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Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear is the most common knee ligament, which gets torn in sports activities. Nowadays, arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using autograft or allograft has become the standard mode of treatment with a good functional outcome. Objective: The objective of the study was to study the functional outcome of arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using quadrupled hamstring autograft. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted between 2019 and 2021 in the Department of Orthopedics at SGT Medical College and Hospital on 25 patients, who underwent arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using hamstring autograft. The functional outcome in these patients was assessed using IKDC and Lysholm knee scores, measuring preoperatively and postoperatively at 3-, 6-, and 12-month duration. Results: We found 88% of patients had a good-to-excellent functional outcome, and the rest had fair outcome. Conclusion: Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using quadrupled hamstring autograft gives overall good functional outcomes.

Abstract Background Management of PE has become streamlined with the implementation of PE Response Teams (PERT). Race, ethnicity and insurance status are known to influence the outcomes of patients with acute PE. However, whether the implementation of PERT-based care mitigates these racial and ethnic disparities remains unknown. Our aim was to assess the association of race, ethnicity and insurance with outcomes for patients with acute PE managed by PERT. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of 290 patients with acute PE, who were admitted to one of three urban teaching hospitals in the Mount Sinai Health System (New York, NY) from January 2021 to October 2023. A propensity score-weighted analysis was performed to explore the association of race, ethnicity and insurance status with overall outcomes. Results Median age of included patients was 65.5 years and 149 (51.4%) were female. White, Black and Asian patients constituted 56.2% (163), 39.6% (115) and 3.5% [10] of the cohort respectively. Patients of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity accounted for 8.3% [24] of the sample. The 30-day rates of mortality, major bleeding and 30-day re-admission were 10.3%, 2.1% and 12.8% respectively. Black patients had higher odds of major bleeding (odds ratio [OR]: 1.445; p

Prisma Hand II is an under-actuated prosthetic hand developed at the University of Naples, Federico II to study in-hand manipulations during grasping activities. 3 motors equipped on the robotic hand drive 19 joints using elastic tendons. The operations of the hand are achieved by combining tactile hand sensing with under-actuation capabilities. The hand has the potential to be employed in both industrial and prosthetic applications due to its dexterous motion capabilities. However, currently there are no commercially available tactile sensors with compatible dimensions suitable for the prosthetic hand. Hence, in this work, we develop a novel tactile sensor designed based on an opto-electronic technology for the Prisma Hand II. The optimised dimensions of the proposed sensor made it possible to be integrated with the fingertips of the prosthetic hand. The output voltage obtained from the novel tactile sensor is used to determine optimum grasping forces and torques during in-hand manipulation tasks employing Neural Networks (NNs). The grasping force values obtained using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) are compared based on Mean Square Error (MSE) values to find out a better training network for the tasks. The tactile sensing capabilities of the proposed novel sensing method are presented and compared in simulation studies and experimental validations using various hand manipulation tasks. The developed tactile sensor is found to be showcasing a better performance compared to previous version of the sensor used in the hand.

Abstract Atoms and their different arrangements into molecules are nature’s building blocks. In a regime of strong coupling, matter hybridizes with light to modify physical and chemical properties, hence creating new building blocks that can be used for avant-garde technologies. However, this regime relies on the strong confinement of the optical field, which is technically challenging to achieve, especially at terahertz frequencies in the far-infrared region. Here we demonstrate several schemes of electromagnetic field confinement aimed at facilitating the collective coupling of a localized terahertz photonic mode to molecular vibrations. We observe an enhanced vacuum Rabi splitting of 200 GHz from a hybrid cavity architecture consisting of a plasmonic metasurface, coupled to glucose, and interfaced with a planar mirror. This enhanced light-matter interaction is found to emerge from the modified intracavity field of the cavity, leading to an enhanced zero-point electric field amplitude. Our study provides key insight into the design of polaritonic platforms with organic molecules to harvest the unique properties of hybrid light-matter states.

Abstract The use of genetic engineering to generate point mutations in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is essential for studying a specific genetic effect in an isogenic background. We demonstrate that a combination of p53 inhibition and pro-survival small molecules achieves a homologous recombination rate higher than 90% using Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) in human iPSCs. Our protocol reduces the effort and time required to create isogenic lines.

A fully integrated millimeter-wave power amplifier has been designed and fabricated using a 0.13 μm SiGe BiCMOS process technology. The design is based on extracting device parasitics and utilizing them in a matching network based on a bandpass topology. This design technique assisted in attaining a wideband performance without using any on-chip inductors or transformers. The amplifier operates over the Ka & V-band ranging from 36 GHz to 53 GHz with a peak saturated power of 17.7 dBm, peak power added efficiency (PAE) of 20.5% and a gain of 19.7 dB at 46 GHz. The performance is also validated with wideband 5G signals of 50 MHz and 100 MHz channel bandwidth using 64-QAM in n262 5G NR FR2 bands (47.2 GHz–48.2 GHz). The digital predistortion is used to linearize the PA in order to qualify the required spectral mask with an error vector magnitude of 2.2%. The proposed design is compact and occupies a chip area of 1.11 mm2, including the pads.

Financial Technology (FinTech) has sparked widespread interest and is fast spreading. As a result of its continual growth, new terminology in this domain has been introduced. The name 'FinTech' is one such example. This term covers a wide range of practices that are repeatedly used in the financial technology industry. This processes were typically accomplished in careers or organizations to supply required services through the use of information technology-based applications. The word covers a wide range of delicate subjects, including security, privacy, threats, cyberattacks, and others. Several cutting-edge technologies, including those associated with a mobile embedded system, mobile networks, mobile cloud computing, big data, data analytics techniques, and cloud computing, among others, must be mutually integrated for FinTech to thrive. To be approved by its users, this new technology must overcome serious security and privacy flaws. This research gives a thorough analysis of FinTech by discussing the present as well as expected confidentiality and safety problems facing the financial sector to protect FinTech. Finally, it examines potential obstacles to ensuring financial technology application security and privacy.

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.), ragi or mandua, is one of essential minor millets extensively grown in the Indian and African subcontinents. It is a staple food in India, particularly for people belonging to low-socioeconomic groups. Finger millet is highly valued for its content of macro- and micronutrients. It is rich in carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Its micronutrients include calcium (0.38%), dietary fiber (18%), and phenolic compounds (0.3–3%), such as catechin, epicatechin, as well as ferulic, salicylic, protocatechuic, cinnamic, and hydroxybenzoic acids, etc. Finger millet is also recognized as a source of vital amino acids, including isoleucine, leucine, methionine, and phenylalanine, which are otherwise deficient in starchy meals. In addition, finger millet is well appreciated for its pharmacological properties such as anti-diabetic, anti-tumorigenic, anti-atherosclerogenic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects. To improve its nutritional and sensory properties, this grain can be processed by various traditional and advanced methods (soaking, malting, cooking, fermentation, popping, and radiation). These processing techniques equally assist in the reduction of anti-nutritional factors (tannins, phytic acid, oxalic acid, protein inhibitors, glucans) and their inhibitory effects. In this review, we highlighted the nutritional composition, health attributes, and uses of finger millet for the development of functional food products. Researchers and producers can further explore the opportunities and scope for utilizing finger millet and develop more products in the same line to solve the current issues of food and nutrition security.

Introduction: The tibia, the second largest bone in the human body, is largely enveloped by subcutaneous fat and skin, rendering it vulnerable to fractures and soft tissue injuries. This unique anatomical configuration contributes to a heightened susceptibility to open fractures. Notably, an aggressive treatment protocol involving radical debridement, internal fixation, and immediate or early soft tissue coverage with muscle flaps has demonstrated improved rates of bony union and reduced incidences of infection. Aim: To assess the clinical outcomes of early bony fixation and soft tissue coverage in Type IIIB open proximal tibia fractures. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Department of Orthopaedics, BRD Medical College, in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. Total of 30 cases were enrolled between August 2021 and November 2022. The parameters assessed in the study encompassed patient demographics, including age and gender distribution, the aetiology of fractures, soft tissue coverage outcomes, time to bone union, knee joint movement postsurgery, and the incidence of complications such as superficial infections and chronic osteomyelitis. The analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0, primarily employing descriptive statistics to present the results, with percentages and frequencies serving as the primary modes of representation. Results: All cases of Gustilo-Anderson Type IIIB high-grade open tibial fractures were included in this study, with the majority of patients being males 26 (87%) aged between 20 to 40 years. Road traffic accidents accounted for 25 (83.3%), while falls from height were responsible in 5 (16.7%) cases. Assessment of soft tissue coverage revealed 73.33% with good healing, 20% with fair healing, and 6.67% with poor healing. The time to bone union varied, with 10% of cases showing non union. Postsurgery, most cases demonstrated knee joint movement of over 120° (86.67%) and a few cases with movement ranging between 90-120° (13.33%). The incidence of complications was relatively low, with 3 (10%) cases presenting superficial infections and 2 (6.7%) suffering from chronic osteomyelitis. Conclusion: Early bony fixation and soft tissue coverage utilising the medial gastrocnemius flap, along with Split-Thickness Skin Grafting (STSG), demonstrate efficacy in treating high-grade open proximal tibia fractures (Gustilo-Anderson Type IIIB). This approach facilitates expedited bony union and contributes to a reduction in postoperative complications.

The unluckiest star orbits a supermassive black hole elliptically. Every time it reaches the pericenter, it shallowly enters the tidal radius and gets partially tidally disrupted, producing a series of flares. Confirmation of a repeated partial tidal disruption event (pTDE) requires not only evidence to rule out other types of transients but also proof that only one star is involved, as TDEs from multiple stars can also produce similar flares. In this Letter, we report the discovery of a repeated pTDE, AT 2022dbl. In a quiescent galaxy at z = 0.0284, two separate optical/UV flares have been observed in 2022 and 2024 with no bright X-ray, radio, or mid-infrared counterparts. Compared to the first flare, the second flare has a similar blackbody temperature of ∼26,000 K, slightly lower peak luminosity, and slower rise and fall phases. Compared to the Zwicky Transient Facility TDEs, their blackbody parameters and light-curve shapes are all similar. The spectra taken during the second flare show a steeper continuum than the late-time spectra of the previous flare, consistent with a newly risen flare. More importantly, the possibility of two independent TDEs can be largely ruled out because the optical spectra taken around the peak of the two flares exhibit highly similar broad Balmer, N iii, and possible He ii emission lines, especially the extreme ∼4100 Å emission lines. This represents the first robust spectroscopic evidence for a repeated pTDE, which can soon be verified by observing the third flare, given its short orbital period.

This method article describes the fabrication of graphene-epoxy nanocomposites using two different solvents, dimethylformamide (DMF) and acetone, and validates the resulting thermal conductivity improvements. The study compared the two solvents at a filler composition of 7 wt% and found that DMF resulted in more uniform dispersion of graphene nanoparticles in the epoxy matrix, leading to a 44% improvement in thermal conductivity compared to acetone. Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) imaging showed that DMF-based composites had more evenly dispersed graphene nanoplatelets than acetone-based composites, which exhibited larger graphene agglomerations. Effective medium theory calculations showed that DMF led to almost 35% lower interface thermal resistance between graphene and epoxy compared to acetone. The validated fabrication method and findings provide new possibilities for developing high thermal conductivity graphene-epoxy nanocomposites for various thermal management applications. • This article describes methods for fabricating graphene-epoxy composites using acetone and DMF as solvents, and validates that DMF is better for achieving higher thermal conductivity in the composite.

Aims: The intraoral microbiota has a high potential to undergo dysbiosis, causing inflammatory changes with respect to the tissues surrounding either a natural tooth or an implant. Thus, the longevity of implant prosthesis depends on a thorough implant decontamination protocol. Among all the techniques available for doing so, laser is garnering increasing popularity, owing to minimal bleeding, high efficiency, and faster healing. However, limited literature exists regarding the superiority of lasers over chlorhexidine (CHX), the indisputable gold standard antibacterial chemical agent. The aim of this study was to compare the percentage of bacterial reduction of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans from implant healing abutments post red diode laser therapy versus 0.2% CHX treatment. Settings and Design: The current study had an ex vivo, observational, case–control design. Materials and Methods: Patients reporting for the second stage of the implant surgery were taken as the source of data and the healing abutments, the clinical samples. Eleven patients were chosen with one intraoral implant serving as the test site for laser treatment and another, the control site for CHX treatment. Microbiological analysis was performed via quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction to compare the bacterial reduction percentage after each treatment. Statistical Analysis Used: Repeated measures ANOVA and independent sample t test were used. Results: The mean bacterial viability of the test group (laser) was 1.2%–1.6%, and 0.6%–1.4% for the control group (CHX). The former caused a mean bacterial reduction of 96.1% while the latter, 96.3%. Both the treatments caused a highly statistically significant reduction of viable bacterial counts (P = 0.001). However, when compared, there was no statistically significant difference in the bacterial reduction, when compared in between the two (P = 0.902). Conclusion: Laser treatment is at par with chemical implant surface decontamination. It can help bypass the complications of CHX and revolutionize the protocols for implant surface decontamination.

Soil salinity is an important abiotic constraint that affects soil quality and crop productivity and has a direct impact on crop yields. Ensuring the sustainable use of saline soils while maintaining environmental integrity is of utmost importance. To achieve this, it is essential to explore and implement methods that can enhance productivity without causing harm to the ecosystem. In the current study, the effect of biochar, Simultaneous inoculation of biomes (Trichoderma harzanium and Pseudomonas fluorescence) and gypsum on soil properties and growth parameters of chickpea was investigated. Of all treatments, the combination of 75 percent GR + biochar@20t/ha and biome @2kg/ha had the greatest effect on lowering pH (9.32 to 7.61), EC (3.65 to 1.6 dSm-1) and SAR (24.22 to 5.9 Cmolc (+) kg-1). As a result, there was a notable improvement in the length of chickpea shoots and roots as well as the overall production of dry matter.

We present a detailed investigation of photometric, spectroscopic, and polarimetric observations of the Type II SN 2023ixf. Earlier studies have provided compelling evidence for a delayed shock breakout from a confined dense circumstellar matter (CSM) enveloping the progenitor star. The temporal evolution of polarization in the SN 2023ixf phase revealed three distinct peaks in polarization evolution at 1.4 days, 6.4 days, and 79.2 days, indicating an asymmetric dense CSM, an aspherical shock front and clumpiness in the low-density extended CSM, and an aspherical inner ejecta/He-core. SN 2023ixf displayed two dominant axes, one along the CSM-outer ejecta and the other along the inner ejecta/He-core, showcasing the independent origin of asymmetry in the early and late evolution. The argument for an aspherical shock front is further strengthened by the presence of a high-velocity broad absorption feature in the blue wing of the Balmer features in addition to the P-Cygni absorption post-16 days. Hydrodynamical light-curve modeling indicated a progenitor mass of 10 M _⊙ with a radius of 470 R _⊙ and explosion energy of 2 × 10 ^51 erg, along with 0.06 M _⊙ of ^56 Ni, though these properties are not unique due to modeling degeneracies. The modeling also indicated a two-zone CSM: a confined dense CSM extending up to 5 × 10 ^14 cm with a mass-loss rate of 10 ^−2 M _⊙ yr ^−1 and an extended CSM spanning from 5 × 10 ^14 to at least 10 ^16 cm with a mass-loss rate of 10 ^−4 M _⊙ yr ^−1 , both assuming a wind-velocity of 10 km s ^−1 . The early-nebular phase observations display an axisymmetric line profile of [O i ], redward attenuation of the emission of H α post 125 days, and flattening in the Ks -band, marking the onset of dust formation.

We present detailed multiband photometric and spectroscopic observations and analysis of a rare core-collapse supernova, SN 2021wvw, that includes photometric evolution up to 250 days and spectroscopic coverage up to 100 days postexplosion. A unique event that does not fit well within the general trends observed for Type IIP supernovae, SN 2021wvw shows an intermediate luminosity with a short plateau phase of just about 75 days, followed by a very sharp (∼10 days) transition to the tail phase. Even in the velocity space, it lies at a lower velocity compared to a larger Type II sample. The observed peak absolute magnitude is −16.1 mag in r -band, and the nickel mass is well constrained to 0.020 ± 0.006 M _⊙ . Detailed hydrodynamical modeling using MESA+STELLA suggests a radially compact, low-metallicity, high-mass red supergiant progenitor ( M _ZAMS = 18 M _⊙ ), which exploded with ∼0.2 × 10 ^51 erg s ^−1 leaving an ejecta mass of M _ej ≈ 5 M _⊙ . Significant late-time fallback during the shock propagation phase is also seen in progenitor+explosion models consistent with the light-curve properties. As the faintest short-plateau supernova characterized to date, this event adds to the growing diversity of transitional events between the canonical ∼100 days plateau Type IIP and stripped-envelope events.

The growing sophistication of malware has resulted in diverse challenges, especially among security researchers who are expected to develop mechanisms to thwart these malicious attacks. While security researchers have turned to machine learning to combat this surge in malware attacks and enhance detection and prevention methods, they often encounter limitations when it comes to sourcing malware binaries. This limitation places the burden on malware researchers to create context-specific datasets and detection mechanisms, a time-consuming and intricate process that involves a series of experiments. The lack of accessible analysis reports and a centralized platform for sharing and verifying findings has resulted in many research outputs that can neither be replicated nor validated. To address this critical gap, a malware analysis data curation platform was developed. This platform offers malware researchers a highly customizable feature generation process drawing from analysis data reports, particularly those generated in sandbox-based environments such as Cuckoo Sandbox. To evaluate the effectiveness of the platform, a replication of existing studies was conducted in the form of case studies. These studies revealed that the developed platform offers an effective approach that can aid malware detection research. Moreover, a real-world scenario involving over 3000 ransomware and benign samples for ransomware detection based on PE entropy was explored. This yielded an impressive accuracy score of 98.8% and an AUC of 0.97 when employing the decision tree algorithm, with a low latency of 1.51 ms. These results emphasize the necessity of the proposed platform while demonstrating its capacity to construct a comprehensive detection mechanism. By fostering community-driven interactive databanks, this platform enables the creation of datasets as well as the sharing of reports, both of which can substantially reduce experimentation time and enhance research repeatability.

Securing digital evidence is a key factor that contributes to evidence admissibility during digital forensic investigations, particularly in establishing the chain of custody of digital evidence. However, not enough is done to ensure that the environment and access to the evidence are secure. Attackers can go to extreme lengths to cover up their tracks, which is a serious concern to digital forensics – particularly digital forensic readiness. If an attacker gains access to the location where evidence is stored, they could easily alter the evidence (if not remove it altogether). Even though integrity checks can be performed to ensure that the evidence is sound, the collected evidence may contain sensitive information that an attacker can easily use for other forms of attack. To this end, this paper proposes a model for securely storing digital evidence captured pre- and post-incident to achieve reactive forensics. Various components were considered, such as integrity checks, environment sandboxing, strong encryption, two-factor authentication, as well as unique random file naming. A proof-of-concept tool was developed to realize this model and to prove its validity. A series of tests were conducted to check for system security, performance, and requirements validation, Overall, the results obtained showed that, with minimal effort, securing forensic artefacts is a relatively inexpensive and reliable feat. This paper aims to standardize evidence storage, practice high security standards, as well as remove the need to create new systems that achieve the same purpose.

Purpose: To analyze the impact of a revised care plan for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in a tertiary eye care facility in eastern India. Methods: In a retrospective study, we analyzed the medical records of babies managed for ROP during the peak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with particular reference to the challenges, and the revised strategies addressing travel restrictions for five months, from April to August 2020. The strategy included selective referral (babies with higher treatment probability), longer follow-up intervals (babies with non-alarming findings), use of locally available workforce, and teleconsultation whenever feasible. Results: In the given period, 222 babies were examined versus 624 in the preceding year (P = 0.001). The average gestational age, birth weight, and postmenstrual age at presentation were 30.4 weeks, 1.31 kg, and 37.7 weeks, respectively. The first examination was on time in 40.1% of babies but was delayed by a median of 23 days in the remaining babies. In the cohort, 56.7% of babies had any ROP, and 27.9% required treatment (versus 8.8% in the previous year; P < 0.001). The intravitreal anti–vascular growth factor (anti-VEGF) injection was more often used than in the previous year (n = 72 vs 36; P < 0.0001). The treatment outcome was comparable before and after the SARS-CoV-2 lockdown period. There was no report of health issues among the care providers attributable to ROP care. Conclusion: The revised strategy resulted in a smaller pool of babies screened but a larger proportion of babies treated for ROP. This strategy could be used more profitably in future ROP care.

We present early-phase panchromatic photometric and spectroscopic coverage spanning the far-ultraviolet to near-infrared regime of the nearest hydrogen-rich core-collapse supernova (SN) in the last 25 yr, SN 2023ixf. We observe early “flash” features in the optical spectra due to confined dense circumstellar material (CSM). We observe high-ionization absorption lines (Fe ii , Mg ii ) in the ultraviolet spectra from very early on. We also observe a multipeaked emission profile of H α in the spectrum beginning at ∼16 days, which indicates ongoing interaction of the SN ejecta with a preexisting shell-shaped CSM having an inner radius of ∼75 au and an outer radius of ∼140 au. The shell-shaped CSM is likely a result of enhanced mass loss ∼35–65 yr before the explosion assuming a standard red supergiant wind. The UV spectra are dominated by multiple highly ionized narrow absorption and broad emission features from elements such as C, N, O, Si, Fe, and Ni. Based on early light-curve models of Type II SNe, we infer that the nearby dense CSM confined to 7 ± 3 × 10 ^14 cm (∼45 au) is a result of enhanced mass loss (10 ^−3.0±0.5 M _⊙ yr ^−1 ) two decades before the explosion.

Abstract Background The COVID pandemic posed a challenge for the tertiary centers to continue treatment. Some tertiary centers were designated as COVID‐only hospitals, making it difficult for existing childhood cancer patients to continue their treatment at those centres. The need for shared care in childhood cancer was perceived by Cankids and its partnering childhood cancer‐treating centers in North and East India. Aim We aim to show how Cankids upscaled its shared care model to ensure that COVID designated hospitals connected with other hospitals who have to continue to provide care to childhood cancer patients in the pandemic and thus ensured the continuation of treatment for these patients. Methods and result The need assessment of the beneficiaries was done in discussion with the hospital of origin and destination hospital. The need for shared care was also discussed with the families and consent was taken before shifting their children. Cankids with the help of advisors identified cases of high risk that need immediate attention, proactive regular monitoring, and help in care planning with the perspective and recommendation of the multiple providers. The shared care unit came forward with reasonable and discounted packages for treatment. There was a total of five hospitals requiring shared care, and 55 children were supported from April to November 2020. The median age was 8 years and their hospital of origin are in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Delhi. The expenditure on the treatment of the 55 patients was INR 61 61 636 ($ 84 843), with a median of INR 41765 (IQR 19491–174 129) on each patient. Total 291 trips for the transport were arranged and all the patients combined stayed 174 days at Cankids accommodation facility. Conclusion The shared care helped the patients access standard treatment and reduce the financial burden.

Abstract Multidrug resistance is one of the worldwide public health concerns. Water represents the most suitable environment, for the exchange of antibiotic resistance genes among pathogenic to non-pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, we aimed to screen the presence of bla NDM-1, bla TEM, bla SHV, bla CTX-M and mcr1–5 genes among water samples from different locations of Lower Himachal Pradesh. We examined the genotypic incidences of bla NDM-1, bla TEM, bla SHV, bla CTXM and mcr1–5 by polymerase chain reaction. Survivability assay, fitness cost assay and biofilm assay were performed for phenotypic characterization. The presence of bla NDM-1 and its related variants were analysed and confirmed by sequencing-based approaches. A total of 73 bacterial strains were identified on M-lauryl sulphate agar medium. Out of 73 colistin-resistant isolates, 34 were E. coli and 39 were K. pneumoniae. Out of 34 samples, 2 (5.8%), 2 (5.8%), 5 (14.7%), 5 (14.7%) and 4 (11.76%) E. coli were bla TEM, bla SHV, bla CTXM-1, bla CTXM-2 and bla CTXM-15 positive, respectively. Among 39 K. pneumoniae, 15 (38.4%), 6 (15.3%), 10 (25.6%), 9 (23.07%) and 10 (25.6%) were bla TEM , bla SHV , bla CTXM-1 , bla CTXM-2 and bla CTXM-15 positive, respectively. Interestingly, we observed one E. coli (HG4) isolate with both bla NDM-1 and mcr-1 gene. Further analysis showed HG4 isolate has lesser survivability on the cotton swab, long lag phase and less biofilm production compared to colistin-sensitive isolates. Detection of E. coli with bla NDM-1 and mcr-1 in this geographical region is an alarming signal for tourists, community, health workers and policymakers. Hence, it is utmost important to take appropriate measures to control the dissemination of antibiotic resistance gene in such pristine locations.

Abstract In this study, an underutilized citrus family fruit named grapefruit was explored for the extraction of lycopene using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction technique. An experimental design was developed using response surface methodology to investigate the effect of supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) operating parameter viz., pressure, temperature, CO2 flow rate, and extraction time on the extraction yield of lycopene yield from grapefruit. A total of 30 sets of experiments were conducted with six central points. The statistical model indicated that extraction pressure and extraction time individually, and their interaction, significantly affected the lycopene yield. The central composite design showed that the polynomial regression models developed were in agreement with the experimental results, with R2 of 0.9885. The optimum conditions for extraction of lycopene from grapefruit were 305 bar pressure, 35 g/min CO2 flow rate, 135 min of extraction time, and 70 °C temperature.

Introduction: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is a stout, short intra-articular, extra synovial structure. For a knee with the deficiency of ACL, the ligament reconstruction using an autograft, either a free bone patellar tendon bone graft or a Semi Tendinosus and Gracilis (STG) tendon free hamstring graft, is the most common surgical treatment. Tibial fixation region of the graft is presumed to be a delicate point in arthroscopic ACL reconstruction. There, can be a chance of graft pull out from the tibial tunnel before actual healing of the graft– tunnel can occur. To avoid this problem, the technique of tibial attachment preserved hamstring graft can be used instead of free hamstring graft. Aim: To evaluate and compare the functional outcome of patients who underwent ACL reconstruction with either a free hamstring graft or by tibial attachment preserving hamstring graft. Materials and Methods: A prospective interventional study was conducted in the Department of Orthopaedics, Swami Rama Himalayan University Hospital, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India, over a period of one year (July 2019-July 2020). A total 52 patients were included and they were divided into two groups. Group A (tibial attachment preserving hamstring graft) and Group B (tibial attachment sacrificing hamstring graft) with each group comprised 26 patients. Patients were assessed with Lysholm score at 6, 12 and 24 weeks of follow-up. For determining the statistical difference between the two groups Independent Student’s t-test was used, whereas for more than two groups Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test was used and a p-value

Summary: With new emerging SARS-CoV-2 strains and their increased pathogenicity, diagnosis has become more challenging. Molecular diagnosis often involves the use of nasopharyngeal swabs and subsequent real-time PCR-based tests. Although this test is the gold standard, it has several limitations; therefore, more complementary assays are required. This protocol describes how to identify SARS-CoV-2 protein from patients' nasopharyngeal swab samples. We first introduce the approach of label-free quantitative proteomics. We then detail target verification by triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS)-based targeted proteomics.For complete details on the use and execution of this profile, please refer to Bankar et al. (2021).

Background: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in salivary gland lesions is challenging for the cytopathologists due to diverse morphological pattern and overlapping morphologic features which are responsible for the pitfalls. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the Milan system in the diagnosis of salivary gland lesions and to discuss and review the morphology and diagnostic challenges in individual Milan categories. Materials and Methods: The study was a retrospective diagnostic analytical study in the department of pathology at a tertiary care hospital attached to medical college over a duration of 2 years. All the salivary gland FNAC cases were reviewed and divided into six categories as per the proposed Milan system for reporting salivary gland cytopathology. Histopathology correlation was performed wherever possible. Results: A total of 131 cases formed the study group. The number of cases in each category were: nondiagnostic 4.5%, nonneoplastic 51.9%, atypical lesions 0.76%, neoplastic category benign neoplasm 21.37%, salivary lesion of uncertain malignant potential 1.52%, suspicious category 2.29%, and malignant category 17.5%. The risk of malignancy for each categories were 6.25% (nonneoplastic), 100% (atypical), 3.3% (neoplastic), 0% (benign), 25% (salivary neoplasm of uncertain neoplastic potential), 100% (suspicious for malignancy), and 100% (malignant) categories. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of FNAC with application of Milan system was 89.4%, 100%, 100%, and 95.74%, respectively. Conclusion: The high efficacy of FNAC obtained in the present study, when Milan system was applied, confirms the usefulness of this scheme in reporting salivary gland lesions.

Herein, a highly facile, rapid and one-pot approach has been applied for the synthesis of water soluble starch capped CdSe quantum dots (QDs) by using UV irradiation in the aqueous solution containing cadmium sulphate, sodium selenosulfate, acetone and 2-propanol. No external reducing agents were added to the solution, as the radicals generated in situ upon photoirradiation i.e., 2-hydroxy-2-propyl radicals, (CH3)2C·OH could reduce the precursor ions for the synthesis of these QDs. These QDs were characterised by various techniques such as UV–Vis absorption, XRD, Raman, FTIR, TEM and SEM measurements. The presence of strong quantum confinement effects could be realized from their very small size i.e., ∼3 nm as revealed by TEM studies. Besides, these QDs were found to exhibit photoluminescence (PL) in the longer wavelength region. The PL intensity as well as the charge carrier lifetime values could be conveniently tuned by simply varying the Cd to Se precursor ratio during the synthesis. Furthermore, a relatively novel approach has been adopted to extract these QDs from the colloidal solution by freezing it to 0 °C followed by de-freezing to room temperature. The extracted QDs were functionalized with thiourea in order to increase the PL quantum yield and the stability of the QDs. The effects of pH and temperature on the PL intensity of functionalized CdSe QDs were also investigated to explore their applicability in sensing of heavy metal ions. Interestingly, the QDs displayed highly selective PL quenching in the presence of Cu2+, Cr6+ and Hg2+ metal ions. The limits of detection for these metal ions have been determined and a probable PL quenching mechanism is postulated. Keywords: CdSe quantum dot, UV radiation, Starch, Surface functionalization, Sensor

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury induces multi-dimensional damage to neuronal cells through exacerbation of critical protective mechanisms.Targeting more than one mechanism simultaneously namely, inflammatory responses and metabolic energy homeostasis could provide additional benefits to restrict or manage cerebral injury. Being proven neuroprotective agents both, progesterone (PG) and trimetazidine (TMZ) has the potential to add on the individual therapeutic outcomes.We hypothesized the simultaneous administration of PG and TMZ could complement each other to synergize, or at least enhance neuroprotection in reperfusion injury. We investigated the combination of PG and TMZ on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) induced cerebral reperfusion injury in rats. Molecular docking on targets of energy homeostasis and apoptosis assessed the initial viability of PG and TMZ for neuroprotection. Animal experimentation with MCA induced ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats was performed on five randomized groups.Sham operated control group received vehicle (saline) while the other four I-R groups were pre-treated with vehicle (saline), PG (8 ​mg/kg), TMZ treated (25 ​mg/kg), and PG ​+ ​TMZ (8 and 25 ​mg/kg) for 7 days by intraperitoneal route. Neurological deficit, infarct volume, and oxidative stress were evaluated to assess the extent of injury in rats. Inflammatory reactivity and apoptotic activity were determined with alterations in myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, and DNA fragments. Reperfusion injury inflicted cerebral infarct, neurological deficit, and shattered BBB integrity.The combination treatment of PG and TMZ restricted cellular damage indicated by significant (p ​

We present optical, near-infrared, and radio observations of supernova (SN) SN IIb 2022crv. We show that it retained a very thin H envelope and transitioned from an SN IIb to an SN Ib; prominent H α seen in the pre-maximum phase diminishes toward the post-maximum phase, while He i lines show increasing strength. SYNAPPS modeling of the early spectra of SN 2022crv suggests that the absorption feature at 6200 Å is explained by a substantial contribution of H α together with Si ii , as is also supported by the velocity evolution of H α . The light-curve evolution is consistent with the canonical stripped-envelope SN subclass but among the slowest. The light curve lacks the initial cooling phase and shows a bright main peak (peak M _V = −17.82 ± 0.17 mag), mostly driven by radioactive decay of ^56 Ni. The light-curve analysis suggests a thin outer H envelope ( M _env ∼ 0.05 M _⊙ ) and a compact progenitor ( R _env ∼ 3 R _⊙ ). An interaction-powered synchrotron self-absorption model can reproduce the radio light curves with a mean shock velocity of 0.1 c . The mass-loss rate is estimated to be in the range of (1.9−2.8) × 10 ^−5 M _⊙ yr ^−1 for an assumed wind velocity of 1000 km s ^−1 , which is on the high end in comparison with other compact SNe IIb/Ib. SN 2022crv fills a previously unoccupied parameter space of a very compact progenitor, representing a beautiful continuity between the compact and extended progenitor scenario of SNe IIb/Ib.

We present an extensive, panchromatic photometric (UV, optical, and near-IR) and low-resolution optical spectroscopic coverage of a Type IIP supernova SN 2018gj that occurred on the outskirts of the host galaxy NGC 6217. From the V- band light curve, we estimate the plateau length to be ∼ 70 ± 2 days, placing it among the very few well-sampled short plateau supernovae (SNe). With V -band peak absolute magnitude M _V ≤ −17.0 ± 0.1 mag, it falls in the middle of the luminosity distribution of the Type II SNe. The color evolution is typical to other Type II SNe except for an early elbow-like feature in the evolution of V − R color owing to its early transition from the plateau to the nebular phase. Using the expanding photospheric method, we present an independent estimate of the distance to SN 2018gj. We report the spectral evolution to be typical of a Type II SNe. However, we see a persistent blueshift in emission lines until the late nebular phase, not ordinarily observed in Type II SNe. The amount of radioactive nickel ( ^56 Ni) yield in the explosion was estimated to be 0.026 ± 0.007 M _⊙ . We infer from semianalytical modeling, nebular spectrum, and 1D hydrodynamical modeling that the probable progenitor was a red supergiant with a zero-age-main-sequence mass ≤13 M _⊙ . In the simulated hydrodynamical model light curves, reproducing the early optical bolometric light curve required an additional radiation source, which could be the interaction with the proximal circumstellar matter.

Autophagy has long been associated with longevity, and it is well established that autophagy reverts and prevents vascular deterioration associated with aging and cardiovascular diseases. Currently, our understanding of how autophagy benefits the vasculature is centered on the premise that reduced autophagy leads to the accumulation of cellular debris, resulting in inflammation and oxidative stress, which are then reversed by reconstitution or upregulation of autophagic activity. Evolutionarily, autophagy also functions to mobilize endogenous nutrients in response to starvation. Therefore, we hypothesized that the biosynthesis of the most physiologically abundant ketone body, β-hydroxybutyrate (βHB), would be autophagy dependent and exert vasodilatory effects via its canonical receptor, Gpr109a. To the best of our knowledge, we have revealed for the first time that the biosynthesis of βHB can be impaired by preventing autophagy. Subsequently, βHB caused potent vasodilation via potassium channels but not Gpr109a. Finally, we observed that chronic consumption of a high-salt diet negatively regulates both βHB biosynthesis and hepatic autophagy and that reconstitution of βHB bioavailability prevents high-salt diet–induced endothelial dysfunction. In summary, this work offers an alternative mechanism to the antiinflammatory and antioxidative stress hypothesis of autophagy-dependent vasculoprotection. Furthermore, it reveals a direct mechanism by which ketogenic interventions (e.g., intermittent fasting) improve vascular health.

BackgroundIncreasing use of colistin has led to the world-wide emergence of mobile colistin resistant gene (mcr). The present study aimed to identify and characterise mcr and other drug-resistant genes in colistin resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates.MethodsTwenty-two colistin resistant K. pneumoniae were analysed for mcr and other drug-resistant genes, efflux pumps, and virulence genes, and for their biofilm forming ability. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) were performed for all mcr-1 positive isolates. S1-PFGE and Southern hybridisation were performed for localisation of mcr-1 and blaNDM.ResultsNineteen colistin resistant K. pneumoniae harboured mcr-1 and 3 had mgrB disruption. All isolates harboured blaOXA-48-type and ESBL genes; eight strains (five with mcr-1 and three with mgrB disruption) co-harboured blaNDM. Efflux pumps genes AcrAB and mdtK were detected in all 22 and tol-C in 21 isolates. Virulence-related genes entB and irp-1 were detected in all 22, mrkD in 20, and fimH-1 in 18 isolates; 11 isolates were strong biofilm producers. PFGE clustered mcr-1 positive isolates into eight groups based on ≥90% similarity; MLST revealed diverse sequence types, predominant being ST-15 (n = 4) and ST-16 (n = 4). Both mcr-1 and blaNDM were localised on plasmid and chromosome; mcr-1 was present on IncFII type and blaNDM on IncFIB and IncA/C type plasmids.ConclusionsColistin resistance in K. pneumoniae was predominantly mediated by mcr-1. Co-existence of colistin, carbapenem, and other drug-resistant genes along with efflux pumps indicates towards enormous genomic plasticity in K. pneumoniae with ability to emerge as super-spreader of drug-resistance.

The pestilential pathogen SARS-CoV-2 has led to a seemingly ceaseless pandemic of COVID-19. The healthcare sector is under a tremendous burden, thus necessitating the prognosis of COVID-19 severity. This in-depth study of plasma proteome alteration provides insights into the host physiological response towards the infection and also reveals the potential prognostic markers of the disease. Using label-free quantitative proteomics, we performed deep plasma proteome analysis in a cohort of 71 patients (20 COVID-19 negative, 18 COVID-19 non-severe, and 33 severe) to understand the disease dynamics. Of the 1200 proteins detected in the patient plasma, 38 proteins were identified to be differentially expressed between non-severe and severe groups. The altered plasma proteome revealed significant dysregulation in the pathways related to peptidase activity, regulated exocytosis, blood coagulation, complement activation, leukocyte activation involved in immune response, and response to glucocorticoid biological processes in severe cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, we employed supervised machine learning (ML) approaches using a linear support vector machine model to identify the classifiers of patients with non-severe and severe COVID-19. The model used a selected panel of 20 proteins and classified the samples based on the severity with a classification accuracy of 0.84. Putative biomarkers such as angiotensinogen and SERPING1 and ML-derived classifiers including the apolipoprotein B, SERPINA3, and fibrinogen gamma chain were validated by targeted mass spectrometry-based multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) assays. We also employed an in silico screening approach against the identified target proteins for the therapeutic management of COVID-19. We shortlisted two FDA-approved drugs, namely, selinexor and ponatinib, which showed the potential of being repurposed for COVID-19 therapeutics. Overall, this is the first most comprehensive plasma proteome investigation of COVID-19 patients from the Indian population, and provides a set of potential biomarkers for the disease severity progression and targets for therapeutic interventions.

Summary: The altered molecular proteins and pathways in response to COVID-19 infection are still unclear. Here, we performed a comprehensive proteomics-based investigation of nasopharyngeal swab samples from patients with COVID-19 to study the host response by employing simple extraction strategies. Few of the host proteins such as interleukin-6, L-lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, Ferritin, and aspartate aminotransferase were found to be upregulated only in COVID-19-positive patients using targeted multiple reaction monitoring studies. The most important pathways identified by enrichment analysis were neutrophil degranulation, interleukin-12 signaling pathways, and mRNA translation of proteins thus providing the detailed investigation of host response in COVID-19 infection. Thus, we conclude that mass spectrometry-detected host proteins have a potential for disease severity progression; however, suitable validation strategies should be deployed for the clinical translation. Furthermore, the in silico docking of potential drugs with host proteins involved in the interleukin-12 signaling pathway might aid in COVID-19 therapeutic interventions.

A quick, simple, and reliable isocratic ultra-performance supercritical fluid chromatography-photodiode array detector (UPSFC-DAD) method was developed and validated to determine lycopene in different horticultural products. The effects of stationary phase, co-solvent, pressure, temperature, flow rate, and mobile phase additive on the separation of lycopene were evaluated. The developed method involved BEH-2EP—2.1 × 150 mm, 5 µm as the stationary phase, and CO2/MeOH 85:15 (v/v) with formic acid as the additive at 0.10% as the mobile phase. The column temperature was maintained at 45 °C, ABPR at 1800 psi, and the mobile phase’s flow rate was maintained at 1 mL/min. Under the optimized conditions, lycopene was successfully separated within 0.722 ± 0.001 min. The standard curve assayed over a range of 10 to 100 µg/mL resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.998. The mean recoveries between 97.38% and 102.67% at different spiking levels with RSD < 2.5% were achieved. The intra and inter-day precision expressed as relative standard deviations (RSD) were found to range from 1.27% to 3.28% and from 1.57% to 4.18%, respectively. Robustness in terms of retention time (tR) and RSD were found to be 0.93 ± 0.23 min and less

We investigated 16S rRNA methyltransferases in 38 blaNDM-1–positive Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates and found RmtC in 3 isolates, 1 of which also harbored RmtF. The isolates were clonally unrelated; rmtC and rmtF genes were located on a chromosome with the blaNDM-1 gene. Strategies are needed to limit the spread of such isolates.

Summary: Increased vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) levels in Staphylococcus aureus and their association with vancomycin treatment failure are well-known problems. Few studies have recognized progressive increases in glycopeptide MIC levels for S. aureus strains in recent years. This study determined glycopeptide and daptomycin susceptibility among methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains. A total of 776 clinical isolates of MRSA recovered from 2009 to 2012 were studied for glycopeptide and daptomycin susceptibility using the E-test method. The vancomycin MIC geometric mean (GM) of the MRSA isolates was 0.923, 0.944, 1.134 and 1.294 mg/L in the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively, and the trend significantly increased over the years (P 0.232). A significant increase in the MIC for glycopeptides was observed among the clinical MRSA isolates at our center over a 4-year period. However, the daptomycin MIC did not increase in the observed MRSA isolates. Keywords: MIC creep, Staphylococcus aureus, Daptomycin, Vancomycin, Teicoplanin

Peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase (Pth) catalyses the release of tRNA and peptide components from peptidyl-tRNA molecules. Pth from a Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes (SpPth) was cloned, expressed, purified and crystallised. Three-dimensional structure of SpPth was determined by X-ray crystallography at 2.19 Å resolution. Structure determination showed that the asymmetric unit of the unit cell contained two crystallographically independent molecules, designated A and B. The superimposition of Cα traces of molecules A and B showed an r.m.s. shift of 0.4 Å, indicating that the structures of two crystallographically independent molecules were identical. The polypeptide chain of SpPth adopted an overall α/β conformation. The substrate-binding cleft in SpPth is formed with three loops: the gate loop, Ile91–Leu102; the base loop, Gly108–Gly115; and the lid loop, Gly136–Gly150. Unlike in the structures of Pth from Gram-negative bacteria, the entry to the cleft in the structure of SpPth appeared to be virtually closed. However, the conformations of the active site residues were found to be similar.

Aim : The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of hyaluronan (HA) and chlorhexidine (CHX) gels as adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. Materials and Methods: Sixty patients within the age group of 30-65 years recruited to participate in the study were randomly equally divided into three groups. Complete SRP and subgingival debridement were performed within 6 h in all the patients. For control (Group I) patients, SRP was the only treatment modality given; for Group II and III patients, at least 8 teeth with 4-8 mm probing pocket depth (PPD) were selected for subgingival application of HA gel and CHX gel, respectively. Clinical periodontal parameters such as gingival index, PPD, and clinical attachment level (CAL) were recorded at baseline and 3 months, whereas plaque index was recorded at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months. For measuring systemic/hematological parameters, blood samples for laboratory tests for total leucocyte count (TLC), differential leucocyte count (DLC), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were obtained using standard 2-mL syringe from each subject in all the three groups at baseline, 24 h, and on the 1 month and 3 months post-baseline. Results: In all the three groups, a significant reduction in PPD and gain in CAL were observed between baseline and 3 months follow-up ( P < 0.05); however, at 3 months, change in PPD and CAL was more in Group II than Group III, but the difference was non-significant, and Group I (control) showed less changes in PPD and CAL than both experimental groups. Only one patient revealed positive value for CRP at baseline only, and hence could not be statistically analyzed. In all the three groups, the peak values for TLC count were observed at 24 h. At 1-month and 3-month intervals, a significant improvement in TLC and DLC counts was observed among the experimental (HA gel/SRP and Xan-CHX gel) groups as compared to control group (SRP alone).

Microencapsulation of rice bran oil was done using spray drying technique for different oil concentrations (20, 25 and 30%), drying inlet air temperatures (140, 150 and 160 ºC) and a combination of wall material (tapioca starch and soya protein isolate) at different ratios (1:1, 3:1 and 5:1). The total solid content in the mixture used for spray drying was kept constant at 30%. A three-factor, three-level Box-Behnken design was employed for conducting the experiments in order to maximize encapsulation efficiency and gamma oryzanol content, and minimize peroxide value of the encapsulated powder. A polynomial regression model was fitted and the optimum conditions obtained were, 20% oil concentration, 2.6:1 starch-protein ratio (wall material) and 140ºC drying inlet air temperature. At optimum conditions, encapsulation efficiency was found to be 76.97%, total gamma oryzanol content was 12240 ppm and peroxide value was 1.49 meq/kg oil.

Helicobacter pylori and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections are common worldwide. Although H. pylori infection is a major factor in gastroduodenal diseases, its role in association with EBV infection is unknown. Objective: To study the association of H. pylori infection and EBV DNA load in patients with gastroduodenal diseases. Methods: Biopsy samples were collected from 200 adult patients [non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) 100, peptic ulcer disease (PUD) 50, gastric carcinoma (GC) 50] undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. H. pylori infection was diagnosed by rapid urease test, culture, histopathology, PCR and Q-PCR. EBV DNA was detected by non-polymorphic Epstein- Barr nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1) gene based Q-PCR. Results: In patients with GC and PUD, EBV DNA was detected more often than NUD (GC versus NUD = 90% versus 37%, p < 0.001; PUD versus NUD = 70% versus 37%, p < 0.001). The dual prevalence of H. pylori infection and EBV DNA was significantly higher in patients with GC and PUD than in those with NUD. Median copy number of EBV DNA was considerably higher in GC and PUD than NUD (p < 0.01). The copy number of EBV DNA was significantly higher in H. pylori infected patients (p = 0.015). The number of ureA gene copies was also found to be significantly higher in PUD and NUD with presence of EBV DNA. However, in GC no significant difference was seen between EBV positive and negative status. Conclusion: There was a trend for higher EBV DNA load in H. pylori positive individuals suggesting a probable role of H. pylori in modulating the conversion of EBV to its lytic phase. Keywords: Epstein-Barr virus infections, stomach neoplasms, Helicobacter pylori

Pathogenesis related (PR) proteins are one of the major sources of plant derived allergens. These proteins are induced by the plants as a defense response system in stress conditions like microbial and insect infections, wounding, exposure to harsh chemicals, and atmospheric conditions. However, some plant tissues that are more exposed to environmental conditions like UV irradiation and insect or fungal attacks express these proteins constitutively. These proteins are mostly resistant to proteases and most of them show considerable stability at low pH. Many of these plant pathogenesis related proteins are found to act as food allergens, latex allergens, and pollen allergens. Proteins having similar amino acid sequences among the members of PR proteins may be responsible for cross-reactivity among allergens from diverse plants. This review analyzes the different pathogenesis related protein families that have been reported as allergens. Proteins of these families have been characterized in regard to their biological functions, amino acid sequence, and cross-reactivity. The three-dimensional structures of some of these allergens have also been evaluated to elucidate the antigenic determinants of these molecules and to explain the cross-reactivity among the various allergens.

The incidences of infections caused by an aerobic Gram-negative bacterium, Acinetobacter baumannii are very common in hospital environments. It usually causes soft tissue infections including urinary tract infections and pneumonia. It is difficult to treat due to acquired resistance to available antibiotics is well known. In order to design specific inhibitors against one of the important enzymes, peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase from Acinetobacter baumannii, we have determined its three-dimensional structure. Peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase (AbPth) is involved in recycling of peptidyl-tRNAs which are produced in the cell as a result of premature termination of translation process. We have also determined the structures of two complexes of AbPth with cytidine and uridine. AbPth was cloned, expressed and crystallized in unbound and in two bound states with cytidine and uridine. The binding studies carried out using fluorescence spectroscopic and surface plasmon resonance techniques revealed that both cytidine and uridine bound to AbPth at nanomolar concentrations. The structure determinations of the complexes revealed that both ligands were located in the active site cleft of AbPth. The introduction of ligands to AbPth caused a significant widening of the entrance gate to the active site region and in the process of binding, it expelled several water molecules from the active site. As a result of interactions with protein atoms, the ligands caused conformational changes in several residues to attain the induced tight fittings. Such a binding capability of this protein makes it a versatile molecule for hydrolysis of peptidyl-tRNAs having variable peptide sequences. These are the first studies that revealed the mode of inhibitor binding in Peptidyl-tRNA hydrolases which will facilitate the structure based ligand design.

Introduction: Inherited bleeding disorders are characterized by the absence or reduced level of clotting factors, and the clinical manifestations vary according to the type and magnitude of the deficient factor. Aim: To study the clinical presentation of these rare inherited coagulation factor disorders in a tertiary care hospital and to compare the data from those reported in other populations. Methods: Sixty-seven patients, who presented to the Department of Hematology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, were evaluated retrospectively from 2005 to 2011. The tests performed included platelet count, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), thrombin time (TT), factors assay and clot solubility test in 5 M urea. Factors VIII, IX and XI assays were aPTT based while factors II, V, VII and X assays were PT based. Results: Male to female ratio was 2:1. The median age of onset of the first episode of bleeding was at 6 months (range, from birth to 20 years) whereas the median age of presentation to our hospital was 9 years (range, 2 months to 54 years). The most common deficient factor was factor X (43.28%), followed by factor XIII deficiency (26.86%) and factor VII (10.4%). Conclusion: There is a wide gap between the initial manifestation of the bleeding disorder and first presentation to the tertiary care hospital for assessment and treatment. Factor X deficiency is the most common among these rare coagulation disorders in our population, whereas factor VII deficiency is more common in Iranian and North American population.