Oncologic safety of submental island flap reconstruction in clinically node-negative oral cancer patients: a prospective comparative study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the oncologic safety of submental island flap (SIF) reconstruction in clinically node-negative oral cancer patients. Forty-four clinically node-negative oral cancer patients with tumour size T1-T3 were divided into two groups. The Submental group consisted of 21 patients, who underwent submental island flap reconstruction whereas the control group consisted of 23 patients who underwent reconstruction with other locoregional or free flaps. The locoregional recurrence rate (LRR) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in these two groups were assessed and compared. The follow-up period in the two groups ranged from six to 28 months, with a median follow-up period of 15 months and 21 months, respectively. Results showed that the LRR in the control and the submental group was 21.7% and 19%, respectively (p = 0.825). Kaplan-Meier curve showed that the difference in recurrence-free survival in the two groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.749). Multivariate and bivariate analyses did not establish any relationship between the predictive parameters and locoregional recurrence. Thus, the Submental island flap is a reliable and versatile locoregional flap for the reconstruction of post-resection defects in oral cancer. It has no predictive influence on locoregional recurrence in clinically node-negative oral cancer patients.

COVID in Post Vaccinated individuals- Beacon of Light

IntroductionCOVISHIELD and COVAXIN have been introduced post rapid approval as COVID vaccines in India, which has the second most COVID cases across countries. These vaccines are being administered in a two-dose schedule from 16 Jan 2021. This study deals with the clinical profile of individuals who developed COVID infection post-COVID vaccination. This is the first study of similar nature in India. MethodologyThe study population comprised of individuals who were detected to be COVID positive 04 weeks post-vaccination and were compared with individuals detected positive within the first 04 weeks of vaccination. Data was collected in a digital questionnaire format and analyzed with SPSS v-23 software. Clinical features were profiled in detail. Chi-square analysis was done to find out the association of various demographic features with the severity of the disease. ResultsIn the study population, fever was the commonest symptom (75.1%) followed by anosmia (72.1%), and shortness of breath (16.3%). There was a lower incidence of fever, cough, dyspnea, and requirement of hospitalization in the study population as compared to the control group and previous epidemiological data. The time required for complete recovery and disease severity was favorable in our study population. There was a significant correlation in the rate of hospitalization among the study group and the comparative group (p=0.0001) and between the number of dosage of COVID vaccine with the lowest SpO2 recorded (p=0.001). ConclusionThis study will boost the ongoing initiative of having a maximal vaccinated population countrywide and emphasize the need for two doses of vaccination.

Selective recovery of vanadium as AMV from calcium vanadate sludge by direct AS leaching process: An industrial approach.

Generation of calcium vanadate waste sludge their management and treatment.is one of the major problem of metal processing industry. In this paper, we have proposed a simple process for the selective recovery of vanadium as ammonium metavanadate (AMV) from the calcium vanadate sludge using ammonium sulphate (AS) as a leaching agent. Under the optimum leaching condition (pH-7.5, temperature-80 °C, time-1 h, AS reagent-0.5 M) it is possible to leach out 82% of V values from the calcium vanadate sludge. The overall recovery of V is 81% with 98.5% AMV product purity. The AMV product quality from AS leach process has been compared with conventional H2SO4 leach process. The proposed process has major advantages such as, better economic benefits, less chemical consumption, minimum effluent recycling and less waste generation.

Parathyroid hormone-related peptide activates and modulates TRPV1 channel in human DRG neurons.

Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) is associated with advanced tumor growth and metastasis, especially in breast, prostate and myeloma cancers that metastasize to bones, resulting in debilitating chronic pain conditions. Our recent studies revealed that the receptor for PTHrP, PTH1R, is expressed in mouse DRG sensory neurons, and its activation leads to flow-activation and modulation of TRPV1 channel function, resulting in peripheral heat and mechanical hypersensitivity. In order to verify the translatability of our findings in rodents to humans, we explored whether this signalling axis operates in primary human DRG sensory neurons. Analysis of gene expression data from recently reported RNA deep sequencing experiments performed on mouse and human DRGs reveals that PTH1R is expressed in DRG and tibial nerve. Furthermore, exposure of cultured human DRG neurons to PTHrP leads to slow-sustained activation of TRPV1 and modulation of capsaicin-induced channel activation. Both activation and modulation of TRPV1 by PTHrP were dependent on PKC activity. Our findings suggest that functional PTHrP/PTH1R-TRPV1 signalling exists in human DRG neurons, which could contribute to local nociceptor excitation in the vicinity of metastatic bone tumor microenvironment.

Biofilm as a virulence marker in Candida species in Nosocomial blood stream infection and its correlation with antifungal resistance.

Nosocomial blood stream infections (BSI) due to fungi especially Candida is increasing steadily. A two year prospective study was conducted in the S.C.B. Medical College with an aim to evaluate the species distribution, antifungal susceptibility and biofilm formation of Candida spp. isolated from nosocomial BSIs. 34 Candida spp. were isolated from 359 blood cultures. Antifungal susceptibility was performed by microbroth dilution technique and both visual and spectrophotometric method were used for biofilm detection. C. tropicalis was the common spp. isolated followed by C. parapsilosis and others. Most (92%) of the isolates were susceptible to Amphoterecin-B and highest resistance was observed against Flucytosine (37%) and Fluconazole(35%). Biofilm production and antifungal resistance was observed more in nonalbicans Candida spp.

Photocatalytic degradation of carbamazepine in wastewater by using a new class of whey-stabilized nanocrystalline TiO2 and ZnO.

Nanoscale photocatalysts have attracted much attention due to their high surface area to volume ratios. However, due to extremely high reactivity, TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles prepared using different methods tend to either react with surrounding media or agglomerate, resulting in the formation of much larger flocs and significant loss in reactivity. This work investigates the photocatalytic degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ), a persistent pharmaceutical compound from wastewater (WW) using TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles prepared in the presence of a water-soluble whey powder as stabilizer. The TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles prepared in the presence of whey stabilizer displayed much less agglomeration and greater degradation power than those prepared without a stabilizer. Higher photocatalytic degradation of carbamazepine was observed (100%) by using whey stabilized TiO2 nanoparticles with 55 min irradiation time as compared to ZnO nanoparticles (92%). The higher degradation of CBZ in wastewater by using TiO2 nanoparticles as compared to ZnO nanoparticles was due to formation of higher photo-generated holes with high oxidizing power of TiO2. The photocatalytic capacity of ZnO anticipated as similar to that of TiO2 as it has the same band gap energy (3.2 eV) as TiO2. However, in the case of ZnO, photocorrosion frequently occurs with the illumination of UV light and this phenomenon is considered as one of the main reasons for the decrease of ZnO photocatalytic activity in aqueous solutions. Further, the estrogenic activity of photocatalyzed WW sample with CBZ and its by-products was carried out by yeast estrogen screen (YES) assay method. Based upon the YES test results, none of the samples showed estrogenic activity.

Analysis and advanced oxidation treatment of a persistent pharmaceutical compound in wastewater and wastewater sludge-carbamazepine.

Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) are considered as emerging environmental problem due to their continuous input and persistence to the aquatic ecosystem even at low concentrations. Among them, carbamazepine (CBZ) has been detected at the highest frequency, which ends up in aquatic systems via wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) among other sources. The identification and quantification of CBZ in wastewater (WW) and wastewater sludge (WWS) is of major interest to assess the toxicity of treated effluent discharged into the environment. Furthermore, WWS has been subjected for re-use either in agricultural application or for the production of value-added products through the route of bioconversion. However, this field application is disputable due to the presence of these organic compounds and in order to protect the ecosystem or end users, data concerning the concentration, fate, behavior as well as the perspective of simultaneous degradation of these compounds is urgently necessary. Many treatment technologies, including advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been developed in order to degrade CBZ in WW and WWS. AOPs are technologies based on the intermediacy of hydroxyl and other radicals to oxidize recalcitrant, toxic and non-biodegradable compounds to various by-products and eventually to inert end products. The purpose of this review is to provide information on persistent pharmaceutical compound, carbamazepine, its ecological effects and removal during various AOPs of WW and WWS. This review also reports the different analytical methods available for quantification of CBZ in different contaminated media including WW and WWS.

Resolution of tubercular abscess with antitubercular treatment.

Tubercular brain abscess is a rare manifestation of neurotuberculosis. Large brain absceses are usually surgically treated. We report a case of tubercular brain abscesses in left cerebellar hemisphere and right parietal lobe in a child who was treated surgically for the cerebellar abscess and conservatively with antitubercular drug for parietal abscess. The patient showed significant clinical improvement and healing of brain abscess on follow up imaging. The resolution of relatively large abscess by conservative management with antitubercular treatment is very rare.

Zinc(II) complexes of Pro-Gly and Pro-Leu dipeptides: synthesis, characterization, in vitro DNA binding and cleavage studies.

Dipeptide (Pro-Gly and Pro-Leu) Zinc(II) complexes 1 and 2 were designed and synthesized for potential use as cancer chemotherapeutic agents. In order to augment the DNA recognition of metallonuclease activity, zinc metal ion was tethered to peptide motif to carry out DNA site specific hydrolytic cleavage. The structural formulation of the complexes 1 and 2 was done by elemental analysis, spectroscopic methods (IR, NMR, electronic) and molar conductance measurements. Their in vitro DNA binding profile was investigated by UV-vis titrations, fluorescence titrations and circular dichroism which revealed that these complexes bind to CT DNA by electrostatic interactions via groove binding mode. Zn(II) Pro-Gly complex 1 showed greater binding affinity to CT DNA as compared to the Zn(II) Pro-Leu complex 2 due to steric constraints in the latter. The supercoiled pBR322 DNA cleavage activity of complex 1, ascertained by gel electrophoresis demonstrated efficient DNA cleaving ability via hydrolytic mechanistic pathway. Further, the molecular docking studies confirmed that complex 1 bind to the minor groove of DNA having AT-rich sequences with relative binding energy of -196.72kJmol(-1).

Disruption of the non-canonical Wnt gene PRICKLE2 leads to autism-like behaviors with evidence for hippocampal synaptic dysfunction.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have been suggested to arise from abnormalities in the canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling pathways. However, a direct connection between a human variant in a Wnt pathway gene and ASD-relevant brain pathology has not been established. Prickle2 (Pk2) is a post-synaptic non-canonical Wnt signaling protein shown to interact with post-synaptic density 95 (PSD-95). Here, we show that mice with disruption in Prickle2 display behavioral abnormalities including altered social interaction, learning abnormalities and behavioral inflexibility. Prickle2 disruption in mouse hippocampal neurons led to reductions in dendrite branching, synapse number and PSD size. Consistent with these findings, Prickle2 null neurons show decreased frequency and size of spontaneous miniature synaptic currents. These behavioral and physiological abnormalities in Prickle2 disrupted mice are consistent with ASD-like phenotypes present in other mouse models of ASDs. In 384 individuals with autism, we identified two with distinct, heterozygous, rare, non-synonymous PRICKLE2 variants (p.E8Q and p.V153I) that were shared by their affected siblings and inherited paternally. Unlike wild-type PRICKLE2, the PRICKLE2 variants found in ASD patients exhibit deficits in morphological and electrophysiological assays. These data suggest that these PRICKLE2 variants cause a critical loss of PRICKLE2 function. The data presented here provide new insight into the biological roles of Prickle2, its behavioral importance, and suggest disruptions in non-canonical Wnt genes such as PRICKLE2 may contribute to synaptic abnormalities underlying ASDs.

Synthesis, DNA recognition and cleavage studies of novel tetrapeptide complexes, Cu(II)/Zn(II)-Ala-Pro-Ala-Pro.

New tetrapeptide complexes Cu(II)·Ala-Pro-Ala-Pro (1) and Zn(II)·Ala-Pro-Ala-Pro (2) were synthesized from the reaction of tetrapeptide, Ala-Pro-Ala-Pro and CuCl2/ZnCl2 and were thoroughly characterized by elemental analysis, IR,(1)H and (13)C NMR (in case of 2), ESI-MS, UV and molar conductance measurements. The solution stability study was carried out employing UV-vis absorption titrations over a broad range of pH which suggested the stability of the complexes in solution. In vitro interaction of complexes 1 and 2 with CT-DNA was studied employing UV-vis, fluorescence, circular dichroic and viscometry studies. To throw insight into molecular binding event at the target site, UV-vis titrations of 1 and 2 with mononucleotides of interest viz.; 5'-GMP and 5'-TMP were carried out. Cleavage activity of the complexes with pBR322 plasmid DNA was evaluated by agarose gel electrophoresis and, the electrophoresis pattern demonstrated that both the complexes 1 and 2 are efficient cleavage agents. Further, the Cu(II) complex displayed efficient oxidative cleavage of supercoiled DNA while various reactive oxygen species are responsible for the cleavage in Zn(II) complex.

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro DNA binding and cleavage studies of Cu(II)/Zn(II) dipeptide complexes.

Novel dipeptide complexes Cu(II)-Val-Pro (1), Zn(II)-Val-Pro (2), Cu(II)-Ala-Pro (3) and Zn(II)-Ala-Pro (4) were synthesized and thoroughly characterized using different spectroscopic techniques including elemental analyses, IR, NMR, ESI-MS and molar conductance measurements. The solution stability study carried out by UV-vis absorption titration over a broad range of pH proved the stability of the complexes in solution. In vitro DNA binding studies of complexes 1-4 carried out employing absorption, fluorescence, circular dichroism and viscometric studies revealed the binding of complexes to DNA via groove binding. UV-vis titrations of 1-4 with mononucleotides of interest viz., 5'-GMP and 5'-TMP were also carried out. The DNA cleavage activity of the complexes 1 and 2 were ascertained by gel electrophoresis assay which revealed that the complexes are good DNA cleavage agents and the cleavage mechanism involved a hydrolytic pathway. Furthermore, in vitro antitumor activity of complex 1 was screened against human cancer cell lines of different histological origin.

A comparative study of ultrasonication, Fenton's oxidation and ferro-sonication treatment for degradation of carbamazepine from wastewater and toxicity test by Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES) assay.

A comparative study of ultrasonication (US), Fenton's oxidation (FO) and ferro-sonication (FS) (combination of ultrasonication and Fenton's oxidation) advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ) from wastewater (WW) is reported for the first time. CBZ is a worldwide used antiepileptic drug, found as a persistent emerging contaminant in many wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) effluents and other aquatic environments. The oxidation treatments of WW caused an effective removal of the drug. Among the various US, FO and FS pre-treatments carried out, higher soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) and soluble organic carbon (SOC) increment (63 to 86% and 21 to 34%, respectively) was observed during FO pre-treatment process, resulting in higher removal of CBZ (84 to 100%) from WW. Furthermore, analysis of by-products formed during US, FO and FS pre-treatment in WW was carried out by using laser diode thermal desorption-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (LDTD-APCI) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). LDTD-APCI-MS/MS analysis indicated formation of two by-products, such as epoxycarbamazepine and hydroxycarbamazepine due to the reaction of hydroxyl radicals (OH) with CBZ during the three types of pre-treatment processes. In addition, the estrogenic activity of US, FO and FS pre-treated sample with CBZ and its by-products was carried out by Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES) assay method. Based upon the YES test results, none of the pre-treated samples showed estrogenic activity.

Carbamazepine in municipal wastewater and wastewater sludge: ultrafast quantification by laser diode thermal desorption-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.

In this study, the distribution of the anti-epileptic drug carbamazepine (CBZ) in wastewater (WW) and aqueous and solid phases of wastewater sludge (WWS) was carried out. A rapid and reliable method enabling high-throughput sample analysis for quicker data generation, detection, and monitoring of CBZ in WW and WWS was developed and validated. The ultrafast method (15s per sample) is based on the laser diode thermal desorption-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (LDTD-APCI) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The optimization of instrumental parameters and method application for environmental analysis are presented. The performance of the novel method was evaluated by estimation of extraction recovery, linearity, precision and detection limit. The method detection limits was 12 ng L(-1) in WW and 3.4 ng g(-1) in WWS. The intra- and inter-day precisions were 8% and 11% in WW and 6% and 9% in WWS, respectively. Furthermore, three extraction methods, ultrasonic extraction (USE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) with three different solvent condition such as methanol, acetone and acetonitrile:ethyle acetate (5:1, v/v) were compared on the basis of procedural blank and method recovery. Overall, ASE showed the best extraction efficiency with methanol as compared to USE and MAE. Furthermore, the quantification of CBZ in WW and WWS samples showed the presence of contaminant in all stages of the treatment plant.

Sewage treatment in integrated system of UASB reactor and duckweed pond and reuse for aquaculture.

The performance of a laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and a duckweed pond containing Lemna gibba was investigated for suitability for treating effluent for use in aquaculture. While treating low-strength sewage having a chemical oxygen demand (COD) of typically less than 200 mg/L, with an increase in hydraulic retention time (HRT) from 10.04 to 33.49 h, COD removal efficiency of the UASB reactor decreased owing to a decrease in organic loading rate (OLR) causing poor mixing in the reactor. However, even at the lower OLR (0.475 kg COD/(m3 x d)), the UASB reactor gave a removal efficiency of 68% for COD and 74% for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). The maximum COD, BOD, ammonia-nitrogen and phosphate removal efficiencies of the duckweed pond were 40.77%, 38.01%, 61.87% and 88.57%, respectively. Decreasing the OLR by increasing the HRT resulted in an increase in efficiency of the duckweed pond for removal of ammonia-nitrogen and phosphate. The OLR of 0.005 kg COD/(m2 x d) and HRT of 108 h in the duckweed pond satisfied aquaculture quality requirements. A specific growth rate of 0.23% was observed for tilapia fish fed with duckweed harvested from the duckweed pond. The economic analysis proved that it was beneficial to use the integrated system of a UASB reactor and a duckweed pond for treatment of sewage.