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Globally, millets are small-seeded grasses cultivated for human consumption and livestock feed. They thrive in low rainfall regions, poor soil quality, and challenging terrains. Millets are a healthy food choice due to their high nutrient content, including proteins, soluble fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese. Compared to major cereals, millets are packed with antioxidants and essential amino acids. They have a low glycemic index (GI) due to their high complex carbohydrate content, which provides a healthier option than conventional wheat flour. Millets support a healthy gut microbiome, reduce constipation, and decrease excessive gas. Their soluble fiber helps lower "bad" cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis, and produces a gel in the stomach that alleviates ulcer conditions. Millets serve as nutrient-dense foods and are nutritionally assessed across six attributes: carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. In this review and comparative statistical evaluation of eight millets with Rice and Wheat, the overall ranking for all six nutritional attributes was derived using the Smith Selection Index. The top five ranked grains were Finger millet (first rank), Pearl millet (second rank), Wheat (third rank), Foxtail millet (fourth rank), and Kodo millet (fifth rank). First ranked Finger millet: Finger millet is superior to Rice and Wheat for protein quality, fiber quality, and mineral profile; superior to Rice for vitamin profile; and superior to Wheat for carbohydrate quality parameters. Additionally, Finger millet surpasses Foxtail millet, Sorghum, Little millet, Kodo millet, and Pearl millet in carbohydrate quality; Sorghum in protein quality; Kodo millet, Proso millet, Pearl millet, and Sorghum in fiber quality; and Sorghum in mineral profile. Second ranked Pearl millet: Pearl millet is superior to Rice and Wheat for protein and fiber quality, as well as for vitamin and mineral profiles. It also surpasses Wheat in carbohydrate quality parameters. Pearl millet is superior to all millets except Proso millet in protein quality; Sorghum in fiber quality; Kodo millet and Finger millet in fat quality; all millets in vitamin profile; and all except Finger millet in mineral profile. Third ranked Wheat: Wheat is superior to Finger millet, Sorghum, and Rice in protein quality; Sorghum and Rice in fiber quality; Rice, Pearl millet, Kodo millet, and Finger millet in fat quality; all millets except Pearl millet and Rice in vitamin profile; and all except Finger millet and Pearl millet in mineral profile. Fourth ranked Foxtail millet: Foxtail millet is superior to Sorghum, Proso millet, Kodo millet, Pearl millet, and Rice in carbohydrate quality parameters; Finger millet, Sorghum, Wheat, and Rice in protein quality; all millets, Rice, and Wheat in fiber quality; all except Barnyard millet in fat quality; Sorghum, Kodo millet, Little millet, and Rice in vitamin profile; and Little millet, Kodo millet, Sorghum, Proso millet, Barnyard millet, and Rice in mineral profile. Fifth ranked Kodo millet: Kodo millet is superior to Pearl millet and Rice in carbohydrate quality; all millets except Proso millet and Pearl millet, Rice, and Wheat in protein quality; Proso millet, Pearl millet, Sorghum, Rice, and Wheat in fiber quality; Finger millet in fat quality; Little millet, Proso millet, Barnyard millet, and Rice in vitamin profile; and Sorghum, Proso millet, Barnyard millet, and Rice in mineral profile. Tenth ranked Rice: Rice holds the lowest rank, indicating its inferiority to all millets and Wheat in overall nutritional attributes. However, Rice is superior to all millets and Wheat in carbohydrate quality parameters but inferior to all millets except Sorghum in protein quality; inferior to all millets and Wheat in fiber quality; inferior to all except Pearl millet, Kodo millet, and Finger millet in fat quality; all except Proso millet and Barnyard millet in vitamin profile; and inferior to all millets and Wheat in mineral profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-diphtheritic Corynebacteria (NDC), originally considered contaminants in clinical samples, have now emerged as nosocomial pathogens, emphasising the importance of their identification and prompt reporting. 120 non-diphtheritic corynebacteria isolated from pus were chosen for examination. A battery of tests identified isolates and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was detected by broth microdilution and interpreted as per Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) guidelines. C. amycolatum 28 (31%), followed by C. striatum 18 (20.5%) was the predominant isolate. Cephalosporins were least effective followed by Gentamycin. However, all isolates were sensitive to Vancomycin and Linezolid. Our research highlights the necessity of implementing clinical antimicrobial therapy protocols for Corynebacterium spp. Empirical treatment with vancomycin or linezolid is recommended until in vitro susceptibility results become accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchical Ni(OH)2/Co(OH)2 nanocomposite were produced by the use of hydrothermal technique for sustainable alternative energy production and employed as competent electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, prepared electrocatalyst achieved 3D urchin sphere like morphology at the scale range of 1 μm and 200 nm. Electrochemical studies of Ni(OH)2/Co(OH)2 nanocomposite was analyzed by 3 electrode using aqueous alkaline solution of 1 M KOH. Prepared Ni(OH)2/Co(OH)2 nanocomposite electrode attained 264.5 cm2 electrochemical surface area obtained from high double layer capacitance (Cdl) value of 10.58 mF/cm2 and it required very low 360 mV at 50 mA/cm2 current density with 240 mV/dec Tafel value which is distinctly favorable for the effective electrocatalytic activity. The low solution resistance (Rs) value of 0.54 Ω showed the excellent conductivity and charge transfer competence. The prepared product displays good stability and the consistency up to the long duration of 16 h at 10 mA/cm2. Furthermore, morphological stability of prepared nanocomposite electrode was also confirmed from the post SEM analysis which concluded the significant impact on structural transformation of nanocomposite after the electrochemical analysis. Present work revealed better perceptive of benefits and defects of alternative low cost Ni(OH)2/Co(OH)2 nanocomposite electrocatalyst for water oxidation process. Hence, synthesized Ni(OH)2/Co(OH)2 explored good electrocatalyst for OER and open new way to design alternative low cost electrocatalytic materials for sustainable energy generation. Highlights: Ni(OH)2/Co(OH)2 electrode attained 264.5 cm2 electrochemical surface area. Obtained high double layer capacitance (Cdl) value of 10.58 mF/cm2. Achieved very low 360 mV at 50 mA/cm2 current density with 240 mV/dec Tafel value. Low 0.54 Ω solution resistance (Rs) showed excellent conductivity. Displayed good stability and consistency up to long duration of 16 h at 10 mA/cm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present investigation, we report on Iron oxide (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles synthesized by simple hydrothermal method with different reaction times as 6 h (H1) and 8 h (H2) for supercapacitor application. The significance of varying the reaction time on structural, morphological, and vibrational properties of α-Fe2O3 was explored. XRD, FTIR, and Raman study affirmed that the products consist of only the rhombohedral phase of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. SEM image infers that with a change in reaction time the surface morphology of α-Fe2O3 changed from spherical to octahedra. The size of nanoparticles reduced with reaction time. XPS spectra again confirmed the growth of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The electrochemical characteristics of the fabricated H2 electrode exhibited excellent performance in a 2 M KOH electrolyte solution. The specific capacitance (Cs) achieved from CV and GCD curves were 299.4 F g−1, and 351.3 F g−1. The Rct acquired via electrochemical impedance (EIS) reduced from 11.2 to 9.18 Ω demonstrating the rise in the conductivity of the prepared electrodes. Remarkable capacitance retention of 92% was accomplished, even after 1000 cycles, thus making α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles a most promising electrode for the fabrication of energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schwannomas synonymously known as neurilemmomas or neurinomas are uncommon benign neoplasms of neural sheath origin. They account for 5% of all benign soft-tissue tumors. 6%-8% of tumors occur intracranially and 25%-45% occur extracranially in the head-and-neck region, of which cutaneous schwannomas located in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue in the head and neck are an unusual entity. Of the seven subtypes described by Erlandson, ancient schwannoma is a very rare distinctive histopathological variant resulting from long-term degenerative changes and accounts for 0.8% of all soft-tissue tumors. This seminal article is a systematic review of schwannomas in the ear in its entirety from 1977 to 2023 along with a case report of a profusely bleeding cutaneous ancient schwannoma occurring in the mastoid region in a swelling of a short duration of 6 months in a 75 year old female. To the best of our knowledge, this case has two firsts to its credit. It is the first reported case of an ancient schwannoma in the mastoid region and also the first reported case presenting with bleeding from the schwannoma. Due to its rarity, ancient schwannoma must be included in the differential diagnosis for any bleeding mass in the ear to avoid an erroneous diagnosis of malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Several frailty assessment tools exist for classifying older adults with multiple myeloma (MM) by their frailty status, such as the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) frailty score and the simplified frailty scale. The level of agreement between the IMWG frailty score and the simplified frailty scale remains unknown., Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional analysis of a prospective cohort study, we identified adults ≥50y initiating a new treatment regimen for MM who underwent a baseline geriatric assessment (GA). Using data from the GA and electronic health records, we measured IMWG frailty score and the simplified frailty scale, and classified patients by frailty status. We merged the fit and intermediate-fit categories of IMWG frailty score to create a binary category (frail, non-frail) for comparison with simplified frailty scale and measured their agreement using Cohen's Kappa statistic. We tested the diagnostic utility of simplified frailty scale as a screening tool using IMWG frailty score as the gold standard, using sensitivity, specificity, and decision curve analysis (DCA)., Results: Three hundred older adults were included with a median age at diagnosis of 64y; 56 % were male and 63 % were non-Hispanic White. By IMWG frailty score, 41 % were fit, 38 % intermediate-fit, and 21 % frail, while simplified frailty scale indicated 22 % frail and 78 % non-frail patients. The agreement between IMWG frailty score and simplified frailty scale was moderate (κ = 0.43); 19 % of the patients were misclassified. Despite discordance, when testing simplified frailty scale as a screening tool, we found a sensitivity of 56 % and specificity of 87 % to diagnose frailty. Substituting patient-reported performance status (PS) instead of physician reported ECOG PS led to a sensitivity of 91 % and specificity of 61 %. DCA showed that using simplified frailty scale (with patient reported PS) as a screening tool led to a 43-44 % reduction in the number of unnecessary GAs across reasonable threshold probabilities., Discussion: IMWG frailty score and simplified frailty scale have limited agreement with each other. This creates a possibility of misclassification bias and poses difficulty in comparing existing literature on frail patients with MM. Despite discordance, simplified frailty scale may have a potential role as a screening tool, when using patient-reported PS., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Susan Bal, Honoraria: AbbVie, Adaptive Biotechnologies, Bristol Myers Squibb, Janssen, AstraZeneca, MJH Lifesciences; Luciano J. Costa, Honoraria: Amgen, BMS, Janssen, Karyopharm Therapeutics, Sanofi, Takeda Consulting or Advisory Role: AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Karyopharm Therapeutics; Speakers' Bureau: Amgen, Sanofi; Research Funding: Janssen, Amgen, BMS; Smith Giri, Consulting or advisory Role: Janssen, Sanofi, Research funding: Janssen, Sanofi, PackHealth, CareVive; Grant R. Williams, Honoraria: Bayer, Takeda., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Introduction: LX-9211 is a drug designed to treat neuropathic pain conditions. It functions by inhibiting the adaptor-associated kinase 1 (AAK1) enzyme which promotes clathrin-dependent endocytosis. Preclinical studies have shown that LX-9211 does produce a reduction in nociceptive related behaviors and produces no major adverse effects in rats. Thus, LX-9211 has advanced to clinical trials to assess its safety and efficacy in humans. So far, phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials involving patients with postherpetic neuralgia and diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain have been conducted with phase 3 trials planned in the future., Areas Covered: This paper highlights preclinical studies involving LX-9211 in rodents. Additionally, phase 1 clinical trials examining the safety of LX-9211 in healthy subjects as well as phase 2 studies looking at the safety and efficacy of LX-9211 compared to placebo in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain and postherpetic neuralgia are also discussed., Expert Opinion: In phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials conducted so far, LX-9211 has been shown to produce few adverse effects as well as cause a significantly greater reduction in pain compared to placebo. However, more clinical studies are needed to further assess its effects in humans to ensure its safety.

Background: Obesity is an established modifiable risk factor for multiple myeloma (MM). However, associations of obesity and MM risk in Black populations, for whom obesity and MM are more common, is less clear., Methods: Using participants enrolled in the Integrative Molecular And Genetic Epidemiology study, we evaluated the association of anthropometric traits with MM risk overall, stratified by race and sex. Among cases, we assessed the association of BMI with the presence of myeloma-defining events., Results: We observed an 18% increase in MM risk for every 5 kg/m 2 increase in usual adult BMI. Participants with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m 2 ) had the highest risk compared to those with a normal usual adult BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/m 2 ; OR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.25-2.80), particularly among Black men (OR = 3.94, 95% CI 0.90-17.36). Furthermore, MM cases with overweight/obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 ) were more likely to present at diagnosis with low renal function (OR = 1.62, 95% CI 1.09-2.40), deletion 13q (OR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.08-2.76) and lytic lesions or compression fractures (OR = 2.39, 95% CI 0.82-7.01) and less likely to present with severe diffuse osteopenia (OR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.31-0.81)., Conclusions: Findings underscore the importance of obesity as a modifiable risk factor for MM, particularly in high-risk populations, and for the clinical presentation of disease., (© 2024. The Author(s).)