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A unilateral absent pulmonary artery with unilateral pulmonary hypoplasia is an exceptionally rare congenital anomaly. This case report details the management of a neonate diagnosed antenatally with absent right main pulmonary artery and right pulmonary hypoplasia. The neonate developed respiratory failure within 24 hours of birth and was successfully managed with invasive ventilation and conservative treatment. Despite episodes of bronchiolitis during infancy, the child demonstrated normal growth and development at 1 year. This case highlights the importance of early diagnosis, multidisciplinary care and vigilant follow-up in achieving favourable outcomes in rare congenital conditions., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2025. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

The present work describes the enhanced cold emission properties of chemically synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) rods after doping with europium (Eu). X-ray diffraction confirms the proper phase formation, whereas energy-dispersive X-ray analysis shows the material stoichiometry. The field emission scanning electron micrographs reveal that Eu doping increases the surface roughness of individual ZnO rods. Also, Eu doping notably enhances the water-repellent properties of ZnO with a water contact angle as high as 130 °. Fourier-transformed infrared spectra provide information regarding different vibrational energy levels present, whereas PL spectra show prominent signals at 440, 466, 580, and 615 nm come from both the host and dopant material. ANSYS-Maxwell simulation predicts a significant enhancement of cold emission properties of the doped ZnO. Experimentally, more than a 2.5-time increment is achieved in the enhancement factor for the doped sample. Also, the turn-on field shows a significant reduction from 5.26 to 2.65 V µm -1 . The reasons behind this enhancement are believed to be changes in material roughness, favorable band bending, and the newly evolved energy state. This work thus establishes the potential of Eu-doped ZnO to be simultaneously used as hydrophobic cold emitters as well as suitable components in optoelectronic devices., (© 2025 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Patients and healthcare systems face significant social and financial challenges due to the increasing number of individuals with chronic external and internal wounds that fail to heal. The complexity of the healing process remains a serious health concern, despite the effectiveness of conventional wound dressings in promoting healing. Recent advancements in materials science and fabrication techniques have led to the development of innovative dressings that enhance wound healing. To further expedite the healing process, novel approaches such as nanoparticles, 3D-printed wound dressings, and biomolecule-infused dressings have emerged, along with cell-based methods. Additionally, gene therapy technologies are being harnessed to generate stem cell derivatives that are more functional, selective, and responsive than their natural counterparts. This review highlights the significant potential of biomaterials, nanoparticles, 3D bioprinting, and gene- and cell-based therapies in wound healing. However, it also underscores the necessity for further research to address the existing challenges and integrate these strategies into standard clinical practice.

Background: Developing a granulomatous liver injury preclinical model may pave the way to understanding hepatic-TB (tuberculosis) and autoimmune granulomatous liver diseases. Antitubercular (ATT) and other drugs' metabolism in the presence of a specific type of liver injury is not well understood. The present study aimed to establish a preclinical model of granulomatous hepatitis by using the BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) vaccine, further studying it in the presence of ATT dosing, and analyze the pharmacokinetics of isoniazid, rifampicin, and their respective primary metabolites., Methods: We used 56 rats in seven equal groups. Group I functioned as a normal control (NC) receiving normal saline only. Groups II-IV received intravenous injections of low-, medium-, and high-dose BCG vaccine daily for 21 days. Groups V, VI, and VII received isoniazid (H) alone, rifampicin (R) alone, and isoniazid + rifampicin(HR) for a subsequent 15 days in addition to high dose BCG for the first 21 days, respectively. Liver function tests (LFT) were monitored on days 0, 21, 28, and 36. Rats were sacrificed later for oxidative stress and histopathological examination., Results: The study observed BCG dose-specific LFT derangements in groups II-IV compared to group I on day 21 (p < 0.05). Isoniazid, rifampicin, and combination intervention groups demonstrated normalization of the BCG-led LFT changes. Histology and oxidative stress parameters confirmed model development and biochemical changes. Isoniazid area under the curve (AUC) showed a reduction of 16.9% in BCG + HR group in comparison to the BCG + H group (p = 0.01). Des-acetyl-rifampicin AUC and maximum-concentration value demonstrated a significant rise in BCG + HR group in comparison to the BCG + R group (p = 0.001)., Conclusion: A novel preclinical model of granulomatous liver injury was developed using the BCG vaccine strain and validated with ATT response., (© 2025 The Author(s). Animal Models and Experimental Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences.)

Herein, we have demonstrated the design and synthesis of a novel Ni-immobilized MOF as heterogeneous catalyst for the dehydrogenation of N-heterocycles. A series of five and six-membered N-heteroarenes bearing one or more heteroatoms were synthesized in up to 98 % yield (>33 examples). Late stage functionalization to the synthesis of β-glucuronides inhibitor, antimalarial drug quinine, and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) indomethacin were obtained under milder reactions conditions. A series of mechanistic studies revealed the detection of H 2 and H 2 O 2 during the progress of the reactions and suggested the involvement of enamine-imine intermediate species for sequential dehydrogenation. Detailed characterization of the fresh catalyst and reused catalyst were performed using SEM, TEM, BET, PXRD, and EDX elemental mappings. The catalyst could be recycled up to four-times without much loss in catalytic activities. In-situ formed defects, pore size enlargement and additional Lewis acid sites within catalyst nanocrystals assisted in attaining high activity and selectivity to N-heteroarenes., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: The Health Equity Collective (HEC), a multi-sector systems-level collective impact coalition in the Greater Houston region, partnered with the City of Houston Health Department (HHD) to launch a 2-year effort to implement a comprehensive approach towards strengthening the regional Community Health Workers (CHW) workforce infrastructure as a pathway to advancing health equity. Our paper presents the logic model, methods, and baseline qualitative and quantitative data from this initiative., Methods: In the fall of 2022, the Health Equity Collective brought together a Network of CHW-employing or training organizations in the Greater Houston region. This Network was the working group of CHW employer/training organizations tasked with developing the shared agenda for collaborative action toward strengthening the regional CHW workforce. As part of the baseline needs assessment qualitative interviews were conducted to understand the role and add-value of CHWs in advancing health equity. A landscape scan survey was administered to assess CHW employer organization's funding and sustainability mechanisms for their CHWs job stability, CHW focus areas, organizational health equity priorities, etc. A journey mapping exercise was also conducted to capture CHWs lived experiences in their own voices., Results: The qualitative interviews outlined three themes that describe the role, barriers, and needs of CHWs. Landscape scan survey responses were obtained from 21 out of 29 organizations in the CHW Network. Responses provided insight into CHW employer organizational funding and sustainability mechanisms for CHWs job stability, CHW focus areas, etc. The journey mapping exercise outlines the various paths that brought the participants to pursue a CHW career path and their journey through CHW training and work., Conclusion: In summary, our paper outlines the collective impact approach and baseline data guiding efforts to strengthen the regional CHW workforce. Strategies and priorities were developed based on CHW voices and engaging stakeholders across organizations employing and training CHWs., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Institutional Review Board approval for all needs assessment activities was obtained from the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth) Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects (CPHS). The study adhered to all ethical guidelines and standards set forth by the IRB to ensure the protection of human subjects involved in the research. Informed consent was obtained from participants for all surveys and interviews in this study. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Indigoidine is a bioadvantaged platform molecule with diverse applications, including use as a textile dye, biotransistor, biosolar cell, biosensor, and food coloring. There are multiple microbial hosts and carbon sources that can be used and optimized for its production, yet there is limited guidance for which options have the greatest commercial potential. Here, we consider five different host microbes and combine genome-scale metabolic models with techno-economic and lifecycle assessment models. Pseudomonas putida currently outperforms synthetic indigo production and other indigoidine-producing hosts, using glucose, xylose, and lignin-derived aromatics to produce indigoidine at a minimum selling price of $2.9/kg and a greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of 3.5 kgCO 2e /kg. Optimizing pathways-achieving 90% of the theoretical indigoidine yield from sugars and aromatics-can reduce costs 6-7-fold and GHG emissions 3-10-fold. From a cost perspective, microbes that co-utilize aromatics are advantageous, while selecting hosts that coproduce other value-added molecules can reduce GHG emissions. System-wide improvements and the use of a low-cost, low-carbon nitrogen source are crucial for commercial viability in all cases., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following competing financial interest(s): N.R.B. and B.A.S. have a financial interest in Erg Bio. C.D.S. has a financial interest in Cyklos Materials., (© 2025 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Background: Geospatial data science can be a powerful tool to aid the design, reach, efficiency, and impact of community-based intervention trials. The project titled Take Care Texas aims to develop and test an adaptive, multilevel, community-based intervention to increase COVID-19 testing and vaccination uptake among vulnerable populations in 3 Texas regions: Harris County, Cameron County, and Northeast Texas., Objective: We aimed to develop a novel procedure for adaptive selections of census block groups (CBGs) to include in the community-based randomized trial for the Take Care Texas project., Methods: CBG selection was conducted across 3 Texas regions over a 17-month period (May 2021 to October 2022). We developed persistent and recent COVID-19 burden metrics, using real-time SARS-CoV-2 monitoring data to capture dynamic infection patterns. To identify vulnerable populations, we also developed a CBG-level community disparity index, using 12 contextual social determinants of health (SDOH) measures from US census data. In each adaptive round, we determined the priority CBGs based on their COVID-19 burden and disparity index, ensuring geographic separation to minimize intervention "spillover." Community input and feedback from local partners and health workers further refined the selection. The selected CBGs were then randomized into 2 intervention arms-multilevel intervention and just-in-time adaptive intervention-and 1 control arm, using covariate adaptive randomization, at a 1:1:1 ratio. We developed interactive data dashboards, which included maps displaying the locations of selected CBGs and community-level information, to inform the selection process and guide intervention delivery. Selection and randomization occurred across 10 adaptive rounds., Results: A total of 120 CBGs were selected and followed the stepped planning and interventions, with 60 in Harris County, 30 in Cameron County, and 30 in Northeast Texas counties. COVID-19 burden presented substantial temporal changes and local variations across CBGs. COVID-19 burden and community disparity exhibited some common geographical patterns but also displayed distinct variations, particularly at different time points throughout this study. This underscores the importance of incorporating both real-time monitoring data and contextual SDOH in the selection process., Conclusions: The novel procedure integrated real-time monitoring data and geospatial data science to enhance the design and adaptive delivery of a community-based randomized trial. Adaptive selection effectively prioritized the most in-need communities and allowed for a rigorous evaluation of community-based interventions in a multilevel trial. This methodology has broad applicability and can be adapted to other public health intervention and prevention programs, providing a powerful tool for improving population health and addressing health disparities., (© Kehe Zhang, Jocelyn V Hunyadi, Marcia C de Oliveira Otto, Miryoung Lee, Zitong Zhang, Ryan Ramphul, Jose-Miguel Yamal, Ashraf Yaseen, Alanna C Morrison, Shreela Sharma, Mohammad Hossein Rahbar, Xu Zhang, Stephen Linder, Dritana Marko, Rachel White Roy, Deborah Banerjee, Esmeralda Guajardo, Michelle Crum, Belinda Reininger, Maria E Fernandez, Cici Bauer. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org).)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune inflammatory condition with a varied clinical presentation. It can involve multiple organ systems and has the potential to impact any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Intestinal pseudo-obstruction (IPO) is a rare yet severe gastrointestinal manifestation of SLE. Two-thirds of SLE patients with IPO present with concomitant hydroureteronephrosis. This report details the case of a young woman who presented with IPO as the initial manifestation of SLE. The presence of proteinuria with bilateral hydroureteronephrosis in this patient with IPO prompted a trail of investigations that led to the diagnosis of SLE. This diagnosis mitigated the need for surgery, as the patient responded to immunosuppressive therapy., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2025. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

People with type 2 diabetes are at risk of developing progressive diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and end stage kidney failure. Hypertension is a major, reversible risk factor in people with diabetes for development of albuminuria, impaired kidney function, end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular disease. Slowing progression of kidney disease and reducing cardiovascular events can be achieved by a number of means including the targeting of blood pressure and the use of specific classes of drugs The use of Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS) blockade is effective in preventing or slowing progression of DKD and reducing cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes, albeit differently according to the stage of DKD. However, emerging therapy such as non-steroidal selective mineralocorticoid antagonists (finerenone) is proven to lower blood pressure and further reduce the risk of progression of DKD and cardiovascular disease in people with type 2 diabetes. This consensus reviews current evidence and make recommendations for the use of finerenone in the management of diabetes kidney disease in the UK., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: This document was reviewed across the entire membership of the guideline group which is a joint committee of both the Association of British Clinical Diabetologist (ABCD) and UK Kidney Association (UKKA). AF has attended drug advisory boards of Boehringer Ingleheim, AstraZeneca, NAPP, Novo Nordisk, MSD, VP UK. PW has received honoraria for delivering educational meetings and/or attending advisory boards for Abbott, Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingleheim, Eli Lilly, MSD, NAPP, Sanofi, Novo and Vifor Pharmaceuticals. SCB reported receiving personal fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi-Aventis (honoraria); Medscape (funding for the development of educational programmes); All Wales Medicines Strategy Group and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence UK (providing expert advice) and is a shareholder of Glycosmedia. SB has received speaker fees and support to attend educational meetings from AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim. PD has received honoraria for educational meetings from AstraZeneca, Janssen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novo, Sanofi, Novartis, Abbott, MSD, Takeda, Roche, Lilly, Ascensia, BD, Internis, GSK, Menarini, Daichi-Sankyo, Bayer and Besins. DB has received grant from AstraZeneca and speaker fees from Vifor Pharma. JK has received honoraria for delivering educational meetings and/or attending advisory boards from Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, NAPP and research grants from AstraZeneca and Sanofi. ID is chief investigator in the UK for three GSK sponsored trials and has chaired GSK advisory board. He has received a research grant from Sanofi Genzyme. Other authors have declared no competing interests. Clinical trial number: Not applicable., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

The Enterobacteriaceae family exhibits resistance to antibiotics by producing β-Lactamase. Mutations in β-Lactamase, have led to the generation of inhibitor resistant variants known as IR-TEM. In the present study, IR-TEM β-Lactamase of Enterobacter hormaechei and Enterobacter asburiae was compared. To investigate the mechanism behind the conferred mutation, we studied its interaction with Clavulanic acid, (β-Lactamase inhibitor) with different lineages of TEM and IR-TEM. We found that Clavulanic acid quickly left the binding pockets of both variants using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Interestingly, mutations at the V84I and A184V positions were found to drastically influence the protein dynamics. Mutating the residues at V84I and A184V positions by computational mutagenesis in Enterobacter hormaechei , it was observed that the residues on the Ω-loop as well as a few downstream residues were primarily involved in generating resistance towards inhibitors by conferring increased flexibility to the loop. This further strongly supports the notion that inhibitor resistance in β-Lactamase is conferred through allosteric regulation, wherein mutations in positions 84 and 184 may play an important role in regulating the movement of the Ω-loop. These two positions determine the lineage pattern between two clusters in TEM-1 and TEM-116. To date, no reports have been made regarding the importance of these mutations and their dynamics in Ω-loop.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

A growing and significant number of people with diabetes develop chronic kidney disease (CKD). Diabetes-related CKD is a leading cause of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and people with diabetes and CKD have high morbidity and mortality, predominantly related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite advances in care over the recent decades, most people with CKD and type 2 diabetes are likely to die of CVD before developing ESKD. Hyperglycaemia and hypertension are modifiable risk factors to prevent onset and progression of CKD and related CVD. People with type 2 diabetes often have dyslipidaemia and CKD per se is an independent risk factor for CVD, therefore people with CKD and type 2 diabetes require intensive lipid lowering to reduce burden of CVD. Recent clinical trials of people with type 2 diabetes and CKD have demonstrated a reduction in composite kidney end point events (significant decline in kidney function, need for kidney replacement therapy and kidney death) with sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist finerenone and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists. The Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) and UK Kidney Association (UKKA) Diabetic Kidney Disease Clinical Speciality Group have previously undertaken a narrative review and critical appraisal of the available evidence to inform clinical practice guidelines for the management of hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension in adults with type 2 diabetes and CKD. This 2024 abbreviated updated guidance summarises the recommendations and the implications for clinical practice for healthcare professionals who treat people with diabetes and CKD in primary, community and secondary care settings., (© 2024 The Author(s). Diabetic Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Diabetes UK.)

Endophytic actinomycetes are potential sources of novel pharmaceutically active metabolites, significantly advancing natural product research. In the present investigation, secondary metabolites from two endophytic actinomycetes, Streptomyces parvulus GloL3, and Streptomyces lienomycini SK5, isolated from medicinal plant taxa, Globba marantina, and Selaginella kraussiana, exhibited broad-spectrum bioactivity. Ethyl Acetate (EA) extract of SK5 showed antimicrobial activity against nine human pathogens, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Candida tropicalis, and C. albicans, with a minimum microbicidal concentration (MMC) of 50-300 µg mL -1 . It healed the MRSA-mediated wounds in Swiss albino mice in vivo. EA extracts dissociate the pathogenic cell membranes and cause leakage of biomacromolecules-nucleic acid, protein, and potassium ions. Also, critical housekeeping enzymes involved in the cellular respiratory mechanisms of the pathogens were blocked. GloL3 has antioxidative potentialities against DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and H 2 O 2 free radical generators with an IC 50 value of 21.18 ± 0.33, 43.58 ± 0.91, 88.24 ± 1.24, and 111.03 ± 6.42 µg mL -1 . It improves the enzymatic antioxidant parameters in treated peritoneal macrophage cells of Swiss albino mice. Constituents of the EA extracts of GloL3 and SK5 are bactobolin, actinobolin, 5-(2-aminoethyl)-1 H imidazole-2-carbaldehyde, isovaleric acid, fulvic acid, phenol, 4-[2-(methylamino) ethyl]-, eicosanoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, etc. The present findings suggest that metabolites from the endophytes of medicinal plants hold potent pharmaceutical utilities., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: Animals- Healthy Swiss Albino Mice were used to perform experiments, and they were fed a standard pellet diet with vitamins and antibiotics. Animals were housed in a polypropylene cage (Tarsons) with a 12 h light-dark cycle and provided ad libitum for water. Mice were allowed to acclimatize for 1 week and were maintained following the guidelines of the Institutional Animal Ethical Committee (IAEC) of Vidyasagar University, West Bengal, India, with a project proposal No—VU/IAEC/CPCSEA/12/6/2022. Conflict of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© 2025. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Wound healing can often be delayed due to non-favourable physiological conditions. Current treatment strategies have many limitations, and the development of novel therapeutic patches is urgently required. Herein, we have developed a hydrogel-based wound healing patch containing quercetin nanocrystals to enhance quercetin solubility, leading to sustained release and improved bioactivity. Due to the anti-oxidant properties of quercetin, a sustained release of the drug is highly beneficial for the rapid repair of wounds by reducing oxidative stress. Quercetin nanocrystals with a size of 600-800 nm were synthesized that demonstrated sustained release of quercetin when fabricated in a hydrogel patch. This has been utilized for in vivo wound repair in rat and mouse models of skin wounds. Overall, our study demonstrates the usability of a novel therapeutic hydrogel patch containing phytochemical-based nanocrystals for rapid wound healing applications.

Background: The Tephritidae family, commonly referred to as true fruit flies, comprises of a substantial group within order Diptera. Numerous species within this family are major agricultural pests, with a tendency to infest a wide array of fruits and vegetables in tropical and sub- tropical regions, leading to considerable damage and consequent reductions in the market value of the crops., Methods and Results: The current study was aimed to propose a promising solution to the menace posed by fruit flies by offering rapid, accurate and reliable species identification by using character-based DNA barcode methodology. The Tephritid specimens were collected from Cucurbitaceous plants of southern parts of West Bengal, India, and a total of eight species from Tephritidae family were obtained belonging to three genera, namely Bactrocera (Macquart, 1835), Dacus (Fabricius, 1805) and Zeugodacus (Hendel, 1927). Their morphological features were meticulously studied based on available literature, along with genetic analysis based on mitochondrial COI and ND1 gene sequences. A total of 30 uniquely variable sites at nucleotide position 42,48,51,60,66,72, 105,111,144,198,207,243, 273,297,307,318,345,357, 375,378,381,387,399,400, 402,436,444,450,453 and 460 in COI gene were discerned among Tephritid species in the present study., Conclusions: The character-based DNA barcode holds the potential to differentiate closely related species of fruit flies and morphologically look-a-like ones. The novel method will be very significant in terms of rapid, precise and reliable species identification and might be extremely essential for early detection during pest outbreaks by facilitating timely intervention strategies to mitigate crop damage., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study did not involve either human participants or higher vertebrates. So there is no need for an ethical approval. Consent for publication: Not applicable. All the data is original. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

This Letter presents the first measurement of event-by-event fluctuations of the net number (difference between the particle and antiparticle multiplicities) of multistrange hadrons Ξ^{-} and Ξ[over ¯]^{+} and its correlation with the net-kaon number using the data collected by the ALICE Collaboration in pp, p-Pb, and Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sqrt[s&#95;{NN}]=5.02  TeV. The statistical hadronization model with a correlation over three units of rapidity between hadrons having the same and opposite strangeness content successfully describes the results. On the other hand, string-fragmentation models that mainly correlate strange hadrons with opposite strange quark content over a small rapidity range fail to describe the data.

Herein, we have reported the application of bench stable perfluoroalkanoic acids as fluoro-alkylating reagents in combination with DIB and primary amides for sequential one-pot transformation to R f -embedded functionalized amides under metal-free conditions. The protocol is tolerant to a range of sensitive functional groups (>33 examples and up to 90% yield), and perfluoro acids. Preliminary mechanistic studies, control experiments, in situ 19 F-NMR analyses, and the synthesis of intermediate species were performed to understand the reaction pathways.

Background: The detection of multiple bluetongue virus serotypes, increasing trend in livestock density, rich biological diversity with high endemism, and the status of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a popular tourist destination underscore the need for a faunistic survey of medically and veterinary significant vector species, specifically Culicoides, in this region. Moreover, scattered information on Indian Culicoides species complicates the planning and implementation of preventive measures for pathogens transmitted by these vectors. This study aims to provide the first comprehensive account of the Culicoides fauna in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, along with an updated checklist of Indian Culicoides species and their state-wise distribution., Methods: Surveys were conducted across various habitats in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in September 2022 and 2023. Midges were collected using CDC light traps, light sheets, Malaise traps, and manual collection from exposed body parts of the author and volunteers (biting collection). Identification was carried out using relevant taxonomic keys and original descriptions. Additionally, an updated checklist of Indian Culicoides, based on published and grey literature from 1910 to the present, is provided, with an emphasis on their potential role in pathogen transmission., Results: A total of 3529 adult Culicoides were trapped during the survey, representing 5 subgenera and 3 unplaced species groups. The study recorded 23 Culicoides species, including 13 new species records for India: C. barnetti, C. gouldi, C. flaviscutellaris, C. flavipunctatus, C. hui, C. histrio, C. guttifer, C. perornatus, C. okinawensis, C. quatei, C. obscurus, C. coronalis, and C. kusaiensis., Conclusions: The Indian Culicoides fauna now includes 93 valid species, with many of them recognized as confirmed or potential vectors of important pathogens of animal health. The enriched species composition highlights the importance of systematic surveys in this island ecosystem and the need to determine the role of midges, if any, in pathogen transmission., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Microalbuminuria is associated with several clinical conditions of public health concern. Particularly in diabetic patients, there is routine microalbuminuria screening to understand whether the renal complication has progressed to the microalbuminuria stage or not. Therefore, microalbuminuria detection is a matter of considerable interest. For such detection, the clinical labs rely on immunochemical methods. Nevertheless, the immunochemical methods are believed to be less sensitive for the purpose. So, the need arises for continuous research in the field. We believe that pseudoesterase activity of the excreted albumin in microalbuminuria cases is a potential target. This aspect is investigated here and it is shown that the excreted albumin in diabetic microalbuminuria cases retains its pseudoesterase activity, unlike the overt albuminuria cases., Methods: The cases of diabetic nephropathy and healthy controls were included in the study. The patients were divided into diabetic controls microalbuminuria, and overt albuminuria group considering the albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR). The urinary proteins of the cases were isolated by centrifugation. The obtained protein pellet was then checked for pseudoesterase activity by electrophoretic and fluorescence-based methods. The CD spectroscopy and LC-MS study was carried out to show the suitability of the substrate for the detection of albumin pseudoesterase activity. To further, understand the structure-function relation, molecular docking studies were carried out., Results: From the CD and LC-MS study the suitability of the used substrate was confirmed. The electrophoretic and fluorescence study showed that the protein of the microalbuminuria group retained the pseudoesterase activity whereas the same is lost in the overt albuminuria group. The molecular docking studies indicated that a change in albumin structure may result in a change in its pseudoesterase activity., Conclusion: The urinary protein of diabetic microalbuminuria cases exhibits pseudoesterase activity. It distinguishes the excreted protein in the diabetic albuminuria group and the overt albuminuria group. This is the first study that showed the retention of pseudoesterase property in excreted albumin. Further, in this study a simple test is developed that distinguishes the excreted albumin in the microalbuminuria group and overt albuminuria group., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Genome-scale metabolic models (GSMM) are commonly used to identify gene deletion sets that result in growth coupling and pairing product formation with substrate utilization and can improve strain performance beyond levels typically accessible using traditional strain engineering approaches. However, sustainable feedstocks pose a challenge due to incomplete high-resolution metabolic data for non-canonical carbon sources required to curate GSMM and identify implementable designs. Here we address a four-gene deletion design in the Pseudomonas putida KT2440 strain for the lignin-derived non-sugar carbon source, p-coumarate (p-CA), that proved challenging to implement. We examine the performance of the fully implemented design for p-coumarate to glutamine, a useful biomanufacturing intermediate. In this study glutamine is then converted to indigoidine, an alternative sustainable pigment and a model heterologous product that is commonly used to colorimetrically quantify glutamine concentration. Through proteomics, promoter-variation, and growth characterization of a fully implemented gene deletion design, we provide evidence that aromatic catabolism in the completed design is rate-limited by fumarase hydratase (FUM) enzyme activity in the citrate cycle and requires careful optimization of another fumarate hydratase protein (PP&#95;0897) expression to achieve growth and production. A double sensitivity analysis also confirmed a strict requirement for fumarate hydratase activity in the strain where all genes in the growth coupling design have been implemented. Metabolic cross-feeding experiments were used to examine the impact of complete removal of the fumarase hydratase reaction and revealed an unanticipated nutrient requirement, suggesting additional functions for this enzyme. While a complete implementation of the design was achieved, this study highlights the challenge of completely inactivating metabolic reactions encoded by under-characterized proteins, especially in the context of multi-gene edits., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. T.E., D.B., and A.M. have a patent on the topic of bioproduction in Pseudomonas putida (Genetically modified bacterial cells and methods useful for producing indigoidine, US Patent 11,767,521, 2023)., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Purpose of Review: This review investigates how post-injury cellular signaling and energy metabolism are two pivotal points in zebrafish's cardiomyocyte cell cycle re-entry and proliferation. It seeks to highlight the probable mechanism of action in proliferative cardiomyocytes compared to mammals and identify gaps in the current understanding of metabolic regulation of cardiac regeneration., Recent Findings: Metabolic substrate changes after birth correlate with reduced cardiomyocyte proliferation in mammals. Unlike adult mammalian hearts, zebrafish can regenerate cardiomyocytes by re-entering the cell cycle, characterized by a metabolic switch from oxidative metabolism to increased glycolysis. Zebrafish provide a valuable model for studying metabolic regulation during cell cycle re-entry and cardiac regeneration. Proliferative cardiomyocytes have upregulated Notch, hippo, and Wnt signaling and decreased ROS generation, DNA damage in different zebrafish cardiac regeneration models. Understanding the correlation between metabolic switches during cell cycle re-entry of already differentiated zebrafish cardiomyocytes is being increasingly recognized as a critical factor in heart regeneration. Zebrafish studies provide insights into metabolic adaptations during heart regeneration, emphasizing the importance of a metabolic switch. However, there are mechanistic gaps, and extensive studies are required to aid in formulating therapeutic strategies for cardiac regenerative medicine., Competing Interests: Compliance with Ethical Standards. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no competing interests.  Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent : This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by authors., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Non-anaemic iron deficiency is highly prevalent in people living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) but is underdiagnosed and undertreated, especially in earlier stages of CKD. A multicentre trial assessing the effect of intravenous iron supplementation in iron-deficiency but not anaemic people with CKD included a qualitative sub-study that aimed to explore the patient experience and psychosocial impact of living with CKD and iron deficiency, and the experience of the therapeutic intervention (intravenous iron and exercise)., Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 trial participants blinded to treatment. Topics explored included experiences of living with CKD and iron deficiency, symptoms, social and leisure activities, quality of life, and participants' views and experiences of receiving the therapeutic intervention. Thematic analysis was used to identify and report themes., Results: Six overarching themes were identified: lack of awareness of iron deficiency; overwhelming feelings of tiredness; feeling limited; balancing emotions; perceptions and experiences of therapeutic treatment received; and impact of trial participation on life participation. Trial participation, specifically the exercise training, was perceived to be beneficial, with improvements in life participation and psychological wellbeing experienced. However, there were no clear differences between treatment groups, with mixed perceptions about which therapeutic treatment was received., Conclusions: The impact of tiredness on individuals with CKD is profound and can result in reduced vitality, impaired ability to engage in life activities and emotional conflict. Improved communication and support about psychosocial impact and management of symptoms, particularly fatigue, for people with CKD may be required, alongside effective therapeutic interventions, to improve symptom management and quality of life., Competing Interests: S.B. was a previous Trustee for Kidney Research UK and has served on the advisory board of CSL Vifor. P.A.K. has served on advisory boards and lectured for CSL Vifor, and Salford Royal has received research funding from this company. D.C.W. has received honoraria from CSL Vifor. D.B. has lectured for CSL Vifor. All other authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the ERA.)

Background: Emerging data suggest women have worse outcomes than men following cardioplegia and cardiopulmonary bypass (CP/CPB). Altered coronary microvascular function affecting myocardial perfusion may contribute, but human translational studies are lacking., Methods: Viable coronary microvessels (<200 μ m) were dissected from human atrial samples collected before and after CP/CPB from a subset of 108 patients enrolled. Ex vivo contractile responses to vasopressin were assessed using video microscopy. RNA deep-sequencing and immunoblotting were used to quantify gene and protein expression, respectively., Results: Coronary microvessels exhibited increased vasopressin-induced contractile responses post-CP/CPB in males and females (p ​< ​0.0001). Females exhibited a decrease in microvascular contractile response versus males pre- (p ​= ​0.1) and post-CP/CPB (p ​= ​0.09) which approached significance. Myocardial vasopressin 1a receptor levels were increased in females versus males (p ​= ​0.001). Vasopressin-induced vasoconstriction predicted postoperative cardiac index., Conclusions: Impaired coronary microvascular contractile responses in females jeopardizing myocardial perfusion may underlie worse outcomes following cardiac surgery., Competing Interests: Declaration of interest statement The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Protein arginylation mediated by arginyltransferase 1 is a crucial regulator of cellular processes in eukaryotes by affecting protein stability, function, and interaction with other macromolecules. This enzyme and its targets are of immense interest for modulating cellular processes in diseased states like obesity and cancer. Despite being an important target molecule, no highly potent drug against this enzyme exists. Therefore, this study focuses on discovering potential inhibitors of human arginyltransferase 1 by computational approaches where screening of over 300,000 compounds from natural and synthetic databases was done using a pharmacophore model based on common features among known inhibitors. The drug-like properties and potential toxicity of the compounds were also assessed in the study to ensure safety and effectiveness. Advanced methods, including molecular simulations and binding free energy calculations, were performed to evaluate the stability and binding efficacy of the most promising candidates. Ultimately, three compounds were identified as potent inhibitors, offering new avenues for developing therapies targeting arginyltransferase 1.

DNA topoisomerase 1 (Topo 1) is a pivotal player in various DNA processes, including replication, repair, and transcription. It serves as a target for anticancer drugs like camptothecin and its derivatives (Topotecan and SN-38/Irinotecan). However, the emergence of drug resistance and the associated adverse effects, such as alopecia, anemia, dyspnea, fever, chills, and painful or difficult urination, pose significant challenges in Topo 1-targeted therapy, necessitating urgent attention. Human DNA Ligase 1 (hLig I), recognized primarily for its role in DNA replication and repair of DNA breaks, intriguingly exhibits a DNA relaxation activity akin to Topo 1. This raised the hypothesis that hLig I might compensate for Topo 1 inhibition, contributing to resistance against Topo 1 inhibitors. To explore this hypothesis, we assessed the efficacy of hLig I inhibition alone and in combination with Topo 1 in cancer cells. As anticipated, the overexpression of hLig I was observed after Topo 1 inhibition in colorectal cancer cells, affirming our hypothesis. Previously identified as an inhibitor of hLig I's DNA relaxation activity, compound 27 (C 27), when combined with Topotecan, demonstrated a synergistic antiproliferative effect on colorectal cancer cells. Notably, cells with downregulated hLig I ( via siRNA, inhibitors, or genetic manipulation) exhibited significantly heightened sensitivity to Topotecan. This observation strongly supports the concept that hLig I contribute to resistance against clinically relevant Topo 1 inhibitors in colorectal cancers. In conclusion, our findings offer evidence for the synergistic impact of combining hLig I inhibitors with Topotecan in the treatment of colorectal cancers, providing a promising strategy to overcome resistance to Topo 1 inhibitors.

Background: Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer related morbidity and mortality among women worldwide, particularly in low-and middle- income countries (LMICs). The incidence of cervical cancer has declined in India over the last two decades despite the lack of any organised population-based screening programme or HPV vaccination. This study analyses the trends in high-risk human papilloma virus (hrHPV) prevalence and CIN 2 + detection and examines the influence of sociodemographic factors in West Bengal, India from over a span of two decades., Methods: Data from three cervical cancer screening studies conducted in rural West Bengal were analysed between 2001 and 2021. A total of 80,988 women aged 30-60 years were screened using Hybrid Capture II© (HC II) test. Detection rates of CIN 2 + were stratified by age, education and marriage. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors influencing high risk HPV positivity and CIN 2 + prevalence., Results: The overall high risk HPV positivity rate remained relatively stable (5 %) across the study periods with no significant difference between self-collected and provider collected samples. However, CIN 2 + detection rates declined significantly from 5.7/1000 in 2001-2003 to 2/1000 in 2018-2021 (adjusted odds ratio [OR]:0.27; 95 % confidence interval [CI]:0.12-0.46). Higher education (OR: 0.64; 95 % CI: 0.45-0.88) and delayed age at marriage (OR: 0.62; 95 %CI: 0.31-1 for age>21) were associated with lower CIN 2 + risk., Conclusion: The findings of the study indicate that the observed decline in CIN 2 + prevalence in West Bengal can be attributed to improved education, delayed age at marriage, reduced fertility rate and women's empowerment, which can explain the gradual reduction in cervical cancer incidence in India. However, the cervical cancer incidence in India remains above WHO elimination targets. Expedited implementation of HPV vaccination and strengthening screening programmes are necessary to sustain and accelerate progress towards elimination of cervical cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Multicellular surface-attached populations of bacteria embedded in the extracellular matrix are known as biofilms. Bacteria generally preferred to grow as biofilms. Quorum sensing (QS), detection of density of cell population through gene regulation, has been found to play an important role in the production of biofilms. Biofilm formation can increase the severity of infections that can lead to morbidity or mortality. Bacteria living within biofilms have a higher pattern of adaptive resistance to antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is a barrier in the treatment of biofilmsinduced acute to chronic infections such as post-surgery infections, surgery-associated wound infections, endocarditis, joint infections, burn-related wound infections occurred, ventilator-associated pneumonia, etc. So it is urgent to discover or find out potent new drugs in fight against infectious diseases such as biofilms-associated infections. Medicinal plants or herbs are a rich source for fighting with biofilms-mediated infections. Phytochemicals have exhibited significant effects in the prevention of biofilms formation against different bacteria that are causing infections. Purified compounds such as berberine, tetrandrine, embelin, xanthorrhizol, bakuchiol, etc., exhibited promising biofilm inhibition actions against different pathogenic bacteria. Plant extracts that contain several phytochemicals are evaluated for its biofilm's inhibition property, and have shown significant potential in biofilm formation. Antibiofilm agents act by distinct mechanisms such as inhibiting the adherence of biofilms in a surface, preventing the biofilm formations, disrupting the matured biofilms, etc. This study is intended to reiterate about possibilities of plant extracts and purified compounds in the treatment of the prevention of bacterial biofilms-related infections., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: The 2023 American College of Rheumatology and modified Sapporo criteria for antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) recommend ELISA to detect anticardiolipin (aCL) and anti-β2-glycoprotein I (aβ2GP1) IgG/IgM antibodies, focusing on moderate to high levels or exceeding the 99th percentile. This study aims to establish the 99th percentile threshold for anti-phospholipid (aPL) antibodies and compare the diagnostic accuracies of these thresholds with manufacturer cutoffs using 2 methodologies., Methods: The 99th percentile cutoffs for aPL antibodies from 305 healthy donors were established using Aptiva, Particle-Based Multi-Analyte Technology (PMAT), and QUANTA Lite (QL) ELISA, following nonparametric reference interval estimation. Sera from 34 APS patients and 190 APS controls were tested. Diagnostic performances were compared at the 99th percentile-, manufacturer-, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) derived optimal-, and 95% specificity-optimized cutoffs. An expanded cohort of 61 APS patients and 1299 APS controls from a 2-year retrospective review was also included., Results: For ELISA, the 99th percentile cutoffs for aCL (IgG/IgM) and aβ2GP1 (IgG) were at the assay limit of quantification. Optimal cutoffs from the ROC curves, 95% specificity-matched and manufacturer cutoffs, showed better diagnostic accuracy than the 99th percentile. On the Aptiva PMAT platform, the 99th percentile cutoffs were lower but provided comparable diagnostic accuracies to manufacturer and optimal cutoffs, although specificity was below 95%., Conclusions: The clinical utility of 99th percentile cutoffs is assay dependent. For QL, these cutoffs were unsuitable, while Aptiva showed better alignment with clinical thresholds. Manufacturer-recommended cutoffs, supported by extensive validation, offer a reliable alternative when clinical studies are infeasible., (© Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine 2024. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Understanding the evolutionary history of plants and accurately identifying biologically important species and their families is crucial for the herbal and Ayurvedic industries. The genetic approach by DNA barcoding plays a pivotal role in accurate species identification, authentication and quality control. Due to various therapeutic properties, Withania somnifera has been used worldwide in traditional systems of medicine for centuries including Ayurveda and Unani. The increasing demand for W. somnifera products has led to concerns regarding the authenticity and quality of commercial herbal preparations. However, adulteration become major trouble for users and industry for safety reasons and authentication of the plant with proper DNA marker is a major concern., Methodology: DNA barcoding techniques and Phylogenetic analysis were employed to authenticate W. somnifera plant species using universal genetic markers. The markers were PCR amplified, sequenced and analyzed using BLAST-based and phylogeny-based identification methods., Results: The BLAST result shows the percent identity (PI) of ITS1, ITS2, trnK, atpB, rbcL and matK was 100%, 100%, 100%, 97.59%, 100 and 99.20% respectively with the NCBI reference sequence. However, ITS1 and ITS2 show the maximum sequence similarity with W. somnifera of NCBI data. Phylogenetic analysis using NCBI data further supports the role of ITS in the discrimination of W. somnifera from closely related species., Conclusion: Therefore, the ITS gene may be considered promising a candidate for DNA barcoding for discrimination of W. somnifera from other species, its authentication and quality control., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: This declaration is “not applicable” with headings. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Observational studies suggest sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor kidney outcome trials are not representative of the broader population of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, there are limited data on the generalizability to those without co-existing type 2 diabetes (T2D), and the representativeness of the Study of Heart and Kidney Protection with Empagliflozin (EMPA-KIDNEY) trial has not been adequately explored. We hypothesized that SGLT2 inhibitor kidney outcome trials are more representative of people with co-existing T2D than those without, and that EMPA-KIDNEY is more representative than previous trials., Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of adults with CKD in English primary care was conducted using the Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners Clinical Informatics Digital Hub. The proportions that met the eligibility criteria of SGLT2 inhibitor kidney outcome trials were determined, and their characteristics described. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with trial eligibility., Results: Of 6 670 829 adults, 516 491 (7.7%) with CKD were identified. In the real-world CKD population, 0.9%, 2.2% and 8.0% met the Canagliflozin and Renal Events in Diabetes with Established Nephropathy Clinical Evaluation (CREDENCE), Dapagliflozin and Renal Outcomes and Cardiovascular Mortality in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (DAPA-CKD) and EMPA-KIDNEY eligibility criteria, respectively. All trials were more representative of people with co-existing T2D than those without T2D. Trial participants were 9-14 years younger than the real-world CKD population, and had more advanced CKD, including higher levels of albuminuria. A higher proportion of the CREDENCE (100%), DAPA-CKD (67.6%) and EMPA-KIDNEY (44.5%) trial participants had T2D compared with the real-world CKD population (32.8%). Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors were prescribed in almost all trial participants, compared with less than half of the real-world CKD population. Females were under-represented and less likely to be eligible for the trials., Conclusion: SGLT2 inhibitor kidney outcome trials represent a subgroup of people with CKD at high risk of adverse kidney events. Our study highlights the importance of complementing trials with real-world studies, exploring the effectiveness of SGLT2 inhibitors in the broader population of people with CKD., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the ERA.)

Acute kidney injury is common in patients with acute decompensated heart failure. It is more common in patients with acute heart failure who suffer from chronic kidney disease. Worsening renal function is often defined as a rise in serum creatinine of more than 0.3 mg/dL (26.5 µmol/L) which, by definition, is acute kidney injury (AKI) stage 1. Perhaps the term AKI is more appropriate than worsening renal function as it is used universally by nephrologists, internists and other medical practitioners. In health, the heart and the kidney support each other to maintain the body's homeostasis. In disease, the heart and the kidney can adversely affect each other's function, causing further clinical deterioration. In patients presenting with acute heart failure and fluid overload, therapy with diuretics for decongestion often causes a rise in serum creatinine and AKI. However, in the longer term the decongestion improves survival and prevents hospital admissions despite rising serum creatinine and AKI. It is important to realize that renal venous congestion due to increased right-sided heart pressures in acute heart failure is a major cause of kidney dysfunction and hence decongestion therapy improves kidney function in the longer term. This review provides a perspective on the acceptable AKI with decongestion therapy, which is associated with improved survival, as opposed to AKI due to tubular injury related to sepsis or nephrotoxic drugs, which is associated with poor survival., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the ERA.)

Nonadiabatic molecular dynamics (NAMD) has become an essential computational technique for studying the photophysical relaxation of molecular systems after light absorption. These phenomena require approximations that go beyond the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, and the accuracy of the results heavily depends on the electronic structure theory employed. Sophisticated electronic methods, however, make these techniques computationally expensive, even for medium size systems. Consequently, simulations are often performed on simplified models to interpret the experimental results. In this context, a variety of techniques have been developed to perform NAMD using approximate methods, particularly density functional tight binding (DFTB). Despite the use of these techniques on large systems, where ab initio methods are computationally prohibitive, a comprehensive validation has been lacking. In this work, we present a new implementation of trajectory surface hopping combined with DFTB, utilizing nonadiabatic coupling vectors. We selected the methaniminium cation and furan systems for validation, providing an exhaustive comparison with the higher-level electronic structure methods. As a case study, we simulated a system from the class of molecular motors, which has been extensively studied experimentally but remains challenging to simulate with ab initio methods due to its inherent complexity. Our approach effectively captures the key photophysical mechanism of dihedral rotation after the absorption of light. Additionally, we successfully reproduced the transition from the bright to dark states observed in the time-dependent fluorescence experiments, providing valuable insights into this critical part of the photophysical behavior in molecular motors.

Background: Cardioplegic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury poses substantial challenges during postoperative recovery, with diabetic patients particularly susceptible to adverse events. Using a model entailing the subjection of human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) to simulated cardioplegic I/R, we investigated the potential of protein kinase c β (PKC-β) inhibition to augment cellular survival in this context., Study Design: HCAECs were isolated from harvested coronary arteries of diabetic (D) and nondiabetic (C) patients (N = 4 per group). HCAECs were either cultured in normoxic conditions without drug (D and C), subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation alone (DH and CH), or subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation and the PKC-β inhibitor LY333531 (DHT and CHT). Molecular signaling was assessed using immunoblotting., Results: Simulated I/R decreased anti-apoptotic phosphorylated protein kinase b (p-Akt, p = 0.04) and p-Akt:Akt ratio (p = 0.004) in CH versus C, with PKC-β inhibition restoring expression in CHT (p ≤ 0.04). Treatment also increased p-Akt:Akt ratio in DHT versus D (p = 0.03). Anti-apoptotic inducible nitric oxide synthase increased in CHT versus CH (p = 0.003), and pro-apoptotic phosphor-FOXO:FOXO ratio decreased in CHT versus CH (p = 0.001). I/R elevated Bcl-2-associated agonist of cell death (BAD) in CH versus C (p = 0.01), but PKC-β inhibition increased anti-apoptotic p-BAD (p = 0.001) and p-BAD:BAD ratio (p = 0.03) in CHT. I/R also increased cleaved PARP (p < 0.001) and cleaved caspase 3 (p < 0.001) in DH versus D, both of which were reversed by treatment (p < 0.001 for DHT versus DH)., Conclusion: PKC-β inhibitor treatment increased pro-survival signaling and decreased pro-apoptotic signaling in nondiabetic and diabetic HCAECs subjected to simulated I/R, with mechanistic differences observed between these cohorts., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Surgeons.)

Introduction: Urban rodents are reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens, including Bartonella spp., which are transmitted by ectoparasites such as fleas. Zoonotic diseases caused by Bartonella often go undocumented due to confusing or subtle clinical symptoms, lack of awareness and poor diagnosis. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and diversity of Bartonella spp. by screening free-ranging rodents and their ectoparasites in the unique ecological settings of Alipore Railway Station, Kolkata, India. The station's high passenger traffic and proximity to food stalls create favourable conditions for rodents and fleas to thrive, increasing the risk of zoonotic transmission., Methods: Rodents and fleas were identified by morphological features and DNA sequencing. Detection of Bartonella was carried out by DNA sequencing of citrate synthase (gltA) gene. Phylogenetic relationships among the obtained sequences were inferred through phylogenetic tree and haplotype network analyses. Q-PCR testing from human samples from the surrounding area was performed to confirm the zoonotic transfer potential., Results: Of 60 rodents, identified as Bandicota indica 28 (46.7%) and Bandicota bengalensis 32 (53.3%), and 110 fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) were collected. The prevalence of Bartonella infection varied across three different hosts, that is, 32/60 rodents (53.33%), 87/110 fleas (79.1%) and 4/25 human (16%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed four distinct Bartonella lineages comprising 11 novel haplotypes (H1-H11), with haplotype H4 shared between rodents, fleas and humans, indicating active and cross species transmission of Bartonella spp. Haplotype H10, identified as B. rochalimae, was a phylogenetically diverged lineage exclusively found in fleas, suggesting a potentially novel lineage., Conclusions: The results highlight the significant public health risks posed by Bartonella spp. in densely populated urban areas, particularly in environments like railway stations where human-rodent interactions are frequent. This study underscores the necessity of integrated pest management and surveillance strategies, using molecular tools such as Q-PCR, to mitigate the risk of zoonotic disease transmission in urban settings., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common pediatric infections. This study evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of 3511 uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) isolated from pediatric patients in the United States from 2014 to 2023. The database from the SENTRY antimicrobial surveillance program from 89 medical centers was utilized as a data source. The antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using the microbroth dilution technique against 24 antimicrobial agents. MICs were determined using the CLSI/EUCAST/FDA breakpoint criteria. All the antimicrobials reported susceptibility rates above 80% except for tetracycline (76.2%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (69.7%), and ampicillin-sulbactam (55.7%). During the study period, the susceptibility rates remained stable for most antimicrobial agents. However, significant differences were observed among age, gender, and U.S. census regions, with the Middle Atlantic showing the lowest and the Mountain region the highest susceptibility rates, for most antimicrobials. The incidence of ESBL UPEC increased from 7.1% to 10.8% between 2014 and 2023, while the prevalence of the MDR phenotype remained relatively stable. The prevalence of both ESBL and MDR phenotypes was highest among infants and young children (0-24 months), with the highest resistance rates from the Pacific region. Knowledge of the landscape of antibiotic resistance in pediatric UPEC will help healthcare providers to better tailor empiric treatment regimens for most UTI infections.

This Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) systematic review synthesized effects of background levels of per- and polyfluorylalkyl substance (PFAS) levels on reproductive health outcomes in the general public: fertility, preterm birth, miscarriage, ovarian health, menstruation, menopause, sperm health, and in utero fetal growth. The inclusion criteria included original research (or primary) studies, human subjects, and investigation of outcomes of interest following non-occupational exposures. It drew from four databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Embase and Health and Environmental Research Online (HERO)) using a standardized search string for all studies published between 1 January 2017 and 13 April 2022. Risk of bias was assessed by two independent reviewers. Data were extracted and reviewed by multiple reviewers. Each study was summarized under its outcome in terms of methodology and results and placed in context, with recommendations for future research. Of 1712 records identified, 30 were eligible, with a total of 27,901 participants (33 datasets, as three studies included multiple outcomes). There was no effect of background levels of PFAS on fertility. There were weakly to moderately increased odds of preterm birth with higher perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) levels; the same for miscarriage with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) levels. There was limited yet suggestive evidence for a link between PFAS and early menopause and primary ovarian insufficiency; menstrual cycle characteristics were inconsistent. PFAS moderately increased odds of PCOS- and endometriosis-related infertility, respectively. Sperm motility and DNA health were moderately impaired by multiple PFAS. Fetal growth findings were inconsistent. This review may be used to inform forthcoming drinking water standards and policy initiatives regarding PFAS compounds and drinking water. Future reviews would benefit from more recent studies. Larger studies in these areas are warranted. Future studies should plan large cohorts and open access data availability to capture small effects and serve the public. Funding: Great Lakes Water Authority (Detroit, MI), the Erb Family Foundation through Healthy Urban Waters at Wayne State University (Detroit, MI), and Wayne State University CLEAR Superfund Research (NIH P42ES030991).

The stacked-foil irradiation technique and decay γ-ray spectroscopy were employed for the determination of the excitation function of the nat Ag (α, x) 111 In reaction for the production of the medically important 111 In-isotope using α-beam of energy ranging from 20 MeV to 40 MeV at K-130 Cyclotron, VECC. Excitation functions for nat Ag (α, x) 108, 109, 110 In reactions were also determined up to 40 MeV. The experimental cross-sections were compared with the available literature and theoretical prediction available in TENDLE-2023 database., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the major worldwide healthcare problems at present. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is part of the natural process of evolution among microorganisms, but which is expedited manifold by the unregulated and over-the-counter use of antibiotics. This induces new and more severe resistance mechanisms in the microbes, which is quite difficult to treat with the routinely prescribed antibiotics, ultimately leading to prolonged infections, disease and even death of the host. WHO had, back in 2014, issued a strict warning in its report about the rising incidence and future threat of AMR globally. So, the present epidemiological survey was carried out to evaluate the growing incidence of antimicrobial resistance in Rajkot, a city located in the western part of India. The data was collected from various clinical settings e.g., hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centers, situated across the city, which was later statistically evaluated for clinical significance. The results clearly indicated towards the rising prevalence of resistance in some of the important clinical pathogens for example, Escherichia. coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, S. aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii , etc., against some of commonly used antibiotics e.g. ampicillin, piperacillin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and aztreonam. This study clearly highlights the danger and challenge of treating antibiotic resistant infections in future, also drawing attention to a similar crisis probably existing in various parts of the world. It is very crucial to control this situation in relevance to SDG goals also, as minimizing the prevalence and effect of diseases is an important target to achieve in Goal-3, that aims to promote healthy lives and well-being for all., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest, whatsoever, in any form for this study., (© Association of Microbiologists of India 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

The development of electrically conductive membranes is essential for advancing future technologies like electronic devices, supercapacitors, and batteries. Newly synthesized doubly interpenetrated 3D-Cd-MOF (Metal-Organic-Framework) containing angular tetra-carboxylate is found to display very poor electrical conductivity (10 -11 S cm -1 ). However, it exhibits an exceptional ability to adsorb I 2 (I 2 @Cd-MOF) which shows increased electrical conductivity of the order of 10 -8 S cm -1 . Following these results, the Cd-MOF is integrated into the PVDF-PVP (Polyvinylidene fluoride-Polyvinylpyrrolidone) polymeric mixed matrix membrane (MMM) and explores their I 2 adsorption capabilities and electrical conductivities before and after I 2 adsorption. Four polymeric MMMs with the loading of Cd-MOF 0, 20, 40, and 50% are tested for their I 2 adsorption ability and their respective electrical conductivities. The 50% Cd-MOF-loaded MMM is found to exhibit higher adsorption of I 2 (685 mg g -1 ) and significant enhancement in conductivity from 10 -11 to 10 -4 S cm -1 . The raise in the electrical conductivity by 10 million times is attributed to the synergistic interactions between I 2 , Cd-MOF, PVDF, and PVP polymers as well as the increase in the concentration of charge carriers (holes) within the frameworks. This work serves as blueprint for controlling charge transfer in MMM to tune their electrical conductivity which opens a large window for advanced device applications., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Stem cell therapy represents a transformative frontier in medical science, offering promising avenues for revolutionizing cancer treatment and advancing our understanding of neurobiology. This review explores innovative approaches in stem cell therapy that have the potential to reshape clinical practices and therapeutic outcomes in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. In this dynamic and intriguing realm of cancer research, recent years witnessed a surge in attention toward understanding the intricate role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). These cells, capable of either suppressing or promoting tumors across diverse experimental models, have been a focal point in the exploration of exosome-based therapies. Exosomes released by MSCs have played a pivotal role, in unraveling the nuances of paracrine signaling and its profound impact on cancer development. Recent studies have revealed the complex nature of MSC-derived exosomes, showcasing both protumor and antitumor effects. Despite their multifaceted involvement in tumor growth, these exosomes show significant promise in influencing both tumor development and chemosensitivity, acting as a pivotal factor that increases stem cells' potential for medicinal use. Endogenous MSCs, primarily originating from the bone marrow, exhibited a unique migratory response to damaged tissue sites. The genetic modification of stem cells, including MSCs, opened avenues for the precise delivery of therapeutic payloads in the milieu around the tumor (TME). Stem cell therapy offers groundbreaking potential for treating neurodegenerative and autoimmune disorders by regenerating damaged tissues and modulating immune responses. This approach aims to restore lost function and promote healing through targeted cellular interventions. In this review, we explored the molecular complexities of cancer and the potential for breakthroughs in personalized and targeted therapies. This analysis offers hope for transformative advancements in both cancer treatment and neurodegenerative disorders, highlighting the promise of precision medicine in addressing these challenging conditions., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

The present investigation aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) derived from endophytic fungi against arsenic [As(III)]-mediated metabolic and reproductive ailments. Two endophytic fungi, Diaporthe arengae (CleR1) and Fusarium proliferatum (CleR3), were isolated from Clerodendrum infortunatum (Cle), and used for the extraction of two types of EPSs. GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) and α-d-glucopyranose in the EPS1 (CleR1) and EPS2 (CleR3), respectively. FTIR analysis revealed the potential As(III)-chelation properties of both EPSs. EPS1 and EPS2 significantly mitigated As(III)-induced oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation by restoring the activities of antioxidative enzymes. EPSs successfully corrected the gonadotropin imbalance and steroidogenic alterations. The downregulation of proinflammatory (NF-κB and TNF-α) and proapoptotic (BAX) mediators and the upregulation of antiapoptotic (Bcl-2) markers were also detected following the treatment with EPSs. Histomorphological restoration of reproductive and metabolic organs was also observed in both the EPS groups. Moreover, the As(III)-induced increase in the immunoreactivity of the androgen receptor (AR) was successfully reversed by these EPSs. Molecular docking predicted that HMF and α-d-glucopyranose of EPS1 and EPS2 interact with the active site of AR by limiting its activity. Hence, EPS could be effective for developing new therapeutic strategies for managing As(III) toxicity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The rise in global energy demand has prompted research on developing strategies for transforming conventional nonrenewable sources to cleaner fuels. Biogenic methane production is a promising source that caters to increasing energy demands. Therefore, research to enhance their production is of great importance. Implementation of successful enhancement strategies requires knowledge of the factors impacting coalbed methane production. The microbial diversity of the formation water in coal seams is the crucial parameter influencing biomethane production. This study explores microbial diversity in the Producing and Marginal wells of Bokaro, India, intending to understand the potential application of microbial-enhanced coalbed methane technology in the marginal wells of this reservoir. The high throughput sequencing analysis revealed the presence of both archaeal and bacterial groups in both well types. The result showed significant differences in the diversity of the samples from the two well groups, suggesting the immense role played by the microbes in producing methane gas. Random forest analysis shows genera Gelria, Methanothermobacter, Thaurea, Youngiibacter, and Proteiniclasticum in the Producing wells while Roseomonas, Rhodobacter, Mycobacterium, Methylobacter, and Bosea in the Marginal wells as the significant contributor in differentiating the overall diversity between the wells of Bokaro. The current study is the first to show microbial uniqueness in coalbed methane wells based on gas production efficiency. It also explores the role of physicochemical factors in framing microbial community structure in the wells. The results provide salient information that will help better understand the impact of microbial diversity on the production of coalbed methane wells of studied coal seams. This knowledge will further aid in exploring the prospects of microbial-enhanced methane in the Marginal wells., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The study of native point-defect-induced spin centres and the synergy of their origin and dynamics are key factors for developing the next-generation spintronics and quantum technologies using quasi-2D transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). With the help of low-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements and first-principles calculations within density functional theory (DFT), herein we report for the very first time the presence of high-spin paramagnetic centres Mo 3+ and Mo 2+ in sulfur-deficient hexagonal molybdenum disulfide (2H-MoS 2- x ) nanocrystals. This in fact opposes the established notion of spin S = 1/2 mediated by Mo 5+ centres reported so far. The intrinsic lattice strain generated in the nanostructure was found to play a crucial role for such spin localization in this layered material. By performing spin-echo measurements, we find that molybdenum interstitials ( S = 3/2) possess the shortest spin-lattice relaxation time ( T 1 ) as compared to the sulfur ( S = 3/2) and oxygen vacancies ( S = 1/2). Moreover, the temperature-dependent T 1 measurements revealed a direct process for the spin-lattice relaxation of interstitial defects and a Raman process for the vacancy sites.

Complete mitochondrial genome of two species of subfamily Panchaetothripinae, Astrothrips tumiceps (16,467 bp) and Monilothrips kempi (14,773 bp) are generated by Next-Generation Sequencing Method. In this study, the detailed annotation of these mitogenomes as well as comparative analyses are carried out to explore the codon usage, gene composition, and phylogenetic relationship of subfamilies of family Thripidae. Moreover, the gene rearrangement of subfamily Panchaetothripinae of family Thripidae is also studied. Both the mitogenomes featured by 37 genes including 13 PCGs, 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs and with single putative control region with a positive AT-skew and negative GC-skew. trnS1 without DHU arm in both species, trnV without DHU arm in M. kempi, and trnE without TΨC loop in As. tumiceps. Further, codon based comparative analysis depicted the existence of natural selection pressure on all the PCGs in all the subfamilies of family Thripidae. The phylogenetic analyses, using the Bayesian inference (BI) and Maximum likelihood (ML) supported the monophyly of two suborders and family Phlaeothripidae. The family Thripidae is recovered as paraphyletic and subfamily Panchaetothripinae is in sister relationship with family Aeolothripidae and Stenurothripidae rather than the other subfamilies of family Thripidae. The gene order of the order Thysanoptera is highly rearranged, while few members of the subfamily Panchaetothripinae showed similar gene order to family Stenurothripidae. Therefore, this study suggests that the phylogenetic relationship between the subfamily Panchaetothripinae and other families is uncertain, necessitating a whole genome-based study to clarify the position of Panchaetothripinae within the suborder Terebrantia., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval: No prior and specific permission was required for thrips specimen collection and experimental study, as they are commonly found as pests in the agricultural fields. Privately owned or protected areas were not trespassed for collection of these specimens., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The growing demand for Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) requires strong reliability. However, implementing Design for Reliability (DfR) in CPS requires a deep understanding of the components' Physics of Failure. In this work, an autonomous braking system, a Cyber-Physical System is chosen to demonstrate the application of failure physics for DfR of CPS. The component under investigation is a crystal oscillator in the control circuit of the braking system. By subjecting it to a temperature cycling that mimics the realistic environment of the component, its degradation is found to significantly increase vehicle stopping distances, thereby posing potential safety hazards. Importantly, the relationship between the oscillator's degradation and the stopping distance is non-linear, which is critical in avoiding simplistic extrapolations from initial degradation data to determine the time to replace the braking system. The outcomes of this study also provide essential design guidelines to enhance the reliability and safety of autonomous vehicle braking systems., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Analyses of postmortem human brains and preclinical studies of rodents have identified somatostatin (SST)-positive, dendrite-targeting GABAergic interneurons as key elements that regulate the vulnerability to stress-related psychiatric disorders. Conversely, genetically induced disinhibition of SST neurons (induced by Cre-mediated deletion of the γ2 GABA A receptor subunit gene selectively from SST neurons, SSTCre:γ2 f/f mice) results in stress resilience. Similarly, chronic chemogenetic activation of SST neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) results in stress resilience but only in male and not in female mice. Here, we used RNA sequencing of the mPFC of SSTCre:γ2 f/f mice to characterize the transcriptome changes underlying GABAergic control of stress resilience. We found that stress resilience of male but not female SSTCre:γ2 f/f mice is characterized by resilience to chronic stress-induced transcriptome changes in the mPFC. Interestingly, the transcriptome of non-stressed SSTCre:γ2 f/f (stress-resilient) male mice resembled that of chronic stress-exposed SSTCre (stress-vulnerable) mice. However, the behavior and the serum corticosterone levels of non-stressed SSTCre:γ2 f/f mice showed no signs of physiological stress. Most strikingly, chronic stress exposure of SSTCre:γ2 f/f mice was associated with an almost complete reversal of their chronic stress-like transcriptome signature, along with pathway changes suggesting stress-induced enhancement of mRNA translation. Behaviorally, the SSTCre:γ2 f/f mice were not only resilient to chronic stress-induced anhedonia - they also showed an inversed, anxiolytic-like behavioral response to chronic stress exposure that mirrored the chronic stress-induced reversal of the chronic stress-like transcriptome signature. We conclude that GABAergic dendritic inhibition by SST neurons exerts bidirectional control over behavioral vulnerability and resilience to chronic stress exposure that is mirrored in bidirectional changes in the expression of putative stress resilience genes, through a sex-specific brain substrate., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare no competing financial or other interests, (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Pseudoachalasia is a disorder in which symptoms, radiologic, endoscopic, and manometric results resemble idiopathic achalasia. Although these diagnoses may appear similar, their underlying causes and therapy differ significantly. Pseudoachalasia is frequently associated with malignancy, particularly primary adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or cardia. We present a 75-year-old female patient with metastatic osteosarcoma who presented with symptoms of dysphagia and typical esophageal manometry findings of achalasia. Esophagoscopy showed resistance while crossing the gastroesophageal junction. Abdominal computed tomography showed a mediastinal mass. An endoscopic ultrasound was performed, and a fine needle biopsy was taken from mediastinal deposits. Histopathology, which showed signet cell tumor cells. As the cancer was inoperable, chemotherapy was started and her symptoms have decreased from before. Typical esophageal dysmotility can be seen in pseudoachalasia, a secondary type of achalasia caused mostly by cancer or benign tumors, surgical complications, or paraneoplastic disorders. Hence we can conclude diagnosing pseudoachalasia earlier can improve outcomes., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Bansal et al.)

Diabetes mellitus represents a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia from defects in insulin secretion, action, or both. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, characterized by insulin resistance, has increased over time in the UK, and is the most prevalent cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Cardiovascular complications are a major cause of mortality for these patients. Stanniocalcin (STC), originally identified in bony fish as a hormone regulating calcium levels, has since been found in mammals, including humans. In fish, STC functions as an antihypercalcemic factor. Mammals possess 2 STC orthologues, STC-1 and STC-2, with STC-1 demonstrating significant sequence and functional conservation across species. Unlike fish, STC-1 is not normally present in the blood of healthy humans. However, it can be detected in certain conditions such as pregnancy, cancer, and CKD. In humans, STC-1 has diverse roles, including modulation of calcium and phosphate homeostasis, and it is implicated in kidney and cardiovascular protection. It has been reported that STC-1 has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic activities, playing a role in renoprotection in diabetic nephropathy. This review explores the molecular biology of STC-1, its physiological functions, and its emerging role in GKDs, particularly diabetic and cardiovascular diseases. We highlight its potential protective mechanisms against hypercalcemia, its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and its cardioprotective properties in ischemia-reperfusion. Further research into STC-1 could provide new insights into therapeutic strategies for managing diseases characterized by calcium imbalance and lead to new treatments for the cardiovascular morbidity associated with diabetic kidney disease., (© 2024 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Acute phlegmonous esophagitis (APE) is a rare disease caused by bacterial infection of the oesophagus, typically involving the submucosal and muscularis layers. Patients may present with chest pain, dysphagia, odynophagia, dyspnoea, fever, nausea and vomiting, making diagnosis difficult. We present two cases of APE, both young females who presented with dysphagia and odynophagia. The first patient had a history of surgery (left mastoidectomy) which might have functioned as a nidus for infection, whereas the second patient had uncontrolled diabetes. CT findings in both patients revealed diffuse oesophageal thickening, and oesophagogastroduodenoscopy showed erythema and ulcerations. Both patients were managed conservatively using intravenous antibiotics and supportive therapy. APE is associated with a high mortality rate and warrants early diagnosis and treatment. CT is the preferred non-invasive diagnostic modality. Treatment includes systemic antibiotics, nutritional support and timely endoscopic or surgical intervention. Invasive intervention is indicated in patients not responding to medical therapy or in those with complications., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Ectopic lipid accumulation in macrophages is responsible for the formation of macrophage foam cells (MFCs) which are involved in the crosstalk with the perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) of the vascular wall that plays a pivotal role in the progression of atherosclerosis. However, the interrelationship between MFCs and PVAT implementing adipocyte dysfunction during atherosclerosis has not yet been established. We hypothesized that MFC-secreted mediator(s) is causally linked with PVAT dysfunction and the succession of atherosclerosis. To test this hypothesis, MFCs were cocultured with adipocytes, or the conditional media of MFCs (MFC-CM) were exposed to adipocytes and found a significant induction of fat lipolysis in adipocytes. The molecular filtration followed by the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fractionation and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of MFC-CM revealed a novel mediator fetuin-A (FetA) that significantly augments toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-dependent fat lipolysis in adipocytes. Mechanistically, MFC-derived FetA markedly increased TLR4-dependent c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) activation that causes spontaneous fat lipolysis implementing adipocyte dysfunction. Thus, the present study provides the first evidence of MFC-derived FetA that induces adipocyte dysfunction by the stimulation of spontaneous fat lipolysis. Therefore, targeting the crosstalk between MFCs and adipocytes could be a newer approach to counter the progression of atherosclerosis., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement. The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for Leukocyte Biology.)