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Spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) infections remain largely under-investigated as causative agents of acute undifferentiated febrile illness (AUFI) in resource-limited settings. Few studies are available on the prevalence of SFGR infections in India, especially in eastern India. In a cross-sectional study conducted in 192 hospitalized adult and paediatric patients with AUFI, the frequency of SFGR using sequential PCR targeting genes encoding citrate synthase (gltA), 17 kDa lipoprotein precursor antigen (17kDa), outer membrane proteins A and B (omp A & omp B) was 6.2% (12/192) including 7.4% (8/108) in adults and 4.7% (4/84) in paediatric patients with AUFI. Phylogenetic analysis of SFGR based on the concatenated sequences of omp A-gltA-17kDa-omp B showed that the patients' isolates obtained in the study clustered with Rickettsia conorii str. Malish 7 (AE006914.1). The SFGR cases described here, to the best of our knowledge, are the first human cases diagnosed in Odisha, eastern coastal India that were laboratory-confirmed by molecular detection and sequencing. The findings of this study will be beneficial for designing systematic future studies covering more geographical locations for continued surveillance of SFGR human infections along with vector surveillance., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest I/we have nothing to declare., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Solution NMR studies of large systems are hampered by rapid signal decay. We hereby introduce ROCSY (relaxation-optimized total correlation spectroscopy), which maximizes transfer efficiency across J-coupling-connected spin networks by minimizing the amount of time magnetization spends in the transverse plane. Hard pulses are substituted into the Clean-CITY TOCSY pulse element first developed by Ernst and co-workers, allowing for longer delays in which magnetization is aligned along the z-axis. This has the following consequences: 1) transverse relaxation is minimized, 2) resonance offset effects are minimized, 3) and through-space nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE) adds to J-coupling-mediated magnetization transfer. The major drawbacks of the technique are additional heat generation produced by the hard pulses and complication of analysis by the additional through-space NOE magnetization transfer. We demonstrate H alpha -to-HN correlations not possible using conventional 1 H-TOCSY in a 15 N-enriched sample of PagP (a 161-residue integral membrane protein) in dodecylphosphocholine detergent micelles. We also demonstrate enhanced signal-to-noise compared to 13 C-TOCSY in a 15 N, 13 C-enriched sample of cardiac troponin C N-terminal domain. We thus propose that ROCSY can be used to boost signal in any protein NMR experiment that utilizes TOCSY, with greater enhancements seen in higher molecular weight systems., 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. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

E6 and E7 oncogenes are pivotal in the carcinogenic transformation in HPV infections and efficient diagnostic methods can ensure the detection and differentiation of HPV genotype. This study describes the development and validation of an electrochemical, label-free genosensor coupled with a microfluidic system for detecting the E6 and E7 oncogenes in cervical scraping samples. The nanostructuring employed was based on a cysteine and graphene quantum dots layer that provides functional groups, surface area, and interesting electrochemical properties. Biorecognition tests with cervical scraping samples showed differentiation in the voltammetric response. Low-risk HPV exhibited a lower biorecognition response, reflected in ΔI% values of 82.33 % ± 0.29 for HPV06 and 80.65 % ± 0.68 for HPV11 at a dilution of 1:100. Meanwhile, high-risk, HPV16 and HPV18, demonstrated ΔI% values of 96.65 % ± 1.27 and 93 % ± 0.026, respectively, at the same dilution. Therefore, the biorecognition intensity followed the order: HPV16 >HPV18 >HPV06 >HPV11. The limit of detection and the limit of quantification of E6E7 microfluidic LOC-Genosensor was 26 fM, and 79.6 fM. Consequently, the E6E7 biosensor is a valuable alternative for clinical HPV diagnosis, capable of detecting the potential for oncogenic progression even in the early stages of infection., 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.)

Topic: Development of evidence-based guidelines for keratorefractive lenticule extraction (KLEx)., Clinical Relevance: KLEx refers to various corneal refractive procedures involving removal of refractive lenticules of intrastromal corneal tissue, typically through a small incision, thereby eliminating creation of a corneal flap. This technique has rapidly gained popularity as a possible alternative to flap-based procedures; however, no clinical practice guidelines exist for KLEx., Methods: These evidence-based guidelines were developed following the WHO guidebook, utilizing the AGREE II tool, and adhering to the RIGHT statement. The body of evidence was drawn from eight literature databases, five clinical guideline databases, and two academic organizations. Recommendations were developed via a Delphi consensus of 44 global experts in refractive surgery, corneal diseases, retinal diseases, glaucoma, and optometry. The certainty of evidence, balance of benefits and harms, patient preferences and values, and economic evaluations were fully considered. The GRADE approach was employed to assess evidence quality and recommendation strengths., Results: From 385 initial clinical questions, 15 were identified, prompting a review of 250,717 studies, with 609 included for conducting and updating 26 and 2 systematic reviews, respectively. Subsequently, consensus was reached on 38 recommendations for preoperative screening, candidate selection, intraoperative quality control, operating principles, postoperative monitoring, and complication management. For KLEx, an effective and accurate refractive correction is attributed to various factors such as corneal thickness, degree of myopia, treatment nomogram, and optical zone. For KLEx-related complications that could affect vision, comprehensive and effective management strategies were proposed, particularly for wrong-plane dissection and difficult lenticule removal, suction loss, and perioperative infection. Customized surgical planning protocols and operative techniques were analyzed. Among all recommendations, 29 (76%) were labelled as "strong", each externally reviewed. The assessment of corneal biomechanical properties may help improve safety and predictability, though needing further validation. The development process also revealed several research gaps for enhancing KLEx safety., Conclusions: These guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for KLEx in clinical practice, such as on preoperative screening for keratoconus, surgical planning, managements and prevention of complications and infection. The guidelines are expected to improve the safe and effective application of KLEx procedures and achieve more satisfactory visual correction., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: Tobacco use is one of the greatest public health problems in the world. Prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use among lactating women ranged between 35.9-83.0% and 1.4-6.1%, respectively, in various parts of the world. Both alcohol and nicotine pass quickly into breast milk. The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use in lactating women and its association with having underweight, stunted, and wasted nursing children in India. The study also draws comparisons to identify the common associated socio-economic factors for alcohol and tobacco use among lactating women and having underweight, stunted, and/or wasted children., Study Design: A cross-sectional analytical study involving secondary data from the National Family Health Survey-5., Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study involving secondary data from the National Family Health Survey-5 conducted nationally in community settings in two phases during 2019-2021. Alcohol and tobacco use among lactating women was self-reported, and the nutritional status of children was assess anthropometrically during the survey and categorised into under-weight, stunted, and wasted as per standardised growth charts., Results: prevalence of tobacco use among currently lactating mothers in India was 3.24%. Prevalence of alcohol use among currently lactating mothers was 0.57%. Nursing children of mothers consuming alcohol had significantly higher odds of being wasted [OR = 1.44; (95% CI = 1.07-1.92)]. Richer wealth index {compared to poor, poorer [OR = 0.74; (95% CI = 0.59-0.91)], rich [OR = 0.64; (95% CI = 0.50-0.84)], richer [OR = 0.46; (95% CI = 0.33-0.65)], richest [OR = 0.19; (95% CI = 0.11-0.33)]}, higher education status {compared to illiterate, secondary education [OR = 0.79; (95% CI = 0.63-0.97)], higher education [OR = 0.38; (95% CI = 0.24-0.62)]}, and non-tribal ethnicity [OR = 0.40; (95% CI = 0.33-0.50)] were found to be significantly associated with lower odds of alcohol and tobacco use among lactating mothers. Age, religion, residence, and occupation were also found to be significantly associated., Conclusions: Lactating women with lower education status or belonging to lower income groups needs to be prioritised for further qualitative assessment of alcohol and tobacco use during lactation. Our study reflects the national and state-level prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use among lactating women, which often masks the local and community-level intricacies. There is a need to further explore local and community-level factors affecting alcohol use during lactation and its association with child nutrition., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: This is the first randomized non-inferiority clinical trial in the evidence literature to examine the effectiveness of topical 25% silver nitrate (SN) followed by 5% sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish is not much worse or acceptable to 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in preventing and arresting dental caries among Beta-Thalassemia Major (BTM) patients., Method: 170 BTM participants aged 18 years and older with at least 1 or more active carious lesions were randomly allocated into 2 groups (1:1). 25% silver nitrate solution application followed by 5% NaF varnish was administered to Group I, and Group II received 38% SDF. The Nyvad criteria and DMFT index were used to assess caries arrest and prevention among both groups at 3- and 6-months interval., Results: Caries arrest rate at 3 months was significantly higher in Group I (83.10%) when compared to Group II (76.16%) (p<0.05). While at 6 months, both the groups were comparable with arrest rate (76.16%) (p>0.05). The caries increment was comparable among both groups at 3 months, while at 6 months, caries increment was almost half in SN with NaF group compared to SDF group (p>0.05). Kaplan-Meir survival estimated the median survival time for caries increment was 17 and 39 weeks for Group I and 15 and 36 weeks for Group II at 3 and 6 months, respectively., Conclusion: One time application of 25% SN followed by 5% NaF is no worse than a 38% SDF in arresting and preventing dental caries among Thalassemia Major participants at 3 and 6 months., Clinical Significance: The study provides clinicians with a cost-effective, safer, readily available, non-invasive treatment option (25% SN followed by 5% NaF) for caries management., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Visual electrochemiluminescence (ECL) has emerged as a prominent diagnostic method for accurately quantifying various disease markers even at point of care setting with high sensitivity and accuracy. It does not employ complicated instruments such as potentiostat and expensive imaging microscopy for quantifying trace amounts of molecules. The ECL system offers significant advantages over other detection processes, such as high sensitivity, selectivity, rapid response, multiplexing, and miniaturization capabilities, making it well-suited for future commercialization. However, the current ECL system lacks standardization and accuracy in the resulting output data due to the manual measurement of ECL signal response using open-source image processing software, which often limits the efficiency of the ECL process in real-time applications. To address the shortcomings of the existing approach and advance the ECL detection process, a fully automated machine learning-assisted standalone graphical user interface (GUI) application was developed for dedicated measurement and management of ECL-emitted light signals. The working performance of the developed program is evaluated for its real-time utility by detecting hydrogen peroxide, which is an important reactive oxygen species, and glucose, which is a significant biomarker of diabetes. The obtained results show the detection limit of 0.024 mM and 0.035 mM for H 2 O 2 and glucose, with a quantification limit of 0.074 mM and 0.10 mM, respectively. The ultimate objective of the developed application is to improve accuracy by enabling users to apply machine learning algorithms to raw image data seamlessly without deeply comprehending the underlying computational processes and establish a standard protocol for ECL signal measurements. Moreover, the developed application can be used in other optical detection approaches such as chemiluminescence, colorimetric, and fluorescence., 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: The role of adjuvant therapy in resected periampullary adenocarcinomas is equivocal due to contrasting data and limited prospective trials., Methods: The Multicentre Indian Pancreatic & Periampullary Adenocarcinoma Project (MIPPAP), included data from 8 institutions across India. Of the 1679 pancreatic resections, 736 patients with T3/T4 and/or Node positive adenocarcinomas (considered as high risk for recurrence) were included for analysis. Three (adjuvant): one (observation) matching, using T3/T4 T staging, nodal positivity and ampullary subtype was performed by using the nearest neighbour matching method., Results: Of 736 patients eligible for inclusion, 621 patients were matched of which 458 patients received adjuvant therapy (AT) (predominantly gemcitabine-based) and 163 patients were observed (O). With a median follow-up of 42 months, there was a statistical difference in overall survival in favour of patients receiving AT as compared to those on observation [68.7 months vs. 61.1 months, Hazard ratio: 0.73 (95% CI: 0.54-0.97); p = 0.03]. Besides AT, presence of nodal involvement (median OS: 65.4 months vs not reached; p = 0.04) predicted for inferior OS., Conclusions: The results of the match-pair analysis suggest that adjuvant therapy improves overall survival in periampullary adenocarcinomas at high risk of recurrence with a greater benefit in T3/T4, node-positive and ampullary subtypes., (Copyright © 2024 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) and morphologic presence of relevant mitral annular calcification (MAC) represent a challenging phenotypic subset with limited treatment options., Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) using dedicated devices for the treatment of MAC patients., Methods: Consecutive patients with symptomatic MR receiving TMVR and with available computed tomography data from the CHOICE-MI (Choice of Optimal Transcatheter Treatment for Mitral Insufficiency) multicenter registry were stratified by the presence of none or mild mitral annular calcification (MAC none/mild ) vs moderate or severe mitral annular calcification (MAC mod/sev )., Results: Among 279 eligible patients (median age = 76.0 years [Q1-Q3: 71.0-81.0 years], EuroSCORE II = 6.2% [Q1-Q3: 3.9%-12.1%]), 222 (79.6%) presented with MAC none/mild and 57 (20.4%) with MAC mod/sev . Patients with MAC mod/sev  had a higher prevalence of extracardiac arteriopathy (P = 0.011) and primary MR (P < 0.001). Although the technical success rate and the extent of MR elimination did not differ, TMVR treatment in MAC mod/sev patients was associated with higher rates of postprocedural bleeding complications (P = 0.02) and renal failure (P < 0.001). Functional improvement at the 1- and 2-year follow-up did not differ between groups. At the 2-year follow-up, there were no differences between patients with MAC mod/sev and MAC none/mild regarding all-cause mortality (38.5% vs 37.7%; P = 0.76), cardiovascular mortality (21.3% vs 24.9%; P = 0.97), and all-cause mortality or heart failure hospitalization (52.4% vs 46.7%; P = 0.28) CONCLUSIONS: TMVR in patients with MAC mod/sev is associated with higher rates of postprocedural complications but similar rates of survival, MR resolution, and functional improvement compared to MAC none/mild . Further studies are necessary to define the role of dedicated TMVR devices in this population. (Choice of Optimal Transcatheter Treatment for Mitral Insufficiency Registry [CHOICE-MI]; NCT04688190)., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures This study was supported by a grant from the German Heart Foundation. Dr Coisne is a proctor for Abbott Vascular; and has received speaker fees for Abbot Vascular, Edwards Lifesciences, GE Healthcare, Merck Sharp & Dohme, and Pfizer. Dr Ludwig has received travel compensation from Edwards Lifesciences; has received honoraria from Bayer and Abbott; is a consultant for NVT; and was supported by a research grant from the German Heart Foundation. Dr Ali has received research grants from Medtronic and Edwards Lifesciences. Dr Duncan is a consultant for and has received honoraria from Abbott Laboratories, Edward Lifesciences, and Medtronic. Dr Kalbacher has received personal fees from Abbott, Edwards Lifesciences, Pi-Cardia Ltd, and Medtronic. Dr Rudolph has received speaker honoraria from Abbott Vascular. Dr Hausleiter has received consulting fees, speaker honoraria, and support of research projects paid to the institution from Abbott Vascular and Edwards Lifesciences. Dr Ruge serves as a physician proctor for Abbott and Edwards Lifesciences; is a consultant for Medtronic, Abbott, and Edwards Lifesciences; and is a member of the Abbott Advisory Board. Dr Schmidt has received consultant fees and travel support from Cardiovalve. Dr Taramasso is consultant or has received consultancy fees from Abbott, Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Shenqi Medical, MEDIRA, PiCardia, CoreMedic, Cardiovalve, Simulands, CoreQuest, HiD Imaging, and OneCrea Medical. Dr Denti has received speaker honoraria from Abbott and Edwards Lifesciences; and has received consultant fees from Approxima, HVR, InnovHeart, and Pi-Cardia Ltd. Dr Andreas is a proctor, consultant, and speaker for Edwards Lifesciences, Abbott, Medtronic, Boston, and Zoll; and has received institutional research grants from Edwards Lifesciences, Abbott, Medtronic, and LSI. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The study aimed to evaluate cigarette butt filters (CBFs) as a potential source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in water leading to the formation of disinfection by-products. Two different forms of CBFs - intact (I) and disintegrated (D), as they occur in the environment, were selected for leaching in chlorinated (CI, CD), non-chlorinated (NI, ND), and highly chlorinated (HCD) water samples. The UV absorbance profiles of the leachate samples showed that intact CBFs exhibited higher DOC leaching compared to the disintegrated ones, which was further accentuated in chlorinated samples (CI > CD > NI > ND). The Fourier Transform Infrared spectra of the leachates revealed the presence of characteristic functional groups of cellulose acetate and its chlorinated derivatives, indicating the potential degradation of the polymer. Moreover, trihalomethane (THM) formation in chlorinated samples was relatively higher in CI samples (2 - 11.5 times) compared to CD, consistent with the DOC leaching trends. Further, the speciation characteristics of different THMs in both CI and CD samples were similar. Although spectral and morphological analyzes of CI and CD samples revealed negligible variation, HCD samples depicted significant surface roughness characterized by the formation of pits and holes, along with the evolution of crystallinity. This suggested accelerated degradation of CBFs and disruption of acetyl groups as a factor of elevated chlorine concentrations., 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.)

Over half of the world's buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) inhabit India, and buffaloes frequently encounter health challenges that resist conventional treatments, prompting the exploration of alternative therapeutic strategies. One promising approach is stem cell therapy, particularly multipotent mesenchymal/stromal stem cells (MSCs). These cells have shown significant efficacy in addressing various diseases in livestock that exhibit resistance to conventional therapies. Adipose tissue-derived MSCs (ADSCs) have garnered attention due to their accessibility and robust expansion potential. The current study comprehensively characterises buffalo ADSCs (bADSCs), confirming their identity as MSCs capable of differentiating into diverse cell lineages-the identified characteristics position bADSCs as promising candidates for applications in regenerative medicine, applicable in veterinary contexts. Notably, the study established that a cryoprotective solution comprising 10 % dimethyl sulfoxide and 90 % fetal bovine serum is optimal for preserving bADSCs. This cryoprotective solution maintains vital parameters, including viability, apoptosis, senescence, cell adherence, adherent cell viability, metabolic and clonogenic efficiency, and the activity of reactive oxygen species and trilineage differentiation potential following thawing. These findings lay the foundation for developing a cryo-banking system for bADSCs. Subsequent research efforts are focused on exploring the therapeutic potential of bADSCs in specific disease models and clinical settings. The outcomes of such investigations may pave the way for innovative and effective treatments, further enhancing our understanding of the regenerative capabilities of bADSCs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Society for Cryobiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Enteric fever caused by Salmonella enterica Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi A is an important public health problem, especially in low-income and middle-income countries with limited access to safe water and sanitation. We present results from, to our knowledge, the first ever human study of a bivalent paratyphoid A-typhoid conjugate vaccine (Sii-PTCV)., Methods: In this double-blind phase 1 study, 60 healthy Indian adults were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a single intramuscular dose of either Sii-PTCV or typhoid conjugate vaccine (Typbar-TCV). Safety was assessed by observing solicited adverse events for 1 week, unsolicited events for 1 month, and serious adverse events (SAEs) over 6 months. Immunogenicity at 1 month and 6 months was assessed by measuring anti-capsular polysaccharide antigen Vi (anti-Vi) IgG and IgA against Salmonella Typhi and anti-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) IgG against Salmonella Paratyphi A by ELISA, and functional antibodies using serum bactericidal assay (SBA) against Salmonella Paratyphi A. This study is registered with Clinical Trial Registry-India (CTRI/2022/06/043608) and is completed., Findings: 60 participants were enrolled. Of these 60 participants, 57 (95%) participants were male and three (5%) participants were female. Solicited adverse events were observed in 27 (90%) of 30 participants who received Sii-PTCV and 26 (87%) of 30 participants who received Typbar-TCV. The most common local solicited event was pain in 27 (90%) participants who received Sii-PTCV and in 23 (77%) participants who received Typbar-TCV. The most common solicited systemic event was myalgia in five (17%) participants who received Sii-PTCV, whereas four (13%) participants who received Typbar-TCV had myalgia and four (13%) had headache. No vaccine-related unsolicited adverse events or SAEs were reported. The seroconversion rates on day 29 were 96·7% (95% CI 82·8-99·9) with Sii-PTCV and 100·0% (88·4-100·0) with Typbar-TCV for anti-Vi IgG; 93·3% (77·9-99·2) with Sii-PTCV and 100·0% (88·4-100·0) with Typbar-TCV for anti-Vi IgA; 100·0% (88·4-100·0) with Sii-PTCV and 3·3% (0·1-17·2) with Typbar-TCV for anti-LPS (paratyphoid); and 93·3% (77·9-99·2) with Sii-PTCV and 0% (0·0-11·6) with Typbar-TCV for SBA titres (paratyphoid). Paratyphoid anti-LPS immune responses were sustained at day 181., Interpretation: Sii-PTCV was safe and immunogenic for both typhoid and paratyphoid antigens indicating its potential for providing comprehensive protection against enteric fever., Funding: Serum Institute of India., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests PSK, AVP, SB, AD, VG, CDK, ADS, SG, and SSP are full-time employees of the Serum Institute of India. CSP is the Chairman and Managing Director of the Serum Institute of India. AJP is Chair of the UK Department of Health and Social Care's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and was a member of WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization until 2022. AJP and AF are contributors to intellectual property licensed by Oxford University Innovation to AstraZeneca on COVID-19 vaccines. AJP has received COVID-19 vaccine consulting fees from Shionogi. AJP has received grants on typhoid and paratyphoid vaccines from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK Medical Research Council, and the Wellcome Trust. RV, EJ, YCK, AK, BN, and SY declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Stormwater represent a critical pathway for transporting microplastics (MPs) to surface waters. Due to complex dynamics of MPs in stormwater, its dispersion, weathering, risk, and transport are poorly understood. This review bridges those gaps by summarizing the latest findings on sources, abundance, characteristics, and dynamics involved in stormwater MP pollution. Weathering starts before or after MPs enter stormwater and is more pronounced on land due to continuous heat and mechanical stress. Land use patterns, rainfall intensity, MPs size and density, and drainage characteristics influence the transport of MPs in stormwater. Tire and road wear particles (TRWPs), littering, and road dust are major sources of MPs in stormwater. The concentrations of MPs varies from 0.38-197,000 particles/L globally. Further MP concentrations showed regional variations, highlighting the importance of local monitoring efforts needed to understand local pollution sources. We observed unique signatures associated with the shape and color of MPs. Fibers and fragments were widely reported, with transparent and black being the predominant colors. We conclude that the contribution of stormwater to MP pollution in surface waters is significantly greater than wastewater treatment plant effluents and demands immediate attention. Field and lab scale studies are needed to understand its behavior in stormwater and the risk posed to the downstream water bodies., 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.)

P. falciparumerythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) is the major parasite protein responsible for rosetting by binding to host receptors such as heparan sulfate, CR1 on RBC surface. Usually monomeric protein-carbohydrate interactions are weak [1], therefore PfEMP1 binds to plasma proteins like IgM or α2-macroglobulin that facilitate its clustering on parasitized RBC surface and augment rosetting [2,3]. We show that 3D7A expresses PfEMP1, PF3D7&#95;0412900, and employs its CIDRγ2 domain to interact with glycophorin B on uninfected RBC to form large rosettes but more importantly even in the absence of plasma proteins. Overall, we established the role of PF3D7&#95;0412900 in rosetting as antibodies against CIDRγ2 domain reduced rosetting and also identified its receptor, glycophorin B which could provide clue why glycophorin B null phenotype, S-s-U- RBCs prevalent in malaria endemic areas is protective against severe malaria., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare no competing interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Solution NMR spectroscopy of large protein systems is hampered by rapid signal decay, so most multidimensional studies focus on long-lived 1 H- 13 C magnetization in methyl groups and/or backbone amide 1 H- 15 N magnetization in an otherwise perdeuterated environment. Herein we demonstrate that it is possible to biosynthetically incorporate additional 1 H- 12 C groups that possess long-lived magnetization using cost-effective partially deuterated or unlabeled amino acid precursors added to Escherichia coli growth media. This approach is applied to the outer membrane enzyme PagP in membrane-mimetic dodecylphosphocholine micelles. We were able to obtain chemical shift assignments for a majority of side chain 1 H positions in PagP using nuclear Overhauser enhancements (NOEs) to connect them to previously assigned backbone 1 H- 15 N groups and newly assigned 1 H- 13 C methyl groups. Side chain methyl-to-aromatic NOEs were particularly important for confirming that the amphipathic α-helix of PagP packs against its eight-stranded β-barrel, as indicated by previous X-ray crystal structures. Interestingly, aromatic NOEs suggest that some aromatic residues in PagP that are buried in the membrane bilayer are highly mobile in the micellar environment, like Phe138 and Phe159. In contrast, Tyr87 in the middle of the bilayer is quite rigid, held in place by a hydrogen bonded network extending to the surface that resembles a classic catalytic triad: Tyr87-His67-Asp61. This hydrogen bonded arrangement of residues is not known to have any catalytic activity, but we postulate that its role is to immobilize Tyr87 to facilitate packing of the amphipathic α-helix against the β-barrel., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Peter Hwang reports financial support was provided by NSERC., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Randomized clinical trials have defined the survival advantage with the addition of biologic drugs to chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Under representation of Hispanics contributes to poorly defined outcomes in this group. We aim to determine whether the real-world benefit of biologics extends to Hispanics using a comparative effectiveness research approach., Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all treatment centers contributing to SEER registry with available claims in the SEER-Medicare linked database (2001-2011) and 2 hospitals (2004-2016) catering to minorities. Metastatic CRC patients were classified as receiving chemotherapy or biochemotherapy (CT plus biologics; if initiated within 3 months of chemotherapy). The primary outcome was overall survival (OS) among the Hispanic patients calculated from time of administration of first dose of chemotherapy to death or last follow-up. A weighted Cox regression model was used to assess differences in survival., Results: We identified 182 Hispanic patients with mCRC from the Patient Entitlement and Diagnosis Summary (PEDSF) file (n = 101) and hospital database (n = 81). Overall, 52% were women and 72% received biologics. The median OS was 11.3 and 17.0 months in chemotherapy and biochemotherapy group, respectively. Biochemotherapy offered a survival benefit compared with chemotherapy alone, with an average hazard rate reduction of 39% (95% CI 6%-60%, p = .0236) using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) based analysis., Conclusion: In this cohort of Hispanic patients with mCRC, biochemotherapy was associated with longer survival. Clinicians may offer biochemotherapy therapy to all patients regardless of race/ethnicity to maximize clinical benefit., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have stated that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Breast cancer (BC) death rates in the USA have not significantly declined for American Indians (AIs) in comparison to Whites. Our objective was to determine whether Medicaid Expansion as part of the Affordable Care Act led to improved BC outcomes for AIs relative to Whites., Patients and Methods: Using the National Cancer Database, we conducted a retrospective cohort study. Included were BC patients who were AI and White; 40 to 64 years of age; diagnosed in 2009 to 2016; lived in states that expanded Medicaid in January 2014, and states that did not expand Medicaid. Our outcomes were stage at diagnosis, insurance status, timely treatment, and 3-year mortality., Results: There were 359,484 newly diagnosed BC patients, 99.49% White, 0.51% AI. Uninsured rates declined more in the expansion states than in the nonexpansion states (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.15-0.97, P < 0.001). Lower rates of Stage I BC diagnosis was found in AIs compared to Whites (46.58% vs. 55.33%, P < .001); these differential rates did not change after Medicaid expansion. Rates of definitive treatment initiation within 30 days of diagnosis declined after Medicaid expansion (P < .001); there was a smaller decline in the expansion states (OR 1.118, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.15, P < .001). Three year mortality was not different between expansion and nonexpansion states post Medicaid expansion., Conclusions: In newly diagnosed BCs, uninsured rates declined more in the states that expanded Medicaid in January 2014. Timely treatment post Medicaid expansion declined less in states that expanded Medicaid. There was no differential benefit of Medicaid expansion in the 2 races., Competing Interests: Disclosure Ross D. Crosby is a paid statistical consultant for Health Outcomes Solutions, Winter Park, Florida. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Natural organic matter (NOM) is the primary precursor of disinfection by-products (DBPs). However, as emerging environmental contaminants continue to increase in natural waters, there is a possibility of new precursors of DBPs. We investigated the potential of microplastics (MPs), a growing environmental concern, for leaching organic matter (OM) and subsequent DBP formation. Two experimental setups were used, including chlorinated water containing MPs (Cl 2 -MP), and non-chlorinated water containing MPs (Non-Cl 2 -MP), using polyethylene (PE), polyethylene tetrahydrate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as MP materials. The UV absorbance spectra of Cl 2 -PET/PP/PVC showed peaks at 218 nm, which were significantly correlated with dissolved organic carbon (DOC), indicating lower aromaticity of the leached OM. The DOC concentrations in Cl 2 -MP samples were several times higher than those in Non-Cl 2 -MP samples. The leached OM from MPs formed trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) in Cl 2 -MP samples. Among the MPs tested, PVC showed the highest total THM formation after 7 days, followed by PET, PE, and PP. Brominated THMs were predominant, while HAAs were highly chlorinated. THM formation increased with contact time for PE, PET, and PVC, and decreased for PP. Compared to THMs, the concentration of HAAs was low (highest total THM = 185.5 μg/L per g-MP and highest total HAA = 120.7 μg/L per g-MP). Further, the total THM concentration decreased and the total HAA concentration increased over the reaction period, indicating the leaching of different types of OM with increasing contact time. Additionally, the differences in the pattern of DOC leaching and DBP formation among different MPs suggested changes in the leached OM., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

l-ascorbic acid is found to be an effective and environmentally friendly reagent for remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated soil. Soil-phase batch kinetics experiments elucidated the effects of chromium(VI) and l-ascorbic acid dosing, pH, soil-to-water ratio, and temperature on Cr(VI) reduction. An extended reductive environment was observed at a lower pH range, possibly due to ligand oxidation of several reactive intermediates. The kinetic data were fitted into a second-order rate model, and the rate constant was evaluated. A reaction mechanism was proposed. Reduction was substantially complete within about 3 h at natural pH conditions at an appropriate dosing of the reagent, and any residual Cr(VI) is reduced by the remaining ascorbic acid during aging of the soil. The reagent worked much better than other organic reductants reported in the literature. The rate constant correlated linearly with the soil-to-water ratio, while its logarithm correlated linearly with pH within the specified range. The reduction was primarily attributed to the presence of carboxylic, hydroxyl, and carbonyl groups in the ascorbic acid molecule, as confirmed by FTIR and XRD analysis. Medium-term stability experiments suggest that treatment with l-ascorbic acid significantly decreased leaching concentrations of Cr(VI) and total Cr which remained stable for 75 d. Ecological studies have shown that remediated soil promotes plant growth and increases earthworm survival rates, thus negating the emergence of any secondary pollutants. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to investigate the relationship between Cr(VI) reduction and experimental parameters and to determine the optimum values. About 98.8 % reduction was achieved, which was consistent with the calculated optimal value. The study provides new insights into the use of l-ascorbic acid for sustainable remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated soil. The optimum process conditions and the rate data obtained in this study are expected to be useful for the process design of a remediation facility for Cr(VI)-contaminated soil., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All the authors consent to the submission of manuscript to “Science of the Total Environment” and declare that there is no conflict of interest. Further, the manuscript is based on our original work and has not been submitted to nor is under review in any other journal., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Scrub typhus is a zoonotic disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi. Although the presence of eschar is considered pathognomic, diagnosis of scrub typhus is challenging due to overlapping presentation. The diagnosis is based on the serological and molecular assay. Here, we describe a case of a young male patient who was diagnosed with scrub typhus and developed complications in the course of the disease. We also performed molecular characterization of the strain which revealed a close relatedness to Karp-like Linh.DT strains were previously reported from Vietnam., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None., (Copyright © 2023 Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Changing climatic conditions and invasion of ticks in urban areas have led to a greater number of cases of tick-borne diseases, thus, becoming a matter of increasing concern. Tick borne rickettsioses are one of the important emerging diseases worldwide. Knowledge of epidemiology of the vector and pathogen in the community is essential in order to understand and prevent the transmission of the disease to healthy population., Methods: In our present study, we trapped rodents in selected areas of Chandigarh and Punjab in north India. The rodents were screened for the presence of ticks which were further screened for the presence of rickettsial agents. PCRs targeting 17 ​kDa and gltA genes were carried out followed by Sanger sequencing of the positive amplicons followed by phylogenetic analysis of the sequences., Results: A total of 17 ticks were collected out of which one (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) was found to be harboring a Rickettsia sp. PCR targeting gltA and 17 ​kDa genes of rickettsia were put up and Sanger sequencing was performed. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the sequences to be closely related to Rickettsia rhipicephali., Conclusion: The current study establishes the presence of rickettsial agents in the community. Although Rickettsia rhipicephali is a non-pathogenic agent, the study encourages more vigorous community surveillance should be carried out in order to determine the exact burden of rickettsial agents in our community. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting Rickettsia rhipicephali in India., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest Authors do not have any competing interest., (Copyright © 2023 Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Continuous automatic optimisation of cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT), stimulating only the left ventricle to fuse with intrinsic right bundle conduction (synchronised left ventricular stimulation), might offer better outcomes than conventional CRT in patients with heart failure, left bundle branch block, and normal atrioventricular conduction. This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes of adaptive CRT versus conventional CRT in patients with heart failure with intact atrioventricular conduction and left bundle branch block., Methods: This global, prospective, randomised controlled trial was done in 227 hospitals in 27 countries across Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older with class 2-4 heart failure, an ejection fraction of 35% or less, left bundle branch block with QRS duration of 140 ms or more (male patients) or 130 ms or more (female patients), and a baseline PR interval 200 ms or less. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) via block permutation to adaptive CRT (an algorithm providing synchronised left ventricular stimulation) or conventional biventricular CRT using a device programmer. All patients received device programming but were masked until procedures were completed. Site staff were not masked to group assignment. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death or intervention for heart failure decompensation and was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. Safety events were collected and reported in the intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02205359, and is closed to accrual., Findings: Between Aug 5, 2014, and Jan 31, 2019, of 3797 patients enrolled, 3617 (95·3%) were randomly assigned (1810 to adaptive CRT and 1807 to conventional CRT). The futility boundary was crossed at the third interim analysis on June 23, 2022, when the decision was made to stop the trial early. 1568 (43·4%) of 3617 patients were female and 2049 (56·6%) were male. Median follow-up was 59·0 months (IQR 45-72). A primary outcome event occurred in 430 of 1810 patients (Kaplan-Meier occurrence rate 23·5% [95% CI 21·3-25·5] at 60 months) in the adaptive CRT group and in 470 of 1807 patients (25·7% [23·5-27·8] at 60 months) in the conventional CRT group (hazard ratio 0·89, 95% CI 0·78-1·01; p=0·077). System-related adverse events were reported in 452 (25·0%) of 1810 patients in the adaptive CRT group and 440 (24·3%) of 1807 patients in the conventional CRT group., Interpretation: Compared with conventional CRT, adaptive CRT did not significantly reduce the incidence of all-cause death or intervention for heart failure decompensation in the included population of patients with heart failure, left bundle branch block, and intact AV conduction. Death and heart failure decompensation rates were low with both CRT therapies, suggesting a greater response to CRT occurred in this population than in patients in previous trials., Funding: Medtronic., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests BLW reports participating in physician advisory committees of Medtronic, Abbott, Boston Scientific, Biotronik, and Philips, and receiving honoraria from Medtronic, Abbott, Boston Scientific, Biotronik, Philips, and Cook. GF reports receiving lecture fees, participating in committees of trials sponsored by Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, Servier, Vifor, Impulse Dynamics, and Medtronic, and receiving research grants from the European Union. CL reports participating in a Medtronic advisory board and receiving honoraria from Medtronic, Biotronik, LivaNova, Boston Scientific, and Abbott. MRG reports being a consultant for Medtronic and Boston Scientific and receiving honoraria from Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and EBR Systems. KK reports receiving speaker's honoraria and research grants from Medtronic Japan and Biotronik Japan. GMF reports receiving research grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, American Heart Association, Amgen, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, Cytokinetics, and CSL-Behring, acting as a consultant for Novartis, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cytokinetics, Cardionomic, Boehringer-Ingelheim, American Regent, Abbott, AstraZeneca, Regeneron, Reprieve, Myovant, Sequana, Windtree Therapuetics, Rocket Pharma, and Whiteswell, and serving on clinical endpoint committees or data safety monitoring boards for Amgen, Merck, Medtronic, EBR Systems, V-Wave, and LivaNova. MFE-C reports consultancy work for Medtronic and Boston Scientific. VE reports receiving support from a Clinical Research Scholar Award from the Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé (FRQS) and honoraria from Abbott, Boston Scientific, and Medtronic. BP reports consultancy work for Abbott, Biotronik, Boston Scientific, and Microport, and receiving honoraria from Medtronic. FP reports receiving research grants from Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Abbott. ESC reports consultancy work for Medtronic, Abbott, Intershunt, and Cardionomic, and serving on data safety monitoring boards and clinical events committees for LivaNova, EBR, and Abbott. BB reports consultancy work for Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Pfizer. HHE reports receiving research grants from Medtronic. NV reports consultancy work for Medtronic, Abbott, Biotronik, Boston Scientific, EP Solutions, Implicity, and Pacemate. JvW, BG, DES, and DHF report being employees of Medtronic. DB reports being a mid-career investigator (supported by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and the University of Ottawa Chair in Electrophysiology Research) and receiving research funding from Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bayer, Biotronik, Pfizer, and Bristol Myers Squibb. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Transcatheter treatment of patients with native aortic valve regurgitation (AR) has been limited by anatomical factors. No transcatheter device has received U.S. regulatory approval for the treatment of patients with AR., Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the compassionate-use experience in North America with a dedicated transcatheter device (J-Valve)., Methods: A multicenter, observational registry was assembled of compassionate-use cases of J-Valve implantation for the treatment of patients with severe symptomatic AR and elevated surgical risk in North America. The J-Valve consists of a self-expanding Nitinol frame, bovine pericardial leaflets, and a valve-locating feature. The available size matrix (5 sizes) can treat a wide range of anatomies (minimum and maximum annular perimeters 57-104 mm)., Results: A total of 27 patients (median age 81 years [IQR: 72-85 years], 81% at high surgical risk, 96% in NYHA functional class III or IV) with native valve AR were treated with the J-Valve during the study period (2018-2022). Procedural success (J-Valve delivered to the intended location without the need for surgical conversion or a second transcatheter heart valve) was 81% (22 of 27 cases) in the overall experience and 100% in the last 15 cases. Two cases required conversion to surgery in the early experience, leading to changes in valve design. At 30 days, there was 1 death, 1 stroke, and 3 new pacemakers (13%), and 88% of patients were in NYHA functional class I or II. No patient had residual AR of moderate or greater degree at 30 days., Conclusions: The J-Valve appears to provide a safe and effective alternative to surgery in patients with pure AR and elevated or prohibitive surgical risk., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures This study was supported by a JC Medical grant to the data coordinating center at the Lindner Center for Research and Education. Dr Garcia has received institutional grant support from Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Abbott Vascular; serves as a proctor and steering committee member for Edwards Lifesciences; and serves on advisory boards for Boston Scientific and Medtronic. Dr Kereiakes is a consultant for JC Medical and JenaValve; and is a member of the ALIGN-AR trial steering committee. Dr Ye is a consultant for Edwards Lifesciences and JC Medical. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The dimensional model of adversity and psychopathology hypothesizes deprivation and threat impact distinct neurobiological pathways, such as brain structure. This hypothesis has not been examined longitudinally or in young children. This study tested longitudinal associations between threat and deprivation measured in preschool and brain structure in childhood. It was hypothesized that threat would be associated with amygdala and hippocampal subcortical volume and deprivation would be associated with cortical thickness in association cortex., Method: The study included T1-weighted scans from 72 children (5-10 years old, 54.2% female participants). Threat was measured by the presence of domestic violence, sexual abuse, physical abuse, or neighborhood violence. Deprivation was measured by the presence of neglect. Associations of deprivation or threat with brain structure were examined controlling for other dimension (deprivation or threat) and nuisance covariates using whole-brain vertex-wise analyses. Subcortical volume was extracted, and the same associations were examined using multiple regression., Results: Threat was associated with widespread decreases in cortical surface area across the prefrontal cortex and other regions. Threat was not associated with amygdala or hippocampal volume. Deprivation was associated with increased thickness in occipital cortex, insula, and cingulate., Conclusion: Results suggest distinct associations of deprivation and threat on brain structure in early childhood. Threat is associated with widespread differences in surface area, and deprivation is associated with differences in cortical thickness. These observations are consistent with work in adolescence and adulthood and reflect how dimensions of adversity differentially impact neural structure., (Copyright © 2023 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Futuristic microfluidics will require alternative ways to extend its potential in vast areas by integrating various facets such as automation of different subsystems, multiplexing, incorporation of cyber-physical capabilities, and rapid prototyping. On the rapid prototyping aspect, for the last decade, additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing (3DP) has advanced to become an alternative fabrication process for microfluidic devices, enabling industry-level abilities towards mass production. In this context, for the first time, this work demonstrates the fabrication of monolithic multilayer microfluidic devices (MMMD) from planar orientation (1 layer) to nonplanar (4 layers) monolithic microchannels. The developed MMM device was impeccable for synthesizing highly potentialized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in <1 s. Moreover, the transport of chemical species with laminar flow simulations was performed on the process along with the thorough characterizations of produced AgNPs, finding the mean AgNPs particle size of around 35 nm without any post-processing requirements. The well-known catalytic activity of AgNPs was leveraged to enhance weak chemiluminescence (CL) sensing signals by >1300 %, increasing CL sensitivity. Further, machine learning (ML) predictive models encouraged to obtain the experimental parameters without human intervention iterations for target-specific applications. The proposed methodology finds the potential to save resources, time, and enables automation with rapid prototyping, providing possibilities for mass fabrications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest An Indian patent was filed by Sanket Goel and Pavar Sai Kumar with the patent number: 202311012926. Further, authors declare no conflict of Interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are one of the most addressed preventable diseases of public health importance. However, the risk estimates and use of these risk scores for CVD prevention are the least explored areas. So, in this study, we explored the different categories of Framingham heart study (FHS) 10-year-CVD risk score and their associated factors among the adult male population in Tamil Nadu, India., Methods: We used the risk factor level data for male adults aged 18 years and above from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) of Tamil Nadu state, India. Sociodemographic variables, behavioral factors, and physiological/biochemical factors were considered as the risk factor and were estimated using the world health organization (WHO) STEPS categories. FHS 10-year-CVD risk score was calculated using a body-mass index-based published Cox regression equation., Results: Out of 2289 adult males, only 1.12% of the participants had a 10-year CVD risk score greater than 30% and ∼4% of the total participants require statin treatment (FRS-CVD risk score ≥20). Educational status (aOR:14.21, 95 CI: 4.36-46.22- no formal schooling when compared to 10th and above standard), weekly fruit intake (aOR:0.51, 95 CI: 0.27-0.97 when compared to daily fruit intake) and abdominal obesity (aOR:2.43, 95 CI: 1.58-3.74) were found to be associated with higher FRS scores when adjusted for all other factors not involved in FRS calculation., Conclusion: Widespread use of this score needs to be encouraged in clinical practices and patients with a higher risk of CVD events should be counselled for lifestyle modifications and compliance with treatment for decreasing the burden due to CVDs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier, a division of RELX India, Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Data on the feasibility of same-day discharge (SDD) following percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) remain limited. We analyzed the US Nationwide Readmission Database from quarter four of 2015 to 2019 to study the safety and feasibility of SDD after LAAC. After excluding non-elective cases and in-hospital deaths, a total of 54,880 cases of LAAC were performed during the study period. Following LAAC, 2% (n=1077) of patients underwent SDD, 88% (n=48,428) underwent next-day discharge (NDD), 5.2% (n=2881) were discharged on the second day (ScD), and 4.5% of patients (n = 2494) were discharged 3 or more days after LAAC. There was no difference in 30-day readmission rates between SDD and NDD (7.3% [n=79] vs 7.4% [n=3585], P=0.94). The hospitalization costs were significantly lower for SDD compared with NDD ($22,963 vs $27,079, P≤0.01). SDD discharge following percutaneous LAAC appears to be safe and is associated with lower hospitalization costs. Further prospective studies are needed to determine the safety and feasibility of SDD with percutaneous LAAC., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Due to the ubiquitous nature of microplastic (MP), knowledge of its fate and migration in subsurface environments like soil becomes extremely important to understand underlying ecological risk. The fate and migration of MP in subterranean settings like sand are governed by the retention/transport properties influenced by the interaction of sand and MPs. In this study, sand column experiments under simulated rainfall conditions were conducted for 180 days to assess the vertical migration of mixed MPs consisting of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Sand column experiments were subjected to 60 wet-dry cycles over 180 days. The effects of polymer type, microplastic size, sand particle size, and surface roughness on the migration of MPs were evaluated. Results showed that the smallest-sized fragmented PE particles had the highest migration potential compared to PET and PE. The ratios of the diameters of MP particles and sand particles (d MP /d sand ) played a significant role in determining the penetration depth of the various sizes of MPs. The MP particles with d MP /d sand 0.11 showed greater penetration depth in sand media and were detected in the column effluent water after 60 days of a column run. In addition, surface roughness, low ionic strength water, irregularly shaped particles, and wet and dry cycles contributed to the migration of MPs in the sand column. Three new absorbance peaks corresponding to the hydroxyl, CO stretch, and carbonyl groups evolved in the extracted PE MPs sample from different depths, as shown by FTIR analysis, suggesting that PE MPs had been oxidised. XPS analysis revealed changes in the surface properties of the MPs, indicating that oxidation occurred at the top layer, causing structural deterioration of the PE MPs. However, oxidation of the surface bonds was restricted in the layers underneath due to a lack of oxygen. The finding of the study suggests that in a natural environment, such accumulation and migration of MPs in sandy soil can increase the possibilities to the underlying groundwater contamination., 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 © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This work demonstrates the simultaneous identification of four hazardous heavy metals in water samples, namely copper, lead, cadmium, and mercury. A simple yet selective electrode with the simplest fabrication procedure was used. The modified porous carbon threads coated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was employed as a working electrode. The surface chemistry and morphology of the AuNPs deposited porous carbon thread surface were examined. The electrocatalytic activity of the metals on the Au-modified thread surface was observed using the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique. Furthermore, all four metal ions were detected simultaneously, and no interference was observed. Individual and simultaneous experiments to test the impact of concentration revealed that the limit of detection (LoD) was observed to be 1.126 μM, 1.419 μM, 0.966 μM, 0.736 μM for the Cd 2+ , Pb 2+ , Cu 2+ , and Hg 2+ metal ions respectively in a linear concentration range of 10-110 μM of each. Subsequently, the study of pH, interference with coexisting metal ions, repeatability study, and stability analysis was also performed. A real sample analysis utilising three different lake water samples is also carried out to further understand the application of the proposed sensor. A good recovery rate is achieved, and the results are reported. This work paves way for the on-field applicability of the present heavy metal detection platform., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

It was a great challenge for the prosthodontist to rehabilitate and sustain the prosthesis in patients with bilateral maxillectomy defects due to mucormycosis seen with Covid-19 during second wave in India. In such extensive defects there was difficulty in retaining the obturator due to the absence of soft tissue or anatomical undercuts, condition of existing dentition, retained inferior turbinates and limitation in taking retention from defect side during healing phase. In such extensive maxillectomy defects, retention, stability and support can be enhanced by maximum preservation of hard and soft tissues, skin grafting and removal of inferior turbinates to provide a larger surface area for stress distribution. But here, in this case series, maxillectomy defects with retained inferior turbinates presented a problem in retaining the obturator prosthesis due to limitation in taking retention from the defect side. The conventional method of fabrication of obturator using autopolymerizing acrylic failed in terms of weight of the prosthesis and in gaining retention from the defect side during healing phase. Therefore, thermoplastic vacuum pressed Polyvinyl chloride sheet (PVC) was used for fabrication of delayed surgical obturator due to many merits conferred by it. Its light weight, non porous nature, easy adaptability, patient comfort, efficient undercut engagement, hygienic nature makes it a good treatment option. The main cocern was to close oro-nasal communication to eliminate the need of nasogastric tube and to prevent nasal regurgitation. In all cases, patients were comfortable with the obturator prosthesis in terms of adaptation and function., Competing Interests: There is no conflict of interest of any of the authors about its publication., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Introduction: The scaffolds used in regenerative endodontic therapy (RET) provide structural support for cells so that they can adhere to the scaffolds and also are crucial for cellular proliferation and differentiation. The objective of this network meta-analysis was to compare effects of different intracanal scaffolds on success outcomes of RET., Methods: PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched. Studies evaluating and/or comparing clinical and/or radiographic success of RET using different scaffolds with a minimum of 12 months follow-up were included. The Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias (ROB) tool and appropriate tools from Joanna Briggs Institute were used for the assessment of ROB. A network meta-analysis was performed to compare the primary outcome (clinical success) and other success outcomes (root maturation, and pulpal sensibility) using different scaffolds., Results: Twenty-seven studies fulfilled the desired inclusion criteria of which 25 had a low ROB whereas 2 had a moderate ROB. Clinical success of RET using platelet-rich plasma (PRP), blood clot (BC), and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) scaffolds ranged between 91.66%-100%, 84.61%-100%, and 77%-100% respectively. The different scaffolds did not show any statistically significant difference in clinical success (PRF vs BC [P = 1.000], PRP vs BC [P = 1.000], and PRF vs PRP [P = .999]), apical root closure (PRF vs BC [P = 1.000], PRP vs BC [P = .835], PRF vs PRP [P = .956]), and pulp sensibility (PRF vs BC [P = .980], PRP versus BC [P = .520], and PRF vs PRP [P = .990])., Conclusion: The intracanal scaffolds used during RET did not result in significant differences in regard to clinical success, root maturation, and pulpal sensibility., (Copyright © 2022 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

VAR2CSA, a multidomain Plasmodium falciparum protein, mediates the adherence of parasite-infected red blood cells to chondroitin 4-sulfate (C4S) in the placenta, contributing to placental malaria. Therefore, detailed understanding of VAR2CSA structure likely help developing strategies to treat placental malaria. The VAR2CSA ectodomain consists of an N-terminal segment (NTS), six Duffy binding-like (DBL) domains, and three interdomains (IDs) present in sequence NTS-DBL1x-ID1-DBL2x-ID2-DBL3x-DBL4ε-ID3-DBL5ε-DBL6ε. Recent electron microscopy studies showed that VAR2CSA is compactly organized into a globular structure containing C4S-binding channel, and that DBL5ε-DBL6ε arm is attached to the NTS-ID3 core structure. However, the structural elements involved in inter-domain interactions that stabilize the VAR2CSA structure remain largely not understood. Here, limited proteolysis and peptide mapping by mass spectrometry showed that VAR2CSA contains several inter-domain disulfide bonds that stabilize its compact structure. Chemical crosslinking-mass spectrometry showed that all IDs interact with DBL4ε; additionally, IDs interact with other DBL domains, demonstrating that IDs are the key structural scaffolds that shape the functional NTS-ID3 core. Ligand binding analysis suggested that NTS considerably restricts the C4S binding. Overall, our study revealed that inter-domain disulfide bonds and interactions between IDs and DBL domains contribute to the stability of VAR2CSA structural architecture and formation of C4S-binding channel., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest D. Channe Gowda reports financial support was provided by NIAID, National Institutes of Health, USA., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Bacterial contamination and infection is a major health concern today leading to the significance of its detection. Being lab-based bacterial culturing processes, the present approaches are time consuming and require trained skillset. An economical, and miniaturized lab-on-chip device, capable of simultaneous detection of bacterial growth, could be a benchmarking tool for monitoring the bacterial contamination. Herein, the microfluidic-based electrochemical device for a fast, susceptible, detection of Escherichia coli was developed. The device could aid incubator free bacteria culturing in the ambient atmosphere and simultaneously monitor and detect the growth electrochemically. A three-electrode system, integrated with a reservoir and a portable thermostat temperature controller was fabricated and assembled. To achieve this, three-electrodes were embedded on the microfluidic device by screen-printing carbon paste, and the working electrode was enhanced by graphitized mesoporous carbon. Cyclic voltammetry response was noted as the function of concentration and growth of Escherichia Coli in the reservoir. The device gave a linear bacterial concentration range of 0.336 × 10 12 to 40 × 10 12  CFU mL -1 , detection limit of 0.35 CFU mL -1 and the quantification limit of 1.05 CFU mL -1 which was less than the maximum allowable limit. The developed platform was further used to detect and continuously monitor the bacterial growth in the real sample (mango juice) for a period of 36 h. Finally, the interference from other common bacteria on the electrode selectivity was also investigated. Such approach in being further modified for specific sensing of bacteria in patients suffering from different diseases such as corneal ulcers, Diarrhea, tuberculosis, leprosy, and syphilis., 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 © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of modified Atkins diet (MAD) among children with non-surgical drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) to levetiracetam, when added to on-going anti-seizure medications., Methods: An open-label, randomized controlled trial among children aged 2-12 years with non-surgical DRE was conducted. Eligible children were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive add-on MAD or levetiracetam. Baseline and post-intervention seizure frequency at 12 weeks was determined from seizure logs maintained by parents. The primary outcome was the proportion of responders, i.e., patients who achieved > 50% seizure reduction from baseline. Adverse events were compared. Analysis was intention-to-treat. (NCT04172311) RESULTS: One hundred and one children were enrolled (MAD-51, levetiracetam-50). The majority of the enrolled children had generalized seizures of mixed types secondary to structural brain lesions and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome was the most common electroclinical syndrome (46%). The proportion of children with >50% seizure reduction at 12 weeks was significantly higher in the MAD arm compared to the levetiracetam arm (27/51(52.9%) vs 11/50(22%); p < 0.001). At 12-weeks post-intervention, the change in mean seizure frequency compared to baseline was -47.33 ± 39.57% in the MAD arm and -31.15 ± 32.18% in the levetiracetam arm (p = 0.03). Constipation (41.1%) was the most frequent adverse effect with MAD. Sedation/lethargy (18%) and anxiety and irritability (14%) were the most frequent adverse effects in the levetiracetam group., Conclusion: Addition of MAD was found to be superior to levetiracetam among children with non-surgical DRE with predominant generalized seizures in achieving seizure reduction at 12 weeks. Both treatments were well tolerated. Adverse effects, although higher with MAD, were expected side effects., 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. The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Many new engineering and scientific innovations have been proposed to date to passivate the novel coronavirus (SARS CoV-2), with the aim of curing the related disease that is now recognised as COVID-19. Currently, vaccine development remains the most reliable solution available. Efforts to provide solutions as alternatives to vaccinations are growing and include established control of behaviours such as self-isolation, social distancing, employing facial masks and use of antimicrobial surfaces. The work here proposes a novel engineering method employing the concept of resonant frequencies to denature SARS CoV-2. Specifically, "modal analysis" is used to computationally analyse the Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors i.e. frequencies and mode shapes to denature COVID-19. An average virion dimension of 63 nm with spike proteins number 6, 7 and 8 were examined, which revealed a natural frequency of a single virus in the range of 88-125 MHz. The information derived about the natural frequency of the virus through this study will open newer ways to exploit medical solutions to combat future pandemics., 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 © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Vitamin D is required to maintain normal serum calcium and phosphate levels that help normal bone mineralization, nerve conduction, muscle contraction, immune function, cell proliferation, and differentiation. Interventions including vitamin D supplementation may not improve vitamin D deficiency, as various complex genomic actions could contribute to vitamin D deficiency in the Indian population. Thus, we assessed hypovitaminosis D's relationship with vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism and evaluated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in seemingly healthy adolescent school-going girls. We included 100 school-going girls (aged 12-17 years) studying in four schools of different socio-economic strata of Bhopal, India. The selected participants were divided into four groups based on the school in which they were studying. Blood samples were tested for serum calcium, phosphorus, PTH, ALP, vitamin D 25(OH) D, and albumin levels.VDR polymorphism was detected through the PCR-RFLP. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test, ANOVA, and linear regression. The difference in the age, calcium, ALP, and vitamin D values between the four groups were significant (P < 0.05), whereas high PTH levels (80%) were found. A higher prevalence of homozygous polymorphic allele demonstrates a molecular signature for severe secondary hyperparathyroidism. Hypovitaminosis D ranged from 84.9% to 100%, and a high prevalence of VDR polymorphism was observed. Attention must be paid to the health of this age group of school-going girls as hypovitaminosis D and associated VDR gene polymorphism could be the reason for secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), showing changes in bone mineral density in these adolescent girls to ensure their future health., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the 6th most common cancer worldwide and incidence rates are continuing to rise globally. Patients often present with locally advanced disease and a staggering 50% chance of relapse following treatment. Aberrant activation of adaptive response signaling pathways, such as the cAMP/PKA pathway, induce an array of genes associated with known cancer pathways that promote tumorigenesis and drug resistance. We identified the cAMP Regulated Transcription Coactivator 2 (CRTC2) to be overexpressed and constitutively activated in HNSCCs and this confers poor prognosis. CRTCs are regulated through their subcellular localization and we show that CRTC2 is exclusively nuclear in HPV(+) HNSCC, thus constitutively active, due to non-canonical Mitogen-Activated Kinase Kinase 1 (MEKK1)-mediated activation via a MEKK1-p38 signaling axis. Loss-of-function and pharmacologic inhibition experiments decreased CRTC2/CREB transcriptional activity by reducing nuclear CRTC2 via nuclear import inhibition and/or by eviction of CRTC2 from the nucleus. This shift in localization was associated with decreased proliferation, migration, and invasion. Our results suggest that small molecules that inhibit nuclear CRTC2 and p38 activity may provide therapeutic benefit to patients with HPV(+) HNSCC., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest A.L.A. is a Global Advisory Board member and paid consultant for LG Chem Life Sciences Innovation Center. All other authors declare no potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Contribution of finite element method (FEM) as a modelling and simulation technique to represent complex tribological processes has improved our understanding about various biomaterials. This paper presents a review of the advances in the domain of finite element (FE) modelling for simulating tribology, wear, cutting and other processes involving high-strain rate plastic deformation of metals used in bio tribology and machining. Although the study is largely focused on material removal cases in metals, the modelling strategies can be applied to a wide range of other materials. This study discusses the development of friction models, meshing and remeshing strategies, and constitutive material models. The mesh-based and meshless formulations employed for bio tribological simulations with their advantages and limitations are also discussed. The output solution variables including scratch forces, local temperature, residual stresses are analyzed as a function of input variables., (Crown Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The level of radiation exposure received by operators performing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is not well investigated. The aim of this study is to measure the amount of radiation received by operators performing transfemoral TAVR and to identify various patient and procedural characteristics associated with increased radiation exposure., Methods: Primary (operator 1) and secondary (operator 2) operators' equivalent radiation doses in micro Sieverts (µSv) were calculated prospectively using real-time radiation dosimeters for a total of 140 consecutive transfemoral TAVRs. Corresponding eye and thorax radiation exposures between the operators were compared. Associations between various patient and procedural characteristics and the radiation exposure were tested using the t-test and Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney rank-sum test with Monte Carlo estimation. Multivariable regression analysis was also conducted., Results: Operator 1 had significantly higher cumulative equivalent radiation exposure than operator 2 (86 µSv vs 38 µSv, p -value: <0.0001) which was consistent at the level of the thorax (67 µSv vs 22 µSv, p -value: <0.0001), but not at the level of the eye (16.5 µSv vs 15 µSv, p -value: 0.30). On multivariable analysis, patient obesity and intraprocedural complications were associated with higher radiation exposure to both operators. Ad hoc percutaneous coronary intervention led to excessive radiation exposure to the secondary operator., Conclusions: Transfemoral TAVR is associated with a modest amount of radiation exposure to operators and is significantly higher for the primary operator than for the secondary operator., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Objectives: Countries throughout the world are experiencing COVID-19 viral load in their populations, leading to potential transmission and infectivity of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. The current systematic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate the role of asymptomatic infection and transmission reported in family clusters, adults, children and health care workers, globally., Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis., Methods: An online literature search of PubMed, Google Scholar, medRixv and BioRixv was performed using standard Boolean operators and included studies published up to 17 August 2021. For the systematic review, case reports, short communications and retrospective studies were included to ensure sufficient asymptomatic COVID-19 transmission data were reported. For the quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis), participant data from a collection of cohort studies focusing on groups of familial clusters, adults, children and health care workers were included. Inconsistency among studies was assessed using I 2 statistics. The data synthesis was computed using the STATA 16.0 software., Results: This study showed asymptomatic transmission among familial clusters, adults, children and health care workers of 15.72%, 29.48%, 24.09% and 0%, respectively. Overall, asymptomatic transmission was 24.51% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 14.38, 36.02) among all studied population groups, with a heterogeneity of I 2  = 95.30% (P < 0.001). No heterogeneity was seen in the population subgroups of children and health care workers. The risk of bias in all included studies was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale., Conclusions: For minimising the spread of COVID-19 within the community, this study found that following the screening of asymptomatic cases and their close contacts for chest CT scan (for symptomatic patients), even after negative nucleic acid testing, it is essential to perform a rigorous epidemiological history, early isolation, social distancing and an increased quarantine period (a minimum of 14-28 days). This systematic review and meta-analysis supports the notion of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection and person-to-person transmission and suggests that this is dependent on the varying viral incubation period among individuals. Children, especially those of school age (i.e. <18 years), need to be monitored carefully and follow mitigation strategies (e.g. social distancing, hand hygiene, wearing face masks) to prevent asymptomatic community transmission of COVID-19., (Copyright © 2021 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

KRAS mutation is prevalent in around 30% of all cancers and is an undruggable molecular target. Of seven mutations at codon 12 and 13, only one, the G12C mutant is finally proven to be druggable, as evidenced by the recent USFDA approval of sotorasib. Investigation of other small molecules targeting G12C and G12D are undergoing clinical trials. Understanding the fine structural details is a prerequisite to design specific inhibitors which also requires in depth molecular exploration. We used bioinformatics as a tool to analyze the KRAS protein's GTP (guanosine triphosphate) binding dynamics when mutated. KRAS undergoes significant conformational changes, affecting GTP binding conformation within the active site pocket of KRAS due to high torsional strains, hydrophobicity, and altered Switch I and II regions. GTP molecule for wildtype had a low torsional strain of 10.71, and is the only molecule, in comparison to KRAS mutant bound GTP, to have a glycine at position 10 interacting with its nitrogenous base. All mutant KRAS proteins lacked the interaction of glycine with the nitrogenous base. The binding affinity of wildtype (WT) KRAS for the gamma-phosphate was lower in scoring compared to the mutated KRAS protein in multiple analyses. This study provides an insight to the GTP-KRAS protein binding details that are important to define parameters required to be explored to design the appropriate inhibitor for each different type of mutant KRAS protein., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Outbreak of Corona Virus Disease in late 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic global Public health emergency. Since there is no approved anti-viral drug or vaccine declared for the disease and investigating existing drugs against the COVID-19., Objective: AYUSH-64 is an Ayurvedic formulation, developed and patented by Central Council of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, India, has been in clinical use as anti-malarial, anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic drug for few decades. Thus, the present study was undertaken to evaluate AYUSH-64 compounds available in this drug against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus (SARS-CoV-2) Main Protease (M pro ; PDB ID: 6LU7) via in silico techniques., Materials and Methods: Different molecular docking software's of Discovery studio and Auto Dock Vina were used for drugs from selected AYUSH-64 compounds against SARS-CoV-2. We also conducted 100 ns period of molecular dynamics simulations with Desmond and further MM/GBSA for the best complex of AYUSH-64 with M pro of SARS-CoV-2., Results: Among 36 compounds of four ingredients of AYUSH-64 screened, 35 observed to exhibits good binding energies than the published positive co-crystal compound of N3 pepetide. The best affinity and interactions of Akuammicine N-Oxide (from Alstonia scholaris ) towards the M pro with binding energy (AutoDock Vina) of -8.4 kcal/mol and Discovery studio of Libdock score of 147.92 kcal/mol. Further, molecular dynamics simulations with MM-GBSA were also performed for M pro - Akuammicine N-Oxide docked complex to identify the stability, specific interaction between the enzyme and the ligand. Akuammicine N-Oxide is strongly formed h-bonds with crucial M pro residues, Cys145, and His164., Conclusion: The results provide lead that, the presence of M pro - Akuammicine N-Oxide with highest M pro binding energy along with other 34 chemical compounds having similar activity as part of AYUSH-64 make it a suitable candidate for repurposing to management of COVID-19 by further validating through experimental, clinical studies., Competing Interests: None., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Chemiluminescence signal amplification (CLSA) is of huge interest because of its sensitive detection in various applications such as food analysis, biomedical diagnosis and environmental monitoring. Due to this, there is a manifold attention to develop rapidly prototyped and miniaturized devices for CLSA. In this context, herein, a novel CLSA approach is demonstrated on a 3D printed microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPADs), fabricated using Fused deposition modeling (FDM) printing technology. Influence of working temperature, ranging 30 °C-110 °C, on CL signal generation from well-established Luminol/Co +2 - H 2 O 2 reaction was analyzed using a screen-printed flexible heater onto the 3D printed reaction platform. A smartphone-based capturing/detection system provided the amenability for a point-of-care testing system. For the first time, strong and stable CLSA was found with about 255% ± 5% increase in its signal intensity without using any additional external enhancers. The on-site working temperature was directly in proportional to the intensity of CL signal generated from Luminol/Co +2 - H 2 O 2 reaction under optimum conditions, wherein the device had a wide linear range from 50 nM to 1 μM with a detection limit of 35 nM for H 2 O 2 detection. The reliability of the developed amplification method was tested for practicability to detect the concentration of H 2 O 2 in milk as real sample analysis. Overall, such CLSA mechanism in miniaturized μPADs will have strong potential for multiple CL based detection and monitoring application., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Picric acid (PA) is one of the essential components utilized in manufacturing of explosives. Therefore, the detection of trace amount of PA is critical in forensic science, criminal investigation, military security and environmental safety. Owing to these attributes, development of a simple, rapid and point-of-care (POC) analytical method for PA detection and quantification is crucial. Herein, a low-cost, POC, ink jetted paper device has been developed for electroanalytical detection of PA. Inkjet printing is an economic fabrication process used for extruding several nanomaterials with diversified applications. By improving the ink viscosity, inkjet printers can simplify the fabrication of paper-based electrochemical sensor, and provide easy, fast, environmental friendly and viable for large scale production sensors, thereby adding its commercialization potential. In this work, a commercially available circuit board printer and an inexpensive high viscosity carbon conductive ink were used to print an electrochemical paper device. The fabricated device was used for electrochemical detection of PA using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and wave voltammetry (SWV). Various parameters like effect of potential scan rate from 10 mVs -1 to 300 mVs -1 , effect of variable PA concentration effect was studied. A linear concentration range of 4 μM to 60 μM was obtained. For a working electrode of 7 mm 2 surface area, the limit of detection (LOD) was 4.04 μM (922.56 ppb) which was less than the prescribed safe limit of 8 μM. Effect of interference with other chemicals was examined using SWV with the co-existing metals like zinc, lead, copper and mercury. Finally, real sample analysis for tap and lake water was successfully performed with the device. The developed cost-effective paper-based ink-jetted platform, with further fine-tuning and surface modifications, can be used for sensing various analytes as a point-of-care device., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)