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Abstract Efficient protein turnover is essential for cellular homeostasis and organ function. Loss of proteostasis is a hallmark of aging culminating in severe dysfunction of protein turnover. To investigate protein turnover dynamics as a function of age, we performed continuous in vivo metabolic stable isotope labeling in mice along the aging continuum. First, we discovered that the brain proteome uniquely undergoes dynamic turnover fluctuations during aging compared to heart and liver tissue. Second, trends in protein turnover in the brain proteome during aging showed sex-specific differences that were tightly tied to cellular compartments. Next, parallel analyses of the insoluble proteome revealed that several cellular compartments experience hampered turnover, in part due to misfolding. Finally, we found that age-associated fluctuations in proteasome activity were associated with the turnover of core proteolytic subunits, which was recapitulated by pharmacological suppression of proteasome activity. Taken together, our study provides a proteome-wide atlas of protein turnover across the aging continuum and reveals a link between the turnover of individual proteasome subunits and the age-associated decline in proteasome activity.

Background: Mental health is an overlooked aspect of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patient care with limited data from the developing world. The primary caregiver burden is expected to be high, but has not been evaluated. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire-based survey of consecutive out-patients with no diagnosed mental health illness (n = 289) and their primary caregivers (n = 247) from 10 centers across eight countries (Bangladesh, India, Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand) of IBD-Emerging Nations' Consortium (ENC). Patients were assessed for anxiety (PHQ-9), depression (GAD-7), quality of life (SIBDQ, IBDCOPE) and medication adherence (MMAS-8). Caregiver burden was assessed by Zarit-Burden Interview (ZBI), Ferrans and Power Quality of Life (QOL) scores and coping strategies (BRIEF-COPE). Multivariate logistic regression and correlation analyses were performed to identify risk factors and the impact on QOL in patients and caregivers. Results: Moderate to severe depression and anxiety were noted in 33% (severe 3.5%) and 24% (severe 3.8%) patients, respectively. The risk factor for depression was active disease (p < 0.001, OR6.3), while male gender (p = 0.01, OR0.45) and medication adherence (p = 0.003, OR0.75) were protective. Risk factors for anxiety were unmarried status (p = 0.015, OR2.3), female gender (p = 0.004, OR0.41), steroid use (p = 0.016, OR2.1) and active disease (p < 0.001, OR7.97). High GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores positively correlated with high disease activity (r = 0.55, p < 0.001, Crohn's disease; r = 0.52, p < 0.001 ulcerative colitis) and negatively with SIBDQ (r = − 0.63, p < 0.001; r = − 0.64, p < 0.001 CD; r = 0.36, p = 0.001,UC). Sixty-five per cent (159/249) primary caregivers reported high burden (ZBI ≥ 21), which positively correlated with low educational status and low-income and negatively with QOL(r = − 0.33, p < 0.001). The primary adaptive coping strategy among caregivers was religion, while maladaptive strategy was self-distraction. Conclusion: Nearly two-thirds of primary caregivers reported high burden of care. There was also high prevalence of undiagnosed depression and anxiety in IBD out-patients. This highlights the need for patient-caregiver integrated mental-health services in the developing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN) is a competitive inhibitor of interleukin 1 (IL-1). Natural killer cells (NK cells) contribute to the elimination of viruses by their antiviral effector function, which depends on a balance between inhibitory and activating receptor genes such as NKG2D and NKG2A. Using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assays, the association of intronic single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these genes with viral infection were assessed in 111 patients with hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection and 222 HEV-naive healthy controls. An SNP in the IL1RN (VNTR) gene revealed allele 2 to be associated with protection against HEV infection (IL1RN *1/*1 vs. IL1RN *2/*2, OR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.14–0.47, p < 0.001). Similarly, a polymorphism in the intronic region of NKG2A revealed an association with protection in a co-dominant model (A/A vs. A/G: OR = 0.40; 95% CI = 0.24–0.67; A/A vs. G/G: OR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.10–0.57; p < 0.05) and an association with susceptibility in a dominant model (A/A + A/G vs. G/G: OR = 2.28; 95% CI = 1.06–4.93; p < 0.05) and a recessive model (AA vs. AG + GG: OR = 2.71; 95% CI = 1.66–4.48; p < 0.001). Our data suggest that genetic polymorphisms in host NKG2A and IL1RN have both protective and detrimental roles in HEV infection, although their impact on disease outcome remains unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.), holds significance for traditional medicine and ornamental gardening in India. This study investigates the optimization of micropropagation in cultivars Pusa Narangi Gainda and Pusa Basanti Gainda, via axillary shoot tip culture through germinated seedlings. It emphasizes the impact of hormone concentrations on shoot multiplication, vitrification, and related physiological responses, including the activities of key enzymes like chitinase and β-glucanase. Elevated cytokinin levels were found to suppress shoot growth and induce oxidative stress, evidenced by increased malondialdehyde and enzyme activity. The research identifies critical factors influencing vitrification through correlation analysis, PCA, and eigen analysis, offering strategies to enhance marigold micropropagation and reduce physiological disorders. Notably, this is the first report documenting chitinase and β-glucanase activity in marigolds.Key message: This work offers the first documentation of the function of biological components as β-1.3 glucanase and chitinase in vitrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculomas are prevalent in developing countries and demonstrate variable signals on MRI resulting in the overlap of the conventional imaging phenotype with other entities including glioma and brain metastasis. An accurate MRI diagnosis is important for the early institution of anti-tubercular therapy, decreased patient morbidity, mortality, and prevents unnecessary neurosurgical excision. This study aims to assess the potential of radiomics features of regular contrast images including T1W, T2W, T2W FLAIR, T1W post contrast images, and ADC maps, to differentiate between tuberculomas, high-grade-gliomas and metastasis, the commonest intra parenchymal mass lesions encountered in the clinical practice. Methods: This retrospective study includes 185 subjects. Images were resampled, co-registered, skull-stripped, and zscore-normalized. Automated lesion segmentation was performed followed by radiomics feature extraction, train-test split, and features reduction. All machine learning algorithms that natively support multiclass classification were trained and assessed on features extracted from individual modalities as well as combined modalities. Model explainability of the best performing model was calculated using the summary plot obtained by SHAP values. Results: Extra tree classifier trained on the features from ADC maps was the best classifier for the discrimination of tuberculoma from high-grade-glioma and metastasis with AUC-score of 0.96, accuracy-score of 0.923, Brier-score of 0.23. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that radiomics features are effective in discriminating between tuberculoma, metastasis, and high-grade-glioma with notable accuracy and AUC scores. Features extracted from the ADC maps surfaced as the most robust predictors of the target variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer and diabetes mellitus are quite common diseases found together worldwide. A considerable amount of evidence is available for the rapid development and presentation of various types of cancer in the type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) population as compared with the population without diabetes. The objective of the study is to formulate and evaluate 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and metformin (MET) nanoparticles (NPs) and to establish the characteristic features of the biodegradable NPs. 5-FU and MET NPs with chitosan as a biodegradable polymer were formulated by the ionotropic cross-linking method. 0.25 gm of MET and 0.25 gm of 5-FU were dissolved in 100 ml of distilled water, and stock solution was prepared. 5 ml of stock solution was slowly mixed into the chitosan solution to obtain the mixture of drugs and chitosan. The tripolyphosphate reserve liquid was dripped slowly into the chitosan solution with constant stirring until the opaline appearance was noticed in the mixture, then filtered, and dried. The NPs were evaluated for their physical properties and drug release kinetics. Cell proliferation assay was done using human colorectal carcinoma cell line (HCT 116). Results: The formulation composed of 1.5 w/v of chitosan, 0.25 w/v of MET, and 5-FU had an average particle diameter of 198.7 nm. The polydispersity index was 0.757. Thermal and infrared spectroscopy results indicated the drugs and polymers selected for the formulation were unique without any identifiable interaction. The NPs were spherical in appearance, with numerous pours on the surface, which was evident when microscopically examined. Uniformity in drug release was observed, and the formulation demonstrated excellent release kinetics. HTC 116 cell line confirmed that the maximum percentage of cell death and minimum viability of cells were observed while using the combination of MET and 5-FU-NPs as compared to the pure MET or 5-FU alone. Conclusion: MET and 5-FU-loaded chitosan NPs were found to have excellent physiochemical properties, particle size, and drug release from the polymer in a controlled manner. Half-maximal inhibitory concentration value (IC50) of MET and 5-FU-NPs was found to be significantly less as compared to MET and 5-FU alone or the combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 is a hormone released by enteroendocrine L-cells after food ingestion. L-cells express various receptors for nutrient sensing including G protein-coupled receptors (GPRs). Intestinal epithelial cells near the lumen have a lower O2 tension than at the base of the crypts, which leads to hypoxia in L-cells. We hypothesized that hypoxia affects nutrient-stimulated GLP-1 secretion from the enteroendocrine cell line STC-1, the most commonly used model. In this study, we investigated the effect of hypoxia (1% O2) on alpha-linolenic acid (αLA) stimulated GLP-1 secretion and their receptor expressions. STC-1 cells were incubated for 12 h under hypoxia (1% O2) and treated with αLA to stimulate GLP-1 secretion. 12 h of hypoxia did not change basal GLP-1 secretion, but significantly reduced nutrient (αLA) stimulated GLP-1 secretion. In normoxia, αLA (12.5 μM) significantly stimulated (~ 5 times) GLP-1 secretion compared to control, but under hypoxia, GLP-1 secretion was reduced by 45% compared to normoxia. αLA upregulated GPR120, also termed free fatty acid receptor 4 (FFAR4), expressions under normoxia as well as hypoxia. Hypoxia downregulated GPR120 and GPR40 expression by 50% and 60%, respectively, compared to normoxia. These findings demonstrate that hypoxia does not affect the basal GLP-1 secretion but decreases nutrient-stimulated GLP-1 secretion. The decrease in nutrient-stimulated GLP-1 secretion was due to decreased GPR120 and GPR40 receptors expression. Changes in the gut environment and inflammation might contribute to the hypoxia of the epithelial and L-cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital Muscular Dystrophies (CMD) are phenotypically and genotypically heterogenous disorders with a prevalence of 0.68 to 2.5/100,000, contributing to significant morbidity and mortality. We aimed to study the phenotype-genotype spectrum of genetically confirmed cases of CMD. This was retrospective & descriptive study done at a quaternary care referral centre in south India. Genetically confirmed cases of CMDs seen between 2010 to 2020 were recruited. Detailed clinical history, including pedigree, MRI brain/muscle, next generation sequencing results of 61 CMD cases were collected. Collagen VI-related dystrophy (COL6-RD) (36%) was the most common subtype with variants frequently seen in COL6A1 gene. Other CMDs identified were LAMA2-RD (26%), alpha-dystroglycan-RD (19%), LMNA-RD (8%), CHKB-RD (7%) and SEPN1-RD (3%). Similar to previous cohorts, overall, missense variants were common in COL-6 RD. Variants in triple helical domain (THD) of COL6-RD were seen in 11/22 patients, 5 of whom were ambulatory contrary to previous literature citing severe disease with these variants. However, our follow-up period was shorter. In the LAMA2-RD, 2/16 patients were ambulatory & all 16 carried truncating variants. Among dystroglycanopathies, FKRP-RD was the commonest. Milder phenotype of FKRP- RD was observed with variant c.1343C > T, which was also a recurrent variant in our cohort. p.Arg249Trp variant in LMNA-CMD associated with early loss of ambulation was also identified in 1/5 of our patients who expired at age 2.8 years. The current retrospective series provides detailed clinical features and mutation patterns of genetically confirmed cases of CMD from a single center in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: : Pituitary apoplexy (PA) is a rare clinical syndrome due to acute/subacute pituitary hemorrhage and/or infarction; data on PA in functioning pituitary adenoma (FPA) is scarce. Methods: A retrospective record-review of details of PA in non-functioning (NFPA) and FPA managed at tertiary endocrine center. Results: 93 patients [56 males; 33.3% FPA: 5 acromegaly, 14 prolactinoma, and 12 Cushing's Disease (CD)] diagnosed with PA were included. Median age was 40 years, with younger age of presentation in FPA. Type A (acute) [49.5%] and headache (78.5%) were the commonest presentations, with PA being the initial manifestation in 98.4% of NFPA. Median (range) Pituitary Apoplexy Score (PAS) was 2 (0–8). Median tumor diameter was 2.5 cm, with larger tumors in FPA (3.2 cm vs. 2.3 cm). 29 (46.7%) NFPA-PA and 14 (45.2%) FPA-PA patients [71% prolactinoma, 33% in CD, and none in acromegaly] were conservatively managed. In the NFPA cohort, those managed surgically had significantly higher PAS (4 vs. 1) and larger tumor size (2.6 vs. 1.8 cm); however, both arms had comparable recovery of neuro-visual, radiological, and hormonal outcomes. In FPA cohort, CD and acromegaly required definitive treatment, whereas prolactinomas were effectively managed (clinical and biochemical recovery) with oral cabergoline and glucocorticoids. Matching PAS cohorts (to overcome allocation bias for management approach) in macroadenomas (excluding prolactinoma) showed comparable neuro-deficit and hormonal recovery between surgical and conservative approaches. Conclusion: PA in FPA has distinct features and management issues. Carefully selected patients (PAS guided) in NFPA with PA for conservative management have comparable outcomes to surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the associations between race, ethnicity, help-seeking behavior and perceptions of mental health treatment among college students with depression. This cross-sectional study included pooled data from the Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 semesters for n = 654 students from one large, public university. Baseline surveys were administered to undergraduate students at the beginning of each semester. Findings indicated that Asian students with depression have a 77% increased odds (aOR = 1.77, 95% CI: (1.17, 2.68), p value = 0.007) of seeking help compared to White students with depression. Asian students with depression have two times the odds of regretting not seeking help compared to White students (aOR = 2.00, 95% CI: (1.05, 3.89), p value = 0.03) while Hispanic students with depression have 1.72 times the odds of regretting not seeking help compared to White students (aOR = 1.72, 95% CI: (0.94, 3.16), p value = 0.079). Asian race modified the effect of general anxiety on help-seeking behavior, reducing the odds of help-seeking by 53% (interaction OR: 0.47 (95% CI: (0.20, 1.10), p value = 0.08). Findings show that the psychosocial landscape of Asian minorities among students with depression is changing; future research should focus on these shifting attitudes to encourage help-seeking behavior and tailor treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the genotype-phenotype characteristics of patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency from Western India and ascertain the prevalence of various phenotypes of 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Methods: Patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency, diagnosed clinically and biochemically, were prospectively enrolled and classified into salt wasting (SW), simple virilizing (SV), and non-classic (NC) phenotypes and were subjected to genetic testing of CYP21A2 by targeted sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). Results: Eighty (64; 46, XX) probands with 21-hydroxylase deficiency were analyzed. 41 had SW, 34 had SV, and 5 had NC phenotype. Disease-causing mutations were identified in 158/160 alleles. The common mutations were Deletions/Large Gene Conversions (Del/LGC, 25.6%), p.293–13A/C>G (22.5%), and p.Ile173Asn (18.75%). Exon 6 cluster mutations (Ile236Asn, Val237Glu, Met238Lys) and p.Val282Leu were absent. c.−113G>A+p.Pro31Leu (6.87%) and p.Phe405Ser (2.5%) were rare recurrent mutations with a possible founder effect. Two novel variants (Exon 1, p.Leu49Arg, Exon 8, p.Leu362Ter) were identified and were estimated to have low enzyme activity (<2%). Conclusion: Del/LGC were the most common mutations identified. c.−113G>A+p.Pro31Leu and p.Phe405Ser were recurrent variants with possible founder effect. This study also reiterates the low prevalence of NC phenotype in Indian cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast carcinoma or breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. It is very dangerous, and early detection is important for proper diagnosis and reduction of mortality rate. Cancer starts in a benign state, and if there is no proper treatment, it becomes malignant. Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) techniques can be used for early detection of cancers. These techniques can significantly and effectively help in the diagnosis of cancer. Deep learning is the most popular technique used for accurate data analysis. It is also a powerful tool for categorizing histopathological images of breast cancer and analyzing breast cell shapes and densities. This paper proposes a hybrid EfficientNet with an SVM to categorize breast mass density with consideration of tumor types. (i.e., malignant or benign). In this hybrid, EfficientNet, the mammography images are applied to EfficientNet, and then the classification is carried out using a Support Vector Machine (SVM). The proposed model achieved accuracy of 94.48%, precision of 94.79%, specificity of 99.21%, Precision of 94.79%, FPR of 0.79%, score of 94.45%, MCC of 93.78%, and Kappa of 74.76%. The model outperformed state-of-the-art techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive and treatment-resistant subtype of breast cancer, lacking the expression of estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors. Conventional chemotherapy remains the primary treatment option, but its efficacy is often compromised by the development of drug resistance. Nanoquercetin has garnered the attention of researchers due to its potential in combating cancer. This antioxidant exhibits significant efficacy against various types of cancer, including blood, breast, pancreatic, prostate, colon, and oral cancers. Functioning as a potential anti-cancer agent, nanoquercetin impedes the development and proliferation of cancer cells, induces apoptosis and autophagy, and prevents cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Numerous processes, such as the inhibition of pathways linked to angiogenesis, inflammation, and cell survival, are responsible for these anticancer actions. Moreover, it shields DNA from degradation caused by radiation and other carcinogens. The cost-effectiveness of current cancer treatments remains a significant challenge in healthcare, imposing a substantial economic burden on societies worldwide. Preclinical studies and early-phase clinical trials indicate that nanoquercetin-based therapies could offer a significant advancement in the management of TNBC, providing a foundation for future research and clinical application in overcoming drug resistance and improving patient outcomes. This article examines the latest data on nanoquercetin's potent anti-cancer properties and interprets the accumulated research findings within the framework of preventive, predictive, and personalized (3P) medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement in technology, with the "Internet of Things (IoT) is continuing a crucial task to accomplish distance medical care observation, where the effective and secure healthcare information retrieval is complex. However, the IoT systems have restricted resources hence it is complex to attain effective and secure healthcare information acquisition. The idea of smart healthcare has developed in diverse regions, where small-scale implementations of medical facilities are evaluated. In the IoT-aided medical devices, the security of the IoT systems and related information is highly essential on the other hand, the edge computing is a significant framework that rectifies their processing and computational issues. The edge computing is inexpensive, and it is a powerful framework to offer low latency information assistance by enhancing the computation and the transmission speed of the IoT systems in the medical sectors. The main intention of this work is to design a secure framework for Edge computing in IoT-enabled healthcare systems using heuristic-based authentication and "Named Data Networking (NDN)". There are three layers in the proposed model. In the first layer, many IoT devices are connected together, and using the cluster head formation, the patients are transmitting their data to the edge cloud layer. The edge cloud layer is responsible for storage and computing resources for rapidly caching and providing medical data. Hence, the patient layer is a new heuristic-based sanitization algorithm called Revised Position of Cat Swarm Optimization (RPCSO) with NDN for hiding the sensitive data that should not be leaked to unauthorized users. This authentication procedure is adopted as a multi-objective function key generation procedure considering constraints like hiding failure rate, information preservation rate, and degree of modification. Further, the data from the edge cloud layer is transferred to the user layer, where the optimal key generation with NDN-based restoration is adopted, thus achieving efficient and secure medical data retrieval. The framework is evaluated quantitatively on diverse healthcare datasets from University of California (UCI) and Kaggle repository and experimental analysis shows the superior performance of the proposed model in terms of latency and cost when compared to existing solutions. The proposed model performs the comparative analysis of the existing algorithms such as Cat Swarm Optimization (CSO), Osprey Optimization Algorithm (OOA), Mexican Axolotl Optimization (MAO), Single candidate optimizer (SCO). Similarly, the cryptography tasks like "Rivest–Shamir–Adleman (RSA), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), and Data sanitization and Restoration (DSR) are applied and compared with the RPCSO in the proposed work. The results of the proposed model is compared on the basis of the best, worst, mean, median and standard deviation. The proposed RPCSO outperforms all other models with values of 0.018069361, 0.50564046, 0.112643119, 0.018069361, 0.156968355 and 0.283597992, 0.467442652, 0.32920734, 0.328581887, 0.063687386 for both dataset 1 and dataset 2 respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene therapy holds promise for treatment of inherited retinal dystrophies, a group of rare genetic disorders characterized by severe loss of vision. Here, we report up to 3-year pre-specified interim safety and efficacy results of an open-label first-in-human dose-escalation phase 1/2 gene therapy clinical trial in 12 patients with retinal dystrophy caused by biallelic mutations in the retinaldehyde-binding protein 1 (RLBP1) gene of the visual cycle. The primary endpoints were systemic and ocular safety and recovery of dark adaptation. Secondary endpoints included microperimetry, visual field sensitivity, dominant eye test and patient-reported outcomes. Subretinal delivery of an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV8-RLBP1) was well tolerated with dose-dependent intraocular inflammation which responded to corticosteroid treatment, and focal atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium as the dose limiting toxicity. Dark adaptation kinetics, the primary efficacy endpoint, improved significantly in all dose-cohorts. Treatment with AAV8-RLBP1 resulted in the resolution of disease-related retinal deposits, suggestive of successful restoration of the visual cycle. In conclusion, to date, AAV8-RLBP1 has shown preliminary safety and efficacy in patients with RLBP1-associated retinal dystrophy. Trial number: NCT03374657. This phase I/II clinical trial was designed to assess safety and efficacy of gene therapy for Bothnia dystrophy, an inherited retinal degeneration leading to blindness. Kvanta et al. show interim results from 12 patients with meaningfully improved visual function in dim light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around the world, the spread of pheretimoid earthworm species from Southeast Asia has raised ecological, environmental, and conservation concerns in urban-suburban settings and forest habitats. There is currently a global discourse surrounding the taxonomic status of pheretimoid earthworms. Therefore, a comparative molecular systematics study was conducted on pheretimoid, utilizing an integrative taxonomy approach that relied on morpho-anatomical characterization and the COI gene. The study generated and compared the 51 COI barcodes of pheretimoid with existing 156 COI sequences of pheretimoid earthworms worldwide, with the primary goal of testing various analytical methods for species delimitation and examining phylogenetic reconstruction. Seven different methods of species delineation were applied, viz., Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD), Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning (ASAP), General Mixed Yule Coalescence (GMYC), Poisson Tree Processes (PTP), Bayesian Poisson Tree Processes (bPTP), Multiple Poisson Tree Processes (mPTP), and Refined Single Linkage (RESL). Additionally, trees using Bayesian Inference (BI) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) were created for phylogenetic studies. The results unveiled 10 species belonging to 3 genera, viz., Amynthas, Metaphire, and Polypheretima. Furthermore, the study reported one new record from India, Amynthas andersoni choprai, and range expansion of Amynthas alexandri, Metaphire posthuma, and Polypheretima elongata to Manipur, the north-eastern region of India. Further, the peregrine species Amynthas corticis was reported for the first time in Madhya Pradesh in the central part of India. The study concluded that the genera Amynthas, Metaphire, and Pheretima do not exhibit monophyletic lineages which corroborates with previous studies. The study aligns with earlier studies that recommended reassessing the numerical revision of the genus Pheretima auct. (Sims & Easton, 1972). In addition, a comprehensive analysis of the evolutionary relationships between multiple pheretimoid earthworms in India has been provided, laying the foundation for understanding their origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) are restricted to case reports (~ 11 patients) and long-term follow-up data are further scarce. We describe our experience on managing TIO from a tertiary care center in India. Retrospective study of patients with localized TIO was performed and clinical, biochemical, treatment and follow-up details were retrieved. Normalization of serum phosphorus in absence of phosphate supplementation was defined as remission. Of 33 patients (23 males), 24 patients underwent surgery as first-line treatment, and early remission, delayed remission (> 1 month for phosphorus normalization) and persistence were observed 12, 3, and 9 patients at a median follow-up of 5 (4–9) years. The gender, age, tumor size, location of tumors and FGF23 levels were not statistically different in patients who were in remission after surgery versus those with persistent disease. Second/third line treatment included conventional medical treatment and/or repeat surgery (n = 3), radiotherapy (n = 3), peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (n = 1), RFA (n = 1). Two patients had transient worsening (weeks) of weakness post-surgery. 10 patients underwent RFA (first-line n = 9); at the last follow-up 5 (4–10) years, 7 are in remission. Two of three persistent disease patients had large tumors (5.6 and 3.6 cm). There were no RFA-related complications except local ulcer in one. Although persistent disease was present in a few patients in both arms, there was no recurrence in either RFA or surgical cohort. RFA provide durable response similar to surgery, persistence requires multi-modality treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past few decades have seen considerable interest in modeling time series of counts, with applications in many domains. Classical and Bayesian modeling have primarily focused on conditional Poisson sampling distributions at each time. There is very little research on modeling time series involving Zero-Modified (i.e., Zero Deflated or Inflated) distributions. This paper aims to fill this gap and develop models for count time series involving Zero-Modified distributions, which belong to the Power Series family and are suitable for time series exhibiting both zero-inflation and zero-deflation. A full Bayesian approach via the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) technique enables accurate modeling and inference. The paper illustrates our approach using time series on the number of deaths from the influenza virus in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the superiority of anthropometric indices compared to others for predicting ischemic heart disease (IHD) or cardiometabolic risk factors. This study was a cross-sectional analysis of the Pars Cohort Study data. In total, 9229 Valashahr inhabitants aged 40–75 were included in the analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analyses was used to compare the predictive accuracy of four anthropometric measures, including body mass index, waist to height ratio (WHtR), waist to hip ratio (WHR), and waist circumference (WC). IHD prevalence was 10.4% in our sample. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome was 12.7%, 29.2%, 58.4%, and 22.3%, respectively. All anthropometric indices had poor to good accuracy in predicting IHD risk factors, with AUCs ranging between 0.580 and 0.818. WHR was the most accurate measure for predicting IHD in both genders. All indexes had a better accuracy for predicting DM, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in males than in females. To conclude, anthropometric measures, especially WC and WHtR, are recommended for predicting metabolic syndrome in primary prevention settings. These simple indices could help physicians find those who need further evaluation for MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined how Land Use Land Cover (LULC) and climate affect groundwater recharge in Southern India's semi-arid region. Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase6-Global Circulation Models (CMIP6-GCMs) climatic data is used to generate climate projections for the future. The GCMs are ranked for precipitation and temperatures using the Taylor Skill Score (TSS). Rating Metric (RM) is preferred to establish the final rank of the GCMs. Ensemble of projections from the top four ranked GCMs: Max Planck Institute Earth System Model version 1.2 - Low Resolution (MPI-ESM1-2-LR), European Consortium Earth System Model version 3 (EC-Earth3), Max Planck Institute Earth System Model version 1.2 - High Resolution (MPI-ESM1-2-HR), and Institute for Numerical Mathematics Coupled Model version 5 (INM-CM5-0) are used as they estimated the most reliable forecasts for all the three considered parameters. MPI-ESM1-2-LR is the top-ranked GCM with an RM of 0.92. The future LULC map is produced using Cellular Automata and Artificial Neural Networks (CA-ANN). Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is used to evaluate the individual impact of climate change on groundwater recharge and the combined impacts of LULC and climate change on groundwater recharge in water-stressed regions (semi-arid) using standard modelling techniques. The SWAT model has been calibrated using monthly discharge data from a gauging station, resulting in an overall accuracy of R2 = 0.83 and NSE = 0.81. The SWAT groundwater module is employed to estimate recharge across different time frames: baseline (1985–2014), near-future (2015–2030), mid-future (2031–2060) and far-future (2061–2100), considering moderate (SSP2-4.5) and extreme (SSP5-8.5) emission scenarios. Results indicate that under constant LULC conditions, recharge varied between 135 and 215 mm/year for SSP2-4.5 and 149 to 316 mm/year for SSP5-8.5. Notably, compared to the baseline recharge of 116.4 mm, future groundwater recharge increased under both SSP scenarios. The observed variations in recharge carry significant implications for understanding how varied emission scenarios may impact groundwater resources over the specified time periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During evolution Orientia tsutsugamushi became a smarter obligate bacterium to establish as intracellular pathogens. O. tsutsugamushi is a human pathogenic bacterium responsible for 1 billion infections of scrub typhus. Several novel mechanisms make this bacterium unique (cell wall, genetic constitutions, secretion system, etc.). In 2007, O. tsutsugamushi Boryong was pioneer strain for whole-genome sequencing. But the fundamental biology of this bacterial cell is a mystery till date. The unusual biology makes this organism as model for host cell interaction. Only a few antibiotics are effective against this intracellular pathogen but emergence of less susceptibility toward antibiotics make the situation alarming. The review was captivated to highlight the unusual aspects of adaptation, antibiotics, and drugs beyond antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Efficient synthesis of isatin Schiff's bases (IIIa–IIId) and isatin-derived 1,3,4-oxadizoles (IVa–IVd) and evaluation of their in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-TB activities. The molecular docking studies were performed with protein New Delhi Metallo-Beta-lactamase-1 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis enoyl reductase and molecular dynamics simulation. Methods: The chemical structures were confirmed by IR, NMR, and mass spectroscopic techniques. The biological screenings were studied for the foresaid compounds for their in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-TB activity using MIC method. Molecular docking and dynamics simulation studies were conducted using AutoDock software with proteins New Delhi Metallo-Beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1, PDB ID: 3ZR9) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis enoyl reductase (INHA, PDB ID: 4TZK). Results and Discussion: The compounds (IVa–IVc) displayed excellent in vitro antimicrobial activity. Also, the compounds (IVa–IVc), were found to be most active with a MIC of 3.125 µg/mL. For the docked proteins, all the compounds exhibited a substantial binding affinity. Further, molecular dynamics were disclosed for compounds (IVa–IVc). Conclusions: The compounds (IIIa–IIId) and (IVa–IVd) were synthesized from substituted isatins, p-amino benzoic acid, and isoniazid with moderate to excellent yields. These reactions are simple, convenient, and hitherto novel. In docking studies the compounds (IVa–IVc) showed excellent bind affinity towards the enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pituitary apoplexy (PA) in Cushing's disease (CD) is rare with data limited to case reports/series. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed case records of PA in CD managed at our center from 1987 to 2023 and performed a systematic literature review. Results: We identified 58 patients (44 females), including twelve from our center (12/315 CD, yielding a PA prevalence in CD of 3.8%) and forty six from systematic review. The median age at PA diagnosis was 35 years. The most common presentation was type A (79.3%) and symptom was headache (89.6%), with a median Pituitary Apoplexy Score (PAS) of 2. Median cortisol and ACTH levels were 24.9 µg/dl and 94.1 pg/ml, respectively. Apoplexy was the first manifestation of underlying CD in 55.2% of cases, with 31.1% (14/45) presenting with hypocortisolemia (serum cortisol ≤ 5.0 µg/dl), underscoring the importance of recognizing clinical signs/symptoms of hypercortisolism. The median largest tumor dimension was 1.7 cm (53/58 were macroadenomas). PA was managed surgically in 57.8% of cases, with the remainder conservatively managed. All five PA cases in CD with microadenoma achieved remission through conservative management, though two later relapsed. Among treatment-naïve CD patients with macroadenoma, PA-related neuro-deficit improvement was comparable between surgical and conservative groups. However, a greater proportion of surgically managed patients remained in remission longer (70% vs. 38.5%; p = 0.07), for an average of 31 vs. 10.5 months. Conclusion: PA in CD is more commonly associated with macroadenomas, may present with hypocortisolemia, and surgical treatment tends towards higher and longer-lasting remission rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the deaths of millions of people and severe global economic impacts. Small molecule therapeutics have played an important role in the fight against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, but their efficacy has been limited in scope and availability, with many people unable to access their benefits, and better options are needed. EDP-235 is specifically designed to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, with potent nanomolar activity against all SARS-CoV-2 variants to date, as well as clinically relevant human and zoonotic coronaviruses. EDP-235 maintains potency against variants bearing mutations associated with nirmatrelvir resistance. Additionally, EDP-235 demonstrates a ≥ 500-fold selectivity index against multiple host proteases. In a male Syrian hamster model of COVID-19, EDP-235 suppresses SARS-CoV-2 replication and viral-induced hamster lung pathology. In a female ferret model, EDP-235 inhibits production of SARS-CoV-2 infectious virus and RNA at multiple anatomical sites. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 contact transmission does not occur when naïve ferrets are co-housed with infected, EDP-235-treated ferrets. Collectively, these results demonstrate that EDP-235 is a broad-spectrum coronavirus inhibitor with efficacy in animal models of primary infection and transmission.In this study, the authors report the small molecule inhibitor EDP-235 as a potent inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 and show that it is effective against a range of variants and other coronaviruses and that it suppresses virus replication, reduces lung damage, and prevents transmission in small animal models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quercus griffithii is an ecologically and economically important tree species utilized for firewood, fodder, compost, and building-making. It is also a good source of food for wildlife. The genetic diversity of Q. griffithii is poorly understood; therefore, in the present study, 16 polymorphic SSR markers were used to assess the extent and pattern of genetic diversity in Q. griffithii samples collected from the northeastern region of India. The SSR markers revealed significant discriminating power (PIC range, 0.15˗0.81) and resulted in the amplification of 119 alleles. At the species level, it showed moderate levels of genetic diversity (Ho = 0.47; He = 0.52) with low genetic differentiation (FST = 0.06) and high gene flow (Nm = 3.91). Two genetic clusters, with high admixture populations were estimated in the Bayesian analysis of STRUCTURE, which was in accordance with clusters of UPGMA and PCoA. This is the first study to assess genetic diversity using SSR markers in Q. griffithii. The genetic information generated in this study will be helpful in the future conservation and restoration of Q. griffithii in the northeastern region of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, a one-step xanthation process was used to synthesize biosorbents from persimmon leaves (Diospyros kaki). The resulting biosorbents, referred to as MPM, exhibited high sorption capacities for Hexavalent chromium and Cd(II) at different pH values. Specifically, at pH 3, the Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity for Cr(VI)-MPM was determined to be 710 mg/g, while at pH 7, it was 622 mg/g for Cd(II)-MPM systems. The adsorption kinetics of both the metal ions followed the pseudo-2nd-order model, with R2 values close to 1 (0.99). Through FT-IR and XPS studies, it was determined that ion exchange, surface complexation, and chelation were the primary mechanisms responsible for removing the analytes from water using MPM as sorbent. The presence of the -CS2-Na group in MPM played a crucial role in these removal mechanisms. Additionally, MPM displayed notable antibacterial efficacy against S. aureus and E. coli. Considering its rapid kinetics, wide pH range applicability, impressive sorption capacity, recyclability, and effective antibacterial properties, MPM proves to be a highly suitable adsorbent for removing Hexavalent chromium and Cd(II) from industrial wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inflammasome is a multimeric protein complex that plays a vital role in the defence against pathogens and is therefore considered an essential component of the innate immune system. In this study, the expression patterns of inflammasome genes (NLRC3, ASC, and CAS-1), antiviral genes (IFNγ and MX), and immune genes (IL-1β and IL-18) were analysed in Oreochromis niloticus liver (ONIL) cells following stimulation with the bacterial ligands peptidoglycan (PGN) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and infection with TiLV. The cells were stimulated with PGN and LPS at concentrations of 10, 25, and 50 µg/ml. For viral infection, 106 TCID50 of TiLV per ml was used. After LPS stimulation, all seven genes were found to be expressed at specific time points at each of the three doses tested. However, at even higher doses of LPS, NLRC3 levels decreased. Following TiLV infection, all of the genes showed significant upregulation, especially at early time points. However, the gene expression pattern was found to be unique in PGN-treated cells. For instance, NLRC3 and ASC did not show any response to PGN stimulation, and the expression of IFNγ was downregulated at 25 and 50 µg of PGN per ml. CAS-1 and IL-18 expression was downregulated at 25 µg of PGN per ml. At a higher dose (50 µg/ml), IL-1β showed downregulation. Overall, our results indicate that these genes are involved in the immune response to viral and bacterial infection and that the degree of response is ligand- and dose-dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents improved single- and multi-objective algorithms based on the original moth flame optimizer (MFO) to tackle the dynamic economic emission dispatch (DEED) problem that affects power systems operations. The DEED problem is a multi-objective optimization problem that is strongly constrained, multi-dimensional, nonlinear, and non-convex. It comprises several optimization criteria, many of which are in direct opposition to one another; therefore, no one solution is optimal with regard to all of those criteria. Firstly, an enhanced flame generation strategy is incorporated into the MFO algorithm to improve performance. Then, the improved MFO is combined with the crowding distance mechanism and non-dominated sorting framework to enhance the convergence rate and the quality of the results. This helps improve the convergence pace. Firstly, the proposed multi-objective moth flame optimizer (MOMFO) algorithm is validated using 15 ZDT and UF benchmark multi-objective test functions. Then, the nonlinear DEED problem is also solved by determining the feasible optimal solution using the MOMFO algorithm. The implementation of the MOMFO on 10-unit systems and the IEEE 30-bus test system is being done to display the ability to solve a nonlinear, non-convex, and constrained DEED optimization problem. The DEED problem is solved using the MOMFO algorithm and other state-of-the-art algorithms, such as the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II), the multi-objective teaching–learning-based optimization (MOTLBO) algorithm, and multi-objective reptile search algorithm (MORSA). The selection of the control parameters of the MOMFO can be decided from the algorithm's findings on different IEEE bus systems. This study also introduces a new technique for incorporating loss predictions using artificial neural networks into the DEED model. During each phase of the dispatch time, the trained neural network can make only a single forecast of the transmission loss. The performance of MOMFO is compared with NSGA-II, MOTLBO, and MORSA, and the results obtained for both benchmarks and DEED proved the superiority of the proposed algorithm in solving the DEED of the power systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a new intelligent trajectory tracking control law for the precise maneuvering of an autonomous vehicle in the presence of parametric uncertainties and external disturbances. The controller design includes a fuzzy sliding mode algorithm for smooth motion control subjected to steering saturation and curvature constraints. Along with the Salp Swarm Optimization technique, explored for optimal selection of surface coefficient in fractional order Proportional-Derivative type P D α sliding manifold. The sliding variable on the surface approaches zero in a finite time. Further, the trajectory tracking control rule offers the stability of closed-loop tracking on the predetermined path and ensures finite time convergence to the sliding surface. In addition, to estimate the hitting gain in online mode, a supervisory fuzzy logic controller system is used. Therefore, it is not necessary to determine upper bounds on uncertainty in the dynamic parameters of autonomous vehicles. Lyapunov theory verifies the global asymptotic stability of the entire closed-loop control strategy. The major control issue is the input constraints arising primarily due to the capability of the steering actuating module, which causes significant deviation or vehicle instability. Consequently, it is desirable to design a robust adaptive stable controller, such as Adaptive Backstepping Control (ABC), even though it requires vehicle model information. Therefore, the proposed model-free intelligent sliding mode technique offers better tracking performance and vehicle stability in adverse conditions. Finally, the efficacy of the proposed control technique was confirmed through a comparative analysis based on numerical simulation using MATLAB/SIMULINK and experimental validation using Quanser's self-driving car module. A quantitative study was conducted to elucidate the superior tracking performance of intelligent control over the traditional SMC and adaptive backstepping control methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research aimed at green synthesis of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) based colorimetric sensor using persimmon leaf extract (PLE) for selective detection of mercuric ion (Hg2+). Optimization of reaction conditions viz. pH, concentration of PLE, time was done and further AgNPs were characterized using UV, IR, FE-SEM, EDX, XRD and TEM analysis. The developed AgNPs were evaluated for the selective colorimetric detection of Hg2+ in aqueous medium and fluorescence imaging of Hg2+ ions in liver cell lines. Later, the antibacterial activity of AgNPs was performed against S. aureus and E. coli. The findings of the study revealed that PLE mediated AgNPs exhibited notable limit of detection up to 0.1 ppb, high efficiency, and stability. The antibacterial study indicated that developed AgNPs has impressive bacterial inhibiting properties against the tested bacterial strains. In conclusion, developed biogenic AgNPs has high selectivity and notable sensitivity towards Hg2+ ions and may be used as key tool water remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With black soldier fly (BSF) larvae being recognized as effective waste convertors, the global market for BSF industry is projected to grow substantially in the coming decade. However, using non-waste materials in the bioconversion process increases the environmental footprint of the BSF industry [e.g.: chicken feed (CF) as primary neonatal nursery meal]. In this study, we first tested if industrial food wastes (i.e., okara, biscuit meal, dried fish, coconut.) can be substitute diets for BSF neonates. Next, we tested three formulated meals based on the nutritional properties of the well-performing nursery diets from the first test/previous literatures. In the first test, we observed significant differences in neonatal growth when food wastes were directly used as nursery meals, and the initial weight of neonates influenced the development time of the larvae, with smaller neonates exhibiting prolonged larval duration. In contrast, the formulated meals performed well in promoting the growth of neonates, and the larval development showed no significant difference by day eight in the post-nursery rearing. In summary, our findings indicate that by meeting specific nutritional requirements, formulated diets made from industrial food waste could serve as a viable replacement for CF as nursery meals, resulting in a significant boost in the sustainability of the BSF industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health and disease are fundamentally influenced by microbial communities and their genes (the microbiome). An in-depth analysis of microbiome structure that enables the classification of individuals based on their health can be crucial in enhancing diagnostics and treatment strategies to improve the overall well-being of an individual. In this paper, we present a novel semi-supervised methodology known as Randomized Feature Selection based Latent Dirichlet Allocation (RFSLDA) to study the impact of the gut microbiome on a subject's health status. Since the data in our study consists of fuzzy health labels, which are self-reported, traditional supervised learning approaches may not be suitable. As a first step, based on the similarity between documents in text analysis and gut-microbiome data, we employ Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), a topic modeling approach which uses microbiome counts as features to group subjects into relatively homogeneous clusters, without invoking any knowledge of observed health status (labels) of subjects. We then leverage information from the observed health status of subjects to associate these clusters with the most similar health status making it a semi-supervised approach. Finally, a feature selection technique is incorporated into the model to improve the overall classification performance. The proposed method provides a semi-supervised topic modelling approach that can help handle the high dimensionality of the microbiome data in association studies. Our experiments reveal that our semi-supervised classification algorithm is effective and efficient in terms of high classification accuracy compared to popular supervised learning approaches like SVM and multinomial logistic model. The RFSLDA framework is attractive because it (i) enhances clustering accuracy by identifying key bacteria types as indicators of health status, (ii) identifies key bacteria types within each group based on estimates of the proportion of bacteria types within the groups, and (iii) computes a measure of within-group similarity to identify highly similar subjects in terms of their health status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To highlight the utility of Colorectal Nurse Specialist (CNS) supervised parental administration of rectal washouts in the management of Hirschsprung's disease (HD). Methods: Retrospective case note review of HD patients treated at a tertiary children's hospital in United Kingdom from January 2011 to December 2022. Data collected included demographics, complications, enterocolitis, obstructive symptoms and stomas. Primary pull-through (PT) is done 8–12 weeks after birth. Parental expertise in performing rectal washouts at home is ensured by our CNS team before and after PT. Results: PT was completed in 69 of 74 HD patients. Rectal washouts were attempted on 63 patients before PT. Failure of rectal washout efficacy necessitated a stoma in four patients (6.4%). Of the 65 patients who had PT and stoma closed, three (4.5%) required a further stoma over a mean follow-up period of 57 months (Range 7–144 months). Two of these had intractable diarrhoea due to Total Colonic Aganglionosis (TCA). One patient (1.5%) had unmanageable obstructive symptoms requiring re-diversion. Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis (HAEC) requiring hospital admission occurred in 14 patients (21%). Conclusion: Our stoma rates are lower compared to recent UK data. This could potentially be due to emphasis on parental ability to perform effective rectal washouts at home under CNS supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This narrative literature review has analyzed the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) in the field of maritime medicine. A comprehensive search was conducted in academic databases using relevant search terms, resulting in the identification of 257 records. After screening for relevance and quality, a final review was conducted on 17 papers. This review highlights the potential applications and benefits of AI and AR in enhancing medical practices and safety measures for seafarers. The integration of AI and AR technologies in maritime medicine shows promise in providing real-time medical assistance, remote consultations, augmented training, and improved diagnostic capabilities. Additionally, AI-driven predictive models can aid in early detection of health issues and support proactive health management onboard ships. Challenges related to data privacy, connectivity at sea, and the need for regulatory frameworks are also discussed. The data analysis reported in this review contributes to a better understanding of the current state and future potential of AI and AR in maritime medicine and provide insights into opportunities for further research and implementation in the maritime industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collision-resistant hash functions (CRH ) are a fundamental and ubiquitous cryptographic primitive. Several recent works have studied a relaxation of CRH called t-way multi-collision-resistant hash functions ( t - MCRH ). These are families of functions for which it is computationally hard to find a t-way collision, even though such collisions are abundant (and even (t - 1) -way collisions may be easy to find). The case of t = 2 corresponds to standard CRH , but it is natural to study t- MCRH for larger values of t. Multi-collision resistance seems to be a qualitatively weaker property than standard collision resistance. Nevertheless, in this work we show a non-blackbox transformation of any moderately shrinking t- MCRH , for t ∈ { 3 , 4 } , into an (infinitely often secure) CRH . This transformation is non-constructive—we can prove the existence of a CRH but cannot explicitly point out a construction. Our result partially extends to larger values of t. In particular, we show that for suitable values of t > t ′ , we can transform a t- MCRH into a t ′ - MCRH , at the cost of reducing the shrinkage of the resulting hash function family and settling for infinitely often security. This result utilizes the list-decodability properties of Reed–Solomon codes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study provides a comprehensive examination of the free vibration responses exhibited by adhesive-bonded double lap joints. The outcomes derived from this approach provide invaluable insights for optimizing the performance and stability of adhesive-bonded double lap joints in engineering applications. Methods: To assess the natural frequencies of these joint structures, a finite element analysis is employed. The natural frequency parameters obtained are then compared with existing literature, revealing a strong concurrence that substantiates the precision and consistency of the study. The investigation delves into the influence of various design parameters, including material properties, stacking patterns, and aspect ratios, on the modal analysis of these joint structures. Results: This research conducts a significance and sensitivity analysis to assess the impact of diverse factors on the natural frequencies of adhesive joints. Utilizing an analysis of variance (ANOVA) method, modal frequencies can be predicted. Outcomes revealed that one-sided fixed support results in a 79% lower natural frequency, and modal frequencies increase with changing elasticity-to-adhesive ratios. Plate length has the most significant influence on modal frequencies, and the ANOVA analysis yielded an average error of 2.871%. Conclusions: This study found that the combination of Poisson's ratio and shear modulus significantly impacts the vibration of glass/epoxy double lap joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare, life-threatening disease of diverse etiology. It is defined as severe acute liver injury for fewer than 26 weeks' duration with encephalopathy and impaired synthetic function (international normalized ratio [INR] of 1.5 or higher) in a patient without cirrhosis or pre-existing liver disease. The diagnosis rests mainly on the clinical ground with wide range of pathological features. The present study seeks to explore the diverse histological patterns observed in cases for ALF and assess their usefulness in determining the underlying causes for the condition. Methodology: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among patients of ALF who underwent liver transplant and transjugular liver biopsy over a five-year period. From 1082 explant liver and 2446 liver biopsies, 22 cases of ALF (10 explants and 12 liver biopsies) were included in the study. Clinical and laboratory details were retrieved and histological findings were reviewed. Result: Age ranged from 10 to 72 years (mean age, 40 years). There was a female predominance with a male:female ratio of 1:1.7. The commonest cause for ALF was virus-induced hepatocellular damage in 36.3% (eight patients), followed by autoimmune hepatitis in 22.7% (five patients), drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in 18.1% (four patients), cryptogenic in 13.6% (three patients) and ischemic injury secondary to large vein thrombosis in 9.0% (two) patients. The histological patterns identified were categorized into six categories. A more comprehensive morphological evaluation was conducted specifically for cases of ALF associated with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and compared with other cases of ALF. Conclusion: In summary, our present study illustrates a morphological overlap in various patterns for the purpose of etiological assessment. In cases of AIH ALF, the presence of portal plasma cell infiltrate and central perivenulitis were identified as significant histological features to guide diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Privacy and security are the most essential barriers preventing widespread public cloud adaptation. The data that is distributed within the cloud requires privacy protection which can be achieved through the implementation of a data anonymization process. However, there is a lack of privacy for the user data. Even though the differential privacy model minimizes the efficiency, it also leads to generate data loss and privacy is not enhanced. Data securing in a cloud environment is a complex task. The data that are distributed within the cloud requires privacy protection which can be achieved through the implementation of a data anonymization process. So in order to improve the efficiency the novel hybrid ABRF-Stacked Bi-GRU is proposed to secure the medical data. This proposed method diminished the leakage of data and also effectively improve security and privacy. Therefore, in this paper, the privacy-preserving hybrid attention-based random forest (ABRF) with stacked bidirectional gated recurrent unit (stacked Bi-GRU) model named hybrid ABRF-Stacked Bi-GRU is proposed in the cloud environment. This proposed model is used to preserve medical data in the cloud from private data leakage. The attention weights along with the trainable parameters are assigned by the ABRF model to the decision trees. The privacy leakage is reduced by combining Jarratt butterfly optimization algorithm with the Ebola optimization search algorithm. However, in various existing methods, the differential privacy model is applied but it does not minimize the efficiency. In such cases it leads to generate data loss and privacy is not enhanced. Data securing in a cloud environment is a complex task. So in order to improve the efficiency the novel hybrid ABRF-Stacked Bi-GRU is proposed to secure the medical data. This proposed method diminished the leakage of data and also effectively improve security and privacy. The ensemble of the ABRF and stacked Bi-GRU model enhances the security of data in a cloud environment. The proposed model is evaluated using Diabetes UCI Dataset and Obesity UCI ML Dataset. The obtained outcomes compared with existing methods showed that the proposed method achieves a high anonymization degree with less Information Loss and takes less time for computation and minimizes the complexity during computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy efficiency is treated as a challenging problem in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) which involves limited non-replaceable and non-rechargeable inbuilt batteries. Optimal utilization of available energy in the sensor nodes is an effective way to improve the lifetime of the WSN with assured quality of service (QoS). Clustering can be employed as an efficient approach for enhancing network lifetime and scalability. Since clustering is considered an NP-hard problem, several metaheuristic algorithms are utilized for accomplishing energy efficiency. With this motivation, this study proposes an energy-aware clustering protocol utilizing a chaotic gorilla troops optimization algorithm (EACP-CGTOA) for WSN. The proposed EACP-CGTOA model derives a CGTOA by replacing the population initiation with circle chaotic mapping to explore the solutions with a high convergence rate and sensitivity. The CGTOA helps to increase the population diversity and overall performance of the optimization algorithm. Besides, the EACP-CGTOA model derives a fitness function involving three input parameters namely distance to neighbours (DTN), distance to base station (DBS), and energy ratio (ER). To ensure the enhanced performance of the EACP-CGTOA technique, a wide range of simulations were carried out and the outcomes are examined under several aspects. The experimental results ensured that the network lifetime and energy efficiency are considerably improved by the EACP-CGTOA model over the existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban life shapes the mental health of city dwellers, and although cities provide access to health, education and economic gain, urban environments are often detrimental to mental health1,2. Increasing urbanization over the next three decades will be accompanied by a growing population of children and adolescents living in cities3. Shaping the aspects of urban life that influence youth mental health could have an enormous impact on adolescent well-being and adult trajectories4. We invited a multidisciplinary, global group of researchers, practitioners, advocates and young people to complete sequential surveys to identify and prioritize the characteristics of a mental health-friendly city for young people. Here we show a set of ranked characteristic statements, grouped by personal, interpersonal, community, organizational, policy and environmental domains of intervention. Life skills for personal development, valuing and accepting young people’s ideas and choices, providing safe public space for social connection, employment and job security, centring youth input in urban planning and design, and addressing adverse social determinants were priorities by domain. We report the adversities that COVID-19 generated and link relevant actions to these data. Our findings highlight the need for intersectoral, multilevel intervention and for inclusive, equitable, participatory design of cities that support youth mental health.A study examining how cities can foster well-being and positive mental health in young residents synthesizes opinions from researchers, practitioners, advocates and young people, highlighting factors that policymakers and urban planners should consider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fanconi renotubular syndromes (FRTS) are a rare group of inherited phosphaturic disorders with limited Indian as well as global data on this condition. Here, we describe the experience of a single Endocrinology center from Western India on FRTS. Materials and methods: Comprehensive clinical, biochemical, radiological, management, and genetic details of FRTS patients managed between 2010 and 2023 were collected and analyzed. Results: FRTS probands had mutations (eight novel) in six genes [CLCN5 (n = 4), SLC2A2 (n = 2), GATM, EHHADH, HNF4A, and OCRL (1 each)]. Among 15 FRTS patients (11 families), rickets/osteomalacia was the most common (n = 14) presentation with wide inter- and intra-familial phenotypic variability. Delayed diagnosis (median: 8.8 years), initial misdiagnosis (8/11 probands), and syndrome-specific discriminatory features (8/11 probands) were commonly seen. Hypophosphatemia, elevated alkaline phosphatase, normal parathyroid hormone (median: 36 pg/ml), high-normal/elevated 1,25(OH)2D (median: 152 pg/ml), hypercalciuria (median spot urinary calcium to creatinine ratio: 0.32), and variable proximal tubular dysfunction(s) were observed. Elevated C-terminal fibroblast growth factor 23 in two probands was misleading, till the genetic diagnosis was reached. Novel observations in our FRTS cohort were preserved renal function (till sixth decade) and enthesopathy in FRTS1 and FRTS3 families, respectively. Conclusion: Our findings underscore frequent under- and misdiagnosis of FRTS; hence, a high index of suspicion for FRTS in phosphopenic rickets/osteomalacia, with early consideration of genetic testing is essential to ensure timely diagnosis of FRTS. The novel variants and phenotypic manifestations described here expand the disease spectrum of FRTS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the digitalization process generates an enormous amount of multimedia data that turn out to be further difficult to manage. The current developments in big data technology and the cloud computing (CC) field produce massive growth in cloud data. The accessible memory space was used by the enormous replication data and generates the highest computation cost which is the most important problem in the constrained cloud storage space. Therefore, in this study, we introduced a novel secure cloud data deduplication (SCDD) approach to improve data security and data storage of the cloud environment by generating optimal key and deduplicating files respectively. The proposed approach mainly focuses on reducing computational cost and memory utilization of the cloud application. Here, the utilized data files are encrypted using the proxy re-encryption approach, and the refraction learning-based chimp optimization (RL-CO) algorithm is utilized for optimal key generation process as a result it guarantees better cloud security to the end users to store data on the cloud. Subsequently, the optimal verified fuzzy keyword search (OVFKS) approach is proposed to eliminate duplicate files or copies of actual data thereby enhancing the cloud storage space considerably. The proposed secure cloud data deduplication-based optimal verified fuzzy keyword search (SCDD-OVFKS)approach utilizes three different data files namely android application data, audio files, and mixed application data files, audio files, and other relevant files as the input. Furthermore, the proposed approach's performance is validated using different performance measures namely computational time, computational cost, search time cost, memory utilization, and deduplication rate by examining other state-of-art approaches. As a result, the proposed SCDD-OVFKS approach achieves a maximum deduplication rate of about 28.6% for 8 MB along with minimum computational cost and reduced memory utilization than other state-of-art approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is one of the most usual neurological diseases characterized by abnormal brain activity, resulting in seizures or strange behavior, sensations, and, in some cases, loss of consciousness. It is a persistent, non-communicable brain condition that can affect anyone at any age, nearly 50 million people globally, with about 80% of sufferers living in low- and middle-income countries. Electroencephalography (EEG) signals are largely used in epilepsy research to examine brain activity during seizures. The extraction of features and selection from EEG signals plays a major role in epileptic seizure detection. In traditional machine learning techniques, the hard-core feature extraction needs domain expertise, and this can be eliminated by deep learning. The benefits of deep learning techniques are they try to learn high-level features from the input signals in an incremental method. To meet the requirements of complicated feature engineering, deep learning techniques have received greater attention than conventional methods. A hybrid seizure detection-convolutional neural network and vector machine (SD-CNN and SVM) model is proposed for epileptic seizure detection with EEG signals. Transformation of signal to image is performed using continuous wavelet transform technique to generate scaleogram images and also SD-CNN works as a learnable feature extractor from the generated images and SVM works as a binary classifier. The experimental results extracted 94% with high quality of scaleogram images using hybrid SD-CNN and SVM model and removed the noise levels and time–frequency data from EEG signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channel is a crucial molecular component responsible for initiating and propagating action potentials. While the α subunit, forming the channel pore, plays a central role in this function, the complete physiological function of Nav channels relies on crucial interactions between the α subunit and auxiliary proteins, known as protein–protein interactions (PPI). Nav blocking peptides (NaBPs) have been recognized as a promising and alternative therapeutic agent for pain and itch. Although traditional experimental methods can precisely determine the effect and activity of NaBPs, they remain time-consuming and costly. Hence, machine learning (ML)-based methods that are capable of accurately contributing in silico prediction of NaBPs are highly desirable. In this study, we develop an innovative meta-learning-based NaBP prediction method (MetaNaBP). MetaNaBP generates new feature representations by employing a wide range of sequence-based feature descriptors that cover multiple perspectives, in combination with powerful ML algorithms. Then, these feature representations were optimized to identify informative features using a two-step feature selection method. Finally, the selected informative features were applied to develop the final meta-predictor. To the best of our knowledge, MetaNaBP is the first meta-predictor for NaBP prediction. Experimental results demonstrated that MetaNaBP achieved an accuracy of 0.948 and a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.898 over the independent test dataset, which were 5.79% and 11.76% higher than the existing method. In addition, the discriminative power of our feature representations surpassed that of conventional feature descriptors over both the training and independent test datasets. We anticipate that MetaNaBP will be exploited for the large-scale prediction and analysis of NaBPs to narrow down the potential NaBPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hereditary hypophosphatemic rickets with hypercalciuria (HHRH) is a rare disorder of phosphate homeostasis. We describe a single-center experience of genetically proven HHRH families and perform systematic review phenotype-genotype correlation in reported biallelic probands and their monoallelic relatives. Detailed clinical, biochemical, radiological, and genetic data were retrieved from our center and a systematic review of Pub-Med and Embase databases for patients and relatives who were genetically proven. Total of nine subjects (probands:5) carrying biallelic SLC34A3 mutations (novel:2) from our center had a spectrum from rickets/osteomalacia to normal BMD, with hypophosphatemia and hypercalciuria in all. We describe the first case of genetically proven HHRH with enthesopathy. Elevated FGF23 in another patient with hypophosphatemia, iron deficiency anemia, and noncirrhotic periportal fibrosis led to initial misdiagnosis as tumoral osteomalacia. On systematic review of 58 probands (with biallelic SLC34A3 mutations; 35 males), early-onset HHRH and renal calcification were present in ~ 70% and late-onset HHRH in 10%. c.575C > T p.(Ser192Leu) variant occurred in 53% of probands without skeletal involvement. Among 110 relatives harboring monoallelic SLC34A3 mutation at median age 38 years, renal calcification, hypophosphatemia, high 1,25(OH)2D, and hypercalciuria were observed in ~30%, 22.3%, 40%, and 38.8%, respectively. Renal calcifications correlated with age but were similar across truncating and non-truncating variants. Although most relatives were asymptomatic for bone involvement, 6/12(50%) had low bone mineral density. We describe the first monocentric HHRH case series from India with varied phenotypes. In a systematic review, frequent renal calcifications and low BMD in relatives with monoallelic variants (HHRH trait) merit identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising number of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) cases in developing countries necessitate clear guidance for clinicians for the appropriate use of advanced therapies. An expert consensus document was generated to guide the usage of tofacitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor, in ulcerative colitis. Tofacitinib is a useful agent for the induction and maintenance of remission in ulcerative colitis. It can be used in the setting of biological failure or even steroid-dependent and thiopurine refractory disease. Typically, the induction dose is 10 mg BD orally. Usually, clinical response is evident within eight weeks of therapy. In those with clinical response, the dose can be reduced from 10 mg BD to 5 mg BD. Tofacitinib should be avoided or used cautiously in the elderly, patients with cardiovascular co-morbidity, uncontrolled cardiac risk factors, previous thrombotic episodes and those at high risk for venous thrombosis or previous malignancy. Baseline evaluation should include testing for and management of hepatitis B infection and latent tuberculosis. Where feasible, it is prudent to ensure complete adult vaccination, including Herpes zoster, before starting tofacitinib. The use of tofacitinib may be associated with an increased risk of infections such as herpes zoster and tuberculosis reactivation. Maternal exposure to tofacitinib should be avoided during pre-conception, pregnancy, and lactation. There is emerging evidence of tofacitinib in acute severe colitis, although the exact positioning (first-line with steroids or second-line) is uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]