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Background: Lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin and mucous membrane with higher predilection seen in the female population. Oral lichen planus (OLP) has been associated with various etiological factors, such as stress, hormonal imbalance, and immunological variation. The purpose of this study was to assess serum and salivary estrogen (E2) levels in OLP patients and correlate them with stress levels. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate serum and salivary estrogen levels in female patients with OLP, along with the assessment of stress and its correlation with estrogen levels. Methods: A total of 78 females, 39 clinically diagnosed with OLP and 39 healthy females, were included in the study as the case and control groups, respectively. 2 ml each of salivary and serum samples was obtained from each participant to measure the estrogen levels. Stress levels in the study group patients were assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The nonparametric Mann–Whitney test was used for intergroup comparisons. Results: Significantly higher serum estrogen levels with higher DASS-21 and PSS scores were noted in patients with OLP. Overall, significant positive correlations were observed between salivary E2 and serum E2 (r = 0.361, P = 0.001). There was a positive correlation between salivary and serum E2 and DASS score (r = 0.410, P < 0.001, and r = 0.768, P < 0.001, respectively), serum/salivary E2 and PSS score (r = 0.745, P < 0.001, and r = 0.410, P < 0.001, respectively), and DASS score and PSS score (r = 0.878, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Estrogen can be used as a useful biomarker for OLP in the future. Salivary samples can prove to be an accurate and feasible alternative to serum estrogen level determination. We also suggest that OLP patients must be given supportive psychological treatment for improved life quality and disease management.

Abstract The periodontal tissue initiates an immune-inflammatory response against bacteria and their products at the site of periodontal infection, and systemic attack by these pathogens triggers an acute phase response that contributes to the systemic inflammatory burden. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and periodontal diseases share many common risk factors and are therefore disorders associated with, and possibly related to, systemic inflammation. Objectives 1.) To evaluate the severity of infection-causing chronic periodontitis subjects leading to Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) risk. 2.) To evaluate specific Inflammatory marker TNF-α in coronary artery disease (CAD) subjects with chronic periodontitis and obstructive sleep apnea. Methods A total of 5 ml of the venous blood was collected from each participant which was separated out by centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 5–10 min at room temperature for the estimation of inflammatory markers. Collected samples were labeled and stored at − 20 °C in a deep freezer. The estimation of human TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-alpha) levels was determined using an ELISA kit based on the Sandwich-ELISA principle. Conclusion TNF-α may serve as important markers for the diagnosis of chronic periodontitis and obstructive sleep apnea and the prediction of the severity of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular disease can be efficiently circumvented with a biomarker-based approach to treatment, which also benefits patients' quality of life. Results The result of our study showed that TNF-α is involved in the onset and progression of obstructive sleep apnea leading to coronary artery disease since the expression levels of TNF in the case group were considerably higher than those in the control group.

Background: Hypothyroidism is the result of impaired production and secretion of thyroid hormones. The cardiovascular system is affected by fluctuations in thyroid hormone levels. Stressful events or stressors can affect the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid (HPT) axis and psychological and physiological responses. Stress increases thyroid hormone levels while decreasing TSH levels, which exacerbates autoimmune thyroid disease. Aim: To evaluate the relationship between stress and primary hypothyroidism. Methods: A total of 77 newly diagnosed hypothyroid patients (TSH >5.0 mIU/L) and 77 healthy adults (TSH 0.5–5.0 mIU/L) were enrolled. During a brief general physical examination, the following values were measured: height, weight, blood pressure, pulse, and pulse rate. A brief systemic examination of the cardiovascular system and lungs was also performed to rule out systemic diseases. Heart rate variability (HRV) processing and analysis were performed using Pro LabChart (PowerLab 8Pro) data analysis software from AD Instrument. Results: Mean Avg. RR was significantly higher, RM SSD and pRR50 were significantly lower in cases than in controls. Mean HF was significantly lower and LF/HF (frequency range) was significantly higher in cases than in controls. Mean PSS was significantly higher in cases (25.82 ± 2.83) than in controls (22.47 ± 2.10). The majority of cases (54.5%) had a high stress level. The TSH level showed a highly significant correlation with the LF/HF ratio and with the PSS score. Conclusion: The mean Avg. RR and HF were significantly higher, RM SSD and pRR50 and LF/HF (frequency range) were significantly lower in hypothyroid patients.

In the present study, copper matrix composites were successfully produced through the powder metallurgy route by applying the electrical resistance sintering technique. Copper composites were reinforced with 5 wt. % TiC and different concentrations of GNP (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 wt. %). Microstructural investigations confirmed uniform dispersion of TiC and GNP micro and nanoparticles in the copper matrix. A sintering temperature of 900 °C resulted in better densification and hardness of the prepared composites. Moreover, ML models were developed to predict the sintered density, hardness, and wear loss of the composites. Further, it was found that Multi-Layer Perceptron outperforms all other ML models with R2 values of 0.975, 0.934, and 0.948 in the prediction of density, hardness, and wear loss of the composites. On the other hand, RSM shows predicted R2 values of 0.8012, 0.8507, and 0.8756.

Background: Data in the literature have demonstrated the crucial role that vitamin D plays in the human organism, and recent studies also emphasize this essential role of vitamin D in athletes. Indeed, vitamin D acts on the skeletal muscles and plays a fundamental role in numerous physiological processes involved in immune function. Many factors such as sun exposure, skin tone, body mass index and chronic illness affect vitamin D levels. The aim of the study is to evaluate vitamin D levels in professional football players in Italy and investigate the variations in vitamin D values in footballers who train at different latitudes. Methods: The study performed is a retrospective observational study analyzing 25-OH vitamin D values in professional football players of the Italian First Division (Serie A). Two teams during the competitive season were selected: team A (latitude of 41° N in southern Italy) and team B (latitude of 45° N in northern Italy). Three time periods were identified and were classified as follows: the first quarter (May, June, July, and August), the second quarter (September, October, November, and December) and the third quarter (January, February, March, and April). The purpose of this was to study the average values of vitamin D during the year corresponding to different levels of sunlight exposure. Each athlete was subjected to at least one sampling during the three quarters of the competitive season. Results: Both vitamin D insufficiency (10.1%) and overt deficiency (1.93%) were found in Italian Serie A players. Insufficient vitamin D values are between 20 ng/mL and 29 ng/mL and overt deficiency values p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively. Conclusions: Latitude and seasons have a significant impact on vitamin D levels. Therefore, it is essential to measure vitamin D in professional football players, especially during the spring and winter months, so as to monitor changes in levels in relation to the season and latitude and evaluate any supplements. Further studies should be performed to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and football players’ athletic performance.

Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) is a machine that could save the Earth from running out of fresh water in the future. This machine extracts clean water from humid air using power source to decrease the air temperature to its dew point. Consequently, the water vapor will be condensed and collected. The collected water has to be treated to satisfy the standards of drinking water. In this paper, the water treatment is configured using different processes. The verification is achieved via simulation for mineral treatment process. While the validation is performed by experimental work for other processes. The results affirmed that the generated water is potable and satisfy the market needs according to the Egyptian standards. These results are also consistent with World Health Organization standards (WHO). In this research we have tried several methods for purification including manual mineral addition and using mineral filters, not only that but also disinfection of water has been achieved using ultraviolet.

Since natural gas liquefaction operation is an energy-intensive technology. Research has been published for the optimization of the process by utilizing the first principal complex nonlinear SMR model. The process is computationally expensive and requires several hours or even days for optimization. To address this issue, this study proposes a metamodel for natural gas liquefaction featuring a single mixed refrigerant cryogenic cycle. The SMR model was modeled and simulated by utilizing Aspen Hysys software. However, the metamodel was developed by utilizing radial basis function methodology and optimization work using Matlab. The results summary comparison for specific compression duty for metamodel was 0.3863 kW/kg-NG. The first principle-based published study of this duty was 0.3625 (kW/kg-NG) which is approximately 6.5% lower than the current study. However, a huge reduction in computational time was obtained. The metamodel building and optimization time-lapse was 292.96 s while the same first principle-based model lapse 201.24 h using 300 iterations. In comparison, it can be inferred that metamodel could capture almost all-important characteristics of the firs-principle based model. Hence, the proposed study could be considered as an alternative to the first principle model for optimization purposes. This research may prove to be more vital especially in any abrupt changing or uncertain conditions or for real-time plant optimization.

The components of each stage have similarities as well as differences, which make each unique in its own right. As the film-making and the movie industry may have much we can learn from, some of these will be covered under the different sections of the paper, for example, “Writing Powerful Narratives,” depiction of emotional elements, specific industry-driven developments as well as the “cultural considerations” in both. For medical simulation and simulation-based education, the corresponding stages are as follows: Development Preproduction Production Postproduction and Distribution. The art of sim-making has many similarities to that of film-making. In fact, there is potentially much to be learnt from the film-making process in cinematography and storytelling. Both film-making and sim-making can be seen from the artistic perspective as starting with a large piece of blank, white sheet of paper, which will need to be colored by the “artists” and personnel involved; in the former, to come up with the film and for the latter, to engage learners and ensure learning takes place, which is then translated into action for patients in the actual clinical care areas. Both entities have to go through a series of systematic stages. For film-making, the stages are as follows: Identification of problems and needs analysis Setting objectives, based on educational strategies Implementation of the simulation activity Debriefing and evaluation, as well as Fine-tuning for future use and archiving of scenarios/cases.

Background: Only a proportion of patients with tuberculosis develop tuberculous meningitis. We hypothesize that inherent abnormalities in the host’s innate or adaptive immune system may affect the outcome in tuberculous meningitis. In this study, we evaluated the proportion of underlying primary immunodeficiency in patients with tuberculous meningitis and its impact on the outcome. Methods: Newly-diagnosed cases with tuberculous meningitis and healthy controls were included. Patients with HIV disease were excluded. Blood specimen were subjected to immunological assessment to detect primary immunodeficiency syndrome/s. We estimated serum levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE and IgD along with complement C3, C4, and C5 assay. Absolute lymphocyte count was obtained from an automated three-part cell counter. Flow cytometry was used to enumerate the following lymphocyte subsets: T Cell (CD3, CD4, CD8), B cell (CD19/CD20), and Natural killer cells (CD16 and CD56). Cases were followed for 6 months. Modified Barthel Index was used as a measure of disability. Results: We included 55 cases with tuberculous meningitis and 30 healthy controls. We notedthat among immune parameters, absolute lymphocyte count and CD4 T-cell count in the tuberculous meningitis group was lower; higher serum IgG levels were noted in the poor outcome group. On multivariate regression analysis, none of the immunological, clinical or radiological features were found to predict a poor outcome. Conclusion: Host’s immune factors contribute to the pathogenesis of tuberculous meningitis. Absolute lymphocyte count and CD4+ T-cell count were lower in tuberculous meningitis cases. Higher serum IgG levels may be associated with a poor outcome. A study with a larger sample size is needed to confirm our findings.

Background and objectives: Elevated levels of 16α-hydroxyestrone (16α-OHE1) have been linked to increased risk of prostate cancer (PC) and estrogen receptor (ER) had been expressed in prostate tissue but the combined effect of 16α-OHE1 and ER (α) is lacking. We investigated the binding specificity of antibodies from PC with 16α-OHE1-ER complex in the sera from PC patients. Materials and methods: The antibodies in the serum from 60 PC patients and 40 control subjects were evaluated from ELISA (direct binding and competition) and quantitative precipitin titration. Competition ELISA was also used to estimates 16α-OHE1 concentration and 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1)/16α-OHE1 ratio in PC patients. Results: Antibodies from PC patients demonstrate high binding to 16α-OHE1-ER in comparison to ER (p < 0.05) or 16α-OHE1 (p < 0.001). The relative affinity of PC IgG was found to be high for 16α-OHE1-ER (1.19 × 10-7 M) as compared to ER (1.45 × 10-6 M) or 16α-OHE1 (1.13 × 10-6 M). Conclusion: High affinity of PC IgG with 16α-OHE1-ER might explain the possible antigenic role and 16α-OHE1-ER acted as high affinity antigen for antibodies from PC. The interaction between 16α-OHE1 and ER makes a complex in the prostate tissues and this may generate antibodies against this complex in the cancer patients.

The use of heavy metals in the manufacturing industry over the past few decades has eventually contributed to a rise in the flow of metallic compounds into wastewater and has raised significant ecological and health threats to living things. Adsorption is an excellent way to treat solid waste effluent, offering significant benefits such as affordability, profitability, ease of operation and efficiency. However, the price of commercial adsorbent namely activated carbon has soared due to its high demand. There is also a green improvement in this method by turning the commercial adsorbent into agricultural waste. In Malaysia, the oil palm waste is such suitable material that can be utilized for making activated carbon, since they are ample and easy to find. Additionally, part of them is agricultural waste that cannot be consumed (i.e. leaves and fronds). Hence, this study aimed to analyse the potential of activated carbon from agricultural waste, namely oil palm waste, in reducing the levels of heavy metals in industrial wastewater.

Background: : Brassica rapa is an annual to biennial herb, cultivated worldwide, and mostly adapted to temperate climates. It is commonly cultivated in many countries as edible vegetable and for the production of vegetable oil for growing population. However, the fluctuation in temperature greatly affect the plant growth and development and the production of bioactive compounds. Thus the current study aim to investigate the effect of cold stress on seed germination, biomass gain, and biosynthesis of polyphenolics content in medicinally important Brassica rapa. Methods: : In order to investigate cold stress on seed germination, biomass gain, and biosynthesis of polyphenolics content, the authenticated seeds of Brassica rapa were collected from PCSIR Labs Complex, Peshawar-Pakistan. The surface sterilized seeds were keep under control temperature to germinate and then the geminated seeds were treated with cold stress of 72 hours (3 days), 144 hours (6 days), 216 hours (9 days) and 288 hours (12 days). Results: : In this study, 72 hours (T1=3 Days) of cold stress was found to be the best treatment for radicle development (152 mm) as compared to control (95 mm). However, 144 hours of cold stress (T2=6 Days) suppressed radicle development (69 mm) compared to the control. The cold treatments (T3=216 and T4=288 hours) also reduced radicle development. The radicle length in the dark was very elongated (105 mm) compared to control. Furthermore, the minimum cold stress of 72 hours promoted plumule development (55 mm) compared to the control (42 mm). However, other cold treatments reduced the growth of plumule. The seeds placed in dark incubation produced maximum plumule length (115 mm) compared to control and other treatments. The increasing doses of cold stress gradually reduced biomass accumulation. Currently, 72 hours and dark incubation improved biomass accumulation. The cold treatment of 72 hours induced maximum production of phenolics content (2.61 mg/g-DW). However, cold stress of 216 hours produced 0.892 mg/g-DW flavonoids content. Conclusion: : Our study found that duration of cold stress is inversely proportional to the radicle and the plumule length of the plantlets. Also we found that cold stress of 72 hours (3 days) promoted seed germination while 288 hours of cold stress reduced germination in Brassica rapa. Finally our study suggests further improvement of Brassica species and its use as medicinal herb and need to understand the molecular mechanism involve during cold stress to protect plants from such abiotic stresses.

Introduction: Cyclin D1 is a protein encoded by the CCND1 (BCL-1) gene on chromosome 11q13 and it is an important regulator of G1 to S phase progression. Over expression of cyclin D1 protein releases cells from their normal controls when they need to exit from the cell cycle. This obstructs their maturation, and promotes transformation into a malignant phenotype. Aim: To study the role of cyclin D1 expression in trephine biopsies of multiple myeloma patients and its association with C-Reactive Protein (CRP), β2-microglobulin level and treatment response rate. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at Department of Pathology in collaboration with Department of Clinical Haematology, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, India, from September 2018 to August 2019. Total 40 cases of multiple myeloma fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy was done in all the cases. Immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of cyclin D1 on trephine biopsy was associated with CRP levels and β2-microglobulin expression. All investigations were repeated at six months follow-up and response was compared with expression of cyclin D1. The statistical tests applied were Chi-square test, Student t-test and paired t-test. Results: The age of cases ranged between 44 to 78 years and the mean age of the study subjects was 64.40±7.13 years. Total 67.5% of patients were males. On IHC, cyclin D1 expression was not observed in majority of cases (n=23), weak cyclin D1 expression was observed in 8 cases, while strong cyclin D1 expression was observed in 9 cases. Out of eight cases with weak cyclin D1 expression, five cases achieved partial response and two cases achieved complete response. One case was lost to follow-up. Among nine patients with strong cyclin D1 expression, six patients expired on six months follow-up and three patients achieved partial response. On comparison of two groups cyclin D1 positive and cyclin D1 negative cases it was found that cyclin D1 positive cases had an early age of onset, more than 50% plasma cells on marrow aspirate and were associated with plasmablastic morphology. Cyclin D1 positive cases also had increased CRP level as compared to cyclin D1 negative cases. Similarly, serum calcium, serum creatinine and β2-microglobulin levels were more in cyclin D1 positive group. Conclusion: Cases who have strong cyclin D1 expression at time of diagnosis showed poor response to treatment. This was also associated with increased serum CRP and β2-microglobulin levels. Hence, cyclin D1 can be used as a prognostic marker in multiple myeloma.

Background: Hindi cognitive screening test (HCST) and Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) Examination both claim that they are bias-free cognitive screening tests. HCST is highly sensitive and specific in screening Indian older adults. However, SLUMS is more comprehensive in terms of assessing visuospatial and memory functions. The present study presents and compare cognitive status of older adults with diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HT), and dyslipidemia (DL) on HCST and SLUMS. Methods: The sample comprised of 150 older adults ≥60 years included in a consecutive series. Participants and their family members, giving written informed consent, residing permanently in central catchment areas Chowk, Lucknow, constituted the study sample. Semistructured sociodemographic details and medical history proforma, Socioeconomic Status (SES) Scale, General Health Questionaire – 12, SLUMS and HCST were administered. Blood pressure was measured by Medical Research Assistant. Biochemical investigations for DM and DL were carried out. Participants were categorized into two groups: (1) case groups (112): DM only + HT only + DL only and (2) control group (38): Without discernable abnormality of physical illness on the basis of invesigations. Data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard devitation SD, Chi-square, and t-test. Results: There was a statistically significant difference on cognitive status between control and DM group on recall, reading, copying (P < 0.05 level), and on writing (P < 0.01) on HCST. A statistically significant difference was also found in writing (P < 0.01) between control and HT group. A statistically significant difference was found between control and DL on recall (P < 0.05) and writing (P < 0.01). According to SLUMS control and DM group differ significantly (0.01) for delayed recall and with HT and DL group on visuospatial function. Conclusion: Cognitive status of older adults with DM, HT, and DL was found to be significantly impaired on specific domains as compared to the control group.

Background: Several lines of evidence have supported small dense low-density lipoproteins (sd-LDL) as a marker of cardiovascular disease. The present study assessed the relationship between lipid profile and sd-LDL levels with demographic, clinical, angiographic, and therapeutic variables in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. Methods: This was a single-centre, prospective, cross-sectional study conducted from September 2014 to September 2015. Patients with a diagnosis of ACS were included in this study. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were determined by direct homogenous assay and sd-LDL levels were calculated using an earlier described equation by Srisawadi et al. Results: A total of 200 patients with a diagnosis of ACS were studied. Males constituted 78% of the population cohort and almost 45% of participants were aged 45 years with mean sd-LDL levels of 28.01 ± 11.58 mg/dL, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.19). Females also displayed higher mean sd-LDL levels, but the difference also failed to achieve statistical significance (30.95 ± 13.44 mg/dL and 28.54 ± 12.64, respectively; p = 0.185). Diabetics had higher mean sd-LDL levels (33.64 ± 13.01 mg/dL and 28.07 ± 12.60 mg/dL; p = 0.273) whilst smokers had lower mean levels (27.21 ± 12.12 mg/dL and 30.51 ± 13.21 mg/dL, respectively; p = 0.071). However, the ratio of sd-LDL/lb-LDL (large buoyant LDL) was significantly higher in diabetics (0.48 vs. 0.39; p = 0.023). In the angiography cohort (n = 88), single-vessel disease was the most predominant overall while among patients aged >45 years, triple-vessel disease was significantly higher (p = 0.005). Similarly, the sd-LDL levels were 33.12 ± 11.13 mg/dL, 27.68 ± 9.80 mg/dL, and 31.65 ± 15.26 mg/dL among patients with single, double, and triple-vessel disease and did not differ significantly (p = 0.262). Prior statin users had significantly lower mean sd-LDL levels of 24.79 ± 12.23 mg/dL compared to statin-naïve patients with a mean sd-LDL of 30.01 ± 12.79 mg/dL (p = 0.027). Non-HDL levels were also significantly lower in prior statin users (112.83 mg/dL vs. 128.9 mg/dL; p = 0.017). Conclusion: In this cohort of ACS patients, age, sex, diabetes, smoking, and the angiographic severity of coronary artery disease had no significant impact on sd-LDL levels, while prior statin usage led to significantly lower sd-LDL levels. Diabetic patients, however, did have significantly higher sd-LDL/lb-LDL ratios.

Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are first-line treatments for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. ACT resistance is spreading in Asia but not yet in Africa. Reduced effects of ACT partner drugs have been reported but with little information regarding widely used artesunate/amodiaquine (ASAQ). We studied its efficacy in Zanzibar after 14 years as first-line treatment directly by an in vivo, single-armed trial and indirectly by prevalences of different genotypes in the P. falciparum chloroquine-resistance transporter, multidrug-resistance 1, and Kelch 13 propeller domain genes. In vivo efficacy was higher during 2017 (100%; 95% CI 97.4%–100%) than during 2002–2005 (94.7%; 95% CI 91.9%–96.7%) (p = 0.003). Molecular findings showed no artemisinin resistance–associated genotypes and major increases in genotypes associated with high sensitivity/efficacy for amodiaquine than before ASAQ was introduced. Thus, the efficacy of ASAQ is maintained and appears to be increased after long-term use in contrast to what is observed for other ACTs used in Africa.

The main aspects that require attention in tunnel design in terms of safety and economy are the precise estimation of probable ground conditions and ground behavior during construction. The variation in rock mass behavior due to tunnel excavation sequence plays an important role during the construction stage. The purpose of this research is to numerically evaluate the effect of excavation sequence on the ground behavior for the Lowari tunnel project, Pakistan. For the tunnel stability, the ground behavior observed during the actual partial face excavation sequence is compared with the top heading and bench excavation sequence. For this purpose, the intact rock parameters are used along with the characterization of rock mass joints related parameters to provide input for numerical modelling via FLAC 2D. The in-situ stresses for the numerical modelling are obtained using empirical equations. From the comparison of the two excavation sequences, it was observed that the actual excavation sequence used for Lowari tunnel construction utilized more support than the top heading and bench method. However, the actual excavation sequence provided good results in terms of stability.

Background: Infantile hemangioma is the most common tumor of infancy. Currently, propranolol is a preferred drug for treating hemangioma. The exact mechanism of action of propranolol is not known. In this study, we attempted to assess whether propranolol has any effect on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) over a period of time, and if it is there, how long it affects it. Materials and Methods: Propranolol was administered in the dosage of 2–3 mg/kg. The first serum sample was collected before starting the propranolol treatment. Thereafter, samples were collected at monthly intervals up to a total of six samples. The samples were assessed for TIMP-2 and VEGF using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Results: The duration of this study was from June 2016 to November 2017. The total number of patients in this study was 15. Thirteen patients responded to treatment. The mean age of patients was 7.1 months. The mean value of baseline VEGF was 0.234 ± 0.059 and that of TIMP-2 was 1.338 ± 0.679. As compared to baseline value, the P value was statistically not significant in any of sequential values. In category-wise analysis, apart from statistically significant value in the 6th month in excellent category and good response category in the 1st month, all other values did not reveal any significant change in VEGF analysis. The analysis of TIMP-2 revealed a significant change in the levels from Sample 2 to Sample 6 in the excellent response group; however, the levels did not show a specific trend either increasing or decreasing. Conclusion: Despite its beneficial action in regression of hemangioma, the exact mechanism is yet to be identified. The exact duration of treatment needs further evaluation.

Background/objectives: In, India coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases are on the rise in terms of the total number of cases. Findings on clinical and hematological parameters alone carry no significance apart from telling patients present status and hence are diminutive. This study aims to assess the hematological and serum biochemistry parameters and correlate them with the presenting symptoms and severity of disease which can help predict the need for intensive care unit (ICU) care, help in triage, assess the severity of the disease which will help clinicians decide their future course of action and further improve patients clinical outcome. Methods: A total of 200 COVID-19 positive patients were included. Hematological and serum biochemistry parameters were recorded for the patients at the time of admission and categorized as mild, moderate, and severely ill based on clinical status and then admitted into various wards. Results: Total leucocyte count (TLC) was significantly different and higher in severely ill patients (13,200 ± 6,999.2) compared to cases presented with mild and moderate symptoms (12,100 ± 6,488.41& 8,788.20 ± 4,954.32, p = 0.001). The mean difference of TLC, Neutrophil% (N%), Lymphocyte% (L%) and Monocyte (M%) was significantly different between mild and moderate symptoms cases (p = 0.030, p = 0.002, p = 0.004 & p = 0.003). Between groups comparison of moderate vs. severely ill cases showed a significant difference in TLC (p = 0.000), N% (p = 0.000), L% (0.000), and L/N ratio (p = 0.002). The serum ionic calcium (Ca), random blood sugar (RBS), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, prothrombin (PT), International Normalized Ratio (INR), ferritin, and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) level also differed significantly between mild, moderate and severely ill cases (p = 0.001, p=

Introduction: In a normal healthy adult, sympathetic and parasympathetic system should be in synergy. Measuring resting heart rate is a one of the methods to assess health condition. It can be affected by different factors such as exercise, mental health, any disease, etc. Normal subjects with reduced heart rate are associated with better cardiovascular health. Physical inactivity is associated with high level of inflammatory markers. Increased inflammatory markers are related to inflammation and chronic diseases. The C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is a biomarker of inflammatory diseases. High CRP level is a potent risk factor for obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, etc. Aim: To study the effect of short term resistance and endurance exercise training on resting heart rate in healthy young adults, CRP, Body Mass Index (BMI) and also to compare the changes between two exercise groups. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2019 to May 2020 in the Department of Physiology at King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The study included 60 healthy young adults with normal BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/m2 ) and age between 18-25 years. Subjects were equally divided into Group IResistance exercise and Group II endurance groups. Subjects did moderate intensity exercise (based on maximum heart rate) for five days in a week for eight weeks. Endurance group did jogging. Resistance group did push-up, pull-up and squats. Target heart rate during moderate intensity of activities was 64- 76% of maximum heart rate. Heart rate measurement was done before the start of exercise and after five to seven minutes of exercise when it reached 64-76% of maximum heart rate. It was measured by pulse oximeter. Follow-up was done after eight weeks of exercise training in both the groups. Evaluation was done by comparing resting heart rate and CRP level before the start of training and after the completion of training programme. Statistical analysis was done using student t-test and paired t-test. Results: Mean age of subjects of group I was found to be higher (19.98±1.26 years) as compared to group II (19.97±0.98 years). Mean pre intervention BMI of both the groups was found to be similar (21.97±1.78 kg/m2 ). No statistically significant change in resting heart rate was found in both resistance group (p=0.096) and endurance group (p=0.326) after exercise training. Statistically significant increase in CRP was found in resistance group (p

Arsenic occurrence and toxicity records in various industrial effluents have prompted researchers to find cost-effective, quick, and efficient methods for removing arsenic from the environment. Adsorption of As(V) onto dried bacterial biomass is proposed in the current work, which continues a line of previous research. Dried bacterial biomass of WS3 (DBB) has been examined for its potential to remove As(V) ions from aqueous solutions under various conditions. Under optimal conditions, an initial concentration of 7.5 ppm, pH 7, adsorbent dose of 0.5 mg, and contact period of 8 h at 37 °C results in maximum removal of 94%. Similarly, amine, amide, and hydroxyl groups were shown to contribute to As(V) removal by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and the adsorption of As(V) in the cell wall of DBB was verified by FESEM-EDX. In addition, equilibrium adsorption findings were analyzed using nonlinear and linear isotherms and kinetics models. The predicted best-fit model was selected by calculating the coefficient of determination (R2). Adsorption parameters representative of the adsorption of As(V) ions onto DBB at R2 values were found to be more easily attained using the nonlinear Langmuir isotherm model (0.95). Moreover, it was discovered that the nonlinear pseudo-second-order rate model using a nonlinear regression technique better predicted experimental data with R2 than the linear model (0.98). The current study verified the nonlinear approach as a suitable way to forecast the optimal adsorption isotherm and kinetic data.

The wastewater quality index (WWQI) is one of the most significant methods of presenting meaningful values that reflect a fundamental characteristic of wastewater. Therefore, this study was performed to develop a prediction approach using WWQI for a regional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Melaka, Malaysia. The regional system of WWTP provides a huge amount of registered data due to the many parameters recorded daily. A multivariate statistical analysis approach was applied to analyze the database. In this approach, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to reduce the dimensionality of datasets obtained from the field municipal WWTP, and multiple linear regression (MLR) was used to predict the performance of WWQI. Seven principal component analyses were derived where the eigenvalue was above 1.0, explaining 71.01% of the variance. A linear relationship was observed (R2 = 0.85), p-value < 0.05, and residual values were uniformly distributed above and below the zero baselines. Therefore, the coefficients of the WWQI model are directly dependent on influent biological oxygen demand (BOD), effluent BOD, influent chemical oxygen demand (COD), and effluent COD values. The experimental results showed that the model performed well and can be used to predict WWQI for each WWTP individually and provide better achievements.

Advanced stage cancers are aggressive and difficult to treat with mono-therapeutics, substantially decreasing patient survival rates. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop unique therapeutic approaches to treat cancer with superior potency and efficacy. This study investigates a new approach to develop a potent combinational therapy to treat advanced stage leukemia. Biologically active α-amino amide analogs (RS)-N-(2-(cyclohexylamino)-2-oxo-1-phenylethyl)-N-phenylpropiolamide (α-AAA-A) and (RS)-N-(2-(cyclohexylamino)-2-oxo-1-phenylethyl)-N-phenylbut2-enamide (α-AAA-B) were synthesized using linear Ugi multicomponent reaction. Cytotoxicities and IC50 values of α-AAA-A and α-AAA-B against leukemia cancer cell lines (HL-60 and K562) were analyzed though MTT assay. Cytotoxic assay analyzed percent killing of leukemia cell lines due to the effect of γδ T cells alone or in combination with α-AAA-A or α-AAA-B. Synthesized biologically active molecule α-AAA-A exhibited increased cytotoxicity of HL-60 (54%) and K562 (44%) compared with α-AAA-B (44% and 36% respectively). Similarly, α-AAA-A showed low IC50 values for HL-60 (1.61 ± 0.11 μM) and K562 (3.01 ± 0.14 μM) compared to α-AAA-B (3.12 ± 0.15 μM and 6.21 ± 0.17 μM respectively). Additive effect of amide analogs and γδ T cells showed significantly high leukemia cancer cell killing as compared to γδ T cells alone. A unique combinational therapy with γδ T cells and biologically active anti-cancer molecules (α-AAA-A/B), concomitantly may be a promising cancer therapy.

Introduction: Depression is associated with increased serum C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels in circulation. Inflammatory response is established as an important factor in the pathophysiology of depressive disorders. Increased levels of CRP are associated with Cardiovascular diseases. Aim: The objective of the present study was to assess the changes in circulating CRP level according to severity of depression. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Physiology Department of KGMU, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, with time duration of one year. Study group comprised of 40 drug naïve depressive patients between the age group of 18-40 years enrolled in the study. Diagnosis of depression was based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD10). Patients were divided into two groups (mild depression and severe depression) on the basis of severity of depression accessed via Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Ham-D). Serum CRP levels were accessed on both groups by commercially available ELISA kit. Results: Statistically insignificant relationship was seen when age (p=0.14), Blood Pressure (BP) {Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) (p=0.102) and Diastolic Blood Presure (DBP) (p=0.270)}, Body Mass Index (BMI) (p=0.539) were compared with both mild and severe depression group. Serum CRP levels and both the depression group (mild depression and severe depression) showed statistically significant relationship (p=0.015). Conclusion: It can be concluded that there exist a significant association of serum CRP levels with severity of depression. Patients with severe depression have lower levels of CRP as compared to patients with mild depressive symptoms.