Deciphering the Enigma of Neuron-Glial Interactions in Neurological Disorders.

Innate lymphocytes, including microglial cells, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, play a crucial role in initiating neuroinflammatory reactions inside the central nervous system (CNS). The prime focus of this paper is on the involvement and interplay of neurons and glial cells in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis (MS). In this review, we explore the specific contributions of microglia and astrocytes and analyzes multiple pathways implicated in neuroinflammation and disturbances in excitatory and inhibitory processes. Firstly, we elucidate the mechanisms through which toxic protein accumulation in AD results in synaptic dysfunction and deregulation of the immune system and examines the roles of microglia, astrocytes, and hereditary factors in the pathogenesis of the disease. Secondly, we focus on ASD and the involvement of glial cells in the development of the nervous system and the formation of connections between neurons and investigates the genetic connections associated with these processes. Lastly, we also address the participation of glial cells in epilepsy and MS, providing insights into their pivotal functions in both conditions. We also tried to give an overview of seven different pathways like toll-like receptor signalling pathway, MyD88-dependent and independent pathway, etc and its relevance in the context with these neurological disorders. In this review, we also explore the role of activated glial cells in AD, ASD, epilepsy, and MS which lead to neuroinflammation. Even we focus on excitatory and inhibitory imbalance in all four neurological disorders as imbalance affect the proper functioning of neuronal circuits. Finally, this review concludes that there is necessity for additional investigation on glial cells and their involvement in neurological illnesses.

Examining the Prevalence of Congenital Anomalies in Newborns: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Care Maternity Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Congenital anomalies, representing structural or functional abnormalities present at birth, pose a substantial global health challenge, affecting 8 million newborns annually. With 3.3 million succumbing before age five and 3.2 million facing physical or mental disability, their diverse causes necessitate comprehensive understanding for effective healthcare planning. This study explores the prevalence of congenital anomalies among newborns in the Abha Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) in Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional record-based study was conducted on newborns born between 2018 and 2022. Data were gathered in 4 months from September to December 2023. Purposive sampling was employed to select the case records of newborns with congenital anomalies after careful screening and considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was acquired through a self-designed study tool, and the data were entered into Google Forms. Results: Congenital anomalies' five-year prevalence was 3.21%, and one year, in 2022, the prevalence was 4.02%. Female neonates exhibited higher anomalies (59.3%), and preterm births accounted for 39.6%, emphasizing their vulnerability. The findings indicate that consanguineous marriages are linked to 63.3% of anomalies, notably neural tube defects (25%) and congenital heart diseases (19.7%). Anomalies are not significantly associated with consanguinity or birth order, but maternal age, education, employment, and antenatal maternal medical issues are associated considerably. Conclusions: These study insights contribute to health planners planning targeted interventions and awareness programs that are crucial to mitigate risks associated with preterm births and consanguineous marriages. The promotion of 100% antenatal screening and prophylactic medication for high-risk women and couples is necessary to prevent inherited deformities. In future the Ministry of Health must plan large-group prospective research to better understand the associated risk factors that will help public health initiatives minimize congenital-associated neonatal mortality and improve pregnancy outcomes.

Newborn Care Practices and Associated Factors Influencing Their Health in a Northern Rural India.

INTRODUCTION: In developing countries, neonatal mortality is the most neglected health issue by the health system, leading to its emergence as a public health problem. A study was undertaken to assess the influence of factors and newborn care practices influencing newborn health in the rural area of Bareilly district. METHODOLOGY: The descriptive cross-sectional study was organized in the rural areas of Bareilly. Study participants were selected based on the mothers who gave birth to a baby during the last six months. The mothers who delivered in that area within six months were included and, using the semi-structured questionnaire, data were collected. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS 2021 version for windows. RESULTS: Out of 300 deliveries, nearly one-quarter of the deliveries, 66 (22%), were happening in homes, and most of the deliveries, 234 (78%), happened in hospitals. It was observed that unsafe cord care practices were observed more among nuclear families, 8 (53.4%), than joint families, 7 (46.6%), and it was found to be statistically insignificant. The Unsafe feed was given 48 (72.7%) more commonly among home deliveries than institutional deliveries 56 (23.9%). Mothers' initiation of delayed breastfeeding was nearly the same in both home and hospital deliveries. Delayed bathing was observed in nearly three-fourths of mothers, 125 (70.1%), aged 24-29 years, followed by 29 (16.8%) in the age period of 30-35 years. CONCLUSION: The practice of essential newborn care still needs to improve in Bareilly; there is a need to create awareness among the mothers and family members on newborn and early neonatal care aspects, such as promoting exclusive and early initiation of breastfeeding and delayed bathing practices.

A ß-Sitosterol Encapsulated Biocompatible Alginate/Chitosan Polymer Nanocomposite for the Treatment of Breast Cancer.

ß−sitosterol is the most abundant type of phytosterol or plant sterol and can be found in various plant dietary sources including natural oils, soy products, and nuts. Numerous studies have demonstrated the potential therapeutic and clinical applications of ß−sitosterol including lowering low-density lipoprotein and cholesterol levels, scavenging free radicals in the body, and interestingly, treating and preventing cancer. This study focuses on synthesizing and characterizing ß−sitosterol encapsulated Alginate/Chitosan nanoparticles (ß−sito−Alg/Ch/NPs) and evaluating their effectiveness in breast cancer treatment and their pharmacokinetic profile in vivo. The synthesized NPs, which incurred a mean size of 25 ± 1 nm, were extensively characterized in vitro for various parameters including surface charge and morphology. The NPs were further analyzed using DSC, FT-IR, thermogravimetry and X-ray diffraction studies. The release of ß−sito from NPs was carried out in a bio-relevant medium of pH 7.4 and pH 5.5 and samples were drawn off and analyzed under time frames of 0, 8, 16, 32, 64, 48, 80, and 96 h, and the best kinetic release model was developed after fitting drug release data into different kinetic models. The metabolic activity of MCF-7 cells treated with the prepared formulation was assessed. The radical scavenging potential of ß−sito−Alg/Ch/NPs was also studied. The pharmacokinetic parameters including Cmax, Tmax, half-life (t1/2), and bioavailability were measured for ß−sito−Alg/Ch/NPs as compared to ß−sito−suspension. The ß−sito−Alg/Ch/NPs stability was assessed at biological pH 7.4. The % drug release in PBS of pH 7.4 reportedly has shown 41 ± 6% vs. 11 ± 1% from ß−sito−Alg/Ch/NPs and ß−sito−suspension. In acidic pH 5.5 mimicking the tumor microenvironment has shown 75 ± 9% vs. 12 ± 4% drug release from ß−sito−Alg/Ch/NPs and ß−sito−suspension. When compared to the ß−sito−suspension, the ß−sito−Alg/Ch/NPs demonstrated greater cytotoxicity (p < 0.05) and ~3.41-fold higher oral bioavailability. Interestingly, this work demonstrated that ß−sito−Alg/Ch/NPs showed higher cytotoxicity due to improved bioavailability and antioxidant potential compared to the ß−sito−suspension.

Advancement and New Trends in Analysis of Pesticide Residues in Food: A Comprehensive Review.

Food safety is a rising challenge worldwide due to the expanding population and the need to produce food to feed the growing population. At the same time, pesticide residues found in high concentrations in fresh agriculture pose a significant threat to food safety. Presently, crop output is being increased by applying herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers, nematicides, and soil amendments. A combination of factors, including bioaccumulation, widespread usage, selective toxicity, and stability, make pesticides among the most toxic compounds polluting the environment. They are especially harmful in vegetables and fruits because people are exposed to them. Thus, it is critical to monitor pesticide levels in fruits and vegetables using all analytical techniques available. Any evaluation of the condition of pesticide contamination in fruits and vegetables necessitates knowledge of maximum residue levels (MRLs). We set out the problems in determining various types of pesticides in vegetables and fruits, including the complexity and the diversity of matrices in biological materials. This review examines the different analytical techniques to determine the target analytes that must be isolated before final consumption. Many processes involved determining pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables and their advantages and disadvantages have been discussed with recommendations. Furthermore, MRLs of target pesticide residues in fruit and vegetable samples are discussed in the context of data from the literature. The review also examines MRLs' impact on the international trade of fruits and vegetables. Accurate, sensitive, and robust analytical procedures are critical to ensuring that pesticide levels in food products are effectively regulated. Despite advances in detection technology, effective sample preparation procedures for pesticide residue measurement in cereals and feedstuffs are still needed. In addition, these methods must be compatible with current analytical techniques. Multi-residue approaches that cover a wide range of pesticides are desired, even though pesticides' diverse natures, classes, and physio-chemical characteristics make such methods challenging to assemble. This review will be valuable to food analysts and regulatory authorities to monitor the quality and safety of fresh food products.

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance: Beliefs and Barriers Associated with Vaccination Among the Residents of KSA.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020 by the World Health Organization. Control of COVID-19 depends on the potential vaccine and its successful delivery to a large portion of the population to develop herd immunity. All the governments have made a robust plan to distribute the vaccine to their people, but many countries could not achieve adequate vaccination coverage. Hence, this study explores people's beliefs and barriers to vaccination and provides valuable inputs to the government to attain adequate vaccination. OBJECTIVE: To know the knowledge level about the COVID-19 vaccine among the residents of KSA. To find out the various concerns (beliefs) about COVID-19 and its vaccine among the residents of KSA. To estimate the vaccine acceptance and understand the barriers to accepting the COVID-19 vaccine among residents of KSA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2021 in a restricted environment on the adult (>18 years) residents of Saudi Arabia. The minimum calculated sample was 685; 796 study samples were finally studied to minimize the sampling error. Snowball sampling was used to select the study samples, after meeting the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: A total of 796 people responded. Only 782 (98.2%) were finally considered after excluding the incomplete information forms. The selected participant's age ranges from 18 years to 80 years. Almost 723 (92%) of the study group knew COVID vaccines. Most of the participants, 370 (47%), preferred USA-manufactured vaccine followed by Saudi Arabia 217 (28%). A total of 259 (33.1%) participants were hesitant to receive the vaccine. Out of 782, half of the participants, 386 (50%), believed the COVID vaccine will prevent the infection. CONCLUSION: The government must implement appropriate culturally accepted interventional vaccination educational campaigns to remove the beliefs, worries regarding the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, to increase vaccine acceptance rates.