A fluorescent chemosensor for selective detection of chromium (III) ions in environmentally and biologically relevant samples

A simple single step one pot multicomponent reaction was performed to synthesize N-(tert-butyl)-2-(furan-2-yl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-3-amine (TBFIPA). The synthesized TBFIPA was subjected to library of cations to study its ability for selective and sensitive detection of specific metal ions. Selective detection of chromium ions by TBFIPA were found from the significant hypsochromic shift (335 nm → 285 nm) in the UV-Visible spectra. The fluorescent TBFIPA displays complete quenching of fluorescence under UV lamp (365 nm) only in the presence of chromium without the interference of common metal ions. Binding constant (ka) obtained from Benesi-Hildebrand plot is 0.21 × 105 M-1, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of TBFIPA toward Cr3+ ions are 4.70 × 10-7 M and 1.56 × 10-7 M, respectively. The mechanism proposed during complex formation were supported by stoichiometric Job continuous variation plot, 1H NMR titration and ESI-MS spectroscopic data. All the experimental confirmation for complex formation were corroborated with theoretical DFT studies optimized using RB3LYP/6-31G(d) basis set. The selectivity and sensitivity of TBFIPA toward Cr3+ ions are found suitable to design a user-friendly silica based portable test kit. Alongside, TBFIPA was successfully utilized for imaging onion epidermal cells. Furthermore, the results obtained for biological, environmental, and industrial samples provided solid evidence to estimate chromium ions using TBFIPA in these real samples.

Hydroxychloroquine and a low activity bisphosphonate conjugate prevent and reverse ovariectomy-induced bone loss in mice through dual antiresorptive and anabolic effects

Osteoporosis is incurable because there are no dual antiresorptive and anabolic therapeutic agents that can be administered long-term. The most widely used antiresorptive agents, bisphosphonates (BPs), also inhibit bone formation and thus have limited effect in preventing osteoporotic fracture. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), which is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, prevents the lysosomal degradation of TNF receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3), an NF-κB adaptor protein that limits bone resorption and maintains bone formation. We attempted to covalently link HCQ to a hydroxyalklyl BP (HABP) with anticipated low antiresorptive activity, to target delivery of HCQ to bone to test if this targeting increases its efficacy to prevent TRAF3 degradation in the bone microenvironment and thus reduce bone resorption and increase bone formation, while reducing its systemic side effects. Unexpectedly, HABP-HCQ was found to exist as a salt in aqueous solution, composed of a protonated HCQ cation and a deprotonated HABP anion. Nevertheless, it inhibited osteoclastogenesis, stimulated osteoblast differentiation, and increased TRAF3 protein levels in vitro. HABP-HCQ significantly inhibited both osteoclast formation and bone marrow fibrosis in mice given multiple daily PTH injections. In contrast, HCQ inhibited fibrosis, but not osteoclast formation, while the HABP alone inhibited osteoclast formation, but not fibrosis, in the mice. HABP-HCQ, but not HCQ, prevented trabecular bone loss following ovariectomy in mice and, importantly, increased bone volume in ovariectomized mice with established bone loss because HABP-HCQ increased bone formation and decreased bone resorption parameters simultaneously. In contrast, HCQ increased bone formation, but did not decrease bone resorption parameters, while HABP also restored the bone lost in ovariectomized mice, but it inhibited parameters of both bone resorption and formation. Our findings suggest that the combination of HABP and HCQ could have dual antiresorptive and anabolic effects to prevent and treat osteoporosis.

Zinc solubilization and organic acid production by the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium pingshaense sheds light on its key ecological role in the environment

We report for the first-time higher zinc (Zn) solubilization efficiency and plant growth promotion by an entomopathogenic fungus (EPF), Metarhizium pingshaense IISR-EPF-14, which was earlier isolated from Conogethes punctiferalis, a pest of global importance. The Zn solubilizing efficiency of the fungus varied depending on the type of insoluble source of Zn used, which was observed to be 1.6 times higher in Zn3(PO4)2-amended media compared to ZnO media. In liquid media, there was a 6.2-fold increase in available Zn in ZnO-amended media, whereas a 20.2-fold increase in available Zn was recorded in Zn3(PO4)2 medium. We ascribe the production of various organic acids such as gluconic, keto-gluconic, oxalic, tartaric, malonic, succinic and formic acids, which in general, interact with insoluble Zn sources and make them soluble by forming metal cations and displacing anions as the major mechanism for Zn solubilization by M. pingshaense. However, the type and amount of organic acid produced in the media varied depending on the source of Zn used and the incubation period. Application of the fungus alone and in combination with insoluble Zn sources enhanced various plant growth parameters in rice and cardamom plants. Moreover, the uptake of Zn in rice plants was enhanced up to ~2.5-fold by fungal application. The fungus also exhibited various other plant growth-promoting traits, such as production of Indole-3-acetic acid, ammonia, siderophores, solubilization of mineral phosphate, and production of hydrolytic enzymes such as α-amylase, protease, and pectinase. Hence, apart from its use as a biological control agent, M. pingshaense has the potential to be used as a bio-fortifier to enhance the solubilization and uptake of Zn from nutrient poor soils under field conditions. Our findings shed light on the broader ecological role played by this fungus and widen its scope for utilization in sustainable agriculture.

Land suitability analysis for turmeric crop for humid tropical Kerala, India, under current and future climate scenarios using advanced geospatial techniques

BACKGROUND

Turmeric cultivation primarily thrives in India, followed by Bangladesh, Cambodia, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. India leads globally in both area and production of turmeric. Despite this, there is a recognized gap in research regarding the impact of climate change on site suitability of turmeric. The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate both the present and future suitability of turmeric cultivation within the humid tropical region of Kerala, India, by employing advanced geospatial techniques. The research utilized meteorological data from the Indian Meteorological Department for the period of 1986-2020 as historical data and projected future data from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). Four climatic scenarios of shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change AR6 model of MIROC6 for the year 2050 (SSP 1-2.6, SSP 2-4.5, SSP 3-7.0 and SSP 5-8.5) were used.

RESULTS

The results showed that suitable area for turmeric cultivation is declining in future scenario and this decline can be primarily attributed to fluctuations in temperature and an anticipated increase in rainfall in the year 2050. Notable changes in the spatial distribution of suitable areas over time were observed through the application of geographic information system (GIS) techniques. Importantly, as per the suitability criteria provided by ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (ICAR-NBSS & LUP), all the districts in Kerala exhibited moderately suitable conditions for turmeric cultivation. With the GIS tools, the study identified highly suitable, moderately suitable, marginally suitable and not suitable areas of turmeric cultivation in Kerala. Presently 28% of area falls under highly suitable, 41% of area falls under moderately suitable and 11% falls under not suitable for turmeric cultivation. However, considering the projected scenarios for 2050 under the SSP framework, there will be a significant decrease in highly suitable area by 19% under SSP 5-8.5. This reduction in area will have an impact on the productivity of the crop as a result of changes in temperature and rainfall patterns.

CONCLUSION

The outcome of the present research suggests that the state of Kerala needs to implement suitable climate change adaptation and management strategies for sustaining the turmeric cultivation. Additionally, the present study includes a discussion on potential management strategies to address the challenges posed by changing climatic conditions for optimizing turmeric production in the region. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Timing of radiotherapy (RT) after radical prostatectomy (RP): long-term outcomes in the RADICALS-RT trial (NCT00541047)

BACKGROUND

The optimal timing of radiotherapy (RT) after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer has been uncertain. RADICALS-RT compared efficacy and safety of adjuvant RT versus an observation policy with salvage RT for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

RADICALS-RT was a randomised controlled trial enrolling patients with ≥1 risk factor (pT3/4, Gleason 7-10, positive margins, preoperative PSA≥10 ng/ml) for recurrence after radical prostatectomy. Patients were randomised 1:1 to adjuvant RT ('Adjuvant-RT') or an observation policy with salvage RT for PSA failure ('Salvage-RT') defined as PSA≥0.1 ng/ml or three consecutive rises. Stratification factors were Gleason score, margin status, planned RT schedule (52.5 Gy/20 fractions or 66 Gy/33 fractions) and treatment centre. The primary outcome measure was freedom-from-distant-metastasis (FFDM), designed with 80% power to detect an improvement from 90% with Salvage-RT (control) to 95% at 10 years with Adjuvant-RT. Secondary outcome measures were biochemical progression-free survival, freedom from non-protocol hormone therapy, safety and patient-reported outcomes. Standard survival analysis methods were used; hazard ratio (HR)<1 favours Adjuvant-RT.

RESULTS

Between October 2007 and December 2016, 1396 participants from UK, Denmark, Canada and Ireland were randomised: 699 Salvage-RT, 697 Adjuvant-RT. Allocated groups were balanced with a median age of 65 years. Ninety-three percent (649/697) Adjuvant-RT reported RT within 6 months after randomisation; 39% (270/699) Salvage-RT reported RT during follow-up. Median follow-up was 7.8 years. With 80 distant metastasis events, 10-year FFDM was 93% for Adjuvant-RT and 90% for Salvage-RT: HR=0.68 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.43-1.07, P=0.095]. Of 109 deaths, 17 were due to prostate cancer. Overall survival was not improved (HR=0.980, 95% CI 0.667-1.440, P=0.917). Adjuvant-RT reported worse urinary and faecal incontinence 1 year after randomisation (P=0.001); faecal incontinence remained significant after 10 years (P=0.017).

CONCLUSION

Long-term results from RADICALS-RT confirm adjuvant RT after radical prostatectomy increases the risk of urinary and bowel morbidity, but does not meaningfully improve disease control. An observation policy with salvage RT for PSA failure should be the current standard after radical prostatectomy.

TRIAL IDENTIFICATION

RADICALS, RADICALS-RT, ISRCTN40814031, NCT00541047.

Universal Measure for the Impact of Adiabaticity on Quantum Transitions

Adiabaticity is crucial for our understanding of complex quantum dynamics and thus for advancing fundamental physics and technology, but its impact cannot yet be quantified in complex but common cases where dynamics is only partially adiabatic, several eigenstates are simultaneously populated and transitions between noneigenstates are of key interest. We construct a universally applicable measure that can quantify the adiabaticity of quantum transitions in an arbitrary basis. Our measure distinguishes transitions that occur due to the adiabatic change of populated system eigenstates from transitions that occur due to beating between several eigenstates and can handle nonadiabatic events. While all quantum dynamics fall within the scope of the measure, we demonstrate its usage and utility through two important material science problems-energy and charge transfer-where adiabaticity could be effected by nuclear motion and its quantification will aid not only in unraveling mechanisms but also in system design, for example, of light harvesting systems.

Development of an environmentally sustainable technique to minimize the sludge production in the textile effluent sector through an electrokinetic (EK) coupled with electrooxidation (EO) approach

This study presents an environmentally sustainable method for minimizing sludge production in the textile effluent sector through the combined application of electrokinetic (EK) and electrooxidation (EO) processes. AAS and XRF analyses reveal that utilizing acidic electrolytes in the EK method successfully eliminates heavy metals (Cu, Mn, Zn, and Cr) from sludge, demonstrating superior efficiency compared to alkaline conditions. In addition, the total removal efficiency of COD contents was calculated following the order of EK-3 (60%), EK-1 (51%) and EK-2 (34%). Notably, EK-3, leveraging pH gradient fluctuations induced by anolyte in the catholyte reservoir, outperforms other EK systems in removing COD from sludge. The EK process is complemented by the EO process, leading to further degradation of dye and other organic components through the electrochemical generation of hypochlorite (940 ppm). At an alkaline pH of 10.0, the color and COD removal were effectively achieved at 98 and 70% in EO treatment, compared to other mediums. In addition, GC-MS identified N-derivative residues at the end of the EO. This study demonstrates an integrated approach that effectively eliminates heavy metals and COD from textile sludge, combining EK with EO techniques.

Current status and future readiness of Indian radiation oncologists to embrace prostate high-dose-rate brachytherapy: An Indian Brachytherapy Society survey

Purpose

This survey aimed to understand the practice pattern and attitude of Indian doctors towards prostate brachytherapy.

Material and methods

A 21-point questionnaire was designed in Google form and sent to radiation oncologists practicing in India, using texts, mails, and social media. Responses were collated, and descriptive statistical analysis was performed.

Results

A total of 212 radiation oncologists from 136 centers responded to the survey questionnaire, with majority (66%) being post-specialty training > 6 years. We found that about 44.3% (n = 94) of respondents do not practice interstitial brachytherapy for any site, and majority (83.3%, n = 175) do not practice high-dose-rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy. Only 2.8% (n = 6) of doctors preferred boost by brachytherapy compared with 38.1% (n = 80) of respondents, who favored stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) boost. When asked about the indication of HDR prostate brachytherapy in Indian setting, 32.5% (n = 67) of respondents favored monotherapy, 46.1% (n = 95) of oncologists thought boost as a good indication, and 21.4% (n = 44) preferred re-irradiation/salvage setting. The most cited reason for prostate brachytherapy not being popularly practiced in India was lack of training (84.8%, n = 179). It was also noted that out of 80 respondents who practiced SBRT for prostate boost, 37 would prefer HDR brachytherapy boost if given adequate training and facilities.

Conclusions

The present survey provided insight on practice of prostate brachytherapy in India. It is evident that majority of radiation oncologists do not practice HDR prostate brachytherapy due to lack of training and infrastructure. Indian physicians are willing to learn and start prostate brachytherapy procedures if dedicated training and workshops are organized.

Soil polluted with nano ZnO reveals unstable bacterial communities and decoupling of taxonomic and functional diversities

Due to relentless production and disposal of nano zinc oxide (nZnO), it has become critical to comprehend the serious risks large-scale accumulation of nZnO pose to bacterial communities in soil. The primary objective was to evaluate the changes in bacterial community structure and associated functional pathways through predictive metagenomic profiling and subsequent validation through Quantitative Realtime PCR in soil spiked with nZnO (0, 50, 200, 500 and 1000 mg Zn kg^-1) and similar levels of bulk ZnO. The results revealed that soil microbial biomass-C, -N, -P, soil respiration and enzyme activities decreased markedly at higher ZnO levels. The alpha diversity decreased with increasing ZnO level, with more impact under nZnO, while beta diversity analyses indicated a distinct dose- dependent separation of bacterial communities. The dominant taxa including Proteobacteria, Bacterioidetes, Acidobacteria and Planctomycetes significantly increased in abundance, while Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi decreased in abundance with elevated nZnO and bZnO levels. Redundancy analysis indicated that changes in bacterial community structure instilled a greater dose- rather than size- specific response on key microbial parameters. Predicted key functions did not show a dose- specific response, and at 1000 mg Zn kg^-1, methane metabolism as well as starch and sucrose metabolism was attenuated, while functions involving two component systems and bacterial secretion systems were enhanced under bZnO indicating better stress avoidance mechanism than under nZnO. Realtime PCR and microbial endpoint assays confirmed the metagenome derived taxonomic and functional data, respectively. Taxa and functions that varied substantially under stress were established as bioindicators to predict nZnO toxicity in soils. Taxon-function decoupling indicated that the soil bacterial communities deployed adaptive mechanisms under high ZnO, with lesser buffering capacity and resilience of communities under nZnO.

Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Brassica oleracea var. botrytis leaf extract: Photocatalytic, antimicrobial and larvicidal activity

Green synthesis of nanomaterials has emerged as an ecofriendly sustainable technology for the removal of dyes in the last few decades. Especially, plant leaf extracts have been considered as inexpensive and effective materials for the synthesis of nanoparticles. In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were prepared using leaves extract of Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (BO) by co-precipitation and applied for photocatalytic/antibacterial activity. The synthesized BO-ZnO NPs was characterized by different instrumental techniques. The UV-vis Spectrum of the synthesized material showed maximum absorbance at a wavelength of 311 nm, which confirmed the formation of BO-ZnO NPs. The XRD pattern of BO-ZnO NPs represents a hexagonal wurtzite structure and the average size of particles was about 52 nm. FT-IR spectrum analysis confirms the presence of hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxylic, and phenol groups. SEM images exhibited a flower like morphology and EDX spectrum confirming the presence of the elements Zn and O. Photo-catalytic activity of BO-ZnO NPs was tested against thiazine dye (methylene blue-MB) degradation under direct sunlight irradiation. Around 80% of the MB dye got degraded at pH 8 under 75 min of sunlight irradiation. Further, the study examined that the antimicrobial and larvicidal activity of BO-ZnO NPs obtained through green synthesis. The antimicrobial study results showed that the BO-ZnO NPs formed zones against bacterial pathogens. The results showed the formation of an inhibition zone against B. subtills (16 mm), S.aureus (13 mm), K. pneumonia (13 mm), and E. coli (9 mm) respectively at a concentration of 100 μg/mL of BO-ZnO NPs. The larvicidal activity of the BO-ZnO NPs was tested against the fourth instar of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito larvae The LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values estimated through the larvicidal activity of BO-ZnO NPs were 76.03, 190.03 ppm respectively. Hence the above findings propose the synthesized BO-ZnO NPs by the ecofriendly method can be used for various environmental and antipathogenic applications.

Metagenomics indicates abundance of biofilm related genes and horizontal transfer of multidrug resistant genes among bacterial communities in nano zinc oxide polluted soil

The unsafe and reckless disposal of metal oxide nanoparticles like ZnO (nZnO) into the soil could seriously impact bacterial behavioural responses and functions. Under such stress, biofilm formation is considered to be a robust mechanism for bacterial survival in soil. We examined the response of bacterial metagenomes in soils exposed to varying levels of Zn (50, 200, 500 and 1000 mg kg^-1) as nano Zn oxide (nZnO) in terms of biofilm genesis and regulation and their co-occurrences with multidrug resistance genes (MDRGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). The size-specific effects of nZnO were verified using its bulk counterpart (bZnO). Both nZnO and bZnO facilitated profusion of biofilm related genes (BGs) especially at higher Zn levels (500 and 1000 mg kg^-1 Zn), though maximum abundance was registered at a comparatively lower level under nZnO. In general, nZnO favoured an enhancement of genes involved in exopolysaccharide biosynthesis and attachment, while bZnO favoured genes related to capsule formation, chemotaxis and biofilm dispersion. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed significant positive correlations between abundances of BGs, MDRGs and MGEs, indicating an enhanced probability for horizontal gene transfer of MDRGs in nZnO polluted soils.

Interleukin-17 Inhibitor in Treatment of Psoriasis during COVID-19 Pandemic: An Ambispective Study

Introduction: Psoriasis is a genetically mediated chronic inflammatory disease that is frequently associated with metabolic co-morbidities. These metabolic co-morbidities have a huge impact in deciding the appropriate immunosupressant of choice in the current scenario of Coronavirus Disease (COVID19) pandemic. Treatment of psoriasis especially with biologicals is challenging during covid pandemic since immunosuppressive therapy might interfere with antiviral immunity. Aim: To report the safety profile of Interleukin-17 (IL-17) inhibitor, namely injection secukinumab in patients of psoriasis vulgaris during COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: An ambispective interventional study was performed on 23 patients of psoriasis who were administered secukinumab at a dose of 300 mg subcutaneously during COVID19 pandemic.The study was conducted at the Department of Dermatology, Madras Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India among the patients attending the psoriasis clinic between the July 2021 to March 2022. The demographic characteristics of the study group, previous treatment for psoriasis and the relationship between risk of COVID-19 infection and secukinumab were noted. Efficacy of secukinumab was calculated using Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores. Statistical analysis was conducted with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) statistics software version 21.0 by Fischer’s-exact test. Results: Out of 23 patients, 17 patients (11 males, six females) completed full course of nine doses (five weekly doses followed by four monthly doses) of secukinumab. The PASI 75 and PASI 90 were achieved in 9 (52.94%) and 8 (29.41%) patients respectively at the end of 12 weeks. None of the patients developed COVID-19 infection during the course of treatment and three months following therapy. Patients with psoriasis who had a history of COVID-19 infection did not show signs of reinfection when started on secukinumab. Both inactivated vaccine (Covaxin) and vector based vaccine (Covishield) were found to be safe in concomitant use with secukinumab. Conclusion: Secukinumab is found to be safe and effective in psoriasis treatment during COVID-19 pandemic. There is no increased risk of COVID-19 infection or reinfection, COVID-19 associated hospitalisation and mortality among patients with psoriasis administered with secukinumab. The drug can also be safely used with COVID-19 vaccines.

Forecasting the Incremental Value to Society Created by a Class of New Prescription Drugs: A Proposed Methodology and Its Application to Treating Chronic Hepatitis C in India

BACKGROUND

For low- and middle-income countries, the forecasted incremental value to society created by a class of new prescription drugs would be a useful criterion to prioritize the licensing, subsidization, and provision of new drugs.

OBJECTIVES

We provide a methodology to forecast the value of a new class of drugs, defined as the incremental value obtained in the scenario in which the new class of drugs is available along with existing drugs compared with the scenario of existing drugs only. We forecasted the value created by direct-acting antiviral drugs to treat chronic hepatitis C in India.

METHOD

We conducted a physician survey together with an aggregate multinomial logit model to forecast for each patient type the fraction of physicians who would prescribe the new drug under different scenarios. Value was determined by the monetary equivalent of increased life expectancy, reduced disability, and decreased future infection of others, minus drug cost, all treatment-related costs, and the cost of side effects.

RESULTS

We forecasted that the introduction of direct-acting antiviral drugs is likely to create USD11.5 billion of value in India over a 5-year period, based on a 'realistic' assumption about the growth rate of India's per capita GDP. Under 'pessimistic' and 'optimistic' assumptions about the growth rate, the value changes to USD6.5 and 22.5 billion, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

There is major value likely to be created by the new direct-acting antiviral drugs in treating hepatitis C in India; this is consistent with the Indian Government's decision to provide the drugs free of cost.

The Notch pathway regulates the bone gain induced by PTH anabolic signaling

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) signaling downstream of the PTH 1 receptor (Pth1r) results in both bone anabolic and catabolic actions by mechanisms not yet fully understood. In this study, we show that Pth1r signaling upregulates the expression of several components of the Notch pathway and that Notch signals contribute to the catabolic actions of PTH in bone. We found that constitutive genetic activation of PTH receptor signaling in osteocytes (caPth1r^Ot ) or treatment with PTH daily increased the expression of several Notch ligands/receptors in bone. In contrast, sustained elevation of endogenous PTH did not change Notch components expression. Deletion of the PTH receptor or sclerostin overexpression in osteocytes abolished Notch increases by PTH. Further, deleting the canonical Notch transcription factor Rbpjk in osteocytes decreased bone mass and increased resorption and Rankl expression in caPth1r^Ot mice. Moreover, pharmacological bone-targeted Notch inhibition potentiated the bone mass gain induced by intermittent PTH by reducing bone resorption and preserving bone formation. Thus, Notch activation lies downstream of anabolic signaling driven by PTH actions in osteocytes, and Notch pharmacological inhibition maximizes the bone anabolic effects of PTH.

1648 Is Telephone Triage Here to Stay? An Audit of The Impact of COVID 19 On A Head and Neck Cancer Clinic

Due to the COVID19 pandemic, NHS reported a 60% drop in suspected cancer referrals and a delay in treatment initiation. In a pandemic, cancer waiting time (WT) targets can prove difficult to achieve. ENT UK and NHS England recommended a senior-led telephone triage system to be put in place in response to the pandemic.

Aim of this audit was to assess the impact of the pandemic and evaluate the efficacy of tele-consults on the Head & Neck Cancer (H&N) Service at a District General Hospital.

A retrospective audit of patients referred to the H&N clinic from April - June 2020, comparing patients managed by teleconsultations to patients seen F2F. Medical records were analysed to assess compliance with NHS Cancer WT targets.

2020 saw a 1.4% drop in referrals compared to 2019. Of the 224 referrals received from April - June 2020, 96.9% were seen within 14 days. 98.7% were initially reviewed by telephone, 37% of which were triaged to a F2F appointment, 39% were followed up by telephone and 24% were discharged or given routine appointments. 11.2% were diagnosed with cancer. Comparing cancer patients managed by telephone to patients seen F2F, 80% v 57% received a diagnosis by 28 days from the referral, and 100% v 17% started treatment by 62 days.

The department did not have a significant drop in referrals due to the COVID pandemic. Cancer patients managed by telephone were more likely to start treatment within 62 days. Telephone consults should be a permanent feature of cancer clinics beyond the pandemic.

Association of Lasiodiplodia theobromae with die-back and decline of nutmeg as revealed through phenotypic, pathogenicity and phylogenetic analyses

Lasiodiplodia theobromae is a cosmopolitan pathogen geographically widespread in tropics and subtropics inciting economically important diseases on diverse plant genera. In the present study, Lasiodiplodia theobromae associated with nutmeg exhibiting die-back and declining symptoms was identified and characterized by adopting a polyphasic approach. The disease was characterized with the symptoms including general decline, water-soaking patches on branches and tree trunk, die-back of branches, necrotic lesions beneath water-soaked lesions and necrosis of vascular tissues. The isolates representing diverse nutmeg growing tracts were initially identified as Lasiodiplodia species based on macro- and micro-morphological characteristics. Subsequent analyses of internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-α) and β-tubulin (β-tub) genes identified the pathogen as Lasiodiplodia theobromae. Pathogenicity studies were proved on nutmeg twigs and branches (in vitro) as well as on saplings (in vivo). The present investigation enunciated the association of Lasiodiplodia theobromae with die-back and decline of nutmeg employing a polyphasic approach which warrants further investigations on its spatio-temporal distribution, pathogen diversity, weather-host-pathogen interaction and formulating prospective disease management strategies.

Symptoms of piper yellow mottle virus in black pepper as influenced by temperature and relative humidity

Masking of symptoms in winter and their re-appearance in black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) infected with piper yellow mottle virus (PYMoV) in summer is common, especially on new flushes that appear after pre-monsoon showers. Plants of nineteen cultivars of black pepper infected with PYMoV but without any visible symptoms were grown in a polyhouse under natural conditions and in a greenhouse under controlled conditions from January 2019 to January 2020. The number of plants expressing symptoms in the polyhouse increased gradually from 1% during the 3rd standard meteorological week (SMW) (16 January) to 41% during the 21st SMW (22 May), when the afternoon temperature was 30-40 °C and relative humidity (RH) was 75-93%, but began declining thereafter until the 53rd SMW (1 January), when the afternoon temperature was 30-36 °C and RH was 65-86%. The proportion of plants expressing symptoms varied with the cultivar. However, in the greenhouse, in which temperature and RH were maintained at approximately 26 °C and 80%, respectively, not more than 2% of the plants expressed symptoms. The number of symptomatic plants was positively correlated to maximum temperature (T Max) and maximum relative humidity (RH Max) in the afternoon. Based on this observation, a model for predicting the percentage of symptomatic plants was developed using stepwise regression analysis. Plants at the two sites did not differ significantly in the concentration of virus (virus titre) but differed significantly in the content of total carbohydrates, lipid peroxidase, and phenols.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13337-021-00686-3.

Three-dimensional visualisation of the feto-placental vasculature in humans and rodents

Adequate development of the feto-placental circulation is critical for placental exchange function and healthy fetal growth. Understanding the structure of this circulation and how it informs fetal outcomes is important both in the human placenta, and the rodent, a purported comparative experimental model. Vascular casting and micro-CT imaging approaches enable detailed quantification of the complex vascular relationships in the feto-circulation, and provide detailed data to parameterise in silico models. Here, to assist researchers to apply these technically challenging methods we provide detailed approaches to cast and image; 1) human placentas at the cotyledon-level, and 2) whole rodent placentas.

Estimating the net value of treating hepatitis C virus using sofosbuvir-velpatasvir in India

Recently developed direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatments for hepatitis C virus (HCV) have been groundbreaking for their high efficacy across disease genotypes and lack of severe side effects. This study uses a cost-of-illness (COI) approach to estimate the net value conferred by this class of drugs using the cost and efficacy of one of these novel drug combinations, sofosbuvir and velpatasvir (SOF/VEL), recently licensed for generic manufacture in India. This study considers COI of lifetime earnings lost by patients and potential secondarily infected individuals due to disability and premature death from HCV infection. Expected net benefits of treatment are substantial for non-cirrhotic (NC) and compensated cirrhotic (CC) patients (ranging from 5,98,003 INR for NC women to 1,05,25,504 INR for CC men). Increased earnings are not sufficient to fully offset cost of treatment for decompensated cirrhotic individuals but treatment may still be justified on the basis of the intrinsic value of health improvements and other treatment benefits.

Bisphosphonates for delivering drugs to bone

Advances in the design of potential bone-selective drugs for the treatment of various bone-related diseases are creating exciting new directions for multiple unmet medical needs. For bone-related cancers, off-target/non-bone toxicities with current drugs represent a significant barrier to the quality of life of affected patients. For bone infections and osteomyelitis, bacterial biofilms on infected bones limit the efficacy of antibiotics because it is hard to access the bacteria with current approaches. Promising new experimental approaches to therapy, based on bone-targeting of drugs, have been used in animal models of these conditions and demonstrate improved efficacy and safety. The success of these drug-design strategies bodes well for the development of therapies with improved efficacy for the treatment of diseases affecting the skeleton. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue on The molecular pharmacology of bone and cancer-related bone diseases. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v178.9/issuetoc.

Evaluation of the anti-rheumatic properties of thymol using carbon dots as nanocarriers on FCA induced arthritic rats

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that commences as inflammation and progressively destroys the articular joint. In this study, we assess the anti-rheumatic potential of the monoterpenoid class of thymol conjugated with Carbon Dots (CDs). Waste biomass in the form of dried rose petals was chosen as a precursor for the synthesis of CDs via a one-step hydrothermal bottom-up methodology. The prepared CDs exhibited absorption in the near-visible region, and unique excitation-dependent emission behaviour was confirmed from UV-Visible and fluorescence measurements. The surface morphology of CDs was confirmed by SEM and HR-TEM analysis to be quasi-spherical particles with an average size of ∼5-6 nm. The presence of various functional moieties (hydroxyl, carbonyl, and amino) was confirmed via FT-IR measurement. The graphitization of CDs was confirmed by the D and G bands for sp2 and sp3 hybridization, respectively, through Raman analysis. Esterification methodology was adopted to prepare the CDs-thymol conjugate and confirmed via FT-IR analysis. CDs play the role of a nanocarrier for thymol, an anti-arthritic agent. The bioactive compound of thymol showed potent anti-arthritic activity against RA targets through in silico docking studies. Further, the in vivo studies revealed that CDs-thymol conjugates (10 mg per kg body weight) showed a significant reduction in rat paw volume along with reduced levels of RF and CRP (2.23 ± 0.42 IU ml-1 and 16.96 ± 0.22 mg ml-1) when compared to the disease control rats. X-ray radiography and ultrasonic imaging revealed less bone destruction, joint derangement, and swelling in arthritis-induced Wistar rats. They could also potentially improve the Hb (14.14 ± 0.19), RBC (6.01 ± 0.11), PCV (6.01 ± 0.11) levels and elevate the status of antioxidant enzymes (GPx, SOD, MDA), and the activity was comparable to the standard drug, ibuprofen (10 mg kg-1), suggesting that the CDs-thymol conjugate at 10 mg kg-1 could act as a strong anti-arthritic agent. This work is evidence for the utilization of waste biomass as a value-added product such as a nanocarrier for biomedical applications.

Multicenter Postmarket Analysis of the Neuroform Atlas Stent for Stent-Assisted Coil Embolization of Intracranial Aneurysms

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Neuroform Atlas is a new microstent to assist coil embolization of intracranial aneurysms that recently gained FDA approval. We present a postmarket multicenter analysis of the Neuroform Atlas stent.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

On the basis of retrospective chart review from 11 academic centers, we analyzed patients treated with the Neuroform Atlas after FDA exemption from January 2018 to June 2019. Clinical and radiologic parameters included patient demographics, aneurysm characteristics, stent parameters, complications, and outcomes at discharge and last follow-up.

RESULTS

Overall, 128 aneurysms in 128 patients (median age, 62 years) were treated with 138 stents. Risk factors included smoking (59.4%), multiple aneurysms (27.3%), and family history of aneurysms (16.4%). Most patients were treated electively (93.7%), and 8 (6.3%) underwent treatment within 2 weeks of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Previous aneurysm treatment failure was present in 21% of cases. Wide-neck aneurysms (80.5%), small aneurysm size (<7 mm, 76.6%), and bifurcation aneurysm location (basilar apex, 28.9%; anterior communicating artery, 27.3%; and middle cerebral artery bifurcation, 12.5%) were common. A single stent was used in 92.2% of cases, and a single catheter for both stent placement and coiling was used in 59.4% of cases. Technical complications during stent deployment occurred in 4.7% of cases; symptomatic thromboembolic stroke, in 2.3%; and symptomatic hemorrhage, in 0.8%. Favorable Raymond grades (Raymond-Roy occlusion classification) I and II were achieved in 82.9% at discharge and 89.5% at last follow-up. mRS ≤2 was determined in 96.9% of patients at last follow-up. The immediate Raymond-Roy occlusion classification grade correlated with aneurysm location (P < .0001) and rupture status during treatment (P = .03).

CONCLUSIONS

This multicenter analysis provides a real-world safety and efficacy profile for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms with the Neuroform Atlas stent.

A simple and ubiquitous device for picric acid detection in latent fingerprints using carbon dots

This work addresses the synthetic optimization of carbon dots (CDs) and their application in sensing picric acid from latent fingerprints by exploiting a smartphone-based RGB tool. The optimization of the synthesis of CDs is investigated towards achieving shorter reaction time, better product yield and fluorescence quantum efficiency. Precursors such as citric acid and thiourea were chosen for the synthesis of CDs. Among the various synthetic methodologies, it is found that the pyrolysis method offers ∼50% product yield within 15 min. The morphology and optical properties of the prepared CDs are characterized using the typical microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, respectively. The synthesized CDs exhibit quasi-spherical shape with an average particle size of 1.7 nm. The excitation dependent emissive properties of CDs are investigated by time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Furthermore, the excellent fluorescence properties (φ = 11%) of CDs are explored as a fluorescent fingerprint powder for the identification of latent fingerprints on various substrates. In addition, the presence of picric acid in latent fingerprints was detected. Furthermore, this study is extended to perform real time detection of fingerprints and harmful contaminants in fingerprints by utilizing a smartphone-based RGB color analysis tool. Based on these investigations, the prepared CDs could be a prospective fluorescent material in the field of forensics.

Diagnostic efficacy of cone beam computed tomography in paediatric dentistry: a systematic review

Purpose

To determine in which clinical situations it is indicated or contra-indicated to prescribe cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for paediatric patients.

Methods

Systematic review of in vivo paediatric research studies of diagnostic efficacy using CBCT, with supplementary searches for guideline documents on CBCT and for systematic reviews permitting inclusion of ex vivo and adult studies.

Results

After screening, 190 publications were included, mostly case studies. No systematic reviews were found of in vivo paediatric research. Fourteen studies of diagnostic efficacy were identified. The supplementary searches found 18 guideline documents relevant to the review and 26 systematic reviews. The diagnostic efficacy evidence on CBCT was diverse and often of limited quality. There was ex vivo evidence for diagnostic accuracy being greater using CBCT than radiographs for root fractures. The multiplanar capabilities of CBCT are advantageous when localising dental structures for surgical planning. Patient movement during scanning is more common in children which could reduce diagnostic efficacy.

Conclusions

No strong recommendations on CBCT are possible, except that it should not be used as a primary diagnostic tool for caries. Guidelines on use of CBCT in the paediatric age group should be developed cautiously, taking into account the greater radiation risk and the higher economic costs compared with radiography. CBCT should only be used when adequate conventional radiographic examination has not answered the question for which imaging was required. Clinical research in paediatric patients is required at the higher levels of diagnostic efficacy of CBCT.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s40368-019-00504-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Vitamin K1 prevents diabetic cataract by inhibiting lens aldose reductase 2 (ALR2) activity

This study investigated the potential of vitamin K1 as a novel lens aldose reductase inhibitor in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic cataract model. A single, intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (35 mg/kg) resulted in hyperglycemia, activation of lens aldose reductase 2 (ALR2) and accumulation of sorbitol in eye lens which could have contributed to diabetic cataract formation. However, when diabetic rats were treated with vitamin K1 (5 mg/kg, sc, twice a week) it resulted in lowering of blood glucose and inhibition of lens aldose reductase activity because of which there was a corresponding decrease in lens sorbitol accumulation. These results suggest that vitamin K1 is a potent inhibitor of lens aldose reductase enzyme and we made an attempt to understand the nature of this inhibition using crude lens homogenate as well as recombinant human aldose reductase enzyme. Our results from protein docking and spectrofluorimetric analyses clearly show that vitamin K1 is a potent inhibitor of ALR2 and this inhibition is primarily mediated by the blockage of DL-glyceraldehyde binding to ALR2. At the same time docking also suggests that vitamin K1 overlaps at the NADPH binding site of ALR2, which probably shows that vitamin K1 could possibly bind both these sites in the enzyme. Another deduction that we can derive from the experiments performed with pure protein is that ALR2 has three levels of affinity, first for NADPH, second for vitamin K1 and third for the substrate DL-glyceraldehyde. This was evident based on the dose-dependency experiments performed with both NADPH and DL-glyceraldehyde. Overall, our study shows the potential of vitamin K1 as an ALR2 inhibitor which primarily blocks enzyme activity by inhibiting substrate interaction of the enzyme. Further structural studies are needed to fully comprehend the exact nature of binding and inhibition of ALR2 by vitamin K1 that could open up possibilities of its therapeutic application.

Pyrene-based prospective biomaterial: In vitro bioimaging, protein binding studies and detection of bilirubin and Fe3

Herein, we have meticulously derived the nanosized fluorescent aggregates from pyrene Schiff base (PS) in DMSO:water (10:90) ratio. The aggregation property of PS molecule was characterized by SEM and TEM measurements, revealed the aggregated particles are in spherical shape with ~3 nm in size. Moreover, aggregates exhibit a high fluorescence quantum yield (48%) which was effectively used for the in vitro bioimaging of two different cancer cells such as A549 and MCF-7 cells in which it exhibiting excellent biocompatibility. Further, it was estimated the capability of twofold acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining to identify the apoptotic associated changes in cancer cells. Additionally, the aggregates were successfully demonstrated as a luminescent probe for the perceptive biomolecule detection of bilirubin. On the other hand, the PS molecule was successfully utilized for protein binding and metal ion sensing studies. The interaction of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with PS molecule in DMSO was using fluorescence spectroscopic method and nature of interaction was also confirmed through molecular docking analysis. The PS molecule also acts as an excellent sensor for biologically important Fe³⁺ ion with detection limit of 336 nM. Overall, PS molecule can be a prospective material in biological field both in solution as well as aggregated forms.

Abstract 103: Disruption of Notch Signaling targeted to the myeloma bone marrow microenvironment simultaneously inhibits tumor growth and prevents bone loss without inducing gut toxicity

Communication between myeloma (MM) cells and cells of the bone marrow via Notch signaling promotes tumor growth/survival and stimulates bone resorption. Systemic inhibition of Notch, using γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs), decreases MM growth and reduces bone destruction, but the clinical use of GSIs is limited due to dose-limiting severe gut toxicity.

To circumvent GSI side effects, we generated a bone specific Notch inhibitor (BT-GSI) by conjugating GSI-XII to a targeting molecule (BT) with high bone affinity using an acid hydrolyzable linker. In vitro, BT-GSI was inactive unless pre-incubated at low pH, and exhibited equal inhibition of Notch target genes in MM cells as unconjugated GSI. Ex vivo, BT-GSI decreased Notch expression and reduced MM growth in bone organ cultures that reproduce acidic conditions in the MM-bone microenvironment. In vivo, treatment with BT-GSI (5mg/kg/3x/wk, i.p.) for 2 wks decreased Notch signaling in bone more efficiently than unconjugated GSI (10mg/kg/5x/wk, i.p.) in naïve mice. In addition, BT-GSI increased cancellous bone mass (30%) and decreased bone resorption by 40%, without affecting bone formation. In contrast, these parameters remained unchanged by GSI. Next, we examined in vivo the impact of BT-GSI on MM growth and bone disease in a preclinical model of established MM. 8-wk-old immunodeficient mice were injected intratibially with 105 JJN3 human MM (hMM) cells or saline. hMM injected mice exhibited detectable serum levels of the tumor biomarker human K-light chain (40 ng/mL) and visible osteolytic disease (osteolytic area 1.7 mm2) 3 wks after hMM inoculation. Then, hMM-injected mice were randomized based on tumor levels to two subgroups to receive either BT-GSI (10mg/kg/3x/wk) or vehicle (DMSO) for 3 wks. Saline-injected mice received vehicle injections. BT-GSI selectively decreased Notch gene expression in bone, but had no effect in the brain or gut. Further, BT-GSI did not increase the expression of Adipsin in the gut, a biomarker of gut toxicity, nor showed evidence of gut toxicity at necropsy. Mice treated with BT-GSI exhibited a 45% decrease in tumor burden (168 vs 254 ng/mL human K-light chain) and 50% less osteolytic area compared to vehicle treated mice bearing hMM (4.4 vs 10.2 mm2). Moreover, BT-GSI decreased serum CTX by 30%, but did not affect serum P1NP. Importantly, equimolar administration of the unconjugated BT molecule did not alter MM growth nor prevented bone loss in mice with established MM.

In conclusion, these results show that bone-targeted Notch inhibition reduces MM growth and preserves bone mass in mice with established MM. Because BT-GSI shows bone specific Notch inhibition and lacks gut toxicity, it should circumvent the deleterious side effects that limit GSI use in patients. Thus, BT-GSI is a promising approach to inhibit MM growth and to prevent bone loss in MM patients.

Citation Format: Adam J. Ferrari, Kevin McAndrews, Jessica H. Nelson, James T. Bell, Venkatesan Srinivasan, Frank H. Ebetino, Robert K. Boeckman Jr, G. David Roodman, Teresita Bellido, Jesus Delgado-Calle. Disruption of Notch Signaling targeted to the myeloma bone marrow microenvironment simultaneously inhibits tumor growth and prevents bone loss without inducing gut toxicity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 103.

Nanostructured Graphene Oxide Dots: Synthesis, Characterization, Photoinduced Electron Transfer Studies, and Detection of Explosives/Biomolecules

Herein, we report the preparation of graphene oxide dots (GO dots) by fine-tuning the carbonization degree of citric acid. The structure of GO dots was characterized by absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, as well as high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analyses. The typical particle size of the GO dots was 42 nm. The fluorescent characteristics of the GO dots were analyzed by fluorescence spectroscopy. Once excited at 360 nm, the GO dots were fluorescent in the range of 450-550 nm, which was dependent on the excitation wavelength. Further, GO dots were effectively utilized for multifarious applications such as photoinduced electron transfer and detection of explosives and biomolecules. The emission property of GO dots was competently quenched by viologens, picric acid (PA), and bilirubin (BR). The mechanism of quenching by viologens and explosives/biomolecules was found to be due to photoinduced electron transfer and the internal filter effect, respectively. Intriguingly, the detection minimum of PA is in the nanomolar level. Toward commercialization, the economic test strips have also been introduced for the identification of PA. Furthermore, the GO dots have been applied as an efficient luminescent bioprobe for a selective and perceptive finding of BR.

Pyrene based D–π–A architectures: synthesis, density functional theory, photophysics and electron transfer dynamics

Pyrene derivatives show immense potential as sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs).

Asymptotic stability and stabilizability of nonlinear systems with delay

This paper is concerned with asymptotic stability and stabilizability of a class of nonlinear dynamical systems with fixed delay in state variable. New sufficient conditions are established in terms of the system parameters such as the eigenvalues of the linear operator, delay parameter, and bounds on the nonlinear parts. Finally, examples are given to testify the effectiveness of the proposed theory.

Unravelling the effect of anchoring groups on the ground and excited state properties of pyrene using computational and spectroscopic methods

Anchoring groups play an important role in dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs). In order to acquire a suitable anchoring group for DSCs, a deeper understanding of the effect of anchoring groups on the ground and excited state properties of the dye is significant. In this context, various anchoring group connected pyrene derivatives are successfully synthesized and well characterized by using (1)H, (13)C-NMR, FT-IR and EI-MS spectrometry. The anchoring groups employed are carboxylic acid, malonic acid, acrylic acid, malononitrile, cyanoacrylic acid, rhodanine and rhodanine-3-acetic acid. The optimized geometries, HOMO-LUMO energy gap, light harvesting efficiency (LHE) and electronic absorption spectra of these dyes are studied by using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results show that pyrene connected with anchoring groups with weak electron pulling strength (PC, PAC and PMC) has a larger HOMO-LUMO energy gap, whereas that connected with anchoring groups with strong electron pulling strength (PCC, PMN, PR and PRA) has a reduced HOMO-LUMO energy gap. These molecules with a reduced energy gap are primarily preferred for DSC applications. Moreover, P, PC, PAC and PMC molecules undergo π→π* transition, whereas PCC, PMN, PR and PRA molecules show significant charge transfer along with π→π* transition. UV-visible absorption spectral studies on these dyes reveal that connecting various anchoring groups with different electron pulling abilities enables the pyrene chromophore to absorb in the longer wavelength region. Notably, an efficient bathochromic shift is observed for PCC, PMN, PR and PRA molecules in both electronic absorption and fluorescence spectral measurements, which suggests that the excitation is delocalized throughout the entire π-system of the molecules. Both theoretical and spectral studies reveal that dyes with an ICT character (PCC, PMN, PR and PRA) are suitable for dye sensitized solar cell applications.