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The present investigation reports the synthesis and characterization of a novel series of 1,2-dihydroquinoline sulphonamides, developed with the aim of enhancing their pharmacological efficacy. The synthesis involved a multi-step process starting with the preparation of 3-hydroxy Acetanilide, followed by Pechmann condensation to obtain acetylated aminophenol, and subsequent reactions leading to the formation of 1,2-dihydroquinoline derivatives. These derivatives were further reacted with various substituted sulphonyl chlorides to yield the target sulphonamide compounds. The synthesized compounds were characterized using FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and LCMS. Their pharmacological activities, including antibacterial, anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, and antihyperlipidemic properties, were evaluated through in-vitro assays. The results demonstrated that these novel 1,2-dihydroquinoline sulphonamides exhibit promising pharmacological activities, validating their potential as effective therapeutic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paw swelling induced by carrageenan injection serves as a reliable model for assessing acute inflammatory responses in rats. In this study, we synthesized and evaluated a series of quinoxaline derivatives for their anti-inflammatory activity using the carrageenan-induced rat hind paw edema method. The compounds 5a, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5h, 5l, 5q, and 5u were selected based on their inhibitory activity against p38a MAP kinase. Among these, compound 5f, which possesses a 2-chlorophenyl group at position 4 of the triazole ring, demonstrated the highest inhibition of paw edema, with an 84.15% reduction, comparable to the standard drug diclofenac sodium (83.22%). The structure-activity relationship revealed that the presence of a chloro group at the 6th position of the quinoxaline ring led to reduced anti-inflammatory activity. This study highlights the potential of quinoxaline derivatives as effective anti-inflammatory agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selectively tracking and quantifying Al3+ ions is a significant concern to the scientific communities. In the present article, an imine‐linkage electron donor‐acceptor system, DSAN, (E)‐5‐(diethylamino)‐2‐(((2‐hydroxy‐4‐nitrophenyl)imino)methyl)phenol has been introduced which shows Al3+ ions endows red light fluorogenicity which could be utilized for sequential and detection of Al3+ ions and picric acid (PA) in both solid and liquid phases. Upon addition of Al3+ ions into the DSAN solution, an orange‐red fluorescence is noticed at 604 nm caused by the formation of Al3+ ions chelated DSAN complex having detection and quantification limit 0.2 μM and 0.62 μM respectively in dimethylformamide (DMF) medium. The complex formation is found to be a 1 : 1 stoichiometric ratio as evident from Job's plot analysis. Also, the binding affinity value is found to be 3.24×104 M−1 demonstrating a high affinity of DSAN towards Al3+ ions. This orange‐red fluorescence of Al3+ ions chelated DSAN complex solution is quenched due to the introduction of PA. A super handy paper‐strips‐based detection tool also been fabricated utilizing DSAN which could be employed to track trace amounts of Al3+ ions in the solid state. The mechanism involved in the detection of Al3+ ions is elucidated by density functional theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work examines the fluid flow, heat transfer, and thermal hydraulic performance of turbulent flow through a horizontal pipe integrated with TT that has various cut shapes using numerical analysis. In the current investigation, trapezoidal-cut geometry with single and double cuts is adopted. Three-dimensional simulations have been validated using experimental data from the literature. The equations have been solved using the RNG k-ε model and the finite volume method (FVM). With three distinct types of twisted tape (PT, SC, and DC) and TR (4.0, 6.4, and 8) for a heat flux of 5000 W m−2, the computational findings have been carried out in the range of Reynolds numbers 4000 ≤ Re ≤ 8000. Impact of these factors on Nusselt number, friction factor, and thermal performance are explored and compared to plain pipe under similar conditions. The addition of trapezoidal-cut TTs leads to enhanced mixing of fluid due to swirl flow generation. The result shows that average Nusselt number and friction factor are functions of TR. The thermal performance factor (TPF) for double-cut trapezoidal TT is about 1.2–1.65 which is maximum compared to single-cut and plain TT inserts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing demand for functional foods having better nutraceutical properties, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) has become an important industrial microorganism. LAB play a significant role in the functional food industry by exhibiting probiotic properties and has the ability to produce various biologically active metabolites such as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), exopolysaccharides (EPSs), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), bacteriocins, reuterin and reutericyclin, which provides enhanced nutraceutical properties to the final food products. LAB are also known to produce several specific enzymes essential for producing substrate-derived bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, bioactive peptides, inulin-type fructans and β-glucans, fatty acids, and polyols. These compounds exhibit many health benefits, including better mineral absorption, oxidative stress protection, blood glucose and cholesterol-lowering properties, prevention of gastrointestinal tract infections and improved cardiovascular function. Further, metabolically engineered LAB have been widely used for the nutritive enhancement of different food products and the application of CRISPR–Cas9 holds tremendous potential for the engineering of food cultures. This review provides an overview of the use of LAB as probiotics, its application in producing fermented foods and nutraceutical products, and its health benefits on the host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Birth weight is a critical indicator of neonatal health and development. Understanding the factors that influence birth weight is essential for improving maternal and fetal outcomes. In this study, we explore the impact of several maternal and fetal factors on birth weight. Objective: The primary objective of this study is to explore the impact of various maternal and fetal factors on birth weight. We employ multiple statistical approaches to comprehensively analyze these associations. Material and Methods: We collect data from a large cohort of pregnant women and their newborns. Variables included maternal age, gestational age, parity, maternal BMI, and socioeconomic factors. Bivariate statistical approaches tend to ignore the effect of other variables when examining the relationship between an independent variable and birthweight. Result: In the rural area, highly significant correlations were obtained with gender of the baby, maternal age, gravida, parity, birth interval, length of gestation and paternal anthropometric variables. Although the correlation coefficients with consanguinity and religion were low, still they were significant owing to large sample size. Conclusion: Our study provides valuable insights int the multifaceted determinants of birth weight. By employing diverse statistical methods, we enhance our understating of these factors and their implications for maternal and fetal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Birth weight is a critical indicator of neonatal health and development. Understanding the factors that influence birth weight is essential for improving maternal and fetal outcomes. In this study, we explore the impact of several maternal and fetal factors on birth weight. Objective: The primary objective of this study is to explore the impact of various maternal and fetal factors on birth weight. We employ multiple statistical approaches to comprehensively analyze these associations. Material and Methods: We collect data from a large cohort of pregnant women and their newborns. Variables included maternal age, gestational age, parity, maternal BMI, and socioeconomic factors. We applied the logistic regression to examine categorical predictors and their influence on low birth weight. Result: Logistic regression indicated that older mothers had a reduced risk of low birth weight. Logistic regression revealed that smoking during pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of low birth weight. Conclusion: Our study provides valuable insights int the multifaceted determinants of birth weight. By employing diverse statistical methods, we enhance our understating of these factors and their implications for maternal and fetal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding protein structures is crucial for various bioinformatics research, including drug discovery, disease diagnosis, and evolutionary studies. Protein structure classification is a critical aspect of structural biology, where supervised machine learning algorithms classify structures based on data from databases such as Protein Data Bank (PDB). However, the challenge lies in designing numerical embeddings for protein structures without losing essential information. Although some effort has been made in the literature, researchers have not effectively and rigorously combined the structural and sequence-based features for efficient protein classification to the best of our knowledge. To this end, we propose numerical embeddings that extract relevant features for protein sequences fetched from PDB structures from popular datasets such as PDB Bind and STCRDAB. The features are physicochemical properties such as aromaticity, instability index, flexibility, Grand Average of Hydropathy (GRAVY), isoelectric point, charge at pH, secondary structure fracture, molar extinction coefficient, and molecular weight. We also incorporate scaling features for the sliding windows (e.g., k-mers), which include Kyte and Doolittle (KD) hydropathy scale, Eisenberg hydrophobicity scale, Hydrophilicity scale, Flexibility of the amino acids, and Hydropathy scale. Multiple-feature selection aims to improve the accuracy of protein classification models. The results showed that the selected features significantly improved the predictive performance of existing embeddings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lacosamide (LCM) is a third-generation antiseizure medication (ASM) currently approved for the treatment of focal seizures in children aged greater than one month. There are limited data on its efficacy in the neonatal age group. We describe our experience with LCM as an adjunct ASM for the treatment of neonatal seizures. A retrospective chart review over a five-year period (2018 to 2022) was conducted at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital to identify neonates with electroencephalography (EEG)-proven seizures who were treated with LCM. Data were collected on electroclinical seizure characteristics, underlying etiology, ASMs, treatment response, and any adverse effects. A total of 15 neonates with EEG-confirmed seizures who were treated with LCM were included. Ten neonates achieved seizure cessation after LCM was added to their ASM regimen consisting of phenobarbital, levetiracetam, or both. No new treatment-related adverse effects were noted. LCM is effective as an adjunct treatment for neonatal seizures. Randomized controlled studies are needed to establish its effectiveness and adequate dosing regimen in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of l-aryloxy-cyclohexane-2,3-diols represents a novel approach for developing potential antidiabetic agents. This study focuses on the epoxidation of l-phenoxy-2-cyclohexene, followed by selective cleavage of the resulting epoxy ring to yield stereochemically defined diols. The synthesized compounds were characterized using NMR spectroscopy, confirming their structural integrity and stereochemistry. The biological activity of these diols was evaluated, showing promising potential as antidiabetic agents. These findings suggest that l-aryloxycyclohexane-2,3-diols could serve as lead structures for the development of new therapeutic agents targeting type-2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to design catalysis largely depends on our understanding of the electrostatic effect of the surrounding on the bonds participating in the reaction. Here, we used a simplistic model of point charges (PCs) to determine a set of rules guiding how to construct PC-bond arrangement that can strengthen or weaken different chemical bonds. Using valence bond theory to calculate the in situ bond energies, we show that the effect of the PC mainly depends on the bond's dipole moment irrespective of its type (being covalent or charge shift). That is, polar bonds are getting stronger or weaker depending on the sign and location of the PC, whereas non- or weakly polar bonds become stronger or weaker depending only on the location of the PC and to a smaller extent compared with polar bonds. We also show that for polar bonds, the maximal bond strengthening and weakening effect can be achieved when the PC is placed along the bond axis, as close as possible to the more and less polarizable atom/fragment, respectively. Finally, due to the stabilizing effects of polarizability, we show that, overall, it is easier to cause bond strengthening compared with bond weakening. Particularly, for polar bonds, bond strengthening is larger than bond weakening obtained by an oppositely signed PC. These rules should be useful in the future design of catalysis in, e.g., enzyme active sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal oxide transistors have garnered substantial attention for their potential in low-power electronics, yet challenges remain in achieving both high performance and low operating voltages through solution-based fabrication methods. Optimizing interfacial engineering at the dielectric/semiconductor interface is of utmost importance in the fabrication of high-performance thin film transistors (TFTs). In the present article, a bilayer Ti3C2Tx-MXene/SnO2–semiconductor (Tx stands for surface termination) configuration is used to fabricate a high-performance n-type thin film transistor by using an ion-conducting Li-Al2O3 gate dielectric on a p+-Si substrate, where electrical charges are formed and modulated at the Li-Al2O3/SnO2 interface, and Ti3C2Tx-MXene nanosheets serve as the primary electrical charge channel due to their long lateral size and high mobility. A comparative characterization of two distinct TFTs is conducted, one featuring Ti3C2Tx MXene and SnO2 semiconductor layer and the other with SnO2 only. Notably, the TFT with the Ti3C2Tx MXene layer has shown a significant boost in the carrier mobility (10.6 cm2/V s), leading to remarkable improvements in the on/off ratio (1.3 × 105) and subthreshold swing (194 mV/decade), whereas the SnO2 TFT without the Ti3C2Tx MXene layer shows a mobility of 1.17 cm2/V s with 8.1 × 102 on/off ratio and 387 mV/decade subthreshold swing. This investigation provides a possible way toward the development of high-performance, low-voltage TFT fabrication with the MXene/semiconductor combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extrusion-based three-dimensional (3D) printing has seen rapid growth in the last few years, including in the construction sector owing to its reduced construction cost, minimal labour intervention, freeform design, implementation of complex architectural structural design and more. However, like other technologies, additive construction or 3D concrete printing has several limitations such as additional requirement of printing performance of the material along with hardened mechanical properties, construction challenges of the additive construction in the case of large-scale reinforced concrete structures, accuracy and performance of the digital 3D print model are the few. Moreover, the lack of understanding about the effect of various printing-related parameters on the load capacity of additively manufactured structural element is another barrier in the popularisation of such technology. Consequently, in this article, a finite-element (FE)-based framework is utilised and the load–deflection of additively constructed concrete beam under 4-point loading is simulated. In the model, measured geometrical specifications of additively manufactured specimen (length and sectional curvatures, varying width and thickness at different layers along the beam depth), are utilised. Each concrete filament is modelled using coupled damage-plasticity-based material behaviour, whereas cohesive zone-based constitutive behaviour is used to represent the interfacial bond characteristics between two printed filaments. In the model, the input properties such as mechanical properties of concrete (e.g. compressive and tensile strength) and the tensile bond strength value of the interfaces are obtained from the respective experiments conducted. A detailed sensitivity analysis for the various printing-related parameters, e.g. tensile and shear bond strength, bond stiffness, plastic or failure displacement of bond, pores or gaps that exist between two consecutive printed filament and the number of printed layers, have been conducted. In the simulation, one parameter at a time is varied keeping all other fixed and the resultant effect on the load–deflection behaviour is analysed. The simulated results of the concrete specimen for various above-mentioned printing parameters are also compared with the results obtained from the perfect bond condition. Consequently, simplified statistically fitted relations are proposed that helps in quick evaluation of the variability in load-carrying capacity of additively constructed concrete beam for variable bond or printing conditions. The results of such studies would be helpful for the research community in the design and prediction of load capacity of additively manufactured concrete beam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted during April, 2021 to June, 2022 to study the isolation and identification of high effective strains of phosphate solubilizing bacteria and evaluation the ability to solubilize tricalcium phosphate in vitro. Microorganisms that live in soil are actively involved in the carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, and phosphorus cycles in nature, enabling them to maintain ecological balance. Phosphate-solubilizing microbes are used as agricultural biofertilizers and play an essential role in plant nutrition by enhancing phosphate uptake. Phosphate is one of the most important macronutrients necessary for the growth and development of plants. Numerous microorganisms present in the rhizosphere solubilize insoluble phosphorus, making it readily available to plants. Fourteen phosphate-solubilizing bacterial colonies were identified on Pikovskaya's agar medium, containing insoluble tricalcium phosphate (TCP) from rhizospheric soil. Among them, eight colonies showing clear halo zones around the microbial growth were considered as phosphate-solubilizing. All isolates showing the highest phosphate solubilization index (PSI), ranging from 2.8 to 4.03, were selected for further qualitative and quantitative studies. Out of these eight potent isolates, two strains showed the maximum PSI: V7 (4.03) and V8 (3.85) in agar plates, along with a high production of soluble phosphate, measuring 448.03 and 441.43 mg l-1, and a greater reduction in pH in the broth culture. The morphological, biochemical, and molecular identification of V7 and V8 strains revealed them to belong the Acinetobacter and Paenibacillus genera, respectively, and were phylogenetically close to Acinetobacter baumannii and Paenibacillus lautus species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical-based interventions are mostly used to control insects that are harmful to human health and agriculture or that simply cause a nuisance. An overreliance on these insecticides however raises concerns for the environment, human health, and the development of resistance, not only in the target species. As such, there is a critical need for the development of novel nonchemical technologies to control insects. Electrocution traps using UV light as an attractant are one classical nonchemical approach to insect control but lack the specificity necessary to target only pest insects and to avoid harmless or beneficial species. Here we review the fundamental physics behind electric fields (EFs) and place them in context with electromagnetic fields more broadly. We then focus on how novel uses of strong EFs, some of which are being piloted in the field and laboratory, have the potential to repel, capture, or kill (electrocute) insects without the negative side effects of other classical approaches. As EF–insect science remains in its infancy, we provide recommendations for future areas of research in EF–insect science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein structure analysis is essential in various bioinformatics domains such as drug discovery, disease diagnosis, and evolutionary studies. Within structural biology, the classification of protein structures is pivotal, employing machine learning algorithms to categorize structures based on data from databases like the Protein Data Bank (PDB). To predict protein functions, embeddings based on protein sequences have been employed. Creating numerical embeddings that preserve vital information while considering protein structure and sequence presents several challenges. The existing literature lacks a comprehensive and effective approach that combines structural and sequence-based features to achieve efficient protein classification. While large language models (LLMs) have exhibited promising outcomes for protein function prediction, their focus primarily lies on protein sequences, disregarding the 3D structures of proteins. The quality of embeddings heavily relies on how well the geometry of the embedding space aligns with the underlying data structure, posing a critical research question. Traditionally, Euclidean space has served as a widely utilized framework for embeddings. In this study, we propose a novel method for designing numerical embeddings in Euclidean space for proteins by leveraging 3D structure information, specifically employing the concept of contact maps. These embeddings are synergistically combined with features extracted from LLMs and traditional feature engineering techniques to enhance the performance of embeddings in supervised protein analysis. Experimental results on benchmark datasets, including PDB Bind and STCRDAB, demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method for protein function prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Methods: The aim of the study is to assess the usefulness of PFT & HRCT for early diagnosis of COPD. All the tests was perform with due permission from the Institutional Ethical Committee and informed consent from the subjects or their legal relatives. Subjects were included on the basis of their diagnosis of COPD as per GOLD guidelines. Unrelated causes of dyspnea other than COPD or its management like known cases of asthma, anemia, CHF, pulmonary embolism, ILD was excluded from the study. Results: The lower valve of sensitivity (33.98%) and specificity (22.22%) proves that PFT method is not very effective to identify the True positive and true negative cases. The proportion of false positive and false negative is very high which shows that actual positive and negative cases identified by HRCT method is quite high then those identified initially by PFT method. Conclusion: Patient population with COPD, the presence of emphysema, regardless of its distribution, has an impact on Physiological parameters but not on the clinical presentation of the disease. As documented in the present study, PFT have limitations as regards the measurements of airway obstruction and lung dysfunctions in Emphysema patient. HRCT is helpful for early diagnosis and quantification Pulmonary Emphysema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study reports a numerical investigation of oil extraction from a pore-scale perspective using water as the injection fluid. The pore network is constructed from the statistical realization of the pore space of the reservoir rock. Conceptually, the pore network model used in the study miniaturizes the porous reservoir containing oil/gas onto a microfluidic platform, capturing the actual pore-level length scale and it complex features. The validity of the numerical model is established through an experimental investigation of single-phase flow. The experimentally calculated absolute permeability based on the Darcy law shows an excellent agreement with the numerically attained value. The two-phase numerical model uses the phase field technique to track the development of the interface between the two immiscible phases, i.e., oil and water. The numerical model shows a piston-like displacement and captures interesting pore-level phenomena like snap-off and trapping. Implementing the complete network for simulation reveals the unstable nature of the flooding, which is persistent with invasion percolation. The complete network simulation reveals the discontinuous flood front with a segregated flow configuration. Two-phase experiments conducted on a polydimethylsiloxane test chip with an equivalent pore level network also showed similar flow features, thereby establishing the credibility of our two-phase simulations. The recovery factor obtained from the simulation was found to be 0.78, which is in close agreement with experimental data reported in the literature. The modified Darcy law applied to the numerical model generates relative permeability plots similar to the experimental core flooding plots reported in the literature. The numerical model presented here provides valuable insight into the oil recovery process and its implications at field scale. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first instance involving numerical analysis of the full-scale system of Reservoir on a Chip system detailing the pore-level flow dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Point of care tests provide rapid information about the patient's condition, with a turnaround time of 15 min. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many such point of care tests were developed, to aid in the rapid diagnosis of SARS-Cov-2 infection. Aim: To describe and synthesize the available literature on point of care tests for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Methodology: This narrative review was done through online literature search, using Google Scholar and PubMed. Result: There were 51 point of care tests for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 which were validated using different samples, such as such as nasopharyngeal swabs(42), oropharyngeal and naso-pharyngealswabs(2), oropharyngeal swab in VTM(1) nasal swabs(5) and throat swab(1). Conclusion: There was global developement of point of care tests on a war footing. The Indian states of Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Haryana, Rajasthan, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Goa and Uttarakhand, were in the forefront of these developments, as also the USA, Belgium, Taiwan, Korea and South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amount of sequencing data for SARS-CoV-2 is several orders of magnitude larger than any virus. This will continue to grow geometrically for SARS-CoV-2, and other viruses, as many countries heavily finance genomic surveillance efforts. Hence, we need methods for processing large amounts of sequence data to allow for effective yet timely decision-making. Such data will come from heterogeneous sources: aligned, unaligned, or even unassembled raw nucleotide or amino acid sequencing reads pertaining to the whole genome or regions (e.g., spike) of interest. In this work, we propose ViralVectors, a compact feature vector generation from virome sequencing data that allows effective downstream analysis. Such generation is based on minimizers, a type of lightweight "signature" of a sequence, used traditionally in assembly and read mapping — to our knowledge, the first use minimizers in this way. We validate our approach on different types of sequencing data: (a) 2.5M SARS-CoV-2 spike sequences (to show scalability); (b) 3K Coronaviridae spike sequences (to show robustness to more genomic variability); and (c) 4K raw WGS reads sets taken from nasal-swab PCR tests (to show the ability to process unassembled reads). Our results show that ViralVectors outperforms current benchmarks in most classification and clustering tasks. Graphical Abstract showing the all steps of proposed approach. We start by collecting the sequence-based data. Then Data cleaning and preprocessing is applied. After that, we generate the feature embeddings using minimizer based approach. Then Classification and clustering algorithms are applied on the resultant data and predictions are made on the test set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past seismic events have shown poor performance of reinforced concrete (RC) moment resisting frames, due to failure of beam‐column joints, attributed to insufficient anchorage and poor workmanship. Inadequate development length in beam‐column joints may lead to joint strength deterioration due to detailing constraints and site errors. Alternatively, headed bars have potential to replace conventional anchorage system of development length in beam‐column joint. The paper deals with extensive experimental and numerical program conducted on RC beam‐column joints with plain and deformed (grooved and ribbed) headed bars and compared with the specimens with conventional development length. Effect of steel fibers on strength of RC beam‐column joints is also investigated. The test specimens of beam‐column joints were subjected to displacement‐controlled reversed cyclic loading and structural behavior was assessed in terms of failure mode, load carrying capacity, stiffness, drift, ductility, and energy dissipation. The strength parameters of headed bar specimens were well comparable to that of conventional specimens. Grooved‐headed and ribbed‐headed bar specimens exhibited superior load resistance as compared with plain‐headed bar specimens. Numerical analysis was carried out, whose results were in agreement with the experimental results, thus demonstrating the efficacy of headed bars as mechanical anchorage system for RC beam‐column joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis of bioactive heterocyclic Schiff base and its derivatives is the most noteworthy takes in heterocyclic chemistry. Classical and non-classical methods (microwave irradiation) were used to prepare Schiff bases from primary amines and several substituted benzaldehydes. These methodologies form an energy-efficient and environmentally benign greener synthesis. This review highlights the crucial synthetic route for synthesising various bioactive Schiff base ligands and metal complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The massive amount of genomic data appearing for SARS-CoV-2 since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged traditional methods for studying its dynamics. As a result, new methods such as Pangolin, which can scale to the millions of samples of SARS-CoV-2 currently available, have appeared. Such a tool is tailored to take as input assembled, aligned, and curated full-length sequences, such as those found in the GISAID database. As high-throughput sequencing technologies continue to advance, such assembly, alignment, and curation may become a bottleneck, creating a need for methods that can process raw sequencing reads directly. In this article, we propose Reads2Vec, an alignment-free embedding approach that can generate a fixed-length feature vector representation directly from the raw sequencing reads without requiring assembly. Furthermore, since such an embedding is a numerical representation, it may be applied to highly optimized classification and clustering algorithms. Experiments on simulated data show that our proposed embedding obtains better classification results and better clustering properties contrary to existing alignment-free baselines. In a study on real data, we show that alignment-free embeddings have better clustering properties than the Pangolin tool and that the spike region of the SARS-CoV-2 genome heavily informs the alignment-free clusterings, which is consistent with current biological knowledge of SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term effects of COVID-19 are becoming more apparent even as the severity of acute infection is decreasing due to vaccinations and treatment. In this scoping review, we explored the current literature for the relationship between COVID-19 infection and new-onset diabetes mellitus four weeks after acute infection. We systematically searched the peer-reviewed literature published in English between 1 January 2020 and 31 August 2022 to study the risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus post-COVID-19 infection. This scoping review yielded 11 articles based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Except for one, all studies suggested an increased risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus 4 weeks after acute infection. This risk appears most in the first six months after the acute COVID-19 infection and seems to increase in a graded fashion based on the severity of the initial COVID-19 infection. Our review suggests a possible association of new-onset diabetes mellitus 4 weeks after acute COVID-19 infection. Since the severity of COVID-19 infection is associated with the development of post-infectious diabetes, vaccination that reduces the severity of acute COVID-19 infection might help to reduce the risk of post-COVID-19 diabetes mellitus. More studies are needed to better understand and quantify the association of post-COVID-19 conditions with diabetes and the role of vaccination in influencing it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic condition characterised by chronic hyperglycaemia, causing raised blood glucose levels which result in microvascular and macrovascular disorders and may introduce ocular manifestations including changes in corneal Endothelial Cell Density (ECD), corneal thickness, and intraocular pressure. It is clinically important to analyse the corneal endothelial status in patients with type II DM as preoperative corneal endothelial cell dysfunction may cause more corneal endothelial cell damage postoperatively leading to corneal decompensation. With the advent of precise and better measurement tool Central Corneal Thickness (CCT) and corneal endothelial morphology measurement has become more accurate. Aim: To compare corneal endothelium cell density, polymorphism, polymegathism and CCT in type 2 DM with age-matched, non diabetic control subjects using CEM-530 Specular microscope and ultrasonic pachymeter Tomey SP-100. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, comparative study was conducted at Eye Department at ESI Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Basaidarapur, Delhi, India, from October 2018 to November 2019. Patients with ages between 40 to 70 years of either gender who were diagnosed to have DM were recruited in the study through non probability convenience sampling. A total of 150 subjects that met the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria were included in the study. Seventy five known type 2 DM patients were enrolled in diabetic group (case group) and 75 non diabetic, age-matched subjects were enrolled as control group. Cases were classified under three major groups, namely on the basis of duration of DM and severity of Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) and glycaemic control {glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level}. All the findings were endorsed on a predesigned performa. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0 was used for analysis of data. Age and corneal parameters compared using unpaired t-test in diabetic and control group. Also, for comparison in between subgroup of diabetic patients on HbA1c level done by using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test. Chi-square test applied for categorical variables. Results: Among the 150 patients evaluated, type 2 DM patient's corneas (540.51±32.578 µ) were thicker as compared to control group 517.51±22.155 µ (p-value<0.001). The mean ECD of control and diabetic group patients was 2723.75±287.253 cells/mm2 and 2716.11±296.081 cells/mm2, respectively, found insignificant (p-value=0.821). The mean Coefficient of Variation (CV) of cell area of control and diabetic patients was 28.87±3.950 and 29.85±4.027, respectively, and was significant (p-value=0.034). The mean percentage of endothelial Hexagonal cells (HEX%) of control and diabetic patients were 67.39±6.419 and 67.41±5.493, respectively and was non significant (p-value=0.985). Thus, statistically significant difference was found with CCT (p-value<0.001) and CV (p-value=0.034) but not with ECD and hexagonality, between control and diabetic eyes. There was a correlation between CCT, CV, HEX% and ECD with duration of DM2 but it was statistically insignificant. There were higher CCT, CV and HEX% and lower ECD in >10 years of duration of diabetes mellitus than in patients with duration of diabetes mellitus =10 years. There was a correlation of CCT, CV, ECD and HEX with HbA1c level. There were significant higher CCT and CV values in >7% HbA1c level group than in group with =7% HbA1c level. There was also increased ECD in >7% group, but it was found to be insignificant. Percentage of hexagonality in >7% HbA1c level group was lower than in group with =7% HbA1c level, but found insignificant. There were higher values of CCT and CV in Non Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR) subgroup compared to Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR) and no Diabetic Retinopathy group. CCT values were significant (p-value=0.007), so as CV values (p-value=0.001). There was increase in HEX% (p-value=0.005) which was significant, along with lower ECD in NPDR (p-value=0.143), group which was insignificant. Conclusion: The present study documented that DM has considerable effects on all the layers of the cornea especially endothelial layer, causes reduction of ECD and increased CV. Diabetic cornea has increased CCT and lower percentage of hexagonal cells than normal subjects. In addition, there is a correlation between the changes in corneal parameters like ECD, CV, HEX%, CCT with the duration of DM and severity of DR and glycaemic control {glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level}. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A thinner Central Corneal Thickness (CCT) is an important criterion in determining the probability of progression from Ocular Hypertension (OHT) to Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG). The most common devices for measuring CCT are ultrasound and optical pachymeters. Ultrasound pachymetry is a quick and precise approach to quantify corneal thickness that is also portable and inexpensive. The advantages of optical method include operator independency and noninvasiveness. Aim: To compare central corneal thickness using optical and ultrasound pachymetry in patients with POAG. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department Ophthalmology, ESI Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Basaidarapur, Delhi, India, from October 2020 to April 2022. There were 105 POAG patients (210 eyes), divided into three subgroups of 35 subjects each (70 eyes each), based on the number of anti-glaucoma medications being instilled, topically (one/two/three drugs), and 35 healthy antiglaucoma controls (70 eyes). Central corneal thickness measurements were taken by Ultrasonic Pachymeter (USP) TOMEY SP-100, and by CEM-530 Non Contact Specular Microscope (NCSM) (optical). Statistical analysis was performed by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program for Windows, version 17.0 (SPSS, Chicago, Illinois). Results: The mean CCT taken with NCSM and USP was 540.83±35.51 μm and 538.74±36.22 μm, respectively, in Right Eyes (RE) of 35 glaucoma patients on one drug, (p-value=0.80). Similarly, Left Eyes (LE), mean CCT with NCSM was 544.17±33.98 μm, and with USP was 541.69±36.6 μm (p-value=0.76). Mean CCT taken with NCSM and USP was 539.83±30,85 μm and 537.66±30.5 μm, respectively in RT eyes of 35 glaucoma patients on two drugs (p-value=0.76). Left eyes, mean CCT was 541.91±29.79 μm with NCSM as compared to USP which was 540.11±29.89 μm (p-value=0.80). On comparing the mean CCT values of RE in glaucoma subjects who were controlled on three antiglaucoma drugs it was found to be 528.37±26.44 μm using NCSM and 527.09±26.17 μm using USP (p-value=0.84). The meanvalues of CCT for LE was 521.94±26.53 μm with NCSM and with USP was 520±26.52 μm, respectively (p-value=0.81). Comparison of mean CCT measurements using NCSM and USP in 35 age-matched controls RE eye was found to be 517.83±21.27 μm and 515.97±20.91 μm, respectively (p-value=0.71). Similarly, for LE mean CCT values were 518.8±24.21 μm and 516.8±24.37 μm, respectively (p-value=0.73). Conclusion: The CCT measured using NCSM was found to be higher than that measured using USP in POAG subgroups patients as well as healthy age-matched controls, however the difference was not statistically significant. There was highly significant linear correlation between the CCT measured using NCSM and USP in all POAG subgroups as well as healthy controls. This suggests that the devices could be used interchangeably in glaucoma patients as well as healthy subjects of similar age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Method: The aim of this study is to assess nutritional status and to investigate the cardio respiratory parameters in medical students by intervention of 42 days period of jogging. 42 healthy medical students aged between 17 to 25 years were included in the study to test their nutritional assessment and to study cardio respiratory variables. After obtaining written consent, radial pulse is measured for one minute and blood pressure is measured on left arm by auscultatory methods using mercury sphygmomanometer. Pulmonary function test is done by Ganshorn LT8 PFT Machine .Weight is measured by weighing machine and height is taken by stature meter. All parameter is measured be on first day and after 42 days period of jogging Result: Mean value of weight has 60.38 ± 9.02 kgs before the jogging and after the 42 days of jogging, it became 60.55 ± 8.86 kgs, t value is 0.778 and p value is 0.441 which is not statically significant. Mean value of height is same before and after the jogging that is 169.54± 5.65 cms, t value is 1.403 and p value is 0.168 which is not statically significant. Mean value of B.M.I is 20.88 ± 2.38 kg/m2 before the jogging and it became 20.91 ± 2.41kg/m2, t value is 0.276 and p value is 0.784 which is not statically significant. Mean value of energy intake is 2065.45 ± 331.91 kcal and it became 2301.55 ± 367.64 kcal, t value is 8.336 and p value is 0.001 which is a statically significant. Pulse is reduced from 75.45 ± 5.76 to 73.12 ± 5.89 per minute, t value is 3.572 with p value, 0.001 which is a statically significant .Systolic blood pressure is reduced from 120.93 ± 7.82 mmHg to 119.04 ± 8.78 mmHg, t value is 3.47 with p value, 0.0005 which is a statically significant. Diastolic blood pressure is reduced from 80.82 ±2.93 mmHg to 78.23 ± 3.73 mmHg,t value is 6.33 with p value, 0.0001. Which is a statically significant Respiratory variable, FCV which is 3.74 ± 0. 44 before jogging it become 3.77 ± 0.45, t value is 1.00 with p value 0.32 which is not statically significant. Conclusion: Weight of subjects is not shown significant changed after intervention of 42 days period of jogging .Height in subjects remains same during this period. BMI is not significantly changed due to no change in weight and heights of subjects. As, it is calculated by person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters (kg/m2) . There is increased in energy (calories) intake of subjects which is due to increased expenditure of energy during jogging . Pulse and blood pressure (Systolic and diastolic) is reduced after 42 days of jogging that reflected that jogging affect cardiovascular system of subjects . FVC is not changed after 42 days of jogging shown that jogging do not affect force vital capacity of lungs. So, more than 42 days is essential to seen changes in FVC . However, it is concluded and suggested that further studies need to be done to make that facts as the scientifically accepted document. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single‐step process has been demonstrated for the synthesis of core‐shell hybrid of poly(o‐phenylenediamine) functionalized with uniformly distributed silver nanoparticles. The silver nanoparticles as core were formed by the thermal reduction of the amine complexes of silver mono‐positive cation. The interfacial functionalization of silver nanoparticles by the =NH was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy. The uniform size of particles in core‐shell hybrid and the amount of metal nanoparticle ingrained in polymer matrix were confirmed from the characterizations, viz. dynamic light scattering, inductively coupled plasma‐optical emission spectrometry and field‐emission scanning electron microscopy. The hybrid with ∼12 % silver loading was found to have the highest DC‐conductivity of 10−4 S cm−1 range, even without the usage of any other dopant. The induced doping of silver nanoparticles through the functional groups of the polymer was considered to explain the conducting properties of the prepared core‐shell hybrid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent times, the Li‐CO2 battery has gained significant importance arising from its higher gravimetric energy density (1876 Wh kg‐1) compared to the conventional Li‐ion batteries. Also, its ability to utilize the greenhouse gas CO2 to operate an energy storage system and the prospective utilization on extraterrestrial planets such as Mars motivate to practicalize it. However, it suffers from numerous challenges such as (i) the reluctant CO2 reduction/evolution; (ii) solid/liquid/gas interface blockage arising from the deposition of Li2CO3 discharge product on the cathode; (iii) high overpotential to decompose the stable discharge product Li2CO3; and (iv) instability of the electrolytes. Numerous efforts have been undertaken to tackle these challenges by developing catalysts, improving the stability of electrolytes, protecting the anode, etc. Despite these efforts, due to the lack of a decisive confirmation of the reaction mechanisms of the discharging/charging reactions occurring in the system, the progress of the Li–CO2 battery system has been slow. In situ characterization techniques help overcome ex‐situ techniques' limitations by monitoring the processes with the progress of a reaction. The current review focuses on bridging the gap in the understanding of the Li–CO2 batteries by exploring the various in situ/operando characterization techniques that have been employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection increases the risk of atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFL) incident. The study aimed to present the characteristics of admissions to the emergency department (ED) due to AF/AFL incidents during the third COVID-19 pandemic wave. (2) Methods: A retrospective analysis of the medical records of the ED patients: 8399 during 3 months of the second and 11,144 during the 3 months of the third pandemic wave. (3) Results: SARS-CoV-2 positive patients there were 295 (3.5%) during the second wave and 692 (6.2%) during the third wave (p < 0.001). Among patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, there were 44 (14.9%) patients with known AF/AFL during the second wave and 75 (10.8%) during the third wave, respectively (0.07). There were 116 visits with a diagnosis of AF/AFL incident during the third wave (study group) and 76 visits during the second wave (control group). The SARS-CoV-2 test was positive in 11 (9.5%) visits in the study group and in 1 (1.3%) visit in the control group p = 0.047. During the third wave, the patients with AF/AFL incidents with positive tests were older and more often had new-onset AF/AFL than those with negative tests: 76.3 (13.2) years vs. 71.8 (12.6) years; and 4 (36.4%) patients vs. 7 (7.6%) patients, respectively. (5) Conclusions: During the third pandemic wave, the number of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection increased in comparison to the second wave. Additionally, among patients with AF/AFL incidents, the percentage of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients increased. During the third wave, the patients with positive tests and AF/AFL incident were older and more often had new-onset AF/AFL than those with AF/AFL incident and negative test which indicate the arrhythmogenic effect at the onset of the disease, especially in the older population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of metal-CO 2 batteries is a promising technology due to their high energy density and, more importantly, their ability to utilize the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO 2) as an energy carrier and, therefore, to combat the climate change effects. Furthermore, the metal-CO 2 battery can offer great benefits in terms of energy storage and in-situ resource utilization for the interplanetary Mars mission, reducing overall mission cost, weight, and complexity. This work is a novel attempt to realize the feasible development of a metal-CO 2 M ars battery for Mars exploration. To the best of our knowledge, we hereby report the practical configuration of metal (X)-CO 2 M ars batteries (X = Li, Na and K) which is operated in a simulated Martian atmosphere for the first time. To develop a better fundamental understanding, we investigate the effective reversibility and discharge-reaction product formation of these metal-CO 2Mars batteries. Further, the electrochemical performance and underlying mechanism of metal-CO 2Mars batteries are evaluated using electrochemical testing (galvanic discharge-charge, cyclic voltammetry), potentiodynamic polarization, and Raman spectroscopy analysis, which are then later supported by first-principle calculation based on density functional theory. Thus, we believe that this work provide a rational design strategy for the practical development of metal-CO 2Mars and metal-CO 2 batteries. [Display omitted] • Development of rechargeable metal-CO 2-Mars battery chemistry for Mars exploration. • Cathode for the development of Li–CO 2Mars , Na–CO 2Mars and K–CO 2Mars batteries. • Underlying electrochemistry for the development of metal- CO 2Mars battery. • Energy storage technology for Mars mission and environmental protection for Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A male Rottweiler of age 13-years was presented for the treatment of forelimb lameness due to automobile accident. Clinical and radiographic examination revealed lateral luxation of the left elbow joint. Firstly the closed reduction was attempted which was successful initially but after 10 days the joint reluxated. Afterwards open reduction was performed and the joint was successfully reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The main arterial supply to the gallbladder and the cystic duct (CD) is the cystic artery (CA). The present study was conducted to assess morphological variation of cystic artery. Materials & Methods: 46 human liver specimens with intact gallbladder and extra-hepatic duct were fixed in 10% formalin and were finely dissected. The specimens were observed for parameters like the origin of the CA, its length and diameter, mode and level of termination, and its relation to the Calot's triangle, and the variations were noted, photographed, and studied. Results: Artery of origin of cystic artery was aberrant right hepatic artery in 1, common hepatic artery in 2, coeliac trunk in 4, and gastroduodenal artery in 8, left hepatic artery in 12, persistent hypoglossal artery in 10, right hepatic artery in 6 and superior mesenteric artery in 3 cases. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Site of origin of cystic artery was inside Calot's triangle in 83% and outside Calot's triangle in 17%. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Cystic artery present variation, hence a thorough knowledge is essential to avoid surgical complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleurotus ostreatus cv. Florida is one of the widely used edible mushroom. The polysaccharides from this mushrooms have been studied for antidiabetic potential; however, no efforts have been made to explore the potential of this mushroom to influence carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes viz. α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The present work was undertaken to investigate the inhibitory potential of Pleurotus ostreatus cv. Florida on enzymes α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Several concentrations of extracts were used to study inhibition of enzymatic activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. A dose dependent inhibitory effect on enzymes was observed. The current study, for the first time, uncovered α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory potential of Pleurotus ostreatus cv. Florida. The study could be helpful to isolate and characterize compounds responsible for it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of bioactive steroids is catalyzed by an array of enzymes of diverse properties and actions. In the present study, seasonal dynamics and kinetics of key steroidogenic enzymes, 17α-hydroxylase (Cyp17a), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Hsd3b), 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Hsd20a) and 20β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (Hsd20b) were investigated in the female catfish Heteropneustes fossilis. Further, the effects of the estrogen metabolite 2-hydroxyestradiol-17β (2-OHE2) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on activities of the above enzymes, cytochrome P450 aromatase (Cyp19a1), and steroid products including testosterone and cortisol were determined. The enzymes under investigation showed significant seasonal variations across the annual ovarian cycle with low activity in the gonad resting phase. The enzymes Hsd3b and Cyp17a showed high activity during early oogenesis but the activities of Hsd20a and Hsd20b were higher towards late oogenesis in the spawning phase. Hsd3b and Cyp17a elicited high apparent Km values (low substrate affinity) and high apparent Vmax in the vitellogenic phase compared to the postvitellogenic phase. Hsd20a did not elicit any significant differences in the kinetic parameters between the two phases. Hsd20b showed high apparent Km values (low substrate affinity) and high Vmax in the postvitellogenic phase. The incubation of ovarian slices with 2-OHE2 for 24 h increased dose-dependently Hsd3b, Cyp17a, Hsd20a and Hsd20b activities, similar to hCG. The levels of the corresponding C21 steroid products, progesterone (P4), 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP4), 17, 20α-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20α-DP) and 17,20β-dihydoxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20β-DP), and cortisol were elevated. However, 2-OHE2 decreased significantly the C19 and C18 steroids, testosterone and E2 levels, and Cyp19a activity. The co-incubation with hCG and 2-OHE2 produced a synergistic effect on the enzyme activities except that of CYP19a. The co-incubation reversed the inhibitory effect of 2-OHE2. The data show that 2-OHE2 exerts a dual role on steroidogenesis, stimulating the C21 pathway and inhibiting the C19-C18 pathway, resulting in the steroidogenic shift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of this study is to synthesize zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles using I Aspergillus nidulans. i I Materials and Methods: i Coriander seeds were taken (presterilized) and sampled on potato dextrose agar (PDA). I Results: i ZnO nanoparticles producing fungal strains RR-1 and RR-2 were isolated from the species. [Extracted from the article]

The genomic analysis of industrially important bacteria can help in understanding their capability to withstand extreme environments and shed light on their metabolic capabilities. The whole genome of a previously reported broad temperature active lipase-producing Pseudomonas sp. HS6, isolated from snow-covered soil of the Sikkim Himalayan Region, was analyzed to understand the capability of the bacterium to withstand cold temperatures and study its lipolytic nature. Pseudomonas sp. HS6 was found to be psychrotolerant with an optimal growth temperature ranging between 25 and 30 °C, with the ability to grow at 5 °C. The genome harbours various cold-adaptation genes, such as cold-shock proteins, fatty acid alteration, and cold stress-tolerance genes, supporting the psychrotolerant nature of the organism. The comparative analysis of Pseudomonas sp. HS6 genome showed the presence of amino acid substitutions in genes that favor efficient functioning and flexibility at cold temperatures. Genome mining revealed the presence of four triacylglycerol lipases, among which the putative lipase 3 was highly similar to the broad temperature-active lipase purified and characterized in our previous study. In silico studies of putative lipase 3 revealed broad substrate specificity with partial and no inhibition of the enzyme activity in the presence of PMSF and orlistat. The presence of genes associated with cold adaptations and true lipases with activity at broad temperature and substrate specificity in the genome of Pseudomonas sp. HS6 makes this bacterium a suitable candidate for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reasons for high morbidity and mortality with Corona virus disease (COVID-19) disease remain unanswered with extremes of manifestation and uncertainty of modes of transmission for which biomarkers are urgently needed for early prediction of severity and prompt treatment. We have reviewed publications from PubMed (years 2019–2021) analysing the biochemical, immune-inflammatory, nucleic acid, and cellular biomarkers that predict infection, disease progression in COVID-19 with emphasis on organ-specific damage. Our analysis of 65 biomarkers assessing the impact of SCoV-2 infection on five organs (lung, liver, cardiac, kidney, and neural) reported that increased levels of CRP, TNF-α, ferritin, IL-6, D-dimer, Procalcitonin, Fibrinogen to Albumin Ratio (FAR), and decrease platelet count (PC), lymphocyte count, leukocyte count, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio shows promising association in the early diagnosis, prediction of prognosis and severity disease and also correlates with cytokine storm a cardinal feature of COVID-19 progression. In the above scenario, this review has put forth the most promising biomarkers for COVID diagnosis and prognosis based on the reported literature. In recent year's chemically synthesized antibody-like biomolecules, aptamers were also used in the diagnosis of COVID-19 which could be preferably used for diagnosis over antibodies. Biomarkers including increase in free DNA and Fibrinogen-to-Albumin Ratio, CRP, PCT, and Ferritin along with a consequential decrease of CD3+ T, CD4+ T, CD8+ T, NK cells with corresponding increase in CD4+/CD8+ ratio following SARS CoV-2 infection has been consistently correlated with disease severity. Despite the two waves of COVID-19 pandemic, currently there is no standard clinical practice guideline for evaluating the severity of the devastating pandemic of COVID-19, hence these biomarkers will have immense relevance for the third and subsequent wave of COVID-19 and related pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Vehicular delay‐tolerant networks (VDTNs) play prominent part in smart transportation and smart city paradigm to diminish the drivers' risk to meet accidents and offer many infotainment and entertainment services. All the operations are carried out by exchanging data among nodes. However, due to open communication nature of VDTN, the data broadcasted by mobile nodes are quiet susceptible to security attacks. Recently, a number of protocols are proposed for open communication. However, securing such communications and establishing trust value among vehicles are major addressable issues. This is because the existing fraudulent peers can lead to catastrophic circumstances on roads. Along with securing the data carriers, the authenticity and reliability of data is also equally important. In order to identify reliable nodes and maintaining the authenticity of data being communicated, a new artificial intelligence (AI)‐based hybrid trust management framework is proposed in this article. The study particularly exploits the proximity‐based k‐nearest neighbour (kNN) classification model for selecting controlling nodes. Further, decision stump is employed to accomplish trust estimation rules, and backpropagation is used to self‐train the mobile nodes, whenever anticipated trust value is not attained. The proposed scheme maintains the integrity of vehicular nodes and efficiently handles the specified. The trust framework uses a multifaceted direct and recommended trust estimation approach to calculate the global trust values. For comparison, the performance of the proposed method was compared with other trust management approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance study of various sensing parameters such as sensitivity, detection accuracy and quality parameter of liquid core Bragg fibre waveguide biosensor based on defect mode has been theoretically studied and compared with experimental findings of a similar structure without defect mode. The electromagnetic wave propagation in the present structure has been modelled using the transfer matrix method and Henkel formalism in cylindrical coordinates. The present multilayer structure can provide a band gap between 617 and 929 nm wavelength range at angle of incidence θ = 70 ∘ . Due to the presence of a defect layer, a defect mode at 690 nm wavelength is observed in this band-gap region. This defect mode can be treated as a sensing signal in the present study. It is observed that the obtained sensitivity ( S ≈ 334 nm/RIU) through the defect mode is almost the same as the experimental findings ( S ≈ 330 nm/RIU) of a similar structure without the defect layer. But the obtained maximum detection accuracy (68.6) and quality parameter (160.4/RIU) of the present structure with defect layer is much larger than the values in a similar structure without defect layer (6.9 and 15/RIU). The present structure having a liquid-filled core, is therefore, favoured and useful in promising biosensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to their higher capacity and ability to address global warming, Li–CO 2 batteries have potential for next-generation energy storage systems on Earth and for space applications. However, the key drawbacks of high overpotential and low cyclability of Li–CO 2 batteries substantially hinder their practicality. In this study, we develop uniquely designed cobalt sulfide (Co 9 S 8) nanoparticles anchored onto the N, S dual-doped hetero atoms graphitized mesoporous carbon (NSC) as a low-cost but highly effective cathodic catalyst for Li–CO 2 batteries with a large number of active sites with enhanced conductivity. The as-developed Li–CO 2 batteries under simulated Martian gas atmosphere conditions (Li–CO 2 Mars) display a high discharge capacity and exceptional rate performance. The Li–CO 2 Mars battery offers a high discharge capacity of 15147 mAh g−1 at 500 mA g−1 current density and maintains a stable performance over 120 cycles for a limited capacity of 500 mAh g−1. Further, the first-principle calculations provide a deeper understanding of the reaction pathways during discharging and charging. These results create new avenues for designing novel catalysts for high-performance Li–CO 2 Mars batteries for their use in interplanetary missions. Co 9 S 8 nanoparticles (NPs) anchored on a N, S dual-doped graphitized mesoporous carbon (Co 9 S 8 /NSC) was prepared and used as the cathode catalyst for Li–CO 2 Mars batteries with long-term stability over 120 cycles in the Mars atmospheric gas condition. [Display omitted] • An efficient cathodic catalyst, Co 9 S 8 /NSC was developed using the solvothermal method. • The catalyst was employed to develop the Li–CO 2 Mars batteries for potential Mars missions. • The batteries demonstrated superior cyclability over 120 cycles at current density of 500 mA g−1. • Reaction pathways influencing the battery performance were investigated through DFT studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A highly active heterostructure NiFe 2 O 4 /MoS 2 /MWCNTs nano-catalyst is developed using a solvothermal method. • Using nano-interface engineering, the rationally produced catalyst was used as the cathode for the Li-CO 2 Mars battery. • The developed Li-CO 2 Mars battery exhibited a high capacity and long cycle life of up to 26533.5 mAh g−1 and 195 cycles, respectively. • Ex-situ experiments with DFT simulation demonstrate synergistic catalytic processes of CO 2 reduction and evolution in the battery. • This investigation paves the way for the development of Li-CO 2 Mars batteries for possible Mars missions and carbon neutrality on Earth. Lithium-CO 2 batteries, a potential next-generation negative emission technology, are advanced energy storage devices with considerable interest in carbon neutrality for developing a sustainable environment. Additional challenges arise from the slow kinetics with poor reversibility in cycling performance and high overpotential of these batteries, limiting the further development of this technology toward large-scale implementation. Herein, we construct a NiFe 2 O 4 /MoS 2 /MWCNTs heterostructure nanomaterial catalyst as a cathode for Li-CO 2 batteries function in the simulated Martian atmosphere (Li-CO 2 Mars). The Li-CO 2 Mars batteries with the proposed cathode exhibit excellent efficiency with a high discharge capacity of 26533.5 mAh g−1, a discharge plateau at ∼ 2.68 V, and high stability over 195 and 115 cycles with a limited capacity of 500 and 1000 mAh g−1, respectively. Computational studies demonstrate that improved CO 2 adsorption with favorable discharge product growth using the heterostructure catalyst promotes the exceptional performance of the Li-CO 2 Mars batteries consistent with the ex-situ experimental studies. The outcome of this study offers a novel approach to the design and construction of efficient multifunctional electrocatalysts, which can be used to develop sustainable and clean energy systems for both Earth and Mars missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Neuroimaging and genetic testing have been proposed for diagnostic evaluation of infantile spasms (IS), establishing etiology in ~60% of multicenter IS cohorts. A retrospective analysis of the yield of diagnostic etiology following an institutionally established guideline for investigation/treatment of IS was conducted, and the association between etiological subgroups and sustained response to standard treatment was evaluated. Methods: Etiology of IS, neuroimaging, and genetic results were extracted from clinical records. Etiology was categorized as acquired or nonacquired, the latter including syndromic patients, nonsyndromic patients with confirmed etiology, and unknown cases. Regression analyses, using clinical variables including subtypes of etiology, were conducted to determine which factors correlated with favorable (spasm freedom at last follow‐up after two or fewer standard treatments) versus unfavorable treatment outcome (refractory spasms despite two standard treatments or relapse). Results: We included 127 IS patients (60% males) with a follow‐up of 2.4 years (range =.6–5 years). All patients had neuroimaging, and 95% of patients in the nonacquired category (103 of 108 patients) had genetic testing. Etiology was identified in 103 of 127 (81%, 95% confidence interval =.73–.86). At last follow‐up, 42 (33%) patients had favorable treatment outcome. No difference in treatment response was observed between acquired and nonacquired etiologies. Among patients with nonacquired etiologies, developmental delay prior to spasms onset increased the odds of unfavorable treatment outcome (p =.014), whereas a clearly recognizable dysmorphic/syndromic etiology was associated with a lower risk for treatment failure (p =.034). In nonacquired etiology without a recognizable dysmorphic/syndrome but with a genetic etiology, unfavorable treatment outcome was more likely (p =.043). Significance: Rigorous evaluation with neuroimaging and genetic testing yields an etiological diagnosis in most patients with IS. Among patients with a nonacquired etiology, those with recognizable dysmorphic/syndromic diagnosis had a higher likelihood of a favorable treatment outcome, whereas the absence of such a finding, when associated with an identifiable genetic diagnosis, was associated with unfavorable treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical conductivity of indium–tin oxide (In–Sn-O) arises from the conduction band electrons, which largely varies on the ratio of In and Sn. By exploiting this large variation of electrical conductivity, this material could be treated both as a semiconductor and a transparent conductor. Interestingly, incorporation of lithium (Li) ion can convert it to an effective insulator when the ratio of Li, In, and Sn becomes equal and could be successfully used as a gate dielectric of a thin-film transistor (TFT). In this work, LiInSnO4 (LITO) thin film has been deposited by a solution-processed technique, which shows high areal capacitance due to its mobile Li-ion. A low operating voltage (≤2 V) solution-processed zinc oxide (ZnO) TFT has been fabricated by using this LiInSnO4 thin film as a gate dielectric. The carrier mobility of this ZnO TFT has been enhanced by one order by the addition of one titanium oxide (TiO2) gate interface due to the reduction of dielectric/semiconductor interface trap state. Our optimized ZnO TFT with TiO2 gate interface shows the carrier mobility of 5.66 cm2/ $\text{V}\,\cdot $ ,s with an ON/ OFF ratio of $10^{{4}}$. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

String of Pearl (SOP) plate is a veterinary specific locking plate that offers up to 40 degree of bending and twisting without losing its strength which make its application easier. To provide additional strength in long bone fracture fixation, two SOP plates were used in 14 client owned canine patients of long bone fracture in present study. SOP plates were applied in 90 degree offset and various complications related with wound and fracture healing were recorded. Seroma formation, suture dehiscence, plate breakage and screw loosening were the common complications observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The routing in vehicular delay tolerant networks (VDTNs) does not presume an end-to-end connectivity from source to destination. One substitute is to use the real-time geographical information of vehicles to relay messages. However, if mobile destination is considered, then real-time information might not be generally available due to the sparse network density in VDTN. In this paper, a geographical routing approach based on the probability delegation replication (GR-PDR) is proposed. The functionality of GR-PDR is categorized into forwarder node selection phase and buffer management phase. The forwarder node selection utilizes the advantages of delegation replication approach to conquer the constraints of routing decisions and local maximum problem. Further, the buffer management is employed to prioritize packets to ensure delivery before the expiration of message lifetime. The proposed GR-PDR ensures that the message will be forwarded to higher quality node, resulting in a high delivery ratio. The approach utilizes the advantages of single-copy and multiple-copy forwarding approaches by avoiding redundant replication and enhancing delivery probability, respectively. The performance results show that the proposed GR-PDR outperforms in terms of packet delivery ratio, average delay and network overhead, when compared with the protocols of the same segment. Statistical analysis validates the effectiveness of the proposed protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents experimental investigation of the axial behaviour of built-up (BU) (I-section) cold-formed steel doubly-symmetric channel with single-/double-layer sheathing on both sides configuration. Fifteen (15) monotonic concentric axial compression tests were performed on 7-BU sections with single-layer sheathing, 7-BU sections with double-layer sheathing, 1-BU section stud without sheathing. The experiments aim to enumerate ultimate axial strength, buckling interactions, failure pattern and strength enhancement due to sheathing for BU section stud members. The novelty of the study is that, for the first time an attempt is made to investigate the axial behaviour of single-/double-layer sheathed BU section panels using seven different sheathing boards.        Results indicate large range of deformation behaviour, with local-global and distortional-global interaction buckling phenomena. Failure is also observed due to failing of screws in specimens with sheathing of thickness ≥ 9 mm and modulus of elasticity > 6400MPa. Also, for the first time, efficacies of four semi-analytical methods based on rational extension of direct strength method (DSM) are presented. Results suggest the insufficiency of current AISI design specifications, whereas predicted results obtained using the new modified DSM methodology are within the adequate variation range as the adopted methodology considers desired buckling interaction. The efficacy of the recommended design methodology is verified through reliability analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Euphorbia hirta is of the family Euphorbiaceae, owning various pharmacological properties like anti-inflammatory activity. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic-autoimmune systemic diseasethat can be characterized by cartilage degradation, synovial hyperplasia, inflammation, and joint damage. Objective of the study is to assess the anti-arthritic activity of methanolic extract of Euphorbia hirta. Freund’s complete adjuvant induced arthritic Model was followed for the evaluation. 0.1 mL of the FCA by intraplanar injection was used to induce arthritis in Wistar rats. Methanolic extract (100 and 200 mg/kg) of Euphorbia hirta were given to Wistar rats. Euphorbia hirta extract showed significant anti-arthritic activity in a dose-dependent manner. However, Euphorbia hirta extract (200mg/kg) showed potential anti-arthritic activity. From the study, it can be concluded that Euphorbia hirta possesses marked anti-arthriticactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A Sulfone-based fluorogenic probe, ASSA, has been introduced for cascade detection of Zn2+ and PO 4 3− ions. • An instant green fluorescence is observed due to the chelation of Zn2+ ions with ASSA. • The chelation of Zn2+ ions with ASSA is in a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio with a binding constant of 2.6 × 105 M−1. • The detection limit of Zn2+and PO 4 3− ions is 16.65 nM and 0.134 μ M , respectively. • A handy paper strips-based has been fabricated to recognize Zn2+ ions. Detection of trace amounts of metal and non-metal ions is environmentally and biologically significant. In the present contribution, we have introduced a fluorogenic 4,4-diaminodiphenylsulphone-based probe, ASSA , which instantly detects Zn2+ions in its solid and liquid medium. With the implementation of Zn2+ions to the ASSA solution, an instant green fluorescence is observed at 485 nm due to the chelation of Zn2+ ions with ASSA with a stoichiometric ratio of 1:1, evident from the Job's plot and revealed binding constant as 2.6 × 105 M−1. This green fluorescence is reversed in the presence of PO 4 3− ions, proving that our modeled fluorosensor could be a reliable candidate for the cascade detection of Zn2+ and PO 4 3− ions. Along with our modeled fluorosensor, ASSA bears an outstanding selectivity and targeted sensitivity with a detection limit of Zn2+and PO 4 3− ions as 16.65 nM and 0.134 μ M , respectively, in a 10 % H 2 O-DMSO medium. A super handy paper-cuts-based experiment has been performed to recognize and quantify Zn2+ ions in the Cd2+, Hg2+, and other metals crowding situation. Also, we have constructed an INHIBIT logic gate based on the "on-off" fluorescence behavior of ASSA towards Zn2+ ions. A Sulfone-based fluorogenic probe, ASSA , has been introduced for cascade detection of Zn2+ and PO 4 3− ions displaying off-on-off green fluorescence with the detection limit of 16.65 nM and 0.134 μ M , respectively. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of present study was to investigate the effects of leaf extracts of Bauhinia variegate for the treatment of liver injury induced by the paracetamol. Dried and powdered materials of Bauhinia variegate leaf was extracted with ethanol and were subjected to phytochemical screening, later partitioned successively to obtain hexane, ethyl acetate and nbutanol partitions, respectively. All partitions were subjected to total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, in vitro antioxidant studies and hepatoprotective analysis. Following the hepatic injury induction, blood samples and liver were collected for the respective biochemical parameter and histopathological studies. Our results showed that ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions exhibited a strong antioxidant activity in vitro. Ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions scavenged DPPH radicals in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo histopathological studies indicated that paracetamol-induced liver injury was alleviated following ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions treatment in rats. Ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions significantly prevented paracetamol-induced elevations of alkaline phosphatase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, and total bilirubin levels in rats (P < 0.05). Moreove r, isolated fractions of Bauhinia variegate leaf restored the decreased activities of hepatic antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, as well as non-enzyme antioxidant glutathione, which were induced by paracetamol treatment. From these results it can be concluded that the Bauhinia variegate leaves extracts contain remarkable amount of flavonoids and can be used as reducing oxidative stress and hepatoprotective agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]