Long-range order enabled stability in quantum dot light-emitting diodes.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on perovskite quantum dots (QDs) have produced external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of more than 25% with narrowband emission1,2, but these LEDs have limited operating lifetimes. We posit that poor long-range ordering in perovskite QD films-variations in dot size, surface ligand density and dot-to-dot stacking-inhibits carrier injection, resulting in inferior operating stability because of the large bias required to produce emission in these LEDs. Here we report a chemical treatment to improve the long-range order of perovskite QD films: the diffraction intensity from the repeating QD units increases three-fold compared with that of controls. We achieve this using a synergistic dual-ligand approach: an iodide-rich agent (aniline hydroiodide) for anion exchange and a chemically reactive agent (bromotrimethylsilane) that produces a strong acid that in situ dissolves smaller QDs to regulate size and more effectively removes less conductive ligands to enable compact, uniform and defect-free films. These films exhibit high conductivity (4 × 10-4 S m-1), which is 2.5-fold higher than that of the control, and represents the highest conductivity recorded so far among perovskite QDs. The high conductivity ensures efficient charge transportation, enabling red perovskite QD-LEDs that generate a luminance of 1,000 cd m-2 at a record-low voltage of 2.8 V. The EQE at this luminance is more than 20%. Furthermore, the stability of the operating device is 100 times better than previous red perovskite LEDs at EQEs of more than 20%.

Molecular surface programming of rectifying junctions between InAs colloidal quantum dot solids.

Heavy-metal-free III-V colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) show promise in optoelectronics: Recent advancements in the synthesis of large-diameter indium arsenide (InAs) CQDs provide access to short-wave infrared (IR) wavelengths for three-dimensional ranging and imaging. In early studies, however, we were unable to achieve a rectifying photodiode using CQDs and molybdenum oxide/polymer hole transport layers, as the shallow valence bandedge (5.0 eV) was misaligned with the ionization potentials of the widely used transport layers. This occurred when increasing CQD diameter to decrease the bandgap below 1.1 eV. Here, we develop a rectifying junction among InAs CQD layers, where we use molecular surface modifiers to tune the energy levels of InAs CQDs electrostatically. Previously developed bifunctional dithiol ligands, established for II-VI and IV-VI CQDs, exhibit slow reaction kinetics with III-V surfaces, causing the exchange to fail. We study carboxylate and thiolate binding groups, united with electron-donating free end groups, that shift upward the valence bandedge of InAs CQDs, producing valence band energies as shallow as 4.8 eV. Photophysical studies combined with density functional theory show that carboxylate-based passivants participate in strong bidentate bridging with both In and As on the CQD surface. The tuned CQD layer incorporated into a photodiode structure achieves improved performance with EQE (external quantum efficiency) of 35% (>1 µm) and dark current density < 400 nA cm-2, a >25% increase in EQE and >90% reduced dark current density compared to the reference device. This work represents an advance over previous III-V CQD short-wavelength IR photodetectors (EQE < 5%, dark current > 10,000 nA cm-2).

Using carbohydrate-based polymers to facilitate testicular regeneration.

Male infertility is a significant global issue affecting 60-80 million people, with 40%-50% of cases linked to male issues. Exposure to radiation, drugs, sickness, the environment, and oxidative stress may result in testicular degeneration. Carbohydrate-based polymers (CBPs) restore testis differentiation and downregulate apoptosis genes. CBP has biodegradability, low cost, and wide availability, but is at risk of contamination and variations. CBP shows promise in wound healing, but more research is required before implementation in healthcare. Herein, we discuss the recent advances in engineering applications of CBP employed as scaffolds, drug delivery systems, immunomodulation, and stem cell therapy for testicular regeneration. Moreover, we emphasize the promising challenges warranted for future perspectives.

Resurfacing of InAs Colloidal Quantum Dots Equalizes Photodetector Performance across Synthetic Routes.

The synthesis of highly monodispersed InAs colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) is needed in InAs CQD-based optoelectronic devices. Because of the complexities of working with arsenic precursors such as tris-trimethylsilyl arsine ((TMSi)3As) and tris-trimethylgermyl arsine ((TMGe)3As), several attempts have been made to identify new candidates for synthesis; yet, to date, only the aforementioned two highly reactive precursors have led to excellent photodetector device performance. We begin the present study by investigating the mechanism, finding that the use of the cosurfactant dioctylamine plays a crucial role in producing monodispersed InAs populations. Through quantitative analysis of ligands on the surface of InAs CQDs, we find that (TMGe)3As leads to In-rich characteristics, and we document the presence of an amorphous In-oleate shell on the surface. This we find causes surface defects, and thus, we develop materials processing strategies to remove the surface shell with a view to achieving efficient charge transfer in CQD solids. As a result, we develop resurfacing protocols, tailored to each dot synthesis, that produce balanced In-to-As stoichiometry regardless of synthetic input, enabling us to fabricate NIR photodetectors that achieve best-in-class EQEs at 940 nm excitons (25-28%, biased), independent of the synthetic pathway.

Exogenous Metal Cations in the Synthesis of CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals and Their Interplay with Tertiary Amines.

Current syntheses of CsPbBr3 halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) rely on overstoichiometric amounts of Pb2+ precursors, resulting in unreacted lead ions at the end of the process. In our synthesis scheme of CsPbBr3 NCs, we replaced excess Pb2+ with different exogenous metal cations (M) and investigated their effect on the synthesis products. These cations can be divided into two groups: group 1 delivers monodisperse CsPbBr3 cubes capped with oleate species (as for the case when Pb2+ is used in excess) and with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) as high as 90% with some cations (for example with M = In3+); group 2 yields irregularly shaped CsPbBr3 NCs with broad size distributions. In both cases, the addition of a tertiary ammonium cation (didodecylmethylammonium, DDMA+) during the synthesis, after the nucleation of the NCs, reshapes the NCs to monodisperse truncated cubes. Such NCs feature a mixed oleate/DDMA+ surface termination with PLQY values of up to 97%. For group 1 cations this happens only if the ammonium cation is directly added as a salt (DDMA-Br), while for group 2 cations this happens even if the corresponding tertiary amine (DDMA) is added, instead of DDMA-Br. This is attributed to the fact that only group 2 cations can facilitate the protonation of DDMA by the excess oleic acid present in the reaction environment. In all cases studied, the incorporation of M cations is marginal, and the reshaping of the NCs is only transient: if the reactions are run for a long time, the truncated cubes evolve to cubes.

Assessing the effect of soil cultivation methods and genotypes on crop yield components, yield and soil properties in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Rice (Oryza sativa L.) cropping system.

BACKGROUND: The rice-wheat cropping system is the prevailing agricultural method in the North-Western states of India, namely in the Indo-Gangetic plains. The practice of open burning of rice residue is frequently employed for expedient land preparation, but it has significant adverse impacts on both the environment and human health. These include the emission of greenhouse gases, loss of nutrients, elevated concentrations of particulate matter (PM), and disruption of the biological cycle. This research aims to investigate the implementation of effective management strategies in the rice-wheat cropping system, namely via the use of tillage-based crop cultivation techniques, stubble retention, and integration approaches. The objective is to enhance soil health features in order to augment crop yield and improve its attributes. RESULTS: The research was carried out using a split plot experimental design, consisting of three replications. The main plot consisted of four different cultivation methods, while the subplot included three genotypes of both rice and wheat. The research demonstrates the enhanced efficacy of residue application is significantly augmenting soil nutrient concentrations compared to standard tillage practices (P < 0.05). This was accomplished by an analysis of soil nutrient levels, namely nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and organic carbon (OC), at a depth of 0-15 cm. The implementation of natural farming, zero tillage, and reduced tillage practices resulted in decreases in rice grain yields of 34.0%, 16.1%, and 10.8%, respectively, as compared to conventional tillage methods. Similarly, the implementation of natural farming, zero tillage, and reduced tillage resulted in reductions in wheat grain yields of 59.4%, 10.9%, and 4.6% respectively, in comparison to conventional tillage practices. CONCLUSION: Regarding the individual crop genotypes investigated, it was continuously observed that Him Palam Lal Dhan 1 and HPW 368 displayed considerably greater grain yields for both rice and wheat during the two-year experimental period. Furthermore, when considering different cultivation methods, conventional tillage emerged as the most effective approach for obtaining higher productivity in both rice and wheat. Additionally, Him Palam Lal Dhan 1 and HPW 368 exhibited superior performance in terms of various crucial yield components for rice (such as panicle density, grains per panicle, panicle weight, and test weight) and wheat (including effective tiller density, grains per spike, spike weight, and 1000-grain weight).

Volumetric analysis of acute uncomplicated type B aortic dissection using an automated deep learning aortic zone segmentation model.

BACKGROUND: Machine learning techniques have shown excellent performance in three-dimensional medical image analysis, but have not been applied to acute uncomplicated type B aortic dissection (auTBAD) using Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) and Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)-defined aortic zones. The purpose of this study was to establish a trained, automatic machine learning aortic zone segmentation model to facilitate performance of an aortic zone volumetric comparison between patients with auTBAD based on the rate of aortic growth. METHODS: Patients with auTBAD and serial imaging were identified. For each patient, imaging characteristics from two computed tomography (CT) scans were analyzed: (1) the baseline CT angiography (CTA) at the index admission and (2) either the most recent surveillance CTA or the most recent CTA before an aortic intervention. Patients were stratified into two comparative groups based on aortic growth: rapid growth (diameter increase of ≥5 mm/year) and no or slow growth (diameter increase of <5 mm/year). Deidentified images were imported into an open source software package for medical image analysis and images were annotated based on SVS/STS criteria for aortic zones. Our model was trained using four-fold cross-validation. The segmentation output was used to calculate aortic zone volumes from each imaging study. RESULTS: Of 59 patients identified for inclusion, rapid growth was observed in 33 patients (56%) and no or slow growth was observed in 26 patients (44%). There were no differences in baseline demographics, comorbidities, admission mean arterial pressure, number of discharge antihypertensives, or high-risk imaging characteristics between groups (P > .05 for all). Median duration between baseline and interval CT was 1.07 years (interquartile range [IQR], 0.38-2.57). Postdischarge aortic intervention was performed in 13 patients (22%) at a mean of 1.5 ± 1.2 years, with no difference between the groups (P > .05). Among all patients, the largest relative percent increases in zone volumes over time were found in zone 4 (13.9%; IQR, -6.82 to 35.1) and zone 5 (13.4%; IQR, -7.78 to 37.9). There were no differences in baseline zone volumes between groups (P > .05 for all). The average Dice coefficient, a performance measure of the model output, was 0.73. Performance was best in zone 5 (0.84) and zone 9 (0.91). CONCLUSIONS: We describe an automatic deep learning segmentation model incorporating SVS-defined aortic zones. The open source, trained model demonstrates concordance to the manually segmented aortas with the strongest performance in zones 5 and 9, providing a framework for further clinical applications. In our limited sample, there were no differences in baseline aortic zone volumes between patients with rapid growth and patients with no or slow growth.

Near-IR-Absorbing Bis-Donor Functionalized Aza-BODIPY Derivatives: Synthesis and Photophysical Study by Using Transient Optical Spectroscopy.

A series of near-IR absorbing 2,6-diarylated BF2-chelated aza-boron-dipyrromethenes (aza-BDPs) derivatives bearing different electron donors (benzene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, phenothiazine and carbazole) were designed and synthesized. The effect of different electron donor substitutions on the photophysical properties was studied by steady-state UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectra, electrochemical, time-resolved nanosecond transient absorption (ns-TA) spectroscopy and theoretical computations. The UV-vis absorption spectra of AzaBDP-PTZ and AzaBDP-CAR (λabs=710 nm in toluene) showed a bathochromic absorption profile compared with the reference AzaBDP-Ph (λabs=685 nm in toluene), indicating the non-negligible electronic interaction at the ground state between donor and acceptor moieties. Moreover, the fluorescence is almost completely quenched for AzaBDP-PTZ/AzaBDP-CAR (fluorescence quantum yield, ΦF=0.2-0.7 % in toluene) as compared with the AzaBDP-Ph (ΦF=27 % in toluene). However, the apparent intersystem crossing ability of these compounds is poor, based on the singlet oxygen quantum yield (ΦΔ=0.3-1.5 %). The ns-TA spectral study showed typical Bodipy localized triplet state transient features, short-lived excited triplet state for AzaBDP-Ph (τT=53.2 µs) versus significantly long-lived triplet state for AzaBDP-CAR (τT=114 µs) was observed under deaerated experimental conditions. These triplet state lifetimes are much longer than that obtained with diiodoAzaBDP (intramolecular heavy atom effect, τT=1.5~7.2 µs). These information are useful for molecular structure design of triplet photosensitizers, for which longer triplet state lifetimes are usually desired. Theoretical computations displayed that the triplet state is mainly localized on the AzaBDP core, moreover, it was found that the HOMO/LUMO energy gap decreased after introducing donor moieties to the skeleton as compared with the reference.

Understanding the Role of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in the Development and Prevention of Cancer.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), notably omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6), have received much attention owing to their multifaceted effects not only in the management of diverse pathological conditions but also in the maintenance of overall health of an individual. A disproportionately high n-6 to n-3 ratio contributes to the development of various disorders including cancer, which ranks as a leading cause of death worldwide with profound social and economic burden. Epidemiological studies and clinical trials combined with the animal and cell culture models have demonstrated the beneficial effects of n-3 PUFAs in reducing the risk of various cancer types including breast, prostate and colon cancer. The anti-cancer actions of n-3 PUFAs are mainly attributed to their role in the modulation of a wide array of cellular processes including membrane dynamics, apoptosis, inflammation, angiogenesis, oxidative stress, gene expression and signal transduction pathways. On the contrary, n-6 PUFAs have been shown to exert pro-tumor actions; however, the inconsistent findings and controversial data emphasize upon the need to further investigation. Nevertheless, one of the biggest challenges in future is to optimize the n-6 to n-3 ratio despite the genetic predisposition, age, gender and disease severity. Moreover, a better understanding of the potential risks and benefits as well as the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the basic actions of these PUFAs is required to explore their role as adjuvants in cancer therapy. All these aspects will be reviewed in this chapter.

Novel melatonin-producing Bacillus safensis EH143 mitigates salt and cadmium stress in soybean.

Recently, microorganism and exogenous melatonin application has been recognized as an efficient biological tool for enhancing salt tolerance and heavy metal detoxification in agriculture crops. Thus, the goal of this study was to isolate and evaluate a novel melatonin-producing plant growth promoting bacterium. With high-throughput whole genome sequencing, phytohormone measurements, expression profiling, and biochemical analysis, we can identify a novel PGPB that produces melatonin and unravel how it promotes soybean growth and development and protects against salt and Cd stress. We identify the melatonin synthesis pathway (tryptophan→tryptamine→serotonin melatonin) of the halotolerant (NaCl > 800 mM) and heavy metal-resistant (Cd >3 mM) rhizobacterium Bacillus safensis EH143 and use it to treat soybean plants subjected to Cd and NaCl stresses. Results show that EH143 will highly bioaccumulate heavy metals and significantly improve P and Ca2+ uptake and the K+/Na+ (93%↑under salt stress) ratio while reducing Cd uptake (49% under Cd stress) in shoots. This activity was supported by the expression of the ion regulator HKT1, MYPB67, and the calcium sensors CDPK5 and CaMK1 which ultimately led to increased plant growth. EH143 significantly decreased ABA content in shoots by 13%, 20%, and 34% and increased SA biosynthesis in shoots by 14.8%, 31%, and 48.2% in control, salt, and Cd-treated plants, upregulating CYP707A1 and CYP707A2 and PAL1 and ICS, respectively. The melatonin content significantly decreased along with a reduced expression of ASMT3 following treatment with EH143; moreover, reduced expression of peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) by 134.5% and 39% under salt+Cd stress, respectively and increased level of total amino acids were observed. Whole-genome sequencing and annotation of EH143 revealed the presence of the melatonin precursor tryptophan synthase (trpA, trpB, trpS), metal and other ion regulators (Cd: cadA, potassium: KtrA and KtrB, phosphate: glpT, calcium: yloB, the sodium/glucose cotransporter: sgIT, and the magnesium transporter: mgtE), and enzyme activators (including the siderophore transport proteins yfiZ and yfhA, the SOD sodA, the catalase katA1, and the glutathione regulator KefG) that may be involved in programming the plant metabolic system. As a consequence, EH143 treatment significantly reduced the contents of lipid peroxidation (O2-, MDA, and H2O2) up to 69%, 46%, and 29% in plants under salt+Cd stress, respectively. These findings suggest that EH143 could be a potent biofertilizer to alleviate NaCl and Cd toxicity in crops and serve as an alternative substitute for exogenous melatonin application.

Exploiting and Enhancing the Heat Transport Rate of MoS2-Ag/EO Hybrid Nanofluid Flow via a Stretching Cylinder using Extended Yamada-Ota and Xue Models.

The current model offers valuable insights for materials science, heat exchangers, renewable energy production, nanotechnology, manufacturing, medicinal treatments, and environmental engineering. The findings of this study have the potential to improve material design, increase heat transfer efficiency across various systems, enhance energy conversion processes, and drive advancements in nanotechnology, medicinal treatments, and engineering design. The goal of the current research is to analyze the effects of thermal radiation and the volume fraction of nanoparticles in MoS2-Ag/engine oil-based hybrid nanofluid flow passing through a cylinder. After performing a substantial similarity transformation, the nonlinear dimensionless framework is recast as ODEs. The Yamada-Ota and Xue models are then applied to the dimensionless equation setup, which is numerically solved using the BVP4C approach. The resulting velocity and temperature fields, corresponding to various parameters, are examined and compared across both models. This investigation demonstrates a significant variation in heat transfer rates between the Yamada-Ota and Xue models, with the former having a larger impact. The velocity and temperature fields decrease as the magnetic field parameter increases in both nanofluids. However, as the magnetic field parameter values grow, the velocity fields in the two nanofluids behave differently. The Yamada-Ota and Xue models are used to determine the behavior of the hybrid nanofluid flow over a nonlinear extended cylinder. In all situations, the velocity and temperature fields exhibit superior decay characteristics.

Development and validation of a universal primer pair for the taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of vertebrates.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies in the field of molecular identification have described 16S rRNA gene as a highly informative fragment of mitochondrial DNA for species discrimination. This study presents a newly developed universal primer pair yielding an approximately 350 bp fragment of mitochondrial 16S rRNA, variable enough to encompass and identify all vertebrate classes. METHODS AND RESULTS: The primers were designed by aligning and analyzing over 1500 16S rRNA sequences downloaded from the NCBI nucleotide database. A total of 93 vertebrate species, spanning 27 orders and 55 families, were PCR-amplified to validate the primers. All the target species were successfully amplified and identified when aligned with reference sequences from the NCBI nucleotide database. Using the Kimura 2-parameter model, low intra-species genetic divergence of the target region was observed - from 0 to 4.63%, whereas relatively higher inter-species genetic divergence was observed, ranging from 4.88% to 69.81%. Moreover, the newly developed primers were successfully applied to a direct PCR protocol, making the workflow very cost-effective, time-saving and less laborious in comparison to conventional PCR. CONCLUSIONS: The short length, high variability and conserved priming sites of the target fragment across all vertebrate species make it a highly desirable marker for species identification and discrimination.

Successful application of modified crude DNA extraction from muscle tissues for various types of PCR amplifications.

BACKGROUND: One of the most challenging aspects of nucleic acid amplification tests is the extraction of genomic DNA. However, achieving satisfactory quality and quantity of genomic DNA is not always easy, while the demand for rapid, low-cost and less laborious DNA isolation methods is ever-increasing. METHODS AND RESULTS: We have developed a rapid (⁓2 min) crude DNA extraction method leading to direct-PCR that requires minimum reagents and laboratory equipment. It was developed by eliminating the time-consuming purification steps of DNA extraction, by processing the sample in optimized amounts of Taq KCl PCR buffer and DNARelease Additive/Proteinase K in only two minutes and carrying out amplification using conventional Taq DNA polymerase. The DNA preparation method was validated on muscle tissue samples from 12 different species as well as 48 cooked meat samples. Its compatibility was also successfully tested with different types of PCR amplification platforms extensively used for genetic analysis, such as simplex PCR, PCR-RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism), multiplex PCR, isothermal amplification, real-time PCR and DNA sequencing. CONCLUSIONS: The developed protocol provides sufficient amount of crude DNA from muscle tissues of different species for PCR amplifications to identify species-of-origin via different techniques coupled with PCR. The simplicity and robustness of this protocol make nucleic acid amplification assays more accessible and affordable to researchers and authorities for both laboratory and point-of-care tests.

Spectral and temporal atomic coherence interaction in Eu3+ : NaYF4 and Eu3+ : BiPO4.

We investigate the spectral and temporal atomic coherence interaction based on out-of-phase fluorescence (FL) and spontaneous parametric four-wave mixing (SFWM) from the hexagonal phase of Eu3+ : NaYF4 and different phases of Eu3+ : BiPO4. Spectral and temporal interactions are interrelated and reduced by about 2 times due to two-photon nested dressing in contrast to the sum of each laser excitation. As the lifetime of photons increases, off-resonance profile cross-interaction decreases because cross-interaction reverses the signal at the near time gate position and keeps it consistent at the far time gate position. Moreover, the thermal phonon dressing at 300 K exhibits 6 times more eminent and obvious temporal interaction than that at 77 K. In a different phase of Eu3+ : BiPO4, there are three dark dips having stronger self-interaction; however, Eu3+ : NaYF4 has two dark dips as Eu3+ : BiPO4 has two phonon dressing. Further, the pure hexagonal phase of Eu3+ : BiPO4 demonstrates the strongest cross-interaction and longest coherent time under the dressing effect due to the smallest dressing phonon detuning and off-resonance profile cross-interaction at PMT2 because the angle quantization is the strongest. Such results can be used for designing novel quantum devices and have potential applications in quantum memory devices.

Research on the mechanisms of 2D road runoff pollution migration and the influence of pipeline overflow onto roads.

In this paper, a novel numerical model capable of high-resolution, accurate simulation of the accumulation, wash-off, and migration of nonpoint source (NPS) pollutants on roads is proposed, effectively addressing the challenge of limited pipe network data for high-density urban building communities. This approach is based on a 1D-2D hydrodynamic and water quality dynamic bidirectional coupling model: GAST-SWMM. The calculation accuracy of the GAST two-dimensional road NPS wash-off model is validated via comparison with experimental data. The obtained Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) is greater than 0.8. Moreover, the model was used to simulate the NPSs in a densely populated urban region of Xi'an, China, lacking building community pipeline data. The NPS pollutant transport and fate under the influence of both road runoff and the building community hydrodynamic water quality during rainfall events with a specific return period were examined. The proposed model can effectively and accurately replicate the accumulation and removal of NPS pollutants on a two-dimensional road and their dynamic interaction with the drainage network. With increasing rainfall return period, the peak time of the surface contaminant total load is postponed. The maximum surface pollutant load durations during rainfall events with 2-, 10-, and 50-year return periods are 60, 75, and 80 minutes, respectively. During the peak surface pollutant load time, the overflow pollutant fraction can exceed 85% for a 50-year rainfall return period. The simulation method presented in this paper accurately captures the spatial and temporal variations in NPS pollutants in densely populated urban areas, even when pipe network data for building communities are lacking. This method offers valuable technical assistance for urban environmental management and water quality protection.

Efficacy and Safety of Endoscopic Stricturotomy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Related Strictures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Luminal strictures, common in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), especially Crohn's disease (CD), are typically treated with endoscopic balloon dilatation (EBD). The newer endoscopic stricturotomy (ESt) approach shows promise, but data is limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis assess the effectiveness and safety of ESt in IBD-related strictures. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted until November 2023 for studies assessing ESt efficacy and safety in IBD. Primary outcomes were clinical and technical success, with secondary endpoints covering adverse events, subsequent stricture surgery, additional endoscopic treatments (ESt or EBD), medication escalation, disease-related emergency department visits, and hospitalization post-ESt. Technical success was defined as passing the scope through the stricture, and clinical success was defined as symptom improvement. Single-arm meta-analysis (CMA version 3) calculated the event rate per patient with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Heterogeneity was evaluated using I2. RESULTS: Nine studies were included, involving 640 ESt procedures on 287 IBD patients (169 CD, 118 ulcerative colitis). Of these, 53.3% were men, with a mean age of 43.3 ± 14.3 years and a mean stricture length of 1.68 ± 0.84 cm. The technical success rate was 96.4% (95% CI 92.5-98.3, p-value < 0.0001), and the clinical success rate was 62% (95% CI 52.2-70.9, p-value = 0.017, I2 = 34.670). The bleeding rate was 10.5% per patient, and the perforation rate was 3.5%. After an average follow-up of 0.95 ± 1.1 years, 16.4% required surgery for strictures post-ESt, while 44.2% needed additional endoscopic treatment. The medication escalation rate after ESt was 14.7%. The disease-related emergency department visit rate was 14.7%, and the disease-related hospitalization rate post-procedure was 21.3%. CONCLUSION: Our analysis shows that ESt is safe and effective for managing IBD-related strictures, making it a valuable addition to the armamentarium of endoscopists. Formal training efforts should focus on ensuring its widespread adoption.

Existence and importance of Na+K+-ATPase in the plasma membrane of boar spermatozoa.

Sodium-potassium-ATPase (Na+K+-ATPase), a target to treat congestive heart failure, is the only known receptor for cardiac glycosides implicated in intracellular signaling and additionally functions enzymatically in ion transport. Spermatozoa need transmembrane ion transport and signaling to fertilize, and Na+K+-ATPase is identified here for the first time in boar spermatozoa. Head plasma membrane (HPM) isolated from boar spermatozoa was confirmed pure by marker enzymes acid and alkaline phosphatase (218 ± 23% and 245 ± 38% enrichment, respectively, versus whole spermatozoa). Western immunoblotting detected α and ß subunits (isoforms α1, α3, ß1, ß2, and ß3) in different concentrations in whole spermatozoa and HPM. Immunofluorescence of intact sperm only detected α3 on the post-equatorial exterior membrane; methanol-permeabilized sperm also had α3 post-equatorially and other isoforms on the acrosomal ridge and cap. Mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of all isoforms in HPM. Incubating boar sperm in capacitating media to induce the physiological changes preceding fertilization significantly increased the percentage of capacitated sperm compared to 0 h control (33.0 ± 2.6% vs. 19.2 ± 2.6% capacitated sperm, respectively; p = 0.014) and altered the ß2 immunofluorescence pattern. These results demonstrate the presence of Na+K+-ATPase in boar sperm HPM and that it changes during capacitation.

Characterization of Exopolysaccharides Having Potential Antiviral Properties from Priestia Aryabattai Strain MK1 and Bacillus sp. Strain MK2.

Viral diseases are a serious threat to humans while the most antiviral drugs have low efficiency and side effects on human health. Therefore, using microbial biopolymers as the drugs alternate to treat viral infections seems cost-effective and human friendly option. In the present study, thirty-four exopolysaccharides (EPSs) producing bacteria were isolated, and EPSs production capacity of five salt-tolerant isolates was determined under 0, 100 and 150 mM NaCl. Among these, two isolates exhibiting high anti-coliphage activity were identified through 16S rRNA gene analysis. Moreover, the EPSs were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and their composition was determined. Five salt-tolerant bacteria (MK1, MK2, MK10, MK22 and MK29) exhibited higher production of EPSs at 100 mM NaCl compared to that under non-saline control. At 100 mM NaCl, the yield of EPSs ranged between 105 and 330 mg 100 mL-1 broth. The EPSs produced by the isolates MK1 and MK2 exhibited higher anti-coliphage activity (plaque forming unit decreased from 43 × 106 mL-1 to 3 × 106 and 4 × 106 mL-1, respectively), and were comprised of glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose, lactose and xylose sugars. FTIR spectroscopy depicted that EPSs are mainly composed of hydroxyl, aliphatic, carboxyl, sulfate and phosphate functional groups, which could have bound coliphage and thus conferred higher anti-coliphage activities to the EPSs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that MK1 and MK2 isolates formed clades within genus Priestia and Bacillus sequences, respectively. High EPSs production capacity of bacterial isolates under saline condition and high anti-coliphage activity of the EPSs implies that bacterial biopolymers could be useful in antiviral drugs therapy.

Eco-friendly approaches for mitigating plastic pollution: advancements and implications for a greener future.

Plastic pollution has become a global problem since the extensive use of plastic in industries such as packaging, electronics, manufacturing and construction, healthcare, transportation, and others. This has resulted in an environmental burden that is continually growing, which has inspired many scientists as well as environmentalists to come up with creative solutions to deal with this problem. Numerous studies have been reviewed to determine practical, affordable, and environmentally friendly solutions to regulate plastic waste by leveraging microbes' innate abilities to naturally decompose polymers. Enzymatic breakdown of plastics has been proposed to serve this goal since the discovery of enzymes from microbial sources that truly interact with plastic in its naturalistic environment and because it is a much faster and more effective method than others. The scope of diverse microbes and associated enzymes in polymer breakdown is highlighted in the current review. The use of co-cultures or microbial consortium-based techniques for the improved breakdown of plastic products and the generation of high-value end products that may be utilized as prototypes of bioenergy sources is highlighted. The review also offers a thorough overview of the developments in the microbiological and enzymatic biological degradation of plastics, as well as several elements that impact this process for the survival of our planet.

Comparative phytochemical study of methanolic and ethanolic extracts of Thymus linearis and their antibacterial and antioxidant potential.

Thymus linearis (Thyme) is a medicinal plant widely distributed throughout Asia. Various parts of thyme are utilized for diverse medicinal purposes, including its use as a tonic and diuretic, for cough relief, as a flavoring agent, in treating dysentery, and for alleviating stomach disorders. Numerous studies have been conducted to explore the unexploited potential of thyme. Thyme was collected from the northern region of Pakistan, and sun-mediated extraction was conducted. Phytochemical analysis, utilizing GC-MS, revealed numerous bioactive phytochemical constituents with disease-preventing roles, including detoxifying agents, antioxidants, anticancer compounds, dietary fiber, neuropharmacological agents, and immunity-potentiating agents, in the methanolic and ethanolic (14 days) extracts of the flower, leaf, and stem. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay results indicated that the ethanolic and methanolic extracts of the stem exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, reaching up to 67.34% and 62.73%, respectively, while the values for the flower and leaf extracts (both methanol and ethanol) were around 60%. The IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) values were also calculated for all the samples, ranging between 7 and 9 µg/mL. Positive antibacterial and antifungal effects against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli, as well as Aspergillus niger (fungi), were observed only in the extracts of the flower (both methanol and ethanol). The sun-mediated technique was used for extraction for the first time in this study. Therefore, this study introduces a novel approach to the extraction of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants, ultimately contributing to the development of herbal drugs with more convenient and cost-effective methods.