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Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a major health problem worldwide. Recently, cancer stem cell (CSC) biomarkers were examined due to their impact on tumorigenesis and recurrence. In the present study, we aimed to examine the expression of CSC markers: CD133 and CD44 in tobacco-induced OSCC and oral submucosal fibrosis (OSMF) patients and we simultaneously evaluated their association with clinicopathological changes. A total of 60 cases (OSCC) and 60 controls (OSMF) were enrolled in the study with tobacco-based habits. Tumor appearance grade wise was characterized in OSMF and OSCC groups. Clinicopathological parameters were analyzed in OSCC cases only. The extent of positive staining was scored 0-4. The results indicated that the tobacco intake habits (chewing, smoking or both) have significant effects on OSCC and OSMF changes. In maximum subjects (29) of OSCC cases, tumour appearance was in grade III with no such change in OSMF. IHC results showed 83 % subjects were positive for CD44 and CD133 in OSCC cases, while 72 % were positive for CD44 and 76% for CD133 in the OSMF group. In the OSCC group the significant clinicopathological changes were observed such as tumour size in the range of 3-4 cm, T-3 staging, N-1 node involvement, enhanced metastasis and well differentiated pathological grade. In the OSCC group, high IHC score of 3 and 4 were observed in 81% of CD133 and 80.4% of CD44 positive subjects with tumor size of 3 to 4 cm, 74% of CD133 and 84% of CD44 positive individuals in the N-1 stage, 81.2% of CD133 and 85.7% of CD44 positive subjects at T-3 stage and 80.4% of CD133 and 66.6% of CD44 positive individuals with enhanced metastasis. These results clearly indicated clinicopathological changes in the OSCC group with parallel high expression of CD44 and CD133, these results showed the diagnostic relevance of CSC markers in the OSCC and OSMF subjects.

Background: Nigella sativa (NS), an herbaceous medicinal plant recognized for its diverse beneficial applications as a spice and traditional medicine. Objective: The present study was targeted to explore the antioxidant potential of Nigella sativa in response to colchicine-induced mutation. The stress condition brought due to mutation may affect the medicinal value (anti-inflammatory activity) of the plant. Method: Nigella sativa seeds were imperiled to colchicine treatment at various concentrations viz. 0.00625, 0.0125, 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1% subjected for analysis. Result: The colchicine treated plant (polyploid/ mutant) at 0.025% concentrations showed significant variation at morpho-physiological and biochemical level with respect to control (p value < 0.05). At the morphological level, the plant showed enlargement of shoot length (33.760±2.295mm), root length (13.546±1.535 mm), and leaf area (22.836±1.524 mm2). The analysis of seeds showed enhanced seeds per pod (49.333±4.163), weight of seeds (2.810±0.010g), length (3.133±0.089mm), and width (1.123±0.044mm) when compared with control. The physiological parameters also showed significant enhancement for stomatal index (35.456±4.751%), chlorophyll A (9.053±0.865 µg/gfw), chlorophyll B (4.990±0.763 µg/gfw), and total carotene content (773.190±5.906 µg/gfw). However, the fresh weight/ dry weight ratio (10.738±3.031) was found to be deprived. Furthermore, biochemical parameters viz. total flavonoid (seeds 1.973±0.134; plant 1.703 ± 0.064 mg eqv QE/g of tissue), total phenolic (seeds 15.690±1.495; plant 8.220±0.070 mg eqv GA/g of tissue), total carotene (seeds nil; plant 773.190±5.906 µg/gfw), and total antioxidant (seeds 0.445±0.102; plant 0.386±0.010 mM eqv AA/g tissue) were significantly elevated at 0.025% of colchicine treatment. When the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity was targeted, a significant escalation was observed for inhibition of albumin denaturation (97.466±2.835%), proteinase inhibitory activity (62.290±6.475%), heat-induced hemolysis (89.873±3.533%), hypotonicity induced hemolysis (92.572±3.527%), anti-lipoxygenase activity (96.010±3.098%), and cyclooxygenase inhibitory activity (68.296±3.920%) at 500µg/mL concentration of extract. Conclusion: Thus, it can be concluded that 0.025% of colchicine can induce significant (p value < 0.05) mutation in the Nigella sativa plant, which may lead to alterations at morpho-physiological and biochemical levels. Such treatment induces stress in the plant and leads to elevated antioxidant levels. This in turn elevates the therapeutic potential of the plant. Hence, our study is a novel and open-ended finding to explore various other medical properties of the plant with respect to colchicine-induced mutation.

In a present scenario, the global agriculture system has been adversely affected by climatic changes. Apart from this, natural as well as human activities have added various xenobiotics type nanomaterials to our environment, leading to deprived crop productivity and food security. In order to overcome such problem, nano-engineering has been emerged as a noble tool for improving production of crops and food sustainability. However, at present nano-engineering techniques has been employed in the crop fields and gaining more and more consideration, but plant- nanomaterial interaction is still in early stages of study. Apart from this, the fortune and transformation of the nanomaterials within plants system is still the subject of consideration. As a result, many investigations have been carried out concerning nanomaterials and their applications in diverse fields together with nano-agricultural products like nano-fertilizers, nano-herbicides, and nano-pesticides. In addition, these nanomaterials can be used as a source of nano-remediation in the field of agriculture having various environmental issues such as sustainability in agriculture, management of plant diseases with crop protection, management of wastewater, limiting nutrient loss and most importantly, enhancing plant’s ability towards abiotic stresses. However, nanomaterials when used at higher concentrations may cause toxic effects due to the production of free radical species, thereby affecting plant growth as well as development. Consequently, an extensive research is required at cellular, sub-cellular and molecular level so as to define the performance of nanomaterials in restraining the plants against various stress factors. Thus, the present chapter provides an overview on the role of nanotechnology in sustainable agricultural practices with an understanding of plant-nanomaterials interaction, in order to better understand their implications with respect to stress physiology of plants for their future applications in plant science.

Targeted genome editing tools using artificial nucleases delivers progressive biotechnological techniques that paves a way to address the fundamental basis of a biological system. Genome editing enables specific and proficient modifications targeted at precise loci in an organism’s genome. A major stride for genome editing is to generate a double stranded DNA break that is unique to a specific target gene. This is primarily accomplished by custom designed endonucleases, which either enable gene targeting through homologous recombination (HR) or allow site directed mutagenesis by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair mechanism. Genome editing tools have been deployed in various model and non-model plants for functional characterization of genes and improvement of agricultural traits. This comprises the generation of plants with compositional characteristics and traits that improve quality and productivity of crops as well as impart tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. During the last few decades, there has been a revolution in genome editing technologies with the advent of meganucleases, zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR). The implementation of these robust genome editing tools with respect to their adaptation, pliability and end use has provided a magic bullet in agricultural biology. This review focusses on these revolutionary methods in relevance to their application in crop improvement.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease that has a potential of causing cardiovascular illness. Cardiac outcomes of COVID-19 mainly include acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, and left ventricular dysfunction. However, pericardial involvement is very rare. Here, we present a case of pericarditis and pericardial effusion in a known hypertensive COVID-19 patient. Our case was a diagnostic dilemma as the literature review mentioned that cardiovascular manifestations are mostly reported in symptomatic and critically ill patients of COVID-19. However, this patient has no viral respiratory illness, and is otherwise healthy.

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant cancers in women around the world. Until now, despite great improvements in treatment the high incidence rate and mortality worldwide are exponential. Thus identification of novel molecular cancer drivers and evaluation of existing breast cancer biomarkers is a critical step. Objective:This study aims to explore one of the driven genes-ERBB2 receptor- a good predictive cancer biomarker, its specific TK receptor domain mutations, biological pathways, and oncoproteins challenging the apoptotic process, involved in the progression of breast cancerusingInsilicoapproach. Methods: We used the multiple advanced bioinformatics tools performing structure-based Domain architecture analysis with predicted functional protein association of ERBB2 gene and the role of post-translational modification-- in instigating TK receptor domain mutations providing an understanding of the underlying mechanism of tumor invasion and metastasis. Results:Considering all approaches as complementary the TK inhibitors and the role of the ERBB2 gene can improve drug targeting prediction strategy highlighting the importance of driver genes. Our results suggest that functional validation is a positive prediction and we provided answers to some of the imperative questions although important concerns in the field remain unresolved like the implications for therapeutics etc. for future biological and clinical accomplishments. Conclusion:The evaluation of the existing cancer candidate gene and the interacting proteins and pathways particularly ERBB2- downstream signaling pathway has the potential to generate novel hypotheses in oncology. Thusprovide a baseline to identify target protein-based pathways involved through wet experiments.&nbsp

Cimetidine is a potent histaminic H2-receptor antagonist extensively prescribed for ulcers. It has also known as reproductive toxicant as indicated by significantly reduced weight of accessory sex organs and is responsible for sexual dysfunction. The present study was designed to investigate the influence of parenterally administered drugs cimetidine and bromocriptine on the germinal epithelium of adult male albino rats and its relation with spermatogenesis. Ninety adult young male albino rats between the ages of 60 to 120 days were selected for the study and divided into three groups as Group A, B & C. The spermatogenesis was normal in almost all of the tubules of group B but a few of them were seen lined with only Sertoli cells and all the other germ cells like spermatogonia, primary spermatocyes, spermatids early and late, and spermatozoa were absent indicating total atrophy with both Sertoli cells and Leydig cells hyperplasia. However, the seminiferous tubules of group C were showing disorganisation/ disruption or both at the level of basal compartment of germinal epithelium in small quadrants, a quarter, half or more than half of their tubules indicating partial atrophy. Both normal and abnormal germinal epithelium was seen in same/different tubules but a few of them were seen lined with only Sertoli cells and all the other germ cells like spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, spermatids early and late, and spermatozoa were absent. From our findings, we could not exclude the possibility that besides the known anti-androgenic effect of cimetidine, a possible interference of cimetidine on the histoarchitecture of the seminiferous epithelium, as well as lack of other biochemical factors essential for spermatogenesis could be involved in the testicular changes/ alterations of both groups B and C.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are known to play a pivotal role in the development of diabetes and its complications. Adipocytokines are important mediators of inflammatory and immune responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between serum levels of adipocytokines and AGEs in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with myocardial infarction. In the present study, serum leptin, serum adiponectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and serum AGEs were investigated. Human serum samples of normal older subjects (n = 31), diabetic patients without myocardial infarction (n = 33), older diabetic patients with myocardial infarction (n = 32) and older non-diabetic with myocardial infarction (n = 30) were investigated. The patients were selected on clinical grounds from the National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan. Values of leptin, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α and serum AGEs were significantly increased (P

The surgeon's daily workload renders him/her susceptible to a variety of the common work-related illness. They are exposed to a number of occupational hazards in their professional work. These hazards include sharp injuries, blood borne pathogens, latex allergy, laser plumes, hazardous chemicals, anesthetic gases, equipment hazards, static postures, and job related stressors. However, many pay little attention to their health, and neither do they seek the appropriate help when necessary. It is observed that occupational hazards pose a huge risk to the personal well-being of surgeons. As such, the importance of early awareness and education alongside prompt intervention is duly emphasized. Therefore, increased attention to the health, economic, personal, and social implications of these injuries is essential for appropriate management and future prevention. These risks are as great as any other occupational hazards affecting surgeons today. The time has come to recognize and address them.