Survival outcomes of postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for nonseminomatous germ cell tumors: A retrospective cohort study from a single tertiary center in South India.

Introduction: Chemotherapy, postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (pcRPLND), and metastasectomy remain the standard of care for the management of advanced nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT). Methods: We retrospectively studied 73 patients who had pcRPLND at a single tertiary-care center (2003-2022). Surgical and clinicopathological features and oncological outcomes are presented. Results: The mean age was 28.27 years (15-48). Three-fourths had Stage III disease at diagnosis. International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group risk stratification was 54.54% and 21.21% in intermediate risk, and poor risk, respectively. Sixty-two patients had Standard, 7 had Salvage and 4 underwent Desperation pcRPLND. Eleven patients (15.06%) required adjunctive procedures. Thirteen patients (17.8%) had ≥ class 3 Clavien-Dindo complications and postoperative mortality occurred in 5 (6.8%) patients. The histopathologies (HPE) of the pcRPLNDs were necrosis, teratoma, and viable tumor in 39.7%, 45.2%, and 15.1%, respectively. Seven patients underwent metastasectomy. An 85% size reduction in the size of RPLN predicted necrosis. There was 71.4% concordance between pcRPLND and metastasectomy HPEs. The median follow-up was 26.72 months (inter-quartile range - 13.25-47.84). The 2-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate was 93% (95% confidence interval [CI]-83%-97%) and the overall survival (OS) rate was 90% (95% CI-80%-95%). This is the largest series of pcRPLND for NSGCT in India to our knowledge. Conclusion: Although most of the cohort belonged to stage III, an RFS and OS rate of >90% at 2 years was achieved. We believe that successful management of postchemotherapy residual masses in NSGCT is contingent on the availability of multidisciplinary expertise and is therefore best done at tertiary-care referral centers.

Comprehensive exploration unveiling the sonography and histopathology of uterine leiomyoma in a cow.

Genital tumours are rare among cattle, largely due to their relatively short lifespans. Leio-myoma, a smooth muscle tumour being more prevalent in dogs, appears only at a rate of 1.00 - 2.00% in cattle, affecting reproductive efficiency in cases of complete uterine obstruction. This case report involves an 8-year-old cow with repeated insemination attempts unveiled 5.00 cm intra-luminal uterine mass, obstructing the right uterine horn. Transrectal sonography (TRUS) revealed a highly vascularized mass with normal ovarian function. Confirmation of clinical condition, i.e., uterine leiomyoma, via uterine biopsy concluded the presence of neoplastic smooth muscle cells arranged in interlacing bundles showing mild pleomorphism, and special staining using Masson's trichrome revealed an unappreciable amount of connective tissue; subsequently right flank celiotomy was performed to remove the benign tumour. Forty-five days after celiotomy, TRUS examination confirmed an unobstructed uterine horn, and bilateral oviduct patency was adjudged with 2.50% methylene blue. Following treatment for chronic endometritis, artificial insemination led to conception nearly 90 days post-procedure. The TRUS aids preliminary diagnosis, while definitive identification demands necropsy and surgical methods. This case underscores the diagnostic significance of TRUS, histopathology and celiotomy for identifying and managing uterine leiomyoma in cattle.

Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Versus Conventional Open Thyroidectomy: Interim Results From Randomized Trial.

OBJECTIVE: We determined whether endoscopic thyroidectomy (ET) is associated with better health-related quality of life (QoL) compared with open thyroidectomy. METHODS: We randomly assigned 28 patients aged older than 18 years, Bethesda IV or less on cytology and gland volume of <40 mL to undergo hemithyroidectomy through either open or endoscopic (axillo-breast approach/bilateral axillo-breast approach) technique. The primary outcome was QoL scores on the Short Form-36 and Thyroid-Specific Questionnaire at 2, 6, and 12 weeks postsurgery. Secondary outcomes were postoperative complications, hospital stay, and pain scores. RESULTS: The generic QoL scores based on Short Form-36 were statistically nonsignificant between the two groups. QoL scores based on Thyroid-Specific Questionnaire were statistically significant (P < 0.05) favoring open thyroidectomy in the following domains: (1) numbness at 2, 6, and 12 weeks (P = 0.04, 0.004, and 0.005, respectively), (2) shoulder impairment at 2 weeks (P = 0.017), and (3) favoring ET in cosmesis at 6 and 12 weeks (P = 0.037 and 0.02, respectively). ET has longer operative time (104.6 ± 25.4 vs 123 ± 8.9 min; P = 0.03), longer hospital stays (2.8 ± 0.4 vs 2.4 ± 0.5; P = 0.056) and higher pain scores at 2 and 6 weeks (P = 0.007 and 0.012, respectively) but decreased intraoperative bleeding (33.5 ± 6.4 vs 29.1 ± 3.7 mL; P = 0.037). CONCLUSION: ET has higher cosmetic satisfaction, increased numbness, and shoulder movement impairment during short-term postsurgery follow-up. Both techniques are similar in impacting general physical, mental, and social health-related QoL. (Clinical Trials Registry of India, Reg. No. CTRI/2020/07/026374).

Modelling the mechanical properties of concrete produced with polycarbonate waste ash by machine learning.

India's cement industry is the second largest in the world, generating 6.9% of the global cement output. Polycarbonate waste ash is a major problem in India and around the globe. Approximately 370,000 tons of scientific waste are generated annually from fitness care facilities in India. Polycarbonate waste helps reduce the environmental burden associated with disposal and decreases the need for new raw materials. The primary variable in this study is the quantity of polycarbonate waste ash (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% of the weight of cement), partial replacement of cement, water-cement ratio and aggregates. The mechanical properties, such as compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural test results, of the mixtures with the polycarbonate waste ash were superior at 7, 14 and 28 days compared to those of the control mix. The water absorption rate is less than that of standard concrete. Compared with those of conventional concrete, polycarbonate waste concrete mixtures undergo minimal weight loss under acid curing conditions. Polycarbonate waste is utilized in the construction industry to reduce pollution and improve the economy. This study further simulated the strength characteristics of concrete made with waste polycarbonate ash using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and decision trees. Cement, polycarbonate waste, slump, water absorption, and the ratio of water to cement were the main components that were considered input variables. The suggested decision tree model was successful with unparalleled predictive accuracy across important metrics. Its outstanding predictive ability for split tensile strength (R2 = 0.879403), flexural strength (R2 = 0.91197), and compressive strength (R2 = 0.853683) confirmed that this method was the preferred choice for these strength predictions.

Adverse outcomes in patients hospitalized with pneumonia at age 60 or more: A prospective multi-centric hospital-based study in India.

BACKGROUND: Limited data exists regarding risk factors for adverse outcomes in older adults hospitalized with Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) in low- and middle-income countries such as India. This multisite study aimed to assess outcomes and associated risk factors among adults aged ≥60 years hospitalized with pneumonia. METHODS: Between December 2018 and March 2020, we enrolled ≥60-year-old adults admitted within 48 hours for CAP treatment across 16 public and private facilities in four sites. Clinical data and nasal/oropharyngeal specimens were collected by trained nurses and tested for influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other respiratory viruses (ORV) using the qPCR. Participants were evaluated regularly until discharge, as well as on the 7th and 30th days post-discharge. Outcomes included ICU admission and in-hospital or 30-day post-discharge mortality. A hierarchical framework for multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models identified risk factors (e.g., demographics, clinical features, etiologic agents) associated with critical care or death. FINDINGS: Of 1,090 CAP patients, the median age was 69 years; 38.4% were female. Influenza viruses were detected in 12.3%, RSV in 2.2%, and ORV in 6.3% of participants. Critical care was required for 39.4%, with 9.9% in-hospital mortality and 5% 30-day post-discharge mortality. Only 41% of influenza CAP patients received antiviral treatment. Admission factors independently associated with ICU admission included respiratory rate >30/min, blood urea nitrogen>19mg/dl, altered sensorium, anemia, oxygen saturation <90%, prior cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and private hospital admission. Diabetes, anemia, low oxygen saturation at admission, ICU admission, and mechanical ventilation were associated with 30-day mortality. CONCLUSION: High ICU admission and 30-day mortality rates were observed among older adults with pneumonia, with a significant proportion linked to influenza and RSV infections. Comprehensive guidelines for CAP prevention and management in older adults are needed, especially with the co-circulation of SARS-CoV-2.

Synthesis, antifungal evaluation, two-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship and molecular docking studies of isoxazole derivatives as potential fungicides.

BACKGROUND: Sheath blight and bakanae disease, prominent among emerging rice ailments, exert a profound impact on rice productivity, causing severe impediments to crop yield. Excessive use of older fungicides may lead to the development of resistance in the pathogen. Indeed, a pressing and immediate need exists for novel, low-toxicity and highly selective fungicides that can effectively combat resistant fungal strains. RESULTS: A series of 20 isoxazole derivatives were synthesized using alkoxy/halo acetophenones and N,N-dimethylformamidedimethylacetal. These compounds were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques, namely 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 13C NMR and liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry, and were evaluated for their fungicidal activity against Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium fujikuroi. Compound 5n (5-(2-chlorophenyl) isoxazole) exhibited highest activity (effective dose for 50% inhibition [ED50] = 4.43 µg mL-1) against R. solani, while 5p (5-(2,4-dichloro-2-hydroxylphenyl) isoxazole) exhibited highest activity (ED50 = 6.7 µg mL-1) against F. fujikuroi. Two-dimensional quantitative structural-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis, particularly multiple linear regression (MLR) (Model 1), highlighted chi6chain and DistTopo as the key descriptors influencing fungicidal activity. Molecular docking studies revealed the potential of these isoxazole derivatives as novel fungicides targeting sterol 14α-demethylase enzyme, suggesting their importance as crucial intermediates for the development of novel and effective fungicides. CONCLUSION: All test compounds were effective in inhibiting both fungi, according to the QSAR model, with various descriptors, such as structural, molecular shape analysis, electronic and thermodynamic, playing an important role. Molecular docking studies confirmed that these compounds can potentially replace commercially available fungicides and help control fungal pathogens in rice crops effectively. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Are Variable Screw Angle Change and Screw-to-Vertebral Body Ratio Associated With Radiographic Subsidence Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion?

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective Cohort. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the easily measurable radiographic landmarks of screw-to-vertebral body ratio and changes in screw angle to identify if they are associated with early subsidence following an Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients undergoing 1-3 level ACDF with allograft or PEEK cages. Preoperative, immediate postoperative, and 6-month postoperative radiographs were analyzed to measure intradiscal height (or distance between 2 vertebral bodies) as an anterior vertebral distance (AVD), middle (MVD), and posterior (PVD), screw angle, screw-to-vertebral body length ratio, and interscrew distance. Multivariate stepwise regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: 92 patients were included (42 single-level, 32 two-level, and 18 3-level ACDFs). In single-level ACDFs, a decrease in the caudal screw angle was associated with a decrease in AVD (=.001) and MVD (P = .03). A decrease in the PVD was associated with a decrease in segmental lordosis (P < .001). For two-level ACDFs, a higher caudal screw-to-body ratio was associated with a lower MVD (P = .01). CONCLUSION: Six months following an ACDF for degenerative pathology, a decrease in the caudal screw angle was associated with an increase in radiographic subsidence at the antero-medial aspect of the disc space albeit largely subclinical. This suggests that the caudal screw angle change may serve as a reliable radiographic marker for early radiographic subsidence. Furthermore, a greater screw-to-vertebral body ratio may be protective against radiographic subsidence in two-level ACDF procedures.

Long Term Impact of Adeno-tonsillectomy on Immunity Against Respiratory Viral Infections; Evidence Deduced During COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the risk of acquiring COVID-19 infection in patients who have undergone adeno-tonsillectomy (AT) as compared to their siblings. METHODS: In this bidirectional cohort control study, 36 cohorts, younger than 18 y, who underwent AT, and 27 controls (siblings of the enrolled cohorts, younger than 18 y) were recruited. Incidence of COVID-19 was analyzed by symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 testing, and SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody measurement. RESULTS: In the cohort group, the overall COVID-19 positivity rate was 80.5% (n = 29/36) and symptomatic COVID-19 positivity rate was 68.9% (n = 20/29). Among the controls, the overall COVID-19 positivity rate was 44% (n = 12/27) and symptomatic COVID-19 positivity rate was 16% (n = 2/12). The cohorts had 1.8 times higher risk of contracting COVID-19 infection and the relative risk of symptomatic COVID-19 infections as compared to controls was 4.14. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study indicates that adeno-tonsillectomy poses children at a significantly higher risk of COVID-19 infections and likely other viral upper respiratory tract infections.

Exploring the evolutionary and pathogenic role of Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm-associated protein (Bap) through in silico structural modeling.

Acinetobacter species encode for extracellularly secreted Biofilm-associated protein (Bap), a multi-domain protein with variable molecular weights reaching several hundred kilodaltons. Bap is crucial for the development of multi-dimensional structures of mature biofilms. In our investigation, we analyzed 7338 sequences of A. baumannii from the NCBI database and found that Bap or Bap-like protein (BLP) was present in 6422 (87.52%) isolates. Further classification revealed that 12.12% carried Type-1 Bap, 68.44% had Type-2, 6.91% had Type-3, 0.05% had Type-6 or SDF-Type, and 12.51% lacked Bap or BLP. The majority of isolates with Type-1, Type-2, and Type-3 Bap belonged to ST1, ST2, and ST25, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that Type-1 Bap is the most ancient, while Type-3 and SDF-Type have evolved recently. Studying the interaction of predicted Bap structures with human CEACAM-1 and PIgR showed that Bap with its BIg13 and BIg6 domains interact with the N-terminal domain of CEACAM-1, involving Arg43 and Glu40, involved in CEACAM-1 dimerization. Also, we found that recently evolved Type-3 and SDF-Type Bap showed greater interaction with CEACAM-1 and PIgR. It can be asserted that the evolution of Bap has conferred enhanced virulence characteristics to A. baumannii with increased interaction with CEACAM-1 and PIgR. Using in silico approaches, this study explores the evolutionary, physicochemical, and structural features of A. baumannii Bap and unravels its crucial role in mediating interaction with human CEACAM-1 and PIgR through detailed structure modelling. These findings advance our understanding of A. baumannii Bap and highlight its role in pathogenesis.

Green synthesis, structure-activity relationships, in silico molecular docking, and antifungal activities of novel prenylated chalcones.

A series of 16 novel prenylated chalcones (5A-5P) was synthesized by microwave-assisted green synthesis using 5-prenyloxy-2-hydroxyacetophenone and different benzaldehydes. Comparisons were also performed between the microwave and conventional methods in terms of the reaction times and yields of all compounds, where the reaction times in the microwave and conventional methods were 1-4 min and 12-48 h, respectively. The synthesized compounds were characterized using different spectroscopic techniques, including IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and LC-HRMS. The antifungal activities of all compounds were evaluated against Sclerotium rolfsii and Fusarium oxysporum under in vitro conditions and were additionally supported by structure-activity relationship (SAR) and molecular docking studies. Out of the 16 compounds screened, 2'-hydroxy-4-benzyloxy-5'-O-prenylchalcone (5P) showed the highest activity against both S. rolfsii and F. oxysporum, with ED50 of 25.02 and 31.87 mg/L, respectively. The molecular docking studies of the prenylated chalcones within the active sites of the EF1α and RPB2 gene sequences and FoCut5a sequence as the respective receptors for S. rolfsii and F. oxysporum revealed the importance of the compounds, where the binding energies of the docked molecules ranged from -38.3538 to -26.6837 kcal/mol for S. rolfsii and -43.400 to -23.839 kcal/mol for F. oxysporum. Additional docking parameters showed that these compounds formed stable complexes with the protein molecules.

Intra-Operative Ossicular Chain Status in Patients with Chronic Otitis Media.

The Objective of the study was to assess the ossicular status in chronic otitis media (COM)-mucosal and squamosal type and statistically evaluate the extent of ossicular destruction intraoperatively in COM patients. The findings of this study could help us to predict preoperatively the probability of having ossicular chain destruction in COM ears and thus patients could therefore be properly consented about these potential issues before surgery. The study was carried out in ENT department of tertiary health care hospital, between January 2019 to January 2020. All patients of all age groups and both genders, diagnosed with COM Mucosal and Squamosal Type with complaints of ear discharge and hearing loss with good cochlear reserve and requiring surgery were included in the study, after taking informed written consent in vernacular language. All the patients included in the study were evaluated with detailed history, clinical examination including otomicroscopy, tuning fork tests and pure tone audiometry. The patients were then posted for ear surgery and the middle ear status and ossicular chain status were assessed using a microscope intraoperatively. Out of 98 patients, 45(45.9%) had mucosal and 53 (54.08%) had squamosal disease. Ossicular chain was eroded in 69 cases (70.5%). 23 out of 45 (51.1%) mucosal cases and 46 out of 53 squamosal cases (86.7%) reported ossicular erosion. Most frequently involved was long process of incus > stapes > malleus. From our study, we concluded that there is a significant relationship between type of disease pathology in middle ear and ossicular erosion being higher in Squamosal type of COM, with malleus being the most resistant and incus being the most susceptible ossicle.

Role of CD34-immunopositive Microvascular Density in Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma.

Objective: To assess the microvascular density (MVD) in juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) with CD34 immunostaining and evaluate its relationship with clinico-demographic features. Methods: This prospective study included patients with JNA undergoing endoscopic excision. The histopathological specimen was stained using CD-34 antibodies to calculate MVD. MVD and clinico-demographic features were correlated. Results: The study included 12 patients with a median age of 15.5 years. The mean MVD was 39 vessels/high power field (range 5 to 151 vessels). MVD was significantly associated only with the volume of tumour (r = 0.65, p = 0.02). The recurrence occurred in one patient with an MVD of 107. The median follow-up was 38 months. Conclusion: MVD is significantly associated with tumour volume in JNA, which implies a robust role of angiogenesis in the pathology of the tumour. Also, higher MVD may be a risk factor for recurrence.

Supplementation of High-Strength Oral Probiotics Improves Immune Regulation and Preserves Beta Cells among Children with New-Onset Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomised, Double-Blind Placebo Control Trial.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the mechanism of glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) following high-strength probiotics supplementation by assessing immune-regulatory markers. METHODS: In this single-centre randomised double-blinded placebo-controlled study, children with new-onset T1D on regular insulin therapy were randomised into probiotic or placebo groups with 30 children each. The probiotics group received oral powder of Vivomixx®, and the placebo group received corn starch for six months. The primary outcome parameters included induced T regulatory cells (i-Tregs) percentage, insulin autoantibodies (IAA), insulinoma associated 2 autoantibodies (IA2), glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GAD 65) and plasma interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels. The secondary outcome variables were changes in plasma C-peptide levels and glycemic control parameters. RESULTS: Twenty-three children in the placebo group and 27 in the probiotic group completed the study. There was a significant increase in the percentage of iTregs (3.40 in the probiotic vs. 2.46 in the placebo group; p = 0.034). Median glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels significantly decreased from 68 mmol/mol (8.35%) in the placebo group to 60 mmol/mol (7.55%) in the probiotic group (p = 0.017). Median C-peptide levels were significantly higher in probiotics (0.72 ng/ml) vs. placebo group (0.11 ng/ml) (p = 0.036). The plasma IL-10 levels significantly increased in the probiotic group after six months of treatment (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The high-strength probiotics improved the immunoregulatory milieu, thereby preserving the beta-cell function and better glycemic control.

Intravoxel incoherent motion and diffusion kurtosis imaging and their machine-learning-based texture analysis for detection and assessment of prostate cancer severity at 3 T.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the role of combined intravoxel incoherent motion and diffusion kurtosis imaging (IVIM-DKI) and their machine-learning-based texture analysis for the detection and assessment of severity in prostate cancer (PCa). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-eight patients underwent MRI on a 3 T scanner after giving informed consent. IVIM-DKI data were acquired using 13 b values (0-2000 s/mm2) and analyzed using the IVIM-DKI model with the total variation (TV) method. PCa patients were categorized into two groups: clinically insignificant prostate cancer (CISPCa) (Gleason grade ≤ 6) and clinically significant prostate cancer (CSPCa) (Gleason grade ≥ 7). One-way analysis-of-variance, t test, and receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to measure the discriminative ability to detect PCa using IVIM-DKI parameters. A chi-square test was used to select important texture features of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and IVIM-DKI parameters. These selected texture features were used in an artificial neural network for PCa detection. RESULTS: ADC and diffusion coefficient (D) were significantly lower (p < 0.001), and kurtosis (k) was significantly higher (p < 0.001), in PCa as compared with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and normal peripheral zone (PZ). ADC, D, and k showed high areas under the curves (AUCs) of 0.92, 0.89, and 0.88, respectively, in PCa detection. ADC and D were significantly lower (p < 0.05) as compared with CISPCa versus CSPCa. D for detecting CSPCa was high, with an AUC of 0.63. A negative correlation of ADC and D with GS (ADC, ρ = -0.33; D, ρ = -0.35, p < 0.05) and a positive correlation of k with GS (ρ = 0.22, p < 0.05) were observed. Combined IVIM-DKI texture showed high AUC of 0.83 for classification of PCa, BPH, and normal PZ. CONCLUSION: D, f, and k computed using the IVIM-DKI model with the TV method were able to differentiate PCa from BPH and normal PZ. Texture features of combined IVIM-DKI parameters showed high accuracy and AUC in PCa detection.

System of wheat intensification (SWI): Effects on lodging resistance, photosynthetic efficiency, soil biomes, and water productivity.

Intense cultivation with narrow row spacing in wheat, a common practice in the Indo-Gangetic plains of South Asia, renders the crop more susceptible to lodging during physiological maturity. This susceptibility, compounded by the use of traditional crop cultivars, has led to a substantial decline in overall crop productivity. In response to these challenges, a two-year field study on the system of wheat intensification (SWI) was conducted. The study involved three different cultivation methods in horizontal plots and four wheat genotypes in vertical plots, organized in a strip plot design. Our results exhibited that adoption of SWI at 20 cm × 20 cm resulted in significantly higher intercellular CO2 concentration (5.9-6.3%), transpiration rate (13.2-15.8%), stomatal conductance (55-59%), net photosynthetic rate (126-160%), and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) interception (1.6-25.2%) over the existing conventional method (plant geometry 22.5 cm × continuous plant to plant spacing) of wheat cultivation. The lodging resistance capacity of both the lower and upper 3rd nodes was significantly higher in the SWI compared to other cultivation methods. Among different genotypes, HD 2967 demonstrated the highest recorded value for lodging resistance capacity, followed by HD 2851, HD 3086, and HD 2894. In addition, adoption of the SWI at 20 cm × 20 cm enhanced crop grain yield by 36.9-41.6%, and biological yield by 27.5-29.8%. Significantly higher soil dehydrogenase activity (12.06 µg TPF g-1 soil hr-1), arylsulfatase activity (82.8 µg p-nitro phenol g-1 soil hr-1), alkaline phosphatase activity (3.11 n moles ethylene g-1 soil hr-1), total polysaccharides, soil microbial biomass carbon, and soil chlorophyll content were also noted under SWI over conventional method of the production. Further, increased root volumes, surface root density and higher NPK uptake were recorded under SWI at 20×20 cm in comparison to rest of the treatments. Among the tested wheat genotypes, HD-2967 and HD-3086 had demonstrated notable increases in grain and biological yields, as well as improvements in the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and chlorophyll content. Therefore, adoption of SWI at 20 cm ×20 cm (square planting) with cultivars HD 2967 might be the best strategy for enhancing crop productivity and resource-use efficiency under the similar wheat growing conditions of India and similar agro-ecotypes of the globe.

Discordant Molecular Imaging Findings with 2-[18F]FDG and [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT in a Patient with Both Bladder and Prostate Cancer.

The prevalence of double primary prostate and bladder cancer is not uncommon. Though both share a common pathway of malignant transformation, they bear to differ in the case of 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT and [68Ga]Ga-PSMA uptake. We present a case of double primary cancer involving the bladder and prostate, where the prostatic primary showed intense [68Ga]Ga-PSMA uptake with non-avid skeletal and pulmonary metastases, which showed intense 2-[18F]FDG uptake, thus showing discordance due to different clonal origins.

Correction of cervical kyphoscoliosis, bisected spinal cord, and vertebral artery to epidural vein fistula in neurofibromatosis type 1.

Neurofibromatosis-1 (NF1) presents complex challenges due to its multisystemic effects, including kyphoscoliosis, dural ectasia, and arteriovenous fistulas (AVF). We present a case of a 31-year-old male with NF1 exhibiting severe cervical kyphoscoliosis, dural ectasia, a bisected cervical cord, and an arteriovenous fistula, highlighting the intricacies of managing such intricate cases. Rapid weakening in the patient's right arm and leg prompted imaging revealing severe cervical kyphotic deformity and a dural fold dividing the spinal cord. Surgical intervention addressed a high-flow arteriovenous fistula involving the right vertebral artery and an epidural vein, necessitating sacrifice of the artery. Posterior fusion and laminectomy were performed, resulting in stable neurological status postoperatively and significant improvement in sensory loss and weakness at three months. This case underscores the importance of a tailored posterior-only approach, involving dural fold release, to allow the spinal cord to relocate to a less tense position, thus demonstrating effective decompression in complex NF1 cases with concurrent kyphotic deformity and vertebral artery AVF.

Carotenoid Extraction from Plant Tissues.

Carotenoids are the natural pigments available in nature and exhibit different colors such as yellow, red, and orange. These are a class of phytonutrients that have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immune-modulatory, and anti-aging properties. These were used in food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic industries. They are divided into two classes: carotenes and xanthophylls. The carotenes are non-oxygenated derivatives and xanthophylls are oxygenated derivatives. The major source of carotenoids are vegetables, fruits, and tissues. Carotenoids also perform the roles of photoprotection and photosynthesis. In addition to the roles mentioned above, they are also involved and act as precursor molecules for the biosynthesis of phytohormones such as strigolactone and abscisic acid. This chapter briefly introduces carotenoids and their extraction method from plant tissue. Proposed protocol describes the extraction of carotenoid using solvents chloroform and dichloromethane. Reverse-phase HPLC can be performed with C30 columns using gradient elution. The column C30 is preferred to the C18 column because the C30 column has salient features, which include selective nature in the separation of structural isomers and hydrophobic, long-chain compounds, and shows the best compatibility with highly aqueous mobile phases. A complete pipeline for the extraction of carotenoids from plant tissue is given in the present protocol.

Sample Preparation from Plant Tissue for Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)we.

Metabolites are intermediate products formed during metabolism. Metabolites play different roles, including providing energy, supporting structure, transmitting signals, catalyzing reactions, enhancing defense, and interacting with other species. Plant metabolomics research aims to detect precisely all metabolites found within tissues of plants through GC-MS. This chapter primarily focuses on extracting metabolites using chemicals such as methanol, chloroform, ribitol, MSTFA, and TMCS. The metabolic analysis method is frequently used according to the specific kind of sample or matrix being investigated and the analysis objective. Chromatography (LC, GC, and CE) with mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy is used in modern metabolomics to analyze metabolites from plant samples. The most frequently used method for metabolites analysis is the GC-MS. It is a powerful technique that combines gas chromatography's separation capabilities with mass spectrometry, offering detailed information, including structural identification of each metabolite. This chapter contains an easy-to-follow guide to extract plant-based metabolites. The current protocol provides all the information needed for extracting metabolites from a plant, precautions, and troubleshooting.