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Fish is a vital component of the human diet, yet it is also highly perishable and prone to rapid spoilage. It is essential to find effective alternatives that contribute to maintaining quality and prolonging the shelf life of fishery products. This research aimed to enhance the shelf life of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fish steaks treated with different % of ginger extract viz. 0%, 15%, 20%, 25% and packed in High-density Polyethylene (HDPE) bags during chilled (4 ± 1°C) storage. The organoleptic, biochemical, microbiological and proximate analysis revealed that ginger extract treated samples (Gi1, Gi2 and Gi3) had longer shelf life of 15 days as compared to Gi0, which remain acceptable up to 9th day. However, the Gi2 showed higher organoleptic score (overall acceptability) on 15th day of storage period. The study findings suggest that Nile tilapia fish steaks treated with ginger extract can enhance the shelf life during chilled temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish and fish products are valuable sources of animal protein and is now considered a healthy food. But, its spoil very fast as compared to other animal meat. Croaker, locally known as “Dhoma” are sold at low prices, though they are rich in proteins. The croaker fish landings of India was 1,35,750 tons in 2018. Efforts are being made to utilize the uneconomic varieties of fishes through appropriate technological processes and converting them into different kinds of value added products. Efficient utilization of low cost fish in foods may revolutionize the fish industry by standardizing appropriate and economic technology for processing such underutilized fish into value-added meat products that are palatable and economically viable. Present marketing trends reflect a rapidly growing demand for processed foods that are more convenient to handle, store and prepare. Spreadable product is a kind of convenience, ready to eat form of product which is spread on or sandwiched in a base like bread e.g. butter, jam, mayonnaise, cheese spread, and they form a large constituent of the present market. In the present study spreadable products fish spread was developed from low valued Dhoma fish and its organoleptic characteristics were assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

يهدف البحث إلى اختبار وتحليل العلاقة بين التحفظ المحاسبي غير المشروط وغموض التقارير المالية، ولتحقيق هذا الهدف، تناول البحث عينة من المصارف المدرجة في سوق العراق للأوراق المالية وعددها (17) مصرفاً للفترة الممتدة من عام (2013 وحتى 2022) إذ تم استخدام نموذج ((Ryan & Beaver, 2000 في قياس التحفظ غير المشروط، بينما استخدم في قياس غموض التقارير المالية المجموع المتحرك من القيمة المطلقة للاستحقاقات الاختيارية فضلاً عن استخدم بعض الأساليب الإحصائية الاستدلالية والوصفية بالبرنامج الإحصائي (SPSS) لفحص معنوية العلاقة والتأثير بين متغيرات البحث، توصل البحث إلى مجموعة من الاستنتاجات أهمها يوجد تأثير ذو دلالة إحصائية للتحفظ المحاسبي غير المشروط في غموض التقارير المالية، ويوصي البحث بضرورة الاهتمام بوضع ضوابط للإفصاح عن المعلومات في القوائم والتقارير المالية من أجل الحد من التلاعب في الأرباح وعدم تماثل المعلومات ومن ثم الحد من حالات غموض التقارير المالية التي يكون سببها الرئيس هو إدارة الأرباح داخل الشركة وتطوير التقارير المالية من خلال التركيز على تحسين مستوى الإفصاح والشفافية بها بحيث تعكس هذه التقارير حقيقة الأعمال.

Demand for fresh or minimum processed seafood is increasing in national and international market. The increasing demand for high quality fresh seafood has intensified the search for methods and technologies for better fish utilization. Packaging is an essential requirement virtually for every product, whether it is a food or any manufactured item. The packaging of food and food products and particularly fish, is very complex because of the intrinsic characteristics of such products and the need to retain or preserve them while in the package. Extending the shelf life of fresh fish and seafood such as shrimp and prawn is a particular challenge because of the unique nature of the product. There are many types of fish that have different characteristics and therefore different requirements for packaging. The flesh of fish and shellfish contains more water and protein. Bacteria present in the gut, gills and body surface of fish begin to act on the protein of the tissu every quickly. Active enzymes in the flesh and gut also degrade the tissue. Fish that have a high content of unsaturated fat, such as herring and mackerel, are also susceptible to oxidation by the air resulting in rancidity. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is a technologically viable method developed as a supplement to ice or mechanical refrigeration to reduce quality losses or spoilage and extend the storage life. MAP enables the fresh produce or perishable product to be packaged when it is fresh and then maintains it in that condition, thereby, reducing distribution costs, and enhancing quality and appearance for the consumer. MAP maintains this state for along period of time, during which deterioration is effectively stopped. The application MAP in seafood processing industry is discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An aquarium system has the ability to connect people to environments. A total of 50 aquariums have been displayed of the public Aquarium of Marine Biological Research Station since 2014 at Zadgaon Ratnagiri. Every year, one-two lakh people were visited to watch aquarium and museum. Fresh-water, brackish-water and marine fish and shell fishes are displayed with taxonomic and common name with important information in the aquaria for public awareness of aquatic world. All these animals need specific methods of collection; the adaptability of every species is species specific depending on the biology, life cycle and behavior of each species. There are also gaining knowledge of different feeding requirements, different habitat arrangements in the display tanks, different lighting and different aeration condition. Aquarium has ideal places for understanding on husbandry, life cycles, reproduction, behavior, auto ecology and fish pathology.The main objectives are to make the general public awareness in respect of coastal biodiversity conservation, fish culture and sustainable fisheries development, livelihood particularly the fishermen, fisheries entrepreneurs and fish farmers etc. In addition to formal educational opportunities, non formal education to visitors, schools and undergraduates seems to become a major mission of aquarium. Aquarium tank displays and preserved biological material enhance environmental awareness, encouraging people to adopt environmentally responsible. The study was proposed to evaluate required basic information on aquarium displays for the visitors to awareness about environmental education and conservation of aquatic life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marine products export substantially increased from 2,96,277 tons of worth Indian Rs. 3,501 crores in the year 1995-96 to 13,77,244 ton of Rs. 45,107 crores in the year 2017-18. Cephalopods were used to be treated often as part of discardable by-catch in India, but now they have an upgraded because of their export. The squid is an economically important cephalopod in India contributes nearly 7.3% share of total Indian marine products export. The Indian squid (Uroteuthis duvauceli) is the dominant species, contributes about 97% catch all over the country, where as other species represents are Sepioteuthis lessoniana and Doryteuthis sp. Among total squid landings almost 90% comes from the west coast of India. The annual landing of squid was 1,14,886 tons in 2016 and it was raised to 1,31,774 tons in proceeding year i.e. 2017. During year 1995-96 the export of frozen squid recorded 45,025 tons of Rs. 320 Cr whereas in the year 2017-18, it was increased to 1,00,845 tons of Rs. 2452 Cr. The squid has many advantages over fish, such as white flesh, high yield and very low fat content. The shelf life is a major problem of the captured squids; hence mostly they are used for fresh consumption by local population. However to maintain its quality and nutritional value several techniques of fish preservation need to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fishes belongs to the family Siganidae are popularly known as rabbit fishes and distributed throughout Indo- Pacific region. Rabbit fishes are considered as candidate species for mariculture due to its fast growth. Rabbit fish, Siganus canaliculatus is a marine fish inhabits coastal areas and brackishwater bodies. Knowledge on gut content is essential to attempt culture possibilities of this species. In the present study, an attempt is made to analyse gut content of this species along the Ratnagiri coast. Fishes were collected from Mirkarwada landing centre of Ratnagiri during the year 2014-16. Analysis of gut content revealed that S. canaliculatus is a herbivorous fish mainly feeding on algae (Enteromorpha spp. and sea weeds) during most part of year along Ratnagiri coast. An accidental inclusions of benthic invertebrates like echinoderms, crustaceans and bivalves were found in some large sized fish. Majority of mature fish occurred with empty stomachs or with little food during active spawning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

يهدف البحث إلى دراسة وتحليل العلاقة بين التحفظ المحاسبي والقيمة الاقتصادية المضافة، ولتحقيق هدف البحث تم تبني القياس الكمي كأسلوب لقياس المتغيرات عبر تحليل المحتوى المعلوماتي للقوائم المالية من المصارف العراقية المدرجة في سوق العراق للأوراق المالية للفترة من 2010-2019 كعينة للبحث، باعتماد الأساليب الإحصائية الوصفية والاستدلالية من خلال برنامج (SPSS) الاحصائي لدراسة وتحليل العلاقة والتأثير الحاصل بين متغيرات البحث الحالية، وتوصل البحث إلى نتائج مهمة تؤكد وجود علاقة ارتباط وتأثير إيجابية بين التحفظ المحاسبي والقيمة الاقتصادية المضافة، وهذا يوجه ادارات المصارف بضرورة الاهتمام بمؤشرات التحفظ المحاسبي لتحديد الربح الاقتصادي.

يهدف البحث إلى معرفة دور الافصاح الاختياري عبر الانترنت في تعزيز جودة التقارير المالية، ولتحقيق هذا الهدف فقد تناول البحث أسلوب تحليل محتوى للقوائم المالية السنوية لعينة من الشركات المصرفية العراقية المدرجة في سوق العراق للأوراق المالية والبالغ عددها (10) شركات للفترة الممتدة من 2010 لغاية 2020، لغرض جمع البيانات الأولية وقياس متغيرات الدراسة، وتم استخدام نماذج الارتباط والانحدار في فحص العلاقة والتأثير بين تلك المتغيرات، وأظهرت النتائج المتعلقة بالإفصاح الاختياري عبر الانترنت أن المصارف العراقية تفصح عن المعلومات المحاسبية عبر الانترنت بشكل منخفض نسبيا سواء كان ذلك من حيث الشكل أو محتوى هذه المعلومات، فضلا عن عدم وجود تأثير مباشر للإفصاح الاختياري عبر الانترنت على جودة التقارير المالية (وفق التحفظ المحاسبي).

Lesser sardine (Sardinella spp.) is one of the pelagic shoaling fish mainly landed in huge quantity at Ratnagiri coast. This species of fish having high percent of fat and myoglobin, which effects the quality of surimi produced. The gel strength characteristic of surimi can be improve by application of different washing processes. The gel strength characteristic plays important role in preparation of crab/lobsters analogues and other surimi based Effect of washing processes viz., conventional washing process (CWP) and alkaline-saline washing process (ASWP) on surimi was compared with unwashed mince (UWM) prepared from Lesser sardine. In the present investigation, surimi were analysed for parameters like gel strength, whiteness, expressible moisture, pH, solubility and organoleptic characteristics. FLGels strength of unwashed mince (UWM) and different washing processes like CWP and ASWP were depicted as 28.67, 42.00 and 68.00 g/cm, respectively. High values of whiteness and pH with decreasing expressible moisture content was observed in ASWP as compared to others. The results showed that alkaline-saline washing process (ASWP) could improve the gel forming ability of surimi particularly from low quality fatty fish (Sardinella spp.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

هدف البحث إلى استخدام مؤشر القيمة الاقتصادية المضافة لمواجهة أوجه القصور في مؤشرات المحاسبة التقليدية التي تم انتقادها بسبب عجزها عن قياس أداء الشركات بدقة، ولتحقيق هدف البحث تم تبني مؤشر القيمة الاقتصادية المضافة كأسلوب حديث لمواجهة تلك القصور، وتوصل البحث إلى أنه يمكن استخدام مؤشر القيمة الاقتصادية المضافة لمواجهة أوجه القصور في مؤشرات المحاسبة التقليدية، ولحل وتقييم نتائج ممارسات إدارة الأرباح، إذ يوفر مؤشر (EVA) أسلوباً يمكن من خلاله التأكد من كفاءة أداء الشركة ومدى نجاحها في تحقيق الاهداف التي تسعى إليها.

يهدف البحث إلى معرفة دور انماط هيكل الملكية المتمثلة بـ (تركز الملكية والملكية الادارية والملكية المؤسسية والملكية الاجنبية) بدعم الافصاح الاختياري عبر الانترنت اجمالا، ولتحقيق هذا الهدف فقد تناول البحث أسلوب تحليل محتوى للقوائم المالية السنوية لعينة من الشركات المصرفية العراقية المدرجة في سوق العراق للأوراق المالية والبالغ عددها عشرة شركات للفترة الممتدة من 2010 لغاية 2020، لغرض جمع البيانات الاولية وقياس متغيرات الدراسة، وتم استخدام نماذج الارتباط والانحدار في فحص العلاقة والتأثير بين تلك المتغيرات، وأظهرت النتائج إلى وجود نسبة تركز عالية للملكية الادارية في الشركات عينة الدراسة، ولها نسبة تركز عالية من كبار المساهمين الذين يمتلكون نسبة 5% أو أكثر من رأس مال الشركة، في حين اشارت النتائج عن انخفاض نسبة الأسهم التي تمتلكها المؤسسات، فضلا عن عدم وجود ملكية اجنبية في خمس من الشركات المصرفية عينة الدراسة، كما أظهرت النتائج ارتباط أنماط هيكل الملكية بأنواعها الأربع ارتباطاً معنويا إيجابياً مع الإفصاح الاختيار عبر الانترنت.

هدفت الدراسة إلى عرض كثافة المعلومات في التعهيد المحاسبي، والتعرف على أهمية التعهيد المحاسبي عند تطبيقه في الشركات الصغيرة والمتوسطة الحجم، تناولت الدراسة مجموعة من الشركات الصناعية العراقية، إذ تم تصميم استبانة وزعت على المديرين التنفيذيين والأقسام والشعب المحاسبية والعاملين في الشركات، وتمثلت عينة الدراسة من (110) مفردة صالحة للتحليل الاحصائي، وتم استخدام نماذج عدة: (الأهمية النسبية، معامل الاختلاف، الارتباط والانحدار المتعدد والبسيط) في فحص العلاقة والتأثير ما بين متغيرات الدراسة، توصلت الدراسة إلى إن التعهيد المحاسبي يعد من توجهات الشركات الصغيرة والمتوسطة الحجم وذلك لخفض التكاليف والوصول إلى ندرة المهارات والحصول على القدرة التنافسية، فضلا عن إن هناك علاقة وتأثير ذو دلالة معنوية لخصائص العملية المحاسبية في التعهيد المحاسبي، وأخيراً فإن هناك ضرورة لتركيز اهتمام الشركات الصناعية العراقية بالتعهيد المحاسبي، وبيان أهميته وتعزيز دوافع استخدامه في ميدان عمل الشركة.

Acetes is a small sized shrimp, widely distributed in different parts of the world bordering the Indian Ocean. It is highly perishable and spoils quickly due to autolysis and proteolytic enzymes from hepatopancreas. The fresh utilization of Acetes is very limited. There are constraints in the industrial utilization of Acetes species. It is not possible to peel the shrimp manually or mechanically. Acetes is consumed mostly in fresh and dried form and the entire resources are utilized for internal markets. It is very cheap while considering the present Acetes potential to prepared value added products like chatni. Modified atmospheric packaging is the most natural way to protect perishable food against spoilage, damage or loss due to external causes. It is also extending further the shelf life of the product. The Acetes chutney using coconut powder was prepared and its organoleptic, microbiological, biochemical changes of Acetes chutney (ready-to-eat) packed in Modified Atmospheric Packaging using metallized polyester-poly packs flushed with nitrogen gas and stored at room temperature were studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Maharashtra, traditional culture of Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) is carried out in khar land intertidal area of the Thane and Raigad district of Maharashtra. Nowadays, the system of improved monoculture and polyculturesystems are getting popular among farmers. The state is having 720 km long coastal line with of 80,000 hectares of total brackish water area adjusant to creeks with high potential for finfish and shrimp farming. As per the micro level survey, 10,000 ha area is available in five maritime districts for brackish water aquaculture. Due to frequent break out of viral diseases during culture period of shrimp farming, some farmers are opting eco-friendly and sustainable finfish culture systems. In this situation, the Asian seabass is most suitable candidate species to the farmers for monoculture and polycultureso as to have alternative cropping system to avoid such disease out brake. Asian seabass is euryhalinespecies having predatory carnivorous feeding habit and very popular in konkan region due to its delicate flavored flesh. Hence, it fetches very high demand and market price of Rs.600-800 per kg in local market. The faculty of Fisheries under Dr. B. S. Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth have conducted several trials of monoculture and polyculture of seabass on their research farms and trying to demonstrate and expand this improved culture activities on farmers ponds. However there are some challenges such as availability of uniform seed size, feed, financial support, technical know-how to rapidly expand these activities on large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The impact of epigenetic drugs on metastasis and the immunological microenvironment is poorly understood. In this study, we looked at how sirtinol, a SIRT1 inhibitor, affected epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), metastasis, and the immune cells., Materials and Methods: In vitro experiments were carried out using tumor conditioned medium (TCM). For in vivo experiments, sirtinol was administered i.p. in tumor bearing BALB/c mice at a dose of 2 mg/kg body weight either alone or in combination with cisplatin. Estimation of cytokines was carried out using ELISA or ELIspot. Estimation of different markers was done using flow cytometry or western blot., Results: Sirtinol, a SIRT1 inhibitor, was found to be cytotoxic to 4T1 breast cancer cells with no synergistic effects with cisplatin, both under in vitro and in vivo conditions ( p  < 0.05). Sirtinol significantly reduced cancer cell metastasis to the spleen which was supported by in vitro findings such as decreased vimentin expression and cell mobility in migration and wound healing assays ( p  < 0.01). Studies on the effects of 4T1 tumor-conditioned medium on spleen cells indicated changes in T cell proliferation as well as differentiation ( p  < 0.01). In tumor bearing mice, spleen cells showed elevated IFN-γ secretion, increased CD11b + cells, and decreased T cells ( p  < 0.01). This was reversed by sirtinol as well as the combination treatment, which may also have contributed to metastasis inhibition ( p  < 0.01)., Conclusion: Sirtinol, a SIRT1 inhibitor inhibits EMT and metastasis of 4T1 breast cancer cells and also has an impact on the immune microenvironment.

The growing emergence of multi-drug resistant microbial strains has kept the scientific world searching for novel bioactive compounds with specific chemical characteristics. Accordingly, researchers have started exploring the understudied metabolites from endophytes as a new source of bioactive compounds. In this context, the current study was designed to evaluate the bioactive properties of endophytic fungi from the Mokrzański forest in Wrocław, Poland that have not yet been fully researched. Forty-three endophytic fungi were isolated from twelve distinct plants. Following their cultivation, fungal extracts were separately prepared from biomass and cell-free filtrates, and their antibacterial, antifungal (against human and plant pathogens), and antioxidant properties were examined. Five promising fungi after screening were identified to possess all of these activities. These strains and their respective plant hosts were Trichoderma harzianum BUK-T ( Fagus sylvatica ), Aspergillus ochraceus ROB-L1 ( Robinia pseudoacacia ), Chaetomium cochliodes KLON-L1, Fusarium tricinctum KLON-L2 ( Acer platanoides ), and Penicillium chrysogenum SOS-B2 ( Pinus sylvestris ). Moreover, gamma irradiation at several doses (Gy) was separately applied to the fungal cultures to study their effects on the recorded activities. Finally, compounds after preparative thin-layer chromatography fractionation of the five fungal strains were identified by GC-MS. These findings suggest that the isolated endophytic fungi could serve as novel sources of bioactive metabolites with antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties, potentially paving the way for future research and the development of new bioactive compounds.

In this study, undoped and Ni-doped ZnS nanoparticles were fabricated using a hydrothermal method to explore their structural, optical, and surface properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the cubic crystal structure of ZnS, with the successful incorporation of Ni ions at various doping levels (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%) without disrupting the overall lattice configuration. The average particle size for undoped ZnS was found to be 5.27 nm, while the Ni-doped samples exhibited sizes ranging from 5.45 nm to 5.83 nm, with the largest size observed at 6% Ni doping before a reduction at higher concentrations. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy identified characteristic Zn-S vibrational bands, with shifts indicating successful Ni incorporation into the ZnS lattice. UV-visible spectroscopy revealed a decrease in the optical band gap from 3.72 eV for undoped ZnS to 3.54 eV for 6% Ni-doped ZnS, demonstrating tunable optical properties due to Ni doping, which could enhance photocatalytic performance under visible light. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses confirmed the uniform distribution of Ni within the ZnS matrix, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provided further confirmation of the chemical states of the elements. Ni doping of ZnS nanoparticles alters the surface area and pore structure, optimizing the material's textural properties for enhanced performance. These findings suggest that Ni-doped ZnS nanoparticles offer promising potential for applications in photocatalysis, optoelectronics, and other fields requiring specific band gap tuning and particle size control.

Rationale of the Trial: Although the use of engineered T cells in cancer immunotherapy has greatly advanced the treatment of hematological malignancies, reaching meaningful clinical responses in the treatment of solid tumors is still challenging. We investigated the safety and tolerability of IMA202 in a first-in-human, dose escalation basket trial in human leucocyte antigen A*02:01 positive patients with melanoma-associated antigen A1 (MAGEA1)-positive advanced solid tumors., Trial Design: The 2+2 trial design was an algorithmic design based on a maximally acceptable dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) rate of 25% and the sample size was driven by the algorithmic design with a maximum of 16 patients. IMA202 consists of autologous genetically modified cytotoxic CD8 + T cells expressing a T cell receptor (TCR), which is specific for a nine amino acid peptide derived from MAGEA1. Eligible patients underwent leukapheresis, T cells were isolated, transduced with lentiviral vector carrying MAGEA1-specific TCR and following lymphodepletion (fludarabine/cyclophosphamide), infused with a median of 1.4×10 9 specific T cells (range, 0.086×10 9 -2.57×10 9 ) followed by interleukin 2. SAFETY OF IMA202: No DLT was observed. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were cytopenias, that is, neutropenia (81.3%), lymphopenia (75.0%), anemia (50.0%), thrombocytopenia (50.0%) and leukopenia (25.0%). 13 patients experienced cytokine release syndrome, including one grade 3 event. Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome was observed in two patients and was grade 1 in both. EFFICACY OF IMA202: Of the 16 patients dosed, 11 (68.8%) patients had stable disease (SD) as their best overall response (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors V.1.1). Five patients had initial tumor shrinkage in target lesions and one patient with SD experienced continued shrinkage in target lesions for 3 months in total but had to be classified as progressive disease due to progressive non-target lesions. IMA202 T cells were persistent in peripheral blood for several weeks to months and were also detectable in tumor tissue. Peak persistence was higher in patients who received higher doses., Conclusion: In conclusion, IMA202 had a manageable safety profile, and it was associated with biological and potential clinical activity of MAGEA1-targeting genetically engineered TCR-T cells in a poor prognosis, multi-indication solid tumor cohort., Trial Registration Numbers: NCT04639245, NCT05430555., Competing Interests: Competing interests: MBH, AM, AS, MK, KP, ASM, DK, and SW were employees of Immatics US in the course of this work and may have securities from Immatics. SG-G, KA, SS, JH, MAK, AA, LB, MB, SB, CW, OS, AM-M, NH, and CMB were employees of Immatics Biotechnologies in the course of this work and may have securities from Immatics. AMT: Clinical trial research funding (received through the institution): OBI Pharma USA, Immatics, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Agenus, Tempus, Tvardi, Boston Biomedical, Karus Therapeutics; Consulting or advisory role: Vincerx, Diaccurate, BrYet, Nex-I, Macrogenics, BioEclipse. BSA: Two patents sold to GreenJay Therapeutics, privately held. IIW’s ASCO COI form is up to date. JJL: Data and safety monitoring board: Abbvie, Agenus, Amgen, Immutep, Evaxion; Scientific advisory board: (no stock) 7 Hills, Affivant, BioCytics, Bright Peak, Exo, Fstar, Inzen, RefleXion, Xilio (stock) Actym, Alphamab Oncology, Arch Oncology, Duke Street Bio, Kanaph, Mavu, NeoTx, Onc. AI, OncoNano, physIQ, Pyxis, Saros, STipe, Tempest; Consultancy with compensation: Abbvie, Agenus, Alnylam, Atomwise, Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Castle, Checkmate, Codiak, Crown, Cugene, Curadev, Day One, Eisai, EMD Serono, Endeavor, Flame, G1 Therapeutics, Genentech, Gilead, Glenmark, HotSpot, Kadmon, KSQ, Janssen, Ikena, Inzen, Immatics, Immunocore, Incyte, Instil, IO Biotech, Macrogenics, Merck, Mersana, Nektar, Novartis, Partner, Pfizer, Pioneering Medicines, PsiOxus, Regeneron, Replimmune, Ribon, Roivant, Servier, STINGthera, Synlogic, Synthekine; Research support: (all to institutions for clinical trials unless noted) AbbVie, Astellas, Astrazeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Corvus, Day One, EMD Serono, Fstar, Genmab, Ikena, Immatics, Incyte, Kadmon, KAHR, Macrogenics, Merck, Moderna, Nektar, Next Cure, Numab, Palleon, Pfizer, Replimmune, Rubius, Servier, Scholar Rock, Synlogic, Takeda, Trishula, Tizona, Xencor; Patents: (both provisional) Serial #15/612,657 (Cancer Immunotherapy), PCT/US18/36052 (Microbiome Biomarkers for Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 Responsiveness: Diagnostic, Prognostic and Therapeutic Uses Thereof). MW: Honoraria: Amgen, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, GWT, Janssen, Lilly, Merck Serono, Novartis, SYNLAB; Consulting or advisory role: Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, ImCheck therapeutics, Immatics, ISA Pharmaceuticals, Lilly, Novartis; Research funding: Roche; Travel, accommodations, expenses: Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GEMoaB, Immatics, Merck Serono, Pfizer, Sanofi/Aventis; TAWH: Honoraria: Amgen, Bristol-Myers-Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Jazz; Consulting or advisory role: Amgen, Jazz, Kite/Gilead, Novartis, Sanofi, Bristol-Myers-Squibb, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline; Travel, accommodation, expenses: Janssen, Jazz, Abbvie, Bristol-Myers-Squibb, Amgen, Kite/Gilead, Astellas, Neovii, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi. VKM: Consulting or advisory role: Axiom Healthcare Strategies, Bicara Therapeutics, BioMedical Insights, Boehringer Ingelheim, Incyte; Research funding: Bicara Therapeutics, BioNTech, Bristol-Myers Squibb, EMD Serono, Immatics, Pfizer. WHA: Consulting or advisory role: Janssen; Research funding (received through institution): Affimed, BioNTech; Travel, accommodation, expenses: Immatics, Janssen, BioNTech; Honoraria: GSK, Janssen, AstraZeneca, Astellas. All other authors have no competing interests., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Despite the success of antibiotics in medicine, the treatment of bacterial infection is still challenging due to emerging resistance and suitable drug delivery system, therefore, innovative approaches focused on nanoparticles based antimicrobial drug delivery systems are highly desired. This research aimed to synthesize Cymbopogon citratus ( C. citratus ) aqueous extract-mediated copper oxide (CuO-Nps) conjugated with levofloxacin (LFX). The synthesized CuO NPs-LFX nano conjugate was confirmed by analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and infrared and ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy. Antibacterial activities were assessed in vitro through the agar well diffusion method against six bacterial strains of clinical relevance. CuO NPs confirmed by UV-Vis analysis absorption peak observed at 380 nm. TGA analysis showed 8.98% weight loss between the 400-800 ° C temperature range. The functional group's presence was confirmed by FTIR analysis. Spherical shape nanoparticles with an average particle size of 55 nm were recorded by FESEM. Results from agar well diffusion assay showed that CuO NPs-LFX prohibited the development of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria at all established concentrations, and the antibacterial propensity was more pronounced as compared to bare CuO NPs, Levofloxacin and C. citratus aqueous extract alone. The results showed that gram-negative bacteria are more susceptible to CuO NPs-LFX nano conjugate and at 10 μgmL -1 concentration, form a 10.1 mm zone of inhibition (ZOI), whereas gram-positive bacteria on the same concentration form 9.5 mm ZOI. LFX-loaded CuO NPs antibacterial activity was observed higher than plant extract, bare CuO NPs, and standard drug (Levofloxacin). This study provides a novel approach for the fabrication of biogenic CuO NPs with antibacterial drug levofloxacin and their usage as nano antibiotic carriers against pathogenic bacteria, especially antibiotic-resistant microbes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

This study aims to prepare new nanocomposites consisting of Cr 2 O 3 /CaCO 3 as a catalyst for improved hydrogen production from NaBH 4 methanolysis. The new nanocomposite possesses nanoparticles with the compositional formula Cr 2-x Ca x O 3 (x = 0, 0.3, and 0.6). These samples were prepared using the sol-gel method, which comprises gelatin fuel. The structure of the new composites was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and X-ray spectroscopy (XPS). The XRD data showed the rhombohedral crystallinity of the studied samples, and the average crystal size was 25 nm. The FTIR measurements represented the absorption bands of Cr 2 O 3 and CaO. The ESEM micrographs of the Cr 2 O 3 showed the spherical shape of the Cr 2 O 3 nanoparticles. The XPS measurements proved the desired oxidation states of the Cr 2-x Ca x O 3 nanoparticles. The optical band gap of Cr 2 O 3 is 3.0 eV, and calcium doping causes a reduction to 2.5 and 1.3 eV at 15.0 and 30.0% doping ratios. The methanolysis of NaBH 4 involved accelerated H 2 production when using Cr 2-x Ca x O 3 as a catalyst. Furthermore, the Cr 1.7 Ca 0.3 O 3 catalyst had the highest hydrogen generation rate, with a value of 12,750 mL/g/min.

Tribbles pseudokinases (TRIB1-3) are important signaling modulators involved in several cancers. However, their function in gastric cancer (GC) remains undefined. GC is still a deadly disease since the lack of sensitive and specific biomarkers for early diagnosis and therapy response prediction negatively affects patients' outcome. The identification of novel molecular players may lead to more effective diagnostic and therapeutic avenues. Therefore, we investigated the role of TRIB genes in gastric tumorigenesis. Data mining of the TCGA dataset revealed that chromosomal instability (CIN) tumors have lower TRIB2 and higher TRIB3 expression versus microsatellite instability (MSI)-high tumors, while TRIB1 levels are similar in both tumor types. Moreover, in CIN tumors, low TRIB2 expression is significantly associated with aggressive stage IV disease. As no studies on TRIB2 in GC are available, we focused on this gene for further in vitro analyses. We checked the effect of TRIB2 overexpression (OE) on MKN45 and NCI-N87 CIN GC cell lines. In MKN45 cells, TRIB2 OE reduced proliferation and colony formation ability and induced G2/M arrest, while it decreased the proliferation and cell motility of NCI-N87 cells. These effects were not mediated by the MAPK pathway. Our results suggest a tumor-suppressive function of TRIB2 in GC with a CIN phenotype.

In this study, zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) doped with cobalt (Co) were synthesized using a simple coprecipitation technique. The concentration of Co was varied to investigate its effect on the structural, morphological, optical, and dielectric properties of the NPs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of both undoped and Co-doped ZnO-NPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the morphology of the synthesized NPs, while energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was used to verify their purity. The band gap of the NPs was evaluated using UV-visible spectroscopy, which revealed a decrease in the energy gap as the concentration of Co2+ increased in the ZnO matrix. The dielectric constants and AC conductivity of the NPs were measured using an LCR meter. The dielectric constant of the Co-doped ZnO-NPs continuously increased from 4.0 × 10-9 to 2.25 × 10-8, while the dielectric loss decreased from 4.0 × 10-8 to 1.7 × 10-7 as the Co content increased from 0.01 to 0.07%. The a.c. conductivity also increased with increasing applied frequency. The findings suggest that the synthesized Co-doped ZnO-NPs possess enhanced dielectric properties and reduced energy gap, making them promising candidates for low-frequency devices such as UV photodetectors, optoelectronics, and spintronics applications. The use of a cost-effective and scalable synthesis method, coupled with detailed material characterization, makes this work significant in the field of nanomaterials and device engineering., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Muhammad et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

This study presents a novel method for the photocatalytic synthesis of 4-aryl-6-(3-coumarinyl) pyrimidin-2 (1H)-ones (a coumarin derivative) using strawberry dye-sensitized TiO 2 (SD-TiO 2 ) under visible light. The synthesis of 4-aryl-6-(3-coumarinyl) pyrimidin-2 (1H)-ones was achieved through a three-component, one-pot condensation reaction involving 3-acetyl coumarin, aldehydes, and urea, utilizing SD-TiO 2 as a reusable and innovative photocatalyst at room temperature. The resulting SD-TiO 2 photocatalyst was thoroughly characterized using FT-IR, XPS, XRD, SEM, and BET. The efficacy of SD-TiO 2 was evaluated by comparing it to pristine TiO 2 in terms of photocatalytic activity, and the optimal conditions for the synthesis process were determined. Notably, the SD-TiO 2 photocatalyst exhibited a maximum yield of the compound, reaching up to 96% in just 30 min with a catalyst concentration of 1 mg/mL. This yield surpasses traditional thermal procedures employing reflux conditions, where 1 mg/mL of SD-TiO 2 is sufficient to complete the reaction. The resulting 4-aryl-6-(3-coumarinyl) pyrimidin-2 (1H)-ones were further characterized using 1 H-NMR and 13 C-NMR. Moreover, the stability of the SD-TiO 2 photocatalyst was confirmed through recyclability experiments and spectroscopic characterization, demonstrating its practicality for up to three consecutive reaction cycles.

This study aimed to explore the effects of the full-scale replacement (up to 100%) of Ca 2+ ions with Ag 1+ ions in the structure of brushite (CaHPO 4 ·2H 2 O). This substitution has potential benefits for producing monophasic and biphasic Ca 1-x Ag x HPO 4 ·nH 2 O compounds. To prepare the starting solutions, (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 , Ca(NO 3 ) 2 ·4H 2 O, and AgNO 3 at different concentrations were used. The results showed that when the Ag/Ca molar ratio was below 0.25, partial substitution of Ca with Ag reduced the size of the unit cell of brushite. As the Ag/Ca molar ratio increased to 4, a compound with both monoclinic CaHPO 4 ·2H 2 O and cubic nanostructured Ag 3 PO 4 phases formed. There was a nearly linear relationship between the Ag ion ratio in the starting solutions and the wt% precipitation of the Ag 3 PO 4 phase in the resulting compound. Moreover, when the Ag/Ca molar ratio exceeded 4, a single-phase Ag 3 PO 4 compound formed. Hence, adjusting the Ag/Ca ratio in the starting solution allows the production of biomaterials with customized properties. In summary, this study introduces a novel synthesis method for the mono- and biphasic Ca 1-x Ag x HPO 4 ·nH 2 O compounds brushite and silver phosphate. The preparation of these phases in a one-pot synthesis with controlled phase composition resulted in the enhancement of existing bone cement formulations by allowing better mixing of the starting ingredients.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and Neodymium (III) oxide (Nd 2 O 3 ) were combined to synthesized flexible innovative PVA/Nd 2 O 3 polymer composite samples utilizing a solution casting approach for use in dielectric devices. The XRD, FTIR, and SEM methods are all investigated to characterize the composite films. In a frequency of 50 Hz to 5 MHz, the effects of additive Nd 2 O 3 on the dielectric behavior of PVA were recorded. The PVA/Nd 2 O 3 composite films were successfully fabricated, as shown by XRD and infrared spectroscopy. The scanning microscopy pictures showed that the Nd 2 O 3 was loaded and distributed uniformly throughout the PVA. After the incorporation of Nd 2 O 3 , the composite PVA/Nd 2 O 3 has a conductivity of 6.82 × 10 -9 S·cm -1 , while the PVA has a conductivity of 0.82 × 10 -9 S·cm -1 . Another improvement is the decrease in the relaxation time from 14.2 × 10 -5 s for PVA to 6.35 × 10 -5 s for PVA/Nd 2 O 3 , and an increase in the dielectric constant of 0.237 for PVA to 0.484 at a frequency of 100 Hz. The results showed that the composite samples have considerable changes as flexible films in different applications, including batteries and electronic circuits.

The current investigation deals with the treatment of water pollution that is caused by the leaching of nickel ions from the metallurgical industry and new-energy batteries. Therefore, an eco-friendly treatment of nickel through the use of a composite of cotton stalk biochar with nanozerovalent copper has been presented in this investigation signifying the impact of zerovalent copper in enhancing the adsorption capacity of biochar for nickel adsorption. Thermogravimetric analysis data showed the adsorbent to be significantly stable in the higher thermal range, whereas transmission electron microscopy analysis confirmed the particles to be 27 nm and also showed the cubic geometry of the particles. A much closer scanning electron microscopy analysis shows the morphology of particles to be cubic in shape. Batch adsorption indicated a positive influence of pH increase on adsorption due to the electrostatic attraction between positive nickel ions and post point of zero charge (pH PZC ) negative surface of copper biochar composite (pH > 5.5). A high adsorption rate was observed in the first 60 min, whereas adsorption increased with the increase in temperature from 303 to 318 K. Kinetic modeling confirmed the pseudo-first-order to fit best to the data. The apparent activation energy (11.96 kJ mol -1 ) is indicative of the chemical nature of the process. The adsorption data fitted well to the Langmuir adsorption model. The negative values of apparent Δ G ° and the positive values of apparent Δ H ° indicate the spontaneity and endothermicity of the process, respectively, whereas the positive values of apparent Δ S ° point toward increased randomness during the process. Postadsorption XPS suggests the adsorption of nickel on the surface of biochar composites in the form of Ni(OH) 2 and NiO(OH)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Thermocatalytic methane decomposition (TCMD) involving metal oxides is a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective strategy for scalable hydrogen fuel production compared to traditional methane steam reforming (MSR), as it requires less energy and produces fewer CO/CO 2 emissions. However, the unsupported metal oxide catalysts (such as α-Fe 2 O 3 ) that would be suited for this purpose exhibit poor performance in TCMD. To overcome this issue, a novel strategy was developed as a part of this work, whereby oxygen vacancies (OVs) were introduced into unsupported α-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles (NPs). Systematic characterization of the obtained materials through analytical techniques demonstrated that mesoporous nanostructured unsupported α-Fe 2 O 3 with abundant oxygen vacancies (OV-rich α-Fe 2 O 3 NPs) could be obtained by direct thermal decomposition of ferric nitrate at different calcination temperatures (500, 700, 900, and 1100 °C) under ambient conditions. The thermocatalytic activity of the resulting OV-rich α-Fe 2 O 3 NPs was assessed by evaluating the methane conversion, hydrogen formation rate, and amount of carbon deposited. The TCMD results revealed that 900 °C was the most optimal calcination temperature, as it led to the highest methane conversion (22.5%) and hydrogen formation rate (47.0 × 10 -5 mol H 2 g -1 min -1 ) after 480 min. This outstanding thermocatalytic performance of OV-rich α-Fe 2 O 3 NPs is attributed to the presence of abundant OVs on their surfaces, thus providing effective active sites for methane decomposition. Moreover, the proposed strategy can be cost-effectively scaled up for industrial applications, whereby unsupported metal oxide NPs can be employed for energy-efficient thermocatalytic CH 4 decomposition into hydrogen fuel and carbon nanomaterials.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of a complete exchange of Ca 2+ with Zn 2+ ions on the structure of brushite (CaHPO 4 ·2H 2 O), which might be advantageous in the production process of Ca x Zn 1-x HPO 4 ·nH 2 O. To acquire the starting solutions needed for the current study, (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 , Ca(NO 3 ) 2 ·4H 2 O, and Zn(NO 3 ) 2 ·6H 2 O were utilized in several molar concentrations. The findings indicate that Ca is partly substituted by Zn when the Zn/Ca molar ratio is below 0.25 and that Zn doping hinders the crystallization of brushite. A continued increase in the Zn/Ca molar ratio to 1 (at which point the supersaturation of the Zn solution rises) led to a biphasic compound of monoclinic brushite and parascholzite precipitate. Elevating the Zn/Ca molar ratio to 1.5 resulted in a precipitate of a parascholzite-like mineral. Finally, increasing the Zn/Ca molar ratio to 4 and above resulted in the formation of the hopeite mineral. Future biomaterial production with specific and bespoke characteristics can be achieved by adjusting the Zn/Ca ratio in the starting solution. It Rhas been established that the Zn/Ca ratio in the starting solution can be adjusted to obtain minerals with specific compositions. Thus, new synthesis methods for parascholzite and hopeite were introduced for the first time in this manuscript.

Organic semiconductors (OSCs) have attracted considerable attention for many promising applications, such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), and organic photovoltaics (OPVs). The present work introduced E143 food dye as a new nanostructured organic semiconductor that has several advantages, such as low cost, easy fabrication, biocompatibility, and unique physical properties. The material was characterized using a transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and optical absorption spectroscopy. The study of X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that E143 dye has a monoclinic polycrystalline structure. Electrical and dielectric properties were performed by impedance spectroscopy at frequencies (20 Hz-1 MHz) in the temperature range (303-473 K). The values of interband transitions and activation energy recommended the application of E143 dye as a new organic semiconductor material with promising stability, especially in the range of hot climates such as KSA.

In this study, two novel alternative splice variants of HER2, named HER2-PI9 and HER2-I12, were identified in breast cancer cell lines and breast tumour tissues. Whilst HER2-P19 arises from the inclusion of an 117 bp cassette-exon of intron 9 of HER2, HER2-I12 results from intron 12 inclusion. In silico analyses were performed to predict the amino acid sequences of these two HER2 novel variants. To confirm their protein expression, plasmid vectors were generated and transfected into the HER2 negative breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. Additionally, their functional properties in oncogenic signalling were confirmed. Expression of HER2-PI9 and HER2-I12 was successful and matched the in silico predictions. Importantly, these splice variants can modulate the phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and Akt/protein kinase B (Akt) signalling in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Enhanced cellular proliferation, migration and invasion were observed in the case of the HER2-I12 expressing model. In human tissues and breast carcinoma tumours both variants were present. This study reveals two novel splice variants of HER2. Additionally, the potential biological activity for HER2-PI9 and HER2-I12 in breast cancer cells is also reported.., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (WS), a known'Rasayana' (rejuvenating agent) as per Ayurveda is prescribed to promote health, to increase longevity and to hasten recovery in disease convalescent stages. WS has demonstrated protective effect on alcohol dependence and withdrawal anxiety in previous experimental studies., Aim of the Study: To evaluate effect of WS on conditioned place behavioral paradigm (model of relapse) and on GABA and dopamine levels in critical brain areas in alcohol dependent animals., Methodology: Following Animal Ethics Committee permission, the mice (n = 24) were divided into the following study groups for experiment 1: 1 -distilled water (vehicle control), 2 -WS and 3 -Naltrexone. They were conditioned on conditioned place preference (CPP) using alcohol (2 gm/kg)/saline (1 ml) administered intraperitoneally for 8 days. WS and Naltrexone were administered during the period of extinction (6-8 days). Effect of WS (650 mg/kg) on reinstating behaviour of mice (time spent in alcohol paired compartment) primed with alcohol injection was noted. In experiment 2, effect of WS (450 mg/kg/) on GABA and dopamine levels in the midbrain, striatum and cortex (ng/gm) were measured in alcohol dependent rats (n = 24) following the first phase of standardisation assay (n = 36). The rats were made alcohol dependent for 15 days (intermittent access model) and WS was administered concurrently. GABA and dopamine levels were measured on Day 16., Results: WS group showed decrease in time spent in alcohol paired compartment alike Naltrexone and it differed significantly compared to the distilled water control group (p < 0.05) Alcohol-dependent rats showed significant decrease in GABA and increase in dopamine levels vs distilled water in the midbrain, striatum and cortex. WS and Naltrexone administration showed rise in GABA and fall in dopamine in all the isolated brain parts in the respective groups (p < 0.05 vs alcohol treated group)., Conclusion: Withania somnifera protected animals from relapse and showed beneficial effects on the brain neurotransmitters involved in alcohol dependence. The study provides substantial evidence for its potential application in alcohol use disorder., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

5d metals are used in electronics because of their high spin-orbit coupling (SOC) leading to efficient spin-electric conversion. When C 60 is grown on a metal, the electronic structure is altered due to hybridization and charge transfer. In this work, we measure the spin Hall magnetoresistance for Pt/C 60 and Ta/C 60 , finding that they are up to a factor of 6 higher than those for pristine metals, indicating a 20-60% increase in the spin Hall angle. At low fields of 1-30 mT, the presence of C 60 increased the anisotropic magnetoresistance by up to 700%. Our measurements are supported by noncollinear density functional theory calculations, which predict a significant SOC enhancement by C 60 that penetrates through the Pt layer, concomitant with trends in the magnetic moment of transport electrons acquired via SOC and symmetry breaking. The charge transfer and hybridization between the metal and C 60 can be controlled by gating, so our results indicate the possibility of dynamically modifying the SOC of thin metals using molecular layers. This could be exploited in spin-transfer torque memories and pure spin current circuits.

The pseudokinase TRIB1 controls cell function in a range of contexts, by regulating MAP kinase activation and mediating protein degradation via the COP1 ubiquitin ligase. TRIB1 regulates polarization of macrophages and dysregulated Trib1 expression in murine models has been shown to alter atherosclerosis burden and adipose homeostasis. Recently, TRIB1 has also been implicated in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer, where it is often overexpressed, even in the absence of genetic amplification. Well described TRIB1 effectors include MAP kinases and C/EBP transcription factors, both in immune cells and in carcinogenesis. However, the mechanisms that regulate TRIB1 itself remain elusive. Here, we show that the long and conserved 3'untranslated region (3'UTR) of TRIB1 is targeted by miRNAs in macrophage and prostate cancer models. By using a systematic in silico analysis, we identified multiple "high confidence" miRNAs potentially binding to the 3'UTR of TRIB1 and report that miR-101-3p and miR-132-3p are direct regulators of TRIB1 expression and function. Binding of miR-101-3p and miR-132-3p to the 3'UTR of TRIB1 mRNA leads to an increased transcription and secretion of interleukin-8. Our data demonstrate that modulation of TRIB1 by miRNAs alters the inflammatory profile of both human macrophages and prostate cancer cells., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Niespolo, Johnston, Deshmukh, Satam, Shologu, Villacanas, Sudbery, Wilson and Kiss-Toth.)

Owing to the COVID-19 induced lockdown in India, most people's internet activity surged, leading to an expected increase in the rate of cybercrimes. This research focuses on analyzing whether the factors significant in cyberbullying susceptibility changed with the lockdown. The study was conducted by surveying 256 students before the pandemic, in October 2019, and 118 students during the lockdown, in June 2020. This included questions about the respondents' demographics, online presence, experience with offline bullying, perception of other's opinions, and the instances of cyberbullying that apply to them. The results showed factors important in both timespans, namely (i) experience with offline bullying; (ii) individuals' perceptiveness to others' opinions; (iii) frequency of social media posts. Additionally, in the period before lockdown, factors namely (i) tendency to interact with strangers online; (ii) whether they've started a relationship online (iii) hours spent on social media; were found significant. Conversely, during the lockdown, additional distinct factors namely (i) being opinionated on public platforms; (ii) preference of Instagram; (iii) preferred gaming platform; (iv) number of games played; (v) sexual orientation; (vi) age were significant. With the change in variables in the two timespans, we can conclude that the pandemic has affected our susceptibility to cyberbullying., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2020 Elsevier Ltd.)

The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/receptor tyrosine-protein kinasebB-2 (ERBB2) is overexpressed in 20-30% of breast tumors leading to faster growing and more aggressive tumors. Alternative splicing generates a functionally distinct HER2 variant called Herstatin, which is produced by the inclusion of intron 8. Herstatin acts as a tumor suppressor by effectively blocking HER2 activity and cell proliferation, while promoting apoptosis. In the present study we investigated HER2 pre-mRNA regulatory sequences and splicing factors which regulate the alternative splicing of Herstatin. A Herstatin minigene, comprising exon 8/intron 8/exon 9 of HER2 was generated and subsequent in vitro splicing assays revealed that RNA secondary structure and somatic mutations did not impact on inclusion of intron 8. However, using RNase-assisted RNA chromatography, followed by mass spectrometry, we identified six RNA-binding proteins (splicing factors) that bind to RNA sequences surrounding exon 8/intron 8 and intron 8/exon 9 boundaries; these included hnRNP I, H1, D, A2/B1 and hnRNPA1 plus the SR protein SRSF1. Specifically, overexpression of hnRNP A1 significantly increased retention of intron 8 resulting in higher levels of Herstatin in SKBR3 breast cancer cells whereas SRSF1 only had a marginal effect in decreasing Herstatin but increased exogenous HER2 levels under these experimental conditions. In conclusion, we have identified the first splicing factors and regulatory sequences that are involved in the production of Herstatin.