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Tumour growth is a complex process influenced by various factors, including cell proliferation, migration, and chemotaxis. In this study, a biphasic chemotaxis model for tumour growth is considered, and the effect of chemotherapy on the growth process is investigated. We use optimal control theory to derive the optimized treatment strategy that minimises the tumour size while minimising the toxicity associated with chemotherapy. Moreover, the existence, uniqueness, and strong solution estimates for the biphasic chemotaxis model subsystem in one dimension are derived. These results are achieved through semigroup theory and the truncation method. In addition, the research provides evidence of the existence of an optimal pair through the utilization of the minimising sequence technique. It also demonstrates the differentiability of the mapping from control variable to state variable and establishes the first-order necessary optimality condition. Lastly, a sequence of numerical simulations are presented to showcase the impact of chemotherapy and the influence of parameters in restraining tumour growth when applied in an optimized manner. Our results show that optimal control can provide a more effective and personalised treatment for cancer patients, and the approach can be extended to other tumour growth models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comprehensive review addresses the vital environmental concerns posed by conventional petroleum-based plastics, particularly in the context of the packaging industry's extensive reliance on these materials. As nearly 99% of plastics originate from non-renewable petrochemical sources and their non-biodegradable nature leads to widespread waste accumulation and harmful emissions upon disposal, the need for sustainable alternatives has become paramount. This paper explores the escalating environmental and health repercussions linked to traditional plastics, underscored by global initiatives, including restrictions on single-use plastics, aimed at mitigating these challenges. In response, the paper highlights the growing interest in environmental friendly biopolymers, which can be sourced from renewable biological materials or synthesized from biopolymers such as starch, casein etc. The classification of biopolymers into three primary categories; natural biopolymers, microbial fermentation-derived biopolymers, and polymerized monomers from biomass is comprehensively examined. Furthermore, the paper emphasizes the pivotal role of biopolymer properties, such as barrier characteristics, mechanical strength, heat resistance, biodegradability, flexibility, food contact safety, and cost-effectiveness, in determining their suitability for packaging applications. It also stresses the importance of conducting life cycle assessment (LCA) to holistically evaluate the environmental sustainability of biopolymers. This review highlights the potential of integrating biopolymers into packaging materials as a promising avenue to reduce the adverse environmental impact of traditional plastic production. These biodegradable materials, with their diverse properties and renewability, offer a sustainable approach to mitigating plastic waste and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. However, further research, development, and collaborative efforts are essential to optimize biopolymer performance, reduce production costs, and facilitate broader adoption. Embracing biodegradable polymers represents a commitment to resource efficiency, waste reduction, and environmental preservation, fostering a more sustainable and ecofriendly future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the behaviour of tumour growth and its interaction with the immune system have been studied using a mathematical model in the form of partial differential equations. However, the development of tumours and how they interact with the immune system make up an extremely complex and little-understood system. A new mathematical model has been proposed to gain insight into the role of immune response in the tumour microenvironment when no treatment is applied. The resulting model is a set of partial differential equations made up of four variables: the population density of tumour cells, two different types of immune cells (CD4+ helper T cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells), and nutrition content. Such kinds of systems also occur frequently in science and engineering. The interaction of tumour and immune cells is exemplified by predator-prey models in ecology, in which tumour cells act as prey and immune cells act as predators. The tumour-immune cell interaction is expressed via Holling's Type-III and Beddington-DeAngelis functional responses. The combination of finite volume and finite element method is used to approximate the system numerically because these approximations are more suitable for time-dependent systems having diffusion. Finally, numerical simulations show that the methods perform well and depict the behaviour of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marker-trait association study was undertaken to identify genomic regions linked to SSR markers with grain shape traits in rice. The association analysis identified 20 and 8 marker-trait association by GLM and MLM approaches, respectively at P values ≤ 0.005. GLM approach identified association for three traits on chromosome 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12 explaining 16.07% to 38.66% phenotypic variance whereas MLM approach detected association for four traits on chromosome 1, 4, 7, 8 and 11 explaining 15.51% to 27.24%. In GLM approach, the marker loci RM430_200 located on chromosome 5 showed highly significant association with test weight explained maximum phenotypic variance of 38.66%. While in MLM, marker RM320_250 located on chromosome 7 showed highly significant association with grain breadth accounted for 27.24% of phenotypic variance. The significant marker-trait association was lower in MLM compared to those in GLM. MLM method was proven to be useful in controlling false associations. The marker-trait association identified from the present study would be validated and utilized in marker assisted breeding programs of grain shape traits in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the effect of distance to closest negative margin on survival after pelvic exenteration (PE). In this retrospective analysis of PE at Moffitt Cancer Center from 2000 to 2019, baseline characteristics, clinical details, and outcomes were ascertained. Distance to closest negative margin was measured. Close and distant negative margins were defined as <3 mm and ≥3 mm from malignancy to nearest surgical margin, respectively. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were determined, and Kaplan-Meier curves were compared. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to examine the association of margin status with OS and PFS. Of 124 PEs with malignancy, 80 (64.5%) had negative margins. Median survival was 62 (95% confidence interval [CI] 27–70) months for negative and 21 (95% CI 15–29) months for positive margins. Of 76 with negative margins and documented margin length, 26 had close and 50 had distant margins. Median survival was 32 (95% CI 14–62) months for close and 111 (95% CI 42–166) months for distant margins. Distant margins were associated with improved OS (p = 0.0054) and PFS (p = 0.0099) compared to close margins. After adjusting for other prognostic factors, patients with distant margins had significantly decreased risk of all-cause mortality (HR 0.39, 95% CI 0.19–0.78; p = 0.008) and progression (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.23–0.99; p = 0.04) compared to positive margins. No significant differences in OS or PFS were observed between close and positive margins. This survival benefit remained among those with cervical cancer. Median survival in this cohort was 34.1 (95% CI 2.0–69.8) months for close and 165.7 (95% CI 24.5–165.7) for distant margins. Distant margins following PE are associated with improved OS and PFS compared to close margins. • Distance to closest negative margin following pelvic exenteration is associated with survival. • Distant (≥3 mm) negative margins are associated with better survival than close (<3 mm) negative margins. • This survival benefit remains among those with cervical cancer only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we derive the mathematical model that allows chemotaxis in avascular tumor growth in a two-phase medium. The two phases are the viscous cell phase and the inviscid fluid phase. The conservation of mass–momentum is incorporated in each phase, and appropriate constitutive laws are applied to formulate the governing equations. Further, these equations are simplified into three main variables: cell volume fraction, cell velocity, and nutrient concentration. These variables generate a coupled system of nonlinear partial differential equations. A numerical scheme based on the finite volume method is applied to approximate the solution of cell volume fraction. The finite element method is applied to approximate the solutions of cell velocity and nutrient concentration. In this research paper, we investigate tumor growth when tumor cells move along a fluid containing a diffusible nutrient to which the cells are drawn. We perform some numerical simulations to show the effect of the parameters. The findings of this literature are compatible with the existing literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempts to investigate the phonological structures of Sanzari Boro (SB), a variety of Boro, a Tibeto-Burman language that is mainly spoken in the state of Assam in the North East India. This paper highlights the phonological processes in SB that have emerged due to geographical as well as social factors and language contact. This research is based on the data collected from 10 native speakers. The analysis of data reveals that although Standard Boro and SB have similarities in some features, they contain some evident differences too. A closer investigation of data establishes that SB has maximum number of phonemes as compared to any other variety of Boro and it has three distinct tones that have been observed in monosyllabic words. Declustering is facilitated through epenthesis. Phonological processes like deletion, insertion, assimilation, weakening and strengthening, metathesis and substitution are operational in formation of SB words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although ovarian cancer is a deadly disease, approximately a third of women survive ≥9 years after diagnosis. The factors associated with achieving long-term survival are not well understood. In this study, data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program were used to determine predictors of survival trajectories among women with epithelial ovarian cancer and across histotype (high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) and non-HGSC). Data on 35,868 women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer in 2004–2016 were extracted from SEER. Extended Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate overall and histotype-specific associations between patient and tumor characteristics and all-cause mortality within each survival time (t) interval (t < 3, 3 ≤ t < 6, 6 ≤ t < 9, and 9 ≤ t < 13 years). Age at diagnosis, marital status, race/ethnicity, stage, and surgery were more strongly associated with mortality in the short-term survival period, and these associations waned with increasing survival time. Exceptions to this pattern were age >70 years at diagnosis, where a high risk of mortality was observed in both the t < 3 and t ≥ 9 year time periods, and non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islanders, where a more pronounced inverse association with mortality was observed in t ≥ 9 years after diagnosis. Similar associations were observed for HGSC, although the waning effect was not apparent for most characteristics. Mortality associations for non-HGSC were more pronounced for stage and race/ethnicity, primarily for non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islanders. Most patient and tumor characteristics were more strongly associated with mortality in the years following diagnosis, but have declining impact with increasing survival time. Given this waning effect, it is critical to identify factors impacting risk of mortality as ovarian cancer patients advance through the survival trajectory. • Though an important predictor of survival overall, stage had a declining impact on mortality with increasing survival time. • Increased risk of mortality for non-Hispanic black women was restricted to the first six years after diagnosis. • Only stage, non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander race, and an age of >70 years were associated with long-term survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent genomic era, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become a basic tool in molecular studies and the success of PCR depends upon the template DNA. PCR technique is quite robust and often unnecessary to extract high quality of DNA and hence crude DNA can be used as template for amplification. Therefore, we have evaluated NaOH-Tris DNA extraction method for PCR analysis because this is very simple, time saving and safe without the need to use expensive or rare materials and laboratory apparatus. This method only requires a small amount of leaf tissue, NaOH, Tris, micro tube and plastic pestle. The amplified PCR products showed clear, sharp and uniform bands gave similar results as compared with the modified CTAB method. The DNA obtained is crude contains impurities like protein, RNA but these impurities did not affect PCR amplification. This DNA extraction method is evaluated for brinjal (Solanum melongena L.), chilli (Capsicum annuum L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) crop. Many other crop plants could also be amplified using the same DNA extraction method for molecular analysis of large samples. Thus, the use of NaOH-Tris method will allow researchers to obtain DNA from plant quickly for use in molecular studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sorghum is the important cereal crop around the world and hence understanding and utilizing the genetic variation in sorghum accessions are essential for improving the crop. A good understanding of genetic variability among the accessions will enable precision breeding. So profiling the genetic diversity of sorghum is imminent. In the present investigation, forty sorghum accessions consisting of sweet sorghum, grain sorghum, forage sorghum, mutant lines, maintainer lines, and restorer lines were screened for genetic diversity using quantitative traits. Observations were recorded on 14 quantitative traits, out of which 9 diverse traits contributing to maximum variability were selected for genetic diversity analysis. The principle component analysis revealed that the panicle width, stem girth, and leaf breadth contributed maximum towards divergence. By using hierarchical cluster analysis, the 40 accessions were grouped under 6 clusters. Cluster I contained maximum number of accessions and cluster VI contained the minimum. The maximum intercluster distance was observed between cluster VI and cluster IV. Cluster III had the highest mean value for hundred-seed weight and yield. Hence the selection of parents must be based on the wider intercluster distance and superior mean performance for yield and yield components. Thus in the present investigation quantitative data were able to reveal the existence of a wide genetic diversity among the sorghum accessions used providing scope for further genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of genetic diversity and identification of superior genotypes are important prerequisites for a successful crop improvement program. In the present investigation, 40 sorghum accessions consisting of sweet sorghum, grain sorghum, forage sorghum, mutant lines, maintainer lines and restorer lines, were screened for genetic diversity using quantitative traits. Observations were recorded on 14 quantitative traits, out of which 9 diverse traits contributing to maximum variability were selected for genetic diversity analysis. The principle component analysis revealed that the panicle width, stem girth and leaf breadth, contributed maximum towards divergence. By using hierarchical cluster analysis, the 40 accessions were grouped under 6 clusters. Cluster I contained maximum number of accessions and cluster VI contained the minimum. The maximum inter cluster distance was observed between cluster VI and cluster IV. Cluster III had the highest mean value for hundred seed weight and yield. Hence the accessions falling under these clusters could be used as the parents for hybridization programme in sorghum. Thus, morphological data were able to reveal the existence of a wide genetic diversity among the sorghum accessions used providing scope for further genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study objective is to examine the impact of obesity on frontline carboplatin dosing in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings and to evaluate the association of dosing with survival among epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients. Methods: We selected 1527 women diagnosed with EOC from January 1, 2011 to October 20, 2021 from a nationwide electronic health record-derived de-identified database. The dose reduction of frontline carboplatin was defined as a relative dose intensity (RDI) < 0.85. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of RDI with survival overall and by histology. Results: Women with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 versus <30 kg/m2 were more likely to be underdosed (RDI < 0.85) with frontline carboplatin. Underdosing of carboplatin in the neoadjuvant setting was associated with worse survival among women with serous tumours (HR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.15, 3.42). Underdosing of carboplatin in the adjuvant setting was not associated with survival. Discussion: In the real-world setting, underdosing of carboplatin in the neoadjuvant setting was associated with inferior survival among women with serous tumours. With the increasing utilisation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in EOC, actual weight-based dosing of carboplatin may be important to improve outcomes in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic diversity is essential for the continued progress in breeding and to meet future environmental challenges. The present study was conducted to assess the genetic diversity among forty sorghum accessions using RAPD markers. A total of 107 polymorphic loci generated 65.35% polymorphism. The number of markers per primer ranged from 6-12. PIC value ranged from 0.34 to 2.54. Jaccard's similarity coefficient values ranged from 0.40 to 0.78. The cluster analysis resulted in five clusters revealing high homology between B-lines and R-lines. The clustering pattern of accessions also indicated that there was a wide genetic diversity between the grain sorghum groups and the forage sorghum groups. The variation was moderate among the sweet sorghum. The mutant lines showed more DNA polymorphism compared to the parents. Thus, RAPD analysis revealed the existence of a wide genetic diversity among the sorghum accessions providing scope for the development of well-defined heterotic groups for this crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental feeding practices influence children's eating behaviors, yet it is not well-understood whether parents' own eating behaviors are associated with their feeding practices. The purpose of this study was to examine associations among parents' eating behaviors, parental feeding practices, and children's eating behaviors. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 76 parents of children from an elementary school in Tampa, FL. Parents completed three questionnaires with topics related to parent eating behaviors, parental feeding practices, and children's eating behaviors. Multiple regression analysis was performed, controlling for demographic covariates. Parents who reported to eat more fruits per day (β = 0.15), eat more than one kind of fruit each day (β = 0.33), eat more than one kind of vegetable each day (β = 0.29), eat 2 or more vegetables at the main meal (β = 0.36), plan meals (β = 0.19), and keep vegetables ready for the child to eat (β = 0.25) indicated that they use more positive reinforcement feeding practices (all p ≤ 0.001). There were significantly positive associations between positive reinforcement and children's eating fruits or vegetables like apples, bananas or carrots as snacks (β = 1.03) and eating more than one kind of vegetable a day (β = 1.03; all p < 0.001). No other variables had any significant associations. Findings of this study indicate that there are potential associations among parent's own eating behaviors, feeding practices, and children's eating behaviors. Further research is needed to determine the mechanism of these relationships. Targeting these parental factors may be an effective way to maximize the impact of nutrition interventions on children's dietary behavior changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Psy-g-PMMA was synthesized by ‘microwave assisted method’. [•] FTIR spectroscopy provided experimental proof of the proposed mechanism of synthesis. [•] Synthesized grades were studied for efficacy as flocculant for kaolin suspension. [•] Psy-g-PMMA showed higher flocculation efficacy than psyllium. [•] Higher the percentage grafting of Psy-g-PMMA, higher is its flocculation efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Modification of the milk protein ‘casein’ has been carried out through microwave initiated graft copolymerization of acrylamide. The synthesis was optimized in terms of microwave irradiation time and monomer (acrylamide) concentration. The synthesized graft copolymers have been characterized by intrinsic viscosity measurement, elemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and number average molecular weight determination through osmometry; taking the starting material (casein) as reference. Further, flocculation efficacy of various grades of the grafted product were studied and compared to that of the starting material ‘casein’ by Jar test and settling test procedure, in 1% coal-fine suspension. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We evaluated antibody against Epstein-Barr virus glycoproteins (gp350, gH/gL, gB, gp42) in 97 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cases and 97 cancer-free controls. Each unit increase in log-transformed antibody against gp350 and gH/gL was associated with 2.27 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20–4.29) and 2.18 (95% CI, 1.22–3.90) higher odds of NPC, respectively. This association was more apparent for NPC diagnosed within 5 years of antibody measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cancer is becoming more common as people living with HIV (PWH) survive to older ages due to the use of effective HIV treatments. Due to this, cancer is now a leading cause of death in PWH. In this study, we used three years of data from Moffitt Cancer Center to try and understand the cancer experience in PWH, including whether cancer patients with HIV report different symptoms during cancer care compared to the general cancer population. In order to accomplish this, self-reported symptom data were collected from 12,529 patients, including 55 with HIV. We found that cancer patients with HIV were nearly 50% more likely to experience poor symptoms during their cancer care, including severe pain and depression. In addition, the presence of these symptoms was linked to the likelihood of patients dying. These findings should prompt future projects to help manage poor symptoms during cancer care for PWH. Elevated cancer-specific mortality in PWH has been demonstrated for non-AIDS-defining malignancies. However, additional clinical endpoints of interest, including patient-reported outcomes (PROs), have not been systematically examined in PWH and cancer. We evaluated differences in patient-reported symptomology between cancer patients with versus without HIV using data from 12,529 patients at the Moffitt Cancer Center, including 55 with HIV. The symptoms were assessed using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), which asks patients to rank 12 symptoms on a scale of 1–10, with scores ≥7 considered severe. The responses across all questions were summed to create a composite score. Vital status through t July 2021 was determined through linkage to the electronic health record. PWH reported a higher composite ESAS score on average (44.4) compared to HIV-uninfected cancer patients (30.7, p-value < 0.01). In zero-inflated negative binomial regression models adjusted for cancer site, sex, and race, the composite ESAS scores and the count of severe symptoms were 1.41 times (95% CI: 1.13–1.77) and 1.45 times (95% CI: 1.09–1.93) higher, respectively, in cancer patients with HIV. Among PWH, higher ESAS scores were associated with mortality (p-value = 0.02). This is the first demonstration of uniquely poor PROs in PWH and cancer and suggests that patient symptom monitoring to improve clinical endpoints deserves further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the use of synthetic and low cost carbon sources for enhanced biomass and lipid production from oleaginous yeast strains using batch and fed batch fermentation. Five strains were selected out of 20 strains which were all isolated from various habitats, on the basis of lipid accumulating potential using Sudan B black dye. The selected isolates were characterized and their lipid production was optimized by batch cultivation in waste extract. Gas chromatography analysis revealed that lipids from all isolated yeast strains contained mainly long-chain fatty acids such as oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and linoleic acid. On the basis of lipid profile and production, two most suitable oleaginous yeast strains were selected for further experiments, i.e. fed batch fermentation using glucose (control) and sugarcane molasses as feed. Using glucose as feed, 38.8 ± 0.9 g/L and 29.4 ± 0.2 g/L biomass dry cell weight (DCW) and total lipids were produced respectively, whereas with sugarcane molasses feed, 50 ± 1 g/L (DCW) biomass and 39.2 ± 0.6 g/L lipids were produced by Rhodosporidium toruloides ATCC204091. After transesterification the lipid profile was analyzed by GC–MS revealing suitability for use as a potential feedstock for biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upon publication of this article [1], the authors realized that one of the coauthor name was accedentally deleted during the review process and not presented in the original version of the article. The coauthor Dr. Ram Prasad should be listed as fifth author. The corrected author group is published with this erratum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vegetable 'mandi' (road-side vegetable market) waste was converted to a suitable fermentation medium for cultivation of oleaginous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides by steaming under pressure. This cultivation medium derived from waste was found to be a comparatively better source of nutrients than standard culture media because it provided more than one type of usable carbon source(s) to yeast. Results: HPLC results showed that the extract contained glucose, xylose and glycerol along with other carbon sources, allowing triauxic growth pattern with preferably usage of glucose, xylose and glycerol resulting in enhanced growth, lipid and carotenoid production. Presence of saturated and unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) (C14-20) in the lipid profile showed that the lipid may be transesterified for biodiesel production. Conclusion: Upscaling these experiments to fermenter scale for the production of lipids and biodiesel and other industrially useful products would lead to waste management along with the production of value added commodities. The technique is thus environment friendly and gives good return upon investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major milk protein Casein (CAS) is chemically modified (grafting) using Acrylamide monomer by Microwave Assisted technique. The grafting of the poly (Acrylamide) (PAM) chains on the backbone of Casein is confirmed through the various physicochemical studies. The Intrinsic viscosity and Number Average Molecular Weight of Casein appreciably improved on grafting of poly (Acrylamide) chains. Further, flocculation efficacy of the graft copolymer is optimized in coal fine suspension and the optimized grade is studied in municipal wastewater through Jar test procedure, toward possible application as flocculant for wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation was carried out with 61 genotypes (42 crosses, 14 lines, 3 testers and 2 checks) to assess trait association, Experiments were laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications during 2021, in three environments namely, pre-kharif (date of sowing: 15th May) - E1, kharif (date of sowing: 30th June) - E2 and post-kharif (date of sowing: 15th August)- E3. Analysis of character association based on the observations recorded on yield, yield contributing and biochemical traits in the three environments revealed that ear height, kernel rows per ear, kernels per row, 1000- grain weight, cob length, cob girth and kernel vitreosity displayed a positive and highly significant correlation with grain yield at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. High direct effect on grain yield was exerted by ear height, kernel rows per ear, kernels per row, 1000- grain weight and cob length. The selection of these traits could improve the crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine dietary nutrient intake and parental perspectives on nutrition in a diverse sample (e.g., age, ethnicity) of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the U.S. state of Florida. Forty-one parents of children with ASD (ages 2–17 years) completed a food record, and 25 of these parents participated in semi-structured focus groups. Children with ASD were significantly less likely to meet the recommendation for calcium compared with children in the general population (66.7% vs. 53.1%, odds ratio [OR] = 3.1; p =.002). Riboflavin and vitamin B12 intakes were significantly lower among children with ASD (p <.001). Focus group results indicated parental concerns on children's diet and mealtime behaviors. Parents discussed the quality of existing nutrition information to be a concern, reported wanting intervention content on effective feeding strategies and healthy eating specific to children with ASD, and wanted to receive a nutrition intervention in multiple delivery formats. These findings will be utilized in developing a nutrition education intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was performed in kharif ( June-December) 2019 at Bihar Agricultural College, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India to screen gene specific markers developed from SNORKEL1 (SK1) and SNORKEL2 (SK2) gene and identify the rice genotypes for the presence of SNORKEL genes. A total of 13 rice genotypes were used out of which 8 genotypes Vaidehi, RYC743, FR13A, Desaria, Dudhi, Birar, Kalaladora and Kajargod indicated the presence of both SNORKEL1 (SK1) and SNORKEL2 (SK2) gene using SK1-1, SK1-2, SK2-1 and SK2-2 markers. Therefore, these genotypes have tolerance ability of deep water flooding due to higher rates of elongation where water stagnates for longer than two weeks. However, results from the present study also revealed that the genotype Desaria and RYC743 had higher rates of elongation and Satyam, Sudha, Purnendu, FR13A, Pansoradhan and Swarna Sub1 had lower shoot elongation rate compared to other genotypes. This study provides gene specific markers for the identification of varieties/donors tolerant to deep water flooding as well as donors to be used in deep water rice breeding programs. Thus, the marker developed and validated in this study will aid rice breeders in quickly and efficiently identifying and introgressing the SNORKEL genes. The results would be a helpful in the development of rice varieties with both submergence tolerance and elongation ability in order to improve the yield stability in flood-prone areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Katarni Rice' is a fine quality scented rice landrace of Bihar, India and has tremendous export potential and commercial value. This is a preferred rice in the state due to its flavour, palatability and popcorn like essence before and after cooking. But its area has been shrunken drastically in recent years due to its low yielding (25–30 Q/ha) ability caused due tall and week stature and lodging tendency at maturity. To overcome this problem, marker assisted introgression of semi-dwarfing (sd1) gene from semi-dwarf and high yielding rice varieties Rajendra Sweta and BPT5204 was attempted. Parental polymorphism was obtained through 109 SSR markers. The gene specific markers for fragrance and semi-dwarfing genes were used in the segregants to track their transfer. Recombinant selection was done for the donor genome segments flanking to the target gene i.e., sd1 followed by background selection through genome wide polymorphic SSR markers. More than 90% recurrent parent genome recovery was observed and the selected plants showed a reduction of plant height and flowering time in comparison to Katarni in the successive backcross generation along with the retention of aroma. The identified lines can be evaluated further in multilocation trials to release it as a sustainable high yielding aromatic genotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 33 sesame genotypes including three checks were grown in Randomized Block Design in three replications for evaluation of yield and yield attributing traits. Data was recorded for different yield attributing traits from all the genotypes viz., days to 50 % flowering, number of productive branches, plant height, height of 1st capsule bearing node, number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule, capsule length, inter-node length, days to maturity, 1000-grain weight, per cent of oil and yield. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the characters. The magnitude of phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) was larger for seed yield, number of productive branch and inter-node length. Genetic advance as per cent of mean for seed yield, numbers of productive branches, height of 1st node from ground and internode length were higher in sesame genotypes. Correlation exhibited significant and high positive for number of productive branches, number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule and days to maturity with seed yield. Path analysis indicated that the traits such as number of productive branches, number of capsules per plant, days to maturity, number of seeds per capsule had high positive direct effect on seed yield. These traits are to be given due importance in the selection process of sesame breeding programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an experimental study of E. coli sensing based on surface-skimming-bulk-wave delay line device fabricated on ST-cut quartz. The sensor configuration consisted of an 87.7 MHz oscillator with the delay line as control element in its feedback loop. The antigen–antibody immunochemical reaction was employed on the acoustic wave device surface to generate mass loading and frequency shift. The sensor output was monitored by an RF spectrum analyzer. Highly specific sensing is demonstrated for E. coli cells up to 0.4 cells/μl in water. The methodology offers possibility for developing highly sensitive and fast E. coli sensors for testing of water potability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The authors report a series of cases of treated nodal, solid malignancies showing persisting physical residue after completion of treatment with 18-F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computerized tomography showing non-avid status conjuring a nondisease desmoplastic residue over morphological disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Grafting of polyacrylamide (PAM) chains was performed onto the backbone of Agar by microwave assisted method, using microwave radiation in synergism with ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) as the chemical free radical initiator. The intended grafting of the PAM chains were confirmed through intrinsic viscosity study, FTIR spectroscopy and elemental analysis (C, H, N, O & S). Further characterization of the grafted product was done in form of SEM morphology and TGA study. Flocculation efficacy of the synthesized graft copolymers was studied in kaolin suspension, through ‘Jar test’ procedure. Further, flocculation efficacy of the ‘best grade’ (as determined by ‘jar test’ in kaolin suspension) in wastewater was studied for possible application in reduction of pollutant load of wastewater. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A simple biological method for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using Cassia auriculata aqueous leaf extract has been carried out in the present study. The reduction of auric chloride led to the formation of AuNPs within 10min at room temperature (28°C), suggesting a higher reaction rate than chemical methods involved in the synthesis. The size, shape and elemental analysis were carried out using X-ray diffraction, TEM, SEM-EDAX, FT-IR and visible absorption spectroscopy. Stable, triangular and spherical crystalline AuNPs with well-defined dimensions of average size of 15–25nm were synthesized using C. auriculata. Effect of pH was also studied to check the stability of AuNPs. The main aim of the investigation is to synthesize AuNPs using antidiabetic potent medicinal plant. The stabilizing and reducing molecules of nanoparticles may promote anti-hyperglycemic if tested further. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]