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Modern natural language processing (NLP) state-of-the-art (SoTA) deep learning (DL) models have hundreds of millions of parameters, making them extremely complex. Large datasets are required for training these models, and while pretraining has reduced this requirement, human-labelled datasets are still necessary for fine-tuning. Few-shot learning (FSL) techniques, such as meta-learning, try to train models from smaller datasets to mitigate this cost. However, the tasks used to evaluate these meta-learners frequently diverge from the problems in the real world that they are meant to resolve. This work aims to apply meta-learning to a problem that is more pertinent to the real world: class incremental learning (IL). In this scenario, after completing its training, the model learns to classify newly introduced classes. One unique quality of meta-learners is that they can generalise from a small sample size to classes that have never been seen before, which makes them especially useful for class incremental learning (IL). The method describes how to emulate class IL using proxy new classes. This method allows a meta-learner to complete the task without the need for retraining. To generate predictions, the transformer-based aggregation function in a meta-learner that modifies data from examples across all classes has been proposed. The principal contributions of the model include concurrently considering the entire support and query sets, and prioritising attention to crucial samples, such as the question, to increase the significance of its impact during inference. The outcomes demonstrate that the model surpasses prevailing benchmarks in the industry. Notably, most meta-learners demonstrate significant generalisation in the context of class IL even without specific training for this task. This paper establishes a high-performing baseline for subsequent transformer-based aggregation techniques, thereby emphasising the practical significance of meta-learners in class IL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mounting evidence suggests a prominent role for alpha-synuclein (a-syn) in neuronal cell function. Alterations in the levels of cellular a-syn have been hypothesized to play a critical role in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD); however, mechanisms that control expression of the gene for a-syn (SNCA) in cis and trans as well as turnover of a-syn are not well understood. We analyzed whether methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2), a protein that specifically binds methylated DNA, thus regulating transcription, binds at predicted binding sites in intron 1 of the SNCA gene and regulates a-syn protein expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and electrophoretic mobility-shift assays (EMSA) were used to confirm binding of MeCP2 to regulatory regions of SNCA. Site-specific methylation and introduction of localized mutations by CRISPR/Cas9 were used to investigate the binding properties of MeCP2 in human SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells. The significance of MeCP2 for SNCA regulation was further investigated by overexpressing MeCP2 and mutated variants of MeCP2 in MeCP2 knockout cells. We found that methylation-dependent binding of MeCP2 at a restricted region of intron 1 of SNCA had a significant impact on the production of a-syn. A single nucleotide substitution near to CpG1 strongly increased the binding of MeCP2 to intron 1 of SNCA and decreased a-syn protein expression by 60%. In contrast, deletion of a single nucleotide closed to CpG2 led to reduced binding of MeCP2 and significantly increased a-syn levels. In accordance, knockout of MeCP2 in SK-N-SH cells resulted in a significant increase in a-syn production, demonstrating that SNCA is a genomic target for MeCP2 regulation. In addition, the expression of two mutated MeCP2 variants found in Rett syndrome (RTT) showed a loss of their ability to reduce a-syn expression. This study demonstrates that methylation of CpGs and binding of MeCP2 to intron 1 of the SNCA gene plays an important role in the control of a-syn expression. In addition, the changes in SNCA regulation found by expression of MeCP2 variants carrying mutations found in RTT patients may be of importance for the elucidation of a new molecular pathway in RTT, a rare neurological disorder caused by mutations in MECP2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prepared guggul gum-based hydrogel (GgG-cl-poly(AA)) through a free radical graft copolymerization mechanism in this work. The preparation was carried out using ammonium persulfate as an initiator, acrylic acid as the monomer, and N, N′-methylenebisacrylamide as the crosslinker. The synthesized hydrogel's swelling capacity and equilibrium swelling ratio were thoroughly investigated by optimizing various reaction parameters: reaction time, solvent volume, microwave power, crosslinker amount, initiator concentration, and monomer concentration. The swelling results demonstrated that the synthesized hydrogel can attain a maximum percentage swelling of 980% within 3 h in an aqueous solution. The prepared hydrogel sample was characterized using Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and thermogravimetric analysis. The prepared hydrogel was studied for water retention behavior in the soil, water absorbance in the open air at room temperature, reswelling studies, and resistive swelling studies in various salt solutions at different temperatures and pH values. Notably, the crosslinked hydrogel exhibited a reduced swelling capacity across various salt solutions compared to the aqueous solutions. The biodegradation studies were examined in both soil burial and vermicomposting methods for two months, revealing a maximum biodegradation of 95.65% through the vermicomposting method and 87.7% through the soil burial method. The results indicate that the crosslinked hydrogel based on guggul gum is a potential candidate for various agricultural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tannase-producing filamentous fungi residing alongside tannin-rich ambient in the Northwest Himalayas were isolated at laboratory conditions and further identified by 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Five most potent tannase producing strains (EI ≥ 2.0), designated Aspergillus fumigatus AN1, Fusarium redolens AN2, Penicillium crustosum AN3, Penicillium restrictum AN4, and Penicillium commune AN5, were characterized. The strain Penicillium crustosum AN3 exhibited a maximum zone dia (25.66 mm ± 0.38). During solid-state fermentation, a maximal amount of tannase was attained with Penicillium crustosum AN3 using pine needles (substrate) by adopting response surface methodology for culture parameter optimization. Gel filtration chromatography yielded 46.48% of the partially purified enzyme with 3.94-fold of tannase purification. We found two subunits in enzyme-117.76 KDa and 88.51 KDa, respectively, in the SDS-PAGE. Furthermore, the characterization of partially purified tannase revealed a maximum enzyme activity of 8.36 U/mL at 30 °C using a substrate concentration (methyl gallate) of 10 mM. To broaden the knowledge of crude enzyme application, dye degradation studies were subjected to extracellular crude tannase from Penicillium crustosum AN3 where the maximum degradation achieved at a low enzyme concentration (5 ppm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive breast cancer, no special type, is the most frequent subtype of breast malignancy encountered as compared to secondary breast cancer. The most common tumors metastasizing to the breast include lymphoma and melanoma. Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a common soft-tissue neoplasm in the paediatric population, often seen in regions such as the head and neck, genitourinary system, trunk, and extremities. While metastatic RMS to the breast is uncommon, it tends to occur primarily in adolescent girls, with the alveolar variant being the most frequently encountered. In this case presentation, we describe the unique instance of a 17-year-old girl admitted to the hospital with quadriplegia which on initial clinical evaluation was diagnosed as disseminated tuberculosis involving the spine (Pott's spine), but on further cytologic and histopathologic assessment revealed the unexpected diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma. This case draws attention to the unusual occurrence of rhabdomyosarcoma metastasis to bilateral breasts, that to with an embryonal morphology, and underscores the challenge of identifying the primary site of this rare manifestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) awaiting liver transplantation (LT) remains poorly defined. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the relationship between T2DM and clinical outcomes among patients with LT waitlist registrants. We hypothesize that the presence of T2DM will be associated with worse clinical outcomes. Methods: 593 patients adult (age 18 years or older) who were registered for LT between 1/2010 and 1/2017 were included in this retrospective analysis. The impact of T2DM on liver-associated clinical events (LACE), survival, hospitalizations, need for renal replacement therapy, and likelihood of receiving LT were evaluated over a 12-month period. LACE was defined as variceal hemorrhage, hepatic encephalopathy, and ascites. Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analysis were used to determine the association between T2DM and clinical outcomes. Results: The baseline prevalence of T2DM was 32% (n = 191) and patients with T2DM were more likely to have esophageal varices (61% vs. 47%, p = 0.002) and history of variceal hemorrhage (23% vs. 16%, p = 0.03). The presence of T2DM was associated with increased risk of incident ascites (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.11, 3.28, p = 0.019). Patients with T2DM were more likely to require hospitalizations (56% vs. 49%, p = 0.06), hospitalized with portal hypertension-related complications (22% vs. 14%; p = 0.026), and require renal replacement therapy during their hospitalization. Patients with T2DM were less likely to receive a LT (37% vs. 45%; p = 0.03). Regarding MELD labs, patients with T2DM had significantly lower bilirubin at each follow-up; however, no differences in INR and creatinine were noted. Conclusion: Patients with T2DM are at increased risk of clinical outcomes. This risk is not captured in MELD score, which may potentially negatively affect their likelihood of receiving LT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, an apposite and straightforward methodology has been established for the synthesis of 4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole and its derivatives by using Chalcones and Hydrazines as substrates in EtOH under 20W CFL irradiation at room temperature. The distinctive trait of this protocol is the utilization of an efficient, green, highly water soluble organophotoredox catalyst "Rhodamine B", a simple red xanthene dye, to create C–N bonds via formation of free radicals and eventually terminating with intramolecular cyclization. Short reaction time, environmentally benign approach, cost effectiveness, feasibility and adaptability with respect to a wide range of substrates and good to excellent yield of the product supplements the synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser beam cutting (LBC) is widely accepted method for creating the complex geometries in difficult to cut sheetmetal with close tolerances and high precision. In this study, the curved profiles have been cut in Ni-based superalloy (Inconel718) thin sheet using pulsed Nd-YAG laser. The performance of the process in terms of top kerf deviation (TKD) and kerf taper (KT) has been analyzed by employing the response surface modelling (RSM) and neural network modelling (NNM) approaches. Experiments have been conducted using the Box-Behnken design (BBD) by considering the four laser cutting parameters namely lamp current, pulse width, pulse frequency and cutting speed. The experimental results have been used further to develop the regression and neural network models. Subsequently, predicted results from both the models have been compared with the actual experimental results. On comparison, the prediction error for RSM were found as 14.06% and 14.18%, while for NNM were 12.23% and 6.80% for TKD and KT, respectively. Hence, both the models confirmed strong ability to match the responses. NN model exhibited superior predictive power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia, constituting a majority of leukemias, grapples with a 24% 5-year survival rate. Recent strides in research have unveiled fresh targets for drug therapies. LIM-only, a pivotal transcription factor within LIM proteins, oversees cell development and is implicated in tumor formation. Among these critical LIM proteins, CSRP1, a Cysteine-rich protein, emerges as a significant player in various diseases. Despite its recognition as a potential prognostic factor and therapeutic target in various cancers, the specific link between CSRP1 and acute myeloid leukemia remains unexplored. Our previous work, identifying CSRP1 in a prognostic model for AML patients, instigates a dedicated exploration into the nuanced role of CSRP1 in acute myeloid leukemia. Methods: R tool was conducted to analyze the public data. qPCR was applied to evaluate the expression of CSRP1 mRNA for clinical samples and cell line. Unpaired t test, Wilcoxon Rank Sum test, KM curves, spearman correlation test and Pearson correlation test were included in this study. Results: CSRP1 displays notable expression variations between normal and tumor samples in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It stands out as an independent prognostic factor for AML patients, showing correlations with clinical factors like age and cytogenetics risk. Additionally, CSRP1 correlates with immune-related pathways, immune cells, and immune checkpoints in AML. Furthermore, the alteration of CSRP1 mRNA levels is observed upon treatment with a DNMT1 inhibitor for THP1 cells. Conclusion: The CSRP1 has potential as a novel prognostic factor and appears to influence the immune response in acute myeloid leukemia. Additionally, there is an observed association between CSRP1 and DNA methylation in acute myeloid leukemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This current work evaluates the efficacy of a co-flow nozzle for cold spray applications with the aim of mitigating nozzle clogging issues, which can occur during long-duration operations, by replacing the solid wall of a divergent nozzle section with an annular co-flow fluid boundary. Simulations were conducted on high-pressure nitrogen flowing through convergent–divergent (C–D) axisymmetric nozzles, with a stagnation pressure of 6 MPa and a stagnation temperature of 1273 K. In these simulations, Inconel 718 particles of varying sizes (15 µm to 35 µm) were modeled using a 2-way Lagrangian technique, and the model's accuracy was confirmed through validation against experimental results. An annular co-flow nozzle with a circular cross section and straight passage covering the primary C–D nozzle has been designed and modeled for cold spray application. Co-flow was introduced to the reduced nozzle length to compensate for particle velocity loss at higher operating conditions. It was found that co-flow facilitates momentum preservation for primary flow by providing an annular gas boundary, resulting in increased particle speed for a longer axial distance beyond the nozzle exit of the reduced divergent length nozzle. The particle acceleration performance of the reduced divergent section nozzle, when combined with co-flow, is comparable to the original length nozzle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a case study of a former professional football player who developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) later in life. The study provides detailed information about the patient's symptoms, cognitive decline, and functional impairments, as well as findings from neuroimaging and neuropathological examinations. The article emphasizes the need for further research to better understand CTE and its associated pathologies. It also suggests that FDG-PET imaging may be a useful diagnostic tool for early-stage CTE and highlights the potential link between traumatic brain injury and other brain pathologies. [Extracted from the article]

Klebsiella pneumoniae is considered as the most common pathogen of hospital-acquired pneumonia. K. pneumoniae has emerged as the superbug which had shown multidrug resistance (MDR) as well as extensively drug resistance. Carbapenem resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) has become a menace for the treatment with monotherapy of the patients mainly admitted in intensive care units. Hence, in the present study we collected total 187 sputum isolates of K. pneumoniae and performed the antimicrobial susceptibility testing by using the automated Vitek-2 system and broth micro-dilution method (67 CRKP). The combination study of solithromycin with meropenem, colistin, cefotaxime, piperacillin and tazobactam, nitrofurantoin, tetracycline, levofloxacin, curcumin and nalidixic acid was performed by using checkerboard assay. We observed the high rate of resistance towards ampicillin, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime and aztreonam. The colistin and tigecycline were the most sensitive drugs. The CRKP were 36%, maximum were from the patients of ICUs. The best synergistic effect of solithromycin was with meropenem and cefotaxime (100%), colistin and tetracycline (80%). So, these combinations can be a choice of treatment for the infections caused by MDR CRKP and other Gram-negative bacteria where the monotherapy could not work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano-sized iron sulfides have garnered great scientific interest as they possess a wide range of varieties, topologies, and physiochemical qualities. Particularly, iron sulfides (FeS) in the nanometer range size demonstrate enzyme-like activity by imitating organic enzymes that require an iron-sulfur cluster as a cofactor, increasing their potential for use in biomedicine. Here, sodium dithionite was used as the sulfur source and iron chloride (FeCl3·3H2O) as the iron source to create iron sulfide nanoparticles through the chemical precipitation method. The synthesis of the prepared FeS nanoparticles was confirmed by using various spectroscopic studies, i.e., TEM, SEM, DLS, VSM, XRD, and EDX, validating their size, shape, hydrodynamic diameter, magnetic properties, phase composition, and elemental composition respectively. The average particle size obtained from TEM was around 83 nm, and quasi-shaped morphology was observed from SEM. The presence of iron and sulfur within the synthesized nanoparticles was confirmed by EDX. Molecular docking is an effective tool to model the interactions between a protein and small molecules at the atomic level. The ability of a nanoparticle (ligand) to interact with proteins to form a protein–ligand complex plays a crucial role in the dynamics of proteins. The binding of nanoparticles with protein may inhibit or enhance (or have no effect) the biological function of the protein. Thus, it becomes necessary/important to know whether a particular nanoparticle should be used for drug delivery or not. The binding information obtained from the molecular docking of nanoparticles and proteins may be used to decide about the same. We have studied the interaction of ferrous/iron sulfide (FeS) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) proteins through molecular docking. The binding of ferrous/iron sulfide was studied separately with both the selected proteins. Findings demonstrated that four hydrogen bonds involving hydrogen atoms from four distinct amino acid residues of BSA protein (Arg194, Ser343, Asp450, and Ser453) are predicted by the preferential binding of FeS nanoparticles to BSA protein. However, binding to HSA involved only one hydrogen bond. We have further planned to extend our docking studies to study the interaction of BSA and HSA with anticancer drugs and drug-conjugated FeS nanoparticles. The constructive outcomes of the above studies could be used to perform in vitro studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction- Spindle cell neoplasm is a variant of squamous cell carcinoma. One of its subtypes is solitary fibrous tumor. Its occurrence in head and neck is very rare and rarer in hard palate. But if occurs, radical excision is the only choice as it has malignant potential but coverage of such large mid face defects imposes a challenge in front of a Plastic Surgeon as it demands both soft tissue coverage and skeletal support. Report of the case- A 33 year male presented to our department with swelling of left side face involving the anterior palate, maxilla, nose, and upper lip. With the help of the surgical oncology team, wide local excision of the neoplasm along with bilateral infrastructure maxillectomy, total rhinectomy, total upper lip resection and total hard palatectomy was done. This created large defect in the mid face which was covered with free anterolateral thigh flap. Biopsy was done which revealed the swelling as a solitary fibrous tumor of hard palate. All the margins were free of tumour. The flap settled well. Nostrils were secured with nasal stents. After 3 months, an expander was placed in forehead of the patient for future nasal reconstruction. After 3 months, nasal reconstruction was done using expanded forehead flap and costal cartilage. After 21 days flap detachment and insetting was done. White roll creation was also done. One more secondary procedure was done for flap thinning as patient had complain of nasal obstruction. After 6 months vascularised free fibula bone graft was introduced to reconstruct maxilla for future dental rehabilitation. The patient is in regular follow up and he is satisfied with the results. Discussion- Mid face defects involving perioral and nasomaxillar areas are very uncommon and require composite reconstruction. In such cases, microvascular free flap coverage is an irreplaceable option. Multiple stages might have to be done for further refinement. Conclusion- Reconstruction after oncological resection is always very demanding. With proper preoperative planning and skilled execution, the patient can be benefited functionally, aesthetically and psychosocially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) based liver stiffness measurement (LSM) is an excellent 'rule-out' test for advanced hepatic fibrosis in liver transplant (LT) recipients, however, its ability to 'rule-in' the disease is suboptimal. The study aimed to improve diagnostic performance of LSM in LT recipients. Methods: Adult LT recipients with a liver biopsy and VCTE were included (N = 150). Sequential covering analysis was performed to create rules to identify patients at low or high risk for advanced fibrosis (stage 3–4). Results: Advanced hepatic fibrosis was excluded in patients with either LSM < 7.45 kPa (n = 72) or 7.45 ≤ LSM < 12.1 kPa and time from LT < 5.6 years (n = 25). Conversely, likelihood of advanced fibrosis was 95% if patients had LSM > 14.1 and controlled attenuation parameter > 279 dB/m (n = 21). Thus, 118 (79%) were correctly identified and 32 (21%) would have required a biopsy to establish the diagnosis. Compared to previously established LSM based cutoff values of 10.5 kPa (Youden index) and 13.3 kPa (maximized specificity), the false positive rates of sequential covering analysis was 1% compared to 16.5% with LSM ≥ 10.5 kPa and 8.3% with LSM ≥ 13.3 kPa. The true positive rates were comparable at 87% for sequential covering analysis, 93% for LSM ≥ 10.5 kPa and 83% for LSM ≥ 13.3 kPa. Conclusion: The proposed clinical sequential covering analysis allows for better risk stratification when evaluating for advanced fibrosis in LT recipients compared to LSM alone. Additional efforts are necessary to further reduce the number of patients with indeterminate results in whom a liver biopsy may be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is a technology in which chemical energy is changed into electrical energy with high efficiency and without burning fuel. A SOFC consists of electrodes and electrolytes. A single cell is not sufficient for the production of energy. Thus, single cells are staked together to produce high energy. The electrolyte lies in the middle of the anode and the cathode transport O2− ions. This eliminates the utilization of electrons in the cell via an external circuit as a transporting medium. The anode undergoes oxidation, whereas the cathode undergoes reduction. The SOFCs run between 450 and 1000 °C, creating just a superior grade and heat output while passionately promoting rapid electrocatalysis using metals that are common and enabling inner reorganization. In addition to O2− ion transport, SOFC works with the virtue of hydrogen for the transportation of proton. Numerous ceramic materials were developed to function effectively as anode, electrolyte and cathode materials. The material utilized as the solid electrolyte in SOFC most frequently is yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ). This review presents an overview of anode materials that are acceptable for SOFCs and the main focus is given on the electrical conductivity of the anode material for SOFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the literature, the effect of contact frequency and force have been investigated by varying either one at a time, considering independent entities without taking into account the interaction effects, whereas practically both are mutually dependent. The aim of this work is to experimentally analyse the correlation between the contact frequency and the exerted contact force, subsequently effect on TEH device performance for real-time applications. Methods: Performance measurements were conducted through experimental parametric studies on four TEH device prototypes developed in-house. These prototypes had varying PDMS tribo-layer thicknesses and were tested under low contact frequencies ranging from 1-7 Hz. Results: It was found that peak force decreases rapidly till 4 Hz, thereafter almost constant with slight variation. In contrast to the peak force, the average force, calculated over a period of one frame time of oscilloscope which is 10 sec, increases gradually w.r.t. the contact frequency. The output electrical performance of each device prototype increases while moving toward higher contact frequency. Conclusions: Altering the contact frequency changes the exerted contact force. Hence, changes in the output electrical characteristics are a combined effect of contact force and frequency. Therefore, it is crucial to consider this force-frequency relationship, while recording changes in the output performance concerning contact frequency, especially for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescence imaging is a non-invasive and highly sensitive bioimaging technique that has shown remarkable strides in plant science. It enables real-time monitoring and analysis of biological and pathological processes in plants by labeling specific molecular or cellular structures with fluorescent probes. However, tissue scattering and phytochrome interference have been obstacles for conventional fluorescence imaging of plants in the ultraviolet and visible spectrum, resulting in unsatisfactory imaging quality. Fortunately, advances in near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging technology (650–900 nm) offer superior spatial-temporal resolution and reduced tissue scattering, which is sure to improve plant imaging quality. In this review, we summarize recent progress in the development of NIR fluorescence imaging probes and their applications for in vivo plant imaging and the identification of plant-related biomolecules. We hope this review provides a new perspective for plant science research and highlights NIR fluorescence imaging as a powerful tool for analyzing plant physiology, adaptive mechanisms, and coping with environmental stress in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study deals with a holistic approach to bioenergy production from a single-celled green algae Chlorella pyrenoidosa aiming to valorise all biomass components. In the first phase, the microalgae biomass was used to produce biodiesel in a microwave-assisted biodiesel reactor by in situ transesterification process. The biomass residue left after biodiesel production was pyrolyzed in a fixed bed pyrolysis reactor at various isothermal temperatures (400, 450, 500, 550, and 600°C) in second phase. The pyrolysis reaction results revealed that the highest bio-oil yield was 35.33 wt% along with 51.23 wt% biochar and 13.44 wt% pyrolysis gas at 500 °C. FTIR and GC–MS analyses of bio-oil confirm the existence of hydrocarbons as well as oxygenated chemicals like esters, phenols, and acid derivatives. Furthermore, the fuel properties of bio-oil as well as biodiesel e.g. viscosity, density, calorific value, flash point, and pour point were determined using standard procedures (ASTM D6751–02, EN–14214, and IS) and confirmed to be appropriate for stationary engine application. On the other hand, the biochar characterisation showed that it holds good potential for usage as a biocoal in industrial boilers/power plants or cooking stoves. Hence, this study demonstrates the utilization of Chlorella pyrenoidosa microalgae for production of eco-friendly renewable fuels as well as a wide range of value-added co-products with a zero-waste biorefinery approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On August 30, 2023, experts from Germany and abroad met to discuss the successes and challenges of cytokine-induced killer cell (CIK) therapy, that recently celebrated its 30th anniversary providing treatment for cancer. This first virtual conference was hosted by CIO Bonn, a certified Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) funded by German Cancer Aid (DKH). In addition to keynote speakers involved in CIK cell clinical trials or optimized preclinical models to improve this adoptive cell immunotherapy, more than 100 attendees from around the world also participated in this event. Initiatives to establish the International Society of CIK Cells (ISCC) and a stronger CIK cell network guiding preclinical research and future clinical trials were also announced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synbiotics have been used as biotherapeutic supplements for prevention of new-born calf gastrointestinal disorders. Present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of fructo-oligosaccharide, mannan-oligosaccharide and inulin along with Lactobacillus plantarum CRD-7 and Lactobacillus acidophilus NCDC15 on the nutrient digestibility, growth performance and faecal microbial population of pre-ruminant buffalo calves. Twenty-four Murrah calves (5 days old) were randomly assigned to four groups of six calves in each using randomized block design. Calves in Group I (control) received only a basic diet of milk, calf starter and berseem with no additives. Calves in Group II (SYN1) were fed 6 g fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) + Lactobacillus plantarum CRD-7 (100 ml). Calves in Group III (SYN2) were fed 9 g inulin + L. plantarum CRD-7 (50 ml), while calves in Group IV (SYN3) received 4 g MOS + L. acidophilus NCDC15 (200 ml) as fermented milk having 108 CFU/ml/calf/day in addition to the basal diet. The results revealed that digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, ether extract and average daily gain were all higher (P < 0.05) in SYN1 as compared to control group. The antioxidant enzyme activity, humoral and cell mediated immunity performed well in SYN1, SYN2 and SYN3 as compared to control. Diarrhoea and faecal scouring were lower (P < 0.05) in all supplemented groups than control. Faecal Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium counts were also higher in SYN1 group followed by SYN2 and SYN3. Faecal ammonia, lactate, pH, and volatile fatty acids level were increased in SYN1 supplemented groups. The synbiotic combination of 6 g FOS + L. plantarum CRD-7 had better response on digestibility, average daily gain, antioxidant enzymes, immune response, faecal microbiota and metabolites and also reduce the faecal score and diarrhoea incidence. Therefore, supplementation of 6 g FOS + L. plantarum CRD-7 can be advised for general use in order to promote long-term animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to simulate the hydrodynamic behaviour of a two-particle system sedimenting under the influence of gravity and a constant fluid flow velocity along the same direction. The immersed boundary method was employed for this purpose, a well-established approach for investigating the interaction of complex geometric structures with Newtonian, incompressible, and viscous surrounding fluids. In an attempt to advance the existing knowledge in the literature, the study focused on analysing the impact of channel walls and fluid velocity on particle settling dynamics. Such numerical investigations have potential applications in various real-life scenarios, ranging from chemical processes to pharmaceutical applications. The study drew inspiration from the context of blood flow in the human body. Three scenarios were examined, distinguished by particle sizes and their initial locations along the vertical axis. In Case I, the particles were of the same size, while in Cases II and III, the initially trailing particle was twice as large as the initially leading particle, and vice versa, respectively. For each case, particles were released from three initial locations on the horizontal axis under three distinct fluid velocity profiles. The observations indicated that both the wall effect and fluid velocity played a significant role in settling dynamics. The walls imposed an additional retarding effect, and fluid velocity dominated over inter-particle interactions under gravity. The wall effect created a pressure gradient that pushed the particles towards the centre of the channel. However, when dealing with particles of different sizes, the size effect has an impact along with initial fluid and wall effects. Based on the outcomes of the conducted simulations, a consistent observation emerges: in scenarios with higher initial fluid velocities, tumbling is notably absent, and there is a persistent maintenance of a constant vertical separation distance between particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population growth, industrialization, and the extensive use of chemicals in daily life have all contributed to an increase in waste generation and an intensified release of organic pollutants into the aquatic environment. To ensure the quality of water (including natural resources), the removal of these pollutants from wastewater has become a challenging task for scientific community. Conventional physical, chemical, and biological treatment methods are commonly used in combinations and are not very effective. Recently, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) emerged as the most reliable and adaptable choice for efficient water treatment due to their extraordinary material properties appearing as a single-step solution for water treatment. High surface area, exceptional porosities, hollow and layered structures, and ease of chemical activation and functionalization are some properties which makes it excellent adsorption material. Hence, this review paper discusses the recent advances in the synthesis, purification, and functionalization of CNTs for water and wastewater treatment. In addition, this study also also provides a quick overview of CNTs-based advance technologies employed in water treatment and carefully assesses the benefits versus risks during large-scale water treatment. Furthermore, it concludes that identified risks to the environment and human health cannot be easily ignored and strict regulatory requirements are a must for producing low-cost innoxious CNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic animals are very precious to humans because they provide food sources. In order to satisfy the growing demand for food over the past few decades, there has been a significant rise in the widespread application of pesticides. Surface runoff transports pesticide residues into the aquatic environment, where they pose a threat to the plants and animals that live there. The rise in the human population is accompanied by an accompanying rise in the toxicity of pesticides. The toxicity of pesticides causes damage to the aquatic food chain by decreasing the amount of oxygen that is dissolved in water bodies and contaminating the water. The contaminated water causes harm to the algal component, plankton, and benthos, which in turn causes harm to the water quality and fish diversity. Additionally, the polluted water reduces the abundance of aquatic species. This assessment places particular emphasis on the influence that pesticides have on the quality of water and the biodiversity of aquatic environments. All aquatic organisms, and fish species in particular, are extremely vulnerable to the toxicity of pesticides. Organs such as the liver, kidneys, and gills, as well as the nervous system, are the primary targets of the toxic effects that pesticides have on fish. Because humans use fish species for food, exposure to pesticides can cause a variety of health problems. The primary objective of this study is to draw conclusions regarding the effect that the application of pesticides had on the aquatic ecosystem as well as biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one-pot, two-step route is proposed for the synthesis of Benzopyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles by using salicylaldehydes (1), malononitrile (2) and phenyl hydrazines (3) as substrates and Rhodamine-B as an organophotoredox catalyst in acetonitrile under 23 W CFL irradiation as a source of visible light. Rhodamine- B is a basic red xanthene dye which is extremely water soluble. The utilization of an efficacious, environmentally benign, cost effective and feasible methodology to form C–O and C–N bond via generation of several free radicals after that intramolecular cyclization, are the distinctive traits of this procedure. In addition to this, some other aspects like short reaction time, greener approach and adaptability towards a broad array of substrates, with good to excellent yield of the product further augment the synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess whether treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in patients who have undergone bariatric surgery reduces gallstone formation. A systematic literature search was performed using electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, Web of Science, PROSPERO, Google Scholar and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry platform). RCTs without restrictions on study language, year, status of publication and patient's age were used. Pooled risk ratios were calculated using a random-effects model. Subgroup analyses for drug dose, duration and procedure types were performed. Sensitivity analyses and a summary of findings table were generated to assess the robustness and the level of evidence provided, respectively. Fourteen trials were included (3619 patients, 2292 in UDCA vs 1327 in control group). Procedures included SG, RYGB, OAGB, AGB and Gastroplasty. UDCA dose ranged from 300 to 1200 mg per day. Gallstone formation occurred in 19.3% (8.3% in UDCA vs 38.1% in the control group). UDCA significantly reduced the risk of gallstone formation (14 trials, 3619 patients; RR 0.27, 95% CI 0.18–0.41; P < 0.001). UDCA significantly reduced the risk of symptomatic gallstone disease (6 trials, 2458 patients; RR 0.30, 95% CI 0.21–0.43; P < 0.001). No subgroup difference was found for different doses, duration and type of procedure performed. Oral UDCA treatment significantly reduces the risks of developing gallstones in postoperative bariatric patients from 38 to 8%. The use of 500 to 600 mg UDCA for 6 months is effective and should be implemented in all patients post-bariatric surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The health index of any population is directly correlated with the water quality, which in turn depends upon physicochemical characteristics and the microbiome of that aquatic source. For maintaining the water quality, knowledge of microbial diversity is a must. The present investigation attempts to evaluate the microflora of Baner. Metagenomics has been proven to be the technique for examining the genetic diversity of unculturable microbiota without using traditional culturing techniques. The microbial profile of Baner is analyzed using metagenomics for the first time to the best of our knowledge. Results To explore the microbial diversity of Baner, metagenomics analysis from 3 different sites was done. Data analysis identified 29 phyla, 62 classes, 131 orders, 268 families, and 741 genera. Proteobacteria was found to be the most abundant phylum in all the sampling sites, with the highest abundance at S3 sampling site (94%). Bacteroidetes phylum was found to be second abundant in S1 and S2 site, whereas Actinobacteria was second dominant in sampling site S3. Enterobacteriaceae family was dominant in site S1, whereas Comamonadaceae and Pseudomonadaceae was abundant in sites S2 and S3 respectively. The Baner possesses an abundant bacterial profile that holds great promise for developing bioremediation tactics against a variety of harmful substances. Conclusion Baner river's metagenomic analysis offers the first insight into the microbial profile of this hilly stream. Proteobacteria was found to be the most abundant phylum in all the sampling sites indicating anthropogenic interference and sewage contamination. The highest abundance of proteobacteria at S3 reveals it to be the most polluted site, as it is the last sampling site downstream of the area under investigation, and falls after crossing the main city, so more human intervention and pollution were observed. Despite some pathogens, a rich profile of bacteria involved in bioremediation, xenobiotic degradation, and beneficial fish probiotics was observed, reflecting their potential applications for improving water quality and establishing a healthy aquaculture and fishery section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffusion is one of the most important phenomena studied in science ranging from physics to biology and, in abstract form, even in social sciences. In the field of materials science, diffusion in crystalline solids is of particular interest as it plays a pivotal role in materials synthesis, processing and applications. While this subject has been studied extensively for a long time there are still some fundamental knowledge gaps to be filled. In particular, atomic scale observations of thermally stimulated volume diffusion and its mechanisms are still lacking. In addition, the mechanisms and kinetics of diffusion along defects such as grain boundaries are not yet fully understood. In this work we show volume diffusion processes of tungsten atoms in a metal matrix on the atomic scale. Using in situ high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy we are able to follow the random movement of single atoms within a lattice at elevated temperatures. The direct observation allows us to confirm random walk processes, quantify diffusion kinetics and distinctly separate diffusion in the volume from diffusion along defects. This work solidifies and refines our knowledge of the broadly essential mechanism of volume diffusion. Here authors explore volume diffusion within crystalline solids at the atomic scale. They use high resolution microscopy techniques to provide insights into the movement of individual atoms within a crystal lattice, revealing the intricate dynamics of volume diffusion processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indiscriminate use of oxytetracycline is linked to the development of antibiotic-resistant genes, posing a serious threat to human health and ecosystem balance. This article reports the adsorptive elimination of oxytetracycline (OTC) from aqueous solution using a newly developed MnO2-modified pine-cone biochar (MnO2/PCBC). The MnO2/PCBC was characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, CHNS analyzer, inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller N2 adsorption analyzer. Batch adsorption experiments, designed using the central composite design framework of response surface methodology, were conducted to investigate the influence of process variables on the adsorption of OTC onto MnO2/PCBC. The optimized conditions for achieving maximum removal (88.1%) were found to be at pH 8, MnO2/PCBC dose 0.44 g/L, initial OTC concentration 200 mg/L, and temperature 303 K. The adsorption process follows Langmuir (R2=0.95) and Freundlich (R2=0.95) isotherms and pseudo-second-order (R2=0.99) adsorption kinetics. The adsorption process was found to be endothermic (ΔH0 = 33.04 kJ/mol) and spontaneous in nature (ΔG0 from −1.33 kJ/mol at 283 K to −5.65 kJ/mol at 313 K). The synthesized MnO2/PCBC could be recycled and reused for OTC removal with a percentage removal of around 80% after fifth cycle. The results indicate an effective removal of oxytetracycline with only 0.44 g/L MnO2/PCBC with maximum adsorption capacity of 357.14 mg/g which demonstrates improved performance in comparison to many adsorbents reported in literature. This implies that MnO2/PCBC offers potential to be developed into a cost-effective technique for antibiotic removal from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IoT and Embedded devices grow at an exponential rate, however, without adequate security mechanisms in place. One of the key challenges in the cyber world is the security of these devices. One of the main reasons that these devices are active targets for large-scale cyber-attacks is a lack of security standards and thorough testing by manufacturers. Manufacturer-specific operating systems or firmware of various architectures and characteristics are typically included with these devices. However, due to a lack of security testing and/or late patching, the underlying firmware or operating systems are vulnerable to numerous types of vulnerabilities. Reverse engineering and in-depth research of the firmware is required to detect the vulnerabilities. In this paper, we've delved into various aspects of IoT and embedded devices. This includes a comprehensive survey on the architecture of firmware, techniques for firmware extraction, and state-of-the-art vulnerability analysis frameworks for the detection of vulnerabilities using various approaches like static, dynamic, and hybrid approaches. Furthermore, we've scrutinized the challenges of existing vulnerability analysis frameworks and proposed a novel framework to address these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to compare the gene expression of three different fish species (common carp, tilapia, and trout) with varying levels of fatty acids (FA). Based on transcriptome analysis and RNA sequencing, various genes and their associated metabolic pathways are identified. Pathways are categorized based on the genes they encode. Genes that were differentially expressed and their promoter's methylation patterns were revealed by RNA-seq analysis in common carp. Furthermore, fatty acid–enriched pathways, such as ARA4 and adipocytokine signaling, were also identified. Many genes and pathways may influence tilapia's growth and omega-3 content. Using the mTOR pathway, trout with differential expression were discovered to be involved in producing omega-3 fatty acids. This study revealed major pathways in fish species to produce omega-3 fatty acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reviews posted online by the end-users can help the business owners obtain a fair evaluation of their products/services and take the necessary steps. However, due to the large volume of online reviews being generated from time to time, it becomes challenging for business owners to track each review. The Customer Review Summarization (CRS) model that can present the summarized information and offer businesses with significant acumens to understand the reason behind customers' choices and behavior, would therefore be desirable. We propose the Hybrid Analysis of Sentiments (HAS) for the perspective of effective CRS in this paper. The HAS consists of steps like pre-processing, feature extraction, and review classification. The pre-processing phase removes the unwanted data from the text reviews using Natural Language Processing (NLP) based on different pre-processing functions. For efficient feature extraction, the hybrid mechanism consisting of aspect-related features and review-related features is proposed to build the unique feature vector for each customer review. Review classification is performed using different supervised classifiers like Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naïve Bayes, and Random Forest. The experimental results show that HAS efficiently performed the sentiment analysis and outperformed the existing state-of-the-art techniques with an F1 score of 92.2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three distinct sensible thermal energy storage (STES) mediums were researched in order to optimize the packed-bed thermal energy storage (PB-TES) system for a combined CSP and CO2 Rankine plant. PB-TES was studied using various particle types, including alumina, steel particles, and a hybrid of the two. The PB-TES system for various STES media has been simulated using CFD models. The experiments were confirmed by a prior investigation with constant mass flow rate air as a heat transfer fluid. In the present study, a cylindrical tank containing porous STES material was used for CFD modeling using the Ansys Fluent program. Using a transient two-phase model equation for fluid and solid phases, simulations of charging and discharging are performed for the current study. For more accurate simulation outcomes, the thermal dispersion and conductivity of the STES in the PB-TES system were taken into account. After confirming the CFD simulation, the combined solar thermal and Rankine cycle plant sizing and design cost for the PB-TES is required. Using the design of experiment approach ("Taguchi method"), a techno-economic analysis is conducted for an optimized PB-TES system employing the dynamic cycling methodology. In this study, geometric modifications of the PB-TES system with respect to cost assumptions were also examined. Hybrid STES media predict optimal outcomes for the PB-TES system at a significant cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work presents a relatively simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solution for the removal of dye effluents from wastewater. The work demonstrated the treatment of MB dye effluents using varying contents of SBA. The performance of SBA contents in MB dye solution was evaluated via absorbance values of the supernatant measured under dark and UV environments at different time intervals varying from 0.5 to 120 h. The obtained result shows that after 6 h of contact between the MB dye (5 ppm) and SBA (20 mg), the removal efficiency of SBA in a dark environment was found to be 44.6% in comparison to 55.2% under a UV environment. The data suggests the greater removal efficiency of UV-irradiated dye samples in comparison to the samples kept in dark. Further, the concentration of dye decreased to 2.7 mg/L from the initial concentration (5 mg/L) after 6 h of addition of 20 mg of SBA, while it decreased to 2 mg/L after exposure to the UV environment. Adsorption kinetic models such as pseudo-first and pseudo-second-order were applied to find the rate of adsorption on SBA. The practical feasibility of SBA as a dye removal agent was checked using an unknown yellowish-green colored dye. The results confirmed the removal of dye from the wastewater to a significant extent in about 15 min, which proves its importance for industrial applications. The experiments for the desorption of dye molecules from SBA were performed in an acidic medium (0.1 M HNO3) of pH = 1. This provision resulted in the desorption of the MB dye from the SBA into the solution through electrostatic forces of repulsion. The desorption results confirmed the recovery of SBA. The obtained SBA at the end of the process can be reused again for the removal of dye molecules and hence provides an additional advantage in large-scale industrial applications in terms of the cost-effectiveness of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is probably the only tumor in which a unique epigenetic alteration, namely methylation of the MGMT gene, possesses direct clinical relevance. Now with the emergence of aberrant N6 methyladenosine (m6A) modifications (the most common epigenetic modification of mRNA, closely linked to the autophagy process) in cancer, the epi-transcriptomic landscape of GBM pathobiology has been expanded. Considering this, herein, we systematically analyzed m6A regulators, assessed their correlation with autophagy-related genes (ATG), and established a long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA)-dependent prognostic signature (m6A-autophagy-lncRNAs) for GBM. Our analysis identified a novel signature of five long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs: ITGA6-AS1, AC124248.1, NFYC-AS1, AC025171.1, and AC005229.3) associated with survival of GBM patients, and four among them clearly showed cancer-associated potential. We further validated and confirmed the altered expression of two lncRNAs (AC124248.1, AC005229.3) in GBM associated clinical samples using RT-PCR. Concerning the prognostic ability, the obtained signature determined high-/low-risk groups in GBM patients and showed sensitivity to anticancer drugs. Collectively, the m6A-autophagy-lncRNAs signature presented in the study is clinically relevant and is the first attempt to systematically predict the potential interaction between the three key determinants (m6A, autophagy, lncRNA) in cancer, particularly in GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the analytical inquisition of photonic entanglement generation circuit (PEGC) for non-local qubits designed using quantum dot within the optical micro-cavity, considering the realistic environment. It is established that the concurrence of the PEGC is considerably contingent on the interplay between the spin of quantum dot and photon within the optical micro-cavity. The maximum concurrence obtained is 0.6124 at normalized coupling strength (g/k) = 0.3 and normalized side leakage rate (ks/k) = 0.1 and 0.9011 at g/k = 4 and ks/k = 0.1 with and without a noisy environment, respectively. Different quantum cryptography-based protocols may be implemented using reported work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's cyber warfare realm, every stakeholder in cyberspace is becoming more potent by developing advanced cyber weapons. They have equipped with the most advanced malware and maintain a hidden attribution. The precocious cyber weapons, targeted and motivated with some specific intention are called as Advanced Persistent Threats (APT). Developing defense mechanisms and performing attribution analysis of such advanced attacks are extremely difficult due to the intricate design of attack vector and sophisticated malware employed with high stealth and evasive techniques. These attacks also include advanced zero-day and negative-day exploits and payloads. This paper provides a comprehensive survey on the evolution of advanced malware design paradigms, APT attack vector and its anatomy, APT attack Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP) and specific case studies on open-ended APT attacks. The survey covers a detailed discussion on APT attack phases and comparative study on threat life-cycle specification by various organizations. This work also addresses the APT attack attribution and countermeasures against these attacks from classical signature and heuristic based detection to modern machine learning and genetics based detection mechanisms along with sophisticated zero-day and negative day malware countermeasure by various techniques like monitoring of network traffic and DNS logs, moving target based defense, and attack graph based defenses. Furthermore, the survey addresses various research scopes in the domain of APT cyber-attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synbiotics are employed as feed additives in animal production as an alternate to antibiotics for sustaining the gut microbiota and providing protection against infections. Dairy calves require a healthy diet and management to ensure a better future for the herd of dairy animals. Therefore, the present study was carried out to investigate the effect of synbiotics formulation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal bacterial count, metabolites, immunoglobulins, blood parameters, antioxidant enzymes and immune response of pre-ruminant Murrah buffalo calves. Twenty-four apparently healthy calves (5 days old) were allotted into four groups of six calves each. Group I (control) calves were fed a basal diet of milk, calf starter and berseem with no supplements. Group II (SYN1) calves were fed with 3 g fructooligosaccharide (FOS) + Lactobacillus plantarum CRD-7 (150 ml). Group III (SYN2) calves were fed with 6 g FOS + L. plantarum CRD-7 (100 ml), whereas calves in group IV (SYN3) received 9 g FOS + L. plantarum CRD-7 (50 ml). The results showed that SYN2 had the highest (P < 0.05) crude protein digestibility and average daily gain compared to the control. Fecal counts of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium were also increased (P < 0.05) in supplemented groups as compared to control. Fecal ammonia, diarrhea incidence and fecal scores were reduced in treated groups while lactate, volatile fatty acids and antioxidant enzymes were improved compared to the control. Synbiotic supplementation also improved both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses in buffalo calves. These findings indicated that synbiotics formulation of 6 g FOS + L. plantarum CRD-7 in dairy calves improved digestibility, antioxidant enzymes, and immune status, as well as modulated the fecal microbiota and decreased diarrhea incidence. Therefore, synbiotics formulation can be recommended for commercial use in order to achieve sustainable animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaculture and fisheries are salient flourishing sectors in the world but their sustainability is often afflicted by several pathogenic diseases. Among all the pathogenic diseases of fish, parasitic diseases are found to be a major cause of concern. Argulosis is one of the dominant parasitic problems encountered in Indian aquaculture practices. Argulus siamensis is the most prevalent argulid species harming the Indian major carp species including Labeo rohita. The major carps respond to parasitic infestation by elevating various immune relevant genes. The therapeutic chemicals, synthetic drugs and other plant extracts have made a progress in the fight against argulosis. However, there is no effective vaccine and drugs are available for this disease. Thus, designing efficient, cost-effective and eco-friendly control and treatment strategies for argulosis is presently needed. Keeping the aforementioned facts in mind, the current review elaborated the immunological interaction between A. siamensis and L. rohita, available combat tactics, highlighted the already identified vaccine candidates to design effective control measures and illustrated the use of omics technology in future to combat argulosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sedentary behavior is very common in today's lifestyle that causes several metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The high scale of physical inactiveness with inadequate activities such as drinking alcohol, smoking and negligence of healthy diet causes extreme health issues. Therefore, it becomes essential to recognize health, behavioral, and environmental irregularities to determine the scale of health severity for the individuals having sedentary behavior. Conspicuously, in the proposed study, an e-healthcare framework has been proposed by utilizing the advantages of Internet of Things (IoT) and fog technology to determine the irregularities related to health, behavioral, physical posture, and environmental conditions of the individual. In the initial stage of data processing, the weighted K-mean clustering technique is used to identify the irregularities at the fog layer that helps to maintain the sensitivity of the healthcare domain. Furthermore, Weighted K-mean Clustering technique-Artificial Neural Network assisted (WKMC-ANN) hybrid methodology is proposed on the cloud layer for the early prediction of health severity. Adding a multi-stage decision-making mechanism also helps to optimize the assistive resource distribution. To determine the performance of irregularity determination, a total of 15 individuals by the age of 32–45 years are continuously monitored by deploying the framework for 30 days in an indoor environment. The experimental results of the framework demonstrate the efficiency of distinguishing the health inconsistencies by achieving 94.51% of accuracy, 93.75% of sensitivity, 91.32% of specificity, 91.58% of precision, and 92.78% of f-measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disease incidence of bacterial wilt of tomato, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith), ranged from 10.00 to 70.45 per cent in major tomato growing districts of Himachal Pradesh, India. In order to develop eco-friendly management strategies against the bacterial wilt disease, induction of resistance in pathogen-challenged tomato plants through abiotic resistance-inducers viz., salicyclic acid, inorganic and organic salts were evaluated. Seedling dip method of application of abiotic resistance-inducers was more effective in reducing wilt disease incidence than foliar spray application. Potassium chloride and oxalic acid at 300 and 200 mM concentration were most effective in managing the disease and increasing plant weight and plant height with maximum disease control of 70.27 and 56.76 per cent, respectively while sodium salicylate at 10 mM was least effective. Total phenol content and activity of enzymes viz., phenyl alanine lyase, polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase was measured in tomato plants treated with abiotic resistance-inducers at 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10 days after challenge-inoculation with bacterial pathogen. Total phenol content progressively increased in all the treatments upto 7th day after the spray of abiotic inducers of resistance and thereafter it declined. Maximum increase was observed in potassium chloride sprayed leaves (94 μg/g tissue) followed by oxalic acid (92 μg/g tissue). While, polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase and phenyl alanine lyase activity was found to be at the peak immediately after 24 h of elicitation and was found maximum in potassium chloride treated leaves and minimum in sodium salicylate treated leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization is a global phenomenon. However, it has been rapid in the developing world since the late twentieth century. This anthropogenic process is largely responsible for modifying earth's surface, causing substantial transformations in land use land cover (LULC) and resulting in considerable changes in land surface temperature (LST) and increasing intensity of urban heat islands (UHIs). Aligarh city in Uttar Pradesh is also observing rapid urbanization since the last few decades due to its proximity to the national capital, i.e. (Delhi), and thus experiencing a notable shift in land use land cover and LST. Using Landsat TM and OLI data for the years 2000, 2010 and 2019, this article attempts to assess modifications in land use and land cover and also how they influence land surface temperature in the present study. The results indicate that among all the LULC classes, area under the built-up class has increased dramatically over the span of nineteen years from 1900.8 ha in 2000 to 2680.11 ha in 2019. However, all other classes except vegetation, i.e. open land, agriculture and water bodies, have recorded a reduction in their area by − 9.99%, − 7.17% and − 0.5%, respectively, from 2000 to 2019. LST is extracted for the month of May and December during the same time period and depicts that the maximum temperature for both months is reported around the built-up area and open land. UHIs are also created which reveal a close relationship with LULC and LST. Various statistical techniques like correlation, regression and scatter plots are utilized to show the relationship of each LULC with LST and UHIs and also with three spatial indices, i.e. NDBI, NDVI and NDWI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase/eukaryotic initiation factor 2ɑ (PERK/eIF2α), the branch of unfolded protein response (UPR), is responsible for transient arrest in translation to counter the enhanced levels of misfolded or unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) following any acute condition. In neurological disorders, overactivation of PERK-P/eIF2-P signaling, leads to a prolonged decline in global protein synthesis resulting in synaptic failure and neuronal death. Our study has shown, PERK/ATF4/CHOP pathway gets activated following cerebral ischemia in rats. We have further demonstrated, PERK inhibitor, GSK2606414 ameliorates ischemia induced neuronal damage by preventing additional neuronal loss, minimizing brain infarct, reducing brain edema, and preventing neurological symptoms from appearing. GSK2606414 was found to improve the neurobehavioral deficits and reduce the pyknotic neurons in ischemic rats. Also, it decreased glial activation and apoptotic protein mRNA expression while enhanced the synaptic protein mRNA expression in rat brain following cerebral ischemia. In conclusion, our findings suggest that PERK/ATF4/CHOP activation play a vital role in cerebral ischemia. Thus, PERK inhibitor, GSK2606414 might be a potential neuroprotective agent in cerebral ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptation is the central feature and leading explanation for the evolutionary diversification of life. Adaptation is also notoriously difficult to study in nature, owing to its complexity and logistically prohibitive timescale. Here, we leverage extensive contemporary and historical collections of Ambrosia artemisiifolia—an aggressively invasive weed and primary cause of pollen-induced hayfever—to track the phenotypic and genetic causes of recent local adaptation across its native and invasive ranges in North America and Europe, respectively. Large haploblocks—indicative of chromosomal inversions—contain a disproportionate share (26%) of genomic regions conferring parallel adaptation to local climates between ranges, are associated with rapidly adapting traits, and exhibit dramatic frequency shifts over space and time. These results highlight the importance of large-effect standing variants in rapid adaptation, which have been critical to A. artemisiifolia's global spread across vast climatic gradients. Ambrosia artemisiifolia is an invasive weed and primary cause of pollen-induced hayfever. Here, the authors report its chromosome-level phased genome assembly, examine genome-wide variation among modern and historic accessions, and identify large haploblocks underling rapid adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]