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In the title compound, C31H28O4, the phenyl rings of the chalcone unit subtend a dihedral angle of 26.43 (10)°. The phenyl rings of the pendant benzyloxy groups are orientated at 75.57 (13) and 75.70 (10)° with respect to their attached ring. In the crystal, weak C—H...O and C—H...π interactions link the molecules. The intermolecular interactions were quantified and analysed using Hirshfeld surface analysis, which showed a breakdown into H...H (49.8%), H...C/C...H (33.8%) and H...O/O...H (13.6%) interactions with other types making negligible contributions.

In healthy people, the brain controls movement with a high amount of feedback from many modes of perception. Disease or injury compromises these sensory pathways, as well as their neural impulse counterparts, in many people, resulting in major deficits and a lower quality of life. The use of kinesthetics feedback can be used as a therapy method for a variety of neurological diseases like Parkinson's disease (PD) and stroke is gaining popularity. One of these therapeutic possibilities is to use a closed-loop feedback model with mental imagery as the self-regulation support to improve volitional control of malfunctioning or damaged brain networks and nodes. BMIs (Brain–Machine Interfaces) promise to restore function to these people by letting them to control a gadget with their thoughts. The majority of present BMI implementations rely on visual feedback for closed-loop control; But it has been argued that adding more sensory modalities could improve control. The paper shows that kinesthetics feedback may be combined with vision to considerably improve control of a primary motor cortex neural activity (MI). These findings imply that in paralysed individuals with residual kinesthetics feeling, BMI control can be greatly enhanced, and they provide the framework for augmenting cortically controlled BMIs with a variety of surrogate or natural sensory feedback.

Abstract Ultra high-performance concrete (UHPC) is an advanced concrete which exhibits a higher performance mostly in all aspects and has a compressive strength higher than 150 MPa. The paper reviews the usage of different types of fibres, nanomaterials, mineral admixtures, preparation techniques and the utilization of UHPC. Improved microstructure, reduced porosity and homogeneous mixing are the basic requirements of the UHPC design. Though UHPC helps in the preparation of structural members at lesser size, it requires an enormous amount of cement which is accountable for a huge CO2 emission, abrasion and cracks; hence, supplementary cementitious materials might be utilized as a limited alternative for cement without sacrificing the strength of concrete at lesser cost. The nanomaterials act as a nucleation site for the C-S–H gel formation by filling the voids and pores, thereby aiding to attain a denser microstructure for UHPC and also delaying the nucleation of the cracks at the nanoscale. The fibres used in the UHPC help in energy dissipation and also produce a bridging effect for micro- and macro-cracks. Based on the investigations, it has been found that the usage of medium hooked-end steel fibres and a hybrid combination of fibres with nanomaterials helps in improving several properties of the UHPC.

Tuberous xanthomas are nontender, yellow to red papules to nodules that occur on the extensor surface, and trauma-prone areas such as the elbows, knees, Achilles tendon, and buttocks. A 10-year-old female child born out of second-degree consanguineous marriage presented with multiple skin-colored nodular lesions on axillary folds, both elbows, cubital fossa, medial side of the wrist, interphalangeal joints, buttocks, knees, popliteal fossa, and Achilles tendons. After complete evaluation, diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia type IIa with tuberous xanthoma was made. Tuberous xanthoma usually presents in combined type III dyslipidemias, but in our case, it is presented in type IIa familial hypercholesterolemia. Early diagnosis and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia are important for preventing complications.

Demolition wastes are produced in huge quantity. Generally, they are used in the construction field as replacement for normal aggregate, pavement, roadways, curbs, embankment, etc. still there are plenty of quantity to be used for various purposes. Landfill is a place where huge quantity of material is required as cover to protect the ground from contamination. In this paper optimal utilization of Recycled Coarse Aggregate (RCA) as a landfill layer is explored. It was found that RCA lacks adsorbent capacity, in order to address the issue various chemicals were added to induce adsorbing capacity in the RCA. The pH observation, lucidity and color were analyzed to assess the adsorbent property of RCA. In this paper a study on various adsorbents such as activated carbon, silica gel powder, zeolite, sodium chloride, calcium sulphate, calcium chloride that induces adsorbing characteristics to RCA was studied. The pilot setup design consists of a layer of RCA, paper pulp, adsorbents and the unfiltered leachate. The setup was observed for the performance of the adsorbents when added with RCA. The study concluded that the performance of activated carbon, zeolite and sodium chloride was Congenial when compared to silica gel, calcium chloride and calcium sulphate.

Sarocladium oryzae is a widely prevalent seed-borne pathogen of rice. The development of a rapid and on-site detection method for S. oryzae is therefore important to ensure the health of rice seeds. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is ideal for field-level diagnosis since it offers quick, high-specific amplification of target template sequences at a single temperature. We designed primers based on the β-tubulin region of S. oryzae. The LAMP technique devised was extremely sensitive, detecting the presence of the S. oryzae template at concentrations as low as 10 fg in 30 minutes at 65°C. The assay specificity was confirmed by performing the experiment with genomic DNA isolated from 22 different phytopathogens. Through the addition of hydroxy naphthol blue in the reaction process prior to amplification, a colour shift from violet to deep sky blue was seen in the vicinity of the target pathogen only. Finally, the LAMP assay was validated using live infected tissues, weeds and different varieties of seeds collected from different locations in Tamil Nadu, India. If developed into a detection kit, the LAMP assay developed in this study has potential applications in seed health laboratories, plant quarantine stations, and on-site diagnosis of S. oryzae in seeds and plants.

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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and complex psychiatric disorder that usually includes both obsessions and compulsions. Morinda citrifolia L. (Noni) is a functional food and it is a well-known plant due to its potential therapeutic effects on human health in many disorders including neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential effect of M. citrifolia fruits extract (MCFE) against obsessive-compulsive disorder using the marble burying and nestlet shredding behavior mice models. In addition, brain neurotransmitters such as dopamine (DA), serotonin and noradrenaline (NA) were also assessed. Five mice were placed in each of the different groups, and the treatment was given to the animals for a period of 15 days. The marble burying test was evaluated for 30 min on days 1, 7, and 14 while the nestlet shredding test was evaluated for 60 min on days 2, 8, and 15. Treatments with MCFE (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly improved in both behavior tasks when compared to the control group. In addition, diazepam (2 mg/kg, i.p.) and fluoxetine (15 mg/kg, p.o.) were also significantly improved in both tasks when compared with the control mice. Further locomotor activity study revealed that MCFE and fluoxetine did not affect the locomotor functions when compared to vehicle treated mice. In contrast, diazepam significantly decreased locomotion when compared to the control group. The significant amelioration of biogenic amines were observed in the MCFE-treated animals with increased serotonin levels. The histopathology of the brain, liver, and kidney tissues after MCFE administration revealed normal morphological structure with no signs of toxicity or abnormalities. All these results together suggest that MCFE can be a potential drug candidate for the treatment of OCD. Future research should focus on theidentification and the anti-compulsive activity of the constituents from M. citrifolia.

Porokeratosis is an autosomal dominant disorder of epidermal keratinization resulting from abnormal expansion of latent clones following chronic ultraviolet exposure or immunosuppression. Various clinical and morphological variants of porokeratosis are present, among which disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis (DSAP) is the most common subtype located predominantly on the sun exposed areas, whereas disseminated superficial porokeratosis (DSP) is present both on the sun exposed and sun protected areas including oral mucosa and genitalia. Porokeratosis is characterized clinically by annular plaques with atrophic center and thready border and histologically by the presence of cornoid lamella. DSAP may be missed because of its inconspicuous nature in dark skinned individuals and may sometimes be mistaken for actinic keratoses in sun-damaged skin. Here, we report a case series of five patients with disseminated porokeratosis with varied presentations.

Bisphenol A (BPA), a well-known xenoestrogen, is commonly utilised in the production of polycarbonate plastics. Based on the existing evidence, BPA is known to induce neurotoxicity and behavioural issues. Flavonoids such as silibinin and naringenin have been shown to have biological activity against a variety of illnesses. The current research evaluates the neuropharmacological effects of silibinin and naringenin in a zebrafish model against neurotoxicity and oxidative stress caused by Bisphenol A. In this study, a novel tank diving test (NTDT) and light–dark preference test (LDPT) were used in neurobehavioural investigations. The experimental protocol was planned to last 21 days. The neuroprotective effects of silibinin (10 μM) and naringenin (10 μM) in zebrafish (Danio rerio) induced by BPA (17.52 μM) were investigated. In the brine shrimp lethality assay, the 50% fatal concentrations (LC50) were 34.10 μg/mL (silibinin) and 91.33 μg/mL (naringenin) compared to the standard potassium dichromate (13.15 μg/mL). The acute toxicity investigation found no mortality or visible abnormalities in the silibinin- and naringenin-treated groups (LC50 > 100 mg/L). The altered scototaxis behaviour in LDPT caused by BPA was reversed by co-supplementation with silibinin and naringenin, as shown by decreases in the number of transitions to the light zone and the duration spent in the light zone. Our findings point to BPA’s neurotoxic potential in causing altered scototaxis and bottom-dwelling behaviour in zebrafish, as well as the usage of silibinin and naringenin as potential neuroprotectants.

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, interactive communication networks play a pivotal role in facilitating real-time interactions among users. One of the critical challenges in these networks is ensuring the seamless delivery of multimedia content that caters to the diverse needs and preferences of individual users. This research endeavors to address this challenge by introducing a novel approach, where it places user satisfaction at its core, leveraging adaptive streaming techniques to dynamically adjust multimedia content delivery. By considering parameters such as network conditions, device capabilities, and user preferences, it optimizes the streaming experience in real-time. A key innovation lies in the integration of Shannon-Fano coding principles and genetic algorithms. Shannon-Fano coding enhances data compression efficiency, reducing bandwidth consumption, while genetic algorithms fine-tune the adaptive streaming parameters for each user. Our experimentation and evaluations demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach, showcasing improved multimedia streaming quality, reduced latency, and efficient bandwidth utilization. The synergy of user-centricity, adaptive streaming, Shannon-Fano coding, and genetic algorithms presents a promising avenue for enhancing multimedia communication in interactive networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Visually impaired children are unable to maintain good oral hygiene, as their tactile abilities are often underdeveloped owing to their visual disturbances. Conventional brushing techniques are often poorly comprehended by these children and hence, it was decided to evaluate the effectiveness of audio and audio-tactile methods in improving the oral hygiene of these children. Objective: To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of audio and audio-tactile methods in improving oral hygiene status of visually impaired school children. Materials and Methods: In this study, the total study group comprised 48 visually impaired children that were randomly divided into two groups, with one group receiving the audio method and the other group receiving the audio-tactile method. Periodic reinforcement of health education was performed at an interval of 2 months. Re-examination was carried out after 2 months of health education to assess plaque scores. Data were statistically analyzed using paired t-test. Results: There was reduction in plaque scores in audio-tactile group after health education. In the audio-tactile group, the mean plaque scores of pre- and post-health education were 1.28 and 0.95, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). In audio group, the mean plaque scores of pre- and post-health education were 1.15 and 0.14, respectively. The difference was statistically nonsignificant (P < 0.07). Conclusion: Visually impaired children could maintain an acceptable level of oral hygiene when taught using special customized methods. However, reinforcement at regular intervals is required for the maintenance of oral hygiene.

In this study, we address the problem of unsupervised transductive transfer learning for image feature extraction and representation. While transfer learning has shown promising results in various domains, its application to image feature extraction in an unsupervised transductive setting remains relatively unexplored. The research gap lies in the scarcity of methods that can effectively learn meaningful image representations without access to labeled data in the target domain, hindering the broader applicability of transfer learning in computer vision. Our research seeks to bridge this gap by proposing a novel framework that leverages unsupervised feature learning to enhance the adaptability of models across different image domains, thus contributing to the advancement of transfer learning in the field of computer vision. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in addressing this critical research gap and its potential for real-world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes the active power sharing of multiple distributed generators (DGs) in a microgrid. The operating modes of a microgrid are 1) a grid-connected mode and 2) an autonomous mode. During islanded operation, one DG unit should share its output power with other DG units in exact accordance with the load. Unit output power control (UPC) is introduced to control the active power of DGs. The viability of the proposed power control mode is simulated by MATLAB/SIMULINK. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]