Ranganathan Babujanarthanam

Occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or metal fumes in the workplace may be detrimental to male fertility. The present study compared sperm concentration, total motility, strict morphology and oxidative stress and SDF levels between 81 men, controls ( n = 17) and workers from plastic industry workers ( n = 18), steel EAF process ( n = 15), waste incineration plants ( n = 16) or aluminium factories smelting in the same plant for all workplaces involved in this cross‐sectional research. In all treated groups, the sperm concentration, motility, normal morphology, acrosome integrity and membrane function dropped significantly compared with those in controls ( p < 0.001). Elevated ROS, MDA and low SOD and CAT activities confirmed the presence of severe oxidoreductive imbalance, particularly in Aluminium and incineration workers. DNA breaks assayed by SCD and comet showed a clear positive exposure‐response relationship with the highest OTM in aluminium workers. Network pharmacologic work showed that 67 shared targets were regulated by PAH exposure and male infertility. The hub gene analysis pointed at EGFR, ESR1, RELA, PTGS2, MMP2 and MMP9 as the core hub genes while KEGG enrichment suggested that the HIF‐1 and TNF‐related inflammatory pathway, along with the endocrine disruption side of stress activating signalling, was involved. Inflammatory signal activation and endocrine disturbance together seemed to end up with really severe damage to sperm DNA, and it also turned on a bunch of mechanisms through which these chemical carcinogens can exert effect. ROS and MDA were negatively correlated with motility as well as sperm concentration significantly ( p < 0.05), whereas antioxidant enzymes showed a positive correlation. These findings show how PAH‐related industrial poisoning disrupts important reproductive output through ROS‐mediated genetic instability and suggest the relevance of protection measures in high‐risk industries.

Background: Recent statistics suggest that birth rates are declining worldwide; in parallel, recent studies have also shown that birth rates have decreased since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2. The etiology of the viral infection and its relationship to fertility is currently being investigated. Aim: As a result, this study focused on males who recovered from SARS-CoV-2 and had hormonal anomalies associated with high blood pressure, which might lead to male infertility. Methods: The study population consisted of men aged 20–39 years (N = 150) from the Vellore region who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection within the previous 6 months, as determined through a questionnaire-based survey. Ethical approval was obtained from the relevant institutional review board prior to data collection. Semen samples were collected and analysed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines (2021) for conventional semen parameters. Standard hormonal and biochemical tests were performed using established protocols. In addition, trace element concentrations in serum and seminal plasma were analysed. Hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST) was used to assess sperm viability, and acrosome integrity was evaluated with staining techniques. Results: Increased blood pressure (BP) was suggested by semen parameters with reduced sperm motility and sperm count in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 compared to healthy subjects. Despite the reduction in sperm protein, it was associated with a decrease in biochemical nutrients. Furthermore, poorer antioxidant and biochemical markers against ROS were observed, and these differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Differences were identified between SARS-CoV-2 recovered men and healthy fertile men in terms of sperm protein fragmentation and loss of sperm membrane integrity, accompanied by structural damage to the acrosome. Conclusion: This study confirmed that SARS-CoV-2 enters the body via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in recovered patients, affecting the physiological homeostasis mechanism by triggering blood pressure changes associated with declined male reproductive characteristics (especially testosterone), resulting in a poor semen profile and infertility.

This study investigated the galangin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (GLN-CHNPs), which impede the proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The successful incorporation of galangin into chitosan nanoparticles was confirmed using atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The synthesized GLN-CHNPs were then exposed to MCF-7 cells for 24 h to assess their cytotoxicity using the MTT assay; mitochondrial damage was analyzed using MitoSOX staining, and cell cycle stages were scanned by flow cytometry. Also, the protein expression of cell cycle regulatory markers and cyclin-related markers was observed via western blot analysis. The results exhibited that the GLN-CHNPs’ average particle size was 164.2 nm and its zeta potential was 0.3 mV, indicating colloidal stability and their suitability for breast cancer treatment. XRD and SEM analyses confirmed the crystalline structure of GLN-CHNPs, while FTIR studies identified multiple stretching biomolecules, indicating the presence of various active compounds. Treatment with GLN-CHNPs led to significant cytotoxicity and mitochondrial damage in MCF-7 cells when compared with untreated cells (p ≤ 0.05). Additionally, GLN-CHNPs prompted cell cycle arrest that was observed at the G0-G1 phase accumulations (p ≤ 0.05) and inhibited the expression of cell cycle-regulating and proliferative markers. These findings advocate that GLN-CHNPs are an auspicious candidate for treatment of breast cancer as they effectively inhibit cell cycle progression and reduce proliferation. Further in vitro investigations using other BC cell lines are necessary to validate these findings. Graphical abstract

Herbal medicaments are applied in the healing for numerous human illnesses from the sprouting of human civilization. The chemicals existed naturally within the plants displays antiradical features which are the principal agent for the neutralization of reactive oxygen species created within the living entities. Acacia nilotica from the Fabaceae family is a tree with magnificent therapeutic properties. Various sections of this tree are implemented in the traditional healing system. Specifically, the bark are applied to treat numerous health complaints. Here, owned to the medicinal features of bark of A.nilotica in the traditional practices, we prepared the aqueous bark extract from this tree and evaluated the antioxidant (antiradical) and anti-inflammatory activities. Hydroxyl radical scavenging protocol presented dose-based upsurge in the radical inhibition activity of the bark extract with maximum activity at 60 µg/ml and the IC50 value appeared as 43.35µg/ml. ABTS radical scavenging assay executed also displayed dose-lineated upsurge in the radical scavenging property of the tested bark extract with IC50 value as 41.07µg/ml. In both the radical scavenging assays, vitamin C was implemented for reference purpose. Even, the anti-inflammatory nature of the aqueous bark extract was performed applying egg albumin denaturation inhibition protocol. In a dose-lined way, the bark extract presented anti-inflammatory activity with an IC50 calculated value as 73.62µg/ml with diclofenac sodium as reference medicament. Additionally, the phytochemical qualitative scrutiny presented the existence of steroids, saponins, terpenoids, alkaloids, tannins, anthraquinones, carbohydrates, phenols and flavonoids which were chiefly responsible for the pharmacological activities of bark aqueous extract.

In the current scenario, many synthetic chemicals have used long-term to control pests and mosquitoes, leading to the resistance of strains and toxicity effect on human beings. To overcome the adverse problem in recent advances, the scientific community is looking into nanofabricated pesticides and mosquitoes. This study aims to synthesize the recyclable chitosan-coated cadmium nanoparticles (Ch-CdNps) using Plumeria alba flower extract, which was further applied for insecticidal and mosquitocidal activities. The synthesized Ch-CdNps were confirmed by UV spectroscopy and FTIR analysis. The XRD, TEM, and DLS results confirmed the crystallinity with a spherical shape at 80–100 nm. The insecticidal activity proves that Ch-CdNps inhibited Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura at 100 ppm. In mosquitocidal, LC50 values of larvicidal of 1st instar were 4.116, 4.33, and 4.564 µg/mL, and the remaining three stages of instars, pupicidal, adulticidal, longevity, fecundity, and ovicidal assays inhibit the Anopheles stephensi followed by Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. Further, the first-order kinetics of photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and methyl orange was confirmed. Based on the obtained results, Ch-CdNps can inhibit the pest, mosquitoes, and photocatalytic degradation. Graphical Abstract