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Pelvic girdle pain is a common musculoskeletal condition in the community. According to fear-avoidance beliefs model, the anticipation of increased pain or further evokes thee avoidance behaviour causing disability. Aim: The study aimed to correlate fear-avoidance beliefs with dynamic balance functional performance, Disability in Pelvic Girdle pain patients. Settings and design: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 75 chronic pelvic girdle pain patients in tertiary care hospital. Subject and methods: pain fear-avoidance beliefs, dynamic balance, and disability were assessed in chronic pain patients. Pain was evaluated using the numerical pain rating scale, fear avoidance using the fear-avoidance belief questionnaire (FABQ), disability using the roland morris disability questionnaire, dynamic balance using the minibest test, and functional performance using the back performance scale. Statistical analysis used: statistical measures such as median and interquartile ranges were calculated. The spearmen’s correlation test was used. Result: there was a low correlation between FABQ and pain (r=0.431,=0.000), dynamic balance (r=-0.425, p=0.000) and functional performance (r=0.482, p=0.000) and moderate positive correlation with disability (r,=0.538, P=0.000) in chronic pelvic pain patients. Conclusions: fear-avoidance beliefs are significantly associated with pain, dynamic balance, functional performance, and disability in chronic low back pain patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eukaryotic cells respond to stress by altering coding and non‐coding gene expression programs. Alongside many approaches and regulatory mechanisms, long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNA) are finding a significant place in gene regulation, suggesting an involvement in various cellular processes and pathophysiology. LncRNAs are regulated by many transcription factors, including SMAR1 and p53, which are tumor suppressor genes. SMAR1 inhibits cancer cell metastasis and invasion and is also known to inhibit apoptosis during low‐dose stress in coordination with p53. Data mining analysis suggested that these tumor suppressor genes might coregulate the lncRNA RP11‐431M3.1 in colon cancer cells. Importantly, RP11‐431M3.1 expression was found to be negatively correlated with patient survival rates in a number of cancers. Oxidative stress occurs when an imbalance in the body is caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). This imbalance is known to be important in the development/pathogenesis of colon cancer. We are researching the role and control of this lncRNA in HCT116 cells under conditions of oxidative stress. We observed a dose‐dependent differential expression of lncRNA upon H2O2 treatment and found that p53 and SMAR1 bind differentially to the promoter in response to the dose of stress inducer used. RP11‐431M3.1 was observed to sponge miR‐138 which has an important target gene, hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF1A). miR‐138 was observed to bind differentially to RP11‐431M3.1 and HIF1A RNA depending on the dose of oxidative stress. Furthermore, the knockdown of RP11‐431M3.1 decreased the migration and proliferation of colon cancer cells. Our results suggest a previously undescribed regulatory mechanism through which RP11‐431M3.1 is transcriptionally regulated by SMAR1 and p53, target HIF1A through miR‐138, and highlight its potential as a therapeutic and diagnostic marker for cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The laryngo-tracheal framework is a complex structure responsible for several functions, including phonation, airway formation for breathing, and preventing aspiration. These functions rely on precise neurological and structural coordination. The COVID-19 pandemic primarily affected the lungs and upper respiratory tract, and the patients were classified into mild, moderate, and severe categories to determine appropriate management strategies, including home isolation and hospital admission. Mild cases typically underwent home isolation, while moderate-to-severe cases required hospitalization. Moderate cases often necessitated oxygen supplementation through various means such as oxygen masks, non-rebreather masks, and high-flow nasal cannula, while severe cases required mechanical support and emergency procedures like intubation, continuous positive airway pressure, and tracheostomy. These interventions, along with other factors like viral neuritis and comorbid illnesses, result in various laryngo-tracheal sequelae; in this study, we have tried to look for the laryngo-tracheal sequelae in post-COVID-19 patients. Methods: A sample of 348 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were identified retrospectively, and their demographics, comorbidities, intubation/tracheostomy, and management data were collected; then all the patients were subjected to video-laryngoscopy, and findings were noted and analysed. Type of study: Retrospective cross-sectional observational study. Objectives: Primary objective of the study was to assess the rates of laryngo-tracheal sequelae occurring in post-COVID-19 patients. Secondary objective was to assess the role of various factors along with COVID-19 that have led to the sequelae. Results: The study population included 348 participants, with an age distribution ranging from 21 to over 60 years. Post-COVID-19 symptoms were seen in 22.7% of all the patients included out of which hoarseness of voice 32.9%, difficulty in breathing 24.05%, and other related symptoms such as cough 18.98%, foreign body sensation 8.8%, throat irritation 7.5%, throat pain 5.06%, throat dryness 1.2%, and difficulty in swallowing 1.2% of the patients. Majority of our patients had history of hospital admission which was predominant (87.1%) over home isolation (10.3%). Most common comorbidity was diabetes mellitus (DM) (62.4%) along with hypertension. The various findings were noted in 10.1% of total patients included in the study including vocal cord polyps 19.9%, vocal cord paresis 19.9%, vocal cord granulomas 8.5%, vocal nodule 5.7%, and chronic congestion of laryngeal inlet 17.1% of the patients. Significant associations were observed between sequelae and factors such as hospital admission, intubation and tracheostomy, duration of O2 support, and diabetes mellitus. Conclusions: Laryngo-tracheal sequelae are commonly present and are persistent for months after recovery from COVID-19 in hospitalized and intubated/tracheostomized patients due to various factors related to the disease and its treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability in family businesses is an increasingly important and ever-evolving topic in business research, due to the demands of sustainable development agendas for all types of companies. This study conducts a comprehensive literature review on sustainable entrepreneurship (SE) using bibliometric analysis, content analysis, and a systematic literature review. The systematic literature review helps in finding the 554 SE-related articles. The bibliometric and content analysis was carried out on these articles. The study also analyzed the recent articles separately to identify research gaps and current trends. The study identifies the research to be diversified in six broad themes: 'sustainable entrepreneurial enterprise', 'relationship between social entrepreneurship and the sustainable ecosystem', 'publications from different angles', 'model, framework, and conceptual papers', 'involvement of new entrants', and 'influence of financial support' and 'green start-ups'. The future research directions will help scholars identify clear research gaps to explore this area further. Researchers can focus on green agritourism, advanced recycling methods, eco-centric models, frameworks, operational procedures, financing partnerships, and transitioning into the digital era. Article highlights: Identifies research diversification in six themes and carried out literature review and content analysis. Article highlights five fresh research avenues. Several research directions in each broad research avenue are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: As the popularity of the Internet of Things (IoT) increases, so do the energy requirements of IoT terminal equipment. To address the energy shortage problem of equipment and ensure continuous and stable operation in light of renewable energy and an uncertain environment, a rational and efficient energy allocation strategy is required. This paper proposes a deep reinforcement learning energy allocation strategy that uses the DQN algorithm to directly interact with the unknown environment. The best energy allocation method is independent of environmental knowledge, and a pretraining algorithm is proposed to maximise the initialization state of the strategy. Experiments of comparison and simulation are conducted under various channel data circumstances. Results indicate that the proposed energy allocation strategy outperforms the current strategy in multiple channel conditions and has a high capacity for adaptation to changing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Touch mode capacitive pressure sensors (TMCPS) offer superior sensitivity and linearity in comparison to normal mode CPS and have therefore seen substantial improvements in modeling and construction. This study aims to develop a sensor that is highly robust, with near-linear output characteristics, increased sensitivity and superior overload protection, making it an ideal choice for deployment in harsh industrial environments. Design/methodology/approach: The proposed sensor design uses a substrate with a multi-step notch, introducing a new quadruple TMCPS and uses a small deflection model for mathematical analysis. Addition of a multi-step notch to traditional touch mode capacitive sensors results in quadruple touch regions which further enhances its operational range performance. Findings: The simulation of diaphragm deflection in response to pressure is carried out by using COMSOL Multiphysics, whereas MATLAB is used for analytical simulations pertaining to variations in capacitance and capacitive sensitivity. Comparing with earlier models, there is a noticeable enhancement in capacitance, experiencing a fivefold increase. The achieved value stands at 50.1 pF, reflecting improved sensitivity for applied pressure ranging from 0 to 2 MPa. Originality/value: In existing literature to improve the performance of the single TMCPS, a double-sided TMCPS has been developed. To enhance sensor performance, a substrate with a multi-step notch is proposed. The notch creates four touch regions with varying gap depths, resulting in increased capacitance and capacitive sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we investigated the impact of Mn substitution on the morphological, structural, and optical properties of barium strontium titanate (BST) with the formula Ba0.92Sr0.08Ti1−xMnxO3 (x = 0.00, 0.10, 0.20) fabricated using the solid-state reaction technique. The morphological and structural properties were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The optical properties of the samples were analyzed using photoluminescence (PL), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy. SEM micrographs displayed nearly spherical grains. The phase formation, lattice structure, crystallite size (D), strain (ε), and dislocation density (δ) of the Mn-doped BST ceramics were examined from the recorded XRD patterns using the Scherrer and Williamson–Hall (W–H) models, which showed that the crystallite size increased and the lattice strain and dislocation density decreased with increasing doping concentrations. FTIR results for the pristine sample of BST revealed that the absorption peak at a wavenumber of 470 cm−1 was shifted to 1250 cm−1 for Mn-doped BST concentrations. The Raman results indicated that the number of modes decreased with the increase in the Mn2+ concentrations. PL spectra showed an emission band centered at 60–659 nm, indicating redshift behavior. The analysis using XRD, SEM, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the concentration x = 0.20 is appropriate for use in microwave devices and other electro-optical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the clinical features and laboratory parameters of neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE) from India. Patients and methods: We analyzed case records of children diagnosed with NLE in the Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic at tertiary care centre from North India during the period January 1999 - December 2023. Results: Twenty-four babies are diagnosed with NLE during the study period. Median age at diagnosis was 60 days with a female predisposition (Male to female- 1:2). Cutaneous manifestations were reported in 14 (58%) patients. Hepatomegaly was noted in 15 (62.5%), and splenomegaly in 2 (8%). Elevated transaminases were noted in 14 (58%) patients, and cholestatic jaundice in one. Hematological manifestations were noticed in 20 (83.3%), and neurological manifestations were noticed in 8 patients. Most non-cardiac manifestations were self-limiting. Intravenous immunoglobulin was used for phrenic nerve palsy and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Oral corticosteroid was used in a patient with refractory cytopenia, and four patients required transfusions. Cardiac involvement was reported in 13 (54%) patients – 3rd-degree heart block in 9 patients, and 6 were managed with epicardial pacemaker insertion. One patient required pacemaker reimplantation due to infective endocarditis. Congenital hydrops was seen in 3 patients, and required respiratory support and recovery was uneventful. Conclusion: NLE is associated with significant morbidity. More than half had cardiac manifestation, of which 70% had 3rd-degree heart block requiring pacemaker insertion. Other rare clinical manifestations like phrenic nerve palsy and seizures are noticed in our cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Software‐Defined Networking (SDN) paradigm represents a fundamental shift in networking by decoupling the control plane from the data plane in network devices. This architectural change offers numerous advantages, including network programmability and centralized management capabilities, which improve scalability and efficiency compared to conventional network architectures. However, the dynamic nature of network traffic presents overload challenges, both temporally and spatially, especially in multi‐controller SDN settings. To address these challenges, this paper presents an approach leveraging network traffic patterns for dynamic load balancing. The proposed framework optimizes migration strategies to reduce costs and enhance in‐packet request‐response rates. By exploiting load ratio variance across controllers, the architecture identifies optimal migration triplets, encompassing migration‐in and migration‐out domains by selecting a subset of switches. The architecture utilizes online Q‐learning technology to achieve optimal controller load balancing while minimizing associated expenses. The proposed approach ensures stability and scalability by imposing limits to maintain maximum efficiency and reduce migration conflicts. It iteratively converges to an optimal policy through a comprehensive set of simulations performed on switches under a wide range of load distribution situations. These results highlight the effectiveness and adaptability of the proposed methodology in addressing the intricacies present in dynamic network settings, encouraging further progress in the field of SDN technologies and their real‐world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objectives: Structured physical activity (PA) programs help to prevent and manage chronic diseases, yet systematic approaches to identify and enroll patients in these programs are lacking. Exercise is Medicine Greenville (EIMG) is a novel clinic-to-community model that identifies patients with chronic diseases in primary care settings and connects them to a structured, evidence-informed, community-based PA program. This study assessed influences on PA program enrollment using a mixed methods design. Methods: Data were collected from 12 clinics over 18 months. Electronic health record data were used to quantitively compare the characteristics of referred patients who did versus did not enroll. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a subset of non-enrollees to elucidate barriers and facilitators to enrollment. Results: Of the 217 referred patients who were eligible, 84 (38.7%) enrolled in the PA program. A greater percentage of enrollees had a history of high cholesterol (73.8%) relative to non-enrollees (57.9%, χ2 (1, N = 217) = 5.66, P =.02). Twenty-six patients completed qualitative interviews. Three themes emerged from interviews: (1) positive referral experiences with opportunity for enhanced information sharing and improved flow; (2) strong patient motivation, perceived capability, and social support; and (3) external barriers, such as cost and time, that prevented enrollment. Conclusions: Findings can guide improvements to the EIMG model, thus increasing its positive impact on individual- and community-level health. Findings can also inform efforts to build similar clinic-to-community PA models at other health systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to advancements in Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) fabrication technologies, researchers are incorporating numerous innovations in the design of capacitive pressure sensors (CPS). This work aims to present a novel CPS design using a plano-convex substrate to enhance the capacitance and sensitivity. Diaphragm deflection occurs due to its elastic property when pressure is applied to the diaphragm. This deflection reduces the distance between the diaphragm and substrate, thereby remarkably increasing capacitance. The Plano-Convex design offers added advantages of increased contact area between the diaphragm and substrate under applied pressure, hence significantly enhancing sensor sensitivity and range. More efficient and miniaturized CPSs are in high demand in medical instrumentation, aerospace, aviation, power plants and automotive industries. This work presents all the required mathematical calculations, modeling and simulations to support the proposed design. The diaphragm deflection simulation concerning pressure is conducted using COMSOL Multiphysics, while MATLAB is employed for analytical simulations related to changes in capacitance and capacitive sensitivity. A novel Plano-Convex shape substrate in capacitive pressure sensor has been presented with validation in MATLAB and COMSOL for the numerical modeling performed. By employing the small deflection model, a thorough correlation among pressure, capacitance, sensitivity, and diaphragm deflection is established and simulated using MATLAB. The response of the diaphragm to pressure is then analyzed using COMSOL Multiphysics. This sensor exhibits higher sensitivity, this makes it suitable for high pressure applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abundance of plants as a renewable bioresource has captured the significant attention of researchers, driving them to explore new biodegradable polymeric materials. However, there are still many biobased materials with untapped potential, offering opportunities to synthesize novel biodegradable polymers with multifunctional properties. This work provides a unique solvent and catalyst‐free melt polycondensation process to prepare a series of polyesters using zingerol (Zing‐OH), a reduced form of zingerone, as a primary component for the first time. Briefly, Zing‐OH (a ginger‐based component) is employed in conjunction with a variety of renewable resources, such as citric acid (CA), sebacic acid (SA), and xylitol (Xy), to synthesize multifunctional soft tissue‐like ZCSX polyesters. Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) and 1H‐nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy are used to validate the synthesis of the polyesters, while thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and universal testing machine (UTM) are employed to investigate their physicochemical properties. Moreover, the synthesized polyester's thermal, mechanical, and biodegradation properties can be fine‐tuned by simply varying the Zing‐OH feed ratio. The mechanical properties of the synthesized polymer resemble various human tissues, including the liver, uterus, bladder, breast, and temporal and nasal cartilage. This suggests that the synthesized polyesters can potentially be useful in tissue engineering applications. Furthermore, the polyester demonstrated exceptional recovery responses and good shape memory behavior at ambient body temperature. Additionally, as observed from Alamar blue, live/dead assays, and time‐dependent in vitro wound images, the synthesized polyester demonstrated antibacterial activity, good in vitro cytocompatibility, cell proliferation, and wound healing capabilities against mouse fibroblast cells (NIH/3T3). The developed biocompatible polyester also exhibits excellent hemocompatibility for human blood, indicating its potential use in the field of regenerative medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

99 chilli genotypes were screened for yellow mite and thrips incidence under field conditions at Vegetable Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab during 2021. Based on damage score/LCI, mite and thrips population density per six apical leaves, and the percentage of leaf infestation, the genotypes were categorised. The categories included 6 genotypes as resistant, 13 as moderately resistant, 37 as moderately susceptible, 36 as susceptible, and 7 as highly susceptible. 25 chilli genotypes were selected from the field screening and evaluated at Entomological Research Farm under net house conditions in the following season in 2022. The combined results of field and artificial screening identified YB- 583, SL-696, and FLP-640 as resistant genotypes, while PP-418, PUP-661 and SN-721 were identified as highly susceptible. These results suggest that resistant and moderately susceptible genotypes may be used in the development of chilli varieties with resistance to yellow mite and chilli thrips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a replacement for lead-based ceramics, pure and cobalt-doped silver sodium niobate (ANN) perovskite ceramics Ag0.2CoxNa0.8−xNbO3 (where x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08) were synthesized by solid-state reaction. In the present study, the effect of cobalt doping at the A-site on the structural, microstructural and optical properties of prepared ANN specimens is presented. Perovskite orthorhombic specimens were confirmed by x-ray diffraction (XRD) along with a decrease in the average crystallite size with the increase in Co doping. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were conducted to determine the morphology of the fabricated samples. The average grain size of the samples, as found by using ImageJ software, was in the micrometre range and showed a reduction on increasing Co concentration. The optical properties of the samples were studied by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS) and micro-Raman spectroscopy at room temperature. PL analysis confirmed the presence of emission peaks in the visible region at wavelengths of 438 nm, 465 nm, 481 nm, 490 nm, 544 nm and 656 nm. Using UV-Vis DRS analysis, the direct band gap of the samples was calculated by drawing Tauc plots using the Kubelka–Munk equation. The results showed values of 3.21 eV for the pure ANN sample and 3.10 eV, 3.08 eV, 3.05 eV and 3.03 eV for Co-doped samples where x = 0.02, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08, respectively. The FT-IR spectra indicated a strong and sharp absorption peak around 534 cm−1 for all the prepared samples, showing the presence of Nb-O bond stretching and Nb-O-Nb bond bending. Analysis of the recorded Raman spectra showed vibration bands of the prepared ANN samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious concern with multifactorial etiology. Association between prenatal anxiety, pain, and depression has been theorized. Aim: In this randomized controlled trial, we studied the effect of pain relief by combined spinal epidural (CSE) and other factors influencing PPD. Methods: After thorough assessment and obtaining prenatal baseline parameters, parturients were randomly assigned to group 1 (CSE) and group 2 (control) (n = 31 each). Group 1 received 0.5 ml of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine with 12.5 mcg of fentanyl intrathecally and 6 ml of 0.1% levobupivacaine with 2 mcg/ml fentanyl programmed intermittent epidural bolus every 60 min and patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) bolus of the same drug with a lockout interval of 15 min. Group 2 underwent normal vaginal delivery without neuraxial analgesia. Patients in both the groups were assessed for PPD using Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at day 3 and 6 weeks postpartum. Results: The EPDS score at 6 weeks postpartum was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 (P < 0.05). The pain score assessed using visual analog scale was significantly lesser in group 1 than in group 2 (P < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that prenatal anxiety, greater pain interference scores, and perceived stress were major determinants of PPD. Conclusion: CSE analgesia using PCEA pump with PIEB facility in laboring parturients resulted in lesser EPDS scores and hence lesser postpartum depression. Effective pain control may be an important component to prevent PPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence technologies has enabled machines to comprehend emotional intelligence. Among various indicators, facial expressions serve as an effective medium for understanding emotions. The concept of facial expression recognition (FER) relies heavily on the accurate and robust features available. Initially, the method of three-channel convolutional neural networks (TC-CNN) is adapted to extract facial features. However, only extracting the features is insufficient, the optimization of the extracted features is crucial to determining precise and robust features. This research work focuses on the optimization of the features using the quantum-inspired vortex search algorithm (QVSA). The QVSA integrates the attributes of Q-bits into the vortex search algorithm (VSA), optimizing the features by using the Q-bits to determine the vortex center on the Bloch sphere. The Q-bit attributes also improve the diversity of the features and help to avoid the premature convergence of the VSA. The final recognition of the facial expressions is performed using the deep neural network method of ResNet101v2. The experiments for facial expression recognition are performed on the datasets of RaFD and KDEF, which include different facial positions such as front pose, diagonal pose and profile pose. Performance comparisons demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed system over state-of-the-art facial expression techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The traditional method of oral examination, though a good tool for assessing the depth and breadth of student's knowledge, has its shortcomings. A variable number of questions with variable difficulty levels by different examiners with different expectations can introduce bias in scores. The process aspect of oral examinations of first-year undergraduate medical students was improved by structuring them and by creating uniformity in the number, time, and difficulty level of questions for assessment, and feedback was taken regarding its acceptance as an improved tool of assessment. Methods: After finalizing the topics, questions from a viva viewpoint were structured and categorized into three difficulty levels covering all aspects of chosen topics validated by subject experts. The number of questions asked per difficulty level, time, and marks given to each question was pre-decided. After briefing the students, the structured viva was conducted, and feedback was taken from students and examiners. Results: The majority (87%) of first-year undergraduate students undertook the structured viva and filled in the feedback form. Nearly all students felt that the structured oral examination was a fair and unbiased assessment tool with less subjectivity compared to traditional viva. Most students (83.9%) felt that the topics were comprehensively covered, and 96.4% of students felt less stressed. Among examiners, there was 100% agreement on the uniformity of questions asked, topics covered, less subjectivity, and no carryover effect. Conclusion: The examiners have accepted it as one of the formative assessment tools for future batches of students and are ready to explore its utility as a summative assessment tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a medium vessel vasculitis mainly affecting children below the age of 5. KD is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in developed countries. Diagnosis of KD is clinical, and there are no pathognomonic laboratory tests to confirm the diagnosis. There is a paucity of studies that have utilized proteomic approach for biomarker discovery in KD. Identification of these biomarkers may be helpful for early and more effective diagnosis and may aid in the treatment of KD. Area covered: The present review focuses on studies that have utilized the proteomic approach in the identification of biomarkers in patients with KD. We have divided these biomarkers into three different categories: the biomarkers used for (a) assessment of risk of KD; (b) assessment of risk of coronary artery aneurysms; and (c) assessment of treatment resistance. Expert Opinion: Efforts to improve the clinical and diagnostic evaluation of KD have focused on general markers of inflammation that are not specific for KD. Identification of a proteomic-based biomarker can reliably and specifically differentiate KD from other diseases and could help in the prompt diagnosis. Comprehensive analysis of the serum proteome of patients with KD may be helpful in identifying candidate protein biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: CVID is the commonest and most symptomatic primary immune deficiency of adulthood. NHLs are the most prevalent malignancies in CVID. The cross-talk between tumor cells and immune cells may be an important risk factor in lymphomagenesis. Areas covered: The present review highlights immune cell, genetic and histopathological alterations in the CVID-associated NHLs. Expert opinion: CVID patients exhibit some notable immune defects that may predispose to lymphomas. T/NK cell defects including reduced T cells, naïve CD4+T cells, T regs, and Th17 cells, increased CD8+T cells with reduced T cell proliferative and cytokine responses and reduced iNKT and NK cell count and cytotoxicity. B cell defects include increased transitional and CD21low B cells, clonal IgH gene rearrangements, and increased BCMA levels. Increase in IL-9, sCD30 levels, and upregulation of BAFF-BAFFR signaling are associated with lymphomas in CVID. Increased expression of PFTK1, duplication of ORC4L, germline defects in TACI, NFKB1, and PIK3CD, and somatic mutations in NOTCH2 and MYD88 are reported in CVID-associated lymphomas. Upregulation of PD-L1-PD-1 pathway may also promote lymphomagenesis in CVID. These abnormalities need to be explored as prognostic or predictive markers of CVID-associated NHLs by large multicentric studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bradykinin-mediated angioedema can broadly be categorised into hereditary angioedema (HAE) and acquired angioedema (AAE). Both HAE and AAE are grossly under-recognised in the country largely because of lack of awareness. Type 1 and 2 HAE is caused by pathogenic variants in the SERPING1 gene that codes for C1-inhibitor protein. Deficiency of C1-inhibitor protein leads to recurrent swelling episodes involving hands, feet, eyes, lips, tongue and genitalia. These episodes are typically not associated with itching or urticaria. Involvement of the larynx leads to a potentially life-threatening episode of choking and, in the past, the mortality because of laryngeal edema used to be as high as 30%. AAE is usually associated with lymphoreticular malignancies; predominantly B cell lymphomas and systemic lupus erythematosus. Angioedema often precedes the diagnosis of primary illness. The clinical features of both AAE and HAE are similar. However, AAE should be suspected in patients with onset of disease in older age. Management of HAE is broadly categorised into three types: on-demand therapy and short-term and long-term prophylaxis (LTP). Patients with AAE also need management of the underlying disease with immunosuppressants. This review focuses on clinical manifestations, diagnostic evaluation, and clinical mimics of HAE and AAE from the perspective of a rheumatologist. The review also briefly discusses the management principles of HAE and AAE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder. The pattern of HAE is different in children as compared to adults. There is limited literature from developing countries where all first-line treatments are either unavailable or not easily accessible. Data of children with HAE were retrieved from medical records of patients registered in the Pediatric Immunodeficiency Clinic at our institute. Of the 206 patients with HAE, 61 were diagnosed before the age of 18 years. Male: female ratio was 1.1:1. Median age at onset of symptoms and diagnosis were 6.2 years (range 1–17 years) and 10.7 years (range 1.5–18 years) respectively. Median delay in diagnosis was 4.9 years (range 0–16 years). The commonest presentation was facial swelling (51/61) followed by swelling of extremities (47/61). Laryngeal edema and abdominal symptoms were reported in 28/61 and 31/61 patients respectively. Abdominal attacks were found to be less common in children as compared to adults. Most patients in our cohort received fresh-frozen plasma (n = 5/61) as on-demand therapy. Long-term prophylaxis included attenuated androgens (n = 25/61) and tranexamic acid (n = 23/61). Median duration of follow-up was 2242 patient months. One patient died on follow-up in this cohort. This is the largest single-centre cohort of pediatric HAE from resource-constrained settings. Facial attacks were more common, and there were significant delays in diagnosis when the age of onset of symptoms was younger. Gastrointestinal symptoms were less common in children than adults. Highlights: One of the largest single-centre cohorts of pediatric HAE and the only one from resource-constrained settings. There were significant delays in diagnosis when the age of onset of symptoms was younger. Abdominal attacks were found to be less common in children as compared to adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Race-based stigma and discrimination have been extensively studied from the perspective of the northeastern community due to their minority status in most states of India. Discrimination experiences of the mainland Indians in the northeastern states, where they are a minority, are little discussed. The Rajya Sabha (upper house of the parliament) Committee of Petitions in 2014 acknowledged that the old settlers were treated as "second-class citizens" in Sikkim. In the present study, we explored the existence and manifestation of discrimination experiences of old settlers who settled in Sikkim before 1975 and perceive themselves to be stigmatized. This study focused on Sikkim because the state merged with India in 1975 and has had less time integrating with migrants or mainlanders than other northeastern states. We conducted nine semi-structured interviews with seven male and two female participants from the Marwari, Bihari, and Punjabi mainland communities. Using thematic analysis, we developed 1 global theme, 2 organizing themes, and 24 basic themes. The analysis showed the existence of discrimination and racism against old settlers and their manifestations at institutional and interpersonal levels. The findings are important from a policymaking perspective as they provide evidence to the conclusion reached by the Rajya Sabha Committee on Petitions and provide valued suggestions for reports on race-based discrimination in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: There are limited data available on the real-world patterns of molecular testing in men with advanced prostate cancer. We thus sought to evaluate next-generation sequencing (NGS) testing in the United States, focused on single versus serial NGS testing, the different disease states of testing (hormone-sensitive v castration-resistant, metastatic vs nonmetastatic), tissue versus plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assays, and how often actionable data were found on each NGS test. METHODS: The Prostate Cancer Precision Medicine Multi-Institutional Collaborative Effort clinical-genomic database was used for this retrospective analysis, including 1,597 patients across 15 institutions. Actionable NGS data were defined as including somatic alterations in homologous recombination repair genes, mismatch repair deficiency, microsatellite instability (MSI-high), or a high tumor mutational burden ≥10 mut/MB. RESULTS: Serial NGS testing (two or more NGS tests with specimens collected more than 60 days apart) was performed in 9% (n = 144) of patients with a median of 182 days in between test results. For the second NGS test and beyond, 82.1% (225 of 274) of tests were from ctDNA assays and 76.1% (217 of 285) were collected in the metastatic castration-resistant setting. New actionable data were found on 11.1% (16 of 144) of second NGS tests, with 3.5% (5 of 144) of tests detecting a new BRCA2 alteration or MSI-high. A targeted therapy (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor or immunotherapy) was given after an actionable result on the second NGS test in 31.3% (5 of 16) of patients. CONCLUSION: Repeat somatic NGS testing in men with prostate cancer is infrequently performed in practice and can identify new actionable alterations not present with initial testing, suggesting the utility of repeat molecular profiling with tissue or blood of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer to guide therapy choices. Repeating NGS testing in men with metastatic prostate cancer can reveal new, actionable alterations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the migration of Bisphenol A (BPA) from packaging containers into take-out vegetable soups and premixed tomato soups through three replicate studies. The samples underwent extraction using solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges, followed by separation on a C18 column. BPA concentrations in the soups were assessed at 15, 30, and 45-minute intervals, consistently revealing undetectable levels (-1, irrespective of material type or contact conditions. These results, conforming to EC regulations, suggest that food-contact materials (FCMs) in the Indian market pose no apparent health hazards during initial use. The absence of detectable BPA levels is attributed to the limited time-temperature relationship during the study. However, caution is warranted as BPA migration can occur with repeated use, emphasizing the importance of considering material quality and intended use of FCMs. The study underscores the significance of understanding BPA leaching under varied conditions, necessitating further research to explore long-term implications. Overall, the findings provide valuable insights for regulators, manufacturers, and consumers, contributing to the ongoing discourse on food safety and using plastic materials in food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical as well as durability properties are pivotal for any type of concrete which gets adversely affected due to cracks that may form due to loading beyond its capacity. Concrete has the intrinsic property to heal itself to some extent but not fully as the passive form of autogenous healing plays an inferior role for a complete repair of a cementitious material. The self-healing capabilities can be enhanced by adding chemical admixtures, polymers, and bacteria strains induced calcium carbonate precipitation, etc. In this paper, the advancements in the development and performance of self-healing concrete using chemical admixtures, polymers, and bacteria strains are reviewed. This systematic review includes the available experimental tests and methodologies investigating self-healing efficiency over the last decade. Further, this review focussed on self-healing materials, the ideology, and opinions of those in the construction field on the direction of self-healing concrete for future applications. It is yet not possible to predict the most appropriate technique, however, a generalized opinion about the effectiveness of the different approaches has been illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barium strontium titanate (BST) is a perovskite material, which is used directly in various applications including thermistors, electromechanical actuators, sensors and ceramic capacitors. Here, we have investigated the impact of dopant (Mn and Co) on synthesized BST nanoparticles and its morphological, structural, vibrational and optical properties have been investigated through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL), FTIR and Raman spectroscopies. SEM image showed the nearly spherical grain for pure BST and doped (Mn and Co) BST samples. The estimated particles were strongly influenced by different dopants, in addition, Mn-doped BST showed maximum grain growth for pure and Co-doped BST samples. XRD patterns have been employed to investigate the microstructural parameters (phase, lattice, crystallite size, strain, dislocation density, etc.). The crystallite sizes have been estimated using the Scherrer formula, showing maximum crystallite size for Mn-doped BST ceramics. Recorded FTIR spectra showed the transmission peak, which is centred at wavenumber of 470 cm−1 (pure BST), was shifted to 1250 cm−1 with Mn-doped BST. Raman spectra exhibited the increased number of modes from pure BST to Mn-doped BST sample. PL showed the emissions bands, which were observed at 602–659 nm. Here, the peak shifted towards higher wavelength from pure BST to Mn-doped BST (red shifting from pure to Mn-doped BST). It revealed that the prepared samples can be employed as suitable photoluminar material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practice of categorizing the galaxies according to morphologies exists and offers crucial details on the creation and development of the universe. The conventional visual inspection techniques have been very subjective and time-consuming. However, it is now possible to classify galaxies with greater accuracy owing to advancements in deep learning techniques. Deep Learning has demonstrated considerable potential in the research of galaxy classification and offers fresh perspectives on the genesis and evolution of galaxies. The suggested methodology employs Residual Networks for variety in a transfer learning-based method. To improve the accuracy of ResNet, an attention mechanism has been included. In our investigation, we used two relatively shallow ResNet models, ResNet18 and ResNet50 by incorporating a soft attention mechanism into them. The presented approach is validated on the Galaxy Zoo dataset from Kaggle. The accuracy increases from 60.15% to 80.20% for ResNet18 and from 78.21% to 80.55% for ResNet50, thus, demonstrating that the proposed work is now on a level with the accuracy of the far more complex, ResNet152 model. We have found that the attention mechanism can successfully improve the accuracy of even shallow models, which has implications for future studies in image recognition tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To identify and know the antimicrobial sensitivities of the aerobic bacteria in patients with acute otitis externa (AOE). Materials and Methods: Sixty-six patients of acute otitis externa were prospectively analysed at a tertiary care centre in North-India from May 2021 to April 2022. Samples for culture and sensitivity were sent to the microbiology department and the results analysed. Results: A total of 50 samples yielded positive results for bacterial cultures. The gram-negative isolates were 60%, and the gram-positive were 40%. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common organism isolated overall (48%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (36%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were found to be most susceptible to piperacillin + tazobactam and imipenem (100%), followed by cefepime (91.67%) and ciprofloxacin (87.5%) while the Staphylococcus aureus isolates were found to be most susceptible to linezolid (100%) and doxycycline (94.44%), followed by clindamycin (88.89%). Conclusion: Causes of bacterial diversity and their varied anti-microbial sensitivities and increasing antimicrobial resistance due to inadvertent use of antibiotics over time has caused change in susceptibility of bacteria. It therefore becomes essential to periodically assess the microbiological flora so as to provide quality and cost-effective treatment to the patient population presenting with AOE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing highly proficient C–X (X = O, N, S, etc.) and C–C bonds by leveraging TMs (transition metals) (Fe, Cu, Pd, Rh, Au, etc.) and enzymes to catalyze carbene insertion into X–H/C(sp2)–H is a highly versatile strategy. This is primarily achieved through the in situ generation of metal carbenes from the interaction of TMs with diazo compounds. Over the last few decades, significant advancements have been made, encompassing a wide array of X–H bond insertions using various TMs. These reactions typically favor a stepwise ionic pathway where the nucleophilic attack on the metal carbene leads to the generation of a metal ylide species. This intermediate marks a critical juncture in the reaction cascade, presenting multiple avenues for proton transfer to yield the X–H inserted product. The mechanism of C(sp2)–H insertion reactions closely resembles those of X–H insertion reactions and thus have been included here. A major development in carbene insertion reactions has been the use of engineered enzymes as catalysts. Since the seminal report of a non-natural "carbene transferase" by Arnold in 2013, "P411", several heme-based enzymes have been reported in the literature to catalyze various abiological carbene insertion reactions into C(sp2)–H, N–H and S–H bonds. These enzymes possess an extraordinary ability to regulate the orientation and conformations of reactive intermediates, facilitating stereoselective carbene transfers. However, the absence of a suitable stereochemical model has impeded the development of asymmetric reactions employing a lone chiral catalyst, including enzymes. There is a pressing need to investigate alternative mechanisms and models to enhance our comprehension of stereoselectivity in these processes, which will be crucial for advancing the fields of asymmetric synthesis and biocatalysis. The current review aims to provide details on the mechanistic aspects of the asymmetric X–H and C(sp2)–H insertion reactions catalyzed by Fe, Cu, Pd, Rh, Au, and enzymes, focusing on the detailed mechanism and stereochemical model. The review is divided into sections focusing on a specific X–H/C(sp2)–H bond type catalyzed by different TMs and enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IoT devices generate a massive amount of sensitive data, which is transferred tremendously to the cloud for processing and decision-making. The most significant issues that need to be solved for IoT devices are improving energy efficiency and guaranteeing data security while several devices are connected. In this paper, for edge computing, a hybrid algorithm is proposed that uses compression and encryption in the same manner to improve efficiency in terms of energy and data security in IoT devices. The authenticated encryption with associated data (AEAD) ChaCha12-Poly1305 algorithm and improved SZ 2.1 compression are used in this hybrid architecture. While sending the data to the edge, confidentiality, integrity, and authentication are maintained. Several experiments were conducted considering the driver stress detection dataset (Bernstein DJ. Lecture Notes in Computer Science including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics 4986:84–97 (2008); Lakshminarasimhan S et al. LNCS 6852(1):366–379 (2011)) and gas-sensor dataset (Ibarria L et al. Comput Graph Forum 22(3):343–348 (2003)) for monitoring the home activity to validate this approach. The performance of the proposed improved SZ 2.1 compression algorithm is compared with the five baseline algorithms including SZ 1.4, original SZ 2.1, selective compression, algorithm-based fault tolerance (ABFT), and digit rounding algorithms. The key parameters used in the experiment to measure the performance of the proposed algorithm are data reduction, compression ratio, power consumption, encryption time, total processing time, and error. Using the improved SZ 2.1 compression algorithm in conjunction with the ChaCha12-Poly1305 AEAD algorithm, the device's battery life is also enhanced by about 10% while ensuring the security of data disseminated to the Edge. The use of the proposed secure hybrid model reduces both encryption and overall processing time by 95% and 98% respectively for both datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the possibility of symmetry-lowering induced by pseudo-Jahn–Teller interactions in six previously studied azaphenalenes that are known to have their first excited singlet state (S1) lower in energy than the triplet state (T1). The primary aim of this study is to explore whether Hund's rule violation is observed in these molecules when their structures are distorted from C2v or D3h point group symmetries by vibronic coupling. Along two interatomic distances connecting these point groups to their subgroups Cs or C3h, we relaxed the other internal degrees of freedom and calculated two-dimensional potential energy subsurfaces. The many-body perturbation theory (MP2) suggests that the high-symmetry structures are the energy minima for all six systems. However, single-point energy calculations using the coupled-cluster method (CCSD(T)) indicate symmetry lowering in four cases. The singlet–triplet energy gap plotted on the potential energy surface also shows variations when deviating from high-symmetry structures. A full geometry optimization at the CCSD(T) level with the cc-pVTZ basis set reveals that the D3h structure of cyclazine (1AP) is a saddle point, connecting two equivalent minima of C3h symmetry undergoing rapid automerization. The combined effects of symmetry lowering and high-level corrections result in a nearly zero singlet–triplet gap for the C3h structure of cyclazine. Azaphenalenes containing nitrogen atoms at electron-deficient sites – 2AP, 3AP, and 4AP – exhibit more pronounced in-plane structural distortion; the effect is captured by the long-range exchange-interaction corrected DFT method, ωB97XD. Excited state calculations of these systems indicate that in their low-symmetry energy minima, T1 is indeed lower in energy than S1, upholding the validity of Hund's rule. Jahn–Teller analysis predicts the symmetries of the in-plane distortion vibrational modes as or B2: C2v → Cs agreeing with the vibrational frequencies of the saddle-points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the dermoscopic characterization of angiolymphoid hyperplasia in patients with skin of color, focusing on a case series of six patients. The study highlights the usefulness of dermoscopy in diagnosing this rare vascular disorder, noting variations in findings compared to lighter skin phenotypes. The article provides detailed dermoscopic findings, clinical profiles, and histological correlations, emphasizing the importance of recognizing specific features for accurate diagnosis. Additionally, the study compares findings between early and late lesions, offering insights into the diagnostic challenges and differential diagnoses associated with angiolymphoid hyperplasia. [Extracted from the article]

The article "Deciphering the landscape of hereditary angioedema in India: Perspective for Indian dermatologists" published in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology & Leprology provides insights into hereditary angioedema (HAE) in India. It highlights the genetic causes, clinical manifestations, and management strategies for HAE, emphasizing the need for awareness and timely diagnosis. The article also discusses the availability of first-line treatment options in India and the importance of specialized care for patients with HAE. Additionally, it mentions patient advocacy groups like HAE India that aim to raise awareness and improve access to medications for individuals with HAE. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: To study the efficacy of intravenous dexamethasone in preventing postextubation airway obstruction (PEAO). Design: A double-blinded randomized controlled trial. Study setting: The study was conducted in level 3 PICU at AIIMS, Raipur, India, from December 2019 to September 2022. Subjects: Children requiring intubation for at least 24 hours and not beyond 14 days were included. Children with upper airway anomalies or who received corticosteroids within the last 7 days were excluded. Intervention: The children who satisfied the inclusion criteria were randomized into dexamethasone or placebo group by stratified variable block randomization. Dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg/dose) or placebo was given four doses (-12 hr., -6 hr., 0 hr., and 6 hr. of extubation). Outcome: The occurrence of any clinically significant stridor (Westley stridor score ≥3) was the primary outcome. Measurements and main results: Of the seventy (n = 70) children included in the study, 35 received dexamethasone while 35 received placebo. Westley stridor score ≥3 was present in 25.71% (n = 9) in dexamethasone group vs 31.42% (n = 11) in placebo (p = 0.792). Reintubation occurred in 14.28% (n = 10/70) patients, 11.42% (4/35) in dexamethasone group, and 17.14% (6/35) in placebo group (p = 0.734). Five children in the dexamethasone group and six in placebo group died (p = 1.00). There was no difference in the length of PICU stay (p = 0.84) and hospital stay (p = 0.75) among both the groups. Conclusion: Administration of multiple doses of dexamethasone may not help in the prevention of reintubation but may help in the reducing the incidence of clinically significant stridor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable and sustainable energy production has gained significant attention to meet sustainable development goals (SDGs). Pine needles, an abundant typical forestry residue, can be used as a renewable biomass source for sustainable energy production. Pyrolysis is a well‐established and commercialized technique for the thermochemical valorization of lignocellulosic biomass. The present work focuses on improving the bio‐oil yield by introducing SiO2‐Al2O3‐based catalysts, including different zeolites and SiO2‐Al2O3 materials with varying SiO2‐Al2O3 ratios, during the pyrolysis. Bio‐oil yield increased from 45.2 wt.% to 47.2 wt.% with the introduction of SiO2‐Al2O3 catalysts and increased to 51.2 wt.% and 50.6 wt.% with HZSM‐5 and Y‐zeolite, respectively, and decreased to 40.0 wt.% with β‐zeolite catalyst. The pyrolysis experiments of physically mixed biomass and catalyst were carried out in a fixed‐bed down‐flow reactor. Various process parameters such as temperature, retention time, and catalyst‐to‐biomass ratio were examined to evaluate their effect on product yield. The catalyst's introduction slightly decreased phenolic compound content, enhancing carbonyl and hydrocarbon production. Maximum improvement in bio‐oil yield by 6 wt.% was achieved using an H‐ZSM‐5 catalyst at 450°C temperature and 30 min residence time with a catalyst‐to‐biomass ratio of 1:4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor bioavailability (<5%) of thiamin hydrochloride (TH) primarily relates to its impaired permeability across gut mucosa. To modulate its permeability, a dual system based approach consisting of phospholipid complexation embedded into a self nanoemulsifying system was investigated. Thiamin-Phospholipid Complex (TPC) was developed and its Ajwain oil (AJO)-based self nanoemulsifying formulations (SNFs) were evaluated. Formation of TPC complexation was resulted from molecular interactions held between free bases of thiamin and phospholipid (PL). FTIR characterization reveals that the amino group (-NH2) in the free base of thiamin was physically interacted to phosphate linkage in PL. Single endothermic event in TPC & TH, reveals complexation between PL & free bases as interpreted from DSC data. Their corresponding melting point was 127 °C and 258 °C, respectively. Heat of fusion (ΔHf) in TPC was higher than TH or PL. TPC exhibits a poor conductive environment over TH when diluted with ethanol/Tween20 (T2) medium. Lipophilic character of TPC was confirmed from partition coefficient (log P). Exact combination where ternary components produced fully dilutable nanoemulsion system, was identified using ternary diagram drawn between AJO (incorporated with TPC) as oil phase, and Tween20/Polyethylene glycol 600 (PEG600) as Surfactant/co-surfactant (Smix) at ratios 1:1; 1:2 & 2:1. Seven TPC-loaded self nanoemulsifying formulations (SNFs) were designed which, upon subjected to aqueous phase dilution yielded nanoemulsion with droplet size range 95–190 nm with zeta potential −1.78 ± 0.10 mV. Conductivity and Refractive index (RI) data of SNFs were in the range of 98 ± 7.0 to 231 ± 27 μS/cm and 1.458 to 1.463 units, respectively. In vitro TH release from SNF was determined in hydrochloric (HCl) buffer at pH 1.2, and in phosphate buffer solution (PB) at pH 6.8, data interpretation reveals that TPC delayed the release pattern compared to TH and could be attributed to lipophilic behavior of TPC. Intestinal permeability of drug was assessed from optimized SNF (F1) vs. TH across intestinal gut sac model (Apical to basolateral A→B) resulted in a significant difference in permeability coefficient (1.09 × 10−5cm/h). Antioxidant potential of SNF was demonstrated in the DPPH method. MTT assay of TPC formulation conducted on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 (Breast cancer) cell lines showed the developed system from AJO possessed cytotoxicity effect. Pharmacokinetic assessment showed that optimized SNFs produced more than four-fold enhancement in bioavailability over control (TH solution) in the Wistar rat model. Meanwhile Area under curve (AUC) data obtained from TPC (in coarse emulsion) vs.TH produced a significant difference (p < 0.001). It can be concluded that developed SNFs via phospholipid complexation produced lipophilic transformation of TH and its SNFs modulated permeability as well as bioavailability enhancement of thiamin. HIGHLIGHTS: A thiamin-phospholipid complexation (TPC) was developed and its Ajwain oil (AJO) based self-nanoemulsifying formulation (SNF) was investigated for permeability and bioavailability assessment. Physical characterization reveals that phospholipid complexation of thiamin was transformed to TPC, owing to its lipophilic nature embedded into an AJO based self nano-emulsifying system. TPC modulated the intestinal permeability of thiamin at ex-vivo level however it's AJO based SNF produced five fold enhancement in bioavailability over TH solution when orally administered at preclinical studies conducted on experimental rats. SNF produced cytotoxicity in breast cancer cell lines demonstrated that AJO has antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. NOVELTY OF WORK: This study reports the development of phospholipid complexation between free bases of thiamin whereby a highly soluble form of drug i.e. TH was transformed to lipophilic part as TPC. Present work describes about the complete dilutability of developed thiamin-phospholipid complex (TPC) into AJO based self nanoemulsifying formulations (SNF). Studies conducted which demonstrated modulation of the intestinal permeability of thiamin via the nanoemulsifying system design consisting of a biopharmaceutical classification system (BCS) class III drug. A bioavailability enhancement method is reported in this study where the extent of thiamin reached into systemic circulation was 4.5 times higher from complexation approximately. This study encompasses a new method of characterization where the lipophilic nature of TPC and its interaction were examined using reported conductometric methods. Present work is the first ever reporting of a nanoemulsifying system containing Ajwain oil (AJO) and its physical characterization. The underlying work described herein was related to nano emulsification of AJO which further demonstrates in vitro cytotoxicity in breast cancer lines potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in the availability of real‐world data (RWD), in combination with advances in machine learning (ML) methods, provides a unique opportunity for the integration of the two to explore complex clinical pharmacology questions. Here we present a recently developed RWD/ML framework that utilizes ML algorithms to understand the influence and importance of various covariates on the use of a given dose and schedule for drugs that have multiple approved dosing regimens. To demonstrate the application of this framework, we present atezolizumab as a use case on account of its three approved alternative intravenous (IV) dosing regimens. As expected, the real‐world use of atezolizumab has generally been increasing since 2016 for the 1200 mg every 3 weeks regimen and since 2019 for the 1680 mg every 4 weeks regimen. Out of the ML algorithms evaluated, XGBoost performed the best, as measured by the area under the precision–recall curve, with an emphasis on the under‐sampled class given the imbalance in the data. The importance of features was measured by Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values and showed metastatic breast cancer and use of protein‐bound paclitaxel as the most correlated with the use of 840 mg every 2 weeks. Although patient usage data for alternative IV dosing regimens are still maturing, these analyses provide initial insights on the use of atezolizumab and set up a framework for the re‐analysis of atezolizumab (at a future data cut) as well as application to other molecules with approved alternative dosing regimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monthly night-time light (NTL) data can be very useful for studying intra-year socio-economic dynamics. The Earth Observation Group at Colorado School of Mines started providing monthly NTL imagery for free since 2021; based on Defence Meteorological Satellite Program Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) data. In the current study, an attempt has been made to produce an improved monthly DMSP product from 1992 to 2013. The monthly DMSP product suffers from several drawbacks such as spatial inconsistency, random fluctuations in the data for consecutive years, pixel saturation in bright cores, and blooming effect around settlements. As a result, geometric errors, background noise, and radiometric errors persist in the monthly DMSP images. This research tries to address each of these errors by applying various techniques to produce a vigorously tested and improved monthly DMSP dataset consisting of 216 images (1992–2013). Automatic intensity-based registration has been used to register the monthly images to their corresponding annual composite stable light image. Thresholding and land cover data have been used to remove the background noise. Finally, ridgeline regression is implemented considering F14 December 2003 as the reference image. Each technique has been verified by qualitative analysis of the intermediate outputs. The quantitative assessments of the improved monthly DMSP product reveal that it is a good proxy measure when split from 1992 to 2002 and 2003–2013 with an R2 of 0.84 & 0.82 w.r.t GDP and 0.83 & 0.80 w.r.t population in contrast to the original DMSP data with R2 of 0.70 & 0.75 w.r.t GDP and 0.73 and 0.80 w.r.t population. Transect analysis across six urban cities verifies that the improved product shows reduced saturation in urban areas and increased contrast in sub-urban regions. Finally, a consistent monthly DMSP product is delivered to the research community which will be useful for studying time-series intra-year changes in urbanization, economic growth, and other socio-economic dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the impact of nonstrategic seller-induced delays on the buyer's willingness to pay in price negotiations. Price negotiations are often characterized by either the buyer or the seller introducing delays and interruptions. In the bargaining literature, time delays are considered costly and could lower the consumer's incentives to engage in bargaining and also reduce the available surplus if the buyer and the seller engage in bargaining. In this paper, we explore the possibility that unanticipated delays from the seller can change the consumer's willingness to pay (WTP) for the product. In a set of laboratory experiments, we find evidence that, relative to fixed pricing, bargaining can result in an increase in WTP and, consequently, in purchase likelihood. In particular, we find that the increase in WTP exists only when the seller delays the response in an unanticipated manner. Based on the recovered distributions of WTP, we find that the increase in profits under bargaining because of the increase in WTP can be sizable as compared with the gains from pure price discrimination. The results provide evidence that a seller can potentially benefit from manipulating response time but only when such manipulation is not anticipated by the consumer. We provide preliminary evidence of the underlying mechanisms and discuss the implications of these findings for researchers as well as practitioners. History: K. Sudhir served as the senior editor. Supplemental Material: The web appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2021.0296. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a case of a young girl with a rare immune disorder called autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) due to a biallelic FASL gene mutation. The girl developed Hodgkin lymphoma and underwent a successful hematopoietic stem cell transplant as part of her treatment. The case highlights the challenges and successful management of ALPS-FASL and associated malignancies. The study emphasizes the importance of genetic analysis, regular monitoring, and appropriate treatment in such cases. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) are a group of genetically heterogeneous disorders with a wide-ranging clinical phenotype, varying from increased predisposition to infections to dysregulation of the immune system, including autoimmune phenomena, autoinflammatory disorders, lymphoproliferation, and malignancy. Lymphoproliferative disorder (LPD) in IEI refers to the nodal or extra-nodal and persistent or recurrent clonal or non-clonal proliferation of lymphoid cells in the clinical context of an inherited immunodeficiency or immune dysregulation. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) plays a significant role in the etiopathogenesis of LPD in IEIs. In patients with specific IEIs, lack of immune surveillance can lead to an uninhibited proliferation of EBV-infected cells that may result in chronic active EBV infection, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, and LPD, particularly lymphomas. Areas covered: We intend to discuss the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment modalities directed toward EBV-associated LPD in patients with distinct IEIs. Expert opinion: EBV-driven lymphoproliferation in IEIs presents a diagnostic and therapeutic problem that necessitates a comprehensive understanding of host–pathogen interactions, immune dysregulation, and personalized treatment approaches. A multidisciplinary approach involving immunologists, hematologists, infectious disease specialists, and geneticists is paramount to addressing the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges posed by this intriguing yet formidable clinical entity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a transboundary, viral disease of cattle with a significant economic impact on the livestock industry. This study describes the epidemiological investigations of outbreaks of LSD that occurred in 2022 in three Indian states viz., Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan and the genetic characterization of Lumpy skin disease viruses (LSDVs). Also, the population structure analysis of LSDVs was carried out. Out of 138 scab samples tested from suspected cattle for LSDV, 106 were found positive. Of these, nine representative scab samples were further genetically characterized. Phylogenetic analysis based on the P32 and EEV gene sequences depicted that the LSDV strains of the present study had nucleotide identity of 100% and 99.10–99.45%, respectively with the LSDV/2019 field strains of India. Multiple sequence alignment of the EEV glycoprotein gene sequences revealed nucleotide polymorphisms at three positions viz., G178A, G253A and A459G in circulating LSDV/2022 field strains. Based on the median joining network analysis of the EEV gene, 12 haplotypes were identified among the LSDV populations. Population structure analysis corresponding to the EEV gene revealed high haplotype (0.8486 ± 0.026) and low nucleotide diversities (0.00636 ± 0.0006) and negative values for neutrality indices, indicating a high number of closely related haplotypes and the studied population may have undergone a recent expansion. The findings will help in understanding the distribution and dynamics of LSDV populations, which will prove pivotal in designing and implementing effective management and control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data are limited on the genetic profile of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) from developing countries. Here, we report one of the first study on genetic profile of patients with suspected PCD from India. In this prospective cross‐sectional study, we enrolled 162 children with suspected PCD. We recorded clinical features, relevant laboratory tests for PCD and performed whole exome sequencing (WES). We are reporting 67 patients here who had positive variant/s on WES. We had 117 variants in 40 genes among 67 patients. Among the 108 unique variants, 33 were categorized as pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP). We had nine novel variants in out cohort. The 29 definite PCD cases, diagnosed by composite reference standards, had variants in 16 genes namely LRRC6/DNAAF11 (5), DNAH5 (3), CCDC39 (3), HYDIN (3), DNAH11 (2), CCDC40 (2), CCDC65 (2) and one each DNAAF3, DNAAF2, CFAP300, RPGR, CCDC103, CCDC114, SPAG1, DNAI1, and DNAH14. To conclude, we identified 108 unique variants in 40 genes among 67 patients. The common genes involved in definite cases of PCD in Indian patients were LRRC6, DNAH5, CCDC39, and HYDIN. Our findings suggest a need to develop a separate genetic panel for PCD in the Indian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]