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In this work, the stability and aggregation behaviour of CeO

Silicon nanowire-based devices have properties such as optical, electronic, and physical that can outperform their traditional counterparts in various ways because the silicon nanowires (SiNWs) have a high surface Si area to volume ratio and unique quasi-one-dimensional (1D) electronic structure. A variety of approaches are being classified into top-down and bottom-up methods to fabricate SiNWs. The present work demonstrates the synthesis of porous SiNWs (PSiNWs) through the metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE). The MACE produces PSiNWs using an aqueous solution composed of hydrofluoric acid (HF) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Effect of MACE parameters such as H2O2 concentration, etching time, and Si wafer resistivity variation on the morphological characteristics (especially length) of PSiNWs are compared and thoroughly discussed. The structure and morphology of PSiNWs are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD data show the PSiNWs crystal growth direction.

To overcome the challenges associated with combined bioprocessing of lignocellulosic biomass to biofuel, finding good organisms is essential. An ethanol producing bacteria DBT-IOC-DC21 was isolated from a compost site via preliminary enrichment culture on a pure hemicellulosic substrate and identified as a Clostridium strain by 16S rRNA analysis. This strain presented broad substrate spectrum with ethanol, acetate, lactate, and hydrogen as the primary metabolic end products. The optimum conditions for ethanol production were found to be an initial pH of 7.0, a temperature of 70 °C and an L-G ratio of 0.67. Strain presented preferential hemicellulose fermentation when compared to various substrates and maximum ethanol concentration of 26.61 mM and 43.63 mM was produced from xylan and xylose, respectively. During the fermentation of varying concentration of xylan, a substantial amount of ethanol ranging from 25.27 mM to 67.29 mM was produced. An increased ethanol concentration of 40.22 mM was produced from a mixture of cellulose and xylan, with a significant effect observed on metabolic flux distribution. The optimum conditions were used to produce ethanol from 28 g L−1 rice straw biomass (RSB) (equivalent to 5.7 g L−1 of the xylose equivalents) in which 19.48 mM ethanol production was achieved. Thus, Clostridium strain DBT-IOC-DC21 has the potential to perform direct microbial conversion of untreated RSB to ethanol at a yield comparative to xylan fermentation.

In the present study, we synthesized TiO2 nanofibers (NFs) by electrospinning technique and they were subject to solvosonication process using glycerol as a pore forming agent to produce porous TiO2 NFs. The prepared porous TiO2 NFs are seen to improve the light harvesting capability as a result of enhanced light scattering inside the TiO2 NFs and offer a high surface area for maximum adsorption of pre-synthesized CdSe (similar to 4 nm) QDs. The FESEM and BET analysis were performed to confirm the surface texture and surface area of porous TiO2 NFs, respectively. Finally, QDSSCs were fabricated using these porous TiO2 NFs sensitized with CdSe QDs as the photoanode, Cu2S nanoparticles as the counter electrode and polysulfide redox couple (S2-/S-x(2-)) as the electrolyte. The porous TiO2 NFs obtained by solvosonication at the time duration of 90 min has enhanced photo current density (J(sc)) of 9.21 mA/cm(2) with high power conversion efficiency (eta) of 2.15% than the conventional TiO2 NFs (eta approximate to 1.50%).

The 25 bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) in humans are novel players in mediating host-pathogen responses in the airways and innate immunity. The chemosensory T2Rs are expressed in different extraoral tissues and perform diverse pathophysiological roles from mediating bronchodilation to detecting bacterial infection in the airways. T2Rs were suggested to be activated by multiple bacterial quorum sensing molecules (QSMs). However, whether bacterial QSMs bind to T2Rs and the structural features on T2Rs has not yet been characterized. Here, we analyzed the taste sensory profiles of QSMs including acyl homoserine lactones (C4-AHL, C8-AHL, and 3-oxo-C12-AHL) and hydroxyquinolones (HHQ and NHQ) predominantly secreted by Gram-negative bacteria and characterized the candidate T2Rs interacting with different QSMs using structure-function approaches. The potency of the above QSMs for T2Rs significantly expressed in the airways, namely T2R4, T2R14, and T2R20, was characterized. 3-Oxo-C12-AHL activated T2R4, T2R14, and T2R20, while C8-AHL activated T2R4 and T2R14 with strong potency. The T2R amino acid residues involved in the interactions were characterized by molecular-model-guided site-directed mutagenesis. AHLs bind to a similar orthosteric site present on the extracellular surface in all three T2Rs with significant contributions from residues in extracellular loop 2. Our results reveal the mode of binding of AHLs for different T2Rs and provide biochemical insights into their interactions. This study will facilitate mechanistic studies aimed at understanding the role of these T2Rs as "sensors" of bacteria and in host-pathogen interactions.

Background and purpose Lithium's antidepressant action may be mediated by inhibition of inositol monophosphatase (IMPase), a key enzyme in Gq -protein coupled receptor signalling. Recently, the antioxidant agent ebselen was identified as an IMPase inhibitor. Here, we investigated both ebselen and lithium in models of the 5-HT2A receptor, a Gq -protein coupled receptor involved in lithium's actions. Experimental approach 5-HT2A receptor function was assessed in mice by measuring the behavioural (head-twitches, ear scratches) and molecular (cortical immediate early gene [IEG] mRNA; Arc, c-fos, Egr2) responses to 5-HT2A receptor agonists. Ebselen and lithium were administered either acutely or repeatedly prior to assessment of 5-HT2A receptor function. Because lithium and 5-HT2A receptor antagonists augment the action of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), ebselen was tested for this activity by co-administration with the SSRI citalopram in microdialysis (extracellular 5-HT) experiments. Key results Acute and repeated administration of ebselen inhibited behavioural and IEG responses to the 5-HT2A receptor agonist DOI. Repeated lithium also inhibited DOI-evoked behavioural and IEG responses. In comparison, a selective IMPase inhibitor (L-690330) attenuated the behavioural response to DOI whereas glycogen synthase kinase inhibitor (AR-A014418) did not. Finally, ebselen enhanced the increase in extracellular 5-HT induced by citalopram, and also increased regional brain 5-HT synthesis. Conclusions and implications Our data demonstrated lithium-mimetic effects of ebselen in different experimental models of 5-HT2A receptor function, probably mediated by IMPase inhibition. This evidence of lithium-like neuropharmacological effects of ebselen adds further support for the clinical testing of ebselen in mood disorders, including as an antidepressant augmenting agent.

Infectious diseases are a major challenge in management of human health worldwide. Recent literature suggests that host immune system could be modulated to ameliorate the pathogenesis of infectious disease. Heme oxygenase (HMOX1) is a key regulator of cellular signaling and it could be modulated using pharmacological reagents. HMOX1 is a cytoprotective enzyme that degrades heme to generate carbon monoxide (CO), biliverdin, and molecular iron. CO and biliverdin (or bilirubin derived from it) can restrict the growth of a few pathogens. Both of these also induce antioxidant pathways and anti-inflammatory pathways. On the other hand, molecular iron can induce proinflammatory pathway besides making the cellular environment oxidative in nature. Since microbial infections often induce oxidative stress in host cells/tissues, role of HMOX1 has been analyzed in the pathogenesis of number of infections. In this review, we have described the role of HMOX1 in pathogenesis of bacterial infections caused by Mycobacterium species, Salmonella and in microbial sepsis. We have also provided a succinct overview of the role of HMOX1 in parasitic infections such as malaria and leishmaniasis. In the end, we have also elaborated the role of HMOX1 in viral infections such as AIDS, hepatitis, dengue, and influenza. © 2018 IUBMB Life, 70(9):869-880, 2018.

IFNG (interferon gamma)-induced autophagy plays an important role in the elimination of intracellular pathogens, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). However, the signaling cascade that leads to the increase in autophagy flux in response to IFNG is poorly defined. Here, we demonstrate that HMOX1 (heme oxygenase 1)-generated carbon monoxide (CO) is required for the induction of autophagy and killing of Mtb residing in macrophages in response to immunomodulation by IFNG. Interestingly, IFNG exposure of macrophages induces an increase in intracellular calcium levels that is dependent on HMOX1 generated CO. Chelation of intracellular calcium inhibits IFNG-mediated autophagy and mycobacterial clearance from macrophages. Moreover, we show that IFNG-mediated increase in intracellular calcium leads to activation of the phosphatase calcineurin (PPP3), which dephosphorylates the TFEB (transcription factor EB) to induce autophagy. PPP3-mediated activation and nuclear translocation of TFEB are critical in IFNG-mediated mycobacterial trafficking and survival inside the infected macrophages. These findings establish that IFNG utilizes the PPP3-TFEB signaling axis for inducing autophagy and regulating mycobacterial growth. We believe this signaling axis could act as a therapeutic target for suppression of growth of intracellular pathogens.

The aim of this work was to determine the T2R4 bitter taste receptor-blocking ability of enzymatic beef protein hydrolysates and identified peptide sequences. Beef protein was hydrolyzed with each of six commercial enzymes (alcalase, chymotrypsin, trypsin, pepsin, flavourzyme, and thermoase). Electronic tongue measurements showed that the hydrolysates had significantly ( p0.05) lower bitter scores than quinine. Addition of the hydrolysates to quinine led to reduced bitterness intensity of quinine with trypsin and pepsin hydrolysates being the most effective. Addition of the hydrolysates to HEK293T cells that heterologously express one of the bitter taste receptors (T2R4) showed alcalase, thermoase, pepsin, and trypsin hydrolysates as the most effective in reducing calcium mobilization. Eight peptides that were identified from the alcalase and chymotrypsin hydrolysates also suppressed quinine-dependent calcium release from T2R4 with AGDDAPRAVF and ETSARHL being the most effective. We conclude that short peptide lengths or the presence of multiple serine residues may not be desirable structural requirements for blocking quinine-dependent T2R4 activation.

As the title suggests, A Birth that Changed a Nation: A New Model of Care and Inclusion, is a book that discusses a well established model, which provides a holistic approach for care and inclusion...

Background & objectives: Cancer cervix is one of the most common forms of genital malignancy among Indian women. Recurrence is seen in a significant number of cases. The conventional cervical smear technique has inherent problems and screening and interpretation errors. This study was undertaken to assess the efficacy of liquid-based cytology (LBC) as a method for cytological follow up and detection of recurrence in treated cases of cancer cervix and to compare it with conventional Pap smear technique to find the best screening method for detection of recurrence in these patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of one year. Patients attending Gynecology and Radiotherapy outpatient departments for follow up after treatment of cancer cervix were included. Pap smear and LBC were taken in all cases. Colposcopy and biopsy were done for those having epithelial cell abnormality in cytology report. Colposcopy and biopsy were taken as gold standard for diagnosis of cancer cervix recurrence. Results: Ninety four treated patients of carcinoma cervix were studied. The diagnostic accuracy for detection of recurrence of conventional Pap smear was 79.16 per cent, and that of LBC was 97.6 per cent. The difference between the two methods was significant (P

Relativistic and ponderomotive nonlinearities arising by the passage of a linearly polarized laser beam through a partially stripped magnetized quantum plasma are analyzed. The interaction formalism has been developed using the recently developed quantum hydrodynamic model. The effects associated with the Fermi pressure, quantum Bohm potential and electron spin have been incorporated. A nonparaxial, non-linear wave equation has been obtained by the use of source dependent expansion technique and spot size has been evaluated. The nonlinear relativistic self-focusing tends to focus the beam while the ponderomotive nonlinearity tends to defocus. The effect of magnetization and quantum effects on the spot size and the beam power have been studied.

Purpose The intranasal (IN) administration of radiopharmaceuticals is of interest in being a viable route for the delivery of radiopharmaceuticals that do not ordinarily cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, to be viable in a patient population, good image quality as well as safety of the administration should be demonstrated. This work provides radiation dosimetry calculations and simulations related to the radiation safety of performing such experiments in a human cohort. Methods We performed Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to estimate radiation dose to the skin inside a cylindrical model of the nasal cavity assuming a homogenous distribution layer of 11 C and 18 F and calculated a geometry conversion factor (FP-C ) which can be used to convert from a planar geometry to a cylindrical geometry using more widely available software tools. We compared radiation doses from our simulated cylindrical geometry with the planar dose estimates employing our geometry conversion factor from VARSKIN 6.1 software and also from an analytical equation. Furthermore, in order to estimate radiation dosimetry to surrounding organs of interest, we performed a voxelized MC simulation of a fixed radioactivity inside the nasal cavity and calculated S-values to organs such as the eyes, thyroid, and brain. Results MC simulations of contamination scenarios using planar absorbed doses of 15.50 and 8.60 mGy/MBq for 18 F and 11 C, respectively, and 35.70 and 19.80 mGy/MBq per hour for cylindrical geometries, leading to determination of an FP-C of 2.3. Planar absorbed doses (also in units of mGy/MBq) determined by the analytical equation were 16.96 and 8.68 (18 F and 11 C) and using VARSKIN were 16.60 and 9.26 (18 F and 11 C), respectively. Application of FP-C to these results demonstrates values with a maximum difference of 9.41% from the cylindrical geometry MC calculation, demonstrating that when accounting for geometry, more simplistic techniques can be utilized to estimate IN dosimetry. Voxelized MC simulations of radiation dosimetry from a fixed source of 1 MBq of activity confined to the nasal cavity resulted in S-values to the thyroid, eyes, and brain of 1.72 x 10-6 , 1.93 x 10-5 , and 3.51 x 10-6 mGy/MBq·s, respectively, for 18 F and 1.80 × 10-6 , 1.95 × 10-5 , and 3.54 × 10-6 mGy/MBq·s for 11 C. Conclusion Dosimetry concerns about IN administrations of PET radiotracers should be considered before clinical use. Values presented in the simulations such as the S-values can be further used for assessment of absorbed doses in cases of IN administration, and can be used to develop and adapt specific study protocols. All three presented methods provided similar results when considering the use of a geometry conversion factor for planar to cylindrical geometry, demonstrating that standard tools rather than dedicate MC simulations may be used to perform dose calculations in nasal administrations.

In this study, an innovative approach is proposed for the valorization of all sugars (cellulosic and hemicellulosic) contained in a lignocellulosic feedstock, as is rice straw biomass (RSB), for the production of second-generation bioethanol. For this purpose, the whole slurry obtained after dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment at a biomass loading of 5% (w/v) was subjected to consolidated bioprocessing without previous solid-liquid separation and/or detoxification and the concentrated solution of carbohydrates recovered was fermented to bioethanol by a co-culture of thermophilic anaerobic bacteria. To bypass the inhibitory effect of undetoxified whole slurry on the lower fermentability of the co-culture, the concentration of different additives was optimized for improved buffering capacity, enhanced substrate-microbe interaction, and by-product elimination. The individual supplementation of 3 selected additives at optimum concentration; 20 mM calcium carbonate, 0.4% (v/v) polyethylene glycol, and 1% (w/v) sodium acetate resulted in enhanced ethanol yield of 130.83 mM, 106.37 mM, and 99.10 mM, respectively, compared to 75.03 mM ethanol yield in control. The combined effect of optimal dosage of these additives was able to improve the ethanol concentration and yield to 142 mM and 48% of the theoretical maximum respectively, suggesting about 88.58% increase compared to control medium without additives supplementation. The combined supplementation of additives proved to be an advantageous strategy for bioethanol production using undetoxified whole slurry biomass.

The surge in nano/microplastics (NPs/MPs) through myriad daily products released in the aqueous environment highlights the importance of the urgent development of mitigation techniques. The study has assessed the performance of iron-modified biochar pyrolyzed at two different temperatures, i.e., 550 °C (FB-550) and 850 °C (FB-850), with magnetic extractability for the easy and prompt removal of NPs of varying size and surface functionality. NP1 (1000 nm, carboxyl), NP2 (1000 nm, amine), and NP3 (30 nm, carboxyl) were subjected to batch experiments with the composites. Rapid elimination of all the NPs ( 2) was found through the general order model, and a good fit for Sips isotherm suggests ultrafast NPs removal and heterogeneous nature of the composite surface. Maximum removal capacities for NP1 (225.11 mg/g), and NP3 (206.46 mg/g) were obtained using FB-850, whereas FB-550 showed higher removal of NP2 (290.20 mg/g). The influence of solution pH on the sorption of NPs was limited with significant variation in zeta potential, suggesting the probability of surface complexation of NPs. The spectroscopic analysis of reaction mixture showed the disappearance of COO− peak, generation of FeOOH stretching, and shift in Fe-O band, confirming the involvement of surface complexation in the sorption process. Minimal impact of environmental parameters, reaction spontaneity, and efficient removal of NPs in complex aqueous matrices justify the composites' environmental applicability. No-iron release and excellent reusability of the utilized adsorbents support the large-scale applicability of the composites.

Plants are confronted with a variety of environmenmtal stresses resulting in enhanced production of ROS. Plants require a threshold level of ROS for vital functions and any change in their concentration alters the entire physiology of plant. Delicate balance of ROS is maintained by an efficient functioning of intriguing indigenous defence system called antioxidant system comprising enzymatic and non enzymatic components. Down regulation of antioxidant system leads to ROS induced oxidative stress causing damage to important cellular structures and hence anomalies in metabolism. Proper mineral nutrition, in addition to other agricultural practices, forms an important part for growth and hence the yield. Potassium (K) is a key macro-element regulating growth and development through alterations in physiological and biochemical attributes. K has been reported to result into accumulation of osmolytes and augmentation of antioxidant components in the plants exposed to water and salt stress. In the present review an effort has been made to revisit the old findings and the current advances in research regarding the role of optimal, suboptimal and deficient K soil status on growth under normal and stressful conditions. Effect of K deficiency and sufficiency is discussed and the information about the K mediated antioxidant regulation and plant response is highlighted.

Here, we present the draft genome (377.3 Mbp) of Corchorus olitorious cv. JRO-524 (Navin), which is a leading dark jute variety developed from a cross between African (cv. Sudan Green) and indigenous (cv. JRO-632) types. We predicted from the draft genome a total of 57,087 protein-coding genes with annotated functions. We identified a large number of 1765 disease resistance-like and defense response genes in the jute genome. The annotated genes showed the highest sequence similarities with that of Theobroma cacao followed by Gossypium raimondii. Seven chromosome-scale genetically anchored pseudomolecules were constructed with a total size of 8.53 Mbp and used for synteny analyses with the cocoa and cotton genomes. Like other plant species, gypsy and copia retrotransposons were the most abundant classes of repeat elements in jute. The raw data of our study are available in SRA database of NCBI with accession number SRX1506532. The genome sequence has been deposited at DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank under the accession LLWS00000000, and the version described in this paper will be the first version (LLWS01000000).

The bar-top sediments at the Tons river deposited mainly from the suspension current during waning stage condition of river are collected to study their provenance on the basis of clay mineralogy, heavy minerals and magnetic properties. The clay mineral assemblages in samples predominantly consist of illite, with minor amounts of kaolinite, smectite and chlorite. The clay minerals are contributed due to (i) weathering and decomposition of shales, argillaceous limestones and pyroclastic deposits of upper Vindhyan Groups and (ii) weathering and erosion of Banda plain of Gangetic alluvium. The low ZTR index for the studied samples indicates poor sediment maturity, rapid erosion in the source region and short transportation of detritus. The transparent heavy mineral assemblages in the sediment samples predominantly consist of garnet, with minor amounts of tourmaline, zircon, hornblende, enstatite, hypersthene, rutile, tremolite, kyanite, sillimanite, andalusite, chlorite, epidote, wollastonite, and staurolite. The heavy minerals are dominantly angular to sub-angular with some rounded to sub-rounded grains. The rounded grains indicate multicyclicity and derivation from Vindhyan sandstones. The angular grains are either contributed due to erosion of primary rocks of Bundelkhand gneissic complex and or various Gangetic alluviums. The magnetic properties from sediment samples indicate that the antiferromagnetic minerals (illite, chlorite and smectite) are more concentrated in clay sized particles and it also indicated mixed source rocks for the bar-top sediment of Tons river.

Aim To evaluate and compare the efficacy of liquid-based cytology (LBC) with conventional cytology (CS) as a screening tool for cervical cancer in postmenopausal women. Materials and methods This was an observational crosssectional study conducted over one year. Subjects were recruited from patients attending the outpatient department of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Pap smear and LBC were taken in all subjects. In cases with suspected lesions, the discrepancy between Pap smear and LBC and colposcopy was found. Results Pap smear reported 14.3% inadequate smears in women with postmenopausal changes and 5% inadequate smears in women without postmenopausal changes. In contrast, LBC reported no inadequate smear. This difference was statistically significant (p = 0.011). Cervical neoplasia was ruled out in 53.6% cases by Pap smear and 75.8% cases by LBC. The difference was statistically significant (p = 0.002). Conclusion Liquid-based cytology offers better results in detecting cervical pathology when compared with Pap smear. Liquid-based cytology could be better as a screening method, especially in postmenopausal women in which the screening is challenging due to menopause-induced anatomical and hormonal changes. Clinical significance Cervical cancer is the most common genital cancer among Indian women. Postmenopausal women are at higher risk for developing cervical cancer. Low estrogenic state poses a challenge for detection of cervical cancer by CS in postmenopausal women. We investigated LBC as a better cervical cancer screening tool in this age group. How to cite this article Qureshi S, Singh U, Foruin S, Negi N, Agarwal G, Singh N. Liquid-based Cytology vs Conventional Cytology as a Screening Tool for Cervical Cancer in Postmenopausal Women. J South Asian Feder Obst Gynae 2017;9(2):159-163.

Osseous choristoma is a rare, benign lesion of the oral cavity. This report presents a case of osseous choristoma in the submental region of a 30-year-old female subject. Her chief complaint was a painless swelling in the submental region. Panoramic radiography showed a well-defined, round, radiopaque lesion near the inferior border of the left mental region. The lesion was diagnosed as an osseous choristoma based on the histopathological examination of the surgical specimen. This paper is an attempt to bring forward a unique occurrence of osseous choristoma, which would further help the medical fraternity in improvising their knowledge, diagnosis, and treatment of this entity.

In this preliminary study, we examined peer victimization in adolescents with Down syndrome (DS) and how it relates to language and communication skills. We modified the Childrens' Social Experience Questionnaire (Crick and Grotpeter in Dev Psychopathol 8:367-380, 1996) to better suit adolescents with DS by simplifying vocabulary and syntax, using two step interview response format. Internal reliability was adequate, and all peer victimization measures were significantly elevated compared to a typically developing sample. Further, peer victimization (especially relational victimization) correlated with speech intelligibility, pragmatic judgment, conversational behavior, and receptive vocabulary. These preliminary data suggest that having DS may put adolescents at risk for peer victimization, but having relatively good language/communication skills may be a protective factor. Further research is warranted on this topic.

NTRK gene rearrangements are important to identify as predictors of response to targeted therapy in many malignancies. Only 0.16-0.3% of colorectal carcinomas (CRCs) harbor these fusions making universal screening difficult. We therefore investigated whether pan-Trk immunohistochemistry (IHC), mismatch repair deficiency (MMRd), and BRAFV600E mutation status could be used to triage molecular testing for NTRK gene rearrangements in CRC. CRCs from 4569 unselected patients underwent IHC in TMA format with two different anti-pan-Trk rabbit monoclonal antibodies. All positive cases were confirmed on whole sections and underwent RNA-sequencing. Pan-Trk IHC was positive in 0.2% of CRCs (9/4569). Both antibodies demonstrated similar staining characteristics with diffuse positive staining in all neoplastic cells. Of note 8/9 (89%) IHC positive cases were both MMRd (all showing MLH1/PMS2 loss) and lacked BRAFV600E mutation. That is, IHC was positive in 5.3% (8/152) MLH1/PMS2/BRAFV600E triple negative CRCs, but only 0.02% (1/4417) not showing this phenotype. All nine IHC positive CRCs demonstrated gene rearrangements (LMNA-NTRK1 in 5 CRCs, TPR-NTRK1, STRM-NTRK1, MUC2-NTRK2, and NTRK1 with an unknown partner in one each), suggesting close to 100% specificity for IHC in this sub-population. NTRK fusions were associated with right sided (p = 0.02), larger tumors (p = 0.029) with infiltrative growth (p = 0.021). As a part of universal Lynch syndrome screening many institutions routinely test all CRCs for MMRd, and then proceed to reflex BRAFV600E mutation testing in MLH1/PMS2 negative CRCs. We conclude that performing pan-Trk IHC on this preselected subgroup of MLH1/PMS2/BRAFV600E triple negative CRCs (only 3.3% of all CRC patients) is a resource effective approach to identify the overwhelming majority of CRC patients with NTRK gene fusions.

Our era has witnessed tremendous advances in plant genomics, characterized by an explosion of high-throughput techniques to identify multi-dimensional genome-wide molecular phenotypes at low costs. More importantly, genomics is not merely acquiring molecular phenotypes, but also leveraging powerful data mining tools to predict and explain them. In recent years, deep learning has been found extremely effective in these tasks. This review highlights two prominent questions at the intersection of genomics and deep learning: 1) how can the flow of information from genomic DNA sequences to molecular phenotypes be modeled; 2) how can we identify functional variants in natural populations using deep learning models? Additionally, we discuss the possibility of unleashing the power of deep learning in synthetic biology to create novel genomic elements with desirable functions. Taken together, we propose a central role of deep learning in future plant genomics research and crop genetic improvement.

A wide spectrum of light harvesting silver selenide (Ag2Se) quantum dots (QDs) with an average size of ~ 5 nm has been synthesized by a low-temperature one-pot hot injection method. To finely control the size of Ag2Se QDs, oleylamine was used as the solvent, and dodecanethiol was used as the capping agent as well as a stabilizer. The prepared Ag2Se QDs were ex situ sensitized on the porous TiO2 nanofiber (NF) substrate via a direct adsorption method to use as efficient photoanode for quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSC). The UV-Vis-NIR absorption and photoluminescence studies revealed that Ag2Se QD-sensitized porous TiO2 NF photoanode (Ag2Se/P-TiO2) exhibited near-infrared (NIR) absorption and fast electron kinetics. Further, the QDSC fabricated using Ag2Se/P-TiO2 NFs as the photoanode, Cu2S as the counter electrode, and liquid polysulfide (S2−/Sx2− redox couple) as the electrolyte exhibited a photoconversion efficiency of 2.50% with an improved photocurrent density of 11.12 mA/cm2.

Calcium ($${\text {Ca}}^{2+}$$) signaling is the secondary signaling processes which have been one of the most vital intracellular signaling mechanisms. Over recent decades, this signaling process has been studied a lot in various cells to understand its mechanisms and also cure of various health hazards. In this paper, an attempt has been made to propose a model for coupled dynamics of $${\text {Ca}}^{2+}$$ and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate ($${\text {IP}}_3$$) in cardiac myocyte for a better understanding of the dependence of $${\text {Ca}}^{2+}$$ signaling on other chemical ions such as $${\text {IP}}_3$$ ions. The parameters such as influx, outflux, diffusion coefficient, SERCA pump, and Leak have been incorporated into the model and the finite differences scheme has been employed for the solution of the problem. The numerical results have been used to study the interdependence of $${\text {Ca}}^{2+}$$ and $${\text {IP}}_3$$ in the cardiac myocyte. It is observed that this interdependence is quite significantly affected by all these parameters except Leak. Also, the relationship between $${\text {Ca}}^{2+}$$ and $${\text {IP}}_3$$ dynamics is found to be non-linear. Such realistic models can be useful to generate the information of these dynamics in cardiac cells which can be useful for developing protocols for diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases like abnormal calcium signaling due to mutation of calsequestrin which results in sudden cardiac death and cardiomyopathy that affects the squeezing of the heart muscle.

In this paper, we prove the Δ-convergence of a modified proximal point algorithm for common fixed points in a CAT(0) space for different classes of generalized nonexpansive mappings including a total asymptotically nonexpansive mapping, a multivalued mapping, and a minimizer of a convex function. The results in this paper generalize the corresponding results given by some authors. Moreover, numerical example is given to illustrate and show the Δ-convergence of the proposed algorithm for supporting our result.

To identify cases needing genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome among cases of breast and ovarian cancer and assess their acceptability for genetic testing. One hundred patients of breast and/or ovarian cancer were recruited. A series of family meetings were done with patient and close family members. The first meeting was for pedigree chart preparation and identification of cases for genetic testing (HBOC) as per NCCN 2013 criteria. Second family meeting was held for counselling about genetic testing. Third meeting was held for recording acceptance or refusal for genetic testing. For those refusing the test, reasons for refusal were recorded. Outcome measures including prevalence of high-risk cases, acceptance rate for genetic testing and factors affecting the above acceptance rates among high-risk women were statistically analysed. Out of 100 patients of breast and ovarian cancer recruited in the study, 88 were found to be at high risk of HBOC. The most common criterion for high risk among breast cancer cases was age below 45 years. Family history of breast or ovarian cancer was present in 3.03% cases of ovarian cancer and 11.76 cases of breast cancer. Eleven (16.66%) cases of epithelial ovarian carcinoma and six (27.27%) cases of breast carcinoma accepted genetic testing. Socioeconomic status was found to have statistically significant correlation (p

Among abiotic stresses, salt stress adversely affects growth and development in rice. Contrasting salt tolerant (CSR27), and salt sensitive (MI48) rice varieties provided information on an array of genes that may contribute for salt tolerance of rice. Earlier studies on transcriptome and proteome profiling led to the identification of salt stress-induced serine hydroxymethyltransferase-3 (SHMT3) gene. In the present study, the SHMT3 gene was isolated from salt-tolerant (CSR27) rice. OsSHMT3 exhibited salinity-stress induced accentuated and differential expression levels in different tissues of rice. OsSHMT3 was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and assayed for enzymatic activity and modeling protein structure. Further, Arabidopsis transgenic plants overexpressing OsSHMT3 exhibited tolerance toward salt stress. Comparative analyses of OsSHMT3 vis a vis wild type by ionomic, transcriptomic, and metabolic profiling, protein expression and analysis of various traits revealed a pivotal role of OsSHMT3 in conferring tolerance toward salt stress. The gene can further be used in developing gene-based markers for salt stress to be employed in marker assisted breeding programs. HIGHLIGHTS simple - The study provides information on mechanistic details of serine hydroxymethyl transferase gene for its salt tolerance in rice. Keywords: rice, Arabidopsis, salinity, serine, glycine, aquaporins Introduction Rice (Oryza sativa) is a staple food for ∼90% of the Asian population (Mohanty et al., 2013). Production of rice in 2011–2014 was 495.63 million tons (MT) (FAO, 2014 1). The global population is projected to increase by 25% by 2050 (United Nations World Population Prospects, 2017 2). Therefore, there is a need for a commensurate increase in rice production to meet the ever-increasing demands of the growing population (FAOSTAT, 2009 3). Although India has the largest acreage under rice [44.5 million ha (Mha)], the average productivity (2.5 tons ha-1) is abysmally low compared with China (Singh et al., 2016). This low productivity could be attributed to harsh conditions in different agroclimatic regions of India under which rice is cultivated and often subjected to various abiotic stresses (salinity, drought, flood, and nutrient deficiencies). In India, a large proportion of agriculture land (6.73 Mha) is affected by high saline content (Singh et al., 2016). Salinity adversely affects growth and development, particularly during seedling and flowering stages, and consequently the yield potential of rice (Krishnamurthy et al., 2016; Zeng et al., 2018; Morton et al., 2019). The salinity-tolerant plants have evolved an array of adaptive strategies (exclusion, compartmentation, and secretion of Na+) to mitigate the toxic effects of salinity stress (Arzani and Ashraf, 2016; Zeng et al., 2018). Potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) signaling also exert significant influences toward conferring tolerance toward salinity stress in rice (Shabala and Cuin, 2008; Frouin et al., 2018). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and osmolytes (choline, glycine betaine, sugars, etc.) have also been implicated in conferring variable levels of tolerance toward salt stress (Hanson et al., 2000). Complete sequencing of rice genome (IRGSP, 2005) has expedited the process of deciphering the molecular entities, which play pivotal roles in conferring tolerance to salt stress. Availability of salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive rice varieties and state-of-the-art omics technologies further provided the fillip in this endeavor. Serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT), a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme, plays a pivotal role in cellular one-carbon pathways by catalyzing the reversible conversions of L-serine to glycine and tetrahydrofolate to 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate in lower and higher organisms (Schirch and Szebenyi, 2005). Structurally conserved SHMT has been implicated in various roles across lower and higher organisms (Moreno et al., 2005; Voll et al., 2006). In plants, SHMT activity has been detected in different organelles (mitochondria, cytosol, plastids, and nuclei) suggesting their diverse roles in metabolic pathways (Besson et al., 1995; Neuburger et al., 1996; Zhang et al., 2010). In rice, the SHMT family comprises five members (OsSHMT1-5). OsSHMT1, encoding the largest subunit of SHMT and an ortholog of Arabidopsis thaliana SHM1, was identified by employing enhancer trapping and the characterization of chlorophyll-deficient mutant (oscdm1) (Wu et al., 2015), photorespiratory mutant osshm1 and map-based cloning (Wang et al., 2015). In Arabidopsis also, the mutation in AtSHM1 (At4g37930) caused an aberration in mitochondrial SHMT activity and exhibited a lethal photorespiratory phenotype during growth at ambient CO2 (Somerville and Ogren, 1981; Voll et al., 2006). These studies suggested conserved function of SHMT1 in photorespiration in taxonomically diverse rice and Arabidopsis. Interestingly, in soybean, SHMT plays a pivotal role in cyst nematode (SCN) resistance (Liu et al., 2012; Kandoth et al., 2017). In another study, overexpression of ApSHMT from halotolerant cyanobacteria Aphanothece halophytica in Escherichia coli (E. coli) triggered a higher accumulation of glycine betaine due to elevated levels of precursors, choline and serine, and consequently augmented tolerance toward salinity-stress (Waditee-Sirisattha et al., 2012). These studies thus suggested roles of SHMT not only in photorespiration but also in other metabolic pathways in different plant species. The recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of salt-tolerant (CSR27) and salt-sensitive (MI48) rice genotypes were screened for their extreme tolerance and sensitivity toward salt stress, and bulk segregant analysis together with a gene expression study led to the identification of an array of differentially regulated salt stress responsive genes including OsSHMT3 (Pandit et al., 2010) using bulk tolerant (BT) and bulk sensitive (BS) RILs. In a subsequent study, these BT and BS populations were also analyzed for their proteomic profiling, which revealed high expression of several proteins including serine hydroxymethyltransferase-3 (OsSHMT3) in the former (Mishra et al., 2016). Overexpression of salt-tolerance-related genes as well as stress-inducible transcription factors has led to the transgenic plants with enhanced salt tolerance (Arzani and Ashraf, 2016). Overexpression of OsCYP94C2, (gene from Cyt450 family) and C-terminal centrin-like domain (OsCCD1) conferred tolerance toward salt stress (Kurotani et al., 2015; Jing et al., 2016). In this context, it is intriguing whether overexpression of OsSHMT3 would elicit any tolerance toward salt stress. Here, we examined the role of SHMT in conferring salt stress tolerance by mediating biosynthetic pathway of glycine to serine interconversion and synthesis of amino acids. In the present study the OsSHMT3 was amplified from salt-tolerant rice. OsSHMT3 was overexpressed in E. coli and assayed for enzymatic activity and modeling protein structure. Further, transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing OsSHMT3 (OEs) lines were tested for their tolerance toward salt stress. Comprehensive and comparative analyses of the wild-types and OEs for their ionomic, transcriptomic and metabolic profiles, protein expression and different traits were employed to study the role of OsSHMT3 in conferring tolerance toward salt stress in Arabidopsis.

A bentonite supported amorphous aluminum (B–Al) nanocomposite was synthesized by the NaBH4 reduction method in an ethanol–water interfacial solution and characterized with SEM, TEM, XRD, FT-IR and XRF. Surface morphology and line scans obtained from TEM imaging suggest the successful synthesis of the nanocomposite while XRF data shows a drastic change in Al concentration in the synthesized nanocomposite with respect to raw bentonite. This synthesized nanocomposite was further utilized for the removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) from aqueous solutions. The very high removal efficiency of the composite for Cr(VI) (i.e. 49.5 mg g−1) was revealed by the Langmuir sorption isotherm. More than 90% removal of Cr(VI) in just 5 minutes of interaction suggests very fast removal kinetics. Inner sphere complexation and coprecipitation of Cr(VI) can be concluded as major removal mechanisms. No influence of ionic strength suggests inner sphere complexation dominated in Cr(VI) uptake. pH of the solution didn't influence the sorption much but comparatively the removal was higher under alkaline conditions (99.4%) than under acidic conditions (93.7%). The presence of humic acid and bicarbonate ions reduced the sorption significantly. The final product, Cr–Al(OH)3 results in precipitation by forming alum which indicates that clay supported amorphous aluminum nanocomposites can be considered as potential sorbents for toxic metal ions in the environment.

In this work, the stability and aggregation behaviour of CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated to predict their fate in the agricultural environment. For this, the aggregation kinetics of CeO2 NPs was studied under varying pH, ionic strength (IS), dissolved organic matter (DOM) and carbonate concentrations in the presence of clay. Furthermore, different types of irrigation water have been used to check the fate of CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) in complex aqueous matrices. The results show that critical coagulation concentration (CCC) values obtained for CeO2 NPs, i.e. 26.5 mM and 7.9 mM for NaCl and CaCl2 respectively, drastically decreased to 16.2 mM and 1.87 mM in the presence of bentonite clay colloids, which may lead to their deposition within the soil matrix. However, the presence of bicarbonate ions (0.1-2 mM) along with DOM (1-20 mg L-1) may result in their stabilization and co-transport of CeO2 NPs with clay in water bodies having low ionic strength. It was also observed that the negative charge of a bentonite clay suspension was completely reversed with an increase in CeO2 concentration by 37.5 times. The critical charge reversal concentration value was 284.4 mg L-1 in Milli-Q water whereas values were observed to be 680 mg L-1 in synthetic-soft water, followed by natural river water (867 mg L-1) and synthetic-hard water (910 mg L-1). The synergistic effect of temperature and ionic strength was observed on the aggregation behaviour of CeO2 NPs in environmental water samples of varying composition.

Background: Literature have shown the microbiological and mechanical benefits gained from using platform switching. Also there is increasing need for intentional inclination of the implants in specific situations like those placed in the anterior maxilla. There are no studies that evaluate the bone behaviour when using abutments associated with the principle of platform switching in different angulations in anterior maxilla. The aim of the present study was to measure and compare the stress distribution on peri-implant bone when implants are placed in the anterior maxilla using 2 different abutments with different angulations and 2 different load conditions, by means of 3D-Finite Element Analysis (FEA) which might be a powerful and effective tool to visualize such a situation. Materials and Methods: Six mathematical models of implant-supported central incisor were created with varying abutment angulations: straight abutment (S1 and S2), angulated abutment at 15 degrees (A1 and A2) and angulated abutment at 20 degrees (A3 & A4), submitted to 2 loading conditions (146 N): S1, A1 and A3 oblique loading (45 degrees) and S2, A2 and A4 axial loading, parallel to the long axis of the implant. Maximum (Rmax) and minimum (Rmin) principal stress values were obtained for cortical and trabecular bone. Results: All models showed higher stress on the peri-implant bone when subjected to oblique loading. For the cortical bone, the maximum principal stress (σ max) was highest in A1(45.53) followed by S1(34.82), A2(30.31), A3(24.85), S2(19.69) MPa and the least being in A4(16.57). For the trabecular bone, the σ max was highest in S1(8.75), followed by A1(12.12), S1(8.75), A2(7.12), A3(6.18), A4(4.12), and in S2(3.28) being the least. Conclusion: Implants demonstrated increased maximum principal stress in oblique loading compared to axial loading in all the models. Maximum von Mises stress was increased with increase in the angulation of abutment, highest being in 200 and least being in straight implant abutment. Overall, Maximum principal stresses were seen well within the yield strength of cortical and trabecular bone.

Calcium governs the most versatile and universal signaling mechanism in living systems which includes contraction of the cardiac tissues, information processing in the brain, release of digestive enzymes by the liver etc. High blood calcium leads to various diseases and problems like chronic fatigue and tiredness, poor memory, atherosclerosis, muscle aches and cramps, bone pain, poor sex drive, osteoporosis and broken bones, kidney stones and heart rhythm problems such as atrial fibrillation. Various investigators have been made on study of calcium signaling in cardiac myocyte to understand its mechanisms. But most of existing investigators have mainly focused on study of calcium signaling in cardiac myocyte without paying attention on interdependence of calcium signaling and inositol−1; 4; 5 trisphosphate (IP3) signaling. In the present work, we have studied a mathematical model to understand the impact of source influx of calcium and maximum rate of production of IP3 on these coupled signaling processes. This study suggests that maximum rate of production of IP3 plays a more significant role in these coupled dynamics. Also, calcium and IP3 shows a beautiful coordination with each other, which explains the role of IP3 in calcium signaling in cardiac myocyte. Such studies will provide the better understanding of various factors involved in calcium signaling in cardiac myocyte, which as a result will be of great use to biomedical scientists for making protocols for various heart diseases.

Schoenberger and colleagues ( Schoenberger et al. ( 2018 ) ACS Chem. Neurosci. 9 , 298 - 305 ) recently reported attempts to demonstrate specific binding of the positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer, [18F]GE-179, to NMDA receptors in both rats and Rhesus macaques. GE-179 did not work as expected in animal models; however, we disagree with the authors' conclusion that "the [18F]GE-179 signal seems to be largely nonspecific". It is extremely challenging to demonstrate specific binding for the use-dependent NMDA receptor intrachannel ligands such as [18F]GE-179 in animals via traditional blocking, due to its low availability of target sites ( Bmax'). Schoenberger and colleagues anesthetized rats and Rhesus monkeys using isoflurane, which has an inhibitory effect on NMDA receptor function and thus would be expected to further reduce the Bmax'. The extent of glutamate release achieved in the provocation experiments is uncertain, as is whether a significant increase in NMDA receptor channel opening can be expected under anesthesia. Prior data suggest that the uptake of disubstituted arylguanidine-based ligands such as GE-179 can be reduced by phencyclidine binding site antagonists, if injection is performed in the absence of ketamine and isoflurane anesthesia, e.g., with GE-179's antecedent, CNS 5161 ( Biegon et al. ( 2007 ) Synapse 61 , 577 - 586 ), and with GMOM ( van der Doef et al. ( 2016 ) J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab. 36 , 1111 - 1121 ). However, the extent of nonspecific uptake remains uncertain.

1556 Background: Identifying patients with a particular cancer and determining the date of that diagnosis from EHR data is important for selecting real world research cohorts and conducting downstream analyses. However, cancer diagnoses and their dates are often not accurately recorded in the EHR in a structured form. We developed a unified deep learning model for identifying patients with NSCLC and their initial and advanced diagnosis date(s). Methods: The study used a cohort of 52,834 patients with lung cancer ICD codes from the nationwide deidentified Flatiron Health EHR-derived database. For all patients in the cohort, abstractors used an in-house technology-enabled platform to identify an NSCLC diagnosis, advanced disease, and relevant diagnosis date(s) via chart review. Advanced NSCLC was defined as stage IIIB or IV disease at diagnosis or early stage disease that recurred or progressed. The deep learning model was trained on 38,517 patients, with a separate 14,317 patient test cohort. The model input was a set of sentences containing keywords related to (a)NSCLC, extracted from a patient’s EHR documents. Each sentence was associated with a date, using the document timestamp or, if present, a date mentioned explicitly in the sentence. The sentences were processed by a GRU network, followed by an attentional network that integrated across sentences, outputting a prediction of whether the patient had been diagnosed with (a)NSCLC and the diagnosis date(s) if so. We measured sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of extracting the presence of initial and advanced diagnoses in the test cohort. Among patients with both model-extracted and abstracted diagnosis dates, we also measured 30-day accuracy, defined as the proportion of patients where the dates match to within 30 days. Real world overall survival (rwOS) for patients abstracted vs. model-extracted as advanced was calculated using Kaplan-Meier methods (index date: abstracted vs. model-extracted advanced diagnosis date). Results: Results in the Table show the sensitivity, PPV, and accuracy of the model extracted diagnoses and dates. RwOS was similar using model extracted aNSCLC diagnosis dates (median = 13.7) versus abstracted diagnosis dates (median = 13.3), with a difference of 0.4 months (95% CI = [0.0, 0.8]). Conclusions: Initial and advanced diagnosis of NSCLC and dates of diagnosis can be accurately extracted from unstructured clinical text using a deep learning algorithm. This can further enable the use of EHR data for research on real-world treatment patterns and outcomes analysis, and other applications such as clinical trials matching. Future work should aim to understand the impact of model errors on downstream analyses.[Table: see text]

The ubiquitous distribution of microplastics (MPs) leads to inevitable interactions with the toxic pollutants present in the environment including metal-oxide nanoparticles. This study investigates the interaction of CeO2 nanoparticles (CeNPs) with MPs generated from a disposable plastic container. Further, rough MPs (R-MPs), generated through mechanical abrasion of MPs with sand, were used to probe the impact of roughness. To understand the sorption kinetics and underlying interaction processes, batch experiments were carried out. The results distinctly indicate that CeNPs sorption occurred on MPs surfaces and was consistent with the pseudo-second order kinetics model. For pristine MPs, the sorption capacity was as high as 12.9 mg/g while for R-MPs kinetic equilibrium was achieved faster and an enhanced sorption capacity (13.4 mg/g) was identified. A rise in sorption with an increase in salinity was noted while pH and humic acid exhibited a negative correlation. The observed interactions were attributed to the aggregation profile and surface charge of CeNPs and MPs. Surprisingly, CeNPs also got loaded onto MPs in non-agitated and undisturbed conditions. The sorption process was influenced by the type of aqueous matrix and the sorption capacity at equilibrium followed the trend: distilled water> synthetic freshwater> river water. FTIR spectra, zeta potential, SEM imaging, and elemental mapping revealed electrostatic interaction as the dominant mechanism. This work contributes towards the knowledge gap on the environmental risk of MPs.

Although India is one of the major plastic-waste-generating countries, few studies have been conducted on microplastics (MPs) in freshwater systems that are key contributors to oceans. The current study explores MPs in sediments and water that were collected at five major cities across the Ganga River. MPs number and mass density range in sediment were found to be 17 to 36 items/kg dry weight (d.w.) and 10 to 45 mg/kg d.w. of sediments, respectively, while in the water sample, they were 380 to 684 items/1000 m3 and 143 to 340 mg/1000 m3, respectively. Overall, white color and film-shaped MPs were the major contributors in all samples. MPs of 2.5–5 mm size contributed to a greater number and mass as compared to other fractions. Polyethylene was found to be a widely distributed plastic-type reflecting its high usability.

Background Azoles are considered as one of the most efficient fungicides for the treatment of humans, animals, and plant fungal pathogens. They are of significant clinical importance as antifungal drugs and are widely used in personal care products, ultraviolet stabilizers, and in aircraft for its anti-corrosive properties. The prevalence of azole compounds in the natural environment and its accumulation in fish raises questions about its impact on aquatic organisms. Objectives The objective of this paper is to review the scientific studies on the effects of azole compounds in fish and to discuss future opportunities for the risk evaluation. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted on Web of Science, PubMed, and ScienceDirect to locate peer-reviewed scientific articles on occurrence, environmental fate, and toxicological impact of azole fungicides on fish. Results Studies included in this review provide ample evidence that azole compounds are not only commonly detected in the natural environment but also cause several detrimental effects on fish. Future studies with environmentally relevant concentrations of azole alone or in combination with other commonly occurring contaminants in a multigenerational study could provide a better understanding. Conclusion Based on current knowledge and studies reporting adverse biological effects of azole on fish, considerable attention is required for better management and effective ecological risk assessment of these emerging contaminants.

Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar), a life threatening disease caused by L. donovani, is a latent threat to more than 147 million people living in disease endemic South East Asia region of the Indian subcontinent. The therapeutic option to control leishmanial infections are very limited, and at present comprise only two drugs, an antifungal amphotericin B and an antitumor miltefosine, which are also highly vulnerable for parasitic resistance. Therefore, identification and development of alternate control measures is an exigent requirement to control leishmanial infections. In this study, we report that functionally induced expression of solute carrier protein family 11 member 1 (Slc11a1), a transmembrane divalent cationic transporter recruited on the surface of phagolysosomes after phagocytosis of parasites, effectively inhibits Leishmania donovani growth in host macrophages. Further, the increased Slc11a1 functionality also resulted in increased production of NOx, TNF-α and IL-12 by activated macrophages. The findings of this study signify the importance of interplay between Slc11a1 expression and macrophages activation that can be effectively used to control of Leishmania growth and survival.

In this prospective randomized parallel group study, subjects with a pregnancy of less than 63 d were randomized to receive either (i) 200 mg oral mifepristone plus 400 μg misoprostol per vaginally concurrently (group A); (ii) or the administration of misoprostol after 48 h (group B). Transvaginal sonography was performed on the 14th day of misoprostol administration to confirm complete abortion. The primary outcome was to compare the rates of complete abortion in two groups. Secondary outcomes were to compare induction abortion interval, side effects and compliance. A total of 200 subjects included in the study were randomized into groups A and B (100 each). Both the groups were comparable for age, parity, gestational age and history of previous abortion. The complete expulsion rate in group A was 96% (95% confidence interval (CI) 95.1-98.2%) and group B was 95% (95% CI 93.0-96.8%) (p > 0.100). A gestational age of more than 56 d was found to predict failure of treatment in both groups. The adverse effect profile in the two groups was the same. Efficacy of concurrent mifepristone and misoprostol in combination is similar to that when misoprostol is given 48 h later (ctri.nic.in CTRI/2010/091/001422).

Background: One among the most hazardous manufacture is the plastic. It has become a part of every aspect of human living. When any food material or water is stored in the plastic containers the small, measurable amounts of the materials may migrate into food and can be consumed with it through the process of leaching. Leaching means that some of the chemicals of the plastic enter the food material or water. BPA is a structural component in polycarbonate beverage bottles. Objectives were to assess the knowledge regarding safe use of Plastics and to assess the impact of educational intervention given to them. Methods: Study design-Community based educational intervention study. Study Subjects - 300 school students of standard 7-9 and 11 of two private school of Bhopal. Results: Out of 300 students, 56% used plastics in the form of tiffin and water bottle, 37.33% used in the form of Water Bottles only and 6.66% did not use Plastic in the form of anything. The knowledge of the respondents increased after the educational intervention and the difference was found to be significant (P

Background: Mobile phones are no longer simply a communication device now-a-days, rather has become an indispensable part of human life. Mobile phones have transformed from necessity to the level of status symbol. Smart phones are a newer generation of cellular phones with integrated computer related functions capable of performing various tasks based on number of applications. The extensive use of smart phones in recent years had led to exposure of human beings to radio frequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) which could have adverse effects on sleep. Objectives of the study was to compare the effects of mobile phone on quality of sleep in smart phone users and non- users using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). 2. To educate the study subjects about the hazards of excessive smart phone usage. Methods: Study design- Prospective cross- sectional comparative study. Study subjects- 166 working class adults working in various offices in Bhopal. Inclusion criteria - Those who were using any type of mobile phones and gave consent to participate in the study. Exclusion criteria -Those who had any recent trauma or chronic illness related to sleep. Ethical consideration-Permission taken from Head of the department of Community Medicine, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal. Verbal consent was obtained from the study participants. Results: Out of 166 study participants 92 were male and 74 were female of which mostly belonged to the age group of 20-30 years with mean 26.75 years and SD 5.12years. 97.6% were graduate and above. Participants showing a better subjective sleep quality amongst non-users of smart phone was significant (p=0.00185) and the number of participants showing no problem to keep up enough enthusiasm to get things done were more in non-users than users with difference being statistically significant (p=0.0146). Conclusions: We should restrict the use of mobiles to minimum for sound mind and good health.

Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is a common but overlooked condition. The lack of information and poor attitude towards health is often the reason. The knowledge of women regarding AUB and the preventable factors and its association with their education and socioeconomic status has never been assessed. Hence, the study was undertaken to assess the knowledge and attitude of women with AUB regarding the condition, its etiology, risk factors and treatment modalities in relation to their education and socio economic status. Methods: The cross sectional descriptive study was carried out among women with AUB. Structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect the required information. Knowledge of AUB and its risk factors from women with AUB were given scores 1-8 and 1-6 respectively. Information on education and socioeconomic status was also noted. Statistical analysis of data was done. Results: Knowledge score for AUB ≤4 and its risk factors ≤3 was found in 63% and 72% of respondents respectively. Poor reading ability and low socio economic status was significantly associated with poor knowledge scores. Conclusions: Intensive enlightenment of population using the mass media by trained personnel and strengthening of primary health care services is recommended.