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An experiment was conducted for 60 days in a 500L capacity FRP tank containing inland ground saline water (fortified to a level of 50% potassium) with one control (sediment) and three treatments; T1(Paddy Straw Biochar (PSB) in sediment), T2 (Banana Peduncle Biochar (BPB) in sediment), and T3 (PSB + BPB in sediment). Biochar (100 g) was amended with sediment (25 kg) at 9 tons/ha. Shrimps of average weight 5 ± 0.03 g were stocked at 60 juveniles/m 3 and were fed at satiation levels using commercially available feed. Compared to control, in biochar contained treatments the ammonia levels were reduced, the pH, alkalinity, calcium-magnesium ratio, and potassium in water, were increased significantly. Growth metrics reveal a significant increase in final body weight, weight gain percentage, PER, HPSI, SGR, and reduced FCR (within 1-1.26) in biochar-treated groups with the highest survivability (92%) was observed in T3, which is mixed biochar amended sediment. At the end of the experiment, shrimp organs (hepatopancreas, gills, and muscles) and serum were sampled for tissue enzymes and serum profiles, respectively. The mean levels of lipase, amylase and protease varied significantly, and in biochar treated groups significant reduction in the activities of oxidative stress enzymes (SOD and CAT in Hepatopancreas) were recorded in comparison to control. For the serum, higher hemocyanin (0.33 ± 0.01mMolL -1 ) was observed in mixed biochar amended treatment (T3) and the least in control. In addition, the glucose level in the serum was significantly dropped in biochar-amended groups indicating reduced stress levels, while it increased in control. T3 was found to be the best, among all, in improving growth performance and maintaining the water quality. Even though biochar-amended treatments demonstrated positive outcomes regarding inland saline water quality, growth metrics, and well-being of the P. vannamei compared to control, a deeper analysis is necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms determining these beneficial effects of biochar., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics statement: The study was conducted in compliance with the ARRIVE guidelines. The animals used in this study were handled in line with the norms established by the CPCSEA (Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals), Ministry of Environment and Forests (Animal Welfare Division), Government of India for the care and use of animals in scientific research. Permissions: Permissions were taken, while collecting the raw paddy straw from the farmers and banana peduncle waste from shopkeepers for conducting this study., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A large geometry high resolution secondary ion mass spectrometer (HR-SIMS) has been established as a part of the National Geochronology Facility (NGF) at Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi. The performance of the instrument related to high spatial resolution, high mass resolving power (MRP), sensitivity of the instrument to measure low abundant isotopes, and sensitivity of the instrument for 206 Pb signal under different conditions are optimized and presented in this paper. We report the precision of the order of ~ 0.2‰ for oxygen isotopes measurement in 91500 reference material zircon and measured δ 18 O value of 10.08‰ ± 0.18‰ (2SD), which is in agreement with the recommended values. For U-Pb age measurement in zircon, Plešovice and FCT reference materials are measured as unknown and their 206 Pb/ 238 U ages agree with the reported values within the uncertainties. A long-term evaluation of 206 Pb/ 238 UO and 206 Pb/ 238 U isotopic measurement ratio is also presented., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Managing choledocholithiasis alongside cholelithiasis has seen significant evolution, presenting options such as single-stage cholecystectomy with common bile duct (CBD) exploration, or a two-stage procedure involving endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) performed before or after cholecystectomy. Evidence from Western settings may not fully capture the unique disease burden and demographic characteristics prevalent in developing countries. Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) is more commonly performed in the Indian subcontinent compared to Western centers due to limited access to advanced procedures and specialized instrumentation for complex ERCP cases. The high cost and the need for extensive armamentarium in managing failed ERCPs make LCBDE a more feasible option in many Indian centers., Methods: This prospective study, conducted from August 2019 to July 2020 at King George's Medical University, UP, India, included n = 24 patients diagnosed with choledocholithiasis. The operative procedures performed included laparoscopic CBD exploration and cholecystectomy, along with internal endo-biliary drainage. Perioperative outcomes were assessed, and follow-up data were included to monitor any recurrence until 36 months post-surgery., Results: The study population had a mean age of 42.2 years, with 83% (n = of the patients being female). Abdominal pain was the predominant symptom, reported by 91.66% of the patients, followed by nausea/vomiting in 79.20% of cases. The mean CBD diameter observed was consistent with existing literature. The mean operating time was 2.02 h, with primary duct closure taking an average of 13.66 min. Mean blood loss during surgery was 136.25 mL. The average hospital stay was 5.54 days, with the majority of drain removals occurring by the third postoperative day. Complications included fever in 25.0% of the patients and bile leakage in n = 3 out of 24 cases (~12.50%). During the follow-up period, one patient (4.17%) experienced a retained stone., Conclusion: Laparoscopic CBD exploration with primary duct closure and internal biliary drainage appears to be a feasible approach, yielding satisfactory perioperative outcomes. However, further studies are required to firmly establish its superiority over alternative approaches within the Indian context., (© 2024 Asia Endosurgery Task Force and Japan Society of Endoscopic Surgery and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

The existence of a previously unrecognized subarachnoid lymphatic-like membrane (SLYM) was reported in a recent study. SLYM is described as an intermediate leptomeningeal layer between the arachnoid and pia mater in mouse and human brains, which divides the subarachnoid space (SAS) into two functional compartments. Being a macroscopic structure, having missed detection in previous studies is surprising. We systematically reviewed the published reports in animals and humans to explore whether prior descriptions of this meningeal layer were reported in some way. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases using combinations of MeSH terms and keywords with Boolean operators from inception until 31 December 2023. We found at least eight studies that provided structural evidence of an intermediate leptomeningeal layer in the brain or spinal cord. However, unequivocal descriptions for this layer all along the central nervous system were scarce. Obscure names like the epipial, intermediate meningeal, outer pial layers, or intermediate lamella were used to describe it. Its microscopic/ultrastructural details closely resemble the recently reported SLYM. We further examined the counterarguments in current literature that are skeptical of the existence of this layer. The potential physiological and clinical implications of this new meningeal layer are significant, underscoring the urgent need for further exploration of its structural and functional details., (© 2024 American Association for Anatomy.)

Fibrosis results from excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, causing tissue stiffening and organ dysfunction. Activated fibroblasts, central to fibrosis, exhibit increased migration, proliferation, contraction, and ECM production. However, it remains unclear if the same fibroblast performs all of the processes that fall under the umbrella term of "activation". Due to fibroblast heterogeneity in connective tissues, subpopulations with specific functions may operate under distinct regulatory controls. Using a transgenic mouse model of skin fibrosis, we found that Mindin (spondin-2), secreted by Snail transgenic keratinocytes, differentially regulates fibroblast subpopulations. Mindin promotes migration and inflammatory gene expression in SCA1+ dermal fibroblasts via Fyn kinase. In contrast, it enhances contractility and collagen production in papillary CD26+ fibroblasts through c-Src signalling. Moreover, in the context of the fibrotic microenvironment of the tumour stroma, we found that differential responses of resident fibroblasts subpopulations to Mindin extend to the generation of functionally heterogeneous cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). This study unveils Mindin as a key orchestrator of dermal fibroblast heterogeneity, reshaping cellular dynamics and signalling diversity in the complex landscapes of skin fibrosis and cancer.

Background: The current severity assessment measures for nomophobia have issues related to clinical applicability, which makes them difficult to be consistently applied in the Indian context. We aimed to develop a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of severity of Nomophobia., Methods: This study was a two-phase, exploratory sequential mixed method design conducted across three centres in India. The development of the questionnaire included identification of the domains and items, inputs from experts and refining the questionnaire. EFA was carried out to check the internal consistency among items. CFA was carried out to test the factor structure of ISAN. Concurrent validity with NMP-Q was ascertained. Convergent and discriminant validity were tested using bivariate correlation analysis., Results: The qualitative findings from the initial exploration were developed into 27-item ISAN reviewed by experts for content validity. EFA showed that the questionnaire has good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient = 0.934) with a five-factor pattern matrix. CFA explained five-factor structure (Digital compulsion, Digital Intensement, Digital Obsession, Digital Detachment Distress and Digital Engagement) was deemed to be the most tenable comprising of 21 items. ISAN fits good on all indices (CMIN/df = 2.44, CFI = 0.93, RMSEA = 0.05, TLI = 0.92, IFI = 0.93) for the five-factor structure. Concurrent validity with NMP-Q was good (r = 0.695). Good to moderate associations were noted for the convergent (r = 0.985) and discriminant validity (r = -0.560) respectively., Conclusion: ISAN (Indian Scale for Assessment of Nomophobia) is an accurate and reliable instrument that can measure nomophobia in the Indian youth population., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest I, hereby, submit a manuscript for full length article section titled “Factor structure, Reliability and Validity of an Indian Scale for Assessment of Nomophobia (ISAN) among College Students: A Multicentre Indian Study”. All the authors have contributed substantially in the work and there is no conflict of interest in reporting this study. This paper has not been published or simultaneously submitted or already accepted for publication elsewhere. We hope that the manuscript meets the scope and interest of the journal., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this study, a series of new methoxy ester functionalized core fluorinated, chloro-fluorinated azobenzene derivatives were synthesized. The molecular structures of the azobenzene derivatives (3a-3c and 4a-4c) were confirmed through various analytical methods, with variations in the alkoxy chain length on one end of the aromatic ring. Optical absorption studies of 3a, 3b revealed π-π* transitions around 368-392 nm. Further, polarizing optical microscope (POM) studies of 3a, 3b revealed birefringent textures, and their phase transitions were investigated using differential scanning colorimetry (DSC) studies. The trans-to-cis photoisomerization of 3a, 3b transpired over 3600s whereas, thermal back relaxation (cis-to-trans) isomerization took 0.75 h. Room temperature photoluminescence (RTPL) studies of 3a-3c and 4a-4c unveiled weak emission intensity peak at ~ 450 nm (blue region) when excited at 400 nm. Steady-state photoluminescence (SSPL) studies of 3a-3c, 4a-4c revealed a broad emission band in the violet region of the visible spectrum with significantly large Stokes shifts, indicating the presence of highly energized excited states and formation of additional energy levels during photoexcitation. Fluorescence decay (FLD) studies of 3a-3c, 4a-4c unveiled average lifetime (τ) dwells between 8.2 ps and 70.4 ps. The average lifetime (τ) was found to increase with the increase in the length of the alkoxy chain. Phosphorescence decay (PD) profiles of 3a-3c, 4a-4c showed average lifetime (τ) fluctuate around 373 ns to 463 ns. The obtained core fluorinated, chloro-fluorinated azobenzene derivatives having different lengths of the alkoxy side chain can find potential applications in optical storage and display technologies., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Transcribed Ultra-Conserved Regions (TUCRs) represent a severely understudied class of putative non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are 100% conserved across multiple species. We performed the first-ever analysis of TUCRs in glioblastoma (GBM) and low-grade gliomas (LGG). We leveraged large human datasets to identify the genomic locations, chromatin accessibility, transcription, differential expression, correlation with survival, and predicted functions of all 481 TUCRs, and identified TUCRs that are relevant to glioma biology. Of these, we investigated the expression, function, and mechanism of action of the most highly upregulated intergenic TUCR, uc.110, identifying it as a new tumor enhancer. Uc.110 was highly overexpressed in GBM and LGG, where it promoted malignancy and tumor growth. Uc.110 activated the WNT pathway by upregulating the expression of membrane frizzled-related protein (MFRP), by sponging the tumor suppressor microRNA miR-544. This pioneering study shows important roles for TUCRs in gliomas and provides an extensive database and novel methods for future TUCR research.

In this study, a functionalized graphene oxide-cerium oxide nanocatalysts (FGCe) with varying graphene oxide (GO) contents were prepared using an in-situ reflux method. The prepared nanocatalysts showcased improvement in the crystallinity and BET surface area values with increasing GO contents. The efficacies of prepared catalysts were investigated towards oxidative pyrolysis of alkali lignin in an ethanol-water system. Among various nanocatalyst samples, the best lignin conversion (93 %) and bio-oil yield (86 %) were achieved using 50 mg FGCe nanocatalyst (0.5 wt% GO) at 423 K and 60 min. GC-MS and 1 HNMR analyses were used to identify significant lignin conversion products, including 2-pentanone-4-hydroxy-4-methyl, 2-methoxyphenol, nonylcyclopropane, vanillin, apocynin, homovanollic acid, and benzoic acid. Kinetic studies revealed that the activation energy for lignin conversion was 24.36 kJ/mol at 423 K. Mechanistic investigations by density functional theory analysis revealed that the lignin breakdown occurred at oxygen bonds producing aromatic., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In biological systems, nitrite reductase enzymes (NIRs) are responsible for reduction of nitrite (NO 2 - ) to nitric oxide (NO). These NIRs have mostly Cu- or Fe-containing active sites, surrounded by amine-containing ligands. Therefore, mononuclear Cu complexes with N-donor ligands are highly relevant in the development of NIR model systems and in the mechanistic investigation of the nitrite reduction reaction. Herein, we report on a terpyridine-based Cu II complex with square planar geometry for H + -assisted electrochemical reduction of NO 2 - . Through electrochemical measurements, spectroscopic characterization and isotope-labelling experiments we propose a mechanistic reaction pathway involving an unstable HNO 2 state. The Cu I intermediate, formed electrochemically, was isolated and its molecular structure was deduced, showing linkage isomerism of the nitrite ligand. Moreover, qualitative and quantitative product analysis by GC-MS shows N 2 O formed as a side product along with the main product NO. Furthermore, by obtaining single crystals and conducting structural analysis we were able to determine the structural arrangement and redox state of the complex after electrochemical treatment.

The reduction of CO 2 has become a key role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in efforts to search for long-term responses to climate change. We report a couple of CO 2 -reducing molecular catalysts based on earth-abundant copper complexes. These are [Cu(DPA)(PyNAP)] (1) and [Cu(DPA)(PyQl)] (2) (where, DPA=pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate, PyNAP=2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,8-naphthyridine, and PyQl=2-(pyridin-2-yl)quinoline). The copper metal-catalysed 2-electron reduction of CO 2 to CO in the presence of 2-protons is challenging. These catalysts exhibit the production of CO gas in DMF/water mixtures, achieving an impressive Faradaic efficiency of 84 % and 72 % for complex 1 and 2 at -1.7 V vs. SCE, respectively, for selective CO 2 reduction. The production of H 2 due to 2H + +2e - was also observed as a byproduct through the competitive proton reduction reaction. This was cross-verified by online gas and mass analysis. A comprehensive series of electrochemical experiments have substantiated the homogeneous behaviour exhibited by these molecular electrocatalysts. Our investigations confirmed the stability of the electrocatalysts under the electrocatalytic conditions. The mechanistic pathways were proposed to work with the EECC and ECEC (E: electrochemical and C: chemical) mechanisms. A CO 2 insertion into an in-situ generated hydride from the Cu-center generates CO through the favourable path. This critical path kinetically favors excess Faradaic efficiency in 1 than 2, which agrees with the computational investigation., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

In this study, the phytoremediation potential of Taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) plant was examined, utilizing horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands with and without an electric current supply for the purpose of removing pollutants from paper mill effluent. For this, different wetlands were set up with varying concentrations of effluent: CW (Control), CW1 (25%), CW2 (50%), CW3 (75%), CW4 (100%). After 45 days, the highest plant height (85.13 ± 4.24 cm), leaf area index( 250.83 ± 10.14), fresh biomass (565.30 ± 6 .10 g), root biomass (392.85 ± 4.34 g), root-to-shoot ratio (2.41 ± 2.10), relative growth rate (0.044 ± 0.002 gg -1 d -1 ), and chlorophyll content (3.29 ± 0.07 mg/g fwt) was observed in CW2 with current supply, along with significant removal of pollutants (pH: 7.13 ± 0.15, EC: 2.33 ± 0.07 dS/m, TDS: 192.52 ± 6.12 mg/L, COD: 490.17 ± 5.01 mg/L, BOD: 206.74 ± 5.92 mg/L, potassium: 73.27 ± 4.11 mg/L, sodium: 46.62 ± 2.27 mg/L, phosphate phosphorus: 34.08 ± 1.43 mg/L, and nitrate nitrogen: 104.85 ± 5.94 mg/L) and highest first-order rate constant (k) values. Furthermore, the microbial community assessment of constructed wetlands using V3-V4 16S rRNA sequence data was prepared on the Illumina MiSeq framework. The major phyla identified were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Nitrospirae, Planctomycetes, and others. The findings offer innovative insights for sustainable wastewater treatment strategies through phytoremediation of paper mill effluent using Taro plants in modified constructed wetlands and highlight the role of diverse microbial communities capable of degrading various pollutants in wastewater., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Redundancy and maintainability-supported fault-tolerant machining systems are used in many industries to achieve pre-specified reliability and system capability. In this investigation, a non-Markov model for the machining system has been developed by involving the concepts of server vacation, server breakdown, and reboot process. The server may fail and undergo primary repair which may be unsuccessful in recovering the server. In case of imperfect server repair, an additional repair is also performed to bring the server back into functional mode. By using the supplementary variable for the residual repair, we obtain the analytic solution of the finite population M/G/1 queueing model for the performance prediction of FTMS. The method of parametric non-linear programming has been implemented to evaluate the performance measures in both crisp and fuzzy environments. The meta-heuristic approaches PSO, GA and classical optimization technique quasi-Newton method are employed to determine the optimal design descriptors by minimizing the total cost. The sensitivity of performance indices with respect to system parameters has been examined for the specific repair time distributions by taking illustrations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The heterometallic [Ag(I)/Fe(II)] molecular electrocatalysts for hydrogen production were introduced here to recognize the mutual role of metallic nuclearity and ligand engineering. A series of ferrocenyl dithiophosphonate stabilized mononuclear [Ag(PPh 3 ) 2 {S 2 PFc(OR)}] {where R=Me (1), Et (2), n Pr (3), i Pr (4), i Amyl (5); Fc=Fe (ɳ 5 -C 5 H 4 ) (ɳ 5 -C 5 H 5 )} and dinuclear [Ag(PPh 3 ){S 2 PFc(OR}] 2 {where R=Et (2 a), and n Pr (3 a)} complexes were synthesized and characterized by SCXRD, NMR ( 31 P and 1 H), ESI-MS, UV-Vis, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The comparative electrocatalytic HER behavior of 1-5 and 2 a-3 a showed effective current density of 1 mA/cm 2 with overpotentials ranging from 772 to 991 mV, demonstrating the influence of extended and branched carbon chains in dithiophosphonates and metallic (mono-/di-) nuclearity, which correlates with documented tetra-nuclear [Ag 4 (S 2 PFc(O n Pr) 4 ], 6. DFT study suggests the coordinated (μ 1 -S) site of ligands is the reactivity center and the adsorption energy of intermediate [H*-SM] varies with the engineering of ligand and nuclearity. A catalytic mechanism using mononuclear (1) and di-nuclear (2 a) was proposed with the assistance of DFT. Each complex, being the first example of Ag(I) dithiophosphonates, exhibits intense photoluminescence with high quantum yields ranging from 33 % to 67 %. These results link the lower nuclearity structures to their physical and catalytic properties., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Cell membrane-coated Nano-Liposomes (CM-NLPs) offer a promising approach that combines the advantages of both host cells and synthetic nano-liposomes (NLPs). This technique involves coating liposomes with red blood cell (RBC) membranes to enhance their functionality. In this study, novel carboplatin-loaded NLPs (CP-NLPs) were formulated using phospholipids (Soya Phosphatidyl Choline) and cholesterol through the thin-film hydration method, and optimized using a 3 2 full factorial design. The optimized CP-NLPs were coated with RBC membranes, resulting in the formulation "CP-RBCs-NLPs." These were characterized for particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), protein content, in vitro drug release, cell viability, and stability. The optimized CP-RBCs-NLPs exhibited a particle size of 103.6 nm, with zeta potential values of -27.3 mV indicating good stability. The entrapment efficiency was approximately 56%, and the drug release profile showed sustained release for up to 8 h. Cytotoxicity studies in human triple-negative breast cancer (MDA-MB468) cell lines demonstrated that CP-RBCs-NLPs effectively delivered the drug into target cells, facilitating cell death due to their bilayer structure similar to cell membranes. Overall, CP-RBCs-NLPs outperformed both carboplatin-loaded conventional NLPs (CP-CNLPs) and carboplatin-conventional solution (CP-CNS), making it a superior formulation for drug delivery., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Nanotechnology arising in wide-ranging areas, covers extensively different ranges of approaches attained from fields such as biology, chemistry, physics, and medicine engineering. Nanoparticles are a necessary part of nanotechnology effectually applied in the cure of a number of diseases. Nanoparticles have gained significant importance due to their unique properties, which differ from their bulk counterparts. These distinct properties of nanoparticles are primarily influenced by their morphology, size, and size distribution. At the nanoscale, nanoparticles exhibit behaviours that can enhance therapeutic efficacy and reduce drug toxicity. Their small size and large surface area make them promising candidates for applications such as targeted drug delivery, where they can improve treatment outcomes while minimizing adverse effects. The harmful effects of nanoparticles on the environment were critically investigated to obtain appropriate results and reduce the risk by incorporating the materials. Nanoparticles tend to penetrate the human body, clear the biological barriers to reach sensitive organs and are easily incorporated into human tissue, as well as dispersing to the hepatic tissues, heart tissues, encephalum, and GI tract. This study aims to examine a wide variety of nanoparticles, focusing on their manufacturing methods, functional characteristics, and interactions within biological systems. Particular attention will be directed towards assessing the toxicity of nanoparticles in different organs and physiological systems, yielding a thorough comprehension of their potential health hazards and the processes that drive nanoparticle-induced toxicity. This analysis will also emphasize recent developments in nanoparticle applications and safety assessment methodologies., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Acquired myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease targeting the specific proteins in the postsynaptic muscle membrane. 50% of ocular and 80% of generalized MG have acetylcholine receptor antibodies (AChR Abs). 1-10% of MG patients have antibodies against muscle-specific kinase (MuSK), and 2-50 % of seronegative MG cases have antibodies against lipoprotein-receptor-related protein4 antibodies (LRP4 Abs). Serological testing is crucial for diagnosing and determining the appropriate therapeutic approach for MG patients. The radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA) method is a historical standard test for detecting the AChR Abs and MuSK Abs. While it has nearly 100% specificity in the AChR Abs detection, its sensitivity is between 50--92%. The sensitivity and specificity of RIPA for detecting MuSK Abs is much lower. The fixed and live Cell-Based assays (f-CBA and L- CBA) have higher sensitivity than RIPA. With advancements in the serological diagnosis and management of MG, we now recommend a complete reflex testing algorithm on the first pretreatment sample of a suspected MG patient, starting with the binding and blocking assays for AChR Abs by RIPA and/ or f-CBA. If AChR Ab is negative, then reflex to MuSK Abs by RIPA and/ or CBAs. If AChR and MuSK Abs are negative, then use clustered L-CBA by request., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Hans Frykman is a full owner and Medical Director of BC Neuroimmunology Lab. Inc. (BCNI). Ali Mousavi is an employee of BCNI. Pankaj Kumar is CEO and labartary director of BCNI. This study did not receive any external funding., (Copyright © 2024 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Inflammation and insufficient physical inactivity contribute to individual-level risk of disease recurrence and death in stage III colon cancer. The extent to which increased inflammatory risk can be offset by sufficient physical activity remains unknown., Methods: This cohort study was nested within the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (now part of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology) and Southwest Oncology Group randomized trial. Inflammatory burden was quantified by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and soluble tumor necrosis factor-α receptor 2 after recovery from tumor resection. Physical activity was measured during and after postoperative chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival., Results: The 3-year disease-free survival rate was 88.4% among patients with low inflammation and sufficient physical activity (referent group for all comparisons), 84.9% with low inflammation and insufficient physical activity (absolute risk difference = -3.5 percentage points, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -11.3 to 4.3; P = .38), 78.0% with intermediate inflammation and insufficient physical activity (absolute risk difference = -10.4 percentage points, 95% CI = -17.4 to -3.3; P = .007), and 79.7% with high inflammation and insufficient physical activity (absolute risk difference = -8.7 percentage points, 95% CI = -15.7 to -1.6; P = .022). In contrast, the 3-year disease-free survival rate was 87.3% among patients with intermediate inflammation and sufficient physical activity (absolute risk difference = -1.1 percentage points, 95% CI = -7.5 to 5.3; P = .74) and 84.4% with high inflammation and sufficient physical activity (absolute risk difference = -4.0 percentage points, 95% CI = -12.3 to 4.3; P = .34)., Conclusion: In this observational study of stage III colon cancer patients, physical activity was associated with improved disease-free survival despite high inflammation. Patients with intermediate or high inflammation who were physically active had disease-free survival rates that were not statistically significantly different from those with low inflammation., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Background: Differentiating the various liver tumors is pivotal due to distinct treatments and prognoses. Sometimes, it is difficult to accurately differentiate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from other hepatic neoplasms non-invasively because of overlap in the triple-phase contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) features, contraindication of an invasive biopsy, particularly in multifocal lesions with cirrhosis or ascites or when an MRI is unavailable or not feasible., Objectives: To assess the utility of CT perfusion (CTP) parameters in differentiating HCC from other hepatic neoplasms., Methods: Forty-eight patients with suspicious liver lesions underwent CTP imaging. Perfusion parameters were assessed within the tumor and the adjacent normal liver using the post-processing software. Statistical significance (p-value), sensitivity, and specificity value of the individual parameters were assessed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was done to threshold values of the parameters., Results: The mean values of perfusion parameters like HAP (hepatic arterial perfusion), PVP (portal venous perfusion), HPI (hepatic perfusion index), BF (blood flow), BV (blood volume), MTT (mean transit time), and TTP (time to peak) were statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) between HCC and other hepatic neoplasms. Among the parameters, BV had the greatest AUC of 0.938. With a threshold value of 8.3 ml/100 ml/min, the sensitivity and specificity were 96.6% and 80%, respectively, in distinguishing HCC from other hepatic neoplasms. HPI, BF, BV, and TTP were statistically significant in differentiating hypervascular metastases from HCCs. HAP, HPI, BF, BV, and TTP were statistically significant in differentiating HCC from hypovascular metastases. BF and BV were significant in differentiating hypervascular from hypovascular metastases. HAP, PVP, HPI, BF, BV, and TTP were statistically significant in differentiating HCCs from intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas., Conclusion: CTP provides a quantitative, non-invasive method to differentiate HCC from other hepatic neoplasms with high efficacy. It can be a problem-solving tool when a conventional CECT scan cannot characterize a lesion as HCC, where biopsy is not feasible., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

There has been an ongoing need for information-rich databases in the mechanical-engineering domain to aid in data-driven materials science. To address the lack of suitable property databases, this study employs the latest version of the chemistry-aware natural-language-processing (NLP) toolkit, ChemDataExtractor, to automatically curate a comprehensive materials database of key stress-strain properties. The database contains information about materials and their cognate properties: ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, fracture strength, Young's modulus, and ductility values. 720,308 data records were extracted from the scientific literature and organized into machine-readable databases formats. The extracted data have an overall precision, recall and F-score of 82.03%, 92.13% and 86.79%, respectively. The resulting database has been made publicly available, aiming to facilitate data-driven research and accelerate advancements within the mechanical-engineering domain., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The synthesis of compounds containing partially deuterated groups such as CD 2 H lacks general methods. These compounds could be important for fine control of metabolic processes in drug discovery, or in the development of multifunctional probes for analysis by complementary spectroscopic techniques. Here, a convenient route to CD 2 H-methyl ketones is reported through coupling of esters with bis[(pinacolato)boryl]methane and trapping with D 2 O.

A newly developed dual-functional fluorescence sensing probe (phenylhydrazinyl pyridine) Schiff base (SB) has been designed with good selectivity for distinguishing Mg 2+ and Al 3+ metal ions in different solvent solutions. SB exhibits quick and visual turn-on fluorescence enhancement in response to Mg 2+ and Al 3+ detection. The addition of Mg 2+ in ACN-HEPES buffer (1 : 1, v/v, pH 7.2) at (λ max =390 nm) and Al 3+ in MeOH-HEPES buffer (1 : 1, v/v, pH 7.2) at (λ max =360 nm) resulted in significant enhancement of fluorescence, up to 7-9 times. These low detection limits of 7.1×10 -6  M (7.1 μM) and 5.15×10 -7  M (0.51 μM) for Mg 2+ and Al 3+ , respectively, have been achieved by this solvent-controlled platform. Due to the sensing potential towards Mg 2+ , the probe was utilized as an imaging material for breast cancer cells. 1 H-NMR studies were utilized to explore SB's sensing mechanism through turn-on fluorescence. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were utilized to validate optimized SB and its intricate geometries, which govern the sensing mechanism in the solvent environment. Such a probe has extensive potential applications in bioimaging and the assessment of the quality of wastewater., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The present study is the first quantitative assessment of ethno-medicinal plants of Paddar region of Jammu and Kashmir., Aim of the Study: The study aimed to document the relative importance of medicinal plants used in human ailments by the villagers in the Paddar region of Jammu and Kashmir, India., Material and Methods: Data were collected from 132 informants (72 male and 60 female) through semi structured interviews and group discussions. Use report (UR) and Informant consensus factor (ICF) were employed to quantitatively examine the data., Results: The inhabitants of Paddar reported the use of 98 plants species of 55 families to treat 63 ailments. Rosaceae (10 spp.) was the most frequently used family in the study area. Herbs were dominantly (66 spp., 50%) utilized in herbal preparation and leaves the mostly used plant parts (25%). The highest informant consensus factor (ICF = 0.96) was obtained for parasitic problems. Important new uses for species stated by informants to treat human diseases were; Viburnum grandiflorum Wall. ex DC., Sium latijugum C.B.Clarke, Corylus jacquemontii Decne., Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik., Cannabis sativa L., Taraxacum campylodes G.E.Haglund, Euphorbia helioscopia L., Juglans regia L., Cotoneaster acuminatus Lindl., Ficus palmata Forssk., Plantago lanceolata L., and Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn., Conclusions: The current study contributes towards the preservation of indigenous plants' based knowledge. Although the therapeutic value of most of the preferred medicinal plants has already been validated, some medicinal plants lack proper scientific validation. We recommend further phytochemical investigations and pharmacological validations of Viburnum grandiflorum, C. jacquemontii, F. palmata, Viola pilosa, Cotoneaster acuminatus, Eleucine coracana, Sium latijugum, Aquilegia pubiflora, Euphorbia helioscopia, Plantago lanceolata and Pinus gerardiana., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study introduces an approach to validate sampling points for air monitoring in environments where operations generate significant airborne particulate radioactivity. A case study of repair works in a nuclear spent fuel reprocessing facility is used to synthesis and demonstrate the methodology. We use the probability distribution of air activity measurements and the correlation between two sampling points near high particulate generating operations and the ventilation ducts. The methodology developed in this paper can be applied in task-related air monitoring scenarios for validation of sampling points. This will augment internal exposure control measures during works involving physical entries in areas with high potential of escalation of air activity (e.g., during major repairs, during decommissioning of nuclear facilities etc.) and to evaluate the sufficiency of respiratory protection., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The heme-based direct oxygen sensor DosP degrades c-di-GMP, a second messenger nearly unique to bacteria. In stationary phase Escherichia coli, DosP is the most abundant c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase. Ligation of O 2 to a heme-binding PAS domain (hPAS) of the protein enhances the phosphodiesterase through an allosteric mechanism that has remained elusive. We determine six structures of full-length DosP in its aerobic or anaerobic conformations, with or without c-di-GMP. DosP is an elongated dimer with the regulatory heme containing domain and phosphodiesterase separated by nearly 180 Å. In the absence of substrate, regardless of the heme status, DosP presents an equilibrium of two distinct conformations. Binding of substrate induces DosP to adopt a single, ON-state or OFF-state conformation depending on its heme status. Structural and biochemical studies of this multi-domain sensor and its mutants provide insights into signal regulation of second-messenger levels., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Main Conclusion: The dwarfing mechanism in apple clonal rootstocks is driven by complex interactions between anatomical, hormonal, genetic, and phenolic factors, offering potential for advanced genetic manipulation to optimize tree size and enhance orchard productivity. The widespread adoption of dwarfing rootstocks is pivotal to modern commercial apple (Malus × domestica Borkh) orchards due to their ability to control tree size, shorten the juvenile period, and enhance reproductive growth and overall productivity. The underlying mechanisms of rootstock-induced dwarfism are multifaceted and involve interactions between phenotypic, anatomical, genetic, and phytohormonal factors. This review consolidates current understanding, highlighting the importance of auxin (IAA), cytokinins (CKs), gibberellins (GAs), and abscisic acid (ABA) in mediating growth suppression through impaired transport and hormone signaling. The phenotypic impacts, including reduced root growth, shorter sylleptic shoots, and higher floral bud densities, are discussed alongside genetic loci such as Dw1, Dw2, and Dw3, and the influence of key genes/TFs like MdWRKY9, RGL, and PIN. Anatomically, dwarf rootstocks exhibit a higher bark-to-wood ratio and restricted hydraulic conductivity, which contribute to reduced scion vigour. Furthermore, the accumulation of phenolic compounds in the graft union of dwarfing rootstocks further modulates the growth inhibition. These insights lay the groundwork for advanced molecular breeding strategies, incorporating gene-editing technologies to improve dwarf rootstock development, providing avenues for enhanced orchard management and apple productivity., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Microglia and the border-associated macrophages (BAMs) contribute to the modulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF), but the mechanisms have remained ill-defined. Here, we show that microglia regulate the CBF baseline and upsurges after whisker stimulation or intracisternal magna injection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Genetic or pharmacological depletion of microglia reduces the activity-dependent hyperemia but not the cerebrovascular responses to adenosine stimulation. Notably, microglia repopulation corrects these CBF reactivity deficits. The microglial-dependent regulation of CBF requires the ATP-sensing P2ry12 receptor and the ectonucleotidase CD39 that initiates the breakdown of extracellular ATP. Pharmacological inhibition or microglia-specific deletion of CD39 simulates the CBF anomalies detected in microglia-deficient mice and reduces the rise of extracellular adenosine after whisker stimulation. Together, these results suggest that the microglial CD39-initiated conversion of extracellular ATP to adenosine is an important step in neurovascular coupling and the regulation of cerebrovascular reactivity.

Artificially stacking 2D materials (2DMs) into vdW heterostructures creates materials with properties not present in nature that offer great potential for various applications such as flexible electronics. Properties of such stacked structures are controlled largely by the interfacial interactions and the structural integrity of the 2DMs. In spite of their crucial roles, interfacial stress transfer and the failure mechanisms of the vdW heterostructures, particularly during deformation, have not been well addressed so far. In this work, the interfacial stress transfer and failure mechanisms of a MoS 2 /graphene vdW heterostructure are studied, through the strain distributions both laterally in individual 2DMs and vertically across different 2DMs revealed in-situ. The fracture of the MoS 2 and the associated states of stress and strain are monitored experimentally. This enables various interfacial properties, such as the interfacial shear strength and interfacial fracture energy, to be estimated. Based only on the measured strength and interfacial properties of a single vdW heterostructure, a failure criterion is proposed to predict the failure mechanisms of similar vdW heterostructures with any lateral dimensions. This work provides an insight to the deformation micromechanics of vdW heterostructures that are of great value for their miniaturization and applications, especially in flexible electronics., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The global corrosion cost is estimated to be around 2.5 trillion USD, which is more than 3 % of the global GDP. Against this background, large efforts have been made to find effective corrosion inhibitors. Ionic liquids (ILs) are nowadays regarded as reliable functional materials and one of the most promising classes of anticorrosion agents. Not only are they efficient in preventing corrosion of iron and other metals, but they are also relatively inexpensive, need no solvents, and are non-toxic to humans This review addresses both experimental and theoretical investigations conducted to IL-based corrosion inhibitors (CIs). It covers various ILs used, synthesis methods, and their performance in diverse corrosive environments. Electrochemical techniques like EIS and potentiodynamic polarization, along with computational approaches including quantum chemical calculations and DFT, provide valuable insights into corrosion inhibition mechanisms and the interactions between anticorrosion agents-surfaces. The synergistic combination of experimental and theoretical approaches enhances our understanding of corrosion inhibition, enabling the design and optimization of effective and sustainable corrosion protection strategies. This review consolidates the existing knowledge on ionic liquid-based corrosion inhibitors, highlights the key findings from both experimental and theoretical investigations, and points out possible directions for further studies in this area., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Ecosystems and human health are being negatively impacted by the growing problem of electrical waste, especially in developing countries. E-waste poses a significant risk to ecological systems because it can release a variety of hazardous substances into the environment, containing polybrominated diphenyl ethers and heavy metals, brominated flame retardants, polychlorinated dibenzofurans and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and dioxins. This review article provides a critical assessment of the toxicological consequences of e-waste on ecosystems and human health and data analyses from scientific journals and grey literature on metals, BFRs, PBDEs, PCDFs, and PAHs in several environmental compartments of commercial significance in informal electronic trash recycling. The currently available techniques and tools employed for treating e-waste are sustainable techniques such as bioremediation, chemical leaching, biological leaching, and pyrometallurgy have been also discussed along with the necessity of implementing strong legislation to address the issue of unregulated exports of electronic trash in recycling practices. Despite the ongoing hurdles, implementing environmentally sustainable recycling methods have the potential to address the detrimental impacts of e-waste and foster positive economic development., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study investigates the biodistribution of a nano lipid carrier system (NLCs) containing the hydrophobic drug erlotinib (ERL-NLCs). The system was labelled with the fluorescent dye IR-780 for real-time dynamic imaging. ERL-NLCs were initially developed using the ultrasonication method with oleic acid and stearic acid. In vitro and ex vivo studies were performed to confirm the formation and penetration of NLCs within the intestine. Subsequently, the biological distribution of ERL-NLCs was monitored using a fluorescent dye through the IVIS® fluorescent optical imaging technique in whole live animals. Mice were orally administered blank IR 780 dye solution, ERL suspension, and IR 780 labelled NLCs. Fluorescence images were acquired at different time intervals up to 24 h and then total radiant efficiency was calculated through the region of interest (ROI) of the whole animal at each interval of time for all three groups. To validate the results obtained from in vivo imaging, various organs including lungs, heart, liver, both kidneys, stomach, and intestine were subsequently extracted and examined after 24 h. The ROI was found to be higher in the blank IR 780 dye solution, followed by the drug suspension and IR 780 labelled NLCs. These results confirm that the plain ERL suspension distributes across the body, and its encapsulation in NLCs facilitates passage through the lymphatic intestinal pathway, effectively avoiding first-pass metabolism. The remarkable results indicated that the NLCs formulation effectively circumvents first-pass metabolism by adopting the intestinal lymphatic pathway, thereby enhancing the oral bioavailability of the drug. This observed behaviour underscores the potential of NLCs in optimizing drug delivery and minimizing adverse effects associated with gastrointestinal and metabolic processes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Vermicelli production generates wastewater that is rich in organic and nutrient pollutants, which poses significant environmental challenges. Conventional biological treatments, either alone or in combination with other methods, often fail to achieve high efficiency and operational stability. This study explored the potential of the Fenton process, followed by aerobic activated sludge treatment, to enhance the biodegradability and mineralization of organic substances in vermicelli wastewater. Orientation experiments were performed to examine the effects of operating variables such as pH, reaction time, settling time, and ratio H 2 O 2 /Fe 2+ on COD removal in order to select the optimal conditions for operating the model in a batch of 20 L, that is, pH = 3, reaction time of 90 min, settling time of 90 min, and ratio of H 2 O 2 /Fe 2+ used 3 : 1 (4.5 : 1.5 g/L). The removal efficiencies of COD, BOD 5 , TN, TP, and SS reached 75.83%, 67.26%, 28.24%, 26.63%, and 91.9%, respectively. The BOD 5 /COD increased from 0.52 to 0.63, facilitating aerobic activated sludge, which had batch conditions of 15 L with pH of 6.5-8.5, DO ≥3 mg/L, additional nutrients with a dose of 12 mg/L, retention time of 14 h, and settling time of 2 h. As a result, the removal rate of those parameters climbed quite notably, except in SS (95.6%, 96.0%, 84.6%, 84.1%, and 83.6%), and their concentration parameters remained within the allowance levels of the National Technical Regulation in Vietnam before being discharged into the environment. However, the efficiency of treatment in the aerobic activated sludge stage for removing COD and BOD 5 was not as high as anticipated (83% and 87.33%, respectively) owing to the influence of the high TDS concentration. Thus, additional research is required to address this challenge. The integrated treatment system combining the Fenton process with aerobic activated sludge demonstrated significant potential for the effective reduction of organic and nutrient pollutants in vermicelli wastewater, thereby achieving compliance with regulatory standards. However, the observed limitations in COD and BOD 5 removal efficiency, likely due to elevated TDS levels, indicate the need for further investigation and optimization to enhance the overall treatment performance., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Phuoc Bao Niem Nguyen et al.)

Background: Incorporating brentuximab vedotin into the treatment of advanced-stage classic Hodgkin's lymphoma improves outcomes in adult and pediatric patients. However, brentuximab vedotin increases the toxic effects of treatment in adults, more than half of pediatric patients who receive the drug undergo consolidative radiation, and relapse remains a challenge. Programmed death 1 blockade is effective in Hodgkin's lymphoma, including in preliminary studies involving previously untreated patients., Methods: We conducted a phase 3, multicenter, open-label, randomized trial involving patients at least 12 years of age with stage III or IV newly diagnosed Hodgkin's lymphoma. Patients were randomly assigned to receive brentuximab vedotin with doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (BV+AVD) or nivolumab with doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (N+AVD). Prespecified patients could receive radiation therapy directed to residual metabolically active lesions. The primary end point was progression-free survival, defined as the time from randomization to the first observation of progressive disease or death from any cause., Results: Of 994 patients who underwent randomization, 970 were included in the intention-to-treat population for efficacy analyses. At the second planned interim analysis, with a median follow-up of 12.1 months, the threshold for efficacy was crossed, indicating that N+AVD significantly improved progression-free survival as compared with BV+AVD (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.48; 99% confidence interval [CI], 0.27 to 0.87; two-sided P = 0.001). Owing to the short follow-up time, we repeated the analysis with longer follow-up; with a median follow-up of 2.1 years (range, 0 to 4.2 years), the 2-year progression-free survival was 92% (95% CI, 89 to 94) with N+AVD, as compared with 83% (95% CI, 79 to 86) with BV+AVD (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.65). Overall, 7 patients received radiation therapy. Immune-related adverse events were infrequent with nivolumab; brentuximab vedotin was associated with more treatment discontinuation., Conclusions: N+AVD resulted in longer progression-free survival than BV+AVD in adolescents and adults with stage III or IV advanced-stage classic Hodgkin's lymphoma and had a better side-effect profile. (Funded by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health and others; S1826 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03907488.)., (Copyright © 2024 Massachusetts Medical Society.)

Schistosomiasis, which affects a large number of people worldwide, is among the most overlooked parasitic diseases. The disease is mainly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, southeast Asian countries, and South America due to the lack of adequate sanitation. The disease is mainly associated with poor hygiene, sanitation, and contaminated water, so it is also known as a disease of poverty. Three Schistosoma species ( S. mansoni , S. japonicum , and S. haematobium ) cause significant human infections. Co-infections with Schistosoma and other parasites are widely common. All these parasites may cause intestinal or urogenital schistosomiasis, where the disease may be categorized into the acute, sensitized, and chronic phases. The disease is more prevalent among school children, which may cause anemia and reduce development. Chronic infections frequently cause significant liver, intestinal, and bladder damage. Women exposed to contaminated water while performing normal duties like washing clothes might acquire urogenital schistosomiasis (UGS), which can cause tissue damage and raise the risk of blood-borne disease transmission, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the World Health Organization (WHO)-prescribed treatment for individuals who are known to be infected, but it does not prevent further re-infections with larval worms. Vaccine development and new molecular-based diagnosis techniques have promised to be a reliable approach to the diagnosis and prevention of schistosomiasis. The current review emphasizes the recent advancement in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis by molecular techniques and the treatment of schistosomiasis by combined and alternative regimes of drugs. Moreover, this review has also focused on the recent outbreak of schistosomiasis, the development of vaccines, and their clinical trials.

60-days trial was performed to study the effect of inland saline water (ISW) at 10ppt salinity on lipid requirement of Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) juveniles. Six purified iso-nitrogenous (37% crude protein) and hetero-caloric (380-430 Kcal DE/100 g) diets having graded levels of dietary lipid viz., 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14% were prepared. Two hundred and seventy acclimated GIFT juveniles (1.90 ± 0.1 g) were randomly distributed (15 fish per 300 L tank) into six different treatments viz., T4, T6, T8, T10, T12 and T14 in triplicates. The increase in dietary lipid resulted in an increase in body lipid and a diminution in moisture levels in fish. There was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in weight gain (g), percent weight gain (WG%), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and feed efficiency ratio (FER) with increasing dietary lipid level up to 8% and decreased thereafter, but an opposite trend was noted in the feed conversion ratio (FCR). The serum glucose level linearly elevated with the rise in dietary lipid level, but higher lipid (beyond 8%) fed groups showed significantly (p < 0.05) more total protein in serum. Though there was a significant (p < 0.05) difference in cholesterol levels, no clear trend was observed; while other parameters viz., body indices (VSI and HSI), serum albumin, globulin and A-G ratio was not showed any significant (p > 0.05) variation with varying dietary lipid level. Based on regression models, it was observed that the optimum lipid level required for GIFT in ISW (10ppt) is in the range of 8.35-9.05%., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Medicinal Fritillaria herbs, known for their rich content of steroidal alkaloids, have emerged as promising candidates in the treatment of chronic diseases due to their diverse pharmacological properties. Leveraging advancements in network pharmacology and molecular docking, this study explores the multi-target mechanisms through which these alkaloids exert therapeutic effects. The integration of bioinformatics, systems biology, and pharmacology in drug discovery has provided insights into the molecular interactions and pathways influenced by Fritillaria steroidal alkaloids. This review synthesizes comprehensive literature from 1985 to 2024, revealing the potential of these compounds in addressing respiratory diseases, inflammation, and cancer. The integration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with modern pharmacological techniques underscores the relevance of these compounds in next-generation drug discovery. While initial findings are promising, further empirical validation is necessary to fully harness the therapeutic potential of Fritillaria steroidal alkaloids., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Microwave-stimulated smart self-healable polymeric coatings with significant protective technology against corrosion have been developed in this work. Herein, a generous approach is strategized to generate linseed oil-derived epoxy composites embedded with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a nanofiller in the shielding network. The composite showed excellent self-healing and shape memory properties when irradiated with microwaves due to the dynamic reversible nature of the disulfide covalent bond exchange mechanism. The network also has improved thermomechanical properties and thermal stability, with a storage modulus of 20.8 GPa and a low activation energy of 79 kJ/mol, indicating a fast disulfide dynamic exchange reaction. The amine functionality in the composite contributes to excellent corrosion protection, with 99.9% protection efficiency, as validated via a Tafel plot. The composite also showed excellent hydrophobicity, with a 131° contact angle. This study provides insights into the engineering and application of smart materials as anticorrosive coatings.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has evolved from a diagnostic to an interventional modality, allowing precise vascular access and therapy. EUS-guided vascular access of the portal vein has received increasing attention in recent years as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool. EUS-guided portal pressure gradient directly measures the hepatic vein portal pressure gradient and is crucial for understanding of liver function and prognostication of liver disease. EUS facilitates the sampling of portal venous blood to obtain circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in pancreatobiliary malignancies. This technique aids in the diagnosis and staging of cancers. EUS-guided interventions have a substantial potential for diagnosing portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. EUS-guided coil and glue embolization have higher efficacy for the treatment of gastric varices than direct endoscopic glue. Pseudoaneurysm (PsA), a rare vascular complication of acute and chronic pancreatitis, is typically managed with interventional radiology (IR)-guided embolization and surgery. EUS is increasingly used in specialized centers for non-variceal gastrointestinal bleeding, particularly for pseudoaneurysm-related bleeding. There is limited data on EUS-guided intervention for bleeding ectopic varices, rectal varices and Dieulafoy lesions, but it is becoming more widely accepted. In this extensive review, we evaluated both current and potential future applications of EUS-guided vascular interventions, including EUS-guided gastric variceal bleed therapy, rectal and ectopic varices, pseudoaneurysmal bleeding, splenic artery embolization, portal pressure gradient measurement, portal vein sampling for CTCs, fine needle aspiration of PVTT, intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement, liver tumor ablation and EUS-guided cardiac intervention., (© 2024. Indian Society of Gastroenterology.)

Opuntia (Cactaceae) species are native to arid and semi-arid regions of Mexico and the southern United States and grow in various climatic zones. Opuntia dillenii is a cactus fruit with many beneficial properties, and it is used as a medicinal plant in various countries. This review paper provides updated information on the phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of O. dillenii . The fruit contains valuable compounds such as flavonoids, phenolics, ascorbic acid, betanin, and essential elements, which have been isolated and identified. The fruit also exhibits diverse pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, hypotensive, anti-diabetic, antifungal, and anticancer effects. Moreover, molecular docking and ADMET predictions were performed to evaluate the antibacterial potential of the fruit against Escherichia coli protein. This paper suggests that O. dillenii has significant potential as a complementary therapy for various pathological conditions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Outer surface/membrane and virulent secretory proteins are primarily crucial for pathogenesis. Secreted and outer membrane hydrolases of many pathogens play an important role in attenuating the host immune system. Leptospira expresses many such proteins, and few have been characterized to display various roles, including host immune evasion. However, identification, classification, characterization, and elucidation of the possible role of Leptospira's outer membrane and secretory hydrolases have yet to be explored. In the present study, we used bioinformatics tools to predict exported proteins from the pathogenic Leptospira proteome. Moreover, we focused on secretory and outer membrane putative hydrolases from the exported proteins to generate a deeper understanding. Our analysis yielded four putative outer/secretory hydrolases, LIC&#95;10995, LIC&#95;11183, LIC&#95;11463, and LIC&#95;12988, containing α/β hydrolase fold and displayed similarity with lipase motif. Moreover, their conservation analysis of the predicted hydrolases across the spectrum of different Leptospira species showed high clustering with the pathogenic species. Outer membrane and secretory proteins with lipolytic activity may have a role in pathogenesis. This is the first bioinformatics analysis of secretory and outer membrane α/β hydrolases from leptospiral species. However, experimental studies are indeed required to unravel this possibility., (© 2024 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

Background and Aims: The appropriate length of esophageal myotomy in peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for achalasia cardia remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the outcome of short (≤3 cm) and long (≥6 cm) esophageal myotomy in patients with type I and II achalasia cardia., Methods: This single-blinded, randomized controlled noninferiority trial was conducted at a tertiary center between July 2021 and December 2021. Patients with achalasia types I and II were randomized into short (≤3 cm) and long (≥6 cm) esophageal myotomy groups. The primary outcome of the study was clinical success (Eckardt score ≤3) 1 year after the procedure. The secondary outcomes included a comparison of technical success, operating duration, occurrence of intraoperative adverse events, alterations in integrated relaxation pressure (IRP), change in barium column height after 5 minutes (1 mo), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (3 mo) between the groups., Results: Fifty-four patients were randomized into the short (n=27) or long (n=27) esophageal myotomy groups. Technical success rates were 100% (27/27) and 96.3% (26/27) in short myotomy (SM) and long myotomy (LM) groups, respectively. The clinical success rates were 96.3% (26/27) and 96.2% (25/26) in the SM and LM groups, respectively ( P =0.998). The mean (±SD) length of the esophageal myotomy was 2.75±0.36 cm in the SM and 6.69±1.35 cm in the LM groups ( P <0.001). The mean (±SD) procedure time for the SM and LM groups was 61.22±8.44 and 82.42±14.70 minutes ( P <0.001), respectively. The mean integrated relaxation pressure (IRP), Eckardt score, adverse events, reflux esophagitis, symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease, and esophageal acid exposure (>6%) did not differ significantly between the 2 groups following POEM treatment., Conclusions: Short myotomy is noninferior to long myotomy in terms of clinical success, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and intraoperative adverse events at the short-term follow-up ( P >0.05). Short myotomy resulted in a reduced operative time ( P <0.05)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To find out the diagnostic accuracy of stool Cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) as an alternate method as compared to CBNAAT in gastric aspirate (GA) samples in pediatric tuberculosis (TB)., Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed at Department of Pediatrics of a tertiary care hospital. Children aged 0-18 y diagnosed as presumptive tuberculosis were consecutively enrolled. Gastric aspirate and corresponding stool sample was subjected to CBNAAT and its performance was compared in both samples using appropriate statistical tests., Results: Total 100 patients were enrolled in the study. Diagnostic accuracy of CBNAAT was 81% and 80% in gastric aspirate and stool sample respectively. On comparing gastric aspirate with corresponding stool sample there was 97% agreement, with Cohen's kappa value of 0.94. There was a statistically significant association observed between gastric aspirate CBNAAT and stool CBNAAT p <0.001 using chi square test. Sensitivity of gastric aspirate CBNAAT and stool CBNAAT was 75% and 73% respectively and specificity was 100% for both the samples compared against Composite Reference Standard (CRS)., Conclusions: The diagnostic accuracy of stool CBNAAT is comparable to GA CBNAAT in children and can be used as a good alternative to gastric aspirate for diagnosis of pulmonary and disseminated tuberculosis in children., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Dr. K C Chaudhuri Foundation.)

Aim: Although current guidelines recommend concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty for moderate or greater tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and/or dilated annulus, there remains significant variation in undertaking concomitant tricuspid valve surgery (TVA) across different centres. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of concomitant tricuspid valve surgery for patients with moderate or greater TR and/or dilated annulus at the time of mitral valve (MV) surgery., Method: A systematic review of the literature using six databases. Eligible studies include comparative studies on TVA concomitant with MV surgery versus MV surgery alone. A meta-analysis was performed on studies reporting outcomes of interest to quantify the effects of concomitant tricuspid ring annuloplasty., Results: Two randomised controlled trials and six cohort studies were included in the analysis. 1,941 patients were included in the analysis, of whom, 1,090 underwent concomitant TVA and 851 underwent MV surgery alone. Pooled analysis demonstrated that there was less progression of moderate/severe TR in the concomitant group (3.0% vs 9.6%; odds ratio [OR] 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.13-0.55; p=0.0001). There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality (3.0% vs 3.8%; OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.47-1.34; p=0.38). The rate of permanent pacemaker implantation was higher in the concomitant group although this did not reach statistical significance (7.6% vs 5.3%; OR 1.30; 95% CI 0.85-1.98; p=0.23). Cardiopulmonary bypass was longer in the concomitant TVA group by 20 minutes (mean difference 13.9-26.0; p<0.00001)., Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that concomitant tricuspid ring annuloplasty at the time of MV surgery is associated with a significantly lower rate of TR progression without increasing the operative mortality. There is a trend towards a higher permanent pacemaker implantation rate although this did not reach statistical significance., (Crown Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Failure in recognizing non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) leads to misdiagnosis of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex (MTBC). There is an unmet need for diagnostic tools that can differentiate between NTMs and MTBC, and that are affordable for Low- and Middle-income Countries (LMIC). Earlier we developed a strip-based CrfA assay technology to detect the Carbapenem Resistance Factor A (CrfA) enzyme present only in MTBC. However, the strip-based CrfA assay had low turnaround time and lacked high-throughput capabilities. In this current research, we have developed a 96well-formatted CrfA assay for high-throughput detection of MTBC and differentiation with NTMs. This 96well-formatted CrfA assay displays a low turnaround time of 6-8 h with 100 % specificity and 93.75 % sensitivity on clinical samples. Based on these attributes, this 96well-formatted assay represents a valuable complementary tool to mitigate the misdiagnosis of chronic pulmonary tuberculosis with non-tuberculous mycobacteria in poorer nations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Diabetic neuropathy is a persistent consequence of the biochemical condition known as diabetes mellitus. As of now, the identification and management of diabetic neuropathy continue to be problematic due to problems related to the safety and efficacy of existing therapies. This study examines biomarkers, molecular and cellular events associated with the advancement of diabetic neuropathy, as well as the existing pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments employed. Furthermore, a holistic and mechanism-centric drug repurposing approach, antioxidant therapy, Gene and Cell therapies, Capsaicin and other spinal cord stimulators and lifestyle interventions are pursued for the identification, treatment and management of diabetic neuropathy. An extensive literature survey was done on databases like PubMed, Elsevier, Science Direct and Springer using the keywords "Diabetic Neuropathy", "Biomarkers", "Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms", and "Novel Therapeutic Targets".Thus, we may conclude that non-pharmacological therapies along with palliative treatment, may prove to be crucial in halting the onset of neuropathic symptoms and in lessening those symptoms once they have occurred., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Histone H2B monoubiquitination in budding yeast is a highly conserved post-translational modification. It is involved in normal functions of the cells like DNA Repair, RNA Pol II activation, trans-histone H3K and H79K methylation, meiosis, vesicle budding, etc. Deregulation of H2BK123ub can lead to the activation of proto-oncogenes and is also linked to neurodegenerative and heart diseases. Recent discoveries have enhanced the mechanistic underpinnings of H2BK123ub. For the first time, the Rad6's acidic tail has been implicated in histone recognition and interaction with Bre1's RBD domain. The non-canonical backside of Rad6 showed inhibition in polyubiquitination activity. Bre1 domains RBD and RING play a role in site-specific ubiquitination. The role of single Alaline residue in Rad6 activity. Understanding the mechanism of ubiquitination before moving to therapeutic applications is important. Current advancements in this field indicate the creation of novel therapeutic approaches and a foundation for further study., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in blood circulation causes endotoxemia and is linked to various disease conditions. Current treatments focus on preventing LPS from interacting with its receptor Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and reducing inflammation. However, our body has a natural defense mechanism: reticuloendothelial cells in the liver rapidly degrade and inactivate much of the circulating LPS within minutes. But this LPS clearance mechanism is not perfect. Excessive LPS that escape this clearance mechanism cause systemic inflammatory damage through TLR4. Despite its importance, the role of reticuloendothelial cells in LPS elimination is not well-studied, especially regarding the specific cells, receptors, and mechanisms involved. This gap hampers the development of effective therapies for endotoxemia and related diseases. This review consolidates the current understanding of LPS clearance, narrates known and explores potential mechanisms, and discusses the relationship between LPS clearance and LPS signaling. It also aims to highlight key insights that can guide the development of strategies to reduce circulating LPS by way of bolstering host defense mechanisms. Ultimately, we seek to provide a foundation for future research that could lead to innovative approaches for enhancing the body's natural ability to clear LPS and thereby lower the risk of endotoxin-related inflammatory diseases, including sepsis.