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Solena amplexicaulis (Lam.) Gandhi (Family Cucurbitaceae) is one of the important plant species used by the Irula tribes of Walayar valley of southern Western Ghats, India for the management of diabetes. To confirm the antidiabetic property of S. amplexicaulis, the present study was addressed using crude methanolic leaf extract of S. amplexicaulis (MeOHSa) and its isolated compound, Forskolin against streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), blood glucose, lipid profile, serum liver markers, antioxidants, hemoglobin and glycogen were evaluated using standard procedure. The oral administration of Forskolin and MeOHSa (600 mg/kg b.w.) for 30 days resulted in significant restoration of all these parameters supported by histopathological observations too. The results clearly suggest that the Forskolin (diterpene) possess potent antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities, which may be considered as a lead molecule for therapeutic purposes, and the source of Forskolin i.e. S. amplexicaulis can be further exploited for pharmaceutical industries. Keywords: Solena amplexicaulis, Cucurbitaceae, Forskolin, Antidiabetic, Antihyperlipidemic, Antioxidant

To explore the possible bioactive compounds and to study the antioxidant capacity of Coscinium fenestratum (Goetgh.) Colebr (Menispermaceae), the qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening for various secondary metabolites were evaluated. Using the GC–MS analysis, a total number of 30 phytochemical compounds were predicted with their retention time, molecular weight, molecular formula, peak area, structure and activities. The most prevailing heterocyclic compound was Bis(2,4,6- triisopropylphenyl) phosphinicazide (6.70%). The antioxidant activity was evaluated by spectrophotometric methods using the reducing power assay and the DPPH· and ABTS·+ scavenging assays. The activity was determined to be increased in all the test samples with the increase in the volume of the extract. C. fenestratum possess a good source of many bioactive compounds that are used to prevent diseases linked with oxidative stress. Keywords: Coscinium fenestratum, Menispermaceae, Biochemical characterization, Antioxidant activity

The present study was aimed to explore the traditional knowledge of Irula tribal people who are practicing herbal medicine in Walayar valley, the Southern Western Ghats, India. A total number of 146 species of plants distributed in 122 genera belonging to 58 families were identified as commonly used ethnomedicinal plants by them. Interestingly, 26 new claims were also made in the present study. Through the data obtained from Irula tribal healers, the herbs were mostly used for medicine (40.4%) followed by trees (26.7%) and climbers (18.5%). In addition leaves were highly used for medicinal purposes, collected from 55 species (38%) followed by multiple parts from 18 species (12%). Acorus calamus is the species of higher use value (1.80) assessed to be prescribed most commonly for the treatment of cough. High informant consensus factor (1.0) obtained for insecticidal uses and cooling agent indicates that the usage of Canarium strictum and Melia dubia, and Mimosa pudica and Sesamum indicum respectively for that purposes had obtained high degree of agreement among the healers in using these species for the respective purposes. The most commonly used method of preparation was decoction (63%) followed by raw form (23%), paste (12%) and powder (2%). Therefore, it is suggested to take-up pharmacological and phytochemical studies to evaluate the species to confirm the traditional knowledge of Irulas on medicinal plants. Keywords: Ethnobotanical surveys, Irula tribes, India

Abstract G-quadruplex (G4) structures are found in eukaryotic cell replication origins, but their role in origin function remains unclear. In this study G4 motifs are found in the lytic DNA replication origin (oriLyt) of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and recombinant viruses show that a G4 motif in oriLyt essential region I (ER-I) is necessary for viral growth. Replication assays of oriLyt-containing plasmids and biochemical/biophysical analyses show that G4 formation in ER-I is crucial for viral DNA replication. G4 pull-down analysis identifies viral DNA replication factors, such as IE2, UL84, and UL44, as G4-binding proteins. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, specific G4-binding ligands inhibit G4 binding by the viral proteins. The Epstein-Barr virus oriLyt core element also forms a stable G4 that could substitute for the oriLyt ER-I G4 in HCMV. These results demonstrate that viral G4s in replication origins represent an essential structural element in recruiting replication factors and might be a therapeutic target against viral infections.

Background: A COVID-19 infection can result in a variety of symptoms. Findings must be carefully reviewed because there is still a dispute over the potential involvement of the audiovestibular system. Moreover, there is debate over the intrauterine transfer of COVID-19 infection from mother to fetus in pregnant people. There are not many investigations on the audiovestibular symptomatology of infants exposed to COVID-19 during pregnancy. Aims and Objectives: This study looks at any potential links between the COVID-19 gestational infection and the start of hearing impairment in babies. The verification of hearing’s engagement in COVID-19 allows for the planning of the time and methods for children’s audiological evaluations. Materials and Methods: Newborns had audiological examination and screening for hearing loss. The automatic transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) test is used to evaluate newborns for hearing impairments before they are released from the hospital. By employing the COVID-19 case history, otoscopy, acoustic immittance test, transient evoked OAEs test, and mother, pregnancy, and perinatal case histories, an audiological examination is conducted on children under 3 months of age, with 2 weeks, 1 month and 3 months of age follow-up. Results: The research comprised 100 children. Of these infants, 90% were part of the neonatal hearing screening initiative. Due to isolation protocols, the remaining 10 neonates did not undergo hearing screening; instead, a direct audiological examination was performed on them. Out of the 90 newborns that were tested, only 11 had a bilateral REFER test result, but the audiological examination revealed a normal hearing threshold. Conclusion: There is no data in this study that a mother’s COVID-19 infection results in hearing loss in newborn.

A neonate born of third-degree consanguineous marriage presented on day 12 of life with congestive cardiac failure. A male sibling died at 3 months of age, cause of which was not known. He was treated with decongestive measures and multiple inotropes. 2D Echocardiogram revealed severe Left ventricular dysfunction with prominent trabeculations and deep recesses in the left ventricle suggestive of Left ventricular non-compaction. He was also found to have horse-shoe kidney. Considering the presence of cardiac left ventricular non compaction, horse-shoe kidney and family history of neonatal death and pregnancy loss clinical exome sequencing was done. It detected a homozygous missense variant in exon 6 of the AGK gene suggestive of Senger’s syndrome. Baby was on regular follow-up and was thriving well on diuretics, sacubitril-valsartan and weekly levosimendan infusions. At 8 months of age, cardiac transplantation was successfully done and baby has been doing well post-transplantation. LVNC in children is rare with an estimated incidence of 0.11 per 100,000, the highest incidence being during infancy. Senger’s syndrome is autosomal recessive in inheritance. Senger’s syndrome associated with Left ventricular non compaction has been reported only once in literature so far. Renal manifestations in the form of horse shoe kidney like in our index baby has not been reported previously with Senger’s syndrome.

In contrast to Western countries, traditional floor-seating cultures are prevalent in Korea, Japan, the Middle East, and Africa, where sitting on the floor in static positions such as squatting, kneeling, or sitting cross-legged is common. Most studies on sitting posture have predominantly focused on chair sitting in Western cultures, resulting in a cultural bias. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different cushion types (floor and traditional cushions of 3-cm, 5-cm, and 8-cm thickness) and seating postures (cross-legged, mother's leg, and kneeling) on measures of postural stability, trunk muscle activity, rotational spinal stability, and subjective postural stability in an Asian population. Forty right-hand and right-foot-dominant volunteers who did not experience activity-limiting back pain in the past 12 months were recruited. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) and ANOVA with a repeated-measures design were employed to assess the within-subject effects of the cushion type and seating posture. An alpha value of 0.05 was set for statistical significance. The results of this study suggest that preventing lordosis posture, seating on the floor, and maintaining a kneeling posture may reduce the loss of balance and trunk muscle fatigue. These results emphasize the need for additional ergonomic studies that focus on the seating traditions of Asian cultures.

BackgroundObesity and diabetes are known risk factors for severe dengue. Therefore, we sought to investigate the association of obesity with increased risk of hospitalization, as there is limited information.Methods and findingsChildren aged 10 to 18 years (n = 4782), were recruited from 9 districts in Sri Lanka using a stratified multi-stage cluster sampling method. Details of previous admissions to hospital due to dengue and anthropometric measurements were recorded and seropositivity rates for dengue were assessed. The body mass index (BMI) centile in children aged 10 to 18, was derived by plotting the values on the WHO BMI-for-age growth charts, to acquire the percentile ranking.ResultsAlthough the dengue seropositivity rates were similar in children of the different BMI centiles, 12/66 (18.2%) seropositive children with a BMI centile >97th, had been hospitalized for dengue, compared to 103/1086 (9.48%) of children with a BMI centile of 97th (OR 2.33, 95% CI, 1.47 to 3.67, p = 0.0003) was significantly associated with hospitalization when compared to children in other BMI categories.ConclusionsObesity appears to be associated with an increased risk of hospitalization in dengue, which should be further investigated in longitudinal prospective studies. With the increase in obesity in many countries, it would be important to create awareness regarding obesity and risk of severe disease and hospitalization in dengue.

Summary: Fabrication of stimuli-responsive superstructure capable of delivering chemotherapeutics directly to the cancer cell by sparing healthy cells is crucial. Herein, we developed redox-responsive hollow spherical assemblies through self-assembly of disulfide-linked cysteine-diphenylalanine (SN). These fluorescent hollow spheres display intrinsic green fluorescence, are proteolytically stable and biocompatible, and allow for real-time monitoring of their intracellular entry. The disulfide bond facilitates selective degradation in the presence of high glutathione (GSH) concentrations, prevalent in cancer cells. We achieved efficient encapsulation (68.72%) of the anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox) and demonstrated GSH-dependent, redox-responsive drug release within cancerous cells. SN-Dox exhibited a 20-fold lower effective concentration (2.5 μM) for compromising breast cancer cell viability compared to non-malignant cells (50 μM). The ability of SN-Dox to initiate DNA damage signaling and trigger apoptosis was comparable to that of the unencapsulated drug. Our findings highlight the potential of SN for creating site-specific drug delivery vehicles for sustained therapeutic release.

This study analyzes the structural characteristics of mesoporous carbon (CMK-3) and how they affect the specific capacity of Li-ion batteries (LIBs). To achieve this, CMK-3 is synthesized with and without the addition of oxalic acid as a catalyst to polymerize furfuryl alcohol (carbon precursor) in the template-assisted synthesis process using mesoporous silica. CMK-3 (without oxalic acid) and CMK-3_O (with oxalic acid) exhibit rod-like particles with cylindrical pores, showing high specific surface area (SSA) of 998 and 1067 ​m2 ​g−1 and oxygen-to-carbon ratios of 0.23 and 0.43, respectively. At 178 ​mA ​g−1, the electrodes demonstrate specific capacities of 993 ​mA ​h ​g−1 (CMK-3) and 520 ​mA ​h ​g−1 (CMK-3_O). According to the cyclic voltammetry technique, the non-diffusion-controlled process (approximately 55 ​%) significantly contributes to the total charge storage in CMK-3. Although electrodes (CMK-3 and CMK-3_O) have similar SSA, this study highlights the significance of the disordered and defective structure in achieving a higher specific capacity from the same material without any changes in morphology, particle size, or synthesis route. Consequently, this work emphasizes the necessity of considering the structural properties of porous carbon electrodes when developing high-performance batteries for electric vehicles, where specific capacity and cyclic stability are crucial.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at a higher risk of cognitive impairment. Poor quality of life and decreased compliance are frequently observed with cognitive decline among CKD patients. Cognitive impairment among Stage 5 CKD patients varies with different modalities of treatment, and contradicting results have been reported. Fifty-four medically stable Stage 5 CKD patients undergoing different modalities of treatment were recruited: Patients with Stage 5 CKD on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) (n = 18), continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) (n = 18), and conservative management (CM) (n = 18). Eighteen apparently healthy participants were recruited as a control group. The cognitive functions assessed were P300 event- related potential, auditory and visual reaction times (VRTs). Kidney function was assessed by serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Creatinine levels were significantly higher in all three treatment groups compared with the control group. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between the CKD groups (n = 54) and the parameters of cognitive function. P300 latency was prolonged in all treatment groups compared with the control group and was significantly prolonged in patients on CM compared with HD and CAPD patients. The VRT of CM patients was found to be significantly higher compared with the control group. The auditory reaction time was significantly prolonged in all treatment groups compared with the control group and in the CM group compared with the CAPD group. Cognitive function was more affected in Stage 5 CKD patients on CM compared with patients undergoing HD or CAPD.

Recently, clothing development 3D printing and the evaluation of its physical characteristics have been explored. However, few studies have tackled thermal comfort, which is a major contributor to the wearers’ comfort. Therefore, this study was designed to suggest effective materials and hole sizes for clothing obtained by 3D printing to maintain a comfortable clothing environment. In particular, two main variables, namely five different materials and three-hole sizes, were analyzed. All samples were placed on a hot plate (36 °C), and their surface temperature and humidity were measured for 10 min. The samples with only thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) achieved the largest temperature change of 3.2~4.8 °C, whereas those with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam exhibited the lowest temperature change of −0.1~2.0 °C. Similarly, the samples with only TPU showed the greatest humidity change of −0.7~−5.5%RH. Moreover, the hole size had a larger effect on humidity change than material type. The samples with large holes achieved the largest humidity change of −4.4%RH, whereas the samples without holes had the smallest humidity change of −1.5%RH after 10 min (p < 0.001). Based on these results, various combinations of materials and hole sizes should be considered to fit the purpose of 3D printing clothing.

ZnO and ZnO-Y2O3 nanocomposites (NCs) were investigated for their photocatalytic degradation of Methylene blue (MB) dye. X-ray diffraction study demonstrates that the hexagonal structure of ZnO has crystallite size compared to ZnO-Y2O3 NCs and confirms the cubic configuration of Y2O3. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the ZnO nanoparticles are spherical and ZnO-Y2O3 NCs have smaller particles with less agglomeration. The decreased recombining of excited e−/h+ of ZnO-Y2O3 NCs is confirmed over fluorescence study. ZnO-Y2O3 exhibits a more significant degradation efficiency (96%) than ZnO nanoparticles (86%) in 120 min. ZnO-Y2O3 NCs have antibacterial as well as antioxidant activity.

SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus that emerged as an epidemic, causing a respiratory disease with multiple severe symptoms and deadly consequences. ACE-2 and TMPRSS2 play crucial and synergistic roles in the membrane fusion and viral entry of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 binds to the ACE-2 receptor for viral entry, while TMPRSS2 proteolytically cleaves the S protein into S1 and S2 subunits, promoting membrane fusion. Therefore, ACE-2 and TMPRSS2 are potential drug targets for treating COVID-19, and their inhibition is a promising strategy for treatment and prevention. This study proposes that ginsenoside compound K (G-CK), a triterpenoid saponin abundant in Panax Ginseng, a dietary and medicinal herb highly consumed in Korea and China, effectively binds to and inhibits ACE-2 and TMPRSS2 expression. We initially conducted an in-silico evaluation where G-CK showed a high affinity for the binding sites of the two target proteins of SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, we evaluated the stability of G-CK using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for 100 ns, followed by MM-PBSA calculations. The MD simulations and free energy calculations revealed that G-CK has stable and favorable energies, leading to strong binding with the targets. Furthermore, G-CK suppressed ACE2 and TMPRSS2 mRNA expression in A549, Caco-2, and MCF7 cells at a concentration of 12.5 μg/mL and in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells at a concentration of 6.5 μg/mL, without significant cytotoxicity.ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression were significantly lower in A549 and RAW 264.7 cells following G-CK treatment. These findings suggest that G-CK may evolve as a promising therapeutic against COVID-19.

The global need for high energy density and performing rechargeable batteries has led to the development of high-capacity silicon-based anode materials to meet the energy demands imposed to electrify plug-in vehicles to curtail carbon emissions by 2035. Unfortunately, the high theoretical capacity (4200 mA h g−1) of silicon by (de-)alloy mechanism is limited by its severe volume changes (ΔV ∼ 200% − 400%) during cycling for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), while for sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) remain uncertain, and hence, compositing with carbons (C@Si) represent a promising strategy to enable the aforementioned practical application. The present review outlines the recent progress of biomass-derived Si-carbon composite (C@Si) anodes for LIBs and NIBs. In this perspective, we present different types of biomass precursors, silicon sources, and compositing strategies, and how these impact on the C@Si physicochemical properties and their electrochemical performance are discussed.

Today, the capacity to regulate moisture is one of the most crucial qualities of knitted fabrics. This study focuses on the interaction between core ratio, twist, and loop length on the moisture management capabilities of single jersey knitted textiles manufactured from 100% regenerated bamboo, 80:20 regenerated bamboo: polyester yarns, and 60:40 regenerated bamboo: polyester yarns. The Box-Behnken experimental design was used to optimize the design parameters in this study. It was discovered that the moisture management qualities were improved by the increased polyester core content, high twist, and short loop length. Single jersey knitted fabrics made from 100% regenerated bamboo yarns swiftly wick away sweat and maintain moisture in their structure, resulting in a very fast wetting rate, spreading speed, and extremely large maximum wetted radius, as well as a very excellent AOTI value and very good OMMC ratings. Additionally, it can be suggested that single jersey knitted textiles consisting of core-spun yarns provide quick absorption and quick drying rates, meeting the needs of sportswear applications.

Objective: To elucidate the cellular mechanisms of polyherbal formulation [Kolin PlusTM (KP)], genomics was performed to delineate the genes and pathways associated with lipid regulation through transcriptional profiling of the liver in commercial broilers raised on diets deficient in choline chloride (CCL). Materials and Methods: The gene expression patterns were studied for four groups [normal diet: normal, choline chloride deficient (CCD), KP (400 gm/ton), and CCL (400 gm/ton)] using Agilent microarray on day 42. The hierarchical cluster analysis was carried out on 12,614 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with a similar expression. Results: Out of 12,614 significant DEGs, 1,926, 448, and 1,330 genes were expressed at higher rates, and 413, 482, and 1,364 were expressed at lower rates than CCD (CCD vs. normal), CCL (CCL vs. CCD), and KP (KP vs. CCD), respectively. GO enrichment analysis of DEG further revealed the significant association of biological process items with the lipid, sterol, and lipoprotein metabolic processes. In particular, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha, carnitine palmitoyl transferase I, hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase trifunctional multienzyme com¬plex subunit beta, and patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 2 genes involved in fatty acid oxidation and lipase C, ABCG5, ABCG8, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, ATP citrate lyase enzyme, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma genes involved in lipogenesis were altered by KP intervention for lipid metabolism. Conclusions: These findings reveal that the supplementation of KP prevents fatty liver-associated problems in broiler chickens by modulating the expression of the above-mentioned genes that are responsible for the oxidation of fatty acids and lipogenesis in the liver. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2022; 9(3.000): 432-439]

In India, many reforms have been occurring in the last few years, including revamping the Medical Council of India, introducing telemedicine practice guidelines (TPG-2020), and increasing the use of technology in healthcare delivery. This paper aims to propose a transformational plan of public healthcare delivery by integrating TPG-2020 with telemedicine-driven under- and postgraduate medical education. The authors discuss various currently used models and offer models for future. The authors hope that these may assist the policymakers, academia, and regulatory bodies to revolutionize the medical education of our country, utilizing the full potential of telemedicine for better health-care delivery in our country.

Objective: This study focuses on the effect of Selenium (Se) on the germination of Macrotyloma uniflorum and Vigna radiate seeds. Methods: Both the seeds were soaked in solutions containing different concentrations of Se (0 mg/L, 0.5 mg/L, 2.5 mg/L and 5.0 mg/L), for different time intervals (3 h, 6 h, 9 h and 12 h). After soaking, germination efficacy of the seeds was assayed. Total carbohydrate and starch content of the seeds were monitored along with α-amylase activity. The antioxidant activity was also estimated through measuring Catalase, Superoxide dismutase activity and amount of reduced Glutathione as well. Results: The result unveiled that at 0.5 mg/L of Se did not affect the germination at 3 h of soaking, however upon increasing the duration of soaking the germination efficacy is statistically decreased. 3 h soaking of seeds with 2.5 mg/L and 5.0 mg/L of Se reduced the germination efficacy of both the seeds. Further it was observed that increasing the duration of soaking from 3 h to 6hrs, 9 h and 12 h, inhibited the germination potency (P

G-quadruplex (G4) formed by repetitive guanosine-rich sequences plays important roles in diverse cellular processes; however, its roles in viral infection are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the genome-wide distribution of G4-forming sequences (G4 motifs) in Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) and found that G4 motifs are enriched in the internal repeat short and the terminal repeat short regions flanking the unique short region and also in some reiteration (R) sequence regions. A high density of G4 motifs in the R2 region was found on the template strand of ORF14, which encodes glycoprotein C (gC), a virulent factor for viral growth in skin. Analyses such as circular dichroism spectroscopy, thermal difference spectra, and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with oligodeoxynucleotides demonstrated that several G4 motifs in ORF14 form stable G4 structures. In transfection assays, gC expression from the G4-disrupted ORF14 gene was increased at the transcriptional level and became more resistant to suppression by G4-ligand treatment. The recombinant virus containing the G4-disrupted ORF14 gene expressed a higher level of gC mRNA, while it showed a slightly reduced growth. This G4-disrupted ORF14 virus produced smaller plaques than the wild-type virus. Our results demonstrate that G4 formation via reiteration sequences suppresses gC expression during VZV infection and regulates viral cell-to-cell spread.

Burns are one of the most severe forms of trauma to skin and tissue which results due to contact with hot substances (liquid or solid), radiation, radioactivity, electricity, friction, or contact with chemicals. Every year, nine million people are injured due to fire, heat, and hot substances worldwide, out of which 120,632 die (1.34%). In India, with a population of over 1.3 billion, the registered annual burn admissions are 7,00, 000–8,00, 000. This review is to identify studies on virtual reality (VR) therapy in the management of burn patients in terms of their pain, anxiety, and stress during treatment and rehabilitation, in the context of the scientific world of literature. Literatures from web-based scientific databases, PubMed, Cochrane, MEDLINE, and Clarivate, National Science Library, were searched to identify the studies conducted on the use of VR in the management of pain related to burns and their dressings. Randomized controlled trials and case series were included in this review. All these studies were organized and tabulated according to the methodology and type of interventions done. Few of the studies were also analyzed to present the highlighted current trends in VR and pain management. A brief overview of the observations at this center with the use of VR technology and its role in alleviating pain during the procedures for burn management has also been included. VR is a nonpharmacological complementary strategy with proven benefits in the management of burn patients. The findings of this literature review and analysis demonstrate that the use of VR in burn patients significantly reduces pain during treatment and rehabilitation and averts its consequences. VR can be easily used in the hospital setting and offers a safe, nonpharmacologic adjunctive therapy in the management of burn patients.

Sortase enzymes are cysteine transpeptidases that embellish the surface of Gram-positive bacteria with various proteins thereby allowing these microorganisms to interact with their neighboring environment. It is known that several of their substrates can cause pathological implications, so researchers have focused on the development of sortase inhibitors. Currently, six different classes of sortases (A-F) are recognized. However, with the extensive application of bacterial genome sequencing projects, the number of potential sortases in the public databases has exploded, presenting considerable challenges in annotating these sequences. It is very laborious and time-consuming to characterize these sortase classes experimentally. Therefore, this study developed the first machine-learning-based two-layer predictor called SortPred, where the first layer predicts the sortase from the given sequence and the second layer predicts their class from the predicted sortase. To develop SortPred, we constructed an original benchmarking dataset and investigated 31 feature descriptors, primarily on five feature encoding algorithms. Afterward, each of these descriptors were trained using a random forest classifier and their robustness was evaluated with an independent dataset. Finally, we selected the final model independently for both layers depending on the performance consistency between cross-validation and independent evaluation. SortPred is expected to be an effective tool for identifying bacterial sortases, which in turn may aid in designing sortase inhibitors and exploring their functions. The SortPred webserver and a standalone version are freely accessible at: https://procarb.org/sortpred.

Nanomaterials have a long history, and people have utilized them unknowingly [...]

Abstract Background Herbal plants are potent in curing various ailments of ancient times as they have comparatively lesser side effects. The demands for natural drugs, mostly from plant sources, are increasing over the past few decades. Because of their potent antioxidant activity, Acacia species are used to treat a variety of diseases. One of the species Acacia ferruginea, an endangered medicinal plant, is widely used in the traditional medicine system, and it is considered that standardization would be beneficial. The present study investigates the physicochemical parameters, preliminary phytochemical screening, trace metals by SEM–EDS, and fluorescence properties of various extracts (non-polar to polar) of leaf and bark parts. Standard spectrophotometric methods (UV–Vis, FT-IR, fluorescence spectroscopy) are employed to analyze the functional groups, and the DPPH and total antioxidant methods are used to assess antioxidant potential. Results The ethyl acetate extract of leaves and ethanol extract of the bark are found to be the highest in yield, 16.32% and 2.54%. Results reveal that the total ash percentage and moisture content are of bark and the water-soluble ash of leaves is higher (10.3 ± 0.85, 7.6 ± 0.34, 3.22 ± 0.24%). The bark polar extract contained more macro-elements such as Na, K, Mg, Ca, S, and Cl. Phytochemical analysis reveals the polar extracts of leaves and bark show saponins, flavonoids, steroids, phenolic compounds, and non-polar extracts show mild positive. The total alkaloids, phenolics, and terpenoids (1.58 ± 0.08%; 0.56 ± 0.11; 0.75 ± 0.15) are found to be higher in A. ferruginea leaves. The FT-IR result shows the presence of alkanes, alkenes, aromatic compounds, aldehydes, phenolics and does not contain any toxic substances since there is no peak observed in the region between 2220 and 2260 cm−1. The in vitro antioxidant activity of the species demonstrated that both the leaf and bark parts have prominent antioxidant properties. Conclusions The results obtained from the preliminary standardization of A. ferruginea are very helpful in the determination of the quality and purity of the crude drug. The refurbished findings of A. ferruginea are promising, and further research is important to identify the bioactive compounds, thereby developing nutritional supplements and medications through therapeutic compound isolation. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Bone is a complex structure with unique cellular and molecular process in its formation. Bone tissue regeneration is a well-organized and routine process at the cellular and molecular level in humans through the activation of biochemical pathways and protein expression. Though many forms of biomaterials have been applied for bone tissue regeneration, electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds have attracted more attention among researchers with their physicochemical properties such as tensile strength, porosity, and biocompatibility. When drugs, antibiotics, or functional nanoparticles are taken as additives to the nanofiber, its efficacy towards the application gets increased. Polyphenol is a versatile green/phytochemical small molecule playing a vital role in several biomedical applications, including bone tissue regeneration. When polyphenols are incorporated as additives to the nanofibrous scaffold, their combined properties enhance cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation in bone tissue defect. The present review describes bone biology encompassing the composition and function of bone tissue cells and exemplifies the series of biological processes associated with bone tissue regeneration. We have highlighted the molecular mechanism of bioactive polyphenols involved in bone tissue regeneration and specified the advantage of electrospun nanofiber as a wound healing scaffold. As the polyphenols contribute to wound healing with their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, we have compiled a list of polyphenols studied, thus far, for bone tissue regeneration along with their in vitro and in vivo experimental biological results and salient observations. Finally, we have elaborated on the importance of polyphenol-loaded electrospun nanofiber in bone tissue regeneration and discussed the possible challenges and future directions in this field.

Copper (II) is one of the most abundant heavy metal ions commonly found in water resources from industrial effluents discharge. Subsequently, it contaminates the food chain and becomes a source of toxicity to human beings and the entire ecological system. High intake of Cu (II) causes serious health effects and even death. The amino acid ligands possess high interaction towards metal ions. To efficiently remove Cu (II) ions from wastewater, we designed and prepared an eco-friendly Zirconium-based Metal-Organic Framework (Zr-MOF) using solitary amino acid (L-tyrosine) as ligand via a simple solvothermal method. The Zr-MOF is partially amorphous, strong solid with a thermal stability of 180 °C. The Zr-MOF has a surface area of 295 m2 g−1, wide pore size distribution ranges from 0.2 to 1.2 nm, with a pore volume of 0.6 cm3 g−1, which can easily trap the Cu (II) ions. Cu (II) ions adsorption analyses are carried out using a simple one-step method (UV Visible Spectroscopy) over other complicated experiments and equations. Zr-MOF exhibits adsorptive behavior on Cu (II) ions from water under any pH range from 1 to 13. The newly developed adsorption technique iss successfully employed to remove Cu (II) with an average adsorption capacity (qe) of Zr-MOF is 79.34 mg g−1 (maximum: 125 mg g−1) and a maximum Cu (II) ion removal efficiency (R) of Zr-MOF is found as 50% (average: 31.7%) in real water samples. This amino acid ligated MOF synthesis will open the doors towards biocompatible MOF development for the environmental remediation applications.

In recent years the neurobiological underpinnings of catatonia have been an emerging area of interest. Catatonia is frequently encountered in mood disorders, neurological disorders and systemic illnesses. Furthermore, the manifestation of catatonia in autoimmune disorders such as NMDA receptor antibody encephalitis and thyroiditis reinforces its neuropsychiatric nature. Irrespective of cause benzodiazepines and electroconvulsive therapy remain the standard treatments for catatonia, although a proportion fail to respond to the same. This report describes three women with pre-existing bipolar disorder presenting in catatonia. Interestingly in all three, while benzodiazepines and electroconvulsive therapy failed, a dramatic resolution of catatonia with corticosteroids was noted following the detection of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Hashimoto's encephalopathy presenting as catatonia has been reported, but our patients' profile differed in having had an a priory diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Given that both catatonia and thyroid dysfunction are frequently encountered in bipolar disorder, Hashimoto's encephalopathy as a potential cause for this concurrent manifestation in bipolar disorder may be overlooked. Therefore, it is essential to suspect Hashimoto's encephalopathy when catatonia manifests in bipolar disorder. A timely evaluation would be prudent as they may fail to respond to standard treatments for catatonia but respond remarkably to corticosteroids, saving much time and angst. Recent evidence implicates immune system dysfunction, with neuroinflammation and peripheral immune dysregulation contributing to the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder as well as catatonia. Findings from this study reaffirm the role of immune system dysfunction common to the etiopathogenesis of all these disorders, highlighting the complex interplay between catatonia, thyroiditis and bipolar disorder.

Aim:Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is very important for the growth and development of the baby. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of EBF practices, to assess the factors associated with those practices, and to find the barriers to EBF practices in the rural community.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study based on systematic questioning was carried out involving 252 mothers with children between the ages of 6 and 9 months in the southern Chennai community and the nearby districts of Chengalpattu and Kanchipuram from October 2018 to October 2019. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with EBF.Results:Seventy percent (184/252) of mothers following EBF habits had a child older than six months. About 58% of mothers started breastfeeding within one hour of birth, and 32.53% reported colostrum feeding. An apparent shortage of milk (58.82%) was a common problem reported by the mothers leading to EBF discontinuation. Children of working mothers [Odds ratio (OR) 3.32; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13, 9.70], urban dwellers (OR 6.67; 95% CI 1.12, 39.66) and children in urban areas (OR 12.47; 95% CI 2.05, 75.90) were less likely to be breastfed exclusively as indicated in the multivariate regression analysis. No relationships were found between the child's gender, method of childbirth, medical advice, or nutritional management before meals and EBF.Conclusion:Working mothers and those living in urban areas were at greater risk of non-compliance with EBF. The national impact of urban sprawl and the impact on EBF activities should be studied in depth.

Abstract Bellflower is an edible ornamental gardening plant in Asia. For predicting the flower color in bellflower plants, a transcriptome-wide approach based on machine learning, transcriptome, and genotyping chip analyses was used to identify SNP markers. Six machine learning methods were deployed to explore the classification potential of the selected SNPs as features in two datasets, namely training (60 RNA-Seq samples) and validation (480 Fluidigm chip samples). SNP selection was performed in sequential order. Firstly, 96 SNPs were selected from the transcriptome-wide SNPs using the principal compound analysis (PCA). Then, 9 among 96 SNPs were later identified using the Random forest based feature selection method from the Fluidigm chip dataset. Among six machines, the random forest (RF) model produced higher classification performance than the other models. The 9 SNP marker candidates selected for classifying the flower color classification were verified using the genomic DNA PCR with Sanger sequencing. Our results suggest that this methodology could be used for future selection of breeding traits even though the plant accessions are highly heterogeneous.