Low-complexity and low-latency equalization technique - probabilistic noise cancellation.

Both inside data centers (DCs) and in short optical links between data centers (DC campuses), intensity-modulation and direct-detection (IMDD) systems using four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) will dominate this decade due to low transceiver price and power consumption. The next DC transceiver generation based on 100 Gbaud PAM4 will require advanced digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms and more powerful forward error correction (FEC) codes. Because of bandwidth limitations, the conventional DC DSP based on a few-tap linear feed-forward equalizer (FFE) is likely to be upgraded to more complex but still low-complexity Volterra equalizers followed by a noise whitening filter and either a maximum likelihood sequence estimation (MLSE) or a maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) algorithm. However, stringent power consumption and latency requirements may limit the use of complex algorithms such as decision feedback equalizer (DFE) or MLSE/MAP in DC networks (DCN). In this paper, we introduce a low-complexity, low-latency algorithm based on a feedforward structure, yielding a performance between DFE and MLSE. We call the novel equalization algorithm probabilistic noise cancellation (PNC), since it weights noise patterns based on their probabilities in the presence of bandwidth limitations. The probabilistic weighting is efficiently exploited in correcting correlated errors caused by noise coloring in the FFE.

Comparative metagenomics and microbial dynamics of jute retting environment.

Jute, eco-friendly natural fiber, depends on conventional water-based microbial retting process that suffers from the production of low-quality fiber, restricting its diversified applications. The efficiency of water retting of jute depends on plant polysaccharide fermenting pectinolytic microorganisms. Understanding the phase difference in retting microbial community composition is crucial to provide knowledge on the functions of each member of microbiota for the improvement of retting and fiber quality. The retting microbiota profiling of jute was commonly performed previously using only one retting phase with culture-dependent methods which has limited coverage and accuracy. Here, for the first we have analyzed jute retting water through WGS metagenome approach in three phases (pre-retting, aerobic retting, and anaerobic retting phases) and characterized the microbial communities both culturable and non-culturable along with their dynamics with the fluctuation of oxygen availability. Our analysis revealed a total of 25.99 × 104 unknown proteins (13.75%), 16.18 × 105 annotated proteins (86.08%), and 32.68 × 102 ribosomal RNA (0.17%) in the pre-retting phase, 15.12 × 104 unknown proteins (8.53%), 16.18 × 105 annotated proteins (91.25%), and 38.62 × 102 ribosomal RNA (0.22%) in the aerobic retting phase, and 22.68 × 102 ribosomal RNA and 80.14 × 104 (99.72%) annotated protein in the anaerobic retting phase. Taxonomically, we identified 53 different phylotypes in the retting environment, with Proteobacteria being the dominant taxa comprising over 60% of the population. We have identified 915 genera from Archaea, Viruses, Bacteria, and Eukaryota in the retting habitat, with anaerobic or facultative anaerobic pectinolytic microflora being enriched in the anoxic, nutrient-rich retting niche, such as Aeromonas (7%), Bacteroides (3%), Clostridium (6%), Desulfovibrio (4%), Acinetobacter (4%), Enterobacter (1%), Prevotella (2%), Acidovorax (3%), Bacillus (1%), Burkholderia (1%), Dechloromonas (2%), Caulobacter (1%) and Pseudomonas (7%). We observed an increase in the expression of 30 different KO functional level 3 pathways in the final retting stage compared to the middle and pre-retting stages. The main functional differences among the retting phases were found to be related to nutrient absorption and bacterial colonization. These findings reveal the bacterial groups that are involved in fiber retting different phases and will facilitate to develop future phase-specific microbial consortia for the improvement of jute retting process.

Examining the disparities of anti-malarial drug consumption among children under the age of five: a study of 5 malaria-endemic countries.

BACKGROUND: Malaria is one of the most prominent illnesses affecting children, ranking as one of the key development concerns for many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). There is not much information available on the use of anti-malarial drugs in LMICs in children under five. The study aimed to investigate disparities in anti-malarial drug consumption for malaria among children under the age of five in LMICs. METHODS: This study used recent available cross-sectional data from the Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) datasets across five LMICs (Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone), which covered a portion of sub-Saharan Africa. The study was carried out between January 2, 2023, and April 15, 2023, and included children under the age of five who had taken an anti-malarial drug for malaria 2 weeks before the survey date. The outcome variable was anti-malarial drug consumption, which was classified into two groups: those who had taken anti-malarial drugs and those who had not. RESULTS: In the study of LMICs, 32,397 children under five were observed, and among them, 44.1% had received anti-malarial drugs. Of the five LMICs, Kenya had the lowest (9.2%) and Mali had the highest (70.5%) percentages of anti-malarial drug consumption. Children under five with malaria are more likely to receive anti-malarial drugs if they are over 1 year old, live in rural areas, have mothers with higher education levels, and come from wealthier families. CONCLUSION: The study emphasizes the importance of developing universal coverage strategies for anti-malarial drug consumption at both the national and local levels. The study also recommends that improving availability and access to anti-malarial drugs may be necessary, as the consumption of these drugs for treating malaria in children under the age of five is shockingly low in some LMICs.

Under-five children's acute respiratory infection dropped significantly in Bangladesh: An evidence from Bangladesh demographic and health survey, 1996-2018.

AIM: This study aims to systematically identify and review the most significant risk factors and the trends that follow acute respiratory infection (ARI) among children under five in Bangladesh. METHODS: A total of 6863 under-five children were eligible for our analysis, retrieved from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), 2014. ARI cases were defined if a child experienced coughing with short and rapid breathing at the chest that occurred during 2 weeks prior to the study. Logistic regression and systematic review methods were appraised to explore the various risk factors involving ARI in Bangladesh. Furthermore, a trend analysis was performed to overlook the historical trend of ARI prevalence and affiliated determinants from 1996/97 to 2017/18 in Bangladesh. RESULTS: Over the past two decades, Bangladesh experienced a significant drop in ARI prevalence from 12.8% in 1996 to only 3.0% in 2018. The cross-sectional findings revealed that boys (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.03-1.78), stunted children (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.03-1.78) and mothers with primary or no education (OR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.43-4.90) and secondary education (OR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.00-3.44) have the higher odds of ARI than their counterparts. CONCLUSION: Acute respiratory infection prevalence significantly declined in Bangladesh, while boys, stunted children and uneducated or primary educated mothers were identified as potential risk factors.

Transcriptome of nasopharyngeal samples from COVID-19 patients and a comparative analysis with other SARS-CoV-2 infection models reveal disparate host responses against SARS-CoV-2.

BACKGROUND: Although it is becoming evident that individual's immune system has a decisive influence on SARS-CoV-2 disease progression, pathogenesis is largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to profile the host transcriptome of COVID-19 patients from nasopharyngeal samples along with virus genomic features isolated from respective host, and a comparative analyses of differential host responses in various SARS-CoV-2 infection systems. RESULTS: Unique and rare missense mutations in 3C-like protease observed in all of our reported isolates. Functional enrichment analyses exhibited that the host induced responses are mediated by innate immunity, interferon, and cytokine stimulation. Surprisingly, induction of apoptosis, phagosome, antigen presentation, hypoxia response was lacking within these patients. Upregulation of immune and cytokine signaling genes such as CCL4, TNFA, IL6, IL1A, CCL2, CXCL2, IFN, and CCR1 were observed in lungs. Lungs lacked the overexpression of ACE2 as suspected, however, high ACE2 but low DPP4 expression was observed in nasopharyngeal cells. Interestingly, directly or indirectly, viral proteins specially non-structural protein mediated overexpression of integrins such as ITGAV, ITGA6, ITGB7, ITGB3, ITGA2B, ITGA5, ITGA6, ITGA9, ITGA4, ITGAE, and ITGA8 in lungs compared to nasopharyngeal samples suggesting the possible way of enhanced invasion. Furthermore, we found comparatively highly expressed transcription factors such as CBP, CEBP, NFAT, ATF3, GATA6, HDAC2, TCF12 which have pivotal roles in lung injury. CONCLUSIONS: Even though this study incorporates a limited number of cases, our data will provide valuable insights in developing potential studies to elucidate the differential host responses on the viral pathogenesis in COVID-19, and incorporation of further data will enrich the search of an effective therapeutics.

Genome-wide identification of fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins in jute and their expression pattern during fiber formation.

Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins (FLAs), a class of arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) are involved in plant growth and development via cell communication and adhesion. FLAs were also associated with fiber and wood formation in plants but no information is available about the roles of FLA proteins during fibre development of jute. Here, we performed molecular characterization, evolutionary relationship and expression profiling of FLAs proteins in jute (Corchorus olitorius). In total, nineteen CoFLA genes have been identified in jute genome, which were divided into four classes like FLAs of other species based on protein structure and similarity. All CoFLAs have N-terminal signal peptide and one or two FAS domain while two FLAs lack well defined AGP region and eight FLAs were devoid of C-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. Expression analysis of different regions of jute stem suggested their involvement in different fiber development stages. Four genes CoFLA 11, 12, 20, and 23 were highly or predominately expressed in fiber containing bark tissues while the expression levels of six CoFLA genes 02, 03, 04, 06, 14 and 19 were comparatively higher in stick. Higher transcripts levels of CoFLA 12 and 20 in the middle bark tissues suggest their involvement in fiber elongation. In contrast, the CoFLA 11 and 23 were more expressed in bottom bark tissues suggesting their potential involvement in secondary cell wall synthesis. Our study can serve as solid foundation for further functional exploration of FLAs and in future breeding program of jute aiming fiber improvement.

Identification and validation of reference genes for real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis in jute.

BACKGROUND: With the availability of genome sequences, gene expression analysis of jute has drawn considerable attention for understanding the regulatory mechanisms of fiber development and improving fiber quality. Gene expression profiles of a target gene can provide valuable clues towards the understanding of its biological function. Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) is the best method for targeted gene expression analysis due to its sensitivity and reproducibility. However, calculating relative expression requires reference genes, which must be stable across various biological conditions. For this purposes, 11 prospective genes namely, 28S RNA, ACT7, CYP, EF1A, EF2, ETIF3E, GAPDH, PP2Ac, PTB, UBC2 and UBI1 were evaluated for their potential use as reference genes in jute. RESULTS: The expression stabilities of eleven prospective genes were analyzed in various jute plant tissues, such as the root, stick, bark, leaf, flower, seed and fiber, as well as under abiotic (waterlogged, drought and salinity) and biotic stress (infestation with Macrophomina phaseolina) conditions with different time points. All 11 genes were variably expressed in different tissues and stress conditions. To find suitable reference genes in different sample sets, a comprehensive approach based on four statistical algorithms such as GeNorm, BestKeeper, NormFinder the ΔCt was used. The PP2Ac and EF2 genes were the most stably expressed across the different tissues. ACT7 and UBC2 were suitable reference genes under drought stress, and CYP and PP2Ac were the most appropriate after inoculation with Macrophomina phaseolina. Under salinity stress, PP2Ac and UBC2 were the best genes, and ACT7 and PP2Ac were the most suitable under waterlogged conditions. CONCLUSION: Expression stability of reference genes from jute varied in different tissues and selected experimental conditions. Our results provide a valuable resource for the accurate normalization of gene expression experiments in fiber research for important bast fiber crops.

Cyanoremediation of heavy metals (As(v), Cd(ii), Cr(vi), Pb(ii)) by live cyanobacteria (Anabaena variabilis, and Synechocystis sp.): an eco-sustainable technology.

The cyanoremediation technique for heavy metal (HM) removal from wastewater using live cyanobacteria is promising to reduce the pollution risk both for the environment and human health. In this study, two widely recognized freshwater cyanobacteria, Anabaena variabilis and Synechocystis sp., were used to explore their efficacy in HM (As(v), Cd(ii), Cr(vi), Pb(ii)) removal. The different optimum adsorption conditions were pH 8 and 7.5 for A. variabilis and Synechocystis sp., respectively, but the temperature (25 °C) and contact time (48 hours) were the same for both strains. Under these specified conditions, A. variabilis exhibited the capability to remove 25% of As(v), 78% of Cd(ii), 54% of Cr(vi), and 17% of Pb(ii), whereas Synechocystis sp. removed 77% of As(v), 57% of Cd(ii), 91% of Cr(vi), and 77% of Pb(ii) at different initial concentrations. Metal diversity interfered negatively with cyanobacterial growth, especially Cd(ii) and As(v), as measured by OD730, dry biomass, chlorophyll a, and carotenoid production for both strains. Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FT-IR) analysis revealed the existence of diverse surface binding sites for HM adsorption, stemming from proteins and polysaccharides. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the presence of HMs on the surface of the cyanobacterial cells. Finally, the zeta potential results indicating alterations in the surface negative charges elucidated the adsorption mechanisms involved in the HM removal by both cyanobacteria. These results provided a comprehensive understanding of the HM adsorption mechanism by cyanobacteria, offering valuable theoretical insights that can be extrapolated to enhance our comprehension of the cyanoremediation mechanisms by various other cyanobacterial strains.

Dissecting the multifaceted roles of autophagy in cancer initiation, growth, and metastasis: from molecular mechanisms to therapeutic applications.

Autophagy is a cytoplasmic defense mechanism that cells use to break and reprocess their intracellular components. This utilization of autophagy is regarded as a savior in nutrient-deficient and other stressful conditions. Hence, autophagy keeps contact with and responds to miscellaneous cellular tensions and diverse pathways of signal transductions, such as growth signaling and cellular death. Importantly, autophagy is regarded as an effective tumor suppressor because regular autophagic breakdown is essential for cellular maintenance and minimizing cellular damage. However, paradoxically, autophagy has also been observed to promote the events of malignancies. This review discussed the dual role of autophagy in cancer, emphasizing its influence on tumor survival and progression. Possessing such a dual contribution to the malignant establishment, the prevention of autophagy can potentially advocate for the advancement of malignant transformation. In contrast, for the context of the instituted tumor, the agents of preventing autophagy potently inhibit the advancement of the tumor. Key regulators, including calpain 1, mTORC1, and AMPK, modulate autophagy in response to nutritional conditions and stress. Oncogenic mutations like RAS and B-RAF underscore autophagy's pivotal role in cancer development. The review also delves into autophagy's context-dependent roles in tumorigenesis, metastasis, and the tumor microenvironment (TME). It also discusses the therapeutic effectiveness of autophagy for several cancers. The recent implication of autophagy in the control of both innate and antibody-mediated immune systems made it a center of attention to evaluating its role concerning tumor antigens and treatments of cancer.

Understanding the impact of socioeconomic and health factors on geriatric depression: A comparative study in rural and urban Bangladesh.

Background and Aims: The prevalence of depression among the elderly is a growing concern, and this study examines the differences between urban and rural areas in terms of geriatric depression. Methods: Using a two-stage random sampling approach in urban areas and a multistage random sampling approach in rural areas, the study surveyed 944 elderly individuals of both sexes. Results: The results indicate that the prevalence of depression was high, with 52.5% of the elderly population experiencing mild to severe depression. The study found that increasing age, female gender, nuclear family structure, and involvement of housewives or others were significant factors affecting depression in urban areas, while increasing age and elderly people without spouses were significant factors in rural areas. Additionally, the study identified hearing impairment, asthma, and arthritis as risk factors for depression in rural areas, and bronchitis, heart disease, and thyroid illness as significant factors in urban areas. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for policymakers to focus on addressing the mental health needs of older people, particularly women and those without spouses.

The association of CYP2C19 LoF alleles with adverse clinical outcomes in stroke patients taking clopidogrel: An updated meta-analysis.

The aggregated risk of recurrent stroke in stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients carrying CYP2C19 LoF alleles who take clopidogrel has not been investigated recently, and the available research is limited. This study aimed to perform an updated meta-analysis to assess the association between CYP2C19 LoF alleles and the risk of recurrent stroke in patients taking clopidogrel. Databases were searched for the literature on eligible studies. The end points were recurrent stroke, composite vascular events, and bleeding events. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using RevMan software, where p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Patients carrying CYP2C19 LoF alleles who were treated with clopidogrel had a significantly increased risk of recurrent ischemic stroke compared with non-carriers (OR 2.18, 96% CI 1.80-2.63; p < 0.00001). The risk of recurrent stroke was only significantly different in Asian patients (OR 2.29, 96% CI 1.88-2.80; p < 0.00001) but not in patients of other ethnicities; however, there were a limited number of studies in other ethnic groups. Both observational studies (OR 2.83, 96% CI 2.20-3.65; p < 0.00001) and RCTs (OR 1.48, 96% CI 1.10-1.98; p = 0.009) found associations with a significantly increased risk of recurrent ischemic stroke. Asian stroke patients or TIA patients carrying CYP2C19 LoF alleles and taking clopidogrel were at a significantly higher risk of recurrent ischemic stroke than non-carriers. Significantly increased risk of recurrent ischemic stroke was found in both observational studies and RCTs.

Prevalence of unqualified sources of antimalarial drug prescription for children under the age of five: A study in 19 low- and middle-income countries.

BACKGROUND: Antimalarial drug resistance poses a severe danger to global health. In Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), there is a lack of reliable information on antimalarial prescriptions for recent malarial fever in children under five. Our study aims to determine the prevalence of unqualified sources of antimalarial drug prescription for children under the age of five in 19 low- and middle-income countries. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of the Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) datasets (n = 106265) across 19 LMICs. The recent MIS datasets were used, and the study only included children under five who had taken an antimalarial drug for a recent malarial fever. The outcome variable was classified into two distinct categories: those who had taken antimalarial drugs for malarial fever from qualified sources and those who did not. FINDINGS: Among LMICs, we found that 87.1% of children under five received an antimalarial prescription from unqualified sources who had recently experienced malarial fever. In several LMICs (Tanzania, Nigeria, and Ghana), a substantial portion of recent antimalarial prescriptions for malaria was taken from unqualified sources (about 60%). Some LMICs (Guinea (31.8%), Mali (31.3%), Nigeria (20.4%), Kenya (2.6%), and Senegal (2.7%)) had low rates of antimalarial drug consumption even though children under five received a high percentage of antimalarial prescriptions from qualified sources for a recent malarial fever. Living in rural areas, having mothers with higher education, and having parents with more wealth were frequently taken antimalarial from qualified sources for recent malarial fever in children under five across the LMICs. INTERPRETATION: The study draws attention to the importance of national and local level preventative strategies across the LMICs to restrict antimalarial drug consumption. This is because antimalarial prescriptions from unqualified sources for recent malarial fever in children under five were shockingly high in most LMICs and had high rates of unqualified prescriptions in certain other LMICs.

Ecotoxicological effects of cypermethrin on indigenous climbing perch (Anabas testudineus).

Pesticides including cypermethrin (10% EC) are commonly used pesticide in tea gardens of Bangladesh possess distinct harmful effects on an aquatic community. The experiment was carried out to assess the ecotoxicological effects of cypermethrin (10%) concentrate on indigenous Climbing Perch (Anabas testudineus). A total of 120 A. testudineus (mean length 16 ± 2.67 cm and mean weight 31.6 ± 3.56 g) were exposed to the acute toxicity test when the lethal concentration 50 value (LC50) for 96 h was maintained at 1.00 ppm. Three different sub-lethal concentrations of 0.05 ppm (5%), 0.10 ppm (10%), and 0.20 ppm (20%) were used respectively as three treatments and a control of 0 ppm with three replicates each. Restlessness, erratic movement, increased opercular activities, loss of equilibrium, and irregular response to feeding were observed in all the treatments compared to control one. Concerning histopathological alterations, all the analyzed organs showed highest changes in the T3 (cypermethrin conc. 20%) compared to other treatments while T0 (0 ppm) had normal structure. The major changes in the gill were epithelial cell hyperplasia, necrosis, severe lamellar fusion and epithelial lifting; while necrotic proximal tubules, glomerular shrinkage, disrupted renal corpuscle of the kidney and nuclear pyknosis, degenerated hepatic cells and vacuolation were observed in the liver. Severe melanomacrophage centre (MMC), haemosiderosis and vacuolation were found in spleen. The effect of cypermethrin on the hematological parameters of experimental fish was also studied. Red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit were decreased in the experimental groups and lowest value was in T3 while values of white blood cells were increased in the experimental groups compared to control one. Hence, the present observation revealed that pesticides even at low concentrations can cause harmful effects on A. testudineus.

Single-cell transcriptome atlases of soybean root and mature nodule reveal new regulatory programs that control the nodulation process.

The soybean root system is complex. In addition to being composed of various cell types, the soybean root system includes the primary root, the lateral roots, and the nodule, an organ in which mutualistic symbiosis with N-fixing rhizobia occurs. A mature soybean root nodule is characterized by a central infection zone where atmospheric nitrogen is fixed and assimilated by the symbiont, resulting from the close cooperation between the plant cell and the bacteria. To date, the transcriptome of individual cells isolated from developing soybean nodules has been established, but the transcriptomic signatures of cells from the mature soybean nodule have not yet been characterized. Using single-nucleus RNA-seq and Molecular Cartography technologies, we precisely characterized the transcriptomic signature of soybean root and mature nodule cell types and revealed the co-existence of different sub-populations of B. diazoefficiens-infected cells in the mature soybean nodule, including those actively involved in nitrogen fixation and those engaged in senescence. Mining of the single-cell-resolution nodule transcriptome atlas and the associated gene co-expression network confirmed the role of known nodulation-related genes and identified new genes that control the nodulation process. For instance, we functionally characterized the role of GmFWL3, a plasma membrane microdomain-associated protein that controls rhizobial infection. Our study reveals the unique cellular complexity of the mature soybean nodule and helps redefine the concept of cell types when considering the infection zone of the soybean nodule.

Prevention of Alzheimer's disease through diet: An exploratory review.

Introduction: This exploratory review article describes about the genetic factors behind Alzheimer's disease (AD), their association with foods, and their relationships with cognitive impairment. It explores the dietary patterns and economic challenges in AD prevention. Methods: Scopus, PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for articles that examined the relationships between Diets, Alzheimer's Disease (AD), and Socioeconomic conditions in preventative Alzheimer's disease studies. Graphs and Network analysis data were taken from Scopus under the MeSH search method, including words, Alzheimer's, APoE4, Tau protein, APP, Amyloid precursor protein, Beta-Amyloid, Aß, Mediterranean Diet, MD, DASH diet, MIND diet, SES, Socioeconomic, Developed country, Underdeveloped country, Preventions. The network analysis was done through VOS viewer. Results: Mediterranean diet (MD) accurately lowers AD (Alzheimer's Disease) risk to 53% and 35% for people who follow it moderately. MIND scores had a statistically significant reduction in AD rate compared to those in the lowest tertial (53% and 35% reduction, respectively). Subjects with the highest adherence to the MD and DASH had a 54% and 39% lower risk of developing AD, respectively, compared to those in the lowest tertial. Omega-6, PUFA, found in nuts and fish, can play most roles in the clearance of Aß. Vitamin D inhibits induced fibrillar Aß apoptosis. However, the high cost of these diet components rise doubt about the effectiveness of AD prevention through healthy diets. Conclusion: The finding of this study revealed an association between diet and the effects of the chemical components of foods on AD biomarkers. More research is required to see if nutrition is a risk or a protective factor for Alzheimer's disease to encourage research to be translated into therapeutic practice and to clarify nutritional advice.

Cutaneous Sarcoidosis: A Differential Diagnosis to Consider in Undiagnosed Skin Lesions.

The presentation of sarcoidosis varies depending on the organs involved. Cutaneous sarcoidosis usually presents with other organ involvement, but isolated presentation is possible. However, diagnosing isolated cutaneous sarcoidosis can be challenging in resource-poor countries, particularly where sarcoidosis is relatively uncommon, since cutaneous sarcoidosis usually does not cause troublesome symptoms. We present a case of cutaneous sarcoidosis in an elderly female who had been suffering from skin lesions for nine years. The diagnosis was made after the appearance of lung involvement, which raised the suspicion of sarcoidosis and prompted a skin biopsy. The patient was then treated with systemic steroids and methotrexate, and her lesions improved shortly thereafter. This case highlights the importance of considering sarcoidosis as a possible cause of undiagnosed, refractory cutaneous lesions.

Antibiotic prescription from qualified sources for children with fever/cough: cross-sectional study from 59 low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Children in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) receive a staggering number of antibiotic prescriptions, many of which are inappropriate. We aimed to explore the proportion of antibiotic prescriptions from qualified sources of children under five who had a fever/cough in the two weeks prior to the survey in LMICs. Methods: We used data from cross-sectional studies of the latest Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) datasets (n = 43,166) in 59 LMICs covering Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa-West Asia-Europe, Central Asia, South & Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Latin America & the Caribbean regions. The study was conducted from March 2, 2020 to October 15, 2022. We only included the latest available surveys by country, and children under five who had taken antibiotics for fever/cough were included in the study. Finally, the outcome variable was classified into two distinct categories: those who had taken antibiotics from qualified sources and those who did not. Findings: About three in four children (74.0%) received antibiotics from qualified sources. Tanzania (22.4%) and Malawi (99.9%) had the lowest and highest percentages of antibiotic prescriptions by qualified sources, respectively. Oceania had the highest percentage of qualified antibiotic prescriptions with 88.9% and Central Asia had the lowest percentage with 56.3%. Interpretation: As unqualified sources of antibiotics for fever/cough in children under five were alarmingly high in some of the LMICs, the study emphasises the importance of nationwide efforts to regulate antibiotics prescriptions. Funding: None.

Recent Advances in Micro- and Nano-Drug Delivery Systems Based on Natural and Synthetic Biomaterials.

Polymeric drug delivery technology, which allows for medicinal ingredients to enter a cell more easily, has advanced considerably in recent decades. Innovative medication delivery strategies use biodegradable and bio-reducible polymers, and progress in the field has been accelerated by future possible research applications. Natural polymers utilized in polymeric drug delivery systems include arginine, chitosan, dextrin, polysaccharides, poly(glycolic acid), poly(lactic acid), and hyaluronic acid. Additionally, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide), poly(ethylenimine), dendritic polymers, biodegradable polymers, and bioabsorbable polymers as well as biomimetic and bio-related polymeric systems and drug-free macromolecular therapies have been employed in polymeric drug delivery. Different synthetic and natural biomaterials are in the clinical phase to mitigate different diseases. Drug delivery methods using natural and synthetic polymers are becoming increasingly common in the pharmaceutical industry, with biocompatible and bio-related copolymers and dendrimers having helped cure cancer as drug delivery systems. This review discusses all the above components and how, by combining synthetic and biological approaches, micro- and nano-drug delivery systems can result in revolutionary polymeric drug and gene delivery devices.

Genome-wide in silico identification of phospholipase D (PLD) gene family from Corchorus capsularis and Corchorus olitorius: reveals their responses to plant stress.

BACKGROUND: Plant grows in nature facing various types of abiotic stresses for their normal growth and development. During abiotic stress, plants evolve different types of mechanisms to survive in a hostile environment. Phospholipase D (PLD) plays important role in the regulation of diverse cellular processes including stress responses in plants. Member of PLD genes are well studied in different model plants; however, their functions in the jute are not clear yet. RESULT: In the present study, a total of 12 and 11 PLD genes were identified in the genome of C. capsularis and C. olitorius, respectively. The presence of the two conserved HKD motifs in PLD genes except for CoPLDδ-2 in jute suggests their strong lipase activity. Twenty different motifs were found in the identified PLD genes, and PLD-ß1, PLD-γ1, and all members of PLD-δ1 of both jute species contained the highest number of motifs. Phylogenetic analysis showed the close evolutionary relationship among the five groups of jute PLD proteins along with the PLD proteins from Arabidopsis. Tissue-specific expression pattern of PLDα1-2, PLD-α2, PLDß1, PLDγ1, and PLDδ1 of two jute species suggested their involvement in plant growth and development. However, the expression pattern of PLDα1-2, PLDα1-3, PLD-α4, PLDδ1, and PLDδ3 indicated their association during waterlogging stress. In addition, PLD-α2, PLDß1, and PLDδ2 seemed to be involved in drought stress as well as salinity stress. CONCLUSION: This genome-wide identification of jute PLD genes from C. capsularis and C. olitorius will help to further functional characterization of the PLD genes for developing stress-tolerant jute variety.

Impact of weather on COVID-19 transmission in south Asian countries: An application of the ARIMAX model.

We aimed to examine the impact of weather on COVID-19 confirmed cases in South Asian countries, namely, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Data on daily confirmed cases, together with weather parameters, were collected from the first day of COVID confirmed cases in each country to 31 August 2020. The weather parameters were Rainfall (mm), relative humidity (%), maximum and minimum temperature (°C), surface pressure (kPa), maximum air pollutants matter PM 2.5 (µg/m3) and maximum wind speed (m/s). Data were analyzed for each investigated countries separately by using the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average with Explanatory Variables (ARIMAX) model. We found that maximum wind speed had significant negative impact on COVID-19 transmission in India (-209.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): -369.13, -49.77) and Sri Lanka (-2.77, 95% CI: -4.77, -0.77). Apart from India, temperature had mixed effects (i.e., positive or negative) in four countries in South Asia. For example, maximum temperature had negative impact (-30.52, 95% CI: -60.24, -0.78) in Bangladesh and positive impact (5.10, 95% CI: 0.06, 10.14) in Afghanistan. Whereas rainfall had negative effects (-48.64, 95% CI: -80.17, -17.09) in India and mixed effects in Pakistan. Besides, maximum air pollutants matter PM 2.5 was negatively associated with the confirmed cases of COVID-19. In conclusion, maximum wind speed, rainfall, air pollutants (maximum PM 2.5) and temperature are four variables that could play a vital role in the transmission of COVID-19. Although there is a mixed conclusion regarding weather parameters and COVID-19 transmission, we recommend developing environmental policies regarding the transmission of COVID-19 in South Asian countries.