Simulation of Hydrogen Adsorption in Hierarchical Silicalite: Role of Electrostatics and Surface Chemistry.

Adsorption in nanoporous materials is one strategy that can be used to store hydrogen at conditions of temperature and pressure that are economically viable. Adsorption capacity of nanoporous materials depends on surface area which can be enhanced by incorporating a hierarchical pore structure. We report grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation results on the adsorption of hydrogen in hierarchical models of silicalite that incorporate 4 nm wide mesopores in addition to the 0.5 nm wide micropores at 298 K, using different force fields to model hydrogen. Our results suggest that incorporating mesopores in silicalite can enhance adsorption by at least 20 % if electrostatic interactions are not included and up to 100 % otherwise. Incorporating electrostatic interactions results in higher adsorption by close to 100 % at lower pressures for hierarchical silicalite whereas for unmodified silicalite, it is less significant at all pressures. Hydroxylating the mesopore surface in hierarchical silicalite results in an enhancement in adsorption at pressures below 1 atm and suppression by up to 20 % at higher pressures. Temperature dependence at selected pressures exhibits expected decrease in adsorption amounts at higher temperatures. These findings can be useful in the engineering, selection, and optimization of nanoporous materials for hydrogen storage.

Diversification of refugia types needed to secure the future of coral reefs subject to climate change.

Identifying locations of refugia from the thermal stresses of climate change for coral reefs and better managing them is one of the key recommendations for climate change adaptation. We review and summarize approximately 30 years of applied research focused on identifying climate refugia to prioritize the conservation actions for coral reefs under rapid climate change. We found that currently proposed climate refugia and the locations predicted to avoid future coral losses are highly reliant on  excess heat metrics, such as degree heating weeks. However, many existing alternative environmental, ecological, and life-history variables could be used to identify other types of refugia that lead to the desired diversified portfolio for coral reef conservation. To improve conservation priorities for coral reefs, there is a need to evaluate and validate the predictions of climate refugia with long-term field data on coral abundance, diversity, and functioning. There is also the need to identify and safeguard locations displaying resistance toprolonged exposure to heat waves and the ability to recover quickly after thermal exposure. We recommend using more metrics to identify a portfolio of potential refugia sites for coral reefs that can avoid, resist, and recover from exposure to high ocean temperatures and the consequences of climate change, thereby shifting past efforts focused on avoidance to a diversified risk-spreading portfolio that can be used to improve strategic coral reef conservation in a rapidly warming climate.

Diversificación de los tipos de refugio necesarios para asegurar el futuro de los arrecifes de coral sujetos al cambio climático Resumen Una de las principales recomendaciones para la adaptación al cambio climático es identificar los refugios de los arrecifes de coral frente al estrés térmico del cambio climático y mejorar su gestión. Revisamos y resumimos ∼30 años de investigación aplicada centrada en la identificación de refugios climáticos para priorizar las acciones de conservación de los arrecifes de coral bajo un rápido cambio climático. Descubrimos que los refugios climáticos propuestos actualmente y las ubicaciones que pueden evitarlos dependen en gran medida de métricas de exceso de calor, como las semanas de calentamiento en grados (SCG). Sin embargo, existen muchas variables alternativas de historia vital, ambientales y ecológicas que podrían utilizarse para identificar otros tipos de refugios que resulten en el acervo diversificado que se desea para la conservación de los arrecifes de coral. Para mejorar las prioridades de conservación de los arrecifes de coral, es necesario evaluar y validar las predicciones sobre refugios climáticos con datos de campo a largo plazo sobre abundancia, diversidad y funcionamiento de los corales. También es necesario identificar y salvaguardar lugares que muestren resistencia a la exposición climática prolongada a olas de calor y la capacidad de recuperarse rápidamente tras la exposición térmica. Recomendamos utilizar más métricas para identificar un acervo de posibles lugares de refugio para los arrecifes de coral que puedan evitar, resistir y recuperarse de la exposición a las altas temperaturas oceánicas y las consecuencias del cambio climático, para así desplazar los esfuerzos pasados centrados en la evitación hacia un acervo diversificado de riesgos que pueda utilizarse para mejorar la conservación estratégica de los arrecifes de coral en un clima que se calienta rápidamente.

Prevalence of Renal and Urinary Tract Diseases among Pediatric Cases Admitted in a Tertiary Hospital in Developing Country.

Background Kidney disease includes diseases of the glomerulus, tubular disorders, and conditions associated with hematuria or proteinuria. Urinalysis can be a reliable and easy tool to screen. Objective In this study, we aim to study the prevalence of renal and urinary tract diseases among the pediatric population in a tertiary hospital in Nepal. Method A single-center retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from 2022 to 2023 in the pediatric department. Information was obtained regarding clinicalepidemiological profile, associated condition, investigations, diagnosis, and duration of hospital stay, management, and outcome. Result The prevalence of renal disease was 5.6%, with urinary tract infection being the most common diagnosis. Maximum cases presented between one and five years with a male-to-female ratio of 1.1:1 and 80.9% of the patients had new onset disease. The mean duration of hospital stay was six days. The mortality rate in renal diseases was 3.2%. Conclusion Renal diseases make up a significant portion of pediatric admissions. Renal diseases contribute to significant morbidity and mortality. A large number of cases of renal diseases are due to infective etiology hence they are preventable and curable. Renal disease in children presents with vague symptoms and signs. Routine screening of renal diseases is needed for early diagnosis and reduction in morbidity and mortality.

Clinical and Endoscopic Findings in Patients Presenting with Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding at a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Background Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding is a severe medical condition that requires prompt evaluation and management. Understanding the clinical and endoscopic findings in patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal bleeding is essential for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Objective To investigate the age and sex composition, clinical presentations, and endoscopic findings of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding at a tertiary care hospital. Method A total of 561 patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding were included in the study. Data on age, sex, and clinical presentation were collected for each patient. Endoscopic findings were recorded, and the relative frequency of various upper gastrointestinal lesions was analyzed. Result The age distribution of patients revealed that 40.82% were between 15 and 45 years, 32.98% were aged 46 to 65 years, and 26.20% were above 65 years. Among the patients, 73.08% were male and 26.92% were female. Hematemesis was observed in 248 cases, while melena was present in 136 cases, and both were present in 171 cases. Recent onset anemia with positive occult blood was reported in 6 patients. The most common endoscopic finding was varices (39.39%), followed by ulcers (15.51%). Mallory Weiss tear was noted in 5.53% of cases. Conclusion According to our findings, varices are the most common endoscopic finding in individuals with upper gastrointestinal bleeding rather than peptic ulcer disease. The considerable increase in varices emphasizes the critical importance of early identification and care in high-risk individuals, as well as contributing to a better understanding of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Long-term outcomes of mesial temporal laser interstitial thermal therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy and subsequent surgery for seizure recurrence: a multi-centre cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT) is a minimally invasive alternative to surgical resection for drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE). Reported rates of seizure freedom are variable and long-term durability is largely unproven. Anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) remains an option for patients with MRgLITT treatment failure. However, the safety and efficacy of this staged strategy is unknown. METHODS: This multicentre, retrospective cohort study included 268 patients consecutively treated with mesial temporal MRgLITT at 11 centres between 2012 and 2018. Seizure outcomes and complications of MRgLITT and any subsequent surgery are reported. Predictive value of preoperative variables for seizure outcome was assessed. RESULTS: Engel I seizure freedom was achieved in 55.8% (149/267) at 1 year, 52.5% (126/240) at 2 years and 49.3% (132/268) at the last follow-up ≥1 year (median 47 months). Engel I or II outcomes were achieved in 74.2% (198/267) at 1 year, 75.0% (180/240) at 2 years and 66.0% (177/268) at the last follow-up. Preoperative focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures were independently associated with seizure recurrence. Among patients with seizure recurrence, 14/21 (66.7%) became seizure-free after subsequent ATL and 5/10 (50%) after repeat MRgLITT at last follow-up≥1 year. CONCLUSIONS: MRgLITT is a viable treatment with durable outcomes for patients with drug-resistant mTLE evaluated at a comprehensive epilepsy centre. Although seizure freedom rates were lower than reported with ATL, this series represents the early experience of each centre and a heterogeneous cohort. ATL remains a safe and effective treatment for well-selected patients who fail MRgLITT.

Importance of Dipole Orientation in Electrostatic Aerosol Filtration.

Electrostatic charge is a major part of modern-day aerosol filtration media (e.g., N95 respirators and surgical facemasks) that has remained poorly understood due to its complicated physics. As such, charging a fibrous material has relied on empiricism in dire need of a mathematical foundation to further advance product design and optimization. In this concern, we have conducted a series of numerical simulations to improve our understanding of how an electrostatically charged fiber captures airborne particles and to quantify how the fiber's dipole orientation impacts its capture efficiency. Special attention was paid to the role of Coulomb and dielectrophoretic forces in the capture of particles of different charge polarities (e.g., particles having a Boltzmann charge distribution). Simulation results were compared with the predictions of the popular empirical correlations from the literature and discussed in detail. Predictions of the empirical correlations better agreed with the simulation results obtained for fibers with a dipole perpendicular to the flow direction rather than for fibers with a dipole parallel to the flow. This indicates that such empirical correlations are more suitable for filters charged via contact electrification (friction charging), where the dipoles are mostly perpendicular to the flow direction, and less suitable for corona-charged media, where the fiber dipoles are generally parallel to the flow direction.

Outcome of Three Dimensional Printed Functional Prostheses for Children with Upper Limb Deficiency in Nepal.

Background Children with congenital and traumatic upper limb amputation are undervalued in a low and middle-income country (LMIC) like Nepal. The use of a prosthetic hand can give them a feeling of self-reliance to perform their daily activities. However, prosthesis require periodic maintenance and replacement which could be a financial burden to some families. The e-Nable community has designed and developed three dimension printed prosthetic hands for children under 19 years old, and distributed them free of cost. Objective To explore the functionality of the three dimension printed prosthetic hands using semi-structured questionnaires and assess a series of daily tasks after three months prosthetic use. Method This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2019 to June 2020, after receiving an ethical clearance from the Nepal Health Research Council (Registration number: 582/2019). Seventy six children (5-18 years old) who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in this study. Data were collected using semistructured questionnaires, and observational methods to identify the benefits and drawbacks of the three dimensional prosthetic hands. Mean, standard deviation, and percentage were used to interpret the data. Result All participants could only lift light objects such as tray, tennis ball or a bottle of water. They had difficulty with those task that required complex movement and with lifting heavy objects. Moreover, only 47(61.8%) participants were completely satisfied with the prosthetic hand and the major reasons for dissatisfaction were tear of the rubber band or cord, and broken parts. Conclusion Participant were able to complete certain tasks using the e-Nable community three dimensional printed prosthetic hands.

When cats need to see to step accurately?

Locomotion on complex terrains often requires vision. However, how vision serves locomotion is not well understood. Here, we asked when visual information necessary for accurate stepping is collected and how its acquisition relates to the step cycle. In cats of both sexes, we showed that a brief (200-400 ms) interruption of visual input can rapidly influence cat's walking along a horizontal ladder. Depending on the phase within the step cycle, a 200 ms period of darkness could be tolerated fully without any changes to the strides or could lead to minor increases of stride duration. The effects of 300-400 ms of visual input denial, which typically prolonged stances and/or swings, also depended on the phase of the darkness onset. The increase of the duration of strides was always shorter than the duration of darkness. We conclude that visual information for planning a swing is collected starting from the middle of the preceding stance until the beginning of the current swing. For a stance (and/or a swing of the other paw), visual information is collected starting from the end of the previous stance and until the middle of the current stance. Acquisition of visual information during these windows is not uniform but depends on the phase of the step cycle. Notably, both the extension of these windows and their non-homogeneity are closely related to the pattern of gaze behaviour in cats, described previously. This new knowledge will help to guide research and understanding of neuronal mechanisms of visuomotor integration and modulation of visual function by strides during locomotion. KEY POINTS: Cats, like humans, rely on vision to navigate in complex environments. In cats walking along a horizontally placed ladder, we show that visual information required for accurate stepping is collected in a non-uniform manner throughout the stride cycle. Brief denial of visual input during a swing prolongs the next stance of that forelimb. Denial of visual input during a stance prolongs this stance, as well as the next swing and stance. Denial during the first half of a stance has a greater effect than during the second half. The phase dependence of the use of vision for accurate stepping and the pattern of affected swings and stances are closely related to the previously described pattern of gaze behaviour in cats. This new knowledge opens new perspectives for research into neuronal mechanisms of visuomotor coordination and visual function during walking and for understanding related disorders.

The connexin 43 carboxyl terminal mimetic peptide αCT1 prompts differentiation of a collagen scar matrix in humans resembling unwounded skin.

Phase II clinical trials have reported that acute treatment of surgical skin wounds with the therapeutic peptide alpha Connexin Carboxy-Terminus 1 (αCT1) improves cutaneous scar appearance by 47% 9-month postsurgery. While Cx43 and ZO-1 have been identified as molecular targets of αCT1, the mode-of-action of the peptide in scar mitigation at cellular and tissue levels remains to be further characterized. Scar histoarchitecture in αCT1 and vehicle-control treated skin wounds within the same patient were compared using biopsies from a Phase I clinical trial at 29-day postwounding. The sole effect on scar structure of a range of epidermal and dermal variables examined was that αCT1-treated scars had less alignment of collagen fibers relative to control wounds-a characteristic that resembles unwounded skin. The with-in subject effect of αCT1 on scar collagen order observed in Phase I testing in humans was recapitulated in Sprague-Dawley rats and the IAF hairless guinea pig. Transient increase in histologic collagen density in response to αCT1 was also observed in both animal models. Mouse NIH 3T3 fibroblasts and primary human dermal fibroblasts treated with αCT1 in vitro showed more rapid closure in scratch wound assays, with individual cells showing decreased directionality in movement. An agent-based computational model parameterized with fibroblast motility data predicted collagen alignments in simulated scars consistent with that observed experimentally in human and the animal models. In conclusion, αCT1 prompts decreased directionality of fibroblast movement and the generation of a 3D collagen matrix postwounding that is similar to unwounded skin-changes that correlate with long-term improvement in scar appearance.

Dynamic odd-even effect in n-alkane systems: a molecular dynamics study.

Alternation in various properties of n-alkanes (CnH2n+2) as a function of carbon content (n) is termed 'odd-even effect'. Here, we report a comprehensive molecular dynamics simulation study on n-alkane systems carried out with n ranging between 3 (propane) and 8 (octane), examining the odd-even effect in melting point, density, intramolecular conformational ordering, translational and rotational motion. We observe an odd-even alternation in these properties, but with heptane (n = 7) exhibiting anomalous behavior for all except conformational ordering. Our simulations also show the presence of odd-even behavior in rotational and translational dynamics, below and above the melting point, respectively. The results highlight the role of both molecular shape and the variation in density and their interplay in the origins of the odd-even effect.

The HSP90 inhibitor RGRN-305 exhibits strong immunomodulatory effects in human keratinocytes.

Keratinocytes are the key cellular target for IL-17A-mediated effects in psoriasis and HSP90 is important for IL-17A-mediated signalling. RGRN-305 is a novel HSP90 inhibitor reported to reduce psoriatic phenotypes in preclinical animal models. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of RGRN-305 on a psoriasis-like inflammatory response in human keratinocytes in vitro. Using RT-qPCR, we demonstrated a significantly increased expression of the HSP90 isoforms HSP90AB1, HSP90B1 and TRAP1 in lesional compared with non-lesional psoriatic skin. In a psoriasis-like setting where keratinocytes were stimulated with TNFα and/or IL-17A, we analysed the mRNA expression using the NanoString nCounter technology and demonstrated that the HSP90 inhibitor RGRN-305 significantly reduced the IL-17A- and TNFα-induced gene expression of a number of proinflammatory genes, including the psoriasis-associated genes CCL20, NFKBIZ, IL36G and IL23A. In agreement with the mRNA data, the protein level of CCL20, IκBζ and IL-36γ were inhibited by RGRN-305 as demonstrated by western blotting and ELISA. Interestingly, when keratinocytes were stimulated with a TLR3 agonist, RGRN-305 also demonstrated potent immunomodulatory effects, significantly inhibiting poly(I:C)-induced expression of the proinflammatory genes TNFα, IL1B, IL6 and IL23A. Taken together, our data support a role for HSP90 not only in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, but also in broader immune responses. Therefore, HSP90 provides an attractive target for the treatment of psoriasis and other diseases where the innate immune system plays an important role.

Qualitative and quantitative analyses of impact of COVID-19 on sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Indian subcontinent with a focus on air quality.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading all over the world in a short time. It originated from Wuhan City of China in the late 2019. Proper vaccines have still been in progress; the spread of the virus is contracted by lockdown and social distancing protocols. These lockdowns resulted in significant benefits, improving the quality of air and reducing the level of environmental pollution. In this context, the study proposes to identify the air quality in the region and its relation with COVID-19-affected people in metropolitan cities of India during COVID-19 lockdowns using a geographical information system (GIS), where over 90% of commercial and industrial sites and 100% school and colleges were closed. The study outcomes highlight the areas encountering high levels of pollution under the pre-lockdown scenario and have seen a higher number of cases. The relation is most evident for PM2.5, which is responsible for respiratory disorders and is the place of attack of SARS-CoV-2. This approach provides comparable outcomes with other decision-making tools. Our primary precedence should be to develop communities to enable people to remain healthy and stay. Healthy societies are crucial not only for people's health, but also for sustainable development. Centered on GIS is concealed; moreover, it is very flexible to use by policymakers.

Psychosocial Problems among the Adolescent School Students of Dhulikhel Municipality.

Background Adolescence is a period when an individual experiences a variety of biological, psychological and social changes. These multiple changes during the developmental period can make the adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems. Therefore early detection of psychosocial problems and addressing the need of the adolescents are crucial for promoting their mental health. Objective To assess psychosocial problems and its associated factors among school going adolescents of Dhulikhel, Nepal. Method A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among 513 adolescents studying in grade 8 to 12 of randomly selected schools of Dhulikhel Municipality. Data were collected by using structured questionnaire and Pediatric Symptom Checklist-Youth Report (Y-PSC). Descriptive and inferential analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20. Result Out of 513 adolescent students, a total of 133(25.9%) of the adolescents were found to have psychosocial problems. There was significant association between psychosocial problems and respondents' variables like age, grade, parental education status, respondents' living status, perceived family disputes, perceived marital problems of parents, relationship problem with family, stress of failure in study, punishment faced in home and school, experienced sexual harassment and death of loved ones. Conclusion Various family related factors and stressful life events of adolescents are associated with the psychosocial problems. Hence early intervention focusing on awareness and modification of stressful life events is required.

All-perylene-derivative for white light emitting diodes.

An organic-based bright white light emitting compound, namely Tb(H3PTC)3 [H4PTC = perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid], able to be used as part of a white diode and as a part of a RGB system that can withstand high temperatures (∼700 K), is developed using perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) and terbium(iii) nitrate pentahydrate as precursors by hydrothermal synthesis. Using PTCDA as the red emitter and the new derivative of it, Tb(H3PTC)3, as the blue-green emitter, along with a common deep blue LED can form a RGB system for display technologies, around room temperature. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence properties of the Tb(H3PTC)3 compound are also investigated for the involved excitonic-emission processes and the respective recombination lifetimes. The terbium(iii) complex was prepared using a procedure that is reproducible, easily modifiable, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly, opening new pathways for its large-scale applications. Unlike PTCDA, Tb(H3PTC)3 has been shown to be soluble in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as well as in dilute aqueous solutions of this organic solvent in a straightforward procedure. The light emission properties are intimately correlated with the molecular structure and electronic properties of Tb(H3PTC)3 elucidated by experimental results of X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES), Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. A bright fluorescence yield is attained with a small amount of material either in solution or in solid form showing its potential to be used in state-of-the-art organic optoelectronic devices.

Potential of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens for biocontrol of bacterial canker of tomato incited by Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis.

A total of 150 rhizobacteria and endorhizobacteria previously isolated from three different horticultural crops; strawberry, apple and apricot were screened for antagonistic activitiy against Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis. Among them strain S1, exhibiting significantly higher antagonistic and plant growth promoting ability was characterized as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens based on morphological, biochemical and partial gene sequence analysis of 16S rRNA. B. amyloliquefaciens strain S1 showed maximum growth inhibition of C. michiganensis (12 mm). Moreover, B. amyloliquefaciens strain S1 exhibit significant phosphorus solubilization (94.16 %SEl) and indole acetic acid (27 µg ml-1) production under in vitro conditions. Antagonistic activity of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain S1 was compared with other four strains KU2S1, R2S(1), RG1(3) and AG1(7) against bacterial canker of tomato under net house conditions. Minimum bacterial canker disease incidence (30.0%) was recorded in B. amyloliquefaciens S1 followed by RG1(3) after 30 days of inoculation. The bio-control efficacy was higher in B. amyloliquefaciens S1 treated plants, followed by RG1(3).

Effects of surgical targeting in laser interstitial thermal therapy for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: A multicenter study of 234 patients.

OBJECTIVE: Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) has reported seizure freedom rates between 36% and 78% with at least 1 year of follow-up. Unfortunately, the lack of robust methods capable of incorporating the inherent variability of patient anatomy, the variability of the ablated volumes, and clinical outcomes have limited three-dimensional quantitative analysis of surgical targeting and its impact on seizure outcomes. We therefore aimed to leverage a novel image-based methodology for normalizing surgical therapies across a large multicenter cohort to quantify the effects of surgical targeting on seizure outcomes in LITT for mTLE. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective cohort study included 234 patients from 11 centers who underwent LITT for mTLE. To investigate therapy location, all ablation cavities were manually traced on postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which were subsequently nonlinearly normalized to a common atlas space. The association of clinical variables and ablation location to seizure outcome was calculated using multivariate regression and Bayesian models, respectively. RESULTS: Ablations including more anterior, medial, and inferior temporal lobe structures, which involved greater amygdalar volume, were more likely to be associated with Engel class I outcomes. At both 1 and 2 years after LITT, 58.0% achieved Engel I outcomes. A history of bilateral tonic-clonic seizures decreased chances of Engel I outcome. Radiographic hippocampal sclerosis was not associated with seizure outcome. SIGNIFICANCE: LITT is a viable treatment for mTLE in patients who have been properly evaluated at a comprehensive epilepsy center. Consideration of surgical factors is imperative to the complete assessment of LITT. Based on our model, ablations must prioritize the amygdala and also include the hippocampal head, parahippocampal gyrus, and rhinal cortices to maximize chances of seizure freedom. Extending the ablation posteriorly has diminishing returns. Further work is necessary to refine this analysis and define the minimal zone of ablation necessary for seizure control.

Physiological and biochemical responses of Makhana (Euryale ferox) to gamma irradiation.

The impact of gamma irradiation on growth and physiology of Euryale ferox was described in the present investigation. E. ferox is an underutilized aquatic food crop that grows in shallow-water bodies in lower Assam regions and north Bihar of India. The seeds of E. ferox were irradiated with different doses of gamma irradiation ranging from 0 to 500 Gy. It was observed that the germination and survival percentage was inhibited by increasing the irradiation dose. However, plants developed from seed exposed to an irradiation dose beyond 100 Gy did not survive more than 1 month. Further growth parameters (leaf size and number, number of thorns, root number and length, and number of flower and seeds) were also compared with respect to non-irradiated plants. Physiological parameters, viz. chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and intracellular CO2 content was higher in the irradiation population of E. ferox. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities were observed low in irradiated population of E. ferox. The proline and glycine betaine content was enhanced with increasing the irradiation dose. The present investigation explores the potential use of gamma rays in genetic improvement of E. ferox and improves understanding of the physiological responses inflicted by gamma irradiation.

Connexin 43-Based Therapeutics for Dermal Wound Healing.

The most ubiquitous gap junction protein within the body, connexin 43 (Cx43), is a target of interest for modulating the dermal wound healing response. Observational studies found associations between Cx43 at the wound edge and poor healing response, and subsequent studies utilizing local knockdown of Cx43 found improvements in wound closure rate and final scar appearance. Further preclinical work conducted using Cx43-based peptide therapeutics, including alpha connexin carboxyl terminus 1 (αCT1), a peptide mimetic of the Cx43 carboxyl terminus, reported similar improvements in wound healing and scar formation. Clinical trials and further study into the mode of action have since been conducted on αCT1, and Phase III testing for treatment of diabetic foot ulcers is currently underway. Therapeutics targeting connexin activity show promise in beneficially modulating the human body's natural healing response for improved patient outcomes across a variety of injuries.

Development and Validation of a Brain Phantom for Therapeutic Cooling Devices.

Tissue cooling has been proven as a viable therapy for multiple conditions and injuries and has been applied to the brain to treat epilepsy and concussions, leading to improved long-term outcomes. To facilitate the study of temperature reduction as a function of various cooling methods, a thermal brain phantom was developed and analyzed. The phantom is composed of a potassium-neutralized, superabsorbent copolymer hydrogel. The phantom was tested in a series of cooling trials using a cooling block and 37 deg water representing nondirectional blood flow ranging up to 6 gph, a physiologically representative range based on the prototype volume. Results were compared against a validated finite difference (FD) model. Two sets of parameters were used in the FD model: one set to represent the phantom itself and a second set to represent brain parenchyma. The model was then used to calculate steady-state cooling at a depth of 5 mm for all flow rates, for both the phantom and a model of the brain. This effort was undertaken to (1) validate the FD model against the phantom results and (2) evaluate how similar the thermal response of the phantom is to that of a perfused brain. The FD phantom model showed good agreement with the empirical phantom results. Furthermore, the empirical phantom agreed with the predicted brain response within 3.5% at physiological flow, suggesting a biofidelic thermal response. The phantom will be used as a platform for future studies of thermally mediated therapies applied to the cerebral cortex.