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A severe and progressive interstitial lung disease (ILD) known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has an unknown etiology with poorly defined mechanisms of development. Among the currently prescribed pharmacological interventions for IPF, nintedanib demonstrates the ability to decelerate the deterioration of lung function and yield positive clinical outcomes. Multiple randomized placebo-controlled trials have confirmed the efficacy and acceptable safety profile of nintedanib. Real-world evidence studies also support the use of nintedanib in IPF, being an efficient and well-tolerated treatment option. It has the potential to stabilize the disease progression in patients with ILD. Patients with IPF frequently have comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension, which can exacerbate the course of disease, reduce quality of life, and decrease treatment adherence. For well-informed decision-making, it is important for healthcare professionals to recognize the position of nintedanib therapy in IPF with comorbidities. The gastrointestinal adverse effects, notably diarrhea, dominate the nintedanib safety profile. These can be effectively controlled by closely monitoring side effects, administering anti-diarrheal and anti-emetic drugs, reducing the nintedanib dose, and discontinuing it in case of severe symptoms with an option to reintroduce the treatment after side effects subside. Symptomatic interventions and monitoring of liver enzymes may reduce the occurrence of permanent treatment discontinuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prevention of neonatal bilirubin injury exemplifies success of systems approach to avert adverse neonatal and childhood outcomes that rely on strategies including prenatal identification of Rhesus sensitization, universal maternal blood typing, risk assessment for neonatal extreme hyperbilirubinemia (EHB), unfettered access to safe, effective phototherapy, and application of patient safety principles. India's diverse landscape suggests varied real-time experiences of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and consequent infant mortality rates (IMR). Utilizing Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database, the authors examined national and subnational trends, infant mortality timing, and the disease burden from hemolytic and perinatal jaundice over 30 y (1999 to 2019). They also assessed the correlation of EHB-IMR with socio-demographic index and health expenditure per capita, estimating economic losses from EHB-related infant mortality to guide policy decisions at national and state domains. From 1990 to 2019, India delivered 811,078,415 livebirths of which, 1,189,856 infant deaths were due to EHB. EHB-related deaths decreased from 57,773 in 1990 to 19,664 in 2019, a 60% reduction vs. 40% in overall IMR. Early (0–6 d), late (7–27 d), and post-neonatal (28–364 d) deaths accounted for 61%, 34%, and 5% of mortality, respectively. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar contributed to 38% of all EHB deaths. Economic analysis estimate losses between US $7.2 and 11.7 billion for the year 2019 secondary to EHB-related mortality. The present analysis reveals consistent declines across all states to reach current EHB-IMR of 0.8 per 1,000 live-births in India by 2019. Significant economic impact of lost human productivity highlight ongoing need for targeted life-saving public health strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are a unique class of UV-screening bioactive molecules with potent antioxidants and photoprotective properties, synthesized by various species of cyanobacteria in different habitats. The cyanobacterial biofilms play a crucial driver in the development of ecological communities. The current study examined the existence of the photoprotective MAAs in a novel epilithic cyanobacterium Lyngbya sp. strain HKAR-15 isolated from cyanobacterial biofilms on the rock surface. The isolated MAAs were identified, purified and characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography), ESI-MS (Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) and NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance). The compounds were recognized as palythine (retention time (RT): 2.7 min; UV λmax: 320 nm; m/z: 245.02) and porphyra-334 (RT: 3.6 min; UV λmax: 334 nm; m/z: 347.1). FTIR spectroscopy analyses also revealed the presence of functional groups of both compounds. NMR spectroscopy analyses confirmed the presence of both palythine and porphyra-334. The UV-induced production of both MAAs was visualized under ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in contrast to the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). The MAAs (palythine and porphyra-334) had a significant dose-dependent free radical scavenging capacity. The findings show that MAAs perform a dynamic role in the survival and photoprotection of cyanobacteria in hostile environments under high solar UV irradiances. These photoprotective compounds may have various biotechnological applications as well as role in the development of natural sunscreens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What nutrient supply options can ensure maximum productivity and optimize the nutrient uptake of rice–wheat system (R-W system)? an experiment started in the year 1998 (19-year-old) to examine the impact of optimal nutrient supply (NS) strategies to maximize crop productivity and nutritional security in R-W system. To determine the best nutrient management strategies (BNMS), seven different NS methods were tested. These included (organic and mineral fertilizers), as well as combinations such as integrated plant nutrition system (IPNS), IPNS + B (berseem), and IPNS + C (cowpea), with the aim of enhancing the productivity and nutrient absorption of R-W system. Results showed that rice grain yield notably wide-ranging from 1.61 to 5.81 t ha−1 under different NS options and highest rice grain yield (mean of 19 years) was observed at IPNS + C (5.81 t ha−1), which was at par with IPNS (5.79 t ha−1), STCR (soil test crop response) (5.76 t ha−1) and IPNS + B (5.67 t ha−1) followed by 100% recommended dose fertilizer NPK (4.41 t ha−1), which equality with OF (organic farming) (4.04 t ha−1) and lowest was recorded in control plot (1.61 t ha−1). Wheat grain yield varied significantly from 1.43 to 5.86 t ha−1 under different NS options. The highest yield (mean of 19 years) was observed in treatments IPNS + B (5.86 t ha−1), IPNS (5.77 t ha−1), IPNS + C (5.48 t ha−1), and STCR (5.45 t ha−1), followed by OF at 4.49 t ha−1, NPK at 3.76 t ha−1, with the lowest in the control plot at 1.43 t ha−1. Additionally, total phosphorus and sulfur accumulation in rice (grain: 8.41 to 39.09 kg ha−1; straw: 6.02 to 23.54 kg ha−1) varied significantly across nutrient supply treatments. Overall, adoption of IPNS integration with legumes (IPNS + B and IPNS + C), can significantly improve productivity and nutrient accumulation in R-W systems. Incorporating legumes into farming practices is advised for sustained productivity and nutritional benefits.Article highlights: Legume integration boosts productivity in rice–wheat systems. Integrated plant nutrition system (IPNS) + cowpea enhances rice yield (5.81 t/ha). Highest wheat yield at IPNS + berseem (5.86 t/ha). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient required for respiration, photosynthesis/carbohydrate metabolism, redox homeostasis, signaling, and synthesis/function of nucleic acids, cellular membranes, enzymes, etc. To cope with P-deficiency, plants reprogram gene expression for necessary alterations in metabolic/signaling pathways. To attain P homeostasis, plants readjust metabolism through transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and/or post-translational machinery involving biochemical, physiological, genomic, epigenomic, proteomic, and metabolomic functions. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms/pathways/genes for P-deficiency tolerance in crop plants remain elusive. To decipher the mechanisms/pathways adopted by rice under P-starvation/deficiency stress, a pair of contrasting rice [Pusa-44 (high-yielding, P-deficiency sensitive) and its near-isogenic line (NIL)-23, P-deficiency tolerant) for Pup1 QTL] genotype was used for comparative analyses. Omics analyses of shoot and root tissues from 45-day-old plants grown hydroponically in P-sufficient (16 ppm Pi), P-deficient (4 ppm Pi) or P-starved (0 ppm Pi) medium revealed important roles of P transporters, transcription factors (TFs), Transposable elements (TEs), auxin-responsive proteins, cell wall modulation, fatty acid metabolism, and chromatin architecture/epigenetic modifications in making NIL-23 tolerant to stress. The proteins involved in photosynthesis, sucrose-/starch-/energy-metabolism, transcription factors, and phytohormone signaling were observed to be differentially expressed in NIL-23. Since only a few coding genes are located on the QTL, modulations in morpho-physio-biochemical and molecular parameters under P-starvation/deficiency stress were attributed to the regulatory functions of Pup1 through TFs, TEs, epigenetic/chromatin architectural changes, etc. introgressed in Pusa-44 genetic background. Thus, the study provides new insights into molecular/regulatory functions of Pup1 under P-starvation/deficiency stress in rice, which might be useful to improve P-use efficiency in rice for better productivity in P-deficient soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain yield is a product of biomass (BM) and harvest index (HI). HI, not BM, is the major constraint of chickpea productivity in the long season environments of northern Indian plains. This is the first genome wide association study (GWAS) of shelling percentage (Sh.%), HI and related traits in chickpea using genotyping by sequencing approach. Genotyping of 178 germplasm lines involving varieties, trait specific genotypes and advance breeding lines found 35,795 high-throughput single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The objectives of the study were to unravelling the genomic regions responsible for variation in flowering time, shelling percentage, HI and related traits in chickpea. The phenotypic analysis across three environments showed high variability and connections among HI and related traits. Population structure analysis revealed two sub-populations (k = 2). Linkage disequilibrium (LD) was extensive, and LD decay was relatively low. A total of 172 marker-trait associations (MTAs) were identified for HI and related traits using FarmCPU model, of which days to 50% flowering (DAF), HI and shelling percentage showed significant associations. The current study has identified consistent pleiotropic MTAs, SNC_021165.1_57891716 and SNC_021165.1_57917493, SNC_021164.1_6073633 and SNC_021165.1_33405826 for biomass, pod and seed yield/plant, pod and seed number/plant HI and Sh.%, respectively. All the MTAs observed for SYPL, PYPL and maximum number of MTAs for HI and BM were located on the same chromosome number 6. Further maximum number of MTAs for PPL and SN were distributed on chromosome 5. One of the important findings is that most of the MTAs for SYPL, PYPL, BM, and 100SW are distributed within 25 kb genomic region of chromosome 6. A total of 16 MTAs were retained for Insilco analysis (− log10(p) > 4.0) and searched for their candidate genes in a 100-kb flanking region against the reference genome. The maximum number of genes noticed for DAF (50), followed by Sh.% (48), HI (16), SYPL (13), BM (10), and PYPL (8). The transcripts for DAF, Arabinogalactan proteins and pentatricopeptide repeat were involved in flowering of Arabidopsis. For both PYPL and SYPL, MTA found linked to the genes coding for pentatricopeptide repeat, serine/threonine-protein kinase and E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase. These transcripts played role mainly in pollen maturation, fertilization and flowering time. Chaperone protein DnaJ linked to HI, and receptor-like protein kinase (RLK) for Sh.% were involved in improving yield in Arabidopsis and rice, respectively. The present study also validated one of the MTA linked to DAF which showed r2 value of 12.62%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacillus thuringiensis is the most widely used biopesticide, targets a diversity of insect pests belonging to several orders. However, information regarding the B. thuringiensis strains and toxins targeting Zeugodacus cucurbitae is very limited. Therefore, in the present study, we isolated and identified five indigenous B. thuringiensisstrains toxic to larvae of Z. cucurbitae. However, of five strains NBAIR BtPl displayed the highest mortality (LC50 = 37.3 μg/mL) than reference strain B. thuringiensis var. israelensis (4Q1) (LC50 = 45.41 μg/mL). Therefore, the NBAIR BtPl was considered for whole genome sequencing to identify the cry genes present in it. Whole genome sequencing of our strain revealed genome size of 6.87 Mb with 34.95% GC content. Homology search through the BLAST algorithm revealed that NBAIR BtPl is 99.8% similar to B. thuringiensisserovar tolworthi, and gene prediction through Prokka revealed 7406 genes, 7168 proteins, 5 rRNAs, and 66 tRNAs. BtToxin_Digger analysis of NBAIR BtPl genome revealed four cry gene families: cry1, cry2, cry8Aa1, and cry70Aa1. When tested for the presence of these four cry genes in other indigenous strains, results showed that cry70Aa1 was absent. Thus, the study provided a basis for predicting cry70Aa1 be the possible reason for toxicity. In this study apart from novel genes, we also identified other virulent genes encoding zwittermicin, chitinase, fengycin, and bacillibactin. Thus, the current study aids in predicting potential toxin-encoding genes responsible for toxicity to Z. cucurbitae and thus paves the way for the development of B. thuringiensis-based formulations and transgenic crops for management of dipteran pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a reflection based multimode fiber surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor utilizing a high index silicon layer between silver metal and sensing medium layer. Theoretical studies have been carried out to optimize the suitable width of material layer to sense refractive index (RI) of the analyte surrounding the optical fiber sensing region using the transfer matrix method. The RI sensitivity of the proposed SPR sensor has been experimentally verified to reach 4774 nm/RIU with figure of merit of 36.07 and resolution of 6.28 × 10−5at 1.38 RI. Furthermore, the large thermo-optic coefficient and thermal expansion coefficient of the silicon layer has enhanced the experimental temperature sensitivity of the SPR sensor to 1.76 nm/°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work aims to make an estimate of the adiabatic temperature change ( Δ T add ) parameter due to the magnetocaloric effect (MCE), for the rare-earth (RE)-based double perovskite La 2 NiMnO 6 system. Isothermal magnetization ( M versus H ) measurements are carried out on the La 2 NiMnO 6 sample, at temperatures around the ferromagnetic phase transition temperature ( T C ). The experimental magnetization data of La 2 NiMnO 6 are analyzed by using the Weiss mean-field model theory (MFT) and Landau theory of phase transitions. The magnetocaloric properties such as the isothermal magnetic entropy change ( Δ S M ), refrigerant capacity (RC) and the adiabatic temperature change ( Δ T add ) are evaluated using the experimental and numerically computed/simulated data. For the estimation of the adiabatic temperature change, the heat capacity data of La 2 NiMnO 6 system are generated using the mean-field model data and the reported Debye temperature ( Θ D ) value of La 2 NiMnO 6 . Additionally, Monte Carlo simulations are performed for the La 2 NiMnO 6 system, using Ising model Hamiltonian. The magnetocaloric properties are also extracted from the Monte Carlo simulations data. The La 2 NiMnO 6 shows a maximum adiabatic temperature change of around 2.3 K for the magnetic field change from zero to 70 kOe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphometric variation among three different geographical populations of the predominant white grub species, Holotrichia serrata (F.) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) was studied through multivariate analyses. The univariate one factor ANOVA analysis has yielded 21 and 19 significant characters of male and female, respectively, which were further subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for identifying the most significant characters that explains the intraspecific morphometric variation. The first two principal components PC1 and PC2 accounted for 43.65% variation in males and characters such as length of tarsal segments especially second (TR2L), third (TR3L), and fourth (TR4L), followed by male genitalia characters, width of phallobase (PHW) and width of paramere (PAW), total body length (TBL), length of antennal pedicel (APL), length of elytra (ELL) were found to be the significant traits contributing to the variation in the three populations of male H. serrata. In case of females, the first two principal components accounted for 46.40% and characters such as length of antennal scape (ASL), antennal pedicel (APL), width of clypeus (CLW), length of hind inner tibial spur (ITSL) and outer tibial spur (OTSL) were the significant characters among the female populations of H. serrata. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and cross-validation of discriminant function analysis (DFA) also confirmed that three populations are distinct and morphometrically significant for the selected characters. Sexual dimorphism for maximum characters was observed in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka populations. Our study aids in identification of morphological features that attributes to the intraspecific variation among the different geographical population of Holotrichia serrata in the light of speciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We analyzed the published literature on return-to-driving (RTD) recommendations following lower extremity orthopedic surgery, including knee and hip arthroplasty and ankle and foot surgery. Methods: We conducted a PubMed MEDLINE database search for the relevant literature spanning from 1988 to 2022. Data were extracted from the selected articles independently by six investigators, and the mean, standard deviation, and range of RTD recommendations for each surgical region and procedure were calculated. Results: The 34 studies included in our review evaluated brake response time, reaction time, movement time, braking force, and other parameters. Average RTD recommendations in weeks were: hip surgeries, 4.1 (± 2.7); foot surgeries, 6.67 (± 0.94); Achilles surgeries, 6.67 (± 0.25); ankle surgeries, 4 (± 2); knee surgeries, 5.42 (± 0.77); and multiple lower extremity surgeries, 3.85 (± 0.15). Conclusion: Our findings can assist physicians in providing informed recommendations to patients, promoting safe driving practices, and optimizing postoperative recovery. Level of evidence: Therapeutic, Level III: Retrospective comparative study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moiré quantum materials host exotic electronic phenomena through enhanced internal Coulomb interactions in twisted two-dimensional heterostructures1–4. When combined with the exceptionally high electrostatic control in atomically thin materials5–8, moiré heterostructures have the potential to enable next-generation electronic devices with unprecedented functionality. However, despite extensive exploration, moiré electronic phenomena have thus far been limited to impractically low cryogenic temperatures9–14, thus precluding real-world applications of moiré quantum materials. Here we report the experimental realization and room-temperature operation of a low-power (20 pW) moiré synaptic transistor based on an asymmetric bilayer graphene/hexagonal boron nitride moiré heterostructure. The asymmetric moiré potential gives rise to robust electronic ratchet states, which enable hysteretic, non-volatile injection of charge carriers that control the conductance of the device. The asymmetric gating in dual-gated moiré heterostructures realizes diverse biorealistic neuromorphic functionalities, such as reconfigurable synaptic responses, spatiotemporal-based tempotrons and Bienenstock–Cooper–Munro input-specific adaptation. In this manner, the moiré synaptic transistor enables efficient compute-in-memory designs and edge hardware accelerators for artificial intelligence and machine learning.We report the experimental realization and room-temperature operation of a low-power (20 pW) moiré synaptic transistor based on an asymmetric bilayer graphene/hexagonal boron nitride moiré heterostructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water lily aphid Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae L. (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is the major pest of Makhana/Gorgon nut Euryale ferox Salisb, which is an important aquatic crop of tropical and subtropical regions of South-East and East Asia. The basic information such as distribution pattern and optimum sample size for estimating population density in the field is unknown. Therefore, we studied spatial distribution patterns for two stages, i.e., nymphs and adults of R. nymphaeae, using five different distribution indices and two regression methods viz., Taylor's power law and Iwao's mean crowding index for two years. All the indices showed aggregated distribution by nymphs and adults of R. nymphaeae in both years individually and with the pooled data of two years. The values of aggregation parameter (b) of Taylor's power law and density contagiousness coefficient (β) of Iwao's mean crowding index were found to be more than one for both nymphs and adults for each of the years, and pooled data of two years indicated an aggregated distribution of the R. nymphaeae. The optimal sample size (n) was estimated at three fixed precision levels of 0.05, 0.10, and 0.25 with Iwao's regression coefficients. The results showed that the optimum sample size decreased with increased levels of precision and mean aphid density. The optimum sample size (n) for estimating the lowest (3.3/leaf) and highest density (217.6/leaf) of both nymphs and adults ranged from 305.2 to 26.3, 76.3 to 6.6, and 12.2 to 1.0 with 5, 10 and 25% levels of precision. This basic information on spatial distribution pattern and optimum sample size helps monitor and formulate effective management strategies against R. nymphaeae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt-based polycrystalline double perovskite La2TiCoO6 was synthesized using solid-state reaction. According to X-ray analysis, this compound exhibited monoclinic structure with space group P21/n. Rock-salt ordering of Co and Ti ions was observed in X-ray diffraction pattern. Structure-related parameters, bond lengths and bond angles are extracted from Rietveld refinement analysis of X-ray diffraction profile. Octahedral tilt estimated from the refinement is found to be ~12°. Microstructure is analysed by X-ray diffraction scanning electron microscopy and cation compositions are estimated from energy dispersive X-ray analysis. In the room temperature Raman spectrum, Raman modes due to monoclinic distortions are observed. Splitting of Raman modes as a result of Ti and Co ordering is observed thus correlating X-ray diffraction results. In numerous applied magnetic fields in the temperature range of 4–300 K, zero-field cooled and field cooled thermomagnetic curves overlap with one another down to the lowest temperatures with a maximum ~12 K, demonstrating a stable antiferromagnetic ground state. Temperature and magnetic field dependence of heat capacity measurements displayed a λ-like anomaly with a maximum around 11 K characteristic for a second-order phase transition. The sharp transition also demonstrates the alternate ordering of TiO6 and CoO6 polyhedra in the unit cell. In addition, the peak maximum shifted to lower temperatures with an increasing applied magnetic field as expected for an antiferromagnetic material. This transition temperature matches the magnetic transition temperature observed in magnetic susceptibility data. Thus heat capacity data correlates well with the behaviour of the anomalies in the magnetization. Lattice contribution to specific heat was calculated by fitting zero-field specific data using Debye and Einstein functions and consequently, magnetic specific heat was determined. The corresponding entropy as a function of temperature and magnetic field was then evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of age-related cognitive disorders/dementia is increasing, and effective prevention and treatment interventions are lacking due to an incomplete understanding of aging neuropathophysiology. Emerging evidence suggests that abnormalities in gut microbiome are linked with age-related cognitive decline and getting acceptance as one of the pillars of the Geroscience hypothesis. However, the potential clinical importance of gut microbiome abnormalities in predicting the risk of cognitive decline in older adults is unclear. Till now the majority of clinical studies were done using 16S rRNA sequencing which only accounts for analyzing bacterial abundance, while lacking an understanding of other crucial microbial kingdoms, such as viruses, fungi, archaea, and the functional profiling of the microbiome community. Utilizing data and samples of older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 23) and cognitively healthy controls (n = 25). Our whole-genome metagenomic sequencing revealed that the gut of older adults with MCI harbors a less diverse microbiome with a specific increase in total viruses and a decrease in bacterial abundance compared with controls. The virome, bacteriome, and microbial metabolic signatures were significantly distinct in subjects with MCI versus controls. Selected bacteriome signatures show high predictive potential of cognitive dysfunction than virome signatures while combining virome and metabolic signatures with bacteriome boosts the prediction power. Altogether, the results from our pilot study indicate that trans-kingdom microbiome signatures are significantly distinct in MCI gut compared with controls and may have utility for predicting the risk of developing cognitive decline and dementia- debilitating public health problems in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously proposed the Gut Microbiome Wellness Index (GMWI), a predictor of disease presence based on a gut microbiome taxonomic profile. As an application of this index for food science research, we applied GMWI as a quantitative tool for measuring the prebiotic effect of oligosaccharides. Mainly, in an in vitro anaerobic batch fermentation system, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), galactooligosaccharides (GOS), xylooligosaccharides (XOS), inulin (IN), and 2'-fucosyllactose (2FL), were mixed separately with fecal samples obtained from healthy adult volunteers. To find out how 24 h prebiotic fermentation influenced the GMWI values in their respective microbial communities, changes in species-level relative abundances were analyzed in the five prebiotics groups, as well as in two control groups (no substrate addition at 0 h and for 24 h). The GMWI of fecal microbiomes treated with any of the five prebiotics (IN (0.48 ± 0.06) > FOS (0.47 ± 0.03) > XOS (0.33 ± 0.02) > GOS (0.26 ± 0.02) > 2FL (0.16 ± 0.06)) were positive, which indicates an increase of relative abundances of microbial species previously found to be associated with a healthy, disease-free state. In contrast, the GMWI of samples without substrate addition for 24 h (–0.60 ± 0.05) reflected a non-healthy, disease-harboring microbiome state. Compared to the original prebiotic index (PI) and α-diversity metrics, GMWI provides a more data-driven, evidence-based indexing system for evaluating the prebiotic effect of food components. This study demonstrates how GMWI can be applied as a novel PI in dietary intervention studies, with wider implications for designing personalized diets based on their impact on gut microbiome wellness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the progress and advancement in discovery of novel antimicrobial drugs, efficient solubility plays an important component for a drug to express its out-turn effectively. A biocompatible neutral/non-ionic surfactant, Triton X-100 (Tx-100), was successfully employed to solubilize an antibiotic drug, sulfamethazine (SMZ), through micellization process. The association process of Tx-100 toward SMZ was confirmed through the characteristic spectral change in absorption and emission spectroscopy. The morphological behavior of the complex was studied from small angle neutron scattering (SANS). Changes in size(s) and charge(s) of the micelles were monitored using zeta (z) potential technique. This present study emphasized the molecular mechanism and characteristics of Tx-100 as an effective drug solubilizing and carrier agent. Thus, the drug-loaded micellar system can enhance cellular uptake and increase the antibacterial effects of drugs in the biological system(s). Schematic illustration of drug-surfactant micelle formation and target release of drug at the targeted site [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liposomes composed of soy lecithin (SL) have been studied widely for drug delivery applications. The stability and elasticity of liposomal vesicles are improved by incorporating additives, including edge activators. In this study, we report the effect of sodium taurodeoxycholate (STDC, a bile salt) upon the microstructural characteristics of SL vesicles. Liposomes, prepared by the thin film hydration method, were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), electron microscopy, and rheological techniques. We noticed a reduction in the size of vesicles with the incremental addition of STDC. Initial changes in the size of spherical vesicles were ascribed to the edge-activating action of STDC (0.05 to 0.17 µM). At higher concentrations (0.23 to 0.27 µM), these vesicles transformed into cylindrical structures. Morphological transitions at higher STDC concentrations would have occurred due to its hydrophobic interaction with SL molecules in the bilayer. This was ascertained from nuclear magnetic resonance observations. Whereas shape transitions underscored the deformability of vesicles in the presence of STDC, the consistency of bilayer thickness ruled out any dissociative effect. It was interesting to notice that SL-STDC mixed structures could survive high thermal stress, electrolyte addition, and dilution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can test either positive or negative for circulating anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) and are thereby categorized as ACPA-positive (ACPA+) or ACPA-negative (ACPA−), respectively. In this study, we aimed to elucidate a broader range of serological autoantibodies that could further explain immunological differences between patients with ACPA+ RA and ACPA− RA. On serum collected from adult patients with ACPA+ RA (n = 32), ACPA− RA (n = 30), and matched healthy controls (n = 30), we used a highly multiplex autoantibody profiling assay to screen for over 1600 IgG autoantibodies that target full-length, correctly folded, native human proteins. We identified differences in serum autoantibodies between patients with ACPA+ RA and ACPA− RA compared with healthy controls. Specifically, we found 22 and 19 autoantibodies with significantly higher abundances in ACPA+ RA patients and ACPA− RA patients, respectively. Among these two sets of autoantibodies, only one autoantibody (anti-GTF2A2) was common in both comparisons; this provides further evidence of immunological differences between these two RA subgroups despite sharing similar symptoms. On the other hand, we identified 30 and 25 autoantibodies with lower abundances in ACPA+ RA and ACPA− RA, respectively, of which 8 autoantibodies were common in both comparisons; we report for the first time that the depletion of certain autoantibodies may be linked to this autoimmune disease. Functional enrichment analysis of the protein antigens targeted by these autoantibodies showed an over-representation of a range of essential biological processes, including programmed cell death, metabolism, and signal transduction. Lastly, we found that autoantibodies correlate with Clinical Disease Activity Index, but associate differently depending on patients' ACPA status. In all, we present candidate autoantibody biomarker signatures associated with ACPA status and disease activity in RA, providing a promising avenue for patient stratification and diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With widespread physical properties from electrical to catalytic and optical to magnetic, etc., pyrochlore materials have attracted a lot more attention in the application field. In this study, we report the interatomic interactions, frequencies of Raman, and infrared phonon modes at the zone centre of mixed pyrochlore-structured compounds A2GaSbO7 (Y, Dy and Gd). The mechanical and elastic properties of these compounds are also reported. The obtained results show that the interatomic interaction between the atoms A–O is the strongest one as compared to the other interatomic interactions. Born’s stability conditions are found to be satisfied for all the examined compounds, showing their mechanical stability. Further analysis shows the ductile and anisotropic nature of the elastic properties for title compounds. The 3D picture of the elastic properties, such as Young’s modulus, shear modulus, linear compressibility and the Poisson ratio, is also presented and analysed. Furthermore, the obtained results are compared with previously reported theoretical and experimental results, which are found to be in good agreement where available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hypothesis posits that the synergistic combination of morpholinium cations and specific aromatic counterions in surface-active ionic liquids (SAILs) will markedly impact the micellization behavior and aggregation properties of these SAILs, potentially resulting in heightened surface activity and distinctive structural features. Two SAILs, N-dodecyl-N-methylmorpholinium benzenesulfonate ([C12mmor][BS]) and N-dodecyl-N-methylmorpholinium β-naphthalenesulfonate ([C12mmor][β-Nsa]), were synthesized through quaternization and metathesis reactions. Surface tension (ST) and electrical conductivity measurements were employed to ascertain the critical micelle concentration (CMC), micellization behavior, and various thermodynamic and interfacial parameters of the SAILs. Subsequently, their structural properties were examined using a small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) instrument at multiple concentrations to identify distinctive features in the micelle structures. The intermolecular interactions were studied using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The findings reveal substantial influences of aromatic anions on micellization behavior and aggregation properties of SAILs compared with conventional surfactants and imidazolium-based SAILs, with discernible structural characteristics elucidated through SANS where a formation of prolate ellipsoidal micelles of different size were observed. This research underscores the potential applications of these innovative ionic liquids in drug development and delivery, emphasizing the crucial role of counterion and headgroup selection in tailoring their properties for specific purposes.Graphical Abstract: The hypothesis posits that the synergistic combination of morpholinium cations and specific aromatic counterions in surface-active ionic liquids (SAILs) will markedly impact the micellization behavior and aggregation properties of these SAILs, potentially resulting in heightened surface activity and distinctive structural features. Two SAILs, N-dodecyl-N-methylmorpholinium benzenesulfonate ([C12mmor][BS]) and N-dodecyl-N-methylmorpholinium β-naphthalenesulfonate ([C12mmor][β-Nsa]), were synthesized through quaternization and metathesis reactions. Surface tension (ST) and electrical conductivity measurements were employed to ascertain the critical micelle concentration (CMC), micellization behavior, and various thermodynamic and interfacial parameters of the SAILs. Subsequently, their structural properties were examined using a small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) instrument at multiple concentrations to identify distinctive features in the micelle structures. The intermolecular interactions were studied using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The findings reveal substantial influences of aromatic anions on micellization behavior and aggregation properties of SAILs compared with conventional surfactants and imidazolium-based SAILs, with discernible structural characteristics elucidated through SANS where a formation of prolate ellipsoidal micelles of different size were observed. This research underscores the potential applications of these innovative ionic liquids in drug development and delivery, emphasizing the crucial role of counterion and headgroup selection in tailoring their properties for specific purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-blocker therapy is currently the treatment of choice for infantile hemangiomas (IH), albeit with limited data on long-term treatment outcomes. Herein, authors treated 67 IH lesions in 47 patients with oral propranolol at 2 mg/kg/d for a median of 9 mo and followed them up for a median of 48 mo. While no maintenance therapy was required for 18 lesions (26.9%), the rest needed maintenance therapy. Both treatment regimens had comparable efficacy (83.3±23.9% and 92.0±13.8%) but chances of IH recurrence was higher in lesions requiring maintenance therapy. Also, patients treated at ≤5 mo of age had a significantly better response and a lower recurrence rate than patients treated at >5 mo of age (95.0±7.9% vs. 87.0±17.5%, p = 0.05). Authors' experience suggests that longer durations of maintenance therapy offered no added advantage to the overall improvement of IH while treatment initiation at an earlier age showed better improvement and lower recurrence rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-assembly generation in block copolymers (BCPs): normal Pluronics® (L31, L64, L35, P65) and reverse Pluronics® (31R1, 17R4, 25R4, 10R5) are scrutinized in single/ mixed aqueous environment systems. Solutions up to 10%w/v in investigated systems remained transparent up to ambient temperature while on progressive heating they attained their cloud point (CP). The critical micelle temperature (CMT) was evaluated by fluorescence spectroscopy, which is further complemented by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small-angle light scattering (SANS). L31 showed phase separation (2ϕ) at ~ 30 °C without any micelle formation. L64, L35, and P65 formed micelles at high temperatures with some growth close to CP while all reverse Pluronics® formed no micelles until CP. The micellar parameters were reinforced from scattering as a function of temperature. Furthermore, these nanoscale micellar aggregates were explored qualitatively and quantitatively as potential nanocargos for anticancer (curcumin) drug to understand the cytotoxic effect using MTT assay. Plausible micellar transition and phase behavior in block copolymers (BCPs) with contrast block structure as a function of temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the year 2021 was awarded to Prof. Benjamin List of Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany and Prof. David W.C. MacMillan of Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA. The award was given for their contribution to developing and popularizing asymmetric organocatalysis as an efficient tool for the construction of organic molecules. Organocatalysis is the use of small organic molecules to catalyze organic reactions, which has gained attention for bringing about asymmetric transformations without the use of metal catalysts. Both Prof. List and Prof. MacMillan pioneered the activation of carbonyl compounds by converting them to iminium ions or enamines using optically active secondary amines as organocatalysis. This article will discuss the contributions of List and MacMillan with brief introductions to the problems they attempted to solve using organocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with acute COVID-19 due to SARS-CoV-2 infection experience a range of symptoms, but major factors contributing to severe clinical outcomes remain to be understood. Emerging evidence suggests associations between the gut microbiome and the severity and progression of COVID-19. To better understand the host-microbiota interactions in acute COVID-19, we characterized the intestinal microbiome of patients with active SARS-CoV-2 infection in comparison to recovered patients and uninfected healthy controls. We performed 16S rRNA sequencing of stool samples collected between May 2020 and January 2021 from 20 COVID-19-positive patients, 20 COVID-19-recovered subjects and 20 healthy controls. COVID-19-positive patients had altered microbiome community characteristics compared to the recovered and control subjects, as assessed by both a- and ß-diversity differences. In COVID-19-positive patients, we observed depletion of Bacteroidaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae, as well as decreased relative abundances of the genera Faecalibacterium, Adlercreutzia, and the Eubacterium brachy group. The enrichment of Prevotellaceae with COVID-19 infection continued after viral clearance; antibiotic use induced further gut microbiota perturbations in COVID-19-positive patients. In conclusion, we present evidence that acute COVID-19 induces gut microbiota dysbiosis with depletion of particular populations of commensal bacteria, a phenomenon heightened by antibiotic exposure, but the general effects do not persist post-recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally 3 billion people are consuming water with moderately high concentrations of fluoride and arsenic. The development of a simple point of care (PoC) device or home device for the detection of fluoride/arsenic ensures safety before consuming water. Till date, lateral flow assay (LFA) based PoC devices can detect nucleic acids, viruses and diseases. An aluminium complex of rhodamine B functionalized oxacalix[4]arene (L) was designed to execute the LFA-based PoC device. Initially, Al3+ and Fe3+ ions were involved in complexation with the rhodamine B functionalized oxacalix[4]arene (L), resulting C1 (L-Al3+) and C2 (L-Fe3+) complexes respectively. The receptor L, as well as the probes (C1, C2), were characterized thoroughly using mass spectroscopy, FTIR, NMR, and EA. C1 and C2 were further utilized as recyclable probes for the detection of aqueous fluoride (21 ppb) and arsenate (1.92 ppb) respectively. The computational calculation indicates that upon complexation, the spirolactam ring opening at the rhodamine B site leads to optoelectronic changes. The consistency of LFA-based portable sensing device has been tested with water samples, synthetic fluoride standards and dental care products like toothpaste and mouthwash with concentrations ≥ 3 ppm. Moreover, fixed cell imaging experiments were performed to ascertain the in-vitro sensing phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major challenges in solar photovoltaic (PV) penetration into the grid are maintaining quantity and quality of power at transmission and distribution network because of variable solar insolation levels, harmonics due to solar inverters, sudden increase or decrease in load on distribution network, etc. In the Indian context, solar energy penetration into the grid is still limited to rooftop and small-scale generation feeding power into the distribution grid typically at 440 V or 11 kV. The only energy penetration at the transmission level of 220 kV is developed and installed by Power grid corporation of India in Hyderabad, India. Thus, the integration of solar photovoltaic systems in terms of power quantity and quality at the transmission and distribution level is still a major challenge in the Indian subcontinent which has brought ample opportunities for power quality engineers and researchers to comprehensively deal with issues related to quantity and quality of power supplied by solar PV technologies into the grid. The paper attempts to review existing status of Solar PV grid-connected applications from a qualitative and quantitative perspective and also comment upon its prospects with an emphasis on solar energy potential, installations done so far and expected quality of power in the grid- tied solar PV systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telomeres, the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, play pivotal parts in ageing and cancer and are targets of DNA damage and the DNA damage response1–5. Little is known about the structure of telomeric chromatin at the molecular level. Here we used negative stain electron microscopy and single-molecule magnetic tweezers to characterize 3-kbp-long telomeric chromatin fibres. We also obtained the cryogenic electron microscopy structure of the condensed telomeric tetranucleosome and its dinucleosome unit. The structure displayed close stacking of nucleosomes with a columnar arrangement, and an unusually short nucleosome repeat length that comprised about 132 bp DNA wound in a continuous superhelix around histone octamers. This columnar structure is primarily stabilized by the H2A carboxy-terminal and histone amino-terminal tails in a synergistic manner. The columnar conformation results in exposure of the DNA helix, which may make it susceptible to both DNA damage and the DNA damage response. The conformation also exists in an alternative open state, in which one nucleosome is unstacked and flipped out, which exposes the acidic patch of the histone surface. The structural features revealed in this work suggest mechanisms by which protein factors involved in telomere maintenance can access telomeric chromatin in its compact form.Cryogenic electron microscopy analyses reveal a new, compact structure of telomeric chromatin, providing mechanistic insight into telomere maintenance and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Genomic selection is a promising tool to select for spot blotch resistance and index-based selection can simultaneously select for spot blotch resistance, heading and plant height. A major biotic stress challenging bread wheat production in regions characterized by humid and warm weather is spot blotch caused by the fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana. Since genomic selection (GS) is a promising selection tool, we evaluated its potential for spot blotch in seven breeding panels comprising 6736 advanced lines from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center. Our results indicated moderately high mean genomic prediction accuracies of 0.53 and 0.40 within and across breeding panels, respectively which were on average 177.6% and 60.4% higher than the mean accuracies from fixed effects models using selected spot blotch loci. Genomic prediction was also evaluated in full-sibs and half-sibs panels and sibs were predicted with the highest mean accuracy (0.63) from a composite training population with random full-sibs and half-sibs. The mean accuracies when full-sibs were predicted from other full-sibs within families and when full-sibs panels were predicted from other half-sibs panels were 0.47 and 0.44, respectively. Comparison of GS with phenotypic selection (PS) of the top 10% of resistant lines suggested that GS could be an ideal tool to discard susceptible lines, as greater than 90% of the susceptible lines discarded by PS were also discarded by GS. We have also reported the evaluation of selection indices to simultaneously select non-late and non-tall genotypes with low spot blotch phenotypic values and genomic-estimated breeding values. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of integrating GS and index-based selection for improving spot blotch resistance in bread wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents estimated misorientation angles of broadband seismic sensors of the Kashmir-Zanskar network and their effects on anisotropy determinations and great-circle-path deviations. The misorientations were calculated from the difference between backazimuths of Rayleigh waves and those of the great-circle-arcs connecting the source and receiver. Waveforms of global Rayleigh waves extracted from the records of 13 broadband seismographs in the Kashmir-Zanskar region of Northwestern Himalaya, and 3 others around the region, were used to evaluate misorientation errors in each of these sensor installations. Three of the 16 were found to have orientation errors between ± 5 and 10° with respect to the geographic north, 4 between 10 and 16° and the remainder with <5°. These misalignments had resulted in leakage of a substantial amount of energy in the transverse component receiver functions which, after correction, led to sharper amplitudes and polarities. Indeed, the SKS-derived azimuths of the fast component were found to be quite sensitive to instrument misalignment, suffering ~ 16° shift from a ~ 15.5° error in orientation. A notable observation revealed by misalignment corrections was the substantial, up to 20°, off-great-circle arc deviations even along shorter path arrivals from regional events, offering a qualitative ordination of the region's heterogeneities. The paper also presents probability distribution functions of the estimated power spectral density of ambient noise at each station compared with global high and low-noise models and near-source earthquake models. The results provide a first-order assessment of small earthquake detection capability of this network, down to M1.0, also confirmed by some of the smallest events located. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein–protein interaction in solution strongly depends on dissolved ions and solution pH. Interaction among globular protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA), above and below of its isoelectric point (pI ≈ 4.8), is studied in the presence of anions (Cl–, Br–, I–, F–, SO42–) using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) technique. The SANS study reveals that the short-range attraction among BSA molecules remains nearly unchanged in the presence of anions, whereas the intermediate-range repulsive interaction increases following the Hofmeister series of anions. Although the interaction strength modifies below and above the pI of BSA, it nearly follows the series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugarcane is an economically important commercial crop which provides raw material for the production of sugar, jaggery, bioethanol, biomass and other by-products. Sugarcane breeding till today heavily relies on conventional breeding approaches which is time consuming, laborious and costly. Integration of marker-assisted selection (MAS) in sugarcane genetic improvement programs for difficult to select traits like sucrose content, resistance to pests and diseases and tolerance to abiotic stresses will accelerate varietal development. In the present study, association mapping approach was used to identify QTLs and genes associated with sucrose and other important yield-contributing traits. A mapping panel of 110 diverse sugarcane genotypes and 148 microsatellite primers were used for structured association mapping study. An optimal subpopulation number (ΔK) of 5 was identified by structure analysis. GWAS analysis using TASSEL identified a total of 110 MTAs which were localized into 27 QTLs by GLM and MLM (Q + K, PC + K) approaches. Among the 24 QTLs sequenced, 12 were able to identify potential candidate genes, viz., starch branching enzyme, starch synthase 4, sugar transporters and G3P-DH related to carbohydrate metabolism and hormone pathway-related genes ethylene insensitive 3-like 1, reversion to ethylene sensitive1-like, and auxin response factor associated to juice quality- and yield-related traits. Six markers, NKS 5_185, SCB 270_144, SCB 370_256, NKS 46_176 and UGSM 648_245, associated with juice quality traits and marker SMC31CUQ_304 associated with NMC were validated and identified as significantly associated to the traits by one-way ANOVA analysis. In conclusion, 24 potential QTLs identified in the present study could be used in sugarcane breeding programs after further validation in larger population. The candidate genes from carbohydrate and hormone response pathway presented in this study could be manipulated with genome editing approaches to further improve sugarcane crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus has been described as the most common cause of human and animal diseases and has emerged as a superbug due to multidrug resistance. Considering these, a total of 175 samples were collected from pyogenic cases of humans (75) and animals (100), to establish the drug resistance pattern and also for molecular characterization of human and animal isolates. Thermonuclease (nuc) gene amplification was used to confirm all presumptive S. aureus isolates and then, antibiotic sensitivity and slide Coagulase tests were used for phenotypic characterization of isolates. Following that, all the isolates were subjected to PCR amplification to detect the existence of the Methicillin-resistant (mecA) and Coagulase (coa) genes. Lastly, typing was done using the Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA-PCR. The overall prevalence of S. aureus in human and animal samples was found to be 39.4%. Drug sensitivity revealed the highest resistance against the β-lactam antibiotics such as ampicillin (94.8%) and penicillin (90.6%), followed by cephalosporin (cefixime—67.7%) and quinolone (ciprofloxacin—52.1%) group of drugs. The drug sensitivity was the highest against antibiotics like chloramphenicol (95%) followed by gentamicin (90%). Among the 69 S. aureus isolates, the overall presence of MRSA was 40.5% (27.5% and 50% in human and animal isolates, respectively). Total 33 isolates exhibited coa genes amplification of more than one amplicons and variable in size of 250, 450, 800, and 1100 bp. The RAPD typing revealed amplification of five and six different band patterns in humans and animals, respectively, with two common patterns suggesting a common phylogenetic profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]