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The organic salts that show melting points less than 100 °C (i.e. under the boiling temperature of water) are referred to as Ionic liquids/fluids (ILs), they describe a fascinating class of liquid materials distinguished by exceptionally low vapor pressure. Ionic liquids (ILs) have originated from volatile organic solvents as an environmentally friendly alternative. ILs comprising of components, both cationic and anionic, having certain properties that can be produced. The ability of such environmentally friendly ILs in chemical reactions is described by referring to them as “designer solvents”. They are moldable to match the conditions of the reaction and thus become “task-specific ILs.” Their ability to dissolve transition metal complexes makes them useful in increasing, reaction rates and selectivity in many catalytic organic reactions. Some of the characteristic physical properties of room temperature organic ionic liquids (RTILs) are low hydrophobicity, low volatility, and low lipophilicity, which makes their nature independent among other liquids. This nature supports homogeneous as well as heterogeneous catalysts thus, making reactions economically and environmentally friendly. This review discusses the applications of ILs in organic catalytic transformation.

Background: Cordia myxa L. (CM) is a valuable ethnomedicinal plant from Boraginaceae family. Traditionally, CM parts especially fruits and leaves are used in chest and urinary tract infections, diarrhoea, dysentery, tuberculosis, liver and spleen disorders, chronic fever, malaria etc. Objective: Despite of known importance and uses, CM has gained relatively less attention of researchers and concise reviews revealing the medicinal potential of CM are scanty. The present review summarizes the chemical constituents and biological activities of CM and aims to stimulate future research to develop it as a functional health food. Results: Analysis of literature on CM showed that its fruits are a rich source of nutrients and are frequently employed in wide ailments such as urinary and respiratory tract infections, chronic fever, liver disorders, asthma, used as anthelmintic, diuretic, expectorant and purgative. Scientific studies have shown the antidiabetic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antioxidant, antiplasmodial, hepatoprotective, hypotensive, antiulcer and antimicrobial activities of CM. More than 45 compounds belonging to carbohydrates, steroids, carotenoids, phenols, flavonoids and alkaloids have been reported from various parts of CM. Conclusion: Systematic preclinical studies support the traditional claims of CM. The analysis of available literature showed that CM could be developed as a drug. Further, studies such as detailed pharmacological and toxicological evaluation, isolation of bioactive compounds, quantitative phytochemistry and structure activity relationship are scanty and thus, crucial to be addressed for uplifting the scientific value of this revered medicinal plant.

The vital role of triel bonding (TrB) has been highlighted in two new thallium compounds i.e. Tl+[{(4-C2H5)C6H4O}2PS2]2- (1) and Tl[{(4-(CH)CH3)2C6H4O}2PS2]2 (2). These new compounds have been characterized by elemental and spectral analyses. The crystal structure of 1 and 2 belongs to monoclinic and triclinic system with space group P21/c and Pī, respectively. Interestingly, compound 1 exists in ionic form and stabilized through intramolecular Tl⋯S (TrBs) interactions wherein thallium atom is symmetrically positioned in the cleft of ligand with longer Tl–S distances. In compound 2, the thallium atom is coordinated to one sulfur atom and other sulfur atom participates in TrB interactions. Both the compounds also exhibit intermolecular Tl⋯S, Tl⋯π (TrBs) and C-H⋯Tl (anagostic) interactions which assist to form unique supramolecular architectures owing to large size as well as coordinative unsaturation on the thallium. These non-covalent TrB interactions were authenticated by Hirshfeld surface analysis (HSA) and Density functional theory (DFT) calculations using the quantum theory of atoms-in-molecules (QTAIM) and non-covalent interaction plot (NCI Plot) index methods. TrBs involving Tl have been scarcely described in the literature; therefore this manuscript provides valuable insight into the importance of these unprecedented TrBs in the solid state.

CRM1 inhibitors have demonstrated antitumor effects in ovarian and other cancers; however, rational combinations are largely unexplored. We performed a high-throughput drug library screen to identify drugs that might combine well with selinexor in ovarian cancer. Next, we tested the combination of selinexor with the top hit from the drug screen in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we assessed for mechanisms underlying the identified synergy using reverse phase protein arrays (RPPA). The drug library screen assessing 688 drugs identified olaparib (a PARP inhibitor) as the most synergistic combination with selinexor. Synergy was further demonstrated by MTT assays. In the A2780luc ip1 mouse model, the combination of selinexor and olaparib yielded significantly lower tumor weight and fewer tumor nodules compared with the control group (P < 0.04 and P < 0.03). In the OVCAR5 mouse model, the combination yielded significantly fewer nodules (P = 0.006) and markedly lower tumor weight compared with the control group (P = 0.059). RPPA analysis indicated decreased expression of DNA damage repair proteins and increased expression of tumor suppressor proteins in the combination treatment group. Collectively, our preclinical findings indicate that combination with selinexor to expand the utility and efficacy of PARP inhibitors in ovarian cancer warrants further exploration.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reduction is a current hotspot for researchers and innovators owing to an abrupt increase in CO2 concentration in the ecosystem. The current focus of environmental eng...

Biopolymers have attracted considerable attention in various biomedical applications. Among them, cellulose as sustainable and renewable biomass has shown potential efficacy. With the advancement in nanotechnology, a wide range of nanostructured materials have surfaced with the potential to offer substantial biomedical applications. . The progress of cellulose at the nanoscale regime (nanocelluloses) with diverse forms like cellulose nanocrystals, nanofibres and bacterial nanocellulose) has imparted remarkable properties like high aspect-ratio and high mechanical strength, and biocompatibility. The amalgamation of nanocellulose together with magnetic nanoparticles (MNC) could be explored for a synergistic effect. In this review, a brief introduction of nano cellulose , magnetic nanoparticles and the synergistic effect of MNC is described. Further, the review sheds light on the recent studies based on MNCs with their potential in the biomedical area. Finally, the review is concluded by citing the remarkable value of MNC with their futuristic applications in other fields like friction layers for triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), energy production, hydrogen splitting, and wearable electronics.

Author(s): Sood, Mohit; Urbaniak, Aleksander; Boumenou, Christian Kameni; Weiss, Thomas; Elanzeery, Hossam; Babbe, Finn; Werner, Florian; Melchiorre, Michele; Siebentritt, Susanne | Abstract: The presence of interface recombination in a complex multilayered thin-film solar structure causes a disparity between the internal open-circuit voltage (VOC,in), measured by photoluminescence, and the external open-circuit voltage (VOC,ex) i.e. an additional VOC deficit. Higher VOC,ex value aim require a comprehensive understanding of connection between VOC deficit and interface recombination. Here, a deep near-surface defect model at the absorber/buffer interface is developed for copper indium di-selenide solar cells grown under Cu excess conditions to explain the disparity between VOC,in and VOC,ex.. The model is based on experimental analysis of admittance spectroscopy and deep-level transient spectroscopy, which show the signature of deep acceptor defect. Further, temperature-dependent current-voltage measurements confirm the presence of near surface defects as the cause of interface recombination. The numerical simulations show strong decrease in the local VOC,in near the absorber/buffer interface leading to a VOC deficit in the device. This loss mechanism leads to interface recombination without a reduced interface bandgap or Fermi level pinning. Further, these findings demonstrate that the VOC,in measurements alone can be inconclusive and might conceal the information on interface recombination pathways, establishing the need for complementary techniques like temperature dependent current voltage measurements to identify the cause of interface recombination in the devices.

Background and Aims: The anticipated fear of serious outcomes in coronavirus infected liver transplant recipients led to disruption of transplant services globally. The aim of our study was to analyze COVID-19 severity in transplant recipients and to compare the difference of COVID-19 clinical outcomes in early ( 1 year) post-transplant period. Methods: 41 post-living donor liver transplant recipients with COVID-19 infection were studied retrospectively from 1st April 2020 to 28th February 2021. Results: The median age was 49.00 years with a male preponderance (80.49%). Fifteen patients had infection within 1 year of transplant and 26 were infected after 1 year of transplant. The overall median interval between transplantation and COVID-19 diagnosis was 816.00 days. Fever and malaise were the common presenting symptoms. The most common associated comorbidities were diabetes mellitus (65.85%) and hypertension (46.34%). The severity of illness was mild in 28 (68.29%), moderate in 4 (9.76%), severe in 6 (14.63%) and critical in 3 (7.32%). To identify associated risk factors, we divided our patients into less severe and more severe groups. Except for lymphopenia, there was no worsening of total bilirubin, transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase in the more severe group. Eight (19.51%) patients required intensive care unit admission and three (7.32%) died, while none suffered graft rejection. In recipients with early vs. late post transplant COVID-19 infection, there were similar outcomes in terms of severity of COVID-19 illness, intensive care unit care need, requirement of respiratory support, and death. Conclusion: Living donor liver transplantation can be performed during the COVID-19 pandemic without the fear of poor recipient outcome in cases of unfortunate contraction of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. Citation of this article: Jamir I, Kumar N, Sood G, George A, Lohia P, Pasupuleti SSR, et al. Impact of Living Donor Liver Transplantation on COVID-19 Clinical Outcomes from a Quaternary Care Centre in Delhi. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2021. doi: 10.14218/JCTH.2021.00303.

β-Hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) is a remnant from former HCH pesticide production. Its removal from the environment gained attention in the last few years since it is the most stable HCH isomer. However, knowledge about the transformation of β-HCH in soil-plant systems is still limited. Therefore, experiments with a contaminated field soil were conducted to investigate the transformation of β-HCH in soil-plant systems by compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA). The results showed that the δ13C and δ37Cl values of β-HCH in the soil of the planted control remained stable, revealing no transformation due to a low bioavailability. Remarkably, an increase of the δ13C and δ37Cl values in soil and plant tissues of the spiked treatments were observed, indicating the transformation of β-HCH in both the soil and the plant. This was surprising as previously it was shown that wheat is unable to transform β-HCH when growing in hydroponic culture or garden soil. Thus, results of this work indicate for the first time that a microbial community of the soil inoculated the wheat and then facilitated the transformation of β-HCH in the wheat, which may have implications for the development of phytoremediation concepts. A high abundance of HCH degraders belonging to Sphingomonas sp., Mycobacterium sp., and others was detected in the β-HCH-treated bulk and rhizosphere soil, potentially supporting the biotransformation.

BACKGROUND AND AIM Prospective trials evaluating efficacy of specific diet restriction in functional dyspepsia (FD) are scarce. We aimed to assess efficacy of low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) diet in FD, compared with traditional dietary advice (TDA). METHODS In this prospective, single-blind trial, patients with FD (Rome IV) were randomized into low FODMAP diet (LFD) and TDA groups, for 4 weeks (phase I). In phase II (4-12 weeks), LFD group was advised systematic re-introduction of FODMAPs. Symptom severity and quality of life were assessed using "Short-Form Nepean Dyspepsia Index (SF-NDI)." Primary outcome was symptomatic response (symptom score reduction of ≥ 50%), at 4 weeks. Study was registered with CTRI (2019/06/019852). RESULTS Of 184 patients screened, 105 were randomized to LFD (n = 54) and TDA (n = 51) groups. At 4 weeks, both groups showed significant reduction in SF-NDI symptom scores compared with baseline, with no significant difference in inter-group response rates [LFD: 66.7% (36/54); TDA: 56.9% (29/51); P = 0.32]. On sub-group analysis, patients with postprandial distress syndrome or bloating had significantly better symptomatic response with LFD (P = 0.04). SF-NDI quality of life scores improved significantly in both groups. On multivariate analysis, factors predicting response to LFD were bloating and male gender. Incidences of adverse events (minor) were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS In patients with FD, LFD and TDA lead to significant symptomatic and quality of life improvement. Patients with postprandial distress syndrome or bloating respond significantly better to LFD. Therefore, dietary advice for FD should be individualized according to FD subtype.

In this contribution, we report the fabrication of multifunctional nanoparticles with gold shell over an iron oxide nanoparticles (INPs) core. The fabricated system combines the magnetic property of INPs and the surface plasmon resonance of gold. The developed nanoparticles are coated with thiolated pectin (TPGINs), which provides stability to the nanoparticles dispersion and allows the loading of hydrophobic anticancer drugs. Curcumin (Cur) is used as the model drug and an encapsulation efficiency of approximately 80% in TPGINs is observed. Cytotoxicity study with HeLa cells shows that Cur-loaded TPGINs have better viability percent (~30%) than Cur alone (~40%) at a dose of 30 μg of TPGINs. Further, annexin V-PI assay demonstrated the enhanced anticancer activity of Cur-loaded TPGINs via induction of apoptosis. The use of TPGINs leads to a significant enhancement in generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HeLa cells through improved radiosensitization by gamma irradiation (0.5 Gy). TPGINs are further evaluated for imparting contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the r2 relaxivity in the range of 11.06–13.94 s−1 μg−1 mL when measured at 7 Tesla. These experimental results indicate the potential of TPGINs for drug delivery and MR imaging.

Angiotensin II receptor type 2 (AT2R) agonists have been known to promote neuroprotection by limiting ischemic insult, neuronal proliferation, and differentiation. Further, AT2R agonists have also been associated with the suppression of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Of note, brain astrocytes play a critical role in these neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative processes. However, the role of AT2R in astrocytic activation remains elusive. Therefore, this study evaluated the role and molecular mechanism of AT2R agonist CGP42112A (CGP) against Angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced astrocytic activation in primary astrocytes, and in a rat model of hypertension. Here, we demonstrated that AT2R activation by CGP abrogated Ang II-induced astrocytic activation, by mitigating the ROS production, mitochondrial dysfunction, IκB-α degradation, NFκB nuclear translocation, and release of TNF-α in astrocytes. However, AT2R-mediated anti-inflammatory effects were reversed by AT2R antagonist, PD123319 (PD), in both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Mechanistically, AT2R via protein phosphatase-2A (PP2A) abrogated the Ang II-induced NFκB activation, ROS generation, and subsequent astrocytic activation. Importantly, PP2A antagonist, okadaic acid, reversed the anti-inflammatory effects of AT2R in Ang II-stimulated primary astrocytes and in the cortex of hypertensive rats. Thus, the present study suggests that AT2R by activating PP2A inhibits oxidative stress and NFκB activation, thereby preventing the astrocytic pro-inflammatory activation. Therefore, AT2R might be advantageous therapeutic target for neuroinflammatory/neurodegenerative diseases perpetuated by astrocytic activation.

To understand the role of polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) in drug resistance and disease relapse, we examined the mRNA expression profile of PGCCs following treatment with paclitaxel in ovarian cancer cells. An acute activation of IL-6 dominated senescence-associated secretory phenotype lasted 2–3 weeks and declined during the termination phase of polyploidy. IL-6 activates embryonic stemness during the initiation of PGCCs and can reprogram normal fibroblasts into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) via increased collagen synthesis, activation of VEGF expression, and enrichment of CAFs and the GPR77 + /CD10 + fibroblast subpopulation. Blocking the IL-6 feedback loop with tocilizumab or apigenin prevented PGCC formation, attenuated embryonic stemness and the CAF phenotype, and inhibited tumor growth in a patient-derived xenograft high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma model. Thus, IL-6 derived by PGCCs is capable of reprogramming both cancer and stromal cells and contributes to the evolution and remodeling of cancer. Targeting IL-6 in PGCCs may represent a novel approach to combating drug resistance.

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) in India is mostly symptomatic with renal and skeletal complications. Evidence on mortality outcomes following parathyroidectomy from India, where the disease is predominantly symptomatic is limited. This was a prospective study to evaluate mortality outcomes in the Indian PHPT registry over the past 25 years (n = 464). Pre- and postoperative parameters and mortality data were obtained from medical records and/or by verbal autopsy, a method validated by WHO for data collection in settings where several deaths are noninstitutional. Patients were divided into survivor (SG) and nonsurvivor groups (NSG) to ascertain differences in presentation and the effect of parathyroidectomy. The overall mortality was 8.8% at a median follow-up of 8 years (IQR 1–13) after parathyroidectomy. Chronic kidney disease was the most common background cause of death (43.5%), followed by pancreatitis (28.2%). NSG had significantly more frequent renal dysfunction (91.9% vs 73.9%), anaemia (50 vs 16.6%) and pancreatitis (24.3 vs 6.4%). PTH (61.9 vs 38.3 pmol/l) and baseline creatinine (97.2 vs 70.7 µmol/l) were significantly higher and eGFR lower (66.7 vs 90.7 ml/min/1.73m2) in the NSG than SG. By Cox proportional modelling, renal dysfunction [HR 2.88 (1.42–5.84)], anaemia [HR 2.45 (1.11–5.42)] and pancreatitis [HR 2.65 (1.24–5.66)] on univariate and renal dysfunction [HR 3.33 (1.13–9.77)] on multivariate analysis were significant for mortality. Survival curves demonstrated a significantly higher mortality with lower eGFR values. Nonsurvivors in PHPT had greater prevalence and more severe baseline renal dysfunction than survivors. Survival after parathyroidectomy was significantly associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate at baseline.

Inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and angiogenesis have demonstrated single-agent activity in women with advanced ovarian cancer. Recent studies have aimed to establish whether combination therapy can augment the response seen with PARP inhibitors or antiangiogenic agents alone. This review provides an overview of PARP inhibitors and antiangiogenics as monotherapy in women with advanced ovarian cancer, explores potential mechanisms of action of PARP inhibitor and antiangiogenic combination treatments, reviews efficacy and safety data from trials evaluating this combination, and outlines ongoing and future trials evaluating this combination, discussing these in the context of the current and future treatment landscape for women with advanced ovarian cancer. Sentinel studies evaluating PARP inhibitor (n = 8), antiangiogenic (n = 4), and combination (n = 7) therapy were identified in women with newly diagnosed (n = 7) and recurrent (n = 12) ovarian cancer. PARP inhibitors included olaparib (n = 9), niraparib (n = 4), rucaparib (n = 1), and veliparib (n = 1). Antiangiogenic agents included bevacizumab (n = 7) and cediranib (n = 4). PARP inhibitors combined with antiangiogenics demonstrated efficacy based on objective response rates and progression-free survival (PFS) in the relapsed disease setting. Maintenance therapy with the PARP inhibitor, olaparib, plus antiangiogenic therapy offered a significant PFS benefit versus the antiangiogenic alone in women with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer who tested positive for homologous recombination deficiency. Combination therapy was tolerated, with no new safety signals reported compared with monotherapy trials. PARP inhibitors and antiangiogenics have changed the landscape of ovarian cancer treatment. The PARP inhibitor plus antiangiogenic combination is a novel treatment option that appears promising in the first-line advanced and recurrent ovarian cancer settings, although the role of this combination in recurrent disease requires further elucidation. Defining which patients are candidates for monotherapy or combination therapy is critical, taking into consideration safety profiles of therapies alone or in combination, and how these treatments should be sequenced in clinical practice.

We evaluated the dynamics of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and ammonia estimation in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients due to a paucity of evidence. ACLF patients recruited from the APASL-ACLF Research Consortium (AARC) were followed up till 30 days, death or transplantation, whichever earlier. Clinical details, including dynamic grades of HE and laboratory data, including ammonia levels, were serially noted. Of the 3009 ACLF patients, 1315 (43.7%) had HE at presentation; grades I–II in 981 (74.6%) and grades III–IV in 334 (25.4%) patients. The independent predictors of HE at baseline were higher age, systemic inflammatory response, elevated ammonia levels, serum protein, sepsis and MELD score (p

Concurrent exposure to a multitude of environmental toxicants pose serious health hazard to humans and animals. The present investigation was conceptualized to determine deleterious effects of concomitant subacute arsenic and quinalphos exposure on antioxidant responses of liver and erythrocytes of Wistar rats. Fifty-four Wistar rats were divided into nine groups with six animals in each. Animals were exposed to either quinalphos (1/100th and 1/10th of LD50) through oral gavage daily or arsenic (50 and 100 ppb) in drinking water alone and in combination for 28 days. While treatment with different toxicants alone also significantly reduced hemoglobin concentration, hepatic biomarkers and levels of antioxidant parameters as compared with control values, concomitant exposure significantly (P

This prospective study was conducted on 42 buffaloes diagnosed with reticular diaphragmatic hernia (RDH). The common clinical findings were depressed demeanor, chronic inappetance or anorexia, dehydration, recurrent or persistent tympany, scanty faeces, mushy rumen with normal or increased motility, tachypnea, abdominal distension, and gradual reduction in milk yield. The presence of reticular foreign bodies seemed to be the major predisposing factor. Neutrophil and lymphocyte counts were significantly (p

This paper deals with the study of thermal effect in a rotating disk made of rubber and magnesium materials, having variable density parameters using transition theory. The tangential stress is maximum at the inner surface of the disk made of rubber in comparison to that made of magnesium material for the initial yielding stage. With the introduction of density parameter and thermal condition, the values of tangential stress decreased in the inner and outer surfaces for disks made of rubber and magnesium materials for the initial and fully plastic stage. With the influence of density parameter, the rotating disk requires lesser values of angular speed for the initial yielding and fully plastic stage.

Recently, ovarian cancer research has evolved considerably because of the emerging recognition that rather than a single disease, ovarian carcinomas comprise several different histotypes that vary by etiologic origin, risk factors, molecular profiles, therapeutic approaches and clinical outcome. Despite significant progress in our understanding of the etiologic heterogeneity of ovarian cancer, as well as important clinical advances, it remains the eighth most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide and the most fatal gynecologic cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer and the United States National Cancer Institute jointly convened an expert panel on ovarian carcinoma to develop consensus research priorities based on evolving scientific discoveries. Expertise ranged from etiology, prevention, early detection, pathology, model systems, molecular characterization and treatment/clinical management. This report summarizes the current state of knowledge and highlights expert consensus on future directions to continue advancing etiologic, epidemiologic and prognostic research on ovarian carcinoma.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic role of serum cystatin C, urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and renal resistive index (RRI) in AKI among pediatric cirrhotics. The study included cirrhotic children under 18 years of age. AKI was diagnosed as per Kidney Diseases-Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines. All patients underwent measurement of serum cystatin C, urinary NGAL, and RRI at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. eGFR was calculated using both creatinine- and cystatin-based equations. Of the 247 cirrhotics admitted during the study, 100 gave consent and were included. Forty-one fulfilled the KDIGO definition of AKI of whom 22 showed resolution. Two of these children had a repeat AKI at 2 and 4 months after initial AKI; both resolved with medical management. On logistic regression analysis, serum cystatin C (OR: 544.8, 95% CI: 24.4-12170, p < 0.0005) and urinary NGAL (OR: 1.006, 95% CI: 1001-1.012, p = 0.019) were found to be significantly associated with AKI. Cystatin C alone was the best biomarker for diagnosing AKI in children with decompensation (OR: 486.7, p < 0.0005) or spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (p = 0.02). eGFR calculated by serum cystatin C-based formulas was more reliable than that calculated by creatinine-based equations.Conclusion: Serum cystatin C is the best biomarker for diagnosis of AKI in pediatric cirrhotics, especially with decompensation and SBP. eGFR calculated on serum cystatin C-based equations is more reliable than creatinine-based ones. What is Known: • Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in cirrhotic adults. • Newer biomarkers have diagnostic and prognostic role in adult cirrhotics. What is New: • Serum cystatin C is a useful biomarker to identify acute kidney injury in cirrhotic children with decompensation. • Glomerular filtration rate calculation is more accurate by cystatin-based equations than creatinine-based equations.

Ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death triggered by lipid peroxidation, was recently identified as an important mechanism in radiotherapy (RT)-mediated tumor suppression and radioresistance, although the exact genetic contexts in which to target ferroptosis in RT remains to be defined. p53 is the most commonly mutated gene in human cancers and a major effector to RT. Here, we identify ferroptosis as a critical mechanism to mediate p53 function in tumor radiosensitivity. Mechanistically, RT-mediated p53 activation antagonizes RT-induced SLC7A11 expression and represses glutathione synthesis, thereby promoting RT-induced lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis. p53 deficiency promotes radioresistance in cancer cells or tumors at least partly through SLC7A11-mediated ferroptosis inhibition. Ferroptosis inducers (FINs) that inhibit SLC7A11 exert significant radiosensitizing effects in tumor organoids and patient-derived xenografts with p53 mutation or deficiency. Finally, we show that RT-induced ferroptosis correlates with p53 activation and better clinical outcomes to RT in cancer patients. Together, our study uncovers a previously unappreciated role of ferroptosis in p53-mediated radiosensitization and suggest using FINs in combination with RT to treat p53-mutant cancers.

Mixed hardwood unbleached (UB) and final bleached (FB) pulp along with the pulp of intermediate bleaching stages from an integrated paper mill have been undertaken for this study. Headspace GC-MS analysis of these pulps was made to identify the odorous compounds which are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), generated during ageing for 60 days. The result showed that a number of pre-generated VOCs such as aliphatic hydrocarbons and aldehydes are observed in the pulp sample which might be came from the process and it has been observed that upon ageing at ambient conditions, some acid functionalized VOC were generated in the pulp. The generation of these VOCs were established by ATR-FTIR analysis and the results showed that intensity of peak absorbance near 3340 cm − 1 {\text{cm}^{-1}} and 1641 cm − 1 {\text{cm}^{-1}} which represents the –OH stretching of acidic functional group and C=O stretch of aldehyde and acidic functional groups increased after ageing. Generation of acid functionalized volatile compounds were observed more in bleached pulp than in unbleached pulp. Degree of polymerization (DP) is pretty much related to the strength of paper. DP of both unbleached and bleached pulp gets reduced upon ageing while more reduction were observed in bleached pulp. Bleached pulps are more prone to degrade as compared to the unbleached pulp in terms of strength properties such as tensile index, breaking length, burst and double fold were observed. 12.3 % and 21.8 % reduction in tensile index was observed for UB and final bleached FB pulp respectively. Burst index of UB and FB pulp were found reduced to 23.8 % and 41.9 % respectively due to ageing. Reduction in the mechanical and optical properties was also observed in intermediate bleaching stages. There is much evidence for the contribution of VOCs to the degradation of paper. The results are strongly suggested that acid functionalized volatile compounds can have strong effects on degradation of cellulosic paper.

SrFe12O19 samples were initially prepared using sol-gel auto-combustion method and calcined from 500 to 1100°C (for 6 h). XRD data established the phase formation temperature of SrM phase to be ≈1000°C. Thereafter, the effect of Zn2+-Zr4+ co-dopant on magnetic and structural properties of SrZnxZrxFe12-2xO19 (x = 0.00–1.00) samples calcined between 900–1100°C was investigated. XRD data shows that the cell volume increases (from 690.45Å3 (x = 0.00) to 705.72Å3 (x = 1.00)) while crystallite size decreases (from 123.9 nm (x = 0.00) to 62.3nm (x = 1.00)) calcined at 1000°C. The Rietveld refinement of XRD data confirms a) x = 0.00 sample to be phase pure and b) the presence of ZnFe2O4 (≈2.25) & SrZrO3 (≈2.93%) impurity phases in x = 1.00 sample, calcined at 1000°C. FESEM micrographs revealed that a) grain size decreases for x > 0.20 with `x’ at 900°C and b) increases from 122 nm at 900°C to 443 nm at 1100°C, for x = 0.00. Broadening of Raman bands reveals generation of strain in the lattice with enhancement of Zn2+-Zr4+ concentration. The magnetic studies reveal that the coercivity monotonically decreases (from 5358(x = 0.00) Oe to 690(x = 1.00) Oe at 1000°C) with enhancement of Zn2+-Zr4+ concentration. A maximum Ms value ≈ 70.89 emu/g was observed in x = 0.20 sample at 1100°C. Ms value also decreases for x > 0.20 at each calcination temperature.

In this paper, we report on the comprehensive study on Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanolayer coated etched Fiber Bragg Grating (eFBG) strain sensor. MoS2 nanolayer is coated using Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) of Molybdenum (Mo) on eFBGs followed by sulfurization of the same in an inert atmosphere at 450° C. Such coating technique provides a direct control over the coating thickness of MoS2, thereby enabling a study based on the effect of nanolayer coating thickness on the intrinsic strain sensitivity as well as the power of the back reflected Bragg wavelength of eFBG in the 0.78eV spectral region. High uniformity of MoS2 nanolayer coating ensures consistent, repeatable and highly linear FBG strain sensors with a correlation coefficient of 0.988 in the range of 0 to $2500~\mu \varepsilon $ . A maximum intrinsic strain sensitivity of ~6.65 pm/ $\mu \varepsilon $ with a resolution of $\sim 150~\text{n}\varepsilon $ have been achieved with optimized MoS2 coated eFBG sensors. This kind of consistent, highly sensitive and linear strain sensors when incorporated with proper packaging schemes can be particularly useful for applications demanding high sensitivity of FBG sensors such detection of seismic vibrations, underwater acoustic signals, low amplitude accelerations, etc.

Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) is a persistent organochlorine pesticide that poses threat to different life forms. Sphingobium indicum B90A that belong to sphingomonad is well-known for its ability to degrade HCH isomers (α-, β-, γ-, δ-), but effects of HCH isomers and adaptive mechanisms of strain B90A under HCH load remain obscure. To investigate the responses of strain B90A to HCH isomers, we followed the proteomics approach as this technique is considered as the powerful tool to study the microbial response to environmental stress. Strain B90A culture was exposed to α-, β-, γ-, δ-HCH (5 mgL-1) and control (without HCH) taken for comparison and changes in whole cell proteome were analyzed. In β- and δ-HCH-treated cultures growth decreased significantly when compared to control, α-, and γ-HCH-treated cultures. HCH residue analysis corroborated previous observations depicting the complete depletion of α- and γ-HCH, while only 66% β-HCH and 34% δ-HCH were depleted from culture broth. Comparative proteome analyses showed that β- and δ-HCH induced utmost systemic changes in strain B90A proteome, wherein stress-alleviating proteins such as histidine kinases, molecular chaperons, DNA binding proteins, ABC transporters, TonB proteins, antioxidant enzymes, and transcriptional regulators were significantly affected. Besides study confirmed constitutive expression of linA, linB, and linC genes that are crucial for the initiation of HCH isomers degradation, while increased abundance of LinM and LinN in presence of β- and δ-HCH suggested the important role of ABC transporter in depletion of these isomers. These results will help to understand the HCH-induced damages and adaptive strategies of strain B90A under HCH load which remained unravelled to date.

Chondrosarcoma is a cartilaginous tumor of mesenchymal origin. The histology and grade of the tumor determine the chances of relapse and survival. These tumors usually respond poorly to chemo-radiotherapy in cases of non-resectable and recurrent disease. (18)F-FDG PET/CT has been used in evaluation of recurrence. However, these tumors show only mild to moderate FDG avidity due to their lower mitotic activity and large acellular matrix. These tumors are known to have a high degree of angiogenesis, especially in those of higher grade. We present a case of a 53-year-old man with grade II chondrosarcoma of the left femur showing only mild avidity on (18)F-FDG PET/CT but showing moderate to intense tracer avidity on (68)Ga-DOTA-RGD(2) PET/CT. This may enable the use of angiogenesis-targeted positron and beta-emitting radiopharmaceuticals as a potentially new theranostic alternative treatment in cases of refractory metastatic chondrosarcoma.

Background: Diabetic Retinopathy is the leading cause of vision impairment and its early stage diagnosis relies on regular monitoring and timely treatment for anomalies exhibiting subtle distinction among different severity grades. The existing Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) detection approaches are subjective, laborious and time consuming which can only be carried out by skilled professionals. All the patents related to DR detection and diagnoses applicable for our research problem were revised by the authors. The major limitation in classification of severities lies in poor discrimination between actual lesions, background noise and other anatomical structures. Methods: A robust and computationally efficient Two-Tier DR (2TDR) grading system is proposed in this paper to categorize various DR severities (mild, moderate and severe) present in retinal fundus images. In the proposed 2TDR grading system, input fundus image is subjected to background segmentation and the foreground fundus image is used for anomaly identification followed by GLCM feature extraction forming an image feature set. The novelty of our model lies in the exhaustive statistical analysis of extracted feature set to obtain optimal reduced image feature set employed further for classification. Results: Classification outcomes are obtained for both extracted as well as reduced feature set to validate the significance of statistical analysis in severity classification and grading. For single tier classification stage, the proposed system achieves an overall accuracy of 100% by k- Nearest Neighbour (kNN) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) classifier. In second tier classification stage, an overall accuracy of 95.3% with kNN and 98.0% with ANN is achieved for all stages utilizing optimal reduced feature set. Conclusion:: 2TDR system demonstrates overall improvement in classification performance by 2% and 6% for kNN and ANN respectively after feature set reduction, and also outperforms the accuracy obtained by other state of the art methods when applied to the MESSIDOR dataset. This application oriented work aids in accurate DR classification for effective diagnosis and timely treatment of severe retinal ailment.

The present study was carried out to develop syrup and standardise the formulation of recipe produced from strawberry and determine syrup's nutritional value during storage in the department of Agriculture, Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab during the winter season of 2018-2019. It was Fresh ripe strawberries were washed with pure water and blended to get the pulp. The fruits were analysed to determine the moisture, TSS, pH, ascorbic acid, total sugar, reducing sugar, titrable acidity and ?- carotene. Different combinations of table sugar and distilled water were used to prepare syrup with a constant value of 25% fruit pulp, i.e. T1= 10% sugar concentration, T2= 20% sugar, T3= 30% sugar, T4= 40% sugar, T5=50% sugar, T6= 60% sugar, T7= 70% sugar with 25% strawberry pulp and T8 with 25% pulp only. The samples were stored at ambient temperature for 120 days to check the physiochemical and organoleptic analysis of strawberry syrup. According to the opinion of organoleptic test panel, treatment with 60% sugar was the most preferred one after considering the points of colour, flavour, texture, taste, and overall acceptability. During storage period TSS, pH, total sugar and reducing sugar increased whereas titrable acidity and ascorbic acid content decreased during the storage period.

BACKGROUND: Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) score is related to chemotherapy response in some cancers, but its role in endometrial cancer in not known. We determined frequency and clinical significance of alterations in the HR pathway in endometrial cancer. METHODS: 253 endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma (EEA) samples from two independent cohorts (discovery and replication) were tested for HRD score using the Myriad HRD assay, microsatellite instability (MSI) and tumor mutation burden (TMB) using a next generation sequencing assay. HRD scores were also generated on endometrial cancer cell lines and in vivo response to olaparib was assessed. RESULTS: ROC curves were employed to determine optimal cutoffs of HRD in relation to survival impact in endometrial cancer and a cutoff of HRD ≥ 4 was suggested for DFS using discovery cohort. Patients from two independent cohorts with HRD score ≥ 4 trended toward worse survival as compared to those with HRD score

Faecal carriage of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is being observed as an important risk factor for bacteremia among patients with hematological malignancies. A prospective surveillance study was conducted among these patients to determine the gut colonization of CRE. Rectal/perianal swabs were collected to isolate CRE. Carbapenem resistance was detected by disk diffusion, modified-Hodge, Carba-NP test, and PCR for blaNDM-1, blaKPC, blaOXA-48, blaVIM, blaIMP genes. A total of 209 CRE isolates were identified from 151 patients. E. coli was the most common (83.2%) CRE identified, followed by Klebsiella spp. (9.6%). The majority of CRE were observed resistant to ertapenem (86%). blaNDM-1 was the most common gene (57.3%), followed by blaOXA-48 (37.8%). 26.8% isolates found to carry both blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-48 genes. CRE is increasingly observed to cause bacteremia among hematological malignancy patients due to increased colonization. Screening for gut CRE colonization is necessary to guide empirical therapy and apply infection control measures among these patients.

Resveratrol (RES) is a polyphenol and phytoalexin present in most of the herbal plants and its products. It is frequently prescribed as a preventing therapy for diseases like cancer, cardiovascular...

Maintaining the quality of their final paper-based food packaging products at a high and constant level is a key issue for food packaging manufacturers to meet the customer demands. In the present study, in order to analyze the present status of quality of paper-based food packages in India, the fiber furnishes of different common paper- and paperboard-based food packages were studied by the Graff “C” staining test and their fiber morphological properties – by MorFi analysis. The staining test results showed that all the samples contained fiber furnish made either by the chemical or by the mechanical pulping process. Tea bags, dry fruit boxes and egg trays were made of 4 different fiber components, while sugar sachets and juice boxes contained 3 fiber components. It was also observed that all the samples contained hardwood and softwood chemical fibers. MorFi analysis determined the morphological properties of the fibers, including the mean fiber length and width, coarseness, kink angle, kinked fibers %, curl % and fines elements % in total analyzed fibers. The results thus obtained confirmed that both these techniques are very reliable and feasible tools to study the quality of paper-based food packages.

In the current era, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have gained abundant attention due to their distinctive biomedical properties. Zinc is considered as one among the chief micronutrient in living organisms. Bio-genic synthesis of ZnO NPs using plant extract has expanded scientific community’s interest to explore them as rapid, non-toxic, economical, and eco-friendly alternative. A diverse range of plants parts has been exploited for the synthesis of ZnO NPs, which was further characterized using UV-VIS spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, and SEM for their spectral analysis. Researchers have further optimized the synthesis of ZnO NPs under various parameters including pH, temperature, and time. ZnO NPs developed as the most popular metal oxide due to their admirable biocompatibility and low toxicity. The present review describes the synthesis, analysis, optimization, and antibacterial applications of ZnO NPs. In addition, combinatorial effects of ZnO NPs with various antibiotics have also been discussed to overcome drug resistance issues.

Background and aim Low fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide, and polyol (FODMAP) diet improves irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. Data on long-term "modified" FODMAP diet are emerging. We aimed to assess efficacy and acceptability of short-term "strict" low FODMAP diet (LFD) and long-term "modified" FODMAP diet in patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D). Methods This prospective randomized trial included patients with IBS-D (Rome IV) and IBS severity scoring system (IBS-SSS) ≥ 175. In phase I (4 weeks), patients were randomized to strict LFD and traditional dietary advice (TDA) groups. From 4 to 16 weeks, LFD group was advised systematic reintroduction of FODMAPs ("modified" FODMAP diet). Response was defined as > 50-point reduction in IBS-SSS. Results Of the total 166 patients with IBS-D screened, 101 (mean age 41.9 ± 17.1 years, 58% male) were randomized to LFD (n = 52) and TDA (n = 49) groups. Both at 4 and 16 weeks, total IBS-SSS and IBS quality of life score reduced significantly in both groups, but there was significantly greater reduction in LFD group. By intention-to-treat analysis, responders in LFD group were significantly higher than TDA group (4 weeks-62.7% [32/51] vs 40.8% [20/49], respectively, P = 0.0448; 16 weeks-52.9% [27/51] vs 30.6% [15/49], respectively; P = 0.0274). Compliance to LFD was 93% at 4 weeks and 64% at 16 weeks. Energy, carbohydrate, fat, and fiber intake showed reduction in LFD group at 4 weeks, which improved till 16 weeks. Conclusions Strict LFD for short-term and "modified" LFD for long term in IBS-D patients is acceptable and leads to significant improvement in symptoms and quality of life.

Uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) is a biphasic aggressive high-grade endometrial cancer in which the sarcoma element has de-differentiated from the carcinoma element. UCS is considered a rare tumor, but its incidence has gradually increased in recent years (annual percent change from 2000 to 2016 1.7%, 95% confidence interval 1.2–2.2) as has the proportion of UCS among endometrial cancer, exceeding 5% in recent years. UCS typically affects the elderly, but in recent decades patients became younger. Notably, a stage-shift has occurred in recent years with increasing nodal metastasis and decreasing distant metastasis. The concept of sarcoma dominance may be new in UCS, and a sarcomatous element >50% of the uterine tumor is associated with decreased survival. Multimodal treatment is the mainstay of UCS. Lymphadenectomy, chemotherapy, and brachytherapy have increased in the past few decades, but survival outcomes remain dismal: the median survival is less than two years, and the 5-year overall survival rate has not changed in decades (31.9% in 1975 to 33.8% in 2012). Carboplatin/paclitaxel adjuvant chemotherapy improves progression-free survival compared with ifosfamide/paclitaxel, particularly in stages III-IV disease (GOG-261 trial). Twenty-six clinical trials previously examined therapeutic effectiveness in recurrent/metastatic UCS. The median response rate and progression-free survival were 37.5% and 5.9 months, respectively, after first-line therapy, but after later therapies, the outcomes were far worse (5.5% and 1.8 months, respectively). One significant discovery was that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of sarcomatous dedifferentiation in UCS and that heterologous sarcoma is associated with a higher EMT signature compared with homologous sarcoma. Furthermore, next-generation sequencing has revealed that UCS tumors are serous-like and that common somatic mutations include those in TP53, PIK3CA, FBXW7, PTEN, and ARID1A. This contemporary review highlights recent clinical and molecular updates in UCS. A possible therapeutic target of EMT in UCS is also discussed.

In the present study, different elicitors, viz., polyethylene glycol (PEG), alginate (ALG), chitosan (CHI), salicylic acid (SA), and yeast extract (YE), were used in in vitro shoot cultures of Stevia rebaudiana for 4 wk to decipher their effect on growth, biomass yield, and accumulation of steviol glycosides (SG), especially rebaudiosides. The highest leaf number (16.33), root number (4.67), and shoot length (3.80 cm) were observed in media supplemented with 0.5 mg/L YE, whereas maximum shoot number (2.44) and root length (1.89 cm) were recorded in 1.5 mg/L CHI and 1.0 mg/L PEG respectively. Elicitation by 1.0 mg/L YE resulted in enhanced biomass production with a maximum fresh weight of leaves (114.01 mg/plantlet), stem (90.27 mg/plantlet), and shoots (204.28 mg/plantlet). SG content was quantified through ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). Stevioside (ST) content was increased by 5-fold (0.77 mg/g leaf DW) in 2.0 mg/L ALG and rebaudioside A (RA) by 7-fold (1.9 mg/g leaf DW) in 0.5 mg/L ALG. Enhancement of SG is mainly regulated by a key gene, UGT85C2, which was further validated through qRT-PCR and in silico promoter analysis. Also, cis-regulatory elements governing transcriptional regulation linked with the biosynthesis of SG were identified in key genes. The study unveils ALG as a promising elicitor to produce quality biomass with enhanced metabolite profile in S. rebaudiana.

The aniline–indium(III) porphyrin chromophoric systems in which aniline is bonded non-covalently with porphyrin macrocycles were obtained by the treatment of each of the indium(III) porphyrins, i.e. tetra-p-methoxyphenyl indium(III) porphyrin and tetra-p-chlorophenyl indium(III) porphyrin with neutral aniline in CHCl3/CH3OH mixtures. The prepared aniline–indium(III) porphyrin chromophoric systems were successfully characterised by using FT-IR spectroscopy, 1H NMR spectroscopy and ESI-mass spectrometry. The 1H NMR and UV–Visible absorption spectroscopic studies of aniline–indium(III) porphyrin systems were further recorded as a function of pure aniline concentration in proper solvents. The results of these spectroscopic studies indicate the existence of interchromophoric interactions between aniline and indium(III) porphyrins which increase with the increase in pure aniline concentrations. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) measurement data reflects change in crystalline phases of parent complexes upon incorporation of aniline molecules. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicates that aniline-incorporated indium(III) porphyrins are less thermally stable than their parent complexes.

Background: Periodontal dressings are used for wound protection and patient comfort. Nano-silver particles have the ability to promote wound healing through anti-inflammatory properties. Hence, the present study aims to evaluate early wound healing parameters following periodontal surgery using nano-crystalline silver membrane as periodontal dressing. Materials and Methods: Forty-two systemically healthy patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis indicated for periodontal flap surgery were enrolled for the present study. Post surgery, the patients were randomly allocated to either a nano-crystalline silver dressing (Acticoat™) group (test group) or only the noneugenol dressing group (control group). Plaque index (PI) and wound healing index were recorded at the 7th- and 14th-day postsurgery. The microbiological analysis and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were evaluated at baseline and 7th-day postsurgery. Results: The healing index was significantly higher in the test group as compared to the control group at days 7 and 14 (P < 0.001; P < 0.001). The colony-forming units/ml count of bacteria were significantly reduced postsurgery in the test group (P = 0.019). VEGF levels increased significantly 7th-day postsurgery in the test group (P = 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the PI on the 7th-day postsurgery between the two groups (P = 0.173). Conclusion: The results of the study revealed that silver can be used as a potent periodontal dressing ingredient that can decrease the microbial colonization beneath the pack and promote faster healing postsurgery due to its antimicrobial activity.

Graphical abstract, Highlights • Juglans regia L. fruit is commonly used as nutraceuticals especially for development of brain tissue. • Isoprenaline administration produces oxidative damage, reduced antioxidant status and cholinergic crisis along with histopathological alterations in rat brain. • Hull extract administration reduced the lipid and protein peroxidation, restored antioxidant status and histopathological changes in brain induced by isoprenaline., The study was aimed at assessing isoprenaline (ISO) induced oxidative damage in brain of Wistar rats and its protection by hydroethanolic hull extract of Juglans regia. Administration of ISO significantly increases catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), malondialdehyde (MDA) and advanced oxidation protein product (AOPP) levels and significantly reduced activities of antioxidant status (TAS), total thiols (TTH), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), arylesterase (AE), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in rat brain. Histopathologically, neuronal degeneration, spongiosis and gliosis were seen in cerebral cortex after ISO administration. Pretreatment with hull extract restored TAS, TTH, AChE, CAT and SOD values. Additionally, significant reductions were noted in levels of MDA, AOPP, and severity of histomorphological changes in cerebral cortex following hull extract treatment. Altered antioxidant biomarkers along with histopathological changes indicate oxidative injury in rat brain following ISO administration. Repeated administration of J. regia hull extract demonstrating presence of neuroprotective properties against ISO induced oxidative damage in rat brain.

Purpose: To compare morphological features of staphyloma (type and grade) with structural and functional outcomes in 11 patients with symptomatic myopic tractional maculopathy (MTM) who underwent macular buckle surgery. Methods: A retrospective observational case series, where a chart review was conducted of the type (Curtin classification) and grade of staphyloma (USG B-scan based). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) macula analysis done preoperatively and postoperatively 1 and 6–8 weeks), Visual acuity was recorded in log mar. Results: With an average myopia of −10.35 D (−5 to −14.5 D), there were four patients with types II and IX staphyloma and seven with type I staphyloma. The average axial length was 28.6 ± 0.98 mm in type II/IX and 26.2 ± 0.8 mm in type I. Preoperative OCT features were outer retinal layer schisis (11), retinal detachment (foveal: 2, macular: 8), macular hole (lamellar: 3, full thickness: 4), and taut posterior hyaloid (3). Postoperatively, patients with type II/IX staphyloma had significant gain in visual acuity from 1.05 ± 0.3 to 0.74 ± 0.2 Log Mar. The structural features also responded better in patients with types II/IX staphyloma, with all patients having more than 90% reduction in schisis and retinal attachment at 6 weeks. Whereas only two patients with type I staphyloma had similar reduction in schisis at 6 weeks and only one had complete retinal attachment. Conclusion: In patients with MTM, the staphyloma characteristics preoperatively can help us prognosticate about structural and functional success after macular buckle surgery. In our small case series, patients with type II/IX staphyloma and larger axial length had better structural and functional outcomes.

The basic purpose of this investigation was to explore the effect on antimicrobial activity of a nitro group at an ortho- versus para-position in the 2-hydroxy-phenyl ring of nitro-salicylaldehyde-N-substituted thiosemicarbazone (X-NO2-stscH2-N1HR, X = 3 or 5; stsc-stands for salicyladehyde thiosemicarbazone) complexes with zinc. Reactions of zinc(II) acetate with 3-nitro-salicylaldehyde-N-substituted thiosemicarbazones (3-NO2-stscH2-N1HR) and 2,2-bipyridine, or 1,10-phenanthroline as co-ligands, yielded complexes of stoichiometry, [Zn(3-NO2-stsc-N1HR)(N,N-L)] {L, R: bipy, H, 1; Me, 2; Et, 3; Ph, 4; phen, H, 5; Me, 6; Et, 7; Ph, 8}. The thio-ligands coordinate to the metal as dianions (deprotonation of –OH and –N2H moieties) through O, N3 and S donor atoms in distorted trigonal bipyramid geometry (4, 5, 7: τ = 0.718–0.576) or in distorted square pyramid geometry (8: τ = 0.349). ESI-mass spectrometry supported the formation of molecular ion peaks. Complexes displayed fluorescence with λmax = 438–473 nm. It was found that these five-coordinated [Zn(3-NO2-stsc-N1HR)(N,N-L)] complexes showed high antimicrobial activity against methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella pneumoniae 1, Salmonella typhimurium 2 and C. albicans vis-a-vis that of 5-NO2-stscH2-N1HR zinc complexes reported earlier. However, in comparison, the antimicrobial activity of 5-nitro complexes against S. aureus was high relative to 3-nitro complexes in the present case.