Search

The development of functionally enriched and biologically competent biclustering algorithm is essential for extracting hidden information from massive biological datasets. This paper presents a novel biclustering ensemble called EnsemBic based on p-value, which calculates the functional similarity of genetic associations. To validate the effectiveness and robustness of EnsemBic, we apply three well-known biclustering techniques, viz. Laplace Prior, iBBiG, and xMotif to implement EnsemBic and have been compared using different leading parameters. It is observed that the EnsemBic outperforms its competing algorithms in several prominent functional and biological measures. Next, the biclusters obtained from EnsemBic are used to identify potential biomarkers of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC) by exploring topological and biological relevance with reference to the elite genes, attained from genecards. Finally, we discover that the genes F2RL3, APPL1, CALM1, IFNGR1, LPAR1, ANGPT2, ARPC2, CGN, CLDN7, ATP6V1C2, CEACAM1, FTL, PLAU,PSMB4, and EPHB2 carry both the topological and biological significance of previously established ESCC elite genes. Therefore, we declare the aforementioned genes as potential biomarkers of ESCC., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest I declare that there are no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript. I have no financial or personal relationships that could influence the research or the interpretation of the results., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) compounds are ubiquitous in ambient air due to their persistence, carcinogenicity, and mutagenicity. Gangtok being one of the cleanest cities in India located in Eastern Himalayan region, witnesses high developmental activities with enhanced urbanization affecting the ambient air quality. The present study aims to measure PM 2.5 and PAHs in the ambient atmosphere of the Sikkim Himalaya to understand the influence of natural and anthropogenic activities on aerosol loading and their chemical characteristics. The PM 2.5 samples were collected and analysed for the duration from Jan 2020 to Feb 2021.The seasonal mean concentrations of PM 2.5 and PAHs were observed to be high during autumn and low during summer season. Overall, the annual mean concentration of PM 2.5 was found higher than the prescribed limit of World Health Organization and National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The concentration of the 16 individual PAHs were found to be highest during autumn season (55.26 ± 37.15 ng/m 3 ). Among the different PAHs, the annual mean concentration of fluorene (3.29 ± 4.07 ng/m 3 ) and naphthalene (1.15 ± 3.76 ng/m 3 ) were found to be the highest and lowest, respectively. The Molecular Diagnostic Ratio (MDR) test reveals higher contribution from heavy traffic activities throughout the winter and autumn seasons. The other possible sources identified over the region are fossil fuel combustion, and biomass burning. The multivariate statistical analysis (Multifactor Principal Component Analysis) also indicates a strong association between PM 2.5 /PAHs and meteorological variables across the region in different seasons. The precipitation and wind pattern during the study period suggests that major contribution of the PM 2.5 and PAHs were from local sources, with minimal contribution from long-range transport. The findings are important for comprehending the trends of PAH accumulation over a high-altitude urban area, and for developing sustainable air quality control methods in the Himalayan region., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest This work is original work and there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Dumping of acidic mine waste poses severe threats to the ecosystem due to high acidity, nutrient deficiency and mobility of toxic metals. The present study has been undertaken on phytoremediation by amending the acidic soil/mine waste with biochar (BC) and plantation of palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini (Roxb.) Wats. A greenhouse experiment in different combinations of biochar and acidic mine waste was conducted to assess the phytoremediation efficiency of palmarosa by BC amendments. Results indicate that the palmarosa tolerates multiple stresses effectively with a 54 % metal tolerance index (MTI) and capable of reducing acid production from the acidic mine waste alone. BC incorporation in the mine waste and soil treatments significantly enhanced the palmarosa biomass (1.11-3.3 times) and oil content by liming the acid, immobilization of metals and improving the soil quality. BC addition in highly acidic mine waste amplified the phytoremediation efficiency and mitigates abiotic oxidative stress on plants (MTI 84 % to >100 %). BC aided palmarosa plantation shifted the soil from high-risk assessment code (RAC) to low RAC for vegetation. Biochar amendments along with palmarosa plantation offer a sustainable technology for phytostabilization of highly acidic mine waste along with the production of industrially important essential oil., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

During the past two decades, tuberculosis - both pulmonary and extrapulmonary - has re-emerged as a major health problem worldwide. Nasal tuberculosis - either primary or secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis or facial lupus - is rare, but it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nasal granulomas. We describe a case of tuberculosis in an adult male who presented with palatal perforation with vanishing uvula and arch deformity of the palate. The diagnosis was based on histopathology and patient's successful response to antituberculous drug treatment.

Three vanadium complexes of chlorodipicolinic acid (4-chloro-2,6-dipicolinic acid) in oxidation states III, IV, and V were prepared and their properties characterized across the oxidation states. In addition, the series of hydroxylamido, methylhydroxylamido, dimethylhydroxylamido, and diethylhydroxylamido complexes were prepared from the chlorodipicolinato dioxovanadium(V) complex. The vanadium(V) compounds were characterized in solution by (51)V and (1)H NMR and in the solid-state by X-ray diffraction and (51)V NMR. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were performed to evaluate the experimental parameters and further describes the electronic structure of the complex. The small structural changes that do occur in bond lengths and angles and partial charges on different atoms are minor compared to the charge features that are responsible for the majority of the electric field gradient tensor. The EPR parameters of the vanadium(IV) complex were characterized and compared to the corresponding dipicolinate complex. The chemical properties of the chlorodipicolinate compounds are discussed and correlated with their insulin-enhancing activity in streptozoticin (STZ) induced diabetic Wistar rats. The effect of the chloro-substitution on lowering diabetic hyperglycemia was evaluated and differences were found depending on the compounds oxidation state similar as was observed for the vanadium III, IV and V dipicolinate complexes (P. Buglyo, D.C. Crans, E.M. Nagy, R.L. Lindo, L. Yang, J.J. Smee, W. Jin, L.-H. Chi, M.E. Godzala III, G.R. Willsky, Inorg. Chem. 44 (2005) 5416-5427). However, a linear correlation of oxidation states with efficacy was not observed, which suggests that the differences in mode of action are not simply an issue of redox equivalents. Importantly, our results contrast the previous observation with the vanadium-picolinate complexes, where the halogen substituents increased the insulin-enhancing properties of the complex (T. Takino, H. Yasui, A. Yoshitake, Y. Hamajima, R. Matsushita, J. Takada, H. Sakurai, J. Biol. Inorg. Chem. 6 (2001) 133-142).

Vanadate has been recognized as a specific and potent phosphatase inhibitor since its structure is similar to that of phosphate. In this study, we measured the inhibition of glutathione S-transferase-tagged protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (GST-PTP1B) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) by the insulin enhancing compounds, bis(maltolato)oxovanadium(IV) (BMOV). The results showed that the activity of GST-PTP1B was reversibly inhibited by solutions of BMOV with an IC(50) value of 0.86+/-0.02 microM. Steady state kinetic studies showed that inhibition of GST-PTP1B by BMOV was of a mixed competitive and noncompetitive type. In addition, incubation of GST-PTP1B with BMOV showed a time-dependent biphasic inactivation of the protein. On the other hand, the inhibitory behavior of BMOV on ALP activity was reversible and competitive with an IC(50) value of 32.1+/-0.6 microM. Incubation with BMOV did not show biphasic inactivation of ALP. The reversible inhibition of GST-PTP1B by BMOV is more potent than that of ALP, but solutions of BMOV inhibited both enzymes. This data support the suggestion that mechanisms for the inhibitory effects of BMOV on GST-PTP1B and ALP are very different.

The anti-oxidant properties of L-ascorbic acid were investigated in the confined medium produced by a sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (aerosol-OT, AOT) self-assembled reverse micelle. Using 1H-1H NOESY (proton-proton 2D nuclear overhauser enhancement correlation spectroscopy) NMR spectroscopy, the location of ascorbic acid was investigated and found to be at the AOT-interface in contrast to earlier studies where the ascorbate was assumed to be in the water pool in these microemulsions. The reaction of ascorbic acid with oxygen was investigated using EPR spectroscopy. A delocalized monoanionic ascorbate radical was observed in microemulsions prepared from pH 5.6 stock solutions. This is in contrast to studies carried out in aqueous media where no radical formation was observed. The oxidation of ascorbic acid by aqueous V(V) was investigated in reverse micelles. Modest changes in the kinetic parameters were observed for this system compared to that in water. Details of these reactions were examined and can be summarized as the microemulsion solvating and stabilizing reactive intermediates via rate inhibition or enhancement. The inhibition of the oxidation is due to solvation stabilization of ascorbic acid in microemulsion media. Since ascorbate is a valuable marker of oxidative stress, our results suggest that compartmentization can modify the stabilization of the ascorbate radical and the changes in properties could be important in biological systems.

We report a patient with a large pulmonary arteriovenous malformation complicated by cerebral abscess. He was successfully treated by transcatheter embolization using bioptome-assisted delivery of multiple coils.