Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute is a private deemed to be university located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It was established in the year 1988. It received its deemed to be university status in 2003.
This study reports the biological synthesis of environmentally friendly zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using the marine red alga Gracilaria corticata. The algal extract served as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent in the formation of ZnO nanoparticles (GC-ZnONPs). The synthesized nanoparticles were comprehensively characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, HRTEM, DLS, zeta potential analysis, VSM, NMR and TGA/DTA. Characterization results confirmed that GC-ZnONPs possess a crystalline structure with predominantly spherical and hexagonal morphologies and a relatively uniform size distribution. The GC-ZnONPs exhibited significant antioxidant activity through inhibiting DPPH and H2O2 free radicals. Anti-inflammatory activity, evaluated using a bovine serum albumin (BSA) denaturation assay, demonstrated concentration-dependent inhibition of protein denaturation. In addition, GC-ZnONPs showed pronounced antibacterial activity against several pathogenic bacterial strains. Cytotoxicity assessment using the MTT assay revealed strong anticancer activity against AGS gastric cancer cells, with an IC₅₀ value of 53.16 µg/mL. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis demonstrated strong binding interactions between 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, a bioactive compound isolated from G. corticata and key gastric cancer-associated proteins, including KRAS, PIK3CA, SMAD4, TP53 and CDH1, suggesting a potential multi-target therapeutic mechanism. Collectively, these findings indicate that GC-ZnONPs exhibit multifunctional biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anticancer properties. Overall, the results highlight the promise of green nanomedicine for the development of environmentally sustainable, marine-derived nanotherapeutics for gastric cancer treatment.
Musculoskeletal injuries are among the most common causes of disability worldwide, with early detection and appropriate intervention critical to minimizing long-term complications. Infrared thermography (IRT) has emerged as a non-invasive, real-time imaging modality that captures superficial temperature changes reflecting underlying physiological processes such as inflammation and vascular alterations. This review explores the fundamental principles of medical thermography, differentiates between passive and active approaches, and outlines key technological advancements including artificial intelligence integration. The clinical utility of IRT is discussed in various contexts - ranging from acute soft tissue injuries and overuse syndromes to chronic pain and rehabilitation monitoring. Comparative insights with conventional imaging techniques such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging are also presented. While IRT offers functional imaging capabilities with advantages in portability, safety, and speed, its limitations - such as lack of deep-tissue penetration and protocol standardization - remain significant barriers to broader adoption. Future directions include the integration of IRT with other imaging modalities and digital health platforms to enhance musculoskeletal assessment and injury prevention strategies.
Excessive fructose consumption has emerged as a critical driver of obesity and metabolic dysfunction, with far-reaching implications for multiple organ systems. This review synthesizes current evidence on the biochemical and molecular pathways underlying fructose induced disease mechanisms, discussing how fructose metabolism activates the “survival switch”, promotes fat storage, and generates uric acid, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress, thereby disrupting energy homeostasis. Key organ-specific consequences are explored, including hepatic steatosis and progression to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, pancreatic β-cell dysfunction, renal fibrosis, intestinal barrier disruption with microbial dysbiosis, cardiometabolic impairment, pulmonary inflammation, and neurocognitive decline with relevance to Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, mechanistic insights highlight the role of fructokinase C activation, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion, leptin resistance, pro-inflammatory signaling (mechanistic target of rapamycin complex-1 (mTORC1), renin angiotensin system (RAS), Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)), and cross-talk between fructose metabolism and organ-specific pathophysiology. Animal and human studies consistently reinforce the central role of fructose overload in driving obesity and associated complications. Meanwhile, this review frames fructose not merely as a caloric contributor but as a metabolic disruptor, thereby underscoring the urgent need for public health interventions, dietary regulation, and mechanistic research to mitigate fructose-driven metabolic disease.
For the first time, magnesium ferrite/bismuth oxychloride (MgFe2O4-MFO/BiOCl) nanocomposites were successfully synthesized via a facile precipitation route to investigate their multifunctional optical, photocatalytic, electrochemical, and sensing properties. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the coexistence of cubic spinel MFO and tetragonal BiOCl phases without secondary impurities, while morphological analyses revealed a welldefined sheet-on-rod heterostructure with BiOCl nanosheets anchored onto MFO nanorods, enabling enhanced interfacial contact. The crystallite size was found in the range of 7.7-13.2 nm (Scherrer's method) and 8.1-15.1 nm (W-H method), indicating defect-induced structural refinement. Optical studies showed indirect band gap values of 1.4 eV (MFO), 2.74 eV (BiOCl), and 2.67-2.83 eV for the NCs, with reduced photoluminescence intensity confirming efficient charge separation. Among the samples, MFO/BiOCl-3 exhibited superior photocatalytic activity, achieving 85.86 % degradation of indigo dye within 90 min under visible light, with a high rate constant of 1.74 & times; 10-2 min-1, significantly outperforming pristine MFO (20.72 %) and BiOCl (21.96 %). The catalyst retained appreciable stability with only 24 % loss after four cycles. Electrochemical studies demonstrated enhanced redox activity, reduced charge-transfer resistance, and improved pseudocapacitive behavior. The supercapacitance values calculated for MFO and MFO/BiOCl-3 NCs are found to be 275 and 975 F g-1 for 10 mV s-1 scan rate. The MFO/BiOCl-3 electrode further exhibited excellent sensing performance toward diclofenac sodium with a low detection limit 0.40 mM, attributed to its high electroactive surface area and accelerated electron-transfer kinetics. The enhanced multifunctional performance is governed by Z-scheme heterojunction formation, defect-mediated charge transfer, and optimized interfacial coupling. These findings establish MFO/BiOCl nanocomposites as promising candidates for integrated applications in photocatalysis, energy storage, and electrochemical sensing.
Lipid-modifying enzymes dynamically regulate membrane architecture, signaling compartmentalization, and inter-organ metabolic communication, thereby influencing systemic glucose homeostasis. Advances in lipidomics and structural enzymology reveal how enzymatic remodeling of phospholipids, sphingolipids, and acyl chains governs insulin receptor organization, PI3K-AKT signaling, and GLUT4 trafficking. Dysregulated lipid flux mediated by factors such as FABP4, ceramides, and diacylglycerols disrupts membrane microdomains, impairs β-cell function, and promotes hepatic gluconeogenesis and skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Conversely, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids enhance membrane fluidity and anti-inflammatory signaling. Integrating lipid enzymology with metabolic physiology establishes a unified mechanistic framework linking membrane remodeling to insulin responsiveness and diabetes pathogenesis.
