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The alarming rise of pathogen antibiotic resistance presents a major global health challenge and demands a novel way to control the microbial infections. Simultaneously, nanotechnology has found numerous uses in electrical as well as electronic systems, including timing, filtering, power factor adaptation, and capacitors for energy storage. This work investigates the synthesis and characterization of a silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) utilizing Calotropis procera (CPL) leaf extract. The optimization of synthesis process and the reduction of nanoparticles (NPs) were validated by UV–visible spectroscopy. AgNPs' was exhaustively characterized for morphology, crystallinity, zeta-potential, and structural properties. The produced NPs demonstrated a wide range of characteristics, such as antioxidant, antidiabetic, antibacterial, and antifungal effects. Furthermore, remarkable electrochemical performance was indicated by the CPL-AgNPs electrode, which has mesoporous, clustered sphere-shaped particles onto a flexible stainless-steel substrate. This highlights the electrode's potential in energy storage applications. Copper monosulfide served as the anode and CPL-AgNPs as the cathode electrode in tested hybrid supercapacitor devices, which proved remarkable specific capacitances, high specific energy, and exceptionally high specific power. In order to address the twin challenges of antimicrobial resistance alongside advanced energy storage, this study provides a novel and thorough analysis of the basic electrochemistry as well biological properties of AgNPs, clarifying their potential storage of charges mechanisms and biomedical applications. Highlights: CPL-AgNPs exhibited improved biomimetic attributes. Antibiotic resistance against pathogens were challenged through use of CPL-AgNPs. Supercapacitor application of facile synthesized AgNPs for the first time demonstrated improved physical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) was used to identify viruses associated with the Kinnow mandarin (Citrus reticulata) plants exhibiting yellow vein clearing, mottling, and chlorosis symptoms at experimental farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. During November 2022, leaf samples of symptomatic and asymptomatic Kinnow mandarin trees were collected, subjected to HTS and one of the representative symptomatic samples was subjected to leaf-dip electron microscopy (EM). In the EM results, flexuous virus particles typical of mandarivirus were observed. Ribosomal RNA was depleted from total RNA of pooled samples and RNA sequencing was done using NovaSeq 6000. Host unaligned reads were de novo assembled into contigs, which were annotated through BLASTn using database of plant viruses/viroids reference genomes (NCBI). Results of assembled contigs revealed near-complete genomes of two mandariviruses, i.e., citrus yellow vein clearing virus (CYVCV) and citrus yellow mottle-associated virus (CiYMaV). The values of fragments per kilo base transcript length per million fragments mapped estimation indicated the dominance of CYVCV in HTS data and it was also confirmed through krona plot distribution of viruses in the pooled samples. A rapid and reliable duplex RT-PCR assay was also developed and standardized for the simultaneous detection of both CYVCV and CiYMaV in a pooled Kinnow mandarin sample. The developed duplex RT-PCR was then validated for the presence of these viruses in individual Kinnow mandarin samples. The specificity and sensitivity results confirmed that primers were highly specific to their targets and able to detect viruses up to 10–2 dilutions of RNA in standard and duplex RT-PCR. Therefore, the developed rapid duplex RT-PCR can be used for virus indexing and production of virus-free Kinnow mandarin plants for certification programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delivering protein/peptide-based drugs through oral administration is challenging. Currently, these drugs are delivered via the parenteral route. However, the gastrointestinal mucosal epithelium presents a non-invasive and feasible alternative, but oral formulations for these drugs require protease inhibitors and permeation enhancers. The oral mucosal epithelium, specifically the buccal and sublingual mucosa, is an attractive route for both local and systemic drug delivery. In this report, we present a chitosan oligosaccharide (COS)-based patch for oromucosal drug delivery that encapsulates insulin as a model peptide drug. Our analysis of insulin loading and in vitro release from the polymer matrix revealed that 50–60% of the insulin was released after 2 h. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the fabrication of a COS-based mucoadhesive patch as a prototype for successful oromucosal delivery of insulin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus is an economically important fruit crop, belongs to family Rutaceae, cultivated commercially in over 130 countries, which holds a leading profitable position in the international market. The most important citrus varieties are mandarins, oranges, lemons, sweet limes, grapefruits and pomelos. Citrus yellow vein clearing virus (CYVCV) is an important graft transmissible plant pathogen known to reduce productivity of citrus fruits due to its predominant association and widespread occurrence. Requirement of fast, reliable, efficient & economical CYVCV indexing assay is a prerequisite for production of healthy planting material. Currently, nucleic acid isolation and thermal cycler-based assay available for CYVCV indexing is a cumbersome lab intensive method. The present study was undertaken to develop and validate reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) assay requiring no tedious RNA isolation, separate cDNA synthesis and costlier instrument like thermo-cycler. Optimized RT-RPA assay was able to amplify CYVCV up to 10–7 dilution (equivalent to 0.1 pg/μl) with the prepared templates of both RNA and crude saps and showed higher sensitivity in detection of CYVCV infection in field samples as compared to the conventional RT-PCR. Developed RT-RPA assay showed high specificity without any cross-reaction with other citrus pathogens (Indian citrus ringspot virus, citrus yellow mosaic virus, citrus tristeza virus, citrus exocortis viroid and huanglongbing). RT-RPA using crude leaf sap as template is quite simple, robust, highly sensitive, time and cost effective; therefore, it can be used in resource constrained laboratories as screening tool, for field surveys and on-site testing programs in farms, nurseries and biosecurity. Present study, first time reports the development, optimization and validation of crude sap-based RT-RPA assay for the detection of CYVCV infection in citrus plants namely; Kinnow mandarin, Mosambi and Grape fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grapevine leafroll-associated virus-3 (GLRaV-3) is a viral pathogen of grapevine leafroll disease (GLD) complex, responsible for debilitating viticulture across the globe. The only available options for management of this important virus are vector control and selection of clean plant propagating materials. To detect this virus in planting material and field samples, it is necessary to develop a quick, reliable, sensitive, and cost-effective detection method. In this study, a simple crude plant extract-based reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) assay was developed for efficient detection of GLRaV-3. This assay is quick and trouble-free in sample preparation and can be performed at a wide range of temperatures (20–45 °C) and time periods (20–35 min) although best results were obtained at 40 °C for 30 min of incubation. The assay does not require tedious RNA isolation as grapevine leaf sap simply prepared in NaOH: EDTA (1:1) buffer is directly used as template. The developed RT-RPA assay has been shown to be highly sensitive and specific for the detection of GLRaV-3 in grapevine samples, with a limit of detection as low as 10–5 dilutions. Field validation and application of the developed assay further confirmed the sensitivity and reliability as 76% of samples were tested positive for GLRaV-3. The developed assay requires less than 60 min for its completion, making it a rapid and efficient tool for screening large numbers of grapevine samples and planting materials. The simplicity and efficiency of the developed RT-RPA assay make it a promising tool for detecting GLRaV-3 in grapevines, allowing for timely and accurate diagnosis and control of this economically significant virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a super-wideband (SWB) Sierpinski triangular fractal antenna has been proposed. Keeping electrical dimension (ED) small and bandwidth dimension ratio (BDR) high is a big challenge in SWB antenna design. Sierpinski triangular fractal, slotted and tapered grounds have been used to meet these challenges with a wide operating frequency bandwidth. Operating range of the antenna is from 1.6 to 45 GHz, with a gain more than 1 dBi, bandwidth ratio of 28.1:1, VSWR less than or equal to 2, and with a reflection coefficient (S11) less than − 10 dB. ED of the proposed SWB antenna is 0.12λk × 0.14λk, here λk is the wavelength as per the lowest operating frequency. FR4 material is used as substrate to design and fabricate antenna. Results are measured till 20 GHz which are found quite promising in terms of − 10 dB impedance bandwidth. BDR of the designed antenna is 11,087.3 and ED are small which proves the design effectiveness. Proposed SWB antenna is useful for multiple bands such as WiMax, WiFi, Fixed Satellite Services, Radio Navigation, L, S, C, X, Ku,and Ka bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ballistics deals with the study of projectile propulsion, flight, and impact in any medium. Different garment materials can have varying effects when it comes to the penetration of pellets into the body. Body armor has been around for a long time. Dhal, a curving strip of rhino hide, was possibly the first armor in India, used for sword fighting or defense against arrows and spears. It gave way to steel armor, which protected the body's essential organs from spear and arrow strikes. The current study is primarily concerned with how jeans material, when employed as body armor, contributes to the inquiry. The present study also examines how airgun pellets fired at various ranges affect jeans clothing wrapped around gel blocks. Results: The study concluded that when fired at varied ranges, there was no significant variation in the diameters of the entry holes on clothing material. The gel block covered with jeans clothing was not found to be more damaged. Conclusions: The findings also indicate that pellets had larger track lengths regardless of the range from which they were fired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cirrus clouds are highly reflective clouds that play an important role in the atmospheric radiative balance and contribute to climate change. We present the seasonal distribution of cirrus cloud occurrence, characteristics and evolution over a coastal station (Goa, 15.4°N, 73.8°E, 40 m above MSL) in India using ground-based micro pulse lidar and radiosonde observations from July 2013 to June 2015. The frequency of cirrus occurrence was approximately 44%, 33%, 17% and 6% in winter (JF), premonsoon (MAM), southwest monsoon (JJAS) and postmonsoon season (OND), respectively. Thicker cirrus was more frequent in September, with an average value of > 1.7 ± 0.89 km. The frequency of cirrus descent occurs almost similarly in monsoon and postmonsoon (42% and 43% respectively). Two extreme cirrus descending cases were observed during the monsoon: (1) on 22 August 2014 with a displacement of 9.6 km from the initial height of 14 km with a descending rate and geometrical thickness of 0.4 ms−1 and 1.5 km, respectively, and (2) on 14 September 2013 with a displacement of 7.8 km with descending rate and thickness of 0.2 ms−1 and 2.3 km respectively. Relatively high humidity (> 60%) and low (< − 20 °C) ambient temperature caused thick cirrus formation in September 2013. However, during August 2014 event, relatively thinner cirrus was observed, and the same is attributed to lower humidity conditions (45 to 60%). The wind shear associated with the tropical easterly jet (TEJ) plays a major role in cirrus displacement by modifying their vertical velocity. The positive and negative vertical velocity fields cause cirrus to have a descending shape. The gradual descending pattern of cirrus is moving parallel to the vertical velocity contour, while the rapid descending in 2014 was mainly due to the occurrence of cirrus perpendicular to the velocity contour. Overall, this study highlights the descending nature of cirrus clouds over a coastal station in India, which can impact surface radiative characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss can be a frightening experience for the sufferer and needs immediate treatment. Systemic steroid therapy has been the mainstay of treatment of this condition but concerns about their side effects has led to their use by intratympanic injection. We studied the results of intratympanic dexamethasone (IT-Dexa) both as a primary therapy and as salvage treatment after failure of oral steroids. A total of 39 patients of SSNHL were studied prospectively. Of these 23 were given oral steroids. Ten of these showed no response and were treated with IT-Dexa 4 mg/ml twice a week for two weeks. In addition, 16 patients who reported later than two weeks or had concomitant medical disorders like diabetes and/or hypertension were treated with IT-Dexa. While oral steroids showed hearing improvement (≥ 10 dB) in 56.5% patients, the recovery rate was 62.5% and 80% in those treated primarily with IT-Dexa and as salvage therapy respectively. There was a negative correlation of delay in institution of treatment with hearing recovery. Conclusion: intratympanic dexamethasone is a safe and effective treatment and should be offered to patients as a primary treatment modality and also as salvage therapy after failure of oral steroids. For best results the treatment should be started at the earliest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematical design and controllable synthesis of nanometer heterogeneous structure have attracted much attention in the photocatalytic field. The tungsten oxide/cobalt tungstate (WO3/Co1-δWO4) nanoparticles with heterogeneous interface were synthesized by co-precipitation process. The XRD pattern shows shifts of diffraction peaks of CoWO4 to lower angle side, implying the deficient of Co2+ in the lattice. The internal field across the heterogeneous structure transfers the photon-generated electrons from the conduction band of WO3 to that of Co1-δWO4. The enhancement of the electron density greatly improves the photoluminescence emission intensity at a magnitude of around 2 × 106 in comparison with that of pure WO3 or CoWO4. The photocatalytic efficiency was inspected by exposing the methylene blue (MB) mixing with 1% WO3/Co1-δWO4 nanopowders to the visible light for degradation. The main optical absorption band of MB at 664 nm decays from 2.35 to 0.04 cm−1 after photo-degradation for 3.5 h, suggesting excellent photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Oral delivery of peptide/protein is quite difficult due to physiological barriers. Encapsulation of these drugs in the suitable biopolymeric matrix could protect the drug as well as increase the residence time of the formulation. Mucoadhesive biopolymers are being widely investigated for this purpose. Methods: We have fabricated insulin-loaded chemically crosslinked chitosan-alginate macrobeads of approximate size 3 mm per bead. The beads were characterized for surface morphology and polymeric interaction using SEM, EDX, and FTIR, respectively. Results: The swelling profile and insulin release were analyzed in water and PBS for 9 h. The surface had uniform undulations as observed by SEM. EDX confirmed the chemical crosslinking of chitosan and alginate. FTIR further confirmed the interaction among the polymers. The swelling study revealed a gradual increase for some time and then a decrease in weight possibly due to the disintegration of beads. A cumulative release of approximately 35% was observed by the end of 9 h in both the dissolution medium. Conclusions: This work is done to investigate the possibility of release of protein/peptide drugs from polysaccharide biopolymer-based blended hydrogel matrix for possible non-invasive delivery of such drugs orally. Here, we have formulated mixed polyelectrolyte hydrogel beads of chitosan and alginate encapsulating insulin as the model drug. Our work shows a sustained release of insulin from the chitosan-alginate beads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The years 2020 and 2021 have witnessed a COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, these years have also witnessed certain remarkable scientific achievements. Researchers across the globe have been trying extremely hard and accomplished in bringing vaccines a great variety of COVID-19 vaccines. Though the route of administration for the majority of these vaccines has been the intramuscular route (invasive), some laboratories are developing formulations intended for transmucosal and transcutaneous (non-invasive) administration, which are in the early phases of pre-clinical and clinical development. This short report discusses these unconventional formulations against COVID-19, in brief, to stress the importance of research in the field of drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Error-correcting codes that can effectively encode and decode messages of distinct lengths while maintaining a constant blocklength are considered. It is known conventionally that a k-dimensional block code of length n defined over GF (q n) is designed to encode a k-symbol user data in to an n-length codeword, resulting in a fixed-rate coding. In contrast, considering q = p λ , this paper proposes two coding procedures (for the cases of λ = k and λ = n ) each deriving a multiple-rate code from existing channel codes defined over a composite field GF (q n) . Formally, the proposed coding schemes employ λ codes C 1 (λ , 1) , C 2 (λ , 2) , ... , C λ (λ , λ) defined over GF (q) to encode user messages of distinct lengths and incorporate variable-rate feature. Unlike traditional block codes, the derived multiple-rate codes of fixed blocklength n can be used to encode and decode user messages m of distinct lengths | m | = 1 , 2 , ... , k , k + 1 , ... , k n , thereby supporting a range of information rates—inclusive of the code rates 1 / n 2 , 2 / n 2 , ... , k / n 2 and 1 / n , 2 / n , ... , k / n ! A simple decoding procedure to the derived multiple-rate code is also given; in that, orthogonal projectors are employed for the identification of encoded user messages of variable length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are of significant interest owing to their high potential health effects, including mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. We report 16 PAHs measured in ambient PM2.5 from June 2018 to May 2019 over three different sites located in central east India. The annual average PM2.5 mass concentrations of 97.3 ± 18.1 µg m−3, 101.9 ± 19.4 µg m−3, and 93.9 ± 20.3 µg m−3 were measured at RCI (Ranchi), GHY (Gamharia), and BKR (Bokaro), respectively. The mass concentrations at all sampling sites are relatively higher than the annual average concentration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard. Total annual PAH concentrations (ng m−3) are found to be comparable at BKR (797.9 ± 39.1 ng m−3) and RCI (887.7 ± 38.8 ng m−3); however, a relatively higher average is observed over GHY (1015.1 ± 42.7 ng m−3). Using PAH diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis (PCA), their major sources were attributed to coal and wood combustion as well as vehicular emission of diesel and gasoline at all sampling sites. Significant seasonal variability is observed for PAH composition and mainly attributed to change in emission sources. Summer and winter compositions were found to be impacted by the transport from Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP). However, ambient level PAHs during the post-monsoon season were impacted by mixed sources from Indo-Gangetic Plain and eastern India. These observations are supported by the analysis of back-trajectory and fire count data. The excess life time cancer risk (ELCR) values estimated for the study sites are within acceptable limits suggesting acceptable risk levels at BKR, GHY, and RCI. This study highlights the significance of ambient aerosol concentration for health risks in the pre-COVID-19 scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FLT3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) is a frequent mutation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and remains a strong prognostic factor due to high rate of disease recurrence. Several FLT3-targeted agents have been developed, but determinants of variable responses to these agents remain understudied. Here, we investigated the role FLT3-ITD allelic ratio (ITD-AR), ITD length, and associated gene expression signatures on FLT3 inhibitor response in adult AML. We performed fragment analysis, ex vivo drug testing, and next generation sequencing (RNA, exome) to 119 samples from 87 AML patients and 13 healthy bone marrow controls. We found that ex vivo response to FLT3 inhibitors is significantly associated with ITD-AR, but not with ITD length. Interestingly, we found that the HLF gene is overexpressed in FLT3-ITD+ AML and associated with ITD-AR. The retrospective analysis of AML patients treated with FLT3 inhibitor sorafenib showed that patients with high HLF expression and ITD-AR had better clinical response to therapy compared to those with low ITD-AR and HLF expression. Thus, our findings suggest that FLT3 ITD-AR together with increased HLF expression play a role in variable FLT3 inhibitor responses observed in FLT3-ITD+ AML patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyaluronic acid finds its complete application in areas such as therapeutics, cosmetics, and as a health supplement. In the present investigation, standardization for the production of hyaluronic acid by Streptococcus equisimilus MK156140 in complex media was performed. Some of the selected physicochemical parameters such as pH, temperature, speed, incubation time, sucrose, yeast extract, and beef extract were screened using Plackett-Burman foldover design. Further, the screened parameters interaction was investigated using central composite design (CCD) and closely compared with OVAT studies. At a pH of 7.38, with beef extract, 12.15%, and yeast extract 7.64%, the observed yield was 7.16 g/L, which was in close line with the predicted value of 7.21 g/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La-modified M-type strontium hexaferrite integrates antiferroelectrics and ferromagnetism as a novel multiferroic candidate. By substituting 0.3 Sr2+ with 0.2 La3+ in SrFe12O19, antiferroelectric state is switched on, being evidenced by double P–E hysteresis loops. The occurrence of antiferroelectrics is related to the interruption of translational periodic symmetry on the substituted sites, which was verified by blue shift of the vibration bands to higher frequency side in Raman spectrum. The substitution lowers the Curie temperature for change of ferroelectric state to antiferroelectric one down to the vicinity of room temperature. The X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) reveals the filling of ligating oxygen vacancy sites through oxygen heat treatment and the enhancement in ferromagnetism is contributed from one additional unpaired 4f1 electron spin in La3+. This novel multiferroic feature could provide one more additional freedom to store energy by applying magnetic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) play key roles in local and regional atmospheric chemistry as precursors for the production of ozone and secondary organic aerosols. Ambient air C2-C5 NMVOCs were measured at a tropical forest site in the central Western Ghats and urban site of Udaipur in India during the late monsoon period of 2016–17 and 2015, respectively. In the Western Ghats, air samples were collected from the protected Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary. Ethene, propene, and isoprene were the dominant biogenic compounds with mean concentrations of 4.8 ± 2, 1.6 ± 0.66 and 1.05 ± 0.43 ppb, respectively. The concentrations of anthropogenic compounds such as propane and pentane were significantly lower than those of light alkenes. The contributions of ethene and propene among different NMVOCs were ~ 44 and 14%, respectively. However, the contributions of isoprene were highly variable of 3–22%. The tight correlation (r2 = 0.90) between the mixing ratios of ethene and propene and their ratio indicates their common formation and emission mechanisms. The molar emission ratio of ethene/propene (2.9 ± 0.17 ppb ppb−1) was comparable to those measured at other biogenic sites of Asia while higher than those reported for mid-latitude sites. The concentrations of light alkenes and isoprene at the Western Ghats were 4–5 times higher than those measured in an urban environment in the same season. The higher ozone formation potentials and Propylene-Equivalent concentrations of alkenes and isoprene than those of other NMVOCs indicate important implications of biogenic emissions on ozone photochemistry in the forest regions of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the synthesis results are reported, and the structural, electrical and magnetic properties of orthorhombic (Pbam) structured bulk Bi2Fe4O9 synthesized through the solid-state reaction process have been studied. Bi2Fe4O9 has been investigated using several ecperimental techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, dielectric as well as magnetometry. The Rietveld refined X-ray diffraction data and Raman spectroscopy results clearly revealed the formation of Bi2Fe4O9 perovskite structure and all the peaks of Bi2Fe4O9 perfectly indexed with the orthorhombic (Pbam) structure. It has been established that the Raman spectrum identified Ag, B2g, and B3g active optical phonon modes, and the Raman peak at 470 cm−1 possibly have a magnetic origin. As a result, the coexistence of weak ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic orders in Bi2Fe4O9 ceramic was established. The remnant magnetization (2Mr) and coercivity (2Hc) are 8.74 × 10−4 emu/g and 478.8 Oe, respectively. We report the significant multifarroic effects in polycrystalline Bi2Fe4O9 ceramics. These characteristics make this material very useful in technological and practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a diaspore sample is evaluated as a dual source of alumina and potash. The thermal treatment of diaspore with sodium hydroxide yielded alumina and potash values. Microwave heating resulted in enhanced diffusion with improved precipitate purity and recovery with a significant reduction in reaction time. The thermal treatment precipitate comprises alumina purity of 48% with a recovery of 49%. The mechanical milling route yields optimal conditions of 8 h milling followed by acid leaching in 2 M HCl at 50°C for 1 h with ~ 70% and 45% potash and alumina extraction, respectively. The dissociation of the muscovite structure is crucial for high extraction values, and milling time was found to be the significant factor. The milling route at optimal conditions yielded an alumina precipitate with ~ 89% purity with a surface area of 104.6 m2/g and a sylvinite-rich solution, which can be used in fertilizer application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we cultivated Calocybe indica (C. indica) on wheat straw basal substrate and analysed the influence of supplementation of nitrogenous tree leaves of Syzygium cumini (SCL), Bauhinia variegate (BVL) and Cassia fistula (CFL) on yield, nutritional composition, and antioxidant properties. Wheat straw basal substrate was supplemented with different proportions (25, 50, and 75%) of SCL, BVL and CFL to determine the most effective substrate composition. Results indicated that 25 BVL was the best substrate for producing highest yield (622 g) and biological efficiency (82.93%) of C. indica. Principle component analysis (PCA) was performed to observe the correlation within nutritional parameters (crude fat, crude protein, ash, fibre, carbohydrates, moisture and dry matter) and how these different parameters varied in different treatments used in this study. PC1 and PC2 represented 76.27% of total variation in the observed variables. Supplementation of leafy biomass significantly (p < 0.05) improved the minerals (Na, Mg, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn, Se) and nutritional contents of the C. indica over wheat straw alone. PCA of mineral content (mg/100 g) of the C. indica grown on WS supplemented with nitrogenous tree leaves showed their grouping to PC1 and most of the mineral are positively correlated as depicted in correlation matrix. The impact of different substrates on the antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts of C. indica was also studied. Among the ten treatments, 25 BVL produced the fruiting bodies with high antioxidant properties followed by 25 CFL and 25 SCL. In conclusion, nitrogenous leafy biomass could be an economical, novel and easily accessible nitrogenous supplementation for C. indica cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mica sample containing 34% alumina and 9% potash has been investigated as a potential dual source of alumina and potash. It was found that planetary milling had a strong effect on structure breakdown as well as on the release of alumina and potash values. Both alumina and potash were extracted from mica using mechanical milling followed by hydrochloric acid leaching and precipitation process. The optimal conditions derived from statistical design yielded 72% alumina and 75% potash values in the form of γ-alumina and sylvinite. The analysis of the final precipitate was carried out by different characterization techniques such as XRD, SEM–EDS, XRF, BET surface area analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we have synthesized the Gd3+-doped Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2−xGdxO4 (x = 0.05, 0.07, 1.0) ferrite samples using solid-state reaction route. The effects of Gd3+ doping on structural, vibrational, electrical and magnetic properties were studied. Structural and vibrational properties were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, and FTIR spectroscopy. XRD data indicate that the Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2−xGdxO4 ceramics crystallize in single-phase spinel cubic (Fd3m space group) structure. Infrared spectra show two strong absorption bands in the frequency range of 400-600 cm−1 which were, respectively, attributed to tetrahedral and octahedral sites of the spinel ferrite. All the prepared samples show the typical dielectric dispersion having Maxwell-Wagner-type interfacial polarization. Decrease in dielectric constant and loss tangent has been observed with frequency and doping concentration. M − H plots reveal that all the samples exhibit ferrimagnetic nature at room temperature. A significant increase in the saturation magnetization has been observed upon the substitution of Gd3+ ions. All the as-prepared samples are isotropic and soft magnetic materials. These ferrite compounds are advantageous in advanced high-density data storage and high-frequency devices applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there has been a growing interest in the study of deformed uranium-uranium (U-U) collisions in its various geometrical configurations due to their usefulness in understanding the different aspects of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). In this paper we have studied the particle production in deformed U-U collisions at $ \sqrt{s_{NN}} = 193$ GeV using the modified wounded quark model (WQM). At first, we have shown the variation of quark-nucleus inelastic scattering cross-section ( $ \sigma_{qA}^{in}$ with respect to centralities for various geometrical orientations of U-U collisions in WQM. After that we have calculated the pseudorapidity density ( $ {\rm d}n_{ch}/{\rm d} \eta$ within WQM using a two-component prescription. Further we have calculated the transverse energy density distribution ( $ {\rm d}E_{T}/{\rm d} \eta$ along with the ratio of transverse energy to charged hadron multiplicity ( $ E_{T}/N_{ch}$ for U-U collisions and compared them with the corresponding experimental data. We have shown the scaling behavior of $ {\rm d}n_{ch}/{\rm d} \eta$ and $ {\rm d}E_{T}/{\rm d} \eta$ for different initial geometry of U-U collision with respect to p - p data at $ \sqrt{s_{NN}}= 200$ GeV. Furthermore we have shown the Bjorken energy density achieved in U-U collisions for various configurations and compared them with experimental data of Au-Au at 200GeV. We observe that the present model suitably describes the experimental data for minimum bias geometrical configuration of U-U collisions. An estimate for various observables in different initial geometries of U-U collisions is also presented which will be tested in future by experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world has been greatly affected by increased utilization of mobile methods as well as smart devices in field of health. Health professionals are increasingly utilizing these technologies' advantages, resulting in a significant improvement in clinical health care. For this purpose, machine learning (ML) as well as Internet of Things can be utilized effectively. This study aims to propose a novel data analysis method for a health monitoring system based on ML. Goal of research is to create a ML-based smart health monitoring method. It helps the doctors keep an eye on patients from a distance as well as take periodic actions if they need to. Utilizing wearable sensors, a set of five parameters—the electrocardiogram, pulse rate, pressure, temperature, and position detection—have been identified. Kernelized component vector neural networks are used to choose the features in the input data. Then, a sparse attention-based convolutional neural network with a structural search algorithm was used to classify the selected features. For a variety of datasets, the proposed technique attained validation accuracy 95%, training accuracy 92%, RMSE 52%, F-measure 53%, and sensitivity 77%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives were to determine the incidence of hearing impairment in a standardized population of neonates and to determine the significance of association of epidemiological and risk factors with neonatal hearing loss. A cohort of 600 newborns was selected for study and divided into two groups-525 in 'No Risk' group and remaining 75 in 'At Risk' group. The study protocol was carried out in three steps: (a) Screening of Hearing Loss with TOAE, done from 36 h after birth to 28 days of life, (b) Re-screening of hearing loss in newborns (of 4-12 weeks of age), who were tested positive for hearing loss in the first screening, done with DPOAE, (c) Confirmation of hearing loss with BERA, in those who were tested positive in both the first and second screening. In the study the incidence of hearing impairment in 600 infants screened was 6.67 per 1000 screened; 3.81 per 1000 screened in the Not at Risk group and 26.67 per 1000 screened in At Risk group. In At Risk group, admitted to the NICU, severe birth asphyxia and hyperbilirubinemia were found to be major risk factors. Loss to follow up was more in Not at Risk group and False Positive cases with TEOAE were more than DPOAE. BERA was found to be must for confirmation of hearing loss. Neonatal Hearing Screening of only At Risk population is likely to miss some hearing loss. Universal Hearing Screening should be the preferred strategy. Good follow up in the 'At Risk' group suggests that initial interventions in NICU had sensitized the parents for the possibility of hearing loss. This study recommends the introduction of two stage neonatal screening-rescreening protocol, using OAE and BERA, in the country in phased manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thalassemia is a congenital hemolytic disease which is treated by repeated blood transfusion. Chronic iron overload is currently considered to be the primary cause of mortality in β-thalassemia, mainly due to the induction of left-sided cardiac failure. Iron overload results from a number of mechanisms associated with the disease itself. In addition to chronic iron overload thalassemic patients are more prone for procoagulant status which in turn lead to clinical thrombotic events. The hypercoagulable state in thalassemia is due to multiple elements, a combination of which is often the drive behind a clinical thromboembolic events. PAI-1 study was done in thalassemia major patients receiving multiple blood transfusion as a marker for procoagulant status. Total of 30 thalassemic patients on repeated blood transfusion was included in the study and total of 30 healthy age and sex matched controls were included in the study. It was also found that there was significant differences between cases and controls. The mean level of PAI 1 in controls was 3047 ± 414 pg/ml, the value in cases was 3683 ± 358 pg/ml. The level was significantly increased ( p < 0.05) in the cases compared to controls. PAI-1 levels were also compared with the total number of blood transfusion which correlates well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of rare-earth-doped Bi REFeO ceramics (rare-earth (RE) = La, Nd, Gd, and Dy) synthesized by solid-state reaction are reported and discussed. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of BiLaFeO and BiNdFeO were indexed to rhombohedral ( R3 c) and triclinic ( P1) structures, respectively. Rietveld refinement of the XRD pattern of BiDyFeO confirmed its biphasic nature ( Pnma + R3 c space groups) whereas for BiGdFeO the orthorhombic phase with Pna2 symmetry made a major contribution, with minor contributions from the orthorhombic ( Pnma) and rhombohedral ( R3 c) phases. Raman spectroscopy revealed changes in BiFeO mode positions, in addition to structural changes, on RE ion substitution. The effect of RE ion substitution on dielectric constant and loss tangent were studied at room temperature in a wide range of frequency, 50 Hz-1 MHz. Room temperature magnetization-magnetic field ( M- H) measurements indicated that magnetization increased with increasing structural distortion and with partial destruction of the spin cycloid as a result of doping of BiFeO ceramics with rare earth ions. These compounds, with improved remnant magnetization and coercive field, are suitable for use in spin-based electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of the data based on 924 inelastic interaction events induced by Si nuclei in a nuclear emulsion is presented. The nuclear fragmentation process is studied by analysing the total charge ( Q) distribution of the projectile spectators for different emulsion target groups along with the comparison of Monte Carlo Glauber model results. Probability distributions for total disintegrated events as a function of different projectile masses are shown and compared with cascade evaporation model results at same energy per nucleon. Further, mean multiplicities of different charged secondaries for different classes of events are presented and for each event, variation of mean multiplicities as a function of total charge ( Q) is also presented. The pseudorapidity distributions and normalized pseudorapidity distributions of the produced charged particles in nucleus-nucleus collisions at 3.7 A GeV are analysed for total disintegration (TD) as well as minimum-bias events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To establish utility of single enzymatic marker for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. This is a cohort study. Tertiary care centre proven cases of acute pancreatitis ( n = 50) admitted in surgery ward between December 2011 and May 2013 were included in the study. Serum amylase and lipase were performed along with many analytes. All relevant data including serum lab values and imaging were collected. All 50 patients included in the study had raised serum lipase, 42 patients had both amylase and lipase raised, 8 patients had amylase normal but lipase raised. In smaller hospitals where limited lab and radiological facilities are available, estimation of serum lipase will be a better choice over serum amylase in diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental analysis of 855 events induced by 14.6 A GeV Si in nuclear emulsion is presented. Mean multiplicities of charged secondary particles produced in the nuclear interactions are studied and compared with the results from the other experiments for the same projectile at 3.7 A GeV as well as data for proton at similar energy (14 GeV). An analysis of pseudorapidity densities of target fragments (black and grey particles) is also performed. The behaviour of the KNO scaling law of the multiplicity distribution for shower particles has been examined. In order to accumulate knowledge about the intermittent behaviour of shower particles, the scaled factorial moments (SFMs) are computed in η-space and ϕ-space for a set of data in the Si-AgBr events. Furthermore, validity of limiting fragmentation of shower particles produced in central collision events induced by Si-emulsion interactions has been tested. A crude estimation for the energy density of the nuclear matter formed in the central collision events at our energy has been examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambient aerosols collected from the marine atmospheric boundary layer of the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea have been studied to assess the fractional solubility of aerosol iron, defined as Fe (%) = Fe/Fe × 100; where Fe is total aerosol iron and Fe is water soluble iron. The mass concentration of Fe over the two oceanic regions is not significantly different. However, the fractional solubility is 1-2 orders of magnitude higher over the Bay of Bengal (1.4-24%) compared to that over the Arabian Sea (0.02-0.4%). The spatio-temporal variability in Fe (%) is attributed to differences in the nature of the mineral dust over the two oceanic regions. The Arabian Sea receives coarse dust from desert regions; whereas transport of alluvial dust from the Indo-Gangetic Plain is a dominant source to the Bay of Bengal. The poor fractional solubility (<1%) of Fe from mineral dust, hitherto overestimated in the literature, is documented for the Arabian Sea. A significant linear relationship ( P-value < 0.001) between Fe (%), Fe and nss-SO over the Bay of Bengal provides evidence for the chemical processing of mineral dust. Furthermore, the role of anthropogenic sources (biomass burning and fossil-fuel combustion) in enhancing the Fe (%) is discernible from the chemical composition of fine mode (PM) aerosols over the Bay of Bengal. The potential impact of these Fe-dust depositions on phytoplankton carbon fixation and surface ocean biogeochemistry is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) allows unlicensed wireless devices to opportunistically access unoccupied licensed spectrum bands. DSA yields efficient spectrum utilization which can greatly improve wireless networking performance. In this paper, we advocate application-awareness to effectively manage the side-effects of DSA that can offset its benefits by adversely impacting application QoS. Simple application hints are found to be able to serve as key inputs in evaluating current spectrum conditions relative to application needs, leading to an informed DSA mechanism that minimizes the impact of undesirable DSA side-effects. Towards this goal, we propose a wireless service architecture called Context-Aware Spectrum Agility (CASA). The key elements of CASA are: (a) semantic dependency equations that provide the relationship between application-layer QoS state and lower-layer DSA parameters, (b) CASA Algorithm that adapts DSA parameters and activities to better suit application needs, and, (c) a low overhead interface to provide application context to DSA. CASA has been explicitly designed with the goals of practical deployment, low overhead operation, and is compatible with any DSA protocol. Compared to state-of-art DSA, the deployment of CASA along with DSA protocols is shown to improve QoS metrics, such as delay and jitter, by an average of 30 and 64%, respectively. CASA is also found to match the application QoS demands for more than 90% of the duration of a communication session-a 300+% improvement over conventional application-agnostic DSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

simple, fast, selective and very sensitive method based on sample preparation by the relatively new technique of microextraction in a packed syringe (MEPS) and analysis by liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for the simultaneous determination of antidepressant drugs (amitriptyline, imipramine, clomipramine, mirtazapine and citalopram) was developed. MEPS is a new miniaturized, solid-phase extraction (SPE) technique that can be connected to LC or GC without any modifications. It is very easy to use, fully automated, inexpensive, quick and uses very small amounts (in μL) of organic solvents. Drugs are extracted using the MEPS technique followed by their analysis using LC-UV and GC-MS. Limits of detection were in the range of 0.088-0.284 ng mL on GC-MS and between 0.133 and 0.360 ng mL on LC-UV. The purpose of this study is to develop and validate MEPS as a new sample preparation technique for antidepressant drugs using chromatographic methods to detect these drugs in human plasma and urine samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) is a promising solution to the problem of spectrum inefficiency. Based on Cognitive Radio (CR) technology, DSA allows a CR device to opportunistically access unused or less crowded spectrum while ensuring protection for the incumbents. Though DSA shows great potential to enhance network performance, its adverse side-effects on application QoS may limit its usefulness. QoS support in a DSA-based network is not trivial due to the fact that in addition to unfavorable characteristics of the wireless medium, the secondary devices must face additional interference and interruption from incumbents that have to be protected. In this paper, we present a case study of key DSA protocol characteristics necessary for QoS provisioning. Specifically, we consider a personal/portable CR system that supports high quality multimedia (including HDTV) streaming over UHF frequency bands. We model and evaluate the QoS-oriented CR system together with the underlying QoS-Provisioned DSA Protocol (called QPDP) through extensive simulations. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed DSA QoS provisioning approach in sustaining high levels of QoS, e.g., supporting HDTV streaming in TV bands. This outcome is significant as FCC has recently approved UHF bands for unlicensed operations in the USA, and various DSA-based CR systems are being actively designed by the wireless industry. The techniques outlined in this work can be generalized to be applicable to generic DSA design in various spectrum bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our long-term study provides an unequivocal evidence for near-quantitative (80-100%) depletion of chloride from sea-salts in the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) of tropical Bay of Bengal. During the late NE-monsoon (Jan-Mar), continental outflow from south and south-east Asia dominate the wide-spread dispersal of pollutants over the Bay of Bengal. Among anthropogenic constituents, SO (range: 0.6-35 μg m) is the most dominant. The non-sea-salt SO (nss-SO) constitutes a major fraction (55-65%) of the aerosol water-soluble ionic composition (WSIC), whereas contribution of NO is relatively minor. The magnitude of Cl-deficit (with respect to its sea-salt proportion) exhibits linear increase with the excess-nss-SO (excess over NH). We propose that displacement of HCl from sea-salt aerosols by HSO is a dominant reaction mechanism for the chloride-depletion. These results also suggest that sea-salts could serve as a potential sink for anthropogenic SO in the downwind polluted marine environment. Furthermore, loss of hydrogen chloride, representing a large source of reactive chlorine, has implications to the oxidant chemistry in the MABL (oxidation of hydrocarbons and dimethyl sulphide). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) has gained widespread acceptance for analyte-matrix separation and preconcentration. SPME is a simple, effective adsorption/desorption technique that eliminates the need for solvents or complicated apparatus for concentrating volatile or non-volatile compounds in liquid samples or headspace. SPME is compatible with analyte separation/detection by gas chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography and provides linear results for a wide range of concentrations of analytes. By controlling the polarity and thickness of the coating on the fiber, maintaining consistent sampling time, and adjusting several other extraction parameters, an analyst can ensure highly reliable results for low concentrations of analytes. This review provides updated information on SPME with chromatographic separation for the extraction and measurement of different analytes in biological fluids and materials. Firstly the background to the technique is given in terms of apparatus, fibers used, extraction conditions and derivatisation procedures. Then the different matrices, urine, blood, breast milk, hair and saliva are considered separately. Finally, the future potential of SPME for the analysis of biological samples in terms of the development of new devices and fiber chemistries as well as applications for in vivo studies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of aerosols in the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL) of Bay of Bengal (BoB) and Arabian Sea (AS) has been studied during the spring and inter-monsoon (March-May 2006) based on the analysis of water soluble constituents (Na+, NH+ 4, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl-, NO-3 and SO2- 4 ), crustal elements (Al, Fe, and Ca) and carbonaceous species (EC, OC). The total suspended particulates (TSP) ranged from 5.2 to 46.6 μg m-3 and 8.2 to 46.9 μg m-3 during the sampling transects in the BoB and AS respectively. The water-soluble species, on average, accounted for 44% and 33% of TSP over BoB and AS respectively, with dominant contribution of SO2-4 over both the oceanic regions. However, distinct differences with respect to elevated abundances of NH+ 4 in the MABL of BoB and that of Na+ and Ca2+ in AS are clearly evident. The non-sea-salt component of SO2- 4 ranging from 82 to 98% over BoB and 35 to 98% over AS; together with nss-Ca2+/nss-SO2- 4 equivalent ratios 0.12 to 0.5 and 0.2 to 1.16, respectively, provide evidence for the predominance of anthropogenic constituents and chemical transformation processes occurring within MABL. The concentrations of OC and EC average around 1.9 and 0.4 μg m-3 in BoB and exhibit a decreasing trend from north to south; however, abundance of these carbonaceous species are not significantly pronounced over AS. The abundance of Al, used as a proxy for mineral aerosols, varied from 0.2 to 1.9 μg m-3 over BoB and AS, with a distinctly different spatial pattern - decreasing north to south in BoB in contrast to an increasing pattern in the Arabian Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous treadmill exercise studies showing neuroprotective effects have raised questions as to whether exercise or the stress related to it may be key etiologic factors. In this study, we examined different exercise regimens (forced and voluntary exercise) and compared them with the effect of stress-only on stroke protection. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 65) were randomly assigned to treatment groups for 3 weeks. These groups included control, treadmill exercise, voluntary running wheel exercise, restraint, and electric shock. Levels of the stress hormone, corticosterone, were measured in the different groups using ELISA. Animals from each group were then subjected to stroke induced by a 2-h middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion followed by 48-h reperfusion. Infarct volume was determined in each group, while changes in gene expression of stress-induced heat shock proteins (Hsp) 27 and 70 were compared using real-time PCR between voluntary and treadmill exercise groups. The level of corticosterone was significantly higher in both stress ( P < 0.05) and treadmill exercise ( P < 0.05) groups, but not in the voluntary exercise group. Infarct volume was significantly reduced ( P < 0.01) following stroke in rats exercised on a treadmill. However, the amelioration of damage was not duplicated in voluntary exercise, even though running distance in the voluntary exercise group was significantly ( P < 0.01) longer than that of the forced exercise group (4,828 vs. 900 m). Furthermore, rats in the electric shock group displayed a significantly increased ( P < 0.01) infarct volume. Expression of both Hsp 27 and Hsp 70 mRNA was significantly increased ( P < 0.01) in the treadmill exercise group as compared with that in the voluntary exercise group. These results suggest that exercise with a stressful component, rather than either voluntary exercise or stress alone, is better able to reduce infarct volume. This exercise-induced neuroprotection may be attributable to up-regulation of stress-induced heat shock proteins 27 and 70. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The patho-mechanism of somatic driver mutations in cancer usually involves transcription, but the proportion of mutations and wild-type alleles transcribed from DNA to RNA is largely unknown. We systematically compared the variant allele frequencies of recurrently mutated genes in DNA and RNA sequencing data of 246 acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients. We observed that 95% of all detected variants were transcribed while the rest were not detectable in RNA sequencing with a minimum read-depth cut-off (10x). Our analysis focusing on 11 genes harbouring recurring mutations demonstrated allelic imbalance (AI) in most patients. GATA2, RUNX1, TET2, SRSF2, IDH2, PTPN11, WT1, NPM1 and CEBPA showed significant AIs. While the effect size was small in general, GATA2 exhibited the largest allelic imbalance. By pooling heterogeneous data from three independent AML cohorts with paired DNA and RNA sequencing (N = 253), we could validate the preferential transcription of GATA2-mutated alleles. Differential expression analysis of the genes with significant AI showed no significant differential gene and isoform expression for the mutated genes, between mutated and wild-type patients. In conclusion, our analyses identified AI in nine out of eleven recurrently mutated genes. AI might be a common phenomenon in AML which potentially contributes to leukaemogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic muscle infarction was first described in 1965 by Angervall and Stener and was termed tumoriform focal muscular degeneration. It is a rare, but an upcoming complication of diabetes seen in patients on longstanding insulin therapy. It is also seen on patients with multiple end-organ microvascular complications. Diabetic muscle infarction is a distinct entity with characteristic clinical and radiological findings, more common than has been previously recognized. The typical clinical presentation includes abrupt onset of thigh pain and nontraumatic swelling. Here, we report a case of thigh involvement in an insulin-dependant diabetic with typical radiological and pathological correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]