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Introduction: Almost 85% of women suffer from perineal trauma during vaginal birth, which can have long-term consequences. Anogenital Distance (AGD) is a novel and useful parameter for predicting perineal tears during vaginal delivery. Aim: To determine the accuracy and cut-off values of AGD in predicting ≥2nd degree perineal tears. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at GTB Hospital, New Delhi, India, from January 2021 to April 2022, including 80 patients in group 1 and 80 in group 2. Group 1 consisted of patients who experienced ≥2nd degree perineal tears during vaginal delivery, while group 2 included patients with an intact perineum or up to 1st degree tears. Anthropometric data such as Anus to Clitoris Distance (AGDac) and Anus to Fourchette Distance (AGDaf) (anus to fourchette distance), as well as labour parameters like foetal position, duration of the second stage, induction of labour and birth weight, were noted. Receiver Operating Curves (ROC) were plotted to obtain cut-off values for AGDac and AGDaf in predicting ≥2st degree perineal tears. Unpaired t-tests and Chi-square tests were used to compare quantitative and qualitative parameters, respectively. Results: The mean AGDac (75.99 vs. 77.05) and AGDaf (33.50 vs. 34.52) were lower in group 1 compared to group 2. AGDaf (75%) showed better sensitivity for predicting ≥2st degree perineal tears and anal sphincter injury compared to AGDac (60%). The specificity of AGDaf (55%) was better for predicting ≥2st degree perineal tears, while AGDac (51%) was more specific for sphincter injury. Foetal head position (p=0.016) and birth weight (p=0.002) were identified as the strongest risk factors for tears. Group 1 patients reported more bowel (25% vs. 10%) and prolapse symptoms (11.5% vs. 3.75%) compared to group 2 patients at six weeks postpartum. Conclusion: Perineal length, as measured antenatally by AGD (both AGDac and AGDaf), is useful in predicting the occurrence of perineal tears during vaginal delivery. If found to be short, obstetricians can exercise greater caution during delivery, potentially reducing the incidence of anal sphincter injuries and their long-term consequences.

Co-active or temporally ordered neural ensembles are a signature of salient sensory, motor, and cognitive events. Local convergence of such patterned activity as synaptic clusters on dendrites could help single neurons harness the potential of dendritic nonlinearities to decode neural activity patterns. We combined theory and simulations to assess the likelihood of whether projections from neural ensembles could converge onto synaptic clusters even in networks with random connectivity. Using rat hippocampal and cortical network statistics, we show that clustered convergence of axons from three to four different co-active ensembles is likely even in randomly connected networks, leading to representation of arbitrary input combinations in at least 10 target neurons in a 100,000 population. In the presence of larger ensembles, spatiotemporally ordered convergence of three to five axons from temporally ordered ensembles is also likely. These active clusters result in higher neuronal activation in the presence of strong dendritic nonlinearities and low background activity. We mathematically and computationally demonstrate a tight interplay between network connectivity, spatiotemporal scales of subcellular electrical and chemical mechanisms, dendritic nonlinearities, and uncorrelated background activity. We suggest that dendritic clustered and sequence computation is pervasive, but its expression as somatic selectivity requires confluence of physiology, background activity, and connectomics.

The mosquitoe population is reaching critical levels globally, posing significant threats to public health and ecosystems due to their role as vectors for diseases. This paper presents the development of a mobile robotic platform named Boa Fumigator with autonomous fumigation and prioritized path planning capabilities in urban landscapes. The robot’s locomotion is based on a differential drive, facilitating easier maneuverability on semi-automated planar surfaces in landscaping infrastructure. The robot’s fumigator payload consists of a spray gun and a chemical tank, which can pan and fumigate up to 4.5 m from the ground. The system incorporates a wireless charging mechanism to allow for the autonomous charging of the mosquito catchers. A genetic algorithm fused with an A*-based prioritized path planning algorithm is developed for efficient navigation and charging of mosquito catchers. The algorithm, designed for maximizing charging efficiency, considers the initial charge percentage of mosquito catchers and the time required for fumigation to determine the optimal path for charging and fumigation. The experiment results show that the path planning algorithm can generate an optimized path for charging and fumigating multiple mosquito catchers based on their initial charge percentage. This paper concludes by summarizing the key findings and highlighting the significance of the fumigation robot in landscaping applications.

Adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT) is a benign neoplasm or hamartomatous lesion predominantly affecting females in the second decade, involving maxilla and often associated with unerupted maxillary canine, earning the epithet “two-thirds tumor”. The present case series illustrates unusual presentations of AOT including a peripheral AOT with calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor-like areas (PAOT with CEOT-like areas), AOT associated with ossifying fibroma (AOT with OF) and AOT associated with cemento-osseous dysplasia (AOT with COD). To the best of our knowledge, PAOT with CEOT-like areas is not reported till date. Also, rarely AOT concomitant and contiguous with other odontogenic and non-odontogenic tumors such as odontoma, ossifying fibroma, cemento-osseous dysplasia have been reported in literature. Three cases of AOT with OF and two cases of AOT with COD have been documented in literature to date. Through this series, we add one case of each category and attempt to discuss its pathogenesis and prognosis.

ABSTRACT: Bioactive peptides derived from milk proteins are widely known to possess antibacterial activities. Even though the antibacterial effects of milk-derived peptides are widely characterized, not much focus is given to their antifungal characterization. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the antifungal properties of camel and cow whey and casein hydrolysates against various species of pathogenic Candida. The hydrolysates were produced using 2 enzymes (alcalase and protease) at differing hydrolysis durations (2, 4, and 6 h) and tested for their antifungal properties. The results showed that intact cow whey and casein proteins did not display any anti-Candida albicans properties, whereas the alcalase-derived 2 h camel casein hydrolysate (CA-C-A2) displayed a higher percentage of inhibition against Candida albicans (93.69 ± 0.26%) followed by the cow casein hydrolysate generated by protease-6 h (Co-C-P6; 81.66 ± 0.99%), which were significantly higher than that of fluconazole, a conventional antifungal agent (76.92 ± 4.72%). Interestingly, when tested again Candida krusei, camel casein alcalase 2 and 4 h (CA-C-A2 and CA-C-A4), and cow whey alcalase-6 h (CO-W-A6) hydrolysates showed higher antifungal potency than fluconazole. However, for Candida parapsilosis only camel casein alcalase-4 h (Ca-C-A4) and cow casein protease-6 h (Co-C-P6) hydrolysates were able to inhibit the growth of C. parapsilosis by 19.31 ± 0.84% and 23.82 ± 4.14%, respectively, which was lower than that shown by fluconazole (29.86 ± 1.11%). Overall, hydrolysis of milk proteins from both cow and camel enhanced their antifungal properties. Camel milk protein hydrolysates were more potent in inhibiting pathogenic Candida species as compared with cow milk protein hydrolysates. This is the first study that highlights the antifungal properties of camel milk protein hydrolysates.

Introduction: This study focuses on the detection of rhodamine-6G using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on gold nanostructures (AuNS) of different sizes. Ion beam irradiation has been carried out to tune the size of AuNS and investigate the underlying mechanisms of sputtering and diffusion that govern their growth. Additionally, the study established a correlation between fractal growth parameters, water contact angle, and SERS detection of R6G. The results of this study offer new insights into the mechanisms of SERS detection on roughened metallic surfaces.Methods: Thermal evaporation was used to deposit an Au thin film on a glass substrate. Subsequent 10 keV Ar+ irradiation was done on Au thin film for fluences ranging from 3×1014 to 3×1016 ions/cm2 to tune the size of AuNS. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) was used to confirm that the decrease in Au concentration under ion beam sputtering was responsible for the tuning in size and structure of AuNS. Fractal dimension (Df) and interface width (w) were used as statistical parameters to control the wettable characteristics of the AuNS surfaces.Results and discussion: The researchers found that the growth of AuNS was governed by ion beam induced sputtering and diffusion mechanisms. They established a correlation between fractal growth parameters, water contact angle, and SERS detection of R6G. They found that a higher surface coverage area of Au NPs with lower fractal dimensions and water contact angles favoured the SERS detection of R6G. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms of SERS detection on roughened metallic surfaces. It is found that the growth of AuNS was governed by ion beam-induced sputtering and diffusion mechanisms, and established a correlation between fractal growth parameters, water contact angle, and SERS detection of R6G. The findings of this study may have applications in the development of more sensitive and efficient SERS-based chemical sensors.

The development of effective methodologies for the sustainable production of chemicals and biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass has attracted immense attention from the scientific community. However, it is challenging due to the highly complex nature of biomass sources. Over the past few decades, numerous reports targeting various catalytic biomass transformation reactions highlighting the vital role of the catalysts in substrate activation and product selectivity have appeared in the literature. Through this perspective, we present recent advances in metal complexes-based molecular catalysis for transforming biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) and furfural (FAL) to various industrially important chemicals, materials, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels. This article focuses on the catalytic transformation of 5-HMF and FAL involving hydrogenation, ring opening, hydrogenolysis, oxidation, and amination over molecular catalysts, to provide insights into the role of molecular catalytic systems explored in biomass transformation and allied areas.

This report investigates the effect of substrate and nitrogen (16 keV N+) ion implantation on the structural, morphological, compositional, and electrical properties of V2O5 thin films which are grown by thermal evaporation on various substrates, including glass, Si, and sapphire (termed V2O5:Gl, V2O5:Si, and V2O5:Sp, respectively). Structural analysis showed the formation of the mixed (α, and β-V2O5) phases on all substrates; however, the β-V2O5 phase is highly dominant in the V2O5:G and V2O5:Si samples. A deformation in the β-phase of V2O5 thin film under ion implantation-induced strain results in a change of crystallite size. Irradiation suppresses XRD peaks in relative intensities, indicating partial amorphization of the film with defect formation. Microstructural analysis confirmed the formation of uniform-sized nanorods for V2O5:Si, whereas isolated crystallites were formed for other types of substrates. Thermal conductivity may influence the size and shapes of V2O5 crystallite forms on different surfaces. Silicon absorbs heat more effectively than sapphire or glass, resulting in nanorod formation. A decrease in optical bandgap and electrical conduction has been observed due to increased oxygen vacancies, induced electron scattering, and trapping centres on N+ implantation. The present study thus offers the unique advantage of simultaneous reduction in optical band-gap and conductance of V2O5 thin films, which is important for optoelectronic applications.

Objective: To study maternal and neonatal outcomes in covid negative and covid probable with covid like symptoms. Method: It was a retrospective study conducted in obstetrics and gynaecology department of Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India. Case records of 130 pregnant, postpartum or post-abortal women admitted with covid like symptoms were analyzed and categorized into covid negative (CN), positive(CP) or probable (CPro), based on RT-PCR report. The main outcome measures were disease categorization, pregnancy complications, maternal mortality and neonatal outcomes in the three groups. Results: Majority of the women were CN (76%), followed by CP (16.9%) and C Pro (6.9%). In all groups, mild disease was most common and severe disease was present in 18.1%, 13.6% and 33.3% in CN, CP and CPro groups respectively. The spectrum of maternal disease in the study groups ranged from isolated febrile illness to multi-organ dysfunction (MODS). The frequency of women requiring oxygen, mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit was more in CPro group. Overall, there were 21(16.1%) maternal deaths. Sepsis with MODS was the commonest cause of death in CN group, whereas, it was ARDS in CP and CPro groups. Stillbirths were more often seen in CPro group. Conclusion: Three-fourth of admitted women were covid negative. A small subset was labelled as covid probable due to inconclusive or no testing. This group had the highest morbidity and mortality. Prompt testing and initiation of treatment could have redefined the disease course in covid probable group.

Quinoline-3-carboxamides are an essential class of drug-like small molecules that are known to inhibit the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related kinases (PIKK) family kinases. The quinoline nitrogen is shown to bind to the hinge region of the kinases, making them competitive inhibitors of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). We have previously designed and synthesized quinoline-3-carboxamides as potential ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase inhibitors to function as an adjuvant treatment with DNA damaging agents. This article discusses the molecular docking studies performed with these derivatives with the DNA damage and response (DDR) kinases-ATM, ataxia telangiectasia and rad3 related (ATR), and DNA dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and highlights their selectivity towards ATM kinase. Docking studies were also performed with mTOR and PI3Kγ, which are close homologs of the DDR kinases. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed for one of the inhibitors against all the enzymes to establish the stability of the interactions involved. Finally, the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties of the inhibitors were predicted using the QikProp manual in Maestro. In conclusion, the molecules synthesized showed high selectivity towards the ATM kinase in comparison with the other kinases, though the sequence similarity between them was relatively high.

Abstract Background Risk of stroke-related morbidity and mortality increases significantly with age. Aging is associated with chronic, low-grade inflammation, which is thought to contribute to the poorer outcomes after stroke seen in the elderly. Histamine (HA) is a major molecular mediator of inflammation, and mast cells residing in the gut are a primary source of histamine. Methods Stroke was induced in male C57BL/6 J mice at 3 months (young) and 20 months (aged) of age. Role of histamine after stroke was examined using young (Yg) and aged (Ag) mice; mice underwent MCAO surgery and were euthanized at 6 h, 24 h, and 7 days post-ischemia; sham mice received the same surgery but no MCAO. In this work, we evaluated whether worsened outcomes after experimental stroke in aged mice were associated with age-related changes in mast cells, histamine levels, and histamine receptor expression in the gut, brain, and plasma. Results We found increased numbers of mast cells in the gut and the brain with aging. Using the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of ischemic stroke, we demonstrate that stroke leads to increased numbers of gut mast cells and gut histamine receptor expression levels. These gut-centric changes are associated with elevated levels of HA and other pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, G-CSF, TNF-α, and IFN-γ in the peripheral circulation. Our data also shows that post-stroke gut inflammation led to a significant reduction of mucin-producing goblet cells and a loss of gut barrier integrity. Lastly, gut inflammation after stroke is associated with changes in the composition of the gut microbiota as early as 24-h post-stroke. Conclusion An important theme emerging from our results is that acute inflammatory events following ischemic insults in the brain persist longer in the aged mice when compared to younger animals. Taken together, our findings implicate mast cell activation and histamine signaling as a part of peripheral inflammatory response after ischemic stroke, which are profound in aged animals. Interfering with histamine signaling orally might provide translational value to improve stroke outcome.

Senescence in the cerebral endothelium has been proposed as a mechanism that can drive dysfunction of the cerebral vasculature, which precedes vascular dementia. Cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 (Cyr61/CCN1) is a matricellular protein secreted by cerebral endothelial cells (CEC). CCN1 induces senescence in fibroblasts. However, whether CCN1 contributes to senescence in CEC and how this is regulated requires further study. Aging has been associated with the formation of four-stranded Guanine-quadruplexes (G4s) in G-rich motifs of DNA and RNA. Stabilization of the G4 structures regulates transcription and translation either by upregulation or downregulation depending on the gene target. Previously, we showed that aged mice treated with a G4-stabilizing compound had enhanced senescence-associated (SA) phenotypes in their brains, and these mice exhibited enhanced cognitive deficits. A sequence in the 3′-UTR of the human CCN1 mRNA has the ability to fold into G4s in vitro. We hypothesize that G4 stabilization regulates CCN1 in cultured primary CEC and induces endothelial senescence. We used cerebral microvessel fractions and cultured primary CEC from young (4-months old, m/o) and aged (18-m/o) mice to determine CCN1 levels. SA phenotypes were determined by high-resolution fluorescence microscopy in cultured primary CEC, and we used Thioflavin T to recognize RNA-G4s for fluorescence spectra. We found that cultured CEC from aged mice exhibited enhanced levels of SA phenotypes, and higher levels of CCN1 and G4 stabilization. In cultured CEC, CCN1 induced SA phenotypes, such as SA β-galactosidase activity, and double-strand DNA damage. Furthermore, CCN1 levels were upregulated by a G4 ligand, and a G-rich motif in the 3′-UTR of the Ccn1 mRNA was folded into a G4. In conclusion, we demonstrate that CCN1 can induce senescence in cultured primary CEC, and we provide evidence that G4 stabilization is a novel mechanism regulating the SASP component CCN1.

Effect of nitrogen (N ^+ ) ion implantation on the morphological, structural, optical, and compositional properties of vanadium pentoxide (V _2 O _5 ) thin films grown on glass substrates is studied. Surface morphology shows the formation of grains and the growth dynamics is governed by roughness ( α ) and growth ( β ) exponents. X-ray diffraction studies reveal that V _2 O _5 exists in a hybrid form, with properties of both the orthorhombic and tetragonal phases. Ion implantation induces defects and strain in V _2 O _5 thin films causing a reduction in crystalline properties and deformation in the β -phase with a corresponding change in crystallite size. Contact angle wetting properties are found to be co-related with fractal growth of the films under ion implantation. Oxygen vacancies and electron scattering/trapping centres are revealed to have increased after N ^+ implantation, leading to a smaller bandgap in the thin films. The benefits of decreasing the optical band-gap of V _2 O _5 thin films for optical applications are outlined in the present work.

Background: Tobacco in any form is genotoxic to the oral epithelium and manifests as tobacco-associated mucosal lesions, some of which are OPMDs with a propensity for progression into OSCC (2-17%). The aberrations in the count and morphology of micronuclei in exfoliative cytological preparations have been demonstrated in all forms of oral tobacco usage and OLP independently. The more extensive these aberrations, the greater the possibility of undergoing malignant change. This study focused on assessing the extent of micronuclear damage in tobacco-habitués with OLP, thus placing them in a higher risk group as compared to non- habitués with OLP. Aim and Objectives: To evaluate the frequency of micronucleated exfoliative cells in oral lichen planus and to evaluate the effect of tobacco on the frequency of micronuclei in these patients. Material and Methods: Patients were divided into 3 groups: OLP with habit, OLP without habit and healthy controls. Exfoliated cells were obtained from the lesion, smeared on slides, stained by Papanicolaou's method and 1000 cells per slide evaluated for micronuclei according to the Tolbert et al criteria. Statistical Analysis: A statistically significant result was obtained using ANOVA and Bonferroni tests. Result: The genetic damage and increased potential for malignant transformation in OLP is compounded in tobacco habitués evidenced by the increase in the number of micronuclei. Conclusion: The Micronucleus Index was observed to be three-fold greater in tobacco habitués with OLP as compared to non-habitués with OLP.

In this work, effective mineralization of antibiotics, oxytetracycline (OTC) and ampicillin (AMP) using WO3/BiOCl photocatalyst stacked to graphene sand composite (GSC) and chitosan (CT) was investigated. Common sugar and river sand were used as precursor for the preparation of GSC. Modified hydrolysis method was used to prepare WO3/BiOCl photocatalyst with different weight percentage ratios of WO3. 60%WO3/BiOCl displayed highest photocatalytic efficiency for OTC and AMP removal. Furthermore, 60%WO3/BiOCl was immobilized onto GSC and CT to prepare 60%WO3/BiOCl/GSC and 60%WO3/BiOCl/CT nanocomposites. The prepared photocatalysts were characterized using FESEM, TEM, HRTEM, EDX, FTIR, XRD, FT-RAMAN, BET, photoluminescence and UV-Visible reflectance spectral analysis. Both 60%WO3/BiOCl/GSC and 60%WO3/BiOCl/CT displayed significant photocatalytic activity for OTC and AMP removal. The adsorption effect of OTC and AMP photodegradation was also evaluated. The adsorption of OTC and AMP was described by pseudo second order kinetics. Simultaneous adsorption and photocatalysis had synergetic effect on antibiotic degradation. Power law model was applied to understand the complex nature of mineralization process. 60%WO3/BiOCl/GSC and 60%WO3/BiOCl/CT exhibited significant recycle efficiency and easier recovery of photocatalyst for 10 catalytic cycles as compared to 60%WO3/BiOCl. Keywords: WO3/BiOCl, Antibiotics, Supported photocatalysis, Adsorption, Mineralization, Kinetics

Abstract Background Ischemic stroke results in a robust inflammatory response within the central nervous system. As the immune-inhibitory CD200-CD200 receptor 1 (CD200R1) signaling axis is a known regulator of immune homeostasis, we hypothesized that it may play a role in post-stroke immune suppression after stroke. Methods In this study, we investigated the role of CD200R1-mediated signaling in stroke using CD200 receptor 1-deficient mice. Mice were subjected to a 60-min middle cerebral artery occlusion and evaluated at days 3 and 7, representing the respective peak and early resolution stages of neuroinflammation in this model of ischemic stroke. Infarct size and behavioral deficits were assessed at both time points. Central and peripheral cellular immune responses were measured using flow cytometry. Bacterial colonization was determined in lung tissue homogenates both after acute stroke and in an LPS model of systemic inflammation. Results In wild-type (WT) animals, CD200R1 was expressed on infiltrating monocytes and lymphocytes after stroke but was absent on microglia. Early after ischemia (72 h), CD200R1-knockout (KO) mice had significantly poorer survival rates and an enhanced susceptibility to spontaneous bacterial colonization of the respiratory tract compared to wild-type (WT) controls, despite no difference in infarct or neurological deficits. While the CNS inflammation was resolved by day 7 post-stroke in WT mice, brain-resident microglia and monocyte activation persisted in CD200R1-KO mice, accompanied by a delayed, augmented lymphocyte response. At this time point, CD200R1-KO mice displayed greater weight loss, more severe neurological deficits, and impaired motor function compared to WT. Systemically, CD200R1-KO mice exhibited signs of persistent infection including lymphopenia, T cell activation and memory conversion, and narrowing of the TCR repertoire. These findings were confirmed in a second model of acute neuroinflammation induced by systemic endotoxin challenge. Conclusion This study defines an essential role of CD200-CD200R1 signaling in stroke. Loss of CD200R1 led to high mortality, increased rates of post-stroke infection, and enhanced entry of peripheral leukocytes into the brain after ischemia, with no increase in infarct size. This suggests that the loss of CD200 receptor leads to enhanced peripheral inflammation that is triggered by brain injury.

Sixty genotypes of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) were evaluated at three different agro-climatic zones viz., North Coastal Zone of Andhra Pradesh, Indo-Gangetic Zone and Terai Zone of West Bengal for seed and its contributing characters during kharif, 2013 and 2014. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated that three components with eigen values more than one accounted for about 79 % of the total variation among ten quantitative characters responsible for seed yield in roselle genotypes. The principal components PC1, PC2 and PC3 contributed about 48.35 %, 21.22 % and 9.57 %, respectively to the total variation. The first principal component had high positive loading for test weight, plant height @130 DAS, seeds per pod, plant height @75 DAS, pods per plant and days to 50% flowering which contributed more to the diversity. The second principal component had high loading for pods per plant, seed yield/plant, test weight, plant height @130 DAS and @75 DAS. The genotypes viz., AR-71, AR-55, REX-34, AS-80-26, AS-81-1, AS-80-19, ER-60, AS-81-22, AS-81-2 and REX-38 were identified as the most diverse genotypes, based on component scores and these genotypes could be utilized as parents in hybridization programme.

All our activities of day-to-day life like sitting, standing, jumping, running, walking, bending, stretching, etc depends on the integrity and healthy condition of our joints. We cannot even imagine living easily with painful, swollen and stiff joints. There are many diseases which affects at some or the other part of our life. Many of them give pain and distress, others disturb our living. Osteoarthritis is one such chronic degenerative disease which when afflicts the joints makes one feel that life is definitely a curse. It occurs mainly in weight bearing joints or may also affect other joints. In Ayurveda it is considered as sandhigata vata which can be managed by different panchkarma therapies and medications. Physical activity such as yoga along with panchkarma gives joint more stability and helps in fast healing. Hence rehabilitation of both yoga and panchkarma gives a better approach towards osteoarthritis.

Genetic variability, correlation and path analysis were studied in a set of sixty diverse genotypes of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) during Kharif, 2013 at Agricultural Research Station, Ragolu (ANGRAU), Srikakulam District, Andhra Pradesh for eleven important traits. Phenotypic as well as genotypic coefficients of variability were high for the important productivity characters like fibre yield plant-1, dry stick weight plant-1, green fresh weight plant-1 and green dry weight plant-1 (for PCV) and medium for other characters like plant height and bark thickness. High heritability coupled with high expected genetic advance was observed for fibre yield plant-1, dry stick weight plant-1, green fresh weight plant-1 and green dry weight plant-1. Fibre yield per plant was found to be significantly and positively correlated with plant height, base diameter, bark thickness, green fresh weight plant-1, green dry weight plant-1 and dry stick weight plant-1. Plant height, base diameter, green fresh weight plant-1, green dry weight plant-1 and dry stick weight plant-1 also exhibited significant positive inter correlation among themselves. Partitioning of correlation coefficients of various components upon fibre yield plant-1 into direct and indirect contributions revealed that green fresh weight plant-1 has maximum direct effect upon fibre yield plant-1 followed by plant height, bark thickness and dry stick weight plant-1.

Beneficial microbes are responsible for the synthesis of nutrients and metabolites that are likely important for the maintenance of mammalian health. Many nutrients and metabolites derived from the gut microbiota by luminal conversion have been implicated in the development, homeostasis and function of innate and adaptive immunity. These factors clearly suggest that intestinal microbiota may influence host immunity via microbial metabolite-dependent mechanisms. We describe how intestinal microbes including probiotics generate microbial metabolites that modulate mucosal and systemic immunity.

Excessive mucin degradation by intestinal bacteria may contribute to inflammatory bowel diseases because access of luminal antigens to the intestinal immune system is facilitated. This study investigated how the presence of a mucin degrading commensal bacterium affects the severity of an intestinal Salmonella enterica Typhimurium-induced gut inflammation. Using a gnotobiotic C3H mouse model with a background microbiota of eight bacterial species (SIHUMI) the impact of the mucin-degrading commensal bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila (SIHUMI-A) on inflammatory and infectious symptoms caused by S. Typhimurium was investigated. Presence of A. muciniphila in S. Typhimurium-infected SIHUMI mice caused significantly increased histopathology scores and elevated mRNA levels of IFN-γ, IP-10, TNF-α, IL-12, IL-17 and IL-6 in cecal and colonic tissue. The increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines was accompanied by 10-fold higher S. Typhimurium cell numbers in mesenteric lymph nodes of SIHUMI mice associated with A. muciniphila and S. Typhimurium (SIHUMI-AS) compared to SIHUMI mice with S. Typhimurium only (SIHUMI-S). The number of mucin filled goblet cells was 2- to 3-fold lower in cecal tissue of SIHUMI-AS mice compared to SIHUMI-S, SIHUMI-A or SIHUMI mice. Reduced goblet cell numbers significantly correlated with increased IFN-γ mRNA levels (r(2) = -0.86, ***P

Abstract\nHIGHLIGHTSRecently, bioactive peptides, from natural resources, have attracted remarkable attention as nutraceutical treasures and the health benefits of their consumption have extensively been studied. Therapies based on bioactive peptides have been recognized as an innovative and promising alternative method for dangerous diseases such as cancer. Indeed, there has been enormous interest in nutraceuticals and bioactive-based chemopreventive molecules as a potential opportunity to manage chronic diseases, including cancer at different stages, rather than the traditionally used therapies. The relative safety and efficacy of these peptides in targeting only the tumor cells without affecting the normal cells make them attractive alternatives to existing pharmaceuticals for the treatment, management, and prevention of cancer, being able to act as potential physiological modulators of metabolism during their intestinal digestion. Novel bioactive peptides derived from food sources can be beneficial as anticancer nutraceuticals and provide a basis for the pharmaceutical development of food-derived bioactive peptides. Bioactive peptides can be generated through different protein hydrolysis methods and purified using advanced chromatographic techniques. Moreover, establishing bioactive peptides’ efficacy and mechanism of action can provide alternative methods for cancer prevention and management. Most of the research on anticancer peptides is carried out on cell lines with very limited research being investigated in animal models or human clinical models. In this context, this review article comprehensively discusses anticancer peptides’: production, isolation, therapeutic strategies, mechanism of action, and application in cancer therapy.Food-derived peptides with anticancer potential were identified;Different sources have been explored for their richness in anticancer peptides;Conventional and recent methodologies for producing anticancer peptides have been studied;Novel in silico technologies allow the understanding of anticancer peptides’ modes of action;A plethora of strategies to improve anticancer peptides’ bioavailability have been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mosquitoe population is reaching critical levels globally, posing significant threats to public health and ecosystems due to their role as vectors for diseases. This paper presents the development of a mobile robotic platform named Boa Fumigator with autonomous fumigation and prioritized path planning capabilities in urban landscapes. The robot's locomotion is based on a differential drive, facilitating easier maneuverability on semi-automated planar surfaces in landscaping infrastructure. The robot's fumigator payload consists of a spray gun and a chemical tank, which can pan and fumigate up to 4.5 m from the ground. The system incorporates a wireless charging mechanism to allow for the autonomous charging of the mosquito catchers. A genetic algorithm fused with an A*-based prioritized path planning algorithm is developed for efficient navigation and charging of mosquito catchers. The algorithm, designed for maximizing charging efficiency, considers the initial charge percentage of mosquito catchers and the time required for fumigation to determine the optimal path for charging and fumigation. The experiment results show that the path planning algorithm can generate an optimized path for charging and fumigating multiple mosquito catchers based on their initial charge percentage. This paper concludes by summarizing the key findings and highlighting the significance of the fumigation robot in landscaping applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topic of proactivity has long captured the attention of career scholars, leading to fertile, yet often disconnected streams of inquiry on personality traits and behaviors that can help workers to advance their own careers, improve their work conditions, or access desired rewards. Based on a review of diverse approaches to conceptualizing and assessing proactive career behavior and related constructs, we identified seven commonly appearing behavioral categories and assembled a representative set of items of each category. An exploratory factor analysis in a sub-sample of adult workers (n = 250) yielded three interrelated factors, labeled (a) planning/reflecting/reskilling (or looking ahead, e.g., engaging in self-reflection and skill development efforts); (b) networking/conferring (or looking to others, e.g., consulting with colleagues and supervisors); and (c) exploring/searching (or looking around, e.g., monitoring career options proactively). A bifactor model fit the data well in another sub-sample (n = 337), suggesting that the three factors were subsumed by a larger construct, which we labeled career sustainability behavior. Results of a structural path analysis indicated that, along with supervisor support, proactive personality, and conceptually-relevant self-efficacy measures, engagement in career sustainability behaviors was predictive of perceived internal and external job marketability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Smartphone usage has increased rapidly in the last decade due to rapid technological advancements. This extensive usage of smartphones led to physiological problems and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) due to inappropriate postures. OBJECTIVE: Past studies have reported the effects/discomfort of smartphone usage for short periods, ranging from 3–20 min, which does not represent the current era of smartphone dependency (approximately 7-hr/day). METHODS: This study was performed on fifty-four participants aged 20–28 with 1-hr smartphone texting in a sitting posture. Flexion angles, both sides (dominant and non-dominant) muscle activity (maximum voluntary contraction %) at sternocleidomastoid (SCM), upper-trapezius (TRP), extensor digitorum (EDM) and abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscles, and subjective discomfort were analyzed. RESULTS: After 1-hr smartphone texting, the muscle activity at eight upper extremities: SCM (24.80%), TRP (29.45%), EDM (14.44%) and APB (19.87%) significantly (p < 0.001) increased by 1.5–1.9 times with 27.4±3.18° and 82.94±7.03° head and lower-arm flexion angles, respectively. The mechanical loads on the cervical spine increased by 4.6 times, and subjective discomfort by 3 times. CONCLUSION: Maintaining the same posture for a long duration causes postural stress, muscular imbalances, and discomfort, leading to MSD with increased cervical intervertebral disc pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]