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Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) are a widely used approach to incentivize conservation efforts such as avoided deforestation. Although PES effectiveness has received significant scholarly attention, how PES design modifications can improve program outcomes is less explored. We present findings from a randomized trial in Mexico that tested whether a PES contract that requires enrollees to enroll all of their forest is more effective than the traditional PES contract that allows them to choose which forest parcels to enroll. The modification's aim is to prevent landowners from enrolling only parcels they planned to conserve anyway while leaving aside other parcels to deforest. We find that the full-enrollment treatment significantly reduces deforestation compared to the traditional contract (41% less deforestation; p = 0.01). As a result, cost-effectiveness of the PES program quadruples. This result highlights the potential to substantially improve the efficacy of conservation payments through simple contract modifications. A randomized trial in Mexico finds that requiring Payments for Ecosystem Services participants to enroll all their forest in the program quadruples cost-effectiveness compared to the standard program design that allows for partial enrollment of land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is an extensively used biomaterial for dental and orthopaedic applications because of its biocompatibility and biomimetic nature. HA is extensively used as a bone-graft substitute. HA bone graft substitutes of bovine or synthetic origins have been extensively studied. However, caprine-based HA has not been explored. In this study, we aimed to determine the utilization of goat bone-derived HA for commercial applications. HA from caprine bone and teeth was isolated using thermal calcination. The developed HA can be used as a bone graft substitute. Chemical characterization of the isolated HA was carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The biocompatibility and apatite formation of isolated HA were assessed using MG-63 cells, MC3T3-E1, L929 cells, MSCs, adipose derived stem cells, human dermal tissue derived fibroblast cells and osteoblast-like cell line, The studies demonstrate that HA support cell adhesion and osteogenic properties. To improve sheep, lamp, or caprine bone-derived HA, several other composites have been developed with MgO2, ZrO2, ZnO2, and other polymeric substances. 3D printed technology was used to develop a bioink using sheep-derived HA and printed the composite scaffold as a bone graft substitute. Furthermore, the biomedical applications of sheep-derived HA been studied in terms of their antimicrobial activity, bone-forming ability, and wound healing applications. Sheep-, goat-, and caprine-derived HA are still underutilized and require further research to develop commercial possibilities and sustainable raw materials for HA-based bone graft substitutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Federated learning (FL) stimulates distributed on-device computation systems to process an optimum technique efficiency by communicating local process upgrades and global method distribution from aggregation averaging procedure. On-device FL is a standard application in wireless environments, with several mobile devices participating as nodes in the FL network. Managing extensive multi-dimensional process upgrades and resource-constrained computations in large-scale heterogeneous IoT cellular networks can be challenging. This article introduces a Lifetime Maximization using Optimal Directed Acyclic Graph Federated Learning in IoT Communication Networks (LM-ODAGFL) technique. The proposed LM-ODAGFL technique utilizes FL and metaheuristic optimization algorithms for energy-effective IoT networks. The Direct Acyclic Graph (DAG) model addresses device asynchrony in FL while minimizing additional resource usage. The Archimedes Optimization Algorithm (AOA) is designed to optimize the DAG model by reducing both user energy consumption and the training loss of the FL model. The performance validation of the LM-ODAGFL technique is performed by utilizing a series of experimentations. The obtained results of the LM-ODAGFL model demonstrate superior performance by consuming significantly less energy than SDAGFL and ESDAGFL, with values ranging from 0.373 to 0.485 kJ per round on the FMNIST-Clustered dataset and 16.27 to 20.34 kJ per round on the Poets dataset, compared to 0.000 to 1.442 kJ and 0.00 to 63.89 kJ respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial afflictions represent a significant global public health concern. The overuse of antibiotics and the ineffectiveness of conventional antibiotic therapies present substantial challenges in the biomedical field. Consequently, research scientific efforts are focused on developing nanoparticle-based microbial agents to address the escalating issue of antimicrobial resistance. In the present study, we synthesized fucoidan combined with molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets using the liquid exfoliation technique, followed by thorough characterization. The UV-visible spectrum analysis revealed prominent absorption peaks at 610 and 672 nm, indicative of the successful formation of F-MoS2 nanosheets. Subsequent antimicrobial assays demonstrated the exceptional antibacterial efficacy of the developed F-MoS2 nanosheets against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans). Moreover, in vivo toxicity assessment using the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model disclosed that concentrations exceeding 125 µg/mL led to a reduction in the number of fertilized eggs laid by the worms. Furthermore, concentrations of 250 µg/mL resulted in delays in the reproductive cycle and impaired developmental fitness. Thus, the developed F-MoS2 nanosheets exhibit promising prospects for application within the realm of biomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isopod crustaceans of the family Dajidae are exclusively marine ectoparasites. The genus Notophryxus G. O. Sars, 1883 currently includes nine nominal species, which are very rarely reported as the chances for encountering these specimens are unpredictable. Our comprehension of the taxonomy, biology, ecology, and life cycle of species belonging to the Notophryxus genus is notably lacking. All nominal species of Notophryxus genus are reviewed here to obtain a comprehensive and integrative taxonomic understanding of this genus, in an attempt to address the lacunae. This paper also documents the rediscovery of an ectoparasitic isopod from the genus Notophryxus in Indian waters, after 55 years. Adult isopod specimens obtained from the outer reefs of Amini Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago, Southeastern Arabian Sea, display morphological congruence to Notophryxus globularis G. O. Sars, 1885. The only previous report on this species dates back to 1885 from G.O. Sars' description of N. globularis as an ectoparasite on the euphausiid Thysanoessa gregaria G. O. Sars, 1883 in the North Pacific. This discovery represents a range extension of N. globularis from the North Pacific to the Arabian Sea. Two cryptoniscid larvae and three adult females of N. globularis (with dwarf males) were found attached to four adult mysid specimens of Siriella aequiremis Hansen, 1910. The present study provides an improved diagnosis of N. globularis with the aid of light microscopy images and line drawings which was not given in the original G. O. Sars, 1885 report. This research also provides a concise description of cryptoniscid larvae from the same sampling location and same host which is most likely to be N. globularis larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates the efficacy of employing Rhizopus oryzae fungus inoculum as a potential solution to improve soil erodibility in coastal environments. A set of unconfined compression tests is conducted on Miami Beach sand treated with a R. oryzae inoculum. Our findings suggest that the R. oryzae fungus inoculum effectively improves the stability of sand by acting as a natural binding agent. This finding aligns with previous studies that utilized different Rhizopus species, such as Rhizopus oligosporus, to improve sand properties. However, a notable difference is observed; the R. oryzae-treated sand exhibits remarkable durability, maintaining significant strength over an extended period without water or dietary supply. The durability is likely attributable to the morphological characteristics of R. oryzae that extensively branches its mycelial network. This paper shares the new discovery to the bio-geotechnics research community, potentially allowing for the customization of soil improvement process by choosing between the fast-acting R. oligosporus and the longer-lasting R. oryzae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metabolomic and genomic characterization of an endophytic Bacillus safensis Ni7 was carried out in this study. This strain has previously been isolated from the xerophytic plant Nerium indicum L. and reported to enhance the drought tolerance in Capsicum annuum L. seedlings. The effects of drought stress on the morphology, biofilm production, and metabolite production of B. safensis Ni7 are analyzed in the current study. From the results obtained, the organism was found to have multiple strategies such as aggregation and clumping, robust biofilm production, and increased production of surfactin homologues under the drought induced condition when compared to non-stressed condition. Further the whole genome sequencing (WGS) based analysis has demonstrated B. safensis Ni7 to have a genome size of 3,671,999 bp, N50 value of 3,527,239, and a mean G+C content of 41.58%. Interestingly the organism was observed to have the presence of various stress-responsive genes (13, 20U, 16U,160, 39, 17M, 18, 26, and ctc) and genes responsible for surfactin production (srfAA, srfAB, srfAC, and srfAD), biofilm production (epsD, epsE, epsF, epsG, epsH, epsI, epsK, epsL, epsM, epsN, and pel), chemotaxis (cheB_1, cheB_2, cheB_3, cheW_1, cheW_2 cheR, cheD, cheC, cheA, cheY, cheV, and cheB_4), flagella synthesis (flgG_1, flgG_2, flgG_3, flgC, and flgB) as supportive to the drought tolerance. Besides these, the genes responsible for plant growth promotion (PGP), including the genes for nitrogen (nasA, nasB, nasC, nasD, and nasE) and sulfur assimilation (cysL_1&L_2, cysI) and genes for phosphate solubilization (phoA, phoP_1& phoP_2, and phoR) could also be predicted. Along with the same, the genes for catalase, superoxide dismutase, protein homeostasis, cellular fitness, osmoprotectants production, and protein folding could also be predicted from its WGS data. Further pan-genome analysis with plant associated B. safensis strains available in the public databases revealed B. safensis Ni7 to have the presence of a total of 5391 gene clusters. Among these, 3207 genes were identified as core genes, 954 as shell genes and 1230 as cloud genes. This variation in gene content could be taken as an indication of evolution of strains of Bacillus safensis as per specific conditions and hence in the case of B. safensis Ni7 its role in habitat adaptation of plant is well expected. This diversity in endophytic bacterial genes may attribute its role to support the plant system to cope up with stress conditions. Overall, the study provides genomic evidence on Bacillus safensis Ni7 as a stress alleviating microbial partner in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a firm announces a product recall it typically incurs a market penalty in the form of a decline in its stock price. But a specific recall announcement often happens among recalls by other firms in the industry. Could recent recalls by other firms in the industry impact the market penalty for a new recall announcement? To capture and test this effect, the authors conceptualize recall environment intensity. Using salience theory, they identify the dimensions of the recall environment intensity construct, confirm these dimensions using interviews and a survey, and develop a measure for the construct. The authors then develop hypotheses for the effect of recall environment intensity on the stock penalty for a new recall announcement and propose boundary conditions for the effect. The hypotheses are tested using data from the automobile industry to show that a firm that announces a recall in a high intensity recall environment will have a smaller decline in stock price, though the effect varies with the reliability reputation of the brand and the age of the recalled products. The study provides a nuanced understanding of the stock market response to recall announcements and offers guidance on how to conceptualize and measure recall environment intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The delivery of chemotherapeutics through the blood-brain barrier remains a challenge for glioblastoma therapeutics. The overdosage of these agents also causes severe side effects among patients. Hence, there has been an urge to find alternative techniques to deliver these agents to the targeted site with limited dosage having a maximum outcome. However, when these drugs incorporated into liposomes are directed toward the tumor site, there is a higher possibility of the drugs crossing the barrier and rendering their mode of action. In our study, we aimed at formulating pH-responsive nanoliposomes loaded with carmustine that possesses selective toxicity on U87MG cells owing to the acidic pH and also evaluated their efficacy in seizing endothelial sprouting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma (ESHL) is highly curable, usually with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. Real-world data may show differences in survival and prognostic factors when compared to clinical trials. There is limited published literature on ESHL from India. The data on the baseline characters, treatment, and outcomes of patients with ESHL (stage IA, IB, and IIA) were obtained from five institutions' medical records and entered in a common database. Event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan Meier method, and cox-regression analysis was used to identify prognostic factors. There were 258 patients [median age was 37 (18–75) years; [males:160 (62%); stage I: 41%; B symptoms: 17 (6%); bulky disease:19 (15%)] treated between 2000 and 2020 who were evaluable. The common chemotherapies used were ABVD [N = 180 (70%)], COPP-ABVD hybrid [N = 52 (21%)], and COPP [N = 14 (5%)]. Median number of cycles were 4 (2–8) and 93 (47%) received radiation at end of treatment. After a median follow-up of 60 months, the 5 years EFS was 87% and OS was 92%. On multivariate analysis, the following factors adversely affected the EFS: Male gender [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.23, P = 0.02] and Hemoglobin < 10.5g/dL [hazard ration (HR) = 2.20, P = 0.02], and the following adversely affected the OS: Hemoglobin < 10.5g/dL [hazard ratio (HR) = 4.05, P = 0.001], Male gender [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.59, P = 0.004], Stage 2 [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.65, P = 0.002] and ECOG PS (2–3) [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.35, P = 0.01]. Using the hemoglobin, stage and gender a 3-item prognostic score could identify patients with very good outcomes (score 0; 5 years OS:100%) and poor outcomes (score 3; 5 years OS; 49%). This is one of the first multi-center real-world data exclusively focusing on ESHL from India. Though the survival of the entire population was good, there are subsets of patients who have poor outcomes, which may be identified using simple parameters. These parameters need validation in a larger dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABO blood group compatibility restrictions present the first barrier to donorrecipient matching in kidney transplantation. Here, we present the use of two enzymes, FpGalNAc deacetylase and FpGalactosaminidase, from the bacterium Flavonifractor plautii to enzymatically convert blood group A antigens from the renal vasculature of human kidneys to ‘universal’ O-type. Using normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) and hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) strategies, we demonstrate blood group A antigen loss of approximately 80% in as little as 2 h NMP and HMP. Furthermore, we show that treated kidneys do not bind circulating anti-A antibodies in an ex vivo model of ABOincompatible transplantation and do not activate the classical complement pathway. This strategy presents a solution to the donor organ shortage crisis with the potential for direct clinical translation to reduce waiting times for patients with end stage renal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microaneurysms, tiny, circular red dots that occur in retinal fundus images, are one of the earliest symptoms of diabetic retinopathy. Because microaneurysms are small and delicate, detecting them can be difficult. Their small size and cunning character make automatic detection of them difficult. The automatic detection of microaneurysms in retinal fundus images is proposed in this research using a local Fourier transform and neighbourhood analysis-based multi-scale approach technique. The suggested method is broken down into three stages: image preprocessing, the detection of retinal vessels and microaneurysm candidates, and labelling of the candidates. A multi-scale framework is used to develop every stage of the algorithm, with the exception of the initial image preprocessing, giving the mechanism for efficient microaneurysms detection. In contrast to the short-time Fourier transform, which extracts the neighbourhood of each pixel and calculates each local Fourier transform separately, the local Fourier transform is employed in this study to extract the MA. After that, neighbourhood analysis is performed to name the microaneurysm because the item is actually a collection of independent little images rather than the entire image. Three separate data sets and different types of performance indicators are used to examine the robustness of the proposed model. Through the prominent performance, the proposed model is able to outperform other existing models. The classification accuracy of the proposed method for MESSIDOR and ORIGA data set is 99.28% and 98.95%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of semiconductors, three-dimensional (3D) integration not only enables packaging of more devices per unit area, referred to as ‘More Moore’1 but also introduces multifunctionalities for ‘More than Moore’2 technologies. Although silicon-based 3D integrated circuits are commercially available3–5, there is limited effort on 3D integration of emerging nanomaterials6,7 such as two-dimensional (2D) materials despite their unique functionalities7–10. Here we demonstrate (1) wafer-scale and monolithic two-tier 3D integration based on MoS2 with more than 10,000 field-effect transistors (FETs) in each tier; (2) three-tier 3D integration based on both MoS2 and WSe2 with about 500 FETs in each tier; and (3) two-tier 3D integration based on 200 scaled MoS2 FETs (channel length, LCH = 45 nm) in each tier. We also realize a 3D circuit and demonstrate multifunctional capabilities, including sensing and storage. We believe that our demonstrations will serve as the foundation for more sophisticated, highly dense and functionally divergent integrated circuits with a larger number of tiers integrated monolithically in the third dimension.Monolithic three-dimensional integration of two-dimensional field-effect transistors enables improved integration density and multifunctionality to realize ‘More Moore’ and ‘More than Moore’ technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugarcane must be processed quickly after being harvested because it is a destructible commodity. Harvested cane may degrade for a variety of reasons, including exposure to microbes, mechanical or manual harvesting, cultivar, maturity, cut-to-crush interval, and storage. Due to the quick loss of sucrose and deterioration after harvest, sugarcane needs to be treated at the right time and way. The higher sugar content of mature internodes offers the perfect conditions for microbial growth, which enters the harvested stalk through wounds or cut ends. The bacteria Leuconostoc spp. is primarily responsible for these post-harvest losses, which negatively affect sugar percent. The trials were carried out to assess the efficacy of Sodium metasilicate (SMS), Benzalkonium chloride (BKC), Nisin (Lactobacteria), and Neem sources on sugarcane for reducing the post-harvest degradation losses. An investigation is underway now to reveal that foliar spray of neem cake @ 5% + dried neem leaves extract @ 5% (in heaping) is the most effective and eco-friendly substance that might be able to significantly enhance sugar recovery. This treatment was comparable with the chemical formulation of SMS @ 2% (3 days before harvest) + BKC @ 2000 ppm (in heaping) which might be a consequence of controlling the proliferation of Leuconostoc spp. bacterium. Likewise, the juice obtained from these treatments has a lower rate of inclination in pH, reducing sugar, total soluble solids, titrable acidity index, invertase activity, higher sucrose, and commercial cane sugars (CCS) recovery, furthermore with relatively smaller losses in cane weight. Hence, these treatments offer a significant potential role in reducing post-harvest deterioration losses in the sugar industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 vaccine uptake has been comparable, if not higher, in LMICs (Low- and Middle-Income Countries) than in developed nations. Patients with plasma cell disorders are at a higher risk for developing COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality due to impaired immune responses. We report the outcome of active counselling for COVID-19 vaccines in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and AL amyloidosis and the reasons for hesitancy in those unvaccinated. This was a cross-sectional, single-centre, observational study enrolling patients who visited the hospital between January 1, 2021 and June 30, 2021. Patients with MM and AL amyloidosis at diagnosis or follow-up were actively counselled by treating oncologists regarding the available COVID-19 vaccines (Covishield and Covaxin) during clinic visits or hospital admission. In the subsequent hospital visits, vaccination details were collected and verified. A structured interview schedule was administered to unvaccinated patients to identify the reasons behind vaccine hesitancy. Association of vaccine acceptance with socio-economic parameters and other disease parameters was studied using Chi-square test. Out of 195 patients, 178 (91%) were included in the study; 17 were lost to follow-up. At least a single dose of vaccine was administered in 86%. 79% received Covishield, whereas 21% received Covaxin. 67% received both vaccine doses. Vaccine-related side effects were mild and no vaccine-related thrombotic events were seen. Three patients died due to COVID-19-related causes, of which two were unvaccinated. The reasons for hesitancy in the 24 unvaccinated patients included: 9—poor general health conditions, 8—lack of advice from doctors, 2—fear of side effects, and 2—unavailability of vaccine delivery centres nearby. In comparison to the other studies, we report a higher vaccine uptake which can be attributed to targeted counselling by the treating oncologist and the universal free vaccination programme that is familiar to all Indians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, 51 endophytic bacteria were isolated from 5 different xerophytic plants. Their drought tolerance properties were screened in vitro, and from these, four endophytes with tolerance up to − 1.5 MPa water potential were further selected and identified as Acinetobacter sp. Eo3, Pseudomonas sp. Ni5, Bacillus safensis Ni7, and Stenotrophomonas sp. C3. Due to biosafety concern, Acinetobacter sp. Eo3 and Pseudomonas sp. Ni5 were excluded from further investigation, while B. safensis Ni7 and Stenotrophomonas sp. C3 were subjected to detailed study. The drought tolerance properties of these endophytes were evaluated in vivo using Capsicum annuum L. by analysing the growth parameters (leaf number, root number, shoot length, and plant fresh weight) as well as physiological and biochemical parameters (stomatal index, relative water content, chlorophyll content, and carbohydrate accumulation) of bacteria-treated and control seedlings. Here, treatment with B. safensis Ni7 and Stenotrophomonas sp. C3 was found to result in statistically significant enhancement (P ≤ 0.001) of the measured parameters of plants when compared with the control groups. In the case of fresh weight itself, Ni7 and C3 treatment was found to result in values of 157.76 and 142.8 mg, respectively, and was statistically significant enhancement as the same for nutrient broth and distilled water control were 73.3 mg and 70.5 mg only. Additionally, the endophyte-treated seedlings displayed significant improvement in other growth parameters even under induced drought stress. These findings highlight the potential of xerophytic-derived bacterial endophytes to have significant role in mitigating the drought stress effects in plants with the promises for field application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study elaborates the preliminary information on the meiofaunal assemblage pattern in the Krossfjorden system of the Svalbard Archipelago based on the samples collected during the Summer Phase Indian Arctic Expeditions of 2017 and 2018. The results from the study divulged the meiofaunal assemblage pattern. It is diversified with the presence of ten meiofaunal groups represented by Foraminifera, Tintinnida, Nematoda, Polychaeta, Copepoda, Kinorhyncha, Tanaidacea, Ostracoda, Acarina and Priapulida larvae. Meiofaunal abundance was observed to be low during the year 2018 (5646 ± 874 ind./10 cm2) compared with previous reports from adjacent fjord systems and the samples collected during the 2017 study (8826 ± 1501 ind./10 cm2). The decrease in meiofaunal assemblage in the fjord is associated with changes in environmental constraints and organic matter availability. The diminishing sea ice habitats in the Arctic waters are expected to have pronounced impacts on meiofaunal communities and their appearances in the coming future. In this regard, data gathered during the present study will form a baseline information on meiofaunal communities in the Krossfjorden system for understanding future changes in the benthic habitat and have important implications on predicting the direction of change with regard to meiobenthic productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is by far the most prevalent form of liver disease worldwide. It's also the leading cause of liver-related hospitalizations and deaths. Furthermore, there is a link between obesity and NAFLD risk. A projected 25% of the world's population grieves from NAFLD, making it the most common chronic liver disorder. Several factors, such as obesity, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance, typically accompany NAFLD. Weight loss, lipid-lowering agents, thiazolidinediones, and metformin help prominently control NAFLD. Interestingly, pre-clinical studies demonstrate gut microbiota's potential causal role in NAFLD. Increased intestinal permeability and unhindered transport of microbial metabolites into the liver are the major disruptions due to gut microbiome dysbiosis, contributing to the development of NAFLD by dysregulating the gut-liver axis. Hence, altering the pathogenic bacterial population using probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) could benefit patients with NAFLD. Therefore, it is crucial to acknowledge the importance of microbiota-mediated therapeutic approaches for NAFLD and comprehend the underlying mechanisms that establish a connection between NAFLD and gut microbiota. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the affiliation between dysbiosis of gut microbiota and the progress of NAFLD, as well as the potential benefits of prebiotic, probiotic, synbiotic supplementation, and FMT in obese individuals with NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning has recently received attention as one of the most popular methods for boosting performance in different sectors, including medical image analysis, pattern recognition and classification. Diabetic retinopathy becomes an increasingly popular cause of vision loss in diabetic patients.. Retinal vascular status in fundus images is a reliable biomarker for diabetes, hypertension and many ophthalmic diseases. Therefore, accurate segmentation of retinal vessels is of great significance for the diagnosis of many diseases. However, due to the inherent complexity of the retina itself and the lack of data, it is difficult to obtain the ideal accuracy of the segmentation results of the vascular end. To solve this problem, we propose an innovative multi-dimensional deep convolutional Neural network (MDUNet) to segment the retinal vessels in fundus images. The fusion of cross-dimensional transformation makes full use of the relevance of information between different dimensions. Meanwhile, the self-attention calculation method of cross-window is applied to effectively reduce the computational complexity. MDUNet is proposed to provide a research basis for the application of Transformer structure in the field of medical image segmentation. The proposed method is evaluated on different evaluation metrics such as sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Experimental results on six public datasets show that the proposed work MDUNet achieves better vessel segmentation accuracy with a smaller number of parameters compared with classical models such as U-Net, SegNet, and DeepLabv3+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though nanoparticles are widely used as decontaminants in medical field, studies on their application in plant tissue culture are limited. In the present work an attempt has been made to formulate Casein stabilized metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs)) to eliminate the endophytic contamination which is a major problem in the tissue culture of Scoparia dulcis L. The characteristic features of the synthesized AgNPs and AuNPs used were spherical shape with an average diameter of 13.5 nm and 3.5 nm respectively. CuONPs were spindle shaped with an average thickness of 25 nm. The bacterial endophytes of Scoparia dulcis were isolated and identified through 16S rRNA sequencing. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of AgNPs, AuNPs and CuONPs against all endophytic bacterial contaminants was found to be 0.125, 0.25 and 0.25 mg/ml whereas the Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) was 1 mg/ml. Tolerance studies showed that AgNPs, AuNPs and CuONPs were bactericidal in nature against all the isolated bacterial endophytes. AgNPs, AuNPs and CuONPs developed in this attempt was found to be promising as a component in the plant tissue culture medium contributing to the prevention of endophytic bacterial contamination. Key message: In our present work, we have used casein reduced Ag, Au and CuONPs to eliminate endophytic contamination from the tissue culture of Scoparia dulcis L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sensing nature and change in the electron transport behavior of S vacancy armchair MoS2 (AmS-MoS2), Mo vacancy armchair MoS2 monolayer (AmMo-MoS2), S vacancy zigzag MoS2 (ZigS-MoS2), and zigzag Mo vacancy MoS2 (ZigMo-MoS2) monolayer before and after PH3 adsorption were theoretically investigated using Density Functional Theory (DFT) in combination with Non-Equilibrium Greens Function (NEGF) based on first principle calculations. To study the feasibility of armchair and zigzag MoS2 device as PH3 gas sensor, we conducted an analysis of the changes in the geometrical structures, density of states (DOS), transmission spectrum, and I–V characteristic. Our results predicted that PH3 adsorption on all four devices is through van der Waals interactions. Among the four devices, AmMo-MoS2 shows enhanced adsorption behavior with the adsorption energy − 1.8048 eV and charge transfer of − 0.2120e. The I–V characteristic of AmMo-MoS2 shows a significant change in the conductivity compared with the other devices. Thus, our work concluded that AmMo-MoS2 is considered to be a better device for PH3 adsorption compared with the other devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration on the redox properties of sodiated quinone molecules as organic cathode material in sodium-ion batteries has been comprehensively studied. As the electrochemical performance of the cathode material is known to depend on the intrinsic molecular properties such as conformations, the present work focuses on the redox properties of sodiated 1,4-benzoquinone (1,4-BQ) conformers employing the density functional theory. Such investigation on the sodiated structures might provide insight on the discharge state of the puckered conformers. The 38 conformers of 1,4-BQ (2 chairs, 6 boats, 6 skew-boats, 12 half-chairs, 12 envelopes) constructed from the torsion angles given by Berces et al. are optimized at B3LYP/6–311 + G(d,p) level of theory and their structural propensities during the reduction process are explored. The influence of puckering over the charge distribution of neutral, anionic and sodiated structures is analysed using the natural bond orbital method. The electrochemical performance of Na incorporated conformers is explored through the calculation of electron affinity, change in Gibbs free energies and redox potentials. The conductor-like polarizable continuum model (C-PCM) is used to include the solvation effects of the electrolyte such as ethylene carbonate. A good correlation between the conformers with more negative lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energies and their redox potentials and electron affinity is observed. Noticeable variation in the frontier energies and redox potentials of the sodiated quinone conformers emphasize the significance of intrinsic molecular level properties to play a major role in the overall electrochemical performance of quinone-like electrode materials in sodium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural polysaccharide chitosan is the second most widely used polymeric material after cellulose. Due to its biocompatibility characteristics and ease of modification, chitosan and its derivatives, especially carboxymethyl chitosan, have recently attracted much attention for their use in biosensing applications. The applications are determined by the chemical functionalization methods used during the synthesis process, such as carboxymethylation. Additionally, the biosensing applications may be accomplished by including functional groups, such as proteins, nanoparticles, and antibodies, to impart particular sensing abilities used in clinical diagnosis and biomedicine. The sensitivity, selectivity, and stability of carboxymethyl chitosan have been analyzed, and the findings have been demonstrated with great precision and constancy. Applying specific, selective, and affordable sensing platforms for various purposes would surely benefit from further developments in carboxymethyl chitosan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Komagataella phaffii, formerly Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris), is a promising methylotrophic yeast used in industry to produce recombinant protein and valuable metabolites. In this study, a genome-scale metabolic model (GEMs) was reconstructed and used to assess P. pastoris' metabolic capabilities for the production of S-adenosyl-l-methionine (AdoMet or SAM or SAMe) from individual carbon sources along with the addition of l-methionine. In a model-driven P. pastoris strain, the well-established genome-scale metabolic model iAUKM can be implemented to predict high valuable metabolite production. The model, iAUKM, was created by merging the previously published iMT1026 model and the draught model generated using Raven toolbox from the KEGG database which covered 2309 enzymatic reactions associated with 1033 metabolic genes and 1750 metabolites. The highly curated model was successful in capturing P. pastoris growth on various carbon sources, as well as AdoMet production under various growth conditions. Many overexpression gene targets for increasing AdoMet accumulation in the cell have been predicted for various carbon sources. Inorganic phosphatase (IPP) was one of the predicted overexpression targets as revealed from simulations using iAUKM. When IPP gene was integrated into P. pastoris, we found that AdoMet accumulation increased by 16% and 14% using glucose and glycerol as carbon sources, respectively. Our in silico results shed light on the factors limiting AdoMet production, as well as key pathways for rationalized engineering to increase AdoMet yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies report an association between thyroid dysfunction and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Considering the high prevalence of thyroid diseases in India, identification of thyroid dysfunction as a risk factor for VTE will have implications in management. The aim of study was to determine if thyroid dysfunction could be considered as risk factor for unprovoked VTE. The study was conducted on 102 patients with unprovoked VTE and 102 age and gender matched controls in a tertiary care centre. Clinical profile and thyroid function tests (Free T3, Free T4, TSH) including antibody profile (Anti TPO and Anti TG) were compared between two groups. Thyroid disease was identified in 34 cases and 14 controls (33.1% vs. 13.7%, P = 0.001) Out of 34 cases with thyroid dysfunction, 17 had subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) while 6 out of 14 controls had SCH. Both thyroid dysfunction and SCH were found to be associated with unprovoked VTE, as compared with controls; [Odds ratio (OR) = 3.14, 95% CI 1.56–6.33, P = 0.001] and (OR = 3.71; 95% CI 1.4–9.9; P = 0.01) respectively. Thyroid dysfunction was significantly higher among patients with unprovoked VTE. Thyroid dysfunction, SCH were associated with unprovoked VTE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteosarcoma has the highest incidence rate among malignant bone tumours. It is particularly detrimental to human health because it is a highly malignant tumour. Also makes up 40% of initial malignant bone tumours while having a 3–10 per million incidences. High mortality and morbidity rates are associated with osteosarcoma, particularly in underdeveloped nations. To increase patient survival, early osteosarcoma screening and diagnosis are essential. In this study, we suggest a novel encoder–decoder method that associations nested connections and an effective attention mechanism. The encoder, decoder, and skip connection make up the model's structure. The DropBlock regularization technique makes it easier to discard local semantic information while still encouraging the network to learn resilient and useful features. An effective attention module leverages the right kind of cross-channel contact to collect more detailed global data. In the skip connection section, the semantic gap left by a direct simple connection is filled by using the nested connection method to combine the feature maps obtained from the intermediate decoder with the original feature maps from the encoder. The original image is then enhanced with data to increase robustness and avoid the over-fitting issue brought on by insufficient data. Three separate data sets and a variety of performance indicators are used to examine the robustness of the proposed model. The suggested model outperforms other current models thanks to its strong performance, achieving an average accuracy of 99.13%. Here, Datasets 1, 2, and 3 each have an accuracy of 99.67%, 98.16%, and 99.76%, respectively. The investigational results show that our proposed method can significantly progress the presence of convolutional neural networks and state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though, the blue carbon ecosystems are gaining keen research interest around the globe, the carbon stock of South-West coast of India was poorly reported, and this study is a pioneer attempt and will be an important document for filling the gaps in uncertainties in global carbon stock assessment and also will increase knowledge on biomass variability among mangrove species and mangrove habitats. The study also highlighted the vital role of biomass carbon pool for long-term soil carbon burial. We estimated the above and below-ground biomass carbon stock of 13 mangrove species using two common allometric equations and species-specific equations and reported a very high mean total living biomass carbon stock of Kochi mangroves at 237.19 ± 113.82 Mg C ha−1, 295.78 ± 143.14 Mg C ha−1, and 272.42 ± 132.78 Mg C ha−1 according to Chave's, Komiyama equation and species-specific equation respectively corresponding to carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) of approximately 4,37,774.51 Mg CO2e. The biomass stock was significantly differed between the stations (p = 0.000) and also within species (p = 0.020). Among the mangrove species, Avicennia officinalis contributed highest and Bruguiera sexangula contributed least. Variation was observed for biomass stock of mangroves with large trunk diameter while comparing different allometric equations and therefore projected the need for the development of site- and species-specific equations for solving the uncertainty in global mangrove carbon stock. The study observed that dominant mangrove vegetation type, salinity and also the geomorphology of mangrove habitat had strong influence on variability in biomass stock within a small regional area. The study also suggests that understanding the structure and biomass carbon storage of each regional mangrove habitats can be wisely used in mangrove restoration and conservation programmes and in turn for nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to recent studies, head and neck cancers (HNC) make up a substantial proportion of all cancers in India and are proportionately high in the lower socioeconomic people practising tobacco and alcohol. Chemotherapy is a crucial component of treating HNC, and this study was carried out to determine the Cost Minimization Analysis (CMA) by comparing the price of the high and least expensive branded drugs marketed in India. This study was performed to understand the cost difference (CD), Cost ratio (CR) and percentage of cost variation (PCV) of both individual drugs and the standard anticancer regimens. The Current Index of Medical Stores was used to determine the costs of the most and least expensive branded medications and analysed. The results indicated that Paclitaxel-Cisplatin-5 Fluoruracil chemotherapy regimen exhibited the greatest variance in cost, with the Jan Aushadhi brand of medicine costing 8.1 times and 4.3 times less than the most expensive and cheapest branded drugs, respectively. The cost of the concurrent cisplatin regimen with Jan Aushadi Medicine was Rs 1764, Rs 3489.64 with the lowest branded drug, and Rs 8477 with the most expensive branded drug. Also when compared to Jan Aushadhi medication, the cost of Ciplatin was 4.8 times higher with the most expensive branded drug and 2 times higher with the least expensive branded drug. As far as the authors are aware of this is the first study that addresses the pharmacoeconomic appraisal of treating HNC with various chemotherapy and chemoirradiation regimens. This study will help oncologists, pharmacists, and healthcare workers comprehend the financial advantages of treating breast cancer with less expensive chemotherapeutic agents instead of brand-name medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical use of intraoperative auto-transfusion requires the removal of platelets and plasma proteins due to pump-based suction and water-soluble anticoagulant administration, which causes dilutional coagulopathy. Herein, we develop a carboxylated and sulfonated heparin-mimetic polymer-modified sponge with spontaneous blood adsorption and instantaneous anticoagulation. We find that intrinsic coagulation factors, especially XI, are inactivated by adsorption to the sponge surface, while inactivation of thrombin in the sponge-treated plasma effectively inhibits the common coagulation pathway. We show whole blood auto-transfusion in trauma-induced hemorrhage, benefiting from the multiple inhibitory effects of the sponge on coagulation enzymes and calcium depletion. We demonstrate that the transfusion of collected blood favors faster recovery of hemostasis compared to traditional heparinized blood in a rabbit model. Our work not only develops a safe and convenient approach for whole blood auto-transfusion, but also provides the mechanism of action of self-anticoagulant heparin-mimetic polymer-modified surfaces. Current methods for auto-transfusion often result in disturbances to the patient's blood homeostasis, leading to an increased bleeding risk. Here, the authors develop heparin-mimicking self-anticoagulant sponges for safe and convenient whole blood auto-transfusion, and study underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feature selection identifies the most relevant features that help improve the classifier's performance. The Binary Multi-Objective Grey Wolf Optimizer-Sigmoid (BMOGWO-S) algorithm was recently introduced for feature selection in classification, which is a multi-objective approach to feature selection. It was identified to be providing better results than other multi-objective feature selection algorithms that are currently available. It is a metaheuristic algorithm that implements a wrapper method of feature selection. Usually, there are many statistical methods that are used for finding a relation between the input and output variables in a dataset. The BMOGWO-S algorithm does not utilize any statistical information from the dataset and relies entirely on metaheuristics. In this research, a Statistically aided Binary Multi-Objective Grey Wolf Optimizer-Sigmoid (SaBMOGWO-S) is proposed, which uses the advantages of statistical information about the dataset's attributes. Also, methods are introduced to reduce the algorithm's running time by avoiding unnecessary computations. Results of the proposed algorithm are compared against the results obtained from the existing state-of-the-art methods with respect to 21 standard datasets from the UCI repository. For higher dimensional datasets with more than 100 features, the proposed algorithm has found to be outperforming the other methods in terms of reduction in features and classification error rate and for the lower dimensional datasets it has outperformed others in terms of run time. The best error rate obtained is 0.00 for some datasets, and the average error rate obtained for all datasets with the proposed SaBMOGWO-S is 0.11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency response characteristics of a thin-film shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator have been studied to check its applicability as a switching element in a reconfigurable antenna. The thin-film SMA actuator is a composite structure comprising of thin-film CuAlNiMn SMA material coated on a flexible straight polyimide substrate. The actuation is achieved by the martensite to austenite phase change of the SMA through Joule heating in the heating cycle and the flexible polyimide acting as the bias element in the cooling cycle. The performance of the actuator is studied by applying voltage signals of different amplitudes and varying frequencies to it. It was observed that the actuator has the maximum displacement with minimum offset in the frequencies between 0 Hz and 1 Hz of a 3-V sinusoidal signal. The response of the actuator to a sinusoidal signal of different frequencies has also been analyzed using finite element analysis in COMSOL Multiphysics®. The experimental results match well with the simulation results which help in deciding the operating bandwidth of the proposed thin-film SMA actuator. The application of the actuator as a switching element in connecting two rectangular microstrip patch antennae to achieve frequency reconfiguration is discussed conceptually. Furthermore, the length of the actuator was reduced and the corresponding displacements were measured to determine its effective functioning in reconfigurable microstrip patch antennae, where a microscale geometry is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Episodic memory-based decision-making requires top-down medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampal interactions. This integrated prefrontal-hippocampal memory state is thought to be organized by synchronized network oscillations and mediated by connectivity with the thalamic nucleus reuniens (RE). Whether and how the RE synchronizes prefrontal-hippocampal networks in memory, however, remains unknown. Here, we recorded local field potentials from the prefrontal-RE-hippocampal network while rats engaged in a nonspatial sequence memory task, thereby isolating memory-related activity from running-related oscillations. We found that synchronous prefrontal-hippocampal beta bursts (15–30 Hz) dominated during memory trials, whereas synchronous theta activity (6–12 Hz) dominated during non-memory–related running. Moreover, RE beta activity appeared first, followed by prefrontal and hippocampal synchronized beta, suggesting that prefrontal-hippocampal beta could be driven by the RE. To test whether the RE is capable of driving prefrontal-hippocampal beta synchrony, we used an optogenetic approach (retroAAV-ChR2). RE activation induced prefrontal-hippocampal beta coherence and reduced theta coherence, matching the observed memory-driven network state in the sequence task. These findings are the first to demonstrate that the RE contributes to memory by driving transient synchronized beta in the prefrontal-hippocampal system, thereby facilitating interactions that underlie memory-based decision-making. The prefrontal cortex interacts with the hippocampus to guide memory, but the mechanisms driving functional connectivity are unknown. Here, the authors demonstrate that the nucleus reuniens elicits synchronizations at beta (15–30 Hz) rhythms during retrieval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinal vascular status in fundus images is a reliable biomarker for diabetes, hypertension and many ophthalmic diseases. Therefore, accurate segmentation of retinal vessels is of great significance for the diagnosis of many diseases. However, due to the inherent complexity of the retina itself and the lack of data, it is difficult to obtain the ideal accuracy of the segmentation results of the vascular end. To solve this problem, we propose an innovative two stage cascades convolutional Neural network (TCCNNet) to segment the retinal vessels in fundus images. In stage 1, an entire down sampled fundus images is sent to a probability-anatomical-prior-guided shallow-layer-enhanced location net to perform rough segmentation. In addition, a novel circular inference module and parameter Dice loss are proposed to reduce the uncertain probabilities and false positive points of the boundary. In stage 2, high-resolution 2D image slices are reconstructed to offset the detailed information lost during downsampling, further refining the contours. Moreover, a multi-view 2.5D net composed of three 2D refinement subnetworks is applied to deeply explore the morphological features, compensating for the mistakes and missing spatial information of a single view. The proposed method is evaluated on different evaluation metrics such as sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. The experimental results show that this method shows the most competitive performance compared to other state of the art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) can improve plant resistance to herbivorous insect attack. Early shoot borer (ESB), is one of the most solemn lepidopterans borers on sugarcane in India. Even with insecticide application, management of this pest is difficult. The management requires a fresh new approach. As a result, the current study aims to determine the effect of silicon on the early shoot borer, Chilo infuscatellus Walker, through biophysical factor analysis and mandibular wear documentation. When sugarcane leaves were treated with calcium silicate at 1000 kg/ha, scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of silicified cells and trichomes, as well as increased cell wall thickness, silicon content, and waxes content. Furthermore, larvae of an early shoot borer fed silica-treated plants showed a complete wearing of mandibles as compared to untreated check. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Squalene hopene cyclases (SHC) convert squalene, the linear triterpene to fused ring product hopanoid by the cationic cyclization mechanism. The main function of hopanoids, a class of pentacyclic triterpenoids in bacteria involves the maintenance of membrane fluidity and stability. 2, 3-oxido squalene cyclases are functional analogues of SHC in eukaryotes and both these enzymes have fascinated researchers for the high stereo selectivity, complexity, and efficiency they possess. The peculiar property of the enzyme squalene hopene cyclase to accommodate substrates other than its natural substrate can be exploited for the use of these enzymes in an industrial perspective. Here, we present an extensive overview of the enzyme squalene hopene cyclase with emphasis on the cloning and overexpression strategies. An attempt has been made to explore recent research trends around squalene cyclase mediated cyclization reactions of flavour and pharmaceutical significance by using non-natural molecules as substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Terlipressin and noradrenaline are effective in the management of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). There are no reports on the combination of these vasoconstrictors in type-1 HRS. Aim: To evaluate terlipressin with or without noradrenaline in type-1 HRS not responding to terlipressin at 48 hours. Methods: Sixty patients were randomized to receive either terlipressin (group A; n = 30) or a combination of terlipressin and noradrenaline infusion (group B; n = 30). In group A, terlipressin infusion was started at 2 mg/day and increased by 1 mg/day (maximum 12 mg/day). In group B, terlipressin was given at a constant dose of 2 mg/day. Noradrenaline infusion was started at 0.5 mg/h at baseline and increased to 3 mg/h in a stepwise manner. The primary outcome was treatment response at 15 days. Secondary outcomes were 30-day survival, cost–benefit analysis and adverse events. Results: There was no significant difference in the response rate between the groups (50% vs. 76.7%, p = 0.06) and 30-day survival was similar (36.7% vs. 53.3%, p = 0.13). Treatment was more expensive in group A (USD 750 vs. 350, p < 0.001). Adverse events were more frequent in group A (36.7% vs. 13.3%, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The combination of noradrenaline and terlipressin infusion results in a non-significantly higher rate of HRS resolution with significantly fewer adverse effects in HRS patients who do not respond to terlipressin within 48 hours. Trial registration. Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03822091). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dark fermentative biohydrogen production (DFBHP) has potential for utilization of rice starch wastewater (RSWW) as substrate. The hydrogen production of Enterobacter aerogenes MTCC 2822 and Clostridium acetobutylicum MTCC 11274, in pure culture and co-culture modes, was evaluated. The experiments were performed in a 2 L bioreactor, for a batch time of 120 h. The co-culture system resulted in highest cumulative hydrogen (1.13 L H2/L media) and highest yield (1.67 mol H2/mol glucose). Two parameters were optimized through response surface methodology (RSM)—substrate concentration (3.0–5.0 g/L) and initial pH (5.5–7.5), in a three-level factorial design. A total of 11 runs were performed in duplicate, which revealed that 4.0 g/L substrate concentration and 6.5 initial pH were optimal in producing hydrogen. The metabolites produced were acetic, butyric, propionic, lactic and isobutyric acids. The volumetric H2 productions, without and with pH adjustments, were 1.24 L H2/L media and 1.45 L H2/L media, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human genome research has reached new heights in the recent decade thanks to a major advance in genome editing. Genome editing enables scientists to understand better the functions of a single gene and its impact on a wide range of diseases. In brief, genome editing is a technique for introducing alterations into specific DNA sequences, such as insertions, deletions, or base substitutions. Several methods are adopted to perform genome editing and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (Cas9) systems. Unfortunately, despite substantial progress in understanding the molecular pathways behind obesity, anti-obesity medications are now ineffective. If you are obese, a 10% weight decrease would be preferable to healthy body weight for most people. CRISPR–Cas9, on the other hand, has been shown to reduce body weight by an astonishing 20%. Hence, this updated review elaborates on the molecular basis of obesity, risk factors, types of gene therapy, possible mechanisms, and advantages of the CRISPR–Cas9 system over other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanozymes, or artificial enzymes, have received a great deal of attention in recent years because of their superior enzyme-like capabilities over natural enzymes. The transition-metals are being investigated for their intrinsic nanozyme activity in various applications, including biosensors, antimicrobials, cytoprotection, anticancer, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. Especially, silver (Ag) is one of the transition-metals that has been investigated intensively since the turn of the century because of its biological activity and catalytic properties. This review discussed various Ag-based hybrid nanozymes preparation and their enzyme-like activity by combining Ag with other metals, salts, and organic molecules. Ag-based hybrid nanozymes in the form of metal–organic frameworks, complexes, bimetallic, hexacyanoferrate structures were summarized. Based on the literature results, Ag-based hybrid nanozymes are rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of various compounds, ions, and biological species such as hydrogen peroxide, glucose, phosphatase, glucose oxidase, acetylcholinesterase, cysteine, hepatitis E virus, sulfamethazine, uric acid, hypoxanthine, spermine, and gonadotropin. Moreover, Ag-based nanozymes are being investigated for antibacterial, cell protection, and anticancer applications. Future perspectives on Ag-based nanozymes were discussed at the end of the review. As a result, Ag-based hybrid nanozymes offer great potential for clinical trial applications and commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) applications become more eminent, business and government organizations have started thinking aggressively about processing and analyzing data. Despite efficient data processing and analyzing, business organizations are faced with several issues, because, with data becoming an organization's most valuable, data tampering creates the threat of data breaches, and cyberattacks nullify the provisioning of a smarter and more continuous working world. Hence, protecting the advantages that AI applications and IoT devices provide must remain the primary concern for today's organizations. In this article, Holistic Feistel Authentication and Learning-based Authorization (HFA-LA) method present this for protecting IoT applications against cyberattacks. More specifically, a lightweight authentication approach is designed by exploring the use of Feistel Block Message Authentication by the cloud service manager to identify the authenticated devices. A holistic authentication and authorization approaches is designed. In which Artificial Intelligent Feed Forward Learning and trust management via error measurement are adopted to analyze the IoT applications to access the cloud resources. This new HFA-LA method establish the connections between IoT devices and cloud services and combat against cyberattacks so that the communication latency (i.e., communication time and overhead) is improved, and security risks are well controlled for IoT applications. Simulation is performed with different metrics, such as, communication time, communication overhead, true positive rate, and false-positive rate. The observed results show that the HFA-LA method efficiently improves the true positive rate and reduces the communication time, the overhead and false positive rate more than the state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) is closely associated with cellular oxidative stress which can result in the accumulation of toxic proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) leading to ER stress and subsequent unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling, a mechanism that aggravate these disorders. Vitamin D has been suggested to have important neuroprotective role and its administration has been shown to reduce neuronal injury, neurotoxicity and oxidative stress in various animal systems. Objective: The current study was undertaken to examine the effect of vitamin D3 on UPR in ER stress induced Mus musculus neuronal cells. Methods: Mus musculus cortical and hippocampal primary neuronal cultures were pretreated with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1, 25-(OH)2D3), the active form of vitamin D, followed by ER stress induction with a chemical ER stress inducer thapsigargin and with an advanced glycated protein, AGE-BSA. The UPR genes and related microRNAs (miRNA) expressions were analyzed mainly using real-time PCR. Results: The experiment resulted in the suppression of ER stress marker BiP and UPR pathway genes such as Perk, Ire1α, Chop and Puma which mediate cellular apoptosis indicating the protective effect of 1, 25-(OH)2D3 against neuronal ER stress. Further studies into the molecular aspects showed that ER stress mediated down-regulated expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) such as mmu-miR-24, 27b, 124, 224, 290, 351 and 488 which are known to regulate the UPR pathway genes were also reduced with vitamin pretreatment, of which the miRNAs miR-24 and 27b which shares the same cluster are potentially involved in various human diseases. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the therapeutic role of vitamin D in reducing neuronal ER stress and the need for maintaining sufficient amount of this vitamin in our diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinically, implant-related bone infections are a serious concern as they reduce the success rate of grafting techniques and increases the risk of morbidity. Clinicians use antibiotics to treat bone grafts. Silver-based components are gaining popularity for their exceptional antimicrobial activity. The current review provides the preparative procedure, characterization methods, and mechanical strength of silver-based composites. Additionally, the assessment includes information on the biocompatibility of silver-based composites and clinical studies for bone tissue engineering. Finally, the review discusses titanium implants coated with silver-based composites, their derivatives, and related studies. Overall, silver-based composites are a potential candidate for bone tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic wound management is a serious health care challenge due to higher rates of relapse, expensive treatment approaches, and poor healing outcomes. Among cell-based therapies, use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been shown to be effective for diabetic wounds, but its poor shelf-life limits its clinical use. Here, we demonstrate a simple but effective polymer system to increase the shelf-life of PRP by developing a polyelectrolyte complex with dropwise addition of chitosan solution containing PRP by simple mixing at room temperature. Thus, prepared chitosan-fucoidan (CF) carrier complex encapsulated more than 95% of the loaded PRP. The resulting CF/PRP colloids were spherical in shape and ensured extended PRP release up to 72 h at 37 °C. Routine characterization (FT-IR, XRD, SEM) showed the material properties. The biological assays showed that CF complexes were biocompatible while CF/PRP enhanced the proliferation of fibroblasts and keratinocytes via higher Ki67 expression and fibroblast migration. Further investigations using a diabetic mouse model demonstrated significantly higher wound contraction and histopathological observations showed increased fibroblast migration, and collagen and cytokeratin deposition in treatment groups. The results are suggestive of the efficacy of CF/PRP as a cost-effective topical formulation for the sustained delivery of growth factors in treating chronic diabetic wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the scenario of alarming increase in greenhouse and toxic gas emissions from the burning of conventional fuels, it is high time that the population drifts towards alternative fuel usage to obviate pollution. Hydrogen is an environment-friendly biofuel with high energy content. Several production methods exist to produce hydrogen, but the least energy intensive processes are the fermentative biohydrogen techniques. Dark fermentative biohydrogen production (DFBHP) is a value-added, less energy-consuming process to generate biohydrogen. In this process, biohydrogen can be produced from sugars as well as complex substrates that are generally considered as organic waste. Yet, the process is constrained by many factors such as low hydrogen yield, incomplete conversion of substrates, accumulation of volatile fatty acids which lead to the drop of the system pH resulting in hindered growth and hydrogen production by the bacteria. To circumvent these drawbacks, researchers have come up with several strategies that improve the yield of DFBHP process. These strategies can be classified as preliminary methodologies concerned with the process optimization and the latter that deals with pretreatment of substrate and seed sludge, bioaugmentation, co-culture of bacteria, supplementation of additives, bioreactor design considerations, metabolic engineering, nanotechnology, immobilization of bacteria, etc. This review sums up some of the improvement techniques that profoundly enhance the biohydrogen productivity in a DFBHP process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]