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Pleomorphic carcinoma is a malignant and aggressive primary lung carcinoma that occurs at a rate of approximately 0.3%. This rarely encountered tumor may present a diagnostic challenge to neuroradiologists and pathologists, as it has propensity to present as hemorrhagic brain metastasis with unknown primary and result in delay in diagnosis that could impact clinical outcome. Herein, we report a unique case in its presentation in a 56-year-old female, having symptomatic brain metastasis prior to the discovery of the pulmonary lesion.

Entropy stabilized oxides (ESOs) are a new class of stable hybrids and single phase metal oxides made from multiple ions with material properties somewhere between the constituent oxides, or occasionally entirely new properties. One of the limitations of ESOs is their energy-intensive fabrication process, which has resulted in slow development and scale-up of new ESOs. In this work, we present a novel energy-efficient ESO synthesis method that uses the ability of carbonaceous materials to heat rapidly in response to radio frequency (RF) fields in 1–200 MHz range. Using carbon fibers and graphene as RF susceptors, synthesis of (Mg0·2Co0·2Ni0·2Cu0·2Zn0.2)O is achieved through RF-initiated combustion synthesis with heating rates of 203 °C/s at 20 W of input power. This method reduces the formation time of ESOs to less than a minute, allowing for much more efficient fabrication. The corresponding morphology and composition of the as-synthesized ESO-carbon fiber and ESO-graphene were studied using extensive spectroscopy and characterization. Additionally, single carbon fibers coated with ESO were tested for tensile strength and modulus; little change in mechanical properties was observed as compared to pristine fibers. This work opens an exciting frontier for the rapid synthesis of ESO-carbon composites using RF heating as a non-contact, rapid, and efficient manufacturing process.

Summary: Lipid droplets (LDs) play a crucial role in maintaining cellular lipid balance by storing and delivering lipids as needed. However, the intricate lipolytic pathways involved in LD turnover remain poorly described, hindering our comprehension of lipid catabolism and related disorders. Here, we show a function of the small GTPase ARL8B in mediating LD turnover in lysosomes. ARL8B-GDP localizes to LDs, while ARL8-GTP predominantly favors lysosomes. GDP binding induces a conformation with an exposed N-terminal amphipathic helix, enabling ARL8B to bind to LDs. By associating with LDs and lysosomes, and with its property to form a heterotypic complex, ARL8B mediates LD-lysosome contacts and efficient lipid transfer between these organelles. In human macrophages, this ARL8B-dependent LD turnover mechanism appears as the major lipolytic pathway. Our finding opens exciting possibilities for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying LD degradation and its potential implications for inflammatory disorders.

Campus Connect is a dynamic web platform designed to facilitate seamless communication and resource sharing among students within educational institutions. Built using RN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React.js and Node. and powered by socket.io for real-time interaction, Campus Connect offers a comprehensive solution to improve collaboration and engagement among students. This paper presents an overview of Campus Connect’s architecture and key features, including Announcements and Events, Public Channels, Resource Sharing, Notifications, and Login/Logout functionalities. Through its user-friendly interface and robust technology stack, Campus Connect aims to revolutionize student communication and foster a more connected learning community.

The authors study a cohort of healthcare workers in India who received two doses of the ChAdOx-1-nCoV19 vaccine during the Delta wave. Using serological data, they infer that 25% of the cohort were infected within 60 days of vaccination, although there were no severe infections leading to hospitalisations.

Here we report a rare case of diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor (DLGNT) in a 35-year-old man, who was misdiagnosed twice as having tuberculosis meningitis and later racemose neurocysticercosis. His delayed diagnosis of DLGNT might be due to prevalence of tuberculosis in our country, similarity in magnetic resonance imaging finding of prominent leptomeningeal enhancement in different cisterns of brain, and extreme rarity of DLGNT in the adults. So, it should be differentiated clinically and radiographically from granulomatous or infectious conditions. Hence, a timely histologic diagnosis through a leptomeningeal biopsy of the brain and spinal cord in case of unusual leptomeningeal enhancement with uncertain laboratory findings is essential because cytological examination of the cerebrospinal fluid in DLGNT is known to be negative.

Abstract Background A structural phenomenon seen in certain lineages of angiosperms that has captivated many scholars including Charles Darwin is the evolution of plant carnivory. Evidently, these structural features collectively termed carnivorous syndrome, evolved to aid nutritional acquisition from attracted, captured and digested prey. We now understand why plant carnivory evolved but how carnivorous plants acquired these attributes remains a mystery. In an attempt to understand the evolution of Nepenthes pitcher and to shed more light on its role in prey digestion, we analyzed the transcriptome data of the highly specialized Nepenthes khasiana leaf comprising the leaf base lamina, tendril and the different parts/zones of the pitcher tube viz. digestive zone, waxy zone and lid. Results In total, we generated around 262 million high-quality Illumina reads. Reads were pooled, normalized and de novo assembled to generate a reference transcriptome of about 412,224 transcripts. We then estimated transcript abundance along the N. khasiana leaf by mapping individual reads from each part/zone to the reference transcriptome. Correlation-based hierarchical clustering analysis of 27,208 commonly expressed genes indicated functional relationship and similar cellular processes underlying the development of the leaf base and the pitcher, thereby implying that the Nepenthes pitcher is indeed a modified leaf. From a list of 2386 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), we identified transcripts encoding key enzymes involved in prey digestion and protection against pathogen attack, some of which are expressed at high levels in the digestive zone. Interestingly, many of these enzyme-encoding genes are also expressed in the unopened N. khasiana pitcher. Transcripts showing homology to both bacteria and fungi were also detected; and in the digestive zone, fungi are more predominant as compared to bacteria. Taking cues from histology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photomicrographs, we found altered expressions of key regulatory genes involved in leaf development. Of particular interest, the expression of class III HOMEODOMAIN-LEUCINE ZIPPER (HD-ZIPIII) and ARGONAUTE (AGO) genes were upregulated in the tendril. Conclusions Our findings suggest that N. khasiana pitchers employ a wide range of enzymes for prey digestion and plant defense, harbor microbes and probably evolved through altered expression of leaf polarity genes.

Summary: Establishing germ cell sexual identity is critical for development of male and female germline stem cells (GSCs) and production of sperm or eggs. Germ cells depend on signals from the somatic gonad to determine sex, but in organisms such as flies, mice, and humans, the sex chromosome genotype of the germ cells is also important for germline sexual development. How somatic signals and germ-cell-intrinsic cues combine to regulate germline sex determination is thus a key question. We find that JAK/STAT signaling in the GSC niche promotes male identity in germ cells, in part by activating the chromatin reader Phf7. Further, we find that JAK/STAT signaling is blocked in XX (female) germ cells through the action of the sex determination gene Sex lethal to preserve female identity. Thus, an important function of germline sexual identity is to control how GSCs respond to signals in their niche environment.

Lipid metabolism plays a complex and dynamic role in host-pathogen interaction during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. While bacterial lipid metabolism is key to the success of the pathogen, the host also offers a lipid rich environment in the form of necrotic caseous granulomas, making this association beneficial for the pathogen. Accumulation of the neutral lipid triglyceride, as lipid droplets within the cellular cuff of necrotic granulomas, is a peculiar feature of pulmonary tuberculosis. The role of triglyceride synthesis in the TB granuloma and its impact on the disease outcome has not been studied in detail. Here, we identified diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) to be essential for accumulation of triglyceride in necrotic TB granulomas using the C3HeB/FeJ murine model of infection. Treatment of infected mice with a pharmacological inhibitor of DGAT1 (T863) led to reduction in granuloma triglyceride levels and bacterial burden. A decrease in bacterial burden was associated with reduced neutrophil infiltration and degranulation, and a reduction in several pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL1β, TNFα, IL6, and IFNβ. Triglyceride lowering impacted eicosanoid production through both metabolic re-routing and via transcriptional control. Our data suggests that manipulation of lipid droplet homeostasis may offer a means for host directed therapy in Tuberculosis.

To understand the spread of SARS-CoV2, in August and September 2020, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (India) conducted a serosurvey across its constituent laboratories and centers across India. Of 10,427 volunteers, 1058 (10.14%) tested positive for SARS-CoV2 anti-nucleocapsid (anti-NC) antibodies, 95% of which had surrogate neutralization activity. Three-fourth of these recalled no symptoms. Repeat serology tests at 3 (n = 607) and 6 (n = 175) months showed stable anti-NC antibodies but declining neutralization activity. Local seropositivity was higher in densely populated cities and was inversely correlated with a 30-day change in regional test positivity rates (TPRs). Regional seropositivity above 10% was associated with declining TPR. Personal factors associated with higher odds of seropositivity were high-exposure work (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, p value: 2.23, 1.92–2.59,

Lipid compositions of cells, tissues, and bio-fluids are complex, with varying concentrations and structural diversity making their identification challenging. Newer methods for comprehensive analysis of lipids are thus necessary. Herein, we propose a targeted-mass spectrometry based lipidomics screening method using a combination of variable retention time window and relative dwell time weightage. Using this method, we identified more than 1000 lipid species within 24-min. The limit of detection varied from the femtomolar to the nanomolar range. About 883 lipid species were detected with a coefficient of variance 12 deficiency and found a total of 18 lipid species to be altered. Some of the lipid species with ω-6 fatty acid chains were found to be significantly increased while ω-3 decreased in vitamin B12 deficient samples. This method enables rapid screening of a large number of lipid species in a single experiment and would substantially advance our understanding of the role of lipids in biological processes.

Amorphous diamond-like carbon coating (DLC) of 2 μm in thickness was deposited over the aluminum alloy substrate using magnetron sputtering deposition technique. In order to understand the efficacy of coating deposition, coated specimens were subjected to rotating bending fatigue in air and methanol environments respectively. Raman spectroscopy was used in conjunction with grazing incidence X-diffraction technique to obtain depth-resolved residual stress gradients of coated-aluminum substrate. The residual stress generated due to coating deposition was calculated using Raman spectroscopy and it was −1.13 ± 0.16 GPa (compressive in nature). Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy was utilized for the quantification of stress relaxation upon fatigue loading in air and methanol environments. It was observed that the irrespective of the testing environment, good correlation exists between the stress relaxation magnitude and number of cycles endured before failure. Keywords: Diamond-like coating, Methanol, Residual stress, Raman shift, Grazing incidence