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Abstract: We establish conditions for slant conformal Riemannian maps to be horizontally homothetic Riemannian maps. We also discuss the geometry of totally geodesic slant conformal Riemannian maps. Finally, we study the harmonicity of slant conformal Riemannian maps.

In recent days, miniaturized antennas have gained significance in portable ultra-wideband (UWB) applications owing to its broad coverage spectrum. Fractal antennas have become popular in this context owing to the three properties: self-similarity, space-filling, and lacunarity, thereby producing miniaturization with a broad spectrum. Conventional Fractal antennas achieve a good impedance bandwidth, relatively high gain, at the cost of trade-off between compact size, radiation characteristics and broad spectrum. In this paper, an asymmetric coplanar waveguide–fed hexagonal monopole antenna with Boomerang-shaped Fractals is proposed for UWB characteristics with relatively high antenna gain and wide bandwidth. The miniaturization of the antenna is realized by the Fractal structure. The size of the antenna is to be 0.287 λr× 0.287 λr× 0.009 λr, where λris the resonating wavelength at 3.45 GHz. The proposed antenna is printed on a 0.8-mm-thick FR-4 substrate with relative dielectric constant of 4.4 and a loss tangent of 0.02. From frequency-domain analysis, the experimental results reveal that the fractional bandwidth is 101.7% and the peak antenna gain detected is 5.1 dBi. The radiation performance of the antenna was nearly omnidirectional. From the time-domain analysis, group delay and three different Fidelity Factors i.e. Fidelity Factor (FF), System Fidelity Factor (SFF), and Fidelity Factor of System (FFS), the proposed antenna is found to have negligible distortion. As the bandwidth meets up to fractional bandwidth above 20% and absolute bandwidth greater than 500 MHz, the proposed antenna is suitable for 3.45–10.6 GHz UWB applications.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinumL.), a rabi season pulse crop in India is affected by Fusarium wilt that limits its productivity. In the present study, F2(BGD72 × WR315) and backcross (BGD72 × WR315) × BGD72 generations of chickpea were phenotyped against Fusarium wilt race 3 and race 4 isolates under sick plot and net house conditions. The plants segregated in 3:1 and 1:1 ratios in F2and BC2F1generations for resistance and susceptibility to the isolates of both the races, indicating monogenic resistance to each race in these populations. The total 25 isolates were characterized morphologically on potato dextrose medium and by molecular means using internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and beta-tubulin genes to confirm their species homology. The genetic analysis of F2and back cross populations for wilt resistance was carried out using 16 simple sequence repeats (SSR) primers, of which, 5 SSRs (TA194, TA22, TR19, TA110 and TA96) were found polymorphic (31%). The segregation ratio of individual markers using χ2test showed a monogenic inheritance in the F2and back cross population for resistance to both of the races. The three primers (TA22, TA194 and TA96) utilized against race-4 isolates showed specific amplification pattern in resistant genotypes only confirming that these markers are highly effective and may be used for large scale screening against Fusarium wilt resistance breeding and marker assisted selection in future breeding programs.

Fractal antennas have gained significance in radio frequency applications owing to its compact design, better bandwidth, and low loss. This research article proposes a novel Spidron Fractal wide-slot antenna for 5.8 GHz Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) applications. An active RFID tag is designed to be in the size of 0.28 λr× 0.28 λr× 0.015 λr, (14.625 × 14.625 × 0.8 mm3) where λris the resonant wavelength corresponds to the operating frequency, i.e. 5.8 GHz. The proposed slot antenna is printed on a 0.8 mm thick FR-4 substrate with relative permittivity of 4.4 and a loss tangent of 0.02. The proposed wide-slot antenna is excited by a 50 Ω microstrip line. The fractional impedance bandwidth is 15.52%, and the antenna gain achieved is 3.62 dBi, according to the results. The antenna's radiation performance is omnidirectional. These outcomes make the antenna suitable for RFID applications at 5.8 GHz.

Background Recently approved artificial intelligence (AI) software utilizes AI powered large vessel occlusion (LVO) detection technology which automatically identifies suspected LVO through CT angiogram (CTA) imaging and alerts on-call stroke teams. We performed this analysis to determine if utilization of AI software and workflow platform can reduce the transfer time (time interval between CTA at a primary stroke center (PSC) to door-in at a comprehensive stroke center (CSC)).Methods We compared the transfer time for all LVO transfer patients from a single spoke PSC to our CSC prior to and after incorporating AI Software (Viz.ai LVO). Using a prospectively collected stroke database at a CSC, demographics, mRS at discharge, mortality rate at discharge, length of stay (LOS) in hospital and neurological-ICU were examined.Results There were a total of 43 patients during the study period (median age 72.0 ± 12.54 yrs., 51.16% women). Analysis of 28 patients from the pre-AI software (median age 73.5 ± 12.28 yrs., 46.4% women), and 15 patients from the post-AI software (median age 70.0 ± 13.29 yrs., 60.00% women). Following implementation of AI software, median CTA time at PSC to door-in at CSC was significantly reduced by an average of 22.5 min. (132.5 min versus 110 min; p = 0.0470).Conclusions The incorporation of AI software was associated with an improvement in transfer times for LVO patients as well as a reduction in the overall hospital LOS and LOS in the neurological-ICU. More extensive studies are warranted to expand on the ability of AI technology to improve transfer times and outcomes for LVO patients.

The versatility of the natural products (2S,3S)- and (2S,3R)-3-hydroxy-5-oxotetrahydrofuran-2,3-dicarboxylic acids (1and 2), isolated in large amounts from tropical plant sources, has been demonstrated by the construction of 3-substituted and 3,4-disubstituted chiral pyrrolidine-2,5-diones. The absolute configurations of chiral pyrrolidine-2,5-diones have been ascertained using chiroptical spectroscopic methods and/or single-crystal XRD data. A combination of different reaction strategies delivering a diverse matrix of fused heterocyclic ring systems is presented. The pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline alkaloid (+)-crispine A possesses a wide range of pharmacological activities including antidepressant, antiplatelet, antileukemic, and anticancer activities. The analogues of indolizino[8,7-b]indole alkaloids (+)- and (−)-harmicine show strong antileishmanial, antinociceptive, PDE5-inhibitory, antimalarial, and antiviral activities. The bicyclic furo[2,3-b]pyrrolo skeleton is present in many natural products. Thus, the uniqueness of relatively cheap, naturally occurring chiral 2-hydroxycitric acid lactones as chirons has been demonstrated by the construction of some important molecular skeletons that are otherwise difficult to synthesize.

It is quite challenging to find anomalies in camera or surveillance camera data because of the enormous environmental changes and human movement. These challenges are also exacerbated by the high dimensionality of video or picture data and the encoding of video features. Many machine learning algorithms produced incorrect results and, in many cases, required a lot of effort. So deep learning methods are the best for anomaly detection. The main design goal of our study is to present a way for monitoring and tracking human actions using a visual surveillance program. In this paper, anomaly detection method is developed, it is identified from surveillance camera in malls, college, or important crowded areas for anomaly detection. Human monitoring-based anomaly detection system is developed using a novel method for feature extraction using RPCA-MFTSL, where MFTSL (Multi-Feature Tensor Subspace Learning) for background subtraction and RPCA (Robust Principal Component Analysis) for feature and PSO (Particle Swarm Optimization)-based Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for anomaly detection

AbstractThe present study is to focus on the two dimensional problem of micropolar porous circular plate with three phase lag model within the context of two temperatures generalized thermoelasticity theory. The problem is solved by applying Laplace and Hankel transforms after using potential functions. The expressions of displacements, microrotation, volume fraction field, temperature distribution and stresses are obtained in the transformed domain. To show the utility of the approach, normal force and thermal source are taken. The numerical inversion techniques of transforms have been carried out in order to evaluate the resulting quantities in the physical domain. Finally, the resulting quantities are depicted graphically to show the effect of porosity, two temperatures and phase lags.

Geo-textiles are polymers of high tensile strength, and they are flexible in nature. They are widely used in a variety of engineering applications including soil reinforcement. Hence, it was necessary to make an in depth study on the use of geo-textiles and their relative advantages. This work focuses on a comparative study on the load carrying capacities using geo-textiles. A series of California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests were performed on soil reinforced with geo-textiles, placed in single and double layers at different depths. The CBR value and stress-strain results of this study provided a better understanding on the comparative changes in load carrying capacities of the soil. The information will help in better decision making in the field of soil reinforcement.

We attempt to construct a Friedmann–Lemaitre–Robertson–Walker (FLRW) cosmological model in f(R,T)gravity which exhibits a phase transition from deceleration to acceleration at present. We take f(R,T)=R+2λT, λbeing an arbitrary constant. In our model, the λparameter develops a negative pressure in the universe whose Equation of state is parameterized. The present values of model parameters such as density, Hubble, deceleration, Equation of state, and λare estimated statistically by using the Chi-Square test. For this, we have used three different types of observational data sets: the 46 Hubble parameter data set, the SNeIa 715 data sets of distance modulus, and the 66 Pantheon data set (the latest compilation of SNeIa 40 bined plus 26 high red shift apparent magnitude mbdata set in the red shift ranges from 0.014≤z≤2.26). We have calculated the transitional red shift and time. The estimated results for the present values of various model parameters are found as per expectations and surveys. Interestingly, we get the present value of the density ρ0, ≃1.5ρc. The critical density is estimated as ρc≃1.88h0210−29gm/cm3in the literature. The higher value of the present density is attributed to the presence of some additional energies in the universe apart from baryon energy. We have examined the behavior of the pressure in our model. It is negative and produces acceleration in the universe. Its present value is obtained as p0≃−0.7ρ0.

The parameterization scheme that represents gravity waves due to convection in LMDz‐6A, the atmospheric components of the IPSL coupled climate model (IPSLCM6), is directly compared to Strateole‐2 balloon observations made in the lower tropical stratosphere from November 2019 to February 2020. The input meteorological fields necessary to run the parameterization offline are extracted from the ERA5 reanalysis and correspond to the instantaneous meteorological conditions found underneath the balloons. In general, we find a fair agreement between measurements of the momentum fluxes due to waves with periods less than 1 hr and the parameterization. The correlation of the daily values between the observations and the results of the parameterization is around 0.4, which is statistically elevated considering that we analyze around 600 days of data and surprisingly good considering that the parameterization has not been tuned: the scheme is just the standard one that helps producing a quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) in the IPSLCM6 model. Online simulations also show that the measured values of momentum fluxes are well representative of the zonally and averaged values of momentum fluxes needed in LMDz‐6A to simulate a QBO. The observations also show that longer waves with periods smaller than a day carry about twice as much flux as waves with periods smaller than an hour, which is a challenge since the low period waves that make the difference are potentially in the “gray zone” of most climate models. In most large‐scale atmospheric models, gravity wave (GW) parameterizations are based on well‐understood but simplified theories and parameters which are keyed to reduce systematic errors on the planetary scale winds. In the equatorial regions, the most challenging errors concern the quasi‐biennial oscillation. Although it has never been verified directly, it is expected that the parameterizations tuned this way should transport a realistic amount of momentum flux in both the eastward and westward directions when compared to direct observations. Here, we show that it is the case, to a certain extent, using constant‐level balloon observations at 20 km altitude. The method consists in comparing directly, each day and at the location of the balloon the measured momentum fluxes and the estimation of a GW parameterization using observed values of the large‐scale meteorological conditions of wind, temperature, and precipitation. A non‐orographic parameterization tuned to produce a realistic tropical quasi‐biennial oscillation is used to predict in‐situ observationsParameterized gravity waves (GWs) needed in large‐scale models have realistic amplitudes in the tropical lower stratosphereDay‐to‐day variations of the estimated GW momentum fluxes correlate well with observations A non‐orographic parameterization tuned to produce a realistic tropical quasi‐biennial oscillation is used to predict in‐situ observations Parameterized gravity waves (GWs) needed in large‐scale models have realistic amplitudes in the tropical lower stratosphere Day‐to‐day variations of the estimated GW momentum fluxes correlate well with observations

Introduction:Infections due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens are a medical challenge. There is considerable apprehension among clinicians regarding pathogens reported as carrying New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM) and Klebsiella pneumoniaecarbapenemase (KPC) genes from their patients. In the face of extremely high rates of antimicrobial resistance, it is essential to gauge the clinical significance of isolation of pathogens carrying these genes from clinical samples. This study compares the outcome of patients infected with pathogens carrying NDM/KPC genes versus those without these genes. Methods:The study was conducted over a 1-year period at a Level-1 trauma centre. Hospital-acquired infections were diagnosed on the basis of CDC’s criteria. The correlation of isolation of a multi-resistant pathogen carrying KPC or NDM genes with the clinical outcome was ascertained. Results:A total of 276 consecutive patients admitted to the Intensive Care Units/wards of the JPNA Trauma Centre were included in this study. Of the 371 isolates recovered from these patients, 116 were from patients who had a fatal outcome. The difference in prevalence of blaNDMand blaKPCwas not significant in any genera of Gram-negative pathogens isolated from patients who survived versus those who had a fatal outcome. Conclusion:Isolation of MDR pathogens carrying NDM/KPC genes from clinical samples is not always a harbinger of a fatal outcome. Efforts should be made to prevent cross-transmission of these pathogens.

Transdermal drug delivery is contemplated as one of the top appealing routes for pharmaceutically active ingredients administration owing to the several benefits, specifically over oral and intravenous routes. Unfortunately, factors such as the active agent's molecular weight and hydrophilicity preclude it from being widely used, especially for macromolecular agents of interest such as DNA, peptides, and siRNA coupled with the excellent outermost skin barrier provided by the stratum corneum. Since the last decade, microneedles (MNs) have gained prominence due to their numerous advantages in transdermal drug delivery. MNs are micron-sized needles that can penetrate the subcutaneous skin layer into the epidermal layer without causing pain by evading nerve fibers and capillaries, primarily found in the dermal layer. Because of their efficiency, painlessness, reliability, and feasibility, they are commonly utilized in TDD systems (TDDS). Different varieties of microneedles, such as biodegradable, dissolvable, hollow, and coated can be fabricated using various materials based on the delivery mechanism. In this review, we first elucidated the anatomy of human skin and thereafter highlighted the development and current status of microneedle technology, mechanism of action on the skin, different types of microneedles, and their advances in the delivery of both low molecular weight molecules and biomacromolecules such as proteins and peptides, including their prospective applications in ocular diseases and chemotherapeutic drug delivery. Microneedle technology holds a lot of potential because of the diverse array of materials it can use, as well as the ease with which it can be made for promising therapeutic applications.

Hybrid organic-inorganic tin (Sn)-based perovskite materials became a promising choice as an alternative to lead-free perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to their outstanding optical and electrical properties. But, so far, a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of only 13% has been achieved for Sn-based PSCs. To achieve highly efficient and stable PSCs, not only the properties of the active layer but the charge selective contacts (electron and hole transport layers) should be selected wisely. The interfaces between the perovskite active layer and charge transport layers play an important role in achieving the better performance of PSCs. In the present review, the spotlight is on the recent developments made on the optimization of electron transport layers (ETLs) for the efficient Sn-based hybrid organic-inorganic PSCs. Further, we comprehensively discuss the significance and the impact of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level of electron transport material on the charge transport, which additionally affects the photovoltaic performance of the device. In summary, with continuous research on the Sn-based hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite materials as an absorbing layer, conventional ETLs (metal oxides) cannot be used. Thus, the optimum candidate for befitted ETLs must be explored and investigated in detail for efficient PSCs.

Corrosion studies of sputtered alumina thin films grown on stainless steel (SS) 304 were carried out by linear polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Noticeable changes were not observed in morphology and surface roughness of films after carrying out the corrosion test. Corrosion current density (icorr) of alumina coated SS decreased up to 10−10A cm−2while icorrvalue in the range of 10−5–10−6A cm−2was observed for bare SS. The direct sputtered film showed superior corrosion resistance behaviour than the reactive sputtered film. This might be attributed to the difference in thickness of the films sputtered by direct and reactive methods. The electronic structure of deposited alumina films was studied both before and after corrosion test by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy technique which also confirmed no structural changes of alumina film after exposing it to corrosive environment.

Rasadhatudushti (RD), the deranged state of Rasadhatu, is a construct in Ayurveda mentioned as the cause of diseases affecting the circulatory channels and the heart, collectively called cardiovascular diseases (CVD). It is a morbid condition generic to some other disorders, hence is non-specific to CVD. It was observed that RDwas present in majority of acute coronary artery disease in a cross-sectional, descriptive study in 250 patients stabilized after an acute episode.

This article reports the development of programmable system-on-chip (PSoC)-based embedded readout designs for liquid helium level sensors using resistive liquid vapor discriminators. The system has been built for the measurement of liquid helium level in a concave-bottomed, helmet-shaped, fiber-reinforced plastic cryostat for magnetoencephalography. This design incorporates three carbon resistors as cost-effective sensors, which are mounted at desired heights inside the cryostat and were used to infer the liquid helium level by measuring their temperature-dependent resistance. Localized electrical heating of the carbon resistors was used to discriminate whether the resistor is immersed in liquid helium or its vapor by exploiting the difference in the heat transfer rates in the two environments. This report describes a single PSoC chip for the design and development of a constant current source to drive the three carbon resistors, a multiplexer to route the sensor outputs to the analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a buffer to avoid loading of the sensors, an ADC for digitizing the data, and a display using liquid crystal display cum light-emitting diode modules. The level sensor readout designed with a single PSoC chip enables cost-effective and reliable measurement system design.

Asian Indians are one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the USA and are at high risk for preventable chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. We describe the cultural practices of Asian Indians living in the USA to build a theory of health seeking behaviour for preventive healthcare services. We conducted in-depth qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 21 Asian Indians seen at two outpatient clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area. Using the Constructionist Grounded Theory, we show that participants typically use primary healthcare services for urgent health problems and had been unfamiliar with routine care for disease prevention when immigrating to the USA. Participants deviated from this pattern during culturally significant life course events, such as marriage or childbirth and in response to the concerns of family members, local social network members, and primary care service providers during medical visits for urgent illnesses.

Comparative studies on some of the important chemical conversion coatings, namely, phosphate–permanganate, galvanic black anodizing, dichromate treatment, and micro arc oxidized and modified acid fluoride anodizing on magnesium alloy AZ31B have been conducted. The surface morphology and composition of the coatings were examined through SEM and EDX techniques. Corrosion resistances of these coatings were compared using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and linear polarization studies. The corrosion resistances of the coatings investigated were found to be according to the order as follows: modified acid fluoride > micro arc oxidized phosphate > micro arc oxidized silicate > dichromate > galvanic black anodizing > phosphate-permanganate > bare magnesium.

Solute–solvent interactions of l-aspartic acid and ethylenediamine have been studied in various concentrations (0–60 % v/v) of 1,2-propanediol–water mixtures maintaining an ionic strength of 0.16 mol l−1at 303 ± 0.1 K using pH-metric method. The protonation constants have been calculated with the computer program MINIQUAD75. Selection of the best fit chemical model of the protonation equilibria is based on SD in protonation constants and residual analysis using crystallographic R-factor and sum of squares of residuals in all mass balanced equations. Linear variation of protonation constants with inverse of dielectric constants of the solvent mixture has been attributed to the dominance of the electrostatic forces. Distribution of species, protonation equilibria and effect of influential parameters on the protonation constants has also been presented.Solute–solvent interactions of l-aspartic acid and ethylenediamine have been studied in various concentrations (0–60 % v/v) of 1,2-propanediol–water mixtures maintaining an ionic strength of 0.16 mol l−1at 303 ± 0.1 K using pH-metric method. The protonation constants have been calculated with the computer program MINIQUAD75. Selection of the best fit chemical model of the protonation equilibria is based on SD in protonation constants and residual analysis using crystallographic R-factor and sum of squares of residuals in all mass balanced equations. Linear variation of protonation constants with inverse of dielectric constants of the solvent mixture has been attributed to the dominance of the electrostatic forces. Distribution of species, protonation equilibria and effect of influential parameters on the protonation constants has also been presented.

A pH-metric study of protonation equilibria of l-aspartic acid and ethylenediamine in dioxan-water media of varying composition (0–60 % v/v) has been made at different concentrations of the ligands maintaining an ionic strength of 0.16 mol l−1at 303.0 K. The best fit chemical models are arrived at using MINIQUAD75 based on statistical parameters like crystallographic Rfactor, χ2, skewness and kurtosis. The variation in the protonation constants with the dielectric constant of the medium is attributed to the electrostatic and non electrostatic forces.A pH-metric study of protonation equilibria of l-aspartic acid and ethylenediamine in dioxan-water media of varying composition (0–60 % v/v) has been made at different concentrations of the ligands maintaining an ionic strength of 0.16 mol l−1at 303.0 K. The best fit chemical models are arrived at using MINIQUAD75 based on statistical parameters like crystallographic Rfactor, χ2, skewness and kurtosis. The variation in the protonation constants with the dielectric constant of the medium is attributed to the electrostatic and non electrostatic forces.

A new process of flat absorber black nickel alloy coating was developed on stainless steel by electrodeposition from a bath containing nickel, zinc and ammonium sulphates; thiocyanate and sodium hypophosphite for space applications. Coating process was optimized by investigating the effects of plating parameters, viz concentration of bath constituents, current density, temperature, pH and plating time on the optical properties of the black deposits. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed the inclusion of about 6% phosphorous in the coating. The scanning electron microscopy studies revealed the amorphous nature of the coating. The corrosion resistance of the coatings was evaluated by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and linear polarization (LP) techniques. The results revealed that, phosphorous addition confers better corrosion resistance in comparison to conventional black nickel coatings. The black nickel coating obtained from hypophosphite bath provides high solar absorptance (αs) and infrared emittance (ɛIR) of the order of 0.93. Environmental stability to space applications was established by the humidity and thermal cycling tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractA total of 140 broiler flocks presented for slaughtering at Amman slaughterhouse were tested for Campylobacterspp. via collection of cloacal swabs from live birds, feathered skin samples at prescalding, and skin samples at postscalding (62°C or 57°C scalding temperature), postevisceration, and postchilling. The results indicated that 40% of the flocks tested by cloacal swabs, 34% at prescalding, 32% at post 57°C scalding, and 32% postevisceration were harboring Campylobacter jejuni. None of the skin samples collected from dressed birds at postscalding (62°C) or postwashing-chilling steps (regardless of scalding temperature) revealed the presence of C. jejuni. Thirty eight isolates were tested for susceptibility to ten antimicrobials by using the microbroth dilution method. Almost 50% of the isolates were multidrug resistant to 9 or 10 out of the ten tested antimicrobials. The other half of tested isolates were sensitive to erythromycin, tetracycline, doxycyclin, chlortetracycline, ciprofloxacin, enorfloxacin, gentamycin, tilmicosin, amoxicillin, and trimethoprim.

Physalaemin (PHY), a non‐mammalian tachykinin, binds selectively to neurokinin‐1 (NK1) receptor with high affinity. Both the aqueous and lipid‐induced conformations of PHY have been studied using two‐dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. These data show that in water PHY prefers to be in an extended conformation and that in the presence of perdeuterated dodecylphosphocholine micelles, a membrane model system, a helical conformation is observed from Pro4to the C‐terminus. Comparison of the structures of PHY and other NK ligands along with structure activity studies reported on these peptide ligands suggests that helical backbone structural motif is necessary for the binding of these NK ligands to the various NK receptors. Furthermore, consensus in the structures of these ligands suggests that these ligands must be binding along the highly hydrophobic face of the helix that contains the important hydrophobic residues, Phe7, Leu10, and Met11, that are highly conserved in most of the ligands. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 96: 252–259, 2011.

The discovery of miRNAs and the establishment of its clinical links with multiple diseases have led to a paradigm shift in the drug development pipeline of major pharmaceutical companies and has given birth to several biotechnology enterprises revolving around these magic molecules. The miRNA profiling studies over the last few years have indicated implicit involvement of miRNAs in the pathobiology of cancer, diabetes, infectious diseases as well as cardiovascular, neurological and immune system disorders. This information is currently being translated into tools for diagnosis, prognosis and predicting response to treatment. In addition, active and vigorous investigations are ongoing in several laboratories across academia and industry to decipher the precise molecular functions and mechanism of action for key miRNAs with therapeutic potential. Knowledge gained from these efforts will surely pave the way for designing effective R&D strategies and will revolutionize the way we diagnose and treat various diseases. The present review attempts to track the evolutionary progression of microRNA research from its early infancy years to its maturity into a dynamic field of drug discovery.

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most serious public health issues in India. According to the global TB report 2020, India accounts for about one-quarter of the global TB burden. Despite considerable advances in mandatory notification of all TB cases, incorporation of the national health programmes with general health services (National Health Mission), and national drug resistance surveillance and many other accomplishments, much more needs to be considered in India to significantly decrease TB incidence. Research is the foundation for medical breakthroughs. In this study, all Tuberculosis-related studies registered under Clinical Trial Registry of India from its inception in July 2007 to February 2021 were reviewed and analysed using the keyword ‘’Tuberculosis’’ in the ‘Trial Search’ section. A total of 31,196 studies were registered in CTRI, with 180 studies (0.58 %) being related to tuberculosis. Of these studies, 76 (42.2%) were interventional in nature. These consisted of evaluating different management or treatment TB (50%, n=90), diagnostic studies (19.4%, n=35) and studies related to screening and prevention of TB (7.8%, n=14). Maximum studies were conducted to evaluate safety and efficacy of anti-TB drugs (10%, n=18) and to evaluate efficacy of shortening of duration of treatment (8.9%, n=16). The studies related to extra pulmonary TB, MDR TB and TB in special populations and sources of funding and locations of the study sites were also analysed. These indicate that only minimal TB-related researches are conducted in India. It is indispensable to promote tuberculosis research in India in order to eradicate this infectious disease.

The 3D NMR structures of six octapeptide agonist analogues of somatostatin (SRIF) in the free form are described. These analogues, with the basic sequence H-dPhe/Phe2-cCys3-Xxx7-dTrp8-Lys9-Thr10-Cys14-Thr-NH2(the numbering refers to the position in native SRIF), with Xxx7being Ala/Aph, exhibit potent and highly selective binding to human SRIF type 2 (sst2) receptors. The backbone of these sst2-selective analogues have the usual type-II‘ -turn reported in the literature for sst235-subtype-selective analogues. Correlating the biological results and NMR studies led to the identification of the side chains of dPhe2, dTrp8, and Lys9as the necessary components of the sst2pharmacophore. This is the first study to show that the aromatic ring at position 7 (Phe7) is not critical for sst2binding and that it plays an important role in sst3and sst5binding. This pharmacophore is, therefore, different from that proposed by others for sst235analogues.

OBJECTIVE: The pathogenesis of sporadic idiopathic hypoparathyroidism is unclear. The calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) plays a pivotal role in extracellular calcium homeostasis and is the candidate autoantigen in hypoparathyroidism associated with autoimmune polyglandular endocrinopathy syndrome. We therefore looked for antibodies (Ab) against the CaSR in patients with sporadic idiopathic hypoparathyroidism and their association, if any, with the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR haplotypes. METHODS: The subjects included 51 patients with sporadic idiopathic hypoparathyroidism and 45 healthy controls. Investigations included computerised tomography, serum calcium, phosphorus, thyroxine, TSH, cortisol, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), ACTH and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and adrenal antibodies. The CaSRAb were assayed in patients' sera by Western blot. Genotyping of the HLA-DR locus was performed using PCR and sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes. RESULTS: Intracranial calcification and cataract were present in 76.5% and 41.1% of the patients respectively and 62.7% had convulsions. Autoantibodies against the 168 kDa CaSR protein were demonstrated in the serum of 49.0% of the patients and in 13.3% of the controls (P<0.001). Pre-incubating serum samples from the CaSRAb-positive patients with parathyroid membrane produced a 90% decrease in the band intensity. HLA-DRB1*01 and DRB1*09 alleles were significantly associated with idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (relative risk of 7.8, P=0.001). The frequency of HLA-DRB1*09 and DRB1*10 alleles tended to be higher in patients positive for the CaSRAb. There was no significant difference in the frequency of occurrence of convulsions, cataract, intracranial calcification, calcium:phosphorus ratio, and iPTH levels between patients with and without CaSRAb. CONCLUSION: 49.0% of the patients studied had serological evidence of organ-specific autoimmunity against the CaSR protein. The occurrence of CaSRAb and the HLA-DR associations imply an autoimmune component to the disease, but the primary role of the CaSRAb in the pathogenesis of the disease needs to be assessed further.

Abstract: A series of newbis(styryl)sulphones were synthesised by the condensation of various aryl aldehydes with sulphonyldiacetic acid. An attempt has been made to correlate the infrared and proton magnetic resonance spectral data to the configurations ofbis(styryl)sulphones.

A process of galvanic black anodizing on Mg-Li alloys was studied. The influence of various operating parameters, namely galvanic current density, voltage, pH, electrolyte concentration, operating temperature, anodizing time and heat treatment on the anodic film formation have been investigated to optimize the process. The deposits were characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy, adhesion tests, corrosion studies, thickness measurement and microhardness evaluation. The space worthiness of the coatings has been evaluated by humidity, thermal cycling and thermovacuum tests and measurement of optical properties. The results of all these studies are clearly indicative that the black anodizing process described herein is extremely suitable for ground, as well as space, applications.

Bis(styryl)sulphones on reaction with one or two moles of dimethylsulphonium methylide in the presence of one or two moles of potassium t-butoxide yielded 2-(arylcyclopropyl)styryl sulphones and bis[2-(arylcyclopropyl)]sulphones respectively. The compounds are characterised and confirmed to be trans isomers by IR and PMR spectroscopy and the usual analytical methods.

Thermo e.m.f. and Hall constant of hydrogenated nickel foils have been measured. Thermo e.m.f. shows a sign reversal which is not due to the change in sign of the charge carriers, as indicated by the Hall-effect measurements. To account for the sign reversal of thermo e.m.f., it is found necessary to take into account the surface states of chemisorbed hydrogen on nickel. Si sono misurate la forza termoelettromotrice e la costante di Hall di fogli di nickel idrogenati. La forza termoelettromotrice mostra una inversione di segno ehe non è dovuta al cambiamento in segno dei trasportatori di carica come indicato dalle misurazioni dell’effetto di Hall. Per tener conto dell’inversione di segno della forza termoelettromotrice, si è ritenuto necessario consider are gli stati di superficie di idrogeno assorbito chirnicamente sul nickel. ИжМЕРьУтсь тЕРМО-ЁДс И пОстОьННАь хОллА Дл ь гИДРИРОВАННых НИкЕл ЕВых плЕНОк. тЕРМО-ЁДс ОБНАРУжИВАЕт ИжМЕНЕ НИЕ жНАкА, кОтОРОЕ НЕ с ВьжАНО с Иж ОБНАРУжИВАЕт ИжМЕНЕ НИЕ жНАкА, кОтОРОЕ НЕ с ВьжАНО с ИжМЕНЕНИЕМ ж НАкА НОсИтЕлЕИ жАРьД А, кАк пОкАжыВАУт ИжМЕ РЕНИь ЁФФЕктА хОллА. Д ль ОБЩьсНЕНИь ИжМЕ ИжМЕНЕНИЕМ жНАкА НОс ИтЕлЕИ жАРьДА, кАк пОк АжыВАУт ИжМЕРЕНИь ЁФ ФЕктА хОллА. Дль ОБЩьс НЕНИь ИжМЕНЕНИь жНАк А тЕРМО-ЁДс НЕОБхОДИМ О УЧЕсть пОВЕРхНОстН ыЕ ИжМЕРЕНИь ЁФФЕктА хО ллА. Дль ОБЩьсНЕНИь Иж МЕНЕНИь жНАкА тЕРМО-Ё Дс НЕОБхОДИМО УЧЕсть пОВЕРхНОстНыЕ жНАкА тЕРМО-ЁДс НЕОБх ОДИМО УЧЕсть пОВЕРхН ОстНыЕ сОстОьНИь хЕМОсОРБИ РОВАННОгО ВОДОРОДА Н А НИкЕлЕ.

A series of newbis(styryl)sulphones were synthesised by the condensation of various aryl aldehydes with sulphonyldiacetic acid. An attempt has been made to correlate the infrared and proton magnetic resonance spectral data to the configurations ofbis(styryl)sulphones.

This present study aims to evaluate the peroxidase activity in soybean extract which was obtained through the seeds of the soybean. This enzymatic extract (Soybean Peroxidase-SBP) was then compared with commercially available pure enzyme i.e., horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The effect of the enzyme concentration, substrate concentration, pH temperature were studied to interpret the factors affectingthe rate of the reaction. Therefore, after the studies were carried out, it was detected that the increase in the concentration of the substrate as well as enzyme resulted in the gradual increase of the activity. The rate of the reaction thus became constant when all the enzymes got saturated after a certain range. The optimum pH and temperature of 7 and 40 ​°C was maintained for the decolorization of the synthetic dyes viz., Sunset yellow and Coomassie Brilliant blue dye R-250. The removal of Sunset yellow dye and CBB was around 45 % and 11 %, respectively and results were compared with the degradation with HRP in similar conditions. The effective degradation of Sunset yellow over CBB may be because of the difference in the molecular weight. Furthermore, optimization of reaction mixture and reaction conditions is in progress. The results obtained in this work suggest that peroxidases can be used in a supplementary step to the conventional processes for specific dye removal.

The study addressed to resolve the mechanism involved in cholesterol‐dependent regulation of giardia encystation process, revealed that (a) the trophozoites have the ability to express genes coding for receptor‐Ckand sterol element binding protein (SREBP); (b) inhibition of cholesterol dependent activation of receptor‐Ckresults in the upregulation of CWP‐1 gene expression leading to encystation process. Based upon these findings, we propose that receptor‐Ckdependent signalling is responsible for the regulation of giardia encystation process by cholesterol.

Extracellular ß-amylase from Bacillus megaterium converted indigenous starches from low-grade, raw materials to maltose. The extent of saccharification was higher with gelatinized starches than the raw material. For the gelatinized starches the optima for saccharification were pH 6.9 and 60°C.

Using the statistical design of experiments and experimentally determined values, equations were formulated for predicting the material removal rate in abrasive jet machining. The following inferences have been drawn. (1) It is possible to predict the material removal rate (fairly close to the experimental values) for a given set of conditions within the operating levels chosen for experimentation. (2) Interaction between the three variables X1, X2and X3(viz., nozzle tip distance, system pressure and powder flow rate) does exist. The model which considers such interactions has been found to be adequate. (3) Of the three variables, powder flow rate has a more significant effect on MRRthan the other two variables.

Wet synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) has been reported as an effective and low cost process for large production thin films. The purpose of this project is to investigate the effect of different precursor, different concentration and annealing temperature on the growth of ZnO nanostructures. The ZnO nanostructures is synthesised via a hydrothermal process on a glass substrate and characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The morphological changes of the nanostructures are systematically investigated as a function of precursors and concentration as well as annealing temperature. The process use two different types of precursor which are Zinc acetate dihydrate and Zinc nitrate hexahydrate.