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Abstract Maize is gaining impetus in non-traditional and non-conventional seasons such as off-season, primarily due to higher demand and economic returns. Maize varieties directed for growing in the winter season of South Asia must have cold resilience as an important trait due to the low prevailing temperatures and frequent cold snaps observed during this season in most parts of the lowland tropics of Asia. The current study involved screening of a panel of advanced tropically adapted maize lines to cold stress during vegetative and flowering stage under field conditions. A suite of significant genomic loci (28) associated with grain yield along and agronomic traits such as flowering (15) and plant height (6) under cold stress environments. The haplotype regression revealed 6 significant haplotype blocks for grain yield under cold stress across the test environments. Haplotype blocks particularly on chromosomes 5 (bin5.07), 6 (bin6.02), and 9 (9.03) co-located to regions/bins that have been identified to contain candidate genes involved in membrane transport system that would provide essential tolerance to the plant. The regions on chromosome 1 (bin1.04), 2 (bin 2.07), 3 (bin 3.05–3.06), 5 (bin5.03), 8 (bin8.05–8.06) also harboured significant SNPs for the other agronomic traits. In addition, the study also looked at the plausibility of identifying tropically adapted maize lines from the working germplasm with cold resilience across growth stages and identified four lines that could be used as breeding starts in the tropical maize breeding pipelines.

Unpredictable weather vagaries in the Asian tropics often increase the risk of a series of abiotic stresses in maize-growing areas, hindering the efforts to reach the projected demands. Breeding climate-resilient maize hybrids with a cross-tolerance to drought and waterlogging is necessary yet challenging because of the presence of genotype-by-environment interaction (GEI) and the lack of an efficient multi-trait-based selection technique. The present study aimed at estimating the variance components, genetic parameters, inter-trait relations, and expected selection gains (SGs) across the soil moisture regimes through genotype selection obtained based on the novel multi-trait genotype–ideotype distance index (MGIDI) for a set of 75 tropical pre-released maize hybrids. Twelve traits including grain yield and other secondary characteristics for experimental maize hybrids were studied at two locations. Positive and negative SGs were estimated across moisture regimes, including drought, waterlogging, and optimal moisture conditions. Hybrid, moisture condition, and hybrid-by-moisture condition interaction effects were significant (p ≤ 0.001) for most of the traits studied. Eleven genotypes were selected in each moisture condition through MGIDI by assuming 15% selection intensity where two hybrids, viz., ZH161289 and ZH161303, were found to be common across all the moisture regimes, indicating their moisture stress resilience, a unique potential for broader adaptation in rainfed stress-vulnerable ecologies. The selected hybrids showed desired genetic gains such as positive gains for grain yield (almost 11% in optimal and drought; 22% in waterlogging) and negative gains in flowering traits. The view on strengths and weaknesses as depicted by the MGIDI assists the breeders to develop maize hybrids with desired traits, such as grain yield and other yield contributors under specific stress conditions. The MGIDI would be a robust and easy-to-handle multi-trait selection process under various test environments with minimal multicollinearity issues. It was found to be a powerful tool in developing better selection strategies and optimizing the breeding scheme, thus contributing to the development of climate-resilient maize hybrids.

In this paper we study aging of the velocity autocorrelation function of a uniformly heated granular gas using large scale event-driven molecular dynamics simulations in both 2 and 3 dimensional system. The system is heated by adding Gaussian white noise to each velocity component of all the particles. After a few collisions per particle, the system attains steady state. During early stages, the velocity autocorrelation function shows aging as there is explicit dependence of the function on τw but after steady state is reached, the velocity autocorrelation function become independent of τw and does not show any aging. Velocity correlations develop even after steady state is reached, these correlations are less pronounced in 3 dimensional system.

Therapeutic antibodies have predominantly been IgG‐based. However, the ongoing clinical trial of MOv18 IgE has highlighted the potential of using IgE antibodies in cancer therapy. While extensive studies targeting IgG glycosylation resulted in a rational basis for the development of enhanced biotherapeutics, IgE glycosylation remains an area with limited analyses. Previous studies on the role of IgE glycosylation present conflicting data with one study emphasizing the importance of N275 and T277 residues for FcεRI binding whereas another asserts the nonsignificance of IgE glycosylation in receptor interaction. While existing literature underscores the significance of glycans at the N275 position for binding to FcεR1 receptor and initiation of anaphylaxis, the role of other IgE glycosylation sites in folding or receptor binding remains elusive. This study systematically investigates the functional significance of N‐linked glycosylation sites in the heavy chain of IgE which validates the pivotal role of N275 residue in IgE secretion and stability. Replacement of this asparagine to non‐amine group moieties does not affect IgE function in vitro, yet substitution with aspartic acid compromises antibody yield. The deglycosylated IgE variant exhibits superior efficacy, challenging the conventional importance of glycosylation for effector function. In summary, our study unveils an intricate relationship between N‐glycosylation sites and the structural–functional dynamics of IgE antibodies. Furthermore, it offers novel insights into the IgE scaffold, paving the way for the development of more effective and stable IgE‐based therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most of developing countries, open dumpsites are frequently opted as the best choice to get rid of waste, but this type of practice has severe threats to the environment. This may be considered as one of the factors in contamination of soil and groundwater. The study examined the arsenic and physicochemical properties of soil around a municipal waste dumpsite in Rohtak city, Haryana. For Rohtak city, leachate secretion and generation of various gases at landfill site may be a factor in contamination of soil around the dumpsite. 13 samples of soil were collected from the surrounding area of dumpsite within 2 km area. Soil samples were tested for various parameters like pH, EC, moisture content, bulk density, water holding capacity, organic matter, chloride and arsenic. The pH values of the various samples of different locations ranged from 7.14 to 8.34, EC ranged from 1034-9536 add μS/cm with a mean value of 3484 μS/cm, organic matter of the soil samples of present study ranged from 1.26 to 3.16%. Water holding capacity of soil samples ranged from 51.02% to 59.14%, moisture content was found from 3.12 to 13.86%, bulk density was found from 1.28-1.89 g/cm³. Range of chloride content was 358-4165 mg/ kg with mean value 1679 mg/kg. Higher level of arsenic contamination is found in the surrounding soil samples, ranged from 410 ppb to 840 ppb with mean value of 618 ppb which may be due to leachate secretion at dumpsite area that make soil unsuitable for agricultural purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by the absence of estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and human epidermal receptors. This lack of receptors renders TNBC unsuitable for targeted-based treatment, making it the most fatal and aggressive subtype of breast cancer. TNBC has a greater relapse rate, worse prognosis, and increased metastasis rate compared to non-TNBC because of its tendency to resist apoptosis, a programmed cell death triggered by most chemotherapeutic drugs, producing anticancer efficacy. This work describes two new drugs, TPH104c, and TPH104m, that induce a non-apoptotic form of cell death in TNBC. The incubation of TNBC cells with TPH104c or TPH104m causes cellular expansion and rupture without producing apoptotic characteristics, such as nuclear fragmentation, apoptotic blebbing, or caspase activation. TPH104c and TPH104m decreased the mitochondrial protein, division regulator, and dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1). The level of DRP1 in TNBC cells affects the magnitude of cytotoxicity produced by TPH104c and TPH104m. Apoptosis induction with taxanes or anthracyclines is the primary therapy for TNBC. Cancer cells can develop resistance to anticancer drugs, causing them to recur and metastasize. Therefore, non-apoptotic cell death inducers could be a potential treatment to circumvent apoptotic drug resistance. In this study, we discovered two novel compounds, TPH104c and TPH104m, which induced non-apoptotic cell death in TNBC cells. These lead compounds were 15- to 30-fold more selective in TNBC cell lines and significantly decreased the proliferation of TNBC cells compared to that of normal mammary epithelial cell lines. TPH104c and TPH104m induced a unique type of non-apoptotic cell death, characterized by the absence of cellular shrinkage and the absence of nuclear fragmentation and apoptotic blebs. Although TPH104c and TPH104m induced the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential, TPH104c- and TPH104m-induced cell death did not increase the levels of cytochrome c and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caspase activation, and cell death was not rescued by incubating cells with the pan-caspase inhibitor, carbobenzoxy-valyl-alanyl-aspartyl-[O-methyl]-fluoromethylketone (Z-VAD-FMK). Furthermore, TPH104c and TPH104m significantly downregulated the expression of the mitochondrial fission protein, DRP1, and their levels determined their cytotoxic efficacy. Overall, TPH104c and TPH104m induced non-apoptotic cell death, and further determination of their cell death mechanisms will aid in the development of new potent and efficacious anticancer drugs to treat TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-secretase 1, one of the most important proteins, is an aspartate protease. This membrane-associated protein is used for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). Several inhibitors have been pursued against β-secretase 1, but they still have not resulted effectively. Virtual screening based on pharmacophores has been shown to be useful for lead optimization and hit identification in the preliminary phase of developing a new drug. Here, we screen the commercially available databases to find the hits against β-secretase 1 for drug discovery against AD. Virtual screening for 200,000 compounds was done using the database from the Vitas-M Laboratory. The phase screen score was utilized to assess the screened hits. Molecular docking was performed on compounds with phase scores >1.9. According to the study, the 66H ligand of the crystal structure has the maximum performance against β-secretase 1. The redocking of the co-crystal ligand showed that the docked ligand was seamlessly united with the crystal structure. The reference complex had three hydrogen bonds with Asp93, Asp289, and Gly291; one van der Waals interaction with Gly74; and three hydrophobic interactions. After equilibration, the RMSD of the reference compound sustained a value of ~1.5 A until 30 ns and then boosted to 2.5 A. On comparison, the RMSD of the S1 complex steadily increased to ~2.5 A at 15 ns, displayed slight aberrations at approximately ~2.5-3 A until 80 ns, and then achieved steadiness toward the end of the simulation. The arrangements of proteins stayed condensed during the mockup when bonded to these complexes as stable Rg values showed. Furthermore, the MM/GBSA technique was employed to analyze both compounds' total binding free energies ^Gtotal). Our research study provides a new understanding of using 66H as anti-βsecretase 1 for drug development against AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalisation as a worldwide integrating force leads to changes in the social structures, values and mindsets of people. Parents raise their children expecting they would take care of them in old age but the globalised economy has given rise to a materialistic culture in which children migrate to other cities or countries. Parents accept this in the best interest of their children. Loneliness, depression and other mental health issues among the elderly population are common as a result. This paper is an attempt to explore spirituality as an adaptive tool in such situation. Data is collected from 20 elderly respondents living alone or with their spouses in the residential colonies in Delhi/NCR through semi-structured interviews. The data is analysed under the premise of Structuration Theory. It has been seen that spirituality is considered as a coping mechanism and a tool to manage their daily lives in a happier and more peaceful way.

Dendrites are tree-like structures with tiny spines specialized to receive excitatory synaptic transmission. Spino-dendritic plasticity, driven by neural activity, underlies the maintenance of neuronal connections crucial for proper circuit function. Abnormalities in dendritic morphology are frequently seen in epilepsy. However, the exact etiology or functional implications are not yet known. Therefore, to better comprehend the structure-function significance of this dendritic pathology in epilepsy, it is necessary to identify the common spino-dendritic disturbances present in both human and experimental models. Here, we describe the dendritic and spine structural profiles found across human refractory epilepsy as well as in animal models of developmental, acquired, and genetic epilepsies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating threat posed by metal contamination to both biota and the environment has become a significant global concern. These pollutants have the potential to enter the food chain and pose adverse health effects on human beings. Traditional methods of pollutant removal are often costly and time-consuming, necessitating the need for an eco-friendly and cost-effective approach such as phytoremediation. However, despite its widespread use, phytoremediation possesses inherent limitations, primarily its slow rate of remediation, often spanning several decades. To overcome these limitations, the use of nanoparticles in conjunction with phytoremediation has emerged as a rapid and environmentally friendly alternative that mitigates secondary environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation, and depletion of natural resources. Certain nanoparticles have been found to enhance the production of biomass in hyperaccumulator plants and assist in the scavenging of pollutants by augmenting antioxidant activities. This review provides insights into the mechanisms employed by plants during phytoremediation of contaminated soil, specifically focusing on the removal of heavy metals as well as highlighting the potential benefits derived from nanoparticle-assisted phytoremediation. Furthermore, future prospects for harnessing the full potential of nanoparticle-mediated phytoremediation are explored. While nano-phytoremediation holds promise as an effective soil cleanup strategy, further research and long-term studies are necessary to ensure its potential acceptability and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic needs have expanded along with population growth, industrialization, and urbanization. Plastic is unrivaled due to its useful properties and is used to prepare numerous important goods daily. This paper encloses the different kinds and applications of petroleum-based plastic and the drawbacks related to their use, i.e., its nonbiodegradability which leads to their stay in the environment for a very long time. Additionally, there are not enough effective disposal techniques for the large volume of plastic waste produced; thus, plastic garbage builds up in the environment and endangers it. Limiting the usage of plastic is necessary to protect the environment. This can be done with the help of bioplastic, which is an excellent substitute for plastic. The different kinds of bioplastic and their biodegradability in different mediums, viz., soil compost and aquatic systems, are addressed in this paper. Along this, the different areas of application of bioplastic have been explored. The present study also addresses the underlying mechanism of plastic polymerization and biodegradation and the current status of bioplastics in the global market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the nonlinear interaction between two different eigen modes in suspended carbon nanotube resonators. It was found that the mode coupling in suspended carbon nanotubes was dominated by single electron-tunneling process. For suspended carbon nanotube resonator at low temperatures using quantum dot embedded in the nanotube as detector, the interaction was found between two different eigen modes. For nanotube resonators in the coulomb blockade regime the nonlinear modal interaction was dominated by single electron tunneling as opposed to displacement induced tension. A strongly enhanced mode coupling was observed in the coulomb blockade regime which was of the order of magnitude larger than in conventional micro resonators. The obtained results found in good agreement with previously obtained results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants are rich in bioactive components that are utilized to treat various human ailments. They are crucial to healing as well. Phytochemical constituents are responsible for the medicinal activity of plant species. Phytochemical screening is an important step in identifying bioactive compounds present in particular medicinal plants. Hence, in this present work, phytochemical screening of leaf extract of some traditional medicinal plants, namely Cannabis sativa, Ricinus communis, and Bryophyllum pinnatum was carried out. The solvent extracts of the leaves of respective plants were prepared using the Soxhlet apparatus with acetone, chloroform, petroleum ether, and aqueous solvents. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of plants included tests for reducing sugars, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, polyphenols, tannins, terpenoids, and coumarins. All eight tested phytoconstituents were found present in all three plants in any solvent extracts. Aqueous extract confirmed the presence of a maximum number of phytoconstituents in C. sativa in comparison to other solvents. Acetone confirmed the maximum and chloroform confirmed the minimum number of phytoconstituents in R. communis, while chloroform confirmed the maximum and aqueous extract confirmed the minimum number of phytoconstituents in B. pinnatum. These phytochemicals may be a source of innovative plant-based medications because their existence is connected with the therapeutic potential of these plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhibition of specific carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzymes is a validated strategy for the development of agents to target cancer. The CA isoforms IX and XII are overexpressed in various human solid tumors wherein they play a critical role in regulating extracellular tumor acidification, proliferation, and progression. A series of novel sulfonamides based on the coumarin scaffold were designed, synthesized and characterized as potent and selective CA inhibitors. Selected compounds show significant activity and selectivity over CA I and CA II to target the tumor‐associated CA IX and CA XII with high inhibition activity at the single digit nanomolar level. Twelve compounds were identified to be more potent compared with acetazolamide (AAZ) control to inhibit CA IX while one was also more potent than AAZ to inhibit CA XII. Compound 18f (Ki's = 955 nM, 515 nM, 21 nM and 5 nM for CA's I, II, IX, and XII, respectively) is highlighted as a novel CA IX and XII inhibitor for further development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective Neuronal Knockout of STAT3 Function Inhibits Epilepsy Progression, Improves Cognition, and Restores Dysregulated Gene Networks in a Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Model Tipton AE, Del Angel YC, Hixson K, Carlsen J, Strode D, Busquet N, Mesches MH, Gonzalez MI, Napoli E, Russek SJ, Brooks-Kayal AR. Ann Neurol. 2023 Mar 19. doi:10.1002/ana.26644 Objective: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a progressive disorder mediated by pathological changes in molecular cascades and hippocampal neural circuit remodeling that results in spontaneous seizures and cognitive dysfunction. Targeting these cascades may provide disease-modifying treatments for TLE patients. Janus Kinase/Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (JAK/STAT) inhibitors have emerged as potential disease-modifying therapies; a more detailed understanding of JAK/STAT participation in epileptogenic responses is required, however, to increase the therapeutic efficacy and reduce adverse effects associated with global inhibition. Methods: We developed a mouse line in which tamoxifen treatment conditionally abolishes STAT3 signaling from forebrain excitatory neurons (nSTAT3KO). Seizure frequency (continuous in vivo electroencephalography) and memory (contextual fear conditioning and motor learning) were analyzed in wild-type and nSTAT3KO mice after intrahippocampal kainate (IHKA) injection as a model of TLE. Hippocampal RNA was obtained 24 h after IHKA and subjected to deep sequencing. Results: Selective STAT3 knock-out in excitatory neurons reduced seizure progression and hippocampal memory deficits without reducing the extent of cell death or mossy fiber sprouting induced by IHKA injection. Gene expression was rescued in major networks associated with response to brain injury, neuronal plasticity, and learning and memory. We also provide the first evidence that neuronal STAT3 may directly influence brain inflammation. Interpretation: Inhibiting neuronal STAT3 signaling improved outcomes in an animal model of TLE, prevented progression of seizures and cognitive co-morbidities while rescuing pathogenic changes in gene expression of major networks associated with epileptogenesis. Specifically targeting neuronal STAT3 may be an effective disease-modifying strategy for TLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy skin protects from pathogens, water loss, ultraviolet rays, and also maintains homeostasis conditions along with sensory perceptions in normal circumstances. Skin wound healing mechanism is a multi-phased biodynamic process that ultimately triggers intercellular and intracellular mechanisms. Failure to implement the normal and effective healing process may result in chronic injuries and aberrant scarring. Chronic wounds lead to substantial rising healthcare expenditure, and innovative methods to diagnose and control severe consequences are urgently needed. Skin tissue engineering (STE) has achieved several therapeutic accomplishments during the last few decades, demonstrating tremendous development. The engineered skin substitutes provide instant coverage for extensive wounds and facilitate the prevention of microbial infections and fluid loss; furthermore, they help in fighting inflammation and allow rapid neo-tissue formation. The current review primarily focused on the wound recovery and restoration process and the current conditions of STE with various advancements and complexities associated with different strategies such as cell sources, biopolymers, innovative fabrication techniques, and growth factors delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HLA‐B*40:06:01:18 differs from HLA‐B*40:06:01:02 by one nucleotide change in the 5′UTR (T > C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usage of bioreactors in the field of tissue engineering has played a significant role in enabling a controlled and reproducible change in the formation of damaged tissue on being provided with specific factors. Owing to the scarcity seen in providing sufficient donor organs for transplantation there is a huge requirement for large-scale production of artificial organs. This cannot be achieved by static culturing since it does not provide an in-vivo three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment therefore tissue engineering plays a vital role in the development of artificial tissues and organs as per the clinical demands whereas bioreactors have served a major role in providing the artificial microenvironment required by the cells to grow further into a tissue and then into an organ. By providing the specific biochemical cues and mechanoresponsive stimuli the bioreactors turn to be very effective in generating transplantable organs. Apart from performing studies in a controlled manner aimed at understanding biological and physicochemical effects, bioreactors also ensure the safe and reproducible production of tissue-engineered constructs to achieve cost-effective large-scale production. The design criteria for bioreactors to be used in tissue engineering include optimal aspect ratio, proper aeration for the cells to proliferate, and agitation with reduced shear stress. The current review summarizes important aspects like Height/Diameter ratio or aspect ratio, shear stress, mechanical stress, aeration, agitation, oxygenation, etc. related to the design of tissue bioreactors, different types of bioreactors that are in use to date, and the reported pieces of literature to yield an overview on the existing concepts. It mainly focuses on the generation of 3D tissue constructs in various reactor systems specially designed for their culture and development along with their applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2-(4-Benzhydrylpiperazin-1-yl)-N-(4-sulfamoylphenyl)acetamide is an effective human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) inhibitor designed through the tail approach using the acetamide moiety as linker and the benzhydrylpiperazine group as tail. Here we report the crystal structures of this compound in complex both with the ubiquitous hCA II and the brain-associated hCA VII, showing that in agreement with the previously reported inhibition constants, the inhibitor is stabilized by a higher number of polar and hydrophobic interactions in the active site of hCA VII compared to hCA II. Results point out the conformational flexibility of the linker and the tail length as fundamental features to establish significant differences in the number of favorable enzyme/inhibitor interactions and consequently in the inhibition selectivity against the two hCA isoforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background- One of the most important determinants of the quality of life of older people is their functional health status that refers to their capacity to perform normal daily activities. With the advent of globalization and changing family structures, there are elderly who are left alone to fend for themselves without any formal support. Aim & Objective: to find out the evolving patterns of adjustment in the absence of care giver of elderly who are living alone in Delhi/ NCR. Material and Method: The study is carried under descriptive research design. One Household Proforma was used for the purpose of obtaining their demographic information and a pretested scale is used to elicit the information on their IADL after taking consent from the elderly. Snowball sampling technique is incorporated for data collection. Data is collected from a structured questionnaire and Focus Group Discussions with 80 respondents above the age of 60 years, living alone from Delhi/NCR to find their adjustment patterns. Result: the results show that respondents are independent for their ADL and IADL and in case of dependency the respondents have two types of support- support on daily basis i.e, house-help and support available for in absentia of routine care takers i.e, their kin living in the vicinity and elderly groups formed in the community. Conclusion: The respondents have formed their own community networks that provide assistance to them in case of need or they reconcile to avoidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use large-scale molecular dynamics simulations to study aging of the velocity autocorrelation function of a force-free granular gas consisting of viscoelastic particles. We study the velocity autocorrelation function for a simplified model where the coefficient of restitution is constant for all collisions, but depends on current temperature of granular gas, it is called quasi-constant coefficient of restitution εeff. From our simulation results, it is observed that A(τw, τ) depends independently on both τ and τw. Initially, A(τw, τ) decays exponentially but later as τw increases, A(τw, τ) decays slowly due to emergence of correlations in velocity field. The explicit dependence of A(τw, τ) on τw implies that the system exhibits aging property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]