Plasticor: Smarting Food Packages

Food waste that occurs at different stages from food production to transportation and in homes is an economic, social and environmental problem. These food scraps are largely responsible for the generation of greenhouse gases (GHG). In addition, many of these foods are sold in non-biodegradable plastic packaging that results in the accumulation of plastic in the environment, directly and/or indirectly affecting the lives of animals and humans. In order to bring about a possibility of reducing food waste and the accumulation of long-lasting plastics in nature, Plasticor was developed, a biodegradable and sustainable polymer used in the packaging of foods that use biosensors to test the viability for human consumption of food. A smart packaging that involves food and has its color changed when the product is no longer fit for consumption, indicating the presence of harmful microorganisms. Thus, avoiding the early disposal of food in good condition and consequently its impact on the environment, in addition to postponing the consumption of new products, Plasticor contributes to a more sustainable world.

Coronavirus and Medical Ethics

Medical ethics has been followed in most nations for decades. But during COVID 19 pandemic situation, again every nation has to deal with the ethics related to categorizing patients and health care distribution while maintaining community health. To solve the dilemma of consequentialist and non-consequentialist theories, the major focus was driven on community health. But while looking at the rate of infected, cured, and death, it’s an alarming sign to India to strengthen the medical resources and follow the common good approach. Every Indian citizen has the right to get proper treatment and funerals after death. Considering the problem associated with the spreading of the virus through dead bodies, cremation was done by medical staff. Due to the limited availability of medical staff and lack of an electric furnace, many dead bodies were cremated after a long time. Due to inadequate medical professionals and technical constraints, the infectivity rate is increasing which is affecting the economy, mental strength, and social values. Hence, now we have to start thinking and working on strengthening hospitals, diagnostic labs, and sophisticated cremation centers to avoid negligence and to follow ethics.

Restraining COVID-19: Management of Hospital Waste in Post Pandemic Setting in West Africa

Emerged from the Chinese city of Wuhan, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) becomes the novel scenario to the face of the Earth where people must learn to live with. This paper reviewed some indispensable environmental management issues during the post-COVID-19 pandemic in Africa with specific reference to hospital waste management in Nigeria. Though not exhaustible, the study assesses how hospital waste and other environmental priorities will adversely help the restraining of the COVID-19 pandemic. In most West African communities where financial and technological challenges are evident, the management of these essential environmental issues requires a coordinated and prompt response from various authorities. Moreover, the provision of sufficient funding is central to every aspect of hospital waste management, therefore, this study suggests the need for thorough informative awareness programs as a panacea since the success of managing these key environmental issues is directly connected to the containment of this pandemic to a minimal level.

Plantago Ovata and Locust Bean Gum as a Natural Polymer in Hydrodynamically Balanced Systems: A Review

Hydrodynamically Balanced systems have wide development as they have achieved the parameters of modern drug delivery system, it is a type of system which owes very tremendous and curative benefits for the delivery of oral controlled release dosage forms and have wide properties in many aspects such as its main role is to maintain the effective concentration in the system for longer period of time. To reduce the gastric mucosal irritation due to the presence of synthetic polymers, being a natural polymer incorporation of Plantago ovate (Psyllium Husk) could ease out the mucosal irritation in the gastric region. Due to its properties such as a rate-controlling polymer possessing a very good quality of swelling and good gelling nature, and also incorporated as a matrix-forming agent basically in the modified release formulation. Locust bean gum can be used as sustained-release carriers and release modifiers for the delivery of drugs. It is a neutral plant galactomannan extracted from the seeds (kernels) of the carob tree Ceratonia siliqua L fabaceae. Nowadays it is focussing polymer and a lot of researchers are focussing on exploring the potential in topical drug delivery, colonic drug delivery, oral sustained drug delivery, ocular drug delivery, buccal drug delivery.

DNA-Based Self-Assembly of Gold Nanostructures

Plasmonic assemblies of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) triggered by DNA exhibited excellent biocompatibility and specific-targeting ability. Moreover, the integration of AuNPs and DNA allows the DNA scaffolds exhibit greater chemical stability and optical plasmonic properties. In this mini review, we summarized the development of DNA nanotechnology, especially DNA framework and DNA origami that were employed to fabricate two-dimensional and three-dimensional (3D) Au nanoassembled nanostructures.

Need for Specialized Therapeutic Stem Cells Banks Equipped with Tumor Regression Enzymes and Anti-Tumor Genes

Stem cells are currently being used in many clinical trials for regenerative purposes. These are promising results for stem cells in the treatment of several diseases, including cancer. Nevertheless, there are still many variables which should be addressed before the application of stem cells for cancer treatment. One approach should be to establish well-characterized therapeutic stem cell banks to minimize the variation in results from different clinical trials and facilitate their effective use in basic and translational research.

The Global Cost of Endodontic Therapies

The yearly global economic impact of dental diseases is about $442 billion. The direct costs due to dental diseases are $298 billion annually, corresponding to 4.6% of global health expenditure. Each year an amount of $400 billion is spent, including millions of dental procedures and pointing to imperative needs for tooth therapies.

Blood Profile of Lymphocyte Lineage Determining Transcription Factor Gata3 May Influence Malaria Disease Outcome of Children in the South of Benin

Background: Child morbidity in African countries including the Republic of Benin, is mostly attributed to parasitic infectious diseases involving malaria. Molecular disorder often underlies the vulnerability of children immune system to infectious diseases. This reduces the ability of immune system to combat appropriately exogen organisms including parasites larva, bacteria or viruses. GATA-3 is a nuclear protein expressed by immune cells and belongs to a family member of the lymphocyte CD4 lineage determining transcription factors inducible by retinoic acid. Thus, GATA3 is one of the main regulators of lymphocyte T-helper 2 (Th2) cell differentiation into mature CD4+ T cells that mediate immunity tocombat exogenmicroorganism involving plasmodium falciparum (pf). The objective of the study is to investigate if children with low or absence of GATA3 expression will be more vulnerable to pf infection and malaria. Methods: This study has received an institutional ethical approval.Preliminary study carried out on cell lysates of peripheral white blood cells isolated from blood samples used for pf counts in Benin Zonal hospital of Calavi/So-Ava diagnosis laboratory involving eighteen children (5-9 years) admitted for fever associated or not to malaria. Immunoblotting (western blot) technic was used to evaluate GATA3 expression in all samples.The presence of pf was determined with microscopic observation of blood thick smears stained with Giemsa. Results: Among the eighteen samples, normal expression of GATA3 was observed in ten, low expression in six while no expression was observed in two samples. Overall, seven samples were positive for pf counts ranging from 350-1500 per mm3 of red blood cells. Infection with pf was not observed in eleven samples. Conclusion: Immune system of children with low GATA3 and high level of pf count will be more vulnerable to infection. Thus, the absence of GATA3 transcription factor could influence the outcome of malaria disease and render children too weak to fight pf infection.The absence of GATA3 may also render them vulnerable to develop allergy or lymphoma in the future.

Apexogenesis & Apexification

Apexogenesis and apexification constitute two alternatives possibilities to endodontic therapies. Apexogenesis is a phenomenon implicating a vital pulp. The thin dentin walls of the large canals place the tooth at greater risk for root fracture. Root lengthening is associated with tooth eruption. The treatment objective is to maximize the opportunity for apical development and closure. This is known as apexification that is occurring when the pulp is non-vital, infected or not. Apexification enhanced the continued root dentin formation inside the lumen, linked with apical closure and possibly with radicular dental pulp regeneration. A new treatment option of revascularization has recently been introduced after triple antibiotic therapy. It involves disinfecting the root canal system. After laceration of the periapex with a file until bleeding occurs, it provides a matrix of blood clot into which cells could grow. In parallel, it involves the sealing of the coronal access.

Effect of External Calcium and other Divalent Cations on K+ Contractures in Denervated Slow Skeletal Muscle Fibers of the Frog

The influence of Ca2+ and other divalent cations on contractile responses of slow skeletal muscle fibers of the frog (Rana pipiens) under conditions of chronic denervation was investigated.Isometric tension was recorded from slow bundles of normal and denervated cruralis muscle in normal solution and in solutions with free calcium concentration solution or in solutions where other divalent cations (Sr2+, Ni2+, Co2+ or Mn2+) substituted for calcium. In the second week after nerve section, in Ca2+-free solutions, we observed that contractures (evoked from 40 to 80 mM-K+) of non-denervated muscles showed significantly higher tensions (p<0.05), than those from denervated bundles. Likewise, in solutions where calcium was substituted by all divalent cations tested, with exception of Mn2+, the denervated bundles displayed lower tension than non-denervated, also in the second week of denervation. In this case, the Ca2+ substitution by Sr2+ caused the higher decrease in tension, followed by Co2+ and Ni2+, which were different to non-denervated bundles, as the lowest tension was developed by Mn2+, followed by Co2+, and then Ni2+ and Sr2+. After the third week, we observed a recovery in tension. These results suggest that denervation altering the binding capacity to divalent cations of the voltage sensor.