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Since the establishment of the COVID-19 pandemic, a range of studies have been developed to understand the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccine development, and therapeutic testing. However, the possible impacts that these viruses can have on non-target organisms have been explored little, and our knowledge of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for biota is still very limited. Thus, the current study aimed to address this knowledge gap by evaluating the possible impacts of oral exposure of C57Bl/6 J female mice to SARS-CoV-2 lysate protein (at 20 µg/L) for 30 days, using multiple methods, including behavioral assessments, biochemical analyses, and histopathological examinations. Although we did not have evidence of hematological, mutagenic, or genotoxic effects, we noted that the ingestion of SARS-CoV-2 lysate protein-induced behavioral disorders (hypoactivity, anxiety-like behavior, and short-term memory deficit), which were associated with oxidative stress and dopaminergic and cholinesterase imbalance in the animal brain. Furthermore, the elevation of bilirubin levels and lactate dehydrogenase levels in these animals suggests the occurrence of hepatic changes, and the redox imbalance, nitrosative stress, and elevated production of IFN-γ and inflammatory infiltration in the duodenum, disrupted follicular structure, and presence of vacuoles in granulosa cells, in ovarian, indicate that the SARS-CoV-2-exposed group showed significant toxicity. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis confirmed that the groups were clearly separated and showed that the largest changes upon SARS-CoV-2 exposure were related to ROS, MDA, nitrite, IFN-γ/IL-10 levels and SOD and catalase activity in the ovary; IFN-γ/IL-10 production and SOD activity in the duodenum; BChE activity in the brain; bilirubin levels and lactate dehydrogenase activity in the serum; number of primary follicles in the ovary. In conclusion, our study provides new insights into the toxicity of SARS-CoV-2 lysate proteins in a non-target terrestrial organism of infection and, therefore, expands our understanding of the real extent of the ecological/environmental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) pollution in soil have emerged as a significant environmental concern, infiltrating ecosystems and posing threats to ecological, plants, human, and animal health. We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of microplastics, exploring their types, sources, pathways, and impacts across different environmental compartments. Begins with an introduction to microplastics, this review offers details on their classification and examines their omnipresence in aquatic and across other environments highlighting their persistent nature and complex pathways. It culminates the urban runoff, industrial discharges, anthropogenic activities, and agricultural inputs as major contributors, underscoring the need for targeted intervention strategies. The review underscores the detrimental effects of microplastics on aquatic life, soil fertility, and food safety, while also addressing the broader societal implications, including economic costs and public health concerns. Sampling and detection methods for microplastics are critically reviewed, covering advanced techniques and technologies that enable accurate identification and quantification of these pollutants. Overall, underscoring the dynamic nature of the microplastic pollution by synthesizing current knowledge and advancements, this review calls for the long-term monitoring and adaptive management strategies for future research, policy-making, and public initiatives towards a sustainable and microplastic-free environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A single-center retrospective study was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of minimally invasive irreversible electroporation (IRE) to treat metastatic adrenal tumors. Materials and Methods: This single-center study, approved by the Institutional Review Board, retrospectively analyzed six patients who underwent image-guided percutaneous IRE for adrenal metastases. Pre-procedural imaging included CT, MRI and/or 18F-FDG PET-CT scans. Primary outcomes measures included technical success, efficacy and safety, while secondary outcome measures were local progression-free survival (LPFS), distant progression-free survival (DPFS) and overall survival (OS). Follow-up scans were scheduled post-procedure, and data analysis employed Excel, SPSS and R. Results: Patients had diverse primary tumor origins including renal cell carcinoma (2/6), colorectal carcinoma (1/6), non-small cell lung carcinoma (1/6), leiomyosarcoma (1/6) and urothelial carcinoma (1/6). Adverse events were minimal, with only one grade 1 complication reported. Tumor characteristics revealed tumors close to critical structures, with a median pre-ablation size of 23 mm. Technical success was achieved in all procedures. At first follow-up, one patient had complete response, one patient had partial response of the right adrenal gland and complete response of the left adrenal gland, two patients had partial response and two patients had stable disease. Local tumor progression occurred in two out of seven tumors with a median LPFS of 10.9 months, and distant progression was observed in four out of six patients. Conclusion: Percutaneous, minimally invasive IRE shows promise as a safe treatment option for unresectable metastatic adrenal tumors, demonstrating potential effectiveness. However, further studies with larger patient cohorts are needed to confirm its safety and efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycrystalline silicon (p-Si) is essential for semiconductor and photovoltaic industries due to its cost-effectiveness, efficiency in solar cells, and versatile applications in electronics. This research investigation synthesized and evaluated the functional characteristics of polycrystalline silicon (p-Si) layer featuring varied thicknesses of silicon nitride (SiNx) coating via plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). This study explores how SiNx texturing layers with various thicknesses affect the optical and electronic properties of the underlying p-Si substrate. It confirms that SiNx passivation layers are crucial in improving the efficiency of p-Si-based devices by reducing surface recombination velocities, improving solar efficiency, and enhancing light trapping. The effect of SiNx coating thickness on the structural, optical, and electrical behaviour of p-Si is studied. The p-Si featured with 30 nm is good transmittance (65%), improved band gap (1.55 eV), better I-V performance, optimum absorption current (1.6 X 10–4 mA/cm2), and improved quantum efficiency (86%), which is suitable making solar cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas turbine blades and disks undergo wear at high temperatures at dovetail joints where tolerances are very small. Thin hard coatings are known to enhance the wear resistance of the superalloy components minimally influencing the tolerance levels. However, fundamental understanding of the coating's wear mechanisms operating in these harsh conditions is not well understood. In this study, wear tests are performed to understand the wear mechanisms that operate in the temperature range from RT up to 800 °C for thin hard TiAlN coating using simple wear geometry eliminating any influence of wear debris. It is challenging to measure wear of thin hard coatings especially at elevated temperatures but important nevertheless. A coated ball on disk geometry with rough alumina as counterface is used for wear studies to understand exclusively the influence of humidity and temperature coating wear behavior. Cathodic arc evaporation, a physical vapor deposition technique is used to deposit TiAlN coatings on heat-treated IN718 substrates and characterized with, XRD, EPMA, TEM, SEM, nanoindentation, and FIB. The wear at room temperature shows scatter which has been ascribed to seasonal fluctuations in relative humidity. Further, wear results are shown to correlate with Young's equation for capillary condensation. Wear below 50 pct RH is essentially dry and constant up to 600 °C above which wear increases marginally upto 800 °C. The coefficient of friction shows a maximum at 400 °C, below which friction reduces due to increased adsorption of water vapor, while above 400 °C, TiO2 forms on the surface to reduce the friction. The wear rate at 3 N load in the range of 50–800 °C is ~ 1 × 10−6 mm3/m/N. For 5 N load, the wear rate is same as for 3 N load upto 600 °C but doubles above 700 °C. The average contact pressure through the test is ~ 550 and 650 MPa which is almost twice the design contact pressure. The wear debris gets richer in Ti with increase in temperatures. The Al-rich TiAlN coatings deposited by cathodic arc evaporation (CAE) technique show a low and constant wear behavior over a wide range of temperatures and are ideally suited for the protecting the dovetail joints in gas turbines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a pressing need to improve risk stratification and treatment selection for HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) due to the adverse side effects of treatment. One of the most important prognostic features is lymph nodes involvement. Previously, we demonstrated that tumor formation in patient-derived xenografts (i.e. engraftment) was associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with HPV-negative HNSCC. However, assessing engraftment is challenging in clinical settings. Here, we perform transcriptomic and proteomic profiling of 88 HNSCC patients and find the relationship between engraftment and clinical outcomes is recapitulated by molecular phenotype. We identify LAMC2 and TGM3 as candidate prognostic biomarkers and validated their utility in an independent cohort containing 404 HPV-negative HNSCC patients. Strikingly, these markers significantly improve prediction of outcomes beyond nodal status alone and can significantly stratify patients without any nodal involvement. Overall, our study demonstrates how the molecular characteristics of engraftment can inform patient prognostication. 'Engraftment of patient-derived xenografts in samples from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is variable. Here, the authors use transcriptomic and proteomic profiling to correlate engraftment of PDX with molecular phenotype, and validate LAMC2 and TGM3 as potential biomarkers of stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the toxicity of selenium (Se) and carbamazepine (CBZ) has already been demonstrated, the possible effects of freshwater fish co-exposure to these pollutants have not been explored. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the potential impact of Se and CBZ (alone and combined) exposure (both 5 µg/L) in Oreochromis mossambicus after 28 days. Exposure to CBZ, alone or combined with Se, significantly increases the "red blood cells" and "mean corpuscular volume." In the gills, malondialdehyde levels in the "CBZ" and "Se + CBZ" groups were lower than in the control group. Furthermore, the exposure to treatments induced a significant increase in protein carbonyl formation in gills and DNA damage in gill and liver cells. Still, acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain was not changed. Thus, our study provides insight into the toxicity of metals and pharmaceutical drugs and warns about the ecotoxicological risk posed by such mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-reduced graphene nanosheets have attracted a lot of interest from the medical community, considering their biocompatible characteristic and enhanced efficacy. The present study involves the phytoreduction of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets using leaf extract of Saraca indica (Si) and the evaluation of in vitro biological effects. The bio-reduction of GO was analyzed using spectroscopic techniques (UV-Vis, FTIR, XRD, Raman, DLS), thermal stability (TGA), and morphological features using microscopic techniques (SEM, TEM, and AFM). In vitro assays revealed that the bio-reduced SirGO exhibited enhanced radical scavening effect against DPPH radical (74%), bactericidal effect against Gram+ve pathogen: Bacillus subtilis (19 mm) and Gram−ve pathogen: Escherichia coli (15 mm), and maximum cytotoxic effect (51%) against A549 cell line at 500 μg/mL. Based on these observations, it is revealed that the leaf extract of S. indica is an effective bio-reductant for producing rGO nanosheets that could have a relevant scope in formulating nanomedicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid spread of the drug-resistance among microbes has made the treatment of infections a problematic task. Microbial biofilms are complex aggregations of microbial cells encapsulated in a polymeric matrix that further worsens the treatment of microbial infections. In this study, ZnONPs were synthesized via green route using the aqueous tuber extract of Drynaria quercifolia. Biophysical property of ZnONPs was characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, XRD, FTIR, SEM with EDS, and HR-TEM analyses and was found to have a size of 10 nm. Synthesized ZnNOPs demonstrated good antimicrobial activity against bacterial (B. cereus, S. typhi, and E. coli) and fungal (A. flavus and C. albicans) strains. Subsequently, the ZnONPs also exhibited excellent antioxidant property DPPH (78.52%), ABTS assay (70.18%), and hydroxyl scavenging assay (77.34%) at 100 μg/ml concentration. The biofilm inhibitory activity against E. coli, B. cereus, and S. typhi was recorded. Additionally, we also evaluated the larvicidal activity of ZnONPs against Cx. quinquefasciatus and recorded LC50 value of 130.725 μg/ml. Histopathology studies revealed that the region of hind and mid intestine, epithelial cells, and cortex were affected severely upon the treatment with ZnONPs. Photocatalytic activity was tested on crystal violet for dye degradation. Nearly complete degradation of the tested dye occurred within 72 min. The study suggests that green-synthesized ZnONPs could be a preferred alternative for various biomedical applications and contribute to the eventual elimination of environmental pollutants in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weaning foods are soft digestible baby foods introduced along with breast milk for infants of 6 to 24 months. Early nutrition is a crucial one for proper growth and wellbeing. Researchers have developed weaning food from locally available ingredients with appropriate processing methods without losing actual nutrients value. Despite this, micronutrient malnutrition irrespective of the country status is a potential threat. This is overcome by fortifying micronutrients in the formulated weaning foods. Typically, formulated weaning foods are prepared from fruits and cereal grains that are abundant in micronutrients. Different processing methods are adopted to maintain the original natural characteristics of the ingredients. Traditional homemade weaning foods always have an upper hand over industrialized ones. Additionally, fortification enhances the micronutrients in weaning food and helps in uprooting the hidden hunger thereby helping in the sustainable development goals. This review focuses and delivers insights on the various processing methods and cereal-fruit weaning foods as traditional homemade ready-to-serve food supplement. It also highlights the impact of fortification of weaning foods against micronutrient malnutrition. On the whole this work emphasizes on the importance of sustainable weaning foods and how babies can be brought up into healthy grown-ups achieving zero hunger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem Statement: With the rapid growth of internet usage, businesses, including those in the financial sector, are increasingly providing their services online. Consequently, there has been a significant rise in financial fraud worldwide, leading to substantial financial losses. Detecting threats such as unauthorized access and irregular attacks is crucial in combating this problem. To address this issue, machine learning and data mining techniques have been extensively utilized in recent years. Nevertheless, such strategies are significantly limited by a lack of further research on other hybrid algorithms for detecting financial frauds. Methodology: To resolve such pitfalls, the current work proposes FW-GWO (Fire Work-Grey Wolf Optimization) to select relevant features, while, ANFIS (Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System) is used for classification. The study focusses on three kinds of fraud datasets namely loan dataset, credit card dataset and insurance fraud dataset. Results: From the outcomes, it is found that, the proposed system shows 99.87% as accuracy, 0.39 as recall, 0.81 as precision and 0.52 as F1-score for fraud loan dataset, while, the proposed work exposes 99.96% as accuracy, 0.68 as precision, 0.70 as F1-score and 0.72 as recall for credit card fraud and 99.85% as accuracy, 0.83 as precision, 0.55 as F1-score and 0.41 as recall for insurance fraud dataset. Conclusion: Overall analytical outcomes revealed the effectual performance of the proposed system in detecting frauds from the three considered datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of traditional processing techniques—cooking, autoclaving, and roasting—on the physicochemical properties, anti-nutritional factors (ANF), and amino acid composition of red kidney beans (RKB) were investigated. Significant alterations in proximate composition were observed: cooking generally increased protein levels, while roasting decreased fiber content. Autoclaving produced diverse effects. Evaluation of functional properties revealed changes in water activity, density, and color. Cooking increased water activity and lightness, whereas roasting and autoclaving led to darker colors and reduced water activity. Cooking effectively enhanced protein content and reduced ANF, while texture profile analysis (TPA) showed variations in hardness, adhesiveness, and resilience. Autoclaving resulted in softer beans, and cooking influenced adhesiveness and springiness. ANF analysis showed reductions post-processing, especially with cooking and autoclaving. Amino acid composition varied across processing methods, with notable effects from cooking and roasting. Microstructural changes observed via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) suggested improved nutrient bioavailability. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated alterations in the chemical composition of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, attributed to the different processing methods. This comprehensive study highlights the complex interactions between cooking techniques and the physicochemical properties of legumes, providing valuable insights for optimizing their nutritional value. Traditional method of cooking RKB enhances the nutritional value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a novel Mg-doped PbMoO4 spinel that is used for the photocatalytic degradation of dye solutions, specifically BB and BG dyes. The bare and Mg-doped PbMoO4 were synthesized by co-precipitation method and their materials were analyzed by XRD, DRS, PL, FT-IR, SEM, HR-TEM, and XPS techniques to determine the structural, morphological, optical, and vibrational properties. The XRD outcomes display that bare and Mg (0.025–0.075 M)-doped PbMoO4 possess a tetragonal system with no other phase step. DRS analysis affirmed that Mg doping alters the energy gaps of PbMoO4 with increasing Mg content from 0.025 to 0.075 M, respectively. XPS and PL spectra revealed that Mg doping induced defect states or oxygen vacancies, which prevented charge carrier recombination. SEM and HR-TEM micrographs of Mg (0.050 M)-doped PbMoO4 nanoparticles exhibit certain particles that are spherical with slight agglomeration. These particle sizes are determined around 25 nm. The photodegradation activity of bare and Mg-doped PbMoO4 catalyst was assessed in the removal of BG and BB dye solutions under visible irradiation. The consequence of several parameters, including irradiation time, pH, catalyst dosage, COD and reactive species, on the photodegradation of BG and BB was examined. With Mg (0.050 M)-doped PbMoO4 after 120 min irradiation, 99 and 95% of BG and BB removal was observed in pH = 7 conditions, while with bare nanoparticles only 35 and 32% BG and BB were degraded upon visible irradiation for 120 min. The recyclable of the Mg (0.050 M)-doped PbMoO4 was verified under optimized environments. The outcomes establish that Mg (0.050 M)-doped PbMoO4 nanoparticles exhibit substantially good stability with above 90 and 89% degradation after the sixth catalytic cycle. The scavenging (free radicals) tests revealed that •OH, h+, and •O2− radicals play main roles in BG and BB degradation. COD studies affirmed the whole mineralization of BG and BB dye molecules. The results reveal Mg-doped PbMoO4 nanoparticles can be the superior candidates with strong catalyst stability for the removal of BG and BB in wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial cells often exist in the form of sessile aggregates known as biofilms, which are polymicrobial in nature and can produce slimy Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS). EPS is often referred to as a biofilm matrix and is a heterogeneous mixture of various biomolecules such as polysaccharides, proteins, and extracellular DNA/RNA (eDNA/RNA). In addition, bacteriophage (phage) was also found to be an integral component of the matrix and can serve as a protective barrier. In recent years, the roles of proteins, polysaccharides, and phages in the virulence of biofilms have been well studied. However, a mechanistic understanding of the release of such biomolecules and their interactions with antimicrobials requires a thorough review. Therefore, this article critically reviews the various mechanisms of release of matrix polymers. In addition, this article also provides a contemporary understanding of interactions between various biomolecules to protect biofilms against antimicrobials. In summary, this article will provide a thorough understanding of the functions of various biofilm matrix molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comprehensive review delves into the untapped potential of underutilized legumes in India, offering a deep exploration of their nutritional composition, health benefits, culinary versatility, and functional attributes. Specifically, we examine kidney beans, fava beans, horse gram, and chickpeas, shedding light on their abundant protein content, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that contribute to human well-being and the prevention of various diseases. The review doesn't shy away from discussing the impact of anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) on legume nutritional quality, while also proposing various culinary techniques such as cooking, roasting, and sprouting as effective strategies to mitigate these effects. Moreover, this review underscores the pivotal role that lesser-known legumes can play in addressing malnutrition, bolstering food security, and advancing sustainable agriculture. It outlines strategies aimed at raising awareness, encouraging further research, promoting cultivation, and facilitating market integration, with a strong emphasis on incorporating these legumes into diversified diets and resilient farming systems. Recognizing the cultural and agricultural significance of underutilized legumes in India, this review provides insights into their historical importance and versatile applications. A case study is presented, featuring chickpeas, fava beans, red kidney beans, and horse gram, highlighting their exceptional nutritional value and addressing the challenges posed by ANFs, which can impede nutrient absorption and digestion. The review further delves into strategies to overcome these challenges, encompassing various processing techniques and genetic modifications. It also thoroughly examines several treatments and their effects on specific ANFs, offering a comprehensive perspective on how to harness the full potential of these underutilized legumes for enhanced nutrition, food security, and sustainable agriculture in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As life expectancy increases, the number of elderly patients with coronary artery disease requiring coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) also increases. This study aims to analyse the outcomes of isolated CABG in septuagenarians. Isolated CABG patients between 70 and 79 years from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2022, were included. Clinical data were obtained from medical records and through a phone call. Out of 618 isolated CABG patients, 132 (21.35%) were septuagenerians. Off-pump and on-pump beating heart CABG was performed in 123 (93.18%) and 9 (6.81%), respectively. Emergency CABG was performed in two patients (1.51%). The mean expected EuroSCORE II (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk evaluation) operative mortality was 2.51%. The incidence of in-hospital mortality, stroke and atrial fibrillation was 1.5%, 0.85% and 6.06%, respectively. An intra-aortic balloon pump was used in six patients (4.5%). The actuarial survival at 1 year, 5 years and 6 years were 98.1 ± 1.4%, 85.5 ± 4.7% and 85.5 ± 4.7%, respectively. The average duration of ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay were 14.18 ± 10.37 h, 2.48 ± 0.89 days and 6.07 ± 1.8 days, respectively. EuroSCORE-II grading was associated with major adverse cardiovascular events. We conclude that performing CABG on septuagenarians in Indian population is safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nasal packing is one of the common procedures done following various intranasal surgeries in order to prevent the various complications that can arise post-operatively. Some of the complications noted include bleeding from the nose, septal hematoma, septal abscess and formation of mucosal adhesions. There are different types of nasal packing materials available. Few of the commonly used nasal packing material are ribbon gauzes impregnated with antibiotics, merocel, gel foam, glove fingers and Vaseline gauze. This study compared the effectiveness of Merocel nasal packing with Glove finger nasal packing after Septoplasty and Polypectomy. Merocel, a widely used expandable non-absorbable material, was compared with conventional ribbon gauze packs inserted into glove fingers. Results showed no significant differences in post-operative bleeding, pain, discomfort, mucociliary clearance, or late complications between the two groups. However, a slightly earlier return of mucociliary clearance in patients packed with Glove finger nasal packs was observed. Therefore, it can be concluded that both Merocel and Glove finger nasal packs are equally effective in managing post-operative complications following these procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High velocity air fuel (HVAF) technique, an innovative thermal spraying method, has proven more promising than traditional methods for both coating and repairing surfaces. This study focuses on the application of different thicknesses of IN625 superalloy coatings using HVAF to assess its potential for repair and cladding applications. Detailed coating characteristics of IN625 superalloy coating have been examined based on various techniques like nanoindentation, adhesion, micro-tensile and flexural strength of the coated samples. Within the coating, γ (NiCr rich), secondary peaks γ″ and carbide phases were identified. Particle deformation under impact and rapid cooling resulting in the formation of γ″ precipitates enhances the coating strength. However, the decrease in the adhesion strength with increasing coating thicknesses results from the defects formed at the coating–substrate interface and also influenced by thermal stresses and oxidation. Coating microstructure revealed a strong particle-to-substrate adhesion and varied splat morphologies dependent on degree of particle melting—at higher particle velocities in-flight oxidation of the powders was also minimal. Furthermore, the in-plane cohesive strength of the coating approaches 50% of the wrought alloy's yield strength, attributed to strain hardening from the peening effect. However, decrease in flexural strength as coating thickness increases due to compressive residual stress and coating delamination. The flexural strength of the as-sprayed coating exhibits up to 70% of the flexural strength of the wrought material with thicker coatings exhibiting lower strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(-)-Phenserine ("phenserine") and (+)-phenserine (posiphen; buntanetap) are longer-acting enantiomeric analogs of physostigmine with demonstrated promise in the treatment of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Both enantiomers have short plasma half-lives, and their pharmacokinetics might be improved through the use of either once or twice-daily administration of an extended-release dosage form. Phenserine was observed to form a colored degradation product in near-neutral and alkaline pH environments, and at pH 7, the half-life of posiphen was determined to be ~ 9 h (40 °C). To limit luminal degradation which would reduce bioavailability, a gastroretentive tablet composed of a polyethylene oxide-xanthan gum matrix was developed. When placed in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2), approximately 70% of the phenserine was released over a 12 h period, and no degradants were detected in the release medium. In comparison, a traditional hydrophilic-matrix, extended-release tablet showed measurable amounts of phenserine degradation in a pH 7.2 medium over an 8 h release interval. These results confirm that a gastroretentive tablet can reduce the luminal degradation of phenserine or posiphen by limiting exposure to neutral pH conditions while providing sustained release of the drug over at least 12 h. Additional advantages of the gastroretentive tablet include reduced gastric and intestinal concentrations of the drug resulting from the slower release from the gastroretentive tablet which may also limit the occurrence of the dose-limiting GI side effects previously observed with immediate-release phenserine capsules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an industrial wireless control and monitoring system for laser cutters and engravers based on computer numerical control (CNC), which aims to improve the overall performance, efficiency, and safety of the CNC machine and its peripherals as an ecosystem by allowing users to operate and maintain it remotely using Wi-Fi. The developed system is implemented through a dynamic hardware module and a multi-OS user application, thereby establishing real-time and simplified communication between the operator and the Laser Cutter/Engraver-CNC ecosystem for remote control and monitoring functions. Further, the system allows for configuring machine settings, and the start or stop of cutting or engraving processes. A Laser Cutter/Engraver-CNC ecosystem prototype was built and used in a test-validated environment to confirm the effectiveness of this system design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromium metal is a potential toxin released by various industries as by products. Reduction of the same costs an ample amount of manpower and wealth. Alternate, economical, efficient, and sustainable form of chromium reduction while generating electricity is a boon that microbial fuel cell (MFC) has provided to man. It paves way for an attractive technique to process hazardous elements. Nature as well as the type of electrode modulates the efficiency of reduction and power production. Many previously published studies have reviewed chromium removal from effluents as well as through MFCs, but utilization of nanoparticle-based MFC for chromium removal has not been exclusively done before. Hence, the objective of the current review is to provide exclusive study on nanoparticle-assisted MFC for chromium reduction. Reputed published data from the past 5 years have been studied meticulously to compare the best outcomes of MFC in chromium removal. Chromium is found to be removed mostly in double-chambered MFC with a maximum removal of 100% when iron is used as an electrode. Removal of the same has led to generation of maximum power of 1965.4 mW m−2 when palladium nanoparticles are used at the electrode. Removal rates of Cr(VI) from a mixture of NiCo2O4, MoS2, and graphite felt in a dual-chamber MFC showed an 8.13% increase after 24 h of light exposure. Another efficient setup used MoS2 nanosheets and Alpha-FeOOH nanoparticles in a dual-chamber MFC to completely remove Cr(VI) and achieve a high removal ratio of 91.45%. The current study reviews the recent updates in chromium reduction through MFC and its significance in future as a potential instrument for bioremediation and energy source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of readily available natural resources and wastes has become critical for achieving industrial sustainability. The current study focuses on the extraction and characterization of cellulosic Areca catechu fruit peduncle fibers (ACFPFs) from the peduncle of industrially discarded agro-waste after harvesting its economic value. To ensure ACFPF's potential and competitiveness in increasing the sustainability of the automobile industry, a number of comparisons were made between ACFPF and other commonly used natural fibers. To validate its claims, the major cellulose content (50.1 wt.%), less wax (0.3 wt.%), low density (1.05 g/cm3), high crystallinity index (49%), tensile strength (88–184 MPa), and Young's modulus (1.1–5.5 GPa) of ACFPF were estimated. Besides that, thermal analysis (TGA/DTG) ensures ACFPF thermal stability up to 228 °C. Furthermore, when exposed to higher temperatures, the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis of ACFPF revealed endothermic and exothermic reactions, whereas the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra revealed chemical bonds in ACFPF. Besides, technical qualities, performance, environmental, economic, and societal factors all contribute significantly to the sustainability and productivity of eco-friendly fiber composite industries. Also, the estimated values and rough surface observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) validate the use of sustainable cellulosic ACFPF as reinforcement in polymer composites for lightweight structural applications. Moreover, its implementation has a significant environmental impact in terms of developing an effective, sustainable waste management approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hemodynamics in Fontan patients with single ventricles rely on favorable flow and energetics, especially in the absence of a subpulmonary ventricle. Age-related changes in energetics for extracardiac and lateral tunnel Fontan procedures are not well understood. Vorticity (VOR) and viscous dissipation rate (VDR) are two descriptors that can provide insights into flow dynamics and dissipative areas in Fontan pathways, potentially contributing to power loss. This study examined power loss and its correlation with spatio-temporal flow descriptors (vorticity and VDR). Data from 414 Fontan patients were used to establish a relationship between the superior vena cava (SVC) to inferior vena cava (IVC) flow ratio and age. Computational flow modeling was conducted for both extracardiac conduits (ECC, n = 16) and lateral tunnels (LT, n = 25) at different caval inflow ratios of 2, 1, and 0.5 that corresponded with ages 3, 8, and 15+. In both cohorts, vorticity and VDR correlated well with PL, but ECC cohort exhibited a slightly stronger correlation for PL-VOR (>0.83) and PL-VDR (>0.89) than that for LT cohort (>0.76 and > 0.77, respectively) at all ages. Our data also suggested that absolute and indexed PL increase (p < 0.02) non-linearly as caval inflow changes with age and are highly patient-specific. Comparison of indexed power loss between our ECC and LT cohort showed that while ECC had a slightly higher median PL for all 3 caval inflow ratio examined (3.3, 8.3, 15.3) as opposed to (2.7, 7.6, 14.8), these differences were statistically non-significant. Lastly, there was a consistent rise in pressure gradient across the TCPC with age-related increase in IVC flows for both ECC and LT Fontan patient cohort. Our study provided hemodynamic insights into Fontan energetics and how they are impacted by age-dependent change in caval inflow. This workflow may help assess the long-term sustainability of the Fontan circulation and inform the design of more efficient Fontan conduits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of Silicon modulates the plant defense mechanism by signaling secondary defense metabolites activating signal transduction pathways further triggering the HIPVs which in turn attracts natural enemies thereby suppressing the pest population. Continuous mono culturing of high yielding varieties with intensive cultural practices lead to depletion of available Si in soils and hence exogenous application of Si sources is necessary. Exploiting plant resistance and strengthening the induced defenses through Si and PGR could represent an effective viable alternative to synthetic insecticides that could form an efficient tactic in integrated pest management including biological control. In this context, we underscore recent advancements in understanding Si-mediated enhancement of plant resistance against pests, emphasizing the significance of these findings for potential incorporation into future strategies for crop protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Demonstrating the safety and efficacy of percutaneous irreversible electroporation (IRE) for the treatment of lymph node metastases. Materials and Methods: An IRB-approved, single-center retrospective review was performed on patients with lymph node metastases gastrointestinal, and genitourinary primary cancers. Primary objective safety was evaluated by assessing complications graded according to the Clavien-Dindo Classification, and efficacy was determined by tumor response on follow-up imaging and local progression-free survival (LPFS). Secondary outcome measures were technical success (complete ablation with an adequate ablative margin > 5 mm), length of hospital stay and distant progression-free survival (DPFS). Results: Nineteen patients underwent percutaneous IRE between June 2018 and February 2023 for lymph node metastases, close to critical structures, such as vasculature, bowel, or nerves. The technical success was achieved in all cases. Complications occurred in four patients (21.1%), including two self-limiting grade 1 hematomas, a grade 1 abdominal pain, and grade 2 nerve pain treated with medication. Seventeen patients were hospitalized overnight, one patient stayed two nights and another patient stayed fourteen nights. Median follow-up was 25.5 months. Median time to local progression was 24.1 months (95% CI: 0–52.8) with 1-, 2-, and 5-year LPFS of 57.9%, 57.9% and 20.7%, respectively. Median time to distant progression was 4.3 months (95% CI: 0.3–8.3) with 1-, 2-, and 5-year DPFS of 31.6%, 13.2% and 13.2%, respectively. Conclusion: IRE is a safe and effective minimally-invasive treatment for lymph node metastases in locations, where temperature dependent ablation may be contraindicated. Care should be taken when employing IRE near nerves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE) is a rare tumor with currently no established standard of care. This international multicenter retrospective study assesses the use of percutaneous irreversible electroporation (IRE) as an ablative tool to treat HEHE and provides a clinical overview of the current management and role of IRE in HEHE treatment. Material and Methods: Between 2017 and 2023, 14 patients with 47 HEHE tumors were treated with percutaneous IRE using CT-scan guidance in 23 procedures. Baseline patient and tumor characteristics were evaluated. Primary outcome measures included safety and effectiveness, analyzed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) and treatment response by mRECIST criteria. Secondary outcome measures included technical success, post-treatment tumor sizes and length of hospital stay. Technical success was defined as complete ablation with an adequate ablative margin (intentional tumor free ablation margin > 5 mm). Results: IRE treatment resulted in technical success in all tumors. Following a median follow-up of 15 months, 30 tumors demonstrated a complete response according to mRECIST criteria. The average tumor size pre-treatment was 25.8 mm, accompanied by an average reduction in tumor size by 7.5 mm. In 38 out of 47 tumors, there was no evidence of local recurrence. In nine tumors, residual tumor was present. There were no cases of progressive disease. Median length of hospital stay was one day. Only one grade 3 CTCAE event occurred, a pneumothorax requiring chest tube placement. Conclusion: The current study provides evidence that IRE is a safe and efficacious minimally invasive treatment option for HEHE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urine is a complex biofluid that reflects both overall physiologic state and the state of the genitourinary tissues through which it passes. It contains both secreted proteins and proteins encapsulated in tissue-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). To understand the population variability and clinical utility of urine, we quantified the secreted and EV proteomes from 190 men, including a subset with prostate cancer. We demonstrate that a simple protocol enriches prostatic proteins in urine. Secreted and EV proteins arise from different subcellular compartments. Urinary EVs are faithful surrogates of tissue proteomes, but secreted proteins in urine or cell line EVs are not. The urinary proteome is longitudinally stable over several years. It can accurately and non-invasively distinguish malignant from benign prostatic lesions and can risk-stratify prostate tumors. This resource quantifies the complexity of the urinary proteome and reveals the synergistic value of secreted and EV proteomes for translational and biomarker studies. Urine can be used to easily analyse the health of patients. Here, the authors identify proteins in urinary extracellular vesicles that distinguish prostate cancer from benign lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this experimental study, we explore the potential enhancements in thermal conductivity while investigating alterations in latent heat and phase change temperature within Composite Phase Change Materials (PCMs). These composites consist of Paraffin Wax (PW) as the base material, incorporating dispersed conducting Polyaniline (PANI) powder in varying concentrations ranging from 1% wt. to 4% wt. The mass fractions of PANI added to PW include 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%, and the composite PCMs are meticulously prepared through ultrasonication. Examining the surface morphology of Composite Phase Change Materials (PCMs) involved utilizing a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), while the determination of thermal conductivity employed a Heat Flow Meter. Additionally, latent heat and phase change temperatures were assessed through Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The obtained results indicate an augmentation in the thermal conductivity of the composites when compared to Paraffin Wax (PW). Specifically, thermal conductivity exhibited a 40% increase for 1% wt. of PANI, yet experienced a subsequent decline for the remaining weight percentages. Furthermore, the latent heat and phase change temperatures of the composites were observed to decrease in comparison to PW. These composite PCMs with enhanced thermal conductivity, achieved through the incorporation of Polyaniline in Paraffin Wax, are highly potential for several applications in energy storage systems, thermal regulation devices, and heat management technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground improvement prior to construction is a necessity off-late in response to the growing demand for construction spaces. Also, selecting an environmentally friendly and economical technique to treat the soil is necessary to emphasize development in the right direction. Biopolymers present such an eco-friendly alternative material for soil treatment. Tamarind gum is an anionic polysaccharide and has an abundant source in most countries around the world. This study investigated the suitability of carboxy methyl tamarind gum (CMTG) for soil stabilization based on pH, viscosity, gel-plug and biofilm tests, followed by geotechnical investigations such as liquid limit test, plastic limit test, compaction test, strength test, permeability test and consolidation test. The entire study was conducted for four different biopolymer dosages, namely 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0%. At the optimum dosage of 1.0%, CMTG offered 220% strength improvement, 49.5% permeability reduction, an increase in the compression index and negligible variation in the swell index of the high plastic clay. Images from scanning electron micrographs indicate that tamarind gum formed viscous biofilm and gel threads that bonded the soil particles to enhance the geotechnical properties. The study advocates the choice of tamarind gum as an eco-friendly stabilizer with promising outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To test whether Kangaroo mother care (KMC) aids in transfer of favourable skin microbiome from mother to infant by comparing the microbiome composition before and after KMC. Methods: A prospective cohort pilot study was conducted in a Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in South India, recruiting 30 preterm infants with gestation <32 wk from October 2020 through December 2020. Neonatal skin involving the area in contact with the mother during KMC i.e., axilla, chest and abdomen was swabbed at the end of first week of life, prior to initiation of KMC. The 2nd swab involving the same areas was taken following KMC for 7 d for at least 6 h a day. The swabs were analysed using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) - 16sRNA and abundance of organisms isolated were mapped. Statistical analyses using t-test and PERMANOVA were performed to compare phyla and genera of bacterial abundance pre-KMC and post-KMC. Results: KMC at phyla level increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes (p=0.52) and significantly decreased Proteobacteria (p=0.02). At species level, KMC decreased pathogenic bacterial count of Escherichia (p=0.05), while counts of S. hemolyticus (p=0.01) and S. hominis (p=.002) significantly increased post KMC. Conclusions: KMC has a potential role in altering the neonatal skin microbiota towards a more favourable microenvironment. The clinical significance of these novel findings needs to be validated with larger studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measles cases have surged pre-COVID-19 and the pandemic has aggravated the problem. Most measles-associated morbidity and mortality arises from destruction of pre-existing immune memory by measles virus (MeV), a paramyxovirus of the morbillivirus genus. Therapeutic measles vaccination lacks efficacy, but little is known about preserving immune memory through antivirals and the effect of respiratory disease history on measles severity. We use a canine distemper virus (CDV)-ferret model as surrogate for measles and employ an orally efficacious paramyxovirus polymerase inhibitor to address these questions. A receptor tropism-intact recombinant CDV with low lethality reveals an 8-day advantage of antiviral treatment versus therapeutic vaccination in maintaining immune memory. Infection of female ferrets with influenza A virus (IAV) A/CA/07/2009 (H1N1) or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) four weeks pre-CDV causes fatal hemorrhagic pneumonia with lung onslaught by commensal bacteria. RNAseq identifies CDV-induced overexpression of trefoil factor (TFF) peptides in the respiratory tract, which is absent in animals pre-infected with IAV. Severe outcomes of consecutive IAV/CDV infections are mitigated by oral antivirals even when initiated late. These findings validate the morbillivirus immune amnesia hypothesis, define measles treatment paradigms, and identify priming of the TFF axis through prior respiratory infections as risk factor for exacerbated morbillivirus disease. Measles virus infection causes immunosuppression and it's unclear whether this can be prevented by antivirals. Here, using a canine distemper virus ferret model, the authors show that measles-like immune amnesia and lethal exacerbated respiratory disease after consecutive respiratory virus infections can be mitigated by oral antiviral therapy initiated at the onset of primary clinical signs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel phenol blocked polymeric methylene diphenyldiisocyanate (pMDI) derivatives were synthesized and characterized using FTIR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The deblocking temperatures of the blocked isocyanates were determined using CO2 evolution method, DSC, and TGA spectroscopy. A cure reaction was performed between the blocked isocyanates and poly(Terathane-2000) to establish the structure–property relationship. Unsubstituted phenol-based blocked isocyanates exhibited superior deblocking temperatures and gel times compared to those with electron-donating substituted phenols. Intramolecular hydrogen bonding in blocking agents such as 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, and methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate resulted in unexpectedly high deblocking temperatures. Conversely, electron-withdrawing and steric effects led to low deblocking temperatures and gel times for blocked isocyanates BI-13 and BI-15. The solubility behavior of the blocked isocyanates was studied using various polyols (PEG-400, PEG-4000, and PEG-6000). Epoxy-polyurethane films were prepared using the blocked isocyanates, and their structures were confirmed using ATR spectroscopy. The thermal and mechanical properties of these films were investigated, including shoreA hardness, tensile strength, and flexural strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteriophage therapy is one potential strategy to treat antimicrobial resistant or persistent bacterial infections, and the year 2021 marked the centennial of Felix d'Hérelle's first publication on the clinical applications of phages. At the Center for Phage Biology & Therapy at Yale University, a preparatory modular approach has been established to offer safe and potent phages for single-patient investigational new drug applications while recognizing the time constraints imposed by infection(s). This study provides a practical walkthrough of the pipeline with an Autographiviridae phage targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa (phage vB_PaeA_SB, abbreviated to ΦSB). Notably, a thorough phage characterization and the evolutionary selection pressure exerted on bacteria by phages, analogous to antibiotics, are incorporated into the pipeline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of aortic valve stenosis (AS) extends beyond the vicinity of the narrowed leaflets into the left ventricle (LV) and into the systemic vasculature because of highly unpredictable valve behavior and complex blood flow in the ascending aorta that can be attributed to the strong interaction between the narrowed cusps and the ejected blood. These effects can become exacerbated during exercise and may have implications for disease progression, accurate diagnosis, and timing of intervention. In this 3-D patient-specific study, we employ strongly coupled fluid–structure interaction (FSI) modeling to perform a comprehensive biomechanical evaluation of systolic ejection dynamics in a stenosed aortic valve (AV) during increasing LV contraction. Our model predictions reveal that the heterogeneous ∆P vs. Q relationship that was observed in our previous clinical study can be attributed to a non-linear increase (by ~ 1.5-fold) in aortic valve area as LV heart rate increases from 70 to 115 bpm. Furthermore, our results show that even for a moderately stenotic valve, increased LV contraction during exercise can lead to high-velocity flow turbulence (Re = 11,700) in the aorta similar to that encountered with a severely stenotic valve (Re ~ 10,000), with concomitant greater viscous loss (~3-fold increase) and elevated wall stress in the ascending aorta. Our FSI predictions also reveal that individual valve cusps undergo distinct and highly non-linear increases (>100%) in stress during exercise, potentially contributing to progressive calcification. Such quantitative biomechanical evaluations from realistic FSI workflows provide insights into disease progression and can be integrated with current stress testing for AS patients to comprehensively predict hemodynamics and valve function under both baseline and exercise conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a useful biomarker for identifying ovulation events in the cows to predict the time of ovulation to achieve a high success rate of conception following artificial insemination. Although antibody-based radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay are being used for LH measurement, these techniques are expensive, time-consuming, and require expertise and sophisticated laboratory facilities. So, there is a need for a field-applicable, affordable, easy-to-use method for LH detection. For developing such a specific, quantitative, and inexpensive system, an aptamer-based smartphone-enabled aptasensor has been investigated. The aptamer was used instead of the antibody as a biorecognition element due to its comparative stability at ambient temperature, ease of synthesis, and cost-effectiveness. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy has been used to obtain label-free detection of LH within 20 min in ~ 20 μL sample volume. The screen-printed gold electrode is compatible with a smartphone-enabled miniaturized device (Sensit Smart; Palmsens BV, The Netherlands) and was fabricated with the aptamer to detect LH in biological fluids (limit of detection 0.80 and 0.61 ng/mL in buffer and undiluted/unprocessed serum, respectively, with the dynamic range of detection of 0.01 to 50 ng/mL). All the data were obtained in the 10 kHz to 0.10 Hz frequency range at a bias potential of 0.30 V with an alternating potential of 10 mV. The clinical relevance of the sensor was evaluated in 10 serum samples collected from dairy animals which established a high correlation with standard LH-ELISA (κ > 0.87). The aptasensor can be stored at room temperature for 30 days without any significant loss in electrochemical sensing ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disease heterogeneity has been a critical challenge for precision diagnosis and treatment, especially in neurologic and neuropsychiatric diseases. Many diseases can display multiple distinct brain phenotypes across individuals, potentially reflecting disease subtypes that can be captured using MRI and machine learning methods. However, biological interpretability and treatment relevance are limited if the derived subtypes are not associated with genetic drivers or susceptibility factors. Herein, we describe Gene-SGAN – a multi-view, weakly-supervised deep clustering method – which dissects disease heterogeneity by jointly considering phenotypic and genetic data, thereby conferring genetic correlations to the disease subtypes and associated endophenotypic signatures. We first validate the generalizability, interpretability, and robustness of Gene-SGAN in semi-synthetic experiments. We then demonstrate its application to real multi-site datasets from 28,858 individuals, deriving subtypes of Alzheimer's disease and brain endophenotypes associated with hypertension, from MRI and single nucleotide polymorphism data. Derived brain phenotypes displayed significant differences in neuroanatomical patterns, genetic determinants, biological and clinical biomarkers, indicating potentially distinct underlying neuropathologic processes, genetic drivers, and susceptibility factors. Overall, Gene-SGAN is broadly applicable to disease subtyping and endophenotype discovery, and is herein tested on disease-related, genetically-associated neuroimaging phenotypes. Many diseases can display distinct brain imaging phenotypes across individuals, potentially reflecting disease subtypes. However, biological interpretability is limited if the derived subtypes are not associated with genetic drivers or susceptibility factors. Here, the authors describe a deep-learning method that links imaging phenotypes with genetic factors, thereby conferring genetic correlations to the disease subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-voltage pulsed electric fields (HV-PEF) delivered with invasive needle electrodes for electroporation applications is known to induce off-target blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption. In this study, we sought to determine the feasibility of minimally invasive PEF application to produce BBB disruption in rat brain and identify the putative mechanisms mediating the effect. We observed dose-dependent presence of Evans Blue (EB) dye in rat brain when PEF were delivered with a skull mounted electrode used for neurostimulation application. Maximum region of dye uptake was observed while using 1500 V, 100 pulses, 100 µs and 10 Hz. Results of computational models suggested that the region of BBB disruption was occurring at thresholds of 63 V/cm or higher; well below intensity levels for electroporation. In vitro experiments recapitulating this effect with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) demonstrated cellular alterations that underlie BBB manifests at low-voltage high-pulse conditions without affecting cell viability or proliferation. Morphological changes in HUVECs due to PEF were accompanied by disruption of actin cytoskeleton, loss of tight junction protein—ZO-1 and VE-Cadherin at cell junctions and partial translocation into the cytoplasm. Uptake of propidium iodide (PI) in PEF treated conditions is less than 1% and 2.5% of total number of cells in high voltage (HV) and low-voltage (LV) groups, respectively, implying that BBB disruption to be independent of electroporation under these conditions. 3-D microfabricated blood vessel permeability was found to increase significantly following PEF treatment and confirmed with correlative cytoskeletal changes and loss of tight junction proteins. Finally, we show that the rat brain model can be scaled to human brains with a similar effect on BBB disruption characterized by electric field strength (EFS) threshold and using a combination of two bilateral HD electrode configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction (PUJO) is the leading cause for hydronephrosis in children. Diuretic renography used in the pre- and post-operative evaluation of pyeloplasty may not be reliable in predicting the outcome. Methods: A prospective study was conducted from October 2018 to November 2020, including all children with unilateral PUJO undergoing Pyeloplasty. Renal diuretic renography scans done in the pre and post operative periods were assessed for transit time. The time taken for the isotope to reach the renal pelvis was noted by a single observer as the transit time, from the dynamic frames of the diuretic renogram. Results: Of the 65 children, 74% were boys. The transit time (median) in the preoperative renography was 10 min, whereas the same was 4 min 45 s in the postoperative period, the decrease was statistically significant. On evaluation of transit time with ROC (receiver operating characteristics) curve, a cut-off of 4 min and 25 s was arrived at, which could identify the delayed drainage reliably. Conclusion: Improvement in transit time is a reliable predictor of renal function improvement after pyeloplasty, comparing favorably in relation to split renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a household survey of 4713 females in the states of Delhi, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh during the period of November 2021-January 2022, conducted by IWWAGE, this study aims to contribute to the understanding of 'discouraged worker effect' particularly for females and defining it in a more inclusive and comprehensive way. The study proposes to broaden the conventional definition where discouragement is related only to prevailing labour market conditions. In addition to the labour market conditions, the proposed definition considers the relevant individual-specific, household-specific factors and their interaction effects. The findings confirm a significant presence of 'marriage effect' as a discouragement factor for females. Also, it is observed that the 'marriage effect' is higher among the younger age-cohort of 18–24 years, the crucial period in determining one's carrier path. A divergence from the U-shaped relation between education and female labour force participation is found in the study. According to the U-shaped relationship, women with tertiary level of education are more likely to join the labour force, as compared to those with secondary level of education. However, it is observed in this study that women with education level of post-graduation and above are found to be discouraged to join the labour force, which might arise due to the lack of availability of high-skill job opportunities. The study confirms the presence of 'the income effect' as among households with higher asset index and when the education level of the principal income earner and thus the earning capacity is higher, the discouragement to women members to join the labour force, is higher. But as the number of employed members increase, women in that household are found to be more likely to join the labour force. This might be because of the households being less restrictive due to their exposure to the outer world. Also, the discouragement effect is observed to be less in nuclear families as compared to joint families and also when the women receive skill training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eleusine coracana (Finger millet, ragi) is one of the cereals which can cultivate in higher altitudes. This study analysed the effects of various drying techniques such as spray, tray and freeze drying on the retention of micronutrients and structural changes in ragi. Minerals, such as iron and calcium were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin B1, B2 and B3 were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The micronutrient content of freeze-dried ragi powder was observed to be 349.6 ± 0.6 mg/100 g of calcium, 0.550 ± 0.1 mg/100 g of iron, 0.421 ± 0.01 mg/100 g of vitamin B1, 0.193 ± 0.05 mg/100 g of vitamin B1 and 1.103 ± 0.05 mg/100 g of vitamin B3. Along with micronutrients analyses, proximate and various important physiochemical properties were also analysed. Structure analysis of dried ragi using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that both tray and spray dried ragi show variations in their structure when compared to freeze-dried porridge powder. Crystallisation of starch during drying was determined using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Selected physiochemical properties were also analysed for all dried samples. The results of this study showed that freeze-drying to be the best technique to preserve nutrients over spray and tray drying methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemokine receptor, CXCR4 signaling regulates cell growth, invasion, and metastasis to the bone-marrow niche in prostate cancer (PCa). Previously, we established that CXCR4 interacts with phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase IIIα (PI4KIIIα encoded by PI4KA) through its adaptor proteins and PI4KA overexpressed in the PCa metastasis. To further characterize how the CXCR4–PI4KIIIα axis promotes PCa metastasis, here we identify CXCR4 binds to PI4KIIIα adaptor proteins TTC7 and this interaction induce plasma membrane PI4P production in prostate cancer cells. Inhibiting PI4KIIIα or TTC7 reduces plasma membrane PI4P production, cellular invasion, and bone tumor growth. Using metastatic biopsy sequencing, we found PI4KA expression in tumors correlated with overall survival and contributes to immunosuppressive bone tumor microenvironment through preferentially enriching non-activated and immunosuppressive macrophage populations. Altogether we have characterized the chemokine signaling axis through CXCR4–PI4KIIIα interaction contributing to the growth of prostate cancer bone metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-fidelity preparation of quantum states in an interacting many-body system is often hindered by the lack of knowledge of such states and by limited decoherence times. Here, we study a quantum optimal control (QOC) approach for fast generation of quantum ground states in a finite-sized Jaynes-Cummings lattice with unit filling. Our result shows that the QOC approach can generate quantum many-body states with high fidelity when the evolution time is above a threshold time, and it can significantly outperform the adiabatic approach. We study the dependence of the threshold time on the parameter constraints and the connection of the threshold time with the quantum speed limit. We also show that the QOC approach can be robust against control errors. Our result can lead to advances in the application of the QOC to many-body state preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the construction of 2D nanostructures of rGO/NiMoO4 and FeOCl/BiOCl-based positive and negative electrode materials for asymmetric capacitor devices. Initially, the positive and negative electrodes were investigated through the three electrode systems. The FeOCl/BiOCl electrode was used in the negative potential region of − 0.6 V to 0 V and the rGO/NiMoO4 electrode was used in the positive potential region (0–0.4 V) also these electrode materials exhibit excellent capacitance values of 228 F/g and 424 F/g calibrated at 1 A/g for negative and positive electrodes, respectively. Moreover, the assembled asymmetric capacitor device showed pseudocapacitance behaviour, high capacitance values of 196 F/g at 1 A/g and good cyclic stability of 92% from its initial capacitance value at 10 A/g. Also, the ASC device showed higher energy density and power density values of 49 Wh/kg and 1.031 kW/kg at 1 A/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, various social media platforms, as well as wearable sensor devices, play a significant role in collecting data from patients for effective healthcare monitoring. However, continuous monitoring of patients using wearable sensor devices generates a huge amount of data and can be a complicated task to analyze efficiently. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel framework called Biased ReLU Neural Network-based Cat Hunting Optimization (BRNN-CHO) to classify the health condition of the patient. The proposed system consists of five phases: the data source phase, data collection phase, data pre-analysis phase, data pre-processing phase, and data classification phase. In the data source layer, various heterogeneous data including various medical records, social media platforms, and wearable sensor devices are addressed. The second data collection phase collects data regarding patients with blood pressure and diabetes. Then, in the data storage phase, the data collected from various medical records, social media platforms, and wearable sensor devices are uploaded to the big data cloud center. After uploading, the data is pre-analyzed and pre-processed to extract unwanted data. Finally, the pre-processed data is classified using BRNN-CHO to determine the health condition of the patient related to mental health, diabetes, and blood sugar, as well as blood pressure, with an enhanced accuracy rate. Experimental analysis is carried out and compared with various state-of-the-art techniques to determine the efficiency of the proposed system. When compared in terms of accuracy, F-measure, precision, and recall, the proposed BRNN-CHO model offers higher performance. The accuracy, recall, precision, and F1-measure of the proposed model are nearly equal to 95%, 90%, 92%, and 93%. The Root mean square error (RMSE), Mean absolute error (MAE), execution time, and latency of the proposed model are 30, 12, 1.38 s, and 1.8 s, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A global public health crisis has been created by the emergence of serious infectious illnesses, the rising prevalence of infections that are impenetrable to antibiotics (AMR), and an inadequate supply of novel antibiotics. The expansion of antimicrobial drugs with unique molecular scaffolds is a time-consuming and cost-effective approach at the recent trend. On the other hand, the long-term exploitation of conventional antibiotics sparked the emergence of "superbugs" that are multi-drug resistant and are responsible for more deaths than HIV. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are short peptides of natural innate defensive role against invading pathogens. Due to their broad spectrum of activity and low tendency to bacterial resistance, it can be recognized as one of the most potential antimicrobials. AMPs are opposed to conventional antibiotics, and it has their own benefits. AMPs use a wide range of mechanisms to exert their effects, including cell membrane damage, DNA fragmentation, impair macromolecule synthesis, damage to cell organelles, enzyme inhibition, and potential antimicrobial activity through immune regulation mechanisms. The main drawback of employing AMPs is the natural occurrence and are less stable and more toxic. Hence, to maintain this short-lived peptide's stability and multifunctional action, small-molecule antibiotic-peptide conjugates (APCs) are crucial. This review focuses on the types, mechanisms, pharmaceutical applications, and APCs approach to treat infections with multiple drug resistance and concludes the potential of AMPs in biomedical practice and in drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the prevalence and pollution of pharmaceutical drugs in aquatic environments have been steadily increasing. This study sought to evaluate the effects of 14 days of exposure to environmental-relevant doses (ibuprofen 0.5, 5, and 50 µg/L, and carbamazepine 0.005, 1, and 10 µg/L) of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ibuprofen and carbamazepine in the freshwater fish Oreochromis mossambicus. The results showed a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in O. mossambicus superoxide dismutase, catalase, biotransformation enzymes, glutathione-s-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, oxidative stress lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl activity, cellular damage metallothionine, reduced glutathione, immunological activities, and respiratory burst activity. Consequently, the acquired data revealed that O. mossambicus treated with ibuprofen and carbamazepine shows more significant alterations in metabolic depression, biochemical parameters, and oxidative stress. In addition, increased neurotoxic effects were observed in ibuprofen and carbamazepine treated O. mossambicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When cashew nutshell oil (CNSO), a well-known non-edible natural oil, is utilised as a blocking agent with diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), this material displayed several advantages over commonly used petroleum-based phenolic compounds, including favourable deblocking conditions and decreased viscosity and better storage stability. When natural rubber (NR) is exposed to sunlight, ozone, UV radiation, and air, especially at high temperatures, the presence of unsaturated carbon–carbon double bonds in the backbone causes quick breakdown. In this work, the multiple bonds present in NR main chain were utilised and made saturated by the way of green emulsion polymerisation using CNSO-blocked MDI using a simple redox initiator. The polymerisation reaction was carried out at different monomer ratios to analyse the thermal stability of natural rubber. The deblocking temperature for CNSO-blocked MDI was determined using CO2 evolution and the thermo-gravimetric (TGA) methods. Gel time analysis was also conducted and found suitable for heat-curable polyurethane systems. FT-IR and NMR spectroscopic methods were used to examine structural properties. The TGA analysis of copolymer synthesised using NR and CNSO-blocked MDI at an equivalent weight ratio shows higher thermal stability. From this observation, CNSO-blocked MDI greatly improves the thermal stability of natural rubber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]