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Introduction: Immunization is one of the most substantial contributions from the medical field to human beings as a low-cost intervention to prevent major illnesses that contribute to the mortality of children in developing countries like India. Parent’s knowledge plays a vital role in determining the health status of children. Purpose of the study: To assess knowledge, attitude, and compliance of immunization, and explore barriers of immunization among parents of under-five children. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 parents of under-five children at selected government hospitals in Dehradun district. Study participants were selected by consecutive sampling technique, and data were collected using pre-tested, structured questionnaires. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Of 200, 39 (19.5%) parents reported that their child was not vaccinated as per schedule. A vast proportion (84.5%) of parents had an average to good level of knowledge regarding under-five immunization. Out of ten components of attitude, most of the parents had agreed in favor of vaccination. The most common barriers of compliance reported by parents were: unaware of the next scheduled doses, illness in family, and absence of vaccine at health centre. Conclusion: Most of the parents of the under-five child had basic knowledge and positive attitude regarding immunization, but the compliance rate for immunization was not 100%. We recommend that health agencies must develop multiple education interventions regarding immunization and periodic reminders for scheduled vaccination for their child. Also, concerned authorities should consider feedback and resolve the issues of parents appropriately.

Bhendi yellow vein mosaic disease (BYVMD) is the most devastating viral disease of okra (Abelmoschus moschatus ssp. moschatus) which affects yield and quality of the produce in India. The causative agent of BYVMD is begomovirus i.e. bhendi yellow vein mosaic virus (BYVMV) having DNA-A molecule along with betasatellite. Present study was carried out during 2019–21 at research farm of ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi to find out the diversity of begomovirus and its satellite nucleotide sequences derived from wild okra infected samples exhibiting conspicuous symptom of BYVMD using PCR-based detection technique on two wild okra symptomatic samples, viz. EC361170 and EC361148. Full length amplification of BYVMV satellite molecule and partial amplification of DNA-A was carried out using PCR and cloning of both randomly selected samples showed the presence of monopartite BYVMV. In both samples, presence of DNA-A molecule, betasatellite and alphasatellite were noticed. Two year (kharif 2019 and 2021) field screening of 10 accessions of wild okra (Abelmoschus moschatus ssp. moschatus) was carried out at ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi. Out of 10 accessions, viz. EC360586, EC360794, EC360830, EC360900, EC359730, EC359836, EC359870, EC360351, EC361111 and EC361171 screened, 4 accessions, viz. EC360794, EC360586, EC360830 and EC361171 showed resistant (R) reaction during both the seasons against BYVMD. This is the first study which showed the presence of alpha-satellite molecule of BYVMV from New Delhi region in wild okra along with its resistance source.

Okra enation leaf curl disease (OELCuD) is a recently emerged whitefly insect vector transmissible viral disease of okra which adversely affects the quality and quantity of okra fruits. Okra enation leaf curl virus (OELCuV) is a main disease causative agent. Two year (kharif 2018 and 2019) field experiments were conducted at research farm of ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa, New Delhi for field screening of 10 wild okra (Abelmoschus moschatus ssp. moschatus) accessions, viz. EC360586, EC360794, EC360830, EC360900, EC359730, EC359836, EC359870, EC360351, EC361111 and EC361171. Out of 10 accessions, 4 accessions, viz. EC360794, EC360586, EC360830 and EC361171 showed resistance (R) reaction in both the seasons. Whitefly population was also monitored in both the rainy (kharif) season, since, OELCuD is transmitted by whitefly insect vector. Majority (>77%) of okra genotypes were moderately preferred by the whiteflies. To further validate the resistance reaction in these 4 field resistant accessions, artificial screening experiment was conducted using viruliferous whitefly vector and VRO 6 as susceptible check. Prominent okra enation leaf curl symptom appeared after a minimum incubation period of 15 days under controlled conditions. Betasatellite (DNA-β) molecule of OELCuV was amplified (1.3 kb) using PCR for virus detection and these 4 accessions were found free from virus. These 4 promising accessions would serve as resistance source in breeding programmes to develop varieties resistant to OELCuV.

Introduction Childhood cancer is a leading cause of death. It is unclear whether the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted childhood cancer mortality. In this study, we aimed to establish all-cause mortality rates for childhood cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the factors associated with mortality.Methods Prospective cohort study in 109 institutions in 41 countries. Inclusion criteria: children

Introduction With an increase in the number of total joint arthroplasties, the count of prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) is also increasing and has become a nightmare for an orthopaedic surgeon. Microbiological diagnosis is important for administering definitive antimicrobial treatment. Negative culture reports hamper patient management and prolonged incubation periods have increased the culture yield but at the risk of culture contamination in conventional microbiology settings. Thus, we aimed to optimize the best incubation time for culture and the aerobic bacterial profile of PJIs. Material and Methods Over a year, samples from clinically suspected PJI patients were collected and processed for culture using standard techniques. The samples were incubated for up to 10 days with daily subculturing on to solid media. The bacterial isolates were identified and antibiotic susceptibility was performed. Results Out of 200 patients, 105 were included in the study and samples were collected in triplicate. In 70 cases culture was positive and 35 were culture negative PJIs. Mean incubation days to culture positivity was 3.6 days with 97.14% culture positivity seen by the seventh day of incubation. Twenty-four percent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and more than 50% extended spectrum β lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were isolated. Discussion Culture positivity in PJIs provides definitive evidence of infection and guides the treatment. Increasing the incubation times can help in maximizing the culture yield, and we found that 97.14% pathogens grew within 7 days of incubation. Prolonging it further would not provide an added advantage especially in a resource-constraint setting.

Abstract Introduction/background Although central nervous system tumors are the most common etiology of malignancies in the pediatric age group, choroid plexus carcinomas are rare, with an annual incidence rate of 0.10 per 100,000 children. Case presentation We report the case of an adolescent male belonging to central India who had presented with a history of persistent headache, projectile vomiting, neck stiffness, and an episode of generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Neurological examination was suggestive of a space-occupying lesion. Further neuroimaging was suggestive of a large left-sided choroid plexus carcinoma, later confirmed on pathological examination. Gross total resection was achieved and followed by radiation therapy. His recovery was satisfactory without any major events despite suffering from such a malignancy with a poor prognosis. Conclusion In the absence of a global consensus on choroid plexus carcinoma management, our patient underwent a successful gross total resection and received postoperative radiotherapy. He made a satisfactory recovery with a further plan to review with gadolinium-enhanced neuroimaging at a later date. We conclude that, when possible, achieving gross total resection is of utmost importance.

The process of wound healing is complex and involves the interaction of multiple cells, each with a distinct role in the inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling phases. Chronic, nonhealing wounds may result from reduced fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis, and cellular immunity, often associated with diabetes, hypertension, vascular deficits, immunological inadequacies, and chronic renal disease. Various strategies and methodologies have been explored to develop nanomaterials for wound-healing treatment. Several nanoparticles such as gold, silver, cerium oxide and zinc possess antibacterial properties, stability, and a high surface area that promotes efficient wound healing. In this review article, we investigate the effectiveness of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) in wound healing—particularly the effects of reducing inflammation, enhancing hemostasis and proliferation, and scavenging reactive oxygen species. The mechanism enables CeO2NPs to reduce inflammation, modulate the immunological system, and promote angiogenesis and tissue regeneration. In addition, we investigate the efficacy of cerium oxide-based scaffolds in various wound-healing applications for creating a favorable wound-healing environment. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative characteristics, enabling them to be ideal wound healing material. Investigations have shown that CeO2NPs can stimulate wound closure, tissue regeneration, and scar reduction. CeO2NPs may also reduce bacterial infections and boost wound-site immunity. However, additional study is needed to determine the safety and efficacy of CeO2NPs in wound healing and their long-term impacts on human health and the environment. The review reveals that CeO2NPs have promising wound-healing properties, but further study is needed to understand their mechanisms of action and ensure their safety and efficacy.

Therapeutic methods to modulate skin pigmentation has important implications for skin cancer prevention and for treating cutaneous hyperpigmentary conditions. Towards defining new potential targets, we followed temporal dynamics of melanogenesis using a cell-autonomous pigmentation model. Our study elucidates 3 dominant phases of synchronized metabolic and transcriptional reprogramming. The melanogenic trigger is associated with high MITF levels along with rapid uptake of glucose. The transition to pigmented state is accompanied by increased glucose channelisation to anabolic pathways that support melanosome biogenesis. SREBF1-mediated up-regulation of fatty acid synthesis results in a transient accumulation of lipid droplets and enhancement of fatty acids oxidation through mitochondrial respiration. While this heightened bioenergetic activity is important to sustain melanogenesis, it impairs mitochondria lately, shifting the metabolism towards glycolysis. This recovery phase is accompanied by activation of the NRF2 detoxication pathway. Finally, we show that inhibitors of lipid metabolism can resolve hyperpigmentary conditions in a guinea pig UV-tanning model. Our study reveals rewiring of the metabolic circuit during melanogenesis, and fatty acid metabolism as a potential therapeutic target in a variety of cutaneous diseases manifesting hyperpigmentary phenotype.

Objectives Paediatric cancer is a leading cause of death for children. Children in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) were four times more likely to die than children in high-income countries (HICs). This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the delivery of healthcare services worldwide, and exacerbated the disparity in paediatric cancer outcomes between LMICs and HICs.Design A multicentre, international, collaborative cohort study.Setting 91 hospitals and cancer centres in 39 countries providing cancer treatment to paediatric patients between March and December 2020.Participants Patients were included if they were under the age of 18 years, and newly diagnosed with or undergoing active cancer treatment for Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, Wilms’ tumour, sarcoma, retinoblastoma, gliomas, medulloblastomas or neuroblastomas, in keeping with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer.Main outcome measure All-cause mortality at 30 days and 90 days.Results 1660 patients were recruited. 219 children had changes to their treatment due to the pandemic. Patients in LMICs were primarily affected (n=182/219, 83.1%). Relative to patients with paediatric cancer in HICs, patients with paediatric cancer in LMICs had 12.1 (95% CI 2.93 to 50.3) and 7.9 (95% CI 3.2 to 19.7) times the odds of death at 30 days and 90 days, respectively, after presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic (p

Present study explored the effect of salinity stress on seedling mineral composition, chlorogenic acid and polyphenol oxidase content of the two genotypes (GT25 and GT26) of egg plant (Solanum melongena L.). Selected egg plant genotypes were exposed to salinity stress (25-150 mM NaCl) along with control. Plants were grown in the field of School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University during 2018-19. Drastic impacts of salinity stress as preliminary symptom were seen on seed germination. Genotype GT25 and GT26 were proficient to germinate only up to 100 mM and 75 mM NaCl respectively under salinity treatment. Results showed very poor growth along with necrotic/ dead tissue in the germinated seedlings leaves after the 30 days salt treatment in GT26 in100 mM NaCl treatment. Accumulation of Na+ ions is comparatively lower (67%) in GT25 under 75 mM NaCl concentration. On the contrary mineral (Cu, Mn, K) content, enzymatic activity like chlorogenic acid and polyphenol were resulted higher in GT25 compared to GT26 when subjected to NaCl stress (75 mM). These results indicate that egg plant genotypes respond to salt induced oxidative stress by enzymatic defense systems. The accumulation of polyphenol and chlorogenic acid suggest a role in protective metabolites. Hence it can be concluded that the GT25 possess strong tolerance against salt stress and could be an important genotype resource for the salt tolerance breeding programme of egg plant.

In the study Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. & Coss.] was treated with different doses (0, 2.5, 10, 20 and 100 Gy) of gamma rays (radioactive cobalt, 60Co) and the effects were investigated on callus initiation, seed germination, seedling growth, total chlorophyll, protein and proline contents of seedling leaves, which were grown from hypocotyl explant of non-irradiated and irradiated seeds. Experiment was conducted at School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University during 2017–18. The results showed that irradiated seeds had increased seed germination per cent, seedling length, fresh and dry weight, total chlorophyll, protein and proline content in low dose exposure (2.5Gy). Callus cultures were established from hypocotyl explants of 15 days old seedlings obtained from irradiated and non-irradiated seeds of B. juncea on MS1 [MS+BAP (2 mg/ml) + 2,4 D (1 mg/ml)] and MS2 [MS+BAP (2 mg/ml) + 2,4 D (0.5 mg/ml)] medium. Cultured hypocotyls formed callus at their cut ends within a week and simultaneously differentiation started into nodular structures from their base. MS1 callus induction medium gave good callus induction percentage (58%) as compared to MS2. It was observed that the callus was green, compact and showed 83% induction frequency in 100Gy gamma dose in MS1, whereas in different dose treatment (2.5–20Gy), callus was white and friable. It turned light brown in 100Gy treatment in MS2 medium. Thus, results of the present study showed pre-sowing seed irradiation is an effective method of improving seed germination at the early developmental stage of the plant.

The use of TiO2 nanoparticles for photocatalysis for the degradation of organic dyes under UV light for wastewater treatment has been widely studied. However, the photocatalytic characteristics of TiO2 nanoparticles are inadequate due to their UV light response and higher band gap. In this work, three nanoparticles were synthesized: (i) TiO2 nanoparticle was synthesized by a sol-gel process. (ii) ZrO2 was prepared using a solution combustion process and (iii) mixed-phase TiO2–ZrO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by a sol-gel process to remove Eosin Yellow (EY) from aqueous solutions in the wastewater. XRD, FTIR, UV-VIS, TEM, and XPS analysis methods were used to examine the properties of the synthesized products. The XRD investigation supported the tetragonal and monoclinic crystal structures of the TiO2 and ZrO2 nanoparticles. TEM studies identified that mixed-phase TiO2–ZrO2 nanoparticles have the same tetragonal structure as pure mixed-phase. The degradation of Eosin Yellow (EY) was examined using TiO2, ZrO2, and mixed-phase TiO2–ZrO2 nanoparticles under visible light. The results confirmed that the mixed-phase TiO2–ZrO2nanoparticles show a higher level of photocatalytic activity, and the process is accomplished at a high degradation rate in lesser time and at a lower power intensity.

Biomaterial research has led to revolutionary healthcare advances. Natural biological macromolecules can impact high-performance, multipurpose materials. This has prompted the quest for affordable healthcare solutions, with a focus on renewable biomaterials with a wide variety of applications and ecologically friendly techniques. Imitating their chemical compositions and hierarchical structures, bioinspired based materials have elevated rapidly over the past few decades. Bio-inspired strategies entail extracting fundamental components and reassembling them into programmable biomaterials. This method may improve its processability and modifiability, allowing it to meet the biological application criteria. Silk is a desirable biosourced raw material due to its high mechanical properties, flexibility, bioactive component sequestration, controlled biodegradability, remarkable biocompatibility, and inexpensiveness. Silk regulates temporo-spatial, biochemical and biophysical reactions. Extracellular biophysical factors regulate cellular destiny dynamically. This review examines the bioinspired structural and functional properties of silk material based scaffolds. We explored silk types, chemical composition, architecture, mechanical properties, topography, and 3D geometry to unlock the body’s innate regenerative potential, keeping in mind the novel biophysical properties of silk in film, fiber, and other potential forms, coupled with facile chemical changes, and its ability to match functional requirements for specific tissues.

Litchi chinensis is the “queen of fruits”, and pollination is an essential requirement for fruit set and production. The present study was conducted in litchi orchards to study the diversity/abundance of insect visitors, the impact of pollination on quantitative parameters, and different modes of pollination. The results showed that 75 insect species during flowering were reported including Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera. In natural pollination, the abundance of insect visitors of Hymenoptera was more during morning and evening (50.25% and 44.89%, respectively) compared to Lepidoptera (21.83 and 26.67%) and Diptera (24.37 and 23.33%). Similarly, natural pollination with one Apis mellifera colony also showed higher abundance of insect visitors of Hymenoptera during morning and evening (50.15 and 57.31%, respectively) as compared to Lepidoptera and Diptera. The Dipteran insect visitors under natural pollination showed significant positive correlation with temperature, wind speed and UV. The fruit/seed size, peel weight, juice pH, pulp weight, moisture, and total soluble solids were higher in natural pollination with A. mellifera. The percentage of fruit set and fruit weight (g) was significantly higher in natural pollination with A. mellifera (23.24 ± 1.40% and 1.60 ± 0.11 g, respectively). There was no fruit set observed in bagged panicles with nylon mesh.

Okra enation leaf curl disease (OELCuD) caused by Okra enation leaf curl virus (OELCuV) is a whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) transmitted viral disease of okra which deteriorates vegetable quality and reduces yield. The OELCuV was confirmed based on the amplicon of 1.3 Kb of beta satellite (DNA-β) molecule of the virus. Field screening of wild okra (Abelmoschus moschatus ssp. moschatus) accessions was carried out for OELCuD resistance during kharif 2017-19 at experimental Farm of ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa, New Delhi. Out of 76 wild okra accessions tested, 10 accessions, viz. EC360586, EC360794, EC360830, EC360900, EC359730, EC359836, EC359870, EC360351, EC361111 and EC361171 showed resistant (R) reaction in kharif 2017, whereas in kharif 2019, only four accessions, viz. EC360794, EC360586, EC360830 and EC361171 exhibited R reaction and remaining six accessions were moderately resistant (MR). In the first year, average percent disease index (PDI) was 14.15 and overall PDI ranged from 3.70 to 52.86. The range of PDI was 4.53-56.40 during the second year with an average PDI value 18.04. Apart from PDI determination, whitefly population was also monitored in both the years mainly showed moderate preference. The prominent four accessions of okra, viz. EC360794, EC360586, EC360830 and EC361171 could be utilized in resistance breeding programmes against OELCuV.

A total 76 germplasm accessions of wild okra (Abelmoschus moschatus ssp. moschatus) along with 4 checks were evaluated against okra leafhopper Amarasca biguttula biguttula Ishida in field condition during kharif 2017 and 2019. Of the 76 wild okra accessions used for two years of field screening, negligible preference of okra leafhopper insect exhibited towards nine wild okra accessions namely EC360586, EC360794, EC360830, EC360900, EC359730, EC359836, EC359870, EC360351 and EC361171 with hopper population in the range of 1.33 to 1.44/leaf while moderate preference of okra leafhopper was observed to another 11 wild okra accessions during first year of field screening (kharif 2017). During the second year (kharif 2019) of field screening, negligible preference of okra leafhopper was recorded on five accessions, viz. EC360586, EC360794, EC360830, EC360900 and EC361171 with hopper population in the range of 1.33 to 1.45/leaf while moderate preference response of okra leafhopper was observed on two wild okra accessions only. Whereas, high to very high preference response of okra leafhopper was observed on the remaining wild okra accessions during both the years of field screening and all were found susceptible. Based on two years field screening of wild okra accessions against okra leafhopper, five wild okra accessions, viz. EC360586, EC360794, EC360830, EC360900 and EC361171 were found resistant against okra leafhopper. The hopper burn symptoms were also negligible on these 5 accessions.

Okra yellow vein mosaic disease (OYVMD) is a major viral disease of okra crop caused by Okra yellow vein mosaic virus (OYVMV). The disease is responsible for direct yield loss in terms of both quantity and quality of capsules (fruits). Initially, DNA-A of coat protein, intergenic region and partial rep protein sequences were determined using OY2395F/OY680R specific primer and the amplified 1.2 Kb band product showed presence of OYVMV. Two years field screening of wild okra accessions (Abelmoschus moschatus ssp. moschatus) carried out during kharif 2017 and 2019 against OYVMD in agro-ecological conditions of New Delhi. Among seventy six (76) wild okra accessions 10 accessions, viz. EC360586, EC360794, EC360830, EC360900, EC359730, EC359836, EC359870, EC360351, EC361171 and EC361111 exhibited resistant (R) response in kharif 2017. While in 2019, out of these 10 promising accessions, four accessions, viz. EC360794, EC360586, EC360830 and EC361171 further showed R response. Rest of the tested lines showed either moderately resistant (MR) or susceptible (S) response. Average percent disease incidence (PDI) value was 19.51% and range value was 4.46 to 64.06% for the first year of field screening. Whereas the recorded average PDI were 21.77% with the range value of 4.36 to 67.33% in the second year. For both the years, out of 76 accessions, four accessions, viz. EC360794, EC360586, EC360830 and EC361171 were found promising and exhibited R response consistently. These promising lines could be utilized in breeding programmes for development of varieties resistant to OYVMV.

Green chemistry nowadays is surpassing the idea of being a sheer lab inquisitiveness into the large-scale pharmaceutical application in industries. However, industries being one of the most dynamic area, always remain in the forefronts of any substantial changes. These changes in the terms of innovative ideas, conventional feed stocks, safer raw materials, and alternative mechanisms in laboratories at pilot scale seems fascinating to apply in industries. The purpose of this review is to present a selective overview of the green synthesis in the pharmaceutical industries where the green chemistry practices have been applied successfully. The green practices in the synthesis of drugs demonstrated in the review are some examples chosen based upon the optimal yield, solvent selection, biocatalysts and regioselectivity of some pharmaceutical products produced at large industrial scales. The objective is to overview the status of the integration of the green chemistry in the pharmaceutical industries and its problem and challenges with the emphasis of a way forward in this direction.

Introduction. Aortic involvement leading to aortitis in eosinophilic granulomatosis polyangiitis (EGPA) is infrequent, and only 2 cases have been reported so far in the literature. Even more so, aortic aneurysm, secondary to EGPA, has never been reported and remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Case Presentation. We present a 63-year-old Caucasian male patient with a prior diagnosis of EGPA presenting with abdominal pain, nausea, and loose stools to the emergency department. Physical examination showed periumbilical tenderness. He had no peripheral eosinophilia but had high C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels. CT abdomen revealed a mycotic aneurysm involving the infrarenal abdominal aorta. The patient declined surgical repair initially and was treated with IV antibiotics only. Unfortunately, 24 hours later, the aneurysm ruptured, leading to emergent axillofemoral bypass surgery. Surgical biopsy showed aortitis, periaortitis, and active necrotizing vasculitis. Conclusion. Abdominal aneurysms should be considered a complication of EGPA, and earlier immunosuppressive therapy should be considered to prevent further complications.

High energy laser, particularly 532 nm, is widely used in defense and medical applications and there is need to address its occupational safety. Thermal and non-thermal effects of 532 nm high energy laser on skin are cause of concern. This study indicates impact of 532 nm laser on rat skin and first of its kind of attempt to understand transcriptional activation of genes as an early response following laser exposure. Skin of experimental rats were exposed to 532 nm radiance at 0.1, 0.25 and 0.50 W/cm2 for 10 sec. Thermographic changes of skin exposed to 532 nm laser exhibited increased Tmax temperature in radiance dependent manner. After thermal imaging, skin of experimental rats was collected 1 h post laser exposure for studying differential gene expression. The skin exposed to lower power density (0.1 W/cm2) did not show significant changes in expression of gene pathways studied. At moderate radiance (0.25 W/cm2), predominantly canonical wnt/B-catenin pathway genes notch1, axin2, ccdn1, wnt5a and redox homeostasis genes; txn1, nqo1 and txnrd1 were expressed. At higher radiance (0.5 W/cm2), significant repression of genes related to wound healing process particularly notch/wnt pathway viz. hes5, wnt1, wn3b with higher expression of dab2 was recorded. The data obtained from these studies would help in drawing safety limits for skin exposure to 532 nm laser. Further, genes expressed at moderate and high level of radiance exposure to skin were distinct and differential and provide new avenue to configure pathway to counteract laser induced delay in tissue injury and hair follicular damage.

Abdominal tuberculosis (ATB) continues to pose a major diagnostic challenge for clinicians due to its nonspecific clinical presentation, variable anatomical location and lack of sensitive diagnostic tools. In spite of the development of several assays till date; no single test has proved to be adequate for ATB diagnosis. In this study, we for the first time report the detection of circulating cell-free Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) DNA (cfMTB-DNA) in ascitic fluid (AF) samples and its utility in ATB diagnosis. Sixty-five AF samples were included in the study and processed for liquid culture, cytological, biochemical and molecular assays. A composite reference standard (CRS) was formulated to categorize the patients into 'Definite ATB' (M. tuberculosis culture positive, n = 2), 'Probable ATB' (n = 16), 'Possible ATB' (n = 13) and 'Non-TB' category (n = 34). Two molecular assays were performed, namely, the novel cfMTB-DNA qPCR assay targeting M. tuberculosis devR gene and Xpert MTB/RIF assay (Xpert), and their diagnostic accuracy was assessed using CRS as reference standard. Clinical features such as fever, loss of weight, abdominal distension and positive Mantoux were found to be strongly associated with ATB disease (p

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease affecting the joints and surrounding tissue. Identification of novel proteins associated with the progression of a disease is a prerequisite for understanding the pathogenesis of RA. The present study was undertaken to identify the potential biomarkers from a less explored biological sample such as synovial fluid (SF) cells which is specific for RA and to analyze their functional aspects using proteomic approach. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) was performed using synovial fluid cells of RA and osteoarthritis (OA) patients, and 7 differentially expressed proteins were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS/MS). Αlpha-Taxilin (α-Taxilin) has been found as one of the novel, significantly up regulated protein in RA. It has been validated in the synovium, synovial fluid (SF), SF cells, and plasma samples by Western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and real-time PCR. The identification of autoantibody against α-Taxilin and in silico studies has further helped us to understand its involvement in disease mechanism. The present study will therefore provide knowledge towards the etiology of RA that pave the way for suitable prognostic marker identification along with other clinical parameters.

The C. elegans LIN-41 and its homologs, including human TRIM71/LIN41, contain the RNA binding NHL domain. Here the authors combine computational analysis, structural biology and in vivo studies, to explain how these proteins bind RNA and how rapid evolution of NHL domains resulted in different solutions to RNA recognition.

The work presents an efficient and non-invasive method to visualize the local concentration and viscosity distribution of two miscible and non-reacting substances with a significant viscosity difference in a microchannel with a Y-shape cell. The proof-of-concept setup consists of a near-infrared (NIR) camera and cost-effective dome lighting with NIR light-emitting diodes (LED) covering the wavelength range of 1050 to 1650 nm. Absorption differences of glycerol and water and their mixtures with a mass fraction of glycerol from 0 to 0.95 gGlycgtotal−1 were analyzed in the NIR spectral area. The resulting measurement images were converted in a concentration profile by using absorbance calculated with Lambert–Beer law. A linear behavior between the concentration and the absorption coefficient is demonstrated. The result of local concentration in mass fraction was used to determine the local viscosity and illustrated as distribution images. By variating the fluid parameters, the influences of the highly different original viscosities in the mixing procedure were investigated and visualized.

With the increasing average life expectancy of human beings, the need to cater geriatric patients is ever increasing. Complete dentures are an indispensable tool in this regard. The loose and unstable lower complete denture owing to residual ridge resorption is one of the most common problems faced by edentulous patients. Dental implant retained overdentures have emerged as an efficient treatment modality for such patients. Though useful, not every patient is a suitable candidate to go for conventional implant-borne prosthesis, limitation being the available bone width. In such cases, mini implants may be used for augmenting the retention of the dentures and improving the quality of life of patients. In this case series, rehabilitation of three compromised cases with mini implant retained overdentures have been described wherein patients are experiencing instability of lower denture due to thin resorbed mandibular ridges. In one of the cases, three mini implants placed in A, C, and E position were splinted using a cemented bar to retain the mandibular denture. The other two cases were rehabilitated using unsplinted ball type one piece mini implants placed in A, C, and E position in one case and B and D position in another case. Though splinted bar design should be preferred but the lack of available vertical space precluded the utilization of bar in other two cases. The results were found to be satisfactory with no complications reported during a follow-up period of over 3 years in all the cases.

A female child presenting with features of lupus nephritis was referred for ophthalmic evaluation related to autoimmune diseases. It turned out to be a dense yellow-brown deposit of Kayser Fleischer (KF) Ring and sunflower cataract following which diagnostic tests for Wilson disease (WD) were carried out and treated for the same. However, the child died in a month due to hepatic encephalopathy and sepsis. The dense KF ring conveys that it has been long-standing and a definite indicator of Neuro WD. In this brief report, the authors would like to insist on the significance of early identification of KF ring and its neurological relevance.

Bismuth chalcogenide (Bi2X3; X = sulfur (S), selenium (Se), and tellurium (Te)) materials are considered as promising materials for diverse applications due to their unique properties. Their narrow bandgap, good thermal conductivity, and environmental friendliness make them suitable candidates for thermoelectric applications, photodetector, sensors along with a wide array of energy storage applications. More specifically, their unique layered structure allows them to intercalate Li+ ions and further provide conducting channels for transport. This property makes these suitable anodes for Li-ion batteries. However, low conductivity and high-volume expansion cause the poor electrochemical cyclability, thus creating a bottleneck to the implementation of these for practical use. Tremendous endeavors have been devoted towards the enhancement of cyclability of these materials, including nanostructuring and the incorporation of a carbon framework matrix to immobilize the nanostructures to prevent agglomeration. Apart from all these techniques to improve the anode properties of Bi2X3 materials, a step towards all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries using Bi2X3-based anodes has also been proven as a key approach for next-generation batteries. This review article highlights the main issues and recent advances associated with Bi2X3 anodes using both solid and liquid electrolytes.

Endogenous RNAi (endoRNAi) is a conserved mechanism for fine-tuning gene expression. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, several endoRNAi pathways are required for the successful development of reproductive cells. The CSR-1 endoRNAi pathway promotes germ cell development, primarily by facilitating the expression of germline genes. In this study, we report a novel function for the CSR-1 pathway in preventing premature activation of embryonic transcription in the developing oocytes, which is accompanied by a general Pol II activation. This CSR-1 function requires its RNase activity, suggesting that, by controlling the levels of maternal mRNAs, CSR-1-dependent endoRNAi contributes to an orderly reprogramming of transcription during the oocyte-to-embryo transition.

Background: Erbium, chromium: Yttrium, scandium, gallium, garnet (Er, Cr: YSGG) laser has been successfully used in the ablation of dental hard and soft tissues. It has been reported that this system is also useful for preparing tooth surfaces and etching, but no consensus exist in the literature regarding the advantage of lasers over conventional tooth preparation technique. Materials and Methods: Labial surfaces of 25 extracted human maxillary central incisors were divided into two halves. Right half was prepared with diamond bur and left half with Er, Cr; YSGG laser and a reduction of 0.3-0.5 mm was carried out. Topography of prepared surfaces of five teeth were examined under scanning electron microscope (SEM). The remaining samples were divided into 4 groups of 10 specimens each based on the surface treatment received: One group was acid etched and other was nonetched. Composite resin cylinders were bonded on prepared surfaces and shear bond strength was assessed using a universal testing machine. Results: The SEM observation revealed that the laser prepared surfaces were clean, highly irregular and devoid of a smear layer. Bur prepared surfaces were relatively smooth but covered with smear layer. Highest bond strength was shown by laser prepared acid etched group, followed by bur prepared the acid etched group. The bur prepared nonacid etched group showed least bond strength. Conclusions: Er, Cr: YSGG laser can be used for preparing tooth and bond strength value achieved by laser preparation alone without surface treatment procedure lies in the range of clinical acceptability.

Growth factor signaling is essential for pattern formation, growth, differentiation, and maintenance of stem cell pluripotency. Nodal-related signaling factors are required for axis formation and germ layer specification from sea urchins to mammals. Maternal transcripts of the zebrafish Nodal factor, Squint (Sqt), are localized to future embryonic dorsal. The mechanisms by which maternal sqt/nodal RNA is localized and regulated have been unclear. Here, we show that maternal control of Nodal signaling via the conserved Y box-binding protein 1 (Ybx1) is essential. We identified Ybx1 via a proteomic screen. Ybx1 recognizes the 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of sqt RNA and prevents premature translation and Sqt/Nodal signaling. Maternal-effect mutations in zebrafish ybx1 lead to deregulated Nodal signaling, gastrulation failure, and embryonic lethality. Implanted Nodal-coated beads phenocopy ybx1 mutant defects. Thus, Ybx1 prevents ectopic Nodal activity, revealing a new paradigm in the regulation of Nodal signaling, which is likely to be conserved.