Environmental impact of microplastics and potential health hazards.

Microscopic plastic (microplastic) pollutants threaten the earth's biodiversity and ecosystems. As a result of the progressive fragmentation of oversized plastic containers and products or manufacturing in small sizes, microplastics (particles of a diameter of 5 mm with no lower limit) are used in medicines, personal care products, and industry. The incidence of microplastics is found everywhere in the air, marine waters, land, and even food that humans and animals consume. One of the greatest concerns is the permanent damage that is created by plastic waste to our fragile ecosystem. The impossibility of the complete removal of all microplastic contamination from the oceans is one of the principal tasks of our governing body, research scientists, and individuals. Implementing the necessary measures to reduce the levels of plastic consumption is the only way to protect our environment. Cutting off the plastic flow is the key remedy to reducing waste and pollution, and such an approach could show immense significance. This review offers a comprehensive exploration of the various aspects of microplastics, encompassing their composition, types, properties, origins, health risks, and environmental impacts. Furthermore, it delves into strategies for comprehending the dynamics of microplastics within oceanic ecosystems, with a focus on averting their integration into every tier of the food chain.

In-silico screening to delineate novel antagonists to SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein.

Since its inception, SARS-CoV-2 has crossed all borders and continues rampaging around the globe, causing profound economic damage and heavy burden on the scientific community and the healthcare fraternity and facilities. With the emergence of new variants, the global pandemic has prolonged and raised concerns regarding the existing therapies. Most of the identified mutants have the potential to exacerbate the already existing crisis. In line with the urgent need for promising antivirals against the novel coronavirus, we conducted an in-silico drug docking study using SeeSAR and other bioinformatics tools and identified prospective molecules that target the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2. The highly conserved N protein plays a crucial role in viral assembly and pathogenicity by interacting with the host ribosomal subunits and suppressing nonsense mediated decay (NMD) of viral mRNA by the host cell. In the current study, FDA approved drugs were docked into pockets created within the N protein including the crucial conserved residues and analyzed for their affinity. The docked compounds give us novel plausible models that can be inspected further and paves way for the development of potent therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2.

Antibacterial activity of medicinal plants against ESKAPE: An update.

Antibiotic resistance has emerged as a threat to global health, food security, and development today. Antibiotic resistance can occur naturally but mainly due to misuse or overuse of antibiotics, which results in recalcitrant infections and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) among bacterial pathogens. These mainly include the MDR strains (multi-drug resistant) of ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species). These bacterial pathogens have the potential to "escape" antibiotics and other traditional therapies. These bacterial pathogens are responsible for the major cases of Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAI) globally. ESKAPE Pathogens have been placed in the list of 12 bacteria by World Health Organisation (WHO), against which development of new antibiotics is vital. It not only results in prolonged hospital stays but also higher medical costs and higher mortality. Therefore, new antimicrobials need to be developed to battle the rapidly evolving pathogens. Plants are known to synthesize an array of secondary metabolites referred as phytochemicals that have disease prevention properties. Potential efficacy and minimum to no side effects are the key advantages of plant-derived products, making them suitable choices for medical treatments. Hence, this review attempts to highlight and discuss the application of plant-derived compounds and extracts against ESKAPE Pathogens.

Multicentric variant of peripheral ossifying fibroma.

Peripheral ossifying fibroma (POF) is a solitary over growth of the gingiva known to arise from the cells of the periodontal ligament. The lesions usually start as a painless overgrowth of the interdental papilla unless associated with trauma and gradually involve the other counter parts of the gingiva. The lesion is more considered to be an inflammatory or reactive process rather than to be neoplastic. Here, the authors present a unique case of multiple POF in a young male adult aged 24 years where surgical excision was carried out quadrant wise. The biopsy specimen from multiple sites revealed similar histopathologic features consistent with POF, but also with the multicentric presentation of POF, which is a unique phenomenon. Multicentric variant of POF is indeed a rare case being only the second case so far which has been documented. Management of such case needs a multidisciplinary approach to prevent the recurrence along with regular long time follow-up.