Synthesis and characterization of novel histidine functionalized chitosan nanoformulations and its bioactivity in tomato plant.

The use of novel active ingredients for the functional modification of chitosan nanoformulations has attracted global attention. In this study, chitosan has been functionalized via histidine to craft novel chitosan-histidine nanoformulation (C-H NF) using ionic gelation method. C-H NF exhibited elite physico-biochemical properties, influencing physiological and biochemical dynamics in Tomato. These elite properties include homogenous-sized nanoparticles (314.4 nm), lower PDI (0.218), viscosity (1.43 Cps), higher zeta potential (11.2 mV), nanoparticle concentration/ml (3.53 × 108), conductivity (0.046 mS/cm), encapsulation efficiency (53%), loading capacity (24%) and yield (32.17%). FTIR spectroscopy revealed histidine interaction with C-H NF, while SEM and TEM exposed its porous structure. Application of C-H NF to Tomato seedling and potted plants through seed treatment and foliar spray positively impacts growth parameters, antioxidant-defense enzyme activities, reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, and chlorophyll and nitrogen content. We claim that the histidine-functionalized chitosan nanoformulation enhances physico-biochemical properties, highlighting its potential to elevate biochemical and physiological processes of Tomato plant.

Managing Pigment Dispersion Glaucoma Postbilateral ICL Implantation in High Myopia: A Case Report on the Crucial Role of Gonioscopy in Correcting a Misdiagnosis.

Secondary open-angle glaucoma (SOAG) is a rare yet consequential complication following implantable collamer lens (ICL), also known as a phakic intraocular lens insertion, particularly in high myopia patients. This case report emphasizes the importance of recognizing SOAG and details the diagnostic complexities, reevaluation procedures, and successful long-term management of a 24-year-old bilateral high myopia (-7.00 D) patient who initially received an erroneous diagnosis of secondary angle-closure glaucoma (SACG) after ICL insertion at an external medical facility. Persistent visual issues prompted the patient to seek a second opinion, leading to a comprehensive reevaluation that eventually unveiled pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) as the underlying cause, subsequently resulting in SOAG. This case not only highlights the diagnostic challenges but also elucidates the re-evaluation process and effective 5-year management strategies employed to restore the patient's visual health and quality of life. How to cite this article: Ramesh PV, Parthasarathi S, Azad A, et al. Managing Pigment Dispersion Glaucoma Postbilateral ICL Implantation in High Myopia: A Case Report on the Crucial Role of Gonioscopy in Correcting a Misdiagnosis. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2024;18(1):31-36.

Physical, optoelectronic and thermoelectric characteristics of double perovskite (Sr2ScBiO6) for green energy technology using ab initio computations.

This work presents the investigation of physical characteristics including structural, electronic, elastic, optical and thermoelectric, of the double perovskite (DP) oxide Sr2ScBiO6 with the aid of the FP-LAPW method, dependent on DFT combined with BoltzTraP code. To incorporate the inclusion of exchange as well as correlation effects, approximations like LDA and three different forms of GGA [PBE-GGA, WC-GGA & PBEsol-GGA] are applied. The mBJ-GGA method including spin-orbital coupling (SOC) & not including SOC was utilised in this investigation and it was carried out in the WIEN2k code. In addition, the TB-mBJ exchange potential analysis classified Sr2ScBiO6 as having a p-type semiconducting nature with an indirect bandgap value of 3.327 eV. Additionally, the mechanical properties analysis and the related elastic constants demonstrate the anisotropic nature of Sr2ScBiO6 with decent mechanical stability. Apart from that, the Sr2ScBiO6 was considered a brittle non-central force solid with dominant covalent bonding. The varying optical parameter evaluations highlighted the potential use of Sr2ScBiO6 in visible-light (vis) and ultraviolet (UV)-based optoelectronic devices. Moreover, the semiconducting nature of Sr2ScBiO6 was verified through its thermoelectric response, which revealed that the charge carriers mostly consist of holes. Over a wide temperature range (100-1200 K), several transport metrics like the Seebeck coefficient (S), electrical conductivity (σ/τ), thermal conductivity (κ/τ), and power factor (PF) are investigated. An optimal value of figure of merit (ZT) ∼ 0.62 at T = 1200 K is accomplished. The extremely lower value of thermal conductivity as well as higher electrical conductivity leads to a higher figure of merit of the investigated system. The Sr2ScBiO6 verified a high ZT value, confirming that the material would be beneficial in renewable energy and thermoelectric (TE) applications.

Management of plant nutrient dynamics under alkaline soils through graded application of pressmud and gypsum.

An incubation experiment was conducted to monitor the effect of different organic matter inputs with the graded application of gypsum at different time intervals on soil pH, sodium (Na) content and available plant nutrients like nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) in alkaline soil. The experiment was formulated with nine treatments, i.e. control (T1), recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) (T2), RDF+Gyp1 (T3), RDF+FYM5+Gyp2 (T4), RDF+FYM10+Gyp1 (T5), RDF+PM5+Gyp2 (T6), RDF+PM10+Gyp1 (T7), RDF+FYM2.5+PM2.5+Gyp2 (T8), RDF+FYM5+PM5+Gyp1 (T9) with three replications. Periodical soil samples were taken at six and twelve months intervals. Results showed that the addition of organic matter reduced the pH and Na content in the soil. More reduction was observed at one year period as compared to six months. The addition of farmyard manure (FYM) and pressmud (PM) at 10 t/ha with gypsum (1 t/ha) improved available N and available S content as compared to organic inputs (5 t/ha) with gypsum (2 t/ha) in soil. Pressmud application with FYM showed better availability of plant nutrients and a reduction of soil pH (8.39 to 7.79) and Na content from 626 to 391 mEq/L in the soil during the incubation period. During the study, the application of treatment T9 (FYM and PM in equal ratio with 1 t/ha gypsum) showed a better availability of available N (175 to 235 kg/ha) and S (15.44 to 23.24 kg/ha) and reduced the active ion concentration of Na. This study is very useful for the management of sodium toxicity, improving soil health and the mineralization rate of organic matter through the application of organic inputs for sustainable crop production.

Performance evaluation of deep learning techniques for lung cancer prediction.

Due to the increase in pollution, the number of deaths caused by lung disease is rising rapidly. It is essential to predict the disease in earlier stages by means of high-level knowledge and acquaintance. Deep learning-based lung cancer prediction plays a vital role in assisting the medical practioners for diagnosing lung cancer in earlier stage. Computer-Aided diagnosis is considered to bring a boost to the field of medicine by tying it to automated systems. In this research paper, several models are experimented by using chest X-ray image or CT scan as an input to detect a particular disease. This research work is carried out to identify the best performing deep learning techniques for lung disease prediction. The performance of the method is evaluated using various performance metrics, such as precision, recall, accuracy and Jaccard index.

Cybercrime: Identification and Prediction Using Machine Learning Techniques.

In the world of cyber age, cybercrime is spreading its root extensively. Supervised classification methods such as the support vector machine (SVM) and K-nearest neighbor (KNN) models are employed for the classification of cybercrime data. Likewise, the unsupervised mode of classification involves the techniques of K-means clustering, Gaussian mixture model, and cluster quasi-random via fuzzy C-means clustering and fuzzy clustering. Neural networks are employed for determining synthetic identity theft. The formation of clusters takes place using these clustering techniques, which fetches crime data from the overall data. Cybercrime detection employs dataset that is fetched from CBS open data StatLine. The attributes utilized are concerning the crime victims through personal characteristics with total user identity being 1000. For analyzing the performance, different training and testing data undergo variation. Eventually using the best technique, the criminal is identified and the Gaussian mixture model in the unsupervised method reveals enhanced performance using the detection method. 76.56% percentage of accuracy is achieved in detecting the criminal. The accuracy achieved in case of classification via SVM classifier is 89% in the supervised method. Performance metrics for several attributes are being computed in terms of true positive (TP), false positive (FP), true negative (TN), false negative (FN), false alarm rate (FAR), detection rate (DR), accuracy (ACC), recall, precision, specificity, sensitivity, and Fowlkes-Mallows scores. The expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is employed for assessing the performance of the Gaussian mixture model.

Holographic elysium of a 4D ophthalmic anatomical and pathological metaverse with extended reality/mixed reality.

Extended reality is one of the leading cutting-edge technologies, which has not yet fully set foot into the field of ophthalmology. The use of extended reality technology especially in ophthalmic education and counseling will revolutionize the face of teaching and counseling on a whole new level. We have used this novel technology and have created a holographic museum of various anatomical structures such as the eyeball, cerebral venous system, cerebral arterial system, cranial nerves, and various parts of the brain in fine detail. These four-dimensional (4D) ophthalmic holograms created by us (patent pending) are cost-effectively constructed with TrueColor confocal images to serve as a new-age immersive 4D pedagogical and counseling tool for gameful learning and counseling, respectively. According to our knowledge, this concept has not been reported in the literature before.

3D printing ophthalmology related models for enhancing learning through the concept of puzzle assembly - A comprehensive self-learning tactile tool kit.

Practical sessions facilitate teaching, critical thinking, and coping skills, especially among medical students and professionals. Currently, in ophthalmology, virtual and augmented reality are employed for surgical training by using three-dimensional (3D) eyeball models. These 3D models when printed can be used not only for surgical training but also in teaching ophthalmic residents and fellows for concept learning through tactile 3D puzzle assembly. 3D printing is perfectly suited for the creation of complex bespoke items in a cost-effective manner, making it ideal for rapid prototyping. Puzzle making, when combined with 3D printing can evolve into a different level of learning in the field of ophthalmology. Though various 3D eyeball models are currently available, complex structures such as the cerebral venous system and the circle of Willis have never been 3D printed and presented as 3D puzzles for assembling and learning. According to our knowledge, this concept of ophthalmic pedagogy has never been reported. In this manuscript, we discuss in detail the 3D models created by us (patent pending), for printing into multiple puzzle pieces for effective tactile learning by cognitive assembling.

Eye MG 3D Application - A comprehensive ocular anatomy and pathophysiology 3D atlas with real-time true color confocal images to enhance ophthalmology education and e-Counseling.

Concepts pertaining to ophthalmology have lots of theoretical frameworks. Neophyte residents and novice surgeons may have to mentally visualize these concepts during the initial days of training. Only a powerful cognitive tool such as a three-dimensional (3D) eyeball model, with real-time TrueColor confocal images (and not animated images or models), can fill in these intellective mental gaps. Giving the users (i.e., residents and students) the power to choose and visualize various parts of the eye, with multiple magnitudes of zoom, is mandatory for optimal e-learning. To make ophthalmic concept learning better, we have developed a 3D app Eye MG 3D (patent pending) comprising ocular anatomy and pathophysiological 3D models, built on an advanced interactive 3D touch interface, by using patient's real-time confocal images to serve as a new-age pedagogical tool and e-counseling. According to our knowledge, there are no applications to date that incorporate real-time high-resolution multimodal confocal fundus images and photoreal visuals for interactive and immersive 3D learning.

Immersive photoreal new-age innovative gameful pedagogy for e-ophthalmology with 3D augmented reality.

Augmented reality (AR) has come a long way from a science-fiction concept to a science-based reality. AR is a view of the real, physical world in which the elements are enhanced by computer-generated inputs. AR is available on mobile handsets, which constitutes an essential e-learning platform. Today, AR is a real technology and not a science-fiction concept. The use of an e-ophthalmology platform with AR will pave the pathway for new-age gameful pedagogy. In this manuscript, we present a newly innovated AR program named "Eye MG AR" to simplify ophthalmic concept learning and to serve as a new-age immersive 3D pedagogical tool for gameful learning.

Gut dysbiosis, defective autophagy and altered immune responses in neurodegenerative diseases: Tales of a vicious cycle.

The human microbiota comprises trillions of symbiotic microorganisms and is involved in regulating gastrointestinal (GI), immune, nervous system and metabolic homeostasis. Recent observations suggest a bidirectional communication between the gut microbiota and the brain via immune, circulatory and neural pathways, termed the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA). Alterations in gut microbiota composition, such as seen with an increased number of pathobionts and a decreased number of symbionts, termed gut dysbiosis or microbial intestinal dysbiosis, plays a prominent role in the pathogenesis of central nervous system (CNS)-related disorders. Clinical reports confirm that GI symptoms often precede neurological symptoms several years before the development of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). Pathologically, gut dysbiosis disrupts the integrity of the intestinal barrier leading to ingress of pathobionts and toxic metabolites into the systemic circulation causing GBA dysregulation. Subsequently, chronic neuroinflammation via dysregulated immune activation triggers the accumulation of neurotoxic misfolded proteins in and around CNS cells resulting in neuronal death. Emerging evidence links gut dysbiosis to the aggravation and/or spread of proteinopathies from the peripheral nervous system to the CNS and defective autophagy-mediated proteinopathies. This review summarizes the current understanding of the role of gut microbiota in NDDs, and highlights a vicious cycle of gut dysbiosis, immune-mediated chronic neuroinflammation, impaired autophagy and proteinopathies, which contributes to the development of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. We also discuss novel therapeutic strategies targeting the modulation of gut dysbiosis through prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics or dietary interventions, and faecal microbial transplantation (FMT) in the management of NDDs.

"So what if I use tobacco or alcohol? It won't hurt me!" How women perceive substance use: insights from a community study in India.

To explore the subjective perceptions of women from rural and urban communities in Bangalore, India, regarding their perspectives about addictive substance use (ASU), and the interventions/support they need to quit use. Based on the data collected, the goal of this study was to develop an intervention that would address the women's needs. Mixed methods were used as follows: (a) door-to-door survey of women (N = 2044) regarding their use of addictive substances, and (b) focus group discussions with the women to explore their perceptions. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, themes and sub-themes identified. More than one-third (32.7%) reported past 3-month ASU, with majority reporting smokeless tobacco products (82.6%). Alcohol use was reported by 17.4%. Four major themes (with sub-themes) were identified from the focus group discussions: (1) Patterns of use (oral tobacco products-kaddipudi, thambaku; alcohol), (2) Reasons for use (to relieve stress and forget problems, tobacco use as a way of life, for postnatal benefits, due to easy availability, to reduce fatigue and pain, indigestion, hunger), (3) Low risk perception related to ASU ("We know how to use tobacco safely", "No real harm from tobacco"), and (4) Issues related to quitting ASU and help-seeking (unwillingness to quit, methods of intervention- "videos, or tablets/injections to help us quit ASU"). The findings highlight challenges involved in the development of effective interventions for women. Additionally, there is a clear need for broader community agencies to address psychological, cultural, and social dimensions.

Mental health orientation among ASHAs: A study from Karnataka State, India.

INTRODUCTION: The high mental health treatment gap in India, necessitates mental health service delivery through the primary health care system. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) as frontline community health workers are a key member of the primary health care team. The ASHAs training needs related to mental health, require to be determined in order to accordingly tailor capacity-building programs. In this context, the present study aims to examine the ASHAs mental health orientation utilizing a factorially validated Indian tool. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 91 ASHAs from a taluk of Bengaluru Urban District, responded to the self-administered Orientation towards Mental Illness (OMI) scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics viz. frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. RESULTS: The ASHAs reported an overall unfavourable mental health orientation and the specific OMI factors on which unfavourable orientation was observed were Psychosocial stress, Non-restrained behaviour, Weak cognitive control, Fidgety behaviour, Bizarre behaviour, Psychosocial manipulation, and Hypo-functioning. CONCLUSION: The findings of the study suggest that capacity-building programs for ASHAs will need to first examine their orientation to mental health and collaboratively address an unfavourable orientation when present, as it would have a bearing on ASHAs mental health service delivery in the community.