analogues have excellent activity against different microbial strains and cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa) compared with their parent molecule.

Association of Oral Submucous Fibrosis Risk with GSTM1 and GSTT1 Gene Polymorphisms.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms with oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). STUDY DESIGN: A case-control study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, de Montmorency, College of Dentistry/ Punjab Dental Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from 1st April 2019 to 31st April 2020. METHODOLOGY: OSF patients were diagnosed with different clinical staging of mouth opening by Vernier caliper with the help of a professional dentist in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial, de Montmorency, College of Dentistry, Lahore. One hundred and eight blood samples of OSF patients and 108 samples of normal controls were collected. Genomic DNA was obtained from whole-blood extraction. Multiplex PCR amplification using GSTM1, GSTT1, and ß -Globin gene primers was performed. RESULTS: GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes frequencies were found in 43.5% (47/108) and 13.9% (15/108) of controls, whereas 54.6% (59/108) and 25.9% (28/108) of OSF patients, respectively. OSF patients had a greater frequency rate of GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes than controls [OR 1.56, 95% CI 0.91-2.67 (p=0.13)] and [OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.08-4.34 (p=0.04)], respectively. The GSTT1 genotype was found statistically significant with OSF (p=0.05), and risk was also determined. The cumulative effect of null genotypes of GSTM1/GSTT1 did not show any association with the controls and in OSF patients. Proportions of active and null alleles of the patient group were; 86.1%/13.9%; and in control, it was 92.6%/7.4% (OR = 2.01; CI: 0.82-4.97; p=0.18), respectively. CONCLUSION: The study determined a statistically significant association of GSTT1 gene polymorphism with OSF. KEY WORDS: Oral submucous fibrosis, GSTM1, GSTT1, Gene polymorphisms, Genetic risk.

Triboelectric Energy Harvesting from Highly Conjugated Fused Aromatic Ladder Structure Under Extreme Environmental Conditions.

Practical application of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) has been challenging, particularly, under harsh environmental conditions. This work proposes a novel 3D-fused aromatic ladder (FAL) structure as a tribo-positive material for TENGs, to address these challenges. The 3D-FAL offers a unique materials engineering platform for tailored properties, such as high specific surface area and porosity, good thermal and mechanical stability, and tunable electronic properties. The fabricated 3D-FAL-based TENG reaches a maximum peak power density of 451.2 µW cm-2 at 5 Hz frequency. More importantly, the 3D-FAL-based TENG maintains stable output performance under harsh operating environments, over wide temperature (-45-100 °C) and humidity ranges (8.3-96.7% RH), representing the development of novel FAL for sustainable energy generation under challenging environmental conditions. Furthermore, the 3D-FAL-based TENG proves to be a promising device for a speed monitoring system engaging reconstruction in virtual reality in a snowy environment.