Search

Chilli, a globally cultivated and consumed crop is significantly impacted by Thrips parvispinus. The reliance on pesticides could result in residue contamination, adversely affecting quality, leading to export rejections and health risks to consumers. This study evaluated the bioefficacy and persistent toxicity of fipronil and tolfenpyrad against thrips in chilli, and persistence of their residues. Tolfenpyrad demonstrated higher field efficacy (60.94 to 78.53%) against thrips compared to fipronil (37.61 to 58.07%). Residue analysis was performed in leaves and green chilli fruits using LC-MS/MS. Fipronil's efficacy decreased after 5 to 7 days of application, but both fipronil and tolfenpyrad residues remained for 20 and 30 days, respectively. In contrast, the residues in leaves caused persistent toxicity to thrips, causing about 50% mortality until 10 to 15 days in tolfenpyrad treatment. In green chilli, residues of tolfenpyrad and fipronil persisted for up to 40 and 25 days, necessitating pre-harvest intervals of 3.17 and 19.39 to 30.65 days, respectively, but with no dietary risk to consumers. Tolfenpyrad exhibited superior efficacy against T. parvispinus compared to fipronil, with a longer duration of effectiveness in leaves and quicker residue dissipation in chilli fruits and a short pre-harvest interval, supporting its use in Integrated Pest Management., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Drug-receptor interaction is an important aspect in drug action, drug discovery, and pharmacological aspects. The molecule 3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene known as resveratrol is a natural polyphenol and exhibits diverse biological activities. Ribonuclease A catalyses the degradation of RNA by its ribonucleolytic activity. The report presents the binding interaction of resveratrol with RNase A using experimental and theoretical techniques. Experimental studies revealed the interaction strength of 10 4  M -1 order with a single binding site. Resveratrol quenched the ribonuclease A fluorescence with a quenching constant of 10 4  M -1 range. The accessible fraction of the fluorophore was found to be 0.75 besides non-radiative energy transfer from ribonuclease A to resveratrol. The donor-acceptor distance was 2.14 nm from FRET calculations. No visible changes in the protein structure was evident from the circular dichroism studies. The interface residues involved in the interaction were obtained from docking studies. Further, the participation of the active site residues, His 12, His 119, and Lys 41 with interaction indicates the location of resveratrol near to the active site of ribonuclease A and indicates its possible potential to inhibit the ribonuclease A activity. The RMSD of less than 3 Å indicates stable conformation of protein in the complex. The protein RMSF value in the complex less than 3 Å shows no deviation of protein residues over time and thus suggests no conformational variation in the protein after binding., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval: Not applicable. Consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Molecular interactions and controlled expression of enzymatic activities are fundamental to all cellular functions in an organism. The active polyphenol in turmeric known as curcumin (CCM) is known to exhibit diverse pharmacological activities. Ribonucleases (RNases) are the hydrolytic enzymes that plays important role in ribonucleic acid (RNA) metabolism. Uncontrolled and unwanted cleavage of RNA by RNases may be the cause of cell death leading to disease states. The protein ribonuclease A (RNase A) in the superfamily of RNases cleaves the RNA besides its role in different diseases like autoimmune diseases, and pancreatic disorders. Interaction of CCM with RNase A have been reported along with the possible role of CCM to inhibit the RNase A enzymatic activity. The interaction strength was found to be 10 4  M -1 order from spectroscopic results. Quenching of RNase A fluorescence by CCM was 10 4  M -1 order. Non-radiative energy transfer from RNase A (donor) to CCM (acceptor) suggested a distance of 2.42 nm between the donor-acceptor pair. Circular dichroism studies revealed no structural changes in RNase A after binding. Binding-induced conformational variation in protein was observed from synchronous fluorescence studies. Agarose gel electrophoresis revealed a partial inhibition of the RNase A activity by CCM though not significant. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies suggested the residues of RNase A involved in the interaction with supporting the experimental finding for the partial inhibition of the enzyme activity. This study may help in designing new CCM analogues or related structures to understand their differential inhibition of the RNase A activity., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical Approval: This declaration is not applicable. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Context: Each year, about 21 million girls aged 15-19 in developing regions experience pregnancy, posing significant challenges for their health, well-being, and economic stability due to its vast impact., Aim: To identify the risk factors contributing to teenage pregnancy as compared to Pregnancy in pregnant women in the rural area of the Khordha district with the assessment of their knowledge and, health-seeking behaviour (Contraception and STDs) among teenage and adult pregnant women in the study area., Settings and Design: Hospital-based case-control study conducted at Bhubaneswar's Community Health Centre., Material and Methods: The study, conducted from April to July 2022, recruited 138 participants using consecutive sampling and interviewed them using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire., Statistical Analysis: Chi-square and logistic regression assessed association and strength., Results: Factors contributing to teenage pregnancy include education below high school (AOR = 2.46; 95%CI 0.89-6.79), SC and ST caste (AOR = 2.34; 95%CI 0.94-5.82), having more than three siblings (AOR = 4.45; 95%CI 1.53-12.96), and lack of communication about sexual issues (AOR = 2.84; 95%CI 1.25-6.39). Awareness of contraceptive methods was 34.8% among cases and 56.5% among controls ( p = 0.02). Regarding STD awareness and symptoms, 15.2% of cases and 42.4% of controls were knowledgeable and experienced symptoms ( p < 0.01)., Conclusions: This study suggests that factors such as lower education, minority caste, having more than three siblings, and lack of communication about sexual issues contribute to early pregnancy. These findings could enhance existing ARSH platforms by integrating regular engagement and sensitization efforts., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care.)

Radon, a natural radioactive gas, serves as a valuable tracer in geophysical research and atmospheric science such as detecting stress induced signal in bedrock. However, the conventional radon monitoring methods often lack the sensitivity required to accurately capture such signals. This limitation, coupled with interference from meteorological effects, poses challenges in distinguishing genuine stress-induced signals. In this study, we propose a novel approach utilizing radon concentration gradients at the soil-air interface to enhance sensitivity and detect stress induced radon signals more effectively. Drawing from pressure diffusion models, we demonstrate how seismic stress accumulation in bedrock alters radon profiles in the sub-soil, providing insights into the mechanisms underlying stress-induced radon variations. Building upon this theoretical framework, we introduce the "Bhabha Radon Observatory for Seismic Application (BhaROSA)," a remote sensing, solar-powered radon observatory designed for widespread deployment and continuous unattended monitoring for big database generation. Field experiments comparing BhaROSA's performance to conventional soil probe techniques validate and confirm the superior sensitivity in line with theoretical predictions. This innovative approach holds promise for improving our understanding of stress dynamics in bedrock and has potential applications in various geophysical and atmospheric science such as earthquake precursory research, geo-genic radon potential and risk assessment. To progress, we propose international alliance and application of deep learning to a big database of precursor signals, which may lead to more informed conclusions on earthquake predictability-an enduring and unsolved challenge for humanity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declare that they have no competing interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: This study aimed to distinguish isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) from constitutional delay in growth and puberty (CDGP) by various hormonal tests in both sexes., Methods: Boys with testicular volume (TV) <4 ml (14-18 years) and girls with breast B 1 stage (13-18 years) were enrolled in this study. A detailed history, clinical examination and hormonal analysis including basal luteinising hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), inhibin B, anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), testosterone (boys), oestradiol (girls), triptorelin stimulation test and 3-day human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) stimulation test (boys) were performed. All patients were followed for 1.5 years or till 18 years of age. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine the optimal cut-offs with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for various hormones to distinguish IHH from CDGP., Results: Of 34 children (male: 22 and female: 12), CDGP and IHH were diagnosed in 21 and 13 children, respectively. 4 hours post-triptorelin LH had the highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%) for identifying IHH in both sexes. Basal inhibin B had good sensitivity (male: 85.7% and female: 83.8%) and specificity (male: 93.3% and female: 100%) for diagnosing IHH. 24 hours post-triptorelin testosterone (<34.5 ng/dl), day 4 post-HCG testosterone (<99.7 ng/dl) and 24 hours post-triptorelin oestradiol (<31.63 pg/ml) had reasonable sensitivity and specificity for identifying IHH. Basal LH, FSH and AMH were poor discriminators for IHH in both sexes., Conclusion: The best indicator was post-triptorelin 4-hour LH followed by inhibin B, which had a reasonable diagnostic utility to distinguish IHH from CDGP in both boys and girls., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism.)

Background: Effective vaccines for the prevention of cervical cancers are available in India. The existing knowledge and attitude regarding the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine varies widely among available studies. Our study aimed to estimate pooled prevalence related to knowledge, attitude, and practice of HPV vaccination in India., Methodology: We conducted systematic searches in PUBMED, EMBASE, CINHAL, PROQUEST, and Cochrane Library databases using database-specific search strategies. The random effects model was used for estimating the pooled proportion of knowledge, attitude, and practice. The outlier studies were identified using the Baujat test. Egger's regression test and funnel plots were used to identify publication bias., Results: Database-specific search strategies yielded 2,377 records from five databases. We identified 48 studies for full-text retrieval after screening titles and abstracts. Finally, 27 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of knowledge regarding HPV vaccines in India was 0.22 (CI;0.14-0.31, I2 =99.5%). The pooled prevalence of positive attitudes towards the uptake of HPV vaccines in India was 0.45 (CI;0.33-0.57, I2 =100%). The pooled prevalence of coverage of HPV vaccines in India was 0.04 (CI;0.02-0.07, I2 =96%). Significant publication bias was present for the studies' reported knowledge and coverage., Conclusion: The knowledge, attitude, and coverage of the HPV vaccine were low in India. It suggests effective strategies to improve knowledge and attitudes towards HPV vaccination in India.

The biological activity of drugs is exhibited due to their interactions with bio-receptors. Dicoumarol (DIC) is a natural hydroxycoumarin and a well-known anticoagulant. DNA is the genetic material and one of the targets of numerous drugs. The interaction of DIC with calf-thymus DNA (ct-DNA) has been studied using different biophysical techniques and docking studies. The binding constant in the order of 10 3 to 10 4 M -1 was observed from spectroscopic studies. Thermodynamic studies at 4 different temperatures revealed the spontaneity of the interaction with the entropy-driven process. Marker displacement studies with competitive markers of intercalators (ethidium bromide) and groove binders (Hoechst 33258) confirmed the groove-binding nature of DIC in DNA. The groove-binding mode of DIC was complemented by different studies like viscosity measurements, DNA melting, and the effect of KI on the binding. A minor perturbation in the DNA viscosity and no significant change in the DNA melting temperature ( T m ) after binding with DIC further confirms the groove binding mode. The effect of KI on the DIC and DIC-DNA system suggested the absence of DIC intercalation. The absence of significant electrostatic force was revealed from the ionic-strength effect study. Binding-induced conformational variation in ct-DNA was absent in circular dichroism studies. Molecular docking studies suggested the position of DIC within the minor groove of ct-DNA, covering three base pairs long. The outcome of this report may help in understanding the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of dicoumarol analogs and related molecules.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Introduction: Studies investigating the alterations of serum irisin and its change with metformin therapy in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are conflicting. Our aim is to study serum irisin in PCOS patients and the change of irisin levels with metformin therapy over 6 months., Methods: This is a randomized control study conducted in 187 PCOS cases and 94 age-matched controls aged 18-40 years. Detailed evaluation of anthropometric, biochemical, and hormonal parameters was performed. A subset of 99 overweight/obese patients with body mass index (BMI) ≥23 kg/m 2 were stratified into a metformin group (n = 67) receiving 500 mg thrice daily and a lifestyle intervention-only group (n = 32). The effect of metformin therapy on serum irisin levels was measured at the end of 6 months. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS version 26.0 Software., Results: Serum irisin was higher in PCOS patients than in controls [12.47 (8.1-17.7) vs 8.3 (7.0-9.6) ng/ml, P < 0.001], independent of BMI. Serum irisin showed a significant positive association with BMI (β =0.168), waist-to-hip ratio (β =0.166), leutinizing hormone (β =0.225), TG (β =0.305), FAI (β =0.151), and testosterone (β =0.135). Serum irisin showed a significant positive association with homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (β =0.14, P = 0.04) in overweight/obese PCOS patients only (n = 146) but not in the whole PCOS cohort (n = 187). Metformin reduced the median serum irisin levels significantly (13.9 to 12.1 ng/ml, P < 0.001), and the delta change in irisin levels was associated with HOMA-IR in the metformin group., Conclusion: Serum irisin is increased in PCOS patients independent of BMI. Metformin therapy reduced serum irisin levels in overweight/obese PCOS patients by improving insulin resistance., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism.)

This work examines the accuracy of different many-body methods for the calculations of parity violating electric dipole ( E 1 PV ) amplitudes in atomic systems. In the last decade, many different groups claim to achieve its accuracy below 0.5%, for the 6 s 2 S 1/2 → 7 s 2 S 1/2 transition in the 133 Cs atom. One of the major issues in these calculations is the opposite signs among the core correlation contribution from different works. To estimate E 1 PV of the above transition, various groups have used different many-body methods both in the linear response and sum-over-states approaches. By examining how these methods capture various electron correlation effects, we identify the underlying cause of sign discrepancies in the previously reported results. We also demonstrate how the double-core polarization effects and scaled wave functions influence estimation of the E 1 PV amplitudes. The comprehensive discussions provided in this work will not only aid in our understanding on the potentials of the employed many-body methods, but it will also serve as a road map for improving the E 1 PV calculation in the atomic systems further.

Background Non-adherence to medication represents a modifiable risk factor for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Identification of patients with poor adherence can have a significant impact on clinical and socio-economic outcomes in the management of diabetes. This study aimed to assess medication adherence and its associated factors among patients with T2DM attending a non-communicable disease (NCD) clinic in a rural community health centre (CHC) in eastern India. Methods The study was a facility-based study that included 207 study participants with an age greater than 18 years. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, health-seeking behaviour, self-care practices, risk factors, clinical information on diabetes, prescription practices, and medication practices. The Hill-Bone Medication Adherence Scale (HB-MAS) has been used to assess medication adherence among study participants. Results The study found that the medication adherence rate among the study participants was 67.1%. On multivariate analysis, subjects with social insurance (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-7.38, p-value = 0.047), current smoking status (AOR = 5.47, 95% CI = 1.55-19.23, p-value = 0.008), anxiety (AOR= 3.52, 95% CI= 1.62- 7.61, p-value= 0.001), polypharmacy (AOR= 3.79, 95% CI= 1.25- 11.45, p-value= 0.018), and using alternative medicine (AOR= 5.82, 95% CI= 1.58 - 21.39, p-value= 0.008), were found to have a significantly higher chance of non-adherence. On the other hand, patients practising regular physical activity (AOR = 0.31, 95% CI= 0.12-0.79, p-value = 0.015) and with deprescription (AOR = 0.12, 95% CI= 0.03-0.47, p-value = 0.002) were found to have less chance of non-adherence as compared to their counterparts. Conclusion The study highlights the need to identify patients with poor medication adherence and develop interventions according to their requirements through a holistic approach. The study contributes to the existing literature on medication adherence among diabetes patients in rural healthcare settings in eastern India., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Mishra et al.)

DNA is the major target for a number of pharmaceutical drugs. The interaction of drug molecules with DNA plays a major role in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Bis-coumarin derivatives have diverse biological properties. Here, we have explored the antioxidant activity of 3,3'-Carbonylbis (7-diethylamino coumarin) (CDC) using DPPH, H 2 O 2, and superoxide scavenging studies followed by its binding mode in calf thymus-DNA (CT-DNA) using several biophysical methods including molecular docking. CDC exhibited comparable antioxidant activity to standard ascorbic acid. The UV-Visible and fluorescence spectral variations indicate the CDC-DNA complex formation. The binding constant in the range of 10 4  M -1 was obtained from spectroscopic studies at room temperature. The fluorescence quenching of CDC by CT-DNA suggested a quenching constant (K SV ) of 10 3 to 10 4  M -1 order. Thermodynamic studies at 303, 308, and 318 K revealed the observed quenching as a dynamic process besides the spontaneity of the interaction with negative free energy change. Competitive binding studies with site markers like ethidium bromide, methylene blue, and Hoechst 33258 reflect CDC's groove mode of interaction. The result was complemented by DNA melting study, viscosity measurement, and KI quenching studies. The ionic strength effect was studied to interpret the electrostatic interaction and found its insignificant role in the binding. Molecular docking studies suggested the binding location of CDC within the minor groove of CT-DNA, complementing the experimental result., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In many systems, planar Hall effect wherein transverse signal appears in response to longitudinal stimulus is rooted in spin-orbit coupling (SOC). A spin transistor put forward by Datta and Das on the other hand consists of ferromagnetic leads connected to SOC central region and its conductance can be controlled by tuning the strength of SOC. We find that transverse currents also appear in Datta-Das transistors made by connecting two two-dimensional ferromagnetic reservoirs to a central SOC two-dimensional electron gas. We find that the spin transistor exhibits a nonzero transverse conductivity which depends on the direction of polarization in ferromagnets and the location where it is measured. We study the conductivities for the system with finite and infinite widths. The conductivities exhibit Fabry-Pérot type oscillations as the length of the SOC regions is varied. Interestingly, even in the limit when longitudinal conductivity is made zero by cutting off the junction between the central SOC region and the ferromagnetic lead on one side (right), the transverse conductivities remain nonzero in the regions that are on the left side of the cut-off junction., (© 2023 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

Solid waste is currently produced in substantial amounts by industrial activities. While some are recycled, the majority of them are dumped in landfills. Iron and steel production leaves behind ferrous slag, which must be created organically, managed wisely and scientifically if the sector is to remain more sustainably maintained. Ferrous slag is the term for the solid waste that is produced when raw iron is smelted in ironworks and during the production of steel. Both its specific surface area and porosity are relatively high. Since these industrial waste materials are so easily accessible and offer such serious disposal challenges, the idea of their reuse in water and wastewater treatment systems is an appealing alternative. There are many components such as Fe, Na, Ca, Mg, and silicon found in ferrous slags, which make it an ideal substance for wastewater treatment. This research investigates the potential of ferrous slag as coagulants, filters, adsorbents, neutralizers/stabilizers, supplementary filler material in soil aquifers, and engineered wetland bed media to remove contaminants from water and wastewater. Ferrous slag may provide a substantial environmental risk before or after reuse, so leaching and eco-toxicological investigations are necessary. Some study revealed that the amount of heavy metal ions leached from ferrous slag conforms to industrial norms and is exceedingly safe, hence it may be employed as a new type of inexpensive material to remove contaminants from wastewater. The practical relevance and significance of these aspects are attempted to be analyzed, taking into account all recent advancements in the fields, in order to help in the development of informed decisions about future directions for research and development related to the utilization of ferrous slags for wastewater treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The SCUBE [Signal peptide-Complement C1r/C1s, Uegf, Bmp1 (CUB)-Epithelial growth factor domain-containing protein] family consists of three proteins in vertebrates, SCUBE1, 2 and 3, which are highly conserved in zebrafish, mice and humans. Each SCUBE gene encodes a polypeptide of approximately 1000 amino acids that is organized into five modular domains: (1) an N-terminal signal peptide sequence, (2) nine tandem epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like repeats, (3) a large spacer region, (4) three cysteine-rich (CR) motifs, and (5) a CUB domain at the C-terminus. Murine Scube genes are expressed individually or in combination during the development of various tissues, including those in the central nervous system and the axial skeleton. The cDNAs of human SCUBE orthologs were originally cloned from vascular endothelial cells, but SCUBE expression has also been found in platelets, mammary ductal epithelium and osteoblasts. Both soluble and membrane-associated SCUBEs have been shown to play important roles in physiology and pathology. For instance, upregulation of SCUBEs has been reported in acute myeloid leukemia, breast cancer and lung cancer. In addition, soluble SCUBE1 is released from activated platelets and can be used as a clinical biomarker for acute coronary syndrome and ischemic stroke. Soluble SCUBE2 enhances distal signaling by facilitating the secretion of dual-lipidated hedgehog from nearby ligand-producing cells in a paracrine manner. Interestingly, the spacer regions and CR motifs can increase or enable SCUBE binding to cell surfaces via electrostatic or glycan-lectin interactions. As such, membrane-associated SCUBEs can function as coreceptors that enhance the signaling activity of various serine/threonine kinase or tyrosine kinase receptors. For example, membrane-associated SCUBE3 functions as a coreceptor that promotes signaling in bone morphogenesis. In humans, SCUBE3 mutations are linked to abnormalities in growth and differentiation of both bones and teeth. In addition to studies on human SCUBE function, experimental results from genetically modified mouse models have yielded important insights in the field of systems biology. In this review, we highlight novel molecular discoveries and critical directions for future research on SCUBE proteins in the context of cancer, skeletal disease and cardiovascular disease., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

A hallmark of mixed lineage leukemia gene-rearranged (MLL-r) acute myeloid leukemia that offers an opportunity for targeted therapy is addiction to protein tyrosine kinase signaling. One such signal is the receptor tyrosine kinase Fms-like receptor tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) upregulated by cooperation of the transcription factors homeobox A9 (HOXA9) and Meis homeobox 1 (MEIS1). Signal peptide-CUB-EGF-like repeat-containing protein (SCUBE) family proteins have previously been shown to act as a co-receptor for augmenting signaling activity of a receptor tyrosine kinase (e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor receptor). However, whether SCUBE1 is involved in the pathological activation of FLT3 during MLL-r leukemogenesis remains unknown. Here we first show that SCUBE1 is a direct target of HOXA9/MEIS1 that is highly expressed on the MLL-r cell surface and predicts poor prognosis in de novo acute myeloid leukemia. We further demonstrate, by using a conditional knockout mouse model, that Scube1 is required for both the initiation and maintenance of MLL-AF9-induced leukemogenesis in vivo. Further proteomic, molecular and biochemical analyses revealed that the membrane-tethered SCUBE1 binds to the FLT3 ligand and the extracellular ligand-binding domains of FLT3, thus facilitating activation of the signal axis FLT3-LYN (a non-receptor tyrosine kinase) to initiate leukemic growth and survival signals. Importantly, targeting surface SCUBE1 by an anti-SCUBE1 monomethyl auristatin E antibody-drug conjugate led to significantly decreased cell viability specifically in MLL-r leukemia. Our study indicates a novel function of SCUBE1 in leukemia and unravels the molecular mechanism of SCUBE1 in MLL-r acute myeloid leukemia. Thus, SCUBE1 is a potential therapeutic target for treating leukemia caused by MLL rearrangements.

Indoor radon and thoron survey has been carried out in 50 dwellings under Kohima district, Nagaland, India, using the latest measurement technology. The survey has been carried out for a one-year period in 3 different seasons, and the dwellings were selected according to the building materials used for construction. Indoor radon and thoron concentrations, as well as their progeny, followed a predictable pattern with greater levels in the winter and lower levels in the summer. Concrete housing had greater radon and thoron concentrations than bamboo and semi-wood/bamboo homes. The equilibrium factor (E.F.) and inhalation dose due to radon, thoron, and their corresponding progeny were also studied in the present study.

The binding studies of DNA with small molecules have been an emerging field of research all the time since DNA as the genetic material is a major biological target for various drugs. Interpretation of small molecule-DNA binding helps in understanding their interactions with designing new drugs of greater medicinal activity. Posaconazole is an antifungal drug in the class of triazoles which are known to possess numerous pharmacological properties. In this work, the nature of the binding of posaconazole with calf-thymus DNA has been studied using spectroscopic techniques and molecular docking studies. A binding constant of the order of 10 3  M -1 was observed from UV-visible and fluorescence studies for the interaction between posaconazole and calf-thymus DNA. The fluorescence property of posaconazole was found to be quenched by calf-thymus DNA with a quenching constant of the order of 10 3  M -1 . Competitive displacement of ethidium bromide and Hoechst 33258 by posaconazole using fluorescence technique suggested minor groove binding of posaconazole in calf-thymus DNA. Confirmation of the binding mode was further complemented by the viscosity measurement and DNA melting studies followed by KI quenching experiments. The studies on the effect of ionic strength on the binding suggested a possible role of electrostatic force in the interaction. Molecular docking studies reflected a crescent shape of the posaconazole within the minor groove of calf-thymus DNA validating the experimental findings showing the residues involved in the interaction., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In the nonparametric data envelopment analysis literature, scale elasticity is evaluated in two alternative ways: using either the technical efficiency model or the cost efficiency model. This evaluation becomes problematic in several situations, for example (a) when input proportions change in the long run, (b) when inputs are heterogeneous, and (c) when firms face ex-ante price uncertainty in making their production decisions. To address these situations, a scale elasticity evaluation was performed using a value-based cost efficiency model. However, this alternative value-based scale elasticity evaluation is sensitive to the uncertainty and variability underlying input and output data. Therefore, in this study, we introduce a stochastic cost-efficiency model based on chance-constrained programming to develop a value-based measure of the scale elasticity of firms facing data uncertainty. An illustrative empirical application to the Indian banking industry comprising 71 banks for eight years (1998-2005) was made to compare inferences about their efficiency and scale properties. The key findings are as follows: First, both the deterministic model and our proposed stochastic model yield distinctly different results concerning the efficiency and scale elasticity scores at various tolerance levels of chance constraints. However, both models yield the same results at a tolerance level of 0.5, implying that the deterministic model is a special case of the stochastic model in that it reveals the same efficiency and returns to scale characterizations of banks. Second, the stochastic model generates higher efficiency scores for inefficient banks than its deterministic counterpart. Third, public banks exhibit higher efficiency than private and foreign banks. Finally, public and old private banks mostly exhibit either decreasing or constant returns to scale, whereas foreign and new private banks experience either increasing or decreasing returns to scale. Although the application of our proposed stochastic model is illustrative, it can be potentially applied to all firms in the information and distribution-intensive industry with high fixed costs, which have ample potential for reaping scale and scope benefits., Competing Interests: Competing interestsOn behalf of my co-authors, I declare that we have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

The interaction between medical students and frontline healthcare workers is one of the crucial components of community medicine. The interaction of medical students with frontline healthcare workers provides multiple opportunities. Medical students like to understand their job responsibilities and their involvement in implementing the various national health programs at the community level. Innovation is required to train our medical students better and enhance their learning. A learning and teaching innovation was developed by us to provide insight into the various roles and involvement of frontline healthcare workers in the community. One innovation is the A-Z activity calendar of frontline healthcare workers in teaching and learning in medical education., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Drugs, in general, exhibit their pharmacological activity in binding with intracellular targets. Numerous anticancer and antibacterial drugs target DNA as one of their primary intracellular targets. Dexlansoprazole (DLP) is a heterocyclic compound containing benzimidazole moiety and a proton pump inhibitor used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease. The interaction of dexlansoprazole with calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) has been studied using biophysical methods. The UV-Visible studies revealed a binding constant of 2.15 ± 0.3 × 104 M -1 which is close to the value of 2.44 ± 0.3 × 10 4  M -1 obtained from the fluorescence studies. Competitive displacement studies using the fluorescence spectroscopic method with ethidium bromide and Hoechst as DNA markers suggested the groove binding mode of DLP in ct-DNA. The groove binding mode of DLP in ct-DNA was complemented by the results of viscosity and DNA melting studies. Further studies on the effect of ionic strength and potassium iodide on DLP binding with ct-DNA supported the observed binding mode. Circular dichroism studies reflected no significant conformational variation in ct-DNA after the interaction. The binding mode obtained from the experimental studies was corroborated by the molecular docking studies that showed the position of DLP in the minor groove of ct-DNA along with the receptor interface restudies involved in the interaction., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Indoor radon (222Rn), thoron (220Rn) and their progeny concentrations were detected in several homes in Dimapur district, Nagaland, utilizing Direct Radon and Thoron progeny sensors based on solid-state Nuclear Track Detectors (Type-2 film) and pinhole type radon-thoron discriminating dosemeters. For three separate seasons, the annual inhalation dose has been determined in 80 residences in the research regions. The residences were chosen to have various types of housing, such as concrete, semi-wood/bamboo and bamboo, with varying levels of ventilation that contribute to indoor 222Rn, 220Rn and their progeny. The inhalation dose in the survey area lies between 0.33 and 3.04 mSvy-1 and is within the reference value as suggested by ICRP, 2018., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Thorium ( 232 Th), long lived (14.05 billion years) most stable thorium isotope, is thrice naturally abundant than uranium. 232 Th occurs as rocky deposits and black monazite sands on the earth's crust geographically distributed in coastal South India and other places globally. Monazite sand comprises of cerium and large quantities of radioactive thorium. The environmental hazard lies in monazite rich area being termed as High Background Radiation Area (HBRA). In this study, we mimicked the HBRA under controlled chamber conditions using thorium oxalate as a thorium source for BALB/c mice exposure. Furthermore, sequential radio-disintegration of 232 Th leads to thoron ( 220 Rn), the noble gas and other daughter products/progeny predominantly via alpha decay/emissions. Such progeny tend to attach to aerosol and dust particles having potential inhalation hazard followed by alpha emissions and damages that we evaluated in mouse lung tissues post thoron inhalation. Secondly, along with the radio disintegration and alpha emission, high energy gamma is also generated that can travel to various distant organs through the systemic circulation, as significant findings of our study as damages to the liver and kidney. The mechanistic findings include the damages to the hematological, immunological and cellular antioxidant systems along with activation of canonical NF-κβ pathway via double stranded DNA damage., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The present study demonstrates the spatial analysis and mapping of fish and different measures of environmental parameters and fish diversity of Pong reservoir, Himachal Pradesh, using Kriging spatial interpolation methods for geographical information system mapping. Seasonal data on environmental parameters, potential fish habitat and fish diversity was collected from lentic (dam), lentic (reservoir), transitional and lotic zone of the reservoir.. Important environmental parameters like water temperature, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, water depth and transparency showed variations across the different zones of the reservoir. The sediment of the reservoir was sandy clay loam in nature as per texture analysis. Fish species richness, Shannon index and evenness index showed a similarity of the lotic and lentic (reservoir) zones of the reservoir. Six potential fish breeding grounds were identified in the reservoir indicating high conservation significance. The analysis of data showed a declining trend in fish production from 456.9 tonnes during the decade 1976-1987 to 347.91 tonnes during 2009-2020. The factors like anthropogenic climate change, predation of a stocked fish juvenile by water birds, undersized fish stocking and unscientific management are the probable reasons for the decreasing fish production. The spatial variation pattern of the water spread area, environmental parameters, fish catch and potential fish breeding grounds depicted in the GIS platform can be used as an important information base by the policy makers for fisheries management. The stocking of large size fish as a stocking material and adequate protection of the potential fish breeding grounds are the key advisories for the sustainable enhancement of fisheries as well as conservation., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Introduction: COVID-19 has affected the quality of life of all age groups. Medical education during the pandemic shifted to online mode due to lockdown restrictions. The stress felt by medical students during the pandemic has been studied less. The current study aimed to assessed the stressors and de-stressors for undergraduate medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted for the undergraduate medical students of a tertiary care institute of eastern India. A total of 307 medical students were included in the study by convenient and snowball sampling. A self-designed semi-structural questionnaire was created as a Google form and circulated among the students between September and October 2020. A combination of purposive and snowball sampling was adopted. Responses regarding stressors and de-stressors were recorded on a Likert scale. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Categorical variables were presented as percentages and descriptive statistics were performed., Results: A total of 307 students responded and 64.5% of them were men and 35.5% were women. 47.6% of the students experienced stress due to changes brought about by COVID-19. Risk of parents getting infection (63.2%), fear of not easily returning home (53.1%), lack of clinical exposure (52.7%), and financial impact (47.9%) were the major stressors perceived by the students. Connecting with family and friends through social media (47.5%), gaming (45.0%), online streaming platform (51.2%), spending time with family members (54.4%) were the coping strategies adopted by these students., Conclusion: Higher level of psychological stress perceived by the undergraduate students needs psychological intervention. Academic revamp and adaptation of coping strategies are required for the medical under-graduates., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Radon in the household water collected from hand pumps is measured using a continuous radon monitor. Water samples are collected from 25 villages from the surrounding regions of the National Capital Power Cooperation (NTPC), Dadri. The radon concentration ranges from 17±1 to 68±3 Bql -1 with a mean value of 33±13 Bql -1 . The measured radon concentration in all collected samples lies well within the limit of 100 Bql -1 as set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The mean values of the annual effective dose due to ingestion of radon and due to the inhalation of radon released from water are 84±33 and 167±65 μSvy -1 , respectively. In addition, the mean values of estimated total annual effective doses are found to be 167±65 μSvy -1 . The mean value of total annual effective doses is found to be higher than the reference dose level of 100 μSvy -1 recommended by the WHO and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). The mean values of effective doses per annum to the lungs and stomach are 9.9±3.9 and 10.1±3.9 μSv, respectively.

Background: The contact tracing and subsequent quarantining of health care workers (HCWs) are essential to minimizing the further transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection and mitigating the shortage of HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic situation., Objective: This study aimed to assess the yield of contact tracing for COVID-19 cases and the risk stratification of HCWs who are exposed to these cases., Methods: This was an analysis of routine data that were collected for the contact tracing of COVID-19 cases at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, in Odisha, India. Data from March 19 to August 31, 2020, were considered for this study. COVID-19 cases were admitted patients, outpatients, or HCWs in the hospital. HCWs who were exposed to COVID-19 cases were categorized, per the risk stratification guidelines, as high-risk contacts or low-risk contacts., Results: During contact tracing, 3411 HCWs were identified as those who were exposed to 360 COVID-19 cases. Of these 360 cases, 269 (74.7%) were either admitted patients or outpatients, and 91 (25.3%) were HCWs. After the risk stratification of the 3411 HCWs, 890 (26.1%) were categorized as high-risk contacts, and 2521 (73.9%) were categorized as low-risk contacts. The COVID-19 test positivity rates of high-risk contacts and low-risk contacts were 3.8% (34/890) and 1.9% (48/2521), respectively. The average number of high-risk contacts was significantly higher when the COVID-19 case was an admitted patient (number of contacts: mean 6.6) rather than when the COVID-19 case was an HCW (number of contacts: mean 4.0) or outpatient (number of contacts: mean 0.2; P=.009). Similarly, the average number of high-risk contacts was higher when the COVID-19 case was admitted in a non-COVID-19 area (number of contacts: mean 15.8) rather than when such cases were admitted in a COVID-19 area (number of contacts: mean 0.27; P<.001). There was a significant decline in the mean number of high-risk contacts over the study period (P=.003)., Conclusions: Contact tracing and risk stratification were effective and helped to reduce the number of HCWs requiring quarantine. There was also a decline in the number of high-risk contacts during the study period. This indicates the role of the implementation of hospital-based, COVID-19-related infection control strategies. The contact tracing and risk stratification approaches that were designed in this study can also be implemented in other health care settings., (©Durgesh Prasad Sahoo, Arvind Kumar Singh, Dinesh Prasad Sahu, Somen Kumar Pradhan, Binod Kumar Patro, Gitanjali Batmanabane, Baijayantimala Mishra, Bijayini Behera, Ambarish Das, G Susmita Dora, L Anand, S M Azhar, Jyolsna Nair, Sasmita Panigrahi, R Akshaya, Bimal Kumar Sahoo, Subhakanta Sahu, Suchismita Sahoo. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 21.10.2021.)

Microplastics pollution in aquatic ecosystems is of great concern; however, systemic investigations are still lacking in freshwater wetland systems used for wastewater treatment. The present study discusses such freshwater wetland system in Eastern India to understand its microplastics transport mechanism, heavy metals association and microplastics removal efficiency. Microplastics (63 µm - 5 mm) were heavily found in surface water and sediments of treatment ponds (7.87 to 20.39 items/L and 2124.84 to 6886.76 items/kg) and associated wastewater canals (30.46 to 137.72 items/L and 1108.78 to 34612.87 items/kg). A high content of toxic metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) were found on the microplastics with polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene as major plastics types which were also found in fishes and macroinvertebrates of treatment ponds. Machine learning algorithm revealed a close association between microplastics content in fishes and surface water, indicating risk associated with floating microplastics to the aquatic biota. The study also revealed that microplastics were acting as heavy metals vector and potentially causing fish contamination. Surface water microplastics removing efficiency of the treatment ponds was estimated to be 53%. The study bespeaks about transport of microplastics through wastewater canals and their retention in treatment ponds emphasizing sustainability maintenance of natural wastewater treatment systems especially considering microplastics contamination to the aquatic biota of freshwater wetland systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest in publishing the research., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The research into 220 Rn (thoron) has generated an increasing interest in recent times due to the realisation of its radiological importance in many indoor environments. Though it is assumed that the contribution of 220 Rn, per se, to the inhalation dose is negligible in comparison with that of its decay products, this may not be always true. Correct estimation of inhalation dose due to thoron requires a reliable method to measure the concentration of both 220 Rn and its decay products in indoor air. However, due to its very short half-life (55.6 s) 220 Rn shows large variation in its indoor activity concentration. This makes it difficult to have a robust value of 220 Rn concentration which can be considered representative of a house, thus making the dose estimation unreliable. This issue has been addressed in the present study by developing a novel method that utilises the 220 Rn exhalation rate from indoor surfaces as the basis for estimation of average 220 Rn concentration in indoor air. The 220 Rn concentration estimated in this manner can be converted to decay products concentration using a suitable equilibrium factor and finally the inhalation dose using appropriate dose conversion factors. A wall mounting accumulator setup has been developed for easy in-situ measurement of 220 Rn exhalation from room surfaces. The method has been validated through comprehensive measurements in 25 dwellings in two different regions of India. The developed method is very good for large scale field surveys because of fast and easy applicability., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The research is a maiden study aimed to assess the radioactivity in groundwater of Srinagar City using uranium and radon as proxies. In this study, 60 water samples were collected from various water sources that include bore wells, hand pumps and lakes of Srinagar City. Among them, 45 samples were taken from groundwater with depths ranging from 6 to - 126 m and the rest of the 15 samples were collected from surface sources like lakes, rivers and tap water. A gamma radiation survey of the area was carried out prior to collection of water samples, using a gamma radiation detector. A scintillation-based detector was utilized to measure radon, while as LED fluorimetry was employed to assess uranium in water samples. The average uranium concentration was found to be 2.63 μg L -1 with a maximum value of 15.28 μg L -1 which is less than the globally accepted permissible level of 30 µg L -1 . 222 Radon concentration varied from 0.2 to 38.5 Bq L -1 with an average value of 8.9 Bq L -1 . The radon concentration in 19 groundwater samples (32% of total sites) exceeded the permissible limits of 11 Bq L -1 set by USEPA. This information could be of vital importance to health professionals in Kashmir who are researching on the incidence of lung cancers in the region given the fact that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancers after smoking worldwide.

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

The spatial and vertical distributions of radon and uranium are evaluated in relation to the hydrogeology, geomorphology, and hydrochemistry of southwest Punjab. Radon activity of the groundwater ranges from 580 to 3633 Bq/m 3 (shallow groundwater 580 to 2438 Bq/m 3 and deep groundwater 964 to 3633 Bq/m 3 ), and uranium concentration varies from 24.4 to 253 μg/L (shallow groundwater 24.4 to 253 μg/L and deep groundwater 27.6 to 76.3 μg/L). Shallow groundwater shows higher U concentration compared with deeper ones, which can be attributed to the presence of dissolved oxygen (DO) and NO 3 - as oxidants and HCO 3 - as stabilizing agent in shallow zone. Unlike uranium, the radon activities were found to be similar in both shallow and deep groundwater. Rn excess over secular equilibrium was used to confirm the possibility of additional sources of radon, such as secondary minerals present in the subsurface. Surface manifestations show significant influence on radon and uranium distributions in the shallow zone but not in deep zone due to limited hydraulic connectivity. Depth profiles and correlations of radon and uranium with trace elements and hydrochemical parameters indicate that groundwater exhibits different redox characteristics in shallow (younger and oxidizing) and deep zones (older and reducing). The present study provides critical information that can be helpful for planning sustainable groundwater development in this region and other similar regions without contaminating the relatively safer deep aquifers.

Purpose: Natural radiation is the major source of human exposure to ionizing radiation. About 52% of the total dose received from the high natural background radiations (HNBR) areas are due to inhalation dose from radon ( 222 Rn)/thoron ( 220 Rn) and their progenies. Hence, we reviewed the biological effects of 222 Rn/ 220 Rn and their progenies on lung tissue, and the possible role of lung stem cells in salvaging the damage caused by 222 Rn/ 220 Rn and their progenies., Materials and Method: We have extensively reviewed articles among several hits obtained in PubMed, Scopus, and Elsevier databases with keywords 'Radon/Thoron' OR Thoron progeny/Radon progeny OR 'Thoron/Radon inhalation and lungs', and proceed for further analysis. Also, databases related to oxidative damage to lung stem cells by radiation and the repair mechanisms involved by the lung stem cells were also included., Results: Based on the existing epidemiological data on radon in residential buildings, we found that evidence exists on the association of radon induced lung carcinogenesis, but the data regarding the role of thoron induced lung damage is very limited and inconclusive. We also found that limited information has been provided based on ecological designs, leading to poor documentation of health statistics, in particular, organ-specific cancer rates. Finally, we tried to elucidate the possible mechanisms of lung injury induced by thoron inhalation and the probable role of lung stem cell toward the redemption of such oxidative damages., Conclusion: Existing epidemiological data on thoron inhalation and associated health outcomes are limited and inconclusive. Further, in vivo experiments, with respect to radon/thoron inhalation dose rate ranges corresponding to the HNBR areas will be helpful in understanding the cellular and molecular effects.

In an adjoining publication, we demonstrated the novel technique to harvest soil gas of natural origin as a highly efficient source of 222 Rn for calibration applications in a large volume 222 Rn calibration chamber. Its advantages over the use of conventional high strength 226 Ra sources, such as the capability to serve as a non-depleting reservoir of 222 Rn and achieve the desired concentration inside the calibration chamber within a very short time, devoid of radiation safety issues in source handling and licensing requirements from the regulatory authority, were discussed in detail. It was also demonstrated that stability in the 222 Rn concentration in large calibration chambers could be achieved within ± 20% deviation from the desired value through a semi-dynamic mode of injection in which 222 Rn laden air was periodically pumped to compensate for its loss due to leak and decay. The necessity of developing a theory for determining the appropriate periodicity of pumping was realized to get good temporal stability with a universally acceptable deviation of ≤ ± 10% in the 222 Rn concentration. In this paper, we present a mathematical formulation to determine the injection periods (injection pump ON and OFF durations) for the semi-dynamic operation to achieve long term temporal stability in the 222 Rn concentration in the chamber. These computed pumping parameters were then used to efficiently direct the injection of soil gas into the chamber. We present the mathematical formulation, and its experimental validations in a large volume calibration chamber (22 m 3 ). With this, the temporal stability of 222 Rn concentration in the chamber was achieved with a deviation of ~ 3% from the desired value.

The paper describes a novel technique to harvest 222 Rn laden air from soil gas of natural origin as a highly efficient source of 222 Rn for calibration applications in a walk-in type 222 Rn calibration chamber. The technique makes use of a soil probe of about 1 m to draw soil gas, through a dehumidifier and a delay volume, using an air pump to fill the calibration chamber. 222 Rn concentration in the range of a few hundred Bq m -3 to a few tens of kBq m -3 was easily attained in the chamber of volume 22.7 m 3 within a short pumping duration of 1 h. A new technique referred to as "semi-dynamic mode of operation" in which soil gas is injected into the calibration chamber at regular intervals to compensate for the loss of 222 Rn due to decay and leak is discussed. Harvesting soil gas has many important advantages over the traditional methods of 222 Rn generation for calibration experiments using finite sources such as solid flow-through, powdered emanation, and liquid sources. They are: (1) soil gas serves as an instantaneous natural source of 222 Rn, very convenient to use unlike the high strength 226 Ra sources used in the calibration laboratories, and has no radiation safety issues, (2) does not require licensing from the regulatory authority, and (3) it can be used continuously as a non-depleting reservoir of 222 Rn, unlike other finite sources. The newly developed technique would eliminate the need for expensive radioactive sources and thereby offers immense application in a variety of day to day experiments-both in students and research laboratories.

We propose a data driven epidemic model using the real data on the infection, recovery and death cases for the analysis of COVID-19 progression in India. The model assumes continuation of existing control measures such as lockdown and quarantines, the suspected and confirmed cases and does not consider the scenario of 2nd surge of the epidemic due to any reason. The model is arrived after least square fitting of epidemic behaviour model based on theoretical formulation to the real data of cumulative infection cases reported between 24 March 2020 and 30May 2020. The predictive capability of the model has been validated with real data of infection cases reported during June 1-10, 2020. A detailed analysis of model predictions in terms of future trend of COVID-19 progress individually in 18 states of India and India as a whole has been attempted. Infection rate in India, as a whole, is continuously decreasing with time and has reached 3 times lower than the initial infection rate after 6 weeks of lock down suggesting the effectiveness of the lockdown in containing the epidemic. Results suggest that India, as a whole, could see the peak and end of the epidemic in the month of July 2020 and March 2021 respectively as per the current trend in the data. Active infected cases in India may touch 2 lakhs or little above at the peak time and total infected cases may reach over 19 lakhs as per current trend. State-wise results have been discussed in the manuscript. However, the prediction may deviate particularly for longer dates, as assumptions of model cannot be met always in a real scenario. In view of this, a real time application (COV-IND Predictor) has been developed which automatically syncs the latest data from the national COVID19 dash board on daily basis and updates the model input parameters and predictions instantaneously. This real time application can be accessed from the link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fCwgnQ-dz4J0YWVDHUcbEW1423wOJjdEXm8TqJDWNAk/edit?usp=sharing and can serve as a practical tool for policy makers to track peak time and maximum active infected cases based on latest trend in data for medical readiness and taking epidemic management decisions., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competitive interests., (© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Measurement of indoor 222 Rn concentration and interpretation of distribution patterns are important for inhalation dosimetry in occupational and residential areas. Experimental determination of 222 Rn concentration distribution and estimation of inhalation doses depend on the underlying aspects such as calibration of the detectors, accuracy of the techniques etc. Therefore, 222 Rn concentration distribution needs to be very well understood in a closed domain for the controlled studies. In the recent times, Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique has gained a lot of attention for the prediction and visualization of indoor 222 Rn concentration profiles and their mixing ability in the domain. The present study aims to simulate the effect of forced mixing on the 222 Rn concentration profile in a 22 m 3 experimental chamber. This chamber is designed for carrying out the controlled experiments, calibration and inter-comparison studies of various types of 222 Rn detectors. Effect of different parameters such as time, flow rates, fan-off and fan-on conditions have been studied on the transient response, extent of the air mixing patterns and subsequently on 222 Rn concentration profile in the chamber. Further, Non uniformity index (NUI) is introduced as a measure of the uniformity of the distribution in the closed domain. NUI is estimated for different cases in order to efficiently interpret the effect of above mentioned parameters on 222 Rn profile in the chamber. This study will be useful to represent the turbulent conditions in real indoor domains and occupational facilities as U-mines during calibration and inter-comparison exercises of different 222 Rn detectors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No Conflict of Interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, we intend to evaluate the rate of radon and thoron exhalation from soil with reference to the underlying bedrock and gamma dose rate in the environment of elevated granitic hill-Nandi hills of Karnataka. The measurement of exhalation rates for all the soil samples collected from study area was carried out using a continuous radon-thoron monitor (Smart RnDuo monitor). The surface exhalation rate of thoron from soil samples were found to vary from 4160 ± 326 to 21 822 ± 634 mBq m-2 s-1. The mass exhalation rate of radon from soil samples were found to vary from 76 ± 6 to 269 ± 19 mBq kg-1 h-1. Concentrations of radon activity measurements were carried out for all the groundwater samples from study area. A detailed analysis along with physicochemical parameters of water has been made and discussed in this research paper., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

This work reports on the application of a novel electric field-ionization setup for high-resolution laser spectroscopy measurements on bunched fast atomic beams in a collinear geometry. In combination with multi-step resonant excitation to Rydberg states using pulsed lasers, the field ionization technique demonstrates increased sensitivity for isotope separation and measurement of atomic parameters over previous non-resonant laser ionization methods. The setup was tested at the Collinear Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy experiment at ISOLDE-CERN to perform high-resolution measurements of transitions in the indium atom from the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] states to [Formula: see text]p [Formula: see text]P and [Formula: see text]F Rydberg states, up to a principal quantum number of [Formula: see text]. The extracted Rydberg level energies were used to re-evaluate the ionization potential of the indium atom to be [Formula: see text]. The nuclear magnetic dipole and nuclear electric quadrupole hyperfine structure constants and level isotope shifts of the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] states were determined for [Formula: see text]In. The results are compared to calculations using relativistic coupled-cluster theory. A good agreement is found with the ionization potential and isotope shifts, while disagreement of hyperfine structure constants indicates an increased importance of electron correlations in these excited atomic states. With the aim of further increasing the detection sensitivity for measurements on exotic isotopes, a systematic study of the field-ionization arrangement implemented in the work was performed at the same time and an improved design was simulated and is presented. The improved design offers increased background suppression independent of the distance from field ionization to ion detection.

A survey of indoor radon/thoron and their progeny concentrations was carried out in dwellings in the South West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, India. The survey was carried out using solid-state nuclear track detectors based on single-entry pinhole dosimeter and direct radon/thoron progeny sensors. The results are subjected to statistical analysis and discussed in the manuscript. The mean value of annual effective dose of the study region is estimated at 1.8 mSv.y -1. Seasonal variability and role of different indoor parameters are also discussed., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)