Search

Purpose: To analyse and compare the functional and radiological outcome of different methods of surgical management of humerus shaft fractures in 30 patients treated by conventional open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) or minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO). Methods: This prospective interventional study was conducted among 30 patients by dividing into two equal groups over one year and six months. All patients were followed up for a minimum of at least six months. Radiological outcome was assessed using fracture union in serial radiographs and functional outcome was measured using DASH scoring. Results: The majority of patients (26.7%) were between 18 to 30 years, overall mean age was 44.4 years, most of the patients (50%) had 12A3 AO type fractures, and 73.3% of patients had injuries following two-wheeler road traffic accidents. On comparing multiple factors, we found a statistically significant reduction of intra-operative blood loss in MIPO compared to ORIF. Though time taken for fracture union, functional outcome and complication rate were better in MIPO when compared to ORIF, these differences were not statistically significant. two patients in the MIPO group and one patient in the ORIF group had a peri-implant fracture following slip and fall again within the study period and underwent Revision plating. Excluding cases of peri-implant fractures, out of 13 patients in the MIPO group, only one patient developed fracture non-union. Of 14 patients in the ORIF group, three developed fracture non-union. Conclusion: MIPO is a safe, reproducible, efficient and good if not a better alternative to ORIF as it offers good radiological and functional outcomes with advantages of minimal soft tissue damage, minimal blood loss, better cosmesis, no incidence of radial nerve palsy and with few concerns such as the need for fluoroscopy, and a learning curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we propose and analyze a new stabilized virtual element method for the coupled Stokes-Darcy problem with Beavers-Joseph-Saffman interface condition on polygonal meshes. We derive two variants of local projection stabilization methods for the coupled Stokes-Darcy problem. The significance of local projection-based stabilization terms is that they provide reasonable control of the pressure component of the Stokes flow without involving higher-order derivative terms. The discrete inf-sup condition of the coupled Stokes-Darcy problem is established for the equal-order virtual element triplets involving velocity, hydraulic head, and pressure. The optimal error estimates are derived using the equal-order virtual elements in the energy and L 2 norms. The proposed methods have several advantages: mass conservative, avoiding the coupling of the solution components, more accessible to implement, and performing efficiently on hybrid polygonal elements. Numerical experiments are conducted to depict the flexibility of the proposed methods, validating the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Algorithmic trading is becoming the dominant approach in many electricity spot and futures markets. This paper focuses on the emerging interest in the less documented real-time imbalance markets, by developing reinforcement learning agents to find profit-making opportunities algorithmically. We develop a repeatable experimental setting to compare different market participants and explore the applications of Q-learning with neural networks for three types of market participants: a non-physical trader, a gas generator, and a battery electricity storage system. We backtest all three agents using British data across summer and winter months to compare their profits, risks and various experimental design considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differences in cell count and growth factor expression between first- and second-generation autologous platelet concentrates (APCs) have been well described. The debate over which formula best supports wound healing in various surgical procedures is still ongoing. This study aims to assess the whole proteome assembly, cell content, immunological potential and pro-angiogenic potential of second-generation APC, Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) vs. first-generation APC, Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP). The global proteome of the APCs was analyzed using nano-liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Blood cell concentrations were determined by an automated cell counter. The effect of APCs on macrophage polarization was analyzed by flow cytometry. A yolk sac membrane (YSM) assay was used to monitor the neo-vessel formation and capillary branching in vivo. Cell count analysis revealed a higher number/concentration of leukocytes in PRF vs. PRP. Incubation of macrophages with PRP or platelet-free plasma (PFP) did not induce a significant pro-inflammatory state but led to a shift to the M0/M2 phenotype as seen in wound healing for all tested formulas. Label-free proteomics analysis identified a total of 387 proteins from three biological replicates of the respective designated groups. PRF induced increased formation of neo-vessels and branching points in vivo in comparison to PRP and PFP (each p < 0.001), indicating the enhanced pro-angiogenic potential of PRF. Overall, PRF seems superior to PRP, an important representative of first-generation formulas. Inclusion of leucocytes in PRF compared to PRP suggested rather an anti-inflammatory effect on macrophages. These results are important to support the versatile clinical applications in regenerative medicine for second-generation autologous platelet concentrates to optimize wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increases in fossil fuel consumption and the effect of engine emissions on the environment lead researchers to work on alternate methods to control this situation. This present work focuses on evaluating the performance, combustion, and emission characteristics of fish oil (FO)–diesel blends in a mono-cylinder compression ignition engine with Magnesium (Mg)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles added at a concentration of 25 ppm, 50 ppm, and 75 ppm. The results were compared with conventional compression ignition engines with diesel for varying loads at a constant speed of 1500 RPM. An investigation revealed that adding Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles to FO–diesel blends enhanced the performance and combustion characteristics of CI engines because of the higher surface-to-volume ratio and thermal conductivity of the nano-additives. In addition, Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles improved brake thermal efficiency (BTE) for biodiesel–diesel blends and lowered brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) by 2.8% and 14%, respectively, for a B30 Mg-ZnO 75 ppm fuel blend than B100 at full load condition. On the other hand, emissions such as HC, CO, and smoke were reduced by 29%, 31%, and 23%, respectively, for the B30 Mg-ZnO 75 ppm fuel blend at full load condition. Overall, the B30 Mg-ZnO 75 ppm fuel blend was best compared with other blends for improved combustion, performance, and lower exhaust emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our research aims to design novel pyrimidine derivatives inspired by the common pyrimidine core found in many FDA‐approved drugs. However, extensive prior research on the pyrimidine scaffold has made discovering new molecules more challenging. To overcome this obstacle, we employed a molecular hybridisation strategy, opting to hybridise tetralin and pyrimidine, recognising their potential in cancer therapeutics. The fused pyrimidine was synthesised through a base‐mediated condensation of chalcone with amidine. The reaction conditions were further optimised for base, solvent, temperature and time to produce a series of 21 novel derivatives. These compounds were subsequently screened for anticancer activity against gastric adenocarcinoma cell lines using the MTT assay. Among the synthesised compounds, 2‐(pyridin‐3‐yl)‐4‐(pyridin‐3‐yl)‐5,6‐dihydrobenzo[h]quinazoline 8b and 4‐(2‐(pyridin‐3‐yl)‐5,6 dihydrobenzo[h]quinazolin‐4‐yl) phenol 5g exhibited potent anticancer activity compared to (R)‐Roscovitine. Additionally, a molecular docking study was conducted to assess the reactivity of compound 5g, revealing that the presence of a phenolic hydroxyl group enables hydrogen bonding with CDKs and enhances anticancer activity. Furthermore, the efficacy of compound 5g was validated through an in vitro CDK2/cyclin A2 enzyme inhibition assay. Interestingly, the observed CDK2 inhibitory activity showed a good correlation with the corresponding value for the antiproliferative activity of the tested compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A challenging task is to make sure that the deep learning network learns prediction accuracy by itself. Intersection-over-Union (IoU) amidst ground truth and instance mask determines mask quality. There is no relationship between classification score and mask quality. The mission is to investigate this problem and learn the predicted instance mask's accuracy. The proposed network regresses the MaskIoU by comparing the predicted mask and the respective instance feature. The mask scoring strategy determines the disorder among mask score and mask quality, then adjusts the parameters accordingly. Adaptation ability to the object's geometric variations decides deformable convolutional network's performance. Using increased modeling power and stronger training, focusing ability on pertinent image regions is improved by a reformulated Deformable ConvNets. The introduction of modulation technique, which broadens the deformation modeling scope, and the integration of deformable convolution comprehensively within the network enhance the modeling power. The features which resemble region-based convolutional neural network (R-CNN) feature's classification capability and its object focus are learned by the network with the help of feature mimicking scheme of DCNv2. Feature mimicking scheme of DCNv2 guides the network training to efficiently control this enhanced modeling capability. The backbone of the proposed Mask Scoring R-CNN network is designed with ResNet-152 FPN and DCNv2 network. The proposed Mask Scoring R-CNN network with DCNv2 network is also tested with other backbones ResNet-50 and ResNet-101. Instance segmentation and object detection on COCO benchmark and Cityscapes dataset are achieved with top accuracy and improved performance using the proposed network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Non Suicidal Self-injury (NSSI) and mobile phone addiction have recently garnered considerable attention, especially among adolescents and young adults. There is significant neglect regarding the impact of each phenomenon on the daily functioning of individuals; however, few studies have explored their correlation, leaving a gap in understanding the relationship between these two phenomena. Aim: To determine the level of smartphone addiction and NSSI behaviours among undergraduate healthcare professionals and to examine the extent of smartphones' influence on the emotional stability of young adults, potentially leading to selfinjurious behaviour. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at ACS Medical College and Allied Health Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India over five months, involving 448 undergraduate healthcare professionals. After applying exclusion criteria, 367 participants were included in the study. Socio-demographic details were collected using a semistructured proforma. The questionnaire included the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) and the Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury (ISAS). The statistical tests used were the Chi-square test for categorical variables, Spearman correlation analysis (p-value <0.05), and frequencies/ percentages for some quantitative variables. Results: The study primarily comprised first-year undergraduate students, with 206 (56.1%) female and 161 (43.9%) male participants. Social media (208, 56.7%) and making calls (195, 53.1%) were the most frequently cited reasons for smartphone usage. Among the participants, 114 (31.1%) exhibited addictive smartphone habits, with males outnumbering females. Furthermore, 50 (13.6%) reported intentional self-injury, with females constituting the majority. Common methods included hitting oneself (20, 40%), pulling one's hair (18, 36%), and cutting (16, 32%). Significant correlations were observed between certain intrapersonal and interpersonal functions of NSSI behaviour and smartphone addiction among male individuals engaged in deliberate self-harm (p-value <0.05). Conclusion: In this study, 31.1% of the participants exhibited addictive smartphone habits, and 13.6% reported intentional self-injury. These findings underscore the critical need to investigate smartphone addiction to thoroughly understand NSSI behaviour, particularly among undergraduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beneficial impact of physical training in lowering cancer risk is well known. However, the precise mechanisms linking physical training and cancer are not fully understood. Skeletal muscle releases various myokines that seem to possess a direct anti-tumor effect. Although breast cancer (BC) is the prevalent form of cancer among women on a global scale, only limited data are available about the secretion of myokines following exercise in patients with BC. To study the effects of exercise on BC, the blood samples of patients with varied stages of BC were analyzed after 12 weeks of resistance training with whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS). Following the training period, we observed that resistance training helps these patients to improve their physical characteristics and performance function by increasing skeletal muscle mass and strengthening their hand grip. Notably, the patient's serum was found to inhibit the growth and promote the apoptosis of BC cells in vitro. Moreover, the conditioned medium collected from in vitro stimulated human myotubes using electric pulse stimulation (EPS), an in vitro simulation of WB-EMS training, induced the cell death of BC cells. These results highlighted the direct cancer-protective effects of activated skeletal muscle. In line with our observed effects of serum from exercise-trained pancreatic and prostate cancer patients, the growth of BC cells was notably inhibited when supplemented directly with recombinant myokines C-X-C motif ligand 1 (CXCL1), Interleukin 10 (IL10), and C-C motif chemokine ligand 4 (CCL4). Notably, treatment with these myokines also increased the expression of caspase 3/7 (Casp3/7), resulting in enhanced BC cell death. Our data strongly suggest that physical exercise has a positive impact on skeletal muscle mass and hand grip strength in BC patients, along with a significant anti-tumor effect in BC cells. This shows promising potential for considering sports and physical training as supportive therapies for achieving more impactful cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the homochirality among the α-amino acids, the building blocks, chiral environmental prevails within the structure of biological macromolecules namely, the proteins, receptors, and enzymes. This results in chiral distinction of the ligands such as drug molecules and toxicants by the biological targets. Chiral distinction of enantiomers is not only important in the biological activity of enantiomers but also in pharmacokinetics and metabolism of chemicals. The molecular descriptors that are based only on the connectivity of atoms cannot differentiate the enantiomers and diastereomers. In order to model the differential activity of enantiomers and diastereomers, molecular descriptors capable of encoding the difference in spatial arrangements of atoms and groups around a chiral center are needed. In this paper we report a modified approach that enables to compute a large pool of chirality descriptors for a given set of molecules. The new chirality descriptors can differentiate enantiomers and diastereomers. Application of the new chiral descriptors in structure–activity modelling of bioactivity of chiral molecules is illustrated for the dopamine (DA) D2 and opiate σ receptor affinities of seven pairs of enantiomers of 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)piperidines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, β-carotene, ascorbic acid and other mineral sources including phosphorus, potassium, zinc, magnesium and iron. Major constraints in tomato cultivation were high cost, poor cultivation due to adverse weather conditions, pest attacks, microbial infections and nutritional deficiency complications. Conventional fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and growth regulators are effective at higher concentration, which induces specific toxic effects on soil fertility, plant yield and also affects the health status of humans, animals and soil associated microbes. The use of organic fertilizers to meet the soil nutrient demand increases the acidity of soil affecting plant growth, which turned the focus of researchers towards nanofertilizer. The present study focuses on synthesis of marine waste derived CaCO3 nanoparticles formulated with azadirachtin and panchakavya emulsion to develop a CaCO3 nanofertilizer. CaCO3 nanofertilizer developed through this study was investigated for its material properties and behavioral traits. Further, the in-vitro antifungal impact of the CaCO3 nanofertilizer was examined, and it was sprayed on tomato plants via foliar spray. CaCO3 nanofertilizer effectively inhibited fusarium wilt causing plant fungal pathogen and also exhibited enhanced growth and yield of tomatoes against pest attack and nutritional deficiency with effect to foliar treatment. Also, CaCO3 nanofertilizer enhanced the total carotenoid level and essential nutritional minerals in fruit yield of tomatoes. Overall, fabricated CaCO3 nanofertilizer exhibits synergistic role of fertilizer, pesticide, fungicide and growth regulator in tomato cultivation. It suggests that, CaCO3 nanofertilizer generated from renewable biowaste will become the innovative platform for sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most fatal malignancies in the world. This lethality persists due to lack of effective and efficient treatment strategies. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive epithelial malignancy which has a high incidence rate and contributes to overall cancer fatalities. As of 2022, pancreatic cancer contributes to about 3 % of all cancers globally. Over the years, research has characterised germline predisposition, the origin cell, precursor lesions, genetic alterations, structural alterations, transcriptional changes, tumour heterogeneity, metastatic progression, and the tumour microenvironment, which has improved the understanding of PDAC carcinogenesis. By using molecular‐based target therapies, these fundamental advancements support primary prevention, screening, early detection, and treatment. The focus of this review is the use of targeted nanoparticles as an alternative to conventional pancreatic cancer treatment due to the various side effects of the latter. The principles of nanoparticle based cancer therapy is efficient targeting of tumour cells via enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effects and decrease the chemotherapy side effects due to their non‐specificity. To increase the efficiency of existing therapies and modify target nanoparticles, several molecular markers of pancreatic cancer cells have been identified. Thus pancreatic cancer cells can be detected using appropriately functionalized nanoparticles with specific signalling molecules. Once cancer has been identified, these nanoparticles can kill the tumour by inducing hyperthermia, medication delivery, immunotherapy or gene therapy. As potent co‐delivery methods for adjuvants and tumor‐associated antigens; nanoparticles (NPs) have demonstrated significant promise as delivery vehicles in cancer therapy. This ensures the precise internalization of the functionalized nanoparticle and thus also activates the immune system effectively against tumor cells. This review also discusses the immunological factors behind the uptake of functionalized nanoparticles in cancer therapies. Theranostics, which combine imaging and therapeutic chemicals in a single nanocarrier, are the next generation of medicines. Pancreatic cancer treatment may be revolutionised by the development of a tailored nanocarrier with diagnostic, therapeutic, and imaging capabilities. It is extremely difficult to incorporate various therapeutic modalities into a single nanocarrier without compromising the individual functionalities. Surface modification of nanocarriers with antibodies or proteins will enable to attain multifunctionality which increases the efficiency of pancreatic cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using unactivated alkylsulfinic acids as an alkyl radical source, a novel and highly practical visible-light-assisted synthetic methodology for the alkylation/annulation of a series of N-arylacrylamides into corresponding 3,3-dialkylindolin-2-ones has been developed. This approach does not require a photosensitizer or any metal reagents because the development of an electron donor–acceptor complex between alkylsulfinates and 2-isocyano-1,1′-biphenyl (catalytic electron acceptor) allows, under visible-light irradiation, the preparation of desired products in good yields. The mildness, gram-scale synthesizability, no need for the use of toxic organic solvents and a transition metal, as well as suitability for the synthesis of bioactive compounds (used as progesterone antagonists and anti-depressants) are a few noteworthy features of this procedure. Furthermore, alkylsulfinic acids are stable, safe, easy to handle, and readily available compared to other alkyl radical donors (like N-(acyloxy)phthalimides and Katritzky salts) reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A disease is a distinct abnormal state that significantly affects the functioning of all or part of an individual and is not caused by external harm. Diseases are frequently understood as medical conditions connected with distinct indications and symptoms. According to a fairly wide categorization, diseases can also be categorized as mental disorders, deficient diseases, genetic diseases, degenerative diseases, self-inflicted diseases, infectious diseases, non-infectious diseases, social diseases, and physical diseases. Prevention of the diseases is of multiple instances. Primary prevention seeks to prevent illness or harm before it ever happens. Secondary prevention tries to lessen the effect of an illness or damage that has already happened. This is done through diagnosing and treating illness or injury as soon as feasible to stop or delay its course, supporting personal ways to avoid recurrence or reinjury, and implementing programs to restore individuals to their previous health and function to prevent long-term difficulties. Tertiary prevention tries to lessen the impact of a continuing sickness or injury that has enduring repercussions. Diagnosis of the disease at an earlier stage is important for the treatment of the disease. Hence, in this study, deep learning algorithms, such as VGG16, EfficientNetB4, and ResNet, are utilized to diagnose various diseases, such as Alzheimer's, brain tumors, skin diseases, and lung diseases. Chest X-rays, MRI scans, CT scans, and skin lesions are used to diagnose the mentioned diseases. Transfer learning algorithms, such as VGG16, VGG19, ResNet, InceptionV3, and EfficientNetB4, are utilized to categorize various diseases. EfficientNetB4 with the learning rate annealing, having obtained an accuracy of 94.04% on the test dataset, is observed. As a consequence, we observed that every network has unique particular skills on the multi-disease dataset, which includes chest X-rays, MRI scans, etc., [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high global market value of fresh mushrooms implies high importance of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) as a by-product that poses environmental challenges, if not properly treated. Reported studies demonstrate the positive effects of SMS on earthworm growth and reproduction, particularly when combined with other substrates such as cow dung (CD). This study utilized SMS and CD as substrates in varying ratios. A total of 375 young non-clitellated Eisenia fetida were randomly assigned to plastic containers, ensuring similar average individual worm weight, and maintained at 50% to 60% moisture. Weekly observations were made on earthworm average weight, cocoon production, and hatchling count. The growth and reproduction of earthworms differed significantly among treatments, with Treatment 3 (T3) (50:50 SMS and CD) showing the highest growth and Treatment 5 (T5) (0:100 SMS and CD) the lowest. Changes in pH, EC, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total organic carbon (TOC), C/N ratio, and total available phosphorus (TAP) were observed over the experimental period, indicating dynamic nutrient dynamics within the substrates. The exchangeable potassium decreased with increasing proportions of CD, while the exchangeable sodium content showed variation across treatments. The observed variations can be attributed to differences in initial substrate composition and microbial activity during vermicomposting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simplified technique has been developed for accurately evaluating the steady-state performance of self-excited induction generator (SEIG). This proposed technique employs nodal analysis of the equivalent circuit of SEIG, taking the core loss resistance (Rm) also into consideration. This circuit has no voltage or current source and hence the net value of its complex nodal admittance becomes zero. The real and imaginary parts of this admittance, are then individually equated to zero and a closed-form expression for per unit (pu) speed (b), without involving the magnetizing reactance (Xm), is easily obtained in a few steps, for the specified pu frequency (a). Then, the expressions for Xm and Rm are also obtained. Subsequently, the complete performance of the SEIG is evaluated using the equivalent circuit. It is also shown that the proposed technique does not require lengthy complex derivations and it takes much less computational time, compared to the other commonly used methods for the analysis of SEIG. Test results, obtained on a three-phase, 4-pole, 3.7 kW, 230 V SEIG very closely agree with the computed values. The formulated technique is also slightly modified to make it applicable, if the performance evaluation is needed for a given pu speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking its cue from Stanley Cavell's framing of Romanticism as a 'quest of the ordinary', this essay revisits the amplification of the category of the ordinary in the English literature of the Romantic era. Focusing on a specific genre, the preface to poetry, it examines the construction of poetry as a special case of that category in three Romantic prefaces: Wordsworth's 'Preface' to Lyrical Ballads (1800) Hazlitt's prefatory lecture 'On Poetry in General' in his Lectures on the English Poets (1818) and Shelley's 'Preface' to Prometheus Unbound (1820). By tracing and comparing the conceptual bases of these prefaces, it attempts to nuance and discriminate their differing versions of ordinariness. Variations notwithstanding, the reciprocal characterisation of poetry and ordinariness, at the heart of the poetics of three major Romantic writers, is shown to be fundamental also to their arguments for agency and their resistance to what Cavell calls 'the drive to the inhuman'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatial distribution of commercial sex activities (CSA) in urban environments is important in addressing the harms against sex workers and identifying sex trafficking operations. Guided by crime pattern theory, using Census data and New York Police Department (NYPD) prostitution-related arrests data (N = 29,075) from 2010 to 2019, this study examines the "hot spots" of CSA in New York City. Local Spatial Autocorrelation Analysis (LISA) identified distinctive spatial clusters of CSA, whereas logistic regression explained their significant congregation in immigrant and racial-ethnic enclaves. The heterogeneity of clusters by boroughs portrays the convergence of activity space of sex workers, patrons, and sex business opportunities reflecting the high-demand locations of CSA and human trafficking in NYC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) schemes eliminate the need for intellectual human knowledge of crypto algorithms to facilitate side-channel attacks on security implementations. Side channel attack analysis for circuit-level hardware (VLSI) implementations of symmetric-key block ciphers through artificial machine models are yet to be addressed. The proposed design of block cipher architecture, which is the implementation under attack features, secure adiabatic logic style the Charge Balancing Symmetric Pre-resolve Adiabatic Logic (CBSPAL). This style exhibits uniform power consumption through its inherent circuit arrangement, which makes it robust toward side-channel power attacks. This paper considers several Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) architectures to mount non-profiled side-channel attacks on round 1- PRESENT circuit-level implementation. Supervised learning of the MLP models through training with power waveforms employs binary LSB labeling. An attack on the custom dataset with 50,000 supply power traces collected from the CBSPAL implementation fails to retrieve secret information in any of the 8 bytes. The traditional Correlation Power Attack (CPA) was also not thriving with the proposed implementation. Comparison is made through a similar attack approach on benchmark AES (ASCAD dataset), which distinguishes the secret information throughout all the parameters of interest: normalized accuracy, normalized NMM accuracy and rank plots on byte 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senna, a medicinal herb, is highly susceptible to aflatoxin contamination, which often limits the export value of the final products due to the regulatory limits of importing countries. Presence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was investigated in 229 senna pod samples at various stages from field to storage over three years. Higher incidence of AFB1 was revealed during the late harvest stage with a mean level of 52.4 µg/kg and a range of LOD-206 µg/kg. Out of 48 late harvest samples, 37 exceeded the AFFB1 limit of 2 µg/kg. In contrast, the majority of preharvest samples showed lower levels of AFB1 (1.0 µg/kg). During drying, increase in the mean AFB1 level to 4 µg/kg was observed and it could further increase to 18.1 μg/kg in storage. These results highlight the status of aflatoxin contamination in senna pods and emphasise the importance of implementing good agricultural practices in senna cultivation to mitigate AFB1 contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides an overview of the significance of nanomaterials as additives, in the tribological performance of lubricants. This review describes the ascendancy of different nanoparticles such as carbon-based nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, oxide nanoparticles, sulphide nanoparticles, nanocomposites, hybrid and bimetallic nanoparticles in lubricants. The study also evaluates the underlying principles of lubricant-nanoparticle interactions and their effects on wear prevention and friction reduction. The key parameters including particle morphology, particle size, weight concentration, and functionalization of the particle surface, that determine the friction and wear characteristics are discussed. Also, the science behind surface interaction and various mechanisms involved in friction and wear modification is described. The review highlights the prospect of various nanomaterials in the field of lubrication and facilitates development of advanced nanolubricants with superior tribological properties, that attributes to the reduction in energy consumption and improved performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) presents a significant global challenge in clinical and healthcare settings, severely limiting treatment options. This study aimed to utilize a bacteriophage as an alternative therapy against carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae. A novel lytic N4-like Klebsiella phage, vB_kpnP_KPYAP-1 (KPYAP-1), was isolated from sewage. It demonstrated efficacy against the K62 serotype polysaccharide capsule of blaOXA-48-producing K. pneumoniae. KPYAP-1 forms small, clear plaques, has a latent period of 20 min, and reaches a growth plateau at 35 min, with a burst size of 473 plaque-forming units (PFUs) per infected cell. Phylogenetic analysis places KPYAP-1 in the Schitoviridae family, Enquatrovirinae subfamily, and Kaypoctavirus genus. KPYAP-1 employs an N4-like direct terminal repeat mechanism for genome packaging and encodes a large virion-encapsulated RNA polymerase. It lacks integrase or repressor genes, antibiotic resistance genes, bacterial virulence factors, and toxins, ensuring its safety for therapeutic use. Comparative genome analysis revealed that the KPYAP-1 genome is most similar to the KP8 genome, yet differs in tail fiber protein, indicating variations in host recognition. In a zebrafish infection model, KPYAP-1 significantly improved the survival rate of infected fish by 92% at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 10, demonstrating its potential for in vivo treatment. These results highlight KPYAP-1 as a promising candidate for developing phage-based therapies targeting carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sentiment analysis is an automated approach which is utilized in process of analysing textual data to describe public opinion. The sentiment analysis has major role in creating impact in the day‐to‐day life of individuals. However, a precise interpretation of text still relies as a major concern in classifying sentiment. So, this research introduced Bidirectional Long Short Term Memory with Ranger AdaBelief Optimizer (Bi‐LSTM RAO) to classify sentiment of tweets. Initially, data is obtained from Twitter API, Sentiment 140 and Stanford Sentiment Treebank‐2 (SST‐2). The raw data is pre‐processed and it is subjected to feature extraction which is performed using Bag of Words (BoW) and Term Frequency‐Inverse Document Frequency (TF‐IDF). The feature selection is performed using Gazelle Optimization Algorithm (GOA) which removes the irrelevant or redundant features that maximized model performance and classification is performed using Bi LSTM–RAO. The RAO optimizes the loss function of Bi‐LSTM model that maximized accuracy. The classification accuracy of proposed method for Twitter API, Sentiment 140 and SST 2 dataset is obtained as 909.44%, 99.71% and 99.86%, respectively. These obtained results are comparably higher than ensemble framework, Robustly Optimized BERT and Gated Recurrent Unit (RoBERTa‐GRU), Logistic Regression‐Long Short Term Memory (LR‐LSTM), Convolutional Bi‐LSTM, Sentiment and Context Aware Attention‐based Hybrid Deep Neural Network (SCA‐HDNN) and Stochastic Gradient Descent optimization based Stochastic Gate Neural Network (SGD‐SGNN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening monogenic disease affecting thousands of people worldwide. Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is an ion channel that facilitates transportation of water and salts across epithelial cell membranes through the conductance of Cl− and other anions. A dysfunctional CFTR due to abnormalities in the cftr gene causes CF, which is believed to be a rare disease in India mainly due to mis/underdiagnosis. Although numerous diagnostic methods and treatment options are available for CF globally, most of these are unaffordable for developing countries like India. Currently, CF symptoms are managed with mucolytics, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and various CFTR modulators based on the type of defect. While a definitive cure for CF remains elusive, advancements in stem cell and gene therapies hold promise for permanent cure in the near future. In this review, we discuss the prevalence of CF cases in India, affordable diagnostic methods, and treatment options amenable for developing countries. We further emphasize the scope for the universal newborn screening programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuning the physical and chemical interaction between metal–metal′ (M−M′) and metal–support is an ideal way to realize enhanced catalytic activity of metal nanoparticles (NPs). As a proof of concept, herein we report the fabrication of nickel‐gold (Ni−Au) alloy nanoparticles attached to N‐doped nanoporous carbon (NPC) intervened with MgO (Ni73Au27@MgO‐NPC), achieved through the impregnation of metal precursors into Schiff‐base network polymer (SNP) framework along with Mg(OH)2 and pyrolysis at 800 °C in N2 atmosphere. With high stability and heterogeneity, the nickel rich Ni73Au27@MgO‐NPC exhibited higher catalytic activities with turnover frequencies of 29,272 h−1 (hydrogenation of p‐nitrophenol), 93,843 h−1 (degradation of methyl orange), and 2,218 h−1 (epoxidation of stilbene), compared to commercial 10 wt % Pd/C. Enhanced catalytic activity is correlated to the synchronized electron density enhancement in Au, by Ni and MgO/N‐rich nanoporous carbon heterostructures, as evident from detailed X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adipose thermogenesis has been actively investigated as a therapeutic target for improving metabolic dysfunction in obesity. However, its applicability to middle‐aged and older populations, which bear the highest obesity prevalence in the United States (approximately 40%), remains uncertain due to age‐related decline in thermogenic responses. In this study, we investigated the effects of chronic thermogenic stimulation using the β3‐adrenergic (AR) agonist CL316,243 (CL) on systemic metabolism and adipose function in aged (18‐month‐old) C57BL/6JN mice. Sustained β3‐AR treatment resulted in reduced fat mass, increased energy expenditure, increased fatty acid oxidation and mitochondrial activity in adipose depots, improved glucose homeostasis, and a favorable adipokine profile. At the cellular level, CL treatment increased uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)‐dependent thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT). However, in white adipose tissue (WAT) depots, CL treatment increased glycerol and lipid de novo lipogenesis (DNL) and turnover suggesting the activation of the futile substrate cycle of lipolysis and reesterification in a UCP1‐independent manner. Increased lipid turnover was also associated with the simultaneous upregulation of proteins involved in glycerol metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, and reesterification in WAT. Further, a dose‐dependent impact of CL treatment on inflammation was observed, particularly in subcutaneous WAT, suggesting a potential mismatch between fatty acid supply and oxidation. These findings indicate that chronic β3‐AR stimulation activates distinct cellular mechanisms that increase energy expenditure in BAT and WAT to improve systemic metabolism in aged mice. Considering that people lose BAT with aging, activation of futile lipid cycling in WAT presents a novel strategy for improving age‐related metabolic dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between internet addiction and dietary habits among Omani junior college students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman, among junior college students surveyed in November 2020. The Compulsive Internet Use Scale and a dietary habits questionnaire were used. Chi-square cross-tabulation analyses were used to explore the relationship between internet addiction and dietary habits. Results: A total of 377 students were included in this study. Overall, 59.9% of the junior college students were identified as having an internet addiction. Within this group, 62.8% reported reduced meal sizes and 54.4% reported a decrease in appetite. There was a statistically significant difference in both meal size (X2 = 30.528; P <0.001) and appetite changes (X2 = 28.731; P <0.001) among students with different levels of internet addiction. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest a possible link between internet addiction and altered dietary habits among this population. This study highlights the need for strategies that encourage healthy living behaviours and raise awareness about the adverse effects of internet addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dependency on screen viewing (SV) has reached unprecedented levels, and mental health issues are becoming a major public health concern. However, the associations between SV, including variations in purposes, devices, and timing, and mental health remain unclear. This study aims to provide insights into these associations among university students. Methods: This analysis used baseline data from a longitudinal cohort study among first-year university students matriculating in the 2021–2022 academic year. Self-reported data on sociodemographics, health behaviors and mental health outcomes alongside anthropometric measurements were collected. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results: The average age of the 997 valid students was 20.2 years, with 59.6% being female and 41.4% male. Students spent 14.3 h daily on SV, with females reporting higher SV than males. Daily SV was predominant for study purposes (7.6 h/day). Computer usage was the highest (7.0 h/day), while TV usage was the lowest (1.7 h/day). Poor mental wellbeing was reported by 33.6% of students, while 13.9% experienced psychological distress. Compared to students with low total SV, those with high levels were more likely to have poor mental wellbeing [OR (95% CI): 1.40 (0.99, 1.98)] and psychological distress [1.56 (1.00, 2.44)]. High levels of recreational and study related SV were significantly associated with poor mental wellbeing [1.81 (1.27, 2.56)] and psychological distress [1.75 (1.11, 2.83)], respectively. Those with high levels of computer time were more likely to have poor mental wellbeing [1.44 (1.01, 2.06)], and high weekend day SV was associated with greater odds of psychological distress [2.16 (1.17, 4.06)]. Conclusions: SV among university students was high, as was the high prevalence of poor mental wellbeing and psychological distress. Greater SV was associated with poor mental wellbeing and psychological distress. Differences according to purpose of SV were noted. Although recreational SV was associated with poor mental wellbeing, study related SV was associated with psychological distress. Variations across different devices and timing were also noted. This highlights the need for further longitudinal research to understand the impact of SV on mental health and to guide interventions for promoting mental health of university students globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isatin-derived spirocyclic cores are found in several biologically active molecules. Here, we report nucleophilic domino reactions for the synthesis of α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone/lactam containing spirocyclic oxindoles. The Zn-mediated one-step reaction accommodates a range of substrates and can be used to rapidly generate focused libraries of highly substituted spirocyclic compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Benzodiazepine (BDZP) and/or z‐hypnotic dispensing during pregnancy has increased globally, as have rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to estimate the association between gestational exposure to BDZP and/or z‐hypnotics and diagnosis of ASD or ADHD in offspring. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and SCOPUS from inception till December 2023 for relevant English‐language articles. Outcomes of interest were risk of ASD and ADHD, two independent primary outcomes, in children exposed anytime during pregnancy to BDZP and/or z‐hypnotics versus those unexposed. Secondary outcomes were trimester‐wise analyses. Using a random effects model, we pooled the overall and trimester‐wise hazard ratios (HRs), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), separately for risk of ASD and ADHD. Results: We found six eligible retrospective cohort studies and no case–control studies. There was no increased risk of ASD associated with anytime gestational BDZP and/or z‐hypnotic exposure (primary outcome, HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.81–1.50; 4 studies; n = 3,783,417; 80,270 exposed, 3,703,147 unexposed) nor after first trimester exposure (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.83–1.58; 3 studies; n = 1,539,335; 70,737 exposed, 1,468,598 unexposed) or later trimester exposures. A very small but significantly increased risk of ADHD was noted with anytime gestational exposure to these drugs (primary outcome, HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.03–1.12; 4 studies; n = 2,000,777; 78,912 exposed, 1,921,865 unexposed) and also with (only) second trimester exposure (HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.03–1.12; 3 studies; n = 1,539,281; 33,355 exposed, 1,505,926 unexposed). Findings were consistent in sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: Gestational exposure to benzodiazepines or z‐hypnotics was not associated with an increased risk of ASD and with only a marginally increased risk of ADHD in offspring. Given the likelihood of confounding by indication and by unmeasured variables in the original studies, our findings should reassure women who need these medications for severe anxiety or insomnia during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu–Cr–Zr alloy's low wear resistance due to defect generation and cavity creation during the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process prevents its use in the aerospace and automotive industries. Hence, this research focuses on enhancing the wear resistance by mitigating defect formations during the LPBF process. The key LPBF process parameters such as exposure span (ES) of 350, 550, and 650 µs; laser power (LP) of 280, 360, and 440 W; and hatching range (HR) of 0.04, 0.07, and 0.1 mm were chosen and examined to reduce the cavity formations and to increase the indentation effect and thereby enhancing the wear resistance of the printed Cu alloy components. Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) associated with COmplex PRoportional ASsessment (COPRAS)–based multi-criterion decision-making (MCDM) technique was employed to substantiate the results obtained from the experimental analysis. Comparative analysis was performed for four different combinations of parameters to examine the impact of individual parameters in influencing the wear resistance. The research outcome confirms that the reduced cavity percentage of 0.08% with the minimal wear rate of 0.83 × 10−5 mm3/Nm and maximum nanohardness of 2.82 GPa was attained during the implementation of minimum ES of 350 µs and HR of 0.04 mm with maximum LP of 440 W. Furthermore, during the examination of wear mechanism, the transformation of adhesion to abrasion wear mode was evident which was induced by the defect formations. However, the mitigation of defect formations was also addressed in this investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeMethodsResultsConclusionTo elucidate the learning curve for posterior segment diagnostic endoscopy (DE) based on the results of a self-trained (ST) and a supervised (SUP) vitreoretinal surgeon.Retrospective review of medical records of DE performed between 2017 and 2023 by one ST and one SUP vitreoretinal surgeon at a tertiary eye care institute. Data were collected and the serial number of cases was plotted against the time taken for the procedure. A comparative regression plot was created for both the surgeons to know the slope of the learning curve. The start time was noted as that of attachment of the endoscope and the stop time was noted as the end of diagnostic evaluation. Procedures were divided into blocks of 10 cases each and the time taken for the procedures was calculated.Total of 106 eyes (58 by ST surgeon and 48 by SUP surgeon) were included. For ST surgeon, the time taken for the surgery correlated inversely (reduced sequentially) with the serial number of the case till the 20th case (correlation coefficient = −0.5, p = .01), for SUP surgeon, the time taken for the surgery correlated inversely with the serial number of the case till the 10th case (correlation coefficient = −0.9, p = <0.0001) and then stabilized. Neither of the groups had any adverse events.About 20 cases for a self-trained and about 10 cases for a supervised vitreoretinal surgeon are required to get stable with DE. These observations have implications in creating a training module for DE with appropriate number of training cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating central nervous system (CNS) disorder that is associated with functional impairment and accruing disability. There are multiple U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs that effectively dampen inflammation and slow disability progression. However, these agents do not work well for all patients and are associated with side effects that may limit their use. The vagus nerve (VN) provides a direct communication conduit between the CNS and the periphery, and modulation of the inflammatory reflex via electrical stimulation of the VN (VNS) shows efficacy in ameliorating pathology in several CNS and autoimmune disorders. We therefore investigated the impact of VNS in a rat experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of MS. In this study, VNS-mediated neuroimmune modulation is demonstrated to effectively decrease EAE disease severity and duration, infiltration of neutrophils and pathogenic lymphocytes, myelin damage, blood-brain barrier disruption, fibrinogen deposition, and proinflammatory microglial activation. VNS modulates expression of genes that are implicated in MS pathogenesis, as well as those encoding myelin proteins and transcription factors regulating new myelin synthesis. Together, these data indicate that neuroimmune modulation via VNS may be a promising approach to treat MS, that not only ameliorates symptoms but potentially also promotes myelin repair (remyelination). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efforts to evolve a comprehensive, integrated theory of social development have proved to be so difficult that many have concluded it is unattainable. On the surface, it appears that each field of social science is governed by different and often unrelated or contradictory assumptions, concepts and principles that would render a unified theory as unattainable. This article attempts neither to confirm nor deny that possibility. It seeks instead to explore a few fundamental principles that appear to be applicable to all fields of social science, social development and social evolution and to illustrate them through a variety of examples that reveal a common basis and dynamics for phenomena that are usually confined to one discipline or another. The author’s view is that if the validity and utility of these principles are affirmed, it can open the pathway for identification of dozens or even hundreds of other transdisciplinary, transcultural principles relevant to a very wide range of human experiences, as well as different fields and levels of the process of social development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer treatment often involves a combination of different therapeutic techniques to effectively target the disease and overcome resistance mechanisms. This multimodal approach enhances the potency and efficacy of the treatment. Methods: The multimodality therapy for breast cancer includes the integration of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy. This comprehensive strategy blocks various pathways concurrently, thus circumventing mechanisms responsible for resistance. Chemotherapy combined with targeted medicine, which impedes biochemical processes crucial for cancer progression, is highlighted as a potentially superior approach. Results: Oncologists are increasingly employing novel biomarkers to identify specific molecular differences responsible for cancer development. Medications such as PARP inhibitors for breast cancers with BRCA mutations and HER2-targeted therapies for HER2-positive tumors have shown effectiveness. Emerging biomarkers, including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and gene expression profiles, provide real-time insights into tumor status and treatment efficacy. Conclusion: The use of multimodality therapy in breast cancer, which leverages various treatment techniques and novel biomarkers, holds promise for more effective and personalized treatment strategies. The incorporation of emerging biomarkers in treatment decision-making processes can significantly improve outcomes by providing current information on tumor characteristics and response to therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the analysis of phytochemical constituents, antibacterial activity, and antifungal activity of ethanolic extract isolated from the seed coat of Borassus flabellifer. The ethanolic extract of Borassus flabellifer seed coat was prepared by cold extraction technique using sterile filter paper. The extract was subjected to qualitative phytochemical analysis preliminarily. Antibacterial activity against gram-positive strains of Bacillus cereus and Streptococcus mutans, gram-negative strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi, and antifungal activity against strains of Candida albicans and Aspergillus flavus were assessed using agar well diffusion method by observing the diameter of zone of inhibition. The qualitative phytochemical analysis of ethanolic extract of Borassus flabellifer seed coat revealed the presence of phytoconstituents like tannins, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenol. It was found to have exhibited good antibacterial effect against gram-positive strains of Bacillus cereus (14-21 mm) and Streptococcus mutans (10-14 mm) at all concentrations but not exceeding standard antibiotic (16-26 mm) and also exhibited average antibacterial effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12-16 mm) but ineffective against Salmonella typhi. There was limited antifungal activity against Candida albicans (14 mm) and nil antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus. This study concludes that the seed coat of Borassus flabellifer has significant antibacterial activity against several human pathogens. The phytochemicals present are positively associated with antimicrobial properties. Hence, it can be used for treating a variety of infectious conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes an artificial intelligence-empowered and efficient detection approach for customers with Severe Failure in Digital Transactions (SFDT) through a deep transfer network learning approach from discretized fraud data. Presently, the Real-time global payment system is suffered primarily by fraudsters based on customer behavior. For the identification of fraud, scientists used many techniques. However, identifying and tracking the customers infected by the fraud takes a significant amount of time. The proposed study employs pre-trained convolution neural network-based (CNN) architectures to find SFDT. CNN is pre-trained on the various network architectures using fraud data. This article contributed to pre-trained networks with newly developed versions ResNet152, DenseNet201, InceptionNetV4, and EfficientNetB7 by integrating the loss function to minimize the error. We run numerous experiments on large data set of credit payment transactions which are public in nature, to determine the high rate of SFDT with our model by comparing accuracy with other fraud detection methods and also proved best in evaluating minimum loss cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Groundnut is a prominent oilseed crop in India but its productivity is far below the potential yield because of lack of knowledge along with adoption of enhanced varieties and technologies. The technology gap is a main issue in the production of groundnut in North Eastern zone of Tamil Nadu State in which Cuddalore district falls. A scientific and systematic effort was made to study the impact on yield by assessing the technological gap present in several components of the groundnut cultivation through cluster frontline demonstrations with scientific technologies. Methods: Cluster frontline demonstrations were implemented in groundnut to improve the production potential of improved varieties and new technologies through Krishi Vigyan Kendra. The study with one of its objectives to assess yield and technology gap in groundnut was conducted with 175 demonstrations during the period from 2020-21 to 2022-23 covering seven blocks in an area of 70 hectares in the Cuddalore district following cluster random sampling method. Groundnut varieties VRI 8 and VRI 10 along with improved technologies were demonstrated in the farmer’s field by providing necessary critical inputs along with seed drill sowing. Result: There resulted 53.34 per cent rise in yield as observed in demonstration plots over farmers’ practices in groundnut. The study revealed that in groundnut, the average extension gap of 13.95 q/ha, the average technology gap of 14.52 q/ha and the average technology index of demonstrations is 26.41 per cent. The higher average net returns (Rs. 149758/ha) were recorded in the demonstration plot (BCR 2.4) compared to the farmers’ plot. The sustainability yield index (SYI) and Sustainability Value Index (SVI) in demo plots are higher consistently than in farmers’ plots mainly due to the effect of cluster frontline demonstrations with the proper application of inputs/technologies viz., VRI 8 and VRI 10 varieties, treatment of seed by using bio-fertilizers, biocontrol agents, a test of soil based nutrient management, application of TNAU crop booster groundnut rich and gypsum application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The present study exerted heavy metal (Lead) accumulation and translocation capability of Withania somnifera shoots under lethal and non-lethal doses of Lead • In planta synthesis of Lead nanoparticles indicates that the presence specialized detoxification, sequestration and reduction mechanism in in vitro shoot cultures of Withania somnifera • Adsorption and translocation of Lead to aerial parts (stems and leaves) of the cultures was facilitated by liquid culture medium, and the addition of plant growth regulator (BAP), chelating agent (EDTA) and other mineral ions (Mg2+, K2+, Ca2+ and others) in the growth medium • Shoots exposed to non-lethal doses of Pb (800 µM) over prolonged period (12 days), significantly increased biomass and secondary metabolite (withanolides) production. Green synthesis of nanoparticles using biological extracts/live organisms has been the best substitute for chemical/physical synthesizing methods. Live plants can convert simple metal ions into metal nanoparticles using their intrinsic metabolic processes. In addition, medicinal plants with a hyperaccumulation potential also have high reduction potential which can be utilized for in planta synthesis of metal nanoparticles. Lead (Pb), a non-essential heavy metal, is known to stimulate various biological processes in plants at higher concentrations. Therefore, a medicinal plant with a hyperaccumulation potential was selected to investigate its potential for in planta reduction of Pb. In the present study, in vitro grown 45 days old Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal shoots were exposed to lead acetate (PbAC 2) at varying concentrations (acute: 300–4800 µM; chronic: 50–800 µM) for 12–48 h and 4–12 days, respectively. It revealed that cultures grown in 800 µM PbAC 2 for 12 days of exposure (C5) recorded significantly higher biomass (17.28 g) and increase in the divalent metal ions such as calcium from 1412 (control) to 1787 mg kg-1 (C5), potassium 21,109 (control) to 24,779 mg kg-1 (C5), and iron from 11 (control) to 82 mg kg-1 (C5), with lead (Pb) accumulation reaching up to 405 mg kg-1 (C5). Compared to the control shoots (0.783, 0.805 & 1.3 mg g-1), C5 shoots positively correlated with secondary metabolites namely withaferin A (3.14 mg g-1) and withanolide A (0.960 mg g-1) production and negatively with withanone (1.027 mg g-1). Also, C5 shoots had spherical shaped nanoparticles with a mean particle size of 25±10 nm which was then identified as lead nanoparticles (PbNPs). To our knowledge, the present study is the first of its kind where the in planta synthesis of PbNPs/PbONPs by in vitro shoot cultures of W. somnifera is reported along with accumulation of higher biomass and selective withanolides under Pb stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mushrooms have garnered significant attention for their nutritional composition and potential health benefits, including antioxidant, antihypertensive, and cholesterol‐lowering properties. This review explores the nutritional composition of edible mushrooms, including their high protein content, essential amino acids, low fat, cholesterol levels, and bioactive compounds with medicinal value. Moreover, the study analyzes the microbiology of mushroom fermentation, focusing on the diverse microbial ecosystem involved in the transformation of raw mushrooms and the preservation methods employed to extend their shelf life. Special emphasis is placed on lactic acid fermentation as a cost‐effective and efficient preservation technique. It involves controlling the growth of lactic acid bacteria to enhance the microbial stability and nutritional quality of mushrooms. Furthermore, the bioactivities of fermented mushrooms are elucidated, which are antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti‐glycemic, immune modulatory, and other biological activities. The mechanisms underlying these bioactivities are explored, emphasizing the role of fermented mushrooms in suppressing free radicals, enhancing antioxidant defenses, and modulating immune responses. Overall, this review provides comprehensive insights into the nutritional composition, microbiology, bioactivities, and underlying mechanisms of fermented mushrooms, highlighting their potential as functional foods with significant health‐promoting properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea cucumbers, members of the echinoderm class Holothuroidea, are marine invertebrates with ecological significance and substantial commercial value. With approximately 1700 species, these organisms contribute to marine ecosystems through nutrient cycling and face various threats, including overfishing and habitat loss. Despite their importance, they are extensively exploited for diverse applications, from seafood to pharmaceuticals. This study investigates sea cucumbers' nutritional profile and bioactive elements, emphasizing their role as sources of essential compounds with potential health benefits. The demand for sea cucumbers, especially in dried form, is significant, prompting exploration into various drying techniques. Examining the global trade in sea cucumbers highlights their economic importance and the conservation challenges they face. Conservation efforts, such as awareness campaigns and international collaboration, are evaluated as essential steps in combating illicit trade and promoting the sustainable stewardship of sea cucumber populations. Practical Application: Around 1700 species of sea cucumbers were identified as vital ecological scavengers in the Holothuroidea class. High commercial value due to their health benefits, particularly their demonstrated inhibitory effect against various types of cancer. "Beche‐de‐mer" holds a 90% market share and is regarded as a luxury food item in Southeast Asian countries. Due to overexploitation, the species is classified as Schedule I under the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) in India, prompting the implementation of a blanket ban on their harvesting to ensure its conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance P (SP) is released from sensory nerves in the arteries and heart. It activates neurokinin-1 receptors (NK1Rs) causing vasodilation, immune modulation, and adverse cardiac remodeling. The hypothesis was tested: SP and SP metabolites activate different second messenger signaling pathways. Macrophages, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts metabolized SP to N- and C-terminal metabolites to varying extents. SP 5–11 was the most abundant metabolite followed by SP 1–4, SP 7–11, SP 6–11, SP 3–11, and SP 8–11. In NK1R-expressing human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells, SP and some C-terminal SP metabolites stimulate the NK1R, promoting the dissociation of several Gα proteins, including Gαs and Gαq from their βγ subunits. SP increases intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca]i) and cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation with similar −log EC50 values of 8.5 ± 0.3 and 7.8 ± 0.1 M, respectively. N-terminal metabolism of SP by up to five amino acids and C-terminal deamidation of SP produce peptides that retain activity to increase [Ca]i but not to increase cAMP. C-terminal metabolism results in the loss of both activities. Thus, [Ca]i and cAMP signaling are differentially affected by SP metabolism. To assess the role of N-terminal metabolism, SP and SP 6–11 were compared with cAMP-mediated activities in NK1R-expressing 3T3 fibroblasts. SP inhibits nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activity, cell proliferation, and wound healing and stimulates collagen production. SP 6–11 had little or no activity. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression is increased by SP but not by SP 6–11. Thus, metabolism may select the cellular response to SP by inhibiting or redirecting the second messenger signaling pathway activated by the NK1R. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Endothelial cells, macrophages, and fibroblasts metabolize substance P (SP) to N- and C-terminal metabolites with SP 5–11 as the most abundant metabolite. SP activates neurokinin-1 receptors to increase intracellular calcium and cyclic AMP. In contrast, SP metabolites of N-terminal metabolism and C-terminal deamidation retain the ability to increase calcium but lose the ability to increase cyclic AMP. These new insights indicate that the metabolism of SP directs cellular functions by regulating specific signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heusler compounds stand as a versatile class of intermetallics with extraordinary electrical, magnetic, and thermoelectric properties that render them indispensable in various applications. This study delves deeply into the mechanical, dynamical, electronic, magnetic, and transport characteristics of Mn 2 CoGe and Mn 2 CoSb compounds. Both compounds display mechanical stability, ionic bonding, and a ductile nature. The positive phonon frequencies further affirm their dynamical stability. Moving to the electronic structure calculations, our assessments encompass magnetic moment, band structure, and density of states, highlighting the distinctive half-metallic characteristics inherent in these compounds. Transport coefficient calculations for both spin channels demonstrate the compounds' relative constancy in terms of Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity despite temperature fluctuations. The observed spin polarisation and thermoelectric response underscore the promising suitability of these compounds for future applications in spintronics and thermoelectrics. While the achieved maximum thermoelectric figure of merit value of 0.2 holds potential for their thermoelectric capabilities, further experimental validations are imperative for a comprehensive evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Globally, no trial data are available on head-to-head comparison between 10 mg/kg and 25/35 mg/kg rifampicin in treating pulmonary tuberculosis during study initiation. Methods A multicentric, phase IIb randomized trial recruited 333 new culture-positive, drug-sensitive adult patients with pulmonary tuberculosis to compare safety and efficacy of high-dose rifampicin (R25/R35), against conventional dose (R10) given daily for 8 weeks followed by standard doses for 16 weeks. Main outcomes were treatment-emergent grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs) and time-to-culture conversion in liquid media, assessed by division of AIDS system for grading the severity of adverse events division of AIDS criteria and Kaplan-Meier methods. Results In a modified intention-to-treat population of 323 patients (R10: 105/R25: 112/R35: 106), grade 3/4 AEs were reported in 34 patients (R10: 9.5% [10/105], R25: 9.8% [11/112], R35: 12.3% [13/106]) during the intensive phase. Among 23 patients (R10: 3.8% [4/105], R25: 6.3% [7/112], R35: 11.3% [12/106]) with grade 3/4 hepatotoxicity, 15 (R10: 1.9% [2/105], R25: 3.6% [4/112], R35: 8.5% [9/106]) had grade 3/4 hyperbilirubinemia and 9 patients (R10: 1.0% [1/105], R25: 0.9% [1/112], R35: 6.6% [7/106]) developed clinical jaundice. Significant differences observed only between R10 and R35 with hepatotoxicity (P =.039), hyperbilirubinemia (P =.031), clinical jaundice (P =.032), and treatment interruption (P =.039). Eighteen serious AEs and 6 deaths (R10: 3/R25: 1/R35: 2) occurred during study period. Time to stable culture conversion in liquid media was faster in R25 (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26–2.31 [solid: 1.97; 95% CI, 1.46–2.67]) and R35 (1.81; 95% CI, 1.33–2.48 [solid: 2.24; 95% CI, 1.64–3.06]), than R10 (34 vs 44 days). R25 had no failure/relapse. Conclusions Hepatotoxicity, clinical jaundice, and treatment interruptions occurred significantly higher with R35 than R10. Because R25 was comparably safe as R10 and also highly efficacious than R10, it may be considered for implementation. Clinical Trials Registration. CTRI/2017/12/010951. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]