Search

AbstractHuman adenovirus (HADV) infection can pose a serious threat to children, leading to a variety of respiratory illnesses and other complications. Particularly, children with weak immune systems are vulnerable to severe adenovirus infections with high mortality. The main focus of this study is to propose new antiviral agents as lead HADV inhibitors for children. So, several antiviral agents used in children were subjected to finding new HADV inhibitors using important computational methods of molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MM-PBSA) binding free energy calculations, density functional theory (DFT), and pharmacokinetic analysis. Molecular docking of standard cidofovir along with other ligands, suggested that sofosbuvir has the highest binding energy (−10.8 kcal/mol), followed by baloxavir marboxil (−10.36 kcal/mol). Further, the analysis of molecular interactions using MD simulation (100 ns) and MM-PBSA indicated that baloxavir marboxil has formed the most stable protein–ligand complex with HADV, followed by sofosbuvir. The binding free energies of baloxavir marboxil and sofosbuvir were found to be −61.724 kJ/mol and −48.123 kJ/mol, respectively. The DFT and drug-likeness properties of these compounds were also investigated. Overall, two antiviral agents, such as baloxavir marboxil, and sofosbuvir are suggested as lead repurposed candidates against HADV.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Magnesium alloy and composites have its applicability in aerospace industry due to exceptional properties yet being lighter. Their biodegradable property makes it useful in orthopedic implants as well. In this paper, a novel Al2O3(2% wt)- and SiC (4% wt)-reinforced hybrid magnesium metal matrix composite (MMMC) has been developed using stir casting. The developed samples of MMMC are machined using the thermoelectric machining (CNC wire-cut EDM) process. RSM-BBD approach was used to develop experimental models for material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness. The effect of EDM parameters on output responses has been recorded, and similar variation is observed with response surface plots. It is found that wire speed is most significant parameter for MRR and highest value of MRR is obtained as 0.159 mm3/sec. Pulse-on time is most significant parameter for surface roughness followed by current. Lower values of input parameters are more significant in obtaining better surface quality. Lowest value of surface roughness is obtained as 3.932 microns. Input parameters are optimized using composite desirability approach of RSM for metal removal rate and surface roughness.

Nutrition is an important factor affecting the growth and development of silkworm that directly influences the cocoon and post cocoon parameters. A successful production of cocoon by mulberry silkworm mainly depends upon the nutritional quality of mulberry leaves they feed on. India is the second largest producer of silk in the world. The demand of Indian silk is more as compared to production and hence ways to increase the quality and quantity of silk produced is a major area of concern. Supplementing mulberry leaves with nutritive additives and feeding to silkworm is one of the most useful techniques used to increase economic value of cocoons. The present study was thus undertaken to study the impact of various flour supplements viz. corn, soy and multigrain on the growth and various cocoon parameters of Bombyx mori.From the present study it can be concluded that oral administration of mulberry leaves supplemented with corn and soy flour increases various growth and economic traits of Bombyx mori. Addition of corn or soy flour with mulberry leaves can be an easy and cheap way that can be adopted by the rearers specifically the local farmers that will help to increase silk productivity without much investment.

Medicinal plants are traditionally being used by various communities for curing several ailments. Two plants namely Nigella sativaand Oroxylum indicumwere selected for the study based on their traditional use. The seed extract of Nigella sativaand stem bark extract of Oroxylum indicumwere subjected to phytochemical analysis and tested for antimicrobial, anticancer and antioxidant activities. Various phytochemicals like alkaloids, steroids, terpenes, phenol, flavonoids and glycosides were reported in both the samples. The total phenol content was found to be 2.018 ± 0.051 mg/g and 16.012 ± 0.005 mg/g in Nigella sativaand Oroxylum indicum, respectively, and total flavonoid content was found to be 0.39 ± 0.018 mg/g and 3.065 ± 0.023 mg/g, respectively. Antioxidant potential was investigated by DPPH method, and IC50was found to be 64.0 ± 3.59 µg/ml and 110.36 ± 0.50 µg/ml for Nigella sativaand Oroxylum indicumrespectively. The methanolic extract of Nigella sativadid not showed any inhibitory action against E. colibut showed significant inhibition against S. aureus, while Oroxylum indicumexhibited mild antimicrobial activity against both the microbes. HCT 116 and HEPA 16 cell lines were used for testing cytotoxic activity of the plant extracts. The results showed that Oroxylum indicumsignificantly inhibited the growth of HEPA 16 cells whereas Nigella sativaextract significantly inhibited the growth of HCT 116 cells. From the present study, it can be concluded that both the plants are rich in phytochemicals and possess potential antioxidant, anticancer and antibacterial activities.

We performed multiphoton ionization of styrene molecules and observed the formation of styrene and benzene cations, the latter being reported for the first time in the multiphoton ionization of styrene. The formation of the benzene cation reveals an internal conversion from the S1state to the S0state, which occurs via a S1/S0conical intersection at 4.66 eV above the minimum of the S0state. The present results indicate the position of this conical intersection to be energetically lower than the theoretically calculated value and also the previous experimental observation. The role of dissociative ionization of styrene in the formation of benzene cations in the atmosphere is discussed.

Introduction: Hydatid disease is uncommon in Humans. It rarely affects the bones and joints (0.5–4%). Frequent sites of bony involvement are vertebrae, pelvic bones, upper end of long bones e.g. humerus, femur and tibia. Material and methods: We report a case of 41-year old female with primary Hydatid cyst of the entire right femur. Patient complaint of severe pain and was non ambulatory since the last 2 months. Results: Here, single staged Total Right Femur Replacement was done under General Anaesthesia. Patient was discharged after 6 days of hospital stay in a stable condition where physical rehabilitation was initiated after day one of the surgery, progressing to aided walking, standing and active lower limb exercises. Conclusion: Involvement of the entire femur was a challenging case. There is no consensus/gold standard treatment of severe cases. Given the involvement of the entire Right Femur along with spillage in the neighbouring muscles, patient underwent Total Femur Replacement with Hip and Knee Replacement.

Background: Valgus knee deformity poses great challenges in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and requires precision in balancing of soft tissue and implant component positioning. The surgical approach used for TKA has a determinantal impact on intraoperative soft tissue balancing, postoperative knee function, and complications. We executed a systematic review and meta-analysis of current literature, which included a maximum number of studies with quantitative analysis of all possible outcomes to substantiate the current evidence of the advantage of lateral versus medial approach in TKA for valgus knee deformity. Methodology: We performed a meticulous primary electronic search across PubMed, Emabse, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases, and looked for the comparative studies that evaluated the medial versus lateral approach in TKA for valgus knees. Statistical analyses were executed with RevMan-5.4.1. Results: On the evaluation of four randomized controlled trials (RCTs), two prospective and five retrospective comparative studies, our analysis revealed a better functional outcome in terms of Knee Society Score [MD 2.24, 95% CI 0.42, 4.05; p = 0.02] with the medial approach. However, comparable results were observed for two approaches with regard to Knee Society Function [MD 0.69, 95% CI − 1.77, 3.15; p = 0.58], knee flexion range of motion (ROM) [MD 3.30, 95% CI − 1.34, 7.95; p = 0.16], overall complications [OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.27,1.34; p = 0.22], wound-related complications, infection, nerve injury, periprosthetic fracture, post-operative valgus, blood loss, duration of surgery, postoperative pain, and patellar tilt for TKA in valgus knee. Conclusion: Evidence from the currently available published data suggests that the lateral approach, compared to the medial approach in TKA for the valgus knee, does not show clear superiority.

Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are a prime concern that needs our attention, not only in megapolitan states but also in developing small states. The increase in GHGs-emission could lead to severe climate change scenarios and global warming. In India, it is measured that the energy sector (68.7%) accounts for a significant GHGs-emission, followed by agriculture (19.6%), industry (6.0%), land use change and forestry (3.8%), and waste sector (1.9%). This article aims to investigate temporal changes and trends in greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions in the energy sector of India. We have used GHGs-emission as Carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent and compared the top per capita emitting states versustheir total emissions and vice versa. Most of this increase has occurred in small states, where urbanisation, population growth, and economic expansion have been significant factors. Odisha and Maharashtra were listed as top-emitting states releasing more than 240 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), mainly through industrial energy and electricity-related emissions, respectively, followed by Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal. In contrast, Chhattisgarh was recorded as the top per-capita emitting state, followed by Odisha. Among all the states studied, Lakshadweep has shown a significant trend in GHGs per capita reduction, while the other shows an increasing trend due to a lack of robust and effective legislation. This review will help to seek the attention of policymakers and the government towards the increasing emissions from the small states which are emerging in day to day life.

Plants are being used in treating diseases since the beginning of human civilization. Cinnamomum tamalais a traditionally used medicinal plant used for various medicinal purposes. Methanolic leaf extract of the plant was subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation. Significant antimicrobial activity was recorded in the chloroform and methanolic fraction. Methanolic fraction was further fractionated by column chromatography and six fractions were collected of which F4 showed high antimicrobial activity. Bioautography of chloroform fraction and F4 reconfirm the presence of bioactive compounds. GC–MS analysis showed the presence of 7 compounds in F4 (dominating compound 2-pentanone,4-hydroxy-4-methyl) and 10 compounds in chloroform fraction (dominating compound 1,5-heptadien-4-one,3,6,3-trimethyl). Both the dominating compounds satisfied Lipinski rule and were within permissible limits to act like drug. Both interacted with drug targets, however 1,5-heptadien-4-one,3,6,3-trimethyl showed a better binding affinity and thus can be a potential inhibitor against the selected drug targets. Thus from the study, it can be concluded that the compound 1,5-heptadien-4-one,3,6,3-trimethyl has the potential to be a lead molecule that can be used in formulation of antimicrobial agents. Further studies in animal model system are needed to establish its efficacy.

Thunderstorms (TS) occurring during the pre-monsoon season (March–May) pose significant challenges across the Eastern and Northeastern Indian subcontinent, leading to the loss of life and property. To predict the occurrence of these TS events and to understand the associated changes in the thermodynamic structure of the atmosphere, our study integrates in-situ surface meteorological variables (temperature and rainfall) and TS activity information from 1956–2016 over Sylhet, Bangladesh, to identify TS days. The study utilised radiosonde measurements for 2016–2017 and ERA5 (the fifth generation European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts atmospheric reanalysis) reanalysis datasets for six decades, 1956–2016. The study attempts to check the influence of changing climate over the thermodynamic indices for Sylhet by taking six decades of data. These datasets were employed to assess the atmosphere's stability: conditional, convective, and potential characteristics and to analyse thermodynamic fluctuations during TS. Combining these two data sets provides valuable insights into atmospheric conditions and changes during TS events over the study period. To examine the influence of climate change over the study region, we established threshold values for the thermodynamic indices for 5-year intervals. By observing the long-term variations of these indices, we identified indicators that signify the climate change impact on TS variability. The research findings provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between climate change and TS in Sylhet, Bangladesh. Establishing threshold values for thermodynamic indices not only aids in predicting TS events but also highlights the crucial role of atmospheric stability in their formation. This study contributes to a better understanding of regional weather patterns. It could assist in formulating effective mitigation strategies to minimise the impact of severe TS on vulnerable communities and infrastructure.

In the bustling metropolis of tomorrow, where pollution levels are a constant concern, a team of innovative researchers embarked on a quest to revolutionize air quality monitoring. In pursuit of this objective, this study embarked on the synthesis of indium oxide materials via a straightforward solvothermal method purposely for NO2detection. Through meticulous analysis of their gas-sensing capabilities, a remarkable discovery came to light. Among the materials tested, In2O3(IO-2) exhibited exceptional sensitivity toward 100 ppm of NO2gas at an optimal working temperature of 150 °C and even at room temperature (RT). The response value reached an impressive 12.69, showcasing the material’s outstanding capability to detect NO2gas even at 100 ppb. Further investigation revealed a significant linear relationship (R2= 0.89454) and commendable reproducibility, highlighting IO-2’s potential as a reliable and stable sensing material. Moreover, machine learning techniques were utilized to predict the response characteristics of the sensing materials to various environmental conditions, concentrations of target gases, and operational parameters. This predictive capability can guide the design of more efficient and robust gas sensors, ultimately contributing to improved safety and environmental monitoring. As the demand for efficient, portable, and eco-friendly electronics continues to grow, these findings contribute to the development of sustainable and high-performance materials that can meet the needs of modern technology.

A control technique based on an adaptive notch filter-modified affine projection (ANF-MAP) algorithm is implemented for a single-stage grid-connected photovoltaic (GCPV) system designed for residential applications. The residential loads are mainly fed by photovoltaic (PV), and absence of PV is compensated by the grid. However, the dominance of non-linear load affects the grid power quality. To address these issues, MAP generates a sinusoidal reference current by estimating active part of the weight component of the load current. Furthermore, the performance of MAP during nonideal grid voltage conditions is improved by utilizing an ANF in the MAP to estimate the sinusoidal synchronizing unit templates. Moreover, the proposed control approach effectively handles PV intermittency, load variation, unbalanced loading, and grid voltage sag conditions. Additionally, the performance of ANF-MAP is tested with affine projection, least mean square, and least mean forth algorithms in dynamic condition with ideal grid condition in the MATLAB/Simulink platform and experimentally with phase lock loop, MAP and second-order generalized integrator frequency lock loop techniques in nonideal grid condition. Finally, the system responses with the proposed control technique are validated and justified by IEEE 519 and 1547 standard by developing the laboratory prototype.

ABSTRACTTo tackle the challenges of environmentally friendly dielectric fluid, the current research focuses on the diverse biodegradable oils that are utilised as dielectric fluids in electro-discharge machining (EDM) processes. When it comes to machining extremely hard materials, EDM is a cutting-edge, non-traditional technology. As part of this research, Ti-6Al-4 V material has been machined in two phases: the first phase, using conventional EDM oil, and the second phase, utilising four distinct bio-dielectric fluids. Comparisons have been made between EDM oil and other bio-dielectric fluids in terms of machining performance measures such as material removal rates (MRR), tool wear rate (TWR), and surface roughness (SR). The primary goal of this research is to identify an appropriate bio-dielectric fluid that will be environmentally acceptable, cost-effective, and provide better machining performance when compared to other dielectric fluids on the market. When the MRR, TWR, and SR are taken into account, mixed vegetable oil is found to be the best bio-dielectric fluid, and in cases where only the MRR is considered, sunflower oil is the best dielectric. It was discovered that the surface obtained with sunflower oil is the best in terms of crack size and number of cracks when compared to other dielectric fluids.

The evidence for acute effects of air pollution on mortality in India is scarce, despite the extreme concentrations of air pollution observed. This is the first multi-city study in India that examines the association between short-term exposure to PM2·5and daily mortality using causal methods that highlight the importance of locally generated air pollution.

The solar light responsive selective C(sp3)─H bond activation by photocatalytic pathway using graphene platform as photocatalyst is a green and sustainable route to achieve value‐added chemicals on gram scale synthesis. Graphene has low activity due to fast recombination charges, band gap suitability problems, and inefficient solar light absorption ability. Therefore, activated carbon cloth‐based nitrogen‐rich phenolic resin was developed from melem and formaldehyde. The ACC@MeF light‐harvesting composite demonstrates outstanding light‐harvesting capability, leading to enhanced photocatalytic performance in C(sp3)─H bond formation, suitability of band gap, high molar extinction coefficient and high thermal stability. The development of metal‐free activated carbon cloth‐based melem formaldehyde resin for the solar light photocatalytic transformation of organic compounds is anticipated to have broad‐reaching applications. In this context, a graphical abstract image visually presents a pioneering investigation revealing the impressive effectiveness of utilizing sunlight to drive C(sp3)‐H bond arylation, facilitated by a rod‐shaped ACC@MeF composite in the presence of 2,4‐dinitrophenylhydrazine. This inventive composite material demonstrates outstanding photoactivity when exposed to sunlight, demonstrating unparalleled efficacy in catalyzing C(sp3)‐H bond arylation reactions.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the antifungal activities of plant extracts of Acorus calamusand Parthenium hysterophorusThe main aim of the study was to develop a natural, environmentally friendly wood preservative. In the present investigation, petroleum ether and methanol solvents were used for extraction. The wood samples of Pinus roxburghiiwere treated with plant extracts at five concentrations (0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 1.50, and 2% w/v) for 12 weeks. The treated and controlled wood samples were inoculated with the white rot and brown rot fungi. The wood samples treated with petroleum ether extracts of A. calamusshowed maximum resistance to both fungi. While, the wood samples treated with methanol extract of P. hysterophorusshowed maximum resistance against both the fungi. Further, it was also observed that the degradation of wood was decreasing with an increase in the concentration of plant extracts in the preservative solution. The efficacy of plant extracts was validated through the decay susceptibility index and the new decay susceptibility index. As per the results of the present study, A. calamusand P. hysterophorushave great potential as natural wood preservatives. The study helps in further development of natural wood preservatives from the selected plants.

The generation of fruit wastes originating from diverse agricultural sectors constitutes a significant environmental problem. Being lignocellulosic in nature, the biological conversion of fruit wastes can be feasibly accomplished to yield bioactive compounds and biochemicals through biorefinery pathways. Biowastes are produced during various fruit and vegetable processing. Global consumption of pomelo fruit results in the generation of valuable by-products such as pomelo peels. These peels represent approximately 30% of the total fruit weight and present essential nutrients and functional compounds. They serve as an excellent source for extracting bioactive compounds, encompassing phytochemicals like aroma-active volatiles, pectin, flavonoids, phenolic acids, carotenoids, coumarins, and polysaccharides. Consequently, the value addition of these phytochemicals presents an opportunity for the development of functional foods and nutraceuticals. The exploration and enhancement of pomelo peels can yield diverse products, including adsorbents and bioethanol, showcasing promising potential for a circular bioeconomy and contributing to sustainable solutions for food and nutritional security. The technologies employed for the conversion of pomelo waste are critically summarized within the framework of a circular bioeconomy.

The incorporation of biomass waste into the process of wealth creation through the production of hydrogen, a significant fuel source for renewable energy. Hydrogen production from various biomass sources, including crop remnants, algae, or waste, makes use of easily accessible and renewable materials, ensuring an uninterrupted fuel supply without exhausting fossil fuel reserves. Traditional techniques, like gasification and pyrolysis, used for hydrogen production from biomass residues, present notable challenges such as high temperature and pressure demands, substantial capital investment, and the risk of releasing pollutants. Conversely, the innovative approach of photoelectrocatalytic biomass green hydrogen production stands at the vanguard of clean energy advancements, holding great promise for directly deriving hydrogen fuel from biomass with the help of sunlight, offering a genuinely sustainable and eco-friendly resolution. The integration of sunlight with an extra electrical stimulus for biomass-to-hydrogen conversion, leveraging resources that are abundantly available and continuously renewed, endorses the truly sustainable nature of this process. The resultant hydrogen fuel, created through this method, burns cleanly, emitting solely water vapor and thus significantly curbing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. This exhaustive review presents a detailed evaluation of the utilization of diverse biomass raw materials, covering carbohydrates, lignin, triglycerides (fats and oils), proteins, and terpenes for photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen production. It highlights the transformative possibilities arising from the synergistic amalgamation of electrocatalytic (EC) and photocatalytic (PC) technologies, setting the new pioneering era for a significant transition towards a sustainable and effective circular economy.

Film and jet impingement cooling are widely used techniques in gas turbine vane and blade cooling. The present work investigates and compares the flow structure of a film-cooled flat plate with a hybrid cooling scheme. The hybrid cooling scheme combines both impingement hole and film holes and is named combined impingement-film (IFC) cooling. Experimental validation and computational analyses are carried out on a flat plate with film holes. Different flow parameters, such as velocity pattern, Turbulent kinetic energy, and streamline flow structure, are compared for the two cases in different regions of the flat plate. It is observed that the hybrid scheme shows advantages over film cooling. The jet-to-jet interaction, jet crossflow interaction, and vortex formation are the main factors affecting film cooling performance. There is a 52 % drop in turbulent kinetic energy for the hybrid cooling compared to the film cooling at the film hole exit. More mixing in the coolant and mainstream interaction is observed for the FC case than in the IFC.

AbstractThis study emphasizes the explorations of binding of Prima-1METwith two targets, p53 a tumor suppressor protein, and tyrosine kinase of epidermal growth factor receptor. In silicoinvestigations reveal that Prima-1METshowed robust binding with both targets. Molecular docking simulations demonstrated the binding affinity of Prima-1METwith p53 and tyrosine kinase was found to be −38.601 kJ/mol and −38.976 kJ/mol. In addition, the stability of Prima-1METwas explored by molecular dynamics simulation. Prima-1METattains stability in the binding site of the respective protein till the simulation period is over. Moreover, the free binding energy ΔGbindwas calculated by the molecular mechanics Poisson Boltzmann surface area method. The ΔGbindof Prima-1METwith tyrosine kinase was found to be −58.585 ± 0.327 kJ/mol and with p53 it was −35.910 ± 0.335 kJ/mol. Next, cytotoxicity of the Prima-1METwas evaluated using multiple cancer cell lines and the IC50value were ranging between 4.5 and 30 μM. The cell death was identified by apoptosis assay. Further, the p53 and tyrosine kinase expression was monitored using immunofluorescence techniques, it was found Prima-1METinduces the expression of p53 protein and mimics the level of tyrosine kinase oncogenic target. Also, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and membrane potential activity of Prima-1METwas evaluated by using a lung cancer cell line. A significant decrease in intracellular ROS was observed and resulted in disruption of mitochondrial transmembrane potential. This study uncovers the underlying mechanism of Prima-1METand could be helpful to design further leads against lung cancers.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

With the advent of 5G communications, the demand for high data rates and improved spectral efficiency has necessitated the exploration of advanced modulation techniques. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and Universal Filtered Multi-Carrier (UFMC) are two prominent modulation schemes for 5G systems. However, both OFDM and UFMC suffer from a high Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR), leading to signal distortion and inefficient power amplification. The Partial Transmit Sequence (PTS) approach is a promising strategy to minimize PAPR in OFDM and is applied to UFMC to minimize PAPR in UFMC and is known as scrambled UFMC (S-UFMC). PTS, however, involves an extensive search to identify the best phase factors that increase computational complexity. The artificial bee colony algorithm is proposed to reduce the computational complexity S-UFMC and OFDM. A novel modulation scheme, amplitude phase shift keying (APSK), is used instead of quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) in S-UFMC and OFDM, which has better performance than conventional modulation schemes. In this research, OFDM, PTS OFDM, UFMC and S-UFMC are compared and it is found that the proposed scrambled UFMC with APSK modulation using ABC algorithm performs better than OFDM and UFMC in terms of PAPR, spectral efficiency and computational complexity.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X‐linked disorder characterized by progressive muscle weakness due to the absence of functional dystrophin. DMD patients also develop dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). We have previously shown that DMD (mdx) mice and a canine DMD model (GRMD) exhibit abnormal intracellular calcium (Ca2+) cycling related to early‐stage pathological remodelling of the ryanodine receptor intracellular calcium release channel (RyR2) on the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) contributing to age‐dependent DCM. Here, we used hiPSC‐CMs from DMD patients selected by Speckle‐tracking echocardiography and canine DMD cardiac biopsies to assess key early‐stage Duchenne DCM features. Dystrophin deficiency was associated with RyR2 remodelling and SR Ca2+leak (RyR2 Po of 0.03 ± 0.01 for HC vs. 0.16 ± 0.01 for DMD, P< 0.01), which led to early‐stage defects including senescence. We observed higher levels of senescence markers including p15 (2.03 ± 0.75 for HC vs. 13.67 ± 5.49 for DMD, P< 0.05) and p16 (1.86 ± 0.83 for HC vs. 10.71 ± 3.00 for DMD, P< 0.01) in DMD hiPSC‐CMs and in the canine DMD model. The fibrosis was increased in DMD hiPSC‐CMs. We observed cardiac hypocontractility in DMD hiPSC‐CMs. Stabilizing RyR2 pharmacologically by S107 prevented most of these pathological features, including the rescue of the contraction amplitude (1.65 ± 0.06 μm for DMD vs. 2.26 ± 0.08 μm for DMD + S107, P< 0.01). These data were confirmed by proteomic analyses, in particular ECM remodelling and fibrosis. We identified key cellular damages that are established earlier than cardiac clinical pathology in DMD patients, with major perturbation of the cardiac ECC. Our results demonstrated that cardiac fibrosis and premature senescence are induced by RyR2 mediated SR Ca2+leak in DMD cardiomyocytes. We revealed that RyR2 is an early biomarker of DMD‐associated cardiac damages in DMD patients. The progressive and later DCM onset could be linked with the RyR2‐mediated increased fibrosis and premature senescence, eventually causing cell death and further cardiac fibrosis in a vicious cycle leading to further hypocontractility as a major feature of DCM. The present study provides a novel understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of the DMD‐induced DCM. By targeting RyR2 channels, it provides a potential pharmacological treatment.

Background Immediate start of antiretroviral treatment (ART) among non-hospitalized outpatient children living with HIV may improve or worsen clinical outcomes due to immune reconstitution.Objective Role of immediate versus post-stabilization start of antiretroviral treatment in children and youths living with HIV on CD4 count and viral load suppression.Methods This was a single blinded, randomized controlled trial conducted on outpatients attending a tertiary care hospital associated HIV clinic in North India. We enrolled ART-naive children and youths living with HIV aged 18 months to 21 years in a 1:1 ratio. Block randomization was done using computerized software. Children and youths living with HIV were either started with ART on diagnosis immediately within 24 h (Group A) or post stabilization at 2 weeks (Group B) as per National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) India guidelines. Both groups were comparable for baseline characteristics.Results There was no significant difference seen in CD4 counts between two groups at 6 months follow up. CD4 count increased significantly in immediate group but not in post-stabilization group at 6 months. No significant changes/differences was seen in WHO clinical staging or anthropometry; one patient developed tuberculosis in both groups. Viral load at 6 months in both the groups did not differ significantly.Conclusion Immediate ART in children and youths living with HIV results in significant increase in CD4 count at 6 months follow up exemplifying immunological response to ART.

Network traffic analysis is referred to as the method to monitor the availability of the network and identify the anomalous activities like operational issues and security. Network traffic mainly occurs due to the transmission of a large amount of data over the computer network at the same time. The grouping and classification process can evaluate the network traffic and the endless determination of network traffic patterns is the most important challenge during network traffic classification. The existing approaches have some limitations because the time consumption was not able to reduce and it has low classification accuracy in the network traffic analysis. To overcome these problems, the Dove Swarm Optimized Reinforced Deep Belief Network (DSO-RDBN) is proposed which is utilized for optimizing the hyperparameters. There are no effectual training algorithms that can optimize the different hyperparameters associated with the RDBN architecture such as momentum coefficients, learning rate, number of hidden nodes, and number of hidden layers without manual tuning. The manual selection of hyperparameters leads to some delay in the network traffic classification process so the DSO algorithm is implemented for addressing the hyperparameter tuning problem. For network traffic classification analysis, the USTC-TFC2016 test dataset is used and this dataset has two categories Benign and Malicious. The performance metrics such as accuracy, precision, sensitivity, F-measure, and false alarm range (FAR) are applied for improving the performance compared to state-of-art methods. The performance rate of accuracy, precision, sensitivity, F-measure and FAR is 97.2%, 97.6%, 97.5%, 97.6% and 68% respectively.

Leukemogenesis is a complex process that involves multiple stages of mutation in either hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells, leading to cancer development over time. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive malignancy that affects myeloid cells. The major disease burden is caused by immature blast cells, which are eliminated using conventional chemotherapies. Unfortunately, relapse is a leading cause of death in AML patients, with 30%-80% experiencing it within 2 years of initial treatment. The dominant cause of relapse in leukemia is the presence of therapy-resistant leukemic stem cells (LSCs). These cells express genes related to stemness that are frequently difficult to eradicate and tend to survive standard treatments. Studies have demonstrated that by targeting the metabolic pathways of LSCs, it is possible to improve outcomes and extend the survival of those afflicted by leukemia. The overwhelming evidence suggests that lipid metabolism is reprogrammed in LSCs, leading to an increase in fatty acid uptake and de novo lipogenesis. Genes regulating this process also play a crucial role in therapy evasion. In this concise review, we summarize the lipid metabolism in normal hematopoietic cells, AML blast cells, and AML LSCs. We also compare the lipid metabolic signatures in de novo versus therapy-resistant AML blast and LSCs. We further discuss the metabolic switches, cellular crosstalk, potential targets, and inhibitors of lipid metabolism that could alleviate treatment resistance and relapse.Graphical Abstract

For Future networks, many research projects have proposed different architectures around the globe; Software Defined Network (SDN) architectures, through separating Data and Control Layers, offer a crucial structure for it. With a worldwide view and centralized Control, the SDN network provides flexible and reliable network management that improves network throughput and increases link utilization. In addition, it supports an innovative flow scheduling system to help advance Traffic Engineering (TE). For Medium and large-scale networks migrating directly from a legacy network to an SDN Network seems more complicated & even impossible, as there are High potential challenges, including technical, financial, security, shortage of standards, and quality of service degradation challenges. These challenges cause the birth and pave the ground for Hybrid SDN networks, where SDN devices coexist with traditional network devices. This study explores a Hybrid SDN network's Traffic Engineering and Quality of Services Issues. Quality of service is described by network characteristics such as latency, jitter, loss, bandwidth, and network link utilization, using industry standards and mechanisms in a Hybrid SDN Network. We have organized the related studies in a way that the Quality of Service may gain the most benefit from the concept of Hybrid SDN networks using different algorithms and mechanisms: Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), Heuristic algorithm, K path partition algorithm, Genetic algorithm, SOTE algorithm, ROAR method, and Routing Optimization with different optimization mechanisms that help to ensure high-quality performance in a Hybrid SDN Network.

High-strength concrete (HSC) is widely used in developed countries for reinforced concrete structures due to benefits like lower concrete use, smaller columns, increased floor area, and economic advantages. HSC reduces deflections and offers a high elastic modulus and low creep deformations, making it valuable in seismic-prone areas by decreasing inertial loads and lateral drift. However, the lack of new concrete standards for HSC challenges structural engineers. Infill walls are essential for separating interior spaces, particularly in seismic regions where weak infill within a strong frame dissipates energy and reduces lateral displacements. Nonetheless, weak infill behaves more brittle under intense seismic loads, posing risks like falling debris and causing casualties. Openings in infill walls are necessary for practical, architectural, or esthetic reasons, but their strength and stiffness contributions are often neglected in current design practices. Infill walls significantly alter a building’s seismic response compared to a bare frame, while frequent openings reduce the infilled frame’s lateral stiffness and strength. A micro-modeling study using the Applied Element Method (AEM) examines the role of brick masonry infill with various sizes and positions of openings. Ten single-storey, single-bay infilled frames with different percentages of openings undergo displacement-controlled cyclic loading. The lateral load capacities, displacements, and energy dissipation are compared for high-strength concrete frames with openings. Results showed that weak infill–strong frames with and without openings altered lateral load resistance, and severe failure was observed on either side of the central opening. The vertical position and the shape of the openings also influence the studied parameters.

Biodiesel obtained by transesterification of vegetable oils and fats is an alternative for petro-diesel fuel. Purification of biodiesel is one of the crucial steps in the production of biodiesel. The conventional wet washing of biodiesel involves huge quantities of water, energy, and time. Therefore, dry washing was carried out with raw bentonite clay, sulfuric acid–activated bentonite clay, and calcinated bentonite clay. Bentonite clay of 200 mesh size, activated with 0.5 M sulfuric acid mediated dry washing, showed best results in the removal of soap residue and free fatty acids with stirring for 60 min at 60 °C temperature. The comparative studies with wet washing using bore well water, reverse osmosis water, and distilled water showed that the sulfuric acid activated bentonite to be efficient in the purification of biodiesel.

In this simulation work, comparative study of surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based sensor designed with gold (Au), aluminium (Al), and silver (Ag) is numerically investigated to improve the performance parameter of device using Ni-antimonene layer in the visible range of light at wavelength of 633 nm. In this device configuration, different metals (Ag/Au/Al), a diamagnetic material ferric oxide (Fe2O3), nickel (Ni) and 2D material antimonene (Sb) are used with CaF2glass prism using Kretschmann configuration with angle interrogation method. The angle interrogation method is used to examine the performance of the device. The performance parameters of SPR sensor such as sensitivity, detection accuracy (DA), and quality factor (QF) have been calculated. The present study provides a comparative study of plasmonic metal Ag, Au and Al. The multilayer configuration of SPR sensor consists Ag, Fe2O3, Ni, and antimonene which provides maximum sensitivity 3100/RIU. The sensitivities of Au and Al metals are 660RIU−1and 2040RIU−1, respectively, which is less in comparison with Ag metal. The different performance parameters of SPR sensor have been calculated for comparative study of Ag, Au and Al metals. The penetration depth (PD) 110.5 nm and 3D plot of transverse electric (TM) field intensity have also been plotted. The proposed SPR sensor using Ag metal with highest sensitivity value has capability to detect the different liquid analytes in the field of biosensing application with large uses in biomedical field in visible range.

India is at a high risk of heat stress-induced health impacts and economic losses owing to its tropical climate, high population density, and inadequate adaptive planning. The health impacts of heat stress across climate zones in India have not been adequately explored. Here, we examine and report the vulnerability to heat stress in India using 42 years (1979–2020) of meteorological data from ERA-5 and developed climate-zone-specific percentile-based human comfort class thresholds. We found that the heat stress is usually 1–4 °C higher on heatwave (HW) days than on nonheatwave (NHW) days. However, the stress on NHW days remains considerable and cannot be neglected. We then showed the association of a newly formulated India heat index (IHI) with daily all-cause mortality in three cities – Delhi (semiarid), Varanasi (humid subtropical), and Chennai (tropical wet and dry), using a semiparametric quasi-Poisson regression model, adjusted for nonlinear confounding effects of time and PM2.5. The all-cause mortality risk was enhanced by 8.1% (95% confidence interval, CI: 6.0–10.3), 5.9% (4.6–7.2), and 8.0% (1.7–14.2) during “sweltering” days in Varanasi, Delhi, and Chennai, respectively, relative to “comfortable” days. Across four age groups, the impact was more severe in Varanasi (ranging from a 3.2 to 7.5% increase in mortality risk for a unit rise in IHI) than in Delhi (2.6–4.2% higher risk) and Chennai (0.9–5.7% higher risk). We observed a 3–6 days lag effect of heat stress on mortality in these cities. Our results reveal heterogeneity in heat stress impact across diverse climate zones in India and call for developing an early warning system keeping in mind these regional variations.

ABSTRACTDiazotrophic microorganisms are free-living groups of organisms that can convert atmospheric nitrogen (N) into bioavailable nitrogen for plants, which increases crop development and production. The purpose of the current study was to ascertain how diazotrophic plant growth promoting (PGP) Pseudomonas strains (P. koreensis CY4 and P. entomophila CN11) enhanced nitrogen fixation, defense activity, and PGP attributes of sugarcane varieties; GT11 and G×B9. A 15N isotope-dilution study was conducted to confirm the sugarcane strains’ capacity to fix nitrogen, and the results indicated that between 21 to 35% of plant, nitrogen is fixed biologically by selected rhizobacteria. In comparison to the control, after 30, 60, and 90 days, both CY4 and CN11 strains significantly increased defense-related enzymes (catalase, peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, superoxide dismutase, glucanase, and chitinase) and phytohormones (abscisic acid, ABA, cytokinin, etc.) in GT11 and GXB. Additionally, the expression of SuCHI, SuGLU, SuCAT, SuSOD, and SuPAL genes was found to be elevated in Pseudomonas strains inoculated plants using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Both bacterial strains increased all physiological parameters and chlorophyll content in sugarcane plants more than their control. The effects of P. koreensis CY4 and P. entomophila CN11 strains on sugarcane growth promotion and nitrogen fixation under greenhouse conditions are described here for the first time systematically. The results of confirmation studies demonstrated that P. koreensis CY4 and P. entomophila are PGP bacterial strains with the potential to be employed as a biofertilizer for sugarcane growth, nitrogen nutrient absorption, and reduced application of chemical nitrogenous fertilizers in agricultural fields.

ABSTRACTElectronic manufacturing industries use copper in highest proportion in metals due to its unique properties. But there is a gap in demand and supply of this metal to the industry due to its huge requirement and lack of its proper recycling of copper containing equipments. Also, effluent generated from these industries carries substantial amount of this metal, which get discharged, and loss of metals to the environment. Present paper discusses about valuable copper metal recovery from industrial effluent in powder form using novel process flow-sheet. At start, bio-adsorptiontechnique was used to recover copper from industrial effluent due to its advantages like low cost, feasible method showing faster kinetics. Datura root powder was found to be potential bio-adsorbent for copper recovery from effluent having 997 mg/g adsorption capacity. It follows second-order rate reaction and Freundlich adsorption isotherm with 0.9711 regression coefficient. Further, copper-enriched solution obtained from this technique was subjected to cementation process using scrap iron rods to get copper powder. This can be used to produce value added products using its ingots. This is one of the approaches towards waste to wealth creation having tremendous potential to get commercialized.

AbstractMultidrug resistance episodes in malaria increased from 3.9% to 20% from 2015 to 2019. Synchronizing the clinical manifestation in chronological sequence led to a unique impression on glucose demand (increased up to 100-fold) by the parasite-infected RBCs. Hence, restriction in the glucose uptake to parasite-infected RBCs could be an alternative approach to conquer the global burden of malaria to a greater extent. A C28 steroidal lactone Withaferin A (WS-3) isolated from Withania somniferaleave extract shows better thermodynamically stable interactions with the glucose transporters (GLUT-1 and PfHT) to standard drugs metformin and lopinavir. MD simulations for a trajectory period of 100 ns reflect stable interactions with the interactive amino acid residues such as Pro141, Gln161, Gln282, Gln283, Trp388, Phe389, and Phe40, Asn48, Phe85, His168, Gln169, Asn311 which potentiating inhibitory activity of WS-3 against GLUT-1 and PfHT respectively. WS-3 was non-hemotoxic (%hemolysis <5%) for a high concentration of up to 1 mg/ml in the physiological milieu. However, the %hemolysis significantly increased up to 30.55 ± 0.929% in a parasitophorous simulated environment (pH 5.0). Increased hemolysis of WS-3 could be due to the production of ROS in an acidic environment. Further, the inhibitory activity of WS-3 against both glucose transporters was supported with flow cytometry-based analysis of parasite-infected RBCs. Results show that WS-3 has low mean fluorescence intensities for both target proteins compared to conventional drugs, suggesting a potential sugar transporter inhibitor against GLUT-1 and PfHT for managing malaria. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

In the present study, we report a methodology for the selective recovery of lithium (Li), cobalt (Co), and graphite contents from the end-of-life (EoL) lithium cobalt oxide (LCO)-based Li-ion batteries (LIBs). The thermal treatment of LIBs black mass at 800 °C for 60 min dissociates the cathode compound and reduces Li content into its carbonates, which results in effective dissolution of the Li content in distilled water at subsequent processing step. The leaching of Co contents is systematically studied in different acid solutions with varying time. It has been observed that maximum leaching efficiency (≥ 99%) of Co can be achieved in 2 h using two molar nitric acid with addition of 10 vol. % of hydrogen peroxide. The graphite content was recovered as the leached residue from the filtration of acid leachate. The cobalt content is precipitated in its oxalate form using oxalic acid which is then converted to oxide by thermal treatment. It was observed that 100 g of studied black mass of LCO type LIBs produces a maximum recovery of ~ 10.3 g of Li2CO3powder, ~ 19.4 g of cobalt oxide (Co3O4), and ~ 38.3 g of graphite powder. The purity of recovered Li2CO3and Co3O4powders is found in good agreement with commercially available materials.

The phenomenon of urban heat islands (UHI) presents a critical challenge for urban sustainability, exacerbating local temperatures, increasing energy demands, and impairing public health. Traditional methods for addressing UHI are often resource-intensive and slow. This study introduces a novel approach, utilizing a Hybrid CycleGAN-SVM (HCGS) model that leverages the synergy of Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) to efficiently analyze and mitigate UHI effects through high-resolution satellite imagery and temperature data. The model incorporates Enhanced Vision Transformers (EViTs) for superior feature extraction, adept at capturing intricate spatial and spectral urban patterns. The CycleGAN component of the model generates high-quality synthetic imagery, enhancing the dataset and addressing class imbalances, thereby bolstering the SVM classifier’s ability to precisely pinpoint heat-prone urban areas. Implemented in Google Colab, the HCGS model demonstrated exceptional performance, achieving a classification accuracy of 0.98. This indicates its potential as an effective tool for urban heat mitigation, offering actionable insights for urban planning and policy-making. By integrating advanced machine learning techniques with remote sensing data, the HCGS model paves the way for innovative climate adaptation strategies, fostering more sustainable and resilient urban environments.

Cadmium Selenide (CdSe) made solar cells are considered an auspicious technology in the arena of thin-film photovoltaics cell due to their favourable properties of optoelectronic. The performance of CdSe solar cells is estimated in this work based on various key parameters: fill factor (FF), open circuit voltage (Voc), operating temperature (Temp), short circuit current density (Jsc), and collection-efficiency. The act of the solar cell is meaningfully affected by its temperature, with certain value of efficiency losses subsequently from higher temperatures due to their increased value of carrier-recombination rates. The optimal performance is preserved with the help of proper thermal-management. The distinctive range for the open circuit voltage (Voc) of CdSe solar-cells is from 0.5 to 1.0 V. For better material quality and effective junction properties, which are play a crucial role for attaining the high efficiency, that are also indicated by higher Voc values. The short circuit current density (Jsc) varies at 775 mA/cm2, which contingent on the light-absorption criteria as well as carrier-generation competences of the cell. More efficient value of photon-absorption and carrier-generation are replicated by the higher Jsc values. The fill-factor (FF) of the CdSe solar cells generally falls between 50 and 80%. For better performance of solar cell, specified by a higher fill-factor, that reflects their higher parallel resistance as well as lower series resistance, that are also vital for attaining their overall efficiency is too much high. The efficiency of carrier-collection and their utilization inside the solar cell is restrained by their collection-efficiency. Minimal value of recombination-losses and efficient carrier-transport quality are indicated by their high collection-efficiency.

In this paper, we consider the parametric inference for the family of inverted exponentiated distributions under a joint adaptive progressive Type-II censoring scheme. The problem of estimation is considered for this family with common scale and different shape parameters. We obtain maximum likelihood estimators of unknown model parameters. In sequel asymptotic intervals are also constructed. Further, Bayes estimators are derived under squared error loss function and corresponding credible intervals are obtained as well. To support the findings, we perform simulation studies and analyze a real data set to demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed estimation methods.

Human microglia play a pivotal role in neurological diseases, but we still have an incomplete understanding of microglial heterogeneity, which limits the development of targeted therapies directly modulating their state or function. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing to profile 215,680 live human microglia from 74 donors across diverse neurological diseases and CNS regions. We observe a central divide between oxidative and heterocyclic metabolism and identify microglial subsets associated with antigen presentation, motility and proliferation. Specific subsets are enriched in susceptibility genes for neurodegenerative diseases or the disease-associated microglial signature. We validate subtypes in situ with an RNAscope–immunofluorescence pipeline and high-dimensional MERFISH. We also leverage our dataset as a classification resource, finding that induced pluripotent stem cell model systems capture substantial in vivo heterogeneity. Finally, we identify and validate compounds that recapitulate certain subtypes in vitro, including camptothecin, which downregulates the signature of disease-enriched subtypes and upregulates a signature previously associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Unscientific handling of solid waste is not only posing a serious risk to the ecosystem and human health but simultaneously deprives the opportunity of resource recovery. In this study, solid waste collected from the areas of Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar was characterised through personal field investigations, secondary information like population estimation, and using ASTM D5231-92 standard method. The average quantity of solid waste generation was found to be 645.1 ± 128.2 kg/day. The waste composition of the campus was determined through five units, mixture unit waste contained the highest fraction of food and polythene at 48.92% and 12.37%, respectively. The statistical evaluation obtained a strong positive correlation of residential unit waste with markets and mixture waste contents (0.995 and 0.994) at level p < 0.01. Based on solid waste characterisation, a set of recommendations were prescribed to strengthen sustainable waste management processes for institutions.