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Hearing impairment after treated by radio/chemotherapy for head and neck malignancies may compromise patients' communication and make them socially handicap. Thus, early detection of hearing loss may provide early access to hearing rehabilitation facilities and improve their quality of life. The present study was a 1-year prospective observational study conducted at tertiary care center, Jaipur, India. Total 90 patients treated with radio/chemo or combined therapy for head and neck malignancies were included in our study. Evaluation of type and degree of hearing loss with pure tone audiometry was done Pretreatment and Posttreatment at 1- and 6-months interval and data analyzed. Most common type of modality received by study population was chemoradiotherapy (41.1%) followed with radiotherapy (36.7%) and least common modality was chemotherapy (22.2%). We observed in our study that 50% of patients who received chemotherapy, 48.5% with radiotherapy and 81.1% patients who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy develops sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) of various grade. Patients who were exposed with high dose of cisplatin developed more severe SNHL (44.44% grade 2, 44.44% grade 3 and 11.1% grade 0) when compared with low dose group of patients (81.8% grade 0 and 18.18% grade 2) and results were found significant (P value less than 0.05). Chemotherapy, with or without radiotherapy can cause hearing loss and it should be monitored to avoid permanent impairment Additionally, it can also guide the dosage to be delivered based on the patient's conditions, and if necessary, a more toxic drug can be replaced with a less toxic drug that is similarly efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season (September to January) of 2021 and 2022 at the experimental farm of Integral Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Integral University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The objective of the experiment is to find out the most efficient combination of different organic and inorganic sources of nutrients to increase the growth, yield characteristics of cauliflower. Total nine numbers of treatments along with the control treatment were assessed in Randomized Block Design with three numbers of replications. In view of, effect of different organic and inorganic sources of nutrients has observed significant variation. The result revealed that the growth parameters like plant height (5.57, 12.47, 19.77 cm), number of leaves (7.97, 9.53, 13.7), length of leaves (17.30, 24.73, 31.73 cm), width of leaves (7.17, 10.20, 15.10 cm), plant spread (285.50, 806.93, 1212.83 cm) at 20, 40 and 60 days respectively, yield parameters like weight of curd (893.73 g), yield of curd plot-1 (13.40 kg), yield of curd ha-1 (25.30 t) were observed higher in 75% N through RDF+25% N through FYM+Azotobacter @ 5 kg ha-1 (T4). INM treatments showed lesser result on growth and yield of cauliflower in T1 (control). The treatment T4 were the most beneficial treatment which may be followed for commercial cauliflower cultivation on large scale. Thus, farmers are suggested to apply 75% N through RDF+25% N through FYM+Azotobacter @ 5 kg ha-1 to increase growth and yield of cauliflower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new molecular cobaloxime complexes with the general formula [ClCo(dpgH)2L] (1–3), where L1 = N-(4-pyridylmethyl)-1,8-naphthalimide, L2 = 4-bromo-N-(4-pyridylmethyl)-1,8-naphthalimide, L3 = 4-piperidin-N-(4-pyridylmethyl)-1,8-naphthalimide, have been synthesized and characterized by UV-Vis, multinuclear NMR, FT-IR and PXRD spectroscopic techniques. The crystal structures of all complexes have also been reported. The electrocatalytic activity of complexes is investigated under two catalysis conditions: (i) homogeneous conditions in acetonitrile using acetic acid (AcOH) as a proton source and (ii) heterogeneous conditions upon immobilization onto the surface of activated carbon cloth (CC). Complex 3 exhibited high electrocatalytic HER activity under both homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions. It catalyses proton reduction to molecular hydrogen in acetonitrile solution at a lower overpotential (640 mV) with a high turnover frequency (TOF) of 524.57 s−1 and demonstrates good stability in acidic conditions. Furthermore, catalytic (working) electrodes are prepared by immobilizing the complexes onto the surface of activated carbon cloth (CC) for electrocatalytic HER under heterogeneous conditions. An impressive HER performance was again obtained with catalytic electrode 3@CC in 1.0 M KOH, achieving a current density of −10 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of 262 mV. Chronoamperometric (CA) studies showed no significant decay of the initial current density for 10 h, indicating the excellent stability of 3@CC. Additionally, UV-Vis and NMR spectral studies of the recovered catalyst after electrocatalysis revealed no structural changes, demonstrating its robustness under reaction conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, aluminum electrodes have been employed in electrocoagulation (EC) to remove fluoride ions from groundwater. The effects of various operating process variables of EC, including pH, salt dosage, stirring speed, inter-electrode distance, and current density have been studied, as well as the operating cost and kinetics of the process. The most favorable values of the EC process parameters have been observed, which are effective for the removal of 97.6% fluoride, such as an initial value of pH 7.0, a current density value of 105.86 A/m2, an IED of 1 cm, a dose of salt of 0.33 g/L, a rotating speed of 700 RPM, and a time 40 min. The operating cost for the removal of fluoride (97.6% efficiency) from groundwater by EC was found to be 0.27 US$/m3. The effectiveness of the EC process in the removal of turbidity and TDS from different operating circumstances have also been investigated. First-order kinetics was observed in the kinetic study. The reaction rate constant k increases with CD increase, k decreases with IED increase, and k decreases with initial concentration increase. EDX analysis and FTIR spectra of the sludge confirm the availability of trace amounts of fluoride in the sludge produced. The EC process can effectively reduce the fluoride concentration from synthetic water as well as real groundwater up to below 1.5 mg/L as per WHO recommendations for drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the challenges of managing infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), highlighting the long treatment lag and diagnostic delays faced by patients. The research group proposes key recommendations to mitigate treatment lag, including fostering health literacy among parents, providing active surveillance during routine visits, improving healthcare providers' knowledge, scaling telehealth services, and advocating for essential medicines inclusion. These recommendations aim to enhance the care and outcomes of children with IESS in LMICs, aligning with the WHO's global action plan for neurological disorders. [Extracted from the article]

To address ciprofloxacin's (CPF) persistent presence in water and potential ecological and health hazard, the challenge is to develop an effective method for its removal from wastewater. This work is aimed at optimizing the adsorptive removal of ciprofloxacin (CPF) utilizing a layered double hydroxide pine cone biochar composite (LDH/PCBC). Response surface methodology (RSM) is employed to design the experiments to obtain optimal experimental conditions for improved adsorption processes. The CPF removal efficiency of LDH/PCBC from aqueous solution is found to be 97.6% under the optimized conditions (pH = 7, adsorbent dose = 0.45 g L−1, initial CPF concentration = 52 mg L−1 and temperature = 303 K). The Freundlich isotherm confirms the best fit, and the Langmuir adsorption capacity of the LDH/PCBC is determined to be 476.2 mg g−1 at 303 K. The pseudo-second-order model fitted the best for adsorption kinetics, suggesting that the adsorption process is directed by chemisorption. The thermodynamic investigation confirmed the endothermic and spontaneous adsorption process (ΔH° = 56.9 kJ and ΔG° from −3.2 kJ at 278 K to −10.8 kJ at 318 K). The study reveals that LDH/PCBC can be reused effectively with insignificant loss of removal efficiency (∼6%). The cost of the development and large-scale application of LDH/PCBC for the removal of CPF is $988.75 per ton. The results indicate that the LDH/PCBC outperforms the reported adsorbents for sustainable removal of CPF from aqueous solutions. This is the first report on the use of LDH/PCBC as a cheaper and environment friendly method for the removal of CPF from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically leaf senescence, natural or stress-induced, was not taken seriously by plant physiologists. However, it is directly associated with plant productivity and nutrient economy. The complete execution of senescence and stress response is energy dependent. On the other hand, photosynthesis declines during the senescence process that limits supply of sugar to the leaf cells. Under sugar starvation environment, the cells search for alternative sources of sugar. Of course, the breakdown of cell deposits like starch, lipids and proteins provide the respiratory sugar at initial phase. However, these sources are likely to exhaust during the last phase of leaf senescence and the leaves experiencing stress. The possible role of cell wall polysaccharides in the maintenance of the sugar homeostasis during the late phase of leaf senescence and abiotic stresses is not much explored. The review will focus on the possible role of cell wall hydrolases that participate in the breakdown of cell wall polysaccharides and provide respiratory sugar, maintain cellular sugar homeostasis to execute and complete both senescence programme and stress response. The review will also emphasize on the loss of photosynthesis and, consequently loss of cellular sugar that possibly worked as the signal for induction and enhancement of the wall hydrolases to provide sugar to energy starved cells. Different groups of cell wall hydrolases such as exopolysaccharides, endopolysaccharides, and other hydrolases are involved in the coordinated loosing and the degradation of cell wall polysaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare Earth Elements (REE) are the industrial “Vitamins” because of the high-technology based modern uses and their anthropogenic inputs in natural environment, this study mainly focused on Geogenic variability and anthropogenic imprints of Light Rare Earth Elements (LREE), in the recently deposited sediments of the Ganga Alluvial Plain. All the Sediment samples were analyzed by using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). LREE comprises about ~91% of total REE in the Gomati River Sediments and Cerium (300 µg/g) was the most abundant LREE in the bedload sediments. Average LREE concentrations in bedload (170 µg/g) and suspended load (184 µg/g) sediments of the Gomati River were observed higher than the Average Sediments and the World Major Rivers Suspended Sediments and therefore, characterizing the LREE contamination in sediments. This contamination level assessed on the basis of Potential Ecological Risk Assessment (PERI), Contamination Factors (CF), Degree of Contamination (CD) and Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), the trend of element contamination showed that Sm>La>Pr>Ce>Nd and PERI shows that LREE pose moderate to strong ecological risk, mostly by Pr and Sm in the study area. The spatial and temporal enrichment of LREE in sediments were observed in the Basin since last two decades. This paper mainly highlights the effects of socio-economic development linked modern high-tech processes on LREE contamination in the river sediments and cycling by the sub-tropical fluvial environment of southern Asia; where rivers supply ~30% of the global sediment input to the world’s ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superacids are systems that exhibit higher acidity compared to extremely strong mineral acid, i.e. 100% pure sulphuric acid (H2SO4). They can be designed by the protonation of appropriate superhalogen anions. Superhalogens possess higher electron affinity (EA) than halogens. Most recent examples include CF 4 − n ( SO 3) n , which behave as superhalogens for n = 1 − 4. In this work, we studied the protonation of CF 4 − n ( SO 3) n − using density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/6-311 + + G (d , p) level. The Gibbs' free energies of deprotonation (Δ G acid ) values of the resulting protonated complexes, HCF 4 − n ( SO 3) n for n = 1 –4; are either lower or nearly equivalent to that of H2SO4 (Δ G acid = 3 0 2. 2 kcal/mol). This suggests that all these protonated complexes exhibit superacidic behavior. Notably, the HC ( SO 3) 4 compound undergoes significant structural relaxation, leading to a remarkably less Δ G acid value. Our findings should enrich the literature with a new series of superacids and motivate further studies to explore novel organic superacids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the efficacy of the Heliosat-2 algorithm for estimating solar radiation, comparing its outputs against ground measurements across seven distinct countries: the Netherlands, Spain, Japan, Namibia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and India. To achieve this, the study utilizes two distinct satellite data sources—Himawari-8 for Japan and Metosat Second Generation-MSG for the rest of the countries—and spanning the time between January 2022 and April 2024. A robust methodology for determining albedo parameters specific to Heliosat-2 was developed. During cloudy days, the estimates provided by Heliosat-2 generally exceeded the ground measurements in all of the countries. Conversely, on clear days, there was a tendency for underestimation, as indicated by the median values of the mean bias (MB) across most of the countries. The Heliosat-2 model slightly underestimates daily radiation values, with a median MB ranging from −27.5 to +10.2 W·m−2. Notably, the median root mean square error (RMSE) on clear days is significantly lower, with values ranging from 24.8 to 108.7 W·m−2, compared to cloudy days, for which RMSE values lie between 75.3 and 180.2 W·m−2. In terms of R2 values, both satellites show strong correlations between the estimated and actual values, with a median value consistently above 0.86 on a monthly scale and over 92% of daily data points falling within ±2 standard deviations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted on four healthy breeding Sahiwal bulls with the aim to evaluate fresh seminal characteristics of Sahiwal bull along with their methodology. Physio-morphological seminal attributes of ejaculated semen were evaluated and recorded. Overall mean seminal volume irrespective of the bull was recorded as 5.83 ± 0.15. Overall mean seminal pH in the freshly collected semen of Sahiwal bull was 6.71±0.02. Overall mean mass motility of spermatozoa in the freshly collected semen of Sahiwal bull was 4.78 ± 0.05. Seminal mass motility did not differ significantly amongst different bulls. Overall mean sperm concentration in the freshly collected semen of Sahiwal bull was 1434.72 ± 276.42. Mean value of bull number S-109 was significantly higher compared to other bulls. Overall mean percentage of live spermatozoa in freshly collected semen of Sahiwal bull was 92.91 ± 0.59. Mean value of bull number S-103 and S-109 was significantly higher as compared to other bulls. The overall mean percentage of progressively motile spermatozoa in freshly collected semen of Sahiwal bull was 84.06 ± 0.97. The progressive motility did not differ significantly amongst different bulls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social identity development of adolescents in marginalized communities across the globe holds paramount significance in determining the overall well‐being of its future population. Focusing on one such community, the Kodavas, an Indigenous community in South India, this study aims to understand the shifting configurations of social identity based on the changing sociocultural structure and its implications on identity perception among the adolescents belonging to the Kodava community in Kodagu district in Karnataka, India. This study used a qualitative research design to develop an analytical framework of social identity formation and its transitions in the context of the Kodavas. Data were collected from 188 adolescents (47% boys, 53% girls) between 13 and 17 years (M age = 15 years), in the form of essay writing. The findings based on thematic analysis highlight the core traditional elements of Kodava identity, factors influencing the transition in identity, and its reflection in the contemporary period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neodymium hexaboride (NdB6) is an important rare‐earth hexaboride material that has many structural and functional applications in advanced technologies. This paper presents the results on experimental studies of synthesis, densification, microstructural characterization, and mechanical properties of NdB6. Single‐phase NdB6 powder was obtained by the carbothermic reduction of Nd2O3 and B4C at optimized conditions and charge composition. Densification of NdB6 powders was carried out by pressureless sintering and hot pressing. The highest density of 93% theoretical density (TD) was obtained at 1800°C by hot pressing for 2 h in a vacuum, whereas 79% TD was obtained by pressureless sintering at 1900°C. However, 99.9% dense NdB6 was obtained by adding a sintering aid of 5 wt.% B4C using a hot‐pressing technique at 1800°C. Microstructural characterization revealed no significant grain growth during hot pressing at 1800°C, and a dominant transgranular mode of fracture was observed in fractography. Hardness values were measured as 23.8 and 28.8 GPa, respectively, by two different techniques micro‐ and nanohardness testers. Fracture toughness and elastic modulus of hot‐pressed NdB6 sample were measured as 3.04 MPa m1/2 and 484 GPa, respectively. The flexural strength of dense NdB6 was obtained as 156 MPa by three‐point bend test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and compact, 20 kW solid-state power amplifier (SSA) at 325 MHz has been designed and developed in-house, using single stage combining. It comprises of 24 nos. of 1 kW power amplifier (PA) modules, a 24-way Wilkinson power combiner and divider, and other peripheral systems. The typical gain and conversion efficiency of the PA modules at 1.0 kW output is 21.7 dB and 66.6%, respectively. It is demonstrated that overall power gain and AC to RF efficiency of this SSA at 20 kW is 88.5 dB and 54.8%, respectively, which matches closely with the design estimates. The harmonic content in the RF output is < −40 dBc for all the harmonics. The results of the Monte Carlo simulation are also presented, showing lower bound on combining efficiency with a degree of confidence if magnitude and phase data for 24 inputs are randomly chosen from a normal distribution's pre-defined interval. The salient features of this SSA include power density of 12.7 kW/m3, AC to RF efficiency of 54.8% at 20 kW, and guaranteed output of 20 kW with one failed PA module and 18.1 kW under two failed PA modules condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of Eriochrome Black T (EBT) in water bodies at low concentrations is creating many problems for human health and different aquatic organisms. In this manuscript, we synthesised magnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) modified activated carbon (AC) derived from sky fruit by co-precipitation process for the removal of EBT dye from an aqueous solution. The structural features of the synthesised materials were analysed by utilising X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Vibrating-sample magnetometry (VSM) Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). To know the optimum value for EBT dye adsorption, we performed various parameters such as initial dye concentration was 20 mg/L, adsorbent dosage was 100 mg, stirring time was 350 rpm, contact time was 60 min and pH was 4. The isotherm model was well-fitted with the Langmuir isotherm model (R2 = 0.99). The adsorption capacity was found to be 49.48 mg/g. The adsorption kinetic model was well-fitted with the Pseudo-second-order model. In this research article, the adsorption mechanism was critically investigated. The adsorbent can be reusable after 5 cycles with 61.45%, which signifies that the adsorbent is a promising choice for EBT dye removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently tungsten alloys have shown capabilities in suppressing morphological changes when exposed to harsh fusion conditions. Morphological changes due to He+ and D+ ions at high temperatures (1000–2000 K) can lead to easier erosion and sputtering of tungten (W) particles towards quenching the fusion plasma. This study investigated W–3Ta alloy as potential plasma facing materials (PFMs) exposed to different edge-localized mode (ELM)-like energies and ion loadings. Performance of W–3Ta has been tested as a function of ELM-like energies (0.6–1.5 GW m−2) and varying He+ and D+ ion concentrations (100% He+, 50% He+:50% D+,10% He+:90% D+ (similar ELM-like reactor condition), and 100% D+ ions). Early-stage fuzz formation and surface pores were observed during 100% He+ ion irradiation and mixed ion loadings but not observed during 100% D+ ion loadings. Pores decreased in quantity and increased in size with increasing transient heat loading. Grain boundaries acted as trapping sites of helium and deuterium atoms during dual beam ion irradiations, as observed through increased pore size along the grain boundary. Qualitative erosion estimates were measured using witness plates. Increased erosion was observed with increasing D+ ion concentration, which is attributed to D supersaturation in the near surface region affecting thermal and mechanical properties. More erosion was observed for W–3Ta samples compared to pure W, evident through large (>10 µ m) cracks on the surface, and an increase in W metal x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy peaks under similar loading conditions. The slight enhancement in erosion is attributed to the slightly decreased thermal properties, ∼10% thermal diffusivity drop, of W–3Ta at high temperatures. The damage threshold was impacted by ion loading, where distinct cracking was observed for 100% He+ at a lower heat loading. This matrix study using reactor-like loading supports the need for extensive studies on future W alloy PFMs before selecting one as an alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study offers a comprehensive examination of economic growth and convergence in the Indian States and Union Territories (U.T.) over the period from 1991 to 2020. It investigates absolute, sigma, and conditional convergence within this diverse set of states and utilizes the augmented Solow and extended Solow models to explore conditional convergence dynamics. The empirical findings reveal several significant insights. First, there is no substantial negative correlation between the initial per capita GDP ratio and the average annual growth rate, indicating the absence of absolute convergence across the Indian States and U.T. economies during the study period. These results align with those obtained from sigma convergence analysis, reinforcing the absence of widespread convergence. However, conditional convergence is observed, as evidenced by the rate of conditional convergence (coefficient of initial GDP per capita) estimated at 0.038 among the Indian States and U.T. The presence of conditional convergence implies that while initial conditions matter, other factors, including physical and human capital, population growth, and additional variables, significantly contribute to the growth and convergence of Indian regions. The study concludes that policies aimed at promoting economic growth in the Indian States should prioritize the expansion of the labor force, investments in physical and human capital, and prudent government consumption. Furthermore, fostering an environment that encourages access to new technologies and ideas, maintaining sound macroeconomic management, and increasing investments in human capital formation are essential for sustained growth. Effective resource allocation through prudent budgetary policies and heightened investments in the health sector are recommended. Incentives to reduce fertility rates and adept monetary policy management are also identified as crucial elements for ensuring stability and sustainable growth. In summary, this research underscores the importance of adopting a holistic approach to foster economic growth and convergence in the Indian States. The suggested policy measures create a conducive environment for sustained development and prosperity in this diverse and dynamic region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to assess the ability of Global Climate Models (GCMs) from the third, fifth, and sixth phases of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) to reproduce observed rainfall over the Western Himalaya Region (WHR) between 1901 and 2000. A probabilistic approach was adopted to evaluate the models' skill in capturing the observed precipitation from 22 India Meteorological Department stations by comparing their probability distribution function (PDF) with that of the observed rainfall. The results indicated that all three generations of climate models could adequately reproduce the PDF of observed precipitation, surpassing the observed PDFs in both annual and monsoon seasons. Subsequently, each model was assigned a rank based on its skill score. The Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory model from CMIP3, the community Earth system model from CMIP5, and the CMIP6 model from the Met Office Hadley Centre achieved the highest ranks, accurately capturing the distribution of observed precipitation over WHR. Remarkably, the Japanese model from the Model for Interdisciplinary Research and the UK model from Hadley Centre exhibited consistently high performance across all three CMIP generations. Overall, the top-ranked models from each generation can be deemed reliable for use by researchers and decision-makers concerned with the impact of climate change on the Western Himalaya Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) for a symmetric supercapacitor (SSC) under ambient conditions from synthesizing material to device fabrication. The prepared Fe3O4 NPs are characterized using different characterization, X‐ray diffraction, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. The electrochemical performance of supercapacitor (SC) is measured in two electrode systems using coin‐cell assembly at various scan rates varying from 10–100 mV s−1, and cyclic voltammetry measurements are investigated from −0.8 to 0.6 V window. The Fe3O4 NPs based SSC shows an energy density of 24.99 Wh kg−1 with the high specific capacitance of 91.82 F g−1 at 10 mV s−1 scan rate. At a current rate of 4 A g−1, the power density reaches 2000 W kg−1. The Fe3O4 NPs based SSC exhibits a quick charge and discharge mechanism at various current rates and is stable over 500 galvanostatic chargingdischarging cycles at a current rate of 4 A g−1. The fabricated SSC showed >60% capacitance retention even after operating for 1000 cyclic voltammetry cycles at a scan rate of 100 mV s−1. A reasonable choice for SSC electrodes with high power density, and the outstanding resilience of electrodes is further shown by cyclic stability and impedance study exhibiting a negligible change in the different impedance elements. The potential of the fabricated SSC is demonstrated by lightening a light emitting diode (LED) light as a practical aspect for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rafts are frequently used to design foundations on soft soils to minimize the overall and differential settlements of structures built on them. In many cases, the raft alone can offer sufficient bearing capacity and all that is needed to restrict foundation settlements to a predetermined level with a few widely spaced piles. Granular piles (GPs) can be used due to their several advantages over steel or concrete piles. An annular raft foundation is generally provided for overhead water tanks, chimneys, etc. The provision of granular piles underneath the annular raft foundation not only increases the capacity of the foundation but also minimizes the settlement to an acceptable level. The present study deals with a rigorous analysis of annular raft foundation supported by GPs based on the continuum approach. A new numerical method is developed with geometric considerations for excluding the loaded pile portion from the region of the raft area by considering two distinct zones. This article introduces a novel approach, the annular raft over granular piles, which represents an innovative solution in geotechnical engineering. This innovation has the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of foundation design in various construction projects. The response of annular raft foundation with GPs is evaluated in terms of settlement influence factor (SIF), load shared by granular piles (in %), and normalized shear stress variation along the GP–soil interface. The present study reveals that the presence of the pile influences the stress distribution locally. The stiffness of GP, relative length of GP, relative size of the raft influence the settlement and load sharing of annular raft with GPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the electrochemical performance of aluminum‐air (Al‐Air) cells for three commercially available aluminum alloys, that is, Al 1200, Al 8011, and Al 6061 together with the pure aluminum as anode. The contact angle and Tafel analysis are used to understand the surface adherence and corrosion characteristics. The respective Al‐Air coin cells are fabricated with 1.54 cm2 active electrode area and discharge characteristics are evaluated at different current densities that is, 0.65, 1.3, and 2.6 mA cm−2. The specific capacity, power density, and energy density are calculated, and observed that Al 1200 is less wettable and less corrosive with better discharge performance along with higher specific capacity and energy density with respect to other Al grade anodes including pure aluminum. A detailed electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and post‐mortem analysis of the anodes are also investigated to verify the corrosion at various Al anode materials. The potential of the fabricated battery is shown by glowing an LED light using the optimal Al‐Air cell. Thus, the present work demonstrates that Al 1200 can be used as suitable anode material for efficient Al‐Air electrochemical cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pile–soil–raft interactions remain a daunting problem in the study of piled-raft foundations. A simple analytical continuum approach is implemented in the present research to analyse the interaction between two granular floating piled-rafts. The formulation uses the equations of Mindlin and Boussinesq for the estimation of the displacements for forces in the interior and on the surface of the continuum. Settlement influence factor, interaction factor, the normalised shear stresses along the granular pile (GP)-soil interface, the percentage load shared by GP, the percentage load transferred to the GP base, and the normalised contact pressure distribution underneath the raft are evaluated and presented for design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present investigation was undertaken at ICAR-CRIJAF, Barrackpore, West Bengal, India during summer season (Apr-July) of 2020 to identify the jute breeding lines resistant to stem rot which is one of the major problems in jute production. The identified resistant and susceptible jute accessions (RS-6 and OIJ-272, respectively) were crossed to develop a mapping population for the disease. The resultant F2 population comprising 125 plants was screened for resistance to stem rot disease caused by Macrophomina phaseolina following artificial inoculation. The progress of infection was measured as the length of the infected stem portion (i.e., lesion length in cm) after 7, 14 and 21 days of inoculation (time replication). After stem inoculation investigation indicated that in the F2 population of the cross OIJ-272×RS-6, only 14 plants (PL-100, PL-40, PL-99, PL-33, PL-89, PL-119, PL-1, PL-43, PL-118, PL-121, PL-6, PL-11, PL-55 and PL-86) were found moderately resistant (lesion length 2.0-3.0 cm). In contrast, 10 plants (PL-4, PL-31, PL-19, PL-27, PL-3, PL-50, PL-18, PL-26, PL-47, PL-51) were found highly susceptible (lesion length >5.0 cm). The remaining 101 plants exhibited moderate susceptible symptoms. While the parent OIJ-272 exhibited high susceptibility to stem rot with an average lesion length of 5.53 cm, the parent RS-6 exhibited moderate resistant reaction with an average lesion length of 2.30 cm. Because of good resistance under artificial stem inoculation of this fungi, these 14 F2 plants of the cross can be further exploited for a resistance breeding programme against this deadly disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly porous and binder-free flexible paper electrodes can enhance the specific capacitance of symmetric supercapacitors (SCs) due to their large surface and effective ion diffusion pathways. We synthesized the exfoliated graphite (ExG) by the thermal exfoliation method of chemically treated graphite flakes and compressed it into a paper-like thin sheet (binder-free) of ∼0.15 mm thickness. The coin cell SCs with copper (Cu) and stainless steel (SS) as current collectors have been fabricated for the electrochemical measurement. The cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements are investigated at various scan rates and current densities. The SCs with Cu foil as a current collector perform better than SS-based SCs. The Cu current collector-based SCs showed a specific capacitance of 37.08 mF cm−2, whereas it was ∼29.98 mF cm−2 for SS-based SCs at a 0.01 V s−1 scan rate across a 0–0.6 V potential window. Approximately no degradation in charge storage capacity for more than 15 000 cycles at 0.1 V s−1 shows the ultra-stability of the flexible ExG-based binder-free electrodes. A digital watch is powered using the fabricated pouch cell supercapacitor with copper-based current collectors to show the potential of SCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiac involvement in diabetes commonly manifests as coronary artery disease. The current study's objective is to evaluate, via coronary angiography, the association between diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease. Methods: The coronary angiography of 100 patients with significant coronary obstruction, between the age group from 30 years to 75 years of age, who were admitted with acute coronary syndrome from July 2023 to December 2023 at our centre were analysed. The coronary vessels involvement among patients with diabetes mellitus and without diabetes were compared. Results: Total 100 patients data was analysed, 50 with diabetes and 50 without diabetes with significant coronary vessel disease. In our study we found that the incidence of Triple vessel disease in diabetic patients was much higher (50%) compared to non-diabetics (18%). The incidence of double vessel disease in diabetic patients was also higher (26%) compared to non-diabetics (22%). And single vessel disease was much higher in non-diabetics (60%) than in nondiabetic patients. Conclusion: In comparison to non-diabetics with acute coronary syndrome, our study demonstrated that the incidence of multivessel disease, severity and diffuse involvement of the coronary vessels, and earlier onset of coronary vessel involvement were all significantly greater in diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background This study was conducted to examine the anatomic variations of the hepatic artery and celiac trunk in an abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography image. Methods This was a hospital-based prospective observational descriptive study conducted among 300 patients undergoing triple phase contrast CT of the abdomen at Padmashree Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College and Hospital and Research Centre, Pimpri Pune, over a period of six months from September 2020 to August 2022 after obtaining clearance from the institutional ethics committee and written informed consent from the study participants. Results The commonest level of origin of the celiac artery was at the lower border of T12 in 52.67% of individuals. The origin of the celiac artery was most commonly at the level of the median arcuate ligament (61.33%). The mean length of the celiac artery was 1.33 cm ± 0.43 cm (range: from 0.4 cm to 2.40 cm). The mean diameter of the celiac artery was 0.45 cm ± 0.15 cm (range: from 0.2 cm to 0.7 cm). Having three branches was the most common pattern of branching in the celiac artery. In 89% of cases, the right hepatic artery was shown to arise from the common hepatic artery; in 8% of cases, the hepatic artery had an aberrant origin; and in 5.16% of cases, the hepatic artery accessory was discovered. While 7% of the patients had an unusual origin, 86% of the patients had a left hepatic artery that came from the common hepatic artery. An auxiliary right hepatic artery was found in 5% of the cases. It was shown that the superior mesenteric artery was the auxiliary right hepatic artery's most common source. Research revealed that the left gastric artery was the most common source of auxiliary left hepatic arteries. It was demonstrated that the superior mesenteric artery was the most common source of an aberrant right hepatic artery. Research revealed that the left gastric artery was the most common source of an aberrant left hepatic artery. Conclusion It is imperative to consider differences in the hepatic and celiac arteries during transplantation, interventional treatments, and surgical resection. Prior to these operations, being aware of CT variance helps lower the risk of surgical problems. Before undergoing surgical and interventional radiology procedures, these variances should be accurately stated in the radiological report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes affects a large portion of the population in India; 101 million individuals, or 11.4% of the total population, are believed to have the disease. Regardless of the length of their illness or the type of treatment they are receiving, diabetic individuals on insulin therapy frequently still exhibit inadequate glycaemic control. In order to achieve glycaemic control and hence avoid complications from diabetes, proficient injection technique is essential. Material and methods: The work on the First Indian Insulin Injection Technique Guidelines developed by the Forum for Injection Technique (FIT) A questionnaire was used to assess the ease of understanding, relevance, items, potential required questions, and feelings about diabetes treatment and ongoing practices. Results: In our study, only 9% of patients were fully aware of injection technique, while 22% were partially aware, and a significantly higher 69% were unaware, showing significant lacunae in patient education, understanding, and adherence, as well as shortcomings from healthcare professionals. Conclusion: The majority of patients required periodic review using a straightforward and patient-friendly questionnaire, as well as re-education for both patients and carers, due to major shortcomings in awareness, technique, and adherence to insulin injection strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review investigated depth literature survey on the removal of various heavy metals and dyes contamination. The current study is a broad review of the different methods of preparation of biowaste adsorbent from rice husk and rice straw that has been implemented for the adsorption of many hazardous heavy metals and dyes in order to reduce their harmful effect on the environment. The selection of rice waste-based material for the adsorption process was considered due to its cost-effectiveness, easy availability, high adsorption efficiency, and reusability. This study is a comprehensive review of the adsorption of toxic heavy metals and dyes using rice husk and rice straw-based adsorbents either in bare or in modified forms under different physicochemical processes. In addition, some parameters affecting adsorption capability like pH, initial dye concentration, equilibrium time, temperature, adsorbent dosage, and shaking or stirring speed influence the adsorption mechanism have been discussed thoroughly. The applicability of various adsorption isotherm models and adsorption kinetic models for dye adsorption by various rice husk and straw biomass adsorbents is also reported here. Finally, from the literature reviewed conclusions have been drawn and also proposed a few future research suggestions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dengue is a prevalent cause of fever coupled with thrombocytopenia. The disease can manifest clinically in a variety of ways, although bleeding tendencies are the most common manifestation. Reduced platelet levels are indicated by these bleeding tendencies. The death rates of dengue patients are decreased when these patients receive early and effective management. Aim: The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the bleeding tendencies of dengue fever patients who were hospitalized to the Indian Health Care Center. Methods: 160 adult patients with a diagnosis of dengue who were evaluated for bleeding tendencies were included in this observational clinical trial. The individuals were all older than 18 years. Result: Most common bleeding tendency seen in The most common bleeding tendency reported in the study subjects was petechiae/rashes, which were seen in 94.44% (n=51) of the subjects. Gingival bleeding was seen in 27.77% (n=15) of the subjects, followed by conjunctival suffusion in 22.22% (n=12) of the subjects, epistaxis in 14.81% (n=8) of the subjects, malena in 9.25% (n=5) of the subjects, PR (per-rectal) bleed seen in 7.40% (n=4) study subjects, and hematuria in 5.55% (n=3) of the subjects. 5% (n=8) of all participants with epistaxis had platelet counts below 50,000, which is considered serious. In the participants with platelet counts of less than 50,000μl, there were 5.62% (n=9) with conjunctival effusion, 8.75% (n=14) with gingival bleeding, 2.5% (n=4) with PR bleed, 3.12% (n=5) with malena, 1.25% (n=2) with hematuria, and 24.37% (n=39) with petechiae/rashes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The upper respiratory tract (nasopharynx or NP) is the first site of influenza replication, allowing the virus to disseminate to the lower respiratory tract or promoting community transmission. The host response in the NP regulates an intricate balance between viral control and tissue pathology. The hyper-inflammatory responses promote epithelial injury, allowing for increased viral dissemination and susceptibility to secondary bacterial infections. However, the pathologic contributors to influenza upper respiratory tissue pathology are incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the role of interleukin IL-17 recetor A (IL-17RA) as a modulator of influenza host response and inflammation in the upper respiratory tract. We used a combined experimental approach involving IL-17RA-/- mice and an air-liquid interface (ALI) epithelial culture model to investigate the role of IL-17 response in epithelial inflammation, barrier function, and tissue pathology. Our data show that IL-17RA-/- mice exhibited significantly reduced neutrophilia, epithelial injury, and viral load. The reduced NP inflammation and epithelial injury in IL-17RA-/- mice correlated with increased resistance against co-infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn). IL-17A treatment, while potentiating the apoptosis of IAV-infected epithelial cells, caused bystander cell death and disrupted the barrier function in ALI epithelial model, supporting the in vivo findings. Author summary: The nasopharynx is the first site of influenza virus replication. The defects in the orchestration or regulation of host response in the upper respiratory tract cause localized tissue damage that can allow the development of a high viral load, resulting in community transmission or dissemination into the lungs. Further, since the nasopharynx is a primary site of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacterial colonization, influenza-induced tissue damage can convert commensal bacterial colonization into an active infection by promoting bacterial outgrowth and dissemination. The mechanisms underlying influenza-induced tissue damage in the nasopharynx are not fully understood. A better understanding of how the influenza virus develops pathologic host response in the nasopharynx could help develop new treatments against influenza and influenza-associated severe bacterial infections by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Using an experimental mouse model with localized nasopharyngeal influenza infection, we show that IL-17RA, a receptor for interleukin IL-17A, is a significant contributor to influenza tissue damage in the nasopharynx and promotes severe bacterial co-infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae. We show that IL-17RA mediated tissue damage in the nasopharynx results from enhanced recruitment of neutrophils, as well as a direct tissue damage associated function of IL-17RA on nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium oxide nanoparticles can penetrate the blood–brain barrier, infiltrate the central nervous system, and induce neurotoxicity. One of the most often utilized nanoparticles has been investigated for their neurotoxicity in many studies. Nonetheless, there remains an unexplored aspect regarding the comparative analysis of particles varying in size and nanoparticles of identical dimensions, both with and devoid of surface coating. In the current study, we synthesized two differently sized nanoparticles, TiO2-10 (10 nm) and TiO2-22 (22 nm), and nanoparticles of the same size but with a polyvinylpyrrolidone surface coating (TiO2-PVP, 22 nm) and studied their toxic effects on neural PC-12 cells. The results highlighted significant dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity at concentrations ≥10 μg/mL. The exposure of TiO2 nanoparticles significantly elevated reactive oxygen and nitrogen species levels, IL-6 and TNF-α levels, altered the mitochondrial membrane potential, and enhanced apoptosis-related caspase-3 activity, irrespective of size and surface coating. The interaction of the nanoparticles with acetylcholinesterase enzyme activity was also investigated, and the results revealed a dose-dependent suppression of enzymatic activity. However, the gene expression studies indicated no effect on the expression of all six genes associated with the dopaminergic system upon exposure to 10 μg/mL for any nanoparticle. The results demonstrated no significant difference between the outcomes of TiO2-10 and TiO2-22 NPs. However, the polyvinylpyrrolidone surface coating was able to attenuate the neurotoxic effects. These findings suggest that as the TiO2 nanoparticles get smaller (towards 0 nm), they might promote apoptosis and inflammatory reactions in neural cells via oxidative stress, irrespective of their size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composite materials are fabricated by combining various ingredients to make higher material properties as required by various industries. The primary classification of composites is based on their build ingredients, such as binder, fibre, reinforcement and fillers. The characteristics of individual ingredients influenced the properties of composites. Further, friction materials are those composite materials efficiently used in vehicles' braking. Researchers have tried the various formulations of friction materials because it is very significant to study the mechanism and material characteristics due to the safety measures of vehicles. The current study examines the various brake composite materials' characteristics and their mechanical and tribological performance in this article. The tribological study includes the various terminologies used in friction and wear using pin-on-disc, dynamometer, field studies, etc. The effects of numerous elements impacting the wear of frictional materials are given, and the tribological performances of used friction materials are given the utmost attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Intestinal parasitic infections continue to loom in developing countries with low sanitation and socioeconomic conditions. Pandemic times are especially important to study the prevalence of these pathogens since the focus of all healthcare services was coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and time-trend of intestinal parasitic infections in the capital region of India during the pandemic times. Methods In this cross-sectional study, a retrospective review based on data from the past 2 years in the post-COVID-19 pandemic was used. Descriptive and time-trend analyses were applied to the data. Time series analysis was analyzed using the best fit autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model to look for seasonality in trends and forecasting. Results A total of 7267 patients' stool samples over a 2-year pandemic period were included in the study. Intestinal parasites were detected in 11.18% (813/7276) patients. Giardia lamblia (2.28%) and Blastocystis hominis (3.78%) were the predominant ones. Time-trend analysis from 2020 to 2021 using ARIMA model predicted an increasing trend with waning of pandemic. The most prevalent infection was found in the monsoon and autumn months. Conclusion Rates of infection with Giardia lamblia and Blastocystis hominis have increased in comparison to other protozoan infections like Entamoeba histolytica when compared with prepandemic hospital-based studies. With fading of the pandemic, further increasing trends are predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: In this study, the authors have investigated the structural, optoelectronic, thermoelectric, and thermodynamic properties of Ca2NaIO6 and Sr2NaIO6 double perovskite oxides. Both materials exhibit semiconductor behavior with direct band gaps (Eg) of 0.353 eV and 0.263 eV, respectively. Optical parameters like absorption coefficient α(ω), reflectivity R(ω), dielectric constants, and refractive index have been calculated. The most notable absorption peaks are identified at 5.52 eV (equal to 108.33 × 104 cm−1) in the case of Ca2NaIO6 and at 11.16 eV (equivalent to 118.17 × 104 cm−1) for Sr2NaIO6. These findings suggest a promising outlook for applications in optoelectronics. Moreover, their commendably low thermal conductivity and a high figure of merit, particularly at low temperatures (100 K), indicate their effectiveness as thermoelectric materials. This analysis underscores that these materials hold potential as suitable candidates for n-type doping, making them well-suited for use in thermoelectric devices. Studying thermal properties, including thermal expansion, bulk modulus, acoustic Debye temperature, entropy, and heat capacity, contributes to understanding the materials' thermodynamic stability. The titled materials are dynamically stable. The analysis of these double perovskite materials highlights their potential across various technological applications due to their advantageous structural, electronic, optical, and transport properties, offering new possibilities in material science and technology development. Methods: The study utilized the full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method in conjunction with density functional theory within the WIEN2k simulation code. This approach is widely recognized as one of the most dependable methods for evaluating the photovoltaic characteristics of semiconducting perovskites. The thermoelectric properties were ascertained using the rigid band approach and the constant scattering time approximation, both implemented in the BoltzTraP computational code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we present the synthesis of two new dicobaloxime complexes, [{ClCo(dmgH)2(4-PyCOO)}2Zn(DMF)2] (1) and [{ClCo(dmgH)2(4-PyCOO)}2Cd(H2O)3(DMF)].4H2O (2) bridged by isonicotinate-Zn(II) and Cd(II) moieties. These complexes were synthesized upon reaction of a monomeric chlorocobaloxime [ClCo(dmgH)2(4-PyCOOH)] with Zn(NO3)2·6H2O and Cd(OAc)2·2H2O in a methanol/DMF solvent mixture. Both complexes are fully characterized by UV-Visible, FT-IR, and NMR (1H and 13C{1H}) spectral studies. The solid-state structures are also determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. In complex 1, Zn (II) metal ions reside within a four coordinated distorted tetrahedral geometry (ZnO4) formed by two oxygen atoms of isonicotinate connected to cobaloxime units and two oxygen atoms of DMF molecules. In complex 2, the Cd(II) metal ion exhibited distorted octahedral geometry (CdO6), with two oxygen atoms of isonicotinate that connect to cobaloxime units, one DMF, and three water molecules. The Co(III) metal center of cobaloxime units in both complexes 1 and 2 displayed distorted octahedral geometry with two dmgH units in the equatorial plane whereas chloride ion (Cl−) and the nitrogen atom of isonicotinate occupy the axial coordination sites. The redox behaviour of both complexes was studied by cyclic voltammetry at variable scan rates in deoxygenated DMF/H2O (95 : 5) solution using 0.1 M TBAPF6 as the supporting electrolyte and a glassy carbon (GC) electrode as the working electrode. Both complexes exhibited similar redox properties and two redox couples CoIII/II and CoII/CoI are observed in the reductive scan. Furthermore, complexes are investigated as electrocatalysts for proton reduction in the presence of acetic acid (AcOH) and complex 1 exhibited impressive electrocatalytic activity compared to complex 2 and monomer. The stability study indicated the retention of molecular structural integrity during HER electrocatalytic experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Pneumonia is one the most common potentially fatal infectious disease. Bio-markers provide a useful tool in predicting severity, mortality and prognostication of pneumonia. Procalcitonin and CRP can be considered as the primary markers in patients with bacterial pneumonia during infection and estimation of their serum levels in association with CURB-65 criteria can be used to assess the severity of Pneumonia. Materials and Methods: A total of 142 patients hospitalized in Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubli were included in the study. A detailed history, general physical examination and systemic examination of the patients was carried out. Patients were investigated for serum Procalcitonin levels and CRP levels. The severity of pneumonia was assessed by using CURB-65 score and a correlation was established between CURB-65 and S.Procalcitonin and S.CRP levels. Results: The diagnostic performance of S. Procalcitonin and CRP were comparable with CURB-65 score (DeLong's Test p = 0.639). There was a very strong positive correlation between CURB-65 Score and S. Procalcitonin, which was statistically significant. For every 1 unit increase in CURB-65 Score, the S. Procalcitonin increases by 1.98 units. There was also a very strong positive correlation between CURB-65 Score and S. CRP, which was statistically significant. For every 1 unit increase in CURB-65 Score, the S. CRP increases by 19.85 units. Conclusion: Measuring the serum levels of Procalcitonin and CRP could be useful as a strong prognostic factor for the assessment of pneumonia severity and evaluating the patients with bacterial pneumonia. In addition, by considering that PCT and CRP levels quickly rise in pneumonia, they are considered as the primary markers in patients during infection. Using these tests can be effective in rapid evaluation and early assessment of pneumonia, and a good alternative to CURB-65 criteria for making clinical decisions regarding the hospitalization of the patients in the ICU ward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Varicose veins are one of the most common long-term symptoms of vascular pathology and are related to various degrees of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Although it has been demonstrated that inflammation is induced in varicose veins, it is still unclear how inflammation contributes to vein wall remodelling. Objective: To evaluate the association of IL -18 (-607) C/A and (-137) G/C gene polymorphisms with primary varicose disease. Methods: In this study, a total of 73 patients and 73 healthy volunteers served as controls. All demographic and medical information was documented. Using PCR-RFLP, the gene polymorphisms IL -18 (607) C/A and IL -18 (137) G/C were found. Results: The proportion of age groups =20 years, 21-30 years, 31-40 years, 41-50 years, 51-60 years, and > 60 years was 4.11%, 24.66%, 28.77%, 17.81%, 16.44%, and 8.22%, respectively. The proportion of males and females was 79.45% and 19.18%, respectively. The genotypes of IL -18 (-607) C/A and IL -18 (-137) G/C were not significantly different in the case and control groups. Conclusion: The prevalence of primary varicose disease increases with age. The IL -18 (- 607) C/A and (-137) G/C gene polymorphism was not associated with susceptibility to primary varicose disease and its clinicopathological development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to use a machine learning (ML) model for the prediction of traction coefficient and asperity load ratio for different surface topographies of non-conformal rough contacts. Design/methodology/approach: The input data set for the ML model is generated using a mixed-lubrication model. Surface topography parameters (skewness, kurtosis and pattern ratio), rolling speed and hardness are used as input features in the multi-layer perceptron (MLP) model. The hyperparameter tuning and fivefold cross-validation are also performed to minimize the overfitting. Findings: From the results, it is shown that the MLP model shows excellent accuracy (R2 > 90%) on the test data set for making the prediction of mixed lubrication parameters. It is also observed that engineered rough surfaces with high negative skewness, low kurtosis and isotropic surface patterns exhibit a significant low traction coefficient. It is also concluded that the MLP model gives better accuracy in comparison to the random forest regression model based on the training and testing data sets. Originality/value: Mixed lubrication parameters are predicted by developing a regression-based MLP model. The machine learning model is trained using several topography parameters, which are vital in the mixed-EHL regime because of the lack of regression-fit expressions in previous works. The accuracy of MLP with random forest models is also compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic resistance, fungemia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and death have all been linked to overuse of antibiotics and changed bacterial colonization. In order to understand the significance of antibiotic usage, particularly in the case of culture-negative newborn sepsis, it may be helpful to investigate the relationship between antibiotic exposure and neonatal outcomes other than infection-related morbidities. The present study was carried out to assess the trend in antibiotic use among all hospitalized very low birth weight (VLBW) newborns and the relationship between the prevalence of antibiotic use (AU) and mortality and morbidity in neonates without culture-proven sepsis. The study was carried out among VLBW infants (1500 g) hospitalized to neonatal intensive care facilities between January 1, 2019, and June 30, 2022. The AU was calculated as the total number of hospital days divided by the number of days an infant was exposed to one or more antimicrobial agents. The composite primary outcome was defined as mortality or significant morbidity, including any of the following conditions: chronic lung disease, stage 3 or higher retinopathy of prematurity, persistent periventricular echogenicity, or echolucency on neuroimaging. The connection between AUs and outcomes was determined using multivariable regression analysis, which yielded adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Among the 132 eligible VLBW newborns, 11 669 (84.9%; mean [SD] gestational age, 27.7 [2.5] weeks; 47.4% female) were included in the study because they were given antibiotics while in the hospital. The rate of late-onset sepsis declined from 19.0% in 2019 to 13.8% in 2022 during the same time period (slope for the best-fit line, -0.011; 95% CI, - 0.016 to -0.006; P .01). 84 of the 116 infants who received antibiotic treatment for varied lengths of time throughout their hospital stay were identified as having problems associated to sepsis. The odds of the key composite outcome (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.21-1.41), mortality (OR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.98-2.46), and stage 3 or higher retinopathy of prematurity (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.01-1.43) increased by 10% among the remaining 82 infants without early-onset sepsis, late-onset sepsis etc. The use of antibiotics in newborns with VLBW declined between Jan 2019 and Jun 2021. Higher AUs were linked to adverse newborn outcomes without culture-proven sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemangiomas are rare small bowel tumors requiring a high index of suspicion for diagnosis. We present a case of ileal hemangioma in a 3-year-old male presenting with recurrent anemia. The patient was diagnosed with a contrast-enhanced computed tomography abdomen and managed surgically by resection and anastomosis. Histopathologically, it was a solitary ileal cavernous hemangioma with a submucosal infiltrative pattern with serosa involvement and a normal mucosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is a complex neurological disorder affecting millions worldwide, with a substantial number of patients facing drug-resistant epilepsy. This comprehensive review explores innovative therapies for epilepsy management, focusing on their principles, clinical evidence, and potential applications. Traditional antiseizure medications (ASMs) form the cornerstone of epilepsy treatment, but their limitations necessitate alternative approaches. The review delves into cutting-edge therapies such as responsive neurostimulation (RNS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), and deep brain stimulation (DBS), highlighting their mechanisms of action and promising clinical outcomes. Additionally, the potential of gene therapies and optogenetics in epilepsy research is discussed, revealing groundbreaking findings that shed light on seizure mechanisms. Insights into cannabidiol (CBD) and the ketogenic diet as adjunctive therapies further broaden the spectrum of epilepsy management. Challenges in achieving seizure control with traditional therapies, including treatment resistance and individual variability, are addressed. The importance of staying updated with emerging trends in epilepsy management is emphasized, along with the hope for improved therapeutic options. Future research directions, such as combining therapies, AI applications, and non-invasive optogenetics, hold promise for personalized and effective epilepsy treatment. As the field advances, collaboration among researchers of natural and synthetic biochemistry, clinicians from different streams and various forms of medicine, and patients will drive progress toward better seizure control and a higher quality of life for individuals living with epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acarbose (ACA), a well-studied and effective inhibitor of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, is a postprandial-acting antidiabetic medicine. The membrane of the erythrocyte is an excellent tool for analyzing different physiological and biochemical activities since it experiences a range of metabolic alterations throughout aging. It is uncertain if ACA modulates erythrocyte membrane activities in an age-dependent manner. As a result, the current study was conducted to explore the influence of ACA on age-dependent deteriorated functions of transporters/exchangers, disrupted levels of various biomarkers such as lipid hydroperoxides (LHs), protein carbonyl (PCO), sialic acid (SA), total thiol (-SH), and erythrocyte membrane osmotic fragility. In addition to a concurrent increase in Na+/H+ exchanger activity and concentration of LH, PCO, and osmotic fragility, we also detected a considerable decrease in membrane-linked activities of Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) and Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA), as well as concentrations of SA and -SH in old-aged rats. The aging-induced impairment of the activities of membrane-bound ATPases and the changed levels of redox biomarkers were shown to be effectively restored by ACA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we have successfully developed polyaniline supported manganese dioxide (PANI/MnO2) nanocomposite using a facile and inexpensive approach under mild and green conditions by the PANI nanofiber sacrificial oxidation induced reductive conversion of KMnO4 as MnO2. The developed PANI/MnO2 adsorbent material was efficiently utilized for the removal of an organic dye Toluidine Blue (TB) from the aqueous samples.The fabricated adsorbent material was composed of the microstructures that possess grainy and fibrous morphology, and highly uneven surface textures. The FTIR, EDS, and XPS results show the presence of Mn, O, C, and N elements in the nanocomposite. Additionally, from XPS data the survival of the Mn+4 valance state of manganese was recognized. The nano‐thread deposited nano‐fibrous mesoporous nanocomposite holds a high BET surface area (168.096 m2 g−1), and pore volume (0.4428 cm3 g−1).The batch adsorption equilibrium studies showed that 97.51 % of the TB dye was eliminated in 70 min of sorption equilibrium at neutral pH with 92 mg/g of adsorption capacity. The kinetics of the adsorption process is finely portrayed by the pseudo‐second‐order (PSO) kinetic model and the adsorption mechanism is found to be concurrently controlled by intraparticle (IP) and film diffusion (FD) processes. The adsorption isotherm analysis studies revealed that the adsorption of TB dye over the developed PANI/MnO2 adsorbent material occurred with coverage of energetically equivalent binding sites by monolayer formation as substantiated by Langmuir isotherm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vascular wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lentis Vasu. and Srini. is a serious disease of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus), causes severe yield losses worldwide. For effective disease resistance breeding the inheritance and mapping of wilt resistance gene (s) is necessary. Therefore, the present investigation was focused on study the mode of inheritance and tag/map gene (s) for fusarium wilt resistance in lentil. Methods: Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) approach was used to identify markers that were tightly linked to Fusarium wilt resistance gene. The inheritance and mapping of wilt-resistance gene (s) in lentil was investigated in F2 and F2:3 populations derived from L9-12×ILL10965 cross, whereas L9-12 and ILL10965 were susceptible and resistant parents, respectively. Result: More than two hundreds SSRs markers were surveyed for the parental polymorphism, of which twenty nine were found polymorphic. These polymorphic SSRs were used for the bulked-segregant analysis (BSA) using both parents and its respective resistant and susceptible bulks, and three SSRs viz. PBALC233, PBALC1409 and PBALC203 could distinguish the respective bulks. Linkage analysis showed two SSR markers, PBALC203 and PBALC1409 flanking the wilt resistance gene at 8.2 cM and 9.4 cM distance, respectively. Further, PBLAC233 was also found present on the same linkage group at a distance of 10.2 cM from PBLAC1409. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a better optimization method known as the Taguchi method is implemented for optimizing the designing parameters of PV integrated Shunt Active power filter (SAPF). The effect of these parameters on the performance of SAPF is also studied with the help of this method. This paper also signifies the benefits of using the Taguchi method for optimization over the existing particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. SAPF is a very popular device for power quality improvement through harmonics compensation. In non-conventional energy sources, solar is most widely used dues to its cost-effectiveness over other sources. Hence, PV integrated SAPF is considered for study for this article. Incremental conductance (IncCond) based maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique is used to extract the maximum power from PV panel. Performance of this PV Integrated SAPF depends on many factors like reference current generation techniques, switching pulse generation technique and selection of SAPF designing parameters, etc. To get the optimum performance from SAPF, designing parameters like gains of PI-controller, coupling impedance, and dc-link capacitor need to be optimized. PV integrated SAPF is modeled and simulated in Matlab/Simulink. SAPF parameters are optimized by using both the proposed Taguchi method and the existing PSO algorithm and their results are analyzed. Simulation results are also verified using a laboratory-developed experimental setup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]