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Introduction: Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common paediatric intraocular malignancy. The Spleen Tyrosine Kinase (SYK) acts as a proto-oncogene crucial for RB cell survival and is absent in the normal retina, making it a valuable therapeutic target. Aim: Entospletinib, a selective oral SYK inhibitor currently in phase 2 trials for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, was evaluated for its activity on the RB cell line Y-79. Materials and Methods: The effects of Entospletinib on cell proliferation and death of the human RB Y79 cells were assessed by MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, phase contrast microscopy and AO/EtBr dual labeling. The Annexin-V kit was used to quantify the cell mortality following treatment using flow cytometry. The mRNA levels of caspase-3, BAX, BCL-2, SYK, p53, TNF-and NF-κB were measured using RT-PCR to better understand the mechanism of action of this drug. Western blot was used to further validate the data. Results: Entospletinib treatment led to a time- and dose-dependent reduction in cell viability, with significant cytotoxicity observed at an IC50 of 61.3 μM/ml. Annexin V/Propidium Iodide (PI) staining demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis. The treatment upregulated mRNA levels of Caspase-3, Bax, and p53 while downregulating SYK, TNF-α, and Bcl-2. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses confirmed a dose-dependent decrease in NF-κB/p65 expression. Conclusion: The study findings suggest that Entospletinib inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in RB cells by downregulating SYK/TNF-α/NF-κB/p65, highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic candidate for RB.

The employee retention is being an emerging concept in the branches of Human Resource Management (HRM). The employee retention concept seems to be expensive and it is not globally adopted by all the pharmaceutical companies. The companies need to be aware of the value of efficient employees and their contribution to the economic growth of the companies. The primary aim of the management should be the employee retention which will enable the companies to reap benefits on the long run. As per various government and association medical representatives’ reports, the employee attrition rates in the pharmaceutical companies are high when compared to various sectors. This will create high level of mismatch between employee demand and supply for the medical representatives. The objective of the research study is to identify the various factors that are influencing the employee retention and also examine the various inter-relationships that exists among those factors. An empirical study is performed to collect the data from the 128 medical representatives in Salem, Tamilnadu, India through self-administered questionnaires method. Convenient sampling technique is adopted. The research performs a quantitative analysis using the SPSS version 23 software package and also determine percentage analysis as well as factor analysis. Structural equation modelling are used to analyse factors such as Monetary Rewards, Work Pressure and Performance and other Perquisites which influences employee retention of pharmaceutical companies. The outcome of the study reveals that there exists a high level of inter-relationship among these factors which have significant impact on the employee retention.

Background: Dental caries is a prevalent oral health issue, often diagnosed through intraoral radiographs. The accuracy of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in diagnosing dental caries from these radiographs is a subject of growing interest. Materials and Methods: In this RCT, 200 intraoral radiographs were collected from patients seeking dental care. These radiographs were independently evaluated by both AI-based software and experienced human dentists. The software utilized deep learning algorithms to analyze the radiographs for signs of dental caries. The performance of both AI and human interpretations was compared by calculating sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy. Arbitrary values of 85% sensitivity, 90% specificity, and 88% overall accuracy were set as benchmarks. Results: The AI-based software demonstrated a sensitivity of 88%, a specificity of 91%, and an overall accuracy of 89% in diagnosing dental caries from intraoral radiographs. Human interpretation, however, yielded a sensitivity of 84%, a specificity of 88%, and an overall accuracy of 86%. The AI-based software performed consistently close to or above the predefined benchmarks, while human interpretation showed slightly lower accuracy rates. Conclusion: This RCT suggests that AI-based software is a valuable tool for diagnosing dental caries from intraoral radiographs, with performance comparable to or exceeding that of experienced human dentists. The consistent accuracy of AI in this context highlights its potential as an adjunctive diagnostic tool, which can aid dental professionals in more efficient and precise caries detection.

A field experiment was conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during kharif (rainy) and rabi (winter) seasons of 2022 and 2023 to evaluate the efficiency, energy and economics of drone-based herbicide application in direct-seeded rice (Oryza sativa L.). The study was carried out with application of pre-emergence, early post-emergence and post-emergence herbicides using drone and knapsack sprayer to assess the weed control efficiency. Treatments included pretilachlor followed by (fb) application of post-emergence herbicides, such as bispyribacsodium (Na), fenoxyprop ethyl + carfentrazone ethyl and early post-emergence herbicides, such as bispyribac-Na, fenoxyprop ethyl + carfentrazone ethyl, bispyribac-Na fb post-emergence of fenoxyprop ethyl + carfentrazone ethyl, weed-free check and unweeded check. Application of pretilachlor fb bispyribac-Na using knapsack sprayer reduced weed density from 83 to 87% and weed dry weight from 81 to 83% over unweeded plot. Moreover, it was found on par with drone application of same herbicides in both seasons. Pretilachlor fb bispyribac-Na application through knapsack sprayer and drone produced higher grain yield and it was comparable with weed-free plot. Higher net return, benefit: cost ratio (2.27 and 2.09), energy-use efficiency (10.86 and 9.55 MJ) and energy productivity (0.81 and 0.71 kg/MJ) were noticed with drone application of pretilachlor fb bispyribac-Na in both the seasons. From the experiment, drone application of pretilachlor fb bispyribac-Na is found as an effective strategy to manage weeds in direct-seeded rice and more advantageous in terms of energy-use and profitability.

Renewable energy sources based electric power generating units are often power supply units for many rural areas worldwide especially where power supply is impossible through the power grid. Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generation (PMSG) based wind power conversion system is considered in this paper and equipped with an efficient maximum power tracker (MPPT) circuit. However, electricity produced through wind turbine will be always fluctuating according to wind speed. Hence, an energy storage device (i.e., batteries) is also connected through a dc to dc bidirectional circuit. Moreover, during light load conditions, a dump load also incorporated to consume excess power in case batteries are fully charged. A common dc-link is established by connecting MPPT circuit of wind system, bidirectional converter and dump load along with a power electronic switch. Novel control methods are proposed to all converters to maintain constant voltage at dc-link under various changes happened in the standalone system. In order to provide supply to AC loads, an inverter with voltage control unit also connected between load bus and dc-link. An efferent energy management algorithm is developed based on controlling the voltage at dc-link. MATLAB/Simulink is used to analyze the standalone power supply system and applied various operating conditions to present results.

This short review article, titled “Harnessing Nanotechnology and Artificial Intelligence for Precision Agriculture in Smart Cities,” delves into the fusion of nanotechnology, artificial intelligence (AI), and precision farming to drive sustainable agriculture in alignment with the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. It spotlights the transformative potential of nanotechnology, encompassing both natural and man-made nanoparticles, to enhance crop growth and mitigate environmental impacts. Nano-fertilizers and nano-pesticides are unveiled as promising strategies for optimizing nutrient availability while minimizing harm to ecosystems. The integration of AI into precision farming, supported by cutting-edge nanoinformatics, emerges as a linchpin for the establishment of safe and sustainable agricultural practices, enabling smart and resilient agriculture. However, as this integrated approach accelerates progress and provides vital insights for addressing contemporary agricultural challenges, it also underscores the paramount importance of scrutinizing nanotechnology’s effects on soil microbial communities and plant health. The phytotoxicity of nanoparticles, contingent upon size, concentration, and plant species, necessitates further examination. In conclusion, this comprehensive article calls for interdisciplinary collaboration to fully exploit the potential of nanotechnology and AI in transforming agriculture, all the while ensuring the preservation of environmental and human health and advancing the global sustainability agenda for agriculture in smart cities by 2030.

Electricity generation through Photovoltaic (PV) for power supply in rural areas is one of the best solution to solve many problems. The standalone power supply by using PV system is attracting by many scholars. However, storage systems like batteries are mandatory to maintain energy management as well as power quality in PV based standalone systems due to random variations in both solar irradiance as well as load. However, the operation of AC loads requires an inverter. Similarly, a bidirectional DC to DC converter is necessary to handle the discharging and charging process of the battery based on the power difference between generation and load. Even during nighttime when there is no power available from PV panels, the battery must supply the power demanded by the loads. To ensure high-quality power supply at the load bus, a novel control system for the inverter has been implemented. Additionally, this paper proposes a novel energy management system to maintain power balance between generation and load. A maximum power point tracker (MPPT) converter has also been integrated into the PV system using the perturbed and observe (P&O) algorithm. Extensive results, obtained through the MATLAB/Simulink package, are presented to demonstrate the significance of the proposed controllers under various operating conditions. The performance of the proposed control schemes remains satisfactory even when the standalone system undergoes various changes.

Introduction: Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) involved in managing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic were instructed to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect themselves from contracting virus. However, PPE use can sometimes lead to adverse events which create greater impact on health status of HCPs. Thus, the prevalence of adverse events and associated risk factors should be estimated for taking necessary preventive measures. Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of adverse events in HCPs due to PPE use during second wave of COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in different levels of healthcare centres in Tamil Nadu, India, from April to May 2021. Data were collected using a pre-validated questionnaire from HCPs of any discipline who were directly involved in managing COVID-19 patients. A total of 282 responses were collected through Google forms and proportion of HCPs who experienced adverse events due to PPE and percentage of different adverse events associated with PPE wearing were assessed. Data were analysed using Chi-square test. Results: Out of 282 respondents of the survey included 224 doctors, 34 nurses and 24 lab technicians with a mean age of 30 years. There were 164 females and 118 males. A total of 177 (62.76%) participants experienced adverse events which included dehydration, thirst and heat, headaches, inability to go to restroom and other urinary/respiratory problems. With respect to duration of exposure to PPE, 163 (57.8%) HCPs had >6 hours/day and 102 (36.2%) had 4-6 hours/day. It was observed that factors such as age, gender, profession, various wards posted for COVID-19 duty and duration of PPE worn daily were significantly associated with adverse events to PPE (p-value

This paper explores the intricate interplay of racism, trauma, and identity in Toni Morrison's novel, "The Bluest Eye." It delves into the challenges faced by African Americans within a predominantly white society by utilizing current trauma theory and black feminist concepts. The theoretical framework includes cultural trauma theories, including the contributions from Schreiber and insights from feminist thinkers like Bell Hooks and Patricia Hill Collins. Moreover, through an intersectional analysis, this study scrutinizes how gender, racial, class, and generational trauma intertwine to mold individuals' experiences and self-perception. Therefore, by amalgamating trauma theories with feminist perspectives, this paper provides valuable insights into the struggles of the characters and the societal dynamics portrayed in Morrison's novel, "The Bluest Eye."

This paper explores the intricate interplay of racism, trauma, and identity in Toni Morrison's novel, The Bluest Eye. It delves into the challenges faced by African Americans within a predominantly white society by utilizing current trauma theory and black feminist concepts. The theoretical framework includes cultural trauma theories, including the contributions from Schreiber and insights from feminist thinkers like Bell Hooks and Patricia Hill Collins. Moreover, through an intersectional analysis, this study scrutinizes how gender, racial, class, and generational trauma intertwine to mold individuals' experiences and self-perception. Therefore, by amalgamating trauma theories with feminist perspectives, this paper provides valuable insights into the struggles of the characters and the societal dynamics portrayed in Morrison's novel, The Bluest Eye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]