Harnessing the Antibacterial, Anti-Diabetic and Anti-Carcinogenic Properties of Linn (Tulsi).

Linn ( L.), commonly known as Holy Basil or Tulsi, is a fragrant herbaceous plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. This plant is widely cultivated and found in north-central parts of India, several Arab countries, West Africa and tropical regions of the Eastern World.

Parkinson's Disease: Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Disease Progression.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disease that causes both motor and nonmotor symptoms. While our understanding of putative mechanisms has advanced significantly, it remains challenging to verify biomarkers with sufficient evidence for regular clinical use. Clinical symptoms are the primary basis for diagnosing the disease, which can be mild in the early stages and overlap with other neurological disorders.

Alzheimer's disease: from early pathogenesis to novel therapeutic approaches.

The mainstay behind Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unknown due to the elusive pathophysiology of the disease. Beta-amyloid and phosphorylated Tau is still widely incorporated in various research studies while studying AD. However, they are not sufficient.

Computational reassessment of RNA-seq data reveals key genes in active tuberculosis.

Background: Tuberculosis is a serious life-threatening disease among the top global health challenges and rapid and effective diagnostic biomarkers are vital for early diagnosis especially given the increasing prevalence of multidrug resistance.

Methods: Two human whole blood microarray datasets, GSE42826 and GSE42830 were retrieved from publicly available gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. Deregulated genes (DEGs) were identified using GEO2R online tool and Gene Ontology (GO), protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was performed using Metascape and STRING databases.

Exploring the Use of Computed Tomography Enterography in the Evaluation of Small Bowel Disease: A Prospective Study.

Background A major development in noninvasive imaging modalities, computed tomographic enterography (CTE) has a number of benefits over conventional computed tomography (CT) and capsule endoscopy. Through the utilization of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) technology, CTE expedites the assessment of small bowel diseases, especially in those segments that are not accessible through traditional endoscopy. This study's main goal is to thoroughly evaluate CTE's diagnostic accuracy for a range of small intestinal conditions.

Exploring the Role of Extracellular Vesicles in the Pathogenesis of Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health concern, necessitating accurate diagnosis and treatment monitoring. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes, play crucial roles in disease progression, with their associated genes serving as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Leveraging publicly available RNA-Seq datasets of TB patients and healthy controls (HCs), to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and their associated protein-protein interaction networks and immune cell profiles, the common EV-related DEGs were identified and validated in the GSE42830 and GSE40553 datasets.

Challenges and Solutions in Automated Tongue Diagnosis Techniques: A Review.

Tongue diagnosis is used in various traditional medicine cultures as a non-invasive method for assessing an individual's health. Tongue image analysis has the potential for assessing the metabolism and functionality of the internal organs, making it a quick method of diagnosis. As automated systems give quantitative and objective results thereby effective in facilitating diagnosis, a review was conducted to evaluate literature on current methods of tongue diagnosis.

Computational studies indicated the effectiveness of human metabolites against SARS-Cov-2 main protease.

To fight against the devastating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), identifying robust anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics from all possible directions is necessary. To contribute to this effort, we selected a human metabolites database containing waters and lipid-soluble metabolites to screen against the 3-chymotrypsin-like proteases (3CL) protein of SARS-CoV-2. The top 8 hits from virtual screening displayed a docking score varying between ~ - 11 and ~ - 14 kcal/mol.

Formulation design and optimization of cationic-charged liposomes of brimonidine tartrate for effective ocular drug delivery by design of experiment (DoE) approach.

Objective: The present study was aimed to design and optimize brimonidine tartrate (BRT) loaded cationic-charged liposome formulation with enhanced trans-corneal drug permeation, prolonged corneal residence, and sustained drug release for effective ocular delivery.

Methods: Design of experiment (DoE) based formulation optimization was done by three-factor, three-level Box-Behnken design selecting lipid, cholesterol, and drug content as independent variables and particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), entrapment efficiency (EE%), and cumulative % drug release (CDR) as response variables. The optimized formulation consisting of 79.

Design and development of a rapid, high voltage capacitor charging power supply based on third order resonant converter topology.

A rapid, high voltage capacitor charging power supply (CCPS) based on a third order resonant converter topology has been proposed, analyzed, and simulated using the PSpice software, and as a proof of concept, a prototype of the 6.0 kV, 6.0 A CCPS is also developed.

Purification of Drug Loaded Liposomal Formulations by a Novel Stirred Cell Ultrafiltration Technique.

Background: Presently reported methods for purification of liposomal formulations at laboratory scale have drawbacks of adversely affecting critical quality attributes (CQAs) of liposomes such as particle size, PDI, drug entrapment efficiency, etc., and are also not amenable for large scale processing.

Objective: The present study was aimed to explore stirred cell ultrafiltration technique as a novel liposome purification method for removal of unentrapped free drug and excess external aqueous fluid, maintaining the physical integrity of liposomes.

Eco-innovations and sustainability in solid waste management: An indian upfront in technological, organizational, start-ups and financial framework.

Technological interventions and eco-innovative solutions are necessary to cope with the adverse environmental impacts of waste accumulation. The notion to consider "waste as a resource and recycling of the same for getting the value of the waste" has truly transformed the approach towards solid waste management (SWM). Technological eco-innovations rely on the automation of waste segregation, collection, route optimization, digital apps for creating communication (enhanced efficiency by 40-85%) and treatment technologies.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in perinatal asphyxia: role in pathogenesis and potential therapeutic interventions.

Perinatal asphyxia (PA)-induced brain injury may present as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in the neonatal period, and long-term sequelae such as spastic motor deficits, intellectual disability, seizure disorders and learning disabilities. The brain injury is secondary to both the hypoxic-ischemic event and oxygenation-reperfusion following resuscitation. Following PA, a time-dependent progression of neuronal insult takes place in terms of transition of cell death from necrosis to apoptosis.

Ethyl Pyruvate as a Potential Defense Intervention against Cytokine Storm in COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a deadly pandemic and has resulted in a huge loss of money and life in the past few months. It is well known that the SARS-CoV-2 gene mutates relatively slowly as compared to other viruses but still may create hurdles in developing vaccines. Therefore, there is a need to develop alternative routes for its management and treatment of COVID-19.

Designing and Formulation Optimization of Hyaluronic Acid Conjugated PLGA Nanoparticles of Tamoxifen for Tumor Targeting.

Background: Tamoxifen is widely used for the treatment of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. However, it is associated with severe side effects of cancerous proliferation on the uterus endometrium. The tumor-targeting formulation strategies can effectively overcome drug side effects of tamoxifen and provide safer drug treatment.

An integrated methodology to overcome barriers to climate change mitigation strategies: a case of the cement industry in India.

Cement is a basic requirement of today's society and is the only thing that humans consume more volume than water, but cement manufacturing is the most energy- and emission-intensive process. Hence, the cement industry is currently under pressure to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions. Climate change mitigation strategies implemented in the industry leads to GHGs reduction, climate risks, pollutants, and another adverse impact on the environment.

Nano-Lipidic Carriers as a Tool for Drug Targeting to the Pilosebaceous Units.

The pilosebaceous unit is the triad comprising of hair follicle, arrector pilli muscle, and sebaceous gland. Drug delivery to and through the hair follicles has garnered much attention of the researchers and the hair follicles represent an attractive target site via topical applications. They are bordered by capillaries and antigenpresenting cells, connected to the sebaceous glands and the bulge region of the hair follicle anchors the stem cells.

An integrated approach using AHP and DEMATEL for evaluating climate change mitigation strategies of the Indian cement manufacturing industry.

Concrete, a cement-based product is the highest manufactured and second highest consumed product after water on earth. Across the world, production of cement is the most energy and emission intensive industry hence, the cement industry is currently under pressure to reduce greenhouse gases emissions (GHGEs). However, reducing the GHGEs of the cement industry especially for developing country like India is not an easy task.

Hydrodynamic cavitation using vortex diode: An efficient approach for elimination of pathogenic bacteria from water.

The present study successfully demonstrates greener methodology of hydrodynamic cavitation using rotational flows for disinfection of water. Disinfection of two model microbial strains-gram- negative (Escherichia coli) and gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) using vortex diode was evaluated. The removal efficacy was quantified for two different cavitation reactors.

Potential of chitosan-based carrier for periodontal drug delivery.

Periodontal diseases are chronic infectious diseases and are a major oral health burden. With the progress in the understanding of etiology, epidemiology and pathogenesis of periodontal diseases coupled with the understanding of the polymicrobial synergy in the dysbiotic oral microbial flora, several new therapeutic targets have been identified. The strategies to curb bacterial growth and production of factors that gradually destroy the tissue surrounding and supporting the teeth have been the cornerstone for inhibiting periodontitis.

Short-term westernized (HFFD) diet fed in adolescent rats: Effect on glucose homeostasis, hippocampal insulin signaling, apoptosis and related cognitive and recognition memory function.

Excessive consumption of high-fat fructose diet (HFFD) is associated with the development of systemic insulin resistance (InsRes) and further progression into type-2 diabetes (T2DM). InsRes induced hippocampal insulin signaling has serious consequence on hampered sensorimotor, cognitive performance and long term potentiation accompained to neuronal cell death in hippocampus. However, short-term HFFD/Streptozotocin (STZ) mediated hippocampal InsRes and related neurobehavioral alterations in adoloscents have not been reported.

Purification of Drug Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles Prepared by Emulsification Solvent Evaporation Using Stirred Cell Ultrafiltration Technique.

Purpose: The emulsifiers in an exceedingly higher level are used in the preparation of drug loaded polymeric nanoparticles prepared by emulsification solvent evaporation method. This creates great problem to the formulator due to their serious toxicities when it is to be administered by parenteral route. The final product is therefore required to be freed from the used surfactants by the conventional purification techniques which is a cumbersome job.

Retinal sensitivity in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetics Study (SN-DREAMS II, Report No. 4).

Aim: To evaluate retinal sensitivity (RS) in subjects with diabetes in a population-based study and to elucidate associated risk factors for abnormal RS.

Methods: A subset of 357 subjects from Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetics Study-II was included in this study. All subjects underwent detailed ophthalmic evaluation including microperimetry and spectral domain optical coherence tomography.

Macular thickness measurements using Copernicus Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

Purpose: To provide normal macular thickness measurements using Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SDOCT, Copernicus, Optopol Technologies, Zawierci, Poland).

Methods: Fifty-eight eyes of 58 healthy subjects were included in this prospective study. All subjects had comprehensive ophthalmic examination including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

Hydroxypropyl- β -cyclodextrin: A Novel Transungual Permeation Enhancer for Development of Topical Drug Delivery System for Onychomycosis.

The treatment of onychomycosis is a challenging task because of unique barrier properties of the nail plate which hampers the passage of antifungal drugs in a concentration required to eradicate the deeply seated causative fungi in the nail bed. In present investigation, application of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) was established as an effective and nail friendly transungual drug permeation enhancer especially for poorly water soluble drugs using terbinafine hydrochloride as a poorly soluble drug. HP-β-CD significantly improves hydration of nail plates and increases solubility of terbinafine hydrochloride in the aqueous environment available therein, which leads to uninterrupted drug permeation through water filled pores of hydrogel-like structure of hydrated nail plates.