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High density polyethylene (HDPE) waste accumulation in the environment is one among the major threats faced globally for the last quarter of century. The current study deals with isolation, characterization and mycodegradation analysis of the HDPE strips by a potential fungus isolated from garbage dump yard. Based on morphological characterization, the isolated strain was identified and designated as Talaromyces liani strain JA2HS. Until now, there have been no reports of HDPE degradation using T. liani. The HDPE strips were subjected to degradation by the fungal isolate JA2HS for 90 days after optimization of growth and environmental parameters. The extent of degradation was confirmed by measuring the weight of the residual strip and the amount of CO2 evolution by Sturm test. A partial 72.7% degradation of the HDPE strip was observed, followed by the evolution of 18.5 g/L CO2. Enzyme studies were conducted to test the presence of ligninolytic enzymes (laccase, manganese peroxidase and lignin peroxidase) responsible for the biodegradation of the plastic strip. The fungal biomass estimation and hydrophobicity test were also performed. Mycodegradation analysis of the HDPE strip was further confirmed using analytical techniques such as FTIR, SEM, and AFM. This is the first study revealing the HDPE degradation using T. liani mediated by ligninolytic enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain–Computer Interface is tested as a successful method in improving human cognitive functions such as attention and memory. Attention plays a significant role in areas ranging from a person's day-to-day life to educational domain and professional activities. When attention is evaluated using camera-based techniques, the users may suffer privacy issues. Using Brain–Computer Interface (BCI) to obtain a measure of attention will be useful in this regard. The paper proposes a Human Attention Recognition System (HARS) in which EEG signal acquisition is used to obtain the attention of the individual, Renyi's entropy-based mutual information method is used for feature selection and a deep learning-based classifier is used to classify the signals. HADS is not camera-based: therefore, faces of the subjects are not revealed. EEG signals were collected using the Ultracortex Mark III dry electrodes and were visualised using OpenBCI GUI (Graphical User Interface). The experiment is validated using the publicly available Confused Student EEG dataset from Kaggle, giving an accuracy of 99.21%. The results indicate that the proposed method can identify attention levels accurately and can be effectively used in educational systems, biofeedback and medical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of seaweed extracts as biostimulants is increasing worldwide to improve agricultural production, since they are natural and environmentally friendly compounds. Seaweeds biosynthesize plant hormones, including cytokinins which play an important role in plant growth and development. Cytokinin-like (CK) activity was analysed in eight species of Rhodophyta, including agarophytes (Gracilaria spp., Gelidium), and carrageenophytes (Chondracanthus, Hypnea). Comparison of CK-activity of different samples of the same species (e.g., field and cultured samples, different color and morphological variants, and reproductive phases) is described. Dried samples were extracted for 24 h at 10ºC in 100 mL 80% ethanol, filtered and rinsed with 80% ethanol. The extracts were purified using C18 Sep-Pak cartridges and Oasis MCX columns and separated into fractions by descending paper chromatography. CK-like activity was determined using the soybean callus bioassay with activity compared to kinetin standards (1, 5, 10 and 50 µg L−1). The green strain of Hypnea psedomusciformis was more active than the brown strain with most activity co-chromatographing with zeatin. Tetrasporophytes and female gametophytes of Gracilaria birdiae had CK-like activity that co-chromatographed with zeatin, and female gametophytes had an additional peak that co-chromatographed with riboside-5'-monophosphate. The highest CK-like activity (equivalent to 50 µg L−1 kinetin) occurred in G. cervicornis which co-chromatographed with isopentenyladenosine. Morphological variants of Hypnea had similar CK-like activity but the "nigrescens" variant had higher activity (equivalent to 10 µg L−1 kinetin) than the "musciformis" variant. These results indicate that Gracilaria cervicornis and Hypnea pseudomusciformis ("nigrescens" variant) have potential as biostimulants in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of domestication of the seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) L.M. Liao (Rhodophyta) has been taking place since 1995 and 1996 with the introduction of a brown tetrasporophyte and a pale brown gametophyte (originated from tetraspore progeny cultivated in laboratory) in the Experimental Marine Farm of the Fisheries Institute, Ubatuba Bay, São Paulo State, Brazil. From both original strains, 12 new color strains were generated, but only 8 strains have survived. However, new strains with brown color were not observed during the monitoring period. From 2013 to 2022, the occurrence of spontaneous color strains and data of temperature, salinity and water transparency were recorded on the cultivation site. For data analysis, a binary logistic regression model was used to identify the significant association between the presence of generation of the new strains of K. alvarezii (outcome variable) and abiotic data (predictors), and Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC curve) was used to investigate the probability of giving rise to new strains. Results showed that temperature was significant (p-value = 0.025) for generation of new color strains of K. alvarezii. According to the temperature range (18.3 to 31.8 ºC) used in the model, the probabilities to originate a new strain was 7.6% in temperature of 15 °C and 0.01% at 33 ºC. The occurrence of new strains of K. alvarezii may contribute to the selection of new cultivars for local mariculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canada has made a commitment in the Paris Agreement to reduce its total greenhouse gas emissions by 40–45% from 2005 levels by year 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by year 2050. An enhanced target has been established for the electricity sector, aiming to achieve a reduction of 88% from 2005 levels by 2030. Achieving these ambitious targets requires the implementation of new CO2 reduction measures and policies. In this work, carbon emissions pinch analysis (CEPA) is used for planning energy resources in the electricity sector while aiming to achieve both country and regional targets. Different scenarios are proposed for years 2030 and 2050 based on current policies and extension of some realistic assumptions, including the use of carbon capture and storage (CCS) facilities, negative emissions technologies (NETs), and increased capacity for renewable energy sources. In year 2030, the proposed solution indicates that the reduction of CO2 emissions of 3.1 Mt CO2-eq. is achievable, which is lower than the country target of 14 Mt CO2-eq. This solution can serve as the benchmark for each stakeholders at provincial level to reach their regional target. Results also show that electricity and CO2 trading are required to meet the energy requirement and to achieve the year 2030 CO2 emissions reduction goal at the provincial level which is the novelty of this paper. Although none of the cases has met net-zero emissions in year 2050, they do demonstrate that net zero is not far from materialisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sialendoscopy is gaining popularity in treating obstructive sialolithiasis as a gland preserving procedure. The study aimed to determine if the salivary glands recovered apart from symptomatic improvement after interventional sialendoscopy for calculus removal. A prospective comparative study was conducted in a tertiary care center on 24 patients diagnosed with sialolithiasis. The eligibility criterion was patients who underwent calculus removal through interventional sialendoscopy. All patients underwent objective and subjective methods of assessments of function of the salivary glands with the help of salivary Technetium (Tc) 99 Scintigraphy, measurement of salivary flow rate, Chronic obstructive sialadenitis symptoms (COSS), and xerostomia index (XI) questionnaires. Assessments were done before the procedure and repeated after 3 months. Categorical variables were expressed using frequency and percentage. Numerical variables were represented using mean and standard deviation. To test the statistical significance of the difference in the mean of the four parameters Wilcoxen sign ranked test was used. According to our study improvement in functionality was noted in all of the subjective and objective parameters assessed namely Tc scintigraphy, salivary flow rate, COSS questionnaire, and XI questionnaire, with a statistically significant p value (< 0.001). Functionality of salivary gland showed improvement within 3 months of calculus removal through sialendoscopy. There was a marked improvement in the symptoms after sialendoscopy. This study demonstrates that removal of obstructing calculus results in rapid recovery of glandular function thereby emphasizing the need for salivary gland preservation. Level of evidence: Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigated the benefits of having fins that induce swirling flow within an annular passage. The importance of the vortical structures produced using different fin angles and flow velocities in heat transfer was studied. The combination of swirling fluid with recirculation on heat transfer within an annular domain was not fully understood, and this paper aims to address that gap. The 10°, 20°, 30° and 40° angled fins were investigated to understand the changes in heat transfer performance as fluid recirculation becomes more dominant as angles become steeper. The usage of CGNP colloidal suspension was investigated for its potential benefits in heat transfer in a domain with angled fins. The CGNP concentrations of 0.025, 0.075 and 0.1 mass % were used as part of this investigation. Higher concentrations of CGNP increased the overall heat transfer coefficient. A more compact fin spacing improved heat transfer performance at the expense of increased pressure drop. Fin angles of 20° and 30° yielded poor heat transfer performance in the transitional flow regime (2000 < Re < 3000) due to the smaller swirling longitudinal vortices being insufficient in promoting fluid mixing from the thermal boundary layer into the freestream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actinomycetes play a significant role in producing bioactive pigments. The present study was performed to screen for pigmented Streptomyces strains from marine environment followed by its extraction and characterization. Strains AJ6 and AJ7 were found to produce yellow color pigment (12.9 and 13.8 g/L, respectively) when subjected to submerged fermentation in optimized ISP2 medium at 28 ± 2°C for 3–7 days. Lambda max for extracellular and intracellular yellow colored pigment was read at 430 and 410 nm, respectively. Biological and chemical characterization of the extracted pigment confirmed the presence of bioactive compounds. Furthermore, the potential strains were identified and designated as Streptomyces maritimus AJ6 and Streptomyces fenghuangensis AJ7 using conventional and molecular techniques. Until now, there are no reports of colored bioactive metabolite extraction, purification and characterization from S. maritimus and S. fenghuangensis from marine ecosystem. The colored pigment showed high bioactivity such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproteinase and antifouling activity against various clinical pathogenic strains, thereby proving its therapeutic importance which has not been reported previously. These strains can be employed in a variety of pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications as an environmentally safe alternative to synthetic hues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer-aided decision-making, predictive analytics, and recommendations are the buzz in this era. Concerning this, machine learning and artificial intelligence systems have found as vital and critical concepts. One of the critical domains of human life is farming, which indeed requires precision in decision making in diversified phases of farming. One among them is notifying the germination ability of seeds to cultivate with optimal results in both formats of quantity and quality of the crop. The role of computer-aided methods in farming has significantly increased in the past decade, which often termed as precision farming. The contribution of this manuscript endeavored to define a supervised learning model that includes the method of optimal feature selection and performing binary classification to determine the germination ability of seed samples, which precisely termed as "Supervised Learning-based Seed Germination Ability Prediction for Precision Farming." The diversified features of the microscopic images of both qualified and unqualified seeds shall consider as input corpus to perform the supervised learning in the proposed model. The significance of the model has scaled by performing experiments on the microscopic images of the paddy seeds, which considerably evincing the accuracy of the proposed approach with minimal false alarming. The contribution serves as a decision support tool to identify the quality seeds towards germination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humboldtia vahliana Wight. is an endangered species belonging to the family Leguminosae (subfamily Caesalpinioideae). Though the plant propagates through seeds, low seed setting, seed infestation, poor viability of seed, reduction in natural regeneration of seedlings as well as anthropogenic activities like overexploitation, habitat destruction and fragmented distribution in localities are the major factors hindering the survival of the species. Hence, strategies must be devised urgently for the conservation of this species as these recalcitrant seeds do not contribute significantly to the seed bank. The present attempt was to understand the seed physiology and biochemistry during embryogenesis and embryo desiccation. H. vahliana seeds took 120 days after anthesis to acquire full maturity. Immature seeds had higher moisture content (87.40%) which gradually reduced during maturity and reached 55.42% at the time of seed shed a true recalcitrant behavior of the seeds. Freshly fallen mature seeds showed an optimal germination percentage of 82.32% which was severely affected by the decrease in seed moisture content and the critical moisture content was found to be 33.63% in which the percentage of germination was only 30%. Cell membrane damage of seed was found to cause quick loss of seed viability. The LC-MS/MS analysis showed insignificant amounts of ribose, arabinose and trehalose but a significant accumulation of fructose in the mature embryos rather than glucose and sucrose. Embryo drying significantly reduced the level of these sugars including the stress related trehalose indicating the lack of biosynthetic machinery to counter desiccation stress in these recalcitrant seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Models of queuing-inventory systems with two inventory replenishment policies (IRPs) are studied: with a fixed supply volume and with a variable supply volume. Inventories can be replenished from two sources with different lead times and inventory delivery costs. If the inventory level drops to the ordering point s, then a regular inventory order is generated to the slow source. If inventory levels fall below a certain threshold r, where r < s, then the system instantly cancels the regular order and an emergency order to the fast source is generated. The system also accepts destructive customers (d-customers), as a result of which inventory levels are instantly reduced. Random variables involved in the formation of the model have exponential distribution functions (dfs) with finite means. The ergodicity conditions for the systems under study are found, their stationary distributions are calculated, and formulas are proposed for finding their characteristics. The problems of minimizing the total cost of the studied systems are solved by choosing the appropriate values of the ordering point s and threshold value r when using different inventory replenishment policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Markov models of queuing systems with perishable stocks and an infinite buffer are studied using two replenishment policies. In one of them, the volume of orders is constant, while the other depends on the current level of stocks. Customers can join the queue even when the inventory level is zero. After the service is completed, customers either receive supplies or leave the system without receiving them, while the duration of their service depends on whether the customer has received supplies or not. The conditions for the ergodicity of the constructed two-dimensional Markov chains are obtained, and the matrix-geometric method is used to calculate their steady-state distributions. Formulas are found for finding the characteristics of the system using the indicated replenishment policies, and the results of numerical experiments are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of various factors on the host resistance of cattle against tick infestation in Kerala State, South India. The number of naturally infested semi-engorged female ticks present on the cattle was counted on a sample cattle population across the four regions of Kerala. Then, the animals were grouped based on the tick count. The chi-square test and Fisher exact test were used to identify the effects of genetic and non-genetic factors on tick burden in cattle. It was found that the Holstein Friesian crossbred and Jersey crossbred cattle had a significantly higher level of tick infestation than the indigenous Vechur breed (Bos indicus). No tick infestation was observed in indigenous Kasaragod Dwarf cattle (B. indicus). Tick infestation was more in heifers and dry animals than lactating animals. However, the sex of the animal and the stage of lactation did not influence the tick load. Tick infestation was also influenced by parity, grazing, and region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In this article, we provide a gestalt idea about NGS technologies and their applications in cancer research and molecular diagnosis. Background: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) advancements like DNA sequencing and RNA sequencing allow uncovering of genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic scenes of individual malignant growths. An assortment of genomic abnormalities can be screened at the same time, for example common and uncommon variations, auxiliary variations like insertions and deletions, copy-number variation, and fusion transcripts. Conclusion: NGS innovations together with bioinformatics investigation, which extend our insight, are progressively used to analyze multiple genes in a cost-effective way and have been applied in examining clinical cancer samples and offering NGS-based molecular diagnosis. Application: NGS is progressively significant as a device for the diagnosis of cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of preprocessing and segmentation are vital in image processing and computer vision. The medical images are prone to noise and the filtering algorithms are used for noise removal. In this paper, the fast bilateral filter is employed for noise removal and it has good edge preservation capacity. The segmentation algorithms are used to extract the region of interest and edge detection is a classical algorithm for tracing the contours of objects in an image. The canny edge detector is efficient when compared with the conventional edge detectors. The fast bilateral filter is proposed in this paper has the computation complexity of O(1) per pixel, while the classical bilateral filter has the computation complexity of O(W) operations per pixel, where W is the kernel size. The algorithms were implemented in Raspberry Pi using Open CV software package. The algorithms were tested on real time medical images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the toxic action of methyl eugenol against Drosophila melanogaster and to evaluate the myorelaxant effect of this constituent on bronchioles isolated from swine from the Sus scrofa domesticus species. The toxicity assay was performed using the fumigation method while myorelaxant activity was assessed by the administration of increasing and cumulative concentrations (1–1000 μM) to swine bronchial rings under 1 gF tension in an organ bath precontracted with 60 mM potassium chloride (KCl) and 10 μM acetylcholine (ACh). The results showed that methyl eugenol possessed insecticidal action (LC50 0.116 μg/mL of air). The compound showed a myorelaxant activity over bronchioles (IC50 of 25.50±14.93 μM and 12.79±9.57 μM for KCl and ACh, respectively). This study serves as starting point for further detailed studies focusing on both the insecticidal and bronchodilatory activity of methyl eugenol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laurencia catarinensis (Ceramiales, Rhodomelaceae) has a high diversity of secondary metabolites such as acetogenin and halogenated terpenoids, with biological activities. We tested different combinations of auxins and cytokinins to evaluate their effects on the growth, total soluble proteins, pigments, and carbohydrates of L. catarinensis with the aim of improving the culture techniques of this species. To accomplish this, algae were cultivated in seawater enriched with quarter strength of von Stosch solution (VSES/4) with the addition of plant growth regulators (PGRs), and the treatment control without PGRs addition. The auxins tested were indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), and cytokinins were benzylaminopurine (BA) and 2-isopentenyladenine (2iP), in the following combinations: IAA:BA, IAA:2iP, 2,4-D:BA, and 2,4-D:2iP, in the concentrations of 5:5, 5:50, 50:5, and 50:50 μM for each auxin:cytokinin combination. Addition of PGRs had significant effects on the growth rates of L. catarinensis, which varied from 7.62 ± 0.12% to 9.30 ± 0.55% day−1. The highest growth rates were observed in treatments with 5:5 μM of IAA:BA and 2,4-D:BA, and 50:5 μM of 2,4-D:2iP. Higher contents of total soluble proteins were observed in treatments with 50:50 μM of IAA:BA and 2,4-D:BA. The auxin:cytokinin combinations inhibited allophycocyanin contents, but did not affect chlorophyll a and carbohydrate concentrations. Therefore, supplementation of auxins and cytokinins, especially the IAA:BA and 2,4-D:BA combinations, is useful approach to stimulate growth rates or soluble protein contents of L. catarinensis, improving the cultivation of this species with high biotechnological potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The small size (< 5 mm) of marine microfilamentous green algae makes it difficult to identify based on field collections, remaining largely unnoticed. To catalogue the diversity of these diminutive marine algae, a combination of culture-based taxonomic studies and DNA barcoding has proven to be a successful approach. During subtidal surveys in the northeastern Brazil, microfilamentous green algae were isolated as epiphytes on red algae cultured in laboratory. In this work, we used thallus ontogeny and plastid tufA gene sequences to elucidate the taxonomic identity of these isolates. Molecular and morphological evidence revealed that Brazilian specimens correspond to Ulvella endozoica, a poorly known species thought to be endemic to Florida, its type locality. Since U. endozoica was not found in gorgonian corals, as in the original description, this species does not follow a host specificity pattern, growing in more diverse substrata than previously thought. The origin of U. endozoica in Brazil remains undetermined, and we concluded that it is a cryptogenic species. Limited sampling, troublesome taxonomy, and difficulty in finding Ulvella species make them overlooked in Western Atlantic, resulting in taxonomic and biogeographic gaps. Our results expand southward the known distribution range of U. endozoica, demonstrating that an integrative barcode and laboratory culture-based approach is critical to uncover these inconspicuous algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Hypnea (Rhodophyta, Gigartinales) has currently 61 accepted species distributed in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions, growing in different habitats with a wide range of environmental factors and interactions with abiotic and biotic factors. Some Hypnea species are consumed by humans mostly in Asian and Indo-Pacific countries and are also exploited as raw material for kappa-carrageenan production, consequently, have been harvested and/or cultivated in several countries for decades. Hypnea musciformis has the widest geographical distribution around the world and it is the most studied species. However, more molecular studies on H. musciformis from different countries are necessary to understand the phenotypic plasticity and to reveal cryptic species. The present review is a compilation of information on taxonomy, morphology, anatomy, life history, distribution, ecology, physiology, cultivation and harvesting, chemical composition, and biotechnological applications. Although Hypnea species are well known as sources of carrageenans, reports on chemical diversity and biological activities highlight their remarkable potential for biotechnological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the relative efficacy of intravenous golimumab (GOL IV) and infliximab (IFX) for active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods: Propensity score (PS) methods were used to compare the efficacy of GOL IV 2 mg/kg and IFX 5 mg/kg using individual patient data (IPD) from the active arms of the phase 3 GO-ALIVE and ASSERT studies. Outcomes included the proportion of patients with a ≥ 20% improvement in the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society Criteria (ASAS20), change from baseline in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) score, and change from baseline in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels from weeks 4–52. Results: Before matching, 105 patients were treated with GOL IV and 201 patients were treated with IFX. After matching on all covariates, 118 patients were included in the ASAS20 analysis, 96 in the BASFI analysis, and 160 in the CRP analysis. After matching, GOL IV showed significantly greater improvement in ASAS20 response than IFX for weeks 28–44 (e.g., OR = 9.05 [95% CI 1.62–50.4] at week 44) and was comparable in change from baseline in BASFI scores and CRP levels to IFX at all time points. Results were robust for inclusion of different sets of covariates in scenario analyses. Conclusions: This is the first analysis of its kind to leverage clinical trial data to compare two biologics using PS methods in the treatment of active AS. Overall, GOL IV was associated with greater improvement in ASAS20 response than IFX in patients with AS at 28, 36, and 44 weeks of follow-up. Key Points • Although intravenous golimumab (GOL IV) and infliximab (IFX) are the only two IV-based tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors with demonstrated phase 3 clinical efficacy in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), no study has evaluated their comparative efficacy in a head-to-head trial. • Propensity score matching was used to derive indirect treatment comparisons of GOL IV and IFX for ≥ 20% in the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society Criteria (ASAS20), change in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), and change in C-reactive protein (CRP) using individual patient data from the GO-ALIVE and ASSERT phase 3 trials. • Propensity score matched indirect comparisons showed improved relative efficacy of GOL IV compared to IFX; after matching for up to 16 baseline covariates, GOL IV was associated with significantly greater odds of ASAS20 response at weeks 28, 36, and 44 than IFX as well as equivalent changes from baseline in BASFI and CRP. • This novel application of propensity score matching using data from phase 3 trials, the first analysis of its kind in AS, allowed adjustment for important imbalances in prognostic factors between trials to generate estimates of comparative efficacy between GOL IV and IFX in the absence of a head-to-head trial between these treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the relative efficacy of current and investigational biologic and oral small molecule (OSM) treatments for active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted to identify all phase 2/3 randomized trials of interest in patients with AS. Outcomes assessed were ≥ 20% improvement in the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society Criteria (ASAS20) and change from baseline in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) and C-reactive protein (CRP) at weeks 12–16. Bayesian network meta-analyses were conducted for outcomes using a random effects model. Baseline-risk adjustment was also conducted to account for differences in placebo response across studies. Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking curve (SUCRA) values are reported, reflecting the relative probability that intervention was the best of all interventions. Results: The investigational agent tofacitinib 5 mg was the top-ranked treatment (SUCRA, 93%) for ASAS20 response, followed by intravenous (IV) golimumab 2 mg/kg (90%). Golimumab IV 2 mg/kg and infliximab 5 mg/kg were the top two ranked treatments for change from baseline in BASFI (golimumab IV, 81%; infliximab, 80%) and change from baseline in CRP (infliximab, 90%; golimumab IV, 82%). Conclusions: Two approved therapies (golimumab IV, infliximab) and one investigational product ranked highest for efficacy in AS. Key Points • Although golimumab IV, infliximab, and tofacitinib ranked highest for efficacy in AS, differences in efficacy between approved and investigational therapies were not statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a single server queueing-inventory system under (s,Q) replenishment strategy with working vacations, vacation interruptions and lost sales. The server provides service at a lower rate during working vacations than while in normal mode of service. If a working vacation realizes while providing service in that mode, then the server continues in the present status until the current service is completed. Upon that it switches to the normal mode of service, provided there is at least one customer waiting. If no customer is waiting at this point of time, it goes for vacation. We also assume that if there are customers in the system at a service completion epoch during a working vacation, the server will come back to the normal working mode, otherwise the server will stay in the working vacation mode. With the system having infinite capacity, the stability condition for the system is obtained, followed by computation of the steady-state probability vector and discussion. Various performance measures are evaluated. In addition, the busy period analysis is provided and the stationary waiting time distribution in the queue is derived. Numerical illustrations are provided to illustrate the system performance, and an optimization problem is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benthic marine algae, especially Rhodophyta, are within a well-known marine group able to produce secondary metabolites with bioactive properties. Among them are halogenated terpenes, synthesized by vanadium-dependent haloperoxidase (V-BPO). The red alga Ochtodes secundiramea (Montagne) M. Howe produces high amounts of halogenated monoterpenes (HMT) which have the potential to control phytopathogenic fungi. Culture closed a system is a tool used to manipulate conditions to increase the synthesis of HMT and other metabolites. The apical segments of O. secundiramea were cultivated in a bioreactor, either in seawater enriched with half strength von Stosch's solution (VSES/2) without (control) and with the addition of 250 mg L−1 bromine (treatment). In response to these conditions, specific growth rate, HMT profile, soluble protein, phycobiliproteins, soluble carbohydrate, and chlorophyll as well as the V-BPO activity, uptake, and accumulated bromine within the biomass were evaluated. The treatment did not promote significant alterations in the growth but increased the V-BPO activity and bromine uptake and incorporation (2.5 fold). No changes in the HMT profiles of the extracts from both cultures conditions were observed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analyses, whereas the values of total soluble protein and phycobiliproteins were 2-fold higher in samples from the bromine-enriched medium when compared to samples from control. These results support the evidences of protective effects promoted by V-BPO activity. Furthermore, carbohydrate and chlorophyll contents were not affected by experimental conditions. These results provided new low-cost strategies that can be applied to increase of certain biomass components, which here are algal proteins, especially in Rhodophyta-based biotechnological industries for food and agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High Von Willebrand factor (VWF) levels may predispose to multi-organ failure in acute liver failure (ALF). In rodenticide-induced hepatotoxicity patients, we analyzed if plasma VWF levels predicted survival and also the outcome of VWF lowering by N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), fresh frozen plasma (FFP) infusions, and plasma exchange (PLEX). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data. Hepatotoxicity was classified as uncomplicated acute hepatitis (UAH), acute liver injury (ALI), and ALF. ALF patients, if not opting for liver transplantation, had PLEX and NAC; ALI patients received NAC ± FFP (PLEX, if worsening); UAH patients had NAC. Plasma VWF antigen was measured (normal, 50% to 150%). In-hospital survival was analyzed as discharged alive or died/discharged in a terminal condition (poor outcome). Results: Twenty-four consecutive rodenticide-induced hepatotoxicity patients (UAH in 1, ALI in 20, ALF in 3) from December 2017 to January 2019 were studied. Baseline VWF levels were 153%, 423 (146–890)% median (range), and 448 (414–555)% in UAH, ALI, ALF patients; model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores were 11, 24 (12–38), 36 (32–37) and in-hospital survival rates were 100%, 85%, 67%, respectively. VWF levels were higher in patients with poor outcome (555 [512–890]%) than in those discharged alive (414 [146–617]%) (p-value = 0.04). The area under the receiver operating curve of the VWF level, MELD score, and sequential organ failure assessment score to predict survival was 0.92, 0.84, and 0.66, respectively. Of 4 patients meeting criteria for liver transplantation (none had transplantation), 3 (75%) survived. Conclusions: High VWF levels predict poor outcome in rodenticide-induced hepatotoxicity. VWF reduction may be useful in such patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In video coding system, block matching algorithms are used to identify the matching blocks in digital video sequence for motion estimation. Motion estimation is used to discover temporal redundancy in the digital video sequence. This paper shows the analysis of popular existing algorithms for motion estimation. The analysis is based on the number of search points/macroblocks and speed-up ratio. The endeavor of this revision is to present the successive researchers with some productive information in design of block matching algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracts of brown algae are used commercially for agricultural crops due to their plant growth-promoting effects and they can also be applied to help improve seaweed cultivation. Gracilaria caudata is commercially exploited as a raw material for agar production in Brazil, and Laurencia catarinensis is a source of halogenated terpenoids with several biological activities. Investigations to understand the development of seaweeds of biotechnological interest are required in order to improve their cultivation and the sustainability for biomass production on an industrial scale. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of Ascophyllum/Acadian marine plant extract powder (AMPEP), a commercial, water-soluble extract of the brown alga Ascophyllum nodosum, on the growth, branching development, and pigment content of G. caudata and L. catarinensis. Four concentrations of AMPEP (0, 0.1, 1.0, and 5.0 mg L−1) were added to sterilized seawater (seawater+AMPEP), and to a medium comprised of half-strength von Stosch solution (VSES/2+AMPEP). Experiments were performed under conditions of 23 ± 2 °C, a light:dark cycle of 14:10 h, salinity at 32 psu, and photon flux densities of 60 ± 10 μmol photons m−2 s−1. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, followed by a posteriori multiple comparison, Student-Newman-Keuls' test. Treatments of seawater+AMPEP at concentrations of 0.1 and 1.0 mg L−1 stimulated the growth rates of G. caudata when compared to the control. However, the effects of seawater+AMPEP and VSES/2+AMPEP on the branching architecture of the thalli were not significant for either species. Concentrations of phycoerythrin, phycocyanin, allophycocyanin, and chlorophyll-a in L. catarinensis were stimulated by the highest concentration of VSES/2+AMPEP (i.e., 5.0 mg L−1). This is the first study to report the stimulatory effect of AMPEP on the phycobiliprotein contents of selected red algae. Furthermore, seawater+AMPEP in concentrations of 0.1 and 1.0 mg L−1 stimulated growth rates of G. caudata, which could be applied in its large-scale cultivation. The results obtained for G. caudata and L. catarinensis, an agar-producing and a terpenoid-producing species, respectively, contributed to extending the knowledge of the beneficial uses of a brown seaweed-derived extract with biostimulatory properties for use with cultivated, economically important red algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gracilaria domingensis (Kützing) Sonder ex Dickie is widely distributed in the Brazilian coast and is one of a few Gracilaria species with occurrence in the southern region of the country. Its commercial importance is in the use in human food (in natura) and knowledge of the physiology is fundamental to make its cultivation successful. The objectives of the present work were to determine the limits of tolerance to temperature and irradiance variations and to evaluate comparatively their effects on growth rates and contents of total soluble proteins and pigments in female gametophytes of G. domingensis from Brazilian tropical region (ES strain) and from subtropical region (SC strain). Variations in temperature (from 15 to 35 °C) and irradiance (from 20 to 250 μmol photons m−2 s−1) were tested. Both strains tolerated temperature variation from 15 to 30 °C, but died at 35 °C. The ES strain had higher growth rates (from 3.1 to 6.1% day−1) in relation to the SC strain (from 1.3 to 4.1% day−1), but the two strains had the highest growth rate at 25 °C. The ES strain had higher concentrations of total soluble proteins at low temperature (15 °C), while the SC strain showed higher protein concentrations at high temperatures (25 and 30 °C). In addition, the chlorophyll a concentration of the ES strain was higher at 20 °C and lower at 30 °C. The irradiance variation influenced the growth rates of the two strains (from 2.7 to 6.0% day−1) and the lowest growth rates were observed at irradiance of 20 μmol photons m−2 s−1 and the highest growth rates were observed at a wide range of irradiance variation (from 40 to 250, and from 60 to 250 μmol photons m−2 s−1 for SC and ES strains, respectively). The studied strains of G. domingensis showed higher concentrations of total soluble protein at low irradiances (20, 40, and 80 μmol photons m−2 s−1). The highest concentrations of phycoerythrin (423.0 μg g−1 FW) and phycocyanin (215.3 μg g−1 FW) were observed in the ES strain grown at low irradiance (40 μmol photons m−2 s−1). The chlorophyll a concentration of the two strains decreased with increased irradiance, indicating a photoacclimation. Our results showed that the tropical strain of G. domingensis has higher growth rates over a broader temperature range than the subtropical strain, which could be an advantageous feature for maricultural purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer stem cells are cellular subpopulations in tumor, which are highly tumorigenic and drug resistant due to their adaptive molecular mechanism. In the recent years, these cells have attracted researchers’ focus because of their unique properties which makes them biologically well evolved than other proliferating tumor cells. We have studied the presence of cancer stem cells in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its surgical margins. We report for the first time the presence of drug-resistant cells in distal resection margins in CRC and showed that a closer distal margin of less than 2 cm could have higher possibility of drug-resistant cells to spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular anomalies of the head and neck region are a complex group of lesions that challenge the head and neck physicians. From the very understanding of the difference between its two distinct forms, hemangiomas and vascular malformations to its management remain confusing. The review of this anomaly attempts at comprehensively understanding the disease. Vascular anomalies are easily diagnosed by their clinical presentation, but choice of imaging and management for this spectrum of lesions is varied. The author attempts to categorize the required imaging for the lesion with suggestions on the management of both hemangiomas and vascular malformations. The available treatment options are discussed, and a comprehensive algorithm for management is suggested. Further research in developing drugs that could restrict the growth of these lesions would be the future of the management of vascular lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the short-term functional outcomes of the endoscopic modified Lothrop procedure with well defined subjective and objective criteria. It's a retrospective cohort study with chart review carried out at a tertiary referral center. 31 patients with chronic frontal sinusitis who underwent endoscopic modified Lothrop's procedure with uncinate preservation during the period Jan 2011-2014 were followed up for a period of minimum 6 months. Assessment was done post-operatively based on subjective severity score and Kennedy's 5 point endoscopic criteria. Subjective improvement was seen in all symptoms whereas statistically significant improvement was found for the three parameters headache ( p < 0.025), nose block ( p < 0.03) and rhinorrhea ( p < 0.05). Post operative nasal endoscopy revealed crusting and polypoidal mucosa in few patients which were managed conservatively. Asymptomatic narrowing of ostium seen in two patients. No complications were identified. The study illustrates the benefit obtained from endoscopic modified Lothrop's surgery in chronic frontal sinusitis refractory to medical treatment and standard endoscopic sinus surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present work was to study the epidemiology of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis ( S. Enteritidis) in Greece, comparing all the food and food animal isolates during a 3-year period with clinical isolates. Submission of the generated data to the PulseNet Europe database was carried out in order to study the population structure of this particular serovar and indicate possible connections with European strains. One hundred and sixty-eight (168) S. Enteritidis strains of human, animal, and food origin, isolated during the period 2008-2010 in Greece, were studied. Strains were characterized by phenotypic (antibiotic resistance) and molecular [pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST)] methods. PFGE revealed 39 XbaI, 48 BlnI, and 80 XbaI- BlnI distinct pulsotypes, suggesting several clones circulating through the food chain and multiple sources of transmission. Submission to the PulseNet Europe database indicated that PFGE profile SENTXB.0001, the most common PFGE profile in Europe, was also predominant in Greece (33.3 %). MLST showed that all the strains studied shared the same sequence type (ST11), representing the most common ST in Europe. High rates of resistance to nalidixic acid were observed among human and poultry isolates (~25 %), indicating the potential fluoroquinolone treatment failure. Our data suggest that strains originating from multiple reservoirs circulated in Greece through the food chain during the study period. Predominant profiles in Greece were common to PulseNet Europe profiles, indicating similarities between the S. Enteritidis populations in Greece and Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body mass index (BMI) is a non-invasive measurement of obesity. It is commonly used for assessing adiposity and obesity-related risk prediction. Genetic differences between ethnic groups are important factors, which contribute to the variation in phenotypic effects. India inhabited by the first out-of-Africa human population and the contemporary Indian populations are admixture of two ancestral populations; ancestral north Indians (ANI) and ancestral south Indians (ASI). Although ANI are related to Europeans, ASI are not related to any group outside Indian-subcontinent. Hence, we expect novel genetic loci associated with BMI. In association analysis, we found eight genic SNPs in extreme of distribution (P⩽3.75 × 10(-5)), of which WWOX has already been reported to be associated with obesity-related traits hence excluded from further study. Interestingly, we observed rs1526538, an intronic SNP of THSD7A; a novel gene significantly associated with obesity (P=2.88 × 10(-5), 8.922 × 10(-6) and 2.504 × 10(-9) in discovery, replication and combined stages, respectively). THSD7A is neural N-glycoprotein, which promotes angiogenesis and it is well known that angiogenesis modulates obesity, adipose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, hence our result find a correlation. This information can be used for drug target, early diagnosis of obesity and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity of the crude methanolic extract from the soft coral Sarcophyton flexuosum Tixier-Durivault was assayed. The crude methanolic extract of S. flexuosum collected from Lakshadweep Island showed significant potential in antioxidant activity. GC-MS analysis of the hexane and chloroform extracts of S. flexuosum revealed the presence of 27 compounds belonging to five major groups including esters, hydrocarbons, carbonyls, ethers, and alcohols. In these compounds, fatty acid esters were found to be the major chemical group, followed by hydrocarbons, ethers, carbonyls, and alcohols. Among the compounds identified, butyl butyrate, methyl palmitate, methyl (9E)-9-octadecenoate, propanoic acid butyl ester, undecane, 2-ethyl-hexan-1-ol and isosteviol were found to be pharmacologically important, based on their reported activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface sediment samples were collected from Chitrapuzha (Cochin) estuarine system to identify the natural and anthropogenic origin of organic matter. The distribution and sources of organic matter were assessed with the help of fatty acid and alkane biomarkers. Fatty acids ranging from C to C were identified and C was the most abundant fatty acid, which contributed between 23.5 % and 52.4 % to total fatty acids. The low levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids indicate the effective bacterial recycling of algal fatty acids during the whole settling and depositing process. Aliphatic hydrocarbons ranging from C12 to C33 were identified and the total concentration ranged from 7876 to 43,357 ng g. The presence of unresolved complex mixtures and lower pristane to phytane ratios indicates the petroleum contamination in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case of periodic vomiting due to a congenital peritoneal band is presented. A plea is made for more frequent use of contrast roentgenography in children presenting with symptoms of partial or intermittent intestinal obstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetylation of the RelA subunit of NF-κB at lysine-310 regulates the transcriptional activation of NF-κB target genes and contributes to maintaining constitutively active NF-κB in tumors. Bromodomain-containing factor Brd4 has been shown to bind to acetylated lysine-310 (AcLys310) and to regulate the transcriptional activity of NF-κB, but the role of this binding in maintaining constitutively active NF-κB in tumors remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrate the structural basis for the binding of bromodomains (BDs) of bromodomain-containing protein 4 (Brd4) to AcLys310 and identify the BD inhibitor JQ1 as an effective small molecule to block this interaction. JQ1 suppresses TNF-α-mediated NF-κB activation and NF-κB-dependent target gene expression. In addition, JQ1 inhibits the proliferation and transformation potential of A549 lung cancer cells and suppresses the tumorigenicity of A549 cells in severe combined immunodeficiency mice. Furthermore, we demonstrate that depletion of Brd4 or treatment of cells with JQ1 induces the ubiquitination and degradation of the constitutively active nuclear form of RelA. Our results identify a novel function of Brd4 in maintaining the persistently active form of NF-κB found in tumors, and they suggest that interference with the interaction between acetylated RelA and Brd4 could be a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of NF-κB-driven cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]