Vesico-obturator venous plexus - a rare termination of obturator vein.

Obturator vein usually terminates into the internal iliac vein. Its variations are the cause major bleeding problems in pelvic surgeries. We observed a rare variation in the termination of the right obturator vein. There was a duplication of right obturator vein. Both obturator veins entered the pelvic cavity through the obturator foramen and joined with two vesical veins to form a vesico-obturator plexus. This plexus surrounded the internal iliac artery and terminated into the internal iliac vein. Awareness of this rare variation could be of importance to anatomists, radiologists, gynaecologists, urologists, and orthopaedic surgeons. The plexus might lead to hazardous bleeding in pelvic lymph node clearance procedures, hernia surgeries, gynaecological and orthopaedic procedures in this region. The pelvic fractures too can provoke dramatic retroperitoneal hematomas related to these veins injuries.

Application of DSO algorithm for estimating the parameters of triple diode model-based solar PV system.

Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) technology advancements are primarily aimed at decarbonizing and enhancing the resiliency of the energy grid. Incorporating SPV is one of the ways to achieve the goal of energy efficiency. Because of the nonlinearity, modeling of SPV is a very difficult process. Identification of variables in a lumped electric circuit model is required for accurate modeling of the SPV system. This paper presents a new state-of-the-art control technique based on human artefacts dubbed Drone Squadron Optimization for estimating 15 parameters of a three-diode equivalent model solar PV system. The suggested method simulates a nonlinear relationship between the P-V and I-V performance curves, lowering the difference between experimental and calculated data. To evaluate the adaptive performance in every climatic state, two different test cases with commercial PV cells, RTC France and photo watt-201, are used. The proposed method provides a more accurate parameter estimate. To validate the recommended approach's performance, the data are compared to the results of the most recent and powerful methodologies in the literature. For the RTC and PWP Photo Watt Cell, the DSO technique has the lowest Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 6.7776 × 10-4 and 0.002310324 × 10-4, respectively.

Inhibition of carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes by a potential probiotic Levilactobacillus brevis RAMULAB49 isolated from fermented Ananas comosus.

The research aimed to explore the potential probiotic characteristics of Levilactobacillus brevis RAMULAB49, a strain of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from fermented pineapple, specifically focusing on its antidiabetic effects. The importance of probiotics in maintaining a balanced gut microbiota and supporting human physiology and metabolism motivated this research. All collected isolates underwent microscopic and biochemical screenings, and those exhibiting Gram-positive characteristics, negative catalase activity, phenol tolerance, gastrointestinal conditions, and adhesion capabilities were selected. Antibiotic susceptibility was assessed, along with safety evaluations encompassing hemolytic and DNase enzyme activity tests. The isolate's antioxidant activity and its ability to inhibit carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes were examined. Additionally, organic acid profiling (LC-MS) and in silico studies were conducted on the tested extracts. Levilactobacillus brevis RAMULAB49 demonstrated desired characteristics such as Gram-positive, negative catalase activity, phenol tolerance, gastrointestinal conditions, hydrophobicity (65.71%), and autoaggregation (77.76%). Coaggregation activity against Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium was observed. Molecular characterization revealed significant antioxidant activity in Levilactobacillus brevis RAMULAB49, with ABTS and DPPH inhibition rates of 74.85% and 60.51%, respectively, at a bacterial cell concentration of 109 CFU/mL. The cell-free supernatant exhibited substantial inhibition of α-amylase (56.19%) and α-glucosidase (55.69%) in vitro. In silico studies supported these findings, highlighting the inhibitory effects of specific organic acids such as citric acid, hydroxycitric acid, and malic acid, which displayed higher Pa values compared to other compounds. These outcomes underscore the promising antidiabetic potential of Levilactobacillus brevis RAMULAB49, isolated from fermented pineapple. Its probiotic properties, including antimicrobial activity, autoaggregation, and gastrointestinal conditions, contribute to its potential therapeutic application. The inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities further support its anti-diabetic properties. In silico analysis identified specific organic acids that may contribute to the observed antidiabetic effects. Levilactobacillus brevis RAMULAB49, as a probiotic isolate derived from fermented pineapple, holds promise as an agent for managing diabetes. Further investigations should focus on evaluating its efficacy and safety in vivo to consider its potential therapeutic application in diabetes management.

Augmented rescue of macroglobulins by supplementation of anti-snake venom with methanolic extract of Andrographis paniculata in Naja naja envenomation.

Proteins of the macroglobulin family are prime targets of venom enzymes in snake bite. A massive reduction in the active concentration of these multifunctional proteins in snake bite, makes the living system vulnerable to dysregulation. This study investigates the ability of Indian polyvalent anti-snake venom (ASV), methanolic extract of Andrographis paniculata (MAP) and their combination in rescuing human alpha 2-macroglobulin (A2MG) and its homologues in rat plasma, from inactivation by Naja naja (N.N) venom enzymes. In-vitro experiments were conducted with heparinized human plasma and in-vivo experiments with female Wistar rats. Along with appropriate controls, there were 3 test groups in in-vitro and 8 test groups in in-vivo experiments. The in-vitro test groups were exposed to N.N venom for zero, 30 or 90 min prior to incubation with ASV or MAP or reduced ASV supplemented with MAP and incubated for 16 h at 37 °C. Chymotrypsin-bound esterase (CTBE) activity of A2MG was estimated. Rats were administered the venom intramuscularly and treated with ASV/MAP/ASV + MAP. CTBE activity of macroglobulin homologues was measured on day 1, 7 and 14. Survival of animals was noted. In human plasma, addition of ASV or MAP or ASV + MAP prevented loss of A2MG activity maximally to the extent of 88-100% (p = 0.001). In rats, reduced concentration of ASV supplemented with MAP showed complete rescue of macroglobulin homologues and 90% survival. The compulsive evidence from this study, underscores the merits of using this multipronged strategy in rescuing the macroglobulins and improving survival in envenomation due to N.N.

Discovery of novel benzophenone integrated derivatives as anti-Alzheimer's agents targeting presenilin-1 and presenilin-2 inhibition: A computational approach.

The most commonly accepted hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the amyloid hypothesis caused due to formation of accumulation of Aß42 isoform, which leads to neurodegeneration. In this regard, presenilin-1 (PSEN-1) and -2 (PSEN-2) proteins play a crucial role by altering the amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolism, affecting γ-secretase protease secretion, finally leading to the increased levels of Aß. In the absence of reported commercial pharmacotherapeutic agents targeting presenilins, we aim to propose benzophenone integrated derivatives (BIDs) as the potential inhibitors of presenilin proteins through in silico approach. The study evaluates the interaction of BIDs through molecular docking simulations, molecular dynamics simulations, and binding free energy calculations. This is the first ever computational approach to discover the potential inhibitors of presenilin proteins. It also comprises druglikeliness and pharmacotherapeutic potential analysis of the compounds. Out of all the screened BIDs, BID-16 was found to be the lead compound against both the presenilin proteins. Based on these results, one can evaluate BID-16 as an anti-Alzheimer's potential specifically targeting presenilin proteins in near future using in vitro and in vivo methods.

Antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of seeds from emblica officinalis (Gaertn.).

There is a shred of evidence to suggest that Emblica officinalis Gaertn, the botanical name for amla seeds, has greater medicinal potential than amla fruit. We conducted this work to assess the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant capacities of E. officinalis seed extracts. The bioactive components from the seeds were fractionated using chloroform, hexane, methanol, and diethyl ether, according to the polarity of the solvents. The total amount of phenolic and flavonoid was estimated. Both the reducing power and antioxidant capacities of the extracts were evaluated using the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) technique. 15-lipoxygenase (LOX) was inhibited by seed extracts at doses ranging from 5 to 25 micrograms. In silico docking was employed to assess the results. Some human pathogenic microorganisms were tested for their antibacterial activity using the agar disc diffusion method. Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, and Klebsiella pneumonia were inhibited by a methanolic extract with an IC50 value of 58g, making it the most common organic solvent extract. Methanolic extracts also showed good antioxidant and antibacterial activity. Our investigation led us to discover that amla seeds have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial effects.

Effect of microwave blanching on antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds and browning behaviour of some fruit peelings.

Fruit peelings are increasingly being used as ingredients for the formulation of functional foods. In this study, the antioxidant activity and browning behaviour of free and bound phenolic fractions of mango, apple, orange and banana peelings microwave-blanched at 720 W for 1, 3 and 5 min were determined. The fractions were equally analyzed for their phenolic content and composition. Generally, increased microwave blanching was accompanied by a significant increase of total phenolics content in free and bound fractions. Increased antioxidant activities at 3 and 5 min of blanching varied with the type of fruit peelings. Browning rates decreased with microwave blanching time except in the case of apple peelings. Epicatechin, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, p-coumaric acid and gallic acid were identified in fruit peelings. Generally, microwave blanching for 3 or 5 min was found to preserve antioxidant activities and reduce the browning rate.

Ratio Analysis Evaluation of Dermal Collagen and Elastic Fiber Contents: A Comparison of the Horizontal and Vertical Directions of Skin Tissues.

Background: Stretching force on the skin leads to the widening of scars and/or hypertrophy. The uneven distribution profile of collagen and elastic fibers in the human dermis (evaluated based on their topographic areas) might determine the direction of incision for a more pleasing aesthetic result. Materials and methods: Full-thickness skin samples were collected in the horizontal and vertical directions from 15 areas of 32 human cadavers. The histological preparation of the skin samples was performed using special Verhoeff-van Gieson staining. Image analysis in the TissueQuant software was performed using photomicrographs. Quantitative fraction measures for collagen and elastic fibers were completed. From the data obtained, various ratios between collagen in the horizontal (CH) and vertical (CV) directions and elastic fibers in the horizontal (EH) and vertical (EV) directions were established and expressed as CH:CV and EH:EV. Results: In the areas where CV:CH was less than 1 (low ratio of significance), the collagen content was significantly higher in the horizontal direction than the vertical direction (CH>CV). However, this finding is reversed (CV>CH) in areas where CV:CH is greater than 1 (high ratio of significance). Similarly, in areas where EV:EH is less than 1 (low ratio of significance), the elastic fiber content was significantly higher in the horizontal direction than the vertical direction (EH>EV), whereas such is reversed (EV>EH) where EV:EH is greater than 1 (high ratio of significance). Conclusion: The evaluation of ratios of dermal collagen and elastic fibers in different directions together with the data of asymmetric distribution provide a useful guideline for aesthetic surgeons looking to place elective incisions in the direction that will ensure an improved aesthetically pleasing result.

A Study on Scalp Hair Health and Hair Care Practices among Malaysian Medical Students.

INTRODUCTION: Scalp care is essential because it determines the health and condition of the hair and prevents the diseases of scalp and hair. The objectives of our study were to correlate race and hair types, to determine the awareness of hair care among Malaysian medical students, and to distinguish the factors that affect the health of hair and scalp. METHODOLOGY: It was a cross-sectional study wherein validated questionnaires were given to 240 medical undergraduate students who belonged to three ethnic races of Malaysia, i.e., Chinese, Malay, and Malaysian Indians after their informed consent. The results were then analyzed using percentage statistics. RESULTS: Chinese students had comparatively healthier scalp without dandruff. Most Chinese and Indians had silky type of hair while Malay had dry, rough hair. Chinese and Indians colored their hair and used various styling methods; while among the Malays, this percentage was very less. Regarding hair care practices, males used only shampoo and females used shampoo and conditioner for hair wash. Students also faced dietary and examination-related stress. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that there exist morphological differences in hair among the studied population. Since most students color their hair and employ various hairstyling methods, they should be educated regarding best hair care practices to improve their scalp hair condition and health.

Unusual infra-clavicular venous circle - a case report.

Currently, numerous invasive procedures are preferred in cephalic vein (CV) and axillary vein (AV) than other veins in the neck. Anatomical variations of these veins in the axilla and delto-pectoral region may result in failure and postoperative complications of the procedures. A thorough knowledge of possible variations of AV and CV may immensely contribute to the success of any such procedures where the veins are involved. We report the variations of the CV, tributaries of AV and median cubital vein. We observed a venous circle formed by the tributaries of AV in the infra-clavicular region, deep to the pectoral muscles. Cephalic vein joined proximal end of venous circle just before ending into AV. Further, duplication of the median cubital vein was observed.

Evaluation of the variant anatomical disposition of the renal hilar structures in South Indian adult human cadavers and its cinical implications.

AIM: To evaluate the anatomical disposition of the renal hilar structures in human cadavers of south Indian origin, considering their antero-posterior distribution. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninty-six renal hila of the isolated kidneys from adult south Indian cadavers were observed for the branching patterns and the distributions of the renal hilar structures. The number of branches of the renal artery and the divisions of the renal vein in the pre hilar region were noted, along with their pattern of arrangement with respect to the renal pelvis. RESULTS: In the present study on the pre hilar region, we observed that the highest division of the renal artery was 8 and that the highest incidence was of 4 divisions of the renal artery in 30.2% cases. The highest number of venous divisions which was observed was 7. The highest incidence of 40.6 % cases showed 2 divisions of the veins. Regarding the patterns of arrangement of these structures, we observed 12 patterns of arrangement, with a higher incidence (45.8%) of the classical arrangement (V-A-P), as has been described in the standard text books of anatomy, which was followed by the A-V-P pattern (28.1%). CONCLUSION: An anatomical knowledge on the possible variant topography of the renal hilar structures is of great importance when urological surgical procedures are performed.