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Iron deficiency anaemia, although well reported in diabetic nephropathy, has not been well studied in type 2 diabetes patients in the absence of nephropathy. We studied the prevalence of anaemia and iron deficiency in type 2 diabetes patients without nephropathy. A total of 89 patients were selected for this study. 24 h urine protein less than 500 mg was used as the criteria to rule out diabetic nephropathy. Complete hemogram, iron profile and high sensitivity C reactive protein (hs CRP) levels were performed in each patient.Functional iron deficiency (FID) was defined as serum ferritin more than 100 μg/l with serum transferrin less than 20% and total iron deficiency state was defined as serum ferritin less than 100 μg/l. Fifteen patients (16.8%)had anaemia out of which 13 had total iron deficiency and one each had functional iron deficiency and normal iron status respectively. Assessment of the iron status overall showed that 49 patients had TID (55.05%), 16 had FID (17.9%)and 24 (27.05%) had normal iron status. The hs-CRP was significantly higher in those with iron deficiency. The present study found a high prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in type 2 diabetic patients even in the absence of nephropathy. Most of the diabetic subjects also displayed an iron deficiency state the cause of which needs further investigation. • Iron deficiency anemia is prevalent in type 2 diabetes patients even in absence of nephropathy. • Total iron deficiency may be seen in more than half of type 2 diabetes patients without nephropathy. • Functional iron deficiency can exist in type 2 diabetes without nephropathy. • Inflammatory markers such as hsCRP are increased in iron deficient type 2 diabetic patients without nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutritional well-being is the prerequisite condition for a sustainable improvement in human welfare. Human gut microbiota plays a magnificent role in balancing the condition of metabolic syndrome management. Currently, the gut microbiome mediated immune system is gaining attention for the treatment of several health ailments such as diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, and malnourishment. Bioactive compounds from marine polysaccharides from seaweeds are found beneficial for enhancing the activity of gut microbes. There were limited reviews in recent times to discuss the updates on extraction, purification and biological activities of dietary fibers using non-conventional methods. The present review inspects on the proximal and structural composition of seaweed polysaccharides and their methods of extraction and purification aspects. It also focuses on the immune modulating mechanisms of prebiotic-probiotic synergetic interaction by stimulating beneficial gut microbial activity and by the production of short-chain fatty acids. The mutual relationship between prebiotics and probiotics that leads to a healthy gut was targeted in the present review. Marine seaweeds polysaccharides are the untapped bioresources to be explored for its biotherapeutic properties of dietary fibers. The practical complications on extracting polysaccharides by a single technique could be overcome by adopting the strategy of utilizing combinatorial extraction and purification techniques. Its prebiotic effect aids in the enhancement of gut microbial activity by exhibiting the properties of non-digestibility, fermentability, and pathogen inhibition potential. The impending benefits of dietary fiber from seaweed polysaccharides as prebiotics for formulating functional food ingredients along with probiotic microbes to exhibit immunomodulation applications. Therefore, intended human clinical trials should be carried out to evaluate and discover the probiotic-prebiotic relationship in the human gut, which could step out the research to the next level in the medicinal world. Image 1 • Marine seaweeds polysaccharides are the untapped bioresources as prebiotics. • Emerging techniques on polysaccharides extraction and purification were discussed. • Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are potential probiotics in gut microbiota. • Immune modulating mechanisms in gastrointestinal tract are elaborated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation of dropwise condensation of bismuth vapor on a subcooled hydrophobic surface is discussed in the present study. The process starts from nucleation of drops, followed by their growth and coalescence, resulting in drop instability that removes them from the surface. Fresh nucleation occurs at the exposed nucleation sites, thus creating a cycle of vapor condensation and liquid removal. The drop size distribution over the surface determines the instantaneous surface averaged wall heat flux. Wall shear stresses are generated during coalescence process and also when large drops start moving due to instability, which is gravitational in origin; hence, the largest drop diameter achieved depends on the surface orientation. Near-horizontal and vertical surfaces have been studied in the present work. Drop instability affects the periodicity of the condensation process and the average drop size and thus, the wall heat flux and wall shear stress. Coalescence of adjacent drops is a momentary step with a timescale of milliseconds, but the velocities generated are substantial. Coalescence velocities and time intervals have been determined by scale analysis, and the sensitivity of wall heat flux and wall shear stress to these ensuing velocities are delineated. The multiscale model developed is computationally intensive and has been simulated on large condensing surface areas using MPI on a parallel architecture. Bismuth condensation properties have been compared with water. Large heat fluxes and shear stresses are seen to be attained sporadically during coalescence for short time instants and do not contribute significantly to the surface-averaged values. On the other hand, wall shear stresses are found to be large enough to damage the hydrophobic coatings and degrade surface wettability, thereby hindering dropwise mode of condensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of polymer composites containing ferrite based magnetic fillers and conducting fillers are highly appreciated as materials for microwave shielding. In this regard, herein we present systematic optimization of compositional parameters by varying CoFe 2 O 4 and MWCNT/Graphene nanoplatelets to achieve efficient electromagnetic shielding in Low density polyethylene (LDPE) polymer. The magnetic filler, CoFe 2 O 4 was prepared by facile solution combustion process and the chemically exfoliated Graphene and CVD-derived MWCNT are used as conducting filler. Various compositions containing different weight ratios of CoFe 2 O 4 and Graphene nanoplatelets on the EMI shielding efficiency of LDPE composite is studied (keeping MWCNT weight constant) using vector network analyzer in the frequency range of 8–12 GHz. The critical concentration of all the materials in bringing synergy was evaluated. The combination of LDPE:MWCNT:GNP:CoFe 2 O 4 : 50:5:40:5 was found to be optimum concentration to bring a synergetic effect for gaining excellent dielectric, ohmic and magnetic losses in the X-band. Maximum total shielding effectiveness of about 49 dB was achieved at 10.3 GHz within the frequency range studied. [Display omitted] • The use of CoFe 2 O 4 and MWCNT/Graphene as fillers in LDPE polymer for enhanced EMI Shielding is reported. • The systematic optimization of magnetic fillers and conducting fillers are carried to achieve maximum shielding efficiency. • The synergetic effect is proved at optimum fillers concentration and correlated to impedance/conductivity of the composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza A virus (IAV) is a contagious respiratory infection causing pathogen responsible for high morbidity and mortality rates across the planet. The human immune system contains a wide range of soluble activators, membrane-bound receptors, and regulators to eliminate IAVs. Despite these various immune mechanisms that neutralize IAVs or restrict their replication, IAVs have developed distinct strategies to evade host immunity and establish a successful infection. Given the higher and continuous rate of mutations in IAVs, decades of research have focused on understanding the host's immune mechanisms against IAVs, and the evasion strategies employed by the virus to overcome the host immune system. Future IAV pandemics or epidemics remain inevitable, and a greater understanding of the host-pathogen interaction involved is required to develop universal vaccines and treatments against IAV. Here, we review how the host immune system responds to IAV infection as well as the strategies employed by the IAV to evade host immune surveillance. Furthermore, this review also focuses on the treatments and vaccines that have been developed to counter IAV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many past earthquakes have shown failure of structures with pile foundations attributed to liquefaction. Various experimental tests have also shown that buckling is one of the credible reasons for the failure of such pile foundations, which gets insignificant lateral support due to seismic liquefaction of surrounding soil. In nature, liquefiable and non-liquefiable soil can occur in alternate layers. However, while estimating the buckling capacity of a pile, there are no specific guidelines available, to the best of the author's knowledge, to reasonably estimate its buckling capacity considering the effect of sandwiched non-liquefiable layer. Some studies recommend to ignore the sandwiched non-liquefiable layer present within a liquefiable deposit and consider it as a full liquefiable layer, which can become too conservative in many situations when both the strength and the depth of non-liquefied sandwiched soil layer are high. In the present work, a rational method of estimating the buckling capacity of pile foundation in liquefiable soil with a sandwiched non-liquefiable layer is proposed through a detailed numerical investigation. The developed numerical model (using Beam on Non-linear Winkler Foundation approach) is validated against the centrifuge results. The model considers the initial imperfection of pile and material nonlinearity of pile and soil. The P -delta effect is also considered in the analysis. Detailed parametric study for major influential parameters on the buckling capacity of the pile foundation has been considered in terms of (a) sandwiched non-liquefiable soil layer's type, thickness, and position, (b) pile length above the ground level, and (c) liquefiable soil's initial relative density and thickness. Based on this study, an effective length factor (β) has been introduced, which can be easily used in standard Euler's buckling equation to find out the buckling capacity of the pile in such layered soil profile. A simple chart has been developed for β, and a step-wise methodology has been proposed with explanatory examples for the estimation of buckling capacity of pile foundation in liquefiable soil having sandwiched non-liquefiable layer, with reference to various influential parameters. • Buckling behaviour of the pile foundation in liquefiable soil deposit with sandwiched non-liquefiable soil layer considering parameters like, stiffness, thickness, and position of the sandwiched non-liquefiable soil layer in the liquefiable soil deposit. • A design chart and design methodology has been developed for the estimation of buckling capacity of an end bearing pile foundation in layered liquefiable soil deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We employed a computational approach to design and synthesize a series of fluorescently labeled hPEPT1 substrates. Five Alexa Fluor-350™-labeled peptides were assessed for their in vitro inhibitory activity in hPEPT1-transfected CHO cells. At least four labeled peptides show potent inhibitory activity toward hPEPT1-mediated uptake of [3H]-GlySar and three compounds displayed a significant cellular uptake specifically mediated by hPEPT1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Enhanced anthropogenic activities in the recent decades are ensuing in the large-scale accumulation of carbon dioxide (CO 2) concentration in the Earth's atmosphere. CO 2 in the atmosphere induces warming in the troposphere and cooling in the middle atmosphere. A systematic analysis of the middle atmospheric thermal structure and its variability at decadal scale is need of the hour to perceive the consequences of increased anthropogenic activity in totality. In this regard, long-term variations of temperature, CO 2 concentration and associated cooling rates in the middle and upper atmosphere (30–110 km) are investigated using Sounding of Atmosphere by Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) on board Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite observations during 2002–2021 and Specified Dynamics-Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (SD-WACCM) simulations during 2002–2017 over 50 N–50 S latitudes. The results show that CO 2 concentration measured by SABER is significantly underestimated by the WACCM simulations, especially above 90 km altitude. In order to find the long-term trends in each variable, Multivariate Linear Regression (MLR) technique is employed to the residual data obtained after removing seasonal variations. SABER observations show decreasing trend in temperature with a rate of 0.5–2.5 K/decade and an increase in CO 2 vmr of 16–18 ppmv/decade. The effect of Solar Cycle, QBO and ENSO on each of the variables is also investigated. The significance of the present study lies in evaluating the SD-WACCM simulations of long-term variabilities in the thermal structure, CO 2 vmr and associated cooling rates using two decades of observations. • Long term trends in middle atmospheric temperature, CO2 vmr and cooling rates from SD-WACCM are evaluated using SABER observations. • Response of middle atmospheric temperature, CO2 vmr and associated cooling rates to solar cycle, QBO, ENSO is investigated. • Observations show a decreasing trend in temperature at a rate of 0.5–2.5 K/decade in the middle atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]