Vibrational spectroscopy coupled with machine learning sheds light on the cellular effects induced by rationally designed TLR4 agonists.

In this work, we present the potential of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy to compare on whole cells, in an unbiased and untargeted way, the capacity of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and two rationally designed molecules (FP20 and FP20Rha) to activate molecular circuits of innate immunity. These compounds are important drug hits in the development of vaccine adjuvants and tumor immunotherapeutics. The biological assays indicated that FP20Rha was more potent than FP20 in inducing cytokine production in cells and in stimulating IgG antibody production post-vaccination in mice. Accordingly, the overall significant IR spectral changes induced by the treatment with LPS and FP20Rha were similar, lipids and glycans signals being the most diagnostic, while the effect of the less potent molecule FP20 on cells resulted to be closer to control untreated cells. We propose here the use of FTIR spectroscopy supported by artificial intelligence (AI) to achieve a more holistic understanding of the cell response to new drug candidates while screening them in cells.

The cost implications of Wilson disease among hospitalized patients: analysis of USA hospitals.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: In this study, we used a national cohort of patients with Wilson's disease (WD) to investigate the admissions, mortality rates, and costs over the captured period to assess specific subpopulations at higher burden. METHODS: Patients with WD were selected using 2016-2019 National Inpatient Sample (NIS). The weighted estimates and patient data were stratified using demographics and medical characteristics. Regression curves were graphed to derive goodness-of-fit for each trend from which R2 and P values were calculated. RESULTS: Annual total admissions per 100 000 hospitalizations due to WD were 1075, 1180, 1140, and 1330 (R2 = 0.75; P = 0.13) from 2016 to 2019. Within the demographics, there was an increase in admissions among patients greater than 65 years of age (R2 = 0.90; P = 0.05) and White patients (R2 = 0.97; P = 0.02). Assessing WD-related mortality rates, there was an increase in the mortality rate among those in the first quartile of income (R2 = 1.00; P < 0.001). The total cost for WD-related hospitalizations was $20.90, $27.23, $24.20, and $27.25 million US dollars for the years 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively (R2 = 0.47; P = 0.32). There was an increasing total cost trend for Asian or Pacific Islander patients (R2 = 0.90; P = 0.05). Interestingly, patients with cirrhosis demonstrated a decreased trend in the total costs (R2 = 0.97; P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that certain ethnicity groups, income classes and comorbidities had increased admissions or costs among patients admitted with WD.

Study loss of vegetative cover and increased land surface temperature through remote sensing strategies under the inter-annual climate variability in Jinhua-Quzhou basin, China.

The Jinhua-Quzhou basin in China is one of the most susceptible areas to drought. Due to the loss of vegetation and great fluctuations in rainfall and surface temperature, global warming occurs. Timely, accurate, and effective drought monitoring is crucial for protecting local vegetation and determining which vegetation is most vulnerable to increased LST during the period 1982-2019. It assumes a strong correlation between loss of vegetation cover, changes in monsoon climate, drought, and increases in land surface temperature (LST). Due to significantly increased in LST, low precipitation and vegetation cover, NDVI, TVDI, VCI, and NAP are useful in characterizing drought mitigation strategies. The temperature vegetation drought index (TVDI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), vegetation condition index (VCI), and monthly precipitation anomaly percentage (NAP) can be helped to characterize drought reduction strategies. Monthly NDVI, NAP, VCI, TVDI, normalized vegetation supply water index (NVSWI), temperature condition index (TCI), vegetation health index (VHI), and heat map analysis indicate that the Jinhua-Quzhou basin experienced drought during 1984, 1993, 2000, and 2011. Seasonal SR, WVP, WS, NDVI, VCI, and NAP charts confirm that the Jinhua-Quzhou basin was affected by severe drought in 1984, which continued and led to severe droughts in 1993, 2000, and 2011. Regression analysis showed a significant positive correlation between NDVI, TVDI, VCI, and NAP values, while NVSWI, TVDI, and VHI showed positive signs of good drought monitoring strategies. The research results confirm the correlation between loss of vegetation cover and LST, which is one of the causes of global warming. The distribution of drought changed a trend indicating that compared with the Jinhua region; the Quzhou region has more droughts. The changing trend of drought has characteristics from 1982 to 2019, and there are significant differences in drought changing trends between different Jinhua-Quzhou basin areas. Overall, from 1982 to 2019, the frequency of drought showed a downward trend. We believe that these results will provide useful tools for drought management plans and play a relevant role in mitigating the effects of drought and protecting humanity from climate hazards.

Regulation of hippo signaling mediated apoptosis by Rauvolfia tetraphylla in triple-negative breast cancer.

Rauvolfia tetraphylla is an essential medicinal plant that has been widely used in traditional medicine for various disease treatments. However, the tumor suppressor activity of R. tetraphylla and its phytocompounds were not explored against triple-negative breast cancer. The current research investigated the impact of R. tetraphylla methanolic extract (RTE) and its isolated compounds Ajmaline (RTC1) and Reserpine (RTC2) on triple-negative breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) focusing on anti-proliferative effects. Our study imparts that RTE and RTC2 showed promising cytotoxic effects compared to RTC1. So further experiments have proceeded with RTE and RTC2, to evaluate its proliferation, migration, and apoptotic effect. The result shows around 80% of cells were observed in the G0/G1 phase in cell cycle analysis indicating the cell cycle inhibition and duel staining clearly showed the apoptotic effect. The migration of cells after the scratch was 60.45% observed in control and 90% in treated cells showing the inhibition of migration. ROS distribution was intense compared to control indicating the increased ROS stress in treated cells. Both RTE and RTC2-treated cells showed the potential to suppress proliferation and induce apoptotic change by upregulating BAX and MST-1 and suppressing Bcl2, LATS-1, and YAP, proving that deregulation of YAP resulting in the blockage of TEAD-YAP complex and inhibit proliferation. Therefore, R. tetraphylla extract and its isolated compounds were demonstrated to find its ability to act against MDA-MB-231 and these findings will help adjudicate it as a therapeutic drug against experimental triple-negative breast cancer.

Down-regulated HHLA2 enhances neoadjuvant immunotherapy efficacy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

BACKGROUND: Emerging data suggested a favorable outcome in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients treated by immunotherapy. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of neoadjuvant immunotherapy among NSCLC with COPD versus NSCLC without COPD and explore the potential mechanistic links. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with NSCLC receiving neoadjuvant immunotherapy and surgery at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital between November 2020 and January 2023 were reviewed. The assessment of neoadjuvant immunotherapy's effectiveness was conducted based on the major pathologic response (MPR). The gene expression profile was investigated by RNA sequencing data. Immune cell proportions were examined using flow cytometry. The association between gene expression, immune cells, and pathologic response was validated by immunohistochemistry and single-cell data. RESULTS: A total of 230 NSCLC patients who received neoadjuvant immunotherapy were analyzed, including 60 (26.1%) with COPD. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that COPD was a predictor for MPR after neoadjuvant immunotherapy [odds ratio (OR), 2.490; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.295-4.912; P = 0.007]. NSCLC with COPD showed a down-regulation of HERV-H LTR-associating protein 2 (HHLA2), which was an immune checkpoint molecule, and the HHLA2low group demonstrated the enrichment of CD8+CD103+ tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) compared to the HHLA2high group (11.9% vs. 4.2%, P = 0.013). Single-cell analysis revealed TRM enrichment in the MPR group. Similarly, NSCLC with COPD exhibited a higher proportion of CD8+CD103+TRM compared to NSCLC without COPD (11.9% vs. 4.6%, P = 0.040). CONCLUSIONS: The study identified NSCLC with COPD as a favorable lung cancer type for neoadjuvant immunotherapy, offering a new perspective on the multimodality treatment of this patient population. Down-regulated HHLA2 in NSCLC with COPD might improve the MPR rate to neoadjuvant immunotherapy owing to the enrichment of CD8+CD103+TRM. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Approval for the collection and utilization of clinical samples was granted by the Ethics Committee of Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital (Approval number: K23-228).

Endoscopic outcomes using a novel through-the-scope tack and suture system for gastrointestinal defect closure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Closure of gastrointestinal defects can reduce postprocedural adverse events. Over-the-scope clips and an over-the-scope suturing system are widely available, yet their use may be limited by defect size, location, operator skill level, and need to reinsert the endoscope with the device attached. The introduction of a through-the-scope helix tack suture system (TTSS) allows for closure of large irregular defects using a gastroscope or colonoscope, without the need for endoscope withdrawal. Since its approval 3 years ago, only a handful of studies have explored outcomes using this novel device. METHODS: Multiple databases were searched for studies looking at TTSS closure from inception until August 2023. The primary outcomes were the success of TTSS alone and TTSS with clips for complete defect closure. Secondary outcomes included complete closure based on procedure type (endoscopic mucosal resection [EMR], endoscopic submucosal dissection [ESD]) and adverse events. RESULTS: Eight studies met the inclusion criteria (449 patients, mean defect size 34.3 mm). Complete defect closure rates for TTSS alone and TTSS with adjunctive clips were 77.2% (95%CI 66.4-85.3; I2=79%) and 95.2% (95%CI 90.3-97.7; I2=42.5%), respectively. Complete defect closure rates for EMR and ESD were 99.2% (95%CI 94.3-99.9; I2 = 0%) and 92.1% (95%CI 85-96; I2=0%), respectively. The adverse event rate was 5.4% (95%CI 2.7-10.3; I2=55%). CONCLUSION: TTSS is a novel device for closure of postprocedural defects, with relatively high technical and clinical success rates. Comparative studies of closure devices are needed.

Novel TLR4-Activating Vaccine Adjuvant Enhances the Production of Enterococcus faecium-binding Antibodies.

Vaccines are one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine. Due to their safer profile, the latest investigations usually focus on subunit vaccines. However, the active component often needs to be coupled with an adjuvant to be effective and properly trigger an immune response. We are developing a new synthetic monosaccharide-based TLR4 agonist, such as glucosamine-derived compounds FP18 and FP20, as a potential vaccine adjuvant. In this study, we present a new FP20 derivative, FP20Hmp, with a hydroxylated ester linked to the glucosamine core. We show that the modification introduced improves the activity of the adjuvant and its solubility. This study presents the synthesis of FP20Hmp, its in vitro characterization, and in vivo activity while coupled with the ovalbumin antigen or in formulation with an enterococcal antigen. We show that FP20Hmp enables increased production of antigen-specific antibodies that bind to the whole bacterium.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles functionalized with cinnamic acid for targeting dental pathogens receptor and modulating apoptotic genes in human oral epidermal carcinoma KB cells.

BACKGROUND: Oral diseases are often attributed to dental pathogens such as S. aureus, S. mutans, E. faecalis, and C. albicans. In this research work, a novel approach was employed to combat these pathogens by preparing zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) capped with cinnamic acid (CA) plant compounds. METHODS: The synthesized ZnO-CA NPs were characterized using SEM, FTIR, and XRD to validate their composition and structural features. The antioxidant activity of ZnO-CA NPs was confirmed using DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging assays. The antimicrobial effects of ZnO-CA NPs were validated using a zone of inhibition assay against dental pathogens. Autodock tool was used to identify the interaction of cinnamic acid with dental pathogen receptors. RESULTS: ZnO-CA NPs exhibited potent antioxidant activity in both DPPH and ABTS assays, suggesting their potential as powerful antioxidants. The minimal inhibitory concentration of ZnO-CA NPs against dental pathogens was found 25 µg/mL, indicating their effective antimicrobial properties. Further, ZnO-CA NPs showed better binding affinity and amino acid interaction with dental pathogen receptors. Also, the ZnO-CA NPs exhibited dose-dependent (5 µg/mL, 15 µg/mL, 25 µg/mL, and 50 µg/mL) anticancer activity against Human Oral Epidermal Carcinoma KB cells. The mechanism of action of apoptotic activity of ZnO-CA NPs on the KB cells was identified through the upregulation of BCL-2, BAX, and P53 genes. CONCLUSIONS: This research establishes the potential utility of ZnO-CA NPs as a promising candidate for dental applications. The potent antioxidant, anticancer, and effective antimicrobial properties of ZnO-CA NPs make them a valuable option for combating dental pathogens.

Diagnostic performance of blue laser imaging for early detection of gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is associated with a significant global health burden and high mortality rates when diagnosed at later stages. The diagnosis often occurs at advanced stages when treatment options are limited and less effective. Early detection strategies are crucial to improving survival rates and outcomes for patients. Blue laser imaging (BLI) is an image-enhanced endoscopy technique that utilizes white light and narrow-band light to detect pathological changes in the mucosal architecture. This study aims at investigating the diagnostic performance of BLI for the detection of GC. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases from inception until March 2023. Studies assessing the diagnostic efficacy of BLI for GC detection were included. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of BLI were calculated using pooled proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CI) with a random-effects model. Heterogeneity among the included studies was assessed using the I2 statistic. RESULTS: Six studies were included in the pooled analysis. There were 708 patients with 380 GC lesions. Most of the lesions involved the lower two-thirds of the stomach. The pooled performance metrics of BLI for GC detection were as follows: sensitivity of 91.9% (95% CI 83.3-96.3%; I2 = 82.3%), specificity of 93.4% (95% CI 82.0-97.8%; I2 = 87.9%) and accuracy of 95.4% (95% CI 72.6-99.8%; I2 = 73.6%). CONCLUSION: BLI demonstrates high diagnostic efficacy for the detection of GC. BLI can be a valuable tool in clinical practice. However, large-scale, randomized controlled studies are needed to further establish the role of BLI in routine clinical practice for GC detection.

Prognostic factors of resectable anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients: a retrospective analysis based on a single center.

Background: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) exhibited a higher propensity for lymph node metastasis (LNM). This study aimed to investigate risk factors of occult lymph node metastasis (OLNM) and recurrence in resectable ALK-rearranged NSCLC patients. Methods: This retrospective analysis included patients with ALK-rearranged NSCLC receiving lung resections at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from June 2016 to August 2021. Logistic regression analysis was used to ascertain predictors of OLNM, and Cox regression analysis to identify risk factors of recurrence. Results: A total of 603 resectable ALK-rearranged NSCLC patients were included. The mean age was 55 years old. There were 171 patients (28.4%) pathologically confirmed to have LNM, 51.5% of which were occult. Logistic regression analysis identified clinical tumor size and computed tomography (CT) density as independent factors for OLNM. Cox regression analysis showed that pleural invasion and pathological tumor size were independent prognosticators for recurrence in pathologically nodal negative patients. Among pathologically nodal positive patients, adjuvant ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) showed a similar recurrence-free survival (RFS) to chemotherapy (hazard ratio, 0.454; 95% confidence interval, 0.111-1.864). Conclusions: Assessing the potential risk of OLNM is required for ALK-rearranged NSCLC patients with large tumors characterized by high CT densities. Patients with large pathological tumor size or pleural infiltration should be closely monitored despite being pathologically nodal negative. Additionally, adjuvant ALK-TKI may present a comparable RFS to chemotherapy in pathologically nodal positive patients.

Audiovisualization of real-time neuroimaging data.

Advancements in brain imaging techniques have significantly expanded the size and complexity of real-time neuroimaging and behavioral data. However, identifying patterns, trends and synchronies within these datasets presents a significant computational challenge. Here, we demonstrate an approach that can translate time-varying neuroimaging data into unique audiovisualizations consisting of audible representations of dynamic data merged with simplified, color-coded movies of spatial components and behavioral recordings. Multiple variables can be encoded as different musical instruments, letting the observer differentiate and track multiple dynamic parameters in parallel. This representation enables intuitive assimilation of these datasets for behavioral correlates and spatiotemporal features such as patterns, rhythms and motifs that could be difficult to detect through conventional data interrogation methods. These audiovisual representations provide a novel perception of the organization and patterns of real-time activity in the brain, and offer an intuitive and compelling method for complex data visualization for a wider range of applications.

The Role of Climate Change and Its Sensitivity on Long-Term Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index, Vegetation and Drought Changing Trends over East Asia.

Droughts have become more severe and frequent due to global warming. In this context, it is widely accepted that for drought assessments, both water supply (rainfall) and demand (standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index, SPEI) should be considered. Using SPEI, we explored the spatial-temporal patterns of dry and wet annual and seasonal changes in five sub-regions of East Asia during 1902-2018. These factors are linked to excess drought frequency and severity on the regional scale, and their effect on vegetation remains an important topic for climate change studies. Our results show that the SPEI significantly improved extreme drought and mostly affected the SPEI-06 and SPEI-12 growing seasons in East Asia during 1981-2018. The dry and wet annual SPEI trends mostly affect the five sub-regions of East Asia. The annual SPEI had two extremely dry spells during 1936-1947 and 1978-2018. Japan, South Korea, and North Korea are wet in the summer compared to other regions of East Asia, with drought frequency occurring at 51.4%, respectively. The mean drought frequencies in China and Mongolia are 57.4% and 54.6%. China and Mongolia are the driest regions in East Asia due to high drought frequency and duration. The spatial seasonal analysis of solar radiation (SR), water vapor pressure (WVP), wind speed (WS), vegetation condition index (VCI), temperature condition index (TCI), and vegetation health index (VHI) have confirmed that the East Asia region suffered from maximum drought events. The seasonal variation of SPEI shows no clear drying trends during summer and autumn seasons. During the winter and spring seasons, there was a dry trend in East Asia region. During 1902-1990, a seasonal SPEI presented diverse characteristics, with clear wet trends in Japan, Mongolia, and North Korea in four different growing seasons, with dry trends in China and South Korea. During 1991-2018, seasonal SPEI presented clear dry trends in Japan, Mongolia, and North Korea in different growing seasons, while China and South Korea showed a wet trend during the spring, autumn, and winter seasons. This ecological and climatic mechanism provides a good basis for the assessment of vegetation and drought-change variations within East Asia. An understandings of long-term vegetation trends and the effects of rainfall and SPEI on droughts of varying severity is essential for water resource management and climate change adaptation. Based on the results, water resources will increase under global warming, which may alleviate the water scarcity issue in the East Asia region.

Surgical strategies for benign acquired tracheoesophageal fistula.

OBJECTIVES: Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is characterized by abnormal connectivity between the posterior wall of the trachea or bronchus and the adjacent anterior wall of the oesophagus. Benign TEF can result in serious complications; however, there is currently no uniform standard to determine the appropriate surgical approach for repairing TEF. METHODS: The PubMed database was used to search English literature associated with TEF from 1975 to October 2023. We employed Boolean operators and relevant keywords: 'tracheoesophageal fistula', 'tracheal resection', 'fistula suture', 'fistula repair', 'fistula closure', 'flap', 'patch', 'bioabsorbable material', 'bioprosthetic material', 'acellular dermal matrix', 'AlloDerm', 'double patch', 'oesophageal exclusion', 'oesophageal diversion' to search literature. The evidence level of the literature was assessed based on the GRADE classification. RESULTS: Nutritional support, no severe pulmonary infection and weaning from mechanical ventilation were the 3 determinants for timing of operation. TEFs were classified into 3 levels: small TEF (<1 cm), moderate TEF (≥1 but <5 cm) and large TEF (≥5 cm). Fistula repair or tracheal segmental resection was used for the small TEF with normal tracheal status. If the anastomosis cannot be finished directly after tracheal segmental resection, special types of tracheal resection, such as slide tracheoplasty, oblique resection and reconstruction, and autologous tissue flaps were preferred depending upon the site and size of the fistula. Oesophageal exclusion was applicable to refractory TEF or patients with poor conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The review primarily summarizes the main surgical techniques employed to repair various acquired TEF, to provide references that may contribute to the treatment of TEF.

Solvothermal synthesis of VO2 nanoparticles with locally patched V2O5 surface layer and their morphology-dependent catalytic properties for the oxidation of alcohols.

Vanadium oxides are promising oxidation catalysts because of their rich redox chemistry. We report the synthesis of VO2 nanocrystals with VO2(B) crystal structure. By varying the mixing ratio of the components of a binary ethanol/water mixture, different VO2 nanocrystal morphologies (nanorods, -urchins, and -sheets) could be made selectively in pure form. Polydisperse VO2(B) nanorods with lengths between 150 nm and a few micrometers were formed at large water : ethanol ratios between 4 : 1 and 3 : 2. At a water : ethanol ratio of 1 : 9 VO2 nanosheets with diameters of ∼50-70 nm were formed, which aggregated to nano-urchins with diameters of ∼200 nm in pure ethanol. The catalytic activity of VO2 nanocrystals for the oxidation of alcohols was studied as a function of nanocrystal morphology. VO2 nanocrystals with all morphologies were catalytically active. The activity for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde was about 30% higher than that for the oxidation of furfuryl alcohol to furfural. This is due to the substrate structure. The oxidation activity of VO2 nanostructures decreases in the order of nanourchins > nanosheets > nanorods.

Appraising and comparing the role of autogenous periosteal graft as a barrier membrane in the treatment of intrabony defects in chronic periodontitis cases: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Periodontal regeneration refers to procedures aimed at restitution of lost supporting tissue around the periodontally compromised tooth. Regenerative procedures very often include the use of barrier materials to encourage the growth of key surrounding tissues. The current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of autogenous periosteal graft as a barrier membrane for the treatment of intrabony defects in chronic periodontitis patients. A total of four data bases MEDLINE (by PubMed), Cochrane database, EBSCO, and Google Scholar were explored to identify the studies in English up to December 2022. An additional hand search of relevant journals was also done. A team of three independent reviewers screened the retrieved articles using the inclusion criteria. Randomized control trials (RCTs) evaluating the effectiveness of autogenous periosteal grafts in the treatment of intrabony defects in chronic periodontitis cases were included in the study. A total of six relevant articles were recognized for data procurement. A total of 117 patients with 68 sites with an age range between 18 years and 55 years were selected. Outcome variables examined were pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), radiographic bone defect fill (BDF), gingival recession (GR), plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI) and bleeding on probing (BOP). Data were analyzed using Revman 5.3 software. The mean differences and 95% confidence interval were used to illustrate the estimate of effect size. There is an equal effect in both groups for the PI, GI, and BOP reduction. For PD reduction, the result was in the favor of periosteal graft with open flap debridement (OFD) group. For CAL gain, radiographic BDF and GR, results also favored the periosteal graft, but no statistically significant difference was found amongst the groups. Within the limitation of the study, it seems that the autogenous periosteal graft can be used successfully along with OFD to treat intrabony defects in chronic periodontitis patients.

Marine-derived κ-carrageenan-coated zinc oxide nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery and apoptosis induction in oral cancer.

BACKGROUND: Kappaphycus alvarezii, a marine red algae species, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its versatile bioactive compounds. Among these, κ-carrageenan (CR), a sulfated polysaccharide, exhibits remarkable antimicrobial properties. This study emphasizes the synergism attained by functionalizing zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) with CR, thereby enhancing its antimicrobial efficacy and target specificity against dental pathogens. METHODS: In this study, we synthesized ZnO-CR NPs and characterized them using SEM, FTIR, and XRD techniques to authenticate their composition and structural attributes. Moreover, our investigation revealed that ZnO-CR NPs possess better free radical scavenging capabilities, as evidenced by their effective activity in the DPPH and ABTS assay. RESULTS: The antimicrobial properties of ZnO-CR NPs were systematically assessed using a zone of inhibition assay against dental pathogens of S. aureus, S. mutans, E. faecalis, and C. albicans, demonstrating their substantial inhibitory effects at a minimal concentration of 50 µg/mL. We elucidated the interaction between CR and the receptors of dental pathogens to further understand their mechanism of action. The ZnO-CR NPs demonstrated a dose-dependent anticancer effect at concentrations of 5 µg/mL, 25 µg/mL, 50 µg/mL, and 100 µg/mL on KB cells, a type of Human Oral Epidermal Carcinoma. The mechanism by which ZnO-CA NPs induced apoptosis in KB cells was determined by observing an increase in the expression of the BCL-2, BAX, and P53 genes. CONCLUSION: Our findings unveil the promising potential of ZnO-CR NPs as a candidate with significant utility in dental applications. The demonstrated biocompatibility, potent antioxidant and antiapoptotic activity, along with impressive antimicrobial efficacy position these NPs as a valuable resource in the ongoing fight against dental pathogens and oral cancer.

Updated Intrinsic Role of Phytochemicals against Glyphosate-induced Neurotoxicity: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) formulations are organophosphorus pesticides implicated for agricultural use. Several epidemiological reports have reported that the occupational exposure of farmers to glyphosate can cause age-related neurodegeneration. OBJECTIVE: the objective of this study is to examine the neurotoxic effects of glyphosate and its intricate role in triggering several neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, nootropic defects, Parkinson's disease, and neurological teratogenic effects due to its negative effects on the nervous system. Furthermore, the efficacy of phytochemicals against glyphosate-induced neurotoxicity was discussed. METHODS: We have searched public databases such as NLM, Pubmed, google scholar and collected a total of 103 articles including reviews, original articles, and obtained information related to glyphosate-induced neurotoxicity and novel phytochemicals implicated to ameliorate the glyphosate-induced neurotoxicity. We performed a systematic review without comprehensive meta-analysis. RESULTS: the efficacy of several phytochemicals as a nutritional intervention against glyphosate-induced neurotoxicity including Parkinsonism was elucidated by vivid review analysis of neurobehavioral alterations from in vitro and in vivo study models. CONCLUSION: These kinds of research projects will bring awareness about the neurotoxic effects of glyphosate and the protective nutritional intervention strategies against glyphosate-induced neurotoxicity including Parkinsonism for farmers.

Green, Solvent-Free Mechanochemical Synthesis of Nano Ag2O/MnO2/N-Doped Graphene Nanocomposites: An Efficient Catalyst for Additive-Base-Free Aerial Oxidation of Various Kinds of Alcohols.

Herein, we report a solvent-less, straightforward, and facile mechanochemical technique to synthesize nanocomposites of Ag2O nanoparticles-doped MnO2, which is further codoped with nitrogen-doped graphene (N-DG) [i.e., (X %)N-DG/MnO2-(1% Ag2O)] using physical milling of separately prepared N-DG and Ag2O NPs-MnO2 annealed at 400 °C over an eco-friendly ball-mill process. To assess the efficiency in terms of catalytic performance of the nanocomposites, selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BlOH) to benzaldehyde (BlCHO) is selected as a substrate model with an eco-friendly oxidizing agent (O2 molecule) and without any requirements for the addition of any harmful additives or bases. Various nanocomposites were prepared by varying the amount of N-DG in the composite, and the results obtained highlighted the function of N-DG in the catalyst system when they are compared with the catalyst MnO2-(1% Ag2O) [i.e., undoped catalyst] and MnO2-(1% Ag2O) codoped with different graphene dopants such as GRO and H-RG for alcohol oxidation transformation. The effects of various catalytic factors are systematically evaluated to optimize reaction conditions. The N-DG/MnO2-(1% Ag2O) catalyst exhibits premium specific activity (16.0 mmol/h/g) with 100% BlOH conversion and <99.9% BlCHO selectivity within a very short interval. The mechanochemically prepared N-DG-based nanocomposite displayed higher catalytic efficacy than that of the MnO2-(1% Ag2O) catalyst without the graphene dopant, which is N-DG in this study. A wide array of aromatic, heterocyclic, allylic, primary, secondary, and aliphatic alcohols have been selectively converted to respective ketones and aldehydes with full convertibility without further oxidation to acids over N-DG/MnO2-(1% Ag2O). Interestingly, it is also found that the N-DG/MnO2-(1% Ag2O) can be efficiently reused up to six times without a noteworthy decline in its effectiveness. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized using various analytical, microscopic, and spectroscopic techniques such as X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller.

Sb-Doped Cerium Molybdate: An Emerging Material as Dielectric and Photocatalyst for the Removal of Diclofenac Potassium from Aqueous Media.

This work reports the influence of antimony substitution in a cerium molybdate lattice for improved dielectric and photocatalytic properties. For this purpose, a series of Ce2-xSbx(MoO4)3 (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.09) were synthesized through a co-precipitation route. The as-synthesized materials were characterized for their optical properties, functional groups, chemical oxidation states, structural phases, surface properties, and dielectric characteristics using UV-Vis spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, and impedance spectroscopy, respectively. UV-Vis study showed a prominent red shift of absorption maxima and a continuous decrease in band gap (3.35 eV to 2.79 eV) by increasing the dopant concentration. The presence of Ce-O and Mo-O-Mo bonds, detected via FTIR and Raman spectroscopies, are confirmed, indicating the successful synthesis of the desired material. The monoclinic phase was dominant in all materials, and the crystallite size was decreased from 40.29 nm to 29.09 nm by increasing the Sb content. A significant increase in the dielectric constant (ε' = 2.856 × 108, 20 Hz) and a decrease in the loss tan (tanδ = 1.647, 20 Hz) were exhibited as functions of the increasing Sb concentration. Furthermore, the photocatalytic efficiency of pristine cerium molybdate was also increased by 1.24 times against diclofenac potassium by incorporating Sb (x = 0.09) in the cerium molybdate. The photocatalytic efficiency of 85.8% was achieved within 180 min of UV light exposure at optimized conditions. The photocatalytic reaction followed pseudo-first-order kinetics with an apparent rate constant of 0.0105 min-1, and the photocatalyst was recyclable with good photocatalytic activity even after five successive runs. Overall, the as-synthesized Sb-doped cerium molybdate material has proven to be a promising candidate for charge storage devices and a sustainable photocatalyst for wastewater treatment.

Inflammation and Stem Cell Stochasticity of HPV-induced Cervical Cancer: Epigenetics Based Biomarkers through Microbiome and Metabolome for Personalized Medicine: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Chemoresistance by stemness in HPV-induced cervical carcinogenesis has significant implications for the overall disease-specific survival of the patients. To date, there are no reports related to the implications of significant aspects of inflammation and microbiome-- mediated epigenetics in cervical cancers. OBJECTIVE: The current systematic review delineates the significant aspects of the inflammation-related pathophysiology, cervical cancer diagnosis based on the HPV-indued stemness, and microbiome- mediated epigenetic markers to develop personalized therapies to target the stemness-acquired indefinitely dividing cancer stem cells. METHODS: We performed a systematic review without a meta- analysis. We searched several public databases, such as Pubmed, ReleMed, National Library of Medicine, and Scopus, related to inflammation, metabolomics, microbiome-mediated epigenetic markers, and HPV-induced stemness. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The review significantly described the correlation between microbial inflammation and stem cell stochasticity of HPV-Induced cervical cancer and the expression of epigenetics- based biomarkers through microbiome and metabolome to foster the cervical cancer progression. These are major risk factors that can cause cervical dysplasia with substantial therapy resistance in cervical cancer patients. The qualitative and quantitative examination of the spatial transcriptomic expression of these stemness markers in the dividing cervical cancer stem cells has significant implications in the clinical sector to develop early personalized medicine to prevent cervical precancerous lesions depending on the prognosis of the cervical cancer patients. Mainly, the combinatorial regimen of current therapeutic modalities, along with microbiome-related therapies with future landscape of epigenetics-modulated therapies, may enhance overall disease-specific survival by modulating the stochastic dynamics of basal epithelial cells across the cervical region.