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Objective: To evaluate the cardioprotective effect of bioassay-guided isolated fractions of Cleome viscosa methanolic extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Total phenolics, flavonoids, and in vitro antioxidant activities of the methanolic extract of Cleome viscosa were evaluated. The FD-40 fraction from this extract was further evaluated for antihyperglycemic efficacy (insulin and HbA1c), antioxidant activity, and cardioprotective effects (creatine kinase-MB, lactate dehydrogenase, and histopathology) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. In silico studies were also conducted to assess the bioactivity of FD-40. Results: Cleome viscosa methanolic extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTS, H2O2, and FRAP assays compared to other extracts. Treatment with FD-40 (40 mg/kg b.w.) isolated from this extract normalized blood glucose, insulin, HbA1c, creatine kinase-MB, and lactate dehydrogenase levels in diabetic rats. It also significantly reduced oxidative stress by increasing antioxidant enzymes, decreasing lipid peroxidation as well as restoring the levels of ascorbic acid and glutathione. Histological study demonstrated that FD-40 treatment improved cardiac structure in diabetic rats. Molecular docking analysis revealed that phytocompounds from FD-40 had strong binding affinities with cardiac markers and oxidative enzymes. Hexose (5TMS) demonstrated greater binding affinity with xanthine oxidase and lactate dehydrogenase. Conclusions: FD-40 of Cleome viscosa methanolic extract exhibits significant cardioprotective effects in diabetic rats by regulating cardiac markers and reducing oxidative stress. The underlying mechanisms need to be elucidated in the future.

In India, it is not uncommon for individuals to attempt suicide by ingesting pesticides. Though several publications have reported cases, there are no specific guidelines for managing indoxacarb poisoning. There is no established antidote for indoxacarb poisoning; however, early recognition and treatment of methemoglobinaemia, the primary manifestation, is essential. Early intervention is crucial for a positive outcome. Methemoglobinaemia can be successfully treated with methylene blue, which serves as the first line of management. This case report describes a 24-year-old man presenting with methemoglobinaemia following the ingestion of indoxacarb combined with novaluron and was successfully treated with early administration of methylene blue, leading to rapid recovery despite a methaemoglobin level as high as 75%.

PURPOSEThe information on the practice of radiotherapy, including intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) use for rectal cancer in India, is lacking. This national survey was planned to understand the current status of knowledge, attitudes, and practice among radiation oncologists, specifically concerning the practice of IMRT for rectal cancers.MATERIALS AND METHODSA national survey was sent to radiation oncologists through e-mail or a WhatsApp message, where feasible, with a request letter containing the link to the survey questionnaire. The survey questionnaire was adapted from the UK IMRT survey with permission from the authors. It explored rectal cancer management, IMRT use, reasons for nonadoption, total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT), dose fractionation schedules and radiotherapy processes like radiotherapy simulation, target volume/organ at risk definition, and treatment planning, evaluation, and verification. Descriptive statistics is used to present the results.RESULTSOver 300 radiation oncologists were approached, and 182 (60.6%) of the 153 institutes responded. Around 88% (160 of 182) indicated using IMRT or volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to treat rectal cancer, of whom 32% used exclusively IMRT/VMAT in all their patients. The reasons for not adopting IMRT were affordability/lack of insurance, resource constraints, and lack of guidelines. Long-course chemoradiation (capecitabine-based) followed by surgery was the most common neoadjuvant approach, with short course and TNT in less than a third of patients. Daily verification feasibility was reported by 60%. Seventy-three percent emphasized the need for a national IMRT guidance document.CONCLUSIONThis national survey from India indicates a scope of routine implementation of IMRT in rectal cancer, highlighting the urgent need for a national IMRT guidance document, which could significantly enhance the quality of care for patients with rectal cancer in India.

Mitochondria play a significant and varied role in inflammatory lung disorders. Mitochondria, known as the powerhouse of the cell because of their role in producing energy, are now recognized as crucial regulators of inflammation and immunological responses. Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and acute respiratory distress syndrome are characterized by complex interactions between immune cells, inflammatory substances, and tissue damage. Dysfunctional mitochondria can increase the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), triggering inflammatory pathways. Moreover, mitochondrial failure impacts cellular signaling, which in turn affects the expression of molecules that promote inflammation. In addition, mitochondria have a crucial role in controlling the behavior of immune cells, such as their activation and differentiation, which is essential in the development of inflammatory lung diseases. Their dynamic behavior, encompassing fusion, fission, and mitophagy, also impacts cellular responses to inflammation and oxidative stress. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the intricate correlation between mitochondria and lung inflammation is essential in order to develop accurate treatment strategies. Targeting ROS generation, dynamics, and mitochondrial function may offer novel approaches to treating inflammatory lung diseases while minimizing tissue damage. Additional investigation into the precise contributions of mitochondria to lung inflammation will provide significant knowledge regarding disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic approaches. This review will focus on how mitochondria in the lung regulate these processes and their involvement in acute and chronic lung diseases.

Various applications use asymmetric cryptography to secure communications between both parties, and it raises the main issue of generating vast amounts of computation and storage. Thus, elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) is a methodology that emerged to overcome this issue using its low computation and generation of small keys with its strong encryption strategy. ECC is becoming mandatory and used mostly for public key encryption protocols. ECC has expanded cumulative acceptance in practice due to the reduced bit magnitude of operands compared to RSA for safety level. Previously, protocols designed for ECC suggested calculation of scalar development and it was accomplished in finite fields as projective, affine, and Jacobian simulations of coordinates. Arithmetic operations in a limited area establish the core benefits of the ECC algorithm. Even though ECC generated an issue of complex key generation using its curve formation, to overcome this issue a hyperelliptic curve cryptosystems (HECC) is proposed in this study. HECC perform ECC in the Public Key Cryptography (PKC) domain. This study presented an optimization-based key generation and made a random selection of integers for encrypting the message. Selecting a prime number as the private key and multiplying it to the encrypted message to generate a public key is done. This encrypted message is mapped to the curve to check whether it satisfies the curve equation or not. Once an encrypted message is obtained, it is then sent to a second party for pursuing the message. On the side of the second party, a reverse process called decryption takes place. Thus, a secured transmission of data communication takes place. Implementing this algorithm in MATLAB resulted in 94% accuracy and an error of 6%, which was a higher performance ratio than previous methods.

Liver cancer represents a substantial global health challenge, contributing significantly to worldwide morbidity and mortality. It has long been understood that tumors are not composed solely of cancerous cells, but also include a variety of normal cells within their structure. These tumor-associated normal cells encompass vascular endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and various inflammatory cells, including neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, mast cells, eosinophils, and lymphocytes. Additionally, tumor cells engage in complex interactions with stromal cells and elements of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Initially, the components of what is now known as the tumor microenvironment (TME) were thought to be passive bystanders in the processes of tumor proliferation and local invasion. However, recent research has significantly advanced our understanding of the TME’s active role in tumor growth and metastasis. Tumor progression is now known to be driven by an intricate imbalance of positive and negative regulatory signals, primarily influenced by specific growth factors produced by both inflammatory and neoplastic cells. This review article explores the latest developments and future directions in understanding how the TME modulates liver cancer, with the aim of informing the design of novel therapies that target critical components of the TME.

Abstract Background Reproductive stage drought stress (RDS) is a major global threat to rice production. Due to climate change, water scarcity is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon in major rice-growing areas worldwide. Understanding RDS mechanisms will allow candidate gene identification to generate novel rice genotypes tolerant to RDS. Results To generate novel rice genotypes that can sustain yield under RDS, we performed gamma-irradiation mediated mutation breeding in the drought stress susceptible mega rice variety, MTU1010. One of the mutant MM11 (MTU1010 derived mutant11) shows consistently increased performance in yield-related traits under field conditions consecutively for four generations. In addition, compared to MTU1010, the yield of MM11 is sustained in prolonged drought imposed during the reproductive stage under field and in pot culture conditions. A comparative emerged panicle transcriptome analysis of the MTU1010 and MM11 suggested metabolic adjustment, enhanced photosynthetic ability, and hormone interplay in regulating yield under drought responses during emerged panicle development. Regulatory network analysis revealed few putative significant transcription factor (TF)-target interactions involved in integrated signalling between panicle development, yield and drought stress. Conclusions A gamma-irradiate rice mutant MM11 was identified by mutation breeding, and it showed higher potential to sustain yield under reproductive stage drought stress in field and pot culture conditions. Further, a comparative panicle transcriptome revealed significant biological processes and molecular regulators involved in emerged panicle development, yield and drought stress integration. The study extends our understanding of the physiological mechanisms and candidate genes involved in sustaining yield under drought stress.

Embryo rescue is a vital technique in cucurbit breeding and propagation, addressing challenges such as embryo abortion, poor seed viability, and incompatibility barriers. This method involves the excision of immature embryos from seeds followed by their in vitro culture on a nutrient medium, providing an environment conducive to their growth and development. In cucurbits, embryo rescue has been extensively utilized to overcome barriers to hybridization, enabling the production of interspecific and intergeneric hybrids with desired traits. Various factors, including genotype, developmental stage of embryos, and culture conditions, influence the success of embryo rescue in cucurbits. Optimal nutrient formulations, growth regulators, and culture techniques are critical for promoting embryo germination, shoot elongation, and subsequent plantlet establishment. Additionally, embryo rescue facilitates the recovery of valuable genetic material from wild and exotic cucurbit species, expanding genetic diversity and developing novel cultivars with improved traits such as disease resistance, yield, and quality. This review highlights the principles, applications, and advancements in embryo rescue technology in cucurbits, emphasizing its significance in cucurbit breeding programs and crop improvement efforts.

Saturation flow rate is the prime important parameter for the design of capacity of signal-controlled intersections. The width of the approach is one of the most important factors for the evaluation of saturation flow. But, in countries like India, due to the increase in commercial and social land usage, especially on roadsides, there are many factors that affect road width performance, among which side friction is one of the most important factors. In the present research study, an attempt is made to find the impact of side friction on saturation flow at signalized intersections in mixed traffic conditions. For this purpose, the data was collected from four different cities: Hyderabad, Hanmakonda, Raipur and Calicut. A multiple linear regression model is developed for estimating saturation flow in the present study. In addition to the saturation flow model, the present work provides adjustment factors for side friction to calculate saturation flow.

Background/Aims: Current society guidelines recommend antibiotic prophylaxis for 3 to 5 days after endoscopic ultrasound–guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) of pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs). The overall quality of the evidence supporting this recommendation is low. In this study, we aimed to assess cyst infection and adverse event rates after EUS-FNA of PCLs among patients treated with or without postprocedural prophylactic antibiotics. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent EUS-FNA of PCLs between 2015 and 2019 at two large-volume academic medical centers with different practice patterns of postprocedural antibiotic prophylaxis. Data on patient demographics, cyst characteristics, fine-needle aspiration technique, periprocedural and postprocedural antibiotic prophylaxis, and adverse events were retrospectively extracted. Results: A total of 470 EUS-FNA procedures were performed by experienced endosonographers for the evaluation of PCLs in 448 patients, 58.7% of whom were women. The mean age was 66.3±12.8 years. The mean cyst size was 25.7±16.9 mm. Postprocedural antibiotics were administered in 274 cases (POSTAB+ group, 58.3%) but not in 196 cases (POSTAB– group, 41.7%). None of the patients in either group developed systemic or localized infection within the 30-day follow-up period. Procedure-related adverse events included mild abdominal pain (8 patients), intra-abdominal hematoma (1 patient), mild pancreatitis (1 patient), and perforation (1 patient). One additional case of pancreatitis was recorded; however, the patient also underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Conclusions: The incidence of infection after EUS-FNA of PCLs is negligible. Routine use of postprocedural antibiotics does not add a significant benefit.

Abstract Background The administration of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) in the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies is associated with common side effects such as mucositis, diarrhoea, and myelosuppression, which are easily managed with supportive measures and dose adjustments. Cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity are rare but reversible side effects of 5-FU and are treated with withdrawal of the drug and conservative measures. The presenting symptoms of 5-FU-induced leukoencephalopathy are often confusing and pose a diagnostic dilemma in routine clinical practice. Methods We report a series of five patients with GI malignancies who developed 5-FU-induced leukoencephalopathy. Results All (n = 5) had Naranjo scores of 6–7, predictive of 5-FU-related adverse effects, with clinical and radiological findings suggestive of 5-FU-induced encephalopathy as described in prior literature. The median time to onset of symptoms from initiation of 5FU was 3 days (range: 2–4 days). All patients improved after conservative management with complete neurological recovery. Conclusion Prompt recognition of this rare yet severe adverse effect of 5-FU-based chemotherapy aids early withdrawal of the offending agent (5-FU) and timely initiation of supportive measures and helps plan alternative oncological interventions.

In the past decades, advances in the use of adoptive cellular therapy to treat cancer have led to unprecedented responses in patients with relapsed/refractory or late-stage malignancies. However, cellular exhaustion and senescence limit the efficacy of FDA-approved T-cell therapies in patients with hematologic malignancies and the widespread application of this approach in treating patients with solid tumors. Investigators are addressing the current obstacles by focusing on the manufacturing process of effector T cells, including engineering approaches and ex vivo expansion strategies to regulate T-cell differentiation. Here we reviewed the current small-molecule strategies to enhance T-cell expansion, persistence, and functionality during ex vivo manufacturing. We further discussed the synergistic benefits of the dual-targeting approaches and proposed novel vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor antagonists (VIPR-ANT) peptides as emerging candidates to enhance cell-based immunotherapy.