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Since time immemorial, molluscs have been a popular source of food in North East India. Given the historical importance of snail consumption in the region, the current investigation was carried out to assess the nutritional properties of mollusc meat/tissue and shell. Three species of freshwater snails (Cipangopaludina sp. Brotia costula, Filopaludina bengalensis) and the bivalve Lamellidens sp. were identified from five states of North East India. Proximate and elemental analyses of mollusc meat revealed high amounts of nutrients (more crude protein (range 26.75–22.83%) and low fat (3.82–2.70%)) and minerals (especially calcium). Additionally, high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids were observed (maximum 1.95% in B. costula). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber‐reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are widely used in the aerospace and automotive industries due to their high strength‐to‐weight ratio. However, the manufacturing process of FRP composites is intricate, requiring precise control over multiple parameters, which can be challenging. To ensure top‐notch product quality and bolster confidence in the durability of composite materials, it requires a uniform curing evaluation technique and a predictive strength model. This study presents a rapid nondestructive quality inspection technique for composites, involving three distinct studies that employ machine learning techniques in combination with the frequency‐dependent dielectric response of materials. The first study introduces a nondestructive method for swiftly inspecting the cure state (degree of cure) of composite samples. This technique combines broadband dielectric spectroscopy with supervised machine learning algorithms, particularly support vector machines. The second study employs advanced artificial neural networks like multi‐layer perceptron to predict the tensile strength, a measure of mechanical performance, of composite materials. The results demonstrate an accurate classification of the curing state with 96.7% accuracy and a prediction of tensile strength with 87.5% accuracy. The final study explores the application of machine learning in quality monitoring of prepreg (raw materials for FRP) aging at room temperature. Highlights: Integration of machine learning with frequency‐dependent dielectric measurement offers efficient method for inspecting and monitoring the curing state and mechanical performance of composite materials.Machine learning and frequency‐dependent dielectric response used to accurately assess the curing state of fiber‐reinforced polymer composites with 96.7% accuracy, which saves the time and effort and also reduces the need for destructive testing.Advanced artificial neural networks, specifically multi‐layer perceptron, employed to predict mechanical performance of composite materials with 87.5% accuracy, enhancing confidence in product reliability.Novel dielectric measurement technique integrated with machine learning algorithms enables prepreg age monitoring at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis and sarcopenia are major health issues which are going to have a significant impact in an aging global population. Osteoporosis, which reduces bone density and increases fracture risk, and sarcopenia, which causes muscle loss and strength loss, have a complicated risk profile with consequences that go beyond bone and muscle health. This chapter illuminates the complex link between osteoporosis and sarcopenia, including overlapping causes, clinical consequences, and new treatments. This chapter covers bone and muscle biology, age-related changes that cause osteoporosis and sarcopenia, and the importance of physical exercise and diet in their prevention and management. It also discusses clinical evaluation methods, risk assessment and diagnostic criteria for early diagnosis and intervention. Novel therapies and continuing research in the management of osteoporosis and sarcopenia are also discussed. Medications, exercise, and nutrition can promote bone and muscle health. This chapter aims to explore the recent concepts by elucidating the complex relationship between osteoporosis and sarcopenia and advocating for integrated care paradigms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial pathogens has emerged as a challenge in health care settings resulting in high rates of morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was to describe the trends and burden of AMR in a tertiary care hospital. A retrospective observational study was undertaken from October 2018 to March 2021 in a clinical microbiology laboratory where local priority pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance patterns were analyzed. Organism identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Out of 9948 isolates, Enterobacteriaceae (58%) were mostly isolated followed by Staphylococci (18.6%), Non-fermenting gram negative bacilli (NFGNB) (13.7%), and Enterococci (8.4%) respectively. Highest isolation was from inpatient department (61.3%); 31.5% from outpatient, and 7.2 % from intensive care units. Klebsiella pneumoniae (26.9%) was most isolated organism, mostly from respiratory samples; Escherichia coli was isolated mostly from urine (40.7%). Almost half of the Enterobacteriaceae isolates were extended spectrum beta-lactamase producers while >50% of Enterobacteriaceae and NFGNB isolates were resistant to one or more Carbapenems. Frequency of Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 44.7%, Vancomycin resistant Enterococci was 1.2%. A rising trend of resistance to cephalosporins and carbapenems along with fluoroquinolones was observed. Our study has witnessed a high prevalence of Gram negative pathogens with increasing resistance to commonly applied antimicrobials during the surveillance period which can act as a guiding tool in devising local antimicrobial priorities, antibiotic policy, and proper antimicrobial prescribing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase behaviour of 4‐[trans‐4‐(trans‐4‐propylcyclohexyl)cyclohexyl]benzonitrile, C22H31N, 1, has been examined. This compound has two different solid phases, denoted I and II, and exhibits thermotropic liquid‐crystalline behaviour, with a remarkable interval of stability of the mesophase between the lower melting solid phase (75 °C) and the isotropization temperature (247 °C). The crystal and molecular structures of solid phase I have been determined at 173 K. The cyclohexyl rings both adopt the chair conformation and are equatorially substituted. The packing of 1 in the crystalline state is driven by the antiparallel arrangement of cyano dipoles with the formation of close contacts involving the strong cyano acceptor and weak aromatic C—H or aliphatic C—H donors. The crystal packing is discussed and compared with X‐ray diffraction data in the liquid‐crystalline state. The combination of thermal analysis, optical polarizing microscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis suggests that the mesophase is a partially ordered smectic phase. The lamellar structure of the mesophase is retained in crystalline solid phase II obtained by cooling the liquid‐crystalline phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal objective of this study is to employ non-destructive broadband dielectric spectroscopy/impedance spectroscopy and machine learning techniques to estimate the moisture content in FRP composites under hygrothermal aging. Here, classification and regression machine learning models that can accurately predict the current moisture saturation state are developed using the frequency domain dielectric response of the composite, in conjunction with the time domain hygrothermal aging effect. First, to categorize the composites based on the present state of the absorbed moisture supervised classification learning models (i.e., quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), support vector machine (SVM), and artificial neural network-based multilayer perceptron (MLP) classifier) have been developed. Later, to accurately estimate the relative moisture absorption from the dielectric data, supervised regression models (i.e., multiple linear regression (MLR), decision tree regression (DTR), and multi-layer perceptron (MLP) regression) have been developed, which can effectively estimate the relative moisture absorption from the dielectric response of the material with an R¬2 value greater than 0.95. The physics behind the hygrothermal aging of the composites has then been interpreted by comparing the model attributes to see which characteristics most strongly influence the predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study compares the results of two different chemical treatments of plant fibers reinforcement in terms of mechanical performance and their environmental impact considering sustainability. Jute/Hemp/Flax and their hybrid bidirectional mats were treated separately with two different chemicals namely sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). The impact of the treatments on the mechanical performance of developed polymeric composites was found to be positive when compared to non‐treated fiber‐reinforced composites. Alkaline treatment showed better mechanical properties as compared to sodium bicarbonate treatment while using a low concentration solution, but the situation was reversed when a higher concentration solution was used. The present study also compares the pH value of the residue chemical solution after both the treatments which is a direct indicator of the acidic level present in the solution. Interestingly, the pH value of the residue chemical solution after the sodium bicarbonate treatment of the fibers was found in the neutral range indicating that the solution is not harmful to the environment and helps in maintaining sustainability while disposing of after the treatment. On the other hand, the ph value (measure using a pH meter) of the sodium hydroxide solution was in the strong alkaline indicating harmful effects in the disposing area. The environmentally friendly treatment of natural fibers with sodium bicarbonate could have a large commercial potential for polymeric composites for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the software industry, 85% of development tasks involve maintenance. A developer's typical job involves more code reading and less code writing. Since code reading is an integral part of comprehension, efficient code reading emphasizes a better understanding of code execution. The more efficiently a code is read, the more it reduces maintenance time. Thus, the developer's reading pattern can help to estimate how efficiently a developer can read and comprehend code that can improve software productivity. Quantifying the comprehension effort spent while reading a code can help to explore the developer's efficiency. The primary goal of this study is to quantify the comprehension effort using code reading patterns. An eye-tracking sensor tracks the developer's eye movements while reading the code. The backward gaze transitions and internal navigation are identified from the reading pattern of the code and used to compute program comprehension effort. An experiment was to collect the data where 41 subjects were asked to read five short C programs. The findings of the study infer a significant correlation between comprehension effort and fixation points. This study explores the involvement of non-experts in higher comprehension efforts than expert ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have synthesized new electrode material for the supercapacitor application. Polyoxovanadates (POVs) have been used for energy storage electrode materials due to their fast multi-electron redox properties. The formation of SDV/GO composites was confirmed using various analytical methods, e.g., Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), followed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The composite electrode's electrochemical behavior was studied using a neutral 1 M sodium sulphate (Na2SO4) solution in three-electrode cyclic voltammetry (CV) system. The SDV/GO composite electrode showed a specific capacitance of 306 F/g for a scan rate of 5 mV/s and a corresponding energy density of 42.4 Wh/Kg. Galvanostatic charge/discharge exhibits a specific capacitance of 310 F/g with energy densities of 43.08 Wh/kg. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), which was used to investigate interface property, yielded a considerably higher power density of 172.41 KW/kg with an equivalent series resistance of 5 Ω. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection of biological phosphate is very important for environmental and health care applications. In this study, a new ratiometric fluorescent probe (E)-N′-(3-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-2-hydroxybenzylidene) picolinohydrazide (BTP) is developed and exhibits a prominent excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) mechanism. The probe BTP undergoes a unique phosphate induced hydrolytic reaction in mixed aqueous solution which produces a colorimetric change associated with a huge red-shift of ∼130 nm in the UV–visible absorption spectrum. Initially, BTP exhibits a strong fluorescence emission as the ESIPT process is 'on' and the tautomeric hydrogen remains flexible and is free to give two tautomeric forms. Eventually, after the addition of PO43−, the two tautomeric forms break and thereby shift the equilibrium towards the 'enol' form. The phosphate ion binds with BTP which is associated with a ratiometric change and accounts for an enhancement in the fluorescence intensity with a large blue shift and the limit of detection value of 8.33 × 10−8 M in a mixed aqueous medium. The binding constant (1.92 × 105 M−1) proportionally reflects the stability of the complexation between the binding sites of BTP with the guest PO43− anion. The probable mechanism is supported by the NMR spectroscopy studies. The sensing phenomenon is found to be reversible towards Zn2+ and thus the sensor beautifully mimics the INHIBIT logic gate. Observations have been made in fluorescence imaging studies with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) which indicates that BTP can be employed to successfully monitor the phosphate ion in human PBMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocomposites are the innovative form of materials used at the nanoscale (1–100 nm in size). Parent materials are insufficient to satisfy the desired requirement to fulfill all the needs, hence to enhance various performances of composites, a suitable nanofiller (nanoparticle) can be used. The present study focuses on nanocomposite properties, types, and characteristic features. Nanocomposites that take advantage of fibers and nanofillers synergistically contribute to improved properties and environmental conditions by making them suitable for a wide range of applications (aerospace, automobile industries, electronics, biomedical, etc.). Nanocomposites are now being used in almost every field and find a wide spectrum of applications, including waste water treatment, corrosion protection, and so forth. In the present study, the effect of excessive use of nanoparticles (nanotoxicity) has also been addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise pollution caused by urbanization and industrial development must be effectively controlled to provide a pleasant living atmosphere. Different synthetic fiber materials have good acoustic performance, yet synthetic fiber materials have a high cost and have adverse effect on the environment. Natural fibers are a good alternative to synthetic fibers in terms of acoustic properties and they are also less expensive and have less environmental impact. Several factors affects the acoustic behavior of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites (NFRPCs). The present article focuses on the effect of different processing methods, reinforcement architecture, fiber diameter, laminate thickness and density on the acoustic performance of NFRPCs. Reinforcement architecture has been proved to be the best option in order to tailor the various acoustic properties of the composite laminates without even changing other physical properties. The challenges, future scope and potential applications of natural fibers in acoustic applications (home theaters, offices, cinema halls, automobiles, etc.) have also been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aviation and automobile industries have recently depended on thermoset epoxy-based prepreg as a raw material for manufacturing composites. Since prepregs have a limited out-life (i.e., the maximum storing time allowed at room temperature), they must be stored in refrigerators at low temperatures. If not maintained, they can often adversely affect the desired quality of the final product. Prepregs are often discarded once the prepreg out-life ends, leading to a loss of millions of dollars and a detrimental impact on the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a simple method to monitor prepreg aging/degradation in order to ensure its usability or repurpose prepreg usage. In this study, we used broadband dielectric spectroscopy to monitor the degradation state of the glass fiber/epoxy prepreg sample stored at room temperature, and the data has been used to predict the mechanical performance of the final manufactured composite part. The frequency-based nondestructive dielectric measuring technique was used to calculate the dielectric strength and relaxation time of the prepregs. The dielectric strength decreased and relaxation time increased with aging, allowing the aging progression to be captured. Furthermore, with aging, the real permittivity value changes to a lower value and the relaxation peak in imaginary permittivity with respect to frequency shifts to a lower frequency. The physics behind this dielectric measurement method has been understood in the context of analyzing the prepreg's cure kinetics parameters, which has been investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. Overall, this simple dielectric-based monitoring technology will provide confidence in the future use of degraded or out-of-life raw material systems for manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pneumonia is the single largest infectious cause of death in children worldwide. Aetiology of pneumonia can be identified using multiple diagnostic tools including culture, serology and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR); common pathogens include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, some atypical bacteria like Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydophila pneumoniae. Aim: The study was undertaken to find out the bacteriological agents causing Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) in under five year children and to compare the conventional culture and PCR in identifying the pathogen. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken in the Department of Microbiology and Department of Paediatrics in a tertiary care centre of Assam, India between March 2016 to September 2018. The study was undertaken with 200 under five year old children who were clinically diagnosed as CAP. Oropharyngeal (OP) swabs and blood culture were processed for bacteriological culture. PCR assay of OP swabs for Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus etc., including atypical bacteria like Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydophila pneumoniae were performed. Data entry, database management and statistical analysis were performed using Epi-Info software version 7.0. Results: A total of 200 subjects were included in the present study with a male:female ratio of 1.63:1. Most of the study subjects were <11 months of age. Most common isolates were Streptococcus pneumoniae (26.5%) and Staphylococcus aureus (25%) from OP swabs; blood culture revealed mostly Staphylococcus aureus (59%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (25%). PCR assay of OP swabs were found positive mostly for Staphylococcus aureus (47%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (21.5%) while two children were positive for Haemophilus influenzae; Bordetella pertussis was detected in one child. On evaluation, PCR assay in detecting the bacterial pathogen was found statistically more significant than conventional culture of OP swabs (p<0.05). Conclusion: Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae were the most common bacterial organisms in the study. PCR assay was found to be more useful in diagnosing the pathogen for bacterial pneumonia including those difficult to grow in conventional culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crystal structures of difluorine derivatives of p‐terphenyls (nTm) have been determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. For the unsymmetrical substituted compounds 2′,3′‐difluoro‐4‐methyl‐p‐terphenyl (1T0, C19H14F2) and 4‐ethyl‐2′,3′‐difluoro‐4′′‐methyl‐p‐terphenyl (1T2, C21H18F2), the crystal structure is disordered, with molecules statistically entering the crystal in up and down orientations, with full superposition of all the atoms, except for those of the terminal groups (H/methyl for 1T0 and methyl/ethyl for 1T2). For triclinic 2′,3′‐difluoro‐4,4′′‐dimethyl‐p‐terphenyl (1T1, C20H16F2), with the space group P, the two crystallographically independent molecules have the same conformation, which is different from monoclinic 1T0 (space group C2) and 1T2 (space group C2/c). A common feature of the conformation of the three compounds is the noncoplanar twisted arrangement of the three rings of the p‐terphenyl moiety. Two‐dimensional (2D) Hirshfeld fingerprint plots are consistent with H...H and C...H contacts in the crystal packing. For the three compounds, the phase behaviour has been investigated by POM (Petra/Osiris/Molinspiration) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. 1T2 is mesogenic, with enantiotropic nematic behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer composite materials are consistently being used in various industrial and domestic applications due to their lightweight, high‐specific strength, and low cost. In order to enhance various performance of polymer composites, a suitable nanofiller can be used. Polymer composites, which take advantage of natural fibers and nanofillers, synergistically, contribute to improved properties and environmental condition by making them suitable for various applications (aerospace, automobile industries, electronics, biomedical, etc.). The present study gives an insight of nanofiller‐based polymer composite and the challenges associated with processing methods. The use of nanofillers in polymer composites to enhance their mechanical properties (tensile, flexural, impact, and tribological) and most importantly the self‐healing property due to which they are finding numerous applications. This study also includes the problems associated with excessive use of nanomaterial leading to various environmental and health hazards. The problems and their remedies associated with nano‐toxicity have also been addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] In applications utilizing Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs) for adsorption, the interplay between crystallinity (vis-à-vis surface area) and active sites still remains ambiguous. To address this, the present study introduces three isoreticular COFs—COP-N18 (covalent organic polymer with short-range order), COF-N18 (COF having long-range order), and COF-N27 (semicrystalline COF with pyridyl heteroatoms)—to explore this duality. Through systematic variations in structural order, pore volume, and pore-wall nitrogen content, we aim to establish a structure–activity relationship (SAR) for these COFs via adsorption and catalysis, using CO 2 and I 2 as probes. Our investigation highlights the positive influence of crystallinity, surface area, and pore volume in adsorption as well as catalysis. However, the presence of heteroatoms manifests complex behavior in CO 2 adsorption and CO 2 cycloaddition reactions with epoxides. COF-N18 and COF-N27 showed comparable CO 2 uptake capacities at different temperatures (273, 293, and 313 K) and ∼1 bar pressure. Additionally, CO 2 cycloaddition reactions were performed with substrates possessing different polarities (epichlorohydrin, 1,2-epoxydodecane) to elucidate the role of COF surface polarity. Further investigation into iodine adsorption was performed to understand the impact of COF structural features on the modes of adsorption and adsorption kinetics. Improvements in COF-crystallinity results in faster average iodine uptake rate at 80% (K 80% = 1.79 g/h) by COF-N18. Whereas, heteroatom doping slows down iodine adsorption kinetics (0.35 g/h) by prolonging the adsorption process up to 72 h. Overall, this study advances our understanding of COFs as adsorbents and catalysts, providing key insights into their SAR while emphasizing structural fine-tuning as a key factor for impactful environmental applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male fertility in farm animals is considered as an important economic trait. The phenomenon of spermatogenesis plays a dynamic functional role in determining the viability of sperm and thereby can impact on fertility-driven complications. The process of spermatogenesis is controlled by numerous molecular factors and requires a precisely regulated pattern of gene expression. The role of small noncoding RNAs in altering gene expression has been extensively studied. However, limited information is available apropos their role in yak spermatogenesis. The present study aimed to evaluate the assessment of some significant microRNAs and their expression pattern in the body tissues and sperm of fertile and subfertile yak from Arunachal Pradesh besides identified a novel class of sperm enriched small RNA ‘mature-sperm-enriched small RNA’ (mse-tsRNA) in Yak spermatozoa. The RNA was extracted from tissue and sperm using 27 gauge needles and subsequently reverse transcribed into small RNA cDNAs. The PCR positive sperm-predominant miRNAs were validated by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) for their expression in fertile and subfertile yak. Of the 22 microRNAs, the miRNA19a, miRNA142 and miRNA143 showed higher expression in the subfertile yak, whereas expression of miRNA7d, miRNA23a and miRNA23b were found elevated in the fertile animal. The presence of these small noncoding RNAs in yak sperm and testis indicated the legitimate involvement of their role in yak bull fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North east India is one of the exotic hotspots for Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) and harbors about half of the global population of the Asian elephant. Here we present the first population genetic study of free-ranging Asian elephants, examining within- and among-population differentiation by analyzing mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) differentiation across the Brahmaputra valley and elephant reserves of North east India. Surprisingly, the population here had shown lower mtDNA haplotype diversity with little mtDNA differentiation among localities within the Brahmaputra valley. This suggests extensive gene flow in the past, which is compatible with the home ranges of several hundred square kilometers for elephants in this region. Conversely, the Brahmaputra valley population is genetically distinct at a mitochondrial level than other tested elephant populations. These results significantly indicate the importance of population bottlenecks, social organization and bio-geographic barriers in shaping the distribution of genetic variations among Asian elephant populations in North east India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel mechanoresponsive luminescent (MRL) and aggregation induced emission (AIE) switch, 2-(4-((9-butyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)ethynyl)benzylidene)malononitrile (CABM) has been synthesized by a perfect blending of the carbazole-based triple bond and benzyl malononitrile conjugated derivative via the 'sonogashira coupling reaction'. The optoelectronic properties of this donor–π–acceptor (D–π–A) framework spontaneously originates a prominent yellow fluorescence which further exhibits a mechanical stimuli induced orange – red emission. Interestingly, just after fumed with dichloromethane (DCM) vapor, the rubbed CABM powder facilely exhibits a restoration in the emission profile as well as fluorescence color. Moreover, this multidimensional switch, CABM shows a prominent solvent dependent sensitivity towards different polarities of organic solvents. CABM also exhibits a typical intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanism along with AIE behaviors with high solid-state efficiency. Importantly, CABM acts as a fluorescence indicator for the qualitative and quantitative detection of low-level water content as impurity in organic solvent. CABM is also found to specifically sense HSO 3 − anion compared to other guest anions. These promising observations inspire us for the bioimaging studies by using human blood cells which clearly exhibit that CABM can be used to detect HSO 3 − in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). [Display omitted] • The probe (CABM) can exclusively sense HSO 3 − with the LOD is 9.341 × 10−8 M. • The AIE properties of CABM was tested in THF/H 2 O solutions. • CABM exhibited reversible mechanochromism with positive solvatofluorochromism. • CABM can detect trace amount of HSO 3 − in food sample. • CABM was explored for monitoring of intracellular HSO 3 − levels in human PBM cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The germline variants analysis from alcohol metabolism pathway genes obtained a significant variant in the ALDH1L2 gene (rs199841702) found to associate with alcoholic liver disease. • Most of the available online in-silico Pathogenicity prediction tools predicted ALDH1L2 (c.337C > G, p.Pro113Ala) gene variant as 'deleterious' and 'pathogenic'. • The presence of the GC genotype in ALDH1L2 (rs19984170)polymorphism may indicate an increased risk of developing ALD. The pathogenetic events of liver disease are seemingly determined by factors linked to ethanol metabolism. The variations in genes encoding enzymes of the ethanol metabolic pathway can influence exposure to alcohol and thus may act as risk factors for the development of liver disease. The present study aimed to understand the genetic aspect of germline variations in ethanol metabolic pathway genes in two major categories of liver disease i.e. ALD and NAFLD. Targeted Re-sequencing was performed in the two disease categories along with healthy control followed by an assessment and evaluation of the variants in a case vs control manner. The pathogenicity prediction was evaluated using SIFT, PolyPhen, PROVEN, LRT, CADD, FATHMM, EIGEN, REVEL and VarSome, while MD simulation of a novel significant variant was performed using the GROMACS 5.1.4 package. The annotation of targeted re-sequencing results revealed 2172 variants in different locations of the genes. Upon recurrent assessment predominantly focusing on exonic missense variants from these genes of the alcohol metabolism pathway, the ALDH1L2 [c.337C > G, p.Pro113Ala, (rs199841702)] variant was found highly significant with comprehensive results. The amino acid substitution tool that predicted protein stability due to a point mutation showed a decrease in stability. The genotyping distribution of the identified novel variant in the population revealed that heterozygosity is significantly distributed in ALD patients. However, the predominant association between the inherited variant and the cause of developing disease needs further robust study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we have investigated the interaction of hydrothermally synthesized Zn 2 SnO 4 (ZTO) nanoparticles (NPs) with two different commercial photo sensitizers such as N719 and N3 dye molecules and studied their performance in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Interestingly, the ZTO NPs exhibited band edge emission in the mid UVA region and as a result possibility of enhanced light harvesting in the terminal UVA region was anticipated in the device due to the efficient energy transfer observed in case of the sensitizer N719 than N3. The dye sensitization property has been found to be higher for the N3 dye molecules than the N719 dye molecules as based on the time dependent dye loading study. The devices fabricated with ZTO-N719 exhibited improved photovoltaic performance compared to the ZTO-N3 based devices exhibiting an overall conversion efficiency of 2.56% by the former compared to the later (1.90%) under 1SUN 1.5AM illumination and sensitization for 12 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an islanding detection method for a two-stage photovoltaic (PV) inverter. The novelty in this method is that it does not rely on instantaneous value of the grid voltage for identifying the islanded condition. Instead, the islanding condition is detected by the saturation of the proportional integral (PI) controller of the outer voltage control loop. This makes the proposed detection algorithm more reliable compared with other voltage-based detection algorithms, as it is immune to malfunctions caused by the sudden load changes or other transients. In addition, a simple but accurate implementation strategy for low-voltage ride through (LVRT) operation is also proposed and integrated with the anti-islanding operation. Both these methods are placed inside the overall control structure that can perform seamless transition between grid-connected and standalone modes of operation. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed anti-islanding and LVRT techniques. Finally, hardware results on a 2 KW laboratory prototype are presented for experimental verification of the proposed anti-islanding and LVRT schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The intestinal gut health is one of the primary determinants of broiler growth and performance. Among the various enteric diseases, necrotic enteritis (NE) is an enterotoxemic disease caused by Clostridium perfringens, which can result in severe economic losses in poultry farming. Antibiotics like bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) and avilamycin (AVL) are commonly used antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in poultry feed to control necrotic enteritis in birds. Bacillus subtilis PB6 was reported to prevent necrotic enteritis and improve performance in birds. This paper investigated the influence of Bacillus subtilis PB6 in improving the performance of broiler birds in comparison with BMD and avilamycin. A 35 day trial was conducted with 240 day-old commercial broiler chicks (VenCobb 400), which were divided into four treatment groups, where each treatment group was composed of 6 replicates each containing 10 birds, for a total of 60 birds per treatment. The treatment groups included a negative control (no AGP), Bacillus subtilis PB6, BMD, and avilamycin. The parameters analyzed included body weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR), mortality, villus histomorphometry, and European efficiency factor (EEF). Bacillus subtilis PB6 significantly (P < 0.05) improved body weight and FCR (8 points) compared to the control. The group supplemented with B. subtilis PB6 or BMD had higher (P < 0.05) body weight compared to all other treatment groups. The supplementation of B. subtilis PB6 significantly improved the villus height (P < 0.05) compared to control and other AGP groups. The EEF was found to be the highest in the B. subtilis PB6 supplemented group at 35th day as compared to other treatment groups. The combined data from this study indicate that supplementation of B. subtilis PB6 improves overall performance of broilers compared to BMD and avilamycin, and can be used as potential AGP replacement in poultry farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D exerts its antiviral effect through vitamin D receptor (VDR)/retinoid X receptor-mediated host immunomodulation. Besides the downregulation of VDR expression, its polymorphism was also observed among hepatitis B virus (HBV)-positive patients. To understand the possible link between VDR polymorphism and its altered expression during HBV infection and disease progression, VDR Apa-I [rs7975232 (C>A)] single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was analyzed in a case–control manner. VDR Apa-I (rs7975232, C>A) polymorphism was studied using 340 HBV patients and 102 healthy controls. Genotype analysis and gene expression study was performed using restriction fragment length polymorphism and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (IBM) considering p-value <0.05 as significant for comparing the differences between the groups. Significant mean difference in VDR expression was observed between HBV-positive patients (1.6 ± 0.94) and controls (0.69 ± 0.73). Furthermore, the mean fold change of Healthy control with CC genotype (1.92 ± 0.99) was found to be marginally significant compared with mutant genotype (CA/AA) (1.08 ± 0.43/0.59 ± 0.56, p = 0.045). In HBV+ patients, the mean fold change in the CC genotype was 0.88 ± 0.38, which exhibits a significant mean difference upon comparison with other genotypes (0.52 ± 0.49, 0.113 ± 0.34; p = 0.018, p = 0.048). However, the fold change value does not differ between CA and AA genotypes. Further comparative analysis of VDR expression between the control and case also exhibits significant differences (p = 0.001) among allelic variants. Observed genotype distribution frequency exhibits a significant association with disease type. The mutant genotype was found to be significantly associated with HBV infection and disease progression, (odds ratio = 0.730, 95% confidence interval = 0.462–1.152, p = 0.06). VDR SNP rs7975232 (C>A) may affect VDR expression by controlling several other variables and suggest that deviation from wild-type genotype (CC) is associated with downregulation of expression, which in turn involved in host immunomodulation in favor of HBV infection and disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase pure hollow Zn 2 SnO 4 and green emitting ZnO-SnO 2 -Zn 2 SnO 4 composite fiber have been prepared by post calcining the as formed fiber by electrospin technique. Depending upon the calcination temperature, the as prepared fiber exhibited a striking variation in composition, microstructure, optical and photo-electrochemical properties. The composition dependent dissimilarity in photovoltaic performance and photocatalytic activity has been established in this work. A relatively enhanced open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.76 V, fill factor (FF) of 59.78%, short circuit current (Jsc) of 4.2 mA/cm 2 and an overall conversion efficiency (ɳ) of 1.93% have been achieved for the phase pure Zn 2 SnO 4 porous fiber obtained at the elevated calcination temperature of 1000 °C. On the contrary, a relatively reduced Voc, FF, J SC and ɳ of 0.70 V, 42.54%, 3.8 mA/cm 2 and 1.17%, respectively, have been achieved for the 800 °C calcined dense fiber consisting of a mixture of three distinct phases ZnO, SnO 2 and Zn 2 SnO 4 . Unlike photovoltaic behaviour the trend in photocatalytic performance interestingly got reversed for the ZnO-SnO 2 -Zn 2 SnO 4 composite fiber owing to its superior photo-induced charge separation ability followed by generation of larger amount of active hydroxyl radicals (OH . ). Our results establish the composite fiber as a preferred photocatalyst in comparison to phase pure Zn 2 SnO 4 towards the textile dyes Methylene blue and Congo red and non absorbing organic pollutants such as Phenol and Bisphenol A under UV illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fully spin delocalized mixed valence copper–sulfur clusters, 1 and 2, supported by μ4-sulfido and NSthiol donor ligands are synthesized and characterized. Wheel shaped 1 consists of Cu2S2 units. The unprecedented nanoball 2 can be described as S@Cu4(tetrahedron)@O6(octahedron)@Cu12S12(cage) consisting of both Cu2S2 and (μ4-S)Cu4 units. The Cu2S2 and (μ4-S)Cu4 units resemble biological CuA and CuZ sites respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report for the first time tunable visible light emission from FeSbO4 quantum dots prepared by combustion synthesis, a property hitherto unknown for this oxide. The auto-combustion process results in the formation of quantum dots of rutile FeSbO4 of 3–6 nm in size exhibiting tunable visible blue light emission in the 350 to 550 nm wavelength range with quantum yields of 2.74 and 2.03, respectively, in solid form. These fluorescent quantum dots could form a new series of semiconducting quantum dots for various biosensing, imaging and photovoltaic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the electron transfer mechanisms (outer versus inner sphere) of catalytic superoxide dismutation via a Cu(ii/i) redox couple such as occur in the enzyme copper–zinc superoxide dismutase, the Cu(ii/i) complexes [(L1)2Cu](ClO4)2·CH3CN, (1·CH3CN) and [(L1)2Cu](ClO4), (2) supported by a bis-N2Sthioether ligand, 2-pyridyl-N-(2′-methylthiophenyl)methyleneimine (L1) have been synthesized and structurally characterised. Both 1 and 2 display the same cyclic voltammogram (CV) featuring a quasireversible response at E1/2 = +0.33 V vs. SCE that falls in the SOD potential window of −0.04 V to +0.99 V. These complexes catalytically dismutate superoxide radicals at 298 K in aqueous medium (the IC50 for 1 is 2.15 μM). Electronic absorption spectra (233 K and 298 K), FTIR, ESI mass spectra, CV (233 K and 298 K) and DFT calculations collectively indicate formation of [(L1)2Cu(O2Ṗ−)]+, [(L1)2Cu(O22−)] and [(L1)2Cu(OOH−)]+ species and help to elucidate the electron transfer mechanism for the SOD function of 1 and 2. Once O2Ṗ− binds to CuII (evident at 233 K), the first step of the catalytic cycle (CuII + O2Ṗ−→ CuI + O2) does not follow but the second step (CuI + O2Ṗ− + 2H+→ H2O2 + CuII) does follow. Therefore, the catalytic disproportionation of superoxide radicals via1 and 2 at 298 K indicates that the first and second steps of the catalytic cycle proceed through outer and inner sphere electron transfer mechanisms, respectively. Feasibility of the first step to occur in pure aprotic solvent (where 18-crown-6-ether is used to solubilise KO2) was tested and also supports the same notion of the electron transfer mechanisms as stated above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the underlying semantics of performing arts like dance is a challenging task. Analysis of dance is useful to preserve cultural heritage, make video recommendation systems, and build tutoring systems. To create such a dance analysis application, three aspects of dance analysis must be addressed: (1) segment the dance video to find representative action elements, (2) recognize the detected action elements, and (3) recognize sequences formed by combining action elements according to specific rules. This paper attempts to address the three fundamental problems of dance analysis raised above, with a focus on Indian Classical Dance, em Bharatanatyam. Since dance is driven by music, we use both musical and motion information to extract action elements. The action elements are then recognized using machine learning and deep learning techniques. Finally, the Hidden Markov Model (HMM) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) are used to recognize the dance sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & objectives: The changing spectrum of Candida species in causation of oropharyngeal candidiasis and their antifungal susceptibility pattern among the HIV infected individuals has made the identification to species level mandatory and detection of drug resistance necessary for patient care. The present study was carried out to determine the species distribution and antifungal susceptibility profile of oral Candida isolates colonizing or infecting both HIV seropositive and seronegative individuals. Methods: A case-control study was conducted including 141 consecutive, non-repeat HIV-seropositive individuals and an equal number of sex and age matched HIV-seronegative control. Speciation of the oropharyngeal Candida isolates was done using standard yeast identification protocol. Antifungal susceptibility testing was done by the disk-diffusion method as well as by Fungitest method. Results: From the 59 culture positive HIV seropositive cases, 61 Candida isolates were recovered; Candida albicans (n=47, 77.0%), C. dubliniensis (n=9, 14.7%), C. parapsilosis (n=2, 3.2%), C. glabrata (n=2, 3.2%), and C. famata (n=1, 1.6%). Candida colonization in HIV-seropositive individuals was significantly higher than that of HIV-seronegative (control) group. Antifungal susceptibility testing revealed (n=6, 9.3%) C. albicans isolates resistant to voriconazole and fluconazole by disk-diffusion method whereas no resistance was seen by Fungitest method. Interpretation & conclusions: C. albicans was the commonest Candida species infecting or colonizing HIV seropositive individuals. Oropharyngeal Candida isolates had high level susceptibility to all the major antifungals commonly in use. Increased level of immunosuppression in HIV-seropositives and drug resistance of non-albicans Candida species makes identification and susceptibility testing of Candida species necessary in different geographical areas of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the photoconversion efficiencies of ZnO having diverse microstructures and structural defects have been investigated. A conversion efficiency of 1.38% was achieved for the DSSCs fabricated with as prepared ZnO nanorods having minimum vacancy defects and a favourable one dimensional directional pathway for electron conduction. The DSSCs fabricated with ZnO nanoparticles exhibited relatively low conversion efficiency of 1.004% probably due to multiple trapping/detrapping phenomena within the grain boundaries and ZnO flowers though exhibited a high dye adsorption capability exhibited the lowest conversion efficiency of 0.59% due to a high concentration of structural defects. Based on the experimental evidences, we believe that the type of defects and their concentrations are more important than shape in controlling the overall performance of ZnO based DSSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the influence of precession angle, energy filtering and sample thickness on the structural parameters of amorphous SiO2 thin films from the electron reduced density functions obtained by applying precession electron diffraction. The results demonstrate that the peak positions in the electron reduced density functions are generally insensitive to the studied experimental conditions, while both precession angle and energy filtering influence peak heights considerably. It is also shown that introducing precession with small angles of up to 2 degrees and energy filtering results in higher coordination numbers that are closer to the expected theoretical values of 4 and 2 for Si and O, respectively, for data obtained from a thicker sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aqueous solution growth process of ZnO rods, starting from zinc hydroxide formed during the ultrasonic precipitation of zinc acetate and ammonium hydroxide has been demonstrated here. A dispersion consisting of 0.3 (w/v) % zinc hydroxide in water on heating at 80 ± 5 °C for 6 h has resulted in the formation of ZnO rods having an aspect ratio between 8 and 12. We have monitored the growth of ZnO rods as a function of different reaction parameters. The as-prepared rods have also been characterized by optical and Raman spectroscopic methods in addition to other techniques. Further, we also investigated the photocatalytic degradation of methyl violet, which is a well known textile pollutant by using the as-prepared ZnO rods and found that the degradation was more effective using a 365 nm light source than using a 254 nm light source. This result confirms that the as-processed ZnO rods could be used directly under sunlight for the degradation of methyl violet present in polluted water. Our experimental results, confirmed that the sample with more oxygen defects shows better photocatalytic degradation of the dye molecule due to the involvement of oxygen vacancy defects and oxygen interstitials in the charge recombination process and helps in better catalytic reaction under a UV lamp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new ratiometric π-conjugated luminophore with donor-acceptor (D- π- A) network CM {(E)-2-(4-(2-(9-butyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)vinyl)benzylidine)malononitrile} has been synthesized by malononitrile conjugated carbazole dye with an intervening p -styryl spacer. Here, p -styryl conjugated malononitrile is used as a recognition site for the detection of HSO 3 − with a fast response time (within 50 s). In a mixed aqueous solution, CM reacts with HSO 3 − to give a new product 1-(9-butyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)-2-(4-(2, 2-dicyanovinyl)phenyl)ethane-1-sulfonic acid. The probe exhibits positive solvatofluorochromism with solid state red fluorescence. The restriction of intermolecular rotation of p -styryl conjugated malononitrile unit enhances the typical solid state fluorescence properties. The probe (CM and its corresponding aldehyde CA) also demonstrates a strong solvent dependence yielding blue to green to pink and even red fluorescence in commonly used organic solvents like n -hexane, toluene, diethyl ether (DEE), THF, DCM, Dioxane, CH 3 CN and MeOH. The chemodosimetric approach of HSO 3 − selectively takes place at the olefinic carbon exhibiting a prominent chromogenic as well as ratiometric fluorescence change with a 147 nm blue-shift in the fluorescence spectrum. CM can detect HSO 3 − as low as 1.21 × 10−8 M. Moreover, the CM can be successfully applied to detect intrinsically generated intracellular HSO 3 − in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). CM has shown sharp intensities (2628 ± 511.8) when the cells are HSO 3 − untreated. At green channel (at 486 nm) almost negligible fluorescence intensities are found (423 ± 127.5) for HSO 3 − untreated samples. However, the green fluorescence (2863 ± 427.5) increases significantly (p < 0.05), and simultaneously the red fluorescence gets significantly (p < 0.05) diminished (515 ± 113.2) after addition of HSO 3 −. The CM has been effectively utilized for evaluating the bisulfite ions in food samples as well. The concentrations of HSO 3 − in diluted sugar samples have been determined with the recovery of 97.6–9.12%. [Display omitted] • The probe CM can exclusively sense HSO 3 − in a ratiometric way among other anions and shows positive solvatofluorochromism. • Solid-state red fluorescence of CM arises from it's compactness by restricting the intramolecular rotation and vibration freedom. • Absorbance and fluorescence analysis of CM proves the selectivity towards HSO 3 - with the LOD 1.21 × 10-8 M. • The Probe CM can detect trace of HSO 3 − in food sample and an instant HSO 3 − detecting CM based solid-state device is fabricated. • CM can be successfully explored for monitoring intracellular HSO 3 − levels in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have carried out the effect of post annealing temperatures on the performance of solution-grown ZnO rods as photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells. Keeping our basic objective of exploring the effect of native defects on the performance of DSSC, we have synthesized ZnO rods having length in the range of 2-5 μm by a modified sonication-induced precipitation technique. We performed extensive characterization on the samples annealed at various temperatures and confirmed that annealing at 300 °C results in ZnO rods with minimum native defects that have been identified as doubly ionized oxygen vacancies. The electron paramagnetic resonance measurements on the samples, on the other hand, confirmed the presence of shallow donors in the low temperature annealed samples. We also carried out electrochemical impedance measurements to understand the transport properties at different interfaces in the solar cell assembly. We could conclude that solution-processed ZnO rods annealed at 300 °C are better suited for fabricating DSSC with improved efficiency (1.57%), current density (5.11 mA/cm²), and fill factor (45.29%). On the basis of our results, we were able to establish a close connection between the defects in the metal oxide electron transporting nano system and the DSSC performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Dye sensitized solar cells with ZnO exhibited an efficiency of 1.38%. [•] Hexagonal prism shaped samples exhibited an efficiency of 1.38% and a fill factor of 37%. [•] Effect of surface area and aspect ratio of ZnO on solar cell performance. [•] Solution processed ZnO nanostructures and their DSSC performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are established by multiple regulatory pathways operating at several levels. The roles of histone demethylases (HDMs) in these programs are incompletely defined. We conducted a functional RNAi screen for HDMs and identified five potential HDMs essential for mouse ESC identity. In-depth analyses demonstrate that the closely related HDMs Jmjd2b and Jmjd2c are necessary for self-renewal of ESCs and induced pluripotent stem cell generation. Genome-wide occupancy studies reveal that Jmjd2b unique, Jmjd2c unique, and Jmjd2b-Jmjd2c common target sites belong to functionally separable Core, Polycomb repressive complex (PRC), and Myc regulatory modules, respectively. Jmjd2b and Nanog act through an interconnected regulatory loop, whereas Jmjd2c assists PRC2 in transcriptional repression. Thus, two HDMs of the same subclass exhibit distinct and combinatorial functions in control of the ESC state. Such complexity of HDM function reveals an aspect of multilayered transcriptional control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Cholesterol is an essential component of cell membrane constituting the neuronal cells and mediates multiple functions affecting neuronal transmission in the central nervous system. Abnormalities in serum lipid fractions have been reported in depression, but the clinical and biological significance of such findings are yet to be elucidated. Aims and objective. To study the abnormalities of lipid fractions in subjects with unipolar depression. Methodology. Thirty patients with unipolar depression and normal controls were recruited in this study. Serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides were studied. Data analysis was performed by using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) controlling for age, sex, body mass index, lifestyle, and dietary habits. Results. The data showed significant elevation of serum total cholesterol in depressed patients compared with normal controls. Identical results were obtained after controlling for the effects of confounders. Conclusion. Results of this study point to particular subgroup of subjects who have elevated cholesterol among the depressed cohort. This may have significant implications in risk assessment for cardiovascular disorders and planning preventive strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diphtheria is still a significant child health problem in countries with low immunization coverage. Reports of diphtheria in adult population are also increasing. Here we describe three recent outbreaks of diphtheria in Dibrugarh district, Assam in two consecutive years. The study was undertaken in Assam Medical College & Hospital, Dibrugarh after the diagnosis of two Diphtheria cases in the month of September and October 2015 and another in January 2016. Outbreak investigation was done after defining operational definition and throat swabs were collected from thirty three (33) individuals including three (3) index cases and thirty (30) close contacts. Diagnosis was done by clinical findings, direct microscopy, bacteriological culture and in-house designed multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of the isolates for the expression of Corynebacterium diphtheriae specific rpoB gene and tox gene. Out of the 10 confirmed cases, 2 and 7 were in the first two outbreaks while only one in the third outbreak respectively. All the cases were of age > 10 years, unimmunized or partially immunized. The overall mortality was 20%. PCR results revealed all the culture positive isolates to be tox gene positive. Diphtheria is a resurgent problem in our region with a significant age shift towards adult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Measurement of dielectric constant using ECSEA bonded copper plate. • Dielectric parameters capture the damage states and estimate the fatigue life. • Identify the beginning of end of life of composite. • A new in-situ dielectric framework indicating the need for MRO of the composite structure. Composite materials are widely used in aerospace and automotive structures for decades and over the years the community has gained a better understanding of the damage and failure modes of composites under fatigue. In this article, a dielectric characterization methodology for in-situ monitoring of composites under fatigue environments is proposed. A novel method of measuring the dielectric state variables in Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BbDS) using Extremely Conductive Silver Epoxy Adhesive (ECSEA) paste is presented. These dielectric state variables serve to identify the precursor of the beginning of the end of life of the composite material under fatigue loading. The reliability of using this method for in-situ monitoring to provide fatigue life estimates and to indicate the immediate need for maintenance, repair and/or replacement of the structural component is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intentional self-harm is common, through out the world; however, there is scanty data from India. Aims: To study the sociodemographic and clinical profile of subjects with .intentional self-harm. referred to consultationliaison psychiatric services for evaluation in a tertiary care hospital. Design: Retrospective chart review. Materials and Methods: For this study, the consultation-liaison register of Department of Psychiatry was screened to obtain data of all patients who were referred to psychiatry referral services and were diagnosed as "intentional self-harm" while they were admitted in Nehru Hospital, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh during the period of 2000-2005. The case notes of these patients were reviewed for obtaining the sociodemographic profile and clinical profile for the current study. Results: Majority of the subjects were married (61%), educated beyond matriculation (75%), were employed or retired (53.6%), belonged to Hindu (87%), nuclear family (64.5%) of middle socioeconomic status (85%) and came from urban background (53%). Most common reasons/precipitating events prior to intentional self-harm were interpersonal problems with family members (39.2%), followed by interpersonal problems with spouse (16.9%). The most common method of intentional self-harm used was consumption of insecticides (44.6%), followed by use of corrosives (17.5%). Half of the sample (48.2%) did not fulfill criteria for any axis-1 or axis-2 psychiatric diagnosis at the time of assessment and most common psychiatric diagnosis was depression (30.7 %). Conclusions: Nearly half of the subjects who present to a tertiary care hospital with intentional self-harm do not have diagnosable psychiatric illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus is a key pest of many palm species such as the oil palm, coconut, sago, and date palm. In various parts of India, yield losses of 10-25% have been recorded in palm plantations and damage to an extent of 34% from the coconut groves. Recently, this weevil has occurred as a pest of the banana cultivar "Asomiya Malbhog" in Assam with infestation ranging from 4-8 per cent. This is an indication of expanding host range and needs vigil to contain further spread. This article outlines the first report of red palm weevil on banana from Assam, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this Communication, we report a facile approach to synthesize a technologically important oxide Zn2SnO4 (ZTO) by a temperature-dependent solid-state reaction without the Kirkendall effect. Single-phase defect-free ZTO was formed upon calcination of a homogeneous 2:1 mixture of reactive ZnO rods and SnO2 nanoparticles at 1000 °C. We also observed interesting photocatalytic and photovoltaic properties from the synthesized ZTO material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combined application of Cathodoluminescence (CL) with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) on paintings and painted surfaces has the potential to identify both organic and inorganic pigments on a micrometre or even nanometre scale. Additionally, the combination with Energy-Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) allows for a more holistic, elemental, and mineralogical characterization of pigments. In addressing the need for the creation of a robust, open access database of characteristic CL spectra of pigments, a large project has been undertaken, focusing primarily on common organic and inorganic pigments. The present paper focuses on the CL characterization of 10 significant blue pigments in pure powder form: cerulean blue, Egyptian blue, Han blue, indigo, lapis lazuli, Maya blue, phthalo blue, vivianite, ultramarine blue, and zirconium blue. The CL spectra present characteristic bands for most of the pigments, allowing their secure identification, especially when combining the results with the EDS analyses. The effect of binding media and of the mixture of different pigments was also studied, via the analysis of mixtures of pigments with oil painted over canvas. Overall, both the binding medium and the mixture of pigments do not appear to create significant differences in the occurring spectra, thus allowing the identification of individual pigments. EDS and RAMAN spectra are included in order to facilitate comparison with other databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approaches to evaluate comments based on whether they increase code comprehensibility for software maintenance tasks are important, but largely missing. We propose CommentProbe for automated classification and quality evaluation of code comments of C codebases based on how they can help to understand existing code. We conduct surveys and document developers' perceptions on the type of comments that prove useful to maintaining software in the form of comment categories. A total of 20,206 comments have been collected from open‐source Github projects and annotated with assistance from industry experts. We develop features to semantically analyze comments to locate concepts related to categories of usefulness. Additionally, features based on code and comment correlation are designed to infer whether the comment is also consistent and not superfluous. Using neural networks, comments are classified as useful, partially useful, and not useful with precision and recall scores of 86.27% and 86.42%, respectively. The proposed framework for comment quality evaluation incorporates industry practices and adds significant value to companies wanting to formulate better code commenting strategies. Furthermore, large codebases can be de‐cluttered by removing comments not helpful in maintaining code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]