An Update on Recent Advances in Cubosome: A Novel Drug Delivery System

Cubosomes are highly stable nanostructured liquid crystalline dosage delivery form derived from amphiphilic lipids and polymer-based stabilizers converting it in a form of effective biocompatible carrier for the drug delivery. The delivery form comprised of bicontinuous lipid bilayers arranged in three dimensional honeycombs like structure provided with two internal aqueous channels for incorporation of number of biologically active ingredients. In contrast liposomes they provide large surface area for incorporation of different types of ingredients. Due to the distinct advantages of biocompatibility and thermodynamic stability, cubosomes have remained the first preference as method of choice in the sustained release, controlled release and targeted release dosage forms as new drug delivery system for the better release of the drugs. As lot of advancement in the new form of dosage form has bring the novel avenues in drug delivery mechanisms so it was matter of worth to compile the latest updates on the various aspects of mentioned therapeutic delivery system including its structure, routes of applications along with the potential applications to encapsulate variety drugs to serve health related benefits.

A novel four-step feedback procedure for rapid control of chaotic behavior of the logistic map and unstable traffic on the road

We present a new four-step feedback procedure to study the full dynamics of a nonlinear dynamical system, namely, the logistic map. We show that by using this procedure, the chaotic behavior of the logistic map can be controlled easily and rapidly or the system can be made stable for higher values of the population growth parameter. We utilize various dynamical techniques (orbit evolution, time series analysis, bifurcation diagrams, and Lyapunov exponents) to analyze the dynamics of the logistic map. Additionally, we adopt the switching strategy to control chaos or to increase the stability performance of the logistic map. Finally, we propose a modified traffic control model to enable rapid control of unexpected traffic on the road. The results of this model are supported by a physical interpretation. The model is found to be more efficient than existing models of Lo and Cho [J. Franklin Inst. 342, 839-851 (2005)] and Ashish et al. [Nonlinear Dyn. 94, 959-975 (2018)]. This work provides a novel feedback procedure that facilitates rapid control of chaotic behavior and increases the range of stability of dynamical systems.

Microplastics in the environment: Interactions with microbes and chemical contaminants

Microplastics (MPs) are contaminants of emerging concern that have gained considerable attention during the last few decades due to their adverse impact on living organisms and the environment. Recent studies have shown their ubiquitous presence in the environment including the atmosphere, soil, and water. Though several reviews have focused on the occurrence of microplastics in different habitats, little attention has been paid to their interaction with biological and chemical pollutants in the environment. This review therefore presents the state of knowledge on the interaction of MPs with chemicals and microbes in different environments. The distribution of MPs, the association of toxic chemicals with MPs, microbial association with MPs and the microbial-induced fate of MPs in the environment are discussed. The biodegradation and bioaccumulation of MPs by and in microbes and its potential impact on the food chain are also reviewed. The mechanisms driving these interactions and how these, in turn, affect living organisms however are not yet fully understood and require further attention.

Naphthalene catabolism by biofilm forming marine bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa N6P6 and the role of quorum sensing in regulation of dioxygenase gene

AIM

This study aims to establish the role of quorum sensing (QS) system on the regulation of naphthalene ring cleaving gene ndo (encoding naphthalene dioxygenase) in biofilm forming marine bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa N6P6 for naphthalene degradation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Total cell count of P. aeruginosa N6P6 during biofilm mode of growth was slightly higher (7·3 × 10⁸  CFU per ml) than its planktonic mid-exponential phase culture (4·7 × 10⁸  CFU per ml). Naphthalene degradation in 20h by biofilm (48-h old) and planktonic culture was 99·4 ± 0·002% and 77 ± 3·25%, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa N6P6 was able to degrade 64·3 ± 4·7% naphthalene in sterile soil microcosm in 24 h. The bacterium showed the presence of 136 bp ndo gene which was upregulated in a dose-dependent manner in presence of naphthalene. QS inhibitor (QSI) tannic acid downregulated the expression of ndo gene, naphthalene 1, 2-dioxygenase (N12O) enzyme activity and naphthalene degradation (by biofilm culture).

CONCLUSIONS

P. aeruginosa N6P6 shows chemotaxis towards naphthalene and adapts well in terrestrial environment for naphthalene degradation.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT THE OF STUDY

This study provides the information that the QS plays crucial role in biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa N6P6 and QS regulatory genes subsequently control the ndo gene for enzymatic degradation of naphthalene.

Expression of p27 and p16 and their clinical significance in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Deregulated expression of cell cycle regulators p27 and p16 is associated with cancer progression. p27^kip1 and p16^INKa are a cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor whose major target is the cyclinE/CDK2 and cyclinD/CDK4/6 complex, respectively, that governs cell cycle transition from late G1 to S phase.

METHODS

We recruited biopsies of a total of 84 subjects including 72 primary tumor biopsies from histopathologically proven gastric carcinoma, 8 adjacent controls and 12 independent controls. We used gastric cancer cell line, AGS, for validation of our data. Expression profiling at transcript level was done by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and at proteome level by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Receiver operator characteristics analysis was done for determining the diagnostic utility of p27 and p16 with respect to the sensitivity and specificity.

RESULTS

We demonstrate that p27 and p16 are frequently over expressed in early stages of gastric carcinoma. Our semi-quantitative data show a significant upregulation of p27 (Mean ± SEM, 0.4771 ± 0.0895; p = 0.0001) and p16 (Mean ± SEM, 0.4676 ± 0.04305; p = 0.0001) at mRNA level. Concordant to semi-quantitative data, immunohistochemistry data also showed a significant upregulation of p27 (Mean ± SEM, 196.4 ± 10.84; p < 0.0001) and p16 (Mean ± SEM, 100.4 ± 23.71; p < 0.0001) at protein level.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study showed that the significant upregulation of p27 and p16 were associated with early events in gastric carcinogenesis. Our data suggests that clinical correlation of these differentially expressed genes may be useful as diagnostic biomarkers for early detection of gastric carcinoma and promising therapeutics target for GC patients.

Coinfection of H1N1 Influenza and Scrub Typhus-A Review

The H1N1 influenza infection usually coincides with the typical scrub typhus season in North India. This leads to diagnostic difficulties due to their similar and non-specific symptoms. We describe three patients with confirmed co-infection of pandemic (H1N1) influenza and scrub typhus who had presented with acute respiratory distress syndrome. A systematic review of database yielded one case of scrub typhus and H1N1 influenza co-infection reported from South Korea. Co-infection of influenza with tropical infections may not be uncommon in endemic countries and hence a high index of suspicion on the part of physicians coupled with appropriate investigations are needed. The true burden of co-infections needs to be evaluated during outbreaks of influenza in a systematic manner.

Severity of violence and quality of life of women with psychiatric disorders as compared to normal controls

BACKGROUND

Despite the fact that violence against women is a significant public health problem, there is a paucity of research into this area, and little is known about the extent to which women with psychiatric disorders are affected.

AIM

The aim of the study was to assess and compare the severity of violence and quality of life of women with psychiatric disorders and normal controls.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Based on purposive sampling technique, a sample consisting of 120 participants was selected from in-patient (female section) and outpatient services of the Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences and Kanke Area. Both groups were matched on sociodemographic details. Normal controls were screened using General Health Questionnaire-12. The severity of violence against women scale and the revised Conflict Tactics Scale were used to assess the severity of violence, and World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-BREF scale was used for the assessment of the quality of life. Scales were scored as per their test manuals. Results were tabulated and compared using appropriate statistical tests.

RESULTS

Women with psychiatric illness as well as normal controls faced various forms of symbolic violence equally. Women with psychiatric disorders faced significantly higher severity of physical assault, sexual coercion, and injury as compared to normal controls. Women with psychiatric disorders had significantly lower scores on WHOQOL BREF compared to normal participants.

CONCLUSION

Women with psychiatric disorders suffered significantly higher severity of both physical and sexual violence and had significantly worse quality of life compared to normal controls.

Sensitivity Enhancement of a Concave Shaped Optical Fiber Refractive Index Sensor Covered with Multiple Au Nanowires

In the present paper, a new kind of concave shaped refractive index sensor (CSRIS) exploiting localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is proposed and numerically optimized. The LSPR effect between polaritons and the core guided mode of designed CSRIS is used to enhance the sensing performance. The sensor is characterized for two types of sensing structures coated with gold (Au) film and Au nanowires (AuNWs), respectively. The influence of structural parameters such as the distance (D) of the concave shaped channel (CSC) from the core, the diameter of the nanowire (d_n) and the size (s) of the CSC are investigated here. In comparison to Au film, the AuNWs are shown to significantly enhance the sensitivity and the performance of the designed sensor. An enhanced sensitivity of 4471 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) is obtained with AuNWs, for a wide range of analytes refractive index (n_a) varying between 1.33 to 1.38. However, for conventional Au film; the sensitivity of 808.57 nm/RIU is obtained for the same range of analytes.

Application of wavelet analysis on transient reflectivity in ultra-thin films

Applications of wavelet analysis in ultra-thin film transient reflectivity (TR) measurements have been investigated. Advantages of utilizing different localized wavelet bases, in position and time, have been addressed on the residual TR signals. Morse wavelets have been used to obtain information from the abrupt oscillatory modes in the signal, which are not distinguishable with conventional methods such as Fourier transforms. These abrupt oscillatory modes are caused by the surface, interface, or any short-lived oscillatory modes which are suppressed in the TR signal in ultra-thin films. It is demonstrated that by choosing different Morse wavelets, information regarding different oscillatory modes in the TR signal of a heterostructure thin film is achievable. Moreover, by performing wavelet analysis on multiferroic heterostructures, oscillatory modes with very close energy ranges are easily distinguishable. For illustration, residuals of the TR signals have been obtained by a pump-probe setup in reflectivity mode on La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃/SrTiO₃ and BaTiO₃/La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃/SrTiO₃ samples, where sufficient signal to noise ratios have been achieved by taking multiple scans. The residual signals have been analyzed with Morse wavelets, and multiple oscillatory modes with close energy ranges have been observed and distinguished. This approach can isolate the location of various oscillatory modes at the surface, interface and in the bulk of the heterostructure sample.

Pronator teres accessorius: A new variant in flexor antebrachial musculature

Muscles of flexor compartment of forearm have a common origin from medial epicondyle of humerus. Additional bellies of flexor muscles are commonly reported but presence of supernumerary muscles is an infrequent phenomenon. The present study describes an unusual muscle mass in flexor compartment of forearm simulating pronator teres. During routine dissection the upper limb of a 50 years old male cadaver, a supernumerary muscle was found on left side of the upper limb in the flexor compartment. The origin of the muscle was 2cm wide and aponeurotic in nature and attached to an oblique line extending from the inferior surface of the medial epicondyle and the medial surface of the trochlea. It was inserted on an oblique line 2.5cm wide on the radius in area between supinator superiorly and flexor digitorum profundus inferiorly. Existence of accessory muscles, which connect flexor muscles, could be explained embryologically by incomplete cleavage of flexor mass during development. The flexor muscles of the forearm develop from the flexor mass which subsequently divides into two layers: superficial and deep. The deep layer gives rise to flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus and flexor pollicis longus. These supernumerary muscles are extremely rare entities and probably represent deranged embryological development or the process of atavism in which the anomalous part persist for a longer time in the tree of evolution.

Utility of a Single-Tube, Six-Color Flow Cytometry Panel for the Diagnosis of Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Experience of a Tertiary Care Centre in India

Background: Diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is challenging in the presence of morphological mimickers. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping (FCI) has been added to the diagnostic armamentarium, but its use in clinical practice is variable. Materials and Methods: Bone marrow aspirate samples from 54 patients with a clinical and/or morphological suspicion of MDS were subjected to FCI using a single-tube, 6-colour panel comprising of monoclonal antibodies against CD13, CD11b, CD16, CD34, CD45 and CD56. Analysis was centered on the abnormal maturation pattern of granulocytes, blast percentage (≥3%) and ratio of side scatter peak channel value (SSC-PCV) of granulocytes and lymphocytes. Each of these parameters was assigned a score of 1. Overall sensitivity and specificity of this panel was ascertained to differentiate cytopenia/s of MDS from non-MDS cases. Results: Forty MDS and 14 non-MDS cases were diagnosed based on morphology and cytogenetic results. Twenty control samples were also processed simultaneously for FCI to assign the cutoff for various flow cytometric parameters. A score ≥2 was defined as positive for MDS. Hypogranularity was present in 62.5% cases of MDS. The median SSC-PCV of granulocytes and lymphocytes was 6.16 in the MDS group, 7.9 in the non-MDS group and 8.90 in the control group (p <0.05). This cut-off value of 6.16 had a specificity of 92.5% based on the ROC curve analysis. Abnormal granulocyte maturation patterns for CD13/16, CD13/11b and CD11b/16 dot plots were observed in 95.3, 69.8 and 74.4% cases, respectively. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the panel was found to be 87.5% and 64.2%, respectively. Conclusion: FCI is now an important tool for diagnostic workup in patients presenting with persistent cytopenia with or without morphological evidence of dyspoiesis. Inclusion of objective parameters like SSC-PCV would also reduce inter-lab variability in MDS diagnosis.