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Byline: Kumar. Saurabh, Rupak. Roy, Swakshyar. Paul, Sudipta. Das, Krishnendu. Nandi, Rupak. Biswas, Sourav. Sinha Neurosensory retinal detachment (NSD) is a component of diabetic retinopathy. It is associated with other [...]

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a common term for several disorders that differ from one another in terms of etiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, and treatment. Management of patients with AIHA has become increasingly evidence-based in recent years. While this development has resulted in therapeutic improvements, it also carries increased requirements for optimal diagnosis using more advanced laboratory tests. Unfortunately, limited data are available from developing countries regarding the testing and transfusion management of patients with AIHA. The main objective of this survey was to explore the current immunohematologic testing practices for the diagnosis of AIHA in India. This online survey consisted of 30 questions, covering the place of work, the number of AIHA cases encountered in the 3 preceding years, testing method(s), transfusion management, and so forth. Individuals representing 89 laboratories completed the survey; only 78 of which responded that AIHA testing was performed in their facility’s laboratory. The majority of respondents agreed that the most commonly affected age-group comprised individuals of older than 20 years, with a female preponderance. Regarding transfusion management, respondents indicated that transfusion with “best-match” red blood cell units remains the most common practice. Column-agglutination technology is used by 92 percent of respondents as the primary testing method. Although a monospecific direct antiglobulin test is available at 73 percent of the sites, most of them have limited access to other resources that could diagnose cold or mixed AIHA. Merely 49 percent of responding laboratories have the resources to perform adsorption studies for the detection of alloantibodies. Furthermore, three-cell antibody screening reagents are unavailable at 32 percent of laboratories. In 72 percent of centers, clinical hematologists would prefer to consult a transfusion medicine specialist before administering treatment to AIHA patients. There is unanimous agreement regarding the need for a national registry. The survey data indicate wide variability in testing practices for patients with AIHA in India. Future studies are needed to focus on the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of different testing strategies for developing countries.

Bioelectronic medicine is a multidisciplinary field that combines molecular medicine, neurology, engineering, and computer science to design devices for diagnosing and treating diseases. The advancements in bioelectronic medicine can improve the precision and personalization of illness treatment. Bioelectronic medicine can produce, suppress, and measure electrical activity in excitable tissue. Bioelectronic devices modify specific neural circuits using electrons rather than pharmaceuticals and uses of bioelectronic processes to regulate the biological processes underlining various diseases. This promotes the potential to address the underlying causes of illnesses, reduce adverse effects, and lower costs compared to conventional medication. The current review presents different important aspects of bioelectronic medicines with recent advancements. The area of bioelectronic medicine has a lot of potential for treating diseases, enabling non-invasive therapeutic intervention by regulating brain impulses. Bioelectronic medicine uses electricity to control biological processes, treat illnesses, or regain lost capability. These new classes of medicines are designed by the technological developments in the detection and regulation of electrical signaling methods in the nervous system. Peripheral nervous system regulates a wide range of processes in chronic diseases; it involves implanting small devices onto specific peripheral nerves, which read and regulate the brain signaling patterns to achieve therapeutic effects specific to the signal capacity of a particular organ. The potential for bioelectronic medicine field is vast, as it investigates for treatment of various diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, paralysis, chronic illnesses, blindness, etc.

Background: The present study compared clinical features and outcomes of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) with and without pachychoroid. Methods: It was a retrospective, longitudinal, record-based study which included eyes with CSC. Patients underwent spectral domain optical coherence tomography and differentiated between pachychoroid and non-pachychoroid groups. Eyes were divided into pachychoroid and non-pachychoroid groups based on the subfoveal choroidal thickness of 300 microns and the presence of pachyvessels. Results: A total of 250 eyes of 250 patients were divided into pachychoroid and non-pachychoroid with 125 eyes in each group. Mean ages of patients in pachychoroid and non-pachychoroid groups were 45.7 ± 9.4 years and 47.4 ± 10.2 years, respectively. Mean initial best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.40 ± 0.42 in pachychoroid and 0.39 ± 0.38 in non-pachychoroid group (p= 0.9). Mean final BCVA was 0.37 ± 0.9 in pachychoroid and 0.21 ± 0.33 in non-pachychoroid group (p= 0.04). 36 (28.8%) eyes in pachychoroid and 60 (48%) eyes in non-pachychoroid group had spontaneous resolution of CSC (p= 0.007). A total of 39 (31.2%) eyes in pachychoroid and 13 (10.4%) in non-pachychoroid group had recurrent CSC at the end of follow-up. Conclusion: CSC eyes with pachychoroid had more recurrent episodes and less spontaneous resolution compared to CSC eyes in non-pachychoroid group. Final visual acuity was worse in eyes with CSC and pachychoroid. These findings need to be validated in a larger sample size with a prospective study design.

The epiphytic algae on the bryophytes of Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica, are taxonomically investigated, and sixteen algal species are recognized including ten species of blue–green algae dominated by the species of Nostoc, three species of green algae, a xanthophycean alga and two diatoms. The occurrence of algae on different bryophytes is dependent on water-holding capacity of the bryophytes and sometimes nutrient enrichment in nearby lands through the excretion of resting sea birds. Thus, the bryophyte colonies in Broknes Peninsula, Fisher and Solomon Islands have rich and diverse epiphytic algal populations among the 18 study sites. The present study not only widens our knowledge on polar algal distribution, but can also be preferred as ‘model’ environment for the further studies of plant-adaptive strategies to thrive in the harshest environment.

A new species, i.e. Actinotaenium himalayanum, is described from a moist cemented wall from eastern Himalayas, India. The taxon is not only having morphological peculiarities, but also showed interesting features during its process of asexual reproduction.

The Chinese textile and apparel industry has been a global frontrunner for the past 2 decades, yet recent challenges have emerged. Issues such as escalated labor and production costs, trade conflicts, and intensified competition from neighboring Asian countries have posed significant hurdles. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has deepened pressure on China's apparel exports. The government's implementation of the Zero-COVID policy aimed at decreasing the pandemic led to reduced production, factory closures, and supply chain disruptions, negatively impacting the industry's reputation with Western buyers and consequently influencing the export competitiveness of Chinese apparel. Therefore, this study focuses on assessing the export competitiveness of Chinese apparel exports, analyzing two and four-digit product categories under Harmonized System (HS) codes 61 and 62. To achieve this, the study employed evaluation tools such as Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), Market Share (MS), Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA), and Normalized Revealed Comparative Advantage (NRCA). Findings highlighted significant impacts of the Zero-COVID policy, affecting 31 out of 34 product categories. Chapter 61 displayed a positive 4.75% annual growth rate, while Chapter 62 exhibited a negative growth rate of -1.15%. The study carries significant implications for various stakeholders in both Chinese and other apparel exporting industries, encompassing government entities, industry officials, policymakers, investors, researchers, and students. The limitations arise from the study's reliance on RSCA and NRCA as competitiveness indicators, particularly in utilizing a macro-level approach for measurement without delving into a micro-level perspective. This constitutes a noteworthy constraint in the study's analytical framework.

Byline: Sudipta. Das Gone are the days when vitreoretinal fellows used to stand in a queue to get a glimpse of the complex procedures in the side scope of an [...]

ABSTRACTA multiband, frequency reconfigurable, and bifunctional metasurface for simultaneous full-space control of Electromagnetic (EM) waves is proposed for wearable applications. The unit-cell structure contains concentric rectangular rings and empty substrate-integrated waveguides (SIWs) for miniaturisation. The miniaturised dimension of the Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate is 18 × 18 × 1 mm3. Two varactor diodes are integrated for frequency switching operations by configuring the structure using bias voltage (forward/reverse) through the ground via the proposed surface resonates at 3.5,5.8,7.6 (On),8.1 (Off) GHz frequencies, which provide simultaneous bi-functionalities: artificial Magnetic Conductor (AMC) reflector/absorber in reflection and transmission space of operations, respectively. In reflection space, it acts as an AMC reflector by providing in-phase reflection with a radiation efficiency of >84% and unidirectional E-field patterns. However, the magnitude of absorbance is more than 96% in transmission, thereby simultaneously controlling full-space EM wave in normal incidence. The obtained simultaneous metasurface functionalities are investigated for different oblique angles of the transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) incident wave. The proposed surface is fabricated and experimentally validated. The features of the designed bifunctional metasurface provide a strategic platform for potential multifunctional wearable devices.

Byline: Sugandha. Goel, Eesh. Nigam, Kumar. Saurabh, Rupak. Roy, Sudipta. Das, Debmalya. Das Valsalva retinopathy is characterized by a sudden visual loss due to preretinal hemorrhage, caused by a rapid [...]

Byline: Sudipta. Das, Veer. Singh, Kumar. Saurabh Sports-related ocular traumas may be rare, but can have devastating and disabling consequences. The causes of eye-related injuries depend on the type of [...]

This study presents a novel approach to advance warp knitting design and simulation using MATLAB, offering a significant contribution to the textile fabric manufacturing industry. By analyzing the structural characteristics of warp knitted fabrics, we decompose the basic structural unit into curves, establish a coordinate system, and derive mathematical models. MATLAB is employed to visually represent these mathematical models, incorporating various stitch patterns. The mathematical output of MATLAB was used to display the mathematical model as an image, according to the arrangement of the loops of stitch and the loop statement pillar stitch, tricot stitch, cord lap, satin lap, atlas stitch, two bar tricot stitch, lock knit stitch, reverse lock knit stitch, satin stitch, and sharkskin stitch. Physical measurements are then used for numerical analysis, refining the theoretical model to closely match physical fabrics. Hence, the work represents a promising avenue for achieving cleaner production in warp-knitted fabric manufacturing.

Astrophysical neutrinos are excellent probes of astroparticle physics and high-energy physics. With energies far beyond solar, supernovae, atmospheric, and accelerator neutrinos, high-energy and ultra-high-energy neutrinos probe fundamental physics from the TeV scale to the EeV scale and beyond. They are sensitive to physics both within and beyond the Standard Model through their production mechanisms and in their propagation over cosmological distances. They carry unique information about their extreme non-thermal sources by giving insight into regions that are opaque to electromagnetic radiation. This white paper describes the opportunities astrophysical neutrino observations offer for astrophysics and high-energy physics, today and in coming years.

A survey was conducted during 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 to collect the rice false smut (RFS) infected samples from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh for the study.The RFS disease appeared in September and incidence was 2.0–50.0%. The 23 isolates of U. virensshowed a morphological variation on Potato Sucrose Agar medium i.e., white-greenish grey to black colony (73.9%), white reddish yellow (26.0%), fluffy mycelium (60.8%), compact mycelium (39.1%), undulated colony (56.5%) without undulation (43.4%) wavy colony margin (65.2%), circular colony margin (34.7%). The colony diameter of U. virenswas in the range of 74–77 mm, 24 days after inoculation. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed that chlamydospore size was 3–5 µm and were globose to rounded and ornamented with prominent spines (200–500 nm). A set of 25 novel actinomycetes were evaluated for their antifungal activity against U. virensusing dual culture technique under in vitro conditions. Streptomyces harbinensiswas most effective in the inhibition (58.9%) of U. virensfungus.

In this paper, a circular antenna with a 3-D printed substrate is introduced to achieve a multiband behavior. The circular antenna is matched using a key-shaped stub located on the perimeter of the designed antenna. The 3-DP circular antenna adopted the apollonian gasket technique to perform the multi-circular cuttings in the Polylactic Acid (PLA) substrate as an innovative technique to obtain quintuple bands. The proposed antenna is designed to operate for Bluetooth, WLAN, WiMAX, and other wireless applications in S-band and C-band. The designed antenna has a compact size of 61.1 × 43.6 × 1 mm3. The prototype of the suggested 3-D printed antenna is fabricated and measured to confirm the simulation results. A good agreement is evident between simulation and experimental results which validates the design concept.

In the current research, acyclovir-loaded microbeads were formulated via ionotropic gelation using sodium alginate-gellan gum and sodium alginate-xanthan gum. In the preparation of these acyclovir-loaded microbeads, aluminium chloride and barium chloride were used as cross-linking agents. All these ionotropically-gelled acyclovir-loaded alginate-gellan gum microbeads and alginate-xanthan gum microbeads exhibited good percent yields (85.07 ± 1.58 to 92.17 ± 3.02%) and drug entrapment efficiencies (74.09 ± 1.38 to 95.16 ± 3.37%). Acyclovir-loaded alginate-gellan gum microbeads exhibited comparatively smaller average particle sizes (0.54 ± 0.02 to 0.71 ± 0.03 mm) than those of acyclovir-loaded alginate-xanthan gum microbeads (0.60 ± 0.02 to 0.82 ± 0.04 mm). Acyclovir-loaded alginate-xanthan gum microbeads exhibited comparatively higher swelling than that of acyclovir-loaded alginate-gellan gum microbeads. A sustained pattern of acyclovir release over 240 min was noticed by these microbeads. Surface morphology analysis of the best microbeads formulation (on the basis of sustained acyclovir release data) was done by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These kinds of ionotropically-gelled alginate-based microbeads might be advantageous to facilitate enhanced patient compliances with minimal dosing frequency and enhanced oral bioavailability.

Immune tolerance to allergens in early-life decreases the risk for asthma in later life. Here we show establishment of stable airway tolerance to the allergen, house dust mite (HDM), by exposing newborn mice repeatedly to a low dose of the allergen. Lung dendritic cells (DCs) from tolerized mice induced a low Th2 response in vitro mirroring impact of tolerance in vivo. In line with our previous finding of increased mitochondrial H2O2production from lung DCs of mice tolerized to ovalbumin, depletion of mitochondrial H2O2in MCAT mice abrogated HDM-induced airway tolerance (Tol) with elevated Th2 effector response, airway eosinophilia, and increased airway hyperreactivity. WT-Tol mice displayed a decrease in total, cDC1 and cDC2 subsets in the lung as compared to that in naive mice. In contrast, the lungs of MCAT-Tol mice showed 3-fold higher numbers of cDCs including those of the subsets as compared to that in WT mice. Our study demonstrates an important role of mitochondrial H2O2in constraining lung DC numbers towards establishment of early-life airway tolerance to allergens.

Actinomycetes due to their unique repertoire of antimicrobial secondary metabolites can be an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to agrochemicals to control plant pathogens. In the present study, antifungal activity of twenty different actinomycetes was evaluated via dual culture plate assay against six different phytopathogens, viz., Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium oxysporumf. sp. lycopersici, Sarocladium oryzae, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and Rhizoctonia solani. Two potential isolates, Streptomyces amritsarensisV31 and Kribella karoonensisMSCA185 showing high antifungal activity against all six fungal pathogens, were further evaluated after extraction of bioactive metabolites in different solvents. Metabolite extracted from S. amritsarensisV31 in different solvents inhibited Rhizoctonia solani(7.5–65%), Alternaria alternata(5.5–52.7%), Aspergillus flavus(8–30.7%), Fusarium oxysporumf. sp. lycopersici(25–44%), Sarocladium oryzae(11–55.5%), and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum(29.7–40.5%); 1000 D diluted methanolic extract of S. amritsarensisV31 showed growth inhibition against R. solani(23.3%), A. flavus(7.7%), F. oxysporum(22.2%), S. oryzae(16.7%), and S. sclerotiorum(19.0%). Metabolite extracts of S. amritsarensisV31 significantly reduced the incidence of rice sheath blight both as preventive and curative sprays. Chemical profiling of the metabolites in DMSO extract of S. amritsarensisV31 revealed 6-amino-5-nitrosopyrimidine-2,4-diol as the predominant compound present. It was evident from the LC–MS analyses that S. amritsarensisV31 produced a mixture of potential antifungal compounds which inhibited the growth of different phytopathogenic fungi. The results of this study indicated that metabolite extracts of S. amritsarensisV31 can be exploited as a bio-fungicide to control phytopathogenic fungi.

The concept of time scales is essential for modeling financial decisions. This paper investigates time–frequency relationships across time scales between stock market returns, crude oil prices and exchange rates by applying wavelet analysis technique over the period 1999 to 2021. We find evidence of several strong co-movements between oil price and stock market and between oil price and foreign exchange rate in India. Each of these associations is linked with some important macroeconomic events. This implies economic shocks in developed market have a spillover effect on Indian market. The phase relationships indicate stock returns are in phase with oil prices and exchange rates are in out of phase with oil prices. We find that the impact of volatility at lower scale has a short term effect on the variables. Further, the wavelet coherency at high scale has slower changes with long term effect on the relationship between the variables of our interest. These results are useful for investors aiming specific time horizon of their investment and preferences, for portfolio managers and in risk assessment. Understanding the leading and lagging relationships will also help in business cycle based investing by detecting the subsequent business cycle fluctuations and forecasting the trend.

Immune tolerance to allergens in early-life decreases the risk for asthma in later life. Here we show establishment of stable airway tolerance to the allergen, house dust mite (HDM), by exposing newborn mice repeatedly to a low dose of the allergen. Lung dendritic cells (DCs) from tolerized mice induced a low Th2 response in vitro mirroring impact of tolerance in vivo. In line with our previous finding of increased mitochondrial H2O2production from lung DCs of mice tolerized to ovalbumin, depletion of mitochondrial H2O2in MCAT mice abrogated HDM-induced airway tolerance (Tol) with elevated Th2 effector response, airway eosinophilia, and increased airway hyperreactivity. WT-Tol mice displayed a decrease in total, cDC1 and cDC2 subsets in the lung as compared to that in naive mice. In contrast, the lungs of MCAT-Tol mice showed 3-fold higher numbers of cDCs including those of the subsets as compared to that in WT mice. Our study demonstrates an important role of mitochondrial H2O2in constraining lung DC numbers towards establishment of early-life airway tolerance to allergens.

The demand for various unconventional foods to reduce the complications in both communicable and non-communicable diseases is increasing day by day. The aim of this review was to observe the efficacy of Aloe vera in hyperglycemia and in hyperlipidemia in vivo (both animals and humans). The studies of different authors were searched by using many scientific search engines such as Pub Med, Google Scholar, Science Direct, the database of Open Access Journals. There are 25 animal studies and 10 human studies included in this review. By analyzing data, data were extracted from selected articles that showed the effects of a different form of Aloe vera on diabetes and hyperlipidemia after consumption. The result of this review covers different doses and forms of Aloe vera, which were provided to target animals and humans for a different duration to achieve an outcome in those articles. Most of the studies showed a significant result that means Aloe vera has a positive effect on diabetes and hyperlipidemia. Further studies are needed to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms of action of Aloe vera as well as its efficacy and safety in the treatment of various diseases.

In this paper, a novel compact UWB antenna with variable notched band characteristics for UWB applications is presented. The designed antenna primarily consists of an adjusted elliptical shaped metallic patch and a partial ground plane. The proposed antenna has a compact size of only 17 × 17 mm2. The suggested antenna covers the frequency range from 3.1 GHz to 12 GHz. A single notched band has been achieved at 7.4 GHz with the aid of integrating a novel closed loop resonator at the back plane of the antenna. This notched band can be utilized to alleviate the interference impact with the downlink X-band applications. Besides, a square slot was cut in the loop in order to obtain a variable notched band. With the absence and the existence of this slot, the notched band can be varied to mitigate interference of the upper WLAN band (5.72–5.82 GHz) and X-band (7.25–7.75 GHz) with UWB applications. A good agreement between measurement and simulation results was achieved, which affirms the appropriateness of this antenna for UWB applications.

Understanding the interfacial molecular structure of acidic aqueous solutions is important in the context of, e.g., atmospheric chemistry, biophysics, and electrochemistry. The hydration of the interfacial proton is necessarily different from that in the bulk, given the lower effective density of water at the interface, but has not yet been elucidated. Here, using surface-specific vibrational spectroscopy, we probe the response of interfacial protons at the water–air interface and reveal the interfacial proton continuum. Combined with spectral calculations based on ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, the proton at the water–air interface is shown to be well-hydrated, despite the limited availability of hydration water, with both Eigen and Zundel structures coexisting at the interface. Notwithstanding the interfacial hydrated proton exhibiting bulk-like structures, a substantial interfacial stabilization by −1.3 ± 0.2 kcal/mol is observed experimentally, in good agreement with our free energy calculations. The surface propensity of the proton can be attributed to the interaction between the hydrated proton and its counterion.

The growing concern of leading a healthy and balanced lifestyle has instigated the rise of the global consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. However, the overall supply chain, particularly the product delivery system, is significantly hampered due to uncertain circumstances, such as a pandemic, natural disaster, and political strikes. Thus, better strategical decisions such as improved and optimised distribution planning have to be made to reduce this wastage and spoilage and ensure sustainability across its chain. Therefore, to ensure a sustainable supply chain architecture, this research proposes a tri-objective optimisation model for multi-echelon and multi-products aiming to lessen the annual supply chain cost, cold storage setup cost, and enhance the freshness of perishable by establishing a proper distribution channel. First, a mixed-integer linear programming model with three competing goals is proposed to solve the supply chain distribution network design problem. Then, to deal with the multi-criteria problem, a weighted sum method is considered. This was solved using CPLEX optimisation studio. A case study is considered to check the feasibility of the model with two common fruits of Bangladesh, i.e. guava and lemon. Finally, several cost-effective options and trade-offs between three factors are presented to aid the decision-making process.HighlightsA unique flexible distribution planning model for multi-product fresh produceAllocating a new echelon, refrigerated DC between production and consumption zoneConsidering waste minimization and carbon emission to improve sustainabilityDetermining the most preferred location of DCs from potential locationsEstablishing cold storages, considering perishable nature for developing countries

The use of plant-based natural agents for textile applications has received increased attention in recent years due to the negative environmental impacts of synthetic agents. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity of organic cotton fabric (OCF) treated with mahogany wood waste powder. Our objective was to evaluate the potential of mahogany wood waste powder as a natural, plant-based antibacterial agent for use in textile applications. The treated OCF was tested against Escherichia coliand Staphylococcus aureususing the agar disc diffusion method. The results showed that the treated fabric exhibited a significant antibacterial effect, with an average zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 9.02 ± 0.78 mm against E. coliand 10.32 ± 0.42 mm against S. aureusbefore washing. The antibacterial activity decreased with repeated washing, but the treated fabric still showed some level of activity even after ten washes. The findings suggested that mahogany wood waste powder has potential as a natural, plant-based antibacterial agent for use in textile applications. Overall, as a sustainable substitute for synthetic antibacterial agents in the textile sector, the use of mahogany wood waste powder in this study represents a viable starting point for further research.

•The suggested compact THz antenna is printed on Rogers material by incorporating modified E-shaped patch along with T-shaped ground planes loaded with an optimized slot. The designed structure has a miniaturized antenna dimension of only 130 × 100 µm2.•It shows the bandwidth enhancement and return loss responses covering at S11 ≤ -10 dB is ranging from 0.57 THz to 1.02 THz that supports Imaging – sensing – bio-medical and other short distance applications.•The proposed antenna offers maximum reflection coefficient (S11) of −19.49 dB, BW of 450 GHz, ratio bandwidth (RB) of 1.79:1, fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 56.60%, and bandwidth dimension ratio (BDR) of 1206.05.•It achieves high radiation efficiency exceeding 80% for the entire operating band along with unique radiation characteristics with less cross polarization.•Variations of chemical potential of the graphene material on the designed THz characteristics is described for achieving the optimum results.

To identify the risk factors associated with endophthalmitis after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV).

We study the properties of an intense pulse propagating in dissipative nonlinear systems considering nonlinear dispersion within the framework of the variational approach. We model the system by the so-called saturable cubic-quintic nonlinear Schrödinger equation including perturbing terms like two-photon absorption, intra-pulse Raman scattering, and dissipative losses. Introducing Rayleigh’s dissipative function we derive a set of coupled differential equations for the various parameters of the pulse. It is clearly demonstrated how the interplay among dispersion, saturable nonlinearity, and dissipative losses affects intense-short pulse propagation in optical media.

Hydrated proteins undergo a transition in the deeply supercooled regime, which is attributed to rapid changes in hydration water and protein structural dynamics. Here, we investigate the nanoscale stress–relaxation in hydrated lysozyme proteins stimulated and probed by X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS). This approach allows us to access the nanoscale dynamics in the deeply supercooled regime (T= 180 K), which is typically not accessible through equilibrium methods. The observed stimulated dynamic response is attributed to collective stress–relaxation as the system transitions from a jammed granular state to an elastically driven regime. The relaxation time constants exhibit Arrhenius temperature dependence upon cooling with a minimum in the Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts exponent at T= 227 K. The observed minimum is attributed to an increase in dynamical heterogeneity, which coincides with enhanced fluctuations observed in the two-time correlation functions and a maximum in the dynamic susceptibility quantified by the normalized variance χT. The amplification of fluctuations is consistent with previous studies of hydrated proteins, which indicate the key role of density and enthalpy fluctuations in hydration water. Our study provides new insights into X-ray stimulated stress–relaxation and the underlying mechanisms behind spatiotemporal fluctuations in biological granular materials.

A 3D pore-scale model is presented to predict the energy storage characteristics of a macro-encapsulated phase change material (PCM)-metal foam hybrid energy storage system. A single capsule with metallic shell filled with PCM-metal foam composite is considered. The energy transfer from a heat transfer fluid (HTF) flowing over the capsule, the evolution of temperature, and the melting of PCM in the metal foam pores within the capsule are simulated using the model. The model resolves the geometry of the individual pores in the metal foam and thus captures the local heat transfer between the metal foam and PCM, and the movement of PCM solid-liquid interface during melting inside each pore. Heat transfer from the HTF to the metal shell, metal foam, and PCM, and the resulting melting and energy storage characteristics are predicted by using the model. The effects of important geometrical parameters such as capsule size, capsule shell thickness, pore size distribution and porosity of the foam are studied. As a significant fraction of energy storage is in the form of sensible energy, the total energy storage with the variation of these parameters are quantitatively compared. For the range of parameters considered in the study, it is found that the increase in foam porosity from 50 % to 70 % increases the total energy storage by 5.41 % while increasing the average pore radius from 0.5 mm to 0.9 mm keeping the porosity 60 %, increases the total energy storage by only 1.54 %. Change in capsule inner diameter from 7 to 11 mm increases the total energy storage by 211.99 % although the energy stored per unit volume is reduced by 7.55 %. Similar effect is also observed for increase in shell thickness from 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

We obtain sharp upper and lower bounds for a reliability function with decreasing mean residual life (DMRL), in terms of its mean. The constructive proofs establish that the bounds are sharp. We also provide bounds for the IMRL class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhalation of environmental antigens such as allergens does not always induce inflammation in the respiratory tract. While antigen-presenting cells (APCs), including dendritic cells and macrophages, take up inhaled antigens, the cell-intrinsic molecular mechanisms that prevent an inflammatory response during this process, such as activation of the transcription factor NF-κB, are not well understood. Here, we show that the nuclear receptor PPARγ plays a critical role in blocking NF-κB activation in response to inhaled antigens to preserve immune tolerance. Tolerance induction promoted mitochondrial respiration, generation of H2O2, and suppression of NF-κB activation in WT, but not PPARγ-deficient, APCs. Forced restoration of H2O2in PPARγ-deficient cells suppressed IκBα degradation and NF-κB activation. Conversely, scavenging reactive oxygen species from mitochondria promoted IκBα degradation with loss of regulatory and promotion of inflammatory T cell responses in vivo. Thus, communication between PPARγ and the mitochondria maintains immune quiescence in the airways.

Chasmophytes are a group of diverse plants growing on cracks and crevices of rocks. They survive under nutrient and water-limited conditions. Microorganisms associated with chasmophytes may play a critical role in their survival. In the present study, 263 bacterial isolates were obtained from chasmophytic wild Chenopodiumcollected from Tsomoriri, Ladakh. Members of Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Pantoea, and Alcaligenescomprised ~ 90% of the Gram-negative bacteria, while among Gram-positive, Bacillus, Solibacillus, Fictibacillus, Microbacterium, andMicrococcuswere most abundant. When evaluated for various plant growth-promoting traits, 36 bacteria could solubilize insoluble phosphate, 10 bacteria could release potassium from silicate minerals, and 25 bacteria could solubilize ZnO, while 124 bacteria produced siderophores. ACC deaminase activity was present in 31 isolates, while 46 bacteria could produce IAA (10.40–232.0 μg/mL). Furthermore, more than 64% of the isolates could grow at 50 °C, while ~ 60% could grow at 4 °C. Similarly, ~ 50% isolates were able to grow with > 1.7 M NaCl and ~ 70% could grow under high osmolarity (~ 67 mOsmol/L). The ability of these microorganisms to grow under such a wide range of temperature, salinity, and osmolarity offers adaptive advantage to colonize plants surviving under harsh environmental conditions. A large number (30–49%) of these isolates could produce acids from various sugars and sugar alcohols which is crucial to release mineral nutrients trapped in the rocks. The results indicated that genetically and functionally diverse microflora associated with wild Chenopodiummight be helping these plants to effectively mine nutrients and water under extreme conditions.

AbstractTrace-level (μg g−1) selective separation of Mn(II) from other associated metal ions have been carried out by impregnating equimolar mixture of pyridine-2, 6-dimethanol (PDM) and thiocyanate ion on silica. The sorbent showed maximum Mn(II) sorption capacity (1.23 mmol g–1) at pH 5.0. Mn(II) was completely eluted by 8.5 mL 1.0 mol L−1HNO3from 1.0 g sorbent and subsequently measured with flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS).The structure of the extracted Mn(II) complex was established by Fourier transform infrared red spectra and confirmed by single crystal X-ray structure analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) shows the stability of the isolated Mn(II) complex at the extraction temperature. Three sigma detection limit (N = 10) of the method was 0.6 μg mL−1with a relative standard deviation of 0.1% (N = 10). The method has a pre-concentration factor of 105. Marginal interference from Cu2+has been masked with NH4SCN. The developed method has been tested for trace-level separation and estimation of Mn(II) in spiked water samples.

Nanocellulose (NC) has lately appeared as a member of the major promising “green” materials, garnering great attentiveness due to it’s unique features. Several new materials with huge variety of biomedical uses have been developed based on the most coveted aspects of Nanocellulose, including biodegradability, sustainability, biocompatibility and their especial physicochemical properties. There are primarily three class of Nanocellulose, every one of which is maufactured in a different way and has different qualities. In the previous couple of years, scientists have concentrated on nanocellulose-based systems which are employed as drug delivery vehicles. Controlled and sustained drug release has varying potential for different applications and administration routes; in this case, nanocellulose was used as a persistent biomaterial that aided in drug delivery. There are two different forms of nanocellulose-based biomedical materials that are currently being developed. At the molecular level, they are tissue bioscaffolds for cellular growth, drug excipients for drug administration, and enzyme/protein immobilisation and recognition. On the contrary at the macroscopic level biomaterial, they are blood vascular and soft tissue substitutes, skin and bone tissue healing materials, and antibacterial materials. The prospective biomedical use of nanocellulose will also be determined by its functional alteration.

Developments in the field of fluorescent chemosensors for trace level determination of Al3+have been described. Design, synthesis and applications of Al3+selective fluorescent sensors have attracted a great deal of attention due to their versatile and emerging biological implications. A systematic description of different fluorescent probes based on their fluorophore skeleton has been made. The sensing mechanism of each fluorescent probe has been briefly discussed. Special emphasis has been given to consideration of the greenness of the methods, particularly, the use of greener solvents like water. The review covers published work on fluorescence sensing of Al3+worldwide together with our own contribution in this field.

The generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) has brought the idea of the existence of a minimum measurable length in quantum physics. Depending on this GUP, the nonrelativistic Hamiltonian at the Planck scale is modified. In this paper, we construct the kernel for this GUP-corrected Hamiltonian for a free particle by applying the Hamiltonian path integral approach and checking the validity conditions for this kernel thoroughly. Interestingly, the probabilistic interpretation of this kernel induces a momentum upper bound in the theory which is comparable with GUP-induced maximum momentum uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A naphthalene-based thiophene derivative (L) can act as a Cr3+selective turn-on fluorescence probe in aqueous methanol. The structure of Lhas been established from different spectroscopic data and confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Under optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensity of Lincreases linearly from 1.0 × 10−6to 52 × 10−6M Cr3+with a detection limit of 1.5 × 10−7M. Lalso exhibits good cell permeability and can detect intracellular Cr3+in contaminated living cells.

The synthesis, characterization and selective interaction of a naphthalene based fluorescent probe (L) with Al3+is described. The detection limit of Lfor Al3+is 4.8 × 10−7M. Lcan efficiently detect Al3+in living cells under a fluorescence microscope. Experimentally observed structural and spectroscopic features of Land its Al3+complex have been substantiated by computational calculations using density functional theory.

Introduction: Clerodendron infortunatumLinn. (Verbenaceae), commonly known as Bhantin Hindi, is a small shrub occurring throughout the plains of India, which is traditionally used for several medicinal purposes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the preclinical antihyperglycemic activity of the methanol extract of the leaves of C. infortunatum(MECI) in Wistar rats. Methods: Hyperglycemia was induced in rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 65 mg/kg body weight). Three days after STZ induction, the hyperglycemic rats were treated with MECI intraperitoneally at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight daily for 15 days. Glibenclamide (0.5 mg/kg, orally) was used as a reference drug. The fasting blood glucose levels were measured on every fifth day during the 15 days of treatment. Serum biochemical parameters such as glutamate pyruvate transaminase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, and total protein were estimated. Antioxidant properties were assessed by estimating hepatic lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT). Results: MECI at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg intraperitoneally significantly (P<0.001) and dose-dependently reduced and normalized blood glucose levels as compared to that of the STZ control group. Serum biochemical parameters were significantly (P<0.001) restored towards normal levels in MECI-treated rats as compared to the STZ control. MECI treatment also significantly (P<0.001) decreased lipid peroxidation and recovered GSH levels and CAT activity towards normal values, as compared to the STZ control. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that the leaves of C. infortunatumhad remarkable preclinical antihyperglycemic activity in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

We construct Barrow holographic dark energy in the case of nonflat universe. In particular, considering closed and open spatial geometry we extract the differential equations that determine the evolution of the dark-energy density parameter, and we provide the analytical expression for the corresponding dark energy equation-of-state parameter. We show that the scenario can describe the thermal history of the universe, with the sequence of matter and dark energy epochs. Comparing to the flat case, where the phantom regime is obtained for relative large Barrow exponents, the incorporation of positive curvature leads the universe into the phantom regime for significantly smaller values. Additionally, in the case of negative curvature we find a reversed behavior, namely for increased Barrow exponent we acquire algebraically higher dark-energy equation-of-state parameters. Furthermore, we confront the scenario with Hubble parameter measurements and supernova type Ia data. Hence, the incorporation of slightly non-flat spatial geometry to Barrow holographic dark energy improves the phenomenology while keeping the new Barrow exponent to smaller values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work shows that a combination of nonlinear contributions from the Ricci curvature in Einstein field equations can drive a late time acceleration of expansion of the universe. The transit from the decelerated to the accelerated phase of expansion takes place smoothly without having to resort to a study of asymptotic behaviour. This result emphasizes the need for thorough and critical examination of models with nonlinear contribution from the curvature.

In this paper it is shown that the Brans – Dicke scalar field itself can serve the purpose of providing an early deceleration and a late time acceleration of the universe without any need of quintessence field if one considers an interaction, i.e., transfer of energy between the dark matter and the Brans – Dicke scalar field.In this paper it is shown that the Brans – Dicke scalar field itself can serve the purpose of providing an early deceleration and a late time acceleration of the universe without any need of quintessence field if one considers an interaction, i.e., transfer of energy between the dark matter and the Brans – Dicke scalar field.

Abstract: In this paper, we investigate the quintessence model with a minimally coupled scalar field in the context of recent supernovae observations. By choosing a particular form of the deceleration parameter q, which gives an early deceleration and late time acceleration for the dust dominated model, we show that this sign flip in q can be obtained by a simple trigonometric potential. The early matter dominated model expands with q = 1/2 as desired and enters a negative q phase quite late during the evolution.

Cyanobacteria are oxygenic photosynthetic microorganisms known for their agricultural and industrial importance. Unavailability of efficient and fast isolation and purification methods of cyanobacteria has impeded our understanding of cyanobacterial diversity. A number of techniques for isolation and purification of cyanobacteria are available, but most of them are cumbersome as well as time-consuming. In the present study, we modified and validated a uni-algal isolation technique named as Microscope Assisted Uni-algal isolation through Dilution (MAU-D) which used dilution of mixed algal population on slide and isolation of single type of cyanobacterial cells using light microscope. Using this technique, we obtained 81 cyanobacterial isolates belonging to various species from 19 different genera from soil and water samples collected from rice fields of Uttar Pradesh, India. This technique also resulted in isolation of six distinct genera, viz., Cyanobacterium, Toxopsis, Desertifilum, Chroococcidiopsis, Halomicronema, and Alkalinema,which were previously not reported from rice fields of India. Hence, the MAU-D technique presents a simple, comparatively fast method of isolation and purification of cyanobacteria which can help to isolate those cyanobacteria which are difficult to isolate through routine sub-culturing.

Current commercially available methods for reliably detecting antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remain expensive and inaccessible due to the need for whole-blood collection by highly trained phlebotomists using personal protective equipment (PPE). We have evaluated an antibody detection approach using the OraSure Technologies oral antibody collection device (OACD) and their proprietary SARS-CoV-2 total antibody detection enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

The present work deals with the preparation and in vitroevaluation of liposomal formulations of abiraterone acetate. In the present work, abiraterone acetate-loaded liposomal formulation was formulated by thin lipid film method. The prepared liposomal formulation of abiraterone acetate was evaluated by drug content estimation, particle size measurement, in vitrodrug release and release kinetics studies. Dried samples of liposomal suspension of abiraterone acetate were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The drug contents of liposomal formulations were within the ranges, 6.06 ± 0.43 to 10.55 ± 1.04 mg/ml. In vitrodrug release from these liposomal formulations was found to be sustained over 4 h, which followed the zero order model (R2 = 0.8940 to 0.9884) over 4 h. After storage of 1 month at 4 °C temperature, the best liposomal formulation (prepared using 100 mg lecithin) was found stable enough. These liposomal formulations of abiraterone acetate can be formulated for parenteral application to treat advanced prostate cancer.