TETRACYCLINE: A USEFUL CLASS OF ANTIBIOTICS FOR SUCCESSFUL ENDODONTICS

Antibiotics have been used frequently in treatment of odontogenic infections. However in endodontic diseases, the source of infection is rarely eliminated by the use of antimicrobial drugs alone. The mainstay of treating pulpal and periapical infections remains the cleaning and debridement of root canal system. Topical antibacterial agents can be used as an adjunct in the form of an irrigant or intracanal medicament during endodontic therapy. Most often employed antibiotic in endodontics is tetracycline class of drugs. Research has shown that tetracycline agents have various beneficial properties apart from bacteriostatic action, including antiresorptive activity, ability to remove smear layer from canal surface after cleaning and shaping. They also show the property of substantivity which prolongs their effect by allowing slow gradual release over time. Therefore, the present paper aims to outline the possible applications of tetracycline drugs in endodontics

Biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles eclipse fungal and bacterial contamination in micropropagation of Capparis decidua (FORSK.) Edgew: A substitute to toxic substances

336-343Microbial contamination is a serious challenge in plant tissue culture, particularly in micropropagation of threatened and rare medicinally important plants for conservation purpose. Use of antibiotics exhibit harmful effects on plants, and continuous use makes bacteria more resistant. Also, chemicals used to control such contaminations are either toxic to the explant or have limited efficiency. Though nanobiotechnology offers an effective alternate to deal with the bacterial and fungal contamination, chemical synthesis of metal nanoparticles has limitations and found to be toxic, flammable and hard to get disposed. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) employing plant extracts, being environment friendly, cost-effective, and single step, is gaining attention as better alternative method. In this study, the green synthesised silver nanoparticles were confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy (462.73 nm, 0.473 Abs) and Transmission Electron microscopy (TEM). The fruit extract of Capparis decidua served as an environmentally benign reducing agent and the phytochemicals of the extract as non-toxic agent to stabilize the AgNP (FTIR) upholding its significance as an eco-friendly approach compared to hazardous chemicals. The nano size (1.5-15 nm) makes the green synthesized AgNPs a better antimicrobial agent allowing easy diffusion into the cells. Evaluation of decontamination as well as the survival rate of the explants was monitored using the explants (shoot tip and nodal segment) immersion in three different concentrations of AgNP solution (100, 300, and 500 mg/L) and controlled by 0.1% mercuric chloride treatment demonstrating promising decrease in decontamination. However, the survival was expedient excluding immersion in 100 mg/L for 20 or 30 min. The MS media supplementation by AgNP solution (50, 100, 300 and 500 mg/L), controlled by 70% ethanol treatment divulged the superior decontamination rate at 150 mg/L of AgNPs (90.2% for bacteria and 94.4% for fungal contamination) with 80.5% survival. The increased concentration gave 100% bacterial and 98.6% fungal decontamination but a reduced survival percent (68.5%). This work potentially showed that nanosized AgNPs could serve as an appropriate antimicrobial substitute to chemicals being innocuous to the explant regeneration

In vitro evaluation of efficacy of different rotary instrument systems for gutta percha removal during root canal retreatment

Background: Complete removal of old filling material during root canal retreatment is fundamental for predictable cleaning and shaping of canal anatomy. Most of the retreatment methods tested in earlier studies have shown inability to achieve complete removal of root canal filling. Therefore the aim of this investigation was to assess the efficacy of three different rotary nickel titanium retreatment systems and Hedstrom files in removing filling material from root canals. Material and Methods: Sixty extracted mandibular premolars were decoronated to leave 15 mm root. Specimen were hand instrumented and obturated using gutta percha and AH plus root canal sealer. After storage period of two weeks, roots were retreated with three (Protaper retreatment files, Mtwo retreatment files, NRT GPR) rotary retreatment instrument systems and Hedstroem files. Subsequently, samples were sectioned longitudinally and examined under stereomicroscope. Digital images were recorded and evaluated using Digital Image Analysing Software. The retreatment time was recorded for each tooth using a stopwatch. The area of canal and the residual filling material was recorded in mm 2 and the percentage of remaining filling material on canal walls was calculated. Data was analysed using ANOVA test. Results: Significantly less amount of residual filling material was present in protaper and Mtwo instrumented teeth ( p < 0.05) compared to NRT GPR and Hedstrom files group. Protaper instruments also required lesser time during removal of filling material followed by Mtwo instruments, NRT GPR files and Hedstrom files. Conclusions: None of the instruments were able to remove the filling material completely from root canal. Protaper universal retreatment system and Mtwo retreatment files were more efficient and faster compared to NRT GPR fles and Hedstrom files

Germplasm variability-assisted near infrared reflectance spectroscopy chemometrics to develop multi-trait robust prediction models in rice

Rice is a major staple food across the world in which wide variations in nutrient composition are reported. Rice improvement programs need germplasm accessions with extreme values for any nutritional trait. Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) uses electromagnetic radiations in the NIR region to rapidly measure the biochemical composition of food and agricultural products. NIRS prediction models provide a rapid assessment tool but their applicability is limited by the sample diversity, used for developing them. NIRS spectral variability was used to select a diverse sample set of 180 accessions, and reference data were generated using association of analytical chemists and standard methods. Different spectral pre-processing (up to fourth-order derivatization), scatter corrections (SNV-DT, MSC), and regression methods (partial least square, modified partial least square, and principle component regression) were employed for each trait. Best-fit models for total protein, starch, amylose, dietary fiber, and oil content were selected based on high RSQ, RPD with low SEP(C) in external validation. All the prediction models had ratio of prediction to deviation (RPD) > 2 amongst which the best models were obtained for dietary fiber and protein with R2 = 0.945 and 0.917, SEP(C) = 0.069 and 0.329, and RPD = 3.62 and 3.46. A paired sample t-test at a 95% confidence interval was performed to ensure that the difference in predicted and laboratory values was non-significant

Nanotechnology-Based Approaches To Mitigate Environmental Pollutants -- Induced Neurological Disorders

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson\u27s disease (PD), Alzheimerâ??s Disease (AD) and Huntingtonâ??s Disease (HD) have no cure despite intensive research efforts geared towards therapeutics development. In the USA, patients with PD and AD alone cost the nation ~ $200 billion annually in patient care and lost productivity. Therefore, there remains an urgent and unmet need to develop novel drugs and drug carriers with the potential to slow down, halt and ideally reverse the course of neurodegenerative disorders. The dissertation focuses on developing approaches towards targeting PD using multifactorial mechanisms including the targeting of protein aggregation and oxidative stress. This is important because previous reports have revealed that protein aggregation and oxidative stress interact and intensify each other\u27s effect in PD, ultimately resulting in neuronal death. A section of the dissertation underscores overcoming solubility and bioavailability limitations associated with ellagic acid (EA), a polyphenol with excellent antioxidant potential, using chitosan (CS) nanoparticles as nanocarriers. Our results reveal that encapsulation of EA in CS-based nano-ensembles results in mitigation of the PD-associated toxic effects and furthermore, overcomes solubility-related issues of the parent drug. In continuing with this theme, effort is drawn towards developing carbon quantum dots as inhibitors of amyloid fibrillation and as antioxidants. We showcase the development of a one-pot drug which also intervenes across multiple disease outputs. This facet is becoming increasingly important as diseases are being recognized as not being monogenic in nature but instead as progressing via a plethora of molecular aberrations that are sporadic/idiopathic. Finally, we advance analytical tools that promote a facile and cost-effective method to address the soluble-to-toxic transformation of amyloidogenic proteins. The methodological inroad is rapid, inexpensive, and quantitative and diminishes existing barriers associated with techniques to evaluate fibril formation and intervention

Nanotechnology-Based Approaches to Mitigate Environmental Pollutants’- Induced Neurological Disorders

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson\u27s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Huntington’s Disease (HD) have no cure despite intensive research efforts geared towards therapeutics development. In the USA, patients with PD and AD alone cost the nation ~ $200 billion annually in patient care and lost productivity. Therefore, there remains an urgent and unmet need to develop novel drugs and drug carriers with the potential to slow down, halt and ideally reverse the course of neurodegenerative disorders. The dissertation focuses on developing approaches towards targeting PD using multifactorial mechanisms including the targeting of protein aggregation and oxidative stress. This is important because previous reports have revealed that protein aggregation and oxidative stress interact and intensify each other\u27s effect in PD, ultimately resulting in neuronal death. A section of the dissertation underscores overcoming solubility and bioavailability limitations associated with ellagic acid (EA), a polyphenol with excellent antioxidant potential, using chitosan (CS) nanoparticles as nanocarriers. Our results reveal that encapsulation of EA in CS-based nano-ensembles results in mitigation of the PD-associated toxic effects and furthermore, overcomes solubility-related issues of the parent drug. In continuing with this theme, effort is drawn towards developing carbon quantum dots as inhibitors of amyloid fibrillation and as antioxidants. We showcase the development of a one-pot drug which also intervenes across multiple disease outputs. This facet is becoming increasingly important as diseases are being recognized as not being monogenic in nature but instead as progressing via a plethora of molecular aberrations that are sporadic/idiopathic. Finally, we advance analytical tools that promote a facile and cost-effective method to address the soluble-to-toxic transformation of amyloidogenic proteins. The methodological inroad is rapid, inexpensive, and quantitative and diminishes existing barriers associated with techniques to evaluate fibril formation and intervention

IJESRT INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES &amp; RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY AUTOMATIC FOOD INTAKE DETECTION FOR SWALLOW SOUNDS

ABSTRACT The main aim is to improve our understanding about the eating behavior associated with obesity and overweight. People who want to lose weight and monitor their intake would love to have a mechanism whose can objectively check their consume behavior over time and the mechanism also used for modification program of behavioral. Our long period aim is that to make such a device that can affordable wearable to non-invasively who can determine instances of swallowing (deglutition) in free living individuals in such a way to objectively measure how and when often food intake is taking place. Degulation is a scientific term is used for swallowing. Swallowing is the process in the human or animal body which makes something pass from the mouth. For checking of ingestive behavior, a very significant work is to recognize bouts of swallowing food-related so as to calculate the length of eating periods and number per day. The study has shown that the frequency of swallowing which can serve as a predicting factor for correct food intake detection, difference between solid and liquid foods with higher swallowing frequency being representative of ingestion

Enhancing the Delivery of Chemotherapeutics: Role of Biodegradable Polymeric Nanoparticles

While pharmaceutical drugs have revolutionized human life, there are several features that limit their full potential. This review draws attention to some of the obstacles currently facing the use of chemotherapeutic drugs including low solubility, poor bioavailability and high drug dose. Overcoming these issues will further enhance the applicability and potential of current drugs. An emerging technology that is geared towards improving overall therapeutic efficiency resides in drug delivery systems including the use of polymeric nanoparticles which have found widespread use in cancer therapeutics. These polymeric nanoparticles can provide targeted drug delivery, increase the circulation time in the body, reduce the therapeutic indices with minimal side-effects, and accumulate in cells without activating the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS). Given the inroads made in the field of nanodelivery systems for pharmaceutical applications, it is of interest to review and emphasize the importance of Polymeric nanocarrier system for drug delivery in chemotherapy