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Background Purpose Methods Results Conclusions A fundamental obstacle for the preclinical development of ultrasound‐(US) mediated cardiac imaging remains cardiac motion, which limits interframe correlation during extended acquisition periods.To address this need, we present the design and implementation of a 3D‐printed vacuum coupler that stabilizes a US transducer on the epicardial surface of the heart for feasibility assessment and development of advanced, cardiac, US‐mediated imaging approaches.The vacuum coupler was 3D printed with biocompatible resins and secured with a standard intraoperative suction aspirator. US‐mediated imaging (i.e., B‐mode and photoacoustic [PA] imaging) was performed in an open‐chest porcine model with and without the vacuum coupler. Based on inter‐frame displacement tracking and cross‐correlation (CC) coefficients, changes in frame motion and stability were compared for each imaging mode/configuration through a prolonged (∼1 min) acquisition, while the impact on PA‐based SO2 accuracy was assessed.When compared to conventional handheld imaging, stand‐off imaging, and coupler without suction, epicardial imaging with the vacuum coupler and suction applied led to a significantly reduced mean axial displacement of 0.15 mm versus 0.89, 0.49, & 0.49 mm, respectively (p‐values ≤ 8.65e‐7). Comparing the coupler without suction to that with suction applied, physiologically unrealistic SO2 estimates reduced from 1.72 to 0.81%, respectively, and lateral interframe displacement reduced from 4.58 to 2.01 mm, respectively (p‐value = 5.07e‐23). Overall, reduced cardiac tissue motion and increased interframe CC coefficient (baseline = 0.43 vs. coupler with suction = 0.80) allow for more accurate PA unmixing.Epicardial US‐mediated imaging with a vacuum coupler reduces cardiac motion artifact, providing a consistent sampling of an intended region of interest (ROI) over multiple cardiac cycles. This could help facilitate the development of advanced US‐mediated imaging, which is often hindered by cardiac motion. Stable implementation of these imaging techniques could allow for intra‐operative assessments of local cardiac perfusion as well as tissue characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low friction nature of articular cartilage has been attributed to the synergistic interaction between lubricin and hyaluronic acid in the synovial fluid (SF). Lubricin is a mucinous glycoprotein that lowers the boundary mode coefficient of friction of articular cartilage in a dose‐dependent manner. While there have been multiple attempts to produce recombinant lubricin and lubricin mimetic cartilage lubricants over the last two decades, these materials have not found clinical use due to challenges associated with large scale production, manufacturing, and purification. Recently, a novel method using codon scrambling was developed to produce a stable, full‐length bioengineered equine lubricin (eLub) in large reproducible quantities. While preliminary frictional analysis of eLub and other recombinantly produced forms revealed they can lubricate cartilage, a complete tribological characterization is lacking, with previous studies evaluating the friction coefficient only at a single dose or a single speed. The objective of this study was to analyze the dose‐dependent tribological properties of eLub using the Stribeck framework of tribological analysis. Recombinantly produced eLub at doses greater than 1.5 mg/mL exhibits friction coefficients on par with healthy bovine SF, and a maximal 5 mg/mL dose exhibits a nearly 50% lower friction coefficient than healthy SF. eLub also modulates the shift in lubrication mode of the cartilage from the high friction boundary mode to the low friction minimum mode at high concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global cashew nut production is nearly 4 million tons per year, valued at 7 billion US dollars. Remarkably, almost the entire cashew apple crop, amounting to 20 million tons annually, goes to waste. However, the cashew apple contains valuable nutraceutical compounds, including tannins, polyphenols, and carotenoids, estimated to be worth 150 million US dollars annually. Due to the highly perishable nature of cashew apples, degradation is a significant issue. In response, the current work has established drying as an effective preservation technique for these bioactive components. The effect of drying temperature on bioactive compounds has been thoroughly investigated. The non‐random two liquid (NRTL) activity coefficient model effectively captures the thermodynamics of the drying process. To facilitate the selection and design of drying equipment, two mechanistic mass transfer models were developed. The first model employs the Maxwell‐Stefan framework to account for internal diffusion, with external mass transfer resistance appearing as a boundary condition. While this model works well for products like grapes, it proved inadequate for explaining the drying behaviour of cashew apples. Consequently, a second model was developed, postulating rapid moisture transport by capillary action within the cashew apple. This model effectively captures the effects of a wide range of operating conditions, using only external mass transfer resistance as the tuneable kinetic parameter. This mechanistic model is more suitable for dryer design compared to conventional phenomenological models like the logarithmic model and the two‐term exponential model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate estimation of the power number for closed clearance impellers holds significant importance in industries such as chemical, biochemical, paper and pulp, as well as paints, pigments, and polymers. Existing state‐of‐the‐art correlations for predicting power numbers, however, are inaccurate for impeller Reynolds number ReI>100. In this study, we compiled a dataset of 1470 data points from 15 research articles in the open literature, covering five types of impellers: (i) anchor; (ii) gate; (iii) single helical ribbon; (iv) double helical ribbon; and (v) helical ribbon with screw. Six machine learning models, namely artificial neural networks (ANN), CatBoost regressor, extra tree regressor, support vector regressor, random forest, and XGBoost regressor, were developed and compared. The results revealed that ANN emerged as the most efficient model, demonstrating the highest testing R2 value of 0.99 and the lowest testing MAPE of 7.3%. Further, we used the ANN model to develop a novel set of process correlations to estimate impeller power numbers for the industrially important anchor and double helical ribbon impellers: which significantly outperform the existing state‐of‐the‐art correlations available in literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylglyoxal (MG) is responsible for advanced glycation end‐product formation, the mechanisms leading to diabetes pathogenesis and complications like acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Sugar metabolites, amino acids and fatty acids are possible substrates for MG. The study aimed to measure plasma MG substrate levels using a validated gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) method and explore their association with ACS risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The study included 150 T2DM patients with ACS as cases and 150 T2DM without ACS as controls for the analysis of glucose, fructose, ribulose, sorbitol, glycerol, pyruvate, lactate, glycine, serine, threonine, C16:0, C16:1, C18:0, C18:1, C18:2, C18:3, C20:0 and C22:6 by GC–MS. Validated GC–MS methods were accurate, precise and sensitive. Cases significantly differed in plasma MG and metabolite levels except for lactate, C16:0, C18:0, C18:2, and C18:3 levels compared with controls. On multivariable logistic regression, plasma C20:0, C18:1, glycine and glycerol levels had increased odds of ACS risk. On multivariate receiver operating characteristic analysis, a model containing plasma C20:0, C16:1, C18:1, C18:2, serine, glycerol, lactate and threonine levels had the highest area under the curve value (0.932) for ACS diagnosis. In conclusion, plasma C20:0, C16:1, C18:1, glycine, glycerol and sorbitol levels were associated with ACS risk in T2DM. Highlights: MG is a determinant of carbonyl stress in T2DM patients.The substrates of MG were analysed by GC–MS in T2DM with and without ACS.The validated GC–MS methods were sensitive, accurate, precise and reliable.Plasma C20:0, C16:1, C18:1, glycine, glycerol and sorbitol are associated with ACS risk in T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intra‐articular injections of hyaluronic acid (HA) are the cornerstone of osteoarthritis (OA) treatments. However, the mechanism of action and efficacy of HA viscosupplementation are debated. As such, there has been recent interest in developing synthetic viscosupplements. Recently, a synthetic 4 wt% polyacrylamide (pAAm) hydrogel was shown to effectively lubricate and bind to the surface of cartilage in vitro. However, its ability to localize to cartilage and alter the tribological properties of the tissue in a live articulating large animal joint is not known. The goal of this study was to quantify the distribution and extent of localization of pAAm in the equine metacarpophalangeal or metatarsophalangeal joint (fetlock joint), and determine whether preferential localization of pAAm influences the tribological properties of the tissue. An established planar fluorescence imaging technique was used to visualize and quantify the distribution of fluorescently labeled pAAm within the joint. While the pAAm hydrogel was present on all surfaces, it was not uniformly distributed, with more material present near the site of the injection. The lubricating ability of the cartilage in the joint was then assessed using a custom tribometer across two orders of magnitude of sliding speed in healthy synovial fluid. Cartilage regions with a greater coverage of pAAm, that is, higher fluorescent intensities, exhibited friction coefficients nearly 2‐fold lower than regions with lesser pAAm (Rrm = −0.59, p < 0.001). Collectively, the findings from this study indicate that intra‐articular viscosupplement injections are not evenly distributed inside a joint, and the tribological outcomes of these materials is strongly determined by the ability of the material to localize to the articulating surfaces in the joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatohepatitis‐driven hepatocellular carcinoma (MASH‐HCC) is a global clinical challenge for which there is a limited understanding of disease pathogenesis and a subsequent lack of therapeutic interventions. We previously identified that tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) upregulated apoptosis antagonizing transcription factor (AATF) in MASH. Here, we investigated the effect of TNF‐α converting enzyme (TACE) inhibition as a promising targeted therapy against AATF‐mediated steatohepatitis to hepatocarcinogenesis. A preclinical murine model that recapitulates human MASH‐HCC was used in the study. C57Bl/6 mice were fed with chow diet normal water (CD) or western diet sugar water (WD) along with a low dose of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4; 0.2 μL·g−1, weekly) for 24 weeks. TACE activity, TNF‐α levels, and AATF expression were measured. The mice were treated with the TACE inhibitor Marimastat for 12 weeks, followed by analyses of liver injury, fibrosis, inflammation, and oncogenic signaling. In vitro experiments using stable clones of AATF control and AATF knockdown were also conducted. We found that AATF expression was upregulated in WD/CCl4 mice, which developed severe MASH at 12 weeks and advanced fibrosis with HCC at 24 weeks. WD/CCl4 mice showed increased TACE activity with reduced hepatic expression of sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (Timp3). The involvement of the SIRT1/TIMP3/TACE axis was confirmed by the release of TNF‐α, which upregulated AATF, a key molecular driver of MASH‐HCC. Interestingly, TACE inhibition by Marimastat reduced liver injury, dyslipidemia, AATF expression, and oncogenic signaling, effectively preventing hepatocarcinogenesis. Furthermore, Marimastat inhibited the activation of JNK, ERK1/2, and AKT, which are key regulators of tumorigenesis in WD/CCl4 mice and in AATF control cells, but had no effect on AATF knockdown cells. This study shows that TACE inhibition prevents AATF‐mediated inflammation, fibrosis, and oncogenesis in MASH‐HCC, offering a potential target for therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endodontic therapy includes various procedures such as vital pulp therapy, root canal treatment and retreatment, surgical endodontic treatment and regenerative endodontic procedures. Disinfection and tissue repair are crucial for the success of these therapies, necessitating the development of therapeutics that can effectively target microbiota, eliminate biofilms, modulate inflammation and promote tissue repair. However, no current endodontic agents can achieve these goals. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are sequences of amino acids, have gained attention due to their unique advantages, including reduced susceptibility to drug resistance, broad‐spectrum antibacterial properties and the ability to modulate the immune response of the organism effectively. This review systematically discusses the structure, mechanisms of action, novel designs and limitations of AMPs. Additionally, it highlights the efforts made by researchers to overcome peptide shortcomings and emphasizes the potential applications of AMPs in endodontic treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation of the synovium, known as synovitis, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Synovitis involves the release of a wide variety of pro‐inflammatory mediators in synovial fluid (SF) that damage the articular cartilage extracellular matrix and induce death and apoptosis in chondrocytes. The composition of synovial fluid is dramatically altered by inflammation in OA, with changes to both hyaluronic acid and lubricin, the primary lubricating molecules in SF. However, the relationship between key biochemical markers of joint inflammation and mechanical function of SF is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate the application of a novel analytical framework to measure the effective viscosity for SF lubrication of cartilage, which is distinct from conventional rheological viscosity. Notably, in a well‐established equine model of synovitis, this effective lubricating viscosity decreased by up to 10,000‐fold for synovitis SF compared to a ~4 fold change in conventional viscosity measurements. Further, the effective lubricating viscosity was strongly inversely correlated (r = −0.6 to −0.8) to multiple established biochemical markers of SF inflammation, including white blood cell count, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and chemokine ligand (CCLs) concentrations, while conventional measurements of viscosity were poorly correlated to these markers. These findings demonstrate the importance of experimental and analytical approaches to characterize functional lubricating properties of synovial fluid and their relationships to soluble biomarkers to better understand the progression of OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoxifen, a protein kinase C inhibitor and selective estrogen receptor modulator, primarily used in breast cancer treatment, has recently emerged as a potential therapeutic option for managing manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder (BD). This review aims to assess the existing evidence base for endoxifen in BD treatment and evaluate the strengths and limitations of current research findings. Methods: A systematic search was conducted on Medline, Embase, and Web of Science databases. We included studies published in English that used endoxifen in BD, alongside any relevant studies identified through manual searching and conference papers with full‐text availability. Information pertaining to dose, duration, clinical effects, and safety profiles was extracted from the included studies. The Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool was used to assess the risk of bias in clinical trials. Results: The final review included seven case reports (including two conference presentations), two clinical trials, and one prospective study. Most studies administered endoxifen 8 mg and reported an improvement in manic symptoms. Several case reports included patients with comorbid substance use, and most patients received mood stabilizers concurrently. Few reports lacked any structured outcome measures. The clinical trials used divalproex 1000 mg as an active comparator, which was deemed sub‐therapeutic. Despite being multicentric, the first trial lacked data on center‐wise recruitment, and certain methodological concerns were observed across the included trials. There were no serious adverse effects noted, except for a significant elevation in lipid profile within a 3‐week period. Limited data were available regarding endoxifen efficacy and safety in mixed episodes, depressive episodes, and maintenance treatment. Conclusion: There is a paucity of research on the efficacy and safety of endoxifen in BD. While existing evidence suggests short‐term efficacy in manic episodes, significant limitations were identified in most of the included studies. Further research is imperative to establish the efficacy and safety of endoxifen in BD before considering its recommendation as a viable treatment option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Primary hypothyroidism is a common comorbid condition, but little is known about its association with COVID‐19 severity and outcomes. This study aims to identify the frequency of hypothyroidism in hospitalized patients with COVID‐19 as well as describe the differences in outcomes between patients with and without pre‐existing hypothyroidism using an observational, multinational registry. Methods: In an observational cohort study we enrolled patients 18 years or older, with laboratory‐confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 infection between March 2020 and February 2021. The primary outcomes were (1) the disease severity defined as per the World Health Organization Scale for Clinical Improvement, which is an ordinal outcome corresponding with the highest severity level recorded during a patient's index COVID‐19 hospitalization, (2) in‐hospital mortality and (3) hospital‐free days. Secondary outcomes were the rate of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and ICU mortality. Results: Among the 20,366 adult patients included in the study, pre‐existing hypothyroidism was identified in 1616 (7.9%). The median age for the Hypothyroidism group was 70 (interquartile range: 59–80) years, and 65% were female and 67% were White. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (68%), diabetes (42%), dyslipidemia (37%) and obesity (28%). After adjusting for age, body mass index, sex, admission date in the quarter year since March 2020, race, smoking history and other comorbid conditions (coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia), pre‐existing hypothyroidism was not associated with higher odds of severe disease using the World Health Organization disease severity index (odds ratio [OR]: 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.92, 1.13; p =.69), in‐hospital mortality (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.92, 1.15; p =.58) or differences in hospital‐free days (estimated difference 0.01 days; 95% CI: −0.45, 0.47; p =.97). Pre‐existing hypothyroidism was not associated with ICU admission or ICU mortality in unadjusted as well as in adjusted analysis. Conclusions: In an international registry, hypothyroidism was identified in around 1 of every 12 adult hospitalized patients with COVID‐19. Pre‐existing hypothyroidism in hospitalized patients with COVID‐19 was not associated with higher disease severity or increased risk of mortality or ICU admissions. However, more research on the possible effects of COVID‐19 on the thyroid gland and its function is needed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data on mixed mould infection with COVID‐19‐associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) and COVID‐19‐associated pulmonary mucormycosis (CAPM) are sparse. Objectives: To ascertain the prevalence of co‐existent CAPA in CAPM (mixed mould infection) and whether mixed mould infection is associated with early mortality (≤7 days of diagnosis). Methods: We retrospectively analysed the data collected from 25 centres across India on COVID‐19‐associated mucormycosis. We included only CAPM and excluded subjects with disseminated or rhino‐orbital mucormycosis. We defined co‐existent CAPA if a respiratory specimen showed septate hyphae on smear, histopathology or culture grew Aspergillus spp. We also compare the demography, predisposing factors, severity of COVID‐19, and management of CAPM patients with and without CAPA. Using a case–control design, we assess whether mixed mould infection (primary exposure) were associated with early mortality in CAPM. Results: We included 105 patients with CAPM. The prevalence of mixed mould infection was 20% (21/105). Patients with mixed mould infection experienced early mortality (9/21 [42.9%] vs. 15/84 [17.9%]; p = 0.02) and poorer survival at 6 weeks (7/21 [33.3] vs. 46/77 [59.7%]; p = 0.03) than CAPM alone. On imaging, consolidation was more commonly encountered with mixed mould infections than CAPM. Co‐existent CAPA (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 19.1 [2.62–139.1]) was independently associated with early mortality in CAPM after adjusting for hypoxemia during COVID‐19 and other factors. Conclusion: Coinfection of CAPA and CAPM was not uncommon in our CAPM patients and portends a worse prognosis. Prospective studies from different countries are required to know the impact of mixed mould infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a magnetized multiwalled carbon nanotube dispersed in chemically cross‐linked gaur gum was developed as a nano‐composite adsorbent material for the removal of dye from wastewater. The gaur gum, a bio‐macromolecule was chemically modified by cross‐linking with methylene bis‐acrylamide in the presence of sodium hydroxide as a novel approach to prepare the gel matrix. The magnetite nanoparticles loaded multiwalled carbon nanotubes were dispersed in methylene bis‐acrylamide cross‐linked gaur gum gel during gelation. The nano‐composite was characterized for morphological, spectral, and analytical data. The solid form of the nano‐composite was evaluated as an adsorbent material for the treatment of water containing methylene blue dye molecules as pollutants by the spectrophotometric method. Adsorption isotherm studies suggested that the Freundlich model was the befitting model for adsorption, indicating the multilayered adsorption and the kinetic study revealed the adsorption to occur by a pseudo‐second‐order kinetic process. The novel nano‐composite is found to be a promising material for the adsorptive removal of dye molecules from dye‐contaminated wastewater. The adsorption capacity was observed to be 11 mg/g of the material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the brain, neuromorphic computing seeks to improve data‐centric applications in terms of power consumption and device footprint. The processing efficiency can be attributed to reconfigurable connections coupled with complex dynamics and efficient data sensing and signal processing. With field‐effect tunability, the three‐terminal thin‐film transistor is initially explored as a switch. Recently, transistors with added gates and modes have been fashioned as multi‐terminal devices capable of interconnecting complex networks and transducing multiple inputs. Here, the advances in both the semiconducting channel material and the configurational design of multi‐terminal devices are reviewed. The use of strong coupling and dynamical material properties in novel ion‐based capacitors, mixed‐ionic‐electronic semiconductors, low‐dimensional confined systems, stimuli‐responsive materials and redox‐active semiconductors has enabled new neuromorphic functionalities. These include improving reconfigurability using the regulatory ability of homeostasis, dendritic integration of sensory signals and the synaptic competition of resources. The transistor devices are also highly relevant in circuits that improve the efficiency of sensory transduction and signal processing; stimuli‐responsive semiconductors that adapt to the sensory inputs can be employed in the transistors and highly efficient sensorimotor connections between sensors and actuators can be emulated. These highly efficient, low‐complexity analog devices are crucial design elements for next‐generation neuromorphic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oedema associated with psychotropics can impose a considerable burden, leading to increased morbidity and cost. Peripheral oedema is sometimes related to the use of antidepressants, which are among the most prescribed psychotropic medications. We reviewed the reported cases of antidepressant‐associated oedema to understand the risk factors, aetiology and outcome. Methods: We searched the Medline, Web of Science and Embase databases to identify reported cases of peripheral oedema associated with antidepressant use. We included studies published in English and those with full‐text availability. A systematic review of the reports was done to identify the antidepressants associated with oedema, explore possible risk factors, investigate potential mechanisms, and assess the outcome. Results: We identified a total of 45 cases (27 case reports and five case series) that reported oedema associated with antidepressant use. Almost all major classes of antidepressants were found to be associated with oedema. Among these drugs, trazodone, mirtazapine, and escitalopram were the most implicated. Older age and female gender were more commonly associated with oedema. Etiologically, antagonism of α1 adrenergic receptors and 5HT2A receptors, leading to vasodilation and oedema, emerged as the most prevalent mechanisms. In most cases, the oedema subsided following the discontinuation of the antidepressants. Conclusions: Peripheral oedema associated with antidepressant use can represent a significant adverse drug reaction involving various classes of antidepressants. To ensure timely identification and proper management of oedema, regular monitoring is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Children admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) can present with a variety of skin lesions and the need for dermatology consultation is increasing. Dermatoses in the PICU can be primary or secondary to treatment or underlying systemic illness. Our objective was to study the frequency, pattern, and systemic associations of mucocutaneous findings among children in the PICU. Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational study in the PICU of our hospital for 1 year from January 2019 to December 2019. Detailed history, examination, and treatment of consecutive children admitted with mucocutaneous findings were recorded and the results were tabulated and analyzed. Results: Among 2606 children screened, 11.5% (300/2606) had 314 mucocutaneous manifestations. The male‐to‐female ratio was 1.3:1 and their ages ranged from 1 month to 15 years (mean age, 4.4 years). Dermatoses belonged to infectious, 41% (124/314), inflammatory, 29.6% (93/314), nutritional, 12.4% (39/314), hematological/vascular malformations, 3.5% (11/314), rheumatological/vasculitic, 3.2% (10/314), neurocutaneous, 0.6% (2/314), and miscellaneous, 11.1% (35/314) groups. Within this cohort, 25.7% (77/300) had a purely dermatological disorder, 28.3% (85/300) had an associated systemic process, 0.7% (2/300) had iatrogenic skin findings, and 45.3% (136/300) had incidental skin findings. On follow‐up, 4% (12/300) died, 85% (256/300) improved/recovered, 3% (8/300) were lost to follow‐up, and 8% (24/300) did not need active intervention. Conclusion: Our study highlights the frequency of dermatologic disorders among children in the PICU. A notable proportion of patients had primary dermatological disorders or mucocutaneous findings associated with systemic illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to present updates and review current practise on the main imaging modalities used in diagnosis of bladder and prostate cancer and provide this to readers. Patients diagnosed with or having treatment for a urological cancer are a huge part of any urological nurses' rota or clinical responsibilities, particularly now in an era of ever changing and improving diagnosis and management options. In this manuscript a practical overview of imaging is given to influence a fuller understanding of therapeutic management in prostate and bladder malignancies. For the purpose of this article there is only a focus on imaging in terms of diagnosis and staging purposes. It is hoped that detailed use of imaging in radiotherapy and brachytherapy for planning and treatment verification will be the subject of a separate paper but, for now, it is briefly mentioned for readers that may be less familiar with radiation oncology. Discussion and overview of imaging modalities used in the diagnosis of prostate and bladder cancer will improve understanding for urology nurses, especially junior career nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional aromatic linker ligands are crucial for designing robust heterogeneous electrocatalytic systems with an effective surface distribution of atomic redox active sites. Herein, we report the chemical immobilization of hetero‐metal ions (Fe and Cu) containing metallopolymers on copper surface as a low overpotential and stable electrocatalyst in acidic electrolyte. The sulfur and nitrogen‐rich triazine trithiolate ligand enables the active sites atomistic distribution through coordination linkage and displays an impressive low overpotential of −94 mV vs. RHE to attain −10 mA cm−2 in 0.5 M H2SO4. It is almost 103 times higher hydrogen evolution current densities than the copper substrate. The increased iron content and activation in acidic electrolyte reduce the overpotential and increase the electrochemical active surface area and catalytic activity. The long‐term hydrogen evolution suggests excellent stability in strong acidic electrolytes, and the film remains adherent to the substrate at higher hydrogen evolution current densities of −500 mA cm−2 and −700 A gm−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report a cost effective solar harvestor based on parabolic trough collector (PTC) technology with three remarkable characteristics. First, unlike the expensive (~USD 170/m2‐aperture) state‐of‐the‐art PTCs which use large curved reflectors, this reflector is composed of a plurality of long rectangular mirrored strips of glass placed on laser‐cut parabolic ribs to yield an accurate reflecting shape giving a concentration ratio of 38 (comparable to the state‐of‐the‐art). Second, the entire assembly is on bolts. It can be delivered in boxes, and can easily be erected on desired site: in stark contrast to state‐of‐the art PTCs, which need to be fabricated in a specially equipped workshop and installed using cranes. Third, by incorporating several innovations guided by comprehensive optimization using finite element analysis and ray tracing, the cost of the system has been brought below USD 82/m2‐aperture (as per the recommendation of NAE). Taken together, this solution promises more cost‐effective base load electricity than Photovoltaics, hence goes a long way toward meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goal of Affordable Energy (SDG‐7). Further, it can be fabricated using industrial equipment that is readily available in the developing regions of the Sun‐belt and installed using unskilled labor. Hence, it can form the core of a massive, decentralized, micro‐CSP industry that can provide dignified employment to large numbers of people in developing regions (SDG‐8). We have termed this technology Harvest of the Sun. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a recognized risk factor for dementia. Here we determined the extent to which an incident CVD event modifies the trajectory of cognitive function and risk of dementia. METHODS: 19,114 adults (65+) without CVD or dementia were followed prospectively over 9 years. Incident CVD (fatal coronary heart disease, nonfatal myocardial infarction [MI], stroke, hospitalization for heart failure) and dementia (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria) were adjudicated by experts. RESULTS: Nine hundred twenty‐two participants had incident CVD, and 44 developed dementia after CVD (4.9% vs. 4.4% for participants without CVD). Following a CVD event there was a short‐term drop in processing speed (−1.97, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −2.57 to −1.41), but there was no significant association with longer‐term processing speed. In contrast, faster declines in trajectories of global function (−0.56, 95% CI: −0.76 to −0.36), episodic memory (−0.10, 95% CI: −0.16 to −0.04), and verbal fluency (−0.19, 95% CI: −0.30 to −0.01) were observed. DISCUSSION: Findings highlight the importance of monitoring cognition after a CVD event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Method Results Discussion Conclusion The digital sound recording of several heart sounds (HSs) is named phonocardiogram (PCG) signal. Analysing these PCG signals is essential for diagnosing diverse sorts of heart disorders. Nevertheless, owing to troubling surrounding noise signals, PCG signal recording is challenging. So, before utilising PCG for advanced processing, de‐noising the PCG signal is executed. A new sliding window adaptive noise cancellers (SWANC)‐centred filter technique is proposed in this paper for de‐noising along with recovering the PCG signal effectively.Utilising the least mean square (LMS), an SW optimum adaptive filter (AF) structure is introduced in this work for estimating a De‐noised signal (DS) with better accuracy. Here, via the SWAF stage, a noisy signal is processed. An SW of fixed duration slides over the signal; also, the signal is filtered utilising the AF in each window. Utilising this SWAF architecture, this method approximates the PCG signal's clean version with better accuracy.The proposed robust SWAF is analogized to experimental PCG signals that were corrupted by Gaussian noise (GN) together with pink noise (PN) with distinct noise levels (NLs). From the physionet database, the experiential data are acquired. The outcomes exhibited that a remarkable performance was attained by the robust SWAF model.A 2–10 times decrease in MSE values was attained by the proposed filter structure when analogized with conventional LMS filter configuration. Further, the SNR is improved by 3 times and comparatively, the PSNR enhancement was 4%–25%. The association betwixt the clean signal along with its estimate is greater than 0.92.A cost‐efficient hardware installation of ANC with higher accuracy was offered by the SW LMS AF model. For obtaining desired convergence speed and accuracy, such models are tested for real‐time performances in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online assessments are needed during the prevailing pandemic situation to continue educational activities while ensuring safety. After conducting the online practical assessment (OPrA) in Biochemistry, we analyzed the students' responses. The blueprint of the OPrA was prepared by the faculty, referring to the various levels and domains of Bloom's taxonomy. Four components were chosen for the online assessment: digital spotters, enumerating the steps of objective structured practical examination, interpretation of quantitative estimation, and case discussion. Each faculty assessed about 12–13 students in separate breakout rooms over 15–20 min on all four components. Feedback on the conduct of the examination was collected from the students and faculty anonymously and analyzed. Out of the 200 students who attended the online assessment, only one scored less than 50%, majority of them scored between 71% and 90%. Under the individual exercises, the average score of students in "Spotters" was 9.8 out of 10; in "OSPE," 8.7 out of 10; in "Quantitative experiments," 15.2 out of 20 and in "Case discussion," 22.4 out of 30. Around 20% had previous experience attending the OPrA. They differed in their opinion from the rest of the students on five aspects; time allotted for the assessment (p value = 0.02, χ2 = 5.07), students using unfair means during the online viva (p value = 0.02, χ2 = 5.57), their computing skills (p value = 0.001, χ2 = 19.82), their performance (p value = 0.001, χ2 = 8.84), and overall conduct of the examination (p value = 0.001, χ2 = 15.55). OPrA tools may be designed referring to Bloom's taxonomy, and prior exposure to the online tools may benefit the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to investigate the role of cultural values in shaping Sustainable consumption behavior in a non‐Western setting. The primary data on cultural orientation and consumption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products is collected from about 347 Indian consumers. Four consumption culture dimensions—Environmental Fatalism, Comfort‐centric Outlook, Spiritual Outlook, and Techno‐criticism—were derived from primary data using factor analysis. Consumption culture dimensions are shown to have a direct influence on sustainable consumption behavior and indirect influence through personal environmental stewardship. Environmental Fatalism and Comfort‐centric Outlook showed negative relationship, while Spiritual Outlook had a positive relationship with Sustainable Consumption Behavior—Techno‐criticism was found to be insignificant. Further analysis revealed that Personal Environmental Stewardship partially mediates the relationship between consumption culture dimensions and sustainable consumption behavior. The study findings extend the existing theoretical knowledge by offering a model that can be leveraged to validate the influence of cultural variables, including general attitudes toward waste and technology, on sustainable consumption behavior of high environmental impacts and spanning multiple consumption phases. Results from our study provide practical insights for educators, marketers, campaign managers and religious leaders to develop pedagogical practice and design culturally‐relevant messaging to activate norms relevant for pro‐environmental behaviors. The current study is among the first to focus on (i) an impact‐based operationalization of sustainable consumption behavior and (ii) the consumption area of electronics. Further, the current study also contributes to a rather nascent stream of research embedded in non‐Western contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injecting manure and commercial fertilizer beneath the soil surface is an important nutrient management practice that conserves ammonia‐nitrogen (N) but creates distinct bands of N below the soil surface. To date, no widely accepted soil nitrate sampling protocol has been developed to account for the extreme heterogeneity created by injection. To develop sampling recommendations for Pre‐Sidedress Nitrate Test (PSNT), we quantified patterns of NO3−‐N concentrations in soil of corn (Zea mays L.) plots injected with liquid dairy cattle (Bos taurus L.) manure at 76 cm spacing over 2 years. Soil monoliths were collected to allow precise sampling of 30 cm deep by 2.5 cm soil cores from which a mid‐season PSNT was determined. Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to simulate the effects of alternative soil sampling protocols on bias and error. Results from the simulation support the following equispaced sampling protocol: five, 30‐cm deep soil cores are spaced 15 cm apart and oriented in a line perpendicular to the injected manure bands, collected at four locations in the field, to produce a single composite of 20 samples for NO3− analysis. It is not necessary to know manure band location. As spatially discrete manure application patterns become more prevalent with the expansion of manure injection, we believe this PSNT sampling protocol balances risk of error with practical concerns needed to promote adoption. Core Ideas: Monolith soil sampling provided unique ability to explore nitrate distribution after manure injection. Analysis of nitrate from monolith soil cores provided recommendation for soil collection protocol. Recommended soil nitrate testing procedure can be consistent with current PSNT protocols. Novel spatial analysis model can be used for future soil nutrient distribution work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of the study was to quantify the 3‐D location of impacted canines by measuring their linear and angular deviations in relation to adjacent structures and further evaluate impaction severity. Methods: CBCT images of 314 impacted canines were analysed in the sagittal, coronal and axial planes. Linear and angular measurements were recorded. Canine inclination was identified in coronal and sagittal planes. An evaluation system was constructed for analysis. Upright canine was considered as the appropriate position for fully erupted maxillary canine. Outcomes were compared between right and left sides and by gender. For categorical variables, chi‐square tests were used while Mann‐Whitney U test was used for continuous variables. Regression models were used to measure severity. Results: Impactions were greater in females (119/207; 57.5%). No significant differences between unilateral (100/207; 49.3%) and bilateral (107/207; 51.7%) (P > 0.05). Out of 314 impactions, 105 (33.4%) were mild, 118 (37.58%) moderate and 91 (28.98%) severe. Severe impactions were primarily buccal (44/ 91; 48.3%), in the occlusal ½ of the adjacent incisor root (38/ 91, 41.7%), mesial to the distal border of central incisor (47/91, 51.6%), with sagittal angle value + >45 ̊ (46/ 91, 50.5%) and mesial tip + >30 ̊ (86/ 91, 94.5%). Conclusions: Severely impacted canines had their crowns buccal, closer to occlusal plane and mesial to the distal border of the central incisor with greater than 45‐degree buccal inclination and greater than 30‐degree mesial tip. The sagittal angle can have a significant impact on the severity of impaction. A new classification system was proposed to quantify severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intra‐articular injections of hyaluronic acid have been a mainstay of osteoarthritis treatment for decades. However, controversy surrounds the mechanism of action and efficacy of this therapy. As such, there has been recent interest in developing synthetic lubricants that lubricate cartilage. Recently, a synthetic 4 wt% polyacrylamide (pAAm) hydrogel was shown to effectively decrease lameness in horses. However, its mechanism of action and ability to lubricate cartilage is unknown. The goal of this study was to characterize the lubricating ability of this hydrogel and determine its efficacy for healthy and degraded cartilage. The study utilized previously established IL‐1β‐induced biochemical degradation and mechanical impact injury models to degrade cartilage. The lubricating ability of the hydrogel was then characterized using a custom‐built tribometer using a glass counterface and friction was evaluated using the Stribeck framework for articular cartilage. pAAm hydrogel was shown to significantly lower the friction coefficient of cartilage explants from both degradation models (30%–40% reduction in friction relative to controls). A striking finding from this study was the aggregation of the pAAm hydrogel at the articulating surface. The surface aggregation was observed in the histological sections of explants from all treatment groups after tribological evaluation. Using the Stribeck framework, the hydrogel was mapped to higher Sommerfeld numbers and was characterized as a viscous lubricant predominantly in the minimum friction mode. In summary, this study revealed that pAAm hydrogel lubricates native and degraded cartilage explants effectively and may have an affinity for the articulating surface of the cartilage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homologous proteins can display high structural variation due to evolutionary divergence at low sequence identity. This classical inverse relationship between sequence identity and structural similarity, established many years ago, has remained true between homologous proteins of known structure over time. However, a large number of heteromeric proteins also exist in the structural data bank, where the interacting subunits belong to the same fold and maintain low sequence identity between themselves. It is not clear if there is any selection pressure to deviate from the inverse sequence–structure relationship for such interacting distant homologs, in comparison to pairs of homologs which are not known to interact. We examined 12,824 fold pairs of interacting homologs of known structure, which includes both heteromers and multi‐domain proteins. These were compared with monomeric proteins, resulting in 26,082 fold pairs as a dataset of non‐interacting homologous systems. Interacting homologs were found to retain higher structural similarity than non‐interacting homologs at diminishing sequence identity in a statistically significant manner. Interacting homologs are more similar in their 3D structures than non‐interacting homologs and have a preference towards symmetric association. There appears to be a structural constraint between remote homologs due to this commitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent requirement of replacing the environmentally hazardous petroleum‐based plastics with sustainable and efficient starch‐based bioplastics. Development and detailed characterization of the biodegradable bioplastics from plant‐based polysaccharides such as starch is essential to reduce plastic pollution in the environment. In this research, bioplastics were developed from an equivalent blend of starch from two different sources namely rice and potato (1:1, w/w), crosslinked with different concentrations of citric acid (CA). The effect of CA cross‐linking of starch‐based bioplastics was investigated on its physicochemical and functional properties. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) spectra revealed that the synthesized bioplastics were amorphous in nature with broad diffraction peaks. Further, the peak at 1716 cm−1 in Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra indicated the formation of ester bonds in CA cross‐linked bioplastics. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed the surface roughness of the bioplastics decreased with increasing concentration of CA. Mechanical and thermal properties of bioplastics were characterized using universal testing machine, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by several other surgical disciplines, the quest for treating diseases through minimally invasive procedures has permeated endodontics, but not without controversy. Indeed, pulp amputation/excision and root‐end resection are akin to surgical procedures elsewhere in the body and therefore, an increasing number of studies have addressed the "potential" to adopt such minimally invasive procedures in root canal treatment, with the larger goal of conserving tooth tissue for long‐term survival of treated teeth. Yet, it is undeniable that this "trend" has been met with immense resistance with unclear evidence to strongly support or refute this philosophy. One may view root canal treatment as having two important procedural parts: (i) gaining access to the root canal and (ii) achieving clean root canals to remove the necrotic/infected or irreversibly inflamed tissues and then fill the space that was occupied by the pulp tissue and subsequently enlarged during cleaning and shaping, which should result in two key long‐term outcomes: (i) healing of periradicular periodontitis and (ii) survival/retention of the tooth. Whilst a lot of interest has been directed towards gaining access through minimally invasive cavity designs, it is surprising that little effort has been expended on studying minimally invasive root canal preparation or surgical intervention. The aim of this review is not to promote or denigrate these philosophies, but to provide a balanced overview of the concepts, currently available evidence and future perspectives on minimally invasive endodontics from the context of root canal preparation and surgical endodontics. Specific attention is given to the role of modern irrigation strategies in potentially improving canal cleanliness even when canals are minimally prepared and the areas of research that are currently lacking in this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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With 8% of the world's grapes being dried into raisins, grape drying constitutes a sizable part of agricultural revenue. The drying process in the developing regions of the world struggles with a lack of reliable drying techniques and rising energy costs. In this work, we report a systematic study to elucidate the intrinsic drying kinetics of Thomson seedless grapes. The grapes are subjected to drying by warm air (40−55°C) rather than hot air (>60°C), which has the advantage of producing the sought‐after green raisins. The air velocity is varied between 0.05 and 0.15 m/s to isolate the effect of external mass transfer resistance. A 1D mathematical model was developed that incorporates the effects of internal diffusion and external mass transfer resistance as well as the effects of temperature and relative humidity on the kinetics and driving forces. In addition, the model incorporates a novel thermodynamic model to describe the vapour pressure of water at the surface of the grape. The uniqueness of the model is that it combines thermodynamics and mass transfer in a single framework. Therefore, the parameters that describe the evaporation are the same parameters that describe the internal diffusion within the matrix, making the model robust. This robust, experiment‐trained model can be reliably transferred to develop detailed computational protocols to model cost‐effective grape drying processes in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar thermal technology promises to be a significant component of the future renewable energy mix. As the most mature solar thermal technology, parabolic trough concentrators (PTC) are the focus of considerable research. Conventional PTC use evacuated receivers, which contribute 30% of the solar field cost, not including significant failure (55% due to broken glass envelopes and 29% due to loss of vacuum arising due to failure of glass to metal seal). We report a non‐evacuated receiver with a modular design for easier assembly and superior thermal performance for a PTC made of reflective strips of mirrored glass with a rim angle of 60°. The receiver performance is estimated using our own ray‐tracing software and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using a model that we have validated with our own experimental rig. Critical parameters like the width of the mirror strip, the emissivity of solar selective coating, insulation material, and reflectivity of optical cavity walls have been analyzed in this study. A scaled‐up model of the proposed novel receiver with a heat transfer fluid conduit diameter of 70 mm has been simulated to compare the performance with the commercial SCHOTT PTR® 70. The cost of this receiver is estimated to be $30/m as compared to up to $250/m for SCHOTT PTR® 70 with comparable performance. The modular nature of the receiver and reflector gives operational and maintenance flexibility and facile part replacement in case of damage, resulting in low‐cost operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research paper presents the heterogeneous computing model for analysis & restoration of human walking deformity and posture instability. Gait‐related walking activities are very important for the analysis of postural instability, repairment of gait abnormality, diagnosis of cognitive declination, enhance the cognitive ability of human‐centered humanoid robot system, and many clinical diagnoses, for example, Parkinson, pathological gait, freezing of gait, etc. at an early stage. For experiment analysis, 10 different lower limb activities are being considered of healthy and crouch walking subjects. A total of 25 healthy and 10 crouch walk subjects are considered for experiment purposes of different age groups, sex, and mental status. To achieve this objective the pattern of 10 different rehabilitation activities are captured using RGB‐Depth (RGB‐D) camera and classified using heterogeneous deep learning models. Different deep learning models Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and CNN‐LSTM (CNN‐Long Short Term Memory) are used for the classification of these rehabilitation exercises. The RGB‐D data is obtained using a Microsoft Kinect v2 sensor on a 100 Hz sampling frequency. Experimental results have shown significant activity recognition accuracy with 96% and 98% for CNN and CNN‐LSTM models respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical peeling or chemo-exfoliation is the application of a chemical agent to the skin, which causes controlled destruction followed by regeneration.[1] Chemical peeling continues to be the gold standard in cosmetic practice.[2] Commercially available ready-made peels (such as Neostrata, Cosderma, and Sesderma, etc.) may not be affordable to low-income patients. Authors declare human ethics approval was not needed for this study. [Extracted from the article]

Municipal solid waste (MSW) consists of the waste obtained from various sources like households, industries, municipalities and other commercial areas. Common landfill and incineration strategies are insufficient to process the waste generated on daily basis. Municipal solid waste contains significant amounts of organic carbon (50–60%) that has great potential for the production of fuels and value‐added products. This review discusses the composition of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and waste processing strategies that enable organic carbon recovery compared with conventional methods. Changes in the composition of MSW worldwide and the factors influencing it in various regions are discussed in this study. The processing of diverse OFMSW through thermochemical methods such as incineration, gasification, pyrolysis, torrefaction and hydrothermal carbonization is discussed here with the results of densification or gasification of the organic carbon, enabling its chemical transformation. Additionally, the combined methods, where OFMSW is pre‐treated followed by enzymatic hydrolysis for the conversion of OFMSW to monomeric sugars have also been described. Globally, to ensure sustainable solid waste management and efficient carbon recycling, combined methodologies seem more appropriate. The study also attempts to list the different attempts across the globe that highlight this concept of the transformation of waste into materials and chemicals, improving its commercial value. The commercial success of such OFMSW processing attempts can provide momentum for establishing sustainable treatment technologies and reaping profits, laying the groundwork for a strong and complete carbon‐recycling environment and circular carbon‐based economy. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, three types of alumina‐supported bimetallic Ni−Cu catalysts [Ni−Cu/commercial non‐ordered mesoporous alumina (CMA), Ni−Cu/ordered MA (OMA), and Ni−Cu−OMA] were prepared via different fabrication strategies and investigated in the conversion of levulinic acid (LA) into γ‐valerolactone and 2‐methyltetrahydrofuran (2‐MTHF). This study employed characterization techniques and reactions to reveal the effects of the fabrication strategy on the activities of the catalysts. It was observed that the catalysts constructed on OM supports (Ni−Cu/OMA and Ni−Cu−OMA) displayed superior catalytic performance compared to those constructed on CM supports (Ni−Cu/CMA). Specifically, Ni−Cu−OMA, which was fabricated via the one‐pot evaporation‐induced self‐assembly strategy, exhibited the best catalytic performance, achieving a complete conversion of LA and a high selectivity of 73.0 % toward 2‐MTHF in a solvent‐free reaction environment. The promising activity of Ni−Cu−OMA was ascribed to the well‐dispersed active sites within the framework of the support, the enhanced metal‐support interaction, and the highly efficient exploitation of the synergistic effect between Ni and Cu. Detailed post‐characterization techniques were also employed to highlight the outstanding stability of Ni−Cu−OMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a response to a comment regarding the use of phenol in chemical peels. The authors argue that while phenol can be toxic, it is a valuable and affordable therapeutic resource when used properly. They emphasize that the use of phenol should be limited and follow standard accepted practices. The authors also address concerns about the safety of phenol and clarify that their article is intended for qualified pharmacists and dermatologists, not for self-use or home use. They suggest that the commenter should read the article again with an open mind. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic led to a sudden drop in renal transplant numbers across India in the initial months of 2020. Although the transplant numbers increased with easing of lockdown, the outcome of these transplants remains unknown. Methods: This was a retrospective, observational, multi‐center study done across eight different transplant centers in India. All the transplants done from January 30, 2020 to December 31, 2020 were included. The primary outcomes studied were patient and death censored graft survival as well as incidence of COVID‐19 infection and its outcomes. Results: During the study period a total of 297 kidney transplants were done. After a median follow up of 265 days the patient and death censored graft survival was 95.3% and 97.6%, respectively. Forty‐one patients (13.8%) developed COVID‐19 post‐transplant. Majority (58.5%) were asymptomatic to mildly symptomatic and the case fatality ratio was 14.6%. On multivariable logistic regression analysis older age was associated with higher likelihood of COVID‐19 infection (odds ratio 1.038; CI 1.002–1.077). Conclusions: Patient and graft outcome of kidney transplants done during the COVID‐19 pandemic in India was acceptable. The incidence of COVID‐19 was 13.8% with a high case fatality ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Successful pollination in Brassica brings together the mature pollen grain and stigma papilla, initiating an intricate series of molecular processes meant to eventually enable sperm cell delivery for fertilization and reproduction. At maturity, the pollen and stigma cells have acquired proteomes, comprising the primary molecular effectors required upon their meeting. Knowledge of the roles and global composition of these proteomes in Brassica species is largely lacking. To address this gap, gel‐free shotgun proteomics was performed on the mature pollen and stigma of Brassica carinata, a representative of the Brassica family and its many crop species (e.g. Brassica napus, Brassica oleracea and Brassica rapa) that holds considerable potential as a bio‐industrial crop. A total of 5608 and 7703 B. carinata mature pollen and stigma proteins were identified, respectively. The pollen and stigma proteomes were found to reflect not only their many common functional and developmental objectives, but also the important differences underlying their cellular specialization. Isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) was exploited in the first analysis of a developing Brassicaceae stigma, and revealed 251 B. carinata proteins that were differentially abundant during stigma maturation, providing insight into proteins involved in the initial phases of pollination. Corresponding pollen and stigma transcriptomes were also generated, highlighting functional divergences between the proteome and transcriptome during different stages of pollen–stigma interaction. This study illustrates the investigative potential of combining the most comprehensive Brassicaceae pollen and stigma proteomes to date with iTRAQ and transcriptome data to provide a unique global perspective of pollen and stigma development and interaction. Significance Statement: In a Brassicaceae compatible pollen–stigma interaction, a vast number of proteins are enlisted in the processes of pollen adhesion, recognition, hydration, germination and tube growth. Despite the manifest importance of this process, little is known of the proteins mustered for this encounter and therefore, to address this gap, the most comprehensive pollen and stigma proteome data sets to date were generated, which, when combined with the corresponding transcriptome data and developmental iTRAQ investigations, represent an invaluable resource for further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this mathematical presentation, we examined the significance of Hall current on MHD buoyancy‐driven boundary layer flow of a Ti6Al4V‐H2O based nanofluid past a vertical surface implanted in a uniform permeable region. The vertical surface is considered to be magnetized and induced magnetic field (IMF) impacts are also considered. The nondimensional flow model is solved with the assistance of the two‐term perturbation scheme. Various results are obtained by numerical computation for different significant parameters. These results are presented and analyzed in graphical and tabular form. In the boundary layer domain, the transpiration velocity across the surface tends to diminish the main flow, IMF along the main flow, fluid temperature, and concentration. It is remarkably noted that IMF along the main flow grows for incrementing values of volume fraction coefficient of nanofluid. In the magnetic boundary layer domain, the main flow and IMF along the main flow grow with Hall current. Furthermore, it is seen that for the progressing values of magnetic Prandtl number, the main flow reduces while normal flow and IMF along the main flow is induced in the boundary layer domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background Methods Results Conclusion Cuff extrusion of tunneled dialysis catheter (TDC) leads to catheter dysfunction, leading to loss of vascular access and the need for new catheter. Definitive management is to remove TDC and reinsert new catheter by new venous puncture and tunnel, which may not be possible in all cases. The study evaluated the surgical experience and early outcomes of a novel “Catheter Exchange with Elongation of Tunnel (CEET)” procedure for cuff extrusion.The retrospective study included all cases of hemodialysis with TDC with partial or complete cuff extrusion and excluded complete catheter dislodgement, tunnel infection, or any catheter related infection. All patients also underwent the CEET procedure under fluoroscopy guidance, and the clinical details and outcomes were analyzed.Eleven cases of TDC cuff extrusion underwent the CEET procedure of which three (27.2%) had previous and four (36.4%) had partial cuff extrusion, and seven cases (63.6%) had short tunnel length, which likely predisposed to cuff extrusion. CEET procedure was successful in 10 cases (success rate 90.1%) with desired position of catheter tip and good blood flow. Study population was divided into early and late cuff extrusion (≥1 month). Short tunnel length was associated with late extrusion (p = 0.05), whereas premature removal of TDC anchor sutures was associated with early cuff extrusion (p = 0.04).CEET procedure is a successful alternative technique for correction of cuff extrusion of TDC with good success rate. Premature removal of anchor sutures was associated with early cuff extrusion, whereas short tunnel length was associated with late cuff extrusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When clinical presentation is atypical, especially in a non-Asian population, the finding of recurrent and refractory hypokalemia can serve as a key diagnostic clue for timely diagnoses and management of thyrotoxic periodic paralysis. In suspected cases, complete thyroid laboratory panel should be measured so that T3 toxicosis is not missed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Dental implant (DI) therapy is in high demand and can only be rendered efficiently to graduating dentists by effective teaching methodologies. This study aimed to assess the perceptions and attitudes of dental graduates towards predoctoral DI education techniques and rehabilitation by DI.Methods: A total of 26 well-structured questionnaires were distributed to 120 final-year students. Modified advanced teaching methodologies such as e-learning, small-group teaching-problem-based learning (SGT-PBL), and team-based learning were implemented for teaching DI. Its effects were assessed using a questionnaire set: the first section (DI Rehabilitation) with 12 questions and the second (DI teaching methods) with 14 questions. Statistical analysis was done using the Chi-square test, and a P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The response rate was 95.83%. Seventy-five percent of the students recommended DI for patients, and 78% of them agreed to it themselves. On comparing teaching methods for DI, on and before level 12, small-group teaching (PBL) was significantly at a higher proportion (P = 0.002), followed by seminars (P < 0.001). Students preferred small-group teaching PBL (60%), followed by e-learning (15%) and demonstration (10%). Ninety-two percent of the students agreed that DI is an important subject in the "bachelor of dental surgery" (BDS) program, but 78% of them felt that time was insufficient to complete the DI syllabus.Conclusions: The modified teaching methodologies used at level 12 for teaching DI enhanced students' interest and knowledge. The SGT-PBL teaching method was the most preferred. It is recommended that dental implantology topics should be started early in the undergraduate curriculum, and the topics should be widely divided throughout BDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a mathematical analysis is presented for the hydromagnetic convective flow of an incompressible, chemically reacting, and electrically and thermally conducting viscoelastic fluid through a vertical channel bounded by the porous regime under the action of an applied magnetic field with Hall current and induced magnetic field effects. The left wall of the channel is considered to be nonmagnetic, whereas the right wall of the channel is periodically magnetized. The flow within the channel is induced due to the nonuniform wall temperature and concentration, periodic pressure gradient, and periodic movement of the right wall. The method of separation of variable is used to convert the flow governing coupled partial differential equations into the ordinary differential equations that are solved analytically, and the solution for fluid velocity, induced magnetic field, temperature, and concentration is presented in a closed form. Numerical computation has been performed to demonstrate the impact of various system parameters on the fluid flow behavior. It is observed that oscillations increase the primary flow and primary induced magnetic field. Buoyancy forces have a tendency to lessen the secondary induced magnetic field. Furthermore, it is examined that magnetic diffusivity increases the primary flow, whereas it decreases the secondary flow and primary induced magnetic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although color plays a crucial role in the demarcation of surfaces in the visual field, its role in depth perception is not well understood. Certain special effects of color on depth perception that arise from optical factors such as chromatic aberration (chromostereopsis) have been studied, but less is known about the role of perceptual factors of color in determining depth relations. The present study explores the role that the different attributes of color such as hue, chroma, and lightness play in the stratification of surfaces in depth. In two experiments, subjects manipulated specific dimensions of colors (hue, chroma, lightness, and whiteness) while making judgments of coplanarity of either two or more abutting surfaces. The results demonstrate that for surfaces to appear coplanar, their lightness has to be proportional to the natural (intrinsic) lightness of the hues. No meaningful effects of chroma, whiteness, or blackness were found in depth stratification. The results suggest a primary role of the natural lightness of hues in depth perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 3‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)azetidine analogues were synthesized and screened for their in vitro anticancer activity against nine different human cancer cell lines using the cell counting kit‐8 (CCK‐8) assay. The synthesized molecules were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, LCMS and IR analysis. The toxicity, bioavailability and lipophilicity of all the synthesized compounds were predicted by using osiris and molinspiration model. Molecular docking study revealed that, compound 6‐(3‐(3‐(2‐aminopyridin‐4‐yl)‐4‐methoxyphenyl)azetidin‐1‐yl)picolinonitrile (4 A‐17) and 6‐(3‐(4‐methoxy‐3‐(2‐methoxypyridin‐4‐yl)phenyl)azetidin‐1‐yl)picolinonitrile (4 A‐19) were found to be potential inhibitor of human topoisomerase IIα. The cell viability studies exhibited promising antiproliferative activities of the novel synthesized compounds. 4 A‐17 (EC50 0.03 μM) was found to be more potent than standard Doxorubicin (EC50 0.07 μM) in U251 cancer cell lines. Similarly, 4 A‐19 showed considerable potency against four different cancer cell lines (HepG2, U251, A431, 786‐O) with EC50 values ranging from 0.46 to 2.13 μM. These primary findings supported that molecule 4 A‐17 and 4 A‐19 should be subjected to further studies and lead optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an energy and highly time efficient, cost effective, and scalable forward osmosis (FO) composite polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane is developed to concentrate lithium chloride recovered from naturally occurring geothermal brine resources. Dense thin robust defect-free Kynar-PVDF membranes are fabricated on porous PVDF hollow fiber supports. Various membrane fabrication parameters such as membrane thickness, coating solution concentration, cross-linker concentration, and curing temperature are studied to develop a defect-free dense membrane. Advanced characterization tools such as FIB-SEM, Raman, FTIR spectroscopy, and XRD are used to study the surface and cross-sectional morphology, chemistry of crosslinking, crystallinity and chemical structure of the dense PVDF membrane. FO is utilized to concentrate LiCl in the solution from 36 to 175 g L-1 with an average water transfer rate of 0.450 L m-2 h-1 (LMH) at 85 °C. Furthermore, the membrane showed stable performance for more than 550 h while maintaining the purity of the concentrated lithium chloride solution of >99.99 wt%. The results suggest that the FO-based technology is an innovative, time and energy efficient approach compared to the conventional technologies for concentration of battery grade LiCl for application in lithium ion batteries and other clean energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]