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Irrespective of medical technology improvements, cancer ranks among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Although numerous cures and treatments exist, creating alternative cancer therapies with fewer adverse side effects is vital. Since ancient times, plant bioactive compounds have already been used as a remedy to heal cancer. These plant bioactive compounds and their anticancer activity can also deregulate the microRNAs (miRNAs) in the cancerous cells. Therefore, the deregulation of miRNAs in cancer cells by plant bioactive compounds and the usage of the related miRNA could be a promising approach for cancer cure, mainly to prevent cancer and overcome chemotherapeutic side effect problems. Hence, this review highlights the function of plant bioactive compounds as an anticancer agent through the underlying mechanism that alters the miRNA expression in cancer cells, ultimately leading to apoptosis. Moreover, this review provides insight into using plant bioactive compounds -driven miRNAs as an anticancer agent to develop miRNA-based cancer gene therapy. They can be the potential resource for gene therapy and novel strategies targeting cancer therapeutics.

Herbal medicines have been used for centuries to treat various ailments and have now gained global importance for their therapeutic and economic implications. One such plant is Averrhoa carambola commonly known as star fruit, a tropical plant belonging to the Oxalidaceae family. With a rich history of traditional medicinal uses in India and Southeast Asia, it has been employed to treat various ailments, including urinary infections, hypertension, diabetes, and gastrointestinal issues. The fruit is popular for its sweet and sour taste and finds culinary use in salads, beverages, and garnishing. The therapeutic potential of A. carambola is attributed to its abundance of natural antioxidants and phenolic compounds such as gallic acid in gallotannin form, catechins, and epicatechins. These bioactive constituents contribute to its medicinal properties and health benefits. However, scientific investigations have revealed potential health risks associated with A. carambola consumption. High oxalic acid content in the fruit poses a risk of toxicity, particularly for individuals with renal impairments who consume excessive fruit juices. Additionally, the presence of caramboxin, a neurotoxin, can interfere with the GABAergic system, leading to neurotoxic effects. This review offers a comprehensive and well-organized examination of the current progress regarding the benefits, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of A. carambola. The insights presented in this review have the potential to drive advancements and novel treatments involving star fruit in modern times. As interest in herbal medicines continues to rise, further research on A. carambola holds promise for exploring new therapeutic applications in the realm of natural remedies.

Striae distensae (SD), commonly known as Stretch marks or striae, are one of the most common benign dermal lesions frequently seen in females that often cause a significant physical and psychological impact. A number of treatment modalities ranging from topicals to invasive approaches are commercially available, however, none of the available options is capable of complete eradication of SD. As effectiveness of most of the available topical formulations for SD is attributed to the combined effects of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and proliferative effects, allicin and probiotic based topical formulations are hypothesized to be effective in treatment and prevention of SD. Both allicin and probiotics are able to reduce the inflammatory response via suppression of transcription factor i.e., nuclear factor (NF)-κB, and pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines levels. Moreover, the antioxidant effect of allicin and probiotics is considered to decrease the reactive oxygen species induced fragmentation of collagen. Also, the effects of allicin on the collagen and elastin tissue as well as beneficial effects of probiotics and their metabolites on skin elasticity and skin hydration are expected to provide multiple target approach for the management of SD. Altogether, a combination formulation containing both allicin and probiotics is considered to be novel approach for the prevention and management of SD.

Abstract Background Point-of-care testing (POCT) devices are diagnostic tools that can provide quick and accurate results within minutes, making them suitable for diagnosing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, these devices are not widely implemented in healthcare systems and for this reason is relevant to understand the implementation process. Aim To describe the process and define a strategy to implement a multiparameter POCT device for diagnosing and managing NCDs in one region of Peru. Methods A descriptive and non-experimental study, using the participatory methodologies of co-creation process. It was conducted in one region of Peru (Tumbes) to design an intervention for implementing a multiparameter POCT device. Two co-creation sessions were conducted involving five groups: community members, primary healthcare workers, these groups in both rural and urban settings, and regional decision-makers. These sessions included activities to understand patient journeys in receiving care for NCDs, identify facilitators and barriers to POCT devices usage, and define an implementation strategy for POCT devices in both rural and urban settings of Tumbes. The research team analysed the data and summarized key topics for discussion after each session. Results A total of 78 participants were enrolled across the five groups. Among community members: 22.2% had only diabetes, 24.1% had only hypertension, and 18.5% had both diagnoses. In the patient journey, community members mentioned that it took at least three days to receive a diagnosis and treatment for an NCD. Most of the participants agreed that the POCT devices would be beneficial for their communities, but they also identified some concerns. The strategy for POCT devices implementation included healthcare workers training, POCT devices must be placed in the laboratory area and must be able to perform tests for glucose, glycated haemoglobin, cholesterol, and creatinine. Advertising about POCT devices should be displayed at the healthcare centres and the municipality using billboards and flyers. Conclusions The co-creation process was useful to develop strategies for the implementation of multiparameter POCT devices for NCDs, involving the participation of different groups of stakeholders guided by moderators in both, rural and urban, settings in Peru.

In the current study, extracellular lipase production from thermotolerant Bacillus subtilis TTP-06, which was isolated from Tattapani Hot Spring in Himachal Pradesh, India, was optimized using response surface approach. The interactions of six different parameters, including glucose and peptone concentrations, pH, temperature, incubation duration, and olive oil concentration, were examined using the Plackett-Burman Design (PBD). Central Composite Design (CCD) was used to establish the best values for the positive factors. The importance of the quadratic model with a determination coefficient (R2) value of 0.7846 was revealed by statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) results with a p-value of

Abstract Background Point-of-care testing (POCT) devices may facilitate the delivery of rapid and timely results, providing a clinically important advantage in patient management. The challenges and constraints in the implementation process, considering different levels of actors have not been much explored. This scoping review aimed to assess literature pertaining to implementation facilitators and barriers of POCT devices for the diagnosis or monitoring of cardiometabolic diseases. Methods A scoping review of the literature was conducted. The inclusion criteria were studies on the inception, planning, or implementation of interventions with POCT devices for the diagnosis or monitoring of cardiometabolic diseases defined as dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Global Health databases using the OVID searching engine until May 2022. The Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research (CFIR) was used to classify implementation barriers and facilitators in five constructs. Also, patient, healthcare professional (HCP), and organization level was used. Results Twenty studies met the eligibility criteria for data extraction. All studies except two were conducted in high-income countries. Some findings are: 1) Intervention: the most widely recognized facilitator was the quick turnaround time with which results are obtained. 2) Outer setting: at the organizational level, the lack of clear regulatory and accreditation mechanisms has hindered the adoption and sustainability of the use of POCT. 3) Inner setting: for HCP, performing POCT during the consultation was both a facilitator and a barrier in terms of time, personnel, and service delivery. 4) Individuals: the implementation of POCT may generate stress and discomfort in some HCP in terms of training and new responsibilities. 5) Process: for patients, it is highly appreciated that obtaining the sample was simple and more comfortable if venipuncture was not used. Conclusion This scoping review has described the facilitators and barriers of implementing a POCT device for cardiometabolic conditions using the CFIR. The information can be used to design better strategies to implement these devices and benefit more populations that have low access to cardiometabolic tests.

Abstract The United Nations and major humanitarian organizations have made policy commitments to promote gender equality and empower women and girls. This study assesses the extent to which humanitarian responses have met these commitments based on reviews of gender mainstreaming, textual analysis of policy and program cycle documents, and interviews with humanitarian actors. The analysis reveals that while gender mainstreaming may raise awareness and make fixes at the margins, its focus has been limited to altering internal processes rather than emphasizing results for women and men and girls and boys. Our study also analyzes the cultural and institutional context in which gender mainstreaming takes place. The culture of humanitarian organizations has been characterized as hierarchical and driven by a short-term crisis response with a distinctly macho style of functioning, which is misaligned with gender mainstreaming. We propose replacing gender mainstreaming with a results-focused approach rooted in behavioral science that uses evidence of the conscious and non-conscious drivers of human behavior to address problems, alongside other efforts to change the internal culture of humanitarian organizations.

Objective Implement a user-centred digital health information system to facilitate rapidly and substantially increasing the number of patients treated for hypertension in low/middle-income countries.Methods User-centred design of Simple, an offline-first app for mobile devices to record patient clinical visits and a web-based dashboard to monitor programme performance.Results The Simple mobile application scaled rapidly over the past 4 years to reach more than 11 400 primary care facilities in four countries with over 3 million patients enrolled. Simple achieved median duration for new patient registration of 76 s (IQR 2 s) and follow-up visit entry of 13 s (IQR 1 s).Conclusions A fast, easy-to-use digital information system for hypertension programmes that accommodates healthcare worker time constraints by minimising data entry and focusing on key performance indicators can successfully reach scale in low-resource settings.

Case investigation and contact tracing (CI/CT) is a critical part of the public health response to COVID-19. Individuals’ experiences with CI/CT for COVID-19 varied based on geographic location, changes in knowledge and guidelines, access to testing and vaccination, as well as demographic characteristics including age, race, ethnicity, income, and political ideology. In this paper, we explore the experiences and behaviors of adults with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results, or who were exposed to a person with COVID-19, to understand their knowledge, motivations, and facilitators and barriers to their actions. We conducted focus groups and one-on-one interviews with 94 cases and 90 contacts from across the United States. We found that participants were concerned about infecting or exposing others, which motivated them to isolate or quarantine, notify contacts, and get tested. Although most cases and contacts were not contacted by CI/CT professionals, those who were reported a positive experience and received helpful information. Many cases and contacts reported seeking information from family, friends, health care providers, as well as television news and Internet sources. Although participants reported similar perspectives and experiences across demographic characteristics, some highlighted inequities in receiving COVID-19 information and resources.

Objective: To study the efficacy of estradiol for cycle programming in oocyte donors when administered in the follicular phase only. Design: Prospective interventional study. Setting: Single fertility center. Patient(s): Ninety-three oocyte donors underwent programmed stimulation using estradiol in the follicular phase. Their previous unprogrammed cycles were used as historical controls. Intervention(s): Donors received 8 mg of estradiol hemihydrate from day 2 till 1 day before the start of stimulation. Main Outcome Measure(s): The primary outcome measures studied were the number of oocytes retrieved, duration of stimulation, and total gonadotropin dose. The number of mature oocytes, oocyte maturation rate, fertilization rate, blastulation rate, implantation rate, and pregnancy rate were the secondary outcomes. Result(s): The average number of oocytes retrieved was higher in the study group (36.4 vs. 32.5). The duration of stimulation (9.22 vs. 9.21 days) and the total gonadotropin dose were similar (3,085.5 vs. 3,026 IU) between both groups. The mean number of mature oocytes retrieved was higher in the study group (30.1 vs. 26.3), but the maturation rate was similar (84.6% vs. 81.2%). The fertilization rate (77.8% vs. 78.7%), number of blastocysts, blastulation rate (32.7% vs. 33.2%), implantation rate (59.3% vs. 66.3%), and pregnancy rate (77.3% vs. 77.1%) showed no statistically significant difference. Conclusion(s): Estradiol usage in the follicular phase alone is an effective and convenient option for cycle programming in oocyte donors. It can yield similar mature oocytes and does not affect the clinical outcomes. Further larger sample-sized studies may be needed to validate its use which can also be extended to routine in vitro fertilization cycles. Clinical Trials Registration Number: CTRI/2020/09/027815.

Background: The emergence of the COVID pandemic unfolded a series of precautions and dilemmas and the complete suspension of health services. With the gradual emergence of data showing near minimal effects of the virus on pregnancy, Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) services were gradually resumed following guidelines and advisories. Aim: The purpose of this study was to detect the COVID positivity rate in women undergoing ART treatment during the COVID pandemic and compare clinical and embryological outcomes to the ART cycles performed in the pre-COVID era. Study Design and Settings: This was a retrospective cohort study of all women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation, followed by a fresh or frozen embryo transfer (ET) between 1st October 2019 and 31st March 2020 (control group) and between 1st April 2020 and 31st September 2020 (study group) at Nova IVF Fertility Clinic, Ahmedabad. Material and Methods: The study group underwent ART during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India and when gradual unlocking of facilities including ART was advised as per the national ART advisory by the ICMR in December 2020. The outcomes were compared with the control group (cycles in pre-covid time). Statistical Analysis: Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS (v25.0) and included Mann-Whitney U, Fisher's exact and Pearson Chi-square as appropriate. Values of P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 367 in vitro fertilisation (IVF) stimulations were initiated. A total of 342 retrievals and 606 ETs (171 fresh and 435 frozen) were completed during the study period with a COVID positivity rate of 6.8% (25/367) amongst fresh and 3.9% (18/453) amongst frozen ETs, respectively; the PR and IR in the study group was similar to the control group (47.6 vs. 55.1 P = 0.4 and 68.7 vs. 66.4; P = 0.52, respectively). The maternal complication rates were similar in both groups with a COVID positivity rate of 10.2% (23/225) and 1 maternal death in the study group. The live birth rates were similar. Conclusions: We did not find a noteworthy difference in the clinical and embryological outcomes in the IVF cycles conducted in the COVID era as compared to the pre-COVID time. Thus, with adequate precautions and safety measures, ART services conducted during the COVID pandemic have comparable birth outcomes and can be safely advocated.

In this work, for the first time, novel Sc-MOF@SiO2 core/shell nanostructures have been synthesized under the optimal conditions of ultrasonic-assisted microwave routes. The final products showed small particle size distributions with homogeneous morphology (SEM results), high thermal stability (TG curve), high surface area (BET adsorption/desorption techniques), and significant porosity (BJH method). The final nanostructures of Sc-MOF@SiO2 core/shell with such distinct properties were used as a new compound for H2S adsorption. It was used with the systematic investigation based on a 2K−1 factorial design, which showed high-performance adsorption of about 5 mmol/g for these novel adsorbents; the optimal experimental conditions included pressure, 1.5 bar; contact time, 20 min; and temperature, 20°C. This study and its results promise a green future for the potential control of gas pollutants.

Regression testing of the software during its maintenance phase, requires test case prioritization and selection due to the dearth of the allotted time. The resources and the time in this phase are very limited, thus testers tend to use regression testing methods such as test case prioritization and selection. The current study evaluates the effectiveness of testing with two major goals: (1) Least running time and (2) Maximum fault coverage possible. Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) is a well-known soft computing technique that draws its inspiration from nature and has been widely researched, implemented, analyzed, and validated for regression test prioritization and selection. Many versions of ACO approaches have been prolifically applied to find solutions to many non-polynomial time-solvable problems. Hence, an attempt has been made to enhance the performance of the existing ACO_TCSP algorithm without affecting its time complexity. There have been efforts to enhance the exploration space of various paths in each iteration and with elite exploitation, reducing the total number of iterations required to converge to an optimal path. Counterbalancing enhanced exploration with intelligent exploitation implies that the run time is not adversely affected, the same has also been empirically validated. The enhanced algorithm has been compared with the existing ACO algorithm and with the traditional approaches. The approach has also been validated on four benchmark programs to empirically evaluate the proposed Enhanced ACO_TCSP algorithm. The experiment revealed the increased cost-effectiveness and correctness of the algorithm. The same has also been validated using the statistical test (independent t-test). The results obtained by evaluating the proposed approach against other reference techniques using Average Percentage of Faults Detected (APFD) metrics indicate a near-optimal solution. The multiple objectives of the highest fault coverage and least running time were fruitfully attained using the Enhanced ACO_TCSP approach without compromising the complexity of the algorithm.

Objective: The primary objective is to compare live birth rates (LBRs) following frozen embryo transfer (FET) of euploid day 5 with day 6 blastocysts. We also compared LBRs following FET of untested blastocysts vitrified on day 5 and day 6 in self-oocyte and ovum donation (OD) cycles. Design: This was a retrospective observational study. Setting: Nova IVF Fertility, Ahmedabad. Materials and Methods: Ninety-seven FET using self-oocytes following preimplantation genetic testing A (PGT-A), 464 FET following OD, and 907 FET using self-oocytes without PGT-A testing between January 2016 and December 2017 were included in this study. Main Outcome Measures: LBR following FET in day 5 versus day 6 blastocysts in euploid embryos using self-oocytes and in untested embryos using both self and donor oocytes. Results: In PGT-A cycles, no statistically significant difference was observed in LBRs following transfer of euploid blastocysts developed on day 5 or day 6 (D5: 53%; D6:40%, P = 0.83). However, the LBRs with day 5 blastocysts were higher compared with day 6 group in untested group using both self and donor oocytes (self D5: 52.7%; D6: 38.2%; P = 0.001 and OD D5: 44.7%; D6: 29.8%; P = 0.001). Miscarriage rates were comparable in both the groups.Conclusions: The present study demonstrated comparable pregnancy outcomes following FET of euploid embryos vitrified on day 5 and day 6. However, higher LBRs were reported in day 5 group in untested embryos.

Carbon dots (CDs) are a new category of crystalline, quasi-spherical fluorescence, “zero-dimensional” carbon nanomaterials with a spatial size between 1 nm to 10 nm and have gained widespread attention in recent years. Green CDs are carbon dots synthesised from renewable biomass such as agro-waste, plants or medicinal plants and other organic biomaterials. Plant-mediated synthesis of CDs is a green chemistry approach that connects nanotechnology with the green synthesis of CDs. Notably, CDs made with green technology are economical and far superior to those manufactured with physicochemical methods due to their exclusive benefits, such as being affordable, having high stability, having a simple protocol, and being safer and eco-benign. Green CDs can be synthesized by using ultrasonic strategy, chemical oxidation, carbonization, solvothermal and hydrothermal processes, and microwave irradiation using various plant-based organic resources. CDs made by green technology have diverse applications in biomedical fields such as bioimaging, biosensing and nanomedicine, which are ascribed to their unique properties, including excellent luminescence effect, strong stability and good biocompatibility. This review mainly focuses on green CDs synthesis, characterization techniques, beneficial properties of plant resource-based green CDs and their biomedical applications. This review article also looks at the research gaps and future research directions for the continuous deepening of the exploration of green CDs.

Objective: The aim of present study was to determine the effect of interaction among different production variables on esterase production from Serratia sp. EST-4. Method: The optimum and combined effect of independent parameters were determined using Plackett-Burman and Central Composite Design (CCD) (Design Expert 11). Results: The effect of six parameters-cotton seed oil, peptone and maltose concentrations, pH, temperature and inoculum volume for production of esterase was determined by Plackett-Burman design. Four factors i.e. inoculum size, pH, peptone concentration and cotton seed oil concentration had significant effect on yield of esterase as suggested by the Pareto chart. Under optimized conditions, (inoculum size (1.0%, v/v), pH (8.0), peptone concentration (1.5%, w/v) and cotton seed oil concentration (4.0%, v/v)), the maximum esterase production was 9.77 U/ml. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the Central Composite Design (CCD)-based experiment exhibited the model F-value of 44.24 and P-value of

Background and Objectives: Brain Tumor Fusion-based Segments and Classification-Non-enhancing tumor (BTFSC-Net) is a hybrid system for classifying brain tumors that combine medical image fusion, segmentation, feature extraction, and classification procedures. Materials and Methods: to reduce noise from medical images, the hybrid probabilistic wiener filter (HPWF) is first applied as a preprocessing step. Then, to combine robust edge analysis (REA) properties in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) medical images, a fusion network based on deep learning convolutional neural networks (DLCNN) is developed. Here, the brain images’ slopes and borders are detected using REA. To separate the sick region from the color image, adaptive fuzzy c-means integrated k-means (HFCMIK) clustering is then implemented. To extract hybrid features from the fused image, low-level features based on the redundant discrete wavelet transform (RDWT), empirical color features, and texture characteristics based on the gray-level cooccurrence matrix (GLCM) are also used. Finally, to distinguish between benign and malignant tumors, a deep learning probabilistic neural network (DLPNN) is deployed. Results: according to the findings, the suggested BTFSC-Net model performed better than more traditional preprocessing, fusion, segmentation, and classification techniques. Additionally, 99.21% segmentation accuracy and 99.46% classification accuracy were reached using the proposed BTFSC-Net model. Conclusions: earlier approaches have not performed as well as our presented method for image fusion, segmentation, feature extraction, classification operations, and brain tumor classification. These results illustrate that the designed approach performed more effectively in terms of enhanced quantitative evaluation with better accuracy as well as visual performance.

Hypertension remains the leading cause of cardiovascular disease worldwide and disproportionately impacts patients living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Telemedicine offers a potential solution for improving access to health care for vulnerable patients in LMICs.ObjectivesThe purpose of this scoping review was to summarize the evidence for telemedicine interventions for blood pressure management in LMICs and assess the relationships between the telemedicine intervention characteristics and clinical outcomes.DesignPublished studies were identified from the following databases (from their inception to May 2020): PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. Search terms related to "Low and Middle Income Countries," "Telemedicine," and "Hypertension" were used, and clinical outcomes were extracted from the screened articles.ResultsOur search resulted in 530 unique articles, and 14 studies were included in this review. Five studies assessed telemedicine interventions for patient-provider behavioral counseling, four assessed patient-provider medical management, and five assessed provider-provider consultation technologies. Out of fourteen individual studies, eleven demonstrated a significant improvement in systolic or diastolic blood pressure in the intervention group. Of the eight studies that reported difference-in-differences changes in systolic blood pressure, between-arm differences ranged from 13.2 mmHg to 0.4 mmHg.ConclusionsThe majority of the studies in this review demonstrated a significant reduction in blood pressure with use of the telemedicine intervention, though the magnitude of benefit was not consistently large. Limitations of the studies included small sample sizes, short duration, and intervention heterogeneity. Current evidence suggests that telemedicine may provide a promising approach to increase access to care and improve outcomes for hypertension in LMICs, especially during events that limit access to in-person care, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, high-quality clinical trials of sufficient size and duration are needed to establish the impact and role of telemedicine in hypertension care. The protocol for this review was not registered.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) expanded access to telemedicine to maintain essential health services. Although there has been attention to the accelerated growth of telemedicine in the United States and other high-income countries, the telemedicine revolution may have an even greater benefit in LMICs, where it could improve health care access for vulnerable and geographically remote patients. In this article, we survey the expansion of telemedicine for chronic disease management in LMICs and describe seven key steps needed to implement telemedicine in LMIC settings. Telemedicine can not only maintain essential medical care for chronic disease patients in LMICs throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, but also strengthen primary health care delivery and reduce socio-economic disparities in health care access over the long-term.

BACKGROUND:Despite increasing political will to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), there is a paucity of empiric data describing what health system indicators are useful surrogates of country-level progress towards UHC. We sought to determine what public health interventions were useful tracers of country-level UHC progress. METHODS:Across 183 countries we evaluated the extent to which 16 service delivery indicators explained variability in the UHC Service Coverage Index, (UHC SCI) a WHO-validated indicator of country-level health coverage. Dominance analyses, stratifying countries by World Bank income criteria, were used to determine which indicators were most important in in predicting UHC SCI scores. FINDINGS:Health workforce density ranked first overall, provision of basic sanitation and access to clean water ranked second, and provision of basic antenatal services ranked third. In analysis stratified by World Bank income criteria, health workforce density ranked first in Lower Middle Income-Countries (LMICs) (n = 45) and third in Upper Middle Income-Countries (UMICs) (n = 51). CONCLUSIONS:While each country will have a different approach to achieving UHC, strengthening the health workforce will need to be a key priority if they are to be successful in achieving UHC.

Cryopreservation is an integral part of the current methods of assisted reproductive technology (ART). In the past two decades, slow freezing has been replaced worldwide by vitrification due to its association with improved survival rates and clinical outcomes comparable to fresh embryo transfers. Successful embryo vitrification programmes have led to a significant reduction in the incidences of two major complications of ART: ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and multiple gestations. Multiple embryo transfer cycles from the single ovum aspiration cycle have had a cumulative effect on the numbers of live births. Oocyte vitrification has also helped women to delay their pregnancies for medical or social reasons. This has made oocyte banking a viable option for better synchronisation of oocyte donation programmes. The emerging field of ovarian tissue vitrification has made fertility preservation possible for women undergoing gonadotoxic therapy. In this review, we have discussed the basic principles and methodology of slow freezing and vitrification along with its need and impact on ART.

Conventionally, the juice and extract of Alangium salvifolium leaves have been used for the treatment of diabetes, wound healing, dog bite, and as a poultice in rheumatism. To carry out the sub-chronic toxicity and thereafter safety evaluation of A. salvifolium leaves. The aqueous extract of A. salvifolium leaves was administered orally at the doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg/day for 90 days. All the animals were observed daily for general behavior, changes in body weight, food, and water consumption. At the end of the treatment period, biochemical and hematological parameters were analyzed; and the animals were sacrificed for histopathological examination of heart, lungs, liver, and kidney. The general behavior and water intake were normal in all the rats. The increase in body weight was observed in female rats of all the groups while body weight was decreased in high dose group animals of both sexes. Hematological parameters were not disturbed by the continuous use of extract. A significant decrease in glucose level was observed in intermediate- and high-dose group animals while urea and creatinine level were significantly high in animals of high-dose group. Although histopathological examination of most of the organs exhibited no structural changes, some tubal damage in kidneys was observed in high-dose group animals. The high dose of extract has shown mild signs of toxicity on kidney function test, but no toxic response was observed on hematological and liver biochemical parameters. The extract also exhibited hypoglycemic potential.

Leptospirosis is one of the leading zoonotic infections worldwide. As with other infectious diseases, report of antimicrobial resistance to existing therapeutic arsenal poses challenges in the management of disease. Hence, identification of novel drug targets for the pathogen deems essential. Present study used combined approach of comparative and subtractive genomics to identify putative drug targets. Crucial genes of 16 pathogenic Leptospira strains were filtered and subjected to homology search via target identification tool "TiD". Thereafter, comparative analysis was performed for non-homologous, essential genes to accomplish the broad-spectrum drug target. Consequently, 37 essential genes were found to be conserved in at least 10 strains of Leptospira. Further, prioritization of resultant set of genes revealed 18 were hubs in protein-protein interaction network. Sixteen putative targets among the hub genes were conserved in all strains of Leptospira. Out of sixteen, fourteen were enzymes while 8 were novel and 4 were involved in virulence mechanism. In addition, genome scale metabolic network reconstruction and choke point analysis revealed cobA (porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism) and thiL (thiamine metabolism) as chokepoints in their respective metabolic pathways. The proposed hub genes could act as putative broad-spectrum drug targets for Leptospira species, however, these putative targets should be validated to ensure them as real one prior to utilizing them for target based lead discovery.

The most common treatments for rheumatoid arthritis include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and some biological agents. However, none of the treatments available is able to achieve the ultimate goal of treatment, that is, drug-free remission. This limitation has shifted the focus of treatment to delivery strategies with an ability to deliver the drugs into the synovial cavity in the proper dosage while mitigating side effects to other tissues. A number of approaches like microemulsions, microspheres, liposomes, microballoons, cocrystals, nanoemulsions, dendrimers, microsponges, and so forth, have been used for intrasynovial delivery of these drugs. Amongst these, liposomes have proven to be very effective for retaining the drug in the synovial cavity by virtue of their size and chemical composition. The fast clearance of intra-synovially administered drugs can be overcome by use of liposomes leading to increased uptake of drugs by the target synovial cells, which in turn reduces the exposure of nontarget sites and eliminates most of the undesirable effects associated with therapy. This review focuses on the use of liposomes in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and summarizes data relating to the liposome formulations of various drugs. It also discusses emerging trends of this promising technology.