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Context: Existing researches confirmed that β amyloid (Aβ) has a high affinity for the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR), associating closely to Alzheimer's disease. The majority of related studies focused on the experimental reports on the neuroprotective role of Aβ fragment (Aβx), however, with a lack of investigation into the most suitable binding region and mechanism of action between Aβ fragment and α7nAChR. In the study, we employed four Aβ1–42 fragments Aβx, Aβ1–16, Aβ10–16, Aβ12–28, and Aβ30–42, of which the first three were confirmed to play neuroprotective roles upon directly binding, to interact with α7nAChR. Methods: The protein–ligand docking server of CABS-DOCK was employed to obtain the α7nAChR-Aβx complexes. Only the top α7nAChR-Aβx complexes were used to perform all-atom GROMACS dynamics simulation in combination with Charmm36 force field, by which α7nAChR-Aβx interactions' dynamic behavior and specific locations of these different Aβx fragments were identified. MM-PBSA calculations were also done to estimate the binding free energies and the different contributions from the residues in the Aβx. Two distinct results for the first three and fourth Aβx fragments in binding site, strength, key residue, and orientation, account for why the fourth fails to play a neuroprotective role at the molecular level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural finance plays a pivotal role in facilitating the modernization and commercialization of farming practices and bolstering global food security. However, the provision of sustainable financial services in remote regions poses a significant challenge within the developing and underdeveloped countries. Consequently, farmers often grapple with inadequate access to formal credit sources and essential productive assets due to diverse constraints. Although, several studies have investigated constraints to agriculture finance; the literature is divergent and a holistic framework of constraints to agriculture finance is missing. Therefore, this research explores the constraints to agriculture finance in 31 developing and underdeveloped countries using systematic review approach, and synthesizes a holistic framework of the constraints using Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) method that can be used as dependable framework for conceptualization and policy formation. Moreover, it describes the interplay and mutual reinforcement between the challenges faced by different stakeholders to elaborate how they influence each other in complex ways. Additionally, this study suggests a collective and multi-faceted approach for overcoming barriers to agricultural financing, and highlights the limitations and unintended consequences of agricultural credit and its implications for agricultural sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the frequency of depression among adolescents aged 13 to 19 years who visit medicine outpatient departments (OPD) for asthma. Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in Outpatient Departments of Medicine, of Indus Medical College TM Khan. All the cases between the ages of 13 and 19 who visited the medicine departments and have been diagnosed as patients of asthma for at least one year were included. Patients with a history of major life events, such as the death of a family member or any other relevant severe trauma within the past 3 months, patients already on antidepressant treatment for the past 3 months, those with other diseases such as diabetes, tuberculosis, or epilepsy, and those with a history of substance abuse or dependence were not incorporated. Depression diagnosis was based on DSM-IV criteria, requiring the presence of at least five symptoms during the same two-week period, representing a change from previous functioning. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results: A total of 262 asthma patients were included, with a mean age of 16.63+4.8 years and average duration of asthma was 5.6 years. Among the participants, 169 (64.5%) were female. The family history of asthma was reported in 30 (11.4%) of the cases. Overall frequency of depression was found to be at 14.1% (n=37). In terms of gender, a significant difference was observed, with a higher occurrence of depression in males (78.4%) and patients with poor and middle socio-economic status (SES) (p = 0.001). Higher rates of depression were also among those who were illiterate compared to educated patients (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Study revealed that depression is common among teenagers with asthma. Both asthma and depression are highly prevalent in teenagers as well as in adults, and emerging evidence indicates that these conditions often occur together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quest for nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals, which are essential for future optical understanding, detailed evaluations, and present laser gadgets, is a prominent concern in the materials investigation. In this systematic analytical evaluation, the optical, electrical, and nonlinear optical (NLO) parameters of 26Adamanzne which was doped endohedrally with alkaline earth and exohedrally with alkali metals, resulted with nine electron-rich complexes Mº(26ADZ)M (where (Mº = Be, Mg, Ca) and (M = Li, K, Na)), were designed. Geometrical, thermodynamic, and electronic computations executed through density functional theory (DFT) and 6-31G (d,p) basis set. All metals doped 26ADZ are within the range of effective NLO materials such as a lowered band gap in the range of 6.22–3.86 eV which was very higher in case of pure surface. At the same level of theory, transition density matrix (TDM), non-covalent interaction analysis (NCI), and electron density distribution map (EDDM) were carried out. The NBO analysis anticipated the charge transfer between donor and acceptor moieties. Computational investigations like binding energy (Eb), interaction energy, and vertical ionization potential confirm the high stability of the proposed complexes. The UV-visible assessment reveals that all complexes are transparent in the ultraviolet range and have maximum absorptivity up to 1009 nm (visible and NIR range). Doping techniques in all complexes profoundly impacted the oscillator strength and dipole moment, leading to an escalating value of hyperpolarizability βtot up to 421.042 × 10−30 esu. The optical efficiency of proposed complexes is approximated by using the value of isotropic linear polarizability (αiso) which is boosted from 2.538 × 10−30 to 8.665 × 10−23 esu. The strong optical response of Mº(26ADZ)M suggests its potential as a promising candidate for nonlinear optics, paving the way for synthesizing additional materials with practical applications in optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]