Urban-Rural Differences in the Prevalence of Diabetes Among Adults in Haryana, India: The ICMR-INDIAB Study (ICMR-INDIAB-18).

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes is a multifactorial disease with far-reaching consequences. Environmental factors, such as urban or rural residence, influence its prevalence and associated comorbidities. Haryana-a north Indian state-has undergone rapid urbanisation, and part of it is included in the National Capital Region (NCR). The primary aim of the study is to estimate the prevalence of diabetes in Haryana with urban-rural, NCR and non-NCR regional stratification and assess the factors affecting the likelihood of having diabetes among adults. METHODS: This sub-group analysis of the Indian Council of Medical Research-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study (a nationally representative cross-sectional population-based survey) was done for Haryana using data from 3722 participants. The dependent variable was diabetes, while residence in NCR/non-NCR and urban-rural areas were prime independent variables. Weighted prevalence was estimated using state-specific sampling weights and standardized using National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) study weights. Associations were depicted using bivariate analysis, and factors describing the likelihood of living with diabetes were explored using a multivariable binary logistic regression analysis approach. RESULTS: Overall, the weighted prevalence of diabetes in Haryana was higher than the national average (12.4% vs. 11.4%). The prevalence was higher in urban (17.9%) than in rural areas (9.5%). The prevalence of diabetes in rural areas was higher in the NCR region, while that of prediabetes was higher in rural non-NCR region. Urban-rural participants' anthropometric measurements and biochemical profiles depicted non-significant differences. Urban-rural status, age and physical activity levels were the most significant factors that affected the likelihood of living with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: The current analysis provides robust prevalence estimates highlighting the urban-rural disparities. Urban areas continue to have a high prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes; rural areas depict a much higher prevalence of prediabetes than diabetes. With the economic transition rapidly bridging the gap between urban and rural populations, health policymakers should plan efficient strategies to tackle the diabetes epidemic.

Low-Fidelity Prototype of a Sensor-Dependent Interaction Platform: Formative Evaluation With Informal Caregivers of Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment.

BACKGROUND: Unobtrusive sensing technologies developed for monitoring deviant behaviors in older adult care require integration with an interaction platform to facilitate the flow of information between older adults and their caregivers. However, the continuous monitoring capabilities generate a considerable amount of data that must be interpreted, filtered, and personalized before being communicated to the informal caregivers based on their specific care needs and requirements. OBJECTIVE: For the effective implementation of unobtrusive sensing solutions (USSs) in the care of older adults with cognitive impairment, we aimed to explore the expectations and preconditions regarding the implementation of USSs from the perspective of informal caregivers. Subsequently, we designed and evaluated a low-fidelity prototype of an interaction platform for its conceptual workflow and usability, incorporating persuasive system design features based on the needs and requirements of informal caregivers. METHODS: Overall, 6 informal caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment living alone participated in this qualitative interview study. We explored the expectation and preconditions regarding implementation through open-ended questions and conducted a formative evaluation (usability study with a think-aloud approach) to evaluate the conceptual workflow and used persuasive system design features in the interaction platform. Overall, a combination of inductive and thematic analyses was used to analyze the interviews. RESULTS: The results of this study present both positive and negative outcome expectations regarding the implementation of USSs, highlighting benefits such as objective decision-making and peace of mind and concerns about information overload and the potential substitution of human contact. Strategic information communication agreements between informal and formal caregivers were deemed crucial for the successful implementation of USSs in care. Overall, informal caregivers had a positive experience with the low-fidelity prototype of the interaction platform, particularly valuing the personalization feature. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, to achieve successful implementation, a holistic design approach is necessary, and equal consideration should be given to the personalization-privacy paradox to balance users' needs and privacy.

Propolis in the management of cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND: Propolis is a resinous compound that is obtained from honey bees. It consists of numerous chemical constituents that impart different therapeutic action. The heart is the core of the body and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a burden for the human being. This article emphasizes how propolis is fruitful in the management of various CVDs. SCOPE AND APPROACH: This review focuses on how various constituents of the propolis (such as terpenes, flavonoids, phenolics, etc.) impart cardio protective actions. KEY FINDING AND CONCLUSION: With the support of various clinical trials and research outcomes, it was concluded that propolis owns niche cardio protective properties that can be a boon for various cardiac problems (both in preventive and therapeutic action) such as atherosclerosis, excessive angiogenesis, hypertension, and many more.

Combatting infectious diarrhea: innovations in treatment and vaccination strategies.

INTRODUCTION: The escalating prevalence of infectious diseases is an important cause of concern in society. Particularly in several developing countries, infectious diarrhea poses a major problem, with a high fatality rate, especially among young children. The condition is divided into four classes, namely, acute diarrhea, invasive diarrhea, acute bloody diarrhea, and chronic diarrhea. Various pathogenic agents, such as bacteria, viruses, protozoans, and helminths, contribute to the onset of this condition. AREAS COVERED: The review discusses the scenario of infectious diarrhea, the prevalent types, as well as approaches to management including preventive, therapeutic, and vaccination strategies. The vaccination techniques are extensively discussed including the available vaccines, their advantages as well as limitations. EXPERT OPINION: There are several approaches available to develop new-improved vaccines. In addition, route of immunization is important and aerosols/nasal sprays, oral route, skin patches, powders, and liquid jets to minimize needles can be used. Plant-based vaccines, such as rice, might save packing and refrigeration costs by being long-lasting, non-refrigerable, and immunogenic. Future research should utilize predetermined PCR testing intervals and symptom monitoring to identify persistent pathogens after therapy and symptom remission.

Journey of Teplizumab: A Promising Drug in the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease caused by CD4+ and CD8+ that are activated via CD3+ cells and finally lead to the macrophages destroying the beta cells in the pancreas thereby causing diabetes. The anti-CD3 humanized monoclonal antibody was approved on 17th November 2022 by the United States Food Drug Administration (USFDA) with the name teplizumab and the brand name TZIELD. This is the only approved drug that treats type 1 diabetes (T1D) by delaying the onset of stage 3 in type 1 diabetes (T1D). This review outlines essential features of teplizumab including its brief introduction to its mechanism and other therapies for the treatment and various risks as well as the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of this disease and the clinical trial reports for the completed and ongoing therapies.

An 85-Year-Old Man with Fever, Dyspnea, and Dry Cough Diagnosed with Idiopathic Hypereosinophilic Syndrome, Successfully Treated with High-Dose Corticosteroids.

BACKGROUND Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (I-HES) is a rare disease diagnosed as absolute eosinophil count >1500 cells/µl and end-organ involvement attributable to tissue eosinophilia with no secondary cause of underlying eosinophilia. The mean age of presentation for I-HES is 44 years. The skin, lungs, and gastrointestinal (GI) system are most common sites of presenting manifestations, including fatigue, cough, dyspnea, myalgias, angioedema, rash, fever, nausea, and diarrhea. Although cardiac and neurologic symptoms are less common at presentation, they can be life-threatening. CASE REPORT We report the case of an 85-year-old man who presented with fever, malaise, and loss of appetite for 3 weeks, followed by dyspnea and dry cough for 2 weeks. His absolute eosinophil count was 9000 cells/µl, which was not responding to empirical antibiotic therapy, with worsening of symptoms, suggesting a non-infective origin. He was then extensively evaluated to establish underlying an etiology for specific treatment, which was negative for common causes like atypical infections, malignancy, and autoimmune disorders. He was then started on corticosteroid therapy to overcome an exaggerated immune response and reduce inflammation-related injury, to which he responded well. On follow-up, hypereosinophilia was fully cured, with reversal of end-organ involvement including myocarditis and pneumonitis. CONCLUSIONS This report shows that idiopathic HES can present with various clinical features and that accurate diagnosis, excluding known causes of eosinophilia, and early management are essential to prevent long-term organ damage. Our patient responded to prompt treatment with high-dose corticosteroids.

Comparison of cycloplegia with atropine 1% versus cyclopentolate 1.

PURPOSE: Cycloplegic refraction is mandatory for children to know the eye's refractive status. In this study, we compared cycloplegia induced by cyclopentolate 1% to that induced by atropine 1% by means of retinoscopy. METHODS: In this parallel-designed interventional study, we included 67 children aged between 4 and 17 years. After the initial retinoscopy under cyclopentolate 1% (used twice in each eye), we repeated it a week later under atropine ointment 1% (used twice a day for 3 days); both were done by the same trained optometrist masked to the drug. Each eye's refraction was converted to spherical equivalents (SEs), and the values averaged between the two eyes of each child under each drug. We compared SE with paired t-test (JASP 16.4). In addition, we performed correlational analysis, and looked for agreement using the Bland-Altman plot. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Wherever possible, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are quoted. RESULTS: The mean SE with atropine was +1.93 ± 2.0 D, compared to +1.75 ± 1.95 D under cyclopentolate. On average, atropine induced greater cycloplegia by a mere 0.18 D (95% CI: 0.07 to 0.29 D, P value 0.002). The two cycloplegic refractions correlated significantly (Pearson's r: 0.975, P < 0.001). The Bland-Altman plot revealed the limits of agreement as 1.06 and -0.71 D. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that cyclopentolate works for the most part as well as atropine to attain cycloplegia. Atropine may be considered for children less than 15 years of age with greater than 5.0 D of hyperopia. Cycloplentolate, with its advantages of quick action and short duration, should form the first go-to topical cycloplegic in busy outpatient clinics.

Lignocellulolytic extremozymes and their biotechnological applications.

Lignocellulolytic enzymes are used in different industrial and environmental processes. The rigorous operating circumstances of these industries, however, might prevent these enzymes from performing as intended. On the other side, extremozymes are enzymes produced by extremophiles that can function in extremely acidic or basic; hot or cold; under high or low salinity conditions. These severe conditions might denature the normal enzymes that are produced by mesophilic microorganisms. The increased stability of these enzymes has been contributed to a number of conformational modifications in their structures. These modifications may result from a few amino acid substitutions, an improved hydrophobic core, the existence of extra ion pairs and salt bridges, an increase in compactness, or an increase in positively charged amino acids. These enzymes are the best option for industrial and bioremediation activities that must be carried out under difficult conditions due to their improved stability. The review, therefore, discusses lignocellulolytic extremozymes, their structure and mechanisms along with industrial and biotechnological applications.

Structural, photoluminescence, and photocatalytic performances of Ce3+ -activated orthovanadate oxides M3 (VO4 )2 (M: Mg or Zn) synthesized by solution combustion route.

This paper presents a research investigation into the synthesis of vanadate oxides M3 (VO4 )2 (M: Mg or Zn) using the solution combustion method and investigates their structural, photoluminescence, and photocatalytic properties after introducing cerium (Ce) as a dopant. The resulting synthesized samples all display an orthorhombic crystalline structure with crystallite sizes ranging from 71 to 110 nm. Morphological diversity among the samples is revealed through field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) imagery. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy discloses that the introduction of Ce3+ as a dopant leads to an increase in the band gap energy. Notably, when excited at a wavelength of 340 nm, the photoluminescence emission intensity reaches its peak across all samples. This intensity undergoes enhancement due to Ce3+ doping, causing a slight shift toward shorter wavelengths attributable to the augmented band gap resulting from the dopant. Markedly, among the investigated materials, Ce3+ -activated Mg3 (VO4 )2 stands out with the most pronounced emission intensity, positioning it as a highly promising luminescent material. Additionally, the incorporation of Ce3+ has a positive effect on the photocatalytic performance of Mg3 (VO4 )2 , resulting in notable improvement.

Awareness Regarding Antimicrobial Resistance and Antibiotic Prescribing Behavior among Physicians: Results from a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey in India.

(1) Background: Understanding the physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and antimicrobial prescribing behavior is a crucial step towards designing strategies for the optimal use of these agents. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among clinicians across India between May and July 2022 using a self-administered questionnaire in English comprising 35 questions pertaining to demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, and practices domains. (3) Results: A total of 544 responses were received from 710 physicians contacted. Sixty percent of participants were males, with mean age of 34.7 years. Mean ± Standard Deviation scores for knowledge, attitude, and practices domains were 8 ± 1.6, 20.2 ± 3.5, and 15.3 ± 2.1, respectively. Higher scores were associated with basic [odds ratio (95% Confidence Interval), p value: 2.95 (1.21, 7.2), 0.02], medical and allied sciences [2.71 (1.09, 6.67), 0.03], and central zone [3.75 (1.39, 10.12), 0.009]. A substantial proportion of dissatisfactory responses were found regarding hospital antibiograms, antibiotics effective against anaerobes, WHO AWaRe (access, watch, and reserve) classification of antibiotics, and the role of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in the containment of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). (4) Conclusions: There is a need to sensitize and educate clinicians on various issues related to antimicrobial use, such as antibiograms, double anaerobic cover, IPC practices, and guideline-based recommendations, to curb the AMR pandemic.

The utilization of natural eco-benign sources for sustainable management to preserve hides and docking analysis of identified potential phytochemicals.

The industrial leather sector is one of the most ancient industries globally and continues to influence the global economic system in contemporary times significantly. Regardless of income, the leather sector is widely recognized as a significant environmentally detrimental sector because of the utilization of materials involved in preserving and processing leather. Raw hides, the primary ingredient in the leather industry, are highly susceptible to microbial attack once they have been flayed from animals. The current review provides information about the diverse operational processes employed in the beam house to produce leather goods. This paper primarily focuses on the preservation of various types of hides, including those derived from goats, cows, sheeps, deers, pigs, and other species, with particular emphasis on bio-based preservation methods. It also discusses various salt and salt-free curing methods along with their limitations. Furthermore, it reviews a viable and economically advantageous option for preserving animal hides using plant and microbial sources. Moreover, it focuses on investigating the molecular docking interactions between three critical enzymes in the phytochemical synthesis pathway, namely phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, phosphomevalonate kinase, and dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, and a set of specific modulators, followed by ADMET analyses. The objective was to determine the optimal binding affinity score for these enzyme-modulator complexes through virtual screening. The depiction of protein-ligand interactions offers potential benefits for future research endeavours, as well as valuable insights into the identification of modulators and the evaluation of the potency and efficacy of phytochemicals in the preservation of hides.

Exploring the Needs and Requirements of Informal Caregivers of Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment From Sensor-Based Care Solutions: Multimethod Study.

BACKGROUND: With the increase in the older adult population, sensor-based care solutions that can monitor the deviations in physical, emotional, and physiological activities in real-time from a distance are demanded for prolonging the stay of community-dwelling older adults with cognitive impairment. To effectively develop and implement these care solutions, it is important to understand the current experiences, future expectations, perceived usefulness (PU), and communication needs of the informal caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment regarding such solutions. OBJECTIVE: This comprehensive study with informal caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment aims to (1) highlight current experiences with (if any) and future expectations from general sensor-based care solutions, (2) explore PU specifically toward unobtrusive sensing solutions (USSs), (3) determine the information communication (IC) needs and requirements for communicating the information obtained through USSs in different care scenarios (fall, nocturnal unrest, agitation, and normal daily life), and (4) elicit the design features for designing the interaction platform in accordance with the persuasive system design (PSD) model. METHODS: A multimethod research approach encompassing a survey (N=464) and in-depth interviews (10/464, 2.2%) with informal caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment was used. The insights into past experiences with and future expectations from the sensor-based care solutions were obtained through inductive thematic analysis of the interviews. A convergent mixed methods approach was used to explore PU and gather the IC needs from USSs by using scenario-specific questions in both survey and interviews. Finally, the design features were elicited by using the PSD model on the obtained IC needs and requirements. RESULTS: Informal caregivers expect care infrastructure to consider centralized and empathetic care approaches. Specifically, sensor-based care solutions should be adaptable to care needs, demonstrate trust and reliability, and ensure privacy and safety. Most informal caregivers found USSs to be useful for emergencies (mean 4.09, SD 0.04) rather than for monitoring normal daily life activities (mean 3.50, SD 0.04). Moreover, they display variations in information needs including mode, content, time, and stakeholders involved based on the care scenario at hand. Finally, PSD features, namely, reduction, tailoring, personalization, reminders, suggestions, trustworthiness, and social learning, were identified for various care scenarios. CONCLUSIONS: From the obtained results, it can be concluded that the care scenario at hand drives PU and IC design needs and requirements toward USSs. Therefore, future technology developers are recommended to develop technology that can be easily adapted to diverse care scenarios, whereas designers of such sensor-driven platforms are encouraged to go beyond tailoring and strive for strong personalization while maintaining the privacy of the users.

Unraveling the intricate relationship: Influence of microbiome on the host immune system in carcinogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is an outcome of various disrupted or dysregulated metabolic processes like apoptosis, growth, and self-cell transformation. Human anatomy harbors trillions of microbes, and these microbes actively influence all kinds of human metabolic activities, including the human immune response. The immune system which inherently acts as a sentinel against microbes, curiously tolerates and even maintains a distinct normal microflora in our body. This emphasizes the evolutionarily significant role of microbiota in shaping our adaptive immune system and even potentiating its function in chronic ailments like cancers. Microbes interact with the host immune cells and play a part in cancer progression or regression by modulating immune cells, producing immunosuppressants, virulence factors, and genotoxins. RECENT FINDINGS: An expanding plethora of studies suggest and support the evidence of microbiome impacting cancer etiology. Several studies also indicate that the microbiome can supplement various cancer therapies, increasing their efficacy. The present review discusses the relationship between bacterial and viral microbiota with cancer, discussing different carcinogenic mechanisms influenced by prokaryotes with special emphasis on their immunomodulatory axis. It also elucidates the potential of the microbiome in transforming the efficacy of immunotherapeutic treatments. CONCLUSION: This review offers a thorough overview of the complex interaction between the human immune system and the microbiome and its impact on the development of cancer. The microbiome affects the immune responses as well as progression of tumor transformation, hence microbiome-based therapies can vastly improve the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies. Individual variations of the microbiome and its dynamic variability in every individual impacts the immune modulation and cancer progression. Therefore, further research is required to understand these underlying processes in detail, so as to design better microbiome-immune system axis in the treatment of cancer.

Trends and determinants of tobacco use initiation in India: analysis of two rounds of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey.

OBJECTIVES: Early initiation of tobacco use can lead to lifelong addiction and increases tobacco-attributable morbidity and mortality. This study assesses trends in tobacco use initiation and factors associated with tobacco use initiation using disaggregated data from two rounds of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey India (GATS; 2009-2010 (GATS 1) and 2016-2017 (GATS 2)). DESIGN: Secondary analysis of repeated cross-sectional studies. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: The study involved data from 69 296 individuals and 76 069 households in GATS 1 and 74 037 individuals and 77 170 households in GATS 2, two rounds of a nationally representative survey in India. OUTCOME MEASURES: Mean age of initiation (as recalled by the participants) of smoked and smokeless tobacco (SLT) use (dependent variable) was compared and analysed across different sociodemographic variables (independent factors). We assessed change in mean age of initiation of tobacco usage on a daily basis between GATS 1 and GATS 2, and investigated the factors associated with early tobacco use initiation in the GATS 2 dataset (reported using adjusted ORs (aORs) with 95% CIs). RESULTS: The mean age of initiation of smoked tobacco and SLT in GATS 2 was 20.9±8.5 and 22.3±10.6 years, compared with 18.5±9.7 and 19.7±12.0 years in GATS 1. The mean age of initiation increased with age and among those who were better aware of the adverse effects of tobacco. As per GATS 2, males initiated smoked tobacco and SLT use earlier (20.6±7.4 and 21.7±9.1) than females (23.3±14.2 and 23.2±12.6 years). Younger participants (15-24 years) reported earlier initiation of SLT (15.5±4.2 years) compared with others. Binary logistic regression depicted variables associated with early initiation of tobacco. Awareness about the harms caused by tobacco affected the odds of SLT (aOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.3 to 1.7) and dual usage initiation (1.8, 1.6 to 2.0), but not of initiation of smoked tobacco products (1.1, 0.9 to 1.2). CONCLUSIONS: More robust health advocacy campaigns that communicate the harmful effects of tobacco on health could be useful to delay tobacco initiation, along with reducing the ease of access and affordability of tobacco products among vulnerable groups.

In Silico Study of Enzymatic Degradation of Bioplastic by Microalgae: An Outlook on Microplastic Environmental Impact Assessment, Challenges, and Opportunities.

Microplastics are tiny pieces of non-biodegradable plastic that can take thousands of years to break down. As microplastics degrade, they release harmful compounds into the environment, which can be found in the surroundings. The microplastics found in the environment are hard to detect and remove because of their small particle sizes. Microplastics cannot decompose naturally, so they accumulate in the environment and cause pollution. As a result, bioplastics can be produced from a vast array of substrates, including biopolymers, citrus peels, leather, and feather wastes. Blue-green microalgae namely Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) contains enzymes such as laccase and catalase which can be responsible for the degradation of bioplastics. In our study, we performed molecular docking to identify the binding affinities of different enzymes such as laccase and catalase with different substrates, focusing on determining the most suitable substrate for enhancing enzyme activity for degradation of bioplastics. The analysis revealed that veratryl alcohol is the most suitable substrate for laccase, whereas lignin is the more preferred substrate for catalase with the highest binding affinity score of - 5.9 and - 8.1 kcal/mol. Moreover, degradation, challenges, opportunities, and applications of bioplastics in numerous domains such as cosmetics, electronics, agriculture, medical, textiles, and food industries have also been highlighted.

High temperature stability in few atomic layer MoS2 based thin film heterostructures: structural, static and dynamic magnetization properties.

Layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have shown commendable properties for spintronic applications. From the device perspective, the structural quality of the TMD as well as its interface with the adjacent ferromagnetic (FM) layer is of paramount importance. Here, we present the spin-dynamic behaviour in the widely studied TMDs, i.e., MoS2 using Co60Fe20B20 (CoFeB), i.e., in MoS2(1-4 layers)/CoFeB(4-15 nm) heterostructures, both in the as-grown state and in the in situ annealed state (400 °C in a vacuum). Raman spectroscopy revealed systematic variation in the separation (δ) between the characteristic Raman shifts corresponding to the E2g and A1gvis-à-vis the number of layers (nL) of MoS2. The analysis of the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectroscopy measurements performed on these heterostructures revealed the spin pumping from CoFeB to the MoS2 layer as evidenced by the ∼49% (∼51%) enhancement in the effective damping parameter with respect to the damping parameter of bare as-deposited (annealed) CoFeB films. This enhancement is attributed to the spin-pumping owing to the high spin-orbit coupling of monolayer MoS2. The latter is also confirmed by density functional theory calculations. By finding the effective spin mixing conductance of the MoS2/CoFeB interface, the effective spin current density in the MoS2 layer is estimated to increase from ∼0.3 to 0.7 MA m-2 with CoFeB thickness for both the as-deposited and annealed heterostructures. Furthermore, the δ vs. nL curve of the as-deposited heterostructure did not show any significant change upon annealing, which demonstrated that the spin transport and magnetic properties of these heterostructures remained unaffected even after annealing at a high temperature of 400 °C. Hence, this establishes the high thermal stability of the sputter grown MoS2/CoFeB heterostructures. Thus, this study highlights the important role of MoS2 as an efficient spin current-generating source for spin-orbit torque based magnetic memory applications, given the high-temperature stability and high-quality monolayers of MoS2 and its excellent performance with CoFeB thin films.

Interferon-expressing oncolytic adenovirus + chemoradiation inhibited pancreatic cancer growth in a hamster model.

Past clinical trials of adjuvant therapy combined with interferon (IFN) alpha, fluorouracil, cisplatin, and radiation improved the 5-year survival rate of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, these trials also revealed the disadvantages of the systemic toxicity of IFN and insufficient delivery of IFN. To improve efficacy and tolerability, we have developed an oncolytic adenovirus-expressing IFN (IFN-OAd). Here, we evaluated IFN-OAd in combination with chemotherapy (gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel) + radiation. Combination index (CI) analysis showed that IFN-OAd + chemotherapy + radiation was synergistic (CI <1). Notably, IFN-OAd + chemotherapy + radiation remarkably suppressed tumor growth and induced a higher number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes without severe side toxic effects in an immunocompetent and adenovirus replication-permissive hamster PDAC model. This is the first study to report that gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel, the current first-line chemotherapy for PDAC, did not hamper virus replication in a replication-permissive immunocompetent model. IFN-OAd has the potential to overcome the barriers to clinical application of IFN-based therapy through its tumor-specific expression of IFN, induction of antitumor immunity, and sensitization with chemoradiation. Combining IFN-OAd with gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel + radiation might be an effective and clinically beneficial treatment for PDAC patients.

Utilising Emotion Monitoring for Developing Music Interventions for People with Dementia: A State-of-the-Art Review.

The demand for smart solutions to support people with dementia (PwD) is increasing. These solutions are expected to assist PwD with their emotional, physical, and social well-being. At the moment, state-of-the-art works allow for the monitoring of physical well-being; however, not much attention is delineated for monitoring the emotional and social well-being of PwD. Research on emotion monitoring can be combined with research on the effects of music on PwD given its promising effects. More specifically, knowledge of the emotional state allows for music intervention to alleviate negative emotions by eliciting positive emotions in PwD. In this direction, the paper conducts a state-of-the-art review on two aspects: (i) the effect of music on PwD and (ii) both wearable and non-wearable sensing systems for emotional state monitoring. After outlining the application of musical interventions for PwD, including emotion monitoring sensors and algorithms, multiple challenges are identified. The main findings include a need for rigorous research approaches for the development of adaptable solutions that can tackle dynamic changes caused by the diminishing cognitive abilities of PwD with a focus on privacy and adoption aspects. By addressing these requirements, advancements can be made in harnessing music and emotion monitoring for PwD, thereby facilitating the creation of more resilient and scalable solutions to aid caregivers and PwD.

Current Trends of Analytical Techniques for Bioactive Terpenoids: A Review.

Terpenes and terpenoids are the primary bioactive substances present in essential volatile oils, condensed liquids extracted from diverse plant parts. These substances demonstrate remarkable biological activity and are frequently used as medicines, food additives, and scent molecules. Terpenoids have a wide range of pharmacological effects on the human body, including the treatment, prevent, and reduce the discomfort associated with a number of chronic illnesses. Therefore, these bioactive substances are crucial to our everyday existence. As most terpenoids are present in complex form, coupled with many other raw plant elements, it is important to identify and characterize these molecules. This article addresses various classes of terpenoids, their biochemical processes, and their biological functions. Additionally, it includes a comprehensive description of several hyphenated procedures and recently popular analytical approaches used for isolation, identification, and absolute characterization. It also includes a discussion of the various advantages, drawbacks, and challenges encountered during the collection of the sample and throughout the entire research process.