Cells and Organs on Chip—A Revolutionary Platform for Biomedicine

Lab‐on‐a‐chip (LOC) and microfluidics are important technologies with numerous applications from drug delivery to tissue engineering. LOC integrates fluidic and electronic components on a single chip and becomes very attractive due to the possibility of their state‐of‐art implementation in personalized devices for the point‐of‐care treatments. Microfluidics is the technique that deals with small (10-9 to 10-18 L) amounts of fluids, using channels with dimensions of 10 to 100 μm. These LOC and microfluidics devices enable the development of next‐generation portable and implantable bioelectronics devices. Superior chip‐based technologies are emerging with the advances in microfluidics and motivating various chip‐based methods for rapid low‐cost analysis as compared to traditional laboratory method.An organ‐on‐chip (OOC) is on‐chip cell culture device created with microfabrication techniques and contains continuously perfused chambers inhabited by living cells that simulate tissue‐ and organ‐level physiology. In vitro models of cells, tissues and organ based on LOC devices are a major breakthrough for research in biologic systems and mechanisms. The recapitulations of cellular events in OOC devices provide them an edge over two‐dimensional (2D) and three‐dimensional (3D) cultures and open a gateway for their newer applications in biomedicine such as tissue engineering, drug discovery and disease modeling. In this chapter, the advancement and potential applications of OOC devices are discussed

Alterations in plasma membrane of glioblastoma cells by photodynamic action of merocyanine 540

AbstractPhotodynamic action of merocyanine 540 (MC540) on the plasma membrane of human glioblastoma(U-87MG) cells has been investigated. Plasma membrane was labeled with lipid specific probe 1,(4-trimethylammonium),6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene. Steady-state anisotropy, decay time and time-dependent anisotropy of TMA-DPH in U-87MG cells have been measured as a function of light dose. A decrease in the steady-state anisotropy and decay time of TMA-DPH in MC540-treated cells was observed upon light irradiation. The time-dependent anisotropy measurements showed a decrease in the limiting anisotropy (r∞) and an increase in the rotational relaxation time (φ) of the probe upon photosensitization of cells. Analysis of these data using wobbling in cone model for probe rotation in the membrane indicated an increase in the cone angle (θc) and a decrease in the order parameter (S). Protein specific probe N-(1-pyrene)-maleimide was used to study the effect of photosensitization on the plasma membrane proteins. An increase in the rotational relaxation time and a decrease in the ratio of excimer to monomer fluorescence intensity of PM was observed on photosensitization. Photodynamic action of MC540 also caused an inhibition of protein SH groups and Na+-K+-ATPase activity of plasma membrane. Our results demonstrate that the photodynamic action of MC540 decreases the order of the lipid bilayer and reduces the mobility of the proteins in the plasma membrane of cells

Evaluation of prescription pattern of antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis in secondary care hospital

Background: Antibiotic prophylaxis is the prevention and in incidence of surgical site infection. This study evaluates the rational use of antibiotics prophylaxis prior to surgery amongst hospitalized patients. Objectives of the study were to investigate the utilization and evaluation pattern of antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis in surgery department.Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on 100 patients receiving antibiotics in the Department of Surgery of Brijesh Hospital Ramnagar (Nainital) Uttarakhand. Patient undergoing antibiotic prophylaxis treatment were included in the study, exclusion of those patients who had age less than 18, patients with psychiatric disease and those patients not willing to sign on inform consent form.Results: The result observed in 100 patients follow up 8 weeks and evaluate the appropriate use of prophylaxis of antibiotics majority of patients were age group 18-30 years, followed by 41-50 years, 51-60 years, majority were reported in female patients than male, higher utilization of cephalosporins were commonly prescribed due to their relatively lower toxicity and broader spectrum activity and broader coverage of organism for several serious gram negative infection 30 (30%) patients were prescribed penicillin with aminoglycosides, 10 (10%) patients were prescribed with nitroimidazole antibiotics.Conclusions: The overall scenario of antibiotic usage in a Hospital was as per standard recommendations and all the antibiotics used were according to their standard adult and titrated doses and frequencies. In this study we found that Cephalosporines, Penicillins, Aminoglycosides and Nitroimidazole were mostly used classes of drug. Adverse Drug Reactions were minor and well managed

Consequence Analysis of the Accidental Release of Supercritical Co2 from High Pressure Pipelines

Climate change and global warming is a major challenge that we are facing today which involves the emission of harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. CO2 is one of the primary greenhouse gases, among others, which is majorly as a result of anthropogenic emissions. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is an integrated technology that prevents large amounts of CO2 from entering the atmosphere by capturing it from large point sources and safely sequestering them in geological storages. Safe transportation of the captured CO2 through long distance pipelines is a challenge that we face today due to the lack of technology to properly address the knowledge gap at various operating conditions. Pressurized pipelines are considered to be the most efficient and reliable way to transport CO2 due to the high density and low viscosity of CO2. Any accidental discharge from such high pressure pipelines may result in a significant damage to the ambient atmosphere and it also poses a dominant threat to human health. Therefore, transportation safety of CO2 should clearly be one of the most critical process design considerations in carbon-capture and storage (CCS) area. It is important to understand the unusual phase transition behavior of CO2 in order to model the fluid dynamics and subsequent atmospheric dispersion during such an accidental release. This thesis deals with a two-step approach for computing the final pollutant concentration. In the first step, the release rates of supercritical CO2 are calculated due to sudden decompression at the leak which may lead to chocked flow conditions. These release rates would serve as the key parameter in the second step, dispersion modeling, which determines the toxic concentration levels of CO2 at various downwind distances. Computational Fluid Dynamics software, Ansys Fluent 16.2 version is used for predicting the jet release rates and the concentration variations of pure CO2 over a given period of time and distance. The Fluent model has been validated against experimental work carried out by BP�s DF1 project at the Spadeadam site (UK) involving transient horizontal releases of supercritical CO2. A further investigation was carried out to study the impact of CO2 dispersion in the presence of obstacles such as buildings. This consequence model would not only be helpful to predict and control the harmful release of CO2 in ambient air, but would also serve as a hazard design tool for determining the minimum safe distances to populated areas and planning emergency response and evacuation procedures in case of pipeline leakage.Chemical Engineerin

Antimicrobials associated adverse drug reaction profiling: a four years retrospective study (Pharmacovigilance study)

Background: All drugs profoundly modify our biological processes and may manifest as adverse drug reactions (ADRs), which are unpredictable and inevitable consequences. Antibiotics are a common cause of ADR, necessitating stopping or change of antibiotics. The incidence of ADRs increases with the number of drugs prescribed in a prescription, and antibiotics are rarely prescribed as monotherapy.Aim: The study aimed to assess frequency, class of antibiotics, symptoms, causality, the severity of antimicrobial-associated ADRs, and see the demographic distribution.Methods: ADRs were collected and filled in suspected ADR forms and sent via vigiflow to the National Coordination Centre-Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (NCC-PvPI). These ADR reports, termed individual case safety reports (ICSRs), were analyzed from Jan 2016 to Dec 2019.Results: A total of 414 (54.33%) ICSRs of 762 were identified as antimicrobial-associated. Adults in the age group 19–65 years accounted for 345 (83.09%) of ADRs. A total of 192 (46.38%) were males, and 222 (53.14%) were females. Skin and subcutaneous tissue System organ class was involved in 54% of cases. In the causality assessment, 268 (64.49%) were “probable,” 123 (29.71%) were “possible,” and 23 (5.56%) were “certain.” On severity assessment, 256 ADRs (61.83%) were mild, 133 (32.12%) were moderate, and 25 (6.03%) were severe. A total of 54 antimicrobial agents, excluding anti-tubercular drugs, were identified, and antibacterial accounted for 268 (64.73%) ADRs, followed by antiviral 90 (21.73%), antiprotozoal agents 33 (7.97%) antimalarials anti-scabicidal, antifungal accounting for the remaining.Conclusion: Antimicrobials play a crucial role in treating infections, and utmost vigilance during antimicrobials prescription reduces the frequency and severity of the ADRs, thereby reducing the morbidity and mortality and the pharmacoeconomic burden to the health care system. Pharmacovigilance must be boosted to ensure the safe and effective use of antibiotics and reduce the occurrence of ADRs

Efficient in vitro regeneration protocol of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban: An endemic and underutilized nutraceutical herb

The present communication reports an efficient in vitro plantlet  regeneration protocol for endemic umbellifer Centella asiatica (L.) urban via callus mediated organogenesis from leaf and stem explants. The plant is pharmacologically very important and its consumption as underutilized green leafy vegetable affluent in micronutrients is communally conscientious for its threatened status. Therefore, there is an importunate need to preserve its germplasm so that pharmacologically active constituent can be made available all over the year without causing loss of species from wild. Optimum callusing was observed in MS + benzylaminopurine (BAP, 0.5 mg/l) + α-napthalene acetic acid (NAA, 0.3 mg/l) in both leaf and stem explants with callus induction frequency 75 and 83.33%, respectively. For shooting, MS + BAP (0.5 mg/l) in leaf and MS + BAP (0.75 mg/l) in stem derived callus were found to be most efficient. Rooting of in vitro raised shoots was best induced on full strength MS media supplemented with indole- 3- butyric acid (IBA, 0.5 mg/l). The regenerated plants were acclimatized in controlled environment and successfully transferred in field condition displaying normal development.Keywords: Centella asiatica, in vitro, micropropagation, organogenesis, plant growth regulators, plant regeneration, tissue cultureAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(33), pp. 5164-517

Bibliometric Study of Bibliometric Papers about Clustering

Bibliometric survey or bibliometric review papers generally analyses the work done previously by eminent personalities, authors, countries and various institutions which was published in giant databases like Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Research Gate and others. Bibliometric papers provide amalgamation of wide range of research papers from journals, conferences, reviews and other papers, which are working papers, papers with results, proposals and few of them are survey papers etc. Bibliometric papers are One-Stop-Solution for the readers and upcoming researchers to get acquainted entirely about the specific topic / domain. Bibliometric papers also help in smartly locating research-gaps for the aspiring PhD scholars. There are varieties of bibliometric analysis carried out so far by the authors and hence such bibliometric papers plays a vital role in the fraternity of researchers, as a stepping stone. Clustering is the widely used and beneficial method of segregating heap of information and data in a meaningful manner, so as to effectually used by decision authorities for forecasting, assessing and planning etc. Clustering is widely applicable to numeric and text form of data which is available and generated in real time on large scale, due to invent of internet, IoT and other techniques. Hence it is essential to understand the overall research details about the clustering and alike domains, with a special focus on bibliometric papers published in the domain of clustering. This paper discusses about how many authors, institutions, countries etc. have published the bibliometric analysis in Scopus and WoS databases, so as to aptly direct the readers, researchers who wish to initiate their research in the field of clustering

Histopathological analysis of liver in Puntius ticto exposed to water soluble fraction (WSF) of petrol

The fresh water fish Puntius ticto were exposed to lethal concentration of water soluble fraction (WSF) of petrol (5%-PF1, 10%-PF2, 15%-PF3, 20%-PF4 and 25%-PF5) for 96 hours. The exposure of WSF produced some conspicuous histopathological changes in liver. The swelling of hepatocytes, degeneration, necrosis, hemolysis, dilation, congestion and fibrosis in blood sinusoids were the prominent changes observed. The histological analysis showed increasing damages dose-dependents and time-dependents