In the recent past, nanotechnological advancements in engineered nanomaterials have demonstrated diverse and versatile applications in different arenas, including bio-imaging, drug delivery, ...bio-sensing, detection and analysis of biological macromolecules, bio-catalysis, nanomedicine, and other biomedical applications. However, public interests and concerns in the context of human exposure to these nanomaterials and their consequential well-being may hamper the wider applicability of these nanomaterial-based platforms. Furthermore, human exposure to these nanosized and engineered particulate materials has also increased drastically in the last 2 decades due to enormous research and development and anthropocentric applications of nanoparticles. Their widespread use in nanomaterial-based industries, viz., nanomedicine, cosmetics, and consumer goods has also raised questions regarding the potential of nanotoxicity in general and reproductive nanotoxicology in particular. In this review, we have summarized diverse aspects of nanoparticle safety and their toxicological outcomes on reproduction and developmental systems. Various research databases, including PubMed and Google Scholar, were searched for the last 20 years up to the date of inception, and nano toxicological aspects of these materials on male and female reproductive systems have been described in detail. Furthermore, a discussion has also been dedicated to the placental interaction of these nanoparticles and how these can cross the blood–placental barrier and precipitate nanotoxicity in the developing offspring. Fetal abnormalities as a consequence of the administration of nanoparticles and pathophysiological deviations and aberrations in the developing fetus have also been touched upon. A section has also been dedicated to the regulatory requirements and guidelines for the testing of nanoparticles for their safety and toxicity in reproductive systems. It is anticipated that this review will incite a considerable interest in the research community functioning in the domains of pharmaceutical formulations and development in nanomedicine-based designing of therapeutic paradigms.
Abstract
This research is motivated by the behavior in the community that preserves fish meat using a dangerous chemical substance, namely formalin. Research has been carried out on the detection of ...formalin fish meat using a 450 nm light-based laser photoacoustic imaging tool to characterize the photoacoustic image system to detect formalin fish meat, determining the relationship of the average sound intensity obtained, as well as differences in photoacoustic tomography images to the concentration and duration values—immersion in formalin solution. Variations in the concentration of the formalin solution used were 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 90%, as well as variations in the duration of immersion for 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, 96 hours, and 120 hours. The results of this study indicate that a photoacoustic imaging device based on a 450 diode laser can distinguish tomographic photoacoustic images from the tested samples. The increase in the concentration value and the immersion time of the formalin solution resulted in a linear increase in the acoustic intensity level.
A biomarker is any measurable biological moiety that can be assessed and measured as a potential index of either normal or abnormal pathophysiology or pharmacological responses to some treatment ...regimen. Every tissue in the body has a distinct biomolecular make-up, which is known as its biomarkers, which possess particular features, viz., the levels or activities (the ability of a gene or protein to carry out a particular body function) of a gene, protein, or other biomolecules. A biomarker refers to some feature that can be objectively quantified by various biochemical samples and evaluates the exposure of an organism to normal or pathological procedures or their response to some drug interventions. An in-depth and comprehensive realization of the significance of these biomarkers becomes quite important for the efficient diagnosis of diseases and for providing the appropriate directions in case of multiple drug choices being presently available, which can benefit any patient. Presently, advancements in omics technologies have opened up new possibilities to obtain novel biomarkers of different types, employing genomic strategies, epigenetics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, lipid-based analysis, protein studies, etc. Particular biomarkers for specific diseases, their prognostic capabilities, and responses to therapeutic paradigms have been applied for screening of various normal healthy, as well as diseased, tissue or serum samples, and act as appreciable tools in pharmacology and therapeutics, etc. In this review, we have summarized various biomarker types, their classification, and monitoring and detection methods and strategies. Various analytical techniques and approaches of biomarkers have also been described along with various clinically applicable biomarker sensing techniques which have been developed in the recent past. A section has also been dedicated to the latest trends in the formulation and designing of nanotechnology-based biomarker sensing and detection developments in this field.
Nature has bestowed mankind with surplus resources (natural products) on land and
water. Natural products have a significant role in the prevention of disease and boosting of health in
humans and ...animals. These natural products have been experimentally documented to possess various
biological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activities. In
vitro and in vivo studies have further established the usefulness of natural products in various preclinical
models of neurodegenerative disorders. Natural products include phytoconstituents, like
polyphenolic antioxidants, found in herbs, fruits, nuts, vegetables and also in marine and freshwater
flora. These phytoconstituents may potentially suppress neurodegeneration and improve memory as
well as cognitive functions of the brain. Also, they are known to play a pivotal role in the prevention
and cure of different neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, Parkinson’s
disease and other neuronal disorders. The large-scale neuro-pharmacological activities of
natural products have been documented due to the result of either the inhibition of inflammatory
processes, or the up-regulation of various cell survival proteins or a combination of both. Due to the
scarcity of human studies on neuroprotective effects of natural products, this review focuses on the
various established activities of natural products in in vitro and in vivo preclinical models, and their
potential neuro-therapeutic applications using the available knowledge in the literature.
Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) have recently emerged as a new generation of ionic liquids for lignocellulose pretreatment. However, DESs contain salt components which tend to inactivate cellulase in ...the subsequent saccharification process. To alleviate this problem, it is necessary to evaluate the applicability of the DESs-Cellulase system. This was accomplished in the present study by first studying the stability of cellulase in the presence of selected DESs followed by applicability evaluation based on glucose production, energy consumption and kinetic performance. Results showed that the cellulase was able to retain more than 90% of its original activity in the presence of 10% (v/v) for glycerol based DES (GLY) and ethylene glycol based DES (EG). Furthermore, both DESs system exhibited higher glucose percentage enhancement and lower energy consumption as compared to diluted alkali system. Among the two DESs studied, EG showed comparatively better kinetic performance.
Earlier literature has shown that the implementation of FinTech innovations is not only determined by banks, financial institutions, or government support, but also by the perception and experiences ...of FinTech users. FinTech research has shown encouraging findings from scholars in developed countries. However, little is known about the users’ acceptance and use of FinTech in Jordan. The aim of this study is to investigate the determinants of users’ intentions and e-Loyalty toward FinTech adoption in Jordan post the COVID-19 era. A conceptual framework was developed by integrating the four original constructs of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), namely performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), and facilitating conditions (FC), with three additional factors: personal innovativeness (PI), financial literacy (FL), and uncertainty avoidance (UA). In addition, the proposed model considered the e-Loyalty of FinTech users as a consequence of having a good FinTech experience. A quantitative approach using a cross-sectional online questionnaire was applied to collect data from 423 FinTech users. Data were analyzed utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM) based on AMOS 26.0 software package. The findings revealed that UA has a moderating effect on the relationship between FC and users’ intentions. Also, PI has a significant impact on PE and EE. While PE, SI, and FC are factors that enhance behavioral intentions. In return, it builds users’ e-Loyalty toward FinTech services and is deemed a new normal behavior. This study may help FinTech service providers and policymakers better understand the, currently relatively low, usage rate of FinTech, and how it contributes to the development of strategies that boost the acceptance and e-Loyalty of FinTech by Jordanian users after the COVID-19 era, where FinTech is still considered an innovation.
This work studied the feasibility of potassium carbonate-glycerol deep eutectic solvent (K
2
CO
3
-Gly DES) as a potential green solvent applied in lignocellulose pulping. Cellulose fibers were ...extracted from rice straw via novel alkaline DES pulping technique using 1:7 molar ratio of K
2
CO
3
-Gly DES. Optimum pulping parameters were determined using the one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) method. The cellulose fibers were characterized for chemical composition of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and extractives. Changes in physical structure, chemical structure, morphological structure, functional groups and crystallinity index (CrI) were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that the optimum pulping temperature at 140 °C, reaction time of 100 min and 1:10 rice straw to DES mass ratio produced the highest cellulose content of 73.8% for unbleached DES treated pulp. Chemical composition analysis and FTIR verified that this alkaline DES pulping method was able to achieve partial removal of hemicellulose and lignin from lignocellulosic matrix. Moreover, XRD result demonstrated that the CrI of cellulose fiber increased from 52.8 to 60.0% after pretreatment. The cellulose fibers had diameters ranging from 3.58 to 5.68 µm. This study proved that the specifically-designed K
2
CO
3
-Gly DES could successfully isolate cellulose from lignocellulosic biomass through alkaline DES pulping.
Graphical abstract
The movement of micro and macro molecules into and within a cell significantly governs several of their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters, thus regulating the cellular response to ...exogenous and endogenous stimuli. Trafficking of various pharmacological agents and other bioactive molecules throughout and within the cell is necessary for the fidelity of the cells but has been poorly investigated. Novel strategies against cancer and microbial infections need a deeper understanding of membrane as well as subcellular trafficking pathways and essentially regulate several aspects of the initiation and spread of anti-microbial and anti-cancer drug resistance. Furthermore, in order to avail the maximum possible bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy and to restrict the unwanted toxicity of pharmacological bioactives, these sometimes need to be functionalized with targeting ligands to regulate the subcellular trafficking and to enhance the localization. In the recent past the scenario drug targeting has primarily focused on targeting tissue components and cell vicinities, however, it is the membranous and subcellular trafficking system that directs the molecules to plausible locations. The effectiveness of the delivery platforms largely depends on their physicochemical nature, intracellular barriers, and biodistribution of the drugs, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic paradigms. Most subcellular organelles possess some peculiar characteristics by which membranous and subcellular targeting can be manipulated, such as negative transmembrane potential in mitochondria, intraluminal delta pH in a lysosome, and many others. Many specialized methods, which positively promote the subcellular targeting and restrict the off-targeting of the bioactive molecules, exist. Recent advancements in designing the carrier molecules enable the handling of membrane trafficking to facilitate the delivery of active compounds to subcellular localizations. This review aims to cover membrane trafficking pathways which promote the delivery of the active molecule in to the subcellular locations, the associated pathways of the subcellular drug delivery system, and the role of the carrier system in drug delivery techniques.
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Cancer remains the topmost disorder of the mankind and number of cases is unceasingly growing at unprecedented rates. Although the synthetic anti-cancer compounds still hold the ...largest market in the modern treatment of cancer, natural agents have always been tried and tested for potential anti-cancer properties. Thymoquinone (TQ), a monoterpene and main ingredient in the essential oil of Nigella sativa L. has got very eminent rankings in the traditional systems of medicine for its anti-cancer pharmacological properties. In this review we summarized the diverse aspects of TQ including its chemistry, biosynthesis, sources and pharmacological properties with a major concern being attributed to its anti-cancer efficacies. The role of TQ in different aspects involved in the pathogenesis of cancer like inflammation, angiogenesis, apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, proliferation, invasion and migration have been described. The mechanism of action of TQ in different cancer types has been briefly accounted. Other safety and toxicological aspects and some combination therapies involving TQ have also been touched. A detailed literature search was carried out using various online search engines like google scholar and pubmed regarding the available research and review accounts on thymoquinone upto may 2019. All the articles reporting significant addition to the activities of thymoquinone were selected. Additional information was acquired from ethno botanical literature focusing on thymoquinone. The compound has been the centre of attention for a long time period and researched regularly in quite considerable numbers for its various physicochemical, medicinal, biological and pharmacological perspectives. Thymoquinone is studied for various chemical and pharmacological activities and demonstrated promising anti-cancer potential. The reviewed reports confirmed the strong anti-cancer efficacy of thymoquinone. Further in-vitro and in-vivo research is strongly warranted regarding the complete exploration of thymoquinone in ethnopharmacological context.
Particulate matter (PM10) associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient air were determined at two sites within the Klang Valley, Kuala Lumpur (urban, KL) and Petaling Jaya ...(industrial, PJ), and one site outside the Klang Valley, Bangi (semi-urban, BG). This study aimed to determine the concentration and distribution of PAHs in PM10 and the source of origin through principal component analysis (PCA) and diagnostic ratio analysis. This study also assessed the health risk from exposure to airborne BaPeq. PM10 samples were collected on glass fiber filter paper using a High Volume Sampler (HVS) for 24 h between September 2010 and April 2011. The filter papers with PM10 were extracted using dichloromethane-methanol (3:1), and analysis of 16 USEPA priority PAHs was determined using gas chromatography with mass spectra (GC–MS). Health risk assessment was estimated using toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) which quantitatively estimate the exposure risk for age specific group. The results showed that the total PAHs concentrations throughout seasonal monsoons for KL, PJ and BG ranged from 1.33 ng m−3 to 2.97 ng m−3, 2.24 ng m−3 to 4.84 ng m−3 and 1.64 ng m−3 to 3.45 ng m−3 respectively. More than 80% of total PAHs consisted of 5-ring and 6-ring PAHs such as benzoapyrene (BaP), indeno1,2,3-cdpyrene (IcP), benzobfluoranthene (BbF), benzokfluoranthene (BkF) and benzog,h,iperylene (BgP). The presence of benzog,h,iperylene (BgP) with high concentration at all locations suggested a source indicator for traffic emission. PCA and diagnostic ratio analysis also suggested substantial contributions from traffic emission with minimal influence from coal combustion and natural gas emissions. The use of total BaPeq concentration provide a better estimation of carcinogenicity activities, where they contributed to more than 50% of the potential health risk. Health risk assessment showed that the estimated incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) from exposure to airborne BaPeq is negligible at all sampling sites for all age specific group.
•We determine the concentration and identify sources of PAHs.•PAHs are predominated by high molecular weight compounds.•PCA and diagnostic ratio show motor vehicles are the major source of PAHs.•Total BaPeq concentration indicates more than 50% of the potential health risk.•Health risk assessment estimated ILCR from exposure to airborne BaPeq is negligible.
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