A Theoretical Investigation for Exploring the Potential Performance of Non-Fullerene Organic Solar Cells Through Side-Chain Engineering Having Diphenylamino Groups to Enhance Photovoltaic Properties.

The development of ecofriendly fabrication phenomenon is essential requirement for commercialization of non-fullerene acceptors. Recently, end-capped modeling is employed for computational design of five non-fullerene acceptors to elevate various photovoltaic properties. All new molecules are formulated by altering the peripheral acceptors of CH3-2F and DFT methodology is employed to explore the opto-electronic, morphological and charge transfer analysis. From the computational investigation, all reported molecules manifested red shifted absorption with remarkable reduced band gap. Among investigated molecules, FA1-FA3 evinced effectively decreased value of band gaps and designed molecules have low excitation energy justifying proficient charge transference. The lower values of binding energy of FA1 and FA2 suggest their facile exciton dissociation leading to improved charge mobility. By blending with J61 donor, FA4 have sufficiently enhanced value of VOC (1.72 eV) and fill factor (0.9228). Energy loss of the model (R) is 0.57 eV and statistical calculation demonstrate that all our modified molecules except FA3 has profoundly reduced energy loss compelling in its pivotal utilization. From accessible supportive outcomes of recent investigation, it is recommended that our modified chromophore exhibit remarkable noteworthy applications in solar cells for forthcoming innovations.

Deciphering the differential expression patterns of yield-related negative regulators in hexaploid wheat cultivars and hybrids at different growth stages.

BACKGROUND: Hexaploid bread wheat underwent a series of polyploidization events through interspecific hybridizations that conferred adaptive plasticity and resulted in duplication and neofunctionalization of major agronomic genes. The genetic architecture of polyploid wheat not only confers adaptive plasticity but also offers huge genetic diversity. However, the contribution of different gene copies (homeologs) encoded from different subgenomes (A, B, D) at different growth stages remained unexplored. METHODS: In this study, hybrid of elite cultivars of wheat were developed via reciprocal crosses (cytoplasm swapping) and phenotypically evaluated. We assessed differential expression profiles of yield-related negative regulators in these cultivars and their F1 hybrids and identified various cis-regulatory signatures by employing bioinformatics tools. Furthermore, the preferential expression patterns of the syntenic triads encoded from A, B, and D subgenomes were assessed to decipher their functional redundancy at six different growth stages. RESULTS: Hybrid progenies showed better heterosis such as up to 17% increase in the average number of grains and up to 50% increase in average thousand grains weight as compared to mid-parents. Based on the expression profiling, our results indicated significant dynamic transcriptional expression patterns, portraying the different homeolog-dominance at the same stage in the different cultivars and their hybrids. Albeit belonging to same syntenic triads, a dynamic trend was observed in the regulatory signatures of these genes that might be influencing their expression profiles. CONCLUSION: These findings can substantially contribute and provide insights for the selective introduction of better cultivars into traditional and hybrid breeding programs which can be harnessed for the improvement of future wheat.

Integrated assessment of groundwater quality dynamics and Land use/land cover changes in rapidly urbanizing semi-arid region.

Rapid urbanization worldwide, poses numerous environmental challenges between escalating land use land cover (LULC) changes and groundwater quality dynamics. The main objective of this study was to investigate the dynamics of groundwater quality and LULC changes in Sargodha district, Punjab, Pakistan. Groundwater hydrochemistry reveals acceptable pH levels (<8) but total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC) and HCO3- showed dynamic fluctuations by exceeding WHO limits. Piper diagrams, indicated dominance by magnesium and bicarbonate types, underscoring the influence of natural processes and anthropogenic activities. Major ion relationships in 2010, 2015, and 2021 showed a high correlation (R2 > 0.85) between Na+ and Cl-, suggesting salinization. whereas, the poor correlation (<0.17) between Ca2+ and HCO3- does not support calcite dissolution as the primary process affecting groundwater composition. The examination of nitrate contamination in groundwater across the years 2010, 2015, and 2021 was found to be high in the municipal sewage zone, suggesting a prevailing issue of nitrate contamination attributed to urban activities. The Nitrate Pollution Index (NPI) reveals a concerning trend, with a higher proportion of samples classified under moderate to high pollution categories in 2015 and 2021 compared to 2010. The qualitative assessment of nitrate concentration on spatiotemporal scale showed lower values in 2010 while a consistent rise from 2015 to 2021 in north-east and western parts of district. Likewise, NPI was high in the north-eastern and south-western regions in 2010, then reduced in subsequent years, which may be attributed to effective waste management practices and alterations in agricultural practices. The health risk assessment of 2010 indicated Total Health Hazard Quotient (THQ) within the standard limit, while in 2015 and 2021, elevated health risk was observed. This study emphasizes the need to use multiple approaches to groundwater management for sustainable land use planning and regulations that prioritize groundwater quality conservation.

Green hybrid coagulants for water treatment: An innovative approach using alum and bentonite clay combined with eco-friendly plant materials for batch and column adsorption.

Textile industries contribute to water pollution through synthetic dye discharge. This study explores the use of natural bio-coagulants to remove acid dyes from wastewater, investigating factors like pH, coagulant dose, dye concentration, contact time, and temperature for optimal results. The optimum pH and coagulants capabilities of (CAAPP, CAAPH, CBAGL, CBAPP and CBAPH) were 3 (49.6 mg/g), 3 (42.5 mg/g), 3 (38.9 mg/g), 4 (35.7 mg/g), 4 (34.1 mg/g), and 4 (29.4 mg/g) respectively, while treating of selected BRF-221 dyes from water solution. The acidic range (3-4) was found to have the best pH for the maximal coagulation, and the optimal dose were found to be 0.05 g/50 mL. The equilibrium was attained within 45-60 min for all coagulants. After 60 min of shaking, the maximum coagulation capacities (21.9, 21.02, 16.5, 27.9, 25.3, and 23.4 mg/g) of several coagulant composites (CAAGL, CAAPP, CAAPH, CBAGL, CBAPP, CBAPH) were determined. The initial BRF-221 dye concentration in the range of 10-200 mg/L was considered as optimum for gaiting maximum elimination of dye using different coagulants. At a dye value of 100 mg/L of BRF-221, maximal coagulation capacities CAAGL (179.19 mg/g), CAAPP (166.06 mg/g), CAAPH (141.60 mg/g), and CBAGL (126.49 mg/g), CBAPP (113.9 mg/g), CBAPH (93.08 mg/g) were attained. The study found 35 °C to be the optimal temperature for maximum acid dye removal using bio-coagulants. Increasing temperature reduced coagulation capacity, indicating an exothermic process. Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms showed suitability for pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetics in biosorption. Thermodynamic parameters were assessed for process feasibility. Effective coagulants demonstrated sensitivity to electrolyte variations. In column studies, adjusting parameters achieved maximum coagulation efficiency for removing BRF-221 dyes. The study successfully applied optimal parameters to remove real textile effluents at a practical scale. SEM, FT-IR, BET and XRD characterized coagulants, providing insights into stability and morphology.

Therapeutic drug monitoring of vancomycin in surgical patients using a validated HPLC method.

BACKGROUND: Vancomycin is being used for the treatment of a variety of infections caused by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is highly recommended for ensuring the safe and effective therapy with vancomycin. A reliable and cost-effective bioanalytical method is required for TDM as well as pharmacokinetic studies of vancomycin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A selective, sensitive, and cost effective HPLC method was developed and validated for quantification of vancomycin concentrations in human plasma. The mobile phase was a mixture of buffer (50 mM ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, pH 2.4) and acetonitrile 88 : 12 v/v. The separation was carried on C18 column (125 × 4.6 mm, particle size 5 µm) with isocratic flow rate of 0.370 mL/min at room temperature with UV detection at 215 nm. The method was validated for sensitivity, accuracy, and precision as well as stability of vancomycin in human plasma by following European Medicine Agency (EMA) guideline. Therapeutic drug monitoring of vancomycin was performed by quantifying the trough concentrations of vancomycin in 65 human plasma samples after administration of therapeutically relevant dose. RESULTS: The developed method was sensitive enough to quantify vancomycin concentrations as low as 0.25 mg/L in human plasma. Moreover, the method was proved accurate and precise in terms of quantifying the unknown concentration of vancomycin. The evaluation of short-term, long-term, and freeze-thaw stability proved the stability of vancomycin in human plasma. The TDM of vancomycin by using this method showed that 39 (60%) samples were within the target trough concentration range (TTCR), i.e. 10 - 20 mg/L, while 23 samples (35.4%) were below the TTCR, and 3 samples (4.6%) were above this range. CONCLUSION: The developed method is sensitive and cost effective for quantification of vancomycin in human plasma. The results of sample analysis shows that the developed method can be used reliably for TDM of vancomycin.

Treatment of large intracranial aneurysms using the Woven EndoBridge (WEB): a propensity score-matched analysis.

The Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device is primarily used for treating wide-neck intracranial bifurcation aneurysms under 10 mm. Limited data exists on its efficacy for large aneurysms. We aim to assess angiographic and clinical outcomes of the WEB device in treating large versus small aneurysms. We conducted a retrospective review of the WorldWide WEB Consortium database, from 2011 to 2022, across 30 academic institutions globally. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to compare small and large aneurysms on baseline characteristics. A total of 898 patients were included. There was no significant difference observed in clinical presentations, smoking status, pretreatment mRS, presence of multiple aneurysms, bifurcation location, or prior treatment between the two groups. After PSM, 302 matched pairs showed significantly lower last follow-up adequate occlusion rates (81% vs 90%, p = 0.006) and higher retreatment rates (12% vs 3.6%, p < 0.001) in the large aneurysm group. These findings may inform treatment decisions and patient counseling. Future studies are needed to further explore this area.

Dual Layer vs Single Layer Woven EndoBridge Device in the Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Woven EndoBridge (WEB) devices have been used for treating wide neck bifurcation aneurysms (WNBAs) with several generational enhancements to improve clinical outcomes. The original device dual-layer (WEB DL) was replaced by a single-layer (WEB SL) device in 2013. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of these devices in managing intracranial aneurysms. METHODS: A multicenter cohort study was conducted, and data from 1,289 patients with intracranial aneurysms treated with either the WEB SL or WEB DL devices were retrospectively analyzed. Propensity score matching was utilized to balance the baseline characteristics between the two groups. Outcomes assessed included immediate occlusion rate, complete occlusion at last follow-up, retreatment rate, device compaction, and aneurysmal rupture. RESULTS: Before propensity score matching, patients treated with the WEB SL had a significantly higher rate of complete occlusion at the last follow-up and a lower rate of retreatment. After matching, there was no significant difference in immediate occlusion rate, retreatment rate, or device compaction between the WEB SL and DL groups. However, the SL group maintained a higher rate of complete occlusion at the final follow-up. Regression analysis showed that SL was associated with higher rates of complete occlusion (OR: 0.19; CI: 0.04 to 0.8, p = 0.029) and lower rates of retreatment (OR: 0.12; CI: 0 to 4.12, p = 0.23). CONCLUSION: The WEB SL and DL devices demonstrated similar performances in immediate occlusion rates and retreatment requirements for intracranial aneurysms. The SL device showed a higher rate of complete occlusion at the final follow-up.

Control charts in healthcare quality monitoring: a systematic review and bibliometric analysis.

Control charts, used in healthcare operations to monitor process stability and quality, are essential for ensuring patient safety and improving clinical outcomes. This comprehensive research study aims to provide a thorough understanding of the role of control charts in healthcare quality monitoring and future perspectives by utilizing a dual methodology approach involving a systematic review and a pioneering bibliometric analysis. A systematic review of 73 out of 223 articles was conducted, synthesizing existing literature (1995-2023) and revealing insights into key trends, methodological approaches, and emerging themes of control charts in healthcare. In parallel, a bibliometric analysis (1990-2023) on 184 articles gathered from Web of Science and Scopus was performed, quantitatively assessing the scholarly landscape encompassing control charts in healthcare. Among 25 countries, the USA is the foremost user of control charts, accounting for 33% of all applications, whereas among 14 health departments, epidemiology leads with 28% of applications. The practice of control charts in health monitoring has increased by more than one-third during the last 3 years. Globally, exponentially weighted moving average charts are the most popular, but interestingly the USA remained the top user of Shewhart charts. The study also uncovers a dynamic landscape in healthcare quality monitoring, with key contributors, research networks, research hotspot tendencies, and leading countries. Influential authors, such as J.C. Benneyan, W.H. Woodall, and M.A. Mohammed played a leading role in this field. In-countries networking, USA-UK leads the largest cluster, while other clusters include Denmark-Norway-Sweden, China-Singapore, and Canada-South Africa. From 1990 to 2023, healthcare monitoring evolved from studying efficiency to focusing on conditional monitoring and flowcharting, with human health, patient safety, and health surveys dominating 2011-2020, and recent years emphasizing epidemic control, COronaVIrus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) statistical process control, hospitals, and human health monitoring using control charts. It identifies a transition from conventional to artificial intelligence approaches, with increasing contributions from machine learning and deep learning in the context of Industry 4.0. New researchers and journals are emerging, reshaping the academic context of control charts in healthcare. Our research reveals the evolving landscape of healthcare quality monitoring, surpassing traditional reviews. We uncover emerging trends, research gaps, and a transition in leadership from established contributors to newcomers amidst technological advancements. This study deepens the importance of control charts, offering insights for healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers to enhance healthcare quality. Future challenges and research directions are also provided.

Influence of agro-wastes derived biochar and their composite on reducing the mobility of toxic heavy metals and their bioavailability in industrial contaminated soils.

The agro-waste derived valuable products are prime interest for effective management of toxic heavy metals (THMs). The present study investigated the efficacy of biochars (BCs) on immobilization of THMs (Cr, Zn, Pb, Cu, Ni and Cd), bioaccumulation and health risk. Agro-wastes derived BCs including wheat straw biochar (WSB), orange peel biochar (OPB), rice husk biochar (RHB) and their composite biochar (CB) were applied in industrial contaminated soil (ICS) at 1% and 3% amendments rates. All the BCs significantly decreased the bioavailable THMs and significantly (p < 0.001) reduced bioaccumulation at 3% application with highest efficiency for CB followed by OPB, WSB and RHB as compared to control treatment. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF), concentration index (CI) and ecological risk were decreased with all BCs. The hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) of all THMs were <1, except Cd, while carcer risk (CR) and total cancer risk index (TCRI) were decreased through all BCs. The overall results depicted that CB at 3% application rate showed higher efficacy to reduce significantly (p < 0.001) the THMs uptake and reduced health risk. Hence, the present study suggests that the composite of BCs prepared from agro-wastes is eco-friendly amendment to reduce THMs in ICS and minimize its subsequent uptake in vegetables.

The present study has a scientific research scope, based on reduction of bioavailability and bioaccumulation of toxic heavy metals (THMs) by the addition of biochars derived from agro-wastes and their composite biochar (CB), thereby decreasing the potential health risk. Limited study has been conducted, especially on the impact of CB in THMs-contaminated soil. This study could fill the scientific research gap and provides useful information for mitigation of THMs present in contaminated soil, which could be followed by the Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Agriculture and farmers in degraded lands.

A Sensor Placement Approach Using Multi-Objective Hypergraph Particle Swarm Optimization to Improve Effectiveness of Structural Health Monitoring Systems.

In this paper, a novel Multi-Objective Hypergraph Particle Swarm Optimization (MOHGPSO) algorithm for structural health monitoring (SHM) systems is considered. This algorithm autonomously identifies the most relevant sensor placements in a combined fitness function without artificial intervention. The approach utilizes six established Optimal Sensor Placement (OSP) methods to generate a Pareto front, which is systematically analyzed and archived through Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) and Fuzzy Decision Making (FDM). This comprehensive analysis demonstrates the proposed approach's superior performance in determining sensor placements, showcasing its adaptability to structural changes, enhancement of durability, and effective management of the life cycle of structures. Overall, this paper makes a significant contribution to engineering by leveraging advancements in sensor and information technologies to ensure essential infrastructure safety through SHM systems.

Off-Label use of Woven EndoBridge device for intracranial brain aneurysm treatment: Modeling of occlusion outcome.

INTRODUCTION: The Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device is emerging as a novel therapy for intracranial aneurysms, but its use for off-label indications requires further study. Using machine learning, we aimed to develop predictive models for complete occlusion after off-label WEB treatment and to identify factors associated with occlusion outcomes. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study included 162 patients who underwent off-label WEB treatment for intracranial aneurysms. Baseline, morphological, and procedural variables were utilized to develop machine-learning models predicting complete occlusion. Model interpretation was performed to determine significant predictors. Ordinal regression was also performed with occlusion status as an ordinal outcome from better (Raymond Roy Occlusion Classification [RROC] grade 1) to worse (RROC grade 3) status. Odds ratios (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were reported. RESULTS: The best performing model achieved an AUROC of 0.8 for predicting complete occlusion. Larger neck diameter and daughter sac were significant independent predictors of incomplete occlusion. On multivariable ordinal regression, higher RROC grades (OR 1.86, 95 % CI 1.25-2.82), larger neck diameter (OR 1.69, 95 % CI 1.09-2.65), and presence of daughter sacs (OR 2.26, 95 % CI 0.99-5.15) were associated with worse aneurysm occlusion after WEB treatment, independent of other factors. CONCLUSION: This study found that larger neck diameter and daughter sacs were associated with worse occlusion after WEB therapy for aneurysms. The machine learning approach identified anatomical factors related to occlusion outcomes that may help guide patient selection and monitoring with this technology. Further validation is needed.

Design and Evaluation of Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Bio-composite for Site-Specific Oral Delivery of Darifenacin.

Benign hyperplasia (BHP) is a common disorder that affects men over the age of 60 years. Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is the gold standard for operative treatment, but a range of drugs are also available to improve quality of life and to reduce BHP-associated urinary tract infections and complications. Darifenacin, an anti-muscarinic agent, has been found effective for relieving symptoms of overactive bladder associated with BHP, but the drug has poor solubility and bioavailability, which are major challenges in product development. An inorganic/organic bio-composite with gastric pH-resistant property was synthesized for the targeted oral delivery of Darifenacin to the lower gastrointestinal tract (GIT). This development was accomplished through co-precipitation of calcium carbonate in quince seed-based mucilage. The FTIR, XRD, DSC, and TGA results showed good drug-polymer compatibility, and the SEM images showed calcite formation in the quince hydrogel system. After 72 h, the drug release of 34% and 75% were observed in acidic (0.1N HCl) and 6.8 pH phosphate buffer, respectively. A restricted/less drug was permeated through gastric membrane (21.8%) as compared to permeation through intestinal membrane (65%.) The developed composite showed significant reduction in testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia (2.39 ± 0.12***) as compared to untreated diseased animal group. No sign of organ toxicity was observed against all the developed composites. In this study, we developed an inorganic-organic composite system that is highly biocompatible and effective for targeting the lower GIT, thereby avoiding the first-pass metabolism of darifenacin.

Evaluation Health Risks and Sorption of Hexavalent Chromium (Cr(VI) by Biochar and Iron Doped Zinc Oxide Modified Biochar (Fe-ZnO@BC) Using Trifolium: A Green Synthesis Technique.

Contamination of aquatic and terrestrial environment with hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) is one of the major hazards worldwide due its carcinogenicity, persistency and immobility. Different research techniques have been adopted for Cr(VI) remediation present in terrestrial and aquatic media, while adsorption being the most advance, low cost, environmentally friendly and common method. The present study discussed the mechanisms of Parthenium hysterophorus derived biochar, iron-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (nFe-ZnO) and Fe-ZnO modified biochar (Fe-ZnO@BC) involved in Cr(VI) mobility and bioavailability. Pot experiments were conducted to study the effect of Parthenium hysterophorus derived biochar, nFe-ZnO and Fe-ZnO@BC application rates (2%, 2 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, respectively). The results indicated that the addition of soil amendments reduced Cr(VI) mobility. The findings revealed that the reduction in chromium mobility was observed by P. hysterophorus BC, and Fe-ZnO@BC but nFe-ZnO application significantly (p = 0.05) reduced Cr(VI) and CrT uptake as compared to the control treatments. The results of SEM coupled with EDS showed a high micropores and channel, smooth surface which helped in adsorption, and may enhance soil conditions. The concentration index (CI) by different amendments in trifolium plant was followed the descending order as: nFe-ZnO > Fe-ZnO@BC > P. hysterophorus BC after 30, 60 and 90 days of harvesting, respectively. In addition, human health risk index was found less than one (H1 < 1.0) in amended soils as compared to control treatments.

Metastatic PSMA avid prostate tumour with penile uptake; a rare metastatic site on PET-CT.

Prostate carcinoma is the most common malignancy in males and the second most common cause of mortality. Initially, metastatic prostate cancers tend to involve bones, but these tumours can involve any system. Gallium-68 prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission computed tomography (PET-CT) scan is indicated in prostate cancer patients if PSA levels are raised, and CT and bone scans are inconclusive. Metastatic penile involvement is a rare phenomenon. We present a case of prostate cancer with foci of PSMA uptake in the penile region. .

Genomic diversity of aquaporins across genus Oryza provides a rich genetic resource for development of climate resilient rice cultivars.

BACKGROUND: Plant aquaporins are critical genetic players performing multiple biological functions, especially climate resilience and water-use efficiency. Their genomic diversity across genus Oryza is yet to be explored. RESULTS: This study identified 369 aquaporin-encoding genes from 11 cultivated and wild rice species and further categorized these into four major subfamilies, among which small basic intrinsic proteins are speculated to be ancestral to all land plant aquaporins. Evolutionarily conserved motifs in peptides of aquaporins participate in transmembrane transport of materials and their relatively complex gene structures provide an evolutionary playground for regulation of genome structure and transcription. Duplication and evolution analyses revealed higher genetic conservation among Oryza aquaporins and strong purifying selections are assisting in conserving the climate resilience associated functions. Promoter analysis highlighted enrichment of gene upstream regions with cis-acting regulatory elements involved in diverse biological processes, whereas miRNA target site prediction analysis unveiled substantial involvement of osa-miR2102-3p, osa-miR2927 and osa-miR5075 in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression patterns. Moreover, expression patterns of japonica aquaporins were significantly perturbed in response to different treatment levels of six phytohormones and four abiotic stresses, suggesting their multifarious roles in plants survival under stressed environments. Furthermore, superior haplotypes of seven conserved orthologous aquaporins for higher thousand-grain weight are reported from a gold mine of 3,010 sequenced rice pangenomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study unveils the complete genomic atlas of aquaporins across genus Oryza and provides a comprehensive genetic resource for genomics-assisted development of climate-resilient rice cultivars.

Salinity and exogenous H2 O2 improve gas exchange, osmoregulation, and antioxidant metabolism in quinoa under drought stress.

Climate change-induced concurrent drought and salinity stresses significantly threaten global crop yields, yet the physio-biochemical responses to combined stress in quinoa remain elusive. This study evaluated quinoa responses under four growth conditions: well-watered, drought stress, salt stress, and drought + salt stress with (15 mM) or without (0 mM) exogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) application. All examined stresses (alone or in combination) reduce quinoa growth and net photosynthesis, although salt stress was found to be less destructive than drought and combined stress. Strikingly, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), stomatal conductance (gs ), photosynthetic rate (PN ), K+ uptake, shoot height, shoot fresh, and dry weight were increased by 46.1%, 22.2%, 101.6%, 12.9%, 12.1%, 22.4%, 7.1%, 14%, and 16.4%, respectively, under combined stress compared to drought alone. In addition, exogenous H2 O2 effectively improved gaseous exchange, osmolytes' accumulation, and antioxidant activity, resulting in reduced lipid peroxidation, which eventually led to higher plant growth under all coercive conditions. The principle component analysis (PCA) indicated a strong positive correlation between antioxidant enzymes and inorganic ions, which contributed efficiently to osmotic adjustment, particularly under conditions of salinity followed by combined stress. In short, in combination, salt stress has the potential to mitigate drought-induced injuries by promoting the absorption of inorganic solutes for osmoregulation in quinoa plants. Furthermore, exogenous application of H2 O2 could be opted to enhance quinoa performance to increase its tolerance mechanism against drought and salinity, even under combined stress.

Histologically interpretable clot radiomic features predict treatment outcomes of mechanical thrombectomy for ischemic stroke.

PURPOSE: Radiomics features (RFs) extracted from CT images may provide valuable information on the biological structure of ischemic stroke blood clots and mechanical thrombectomy outcome. Here, we aimed to identify RFs predictive of thrombectomy outcomes and use clot histomics to explore the biology and structure related to these RFs. METHODS: We extracted 293 RFs from co-registered non-contrast CT and CTA. RFs predictive of revascularization outcomes defined by first-pass effect (FPE, near to complete clot removal in one thrombectomy pass), were selected. We then trained and cross-validated a balanced logistic regression model fivefold, to assess the RFs in outcome prediction. On a subset of cases, we performed digital histopathology on the clots and computed 227 histomic features from their whole slide images as a means to interpret the biology behind significant RF. RESULTS: We identified 6 significantly-associated RFs. RFs reflective of continuity in lower intensities, scattered higher intensities, and intensities with abrupt changes in texture were associated with successful revascularization outcome. For FPE prediction, the multi-variate model had high performance, with AUC = 0.832 ± 0.031 and accuracy = 0.760 ± 0.059 in training, and AUC = 0.787 ± 0.115 and accuracy = 0.787 ± 0.127 in cross-validation testing. Each of the 6 RFs was related to clot component organization in terms of red blood cell and fibrin/platelet distribution. Clots with more diversity of components, with varying sizes of red blood cells and fibrin/platelet regions in the section, were associated with RFs predictive of FPE. CONCLUSION: Upon future validation in larger datasets, clot RFs on CT imaging are potential candidate markers for FPE prediction.

The optimal control chart selection for monitoring COVID-19 phases: a case study of daily deaths in the USA.

Epidemiologists frequently adopt statistical process control tools, like control charts, to detect changes in the incidence or prevalence of a specific disease in real time, thereby protecting against outbreaks and emergent health concerns. Control charts have proven essential in instantly identifying fluctuations in infection rates, spotting emerging patterns, and enabling timely reaction measures in the context of COVID-19 monitoring. This study aims to review and select an optimal control chart in epidemiology to monitor variations in COVID-19 deaths and understand pandemic mortality patterns. An essential aspect of the present study is selecting an appropriate monitoring technique for distinct deaths in the USA in seven phases, including pre-growth, growth, and post-growth phases. Stage-1 evaluated control chart applications in epidemiology departments of 12 countries between 2000 and 2022. The study assessed various control charts and identified the optimal one based on maximum shift detection using sample data. This study considered at Shewhart ($\bar X$, $R$, $C$) control charts and exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control chart with smoothing parameters λ = 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 were all investigated in this study. In Stage-2, we applied the EWMA control chart for monitoring because of its outstanding shift detection capabilities and compatibility with the present data. Daily deaths have been monitored from March 2020 to February 2023. Control charts in epidemiology show growing use, with the USA leading at 42% applications among top countries. During the application on COVID-19 deaths, the EWMA chart accurately depicted mortality dynamics from March 2020 to February 2022, indicating six distinct stages of death. The third and fifth waves were extremely catastrophic, resulting in a considerable loss of life. Significantly, a persistent sixth wave appeared from March 2022 to February 2023. The EWMA map effectively determined the peaks associated with each wave by thoroughly examining the time and amount of deaths, providing vital insights into the pandemic's progression. The severity of each wave was measured by the average number of deaths $W5(1899)\,\gt\,W3(1881)\,\gt\,W4(1393)\,\gt\,W1(1036)\,\gt\,W2(853)\,\gt\,(W6(473)$. The USA entered a seventh phase (6th wave) from March 2022 to February 2023, marked by fewer deaths. While reassuring, it remains crucial to maintain vaccinations and pandemic control measures. Control charts enable early detection of daily COVID-19 deaths, providing a systematic strategy for government and medical staff. Incorporating the EWMA chart for monitoring immunizations, cases, and deaths is recommended.

Donor-derived spermatogenesis following stem cell transplantation in sterile NANOS2 knockout males.

Spermatogonial stem cell transplantation (SSCT) is an experimental technique for transfer of germline between donor and recipient males that could be used as a tool for biomedical research, preservation of endangered species, and dissemination of desirable genetics in food animal populations. To fully realize these potentials, recipient males must be devoid of endogenous germline but possess normal testicular architecture and somatic cell function capable of supporting allogeneic donor stem cell engraftment and regeneration of spermatogenesis. Here we show that male mice, pigs, goats, and cattle harboring knockout alleles of the NANOS2 gene generated by CRISPR-Cas9 editing have testes that are germline ablated but otherwise structurally normal. In adult pigs and goats, SSCT with allogeneic donor stem cells led to sustained donor-derived spermatogenesis. With prepubertal mice, allogeneic SSCT resulted in attainment of natural fertility. Collectively, these advancements represent a major step toward realizing the enormous potential of surrogate sires as a tool for dissemination and regeneration of germplasm in all mammalian species.

Evaluating a 3D deep learning pipeline for cerebral vessel and intracranial aneurysm segmentation from computed tomography angiography-digital subtraction angiography image pairs.

OBJECTIVE: Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is the most widely used imaging modality for intracranial aneurysm (IA) management, yet it remains inferior to digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for IA detection, particularly of small IAs in the cavernous carotid region. The authors evaluated a deep learning pipeline for segmentation of vessels and IAs from CTA using coregistered, segmented DSA images as ground truth. METHODS: Using 50 paired CTA-DSA images, the authors trained (n = 27), validated (n = 3), and tested (n = 20) a deep learning model (3D DeepMedic) for cerebrovasculature segmentation from CTA. A landmark-based coregistration algorithm was used for registration and upsampling of CTA images to paired DSA images. Segmented vessels from the DSA were used as the ground truth. Accuracy of the model for vessel segmentation was evaluated using conventional metrics (dice similarity coefficient [DSC]) and vessel segmentation-specific metrics, like connectivity-area-length (CAL). On the test cases (20 IAs), 3 expert raters attempted to detect and segment IAs. For each rater, the authors recorded the rate of IA detection, and for detected IAs, raters segmented and calculated important IA morphology parameters to quantify the differences in IA segmentation by raters to segmentations by DeepMedic. The agreement between raters, DeepMedic, and ground truth was assessed using Krippendorf's alpha. RESULTS: In testing, the DeepMedic model yielded a CAL of 0.971 ± 0.007 and a DSC of 0.868 ± 0.008. The model prediction delineated all IAs and resulted in average error rates of < 10% for all IA morphometrics. Conversely, average IA detection accuracy by the raters was 0.653 (undetected IAs were present to a significantly greater degree on the ICA, likely due to those in the cavernous region, and were significantly smaller). Error rates for IA morphometrics in rater-segmented cases were significantly higher than in DeepMedic-segmented cases, particularly for neck (p = 0.003) and surface area (p = 0.04). For IA morphology, agreement between the raters was acceptable for most metrics, except for the undulation index (α = 0.36) and the nonsphericity index (α = 0.69). Agreement between DeepMedic and ground truth was consistently higher compared with that between expert raters and ground truth. CONCLUSIONS: This CTA segmentation network (DeepMedic trained on DSA-segmented vessels) provides a high-fidelity solution for CTA vessel segmentation, particularly for vessels and IAs in the carotid cavernous region.