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Abstract Background The unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway serves as a crucial mechanism enabling plants to perceive, respond to, and shield themselves from adverse environmental conditions. Inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) is one of the key players of the UPR, and resides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) within the cell. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of 195 IRE1 genes across 90 diverse plant species, with a focus on their identification and characterization. Results To decipher the functions of IRE1 family members, we investigated the evolution and spread of IREs in plants and analysed their structural and localization characteristics. Our detailed cis-element analysis revealed unique IRE1 regulation patterns in different plant species. Furthermore, gene expression analysis revealed tissue-specific and heat stress-responsive expression patterns of TaIRE1s, which were subsequently confirmed via quantitative gene expression analysis. TaIRE1-6A was upregulated in response to dithiothreitol (DTT) treatment as well as heat stress. This finding suggests that IRE1 might play a role in linking the UPR pathway and the heat stress response (HSR). Conclusions Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the evolution and expansion of IRE1 genes in different plant species. These findings provide a foundation for further in-depth research on the functional diversity of IREs in nutritious crops following polyploidization. By linking the UPR with HSR, IRE1 could be a key contributor to wheat's resilience against heat stress. Additionally, this connection offers important insights for future functional studies in other crops. Thus, this knowledge could be used for engineering climate resilience in crops such as wheat.

Abstract Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected tropical disease primarily affecting Brazil, East Africa, and India, with India accounting for 18% of the global burden. While VL typically presents with systemic symptoms like fever, weight loss, and splenomegaly, it can occasionally manifest atypically, posing significant diagnostic challenges. Neurological presentations of VL are extremely rare, making them difficult to suspect and diagnose. Cases where VL predominantly presents with neurological symptoms are particularly novel, underscoring the need for heightened awareness of such atypical manifestations in endemic regions. Clinical case A 38-year-old man with history of recurrent atypical VL presented with diffuse lower back pain, progressive tingling, numbness, weakness in the lower extremities, and double vision for one month. Clinical and radiological evaluations suggested cauda equina syndrome and cranial nerve palsy, accompanied by generalized lymphadenopathy, subcutaneous nodules, and skin papules. The differential diagnosis initially included disseminated tuberculosis, histoplasmosis, and lymphoma. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed an inflammatory syndrome. Histopathology of lymph node and bone marrow revealed Leishmania amastigotes and subcutaneous nodule and skin biopsy revealed inflammatory cells with granulomas. Furthermore, the qPCR test on DNA from a subcutaneous nodule, lymph node, and CSF was positive for Leishmania kinetoplast DNA. The species was further confirmed as Leishmania donovani through ITS-based PCR amplification and sequencing. Finally, a diagnosis of relapse of VL with lymph node, cutaneous, and neurological involvement, including abducens nerve palsy and cauda equina syndrome, was established. He was treated with combination of liposomal amphotericin B and miltefosine, along with intrathecal hyaluronidase, resulting in significant improvement. Conclusion Unlike previously reported cases with both systemic and neurological symptoms, our patient predominantly presented with neurological manifestations, making this a unique and novel presentation of VL. This case highlights diagnostic challenges and management of atypical VL, emphasizing neurological involvement and successful therapeutic strategies.

Abstract Background Suboptimal water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices constitute a serious public health risk, affecting one-third of the world's population. Remarkable progress has been made to improve WASH; however, challenges remain, with rapid population growth adding pressure on WASH systems. This study explores the current state of WASH practices and diseases in Africa, identifies challenges, and proposes public health recommendations for sustainable implementation. Main body The staggering burden of WASH-related diseases in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in Africa, threatens public health, with millions of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributed to poor WASH practices annually. Notable challenges plaguing WASH practices in the region include poverty, malnutrition, poor data reporting, illiteracy, climate change, and poor healthcare financing. This results in adverse health consequences, including waterborne infections like cholera, typhoid, dysentery, and diarrheal diseases. Additionally, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) such as intestinal worms, schistosomiasis, trachoma, lost productivity, and environmental pollution from soil and underground water contamination have been implicated. Geographical disparities, cultural norms, and inadequate funding further complicate efforts to improve WASH infrastructure and practices. Globally concerted efforts are required to address these issues and permit WASH practices to protect human health by preventing infectious diseases and contributing to economic growth. Strong financial frameworks, skills training, and tools like WASH Fit are recommended for a stronger WASH approach in Africa. Conclusion The consequences of poor WASH extend beyond public health, impacting economic growth, gender equality, and environmental sustainability. WaterAid’s policy recommendations prioritizing government administration, institutional capacity enhancement, and more financial resources are expedient.

Background: In biomedical imaging research, experimental biologists generate vast amounts of data that require advanced computational analysis. Breakthroughs in experimental techniques, such as multiplex immunofluorescence tissue imaging, enable detailed proteomic analysis, but most biomedical researchers lack the programming and Artificial Intelligence (AI) expertise to leverage these innovations effectively. Methods: Cinco de Bio (CdB) is a web-based, collaborative low-code/no-code modelling and execution platform designed to address this challenge. It is designed along Model-Driven Development (MDD) and Service-Orientated Architecture (SOA) to enable modularity and scalability, and it is underpinned by formal methods to ensure correctness. The pre-processing of immunofluorescence images illustrates the ease of use and ease of modelling with CdB in comparison with the current, mostly manual, approaches. Results: CdB simplifies the deployment of data processing services that may use heterogeneous technologies. User-designed models support both a collaborative and user-centred design for biologists. Domain-Specific Languages for the Application domain (A-DSLs) are supported through data and process ontologies/taxonomies. They allow biologists to effectively model workflows in the terminology of their field. Conclusions: Comparative analysis of similar platforms in the literature illustrates the superiority of CdB along a number of comparison dimensions. We are expanding the platform’s capabilities and applying it to other domains of biomedical research.

Introduction: Adnexal malignancies are a leading cause of mortality in gynaecologic cancers, posing significant diagnostic challenges. Ultrasonography (USG) is the primary imaging modality, and the development of the Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System Ultrasound (O-RADS US) aims to provide standardised interpretations to assist in management decisions. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of using the O-RADS classification system in diagnosing and characterising adnexal lesions. Materials and Methods: This single-centre prospective cohort study was conducted at the Department of Radiodiagnosis, Sri Guru Ram Das Charitable Hospital attached to Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Amritsar, Punjab, India from January 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. The study included 50 patients with adnexal mass lesions from all age groups. All participants underwent transabdominal/transvaginal ultrasonographic examinations, with Colour Doppler assessment included. The O-RADS classification system was employed to assess and characterise the adnexal mass lesions. The diagnostic accuracy of the O-RADS US risk score was determined. Statistical analysis was conducted using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0 to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, Positive Predictive Value (PPV), and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) for O-RADS US results in diagnosing ovarian masses. Results: The patients’ ages ranged from 18 to 83 years, with a mean age of 41.68±15.51 years. The cohort included 35 premenopausal and 15 postmenopausal individuals. The most common indication for USG was pelvic pain, observed in 15 out of 50 patients, representing 30% of the study cohort. The O-RADS sensitivity for the detection of ovarian cancer was 88.89%, with a specificity of 93.75%, NPV of 93.75%, and PPV of 88.89%, with an accuracy of 92%. These results were achieved by keeping O-RADS score of 4 as the cutoff for malignancy. Conclusion: The O-RADS US is effective in the risk stratification of ovarian lesions and has a high diagnostic performance. Implementing these guidelines in clinical practice could be beneficial for managing adnexal lesions.

The present study examined the impact of aging on ethical decision-making in simulated critical driving scenarios. 204 participants from North America, grouped into two age groups (18–30 years and 65 years and above), were asked to decide whether their simulated automated vehicle should stay in or change from the current lane in scenarios mimicking the Trolley Problem. Each participant viewed a video clip rendered by the driving simulator at Old Dominion University and pressed the space-bar if they decided to intervene in the control of the simulated automated vehicle in an online experiment. Bayesian hierarchical models were used to analyze participants’ responses, response time, and acceptability of utilitarian ethical decision-making. The results showed significant pedestrian placement, age, and time-to-collision (TTC) effects on participants’ ethical decisions. When pedestrians were in the right lane, participants were more likely to switch lanes, indicating a utilitarian approach prioritizing pedestrian safety. Younger participants were more likely to switch lanes in general compared to older participants. The results imply that older drivers can maintain their ability to respond to ethically fraught scenarios with their tendency to switch lanes more frequently than younger counterparts, even when the tasks interacting with an automated driving system. The current findings may inform the development of decision algorithms for intelligent and connected vehicles by considering potential ethical dilemmas faced by human drivers across different age groups.

Background Impairment in neurocognitive functions are commonly followed by Epidural hematoma (EDH) . This cross-sectional study was aimed to study gender differences in neurocognitive functions in mild to moderate epidural hematoma patients (43 male and 19 female patients) post-surgery using standardized assessment tools of comprehensive neurocognitive function attention, speed, working memory, fluency, set-shifting, perseveration, planning and response inhibition.

Aging populations pose significant challenges for transportation safety at complex intersections. This study investigated gap acceptance behavior of older drivers at left-turn signalized permissive intersections using a driving simulator with 40 participants (20 older, mean age $77.95~\pm ~5.79$ years; 20 younger, mean age $25.95~\pm ~1.66$ years). Participants experienced varying traffic volume levels, queue length, and pedestrian presence. Physiological responses, such as electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate variability (HRV), provided insights into drivers’ internal states during decision-making. The results showed that older drivers required longer gap acceptance times compared to younger drivers. Experimental factors like higher traffic volumes, longer queues, and pedestrian presence significantly impacted gap acceptance and led to more conservative decisions. Additionally, higher EDA levels correlated with longer gaps, indicating stress during decision-making. HRV showed a modest yet significant correlation with gap acceptance in older drivers. This suggests that changes in HRV affected their decision-making process, though the influence was weaker than EDA. Significant interactions between traffic volume and queue length and a three-way interaction with pedestrian presence emphasized the complexity of these decisions. Motion sickness susceptibility was also significantly correlated with gap acceptance. These findings contribute to improving road design and driver assistance systems, promoting safer intersections for older drivers.

Drowsy driving poses a significant risk to road safety, necessitating the development of reliable drowsiness detection systems. In particular, the advancement of Artificial Intelligence based neuroadaptive systems is imperative to effectively mitigate this risk. Towards reaching this goal, the present research focuses on investigating the efficacy of physiological indicators, including heart rate variability (HRV), percentage of eyelid closure over the pupil over time (PERCLOS), blink rate, blink percentage, and electrodermal activity (EDA) signals, in predicting driver drowsiness. The study was conducted with a cohort of 30 participants in controlled simulated driving scenarios, with half driving in a non-monotonous environment and the other half in a monotonous environment. Three deep learning algorithms were employed: sequential neural network (SNN) for HRV, 1D-convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) for EDA, and convolutional recurrent neural network (CRNN) for eye tracking. The HRV-Based Model and EDA-Based Model exhibited strong performance in drowsiness classification, with the HRV model achieving precision, recall, and F1-score of 98.28%, 98%, and 98%, respectively, and the EDA model achieving 96.32%, 96%, and 96% for the same metrics. The confusion matrix further illustrates the model’s performance and highlights high accuracy in both HRV and EDA models, affirming their efficiency in detecting driver drowsiness. However, the Eye-Based Model faced difficulties in identifying drowsiness instances, potentially attributable to dataset imbalances and underrepresentation of specific fatigue states. Despite the challenges, this work significantly contributes to ongoing efforts to improve road safety by laying the foundation for effective real-time neuro-adaptive systems for drowsiness detection and mitigation.

Introduction: Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors, though relatively less common (approx 2% of all tumors), display a gamut of clinical and histological presentations. Frozen section analysis in CNS tumors in a known modality which can be a beneficial tool with potential to guide intra-operative management and a likelihood of bettering outcomes. Our study aims to ascertain the correlation and concordance between intra-operative frozen section diagnosis with final histopathological diagnosis in CNS tumors. Methods: We studied a total of 30 cases of CNS tumors for which frozen section was carried out and the same were compared with the diagnosis after final histopathological examination. For statistical analysis SPSS software version 20.0 (IBM, Armonk, New York, USA), Pearsons's correlation coefficient Test and Chi square test were used. Results: Out of the 30 cases studied, 24 cases (80%) were completely concordant, 05 cases (16.7%) were partially concordant and 01 case (3.3%) was discordant. Considering the concordant and partially concordant cases, the sensitivity was estimated to be 96.7%. Conclusion: Intraoperative frozen section diagnosis encompasses certain limitations in layered diagnosis. Despite the limitations of retrospective studies, this study highlights its diagnostic value as a rapid and reliable method for accurate diagnosis of CNS tumors.

Introduction: The most dreaded complication during laparoscopic cholecystectomy still remains to be injury to the common bile duct. The primary cause for bile duct injury during LC is misinterpretation of the biliary anatomy. Intra-operative cholangiography was introduced as a means of reducing the chances of biliary injury, done using Fluoroscopic imaging or Near-infrared fluorescence imaging method. NIRF is one of the most popular imaging methods in biomedical sciences. Indocyanine Green is sterile and water soluble which completely binds to albumin and is excreted in bile. Patients and Methods: This prospective study was conducted among 70 patients between July 2020 and December 2021. Subjects were administered 5mg of ICG dye pre-operatively and procedure performed using Karl Storz HD image S1 system with a D-light P light source for NIRF imaging. Results: The average duration of surgery was 58.10 minutes. After calot's dissection, the CBD was visualized in 88.71 % patients, with a mean time to visualization at 26.33 minutes. The cystic duct was visualized in 87.3% cases with a mean time of visualization of 32.10 minutes. The hepatic duct was visualized in 28.57% and the hepatic duct-CBD confluence was visualized in 34.28% patients. Conclusion: Near infrared imaging based intra-operative cholangiography, using Indocyanine Green dye, during Lap. Cholecystectomy is an easy, useful and inexpensive method of visualizing the biliary ductal anatomy.

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) face critical decisions in pedestrian interactions, necessitating ethical considerations such as minimizing harm and prioritizing human life. This study investigates machine learning models to predict human decision making in simulated driving scenarios under varying pedestrian configurations and time constraints. Data were collected from 204 participants across 12 unique simulated driving scenarios, categorized into young (24.7 ± 3.5 years, 38 males, 64 females) and older (71.0 ± 5.7 years, 59 males, 43 females) age groups. Participants’ binary decisions to maintain or change lanes were recorded. Traditional logistic regression models exhibited high precision but consistently low recall, struggling to identify true positive instances requiring intervention. In contrast, the AdaBoost algorithm demonstrated superior accuracy and discriminatory power. Confusion matrix analysis revealed AdaBoost’s ability to achieve high true positive rates (up to 96%) while effectively managing false positives and negatives, even under 1 s time constraints. Learning curve analysis confirmed robust learning without overfitting. AdaBoost consistently outperformed logistic regression, with AUC-ROC values ranging from 0.82 to 0.96. It exhibited strong generalization, with validation accuracy approaching 0.8, underscoring its potential for reliable real-world AV deployment. By consistently identifying critical instances while minimizing errors, AdaBoost can prioritize human safety and align with ethical frameworks essential for responsible AV adoption.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a transient ventricular dysfunction with apical ballooning triggered by emotional and/or physical stress. A few risk factors have been observed in patients with recurrent TTS, for example, excessive sympathetic stimuli, medications, stress, and tumors. Clinical features can vary from chest pain to overt hemodynamic instability. Diagnosis requires both electrocardiographic features and invasive imaging such as angiography to rule out other causes of cardiomyopathy prior to diagnosis. In addition, renal infarcts presenting as a complication of TTS are relatively uncommon. In this case report, we discuss the case of a 61-year-old African American woman with a prior history of TTS being managed for abdominal pain who developed a recurrence of the TTS during the hospital course. Prompt diagnosis and management of the condition is crucial to improve outcomes especially in patients with thromboembolic phenomenon or hemodynamic instability. Further large-scale studies are warranted to determine outcomes of patients with recurrent Takotsubo cardiomyopathy with thromboembolic phenomenon.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of seasonal changes on the morphological (corbicula, proboscis, forewing, and hindwing) and physiological (hypopharyngeal glands and differential haemocyte count) characters of Apis mellifera L. workers during autumn, winter, spring, and summer seasons in year 2021 and 2022. The study found that the maximum values for morphological parameters i.e., proboscis length, corbicula length, length and width of forewing and hindwing, and physiological parameters i.e., hypopharyngeal gland acini size (length, width and surface area) and counts of plasmatocytes and granulocytes were consistently obtained during spring season. Notably, the most substantial reduction in immune cell count occurred during winter. Furthermore, a constant pattern observed across all seasons, indicating a significant increase in the size of all morphological characteristics as bees transitioned from nurses to foragers. In contrast, nurse bees always have larger hypopharyngeal gland acini sizes compared to foragers in all seasons. The differential haemocyte counts indicated a prevalence of plasmatocytes in the adult bee haemolymph. However, as bees shifted from nursing to foraging, the percentage of plasmatocytes and granulocytes decreased, accompanied by an increase in pycnotic cells, which signify programmed cell death. Consequently, the spring season emerged as the most favorable period for the growth and development of worker honey bees. This season consistently showcased optimal morphological and physiological characteristics, underscoring its importance in the life cycle of Apis mellifera colonies.

Background There are very few studies on the association between fetal epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Aims To evaluate the role of fetal epicardial fat thickness as a marker and use it in pregnancies to screen for GDM. Settings and Design A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging at Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Amritsar, after the due clearance from the institutional research and ethics committee. Materials and Methods The study included pregnant patients at 24 + 0/6 to 28 + 0/6 weeks of gestation scheduled for a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test from December 1, 2020 to March 30, 2022. Antenatal ultrasound was performed on Voluson E8 Expert BT12 (Wipro GE) ultrasound machine. Out of 180 patients, 60 patients were selected, that is, 30 patients with raised 75 g OGTT results (cases of GDM) and 30 patients with normal 75 g OGTT results. Statistical Analysis The collected data were transformed into variables, coded, and entered into Microsoft Excel. Data were analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk normality test, student's t-test or Mann–Whiney U test, chi-square test, or Fisher's exact test and statistically evaluated using the SPSS-PC-25 version. Results Fetal EFT was found to be significantly more in the GDM group in comparison to controls without GDM, and the increased fetal EFT was positively associated with 2-hour OGTT serum glucose values. The mean fetal epicardial fat thickness (EFT) in mothers with GDM was significantly larger, i.e., 0.17 ± 0.02 cm than in mothers without GDM, i.e., 0.12 ± 0.01 cm (p

Background: A chronic, symmetrical & inflammatory disease, which affects small joints and later progresses to involve large joints. To promote remission and control further joint destruction, disease modifying ant rheumatic drugs are used. The role of low Vitamin D3 and High BMI have been found in pathogenesis of RA. Methodology: The study was designed by Department of pharmacology and patients were enrolled from department of medicine. This was an open label; prospective study. After obtaining, informed written consent, the subjects were randomized in three groups, Group 1-Methotrexate 7.5-15mg once a week, Group 2 - Hydroxychloroquine 200mg BD and Group 3-Methotrexate 7.5mg once a week Plus HCQ 200mg OD. The Vitamin D3 levels and Body mass index was assessed at first visit. The quality of life was assessed using DAS-28/CRP, RAPID-3 Score. Average cost-effective ratio was also calculated. The adverse effects were also assessed using WHO-UMC causality assessment. The statistical analysis of the data Graph pad insta version 3.1 was used, p-value

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the effects resulting from the substitution of biowaste-derived carbon-dot (CD) from human hair on structural and superconducting properties of MgB2. Syntheses of polycrystalline samples were accomplished through a standard solid-state reaction route. X-ray powder diffraction results confirm the formation of MgB2 as a primary phase in all samples and show the successful substitution of carbon for boron in MgB2. The critical current density, determined at 20 K and 4.5 T, for carbon-substituted MgB2 synthesized at 850 °C was enhanced by more than four times compared with unsubstituted MgB2. The observed improvement is due to the formation of efficient pinning centers resulting from the incorporation of carbon substituting for boron in MgB2. Furthermore, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the presence of carbon bonding to boron in MgB2 synthesized with biowaste-derived CDs, indicating successful incorporation into the structure. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) results show that the carbon-substituted MgB2 can lead to changes in the electronic band structure and values of work function. These changes significantly impact the properties of MgB2 materials, including superconducting transition temperature, upper critical field, and critical current density. The XPS and UPS experimental results are in good agreement with density functional theory calculations for MgB2 with and without carbon substitution.

Copper(II) acetate reacted with 2,3-isatin bisthiosemicarbazone (2,3 H2bitsc), 2,3-isatin bis-N1-methyl thiosemicarbazone (2,3 H2bitsc-N1-Me) and 2,3-isatin N1-phenyl thiosemicarbazone (2,3 H2bitsc-N1-Ph) in 1:1 (M: L) to form complexes of formula, [Cu(L)] (L = 2,3 bitsc 1, 2,3 bitsc-N1-Me 2, 2,3 bitsc-N1-Ph 3). The formation of bisthiosemicarbazone ligands and their complexes are supported by elemental analysis, FTIR, NMR (1H and 13C), ESR, and Mass. For complexes 1–3, two g values obtained are: g‖ = 2.24 (1), 2.17 (2), 2.26 (3) and g⊥ = 2.09 (1), 2.11 (2), 2.08 (3) which confirm axial symmetry. The square planar geometry is confirmed from higher g‖ values than g⊥ and presence g value of free electron in dx2-y2 ground term. Ligand to metal binding ratio of 1:1 is confirmed using UV–visible spectroscopy. The ligands (2,3 H2bitsc, 2,3 H2bitsc-N1-Me and 2,3 H2bitsc-N1-Ph) and complexes (1–3) were assessed for anti-tubercular (M. tuberculosis H37RV strain ATCC27294) and antibacterial (against E. coli and S. aureus) activities. The anti- tuberculosis activity of ligands (50 µg/mL-2,3 H2bitsc, 100 µg/mL-2,3 H2bitsc-N1-Me and H2bitsc-N1-Ph) gets enhanced on complexation with copper (25 µg /mL-1, 50 µg/mL 2 and 3). The minimal binding energies calculated through molecular modeling with mycobacterium tuberculosis enoyl reductase (PDB ID: 2H7M) is −7.6 (2,3 H2bitsc), −7.3 (2,3 H2bitsc-N1-Me), −9.6 (2,3 H2bitsc-N1-Ph), −8.7 (1), −8.9 (2), and −10.7 (3) Kcal/mol. Higher negative binding energy indicates more stabilized structure in the docked state for 1–3 which supports the experimental data. The drug-protein binding study with human serum albumin (HSA) was used to explore effective transport of molecules to their target sites in 2,3 H2bitsc and its complex 1. A high binding constant of complex 1 (6.09 × 105 M−1) with respect to the ligand 2,3 H2bitsc (4.90 × 105 M−1) indicates its strong binding affinities with HSA.

Background/Aims Colonic volvulus (CV), a common cause of bowel obstruction, often requires intervention. We aimed to identify hospitalization trends and CV outcomes in the United States. Methods We used the National Inpatient Sample to identify all adult CV hospitalizations in the United States from 2007 to 2017. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and inpatient outcomes were highlighted. Outcomes of endoscopic and surgical management were compared. Results From 2007 to 2017, there were 220,666 CV hospitalizations. CV-related hospitalizations increased from 17,888 in 2007 to 21,715 in 2017 (p=0.001). However, inpatient mortality decreased from 7.6% in 2007 to 6.2% in 2017 (p

The ever increasing service requirement of industries like automobile, aerospace, marine, infrastructure and transportation have evolved non-ferrous metal matrix composites with different combinations of ceramic and soft reinforcements which have resulted in the improvement of their tribo-mechanical properties as compared to an unreinforced alloy. Secondary reinforcements provide safe disposal of agro-industrial waste thereby reducing environmental degradation. The scanning electron micrographs reveals fairly uniform dispersal of reinforcement in metal matrix if proper conditions are maintained and porosity levels are found to be in acceptable range. The density, hardness, wear resistance, tensile strength, fatigue strength and impact strength of non-ferrous composites have been found to be either comparable or superior to an unreinforced alloy with minimum weight and cost. The purpose of current study is to explore the nonferrous composites and propose their application area based on material properties. An attempt has been made for indepth review on the effect of controllable process parameters on tribo-mechanical properties of the non-ferrous composites. The study concludes that non- ferrous composites with single or more than one reinforcement have superior tribo-mechanical characteristics making them suitable for design of high performance, low cost and low weight to strength ratio components.

The objective of this research is to apply Quality 4.0 (Q4.0) concept in Agriculture 4.0 (A4.0) to digitize the traditional quality management (QM) system and demonstrate the effectiveness of zero-defect manufacturing (ZDM) in the agricultural part manufacturing industry. An autonomous quality management system was developed based on the ZDM system using the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Both traditional and autonomous quality management systems were evaluated using six-sigma quality indicators and machining and inspection cost analysis. The ZDM resulted in a significant improvement in the quality of CARD148 manufacturing, increasing the manufacturing process from a low level of sigma to a high level of sigma (0.75 to 5.10 sigma). The component rejection rate was reduced by a high percentage, leading to significant economic benefits and a significant reduction in machining cost. The process yield was also increased to a high percentage. The developed ZDM was found to be consistent in improving the quality of the turning process, with notable increases in tool life and reduction in inspection cost. The total component cost was reduced significantly, while the PPM value increased notably. While this study focuses on agriculture-related manufacturing organizations, the developed ZDM has potential for other machining industries to improve sigma levels, particularly in industries such as automotive and medical.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Currently, it poses a significant threat to the healthcare system due to the emerging resistance and toxicity of available drug candidates in clinical practice, thus generating an urgent need for the development of new potent and safer anti-breast cancer drug candidates. Coumarin (chromone-2-one) is an elite ring system widely distributed among natural products and possesses a broad range of pharmacological properties. The unique distribution and pharmacological efficacy of coumarins attract natural product hunters, resulting in the identification of numerous natural coumarins from different natural sources in the last three decades, especially those with anti-breast cancer properties. Inspired by this, numerous synthetic derivatives based on coumarins have been developed by medicinal chemists all around the globe, showing promising anti-breast cancer efficacy. This review is primarily focused on the development of coumarin-inspired anti-breast cancer agents in the last three decades, especially highlighting design strategies, mechanistic insights, and their structure–activity relationship. Natural coumarins having anti-breast cancer efficacy are also briefly highlighted. This review will act as a guideline for researchers and medicinal chemists in designing optimum coumarin-based potent and safer anti-breast cancer agents.

Background: Vitiligo is regarded as a psychosocial disorder for which assessment of disease severity is imperative to aid the management of disease. The association between demographic parameters, vitiligo severity, and quality of life (QoL) scores aids in gauging the impact of disease severity on QoL. Objectives: The aim of the study was to measure the QoL of vitiligo patients using vitiligo QoL (VitiQoL) index questionnaire and to assess its correlation with clinicodemographic patterns and vitiligo area severity index vitiligo area scoring index (VASI). Methods: One hundred and eight patients of vitiligo were included in this cross-sectional study. The disease severity was calculated using VASI score and patients were asked to fill the VitiQoL questionnaire (after translation to local language) for assessing the QOL. Demography, area severity, and QOL were statistically analyzed for demonstrating the correlation. Results: Statistically significant strong correlation was demonstrated between VitiQoL and VASI scores (p = 0.001; r = 0.856). In addition, female gender, young adults, lesions on exposed sites, and divorced status demonstrated significantly higher impact on the QOL than others (p < 0.05). Conclusion: QOL is significantly dependent on the disease severity and certain demographic patterns which reiterates the importance of measuring burden of vitiligo as a part of its multifaceted management.

Introduction: Now-a-days, most surgeons are aware that obese patients face more difficulties during laparoscopic colorectal surgery compared to non obese patients, especially with the prevalence of advanced laparoscopic procedures. Aim: To investigate the association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and operative time, as well as the length of hospital stay after laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at Sri Guru Ram Das (SGRD) Charitable Hospital in Amritsar, Punjab, India, from January 2016 to January 2019. The study included 139 patients who underwent laparoscopic colorectal surgery. The dataset consisted of four variables: BMI (continuous), intraoperative time (continuous), diagnosis (nominal, including various diseases such as Crohn’s disease, colon cancer, ulcerative colitis, and diverticulitis), and length of stay (dichotomous, categorised as “yes” if the total length of stay in the hospital was greater than three days, and “no” if it was three days or under). Mean and standard deviations were calculated for both BMI and intraoperative time. The Pearson’s r correlation test was used to assess the association between BMI and intraoperative time. Results: A total of 139 patients were included in the study, with 72 (51.80%) having a length of stay less than three days and 67 (48.20%) having a length of stay greater than three days. Higher BMI was found to be associated with a prolonged length of stay (>three days) in the hospital following colorectal surgery, with a p-value of 0.007. However, the study did not find a statistically significant association between BMI and intraoperative time, with a p-value of 0.1795. Conclusion: Obese patients tend to spend a longer time in the hospital compared to non obese patients. Therefore, caution should be exercised when performing elective laparoscopic procedures on obese patients.

Introduction: Endometrial lesions are a diagnostic dilemma for both radiologists, as well as, gynecologists. Characterising these lesions is crucial for effective management. The Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) reflects the molecular translational movement of water molecules. Malignant tumours, with higher cellularity than benign tumours, exhibit decreased ADC values compared to benign lesions. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ADC in conjunction with Diffusion-weighted Images (DWI) for differentiating malignant and benign endometrial lesions. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted at the Outpatient Department (OPD) of Radiodiagnosis at Sri Guru Ram Das Charitable Hospital in Amritsar, Punjab, India. The study spanned one year and seven months, from February 2020 to October 2021. A total of 100 female patients across all age groups with clinically suspected gynecological complaints related to the endometrium were included. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was used to the examine the patients with endometrial lesions, and the results were compared with histopathology. The ADC values of benign and malignant lesions were statistically analysed using Student's t-test. Statistical significance was defined as a p-value < 0.05. Results: The mean age of participants with benign lesions was lower than that of those with malignant lesions (53.47±8.75 years and 60.00±13.93 years, respectively). The 100 individuals were divided into two groups: group I included individuals with benign lesions (58%), and group II comprised patients with malignant lesions (42%). Conventional MRI demonstrated a sensitivity of 86.2%, specificity of 91.8%, Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of 91.6%, and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of 100% in lesion detection and differentiation. Combining DWI and ADC value mapping at a high b-value (b=800) in MRI significantly increased sensitivity (92.1%), specificity (97.9%), PPV (97.9%), and NPV (92.3%). Conclusion: The addition of DWI and ADC values to conventional MRI significantly improved the ability to distinguish malignant endometrial lesions from benign ones. However, histopathology remains the gold standard investigation as MRI inference cannot differentiate low-grade endometrial carcinoma from hyperplasia.

Objective: Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes rapid turnover of skin cells. It is a chronic disease that affects a patient's quality of life significantly and frequently requires long-term treatment. The study on sequential therapy with tazarotene 0.1% and calcitriol 0.0003% has not been tried so far; hence, we designed this study to compare the safety and efficacy of sequential therapy with tazarotene 0.1% cream and calcitriol 0.0003% ointment versus monotherapy in mild-to-moderate stable plaque psoriasis (SPP). The objective of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of topical sequential treatment with tazarotene followed by calcitriol, topical calcitriol followed by tazarotene, tazarotene monotherapy, calcitriol monotherapy, and compare the safety and efficacy of the sequential therapies with monotherapies. Methods: The study was a single center, prospective parallel-group, active control, randomized study of 16 weeks duration (treatment for 8 weeks and follow-up for 16 weeks), randomized to either of the four groups, i.e., tazarotene 0.1% for 4 weeks followed by calcitriol 0.0003% for 4 weeks or calcitriol 0.0003% for 4 weeks followed by tazarotene 0.1% for 4 weeks or tazarotene 0.1% for 8 weeks or calcitriol 0.0003% for 8 weeks. Both tazarotene and calcitriol were applied once daily in all the groups. Findings: There was no significant difference with regard to age and duration of illness among the four treatment groups. Statistically significant improvement was observed in erythema, scaling, and induration scores, and Physician's global assessment scale at 8 weeks and 16 weeks as compared to baseline in tazarotene – calcitriol, calcitriol – tazarotene, and calcitriol versus tazarotene groups. Conclusion: This study concluded that topical treatment with tazarotene 0.1% and calcitriol 0.003% was efficacious in treating mild-to-moderate SPP as both sequential and monotherapy. However, topical treatment with tazarotene as monotherapy was the least efficacious.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a unique challenge for all, where numerous coping strategies are being used to adapt to the unprecedented stress. Among them, substance use is one of the most challenging for the youth in a developing country like India. Aims: The present study aimed to (1) compare among adolescents, young adults, and middle-aged adults comprehensive coping strategies and substance use, and (2) study various coping strategies as predictors of substance use amid the pandemic. Methodology: The sample comprised 1027 participants between 13–60 years of age, further categorized as adolescents (13–18 years), young adults (19–39 years), and middle-aged adults (39–60 years). The assessment was done on the Perceived Stress Scale, Brief COPE Inventory by Carver, and DSM-5 Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure. The groups were compared using Kruskal–Wallis and Chi-square. Correlations were calculated using Person's coefficient, and multiple linear regressions were analyzed. Results: The young adults used more substance use; adolescents used more self-blaming, self-distraction, instrumental support, and positive reframing. The male participants resorted to “substance use” while females were more involved with “seeking social support” and “religion.” Perceived stress, coping, age, and gender formed a significant predictor model with substance use, denial, positive reframing, and significant independent predictors of problematic substance use. Conclusions: Our study found significant age and gender-related differences in using various coping strategies and substance use. Our study explained substance use through the lens of coping where perceived stress, substance use as coping, denial, and positive reframing were significant independent predictors. Results will help to plan interventions to promote adaptive coping strategies and implement focused interventions in the vulnerable groups.

Background: The current model of procedure training involves lectures, seminars, observations and personalised education in small groups or by watching videos on digital platforms. Central venous catheterisation (CVC) is an important skill; however, its training largely remains unstructured. There is a need of protocol-based uniform training policy. Aims: The aims and objectives of the study are to prepare and implement simulation-based CVC training module for the 1st year post-graduate students. Materials and Methods: After approval from the institutional ethical committee, 1st year post-graduate students of anaesthesia, medicine and surgery were enroled. Training modules and questionnaires were prepared with discussions amongst faculty. Students' baseline knowledge regarding the CVC was noted on mannequins along with self-reported confidence. After that, they were subjected to training module. Students repeat knowledge and confidence regarding CVC were noted. In the next few months, procedures performed by post-graduate students were directly observed and rated. Students as well as faculty feedback regarding this teaching module was also collected. Results: Training module was associated with a statistically significant increase in knowledge and self-reported confidence regarding the knowledge and skill of CVC (P < 0.05). Most of the students and faculty agreed regarding the training module utility. Conclusions: A structured simulation module for CVC helped to improve students' knowledge and confidence about the CVC skill. The module was well accepted by both faculty and students.

Introduction: Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair is undergoing a paradigm shift with the introduction of numerous new techniques to improve the outcomes. Enhanced-view totally extra-peritoneal (eTEP) is a novel approach for the repair of ventral herniae introduced by Belyansky et al. The key innovation lies in placing the mesh in a large retrorectus–pre-peritoneal space contrary to the widely practiced intra-peritoneal placement. This approach can be easily coupled with a component separation in the form of transversus abdominis release (TAR) for large herniae. We conducted a midterm analysis of 'eTEP' approach to ventral hernia at a high-volume tertiary care centre and present our results of over 3 years of employing this technique. Methodology: A retrospective study of 150 cases of ventral hernia repaired using eTEP approach from January 2018 to February 2021 at a tertiary care centre by a team of three surgeons. The procedures were performed by a single team of three members headed by the first author. Results: Out of total 150 cases, incisional hernia occurred in 73 cases (48.7%), primary hernia occurred in 48 cases (32%) and recurrent hernia in 29 cases (19.3%). Although the majority of incisional (87.7%) and recurrent (79.3%) ventral hernias occurred in female, the incidence of primary ventral hernia was equal at 24 cases in both genders. The majority of the cases (80.7%) underwent eTEP RS procedure, and the rest were W3 hernias, which were managed by including a component separation in the form of eTEP TAR. The operating time for eTEP TAR (222.24 min ± 32.56) compared to eTEP RS (124.33 ± 23.68) was significantly longer. The mean length of stay was significantly shorter for primary hernias (3.75 days ± 1.62) compared to recurrent (5.21 days ± 2.51) and incisional hernias (4.36 days ± 2.19) (F = 4.376) (P = 0.014). The peri-operative period was uneventful in majority of the cases. We experienced a seroma rate of 5.8% in our series. At follow-up of 1 year, 3.3% of patients complained of discomfort/bulge in the upper abdomen. There were no other surgical site occurrences (SSO) in the form infection, posterior rectus sheath disruption and skin necrosis. We observed no recurrences till date with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. Conclusion: eTEP approach to ventral hernia is a promising abdominal wall reconstruction technique. It is safe and offers good functional outcomes with restoration of abdominal wall dynamics. It is a reproducible and safe technique for tackling various types of ventral hernia. It is specifically useful in managing unusual lateral hernias, incisional and recurrent hernias with ease.

This study proposes a framework for developing a realistic model for throttle and servo control algorithms for a powered parafoil unmanned aerial vehicle (PPUAV) using artificial neural networks (ANNs). Two servo motors on an L-shaped platform, control and steer the PPUAV. Six degrees of freedom mathematical model of a dynamic parafoil system is built to test the technique's efficacy using a simulation in which disturbances mimic actual flights. A guiding law is then established, including the cross-track error and the line-of-sight approach. Furthermore, a path-following controller is constructed using the proportional-integral derivative, and a simulation platform was created to evaluate numerical data illustrating the route's validity following the technique. PPUAV was developed, built, and instrumented to collect real-time flight data to test the controller. These dynamic characteristics were sent into the ANN for training. A diverging-converging design was identified to obtain the best consistency between predicted and observed throttle and servo control values. For a comparable flight route, the control signal of the simulated model is compared with those of the actual and ANN-predicted models. The comparative findings show that the ANN-predicted and actual control inputs were almost identical, with an 80%–99% match. However, the simulated response showed deviation from the actual control input, with an accuracy of 50%–80%.

Pancreatitis is the leading gastrointestinal cause of hospitalizations. There are multiple short- and long-term complications associated with pancreatitis. Post-pancreatitis diabetes mellitus (PPDM) is one of the less explored complications of pancreatitis. Nonetheless, it has attracted considerable attention during the last decade. PPDM is now the second most common cause of new-onset diabetes mellitus (DM) in adults after type II DM surpassing type 1 DM. However, there exists a knowledge gap amongst practitioners regarding diagnosis, complications, and management of PPDM. In this narrative, we aim to provide a brief review regarding risks, diagnosis and management of PPDM with a special focus on dietary and lifestyle management strategies.KEY MESSAGESPost-pancreatitis diabetes mellitus (PPDM) is now the second most common cause of new-onset diabetes mellitus (DM) in adults after type II DM surpassing type 1 DM.New-onset diabetes in patients with pancreatitis could also be an early marker of occult pancreatic malignancy.Management of PPDM is complex and requires a team-based approach including gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, primary care physicians, nutritionists, and behavioural health specialists.

In the present study, two innovative techniques namely, Deep Learning (DL) and Gradient boosting Machine (GBM) models are developed based on a maximum air temperature ‘univariate modeling scheme’ for modeling the monthly pan evaporation (Epan) process. Monthly air temperature and pan evaporation are used to build the predictive models. These models are used for evaluating the evaporation prediction for the Kiashahr meteorological station located in the north of Iran and Ranichauri station positioned in Uttarakhand State of India. Findings indicated that the deep learning model was found best at Kiashahr station for testing datasets MAE (0.5691, mm/month), RMSE (0.7111, mm/month), NSE (0.7496), and IOA (0.9413). It can be concluded that in the semi-arid climate of Iran both of the used methods had the good capability in modeling of monthly Epan. However, DL predicted monthly Epan better than GBM. Moreover, the highest accuracy of the deep learning model was also observed for the Ranichauri station in terms of MAE = 0.3693 mm/month, RMSE = 0.4357 mm/month, NSE = 0.8344, & IOA = 0.9507 in testing stage. Overall, results expose the superior performance of DL-based models for both study stations and can also be utilized for various other environmental modeling.

Abstract Direct laser interference patterning (DLIP) is a versatile technique for surface patterning that enables formation of micro-nano sized periodic structures on top of the target material. In this study, DLIP in high pressure, supercritical and liquid CO2 by 4-beam DLIP was used to pattern titanium and zinc targets. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to characterize the patterned surfaces. Field emission SEM analysis showed presence of ordered uniform donut ring pattern with hollow centers for both titanium and zinc with a period slightly under 3 µm while topographical images from atomic force microscopy revealed donut rings protruding outwards typically around 200 nm from target surface and consisted of a crevice at the center with a depth typically around 300 nm and 250 nm for titanium and zinc target, respectively. Based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis, this is the first study to report formation of TiO2, TiC, ZnCO3, and zinc hydroxy carbonate on the pattern by DLIP in supercritical and liquid CO2 for titanium and zinc targets. Pressurized CO2 is demonstrated as a promising environment with mirror-based DLIP system for reactive patterning. Due to the superior transport properties and solvent power of supercritical CO2, the current study opens possibilities for reactive patterning in environments that may not have been previously possible.

The research is aimed at how the tractor drivers respond to whole-body vibrations (WBV) during real-field loader operation. Seat-to-head transmissibility (STHT) behavior of tractor drivers is characterized to examine the impact of WBV. Tractor with a mounted loader was driven by nine (9) male tractor drivers during the experiment. The vibration levels were tested along three translational axes at the seat pan and the head. This study developed an Internet of Things (IoT) module for online data transmission to increase the efficiency of experimentation by eliminating potential causes of experimenter error. The data were examined using weighted root mean square acceleration (Aw), daily exposure A (8), signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios, power spectral density (PSD), and STHT. The vertical (z) axis dominated vibration exposure levels at the seat pan and head. A(8) response was measured to be greater than the exposure action value limit of 0.5 m/s2 as specified by Directive 2002/44/EU. PSDs at the head and seat pan showed low-frequency dominating frequencies. In the 4–7 Hz and 8–12 Hz frequency bands, respectively, STHT showed primary and secondary resonance. Tractor designers and manufacturers could use the research's findings to reduce high vibration amplitudes and important resonance frequencies to enhance the tractor ride.

Abstract All currently employed pharmaceutical formulations of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) sulfate are a racemate, consisting of equal parts mixture of two stereoisomers: R(−)HCQ and S(+)HCQ sulfates. The aims of the current study were first, to obtain and characterize pure HCQ enantiomers. The separation and purification of free base HCQ enantiomers from the racemate form were performed using semi‐preparative chiral high‐performance liquid chromatography. Second, we compared the pharmacological properties of both optical isomers and racemic mixture on the intracellular Ca2+ oscillations employing an in vitro model of human cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The results of the pharmacological investigations indicate that the racemic and pure stereoisomer forms of HCQ sulfate exhibited a dose‐dependent inhibition of spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations (as measured from their frequency and Ca2+ peak widths) in cardiomyocytes 5–45 min following exposure. In addition, the concentration‐response relationships for all three compounds indicated that the rank order of potency (IC50) was R(−)HCQ >racemic HCQ >S(+)HCQ for the frequency of the Ca2+ oscillations and width of Ca2+ peaks for all time points examined. These studies indicate that both R(−) and S(+) stereoisomers exhibit differing pharmacological actions on hiPSC cardiomyocytes, with the former effecting a greater potency on cell Ca2+ handling.

The healthcare industry frequently handles sensitive and proprietary data, and due to strict privacy regulations, it is often reluctant to share it directly. In today’s context, Federated Learning (FL) stands out as a crucial remedy, facilitating the rapid advancement of distributed machine learning while effectively managing critical concerns regarding data privacy and governance. The fusion of federated learning and quantum computing represents a groundbreaking interdisciplinary approach with immense potential to revolutionize various industries, from healthcare to finance. In this work, we propose a federated learning framework based on quantum tensor networks (QTNs) that takes advantage of the principles of many-body quantum physics. Currently, there are no known classical tensor networks (TNs) implemented in federated settings. Furthermore, we investigated the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed framework by conducting a differential privacy analysis to ensure the security of sensitive data across healthcare institutions. Experiments on popular medical image datasets show that the federated quantum tensor network (FedQTNs) model achieved a mean receiver-operator characteristic area under the curve of 91%–98%, outperforming several state-of-the-art federated learning methods. Moreover, QTN models require fewer parameters in FL settings compared to traditional classical models, which often suffer from over-parameterization. This reduction in parameters not only improves the efficiency of the communication process but also significantly decreases data consumption during training. As a result, QTN models facilitate a more effective and resource-efficient approach to training in decentralized environments with limited communication bandwidth. The FedQTN models demonstrate a smaller performance drop even when using strong differential privacy settings, maintaining higher accuracy compared to classical models under similar privacy constraints. Experimental results demonstrate that the quantum federated global model, consisting of highly entangled TN structures, showed better generalization and robustness and achieved higher testing accuracy, surpassing the performance of locally trained clients under unbalanced data distributions among healthcare institutions.

Industry 4.0 is positioned at the junction of different disciplines, aiming to re-engineer processes and improve effectiveness and efficiency. It is taking over many industries whose traditional practices are being disrupted by advances in technology and inter-connectivity. In this context, enhanced agriculture systems incorporate new components that are capable of generating better decision making (humidity/temperature/soil sensors, drones for plague detection, smart irrigation, etc.) and also include novel processes for crop control (reproducible environmental conditions, proven strategies for water stress, etc.). At the same time, advances in model-driven development (MDD) simplify software development by introducing domain-specific abstractions of the code that makes application development feasible for domain experts who cannot code. XMDD (eXtreme MDD) makes this way to assemble software even more user-friendly and enables application domain experts who are not programmers to create complex solutions in a more straightforward way. Key to this approach is the introduction of high-level representations of domain-specific functionalities (called SIBs, service-independent building blocks) that encapsulate the programming code and their organisation in reusable libraries, and they are made available in the application development environment. This way, new domain-specific abstractions of the code become easily comprehensible and composable by domain experts. In this paper, we apply these concepts to a smart agriculture solution, producing a proof of concept for the new methodology in this application domain to be used as a portable demonstrator for MDD in IoT and agriculture in the Confirm Research Centre for Smart Manufacturing. Together with model-driven development tools, we leverage here the capabilities of the Nordic Thingy:53 as a multi-protocol IoT prototyping platform. It is an advanced sensing device that handles the data collection and distribution for decision making in the context of the agricultural system and supports edge computing. We demonstrate the importance of high-level abstraction when adopting a complex software development cycle within a multilayered heterogeneous IT ecosystem.

Pesticide residues have been reported in hive-stored products for long periods. Larvae of honey bees experience oral or contact exposure to these products during their normal growth and development inside the cells. We analyzed various toxicological, morphogenic, and immunological effects of residue-based concentrations of two fungicides, captan and difenoconazole, on the larvae of worker honey bees, Apis mellifera. Selected concentrations (0.08, 0.4, 2, 10, and 50 ppm) of both fungicides were applied topically at a volume of 1 µL/larva/cell as single and multiple exposures. Our results revealed a continuous, concentration-dependent decrease in brood survival after 24 h of treatment to the capping and emergence stages. Compared to larvae with a single exposure, the multiply exposed youngest larvae were most sensitive to fungicidal toxicity. The larvae that survived higher concentrations, especially multiple exposures, showed several morphological defects at the adult stage. Moreover, difenoconazole-treated larvae showed a significantly decreased number of granulocytes after 1 h of treatment followed by an increase after 24 h of treatment. Thus, fungicidal contamination poses a great risk as the tested concentrations showed adverse effects on the survival, morphology, and immunity of larval honey bees.

We investigated the efficacy of a small molecule ASR-600, an analog of Urolithin A (Uro A), on blocking androgen receptor (AR) and its splice variant AR-variant 7 (AR-V7) signaling in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). ASR-600 effectively suppressed the growth of AR+ CRPC cells by inhibiting AR and AR-V7 expressions; no effect was seen in AR− CRPC and normal prostate epithelial cells. Biomolecular interaction assays revealed ASR-600 binds to the N-terminal domain of AR, which was further confirmed by immunoblot and subcellular localization studies. Molecular studies suggested that ASR-600 promotes the ubiquitination of AR and AR-V7 resulting in the inhibition of AR signaling. Microsomal and plasma stability studies suggest that ASR-600 is stable, and its oral administration inhibits tumor growth in CRPC xenografted castrated and non-castrated mice. In conclusion, our data suggest that ASR-600 enhances AR ubiquitination in both AR+ and AR-V7 CRPC cells and inhibits their growth in vitro and in vivo models.

Background and purpose: The use of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and contact X-Ray brachytherapy (CXB) is emerging as an effective alternative in patients with early stage rectal cancer with the intent of organ preservation (OP). Short course radiotherapy (SCRT) is an alternative EBRT schedule for patients not fit for chemotherapy or for longer courses of EBRT. There are no multicentre studies that have reported on the outcomes of SCRT with a CXB boost, therefore we present these from patients from centres from the UK and Sweden. Materials and methods: From the Guildford Colorectal Database or local databases, 258 patients who underwent SCRT and CXB with the intent of OP from five centres treated between 2007 and 2019 were identified. Response and survival data was analysed and presented. Results: With a median age of 81, 226 patients were treated with radiotherapy alone (RTA) and 32 immediately after local excision (ILE). Median follow-up was 24 months. 70% and 97% of patients in the RTA and ILE groups respectively had a complete clinical response (cCR) after SCRT with CXB. Of those, local relapse was seen in 16% of the RTA and 3% of the ILE group. Median survival was 40 months after CXB in the RTA and 52 months in the ILE group. 94% of patients remained stoma-free to the point of latest follow-up. Conclusion: This data suggests that CXB when combined with SCRT, in a mainly elderly and comorbid population, provides good palliation with stoma-avoidance. Oncological outcomes compare with previously published work. A greater focus is required on quality of life outcomes after OP.

Abstract The remarkable evolution of metal halide perovskites in the past decade makes them promise for next-generation optoelectronic material. In particular, nanocrystals (NCs) of inorganic perovskites have demonstrated excellent performance for light-emitting and display applications. However, the presence of surface defects on the NCs negatively impacts their performance in devices. Herein, we report a compatible facial post-treatment of CsPbI3 nanocrystals using guanidinium iodide (GuI). It is found that the GuI treatment effectively passivated the halide vacancy defects on the surface of the NCs while offering effective surface protection and exciton confinement thanks to the beneficial contribution of iodide and guanidinium cation. As a consequence, the film of treated CsPbI3 nanocrystals exhibited significantly enhanced luminescence and charge transport properties, leading to high-performance light-emitting diode with maximum external quantum efficiency of 13.8% with high brightness (peak luminance of 7039 cd m−2 and a peak current density of 10.8 cd A−1). The EQE is over threefold higher than performance of untreated device (EQE: 3.8%). The operational half-lifetime of the treated devices also was significantly improved with T50 of 20 min (at current density of 25 mA cm−2), outperforming the untreated devices (T50 ~ 6 min).

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of transcutaneous perianal ultrasonography (TPUS) in patients with perianal fistula and to correlate the findings with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as gold standard. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included patients who presented with suspicion of perianal fistula. After clinical examination, TPUS and MRI of perianal region were performed on each of them. Clockwise position of internal opening of the fistula was described. The entire length of the tract was evaluated up to the external opening. Also, any ramifications along the primary tract were described. Parks et al and St James's University Hospital MR Imaging Classification of Perianal Fistulas were used for classifying the fistulas. Results: Out of total 37 patients, the most common age group of presenting individuals was 45 to 60 years with male to female ratio of 6.4:1. There was excellent agreement between TPUS and MRI for detecting primary fistulous tract with kappa correlation coefficient of 1. The kappa correlation coefficient for detecting secondary fistulous tracts and abscess on TPUS and MRI was 0.839 and 0.937 showing excellent agreement. Moderate agreement was seen with kappa correlation coefficient of 0.839 in the detection of internal opening on TPUS and MRI. Conclusion: TPUS showed promising results in diagnosis and classification of perianal fistulae with MRI as gold standard. A wide availability, cost-effectiveness, and better tolerability of TPUS can make it an imaging modality of first choice for evaluating perianal fistulae.

End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients who were on maintenance hemodialysis require a stable, permanent vascular access as a lifeline. Venous mapping during prearteriovenous fistula (AVF) construction does not include central vein assessment. The guidelines on angiographic assessment of central veins during pre-AVF construction are yet to be streamlined. Moreover, during COVID pandemic, assess difficulty in catheterization laboratory and interventional radiology created devastating situation. We report 15 ESKD cases of central venous stenosis presented during the COVID pandemic time from February 2020 to July 2021. Patients' basic details were collected and initial clinical examination findings were recorded; they were subjected to Doppler and fistulogram. After the combined decision of nephrologist, interventional cardiologist, and vascular surgeon, the management (fistula closure/repair) was planned. Of 15 patients, 13 were males. Basic disease is chronic glomerulonephritis in 9, diabetic nephropathy in 4, and chronic interstitial nephritis in 2. Average number of central vein cannulation prior to AVF creation was 2.6. The median time to the development of symptoms after fistula creation was 13 months. Major initial symptoms were swelling of the upper limb in 4, dilatation of outflow veins in 5, swelling and dilatation in 2, poor flow during dialysis in 3, and dilatation of neck and chest vein in 1. Arm elevation test was positive in most of the cases. On Doppler assessment, dilated veins (>12 mm) with high outflow (>2000 ml/min) in 5, 4 patients showed low flow (

Background: Cancer is among the leading noncommunicable diseases and its screening, diagnosis, management, monitoring, and relapse involve the use of tumor markers. Tumor marker requisition adds to a major financial burden if not used rationally. Aim and Objectives: The aim was to study the rational use of tumor markers in various cancers with objectives to do requisition analysis of tumor markers with the existing national guidelines by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and to assess its financial impact. Materials and Methods: A total of 355 cases were screened and 221 were included in the study. The patient's laboratory requisition form raised by the ordering physician as a part of the screening, diagnosis, management, monitoring, and relapse for different conditions including cancers were studied retrospectively over a period of 5 months, and data were analyzed. Results: Two hundred and twenty-one requisitions for various tumor markers were ordered for screening, diagnosis, management, monitoring, and relapse of various cancers and other conditions. Only 10%–30% of requisitions were found as per the laid down guidelines of the ICMR for different cancers. Carcinoembryonic antigen was ordered in only 20% requisitions as per the ICMR guidelines but has affected maximally in terms of test cost by adding up 88% to the budget of the test. Conclusion: Rational use of tumor markers in different cancers can cut down the cost factor directly. It prevents the physician in overdiagnosing due to multiple requisitions in diagnosed cancers and hence avoiding undue medical procedures thus further reducing the financial burden on the patients and their family.