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Abstract Background Evidence on obstetric violence is reported globally. In India, research shows that almost every woman goes through some level of disrespect and abuse during childbirth, more so in states such as Bihar where over 70% of women give birth in hospitals. Objective 1) To understand how women experience and attach meaning to respect, disrespect and abuse during childbirth; and 2) document women’s expectations of respectful care. Methods ‘Body mapping’, an arts-based participatory method, was applied. The analysis is based on in-depth interviews with eight women who participated in the body mapping exercise at their homes in urban slums and rural villages. Analysis was guided by feminist relational discourse analysis. Findings Women reported their experiences of birthing at home, public facilities, and private hospitals in simple terms of what they felt ‘good’ and ‘bad’. Good experiences included being spoken to nicely, respecting privacy, companion of choice, a bed to rest, timely care, lesser interventions, obtaining consent for vaginal examination and cesarean section, and better communication. Bad experiences included unconsented interventions including multiple vaginal examinations by different care providers, unanesthetized episiotomy, repairs and uterine exploration, verbal, physical, sexual abuse, extortion, detention and lack of privacy. Discussion The body maps capturing birth experiences, created through a participatory method, accurately portray women’s respectful and disrespectful births and are useful to understand women’s experience of a sensitive issue in a patriarchal culture. An in-depth understanding of women’s choices, experiences and expectations can inform changes practices in and policies and help to develop a culture of sharing birth experiences.

The overarching aim of the present study is to sort out the taxonomy of a group of gingers that include the useful and worldwide economically important green cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum, and its wild relatives, to highlight potentially overlooked genetic resources. These species occur naturally in India and Sri Lanka, and our study facilitates more appropriate management priorities for the remaining forest fragments in which they occur. We used NGS Hyb‐Seq methods and sampled four species of the Alpinia I (Fax) clade, six representatives of Aframomum and Renealmia as well as two other basally flowering Sri Lankan species. This is the only pantropically distributed lineage within the entire family, and our result shows that the Alpinia I clade in fact is simply the genus Elettaria (confined to India and Sri Lanka), which is sister to the genera Aframomum (Africa) and Renealmia (Africa and Neotropics). The taxonomic implications are: (1) a recircumscription of Elettaria comprising seven species (E. cardamomum, E. ensal, E. floribunda, E. involucrata, E. rufescens as well as two new species, E. facifera and E. tulipifera described here); (2) the Sri Lankan endemic genus Cyphostigma should be retained; (3) the new monotypic genus, Srilankanthus endemic in Sri Lanka, is described with S. nemoralis, formerly Amomum nemorale, as type. A key is provided to the seven species of Elettaria and lectotypifications are made for five species (Cyphostigma pulchellum, Elettaria floribunda, E. involucrata, E. nemoralis, E. rufescens). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phthalates (PAEs) are a group of synthetic esters of phthalic acid compounds mostly used as plasticizers in plastic materials but are widely applied in most industries and products. As plasticizers in plastic materials, they are not chemically bound to the polymeric matrix and easily leach out. Logically, PAEs should be prevalent in the environment, but their prevalence, transport, fate, and effects have been largely unknown until recently. This has been attributed, inter alia, to a lack of standardized analytical procedures for identifying them in complex matrices. Nevertheless, current advancements in analytical techniques facilitate the understanding of PAEs in the environment. It is now known that they can potentially impact ecological and human health adversely, leading to their categorization as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, carcinogenic, and liver- and kidney-failure-causing agents, which has landed them among contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Thus, this review article reports and discusses the developments and advancements in PAEs’ standard analytical methods, facilitating their emergence from obscurity. It further explores the opportunities, challenges, and limits of their advancements.

In recent years, the demand for efficient and sustainable agricultural practices has been leveraged, leading to smart farming practices. These practices aim to enhance agricultural processes and productivity and minimize resource waste. One of the crucial challenges faced by farmers is the uneven distribution of soil humidity and pH across their agricultural lands. Further, the irregularity in soil moisture content and pH can lead to poor crop performance, water wastage, and increased resource utilization. In this work, an Internet of Things-based smart sensor node was developed, which consists of humidity and pH sensors to ensure the efficient management of water and soil conditions across an entire farm. Also, an array of humidity and pH sensors were placed across the farm, and these units worked independently as they have their own controller and battery unit. The developed device was integrated with a solar cell, which charged the battery. Further, the data acquired from these sensors were wirelessly transmitted to the base station, and it gathered the information of each unit, including their humidity levels, pH values, signal strength, and energy supply. This information was processed at the base station, and a graphical overview of the farm with the acquired information was represented, which provides farmers with real-view insight to identify areas with poor humidity and pH conditions. These data were transmitted to an IoT cloud, offering the farmer the ability to monitor their farm from a remote location. In cases where humidity levels dropped drastically and remained unchecked for more than two hours, the system triggered an alert. This mechanism makes sure that farmers are notified of potential issues, allowing them to prevent crop damage and optimize their resource usage.

This study explores the effect of alkali treatment at ambient (25 °C) and elevated temperatures (100 °C) on the physicochemical, structural, morphological, and thermal properties of Calamus tenuis cane fibers (CTCFs) for the first time. Our purpose is to investigate their potential use as reinforcement in polymer composites, since cane fibers are generally known for their accurate and consistent geometrical orientation. Treatment with 8% (w/v) sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is carried out at ambient temperature and at 100 °C for 4 h. Chemical analysis and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (FTIR) indicate some removal of non-cellulosic elements from CTCFs during alkali treatment, resulting in increased surface roughness, as confirmed by using SEM micrographs. This removal of non-cellulosic elements leads to an enhancement in the density of the treated CTCFs. Untreated and treated fibers are analyzed for maximum degradation temperature, thermal stability, and kinetic activation energy (Ea) using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In particular, Ea was considerably diminished with treatment and temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show an improved crystallinity index (37.38% to 44.02%) and crystallite size (2.73 nm to 2.98 nm) for fibers treated with 8% NaOH at ambient temperature. In conclusion, a general benefit was achieved by treating CTCFs, though the influence of increasing temperature treatment appears controversial.

Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease associated with age, mechanical stress, and obesity. Echinacea purpurea is a medicinal plant that shows good anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory activities. In this study, Echinacea purpurea ethanol extract nanoparticles (Nano-EE) were prepared by encapsulating Echinacea purpurea ethanol extract (EE) in chitosan-silica nanoparticles. Obesity (OB) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats was induced by fed 40% high-fat diet and then anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus injury were performed to induce OA. The rats got different doses of samples by oral gavage. The encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of Nano-EE were 69.1% and 36.1%, respectively. The average size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential (ZP) of the Nano-EE were 145 ± 11 nm, 0.24 ± 0.01, − 4.57 ± 0.44 mV, respectively. Furthermore, electron microscopic images showed that the particles were spherical and were slightly agglomerated. Moreover, it showed that the leptin content, expression of MMPs, cytokines level, NF-κB level, and iNOS production were decreased whereas collagen II expression was increased after treatment. Besides, Nano-EE ameliorated the pain caused by OA and reduced the proteoglycan loss in cartilage. These results indicated that encapsulated EE (Nano-EE) can ameliorate OA with a low dosage and are more effective than unencapsulated EE.

Munroe Island in Kollam District of Kerala is a typical backwater village situated at the confluence of the Ashtamudi backwater and the Kallada River system. It is an amalgamation of eight small islands with a total area of 13.4 km2. Salinity intrusion has been a serious threat in the downstream areas of Kallada River for more than one and half decades, affecting the groundwater quality of Munroe Island. The present study focuses on the seasonal variation in physico-chemical characteristics of the underground water system of Munroe Island and Kallada River with special reference to saline water intrusion. Physico-chemical analysis of ground water revealed that samples were unsuitable for drinking due to higher content of Na, Ca, and K. Microbiological analysis of island groundwater showed the presence of coliform and E. coli bacteria above the permissible limit. Results indicated a significant correlation between salinity and major anions viz., Cl− and SO42 and cations viz., Mg, Na, Ca, and K of both river surface and island groundwater. In the present study it is clearly evident the occurrence of saltwater intrusion in Kallada River from Ashtamudy Lake and the its severity become higher during premonsoon season. The results also indicated that the salinity increase in Kallada River has a negative impact on island groundwater quality. The paper also suggests suitable management strategies for overcoming the saltwater intrusion thereby upgrading island sustainability. HIGHLIGHTS Identified saltwater intrusion in Kallada River.; Impact of saltwater intrusion in island groundwater quality.; Seasonal variation of physico-chemical parameters of river and island groundwater.; Suggesting suitable management measures to prevent salt water intrusion.;

Background: Health-care professionals managing the pandemic are at higher risk of developing psychological distress and posttraumatic stress symptoms. The study highlights the importance of evaluating mental health among health-care workers to improve efficiency at work and also proves to be a major step to prevent suicide among health-care workers. Materials and Methods: The authors conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire-based clinical study, using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 to assess stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among doctors and nurses managing COVID-19 patients in Karnataka. Results: Of 233 participants, 3 (1.3%), 27 (11.6%), 15 (6.4%), and 159 (68.2%) participants were suffering from mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe anxiety respectively; 17 (7.3%), 32 (13.7%), 21 (9%), and 131 (56.2%) are suffering from mild, moderate, severe, extremely severe depressive symptoms, respectively; 15 (6.4%), 19 (8.2%), 26 (11.2%), and 114 (48.9%) are suffering from mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe stress, respectively. The study also showed that health-care workers who had faced an epidemic in the past were able to cope up with the change in a scenario as compared to those who had not in the past. Conclusion: The study shows the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in doctors and nurses. It also shows that people who had exposure to a pandemic in the past were able to cope up better with the situation.

Introduction: The era of artificial intelligence (AI) has dawned, and its influence on different aspects of our lives is now tremendously evident. The introduction of whole slide imaging in digital pathology has changed the face of histopathology (HP) and is in the process of paving a smooth platform towards the far-reaching telepathology. Aim: The present study was aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of Oral Pathologists (OPs) in India regarding the incorporation of AI in diagnostic HP. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among OPs across India. A structured online questionnaire comprising 27 questions was sent to each participant through email and social media platforms and responses were collected and analyzed. The relationship between demographic variables and good KAP was analyzed using Chi-square and Fisher's exact test. Results and Discussion: One hundred and seventy-one OPs participated in the study, with 8.8% having good knowledge, 70.2% having a positive attitude, and only 4.1% using AI in diagnostic HP. Knowledge regarding AI in pathology increased in a statistically significant way (P = 0.001) with respect to years of experience. 43.9% of OPs expect AI to be integrated into HP in India over the next ten years. Conclusion: OPs in India have a positive attitude towards the incorporation of AI in their pathology practice. Vital measures to enable the integration of AI into diagnostic HP and to improve its awareness are an absolute requisite in our scenario.

Isolation of chitin from shrimp shell waste using chemical process is a well-adopted industrial practice due to its short process time and efficiency in removing both minerals and proteins from the shell. This study aims to compare the physicochemical, functional, and structural characteristics of chitin obtained from Deep-sea mud shrimp shells using two chemical process sequences: (i) initial deproteinization followed by demineralization (DPM) and (ii) initial demineralization followed by deproteinization (DMP). Characteristics of the extracted chitin, namely degree of acetylation, whiteness index, purity, crystallinity index and surface morphology were evaluated and compared with those of commercial chitin. The high levels of deproteinization and demineralization observed for both DPM and DMP processes suggest the effectiveness of the processes. The Mw of 436.59 ± 1.00 kDa, DA of 81.56 ± 1.10% and WI of 71.39 ± 0.72 for chitin prepared by DMP were higher than those of chitin prepared by DPM, which had Mw of 429.34 ± 1.21 kDa, DA of 75.91 ± 0.99% and WI of 45.03 ± 1.39. The CrI values for DPM and DMP chitins were 68.7% and 72%, respectively. SEM analysis revealed a microfibrillar structure with porosity for the isolated chitin.

Kuzhunellil Raghavanpillai Sabu,1 Sujith Sugathan,2 Akbar Idhayadhulla,3 Melat Woldemariam,4 Addis Aklilu,4 Gelila Biresaw,4 Behailu Tsegaye,5 Aseer Manilal4 1Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia; 2Department of Botany, Sree Narayana College, Kollam, Kerala, India; 3Research Department of Chemistry, Nehru Memorial College (affiliated with Bharathidasan University), Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India; 4Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia; 5Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Science, School of Medicine, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Aseer Manilal Email aseermanilal@gmail.comBackground: Mangroves contain several bioactive compounds, some of which have been used for centuries as remedies for several ailments.Methods: Foliar parts of Excoecaria agallocha were extracted in organic solvents and in water using a Soxhlet apparatus and evaluated for antimicrobial activity against nine type-culture pathogens, six clinical isolates, and two fungal pathogens with agar well diffusion assays. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined by broth dilution and extracts further subjected to brine-shrimp cytotoxic assays using Artemia salina. Chemical constituents were analyzed with thin-layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR).Results and Discussion: Ethyl acetate extract displayed the broadest antimicrobial activity. Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were found to be the most susceptible among the clinical and type-culture groups corresponding to inhibition zones: 17.3± 1.1 and 23.5± 1.3 mm in diameter, respectively. Anticandidal activity was found to be lower against Candida albicans and C. tropicalis (10.3± 0.6 and 11.9± 0.85 mm diameter). Also, this extract was found to be bactericidal for S. aureus and Micrococcus luteus (MBC:MIC ≤ 2). C cytotoxic activity LD50 was 521 μg/mL. On GC-MS, squalene [(6E, 10E, 4E, 18E)-2,6,10,15,19,23-hexamethyltetracosa-2,6,10,14,18,22-hexaene] was the major compound. Bioassay-guided (antibacterial) TLC revealed the presence of one major active fraction, F2, with an Rf value of 1.21. FT-IR analysis of this fraction also implied that it was squalene, which might have a functional role in the mechanism of chemical defense.Keywords: mangrove, plant extract, antimicrobial, cytotoxicity, bioactive compounds, squalene

In order to achieve symbiosis between humans and social robots, it is not enough to simply design a robot with excellent functionality, but it is necessary to give humans a friendly impression of the robot. Rhythmic synchronization is the foundation of social interaction and unity, and it is expected that research on synchronization between humans and robot will contribute to the design theory of robot that can build intimate relationships with humans. Specifically, the sense of leading a rhythm evokes a pleasant emotion. If a communication robot is behaviorally synchronized with humans, a strong sense of unity with the robot could occur in keeping with their sense of leading. However, in rhythmic interactions, having the sense of leading the rhythm often differs from the actual rhythm leading. We conducted three kinds of experiments to examine whether a pseudosense of leading occurred in human-robot or human-human drumming interactions. At the experiment 1, we used an interaction task of human-robot drumming to examine whether participants experienced a strong sense of leading when interacting with a robot drumming with gradual rhythm fluctuations and whether the sense of leading the rhythm induced a positive impression of the robot. As a result, we found that a pseudosense of leading the rhythm and the pleasant emotion of drumming occurred even from the artificial robot’s rhythm, notably when the rhythm of the robot changed gradually. At the experiment 2, we also showed that the pseudosense of leading was not likely to occur in the drumming between humans. Finally, at the experiment 3, we found that the pseudosense of leading would induce anthropomorphic impressions of the robots. These findings may contribute to designing interactive robots’ rhythmic behavior to realize symbiosis between humans and robots.

Abstract Premise Pollen collected by honey bees from different plant species often differs in color, and this has been used as a basis for plant identification. The objective of this study was to develop a new, low‐cost protocol to sort pollen pellets by color using high‐energy violet light and visible light to determine whether pollen pellet color is associated with variations in plant species identity. Methods and Results We identified 35 distinct colors and found that 52% of pollen subsamples (n = 200) were dominated by a single taxon. Among these near‐pure pellets, only one color consistently represented a single pollen taxon (Asteraceae: Cichorioideae). Across the spectrum of colors spanning yellows, oranges, and browns, similarly colored pollen pellets contained pollen from multiple plant families ranging from two to 13 families per color. Conclusions Sorting pollen pellets illuminated under high‐energy violet light lit from four directions within a custom‐made light box aided in distinguishing pellet composition, especially in pellets within the same color.

In the reported work, the wool fabric was coated with epoxy resin by hand layup method to fabricate the wool-epoxy composites. Hydrophobic nanosilica was used as a filler to improve their mechanical characteristics. The physico-mechanical properties of the composites were analyzed using various analytical techniques. The surface morphology was examined with the aid of Scanning Electron Microscope. The biodegradability of the developed composites was determined by soil burial test. The presence of nanosilica in the composite was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). According to the findings, up to 0.5% nanosilica content significantly increases the tensile and impact strength of the wool-epoxy composites. The contact angle measurement showed a slight enhancement in the hydrophobic properties of the composites due to the dispersion of hydrophobic nanosilica particles. The presence of nanosilica slightly reduced the water diffusivity in wool-epoxy-nanosilica composites when compared to wool-epoxy composites. The SEM images detected nanosilica inside the composites. After soil burial test, all the composites showed a weight reduction below 1.0%.

Biomaterials have revolutionized therapeutic as well as preventive healthcare. This has given impetus to the development of implants, drug delivery systems, and tissue engineering scaffolds with improved functionalities. However, the quality of biomedical devices used raises concerns about the formation of biofilm and challenges in preventing device-related infections. Hence preventing bacterial colonization on implants and devices is becoming increasingly important. Bio-inspired nano-topographies fabricated on the implant surface offer a promising solution in this direction. This review describes several approaches including antimicrobial polymers, peptides, and marine extracts coated or incorporated into these devices to inhibit microbial infection. Applications of 3D and 4D printed antimicrobial biomaterials and their future perspectives are also taken into account. The mechanisms of bacterial adhesion, biofilm formation and the action of antimicrobial agents accounting for implant-associated infections are described. The advanced strategies would offer sustainable and potent antimicrobial solutions that would aid the fabrication of biomaterials for wound healing, medical implants and surgical devices.

Magnetite ferrofluids are widely reported due to their outstanding physicochemical, magnetic and antibacterial properties. This study focusses on the synthesis of magnetite ferrofluids and the effect of Co2+ substitution on their structural, optical, magnetic and rheological properties. An environmental friendly method of co-precipitation is applied to generate CoxFe1−xFe2O4 with variable dopant concentration (x = 0–0.8), which is deeply investigated by structural and functional property analyses of the ferrofluids. X-ray diffraction shows cubic spinel structure without the formation of secondary phase and morphology analysis reveals the formation of spherical nanoparticles of 6–11 nm size. Additionally, the optical, magnetic and rheological properties of the ferrofluids are investigated in depth. The optical measurement results demonstrate shift in band edge positions to blue region with decrease in particle size because of the quantum confinement effect. Magnetic measurements using SQUID studies illustrate the decrease in saturation magnetization from 56.4 emu/g to 41.08 emu/g, with increase in the concentration of the cobalt dopant. Faraday rotation of CoxFe1−xFe2O4 ferrofluids is measured depending on the different concentrations of cobalt in applied magnetic field. Finally the influence of magnetic field on the viscosity of Co2+ substituted magnetite ferrofluids are investigated, and a deep investigation is done by correlating the experimental details with theoretical modelling like Langevin fitting. Ultimately, the cobalt substitution in ferrofluids reports a smart tuning strategy to change the magneto-optical and magneto-rheological properties of the materials, for making them suitable in medicinal therapy.

Surgical site infections (SSI) are amongst the most common medical infections, occurring in 2 to 4% of patients undergoing a surgical procedure. Smart surgical sutures can play an important role in preventing infection. For example, antimicrobial sutures detectable via clinical imaging modalities can support monitoring wounds post-surgery and enhance patient recovery. However, no commercial suture products possess these properties. Herein, contrasting iodine carbon nanoparticles (ICPs) are synthesized using a solvothermal approach. These ICPs were incorporated into polycaprolactone (PCL) via a coaxial extrusion technique inspired by the ''core-shell'' multilayered suture structure, which integrates multiple clinically favourable functions into one suture device. This system exhibits high imaging contrast capabilities for real-time imaging even after 22 days in-vitro, with strong antimicrobial properties and a reduction in biofilm formation. The multifunctional and biocompatible suture composite developed in this study shows strong antimicrobial properties and can act as an immobilized marker to monitor the surgical site during and after surgical procedures. Identifying suture integrity and location within the body through minimally invasive methods can alleviate patient discomfort and minimize the risk of infection.

Nutrient pollution of rivers is one of the prime threats facing the aquatic systems. In the present study, water samples (n = 20) were collected from the Karamana river (KR) during the pre-monsoon (PMN) and monsoon (MN) seasons of 2019 to analyze the seasonal variations. The water samples were analyzed for various physico-chemical parameters and to understand the nutrient status of the river. Furthermore, gross primary productivity (GPP), net primary productivity (NPP) and phytoplankton analysis were carried out to assess relationship among productivity variables and phytoplanktons. The study revealed that water quality is better during MN than PMN due to dilution. Among the two seasons, PMN showed relatively higher values for most of parameters like pH, EC, TDS, TA, Cl, NH4-N, NO3-N, NO2-N, Chl-a, GPP and NPP. The correlation among GPP, NPP, nutrients and other water quality parameters were done using SPSS. Phytoplankton of 23 genera belonging to three classes, namely Chlorophyceae (40%), Bacillariophyceae (40%) and Cyanophyceae (20%) have been identified in KR. The various phytoplankton diversity indices and statistical analyses were estimated and their relevance discussed in this paper. The nutrient enrichment in the downstream regions was affected the phytoplanktonic structure and diversity of the river. HIGHLIGHTS Water quality of Karamana river is better during monsoon.; Higher nutrient contents enhances productivity of Karamana river.; Higher values of nutrients and productivity variables noted at downstream stretches.; Phytoplankton analysis and diversity indices of Karamana river.; Palmer's index shows downstream stations are organically polluted.;

The management of wastewater generated as a byproduct of various human activities from agricultural, industrial, and domestic sectors is a matter of global concern today. Greywater is a class of wastewater generated from the domestic sector. Greywater management can be done effectively by treating greywater at the source itself. In this context, constructed wetlands (CWs) come handy with low-tech, environmental, and economic-friendly options. In the present study, box-type horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands were designed and the efficiency of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides), and Equisetum (Equisetum hyemale) were assessed in treating domestic greywater. There was a drastic significant increase in DO with 47.0% in Vetiver, 92.5% in Napier grass, and 97.2% in Equisetum. The average percent pollutant removal of some major parameters was 92.4% for turbidity, 92.7% for acidity, 81.3% for BOD, 91.0% for COD with Napier grass. In the case of Vetiver, the removal percent was 82.5% turbidity, 87.9% acidity, 81.8% BOD, and 92.9% COD. For Equisetum, the average pollutant removal efficiency varied with 94.6% turbidity, 91.4% acidity, 80.0% BOD, and 88.1%COD. The study thus proves the efficiency of all the three plants to be used in box-type constructed wetlands. HIGHLIGHTS Construction of box type constructed wetlands.; Constructed wetlands for the treatment of domestic greywater.; Analysis of the effectiveness of Napier grass, Equisetum, and Vetiver for the treatment of domestic greywater.; Reuse of treated greywater.; Application of box-type constructed wetlands in developing countries.;

Abstract Introduction Disasters can have deep physical and psychological impact among survivors. An extraordinary southwest monsoon has unleashed floods and landslides in Kerala state in 2018. Adolescents are more vulnerable to psychological impairment after a disaster and trauma during initial stages of life can etch an indelible signature in the individual’s development and may lead to future disorders. Objectives 1. To screen for PTSD and associated factors among adolescents 8 months post floods in selected schools in flood-affected areas of Alleppey district of Kerala 2. To compare the proportion of adolescents screened positive for PTSD in public and private schools. Methodology A 3-month, Cross-sectional study was done among 670 adolescents in private and public schools using stratified sampling in Alleppey district. The study tool included a structured questionnaire that collected information on sociodemographics, flood-related variables, Trauma screening questionnaire and academic performance. Results The mean age of the participants was 16.03 ± 0.73 years with almost equal gender distribution. One-third of students reported flood-related damage to house/property, and a few lost their pets. Nearly 50% of the students reported that they still re-experience and get upsetting memories about flood events. The prevalence of probable PTSD noted to be 34.9%. We observed that 31% of students in public school screened positive for PTSD compared to 38.8% of private school students. (odds ratio = 1.409, CI 1.024–1.938). Male gender (Odds ratio = 1.503, CI 1.093–2.069), higher age (Odds ratio = 1.701, CI 1.120–2.585), damage during floods (Odds ratio = 2.566, CI 1.814–3.630), presence of morbidity (Odds ratio = 3.568, CI 1.888–6.743), camp stay (Odds ratio = 3.788, CI 2.364–6.067) and loss of pets (Odds ratio = 3.932, CI 2.019–7.657) were the factors significantly associated with PTSD. We noted a deterioration in academic performance in 45.9% of students who screened positive for PTSD. Conclusion and recommendations High prevalence of stress disorder highlights the need for early identification and intervention for PTSD and including trained counsellors as a part of the disaster management team in future.

Background: A better understanding regarding the experiences faced by adolescents is essential to plan need based interventions and disaster preparedness. Aim and Objectives: To assess impact of floods among adolescents in Kerala. Material and Methods: This study was conducted among 670 adolescent children in selected schools using stratified sampling in Alleppey district. The study tool included a structured questionnaire which collected information on sociodemographics and impact (rescue, flood related losses, life during floods, morbidity, stay in relief camps and effect of academic activities) Results: Among the 670 participants assessed, 362 (54%) were females with a mean age of 16.03 ± 0.73 years. More than 50 percent reported that they had to survive without basic necessities such as food (125, 18.7%), water (146, 21.8%), electricity (369, 55.1%) and proper sanitation facilities (71, 10.6%) during floods. Nearly 25 percent of them needed a rescue service and majority were rescued using boat service. In the study, 189 (28.2%) of them reported flood related losses. This included damage to houses (178, 26.6%), household items (174, 26%), documents (207, 31%), study materials (140, 20.9%) and pets (41, 6.1%). Few reported deaths of their loved ones in the family. The common morbidity reported was skin infection (27, 4%). Among students, 86 (12.8 %) stayed in rescue camps with median days of stay of 8 days (IQR 5, 15). More than 80 percent of them were happy with the facilities provided in the camp. Among students, 265 (39.6%) missed classes and majority reported that they are unable to concentrate post floods. We noted significant differences in the flood related loss and experience of students from private and public school. Conclusion: This study observed many personal and academic losses related to floods that can have a deep psychological impact among adolescents. Mental health of the adolescents should be treated as a priority and trained mental health specialist should be included in the disaster relief team. The experience they gained can be used to plan local interventions and train them in disaster preparedness and risk reduction.

This article presents data concerning STX18-AS1, a long noncoding RNA gene identified from a Genome-wide association study of Atrial Septal Defect (ASD). The data describes its expression patterns in human tissues and functions in regulating cardiomyocyte differentiation in vitro. STX18-AS1 is a lncRNA with a higher abundance in developing tissues, including hearts. Its transcription distribution within the embryonic hearts during key heart septation stages supports STX18-AS1’s association with risk SNPs for ASD. The CRISPR stem cell pool in which STX18-AS1 was knocked down, showed reduced CM differentiation efficiency and lower expression of key cardiac transcriptional factors. This indicated its regulative role in supporting the lineage specification from cardiac mesoderm into cardiac progenitors and cardiomyocytes. These data can benefit the understanding of human embryonic heart developmental biology, and the time-course changes of cardiac transcriptional factors during in vitro cardiomyocyte differentiation from human embryonic stem cells.

In this study, three organic acids (citric, lactic, and acetic acid) were pretreated separately on P. rotundifolius starch, and their effects on the structural, functional, and rheological properties of cold water soluble (CWS) starches were investigated. In comparison to native starch, all the modified samples showed granular swelling, and acid pretreatment led to degradation and leaching of the granules. In FT-IR spectra, a peak at 1724 cm−1 confirmed the esterification of organic acids. All the modified starches lost their A-type diffraction pattern and showed a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in the relative crystallinity. HPG showed a significantly higher cold water swelling power than native (2.13 g/g) starch, and lactic acid pretreatment enhanced the cold water swelling power to 9.91 g/g. Citric acid esterified CWS showed a significant increase in cold water solubility (63.1%) and freeze-thaw stability. Thus, this study found that each organic acid treatment affected CWS P. rotundifolius starch differently and has potential application in a refrigerated, instant, or frozen food products.

With the evolution of additive manufacturing and flexible printed electronic (PE) technologies, conductive inks have received a lot of interest. Nanomaterials are an important component of conductive ink composition. LASIS (Laser Ablation Synthesis in Solution) is a physical method for creating nanoparticles in a liquid environment. This top-down technique employs well-known laser-based technologies to generate additive-free nanocolloids that are less harmful and more ecologically friendly. This study discusses recent advancements in the manufacturing of LASiS nanomaterials and their printed electronic applications. The parameters that determine the yield and attributes of LASiS nanoparticles are examined, with emphasis on specific use of such nanoparticles as conductive inks in the field of printed electronics. The advantages of LASiS-synthesised nanoparticles in printing applications, as well as the challenges that must be resolved to reach optimum performance, are also explored.

The growth and development in the biomedical field are very essential for the sustainable and holistic well-being of our entire society. The shortage of patient-specific products is the main limitation in the biomedical field. This cutting-edge technology can contribute to the advancement of several sectors including aviation, automotive, biomedical etc. It has revolutionized the production of medical instruments, organs, tissue regeneration, drug delivery platform, scaffolds, and implants. Many operative and post-operative processes in the medical field are now quite easy due to the new inventions in 3D printing. In this review, different additive manufacturing techniques and various applications of 3D printing in the biomedical field are compiled. Using examples to analyze the technology in depth, existing challenges and future outlooks are presented.

Stock market prediction is a challenging and complex problem that has received the attention of researchers due to the high returns resulting from an improved prediction. Even though machine learning models are popular in this domain dynamic and the volatile nature of the stock markets limits the accuracy of stock prediction. Studies show that incorporating news sentiment in stock market predictions enhances performance compared to models using stock features alone. There is a need to develop an architecture that facilitates noise removal from stock data, captures market sentiments, and ensures prediction to a reasonable degree of accuracy. The proposed cooperative deep-learning architecture comprises a deep autoencoder, lexicon-based software for sentiment analysis of news headlines, and LSTM/GRU layers for prediction. The autoencoder is used to denoise the historical stock data, and the denoised data is transferred into the deep learning model along with news sentiments. The stock data is concatenated with the sentiment score and is fed to the LSTM/GRU model for output prediction. The model’s performance is evaluated using the standard measures used in the literature. The results show that the combined model using deep autoencoder with news sentiments performs better than the standalone LSTM/GRU models. The performance of our model also compares favorably with state-of-the-art models in the literature.