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This paper presents a sensorless control designed for low to medium speed operation of an 8/6 pole switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive, utilizing only a single current and voltage sensor while ensuring grid-side power quality. It emphasizes a cost-effective solution suitable for low-power applications in both domestic and industrial appliances, employing SRM drive technology. In this, AC input is fed to Cuk converter that suppresses grid current total harmonic distortion (THD). Using symmetrical structural properties of SRM allows for a cost-friendly sensorless control approach. Position estimation for four-phase SRM is achieved by comparing two-position reference fluxes with running flux. In case of four-phase SRM, phases A and C are conducted sequentially, enabling a single voltage and current sensor to estimate flux for both phases. This method contrasts with lookup table-based rotor position estimation, requiring only two sets of position flux data, thus reducing memory usage, controller complexity, and speeding up response. A laboratory prototype of a four-phase 8/6 SRM is used to estimate rotor position in sensorless control. Finally, test results are used to validate effectiveness of presented PFC assisted sensorless control approach.

The natural environment is often contaminated with hydrophobic pollutants such as long-chain hydrocarbons, petrochemicals, oil spills, pesticides, and heavy metals. Hydrophobic pollutants with a toxic nature, slow degradation rates, and low solubility pose serious threats to the environment and human health. Decontamination based on conventional chemical surfactants has been found to be toxic, thereby limiting its application in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In contrast, biosurfactants synthesized by various microbial species have been considered superior to chemical counterparts due to their non-toxic and economical nature. Some biosurfactants can withstand a wide range of fluctuations in temperature and pH. Recently, biosurfactants have emerged as innovative biomolecules not only for solubilization but also for the biodegradation of environmental pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, and oil spills. Biosurfactants have been well documented to function as emulsifiers, dispersion stabilizers, and wetting agents. The amphiphilic nature of biosurfactants has the potential to enhance the solubility of hydrophobic pollutants such as petroleum hydrocarbons and oil spills by reducing interfacial surface tension after distribution in two immiscible surfaces. However, the remediation of contaminants using biosurfactants is affected considerably by temperature, pH, media composition, stirring rate, and microorganisms selected for biosurfactant production. The present review has briefly discussed the current advancements in microbially synthesized biosurfactants, factors affecting production, and their application in the remediation of environmental contaminants of a hydrophobic nature. In addition, the latest aspect of the circular bioeconomy is discussed in terms of generating biosurfactants from waste and the global economic aspects of biosurfactant production.

Currently, the treatment of various human ailments is based on different therapeutic approaches including traditional and modern medicine systems. Precision nutrition has come into existence as an emerging approach considering the diverse aspects such as age, sex, genetic and epigenetic makeup, apart from the pathophysiological conditions. The continuously and gradually evolving disciplines of genomics about nutrition have elucidated the importance of genetic variations, epigenetic information, and expression of myriads of genes in disease progression apart from the involvement in modulating therapeutic responses. Further, the investigations have presented the considerable role of gut microbiota comprising of commensal and symbionts performing innumerable activities such as release of bioactive molecules, defense against pathogenic microbes, and regulation of immunity. Noteworthy, the characteristics of the microbiome change depending on host attributes, environmental factors, and habitat, in addition to diet, and therefore can be employed as a biomarker to unravel the response to given food. The specific diet and the components thereof can be suggested for supporting the enrichment of the desired microbial community to some extent as an important part of precision nutrition to achieve not only the goal of human health but also of healthy aging.

Abstract LaTe3 is a non-centrosymmetric material with time reversal symmetry, where the charge density wave is hosted by the Te bilayers. Here, we show that LaTe3 hosts a Kramers nodal line—a twofold degenerate nodal line connecting time reversal-invariant momenta. We use angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, density functional theory with an experimentally reported modulated structure, effective band structures calculated by band unfolding, and symmetry arguments to reveal the Kramers nodal line. Furthermore, calculations confirm that the nodal line imposes gapless crossings between the bilayer-split charge density wave-induced shadow bands and the main bands. In excellent agreement with the calculations, spectroscopic data confirm the presence of the Kramers nodal line and show that the crossings traverse the Fermi level. Furthermore, spinless nodal lines—completely gapped out by spin-orbit coupling—are formed by the linear crossings of the shadow and main bands with a high Fermi velocity.

Microalgae are microscopic photosynthetic organisms frequently found in fresh and marine water ecosystems. Various microalgal species have been considered a reservoir of diverse health-value products, including vitamins, proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides, and are broadly utilized as food and for the treatment of human ailments such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, allergies, and immunodeficiency. Microalgae-derived carotenoids are the type of accessory pigment that possess light-absorbing potential and play a significant role in metabolic functions. To date, nearly a thousand carotenoids have been reported, but a very less number of microalgae have been used for the commercial production of carotenoids. This review article briefly discussed the carotenoids of microalgal origin and their therapeutic application. In addition, we have briefly compiled the optimization of culture parameters used to enhance microalgal carotenoid production. In addition, the latest biotechnological approaches used to improve the yields of carotenoid has also been discussed.

This article explores the current status of housekeeping-employee retention and efficiency in hotels particularly during COVID-19 in India, then discusses the implications of ergonomic practices on these. Ergonomic practice research in hotel housekeeping has been given enlarged scholarly attention, yet similar research in the Indian context is almost non-existent. Housekeeping work involves considerable physical effort that can lead to discomfort or even injury. This research involved 210 housekeeping employees from five-star hotels through an online survey. The data were interpreted using the partial least square (PLS) software SmartPLS 2.0. The constructs used in the study were working conditions, risk assessment and control, pandemic response plan, employee efficiency and employee retention. Working conditions were found to have a significant positive relationship with employee retention, whereas, risk assessment and control was found to have a positive relationship with employee retention and employee efficiency. Also, the pandemic response plan was found to have a positive relationship with employee efficiency. The pandemic response plan was not found to have a significant positive relationship with employee retention, while working conditions were not found to have a significant positive relationship with employee efficiency either.

Editor, The Bezold-Jarisch Reflex (BJR) responds to noxious ventricular stimuli within the left ventricular wall by inducing hypotension, bradycardia, and coronary artery dilatation. BJR has its origin in cardiac receptors with non myelinated, type C vagal fibres constituting the afferent limb of the reflex which causes reflexively increasing parasympathetic tone and decreasing sympathetic tone. Although it is a transient episode in many cases, it could give rise to cardiac arrest. The BJR is an inhibitory reflex induced by type C vagal fibres in cardiac chambers causing triad of bradycardia, systemic vasodilatation and profound hypotension. Stimulation could be chemical or mechanical. In this reflex, hyperstimulation of the myocardium paradoxically leads to profound bradycardia or asystole [1]. Bone cement application during total hip replacement might lead to this reflex due to release of cement monomer into the circulation [2]. A 35-year-old male came to the Department of Orthopaedics with chief complaint of left sided groin pain that was exacerbated by weight bearing. On Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) hip bone, diagnosis of Avascular Necrosis (AVN) of head of left femur was established. There was a history of recent trauma but no cause of non traumatic AVN was found like steroid use, autoimmune disease, sickle cell, alcoholism, tobacco use or connective tissue disorders etc. Surgeon decided to do left sided total hip replacement. Preoperatively, all the routine investigations including chest x-ray and electrocardiography were found to be within normal limit. On the day of surgery, under all aseptic precautions, subarachnoid block was given with 27-G Quincke’s spinal needle. After 10 minutes, adequate anaesthesia (T10) level was obtained. Patient was positioned in right lateral position. Patient was well conscious oriented and haemodynamically stable before and after spinal anaesthesia. After one hour of surgery, medullary reaming was completed and bone cement was applied. On application of bone cement with gun, severe bradycardia (Heart Rate (HR) around 25-30 beats per minute) along with hypotension (blood pressure 80/40 mmHg) was noted on the monitor without any respiratory distress (oxygen saturation 100%). Patient was well oriented to time, place and person. Bradycardia (HR 25-30 bpm) lasted for around 20-30 seconds that was recognised by residents on monitor until inj. atropine and inj. mephentermine 6 mg intravenously was given. Haemodynamics reestablished with the quick intervention of anaesthesiologist and surgery went uneventful further. Patient was stable in postoperative period and discharghed after four days of hospital stay. The BJR is often imply as a cause of bradycardia or hypotension in neuraxial anaesthesia. However, its role in cases of neuraxial anaesthesia induced cardiac arrest remains uncertain [3-5]. Hypotensive episodes and cardiac arrest have been reported during cement insertion as a complication of Bone Cement Implantation Syndrome (BCIS). Signs and symptoms of BCIS may include hypoxia, hypotension, cardiac arrhythmias, increased Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR) and cardiac arrest [6,7]. The development of isolated severe BJR is reported during shoulder arthroscopy under interscalene block [8] but with bone cement implantation it is either not reported or confounded with BCIS. Mostly it is a selfresolving phenomenon but sometimes requires restoration of heart rate with venous return. All patients should be treated promptly and investigated to rule out potentially fatal underlying causes in case of cardiac arrest. In practice, this is the first case in knowledge where this type of haemodynamic change was observed without respiratory distress during total hip replacement in a healthy young patient. These severe but rare cases remind the potential complications and importance of close monitoring at the time of bone cement implantation. BJR should be considered during arthroplasty and must be treated efficiently.

Introduction: Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common nosocomial infection. Aspiration of bacteria from the upper digestive tract is important in the pathogenesis of this infection. Oral decontamination using antiseptic like chlorhexidine reduces the incidence of VAP but not mortality. There is conflicting results about oral decontamination with antibiotics in preventing VAP, some suggesting benefit and others showing no benefit. Aim: To use two different prophylactic oral decontaminant, gentamicin and chlorhexidine, to compare the incidence of VAP, prevalence of bacterial flora, duration of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay, and mortality. Materials and Methods: This double-blind, randomised, clinical study was conducted at Sir Sunder Lal Hospital, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, from January 2017 to December 2018. Patients intubated within 24 hours of admission and who needed mechanical ventilation with an expected duration of more than 48 hours were included. All the adult patients between age group 18-50 years were studied. Patients were randomised to receive either Topical Antimicrobial Prophylaxis (TAP) with 2% gentamicin (Group G) or 2% chlorhexidine (Group C). Patients were followed until extubation or death. Sequential cultures from endotracheal tube were sent on days 3,7,14, and 21, and for oropharyngeal swab culture were sent on days 0, 3,7,14 and 21. VAP was diagnosed with the help of Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS). Results: Out of 151 patients, 82 patients were in group G (2% gentamicin) and 69 in group C (2% chlorhexidine). On follow-up of various interval among both the groups, CPIS increased with ICU stay but incidence of VAP was comparable between the groups (50% vs 71%, p-value=0.009). Pseudomonas was found to be most prevalent bacteria among both the groups. Discharge rate from ICU was higher in group G (54.9%) than group C (52.2%) (p-value=0.744). The mortality rate was higher in the group C (43.9%) than group G (44.9%) (p-value=0.744). Conclusion: Prophylactic oral-decontamination with gentamicin or chlorhexidine does not reduce incidence of VAP and outcome among ICU patients. Gentamicin could be a better option for patients on ventilator because it may lead to less colonisation of Pseudomonas in oral cavity along with lower CPIS in the later stages of VAP.

The present study demonstrates first time investigation on encapsulation of Aniba rosaeodora essential oil into chitosan nanoemulsion (AREO-CsNe) with the aim of improvement of its antifungal, and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) inhibitory performance in real food system. The GC–MS analysis of AREO revealed the presence of linalool (81.46%) as a major component. The successful encapsulation of EO into CsNe was confirmed through SEM, FTIR, and XRD analysis. The in-vitro release study showed the controlled release of AREO. AREO-CsNe caused complete inhibition of Aspergillus flavus (AFLHPSi-1) growth and AFB1 production at 0.8 and 0.6 μl/ml, respectively, which was far better than AREO (1.4 and 1.2 μl/ml, respectively). Impairment of ergosterol biosynthesis coupled with enhancement of cellular materials leakage confirmed plasma membrane as the possible antifungal target of both AREO and AREO-CsNe. Significant inhibition of methylglyoxal (AFB1 inducer) synthesis in AFLHPSi-1 cells by AREO and AREO-CsNe confirmed their novel antiaflatoxigenic mode of action. In-silico molecular docking studies revealed effective interaction of linalool with Ver-1 and Omt-A proteins, leading to inhibition of AFB1 biosynthesis. Further, AREO-CsNe showed enhanced antioxidant activity with IC50 values 3.792 and 1.706 μl/ml against DPPH• and ABTS•+ radicals, respectively. In addition, AREO-CsNe caused 100% protection of stored millets (Setaria italica seeds) from AFB1 contamination and lipid peroxidation over a period of 1 year without compromising its sensory properties and exhibited high safety profile with LD50 value 9538.742 μl/kg body weight. Based on enhanced performance of AREO-CsNe over AREO, it can be recommended as a novel substitute of synthetic preservative for preservation of stored millets.

Introduction: Delirium is associated with an increased chance of death, prolonged hospitalisation, higher healthcare costs, and possibly long-term brain damage in survivors. Antipsychotics, both conventional and atypical, are the cornerstone of pharmacologic treatment for delirium in adults. Aim: To find out whether typical and atypical antipsychotic medication would result in a shorter duration of delirium than placebo and would improve other outcomes. Materials and Methods: This is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted on patients with delirium in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India from February 2021 to February 2022. Out of 45, 15 received enteral haloperidol (maximum dose 30 mg daily), 15 received quetiapine (maximum dose 300 mg daily) and 15 were controls receiving placebo through Ryle’s tube. Delirium was detected with the use of Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU), and side-effects of the drugs were noted. Dose of a trial drug or placebo was placed halved or doubled at 12-hour intervals using these parameters. The primary end point was the number of days alive without delirium during the 14 day intervention period. Secondary end points included time to freedom from mechanical ventilation, time to ICU, hospital discharge and 30 day and 90 day survival. Results: Out of 45 patients screened, 25 were males and 20 were females with no comparable differences. The mean number of days alive without delirium or coma was 9.45 in the haloperidol group, 8.64 in the quetiapine group, and 8.57 in the placebo group (p-value=0.63) for overall effect across trial groups. The use of haloperidol or quetiapine as compared with placebo, had no significant effect on the primary end point. There were no significant between-group differences in respect to the secondary end points . Conclusion: The use of enteral haloperidol or quetiapine, as compared with placebo, did not significantly alter the duration of delirium in the critically-ill patients admitted in ICU.

The considerable loss of crop productivity each year due to plant disease or pathogen invasion during pre- or post-harvest storage conditions is one of the most severe challenges to achieving the goals of food security for the rising global population. Although chemical pesticides severally affect the food quality and health of consumers, a large population relies on them for plant disease management. But currently, endophytes have been considered one of the most suitable biocontrol agents due to better colonization and acclimatization potential. However, a very limited number of endophytes have been used commercially as biocontrol agents. Isolation of endophytes and their screening to represent potential characteristics as biocontrol agents are considered challenging by different procedures. Through a web search using the keywords “endophytes as biocontrol agents” or “biocontrol mechanism of endophytes,” we have succinctly summarised the isolation strategies and different in vitro and in vivo biocontrol screening methods of endophytic biocontrol agents in the present review. In this paper, biocontrol mechanisms of endophytes and their potential application in plant disease management have also been discussed. Furthermore, the registration and regulatory mechanism of the endophytic biocontrol agents are also covered.

abstract: Currently, food industries largely based on animal products including egg, meat, and fish are facing a burning challenge to meet the continuously increasing consumer demand. The greater availability of plant-based foods has aided the transition from animal foods to plant foods due to its sustainable, convenient, and affordable nature. Different plant derived ingredients like globular proteins, oligosaccharides, dietary fibres, starch, amylopectin, short and long chain unsaturated fatty acids are used to develop plant based foods, however, selection of most important ones being critical for creating a successful end product. Most notably, when the use of bioactive ingredients is targeted, some challenges like instability and reaction with other food matrices persist in development of plant based foods. In this context, nanoencapsulation of food components is an emerging and innovative field for controlled and targeted delivery with various prophylactic activities. The technology encompassing nanoencapsulation facilitates the release of food components, improvement in bioaccessibility, and digestion in the human body. Moreover, the plant-based foods are gaining cumulative attention in the scientific community due to development of various analogues of meat, egg, and milk. This review describes the recent updates in scientific understanding of plant based foods highlighting their prophylactic measures, market demand, and plant based ingredients with physical, functional, and molecular properties, and encapsulation strategies for elimination of various hurdles, maintenance of food quality, and insurances of safety as well as bioavailability of beneficial nutrients.

Introduction: Prolonged mechanical ventilation in postoperative obstetric patients is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Choosing intravenous sedation for these patients is challenging, as many of these drugs have unique benefits and adverse effects.There are several options are available like benzodiazepines, propofol, alfa-2 agonist, opioids and ketamine. Usually, a combination of sedatives are used to avoid dose dependent adverse effects. Aim: To evaluate the combination of Ketamine-Dexmedetomidine (KD) and ketamine-propofol for sedation in mechanically ventilated obstetric patients to compare haemodynamic changes. Secondary objectives to assess adverse effects if any, additional opioid (fentanyl) requirement and total length of intensive care unit stay. Materials and Methods: This randomised clinical study was conducted at King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, from May 2018 to August 2019. Total 67 obstetric patients, between 18-45 years of age, requiring postoperative ventilatory support, were included in the study. For sedation, 33 patient received ketamine-dexmedetomidine (group I) combination and 34 patients received ketamine-propofol (group II) combination upto 12 hours of ventilatory support. Target of sedation was to obtain Ramsay sedation scoring between 3-4. Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) was measured at 0.5 hour, one hour, two hours, four hours, and at every two hourly till 12 hours. Pain was assessed using adult non verbal pain score. Adverse effects (tachyarrhythmia, agitation and hypersalivation) were noted. Total length of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay was also recorded. Results: Age of patients enrolled in the study ranged from 20 to 37 years, the mean age being 27.09±4.61 years. At baseline mean arterial pressure of patients of group I (103.82±19.26 mmHg) was higher than that of group II (96.74±13.49 mmHg) (p-value=0.085). For the rest of the periods of observation, from 0.5 hour to 14 hour, the MAP of group I remained higher as compared to group II. On intragroup comparison, group II had more fluctuation in MAP than group I. Additional requirement of fentanyl was significantly high in Group II, as compared to group I (32.4% vs 12.1%). Mean duration of ICU stay was higher in group II, as compared to group I (30.44±7.26 hours vs 22.91±4.03 hours). Conclusion: Ketamine-dexmedetomidine is a better combination for sedation in postoperated obstetric patients on mechanical ventilation than ketamine-propofol as it provides stable haemodynamics, significantly lesser opioid requirement and total length of ICU stay.

Microbes are the biggest shareholder for the quantitative and qualitative deterioration of food commodities at different stages of production, transportation, and storage, along with the secretion of toxic secondary metabolites. Indiscriminate application of synthetic preservatives may develop resistance in microbial strains and associated complications in human health with broad-spectrum environmental non-sustainability. The application of essential oils (EOs) as a natural antimicrobial and their efficacy for the preservation of foods has been of present interest and growing consumer demand in the current generation. However, the loss in bioactivity of EOs from fluctuating environmental conditions is a major limitation during their practical application, which could be overcome by encapsulating them in a suitable biodegradable and biocompatible polymer matrix with enhancement to their efficacy and stability. Among different nanoencapsulated systems, nanoemulsions effectively contribute to the practical applications of EOs by expanding their dispersibility and foster their controlled delivery in food systems. In line with the above background, this review aims to present the practical application of nanoemulsions (a) by addressing their direct and indirect (EO nanoemulsion coating leading to active packaging) consistent support in a real food system, (b) biochemical actions related to antimicrobial mechanisms, (c) effectiveness of nanoemulsion as bio-nanosensor with large scale practical applicability, (d) critical evaluation of toxicity, safety, and regulatory issues, and (e) market demand of nanoemulsion in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals along with the current challenges and future opportunities.

Introduction: Sepsis is one the most common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Sepsis and septic shock are life-threatening disease which increases mortality with circulatory, cellular and metabolic abnormalities. Urinary trypsin inhibitor is an important protease inhibitor found in human blood and urine, it is known as Ulinastatin (ULI) or bikunin. It is an acidic glycoprotein (molecular weight 30 kDa) and Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor. It is derived from the larger inter-αtrypsin inhibitor molecule by action of neutrophil elastase in the presence of inflammation, and is believed to play an important anti-inflammatory role. Aim: To compare the outcome of intravenous ULI (protease inhibitor known as urinary trypsin inhibitor) versus the combination of hydrocortisone, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and thiamine regarding outcome in sepsis and septic shock. Materials and Methods: In this randomised controlled trial conducted between July 2018 to June 2019 on total 60 sepsis patients were included and divided into two equal groups. Group A patients received combination of intravenous Hydrocortisone, Ascorbic acid and Thiamine (HAT) and group B Ulinastatin received intravenous Intensive Care Unit(ICU). Baseline demographic, clinical and laboratory data were recorded along with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) 2 and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scoring system at the time of admission in ICU. All statistical test were performed using SPSS 21.0 windows software. Comparisons between groups were assessed by using student t-test and chisquare test. Results: Mean age was comparable in both the groups (36.7±12.5 years in group A vs 37.5±12.9 years in group B). SOFA Score were significantly lower in group B as compared to group A on day 3 (7.76±3.67 vs 12.03±4.77) and day 5 (4.79±4.02 vs 12.10±7.36). Rate of reduction in serum procalcitonin level was also found to be significant in group B (p=0.008) as compared to group A (p=0.103). Lactate clearance rate was also fast in group B as compared to group A on day 3 and day 5. There was significant mortality benefit in group B (20%) as compared to group A (50%). Patients were followed up for 28 days till the start of treatment. Conclusion: This study showed that the ULI may play a beneficial role in early management of sepsis and septic shock.

Abstract A total of 22 water quality parameters were selected for the analysis of groundwater samples with reference to arsenic contamination. Samples were collected in the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons of the year 2013. The maximum arsenic concentration in both the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons was approximately the same, i.e., the maximum arsenic concentration being 75.60 and 74.46 µg/L in pre-monsoon and monsoon, respectively. Out of 72 collected samples, three were below the WHO guideline value of 10 µg/L for arsenic concentration. In 95.83% of the groundwater samples, the arsenic concentration was above the permissible limit. Nickel, manganese, and chromium concentrations were above the permissible limits in nearly all samples except for chromium concentration in a few pre-monsoon samples. However, the total iron concentrations in 23 samples (31.94%) were above the permissible limit. A total of six and seven principal components (PCs) were extracted using principal component analysis during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons, respectively, accounting for 76.25 and 78.52% of the total variation during two consecutive seasons. Correlation statistics revealed that the arsenic concentration was positively correlated with phosphate, iron, ammonium, bicarbonate, and manganese concentrations but negatively correlated with oxidation reduction potential (ORP), sulfate concentration, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids concentration. The negative correlation of arsenic with ORP suggested reducing conditions prevailing in the groundwater. The trilinear Piper diagram revealed calcium and magnesium enrichment of groundwater with an abundance of chloride ions but no predominance of bicarbonate ions. Thus, the groundwater fell into Ca2+ − Mg2+ − Cl− − SO4 2− category.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a recurrent and progressive disease, with high mortality rates worldwide. The drug-resistance phenomenon of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major obstruction of allelopathy treatment. An adverse side effect of allelopathic treatment is that it causes serious health complications. The search for suitable alternatives of conventional regimens is needed, i.e., by considering medicinal plant secondary metabolites to explore anti-TB drugs, targeting the action site of M. tuberculosis. Nowadays, plant-derived secondary metabolites are widely known for their beneficial uses, i.e., as antioxidants, antimicrobial agents, and in the treatment of a wide range of chronic human diseases (e.g., tuberculosis), and are known to “thwart” disease virulence. In this regard, in silico studies can reveal the inhibitory potential of plant-derived secondary metabolites against Mycobacterium at the very early stage of infection. Computational approaches based on different algorithms could play a significant role in screening plant metabolites against disease virulence of tuberculosis for drug designing.

Abiotic stress in plants is a crucial issue worldwide, especially heavy-metal contaminants, salinity, and drought. These stresses may raise a lot of issues such as the generation of reactive oxygen species, membrane damage, loss of photosynthetic efficiency, etc. that could alter crop growth and developments by affecting biochemical, physiological, and molecular processes, causing a significant loss in productivity. To overcome the impact of these abiotic stressors, many strategies could be considered to support plant growth including the use of nanoparticles (NPs). However, the majority of studies have focused on understanding the toxicity of NPs on aquatic flora and fauna, and relatively less attention has been paid to the topic of the beneficial role of NPs in plants stress response, growth, and development. More scientific attention is required to understand the behavior of NPs on crops under these stress conditions. Therefore, the present work aims to comprehensively review the beneficial roles of NPs in plants under different abiotic stresses, especially heavy metals, salinity, and drought. This review provides deep insights about mechanisms of abiotic stress alleviation in plants under NP application.

The disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) directly at landfills or open dump areas, without segregation and treatment, is a significant concern due to its hazardous contents of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and metal resistance genes (MGEs). The released leachate from landfills greatly effects the soil physicochemical, biological, and groundwater properties associated with agricultural activity and human health. The abundance of ARB, ARGs, and MGEs have been reported worldwide, including MSW landfill sites, animal husbandry, wastewater, groundwater, soil, and aerosol. This review elucidates the occurrence and abundance of ARB, ARGs, and MRGs, which are regarded as emerging contaminants (ECs). Recently, ECs have received global attention because of their prevalence in leachate as a substantial threat to environmental and public health, including an economic burden for developing nations. The present review exclusively discusses the demands to develop a novel eco-friendly management strategy to combat these global issues. This review also gives an intrinsic discussion about the insights of different aspects of environmental and public health concerns caused due to massive leachate generation, the abundance of antibiotics resistance (AR), and the effects of released leachate on the various environmental reservoirs and human health. Furthermore, the current review throws light on the source and fate of different ECs of landfill leachate and their possible impact on the nearby environments (groundwater, surface water, and soil) affecting human health. The present review strongly suggests the demand for future research focuses on the advancement of the removal efficiency of contaminants with the improvement of relevant landfill management to reduce the potential effects of disposable waste. We propose the necessity of the identification and monitoring of potential environmental and human health risks associated with landfill leachate contaminants.

Introduction: Supraclavicular brachial plexus block is a commonly used, reliable regional anaesthetic technique for surgery of the upper limb. An adjuvant such as fentanyl/ Nalbuphine is used to prolong the effect of bupivacaine. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of adding fentanyl/nalbuphine as an adjuvant to bupivacaine in Ultrasound (US) guided supraclavicular brachial plexus blockade. Materials and Methods: A total 60 ASA I and II adult patients undergoing upper limb surgeries were randomly allocated to two groups. Group A received 20 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine with 2 mL fentanyl 100 µgm with 10 mL of normal saline and Group B received 20 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine with 2 mL of nalbuphine 20 mg with 10 mL Normal Saline (NS) for supraclavicular brachial plexus blockade. The two groups were compared for the time of onset, duration of sensory and motor blocks, hemodynamic stability, post-operative analgesia and complications. Student’s t-test, chi-square test, and Mann-Whitney U-test were used for statistical analysis. Results: The onset time of sensory block (12.07±1.08 and 8.20±1.32 minutes) and motor block (16.80±1.27 and 14.03±1.22 minutes) were significantly different in between Group A and Group B. The duration of sensory block (466.87±39.84 and 719.23±19.45 minutes) and motor block (16.80±1.27 and 14.03±1.22 minutes) were significantly different in between Group A and Group B. The duration (min.) of analgesia was significantly different between Group A (660.67±31.77) and Group B (836.13±25.74). Conclusion: Nalbuphine 20 mg significantly prolongs the duration of analgesia of supraclavicular brachial plexus block as compared to fentanyl group.

The bulk electronic structures of two high-order quaternary approximants of F-type icosahedral (i)-Al-Pd-TM quasicrystal: Al-Pd-Cr-Fe and Al-Pd-Mo-Fe, having similar electron to atom (e/a) ratio as i-Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystal, have been investigated by hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We establish the presence of a well-formed pseudogap at the Fermi level in both the approximants. The pseudogap turns out to be deeper in the approximants compared to i-Al-Pd-Mn, and this is supported by specific heat data. Modifications in the line shape of Al 2s core-level main peak as well as the plasmon loss peaks indicate enhanced hybridization of Al sp and transition metal d states in the approximants, which could be one of the possible reasons for their pseudogap. The absence of magnetic exchange splitting in the Fe 2p core-level spectra establishes the nonmagnetic nature of the approximants.

Realization of an elemental solid-state quasicrystal has remained a distant dream so far in spite of extensive work in this direction for almost two decades. In the present work, we report the discovery of quasiperiodic ordering in a thick layer of elemental Sn grown on icosahedral (i)-Al-Pd-Mn. The scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images and the low-energy electron diffraction patterns of the Sn layer show specific structural signatures that portray quasiperiodicity but are distinct from the substrate. Photoemission spectroscopy reveals the existence of the pseudogap around the Fermi energy up to the maximal Sn thickness. The structure of the Sn layer is modeled as a form of quasicrystalline clathrate on the basis of multiple supporting evidences: First, from ab initio total energy evaluation, the energy of bulk Sn clathrate quasicrystal is lower than the high-temperature metallic β-Sn phase, but higher than the low-temperature α-Sn phase. A comparative study of the free slab energetics shows that surface energy favors clathrate over α-Sn up to about 4-nm layer thickness and matches β-Sn for narrow window of slab thickness of 2–3 nm. Second, the bulk clathrate exhibits gap opening near Fermi energy, while the free slab form exhibits a pronounced pseudogap, which explains the pseudogap observed in photoemission. Third, the STM images exhibit good agreement with clathrate model. Finally, we establish the adlayer-substrate compatibility based on very similar (within 1%) the cage-cage separation in the Sn clathrate and the pseudo-Mackay cluster-cluster separation on the i-Al-Pd-Mn surface. Furthermore, the nucleation centers of the Sn adlayer on the substrate are identified and these are shown to be a valid part of the Sn clathrate structure. Thus, based on both experimental and ab initio density functional theory calculations, we propose that 4-nm-thick Sn adlayer deposited on fivefold surface of i-Al-Pd-Mn substrate is in fact a metastable realization of elemental, clathrate family quasicrystal.

Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic agent which is commonly used to treat both supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. This iodine containing compound has been associated with several adverse events like it tends to accumulate in several organs. Among those, the most serious is Amiodarone Pulmonary Toxicity (APT). While the incidence of this complication has decreased with the use of lower doses of amiodarone but it can occur with any dose. Pulmonary complications usually present as an acute or subacute pneumonitis. On chest X-ray and high-resolution Computed Tomography (CT), diffuse infiltrates were found. Here, we present a case in which acute respiratory distress syndrome like features were detected which got subsided after stopping tablet amiodarone. The patient was a known case of atrial fibrillation for which she was taking tablet amiodarone for the last six months.

In this paper, we design a new third order Newton-like method and establish its convergence theory for finding the approximate solutions of nonlinear operator equations in the setting of Banach spaces. First, we discuss the convergence analysis of our third order Newton-like method under the ω -continuity condition. Then we apply our approach to solve nonlinear fixed point problems and Fredholm integral equations, where the first derivative of an involved operator does not necessarily satisfy the Hölder and Lipschitz continuity conditions. Several numerical examples are given, which compare the applicability of our convergence theory with the ones in the literature.