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Child maltreatment is an important public health problem endangering massive negative impacts on victim at the physical and psychological levels. Child abuse and neglect occurs when an adult or another child intentionally harm a child. It can be physical, sexual, or mental and may happen in person or online. Among health professionals, dentists are probably in the most favorable position to recognize child abuse, with the opportunities to observe and assess not only the physical and psychological condition of the children, but also the family environment. A high frequency of facial injury associated with physical abuse places the dentist at the forefront of professionals to detect and treat an abused child. Screening for maltreatment should be an integral part of any clinical examination performed on a child. After a potential child abuse case is detected, it should be notified to social services, the child protective services, and/or the juvenile prosecution service. There is a high discrepancy in figures of child abuse cases and the reports created by dentists. Consequently, it is necessary to train the professionals and establish a protocol of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machines have changed the course of mankind. Simple machines were the basis of human civilization. Today with humongous technological development, machines are intelligent enough to carry out very complex nerve-racking tasks. The ability of a machine to learn from algorithms changed eventually into, the machine learning by itself, which constitutes artificial intelligence. Literature has plausible evidence for the use of intelligent systems in medical field. Artificial intelligence has been used in the multiple denominations of dentistry. These machines are used in the precision diagnosis, interpretation of medical images, accumulation of data, classification and compilation of records, determination of treatment and construction of a personalized treatment plan. Artificial intelligence can help in timely diagnosis of complex dental diseases which would ultimately aid in rapid commencement of treatment. Research helps us understand the effectiveness and challenges in the use of this technology. The apt use of intelligent systems could transform the entire medical system for the better.

Purpose – This paper aims to attempt to empirically investigate the impact of privatization on the performance of central public sector enterprises in India. Further attempt is made to explore whether privatization is a necessary or sufficient condition for improvement of performance of central public sector enterprises. Design/methodology/approach – The scope of the study is limited to financial and operating performance analysis of 206 central public sector enterprises in India. Multiple regression analysis has been used to determine the magnitude and direction of relationship between dependent and independent variables and identify variables other than privatization which affects performance. Findings – The study found that financial and operational performance of firms has improved significantly due to privatization. Further, firm-specific factors and other parallel reforms adopted by enterprises have significantly influenced their performance. The established regression model is highly significant with F-ratio of 31.825 at 99% significance level. The degree of explanation of the model is robust with adjusted R2 at 0.956 implying that only 4.40% of explanation in the dependent variable cannot be explained by designated independent/explanatory variables. Originality/value – The study would be useful to public policymakers to reach to a policy view on whether further disinvestment/privatization of central public sector enterprises need to be continued, and if so, then to what extent and direction.

Intimate partner violence is the most common kind of violence and a significant public health issue. The relationship between intimate partner violence and pregnancy termination among Tajikistan women was investigated in this study. The data for this research was collected from the Tajikistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017. This research has used the data of married women aged between 15 to 49 years. The findings from the study indicate that around 23.2% of married women in Tajikistan have experienced physical violence. The respondent’s age, region, and employment status was significantly associated with pregnancy termination (p < 0.05). Similarly, women who can refuse sex with their partner and ask their partner to use a condom are more likely to terminate pregnancy (p < 0.05). The characteristics of the husband or partner that had a significant positive association with pregnancy termination of married women in Tajikistan are age, educational level, and alcohol drinking status of their husbands (p < 0.05). This study also establishes the significant relationship between pregnancy termination and physical or emotional violence experienced by women (p < 0.05). The dynamics of domestic abuse need to be understood by healthcare providers to aid women in making decisions on whether or not to terminate their pregnancy.

Case investigation and contact tracing (CI/CT) is a critical part of the public health response to COVID-19. Individuals’ experiences with CI/CT for COVID-19 varied based on geographic location, changes in knowledge and guidelines, access to testing and vaccination, as well as demographic characteristics including age, race, ethnicity, income, and political ideology. In this paper, we explore the experiences and behaviors of adults with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results, or who were exposed to a person with COVID-19, to understand their knowledge, motivations, and facilitators and barriers to their actions. We conducted focus groups and one-on-one interviews with 94 cases and 90 contacts from across the United States. We found that participants were concerned about infecting or exposing others, which motivated them to isolate or quarantine, notify contacts, and get tested. Although most cases and contacts were not contacted by CI/CT professionals, those who were reported a positive experience and received helpful information. Many cases and contacts reported seeking information from family, friends, health care providers, as well as television news and Internet sources. Although participants reported similar perspectives and experiences across demographic characteristics, some highlighted inequities in receiving COVID-19 information and resources.

Introduction: With the presence of COVID 19, some countries also faced an increase in number of cases due to Monkeypox virus. The main aim of this research was to investigate whether it is possible to fit count data regression models to predict the daily incidence of Monkeypox confirmed cases. Methods: In this study we have used two types of traditional count regression models like Poisson regression model and Negative binomial regression model using identity and logarithmic link function. Since our data was overdispersed, Negative binomial regression model with logarithmic link function fitted well as compared to other models. The parameters were estimated using SPSS, version 23.0. Results: The Negative Binomial Regression model with logarithm function fits well to the data related to Monkeypox cases. Therefore, the model shows that majority of the countries like Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Peru, Spain, United Kingdom and United States of America shows significant decrease in number of cases with respect to time. The prediction line was plotted using this model where the line predicts well about the daily Monkeypox cases reported by different countries. Conclusion: From our study, we concluded that the count data regression model can be used widely to predict the incidence of any disease. The countries like Canada and Brazil have largest and smallest slope coefficient which shows maximum and minimum decrease in expected number of cases confirmed each day respectively.

Introduction: Cervical spondylosis is a degenerative disorder of the cervical spine and has varied pathological forms of presentation. It presents as either varying degrees of intervertebral disc bulge, spinal cord compression, altered cord signals, neural exit foraminal stenosis, annular tears, facet joint degeneration and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy in combination or isolation. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) being known for its excellent soft tissue resolution helps assess and grade these pathologies efficiently. Aim: To evaluate the flexion-extension MRI in regular cervical spondylosis imaging by assessing the effect of flexion and extension positioning on the severity of cervical spondylotic canal stenosis and spinal canal dimensions. Also, to compare the change in cervical canal dimensions on flexion and extension with that of neutral positioning. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Radiodiagnosis, JSS Medical College, Mysuru, Karnataka, India, from January 2021-June 2022. A total of 50 participants, aged above 18 years with a clinical suspicion of cervical spondylosis and without history of trauma, tumour, infection, prior cervical surgery and with Nurick grade

The sustainability of irrigated agriculture is jeopardized by catastrophic climate change, with projected forecasts indicating that by 2025, one out of every four people on the planet will be experiencing extreme water scarcity. In this context, an attempt was made for scheduling irrigation at a regional scale combining satellite data and agrometeorological indices over major rice growing tracts of Palakkad district in Kerala. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) product of MODIS (MOD13Q1) with a temporal resolution of 16 days and a spatial resolution of 250 m was utilized to establish a relationship with crop coefficient (Kc) of rice during the mundakan rice season of 2020-21 and 2021-22 in 30 ground truth locations. The results revealed that NDVI values have strong relationship with Kc values with an R2 value of 0.81. Crop coefficient (Kc) maps developed using satellite derived NDVI provided Kc values at a regional scale during different stages of crop growth and it helped to estimate crop evapotranspiration with greater accuracy. Based on this crop water demands maps depicting the spatial and temporal distribution of irrigation requirement were generated for the whole study area. These maps can be used as a tool for the estimation of the crop water requirement of a rice field if the geographical coordinates of the location are known. The total crop water requirements estimated during mundakan season 2020-21 and 2021-22 in Palakkad district were in the range of 700-975 mm and 560-897 mm respectively. Integration of remote sensing & agrometeorological techniques has scope for regional-scale crop water requirement estimation in a cost-effective and time-bound manner.

Abstract Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an emerging 3D imaging technique that allows quantification of intrinsic optical properties such as scattering coefficient and back-scattering coefficient, and has proved useful in distinguishing delicate microstructures in the human brain. The origins of scattering in brain tissues are contributed by the myelin content, neuron size and density primarily; however, no quantitative relationships between them have been reported, which hampers the use of OCT in fundamental studies of architectonic areas in the human brain and the pathological evaluations of diseases. Here, we built a generalized linear model based on Mie scattering theory that quantitatively links tissue scattering to myelin content and neuron density in the human brain. We report a strong linear relationship between scattering coefficient and the myelin content that is retained across different regions of the brain. Neuronal cell body turns out to be a secondary contribution to the overall scattering. The optical property of OCT provides a label-free solution for quantifying volumetric myelin content and neuron cells in the human brain.

Background: Fetal origin of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) hypothesis has been explored mostly in retrospective studies. Objectives: A prospective study was conducted to find the association of birth weight with CVD risk factors. Methods: A cohort of 243 babies born in 1992–1993 in ten villages of Raipur Rani Block in India, were followed-up in 2016–2017. WHO STEPS methods were used to assess the risk factors of CVDs. A total of 213 (87.8%) participants were examined; blood samples were collected from 207. Multivariable regression analysis was done to adjust for the confounding variables. Results: Study participants were 22–24 year old, 27.7% were exposed to tobacco and 24.8% consumed alcohol, 3.3% were taking >5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, 35.7% were physically inactive, 28.6% were overweight (body mass index [BMI] ≥23 kg/m2), 12.2% had hypertension, 16% had high cholesterol (≥200 mg/dl), 16.4% had insulin resistance (IR) (Homeostatic Model Assessment-IR >3), and 20.7% were born with low birth weight (

Aim: Demineralization can be arrested or reversed when remineralization agents are applied to incipient carious or noncavitated carious lesions. A large number of therapeutic agents, including nonfluoridated products, have been developed to promote enamel remineralization. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of different remineralizing agents on artificially demineralized enamel lesions. Materials and Methods: The present in vitro study was conducted on 75 sound premolars divided into three groups of normal, demineralized (n = 15 each), and remineralized teeth (n = 45). The remineralized teeth were further subdivided into three groups (n = 15) as remineralized with 2% sodium fluoride (NaF), 2% NaF, and Psoralea corylifolia (bakuchi) and white mineral trioxide aggregate. Specimens of each group were treated with the above-mentioned remineralizing agents and then subjected to Vickers hardness number (VHN), scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), and magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) for further evaluation. Results: The test results showed significantly the highest VHN and the emission peak of elements under the EDX test, such as calcium, phosphorous, oxygen, and fluorine with remineralized with NaF + bakuchi. MAS-NMR spectra showed fluorine and phosphorous peak in a group with NaF + bakuchi indicative of the increase in remineralization. NaF + bakuchi showed effective results in VHN, SEM-EDX, and MAS-NMR with no antagonist interaction. Conclusion: Thus, P. Corylifolia presents an advantage in enhancing remineralization and inhibiting demineralization for early carious lesions and can be used as a herbal extract for effective reduction in pathogenic bacteria.

Reverse smoking is a unique style of tobacco use in which the smoker places the lit end of a chutta into his or her mouth while smoking and then inhales the smoke from the lit end. The purpose of this scoping review is to explore reverse smoking and identify its effects among Indian reverse smokers. Literature search was conducted using PubMed, PubMed Central, Embase, and CINAHL Plus. Boolean operators AND/OR was used with the search terms. Search was limited to the original research articles, English language articles, and full-text articles. Finally seven original articles were selected for the scoping review. The studies were conducted between 1971 and 2016, where more studies were identified in the 21st century (2002–2016). Four themes emerged from the data analysis. The first themes explore the palatal mucosal changes in reverse smokers; the second theme presents carcinoma and reverse smoking; third theme focuses on effects of keratinization on detection of epithelial atypia, and lastly, the fourth theme focuses on reverse smoking and psychosocial factors. Reverse smokers are more likely to develop precancerous palatal alterations and squamous cell carcinoma of the palate. To make healthy choices, a strong focus on health promotion is required, which includes initiatives that emphasize the need of educating individuals about disease risks.

Staphylococcus epidermidis is the most common cause of medical device-associated infections and is an opportunistic biofilm former. Among hospitalized patients, S. epidermidis infections are the most prevalent, and resistant to most antibiotics. In order to overcome this resistance, it is imperative to treat the infection at a cellular level. The present study aims to identify inhibitors of the prokaryotic cell division protein FtsZ a widely conserved component of bacterial cytokinesis. Two substrate binding sites are present on the FtsZ protein; the nucleotide-binding domain and the inter-domain binding sites. Molecular modeling was used to identify potential inhibitors against the binding sites of the FtsZ protein. One hundred thirty-eight chemical entities were virtually screened for the binding sites and revealed ten molecules, each with good binding affinities (docking score range −9.549 to −4.290 kcal/mol) compared to the reference control drug, i.e., Dacomitinib (−4.450 kcal/mol) and PC190723 (−4.694 kcal/mol) at nucleotide and inter-domain binding sites respectively. These top 10 hits were further analyzed for their ADMET properties and molecular dynamics simulations. The Chloro-derivative of GTP, naphthalene-1,3-diyl bis(3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate), Guanosine triphosphate (GTP), morpholine and methylpiperazine derivative of GTP were identified as the lead molecules for nucleotide binding site whereas for inter-domain binding site, 1-(((amino(iminio)methyl)amino)methyl)-3-(3-(tert-butyl)phenyl)-6,7-dimethoxyisoquinolin-2-ium, and Chlorogenic acidwere identified as lead molecules. Molecular dynamics simulation and post MM/GBSA analysis of the complexes revealed good protein-ligand stability predicting them as potential inhibitors of FtsZ (Figure 1). Thus, identified FtsZ inhibitors are a promising lead compounds for S. epidermidis related infections.

Background: The identification of genoprotectants is a promising strategy for improving human health. Piper longum has drawn scientific attention because of its diverse biological effects and traditional utilization. The current investigation aims to evaluate the genome-stabilizing potential of Piper longum against cyclophosphamide-associated genotoxicity.Methods: We adopted a funnel screening with a three-tier evaluation approach, where Piper longum was investigated in an acellular medium, peripheral blood lymphocytes, and a rodent model. The genoprotective action of the Piper longum extract was initially performed with plasmid pBluescript SK(-) DNA. Furthermore, the extract and various fractions were screened against cyclophosphamide-induced genotoxicity using a cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay and a chromosomal aberration assay in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. The genome-stabilizing action of the extract and potent (hexane) fraction was further confirmed in vivo in Wistar albino rats by evaluating them using mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus tests, DNA fragmentation, oxidative stress markers, 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), γH2AX, and histopathological lesions in the liver and hippocampus. Additionally, acute and sub-acute toxicity studies were conducted following the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines for rats. Furthermore, the extract was quantified and characterized by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectroscopy (UPLC-MS), and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS).Results: The Piper longum ethanol extract was shown to protect plasmid pBluescript SK(-) DNA against H2O2-induced strand breaks. In human lymphocytes, the extract and hexane fraction showed a reduction in micronucleus formation (p < 0.001) and chromosomal aberrations (p < 0.01) against cyclophosphamide. Furthermore, the extract and fraction treatment, when administered at 200 mg/kg for 28 days in Wistar rats, restored cyclophosphamide-induced genomic instability by reducing micronucleus formation and DNA fragmentation; restoring redox homeostasis; decreasing 8-OHdG, a hallmark of oxidative DNA damage; reducing γH2AX, a DNA double-strand break (DSB) marker; and preserving the liver and hippocampus against histopathological lesions. The extract and fraction revealed no signs of systemic toxicity at the used doses. Piperine and piperlongumine are the major alkaloids quantified along with the presence of flavonoids in the ethanol extract and the presence of fatty acids and terpenoids in the hexane fraction of Piper longum.Conclusion: Our investigation confirms the genoprotective action of Piper longum by reducing cyclophosphamide-associated cytogenotoxicity, oxidative stress, hepato- and neurotoxicity, oxidative DNA damage, and DNA double-strand breaks. The outcomes are critical for mitigating the genotoxic effects of chemotherapy recipients, requiring further attention.

To address large gaps in our understanding of the molecular regulation of articular and growth plate cartilage development in humans, we used our directed differentiation approach to generate these distinct cartilage tissues from human embryonic stem cells. The resulting transcriptomic profiles of hESC-derived articular and growth plate chondrocytes were similar to fetal epiphyseal and growth plate chondrocytes, with respect to genes both known and previously unknown to cartilage biology. With the goal to characterize the regulatory landscapes accompanying these respective transcriptomes, we mapped chromatin accessibility in hESC-derived chondrocyte lineages, and mouse embryonic chondrocytes, using ATAC-sequencing. Integration of the expression dataset with the differentially accessible genomic regions revealed lineage-specific gene regulatory networks. We validated functional interactions of two transcription factors (TFs) (RUNX2 in growth plate chondrocytes and RELA in articular chondrocytes) with their predicted genomic targets. The maps we provide thus represent a framework for probing regulatory interactions governing chondrocyte differentiation. This work constitutes a substantial step towards comprehensive and comparative molecular characterizations of distinct chondrogenic lineages and sheds new light on human cartilage development and biology.

Introduction : Parotid gland swellings are of histologically diverse group. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a rapid, simple, cost effective diagnostic procedure for evaluation of such swellings. The main aim of the study is to determine specificity, sensitivity, accuracy of FNAC in parotid swellings by taking histopathological examination (HPE) as gold standard. Materials and methods: Retrospective study done from April 2018 – July 2018. Data was collected from medical records of 50 cases who came with parotid swellings. All have undergone preoperative FNAC for swellings followed by surgery and HPE of specimen postoperatively. Results: In FNAC most of parotid swellings were benign in nature with pleomorphic adenoma most common. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FNAC for parotid swellings in our study are 62.5%; 94%; 84% respectively. Conclusion: Even though FNAC is rapid, simple, it is may not be completely reliable deciding factor for patient counselling and for further management according to present study as it shows less sensitivity of 62.5%.The FNAC may be considered as a best possible initial investigation but may not be as to provide a definitive diagnosis on which management decisions can be made.

A series of new pyrimidine-piperazine hybrid molecules ware designed and synthesized as possible antimicrobial agents. The synthesized compounds (20 derivatives) were characterized using 1HNMR, 13C NMR, MS and elemental analysis and then the activity of the new compounds were compared with that of antibiotics.Various pathogenic bacteria including Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli, as well as standard antibiotics such as ampicillin/tetracycline, ceftazidime, and vancomycin, as recommended by the clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI). Compounds N-(4-(4-(5-fluoropyrimidin-2-yl)piperazin-1-yl) phenyl) cyclobutanecarboxamide (9 g), 1-cyclopropyl-3-(4-(4-(5-fluoropyrimidin-2-yl) piperazin-1-yl) phenyl) urea (7c) and 1-cyclobutyl-3-(4-(4-(5-fluoropyrimidin-2-yl) piperazin-1-yl) phenyl) urea (7d) exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against K. pneumonia, with an IC50 of 27.1, 32.4, and 32.4 μg/ml, respectively. 1-cyclohexyl-3-(4-(4-(5-fluoropyrimidin-2-yl) piperazin-1-yl) phenyl) urea (7 h) and 1-ethyl-3-(4-(4-(5-fluoropyrimidin-2-yl) piperazin-1-yl) phenyl) urea (7i) showed potent antimicrobial activity against E. faecium, with an IC50 of 26.2 and 34.2 μg/ml, respectively. Notably, 1-(4-(4-(5-fluoropyrimidin-2-yl) piperazin-1-yl) phenyl)-3-phenylurea (7f) displayed excellent antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa, with an IC50 of 9.8 μg/mL. Moreover, molecular docking studies were carried out to determine the binding affinity and ligand interactions of the compounds with the penicillin-binding protein3. The pharmacokinetic properties (ADME) of the synthesized compounds were predicted, and a high percentage of human oral absorption was found for most of the compounds. Lipinski's rule was adhered by the majority of the compounds. Furthermore, the most potent antibacterial hit compounds, N-(4-(4-(5-fluoropyrimidin-2-yl) piperazin-1-yl) phenyl)-2-naphthamide (9e) and 1-(4-(4-(5-fluoropyrimidin-2-yl)piperazin-1-yl)phenyl)-3-phenylurea (7f) were selected for MD simulation studies using the Desmond (2022–4) module of Schrodinger software.

A convex bipartite graph G with bipartition (X, Y) and an ordering X = (x 1 , ... , x n) is a bipartite graph such that for each y ∈ Y , the neighborhood of y in X appears consecutively. G is said to have convexity with respect to X. In this paper, we present a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a Hamiltonian cycle in convex bipartite graphs, and further, we obtain a linear-time algorithm for this graph class. We also show that Chvatal's necessary condition is sufficient for convex bipartite graphs. The closely related problem is HAMILTONIAN PATH whose complexity is open in convex bipartite graphs. We classify the class of convex bipartite graphs as monotone and non-monotone graphs. For monotone convex bipartite graphs, we present a linear-time algorithm to output a Hamiltonian path. It is important to highlight that: (a) in Keil (Inf Process Lett 20:201–206, 1985) and Ghosh (in: WALCOM 2011, LNCS 6552, pp. 191–201, 2011), it is incorrectly claimed that Hamiltonian path problem in convex bipartite graphs is polynomial-time solvable by referring to Muller (Discrete Math 156:291–298, 1996) which actually discusses Hamiltonian cycle and (b) the algorithm appeared in Ghosh (2011) for the longest path problem (Hamiltonian path problem) in biconvex and convex bipartite graphs has an error and it does not compute an optimum solution always. We present an infinite set of counterexamples in support of our claim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclin Dependent Kinase 4 is a striking target for the proposal of anti-cancer drugs since its overexpression is associated with various types of cancers. In the present study, 2D and 3D atom based QSAR study were accomplished with 6 component PLS factor for 230 pyrido[2,3-d]pyramidine correspondents along with flexible ligand docking in the extra precision mode with the application of core constraints followed by the binding energy determinations. Kernel based partial least square analysis fitting with fingerprints initially created worthy models, among which the one with molprint2D fingerprints generated a noble model with a score value of 0.8322. Atom Based 3D QSAR resulted in an effective model with Regression coefficient (R 2  = 0.8372), and Q 2  = 0.7381. Docking experiments exposed hydrogen bonding interactions with hinge region residues, salt bridge formation and л-л stacking interaction as the leading non-covalent interactions causative of the inhibitory activity of CDK4 inhibitors. The primary factors that induced the stability of protein-ligand complex are the van der Waals interactions, lipophilic interactions and coulombic interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risedronate sodium (RIS) exhibits limited bioavailability and undesirable gastrointestinal effects when administered orally, necessitating the development of an alternative formulation. In this study, mPEG-coated nanoparticles loaded with RIS-HA-TCS were created for osteoporosis treatment. Thiolated chitosan (TCS) was synthesized using chitosan and characterized using DSC and FTIR, with thiol immobilization assessed using Ellman’s reagent. RIS-HA nanoparticles were fabricated and conjugated with synthesized TCS. Fifteen batches of RIS-HA-TCS nanoparticles were designed using the Box–Behnken design process. The nanoparticles were formulated through the ionic gelation procedure, employing tripolyphosphate (TPP) as a crosslinking agent. In silico activity comparison of RIS and RIS-HA-TCS for farnesyl pyrophosphate synthetase enzyme demonstrated a higher binding affinity for RIS. The RIS-HA-TCS nanoparticles exhibited 85.4 ± 2.21% drug entrapment efficiency, a particle size of 252.1 ± 2.44 nm, and a polydispersity index of 0.2 ± 0.01. Further conjugation with mPEG resulted in a particle size of 264.9 ± 1.91 nm, a PDI of 0.120 ± 0.01, and an encapsulation efficiency of 91.1 ± 1.17%. TEM confirmed the spherical particle size of RIS-HA-TCS and RIS-HA-TCS-mPEG. In vitro release studies demonstrated significantly higher release for RIS-HS-TCS-mPEG (95.13 ± 4.64%) compared to RIS-HA-TCS (91.74 ± 5.13%), RIS suspension (56.12 ± 5.19%), and a marketed formulation (74.69 ± 3.98%). Ex vivo gut permeation studies revealed an apparent permeability of 0.5858 × 10−1 cm/min for RIS-HA-TCS-mPEG, surpassing RIS-HA-TCS (0.4011 × 10−4 cm/min), RIS suspension (0.2005 × 10−4 cm/min), and a marketed preparation (0.3401 × 10−4 cm/min).

In this report, a facile synthetic solution combustion technique is used for the synthesis of cost-effective nanomaterials (Zinc Oxide) for high performance in supercapacitor applications. To synthesize Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, zinc nitrate hexahydrate is used as an oxidizer, and citric acid is taken as a fuel. Here, the products' properties can be controlled in surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate, SDS) and stabilizing agent (polyvinylpyrrolidone, PVP). The effect of the addition of these agents played a crucial role in determining the synthesized nanocomposites' crystallite size, optical absorption, and specific capacitance. The structural and morphological characterization was done using X-ray diffraction, UV-visible, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, and Transmission electron microscopy. The average crystallite sizes were 14 – 20 nm, with a hexagonal structure of ZnO identified from X-Ray diffraction analysis. Electrochemical analyses were measured in 6M KOH within the potential window of 0 – 0.5 V. The specific capacitance of the material synthesized with surfactant (SDS) and stabilizing agent (PVP) was found to be the highest (919 F/g at 2 mV/s) compared to other zinc oxide nanoparticles, reflecting the key role of SDS and PVP in electrochemical performance.

The enhanced power density, long term cycling stability, and fast rate of operation, makes supercapacitors as desirable energy storage devices. Though metal oxides play a significant part in energy storage systems, Vanadium oxides have piqued the interest of electrochemists due to their multi-valency, potential window, unique layer structure, affordability, and plentiful availability. Vanadium pentoxide typically has relatively low specific capacitance due to its weak electrical conductivity and ionic diffusivity. However, these properties can be enhanced by encasing vanadium pentoxide in metal or carbonaceous materials, reducing it to the nanoscale, or changing its shape. On the other hand, the synthetic strategies are mostly essential in raising a compound's specific capacitance. Here, we report the synthesis of vanadium pentoxide nanoparticles using a cost effective solution combustion method. The synthesized material was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, UV-Vis Spectroscopy, FT-IR Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Cyclic voltammetry, Galvanostatic Charge-discharge, and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. The crystallite size of obtained nanoparticles is 28 nm. The specific capacitance of Vanadium pentoxide nanoparticles is 310 F/g and is calculated at 1 A/g using Galvanostatic Charge-discharge method. The obtained specific capacitance is higher than the existing reports on V2O5 nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT The first pandemic of the 21st century was caused by an H1N1 influenza A virus (IAV) introduced from pigs into humans, highlighting the importance of swine as reservoirs for pandemic viruses. Two major lineages of swine H1 circulate in North America: the 1A classical swine lineage (including that of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic) and the 1B human seasonal-like lineage. Here, we investigated the evolution of these H1 IAV lineages in North American swine and their potential pandemic risk. We assessed the antigenic distance between the HA of representative swine H1 and human seasonal vaccine strains (1978 to 2015) in hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays using a panel of monovalent antisera raised in pigs. Antigenic cross-reactivity varied by strain but was associated with genetic distance. Generally, the swine 1A lineage viruses that seeded the 2009 H1 pandemic were antigenically most similar to the H1 pandemic vaccine strains, with the exception of viruses in the genetic clade 1A.1.1.3, which had a two-amino acid deletion mutation near the receptor-binding site, which dramatically reduced antibody recognition. The swine 1B lineage strains, which arose from previously circulating (pre-2009 pandemic) human seasonal viruses, were more antigenically similar to pre-2009 human seasonal H1 vaccine viruses than post-2009 strains. Human population immunity was measured by cross-reactivity in HI assays to representative swine H1 strains. There was a broad range of titers against each swine strain that was not associated with age, sex, or location. However, there was almost no cross-reactivity in human sera to the 1A.1.1.3 and 1B.2.1 genetic clades of swine viruses, and the 1A.1.1.3 and 1B.2.1 clades were also the most antigenically distant to the human vaccine strains. Our data demonstrate that the antigenic distances of representative swine strains from human vaccine strains represent an important part of the rational assessment of swine IAV for zoonotic risk research and pandemic preparedness prioritization. IMPORTANCE Human H1 influenza A viruses (IAV) spread to pigs in North America, resulting in a sustained circulation of two major groups of H1 viruses in swine. We quantified the genetic diversity of H1 in swine and measured antigenic phenotypes. We demonstrated that the swine H1 lineages were significantly different from the human vaccine strains and that this antigenic dissimilarity increased over time as the viruses evolved in swine. Pandemic preparedness vaccine strains for human vaccines also demonstrated a loss in similarity with contemporary swine strains. Human sera revealed a range of responses to swine IAV, including two groups of viruses with little to no immunity. The surveillance and risk assessment of IAV diversity in pig populations are essential to detect strains with reduced immunity in humans and provide critical information for pandemic preparedness.

High-risk patients over the age of 65, who had chronic medical conditions, and had not yet had a primary care visit within 2020 were identified. A subgroup of patients participated in a survey to assess social determinants of health (SDOH) in the setting of a pandemic. Outcomes of those who participated in the survey, and those who did not participate were compared. Notably, those who were surveyed and lived within zip codes with low socioeconomic status had significantly decreased emergency department visits, which we defined as a discharge from the emergency department without hospitalization, as compared to those who did not receive outreach. Rates of inpatient hospitalization did not differ significantly. These findings suggest that patient outreach to evaluate SDOH during a pandemic leads to more appropriate emergency department and hospital resource utilization. This finding is particularly impactful given the current pandemic, which may place a strain on emergency department, and healthcare resources.

Mushrooms are good sources of phytochemicals that have antioxidant and anti-proliferative effects. This study identified a unique isoform of 18S rRNA gene (864 bp) from a novel wild mushroom (SMK-1) (GenBank accession number: SUB3267363). Thin layer chromatographic (TLC) profiling of the methanolic extract of the dried mushroom fruiting bodies of SMK-1 revealed the presence of phenolic and flavonoid fractions with retention factor (Rf) values of 0.955 and 0.927 respectively. The GC/MS chromatograms of the SMK-1 methanolic extract identified the main bioactive compound was phenol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl) (74.00%) (thymol). The radical scavenging activity for the flavonoid fraction was greater than the phenolic fractions (Rf–phenolics fractions > Rf–flavonoid fractions) with the antioxidant activity more than that of standard ascorbic acid. Also, the phenolic and flavonoid fractions of SMK-1 expressed cytotoxic effects in HeLa cells with IC50 values ranging from 5 μg/mL to 80 μg/mL in a dose-dependent manner. This present research highlights the presence of high thymol concentration in a novel wild mushroom that has antioxidant and anti-poliferative potential with therapeutic benefits. The application of thymol natural products from novel mushroom SMK-1 as nutrition supplements could inhibit oxidative stress triggered by numerous pathologies that may pave the way to develop a new therapeutic natural drug.