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Abstract Background Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) affects many patients. Various therapeutic options have been devised to alleviate this condition by achieving dentinal tubules (DT) occlusion. This research aimed to investigate the effects of dipotassium oxalate-containing mouthwash, diode laser and their combination on DT occlusion. Methods Forty dentin samples were obtained from 20 human single-rooted third molars, 40 dentin specimens were obtained, and exposed DT were created in vitro. They were assigned into four groups: Group 1 (n = 10), the control group where no treatment was applied; Group 2 (n = 10), a mouthwash with a 1.4% dipotassium oxalate was applied twice for 60 s during a 5-day period in a shaker at 100 rpm; Group 3 (n = 10), a combination of the same mouthwash and an 810 nm diode laser at an output power of 0.25 W in continuous mode was applied for 60 s without contact at a distance of 3–4 mm; and Group 4 (n = 10), only a diode laser with the same protocol was applied. Occlusion of the DT was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Results The analysis revealed occlusion of the DT in all treatment groups; however, the effects were more pronounced in the combined treatment group (Group 3). Compared with the test groups, the control group had significantly more open DT in 100 µm2 (p 0.05). Conclusion DT occlusion was achieved via the use of a mouthwash containing 1.4% dipotassium oxalate and an 810 nm diode laser. However, the combination resulted in the greatest results and therefore may be utilized in individuals with DH.

Industrial buildings that conserve their authentic identities and provide cultural sustainability also appeal to the spatial perceptions of users through their old and new usage forms. It is thought that every generation will have different timeframes and experiencing forms in the spaces they are in, based on their own needs, and this is believed to reflect on their spatial perceptions. Accordingly, this study aims to reveal the effect of different generations’ characteristics on their perception of educational buildings converted from industrial buildings and to reflect users’ reactions to the relevant spaces. In this study, the evolving spatial perceptions regarding Abdullah Gül University Sümer Campus, which has been converted as an educational facility from Sümerbank Fabric Factory, were evaluated through the members of the Generation X and Z. This study which employed qualitative data collection and assessment methods was conducted as a particular case study. Furthermore, this study contained the holistic assessment of the physical, functional and psychological aspects of the re-functionalized campus considering the fact that these spaces whose functions were converted to be educational would include differences based on spatial perceptions. The results of this study indicated that Sümer Campus was considered by the Generation X as a location combining the old texture with the new, while the Generation Z assessed the campus as an esthetic formation where the old and new coexisted with contrasts.

The experiment was conducted during winter (rabi) seasons of 2021–22 and 2022–23 at ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh to study the improvement in yield and quality parameters in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivar using brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) rootstock. Three improved cultivars of tomatoes i.e. Kashi Aman, Kashi Adarsh and Kashi Chayan were grafted over three brinjal rootstocks, IC-111056, IC- 354557, and Surya. Experimental findings revealed that brinjal rootstocks significantly affected photosynthetic traits, root architectures, fruit yields and quality traits of tomatoes. Maximum photosynthetic rate (23.8 µmol/m2/s) and stomatal conductance (492.74 mmol/m2/s) were recorded in Kashi Chayan grafted over Surya rootstock, whereas chlorophyll fluorescence yields (Fv/Fm) was significantly higher in Kashi Aman self-rooted plants (0.452–0.457). Grafting tomato onto brinjal rootstocks significantly enhanced most of the yield traits, such as fruit number, weight, size and yields. Surya + Kashi Chayan graft combination registered an enhancement in number of fruits and yields by 8.65% and 8.4%, respectively over self-rooted Kashi Chayan. Significantly higher root volumes were noticed in two graft combinations i.e. IC-354557 + Kashi Aman (28.53 cm2) and Surya + Kashi Chayan (27.98 cm2), while 63% and 44.5% higher root length density (RLD) were registered in graft combinations IC-354557 + Kashi Chayan and Surya + Kashi Chayan, respectively over self-rooted Kashi Chayan. Fruit quality such as lycopene and ascorbic acid contents were significantly affected in different rootstocks and scions, whereas fruit acidity was unaffected. From the present study it may be conclude that use of brinjal rootstock Surya significantly improved most of the physiological, yield, root architecture and fruit quality in Kashi Chayan tomato cultivars.

BackgroundThe Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was considered the most dangerous SARS-CoV-2 strain; however, in-depth studies on its impact based on demographic and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 are scarce. ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the shift in demographic and clinical characteristics of the COVID-19 pandemic with the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant compared with the wild-type (WT) strain (B.1). MethodsA cross-sectional study of COVID-19 cases in the Indian population caused by the WT strain (B.1) and Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 was performed. The viral genomic sequence metadata containing demographic, vaccination, and patient status details (N=9500, NDelta=6238, NWT=3262) were statistically analyzed. ResultsWith the Delta variant, in comparison with the WT strain, a higher proportion of young individuals (

Abstract In this paper, we studied the relationship between celestial holography and chiral strings. Chiral strings differ from the usual string theory by a change of boundary conditions on the string propagators. It is shown that chiral strings would reproduce graviton amplitudes and could serve as an alternative description of Einstein’s gravity. Celestial holography is a proposed duality between gravity in asymptotically flat space-time and a CFT living on its conformal boundary. Since both are CFT descriptions of gravity, we investigate the potential connection between these two formalisms. In this paper, we find that both the energetic as well as conformal soft theorems could be derived from the OPEs of vertex operators of chiral strings. All operators in the CCFT can be described by Mellin transforming the vertex operators in the chiral string theories, and the OPE coefficients of CCFT can also be obtained from the world-sheet description.

Background Good oral hygiene is crucial for preventing dental caries and periodontal diseases. However, proper and regular application of oral hygiene practices requires adequate knowledge. In recent years, the internet has become one of the most popular places to find health-related information, necessitating studies that analyze the quality of the content available online. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the content quality and reliability of YouTube™ videos on the topic of adult oral hygiene practices and to guide oral health care professionals who use this platform for patient education. Methods A YouTube™ search was performed of the most frequent search term, ‘dental hygiene’. A total of 150 videos were screened, and 51 were included in the final study. The characteristics, sources, and content of the videos were analyzed using the Global Quality Score (GQS) and DISCERN reliability indices. The IBM SPSS 25 program was used for statistical analyses. Results Most of the included videos were uploaded by oral health care professionals (63%). GQS revealed only 17.6% of the videos were excellent quality whereas 23.5% of them were poor quality. In the content analysis, 62.7% of the videos were deemed moderately useful. Video duration, total content score, and interaction indices were all significantly higher in the useful and very useful groups compared to the slightly useful group (p = 0.020, p < 0.001, p = 0.040). GQS had a positive, low-medium statistically significant correlation with both video duration and total content scores (r = 0.235, r = 0.517; p < 0.05). DISCERN score also had a positive, low-medium statistically significant correlation with total content score (r = 0.500; p < 0.05). Conclusion The study concluded that most YouTube™ videos on oral hygiene practices for adults are moderately useful. When using YouTube™ for patient education, oral health care professionals and organizations should be aware of low-quality videos and seek out accurate, useful videos. There is also a need for quality videos with expanded oral health content.

Geçmiş ile gelecek arasında bağ kurma noktasında, toplumun kolektif bilincini yansıtan kamusal mekânlar, kent kimliğini oluşturan unsurlar arasındadır. Kent kimliğinin bir parçası olarak sonik çevrenin tanımlanmasında ses peyzajı yaklaşımından yararlanılabilmektedir. Bu araştırmanın amacı, ses peyzajını tanımlayan “arka-plan sesler”, “ön-plan sesler”, “sembol sesler” ve kolektif bellek ile ilişkili olması yönüyle “kaybolan/yitikleşen sesler” ile geçmişten günümüze kadar “devamlılığı/sürekliliği olan seslerin” tespiti yoluyla Trabzon kent merkezinin sonik kimliğini ortaya çıkarmaktır. Araştırmanın metodolojisini, ses yürüyüşleri ve anket uygulamaları oluşturmaktadır. Atatürk Alanı, Kunduracılar Caddesi, Kemeraltı Sokağı ve Mumhaneönü Meydanı’na ait sonik bölgeler; ses yürüyüşleri ve belirlenen güzergâhlar doğrultusunda sonik çevre değerlendirmeleri yoluyla belirlenmiştir. Ses yürüyüşlerinden elde edilen bulgular, bölgelere ait sonik kimliklerin farklılaştığını göstermektedir. Bu sonuç, bölgelerin sonik imgelerini tanımlayan ve kendilerine özgü olan ses çevrelerinin varlığını ortaya koymaktadır. Araştırmanın sınırlılığını, Trabzon kent merkezini temsil ettiği düşünülen bölgelerde gerçekleştirilen ses yürüyüşleri ve kullanıcıların sonik çevre değerlendirmeleri oluşturmaktadır.

Abstract In this paper, we analyze the loop corrections to celestial OPE for gluons and gravitons. Even at the loop level, the soft gluons and gravitons have conformal dimensions ∆ = 1 − $${\mathbb{Z}}_{\ge 0}$$ . The only novelty is the presence of higher poles. At one loop level, there are two types of conformal soft gluons with a single pole and a double pole in the ∆ plane. The celestial OPEs are obtained using the collinear splitting functions. In the case of gluons, the splitting functions receive loop corrections. After taking the holomorphic soft limit, we find the OPE of conformal soft gluons. We find a novel mixing of simple and double poles soft gluon operators in the OPE. In the case of gravitons, where splitting functions are known to be all loop exact, we still find a wedge algebra of w ∞ which is in addition to the wedge algebra of w 1+∞ already found by Strominger.

Abstract We consider the 𝒩 = (2, 2) AdS3/CFT2 dualities proposed by Eberhardt, where the bulk geometry is AdS3 × (S 3 × T 4)/ℤ k , and the CFT is a deformation of the symmetric orbifold of the supersymmetric sigma model T 4/ℤ k (with k = 2, 3, 4, 6). The elliptic genera of the two sides vanish due to fermionic zero modes, so for microstate counting applications one must consider modified supersymmetric indices. In an analysis similar to that of Maldacena, Moore, and Strominger for the standard 𝒩 = (4, 4) case of T 4, we study the appropriate helicity-trace index of the boundary CFTs. We encounter a strange phenomenon where a saddle-point analysis of our indices reproduces only a fraction (respectively 1 2 $$ \frac{1}{2} $$ , 2 3 $$ \frac{2}{3} $$ , 3 4 $$ \frac{3}{4} $$ , 5 6 $$ \frac{5}{6} $$ ) of the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of the associated macroscopic black branes.

The goal of this research is to lay the groundwork for understanding the particle swarm optimization technique. The applicability of this technique is proven by solving a variety of Constraint and unconstraint optimization problems. During the operation of the power system, economic load dispatch is a vital optimization activity for allocating generation between the committed units to divide the power while meeting various system constraints economically. In this work, the modified PSO method's application to the electrical power system's economic load dispatch problem on 3-generator, 5-generator and 13-generator systems are also investigated. In this research work Exterior penalty method is applied to convert constraint optimization problem into unconstraint optimization problem

Since past two decades MANET researchers have focused on providing security solution to MANET to protect them from various network attacks. Most of the recent security approaches are restricted to address specific attacks only. This makes them obsolete when a different attack is introduced in the network. The objective of this research work is to offer a comprehensive solution to protect MANET from different security threats. We have proposed Multiple Attacks Protected Ad-hoc On-demand Distance Vector (MAP-AODV) Routing Protocol. It provides a consolidated approach to address different security threats in the network with the lowest computational overhead. The Node Behavior Score (NBS) module of the proposed protocol performs precise detection of the attack whereas Node Reliability Analysis (NRA) module achieves attack mitigation and reliable route formation. The efficiency of the proposed protocol is tested in the simultaneous presence of grayhole and wormhole nodes using NS2 simulation and compared against two existing protocols. The simulation results show better performance of the proposed protocol against different attack types.

Modality is the word that refers to different modes of recognition. In early researches it has been seen that single modality more over taken into considerations for emotion recognition which always not give better results due to insufficient information. Multi-model functionality helps in overall recognition process for increasing reliability. Fusing multiple feature sets and classifiers into one system will produce a comparably more accurate system. This research works includes combination of speech and facial expressions, as this hybrid mode will help in evaluating results perfectly and as per desire. The proposed methodology used here consists of two main parts; first is Facial Expression Recognizer (FER) and Speech Emotion Recognition (SER) is second part and for the final result hybrid mode will work that consider output of both FER and SER. This is multi-sensory and multi-model emotion recognition system. The research work used MLP classifier for classification of emotions from speech/audio for speech emotion recognition with the use of MFCC for feature extraction that gives accuracy of about 81% and Convolutional Neural Network classifier is used for video/images that gives accuracy of 98.68%. As a hybrid system, outputs found better than that of individual systems. Age groups like kindergarten, primary, adults, senior citizens are compared for finding emotions based on the models. Such applications may be used at schools, colleges, universities, training centers etc.

Abstract In [1], logarithmic correction to subleading soft photon and soft graviton theorems have been derived in four spacetime dimensions from the ratio of IR-finite S-matrices. This has been achieved after factoring out IR-divergent components from the traditional electromagnetic and gravitational S-matrices using Grammer-Yennie prescription. Although the loop corrected subleading soft theorems are derived from one-loop scattering amplitudes involving scalar particles in a minimally coupled theory with scalar contact interaction, it has been conjectured that the soft factors are universal (theory independent) and one-loop exact (don’t receive corrections from higher loops). This paper extends the analysis conducted in [1] to encompass general spinning particle scattering with non-minimal couplings permitted by gauge invariance and general coordinate invariance. By re-deriving the ln ω soft factors in this generic setup, we establish their universal nature. Furthermore, we summarize the results of loop corrected soft photon and graviton theorems up to sub-subleading order, which follows from the analysis of one and two loop QED and quantum gravity S-matrices. While the classical versions of these soft factors have already been derived in the literature, we put forth conjectures regarding the quantum soft factors and outline potential strategies for their derivation.

Antibiotic overuse in animal and human healthcare has led in the accumulation of potentially hazardous antibiotic residues, known as emerging contaminants. These residues contaminate animal products including meat, milk, and eggs, which humans then ingest. Furthermore, antibiotic residues from pharmaceutical firms, hospitals, and households reach wastewater treatment plants, providing an environment conducive to bacterial growth and dissemination. This, in turn, can result in the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) among bacterial cells, posing serious threats to both human health and the environment. In the case of ARGs, conventional approaches for eliminating antibiotic residues from wastewater and aquatic habitats have proven ineffective. Recent study, however, has shown that the adsorption technique, particularly when low-cost and environmentally acceptable bioadsorbents such as sawdust, prawn shell waste, algae, and fungi are used, is highly successful in removing antibiotic residues. Bioadsorbents Microalgae, Terminalia catappa leaf, and siris seed pods, in particular, have shown outstanding removal efficiency for antibiotics such as tetracycline, dicloxacillin, and nitromidazole, reaching up to 98.74%. These investigations have shed insight on the fundamental principles of the adsorption process, revealing its ability to target ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria as well as remove antibiotic residues. As a result, addressing the issue of antibiotic residues in the environment has become critical in order to protect human health and prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance. Adsorption, particularly when bioadsorbents are used, appears to be a promising and efficient method of combating antibiotic residues and limiting the spread of antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in aquatic settings.

Abstract Literature is highly inconsistent in describing the proximal attachment of the anterolateral ligament (ALL) and its relationship with the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in human knees. This observational study aims to investigate that lacuna. The gross dissection was performed in the lower limbs (n = 83) from the donated adult-age (> 18 years) embalmed cadavers from medical institutions in the north and east India. The dissected knee specimens were first examined macroscopically. Further routine and special staining and microscopic examinations were performed. The ALL was absent in approximately 20.4% of the studied knee specimens (17/83). In remaining, the sharing of ALL and LCL proximal fibers was observed as a consistent finding (~ 97%) with rare exceptions. The mean length of the tibial and meniscal limbs of ALL was 1.57 ± 0.8 cm [Range (R) 0.5–4 cm] and 0.73 ± 0.47 cm [Range (R) 0.1–1.6 cm], respectively. In addition, multiple variations in its presentation were observed. We propose that the proximal sharing of LCL-ALL fibers is a dominant feature in the studied population. The sharing of the fibers may impact the biomechanics and injury mechanisms for both ligaments. The possibility of ethnic variations in the ALL morphology should be a concern during reconstruction surgery.

High-precision visual sensing has been achieved by combining cameras with deep learning. However, an unresolved challenge involves identifying information that remains elusive for optical sensors, such as occlusion spots hidden behind objects. Compared to light, sound waves have longer wavelengths and can, therefore, collect information on occlusion spots. In this study, we investigated whether bats could perform advanced sound sensing using echolocation to acquire a target's occlusion information. We conducted a two-alternative forced choice test on Pipistrellus abramus with five different targets, including targets with high visual similarity from the front, but different backend geometries, i.e. occlusion spots or textures. Subsequently, the echo impulse responses produced by these targets, which were difficult to obtain with real measurements, were computed using three-dimensional acoustic simulations to provide a detailed analysis consisting of the acoustic cues that the bats obtained through echolocation. Our findings demonstrated that bats could effectively discern differences in target occlusion spot structure and texture through echolocation. Furthermore, the discrimination performance was related to the differences in the logarithmic spectral distortion of the occlusion-related components in the simulated echo impulse responses. This suggested that the bats obtained occlusion information through echolocation, highlighting the advantages of utilizing broadband ultrasound for sensing.

Abstract Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, an economically important onion pest in India, poses a severe threat to the domestic and export supply of onions. Therefore, it is important to study the distribution of this pest in order to assess the possible crop loss, which it may inflict if not managed in time. In this study, MaxEnt was used to analyze the potential distribution of T. tabaci in India and predict the changes in the suitable areas for onion thrips under two scenarios, SSP126 and SSP585. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.993 and 0.989 for training and testing demonstrated excellent model accuracy. The true skill statistic value of 0.944 and 0.921, and the continuous Boyce index of 0.964 and 0.889 for training and testing, also showed higher model accuracy. Annual Mean Temperature (bio1), Annual Precipitation (bio12) and Precipitation Seasonality (bio15) are the main variables that determined the potential distribution of T. tabaci, with the suitable range of 22–28 °C; 300–1000 mm and 70–160, respectively. T. tabaci is distributed mainly in India's central and southern states, with 1.17 × 106 km2, covering 36.4% of land area under the current scenario. Multimodal ensembles show that under a low emission scenario (SSP126), low, moderate and optimum suitable areas of T. tabaci is likely to increase, while highly suitable areas would decrease by 17.4% in 2050 20.9% in 2070. Whereas, under the high emission scenario (SSP585), the high suitability is likely to contract by 24.2% and 51.7% for 2050 and 2070, respectively. According to the prediction of the BCC-CSM2-MR, CanESM5, CNRM-CM6-1 and MIROC6 model, the highly suitable area for T. tabaci would likely contract under both SSP126 and SSP585. This study detailed the potential future habitable area for T. tabaci in India, which could help monitor and devise efficient management strategies for this destructive pest.

As modificações na biosfera, a exemplo de fenômenos como as ilhas de calor urbano e de aumento da concentração dos gases do efeito estufa despertam a necessidade de se repensar imediatamente o ambiente urbano e as suas edificações. Nessa perspectiva, devem ser definidos materiais cujas propriedades térmicas dos elementos construtivos contribuam com o desempenho térmico das edificações de acordo com as condições bioclimáticas do local. Para tanto, no Brasil, há uma limitação na prestação de serviços em ensaios para a definição das propriedades térmicas à exemplo da condutividade térmica, uma vez que os equipamentos que permitem esse tipo de análise não estão disponíveis na maioria dos laboratórios das empresas e nas universidades devido ao seu alto custo. Isso faz com que, sob o ponto de vista térmico, não exista uma avaliação de forma mais precisa durante a etapa do projeto. Na prática, os valores das propriedades térmicas utilizados são aqueles padronizados normativamente, o que muitas vezes não representa o comportamento do material/componente aplicado localmente durante a etapa de execução da edificação. Diante disso, o objetivo desse artigo é a realização de uma revisão sistemática e uma busca de anterioridade de patentes de medidores de condutividade térmica baseados no método fluxométrico, escolhidos por possuem construção simplificada e retornam com resultados da condutividade térmica mais rapidamente em relação ao princípio da placa quente protegida. Por fim, discute-se acerca dos resultados encontrados, das perspectivas e oportunidades cabíveis ao tema.

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths globally. In the future, more than 2.2 million people will be diagnosed with lung cancer worldwide, making up 11.4% of every primary cause of cancer. Furthermore, lung cancer is expected to be the biggest driver of cancer-related mortality worldwide in 2020, with an estimated 1.8 million fatalities. Statistics on lung cancer rates are not uniform among geographic areas, demographic subgroups, or age groups. The chance of an effective treatment outcome and the likelihood of patient survival can be greatly improved with the early identification of lung cancer. Lung cancer identification in medical pictures like CT scans and MRIs is an area where deep learning (DL) algorithms have shown a lot of potential. This study uses the Hybridized Faster R-CNN (HFRCNN) to identify lung cancer at an early stage. Among the numerous uses for which faster R-CNN has been put to good use is identifying critical entities in medical imagery, such as MRIs and CT scans. Many research investigations in recent years have examined the use of various techniques to detect lung nodules (possible indicators of lung cancer) in scanned images, which may help in the early identification of lung cancer. One such model is HFRCNN, a two-stage, region-based entity detector. It begins by generating a collection of proposed regions, which are subsequently classified and refined with the aid of a convolutional neural network (CNN). A distinct dataset is used in the model’s training process, producing valuable outcomes. More than a 97% detection accuracy was achieved with the suggested model, making it far more accurate than several previously announced methods.

Abstract We study 2-point correlation functions for scalar operators in position space through holography including bulk cubic couplings as well as higher curvature couplings to the square of the Weyl tensor. We focus on scalar operators with large conformal dimensions. This allows us to use the geodesic approximation for propagators. In addition to the leading order contribution, captured by geodesics anchored at the insertion points of the operators on the boundary and probing the bulk geometry thoroughly studied in the literature, the first correction is given by a Witten diagram involving both the bulk cubic coupling and the higher curvature couplings. As a result, this correction is proportional to the VEV of a neutral operator O k and thus probes the interior of the black hole exactly as in the case studied by Grinberg and Maldacena [13]. The form of the correction matches the general expectations in CFT and allows to identify the contributions of T n O k (being T n the general contraction of n energy-momentum tensors) to the 2-point function. This correction is actually the leading term for off-diagonal correlators (i.e. correlators for operators of different conformal dimension), which can then be computed holographically in this way.

In this paper, we analyze the convergence problems of function g of Fourier series in Besov and generalized Zygmund norms using generalized Nörlund-Matrix (Np,qA) means of Fourier series. Convergence results are also compared by means of applications.

We carried out a full-coverage survey of the Yautepec Valley in the 1990s to reconstruct demography and settlements and their changes through time. We investigated the extent to which well-documented developments in the adjacent Basin of Mexico were paralleled in Yautepec, as well as the impact of regional empires and economies on local society. Our analyses focused on Teotihuacan relations in the Classic period and relations with the Aztec empire and the Mesoamerican world system in the Middle and Late Postclassic periods. In addition to locating, mapping, and describing sites and taking grab-bag artifact collections, we also made a series of systematic intensive surface collections (5 × 5 m) and test excavations at samples of Classic and Postclassic sites. In this paper, we describe the survey and changing settlement patterns in the Yautepec Valley. We also present several analyses of changing patterns of urbanization through the Prehispanic era. We conclude with a synthesis of changing social and cultural dynamics in this region.

The major targets of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are the respiratory and immune systems. However, a significant proportion of hospitalized patients had kidney dysfunction. The histopathological surveys have principally focused on respiratory, hematopoietic, and immune systems, whereas histopathologic data of kidney injury are lacking. Our study aimed to summarize the renal histopathological findings in COVID-19 from the published case report and case series. We conducted a systematic searching of databases such as MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library for published reports of COVID-19 patients with renal histopathological changes from autopsy studies and from “for cause” indication biopsies. Included in our study are case reports and case series with extractable quantitative data on patient demographics such as age, sex, ethnicity, as well as data on renal function tests, their comorbidities, and biopsy to study the histopathological changes. Data were analyzed with Microsoft Excel. To evaluate the methodological quality, we chose the framework for appraisal, synthesis, and application of evidence suggested by Murad et al. Systematic searches of literature found 31 studies that fulfilled the eligibility criteria. These studies included a total of 139 cases, where individual case details including clinical and histopathological findings were available. The median age of the cases was 62 years with a male:female ratio of 2.5:1. Associated comorbidities were noted in 78.4% of cases. The majority of the cases had renal dysfunction with proteinuria which was documented in more than two-thirds of the cases. The histopathological findings observed the frequent tubular involvement manifested by acute tubular injury. Regarding glomerular pathology, collapsing glomerulopathy emerged as a distinct lesion in these patients and was noted among 46.8% of cases with glomerular lesions. A small subset of cases (4.3%) had thrombotic microangiopathy. Collapsing glomerulopathy emerged as a hallmark of glomerular changes among COVID-19 patients. Tubular damage is common and is linked to multiple factors including ischemia, sepsis among others. In the form of thrombotic microangiopathy seen in a subset of patients, vascular damage hints toward the hyper-coagulable state associated with the infection. The demonstration of viral particles in renal tissue remains debatable and requires further study.

Purpose: COVID-19-associated rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) has reached epidemic proportion during India's second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, with several risk factors being implicated in its pathogenesis. This study aimed to determine the patient demographics, risk factors including comorbidities, and medications used to treat COVID-19, presenting symptoms and signs, and the outcome of management. Methods: This was a retrospective, observational study of patients with COVID-19-associated ROCM managed or co-managed by ophthalmologists in India from January 1, 2020 to May 26, 2021. Results: Of the 2826 patients, the states of Gujarat (22%) and Maharashtra (21%) reported the highest number of ROCM. The mean age of patients was 51.9 years with a male preponderance (71%). While 57% of the patients needed oxygen support for COVID-19 infection, 87% of the patients were treated with corticosteroids, (21% for > 10 days). Diabetes mellitus (DM) was present in 78% of all patients. Most of the cases showed onset of symptoms of ROCM between day 10 and day 15 from the diagnosis of COVID-19, 56% developed within 14 days after COVID-19 diagnosis, while 44% had delayed onset beyond 14 days. Orbit was involved in 72% of patients, with stage 3c forming the bulk (27%). Overall treatment included intravenous amphotericin B in 73%, functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS)/paranasal sinus (PNS) debridement in 56%, orbital exenteration in 15%, and both FESS/PNS debridement and orbital exenteration in 17%. Intraorbital injection of amphotericin B was administered in 22%. At final follow-up, mortality was 14%. Disease stage >3b had poorer prognosis. Paranasal sinus debridement and orbital exenteration reduced the mortality rate from 52% to 39% in patients with stage 4 disease with intracranial extension (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Corticosteroids and DM are the most important predisposing factors in the development of COVID-19-associated ROCM. COVID-19 patients must be followed up beyond recovery. Awareness of red flag symptoms and signs, high index of clinical suspicion, prompt diagnosis, and early initiation of treatment with amphotericin B, aggressive surgical debridement of the PNS, and orbital exenteration, where indicated, are essential for successful outcome.

Several bacterial strains were isolated from soil and water in the current work and screened for glutaminase-free L-asparaginase activity. The selected strain was subjected to the production of glutaminase-free L-asparaginase and thereby purification. Before purification, pH scouting was performed, and 8.6 pH was the optimum working pH to carry out purification. The enzyme was purified using Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography and up to 4.55-folds and its purity percentage was determined using UPLC. The purity of L-asparaginase was determined to be 99.2%. The enzyme was characterized using UV-Visible Spectrophotometer, DLS, ZP, DSC, TGA. The loss of the enzyme was 65% after sublimation, indicating its purity compared to the standard drug. The results report a developed process for the purification of L-asparaginase and its characterization, which can prove instrumental in the purification process of naturally occurring enzymes because today, most developed processes deal with recombinant enzymes.

Objectives: This study investigated the occurrence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes coexisting with carbapenemase, AmpC and aminoglycoside resistance gene in uropathogens in India. Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion. Antimicrobial resistance genes were detected by multiplex PCR. Results: Of 1516 consecutive urine samples, 454 (29.9%) showed significant bacteriuria with a single micro-organism, predominantly Escherichia coli (n = 343), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 92), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 10) and Proteus mirabilis (n = 9). Among the uropathogens, 61 ESBL-producers were identified containing blaCTX-M-15 (n = 32), blaCTX-M-15 + blaOXA-2 (n = 15), blaCTX-M-15 + blaOXA-2 + blaTEM-1 (n = 6), blaOXA-2 (n = 5), blaOXA-2 + blaSHV-76 (n = 1), blaTEM-1+blaSHV-76 (n = 1) and blaTEM-1 (n = 1). All ESBL genes were located on horizontally transferable plasmids of incompatibility types HI1, I1, FIA + FIB, FIA and Y. Among the 61 ESBL-producers, 59 harboured carbapenemase genes, including blaNDM-5 (n = 48), blaNDM-5 + blaOXA-48 (n = 5), blaNDM-5 + blaIMP (n = 5) and blaNDM-5+blaIMP + blaVIM (n = 1). ESBL-producing uropathogens also harboured 16S rRNA methylase genes, including rmtB (n = 9), rmtA (n = 4), rmtC (n = 1) and armA (n = 1). ESBL-positive isolates also contained AmpC genes, including blaCIT (n = 8) and blaDHA-1 (n = 1). Imipenem and gentamicin had the lowest resistance rates against the uropathogens. Conclusion: This is the first report showing the high prevalence of carbapenemases in ESBL-positive isolates in this area. Regular surveillance for such resistance mechanisms will be useful for health personnel to treat infections by these multidrug-resistant pathogens.

Mulberry is a multipurpose tree, which can be utilized for catering diversified needs such as food, fodder, fuel and fibre. It has earned ‘superfood’ status, in European countries, owing to presence of bioactive compounds in fruits. In India, mulberry is considered an underutilized fruit crop and the breeding efforts on mulberries made so far were restricted to development of genotypes suitable for sericulture. However promising selections of mulberry, intended for commercial fruit production, have recently been made. Therefore, an investigation about the phytochemical constituents of available promising mulberry genotypes could help develop an improved understanding and appreciation of the nutraceutical and medicinal value of this fruit, which consequently will promote its consumption in society. In the present investigation, we assessed variations in morphological characteristics, phytochemical and antioxidant capacity among 10 selected mulberry genotypes belonging to 3 mulberry species (Morus alba, M. rubra and M. laevigata). The antioxidant capacity was estimated by CUPRAC, FRAP and DPPH assays. The ascorbic acid content varied from 6.8 to 27.1 mg 100 g−1, total polyphenols from 0.51 to 1.58 mg g−1, total flavonoids from 0.37 to 1.26 mg g−1 and O-dihydric phenol from 0.14 to 0.33 mg g−1 fresh weight. The average antioxidant activities were 3.02–6.92 and 2.79–5.70 µM TE g−1 as determined by the CUPRAC and FRAP assays, respectively. Likewise, according to the results obtained, genotype Delhi Local was found to exhibit the strongest DPPH free-radical scavenging activity followed by Thar Lohit. The results of the study showed that the dark red-fruited mulberry ‘Delhi Local’ with higher antioxidant potential appears to be promising for further commercial exploitation. Keywords: Morphological characterization, Phyllotaxy, Heterophylly, Anthocyanin, CUPRAC, FRAP, Principal component analysis