FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF MICROEMULSION GEL FOR TRANSDERMAL DELIVERY OF TRAMADOL

Objective: The present work was carried out to design microemulsion gel system for transdermal delivery of the drug to minimize the side effects and to reduce the frequency of administration and for prolonging the duration of action. Methods: Tramadol, an opioid analgesic drug, was mixed with various selected polymers such as sodium alginate (SA), acacia, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), and Eudragit in geometric mixing ratios. The drug, polymer, and other excipients were mixed thoroughly by trituration method and different formulations (F1-F8) were prepared the same quantity of all the ingredients excepting the polymers. Results: The different formulations prepared, studied, and showed that the formulation using SA as polymeric carrier had a better effect on the evaluated parameters. The drug-SA formulation exhibited better drug-polymer compatibility, optimal viscosity (2750 cps), zeta potential (−26.1 Mv), and particle size distribution (262.8 d.nm) values. The in vitro release studies also indicated that the drug-SA formulation was of desirable release pattern, thus indicating that SA to be a better choice in formulating a transdermal delivery gel system. Conclusion: Evaluated microemulsion gel formulation F2 of tramadol with polymeric carriers SA was much stable than other carriers used. Thus, it could be concluded that the gel formulation with SA can be taken as an ideal formulation

Delving into the dietary delights of cucurbits: A nutritional and therapeutic exploration

For a well-balanced diet, vegetables are essential, especially as a source of minerals, dietary fiber, vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, B9, C, D and E) and phytonutrients which are vital to human nutrition. They constitute a sizable percentage of the diet and nutrition. The Cucurbitaceae family of plants include a wide variety of vegetables that have been valued for their nutritional and culinary versatility. They are been grown for commercial purposes round the year. Cucurbits are preferred by many people and can be eaten raw or cooked because of its high water content and low fat content, they facilitate for weight management and hydration. They are utilized in a balanced diet since they have good nutrient profile and little calories. Cucurbits have been shown to be high in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, making them suitable for intake by persons of all ages. They have strong antioxidant activity as well as a number of therapeutic benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antitumour, anti-diabetic and anti-ulcer qualities. Understanding the nutritional characteristics of cucurbits is imperative to make aware about the most of their health benefits and including them into diet plans that aim to improve overall health and well-being. Cucurbit nutrition, emphasizing key nutrients, health-promoting qualities and possible effects on human health are the topic taken for discussion in this review

Assessing per se performance, variability, association and principal component analysis in sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica [L.]Roem.) genotypes for different horticultural attributes

Luffa cylindrica [L.] Roem., known as sponge gourd, belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and the present investigation, conducted with 48 sponge gourd genotypes, aimed to evaluate various horticultural traits at the Department of Vegetable Science, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore. The experimental results exhibited significant differences among the genotypes evaluated, with a higher PCV compared to the GCV, suggesting that environmental factors strongly influence the expression of these characters. The high heritability, coupled with high genetic advance, was observed for most characters studied, indicating that they are primarily controlled by additive gene action. This suggests that selection based on these characters would be effective for identifying suitable genotypes. The correlation study among various traits showed the highest positive significant association for the weight of individual fruit (0.86), followed by the number of fruits per vine (0.67) and fruit diameter (0.45). With fruit yield per vine as the designating trait, these traits were identified as the most important yield determinant characters. Principal Component Analysis revealed that days to first male flower anthesis, days to first female flower anthesis, node bearing first male flower and node bearing first female flower components exhibited with an eigenvalue of unity and accounting for 67.91 % of total variance. Characters with positive values in each PC are the important yield-determining characters and hence, all these characters can be well relied upon for the selection of a suitable genotype

A Research on the Influence of Media Advertisements in the Purchasing Decisions of Generation Y in Penang Malaysia

The purpose of this research is to study the influence of Media Advertisements on the purchasing decisions of Generation Y customers in Penang, Malaysia. The priority of this study is to support the marketers to more effectively reach Generation Y customers as in this privatisation and globalisation era, it is challenge for every marketer to address the influence of media advertisements on the buying behaviour of the generation. The study investigated the relationship between dependent variabl

Development of a highly protective combination monoclonal antibody therapy against Chikungunya virus

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that causes global epidemics of a debilitating polyarthritis in humans. As there is a pressing need for the development of therapeutic agents, we screened 230 new mouse anti-CHIKV monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) for their ability to inhibit infection of all three CHIKV genotypes. Four of 36 neutralizing MAbs (CHK-102, CHK-152, CHK-166, and CHK-263) provided complete protection against lethality as prophylaxis in highly susceptible immunocompromised mice lacking the type I IFN receptor (Ifnar−/−) and mapped to distinct epitopes on the E1 and E2 structural proteins. CHK-152, the most protective MAb, was humanized, shown to block viral fusion, and require Fc effector function for optimal activity in vivo. In post-exposure therapeutic trials, administration of a single dose of a combination of two neutralizing MAbs (CHK-102+CHK-152 or CHK-166+CHK-152) limited the development of resistance and protected immunocompromised mice against disease when given 24 to 36 hours before CHIKV-induced death. Selected pairs of highly neutralizing MAbs may be a promising treatment option for CHIKV in humans

Labour migration in Indian agriculture: Patterns, drivers and consequences—A systematic review

Approximately 45 % of the global population resides in rural areas, where agriculture, including livestock, accounts for 28 % of worldwide employment. Despite these notable figures, substantial structural shifts have occurred in the agricultural sector in recent decades, influencing employment and labour dynamics. Rapidly growing economies, such as India, are anticipated to witness an increasing disparity in living standards between rural and urban areas, resulting in heightened migration from rural to urban regions. In India, labour migration is significantly influenced by social structures and development patterns. Uneven development, intensified by factors like unemployment, low rural wages, agricultural challenges, insufficient industrial support, poverty, limited job opportunities and natural disasters, is the primary driver behind migration. This paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the current literature, presenting a systematic review and thematic analysis of the evolving landscape of agricultural labour migration. It examines the drivers, challenges and socioeconomic impacts of migration, addressing aspects like the feminization of agriculture, diverse types of agricultural migration, the role of technology and the impact of government policies on employment. The study emphasizes the importance of future policy considerations in this domain.

An observational study on the prevalence of hearing loss among construction workers in South Chennai

Introduction: The construction industry is one of the biggest industries in the world. Noise levels are considered hazardous when they reach 85 decibels or higher. Hearing loss adversely affects both the quality of life and the risk of damage. The study\u27s primary objective was to estimate the prevalence of hearing loss among construction workers, and the secondary objective was to assess the factors associated with hearing loss among construction workers in the urban area of Chennai. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 100 construction workers who were chosen by simple random sampling from February to July 2024. A comprehensive Ear Nose Throat and otoscopic examination were done. Using Pure Tone Audiometry, the degree and type of hearing loss were assessed. Problems, if any, were identified and treated accordingly. Data was input into a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel. The data analysis tool utilized was SPSS version 21. Fischer’s exact test and the Chi-square test were used to determine the degree of association. p-values below 0.05 were regarded as significant. Results: The mean age was 36 ± 10 years. Most of them n=73 (73%) were literate. The mean exposure was 15 ± 8 years. Most of the study population n=68 (68%) did not use any PPE. Only 21 of them (21%) had symptoms of earache, hard of hearing, or tinnitus. Almost 79 of them (79%) had no such symptoms. Almost 84 participants (84%) had normal ear examinations. Out of the 11 who complained of being hard of hearing, 2 were diagnosed with unilateral conductive hearing loss, and 9 were diagnosed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The majority who used PPE were aged <30 years n=15 (46.9%), among them about n=29 (90.6%) were literate and 93.8% were employed for <20 years in construction sites. Factors like age, education, and years of occupation were found to be associated with PPE use among the study population. Factors like age, educational status, years of occupation, and use of PPE were found to be significantly associated with hearing loss by Fischer’s exact test. Conclusion: Factors contributing to hearing loss among construction workers are age, education, years of exposure, and PPE use. Periodical ear checkups and use of PPE like ear plugs must be insisted among people working in noisy environment

BRCA mutation: A review of breast cancer

In the present study, we focus on the causes of a major cancer type contributing to the major deaths due to cancer across the world. Breast cancer which accounts for more than approximately 29 to 34% affected to women posing a major cause of death due to cancer. In-situ carcinomas might arise in either ductal or lobular epithelium, but remain confined there, with no invasion of the underlying basement membrane that would constitute extension beyond epithelial boundaries. Approximately 29 to 34% of women with invasive breast cancer will die of their disease. This syndrome presents as skin changes resembling skin condition like redness, discoloration, or mild flaking of the nipple skin. As Paget's disease of the breast advances, symptoms may include skin tingling, itching, increased sensitivity, burning and pain. There may also be discharge from the nipple. Approximately half of women diagnosed with Paget's disease of the breast even have a lump within the breast. Keywords: Breast cancer, BRCA mutation, BRCA1, BRCA2