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Deepfake images are combined media constructed from deep learning (DL) methods, usually Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), to manipulate visual content, often giving rise to convincing and fabricating descriptions of scenes or people. The Bayesian machine learning (ML) model has made crucial strides over the past two decades, illustrating promise in diverse applications. In deepfake images, detection utilizes computer vision (CV) and ML to spot manipulated content by analyzing unique artefacts and patterns. Recent techniques utilize DL to train neural networks to discriminate between real and fake images, improving the fight against digital manipulation and preserving media integrity. These systems can efficiently detect subtle inconsistencies or anomalies specific to deepfake creations by learning from large datasets of both real and deepfake images. This enables the mitigation of fraudulent content and reliable detection in digital media. We introduce a new Coronavirus Herd Immunity Optimizer with a Deep Learning-based Deepfake Image Detection and Classification (CHIODL-DIDC) technique. The CHIODL-DIDC technique aimed to detect and classify the existence of fake images. To accomplish this, the CHIODL-DIDC technique initially used a median filtering (MF) based image filtering approach. Besides, the CHIODL-DIDC technique utilized the MobileNetv2 model for extracting feature vectors. Moreover, the hyperparameter tuning of the MobileNetv2 model was accomplished using the CHIO method. For deepfake image detection, the CHIODL-DIDC technique implements the deep belief network (DBN) model. Finally, the Bayesian optimization algorithm (BOA) was utilized to select the effectual hyperparameter of the DBN model. The CHIODL-DIDC method's empirical analysis was examined using a benchmark fake image dataset. The performance validation of the CHIODL-DIDC technique illustrated a superior accuracy value of 98.16% over other models under $ Acc{u}_{y} $ , $ Pre{c}_{n} $ , $ Rec{a}_{l} $ , $ {F}_{Score} $ , and MCC metrics.

Two hundred and forty day-old broilers were randomly assigned to six experimental groups in a 2 x 3 factorial design. The birds were fed diets containing soybean hulls (SH) at the levels of 4% and 6% and β-Mannanase (BM) at the concentration of 0%, 0.05% and 0.1%. Results indicated significant effects of SH and BM supplementation on body weight (BW) and weight gain (WG), with birds fed 4% SH and 0.1% BM exhibiting higher (p

Mastitis is an inflammatory condition that affects dairy cow’s mammary glands. Traditional treatment approaches with antibiotics are increasingly leading to challenging scenarios such as antimicrobial resistance. In order to mitigate the unwanted side effects of antibiotics, alternative strategies such as those that harness the host immune system response, also known as immunotherapy, have been implemented. Immunotherapy approaches to treat bovine mastitis aims to enhance the cow’s immune response against pathogens by promoting pathogen clearance, and facilitating tissue repair. Various studies have demonstrated the potential of immunotherapy for reducing the incidence, duration and severity of mastitis. Nevertheless, majority of reported therapies are lacking in specificity hampering their broad application to treat mastitis. Meanwhile, advancements in mastitis immunotherapy hold great promise for the dairy industry, with potential to provide effective and sustainable alternatives to traditional antibiotic-based approaches. This review synthesizes immunotherapy strategies, their current understanding and potential future perspectives. The future perspectives should focus on the development of precision immunotherapies tailored to address individual pathogens/group of pathogens, development of combination therapies to address antimicrobial resistance, and the integration of nano- and omics technologies. By addressing research gaps, the field of mastitis immunotherapy can make significant strides in the control, treatment and prevention of mastitis, ultimately benefiting both animal and human health/welfare, and environment health.

Introduction: Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths. Liquid-based cervical cytology enables the detection and diagnosis of the disease at an early stage. p40 is a specific immunomarker that distinguishes squamous cell carcinomas from other cervical carcinomas with glandular and neuroendocrine differentiation. Aim: To determine the role of Liquid-based Cytology (LBC) in the early detection of premalignant and malignant lesions of the uterine cervix and its concordance with histopathological findings. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (IPGME&R), Kolkata, West Bengal, India, over a period of one year and six months (from October 2020 to March 2022). Cervical samples were collected from a total of 200 females, and the materials were processed using the BD SurePath™ LBC method. The cytologically confirmed cases were biopsied, and histopathological concordance was established. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for p40 and p63 was performed using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method to differentiate between premalignant, malignant squamous, and glandular lesions of the uterine cervix. For quantitative analysis, all cells were counted in 10 random fields at 400x magnification, and p63 and p40 were expressed as a percentage of positive cells per the total number of counted cells. Cases were considered positive if 5% or more of the tumour cell nuclei showed brown nuclear staining. The mean percentage positivity of p63 and p40 nuclear staining of all the cases in each category was calculated for non neoplastic and precursor/neoplastic lesions of the cervix. Results: Among the 200 cases evaluated by LBC, 169 (84.5%) were non neoplastic, and the remaining 31 (15.5%) were precursor/neoplastic lesions. The vast majority (126 cases, 63%) were inflammatory smears, followed by 20 cases (10%) that were Negative for Intraepithelial Lesion or Malignancy (NILM). Total of 40 cases were followed-up with biopsy and histopathology, and concordance with the cytological diagnosis was evaluated. Among 40 cases, 23 were precursor/neoplastic on histopathology, and seven cases that were non neoplastic on Histopathological Examination (HPE) had been correctly diagnosed on LBC, giving a concordance rate of 75%. The overall sensitivity, specificity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV), and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of LBC were 92%, 46.6%, 74.1%, and 77.7%, respectively, considering histological diagnosis as the gold standard. Regarding IHC expression on histopathology, the mean positivity of p40 and p63 for non neoplastic lesions was 9.40% and 10.06%, and for precursor/neoplastic lesions, 47.44% and 46.4%, respectively. Adenocarcinoma-in-situ and adenocarcinoma were negative for both p40 and p63. Conclusion: Cervical cytology is a less invasive, cost-effective, and simple procedure to diagnose cervical epithelial cell abnormalities. Cytological-histopathological concordance revealed that LBC is a sensitive diagnostic method. The comparison between non neoplastic and neoplastic lesions of the cervix revealed a statistically significant difference with respect to the mean percent positivity of p40 and p63 IHC staining. Both of these markers can be used to differentiate squamous cell carcinoma from adenocarcinoma of the cervix.

Abstract The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the potential of promising summer maize genotypes and optimal stage of harvesting these genotypes for ensiling in terms of dry matter (DM), starch, and crude protein (CP) yields, silage fermentation quality, nutrients profile, total digestible nutrients, metabolizable energy (ME) content, Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) carbohydrate (CHO) subfractions composition, in vitro DM digestibility (DMD) and in situ starch degradation characteristics. Six maize genotypes were chosen for the study: DK9108 from Monsanto, P30Y87, P3939 from Pioneer, QPM-300 (quality protein maize) and W94 from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), and a local cultivar, Afgoii, from the Cereal Research Institute (Persabaq, KP). A total of 72 plots (8 m × 10 m) were blocked in three replicate fields, and within each field, each genotype was sown in four replicate plots according to a randomized complete block design. For the data analysis, the Proc-Mixed procedure of Statistical Analysis System with repeated measure analysis of variance was used. The DM yield was strongly influenced (P

The WRKY gene family consists of unique transcription factors (TFs) found exclusively in plants. These TFs play a crucial role in regulating how plants respond to various abiotic stresses, such as saline-alkaline conditions, temperature fluctuations, drought, UV radiation and others. Scientists have been progressively studying the roles and mechanisms of WRKY in several plant species, including both model plants and essential agricultural crops. This study focus has emerged due to the understanding that alkaline and saline soil stressors considerably impede global agricultural productivity. Multiple research efforts have underscored the significant biological functions of WRKY TFs in assisting plants in coping with various abiotic challenges, particularly in enhancing their ability to withstand alkaline-salt stress. This review aims to investigate the structural capabilities of WRKY TFs and their impact on plant responses to alkaline and salt stresses. Additionally, it seeks to elucidate the role of these TFs in alleviating diverse abiotic and biotic stressors. The objective of this review study is to provide comprehensive insights into the current state of the field and the importance of WRKY TFs in regulating plant responses to salt and alkaline stress.

Agricultural decision-making involves a complex process of choosing strategies and options to enhance resource utilization, overall productivity, and farming practices. Agricultural stakeholders and farmers regularly make decisions at various levels of the farm cycle, ranging from crop selection and planting to harvesting and marketing. In agriculture, where crop health has played a central role in economic and yield outcomes, incorporating deep learning (DL) techniques has developed as a transformative force for the decision-making process. DL techniques, with their capability to discern subtle variations and complex patterns in plant health, empower agricultural experts and farmers to make informed decisions based on data-driven, real-time insights. Thus, we presented a Bayesian optimizer with deep learning based pepper leaf disease detection for decision making (BODL-PLDDM) approach in the agricultural sector. The BODL-PLDDM technique aimed to identify the healthy and bacterial spot pepper leaf disease. Primarily, the BODL-PLDDM technique involved a Wiener filtering (WF) approach for pre-processing. Besides, the complex and intrinsic feature patterns could be extracted using the Inception v3 model. Also, the Bayesian optimization (BO) algorithm was used for the optimal hyperparameter selection process. For disease detection, a crayfish optimization algorithm (COA) with a long short-term memory (LSTM) method was employed to identify the precise presence of pepper leaf diseases. The experimentation validation of the BODL-PLDDM system was verified using the Plant Village dataset. The obtained outcomes underlined the promising detection results of the BODL-PLDDM technique over other existing methods.

Abstract The rapid deterioration of freshwater ecosystems, particularly rivers, has threatened many living organisms, including human beings. In order to comprehend and maintain the well-being of a river ecosystem, it is important to assess the spatial and temporal variations in its physico-chemical parameters. The aim of the present study was to examine spatial and temporal physico-chemical parameters of snow-fed River Poonch in the Northwest Himalayas from July 2021 to June 2023. In order to generate precise and reliable data, one-way ANOVA, Duncan's multiple range test, Pearson correlation, linear regression, principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used to analyse a total of fifteen physico-chemical parameters of the river. Significant (p 0.70) in most cases, apart from DO (r ≥ − 0.80). Linear regression indicated significant (p 0.70) in most of the cases. PCA showed that physico-chemical parameters such as AT, WT, EC, TDS, FCO2, TA, TH, NO2-N, NO3-N, TP, SO4 2− and F− were significant for the determination of qualitative characteristics of River Poonch. In CA, two distinct clusters, viz. Cluster-I consisting of Site-III, downstream site prone to pollution and Cluster-II consisting of Site-II and Site-I, mid and upstream sites, respectively, less prone to pollution were obtained. The results of the study revealed that the water quality parameters were found well within the recommended ranges, suggesting that they are conducive for the existence of inhabitant fish species, which influence the local economy of the region.

Arnengsih Nazir,1,2 Henhen Heryaman,1,3 Cep Juli,4 Azizah Ugusman,5 Januar Wibawa Martha,6 Marina Annette Moeliono,2 Nur Atik3 1Doctoral Program, Faculty of Medicine, Padjadjaran University, Bandung, WJ, Indonesia; 2Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital/Faculty of Medicine, Padjadjaran University, Bandung, WJ, Indonesia; 3Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Padjadjaran University, Bandung, WJ, Indonesia; 4Department of Neurology, Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital/Faculty of Medicine Padjadjaran University, Bandung, WJ, Indonesia; 5Department of Physiology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 6Department of Cardiology and Vascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Padjadjaran University, Bandung, WJ, IndonesiaCorrespondence: Nur Atik, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Padjadjaran University, Jl. Prof. Eijkman No. 38, Bandung, WJ, 40161, Indonesia, Tel +62 81280956825, Email n.atik@unpad.ac.idAbstract: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), a term encompassing various disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels, includes coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD is primarily due to the development of atherosclerotic plaques that disrupt blood flow, oxygenation, and nutrient delivery to the myocardium. Risk factors contributing to CAD progression include smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidaemia, and obesity. While aerobic exercise (AE) has shown promising results in controlling CVD risk factors, the impact of resistance training (RT) has not been extensively investigated. This review aims to describe the effects of RT on CVD risk factors based on studies retrieved from PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Both isometric and isotonic RT have been found to decrease systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure, or mean arterial pressure, with SBP showing a more significant reduction. Hypertensive patients engaging in RT alongside a calorie-restricted diet demonstrated significant improvements in blood pressure. RT is associated with increased nitric oxide bioavailability, sympathetic modulation, and enhanced endothelial function. In type-2 DM patients, 8– 12 weeks of RT led to improvements in fasting blood glucose levels, insulin secretion, metabolic syndrome risk, and glucose transporter numbers. Combining AE with RT had a more significant impact in reducing insulin resistance and enhancing blood glucose compared to performing exercises separately. It also significantly decreased total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein levels while increasing high-density lipoprotein within 12 weeks of application. However, improvements are considered insignificant when lipid levels are already low to normal at baseline. The administration of RT resulted in weight loss and improved body mass index, with more pronounced effects seen when combining AE with RT and a calorie-restricted diet. Considering these results, the administration of RT, either alone or in combination with AE, proves beneficial in rehabilitating CAD patients by improving various risk factors.Keywords: coronary artery disease, dyslipidaemia, exercise, Hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus

The global mean temperature is rising at an unprecedented rate, and the investigation of ecosystem functioning and phenological events offered some of the most compelling evidence for the impact of these changes on plant species in alpine regions. The present study assessed the impact of topographic and edaphic factors on treeline structure/diversity, regeneration behavior, phenological characteristics, and ex-situ conservation of endemic and relict species, Betula utilis D. Don in the Kashmir Himalaya, India. The data was collected using a stratified random sampling method along the three altitudinal gradients of 3000–3200 m, 3200–3400 m and 3400–3600 m asl. The results revealed that IVI of this species on the Southeastern and Southwestern aspect increase from lower to higher altitude. The lower IVI value of 156.92 and 181.85 % was observed at lower altitudes, followed by 186.05 and 208.80 percent at middle altitude and higher value of 236.58 and 260.04 % at the upper altitudinal range. On the eastern slope, the maximum and minimum numbers of recruits (1375 and 593 ha-1) were present at middle and upper altitudinal gradients, respectively. The established regeneration decreased with altitude and better regeneration was observed in the Southwest. The phenophases of B. utilis were completed earlier with an increase in altitude. Under the nursery conditions, the maximum germination of 89.11 % was recorded in the seeds subjected to 90 days of stratification while a minimum of 47.33 % was recorded under control. The satellite data observations on resource mapping showed the scattered distribution of B. utilis dominated forests at higher elevations within the Sindh Forest division in patches. B. utilis dominated forests are distributed over an area of 2746.58 ha (1.67 %) of the total 164,236.82 ha) geographical area of the division which makes its conservation highly significant. The Canonical Correspondence Analysis highlights the primary role of soil particularly sand, silt, and clay content well as bulk density in shaping the ecological distribution and regeneration patterns of B. utilis forest stands. The study's findings reveal field-based patterns related to numerous ecological characteristics of the endemic and relict species, B. utilis, which can be utilized in developing ecological restoration and conservation efforts in the region.

The current study aims to establish that emojis are graphic equivalents for prosodic features in natural speech. The rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of communication urged to investigate emojis, used as a strategy to achieve visual prosody in computer-mediated communication (CMC). The study adopts mixed- methodology and computer-mediated-discourse analysis (CMDA) that focuses on manipulation of grammatical rules to create typographic impression to achieve prosody. Data is collected from 300 WhatsApp and Facebook users using an instrument—questionnaire. Data has been analyzed in two ways: descriptive analysis of chats and quantitative analysis getting frequencies of the emojis. The study arguably provides: (i) syntactic variants of the use of emojis: emoji aspect, ellipsis, embedding, embedded, bare, partial bare, beside words, repetition of emoji and repetition of emoji encoded utterance, (ii) variant manifestations of emojis displaying emotions at scalar level, and (iii) basic emotions: anger, joy, sarcasm, fear and neutral displayed via emojis’ varying manifestations; laughter, pouting face, non-emotion emojis representing objects and human faces. The overall findings predict that the observed construction is encoded with different placements of emojis and emojis are displaying diverse manifestations to exhibit prosodic features in CMC such as intonation, rhythm, duration, pause and stress. These prosodic features of emojis manifest aggression, love, hate, sadness and joy. The study hopes to augment the knowledge in the field of CMC and motivates the future researchers to conduct further studies in graphic switching and social implementation of CMC.

AbstractCotton diseases are disastrous for quality and sustainable production of the yield. Cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV) is one of the most damaging diseases for cotton crops. Symptoms-based CLCuV identification is tedious, time consuming, error prone and needs exceptional expertise. Sensor-based machine vision approaches have great potential to detect the CLCuV at early stages. This research study proposes a machine vision-based multimodal fusion framework to diagnose various CLCuV severity levels. Our designed model is based on three contrasting datasets: digital photographic, multispectral and fused datasets. A digital camera was used to acquire the digital photographic dataset, the multispectral dataset was obtained by a multispectral radiometer-5 (MSR5), and the two datasets were fused to formulate the third one. From the digital photographic dataset, 269 texture features were extracted and optimized to the most discriminant 30 texture features, the multispectral dataset consisted of 5 spectral features, and the fused dataset was formed by combining the two. The 30 most discriminant features from the digital photographic dataset were selected by incorporating fisher co-efficient, probability of error plus average correlation and mutual information (MI). To diagnose CLCuV, four machine-learning classifiers, namely simple logistics (SL), multilayer perceptron (MLP), sequential minimal optimization (SMO), and random forest (RF), were deployed separately on each dataset. The maximum CLCuV diagnosing accuracies attained from digital photographic, multispectral, and fused datasets were 81.263%, 91.177%, and 96.313%, respectively.

Aim: The aim of this study was to study the treatment outcome and survival of squamous cell carcinoma anal canal using concurrent chemoradiotherapy in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study performed in our hospital, in which all necessary clinical and epidemiological details of the 38 cases diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma anal canal from January 2015 to December 2021 were analyzed. Results: Most patients were male in gender, 22 (57.90%) and 16 (42.10%) were females, with a male: female ratio of (1.37:1). All patients received concurrent chemoradiation as the definitive treatment. The mean 5-year survivals were (48 months). Five years of overall survival was 68% and for clinical stage I, II, and III was 100%, 64%, and 37%, respectively. Conclusion: The standard of care for stage I to III anal squamous cell carcinoma is concurrent chemoradiotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin-C with excellent response rates.

Banana fruit is a highly consumed and widely cultivated world food crop that generates plenty of waste globally. In this work, the phytochemical, nutritional, scavenging and therapeutic potentials of banana peel (BP) extracts were compared before and after fermentation. Halophilic fungi (Alternaria alternata, Pleosporaceae spp., Fusarium culmorum) were used in fermentation media designated as fermented banana peel FBP1, FBP2, and FBP3, respectively. Phytochemical coumarins, terpenoids, tannins, saponins, quinones, flavonoids, alkaloids, carbohydrates, proteins and steroids were found in all extracts while anthraquinone was identified in BP extracts only. Fermented extracts showed less quantity of Carbohydrate, compared to BP (477.1 ± 28.93 mg/g). Fermentation influenced the protein concentration as FBP1 showed a maximum protein of 56.9 ± 8.91 mg/g. Decreased quantities of Total Phenolic Contents (TPC), Total Flavonoid contents (TFC), and Vitamin C were noted in fermented products. The BP contained TPC (18 ± 2.59 mg GAE/g), TFC (20.5 ± 2.11 mg QE/g), carotenoid (1.03 ± 0.19 mg/g) and vitamin C (33.46 ± 2.63 mg/L). For BP, high antioxidant activity was observed, IC50 values of DPPH scavenging and FRAP assay were 2.01 ± 0.06 mg/mL and 12.81 ± 0.03 mg/mL, respectively. All the extracts were potentially active against the Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli BP extract showed high antibacterial activity than the fermented products. Among all the above, S. aureus showed high sensitivity to BP and FBP2 with 26.33 ± 2.49 and 26.33 ± 0.97 mm zone of inhibition and S. typhi was highly inhibited by BP and FBP1 with 26.26 ± 1.77 and 26.66 ± 2.63 mm. BP was highly active against K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa with 31.33 ± 1.74 and 32.33 ± 1.59 mm zone of inhibition and E. coli was sensitive to FBP2 with 25.7 ± 2.33 mm zone, respectively. The BP extract possessed potent antifungal activity against Mucor mucedo (84 %), Aspergillus niger (72 %) and Aspergillus flavus (83 %), which was higher than the fermented products. The antileishmanial assay was undertaken for all extracts against promastigotes of Leishmania major, BP showed good activity IC50 = 0.763 ± 0.01 mg/g. In the anti-inflammatory assays the BP showed lowest IC50 values by protein denaturing (0.612 ± 0.01), proteinase inhibitory (0.502 ± 0.01) and blood hemolysis assay (0.515 ± 0.01 mg/g). The minimum concentration indicated that BP was highly potent in response to antileishmanial and inflammation activity.

The integration of zinc nanoparticles (Zn NPs) with biochar offers a transformative approach to sustainable agriculture by enhancing plant productivity and human nutrition. This combination improves soil health, optimizes nutrient uptake, and increases resilience to environmental stressors, leading to superior crop performance. Our literature review shows that combining Zn NPs with biochar significantly boosts the crop nutrient composition, including proteins, vitamins, sugars, and secondary metabolites. This enhancement improves the plant tolerance to environmental challenges, crop quality, and shelf life. This technique addresses the global issue of Zn deficiency by biofortifying food crops with increased Zn levels, such as mung beans, lettuce, tomatoes, wheat, maize, rice, citrus, apples, and microgreens. Additionally, Zn NPs and biochar improve soil properties by enhancing water retention, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and microbial activity, making soils more fertile and productive. The porous structure of biochar facilitates the slow and sustained release of Zn, ensuring its bioavailability over extended periods and reducing the need for frequent fertilizer applications. This synergy promotes sustainable agricultural practices and reduces the environmental footprint of the traditional farming methods. However, potential ecological risks such as biomagnification, nanoparticle accumulation, and toxicity require careful consideration. Comprehensive risk assessments and management strategies are essential to ensure that agricultural benefits do not compromise the environmental or human health. Future research should focus on sustainable practices for deploying Zn NPs in agriculture, balancing food security and ecological integrity and positioning this approach as a viable solution for nutrient-efficient and sustainable agriculture.

The study reports the presence of 87 free and glycosidically bound volatile compounds in two quince fruit cultivars (Round and Oblong). The major free volatile compounds were ethyl acetate,ethyl (E)-2-butenoate, hexyl butanoate, hexyl 2-methylbutanoate, ethyl 3- phenyl propanoate, α-farnesene, hexanal, 1-hexanol, dihydo-beta-ionol and linalool oxide. The major bound volatiles were ethyl acetate, hexyl pentafluoro propanoate, ethyl hexanoate, γ-elemene, cyclocitral, megastigmatrienone-II and dihydo-beta-ionol. Among all the volatiles, γ-elemene (in glycosidically bound form), cyclocitral, (E)-β-damascenone (in both free and bound form), were found for the first time in quince fruit. Odour activity values (OAVs) of most potent volatiles were calculated for both free and bound volatiles, with 11 compounds having an OAV above 1. Volatiles with higher OAVs in two varieties were β-ionone, (E)-β-damascenone, (Z, E)-α-farnesene, ethyl 2-methyl butanoate and hexanal, with the highest being 425 for (E)-β-damascenone as free form in ‘Round’ variety. In addition, the off-flavours released from quince juice after enzyme treatment or cooking were identified. In particular, megastigmatrienone-II was identified to contribute tobacco flavour. Thus, it can be concluded that variation in free and bound volatiles between the two quince cultivars resulted in the different organoleptic properties, which would assist consumers in selection of the desired quince cultivar.

Abstract This study investigated the effects of bacterial inoculants and enzyme-based silage cocktails on the dynamics of fermentation, microbiome, and nutritional value of silages produced from low-quality biomasses of reed, rice, and corn straw. A 90-day ensiling trial was performed using five distinct combinations of six basal bacterial species (Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus buchneri, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Aspergillus niger, Bacillus subtilis, and Candida utilis) and three basal enzymes (xylanase, β-mannanase, and glucanase). Each type of biomass was ensiled with six different treatments, including the Control treatment without an ensiling agent, the basal silage cocktail treatment (Mesa), and Mesa with a double dose of A. niger (MesaA), B. subtilis (MesaB), C. utilis (MesaC) and glucanase (MesaG). The “Mesa” contained (per kg silage), 1.0 × 106 CFU of L. plantarum, 1.4 × 107 CFU L. buchneri, 3.0 × 105 CFU P. pentosaceus, 8.0 × 108 CFU A. niger, 1.6 × 106 CFU B. subtilis and 1.0 × 109 CFU C. utilis, three enzymes (5.0 × 104 U xylanase, 2.5 × 103 U β-mannanase, and 1.0 × 104 U glucanase), and 20 mL molasses. Addition of the silage cocktails significantly improved the fermentation and nutritional quality of the reed, corn, and rice straw silages. Notably, the silage cocktails increased (P 0.05) due to the composition of silage cocktails. Based on the comprehensive membership function analysis, the silage comprehensive evaluation scores were highest for double doses of B. subtilis and glucanase for reed, corn, and rice straw. This study revealed that silage cocktails upgraded straw silage fermentation and nutritional quality, and provided a practical solution for the optimal utilization of low-quality straw biomass. Graphical Abstract

In recent years, Beacon Chain known as the core of Ethereum 2.0, has gained considerable attention since its launch. Many validators have staked billions of Ether in the Proof of Stake (PoS) network. It is a mission critical system and its security and stability rely on the justification and finalization of checkpoints. These are essential elements of the Casper FFG consensus algorithm utilized by the Beacon Chain. This process is critical for establishing a trustworthy foundation and finalizing proposed blocks by confirming agreed upon checkpoints. Hence, ensuring the correctness of checkpoints in the Beacon Chain has significant importance because any bug in it can cause serious implications. To address this challenge, we employ formal methods, a popular mathematical approach used for verifying the correctness of such critical systems. In this work, we have done formal verification of the processes of Beacon Chain state initialization, justification and finalization of checkpoints using the Process Analysis Toolkit (PAT) model checker. The adoption of model checking through the PAT model checker presents a novel contribution of our work, as this approach is not previously utilized in the formal verification of Beacon Chain. The presented work is specified through the Communicating Sequential Programs, formal specification language, and the properties are described through Linear Temporal Logic. The PAT model checker takes the specified formal model and properties as input to assess whether the properties are satisfied. The properties are analyzed with respect to the verification time, visited states, total transitions, and memory used. Through this research, we aim to increase confidence in the correctness and reliability of the Beacon Chain.

Introduction: Modern sugarcane cultivars (Saccharum spp. hybrids) derived from crosses between S. officinarum and S. spontaneum, with high-sugar traits and excellent stress tolerance inherited respectively. However, the contribution of the S. spontaneum subgenome to sucrose accumulation is still unclear. Objective: To compensate for the absence of a high-quality reference genome, a transcriptome analysis method is needed to analyze the molecular basis of differential sucrose accumulation in sugarcane hybrids and to find clues to the contribution of the S. spontaneum subgenome to sucrose accumulation. Methods: PacBio full-length sequencing was used to complement genome annotation, followed by the identification of differential genes between the high and low sugar groups using differential alternative splicing analysis and differential expression analysis. At the subgenomic level, the factors responsible for differential sucrose accumulation were investigated from the perspective of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. Results: A full-length transcriptome annotated at the subgenomic level was provided, complemented by 263,378 allele-defined transcript isoforms and 139,405 alternative splicing (AS) events. Differential alternative splicing (DA) analysis and differential expression (DE) analysis identified differential genes between high and low sugar groups and explained differential sucrose accumulation factors by the KEGG pathways. In some gene models, different or even opposite expression patterns of alleles from the same gene were observed, reflecting the potential evolution of these alleles toward novel functions in polyploid sugarcane. Among DA and DE genes in the sucrose source-sink complex pathway, we found some alleles encoding sucrose accumulation-related enzymes derived from the S. spontaneum subgenome were differentially expressed or had DA events between the two contrasting sugarcane hybrids. Conclusion: Full-length transcriptomes annotated at the subgenomic level could better characterize sugarcane hybrids, and the S. spontaneum subgenome was found to contribute to sucrose accumulation.

Global warming poses a significant threat to plant ecosystems and agricultural productivity, primarily through heat stress (HS), which disrupts photosynthesis, respiration, and overall plant metabolism. Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and RNA modifications, enable plants to dynamically and heritably adjust gene expression in response to environmental stressors. These mechanisms not only help plants survive immediate stress but also confer stress memory, enhancing their resilience to future HS events. This review explores the mechanisms underlying plant thermotolerance, emphasizing the critical role of epigenetic regulation in adapting to HS. It also highlights how DNA methylation modulates stress-responsive genes, histone modifications facilitate transcriptional memory, and RNA modifications influence mRNA stability and translation. Recent advancements in genome editing technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas9, have enabled precise modifications of epigenetic traits, offering new avenues for breeding climate-resilient crops. The integration of these modern tools with traditional breeding methods holds significant promise for developing crops with enhanced thermotolerance. Despite the potential, challenges such as the stability and heritability of epigenetic marks and the complex interplay between different epigenetic modifications need to be addressed. Future research should focus on elucidating these interactions and identifying reliable epigenetic markers for selection. By leveraging the insights gained from epigenetic studies, we can develop innovative breeding strategies to improve crop resilience and ensure sustainable agricultural productivity in the face of global warming. This review underscores the importance of epigenetic regulation in plant adaptation to heat stress and its potential to revolutionize crop breeding, offering a pathway to secure food production and sustainability under changing climatic conditions.

The utilization of stem cells in tissue engineering holds great promise as efficient tools for tissue regeneration and in treating numerous musculoskeletal diseases. However, several limiting factors, such as precise delivery and control of differentiation of these stem cells as well as mimicking the microenvironment required to modulate stem cell behaviour in-vivo, have given rise to an urgent need for the development of new biomaterials which could be tailored to enhance cell renewal and/or direct cell fates. Keratin-rich biological materials offer several advantages, such as biocompatibility, tailorable mechanical properties, huge bioavailability, non-toxicity, non-immunogenic, and intrinsic tissue repair and/or regeneration capabilities, which makes them highly valued. In the present work, we report the preparation of keratin-based bio-materials from goat hair waste and its effectiveness as a coating material for in vitro culture and induced differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC's) and primary goat fibroblast cells. Since no known keratinase enzymes are expressed as such in human and/or animal systems, these keratin biomaterials could be used to slow the rate of degradation and deliver keratin-loaded stem cell scaffolds to induce their directed differentiation in vivo. The generated keratin materials have been characterized for surface morphology, protein structures, size and other properties using SDS-PAGE, LC/MS-MS, SEM, FTIR etc. Also, in vitro cell culture assays such as cell adhesion, viability using MTT, live dead assays, differentiation assays and in vitro scratch/wound healing assays were performed. Our results provide important data supporting tissue engineering applications of these keratinous biomaterials by combining the unique biological characteristics of goat hair-derived keratin material with the regenerative power of stem cells and their combinatorial use in applications such as disease treatment and injury repair as well as their use in the preparation of wound healing products, such as dressings and bandages, for management of clinical care in animals.

Abstract The development of an efficient and stable electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), based on earth‐abundant components, represents a crucial step toward cost‐effective and environmentally friendly hydrogen production. This study presents the utilization of a dinuclear copper catalyst, denoted as [Cu‐Gly‐SB] (Complex 1), for HER under both aqueous and non‐aqueous conditions. In non‐aqueous settings, the catalyst achieves excellent HER performance, requiring only a 270 mV overpotential when acetic acid is used as the proton donor. Notably, in fully aqueous conditions, complex 1 attains a remarkable current density of 18.8 mA ⋅ cm−2 at −0.7 V vs. RHE in cyclic voltammetry. The kobs value of ≈2.7×104 s−1 in aqueous solution at pH 7.0 further underlines the superior catalytic performance of 1, outperforming most non‐noble‐metal molecular catalysts functioning in fully aqueous solutions. The robust stability of 1 is demonstrated through controlled potential electrolysis (CPE) over a span of 48 hours, achieving an impressive catalytic current of 11.0 mA ⋅ cm−2 at −0.39 V. Moreover, the catalytic current gradually increases with higher reduction potentials, reaching a substantial 100 mA ⋅ cm−2 at an overpotential of 590 mV during CPE >48 hours. Thorough characterizations further confirm the molecular nature of the catalyst.

Vegetable cultivation stands as a pivotal element in the agricultural transformation illustrating a complex interplay between technological advancements, evolving environmental perspectives, and the growing global demand for food. This comprehensive review delves into the broad spectrum of developments in modern vegetable cultivation practices. Rooted in historical traditions, our exploration commences with conventional cultivation methods and traces the progression toward contemporary practices emphasizing the critical shifts that have refined techniques and outcomes. A significant focus is placed on the evolution of seed selection and quality assessment methods underlining the growing importance of seed treatments in enhancing both germination and plant growth. Transitioning from seeds to the soil, we investigate the transformative journey from traditional soil-based cultivation to the adoption of soilless cultures and the utilization of sustainable substrates like biochar and coir. The review also examines modern environmental controls highlighting the use of advanced greenhouse technologies and artificial intelligence in optimizing plant growth conditions. We underscore the increasing sophistication in water management strategies from advanced irrigation systems to intelligent moisture sensing. Additionally, this paper discusses the intricate aspects of precision fertilization, integrated pest management, and the expanding influence of plant growth regulators in vegetable cultivation. A special segment is dedicated to technological innovations, such as the integration of drones, robots, and state-of-the-art digital monitoring systems, in the cultivation process. While acknowledging these advancements, the review also realistically addresses the challenges and economic considerations involved in adopting cutting-edge technologies. In summary, this review not only provides a comprehensive guide to the current state of vegetable cultivation but also serves as a forward-looking reference emphasizing the critical role of continuous research and the anticipation of future developments in this field.

The cultivation of summer vegetables in open-air nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponics is limited due to the elevated nutrient solution temperature (NST). In this regard, non-electric evaporative-cooling techniques were explored to maintain NST in open-air NFT hydroponics. Four cooling setups were employed by wrapping polyvinyl chloride (PVC) grow pipes with one and two layers of either wet or dry jute fabrics and attaching them with coiled aluminum pipe buried inside a) wet sand-filled brick tunnels (Cooling Setup I), b) two inverted and vertically stacked earthen pots (Cooling Setup II), c) two inverted and vertically stacked earthen pots externally wrapped with wet jute fabric (Wrapped Cooling Setup II), and d) an earthen pitcher wrapped with wet jute fabric (Cooling Setup III). Wrapping grow pipes with two layers of wet jute fabric reduced NST by 5°C as compared to exposed (naked) grow pipes. The double-layer jute fabric-wrapped grow pipes produced 182% more reduction in NST in comparison to single layer-wrapped grow pipes. Additionally, the installation of Wrapped Cooling Setup II and Cooling Setup III outperformed Cooling Setup I and Cooling Setup II through NST reduction of approximately 4°C in comparison to control. Interestingly, Cooling Setup III showed its effectiveness through NST reductions of 193%, 88%, and 23% during 11 a.m.–12 p.m. as compared to Cooling Setup I, Cooling Setup II, and Wrapped Cooling Setup II, respectively. In contrast, Wrapped Cooling Setup II caused NST reductions of 168%, 191%, and 18% during 2–3 p.m. in comparison to Cooling Setup I, Cooling Setup II, and Cooling Setup III, respectively. Thus, the double-layer jute fabric-wrapped grow pipes linked with Wrapped Cooling Setup II can ensure summer vegetable cultivation in open-air NFT hydroponics as indicated by the survival of five out of 12 vegetable plants till harvest by maintaining NST between 26°C and 28°C.

Abstract Background Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is an essential source of edible oil and livestock feed, as well as a promising source of biofuel. Breeding crops with an ideal root system architecture (RSA) for high phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) is an effective way to reduce the use of phosphate fertilizers. However, the genetic mechanisms that underpin PUE in rapeseed remain elusive. To address this, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 327 rapeseed accessions to elucidate the genetic variability of 13 root and biomass traits under low phosphorus (LP; 0.01 mM P +). Furthermore, RNA-sequencing was performed in root among high/low phosphorus efficient groups (HP1/LP1) and high/low phosphorus stress tolerance groups (HP2/LP2) at two-time points under control and P-stress conditions. Results Significant variations were observed in all measured traits, with heritabilities ranging from 0.47 to 0.72, and significant correlations were found between most of the traits. There were 39 significant trait–SNP associations and 31 suggestive associations, which integrated into 11 valid quantitative trait loci (QTL) clusters, explaining 4.24–24.43% of the phenotypic variance observed. In total, RNA-seq identified 692, 1076, 648, and 934 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) specific to HP1/LP1 and HP2/LP2 under P-stress and control conditions, respectively, while 761 and 860 DEGs common for HP1/LP1 and HP2/LP2 under both conditions. An integrated approach of GWAS, weighted co-expression network, and differential expression analysis identified 12 genes associated with root growth and development under LP stress. In this study, six genes (BnaA04g23490D, BnaA09g08440D, BnaA09g04320D, BnaA09g04350D, BnaA09g04930D, BnaA09g09290D) that showed differential expression were identified as promising candidate genes for the target traits. Conclusion 11 QTL clusters and 12 candidate genes associated with root and development under LP stress were identified in this study. Our study's phenotypic and genetic information may be exploited for genetic improvement of root traits to increase PUE in rapeseed.

Introduction: Memory dysfunction has remained a challenging issue globally. Nootropics have proven fruitful in managing cognitive dysfunction but because of their side effects, opportunities exist to explore alternatives. White cabbage is a cost-effective natural source of phytochemicals without side effects and has remained uninvestigated as a nootropic agent. This study sought to identify secondary metabolites in white cabbage extract (WCE) and to predict the molecular interaction between the phytochemical constituents of cabbage and phosphodiesterase-1B (PDE1B) using in silico studies. Methods: The WCE was prepared by macerating crushed fresh white cabbage with ethanol for 24 h with continuous stirring. The phytochemical profile of WCE was analyzed using thin layer chromatography (TLC)-densitometry, and molecular docking studies were performed to predict the underlying mechanism action of the phytochemicals with PDE1B. Results: The TLC-densitometry analysis showed that WCE was a rich source of sinigrin, whereas quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and rutin were not detected. In silico studies identified neobrassicin as having the highest affinity (∆Gbind: −19.3358 kcal/mol) for PDE1B. However, quercetin (∆Gbind: −13.1813 kcal/mol) and chlorogenic acid (∆Gbind: −14.8706 kcal/mol) exhibited moderate interaction with PDE1B. Conclusion: These results suggest that WCE has the potency to improve memory function by blocking PDE1B, and this preliminary study implies upcoming in vitro and in vivo research.

Aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) are a family of enzymes that aid in detoxification and are overexpressed in several different malignancies. There is a correlation between increased expression of ALDH and a poor prognosis, stemness, and resistance to several drugs. Several ALDH inhibitors have been generated due to the crucial role that ALDH plays in cancer stem cells. All of these inhibitors, however, are either ineffective, very toxic, or have yet to be subjected to rigorous testing on their effectiveness. Although various drug-like compounds targeting ALDH have been reported in the literature, none have made it to routine use in the oncology clinic. As a result, new potent, non-toxic, bioavailable, and therapeutically effective ALDH inhibitors are still needed. In this study, we designed and synthesized potent multi-ALDH isoform inhibitors based on the isatin and indazole pharmacophore. Molecular docking studies and enzymatic tests revealed that among all of the synthesized analogs, compound 3 is the most potent inhibitor of ALDH1A1, ALDH3A1, and ALDH1A3, exhibiting 51.32%, 51.87%, and 36.65% inhibition, respectively. The ALDEFLUOR assay further revealed that compound 3 acts as an ALDH broad spectrum inhibitor at 500 nM. Compound 3 was also the most cytotoxic to cancer cells, with an IC50 in the range of 2.1 to 3.8 µM for ovarian, colon, and pancreatic cancer cells, compared to normal and embryonic kidney cells (IC50 7.1 to 8.7 µM). Mechanistically, compound 3 increased ROS activity due to potent multi-ALDH isoform inhibition, which increased apoptosis. Taken together, this study identified a potent multi-isoform ALDH inhibitor that could be further developed as a cancer therapeutic.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a fundamental crop essential for both human and animal consumption. Addressing the challenge of enhancing wheat yield involves sophisticated applications of molecular genetics and genomic techniques. This review synthesizes current research identifying and characterizing pivotal genes that impact traits such as grain size, number, and weight, critical factors influencing overall yield. Key genes including TaSPL17, ABP7, TaGNI, TaCKX6, TaGS5, TaDA1, WAPO1, TaRht1, TaTGW-7A, TaGW2, TaGS5-3A, TaSus2-2A, TaSus2-2B, TaSus1-7A, and TaSus1-7B are examined for their roles in these traits. The review also explores genes responsive to environmental changes, which are increasingly significant under current climate variability. Multi-trait regulatory genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that contribute to these traits are discussed, highlighting their dual influences on grain size and yield. Furthermore, the paper underscores the utility of emerging technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9, Case13, and multi-omics approaches. These innovations are instrumental for future discoveries and are poised to revolutionize wheat breeding by enabling precise genetic enhancements. Facing unprecedented challenges from climate change, the identification and utilization of these candidates is crucial. This review aims to be a comprehensive resource for researchers, providing an integrative understanding of complex traits in wheat and proposing new avenues for research and crop improvement strategies.

Aim: The aim was to evaluate the treatment outcomes and prognostic characteristics of patients with early-stage glottic laryngeal carcinoma who underwent radical radiotherapy (RT) with different techniques. Materials and Methods: Radiotherapy was applied using the 2D conventional technique, 3DCRT (three dimensional conformal radiotherapy and IMRT (intensity modulated radiation therapy). Clinical T stages were 12 (48%) for T1a, 5 (20%) for T1b and 8 (32%) for T2. Stage and anterior commissure involvement were analyzed as prognostic factors. Results: There were 12 (48%) patients with T1a, 5 (20%) patients with T1b and 8 (32%) patients with T2 cancer. 5 years of overall survival and diseases free survival for T1a, T1b, T2 were found to be 91%, 80%, 62% and 91%, 80%, 62% respectively. 5 year survival for patients without and with involvement of anterior commissure was 92% and 67% respectively. Hence, showing poor survival in patients with T2 lesion or T1 lesion with involvement of anterior commissure. Conclusion: In early-stage laryngeal carcinomas, radical RT is a function sparing and effective treatment modality with excellent survival rates, regardless of treatment techniques.

Abstract In a rapidly transforming world, farm data is growing exponentially. Realizing the importance of this data, researchers are looking for new solutions to analyse this data and make farming predictions. Artificial Intelligence, with its capacity to handle big data is rapidly becoming popular. In addition, it can also handle non-linear, noisy data and is not limited by the conditions required for conventional data analysis. This study was therefore undertaken to compare the most popular machine learning (ML) algorithms and rank them as per their ability to make predictions on sheep farm data spanning 11 years. Data was cleaned and prepared was done before analysis. Winsorization was done for outlier removal. Principal component analysis (PCA) and feature selection (FS) were done and based on that, three datasets were created viz. PCA (wherein only PCA was used), PCA+ FS (both techniques used for dimensionality reduction), and FS (only feature selection used) bodyweight prediction. Among the 11 ML algorithms that were evaluated, the correlations between true and predicted values for MARS algorithm, Bayesian ridge regression, Ridge regression, Support Vector Machines, Gradient boosting algorithm, Random forests, XgBoost algorithm, Artificial neural networks, Classification and regression trees, Polynomial regression, K nearest neighbours and Genetic Algorithms were 0.993, 0.992, 0.991, 0.991, 0.991, 0.99, 0.99, 0.984, 0.984, 0.957, 0.949, 0.734 respectively for bodyweights. The top five algorithms for the prediction of bodyweights, were MARS, Bayesian ridge regression, Ridge regression, Support Vector Machines and Gradient boosting algorithm. A total of 12 machine learning models were developed for the prediction of bodyweights in sheep in the present study. It may be said that machine learning techniques can perform predictions with reasonable accuracies and can thus help in drawing inferences and making futuristic predictions on farms for their economic prosperity, performance improvement and subsequently food security.

The aim of this article is to give an overview of an approach to cancer patients in the covid-19 pandemic. The treatment recommendations are prioritized as per the risk stratification till the current crisis is mitigated. Measures like telemedicine/telecommunication, triage system, proved to be very effective in prevention of covid contact of cancer patients. Guidelines and protocols are needed that can decrease the risks in cancer management in such pandemic times. Multi-disciplinary work and effective communication between oncology team, critical care and emergency units is the key to optimizing clinical care of cancer patients.

Abstract Molecular characterization of fish muscle proteins are nowadays considered as a key component to understand the role of specific proteins involved in various physiological and metabolic processes including their up and down regulation in the organisms. Coldwater fish specimens including snow trouts hold different types of proteins which help them to survive in highly diversified temperatures fluctuating from 0 to 20 °C. So, in current study, the liquid chromatography mass spectrometry using label free quantification technique has been used to investigate the muscle proteome profile of Schizothorax labiatus. For proteomic study, two weight groups of S. labiatus were taken from river Sindh. The proteomic analysis of group 1 revealed that a total of 235 proteins in male and 238 in female fish were recorded. However, when male and female S. labiatus were compared with each other on the basis of spectral count and abundance of peptides by ProteinLynx Global Server software, a total of 14 down-regulated and 22 up-regulated proteins were noted in this group. The highly down-regulated ones included homeodomain protein HoxA2b, retinol-binding protein 4, MHC class II beta chain and proopiomelanocortin while as the highly expressed up-regulated proteins comprised of gonadotropin I beta subunit, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4, manganese superoxide dismutase, recombinase-activating protein 2, glycosyltransferase, chymotrypsin and cytochrome b. On the other hand, the proteomic characterisation of group 2 of S. labiatus revealed that a total of 227 proteins in male and 194 in female fish were recorded. When male and female S. labiatus were compared with each other by label free quantification, a total of 20 down-regulated and 18 up-regulated proteins were recorded. The down-regulated protein expression of group 2 comprised hepatic lipase, allograft inflammatory factor-1, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 and myostatin 1 while the highly expressed up-regulated proteins included glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta variant 2, glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta variant 5, cholecystokinin, glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta variant 3 and cytochrome b. Significant (P

Human cognition fundamentally depends on memory. Alzheimer’s disease exhibits a strong correlation with a decline in this factor. Phosphodiesterase-4 B (PDE4B) plays a crucial role in neurodegenerative disorders, and its inhibition is one of the promising approaches for memory enhancement. This study aimed to identify secondary metabolites in white cabbage, coffee, and red onion extracts and identify their molecular interaction with PDE4B by in silico and in vitro experiments. Crushed white cabbage and red onion were macerated separately with ethanol to yield respective extracts, and ground coffee was boiled with water to produce aqueous extract. Thin layer chromatography (TLC)–densitometry was used to examine the phytochemicals present in white cabbage, coffee, and red onion extracts. Molecular docking studies were performed to know the interaction of test compounds with PDE4B. TLC-densitometry analysis showed that chlorogenic acid and quercetin were detected as major compounds in coffee and red onion extracts, respectively. In silico studies revealed that alpha-tocopherol (binding free energy (∆Gbind) = −38.00 kcal/mol) has the strongest interaction with PDE4B whereas chlorogenic acid (∆Gbind = −21.50 kcal/mol) and quercetin (∆Gbind = −17.25 kcal/mol) exhibited moderate interaction. In vitro assay showed that the combination extracts (cabbage, coffee, and red onion) had a stronger activity (half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 0.12 ± 0.03 µM) than combination standards (sinigrin, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin) (IC50 = 0.17 ± 0.03 µM) and rolipram (IC50 = 0.15 ± 0.008 µM). Thus, the combination extracts are a promising cognitive enhancer by blocking PDE4B activity.

Anthocyanins are plant-based pigments that are primarily present in berries, grapes, purple yam, purple corn and black rice. The research on fruit corn with a high anthocyanin content is not sufficiently extensive. Considering its crucial role in nutrition and health it is vital to conduct further studies on how anthocyanin accumulates in fruit corn and to explore its potential for edible and medicinal purposes. Anthocyanin biosynthesis plays an important role in maize stems (corn). Several beneficial compounds, particularly cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, perlagonidin-3-O-glucoside, peonidin 3-O-glucoside, and their malonylated derivatives have been identified. C1, C2, Pl1, Pl2, Sh2, ZmCOP1 and ZmHY5 harbored functional alleles that played a role in the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in maize. The Sh2 gene in maize regulates sugar-to-starch conversion, thereby influencing kernel quality and nutritional content. ZmCOP1 and ZmHY5 are key regulatory genes in maize that control light responses and photomorphogenesis. This review concludes the molecular identification of all the genes encoding structural enzymes of the anthocyanin pathway in maize by describing the cloning and characterization of these genes. Our study presents important new understandings of the molecular processes behind the manufacture of anthocyanins in maize, which will contribute to the development of genetically modified variants of the crop with increased color and possible health advantages.

The nutrient deficiency resulting from inappropriate dietary intake leads to major risk factors of malnutrition and poses many serious threats and challenges to human health and capabilities. Malnutrition can be prevented through efficient accessibility and bioavailability from different food matrices. The objective of this study was to assess the digestibility and bioavailability of calcium and zinc with food matrices such as casual food (bread curry mixture), yogurt (plain and fruited), juices (orange, apple, carrot, and tomato), coffee, water (water and sparkling water), and smoothies after digestion with saliva, gastric, duodenal, and small intestine juices. 20 mg calcium and 3 mg zinc were mixed with the above food matrices and digestibility and bioavailability were determined. The result showed that the highest calcium digestibility (49.75%) was observed with plain yogurt and the lowest digestibility (10.10%) was observed with sparkling water. The highest (22.80%) and lowest (6.20%) calcium bioavailability were observed with fruit yogurt and carrot juice, respectively. The highest (13.55%) and lowest (10.20%) zinc digestibility were observed with coffee and orange juices, respectively. The highest (4.85%) and lowest (1.05%) zinc bioavailability were observed with fruit yogurt and bread sauce, respectively. Thus, this study helps to determine the optimal food matrix model for the best digestibility and potential bioavailability of calcium and zinc from vitamin-mineral products.

Introduction: Onions (Allium cepa L.) are excellent sources of bioactive compounds and phytochemicals such as allicin, quercetin, fisetin, and other sulfurous compounds. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the effects of dried onion powder on growth performance, nitrogen balance, and biochemical parameters in Wistar albino rats with induced hyperuricemia.Methods: A total of 24 rats were randomly divided into four groups, with six in each group: HU (positive control) and HOT1, HOT2, and HOT3 groups, which received a diet containing onion powder at concentrations of 11.13, 14.84, and 18.61 g/100 g, respectively. Hyperuricemia was induced in rats by administering a new formulation intraperitoneally (250 mg/kg potassium oxonate) and orally (40 mg/kg potassium bromate) daily for 14 days. After confirmation of hyperuricemia induction, rats were fed with onion-treated diets with various concentrations of quercetin for 21 days.Results: Significant decreases (p ≤ 0.05) in serum uric acid, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein were observed. An increasing trend (p ≤ 0.05) in the levels of hemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), and platelet count was observed. An improvement in the levels of serum high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, serum total protein and neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes was observed. A positive progress (p ≤ 0.05) was observed in growth performance and nutrient digestibility.Conclusion: In conclusion, a significantly lower uric acid level was observed in rats fed with HOT2 diet. Based on the ratio of the surface area (human/rat), the best recommended dose of onion for the incidence and prevention of hyperuricemia is 189.95 g, corresponding to the dose of 204 mg/day of quercetin in humans.

Sodium iron phosphate (NaFePO4) has attracted significant attention because of its high theoretical capacity (155 mA h g−1), remarkable structural stability, and abundant elemental composition. However, the electrochemical reversibility of maricite NaFePO4 is generally considered inactive. Herein, a nanoengineering strategy to activate the electrochemical activity of maricite NaFePO4 is presented. This approach involves the construction of ultrasmall maricite NaFePO4 nanoparticles encapsulated within an ultrathin carbon layer (denoted as m‐NFP@C), which greatly improves the electrochemical properties of the material. Notably, the optimized m‐NFP@C nanoparticles exhibit an impressive reversible capacity of 101.4 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 20 mA g−1, demonstrating a remarkable capacity retention of 90.5%. Furthermore, when coupled with the bismuth–carbon microfoam‐like compound (Bi@NC‐MF) anode, the fabricated sodium‐ion full cell exhibits exceptional cycling stability with a capacity retention of 90.6% over 250 cycles. The remarkable electrochemical performance of this material can be attributed to its excellent structural stability, ultrafine nanostructure, and uniform carbon coating, which effectively shorten the Na+ diffusion pathways, prevent the aggregation and fragmentation of nanoparticles, and enhance electronic conductivity. This work is anticipated to open up a new route for activating maricite NaFePO4 and advancing the development of polyanion‐type electrode materials.

The Ovate Family Proteins (OFPs) are plant-specific transcription factors with a conserved OVATE domain. The OFPs regulate organ shape in Arabidopsis and many crops, including rice, tomato, and melon. However, little is known regarding the OFPs' potential role in regulating plant immune response to biotic/abiotic stresses. Herein, we reported the identification, bioinformatic, and Insilco analysis of OFPs in rice (Oryza sativa L). Thirty-one OsOFP genes were identified from the rice genome database and further divided into six subgroups based on their sequence similarities. Gene expression analysis in developmental stages indicated that some members of the OsOFP gene family displayed tissue-specific patterns. Enrichment of hormonal-related cis-acting elements and varied expression under phytohormones further validated their participation in hormone-mediated plant growth. The microarray expression analysis showed their possible involvement against salinity, drought, brown planthopper (BPH)_striped rice stemborer (SSB) (OsOFP25), and rice leaf folder (RLF) (OsOFP26) infestations. The higher expression of OsOFP25 in the OsWRKY65-OE line implies their key role in reproductive biology. These results provide a systematic analysis of the OsOFPs and lay a foundation for the functional characterization of this gene family.

AbstractEgg protein (EP) may help to decrease the risk of protein energy malnutrition (PEM) in infants. A 28 d research trial was conducted to examine the effect of different levels of EP on water intake, feed intake, nutrient digestibility, efficiency parameters, and anthropometric parameters in Wistar albino weaned pups. Weaning food was prepared by adding various EP in the diet (non-isonitrogenous and isocaloric) of 72 male and female rats to determine the best level for growth/development. Pups were randomly allotted to various concentrations of diet such as WF0 (soybean protein), WF1 (14% of EP), WF2 (16% of EP), and WF3 (18% of EP). Dry matter intake (DMI) was significant in pups fed with WF2 (22.66 ± 0.27 g/kg on 0 d and 27.43 ± 0.32 g/kg on 28 d) and WF3 (23.46 ± 0.28 g/kg on 0 d and 28.88 ± 0.33 g/kg on 28 d) diets as compared to the WF0 (19.30 ± 0.24 g/kg on 0 d and 26.76 ± 0.31 g/kg on 28 d) and WF1 (21.90 ± 0.26 g/kg on 0 d and 27.08 ± 0.32 g/kg on 28 day) diets. The crude fiber (CF) intake was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced by increasing the level of EP in the diets of pups, while crude protein (CP) intake was increased with an increase in the EP levels. A similar trend was observed in ether extract (EE) intake. The DMI, CP, and EE digestibility were highest in pups fed the WF3 diet. Likewise, a trend was noticed in the protein efficiency ratio, while the highest feed consumption ratio and consumption index were observed in pups fed a control diet. The weight gain and body length were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased in the pups fed with the different concentrations of EP. The WF3 diet showed better growth after the best digestibility of the nutrients in pups and could therefore be recommended as an infant weaning food.

Medicine is an ever-changing science. Thus, new knowledge is generated by research and clinical experience. Statistical methods used in medical research play a vital role in medical research to draw a meaningful conclusion about research. Analyzing data and interpreting results is the most exciting stage of research, but it is not possible for everyone. It is possible for those who is having deep knowledge and to know the applicability of statistical methods used in medical research. Commonly used statistical methods in medical research are descriptive and inferential statistical methods. In descriptive statistical methods, we describe our data by the organization of our data in the form of tabulation and diagrams, measures of central tendency, dispersion, condensation, and measures of correlation. In inferential statistics, we draw a meaningful conclusion whether our treatment or procedure used in medical research gives a fruitful outcome or not. It is possible only when we have a good knowledge and skill of statistical methods used in basic research and it allows our clinical researchers to draw accurate and reasonable conclusions. Statistics provides us with sound methods in collecting data about observing health-related events, which in turn helps us in summarizing and analyzing the results so as to draw valid inferences regarding the hypothesis of our research. During the research, scientists used different statistical methods such as independent t-test or Student's t-test and Chi-square test to compare the different treatments used in the experimental studies to check whether there was a significant difference in our treatment or not. The main role of a cancer registry is to capturing a clear and complete picture of the cancer burden. To show how confident the researchers are that the results did not happen by chance, they use confidence intervals. For example, 95% confidence means that the researchers are pretty sure that the result has not happened by chance. The motive and aim of my review article are only to aware the researchers to know the importance and applicability of these statistical methods used in medical research and cancer registries.

Abstract Vitis vinifera L., commonly known as grape is a major fruit crop in the world. Grapes seem to confer health benefits due to their chemical components, biological and antioxidant activities. The present study is conducted to evaluate the biochemical constituents, antioxidant, and antimicrobial potential of ethanolic grape peduncles (EGP) extract. The result of phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of various phytochemicals such as flavonoid, tannin, carbohydrates, alkaloids, cardiac glycoside, phenol, steroid, terpenoids, quinones and anthraquinones. Furthermore, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) were 7.35 ± 0.25 mg GAE/g (Gallic Acid Equivalent per gram) and 29.67 ± 0.13 mg QE/g (Quercetin Equivalent per gram) respectively. DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay revealed IC50 = 159.3 μg/mL. The antibacterial and antifungal study disclosed that the extract was highly potent against Salmonella typhi with maximum zone of inhibition of 27.2 ± 1.60 mm and Epidermophyton floccosum with 74 ± 1.81% inhibition. The extract was analyzed for its cytotoxicity and antileishmanial activity and showed no activity against HeLa cell line and promastigotes of Leishmania major. Elements Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Cd were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy and approximately 50 compounds were identified by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). Current work suggest that grape peduncles can be a promising source of bioactive medicinal component.

Abstract Background With the advancement in technology the amount of data generated, in almost every sphere of life, is increasing exponentially. This enormous amount of data needs new powerful tools for analysis and inference drawing. One such process is data mining which is the automated extraction of hidden, previously unknown, and useful knowledge from big data. Data mining is crucial as conventional strategies cannot keep up with the analysis of rapidly accumulating data and they are also inflexible in the wake of new challenges. Animal sciences are no exception to the changing scenario, especially when animal farms are quickly becoming more data intensive. Main body of the abstract The amount of data generated on the farms is also growing exponentially as farms become more intensive and mechanized. There is thus a need to utilize the knowledge of multidisciplinary fields like advanced statistics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and database management, for revamping animal sciences. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) offer a lot of promise in this direction since they are motivated by the distributed, massively parallel computation in the brain. ANNs are powerful machine learning tools that offer multiple advantages for data mining over traditional techniques in being fast, accurate, self-organizing, robust, and highly accepting of noisy and imprecise data. Neural networks are being applied successfully for a myriad of supervised and unsupervised learning applications to draw useful hitherto unknown inferences, patterns, and relationships. Neural networks have been used successfully for pattern recognition, clustering, forecasting, prediction, and classification in animal sciences due to their capacity to learn from data, their nonparametric nature, and their ability to generalize well. Today ANN computing is a major element within any data mining tool kit. Popular methods used for neural network computing include feed-forward networks, feedback networks, and self-organization networks. ANN also offers powerful and distributed computing architecture, especially under a scenario where the data are readily available in significant quantity. Short conclusion This paper gives an overview of ANN and their applications in animal sciences and reviews major research conducted in this new and exciting area of artificial intelligence. Research in many aspects of ANN in Animal Sciences has been conducted globally although there is scope for more research in aspects of animal health, monitoring, breeding as well as nutrition .

Abstract Background This case report describes a cystic fibrosis case after 7 years of a presumed diagnosis of celiac disease without confirming laboratory tests and biopsies. Both cystic fibrosis and celiac disease cause malnutrition, malabsorption, and failure to thrive. Also, the occurrence of cystic fibrosis in celiac disease patients is higher than in the normal population. Therefore, the differentiation between the two diseases might be challenging. This article highlights the reason for the confusion between cystic fibrosis and celiac disease and emphasizes the importance of not skipping the necessary investigations no matter how difficult it is to perform them. Case presentation This report details the case history of a patient presumed to have celiac disease for 7 years without confirming investigations. He developed multiple respiratory infections and weight loss throughout the 7 years but was only diagnosed with cystic fibrosis after hospitalization for gradual abdominal distension and productive cough. Chest CT showed atelectasis in the right upper lobe, tree-in-bud sign on both sides, and right periumbilical mass with several enlargements in the mediastinal nodes. Ascites paracentesis revealed a high SAAG gradient and low-protein fluid. The sweat chloride test resulted in a chloride level of 90 mEq/L, which confirmed the cystic fibrosis diagnosis. Subsequent genetic testing revealed the rare G85E mutation. Conclusion This report highlights the potential for diagnostic confusion between cystic fibrosis and celiac disease. Also, it reminds physicians about the importance of taking a detailed medical history and performing the essential investigations no matter how difficult it is to do them. Finally, it emphasizes the need to verify the patient’s previous medical history in case there is no official documentation of his case. This should be considered particularly in rural areas in low-income countries where the possibility of medical malpractice should not be forgotten.

The role of modified biochar in enhancing phosphorus (P) availability is gaining attention as an environmentally friendly approach to address soil P deficiency, a global agricultural challenge. Traditional phosphatic fertilizers, while essential for crop yield, are costly and environmentally detrimental owing to P fixation and leaching. Modified biochar presents a promising alternative with improved properties such as increased porosity, surface area, and cation exchange capacity. This review delves into the variability of biochar properties based on source and production methods and how these can be optimized for effective P adsorption. By adjusting properties such as pH levels and functional groups to align with the phosphate’s zero point of charge, we enhance biochar’s ability to adsorb and retain P, thereby increasing its bioavailability to plants. The integration of nanotechnology and advanced characterization techniques aids in understanding the structural nuances of biochar and its interactions with phosphorus. This approach offers multiple benefits: it enables farmers to use phosphorus more efficiently, reducing the need for traditional fertilizers and thereby minimizing environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gas emissions and P leaching. This review also identifies existing research gaps and future opportunities for further biochar modifications. These findings emphasize the significant potential of modified biochar in sustainable agriculture.

Background: Appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) rank as the third most frequent neoplasm affecting the appendix, originating from enterochromaffin cells. This study aims to evaluate the influence of various prognostic factors on the mortality rates of patients diagnosed with NETs of the appendix. Methods: Conducted retrospectively, the study involved 3346 patients, utilizing data sourced from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Our analysis centered on investigating demographic characteristics, clinical features, overall mortality (OM), and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) among the cohort. Variables showing a p-value < 0.1 in the univariate Cox regression were incorporated into the multivariate Cox regression analysis. A Hazard Ratio (HR) > 1 indicated an unfavorable prognosis. Results: In the multivariate analysis, higher OM and CSM were observed in males, older age groups, tumors with distant metastasis, poorly differentiated tumors, and those who underwent chemotherapy. Non-Hispanic Black individuals showed elevated mortality rates. Conclusion: Delayed diagnosis may contribute to the increased mortality in this community. Improved access to healthcare and treatment is crucial for addressing these disparities. Larger prospective studies are needed to pinpoint the underlying causes of elevated mortality in non-Hispanic Black populations, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are warranted to evaluate therapies for advanced-stage appendix NETs.

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) bagasse (SCB) is one of the most widely produced lignocellulosic biomasses and has great potential to be recycled for sustainable food production as ruminant animal feed. However, due to severe lignification, i.e., lignin-(hemi)-cellulose complexes, ruminants can only ferment a minor fraction of the polysaccharides trapped in such recalcitrant lignocellulosic biomasses. This study was therefore designed to systematically evaluate the improvement in nutritional value, the in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), and the rate and extent of in vitro total gas (IVGP) and methane (CH4) production during the 72 h in vitro ruminal fermentation of SCB, bioprocessed with Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus djamor, Calocybe indica and Pleurotus ostreatus under solid-state fermentation (SSF) for 0, 21 and 56 days. The contents of neutral detergent fiber, lignin, hemicellulose and CH4 production (% of IVGP) decreased (p < 0.05), whereas crude protein (CP), IVDMD and total IVGP increased (p < 0.05) after the treatment of SCB for 21 and 56 days with all white-rot fungi (WRF) species. The greatest (p < 0.05) improvement in CP (104.1%), IVDMD (38.8%) and IVGP (49.24%) and the greatest (p < 0.05) reduction in lignin (49.3%) and CH4 (23.2%) fractions in total IVGP were recorded for SCB treated with C. indica for 56 days. Notably, C. indica degraded more than (p < 0.05) lignin and caused greater (p < 0.05) improvement in IVDMD than those recorded for other WRF species after 56 days. The increase in IVGP was strongly associated with lignin degradation (R2 = 0.72) and a decrease in the lignin-to-cellulose ratio (R2 = 0.95) during the bioprocessing of SCB. Our results demonstrated that treatment of SCB with (selective) lignin-degrading WRF can improve the nutritional value and digestibility of SCB, and C. indica presents excellent prospects for the rapid, selective and more extensive degradation of lignin and, as such, for the improvement in nutritional value and digestibility of SCB for ruminant nutrition.

In this article, we construct an efficient family of simultaneous methods for finding all the distinct as well as multiple roots of polynomial equations. Convergence analysis proves that the order of convergence of newly constructed family of simultaneous methods is seventeen. Fractal-based simultaneous iterative algorithms are thoroughly examined. Using self-similar features, fractal-based simultaneous schemes can converge to solutions faster, saving computational time and resources necessary for solving nonlinear equations. Fractals analysis illustrates the newly developed method’s global convergence behavior when compared to single root-finding procedures for solving fractional order polynomials that arise in complex engineering applications. Some real problems from various branches of engineering along with some higher degree polynomials are considered as test examples to show the global convergence property of simultaneous methods, performance and efficiency of the proposed family of methods. Further computational efficiencies, CPU time and residual graphs are also drawn to validate the efficiency, robustness of the newly introduced family of methods as compared to the existing methods in the literature.