Search

Medical expenditures for devices are increasing along with the ageing of human population and the synthesis of materials such as silicone polymers is on upsurge for manufacturing these devices. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) emphasizes a battery of tests for preclinical assessment of biocompatibility of medical devices. Genotoxicity assays have become an integral component of these test procedures and it employs a set of in vitro and in vivo experiments to detect mutagens. Hence, this study was performed with an intention to investigate the genotoxic potential of the physiological saline extracts of three medical grade silicone polymer materials by the in vitro chromosomal aberration assay using human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Further, the oxidative stress inducing potential of the material extracts was investigated in vivo in mice liver homogenates using cyclophosphamide as positive control. The investigation revealed that none of the three materials were able to produce marked human lymphocyte chromosomal aberration, suggesting the absence of mutagens. The materials also showed negative results in their oxidative stress inducing potential, which was revealed by the normal levels of lipid peroxidation and unaltered levels of glutathione and its metabolizing enzymes in the mice liver tissue homogenates. It was interesting to observe a significant correlation between the genotoxic and antioxidant parameters investigated. Hence, it is suggested that the estimation of antioxidant status would serve as a better preliminary testing procedure prior to evaluating the genetic and molecular toxicity mechanisms of medical devices and/or materials intended for manufacture of such devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles are gaining immense attention among researchers owing to their admirable application potentials in various therapeutic events. Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) has been recognized as one of the leading candidates in this category and holds wide interest within the scientific community. Among the various morphological nanoforms of TiO 2 , nanotube is grabbing remarkable attention as they have succeeded as an active vehicle in various medical procedures like intravascular stenting, drug delivery, as biosensors etc. This ultimately demands toxicity profiling of nanotubes in various aspects. Present study elaborates a concept through which acute toxicity profiling of TiO 2 nanotubes in adult Wistar rats is presented. TNTs were synthesized via solvo-thermal approach and surface coated with a biocompatible polymer; Pluronic-F127 (P-F127). This step assists in ameliorating the troubles associated with the nanomaterial dispersion stability. The experimental rats were intraperitoneally administered with TNT-P (10 mg/kg) and sacrificed on different time periods (3 rd , 7 th and 14 th days). Biodistribution of the material was tracked in major tissues including brain, liver, spleen and kidneys. A set of acute toxicity studies was performed which comprises hematology evaluation, biochemical studies, antioxidant detection, analysis of urine parameters, immune modulation study and histopathology evaluation. Many of the experiments revealed an unaltered physiological response in rats; except for some biochemical and hematology parameters. Overall study suggests that, TNT-P do not result into a negative response in Wistar rats over 14 days., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Melatonin, the 'hormone of darkness' is a neuronal hormone secreted by the pineal gland and other extra pineal sites. Responsible for the circadian rhythm and seasonal behaviour of vertebrates and mammals, melatonin is responsible for regulating various physiological conditions and the maintenance of sleep, body weight and the neuronal activities of the ocular sites. With its unique amphiphilic structure, melatonin can cross the cellular barriers and elucidate its activities in the subcellular components, including mitochondria. Melatonin is a potential scavenger of oxygen and nitrogen-reactive species and can directly obliterate the ROS and RNS by a receptor-independent mechanism. It can also regulate the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in various pathological conditions and exhibit therapeutic activities against neurodegenerative, psychiatric disorders and cancer. Melatonin is also found to show its effects on major organs, particularly the brain, liver and heart, and also imparts a role in the modulation of the immune system. Thus, melatonin is a multifaceted candidate with immense therapeutic potential and is still considered an effective supplement on various therapies. This is primarily due to rectification of aberrant circadian rhythm by improvement of sleep quality associated with risk development of neurodegenerative, cognitive, cardiovascular and other metabolic disorders, thereby enhancing the quality of life., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Microscopic plastic (microplastic) pollutants threaten the earth's biodiversity and ecosystems. As a result of the progressive fragmentation of oversized plastic containers and products or manufacturing in small sizes, microplastics (particles of a diameter of 5 mm with no lower limit) are used in medicines, personal care products, and industry. The incidence of microplastics is found everywhere in the air, marine waters, land, and even food that humans and animals consume. One of the greatest concerns is the permanent damage that is created by plastic waste to our fragile ecosystem. The impossibility of the complete removal of all microplastic contamination from the oceans is one of the principal tasks of our governing body, research scientists, and individuals. Implementing the necessary measures to reduce the levels of plastic consumption is the only way to protect our environment. Cutting off the plastic flow is the key remedy to reducing waste and pollution, and such an approach could show immense significance. This review offers a comprehensive exploration of the various aspects of microplastics, encompassing their composition, types, properties, origins, health risks, and environmental impacts. Furthermore, it delves into strategies for comprehending the dynamics of microplastics within oceanic ecosystems, with a focus on averting their integration into every tier of the food chain.

Ketamine is generally a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist that interrelates with various other receptors, contributing to a wide range of actions. They are mainly approved as a general anesthetic, but a low dose of ketamine is applied for pain management, depression, and as analgesics. However, there is a significant concern regarding the long-term usage as antidepressants and as an abused drug. The study mainly aims to exhibit the possible long-term side effects of ketamine as an antidepressant and in recreational users. The study explores the in vitro cytotoxicity revealed on LN-229 cells in a dose-dependent manner. According to the cell viability assays, there is a dose-dependent response toward ketamine. Morphological and nuclear integrity was changed on exposure and assessed using Giemsa, Rhodamine phalloidin, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and Acridine orange staining. The apoptotic cell death marked by nuclear condensation, Lactate dehydrogenase leakage, pro-inflammatory cytokine (interleukin [IL]-β) release, and inhibition of cell migration was observed. The study highlights the importance of nonanesthetic usage of ketamine, which can lead to severe adverse side effects on long-term exposure rather than a single exposure as an anesthetic agent., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

A novel fluorogenic sensor N-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl-methylene-4,5-dimethyl-benzene-1,2-diamine (BTMPD) was synthesized and characterized by using spectroscopic methods including UV-visible, FT-IR, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, and mass spectrometry. The designed fluorescent probe, owing to its remarkable properties, behaves as an efficient turn-on sensor for the sensing of amino acid Serine (Ser). Also, the strength of the probe enhances upon the addition of Ser via charge transfer, and the renowned properties of the fluorophore were duly found. The sensor BTMPD shows incredible execution potential with respect to key performance indicators such as high selectivity, sensitivity, and low detection limit. The concentration change was linear ranging from 5 × 10 -8 M to 3 × 10 -7 M, which is an indication of the low detection limit of 1.74 ± 0.02 nM under optimal reaction conditions. Interestingly, the Ser addition leads to an increased intensity of the probe at λ = 393 nm which other co-existing species did not. The information about the arrangement and the features of the system and the HOMO-LUMO energy levels was found out theoretically using DFT calculations which is fairly in good agreement with the experimental cyclic voltammetry results. The fluorescence sensing using the synthesized compound BTMPD reveals the practical applicability and its application in real sample analysis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Microfluidics is a revolutionary technology that has promising applications in the biomedical field.Integrating microfluidic technology with the traditional assays unravels the innumerable possibilities for translational biomedical research. Microfluidics has the potential to build up a novel platform for diagnosis and therapy through precise manipulation of fluids and enhanced throughput functions. The developments in microfluidics-based devices for diagnostics have evolved in the last decade and have been established for their rapid, effective, accurate and economic advantages. The efficiency and sensitivity of such devices to detect disease-specific macromolecules like proteins and nucleic acids have made crucial impacts in disease diagnosis. The disease modelling using microfluidic systems provides a more prominent replication of the in vivo microenvironment and can be a better alternative for the existing disease models. These models can replicate critical microphysiology like the dynamic microenvironment, cellular interactions, and biophysical and biochemical cues. Microfluidics also provides a promising system for high throughput drug screening and delivery applications. However, microfluidics-based diagnostics still encounter related challenges in the reliability, real-time monitoring and reproducibility that circumvents this technology from being impacted in the healthcare industry. This review highlights the recent microfluidics developments for modelling and diagnosing common diseases, including cancer, neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory and autoimmune disorders, and its applications in drug development., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pluronics, due to its high water-soluble and thermoreversible ability, attracted much in biomedical applications. They are mainly utilized in drug delivery, gene therapy, and tissue remodeling. The study aims to explore the cytocompatibility of Pluronics F-127, which has gained much popularity due to its various properties. The cells were exposed to varying concentrations of Pluronics F-127 in A549 cells for 24 h. According to the MTT and neutral red assay, A549 cells displayed dose-dependent cell viability. The cell's morphology was preserved after treatment, as seen in phase-contrast and Giemsa staining. When exposed to PF-127, lysosomal, cytoskeletal, and nuclear integrity were maintained. The percentage of live cells in all the treated groups was more significant than 90%, according to the live/dead flow cytometric analyses. The study identified the cytocompatibility of Pluronics F-127 required for the breakthrough in biomedical applications., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The title compound 4-(5-nitro-thiophen-2-yl)-pyrrolo[1,2-a] quinoxaline (5NO 2 TAAPP) was obtained by a straightforward catalyst-free reaction of 5-nitro-2- thiophene carboxaldehyde and 1-(2-aminophenyl) pyrrole in methanol and was structurally characterized by FT IR, UV-Vis, NMR spectroscopic techniques and elemental analysis. The structure of the compound has been confirmed by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique. The compound crystallizes in a monoclinic crystal system with space group P2 1 /c. Unit cell dimensions: a  = 12.2009(17) A 0 , b  = 8.3544(9) A 0 , c  = 13.9179(17) A 0 and β  = 104.980(5) A 0 . Hirshfeld surface analysis was carried out to understand the different intermolecular interactions. The two-dimensional fingerprint plot revealed the most prominent interactions in the compound. Theoretical calculations were executed using Density functional theory (DFT) by Gaussian09 software to develop optimized geometry and frontier molecular orbital analysis. Molecular docking studies revealed that the title compound is a potent inhibitor of Main protease 3CL pro with PDB ID: 6LU7, the viral protease which is responsible for the new Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19)., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (© 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) is a plant mitogen that can agglutinate human leukocytes and erythrocytes. PHA is mainly derived from red kidney beans and can act as an exogenous pyrogen. When entering into the blood circulation, exogenous pyrogens principally interact with monocytes and macrophages and induce the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Monocytes and macrophages are the cells that fight against foreign invaders and acts as a primary line of immune defence. Similar to PHA, the chemical 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) also acts as an exogenous pyrogen. The study focused on the in vitro interaction of PHA and TNP with the human monocyte/macrophage cell model THP-1. The exposure and associated change in cellular morphology, organelle function, mechanism of cell death, inflammatory signalling and expression of inflammation-related genes were analyzed in different time periods. It was observed that PHA and TNP induce dose and time-dependent toxicity to monocytes/macrophages where the mechanism of cell death was different for PHA and TNP. Both PHA and TNP can evoke immune signalling with increased expression of inflammatory genes and associated activation of intracellular signalling cascades., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Gelatin nanoparticles are a versatile class of nanoparticles with wide applications, especially in drug delivery and gene delivery. The inherent biocompatible nature of gelatin and various functional groups can improve the cellular interactions and enhance the efficacy of different drug formulations. Microfluidic hydrodynamic flow-focusing techniques can be used for the synthesis of gelatin nanoparticles. The present work syntheses nitrogen-doped carbon dots conjugated with gelatin nanoparticles (NQD-GNPs) using a microfluidic approach and associated cellular response through various assays. MTT, neutral red uptake, and Calcein AM/Propidium iodide (PI) assays independently proved the biocompatible nature of NQD-GNPs. The NQD-GNPs treatment demonstrated a slight increase in reactive nitrogen species generation and lactate dehydrogenase release. However, it does not alter the mitochondrial membrane potential or lysosomal stability. The cellular uptake of NQD-GNP depends on the concentration and does not affect the apoptotic pathway of the cells. Most of the cells remained viable even after treatment with high concentrations of NQD-GNPs., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An imidazole based Schiff base (2-[(1H-imidazole-2-ylmethylene)-amino]-4-methyl-phenol) (IMP), with an imine unit, has been designed and characterized by various standard methods. The evaluation of the probe as a fluorogenic sensor for Zn 2+ and a chromogenic sensor for Co 2+ has been rationalized in terms of the PET mechanism. In the presence of Zn 2+ , a light yellow colored solution of IMP with maximum absorption of 364 nm becomes bright yellow with maximum absorption of 410 nm and a measurable fluorescent signal at 612 nm with bathochromic enhancement. The sensitivity of the fluorescent based assay (6.78 × 10 -9  M) for Zn 2+ is far below the limit in the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking water (7.6 × 10 -5  M) and therefore it is capable of being a practical system for the monitoring of Zn 2+ concentrations in aqueous samples. Moreover, IMP showed a highly selective colorimetric response to Co 2+ by displayed an obvious pink color upon addition of metal solution immediately without any interference from other ions. These results provide a new approach for selectively recognizing the two most important trace elements in the human body simultaneously, for Zn 2+ by emission spectra and Co 2+ by the naked eye., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is a reactive chemical used in a wide range of applications. Most importantly, it is used for sterilization process in health care environment. In the present study, safety assessment of 0.5% of H 2 O 2 and its mist intended to be used in the disinfection gateway for COVID-19 was evaluated. Skin irritation and repeated-dose inhalation toxicity studies were carried out in rabbits and rats, respectively. In Skin irritation study, New Zealand white rabbits were exposed topically with 0.5% H 2 O 2 solution and observed for 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. For repeated-dose inhalation toxicity study, Wistar rats (both male and female) were exposed (whole body exposure) to 0.5% of H 2 O 2 mist, at a concentration of 11.022 (low dose-2-min exposure), 22.044 (medium dose-4-min exposure), and 55.11mg/kg (high dose/high dose recovery-10-min exposure) body weight, daily for 7 days. Rats in the high-dose recovery group (55.11mg/kg-10-min exposure) were kept for another 7 days without any exposure. A toxicological evaluation was done based on general health parameters, hematology, serum biochemistry, gross necropsy, and histopathological data. The results of the study indicated that there was no skin irritation potential induced on exposure of 0.5% of H 2 O 2 to rabbits. Similarly, the inhalation toxicity of 0.5% of H 2 O 2 mist imparts no evidence of hematological, biochemical, gross pathology, or histopathological abnormalities in rats. Further, at the laboratory condition stimulated, the NOEL was found to be 55.11mg/kg body weight. Hence, the present study concluded that 0.5% H 2 O 2 or its mist used in the disinfection gateway for COVID-19 failed to induce any skin irritation in rabbits or inhalation toxicity in rats. Graphical abstract., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

A heterocyclic Schiff base (MPDPI)was synthesized by the condensation reaction of 1-phenylisatin with 4,5-dimethylphenylene diamine. It was characterized by using spectroscopic methods including UV visible, Infrared, 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR and mass spectrometry. It acts as the fluorescent probe for the detection of Vitamin B12 (Vit.B12) which shows high selectivity over other species via dynamic quenching mechanism. It is also highly sensitive towards Vit.B12 with a detection limit of [Formula: see text]M and showed a linear concentration ranging from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text]. Effect of other coexisting species was also studied. The satisfactory results were also obtained in real samples.Since, there are only few reports on Vit.B12, development of selective fluorescent probes for Vit.B12 would be worthwhile.

Carbon, an extremely versatile element has great demand in the field of nanoscience. Carbon-based nanostructures are exponentially increased due to its wide range of applications in biotechnological and environmental approaches; hence, its safety assessment is of greater concern. In the present study, high quantum yielding zwitterionic carbon dots were synthesized, characterized and its safety assessment at different concentration ranges (50-1600 μgmL -1 ) on HEK 293 cells was carried out. Cellular, mitochondrial, lysosomal integrity and ROS generation were assessed using specific fluorochromes.The key cellular event apoptosis was assessed by annexinpropidium iodide staining using imaging flow cytometry. Moreover, the mRNA levels of the apoptotic genes were determined by real-time PCR. The results revealed that the cell viability assays (MTT, NR) and mitochondrial membrane potential were altered on exposure to a higher concentration of zwitterionic CDs for 24 h. Also, annexinpropidiumiodidestaining exhibited an increased percentage of apoptotic cells upon exposure to zwitterionic CDs at higher concentrations. Further, apoptosis was confirmed by significantlyincreased expression of pro-apoptotic gene (Bax) together with decreased expression of Bcl-2/Bax ratio. Collectively, this study suggests that zwitterionic CDs induce apoptosis in HEK 293 at higher concentration and the safe range for its intended application is found to be 50-200 μg/mL., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)