Granular cell tumour of the neurohypophysis: a rare sellar tumour with specific radiological and operative features

Symptomatic granular cell tumours of the neurohypophysis are rare sellar lesions. Preoperative prediction of the diagnosis on the basis of radiological appearance is useful as these tumours carry specific surgical difficulties. This is possible when the tumour arises from the pituitary stalk, rostral to a normal pituitary gland. This has not been emphasized previously.     

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Gold nanoparticles inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor-induced angiogenesis and vascular permeability via Src dependent pathway in retinal endothelial cells

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of gold nanoparticles on the signaling cascade related to angiogenesis and vascular permeability induced by Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in Bovine retinal endothelial cells (BRECs). The effect of VEGF and gold nanoparticles on cell viability, migration and tubule formation was assessed. PP2 (Src Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor) was used as the positive control and the inhibitor assay was performed to compare the effect of AuNPs on VEGF induced angiogenesis. The transient transfection assay was performed to study the VEGFR2/Src activity during experimental conditions and was confirmed using western blot analysis. Treatment of BRECs with VEGF significantly increased the cell proliferation, migration and tube formation. Furthermore, gold nanoparticles (500 nM) significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and tube formation, in the presence of VEGF in BRECs. The gold nanoparticles also inhibited VEGF induced Src phosphorylation through which their mode of action in inhibiting angiogenic pathways is revealed. The fate of the gold nanoparticles within the cells is being analyzed using the TEM images obtained. The potential of AuNPs to inhibit the VEGF165-induced VEGFR-2 phosphorylation is also being confirmed through the receptor assay which elucidates one of the possible mechanism by which AuNPs inhibit VEGF induced angiogenesis. These results indicate that gold nanoparticles can block VEGF activation of important signaling pathways, specifically Src in BRECs and hence modulation of these pathways may contribute to gold nanoparticles ability to block VEGF-induced retinal neovascularization.     

Bioefficacy of larvicdial and pupicidal properties of Carica papaya (Caricaceae) leaf extract and bacterial insecticide, spinosad, against chikungunya vector, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

The present study was carried out to establish the properties of Carica papaya leaf extract and bacterial insecticide, spinosad on larvicidal and pupicidal activity against the chikungunya vector, Aedes aegypti. The medicinal plants were collected from the area around Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India. C. papaya leaf was washed with tap water and shade-dried at room temperature. An electrical blender powdered the dried plant materials (leaves). The powder (500 g) of the leaf was extracted with 1.5 l of organic solvents of methanol for 8 h using a Soxhlet apparatus and then filtered. The crude leaf extracts were evaporated to dryness in a rotary vacuum evaporator. The plant extract showed larvicidal and pupicidal effects after 24 h of exposure; however, the highest larval and pupal mortality was found in the leaf extract of methanol C. papaya against the first- to fourth-instar larvae and pupae of values LC₅₀ = I instar was 51.76 ppm, II instar was 61.87 ppm, III instar was 74.07 ppm, and IV instar was 82.18 ppm, and pupae was 440.65 ppm, respectively, and bacterial insecticide, spinosad against the first to fourth instar larvae and pupae of values LC₅₀ = I instar was 51.76 ppm, II instar was 61.87 ppm, III instar was 74.07 ppm, and IV instar was 82.18 ppm, and pupae was 93.44 ppm, respectively. Moreover, combined treatment of values of LC₅₀ = I instar was 55.77 ppm, II instar was 65.77 ppm, III instar was 76.36 ppm, and IV instar was 92.78 ppm, and pupae was 107.62 ppm, respectively. No mortality was observed in the control. The results that the leaves extract of C. papaya and bacterial insecticide, Spinosad is promising as good larvicidal and pupicidal properties of against chikungunya vector, A. aegypti. This is an ideal eco-friendly approach for the control of chikungunya vector, A. aegypti as target species of vector control programs.     

Recent Progress in the Development of Advanced Functionalized Electrodes for Oxygen Evolution Reaction: An Overview

Presently, the global energy demand for increasing clean and green energy consumption lies in the development of low-cost, sustainable, economically viable and eco-friendly natured electrochemical conversion process, which is a significant advancement in different morphological types of advanced electrocatalysts to promote their electrocatalytic properties. Herein, we overviewed the recent advancements in oxygen evolution reactions (OERs), including easy electrode fabrication and significant action in water-splitting devices. To date, various synthetic approaches and modern characterization techniques have effectively been anticipated for upgraded OER activity. Moreover, the discussed electrode catalysts have emerged as the most hopeful constituents and received massive appreciation in OER with low overpotential and long-term cyclic stability. This review article broadly confers the recent progress research in OER, the general mechanistic approaches, challenges to enhance the catalytic performances and future directions for the scientific community.     

Larvicidal efficacy of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Jatropha curcas</Emphasis> and bacterial insecticide, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis>, against lymphatic filarial vector<Emphasis Type="Italic">, Culex quinquefasciatus</Emphasis> Say (Diptera: Culicidae)

The present study explored the effects of Jatropha curcas leaf extract and Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis larvicidal activity against the lymphatic filarial vector, Culex quinquefasciatus. Wights were selected for investigating the larvicidal potential against the first to fourth instar larvae of the laboratory-reared mosquito species, C. quinquefasciatus Say, in which the major lymphatic filariasis was used. The medicinal plants were collected from the area around Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. The dried plant materials were powdered by an electric blender. From the powder, 100 g of the plant materials was extracted with 300 ml of organic solvents of methanol for 8 h, using a Soxhlet apparatus, and filtered. The crude plant extracts were evaporated to dryness in a rotary vacuum evaporator. The plant extract showed larvicidal effects after 24 h of exposure; however, the highest larval mortality was found in the leaf extract of methanol J. curcas against the first to fourth instar larvae of values LC₅₀ = 1.200%, 1.290%, 1.358%, and 1.448% and LC₉₀ = 2.094%, 2.323%, 2.444%, and 2.544% and B. thuringiensis israelensis against the first to fourth instar larvae of values LC₅₀ = 9.332%, 9.832%, 10.212%, 10.622% and LC₉₀ = 15.225%, 15.508%, 15.887%, and 15.986% larvae of C. quinquefasciatus, respectively. No mortality was observed in the control. These results suggest methanol extracts of J. curcas and B. thuringiensis israelensis have potential to be used as an ideal eco-friendly approach for the control of the major lymphatic filarial vector, C. quinquefasciatus.