Environmental quality assessment of Treis Island, Nicobar, India

The physico-chemical, biological and microbiological parameters of surface seawater was studied at Tries Island during a survey in 2009. The physico-chemical parameters like silicate and inorganic phosphate concentration varied significantly from 3.53 to 4.22 and 0.05 to 0.09 μmol/L, respectively at Tries Island. The zooplankton population density ranged from 4696 to 8207 Nos./m3 and the dominant group was Copepod. The zooplankton biomass also varied significantly from 0.31 to 0.72 ml/m3. The phytoplankton density and species number also varied significantly from 1020 to 1220 Nos. /L and 25 to 31 numbers, respectively. Soleniae dominated in coastal waters of Treis Island. Chlorophyll-a, and phaeophytin concentration varied between 0.12 to 0.24 and 0.06 to 0.27 mg/m3, respectively. The chlorophyll-a concentration variation was significant. Apart from that noise level, soil and plant diversity were also investigated. Soil parameters indicated its fertile nature which is being utilized for horticulture by tribal community living in the neighbouring islands. The present study gives an account of the existing environmental quality in and around the island, providing a baseline scenario to assess the environmental impacts due to developments in the future. This study also provides comparison between populated and unpopulated coastal bay/marine ecosystems

Overcoming drug delivery barriers and challenges in topical therapy of atopic dermatitis: A nanotechnological perspective.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory disorder centered around loss of epidermal barrier function, and T helper 2 (Th2) immune responses. The current understanding of disease heterogeneity and complexity, limits the rational use of existing topical, systemic therapeutic agents, but paves way for development of advanced therapeutic agents. Additionally, advanced nanocarriers that deliver therapeutics to target cells, seem to offer a promising strategy, to overcome intrinsic limitations and challenges of conventional, and traditional drug delivery systems. Ever-evolving understanding of molecular target sites and complex pathophysiology, adverse effects of current therapeutic options, inefficient disease recapitulation by existing animal models are some of the challenges that we face. Also, despite limited success in market translatibility, nanocarriers have demonstrated excellent preclinical results and have been extensively studied for AD. Detailed research on behavior of nanocarriers in different patients and tailored therapy to account for phenotypic variability of the disease are the new research avenues that we look forward to

Biomolecular characterization of 3500-year-old ancient Egyptian mummification balms from the Valley of the Kings

Ancient Egyptian mummification was practiced for nearly 4000 years as a key feature of some of the most complex mortuary practices documented in the archaeological record. Embalming, the preservation of the body and organs of the deceased for the afterlife, was a central component of the Egyptian mummification process. Here, we combine GC-MS, HT-GC-MS, and LC-MS/MS analyses to examine mummification balms excavated more than a century ago by Howard Carter from Tomb KV42 in the Valley of the Kings. Balm residues were scraped from now empty canopic jars that once contained the mummified organs of the noble lady Senetnay, dating to the 18th dynasty, ca. 1450 BCE. Our analysis revealed balms consisting of beeswax, plant oil, fats, bitumen, Pinaceae resins, a balsamic substance, and dammar or Pistacia tree resin. These are the richest, most complex balms yet identified for this early time period and they shed light on balm ingredients for which there is limited information in Egyptian textual sources. They highlight both the exceptional status of Senetnay and the myriad trade connections of the Egyptians in the 2nd millennium BCE. They further illustrate the excellent preservation possible even for organic remains long removed from their original archaeological context

Challenges in diabetes mellitus type 2 management in Nepal: a literature review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Diabetes has become an increasingly prevalent and severe public health problem in Nepal. The Nepalese health system is struggling to deliver comprehensive, quality treatment and services for diabetes at all levels of health care. This study aims to review evidence on the prevalence, cost and treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2 and its complications in Nepal and to critically assess the challenges to be addressed to contain the epidemic and its negative economic impact. DESIGN: A comprehensive review of available evidence and data sources on prevalence, risk factors, cost, complications, treatment, and management of diabetes mellitus type 2 in Nepal was conducted through an online database search for articles published in English between January 2000 and November 2015. Additionally, we performed a manual search of articles and reference lists of published articles for additional references. RESULTS: Diabetes mellitus type 2 is emerging as a major health care problem in Nepal, with rising prevalence and its complications especially in urban populations. Several challenges in diabetes management were identified, including high cost of treatment, limited health care facilities, and lack of disease awareness among patients. No specific guideline was identified for the prevention and treatment of diabetes in Nepal. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that a comprehensive national effort is needed to stem the tide of the growing burden of diabetes mellitus type 2 and its complications in Nepal. The government should develop a comprehensive plan to tackle diabetes and other non-communicable diseases supported by appropriate health infrastructure and funding

Evidence of Coronavirus (CoV) Pathogenesis and Emerging Pathogen SARS-CoV-2 in the Nervous System: A Review on Neurological Impairments and Manifestations.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an issue of global significance that has taken the lives of many across the world. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus responsible for its pathogenesis. The pulmonary manifestations of COVID-19 have been well described in the literature. Initially, it was thought to be limited to the respiratory system; however, we now recognize that COVID-19 also affects several other organs, including the nervous system. Two similar human coronaviruses (CoV) that cause severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-1) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) are also known to cause disease in the nervous system. The neurological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection are growing rapidly, as evidenced by several reports. There are several mechanisms responsible for such manifestations in the nervous system. For instance, post-infectious immune-mediated processes, direct virus infection of the central nervous system (CNS), and virus-induced hyperinflammatory and hypercoagulable states are commonly involved. Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and its variants, dysfunction of taste and smell, and muscle injury are numerous examples of COVID-19 PNS (peripheral nervous system) disease. Likewise, hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke, encephalitis, meningitis, encephalopathy acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, endothelialitis, and venous sinus thrombosis are some instances of COVID-19 CNS disease. Due to multifactorial and complicated pathogenic mechanisms, COVID-19 poses a large-scale threat to the whole nervous system. A complete understanding of SARS-CoV-2 neurological impairments is still lacking, but our knowledge base is rapidly expanding. Therefore, we anticipate that this comprehensive review will provide valuable insights and facilitate the work of neuroscientists in unfolding different neurological dimensions of COVID-19 and other CoV associated abnormalities

Endoscopic Polyp Segmentation Using a Hybrid 2D/3D CNN

Colonoscopy is the gold standard for early diagnosis and pre-emptive treatment of colorectal cancer by detecting and removing colonic polyps. Deep learning approaches to polyp detection have shown potential for enhancing polyp detection rates. However, the majority of these systems are developed and evaluated on static images from colonoscopies, whilst applied treatment is performed on a real-time video feed. Non-curated video data includes a high proportion of low-quality frames in comparison to selected images but also embeds temporal information that can be used for more stable predictions. To exploit this, a hybrid 2D/3D convolutional neural network architecture is presented. The network is used to improve polyp detection by encompassing spatial and temporal correlation of the predictions while preserving real-time detections. Extensive experiments show that the hybrid method outperforms a 2D baseline. The proposed architecture is validated on videos from 46 patients. The results show that real-world clinical implementations of automated polyp detection can benefit from the hybrid algorithm

A low energy core-collapse supernova without a hydrogen envelope

The final fate of massive stars depends on many factors, including mass, rotation rate, magnetic fields and metallicity. Theory suggests that some massive stars (initially greater than 25-30 solar masses) end up as Wolf-Rayet stars which are deficient in hydrogen because of mass loss through strong stellar winds. The most massive of these stars have cores which may form a black hole and theory predicts that the resulting explosion produces ejecta of low kinetic energy, a faint optical display and a small mass fraction of radioactive nickel(1,2,3). An alternative origin for low energy supernovae is the collapse of the oxygen-neon core of a relatively lowmass star (7-9 solar masses) through electron capture(4,5). However no weak, hydrogen deficient, core-collapse supernovae are known. Here we report that such faint, low energy core-collapse supernovae do exist, and show that SN2008ha is the faintest hydrogen poor supernova ever observed. We propose that other similar events have been observed but they have been misclassified as peculiar thermonuclear supernovae (sometimes labelled SN2002cx-like events(6)). This discovery could link these faint supernovae to some long duration gamma-ray bursts. Extremely faint, hydrogen-stripped core-collapse supernovae have been proposed to produce those long gamma-ray bursts whose afterglows do not show evidence of association with supernovae (7,8,9).Comment: Submitted 12 January 2009 - Accepted 24 March 200

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica L.): Nutritional Composition, Bioactive Compounds, and Food Functional Properties

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L., Urticaceae) is commonly found in Asia, Africa, and Europe and has a long history of being used as food and traditional medicine. Recently, this plant is gaining attention as a highly nutritious food, where fresh leaves are dried and used as powder or in other forms. Leaves are rich in many bioactive compounds. This review aims to cover the traditional uses in food and medicine, as well as its nutritional composition, including its bioactive chemical constituents and reported food functional activities. Various bioactive chemical constituents have been isolated from stinging nettle to date, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, amino acid, carotenoids, and fatty acids. Stinging nettle extracts and its compounds, such as rutin, kaempferol, and vitamin A, are also used for their nutritional properties and as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. Future studies should focus on the proper formulation and stability testing of the functional foods containing stinging nettle and their detailed activities in clinical studies.</jats:p