Effectiveness of CBT for reducing depression and anxiety in people with epilepsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Patients with epilepsy suffer from depression and anxiety that reduces quality of life. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) among various non pharmacological treatment recommended for depression and anxiety. Since there are several articles reporting CBT treatment for depression in patients with epilepsy, we conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of CBT for adult patients with epilepsy. METHODS: Four electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and the Cochrane library searched for relevant studies. A detailed "RISK of bias" assessment has been done for included studies. Funnel plot was used for assessing publication Bias. R Software- RStudio 2022 was used to calculate standard mean difference (SMD). The study has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023447655). RESULTS: Eventually, a Total 13 studies involving 1222 patients met the eligibility criteria. There was decline in the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) [SMD = -0.42, 95 % CI = -0.63 to -0.22], Neurologic Disorder Depression Inventory-Epilepsy (NDDI-E) [SMD = -0.53, 95 % CI = -0.75 to -0.31], Beck depression Inventory (BDI) [SMD = -0.69, 95 % CI = -1.08 to -0.30], Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression (HADS-D) [SMD = -0.73 , 95 % CI = -0.94 to -0.52] and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale Anxiety subscale (HADS-A) [SMD = -0.66, 95 % CI = -0.87 to -0.45] score of the CBT group than that of the control group at post-intervention. The results showed that the improvement in QOLIE-31 score of the CBT group than that of the control group [SMD = 0.67, 95 % CI = 1.33] at post-intervention. CONCLUSION: The result of our study showed that Cognitive behavioral therapy is a superior therapy for treating anxiety and depression in epilepsy patients. CBT was effective in improving Quality of life in patients with epilepsy. However, the sample size varied across the trials, additional high-quality studies are needed in the future.

Nitric oxide and AMF-mediated regulation of soil enzymes activities, cysteine-H2S system and thiol metabolites in mitigating chromium (Cr (VI)) toxicity in pigeonpea genotypes.

Cr (VI) hampers plant growth and yield by reducing essential nutrient uptake as it competes for phosphate and sulfate transporters. Nitric oxide (NO) and mycorrhization play important roles in mitigating Cr (VI) toxicity. Present study aimed to compare the potential of AMF (Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi)-Rhizoglomus intraradices and NO (0.25 mM) in alleviating Cr (VI) stress (0, 10 and 20 mg/kg) in two differentially tolerant pigeonpea genotypes (Pusa 2001 and AL 201). Cr (VI) toxicity reduced growth, mycorrhizal colonization, nutrient uptake, and overall productivity by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, with AL 201 more sensitive than Pusa 2001. NO and AM enhanced activities of soil enzymes, thereby increasing nutrients availability as well as their uptake, with AM more effective than NO. Both amendments reduced oxidative stress and restricted Cr (VI) uptake by increasing the activities of antioxidant and S- assimilatory enzymes, with Pusa 2001 more responsive than AL 201. NO was relatively more efficient in regulating cysteine-H2S system by increasing the activities of biosynthetic enzymes (ATP-sulfurylase (ATPS), O-acetylserine thiol lyase (OASTL), D-cysteine desulfhydrase (DCD) and L-cysteine desulfhydrase (LCD), while AM significantly increased glutathione reductase (GR), γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-ECS) enzymes activities and resultant glutathione (GSH), phytochelatins (PCs), and non-protein thiols (NP-SH) synthesis. Moreover, co-application of NO and AM proved to be highly beneficial in negating the toxic effects of Cr (VI) due to functional complementarity between them. Study suggested the combined use of NO and AM as a useful strategy in re-establishing pigeonpea plants growing in Cr (VI)-stressed environments.

Modulation of Surface Ti-O Species in 2D-Ti3C2TX MXene for Developing a Highly Efficient Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution and Methanol Oxidation Reactions.

Developing cost-effective and earth-abundant noble-metal-free electrocatalysts is imperative for the imminent electrochemical society. Two-dimensional Ti3C2TX (MXene) exhibits tunable properties with high electrical conductivity and a large specific surface area, which improve its electrochemical performance. Herein, the low-temperature annealing method is used to enrich MXene with a maximum number of Ti-O terminals without formation of titanium dioxide (TiO2) under neutral pH conditions. MXene annealed at 200 °C is found to have a large number of Ti-O termination groups, resulting in a large electrochemically active surface area and increased active sites (-O termination groups) and hence excellent electrocatalytic performance compared to other samples as well as previous reported work. The optimized sample is found to show the lowest overpotential value of 0.07 V at 10 mA cm-2 and a Tafel slope of 0.15 V dec-1 toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), whereas for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), the current density is 18.08 mA cm-2, and the onset potential is -0.51 V. In addition, it also shows long-term stability and durability toward HER as well as MOR.

A comparative study on effect of heat stress on physiological and cellular responses of crossbred cattle and riverine buffalo in subtropical region of India.

The study was carried out to compare the in vitro and in vivo heat shock responses of cattle and buffaloes. The expression of heat responsive genes (HSP70 and HSF family) were studied in vitro in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of cattle and buffalo. In vivo observations on animals were carried out to investigate the physiological responses of cattle and buffalo at different THI over a period of 14 months. The study indicated that onset and severity of heat stress at different THI varied significantly between cattle and buffalo. Rectal temperature (RT) showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase at THI 67 in buffaloes and at THI 68 in cattle. Significant (p < 0.01) differences in RT between the species were observed at THI 71, 72, and 73. Respiration rate (RR) significantly (p < 0.05) increased at THI 70 in both the species and significant (p < 0.05) differences in RR were observed between the species at THI 65, 68, 69, and 74. THI had significant (p < 0.05) effect on blood glucose and blood electrolytes of the species with increased levels at higher THI. Serum AST and ALT levels showed less pronounced changes over increasing THI. Heat stress-associated expressions of HSP 70 genes followed temporal changes with incremental THI. The expression of HSPA8 was consistent at lower THI whereas upregulation of HSPA1A and HSPA1L was evident at higher THI. The study concludes that changes in physiological parameters such as RT and RR occur in a phasic pattern in both species and onset of heat stress was early in buffalo as compared to cattle.

Xylitol production by Pseudomonas gessardii VXlt-16 from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate and cost analysis.

Xylitol is a well-known sugar alcohol with exponentially rising market demand due to its diverse industrial applications. Organic agro-industrial residues (OAIR) are economic alternative for the cost-effective production of commodity products along with addressing environmental pollution. The present study aimed to design a process for xylitol production from OAIR via microbial fermentation with Pseudomonas gessardii VXlt-16. Parametric analysis with Taguchi orthogonal array approach resulted in a conversion factor of 0.64 g xylitol/g xylose available in untreated sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate (SBH). At bench scale, the product yield increased to 71.98/100 g (0.66 g/L h). 48.49 g of xylitol crystals of high purity (94.56%) were recovered after detoxification with 2% activated carbon. Cost analysis identified downstream operations as one of the cost-intensive parts that can be countered by adsorbent recycling. Spent carbon, regenerated with acetic acid washing can be reused for six cycles effectively and reduced downstream cost by about ≈32%. The strategy would become useful in the cost-effective production of several biomass-dependent products like proteins, enzymes, organic acids, as well.

RNA binding motif 47 (RBM47): emerging roles in vertebrate development, RNA editing and cancer.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are critical players in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression and are associated with each event in RNA metabolism. The term 'RNA-binding motif' (RBM) is assigned to novel RBPs with one or more RNA recognition motif (RRM) domains that are mainly involved in the nuclear processing of RNAs. RBM47 is a novel RBP conserved in vertebrates with three RRM domains whose contributions to various aspects of cellular functions are as yet emerging. Loss of RBM47 function affects head morphogenesis in zebrafish embryos and leads to perinatal lethality in mouse embryos, thereby assigning it to be an essential gene in early development of vertebrates. Its function as an essential cofactor for APOBEC1 in C to U RNA editing of several targets through substitution for A1CF in the A1CF-APOBEC1 editosome, established a new paradigm in the field. Recent advances in the understanding of its involvement in cancer progression assigned RBM47 to be a tumor suppressor that acts by inhibiting EMT and Wnt/[Formula: see text]-catenin signaling through post-transcriptional regulation. RBM47 is also required to maintain immune homeostasis, which adds another facet to its regulatory role in cellular functions. Here, we review the emerging roles of RBM47 in various biological contexts and discuss the current gaps in our knowledge alongside future perspectives for the field.

Halogenation of SiGe monolayers: robust changes in electronic and thermal transport.

Phonon and electronic transport of buckled structured SiGe monolayer and halogenated SiGe monolayers (X2-SiGe, X = F, Cl, and Br) are investigated for the first-time using ab initio density functional theory (DFT). The phonon calculations reveal complete dynamical stability of SiGe and fluorinated (F2-SiGe) monolayers in contrast to earlier reported works, where a small magnitude of imaginary frequency in SiGe monolayer near the zone centre of the Brillouin zone (BZ) is observed. The phonon calculations of chlorinated and brominated SiGe reveal no dynamical stability even with very high convergence parameters and better computational accuracy. The lower value of lattice thermal conductivity in the case of F2-SiGe is attributed to the strong phonon anharmonic scattering and larger contribution of the three phonon process to anharmonic scattering. The semimetallic nature of the SiGe monolayer turns to semiconducting after halogenation. We have also calculated the electron relaxation time to study their precise thermoelectric parameters. The enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient and reduction in lattice thermal conductivity in the SiGe monolayer is observed after halogenation which results in the improvement of the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT). The room temperature figure of merit, ZT, which is 0.112 for the SiGe monolayer, enhances significantly to 0.737 after addition of fluorine atoms. Our study suggests that the halogenation of two-dimensional materials can improve their thermoelectric properties.

Superionic Behavior and Phase Transition in a Vanthoffite Mineral.

Crystals of a Vanthoffite mineral, Na6Mn(SO4)4, grown from an aqueous solution, belong to a monoclinic system, P21/c, Z = 2, at ambient temperature. Thermal analysis indicates a phase transition at 455 °C, which was substantiated by in situ variable-temperature powder X-ray diffraction. The structure is orthorhombic (Pmmm) after the phase transition and reverts to the monoclinic system upon cooling. Variable-temperature ionic conductivity measurements show a significantly higher value (∼10-2 S cm-1) beyond the phase transition temperature.

XAX1 from glycosyltransferase family 61 mediates xylosyltransfer to rice xylan.

Xylan is the second most abundant polysaccharide on Earth and represents an immense quantity of stored energy for biofuel production. Despite its importance, most of the enzymes that synthesize xylan have yet to be identified. Xylans have a backbone of ß-1,4-linked xylose residues with substitutions that include α-(1→2)-linked glucuronosyl, 4-O-methyl glucuronosyl, and α-1,2- and α-1,3-arabinofuranosyl residues. The substitutions are structurally diverse and vary by taxonomy, with grass xylan representing a unique composition distinct from dicots and other monocots. To date, no enzyme has yet been identified that is specific to grass xylan synthesis. We identified a xylose-deficient loss-of-function rice mutant in Os02g22380, a putative glycosyltransferase in a grass-specific subfamily of family GT61. We designate the mutant xax1 for xylosyl arabinosyl substitution of xylan 1. Enzymatic fingerprinting of xylan showed the specific absence in the mutant of a peak, which was isolated and determined by (1)H-NMR to be (ß-1,4-Xyl)(4) with a ß-Xylp-(1→2)-α-Araf-(1→3). Rice xax1 mutant plants are deficient in ferulic and coumaric acid, aromatic compounds known to be attached to arabinosyl residues in xylan substituted with xylosyl residues. The xax1 mutant plants exhibit an increased extractability of xylan and increased saccharification, probably reflecting a lower degree of diferulic cross-links. Activity assays with microsomes isolated from tobacco plants transiently expressing XAX1 demonstrated xylosyltransferase activity onto endogenous acceptors. Our results provide insight into grass xylan synthesis and how substitutions may be modified for increased saccharification for biofuel generation.

Synthesis and preliminary in vitro activity of mono- and bis-1H-1,2,3-triazole-tethered ß-lactam-isatin conjugates against the human protozoal pathogen Trichomonas vaginalis.

In this study, we describe the synthesis of mono- and bis-1H-1,2,3-triazole-tethered ß-lactam-isatin conjugates using copper-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction between mono- and di-propargylated azetidin-2-ones and N-alkylazido isatins. The synthesized conjugates were evaluated for their preliminary in vitro analysis against Trichomonas vaginalis at 50 µM. The efficacy of synthesized hybrids was observed to depend on the substituent at N-1 position of ß-lactam ring, as well as the presence of single/double 1H-1,2,3-triazole linker. Among the synthesized conjugates, the presence of a p-tolyl substituent at N-1 of ß-lactam ring was preferred for good activity profiles while the increase in spacer length did not influence the efficacy of the compounds. Compounds with high levels of potency were further analysed to determine their IC50 values, as well as cytotoxicity profiles against mammalian cells. The most active compound in the synthesized conjugates displayed an IC50 value of 10.49 µM against cultured G3 strain of T. vaginalis and was non-toxic to cultured mammalian HeLa cells at the same concentration.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Waist Circumference and Waist-to-Height Ratio for Moderate and Severe Acute Malnutrition in Under-5 Children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the most appropriate cut-off values of Waist Circumference (WC) and Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) for diagnosing moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in under-five children. METHODS: This cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study was conducted between January 2021 and August 2022 in the Department of Pediatrics of a tertiary hospital in Delhi. Children aged 6 months to 5 years attending the outpatient or emergency services were included in the study. Detailed clinical evaluation and anthropometry including measurement of WC were done at enrollment. Body mass index (BMI) and WHtR were calculated. Malnutrition was classified as per the WHO criteria. Receiver operating characteristic curves (sensitivity, specificity) for WC and WHtR (absolute values) were drawn against the standard test of WHO definitions for MAM and SAM to determine the most appropriate cut-offs for diagnosing MAM and SAM. RESULTS: 1500 children with a median (IQR) age of 29 (14, 43) months were enrolled; 21% children had MAM and 11% had SAM as per the WHO criteria. WC < 44.5 cm (sensitivity 74.1%, specificity 71.1%) and WHtR < 0.565 (sensitivity 75.6%, specificity 33.7%) were the best cut-offs to identify MAM, whereas WC < 42.3 cm (sensitivity 67.5%, specificity 81.3%) and WHtR < 0.563 (sensitivity 81.3%, specificity 33.4%) were the best cut-offs to diagnose SAM. CONCLUSION: Waist circumference (< 44.5 cm for MAM; < 42.3 cm for SAM) had a reasonably good sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing MAM and SAM, but the same was not true for WHtR.

Multipronged effects of increased screen time on the nutritional imbalance: A cross-sectional study of students of Amritsar aged 6-16 years.

Background: Intense marketing of fast-food items impacts the eating habits among children and adolescents. Various studies suggest that increased screen time leads to increased fast-food consumption and decreased sleep duration, both of which are linked to obesity in growing age. Objectives: To assess screen time and dietary habits among the study group and to estimate their effect on sleep deprivation and obesity. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2019 to December 2019 in three schools in Amritsar selected by lottery method of simple random sampling. Out of 4,226 students, 355 overweight and obese students were interviewed regarding their dietary habits. An informed written assent was taken from the mothers. The information was collected on a semi-structured, pre-designed questionnaire by interviewing the mothers of students between 6 and 11 years of age and the students of 12-16 years. Results: 94.4% of students preferred fast foods to regular meals and 58.3% were in the habit of skipping breakfast. 59.4% had a history of daily intake of fast foods while 76.1% had a habit of consuming fast foods while watching television. Only 31.7% had an adequate sleeping pattern of 9-11 hours and 79.7% of the students had a screen time of over 3 hours. Conclusions: More the screen time, the more the chances of missing meals. Being awake for a long odd time leads to increased consumption of foods/snacks furthermore. Regarding the harmful effects of fast foods, the source of information was from schools, but only 41.4% were aware about these effects.

A critical appraisal of the role of metabolomics in breast cancer research and diagnostics.

Breast cancer (BC) remains the most prevalent cancer among women worldwide, despite significant advancements in its prevention and treatment. The escalating incidence of BC globally necessitates continued research into novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Metabolomics, a burgeoning field, offers a comprehensive analysis of all metabolites within a cell, tissue, system, or organism, providing crucial insights into the dynamic changes occurring during cancer development and progression. This review focuses on the metabolic alterations associated with BC, highlighting the potential of metabolomics in identifying biomarkers for early detection, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Metabolomics studies have revealed distinct metabolic signatures in BC, including alterations in lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and energy metabolism. These metabolic changes not only support the rapid proliferation of cancer cells but also influence the tumour microenvironment and therapeutic response. Furthermore, metabolomics holds great promise in personalized medicine, facilitating the development of tailored treatment strategies based on an individual's metabolic profile. By providing a holistic view of the metabolic changes in BC, metabolomics has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the disease and improve patient outcomes.

Removal of toxic metals using iron sulfide particles: A brief overview of modifications and mechanisms.

Growing mechanization has released higher concentrations of toxic metals in water and sediment, which is a critical concern for the environment and human health. Recent studies show that naturally occurring and synthetic iron sulfide particles are efficient at removing these hazardous pollutants. This review seeks to provide a concise summary of the evolution in the production of iron sulfide particles, specifically nanoparticles, through the years. This review presents an outline of the synthesis process for the most dominant forms of iron sulfide: mackinawite (FeS), pyrite (FeS2), pyrrhotite (Fe1-x S), and greigite (Fe3S4). The review confirms that both natural forms of iron sulfide and modified forms of iron sulfide are highly effective at removing different heavy metals and metalloids from water. Concurrently, this review reveals the interaction mechanism between toxic metals and iron sulfide, along with the impact of conditions for remedy and rectification. None the less, modifications and future investigations into the synthesis of novel iron sulfides, their use to adsorb diverse environmental pollutants, and their fate after injection into polluted aquifers, remain crucial to maximizing pollution control.

Meta-QTL analysis and identification of candidate genes for multiple-traits associated with spot blotch resistance in bread wheat.

In bread wheat, a literature search gave 228 QTLs for six traits, including resistance against spot blotch and the following five other related traits: (i) stay green; (ii) flag leaf senescence; (iii) green leaf area duration; (iv) green leaf area of the main stem; and (v) black point resistance. These QTLs were used for metaQTL (MQTL) analysis. For this purpose, a consensus map with 72,788 markers was prepared; 69 of the above 228 QTLs, which were suitable for MQTL analysis, were projected on the consensus map. This exercise resulted in the identification of 16 meta-QTLs (MQTLs) located on 11 chromosomes, with the PVE ranging from 5.4% (MQTL7) to 21.8% (MQTL5), and the confidence intervals ranging from 1.5 to 20.7 cM (except five MQTLs with a range of 36.1-57.8 cM). The number of QTLs associated with individual MQTLs ranged from a maximum of 17 in MQTL3 to 8 each in MQTL5 and MQTL8 and 5 each in MQTL7 and MQTL14. The 16 MQTLs, included 12 multi-trait MQTLs; one of the MQTL also overlapped a genomic region carrying the major spot blotch resistance gene Sb1. Of the total 16 MQTLs, 12 MQTLs were also validated through marker-trait associations that were available from earlier genome-wide association studies. The genomic regions associated with MQTLs were also used for the identification of candidate genes (CGs) and led to the identification of 516 CGs encoding 508 proteins; 411 of these proteins are known to be associated with resistance against several biotic stresses. In silico expression analysis of CGs using transcriptome data allowed the identification of 71 differentially expressed CGs, which were examined for further possible studies. The findings of the present study should facilitate fine-mapping and cloning of genes, enabling Marker Assisted Selection.

Brain-targeted proanthocyanidin metabolites for Alzheimer's disease treatment.

While polyphenolic compounds have many health benefits, the potential development of polyphenols for the prevention/treatment of neurological disorders is largely hindered by their complexity as well as by limited knowledge regarding their bioavailability, metabolism, and bioactivity, especially in the brain. We recently demonstrated that dietary supplementation with a specific grape-derived polyphenolic preparation (GP) significantly improves cognitive function in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). GP is comprised of the proanthocyanidin (PAC) catechin and epicatechin in monomeric (Mo), oligomeric, and polymeric forms. In this study, we report that following oral administration of the independent GP forms, only Mo is able to improve cognitive function and only Mo metabolites can selectively reach and accumulate in the brain at a concentration of ∼400 nM. Most importantly, we report for the first time that a biosynthetic epicatechin metabolite, 3'-O-methyl-epicatechin-5-O-ß-glucuronide (3'-O-Me-EC-Gluc), one of the PAC metabolites identified in the brain following Mo treatment, promotes basal synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation at physiologically relevant concentrations in hippocampus slices through mechanisms associated with cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) signaling. Our studies suggest that select brain-targeted PAC metabolites benefit cognition by improving synaptic plasticity in the brain, and provide impetus to develop 3'-O-Me-EC-Gluc and other brain-targeted PAC metabolites to promote learning and memory in AD and other forms of dementia.

Loss of Cellulose synthase-like F6 function affects mixed-linkage glucan deposition, cell wall mechanical properties, and defense responses in vegetative tissues of rice.

Mixed-linkage glucan (MLG) is a cell wall polysaccharide containing a backbone of unbranched (1,3)- and (1,4)-linked ß-glucosyl residues. Based on its occurrence in plants and chemical characteristics, MLG has primarily been associated with the regulation of cell wall expansion due to its high and transient accumulation in young, expanding tissues. The Cellulose synthase-like F (CslF) subfamily of glycosyltransferases has previously been implicated in mediating the biosynthesis of this polymer. We confirmed that the rice (Oryza sativa) CslF6 gene mediates the biosynthesis of MLG by overexpressing it in Nicotiana benthamiana. Rice cslf6 knockout mutants show a slight decrease in height and stem diameter but otherwise grew normally during vegetative development. However, cslf6 mutants display a drastic decrease in MLG content (97% reduction in coleoptiles and virtually undetectable in other tissues). Immunodetection with an anti-MLG monoclonal antibody revealed that the coleoptiles and leaves retain trace amounts of MLG only in specific cell types such as sclerenchyma fibers. These results correlate with the absence of endogenous MLG synthase activity in mutant seedlings and 4-week-old sheaths. Mutant cell walls are weaker in mature stems but not seedlings, and more brittle in both stems and seedlings, compared to wild type. Mutants also display lesion mimic phenotypes in leaves, which correlates with enhanced defense-related gene expression and enhanced disease resistance. Taken together, our results underline a weaker role of MLG in cell expansion than previously thought, and highlight a structural role for MLG in nonexpanding, mature stem tissues in rice.

Heart disease in pregnancy: cardiac and obstetric outcomes.

BACKGROUND: A retrospective analysis of the records of all the patients of heart disease with pregnancy at AIIMS, New Delhi, India, to find out the maternal and fetal outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out of 100 pregnancies in women with heart disease who delivered at ≥28 weeks of gestation from July 2009 through August 2012. RESULTS: Cardiac disease was found to complicate 3.8 % of pregnancies. Rheumatic heart disease (n = 64, 64 %) was the predominant cardiac disease. Congenital heart disease was found to complicate 36 pregnancies (n = 36, 36 %).Cardiac complications were seen in 32 (32 %) and fetal complications in 18 (18 %) pregnancies. Fewer cardiac and postpartum complications were present in NYHA class I/II patients compared to NYHA III/IV patients (P < 0.05). Pregnancy outcome was better in rheumatic heart disease patients who had undergone cardiac intervention prior to pregnancy (n = 29, 45.2 %) compared to those whose heart disease remained uncorrected (n = 35, 54.8 %) but the difference was not statistically significant. There was one maternal mortality in a patient with Eisenmenger syndrome. Two of the newborns of the 17 women who had received anticoagulants had features of warfarin embryopathy. CONCLUSION: Pregnancy in women in NYHA class III/IV is associated with significantly higher maternal morbidity and cardiac interventions before pregnancy, when indicated may improve pregnancy outcome.

RBM47 is a Critical Regulator of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are pivotal for regulating gene expression as they are involved in each step of RNA metabolism. Several RBPs are essential for viable growth and development in mammals. RNA-binding motif 47 (RBM47) is an RRM-containing RBP whose role in mammalian embryonic development is poorly understood yet deemed to be essential since its loss in mouse embryos leads to perinatal lethality. In this study, we attempted to elucidate the significance of RBM47 in cell-fate decisions of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Downregulation of Rbm47 did not affect mESC maintenance and the cell cycle but perturbed the expression of primitive endoderm (PrE) markers and increased GATA4 + PrE-like cells. However, the PrE misregulation could be reversed by either overexpressing Rbm47 or treating the knockdown mESCs with the inhibitors of FGFR or MEK, suggesting an implication of RBM47 in regulating FGF-ERK signaling. Rbm47 knockdown affected the multi-lineage differentiation potential of mESCs as it regressed teratoma in NSG mice and led to a skewed expression of differentiation markers in serum-induced monolayer differentiation. Further, lineage-specific differentiation revealed that Rbm47 is essential for proper differentiation of mESCs towards neuroectodermal and endodermal fate. Taken together, we assign a hitherto unknown role(s) to RBM47 in a subtle regulation of mESC differentiation.

Flexible, humidity- and contamination-resistant superhydrophobic MXene-based electrospun triboelectric nanogenerators for distributed energy harvesting applications.

The low surface-charge density, poor stability and irreparable surface of triboelectric materials under harsh environments are still some obstacles for developing high-performance triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). In particular, a two-dimensional MXene material's surface is likely to be corroded by water molecules under high humidity conditions owing to its hydrophilic nature, limiting the output performance and stability of TENGs. Herein, an approach for fabricating a humidity- and contamination-resistant MXene-based TENG is established using the electrospinning technique. First, nanofibrous layers of MXene/MoS2 composites blended in a cellulosic polymer matrix were prepared, benefitting the high surface roughness and controlled air-trapping pores. Furthermore, the prepared nanofibrous layers were chemically modified with stearic acid (SA), which enhances the hydrophobicity and electronegativity of MXene/MoS2 composites. In a typical synthesis, four different compositions of MXene/MoS2/cellulose acetate nanofibers were prepared, which illustrates that an increasing concentration of MoS2 could effectively tune the surface oxidation, hydrophilic nature, and surface roughness of MXene as well as induce a piezoelectricity-enhanced triboelectric potential. On the other side, the SA modification ultimately generated a superhydrophobic surface with low surface energy and a high water contact angle of ∼154°. The integrated TENG displayed an enhanced output voltage of ∼140 V and an instantaneous power density of ∼2975 mW cm-2 with long-term stability under high humidity conditions. Additionally, the self-cleaning properties were demonstrated, ensuring the sustainability and reusability of the TENG in a contaminated environment. Moreover, the fabricated MXene-based superhydrophobic layer can harvest the energy on dripping water droplets based on the liquid-solid contact-electrification TENG mode. Overall, this work paves the way for the design and development of humidity- and contamination-resistant triboelectric materials and guides the study of harvesting of distributed environmental energy efficiently.