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Background and Objectives: Humanity’s gravest issue is environmental pollution, the main source of illness and death in humans and animals. The rapid exploitation of natural resources, urban effluents, and growing industrial waste result from the industrial and technological revolution, resulting in pollution. In the last few decades, the conventional technologies and processes used to remove the contaminants have typically been ineffective, expensive and harmful to the environment. Methods: The study’s available resources were compiled from internationally recognized scientific databases. Results: The use of phytoremediation for sustainable recovery of areas contaminated with toxic heavy metals has gained higher status since the discovery of hyper-accumulator plants. Numerous species of aquatic plants are effective in removing organic and inorganic pollutants. However, choosing plant species is of primary importance for successful phytoremediation. Other novel approaches, like different bio-absorbents and their modified versions, such as nano-composites and carbonaceous materials, might also be helpful for the sequestration of heavy metals in soil. Conclusion: The microbiological adsorbents and modified agriculture biomass composites effectively render heavy metals inert in soil and water with greater performance, stability, and reusability. The modified composites encapsulated bio-absorbents for cleaning up contaminated water and soil can be a better alternative and must be explored for future use.

The present study aimed to determine the attenuating properties of Juglans regia hull extract (JRHE) in mitigating isoprenaline (ISO) induced cardiorenal dysfunctions in Wistar rats. Thirty adult Wistar rats were randomly allocated to five groups with six animals in each group. Group I served as control; group II animals were administered ISO and group III received JRHE alone whereas group IV and V received JRHE and quercetin along with ISO, respectively. Administration of ISO in rats induced cardiac and renal tissue damage as reflected by significantly (p < 0.05) increased plasma activities of creatine kinase-myocardial band, lactate dehydrogenase, acetylcholinesterase, arylesterase, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine along with altered antioxidant biomarkers viz. total antioxidant status, total thiols, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and increased (p < 0.05) lipid and protein peroxidation in cardiac and renal tissues. Histopathological findings corroborated that ISO has inflicted significant damage on cardiac and renal tissues. Repeated administration of JRHE significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the severity of ISO-induced alterations in blood, cardiac and renal biomarkers. In addition to restoring the levels of altered cardio-renal antioxidant enzymes, JRHE also ameliorated histopathological lesions in cardiac and renal tissues in ISO-treated rats.

Cloud computing offers dynamic, scalable, and virtualized computing resources to end users over the internet. Load balancing is crucial for efficient resource use, distributing workloads across multiple resources to prevent overloading. Load balancing is crucial for resource utilization and processing time reduction, but traditional algorithms are often stuck at local maxima, leading to unequal allocation and performance decline. A metaheuristic based algorithm is proposed to dynamically adjust load distribution, ensuring resilience and sensitivity to changing workloads while managing energy consumption. This research presents a Rock Hyrax-based load balancing algorithm that addresses local maxima and power efficiency issues using QoS parameters. The algorithm’s performance is evaluated qualitatively and statistically, considering both static and dynamic modes of jobs and virtual machines. Comparing it with existing scheduling algorithms, the algorithm reduces makespan by 10%–15% and total energy consumption in data centers by 8%–13%. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the Rock Hyrax-based load balancing algorithm in improving performance and energy efficiency in data centers, highlighting its potential impact on optimizing resource allocation and enhancing overall system performance.

Purpose: To assess the accuracy of freehand cervical C1 C2 screws placement by knock and drill (K and D) technique in craniovertebral anomalous bony anatomy. Materials and Methods: From January 2017 to December 2022, 682 consecutive C1 C2 screws in 215 patients with craniovertebral junction (CVJ) anomalies were enrolled. All patients underwent posterior fixation with K and D technique without any fluoroscopic guidance. The patient's demographic details, clinical details, radiological details, major intraoperative events, and postoperative complications were noted. The screws malposition grades and direction on CT images in the axial and sagittal plane were defined as new per proposed “SGPGI accuracy criteria.” All patients had a clinical evaluation at 3-month follow-up. Results: Total 682 C1, C2 screws were placed in 215 patients for CVJ anomalies using K and D technique. The accuracy of screws placement by freehand technique was 84.46% (576/682). So with technique explained the rate of malplacement in simple (16.35%) and complex (15.19%) groups were almost comparable and comparison difference was not significant (P = 0.7005). Conclusion: The freehand technique, as described, is effective in cases of anomalous bony anatomy, and it is mandatory in complex CVJ anomalies. The accuracy of screw placement and VA injury is comparable with major studies. This technique is supposedly cost-effective and less hazardous to both health-care workers and patients.

Barium strontium titanate (BSTO) is a ceramic that finds application as a high-storage capacitor, sensor, detector, transducer and in tuneable microwave devices and as filters. This paper discusses the synthesis of slurries with suspended particles and fabrication of Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 components of different shapes and dimensions using environmentally friendly gelling systems like Isobam and methylcellulose, and also the widely used, but toxic, methyl acrylamide system. Suitable moulds made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and expanded polystyrene (EPS) are fabricated by rapid prototyping and a concentrated slurry of the required ceramic is set in it by gelcasting; the process is referred to as RPGC process. The green body is further processed to obtain a density higher than 98 %. The sintered products are evaluated by measuring density, microstructure and dielectric properties. This work opens up the possibility of adopting the versatile RPGC process with non-toxic organics for applications by industries.

Background: Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Sternb. is a medicinal plant bestowed with antioxidative phytochemicals and has been traditionally associated with several medicinal and health-promoting properties and used in the management of diseases.Method: The study was undertaken to determine the potential of the extract of the rhizome of Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Sternb. at 150 and 300 mg/kg body weight (BW) to attenuate the drug-induced oxidative damage in hepatic and renal tissues of Wistar rats. The toxicity was induced by a single oral administration of acetaminophen (APAP).Results: The oral administration of APAP significantly altered the levels of hepatic and renal damage indicators in Wistar rats. The levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and total thiols (TTH) decreased significantly in erythrocytes, hepatic and renal tissues. Administration of B. ciliata (150 mg/kg BW) significantly decreased the elevated hepato-renal biomarkers and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the tissues whereas significantly increased the levels of SOD, GST and TTH in erythrocytes and liver. The higher dose of B. ciliata (300 mg/kg BW) restored the levels of plasma hepatic and renal biomarkers as well as antioxidant parameters (SOD, GST, GPx, TTH and MDA). It also reversed the histopathological alterations in hepato-renal tissues indicating the protective potential of the extract.Conclusions: Overall, the results indicated that the B. ciliata rhizome extract attenuated the drug-induced hepato-renal toxicity in a dose-dependent manner in Wistar rats and therefore, has the potential for future therapeutic uses.

The study was designed to determine the ameliorative potential of quercetin and catechin against the toxicity induced by co-exposure to Mancozeb (MZ) and arsenic in Wistar rats. Sixty-adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 10 groups (n=6). Group I served as control and group II was exposed to MZ [800 mg/kg, PO (per OS)]. Groups III, IV, and V were given drinking water containing sodium arsenite at the rate of 10, 50, and 100 ppb, respectively, for 28 days. Groups VI, VII, and VIII were treated with sodium arsenite in drinking water at 10, 50, and 100 ppb, respectively, along with MZ (800 mg/kg) for 28 days. Groups IX and X were given drinking water mixed with sodium arsenite at 100 ppb, MZ at 800 mg/kg, and quercetin (50 mg/kg) and catechin (50 mg/kg), respectively. Co-exposure to the toxicants (MZ and arsenic) significantly (P

Background: The present study aimed to determine the impact of the toxicological interaction between mancozeb (MZ) and arsenic (As) on oxidative injury to the kidney and to compare the ameliorative potential of quercetin and catechin against the induced toxicity. Methods: Sixty adult male Wistar rats were randomly and equally divided into 10 groups (n=6). Group I served as control and group II was treated with MZ [800 mg kg−1 body weight (BW), orally (PO)]. Groups III, IV, and V were exposed to As at the rate of 10, 50, and 100 ppb, respectively, in drinking water continuously for 28 days. Groups VI, VII, and VIII were provided drinking water with As at 10, 50, and 100 ppb, respectively, together with MZ for 28 days. Groups IX and X were given As in drinking water at 100 ppb and MZ at 800 mg kg−1, BW PO along with quercetin (50 mg kg−1) and catechin (50 mg kg−1), respectively. Results: Significant (P

Objectives This study aims to evaluate the subgroup consisting of uncommon pathological entities presenting with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Methodology Twenty-four consecutively operated patients of lesional temporal lobe epilepsy were included in the study. Eleven cases were identified that had pathologies implicated as “uncommon” in previously done studies on the pathology of TLE. A subgroup analysis consisting of these uncommon lesions was done for clinical presentation and seizure outcome. The seizure outcome was assessed in terms of Engel and International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classification. Results Nine different pathological entities were identified within the study group. The mean age at surgery was 18.6 years (range 2–30 years). The mean duration of epilepsy was 48.3 months and the average duration of follow-up was 39.2months. All patients had seizures as the only complaint except three. Three patients had focal-aware seizures, two had focal motor onset, and the rest all had focal-unaware seizures. Seven patients were seizure free and the average age at diagnosis for these patients was 15.4 years (range 2–24 years.). The duration of seizure in the postoperative seizure-free group was 29.7 months and it was 81 months for the other group. All the patients with persistent postoperative seizures had focal-unaware seizures preoperatively. Conclusion Despite the small and heterogeneous nature of this subgroup of uncommon lesions causing temporal lobe epilepsy, the clinical presentation, prognostic factors, and seizure outcome are similar to the cohort of common pathologies, including mesial temporal sclerosis.

The study evaluated the efficacy of locust protein hydrolysates (LoPHs) to enhance the quality of Cheddar cheese (ChCh) during storage. The locust protein (LoP) was pre-treated [microwave (Mic) or ultrasonication (Ult) or no treatment (Not)] before hydrolysis using alcalase enzyme (3% w/w). The ChCh samples containing LoPHs at the maximum level of 1.5% were evaluated for quality for 3 months (4 ± 1 °C) and subjected to gastrointestinal simulation. Both pre-treatments (Mic and Ult) significantly (P Mic > Not). The ChCh samples with LoPHs exhibited significantly (P

This study aimed to determine the potential of quercetin and Zingiber officinale (ZO) Roscoe extract to alleviate the renal damage induced by dimethoate (DM) and fluoride (F-) alone and by their combined exposure in rats. A total of 54 adult Wistar rats were randomly allocated to nine groups (n = 6). A sub-lethal dose of DM (1/10th of the median lethal dose) was administered by oral gavage alone and along with F- (4.5 ppm, three-fold the permissible limit) in their drinking water continuously for 28 days. Chromatographical analysis revealed the presence of quercetin, curcumin, and other phytochemicals with strong antioxidant properties in ZO-rhizome extract. Severe changes were observed in the levels of the renal biomarkers and histoarchitecture after co-administration of the toxicants, indicating greater kidney damage. The administration of ZO extract (300 mg/kg) along with either or both toxicants led to a significant restoration of the biochemical markers and renal antioxidant profile and histology.

Background: Medicinal herbs remain a vital source of new chemical entities, instead of the attempt of pharmaceutical companies using combinatorial and synthetic chemistry techniques for developing new drugs. Objectives: The primary aim of review is to highlight the different phytochemcial ingredients and their therapeutic potential in Cynara scolymus Methods: Cynara scolymus, commonly known as artichoke is a rich source of polyphenolic compounds, mainly caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids, isolated in the polar extracts of the plant, together with the polysaccharide inulin. The worldwide scientific databases were comprehensively and systematically reviewed and summarized. Results: The beneficial effects of artichoke in experimental studies include antidiabetic, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypercholesterolemic, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, gastrointestinal protectant, reproductive, and anticancer properties. Studies with artichoke conducted in experimental animals reported no mortality or significant toxicity. Increasing attention is being paid to developing herbal medicines as a newly emerging treatment for the welfare of the patients in the last few decades. Conclusion: The present review detailed the versatile therapeutic efficiency and diverse application of C. scolymus. This medicinal herb has been appropriately used in conventional medicine for a long and helps cure various ailments.

Anterior meningocele involves herniation of meninges through an abnormal defect in the anterior vertebral column. The pathogenesis, natural history, and management strategy of anterior cervical meningocele (ACM) are uncertain. We report a case of ACM with high cervical instability in a case of neurofibromatosis 1. Unlike other reported cases, torticollis and instability due to ACM were the major concerns in this case. We aim to discuss the management strategy and surgical nuances of such cases.

Nowadays, in a world full of uncertainties and the threat of digital and cyber-attacks, blockchain technology is one of the major critical developments playing a vital role in the creative professional world. Along with energy, finance, governance, etc., the healthcare sector is one of the most prominent areas where blockchain technology is being used. We all are aware that data constitute our wealth and our currency; vulnerability and security become even more significant and a vital point of concern for healthcare. Recent cyberattacks have raised the questions of planning, requirement, and implementation to develop more cyber-secure models. This paper is based on a blockchain that classifies network participants into clusters and preserves a single copy of the blockchain for every cluster. The paper introduces a novel blockchain mechanism for secure healthcare sector data management, which reduces the communicational and computational overhead costs compared to the existing bitcoin network and the lightweight blockchain architecture. The paper also discusses how the proposed design can be utilized to address the recognized threats. The experimental results show that, as the number of nodes rises, the suggested architecture speeds up ledger updates by 63% and reduces network traffic by 10 times.

Calendula officinalis Linn. commonly known as marigold has long history of usage by the folklore system. It has a high economic value as herbal medicine and is widely used in cosmetics, perfumes, dyes, pharmaceutical preparations and food products for centuries. The plant has been approved for food use and appears in the food and drug administration (FDA) list of generally recognized as safe (GRAS) substances. The literature available for the comprehensive review study were taken from the different worldwide accepted scientific database, journals, books for botanical description, pharmacological properties and ethno-botanical uses of C. officinalis Linn. Natural products containing calendula either as extract or oil are complex mixtures containing hundreds of biologically active constituents such as carotenoids, flavonoids, saponins, sterols, phenolic acids, lipids, amino acids, carbohydrates, etc. These phytoconstituents have wide applicability in food and cosmetic industries besides their therapeutic applications viz. as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, anti-proliferative, antiparasitic, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and wound healing potential in experimental and clinical trials. Being useful therapeutic agents in their own right, an understanding of these traditional medicines has provided new plant derived drug leads to modern medicine for therapeutic application.

This study aimed to determine the patient demographics, risk factors, which include comorbidities, medications used to treat COVID-19, and presenting symptoms and signs, and the management outcome of COVID-19-associated invasive fungal sinusitis. A retrospective, propensity score-matched, comparative study was conducted at a tertiary care center, involving 124 patients with invasive fungal sinusitis admitted between April 2021 and September 2021, suffering from or having a history of COVID-19 infection. Among the 124 patients, 87 were male, and 37 were female. A total of 72.6% of patients received steroids, while 73.4% received antibiotics, and 55.6% received oxygen during COVID-19 management. The most common comorbidities were diabetes mellitus (83.9%) and hypertension (30.6%). A total of 92.2% had mucor, 16.9% had aspergillus, 12.9% had both, and one patient had hyalohyphomycosis on fungal smear and culture. The comparative study showed the significant role of serum ferritin, glycemic control, steroid use, and duration in COVID-19-associated invasive fungal disease (p < 0.001). Headache and facial pain (68, 54.8%) were the most common symptoms. The most involved sinonasal site was the maxillary sinus (90, 72.6%). The overall survival rate at the three-month follow-up was 79.9%. COVID-19-related aggressive inflammatory response, uncontrolled glycemic level, and rampant use of steroids are the most important predisposing factors in developing COVID-19-associated invasive fungal sinusitis.

Abstract Background It is an established fact that humans and animals are exposed to more than one chemical concurrently from various sources such as food, air and water. In the past, much emphasis was laid on evaluating the toxic effects of a single chemical. Nowadays an increased attention is being paid to the interaction of xenobiotics with one another. Therefore, a study was aimed to evaluate the potentiating effect of imidacloprid (IMI) on arsenic-induced testicular toxicity in rats. Methods Adult male Wistar rats randomly divided into eight groups with six in each were subjected to daily oral administrations for 28 days. Group I served as control, group II received IMI at the dose rate of 16.9 mg/kg body weight, group III, IV and V received arsenic at the dose rate of 50, 100 and 150 ppb in drinking water whereas group VI, VII and VIII received both arsenic and IMI. Results Repeated oral administrations of IMI or arsenic (150 ppb) alone resulted in a significant (P

The aim of present study was to assess whether No Observed Effect Level (NOEL) of imidacloprid (IMI) potentiates the arsenic induced renal toxicity at its maximum contaminant level in drinking water in Wistar rats. Significant elevation of lipid and protein oxidation with reduced level of total thiols and antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-s-transferase) in renal tissue may have contributed to increased renal plasma biomarkers (creatinine and blood urea nitrogen) following repeated exposure of IMI and arsenic alone and in-combination. The altered renal biomarkers in co-exposed groups corroborated with histopathological alterations in renal tissue. The observations indicated that altered thiol homeostasis in renal tissue may be associated with increased lipid and protein oxidation in IMI and arsenic administered rats. It is concluded that administration of IMI potentiate the arsenic induced renal damage in Wistar rats. Keywords: Imidacloprid, Arsenic, Malondialdehyde, Nephrotoxicity, Thiols