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The prevalence of skin cancer has been increasing for the last few decades. Abnormal growth of cells forms skin lesions, which if not treated at the earliest, may turn into cancer. With the advancement in technology, computer-aided or remote diagnosis is possible, but a lot of efforts are required. An exclusive survey of the work done is required to consolidate the information regarding the various methods adopted to date and to ascertain future opportunities. In this paper, we have reviewed major works that have been proposed to automate the diagnosis of melanoma using dermoscopic images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research article introduces an innovative 1-bit full adder design, leveraging grounded keeper circuitry. To implement full adder, keeper based XOR-XNOR cell -based design approach is used. Achieving full swing output voltage is one of the critical challenges in the designing of full adder. In this paper 8-T XOR-XNOR cell is proposed and simulated using HSPICE software at 90 nm technology node. The introduction of keeper circuit, which decreases propagation delay and offer full output voltage swing, is the primary focus of this research. Furthermore, this work puts forth an original design for a voltage-resilient ultra high-speed low-power keeper-based 1-bit full adder (UHSLPFA). Our research delves into a comprehensive comparison of various full adder designs, focusing on power dissipation (PWR), propagation delay (tp), and power-delay product (PDP). Notably, our proposed 20-T full adder design boasts notably reduced propagation delay and power consumption when compared to the existing counterparts. The envisioned application scope for this voltage-resilient ultra-high-speed-low-power keeper-based 1-bit full adder extends to the development of arithmetic logic units, multipliers, calculators, and graphical processing units. To gauge its voltage resilience, our proposed UHSLPFA is subjected to simulation across a range of supply voltages, from 0.6 to 1.5 V. This evaluation uncovers variations in PWR, tp, and PDP, showcasing the superior resilience of our design compared to contemporary state-of-the-art alternatives. The performance of the proposed full adder is also evaluated in 4-bit ripple carry adder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being a charge transfer Mott insulator with low metal-insulator temperature, disordered LaFeO 3 (as an air electrode) is a potential material for electrochemical engineering. High electronic conductivity and inexpensive catalytic activity are the prime requisites for electrode materials. Here, we systematically substituted hole (Sr) at La-site and electron (Ti) at Fe-site. Our objective is here twofold, first to get material with improved catalytic behavior and to understand the role of bandgap engineering. All the investigated samples are oxygen-rich and show orthorhombic(Pbnm) phase at 300 K. The prominent cation vacancies are closely associated with the self-trapping of carriers. These trapping centers may be detrimental if they shift toward conduction band minima. However, this energy shift can be controlled with proper selection of substitution but require intricate understanding. At 300 K, we observe higher conductivity with band shrinkage for hole substitution, i.e., La 0.5 Sr 0.5 FeO 3 (LSF). A field dependent electrical study reveals trap free conduction for the hole substituted sample while undoped and compensated show ohmic conduction. Our results suggest that there is a correlation between band tuning and corrosion resistance. Dynamic numerical simulation, where interfacial electrochemical behavior up to 4000 s is studied, suggests that LSF has the least surface charge degradation. Experimentally, LSF proves to be a robust and efficient electrode due to chronopotentiometry stability with a potential of 2 V (vs Ag/AgCl) at a higher current of 150 mA/cm 2 in neutral media. Further, this study provides concomitant charge dynamics for these samples and the foster mechanism to get better air electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluates the effect of modulating α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate receptor (AMPAR) by inhibiting them in the acute phase and activating them in the sub-acute phase on post-stroke recovery in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) model of stroke in rats. After 90 min of MCAo, perampanel (an AMPAR antagonist, 1.5 mg/kg i.p) and aniracetam (an AMPA agonist, 50 mg/kg i.p.) were administered for different durations after MCAo. Later, after obtaining the best time point for the antagonist and the agonist treatment protocols, sequential treatment with perampanel and aniracetam were given, and the effect on neurological damage and post stroke recovery were assessed. Perampanel and aniracetam significantly protected MCAo-induced neurological damage and diminished the infarct percentage. Furthermore, treatment with these study drugs improved the motor coordination and grip strength. Sequential treatment with perampanel and aniracetam reduced the infarct percentage as assessed by MRI. Moreover, these compounds diminished the inflammation via reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) and increasing the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) along with reductions in GFAP expression. Moreover, the neuroprotective markers (BDNF and TrkB) were found to be significantly increased. Levels of apoptotic markers (Bax, cleaved-caspase-3; Bcl2 and TUNEL positive cells) and neuronal damage (MAP-2) were normalized with the AMPA antagonist and agonist treatment. Expressions of GluR1 and GluR2 subunits of AMPAR were significantly enhanced with sequential treatment. The present study thus showed that modulation of AMPAR improves neurobehavioral deficits and reduces the infarct percentage through anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and anti-apoptotic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common psychiatric disorder whose underlying pathophysiology is insufficiently understood. The pathophysiology of OCD may be related to abnormalities in the biochemistry of neurotransmitters. Aim: The aim of the present study was to measure the absolute concentration of various metabolites in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and caudate nucleus (CN) in treatment-naive patients with OCD and compare it with healthy controls (HCs). Methods: The present study investigated the metabolic profile of two brain regions, namely right DLPFC and CN, by using single voxel in-vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) in drug-naive patients with OCD (n = 17, mean age = 30.71 ± 10.104 years) and compared it with healthy controls (n = 13, mean age = 30.77 ± 5.449 years). The patients with OCD were recruited after appropriate psychometric assessments. The 1H-MRS experiments were performed using the 3 Tesla (3T) human MR scanner, and absolute concentrations of metabolites were estimated using the LC model. Results: Significantly lower concentration of tNAA in the right DLPFC was observed in the patients with OCD compared to the controls, which may be indicative of neurodegeneration in this region. However, no significant differences were observed in the concentrations of the metabolites between the patients and controls in the CN region. The level of tNAA in DLPFC significantly correlated with the disability level (WHO-DAS) of the patients. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates abnormalities in the metabolic profile of an important region, DLPFC of the CSTC circuit, which is suggestive of neurodegeneration in the region in OCD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnosis of pediatric tuberculosis (TB) remains a major challenge, hence the evaluation of new tools for improved diagnostics is urgently required. We investigated the serum metabolic profile of children with culture‐confirmed intra‐thoracic TB (ITTB) (n = 23) and compared it with those of non‐TB controls (NTCs) (n = 13) using proton NMR spectroscopy‐based targeted and untargeted metabolomics approaches. In targeted metabolic profiling, five metabolites (histidine, glycerophosphocholine, creatine/phosphocreatine, acetate, and choline) differentiated TB children from NTCs. Additionally, seven discriminatory metabolites (N‐α‐acetyl‐lysine, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phenylalanine, lysine, lipids, glutamate + glutamine, and dimethylglycine) were identified in untargeted metabolic profiling. The pathway analysis revealed alterations in six metabolic pathways. The altered metabolites were associated with impaired protein synthesis, hindered anti‐inflammatory and cytoprotective mechanisms, abnormalities in energy generation processes and membrane metabolism, and deregulated fatty acid and lipid metabolisms in children with ITTB. The diagnostic significance of the classification models obtained from significantly distinguishing metabolites showed sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of 78.2%, 84.6%, and 0.86, respectively, in the targeted profiling and 92.3%, 100%, and 0.99, respectively, in the untargeted profiling. Our findings highlight detectable metabolic changes in childhood ITTB; however, further validation is warranted in a large cohort of the pediatric population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a comprehensive examination of the various full adder circuit designs, which form the core of many high computational arithmetic logic circuits in low voltage low power VLSI designs. Any researcher's ultimate objective is to increase speed and efficiency while minimizing the circuit's need for space by optimizing its performance. In this paper, the benefits and drawbacks of several design techniques employed in the development of the full adder have been examined. Various state-of-the-art full adders at the 90nm technology node have also been compared and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the lived experiences of three community school English teachers in Nepal, this article explores the uses of the learners' first language (L1) in English as a foreign/second language (ESL) classes. As the data, we collected the written lived-experience descriptions from the teachers, observed their classes, and interviewed them. We analyzed the data thematically and interpreted them contextually. As the study found, the teachers have their lived experiences of using the L1 for its cognitive roles - namely, for checking learners' understanding, facilitating them in task performance, and increasing understanding on the part of the students in various aspects of language learning - including content, vocabulary, grammar, stories, poems, and cultural concepts. Drawing on the teachers' convictions, we have advanced that the L1 (here, Nepali) does play the role of cognitive bridging in English language learning, particularly when the students have a 'poor English base' (as perceived by the participants in this study), and when both the teacher and the students share a common L1. Hence, the general implication could be that the L1 can function as a support in teaching and learning a second/foreign language (L2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extraction and transport of amino acids through a liquid membrane system is an emerging field of supramolecular as well as biomedical science. In this piece of work, series of podands are used with triethylene and tetraethylene glycol chains having benzonitrile (PBT3, PBT4), anthraquinone (PAT3, PAT4) and naphthyl (PNT3, PNT4) end groups. Extraction and transport studies performed with amino acids: glycine, valine and threonine using these receptors. From the results, it is observed that the extraction efficiency of PBT3 and PBT4 is double than PNT3 and PNT4 podands, and also transport ability is double in PAT3, and PAT4. Thus we conclude that the nitrile group-containing podands (PBT3 and PBT4) are better extractants as well as a carrier than PAT3, PAT4, PNT3, PNT4, in which nitrile groups is a key component for molecular recognition of glycine, valine, and threonine, which are further used in the separation of amino acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biopolymeric nanocarriers have become potential candidates for drug delivery applications due to outstanding virtues such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, low toxicity and low cost. The present study involves the synthesis of such biopolymeric nanocarriers prepared from Aloe vera gel, conjugated with antihypertensive model drugs (atenolol, bisoprolol and propranolol) using ionotropic gelation polyelectrolyte complexation and the determination of entrapment efficiencies, in vitro release of these drugs from nanoparticles followed by the study of release kinetics. The synthesized antihypertensive drug-loaded nanoparticles were undertaken for characterization using Ultraviolet-Visible spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy and Zeta potential measurements and Powder X-ray diffraction analysis. The analysis ended up with confirmation of the semi-crystalline nature of the synthesized drug-loaded nanoparticles with an average size of 86.97±2.17 nm, 78.32±1.97 nm and 89.36±2.15 nm for atenolol, bisoprolol and propranolol loaded Aloe vera (gel) nanoparticles respectively determined with X-ray diffraction analysis. Atenolol and Bisoprolol loaded Aloe vera gel nanoparticles using barium chloride and Propranolol loaded Aloe vera gel nanoparticles using barium chloride followed Korsmeyer-Peppa’s model for drug release with Anomalous (non Fickian) transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Full adders (FAs) are the core elements and substantially impact the performance of digital signal processing applications such as arithmetic logic unit (ALU). In this paper, XOR gate-based FA design is presented that can operate appropriately in the domain of ultra-low voltage (LV) and low power (LP). In this treatise, FGMOS technique is used to elevate the performance in terms of design complexity and to reduce the power requirements. Important device performance characteristics such as power (pwr), delay (tp), power delay product (PDP) and energy delay product (EDP) are explored for the proposed FGMOS XOR gate design, and existing XOR designs are used to assess the results. This research paper presents a low-power FGMOS XOR gate design with a total power consumption of 5.39 pW at 0.7 V supply. Further, in this work, 1-bit FGMOS-based ALU is proposed to perform the functions of full adder, NAND, NOR and XOR. To ameliorate the performance of the circuit, FGMOS-based NAND and NOR gate designs are also proposed in this treatise. Aforementioned full adder and XOR gate along with pass-transistor logic (PTL)-based multiplexers are used to design efficient design of 1-bit ALU at 22-nm technology node. This research paper explicates the utility of FGMOS technique for the designing of high-performance complex digital circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of ketamine given before induction agents in shortening the onset time of neuromuscular blockade with rocuronium bromide can be of use in anesthesia practice. Aim: The aim of the study was to know the effect of ketamine on the time of onset of neuro-muscular block for intubation with rocuronium bromide. Method: Fifty patients of age between 18-60 years and ASA grading I/II undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia who gave valid informed consent were selected, After premedication, patients in Group I received normal saline in 10ml syringe, and group-II received Ketamine 0.5 mg kg-1 in 10 ml syringe. After one minute injection rocuronium in the dose of 0.9 mg kg-1 was administered. The primary outcome noted was effect of ketamine on the time for onset of neuromuscular block and secondary outcomes were any changes in heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure or pulse oximetry values) due to ketamine with rocuronium bromide and effect on duration of neuromuscular block with ketamine and rocuronium bromide. Results The mean onset time of neuromuscular block was more in Group I (control) compared to Group II (ketamine) with p value 0.04. Both groups remained hemodynamically stable. Conclusion: This study revealed that ketamine reduces the onset time of rocuronium for intubation while maintaining stable haemodynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel domino logic XOR /XNOR cell design is presented that is appropriate for low-power and low-voltage domain. The proposed domino XOR/XNOR cell is implemented using Predictive Technology Model (PTM) for CMOS technology using HSPICE simulator at 22-nm node. Important device performance parameters such as propagation delay (tp), power consumption (pwr), power delay product (PDP) and energy delay product (EDP) are investigated, and the results are analyzed with existing XOR/XNOR cells. The proposed design consumes less power as compared to other existing design and hence provides improved PDP and EDP. The same has been validated using simulation results. Consequently, this article carries robustness analysis to study the impact of voltage and temperature variations on power consumption of the proposed circuit. The proposed XOR/XNOR cell is also used to design a power-efficient 4-bit even parity generator (EPG) as an application. This research paper proposes a low-power domino logic XOR/XNOR cell architecture using 0.7 V supply with a total power consumption of 0.314 µW. The proposed power-efficient domino XOR/XNOR cell is strong candidate suitable for biomedical applications. Almost in every biomedical application, analog-to-digital converter (ADC) plays a key role for sensing the different input parameters like pressure and temperature, whereas adders are used as data path in digital signal processing unit. Therefore, the use of proposed XOR/XNOR cell design guarantees power-efficient high-performance portable biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gluten ataxia is a rare immune-mediated neurological disorder caused by the ingestion of gluten. The diagnosis is not straightforward as antibodies are present in only up to 38% of patients, but often at lower titers. The symptoms of ataxia may be mild at the onset but lead to permanent damage if remain untreated. It is characterized by damage to the cerebellum however, the pathophysiology of the disease is not clearly understood. The present study investigated the neurochemical profile of vermis and right cerebellum and structural changes in various brain regions of patients with gluten ataxia (n = 6, age range 40–65 years) and compared it with healthy controls (n = 10, 40–55 years). Volumetric 3-D T1 and T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the three planes (axial, coronal, and sagittal) of the whole brain and single-voxel 1H- magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of the vermis and right cerebellum were acquired on 3 T human MR scanner. The metabolite concentrations were estimated using LC Model (6.1–4A) while brain volumes were estimated using the online tool volBrain pipeline and CERES and corrected for partial volumes. The levels of neuro-metabolites (N-acetyl aspartate + N-acetyl aspartate glutamate, glycerophosphocholine + phosphocholine, and total creatine) were found to be significantly lower in vermis, while N-acetyl aspartate + N-acetyl aspartate glutamate and glycerophosphocholine + phosphocholine was lower in cerebellum regions in the patients with gluten ataxia compared to healthy controls. A significant reduction in the white matter of (total brain, cerebellum, and cerebrum); reduction in the volumes of cerebellum lobe (X) and thalamus while lateral ventricles were increased in the patients with gluten ataxia compared to healthy controls. The reduced neuronal metabolites along with structural changes in the brain suggested neuronal degeneration in the patients with gluten ataxia. Our preliminary findings may be useful in understanding the gluten-induced cerebral damage and indicated that MRI and MRS may serve as a non-invasive useful tool in the early diagnosis, thereby enabling better management of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In ischemic stroke, reperfusion after thrombolysis is associated with secondary brain damage. Dihydromyricetin (DHM), a flavonoid, has shown neuroprotective effects through anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. This study investigates the potential of DHM, given postreperfusion in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) model of stroke in rats. MCAo surgery was performed in male Wistar rats. Reperfusion was performed after 90 min of ischemia. DHM (50 and 100 mg/kg) was administered 10–15 min and 2 h postreperfusion followed by daily dosing for 2 more days. Neurobehavioral parameters and infarct size (TTC staining) were assessed after 72 h. The effective dose (100 mg/kg) was then used to study reduction in infarct size (measured by MRI) and effect on apoptosis (evaluated by protein expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3 and TUNEL assay) in peri-infarct cortex. Furthermore, effects of DHM on neuronal damage and activation of astrocytes were studied by immunofluorescence. Poststroke DHM (100 mg/kg) administered for 3 days showed significant improvements in motor-coordination and infarct damage (TTC staining and MRI). MCAo-induced altered apoptotic proteins were normalized to a significant extent in peri-infarct cortex with DHM treatment. Data from TUNEL assay were complementary to the effects on apoptotic proteins. Additionally, DHM caused a significant reduction in the number of reactive astrocytes when compared with the MCAo group. This study demonstrated the efficacy of subacute DHM treatment in ischemia/reperfusion injury by modulating apoptosis and astrogliosis in the peri-infarct cortex. This suggests the potential of DHM in attenuating disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE The aim of the study was to radiolabel, characterize, and perform in vitro and in vivo assessment of Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) tamoxifen for screening ER expressing lesions in breast cancer patients. METHODS In this study, tamoxifen has been radiolabeled with Tc-99m via Tc-99m-tricarbonyl core. The characterization and quality control tests of Tc-99m-tamoxifen were performed. In vitro recep- tor binding and blocking studies were performed in both positive control (MCF-7) and negative control cell lines (MDA-MB-231). Normal biodistribution studies were performed in female Wistar albino rats. The pilot clinical studies were performed in 4 ER-expressing breast cancer patients. Of the 4 patients, 1 was on tamoxifen therapy. All 4 patients had also undergone Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography. RESULTS Tamoxifen was radiolabeled with Tc-99m via Tc-99m-tricarbonyl core with more than 95% radio- chemical yield. Mass spectra showed a peak corresponding to the molecular weight of Tc-99m- tricarbonyl and Tc-99m-tamoxifen. The site of binding of Tc-99m-tricarbonyl with tamoxifen was determined by proton nuclear magnetic resonance. The Tc-99m-tamoxifen showed 30% binding with MCF-7 and only 1%-2% receptor binding with MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Also, the percentage of receptor binding was drastically reduced (up to 72%) when ER was saturated with 50 times the excess molar ratio of unlabeled tamoxifen. In a pilot patient study, Tc-99m-tamoxifen uptake was observed in primary and metastatic lesions. However, no uptake was observed in a patient who was on tamoxifen therapy. The uptake of F-18-FDG was noted in all the patients. CONCLUSION Tamoxifen was radiolabeled with an in-house-synthesized Tc-99m-tricarbonyl core. The radio- labeled complex has been characterized and evaluated for receptor specificity in in vitro and in vivo studies. Also, this is the first clinical study using Tc-99m-tamoxifen for imaging ER. More patients need to be evaluated to further explore the role of Tc-99m-tamoxifen in ER-expressing lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common malignancy that affects women is breast cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women. Metabolic reprogramming occurs during cancer growth, invasion, and metastases. Functional magnetic resonance (MR) methods comprising an array of techniques have shown potential for illustrating physiological and molecular processes changes before anatomical manifestations on conventional MR imaging. Among these, in vivo proton (1H) MR spectroscopy (MRS) is widely used for differentiating breast malignancy from benign diseases by measuring elevated choline-containing compounds. Further, the use of hyperpolarized 13C and 31P MRS enhanced the understanding of glucose and phospholipid metabolism. The metabolic profiling of an array of biological specimens (intact tissues, tissue extracts, and various biofluids such as blood, urine, nipple aspirates, and fine needle aspirates) can also be investigated through in vitro high-resolution NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution magic angle spectroscopy (HRMAS). Such studies can provide information on more metabolites than what is seen by in vivo MRS, thus providing a deeper insight into cancer biology and metabolism. The analysis of a large number of NMR spectral data sets through multivariate statistical methods classified the tumor sub-types. It showed enormous potential in the development of new therapeutic approaches. Recently, multiparametric MRI approaches were found to be helpful in elucidating the pathophysiology of cancer by quantifying structural, vasculature, diffusion, perfusion, and metabolic abnormalities in vivo. This review focuses on the applications of NMR, MRS, and MRI methods in understanding breast cancer biology and in the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyvinylcarbazole (PVK) exhibits excellent interface properties despite its structural properties playing a dominant role in nanocomposites. In the present work, we attempted to identify the interface and the molecular mechanism in pure and nano ZnO doped PVK samples. The performance of solution-cast foil samples of pure and nano ZnO sensitized PVK samples with similar (Al-Al) electrode combinations was studied by varying temperature from 30 to 170 °C. Polymer samples exhibit dielectric loss maxima around 100±10 C. The peak is shifted towards lower temperatures, and variation is found in short circuit thermally stimulated discharge current (TSDC) study. The results show that the polymer interface and matrix behavior are suitable for microelectronic device applications. The location of the TSDC α-peak is found to be comparable with the α-peak obtained by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. The results obtained by TSDC, XRD, and EDX analysis are in good agreement with the results of TSDC and charge transfer interface of the polymer matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring and repurposing a drug have become a lower risk alternative. Safinamide, approved for Parkinson's disease, has shown neuroprotection in various animal models of neurological disorders. The present study aimed to explore the potential of safinamide in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in rats. Sprague–Dawley rats were used in middle cerebral artery occlusion model of stroke. The effective dose of safinamide was selected based on the results of neurobehavioral parameters and reduction in infarct size assessed 24 h post-reperfusion. For sub-acute study, the treatment with effective dose was extended for 3 days and effects on neurobehavioral parameters, infarct size (TTC staining and MRI), oxidative stress parameters (MDA, GSH, SOD, NOX-2), inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10), apoptosis (Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3 expression, and TUNEL staining), and autophagy (pAMPK, Beclin-1, LC3-II expression) were studied. The results of dose selection study showed significant reduction (p < 0.05) in infarct size and improvement in neurobehavioral parameters with safinamide (80 mg/kg). In sub-acute study, safinamide showed significant (p < 0.05) improvement in motor coordination and infarct size reduction. Additionally, safinamide treatment significantly normalized altered redox homeostasis and inflammatory cytokine levels. However, no change was observed in expression of NOX-2 in I/R or safinamide treatment group when compared with sham. I/R induced deranged expression of apoptotic markers and increased TUNEL positive cells in cortex were significantly normalized with safinamide treatment. Further, safinamide significantly (p < 0.05) induced the expressions of autophagic proteins (Beclin-1 and LC3-II) in cortex. Overall, the results demonstrated neuroprotective potential of safinamide via anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and autophagy inducing properties. Thus, safinamide can be explored for repurposing in ischemic stroke after further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolomics is the comprehensive study of the metabolome and its alterations within biological fluids and tissues. Over the years, applications of metabolomics have been explored in several areas, including personalised medicine in diseases, metabolome‐wide association studies (MWAS), pharmacometabolomics and in combination with other branches of omics such as proteomics, transcriptomics and genomics. Mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy are the major analytical techniques widely employed in metabolomics. In addition, MS is coupled with chromatography techniques like gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC) to separate metabolites before analysis. These analytical techniques have made possible identification and quantification of large numbers of metabolites, encompassing characterization of diseases and facilitating a systematic and rational therapeutic strategy based on metabolic patterns. In recent years, the metabolomics approach has been used to obtain a deeper insight into the underlying biochemistry of neurodegenerative disorders and the discovery of biomarkers of clinical implications. The current review mainly focuses on an Indian perspective of metabolomics for the identification of metabolites and metabolic alterations serving as potential diagnostic biomarkers for neurological diseases including acute spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, tethered cord syndrome, spina bifida, stroke, Parkinson's disease, glioblastoma and neurological disorders with inborn errors of metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer poses a significant health care challenge worldwide requiring early detection and effective treatment strategies for better patient outcome. A deeper understanding of the breast cancer biology and metabolism may help developing better diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Metabolomic studies give a comprehensive analysis of small molecule metabolites present in human tissues in vivo. The changes in the level of these metabolites provide information on the complex mechanism of the development of the disease and its progression. Metabolomic approach using analytical techniques such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has evolved as an important tool for identifying clinically relevant metabolic biomarkers. The metabolic characterization of breast lesions using in‐vivo MRS has shown that malignant breast tissues contain elevated levels of choline containing compounds (tCho), suggesting rapid proliferation of cancer cells and alterations in membrane metabolism. Also, tCho has been identified as one of the important biomarkers that help to enhance the diagnostic accuracy of dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and also for monitoring treatment response. Further, metabolome of malignant tissues can be studied using ex vivo and in vitro MRS at high magnetic fields. This provided the advantage of detection of a large number of compounds that facilitated more comprehensive insight into the altered metabolic pathways associated with the cancer development and progression and also in identification of several metabolites as potential biomarkers. This article briefly reviews the role of MRS based metabolic profiling in the discovery of biomarkers and understanding of the altered metabolism in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salicylaldehyde derived hexadentate Schiff base N,N'-Bis[2-salicylideneamino]ethane-1,2-diamine (TTS) and its complexes with Fe(III), Co(II) and Cu(II) metal ions have been prepared and characterised by elemental analysis, UVvisible, IR, 1H NMR, EPR spectral analysis, mass spectrometry and XRD method. In vitro antibacterial activity of the Schiff base and its metal complexes against Gram positive bacterial strains Staphylococus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Gram negative bacterial strains Enterobacter, Escherichia coli has revealed that the metal complexes are more active to the bacterial strains as compared to that of the Schiff base. The Co-TTS has the highest antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, while the Fe-TTS complex is highly active against Enterobacter, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hexadentate Schiff base N, N'-Bis[2-(salicylidene amino)]ethane-1,2-diamine (TTS) has been synthesized by condensation reaction of salicylaldehyde with triethylenetetramine (TETA) in ethanol and characterized by TLC, M.P., spectral analysis and mass spectrometry. This Schiff base has been used for liquid-liquid extraction and bulk liquid membrane transport studies of transition metal ions (Fe3+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+). The effect of metal ion concentration variation on extraction and transport is studied. The observed trend for extraction and transport of transition metal ions using Schiff base (TTS) is Cu2+> Fe3+> Co2+> Zn2+ ᴝ Ni2+ and Zn2+> Fe3+> Ni2+> Co2+ ᴝ Cu2+ respectively. The result of extraction study shows that TTS has highest extraction efficiency for Cu2+ metal ions followed by Fe3+, Co2+, Zn2+ and Ni2+ metal ions. This can be explained on the basis of cavity fit concept, size and charge density of metal ions and Pearson's HSAB concept. The results of extraction and transport studies reveals that in general the TTS has high extraction efficiency as compared to that of transport, this may be due to TTS adopts a cis conformation with both arms at the same side, which leads to a better predisposed ionophore for metal complexation by bringing the nitrogen and oxygen donor sets closer proximity and form pseudo cavity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article briefly describes principle and use of Partograph in obstetrical practices. This article includes objectives and scope of the tool, the WHO partograph model, the principle of partograph use, components of partograph, problems with the who partograph and advantages and disadvantages of partograph use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biopolymeric nanoparticles were synthesized using Gellan Gum and loaded with Atenolol, an antihypertensive drug by ionotropic gelation (an easy and ecofriendly system) induced by BaCl2 as an ionic crosslinking agent to improve absorption and bioavailability of drug. These nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscope, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and dynamic light scattering techniques. Mean particle size obtained was 85.61 nm by X-ray diffraction, Zeta potential -19.4 mV with fibrous morphology. In order to optimize conditions for in vitro drug release various physicochemical parameters were studied. Different kinetics model were used to analyze in vitro drug release and results indicated that the drug release follows Korsemeyer-Peppa's model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time kinetics of hot carrier degradation (HCD) is modeled using a reaction diffusion drift (RDD) framework. It is incorporated into Sentaurus Device TCAD and validated using conduction mode HCD data in n- and p-channel MOSFETs and FinFETs. RDD-enabled TCAD calculates carrier-energy-initiated generation of interface traps (Δ NIT) and the impact of the resulting localized charges on device parametric drift. HCD at various gate (VG) and drain (VD) biases spanning various modes (VG ≤ and > VD) are simulated for low stress VD (< 3 V). The self-heating (SH)-effect-induced temperature (T) increase is invoked for FinFETs. Data from various experiments are analyzed and a wide range of power-law time kinetics slope (n) is explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the metabolism of prostate cancer (PCa) is important for developing better diagnostic approaches and also for exploring new therapeutic targets. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) techniques have been shown to be useful in the detection and quantification of metabolites. PCa illustrates metabolic phenotype, showing lower levels of citrate (Cit), a key metabolite of oxidative phosphorylation and alteration in several metabolic pathways to sustain tumor growth. Recently, dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) studies have documented high rates of glycolysis (Warburg phenomenon) in PCa. High-throughput metabolic profiling strategies using MRS on variety of samples including intact tissues, biofluids like prostatic fluid, seminal fluid, blood plasma/sera, and urine have also played a vital role in understanding the abnormal metabolic activity of PCa patients. The enhanced analytical potential of these techniques in the detection and quantification of a large number of metabolites provides an in-depth understanding of metabolic rewiring associated with the tumorigenesis. Metabolomics analysis offers dual advantages of identification of diagnostic and predictive biomarkers as well as in understanding the altered metabolic pathways which can be targeted for inhibiting the cancer progression. This review briefly describes the potential applications of in vivo 1H MRS, high-resolution magic angle spinning spectroscopy (HRMAS) and in vitro MRS methods in understanding the metabolic changes of PCa and its usefulness in the management of PCa patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Celiac disease (CeD) is an autoimmune enteropathy caused by gluten intake in genetically predisposed individuals. We investigated the metabolism of CeD by metabolic profiling of intestinal mucosa, blood plasma and urine using NMR spectroscopy and multivariate analysis. The metabolic profile of the small intestinal mucosa was compared between patients with CeD (n = 64) and disease controls (DCs, n = 30). The blood plasma and urinary metabolomes of CeD patients were compared with healthy controls (HCs, n = 39). Twelve metabolites (proline (Pro), arginine (Arg), glycine (Gly), histidine (His), glutamate (Glu), aspartate, tryptophan (Trp), fumarate, formate, succinate (Succ), glycerophosphocholine (GPC) and allantoin (Alln)) of intestinal mucosa differentiated CeD from controls. The metabolome of blood plasma with 18 metabolites (Pro, Arg, Gly, alanine, Glu, glutamine, glucose (Glc), lactate (Lac), acetate (Ace), acetoacetate (AcAc), β‐hydroxybutyrate (β‐OHB), pyruvate (Pyr), Succ, citrate (Cit), choline (Cho), creatine (Cr), phosphocreatine (PCr) and creatinine) and 9 metabolites of urine (Pro, Trp, β‐OHB, Pyr, Succ, N‐methylnicotinamide (NMN), aminohippurate (AHA), indoxyl sulfate (IS) and Alln) distinguished CeD from HCs. Our data demonstrated changes in nine metabolic pathways. The altered metabolites were associated with increased oxidative stress (Alln), impaired healing and repair mechanisms (Pro, Arg), compromised anti‐inflammatory and cytoprotective processes (Gly, His, NMN), altered energy metabolism (Glc, Lac, β‐OHB, Ace, AcAc, Pyr, Succ, Cit, Cho, Cr and PCr), impaired membrane metabolism (GPC and Cho) and intestinal dysbiosis (AHA and IS). An orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis model provided clear differentiation between patients with CeD and controls in all three specimens. A classification model built by combining the distinguishing metabolites of blood plasma and urine samples gave an AUC of 0.99 with 97.7% sensitivity, 93.3% specificity and a predictive accuracy of 95.1%, which was higher than for the models built separately using small intestinal mucosa, blood plasma and urine. In conclusion, a panel of metabolic biomarkers in intestinal biopsies, plasma and urine samples has potential to differentiate CeD from controls and may complement traditional tests to improve the diagnosis of CeD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transistor parametric drift due to conduction mode hot carrier degradation (HCD) is reviewed. The time kinetics in n-channel MOSFETs and FinFETs is analyzed for channel length (LCH) variation from ~ 2~μm to ~20 nm and oxide thickness (TOX) scaling from ~20 to ~1 nm, for drain bias (VD) variation from ~8 to ~1 V, and gate bias (VG) chosen to achieve a maximum HCD for a particular type of device. The time kinetics shape variation from long-channel heavily doped abrupt junction devices through moderately long-channel lightly doped drain (LDD) devices to short-channel devices featuring moderately doped source–drain extensions (SDEs) is reviewed. The temperature (T) dependence of HCD and the comparison of dc and ac HCD stress kinetics are reviewed in long LCH at high VD and in short LCH at low VD stress. The observed data are qualitatively explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transistor parametric drift due to conduction-mode hot carrier degradation (HCD) in n-MOSFETs is reviewed, for long- and short-channel length (LCH) devices having different source/drain (S/D) junction structures. The HCD magnitude and time kinetics shape are discussed for stress under different gate (VG) and drain (VD) biases with varying VG/VD ratio, and without and with substrate bias (VB). Post-dc stress kinetics is discussed. The published data are qualitatively analyzed to identify the roles of different underlying physical mechanisms. In part II of this article, impacts of technology scaling and stress temperature (T) and comparison of dc and ac stress are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide with limited therapeutic interventions. The current study explored proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR)‐based metabolomic approach to elucidate the effect of lercanidipine on neurometabolic alterations in transient model of ischaemic stroke in rats. Methods: In the present investigation, male Wistar rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) for 2 h followed by reperfusion using intraluminal filament method. Rats were randomly divided into three groups as vehicle‐treated sham control, vehicle‐treated MCAo control and lercanidipine‐treated MCAo. Vehicle or lercanidipine (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered 120 min post‐reperfusion. The rat brain cortex tissues were isolated 24 h post‐MCAo and were investigated by 1H NMR spectroscopy through perchloric extraction method. Key findings: A total of 23 metabolites were altered significantly after cerebral ischaemic–reperfusion injury in MCAo control as compared to sham control rats. Lercanidipine significantly reduced the levels of valine, alanine, lactate, acetate and tyrosine, while N‐acetylaspartate, glutamate, glutamine, aspartate, creatine/phosphocreatine, choline, glycerophosphorylcholine, taurine, myo‐inositol and adenosine di‐phosphate were elevated as compared to MCAo control. Conclusions: Present study illustrates effect of lercanidipine on neurometabolic alterations which might be mediated through its antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, vasodilatory and anti‐apoptotic property in MCAo model of stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lymphomas constitute the third most common neoplasm in head and neck region arising from the lymphoreticular system. Malignant lymphomas are divided into Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). NHL comprises approximately 5% of head and neck malignancies and displays a wide range of appearances comparable with Hodgkin's disease. Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are seen in the head and neck region, but extranodal disease, with or without lymph node involvement, is more common among NHL patients. Extranodal involvement includes the areas such as Waldeyer's ring (i.e., the tonsils, pharynx, and base of the tongue), salivary glands, orbit, paranasal sinuses, and thyroid glands. There are several classification systems for categorizing NHL out of which WHO classification for lymphoid neoplasms is mostly followed. This review describes the pathogenesis of NHL and explains some of the important NHL (Marginal zone B-cell Lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To test the feasibility of implementing a brief but intensive hybrid cognitive behavioural therapy (Hybrid CBT) for pain-related insomnia. Design Mixed-methods, with qualitative process evaluation on a two-arm randomised controlled feasibility trial. Setting Primary care. Participants Twenty-five adult patients with chronic pain and insomnia. Intervention Hybrid CBT or self-help control intervention. Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary outcomes measures were the Insomnia Severity Index and interference scale of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). Secondary outcomes measures were the present pain intensity rating from the BPI, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and EQ5D-5L. Results Fourteen participants were randomised to receive Hybrid CBT, 11 to receive the self-help control treatment. Of the 14 in the Hybrid CBT group, 9 (64%) completed all four treatment sessions (4 discontinued due to poor health; 1 due to time constraints). Adherence to the self-help control treatment was not monitored. The total number of participants completing the 12-week and 24-week follow-ups were 12 (6 in each group; Hybrid CBT: 43%; self-help: 55%) and 10 (5 in each group; Hybrid CBT: 36%; self-help: 45%). Based on the data available, candidate outcome measures appeared to be sensitive to changes associated with interventions. Thematic analysis of prepostintervention interview data revealed satisfaction with treatment content among those who completed the Hybrid CBT, whereas those in the self-help control treatment wanted more contact hours and therapist guidance. Other practical suggestions for improvement included shortening the duration of each treatment session, reducing the amount of assessment paperwork, and minimising the burden of sleep and pain monitoring. Conclusion Important lessons were learnt with regard to the infrastructure required to achieve better patient adherence and retention. Based on the qualitative feedback provided by a subset of treatment completers, future trials should also consider lowering the intensity of treatment and streamlining the data collection procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral diseases are the complex host responses composed of a broad array of inflammatory cells, and cytokines, chemokines, and mediators derived from the cells resident in the gingival tissues, as well as from the emigrating inflammatory cells. A chronic polymicrobial challenge to the local host tissues triggers this response, which under certain circumstances, and in a subset of the population, leads to the progressing soft and hard tissue destruction that characterizes periodontitis. The red complex has been proposed as a pathogenic consortium, consisting of P. gingivalis, T. denticola, and T. forsythia. This review has attempted to examine the virulence potential and determinants of these commensal opportunists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of skin has no standard treatment regimen, resulting in recurrences/metastasis. Although, doxorubicin (Dox), an anthracycline antibiotic has demonstrated some degree of efficacy. Molecular imaging can help in assessment of treatment response and prognosis of SCCs. MRI data showed that spin-spin relaxation (T2) time was longer (138 ± 2 msec) in Dox treated Test-II and there is no significant difference in spin-lattice relaxation (T1) time with respective controls. These findings further corroborated with the histology, proliferation index, apoptotic index, and HMGA1 protein expression. Thus, MRI may be a useful tool for monitoring treatment response noninvasively for skin tumor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury generates free radicals and subsequently increases oxidative stress, which leads to renal injury. Tribulus terrestris (TT) has good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Hydroalcoholic extract of different dose of TT was evaluated against mercuric chloride-induced nephrotoxicity. Rats (n = 6) were treated with TT at doses of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg. Drugs were administered orally for 7 days. Single dose of mercuric chloride (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) on the 5th day caused significant elevation of blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, malondialdehyde, liver fatty acid binding protein, kidney injury molecule-1, and kidney mercury level and fall in glutathione, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and histopathological changes in disease control as compared to normal control group (P < 0.001). Dose of TT 200 and 300 mg/kg significantly (P < 0.001) prevented the renal injury, and mercury accumulation in kidney tissues significantly decreases in higher dose, i.e., 300 mg/kg as compared to control group. Our result indicates that the treatment of TT exerted significant protection against renal damage induced by mercuric chloride possibly due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and by decreasing the renal accumulation of mercury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine treatment‐related neurochemical changes in 28 unmedicated obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) patients using 1H‐magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H‐MRS). Methods: We included subjects diagnosed with OCD (n = 28), each with a total duration of illness of less than 5 years, as a study group and age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls (n = 26). The inclusion criteria for the OCD group were right‐handed individuals aged 18 years or older who had not been on any specific treatment for OCD for the last at least 8 weeks and who had no other psychiatric comorbidity. A pre–post and case–control design was employed in which OCD patients underwent 1H‐MRS at baseline and 12 weeks after treatment with escitalopram (n = 21). Clinical assessment was carried out using a semi‐structured pro forma Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale 2.0 before and after treatment. Volume‐localized 1H‐MRS was carried out with a 3‐Tesla Philips MR scanner. Results: Our data suggested higher levels of myoinositol (mI), total choline (tCho), and glutamate+glutamine (Glx) in the medial thalamus at pre‐assessment in OCD subjects as compared to healthy controls and a significant reduction in tCho and Glx after treatment in OCD subjects. The mI levels in the caudate nucleus and Glx levels in the anterior cingulate cortex were significantly correlated with disease severity on the Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. Conclusion: Our study supports the hypothesis of a hyper‐glutaminergic state (as suggested by increased Glx levels) and neurodegeneration (as suggested by increased tCho and mI in the thalamus) in cortico‐striato‐thalamocortical circuitry in OCD patients as suggested by previous studies using MRS as well as other functional imaging studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A SPICE compatible compact modeling framework is proposed for the time kinetics of threshold voltage shift ($\Delta {V}_{T}$) in FinFETs subjected to hot carrier degradation (HCD) stress. The model is valid for the entire drain (${V}_{D}$) and gate (${V}_{G}$) voltage space and calculates the generation of interface traps for pure HCD ($\Delta {V}_{\text {IT-HC}}$) and for negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) ($\Delta {V}_{\text {IT-BT}}$), hole trapping ($\Delta {V}_{\text {HT}}$), and electron trapping ($\Delta {V}_{\text {ET}}$) as necessary, and considers the self-heating effect (SHE). The model is validated by using ultrafast (10- $\mu \text{s}$ delay) measured data from replacement metal gate (RMG) silicon germanium (SiGe) p-FinFETs having a different fin length (FL) and different nitrogen (N%) in the gate insulator stack. A calibrated TCAD framework is used to verify the impact of pure NBTI for varying ${V}_{G}$ and ${V}_{D}$ stress in the presence of SHE but no HCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact hot-carrier degradation (HCD) time kinetics model is proposed for conventional, lightly doped drain, and drain extended MOSFETs and FinFETs. It can predict measured data obtained using different methods such as shift in threshold voltage ($\Delta {V}_{\text {T}}$), linear ($\Delta {I}_{\text {DLIN}}$) and saturation ($\Delta {I}_{\text {DSAT}}$) drain current, and charge pumping current ($\Delta {I}_{\text {CP}}$), for off- and on-state stress conditions. The influences of the gate $({V}_{\text {G}}$) and drain (${V}_{\text {D}}$) bias for large ${V}_{\text {D}}$ range and wide ${V}_{\text {G}}/{V}_{\text {D}}$ combinations, temperature (${T}$), and channel length $({L}_{\text {CH}}$) have been analyzed. The impact of ${L}_{\text {CH}}$ variation on ${V}_{\text {G}}$ dependence of HCD has been modeled. The model parameters are listed for different devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to study the molecular properties of vertically transmitted viruses in early infancy to understand disease progression. P24 having an important role in virus assembly and maturation was selected to explore the genotypic characteristics. Blood samples, obtained from 82 HIV-1 positive infants, were categorized into acute (≤ 6 months) and early (> 6-18 months) age groups. Of the 82 samples, 79 gave amplification results for p24, which were then sequenced and analysed. Amino acid heterogeneity analysis showed that substitutions were more frequent. Several substitution mutations were present in some of the sequences of both the age groups in the functional motifs of the gene namely Beta hairpin, CyPA binding loop, residues L136 and L190, linker region and major homology region. In the acute age group, an insertion of Asparagine residue (N5NL6) was observed in the β hairpin region in one of the sequences. This insertion was accompanied with analogous substitutions of N5Q, Q7L and G8R. In the early age group, a deletion of two residues; VK181−182, was observed at the C-terminal end in one of the sequences. These mutations may impair the structure of the protein leading to defective virus assembly. Protein variation effect analyzer software showed that deleterious mutations were more in the acute than the early age group. Variability analysis revealed that the amino acid heterogeneity was comparatively higher in the acute than the early age group. Variability in the virus was decreasing with the increasing age of the infants indicating that the virus is gradually evolving under positive selection pressure. HLA class 1 binding peptide analysis showed that the epitopes TPQDLNTML and RMYSPVSIL may be helpful in designing epitope based vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of total choline (tCho), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and tumor volume, both individually and in combination of all these three parameters (multi-parametric approach), was evaluated in predicting both pathological and clinical responses in 42 patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) enrolled for neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Patients were sequentially examined by conventional MRI; diffusion weighted imaging and in vivo proton MR spectroscopy at 4 time points (pre-therapy, after I, II, and III NACT) at 1.5 T. Miller Payne grading system was used for pathological assessment of response. Of the 42 patients, 24 were pathological responders (pR) while 18 were pathological non-responders (pNR). Clinical response determination classified 26 patients as responders (cR) while 16 as non-responders (cNR). tCho and ADC showed significant changes after I NACT, however, MR measured tumor volume showed reduction only after II NACT both in pR and cR. After III NACT, the sensitivity to detect responders was highest for MR volume (83.3% for pR and 96.2% for cR) while the specificity was highest for ADC (76.5% for pR and 100% for cR). Combination of all three parameters exhibited lower sensitivity (66.7%) than MR volume for pR prediction, however, a moderate improvement was seen in specificity (58.8%). For the prediction of clinical response, multi-parametric approach showed 84.6% sensitivity with 100% specificity compared to MR volume (sensitivity 96.2%; specificity 80%). Kappa statistics demonstrated substantial agreement of clinical response with MR volume (k = 0.78) and with multi-parametric approach (k = 0.80) while moderate agreement was seen for tCho (k = 0.48) and ADC (k = 0.46). The values of k for tCho, MR volume and ADC were 0.31, 0.38, and 0.18 indicating fair, moderate, and slight agreement, respectively with pathological response. Moderate agreement (k = 0.44) was observed between clinical and pathological responses. Our study demonstrated that both tCho and ADC are strong predictors of assessment of early pathological and clinical responses. Multi-parametric approach yielded 100% specificity in predicting clinical response. Following III NACT, MR volume emerged as highly suitable predictor for both clinical and pathological assessments. PCA demonstrated separate clusters of pR vs. pNR and cR vs. cNR at post-therapy while with some overlap at pre-therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]