Publications by authors named "Benny"

Sechium spp., is a vegetable species renowned for its pharmacological properties, including hepatoprotective activity. This species can crossbreed with its wild relatives, leading to the creation of an HD-Victor hybrid with higher levels of flavonoids, cucurbitacins, and phenolic acids compared to the Sechium edule.

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Purpose: Kerala in India leads the nation in both Human Development Index and Sustainable Development Index. The state is a harbinger for the rest of the country in matters of health. Documentation of cancer trends and quantifying the cancer burden is crucial for planning oncology services in the country.

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Extremely premature infants are at significant risk for developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI). Although BPD is a predictor of poor neurodevelopmental outcomes, it is currently unknown how BPD contributes to brain injury and long-term NDI in pre-term infants. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small, membrane-bound structures released from cells into the surrounding environment.

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Thin-section CT (TSCT) is currently the most sensitive imaging modality for detecting bronchiectasis. However, conventional TSCT or HRCT may overlook subtle lung involvement such as alveolar and interstitial changes. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based analysis offers the potential to identify novel information on lung parenchymal involvement that is not easily detectable with traditional imaging techniques.

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The current research assessed the effectiveness of four hybrid constructed wetland (HCW) systems for the remediation of synthetic dye wastewater with Reactive Black 5 (RB5) azo dye. All HCW systems had identical configurations, consisting of a horizontal CW followed by a vertical CW, and operated under diverse conditions such as the presence of plants (Typha angustifolia), feeding modes (batch and continuous) and intermittent aeration (4 h day). Anaerobic-aerobic conditions simulated within the HCW systems were crucial in removing the pollutants from synthetic dye wastewater.

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is one of the opportunistic pathogens that may cause serious health problems and can produce several virulence factors, which are responsible for various infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients. They are responsible for producing infections on indwelling medical devices by attaching on to them and forming a biofilm. Antibiofilm, antivirulence, and gene expression studies of biofilm treated with esters of flavonols were evaluated.

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Background: Cesarean delivery remains the most common obstetrical procedure with more than 250,000 patients in the US undergoing cesarean following labor induction annually. Here, we evaluated the impact of prospectively implementing a standardized labor induction protocol on cesarean delivery rates.

Methods: This multi-site type I hybrid effectiveness-implementation study compared 2 years before (PRE) and 2 years after (POST) implementation of a standardized labor induction protocol at two hospitals within the University of Pennsylvania Health System (2018-2022).

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Background: Differential vulnerability to alcohol contributes to socioeconomic inequities in alcohol-attributable harm. This study aimed to estimate the sex-/gender-specific joint effects of socioeconomic position (SEP) and heavy episodic drinking or volume of alcohol use on 100% alcohol-attributable emergency department (ED) visits.

Methods: We conducted a cohort study among 36 900 men and 39 700 women current and former alcohol consumers aged 15-64 from population-representative Canadian Community Health Surveys (2003-2008) linked to administrative ED visit data through 2017 in Ontario and Alberta.

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Erosive vulvovaginal lichen planus is a severe form of Lichen planus (LP) that can result in chronic scarring if not treated. It can cause narrowing of the introitus, resulting in pain, itch, dyspareunia, dysuria, and recurrent urinary tract infections caused by retention of urine. Therefore, an effective and safer therapeutic approach is required.

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Mechanically driven cellular preference for drug carriers can enhance selectivity in cancer therapy, underscoring the importance of understanding the physical aspects of particle uptake. In this study, it was hypothesized that elongated particles might be preferentially taken up by deformable, aggressive cancer cells compared to normal cells. Two film-stretching methods were tested for 0.

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Background: In Northern Ireland, approximately 550 people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF) attend the regional paediatric and adult centres within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. This autosomal recessive chronic condition necessitates regular clinical monitoring and a high treatment burden, as well as time implications for the maintenance of respiratory devices. Development of health literacy skills at an early age and promoting children with CF (CwCF) to take an active role in their healthcare has many advantages relating to their long-term self-care in preparation for transition from paediatric to adult care, decision-making and partnership engagement with the CF-multidisciplinary team (CF-MDT).

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Rationale: Early mortality in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is due to hematoma volume (HV) expansion, and there are no effective treatments available other than reduction in blood pressure. Tranexamic acid (TXA) a hemostatic drug that is widely available and safe can be a cost-effective treatment for ICH, if proven efficacious.

Hypothesis: Administration of TXA in ICH patients when given within 4.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Multi-targeted drug therapy has received substantial attention for the treatment of diseases of multifactorial origin, such as neurodegenerative diseases. Manasamitra vatakam (MMV) is a traditional Ayurvedic formulation used to improve cognitive impairment and mental illness. Here we have used a unique method for leveraging the barrier properties of the intestinal and blood-brain barrier (BBB) to screen and identify the bioactive molecules against Alzheimer's disease (AD).

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Prospective prediction from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) showed a likely incidence of 1 in 23 women diagnosed with gynaecological malignancy, where the incidence of relapse with a drug-resistant clone poses a significant challenge in dealing with it even after initial treatment. Glucose metabolism has been exploited as a therapeutic target under anti-metabolomic study, but the non-specificity narrowed its applicability in cancer. Novel updates over epigenetics as a target in gynaecological cancer offer a rational idea of using this in the metabolic rewiring in mutated glycolytic flux-induced drug resistance.

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Purpose: To explore how principles of social justice and equity are integrated into research concerning accessibility to public buildings for individuals with mobility disabilities.

Methods: Utilising a scoping review methodology to assess literature based on the criteria set by the Joanna Briggs Institute, seven databases were screened. Studies were selected using the framework: "persons with mobility disabilities" AND "accessibility" AND "public buildings".

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: Vaginal predominance is associated with improved vaginal health and reduced pregnancy complications. Little is known about how dietary quality may improve vaginal microbial composition or about dietary interventions that may promote abundance. To understand the host factors affecting vaginal microbiota during pregnancy in a multi-ethnic cohort in Hawai`i.

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Article Synopsis
  • Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC) is a major cause of sudden cardiac arrest in young adults, linked to mutations in the desmoplakin gene, particularly the R2834H mutation which is not well understood.
  • 3D models have been created to study how AC-inducing mutations and post-translational modifications affect the structure of desmoplakin’s extreme carboxyterminus tail (DP CT), revealing that PTMs can significantly change its interactions with intermediate filaments.
  • Virtual screening of FDA-approved drugs has identified potential treatments for cardiocutaneous diseases, suggesting that drug repurposing could be a viable strategy for addressing AC.
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Introduction: Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) place a significant burden on India's healthcare system, accounting for approximately 62% of all deaths in the country in 2017. The southern Indian state - Kerala - has some of the highest rates of NCDs. Within the state, the fisherfolk community has a high prevalence of risk factors such as tobacco use and alcohol consumption.

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Objective: Bisphenol A and phthalate are known endocrine disruptors and capable of inducing epigenetic changes in the human population. However, their impact on the placenta is less well studied. Our objective was to measure the effect of exposure to bisphenol A and benzyl butyl phthalate in first-trimester HTR8-SVneo and third-trimester 3A-sub E trophoblast cells by profiling the DNA methylation pattern of the imprinting control region of the IGF2 (insulin-like growth factor) and H19 genes.

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Article Synopsis
  • Nitric oxide (•NO) plays a crucial role in biological processes, including enhancing DNA sensitivity to radiation by interacting with guanine radical cations, which are damaged forms of DNA.
  • The study investigated the reactions between •NO and both unsubstituted guanine and a model compound, 9-methylguanine, using advanced techniques to analyze product ions and the reaction mechanisms.
  • Findings revealed that the main product formed in these reactions is a stable closed-shell singlet ion, while other potential products were not detected due to their instability and high energy requirements.
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Background: Antenatal depression (AD) is one of the most common pregnancy complications. Recent studies indicated that immune responses during pregnancy may contribute to development of AD.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify possible inflammatory biomarkers in early pregnancy to predict maternal depressive symptoms before delivery.

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This paper is a comparative reading of variations in the medicalisation of infertility caused by sociocultural aspects, in two illness narratives by patients: Elizabeth Katkin's (2018), a story of navigating a fertility industry with polycystic ovarian syndrome and antiphospholipid syndrome in America and Rohini Rajagopal's (2021), a discussion from India of a growing awareness of medicalisation in treatment of unexplained infertility. For this purpose, it first charts scholarship on illness narratives and medicalisation, noting a historical association. Following this, it shows how infertility, a physiological symptom of reproductive incapacity or failure to show clinical pregnancy, is generally medicalised.

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Article Synopsis
  • Nanozymes are artificial enzymes created by modifying nanomaterials to mimic the functions of natural enzymes, addressing limitations like cost and stability.
  • Since 2007, over 100 types of nanozymes have been developed, capable of imitating various enzymes and exhibiting multiple enzyme-like properties.
  • The review highlights different materials used to create these nanozymes and explores their applications, particularly in biomedical research.
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Article Synopsis
  • Dermatophytosis is a prevalent skin infection that has become more complex due to drug resistance, highlighting the need for standardized assessment tools like the Dermatophytosis Severity Score (DSS).
  • A pilot study involving 25 adults revealed consistent evaluations of disease severity over 8 weeks, showing a high recurrence rate and the impact of prior steroid use among patients.
  • The DSS proved to be a reliable tool correlating well with patient-reported outcomes on itch and quality of life, emphasizing its importance in managing dermatophytosis effectively.
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Background: Kerala, a southern state in India, is known to be atypical due to its high literacy rate and advanced social development indicators. Facing competition from a dominant private healthcare system, recent government health system reforms have focused on providing free, high-quality universal healthcare in the public sector. We carried out an analysis to ascertain the initial impacts of these measures among 'hard to reach groups' as part of a larger health policy and systems research study, with a focus on public sector health service utilisation.

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