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Background & Aims: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a leading cause of bacterial infections in humans.The widespread use of antibiotics has resulted in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. Hence, the current study was conducted to investigate the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of uropathogens in UTI. Materials & Methods: A total of 642 urine samples were collected from suspected UTI patients and tested microbiologically. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed for the isolated pathogens using the Kirby- Bauer disk diffusion method. Results: Out of 642 urine samples, 308 (48%) were found to exhibit significant bacteriuria. Females had a higher rate of UTI (68%) than males (32%), with a higher prevalence in the middle-aged group, while males reported a higher prevalence in the elderly group, which was statistically significant. The most common organism was Escherichia coli (57.2%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (26.3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8.4%), Proteus spp. (3.6%), Enterococcus spp. (2.6%), and Staphylococcus aureus (1.9%). UTI were more common in middle-aged female patients (31 to 45 years), while in males, high prevalence was seen in older patients (>45 years). Meropenem, Gentamicin, Nitrofurantoin, and Co-Trimoxazole were amongst the most sensitive drugs against E.coli and K.pneumoniae. Conclusion:Due to the irrational and injudicious use of antibiotics, commonly isolated uropathogens have a changing resistance pattern, resulting in reduced treatment effectiveness. This could be overcome by routine antimicrobial resistance surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship measures, and culture-guided therapy.

Abstract The sandalwood (Santalum album) tree holds significant commercial and cultural value globally, particularly in India. Among the 17 species within the Santalum genus, Santalum album stands out due to its high oil content and the presence of favorable compounds such as α-and β-santalols. The wood of this species is highly prized for carving and its aromatic heartwood oil is widely used in attar, perfumes, cosmetics, soaps, toiletries, medicinal products, flavored tobacco, and areca nut products. Despite its historical significance, sandalwood is vulnerable and endangered due to legal policies, illegal harvesting, grazing, lopping, natural fires, exotic plantations, sandalwood spike disease, and climate change. The combination of increased demand and declining supply has led to a surge in sandalwood prices, attracting attention from farmers, policymakers, and the industry sector, prompting interest in commercial cultivation. This has sparked global involvement from various countries, government agencies, industries, research disciplines, industry representatives, and sandalwood growers. This article offers a thorough review of sandalwood utilization, legal issues, and management challenges. It draws on literature and expert insights to assess current practices and research findings. The study identifies critical factors such as the number of hosts, host type, and planting geometry that influence successful establishment and production in farmers' fields. It also highlights obstacles and opportunities for the future sustainability of sandalwood, aiming to guide effective management and policy strategies for this valuable resource. The government of India has initiated policy-level changes regarding the ownership, cultivation, and harvesting of sandalwood trees, encouraging many farmers to cultivate on private land even beyond its natural boundaries. However, the complexity of sandalwood cultivation requires further scientific introspection to ensure successful establishment and sustainable management in the future.

Introduction: Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) is one of the important causes of mortality among children in India. Active management of the cases, followed by addressing the cause of AES, is the key strategy for preventing mortality. Lack of laboratory facility and difficulty of sampling blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for assessing causes is one of the important barriers to early initiation of treatment. The main objective of the study is to validate the Scrub Typhus Encephalitis Assessment Tool (SEAT) for the management of AES. Methods: The study is a continuation of a study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. A machine learning (LightGBM) model was built to predict the probability of scrub typhus diagnosis among patients with acute encephalitis. Three models were built: one with sociodemographic characters, the second with Model 1 variables and blood parameters, and the third with Model 2 variables and CSF parameters. Results: The sensitivity of diagnosing the scrub typhus case was 71%, 77.5%, and 83% in Model 1, Model 2, and Model 3, respectively, and specificity was 61.5%, 75.5%, and 76.3%, respectively, in the models. In Model 1 fever duration, in Models 2 and 3, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was the most important predictor for differentiating the scrub and nonscrub cases. Conclusion: With the available sensitivity and specificity of the tool, the SEAT can be a valuable tool for the prediction of scrub typhus as a cause of AES cases in remote areas.

Abstract What nutrient supply options can ensure maximum productivity and optimize the nutrient uptake of rice–wheat system (R-W system)? an experiment started in the year 1998 (19-year-old) to examine the impact of optimal nutrient supply (NS) strategies to maximize crop productivity and nutritional security in R-W system. To determine the best nutrient management strategies (BNMS), seven different NS methods were tested. These included (organic and mineral fertilizers), as well as combinations such as integrated plant nutrition system (IPNS), IPNS + B (berseem), and IPNS + C (cowpea), with the aim of enhancing the productivity and nutrient absorption of R-W system. Results showed that rice grain yield notably wide-ranging from 1.61 to 5.81 t ha−1 under different NS options and highest rice grain yield (mean of 19 years) was observed at IPNS + C (5.81 t ha−1), which was at par with IPNS (5.79 t ha−1), STCR (soil test crop response) (5.76 t ha−1) and IPNS + B (5.67 t ha−1) followed by 100% recommended dose fertilizer NPK (4.41 t ha−1), which equality with OF (organic farming) (4.04 t ha−1) and lowest was recorded in control plot (1.61 t ha−1). Wheat grain yield varied significantly from 1.43 to 5.86 t ha−1 under different NS options. The highest yield (mean of 19 years) was observed in treatments IPNS + B (5.86 t ha−1), IPNS (5.77 t ha−1), IPNS + C (5.48 t ha−1), and STCR (5.45 t ha−1), followed by OF at 4.49 t ha−1, NPK at 3.76 t ha−1, with the lowest in the control plot at 1.43 t ha−1. Additionally, total phosphorus and sulfur accumulation in rice (grain: 8.41 to 39.09 kg ha−1; straw: 6.02 to 23.54 kg ha−1) varied significantly across nutrient supply treatments. Overall, adoption of IPNS integration with legumes (IPNS + B and IPNS + C), can significantly improve productivity and nutrient accumulation in R-W systems. Incorporating legumes into farming practices is advised for sustained productivity and nutritional benefits.

Abstract Background Lipids produced using oleaginous yeast cells are an emerging feedstock to manufacture commercially valuable oleochemicals ranging from pharmaceuticals to lipid-derived biofuels. Production of biofuels using oleaginous yeast is a multistep procedure that requires yeast cultivation and harvesting, lipid recovery, and conversion of the lipids to biofuels. The quantitative recovery of the total intracellular lipid from the yeast cells is a critical step during the development of a bioprocess. Their rigid cell walls often make them resistant to lysis. The existing methods include mechanical, chemical, biological and thermochemical lysis of yeast cell walls followed by solvent extraction. In this study, an aqueous thermal pretreatment was explored as a method for lysing the cell wall of the oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula toruloides for lipid recovery. Results Hydrothermal pretreatment for 60 min at 121 °C with a dry cell weight of 7% (w/v) in the yeast slurry led to a recovery of 84.6 ± 3.2% (w/w) of the total lipids when extracted with organic solvents. The conventional sonication and acid-assisted thermal cell lysis led to a lipid recovery yield of 99.8 ± 0.03% (w/w) and 109.5 ± 1.9% (w/w), respectively. The fatty acid profiles of the hydrothermally pretreated cells and freeze-dried control were similar, suggesting that the thermal lysis of the cells did not degrade the lipids. Conclusion This work demonstrates that hydrothermal pretreatment of yeast cell slurry at 121 °C for 60 min is a robust and sustainable method for cell conditioning to extract intracellular microbial lipids for biofuel production and provides a baseline for further scale-up and process integration. Graphical abstract

Led by a premise that effective cooperative tasks play a vital role in enhancing Cognitive Engagement (CE) and task achievement in ESL/EFL teaching, this study investigates the effects of Cooperative Learning (CL) on Omani Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.) students' CE and task achievement. This quasiexperimental study has three objectives: (i) To find out the level of awareness of CE skills required during EFL learning sessions; (ii) To examine whether there are any statistically significant differences between the mean scores of students' responses taught through CL strategies and taught in normal setting; and (iii) To investigate whether there are significant differences among EFL students' CE levels attributed to their gender. A total of 36 B. Ed. students were assigned to Experimental Group and Control Group with 18 students in each. Analytical results of the study found that (a) The overall CE levels of the students was low at the mean score of 2.20; (b) On statistical grounds, significant differences were found at the level of <0.01 between the mean scores of CE responses of students taught through CL and those who were taught in a normal setting; and (c) No statistically significant differences were found at the level of <0.05 between mean scores of students' CE responses attributed to their gender. We have discussed a number of pedagogical implications emerging from the findings of this study for raising students' awareness, enhancing teachers' roles and responsibilities, effective task designing and developing engaging instructional materials.

Abstract Oilcane—an oil‐accumulating crop engineered from sugarcane—and microbial oil have the potential to improve renewable oil production and help meet the expected demand for bioderived oleochemicals and fuels. To assess the potential synergies of processing both plant and microbial oils, the economic and environmental implications of integrating microbial oil production at oilcane and sugarcane biorefineries were characterized. Due to decreased crop yields that lead to higher simulated feedstock prices and lower biorefinery capacities, current oilcane prototypes result in higher costs and carbon intensities than microbial oil from sugarcane. To inform oilcane feedstock development, we calculated the required biomass yields (as a function of oil content) for oilcane to achieve financial parity with sugarcane. At 10 dw% oil, oilcane can sustain up to 30% less yield than sugarcane and still be more profitable in all simulated scenarios. Assuming continued improvements in microbial oil production from cane juice, achieving this target results in a minimum biodiesel selling price of 1.34 [0.90, 1.85] USD∙L−1 (presented as median [5th, 95th] percentiles), a carbon intensity of 0.51 [0.47, 0.55] kg CO2e L−1, and a total biodiesel yield of 2140 [1870, 2410] L ha−1 year−1. Compared to biofuel production from soybean, this outcome is equivalent to 3.0–3.9 as much biofuel per hectare of land and a 57%–63% reduction in carbon intensity. While only 20% of simulated scenarios fell within the market price range of biodiesel (0.45–1.11 USD∙L−1), if the oilcane biomass yield would improve to 25.6 DMT∙ha−1∙y−1 (an equivalent yield to sugarcane) 87% of evaluated scenarios would have a minimum biodiesel selling price within or below the market price range.

Abnormal accumulation of insoluble α-synuclein (α-Syn) inclusions in neurons, neurites, and glial cells is the defining neuropathology of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy. Accumulation of α-Syn inclusions in the amygdala has been well-documented in post-mortem studies of PD and DLB brains, as well as preclinical animal models of these conditions. Though α-Syn pathology is closely associated with neurodegeneration, there is a poor correlation between neuronal loss in the amygdala and the clinical features of PD and DLB. Moreover, functional interaction between the cerebral cortex and the amygdala is critical to regulating emotion, motivation, and social behaviors. The cortico-amygdala functional interaction is likely to be disrupted by the development of α-Syn pathology in the brain. Thus, we hypothesize that neuronal α-Syn inclusions disrupt cortical modulation of the amygdala circuits and are sufficient to drive social behavioral deficits. In the present work, we designed a series of longitudinal studies to rigorously measure the time courses of neurodegeneration, functional impairment of cortico-amygdala connectivity, and development of amygdala-dependent social behavioral deficits to test this hypothesis. We injected α-Syn preformed fibrils (PFFs) into the dorsal striatum to induce α-Syn aggregation in the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of C57BL6 mice of both sexes, followed by a detailed analysis of temporal development of α-Syn pathology, synaptic deficits, and neuronal loss in the amygdala, as well as behavioral deficits at 3–12 months post injections. Development of α-Syn inclusions caused losses of cortical axon terminals and cell death in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) at 6- and 12-months post injections, respectively. At a relatively early stage of 3 months post injections, the connection strength of the mPFC-BLA synapse was decreased in PFFs-injection mice compared to controls. Meanwhile, the PFFs-injected mice showed impaired social interaction behavior, which was rescued by chemogenetic stimulation of mPFC-BLA connections. Altogether, we presented a series of evidence to delineate circuit events in the amygdala associated with the accumulation of α-Syn inclusions in the mouse brain, highlighting that functional impairment of the amygdala is sufficient to cause social behavior deficits. The present work further suggests that early circuit modulation could be an effective approach to alleviate symptoms associated with α-Syn pathology, necessitating studies of functional consequences of α-Syn aggregation.

Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), the spread of cancer cells in the peritoneum, is a significant concern in advanced gastrointestinal and gynecological cancers. This case series includes findings on the appearance and pattern of PC on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (18F-FDG PET/CT). The primary sources of peritoneal dissemination are direct invasion from abdominal or pelvic tumors and metastatic spread from distant tumors. The accurate preoperative diagnosis and quantification of PC play a vital role in determining the appropriate treatment approach, with a particular emphasis on surgical planning. Several imaging modalities have been employed in preoperative evaluation, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 18F-FDG PET/CT. Among these modalities, 18F-FDG PET/CT has demonstrated improved anatomical localization and accurate information about the nature of pathological findings. The case series showcases four cases that illustrate the imaging characteristics of PC on FDG PET/CT. FDG PET/CT plays a vital role in diagnosing and assessing PC, aiding in its detection, staging, and treatment planning. It surpasses conventional imaging techniques in identifying and characterizing lesions and detecting the primary tumor site in cases where its location is unknown. Furthermore, FDG PET/CT additionally assists in evaluating treatment response and monitoring disease progression, providing insights into treatment effectiveness and guiding patient management decisions.

The lightness of an object is an intrinsic property that depends on its surface reflectance spectrum. The visual system estimates an object's lightness from the light reflected off its surface. However, the reflected light also depends on object extrinsic properties of the scene, such as the light source. For stable perception, the visual system needs to discount the variations due to the object extrinsic properties. We characterize this perceptual stability for variation in two spectral properties of the scene: the reflectance spectra of background objects and the intensity of light sources. We measure human observers’ thresholds of discriminating computer-generated images of 3D scenes based on the lightness of a spherical target object in the scene. We measured change in discrimination thresholds as we varied the reflectance spectra of the objects and the intensity of the light sources in the scene, both individually and simultaneously. For small amounts of extrinsic variations, the discrimination thresholds remained nearly constant indicating that the thresholds were dominated by observers’ intrinsic representation of lightness. As extrinsic variation increased, it started affecting observers’ lightness judgment and the thresholds increased. We estimated that the effects of extrinsic variations were comparable to observers’ intrinsic variation in the representation of object lightness. Moreover, for simultaneous variation of these spectral properties, the increase in threshold squared compared to the no-variation condition was a linear sum of the corresponding increase in threshold squared for the individual properties, indicating that the variations from these independent sources combine linearly.

Purpose – The study aims to examine how the information disclosed by the managers in the management discussion and analysis (MD&A) reports varies at the different levels of corporate performance. Design/methodology/approach – To understand this quantile effect, first OLS technique was adopted and then, the quantile regression method was applied to explore the impact of MD&A disclosures on the firm performance across the lower and upper quantiles. The sample size for the study is 490 firms’ year observations for the period 2016–2022. Findings – The results of the study demonstrate the negative but significant relationship between MD&A disclosures and corporate performance, supporting the two management strategies of “competitive disadvantage” in case of good performance and “management impression strategy” in case of poor performance. Furthermore, with other corporate governance variables, both the size of the board and the number of independent directors on the board are positively significant only in the case of the upper quantile indicating the heterogeneity in the relationship between the performance and the MD&A disclosures. Therefore, the overall findings of the study support that these results contradict the agency theory and the stakeholders’ theory as managers are not acting well as agents on behalf of the investors and work well only when they are controlled by the large board having more independent directors. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study so far has incorporated quantile regression to assess the effect of MD&A disclosures on company performance at various levels of the firm performance, which gives more robust insights about the viewpoint of the managers on the different level of the firm performance. In other words, this study highlights the important information as to how the information provided in the MD&A reports varies as per the good or poor performance of the companies.

Abstract In the present study, three varieties of kidney beans (Red Rajma (RR), Rajma Chitra (RC), and Rajma Sharmili (RS)) were physically characterized and the effect of pre-gelatinization by microwave and hot water on functional and pasting properties of flour were studied. A significant difference was observed in the physical properties of all the kidney beans, indicating that they can be easily characterized and identified based on physical properties. Pre-gelatinization treatment led to variation in color, functional and pasting properties of flours. Color parameters L*, b*, chroma, and hue values reduced with the treatment, whereas a* and total color difference ( $$\Delta$$ Δ E) values increased. Water absorption capacity (WAC) and oil absorption capacity (OAC) varied in the range of 1.15–1.91% and 1.25–1.75% for microwave and hot water treatment, respectively. The highest value of WAC and OAC was observed for microwave-treated RC and hot water-treated RR, respectively. WAC increases with both treatments, whereas OAC increases only with water bath cooking. Functional group analysis (FTIR) showed no major peaks shifting in water bath treatment, whereas a slight deflation of certain peaks was observed in the case of microwave treatment. Pasting curves showed a significant reduction in peak and final viscosity after pre-gelatinization treatment; however, none of the samples showed any breakdown during cooking. Graphical Abstract

As Mohan (1986) rightly argues, While the need for coordinating the learning of language and subject matter is generally recognized, just how this should be accomplished remains a problem and is one of particular concern for university ESL/EFL programs. In view of this vital pedagogical concern, skills-integrated content courses have been designed and experimented by many universities and individual academicians. In content-based curriculum the basic organizational unit is a theme or topic, rather than the more customary grammatical patterns or language functions. The main goal of this, as Bycina (1982) explains, is to provide meaningful contexts for language learning instead of focusing on language as an object of study. At the foundation of this approach is the Krashen's (1984) notion that acquisition is best promoted when language is presented in comprehensible and interesting communicative contexts (p. 25). In a more crystalized view of English for STEM education, this paper revisits the concept of thinking and pedagogy of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and emphasizes on the use of independent mind to promote focused ESP for the students of the Scientific Disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). In the backdrop of the context of STEM education, we have developed a tripartite discussion in the paper focused on the primacy of independent mind and thinking skills; the need to facilitate language development in a contextualized, integrated, interactive framework; and the ways and means to exploit the richness of authentic scientific materials and discussion-led innovative tasks and activities to promote active ESP in STEM education.

As far as the main purpose of teaching and learning of the Grammar of a language is concerned, it should tell the teachers and learners the principles and parameters of sentence construction in the given language, i.e. English Language in the context of the discussion in this paper. Incidentally, the grammatical device of tense becomes more important and relevant at the level of discourse and communication. However, a predominantly common approach to teaching and learning of the system of tense in English language has been to understand it in synonymous terms with the notion of three timelines of present, past and future, which poses situations of systemic difficulties and makes it confusing and misleading to comprehend and communicate sentences and utterances in terms of communicative clarity within the parametric confines of the linguistic system of the English Language. Focusing on this issue, this paper demonstrates the ways to unfold the dichotomies involved in the traditional ways of teaching and learning of the grammar of tense, times and aspects of verbal action in English Language and suggests an instructional framework to resolve the related pedagogical issues of concern.

Like many non-native learners, English is a Foreign Language to Omani learners; therefore, Spoken English turns out to be difficult and often problematic. Non-native learners of English face several phonological problems mainly because most languages follow specific, predictable rules of pronunciation, but English does not. There are native and non-native varieties of English, which differ not only in terms of vocabulary and grammar but also in pronunciation. In the backdrop of phonological differences between varieties of English and ensuing pronunciation problems, this action research was conducted to investigate the phonological problems that Omani learners at school level encounter. The study was based on focused observation using the diary as a tool for data collection for six months each in one (1) class of grade seven (7) and one (1) class of grade nine (9) in two Omani public schools. The total sample size was 100. The collected phonological data were coded and organized in terms of marked thematic categories. The recurrent problems which surfaced in the Spoken English of Omani learners involved in this study were pure vowel substitution for diphthongs [/schwa near-close back rounded vowel/] and /ei/, replacement of /p/ by /b/ sound, insertion of the vowel sound /I/ while pluralizing the words, syllabification of initial and final consonant clusters, deletion of /s/ sound occurring as the final element from consonant clusters, the alternation between /d3/ and /g, /3/ and /d3/, /t[Esh - voiceless palato-alveolar fricative]/ and /[Esh - voiceless palato-alveolar fricative]/ sounds, replacement of /t/ by /t[character omitted]/ sound, lengthening of certain vowel sounds, pronouncing 'r' in all phonetic environments, irregularities in the use of weak forms, and not following the rules of aspiration. Based on the emerging phonological problems, certain remedial activities were planned and used with the students, which helped improve their phonological problems considerably. These remedial activities are proposed and recommended as measures of pedagogical intervention.