Biomass Derived Biofluorescent Carbon Dots for Energy Applications: Current Progress and Prospects.

Biomass resources are often disposed of inefficiently and it causes environmental degradation. These wastes can be turned into bio-products using effective conversion techniques. The synthesis of high-value bio-products from biomass adheres to the principles of a sustainable circular economy in a variety of industries, including agriculture. Recently, fluorescent carbon dots (C-dots) derived from biowastes have emerged as a breakthrough in the field, showcasing outstanding fluorescence properties and biocompatibility. The C-dots exhibit unique quantum confinement properties due to their small size, contributing to their exceptional fluorescence. The significance of their fluorescent properties lies in their versatile applications, particularly in bio-imaging and energy devices. Their rapid and straight-forward production using green/chemical precursors has further accelerated their adoption in diverse applications. The use of green precursors for C-dot not only addresses the biomass disposal issue through a scientific approach, but also establishes a path for a circular economy. This approach not only minimizes biowaste, which also harnesses the potential of fluorescent C-dots to contribute to sustainable practices in agriculture. This review explores recent developments and challenges in synthesizing high-quality C-dots from agro-residues, shedding light on their crucial role in advancing technologies for a cleaner and more sustainable future.

Outcome of tailored therapy in rheumatic heart disease with persistent atrial fibrillation (RHD-AF).

INTRODUCTION: Rheumatic heart disease with persistent atrial fibrillation (RHD-AF) is associated with increased morbidity. However, there is no standardized approach for the maintenance of sinus rhythm (SR) in them. We aimed to determine the utility of a stepwise approach to achieve SR in RHD-AF. METHODS: Consecutive patients with RHD-AF from July 2021 to August 2023 formed the study cohort. The stepwise approach included pharmacological rhythm control and/or electrical cardioversion (Central illustration). In patients with recurrence, additional options included AF ablation or pace and ablate strategy with conduction system pacing or biventricular pacing. Clinical improvement, NT-proBNP, 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), heart failure (HF) hospitalizations, and thromboembolic complications were documented during follow-up. RESULTS: Eighty-three patients with RHD-AF (mean age 56.13 ± 9.51 years, women 72.28%) were included. Utilizing this approach, 43 (51.81%) achieved and maintained SR during the study period of 11.04 ± 7.14 months. These patients had improved functional class, lower NT-proBNP, better distance covered for 6MWT, and reduced HF hospitalizations. The duration of AF was shorter in patients who achieved SR, compared to those who remained in AF (3.15 ± 1.29 vs 6.93 ± 5.23, p = 0.041). Thirty-five percent (29) maintained SR after a single cardioversion over the study period. Only one underwent AF ablation. Of the 24 who underwent pace and ablate strategy, atrial lead was implanted in 22 (hybrid approach), and 50% of these achieved and maintained SR. Among these 24, none had HF hospitalizations, but patients who maintained SR had further improvement in clinical and functional parameters. CONCLUSIONS: RHD-AF patients who could achieve SR with a stepwise approach, had better clinical outcomes and lower HF hospitalizations.

Genome-wide selection signatures address trait specific candidate genes in cattle indigenous to arid regions of India.

The peculiarity of Indian cattle lies in milk quality, resistance to diseases and stressors as well as adaptability. The investigation addressed selection signatures in Gir and Tharparkar cattle, belonging to arid ecotypes of India. Double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) yielded nearly 26 million high-quality reads from unrelated seven Gir and seven Tharparkar cows. In all, 19,127 high-quality SNPs were processed for selection signature analysis. An approach involving within-population composite likelihood ratio (CLR) statistics and between-population FST statistics was used to capture selection signatures within and between the breeds, respectively. A total of 191 selection signatures were addressed using CLR and FST approaches. Selection signatures overlapping 86 and 73 genes were detected as Gir- and Tharparkar-specific, respectively. Notably, genes related to production (CACNA1D, GHRHR), reproduction (ESR1, RBMS3), immunity (NOSTRIN, IL12B) and adaptation (ADAM22, ASL) were annotated to selection signatures. Gene pathway analysis revealed genes in insulin/IGF pathway for milk production, gonadotropin releasing hormone pathway for reproduction, Wnt signalling pathway and chemokine and cytokine signalling pathway for adaptation. This is the first study where selection signatures are identified using ddRAD-seq in indicine cattle breeds. The study shall help in conservation and leveraging genetic improvements in Gir and Tharparkar cattle.

Relationship of emotional intelligence and capability of answering higher-order knowledge questions in physiology among first-year medical students.

Emotional intelligence (EI) has a positive correlation with the academic performance of medical students. However, why there is a positive correlation needs further exploration. We hypothesized that the capability of answering higher-order knowledge questions (HOQs) is higher in students with higher EI. Hence, we assessed the correlation between EI and the capability of medical students to answer HOQs in physiology. First-year undergraduate medical students (n = 124) from an Indian medical college were recruited as a convenient sample. EI was assessed by the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), a 33-item self-administered validated questionnaire. A specially designed objective examination with 15 lower-order and 15 higher-order multiple-choice questions was conducted. The correlation between the examination score and the EI score was tested by Pearson's correlation coefficient. Data from 92 students (33 females and 59 males) with a mean age of 20.14 ± 1.87 yr were analyzed. Overall, students got a percentage of 53.37 ± 14.07 in the examination, with 24.46 ± 9.1 in HOQs and 28.91 ± 6.58 in lower-order knowledge questions (LOQs). They had a mean score of 109.58 ± 46.2 in SSEIT. The correlation coefficient of SSEIT score with total marks was r = 0.29 (P = 0.0037), with HOQs was r = 0.41 (P < 0.0001), and with LOQs was r = 0.14 (P = 0.19). Hence, there is a positive correlation between EI and the capability of medical students to answer HOQs in physiology. This study may be the foundation for further exploration of the capability of answering HOQs in other subjects.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study assessed the correlation between emotional intelligence (EI) and the capability of medical students to answer higher-order knowledge questions (HOQs) in the specific context of physiology. The finding reveals one of the multifaceted dimensions of the relationship between EI and academic performance. This novel perspective opens the door to further investigations to explore the relationship in other subjects and other dimensions to understand why students with higher EI have higher academic performance.

Cryopreservation alters buffalo sperm kinematics and mitochondrial parameters, acrosome and intra-cellular calcium status.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the effects of different seasons on the cryopreservation success of buffalo sperm in terms of kinematics and sperm functional parameters. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of three seasons (winter, comfort and summer) and cryopreservation on sperm kinematics and functional properties in buffalo bulls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semen ejaculates (n = 90) collected during three seasons i.e. winter (n = 30), comfort (n = 30), summer (n = 30) were evaluated for sperm kinematics and functional properties. RESULTS: Sperm kinematics with respect to total (TM), progressive (PM) and rapid motility (RM) was higher (P < 0.05) in fresh sperm compared to sperm that had been frozen-thawed. Similarly, all kinematic parameters [viz. average path velocity (VAP), straight linear velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL), beats cross frequency (BCF), lateral head displacement (ALH), linearity (LIN) and straightness (STR)] were higher (P < 0.01) at the fresh stage. With respect to season, frozen-thawed semen TM (57.67 ± 115 %), PM (50.2 ± 1.15 %) and RM (51.6 ± 1.19 %) were higher (P < 0.01) when using sperm collected during winter. The stage of cryopreservation (i.e., equilibration and freeze-thawing) also showed significant effects (P < 0.01) on mitochondrial superoxide positive status (MSPS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), acrosome status and intra-cellular calcium status. CONCLUSION: The season of sperm collection and cryopreservation have significant effects on buffalo bull sperm kinematics and functional properties. Doi.org/10.54680/fr24410110612.

Boosting algorithms for projecting streamflow in the Lower Godavari Basin for different climate change scenarios.

The present study investigates the ability of five boosting algorithms, namely Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost), Categorical Boosting (CatBoost), Light Gradient Boosting (LGBoost), Natural Gradient Boosting (NGBoost), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) for simulating streamflow in the Lower Godavari Basin, India. Monthly rainfall, temperatures, and streamflow from 1982 to 2020 were used for training and testing. Kling Gupta Efficiency (KGE) was deployed to assess the ability of the boosting algorithms. It was observed that all the boosting algorithms had shown good simulating ability, having KGE values of AdaBoost (0.87, 0.85), CatBoost (0.90, 0.78), LGBoost (0.95, 0.93), NGBoost (0.95, 0.95), and XGBoost (0.91, 0.90), respectively, in training and testing. Thus, all the algorithms were used for projecting streamflow in a climate change perspective for the short-term projections (2025-2050) and long-term projections (2051-2075) for four Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). The highest streamflow for all four SSPs in the case of NGBoost is more than the historical scenario (9382 m3/s), whereas vice-versa for the remaining four. The effect of ensembling the outputs of five algorithms is also studied and compared with that of individual algorithms.

Effectiveness of Adjunctive High-Dose Infliximab Therapy to Improve Disability-Free Survival Among Patients With Severe Central Nervous System Tuberculosis: A Matched Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Few treatment options exist for patients with severe central nervous system (CNS) tuberculosis (TB) worsening due to inflammatory lesions, despite optimal antitubercular therapy (ATT) and steroids. Data regarding the efficacy and safety of infliximab in these patients are sparse. METHODS: We performed a matched retrospective cohort study based on Medical Research Council (MRC) grading system and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores comparing 2 groups of adults with CNS TB. Cohort A received at least 1 dose of infliximab after optimal ATT and steroids between March 2019 and July 2022. Cohort B received only ATT and steroids. Disability-free survival (mRS score ≤2) at 6 months was the primary outcome. RESULTS: Baseline MRC grades and mRS scores were similar between the cohorts. Median duration before initiation of infliximab therapy from start of ATT and steroids was 6 (IQR: 3.7-13) months and for neurological deficits was 4 (IQR: 2-6.2) months. Indications for infliximab were symptomatic tuberculomas (20/30; 66.7%), spinal cord involvement with paraparesis (8/30; 26.7%), and optochiasmatic arachnoiditis (3/30; 10%), worsening despite adequate ATT and steroids. Severe disability (5/30 [16.7%] and 21/60 [35%]) and all-cause mortality (2/30 [6.7%] and 13/60 [21.7%]) at 6 months were lower in cohort A versus cohort B, respectively. In the combined study population, only exposure to infliximab was positively associated (aRR: 6.2; 95% CI: 2.18-17.83; P = .001) with disability-free survival at 6 months. There were no clear infliximab-related side effects noted. CONCLUSIONS: Infliximab may be an effective and safe adjunctive strategy among severely disabled patients with CNS TB not improving despite optimal ATT and steroids. Adequately powered phase 3 clinical trials are required to confirm these early findings.

Complete Genome Sequencing Reveals Unusual Equine Rotavirus A of Bat Origin from India.

Rotaviruses are the most common viral agents associated with foal diarrhea. Between 2014 and 2017, the annual prevalence of rotavirus in diarrheic foals ranged between 18 and 28% in Haryana (India). Whole-genome sequencing of two equine rotavirus A (ERVA) isolates (RVA/Horse-wt/IND/ERV4/2017 and RVA/Horse-wt/IND/ERV6/2017) was carried out to determine the genotypic constellations (GCs) of ERVAs. The GCs of both the isolates were G3-P[3]-I8-R3-C3-M3-A9-N3-T3-E3-H6, a unique combination reported for ERVAs so far. Both the isolates carried VP6 of genotype I8, previously unreported from equines. Upon comparison with RVAs of other species, the GC of both isolates was identical to that of a bat rotavirus strain, MSLH14, isolated from China in 2012. The nucleotide sequences of the genes encoding VP3, NSP2, and NSP3 shared >95.81% identity with bat RVA strains isolated from Africa (Gabon). The genes encoding VP1, VP2, VP7, NSP1, and NSP4 shared 94.82% to 97.12% nucleotide identities with the human strains which have zoonotic links to bats (RCH272 and MS2015-1-0001). The VP6 genes of both strains were distinct and had the highest similarity of only 87.08% with that of CMH222, a human strain of bat origin. The phylogenetic analysis and lineage studies revealed that VP7 of both isolates clustered in a new lineage (lineage X) of the G3 genotype with bat, human, and alpaca strains. Similarly, VP4 clustered in a distinct P[3] lineage. These unusual findings highlight the terra incognita of the genomic diversity of equine rotaviruses and support the need for the surveillance of RVAs in animals and humans with a "one health" approach. IMPORTANCE Rotaviruses are globally prevalent diarrheal pathogens in young animals including foals, piglets, calves, goats, sheep, cats, and dogs along with humans. The genome of rotaviruses consists of 11 segments, which enables them to undergo reshuffling by reassortment of segments from multiple species during mixed infections. In this study, the prevalence of equine rotaviruses was 32.11% in organized equine farms of North India. The complete genome analysis of two ERVA isolates revealed an unusual genomic constellation, which was previously reported only in a bat RVA strain. A segment-wise phylogenetic analysis revealed that most segments of both isolates were highly similar either to bat or to bat-like human rotaviruses. The occurrence of unusual bat-like rotaviruses in equines emphasizes the need of extensive surveillance of complete genomes of both animal and human rotaviruses with a "one health" approach.

TXA2 mediates LPA1-stimulated uterine contraction in late pregnant mouse.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is known to increase uterine contraction in the estrus cycle and early pregnancy, however, the effect of LPA in late pregnant uterus and its mechanisms are not clear. In the present study, we show the LPA receptor subtypes expressed and the mechanism of LPA-induced contractions in late pregnant mouse uterus. We determined the relative mRNA expression of LPA receptor genes by quantitative PCR and elicited log concentration-response curves to oleoyl-L-α-LPA by performing tension experiments in the presence and absence of nonselective and selective receptor antagonists and inhibitors of the TXA2 pathway. LPA1 was the most highly expressed receptor subtype in the late pregnant mouse uterus and LPA1/2/3 agonist (Oleoyl-L-α LPA) elicited increased contractions in this tissue that had lesser efficacy compared to oxytocin. LPA1/3 antagonist, Ki-16425, and a potent LPA1 antagonist (AM-095) significantly inhibited the LPA-induced contractions. Further, the nonselective COX inhibitor, indomethacin, and potent thromboxane A2 synthase inhibitor, furegrelate significantly impaired LPA-induced contractions. Moreover, selective thromboxane receptor (TP) antagonist, SQ-29548, and Rho kinase inhibitor, Y-27632 almost eliminated LPA-induced uterine contractions. LPA1 stimulation elicits contractions in the late pregnant mouse uterus using the contractile prostanoid, TXA2 and may be targeted to induce labor in uterine dysfunctions/ dystocia.

Deciphering benthic ecosystem functioning and resilience in a major port and marine protected area via the multi-trait approach.

The preservation of ecosystem functioning of coastal zones, in face of increasing environmental stressors and species extinctions, relies on the functional redundancy and inherent resilience of its inhabitants. To compare the benthic functioning and resilience of a disturbed area with a relatively less impacted area, a study was conducted in Mumbai Port and Malvan Marine Protected Area (MPA), which exhibited contrasting characteristics. The hypothesis posited that the anthropogenically influenced Mumbai port would exhibit lower functional parameters and resilience compared to Malvan. Overall, the MPA presented higher species richness and functional diversity with a greater presence of sensitive species, while Mumbai was dominated by the presence of opportunistic species, as anticipated. However, our findings demonstrated that despite varied trends in species diversity metrics, in both the coastal areas, the resemblance in benthic functioning was high due to similarity in dominant trait profiles. Surprisingly, Functional Richness was higher at Mumbai, while Functional Evenness, Divergence and Dispersion were comparable at both sites. The resilience, as quantified by Functional Redundancy, was also comparable at both areas attributable to the presence of clusters of species with similar traits and a low occurrence of rare traits. The combination of traits observed in both areas was influenced by the extant environmental conditions, as revealed by RLQ analyses. This study underscores the valuable insights provided by the application of Biological Trait Analysis (BTA) tool in deciphering the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem functioning, as well as the resilience capabilities of ecosystems subjected to varying levels of perturbation. Moreover, the incorporation of functional diversity indices yielded valuable inferences regarding ecosystems resilience, which can aid future ecosystem management strategies.

Elucidating the functional impact of G137V and G144R variants in Maroteaux Lamy's Syndrome by Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

Mucopolysaccharidoses VI (Maroteaux Lamy syndrome) is a metabolic disorder due to the loss of enzyme activity of N-acetyl galactosamine-4-sulphatase arising from mutations in the ARSB gene. The mutated ARSB is the origin for the accumulation of GAGs within the lysosome leading to severe growth deformities, causing lysosomal storage disease. The main focus of this study is to identify the deleterious variants by applying bioinformatics tools to predict the conservation, pathogenicity, stability, and effect of the ARSB variants. We examined 170 missense variants, of which G137V and G144R were the resultant variants predicted detrimental to the progression of the disease. The native along with G137V and G144R structures were fixed as the receptors and subjected to Molecular docking with the small molecule Odiparcil to analyze the binding efficiency and the varied interactions of the receptors towards the drug. The interaction resulted in similar docking scores of - 7.3 kcal/mol indicating effective binding and consistent interactions of the drug with residues CYS117, GLN118, THR182, and GLN517 for native, along with G137V and G144R structures. Molecular Dynamics were conducted to validate the stability and flexibility of the native and variant structures on ligand binding. The overall study indicates that the drug has similar therapeutic towards the native and variant based on the higher binding affinity and also the complexes show stability with an average of 0.2 nm RMS value. This can aid in the future development therapeutics for the Maroteaux Lamy syndrome.

Acute severe gouty arthritis secondary to isotretinoin toxicity in a young male: a case report.

Acute gouty arthritis is a recognized complication of hyperuricemia and one of the most common forms of inflammatory arthritis in adults. Drug-induced hyperuricemia is increasingly prevalent in clinical practice. Diuretics, antitubercular medications, and immunosuppressants are the common drugs associated with hyperuricemia. Oral isotretinoin is the drug of choice for different forms of severe acne and is rarely associated with hyperuricemia. We present the case of a 30-year-old male with severe acne vulgaris who was prescribed isotretinoin and later presented with acute gout. The patient developed hyperuricemia and swelling of the right first metatarsophalangeal joint within two months of isotretinoin commencement. There was a second episode of similar joint swelling three months later, parallel to the isotretinoin rechallenge. The dose of isotretinoin was reduced with the addition of febuxostat. The patient did not develop further episodes and remained symptom-free without urate-lowering therapy.

Genetic analysis for semen quality traits in buffalo bulls.

This study was attempted to estimate the genetic parameters of semen quality traits in buffalo bulls. The study data consisted of 10975 ejaculates from 45 Murrah buffalo bulls (aged 24-72 months) used for breeding program during year 2010 to 2020. Semen quality traits (ejaculate volume, concentration of sperm, mass activity, initial and post-thaw motility, number of sperms per ejaculate, motile sperm number and discard rates) were studied. It was observed that average ejaculate volume was 2.82 ± 1.45 mL with mean concentration of 1040.12 ± 523.26 million/mL. Higher heritability was observed for number of sperms per ejaculate, number of motile sperm and sperm concentration. Significant phenotypic correlation was obtained between volume and number of sperms per ejaculate as well as volume and number of motile sperms. Likewise, significant phenotypic correlation was evident between sperm concentration with sperm number per ejaculate. Highest phenotypic correlation was obtained between sperm count per ejaculate and motile sperm count. Estimated genetic trends showed significant change in volume and motile sperm number. In conclusion, this study ascertains that genetic parameters of semen traits can be considered during the selection of buffalo bulls in breeding program.

Xpert Carba-R Assay on Flagged Blood Culture Samples: Clinical Utility in Intensive Care Unit Patients with Bacteremia Caused by Enterobacteriaceae.

Introduction and background: Rapid molecular diagnostics to predict carbapenem resistance well before the availability of routine drug sensitivity testing (DST) can serve as an antimicrobial stewardship tool in the context of high rates of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). Materials and methods: A retrospective observational study of patients more than 18 years of age on whom Xpert Carba-R (FDA approved for rectal swab specimen) was done on gram-negative bacteria (GNB) flagged blood culture samples, in an Indian intensive care unit between January 2015 and November 2018. We analyzed the performance of Xpert Carba-R in comparison with routine DST. Results: A total of 164 GNBs were isolated from 160 patients. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were the predominant isolates. Carba-R was positive in 35.36% of samples and 45.34% were carbapenem-resistant (CR) on routine DST. The distribution of the CR gene was: Oxacillinase (OXA) (50%), NDM (32.7%) followed by OXA and NDM co-expression (15.51%). The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of Carba-R were 90.74, 93.15, 13.25, 0.10, 83.58 and 96.31% for Enterobacteriaceae. The median time to obtain the Carba-R report was 30 hours 34 minutes vs 74 hours and 20 minutes for routine DST. Based on the Carba-R report, 9.72% of patients had escalation and 27.08% had de-escalation of antibiotics. Conclusion: Xpert Carba-R serves as a rapid diagnostic tool for predicting carbapenem resistance in intensive care unit patients with bacteremia caused by Enterobacteriaceae. How to cite this article: Rajendran S, Gopalakrishnan R, Tarigopula A, Kumar DS, Nambi PS, Sethuraman N, et al. Xpert Carba-R Assay on Flagged Blood Culture Samples: Clinical Utility in Intensive Care Unit Patients with Bacteremia Caused by Enterobacteriaceae. Indian J Crit Care Med 2023;27(9):655-662.

Knowledge and Information Resources about Child Abuse among Government and Private Dental Practitioner in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Background and Aim: To evaluate knowledge, attitude, and information sources about child abuse and neglect (CAN) among dentists in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was carried out of dentist working in government and private hospitals in the Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh State, India (n = 674). The structured questionnaire was sent through electronic mail that contained the consent form, instructions for filling, and returning the questionnaire. The data obtained were systematically compiled and the Chi-square test was applied to test the association. The significance level of P ≤ 0.05 was applied. Results: A maximum number of dental practitioners from the government (81.97%) and private sector (85.98%) were aware of the child protection law. A significant number of government and private dental practitioners were satisfied with their knowledge (p = 0.0092); however, 83.79% suggested that the continuing education programs/courses were important tool to update their knowledge. The girl child was maximum sufferer (p = 0.0056) of CAN. Only 14.08% of practitioners acted on the suspected cases, and a statistical significant relation was observed between the government and private dental practitioners for not taking any action on child abuse and neglect (p = 0.0010). Conclusions: Data from this study may provide a useful contribution to the current limited knowledge about the familiarity of dental practitioners with child maltreatment and their skills to recognize and manage CAN cases in their practice. The majority of dental practitioners knew about the child protection law in India, but they were reluctant to report such cases due to the fear of anger from the parents and family of the child. Continuing education programs/courses were the most preferred method for increasing the knowledge regarding CAN. They should report the CAN cases to local legislators and health authorities so to prevent child abuse and neglect from ever occurring.

Botulinum Neurotoxin C Dual Detection through Immunological Recognition and Endopeptidase Activity Using Porous Silicon Interferometers.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are the most potent toxins known in nature produced by Clostridium botulinum strains, which can cause life-threatening diseases in both humans and animals. The latter is of serious environmental and economic concern, resulting in high mortality, production losses, and rejection of contaminated animal feed. The available in vivo mouse assay is inadequate for real-time and on-site assessment of outbreaks. Herein, we present a reflective-based approach for the detection of BoNT/C while estimating its activity. Two adjacent porous Si Fabry-Pérot interferometers are simultaneously utilized to quantify minute BoNT/C concentrations by a competitive immunoassay and to assess their endopeptidase activity. The reflectivity signals of each interferometer are amplified by biochemical reaction products infiltration into the scaffold or by peptide fragments detachment from the nanostructure. The optical assay is highly sensitive in compliance with the in vivo approach by presenting a detection limit of 4.24 pg mL-1. The specificity and selectivity of the designed platform are cross-validated against BoNT/B and BoNT/D, also relevant to animal health. Finally, the analytical performances of both interferometers for real-life scenarios are confirmed using actual toxins while depicting excellent compliance to complex media analysis. Overall, the presented sensing scheme offers an efficient, rapid, and label-free approach for potential biodiagnostic elucidation of botulism outbreaks.

Does weight-bearing versus non-weight-bearing pain reflect different pain mechanisms in knee osteoarthritis?: the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST).

OBJECTIVE: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is predominantly characterized by pain with weight-bearing activities. Pain at rest also occurs but the mechanisms for this are not clear. We evaluated the relations of nociceptive signal alterations to weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing pain in knee OA. DESIGN: We used data from a NIH-funded longitudinal cohort of older adults with or at risk of knee OA. We evaluated quantitative sensory testing (QST) measures (pressure pain threshold (PPT) at patellae and the wrist; mechanical temporal summation (TS); conditioned pain modulation (CPM)). Each WOMAC pain question was dichotomized as having at least moderate pain, and we further categorized them as weight-bearing pain and non-weight-bearing pain. We evaluated the relation of QST measures to each pain outcome using logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: 2,749 participants (5,479 knees) were included (mean age 64 ± 11, 57% female). Each SD unit decrease in patellar PPT was associated with greater odds of both weight-bearing pain (OR 1.51 (95% CI 1.27, 1.79)) and non-weight-bearing pain (OR 1.46 (1.20-1.77)), while wrist PPT was associated with greater odds of weight-bearing pain (OR 1.27 (1.15, 1.39)) but only with pain during sitting/lying (OR 1.20 (1.01, 1.43)). TS was significantly associated with greater odds of pain with walking and stairs (OR 1.11 (1.01, 1.23), 1.11 (1.03, 1.20), respectively). CPM was not associated with any pain outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings challenge the hypothesis that non-weight-bearing pain may reflect greater pain sensitization and/or inefficient CPM than weight-bearing pain in knee OA, suggesting other mechanisms are likely responsible.

Fat augments leptin-induced uterine contractions by decreasing JAK2 and BKCa channel expressions in late pregnant rats.

Altered lipid metabolism in obesity causes pregnancy complications in humans and animals. Leptin levels increase in pregnancy, as well as obesity. However, the effect of obesity on uterine leptin receptors and its distal signaling is not clear. The present study aimed to understand the effect of increased fat on leptin signaling in rat uterus. Wistar female rats were fed with an HF diet (40% Fat, 17% Sucrose, 1.25% Cholesterol, 0.75% Cholic acid) for 6 weeks before the mating and during pregnancy. HF diet significantly increased the fat depots, liver weight, serum, and tissue cholesterol levels. It produced fatty degeneration in the liver and caused infiltration of inflammatory cells, cystic endometrial glands, and sub endometrial fibrosis of the uterus. In isometric tension experiments, leptin caused a significant increase in uterine contractions in high fat-fed animals compared to control animals. Analysis of receptor expressions revealed no significant difference between the groups. However, a significant decrease in the JAK2 and BKCaα mRNA expression was observed in the uterus of high fat-fed rats. No change in the BKCaß, eNOS, iNOS, MLCP, and MLCK mRNA expressions was noticed in the HF group compared to the control. The findings of the present study suggest that the contractile response to leptin in the uterus of high fat-fed rats may be attributed to reduced signaling through JAK2 and, lowered expressions of BKCa channel α subunits.

Spectrum of microRNAs and their target genes in cancer: intervention in diagnosis and therapy.

Till date, several groups have studied the mechanism of microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis, processing, stability, silencing, and their dysregulation in cancer. The miRNA coding genes recurrently go through abnormal amplification, deletion, transcription, and epigenetic regulation in cancer. Some miRNAs function as tumor promoters while few others are tumor suppressors based on the transcriptional regulation of target genes. A review of miRNAs and their target genes in a wide range of cancers is attempted in this article, which may help in the development of new diagnostic tools and intervention therapies. The contribution of miRNAs for drug sensitivity or resistance in cancer therapy and opportunities of miRNAs in cancer prognosis or diagnosis and therapy is also presented in detail.

Effective dye degradation by an environment-friendly porous few-layered carbon nitride photocatalyst developed using sequential molecule self-assembly.

Two-dimensional (2D) g-C3N4 (CN) has garnered massive interest for photocatalytic applications owing to its excellent photon contact area, visible-light absorption, and easy transport of photogenerated charge carriers to the surface. However, bulk CN suffers from intrinsically poor charge separation, limited specific surface area, and insufficient visible-light absorption, significantly limiting its photocatalytic efficiency. Exfoliation of bulk crystals into nanosheets with few layers has proven to be an effective and widely used strategy to enhance photocatalytic performance; however, this process is quite complicated, requiring longer times and external energy. Here, a few-layered porous g-C3N4 (PCN) was synthesized using the molecular self-assembly process. This prepared PCN exposes more active sites, leading to enhanced separation of charge carriers, resulting in a higher photocatalytic activity than regular CN. PCN achieved the best photocatalytic degradation (97.46%) of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye in 1 h, which is three times higher than that by CN (32.57%) because of enhanced porosity of the photocatalyst with few layers. This enhanced degradation performance of PCN was caused by increased visible-light absorption and charge separation along with higher number exposed active sites triggered by the high porosity under visible light, which is greater than those of other metal-free photocatalysts reported thus far.