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Among numerous biologically important metal cations, strontium (Sr2+) has received much attention in bone tissue regeneration because of its osteoinductive properties combined with its ability to inhibit osteoclast activity. In this study, strontium-doped hydroxyapatite (Sr-HAp) nanorods with varying molar ratios of Ca : Sr (10 : 0, 9 : 1, 5 : 5, 3 : 7 and 0 : 10) were synthesized using the chemical precipitation technique. The synthesized Sr-HAp nanostructures were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies to understand their structural and morphological features, and composition. XRD results revealed the formation of HAp nanostructures, whose unit cell volume increased as a function of the dopant level. The reaction process investigation showed the formation of hydroxyapatite (HAp), strontium apatite (SAp) and various Sr-HAp phases. FESEM micrographs displayed the morphological transformation of Sr-HAp from nanorods to nanosheets upon increasing the dopant level. In the FTIR spectra, the bands of the PO43− group shifted towards a lower wavenumber upon increasing the dopant concentration in Sr-HAp that signifies the structural distortion due to the presence of a large amount of strontium ions. The peaks of PO43− and OH− vibrations in the Raman spectra were further analysed to corroborate the structural distortion of Sr-HAp. Selected area electron diffraction patterns obtained using TEM reveal the reduced crystallinity of Sr-HAp due to Sr-doping, which is in line with the XRD results. Finally, the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay showed that the synthesized Sr-HAp has no toxic effect on the survival and growth of mesenchymal stem cells. In summary, the synthesized novel Sr-HAp nanorods exhibit great promise for bone tissue engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adhesive‐bonded joints in glass fiber‐reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite structures give numerous benefits, such as greater flexibility, good specific strength, improved fatigue resistance, and the ability to reduce stress concentration. Consequently, adhesive‐bonded joints are considered more influential if compared to fasteners. This research investigates the effects of incorporating graphene nanoparticles (GNPs) into the adhesive layer on several aspects of adhesively bonded co‐cure (CC) single‐lap GFRP composite joints. These aspects include shear strength, flexural strength, failure mechanisms, and fractography studies. The study examined six distinct weight percentages of GNP, specifically 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, and 1.5 wt.%, which are considered to enhance the interfacial strength of adhesive joints. Based on the research, 0.75 wt.% of GNP single‐lap joint (SLJ) shear strength improved by 69.40% when compared to the plain matrix SLJ. This suggests excellent load transmission between adherends. In addition, the flexural strength increased by 46.57% in the specimens containing 1.25 wt.% GNP when compared to the plain matrix used to bond in SLJ. After testing, fractured specimen microscopic images were used to examine failure mechanisms. According to fractography studies, adding GNPs to the adhesive causes surfaces to become rougher, which improves the adhesion between the adhesive and the adherends. Highlights: Six distinct wt.% of GNPs were used to prepare the matrix by sonication.Single‐lap GFRP composite joints were fabricated through a CC technique.SLJ's maximum shear strength was found at 0.75 wt% of GNP.SLJ's maximum flexural strength was found at 1.25 wt% of GNP.Failure analysis was conducted using microscopes and FESEM images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a review of the phytochemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Anisomeles malabarica, a plant native to India and Sri Lanka. It is known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-bacterial properties. Traditional medicine uses it to treat various health problems such as dyspepsia, rheumatism, wound healing, and teething problems in children. The article also discusses cultivation practices, medicinal value, phytochemical constituents, and pharmacological activities of A. malabarica. It concludes that the plant has significant medicinal value and should be further studied and utilized for its therapeutic benefits. [Extracted from the article]

Hydrotherapy is a commonly used treatment modality to manage various conditions including diabetes in the Naturopathy system of medicine. The objective of the current scoping review is to find the effectiveness of hydrotherapy on plasma blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes. Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage framework was adopted for this scoping review. The studies which used hydrotherapy intervention for the management of diabetes or the effect of hydrotherapy on plasma glucose levels were considered eligible. PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane library, and Google scholar were searched for English- language published articles till December 20, 2022. The following Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and keyword search terms were used ("diabetes" OR "type 2 diabetes" OR "diabetes mellitus" OR "plasma glucose level") AND ("hydrotherapy" OR "water therapy" OR "balneotherapy"). Two investigators independently assessed the studies for inclusion. Review articles, abstracts, and articles including the aquatic exercises as interventions were excluded. In total, six studies met the inclusion criteria. Out of six, two studies used hot therapies, two studies cold therapy, and the remaining two used both hot and cold as interventions. The study results showed that hydrotherapy can be used as an effective intervention tool for blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Integrating hydrotherapy treatments alongside conventional management can reduce blood glucose levels and thus reduce diabetes-related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) commonly experience fatigue, discomfort, sleep problems, anxiety, and reduced quality of life. Studies have shown that foot reflexology can help relieve these symptoms. The objective of this current study is to systematically review the effects of foot reflexology on patients with MS. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of published literature in many databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library, from January 1, 2000, to January 27, 2022. With language restrictions, we included randomized controlled trials of foot reflexology interventions for MS that had any clinical or psychological symptom measurements as outcomes. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to assess evidence quality. Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts. Potential eligible articles were retrieved for full-text review. A third author checked for excluded records. All discrepancies were resolved through a discussion among the 4 reviewing authors. RESULTS: A total of 154 studies were identified; 9 studies with 545 MS patients were included in this review. The most frequently reported findings of foot reflexology intervention in individuals with MS were reductions in fatigue, pain, muscle spasms, stiffness, and psychological symptoms and improvement in bowel and bladder functions and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that foot reflexology could be a safe and effective modality to reduce the physical and psychological symptoms and also improve the quality of life for individuals with MS; however, well-designed, large-scale trials are required to confirm the effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrialization of green hydrogen production through electrolyzers is hindered by cost‐effective electrocatalysts and sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, a facile one‐step hydrothermal technique for the in situ growth of non‐noble tin chalcogenides and their heterostructures on nickel foam (NF) as trifunctional electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), OER, and methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) is detailed. Among them, the heterostructured SnSe/SnTe/NF outperforms all others and recently reported catalysts, boasting an impressively low potential of −0.077, 1.51, and 1.33 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode to achieve 10 mA cm−2 for HER, OER, and MOR. Owing to the rod‐like morphology with hetero‐phases for enhancing the performance. Furthermore, a hybrid MOR‐mediated water electrolyzer requiring only 1.49 V to achieve 10 mA cm−2 with value‐added formate is introduced and traditional water electrolyzer is outperformed. Additionally, a zero‐gap commercial anion‐exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE) with bifunctional SnSe/SnTe/NF electrodes is tested, successfully achieving an industrially required 1 A cm−2 at a low potential of 1.93 V at 70 °C. Moreover, AEMWE using a windmill is powered and H2 and O2 production with wind speed is measured. Overall, this work paves the development of unexplored tin chalcogenide heterostructure as a potent candidate for cost‐effective, energy‐efficient, and carbon‐neutral hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is expressed in T cells following its activation via CD28 signaling (1). EZH2 is a catalytic subunit of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) [...], Enhancer of zeste homolog 2-mediated (EZH2-mediated) epigenetic regulation of T cell differentiation and Treg function has been described previously; however, the role of EZH2 in T cell-mediated antitumor immunity, especially in the context of immune checkpoint therapy, is not understood. Here, we showed that genetic depletion of EZH2 in Tregs ([FoxP3.sup.cre][EZH2.sup.fl/fl] mice) leads to robust antitumor immunity. In addition, pharmacological inhibition of EZH2 in human T cells using CPI-1205 elicited phenotypic and functional alterations of the Tregs and enhanced cytotoxic activity of Teffs. We observed that ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4) increased EZH2 expression in peripheral T cells from treated patients. We hypothesized that inhibition of EZH2 expression in T cells would increase the effectiveness of anti-CTLA-4 therapy, which we tested in murine models. Collectively, our data demonstrated that modulating EZH2 expression in T cells can improve antitumor responses elicited by anti-CTLA-4 therapy, which provides a strong rationale for a combination trial of CPI-1205 plus ipilimumab.