Novel non-mulberry silk fibroin nanoparticles with enhanced activity as potential candidate in nanocarrier mediated delivery system

Silk fibroin (SF) is well known for its excellent biocompatible properties facilitating its application in the field of biomedical engineering through different biomaterial fabrications in the recent era. Here in this study, novel nanoparticles from non-mulberry SF of Antheraea assamensis were fabricated, characterized and evaluated for its applicability as nanocarrier. Fabricated nanoparticles were initially compared with prevailing SF nanoparticles from Bombyx mori. Fabricated A. assamensis silk fibroin nanoparticles (AA-SFNps) were found to be lesser in size (80–300 nm in diameter) than B. mori silk fibroin nanoparticles (BM-SFNps) (120–500 nm in diameter). When checked for stability, AA-SFNps were found to be more stable than BM-SFNps in biological media. FTIR and XRD studies revealed persistence of structural properties even after fabrication. TGA and DSC studies showed AA-SFNps to be thermally more stable than BM-SFNps without any cytotoxicity (MTT assay). On loading with model drug Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX), AA-SFNps exhibited an encapsulation efficiency of 94.47% with 11.81% loading of the anticancer drug. Cumulative release study revealed highest percentage release of DOX (42.1 ± 0.4%) at pH 5.2 on day 7 in comparison to pH 7.4 and 8.0. Sustained release profile of the DOX loaded AA-SFNps (AA-SFNps-DOX) was clearly reflected and it was found to be highly cytotoxic against triple negative MDA-MB-231 cells in comparison to free DOX at different time points. Overall, this study showed the efficacy of the AA-SFNps as a nanocarrier for future drug delivery applications.

Novel Antheraea assamensis silk fibroin nanoparticles (AA-SFNps) exhibiting enhanced activity as doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) loaded nanocarriers for future drug delivery applications.     

Thin endometrium after radiation therapy as an unresolved treatment challenge: a case report

Receptive endometrium is essential for successful implantation and ongoing pregnancy. Significant health issues and associated therapies, especially oncologic therapies, have potential to negatively impact future fertility in young women. Irradiation and chemotherapeutic alkylating agents are known to cause ovarian failure in most females; however, less well is characterized the impact of irradiation on uterine development and integrity. With an increasing number of cancer survivors, women are seeking infertility treatment after such therapies. Here, we present a young woman who developed ovarian failure after the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia with bone marrow transplant and preceding irradiation and chemotherapy and who was diagnosed with thin endometrial lining while seeking infertility therapy.     

How basic psychological needs and motivation affect vitality and lifelong learning adaptability of pharmacists: a structural equation model

Insufficient professional development may lead to poor performance of healthcare professionals. Therefore, continuing education (CE) and continuing professional development (CPD) are needed to secure safe and good quality healthcare. The aim of the study was to investigate the hypothesized associations and their directions between pharmacists’ basic psychological needs in CE, their academic motivation, well-being, learning outcomes. Self-determination theory was used as a theoretical framework for this study. Data were collected through four questionnaires measuring: academic motivation, basic psychological needs (BPN), vitality and lifelong learning adaptability of pharmacists in the CE/CPD learning context. Structural equation modelling was used to analyze the data. Demographic factors like gender and working environment influenced the observed scores for frustration of BPN and factors like training status and working experience influenced the observed scores for academic motivation. A good model fit could be found only for a part of the hypothesized pathway. Frustration of BPN is positively directly related to the less desirable type of academic motivation, controlled motivation (0.88) and negatively directly related to vitality (? 1.61) and negatively indirectly related to learning outcomes in CE. Fulfillment or frustration of BPN are important predictors for well-being and learning outcomes. Further research should be conducted to discover how we can prevent these needs from being frustrated in order to design a motivating, vitalizing and sustainable CE/CPD system for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. Basic psychological needs are very important predictors for well-being and learning outcomes. Further research should be conducted to discover how we can prevent these needs from being frustrated in order to design a motivating, vitalizing and sustainable CE/CPD system for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.     

Intralenticular changes in eyes with mature senile cataract on modified posterior segment optical coherence tomography

Purpose:To study the morphological changes within mature senile cataracts on modified posterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT).Methods:A cross-sectional observational study recruiting patients of mature cataracts admitted for elective cataract surgery in tertiary eye care. A modified OCT imaging of the lens was done and lenticular findings were noted by a single observer. Corresponding slit-lamp biomicroscopic findings and intraoperative experiences were also noted by a second observer and respective surgeons.Results:Forty-four eyes of 44 patients were included. The mean age of patients was 65 ± 5.7 years. The intralenticular findings were uniform in groups of eyes, and they were characterized into three stages. First was a stage of early lamellar separation where small intralenticular clefts were noted superficially. Second was the stage of established lamellar separation where crescentic fluid clefts appeared interspersed between the lens fibers, and the depth increased as a function of severity. Both these stages did not show any distinct slit-lamp or intraoperative findings. A third stage of liquefaction identified as extensive lamellar separation with subcapsular fluid pockets. This was also reflected in slit-lamp biomicroscopy, showing the hydrated cortex with intraoperative challenges. Two cases showed peculiar changes, one of a hyperreflective subcapsular sheath and another of superficial nuclear lamellar separation.Conclusion:Mature cataracts may also show graded progression, which could be delineated on lenticular OCT. This could be of immense help in pre-operative planning and optimal management of these high-risk cases.