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Summary: Background: Sequelae post-SARS-CoV-2 infection, including lung and functional impairment, pose a significant challenge post-recovery. We explored the burden and risk factors for post-COVID-19 sequelae in an African population with prevalent comorbidities including tuberculosis (TB) and HIV. Methods: We conducted an observational cohort study on hospitalised adults with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from 20 March to 06 October 2021 at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, South Africa. We collected data on comorbidities, and COVID-19 severity using the World Health Organization (WHO) clinical progression scale. Prospectively, we followed up all participants within 40-days post-discharge to assess body mass index (BMI), COVID-19 symptoms and quality of life using St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), 6-min walking-test (6MWT), and spirometry. A subsequent in-depth visit assessed plethysmography, diffusing capacity for the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO), and high-resolution chest-CT. Findings: We followed up 111 participants, where 65.8% were female, median age 50.5 years, and predominantly black-African (92.8%). Relevant comorbidities included TB disease (18.9%) and HIV infection (36%). SGRQ total scores were elevated in 78.9%, median 6MWT distance was reduced at 300 m (IQR 210–400), and nearly half (49.5%) exhibited spirometry findings below the lower limit of normal (LLN). In-depth pulmonary assessment for 61 participants revealed abnormalities in total lung capacity (31.6% 35 kg/m2, and initial COVID-19 severity. Interpretation: This study demonstrates substantial lung and functional morbidity within the first weeks post-COVID-19, particularly in individuals with pre-existing comorbidities including TB, HIV, and low or high BMI. Chest-CT and DLCO show best early potential at reflecting COVID-19-related pathologies. Funding: The Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Arts.

Overproduction of inflammatory and oxidative species has been identified as key contributors for skin cancer progression. Silymarin (SLY), a natural flavonoid has demonstrated potential anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-tyrosinase and anti-cancer activities. Nonetheless, its inherent physicochemical properties such as low solubility, low bioavailability and instability restrict its utility. Hence, current research was planned to address these challenges via encasing silymarin in nanosponges (NS) and exploring for application against skin cancer. Aiming this, silymarin was encased into NS batches prepared by melt technique and pre-eminent batch was selected on the basis of solubility, encapsulation and release. The selected batch (SLY-NS6) was suitably characterized and assessed for in-vitro DPPH scavenging, anti-inflammatory and anti-tyrosinase activities. Cell viability and apoptosis potential against B16F10 cells were performed. Further, evaluation of photostabiility was also conducted. Particle size and zeta potential of SLY-NS6 was found as 334.73 ± 79.63 nm and −29 ± 3.87 mV, respectively. The solubility and encapsulation efficiency of SLY-NS6 was 208.60 ± 13.63 µg/ml and 70.37 ± 1.04, respectively. All batches of SLY-NS has demonstrated delayed release pattern and found to follow Korsmeyer-Peppas model and Fickian diffusion mechanism. The anti-inflammatory activity of SLY and SLY-NS6 were noted 97.02% and 95.19%, respectively, at maximum concentration. The DPPH scavengingand anti-tyrosinase potential of bioactive was also found preserved after its encasement into NS. In-vitro cell viability assay of both SLY and SLY-NS6 showed concentration dependent cytotoxicity with IC50 values 118.75 µg/ml and 87.73 µg/ml, respectively. Further, it was observed that apoptosis effect of SLY-NS6 was remarkably enhanced in comparison to SLY. Photostability study revealed better protection of bioactive after its encasement. In conclusion, SLY-NS is able to address the inherent solubility and stability issues, thereby, enhancing efficacy of bioactive. Promising findings of anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-tyrosinase and anti-cancer activities of SLY-NS advocated its potential for management skin cancer.

Highlights Comparative evaluation of melt and solvent evaporation techniques for synthesis of dithranol nanosponges. The particle characteristics were investigated using FTIR, DSC, PXRD and surface morphology. Tuning of size and crystallinity of nanosponges were achieved by tuning synthetic techniques. Antioxidant and photostability properties of the dithranol nanosponges were efficiently correlated.

We developed dithranol nanosponge integrated Carbopol hydrogel (DTHNS-HG) as a novel perspective for psoriasis management. Dithranol was chosen as antipsoriatic moiety for this system. In this study, our objective was to fabricate and evaluate DTHNS-HG for in vivo anti-psoriatic activity using mouse tail model. Nanosponges (NSs) were synthesized using diphenyl carbonate and β-cyclodextrin employing melt method and appropriately characterized. The selected nanosponges were then embedded into Carbopol hydrogels and assessed for viscosity, spreadability and texture analysis. The developed formulations were further evaluated in vivo for antipsoriatic potential (% drug activity,% orthokeratosis and relative changes in epidermal thickness). Additionally, oxidative stress markers were also checked in mouse tail samples. DTH loaded cyclodextrin nanosponges were successfully fabricated and displayed acceptable mean particle size (274.6 ± 43.54 nm with 0.545 PDI) and zeta potential (-28.3 ± 6.34 mV). Further, DTHNS amalgamated hydrogel showed satisfactory results in terms of spreadability, viscosity and texture profiles. The degree of orthokeratosis was significantly (p < 0.05) increased with DTHNS-HG (0.5 and 1.0% w/v) and marketed ointment, as compared to the untreated group (control). Similarly, the drug activity and changes in epidermal thickness were found significant. Our findings from present investigations suggested a new cargo for delivery of DTH in topical medicinal strategies for psoriasis. Hence, this novel hydrogel showed promising outcomes for psoriasis.

Leflunomide (LEF), a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, has been widely explored for its anti-inflammatory potential in skin disorders such as psoriasis and melanoma. However, its poor stability and skin irritation pose challenges for topical delivery. To surmount these issues, LEF-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) integrated with hydrogels have been developed in the present investigation. SLNs developed by microemulsion techniques were found ellipsoidal with 273.1 nm particle size and −0.15 mV zeta potential. Entrapment and total drug content of LEF-SLNs were obtained as 65.25 ± 0.95% and 93.12 ± 1.72%, respectively. FTIR and XRD validated the successful fabrication of LEF-SLNs. The higher stability of LEF-SLNs (p < 0.001) compared to pure drug solution was observed in photostability studies. Additionally, in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of LEF-SLNs showed good potential in comparison to pure drugs. Further, prepared LEF-SLNs loaded hydrogel showed ideal rheology, texture, occlusion, and spreadability for topical drug delivery. In vitro release from LEF-SLN hydrogel was found to follow the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. To assess the skin safety of fabricated lipidic formulation, irritation potential was performed employing the HET-CAM technique. In conclusion, the findings of this investigation demonstrated that LEF-SLN hydrogel is capable of enhancing the photostability of the entrapped drug while reducing its skin irritation with improved topical delivery characteristics.

Natural plants and their products continue to be the major source of phytoconstituents in food and therapeutics. Scientific studies have evidenced the benefits of sesame oil and its bioactives in various health conditions. Various bioactives present in it include sesamin, sasamolin, sesaminol, and sesamol; among these, sesamol represents a major constituent. This bioactive is responsible for preventing various diseases including cancer, hepatic disorders, cardiac ailments, and neurological diseases. In the last decade, the application of sesamol in the management of various disorders has attracted the increasing interest of the research community. Owing to its prominent pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antineoplastic, and antimicrobial, sesamol has been explored for the above-mentioned disorders. However, despite the above-mentioned therapeutic potential, its clinical utility is mainly hindered owing to low solubility, stability, bioavailability, and rapid clearance issues. In this regard, numerous strategies have been explored to surpass these restrictions with the formulation of novel carrier platforms. This review aims to describe the various reports and summarize the different pharmacological activities of sesamol. Furthermore, one part of this review is devoted to formulating strategies to improve sesamol’s challenges. To resolve the issues such as the stability, low bioavailability, and high systemic clearance of sesamol, novel carrier systems have been developed to open a new avenue to utilize this bioactive as an efficient first-line treatment for various diseases.

Background: Quercetin is one of the most critical endogenous anti-oxidants used widely in cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals products for skincare and therapeutics due to its protective character against oxidants and inflammation. Although low hydrophilicity and poor percutaneous absorption of quercetin make it an untrustworthy entrant for topical delivery, numerous new perspectives have been developed and proposed to overwhelm these problems. Amongst multiple outlooks, nanoparticles-based drug delivery system has gained highlighted attention and showed various advantages in topical delivering a hydrophobic drug like quercetin. Method: The relevant literature was collected from an exhaustive search on databases like PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and others using various keywords, including “quercetin nanoformulations,” “dermal nanoformulations of quercetin,” “quercetin topical formulations,” and many others. Publications in the English language accessed till July 2021 were chosen, whereas non-English language papers, dissertations, unpublished data, and non-original papers were excluded from the study. Results: The present review comprises of various quercetin nanoformulations developed last decade for topical delivery of quercetin. Until recently, numerous nanocarriers systems, including nanovesicles, nanospheres, nanocapsules, nanogels, nanofibres, nanoemulsions, micelles, gold nanoparticles, silica nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), have been developed for skin delivery of quercetin that not only improves the solubility and skin permeability but also augments the physicochemical stability and provides sustain and control release. Conclusions: Nanostructured particles of herbal drugs offer several advantages over other conventional drug delivery systems. Advanced delivery formulations not only help in solving hitches such as poor solubility, bioavailability and stability of quercetin, but also, in the case of topical delivery, overcome the formidable barrier of the skin. Indeed, the application of herbal nanomedicine and herbal nano-drug delivery system is certainly the trend. However, for clinical utilization of such formulations, their investigation in humans needs to be explored. Such exploration along with in depth analysis and dose optimization can pave way for commercial success of quercetin advanced carrier systems for topical application.

Dermatological disorders have a huge psychosocial impact, causing significant impairment of patient's life. Topical therapy plays a pivotal role in management of such disorders. Conventional topical delivery systems result in overmedication/undermedication, leading to adverse effects and reduction in therapeutic efficacy. Consequently, researchers have been striving towards the development of alternative delivery systems for dermatological applications. In the last decade, microsponges emerged as an attractive option for topical delivery. Their characteristic particle size offers enhanced benefits, making them superior to the contemporary microcarriers. The present review furnishes a comprehensive account of state of the art, important factors affecting the performance and mechanism of drug release from topically applied microsponges, along with characterization techniques. Further, a list of marketed products and their applications for common dermatological disorders has been presented. All in all, this paper is an attempt to lay a bibliographic foundation for researchers working in this field and foster further investigations in this arena.

Sesamol (SES) possesses remarkable chemotherapeutic activity, owing to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. However, the activity of SES is mainly hampered by its poor physicochemical properties and stability issues. Hence, to improve the efficacy of this natural anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic agent, it was loaded into β-cyclodextrin nanosponges (NS) prepared using different molar ratios of polymer and crosslinker (diphenyl carbonate). The particle size of SES-laden NS (SES-NS) was shown to be in the nano range (200 to 500 nm), with a low polydispersity index, an adequate charge (−17 to −26 mV), and a high payload. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the bioactive-loaded selected batch (SES-NS6). This batch of nanoformulations showed improved solubilization efficacy (701.88 µg/mL) in comparison to bare SES (244.36 µg/mL), polymer (β-CD) (261.43 µg/mL), and other fabricated batches. The drug release data displayed the controlled release behavior of SES from NS. The findings of the egg albumin denaturation assay revealed the enhanced anti-inflammatory potential of SES-NS as compared to bare SES. Further, the cytotoxicity assay showed that SES-NS was more effective against B16F12 melanoma cell lines than the bioactive alone. The findings of this assay demonstrated a reduction in the IC50 values of SES-NS (67.38 μg/mL) in comparison to SES (106 μg/mL). The present investigation demonstrated the in vitro controlled release pattern and the enhanced anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity of SES-NS, suggesting its potential as a promising drug delivery carrier for topical delivery.

Dermal disorders such as psoriasis and eczema are associated with modifications in the chemical and molecular composition of the skin. Clobetasol propionate (CP), a superpotent topical glucocorticoid, is widely used for the therapeutic management of various skin conditions, owing to its strong anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, vasoconstrictive, and antiproliferative activities. Safety studies demonstrated that CP is safer for a shorter period, however, with prolonged application, it shows secondary side effects such as photosensitivity, Cushing-like syndrome, allergic contact dermatitis, osteonecrosis, hypopigmentation, steroid acne, and skin atrophy. Therefore, the US FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) has restricted the usage of CP to not more than 15 days. Research scientists addressed its several formulations and drug delivery issues, such as low water solubility, less stability, photodegradation, and poor absorption, by incorporating them into novel nanobased delivery platforms. With the utilization of these technologies, these drawbacks of CP have been resolved to a large extent to reestablish this moiety. This article explores the physicochemical properties and mechanism of action of CP. Additionally, an attempt has been made to discover and highlight the possible features of the novel nanosystems, including nanoemulsions, nanosponges, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, and nanogels, reported for CP. The stability and safety concerns of CP, along with its commercial status, are also discussed.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a gradually growing irreversible illness of the brain that almost affects every fifth person (aged > 80 years) in the world. World Health Organization (WHO) also revealed that the prevalence of this disease will enhance (upto double) significantly upto 2030. The poor cholinergic transmission at the synapse is considered to be one of the main reasons behind the progression and occurrence of this disorder. Natural inhibitors of acetylcholine (ACh) such as galanthamine and rivastigmine are used commercially in the treatmentof AD. The biomolecules such assesquiterpenes, possess a great structural diversity and are responsible for a plethora of pharmacological properties. The potential of various sesquiterpenes as anticholinesterase has been reviewed in this article. For this purpose, the various databases, mainly PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were investigatedwith different keywords such as “sesquiterpenes+acetylcholinesterase” and “sesquiterpenes+cholinesterase+inhibitors” in the surveyed time frame (2010–2020). A vast literature was evident in the last decade, which affirms the potential of various sesquiterpenes in the improvement of cholinergic transmission by inhibiting the AChE. After data analysis, it was found that 12 compounds out of a total of 58 sesquiterpenes were reported to possess IC50 < 9 μM and can be considered as potential candidates for the improvement of learning and memory. Sesquiterpene is an important category of terpenoids, found to possess a large spectrum of biological activities. The outcome of the review clearly states that sesquiterpenes (such as amberboin, lipidiol, etc.) from herbs could offer fresh, functional compounds for possible prevention and treatment of AD.

Several pharmacological properties are attributed to ergot alkaloids as a result of their antibacterial, antiproliferative, and antioxidant effects. Although known for their biomedical applications (e.g., for the treatment of glaucoma), most ergot alkaloids exhibit high toxicological risk and may even be lethal to humans and animals. Their pharmacological profile results from the structural similarity between lysergic acid-derived compounds and noradrenalin, dopamine, and serotonin neurotransmitters. To reduce their toxicological risk, while increasing their bioavailability, improved delivery systems were proposed. This review discusses the safety aspects of using ergot alkaloids in ocular pharmacology and proposes the development of lipid and polymeric nanoparticles for the topical administration of these drugs to enhance their therapeutic efficacy for the treatment of glaucoma.

Introduction: The professional profile of the public health dentist is made up of a number of competencies. Evaluation of the student′s performance in relation to the specified competencies is an important task for purposes of student evaluation and for assessing the curriculum and making necessary revisions. Aim: The aim was to assess the level of self-perceived competency in dental public health among postgraduate (PG) students in India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among the PG students in the specialty of public health dentistry in India. Their competency was assessed by a questionnaire sent through E-mail. Students assessed their competence in these dental public health functions using a 3 point ordinal scale, 0 indicating "not at all competent," 1 as "competent," and 2 as "very competent." Chi-square has been used for categorical variables. Results: One-hundred and twenty-four PG students responded to the questionnaire. Comparison was made for gender and academic year. Males were significantly competent to comply infection control policies and procedures (P < 0.040FNx01). Third year PG students were significantly competent to comply infection control policies and procedures (P < 0.017) and to adapt their dental practice to the existing laws and regulations (P < 0.45). Conclusion: In the present study, the PG students considered themselves more competent to elaborate the socioeconomic-cultural diagnosis of the community, to participate in epidemiological surveillance system and less competent to adopt ethical principles in all aspects of community oral health activities, to take up initiatives in advocacy issues for health policy and using media effectively.

Introduction: Levels of oral health and economic status are unequally distributed throughout the population. Inequality has multiple causes and that the effect of Socio Economic Status (SES) and demographic factors, on oral health is mediated through several factors. Association between cognitive ability and oral health had been demonstrated in older age groups but adolescents and younger adults have received relatively little attention in this field. Aim: To establish the role of cognitive ability as a determinant of SES and oral health status among adolescent college students of Benagluru, Karnataka, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1000 adolescents aged 17-19 years. Six government and six private first grade colleges were selected by multistage random sampling. Cognitive ability was assessed using digit symbol substitution test and digit span test. Dental caries and periodontal status were recorded by extent of bleeding, presence of calculus, periodontal pockets, loss of attachments using Community Periodontal Index, decayed, missing and filled teeth surfaces using Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth and Surfaces Index. SES status was assessed using Kuppuswamy scale. Chi-square test was used to check the association of cognitive ability with oral health indicators and SES status. Regression analysis was performed to assess the effect of cognitive ability on oral health indicators after adjusting for SES and effect of SES status on oral health indicators after adjusting for indicators of cognitive ability. Results: Significant association and negative correlation between cognitive ability and indicators for oral health was seen in the regression models. Cognitive ability attributed for nearly 30% changes in the indicators for oral health after adjusting for SES and SES attributed for nearly 25% variance in indicators for oral health after adjusting for cognitive ability. Conclusion: There is a potential role of cognitive ability in SES and oral health.

The high-pressure behaviour of LiCrO2, a compound isostructural to the battery compound LiCoO2, has been investigated by synchrotron-based angle-dispersive X-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and resistance measurements up to 41, 30, and 10 Gpa, respectively. The stability of the layered structured compound on a triangular lattice with R-3m space group is confirmed in all three measurements up to the highest pressure reached. The dependence of lattice parameters and unit-cell volume with pressure has been determined from the structural refinements of X-ray diffraction patterns that are used to extract the axial compressibilities and bulk modulus by means of Birch⁻Murnaghan equation-of-state fits. The pressure coefficients for the two Raman-active modes, A1g and Eg, and their mode-Grüneisen parameters are reported. The electrical resistance measurements indicate that pressure has little influence in the resistivity up to 10 GPa. The obtained results for the vibrational and structural properties of LiCrO2 under pressure are in line with the published results of the similar studies on the related compounds. Research work reported in this article contributes significantly to enhance the understanding on the structural and mechanical properties of LiCrO2 and related lithium compounds.

Cancer cells are addicted to numerous non-oncogenic traits that enable them to thrive. Proteotoxic stress is one such non-oncogenic trait that is experienced by all tumor cells, owing to increased genomic abnormalities and the resulting synthesis and accumulation of non-stoichiometric amounts of cellular proteins. This imbalance in the amounts of proteins ultimately culminates in proteotoxic stress. p97, or valosin containing protein (VCP) is an ATP-ase whose function is essential to restore protein homeostasis in the cells. Working in concert with the ubiquitin proteasome system, p97 promotes the retrotranslocation from cellular organelles and/or degradation of misfolded proteins. Consequently, p97 inhibition has emerged as a novel therapeutic target in cancer cells, especially those that have a highly secretory phenotype. This review summarizes our current understanding of the function of p97 in maintaining protein homeostasis and its inhibition with small molecule inhibitors as an emerging strategy to target cancer cells.

Babchi (Psoralea corylifolia) oil is an important essential oil used in several traditional medicines to cure various disorders. This phytotherapeutic agent possesses a number of pharmacological activities including antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antitumor factors. However, volatile nature, poor stability, and solubility of babchi oil (BO) restrict its pharmaceutical applications. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to encapsulate this oil in β-cyclodextrin nanosponges (NS) in order to overcome the above limitations. To fabricate nanosponges, β-cyclodextrin was cross-linked with diphenyl carbonate in different molar ratios viz. 1:2, 1:4, 1:6, 1:8, and 1:10. The blank nanosponges were loaded with BO using the freeze-drying method. The particle size of the BO loaded nanosponges was found to lie between 200 and 500 nm with low polydispersity index. Furthermore, the zeta potential, the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, and electron microscopy were carried out for characterization of BO nanosponges. Results obtained from spectral analysis ascertained the formation of inclusion complexes. Additionally, solubilisation efficiency of BO was checked in distilled water and found enhanced by 4.95 times with optimized β-cyclodextrin nanosponges. The cytotoxicity study was carried out by the MTT assay using HaCaT cell lines. A significant improvement in photo-stability of essential oil was also observed by inclusion innanosponges. Lastly, the optimized formulation was tested for antibacterial activity using Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. Therefore, encapsulation of BO in nanosponges resulted in efficacious carrier system in terms of solubility, photo-stability, and safety of this oil along with handling benefits.

Delafossites, with a unique combination of electrical conductivity and optical transparency constitute an important class of materials with their wide range of applications in different fields. In this article, we review the high pressure studies on copper based semiconducting delafossites with special emphasis on their structural and vibrational properties by synchrotron based powder X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopic measurements. Though all the investigated compounds undergo pressure induced structural phase transition, the structure of high pressure phase has been reported only for CuFeO2. Based on X-ray diffraction data, one of the common features observed in all the studied compounds is the anisotropic compression of cell parameters in ambient rhombohedral structure. Ambient pressure bulk modulus obtained by fitting the pressure volume data lies between 135 to 200 GPa. Two allowed Raman mode frequencies Eg and A1g are observed in all the compounds in ambient phase with splitting of Eg mode at the transition except for CuCrO2 where along with splitting of Eg mode, A1g mode disappears and a strong mode appears which softens with pressure. Observed transition pressure scales exponentially with radii of trivalent cation being lowest for CuLaO2 and highest for CuAlO2. The present review will help materials researchers to have an overview of the subject and reviewed results are relevant for fundamental science as well as possessing potential technological applications in synthesis of new materials with tailored physical properties.

Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is the cyst arising from the cell rests of dental lamina. It can occur anywhere in the jaw, but commonly seen in the posterior part of the mandible. Radiographically, most OKCs are unilocular when presented at the periapex and can be mistaken for radicular or lateral periodontal cyst. When the cyst is multilocular and located at the molar ramus area, it may be confused to ameloblastoma. Lots of cases have been reported in the literature where OKC is associated with the nonvital tooth. So trauma could be one of the reasons in inducing this cyst. In our case, it was in the anterior region at the periapex of nonvital tooth having traumatic occlusion. Hence, the diagnosis of radicular cyst was made and endodontic treatment was done.