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Cascade catalytic processes perform multistep chemical transformations without isolating the intermediates. Here, we demonstrate a sequential cascade pathway to convert CO2 to C2+ hydrocarbons and oxygenates in a two-step electrocatalytic process using CO as the intermediate. CO2 to CO conversion is performed by using Ag, and further conversion of CO to C-C coupled products is performed with Cu. Temporal separation between the two reaction steps is accomplished by situating the Ag electrode upstream of the Cu electrode in a continuous flow reactor. Convection-diffusion simulations and experimental evaluation of the electrodes individually are performed to identify optimal conditions. With the upstream Ag electrode poised at -1 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode in a flow of CO2-saturated water in aqueous carbonate buffer, over 80% of the CO can be converted on the downstream Cu electrode. When the Ag electrode is on, a supersaturation of CO is achieved near the Cu electrode, which leads to a relative increase in the formation rate of C2 and C3 oxygenates as compared to ethylene.

Reading is huge because reading is a source of information, but most of the learners open social media more often, play games with laptops or gadgets, compared to reading. Using teaching materials in supporting the teaching learning process can help students more easily understand the learning material, because it is undeniable that the development of teaching materials is very important in learning, so the more interesting the teaching materials used, the more interested students will be in the teaching materials. The purpose of this research is to determine the development of application-based teaching materials and to determine student responses to application-based teaching materials in the Church Administration and Management course in the Christian Leadership Study Program. The results of the study are calculatedbased on the validity calculation formula, then an average score of 3.1875 is obtained with decent criteria. Through this research, it is hoped that the application-based Church Administration and Management teaching program (Smart Apps Creator) is used by students as a practical learning medium and can be used anytime and anywhere

Background: Lipid control is crucial in managing coronary artery disease (CAD) to reduce cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of lipid-lowering therapy, particularly statins, in achieving target lipid levels in patients with CAD., Materials and Methods: This single-center, retrospective, observational study was conducted at the Cardiology Outpatient Department of Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pune, Maharastra, India. A sample size of 72 patients was included in this study. Adult patients receiving treatment for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), chronic stable angina (CSA), or unstable angina (UA) were included. Exclusion criteria were comorbidities affecting clinical decisions, HIV-positive status, pregnancy, or breastfeeding. Data on lipid profiles, including low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (LDL-C), were collected, with LDL-C calculated using the Friedewald equation or measured directly. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients achieving LDL-C targets as per the 2019 European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) guidelines. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square tests, with significance set at p < 0.05., Results: Of the enrolled patients, a substantial proportion did not achieve target LDL-C levels, with LDL-C remaining above the recommended thresholds in a significant number of patients. Despite ongoing statin therapy, lipid control was suboptimal in many cases, particularly among those with elevated LDL-C levels. A detailed analysis of lipid profiles and the achievement of target levels was done, highlighting areas where current treatment strategies may fall short., Conclusion: The study reveals that a significant number of patients with CAD on statin therapy do not achieve optimal lipid control, particularly in LDL-C management. This underscores the need for more aggressive or tailored lipid-lowering strategies to reduce residual cardiovascular risk in this high-risk population. Further studies are needed to explore the factors contributing to suboptimal lipid control and to develop interventions that can enhance the effectiveness of current therapies., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Institutional Ethics Sub Committee of Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital, and Research Centre issued approval I.E.S.C./W/164/2024. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Sridevi et al.)

We have developed an open-source workflow that allows for quantitative single-cell analysis of organelle morphology, distribution, and inter-organelle contacts with an emphasis on the analysis of mitochondria and mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum (mito-ER) contact sites. As the importance of inter-organelle contacts becomes more widely recognized, there is a concomitant increase in demand for tools to analyze subcellular architecture. Here, we describe a workflow we call MitER (pronounced "mightier"), which allows for automated calculation of organelle morphology, distribution, and inter-organelle contacts from 3D renderings by employing the animation software Blender. We then use MitER to quantify the variations in the mito-ER networks of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, revealing significantly more mito-ER contacts within respiring cells compared to fermenting cells. We then demonstrate how this workflow can be applied to mammalian systems and used to monitor mitochondrial dynamics and inter-organelle contact in time-lapse studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The ability to perform sophisticated, high-throughput optogenetic experiments has been greatly enhanced by recent open-source illumination devices that allow independent programming of light patterns in single wells of microwell plates. However, there is currently a lack of instrumentation to monitor such experiments in real time, necessitating repeated transfers of the samples to stand-alone analytical instruments, thus limiting the types of experiments that could be performed. Here we address this gap with the development of the optoPlateReader (oPR), an open-source, solid-state, compact device that allows automated optogenetic stimulation and spectroscopy in each well of a 96-well plate. The oPR integrates an optoPlate illumination module with a module called the optoReader, an array of 96 photodiodes and LEDs that allows 96 parallel light measurements. The oPR was optimized for stimulation with blue light and for measurements of optical density and fluorescence. After calibration of all device components, we used the oPR to measure growth and to induce and measure fluorescent protein expression in E. coli. We further demonstrated how the optical read/write capabilities of the oPR permit computer-in-the-loop feedback control, where the current state of the sample can be used to adjust the optical stimulation parameters of the sample according to pre-defined feedback algorithms. The oPR will thus help realize an untapped potential for optogenetic experiments by enabling automated reading, writing, and feedback in microwell plates through open-source hardware that is accessible, customizable, and inexpensive., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to genotype two previously identified SNPs (rs1048661:R141L, and rs3825942:G153D) in the lysyl oxidase-like 1 (LOXL1) gene and determine their association with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (XFG) in patients from Pune, India., Methods: All subjects underwent detailed phenotyping, and DNA extraction was performed on blood samples by using standardized techniques. Exon 1 of the LOXL1 gene containing the SNPs (rs3825942:G153D; rs1048661:R141L) were Sanger sequenced, and the results were analyzed using sequence analysis software SeqScape 2.1.1., Results: Data were analyzed from 71 patients with XFG and 81 disease-negative, age-matched controls. There was a strong association between the G allele of rs3825942 and XFG with an odds ratio of 10.2 (CI: 3.92-26.6; P < 0.001). The G allele of rs1048661 also showed an increase in risk relative to the T allele (OR = 1.49; CI: 0.88-2.51; P = 0.13), but this was not significant. Haplotype combination frequencies were estimated for rs1048661 and rs3825942; the GG haplotype was associated with a significant increase in risk (OR = 3.91; CI: 2.27-6.73; P < 0.001). Both the GA and TG haplotypes were associated with decreased XFG risk, although the latter was not significant (GA: OR = 0.08; CI: 0.03-0.21; P < 0.001; TG: OR = 0.67; CI: 0.40-1.13; P = 0.13)., Conclusion: The risk G allele in rs3852942 (G153D) is strongly associated with the development of XFG in the Western Indian population. Genetic screening strategies to identify LOXL1 risk alleles in the population can assist in case definition and early diagnosis, targeting precious resources to high-risk patients., Competing Interests: None

Cholesteryl n -alkanoates of saturated fatty acids and their mixtures are widely studied in different physical states and also due to their significance in biology. Here, we address the miscibility of some homologues of cholesteryl n -alkanoates at interfaces, which are known to exhibit different (cholesteryl octanoate, ChC8, and cholesteryl stearate, ChC18) or the same (cholesteryl nonanoate, ChC9, and cholesteryl laurate, ChC12) molecular packing in bulk. Surface manometry and Brewster angle microscopy studies on ChC8 (cholesteryl-cholesteryl interaction, referred to as m-i packing)/ChC9 (cholesteryl-chain interaction, referred to as m-ii packing) and also on ChC18 (chain-chain interactions, referred to as the crystalline bilayer)/ChC9 mixtures reveal phase separation at the air-water (A-W) interface plausibly due to the difference in the molecular packing. In contrast, ChC12/ChC9 (both m-ii packing) mixtures form a homogeneous phase and exhibit a higher collapse pressure (almost twice) than that of ChC9 indicating higher stability. At the air-solid (A-S) interface, the height profiles extracted from the surface topography images using an atomic force microscope yielded thicknesses of 3.6 ± 0.1 and 5.6 ± 0.1 nm for ChC18/ChC9 mixtures (at 0.66 and 0.5 mole fractions (MF)) corresponding to individual assembly, whereas a uniform thickness of 3.5 ± 0.2 nm is obtained for the case of ChC12/ChC9 mixtures (at 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 MF) corresponding to m-ii packing. Ellipsometry studies reveal that the desorption temperature increases with the mole fraction of ChC9 and attains a maximum at 406.8 ± 4.8 K for 0.4 MF of ChC9, beyond which it decreases. Raman spectroscopy studies are carried out for ChC12/ChC9 mixtures in the homogeneous phase and in the collapsed state. Here, the dependency of peak positions on different physical states was assessed. Our studies offer new insights into the compatibility of molecular packing influencing the phase behavior and may be of relevance to tear film studies and on the formation of crystals in atherosclerosis.

We present an approach, based on learning an intrinsic data manifold, for the initialization of the internal state values of long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural networks, ensuring consistency with the initial observed input data. Exploiting the generalized synchronization concept, we argue that the converged, "mature" internal states constitute a function on this learned manifold. The dimension of this manifold then dictates the length of observed input time series data required for consistent initialization. We illustrate our approach through a partially observed chemical model system, where initializing the internal LSTM states in this fashion yields visibly improved performance. Finally, we show that learning this data manifold enables the transformation of partially observed dynamics into fully observed ones, facilitating alternative identification paths for nonlinear dynamical systems.

Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Background: Degenerative aortic valve disease often co-exists with coronary artery disease (CAD) and studies done in western populations have shown that it shares the same risk factors which cause CAD. However little is known in this context among Asian Indians. The current study looks into the risk factors of degenerative aortic valve disease in Asian Indian population., Methods: Ninety-one consecutive patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) reporting for left heart catheterization prior to valve replacement surgery at a tertiary care centre were recruited for the study. They were compared with age and sex matched controls selected from a database of 3200 patients referred for elective diagnostic left heart catheterization for suspected CAD. Following traditional cardiovascular risk factors were assessed in all patients: age, gender, family history of CAD, smoking history, presence of diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia., Results: The mean age of the study population was 57.8 ± 8.2 years (range, 40-80 years). Smoking, family history of CAD and hypercholesterolemia were significantly more prevalent in patients with degenerative AS compared to those with normal valves. No significant difference was noted in the presence of diabetes mellitus. On multivariate logistic regression, family history of premature CAD (OR 3.68; CI 1.38-9.78) smoking history (OR, 2.56; CI, 1.21-5.39), and raised LDL levels (OR, 5.55; CI, 2.63-11.69) were independently associated with the aortic stenosis patient cohort., Conclusions: The study showed a significant association of cardiovascular risk factors with aortic stenosis independent of age and gender in Asian Indian patients.

A 70-year-old woman on four antihypertensive drugs including diuretics presented with accelerated hypertension and acute pulmonary oedema. She had a bounding brachial pulse with feeble femoral pulses. A 256 slice CT scan revealed the presence of severe diffuse thoracoabdominal atherosclerosis. Cardiac catheterisation revealed 125 mm Hg gradient across the atherosclerotic segment at the level of thoracic 10-11 vertebrae. A self-deploying stent was implanted in the thoracoabdominal segment reducing the gradient across the disease segment to 20 mm Hg with a significant improvement in the luminal diameter of the aorta. Her upper limb blood pressure normalised on two antihypertensive drugs 6 weeks later., (2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.)

We present a rare case of biventricular thrombus in a young patient with a structurally normal heart at high altitude, complicated with pulmonary embolism. Detailed evaluation revealed him to have protein S deficiency. Altered environmental conditions at high altitude associated with protein S deficiency resulted in thrombus formation at an unusual location; the same is discussed in this case report., (2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.)

Carotid endarterectomy in the presence of an occluded contralateral artery is associated with a high risk of perioperative stroke. Carotid stenting with neuroprotection devices has emerged as a safe procedure for revascularization in this circumstance. We performed high-risk carotid angioplasty in a patient with a history of recurrent transient ischemic attacks and 90% stenosis of left internal carotid artery with other occluded cerebral vessels. The final follow-up angiogram revealed thrombotic obstruction of the stent without any evidence of vasospasm, stent deformation or dissection. Direct thrombosuction was performed with the guiding sheath. Multiple suction passes yielded complete restoration of vascular patency and intracranial flows. A control angiogram performed 10 days later revealed no residual stenosis or thrombus. Thrombosuction using a guiding sheath leads to rapid revascularization in a patient with acute carotid stent thrombosis.

Background: Obesity is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A direct effect of isolated obesity on cardiac function is not well established. The study was designed to determine the direct effect of various grades of isolated obesity on echocardiographic indices of systolic and diastolic left ventricular function., Methods: Fifty one obese and 25 normal weight, serving personnel without any other pathological condition were studied. Group I (n=25) consisted of subjects with normal weight and body mass index (BMI <25kg/m(2)), Group II (n=34) of overweight subjects (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m(2)) and Group III (n=17) of obese subjects (BMI >30 kg/m(2)). Echocardiographic indices of systolic and diastolic function were obtained and dysfunction was assumed when at least two values differed by ≥ 2 SD from the normal weight group., Result: Ejection fraction, fractional shortening were increased (p<0.05) in Group II and III. Left ventricular dimensions were increased (p< 0.001) but relative wall thickness was unchanged. Systolic dysfunction was not observed in any of the obese patients. The mitral valve pressure half time (p< 0.01), left atrial diameter (p < 0.01) and the deceleration time were increased (p< 0.01) in obese subjects, while other diastolic variables were unchanged. No difference were found between obesity subgroups. Subclinical diastolic dysfunction was more prevalent among obese subjects. BMI correlated significantly with indices of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function., Conclusion: Subclinical left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was noted in all grades of obesity which correlates with BMI.

Objective: To evaluate responses to mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and intravenous cyclophosphamide (CYC) in lupus nephritis in a multiethnic population., Methods: This was a retrospective study of all patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that underwent kidney biopsy at New York University Medical Center. Patients with followup of at least 6 months were included. Clinical response was defined as complete (return to +/- 10% of normal) or partial (improvement of 50% in abnormal renal measurements)., Results: Ninety-nine patients were included in the study: 86% females, 86% non-Caucasian, age 34.2 +/- 1.1 years, 62% with proliferative nephritis (PN; ISN/RPS-III and IV), and 32% with membranous nephritis (MN; ISN/RPS-V). Of the 70 patients with PN, 37 were treated with CYC and 33 with MMF. The baseline characteristics of the 2 treatment groups were different in the incidence of ISN/RPS-IV, values of serum creatinine and serum albumin, and type of insurance (p < 0.05). The response rate was greater in the MMF than in the CYC group (70% vs 41%). Responses to MMF were different in Asians (11/11), Caucasians (4/5), African Americans (3/5), and Hispanics (5/11). Responses to CYC had a similar distribution (Asians 6/10, Caucasians 4/5, African Americans 4/9, Hispanics 1/11). In the MN group (N = 23) responses were similar to the PN group (73% MMF and 38% CYC). After adjusting for race, serum creatinine, serum albumin, type of insurance, and class of nephritis, in a logistic regression model, response to MMF was superior to CYC: OR 6.2 (95% CI 1.9-20.2). Hispanics had worse outcome than Caucasians (OR 0.17). Longterm followup suggested no difference in maintenance with MMF or CYC., Conclusion: After controlling for the fact that less severe nephritis is preferentially treated with MMF, we found overall that response to MMF was superior to CYC. In this US population, ethnicity was observed to have an influence on response.

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a disorder characterized by presence of an accessory pathway which predisposes patients to tachyarrhythmias and sudden death. Among patients with WPW syndrome, atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT) is the most common arrhythmia, accounting for 95% of re-entrant tachycardias. It has been estimated that one-third of patients with WPW syndrome have atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is a potentially life-threatening arrhythmia. If an accessory pathway has a short anterograde refractory period, then rapid repetitive conduction to the ventricles during AF can result in a rapid ventricular response with subsequent degeneration to ventricular fibrillation (VF). The accessory pathway may be located anywhere along the atrioventricular valve Most of the patients are young and do not have structural heart disease hence it is important to risk stratify these patients so as to prevent the sudden death. Management of asymptomatic patients with WPW syndrome has always remained controversial Catheter ablation of accessory pathways has become an established mode of therapy for symptomatic patients and asymptomatic patients employed in high-risk professions.

Objective: To determine the short term results and safety of angioplasty in chronic coronary occlusions., Methods: Eighty consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for chronic coronary occlusions were prospectively analyzed for acute success rate and safety of the procedure., Results: The mean age was 46.7 years (range 30-78 years). There were 72 males and eight females. Clinical presentation was recent myocardial infarction (MI) in four cases (5%), unstable angina in 20 (25%), chronic stable angina in 24 (30%) and past history of MI in 32 (40%) cases. Vessel distribution was left anterior descending artery (LAD) in 40 (50%), left circumflex artery (LCx) in 12 (15%) and right coronary artery (RCA) in 28 (35%) cases. Lesion length varied from 8 mm to 37 mm with a mean of 16.7 mm. Acute success rate was 70% (56/80). Twenty four cases (30%) had unsuccessful result due to failure to cross with wire (18 cases) or inability to cross with the balloon (six cases). One major complication in the form of type III coronary perforation was encountered which was successfully managed surgically., Conclusion: Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in chronic total occlusion has a reasonable success rate and very low complication rate.

Complication in 1000 consecutive Tread Mill Tests (TMT) done at the Cardiology Centre of Command Hospital (SC) Pune are reported. The tests were done following Bruce Protocol and analysed based on Selzer's criteria. Complications were noted in 18 cases (1.8%) which included ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, malignant VPBs, conduction disturbances, asystole following hyperventilation (HV), complete SA block following HV, atrial flutter following HV, hypotension and severe angina requiring ICCU care. No acute myocardial infarctions or deaths were noted. Coronary arteriography (CART) was done in 50 (5.0%) selected cases including 10 with complications. It is concluded that TMT is a safe procedure if carried out after proper patient selection and under supervision of an experienced and efficient team.

Meconium aspiration occurred in 66 of 120 infants with meconium-stained liquor admitted to a Neonatal Unit. Four of the 66 infants died, whilst 17 other required ventilatory support. Meconium aspiration syndrome, especially when severe, was more likely if the mother was a smoker, hypertensive, anaemic, Maori or the pregnancy was greater than 42 weeks' gestation. Meconium aspiration was also associated with thick meconium, prolonged labour, late fetal heart decelerations and inadequate suctioning of the airway at birth. Although meconium-stained liquor is a common occurrence in labour, a bad neonatal outcome will only be obviated by vigilant intrapartum care and active suctioning of the infant's airway at birth. Once aspiration has occurred, intensive treatment is often required and sometimes fails.

The psychopathology of 29 delinquent and 25 nondelinquent psychiatrically hospitalized adolescent boys was similarly severe. Similar proportions had hallucinations, delusions, learning disabilities, and evidence of neurological impairment, and over half in each group had been diagnosed as being psychotic. Fire-setting, enuresis, and cruelty to animals did not distinguish the two groups. Significantly more of the delinquents had been psychiatrically hospitalized previously, and significantly more of the delinquents had engaged in violently aggressive acts. The household composition of both groups was similar, but more mothers of delinquents than of nondelinquents had been psychiatrically hospitalized. The authors discuss the issue of the treatment of psychiatrically ill violent adolescents.