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Background: The growing incidence of obesity has led to a proportionate rise in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its associated complications. We aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass surgery (RYGB) and conventional medical management in T2DM obese patients. Methods: PubMed, Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrial.gov were searched from inception to September 2023. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) and cohort studies were included in this meta-analysis. The primary outcomes were the T2DM remission at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years and the accomplishment of the ADA composite triple treatment goal. The revised Cochrane risk of bias tool 2.0 and New-Castle Ottawa scale were used to assess the quality of the studies. This meta-analysis was registered prospectively on PROSPERO CRD42023466324. Results: Of the 3,323 studies yielded from our initial search, 22 were included in this evidence analysis, with 5,176 total patients (1,984 and 3,192 patients in RYGB and conventional medical management groups). A significant increase in the accomplishment in the ADA's composite triple treatment goal was observed in RYGB group as compared to the conventional medical management group (RR 2.41, 95% CI 1.39–4.15, p-value 0.002, I2 35%). Diabetes remission was a clinically successful outcome after 1, 2, 3, and 5 years of the RYGB surgery in the patients (1 year; RR 4.74, 95%CI 2.46–9.12, p-value < 0.00001, I2 0%, 2 years; RR 8.95, 95% CI 1.71–46.71, p-value 0.009, I2 92%3 years; RR 18.18 95%CI 7.57–43.62, p-value < 0.00001, I2 0%, 5 years; RR 0.22, 95% CI 2.31–16.75, p-value 0.0003, I2 = 71%). Conclusion: The pooled analysis of the given data concluded that the RYGB surgery was more effective in treating T2DM in patients than conventional medical management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nanomaterials compounded with entomopathogenic fungi have been proven to be effective in insect pest management. This study reports the synthesis and bioactivity of Isaria fumosorosea-based nanoparticles by compounding the fungus with differentially (positively or negatively) charged carbon dots. Initially, negatively charged carbon dots (N-CDs) and carbon dots (P-CDs) were synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal method. The N-CDs and P-CDs were then individually compounded with I. fumosorosea to develop N-CD@I. fumosorosea and P-CD@I. fumosorosea nanocomposites. Results: Characterization of the nanoparticles revealed that positively or negatively charged carbon dots were attached to I. fumosorosea by electrostatic bonding. Finally, the virulence of both types of nanoparticles was observed in Plutella xylostella. The bioassay results indicated that the highest P. xylostella mortality (92.7 ± 2.04%) was associated with the P-CD@I. fumosorosea treatment. The results of nontargeted metabolomic analysis revealed that different treatments affected the metabolism of P. xylostella by interfering with the riboflavin metabolism pathway by downregulating the expression of two main metabolites of the riboflavin metabolism pathway (2-5-diamino-6-pyrimidin-4-one and 7-hydroxy-6-methyl-8-ribiotin), although the extent of the expression downregulation varied among the different treatments. Conclusion: Overall, this work provides insight into the mechanism by which positively charged nanomaterials improve the virulence of entomopathogenic fungi. This work provides a new direction for the design and application of nanomaterials for insect pest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the global scale, the interdependence between business, climate change (CC), and sustainability is complex and affects seriously human well-being. This article explored the links and trends between business, CC, and sustainability by proposing a framework. The 3206 results collected from the Web of Science from 1994 to Jan 01, 2022, were analyzed using specialized software. The literature review revealed no studies on these concepts in the Web of Science database. The data trend analysis depicted future research themes like sustainability, development goals, COVID-19, circular economy, innovation, engagement, empirical evidence, financial development, CO2 and emissions, trade, trade openness, and economic growth. This study discussed challenges related to strategic economic sectors such as agriculture, energy, land, food, and water. This research contributes to identifying interactions between natural resources and the economy, establishing a framework for strategic development. Sustainable management of natural resources provides services and meets development needs. This study revealed that water, agriculture, and soil sectors are consequently the most sensitive to climatic hazards and socioeconomic changes. This study allows us to build a framework for strategic development and help discover relationships between natural resources and the components of the socioeconomic system in the CC context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a common cardiac disorder that leads to heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure. It is primarily characterized by conditions that impact the heart and blood arteries, including peripheral artery disease, arrhythmias, atherosclerosis, myocardial ischemia, congenital heart abnormalities, heart failure, rheumatic heart disease, hypertension, and cardiomyopathies. These conditions are mainly effect the heart and blood vessels, causing blockages or weakened pumping, due to severe hereditary and environmental factors. The frequency of CVD is rising significantly as life expectancy increases. Despite this, no effective treatment or management for its symptoms has been found. One of the most difficult obstacles to overcome, is finding a suitable animal model for drug screening and drug development. Although rodents, mice, swine, and mammals serve as the basis for most animal models of cardiovascular disease, no model accurately captures the epidemiology of the condition. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have drawn the interest of the international scientific community due to certain shortcomings of the previously discussed animal models because they are smaller, less costly, and have an incredibly high rate of reproduction. This review article emphasizes the significance of using zebrafish as an animal model to investigate the possible facets of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, the ultimate purpose of this review article is to establish the advantages of employing zebrafish over other animal models and to investigate the boundaries of using zebrafish to study human disease. Furthermore, the mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases induction in zebrafish were covered to improve understanding for readers. Finally, the analysis of cardiotoxicity using Zebra fish model, is also explained. In order to stop the health index from deteriorating, the current study also covers some innovative, effective, and relatively safer treatments for treatment and management of cardiotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) is a hazardous heavy metal that induces hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Thus, this study was planned to explore the ameliorating capacity of Aloe vera leaf gel extract (AV) and their conjugated silver nanoparticles (AVNP) against Cr (VI) induced hepatotoxicity and renal toxicity. The organ indices, level of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, malondialdehyde, total protein, and creatinine in blood serum were measured. The histopathological and micrometric analysis of the hepatic and renal tissue sections were studied. The hepatosomatic index was raised significantly (0.098 ± 0.13 g) in Cr treated group. The blood serum level of AST (484 ± 10.7 U/L), ALT (163 ± 5.5 U/L), ALP (336.7 ± 9.5 U/L), MDA (642.3 ± 28.3 U/L), and creatinine (4.0 ± 0.1 mg/dL) were increased significantly, whereas total protein level was declined (2.8 ± 0.3 g/dL) significantly in Cr exposed group. In the histopathological study, necrosis, disturbed hepatic cords, impaired glomeruli, and Bowman's capsule were noted. Micrometric data from the liver and kidney revealed a significant surge in the size of hepatocytes and their nuclei (1188.2 ± 467.7 µ2 and 456.5 ± 205.6 µ2) and CSA of glomeruli and Bowman's capsule (9051.8 ± 249.8 µ2 and 11,835.5 ± 336.7 µ2) in Cr (VI) exposed group, whereas the brush border (10.2 ± 4.0 µ) size declined significantly. The administration of AV and AVNP reduced the oxidative stress induced by Cr (VI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AA2219 is an Al-Cu alloy with widespread engineering applications. The sheet parts of this alloy are produced by metal forming and are subjected to age hardening (e.g., T6 temper) for strengthening. The cold work in metal forming affects the ageing behavior of alloy and hence the resulting mechanical properties. In this research, a novel forming technique namely Incremental Forming with three different forming-ageing routes is employed to produce age-hardened AA2219 parts. The resulting microstructure evolution, mechanical properties, and residual stresses are examined. The results reveal that forming imposed cold work (35% plastic strain) enhances the sheet strength and hardness to a certain extent, which can be further enhanced by opting an optimum forming-ageing route. Similarly, the residual stresses also show sensitivity to the forming-ageing route opted. Based upon extensive analysis of the experimental results, it is concluded that the [O-IF-ST-T6] route is the most appropriate route for producing age-hardened parts with high strength, hardness and ductility, and low residual stresses (where O, IF, ST, and T6 represent parent, incremental forming, solution treatment and T6 ageing, respectively). This route is found to offer a gain of 238% in the tensile yield strength, 151% in the ultimate tensile strength, and 200% in the hardness with respect to the parent metal. Further, from several correlations drawn between mechanical properties and microstructural quantities, namely grain size, and precipitate's size and density, strengthening mechanism is revealed for the reported gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a lethal illness that requires an initial stage prognosis to enhance patient survival rate. Accurate brain tumor and their sub-structure segmentation through Magnetic Resonance Images (MRIs) is a tough endeavor. Owing to the heterogeneous tumor areas, automatically segmenting brain tumors has proved to be a critical task even for neural network-based algorithms, some tumor regions remain unidentified due to their small size and the variation in area occupancy among tumor sub-classes. Current progress in the area of neural networks has been employed to enhance the segmentation performance. This study designed an intelligent 3D U-Net encoder-decoder-based system for automatic detection and brain tumor sub-structure segmentation. Our proposed 3D model constitutes neural units (the basic building blocks) followed by transition layer blocks and skip connections. BraTS 2018 and private local datasets are used to evaluate the proposed model which segments the Whole Tumor (WT), Tumor Core (TC), and the Enhancing Tumor (ET). The training accuracy, validation accuracy, dice score, sensitivities, and specificities of WT, CT, and ET zones are computed. The experimental results demonstrate that dice scores are 0.913, 0.874, and 0.801 for the BraTS 2018 dataset. The developed models performance was further evaluated by utilizing the dataset from a local hospital containing 71 subjects. The dice scores of 0.891, 0.834, and 0.776 are achieved by the proposed model on the private dataset. The practicability of the proposed model was assessed by the comparative studies of our model with existing literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis, an autoimmune inflammatory disease characterized by hyperproliferation of keratinocytes, affects 0.2–4.8% of the global population. The disease manifests primarily as plaque psoriasis, causing chronic physical and psychological burdens. Although numerous treatments exist, there is ongoing exploration for novel therapies due to concerns about the toxicity, efficacy, and costs of current options. An A3 adenosine receptor (A3AR) agonist called Piclidenoson has been shown to reduce inflammation and could be used to treat moderate to severe psoriasis. This meta-analysis evaluates the safety and efficacy of Piclidenoson in psoriasis treatment. This meta-analysis was conducted accordance with the PRISMA guidelines and has been registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024566459). A comprehensive search on Cochrane CENTRAL, PubMed/MEDLINE, and Google Scholar was conducted up to July 2024. Included studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving Piclidenoson. Efficacy outcomes included PASI 75 and PGA 0 or 1, while safety outcomes included adverse events. Pooled outcomes were presented as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Statistical analysis employed the Mantel-Haenszel random-effects model, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 and X2index. Three RCTs with 574 patients (313 Piclidenoson, 261 placebo) met the inclusion criteria. The pooled analysis showed no significant difference in achieving PASI 75 between Piclidenoson and placebo (OR: 1.62, 95% CI 0.70–3.75, P = 0.26, I2 = 12%). However, Piclidenoson significantly improved PGA scores (OR: 2.74, 95% CI 1.22–6.16, P = 0.01, I²=0%). Safety assessment revealed no significant differences in adverse events, including nervous system, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, renal, and infections, compared to placebo. Piclidenoson demonstrates a significant improvement in PGA scores and a favorable safety profile, suggesting it could be a valuable addition to plaque-like psoriasis treatment. Further research with larger, longer-term RCTs is needed to confirm its efficacy and optimize clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the radiation shielding properties 40X-60SiO2 glasses, where X represents either SrO or BaO, while using MCNPX simulations code and Phy-X software by assessing radiation shielding parameters such as mass and linear attenuation shielding parameters, mean free path, half-value layer, effective atomic number, and tenth value layer in the photon energy ranging from 0.001 to 15 MeV. The result obtained for the mass attenuation coefficient is used to determine the half-value layer (HVL), mean free path (MFP), tenth value layer (TVL), and effective atomic number (Zeff). Both mass attenuation coefficient results obtained for MCNPX and Phy-X demonstrate a high degree of agreement with each other. The half-value layer for 40BaO-60SiO2 is found to be increasing from 0.004 cm to 5.01 cm with the increasing the photon energy from 0.015 to 15 MeV, while for 40SrO-60SiO2 it increases from 0.01 cm to 7.19 cm in the same energy range. Similarly, the mean free path for 40BaO-60SiO2 increases from 0.006 cm to 7.23 cm with increasing energy from 0.015 to 15 MeV while it increases from 0.02 cm to 10.37 cm for 40SrO-60SiO2 in the same energy range. The lower half-value layer and mean free path for 40BaO-60SiO2 than for 40SrO-60SiO2 in the entire energy range is attributed to the higher density of Ba in 40BaO-60SiO2 than that of Sr in the 40SrO-60SiO2. The higher mass- and linear-attenuation coefficients and lower half- and tenth-value layers and mean free path for 40BaO-60SiO2 (with higher density) than for 40SrO-60SiO2 (with lower density) suggest that 40BaO-60SiO2 is more efficient in shielding the X-rays than the 40SrO-60SiO2. Therefore, it is inferred that 40BaO-60SiO2 glass can be used as a potential shielding material for medical applications such as in X-ray rooms and radiation therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, Manganese (Mn) become an unavoidable ingredient in agriculture, medical and manufacturing industries. Manganese deficiency is rare, and even though recurrent exposure to manganese is inevitable for humans, concerns have been voiced regarding public health hazards. This research was designed to evaluate the manganese toxicity and potential protective effects of turmeric in Swiss albino male mice. Eight-week albino mice (33 ± 01 g) were randomized equally into seven groups (n = 10), as control (untreated), VC-I (received 0.1 ml of saline water), Mn-I, Mn-II & Mn-III administrated manganese (5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg & 20 mg/kg body-weight (B.W.) respectively), Mn + Tu (co-administrated with 20 mg/kg Mn &100 mg/kg B. W turmeric), VC-II (received 0.1 ml of olive oil), orally for four weeks consecutively. Before administrations, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total phenolic content (TPC) and gass chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC- MS) assays were performed to assess the antioxidant capacity of turmeric. After 28 days of dosing, mice were acclimatized for 10 days, then sacrificed and recovered samples (tissues & blood). Morphological observations showed changes in color, shape disruption, dilation and flattening of organs as compared to controls. Morphometric studies showed that the average body weight, organs weight and size of Mn intoxicated mice reduced remarkably (P ≤ 0.05) as compared to control groups. Sideways Mn + Tu group showed non-significant change in both parameters. Hematological (CBC) and biochemical markers, liver function test & renal function test (LFT & RFT) showed significant differences in manganese groups against controls. Histopathological findings of both tissues (liver & kidney) showed multiple anatomic alterations in Mn exposed as compared to other groups. While the aforementioned deviations were less obvious in Mn + Tu administrated group. Manganese also decreased glutathione-s-transferase, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione contents and increased lipid peroxidation as compared to control groups. It is concluded by the abovementioned findings that turmeric showed remedial efficacy against Mn-instigated histomorphometric, biochemical and enzymatic alterations in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to investigate the connections between academic self-efficacy, social skills, and empathy in students as well as the impact of peer relations and executive functioning as a moderator. In this study, 880 students (M = 458, F = 422) participated. The General Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, the Peer Relationship Scale for Adolescents, the Social Skills Scale, the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire, and the Executive Skills Questionnaire—Revised—were all employed in the data collection process. The findings revealed that all the study variables were positively correlated with one another. Additionally, empathy was considerably positively influenced by peer relations, academic self-efficacy and executive functioning. The results showed that executive functioning had a negative influence on social skills whereas peer relations had a positive influence. The negative impact of executive functioning on social skills can be attributed to the role of executive functions in regulating the behavior and cognitive processes necessary for effective social interactions (Kenworthy et al., 2009). Conversely, peer relations may positively influence social skills through opportunities for social learning, modeling, and practice (Fong & Iarocci Psychology in the Schools, 57(7), 1022–1041 2020). The current study is critical for designing effective interventions and support mechanisms are needed to improve student well-being and academic success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous cellular, humoral, and molecular processes are involved in the intricate process of wound healing. Pharmacological relevance: Numerous bioactive substances, such as ß-sitosterol, tannic acid, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, quercetin, ellagic acid, and pyrogallol, along with their pharmacokinetics and bioavailability, have been reviewed. These phytochemicals work together to promote angiogenesis, granulation, collagen synthesis, oxidative balance, extracellular matrix (ECM) formation, cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, and re-epithelialization during wound healing. Findings and novelty: To improve wound contraction, this review delves into how the application of each bioactive molecule mediates with the inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling phases of wound healing to speed up the process. This review also reveals the underlying mechanisms of the phytochemicals against different stages of wound healing along with the differentiation of the in vitro evidence from the in vivo evidence There is growing interest in phytochemicals, or plant-derived compounds, due their potential health benefits. This calls for more scientific analysis and mechanistic research. The various pathways that these phytochemicals control/modulate to improve skin regeneration and wound healing are also briefly reviewed. The current review also elaborates the immunomodulatory modes of action of different phytochemicals during wound repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology is an emerging branch of science that incorporates the nanomaterials recognized as nanoparticles ranging from 1–100 nm in size. This technology is being used in the food industry, pharmaceutical industry, agricultural industry, medical treatments, environmental science, biological research, and aquaculture industry. Increasing disease susceptibility, pathogenic emergence and divergence, less efficient vaccines, probiotics, and ineffective antibiotics forced us to seek an alternative approach to tackle these challenges. Nanotechnology can change our views, perceptions, and perspectives, as it has provided us with a necessary tool to address these challenges. This technology has revolutionized aspects of providing solutions to many hazardous issues like disease control, nutrient delivery, water purification, vaccines, and drug delivery in aquaculture using nanoparticles. Several nanoparticles have been used as growth promoters, e.g., zinc, iron, and selenium nanoparticles. Many of them have antibacterial properties, e.g., silver and copper nanoparticles. Besides that, these nanoparticles have few toxicological effects, when they are used without proper knowledge and lead to unrealistic results. Therefore, there should be complete information and standard observation regarding their administration (e.g., time, dosage, exposure, and concentration), and certain parameters (temperature, pH, and salinity) should also noted before their use in aquaculture. This review aims to critically analyze and thoroughly discuss the meta-role of various nanoparticles regarding disease control, drug delivery, water treatment, nutrition, and growth performance as well as their toxicological impacts in fish aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoscopic polypectomy could be an appropriate, definitive treatment for pathologic T1 (pT1) colon polyps without high-risk features. Prior studies suggested worse prognosis for proximal versus distal advanced-stage colon cancers following curative treatment. However, there is limited evidence on the prognostic impact of tumor location for pT1s. Patients and methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database to identify adults with T1NxMx or T1N0-3M0/x colon adenocarcinoma from 2000 to 2019. Results: A total of 3398 patients underwent endoscopic polypectomy (17% proximal) and 28,334 had a partial colectomy (49% proximal) for pT1 adenocarcinoma. Following endoscopic polypectomy, 5-year overall and cancer-specific survival rates were 64% and 91% for proximal versus 83% and 96% for distal polyps, compared with 82% and 95% for proximal versus 88% and 97% for distal tumors after colectomy. In multivariable models, there was a greater difference in overall survival between proximal and distal polyps for those who underwent endoscopic versus surgical resection [hazard ratio (HR) 1.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.49–2.02 vs. HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.08–1.18]. Patients with proximal versus distal polyps who underwent polypectomy also exhibited increased cancer-specific mortality (HR 1.94, 95% CI 1.37–2.75). However, cancer-specific survival variations based on tumor location were no longer observed in patients undergoing partial colectomy (HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.98–1.21). Conclusions: Proximal tumor location was independently associated with worse overall and cancer-specific survival following endoscopic polypectomy. However, after colectomy, the cancer-specific disparity based on tumor laterality was mitigated. These findings suggest that proximal location may be considered a high-risk feature in endoscopic polypectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study was to screen and identify heavy metal (chromium, cadmium, and lead) associated bacteria from petroleum-contaminated soil of district Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan to develop ecofriendly technology for contaminated soil remediation. The petroleum-contaminated soil was collected from 99 different localities of district Muzaffarabad and the detection of heavy metals via an atomic absorption spectrometer. The isolation and identification of heavy metals-associated bacteria were done via traditional and molecular methods. Resistogram and antibiogram analysis were also performed using agar well diffusion and agar disc diffusion methods. The isolated bacteria were classified into species, i.e., B. paramycoides, B. albus, B. thuringiensis, B. velezensis, B. anthracis, B. pacificus Burkholderia arboris, Burkholderia reimsis, Burkholderia aenigmatica, and Streptococcus agalactiae. All heavy metals-associated bacteria showed resistance against both high and low concentrations of chromium while sensitive towards high and low concentrations of lead in the range of 3.0 ± 0.0 mm to 13.0 ± 0.0 mm and maximum inhibition was recorded when cadmium was used. Results revealed that some bacteria showed sensitivity towards Sulphonamides, Norfloxacin, Erythromycin, and Tobramycin. It was concluded that chromium-resistant bacteria could be used as a favorable source for chromium remediation from contaminated areas and could be used as a potential microbial filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The security of digital information is one of the most unavoidable issue in current digital world. The existing world facing number of digital information breaches due to weak utilization of confidentiality preserving techniques. In this article, we have designed a new mechanism for the security of secret digital information for instance digital images. The proposed image encryption scheme is based on quantum harmonic oscillator and Schrodinger paradox. Moreover, suggested technique is further authenticated by utilizing security performance analysis and compared the obtained results with existing benchmarks schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of COVID-19, a virus that is responsible for infections in the upper respiratory tract and lungs, witnessed a daily rise in fatalities throughout the pandemic. The timely identification of COVID-19 can contribute to the formulation of strategies to control the disease and the selection of an appropriate treatment pathway. Given the necessity for broader COVID-19 diagnosis, researchers have developed more advanced, rapid, and efficient detection methods. By conducting an initial comparative analysis of various widely used convolutional neural network (CNN) models, we determine an appropriate CNN model. Subsequently, we enhance the chosen CNN model using the feature fusion strategy from multi-modal imaging datasets. Moreover, the Jaya optimization technique is employed to determine the optimal weighting for merging these dual features into a single feature vector. An SVM classifier is employed to categorize samples as either COVID-19 positive or negative. For the purpose of experimentation, a standard dataset consisting of 10,000 samples is used, divided equally between COVID-19 positive and negative classes. The experimental outcomes demonstrate that the proposed fine-tuned system, coupled with optimization techniques for multi-modal data, exhibits superior performance, achieving accuracy rates of 98.7% as compared to the existing state-of-the-art network models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wounds are the common fates in various microbial infections and physical damages including accidents, surgery, and burns. In response, a healthy body with a potent immune system heals that particular site within optimal time by following the coagulation, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling phenomenon. However, certain malfunctions in the body due to various diseases particularly diabetes and other physiological factors like age, stress, etc., prolong the process of wound healing through various mechanisms including the Akt, Polyol, and Hexosamine pathways. The current review thoroughly explains the wound types, normal wound healing mechanisms, and the immune system's role. Moreover, the mechanistic role of diabetes is also elaborated comprehensively. Comparative analysis of the molecular events during different wound healing phases in healthy and diabetic/stressed/aged individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a strategy of self adaptation for planar undulatory locomotion of an elongated, snake-like multibody robotic system under both non-varying and varying surface friction. Based on the system dynamics, an algorithm is developed to investigate the locomotion performance and its dependence upon the lateral undulation parameters. The celerity of the lateral undulatory wave propagating over the body of the robot is taken as a key parameter, since the variation of the celerity affects the forward propulsion speed of the robot. Moreover, celerity of the lateral undulatory wave is a linear function of the angular frequency of the sinusoidal motion imposed on the joints of the robot. Considering the static-kinetic lateral friction, the proposed algorithm computes the important point of separation between no-lateral slip and lateral slip simply with the help of celerity and speed of propulsion. Therefore, the results identify the optimum speed of propulsion for ground-adaptivity and efficient undulatory locomotion of the robot. The simulation results further verify the influence of the angular frequency of the sinusoidal joint motion upon the speed of propagation of the undulatory wave and also upon the speed of propulsion of the robot. This research work can provide useful basis for the control, optimization and self-adaptive locomotion of such and similar robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poultry meat, an essential source of animal protein, requires stringent safety and quality measures to address public health concerns and growing international attention. This review examines both direct and indirect factors that compromise poultry meat quality in intensive farming systems. It highlights the integration of rapid and micro-testing with traditional methods to assess meat safety. The paper advocates for adopting probiotics, prebiotics, and plant extracts to improve poultry meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete is used worldwide as a construction material in many projects. It exhibits a brittle nature, and fibers' addition to it improves its mechanical properties. Polypropylene (PP) fibers stand out as widely employed fibers in concrete. However, conventional micro-PP fibers pose challenges due to their smooth texture, affecting bonding within concrete and their propensity to clump during mixing due to their thin and soft nature. Addressing these concerns, a novel type of PP fiber is proposed by gluing thin fibers jointly and incorporating surface indentations to enhance mechanical anchorage. This study investigates the incorporation of macro-PP fibers into high-strength concrete, examining its fresh and mechanical properties. Three different concrete strengths 40 MPa, 45 MPa, and 50 MPa, were studied with fiber content of 0–1.5% v/f. ASTM specifications were utilized to test the fresh and mechanical properties, while the RILEM specifications were adopted to test the bond of bar reinforcements in concrete. Test results indicate a decrease in workability, increased air content, and no substantial shift in fresh concrete density. Hardened concrete tests, adding macro-PP fibers, show a significant increase in splitting tensile strength, bond strength, and flexural strength with a maximum increase of 34.5%, 35%, and 100%, respectively. Concrete exhibits strain-hardening behavior with 1% and 1.5% fiber content, and the flexural toughness increases remarkably from 2.2 to 47.1. Thus, macro PP fibers can effectively improve concrete's mechanical properties and resistance against crack initiation and spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation extremes have surged in frequency and duration in recent decades, significantly impacting various sectors, including agriculture, water resources, energy, and public health worldwide. Pakistan, being highly susceptible to climate change and extremes, has experienced adverse events in recent times, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive investigation into the relationship between precipitation extremes and crops production. This study focuses on assessing the association between precipitation extremes on crops production, with a particular emphasis on the Punjab province, a crucial region for the country's food production. The initial phase of the study involved exploring the associations between precipitation extremes and crops production for the duration of 1980–2014. Notably, certain precipitation extremes, such as maximum CDDs (consecutive dry days), R99p (extreme precipitation events), PRCPTOT (precipitation total) and SDII (simple daily intensity index) exhibited strong correlations with the production of key crops like wheat, rice, garlic, dates, moong, and masoor. In the subsequent step, four machine learning (ML) algorithms were trained and tested using observed daily climate data (including maximum and minimum temperatures and precipitation) alongside model reference data (1985–2014) as predictors. Gradient boosting machine (GBM) was selected for its superior performance and employed to project precipitation extremes for three distinct future periods (F1: 2025–2049, F2: 2050–2074, F3: 2075–2099) under the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 derived from the CMIP6 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6) archive. The projection results indicated an increasing and decreasing trend in CWDs (maximum consecutive wet days) and CDDs, respectively, at various meteorological stations. Furthermore, R10mm (the number of days with precipitation equal to or exceeding 10 mm) and R25mm displayed an overall increasing trend at most of the stations, though some exhibited a decreasing trend. These trends in precipitation extremes have potential consequences, including the risk of flash floods and damage to agriculture and infrastructure. However, the study emphasizes that with proper planning, adaptation measures, and mitigation strategies, the potential losses and damages can be significantly minimized in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current study was aimed to determine the antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxic potential of Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) and Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs). Nanoparticles were characterized by UV–Vis spectrophotometry, particle size analyzer (PSA), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by standard agar dilution method. Antibacterial potential of nanoparticles was analyzed by standard disc diffusion method against bacterial strains including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumonia. Different concentrations of NPs (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 mg/mL) were incorporated to evaluate the antimicrobial activity. Antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of these NPs was analyzed by DPPH method and brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay, respectively. The MIC of TiO2NPs against E. coli, P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae was 0.04, 0.08 and 0.07 mg/mL respectively while the MIC of ZnONPs against the above strains was 0.01, 0.015 and 0.01 mg/mL. The maximum zone of inhibition was observed for K. pneumoniae i.e., 20mm and 25mm against TiO2 and ZnO NPs respectively, at 1.4 mg/mL concentration of NPs. The susceptibility of NPs against bacterial strains was evaluated in the following order: K. pneumoniae > P. aeruginosa > E. coli. The antioxidant activity of nanoparticles increased by increasing the concentration of NPs while cytotoxic analysis exhibited non-toxic effect of ZnO NPs while TiO2 had toxic effects on 1.2 and 1.4 mg/mL concentrations. Results revealed that ZnO NPs have more antibacterial and negligible cytotoxic potential in contrast to TiO2 NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of nanoparticles derived from noble metals has garnered significant attention in recent years, particularly with gold and silver being identified as prominent options for production of nanoparticles. The increasing interest in silver nanoparticles synthesis is due to its multidimensional applications such as water treatment, biosensor, food packaging and preservation, anti-microbial, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory. Based on its diverse applications, the present study aimed to synthesize silver nanoparticles (SAgNPs) using Spirulina platensis extract as a green source and evaluate their antibacterial, antioxidant, and biocompatible properties. Techniques including UV spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the synthesized SAgNPs. The antioxidant activity was determined through DPPH radical scavenging activity, while the antibacterial activity was assessed using disk diffusion method. Results from UV- spectroscopy revealed a peak absorption at the range of 400–500 nm, with a prominent peak at 423 nm, which confirms the successful biosynthesis of SAgNPs. SEM analysis indicated an average particle size ranging from 50–70 nm. Results from FTIR analysis identified different functional groups (OH-, carbonyl and amino acids) which stabilized the nanoparticles synthesis. Hemolysis assay demonstrated less than 5% hemolysis at all the concentrations studied (100–12.5 µM) that represents the biocompatible nature of SAgNPs. The synthesized SAgNPs showed potent antibacterial activity against both S. aureus and E. coli. Furthermore, the nanoparticles displayed notable antioxidant activity, as evidenced by the antioxidant assay. In conclusion, the biosynthesized SAgNPs derived from Spirulina platensis demonstrated potential antibacterial, antioxidant, and biocompatible properties. These findings highlight the potential of utilizing Spirulina platensis for the biosynthesis of AgNPs with diverse applications in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluate the structural, optoelectronic, and mechanical characteristics of the novel Rb2CaSnCl6 and Rb2CaSnI6 through density functional theory within the WIEN2K framework. The formation energies and volume optimization provide evidence for the structural stability of these compounds. The optimized lattice constants for Rb2CaSnCl6 and Rb2CaSnI6 are found to be 11.21 Å and 12.45 Å, respectively while their respective formation energies are calculated as − 2.5 Ry and − 1.6 Ry. Similarly, the grounds state energies are calculated − 31,184.32 Ry and − 111,074.60 Ry. We find that Rb2CaSnCl6 is an insulator with a bandgap energy of 3.50 eV when the modified Becke-Johnson (mBJ) approximation is applied and that Rb2CaSnI6 is directly semiconducting with a wide bandgap energy of 2.70 eV. Evaluations of mechanical stability show that both materials are mechanically stable and their constituent atoms are bound together by ionic interactions, indicated by the positive value of Cauchy's pressure: 46. 32 and 21.93 for Rb2CaSnCl6 and Rb2CaSnI6, respectivley. Nevertheless, our investigation showed that Rb2CaSnI6 behaves as a ductile material while Rb2CaSnCl6 is brittle. We also investigate a variety of optical characteristics such as dielectric function, refraction, reflectivity, energy loss function, and extinction coefficient. The static dielectric function was found to be 2.9 and 4.3 for Rb2CaSnCl6 and Rb2CaSnI6, respectively. Rb2CaSnI6 exhibited greater optical conductivity, indicative of it being a better metallic than the Rb2CaSnCl6. The optical investigation suggests that these materials have a great deal of promise for cutting-edge optoelectronic applications, especially in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum due to their large electronic band gap. These results offer a solid basis for future research into these intriguing materials by experimentalists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across sub-Saharan Africa, men are less likely to know their HIV status than women, leading to later treatment initiation. Little is known about how experiences with general health services affect men's use of HIV testing. We used data from a 2019 community-representative survey of men in Malawi to understand frequency and cause of men's negative health service experiences (defined as men reporting they "would not recommend" a facility) and their association with future HIV testing. We conducted univariable and multivariable logistic regressions to determine which aspects of health facility visits were associated with would-not-recommend experiences and to determine if would-not-recommend experiences 12–24 months prior to the survey were associated with HIV testing in the 12 months prior to the survey. Among 1,098 men eligible for HIV testing in the 12 months prior to the survey, median age was 34 years; 9% of men reported at least one would-not-recommend experience, which did not differ by sociodemographics, gender norm beliefs, or HIV stigma beliefs. The factors most strongly associated with would-not-recommend experiences were cost (aOR 5.8, 95%CI 2.9–11.4), cleanliness (aOR 4.2, 95%CI 1.8–9.9), medicine availability (aOR 3.3, 95%CI 1.7–6.4), and wait times (aOR 2.7, 95%CI 1.5-5.0). Reporting a would-not-recommend experience 12–24 months ago was associated with a 59% decrease in likelihood of testing for HIV in the last 12 months (aOR 0.41; 95% CI:0.17–0.96). Dissatisfaction with general health services was strongly associated with reduced HIV testing. Coverage of high-priority screening services like HIV testing may benefit from improving overall health system quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the fabrication, characterization, and environmental impact analysis of a super-oleophobic (under water) and super-hydrophilic mesh membrane for oily water treatment. In order to prepare mesh membrane, Titania nanoparticles (NPs) were spray coated on mesh stainless steel followed by calcination at 500 °C. After that, the Titania-coated mesh membrane was characterized using contact angle goniometry (CA), XRD, FE-SEM, EDX and elemental mapping. The FE-SEM, EDX, elemental mapping and XRD results confirmed that the Titania NPs were successfully coated on the surface of mesh membrane. CA results demonstrated that the prepared mesh membrane is super-hydrophilic and super-oleo phobic under water conditions, making it suitable for oil/water separation. Subsequently, life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to determine the environmental impacts of Titania NPs-coated mesh membrane fabrication process. LCA results indicate that electricity and nitrogen contributed the most toward the eighteen environmental impact categories considered for this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine how finite time disentanglement can be manipulated for the quantum system out of thermal equilibrium. To this aim, we employ the Markovian master equation approach to find the rate equations and Wootter's concurrence to analyze out of thermal equilibrium entanglement dynamics for Dicke bases. The effect of super- and sub-radiant rates on entanglement sudden death is examined for different classes of X-states. It is found that the shorter dark period is achieved at a higher transition rate of a super-radiant state. This approach allows us to analyze the further applications of quantum information technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our research probes the effect of pandemic uncertainty on drug crimes in the top 10 nations facing the highest levels of pandemic uncertainty (UK, USA, South Korea, India, China, France, Germany, Italy, Indonesia, and Russia). Unlike previous research that primarily relied on panel data methods and neglected individual economy nuances, the existing study utilizes the Quantile-on-Quantile tool. This innovative technique allows us to explore the variables' connection within every economy, enhancing the accuracy of this investigation. Consequently, our research bestows an all-inclusive, worldwide standpoint, uncovering nuanced foresight specific to every economy's unique characteristic. The findings of this research showcase a positive association between pandemic uncertainty and drug crimes across different quantiles in the UK, the USA, India, Germany, China, and Indonesia, while a negative relationship in France, Italy, South Korea, and Russia. Additionally, our research underscores varied patterns in these associations across distinct economies. These outcomes highlight the importance for policymakers to undertake thorough assessments and formulate effective strategies when addressing fluctuations in both pandemic uncertainty and drug crimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender-Based differences in h-indices across fields, including psychology, social work, and the biomedical sciences have been reported. These differences are persistent across all faculty ranks, including assistant, associate, and full professors, but may be larger for early career and senior faculty. Even with these known biases, the h-index remains a widely used metric of the productivity and impact of research scientists and university faculty. Recently, several studies have drawn attention to the potential for a widening gender gap in academic metrics given the ways in which gendered roles, and thus research productivity, were inequitably impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We describe the association between gender and h-index among a sample of tenured faculty from epidemiology departments in Schools and Programs of Public Health. Gender explained 1.2% of the variance in h-indices; after adjustment for professional age, gender explained only 0.1% of the variance. There was also crossover interaction for professional age and gender, with women having lower h-indices in early career yet overtaking males later. If h-indices are utilized as metrics for promotion and tenure, or as criteria for appointments to leadership or other roles, gender bias will continue to limit early- and mid-career women's inclusion and advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces an innovative electrochemical aptasensor designed for the highly sensitive and rapid detection of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 (L. pneumophila SG1), a particularly virulent strain associated with Legionellosis. Employing a rigorous selection process utilizing cell-based systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (cell-SELEX), we identified new high-affinity aptamers specifically tailored for L. pneumophila SG1. The selection process encompassed ten rounds of cell-SELEX cycles with live L. pneumophila, including multiple counter-selection steps against the closely related Legionella sub-species. The dissociation constant (Kd) of the highest affinity sequence to L. pneumophila SG1 was measured at 14.2 nM, representing a ten-fold increase in affinity in comparison with the previously reported aptamers. For the development of electrochemical aptasensor, a gold electrode was modified with the selected aptamer through the formation of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). The newly developed aptasensor exhibited exceptional sensitivity, and specificity in detecting and differentiating various Legionella sp., with a detection limit of 5 colony forming units (CFU)/mL and an insignificant/negligible cross-reactivity with closely related sub-species. Furthermore, the aptasensor effectively detected L. pneumophila SG1 in spiked water samples, demonstrating an appreciable recovery percentage. This study shows the potential of our aptamer-based electrochemical biosensor as a promising approach for detecting L. pneumophila SG1 in diverse environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Article provides a concise summary of the comprehensive exploration into the dura mater, dural tears, and the groundbreaking medical device, ArtiFascia® Dura Substitute. The neuroanatomy of the dura mater is elucidated, emphasizing its resilience and susceptibility to tears during spinal surgery. Dural repair methods are scrutinized, with research findings revealing the efficacy of primary closure with or without a patch. The introduction of ArtiFascia®, a nanofiber-based resorbable dural repair graft, represents a pivotal moment in neurosurgery. Obtaining 510(k) clearance from the FDA, ArtiFascia® demonstrates exceptional biological benefits, including enhanced cellular adhesion and tissue regeneration. The device's safety is affirmed through chemical analysis and toxicological risk assessment. The NEOART study, a randomized clinical trial involving 85 subjects across prominent European medical centers, validates ArtiFascia®'s superiority over existing dural substitutes. Noteworthy findings include exceptional graft strength, durability, and its ability to withstand physiological pressures. In conclusion, ArtiFascia® marks a revolutionary era in neurosurgery, promising safer and more effective solutions. This innovative device has the potential to elevate standards of care, offering both patients and surgeons an improved experience in navigating the complexities of neurosurgical procedures. The abstract encapsulates the key elements of the research, emphasizing the transformative impact of ArtiFascia® in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aneuploidy, having an aberrant genome, is gaining increasing attention in neurodegenerative diseases. It gives rise to proteotoxic stress as well as a stereotypical oxidative shift which makes these cells sensitive to internal and environmental stresses. A growing body of research from numerous laboratories suggests that many neurodegenerative disorders, especially Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia, are characterised by neuronal aneuploidy and the ensuing apoptosis, which may contribute to neuronal loss. Using Drosophila as a model, we investigated the effect of induced aneuploidy in GABAergic neurons. We found an increased proportion of aneuploidy due to Mad2 depletion in the third-instar larval brain and increased cell death. Depletion of Mad2 in GABAergic neurons also gave a defective climbing and seizure phenotype. Feeding animals an antioxidant rescued the climbing and seizure phenotype. These findings suggest that increased aneuploidy leads to higher oxidative stress in GABAergic neurons which causes cell death, climbing defects, and seizure phenotype. Antioxidant feeding represents a potential therapy to reduce the aneuploidy-driven neurological phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probiotics or bacteriotherapy is today's hot issue for public entities (Food and Agriculture Organization, and World Health Organization) as well as health and food industries since Metchnikoff and his colleagues hypothesized the correlation between probiotic consumption and human's health. They contribute to the newest and highly efficient arena of promising biotherapeutics. These are usually attractive in biomedical applications such as gut-related diseases like irritable bowel disease, diarrhea, gastrointestinal disorders, fungal infections, various allergies, parasitic and bacterial infections, viral diseases, and intestinal inflammation, and are also worth immunomodulation. The useful impact of probiotics is not limited to gut-related diseases alone. Still, these have proven benefits in various acute and chronic infectious diseases, like cancer, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diseases, and high serum cholesterol. Recently, different researchers have paid special attention to investigating biomedical applications of probiotics, but consolidated data regarding bacteriotherapy with a detailed mechanistically applied approach is scarce and controversial. The present article reviews the bio-interface of probiotic strains, mainly (i) why the demand for probiotics?, (ii) the current status of probiotics, (iii) an alternative to antibiotics, (iv) the potential applications towards disease management, (v) probiotics and industrialization, and (vi) futuristic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A series of novel Schiff base derivatives (1–28) of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid were synthesized in a multi-step reaction. All the synthesized Schiff bases were obtained in high yields and their structures were determined by 1HNMR, 13CNMR, and HR-ESI–MS spectroscopy. Except for compounds 22, 26, 27, and 28, all derivatives show excellent to moderate α-glucosidase inhibition. Compounds 5 (IC50 = 12.84 ± 0.52 µM), 4 (IC50 = 13.64 ± 0.58 µM), 12 (IC50 = 15.73 ± 0.71 µM), 13 (IC50 = 16.62 ± 0.47 µM), 15 (IC50 = 17.40 ± 0.74 µM), 3 (IC50 = 18.45 ± 1.21 µM), 7 (IC50 = 19.68 ± 0.82 µM), and 2 (IC50 = 20.35 ± 1.27 µM) shows outstanding inhibition as compared to standard acarbose (IC50 = 873.34 ± 1.67 µM). Furthermore, a docking study was performed to find out the interaction between the enzyme and the most active compounds. With this research work, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid Schiff base derivatives have been introduced as a potential class of α-glucosidase inhibitors that have remained elusive till now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of traditional plants has been tremendously increased due to their higher biological impact, minimal side effects, and comparatively low cost. Moreover, the emergence of antibacterial resistance is also shifting the scientific community to reconsider herbal remedies which provide relatively safer, cheap and biologically tolerable solutions. The present research was designed to fabricate the Mentha spicata conjugated silver nanoparticles (Me-AgNPs). Furthermore, the assessment of the bactericidal potential of Me-AgNPs against various bacterial strains was another motive behind this study. Fabricated NPs were characterized with the help of the UV-Visible spectrophotometric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Me-AgNPs showed a significant zone of inhibition (23 ± 0.2 mm) at 8 mg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus and a 4.0 ± 0.2 mm zone of growth inhibition at 2 mg/mL against Aeromonas veronii. The stability of Me-AgNPs was assessed at various pH (4, 7 and 11) and temperatures (25 °C, 4 °C, 37 °C, 75 °C). The significant zones of inhibition (11.3 ± 0.3 mm, 8.3 ± 0.3mm, 14.3 ± 0.3 mm, and 7.6 ± 0.2 mm) were observed at pH 11 against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, respectively. Growth inhibition zones (14.0 ± 0.5 mm and 13.0 ± 0.5 mm) were also determined against B. subtilis and S. aureus at 25 °C. DPPH bioassay was conducted to find the antioxidant properties of Me-AgNPs. The highest (38.66 ± 0.2%) free radical scavenging activity was shown by Me-AgNPs at 4 mg/mL. Present study results concluded that biogenic Me-AgNPs have bactericidal as well as anti-oxidative potential. Moreover, these green synthesized Me-AgNPs could maintain their potency and stability at a wide range of pH and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpine lakes are aquatic ecosystems that maintain and regulate water supply for the downstream streams, rivers, and other reservoirs. This study examined the water characteristics of various alpine lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan, Northern Pakistan. For this purpose, water was sampled and investigated for basic parameters, anions, and cations using the multi-parameter analyzers and atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Physicochemical parameters of alpine lakes were noted under the World Health Organization water guidelines, except for fluoride (F−) and turbidity in 4.3% and 36% of samples, respectively. Water quality index (WQI) classified samples (93%) as excellent and good quality (7%). Results showed maximum chronic daily intake values (0.14 ± 0.01 mg/kg-day) for nitrate (NO3−) and hazard quotient (0.80 ± 0.24) for F− in children via water intake from Upper Kachura and Shausar Lakes, respectively. Statistical analyses of Piper and Gibbs’s plots revealed that the water quality is mainly characterized by bedrock geology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid surge in antibiotic resistance to pathogens has emerged as a grave threat to public health, globally. This multiple drug resistance (MDR) is directly linked to the high rates of morbidity and mortality worldwide due to untreated microbial infections. Therefore, it is inevitable to identify some novel, efficient, and comparatively safer antimicrobial agents to rescue the declining health index. In this regard, nanomaterials with modified structure, size, and infinity have risen as the sole source to tackle the MDR either through ameliorating the efficacy of existing drugs or by triggering entirely new bactericidal mechanisms. Out of all the nanomaterials, metals, and metal oxide nanoparticles with biopolymer-induced reduction have fetched the attention of global researchers due to their significant and promising pathogen-killing ability without any hint of resistance. The current review covers the updated molecular modes of resistance development in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, comprehensively. This review also highlighted the detailed mode of action of various metallic nanoparticles (silver, zinc, copper, titanium, and cobalt) against MDR pathogens. Moreover, this review article thoroughly discussed the correlation between the mechanisms of resistance and alternative NPs bactericidal modes for better understanding for the readers. Last but not least, toxicity analysis is also explained for safe further use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to recent research, bacterial imbalance in the gut microbiota and breast tissue may be linked to breast cancer. It has been discovered that alterations in the makeup and function of different types of bacteria found in the breast and gut may contribute to growth and advancement of breast cancer in several ways. The main role of gut microbiota is to control the metabolism of steroid hormones, such as estrogen, which are important in raising the risk of breast cancer, especially in women going through menopause. On the other hand, because the microbiota can influence mucosal and systemic immune responses, they are linked to the mutual interactions between cancer cells and their local environment in the breast and the gut. In this regard, the current review thoroughly explains the mode of action of probiotics and microbiota to eradicate the malignancy. Furthermore, immunomodulation by microbiota and probiotics is described with pathways of their activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical stripping adversely affects the quality of cotton fabric due to prolonged exposure to harsh chemicals. High temperatures also affect the surface and tearing characteristics of recycled cotton. Microwave-assisted stripping is a viable approach to addressing these problems, requiring less time, energy, and chemical consumption. Furthermore, utilizing a microwave-absorbing molecule that assisted the heat generation, multiple treatment methods were applied to remove the dye reactive turquoise CLB from cotton fabric. In the reductive process, pretreatment with sodium citrate as a microwave absorber showed 94.8% stripping efficiency, while in the meta-treatment, stripping efficiency was 96.2%. In the conventional stripping procedure, 75.7% stripping efficiency was observed, much lower than microwave absorber stripping with an absorber. Moreover, FTIR analysis of treated and untreated fabrics confirmed the removal of Reactive Turquoise CLB from the cellulosic structure. The quality assurance parameters, weight loss, and tearing strength assure the performance of developed methods by showing higher tearing strength and negligible weight loss compared to conventional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the structural, optoelectronic, and thermoelectric properties of halide double perovskite X2GeSnI6 (X = Rb, Cs) compounds employing the full potential linearized augmented plane wave approach within the framework of density functional theory. The negative formation energies and positive phonon frequencies indicate their structural and dynamical stabilities. The density of states and band structures were estimated while utilizing Tran and Blaha-modified Becke-Johnson (TB-mBJ) potential as exchange–correlation approximation. The electronic structure calculation show direct bandgaps of 0.49 eV for Rb2GeSnI6 and 0.57 eV for Cs2GeSnI6, suggesting semiconducting behavior. To establish their use in photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices, we compute the optical properties of the compounds. Furthermore, the thermoelectric characteristics such as electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity, and figure of merit, have been studied in the temperature range of 100 to 800 K. Both materials exhibit positive Seebeck coefficient, indicating the materials to be p-type semiconductors. The examined thermoelectric properties of both the compounds imply their potential use in thermoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of toxic pollutants in the water is a primary obstacle to utilizing the water for drinking purposes. So, scientists are making efforts to develop cutting-edge, affordable, renewable, and environmentally friendly methods for wastewater treatment to address the water shortage challenges and protect human health from serious diseases. Many wastewater treatment techniques have been developed for water treatment, including adsorption, ion exchange, membrane separation, co-precipitation oxidation, and biochemical processes. In all these water treatment techniques, adsorption is one of the strong candidates to eliminate the Cd2+ from water because of its economic feasibility and short route. The pristine nanomaterials possessed poorer adsorption capacity than their composites. The Cd2+ adsorption capacity is in the decreasing order of the graphene oxides (GO), MXenes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and layered double hydroxides (LDHs). This indicates that the GO is the most suitable choice for Cd2+ adsorption. In the current review, the authors discussed the performance of the MXene, graphene, GO, LDHs, and carbon nanotube (CNT)-based adsorbents. This study provides with a comparative analysis of the properties of all mentioned nanomaterials. A brief introduction of the synthesizing routes and the impact of various factors on the performance of nanomaterials have been discussed. Finally, the prospects and future challenges associated with the nanomaterials have been highlighted. In a nutshell, the porous nature, high inter-layer space, and significant specific surface area (SSA) of GO makes them an ideal candidate for the adsorption of Cd2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) IDH-wildtype is the most prevalent brain malignancy in adults. However, molecular mechanisms, which leads to GBM have not been completely elucidated. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF), Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor GCSFR, and Signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) have been involved in the occurrence and development of various cancers, but their role in GBM is little known. Herein, we have investigated the gene and protein expression of GCSF, GCSFR, and STAT3 in 21 tissue biopsy samples and also in tumor associated normal tissue (TANT) samples derived from glioblastoma patients, which revealed significantly differential expression of these genes. To validate our findings, we performed a comprehensive integrated analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic profiling of respective genes by retrieving GBM RNA-sequence data from Genome Atlas Databases. GO and KEGG analysis revealed enrichment in disease-related pathways, such as JAK/STAT pathway activation, which were associated with GBM progression. We further performed computational docking analysis of potential drug candidate Nisin against GCSF, and the results were validated in vitro through cytotoxic activity assay using a human glioblastoma cell line SF-767 in a dose-dependent manner. Our comprehensive analysis reveals that GCSF augments glioma progression, and its blockade with anticancer bacteriocin peptide Nisin can potentially inhibit the growth and metastasis of GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arthritis is a common illness that affects joints and it may result in inflammation and pain. Even though arthritis usually affects older people, it can also affect children, adults, and both genders. Numerous arthritic mouse models have been developed but the CIA model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has received the most attention. With the use of steroids, DMARDs, and NSAIDs, therapy objectives such as reduced disease incidence and better pain management are achieved. Long-term usage of these therapeutic approaches may have negative side effects. Herbal medications are the source of several medicinal substances. Studies have explored the potential benefits of medicinal plants in treating RA. These benefits include up-regulating antioxidant potential, inhibiting cartilage degradation, down-regulating inflammatory cytokines such as NF-kB, IL-6, and TNF-α, and suppressing oxidative stress. In this review, we systematically discuss the role of traditional medicinal plants in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease treatment. The role of different medicinal plants such as Curcuma longa, Syzygium aromaticum, Zingiber officinale and Withania somnifera, against arthritis is discussed in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma is the most common type of brain tumor with varying level of malignancies and projection. Designing personalized therapy and to foresee response towards the therapy needs better understanding of tumor biology and diversification between tumors. Using different computational methods, accurate segmentation of tumors within the brain on MRI is the primary stride towards the understanding of tumor biology. The goal of current study is to draw an algorithm for MRI image segmentation of pre-treatment brain tumors and to evaluate its performance. In our research, we designed and implemented a novel 3D U-Net architecture for segmentation of sub-regions including edema, necrosis and enhancing tumor which are radiologically detectable. The group variance between tumor and non-tumorous spots is addressed by presenting weighted patch extraction scheme from tumor border regions. In its framework, context is captured using a contracting path and precise localization is performed by symmetric expanding path. In our study, the architecture based on Deep Convolutional Neural Network (DCNN) is trained on Brain Tumor Segmentation (BraTS) dataset of 750 patients among which 484 scans were labelled and 267 scans were used as training dataset. 3D patches were extracted from the dataset to train the system and results were assessed in terms of Specificity, Sensitivity and Dice Score. Our proposed system achieved Dice scores of 0.90 for whole tumor, 0.85 for tumor core, and 0.77 for enhancing tumor on dataset which shows potential of accurate intra-tumor segmentation of patch-based 3D U-Net architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]