Use of mobile camera as a standby for documentation of papanicolaou smear and cervicography: Three case reports

Cervical cancer is more common in countries and regions with poor facilities, and they are often not well equipped with high-end equipment required for diagnosis. By way of this article, we would like to demonstrate with three case reports the use of minimal and available technology for documentation in screening and prevention of cervical cancer in clinics having basic facilities. The mobile camera is commonly available with clinicians/technicians these days. It can be used for capturing pictures of the cervix if colposcope is not available or for clicking microscopic pictures of Papanicolaou smears or histology slides to document abnormalities when inbuilt cameras are not functional or not available

Cytologic follow up of Low-grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions in Pap smears after integrated treatment with antimicrobials followed by oral turmeric oil extract

Cervical cancer is preventable because the carcinogenesis is slow and there are opportunities to detect precancerous lesions by Papanicolaou (Pap) smears, colposcopy, or HPV DNA tests and to treat them by antimicrobials, surgery or cold CO2 vapourization. We have earlier reported on the chemopreventive potential of integrated treatment with antimicrobials therapy followed by a standardized oral Turmeric Oil (TO) extract upto 12 weeks in women who had persistent Low-grade Squamous Intra-epithelial Lesion (LSIL) in their Pap smears. In this communication we report their post-therapy follow up for 36 months (N = 18) with Pap smears. We were also able to follow up for 36 months control cases (N = 10) who had only standard therapy with antimicrobials. During 36 months of follow up none of the cases with integrated treatment, progressed to HSIL or cancer. Out of 15/18 cases which had a regression of Pap smear, all 15 remained free of LSIL from 6 to 36 months post-therapy showing persistent therapeutic effect of integrated therapy. In one case there was recurrence of LSIL in Pap smear, ten months post-therapy, which regressed to mild atypia after a second course of oral TO for 8 weeks. In the control group, persistence of LSIL after antimicrobials was observed in Pap smears in 5/10 cases when followed up by Pap smears up to 36 months. This preliminary report indicates some post-therapeutic benefit with integrative treatment as compared to the use of antimicrobials alone. A large scale controlled study is warranted

Chapter 10 - Polymeric nanomaterials in neuroscience

The advent of neurological disorders has taken place at an alarming rate over the past few decades. The primary challenge for the treatment and diagnosis of these neuropathies is to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Nanomaterials are preferred over conventional treatments because of their nanometer range, which can interact at the molecular level with lesser adverse effects. Hence, nanomaterials can be beneficial in neuroscience because of their ability to cross BBB and compatibility for the neuronal tissues. Here, we are focusing on the neurological applications of carbon nanotubes, magnetic nanoparticles (NPs), dendrimers, nanospheres, gold NPs, liposomes, and utmost quantum dots. We have also summarized the utility and mechanism of all these NPs in the field of neuroscience, along with their prospects and approaches to avoid their substantial toxicity

Detection and Prediction of HMS from Drinking Water by Analysing the Adsorbents from Residuals Using Deep Learning

Contamination HM is an important issue associated with the environment, and it requires suitable steps for the reduction of HMs in water at an acceptable ratio. With modern technologies, this could be possible by enabling the carbon adsorbents to adsorb the pollutions via deep learning strategies. In this paper, we develop a model on detection and prediction of presence of HMs from drinking water by analysing the adsorbents from residuals using deep learning. The study uses dense neural networks or DenseNets to analyse the microscopic images of the residual adsorbents. The study initially preprocesses and extracts features using standardised procedure. The DenseNets are used finally for detection purpose, and it is trained and tested with standard set of microscopic images. The experimental results are conducted to test the efficacy of the deep learning model on detecting the HM composition. The results of simulation show that the proposed deep learning model achieves 95% higher rate of detecting the HM composition from the adsorption residuals than other methods

Cerebro‐renal interaction and stroke

Stroke is an event causing a disturbance in cerebral function leading to death and disability worldwide. Both acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are associated with an increased risk of stroke and cerebrovascular events. The underlying mechanistic approach between impaired renal function and stroke is limitedly explored and has attracted researchers to learn more for developing therapeutic intervention. Common risk factors such as hypertension, hyperphosphatemia, atrial fibrillation, arteriosclerosis, hyperhomocysteinemia, blood‐brain barrier disruption, inflammation, etc. are observed in the general population, but are high in renal failure patients. Also, risk factors like bone mineral metabolism, uremic toxins, and anemia, along with the process of dialysis in CKD patients, eventually increases the risk of stroke. Therefore, early detection of risks associated with stroke in CKD is imperative, which may decrease the mortality associated with it. This review highlights mechanisms by which kidney dysfunction can lead to cerebrovascular events and increase the risk of stroke in renal impairment. Figure representing the various steps that lead towards stroke following kidney dysfunction

Migraine and Ischemic Stroke: Deciphering the Bidirectional Pathway

Migraine and stroke are common, disabling neurological conditions with several theories being proposed to explain this bidirectional relationship. Migraine is considered as a benign neurological disorder, but research has revealed a connection between migraine and stroke, predominantly those having migraine with aura (MA). Among migraineurs, females with MA are more susceptible to ischemic stroke and may have a migrainous infarction. Migrainous infarction mostly occurs in the posterior circulation of young women. Although there are several theories about the potential relationship between MA and stroke, the precise pathological process of migrainous infarction is not clear. It is assumed that cortical spreading depression (CSD) might be one of the essential factors for migrainous infarction. Other factors that may contribute to migrainous infarction may be genetic, hormonal fluctuation, hypercoagulation, and right to left cardiac shunts. Antimigraine drugs, such as ergot alkaloids and triptans, are widely used in migraine care. Still, they have been found to cause severe vasoconstriction, which may result in the development of ischemia. It is reported that patients with stroke develop migraines during the recovery phase. Both experimental and clinical data suggest that cerebral microembolism can act as a potential trigger for MA. Further studies are warranted for the treatment of migraine, which may lead to a decline in migraine-related stroke. In this present article, we have outlined various potential pathways that link migraine and stroke

The Role of Inflammasomes in Atherosclerosis and Stroke Pathogenesis

Inflammation is a devastating outcome of cerebrovascular diseases (CVD), namely stroke and atherosclerosis. Numerous studies over the decade have shown that inflammasomes play a role in mediating inflammatory reactions post cellular injury occurring after a stroke or a rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque. In view of this, targeting these inflammatory pathways using different pharmacological therapies may improve outcomes in patients with CVD. Here, we review the mechanisms by which inflammasomes drive the pathogenesis of stroke and atherosclerosis. Also, discussed here are the possible treatment strategies available for inhibiting inflammasomes or their up-stream/down-stream mediators

Post-stroke depression: Chaos to exposition

•Post Stroke Depression (PSD) is a major neuropsychological outcome of stroke.•Symptoms materialize within months of stroke, progressing to a long-term ailment.•Identification of PSD biomarkers can help revolutionize treatment for PSD. Cerebral ischemia contributes to significant disabilities worldwide, impairing cognitive function and motor coordination in affected individuals. Stroke has severe neuropsychological outcomes, the major one being a stroke. Stroke survivors begin to show symptoms of depression within a few months of the incidence that overtime progresses to become a long-term ailment. As the pathophysiology for the progression of the disease is multifactorial and complex, it limits the understanding of the disease mechanism completely. Meta-analyses and randomized clinical trials have shown that intervening early with tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin receptor inhibitors can be effective. However, these pharmacotherapies possess several limitations that have given rise to newer approaches such as brain stimulation, psychotherapy and rehabilitation therapy, which in today's time are gaining attention for their beneficial results in post-stroke depression (PSD). The present review highlights numerous factors like lesion location, inflammatory mediators and genetic abnormalities that play a crucial role in the development of depression in stroke patients. Further, we have also discussed various mechanisms involved in post-stroke depression (PSD) and strategies for early detection and diagnosis using biomarkers that may revolutionize treatment for the affected population. Towards the end, along with the preclinical scenario, we have also discussed the various treatment approaches like pharmacotherapy, traditional medicines, psychotherapy, electrical stimulation and microRNAs being utilized for effectively managing PSD