Targeting Glioblastoma: Efficacy of Ruthenium-Based Drugs.

Ruthenium compounds offer improved selectivity and fewer side effects compared to platinum-based drugs in glioblastoma treatment. Insights into their interactions with transferrin suggest targeted drug delivery, while photoactivated chemotherapy is a novel cytotoxic approach in tumor tissues.

Adsorption isotherm, kinetics and response surface methodology optimization of cadmium (Cd) removal from aqueous solution by chitosan biopolymers from cephalopod waste.

The present investigation was aimed to explore the cadmium removal efficiency, mechanism and characterization of Chitosan biopolymers from cephalopods waste. The extracted chitosan has showed good yield of 32% and with high minerals, ash and moisture content. In the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis multiple active functional groups of Amine, Amine, Hydroxyl were found between 612 and 3424 cm-1 and the sugar signals such as N-acetyl glucosamine (GlcNAc) and H-1 [GlcN (H-1D), GlcNAc (H-1A)] were identified in Chitosan by 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). The Crystalline, rough surface, micropores characters were observed in Chitosan surface by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis and the pores played a key role in adsorption process. The Cd ions removal was performed by batch experiment and the results were revealed that the pH, temperature, time and dosage highly influenced the process and the optimum condition was discovered through RSM for pH 7, temperature 42.5 °C, time 220 min and dosage of sorbent 1 g/L respectively. The kinetics models of the Cd removal were carried out and the results revealed that the Pseudo-second order is more suitable and fit for removal than Pseudo-first order model. Chitosan surface characters and functional groups played a big role in adsorption process and Chitosan can be alternative eco-friendly, low cost and highly efficient sorbent for heavy metal removal in effluent treatment plants.

A novel maternal thyroid disease prediction using multi-scale vision transformer architecture with improved linguistic hedges neural-fuzzy classifier.

BACKGROUND: Early pregnancy thyroid function assessment in mothers is covered. The benefits of using load-specific reference ranges are well-established. OBJECTIVE: We pondered whether the categorization of maternal thyroid function would change if multiple blood samples obtained early in pregnancy were used. Even though binary classification is a common goal of current disease diagnosis techniques, the data sets are small, and the outcomes are not validated. Most current approaches concentrate on model optimization, focusing less on feature engineering. METHODS: The suggested method can predict increased protein binding, non-thyroid syndrome (NTIS) (simultaneous non-thyroid disease), autoimmune thyroiditis (compensated hypothyroidism), and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (primary hypothyroidism). In this paper, we develop an automatic thyroid nodule classification system using a multi-scale vision transformer and image enhancement. Graph equalization is the chosen technique for image enhancement, and in our experiments, we used neural networks with four-layer network nodes. This work presents an enhanced linguistic coverage neuro-fuzzy classifier with chosen features for thyroid disease feature selection diagnosis. The training procedure is optimized, and a multi-scale vision transformer network is employed. Each hop connection in Dense Net now has trainable weight parameters, altering the architecture. Images of thyroid nodules from 508 patients make up the data set for this article. Sets of 80% training and 20% validation and 70% training and 30% validation are created from the data. Simultaneously, we take into account how the number of training iterations, network structure, activation function of network nodes, and other factors affect the classification outcomes. RESULTS: According to the experimental results, the best number of training iterations is 500, the logistic function is the best activation function, and the ideal network structure is 2500-40-2-1. CONCLUSION: K-fold validation and performance comparison with previous research validate the suggested methodology's enhanced effectiveness.

Impact of graphene incorporation in dental implants-A scoping review.

There are numerous variables governing the formation of new bone around a dental implant. Of those variables, the implant surface is an important factor influencing the quality of osseointergration. Numerous techniques and materials have been used to alter the surface of an implant to enhance osseointergration and improve the survival and success rate. One such modification is utilizing graphene to modify the surface of an implant. This paper summarizes data collected form articles published in online databases in the past 10 years about the various means of modifying the implant surfaces and provides an in-depth review of the impact of graphene incorporation in dental implants. The document comprised of different sections and emphasized on the use of graphene as an implant surface coating material. The role of graphene on flexural strength, hardness and corrosion resistance have been discussed under mechanical properties whereas the potential of this combination on the osteogenesis, osseointergration and soft tissue seal is covered under biological properties. Lastly, how this combination acts as a drug delivery carrier and renders antimicrobial property has been addressed under pharmacological properties. This review has highlighted the various applications of graphene in the field of implant dentistry. It has outlined the various implant surface modifying methods and thrown light on the various affect this combination has on the mechanical, biological and pharmacological properties. Considering the various research done on the material, it can be concluded that graphene does have a bright future in implant dentistry and continued research in this area will provide fruitful benefits.

Comparative Analysis of Surface Modification Techniques for Assessing Oral Implant Osseointegration: An Animal Study.

BACKGROUND: Effective implant placement depends critically on the implant's level of osseointegration with the alveolar bone. To increase osseointegration during implant placement, research has concentrated on the surface modification of implants, and morphological analyses have looked at the thread pattern in close interaction with the bone's surface. AIM: This study aimed to assess and compare the extent of oral implant osseointegration in different surface modification techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 12 healthy adult dogs aged 18-24 months were used. Tooth extractions were performed on both sides of the mandible, and wounds were closed with sutures. Two months later, the right mandible of each dog underwent local anesthesia and general anesthesia. Four different implant types were placed based on their surface treatments: resorbable blast media (RBM)-treated implants, hydroxyapatite (HA) implants with an ultra-thin HA film, hydrothermal-treated HA implants coated with HA, and sandblasting combined acid etching (SLA) implants treated with plasma spray and acid etching. A total of 48 implants were divided into two- and four-week groups, with identical dimensions. Each dog received two implants from each group, for a total of eight implants per dog. The implants were securely placed into the superior alveolar bone with a torque greater than 35-N up to a depth of 1 mm. Periotest M (Medizintechnik Gulden e.K., Modautal, Germany) was used to calculate the periotest value (PTV) as a typical value on the buccal side of each implant immediately following placement and sacrifice to test the main fixation and stability of the implants. Resonance frequency analysis (RFA) was utilised by Osstell Mentor (Osstell AB, Gothenburg, Sweden) to simultaneously assess the implant stability quotient (ISQ) on the medial, distal, buccal, and lingual sides of the implant. The rotational torque in one of the sacrificed dogs was calculated using the MGT 50 (ELECTROMATIC Equipment Co., Inc., New York, USA) torque analyzer. The histomorphometric evaluation was performed using an optical microscope (Olympus Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). The upper half's bone-implant contact (BIC), which was found to be more important for implant stability, was studied together with the ratio of the new bone formation area (NBFA) to the complete implant. RESULTS: The maximum stability was observed in HA-treated implants in the fourth week. The minimum stability was observed in hydrothermal-treated HA implants in the fourth week. The stability in each group was greater in the four-week evaluation as compared to the two-week evaluation. The stability was satisfactory in almost all implants at two- and three-week evaluations. The maximum value of the percentage area of newly formed bone at the two- and four-week evaluations was observed in HA-treated implants. The minimum value of the percentage of the area of newly formed bone at two- and four-week evaluations was observed in SLA and RBM-treated implants respectively. The difference was significant statistically (p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSION: All implant surface modifications, in general, produced satisfactory osseointegration. Excellent osseointegration was seen in the upper portion of the implant with hydrothermally treated HA.

Discovery and development of COVID-19 vaccine from laboratory to clinic.

The world has recently experienced one of the biggest and most severe public health disasters with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) which is one of the most widespread and powerful infections affecting human lungs. Current figures show that the epidemic had reached 216 nations, where it had killed about 6,438,926 individuals and infected 590,405,710. WHO proclaimed the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease (EVD), in 2014 that killed hundreds of people in West Africa. The development of vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 becomes more difficult due to the viral mutation in its non-structural proteins (NSPs) especially NSP2 and NSP3, S protein, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Continuous monitoring of SARS-CoV-2, dynamics of the genomic sequence, and spike protein mutations are very important for the successful development of vaccines with good efficacy. Hence, the vaccine development for SARS-CoV-2 faces specific challenges starting from viral mutation. The requirement of long-term immunity development, safety, efficacy, stability, vaccine allocation, distribution, and finally, its cost is discussed in detail. Currently, 169 vaccines are in the clinical development stage, while 198 vaccines are in the preclinical development stage. The majority of these vaccines belong to the Ps-Protein subunit type which has 54, and the minor BacAg-SPV (Bacterial antigen-spore expression vector) type, at least 1 vaccination. The use of computational methods and models for vaccine development has revolutionized the traditional methods of vaccine development. Further, this updated review highlights the upcoming vaccine development strategies in response to the current pandemic and post-pandemic era, in the field of vaccine development.

JWST detection of a supernova associated with GRB 221009A without an r-process signature.

Identifying the sites of r-process nucleosynthesis, a primary mechanism of heavy element production, is a key goal of astrophysics. The discovery of the brightest gamma-ray burst (GRB) to date, GRB 221009A, presented an opportunity to spectroscopically test the idea that r-process elements are produced following the collapse of rapidly rotating massive stars. Here we present James Webb Space Telescope observations of GRB 221009A obtained +168 and +170 rest-frame days after the gamma-ray trigger, and demonstrate that they are well described by a SN 1998bw-like supernova (SN) and power-law afterglow, with no evidence for a component from r-process emission. The SN, with a nickel mass of approximately 0.09 M ⊙, is only slightly fainter than the brightness of SN 1998bw at this phase, which indicates that the SN is not an unusual GRB-SN. This demonstrates that the GRB and SN mechanisms are decoupled and that highly energetic GRBs are not likely to produce significant quantities of r-process material, which leaves open the question of whether explosions of massive stars are key sources of r-process elements. Moreover, the host galaxy of GRB 221009A has a very low metallicity of approximately 0.12 Z ⊙ and strong H2 emission at the explosion site, which is consistent with recent star formation, hinting that environmental factors are responsible for its extreme energetics.

Prevalence of eye signs in congenital rubella syndrome in South India: a role for population screening.

PURPOSE: Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) resulting from maternal rubella infection, especially in the first trimester, affects an estimated 100 000 infants each year worldwide. Immunisation has reduced its occurrence in the developed world, though it remains a problem in countries with poor immunisation coverage. This population-based study was aimed at screening children below 5 years of age for ocular signs suspicious of CRS. METHODS: Suspected CRS cases were recruited from hospital and outreach services of the Aravind Eye Care System over a 24-month period. Clinical confirmation was based on the fulfilment of the World Health Organization (WHO) definition, and laboratory confirmation was based on a positive test for IgM antibody. RESULTS: Children under 5 years of age (n = 51 548) with ocular complaints were screened for eye signs suspicious of CRS; CRS compatible signs were detected in 1.92% (1090) children. Of these suspects (299), 27.42% were subsequently confirmed clinically according to WHO definition, and (46) 4.2% were serologically (Laboratory) confirmed. Of all the eye signs evaluated for screening, cataracts were the most sensitive (80.43%). CONCLUSIONS: Cataracts among children have a high sensitivity for detecting CRS in India. It is the only clinical eye finding that has a high enough sensitivity and specificity to be useful as a screening tool for CRS.

Influence of boron supplementation on performance, immunity and antioxidant status of lambs fed diets with or without adequate level of calcium.

Little is known about biological significance of effects of dietary Boron (B) and Calcium (Ca) interaction on health and production of farm animals. This is a preliminary investigation to evaluate the effects of B supplementation in lambs fed diets with (normal) or without adequate (low) levels of Ca. Twenty-four crossbred ram lambs were randomly distributed into four groups with six animals each in a 2x2 factorial design namely, normal-Ca diet (NCa) and low-Ca diet (LCa) fed without or with 40 ppm B (NCaB-40 and LCaB-40). The lambs were fed paddy straw and hybrid napier hay-based total mixed ration (60 roughage: 40 concentrate) during 180 days experimental period. Compared to control, the LCa diet lowered (P<0.01) average daily gain of lambs, but B-supplementation (LCaB-40) of the same nullified the effect. The lowered (P<0.05) total antioxidant activity and humoral immune response in lambs fed LCa diet were restored (P>0.05) to become at par with the control (NCa) upon supplementation of B (LCaB-40). The mRNA expression of SOD1 was lowered (P<0.05) due to LCa diet feeding which too was normalized on B-supplementation to become at par (P>0.05) with the control (NCa). Further, B-supplementation restored lowered (P<0.05) SOD1 gene expression on LCa diet, but enhanced (P<0.05) that in NCaB-40 group, when compared to the control (NCa) diet fed animals. However, these variations were not reflected in the SOD activity in the erythrocytes. The cell-mediated immune response was higher (P<0.05) in lambs fed LCa and LCaB-40 groups and there was no significant interaction between the levels of either Ca or B in diets with the period of immune response measurement. B- supplementation of LCa diet ameliorated tissue degenerative changes in liver and kidney. It was concluded that feeding LCa diet to lambs resulted in reduced growth rate, total antioxidant activity, humoral immune response along with degenerative changes in liver and kidney tissues, but B-supplementation of such diet restored most of these changes and ameliorated histopathological alterations.

Boron influences immune and antioxidant responses by modulating hepatic superoxide dismutase activity under calcium deficit abiotic stress in Wistar rats.

The influence of Boron (B) supplementation on immune and antioxidant status of rats with or without abiotic stress induced by dietary calcium (Ca) restriction was studied in a feeding trial of 90 days. Wistar strain rats (3-4 wk age, n=84) were divided into 7 dietary groups (4 replicates of 3 each) viz., normal-calcium (100%) basal diet alone (NC, control) or supplemented with B at 5 (NCB-5), 10 (NCB-10), 20 (NCB-20) and 40ppm (NCB-40) levels; low-calcium (50%) basal diet alone (LC) or supplemented with 40ppm B (LCB-40). After 75 days of experimental feeding, rats were challenged with intraperitoneal injection of sheep RBCs to assess their humoral immunity. At the end of the trial, cell-mediated immunity was assessed as foot pad reaction to sheep RBCs injected into the hind leg paws. Eight rats from each group were sacrificed to collect blood for estimation of minerals and total antioxidant activity, and liver for superoxide dismutase gene expression analysis. Supplementation of graded levels of B (5, 10, 20 and 40ppm) as borax in NC diets significantly increased (P<0.01) the footpad thickness and serum total antioxidant activity, hepatic expression levels of both Cu-Zn SOD (SOD1) and Mn-SOD (SOD2) mRNAs. The erythrocytic SOD activity and humoral response did not differ significantly among the dietary groups. In Ca restricted groups, humoral immune response was significantly decreased (P<0.01) compared to control but increased (P<0.05) with 40ppm B supplementation. Serum levels of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) remained similar among the dietary groups, while the manganese (Mn) content was significantly decreased (P<0.01) with increased levels of dietary B. In conclusion, B supplementation increased the hepatic mRNA expression levels of both SOD isoenzymes, thereby improving the immune and antioxidant status.

Outcomes of high volume cataract surgeries in a developing country.

AIM: To analyse the outcome of high volume cataract surgery in a developing country, community based, high volume eye hospital. METHODS: In a non-comparative interventional case series, the authors reviewed the surgical outcomes of 593 patients with cataract operated upon by three high volume surgeons on six randomly selected days. There were 318 female (54%) and 275 male (46%) patients. Their mean age was 59.57 (SD 10.13) years. The majority of the patients underwent manual small incision cataract surgery (manual SICS). Extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens (ECCE-PCIOL) and intracapsular cataract extraction (ICCE) were also done on a few patients as clinically indicated. RESULTS: Best corrected visual acuity of >or=6/18 was achieved in 94% of the 520 patients who could be followed up on the 40th postoperative day (88% follow up rate). Intraoperative and immediate postoperative complications as defined by OCTET occurred in 11 (1.9%) and 75 (12.6%) patients, respectively. Average surgical time of 3.75 minutes per case (16-18 cases per hour) was achieved. Statistically significant risk factors for outcomes were found to be age >60, sex, and surgeon. CONCLUSION: High volume surgery using appropriate techniques and standardised protocols does not compromise quality of outcomes.

Acute renal failure due to cast nephropathy in nonsecretory myeloma: a case report and review of the literature.

Multiple myeloma is characterized by marrow plamacytsois, M spike in serum or urine electrophoresis and skeletal lytic lesions. The M spike may be absent in rare instances. We describe a case of myeloma cast nephropathy with acute renal failure who did not exhibit an M spike. lambda-chain staining was documented on immunoperoxidase, suggesting paraprotein-related tubular damage.

Applicability of a noise-based model to estimate in-traffic exposure to black carbon and particle number concentrations in different cultures.

Several studies show that a significant portion of daily air pollution exposure, in particular black carbon (BC), occurs during transport. In a previous work, a model for the in-traffic exposure of bicyclists to BC was proposed based on spectral evaluation of mobile noise measurements and validated with BC measurements in Ghent, Belgium. In this paper, applicability of this model in a different cultural context with a totally different traffic and mobility situation is presented. In addition, a similar modeling approach is tested for particle number (PN) concentration. Indirectly assessing BC and PN exposure through a model based on noise measurements is advantageous because of the availability of very affordable noise monitoring devices. Our previous work showed that a model including specific spectral components of the noise that relate to engine and rolling emission and basic meteorological data, could be quite accurate. Moreover, including a background concentration adjustment improved the model considerably. To explore whether this model could also be used in a different context, with or without tuning of the model parameters, a study was conducted in Bangalore, India. Noise measurement equipment, data storage, data processing, continent, country, measurement operators, vehicle fleet, driving behavior, biking facilities, background concentration, and meteorology are all very different from the first measurement campaign in Belgium. More than 24h of combined in-traffic noise, BC, and PN measurements were collected. It was shown that the noise-based BC exposure model gives good predictions in Bangalore and that the same approach is also successful for PN. Cross validation of the model parameters was used to compare factors that impact exposure across study sites. A pooled model (combining the measurements of the two locations) results in a correlation of 0.84 when fitting the total trip exposure in Bangalore. Estimating particulate matter exposure with traffic noise measurements was thus shown to be a valid approach across countries and cultures.

Iatrogenic Cushing's Syndrome in an Infant.

A high potency, long acting and/or the extended use of oral corticosteroids, particularly in children, may cause suppression of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. However, the iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome in the infantile age group is rare and only few patients have been reported to date in the literature. Here, we are reporting a case of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome in a 5-month-old male child, whose parents brought him to the hospital for puffiness of the face and overweight.

Study of prevalence of endocrine abnormalities in primary empty sella.

INTRODUCTION: Empty sella is usually an incidental finding. Empty sella is an anatomical condition characterized by the presence of cerebrospinal fluid within the sella with a small pituitary gland compressed above the pituitary floor causing endocrine abnormalities. AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate hormonal abnormalities associated with empty sella in tertiary care center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This ongoing study was carried out in patients attending to endocrine out-patient departments from August 2012 to July 2013. A detailed history and examination was done. Hormonal evaluation including free thyroid hormones, thyroid stimulating hormone, growth hormone (GH), follicular stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, cortisol and prolactin was done. RESULTS: A total of 16 patients diagnosed clinically and biochemically of hormonal abnormalities were found to have empty sella on magnetic resonance imaging. Hypocortisolemia in 62.5% of cases, hypothyroidism in 50% of cases, in 18.75% hypogonadism, hyper prolactinemia in 18.7.5%, GH deficiency in 12.5% of cases and in 12.5% cases posterior pituitary involvement is seen. CONCLUSION: The high incidence of endocrine abnormalities associated with empty sella necessitates the need for prompt evaluation and early replacement of hormones for better quality-of-life.

Effectiveness of mirror therapy on lower extremity motor recovery, balance and mobility in patients with acute stroke: A randomized sham-controlled pilot trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of mirror therapy on lower extremity motor recovery, balance and mobility in patients with acute stroke. DESIGN: A randomized, sham-controlled, assessor blinded, pilot trial. SETTING: Inpatient stroke rehabilitation unit. SUBJECTS: First time onset of stroke with mean post-stroke duration of 6.41 days, able to respond to verbal instructions, and Brunnstrom recovery stage 2 and above were enrolled. INTERVENTION: Mirror therapy group performed 30 minutes of functional synergy movements of non-paretic lower extremity, whereas control group underwent sham therapy with similar duration. In addition, both groups were administered with conventional stroke rehabilitation regime. Altogether 90 minutes therapy session per day, six days a week, for two weeks duration was administered to both groups. OUTCOME MEASURES: Lower extremity motor subscale of Fugl Meyer Assessment (FMA), Brunnel Balance Assessment (BBA) and Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC). RESULTS: Amongst the 22 patients included, equal number of patients participated in mirror group (N = 11) and control group (N = 11). Baseline variables were similar in both groups, except for Brunnstrom recovery stage. There was no statistical difference between groups, except for FAC. (FMA: P = 0.894; BBA: P = 0.358; FAC: P = 0.02). Significance was set at P < 0.05. CONCLUSION: Administration of mirror therapy early after stroke is not superior to conventional treatment in improving lower limb motor recovery and balance, except for improvement in mobility.

Bioscouring of cotton fabrics using pectinase enzyme its optimization and comparison with conventional scouring process.

The conventional scouring process involving the harsh environment is slowly being replaced with environment friendly approach using enzymes. These enzymes remove the non cellulosic impurities present in the fabric. Such a process would enhance the absorbency of the fabric without appreciable strength loss and also would help in the proper dyeing and finishing of the fabric. In the present work pectinase enzyme was isolated from Fusariumn sp. and was optimized under different cultural conditions. The partially purified pectinase enzyme was used in the scouring of cotton fabric. The efficiency of the bioscoured cotton fabric was compared with that of the conventionally scoured fabric. It was found that the water absorbing character of the bioscoured fabric was found to be considerably higher than that of the conventionally scoured fabric. Also, the tensile strength of the cotton fabric was found to be higher for the sample treated using pectinase enzyme than the sample treated conventionally. The results of FTIR confer that the pectin and wax impurities were removed from the cotton surface in both the conventionally scoured and bioscoured fabrics.

Rapidly progressive renal failure in type 2 diabetes in the tropical environment: a clinico-pathological study.

BACKGROUND: Rapid decline of renal function in a diabetic suggests the presence of a nondiabetic kidney disease (NDKD). We designed a prospective study to evaluate the factors associated with a rapid decline in renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Over a 2 and a half year period, all patients with type 2 diabetes who presented with documented doubling of serum creatinine in less than 4 weeks or recently diagnosed advanced renal failure were identified. Patients with prerenal causes, urinary tract obstruction, or systemic disease causing renal failure were not included. Renal histology was studied in all cases. RESULTS: A total of 26 patients satisfied the inclusion criteria. Over 75% had serum creatinine >4 mg/dL at presentation and 62% were dialysis dependent. Renal histology showed mixed lesions of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and NDKD in 11 cases, only DN in nine, and pure NDKD in six. Diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (DPGN) was the commonest NDKD (27% cases), all on a background of DN. History of preceding cutaneous or pharyngeal infection was available in five cases. The proportion of postinfectious glomerulonephritis in diabetics with rapidly progressive renal failure was over six times that of the nondiabetic adult RPRF population during the study period. Four patients had acute interstitial nephritis and three showed crescentic glomerulonephritis. Other lesions included amyloidosis, atheroembolic disease, and renal papillary necrosis (one each). The frequency of microscopic hematuria and retinopathy was similar in those with pure DN and NDKD. Four out of seven cases with DPGN showed partial recovery whereas the other three remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: About two-thirds of patients with type 2 diabetes presenting with rapid decline of renal function in a tropical environment show NDKD. The high incidence of postinfectious glomerulonephritis in this group is possibly related to the high prevalence of skin and soft tissue infections; and could contribute to progressive kidney disease.