Cholera disease dynamics with vaccination control using delay differential equation.

The COVID-19 pandemic came with many setbacks, be it to a country's economy or the global missions of organizations like WHO, UNICEF or GTFCC. One of the setbacks is the rise in cholera cases in developing countries due to the lack of cholera vaccination. This model suggested a solution by introducing another public intervention, such as adding Chlorine to water bodies and vaccination. A novel delay differential model of fractional order was recommended, with two different delays, one representing the latent period of the disease and the other being the delay in adding a disinfectant to the aquatic environment. This model also takes into account the population that will receive a vaccination. This study utilized sensitivity analysis of reproduction number to analytically prove the effectiveness of control measures in preventing the spread of the disease. This analysis provided the mathematical evidence for adding disinfectants in water bodies and inoculating susceptible individuals. The stability of the equilibrium points has been discussed. The existence of stability switching curves is determined. Numerical simulation showed the effect of delay, resulting in fluctuations in some compartments. It also depicted the impact of the order of derivative on the oscillations.

HPV DNA status and clinical history of patients are supplements for accurate reporting of the cytological Pap smear.

The present study was aimed at showing the importance of HPV DNA status and the clinical history of the patients required by the cytologist for accurate reporting. A total of 1250 symptomatic women who attended the gynaecology outpatient department of the Mahavir Cancer Sansthan and Nalanda Medical College, Patna, for pap smear examinations were screened and recruited for the study. Due to highly clinical symptoms out of the negative with inflammatory smears reported, one hundred and ten patients were randomly advised for biopsy and HPV 16/18 DNA analysis by a gynaecologist to correlate negative smears included in the study. Pap smear reports revealed that 1178 (94.24%) were negative for intraepithelial lesions (NILM) with inflammatory smears, 23 (1.84%) smears showed low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), 12 (0.96%) smears showed high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, and 37 (2.96%) smears showed an atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance (ASC-US). A biopsy of 110 out of 1178 (NILM) patients revealed that 15 (13.63%) women had cervical cancer, 29 women had CIN I, 17 women had CIN II + CIN III, 35 women had benign cervical changes, and 14 women had haemorrhages. On the other hand, HPV 16/18 DNA was detected as positive in 87 out of 110. The high positivity of HPV in biopsied cases where frank cervical cancer and at-risk cancer were also observed in the negative smear-screened patients reveals that the HPV status and clinical history of the patients will be quite helpful to the cytologist for accurate reporting, and suggests that a negative HPV DNA result may be a stronger predictor of cervical cancer risk than a negative Pap test.

"The burden of lifestyle diseases and their impact on health service in India"-A narrative review.

Basically, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are lifestyle diseases. They cannot be transmitted from one person to another person. Instead, our lifestyle, genetics, and environment influence our susceptibility to various diseases. In India, non-communicable illnesses and injuries are responsible for 52% of fatalities. The burden of non-communicable diseases and the resultant mortality are predicted to increase if the government does not take significant steps to prevent and control NCDs and related risk factors. According to the currently available research, the top causes of illness, disability, and death in India include hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, lung disease, chronic renal disease, trauma, stroke, and chronic obstructive and mental disorders. Since 1980s, the Government of India has assisted the states through several vertical programs to prevent and control NCDs. However, efforts to prevent and control NCDs significantly increased under the 11th plan. New programs were launched on a small scale in a select few districts. The financial burden of NCDs has mostly stayed the same, though based on past experiences, reducing exposure to risk factors requires focusing on health promotion and preventative actions. The public healthcare system must have the tools and talents needed for effective management, early diagnosis, and screening. Effective monitoring systems, integrated management, and public awareness campaigns are required to successfully implement the program and make services available to all national citizens.

Current profile of phenotypic pyrethroid resistance in Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) populations sampled from Marathwada region of Maharashtra state, India.

This study examined the pattern of resistance to widely applied synthetic pyrethroids, i.e., cypermethrin and deltamethrin, against larvae of Rhipicephalus microplus ticks sampled from Marathwada region in Maharashtra, India. The study also examined the role of α- and ß-esterases and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in resistance development. All eight R. microplus isolates tested were resistant to deltamethrin (RL IV), having RR50 values from 6.88 to 131.26. LPT analysis exhibited the resistance level II deltamethrin resistance in Beed and Hingoli, III in Dharashiv, and IV in Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Latur, Jalna, and Nanded isolates. The LIT analysis showed that Dharashiv field isolates had the lowest LC50 value of 229.09 ppm against cypermethrin, while Sambhajinagar field isolates had the highest at 489.78 ppm. The RR50 ranged from 1145.45 to 2448.9. Seven isolates were level I resistant to cypermethrin while the Jalna isolate was level II resistant. In larvae treated with deltamethrin and cypermethrin, the activity of α- and ß-esterase enzymes increased significantly compared to control groups. The enzyme ratios in treated larvae ranged from 0.7533 to 1.7023 for α-esterase and 0.7434 to 3.2054 for ß-esterase. The Hingoli isolate treated with cypermethrin exhibited the highest α-esterase activity (903.261), whereas Sambhajinagar isolate had the highest GST enzyme ratio (2.8224) after deltamethrin exposure. When exposed to cypermethrin, the Hingoli isolate showed the highest GST enzyme ratio, 2.0832. The present study provides the current resistance status in tick populations from Marathwada region indicating deltamethrin and cypermethrin to be ineffective for tick control. The results also suggest that SP compounds should be regulated in this region and alternative control strategies should be introduced.

SISAL FIBER REINFORCED AND CENOSPHERE HYBRIDIZED POLYPROPYLENE-SEBS COMPOSITE: AN INSIGHT INTO CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC, DYNAMIC MECHANICAL AND RHEOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR.

The current study attempts to explore the crystallographic, rheological and dynamic mechanical properties of the submicron-treated cenosphere (t- CSF) particles and sisal fiber (SF) reinforced Styrene-(Ethylene-Butylene)-Styrene (SEBS) toughened PP hybrid composites. Moreover, the composites reinforced with 25 wt.% of SF and 5 wt.% of CSF (Treated 6 wt.% cetrimonium bromide (CTAB)) demonstrated the most significant storage modulus (E'), loss modulus (E"), and lowest damping (tan δ) factor throughout the temperature range. Likewise, X-ray diffraction techniques were used to assess the samples' crystallographic properties. The composites reported an enhanced ß phase (responsible for high impact strength and reduced α phase of the base matrix compared to pristine PP. Likewise, all the composites' rheological properties showed an improved complex viscosity (η*) compared to the BM but lower than that of the pristine PP. Overall processing parameters of the BM and composites were improved due to the decrement in the η* of all the composites. The rheological properties confirmed the easy processing of the fabricated composites due to the improved flowability. The storage (G') and loss (G") modulus of all the composites were desirably higher than that of the BM.

5-Aminoisophthalate-based kojic acid-appended bis-1,2,3-triazole: a fluorescent chemosensor for Cu2+ sensing and in silico study.

A new, easy-to-prepare, and highly selective fluorescent chemosensor, i.e., 5-aminoisophthalate-based kojic acid-appended bis-1,2,3-triazole, was synthesized from an alkyne of 5-aminoisophthalic acid and azido-kojic acid using Cu(i)-catalyzed click chemistry and then successfully characterized. The alkyne structure of 5-aminoisophthalic acid, 1, was supported by the single-crystal X-ray crystallographic data. The fluorescent probe 3 was found to be highly selective for Cu2+ ions supported by the Job's plot with a stoichiometric ligand : metal ratio of 2 : 1, exhibiting almost a two-fold enhancement in the emission intensity upon the addition of Cu2+ ions (0-25 µM) with a detection limit of 8.82 µM. A comparison with LODs from previously developed chemosensors for Cu2+ ions was also conducted. Reversibility analysis indicated that probe 3 could be used as both a reusable sensor and as a scavenger of copper ions. DFT calculations with the basis sets B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) and LanL2DZ were employed for geometrical optimizations of structures of the alkyne 1, azide 2, probe 3, and complex 3.Cu2+. Hirshfeld surface analysis revealed significant intermolecular interactions in compound 1. Additionally, molecular docking for the antimicrobial activity showed the better antibacterial efficacy of probe 3.

A Rare Presentation of Epiploic Appendagitis as Chest Pain: A Case Report.

Epiploic appendagitis (EA) is an ischemic infarction of an epiploic appendage due to torsion or spontaneous thrombosis of the central vein of an epiploic appendage. It is a rare but benign and self-limiting cause of abdominal pain that is often misdiagnosed. The typical presentation of EA is lower abdominal pain, but pain can also occur in other parts of the abdomen. Presentation outside of the abdomen is a rare occurrence. Our patient presented with chest pain, and it was only through physical examination that mild right upper quadrant tenderness led to the suspicion of an intra-abdominal pathology, which was then confirmed with imaging. The patient responded to conservative management. Our possible explanation for this occurrence includes the proximity of the inflamed appendage to organs associated with chest pain and the possibility that patients sometimes describe pain location inaccurately.

TULIPs decorate the three-dimensional genome of PFA ependymoma.

Posterior fossa group A (PFA) ependymoma is a lethal brain cancer diagnosed in infants and young children. The lack of driver events in the PFA linear genome led us to search its 3D genome for characteristic features. Here, we reconstructed 3D genomes from diverse childhood tumor types and uncovered a global topology in PFA that is highly reminiscent of stem and progenitor cells in a variety of human tissues. A remarkable feature exclusively present in PFA are type B ultra long-range interactions in PFAs (TULIPs), regions separated by great distances along the linear genome that interact with each other in the 3D nuclear space with surprising strength. TULIPs occur in all PFA samples and recur at predictable genomic coordinates, and their formation is induced by expression of EZHIP. The universality of TULIPs across PFA samples suggests a conservation of molecular principles that could be exploited therapeutically.

The Evolution of Grain Microstructure in Friction Stir Welding of Dissimilar Al/Mg Alloys with Ultrasonic Assistance.

The process of grain refinement during welding significantly influences both the final microstructure and performance of the weld joint. In the present work, merits of acoustic addition in the conventional Frictions Stir Welding (FSW) process were evaluated for joining dissimilar Al/Mg alloys. To capture the near "in situ" structure around the exit hole, an "emergency stop" followed by rapid cooling using liquid nitrogen was employed. Electron Backscatter Diffraction analysis was utilized to characterize and examine the evolution of grain microstructure within the aluminum matrix as the material flowed around the exit hole. The findings reveal that two mechanisms, continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) and geometric dynamic recrystallization (GDRX), jointly or alternatively influence the grain evolution process. In conventional FSW, CDRX initially governs grain evolution, transitioning to GDRX as material deformation strain and temperature increase. Subsequently, as material deposition commences, CDRX reasserts dominance. Conversely, in acoustic addition, ultrasonic vibration accelerates GDRX, promoting its predominance by enhancing material flow and dislocation movements. Even during the material deposition, GDRX remains the dominant mechanism.

Aetiological profile of acute encephalitis syndrome in Assam, India, during a 4-year period from 2019 to 2022.

Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) is a major public health concern in India as the aetiology remains unknown in the majority of cases with the current testing algorithm. We aimed to study the incidence of Japanese encephalitis (JE) and determine the aetiology of non-JE AES cases to develop an evidence-based testing algorithm. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were tested for Japanese encephalitis virus by ELISA and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Multiplex real-time PCR was done for Dengue, Chikungunya, West Nile, Zika, Enterovirus, Epstein Barr Virus, Herpes Simplex Virus, Adenovirus, Cytomegalovirus, Herpesvirus 6, Parechovirus, Parvovirus B19, Varicella Zoster Virus, Scrub typhus, Rickettsia species, Leptospira, Salmonella species, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, Plasmodium species and by ELISA for Mumps and Measles virus. Of the 3173 CSF samples, 461 (14.5%) were positive for JE. Of the 334 non-JE AES cases, 66.2% viz. Scrub typhus (25.7%), Mumps (19.5%), Measles (4.2%), Parvovirus B19 (3.9%) Plasmodium (2.7%), HSV 1 and 2 (2.4%), EBV and Streptococcus pneumoniae (2.1% each), Salmonella and HHV 6 (1.2% each) were predominant. Hence, an improved surveillance system and our suggested expanded testing algorithm can improve the diagnosis of potentially treatable infectious agents of AES in India.

A Comprehensive Review of Our Understanding and Challenges of Viral Vaccines against Swine Pathogens.

Pig farming has become a strategically significant and economically important industry across the globe. It is also a potentially vulnerable sector due to challenges posed by transboundary diseases in which viral infections are at the forefront. Among the porcine viral diseases, African swine fever, classical swine fever, foot and mouth disease, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, pseudorabies, swine influenza, and transmissible gastroenteritis are some of the diseases that cause substantial economic losses in the pig industry. It is a well-established fact that vaccination is undoubtedly the most effective strategy to control viral infections in animals. From the period of Jenner and Pasteur to the recent new-generation technology era, the development of vaccines has contributed significantly to reducing the burden of viral infections on animals and humans. Inactivated and modified live viral vaccines provide partial protection against key pathogens. However, there is a need to improve these vaccines to address emerging infections more comprehensively and ensure their safety. The recent reports on new-generation vaccines against swine viruses like DNA, viral-vector-based replicon, chimeric, peptide, plant-made, virus-like particle, and nanoparticle-based vaccines are very encouraging. The current review gathers comprehensive information on the available vaccines and the future perspectives on porcine viral vaccines.

Bioactive enhancement of PVA films through CNC reinforcement and Ficus auriculata fruit extract: A novel synthesis for sustainable applications.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have received immense interest lately as a potential nanomaterial because of their excellent mechanical and biological properties. This investigation aims to formulate a composite coating made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), CNCs, and a methanolic extract from the dried leaves and fruit of the fig tree (Ficus auriculata) (FAE). A sequential procedure to get CNCs included alkaline and acid hydrolysis, sonication, and suitable methods for purification. Analytical techniques like X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study the CNC-loaded films. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of composites revealed superior thermal stability of the CNC-reinforced films versus control, evident from higher degradation temperatures, indicating desirable environmental resistance of proposed coatings for wood surfaces. The termite control was made more effective through synergistic use of a combination of CNCs, PVA, and FAE with proven insecticidal properties. The composite material was examined for its anti-termite resistance and termite mortality rate, and demonstrated that when used together, CNCs, PVA, and FAE were collectively and synergistically more effective at keeping termites away. The findings of this study demonstrate that the evolved composite could be used to develop anti-termite products that are environmentally benign and respond well. Synthesized composites also demonstrated significant antibacterial activity. Among all films, a combination of 0.7 % extract in PVA displayed excellent results with 26 and 28 mm diameter for growth inhibition zone for Gram-positive bacteria whereas 26 mm for both negative bacterial strains. The findings suggest a potential use of this composite as a sustainable, environmentally resistant, and eco-friendly alternative for termite/bacterial control in various building materials and wood preservation applications.

Assessing the impact of extracellular matrix fiber orientation on breast cancer cellular metabolism.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a dynamic and complex microenvironment that modulates cell behavior and cell fate. Changes in ECM composition and architecture have been correlated with development, differentiation, and disease progression in various pathologies, including breast cancer [1]. Studies have shown that aligned fibers drive a pro-metastatic microenvironment, promoting the transformation of mammary epithelial cells into invasive ductal carcinoma via the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) [2]. The impact of ECM orientation on breast cancer metabolism, however, is largely unknown. Here, we employ two non-invasive imaging techniques, fluorescence-lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) and intensity-based multiphoton microscopy, to assess the metabolic states of cancer cells cultured on ECM-mimicking nanofibers in a random and aligned orientation. By tracking the changes in the intrinsic fluorescence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide, as well as expression levels of metastatic markers, we reveal how ECM fiber orientation alters cancer metabolism and EMT progression. Our study indicates that aligned cellular microenvironments play a key role in promoting metastatic phenotypes of breast cancer as evidenced by a more glycolytic metabolic signature on nanofiber scaffolds of aligned orientation compared to scaffolds of random orientation. This finding is particularly relevant for subsets of breast cancer marked by high levels of collagen remodeling (e.g. pregnancy associated breast cancer), and may serve as a platform for predicting clinical outcomes within these subsets [3-6].

On body and off body communication using a compact wideband and high gain wearable textile antenna.

In this paper, a compact low-profile dual-band wearable textile antenna is proposed for on-body and off-body communications. The presented antenna works efficiently in the 5G n79 frequency band (4.4 - 5 GHz) and the ISM band (5.725 - 5.875 GHz). The designed antenna has an ultra-wide impedance bandwidth of 2.01 GHz and peak realized gains of 10.5 dBi and 12 dBi at 4.5 GHz and 5.8 GHz, respectively. The antenna has a small footprint (π × 0.3λ02), which is inspired by circular fractal geometry. The performance of the presented wearable antenna is evaluated at various body parts, including the arm, wrist, and chest. The link margin is evaluated in the on-body and off-body communication scenarios, i.e., communication with the implantable antenna and the outside-body antenna, which is 80 dB and 65 dB at 4.5 GHz and 5.8 GHz, respectively. The 1 gm/10 gm specific absorption rate values at 4.5 GHz and 5.8 GHz are 0.12/0.098 and 0.11/0.082, respectively, which are significantly lower than the standard values, making the proposed antenna suitable for modern wearable applications.

Sulphur-atom positional engineering in perylenimide: structure-property relationships and H-aggregation directed type-I photodynamic therapy.

An innovative design strategy of placing sulfur (S)-atoms within the pendant functional groups and at carbonyl positions in conventional perylenimide (PNI-O) has been demonstrated to investigate the condensed state structure-property relationship and potential photodynamic therapy (PDT) application. Incorporation of simply S-atoms at the peri-functionalized perylenimide (RPNI-O) leads to an aggregation-induced enhanced emission luminogen (AIEEgen), 2-hexyl-8-(thianthren-1-yl)-1H-benzo[5,10]anthra[2,1,9-def]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dione (API), which achieves a remarkable photoluminescence quantum yield (Φ PL) of 0.85 in aqueous environments and established novel AIE mechanisms. Additionally, substitution of the S-atom at the carbonyl position in RPNI-O leads to thioperylenimides (RPNI-S): 2-hexyl-8-phenyl-1H-benzo[5,10]anthra[2,1,9-def]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dithione (PPIS), 8-([2,2'-bithiophen]-5-yl)-2-hexyl-1H-benzo[5,10]anthra[2,1,9-def]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dithione (THPIS), and 2-hexyl-8-(thianthren-1-yl)-1H-benzo[5,10]anthra[2,1,9-def]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dithion (APIS), with distinct photophysical properties (enlarged spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and Φ PL ≈ 0.00), and developed diverse potent photosensitizers (PSs). The present work provides a novel SOC enhancement mechanism via pronounced H-aggregation. Surprisingly, the lowest singlet oxygen quantum yield (Φ Δ) and theoretical calculation suggest the specific type-I PDT for RPNI-S. Interestingly, RPNI-S efficiently produces superoxide (O2˙-) due to its remarkably lower Gibbs free energy (ΔG) values (THPIS: -40.83 kcal mol-1). The non-toxic and heavy-atom free very specific thio-based PPIS and THPIS PSs showed selective and efficient PDT under normoxia, as a rare example.

Quantifying variations associated with dental caries reveals disparity in effect allele frequencies across diverse populations.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries (DC) is a multifaceted oral condition influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Recent advancements in genotyping and sequencing technologies, such as Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) have helped researchers to identify numerous genetic variants associated with DC, but their prevalence and significance across diverse global populations remain poorly understood as most of the studies were conducted in European populations, and very few were conducted in Asians specifically in Indians. AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the genetic affinity of effect alleles associated with DC to understand the genetic relationship between global populations with respect to the Indian context. METHODOLOGY: This present study used an empirical approach in which variants associated with DC susceptibility were selected. These variants were identified and annotated using the GWAS summary. The genetic affinity was evaluated using Fst. RESULTS: The effect of allele frequencies among different populations was examined, revealing variations in allele distribution. African populations exhibited higher frequencies of specific risk alleles, whereas East Asian and European populations displayed distinct profiles. South Asian populations showed a unique genetic cluster. CONCLUSION: Our study emphasises the complex genetic landscape of DC and highlights the need for population-specific research as well as validation of GWAS-identified markers in Indians before defining them as established candidate genes.

Elucidating key determinants of engineered scFv antibody in MMP-9 binding using high throughput screening and machine learning.

An imbalance in matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) regulation can lead to numerous diseases, including neurological disorders, cancer, and pre-term labor. Engineering single-chain antibody fragments (scFvs) Targeting MMP-9 to develop novel therapeutics for such diseases is desirable. We screened a synthetic scFv antibody library displayed on the yeast surface for binding improvement to MMP-9 using FACS (fluorescent-activated cell sorting). The scFv antibody clones isolated after FACS showed improvement in binding to MMP-9 compared to the endogenous inhibitor. To understand molecular determinants of binding between engineered scFv antibody variants and MMP-9, next-generation DNA sequencing, and computational protein structure analysis were used. Additionally, a deep-learning language model was trained on the synthetic library to predict the binding of scFv variants using their CDR-H3 sequences.