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Objective: To compare the effect of planning interventions on self-reported changes in parents supervised oral health-related behaviors (OHRBs) and associated clinical oral health parameters for primary school-age children. Method and materials: In total, 110 parent–child pairs (children aged 3 to 8 years) were randomly assigned to either of the two groups. In the “action planning” group, parent participants of the pair were asked to make an “action plan” using the “how, when, where” format for their child OHRBs. In the “implementation intention” group, parents were asked to form an “if-then plan” to improve OHRBs for their child. Self-reported changes on target OHRBs, change in plaque scores, change in plaque stagnation areas, and change in caries status of tooth surfaces were observed at 2, 8, and 12 weeks. Results: Overall OHRBs scores changed significantly from baseline to 12 weeks for both interventions. The scores were significantly better with “if-then” planning than “action planning” (z = 4, P < .001) at 12 weeks. Plaque scores also changed significantly from baseline to 12 weeks for both interventions, and improved significantly more with “if-then” planning (16.20 ± 5.24) than “action planning” (50.66 ± 11.24) at 12 weeks. The number of plaque stagnation areas also changed significantly from baseline to 12 weeks for both interventions, and improved significantly more with “if-then” planning at 12 weeks (12.80 ± 5.33) than “action planning” (42.76 ± 10.34) (t = −11.55, P < .001). There was significant change in the caries status of sound tooth surfaces with “action planning” at 12 weeks (z = 116.50, P = .023). There were no new caries lesions reported with “if-then” planning at 12 weeks. Conclusion: The study observed significant improvement in OHRBs and associated oral health parameters with planning interventions, preferring “if-then” planning over “action planning.” It also elicited significant barriers to behaviors in action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the theoretical foundations of analogous electromagnetically induced transparency and absorption, which we refer to as coupling induced transparency (CIT) and absorption (CIA), respectively, along with an exploration of the transition between these phenomena. We provide a concise phenomenological description with analytical expressions for transmission spectra and dispersion, elucidating how the interplay of coherent and dissipative interactions in a coupled system results in the emergence of level repulsion (LR) and attraction (LA), corresponding to CIT and CIA, respectively. This theory comprehensively captures both the phenomena while modelling the microstrip line loaded resonators and their couplings systematically. The model is validated through numerical simulations using a hybrid system comprising a split ring resonator (SRR) and an electric inductive-capacitive (ELC) resonator in planar geometry. We analyse two cases while keeping the ELC parameters constant, one involving a dynamic adjustment of the SRR size with a fixed split gap, and the other entailing a varying gap while maintaining a constant SRR size. Notably, in the first case, the dispersion profile of the transmission signal demonstrates LR, while the second case results in LA, effectively showcasing CIT and CIA, respectively. These simulated findings not only align with the theoretical model but also underscore the versatility of our approach. Subsequently, we extend our model to a more general case, demonstrating that a controlled transition from CIT to CIA is achievable by manipulating the dissipation rate of individual modes within the hybrid system, leading to either coherent or dissipative interactions between the modes. Our results provide a pathway for designing hybrid systems that can control the group velocity of light, offering potential applications in the fields of optical switching and quantum information technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of recent measurements suggesting potential lepton flavor universality violations in semileptonic decays at collider experiments, this article provides a concise study of tree- and loop-level B-hadron semileptonic decays, b → c l ν l and b → s l + l - . We provide predictions for lepton flavor violating observables, R J / ψ and R η c , across the entire q 2 range. Our study employs the Relativistic Independent Quark Model (RIQM), highlighting a model-dependent approach to these observables. We compare our model's predictions with existing lattice predictions, demonstrating the strong applicability of the RIQM framework in describing B c decays. Additionally, we reassess global averages for R D (D ∗) and R K (K ∗) in semileptonic transitions. With the upcoming experimental upgrades and the anticipated Run 3 data on B c meson decays, rapid confirmation of these quantities could indicate significant evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model, thereby opening new pathways for understanding the complex flavor dynamics in B meson decays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the structure and evolution of the genomes of four plant pathogenic species of Zymoseptoria, we analyzed the occurrence, relative abundance (RA), and density (RD) of simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in their whole genome and transcriptome sequences. In this study, SSRs are defined as repeats of more than 12 bases in length. The genome and transcriptome sequences of Zymoseptoria ardabiliae show the highest RA (201.1 and 129.9) and RD (3229.4 and 1928.2) of SSRs, while those of Zymoseptoria pseudotritici show the lowest RA (167.2 and 118.5) and RD (2482.2 and 1687.0). The majority of SSRs in the genomic and transcriptome sequences of species were trinucleotide SSRs, while dinucleotide SSRs were the least common. The most common trinucleotide motifs in the transcriptomic sequences across all species were those that encoded the amino acid arginine. As per our motif conservation study, Zymoseptoria tritici (12.4%) possessed the most unique motifs, while Z. pseudotritici (3.9%) had the fewest. Overall, only 38.1% of the motifs were found to be conserved among the species. Gene enrichment studies reveal that three of the species, Z. ardabiliae, Zymoseptoria brevis, and Z. pseudotritici, have SSRs in their genes related to cellular metabolism, while the remaining Z. tritici harbors SSRs in genes related to DNA synthesis and gene expression. In an effort to improve the genetic resources for the orphan species of pathogenic Zymoseptoria, a total of 73,134 primers were created. The genomic resources developed in this study could help with analyses of genetic relatedness within the population and the development of species-specific markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of nemacheilid loach, Schistura sonarengaensis sp. nov., is described from three cave‐dwelling populations (Barak–Surma–Meghna drainage) in the South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, India. The new species possesses prominent eyes but is easily distinguished from all the congeners of the genus Schistura from Barak–Surma–Meghna and adjacent rivers drainages of northeast Indian (except S. syngkai) in having 13–26 vertically elongated to circular mid‐lateral black blotches (brownish in life) overlayered on a grayish‐black mid‐lateral stripe on a dull white or pale‐beige (golden brown in life) body. However, it can be easily distinguished from S. syngkai in having a complete (vs. incomplete) lateral line with more 72–89 (vs. 19–42) lateral‐line pored scales, greater pre‐dorsal length (48.5–53.1 vs. 41.9–44.1 %SL), a wider body at dorsal‐fin origin (11.3–16.7 vs. 9.4–10.3 %SL), greater dorsal (18.1–21.1 vs. 15.1–17.0 %SL) and lateral (20.9–24.1 vs. 17.4–18.9 %SL) head length, a wider head (14.5–18.5 vs. 11.6–13.3 %SL), and moderately forked (vs. emarginated) caudal fin. Further, molecular analysis confirms the distinctiveness of S. sonarengaensis sp. nov. from its congeners found in northeast India by significant divergences with uncorrected genetic distance ranging from 3.7% to 17.3% in the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene dataset. The phylogenetic position of the new species with its sister species was evaluated using maximum likelihood and Bayesian analysis. The species delimitation approaches assemble species by automatic partitioning (ASAP) and Poisson tree processes (PTP) utilized for testing species assignments consistently identified our test group as a distinct species from its sister species. Although the new species lacks typical morphological adaptations usually associated with a subterranean life, such as complete absence (or vestigial presence) of eyes and pigmentation, it exhibits a reduction of pigmentation when compared to the epigean congeners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to conduct a comparative analysis of the occurrence, relative density (RD) and abundance (RA) of simple sequence repeats (SSRs), within the genomic and transcriptomic sequences of four different isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans. Among the whole genome sequences, it was observed that the C. neoformans isolate JEC21 exhibited the most elevated RA (165.3) and RD (2471.8) of SSRs. Conversely, among the transcriptome sequences, the C. neoformans isolate KN99 displayed the greatest RA (145.5) of SSRs. Among the classes of SSRs, trinucleotide repeats exhibited a higher prevalence in both the genomic sequences (50%) and transcriptome sequences (65%) over other repeats. Motif conservation analysis among the isolates demonstrated that 41.1% of motifs were conserved among the isolates of C. neoformans. The study also found unique motifs that could potentially serve as molecular probes for the purpose of isolate identification. A total of 8117 primers were created for the isolates of Cryptococcus to enrich it with genomic resources. The genomic resources created in this study have the potential to aid in the diversity analysis and the creation of markers specific to individual isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present work, synthesis of a nanohybrid material using Fe and MoS2 has been performed via a cost‐effective and environmentally friendly route for sustainable manufacturing innovation. Rice straw extract was prepared and used as a reducing and chelating agent to synthesize the nanohybrid material by mixing it with molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and ferric nitrate [Fe (NO3)3.9H2O], followed by heating and calcination. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) pattern confirms the formation of a nanohybrid consisting of monoclinic Fe2(MoO4)3, cubic Fe2.957O4, and orthorhombic FeS with 86% consisting of Fe2(MoO4)3. The properties were analyzed through Fourier‐transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results of the dynamic light scattering (DLS) study revealed a heterogeneous size distribution, with an average particle size of 48.42 nm for 18% of particles and 384.54 nm for 82% of particles. Additionally, the zeta potential was measured to be −18.88 mV, suggesting moderate stability. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed the presence of both Fe2+ and Fe3+ oxidation states along with the presence of Molybdenum (Mo), oxygen (O), and Sulphur (S). The prepared nanohybrid material exhibited a band gap of 2.95 eV, and the photoluminescence intensity increased almost twice that of bare MoS2. The present work holds potential applications in photo luminescent nanoplatform for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shrinking agricultural land sizes and multiplied food demand have prompted overuse of fertilizers in agriculture, leading to a series of environmental repercussions worsening day after day. In the contemporary scenario, concerns over the magnitude of soil destruction and plant health have shifted the scientific community's attention toward sustainable agricultural practices, including organic farming and the use of organic fertilizers like vermicompost (VC), animal manure, etc. A factorial study using a randomized block design was conducted in the field to appraise the potential of fertilizer and irrigation water on the biochemical and growth responses of Abelmoschus esculentus using different doses of VCs along with and without recommended doses of NPK. All the biochemical analyses were performed at 45 and 65 DAG (days after germination). At both ages, combination of 3-ton ha−1 vermicompost + recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer (120:60:60 kg ha−1) + irrigation water treatments (T5) had the highest protein, chlorophyll, carotenoid, and phenol content and less lipid peroxidation as compared to control (144.28%, 84.21%, 83%, 224.2% and -60.43%, respectively). Also, T5 treatment showed a noticeable increase in the photosynthetic pigments level and reduced heavy metal content in fruits of the test plant at maturity. Statistical analyses, including PCA, Pearson correlation matrix, and MANOVA (p < 0.05), showed that appropriate dosing of VC together with inorganic fertilizer not only augments plant growth and yield, but also helps in reducing the transport of metals to different plant parts, mitigating food chain contamination. However, overdosing on fertilizers could negatively impact the plant's growth and yield. Overall, the research highlights the value of organic agricultural supplements and irrigation water quality, fostering sustainable agriculture in multifaceted ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During evolution Orientia tsutsugamushi became a smarter obligate bacterium to establish as intracellular pathogens. O. tsutsugamushi is a human pathogenic bacterium responsible for 1 billion infections of scrub typhus. Several novel mechanisms make this bacterium unique (cell wall, genetic constitutions, secretion system, etc.). In 2007, O. tsutsugamushi Boryong was pioneer strain for whole-genome sequencing. But the fundamental biology of this bacterial cell is a mystery till date. The unusual biology makes this organism as model for host cell interaction. Only a few antibiotics are effective against this intracellular pathogen but emergence of less susceptibility toward antibiotics make the situation alarming. The review was captivated to highlight the unusual aspects of adaptation, antibiotics, and drugs beyond antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banana peel waste is one of the major contributors in the issue raised from solid waste, however, it can be valorized effectively due to high content of cellulose and hemicellulose. Significant conversion of banana waste includes cellulolytic enzymes and bioenergy production. In the present study, bacterial cellulase was produced using raw banana peel and ripe banana peel under SSF. Additionally, impact of acid pretreatment was investigated as one of strategy to improve cellulolytic enzyme production. A comparative evaluation of raw and ripe banana peels showed that ripe banana peels showed better enzyme production after pretreatment with 0.5% dilute HCl acid. In the series of enhancement of the enzyme production, temperature and pH of the SSF medium were also investigated, and found temperature 35 °C and pH 6.0 were optimum to produce maximum 3.5-U/ml FPA, 39-U/ml BGL, and 54-U/ml EG in 18-h SSF incubation. The study presented eco-friendly waste management to produce industrial enzyme for its promising application in waste valorization and biorefinery area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Paediatric rotary file systems have recently been developed for primary teeth use. Aim: To study the cleaning efficacies of two paediatric rotary endodontic files, the Prime PedoTM, and the Kedo‐SG BlueTM against the standard H files. Design: This in vitro study included 54 freshly extracted primary molars, which were randomised into three groups (n = 18 each) and were prepared using either Kedo‐SG BlueTM, Prime PedoTM or hand H files after injecting methylene blue dye into the canals. Pre‐ and post‐operative cone beam computerised tomography (CBCT) was performed to assess change in root canal volumes. Methylene blue dye removal from canals was assessed using stereomicroscopy, and canal cleanliness was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: Both Prime PedoTM and Kedo‐SG BlueTM files reduced significantly less dentine when compared with conventional hand filing with Prime PedoTM removing the least amount of dentine. No significant difference was found in median SEM scores among the groups in the cervical, middle and apical thirds of the roots. Stereomicroscopic assessment of root canal cleanliness using dye removal technique shows a statistically significant difference existing between Kedo‐SG BlueTM and hand H files groups. Conclusion: Prime PedoTM removed the least amount of dentine. Kedo‐SG BlueTM performed significantly better than conventional hand filing with H files when the root canal cleanliness was assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photon-magnon coupling (PMC) integrates microwave or optical photons with magnons, aiming to exploit their distinct strengths in a unified hybrid quantum system, for potential applications in quantum information science and technology. By utilizing numerical simulations, we design a planar hybrid system comprising a hexagonal-ring resonator (HRR) and yttrium iron garnet (YIG) thin film to explore the interaction between microwave photons and magnons. The anti-crossing effects between the HRR's photon mode and the YIG's magnon modes were observed in |S21|-frequency plots under various externally applied magnetic fields. An equivalent theoretical model, based on coupled oscillators, accurately replicated the observed anti-crossing effect and provided estimates for the PMC strength. Furthermore, we explored the behavior of the photon-magnon interaction by altering the position of the YIG film on the HRR's track width, allowing for a more reliable control of the PMC strength variable within the range of 38.78 to 126.6 MHz (nearly 200%) in the planar-geometry HRR/YIG hybrid system. This study opens avenues for designing novel hybrid systems with effective control over the strength of PMC in a planar geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) outbreaks in children of Eastern Uttar Pradesh (E-UP) region of India have been a longstanding public health issue, with a significant case fatality rate of 20–25%. Since past decade, a rise in chikungunya (CHIK) cases has been occurring, which is a reported etiology of AES. However, the burden of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) among pediatric AES (pAES) is unknown from E-UP. We included 238 hospitalized pAES cases. The presence of IgM antibodies for CHIKV, and Dengue virus (DENV) was tested, and RT-PCR was performed for CHIKV and DENV in serologically confirmed CHIKV and DENV pAES cases. Positive samples were sequenced using Sangers sequencing. Further, to check for co-infection, IgM antibodies for other AES etiologies including Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), Leptospira and Orientia tsutsugamushi (OT) in serum were also investigated. IgM ELISA demonstrated 5.04% (12) positivity for CHIKV. Among CHIKV IgM positive, 3 (25%, 3/12) pAES patients died. CHIKV genome was detected in 3 pAES specimens. Among which, 2 CHIKV cases were also positive for OT DNA. Partially sequenced CHIKV were genotyped as ECSA. The overall finding indicates evidence of CHIKV infection with high case fatality among pAES patients from E-UP. This study advocates constant serological and molecular surveillance of CHIKV in AES endemic regions of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal energy storage technology has evolved as one of the prominent methods of storing thermal energy when it is available and utilized as per the requirements. In recent years, thermal energy storage has found a variety of applications for thermal management, such as buildings, batteries, electronics, cold storage, textiles, and solar thermal systems. Phase Change Material (PCM) has taken the lead among all other thermal energy storage materials because of various merits such as high energy density, ease of use, low cost, low volume change, environmental friendliness, easy availability, and chemical stability. However, limitations such as poor thermal conductivity and leakage during phase transformation limit their applicability. In this study, Shape Stabilized Composite PCM (SSCPCM) was developed to overcome these drawbacks. Paraffin wax and soya wax were used as PCMs and multi-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene oxide were used as nano-additives. High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is used as a supporting matrix. Leakage test suggest maximum loading of 40 wt% and 35 wt% of paraffin wax and soya wax in HDPE without any leakage at elevated temperature. The prepared SSCPCM shows substantially better thermal energy storage capacity along with improved thermal conductivity. A maximum rise of 260.8% in thermal conductivity was observed in paraffin wax supported by HDPE and loaded with 3 wt% of multi-walled carbon nanotube nanoparticles. The heating and cooling performance suggests an improvement in the heating and cooling rate by adding nano-additives. The prepared SSCPCM are also thermally stable at elevated temperatures up to 150 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present study, wastewater quality was evaluated applying multivariate analysis (PCA) and water quality index with respect to the Indian standards in the selected urban areas of Jaipur region, Rajasthan, India. Maximum average values of BOD5, TDS, chloride and fluoride were recorded as 21 mg/L, 1501 mg/L, 285.0 mg/L and 1.8 mg/L, respectively, along with metal concentration in order of Zn (6.31 mg/L )> Fe (0.52 mg/L )> Mn (0.25 mg/L), Cu (0.16 mg/L)> Pb (0.11 mg/L)> Ni (0.02 mg/L). PCA indicates four components extracted with a total variance of 78.48% from the water quality parameters. Wastewater Quality Index (WWQI) analysis emphasis level of pollution load at different sites which revealed 40% of the selected sites were inappropriate for reuse without treatment, however, 60% of the sites with moderate pollution load could be suitably reuse in agricultural and aquaculture. Findings of the present study conclude that multivariate analysis and wastewater quality index could be used as an effective tool for environmental monitoring, assessing, and categorizing wastewater to opt appropriate treatment, reuse and recycling options for sustainable wastewater management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing threat to male infertility has become a major concern for the human population due to the advent of modern technologies as a source of radiofrequency radiation (RFR). Since these technologies have become an integral part of our daily lives, thus, it becomes necessary to know the impression of such radiations on human health. In view of this, the current study aims to focus on the biological effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiations on mouse Leydig cell line (TM3) in a time-dependent manner. TM3 cells were exposed to RFR emitted from 4G cell phone and also exposed to a particular frequency of 1800 MHz and 2450 MHz from RFR exposure system. The cells were then evaluated for different parameters such as cell viability, cell proliferation, testosterone production, and ROS generation. A considerable reduction in the testosterone levels and proliferation rate of TM3 cells were observed at 120 min of exposure as compared to the control group in all exposure settings. Conversely, the intracellular ROS levels showed a significant rise at 60, 90 and 120 min of exposure in both mobile phone and 2450 MHz exposure groups. However, RFR treatment for different time durations (15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min) did not have significant effect on cell viability at any of the exposure condition (2450 MHz, 1800 MHz, and mobile phone radiation). Therefore, our findings concluded with the negative impact of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiations on Leydig cell's physiological functions, which could be a serious concern for male infertility. However, additional studies are required to determine the specific mechanism of RFR action as well as its long-term consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of complexity has become pivotal in multiple disciplines, including quantum information, where it serves as an alternative metric for gauging the chaotic evolution of a quantum state. This paper focuses on Krylov complexity, a specialized form of quantum complexity that offers an unambiguous and intrinsically meaningful assessment of the spread of a quantum state over all possible orthogonal bases. This study is situated in the context of Gaussian quantum states, which are fundamental to both Bosonic and Fermionic systems and can be fully described by a covariance matrix. While the covariance matrix is essential, it is insufficient alone for calculating Krylov complexity due to its lack of relative phase information is shown. The relative covariance matrix can provide an upper bound for Krylov complexity for Gaussian quantum states is suggested. The implications of Krylov complexity for theories proposing complexity as a candidate for holographic duality by computing Krylov complexity for the thermofield double States (TFD) and Dirac field are also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of optical nonlinearity in light propagation through two different 1D open QED lattices is investigated, namely a chain of qubits with direct coupling between the nearest neighbors and a chain of connected resonators to each of which a qubit is side‐coupled. Using the more accurate truncated Heisenberg‐Langevin equations method, a reduction of light transmission with increasing intensity in these lattices is shown due to effective photon–photon interactions and related photon blockade mediated by nonlinearity in qubits. In contrast to the direct‐coupled qubits, a revival in the light transmission is found in the side‐coupled qubits at relatively higher intensities due to saturation of qubits by photons. In absence of bulk dissipation, it is found that the standard quasi‐classical analysis fails to capture the reduction in light transmission due to effective photon–photon interaction. A systemic method is devised to modify the quasi‐classical analysis to give much better results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present communication a new glyptosternine catfish Creteuchiloglanis nuthemuensis, is described from the Duphlokho River in West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, India, which is a headwater of the Kameng River in the Brahmaputra basin. The new species is eminent from all closely related species of the genus by a distinct combination of the subsequent characteristics: presence of long pectoral fin extending over the pelvic fin origin and its reaching posterior end of dorsal fin base, body depth at anus 12–15.8% SL, predorsal length 34.5–35.9% SL, pelvic fin length 16–19.8% SL, adipose fin base length 28.3–33.3% SL, caudal peduncle depth 6.6–7.6% SL, absence of pinnate-like rays on the first branching ray's anterior margin and second simple ray of anal fin, head depth 9.9–11.3% SL, and eye diameter 5.3–7.5% HL. This is the sixth Creteuchiloglanis species described from the Brahmaputra River basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study benzyl hydrazinecarbodithioate (BHDTC) has been subjected to computational calculations. Density functional theory (DFT), Hartree fock (HF) methods with split-valence triple-zeta 6-311G(3df,3pd) Pople style basis sets and semi-empirical methods, Modified neglect of diatomic overlap (MNDO), Parametric method 3 (PM3), Austin model 1 (AM1), Recife model 1 (RM1), Parametric method 6 (PM6) and Parametric method 7 (PM7) were utilized to investigate various properties of BHDTC like, structural parameters, electronegativity (χ), hardness (η), softness (S), HOMO, (LUMO), Ionization potential (I), Hirshfeld surface and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) analysis. DFT/Becke, 3-parameter, Lee-Yang-Parr (B3LYP) approach was also utilized to get theoretical infrared frequencies. The experimental and theoretical structural parameters and IR frequencies were compared methodically, demonstrating a significant degree of consistency between the experimental and theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal healthcare service utilization is a pivotal indicator of a nation's progress in safeguarding the health and well-being of its women and children. In this context, women's empowerment emerges as a critical determinant influencing the utilization of maternal healthcare services. The study aims to assess the relationship between women's level of empowerment and utilization of maternal healthcare services among currently married women in India. Data and Methods: The study uses data from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey conducted in 2019–2021 and analyzed 26,552 (15–49 aged) currently married women who had a live birth in the last 5 years preceding the survey. Additionally, univariate and bivariate analyses, multivariate logistic regression, and the SWPER index were used for the analysis. Results: Over the years, utilization of antenatal care, skilled birth attainment, and postnatal care has increased extensively in India. However, the study found that utilization of services was higher among empowered women, and it varies across the state with the extent of empowerment. State-level analysis shows that the extent of women empowerment was higher in Goa, followed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and lower in Jharkhand, followed by Tripura, so as the utilization of maternal and health care services. The extent of empowerment and utilization of services also varies by level of educational attainment, employment, and socio-economic status. Conclusion: There is a need for comprehensive strategies to enhance women's empowerment through education, employment, political participation, self-awareness, and reduction in gender-based violence and child marriages, which may improve awareness demand for better public health structure, and may ensure higher utilization of maternal healthcare services. Ultimately, these strategies may converse the higher maternal death and child mortality. Significance: What is already known about this subject? Existing literature in India mostly highlights a clear connection between women's autonomy and maternal healthcare services utilization. Women with higher autonomy, decision-making power, and mobility are more likely to use these services. However, in exploring the link between women's empowerment and maternal healthcare, some studies focus on education, employment, and media access among Indian mothers, sidelining broader empowerment dimensions. What this study adds? This study is likely the first to investigate the relationship between women's empowerment and the level of maternal healthcare service utilization in India. It covers key dimensions of women's empowerment, including Attitude to Violence, Social Independence, and Decision-making Power. Moreover, it is possibly the first Indian research paper to employ a survey-based women's empowerment index in this context. Notably, the assessment highlights Social Independence as a significant dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulases are the enzymes of enormous industrial interests. In this study, solid-state fermentation (SSF) of alkali-pretreated orange peel waste has been evaluated to produce fungal cellulase. Different concentrations of alkali solution for the pretreatment of substrate and its impact to maximize the cellulase production have been investigated. Furthermore, process parameters of SSF including different substrate amount, different particle size of substrate, and impact of different moisture contents have been analyzed to achieve maximum cellulase production under the optimized conditions which include pretreatment using 1.0% alkali solution, 7.0 g substrate, 2.2 mm particle size of substrate, and 65% moisture content, wherein fungal strain Emericella variecolor NS3 exhibited the highest cellulase production of 39 IU/gds FP (filter paper cellulase), 236 IU/gds EG (endoglucanase), and 197 IU/gds BGL (β-glucosidase). The produced raw enzyme holds improved thermal and pH stability up to 3.5 h at 65 °C and over pH 4.0–6.0 in the presence of 1.0% nickel cobaltite nanoparticles (NiCo2O4 NPs). Consequently, NiCo2O4 NP–stabilized enzyme exhibited improved hydrolytic efficiency for alkali-pretreated rice husk as compared to control enzyme system. This work may be potentially applied for the mass-scale production of enzyme using orange wastes at industrial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are versatile two‐dimensional (2D) nanomaterials used in biosensing applications due to their excellent physical and chemical properties. Due to biomaterial target properties, biosensors' most significant challenge is improving their sensitivity and stability. In environmental analysis, TMDCs have demonstrated exceptional pollutant detection and removal capabilities. Their high surface area, tunable electronic properties, and chemical reactivity make them ideal for sensors and adsorbents targeting various contaminants, including heavy metals, organic pollutants, and emerging contaminants. Furthermore, their unique electronic and optical properties enable sensitive detection techniques, enhancing our ability to monitor and mitigate environmental pollution. In the food analysis, TMDCs‐based nanomaterials have shown remarkable potential in ensuring food safety and quality. These nanomaterials exhibit high specificity and sensitivity for detecting contaminants, pathogens, and adulterants in various food matrices. Their integration into sensor platforms enables rapid and on‐site analysis, reducing the reliance on centralized laboratories and facilitating timely interventions in the food supply chain. In biomedical studies, TMDCs‐based nanomaterials have demonstrated significant strides in diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Their biocompatibility, surface functionalization versatility, and photothermal properties have paved the way for novel disease detection, drug delivery, and targeted therapy approaches. Moreover, TMDCs‐based nanomaterials have shown promise in imaging modalities, providing enhanced contrast and resolution for various medical imaging techniques. This article provides a comprehensive overview of 2D TMDCs‐based biosensors, emphasizing the growing demand for advanced sensing technologies in environmental, food, and biomedical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several calcium-based compounds are used to reinforce NiTi composite, but their porous structure and high ceramic content degrade its mechanical characteristics. Therefore, the work aimed to combine reinforcement of NiTi composite using marble dust and nano-silver. The NiTiMDAg nanocomposites were successfully synthesized by the powder metallurgy process. A dense and smooth surface with a relative density of 94.93% was achieved for NiTiMD6Ag6 nanocomposite due to the effective interlocking and bonding provided by nano-silver. The XRD shows the formation of NiTi phase (B19′ and B2) and many other phases (i.e., Ni2Ti, Ni3Ti, Ni4Ti3, NiTi2 and NiTiO3). The combined reinforcement (i.e., marble dust and silver) enhances elastic modulus and strength of NiTiMDAg nanocomposite up to 5.63 GPa and 112.48 MPa, respectively. The results show that the Ni release reduced to 4.00 mg.l−1.cm2 and a uniform apatite formed on the NiTiMDAg nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new issue resulting from shifting dietary preferences is effluent from slaughterhouses. Because non-point sources produce the majority of the wastewater from slaughterhouses, treating it is a laborious operation. In this study, Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) was chosen to sequestrate nutrients from slaughterhouses wastewater (at a concentration of 50%) for the removal of pollutants, the generation of lipids, and to enhance the processing of freshwater footprints. The maximum biomass was found 390 mg L−1. Algal growth kinetic investigations backed the Logistic model, which demonstrated greater fitness in predicting a number of important parameters than the modified Gompertz model. Additionally, C. vulgaris is effective at removing pollutant load (32–77% COD and 32–75% BOD) as well as nutrients (33–82% nitrate and 29–78% phosphate). An increasing opportunity for sustainable biofuels is shown by the lipid output (30.7%) throughout the algae culture phase. The first-order model was also useful in figuring out the pollution removal process rate constant. The slaughterhouse wastewater is the good substitute for nutrients removal as well as the production of lipid via reducing the freshwater footprint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a non-invasive technique for analyzing the movement of water in the brain. However, the precision of measurements required for tracking white matter pathways can lead to long scan times, which can be challenging for some patient populations such as pediatric patients. To address this issue, researchers have been experimenting with deep learning techniques for faster estimation of DTI parameters, which are helpful in neurological diagnosis, of diffusion-weighted images. Our proposed solution is a transformer neural network-based approach for fast estimation of diffusion tensor parameters using sparse measurements. While there have been attempts to address this problem, our proposed model handles both scalable and generalized estimation of DTI parameters using multiple sparse measurements. Through experimentation on the Human Connectome Project (HCP) Young Adult benchmark dataset, our proposed model demonstrated state-of-the-art results in terms of fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), and mean diffusivity (MD) when compared to traditional linear least square (LLS) fitting and 3D U-Net model with 16 × 16 × 16 input size (3D U-Net16). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lately, substantial exploration and study have focused on natural products, along with their bioactive compounds. Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) involve progressive neural breakdown and cell loss, culminating in neuronal death. The brain is susceptible to various forms of stress, particularly oxidative stress (OS) caused by the body's oxygen requirements and utilization. The vulnerability of the brain is heightened by the significant presence of unsaturated fatty acids. To gain accurate insights into NDD, various factors such as genetics and environmental risks must be considered, as they can reduce the effectiveness of therapies for NDDs. Addressing oxidative damage and discovering safe and efficient treatments for NDDs are crucial objectives. In this pursuit, bioactive compounds play a vital role in research. Among these compounds, natural elements such as carotenoids, essential oils, essential fatty acids, polyphenols, and phytosterols are captivating due to their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory traits. These qualities hold the potential for enhancing brain health. This review centers on assessing how these bioactive compounds can bolster the brain's limited antioxidant and regenerative abilities, foster neurogenesis, offer neuroprotection, and mitigate NDDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various clinical studies performed in adults have shown the relationship between craniofacial morphology and masticatory muscle function. However, the growth of the masticatory muscle has not received such attention, when compared with the volume of studies on the skeletal growth of face. With this background and considering the widespread use of ultrasonography (USG), the following study was undertaken to provide some insights into the relationship between muscle and bone and facial morphology. Methods: This was a prospective, observational study conducted over a period of three years from 2012 to 2015 to assess the correlation between the thickness of the masseter muscle in Angle's normal occlusion and the various malocclusions of the dental arch as well as the facial form. Patients with a full complement set of teeth, normal tooth morphology, Angle's normal occlusion, Angle's class I-III malocclusion, those with a history of third molar extraction, and impaction were included in the study. Those with a history of any prior orthodontic treatment, restorations, or any missing teeth (except the third molar) were exempted from the study. The greater thickness of masseter muscle in relaxed and clenched state was recorded on USG. Facial morphology was determined with the aid of facial photographs. Results: The study was conducted on 140 patients. The class I normal occlusion group had the thickest masseter muscle, while the class III malocclusion group had the thinnest masseter muscle. Facial parameters showed highly significant gender-wise differences in class I normal occlusion, class I malocclusion, and class II division II malocclusion. There was a significant negative co-relation between the thickness of masseter muscle and facial forms in all the categories of Angle's classification as indicated by a negative regression coefficient B (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The masseter muscle thickness correlated directly with male gender and normal occlusion, and inversely with the degree of malocclusion and facial form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulases are the enzymes of broad industrial interests due to their versatile applications including biomass conversion processing. However, issues, e.g., high production cost of enzyme and lack of suitable bioprocess technology, are the main thirst of this area. Additionally, fungal strains are frequently reported for the cost-effective cellulase and its constituent enzyme production, whereas narrow data are present on bacterial cellulase production. In this study, enhanced endoglucanase (EG) production has been investigated using bacterial strain Bacillus subtilis PF_1. Herein, EG has been produced using waste leaves of water hyacinth (WH), employed as substrate following solid state fermentation (SSF). At an optimum concentration of WH substrate (5.0 g), Bacillus subtilis PF_1 could produce 17 IU/gds EG and 12 IU/gds FP activity in 30 h. Besides, the enzyme activity was further enhanced by changing the particles texture, and maximum 21 IU/gds EG activity was noticed at 30 h in case of rough surface (RS) of WH as compared to smooth surface (SS) which produced only 9 IU/gds. Further, the crude EG enzyme exhibited an optimum incubation temperature of 60 °C at pH 5.0 when it was treated with TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). Moreover, the same enzyme has shown its half-life stability at 60 °C for 4.5 h in the presence TiO2 NPs and the optimum incubation pH 5.0. The present study may have potential applications for cellulase production using WH which is imperative for numerous industrial purposes such as paper/pulp industries, biopolishing, and biomass conversion processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yttrium iron garnet (YIG: Y3Fe5O12) is an ideal magnetic material with potential applications in microwave and spintronic devices. A key prerequisite for seamless integration into current semiconductor electronics is the growth of high-quality YIG films on substrates beyond isostructural Gadolinium gallium garnet. In this context, we present the successful fabrication of YIG thin films with varying thickness (70 ≤ t ≤ 380) on fused quartz substrates utilizing radio-frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering. The Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction data uncovers the formation of body-centered cubic single-phase polycrystalline YIG with the space group of Ia-3d. Saturation magnetization (4πMS) and coercivity (HC), as determined by the physical property measurement system (PPMS), exhibit a dependence on the film's thickness (t). Remarkably, the film with t = 380 nm shows a 4πMS value of 1775, closely resembling the bulk YIG value, with an exceptionally low coercivity (HC < 5 Oe). From ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements, the estimated effective saturation magnetization (4πMeff) is found to be very much different from the 4πMS obtained from PPMS and is attributed to the presence of stressed-induced magnetic anisotropy (HK) in YIG films. The FMR linewidth (ΔH) of the YIG films is found to be quite sensitive to HK and the minimum ΔH value of 80 Oe is observed in the film with the lowest HK. The findings indicate that YIG films deposited on quartz substrates have potential advantages for their application in semiconductor-integrated devices. Importantly, this study delves into the fundamental intricacies of YIG growth on non-garnet substrates and offers a well-optimized recipe for generating high-quality YIG thin films through RF sputtering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the structure and evolution of the genomes of four plant pathogenic species of Zymoseptoria, we analyzed the occurrence, relative abundance (RA), and density (RD) of simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in their whole genome and transcriptome sequences. In this study, SSRs are defined as repeats of more than 12 bases in length. The genome and transcriptome sequences of Zymoseptoria ardabiliae show the highest RA (201.1 and 129.9) and RD (3229.4 and 1928.2) of SSRs, while those of Zymoseptoria pseudotritici show the lowest RA (167.2 and 118.5) and RD (2482.2 and 1687.0). The majority of SSRs in the genomic and transcriptome sequences of species were trinucleotide SSRs, while dinucleotide SSRs were the least common. The most common trinucleotide motifs in the transcriptomic sequences across all species were those that encoded the amino acid arginine. As per our motif conservation study, Zymoseptoria tritici (12.4%) possessed the most unique motifs, while Z. pseudotritici (3.9%) had the fewest. Overall, only 38.1% of the motifs were found to be conserved among the species. Gene enrichment studies reveal that three of the species, Z. ardabiliae, Zymoseptoria brevis, and Z. pseudotritici, have SSRs in their genes related to cellular metabolism, while the remaining Z. tritici harbors SSRs in genes related to DNA synthesis and gene expression. In an effort to improve the genetic resources for the orphan species of pathogenic Zymoseptoria, a total of 73,134 primers were created. The genomic resources developed in this study could help with analyses of genetic relatedness within the population and the development of species-specific markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the structure and evolution of the genomes of four plant pathogenic species of Zymoseptoria, we analyzed the occurrence, relative abundance (RA), and density (RD) of simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in their whole genome and transcriptome sequences. In this study, SSRs are defined as repeats of more than 12 bases in length. The genome and transcriptome sequences of Zymoseptoria ardabiliae show the highest RA (201.1 and 129.9) and RD (3229.4 and 1928.2) of SSRs, while those of Zymoseptoria pseudotritici show the lowest RA (167.2 and 118.5) and RD (2482.2 and 1687.0). The majority of SSRs in the genomic and transcriptome sequences of species were trinucleotide SSRs, while dinucleotide SSRs were the least common. The most common trinucleotide motifs in the transcriptomic sequences across all species were those that encoded the amino acid arginine. As per our motif conservation study, Zymoseptoria tritici (12.4%) possessed the most unique motifs, while Z. pseudotritici (3.9%) had the fewest. Overall, only 38.1% of the motifs were found to be conserved among the species. Gene enrichment studies reveal that three of the species, Z. ardabiliae, Zymoseptoria brevis, and Z. pseudotritici, have SSRs in their genes related to cellular metabolism, while the remaining Z. tritici harbors SSRs in genes related to DNA synthesis and gene expression. In an effort to improve the genetic resources for the orphan species of pathogenic Zymoseptoria, a total of 73,134 primers were created. The genomic resources developed in this study could help with analyses of genetic relatedness within the population and the development of species-specific markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial genome of the freshwater fish species Labeo rajasthanicus was obtained, using Illumina NovaSeq 6000 with 2 × 150 bp paired-end sequencing. The mitogenome of L. rajasthanicus is 16,738 bp in length (GenBank accession no.: OQ834146), comprised of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and a control region, i.e. D-loop. The arrangement of genes was found to be identical to other Cypriniformes fish mitogenome, available in the NCBI database. The taxonomic status of L. rajasthanicus as a valid species was debated by some researchers and it was considered a synonym of L. boggut. However, phylogenetic analysis in the present study supports the species validity of L. rajasthanicus, as it showed a distinct node well separated from L. boggut and supported by a high bootstrap value. Furtherly, the pairwise genetic divergence among studied species showed the divergence between L. rajasthanicus and L. boggut as 1.6% whereas the minimum divergence was found to be 0.13% with L. dussumieri followed by L. fimbriatus (0.58%) and L. gonius (0.63%). The complete mitogenome of L. rajasthanicus will also be useful as a baseline reference genome for the reconstruction and annotation of the mitogenome of other Labeo species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A new name, Dicliptera peguensis R.Kr.Singh, is proposed here as a replacement name for the illegitimate name D. speciosa Kurz, this being a later homonym of D. speciosa Nees & Mart. In addition, two names, D. speciosa Kurz and D. speciosa var. pilosa Kurz, are also lectotypified. The latter name is now considered a synonym of D. kurzii C.B.Clarke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internal subsurface cracks in continuously cast slabs can lead to catastrophic failure of the material when it is subjected to further rolling or shaping. The interplay of multiple factors contributes to the formation of these cracks, making it occasionally challenging to accurately assess slab quality based solely on surface appearance. This paper presents an in-depth exploration of the internal quality of slabs, that aimed to identify the critical parameters responsible for initiating and propagating these cracks. The investigation employs a range of methodologies, including macro- and micro-metallographic analysis, thermo-mechanical simulations, that aid in characterizing defects and understanding material vulnerability. To prevent such failures in cast products, the study also proposes optimized operational parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orientia tsutsugamushi is responsible for causing scrub typhus (ST) and is the leading cause of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in AES patients. A rapid and sensitive method to detect scrub typhus on-site is essential for the timely deployment of control measures. In the current study, we developed a rapid, sensitive, and instrument-free lateral flow assay (LFA) detection method based on CRISPR/Cas12a technology for diagnosing ST (named LoCIST). The method is completed in three steps: first, harnessing the ability of recombinase polymerase for isothermal amplification of the target gene; second, CRISPR/Cas12a-based recognition of the target; and third, end-point detection by LFA. The detection limit of LoCIST was found to be one gene copy of ST genomic DNA per reaction, and the process was complete within an hour. In 81 clinical samples, the assay showed no cross-reactivity with other rickettsial DNA and was 100% consistent with PCR detection of ST. LoCIST demonstrated 97.6% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Overall, the LoCIST offers a novel alternative for the portable, simple, sensitive, and specific detection of ST, and it may help prevent and control AES outbreaks due to ST. In conclusion, LoCIST does not require specialized equipment and poses a potential for future applications as a point-of-care diagnostic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian seabass, Lates calcarifer, is an important species in the Asia-Pacific region and is cultured widely. The growing demand for its seed has led to an increase in commercial introductions from other nations to India. In the current study, we developed novel microsatellite markers and analysed the natural genetic diversity of L. calcarifer. The whole genome was sequenced on PacBio RSII to generate low-depth data. A total of 519 microsatellites were mined from the assembled genome. Genetic diversity and population structure were analysed in L. calcarifer using the newly developed set of microsatellite loci. Most of the loci exhibited high polymorphic information content (PIC) with an average of 0.637. A total of 213 alleles were detected. The mean observed and expected heterozygosity were 0.548 and 0.679, respectively. The probability of identity (PID/PIDsib) demonstrated the utility of loci for individual identification. Moderate to high levels of genetic diversity was evident, with an overall FST of 0.031. The pairwise FST and AMOVA results showed significant divergence among the populations and suggested that the samples were not drawn from a single gene pool. The clustering (PCoA and DAPC) suggested the possibility of the presence of distinct genetic populations on Indian coasts. The study developed a validated marker set for deciphering genetic diversity and will be useful for various purposes of conservation and aquaculture, such as identifying selection signatures, parentage assignment, and genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Though over three-fourths of all births receive medical attention in India, the rate of cesarean delivery (22%) is twice higher than the WHO recommended level. Cesarean deliveries entail high costs and may lead to financial catastrophe for households. This paper examines the out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) and distress financing of cesarean deliveries in India. Methods: We used data from the latest round of the National Family Health Survey conducted during 2019–21. The survey covered 636,699 households, and 724,115 women in the age group 15–49 years. We have used 159,643 births those delivered three years preceding the survey for whom the question on cost was canvassed. Descriptive analysis, bivariate analysis, concentration index (CI), and concentration curve (CC) were used in the analysis. Result: Cesarean deliveries in India was estimated at 14.08%, in private health centres and 9.96% in public health centres. The prevalence of cesarean delivery increases with age, educational attainment, wealth quintile, BMI and high for those who had pregnancy complications, and previous birth as cesarean. The OOPE on cesarean births was US$133. It was US$498 in private health centres and US$99 in public health centres. The extent of distress financing of any cesarean delivery was 15.37%; 27% for those who delivered in private health centres compared to 16.61% for those who delivered in public health centres. The odds of financial distress arising due to OOPE on cesarean delivery increased with the increase of OOPE [AOR:10.00, 95% CI, 9.35–10.70]. Distress financing increased with birth order and was higher among those with low education and those who belonged to lower socioeconomic strata. Conclusion: High OOPE on a cesarean delivery leads to distress financing in India. Timely monitoring of pregnancy and providing comprehensive pregnancy care, improving the quality of primary health centres to conduct cesarean deliveries, and regulating private health centres may reduce the high OOPE and financial distress due to cesarean deliveries in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a book review titled "Flowers of labour - Commelinaceae of India." The book provides a comprehensive revision of the Indian Commelinaceae, a family of flowering plants commonly known as "Dayflowers." It includes 15 genera and 130 taxa, with 30 of them being endemic to India. The book is well-written, nicely illustrated, and organized into nine sections, covering topics such as historical outline, methodology, systematic treatment, and cultivated species. Despite a few discrepancies, the book is considered a valuable contribution to the knowledge of Indian Commelinaceae and is recommended for botanical institutions, colleges, universities, and those interested in Dayflowers. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: Qualitative developmental defects of enamel (DDEs) are characterized by an intact hypermineralized surface enamel layer and a porous subsurface hypomineralized layer. This structure is similar to natural early caries lesions, which are effectively arrested by resin infiltration, a micro-invasive clinical procedure. An additional reported effect in early enamel caries is recovery of enamel translucency. Due to structural similarities, a similar mechanism is expected in qualitative DDEs. The objective of the present study was to observe quantitative color masking of qualitative DDEs when subjected to resin infiltration. Method and materials: A total of 70 selected enamel defects were subjected to resin infiltration in a nonrandomized study design. Each defect was subjected to photographic imaging using a digital camera both pre- and post-intervention. Each image was assessed using ImageJ digital software (National Institutes of Health) for CIE L*a*b coordinates. Results: There were significant changes observed in L*a*b coordinates of all DDEs, when subjected to resin infiltration. Conclusion: The resin infiltration intervention was successful in masking the "white" opaque discolorations of developmentally affected enamel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eastern Uttar Pradesh region of India is known for its endemicity of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES). Decades of research have established that Orientia tsutsugamushi, a causative of scrub typhus, is a substantial contributor (>60%) for the AES cases besides other aetiology, but additional factors in the remaining proportion are still unidentified. Rickettsial infections are challenging to diagnose in clinical settings due to overlapping clinical symptoms, the absence of definitive indicators, a low index of suspicion, and the lack of low‐cost, rapid diagnostic tools. Hence, the present study was designed to determine the load of rickettsial infections among AES cases. Furthermore, we aim to find out the prevalent rickettsial species in AES cases as well as in the vector population at this location. The study included the whole blood/cerebrospinal fluid of AES patients and arthropod specimens from rodents. The molecular identification was performed using the 23S‐5S intergenic spacer region and ompB gene with genomic DNA obtained from studied specimens. We detected 5.34% (62/1160) of rickettsial infection in AES cases. Among these, phylogenetic analysis confirmed the presence of 54.8% Rickettsia conorii (n = 34) and 16.1% of Rickettsia felis (n = 10), while the rest proportion of the isolates was unidentified at the species level. Furthermore, R. felis was identified in one CSF sample from AES patients and three flea samples from Xenopsylla cheopis. Rickettsia spp. was also confirmed in one Ornithonyssus bacoti mite sample. The results of this investigation concluded the presence of spotted fever group Rickettsia spp. among AES identified cases as well as in the mite and flea vectors that infest rodents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the quantum kinetic-theory description for interacting massive spin-half fermions using the Wigner function formalism. We derive a general kinetic theory description assuming that the spin effects appear at the classical and quantum level. To track the effect of such different contributions, we use the semi-classical expansion method to obtain the generalized dynamical equations including spin, analogous to the classical Boltzmann equation. This approach can be used to obtain a collision kernel involving local as well as non-local collisions among the microscopic constituent of the system and eventually, a framework of spin hydrodynamics ensuring the conservation of the energy-momentum tensor and total angular momentum tensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the coming decades, the pressure to use saline water will increase as most of the natural resources with good water quality are being depleted. In order to avoid more stress on the soil plant system, a better understanding of the type of amendments and their integration with the irrigational water quality of any location-specific region is essential. Utilizing salt-affected lands in the best way possible will facilitate food security for the growing human population. An experiment was conducted with the Abelmoschus esculentus L. plant, irrigated with saline water having different NaCl gradients (0, 50, 100 and 150 mM), to evaluate the biochemical and physiological responses under different salinity gradients. Additionally, the effect of compost and vermicompost amendments in soil on plant responses to the changing salinity of irrigated water was observed. The results suggested that the addition of compost and vermicompost in soil not only suppressed the adverse impact of salinity in plants but also increased soil nutrients (TKN, OC, avail. P, avail. K and avail. Ca contents). Moreover, some biochemical parameters and plant growth parameters showed better traits in such manure-amended setups. The enhancement of proline, phenol, ascorbic acid and lipid peroxidation contents in the leaves of Abelmoschus esculentus L. under high salinity levels suggests some secondary metabolite-mediated response possibly due to stress caused by soil salt accumulations. In summary, crop production could be efficiently maintained in saline water-irrigated areas after amending the soils with appropriate organic manure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standard relativistic hydrodynamics has been successful in describing the properties of the strongly interacting matter produced in the heavy-ion collision experiments. Recently, there has been a significant theoretical advancement in this field to explain spin polarization of hadrons emitted in these processes. Although current models have successfully explained some of the experimental data based on the coupling between spin polarization and vorticity of the medium, they still lack a clear understanding of the differential measurements. This is commonly interpreted as an indication that the spin needs to be treated as an independent degree of freedom whose dynamics is not entirely bound to flow circulation. In particular, if the spin is a macroscopic property of the system, in equilibrium its dynamics should follow hydrodynamic laws. Here, we develop a framework of relativistic hydrodynamics which includes spin degrees of freedom from the quantum kinetic theory for Dirac fermions and use it for modeling the dynamics of matter. Following experimental observations, we assume that the polarization effects are small and derive conservation laws for the net baryon current, the energy–momentum tensor and the spin tensor based on the de Groot–van Leeuwen–van Weert definitions of these currents. We present various properties of the spin polarization tensor and its components, analyze the propagation properties of the spin polarization components, and derive the spin-wave velocity for arbitrary statistics. We find that only the transverse spin components propagate, analogously to the electromagnetic waves. Finally, using our framework, we study the space–time evolution of the spin polarization for the systems respecting certain space–time symmetries and calculate the mean spin polarization per particle, which can be compared to the experimental data. We find that, for some observables, our spin polarization results agree qualitatively with the experimental findings and other model calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In CNC milling, the feed rate scheduling is a frequently used method to increase machining quality and efficiency. Among the benefits of feed rate scheduling, this paper focuses on controlling the tool load and optimizing the machining time. Although the advantages of feed rate scheduling are undeniable, some areas remain still to be addressed. In order to control the tool load, geometric methods are often used, which are based on keeping a specific parameter, such as chip thickness or material removal rate (MRR) constant. However, a high level of tool load control can only be provided if cutting force models or experimental-based techniques are used. Besides traditional methods, this paper presents an artificial neural network (ANN)-based feed rate scheduling method to keep the tool load constant, using data gained by preliminary cutting experiments. A case study demonstrates that a significantly higher level of tool load control can be achieved with this method as compared to the geometric models. Besides controlling the tool load, the present feed rate scheduling method also addresses the consideration of acceleration limits which is of great importance for practical uses. The application of feed rate scheduling in trochoidal milling is also discussed in detail in this paper. This area has not received enough attention, as due to the limited fluctuation of cutter engagement, the tool load was considered as well-controlled. However, experiments have shown that in the case of trochoidal milling, the introduction of feed rate scheduling can still further increase the machining efficiency. Using the developed ANN-based feed rate scheduling method, significant progress could be made as compared to conventional technologies in controlling the cutting force and optimizing the machining time. In the present case study, a reduction of 50% in machining time was achievable by adjusting the feed rate without increasing the peak value of cutting force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials are gaining enormous interests due to their novel applications that have been explored nearly in every field of our contemporary society. In this scenario, preparations of nanomaterials following green routes have attracted widespread attention in terms of sustainable, reliable, and environmentally friendly practices to produce diverse nanostructures. In this review, we summarize the fundamental processes and mechanisms of green synthesis approaches of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). We explore the role of plants and microbes as natural bioresources to prepare TiO2 NPs. Particularly, focus has been made to explore the potential of TiO2‐based nanomaterials to design a variety of sensing platforms by exploiting the photocatalysis efficiency under the influence of a light source. These types of sensing are of massive importance for monitoring environmental pollution and therefore for inventing advanced strategies to remediate hazardous pollutants and offer a clean environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]