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Molecular dynamic (MD) simulation is performed using a secondneighbor Finnis-Sinclair (FS) potential to study structural and atomic mass transport properties of molybdenum in the liquid phase for a temperature (T) range of 3100 to 3800 K. The Computed results for the pair correlation function, structure factor, and coordination number are discussed with similar findings. Transport coefficients like viscosity and self-diffusion coefficient follow Arrhenius law, which estimates activation energy between 1.34 to 1.62 eV. The discrepancy in computed densities and other properties beyond 3800 K is discussed, given the nature of interaction potentials and binding in liquid molybdenum. It is shown that EAM, MEAM, and FS potentials show analogous repulsive character and therefore give comparable results for structural properties. However, the attractive part of the interaction potential, which determines the binding in molybdenum is responsible for the difference in various high-T physical properties reported in the study. The sensitivity of physical properties on the attractive part of the interaction potential thus demands to incorporate the effect of temperature dependency of electron density-of-state (e- dos) and angular forces into the interaction for a proper account of the binding in liquid molybdenum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of phonons is important in accounting various properties of materials. Crystal potential being an anharmonic function of volume, variations are seen in phonon derived properties with a change in volume. In the present work, we employ an approximate technique of expanding phonon frequencies using Taylor series expansion upto second-order in volume to calculate the volume dependent phonon frequencies of CaO in B1 and B2 phases. Equilibrium properties are obtained by fitting Murnaghan EoS to first principles DFT based results, however. The mode Grüneisen parameter and concavity parameter are computed with the help of present ab initio phonon frequencies for both the phases. Their volume dependence are estimated analytically using the proposed scheme. We find that phonon frequencies increase by decreasing volume. Analytically calculated volume dependent phonon frequencies are compared in reasonable agreement with the frequencies obtained directly using DFT for B1-phase. Thus, the present r-space computational scheme of deriving volume dependent phonon frequency proves to be an alternative to overcome lengthy phonon calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate assessment of electrical transport for heavy polyvalent metals pause challenge due to complex electronic band structure, where s-wave scattering theory due to Ziman is failed. Improving schemes like t-matrix resistivity and self-consistent approach are proposed. In the present study, we employ selfconsistent approach to compute electrical resistivity (ρ) in liquid Bi and Sb at different temperatures (T). Structural input is estimated through charged hard-sphere reference system. Electron-ion interaction is modelled by modified empty-core pseudopotential including electron exchange and correlation effects. Since only two parameters are independent, as the core radius RC (= 0.51 RaZ-1/3) is a theoretical input, we have tuned, once and for all, the single parameter to find ρ at melting temperature. The same set of parameters is used to deduce high-T resistivity, thermal conductivity and thermo-electric power. Overall good agreement is observed for transport properties for both metals. The present fitting scheme and so deduced results are discussed in comparison with other findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation focussed on the development of a novel strategy to enhance the bioavailability of risedronate sodium, which has poor and erratic absorption. Nanosponges were statistically developed by full 3² factorial design using Design of Experiment software considering concentration of polymer and stabilizer as independent variables and particle size and entrapment efficiency as experimental responses by utilizing the modified quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion technique. Optimized formulation showed 67.27± 1.05 % entrapment efficiency, 155.8±2.17 nm particle size and -35.4 mV of zeta potential. The data from in vitro release study showed burst release for initial 2 h followed by slow and sustained release up to 24 h, which followed a diffusion-controlled release mechanism by the Higuchi model. Scanning electron microscopy study showed uniformly discrete spherical particles with porous surface without any agglomeration. Stability study demonstrated no significant changes in particle size, entrapment efficiency and in vitro release, which indicated that the nanosponge formulation was stable. In conclusion, it appeared that the nanosponges were a suitable nanocarrier system that could play a significant role in improving osteoporotic condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA repair involves various intricate pathways that work together to maintain genome integrity. XPF (ERCC4) is a structural endonuclease that forms a heterodimer with ERCC1 that is critical in both single-strand break repair (SSBR) and double-strand break repair (DSBR). Although the mechanistic function of ERCC1/XPF has been established in nucleotide excision repair (NER), its role in long-patch base excision repair (BER) has recently been discovered through the 5'-Gap pathway. This study briefly explores the roles of XPF in different pathways to emphasize the importance of XPF in DNA repair. XPF deficiency manifests in various diseases, including cancer, neurodegeneration, and aging-related disorders; it is also associated with conditions such as Xeroderma pigmentosum and fertility issues. By examining the molecular mechanisms and pathological consequences linked to XPF dysfunction, this study aims to elucidate the crucial role of XPF in genomic stability as a repair protein in BER and provide perspectives regarding its potential as a therapeutic target in related diseases.

Background: Dry needling (DN) is commonly used to treat various neuromuscular syndromes. It is effective in reducing spasticity in stroke and other neurological conditions. The current study explores the immediate effect of ultrasound-guided dry needling on soleus muscle spasticity and thickness in individuals with stroke., Methods: Approval was obtained from the Institutional Sub-ethics Committee of Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Physiotherapy, Pune. The trial was registered with the Clinical Trials Registry of India. Thirty stroke survivors having soleus muscle spasticity ranging from grade 1 to 4 on the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale (MMAS) were selected. Spasticity was also assessed using the Modified Tardeau Scale (MTS) and H-reflex. Soleus muscle architecture was assessed by using ultrasonography (USG). Participants received a single session of DN for the spastic soleus muscle. Pre and immediate post-DN outcome measures were assessed., Results: Based on USG findings, the thickness of the soleus muscle significantly increased by 2.67 mm (p<0.001) after dry needling treatment. The MMAS showed decreased spasticity by 1.47 (p<0.001) for ankle plantar flexors. A significant reduction of H-reflex values by 1.4 mV (p<0.001) was noted. The MTS also showed a significant increase in the range of ankle motion by 2.7 (p<0.001). All these indicate an immediate reduction of spasticity following DN., Conclusion: Based on the findings of the current study, we can conclude that a single session of USG-guided DN has an immediate beneficial effect on reducing soleus muscle spasticity and increased muscle thickness in individuals with stroke., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Institutional Ethics Committee of Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Physiotherapy, Pune issued approval DYPCPT/IEC/11/2021. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Kamble et al.)

Text neck syndrome refers to the excessive use of electronic devices such as laptops, mobile phones, and so on, which causes prolonged and continued forward bending of the neck, leading to a strain in the muscle, causing muscle imbalance, and leading to poor posture. In this article, we focus on a case of a 22-year-old female who has a daily average screen time of around four to five hours, which leads to stress on cervical muscles that further develop into tightness and cause poor posture. She is managed with physiotherapy treatment that focuses on reducing pain and increasing the strength of the individual. The physiotherapy treatment focuses on the prevention of further damage to the cervical muscles and educating the individual to perform minimum forward bending by providing ergonomic advice, reducing pain, and improving range of motion., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Gohil et al.)

Acute graft versus host disease (aGvHD) is the major contributor of nonrelapse mortality in alloHSCT. It is associated with an inflammatory immune response manifesting as cytokine storm with ensuing damage to target organs such as liver, gut, and skin. Prevention of aGvHD while retaining the beneficial graft versus leukemia (GvL) effect remains a major challenge. Withania somnifera extract (WSE) is known for its anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory, and anticancer properties, which are appealing in the context of aGvHD. Herein, we demonstrated that prophylactic and therapeutic use of WSE in experimental model of alloHSCT mitigates aGvHD-associated morbidity and mortality. In the prophylaxis study, a dose of 75 mg/kg of WSE offered greatest protection against death due to aGvHD (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.15 [0.03-0.68], P ≤ .01), whereas 250 mg/kg was most effective for the treatment of aGvHD (HR = 0.16 [0.05-0.5], P ≤ .01). WSE treatment protected liver, gut, and skin from damage by inhibiting cytokine storm and lymphocytic infiltration to aGvHD target organs. In addition, WSE did not compromise the GvL effect, as alloHSCT with or without WSE did not allow the leukemic A20 cells to grow. In fact, WSE showed marginal antileukemic effect in vivo . WSE is currently under clinical investigation for the prevention and treatment of aGvHD., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: LH is the managing director of Pharmanza Herbal Pvt. Ltd. which is licensed to manufacture WSE for human use as a nutraceutical. He had no role in the design or conduct of the study, nor in the interpretation of results. Other authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Knot configuration is an important but relatively neglected topic in microvascular anastomosis literature., Objective: To study the differences between end-to-end microvascular anastomosis performed with two-throw reef knots as compared to traditional three-throw knots in a rat femoral artery model at the histological level., Material and Methods: Sprague Dawley rats underwent end-to-end microvascular anastomosis of the right femoral artery (one-way-up method). The rats were divided into two groups: two-throw reef knots versus traditional three-throw knots. The patency was checked by the standard empty refill method. After 2 weeks, the rats underwent re-exploration. An anastomotic segment was sent for histological analysis. Histological alterations including luminal patency and changes in Tunica intima, Tunica media, and Tunica adventitia were compared between the two groups., Results: Twenty-nine rats were operated on by the senior author (17 by three-throw and 12 by two-throw reef knots). In the two-throw reef knot group versus the traditional three-throw knot group, the immediate patency rates were 100% versus 82.4%, and the delayed patency rates were 90.9% versus 62.5%, respectively. The histopathological patency rates were concordant with delayed patency rates. Subintimal proliferation and fibrosis were comparable in both groups. Adventitial granulomas were noted in all, irrespective of the knotting technique. Tunica media preservation rates for the two-throw reef knot versus the traditional three-throw knot group were 63.6% versus 0%. Five rats were operated by the beginner in the field, all by two-throw reef knots (to assess the safety of this new method in the hands of a beginner)., Conclusion: Microvascular anastomosis performed with two-throw reef knots appears not only feasible but better in terms of anastomosis patency. Histological superiority in terms of Tunica media preservation further validates the technique., Competing Interests: None

Base excision repair (BER) corrects forms of oxidative, deamination, alkylation, and abasic single-base damage that appear to have minimal effects on the helix. Since its discovery in 1974, the field has grown in several facets: mechanisms, biology and physiology, understanding deficiencies and human disease, and using BER genes as potential inhibitory targets to develop therapeutics. Within its segregation of short nucleotide (SN-) and long patch (LP-), there are currently six known global mechanisms, with emerging work in transcription- and replication-associated BER. Knockouts (KOs) of BER genes in mouse models showed that single glycosylase knockout had minimal phenotypic impact, but the effects were clearly seen in double knockouts. However, KOs of downstream enzymes showed critical impact on the health and survival of mice. BER gene deficiency contributes to cancer, inflammation, aging, and neurodegenerative disorders. Medicinal targets are being developed for single or combinatorial therapies, but only PARP and APE1 have yet to reach the clinical stage.

Withaferin-A (WA) is the principle component of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha). It has several biological activities including anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective and immune-modulatory properties. The acute and sub-acute toxicity of oral WA was investigated in mice. In the acute toxicity study, up to 2000 mg/kg of WA was well tolerated without any signs of toxicity or death. In the sub-acute toxicity study, mice were orally administered 10, 70 and 500 mg/kg of WA respectively, daily for 28 days. Upon physiological, serum chemistry, hematology and histopathogical examination, no features suggestive of drug-induced toxicity were observed at any dose levels, thereby confirming the No-Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) to be at least 500 mg/kg. Furthermore, the oral bioavailability of WA was evaluated using single intravenous and oral doses of 10 mg/kg and 70 mg/kg respectively using sparse sampling strategy. Bioanalysis was carried out using a validated LC-MS/MS method. The AUC of WA was found to be 3996.9 ± 557.6 ng/mL*h and 141.7 ± 16.8 ng/mL*h for the intravenous and oral routes of administration respectively. The oral bioavailability was determined to be 1.8%. To conclude, WA was found to be extremely safe even at high doses, with a low oral bioavailability., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Background and Introduction: Intraoperative neuromonitoring for eloquent cortical lesions is irreplaceable in present-day neurosurgery., Objective: We report a novel technique of combining awake craniotomy with direct cortical stimulation of the motor cortex using the NIM © nerve monitoring system., Technique: A 17-year-old boy presenting with focal motor seizures, diagnosed with left perirolandinc cavernoma, underwent awake craniotomy and complete excision under direct cortical stimulation with NIM monopolar stimulator electrode to locate the motor cortex., Result: The patient developed transient weakness of handgrip during surgery, which improved by the same day evening. At 3 months follow-up, he could perform all the activities with his dominant right hand., Conclusion: Cortical stimulation using a nerve monitoring system is a useful technique in case of nonavailability of standard evoked potential monitoring system for motor cortex mapping., Competing Interests: None

Vascular surgery is the largest (non-cardiac) user of blood transfusion which is associated with increased risk to patients. Patient Blood Management (PBM) is a quality improvement programme in transfusion medicine involving educational change and recommendations through preoperative, operative, and postoperative surgery. We wished to assess the feasibility to implement a PBM programme in vascular surgery. A multidisciplinary programme was developed at a vascular unit by PBM experts. The PBM programme involved a series of educational lectures, consultations, and discussions with doctors, nurses, and theatre staff. A one-page PBM checklist of recommendations was developed for all patients undergoing vascular surgery. Prospective audits were conducted before (October 2014 to March 2015) and after (November 2015 to February 2016) PBM implementation. Outcomes were blood transfusion and haemoglobin concentration (Hb) trigger threshold. A total of 211 patients were admitted under vascular surgery: 127 for Audit 1 and 84 for Audit 2. Overall, 30% of patients were transfused, with 193 units transfused in Audit 1 and 85 in Audit 2. PBM implementation was associated with a reduction in patients receiving a blood transfusion (37% to 20%; p = 0.01). However, there was no difference in Hb trigger threshold (76 g/L vs 72 g/L, p = 0.051). A PBM programme is feasible and can be implemented in vascular surgery. PBM was associated with an improvement in transfusion use and length of patient stay that merits further investigation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to report the etiology, clinical features, microbiology, surgical outcome, and predictors of outcome of spontaneous subdural empyema (SDE)., Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective study in a tertiary hospital. Children up to 18 years of age, with a diagnosis of SDE with infective etiology, were included in the present cohort. Patients with posttraumatic, postsurgery, and tubercular origin of SDE were excluded from the study. The Glasgow Outcome Scale was used for outcome assessment at the end of 3 months. For analysis purposes, the demographic data, clinical features, radiological data, microbiology, type of surgery, and complication data were categorized, and univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with outcome., Results: Ninety-eight children were included in the study and the mean age was 10.9 years. Otogenic origin (34.7%) was the most common source of infection, followed by meningitis (14.3%). The mean duration of symptoms was 12 days. Seventy-six children presented with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score > 8 and the supratentorial location was the most common location. Almost 75% of the children underwent craniotomy or craniectomy and the rest had burr-hole evacuation. Beta-hemolytic Streptococcus (10%) was the most common organism isolated. Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT; 10.2%) was the most frequent complication in this cohort. The other complications were infarction (6.1%), new-onset seizure (4.1%), and bone flap osteomyelitis (4.1%). Thirteen cases had a recurrence of pus collection, which was more common in the craniotomy group than in the burr-hole group. Age (p = 0.02), GCS score ≤ 8 (OR 8.15, p = 0.001), CVT (OR 15.17, p = 0.001), and presence of infarction (OR 7, p = 0.05) were strongly associated with unfavorable outcome. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, only GCS score ≤ 8 (p = 0.01), CVT (p = 0.02), and presence of infarction (p = 0.04) had a significant impact on unfavorable outcome., Conclusions: Prompt diagnosis and immediate intervention is the goal of management of SDE, especially in children as a delay in diagnosis can result in unconsciousness and secondary complications such as CVT and infarction, which adversely affect outcome.

In macrosurgery creating a knot with at least three throws is an established practice. The potential disadvantages of this practice in microsurgery include the following: the direction of the cut ends interfere with the suture line, unbalanced nature of knot disturbs the apposition of delicate vessel ends and the excessive knot weight. A reef knot with only 2 throws may thus be a better alternative. We have described our technique of end to end anastomosis with 2-throw reef knots in a rat femoral artery model using one way up method. Judging from the surgical outcome the practice of two throw reef knot seems feasible and appealing.

In side to side anastomosis and end to end (one way up) microvascular anastomosis, the back wall of the vessel is sutured first with inverted/buried knots. A common mistake made by surgeons during this step is the formation of a granny knot. In inverted suturing, cut ends of granny knot points inside the vessel lumen and interfere with the suture line. This additional Intraluminal thread may promote foreign body reaction and may act as a nidus for thrombus formation. Hence, this subtle mistake in knot formation may cause immediate and/or delayed anastomosis failure. The purpose of the study was to describe principles of inverted/buried reef knot formation. We describe in detail the methodology to form an inverted reef knot in microsurgery using paracords and a glove model.

Hybrid renal tumors (HRT) are rare neoplasms that contain both benign and malignant components. Sporadic solitary HRT that contain high-grade malignant pathology appear to be extremely rare [1]. We describe a case at our institution of a tumor that was characterized as a type-2 papillary RCC and atypical oncocytoma hybrid that mimicked a simple cyst on non-contrast computed tomography.

Redox potential has been identified by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as one of the parameters that should be investigated for the testing of manufactured nanomaterials. There is still some ambiguity concerning this parameter, i.e., as to what and how to measure, particularly when in a nanoecotoxicological context. In this study the redox potentials of six nanomaterials (either zinc oxide (ZnO) or cerium oxide (CeO(2))) dispersions were measured using an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) electrode probe. The particles under testing differed in terms of their particle size and dispersion stability in deionised water and in various ecotox media. The ORP values of the various dispersions and how they fluctuate relative to each other are discussed. Results show that the ORP values are mainly governed by the type of liquid media employed, with little contributions from the nanoparticles. Seawater was shown to have reduced the ORP value, which was attributed to an increase in the concentration of reducing agents such as sulphites or the reduction of dissolved oxygen concentration. The lack of redox potential value contribution from the particles themselves is thought to be due to insufficient interaction of the particles at the Pt electrode of the ORP probe.