Synthesis and analysis of multifunctional graphene oxide/Ag2O-PVA/chitosan hybrid polymeric composite for wound healing applications.

The requirement for accurate treatments for skin diseases and wounds, generated a rising interest towards multifunctional polymer composites, that are capable of mimicking the natural compositions in human body. Also, electroactive composite films disseminate endogenous electrical stimulations that encourage cell migration and its proliferation at wound site, proposing greater opportunities in upgrading the conventional wound patches. In this work, the composite film made of graphene oxide, Ag2O, PVA and chitosan were developed for wound healing applications, by the solution casting method. The even dispersibility of nanofiller in polymeric matrix was validated from the physicochemical analyses. The increment in roughness of the composite film surface was noted from AFM images. The thermal stability and porous nature of the polymer composite were also verified. A conductivity value of 0.16 × 10-4 Scm-1 was obtained for the film. From MTT assay, it was noted that the films were non-cytotoxic and supported cell adhesion along with cell proliferation of macrophage (RAW 264.7) cells. Moreover, the composite film also demonstrated non-hemolytic activity of <2 %, as well as excellent antibacterial activity towards E. coli and S. aureus. Thus, the obtained results validated that the prepared composite film could be chosen as an innovative candidate for developing state-of-the-art wound dressings.

Vanadium and strontium co-doped hydroxyapatite enriched polycaprolactone matrices for effective bone tissue engineering: A synergistic approach.

Scientific research targeted at enhancing scaffold qualities has increased significantly during the last few decades. This emphasis frequently centres on adding different functions to scaffolds in order to increase their usefulness as instruments in the field of regenerative medicine. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of a multifunctional sustainable polymer scaffold, specifically Polycaprolactone (PCL) embedded with hydroxyapatite co-doped with vanadium and strontium (HVS), for bone tissue engineering applications. Polycaprolactone was used to fabricate the scaffold, while hydroxyapatite co-doped with vanadium and strontium (HVS) served as the nanofiller. A thorough investigation of the physicochemical and biological characteristics of the HVS nanofiller was carried out using cutting-edge techniques including Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and in vitro cell studies. A cell viability rate of more than 70 % demonstrated that the synthesised nanofiller was cytotoxic, but in an acceptable range. The mechanical, biological, and physicochemical properties of the scaffold were extensively evaluated after the nanofiller was integrated. The water absorption characteristics of scaffold were enhanced by the addition of HVS nanofillers, leading to increased swelling, porosity, and hydrophilicity. These improvements speed up the flow of nutrients and the infiltration of cells into the scaffold. The scaffold has been shown to have important properties that stimulate bone cell activity, including better biodegradability and improved mechanical strength, which increased from 5.30 ± 0.37 to 10.58 ± 0.42 MPa. Further, its considerable antimicrobial qualities, blood-compatible nature, and capacity to promote biomineralization strengthen its appropriateness for usage in biomedical applications. Mainly, enhanced Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, Alizarin Red Staining (ARS) activity, and excellent cell adhesive properties, indicating the outstanding osteogenic potential observed in rat bone marrow-derived stromal cells (rBMSC). These combined attributes highlight the pivotal role of these nanocomposite scaffolds in the field of bone tissue engineering.

Sustainable Approaches in Green Synthesis of Silica Nanoparticles Using Extracts of Chlorella and Its Application.

Silica nanoparticles, also known as SiO2 nanoparticles, have wider applications in biomedical, building, water treatment, agriculture, and food industries. It is used as an anticaking agent in the food industry, used to remove heavy metals from water, and used in cement-based materials. SiO2 nanoparticles synthesized by physical and chemical methods require high energy and use of toxic chemicals which is quite expensive, have a greater impact causing health-related issues, and have environmental side effects. Hence, there is a need to synthesize nanoparticles in an eco-friendly way. The biological or green synthesis method uses microbes, such as bacteria, fungi, algae, and plants for synthesizing nanoparticles. Algae contain natural biochemicals that act as reducing agents. These biomolecules are non-toxic as they are naturally occurring compounds and can be used to fabricate nanoparticles by avoiding the use of toxic chemicals in an eco-friendly method. In this study, silica nanoparticles were synthesized by green synthesis methods using microalgae extract. Further, the green synthesized silica nanoparticles were characterized using ultra violet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy, Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). The antimicrobial activity of the silica nanoparticles against E. coli was studied. This study revealed that the nanoparticles can be synthesized using green synthesis methods with low cost, less toxic chemicals, eco-friendly, and have antimicrobial activity against E. coli.

Advancements in HLA Typing Techniques and Their Impact on Transplantation Medicine.

HLA typing serves as a standard practice in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to ensure compatibility between donors and recipients, preventing the occurrence of allograft rejection and graft-versus-host disease. Conventional laboratory methods that have been widely employed in the past few years, including sequence-specific primer PCR and sequencing-based typing (SBT), currently face the risk of becoming obsolete. This risk stems not only from the extensive diversity within HLA genes but also from the rapid advancement of next-generation sequencing and third-generation sequencing technologies. Third-generation sequencing systems like single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing and Oxford Nanopore (ONT) sequencing have the capability to analyze long-read sequences that span entire intronic-exonic regions of HLA genes, effectively addressing challenges related to HLA ambiguity and the phasing of multiple short-read fragments. The growing dominance of these advanced sequencers in HLA typing is expected to solidify further through ongoing refinements, cost reduction, and error rate minimization. This review focuses on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and explores prospective advancements and application of HLA DNA typing techniques. It explores how the adoption of third-generation sequencing technologies can revolutionize the field by offering improved accuracy, reduced ambiguity, and enhanced assessment of compatibility in HSCT. Embracing these cutting-edge technologies is essential to advancing the success rates and outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This review underscores the importance of staying at the forefront of HLA typing techniques to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients undergoing HSCT.

Improving the emergency services using quality improvement project and Donabedian model in a quaternary teaching hospital in South India.

INTRODUCTION: The primary goal of quality improvement is to enhance patient outcomes, particularly in the emergency department (ED). Timely and effective care is crucial in these situations. By comprehending the challenges, evaluating current performance and implementing quality improvement projects, areas in need of enhancement can be pinpointed and addressed, resulting in better outcomes. METHODOLOGY: This interventional study explores the implementation of quality improvement in the ED of a quaternary care teaching hospital in South India. It follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle guided by the Donabedian model. Descriptive statistics were employed to measure changes in outcomes before and after implementation. To improve processes, Donabedian principles were applied, and a performance audit was conducted based on patient feedback and stakeholder input. Various ED indicators were measured. To address identified issues, formal root cause analysis was performed, leading to the generation of PDCA rapid change cycles. These cycles were implemented over 6 months, with two cycles executed, followed by postimplementation evaluation. RESULTS: Post implementation, improvements were observed in several aspects of ED operations. These included reduced ED average length of stay, decreased time to analgesia, shorter cross-consultation time, faster transfer time from ED and improved investigation turnaround time (TAT). Additionally, there was a reduction in revisits to ED within 72 hours and a decrease in patients who left without being seen. These positive changes demonstrate the effectiveness of the quality improvement intervention using the PDCA cycle. CONCLUSION: A comprehensive understanding of patient profile in the ED and factors influencing care is essential for the hospital to ensure sufficient resources and skilled emergency medicine physicians are available 24/7. By enhancing services in the ED, reducing patient waiting times and improving TAT, the overall efficiency of services can be improved. This leads to provision of timely quality care to patients and ultimately improves their outcomes.

One pot bioprocessing in lignocellulosic biorefinery: A review.

Practically, high-yield conversion of biomass into value-added products at low cost is a primary goal for any lignocellulosic refinery. In the industrial context, the limitation in the practical adaptation of the conventional techniques practically involves multiple reactors for the conversion of biomass to bioproducts. Therefore, the present manuscript critically reviewed the advancements in one-pot reaction systems with a major focus on the scientific production of value-added products from lignocellulosic biomass. In view of that, the novelty of one-pot reactions is shown during the fractionation of biomass into their individual constituents. The importance of the direct conversion of cellulose and lignin into a range of valuable products including organic acids and platform chemicals are separately discussed. Finally, the article is concluded with the opportunities, existing troubles, and possible solutions to overcome the challenges in lignocellulosic biorefinery. This article will assist the readers to identify the economic-friendly-one-pot conversion of lignocellulosic biomass.

COVID-19 Palliative and End-of-Life Care Plan: Development and Audit of Outcomes.

Objectives: Palliative care (PC) referral in serious and critical COVID-19 improves decision-making, health resource utilisation, end-of-life symptom management and family support. In this study, we explored developing a systematic decision-making matrix for PC referral in COVID-19 and audited its outcomes. Materials and Methods: A team of interdisciplinary experts developed a hospital COVID-19 PC plan. PC referral and outcomes of PC referral in hospitalised COVID-19 patients were audited. Results: Out of 1575 inpatients, 1066 (67.7%) had mild and 509 (32.3%) had serious and critical COVID-19 illness. Among 50 (3.1%) referred to PC, 5 (0.4%) had mild and 45 (8.8%) had serious and critical COVID-19 illness. Out of 45 serious and critical COVID-19 patients referred to PC, 38 (84%) received end-of-life care (EOLC), 4 (9%) self-discharged against medical advice and 3 (7%) recovered. Forty-seven (94%) were referred for goals-of-care discussion. About 78% received opioids, 70% benzodiazepines and 42% haloperidol for symptom management. Among 45 serious and critical COVID-19 patients referred to PC, foregoing life-sustaining treatment was documented in 43 (96%) but implemented only in 23 (53%). Out of 38 who received EOLC, ICU was the place of death in 31 (82%) and ward in 7 (18%). Conclusion: Despite interdisciplinary experts developing a hospital COVID-19 PC, low referral of serious and critical COVID-19 patients to PC was observed. PC referral enabled access to management of end-of-life symptoms and facilitated limitation of life-sustaining treatment in some COVID-19 patients with serious illness. Educating critical care physicians about the scope of PC in the COVID-19 setting might improve PC referral.

Identification of a novel HLA-DRB4 allele, HLA-DRB4*01:152 in a Kuwaiti family.

One nucleotide substitution in codon 179 of HLA-DRB4*01:03:01:01 results in a novel allele HLA-DRB4*01:152.

Identification of the novel HLA-DPA1 allele, HLA-DPA1*01:03:34 in a Kuwaiti family.

One nucleotide substitution in codon 85 of HLA-DPA1*01:03:01:04 results in a novel allele HLA-DPA1*01:03:34.

Biodiversity of South Indian tea clones with detection of plant-based adulterants in tea dust using DNA barcoding.

Tea is by and large a highly penetrated product in south India. Hence the adulteration risk in tea dust gets hiked in the markets. We constructed a standard database using plant plastid markers (rbcL, matK, trnH-psbA, rpoC, rpoB, ycf 1) and nuclear (ITS2) locus from prominent south Indian tea clones representing Assam, China, and Cambod varieties. These barcodes were used as reference algorithm to investigate the authenticity of 10 sampled commercial tea dust by recovering its DNA barcodes using rbcL, matK, and ITS2 loci. PCR amplification success, sequencing efficiency, genetic polymorphisms, BLAST search, and phylogenetic analysis were performed to enhance genotypic information on south tea cultivars and in authenticating the commercial samples of Camellia sinensis. Findings suggest that the chloroplast and nuclear loci can identify tea plant at the genus and varietal level respectively and rbcL as the potential marker for detecting plant-based admixtures coupled with TA cloning after DNA barcoding.

Synergistic protective effect of Camellia sinensis leaf buds and Camellia sinensis flowers against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats and characterization of its bioactive compounds.

An effective antitumor drug like cisplatin has toxic effects leading to kidney injury. The authors investigated the nephroprotective action of C. sinensis leaf buds (CSB) and its flowers (CSF), both individually and in combined therapy against cisplatin-induced renal injury. Renal functional tests, oxidant, anti-oxidant and histopathology of kidney tissues are assessed. The major findings of the experiment is that the CSB and/or CSF ameliorate the successive conditions of (1) Renal dysfunction (Serum creatinine, urea, uric acid and glucose, protein level present in the urine) (2) The degree of lipid peroxidation (3) Antioxidant enzyme suppression and (4) The destructive renal architecture associated with drug-induced renal toxicity. Result suggests that the combined therapy of CSB and CSF was highly effective when compared to monotherapy in the complete regeneration of destructive cells by drug effect and could be an addition of a new source to the pharmaceutical industry as antioxidant nutrition supplement.

Dynamic modelling of growth and flavonoid production from Ocimum tenuiflorum suspension culture.

A structured-segregated dynamic model for biomass growth, sucrose utilization and flavonoid production in Ocimum tenuiflorum suspension culture is proposed, considering a dynamic heterogeneous population of viable active, viable nonactive and dead cell. The sucrose hydrolysis (into glucose and fructose), substrate uptake by biomass and intracellular flavonoid production are modelled using Contois kinetics, a competitive double-substrate Monod, and Luedeking-Piret model, respectively. The conversion of active to viable-nonactive biomass has been formulated as a function of the total substrate and biomass concentrations. Parameters for the dynamic model are evaluated while minimizing the sum of square errors between modelled and measured biomass, cell viability, glucose, fructose and intracellular flavonoid contents. Bootstrap confidence intervals and dynamic relative sensitivity analysis of these model parameters are presented. The knowledge gained from the population-based model in plant suspension culture can provide the basic framework for prediction and optimization of the bioprocess system for phytochemical production.

Exploring the distinctiveness of biomass and biomolecules from limnic microalgae of unexplored waters of Noyyal River, Western Ghats, for exploitation.

Oleaginous microalgae with high biomass productivity, lipid content, and lipid productivity are desirable for sustainable biofuel production. Rapid and accurate quantification of lipid content facilitates the identification of promising microalgae candidates. In the present study, 23 freshwater microalgae species from river Noyyal were isolated and identified based on their morphological and molecular (18S rRNA) features and recorded as Karunya Algae Culture Collection (KACC). Their biomass and lipid content were characterized and screened using FT-IR, Nile red staining, and gravimetric method. Results generated from FT-IR spectra differentiated KACC microalgae based on their biochemical contents with Scenedesmus rubescens KACC 2 and Chlorococcum sp. KACC 13 possessed high total protein and lipid content, respectively. Nile red fluorescence at 530/575 nm showed the yellow fluorescence under a fluorescent microscope giving the evidence of high neutral lipids in 10 KACC microalgae isolates. Total lipid content showed prominent variation between the KACC isolates and found in the range of 4 to 32% of DW. Lipid productivity and biomass productivity showed a similar pattern among KACC strains. Thus, our findings serve as a baseline data on the bioprospecting potential of KACC isolates from river Noyyal, an unexplored area of Western Ghats.

Seasonal distribution and population dynamics of limnic microalgae and their association with physico-chemical parameters of river Noyyal through multivariate statistical analysis.

The present investigation embarks on understanding the relationship between microalgal species assemblages and their associated physico-chemical parameter dynamics of the catchment region of river Noyyal. Totally, 142 microalgae cultures belonging to 10 different families were isolated from five different sites during four seasons and relative percentage distribution showed that Scenedesmaceae (36.6%) and site S1 (26.4%) with predominant microalgae population. Diversity indices revealed that microalgae communities were characterized by high H' index, lower Simpson dominance, and Margalef index value with indefinite patterns of annual variations. Results showed that variation in the physico-chemical parameters in each sampling site has its impact on the microalgae population during each season. Multivariate statistical analysis viz., Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient, principal component analysis, and canonical correspondence analysis were applied on microalgae species data, to evaluate the seasonal relationship between microalgae and physico-chemical parameters. The findings of our study concluded that the physico- chemical parameters influenced the dominant taxa of microalgae Chlorellaceae, Scenedesmaceae and Chlorococcaceae in river Noyyal and gives a base data for the seasonal and dynamic relationship between environmental parameters and microalgae population.

Polyphenolic constituents in mulberry leaf extract (M. latifolia L. cv. BC259) and its antidiabetic effect in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.

Mulberry (M. alba L.) has prominent use in traditional Chinese medicine since ancient times but its therapeutic properties have not been sufficiently explored in India. Present study was designed to isolate and identify the polyphenolic constituents present in mulberry leaf (M. latifolia) using HPLC and to evaluate its antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipedemic properties in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic wistar rat models. HPLC analysis identified chlorogenic acid (103mg/100gm), caffeic acid (4.3mg/100gm), coumaric acid (11.61mg/kg), rutin (53mg/100gm) and quercetin (46.19mg/100gm) as the major constituents of crude polyphenolic extracts in M. latifolia. STZ induced diabetic rats administered with mulberry leaf extract at doses 250 and 500mg/kg after 4 weeks of treatment significantly improved their glycemic control (p<0.001). Body weight increased significantly (p<0.001) after administration of BC259 extract at a dose of 500mg/kg. Results also showed that there was a significant decrease in serum urea (p<0.001) and creatinine level (p<0.01). Significant decline was observed in the levels of serum triglycerides (p<0.01), total cholesterol (p<0.001), LDL-cholesterol (p<0.01) and VLDL-cholesterol (p<0.01), while the serum HDL-cholesterol (p<0.01) significantly increased. Results revealed that the leaf extract of M. latifolia (var.BC259) causes significant antidiabetic and antihypercholesterolemic activity. Evidence of identified bioactive polyphenolic compounds present in M. latifolia leaf extract strengthens its antidiabetic property.

Strategic growth of limnic green microalgae with phycoremediation potential for enhanced production of biomass and biomolecules for sustainable environment.

The approach of combining the microalgae cultivation with wastewater provides a cost-effective and eco-friendly perspective in the production of microalgae-based bio-products. In the present investigation, microalgae Scenedesmus rubescens KACC 2 isolated from catchment region of River Noyyal was found to be efficient in removing nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals from industrial and domestic effluents, which was optimized through central composite design matrix for higher biomass generation. Nutrient requirements for the growth were optimized and evaluated using Plackett-Burman design to check the effect of variables. Three variables, viz., nitrate, phosphate, and inoculums, were found to be significant among the 11 variables tested, and the interaction between these variables and its optimum concentrations were statistically studied using central composite design matrix. The optimized growth conditions of this strain were found to be as nitrate (0.2%), phosphate (0.018%), and inoculums (7.5%). These conditions yielded a higher biomass of 0.73 g/L from the optimized media which was 5.4 times higher than the regular growth media. FT-IR analysis showed the variations in the spectra and also in biomolecular composition with 2-fold increase in the lipid and protein region when grown in optimized culture conditions. Lipid profile showed the presence of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in the biomass accepting it as a source of energy feedstock. This study concludes that nitrate, phosphate, and inoculums play a significant role in biomass production of S. rubescens with phycoremediation potential that can be exploited for simultaneous wastewater treatment-coupled biomass production.

Structural insights on bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using microalgae: a modelling-based computational study.

Research on bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has established that several remediating microbial species are capable of degrading only low molecular weight (LMW)-PAHs, whereas high molecular weight (HMW)-PAHs are hardly degradable. In the present study, the efficiency of degradation of both LMW and HMW-PAHs by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP) of microalgae was studied. CYP have a key role in the detoxification of xenobiotics. So far, the structure of CYP in microalgae is not predicted; the protein structure was constructed by molecular modelling in the current study using the available template of microalgal CYP. Modelled microalgae 3D structures were docked against 38 different PAH compounds, and the information regarding the interaction between protein and PAHs viz. binding sites along with mode of interactions was investigated. We report that CYP from the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis and Parachlorella kessleri was found to possess broad oxidising capability towards both LMW and HMW-PAHs. P. kessleri showed a least value with extra precision glide score of - 10.23 and glide energy of - 23.48 kcal/mol. PAHs bind to CYP active sites at Lys 69, Trp 96, Gln 397 and Arg 398 through intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Also, study revealed that PAHs interacted with CYP active sites through intermolecular hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic bonding, π-π interactions and van der waals interactions. Thus, structural elucidation study confirms that microalgae Parachlorella kessleri have the capacity to remediate HMW more efficiently than other microorganisms. Our results provide a framework in understanding the structure and the possible binding sites of CYP protein for degradation of PAH and that could be a screening tool in identifying the phycoremediation potential.

Growth kinetics of Chlorococcum humicola - A potential feedstock for biomass with biofuel properties.

Economically viable production facilities for microalgae depend on the optimization of growth parameters with regard to nutrient requirements. Using microalgae to treat industrial effluents containing heavy metals presents an alternative to the current practice of using physical and chemical methods. Present work focuses on the statistical optimization of growth of Chlorococcum humicola to ascertain the maximum production of biomass. Plackett Burman design was carried out to screen the significant variables influencing biomass production. Further, Response Surface Methodology was employed to optimize the effect of inoculum, light intensity and pH on net biomass yield. Optimum conditions for maximum biomass yield were identified to be inoculum at 15%, light intensity to be 1500lx and pH 8.5. Theoretical and predicted values were in agreement and thus the model was found to be significant. Gas chromatography analyses of the FAME derivatives showed a high percentage of saturated fatty acids thereby confirming the biofuel properties of the oil derived from algal biomass.

Catechin and catechin fractions as biochemical markers to study the diversity of Indian tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) germplasm.

The heterogeneous Indian tea germplasm includes 'China', 'Assam', 'Cambod', and their hybrids which were evaluated using biochemical markers viz., total catechin and their fractions, for varietal identification and characterization. Principal component analysis (PCA) of biochemical characters showed that the total catechin and trihydroxylated catechin has higher eigenvalues. The first two principal components (PCs) could differentiate more than 90% of the clones studied. This grouping based on first two principal component matrices differentiated 'China', and their hybrids with 'Assam' and 'Cambod' variety. Morphologically indistinct large-leaved 'Cambod' variety and 'Assam' varieties could not be differentiated using biochemical markers, since both varietal types taxonomically belong to a single species. Clones of 'China' type showed low total catechin content and catechin ratio which are distinctly grouped. The 'China-Assam' and 'China-Cambod' hybrids formed intermediate groups between 'China' PC group and 'Cambod'/'Assam' PC groups, providing evidence for genetic control of catechin ratio variation. Tea clones which are differentially positioned in the PC group could be explained based on the genetic contribution by other varietal type as parents. This biochemical characterization will be a useful tool in the development of quality-tea clones with different proportion of total catechin and their fractions.

Metabolite profiling and characterization of somaclonal variants in tea (Camellia spp.) for identifying productive and quality accession.

A study has been undertaken to characterize 15 field grown somaclonal variants derived from cotyledonary tissues of UPASI-10 using morphological, physiological and biochemical characters. Although variants were derived from UPASI-10, a very few variants possessed unique "Chinery" characters while others exhibited "Assam" characters. However, no variant showed identical morphological characters aligning with the parent. Somaclonal variants showed distinct variation in terms of photosynthetic carbon assimilation, stomatal conductance and diffusion resistance. Proline accumulation and water use efficiency showed marginal variations among the variants. SE 8 and SE 10 recorded higher values of membrane stability index denoting their tolerant nature against stress. Class interval analysis based on physiological parameters grouped these plants into three clusters. Three variants grouped under good category representing higher values of productivity index followed by five variants under moderate category. Green leaf constituents and quality profile of made tea produced with crop shoots of variants exhibited wide variation. Center point radar graph analysis of quality constituents grouped these plants into three clusters. Variants SE 2 and SE 13 were segregated distinctly representing their black tea characters. When considering both the quality and productivity indices, SE 3 and SE 7 fall under moderate category and in future these two variants may be subjected to further quality tests for commercial exploitation.