Chitosan based ZnO nanoparticles loaded gallic-acid films for active food packaging.

Chitosan (Ch) and zinc oxide nanoparticles loaded gallic-acid films, (Ch-ZnO@gal) have been prepared aiming for their exploitation as environmentally benign food packaging material. The chitosan films with varying quantities of zinc oxide nanoparticles loaded gallic-acid (ZnO@gal) content were synthesized in order to evaluate the effect of ZnO@gal on their optimum mechanical and biological potential. The characteristic results have shown that the incorporation of ZnO@gal into chitosan films remarkably enhanced the desired mechanical property of the chitosan films. Other noticeable physical properties such as oxygen and water vapor permeability (WVP), swelling, water solubility and UV-vis light transmittance have also been found to improve positively. SEM analysis of the films indicates a good material compatibility between chitosan and ZnO@gal matrices. Ch-ZnO@gal films possess significant antibacterial potential and strong antioxidant behavior compared to pristine chitosan. The overall results suggested that the prepared biocomposite chitosan films may be considered for active food packaging applications.

Postprandial endothelial dysfunction and CIMT after oral fat challenge in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with and without macrovascular disease - A preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: Very few studies have reported on association of postprandial lipids and endothelial dysfunction among patients with diabetes. Whether endothelial dysfunction particularly postprandial FMD is worse in patients with T2DM with macrovascular disease compared to those without and whether this difference is related to postprandial hypertriglyceridemia (PPHTg) is unclear. Therefore, present study was aimed to assess the relationship between PPHTg and endothelial function in patients with T2DM with and without macrovascular disease. METHOD: Endothelial dysfunction by FMD and CIMT were compared in patients with T2DM with and without macrovascular disease (n = 13 each group) and 13 age, sex and BMI matched healthy individuals after an oral fat challenge. RESULTS: There was significant postprandial deterioration of FMD 4-hr after fat challenge in patients with diabetes (P < 0.001) as well as healthy individuals (P = 0.004). Patients with diabetes with macrovascular disease had significantly lower fasting (5.7 ± 6.1% vs. 22.7 ± 10.0% and vs. 24.7 ± 5.3%) as well as postprandial (4-hr) (3.1 ± 5.0% vs. 15.3 ± 8.1% and vs. 15.4 ± 5.7%) FMD compared to other two groups. Fasting, postprandial as well as change in FMD and CIMT in patients with diabetes correlated significantly with fasting as well as postprandial triglycerides with stronger correlation in those with macrovascular disease. CONCLUSION: Study found significant endothelial dysfunction by FMD that shows substantial further deterioration postprandially following high fat meal in patients with diabetes with macrovascular disease compared to patients with diabetes without macrovascular disease and healthy individuals. Study also indicates that PPHTg is a contributor to endothelial dysfunction. However, more studies are required to corroborate these findings.

Preparation, physicochemical and biological evaluation of quercetin based chitosan-gelatin film for food packaging.

Ecofriendly chitosan-gelatin (Ch-ge) bio-composite films containing Quercetin-starch (Q) were synthesized using solution casting method. Physicochemical characteristics and mechanical properties of the resulting chitosan-gelatin containing Quercetin-starch films (Ch-ge-Q) were studied using UV, FTIR, XRD and SEM techniques. The films were also investigated for their swelling, water-vapor permeability (WVP), water solubility properties. The FTIR spectra confirmed the chemical interactions between the chitosan-gelatin and Q. Surface morphology of prepared film was analyzed by the SEM imaging while XRD spectra suggest the expanded crystallinity of the film with the addition of Q. The film also showed enhanced barrier property against UV rays. The reduction of water-vapor permeability and increase in tensile strength while a decrease in elongation at break has been observed in the Ch-ge-Q film compared to Ch-ge film. The antibacterial activity of Ch-ge-Q film against both gram positive (B. substilis) and gram negative (E. coli) bacteria suggested the Q loaded Ch-ge films as more feasible antibacterial candidate especially against the strain E. coli. The antioxidant activity of the Ch-ge-Q film was evaluated using the DPPH and ABTS as standards and corresponded to 81.45% of DPPH and 72.2% of ABTS scavenging activities. It was observed that the film containing Quercetin-starch presented superior antioxidant activity results in comparison to Ch-ge film promising its application in food packaging.

Phenolic compounds based conjugates from dextran aldehyde and BSA: Preparation, characterization and evaluation of their anti-cancer efficacy for therapeutic applications.

Here, we have synthesized phenolic compounds (pc) based on conjugates from dextran aldehyde (dex-ald) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) and screening their potential activity as therapeutic agents in cancer disease. The synthesized conjugates were analyzed by UV-vis, FT-IR, XRD and SEM analysis. UV-vis spectra of conjugates showed the shifting of spectral peak at UV to visible region revealed the enhanced conjugation due to formation of linkage. The XRD peaks of conjugates found broader and indicating the amorphous phase of conjugating materials in compared to free components. The SEM images showed that the conjugated materials having numerous pores on its surface, which proved its porous nature. The amount of phenolic compounds conjugated with (dex-ald-pc) and (BSA-pc) were found to be 65.4 and 73.91mg/g of conjugates, respectively. Cells viability was significantly decreased approximately 80-85% at concentration of 100µg conjugates whereas the free polymers or phenolics did not affect the viability of cancer cells. Generation of high quantity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells treated with conjugate materials, which may caused cell apoptosis in cancer cell line. The results clearly showed that conjugation of phenolic compounds were an effective method to improve the functional properties for therapeutic applications.

Keratoma hereditaria mutilans (Vohwinkel's disease) with congenital alopecia universalis (atrichia congenita).

A family is described in which a boy and two girls had features of keratoma hereditaria mutilans (Vohwinkel's disease) and congenital absence of hair. None of them had any hair at birth or developed any subsequently. They had congenital, nonscarring alopecia universalis. The skin over the palms and soles showed progressive thickening, which led to mutilating deformities of the hands and fingers. Histopathological examination of the scalp skin revealed no changes in the epidermis or dermis with normal sebaceous glands and identify hair structures; the skin on the palms showed a tremendously thickened horny layer. Both conditions remained unresponsive to various topical and systemic remedies used in the past. One of the girls had a meningocoele of the dorsolumbar region and died postoperatively. The simultaneous appearance of two rare hereditary diseases in siblings of one family is being reported for the first time.

Effect of aspartate and glutamate on carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in rats.

Liver necrosis was produced in rats by administering 3 doses of a mixture of carbon tetrachloride + olive oil, 2 ml/kg, ip. The liver damage was evidenced by the elevated levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) and by histopathological observations of liver sections. Aspartate and glutamate administration (100 mg/kg, ip) significantly reduced these elevated levels of AST, ALT, and gamma-GT. Carbon tetrachloride induced liver necrosis was also found to be significantly reduced in aspartate and glutamate pretreated animals as observed macroscopically and histologically.

Massive pancreatico-pleural effusion--an often unrecognised entity.

Massive haemorrhagic pleural effusion secondary to pancreatitis in a five year old girl is described. The diagnosis was established on the basis of an exudative pleural effusion with an amylase level above 4,000 IU/l. Management of effusion was by intercostal tube drainage and antibiotics.

Bandgap engineering of colloidal zinc oxysulfide via lattice substitution with sulfur.

Zinc oxysulfide nanocrystals with zinc blende phase are synthesized through a wet-chemical method. An affirmation of the crystal structure, elemental homogeneity and phase transformation is obtained by X-ray diffraction and authenticated by electron micrographic studies. Theoretical observations have strongly supported the thermodynamic solubility limit for its (30%) formation. An anomalous bandgap bowing with modulation in bandgap from 3.74 eV (ZnO) to 3.93 eV (ZnS) was observed with a minimum bandgap of 2.7 eV. Tunable bandgap and a wide range of visible emission ascertain it as a potential material for optoelectronic and solar cell applications due to its large bandgap offsets.