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The vast bacteriophage population harbors an immense reservoir of genetic information. Almost 2000 phage genomes have been sequenced from phages infecting hosts in the phylum Actinobacteria, and analysis of these genomes reveals substantial diversity, pervasive mosaicism, and novel mechanisms for phage replication and lysogeny. Here, we describe the isolation and genomic characterization of 46 phages from environmental samples at various geographic locations in the U.S. infecting a single Arthrobacter sp. strain. These phages include representatives of all three virion morphologies, and Jasmine is the first sequenced podovirus of an actinobacterial host. The phages also span considerable sequence diversity, and can be grouped into 10 clusters according to their nucleotide diversity, and two singletons each with no close relatives. However, the clusters/singletons appear to be genomically well separated from each other, and relatively few genes are shared between clusters. Genome size varies from among the smallest of siphoviral phages (15,319 bp) to over 70 kbp, and G+C contents range from 45-68%, compared to 63.4% for the host genome. Although temperate phages are common among other actinobacterial hosts, these Arthrobacter phages are primarily lytic, and only the singleton Galaxy is likely temperate.

Problem: Digital devices are becoming increasingly powerful and smart, which is improving quality of life, but presents new challenges to privacy protection. Visual cryptographic schemes provide data sharing privacy, but have drawbacks such as extra storage space, lossy secret images, and the need to store permutation keys. Aim: This paper proposes a light-weight visual sign-cryptography scheme based on optimal key generation to address the disadvantages of existing visual cryptographic schemes and improve the security, sharing quality, and time consumption of multisecret images. Methods: The proposed light-weight visual sign-cryptography (LW-VSC) scheme consists of three processes: band separation, shares generation, and signcryption/un-signcryption. The process of separation and shares generation is done by an existing method. The multiple shares of the secret images are then encrypted/decrypted using light-weight sign-cryptography. The proposed scheme uses a novel harpy eagle search optimization (HESO) algorithm to generate optimal keys for both the encrypt/decrypt processes. Results: Simulation results and comparative analysis showed the proposed scheme is more secure and requires less storage space, with faster encryption/decryption and improved key generation quality. Conclusion: The proposed light-weight visual sign-cryptography scheme based on optimal key generation is a promising approach to enhance security and improve data sharing quality. The HESO algorithm shows promise in improving the quality of key generation, providing better privacy protection in the face of increasingly powerful digital devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Male breast cancer (MaBC) has limited data on genomic alterations. We aimed to comprehensively describe and compare MaBC’s genomics with female breast cancer’s (FBC) across subtypes. Methods Using genomic data from Foundation Medicine, we categorized 253 MaBC into estrogen receptor (ER)-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative (n = 210), ER-positive/HER2-positive (n = 22) and triple-negative (n = 20). One ER-negative/HER2-positive case was excluded due to n-of-1. The genomics of the final MaBC cohort (n = 252) were compared to a FBC cohort (n = 2708) stratified by molecular subtype, with adjusted p-values. In the overall MaBC and FBC cohorts, we compared mutational prevalence in cancer susceptibility genes (CSG) (ATM/BRCA1/BRCA2/CHEK2/PALB2). Results Comparing ER-positive/HER2-negative cases, MaBc had increased alterations in GATA3 (26.2% vs. 15.9%, p = 0.005), BRCA2 (13.8% vs. 5.3%, p

Bluetongue virus (BTV) affects domestic and wild ruminants and is transmitted by Culicoides spp. In the present study, genetic and antigenic characterization of the BTV-1 serotype (MKD20/08/Ind isolate) isolated from goat was carried out to understand the phylogenetic relationship and molecular epidemiology of bluetongue. Full genome sequencing of BTV-1 isolate was carried out using next-generation sequencing (NGS). The sequence data was analyzed and the phylogenetic relationship of the goat isolate with other BTV-1 was established. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the MKD-20/08/Ind isolate within BTV serotype 1, with a high level of nucleotide sequence identity (>99%) to the previous BTV-1, confirming its serotype. The phylogenetic tree constructed from the outer capsid protein genes, seg-2 and seg-6, segregated MKD-20/08/Ind with other Indian BTV-1 isolates reported earlier. All BTV genome segments were found to be evolving under strong purifying (negative) selection. The mean substitution rate of different segments of BTV-1 isolates varied from 1.663×10-2 (seg-8) to 3.949×10-3 (seg-1) substitutions per site per year. The time to the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) indicates all the genome segments of BTV-1 might have an older ancestor. The phenotypic antigenic relationship (r) of the MKD20/08/Ind isolate with other BTV-1 isolate-specific hyperimmune serum (HIS) determined by serum neutralization test (SNT) was 0.44 to 0.80. The neutralization behaviours of the MKD20/08/Ind with other BTV-1 isolate-specific HIS suggest probable minor subtype antigenic variation. Full-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of BTV-1/MKD-20/08/Ind isolate indicate ancestral relationships amongst the Indian and Mediterranean BTV-1 isolates.

Rhododendron arboreum: Sm., also known as Burans is traditionally used as an anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, adaptogenic, and anti-oxidative agent. It has been used since ancient times in Indian traditional medicine for various liver disorders. However, the exact mechanism behind its activity against NAFLD is not known. The aim of the present study is to investigate the molecular mechanism of Rhododendron arboreum flower (RAF) in the treatment of NAFLD using network pharmacology and molecular docking methods. Bioactives were also predicted for their drug-likeness score, probable side effects and ADMET profile. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) data was obtained using the STRING platform. For the visualisation of GO analysis, a bioinformatics server was employed. Through molecular docking, the binding affinity between potential targets and active compounds were assessed. A total of five active compounds of RAF and 30 target proteins were selected. The targets with higher degrees were identified through the PPI network. GO analysis indicated that the NAFLD treatment with RAF primarily entails a response to the fatty acid biosynthetic process, lipid metabolic process, regulation of cell death, regulation of stress response, and cellular response to a chemical stimulus. Molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation exhibited that rutin has best binding affinity among active compounds and selected targets as indicated by the binding energy, RMSD, and RMSF data. The findings comprehensively elucidated toxicity data, potential targets of bioactives and molecular mechanisms of RAF against NAFLD, providing a promising novel strategy for future research on NAFLD treatment.

Introduction: Anxiety, depression, and poor sleep quality are the most common mental health issues in post-acute Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) syndrome. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) were overburdened and unable to focus on their own health issues. Previous epidemic diseases, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, also accompanied psychiatric issues in HCPs. In light of this, the purpose of this study was to identify the symptoms of COVID19 that continue to affect HCPs and their associations with fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, depression, and activity levels, in order to provide better care and treatment for them. Aim: To analyse the impact of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome on the mental health of HCPs and compare the results with non COVID-19 infected participants. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at PGIMS, Rohtak in Haryana, India from October 2021 to September 2022. A total of 280 participants between 25-45 years of age, including doctors, nurses, and dentists involved in direct COVID-19 patient care, were included in the survey. They were divided equally into a non COVID-19 infected group and a post-acute COVID-19 syndrome group, with atleast three months having passed since infection. The survey included scales addressing anxiety, depression, and sleep quality, including the Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The mean scores were compared between both groups using an Independent sample t-test. Results: The data of 240 participants were analysed and compared between both groups. The mean age was 32.41 years in the post-acute COVID-19 syndrome group and 31.24 years in the non COVID-19 infected group. The post-acute COVID-19 syndrome group consisted of a large proportion of doctors (60, 42.9%) and nurses (53, 37.9%), whereas the non COVID-19 infected group included doctors (47, 33.5%) and nurses (56, 40%). The results showed statistically significant differences for anxiety (p-value=0.001) and sleep quality (p-value =0.001), while no significant differences were found for depression (p-value>0.05). Conclusion: Anxiety and poorer sleep quality occur in healthcare workers suffering from post-acute COVID-19 syndrome. Creating multidisciplinary rehabilitation health teams in hospitals with clinician psychologists, physiotherapists, nurses, and psychiatrists is essential to address mental health issues in the post-COVID-19 population.

The compressive strength of masonry, whether brick or concrete block masonry is an important parameter in the design of masonry structure. The compressive strength of masonry depends on many parameters including strength and modulus of elasticity of the unit and mortar. Experimental determination of compressive strength of masonry is time consuming, labour intensive and expensive. The numerical and analytical approach is an effective alternative to experimental investigations. This work aims to simulate the behaviour of block masonry under compression using ABAQUS and ANSYS software. The results obtained from the experimental investigation are used as input to carry out numerical analysis in the above-mentioned software. The results obtained from each of these software are in line with the experimental findings and is promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eliminating synthetic dyes and organic contaminants from water is crucial for safeguarding human health and preserving the environment. In this study, we explored the effectiveness of Ag–Cu–CeO2 nanocomposites as adsorbents to remove Congo Red dye from water. Three compositions of Ag–Cu–CeO2 nanocomposites (10:20:70, 15:15:70, and 20:10:70) have been synthesized by the aqueous coprecipitation method. A comprehensive analysis was performed by different techniques including X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, BET surface area determination, Thermogravimetric analysis, Scanning electron microscopy, and TEM. The synthesized nanocomposites have a dimension of 5 ± 1 nm and a high surface area (51.832–78.361 m2g-1).Among these, the nanocomposite with composition 15:15:70 showed the highest adsorption capacity of 4.71 mg/g adsorption (96.83 % removal) from the 0.8 × 10−4 M (55.6 mg/l) Congo Red solution at pH values of 2 at 20 °C with contact time of 3h. The adsorption data is best fitted in the Freundlich adsorption isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The negative values of enthalpy variation (−27.57, −26.43, and −16.73 kJ/mol) demonstrated that the adsorption was spontaneous and exothermic. The cycling run showed a mere 12 % deactivation after five cycles of use thus indicating that Ag–Cu–CeO2 nanocomposites hold great potential as effective and eco-friendly adsorbents to remove Congo Red from water.

A novel and green synthesis of 1-phenyl isoquinoline derivatives has been developed by using Ru(II)/PEG-400 as homogeneous recyclable catalyst via C-H/N-N bond activation via C-H/N-N functionalization of 1-(diphenylmethylene) hydrazine and aryl substituted acetylenes. In order to realize the proposed protocol, Cu(OAc)2 and AgSbF6 are used as oxidant and additive respectively in PEG-400 biodegradable solvent. This protocol has a simple extraction procedure, uses biodegradable solvent, affords high atom economy, employs a reusable catalytic system, provides wide substrate scope with high yield of product, for the synthesis of isoquinoline derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is a self-pollinated leguminous crop belonging to the Fabaceae family. It is a multipurpose crop used as herb, spice, vegetable and forage. It is a traditional medicinal plant in India attributed with several nutritional and medicinal properties including antidiabetic and anticancer. We have performed a combined transcriptome assembly from RNA sequencing data derived from leaf, stem and root tissues. Around 209,831 transcripts were deciphered from the assembly of 92% completeness and an N50 of 1382 bases. Whilst secondary metabolites of medicinal value, such as trigonelline, diosgenin, 4-hydroxyisoleucine and quercetin, are distributed in several tissues, we report transcripts that bear sequence signatures of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of such metabolites and are highly expressed in leaves, stem and roots. One of the antidiabetic alkaloid, trigonelline and its biosynthesising enzyme, is highly abundant in leaves. These findings are of value to nutritional and the pharmaceutical industry.

Epileptiform spikes are used to localize epileptogenic brain tissue. The mechanisms that spontaneously trigger epileptiform discharges are not yet elucidated. Pathological fast ripple (FR, 200–600 Hz) are biomarkers of epileptogenic brain, and we postulated that FR network interactions are involved in generating epileptiform spikes. Using macroelectrode stereo intracranial EEG (iEEG) recordings from a cohort of 46 patients we found that, in the seizure onset zone (SOZ), propagating FR were more often followed by an epileptiform spike, as compared with non-propagating FR (p

In this paper, we proposed a novel electro-optic reconfigurable OR to Ex-OR gate and vice-versa. The proposed design consists of two microring resonators (MRR), employed in parallel, in a Mach–Zehnder interferometric (MZI) structure’s upper and lower arms with a tunable phase shifter attached in its lower arm, and can be controlled externally. The design will work as an OR gate when the phase of the tunable phase shifter is 0, and it will work as an Ex-OR gate when the phase is ‘π’. The micro-ring resonator employs an electro-optic modulation technique based on carrier injection, with electrical voltage sets 2 V and -1.85 V respectively for logic 1 and logic 0. We have also studied the performance of the Ex-OR gate when the phase shift deviates from the ideal required value. The extinction ratio obtained for Ex-OR operation is 17 dB and for OR operation it is 7.58 dB respectively. To demonstrate the circuit’s working operation at a data rate of 10 Gbps, @1550 nm time domain simulations were carried out with two electrical information bit streams fed into it.

While paper continues to remain one of the most widely used materials for writing and printing, and while its demand continues to grow, the environmental cost of using paper is rather huge. Paper is made by extracting the cellulose fibres from wood, and to meet the demand for it, large numbers of trees are felled. Making paper requires huge quantity of water, energy, and also toxic chemicals. In fact, paper is considered the 3rd largest industrial polluter of air, water, and soil. Yet a viable alternative to paper doesn't exist. Inspired by the inherent ability of many natural surfaces to keep themselves clean, we have made a reprintable paper which can be used over 50 cycles. It is prepared by casting crosslinkable silicone on a porous template, leading to hierarchical random surface features having dimensions ranging from tens of nano-meter to hundreds of micrometers. On this surface, ink particles of wide-ranging sizes and surface chemical characteristics adhere via intermolecular interactions. However, unlike conventional papers, in which particles get mechanically trapped inside the porous network of the cellulose fibres, here the ink particles remain accessible for cleaning via gentle scrubbing with a rough surface, soaked with a suitable liquid. Thus, this paper continues to remain both cleanable and printable.

Ever since the dawn of antiquity, people have strived to improve their cognitive abilities. From the advent of the wheel to the development of artificial intelligence, technology has had a profound leverage on civilization. Cognitive enhancement or augmentation of brain functions has become a trending topic both in academic and public debates in improving physical and mental abilities. The last years have seen a plethora of suggestions for boosting cognitive functions and biochemical, physical, and behavioral strategies are being explored in the field of cognitive enhancement. Despite expansion of behavioral and biochemical approaches, various physical strategies are known to boost mental abilities in diseased and healthy individuals. Clinical applications of neuroscience technologies offer alternatives to pharmaceutical approaches and devices for diseases that have been fatal, so far. Importantly, the distinctive aspect of these technologies, which shapes their existing and anticipated participation in brain augmentations, is used to compare and contrast them. As a preview of the next two decades of progress in brain augmentation, this article presents a plausible estimation of the many neuroscience technologies, their virtues, demerits, and applications. The review also focuses on the ethical implications and challenges linked to modern neuroscientific technology. There are times when it looks as if ethics discussions are more concerned with the hypothetical than with the factual. We conclude by providing recommendations for potential future studies and development areas, taking into account future advancements in neuroscience innovation for brain enhancement, analyzing historical patterns, considering neuroethics and looking at other related forecasts.

The pituitary gland plays important roles in the regulation of key physiological functions. Here the authors provide a multiomics atlas including transcriptome, chromatin accessibility, and methylation status of over 70,000 single nuclei (sn) from mouse pituitaries.

Summary: Despite their importance in tissue homeostasis and renewal, human pituitary stem cells (PSCs) are incompletely characterized. We describe a human single nucleus RNA-seq and ATAC-seq resource from pediatric, adult, and aged postmortem pituitaries (snpituitaryatlas.princeton.edu) and characterize cell-type-specific gene expression and chromatin accessibility programs for all major pituitary cell lineages. We identify uncommitted PSCs, committing progenitor cells, and sex differences. Pseudotime trajectory analysis indicates that early-life PSCs are distinct from the other age groups. Linear modeling of same-cell multiome data identifies regulatory domain accessibility sites and transcription factors that are significantly associated with gene expression in PSCs compared with other cell types and within PSCs. We identify distinct deterministic mechanisms that contribute to heterogeneous marker expression within PSCs. These findings characterize human stem cell lineages and reveal diverse mechanisms regulating key PSC genes and cell type identity.

Determination of estrogen receptor status (ERS) in breast cancer tissue requires immunohistochemistry, which is sensitive to the vagaries of sample processing and the subjectivity of pathologists. Here the authors present a deep learning model that determines ERS from H&E stained tissue, which could improve oncology decisions in under-resourced settings.

Abstract Background Himalaya is an ecologically pristine environment. The geo-tectonic activities have shaped various environmental niches with diverse microbial populations throughout the Himalayan biosphere region. Albeit, limited information is available in terms of molecular insights into the microbiome, including the uncultured microbes, of the Himalayan habitat. Hence, a vast majority of genomic resources are still under-explored from this region. Metagenome analysis has simplified the extensive in-depth exploration of diverse habitats. In the present study, the culture-independent whole metagenome sequencing methodology was employed for microbial diversity exploration and identification of genes involved in various metabolic pathways in two geothermal springs located at different altitudes in the Sikkim Himalaya. Results The two hot springs, Polok and Reshi, have distinct abiotic conditions. The average temperature of Polok and Reshi was recorded to be 62 °C and 43 °C, respectively. Both the aquatic habitats have alkaline geochemistry with pH in the range of 7–8. Community profile analysis revealed genomic evidence of plentiful bacteria, with a minute fraction of the archaeal population in hot water reservoirs of Polok and Reshi hot spring. Mesophilic microbes belonging to Proteobacteria and Firmicutes phyla were predominant at both the sites. Polok exhibited an extravagant representation of Chloroflexi, Deinococcus-Thermus, Aquificae, and Thermotogae. Metabolic potential analysis depicted orthologous genes associated with sulfur, nitrogen, and methane metabolism, contributed by the microflora in the hydrothermal system. The genomic information of many novel carbohydrate-transforming enzymes was deciphered in the metagenomic description. Further, the genomic capacity of antimicrobial biomolecules and antibiotic resistance were discerned. Conclusion The study provided comprehensive molecular information about the microbial treasury as well as the metabolic features of the two geothermal sites. The thermal aquatic niches were found a potential bioresource of biocatalyst systems for biomass-processing. Overall, this study provides the whole metagenome based insights into the taxonomic and functional profiles of Polok and Reshi hot springs of the Sikkim Himalaya. The study generated a wealth of genomic data that can be explored for the discovery and characterization of novel genes encoding proteins of industrial importance.

Waste rice straw biomass and its burning in open fields have become a serious issue of greenhouse gases emission and air pollution, which has a negative impact on public health and the environment. However, the environmental impact of burning this agro-waste can be mitigated by diverting it towards green biorefinery through the sustainable production of energy, biofuels, organic chemicals, and building blocks for various polymers. This will not only help to reduce the reliance on limited fuels and various chemicals derived from petroleum, but also help in the restoration of the environment in a sustainable manner through its complete utilization. To maximize the inherent conversion potential of rice straw biomass into valuable products, this agriculture waste biomass requires a comprehensive analysis and a techno-economic review for its sustainable management. This review article focuses on the sustainable management of rice straw waste biomass via innovative valorization approaches, as well as the opportunities and challenges encountered in this sector for meeting the demand of current and future green biorefineries.

The bacterial enzyme PaaZ is involved in the breakdown of environmental pollutants via the aerobic-anaerobic hybrid pathway but its substrate transfer mechanism is not fully understood. Here, the authors present cryoEM structures of free and ligand-bound PaaZ that suggest a mechanism for internal substrate channeling.