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This paper presents a novel step in the extension of subspace identification toward the direct identification of harmonic decomposition linear time-invariant models from nonlinear time-periodic system responses. The proposed methodology is demonstrated through examples involving the nonlinear time-periodic dynamics of a flapping-wing micro aerial vehicle. These examples focus on the identification of the vertical dynamics from various types of input–output data, including linear time-invariant, linear time-periodic, and nonlinear time-periodic input–output data. A harmonic analyzer is used to decompose the linear time-periodic and nonlinear time-periodic responses into harmonic components and introduce spurious dynamics into the identification, which make the identified model order selection challenging. A similar effect is introduced by measurement noise. The use of model order reduction and model-matching methods in the identification process is studied to recover the harmonic decomposition structure of the known system. The identified models are validated in the frequency and time domains.

This research paper investigates the applicability and scalability of the Rotor Control Equivalent Turbulence Input models for multi-rotor vehicles. Initially, a Rotor Control Equivalent Turbulence Input model is developed for an isolated rotor using rotor RPM as the input and the rotor hub-load coefficient as the output. Subsequently, the model is applied to multi-rotor vehicle example to show that the effect of turbulence on vehicle response can be replicated using the Rotor Control Equivalent Turbulence Input models. This study further incorporates rotor collective deflections, which could be used in multi-rotor vehicles, to develop a collective input model. Additionally, the effect of altering rotor parameters on the Rotor Control Equivalent Turbulence Input model is studied and presented. The results demonstrate that the Rotor Control Equivalent Turbulence Input model effectively captures the turbulence-induced behaviors in multi-rotor vehicles, offering a generalizable and scalable framework for use to replicate the effect of turbulence in multi-rotor vehicles.

Water distribution is a critical system that involves engineered hydrologic and hydraulic components to provide water supply to a continuously growing population. Ensuring a sufficient and uniform water supply through a well-designed network is essential to meet the increasing water demand. The present study focuses on analyzing the water demand of the public water supply to facilitate effective planning, development, and operation of water supply and distribution networks. The main objective of the study is to analyze the existing water distribution network at West Moorings using the Watergems Software. To conduct this analysis, various data points are needed, such as the population of the area, water demand, distribution network layout, and water pump information. Additionally, details regarding the length, nodes, and diameter of the pipes are essential for the analysis. These data are input into the Watergems Software to perform analyses related to pressure, head loss, and elevation. The results of the analysis provide valuable information on pressure and flowrate at different nodes and head loss along various pipes in the network. By comparing the results obtained from the Watergems Software with actual data, the study aims to locate the leaks within the water distribution network at Westmooring, Trinidad and Tobago. In conclusion, Watergems identified leakage nodes within the West Moorings Network, and data analysis helped narrow down the leak's location in the field. This process involved model calibration using field pressure and flowrate data from WASA, and emitter coefficients were categorized by the Darwin Calibrator function. Accurate boundary inputs, such as the number of leakage nodes, Initial Emitter Coefficient Spacing, and time intervals, were essential for precise data assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Osteoporosis is commonly seen affecting the bones in post-menopausal females, especially in India. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is the gold standard for identifying osteoporosis in female patients. Digital panoramic radiography (OPG) is a common imaging modality used frequently in routine dental practice. Mandibular cortical index (MCI) on OPG can be used to diagnose osteoporosis. Therefore, this study evaluated the efficacy of MCI on OPG to help detect osteoporosis in postmenopausal Indian females. Aim: To evaluate the accuracy of OPG versus DEXA in predicting bone mineral density (BMD). Materials and Methods: The research involved forty-two women with a postmenopausal history for a minimum of a year. The BMD was measured using DEXA. OPG was taken, and analysis of the mandible on OPG was done by two observers using the MCI given by Klemetti et al. Results: OPG had an overall sensitivity and specificity of 71% in the normal group, sensitivity of 50%, specificity of 68% in the osteopenia group, and sensitivity of 36%, specificity of 89% in the osteoporotic group in predicting the BMD using MCI. A positive correlation was seen in the efficacy of OPG in predicting BMD in the normal (P = 0.031*) and osteoporotic groups (P = 0.000*). Conclusion: MCI on OPG helped diagnose normal and osteoporotic patients efficiently, but osteopenia was misdiagnosed as normal or osteoporotic. Hence, MCI alone should not be used to predict BMD.

Aims: The importance of screening for hemoglobinopathies is well-documented in India. However, information on the distribution of hemoglobinopathies in Karnataka is lacking. The present study focuses on determining the spectrum of hemoglobinopathies for various districts of Karnataka. Materials and Methods and Results: A retrospective analysis of samples registered for hemoglobinopathies for a period of 5 years (2017–2021) was carried out. A total of 17066 records registered only from the Karnataka region, were anonymized and retrieved. The data included gender, age, district, and results of the tests. The results were based on complete blood count, peripheral smear, and capillary electrophoresis (CE) pattern. The data were revalidated by pathologists, and the unambiguous data were analyzed for the study. One-fourth of the records (25%) showed abnormal hematological parameters. The number of female records (66%) was twice that of males and both genders showed higher distribution of thalassemia, followed by variants and double heterozygotes (DH). Several cases of thalassemia major were identified below the age of 17 years. The majority of thalassemia cases were β thal and 93% of them were β thal trait. Among the variants, HbS was more prevalent than HbE. Among the districts, Hassan had a 35.2% thal, Mysuru had a 7.2% variant, and Chitradurga had a 5.5% DH. Thalassemia, variants, and DH were distributed across several districts of Karnataka to various levels. Conclusion: The comprehensive retrospective analysis of the spectrum of hemoglobinopathies in various districts of Karnataka serves as evidence to carry out a prospective study on population screening where the incidence of thalassemia and structural variants is high.

ABSTRACT Microbiologists, like scientists in any other biomedical field, are too engrossed in writing research papers. Aided by both expanding research programs and shrinking resources, this will continue for the foreseeable time. In this editorial, I discuss a compelling need for all microbiologists to dedicate some time to writing non-research publications such as minireviews, perspectives, commentary, opinion/hypothesis, and other non-research article types. I also list the benefits to the field, of review articles and how they can have the potential to change the field. I have provided a handful of classic examples of reviews that clearly changed the field in a remarkable way as well as a number of reviews that clarified the field and facilitated future research.

Background: Our study highlights the assessment of inter-radicular septum (IRS) on cone beam CT (CBCT) as an important pretreatment tool for immediate maxillary molar implant (IMI) placement. The aim of our study was to evaluate the suitability of the IRS of the maxillary first and second molars on CBCT to receive IMI. Objectives: The objectives of our study were to measure and compare IRS dimensions of the first and second molars and to assess the suitability of maxillary first and second molars to house an immediate implant. Method: In total, 200 CBCT scans (100 each for first and second molars) that display IRS completely were selected for the study. The IRS was analyzed in all three dimensions. Then, the percentage of first and second maxillary molars that were suitable to receive an IMI based on Smith and Tarnow’s classification was calculated. Results: It was found that 89% first and 71% of second molars were eligible sites for IMI. Conclusion: Careful evaluation of IRS will lead to a better prognosis for IMI.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the factors associated with knowledge and practices related to menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls in urban slums in Jaipur, India. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study among 417 adolescent girls was conducted. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression methods were used to analyze the data and determine the associated factors. Findings: Only 48.7% of girls had a correct understanding of menstruation. In addition, 55.1% of the menstruating girls had faced health problems related to mensuration in the last 6 months; however, only 47.6% visited a health facility for treatment. Educational status of the girl (AOR = 1.89, 95% CI = 0.88–4.06), mother's education (AOR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.30–3.67) and income (AOR = 1.89, 95% CI = 0.67–3.95), father's income (AOR = 1.42, 95% CI = 0.76–2.95), and counseling by field health workers (AOR = 2.08, 95% CI = 1.23–3.51) were found to be associated with knowledge about menstruation. Girl's education (AOR = 1.49, 95% CI = 0.74–2.95), mother's education (AOR = 1.46, 95% CI = 0.7–2.84) and income (AOR = 1.314, 95% CI = 0.44–2.02), father's education (AOR = 1.64, 95% CI = 0.55–3.08) and income (AOR = 2.0, 95% CI = 0.86–3.28), and counseling by field health workers (AOR = 1.48, 95% CI = 0.76–2.64) were found to be associated with the type of absorbents used. Conclusion: The findings from the study show that the awareness about mensuration and utilization of health services among adolescent girls is low. There is a need to create an enabling environment for girls to access knowledge and health services related to menstruation by creating awareness at the community level, strengthening outreach by field health workers, and ensuring privacy in healthcare facilities.

The synthesis of Co3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) through biogenic means offers a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, stable, versatile, and biocompatible approach. In this work, we employed Aloe barbadensis Miller leaf extract for the biosynthesis of Co3O4 NPs, leveraging its rich composition of phenolic groups, polysaccharides, enzymes, minerals, vitamins, and various acids. The characterization of the synthesized NPs was performed using XRD, TEM, EDS, FT-IR, TGA-DSC, Raman, XPS, and particle size analysis techniques. Our investigation focuses on evaluating the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Co3O4 NPs. Antioxidant activity was assessed through DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and FICA assays, demonstrating the NPs' ability to scavenge free radicals, reduce ferric ions, and chelate ferrous ions. Antimicrobial testing revealed the effectiveness of NPs against Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, biogenic Co3O4 NPs were utilized as photocatalysts for the degradation of azo dyes (RhB, MB, and CV). Under sunlight exposure for 105 min, biogenic Co3O4 NPs degraded CV dyes by 97.53%. The study also highlighted the remarkable efficiency of azo dye degradation across five cycles of reuse of biogenic Co3O4 NP reuse.

Galactic spinning compact objects (COs) with nonzero ellipticity are expected to be sources of continuous gravitational waves (CGWs). Certain classes of hypothetical COs, such as neutron stars with quark cores (hybrid stars) and quark stars, are thought to be capable of sustaining large ellipticities from theoretical considerations. Such exotic COs (eCOs) with large ellipticities and spins should produce CGWs detectable by the current LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA GW detector network. Since no detections for CGWs from searches in LIGO-Virgo data have so far been reported, we place constraints on the abundance of highly elliptical, rapidly spinning eCOs in our Galaxy. We formulate a Bayesian framework to place upper limits on the number count N _tot of highly deformed Galactic eCOs. We divide our constraints into two classes: an “agnostic” set of upper limits on N _tot evaluated on a CGW frequency and ellipticity grid that depend only on the choice of spatial distribution of COs; and a model-dependent set that additionally assumes prior information on the distribution of frequencies. We find that COs with ellipticities ϵ ≳ 10 ^−5 have abundance upper limits at 90% confidence, of ${N}_{{\rm{tot}}}^{90{\rm{ \% }}}\lesssim 100$ , and those with ϵ ≳ 10 ^−6 have ${N}_{{\rm{tot}}}^{90{\rm{ \% }}}\lesssim {10}^{4}$ . We additionally place upper limits on the ellipticity of Galactic COs informed by our choices of spatial distributions, given different abundances N _tot .

Objective: To assess the clinical and molecular profile of patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) presenting to a tertiary center in Eastern Region of Uttar Pradesh, India., Methods: In this retrospective study, case records of all patients diagnosed as DMD were analyzed to ascertain the clinical phenotype and molecular profile. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) technique, Multiplex Ligation Dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) were used for establishing the molecular diagnosis. Leiden Open Variation Database (LOVD) frame checker online tool was used to predict clinical severity of the cases., Results: Records of 112 children with DMD were analyzed. The median (IQR) age of onset and clinical presentation of disease was 60 (12, 132) months and 90 (33, 156) months, respectively. The most common clinical presentations were difficulty in standing from sitting position (n = 107), difficulty in climbing stairs (n = 106), and difficulty in walking (n = 99). Bilateral calf muscle hypertrophy and a positive Gower's sign was seen in 110 and 108 patients at presentation. The median (IQR) creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) levels at diagnosis were 6296.5 (4320, 7432.5) U/L. The genetic variation in 111 patients were reported as deletion (n = 105), duplication (n = 3), and point variation (n = 3). 22 patients could benefit from the available exon skipping therapy. Exondys (exon 51 skipping) could be used in 14 patients., Conclusion: Deletions were recorded in a much higher proportion of patients compared to previous studies from India. There were 22 patients who could have been benefitted by the available exon skipping therapy.

Optically active ultrabright imaging agents are shown to delineate tumor location with deep tissue visualization in pre noclinical tumor models. NanoGhosts (NGs) particles are reconstructed from the cell membrane and integrated with organic fluorophores to attain ultra-brightness for solid tumor imaging. Moreover, the integration of amphiphilic and lipophilic molecules reveals structural characteristics of NGs (≈70 nm), which also alter their brightness. Upon intravenous administration (10 mg kg -1 single dose), these ultrabright NGs (778 MESF) enable the high-resolution of tumor site and real-time tracking of vital organs with high-contrast fluorescence signals. Engineered biomimetic NGs demonstrates better resolution and tissue penetration as compared to the clinically approved indocyanine green (ICG). High precision in tumor detection (0.5 h) and strong tumor retention (24 h which is further up to 30 th day) without affecting healthy tissues ensure the future scope of NGs in early-stage cancer imaging. These findings suggest that these NGs mimic the biological characteristics of native cells, enabling them to evade immune clearance and target the solid tumor naturally., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The prediction of brain cancer occurrence and risk assessment of brain hemorrhage using a hybrid deep learning (DL) technique is a critical area of research in medical imaging analysis. One prominent challenge in this field is the accurate identification and classification of brain tumors and hemorrhages, which can significantly impact patient prognosis and treatment planning. The objectives of the study address the prediction of brain cancer occurrence and the assessment of risk levels associated with both brain cancers due to brain hemorrhage. A diverse dataset of brain MRI and CT scan images. Utilize Unsymmetrical Trimmed Median Filter with Optics Clustering for noise removal while preserving edges and details. The Chan-Vese segmentation process for refined segmentation. Brain cancer detection using Multi-Head Self-Attention Dilated Convolution Neural Network (MH-SA-DCNN) with Efficient Net Model. Brain cancer detection using MH-SA-DCNN with Efficient Net Model. This trains the algorithm to predict cancerous regions in brain images. Further, implement a Graph-Based Deep Neural Network Model (G-DNN) to capture spatial relationships and risk factors from brain images. Cox regression model to estimate cancer risk over time and fine-tune and optimize the model's parameters and features using the Osprey optimization algorithm (OPA).

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is a minimally invasive targeted cancer therapy that uses focused low-intensity ultrasound (<10 MPa, <10 W/cm 2 ) to activate sonosensitizer drugs. Once activated, these chemical compounds generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) to damage and kill cancer cells. A Phase I clinical trial has shown promising results for treating glioblastoma with SDT. We hypothesize that the efficacy of SDT can be improved by introducing lipid-coated microbubbles that produce a sonochemical effect that enhances ROS production. We investigate the hydrodynamics of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved microbubble, Lumason®, and a phospholipid-coated oxygen microbubble to predict the ultrasound parameters that induce sonoluminescence onset in biophysically relevant medium (e.g., water and blood) under clinical SDT conditions. The threshold pressures and frequencies for sonoluminescence with these therapeutic agents lie between 20 kHz - 1 MHz and 0.05 MPa - 1 MPa, respectively. The lipid-coated oxygen microbubble exhibits stronger sonoluminescence than the Lumason® microbubble, suggesting its use for improving SDT efficacy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Microbial colonization on the titanium condenser material (TCM) used in the cooling system leads to biofouling and corrosion and influences the water supply. The primary investigation of the titanium condenser was infrequently studied on characterizing biofilm-forming bacterial communities. Different treatment methods like electropotential charge, ultrasonication, and copper coating of titanium condenser material may influence the microbial population over the surface of the titanium condensers. The present study aimed to catalog the primary colonizers and the effect of different treatment methods on the microbial community. CFU (1.7 × 10 9  CFU/mL) and ATP count (< 5000 × 10 -7 relative luminescence units) showed a minimal microbial population in copper-coated surface biofilm as compared with the other treatments. Live and dead cell result also showed consistency with colony count. The biofilm sample on the copper-coated surface showed an increased dead cell count and decreased live cells. In the metagenomic approach, the microbiome coverage was 10.06 Mb in samples derived from copper-coated TCM than in other treated samples (electropotential charge-17.94 Mb; ultrasonication-20.01 Mb), including control (10.18 Mb). Firmicutes preponderate the communities in the biofilm samples, and Proteobacteria stand next in the population in all the treated condenser materials. At the genus level, Lactobacillaceae and Azospirillaceae dominated the biofilm community. The metagenome data suggested that the attached community is different from those biofilm samples based on the environment that influences the bacterial community. The outcome of the present study depicts that copper coating was effective against biofouling and corrosion resistance of titanium condenser material for designing long-term durability., (© 2024. Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i.)

Phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumours that arise not only in adulthood but also in childhood and adolescence. Up to 70-80% of childhood PPGL are hereditary, accounting for a higher incidence of metastatic and/or multifocal PPGL in paediatric patients than in adult patients. Key differences in the tumour biology and management, together with rare disease incidence and therapeutic challenges in paediatric compared with adult patients, mandate close expert cross-disciplinary teamwork. Teams should ideally include adult and paediatric endocrinologists, oncologists, cardiologists, surgeons, geneticists, pathologists, radiologists, clinical psychologists and nuclear medicine physicians. Provision of an international Consensus Statement should improve care and outcomes for children and adolescents with these tumours., Competing Interests: Competing interests R.T.C. has received a Novartis speaker honorarium and is in an editorial position in Clinical Endocrinology. C.J. has received funding to his institution from Lantheus, Progenics, Exelixis, Merck Sharpe and Dohme and is a clinical adviser for Lantheus and Merck Sharpe and Dohme. S.D.M. is the Director of the NIHR Clinical Research Facility at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London. D.T. has received speaker and attendance honoraria from AAA/NOVARTIS. M.F. is an unpaid member of the ExCo of the European Society of Endocrinology. J.W.M.L. is an unpaid member of the advisory board of the Phaeochromocytoma and Paraganglioma Alliance., (© 2024. Crown.)

Background: Traumatic wound is a great challenging issue to surgeons, because of large in size, heavily contaminated, infected and unscenic. Infection proceeded to progressive tissue necrosis, septicemia, organ failure or even death. Majority has polymicrobial infections. Bacteriohage therapy will have revolutionized in the treatment of wound. The present study was planned to evaluate the efficacy of topical bacteriophage therapy on large traumatic wounds in comparison with conventional therapy. Methods: The Study conducted from Sept. 2018 to July 2020. Samples between 12- 60 years was taken into study. Customized bacteriophage applied over the wound after serial debridement in case and conventional dressing in control. Fifty four wounded person met the clinical inclusion criteria; 27 in each group. Wound swab and tissue biopsy was taken for bacterial isolation. Isolated specific phage was applied over the wound on alternate day till the wound become sterile and fit for further definitive management. Results: A significant and rapid improvement was observed in wound healing in cases then control group. Average number of day required for complete granulation of wound and attaining sterility was half in cases then control. The hospital stay of the patients on BT was half (20days) than those on CT (40 days). The financial analysis also favours the BT over CT as only 1/third expenditure incurred in BT group as compared to CT Conclusion: Topical Bacteriophage therapy is efficient, effective to clearing the infection in shorter length of time and cost effective for infected traumatic wounds as compared to conventional dressing., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Faced with declining donor funding for HIV, low- and middle-income countries must identify efficient and cost-effective ways to integrate HIV prevention programs into public health systems for long-term sustainability. In Zambia, donor support to the voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) program, which previously funded non-governmental organizations as implementing partners, is increasingly being directed through government structures instead. We developed a framework to understand how the behaviors of individual decision-makers within the government could be barriers to this transition. We interviewed key stakeholders from the national, provincial, and district levels of the Ministry of Health, and from donors and partners funding and implementing Zambia's VMMC program, exploring the decisions required to attain a sustainable VMMC program and the behavioral dynamics involved at personal and institutional levels. Using pattern identification and theme matching to analyze the content of the responses, we derived three core decision-making phases in the transition to a sustainable VMMC program: 1) developing an alternative funding strategy, 2) developing a policy for early-infant (0-2 months) and early-adolescent (15-17 years) male circumcision, which is crucial to sustainable HIV prevention; and 3) identifying integrated and efficient implementation models. We formulated a framework showing how, in each phase, a range of behavioral dynamics can form barriers that hinder effective decision-making among stakeholders at the same level (e.g., national ministries and donors) or across levels (e.g., national, provincial and district). Our research methodology and the resulting framework offer a systematic approach for in-depth investigations into organizational decision-making in public health programs, as well as development programs beyond VMMC and HIV prevention. It provides the insights necessary to map organizational development and policy-making transition plans to sustainability, by explaining tangible factors such as organizational processes and systems, as well as intangibles such as the behaviors of policymakers and institutional actors., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2024 Gantayat N et al.)

Sn(IV) complex of N-Confused Porphyrin (Sn(IV)-NCP) has been prepared and characterized by several spectroscopic techniques to verify its structure and purity. Sn(IV)-NCP shows a red shift in both the Soret and Q bands compared to the free base NCTPP. The last Q band appears in the NIR region. Based on these characteristics, we investigated the antiproliferative properties and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (a-PDT) efficiency of Sn(IV)-NCP against the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Further, we investigated the photodynamic activity of Sn (IV)-NCP against Michigan cancer foundation-7 (MCF-7) cancer cells, to assess its potential as an effective therapeutic agent. Treated MCF-7 cells with the compound show cytotoxic effects as compared to the untreated ones. At a higher concentration (128 μg/ml), Sn(IV)-NCP exhibited 90 % inhibition, while at a lower concentration (32 μg/ml), it showed 70 % inhibition in MCF-7 cells. The IC 50 value for this compound against MCF-7 cells was found 16.67 μg/ml. At 32 μg/ml, Sn(IV)-NCP showed only around 4 % cell inhibition, indicating minimal cytotoxic effects on human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293)., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Cancer is becoming a global threat, as the cancerous cells manipulate themselves frequently, resulting in mutants and more abnormalities. Early-stage and real-time detection of cancer biomarkers can provide insight into designing cost-effective diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. Nanoparticle and quantum dot (QD)-based approaches have been recognized as clinically relevant methods to detect disease biomarkers at the molecular level. Over decades, as an emergent noninvasive approach, photothermal therapy has evolved to eradicate cancer. Moreover, various structures, viz., nanoparticles, clusters, quantum dots, etc., have been tested as bioimaging and photothermal agents to identify tumor cells selectively. Among them, QDs have been recognized as versatile probes. They have attracted enormous attention for imaging and therapeutic applications due to their unique colloidal stability, optical and physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, easy surface conjugation, scalable production, etc. However, a few critical concerns of QDs, viz., precise engineering for molecular imaging and sensing, selective interaction with the biological system, and their associated toxicity, restrict their potential intervention in curing cancer and are yet to be explored. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there is no specific regulation for the approval of nanomedicines. Therefore, these nanomedicines undergo the traditional drug, biological, and device approval process. However, the market survey of QDs is increasing, and their prospects in translational nanomedicine are very promising. From this perspective, we discuss the importance of QDs for imaging, sensing, and therapeutic usage pertinent to cancer, especially in its early stages. Moreover, we also discuss the rapidly growing translational view of QDs. The long-term safety studies and cellular interaction of these QDs could enhance their visibility and bring photothermally active QDs to the clinical stage and concurrently to FDA approval.

Background: Mounting evidence favors one-stage laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration over endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with cholecystectomy for choledocholithiasis. However, laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration remains underused. In 2020, our center initiated a laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration program for choledocholithiasis. This study compares the experience and outcomes of laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration compared with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with cholecystectomy at a safety net hospital., Methods: This single-center, retrospective study analyzed data from 179 patients admitted with choledocholithiasis from 2019 to 2023. Demographics, preoperative investigations, intraoperative details, and postoperative outcomes were evaluated., Results: The study included 179 patients (55.6 ± 21.0 years, 66% female) with American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification System score III (II-III) and body mass index 29 kg/m 2 (25.8-35.5 kg/m 2 ). Of these, 148 underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with cholecystectomy and 31 underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration. Demographic and preoperative data were similar between groups. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration achieved a 74.2% success rate. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration's average operative time was 180 (139-213) minutes, with a 3.2% postoperative bile leak and 35.4% requiring postoperative ERCP. Median lengths of stay were 3 (1-4) for laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration and 4 days (3-7) for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with cholecystectomy (Z = -3.16, P = .002). The number of readmissions were 1.2 ± 0.4 for laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration and 1.9 ± 1.3 for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with cholecystectomy (t = 1.43, P = .08). Additional procedures for choledocholithiasis were performed in 36% of laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration and 79% of ERCP + LC cases (χ 2  = 21.7, P < .0001)., Conclusion: The study highlights challenges in implementing laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration at a safety net hospital. Results support laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration over endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, with cholecystectomy, with shorter stays, fewer readmissions, and fewer additional procedures reported. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration remains underused, with only 17.3% of patients who underwent one-stage laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration. Further research is needed for laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration's expansion as the superior choledocholithiasis treatment., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest/Disclosure The authors have no related conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted immunisation programs worldwide, reversing gains that had brought vaccine-preventable diseases largely under control. This study explored the impact of COVID-19 on the uptake of routine child immunisation services in South Africa., Methods: We conducted qualitative research using in-depth interviews with 51 purposively selected parents/caregivers of children below the age of five who missed or delayed one or more scheduled immunisation doses in 2020-2022 and with 12 healthcare providers who provided public immunisation services during the pandemic., Results: During the pandemic lockdowns, most caregivers perceived the risk of their child being infected with COVID-19 during a clinic visit as more salient than the risk of missing immunisation doses. Caregivers reported minimal exposure to routine immunisation communication, as well as shortages of routine vaccines for children at public health facilities, healthcare workers experienced anxiety and burnout. There was a post-pandemic shift to more active decision-making about immunisation, which had previously been an almost automatic behaviour, leading some caregivers to delay vaccinating their children. There was also evidence of a "bad vaccine" mental model among some caregivers regarding COVID vaccinations, which could lead to doubts about the safety of routine childhood vaccinations., Discussion: The shift from default to active decision-making highlights a risk that routine immunisation will backslide in future pandemics. Governments should build resilient health systems at all levels and communicate clearly about the benefits and availability of RIs and the safety of vaccinations in general, alongside supply-side interventions., Conclusion: Routine immunisation is widely accepted in South Africa, driven by generational norms and provider recommendations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many caregivers faced the dilemma of balancing COVID-19 exposure risk with the risk of their child developing a deadly VPD, leading to missed RI visits. This shift to active decision-making highlights a future pandemic risk. Governments should build resilient health systems and focus on understanding and engaging procrastinating and doubtful caregivers. Clear communication about RI benefits and vaccine safety is crucial, as misinformation can lead to distrust in new vaccines., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Manure is an important source of plant nutrients and organic matter that can benefit soil health over time. However, indiscriminate use of manure can lead to environmental problems including eutrophication of water bodies caused by nutrient runoff during precipitation events. There is a need to understand the effect of manure source and application rate on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) forms and their losses during runoff events. In this study, we assessed the impact of application rate of broiler litter (BL) and swine liquid manure (SLM) on runoff volume, soil, N, and P losses using a rainfall simulator and three consecutive 2.45 cm rainfall events. Surface Decatur silty clay loam (0-0.06 m) was collected and packed in trays (0.55 x 0.30 × 0.06 m 3 ). Manure was surface-applied to the soil at equivalent P rates ranging from 62 to 249 kg ha -1 for BL and 5-18 kg ha -1 for SLM, respectively. Rainfall events took place 7, 14, and 21 d after manure application. Results indicated that the runoff volume decreased at the highest manure application rate compared to the lowest manure application rate. The total suspended solids (TSS) loss was lower in control compared to BL and SLM treatments. The loss of nitrate-N (NO 3 -N) dissolved reactive P (DRP) and dissolved organic P (DOP) in runoff water was maximum at the highest application rates for both the BL and SLM with respect to control. Mehlich 3 extractable P (M3P) and water soluble P (WSP) increased with increasing P application rates for both manure types in soils following post rainfall simulation study. An increase in M3P and WSP, along with a decrease in soil P storage capacity following post-rainfall simulation for higher P application rates, indicates caution should be taken for considering the manure application rate to prevent environmental nutrient loss during runoff events., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Certain species of Mucorales have been identified as causative agents of mucormycosis, a rare yet often lethal fungal infection. Notably, these fungi exhibit intrinsic resistance to common azole drugs, which target lipids. Given the pivotal role of lipids in drug resistance and their contribution to innate resistance to azoles, this study provides a comprehensive overview of key lipid classes, including sphingolipids (SLs), glycerophospholipids (GPLs), and sterols, in Rhizopus delemar 99-880, a well-characterized reference strain among Mucorales. Using shotgun lipidomics as well as liquid- and gas-chromatography-based mass spectrometric analyses, we identified the lipid intermediates and elucidated the biosynthetic pathways of SLs, PGLs, and sterols. The acidic SLs were not found, probably because the acidic branch of the SL biosynthesis pathway terminates at α-hydroxy phytoceramides, as evident by their high abundance. Intermediates in the neutral SL pathway incorporated higher levels of 16:0 fatty acid compared to other pathogenic fungi. A strikingly high phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)/phosphatdylcholine (PC) ratio was observed among GPLs. Ergosterol remains the major sterol, similar to other fungi, and our analysis confirms the existence of alternate ergosterol biosynthesis pathways. The total lipidomic profile of R. delemar 99-880 offers insights into its lipid metabolism and potential implications for studying pathogenesis and drug resistance mechanisms.

Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest M.Z.T. receives fees of ≥USD$5,000 per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) as a paid consultant or speaker, or as a member of an advisory committee for ABIOMED, and Abbott Laboratories.

The most destructive period the world has experienced seems to be behind us. Not a single nation was spared by this disease, and many continue to struggle today. Even after recovering from COVID, patient may continue to experience some post-COVID effects, such as heart irregularities or a decline in lung vitality. In the past three years (2019-2022), the world has witnessed the power of a small entity, a single peculiar virus. Science initially appeared to be helpless in this regard, but due to the emergence of disease, pharmaceutics (the development of anti-covid drugs), immunology (the rapid antigen test), microbiology (the isolation of viruses from infected people), biotechnology (the development of recombinant vaccines), biochemistry (the blood profile, the D-dimer test), and biochemistry (blood profile, D-dimer test), biophysics (PCR, RT-PCR, CT Scan, MRI) had worked together to fight the disease. The results of these efforts are the development of new diagnostic techniques, possible treatment and finally the availability of vaccines against COVID-19. However, it is not proven that the treatment through the traditional medical system is directly active on SARS-CoV-2 but is instead indirectly acting on SARS-CoV-2 effects by improving symptoms derived from the viral disease. In India, the traditional system of medicine and tradition knowledge together worked in the pandemic and proved effective strategies in prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2. The use of effective masks, PPE kits, plasma therapy, yoga, lockdowns and social seclusion, use of modern antiviral drugs, monoclonal antibodies, herbal remedies, homoeopathy, hygienic practice, as well as the willpower of people, are all contributing to the fight against COVID. Which methods or practices will be effective against COVID nobody is aware since medical professionals who wear PPE kits do not live longer, and some people in India who remained unprotected and roamed freely were not susceptible to infection. The focus of this review is on the mode of transmission, diagnosis, preventive measures, vaccines currently under development, modern medicine developed against SARS-CoV-2, ayurvedic medicine used during pandemic, homoeopathic medicine used during pandemic, and specific yoga poses that can be used to lessen COVID-related symptoms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patient education plays a crucial role in improving the quality of life for patients with heart failure. As artificial intelligence continues to advance, new chatbots are emerging as valuable tools across various aspects of life. One prominent example is ChatGPT, a widely used chatbot among the public. Our study aims to evaluate the readability of ChatGPT answers for common patients' questions about heart failure., Methods: We performed a comparative analysis between ChatGPT responses and existing heart failure educational materials from top US cardiology institutes. Validated readability calculators were employed to assess and compare the reading difficulty and grade level of the materials. Furthermore, blind assessment using The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) was done by four advanced heart failure attendings to evaluate the readability and actionability of each resource., Results: Our study revealed that responses generated by ChatGPT were longer and more challenging to read compared to other materials. Additionally, these responses were written at a higher educational level (undergraduate and 9-10th grade), similar to those from the Heart Failure Society of America. Despite achieving a competitive PEMAT readability score (75 %), surpassing the American Heart Association score (68 %), ChatGPT's actionability score was the lowest (66.7 %) among all materials included in our study., Conclusion: Despite its current limitations, artificial intelligence chatbots has the potential to revolutionize the field of patient education especially given theirs ongoing improvements. However, further research is necessary to ensure the integrity and reliability of these chatbots before endorsing them as reliable resources for patient education., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Several amendments have been used to reduce ammonia (NH 3 ) emissions from broiler litter (BL); however, a comparative study between amendments and their application rates has not been fully explored. This study evaluated the potential of biochar (B), zeolite (Z), Flue Gas Desulphurization-Gypsum (FGD-G), and sodium bisulfate (S) at four application rates in reducing NH 3 emissions from BL. The treatments comprised of amendment types (4) and their application rates (4), and a control with no amendment for a total of 17 treatments replicated twice and arranged in a completely randomized design. The treatments were incubated at 30 °C for 40 days at a moisture content of 40% (w/w), and NH 3 emissions were measured every day for the first 10 days and 3 days intervals afterward for 40 days. Results showed that the application of 13 and 17% B (w/w) reduced cumulative NH 3 emissions by 41 and 46%, respectively, compared to control over a 40-day period. Zeolite application at 8 and 11% reduced NH 3 by 20 and 33%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the different rates of FGD-G, and they were generally less effective; however, a 15% FGD-G rate reduced NH 3 by 9.1%. Application of S at rates of 2, 4, 6, and 7% significantly reduced NH 3 emissions by 91, 99, 100, and 100 %, respectively. The effectiveness of amendments to reduce ammonia emissions followed the order: S > B > Z > FGD-G. These findings contribute to an ongoing effort to identify non-acidic amendments to minimize NH 3 emissions in broiler houses., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Antibiotic-induced microbiome dysbiosis is widespread in oncology, adversely affecting outcomes and side effects of various cancer treatments, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapies. In this study, we observed that prior exposure to broad-spectrum ABX with extended anaerobic coverage like piperacillin-tazobactam and meropenem was associated with worsened anti-CD19 CAR-T therapy survival outcomes in large B-cell lymphoma patients (n=422), compared to other ABX classes. In a discovery subset of these patients (n=67), we found that the use of these ABX was in turn associated with substantial dysbiosis of gut microbiome function, resulting in significant alterations of the gut and blood metabolome, including microbial effectors such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and other anionic metabolites, findings that were largely reproduced in an external validation cohort (n=58). Broader evaluation of circulating microbial metabolites revealed reductions in indole and cresol derivatives, as well as trimethylamine N-oxide, in patients who received ABX treatment (discovery n=40, validation n=28). These findings were recapitulated in an immune-competent CAR-T mouse model, where meropenem-induced dysbiosis led to a systemic dysmetabolome and decreased murine anti-CD19 CAR-T efficacy. Furthermore, we demonstrate that SCFAs can enhance the metabolic fitness of CAR-T cells, leading to improved tumor killing capacity. Together, these results suggest that broad-spectrum ABX deplete metabolically active commensals whose metabolites are essential for enhancing CAR-T efficacy, shedding light on the intricate relationship between ABX exposure, microbiome function and their impact on CAR-T cell efficacy. This highlights the potential for modulating the microbiome to augment CAR-T immunotherapy., (Copyright © 2024 American Society of Hematology.)

The rules of how amino acids dictate the physical properties of biomolecular condensates are still incomplete. Here, we study condensates formed by tetrapeptides of the form XXssXX. Eight peptides form four types of condensates at different concentrations and pHs: droplets (X = F, L, M, P, V, and A), amorphous dense liquids (X = L, M, P, V, and A), amorphous aggregates (X = W), and gels (X = I, V, and A). The peptides exhibit differences in phase equilibrium and material properties, including a 368-fold range in the threshold concentration for phase separation and a 3,856-fold range in viscosity. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations provide physical explanations of these results. The present work also reveals widespread critical behaviors-including critical slowing down manifested by amorphous dense liquids and critical scaling obeyed by fusion speed-with broad implications for condensate functions., Competing Interests: DECLARATION OF INTERESTS The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Background: Exposures to both negative and positive experiences in childhood have proven to influence cardiovascular, immune, metabolic, and neurologic function throughout an individual's life. As such, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) could have severe consequences on health and well-being into adulthood., Objective: This study presents a narrative review of the use of digital health technologies (DHTs) and artificial intelligence to screen and mitigate risks and mental health consequences associated with ACEs among children and youth., Methods: Several databases were searched for studies published from August 2017 to August 2022. Selected studies (1) explored the relationship between digital health interventions and mitigation of negative health outcomes associated with mental health in childhood and adolescence and (2) examined prevention of ACE occurrence associated with mental illness in childhood and adolescence. A total of 18 search papers were selected, according to our inclusion and exclusion criteria, to evaluate and identify means by which existing digital solutions may be useful in mitigating the mental health consequences associated with the occurrence of ACEs in childhood and adolescence and preventing ACE occurrence due to mental health consequences. We also highlighted a few knowledge gaps or barriers to DHT implementation and usability., Results: Findings from the search suggest that the incorporation of DHTs, if implemented successfully, has the potential to improve the quality of related care provisions for the management of mental health consequences of adverse or traumatic events in childhood, including posttraumatic stress disorder, suicidal behavior or ideation, anxiety or depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder., Conclusions: The use of DHTs, machine learning tools, natural learning processing, and artificial intelligence can positively help in mitigating ACEs and associated risk factors. Under proper legal regulations, security, privacy, and confidentiality assurances, digital technologies could also assist in promoting positive childhood experiences in children and young adults, bolstering resilience, and providing reliable public health resources to serve populations in need., (© Brianna M White, Rameshwari Prasad, Nariman Ammar, Jason A Yaun, Arash Shaban-Nejad. Originally published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting (https://pediatrics.jmir.org).)

Background: Per-oral pyloromyotomy (POP), also known as gastric per-oral endoscopic myotomy, is the first-line endoscopic intervention for medically refractory gastroparesis. This study aimed to assess the value of pyloric impedance planimetry using a functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP) during POP., Methods: Patients who underwent POP between October 2019 and February 2024 were retrospectively reviewed. FLIP measurements, symptoms measured using the Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI), and gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) were evaluated before and after POP., Results: Of 35 patients who underwent POP, 29 (82.9%) were female, the median age was 51.3 years (IQR, 38.4-60.9), and the median body mass index was 29.26 kg/m 2 (IQR, 25.46-32.56). In addition, 23 patients had pre- and post-POP FLIP measurements. The median pyloric diameter increased from 14.4 (IQR, 12.0-16.0) to 16.0 (IQR, 14.8-18.0) mm (S = 116.5; P < .0001). The median distensibility index increased from 4.85 (IQR, 3.38-6.00) to 8.45 (IQR, 5.25-11.00) mm 2 /mm Hg (S = 112; P < .0001). The management changed based on FLIP values for 5 patients (21.7%), prompting additional myotomy. At 18.0 days (IQR, 12.8-47.8) after the procedure, the median GCSI score decreased from 3.33 (IQR, 2.56-4.12) preoperatively to 2.00 (IQR, 1.00-2.89) postoperatively (S = -193; P < .001). At a median follow-up of 136 days (IQR, 114-277), improvement in GCSI score persisted, with a median score of 2.44 (IQR, 1.44-3.67) (S = -61; P = .021). The median retention at 4 hours on GES decreased from 29.0% (IQR, 16.5-52.0%) to 19.5% (IQR, 5.75-35.30%) at 97 days (IQR, 88-130) after the procedure (S = -108; P = .0038). There was a 75% improvement and a 40% normalization in objective gastric emptying (n = 26). A greater increase in diameter after pyloromyotomy was associated with a greater decrease in 4-hour gastric retention (r = -0.4886; P = .021)., Conclusion: POP with FLIP resulted in clinical and radiographic improvements in patients with gastroparesis. FLIP measurements guided myotomy extent, changing the management in 21.7% of patients, and were associated with gastric emptying, demonstrating its distinct utility in the treatment of gastroparesis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

As ubiquitous chemical substances in water bodies, nitrophenol compounds (NCs) can form chlorinated halonitromethanes (Cl-HNMs) in the chlorination process. This work chose six typical NCs to explore Cl-HNMs produced during the UV/post-chlorination process, and Cl-HNMs yields from these NCs followed the increasing order of 4-, 2-, 2-amino-3-, 2-methyl-3-, 3-, and 2-chloro-3-nitrophenol. The Cl-HNMs yields increased continually or increased firstly and declined with post-chlorination time. Increasing chlorine dosage favored Cl-HNMs formation, while excessive chlorine dosage decreased Cl-HNMs produced from 2- and 4-nitrophenol. Besides, appropriate UV radiation, acidic pH, and higher precursor concentrations facilitated Cl-HNMs formation. Then, the reaction mechanisms of Cl-HNMs generated from these different NCs were explored according to density functional theory calculation and identified transformation products (TPs), and the main reactions included chlorine substitution, benzoquinone compound formation, ring opening, and bond cleavage. Moreover, the Cl-HNMs generated from 2-chloro-3-nitrophenol were of the highest toxicity, and the six NCs and their TPs also presented ecotoxicity. Finally, two kinds of real waters were used to explore Cl-HNMs formation and toxicity, and they were significantly distinguishable compared to the phenomena observed in simulated waters. This work will give new insights into Cl-HNMs formation from different NCs in water disinfection processes and help better apply the UV/post-chlorination process to water treatments., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Small organic dye-based fluorescent agents are highly potent in solid tumor imaging but face challenges such as poor photostability, nonspecific distribution, low circulation, and weak tumor binding. Nanocarriers overcome these issues with better physicochemical and biological performance, particularly in cancer imaging. Among the various nanosized carriers, lipid formulations are clinically approved but yet to be designed as bright nanocontrast agents for solid tumor diagnosis without affecting surrounding tissues. Herein, indocyanine green (ICG) encapsulated targetable lipid nanoparticles (698 ICG/LNPs) as safe contrast agents (∼200 nm) have been developed and tested for solid tumor imaging and biodistribution. Our findings reveal that nanoprecipitation produces ICG-LNPs with a unique assembly, which contributes to their high brightness with improved quantum yield (3.5%) in aqueous media. The bright, optically stable (30 days) biophotonic agents demonstrate rapid accumulation (within 1 h) and prolonged retention (for up to 168 h) at the primary tumor site, with better signal intensity following a one-time dose administration (17.7 × 10 9 LNP per dose). Incorporated folic acid (735 folic acid/LNPs) helps in selective tumor binding and the specific biodistribution of intravenously injected nanoparticles without affecting healthy tissues. Designed targetable ICG-LNP (634 MESF) demonstrates high-contrast fluorescence and resolution from the tumor area as compared to the targetable ICG-liposomal nanoparticles (532 MESF). Various in vitro and in vivo findings reveal that the cancer diagnostic efficacy elicited by designed bright lipid nanoparticles are comparable to reported clinically accepted imaging agents. Thus, such LNPs hold translational potential for cancer diagnosis at an early stage.