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Abstract This exploratory research uses in-depth interviews with journalists and editors of print news media outlets to explore how new forms of journalism support and augment the news production process. The paper employs labor theory as a theoretical framework to examine how the use of technology and financial influence has transformed the role of reporters and the tasks that they perform. The study findings reveal that the print media industry has leveraged the digital media space and is trying to understand its intricacies and possibilities post-COVID-19 pandemic. Media professionals are acquiring digital skills beyond text in audio and video formats for financial viability. This shift to digital content has led to adopting diverse journalistic forms and given momentum to producing quality news.

Abstract There are a limited number of effective vaccines against dengue virus (DENV) and significant efforts are being made to develop potent anti-virals. Previously, we described that platelet-chemokine CXCL4 negatively regulates interferon (IFN)-α/β synthesis and promotes DENV2 replication. An antagonist to CXCR3 (CXCL4 receptor) reversed it and inhibited viral replication. In a concurrent search, we identified CXCR3-antagonist from our compound library, namely 7D, which inhibited all serotypes of DENV in vitro. With a half-life of ~2.85 h in plasma and no significant toxicity, 7D supplementation (8 mg/kg-body-weight) to DENV2-infected IFNα/β/γR−/−AG129 or wild-type C57BL6 mice increased synthesis of IFN-α/β and IFN-λ, and rescued disease symptoms like thrombocytopenia, leukopenia and vascular-leakage, with improved survival. 7D, having the property to inhibit Sirt-1 deacetylase, promoted acetylation and phosphorylation of STAT3, which in-turn increased plasmablast proliferation, germinal-center maturation and synthesis of neutralizing-antibodies against DENV2 in mice. A STAT3-inhibitor successfully inhibited these effects of 7D. Together, these observations identify compound 7D as a stimulator of IFN-α/β/λ synthesis via CXCL4:CXCR3:p38:IRF3 signaling, and a booster for neutralizing-antibody generation by promoting STAT3-acetylation in plasmablasts, capable of protecting dengue infection.

Abstract The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of community mobilization initiatives on citizens’ health-seeking behavior through the lens of COVID-19 vaccination in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. This study follows a case study approach to understand community mobilization initiatives that led to increased COVID-19 vaccination uptake. The study delineates the process to increase community mobilization to improve the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination. It highlights the key components of community mobilization that were adopted: the involvement of local leadership (at district, block, and village level), support of vaccination/mobilizer team, the role of in-person communication, involvement of influential community heads and social workers, localized strategies and IEC materials, and support from the state administration. Additionally, the key communication themes that played a crucial role in increasing COVID-19 vaccination coverage are identified. The findings of this study will help the policymakers and practitioners in the domains of Health and Medical Humanities, Health Policy and Services, and Social Sciences to clarify the roles of community mobilization activities and initiatives in increasing vaccination coverage. Furthermore, the study provides evidence for the adaptation, integration, and enhancement of these activities based on the four case studies discussed.

Abstract The advent of globalization and adaptation to multiple cultures has emanated a fusion of Hindi and English, casually known as Hinglish. The phenomenon of mixing multiple languages (such as Hindi and English) within a single utterance is often called code-mixing. Lately, code-mixed Hinglish has emerged as a dominant conversational language for Hindi-speaking citizens both online (on social media platforms) and offline. Although previous studies investigated such linguistic traits of Hinglish over the past few years, some pertinent questions still need to be answered: How did Hinglish evolve? And, what are the factors behind the evolution of Hinglish? Does the fusion of English impact all Hindi words similarly? To this end, we explore the empirical and statistical shreds of evidence behind the rise of Hinglish on social media such as Twitter. We show that adopting Hinglish depends on several socio-economic and demographic factors. We further formulate dynamic models to explore the socio-economic factors driving the growth of Hinglish, derive the future growth of Hinglish in the upcoming years, and estimate the propensity of users to change their linguistic preferences. Our study highlights that the Hinglish population has evolved steadily between 2014 and 2022, with an annualized growth rate of 1.2%, and the usage of Hinglish on Twitter has increased annually by 2%. Further, we find that the impact of Hinglish evolution is not uniform across different word groups and affects the contextual meaning of different words differently. Although our findings are specific to the Indian Hinglish community, our study can be generalized to understand the evolution and dynamics of other code-mixed languages, such as Spanish-English or Chinese-English.

Abstract The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inequitable response to it has created a space for rethinking the knowledge translation that informs current health policy formulation and planning. Wide recognition of the failure of global health governance and national health systems has led to calls for reviving the Primary Health Care (PHC) agenda for post-COVID health systems development. Despite the joint international declaration on PHC made four decades ago, it has had limited application. This paper argues that the recent attempts to rethink PHC will prove inadequate without analysing and learning from the politics of knowledge (PoK) underlying global health policy and planning. Even with the growing relevance of the spirit of the Alma-Ata Declaration (1978) and its operationalisation as detailed in the report of conference proceedings, reassessment of reasons for its limited implementation continues to be located largely in the political economy of the medical establishment, the international economic order or in national governance flaws. Failure to address the dominant knowledge paradigm in the Alma Ata articulation of PHC has contributed to its limited application. This calls for expansion in the analysis from knowledge translation to generation and hierarchisation of knowledge. The paper discusses how the application of PoK as an analytical lens helps understand the power equations underlying the process of knowledge generation and its translation into policy and practice. Beneath the techno-centric and commodified health system is the dominant ‘knowledge’ system whose foundations and assumptions ought to be interrogated. By following a PoK approach, a reorientation of thinking about the relationship between various forms of knowledge and knowledge holders is anticipated. A new health service system design is outlined—translating the spirit of PHC of 1978 into a ‘PHC Version 2.0’—that addresses the PoK gap in operational terms, with an approach to guide all levels of healthcare. It suggests how the world can be empowered to respond better by engaging with diverse ontologies and epistemologies to conceptualise knowledge and frame policies. Further, in the contexts of Asia, Africa and Latin America, it can contribute to the development of self-reliance to democratise general health policy and planning in the post-pandemic period.

Abstract Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) can establish a long‐lasting microglia‐like progeny in the central nervous system of properly myeloablated hosts. We exploited this approach to treat the severe CLN1 neurodegenerative disorder, which is the most aggressive form of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses due to palmitoyl‐protein thioesterase‐1 (PPT1) deficiency. We here provide the first evidence that (i) transplantation of wild‐type HSPCs exerts partial but long‐lasting mitigation of CLN1 symptoms; (ii) transplantation of HSPCs over‐expressing hPPT1 by lentiviral gene transfer enhances the therapeutic benefit of HSPCs transplant, with first demonstration of such a dose–effect benefit for a purely neurodegenerative condition like CLN1 disease; (iii) transplantation of hPPT1 over‐expressing HSPCs by a novel intracerebroventricular (ICV) approach is sufficient to transiently ameliorate CLN1‐symptoms in the absence of hematopoietic tissue engraftment of the transduced cells; and (iv) combinatorial transplantation of transduced HSPCs intravenously and ICV results in a robust therapeutic benefit, particularly on symptomatic animals. Overall, these findings provide first evidence of efficacy and feasibility of this novel approach to treat CLN1 disease and possibly other neurodegenerative conditions, paving the way for its future clinical application.

Background: Virtual interviewing for residency provides considerable savings. Its impact on match outcomes remains unclear. Objective: Evaluate the impact of virtual residency recruitment on program and applicant assessment and match outcomes. Design: Cross-sectional survey, September 2020–July 2021 Participants: Faculty interviewers and 2019 and 2020 PGY-1 classes at three academic internal medicine residencies. Main Measures: Survey items rating effectiveness of interview format, preference for future interview format, and perceived impact on diversity. Key Results: A total of 247/436 faculty (57%) interviewers responded. Faculty perceived that in-person interviews enhanced applicant assessment (3.23 ± 0.38, p < 0.01) and recruitment of the most qualified applicants (p < 0.01) but did not impact recruitment of a racially or gender diverse class (3.03 ± 0.99, p = 0.95 and 3.09 ± 0.76, p = 0.14 respectively). They also did not demonstrate a preference for future interview formats. A total of 259/364 matched applicants responded, corresponding to a 76% response rate in the in-person cohort and a 66% response rate for virtual. Trainees were equally likely to match at their top choice when interviewing virtually vs. in-person (p = 0.56), and racial/ethnic and gender composition of the incoming class also did not differ (p = 0.81 and p = 0.19 respectively). Trainees perceived many aspects of the institution were better assessed in-person, though the impact varied according to assessment domain. Trainees who interviewed in-person preferred in-person formats. Of those who interviewed virtually, 47% preferred virtual and 54% preferred in-person. There were no predictors of virtual preference for future interview formats. Conclusions: Faculty and applicants who experienced virtual recruitment had no preference for future recruitment format. Virtual recruitment had no impact on the racial/gender diversity of matched classes or on applicants matching at their top-ranked institution. Institutions should consider the potential non-inferiority of virtual interviews with financial and other benefits when making decisions about future interview formats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shifting cultivation, an age-old agricultural practice, is a major factor in forest cover change across Southeast Asia, where repeated cycles of vegetation disturbance and regrowth lead to far-reaching environmental and socio-economic impacts. The present study aims to assess the spatio-temporal patterns of vegetation disturbance and regrowth caused by shifting cultivation in Tripura state of India, over the past three decades, utilizing temporal segmentation of time-series Landsat data. The study analyzed vegetation disturbance and regrowth patterns in a shifting cultivation landscape from 1991 to 2020 using normalized burn ratio trends through LandTrendr, validated by the TimeSync tool. Six land use and land cover classes, viz., forests and trees outside forests, rubber plantation, shifting cultivation, water bodies, agriculture, and settlements, were mapped with an accuracy of 83.08% using a random forest classifier. This classification enabled the identification of the effective study area, which included forest areas with shifting cultivation patches. The analysis revealed that 2533.96 km2 of the study area remained undisturbed, 568.43 km2 experienced low-magnitude disturbance, 1501.11 km2 were moderately disturbed, and 184.82 km2 were highly disturbed. The shifting cultivation cycles in the study area show considerable variation. Low-magnitude disturbance indicates a single slash-and-burn event in the past three decades, moderate-magnitude disturbance involves fallow periods of over 10 years, and high-magnitude disturbance occurs with fallow periods of less than 8 years. The study revealed a shift from traditional shifting cultivation to more permanent agricultural practices in parts of Tripura. In response to incentives for commercial crops, cultivators are increasingly adopting long-term cultivation, including the growing of pineapple, areca nut, and rubber, as well as intercropping with papaya, banana, lemon, tapioca, pepper, and ginger. These plots are, however, abandoned if the yields become economically unviable. The expansion of monoculture cultivation significantly reduces the available area for shifting cultivation, thereby compelling jhum cultivators to revisit their jhum patches more frequently. This study is a first-of-its-kind attempt in the Indian context and sheds light on changing patterns in an age-old agricultural practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nerve impulse transmission occurs based on three successive electrochemical processes: at rest, the concentration gradient of ions across the axon membrane produces the resting potential (−60 mV) called K+potential, leading to polarization; nerve impulse produces the action potential called Na+potential (+30 mV), causing depolarization (i.e., on excitation, there is a swing from a K+ potential of −60 mV to an Na+ potential of +30 mV) and the electrical current produced due to the action potential propagates forward; lastly, the resting potential is recovered by repolarization via an Na+ pump mechanism. The selectivity of Na+ and K+ ion channels has been rationalized in terms of their dehydration energies and size-matching factors. Synaptic transmission carrying the signal from one neuron to another neuron is mediated by the neurotransmitter through a chemical mechanism. Many drugs are known to affect the nervous system by interfering with the synaptic transmission mechanism. In this study, the biochemistry behind cocaine addiction and Parkinson's disease has been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted from April 2016 to March 2017 in a freshwater-dominated coastal wetland of the Indian Sundarban ecoregion to illustrate the fish diversity, and abundance and the predictor variables determining fish assemblage structure in the wetland. A total of 27 fish species belonging to 13 orders, 16 families, and 23 genera with Cyprinidae (18.5%) as the most dominant family were recorded from the wetland. Fish species richness was found to vary noticeably across the season with the highest number of taxa during the monsoon season (25 species). The study revealed that small indigenous fish species (SIFs) were found dominating the overall species richness and abundance which accounted for 70.37% of the total fish diversity. Among SIFs, Mystus gulio dominated (33 − 42%) the total fish abundance followed by Amblypharyngodon mola (12 − 21.7%), Oryzias dancena (11 − 14.9%), Parambassis ranga (6 − 32%), Puntius sophore (5 − 10.8%), and Parambassis lala (3 − 5.9%). Thirteen fish species were found as inhabitants of truly freshwater, eight species of freshwater and brackish water, and six of freshwater, brackish, and marine form. The developed GAM model proved water turbidity to be the best predictor variable determining fish abundance and assemblages in the wetlands. Besides, turbidity, salinity, transparency, and temperature were found to influence the fish assemblages. There was no visible response to water depth, although this has a linear effect on fish abundance. Water temperatures up to about 30.5 °C had a positive effect on fish abundance and the highest fish abundance in the wetland to be found in the range of 29 to 30.5 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to showcase the potential application of the metaheuristic approach Quadratic Approximation based Jaya (JaQA) in addressing a single-objective uncertain Fixed Charge Transportation Problem with Damageable items (FCTPD). The incorporation of uncertainties and damage rates for items adds realism to the selected problem model. Subsequently, a comprehensive examination of the FCTPD model is conducted, considering both expected value and chance-constrained cases based on uncertainty theory. Equivalent deterministic formulations are considered for these scenarios. The performance of JaQA is comprehensively benchmarked on a set of ten popular benchmarks of single-objective fixed charge transportation problems (FCTP) from the OR library. In addition to this, it is also evaluated on the deterministic forms of the expected value and chance-constrained cases, and the computational results are compared with other widely recognized approaches such as Jaya algorithm, Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) for five numerical instances A thorough investigation of statistical, convergence, and sensitivity analysis are presented to shed light on the efficacy and stability levels of JaQA over its counterparts. The simulation outcomes and exhaustive statistical analysis show that for all the problems considered, JaQA performed better out of GA, PSO, and Jaya. More specifically, it indicated that the utilization of JaQA provided significant profit maximization of the transportation system, thereby ensuring a promising value of the optimal solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic and climatic changes are continuously altering the freshwater plankton, necessitating an evaluation of the complex structure of plankton communities to understand and mitigate these impacts. In this context, the present study focuses on evaluating the structure of plankton communities, specifically Phytoplankton Functional Groups (FGs) for assessing the environmental sensitivity of wetlands under changing scenario. These FGs are defined by shared adaptive features rather than taxonomic traits. Over the period from 2016 to 2018, two ecologically distinct wetlands were examined, analysing their phytoplankton FGs and their relationship with water quality parameters. Ecohydrological data revealed significant seasonal variations (p ≤ 0.05) in key parameters such as water depth, temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, total hardness, NO3-N, and PO4-P. Notably, there were no significant differences observed among the sampling stations within each wetland. A total of 125 phytoplankton genera/species were classified into 23 FGs in the open wetland and 22 FGs in the closed wetland. Spatial and seasonal analyses of dominant FGs suggested both wetlands were experiencing pollution pressures. This study highlights the powerful role of phytoplankton functional groups (FGs) as bioindicators of wetland health, uncovering pollution pressures. In open wetlands, 15 phytoplankton FGs with 36 key taxa (Indicator Value ≥ 40%) emerged as critical indicators, while in closed wetlands, only 10 FGs with 17 taxa were identified. To assess eutrophication, the occurrence of these indicator species was evaluated using BVSTEP function analysis. The study recommends pollution reduction in catchment areas and restoration of riverine connectivity to enhance FG diversity. Phytoplankton FG methodologies are deemed effective for assessing the environmental sensitivity of wetlands significantly impacted by human activities. This research offers a scientific foundation for the evaluation and restoration of wetland ecosystems. Highlights: Phytoplankton functional groups (FGs) serve as precise bioindicators of wetland environmental sensitivity and pollution pressures. Seasonal and spatial assessments of water quality reveal insights into wetland ecological health. The response of phytoplankton FGs to environmental factors effectively indicates water quality. Key plankton species were identified as indicators of wetland ecological sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evapotranspiration is one of the crucial elements in water balance equations and plays a pivotal role in the water and energy cycle of an area. An accurate and precise estimation and prediction of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is necessary for regional management of water resources and irrigation scheduling. The challenge of predicting daily evapotranspiration with limited meteorological data in Bangladesh. This study aims to predict daily evapotranspiration using limited meteorological data of Bangladesh by three deep learning (CNN, GRU, LSTM) and one hybrid (CNN-GRU) model. The novel method of hybrid CNN-GRU models, which have not been commonly used for this purpose. The performance of models was evaluated by five accuracy matrices R2, RMSE, MAE, MAPE, and CE and comparison is visualized by radar graphs. The study's novelty lies in the use of hybrid CNN-GRU models to estimate reference evapotranspiration, as this algorithm has not been commonly used for this purpose. In the case of the Rangpur station, the hybrid CNN-GRU algorithm outperformed other models, achieving the best values across various statistical metrics during both the training and testing phases. The highest correlation coefficient values of approximately 0.994 and 0.995. Moreover, during training and testing stages, the hybrid model had the lowest MAE (0.076, 0.068) and RMSE (0.138, 0.106) at the Rangpur station. Additionally, in the Sreemangal station, it can be notable that the statistical parameter RSME found superior results in the hybrid model around 0.225 and 0.174, respectively. In addition, the highest R2 and CE values were noted as 0.986, 0.987 and 0.985, 0.986 during the training and testing phases, respectively. The comparison suggests that the hybrid model will be best suited for prediction with the limited meteorological data. The outcome of the present research signifies the ability of deep learning methods in the prediction of evapotranspiration and the dominant variables affecting the changes the in context of Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ion-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs) have emerged as indispensable tools in chemosensing applications1–4. ISFETs operate by converting changes in the composition of chemical solutions into electrical signals, making them ideal for environmental monitoring5,6, healthcare diagnostics7 and industrial process control8. Recent advancements in ISFET technology, including functionalized multiplexed arrays and advanced data analytics, have improved their performance9,10. Here we illustrate the advantages of incorporating machine learning algorithms to construct predictive models using the extensive datasets generated by ISFET sensors for both classification and quantification tasks. This integration also sheds new light on the working of ISFETs beyond what can be derived solely from human expertise. Furthermore, it mitigates practical challenges associated with cycle-to-cycle, sensor-to-sensor and chip-to-chip variations, paving the way for the broader adoption of ISFETs in commercial applications. Specifically, we use data generated by non-functionalized graphene-based ISFET arrays to train artificial neural networks that possess a remarkable ability to discern instances of food fraud, food spoilage and food safety concerns. We anticipate that the fusion of compact, energy-efficient and reusable graphene-based ISFET technology with robust machine learning algorithms holds the potential to revolutionize the detection of subtle chemical and environmental changes, offering swift, data-driven insights applicable across a wide spectrum of applications.Machine learning models trained with extensive datasets generated by ion-sensitive field-effect transistor sensors can classify complex liquids and quantify changes in chemical composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skull base chordomas are a rare entity that requires multidisciplinary decision-making for management. We report a case wherein the patient was initially mismanaged at a peripheral centre, and was then redeemed by a multidisciplinary tumor board decision-making and specialized surgical procedures. We also present a brief review of the therapeutic options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: with the requirement of aggressive follow-up in patients with biochemically incomplete response in patients of papillary ca. thyroid with neck node, a predictor for clinical response would be of great help for better treatment and follow-up planning. Aim: To determine the utility of lymph-node ratio (central and lateral) as predictors for clinical response post total thyroidectomy and neck dissection. Materials and methods: 51 patients of papillary carcinoma thyroid with neck node were treated with surgery and RAI as per ATA guidelines and were analyzed for a median of 3 years. (Retrospective cohort analysis). Results: We did response evaluation, correlated clinical response with lymph-node ratios. We found a statistically significant relationship of lymph-node ratio with around a sensitivity and specificity of approximately 90% in predicting the biochemically incomplete response. Conclusion: we conclude that lateral and central compartment ratios can be used in predicting the occurrence of biochemically incomplete response. Highlights for review: New idea of evaluating sensitivity and specificity of lymph node ratio in predicting biochemical response. Well conducted study. ROC analysis. Median follow up of 3.1 years with follow ups every 3months. Lay summary: In patients with papillary carcinoma thyroid with neck node metastasis, the ratio of lymph-nodes harvested to the number of nodes that are actually positive for the cancer can be used successfully in predicting the clinical outcome in these patients post total thyroidectomy and neck dissection. This ratio as an indicator of clinical response can be used to predict those patients who might end up in the category of biochemically incomplete response. So, that they can be treated aggressively with adjuvant RAI and followed-up aggressively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multipurpose trees, like the moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.), have become extremely popular in an attempt to reduce food, nutritional, and economic instability. The significant benefits of moringa's leaves, pods, seeds, roots, and flowers are used in a wide range of commercial fields, including medicine, cosmetics, food, animal feed, water purification, and more. We applied a questionnaire-based survey to reveal the uses, problems and solutions related to the knowledge, uses and constraints of moringa in the region of Chapainawabganj and Kushtia districts in Bangladesh. Including the easiest propagation process and the lowest cultivation costs, year-round flowering, and production provide moringa with a wide window of opportunity. Besides using regular pruning of moringa branches, respondents make trees bushy to increase fruit and leaf production. Respondents from both regions opined that moringa has a good market value, increases family income, increases opportunity for fallow land utilization, enhances employment opportunities, and is known as a nutritive and multipurpose tree. We were pleased to find that moringa output regularly exceeded previous production records in Bangladesh from 2014–16 to 2020–21. Furthermore, our survey shows that a 5-year-old moringa tree provides a satisfactory yield per season with its high market price and demand. Despite the extensive use of moringa fruits and leaves by respondents, its commercial potential remains largely undeveloped and unknown to them. Constraints like limited scientific knowledge and technological infrastructure are the reasons why the elusive potential of moringa in Bangladesh persists. There is ample opportunity to enhance moringa production via effective management techniques, which will satisfy community demand and create market opportunities both locally and internationally. As a result, smallholder farmers' livelihoods and food and nutritional security can be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Deccan mahseer, Tor khudree (Sykes 1839), belonging to family Cyprinidae is an important food and a game fish distributed in peninsular India. Due to overfishing and habitat destruction, the species is declared endangered and placed on the IUCN red list. Therefore, a well-designed conservation program may be essential to get this species protected in its natural habitat. We used a total of 152 samples from four rivers of peninsular India to assess the genetic diversity and structure of the mahseer using concatenated sequences of two mitochondrial genes, ATPase 6/8 (790 bp) and Cyt b (1000 bp). High haplotypic diversity was seen with 44 haplotypes. Individual gene wise haplotypes included 10 and 21 haplotypes for ATPase6/8 and Cyt b, respectively. AMOVA revealed most of the genetic variations (71.02%) to be within the populations. Significant genetic differentiation was observed between all population pairs, with FST values ranging from 0.121 to 0.372, with minimum between Tunga and Tungabhadra population and maximum between Tunga and Periyar population. Haplotype network showed one ancestral haplotype (TKACH04). Significant negative Fu's F and unimodal mismatch distribution suggested recent demographic expansion. The results of the present study would serve as a useful resource for further research on population genetics and conservation programs of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proposes a new multilevel inverter (MLI) topology that is designed to overcome the challenges posed by conventional MLIs, which can have high costs and complexity due to the large number of power components. The proposed MLI is designed to work with both symmetric and asymmetric DC sources, and uses fewer power semiconductor switches compared to recently propose reduced components MLIs. The paper presents the ratio of voltage levels generated per power semiconductor switch, and the gate pulses for the inverter are generated using a DSPACE1103 controller. A prototype of the 7-level inverter is developed, and experimental outcomes are provided to evaluate the simulated results. The paper highlights the importance of reducing the number of power components in MLIs to reduce costs and improve reliability. The proposed MLI offers a promising solution to this challenge, while also maintaining the advantages of MLIs such as reduced harmonic distortion and electromagnetic interference. Overall, the research offers valuable insights into the design and performance of multilevel inverters, and the proposed topology has the potential to be a useful tool for researchers and engineers working in the field of power electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green infrastructure (GI) in cities plays significant role to provide various ecosystem services and enhance the urban health wellbeing. Recently, rapid urbanization and climate change has become one of the serious challenges to GI that may cause deterioration of urban environmental sustainability. This study aims to assess the pattern of place attachment and pro-environmental behaviour (Pro-environmental behaviour) towards GI in Kolkata megacity, India. Questionnaire survey was performed to glean the pattern of place attachment and pro-environmental behaviour from urban and peri-urban GI from multiple perspectives. The questionnaire used was divided into five major parts, namely-socio-demographic profile of the respondents, and place attachment, positive perception to GI, environmental attitudes, and environmentally responsible towards the GI. Results showed that the respondents had a high level of place attachment with GI (with mean score of 2.5 out of 5). The respondents showed positive perception towards GI stating the GI play significant role in maintaining good environment (mean score 4.5 out of 5). The overall mean score (%) of positive environmental attitudes was much higher (4.17) than negative environmental attitudes indicating that respondents held positive environmental attitudes towards GI. the mean score related to environmentally responsible attitude (ERA) clearly indicated that there were high levels of ERA towards GI. The study’s findings offer valuable insights into the human-nature relationship in large cities, highlighting the need for the development, monitoring, and management of GI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dust-ion-acoustic solitary waves (DIASWs) traversing in an unmagnetised dusty plasma with cold ions and electrons that follow the κ -deformed Kaniadakis distribution (KD) are described in this article. The Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) and modified Korteweg-de Vries (mKdV) equations are generated by using the reductive perturbation method (RPM) to the basic equations. The implications of crucial parameters on the dynamics of solitary formations (namely, κ -deformed parameter, dust concentration μ , and relativistic factor ν = v 0 c ) are studied in detail. It is important to report that compressive and rarefactive fast DIASWs are observed in the ranges μ ≤ 0.66 and μ > 0.66 respectively. Further, the parameter κ has no effect on the DIASWs of the KdV equation. The current work may be useful in highlighting the salient features of high relativistic effects on DIASWs corresponding to the KdV and mKdV equations in laboratory plasmas, Earth’s magnetosphere in space plasmas, and pulsar magnetospheres of astrophysical plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acne Vulgaris or Acne is a multifactorial bacterial infection caused by Propionibacterium acne, leading to inflammation and decreased quality of life, especially in adolescence. Currently, antibiotics and retinoids are preferred for treating acne. However, their continuous usage may lead to anti-microbial resistance and other side effects. Therefore, research on developing effective strategies to reduce antimicrobial resistance and improve acne healing is ongoing. The current work reports the synthesis and evaluation of near-infrared light-absorbing copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles loaded with a biomolecule, Glycyrrhizin (Ga). The photothermal efficacy studies, and in-vitro and in-vivo experiments indicated that the Ga-CuS NPs generated localized hyperthermia in acne-causing bacteria, leading to their complete growth inhibition. The results indicated that the Ga-Cus NPs possess excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties in the acne and inflammatory models. This could be from the synergistic effect of CuS NPs mediated mild Photothermal effect and inherent pharmacological properties of Ga. Further detailed studies of the formulations can pave the way for application in cosmetic clinics for the effective and minimally invasive management of Acne-like conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish residing in the aquatic ecosystem are considered the best ecological indicator for monitoring environmental habitat. To evaluate the changes that occurred due to relative restoration in the ecological habitat, a study was conducted in the freshwater zone of the river Ganga between Buxar, Bihar, and Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, between July 2021 and July 2022. In the monitoring, the physico-chemical condition, as well as the food and feeding habits of the fish Gudusia chapra, were monitored with the help of various pollution evaluating indices, namely, the algal pollution index (API) for planktons, the comprehensive pollution index (CPI-WQI), and the National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Indices (NSF-WQI) for water. The study showed that the relative restoration facilitated the amplification of the fish catch from 5.60 to 98.98% in two consecutive years. The reduction in the API (15 to 4) as well as CPI (0.80 to 0.72) during both years signified the reduction of the pollution status of the river in the region. The NSF-WQI also decreased from 88.27 to 79.27 from 2021 to 2022. The electivity index for the fish showed that fish preferred the groups Cyanobacteria, Rotifera, and Copepoda. The multivariate, as well as univariate analyses, revealed that the fish G. chapra is significantly influenced by multiple abiotic as well as biotic variables, among which the major contributors are riverine velocity, transparency, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, carbonate, bicarbonate, salinity, total hardness, calcium, silicate, and biochemical oxygen demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing global consumption of poultry meat has led to the generation of a vast quantity of feather keratin waste daily, posing significant environmental challenges due to improper disposal methods. A growing focus is on utilizing keratinous polymeric waste, amounting to millions of tons annually. Keratins are biochemically rigid, fibrous, recalcitrant, physiologically insoluble, and resistant to most common proteolytic enzymes. Microbial biodegradation of feather keratin provides a viable solution for augmenting feather waste's nutritional value while mitigating environmental contamination. This approach offers an alternative to traditional physical and chemical treatments. This review focuses on the recent findings and work trends in the field of keratin degradation by microorganisms (bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi) via keratinolytic and proteolytic enzymes, as well as the limitations and challenges encountered due to the low thermal stability of keratinase, and degradation in the complex environmental conditions. Therefore, recent biotechnological interventions such as designing novel keratinase with high keratinolytic activity, thermostability, and binding affinity have been elaborated here. Enhancing protein structural rigidity through critical engineering approaches, such as rational design, has shown promise in improving the thermal stability of proteins. Concurrently, metagenomic annotation offers insights into the genetic foundations of keratin breakdown, primarily predicting metabolic potential and identifying probable keratinases. This may extend the understanding of microbial keratinolytic mechanisms in a complex community, recognizing the significance of synergistic interactions, which could be further utilized in optimizing industrial keratin degradation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing pollution of river systems poses a significant challenge to water quality management and public health. This study was conducted to evaluate the water quality of the Gomati River in India, focusing on the impact of anthropogenic activities on pollution levels across different seasons. The primary objective was to develop a comprehensive assessment model using an effective weighted fuzzy soft expert system (WFSES) to derive a weighted water pollution score (WWP-score) for rating water pollution levels based on various water quality parameters. To achieve this, we employed a fuzzy soft set (FSS) methodology integrated with a weighted fuzzy soft set (WFSS) model to analyze water quality indices at six sampling stations along the Gomati River, the largest river in Tripura, India. Originating from the Raima and Sarma streams, the river flows westward through key regions, providing 249.39 million cubic meters of water annually, essential for drinking, agriculture, fishing, and transportation. The study utilized crisp data summaries of key water quality parameters, including pH, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, electrical conductivity, biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, total hardness, chloride, total alkalinity, and total coliform, across the pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons from May 2022 to April 2023, guided by the distribution of waste discharge points. Fuzzy membership functions were defined for these parameters, and the root mean square (RMSQR) operation was used to combine multiple FSSs. The results revealed that the WWP-scores, a measure of water quality, ranged from 0.744 to 0.872 across the sampling stations, with Srimantapur exhibiting the highest level of pollution and Udaipur showing comparatively better quality. These scores indicate that water quality at all sites falls into the poor category, with Srimantapur experiencing the most severe contamination due to high levels of coliform bacteria and organic pollutants. The analysis highlights the impact of domestic wastewater and agricultural runoff on the river's health. This research offers a novel application of FSS and WFSS theory in environmental management, providing a robust framework for evaluating and ranking water quality across multiple parameters. The findings are valuable to the scientific community as they offer detailed insights into the pollution dynamics of the Gomati River and propose a methodological approach for assessing water quality in other river systems facing similar challenges. The study's results underscore the need for targeted pollution control measures and continuous monitoring to safeguard water resources and public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research attempts to build a basic framework for understanding a fast-growing but little-investigated prosocial solicitation, checkout charity, by looking at round-up or a flat amount donate request, a priori liking of the charity, checkout mode (self-service or cashier), and presence of others (friends or strangers). Three scenario-based lab experiments were conducted. A clear preference for roundup donation request exists only when the scenario in the experiment mentioned that the charity was not particularly liked and checkout was done by the cashier (versus a self-checkout machine). Investigating the cashier condition further, the preference for a roundup request is only exhibited when the scenario mentioned that the charity was not particularly liked and strangers (versus friends) were present during the solicitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, nanoemulsions (NEs) were prepared using different concentrations of clove essential oil (2.0, 2.5, and 3.0% CEO) and then their particle size, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency were characterized. Three formulations of a model processed meat (chicken meatballs) were prepared containing 0 ml (control, "C"), 10 ml (CEO-NE, "T1"), or 15 ml (CEO-NE, "T2") of nanoemulsion per 100 g of meatballs. The physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory attributes of these products were determined during storage for 20 days at a refrigerated temperature (4 ± 1 °C). The addition of the nanoemulsions as preservative retarded color fading (loss of redness) of the meatballs during storage, which was attributed to the natural antioxidant properties of the essential oils. Moreover, the generation of lipid oxidation reaction products (TBARS) during storage was significantly lower (p < 0.05) for the nanoemulsion-treated meatballs than for the control, which was also attributed to the antioxidant properties of the essential oil. The addition of the nanoemulsions to the meatballs also improved their resistance to microbial contamination, reducing the total viable, psychotropic, and yeast and mold counts. Indeed, all these values remained within permissible limits during storage. Furthermore, the incorporation of the nanoemulsions did not adversely impact the textural attributes or water holding properties of the meatballs. Sensory evaluation showed that nanoemulsion-treated chicken meatballs maintained their desirable appearance, flavor, juiciness, and overall acceptability throughout the study period. In contrast, a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in overall acceptability scores of the control group was observed from day 10, rendering it less acceptable to the panelists. In conclusion, the incorporation of nano-encapsulated clove essential oil proved enhancing the quality, safety, and shelf-life of chicken meatballs. Consequently, they could serve as a natural preservative for application in preservation of foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the flow boiling heat transfer characteristics of refrigerants R134a and R407c in horizontal micro-fin tubes. We conducted experiments across a range of heat flux (15–35 kW·m−2), mass flux (50–250 kg·m−2 s−1), and saturation temperature (15 °C-25°C) conditions. Our findings reveal that R134a consistently exhibits a higher heat transfer coefficient (HTC) compared to R407c, making it advantageous for applications requiring efficient heat transfer. However, R134a also shows a tendency towards premature dry-out flow patterns at higher heat fluxes, which could limit its effectiveness under certain conditions. In contrast, R407c demonstrates more stable flow regimes, maintaining wavy-annular and annular flows without early dry-out, which highlights its robustness at higher heat fluxes. Flow pattern maps indicate that higher heat fluxes promote the formation of wavy and annular flow patterns in both refrigerants, with R134a transitioning to dry-out flows more readily than R407c. The influence of saturation temperature on HTC was also significant, with lower temperatures resulting in higher HTCs for both refrigerants. This can be attributed to the increased thermodynamic driving force for phase change at lower temperatures. Our study aligns with previous research, corroborating the critical role of micro-fin tubes in enhancing HTC. The findings have practical implications for the design and optimization of refrigeration systems, emphasizing the need to carefully select refrigerants and operating conditions to achieve efficient and stable heat transfer performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a continuation of our investigations in the function space C(X) with respect to the topology τ B s of strong uniform convergence on B in line of (Chandra et al. in Indag Math 31:43-63, 2020; Das et al. in Topol Appl 310:108005, 2022) using the idea of strong uniform convergence (Beer and Levi in J Math Anal Appl 350:568-589, 2009) on a bornology. First we focus on the notion of the tightness property of (C (X) , τ B s) and some of its variations such as the supertightness, the Id-fan tightness and the T-tightness. Certain situations are discussed when C(X) is a k-space with respect to the topology τ B s . Next the notions of strong B -open game and γ B s -open game on X are introduced and some of its consequences are investigated. Finally, we consider discretely selective property and related games. On (C (X) , τ B s) several interactions between topological games related to discretely selective property, the Gruenhage game on (C (X) , τ B s) and certain games on X are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean surface wave profile due to the movement of an asymmetric (sloping) block of the ocean floor is analytically derived under the assumption of linearized water wave theory and by using the Fourier transformation method. A slight compressibility of the ocean water allows for generating acoustic-gravity modes that travel much faster than tsunami waves, the detection of which can contribute towards a possible warning mechanism. The influence of different parameters of interest, namely ocean depth, length, and slope of the block, on the surface wave profile is shown in the frequency domain. Finally, the frequency-domain solution is utilized to provide the surface profile in the time domain. The stationary phase approximation is applied to extract the far-field behavior of the surface waves. The individual impact of the acoustic-gravity and pure gravity modes is shown. Due to the asymmetry of the bottom motion, two different types of far-fields in opposite directions of each other from the source of initial ocean floor motion are obtained. The classical solutions of horizontal and flat moving ocean floors studied by Yamamoto (DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0261-7277(82)90016-X) in the frequency domain and Stiassnie (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10665-009-9323-x) in the time-domain are recovered as special cases. The envelope amplitude of the far-field surface fluctuates less when slope exists. The contributions from the acoustic-gravity modes in the far-field surface amplitude in the opposite directions are in opposite phases. The pure-gravity mode contribution is higher towards the direction of increasing slope with more oscillation. These results show insight into the surface profile when a submarine earthquake moves the ocean floor asymmetrically, and they could lead to a possible estimation of the fault geometry. These results can also be utilized to approximate arbitrary bottom movement using superposition of piece-wise asymmetric moving ocean floor arranged in a line and may provide important information for early tsunami detection mechanisms in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delay tolerant networks (DTNs) are a kind of sporadically connected mobile networks in which the network is intermittent, and end-to-end path is hard to establish. However, as devices in DTNs may often have limited energy and buffer, the network performance will be inevitably affected, especially in our application domain, i.e. the post-disaster scenario. Thus, to start with, we present an appropriate energy and buffer efficient routing protocol (EBRout) for efficient message transmission over a smartphone based DTN. Due to limited battery and storage capacity in mobile devices, a major problem in DTNs is to convince forwarder nodes to participate in forwarding messages. Thus, for improving cooperation among the nodes, an incentivizing scheme is proposed which works in two steps. As the first step, we propose an optimization model to find the minimum incentive. Next, we propose a blockchain-based incentive allocation model that uses Ethereum platform built on top of a DTN-Blockchain integrated environment. The use of blockchain helps to create an immutable and globally accessible record for incentive allocation. The performance of the entire scheme is estimated through extensive simulation in ONE simulator, Python PuLP and Ethereum platform. Performance analyses indicate that the average incentive paid using our proposed optimization model is much lower than the average incentive paid without using the optimization model. Also, the results substantiate the efficiency of the proposed scheme over the competing schemes, in terms of delivery ratio, energy and message overhead without negotiating the blockchain performance in terms of processing time and gas consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogel nanocatalyst composed of nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles embedded in PVA–alginate hydrogels were potentially explored toward the reduction of anthropogenic water pollutants. The NiO nanoparticles was accomplished via green method using waste pineapple peel extract. The formation of the nanoparticles was affirmed from different analytical techniques such as UV–Vis, FTIR, XRD, TGA, FESEM, and EDS. Spherical NiO nanoparticles were obtained having an average size of 11.5 nm. The nano NiO were then integrated into PVA–alginate hydrogel matrix forming a nanocomposite hydrogel (PVALg@ NiO). The integration of nano NiO rendered an improved thermal stability to the parent hydrogel. The PVALg@ NiO hydrogel was utilized as a catalyst in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), potassium hexacyanoferrate (III), rhodamine B (RhB), methyl orange (MO), and malachite green (MG) in the presence of a reducing agent, i.e., NaBH4. Under optimized conditions, the reduction reactions were completed by 4.0 min and 3.0 min for 4-NP and potassium hexacyanoferrate (III), respectively, and the rate constant was estimated to be 1.14 min–1 and 2.15 min–1. The rate of reduction was found to be faster for the dyes and the respective rate constants were be 0.17 s–1 for RhB, MG and 0.05 s–1 for MO. The PVALg@ NiO hydrogel nanocatalyst demonstrated a recyclability of four runs without any perceptible diminution in its catalytic mettle. The efficacy of the PVALg@ NiO hydrogel nanocatalyst was further examined for the reduction of dyes in real water samples collected from different sources and the results affirm its high catalytic potential. Thus, this study paves the path for the development of a sustainable hydrogel nanocatalyst for reduction of hazardous pollutants in wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite continuous efforts, eutrophication is still occurring in freshwater and phosphorus (P) is the most important nutrients that drive the eutrophication in rivers and streams. However, little information is available about the distribution of P fractions in river sediment. Here, the sequential extraction approach was used to evaluate the sediment P fractionation and its content in the anthropogenically damaged river Ganga, India. Different sedimentary P fractions viz. exchangeable (Ex-P), aluminum bound (Al–P), iron bound (Fe–P), calcium bound (Ca–P), and organically bound phosphorus (Org-P), were quantified. Significantly higher level of total P was recorded in pre-monsoon season (438.5 ± 95.8 mg/kg), than other [winter (345.7 ± 110.6 mg/kg), post-monsoon (319.2 ± 136.3 mg/kg), and monsoon (288.6 ± 77.3 mg/kg)] seasons. Different P fractions such as Ex-P, Al–P, Fe–P, Ca–P and Org-P varied from 2.88–12.8 mg/kg, 7.64–98.8 mg/kg, 32.2–179.2 mg/kg, 51.97–286.1 mg/kg and 9.3–143.7 mg/kg, respectively, which correspondingly represented 0.5–10.54%, 3.41–20.18%, 17.27–37.82%, 37.35–60.2%, 4.15–25.88% of the Total P with a rank order of P-fractions was Ca–P > Fe–P > Org-P > Al–P > Ex-P. Bio-available P contributes a considerable portion (37.9–46.0%) of total P which may increase the eutrophication to overlying water. Results demonstrate that inorganic P species control the P bio-availability in both time and space. However, an estimated phosphorus pollution index based on sediment total P content showed no ecological risk of phosphorus to Ganga River sediment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian Summer Monsoon Anticyclone (ASMA) is a gateway for atmospheric pollutants transported to the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS). Thus, it is necessary to understand the relative roles of vertical transport due to convection and horizontal transport due to advection in the formation and sustenance of the ASMA. Outgoing longwave radiation reveals that the ASMA region shows characteristic features associated with strong convective activity in its eastern (70°–120° E) part while subsidence dominates in the western (20°–70° E) part. Over the convective region, the convergence of latent heat flux extends from the Indian mainland (65°–110° E) to the west Pacific Warm Pool (WP) (110°–160° E). On average the ASMA region is characterized by a main convective outflow level at ~ 9 km. This level varies considerably with longitude being higher (~ 10.5 km) over the convective region and lower (~ 7 km) over the subsidence region. Furthermore, the mean convective outflow level is higher over the WP (11.5 km) region when compared to the Indian mainland (10 km) region. From the thermodynamic energy equation, we have calculated the convective and advective terms and found anomalously cold advection over the subsidence region and warm advection over the convective region. The warm advection over the convective region is split into two parts with the stronger one located over the Indian region and the weaker one over the WP region. Similarly, stronger convection occurs over the Indian mainland (convective term ~ 4 K/day) compared to the WP (~ 1 K/day). The cold advection over the subsidence region is mainly centered near 30° E longitude. The convection over the Indian region and the cold advection over the subsidence region as well as warm advection and convection over the WP region are associated. We find that the advective terms change in magnitude and shift together with the convective terms in response to signals of the El Nino Southern Oscillation and the Indian Ocean Dipole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract With limited residency positions, the majority of international medical graduates living in Canada and other developed countries cannot work as physicians. The educational experience and career development of unmatched international medical graduates (those who are not matched to a residency position) residing in Canada have never been studied. Through an innovative collaboration of provincial international medical graduate organizations, we launched an online survey targeting the career development of unmatched international medical graduates, with 356 survey responses entering data analysis. Respondents reported that at the early career planning stage, close to a third had not had adequate knowledge of their career prospects in Canada. Although official resources are available, most respondents found that the information did not match well with reality. After arriving in Canada, educational resources for unmatched international medical graduates are scarce. The majority of them work in healthcare-related fields but reported significant difficulties finding these positions, and there were limited career training opportunities. Among respondents who were no longer pursuing residency positions and had moved on to alternate career paths, we found, unexpectedly, that 69% of them reported previous residency application experience did not contribute to their current occupation, and most were not satisfied with their current career status and continuing education opportunities. In conclusion, the unmatched international medical graduates could serve as a vital reservoir of skilled medical professionals to serve the community, especially during public health crises. Continuing education and career support of unmatched international medical graduates are crucial for their career development and should be an area of priority for policymakers. Career support, especially for alternative career paths, can be built on the current services that exist in most provinces in Canada. In addition, novel online and social media tools can be utilized to increase the outreach of these programs.

The Western Ghat region of Kerala has abundant flora and domestic and wild animal species that provide an ideal ecological niche for the ticks. Kyasanur Forest Disease virus (KFDV), a zoonotic tick-borne virus causing Haemorrhagic fever, commonly known as monkey fever is prevalent in the area. The tick infestations have been documented in the majority of household animals in Wayanad and risks are further amplified as the majority of the animals reared, graze in the adjoining forest areas and these animals are often housed in and around farmer’s dwellings. Therefore, the farmers are at high risk of contracting deadly tick-borne diseases, and surveillance in animals can act as an indicator of disease hotspots. Even though the tick-borne KFDV is endemic to the area, the surveillance data on other significant zoonotic tick-borne viruses such as CCHFV and GANV are scanty. Overall CCHFV seroprevalence of 2.33 was reported amongst livestock sampled. Species-wise percent seropositivity was 1.01 and 5.10 in cattle and goats, respectively. The study revealed the presence of ticks belonging to 3 genera viz. Rhipicephalus, Amblyomma, and Haemaphysalis. Despite the CCHFV seroprevalence, CCHFV and GANV could not be detected in ticks. Even though ticks were negative for the CCHFV genome, seroprevalence in adjoining taluks indicates the local virus circulation. Therefore serological as well as molecular investigation with a large number of samples collected at the peak of tick activity across the western ghat would help identify the potential hotspot for CCHFV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity is the most common malignancy of head and neck cancer in India. With nodal dissemination, there is a significant decrease in survival. This study is aimed at studying the impact of occult metastasis on an estimated overall survival in clinically N0 patients post neck dissection. In a prospective study with 110 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, clinically N0 with all T stages were included in the study. operated on for both primary and neck followed up for a median of 5 years after completion of definitive treatment. The impact of surgery on patients with occult metastasis was questionable in our study with a difference in estimated overall survival of around 11 months, which was not significant statistically. Subset analysis had shown the correlation of overall survival with a grade of tumor, T stage and depth of invasion which was statistically insignificant. Correlation of occult metastasis with the depth of invasion, T stage was statistically significant. we conclude that even after addressing the neck in clinically N0 patients with oral cancer, there is a difference in the overall survival of the patients with occult metastasis which might not be statistically significant with a p-value of 0.68. We conclude that with neck dissection in patients with occult metastasis, improved survival might not be comparable to pathological N0. Level of Evidence: LEVEL -2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new generalised non-local nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation is introduced which possesses a Lax pair and is parity–time (PT)-symmetric. Thus, it is confirmed that the generalised non-local NLS equation is integrable. The inverse scattering transform for the generalised non-local NLS equation is developed using a Riemann–Hilbert problem for rapidly decaying initial data and an approach for finding pure soliton solutions is described. The analytical characteristics of the eigenfunctions, scattering data and their symmetries are discussed. Finally, using Mathematica some important two-dimensional plots of the wave solutions are shown to illustrate the dynamics of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound global repercussions, leading to substantial fatalities and economic losses worldwide. However, amidst these adversities, the pandemic inadvertently offered a unique opportunity to assess the impact of reduced human activity on environmental noise levels. This study focuses on monitoring and mapping noise pollution levels at 101 locations managed by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, during three distinct periods: pre-COVID, during COVID-lockdown, and post-COVID. Using ArcGIS 10.2.1, noise data are spatially analysed across different zones designated by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), namely Industrial, Commercial, Residential, and Silence Zones. The findings reveal a significant reduction in traffic noise during the COVID-19 lockdown period compared to both pre-COVID and post-COVID periods across all four zones. To assess the potential impact on human health, the study employs equations developed by Miedema and Vos (Acoust Soc Am 104:3432–3445, 1998, ) for calculating percentages of highly annoyed individuals and estimating sleeping disorders. Additionally, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is applied to explore associations between noise levels and health outcomes across different time periods. Despite the significant reduction in traffic noise observed during the COVID-19 lockdown, our analysis suggests that this decrease did not have a statistically significant effect on annoyance levels (p-value: 0.0542) or sleeping disorders (p-value: 0.121). This study provides valuable insights into the unintended consequences of urban lockdowns on environmental noise pollution and their potential implications for public health and urban planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress is a major problem in aquaculture species, causing changes in physiology such as decreased feed intake, growth rate, reproduction, and internal cellular damage, thereby affecting fish's health. The effects of an acute heat stress simulating a daily rise and fall in temperature on summer days were evaluated in the liver proteome of rohu (Labeo rohita) fingerlings in the present study. The fish maintained at 30 °C were gradually exposed to a higher temperature of 36 °C at an increment rate of 1 °C per 1.5 h, and after 3 h at that temperature, it was gradually reduced to 30 °C. The liver tissue samples were collected at 5 am, 5 pm, and 5 am the next day from the exposed and control fish. Protein samples were prepared from the liver tissues, and the extracted proteins were compared using 2-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis (2DGE) and mass spectrometry (MS) using a MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometer. A total of 44 differentially expressed protein spots were visualized in 2D gel analysis from heat stress exposed fish at three time points, out of which 21 proteins including one hypothetical protein could be identified by MS. The abundance of five selected differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) was validated using qPCR. The majority of DEPs were found to be involved primarily in lipid, protein and energy metabolism, immune system regulation, cytoskeletal stability, and ROS management. The findings of this study would help in the development of strategies to mitigate heat stress in L. rohita. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Density Functional Theory (DFT) is incorporated in this study to examine the thermodynamic, electronic, mechanical, and optical characteristics of antiperovskite compounds A3BO (A = K, Rb and B = Au, Br). The purpose of the study is to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of these materials and their potential applications across various fields emphasizing their stability and energetic profiles. The electronic properties, including band structures, and density of states are also analyzed to understand the electrical behavior of these materials, which enables predicting their conductive and semiconductor nature. The band gaps of K3AuO, K3BrO, Rb3AuO, and Rb3BrO are 0.72 eV, 0.80 eV, 0.15 eV, and 0.29 eV, respectively. The study also investigated the mechanical properties of the antiperovskite structures, including elastic constants, bulk modulus, and shear modulus to provide insights into their mechanical stability and durability. Their Pugh's ratio (B/G) is below 1.75 and negative Cauchy pressure indicates these compounds are brittle. And machinability index B/C44 > 1.5 implies excellent lubricating properties. This phenomenon extends the potential industrial application of materials with specific mechanical integrity to their structural components. Additionally, the study investigated the optical properties of the A3BO antiperovskite compounds, including the dielectric function, loss function, reflectivity, conductivity, refractive index, and absorption spectra. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of how these materials interact with light, which could be useful in the development of optoelectronic devices. Overall, this DFT study provides significant insights into the multifaceted properties of A3BO antiperovskite compounds, laying the groundwork for further experimental exploration and facilitating the targeted design of materials with tailored properties for specific technological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted in investigations concerning the study of the coupled potential operator J s α , β and corresponding L p -Sobolev spaces involving coupled fractional Fourier transform (CFrFT). The Schwartz type space S α , β is introduced. Moreover, pseudo-differential operator is defined and derived one more integral representation. Further, it is shown that pseudo-differential operator associated with CFrFT is more generalization as of two dimensional fractional Fourier transform. The L p norm inequality for the pseudo-differential operator associated with CFrFT is obtained. The coupled potential operator J s α , β is defined as a pseudo-differential operator related with a precise symbol. The operator J s α , β is extended to a space of distributions. An L p -Sobolev boundedness result for the operator J s α , β is shown. The spaces H p m , α , β and H p m , α , β introduced and as an application, it is shown that the solutions of certain class of differential equations belong to these spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Superior vena cava (SVC) obstruction leading to SVC syndrome is an uncommon but potential complication of cardiac surgeries that involve dissection and anastomosis around the great vein. We present a case of iatrogenic SVC obstruction that was initially treated with transcatheter balloon angioplasty, which provided temporary relief, and ultimately resolved by stenting the affected segment. Case presentation: The index case underwent total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) repair and presented 3 months after surgery with features of SVC obstruction. Initially, transcatheter balloon angioplasty was performed, providing relief from the obstruction; however, the condition recurred within one month. Finally, the patient was treated with percutaneous stenting of superior vena cava, through femoral venous route, using 8 mm × 30 mm balloon-expandable bare metal stent (Formula 418, Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN). Remarkable relief of obstruction was established with decrease in mean gradient across SVC–right atrium junction to 2 mm Hg (from 12 mm Hg before balloon angioplasty and 18 mm Hg before stenting). Conclusion: Percutaneous treatment for iatrogenic SVC obstruction developing after cardiac surgery appears to be effective. Close monitoring is required in the postoperative period for early diagnosis and timely intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we develop a new class of solutions that describe stellar structures of recently observed pulsars. We adopt the condition of the vanishing complexity proposed by Herrera (Phys Rev D 97:044010, 2018) and an appropriate metric potential for generating the solutions. The solutions which are obtained from the complexity-free conditions, are physically well-behaved and satisfy all the rigorous conditions to describe static and spherically symmetric realistic compact objects. The features of observed anisotropic compact stars including Vela X-1, LMC X-4, Cen X-3, and EXO 1785-248 are validated with our model. It is further shown that the solutions supporting matter configurations are physically plausible, stable with positive anisotropy, and in an equilibrium state as verified by investigating the generalized TOV equation in the case of our model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Termitomyces are found associated with termites and show an exo-symbiotic relationship with termites. Both termites and Termitomyces are important in forest ecosystems for wood degradation. The morphological diversity of Termitomyces mushrooms as observed in Assam is high similar to other forest-rich regions of India. But the genetic diversity and species diversity from the region is not yet documented well. In the present study, DAMD and ISSR markers were applied for genetic diversity estimation and nrDNA ITS marker was applied for the phylogenetic study of the Termitomyces mushrooms collected from different localities of Assam. Besides, morphological characters were compared to the existing species monographs to identify the species. Based on morpho-molecular studies, the species identified are T. heimii, T. microcarpus, and T. eurrhizus. Five morphotypes of Termitomyces different from the existing species descriptions are recorded and are also sub-clustered distinctly and distantly in a phylogenetic tree generated based on nrDNA ITS sequences. The presence of novel species of Termitomyces is very much likely in the region which needs further taxonomic engagements to establish the neo species through valid publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the successful investigation of the adjacency matrix, a significant amount of its modification is observed employing numerous topological indices. The matrix corresponding to the well-known first Zagreb index is one of them. The entries of the first Zagreb matrix are d u i + d u j , if u i is connected to u j ; 0, otherwise, where d u i is degree of i-th vertex. The current work is concerned with the mathematical properties and chemical significance of the spectral radius ( ρ 1 ) associated with this matrix. The lower and upper bounds of ρ 1 are computed with characterizing extremal graphs for the class of unicyclic graphs and trees. The chemical connection of the first Zagreb spectral radius is established by exploring its role as a structural descriptor of molecules. The isomer discrimination ability of ρ 1 is also explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]