Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) (earlier Industrial Toxicology Research Centre) is a laboratory run under the aegis of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. The institute was established in 1965 by Sibte Hasan Zaidi and has its main campus in Lucknow city along with a satellite campus at Gheru..
Group signature is an interesting primitive of cryptography, enabling each group member to sign messages on behalf of the entire group anonymously. In the literature, most lattice-based group signatures are designed for static settings, hindering their practical efficiency and effectiveness. A practically feasible group signature scheme should prioritize user-friendliness. It should also provide flexibility in user enrollment and revocation while maintaining an appropriate signature size. Keeping these considerations in mind, we have developed a variant of a lattice-based fully dynamic group signature scheme. Our scheme does not rely on a trapdoor function, which reduces its operational complexity. In our scheme, we employ an updatable Merkle tree accumulator based on the shortest integer solution () hardness. This ensures the security of a user’s identity and enables timely updates to user information as needed. We have presented the signature sizes for standard parameter settings under different security levels. Our results are also compared with existing similar schemes.
Unique ring signatures are an important variant of ring signatures that combine anonymity with signer distinguishability by enabling verifiers to determine whether the same signer generated signatures on the same message under the same ring without revealing the signer’s identity. Such schemes have significant applications in blockchain systems, cryptocurrencies, e-voting, e-tokens, anonymous authentication, spam prevention in online forums, and Internet of Things (IoT) environments. Most existing unique ring signature schemes are based on number-theoretic assumptions and are vulnerable to quantum attacks. Lattice-based cryptography has emerged as a promising alternative for constructing post-quantum secure unique ring signature schemes. Since lattice-based unique ring signatures involve computationally intensive algebraic operations and complex zero-knowledge proof systems, achieving practical efficiency remains a significant challenge. High-performance implementations and parallel processing techniques are therefore important for improving scalability and enabling real-time deployment. In this paper, we propose an efficient lattice-based unique ring signature scheme using optimized zero-knowledge proof techniques. We further provide detailed security and efficiency analyses, including a comparison with the existing state-of-the-art scheme. The comparative results demonstrate that the proposed scheme achieves a more compact signature size and improved computational efficiency than the state-of-the-art URS scheme (ESORICS 2022), while maintaining strong security guarantees. The reduced communication overhead and optimized performance make the proposed scheme more suitable for scalable real-time distributed applications.
Abstract Chronic kidney disease (CKD), a heterogeneous disorder with limited therapeutic options, is often complicated by drug-induced nephrotoxicity from aminoglycosides, such as gentamicin (GM). Nintedanib (NTD), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor with antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties, holds promise but is limited by poor solubility, low bioavailability, and potential systemic toxicity. To overcome these challenges, a nintedanib nanosuspension polymer (NTD-PNP) was developed using polycaprolactone (PCL) to improve solubility, control drug release, and maximize oral bioavailability. Physicochemical classification confirmed spherical, smooth-surfaced nanoparticles with particle sizes of 106.5–154.7 nm, ζ-potential of −1.39 to +8.86 mV, polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.139–0.384, entrapment efficiency of 28.92–70.92%, and drug loading of 19.94–47.28%. Compared with the free drug, NTD-PNPs displayed superior solubility and prolonged release kinetics. The therapeutic efficacy of NTD-PNPs was evaluated for 28 days in a gentamicin-induced CKD rat model (100 mg/kg, 21 days). Treatment with NTD-PNPs significantly reduced blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels, indicating improved renal function. Immunohistochemical analysis further revealed downregulation of fibronectin, α-SMA, Smad3, and collagen III expression, and histopathology showed a reduction in tubular degeneration, extracellular matrix accumulation, and fibrosis. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that NTD-PNPs enhance the therapeutic index of nintedanib, offering a promising sustained-release nano formulation to mitigate CKD progression.
The mining industry plays a crucial role in global economic growth and technological advancement, faces persistent challenges in managing mining tailings pose significant environmental and societal risks. Mine tailings are primarily composed of finely milled rock, water, and extraction chemicals, often lead to soil and water contamination, atmospheric pollution, and ecological disruption when improperly managed. Recent advancements have transformed mining tailings from waste into valuable resources for synthesizing nanomaterials (NMs) through sustainable extraction processes. Emerging extraction methods, including acidic and alkaline treatments and chemical reduction, enable the recovery of metals like copper, iron, nickel, and gold in nanoparticulate forms. These NMs exhibit exceptional properties enhanced reactivity, tunable optical and mechanical behaviors and support diverse applications in catalysis, environmental remediation, medicine, and energy storage. NMs derived from mining tailings align with circular economic principles, addressing global resource shortages while offering economic and environmental benefits. Their production not only mitigates waste management challenges but also reduces dependence on primary resources. Despite promising advancements, challenges such as process optimization, toxicity management, scalability, and regulatory gaps remain. We emphasize the necessity of life cycle assessments, green chemistry practices, and policy frameworks to ensure safe and efficient industrial integration. This review provides a comprehensive insight into current technologies, applications, risks, and future research directions, underscoring the transformative potential of mining tailings for sustainable development.
Several endogenous and exogenous mediators and pathogenic agents trigger inflammation. Despite the brain being less vulnerable to inflammation, many studies have underlined the contribution of inflammatory molecules in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). The onset of the features of PD is the result of an interaction of multiple contributors. These factors include inflammatory mediators, α-synuclein accumulation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuronal cell death. Due to multifaceted interaction and cross-talk amongst a bunch of proteins and pathways, deciphering the aetiology of PD has been quite complex and challenging. It is ambiguous whether inflammatory mediators lead to microglial activation and α-synuclein accumulation or vice versa. It is also unclear how inflammatory mediators cross the peripheral nervous system to the brain and trigger dopaminergic cell death. The present review provides an update on the involvement of inflammatory mediators and non-neuronal cells in dopaminergic cell death, which leads to sporadic PD in humans and PD-like features in rodents. The article emphasises the contribution of inflammatory molecules released from the peripheral nervous system in the selective, progressive, and slow demise of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuronal cells of the midbrain. The article also narrates the challenges and future perspectives.
