Variations of the sciatic nerve have been extensively studied in the past including its relationship with the piriformis muscle and associated clinical conditions like piriformis syndrome and sciatica. In the present study we noticed some interesting variations of the sciatic nerve, which were slightly different from the cases described earlier. In the previous studies most of the authors described the higher division of sciatic nerve and none of them discussed its formation. In this study we tried to look its formation from the sacral plexus and its divisions in the thigh. We noticed that in one cadaver the two components of the sciatic nerve originated directly from the sacral plexus and coursed down without merging in the thigh. Should this be called a higher division or non formation of the sciatic nerve? On the other hand in two other cadavers, the two divisions after emerging separately from the sacral plexus, united in the gluteal region and in the thigh respectively. Should we call this as higher division or low formation of the sciatic nerve? In two other cadavers the sciatic nerve emerged from the greater sciatic foramen below the piriformis and divided in the gluteal region itself. Ideally this should be called as higher division of sciatic nerve.
Wormian bones are a subset of the small intrasutural bones that lie between the cranial sutures formed by the bones of the skull vault. They are formed due to additional ossification centres in or near sutures. They are usually considered as normal variants and seem to be determined genetically in certain populations. They have been linked with rapid cranial expansion as they appear in great number in hydrocephalic skulls. They are commonly found in the lambdoid suture and fontanelles but are occasionally seen in other sutures especially the coronal, squamosal, and sagittal sutures. We examined 25 dried human skulls with the aim to find out the occurrence and variations of Wormian bones, and surprisingly we found Wormian bones in the coronal, squamosal, and sagittal sutures in 6 skulls. These are uncommon sites of occurrence of sutural bones as reported in the literature. These findings prompted us to report these cases as their presence can lead to confusion in diagnosis in cases of skull fractures.
The dichloromethane bark extract of Garcinia hombroniana yielded one new cycloartane triterpene; (22Z,24E)-3β-hydroxycycloart-14,22,24-trien-26-oic acid (1) together with five known compounds: garcihombronane G (2), garcihombronane J (3), 3β acetoxy-9α-hydroxy-17,14-friedolanostan-14,24-dien-26-oic acid (4), (22Z, 24E)-3β, 9α-dihydroxy-17,14-friedolanostan-14,22,24-trien-26-oic acid (5) and 3β, 23α-dihydroxy-17,14-friedolanostan-8,14,24-trien-26-oic acid (6). Their structures were established by the spectral techniques of NMR and ESI-MS. These compounds together with some previously isolated compounds; garcihombronane B (7), garcihombronane D (8) 2,3',4,5'-tetrahydroxy-6-methoxybenzophenone (9), volkensiflavone (10), 4''-O-methyll-volkensiflavone (11), volkensiflavone-7-O-glucopyranoside (12), volkensiflavone-7-O-rhamnopyranoside (13), Morelloflavone (14), 3''-O-methyl-morelloflavone (15) and morelloflavone-7-O-glucopyranoside (16) were evaluated for cholinesterase enzymes inhibitory activities using acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. In these activities, compounds 1-9 showed good dual inhibition on both the enzymes while compounds 10-16 did not reasonably contribute to both the cholinesterases inhibitory effects.
Introduction: Insulin is given by injection, because when administered orally, it would be destroyed by enzymes in the digestive system, hence only about 0.1% reaches blood circulation. The purpose of the present study was to use pH sensitive polyelectrolyte methyl methacrylate (MMA)/itaconic acid (IA) nanogels as carriers in an attempt to improve absorption of insulin administered orally. Methods: Insulin (Ins) was incorporated into the MMA/IA nanogels (NGs) using the polyelectrolyte complexation (PEC) method to form Ins/NGs-PEC. Several parameters, including Ins:NGs ratio, pH, incubation time and stirring rate were optimized during preparation of InsNGs-PEC. The prepared formulations were characterized in terms of particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PdI), zeta potential (ZP) and percent entrapment efficiency (% EE). Results: The optimized InF12 nanogels had a PS, PdI, ZP and %EE of 190.43 nm, 0.186, -16.70 mV and 85.20%, respectively. The InF12 nanogels were lyophilized in the presence of different concentrations of trehalose as cryoprotectant. The lyophilized InF12 containing 2%w/v trahalose (InF12-Tre2 nanogels) was chosen as final formulation which had a PS, PdI, ZP and %EE of 430.50 nm, 0.588, -16.50 mv and 82.10, respectively. The in vitro release of insulin from InF12-Tre2 nanogels in the SGF and SIF were 28.71% and 96.53%, respectively. The stability study conducted at 5±3°C for 3 months showed that lnF12-Tre2 nanogels were stable. The SDS-PAGE assay indicated that the primary structure of insulin in the lnF12-Tre2 nanogels was intact. The in-vivo study in the diabetic rats following oral administration of InF12-Tre2 nanogels at a dose of 100 IU/kg body weight reduced blood glucose level significantly to 51.10% after 6 hours compared to the control groups. Conclusions: The pH sensitive MMA/IA nanogels are potential carriers for oral delivery of insulin as they enhanced the absorption of the drug.
Anatomical variations in the femoral vein are of great clinical importance especially in cases of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Knowledge of the variable anatomy of the femoral vein is important to minimise false-negative findings on ultrasound examination in patients with DVT and help to explain the 'silent' DVT. Furthermore, the presence of a duplicated femoral vein itself is associated with higher incidence of DVT. These venous anomalies are usually due to the truncular venous malformation. In the present study, while dissecting the right lower limb, we found a case of variation of the femoral vein. In this case, besides a duplicated femoral vein, we also noticed a 3rd interconnecting channel near the apex of the femoral triangle joining the two veins. This variation has not been reported previously by other authors. Considering its uniqueness and clinical importance, we decided to report this case.
Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) loaded with lopinavir (LPV) were prepared by the high-shear homogenization method. The LPV-NLCs formulations were freeze-dried using trehalose as a cryoprotectant. In vitro release studies in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) and simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8) showed a burst release. The optimized freeze-dried formulation (LPV-NLC-7-Tres) had a particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PdI), zeta potential (ZP) and % entrapment efficiency (%EE) of 286.8 ± 1.3 nm, 0.413 ± 0.017, -48.6 ± 0.89 mV and 88.31 ± 2.04%, respectively. The optimized formulation observed by transmission and scanning electron microscopes showed a spherical shape. Differential scanning calorimetry study revealed the absence of chemical interaction between the drug and lipids. In vitro cellular uptake study using Caco-2 cell line showed a higher LPV uptake from LPV-NLC-7-Tres formulation compared to the free LPV-suspension. The 6-month stability study showed a minimum rise of ~40 nm in PS, while no significant changes in PdI, ZP and drug content of the LPV-NLC-7-Tres formulation stored at 5 °C ± 3 °C. The bioavailability of LPV following oral administration of LPV-NLC-7-Tres in male Wistar rats was found 6.98-fold higher than the LPV-suspension. In conclusion, the nanostructure lipid carriers are potential carriers for improving the oral bioavailability of lopinavir.
Traditional taxi services have now been transformed into e-hailing applications (EHA) such as Uber, Careem, Hailo, and Grab Car globally due to the proliferation of smartphone technology. On the one hand, these applications provide transport facilities. On the other hand, users are facing multiple issues in the adoption of EHAs. Despite problems, EHAs are still widely adopted globally. However, a sparse amount of research has been conducted related to EHAs, particular in regards to exploring the significant factors of intention behind using EHAs Therefore, there is a need to identify influencing factors that have a great impact on the adoption and acceptance of these applications. Hence, this research aims to present an empirical study on the factors influencing customers' intentions towards EHAs. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was extended with four external factors: perceived mobility value, effort expectancy, perceived locational accuracy, and perceived price. A questionnaire was developed for the measurement of these factors. A survey was conducted with 211 users of EHAs to collect data. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the collected data. The results of this study exposed that perceived usefulness, perceived price, and perceived ease of use affect behavior intention to use EHAs. Furthermore, perceived ease of use was impacted by effort expectancy, perceived locational accuracy, and perceived mobility. The findings of the study provide a foundation to develop new guidelines for such applications that will be beneficial for developers and designers of these applications.
Postharvest diseases and quality degradation are the major factors causing food losses in the fresh produce supply chain. Hence, detecting diseases and quality deterioration at the asymptomatic stage of produce enables growers to treat the diseases earlier, maintain quality and reduce postharvest food losses. With the emergence of numerous technologies to detect diseases early and monitor the quality of fresh produce, such as polymerase chain reaction, gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry, and near-infrared spectroscopy, electronic nose (EN) has also gained acknowledgement and popularity in the past decade as a robust and non-invasive analysis tool to detect odor profile and establish volatile biomarkers for metabolomics databases. However, literature reviewing the EN research on the early detection of diseases in produce after harvest is scarce. The fundamental concept of EN working principles (odor sampling, gas detection, and data acquisition method), as well as the application of EN as a whole, are covered in the first section of the review. An in-depth discussion of the application of EN analysis in the early identification of postharvest diseases and quality monitoring is provided in the subsequent sections, which is the key objective of this comprehensive review. The prospect, limitations, and likely future developments of EN in the postharvest sector are further highlighted in the last section.
Blockchain-based reliable, resilient, and secure communication for Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) is essential in Smart Grid (SG). The Solana blockchain, due to its high stability, scalability, and throughput, along with low latency, is envisioned to enhance the reliability, resilience, and security of DERs in SGs. This paper presents big datasets focusing on SQL Injection, Spoofing, and Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) cyberattacks, which have been collected from Solana blockchain-based Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks (IWSNs) for events monitoring and control in DERs. The datasets provided include both raw (unprocessed) and refined (processed) data, which highlight distinct trends in cyberattacks in DERs. These distinctive patterns demonstrate problems like superfluous mass data generation, transmitting invalid packets, sending deceptive data packets, heavily using network bandwidth, rerouting, causing memory overflow, overheads, and creating high latency. These issues result in ineffective real-time events monitoring and control of DERs in SGs. The thorough nature of these datasets is expected to play a crucial role in identifying and mitigating a wide range of cyberattacks across different smart grid applications.
Nosocomial infections are common in intensive care units (ICUs) and often cause increased morbidity and mortality rates in ICU patients. With the emergence of the highly infectious COVID-19, the high prevalence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in ICU has caused much more concern because patients admitted to the ICU have a more severe and prolonged form of the disease. These patients are more likely to develop HAIs than non-ICU patients. Medical communities adopted several measures to make ICU management safer during the pandemic all over the world. In this study, we re-examined the challenges faced and the changes made in ICU management during the pandemic to speculate how these changes will be relevant post-pandemic and can be permanently incorporated into the ICU to improve safety, management, and critical care and make critical care better equipped for future disease breakouts.
There has been increasing interest recently in the plasticity of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their potential to differentiate into neural lineages. To unravel the roles and effects of different growth factors in the differentiation of MSCs into neural lineages, we have differentiated MSCs into neural lineages using different combinations of growth factors. Based on previous studies of the roles of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in neural stem cell isolation in the laboratory, we hypothesized that IGF-1 can enhance proliferation and reduce apoptosis in neural progenitor-like cells (NPCs) during differentiation of MSCs into NCPs.We induced MSCs differentiation under four different combinations of growth factors: (A) EGF + bFGF, (B) EGF + bFGF + IGF-1, (C) EGF + bFGF + LIF, (D) EGF + bFGF + BDNF, and (E) without growth factors, as a negative control. The neurospheres formed were characterized by immunofluorescence staining against nestin, and the expression was measured by flow cytometry. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were also studied by MTS and Annexin V assay, respectively, at three different time intervals (24 hr, 3 days, and 5 days). The neurospheres formed in the four groups were then terminally differentiated into neuron and glial cells.
Recently there has been growing interest in the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into neural lineages. Research suggests that MSCs can be differentiated into neural progenitor-like cells (NPCs) under the specific influence of paracrine factors particularly epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Our recent research has found that the addition of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) with the combination of the EGF and bFGF could significantly improve the growth and survivability of MSC-derived NPCs. To unravel the molecular mechanism of the improved differentiation we compared the microRNA expression profiles of the differentiation under various combinations of growth factors. MSCs were differentiated into neural lineage in 3 groups; Group A (EGF + bFGF), Group B (EGF + bFGF + IGF-1), and Group C (without growth factor). Regulated microRNAs during the early differentiation were identified by detailed microRNA profiling using Affymetrix GeneChip version 2.0 at three time intervals (day 1, day 3 and day 5). The data were deposited in the Gene Expression Omnibus, series GSE60060.
Ethosomal systems are novel lipid vesicular carriers containing a relatively high percentage of ethanol. These nanocarriers are especially designed for the efficient delivery of therapeutic agents with different physicochemical properties into deep skin layers and across the skin. Ethosomes have undergone extensive research since they were invented in 1996; new compounds were added to their initial formula, which led to the production of new types of ethosomal systems. Different preparation techniques are used in the preparation of these novel carriers. For ease of application and stability, ethosomal dispersions are incorporated into gels, patches, and creams. Highly diverse in vivo models are used to evaluate their efficacy in dermal/transdermal delivery, in addition to clinical trials. This article provides a detailed review of the ethosomal systems and categorizes them on the basis of their constituents to classical ethosomes, binary ethosomes, and transethosomes. The differences among these systems are discussed from several perspectives, including the formulation, size, ζ-potential (zeta potential), entrapment efficiency, skin-permeation properties, and stability. This paper gives a detailed review on the effects of ethosomal system constituents, preparation methods, and their significant roles in determining the final properties of these nanocarriers. Furthermore, the novel pharmaceutical dosage forms of ethosomal gels, patches, and creams are highlighted. The article also provides detailed information regarding the in vivo studies and clinical trials conducted for the evaluation of these vesicular systems.
Susuk, or charm needles, are small, metallic needles inserted under the skin, considered to enhance beauty, health and luck. This hidden secret of inserting susuk is a traditional superstitious ritual, widely practiced among women of Southeast Asia. Here, we present an interesting case of incidental radiographic finding of the concealed art of susuk, which was exposed on a panoramic radiograph taken on a routine basis as a part of diagnostic work up at our centre. An orthopantomogram revealed bilateral metallic foreign bodies in the maxillo-facial region. Anamnestic data affirmed the practice of the body art of susuk. The charm needles were present in the orofacial region without the patient experiencing any pathological signs or symptoms.
Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) enhances cellular proliferation and reduces apoptosis during the early differentiation of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into neural progenitor-like cells (NPCs) in the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). BMSCs were differentiated in three groups of growth factors: (A) EGF + bFGF, (B) EGF + bFGF + IGF-1, and (C) without growth factor. To unravel the molecular mechanisms of the NPCs derivation, microarray analysis using GeneChip miRNA arrays was performed. The profiles were compared among the groups. Annotated microRNA fingerprints (GSE60060) delineated 46 microRNAs temporally up-regulated or down-regulated compared to group C. The expressions of selected microRNAs were validated by real-time PCR. Among the 46 microRNAs, 30 were consistently expressed for minimum of two consecutive time intervals. In Group B, only miR-496 was up-regulated and 12 microRNAs, including the let-7 family, miR-1224, miR-125a-3p, miR-214, miR-22, miR-320, miR-708, and miR-93, were down-regulated. Bioinformatics analysis reveals that some of these microRNAs (miR-22, miR-214, miR-125a-3p, miR-320 and let-7 family) are associated with reduction of apoptosis. Here, we summarize the roles of key microRNAs associated with IGF-1 in the differentiation of BMSCs into NPCs. These findings may provide clues to further our understanding of the mechanisms and roles of microRNAs as key regulators of BMSC-derived NPC maintenance.
Laser-assisted high speed milling is a subtractive machining method that employs a laser to thermally soften a difficult-to-cut material's surface in order to enhance machinability at a high material removal rate with improved surface finish and tool life. However, this machining with high speed leads to high friction between workpiece and tool, and can result in high temperatures, impairing the surface quality. Use of conventional cutting fluid may not effectively control the heat generation. Besides, vegetable-based cutting fluids are invariably a major source of food insecurity of edible oils which is traditionally used as a staple food in many countries. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to experimentally investigate the effects of water-soluble sago starch-based cutting fluid on surface roughness and tool's flank wear using response surface methodology (RSM) while machining of 316 stainless steel. In order to observe the comparison, the experiments with same machining parameters are conducted with conventional cutting fluid. The prepared water-soluble sago starch based cutting fluid showed excellent cooling and lubricating performance. Therefore, in comparison to the machining using conventional cutting fluid, a decrease of 48.23% in surface roughness and 38.41% in flank wear were noted using presented approach. Furthermore, using the extreme learning machine (ELM), the obtained data is modeled to predict surface roughness and flank wear and showed good agreement between observations and predictions.
This study examines the role of a private standard on corporate social responsibility (CSR) compliance in the Pakistani mango industry and how this compliance affects rural workers' motivation. Pakistan is the fifth largest mango producer in the world and the fourth largest exporter in global mango trade; also, mango is the biggest fruit crop within the country. Mango trade is subject to trade terms, where buyers decide the conditions of trade agreements by means of codes of conduct. The key dimensions of the codes involved in agrofood trade are food safety, traceability, worker welfare, and environmental consideration, issues which are all connected with CSR. Private standards ensure compliance with these codes of conduct. This study draws on interviews and a questionnaire survey with certified mango producers and farm workers in Pakistan. The mango industry also involves other stakeholders such as government institutes and NGOs; interviews were also conducted with their representatives. Given that this study is an impact assessment research, the researcher designed a theoretical framework using a mixed method approach to investigate the rationale behind acquiring the standard by the mango growers in Pakistan and what impact (if any) this shift has generated with regard to the farm workers' job satisfaction and motivation. This study is the first to empirically examine good agricultural practices in Pakistan and evaluate their impact. This study shows that private standards play a significant role in ensuring compliance, and CSR practices implemented through them were found to be positively related to the rural workers' job satisfaction and motivation. Furthermore, this study has made separate contributions to theory, methodology, and practice. The production of the synergistic model for improving compliance is among the key highlights of the study. The findings of this study can extend to other agriculture and primary production industry workers in Pakistan and even beyond to other developing countries' rural agriculture workers.
Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker and highly effective in the treatment of hypertension, angina pectoris, and other diseases. However, the drug has a low bioavailability of 20 to 35% due to the first pass effect. The main objective of this study was to develop hybrid verapamil-dextran nanostructured lipid carriers (HVD-NLCs) in an attempt to increase verapamil cellular uptake. The formulations were successfully prepared by a high-shear homogenization method and statistically optimized using 24 full factorial design. The HVD-NLCs formulations were freeze-dried using trehalose as a cryoprotectant. The results showed that the optimized formula (VER-9) possessed a particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), and the percentage of entrapment efficiency (%EE) of 192.29 ± 2.98, 0.553 ± 0.075, and 93.26 ± 2.66%, respectively. The incorporation of dextran sulfate in the formulation had prolonged the release of verapamil (~ 85% in 48 h) in the simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) and simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8). The differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed no chemical interaction between verapamil and the excipients in the formulation. While wide-angle X-ray scattering studies demonstrated the drug in the amorphous form after the incorporation in the NLCs. The transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the nanoparticles had spherical shape. The cellular uptake study using Caco-2 cell line showed a higher verapamil uptake from HVD-NLCs as compared to verapamil solution and verapamil-dextran complex. The optimized formulation (VER-9) stored in the refrigerated condition (5 °C ± 3 °C) was stable for 6 months. In conclusion, the HVD-NLCs were potential carriers for verapamil as they significantly enhanced the cellular uptake of the drug.
Environmental monitoring is important to determine the extent of eco-system pollution and degradation so that effective remedial strategies can be formulated. In this study, an environmentally friendly and cost-effective sensor made up of novel carbon electrode modified with cellulose and hydroxyapatite was developed for the detection of trace lead ions in aqueous system and palm oil mill effluent. Zinc, cadmium, and copper with lead were simultaneously detected using this method. The electrode exhibited high tolerance towards twelve common metal ions and three model surface active substances - sodium dodecyl sulfate, Triton X-100, and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Under optimum conditions, the sensor detected lead ions in palm oil mill effluent in the concentration range of 10-50 μg/L with 0.11 ± 0.37 μg/L limit of detection and 0.37 ± 0.37 μg/L limit of quantification. The validation using tap water, blood serum and palm oil mill effluent samples and compared with Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, suggested excellent sensitivity of the sensor to detect lead ions in simple and complex matrices. The cellulose produced based on "green" techniques from agro-lignocellulosic wastes, in combination with hydroxyapatite, were proven effective as components in the carbon electrode composite. It has great potential in both clinical and environmental use.
E-shopping is a rapidly growing phenomenon among different individuals who intend to shop online. However, a trust deficit in the E-shopping environment has always been a critical issue in the brick-and-click mode of shopping, being one of the main reasons for E-cart abandonment in E-commerce. This empirical study is aimed at investigating the perceived effect of website trust on E-shopping intentions and behaviour, drawing upon the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires from working adults who shop for garments online. Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the model fit and assumptions. Our findings suggest that website trust and E-shopping attitude play substantial roles in building E-shopping intentions and actual behaviours. Both are the significant predictors of the behaviour mediated by E-shopping intentions. However, E-shopping intentions did not mediate between subjective norms and E-shopping behaviour, when working adults decide to purchase garments online.