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ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term outcomes in terms of oncological outcomes, toxicities, and impact of quality of voice on livability of early glottic cancer (EGC) (T1) patients after hypofractionated radiotherapy. Material and Methods: 30 patients of early glottic carcinoma, staged cT1a-T1bN0M0 with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Performance Status (ECOG PS ≤ 2). Exclusion criteria included ECOG PS > 2, T2-T4 disease, and any other head and neck malignancy. Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) was used to score voice outcomes of patient's pre- and post-radiation. Results: All the subjects were predominantly smokers (80) having hoarseness of voice as the most common presenting complaint (76.7) followed by dry cough (13.3) and foreign body sensation (10). On posttreatment response assessment, there has been a significant reduction in VHI-10 scores from pre-radiotherapy (RT) to 6, 12, and 24 weeks post-radiation completion in all three domains (functional, emotional, and physical), as well as total scores, with a significant P value ( Conclusion: The use of modest hypofractionated regimen (63 Gy in 28 fractions) in patients of early glottic disease (T1a and T1b) posttreatment completion provides good oncological outcomes with better quality of voice being observed. Keywords: Early glottic cancer, hypofractionated EBRT, quality of voice, radiotherapy, Author(s): Shalini Singh [1]; Viney Kumar (corresponding author) [1]; Vipul Nautiyal [1]; Meenu Gupta [1]; Saurabh Bansal [1]; Mushtaq Ahmad [1] INTRODUCTION Carcinoma larynx is the most common cancer of [...]

Author(s): Dyan D'Souza [1]; Prassanna G. Venkatesh [1]; Shalini G. Hegde (corresponding author) [1] Sir, Central venous catheter placement is a common procedure performed in children for long-term intravenous access [...]

I live in India, where healthcare providers fall broadly into two categories. One is by way of government-run hospitals, which are solely run either by the Central Government or by [...]

Byline: Alankrita. Muralidhar, Shalini. Singh, Sima. Das, Kheyali. Mondal, Brajesh. Kumar, Manisha. Agarwal, Atanu. Majumdar Context: This study adds to the existing body of literature on the role of optical [...]

Byline: Anand. Brar, Umesh. Behera, Sayali. Karande, Akhila. Kanakagiri, Shalini. Sugumar, Padmaja. Rani, T. Vignesh, George. Manayath, Romit. Salian, Anantharaman. Giridhar, Swati. Indurkhya, Harsha. Bhattacharjee, Rajiv. Raman, Sobha. Sivaprasad Purpose: [...]

What are Predictive Biomarkers? Predictive biomarkers refer to indicators that aid in predicting how a patient will respond to a specific treatment or therapy. These markers are valuable, for identifying [...]

Park and recreation professionals operate at the intersection of differences in race, gender identity, religion, class, geography, age and ability, and remain on the frontlines of many of today's most [...]

In March 2020, working conditions at most traditional offices changed overnight. Employees who spent a career working in a shared location with their co-workers and teammates were sent home to work. With this abrupt change in working conditions, organizations quickly looked for ways to supplement communication and create structural support for their new remote workforce. As we move towards the future many more employees will work remotely more than they did in the past. This paper begins a discussion on a research area that previously has little substantiated data and connects to the question of the wide spread adoption of video technology increasing communication effectiveness., Introduction In March 2020, working conditions at most traditional offices changed overnight. Employees who spent a career working in a shared location with their co-workers and teammates were sent home [...]

Byline: Shalini. Kumari We have documented a case of opaque intra-ocular lens (IOL) implant after phacoemulsification surgery on slit-lamp examination on diffuse-light and retro-illumination [Figure 1]. The patient visited us [...]

My heart is greedy. Not that it desires several homes at once, but it likes being everywhere. So by logical induction, 'home is everywhere.' I'd instantaneously summoned Mahatma Gandhi, John [...]

Direct immersion solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy was used to create chemical fingerprints of annual ryegrass cultivars (Lolium rigidum). Extracts made of the inflorescences of four cultivars and one accession of annual ryegrass were assessed to identify differential metabolites between those resistant to and susceptible to bacterial galls associated with annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT). Numerous compounds were identified. Principal component analysis showed distinct clustering of metabolites from disease-resistant and disease-susceptible cultivars. Partial least-squares-discriminant analysis identified sterols, esters, aldehydes, and terpenes that correlated with resistance to galls formation. Esters, sterols, phenols, heterocyclics, fatty acids, organofluorides, and siloxanes were predominant in resistant genotypes, whereas alcohols, aldehydes, terpenes, and hydrocarbons were predominant in susceptible genotypes. The identification of differentially expressed metabolites provides potential chemical markers to guide breeding strategies for ARGT resistance in ryegrass.

Broadband absorption in the visible spectrum is essential in optoelectronic applications that involve power conversion such as photovoltaics and photocatalysis. Most ultrathin broadband absorbers use parasitic plasmonic structures that maximize absorption using surface plasmons and/or Fabry–Perot cavities, which limits the weight efficiency of the device. Here, we show the theoretical and experimental realization of an unpatterned/planar semiconductor thin-film absorber based on monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides. We experimentally demonstrate an average total absorption in the visible range (450–700 nm) of >70% using <4 nm of semiconductor absorbing materials scalable over large areas with vapor phase growth techniques. Our analysis suggests that a power conversion efficiency of 15.54% and a specific power >300 W g–1may be achieved in a photovoltaic cell based on this metamaterial absorber.

Red fluorescent protein (RFP)-based fluorescent probes that can selectively interact with specific nucleic acids are of great importance for therapeutic and bioimaging applications. Herein, we have reported the synthesis of RFP chromophores for selective recognition of G-quadruplex nucleic acids in vitro and ex vivo. We identified DFHBI-DMas a fluorescent turn-on probe that binds to the dimeric NG16 parallel quadruplex with superior selectivity and sensitivity over various parallel, antiparallel, and hybrid topologies. The binding of DFHBI-DMto NG16 exhibited excellent photophysical properties, including high binding affinity, large Stokes shift, high photostability, and quantum yield. The MD simulation study supports the 1:1 binding stoichiometry. It confirms the planar conformation of DFHBI-DM, which makes strong binding interactions with a flat quartet of NG16 compared to other antiparallel and hybrid topologies. The cell imaging and MTT assays revealed that DFHBI-DMis a biocompatible and efficient fluorescent probe for intracellular imaging of NG16. Overall, these results demonstrated that DFHBI-DMcould be an effective fluorescent G4-stabilizing agent for the dimeric NG16 parallel quadruplex, and it could be a promising candidate for further exploration of bioimaging and therapeutic applications.

The degree of conversion of dentin bonding agents contributes to the success of final restorations in adhesive dentistry. It is clinically relevant, as it is directly related to the overall bond strength that maintains these restorations in place and prevents marginal deterioration. However, Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) present within the dentin substrate have been known to have a deleterious effect on the bond stability, due to their collagenolytic activity. Inhibition of the effects of MMPs has been studied, and the use of a pre-treatment protocol that includes MMP inhibiting agents before bonding procedures has been explored, and has been found to increase bond strengths. However, the effect that MMP inhibitors have on dental adhesives has not yet been explored, particularly when being used in caries-affected-dentin (CAD). This study aims to report the degree of conversion of an 8th-generation dentin bonding agent in sound dentin (SD) vs caries-affected dentin after pre-treatment using MMP inhibitors.

ABSTRACTThe cut stem quality of Chrysanthemum varieties (Yellow Delight, Reagan Emperor, Reagan White, Shova and Punjab Shyamli) were evaluated in response to photoperiodic manipulations through Early planting (P1), Early planting with artificial short days (SDs) (P2) and Normal planting (P3). Cut stem length increased by 25.54% under P2(79.77 cm) as compared to P3(59.40 cm), whereas the number of flowers remained at par. Planting time and artificial SDs significantly influenced biochemical and morphological differentials. Membrane stability index (78.21), total soluble sugars (87.29 mg g−1FW), total soluble proteins (90.85 mg g−1FW), proline (17.57 mg g−1FW) and peroxidase activity (16.37 Δ in absorbance min−1g−1FW) of Yellow Delight under P2contributed to 1.39 times increase in its cut stem length over P3and made it fit for P1and P2planting. Punjab Shyamli and Reagan Emperor exhibited luxuriant vegetative growth, whereas quality of Reagan White and Shova improved under P2. Principal component analysis revealed that days to bud initiation, days to flowering, peroxidase activity, membrane stability index, proline at bud initiation and cut stem length contributed significantly to variation (60.48%) among treatments. Moreover, cut stem length, correlated positively with days to bud initiation and flowering, TSS and peroxidase activity, leaf area and SLA, suggesting their importance in breeding for off-season flowering and quality enhancement.

Purpose: We recently demonstrated an additional oxytocin (OT) deficiency in patients with arginine vasopressin (AVP) deficiency (central diabetes insipidus) by using 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) as a novel provocation test. However, the implication of the MDMA provocation test in clinical practice might be challenging. Glucagon effectively stimulates vasopressinergic neurons with a strong increase in plasma copeptin. We therefore hypothesized that this provocation test might also stimulate OT. Methods: This is a predefined secondary analysis of a prospective double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled cross-over trial involving ten patients with AVP deficiency and ten sex- and body-mass index-matched healthy participants at the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland. Each participant underwent the glucagon test (s.c. injection of 1 mg glucagon) and placebo test (s.c. injection of 0.9% normal saline). Plasma OT levels were measured at baseline, 60, 120 and 180 min after injection. The primary objective was to determine whether glucagon stimulates OT and whether OT levels differ between patients with AVP deficiency and healthy participants. The primary outcome (maximum change in OT within 180 min) was compared between groups and conditions using a linear mixed effects model. Results: In healthy participants, the median OT at baseline was 82.7 pg/ml [62.3–94.3] and slightly increased to a maximum of 93.3 pg/ml [87.2–121.1] after injection of glucagon, resulting in a change increase of 24.9 pg/ml [5.1–27.8]. Similarly, in patients with AVP deficiency, the median OT at baseline was 73.9 pg/ml [65.3–81.6] and slightly increased after glucagon injection to 114.9 pg/ml [70.9–140.9], resulting in a change increase of 36.8 pg/ml [–2.2 to 51.2]. The results from the mixed model showed no effect between glucagon compared to placebo on OT (difference: –0.5 pg/ml; 95%-CI [–25, 24]; p= 0.97) and no significant treatment-by-group interaction effect between patients compared to healthy participants (interaction: 28 pg/ml; 95%-CI [–7, 62]; p= 0.13). Conclusion: We found no effect of glucagon on plasma OT levels and no difference between patients with AVP deficiency and healthy participants.

Isolated axenic culture of Acutodesmus obliquuswas identified using 28S DNA-based molecular method from the Vastral lake of Gujarat, India. In present study, newly isolated species A.obliquusused for the treatment of CETP-WW and CO2sequestration. Direct relation was observed in between pollution load and nutrient load of CETP wastewater with biochemical profile of A. obliquuswas obliquus. The COD/BOD ratio (1.9) was found to be significant on the scale of degradability by algal biomass. Reduction in BOD and COD was obtained maximum in order with 25 > 50 > 75 > 100% of CETP wastewater etc.; 82.3%, 71.9%, 52.2%, and 48.4% for BOD; and 75.4%, 68.5%, 53.9%, and 46.5% for COD. Findings showed that CETP-WW wastewater is rich in nutrients, which can be utilized for algal biomass production. A. obliquuswas subjected to four different concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) of carbon (gaseous form) in 50% concentration of CETP-WW. Maximum biomass productivity was obtained (2.09 ± 0.08 gL−1) with 10% CO2supply. The correlation was observed in all the concentrations 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of CETP-WW of BOD, COD, NO3−, and PO4−3between the protein, carbohydrate, and lipid. It indicated that microalgae have the potential to simultaneously realize CETP-WW wastewater purification and CO2fixation with value-added ingredients co-production.

ABSTRACT:Little is known about whether reductions in intimate partner violence (IPV) from transfer programs persist. Using a randomized controlled trial, we find that women in rural Bangladesh who received cash transfers with complementary nutrition programming (including group-based training, home visits, and community meetings) experienced sustained reductions in IPV four years after the program ended. Neither cash transfers alone, nor food transfers with or without complementary nutrition programming, showed sustained impacts on IPV. Evidence suggests that cash with complementary nutrition programming sustained IPV reductions through persistent increases in women’s bargaining power, costs to men of perpetrating violence, and men’s emotional well-being.

Conventional approaches for bacterial cell analysis are hindered by lengthy processing times and tedious protocols that rely on gene amplification and cell culture. Impedance spectroscopy has emerged as a promising tool for efficient real-time bacterial monitoring, owing to its simple, label-free nature and cost-effectiveness. However, its limited practical applications in real-world scenarios pose a significant challenge. In this review, we provide a comprehensive study of impedance spectroscopy and its practical utilization in bacterial system measurements. We begin by outlining the fundamentals of impedance theory and modeling, specific to bacterial systems. We then offer insights into various strategies for bacterial cell detection and discuss the role of impedance spectroscopy in antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and single-cell analysis. Additionally, we explore key aspects of impedance system design, including the influence of electrodes, media, and cell enrichment techniques on the sensitivity, specificity, detection speed, concentration accuracy, and cost-effectiveness of current impedance biosensors. By combining different biosensor design parameters, impedance theory, and detection principles, we propose that impedance applications can be expanded to point-of-care diagnostics, enhancing their practical utility. This Perspective focuses exclusively on ideally polarizable (fully capacitive) electrodes, excluding any consideration of charge transfer resulting from Faradaic reactions.

ABSTRACTRetailers need to adopt an omnichannel strategy to survive and thrive in the digital era, considering the industry’s competitiveness and technological disruption. If sources of consumer value in omnichannel commerce are not fully understood, retailers may not be able to respond and adapt to this crucial transition since customers are value-conscious in addition to having changing buying habits. Our study aims to uncover sources of customer value specific to the context of omnichannel retailing. Bibliometric data from 295 Scopus-indexed articles related to customer value in omnichannel retailing was retrieved and subjected to network analysis and science mapping using VOS Viewer and Biblioshiny app respectively. Our findings identified five clusters of customer value in omnichannel retailing and seventeen research themes that can be classified into four categories (established, emerging, niche, and basic). Based on these insights, we propose five dimensions of omnichannel retail value. Additionally, a future research agenda for the field is offered along with the identification of core research gaps.

The findings of this investigation give a novel approach to the forecasting of heart disease. For the purpose of determining significant features, it is a 2-tier procedure that uses a combination of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (lasso) regression known as ALAN. In addition to this, it uses the Ensemble Technique with Adaptive Boosted Decision Fusion (ET-ABDF) in order to enhance its accuracy. An improvement in the detection of critical properties for predictive modelling is achieved through the use of the ALAN technique. With an accuracy of 88.0%, precision of 89.81%, recall of 89.80%, and an F1 Score of 89.00%, the ET-ABDF model shows outstanding results in the identification of cardiac disease. The outstanding result of 96.21% for the area under the curve (AUC) shows its strong ability to differentiate across several groups. It has been established through the comparative analysis that the model that has been provided displays better results in comparison to other algorithms. It is possible that in the future, undertaking more research on new techniques for choosing characteristics and expanding studies to encompass a larger spectrum of cardiovascular problems will have the potential to increase the accuracy and practicability of heart disease prediction models in real-world healthcare settings.

KRASG12C is the most common KRASmutation in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), for which targeted therapy has recently been developed.

The contribution of de novo variants as a cause of intellectual disability (ID) is well established in several cohorts reported from the developed world. However, the genetic landscape as well as the appropriate testing strategies for identification of de novo variants of these disorders remain largely unknown in low-and middle-income countries like India. In this study, we delineate the clinical and genotypic spectrum of 54 families (55 individuals) with syndromic ID harboring rare de novo variants. We also emphasize on the effectiveness of singleton exome sequencing as a valuable tool for diagnosing these disorders in resource limited settings. Overall, 46 distinct disorders were identified encompassing 46 genes with 51 single-nucleotide variants and/or indels and two copy-number variants. Pathogenic variants were identified in CREBBP, TSC2, KMT2D, MECP2, IDS, NIPBL, NSD1, RIT1, SOX10, BRWD3, FOXG1, BCL11A, KDM6B, KDM5C, SETD5, QRICH1, DCX, SMARCD1, ASXL1, ASXL3, AKT3, FBN2, TCF12, WASF1, BRAF, SMARCA4, SMARCA2, TUBG1, KMT2A, CTNNB1, DLG4, MEIS2, GATAD2B, FBXW7, ANKRD11, ARID1B, DYNC1H1, HIVEP2, NEXMIF, ZBTB18, SETD1B, DYRK1A, SRCAP, CASK, L1CAM, and KRAS. Twenty-four of these monogenic disorders have not been previously reported in the Indian population. Notably, 39 out of 53 (74%) disease-causing variants are novel. These variants were identified in the genes mainly encoding transcriptional and chromatin regulators, serine threonine kinases, lysosomal enzymes, molecular motors, synaptic proteins, neuronal migration machinery, adhesion molecules, structural proteins and signaling molecules.

•Copanlisib plus R-B did not demonstrate improved PFS or overall survival in patients with relapsed iNHL.•Copanlisib plus R-B was associated with more serious TEAEs, TEAE-related deaths, and discontinuations than placebo plus R-B.

Tissue hydration provides articular cartilage with dynamic viscoelastic properties. Early stage osteoarthritis (OA) is marked by loss of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans (GAG), lowering fixed charge density, and impairing tissue osmotic function. The most common GAG replacement, chondroitin sulfate (CS), has failed to show effectiveness. Here, we investigated a synthetic polyelectrolyte, poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS), both as a model compound to investigate polyelectrolyte transport in cartilage, and as a potential candidate to restore bulk fixed charge density in cartilage with GAG loss. Through bovine explants and histology, we determined zonal-based effective diffusion coefficients for three different molecular weights of PSS. Compared to CS, PSS was retained longer in GAG-depleted cartilage in static and compression-based desorption experiments. We explained enhanced solute performance of PSS by its more compact morphology and higher charge density by small-angle X-ray scattering. This study may improve design of GAG mimetic molecules for repairing osmotic function in OA cartilage.

Motivated by the indisputable relevance of comprehensively understanding and portraying multiple facets of ongoing conversations on electric vehicles (EVs), we employ critical discourse analysis (CDA) to go beyond the how and why of these discussions and fathom the complex interplays and subtleties. Operationally, we inductively analyze 718 popular media articles published from 2020 through 2023 to distill four cumulative dimensions of the discourse on EVs: industry‐level enabling cues for EV adoption, economy‐level motivations and motivators, impediments to diffusion, and harbingers of change. These four dimensions are further unpacked into 16 themes to provide a more granular interpretation of media discourse on EVs. We provide an exhaustive perspective, navigating several macro and micro aspects to offer tangible theoretical and practical outcomes. In addition to creating a comprehensive point of reference for future research, the study offers substantial inputs for driving the policy agenda in terms of subsidies, start‐ups, and buy‐side barriers.

Background: The new competency-based medical education (CBME) curriculum presents an opportunity to address the many deficiencies in undergraduate (UG) psychiatry education in India. There are no published reports of such evaluations of psychiatry teaching programs based on the new CBME curriculum.Methods: We performed a cross-sectional evaluation of the first clinical posting in psychiatry of the new CBME curriculum using the following metrics: clinical skills, knowledge, attitudes towards psychiatry, self-efficacy in performing the specific learning objectives (SLOs), and satisfaction with specific teaching–learning and assessment methods implemented.Results: The mean knowledge score after the posting was significantly higher compared to the mean knowledge score at baseline (7.79 vs 5.45, p<0.001). The mean clinical skills score after the posting was 13.77 (0–20 range). Improvement was noted in the mean scores on all three sub-scales of the attitudes toward psychiatry scale. However, the improvement in scores was statistically significant only on the ‘Stigma of Psychiatry’ sub-scale. The mean scores on the items of the self-efficacy scale were between 63.41 and 77.73 (0–100 range). The mean scores on all items of the satisfaction scale were between 4 (somewhat satisfied) and 5 (very satisfied).Conclusion: We have described an evaluation of the first clinical posting in psychiatry of the new CBME curriculum. The posting was effective in imparting knowledge and clinical skills and potentially bringing about favorable changes in the attitudes toward psychiatry among UG medical students. The students also perceived confidence in performing the SLOs and were satisfied with the teaching-learning methods and assessment methods implemented.

IMPORTANCE: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is associated with reduced cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, morbidity, and mortality. Whether these effects are specifically induced by the surgical procedure or the weight loss is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To compare 6-week changes in CV risk factors in patients with obesity undergoing matching caloric restriction and weight loss by RYGB or a very low-energy diet (VLED). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This nonrandomized controlled study (Impact of Body Weight, Low Calorie Diet, and Gastric Bypass on Drug Bioavailability, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, and Metabolic Biomarkers [COCKTAIL]) was conducted at a tertiary care obesity center in Norway. Participants were individuals with severe obesity preparing for RYGB or a VLED. Recruitment began February 26, 2015; the first patient visit was on March 18, 2015, and the last patient visit (9-week follow-up) was on August 9, 2017. Data were analyzed from April 30, 2021, through June 29, 2023. INTERVENTIONS: VLED alone for 6 weeks or VLED for 6 weeks after RYGB; both interventions were preceded by 3-week LED. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Between-group comparisons of 6-week changes in CV risk factors. RESULTS: Among 78 patients included in the analyses, the mean (SD) age was 47.5 (9.7) years; 51 (65%) were women, and 27 (35%) were men. Except for a slightly higher mean (SD) body mass index of 44.5 (6.2) in the RYGB group (n = 41) vs 41.9 (5.4) in the VLED group (n = 37), baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between groups. Major atherogenic blood lipids (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, lipoprotein[a]) were reduced after RYGB in comparison with VLED despite a similar fat mass loss. Mean between-group differences were −17.7 mg/dL (95% CI, −27.9 to −7.5), −17.4 mg/dL (95% CI, −29.8 to −5.0) mg/dL, −9.94 mg/dL (95% CI, −15.75 to −4.14), and geometric mean ratio was 0.55 U/L (95% CI, 0.42 to 0.72), respectively. Changes in glycemic control and blood pressure were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study found that clinically meaningful reductions in major atherogenic blood lipids were demonstrated after RYGB, indicating that RYGB may reduce CV risk independent of weight loss. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02386917

Rubber trees are a commercial cash crop, and the milky latex or polyisoprene they produce is the natural source of rubber. Little is known about the bacterial populations found in active zone of latex-bearing caulosphere. We employed a tailored cloud microbial bioinformatic approach for the identification and potential hypothetical ecological roles of an uncultured endophytic hidden bacterial community in the active zone of the latex-bearing caulosphere of Hevea brasiliensis. Small pieces of slivers were collected from healthy plant from the village: Belonia, South Tripura, rubber plantation in Northeastern India. These uncultured bacteria were identified using the V3–V4 hypervariable amplicon region of the 16 S rDNA gene. A total of 209,586 contigs have been generated. EasyMAP Version 1.0, a cloud-based microbial bioinformatics tool with an integrated QIIME2 pipeline, was used to analyze contigs. We detected 15 phyla and 91 OTUs (operational taxonomic units). Proteobacteria (73.5%) was the most enriched phylum, followed by Firmicutes (13.8%), Bacteroidetes (5.2%), and Actinobacteria (3.2%). Ammonia oxidizers, sulfate reducers, dehalogenation, chitin degradation, nitrite reducers, and aromatic hydrocarbon degraders were the most prevalent functional categories in the active zones of caulosphere. Furthermore, Gammaproteobacteria (49.2%) and Erwinia(29.19%) were the most abundant classes and genera of endophytic bacterial communities. Thus, the presence of a substantial amount of phosphate-solubilizing Gammaproteobacteria (PSB) may stimulate growth, increase plant resilience, suppress disease, and aid in the rubber and sugar breakdown. This is the first report of microbial endophytes associated with Heveacaulosphere.

Graphical Abstract:

Background: Undergraduate (UG) medical students are one of the stakeholders and ultimate beneficiaries of the competency-based medical education (CBME) curriculum introduced in 2019 by the National Medical Commission (NMC). There is a dearth of literature on student perspectives on CBME Psychiatry clinical posting in India.Methods: Second professional students who attended the psychiatry clinical posting were invited to participate in the qualitative study. They were asked to give perspectives about the training during clinical posting based on a semi-structured questionnaire.Results: Written feedback forms were obtained from 44 students. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results showed the perceived impact of posting (change in knowledge, skills, and attitude), barriers to learning (student factors, patient factors, interaction factors, structural factors), and feedback on training during clinical posting (structural factors, practice over theory).Conclusion: UG students perceived improvement in their knowledge, attitude, and clinical skills during their posting in Psychiatry. They reported several barriers to learning at variouslevels. Their feedback to improve the posting focused on demonstrating skills using patients rather than theory classes.

Puga geothermal geyser and surrounding area, located in the Himalayan Geothermal Belt of the Trans-Himalayan Plateau in Ladakh, India, are very geographically isolated and considered pristine and free of anthropogenic activities. In this study, we have conducted the first metagenomic investigation of the microbes in and around the geyser. The whole genome sequencing analysis showed the presence of a total of 44.8%, 39.7% and 41.4% bacterial phyla in the PugW, PugS, and PugSo samples respectively, 8.6% of archaeal phyla (in all the samples), unclassified (derived from other sequences, PugW: 27.6%, PugS: 27.6%, and PugSo: 15.5%) and unclassified (derived from bacteria, PugW: 12%, PugS: 13.8%, and PugSo: 13.8%). The majority of archaeal sequences were linked to Euryarchaeota (2.84%) while the majority of the bacterial communities that predominated in most geothermal locations were linked to Pseudomonadota (67.14%) and Bacteroidota (12.52%). The abundant bacterial strains at the species level included Dechloromonas aromatica, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Arcobacter butzleri, in all the samples while the most abundant archaeal species were Methanosaeta thermophile, Methanoregula boonei, and Methanosarcina berkeri.Further, this geothermal geyser metagenome has a large number of unique sequences linked to unidentified and unclassified lineages, suggesting a potential source for novel species of microbes and their products. The present study which only examined one of the many geothermal geysers and springs in the Puga geothermal area, should be regarded as a preliminary investigation of the microbiota that live in the geothermal springs on these remote areas. These findings suggest that further investigations should be undertaken to characterize the ecosystems of the Puga geothermal area, which serve as a repository for unidentified microbial lineages.

Byline: Shalini. Gupta, Mahmooda. Rahman, Shailja. Tibrewal, Abha. Gaur, Suma. Ganesh, Virender. Sangwan Purpose: To evaluate dry eyes in children with vernal kerato-conjunctivitis (VKC) and correlate it with symptoms, clinical [...]

Byline: Manisha. Agarwal, Alankrita. Muralidhar, Shalini. Singh The effect of vitrectomy on the course of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in eyes with full-thickness macular holes (FTMHs) is not well [...]

AbstractThe emergence and immune evasion ability of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strains, mainly BA.5.2 and BF.7 and other variants of concern have raised global apprehensions. With this context, the discovery of multitarget inhibitors may be proven more comprehensive paradigm than its one-drug-to-one target counterpart. In the current study, a library of 271 phytochemicals from 25 medicinal plants from the Indian Himalayan Region has been virtually screened against SARS-CoV-2 by targeting nine virus proteins, viz., papain-like protease, main protease, nsp12, helicase, nsp14, nsp15, nsp16, envelope, and nucleocapsid for screening of a multi-target inhibitor against the viral replication. Initially, 94 phytochemicals were screened by a hybrid machine learning model constructed by combining 6 confirmatory bioassays against SARS-CoV-2 replication using an instance-based learner lazy k-nearest neighbour classifier. Further, 25 screened compounds with excellent drug-like properties were subjected to molecular docking. The phytochemical Cepharadione A from the plant Piper longumshowed binding potential against four proteins with the highest binding energy of −10.90 kcal/mol. The compound has acceptable absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity properties and exhibits stable binding behaviour in terms of root mean square deviation (0.068 ± 0.05 nm), root-mean-square fluctuation, hydrogen bonds, solvent accessible surface area (83.88–161.89 nm2), and molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area during molecular dynamics simulation of 200 ns with selected target proteins. Concerning the utility of natural compounds in the therapeutics formulation, Cepharadione A could be further investigated as a remarkable lead candidate for the development of therapeutic drugs against SARS-CoV-2.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Background Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm neonates is a dreadful complication that increases the length of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay, increases the cost of treatment, and poses long-term respiratory morbidity.Methods This was a case-control study to determine risk factors for BPD among preterm neonates (gestational age <32 weeks). Also, the proportion of BPD neonates developing secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), vitamin D levels, and their outcomes were studied.Results Of 70 neonates with a mean birth weight of 1392 ± 544.28 grams and a mean gestational age of 30.14 ± 1.12 weeks, 35 cases of BPD (mild 42%, moderate 27%, severe 31%) and 35 controls were enrolled. After multivariate analysis, SGA (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 12.6 with 95% CI 1.5-109.3; 0.022), lack of antenatal steroids (AOR 9.4 with 95% CI 1.8-50.7; 0.009), mechanical ventilation [MV] within the first 48 hours of life (AOR 8.7 with 95% CI 1.4-54.1; 0.021), and lack of surfactant administration (AOR 16.5% CI 3-89.1; 0.005) were independent risk factors. No significant difference was reported in vitamin D levels between BPD and non-BPD neonates (33.89 ± 22.50 ng/mL vs. 27.00 ± 8.17 ng/mL; 0.356). 14.3 % of BPD neonates expired, and 23% developed PAH. Neonates had a longer NICU stay than controls (46.66 ± 7.96 vs. 21 ± 8.82 days; <0.001)Conclusion We found SGA, lack of antenatal steroids, MV, and lack of surfactant administration to be independent risk factors for BPD. BPD neonates had dismal outcomes (one-fourth expired and left against medical advice), and one-fifth had PAH among survivors, increasing the length of their NICU stay.

Transportation systems are a necessity of modern life. To achieve safe and fast transportation, the intelligent transportation system is being developed. In this system, the main base station facilitates communication between vehicles and all other roadside entities using vehicle to everything networks. Various technologies have been built to support this communication. After receiving the information, vehicles can make their own decisions. This data communication is done in real time. But, if any of these data packets are dropped, the vehicle will make inaccurate decisions, so we need to have reliable data communication. All data communication will be accomplished through a system of neighboring nodes. There may be some malfunctioning nodes that lose packets in between, so a trusted and reliable link is necessary for efficient and secure data communication among the nodes. This paper presents a survey of various algorithms designed for the reliable delivery of data packets, algorithms for secure data transfer, and various types of attacks. After that, various schemes for building trust in parties sending data packets if also presented for survey.

AbstractFor the first time in the Indian subcontinent, a series of royal burials with chariots have been recovered from the Chalcolithic period at the archaeological site Sinauli (29°8′28″N; 77°13′1″E), Baghpat district, western Uttar Pradesh, India. Eight burials were excavated from the site; among them a royal burial with copper decorated legged coffin (lid with a series of anthropomorphic figures) and headgear has also been recovered. Among these remarkable discoveries, three full-sized chariots made of wood and copper, and a sword with a wooden hilt, made this site unique at historical ground. These cultural findings signify that the ancients from this place were involved in warfare. All these recovered exclusive antiquities also proved the sophistication and the high degree of craftsmanship of the artisans. According to the 14C radiocarbon dating and recovered material culture, the site date back to 4000 yr BP (∼2000 BCE) and is thought to belong to Ochre-Coloured Pottery (OCP)/Copper Hoard culture. This culture was believed to develop in the Ganga-Yamuna Doab and was contemporary to the late phase of the Indus civilization. Altogether, the findings indicate that the time period of this culture is plausibly contemporary to Late Indus, Mesopotamian and Greece civilizations.

Transformation of a fibrous mat into a three-dimensional (3D) scaffold opens up abundant innovative prospects in biomedical research, particularly for studying both soft as well as hard tissues. Electrospun nanofibers, which mimic the extracellular matrix have attracted significant attention in various studies. This research focuses on rapidly converting a fibrous mat made of polycaprolactone (PCL)/pluronic F-127 (PF-127) with different percentages of monetite calcium phosphate (MCP) into desirable 3D matrix cotton using a unique gas foaming technology. These matrix cottons possess biomimetic properties and have oriented porous structures. Using this innovative technique, various shapes of 3D matrix cotton, such as squares, hollow tubes, and other customizable forms, were successfully produced. Importantly, these 3D matrix cottons showed a consistent distribution of monetite particles with total porosity ranging from 90% to 98%. The structure of the 3D matrix cotton, its water/blood absorption capacity, the potential for causing non-hemolysis, and rapid hemostatic properties were thoroughly investigated. Additionally, periodontal cells were cultured on the 3D matrix cotton to assess their viability and morphology, revealing promising results. Furthermore, a coculture study involving NIH-3T3 and MG-63 cells on the 3D matrix cotton showed spheroidal formation within 24 h. Notably, in vitro assessments indicated that the matrix cotton containing 15% monetite (PCL-MMC15%) exhibited superior absorbent capabilities, excellent cell viability, and rapid hemostatic characteristics. Subsequently, the effectiveness of PCL-MMC15% in promoting mandibular bone regeneration was evaluated through an in vivo study on rabbits using a mandibular injury model. The results demonstrated that PCL-MMC15% facilitated the resolution of defects in the mandibular region by initiating new bone formation. Therefore, the presented 3D matrix cotton (PCL-MMC15%) shows significant promise for applications in both mandibular bone regeneration and hemostasis.

abstract:Acid attack is a gender-based violence, the historical roots of which can be traced back to Victorian-era Britain and Europe. Over the years, acid emerged as a preferred choice of weapon in several other countries. The victims of acid violence are forced to live a life of suffering due to the resultant emotional and physical scars. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach and drawing on examples from literature, movies, and other media, the article will examine the popular culture portrayal of acid attack victims through the lens of Hall’s encoding/decoding model. It examines the ways in which narratives of acid attack victims are depicted and consumed by the public. Moreover, the article highlights the role of the popular media in challenging and perpetuating these narratives and the immense potential it holds to shape public discourse and policy surrounding human rights issues. The article discusses the human rights of the acid attack victims through the lens of Amartya Sen’s capabilities approach. Additionally, the article underscores the need for amplifying the voices and experiences of the acid attack victims in popular culture—thereby advocating for greater awareness, empathy, and activism.