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Despite the loss of melanocytes, individuals with vitiligo have a significantly lower risk of developing skin malignancies compared to ethnicity‐matched controls. The study investigated the molecular mechanisms that protect skin cells (keratinocytes) from UV‐B‐induced DNA damage in individuals with vitiligo. The study found that upregulation of stem cell factor (SCF) signaling significantly reduced γ‐H2AX positivity and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer formation and improved mitochondrial health (elongated mitochondria, reduced reactive oxygen species [ROS] and lipid peroxidation) in keratinocytes upon UV‐B exposure. Interestingly, SCF treatment also reduced lipid droplet accumulation and triacylglyceride levels by upregulating lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Further, siLPL increased DNA damage and lipid droplet (LD) accumulation, while NO‐1886, an LPL agonist, reversed both, suggesting a direct link between lipid metabolism and DNA damage. Downregulation of NAD‐dependent deacetylase sirtuin1 (SIRT1) with siRNA or with Ex‐527, a pharmacological inhibitor of SIRT1, diminished the protective effects mediated by SCF and NO‐1886, suggesting SIRT1 to be the final effector protein in the SCF‐LPL‐SIRT1 signaling axis. Analysis of clinical samples of vitiligo corroborated the upregulation of SCF and LPL in lesional epidermis. In conclusion, our study demonstrates a novel SCF‐LPL‐SIRT1 signaling axis that confers protection to vitiligo keratinocytes from the harmful effects of UV‐B radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heavy reliance on herbicides for weed control has led to an increase in resistant weeds in the United States. Robotic weed control is emerging as an alternative technology for removing weeds mechanically using artificial intelligence. We develop an integrated weed ecological and economic dynamic (I‐WEED) model to examine the biophysical and economic drivers of adopting robotic weed management and simulate the optimal timing and intensity of robotic adoption within and across growing seasons. We specify a cohort‐based weed growth model that relates yield damages to effective weed density and treats the susceptibility of weeds to herbicides as a renewable resource that can be regenerated by using mechanical weeding robots, due to a fitness cost that makes resistant weeds less prolific. Compared to myopic weed management which ignores resistance development, forward‐looking management leads to earlier adoption of robots and treating robots as complements instead of substitutes to herbicides. This weed management results in adopting fewer robots, deploying robots on a smaller portion of the land, higher profitability, and lower yield loss in the long run, relative to myopic management. Counterintuitively, myopic management leads to a lower resistance level through its higher robot adoption intensity. We also find that a lower level of initial weed seed resistance and/or a higher fitness cost result in a higher level of resistance because they create incentives for farmers to delay the adoption of robotic weed control. Our analysis shows the importance of jointly considering the interactions between weed ecology and economics in analyzing the incentives and effects of robotic weed management on weed resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor farming is expected to have an increasing impact on future food and agricultural systems. It can produce crops year‐round without relying on weather patterns, bringing crop production systems closer to advanced manufacturing systems for industrial and consumer goods. Indoor farming also provides an ideal platform for implementing intelligence‐driven and empowered agricultural systems that can autonomously gather/process data, build a knowledge base, provide management decision support, and execute crop cultural tasks. Towards that goal, a mobile robotics platform (MRP) has been under development. This platform will provide new capabilities for implementing indoor farming cyber–physical systems. The ultimate purpose is to equip the MRP with systematically integrated capabilities of perception, reasoning, learning, communication, and task planning/execution for use in precision indoor farming systems. This presentation reports the current state of MRP's development. The MRP can monitor the growing status of individual strawberry plants and fruit with a perception system and nondestructively harvest individual ripe strawberries with an onboard robot. The robotic system has a stereo camera, a six‐degrees of freedom robotic manipulator, and a pneumatically actuated soft gripper (i.e., end‐effector) mounted on an autonomous mobile base. These subsystems were specifically chosen from commercially available products. An open‐loop fruit positioning and handling algorithm, in a software form, capable of performing the tasks of fruit detection, localization, grasping, detachment, and placement, has been developed. The location and ripeness of each fruit can be simultaneously obtained through deep learning techniques. We found that a mean average precision value of 96.4% for ripe strawberries could be obtained in a custom indoor strawberry data set. Three‐dimensional (3D) locations of individual strawberries are used in the motion planner to guide the movements of the mobile platform, manipulator, and end‐effector. The robot can autonomously classify each strawberry fruit's growth scene through the fusion of the detection results and the corresponding depth information, to determine whether to perform the harvesting action. The accuracy of the proposed strawberry growth scene categorization approach is 89.1%, and the weighted‐averaged F1 score is 0.7. The soft gripper can approach and gently hold a target strawberry fruit. A novel approach for fruit detachment has been developed to separate the fruit's sepal and the stalk by a drag‐and‐rotate motion. The experiments conducted in a commercial indoor strawberry farm showed an overall success rate of 78% in handling harvestable strawberries with a damage rate of 23%. The average harvesting cycle time was found to be 10.5 s. We found that poor fruit visibility mainly reduced the success rate of the target fruit's robotic detection and grasping action. The grasping and detachment tasks were affected by fruit size and stalk length. These factors together determined the overall harvesting performance of the robotic system. The robotic system showed better performance when harvesting fruit of small size (width is less than 31 mm and height is less than 33 mm) with a medium stalk (between 81 and 101 mm). The MRP's functions are expected to be transferable and expandable to other crop production monitoring and cultural tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infections are well‐known complications in patients following traumatic injuries, frequently leading to high morbidity and mortality. In particular, trauma occurring in disaster settings, both natural and man‐made, such as armed conflicts and explosives detonation, results in challenging medical conditions that impede the best management practices. The incidence of invasive fungal infections (IFI) is increasing in trauma patients who lack the typical risk factors like an immune compromised state or others. This narrative review will focus on IFI as a direct complication after natural disasters, wars, and man‐made mass destruction with a summary of the available evidence about the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, risk factors, microbiology, and proper management. In this setting, the clinical manifestations of IFI may include skin and soft tissue infections, osteomyelitis, visceral infections, and pneumonia. IFI should be considered in the war inflicted patients who are exposed to unsterile environments or have wounds contaminated with soil and decaying organic matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics are versatile materials, offering lightweight, durable, and affordable solutions across various industries. However, their non‐degradable nature poses challenges by end of their life. This study presented an innovative carbonyl extraction method to utilize waste poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PC) as reaction precursor to synthesis of activated furan as precursor for photoswitchable Stenhouse adducts. This innovative chemical strategy not only generated N,N'‐functionalized barbiturates but also provided an eco‐friendly and cost‐effective alternative to traditional synthesis methods. The method presented hereby not only promotes sustainability by repurposing waste polycarbonate as carbonyl equivalent under green conditions but also yielded reusable bisphenol A (BPA). Furthermore, the derived activated furans exhibited their functionality by forming colored donor‐acceptor Stenhouse adducts (DASAs) on aminated polymer surfaces. This work demonstrated a transition from a linear plastics economy toward a circular one, highlighting the potential of plastic waste as a resource for creating materials with improved properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the growing demand for new materials for supercapacitor applications, high entropy alloys (HEAs) are being extensively investigated. They are an efficient alternative to existing energy sources due to their synergistic contribution from individual element. We demonstrate the development of nanostructured HEA (FeCoNiCuMn) as a cathode material with specific capacitance (Cs) of ~388 F g−1 (5 mV s−1). As anode material, green graphene (rice straw biochar) synthesized using pyrolysis shows a maximum Cs of ~560 F g−1 at similar scan rate (5 mV s−1). A hybrid asymmetric liquid state device was assembled using the FeCoNiCuMn nanostructured HEA and green graphene as electrodes. Utilizing the green source, the device provided a high Cs of 83.22 F g−1 at 2 A g−1. The specific energy of the device was 33.4 Wh kg−1 and specific power of 1.7 kW kg−1. The electrochemical behavior of each element in the high entropy composition was studied through post X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopic analysis. The chemical behavior of FeCoNiCuMn is further investigated using DFT studies. The enhanced electrochemical properties and synergistic contribution of each element of the HEA is studied via d‐band theory. The current study can be utilized to develop asymmetric hybrid supercapacitors as environmental friendly energy source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is a crucial macronutrient required for normal plant growth. Its effective uptake from the soil is a trait of agronomic importance. Natural variation in maize (339 accessions) root traits, namely root length and number of primary, seminal, and crown roots, root and shoot phosphate (Pi) contents, and root‐to‐shoot Pi translocation (root: shoot Pi) under normal (control, 40 ppm) and low phosphate (LP, 1 ppm) conditions, were used for genome‐wide association studies (GWAS). The Bayesian‐information and Linkage‐disequilibrium Iteratively Nested Keyway (BLINK) model of GWAS provided 23 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 12 relevant candidate genes putatively linked with root Pi, root: shoot Pi, and crown root number (CRN) under LP. The DNA‐protein interaction analysis of Zm00001d002842, Zm00001d002837, Zm00001d002843 for root Pi, and Zm00001d044312, Zm00001d045550, Zm00001d025915, Zm00001d044313, Zm00001d051842 for root: shoot Pi, and Zm00001d031561, Zm00001d001803, and Zm00001d001804 for CRN showed the presence of potential binding sites of key transcription factors like MYB62, bZIP11, ARF4, ARF7, ARF10 and ARF16 known for induction/suppression of phosphate starvation response (PHR). The in‐silico RNA‐seq analysis revealed up or down‐regulation of candidate genes along with key transcription factors of PHR, while Uniprot analysis provided genetic relatedness. Candidate genes that may play a role in P uptake and root‐to‐shoot Pi translocation under LP are proposed using common PHR signaling components like MYB62, ARF4, ARF7, ARF10, ARF16, and bZIP11 to induce changes in root growth in maize. Candidate genes may be used to improve low P tolerance in maize using the CRISPR strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors (BT) is challenging because of the risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). There are no prospective clinical trials evaluating safety and efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), specifically in patients with BT, but they are widely used for VTE in this population. A group of neuro‐oncology experts convened to provide practical clinical guidance for the off‐label use of DOACs in treating VTE in patients with BT. We searched PubMed for the following terms: BTs, glioma, glioblastoma (GBM), brain metastasis, VTE, heparin, low‐molecular‐weight heparin (LWMH), DOACs, and ICH. Although prospective clinical trials are needed, the recommendations presented aim to assist clinicians in making informed decisions regarding DOACs for VTE in patients with BT. There are no prospective clinical trials evaluating safety and efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants, specifically in brain tumor patients, but they are widely used for venous thromboembolism in this population. A group of neuro‐oncology experts convened to provide practical clinical guidance for the off‐label use of direct oral anticoagulants in treating venous thromboembolism in patients with brain tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shear wave elastography (SWE) is an emerging and promising ultrasound modality, and is more recently employed in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal (MSK) pathologies. SWE evaluates tissue stiffness by measuring the speed of propagating acoustic waves through body tissue structures. Knowing the variations in stiffness of MSK soft tissue can provide helpful diagnostic insight for the evaluation of pathology in muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and other soft tissues. The goal of this review is to synthesize recent literature on the utility of SWE for MSK pathology diagnosis. This review reveals that SWE adds important diagnostic data for the evaluation of several pathologies, such as median mononeuropathy at the wrist, Achilles tendinopathy, and plantar fasciitis. The review also reveals a lack of evidence pertaining to appropriate standardization of use and the connection to reliable and valid diagnostic benefit in the clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to their non‐disabled peers, athletes with disabilities are at an increased risk of interpersonal violence in sport. Athletes with intellectual disabilities specifically may face compounded risk due to impaired communication and social challenges. Despite the inherent risk of interpersonal violence in athletes with intellectual disabilities, there is a paucity of literature focused on safeguarding strategies in this population, and no global consensus prevention guidelines exist. The goal of this review was to synthesize the literature on interpersonal violence in athletes with intellectual disabilities and propose an evidence‐informed safeguarding framework. Future research and practice should emphasize tailored training on appropriate athlete‐protection strategies and ways to recognize and respond to suspicions of abuse in this population. Given the benefits of sports participation for persons with intellectual disabilities, implementation of fit‐for‐purpose safeguarding strategies would help address any elevated risk of interpersonal violence. Formal monitoring and evaluation of these initiatives can help minimize interpersonal violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global Climate Model tuning (calibration) is a tedious and time‐consuming process, with high‐dimensional input and output fields. Experts typically tune by iteratively running climate simulations with hand‐picked values of tuning parameters. Many, in both the statistical and climate literature, have proposed alternative calibration methods, but most are impractical or difficult to implement. We present a practical, robust, and rigorous calibration approach on the atmosphere‐only model of the Department of Energy's Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) version 2. Our approach can be summarized into two main parts: (a) the training of a surrogate that predicts E3SM output in a fraction of the time compared to running E3SM, and (b) gradient‐based parameter optimization. To train the surrogate, we generate a set of designed ensemble runs that span our input parameter space and use polynomial chaos expansions on a reduced output space to fit the E3SM output. We use this surrogate in an optimization scheme to identify values of the input parameters for which our model best matches gridded spatial fields of climate observations. To validate our choice of parameters, we run E3SMv2 with the optimal parameter values and compare prediction results to expertly‐tuned simulations across 45 different output fields. This flexible, robust, and automated approach is straightforward to implement, and we demonstrate that the resulting model output matches present day climate observations as well or better than the corresponding output from expert tuned parameter values, while considering high‐dimensional output and operating in a fraction of the time. Plain Language Summary: The systems governing the atmosphere and other physical processes on Earth are complex, and climate scientists use Earth Systems Models (ESMs) based on physical and computational representations of these processes to create simulations that mimic the behavior of Earth's climate. Since ESMs are defined at a lower resolution than some processes require, parameters are introduced to address the uncertainty in the approximation. The traditional approach is to hand‐tune these parameters using expert knowledge, a time‐consuming process that involves matching climate model output to observational data on Earth, as closely as possible. Instead, we introduce an alternative "automated calibration" framework that chooses such parameters automatically and in a fraction of the time. This is done by building a very fast machine‐learning‐based substitute (surrogate) for the ESM to predict variability in the climatology for 11 different spatial fields over four seasons, and then using this surrogate to search for the parameters that best match climate observations. We apply our framework to the atmospheric component of the Department of Energy's Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) version 2, and demonstrate an improvement of 2.7% in root‐mean‐squared‐error on average across the different variables and seasons, compared to the hand‐tuned solution. Key Points: We apply an autocalibration method to uncertain parameters in the Energy Exascale Earth System Model version 2 (E3SMv2) atmosphere modelWe use a 250‐member perturbed parameter E3SMv2 ensemble to train a polynomial chaos surrogate model and optimize input parametersThe autocalibrated parameter set improves E3SMv2's root‐mean‐squared‐error against observations by 2.7% [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: The aetiology of the major outbreak of COVID‐19‐associated mucormycosis (CAM) in India in spring 2021 remains incompletely understood. Herein, we provide a multifaceted and multi‐institutional analysis of clinical, pathogen‐related, environmental and healthcare‐related factors during CAM outbreak in the metropolitan New Delhi area. Methods: We reviewed medical records of all patients diagnosed with biopsy‐proven CAM (n = 50) at 7 hospitals in the New Delhi, and NCR area in April–June 2021. Two multivariate logistic regression models were used to compare clinical characteristics of CAM cases with COVID‐19‐hospitalised contemporary patients as controls (n = 69). Additionally, meteorological parameters and mould spore concentrations in outdoor air were analysed. Selected hospital fomites were cultured. Mucorales isolates from CAM patients were analysed by ITS sequencing and whole‐genome sequencing (WGS). Results: Independent risk factors for CAM identified by multivariate analysis were previously or newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus, active cancer and severe COVID‐19 infection. Supplemental oxygen, remdesivir therapy and ICU admission for COVID‐19 were associated with reduced CAM risk. The CAM incidence peak was preceded by an uptick in environmental spore concentrations in the preceding 3–4 weeks that correlated with increasing temperature, high evaporation and decreasing relative humidity. Rhizopus was the most common genus isolated, but we also identified two cases of the uncommon Mucorales, Lichtheimia ornata. WGS found no clonal population of patient isolates. No Mucorales were cultured from hospital fomites. Conclusions: An intersection of host and environmental factors contributed to the emergence of CAM. Surrogates of access to advanced COVID‐19 treatment were associated with lower CAM risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyruvate kinase (PK) M2 activators ramp up glycolysis in cancer cells, leading to a reversal of the Warburg effect in cancer cells. A promising PKM2 activator molecule, IMID‐2, developed by the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research—Ahmedabad showed promising anticancer activity against MCF‐7 and COLO‐205 cell lines, which represent breast and colon cancer. Its physicochemical properties, like solubility, ionization constant, partition coefficient and distribution constant, have already been established. Its metabolic pathway is also well established through in vitro and in vivo metabolite profiling and reported previously. In this study, we have evaluated the metabolic stability of IMID‐2 using LC–MS/MS and investigated the safety aspect of the molecule through an acute oral toxicity study. In vivo studies in rats confirmed that the molecule is safe even at a dose level of 175 mg/kg. Furthermore, a pharmacokinetic study of IMID‐2 was also carried out using LC–MS/MS to understand its absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion profile. The molecule was found to have promising bioavailability through the oral route. This research work is thus another step in the drug testing of this promising anticancer molecule. The molecule can be considered to be a potential anticancer lead based on the earlier report substantiated by current findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) possess bactericidal activity against a variety of pathogens depending on an overall balance of positively charged and hydrophobic residues. Selective fluorination of peptides serves to fine‐tune the intrinsic hydrophobicity and that could improve AMP bioactivity without affecting the sequence length. Only a few studies have focused on the impact of this unique element on antimicrobial potency and came to somewhat contractionary results. Moreover, the influence of fluorinated amino acids on peptide proteolysis is yet not fully understood. In this work, we tackle the link between side chain fluorination and both antimicrobial activity and proteolytic stability for two series of amphiphilic β‐hairpin peptides. In particular, a synergy between antimicrobial activity and peptide hydrophobicity was determined. All peptides were found to be barely hemolytic and non‐toxic. Most surprisingly, the fluorinated peptides were susceptible to enzymatic degradation. Hence, the distinctive properties of these polyfluorinated AMPs will serve for the future design of peptide‐based drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: WWOX is an autosomal recessive cause of early infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (WWOX‐DEE), also known as WOREE (WWOX‐related epileptic encephalopathy). We analyzed the epileptology and imaging features of WWOX‐DEE, and investigated genotype–phenotype correlations, particularly with regard to survival. Methods: We studied 13 patients from 12 families with WWOX‐DEE. Information regarding seizure semiology, comorbidities, facial dysmorphisms, and disease outcome were collected. Electroencephalographic (EEG) and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were analyzed. Pathogenic WWOX variants from our cohort and the literature were coded as either null or missense, allowing individuals to be classified into one of three genotype classes: (1) null/null, (2) null/missense, (3) missense/missense. Differences in survival outcome were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: All patients experienced multiple seizure types (median onset = 5 weeks, range = 1 day–10 months), the most frequent being focal (85%), epileptic spasms (77%), and tonic seizures (69%). Ictal EEG recordings in six of 13 patients showed tonic (n = 5), myoclonic (n = 2), epileptic spasms (n = 2), focal (n = 1), and migrating focal (n = 1) seizures. Interictal EEGs demonstrated slow background activity with multifocal discharges, predominantly over frontal or temporo‐occipital regions. Eleven of 13 patients had a movement disorder, most frequently dystonia. Brain MRIs revealed severe frontotemporal, hippocampal, and optic atrophy, thin corpus callosum, and white matter signal abnormalities. Pathogenic variants were located throughout WWOX and comprised both missense and null changes including five copy number variants (four deletions, one duplication). Survival analyses showed that patients with two null variants are at higher mortality risk (p‐value =.0085, log‐rank test). Significance: Biallelic WWOX pathogenic variants cause an early infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy syndrome. The most common seizure types are focal seizures and epileptic spasms. Mortality risk is associated with mutation type; patients with biallelic null WWOX pathogenic variants have significantly lower survival probability compared to those carrying at least one presumed hypomorphic missense pathogenic variant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corticosteroids have been used for preemptive management of surgical sequelae after mandibular third molar extraction. The aim of this article was to review the efficacy of methylprednisolone versus dexamethasone in the management of postsurgical pain, swelling, and trismus after mandibular third molar surgery. Randomized, double-blinded studies from PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, DOSS, Cochrane central, and Web of Science were identified by using a search strategy. Randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of use of dexamethasone versus methylprednisolone for mandibular third molar extraction were only considered. The studies involving the use of any other corticosteroid agent were excluded. Outcomes assessed were postoperative pain, the number of rescue analgesics required, swelling, trismus, and adverse events. The search strategy yielded 1046 articles for title and abstract screening, out of which only seven studies were included in the systematic review after full text screening. There was considerable heterogeneity between the studies with regards to the method as well as the parameters assessed. Risk of bias was low in three studies and unclear in other four studies. On pooled analyses, there was no significant difference with respect to pain, rescue analgesics, and swelling in the test and the control group. Forest plot analysis showed that dexamethasone had lesser trismus in early postoperative period (postoperative day 2) as compared to methylprednisolone. None of the included studies reported any adverse effects. Both the corticosteroids have similar efficacy in reducing the postoperative pain and swelling; however, dexamethasone showed statistically significant difference from methylprednisolone in reducing trismus (estimated standardized mean difference of −0.69 mm; 95% CI: −1.01 to −0.38; p < 0.0001) in the early postoperative period. However, due to statistical heterogeneity, quality of the evidence for the review was low to moderate. Hence, more studies with larger study sample and low risk of bias are needed to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A de novo designed class of peptide‐based fluoropolymers composed of fluorinated aliphatic amino acids as main components is reported. Structural characterization provided insights into fluorine‐induced alterations on β‐strand to α‐helix transition upon an increase in SDS content and revealed the unique formation of PPII structures for trifluorinated fluoropeptides. A combination of circular dichroism, fluorescence‐based leaking assays and surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy served to examine the insertion and folding processes into unilamellar vesicles. While partitioning into lipid bilayers, the degree of fluorination conducts a decrease in α‐helical content. Furthermore, this study comprises a report on the proteolytic stability of peptides exclusively built up by fluorinated amino acids and proved all sequences to be enzymatically degradable despite the degree of fluorination. Herein presented fluoropeptides as well as the distinctive properties of these artificial and polyfluorinated foldamers with enzyme‐degradable features will play a crucial role in the future development of fluorinated peptide‐based biomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic stress is a major bottleneck for crop productivity. To counter abiotic stresses, plants have developed several strategies, and the accumulation of polyamine (PA) serving as an osmolyte is one of them. The cellular pool of PAs is primarily regulated by polyamine oxidases (PAOs) either by terminal catabolism or by back conversion (BC) of polyamines. The role of PAO in abiotic stress tolerance has also been reported. Polyamine oxidases are primarily localized in the cytosol, cell wall, and apoplastic regions; however, lately, their peroxisomal localization has also been demonstrated. In this study, we reported the detection of polyamine oxidase isoform 3 from Oryza sativa (OsPAO3) in peroxisome as early as 12 h post-transformation under in vitro conditions using fluorescent microscopy. The gene was also found to be significantly upregulated by salinity, dehydration, cold, and heat stress. We have also demonstrated that the expression of OsPAO3 gene was mediated by a second messenger, calcium. The upregulation of OsPAO3 by salinity, dehydration, cold, and heat stresses suggests that it could be a suitable candidate for providing tolerance to plants against abiotic stress combination or stress matrix, which is a common feature in agricultural field conditions. Furthermore, the data provided here would be valuable in understanding the abiotic stress-mediated signal transduction network of PAOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A library of quinoline‐based hydrazones bearing 1H‐1,2,3‐triazole core was designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their antiplasmodial activity against the drug‐resistant Plasmodium falciparum W2 strain. The inclusion of pyrazine‐2‐carboxylic acid with a flexible propyl spacer afforded the most active scaffold with an IC50 value of 0.26 μM. Mechanistically, the compound inhibited heme to hemozoin formation, as demonstrated by UV–vis and mass spectral studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibroblasts interact with keratinocytes and melanocytes to maintain skin homeostasis. However, the impact of selective melanocyte loss on the transcriptome of fibroblasts is not fully understood. Thus, we sought to understand the genome‐wide transcriptome of fibroblasts derived from non‐lesional (NL) and lesional (L) dermis in patients with non‐segmental vitiligo. Transcriptional profiling of NL and L fibroblasts was performed on three individuals with vitiligo using next‐generation‐sequencing. Functional protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed for the significantly upregulated and downregulated genes, as well as for a common set of genes that were downregulated in both fibroblasts and epidermis in L skin (identified previously). Proliferation potential of NL and L fibroblasts was assessed experimentally. Genome‐wide transcriptome analysis revealed a total of 414 (282, downregulated; 132, upregulated) differentially expressed (DE)‐transcripts in L as compared to NL fibroblasts. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of DE‐transcripts segregated L and NL fibroblasts into two distinct clades, despite the apparent heterogeneity in lesions of different vitiligo patients. Gene Ontology analysis of downregulated genes revealed enrichment of keratinocyte‐specific biological processes such as cornification and keratinization. PPI networks constructed for the downregulated and upregulated genes revealed deregulation of several hub genes associated with cell cycle regulation and cAMP metabolism respectively. Similarly, the PPI networks constructed for 67 genes downregulated in both fibroblasts as well as epidermis of L skin revealed downregulation of hub genes including stratifin, PIK3CG and CDH1. Analysis of the in vitro proliferation potential of L fibroblasts revealed a decrease in the expression of proliferation markers Ki67, MCM6, pERK and pCDK2, a decreased S phase population and an increase in alpha‐SMA and collagen expression, corroborating the downregulation of hub genes associated with proliferation identified by PPI network analysis. Our study revealed pervasive transcriptional alterations in L compared to NL fibroblasts in vitiligo. The PPI analysis suggested a reduced potential to proliferate in melanocyte‐deprived lesional fibroblasts, which was validated experimentally as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Ischaemia with nonobstructive coronary arteries is most commonly caused by coronary microvascular dysfunction but remains difficult to diagnose without invasive testing. Myocardial blood flow (MBF) can be quantified noninvasively on stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) or positron emission tomography but neither is routinely used in clinical practice due to practical and technical constraints. Quantification of coronary sinus (CS) flow may represent a simpler method for CMR MBF quantification. 4D flow CMR offers comprehensive intracardiac and transvalvular flow quantification. However, it is feasibility to quantify MBF remains unknown. Methods. Patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) and healthy volunteers underwent CMR. The CS contours were traced from the 2-chamber view. A reformatted phase contrast plane was generated through the CS, and flow was quantified using 4D flow CMR over the cardiac cycle and normalised for myocardial mass. MBF and resistance (MyoR) was determined in ten healthy volunteers, ten patients with myocardial infarction (MI) without microvascular obstruction (MVO), and ten with known MVO. Results. MBF was quantified in all 30 subjects. MBF was highest in healthy controls (123.8 ± 48.4 mL/min), significantly lower in those with MI (85.7 ± 30.5 mL/min), and even lower in those with MI and MVO (67.9 ± 29.2 mL/min/) (P < 0.01 for both differences). Compared with healthy controls, MyoR was higher in those with MI and even higher in those with MI and MVO (0.79 (±0.35) versus 1.10 (±0.50) versus 1.50 (±0.69), P = 0.02). Conclusions. MBF and MyoR can be quantified from 4D flow CMR. Resting MBF was reduced in patients with MI and MVO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Pharmacological activation of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) ameliorates liver injury, steatosis and inflammation in mouse models of alcoholic liver disease (ALD), but the underlying mechanisms of the protective effect of FXR against ALD remain unclear. Methods: To investigate the role of FXR in ALD, we used the NIAAA model of chronic plus binge ethanol feeding in FXR‐deficient knockout (FXR KO) mice. Results: Ethanol‐mediated liver injury and steatosis were increased in FXR KO mice, while both WT and FXR KO mice consumed the same amount of alcohol. Ethanol feeding induced liver inflammation and neutrophil infiltration that were further increased in FXR KO mice. In addition, collagen accumulation and expression of profibrotic genes were markedly elevated in the liver of alcohol‐fed FXR KO compared to wild‐type mice, suggesting that ethanol‐induced liver fibrosis is enhanced in the absence of FXR. Surprisingly, FXR KO mice showed reduced blood alcohol levels post‐binge, while CYP2E1 and ALDH1A1 were upregulated compared to WT mice, suggesting that alcohol metabolism is altered in FXR KO mice. Notably, exacerbated liver injury in FXR KO mice was associated with increased oxidative stress. ALDH1A1 activity was upregulated in FXR‐deficient mouse primary hepatocytes, contributing to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, in vitro. Finally, using an ALDH1A1 inhibitor, we showed that ALDH1A1 activity is a key contributor to alcohol‐induced ROS generation in FXR‐deficient hepatocytes, in vitro. Conclusion: ALD pathogenesis in FXR KO mice correlates with altered ethanol metabolism and increased oxidative stress, providing new insights into the protective function of FXR in ALD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic multichromophore systems are of great importance in artificial light harvesting devices, organic optoelectronics, tumor imaging and therapy. Here, we introduce a promising strategy for the construction of self‐assembled peptide templated dye stacks based on coupling of a de novo designed pH sensitive peptide with a cyanine dye Cy5 at its N‐terminus. Microscopic techniques, in particular cryogenic TEM (cryo‐TEM) and cryo‐electron tomography technique (cryo‐ET), reveal two types of highly ordered three‐dimensional assembly structures on the micrometer scale. Unbranched compact layered rods are observed at pH 7.4 and two‐dimensional membrane‐like assemblies at pH 3.4, both species displaying spectral features of H‐aggregates. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the coupling of Cy5 moieties promotes the formation of both ultrastructures, whereas the protonation states of acidic and basic amino acid side chains dictates their ultimate three‐dimensional organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture faces key challenges of increasing productivity while reducing adverse impacts on the environment. Conventional practices that rely on tillage, inefficient and over‐application of chemicals, and monoculture row cropping are leading to growing resistance of weeds and pests to chemicals, nutrient and sediment run‐off, and declining soil carbon stocks in the United States. Digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are enabling the collection of vast amounts of geo‐referenced information about growing conditions within the field, automated implementation of spatially varying input applications, and reduced reliance on chemical inputs. We discuss the pathways by which digital agricultural technologies have the potential to address the challenge of herbicide‐resistant weeds, over‐application of nitrogen and irrigation water, and cover crop planting for restoring soil health and contribute to the environmental sustainability of agriculture. Then, we discuss the economic factors, behavioral preferences of farmers, peer pressure, and social networks that can be expected to play a role in adoption decisions. We conclude with a discussion of approaches for ex ante assessments of the determinants of farmer willingness to adopt digital technologies and their diffusion in a region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compound wind and precipitation (CWP) extreme events can cause a significant increase in socio‐economic loss in coastal regions. This study investigated the potential impact of climate change on CWP events using Coupled Model Intercomparison Project model outputs for the coastal areas impacted by tropical cyclones on a global scale. We identified global hotspots of higher dependence between extreme wind and precipitation events. Under climate change, the results show a substantial increase in precipitation extremes compared to individual wind extreme events. The likelihood of CWP events under climate change indicates an increase (about 40%–50%) in most coastal regions in North Atlantic, East, and South Asia. The results of this study can help to identify hotspot regions under climate change and further assist in minimizing the impact of future disasters in vulnerable coastal areas. Plain Language Summary: Coastal regions are more densely populated than the hinterland and continue to focus on economic activity and development. Coastal areas are often exposed to compound wind and precipitation extreme events in hurricane‐prone regions, causing significant socio‐economic losses compared to individual events. Increased compound events will bring higher risks to populated areas along the coast. Our research focused on identifying the critical hotspots that witnessed such compound hazards and how they are impacted by global warming. The results identify the critical areas based on the higher dependence between extreme wind and precipitation events and the increased frequency of occurrences. Robust and proactive measures are needed for these hotspot regions to minimize the risk from compound events under climate change. Key Points: Precipitation extremes showed a significant increase in magnitude compared to wind extremes in coastal regions globallyHigher dependence between extreme wind and precipitation was observed on the Southeast USA, Philippines, China, and North Australia coastsA higher percentage of coastal areas in the North Atlantic, East, and South Asia are likely to see more compound events in the future [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sessile habit of plants does not provide choices to escape the environmental constraints, leading to negative impacts on their growth and development. This causes significant losses in the agriculture sector and raises serious issues on global food security. Extreme temperatures (high or low) influence several aspects of plant life and can cause reproduction malfunction. Therefore, a strategy for temperature amelioration is necessary for the management of agricultural productivity. Supplementation with various chemicals (e.g. phytohormones, gasotransmitters, osmolytes) is considered a good choice to manage plant stress. Gasotransmitters are well‐recognized for stress mitigation in plants, among which hydrogen sulphide (H2S) has proved promising to alleviate stress. Temperature (heat/cold) stress can stimulate the endogenous production of H2S in plants, and many studies have reported the significance of H2S for temperature stress amelioration. Here, H2S led to positive changes in plant physiological, biochemical and molecular responses, which are usually compromised during stress. Further, H2S also coordinate with other signalling components that act either upstream or downstream during stress mitigation. This review focuses on the significance of H2S for mitigation of temperature stress, with a comprehensive discussion on cross‐talk with other signalling components or supplements (e.g. NO, H2O2, salicylic acid, trehalose, proline). Finally, the review provides a rational assessment and holistic understanding of H2S‐mediated mitigation of extreme temperature stress and addresses the prospects for development of an effective strategy to manage temperature stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study sought to assess whether diabetes affects coronary microvascular function in individuals with normal body weight. Methods: Seventy‐five participants (30 patients with type 2 diabetes [T2D] who were overweight [O‐T2D], 15 patients with T2D who were lean [LnT2D], 15 healthy volunteers who were lean [LnHV], and 15 healthy volunteers who were overweight [O‐HV]) without established cardiovascular disease were recruited. Participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging for assessment of subcutaneous, epicardial, and visceral adipose tissue areas, adenosine stress myocardial blood flow (MBF), and cardiac structure and function. Results: Stress MBF was reduced only in the O‐T2D group (mean [SD], LnHV = 2.07 [0.47] mL/g/min, O‐HV = 2.08 [0.42] mL/g/min, LnT2D = 2.16 [0.36] mL/g/min, O‐T2D = 1.60 [0.28] mL/g/min; p ≤ 0.0001). Accumulation of visceral fat was evident in the LnT2D group at similar levels to the O‐HV group (LnHV = 127 [53] cm2, O‐HV = 181 [60] cm2, LnT2D = 182 [99] cm2, O‐T2D = 288 [72] cm2; p < 0.0001). Only the O‐T2D group showed reductions in left ventricular ejection fraction (LnHV = 63% [4%], O‐HV = 63% [4%], LnT2D = 60% [5%], O‐T2D = 58% [6%]; p = 0.0008) and global longitudinal strain (LnHV = −15.1% [3.1%], O‐HV= −15.2% [3.7%], LnT2D = −13.4% [2.7%], O‐T2D = −11.1% [2.8%]; p = 0.002) compared with both control groups. Conclusions: Patients with T2D and normal body weight do not show alterations in global stress MBF, but they do show significant increases in visceral adiposity. Patients with T2D who were overweight and had no prior cardiovascular disease showed an increase in visceral adiposity and significant reductions in stress MBF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In December 2019, novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (nSARS‐CoV‐2) virus outbreaks emerged from Wuhan, China, and spread all over the world, including India. Molecular diagnosis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID) 19 for densely and highly populated countries like India is time‐consuming. A few reports have described the successful diagnosis of nSARS‐CoV‐2 virus from sewage and wastewater samples contaminated with fecal matter, suggesting the diagnosis of COVID 19 from the same to raise an alarm about the community transmission of virus for implementation of evacuation and lockdown strategies. So far, the association between the detection of virus and its concentration in stool samples with severity of the disease and the presence or absence of gastrointestinal symptoms have been rarely reported. We led the search utilizing multiple databases, specifically PubMed (Medline), EMBASE, and Google Scholar. We conducted a literature survey on gastrointestinal infection and the spread of this virus through fecal–oral transmission. Reports suggested that the existence and persistence of nSARS‐CoV‐2 in anal/rectal swabs and stool specimens for a longer period of time than in nasopharyngeal swabs provides a strong tenable outcome of gastrointestinal contamination and dissemination of this infection via potential fecal–oral transmission. This review may be helpful to conduct further studies to address the enteric involvement and excretion of nSARS‐CoV‐2 RNA in feces and control the community spread in both COVID‐19 patients ahead of the onset of symptoms and in asymptomatic individuals through wastewater and sewage surveillance as an early indication of infection. The existence of the viral genome and active viral particle actively participate in genomic variations. Hence, we comprehended the enteric spread of different viruses amongst communities with special reference to nSARS‐CoV‐2. Highlights: The study concludes here that the faecal route of nSARS‐CoV2 not only enhances risk of infection and COVID19 cases but also contaminate water resources.The hospital and intensive care units (ICU) were reported with higher viral load and risk of nSARS‐CoV2 infections. These cases are not only due to aerosol‐based infections in contained area but also faecal material based infections as well.Poor hygiene and sanitation as primary concerns in low‐income nations are associated with higher risk of nSARS‐CoV2 infections and COVID19 cases.The faecal material provides an ideal habitat for viruses, including nSARS‐CoV2 for genetic variations and maturations that are associated with higher infections and pathogenecity.The water treatment strategies and approaches could be next level preventive measures to tackle spread of nSARS‐CoV2. Low income countries require much effort to control spread of nSARS‐CoV2 from faecal material and sewage water system driven infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. In a cohort of type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients who underwent baseline cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and biomarker testing, during a median follow-up of 6 years, we aimed to determine longitudinal changes in the phenotypic expression of heart disease in diabetes, report clinical outcomes, and compare baseline clinical characteristics and CMR findings of patients who experienced major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) to those remaining MACE free. Background. T2D increases the risk of heart failure (HF) and cardiovascular mortality. The long-term impact of T2D on cardiac phenotype in the absence of cardiovascular disease and other clinical events is unknown. Methods. Patients with T2D (n = 100) with no history of cardiovascular disease or hypertension were recruited at baseline. Biventricular volumes, function, and myocardial extracellular volume fraction (ECV) were assessed by CMR, and blood biomarkers were taken. Follow-up CMR was repeated in those without interim clinical events after 6 years. Results. Follow-up was successful in 83 participants. Of those, 29 experienced cardiovascular/clinical events (36%). Of the remaining 59, 32 patients who experienced no events received follow-up CMR. In this cohort, despite no significant changes in blood pressure, weight, or glycated hemoglobin, significant reductions in biventricular end-diastolic volumes and ejection fractions occurred over time. The mean ECV was unchanged. Baseline plasma high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) was significantly associated with a change in left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction. Patients who experienced MACE had higher LV mass and greater LV concentricity than those who remained event free. Conclusions. T2D results in reductions in biventricular size and systolic function over time even in the absence of cardiovascular/clinical events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental stresses negatively affect plant development and significantly influence global agricultural productivity. The growth suppression due to soil salinity involves osmotic stress, which is accompanied by ion toxicity, nutritional imbalance, and oxidative stress. The amelioration of salinity stress is one of the fundamental goals to be achieved to ensure food security and better meet the issues related to global hunger. The application of exogenous chemicals is the imperative and efficient choice to alleviate stress in the agricultural field. Among them, hydrogen sulfide (H2S, a gasotransmitter) is known for its efficient role in stress mitigation, including salinity stress, along with other biological features related to growth and development in plants. H2S plays a role in improving photosynthesis and ROS homeostasis, and interacts with other signaling components in a cascade fashion. The current review gives a comprehensive view of the participation of H2S in salinity stress alleviation in plants. Further, its crosstalk with other stress ameliorating signaling component or supplement (e.g., NO, H2O2, melatonin) is also covered and discussed. Finally, we discuss the possible prospects to meet with success in agricultural fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With rising resistance to terbinafine, and consistently high MICs to fluconazole and griseofulvin, itraconazole is being increasingly used as a first line drug for tinea corporis/cruris. However, inadequate clinical responses are often seen with it in spite of in vitro susceptibility. This is possibly related to a variable pharmacokinetic profile of itraconazole. The drug serum levels associated with the therapeutic outcome have not been defined in dermatophytic infections. Methods: Forty treatment naïve patients with tinea corporis/cruris were randomised to one of the three dose groups (100, 200 and 400 mg/day) of itraconazole. The drug serum levels of 21 of these patients were obtained after 2 weeks of treatment and correlated with the final clinical outcome and in vitro antifungal susceptibility data. Results: Trichophyton indotineae was identified by sequencing of ITS region of rDNA and TEF1α. All isolates were sensitive to itraconazole (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MICs) range: 0.06–0.5 µg/ml), while MICs to terbinafine were uniformly high (range 8–32 µg/ml). Thirty‐seven patients (92.5%) achieved complete cure, while three failed treatment. Serum levels achieved with 400 mg/day were significantly higher than levels with 100 or 200 mg dose. All patients with itraconazole serum levels of >0.2 µg/ml were cured, while two out of the 10 patients with serum levels <0.2 µg/ml failed treatment. Conclusions: Therapeutic failures are uncommon with itraconazole, and the prevalent strain in India has low itraconazole MICs. Treatment failure is likely with itraconazole serum levels of <0.2 µg/ml, while levels >0.2 µg/ml are consistently associated with a positive therapeutic outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medications used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease cause a wide range of dermatologic side effects, and minimal guidance exists on how to manage them. The intention of this review article is to summarize common dermatologic adverse reactions related to inflammatory bowel disease therapy and to provide evidence‐based guidance on management. We conducted a scoping review using PubMed and Google Scholar to identify studies reporting clinical information on dermatologic side effects of medications used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. The most commonly reported dermatological adverse effects from inflammatory bowel disease therapy were cutaneous malignancy and cutaneous infections. Thiopurines, methotrexate, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, interleukin (IL)‐12/23 inhibitors, and integrin inhibitors can be continued if nonmelanoma skin cancer arises during therapy and the malignancy should be surgically excised. TNF inhibitors and IL‐12/23 inhibitors can be continued in the setting of stage I surgically resectable melanoma but should be discontinued in advanced melanoma. For complicated cutaneous bacterial infections, methotrexate and TNF inhibitors should be halted, and IV antibiotics should be administered. Complicated herpes zoster infection warrants discontinuation of TNF inhibitors, whereas IL‐12/23 and JAK inhibitors can be continued. Inflammatory bowel disease therapies are associated with several dermatological adverse effects, and management options vary by agent. Certain agents may require discontinuation in the setting of nonmelanoma skin cancer, melanoma, and cutaneous infections. Many other dermatological adverse effects from inflammatory bowel disease therapy require specialized management or referral to dermatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene Quantum Dots (GQDs) are carbon‐based, nanoscale particles that display remarkable physical and organic properties. They are chemically and physically stable and eco‐friendly due to their non‐toxic and biologically inert nature. Various bioresources are used to synthesize GQDs to ensure biosafety and cost‐effectiveness. In this work, a critical review has been done by focusing on top‐down and bottom‐up synthesis strategies. GQDs by valorizing various bioresources like bamboo, neem leaves, mango leaves, paper fibers, rice husk, starch, honey, wood charcoal, coffee grounds, corn powder, and lime oil extract is highlighted in the present review. State‐of‐the‐art and future outlooks on the development and advancement of GQDs applications are also being addressed. Based on the surveyed literature, GQDs provide extensive use in various areas like bioimaging, nanomedicine, photocatalysis, light‐emitting diodes, solar cells, and sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of chemotherapy in extremity/trunk soft-tissue sarcoma (ET-STS) is controversial, even for patients at high risk for distant recurrence and death (those with high-grade tumors ≥5 cm in size). This study examines the impact of integrating chemotherapy with neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT) on overall survival (OS) for patients with high-risk ET-STS.Methods: The National Cancer Data Base was queried for adult patients with high-risk ET-STS who received neoadjuvant RT and limb salvage surgery between 2006 and 2014. Patients were stratified into RT and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) cohorts. OS for the RT and CRT cohorts was analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazards models. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to account for a potential treatment selection bias between the cohorts.Results: A total of 884 patients were identified: 639 (72.3%) in the RT cohort and 245 (27.7%) in the CRT cohort. The unadjusted 5-year Kaplan-Meier OS rate was significantly higher in the CRT cohort: 72.0% versus 56.1% (P < .001). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved OS in univariate and multivariable analyses (hazard ratio [HR], 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41-0.78; P < .001). PSM identified 2 evenly matched cohorts of 212 patients each. The 5-year matched Kaplan-Meier OS rates were 69.8% and 55.4% for the CRT and RT cohorts, respectively (P = .002). The addition of neoadjuvant chemotherapy remained prognostic for OS on PSM (HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.39-0.83; P = .003).Conclusions: The addition of chemotherapy to neoadjuvant RT was associated with improved OS for patients with high-risk ET-STS. In the absence of randomized data evaluating CRT versus RT, these findings warrant further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is often dysregulated in several cancers, including non‐melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Individuals with vitiligo possess a deregulated miRnome along with a lower risk of developing NMSCs. We used data sets from our previously published studies on vitiligo epidermis to construct functional miRNA‐mRNA networks to understand the molecular basis underlying the lower incidence of NMSC observed in individuals with vitiligo. miRTarBase database was used to fetch the experimentally validated targets of differentially expressed miRNAs and two protein‐protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed for the miRNA‐mRNA interactions (230 downregulated targets of 5 upregulated miRNAs and 47 upregulated mRNAs targeted by 12 downregulated miRNAs). Pathway enrichment analysis identified RNA biogenesis and transport as well as cell adhesion to be perturbed in vitiligo. Further, oncogenic transcription factors (OTFs) that were upregulated in publicly available squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or basal cell carcinoma (BCC) microarray data were compared with that of vitiligo to decode skin cancer‐specific molecular signatures. We identified three significantly upregulated miRNAs, miR‐31‐5p, miR‐31‐3p and miR‐194‐3p in lesional epidermis that could negatively regulate seven oncogenic transcription factors, FOXC1, AR, SP1, YY1, GLI2, TP53 and RARA, known to be over‐expressed in SCC or BCC. Taken together, our study identified a perturbed miRNA‐regulated transcriptome, which potentially confers protection to vitiligo skin from an increased incidence of NMSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treatment‐resistant dermatophytosis caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes/interdigitale complex has emerged as a global public health threat, particularly in endemic countries like India and has spread to many other countries. This veritable spread is alarming due to increase in resistance to terbinafine, which targets the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway by inhibiting the enzyme squalene epoxidase (SQLE). About two third of studies worldwide have reported amino acid substitutions Phe397Leu and Leu393Phe in the SQLE protein to be responsible for high terbinafine MICs. Objectives: We evaluated the efficacy of the newly developed DermaGenius® Resistance real‐time PCR assay to rapidly identify Trichophyton isolates harbouring most common SQLE mutant (Phe397Leu and Leu393Phe) conferring high terbinafine resistance from wild‐type susceptible isolates. Methods: A total of 97 Trichophyton isolates confirmed by ITS sequencing as T. mentagrophytes/interdigitale (recently named T. indotineaen = 90), T. rubrum/T. soudanense (n = 3), Tmentagrophytes (n = 2) and Ttonsurans (n = 2) were analysed to evaluate DermaGenius® Resistance real‐time PCR assay. All 40 T. indotineae isolates exhibiting amino acid substitutions Phe397Leu or Leu393Phe identified by SQLE gene sequencing were evaluated for detection of non‐wild‐type strains by real‐time PCR. Antifungal susceptibility testing for terbinafine was done by CLSI microbroth dilution method. Results: All terbinafine‐resistant isolates harbouring amino acid substitutions Phe397Leu or Leu393Phe in SQLE gene were correctly recorded as SQLE mutants by the DermaGenius® Resistance real‐time PCR assay. Conclusions: The DermaGenius® Resistance real‐time PCR assay effectively identified Trichophyton species and distinguished wild‐type from SQLE mutant genotype that harbour Phe397Leu and Leu393Phe amino acid substitutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Preoperative anaemia is common in colorectal cancer patients. Little attention has been given to the prevalence and consequences of postoperative anaemia. The aim of this study was to systematically review the published literature and determine the knowledge of the prevalence and impact of postoperative anaemia in colorectal cancer patients. Methods: The databases Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Medline, via EBSCOhost, were systematically searched to identify suitable articles published between 2004 and 2020. After an initial search, articles were screened and all eligible articles reporting on the prevalence of postoperative anaemia and clinical and long‐term outcome data in colorectal cancer patients undergoing surgery were included. The Risk of Bias 2.0 tool for the assessment of randomized controlled trials and the Risk of Bias 1.0 tool for non‐randomized studies were used for the assessment of bias in the studies selected in our review. Results: Six studies, one randomized control trial and five cohort studies, were included with a total population size of 1714. The prevalence of anaemia at discharge of 76.6% was reported as the primary end‐point in only one study. The rate of red blood cell transfusion and length of hospital stay were found to be significantly increased in anaemic patients, while postoperative infection rate results were variable. Quality of life scores and overall survival at 5 years were significantly affected among anaemic patients as reported in two papers. Conclusion: The available limited evidence on postoperative anaemia indicates its high prevalence with negative impact on clinical and long‐term outcomes. Further research is required to standardize the measurement and address the true impact of correcting postoperative anaemia on functional and oncological outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the study of photophysical properties of triazolelinked benzothiazole based Silane (K3) and its nanoparticles (K3‐NPs). Interestingly, both K3 and K3‐NPs exhibited highly selective chemo‐sensing ablility for Cu2+ ions. The significance of N, S and triazole group in synthesized compounds for Cu2+ sensing has been confirmed by structure‐property studies. Concentration dependent colorimetric metal sensing studies indicate that Cu2+ can be detected up to 10 μM. DFT studies, colorimetric analysis, Cyclic Voltametry, absorption and emission spectroscopy techniques helped us to evaluate efficiency towards amino acids along with copper complexation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Social media plays a vital role in analyzing the actual emotions of people after and during a disaster. Sentiment analysis is a method to detect a pattern from the emotions and feedback of the user. The main objective of the proposed work is to perform sentiment analysis on the tweets on a specific disaster context for a particular location at different intervals of time. LSTM network with word embedding algorithm is used to derive keywords based on the history of tweets and the context of the tweets. The proposed algorithm risk assessment sentiment analysis (RASA) uses the keywords generated from the network to classify the tweets and sentiment score for each location is identified. The model is validated with various state‐of‐art algorithms, namely, support vector machine, Naive‐Bayes, maximum entropy, logistic regression, random forest, XGBoost, stochastic gradient descent, and convolution neural networks in 2‐fold scenario: one for binary class and the other multiclass with three target classes. The results infer that the proposed RASA performs better in a binary class scenario with an increase of 1% when compared with XGBoost and 30% in multiclass scenario on an average when compared with all the other techniques. The model helps the government to take preventive measures to manage the posteffect of the disaster event in a location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) remains the commonest cause of sudden cardiac death among young athletes. Differentiating between physiologically adaptive left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy observed in athletes' hearts and pathological HCM remains challenging. By quantifying the diffusion of water molecules, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) MRI allows voxelwise characterization of myocardial microstructure.Purpose: To explore microstructural differences between healthy volunteers, athletes, and HCM patients using DTI.Study Type: Prospective cohort.Population: Twenty healthy volunteers, 20 athletes, and 20 HCM patients.Field Strength/sequence: 3T/DTI spin echo.Assessment: In-house MatLab software was used to derive mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) as markers of amplitude and anisotropy of the diffusion of water molecules, and secondary eigenvector angles (E2A)-reflecting the orientations of laminar sheetlets.Statistical Tests: Independent samples t-tests were used to detect statistical significance between any two cohorts. Analysis of variance was utilized for detecting the statistical difference between the three cohorts. Statistical tests were two-tailed. A result was considered statistically significant at P ≤ 0.05.Results: DTI markers were significantly different between HCM, athletes, and volunteers. HCM patients had significantly higher global MD and E2A, and significantly lower FA than athletes and volunteers. (MDHCM = 1.52 ± 0.06 × 10-3 mm2 /s, MDAthletes = 1.49 ± 0.03 × 10-3 mm2 /s, MDvolunteers = 1.47 ± 0.02 × 10-3 mm2 /s, P < 0.05; E2AHCM = 58.8 ± 4°, E2Aathletes = 47 ± 5°, E2Avolunteers = 38.5 ± 7°, P < 0.05; FAHCM = 0.30 ± 0.02, FAAthletes = 0.35 ± 0.02, FAvolunteers = 0.36 ± 0.03, P < 0.05). HCM patients had significantly higher E2A in their thickest segments compared to the remote (E2Athickest = 66.8 ± 7, E2Aremote = 51.2 ± 9, P < 0.05).Data Conclusion: DTI depicts an increase in amplitude and isotropy of diffusion in the myocardium of HCM compared to athletes and volunteers as reflected by increased MD and decreased FA values. While significantly higher E2A values in HCM and athletes reflect steeper configurations of the myocardial sheetlets than in volunteers, HCM patients demonstrated an eccentric rise in E2A in their thickest segments, while athletes demonstrated a concentric rise. Further studies are required to determine the diagnostic capabilities of DTI.Evidence Level: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is no enough evidence present on the success of single implant‐retained mandibular overdentures (SIMO) with Dalla Bona and Locator attachments. This study aims to compare crestal bone loss and patient satisfaction with SIMO with Dalla Bona and Locator attachment following immediate loading protocols. Material and Methods: Twelve patients included in Group 1 received immediate SIMO with Dalla Bona attachments, and another twelve patients in Group 2 received immediate SIMO with Locator attachments in the mid symphyseal region. The follow‐up was scheduled at 6 and 12 months after implant placement. The patient satisfaction with the denture was evaluated with the visual analog scale (VAS) score. The data obtained were statistically analyzed with the independent student t‐test for intergroup comparison and repeated measures of ANOVA followed by Bonferroni's Post hoc analysis for intragroup comparison of mean crestal bone loss at a different time interval. Results: Ten patients each in both the groups were available for follow‐up. Crestal bone loss at 6 months follow‐up for Dalla Bona group was 0.42 ± 0.10 mm on the mesial side and 0.43 ± 0.14 mm on the distal side and at 1 year 1.54 ± 0.16 mm on the mesial side and 1.66 ± 0.13 mm on the distal side. The mean crestal bone loss at 6 months follow‐up for Locator group was 0.48 ± 0.16 mm on the mesial side and 0.45 ± 0.11 mm on the distal side and at 1 year was 1.71 ± 0.22 mm on mesial side and 1.74 ± 0.28 mm on the distal side. There was difference in bone loss at 6 months (mesial: 0.06 mm, p = 0.327; distal:0.02 mm; p = 0.726) and at 1 year (mesial: 0.17 mm, p = 0.063; distal: 0.08 mm; p = 0.423) in between two groups but the difference was statistically insignificant. There was a significant difference found in the VAS score for patient satisfaction with SIMO with Dalla Bona attachments and Locator attachments at 6 months (54.2 vs. 51.8, p = 0.005) and 1 year (60.6 vs. 55.2, p = 0.005). Conclusions: Patient satisfaction with SIMO with Dalla Bona attachments was higher during the follow‐up. SIMO with Dalla Bona attachments had less crestal bone loss and less prosthetic complications when compared to Locator attachments, although the difference in the bone loss was statistically insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]