Health hazards of nanoparticles: understanding the toxicity mechanism of nanosized ZnO in cosmetic products

In recent years, nanoparticles are being used extensively in personal healthcare products such as cosmetics, sunscreens, soaps, and shampoos. Particularly, metal oxide nanoparticles are gaining competence as key industrial constituents, progressing toward a remarkable rise in their applications. Zinc oxide and titanium oxide nanoparticles are the most commonly employed metal oxide nanoparticles in sunscreens, ointments, foot care, and over the counter topical products. Dermal exposure to these metal oxides predominantly occurs through explicit use of cosmetic products and airway exposure to nanoparticle dusts is primarily mediated via occupational exposure. There is a compelling need to understand the toxicity effects of nanoparticles which can easily enter the cells and induce oxidative stress. Consequently, these products have become a direct source of pollution in the environment and thereby greatly impact our ecosystem. A complete understanding of the toxicity mechanism of nano-ZnO is intended to resolve whether and to what extent such nanoparticles may pose a threat to the environment and to human beings. In this review article, we have discussed the characteristics of metal oxide nanoparticles and its applications in the cosmetic industry. We have also highlighted about their toxicity effects and their impact on human health.     

Very low density lipoproteins stimulate surfactant lipid synthesis in vitro.

Surfactant synthesis is critically dependent on the availability of fatty acids. One fatty acid source may be circulating triglycerides that are transported in VLDL, and hydrolyzed to free fatty acids by lipoprotein lipase (LPL). To evaluate this hypothesis, we incubated immortalized or primary rat alveolar pre-type II epithelial cells with VLDL. The cells were observed to surface bind, internalize, and degrade VLDL, a process that was induced by exogenous LPL. LPL induction of lipoprotein uptake significantly increased the rates of choline incorporation into phosphatidylcholine (PC) and disaturated PC, and these effects were associated with a three-fold increase in the activity of the rate-regulatory enzyme for PC synthesis, cytidylyltransferase. Compared with native LPL, a fusion protein of glutathione S-transferase with the catalytically inactive carboxy-terminal domain of LPL did not activate CT despite inducing VLDL uptake. A variant of the fusion protein of glutathione S-transferase with the catalytically inactive carboxy-terminal domain of LPL that partially blocked LPL-induced catabolism of VLDL via LDL receptors also partially blocked the induction of surfactant synthesis by VLDL. Taken together, these observations suggest that both the lipolytic actions of LPL and LPL-induced VLDL catabolism via lipoprotein receptors might play an integral role in providing the fatty acid substrates used in surfactant phospholipid synthesis.     

Significant expression of tafazzin (TAZ) protein in colon cancer cells and its downregulation by radiation

Aim: To demonstrate the radiation responses of tafazzin (TAZ) protein in colon cancer.

Methods: TAZ expression was examined in colon cancer cell lines SW480, KM12C, SW620 and KM12L4a. KM12C and KM12L4a cell lines were used for this experiment with exposure to X- and UV rays (mW/cm²). HCT15 cell line was used to test the expression of TAZ by using an anti-TAZ drug, namely 9-fluorenone, which is a Hippo-YAP/TAZ signaling inhibitor. The experimentation also involved exposing HCT15 cell line, to UV radiation. Cell proliferation and apoptosis studies were carried out. TAZ interactions with oncoproteins were screened and the oncoproteins Livin, MAC30 and FXYD-3 were considered for in silico protein–protein interaction studies.

Results: TAZ protein was significantly downregulated after 2?Gy radiations. 9-Fluorenone inhibited the expression of TAZ. Action of 9-fluorenone along with radiation, decreased the percentage of proliferation and increased apoptosis. Computational studies predicted that TAZ interacts with the oncoproteins Livin, MAC30 and FXYD-3.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that TAZ plays a significant role in non-metastatic KM12C cells and is predominantly seen in the colon cancer cells isolated from primary stages of cancer. Thus, use of TAZ protein as a biomarker will be an efficient way to detect tumors in the early stages and treatment may be modulated with radiation before surgery/therapy.     

Nutritional management of the patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The prevalence and prognostic importance of malnutrition in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the factors that contribute to development of nutritional depletion, and the available evidence regarding effects of nutrition support in these patients are the subjects of this review. Nutritional depletion, as indicated by weight loss and loss of lean body mass, is a common complication of advanced COPD (particularly, but not limited to, the emphysematous type). Low body weight or recent weight loss and in particular depleted lean body mass in patients with COPD have been shown to be independent predictors of mortality, outcomes after acute exacerbations, hospital admission rates, and need for mechanical ventilation. The factors thought to contribute to nutritional depletion in these patients include elevated resting and activity-related energy expenditure, reduced dietary intake relative to resting energy expenditure, accelerated negative nitrogen balance, particularly during acute exacerbations of COPD, medication effects, and perhaps most importantly an elevated systemic inflammatory response. Studies to date suggest that, although it can help limit weight loss and negative energy balance in these patients, the effect of nutritional supplementation alone on clinically significant outcomes such as pulmonary function and exercise capacity is minimal. However, nutritional supplementation may have a role in the management of COPD when provided as part of an integrated rehabilitation program incorporating a structured exercise component as an anabolic stimulus.     

Can Homeopathy Bring Additional Benefits to Thalassemic Patients on Hydroxyurea Therapy? Encouraging Results of a Preliminary Study

Several homeopathic remedies, namely, Pulsatilla Nigricans (30th potency), Ceanothus Americanus (both mother tincture and 6th potency) and Ferrum Metallicum (30th potency) selected as per similia principles were administered to 38 thalassemic patients receiving Hydroxyurea (HU) therapy for a varying period of time. Levels of serum ferritin (SF), fetal hemoglobin (HbF), hemoglobin (Hb), platelet count (PC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), white blood cell (WBC) count, bilirubin content, alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and serum total protein content of patients were determined before and 3 months after administration of the homeopathic remedies in combination with HU to evaluate additional benefits, if any, derived by the homeopathic remedies, by comparing the data with those of 38 subjects receiving only HU therapy. Preliminary results indicated that there was a significant decrease in the SF and increase in HbF levels in the combined, treated subjects. Although the changes in other parameters were not so significant, there was a significant decrease in size of spleen in most patients with spleenomegaly and improvement in general health conditions along with an increased gap between transfusions in most patients receiving the combined homeopathic treatment. The homeopathic remedies being inexpensive and without any known side-effects seem to have great potentials in bringing additional benefits to thalassemic patients; particularly in the developing world where blood transfusions suffer from inadequate screening and fall short of the stringent safety standards followed in the developed countries. Further independent studies are encouraged.     

Documentation of violence risk information in psychiatric hospital patient charts: an empirical examination

Studies have identified risk factors that show a strong association with violent behavior in psychiatric populations. Yet, little research has been conducted on the documentation of violence risk information in actual clinical practice, despite the relevance of such documentation to risk assessment liability and to conducting effective risk management. In this study, the documentation of cues of risk for violence were examined in psychiatric settings. Patient charts (n = 283) in four psychiatric settings were reviewed for documentation of violence risk information summarized in the MacArthur Violence Risk Assessment Study. The results revealed that particular patient and institutional variables influenced documentation practices. The presence of personality disorder, for example, predicted greater documentation of cues of violence risk, regardless of clinical setting. These findings have medicolegal implications for risk assessment liability and clinical implications for optimizing risk management in psychiatric practice.     

Lipoma of the parotid gland extending from the superficial to the deep lobe: a rarity

Lipoma of the parotid gland is a rare clinical entity. Because of the rarity, they are not often considered in the differential diagnosis of parotid tumors. Lipoma of the parotid gland constitutes around 3% of all parotid tumors. These are asymptomatic and occur both in the deep and the superficial lobe of the parotid.¹ The most favored age group is from the fifth to sixth decade of life and is 10 times more common in the males.⁶     

Assessing patterns and determinants of latrine use in rural settings: A longitudinal study in Odisha,India

Introduction

Monitoring of sanitation programs is often limited to sanitation access and coverage, with little emphasis on use of the facilities despite increasing evidence of widespread non-use.