Towards quantifying biomarkers for respiratory distress in preterm infants: Machine learning on mid infrared spectroscopy of lipid mixtures.

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (nRDS) is a challenging condition to diagnose which can lead to delays in receiving appropriate treatment. Mid infrared (IR) spectroscopy is capable of measuring the concentrations of two diagnostic nRDS biomarkers, lecithin (L) and sphingomyelin (S) with the potential for point of care (POC) diagnosis and monitoring. The effects of varying other lipid species present in lung surfactant on the mid IR spectra used to train machine learning models are explored. This study presents a lung lipid model of five lipids present in lung surfactant and varies each in a systematic approach to evaluate the ability of machine learning models to predict the lipid concentrations, the L/S ratio and to quantify the uncertainty in the predictions using the jackknife + -after-bootstrap and variant bootstrap methods. We establish the L/S ratio can be determined with an uncertainty of approximately ±0.3 mol/mol and we further identify the 5 most prominent wavenumbers associated with each machine learning model.

Determinants of body weight changes during Ramadan fasting in India amid COVID-19: A cross-sectional study.

Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) presents unique challenges and opportunities for public health and clinical practice, especially in populations with a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases. This study aims to investigate the impact of RIF on weight change among Indian Muslims and explore the associated demographic, dietary, and behavioral factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of Indian Muslim adults who observed RIF. Participants were asked to report their demographic information, family and personal health history, and dietary and lifestyle behaviors before and during Ramadan month. The primary outcome was body weight change, with secondary outcomes including changes in dietary patterns, physical activity, and other health-related lifestyle behaviors. The study found that during Ramadan, nearly half of the participants (48.5%) self-reported a retained initial weight, while a significant fraction (30.9%) self-reported a modest weight reduction between 0.5 to 2.5 kg at the end of Ramadan. Additionally, self-reported eating practices demonstrated moderately altered by about half (48.4%) of the study participants, with 32.2% reporting minor changes and 8.2% indicating substantial changes. An urban residence was associated with a higher likelihood of weight gain, where urban residents showed 3 times the odds of increased weight compared to rural inhabitants. Employment status emerged as a significant determinant for weight fluctuation, influencing both weight gain and loss. During Ramadan, there was a significant rise in snacking frequency, increasing from 21.7% to 32.6% in comparison with pre-Ramadan. The consumption of large quantities of food more frequently grew from 14.9% to 36%, and the incidence of eating despite not being hungry went up from 17.4% to 33.2%. The study demonstrates that RIF is associated with variable changes in body weight among adult Indian Muslims, influenced by urbanization, employment status, and dietary changes. The findings suggest that clinicians should provide tailored advice about body weight regulation during Ramadan and consider integrating community-based health initiatives within religious settings to improve health outcomes.

Effectiveness of Upadacitinib for Patients With Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis: A Multicenter Experience.

INTRODUCTION: A significant proportion of patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) require colectomy. METHODS: Patients with ASUC treated with upadacitinib and intravenous corticosteroids at 5 hospitals are presented. The primary outcome was 90-day colectomy rate. Secondary outcomes included frequency of steroid-free clinical remission, adverse events, and all-cause readmissions. RESULTS: Of the 25 patients with ASUC treated with upadacitinib, 6 (24%) patients underwent colectomy, 15 (83%) of the 18 patients with available data and who did not undergo colectomy experienced steroid-free clinical remission (1 patient did not have complete data), 1 (4%) patient experienced a venous thromboembolic event, while 5 (20%) patients were readmitted. DISCUSSION: Upadacitinib along with intravenous corticosteroids may be an effective treatment for ASUC.

The Relationship Between the Endoscopic Healing Index, Fecal Calprotectin, and Magnetic Resonance Enterography in Crohn's Disease.

INTRODUCTION: The serum-based endoscopic healing index (EHI) test identifies endoscopic Crohn's disease (CD) activity. Data are lacking on the relationship between EHI with other endpoints. We assessed the relationship between EHI and the simplified Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were prospectively collected on patients with CD with either an EHI or fecal calprotectin (FCAL) within 90 days of magnetic resonance enterography (MRE). Diagnostic accuracy was assessed using area under the receiver operator characteristics. Proportions with any, severe, and terminal ileum MR inflammation were compared above/below identified thresholds for both EHI and FCAL. RESULTS: A total of 241 MREs paired to either EHI or FCAL from 155 patients were included. Both EHI and FCAL had similar accuracy to diagnose inflammation (area under the receiver operator characteristics: EHI: 0.635 to 0.651, FCAL: 0.680 to 0.708). Optimal EHI values were 42 and 26 for inflammation on MRE and endoscopy, respectively. Patients with EHI ≥42 (100% vs. 63%, P=0.002), FCAL >50 µg/g (87% vs. 64%, P<0.001) and FCAL >250 µg/g (90% vs. 75%, P=0.02) had higher rates of simplified Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity ≥1 compared with lower values. EHI differentiated ileitis numerically more than FCAL (delta: 24% to 25% vs. 11% to 21%). Patients with FCAL ≥50 µg/g had higher rates of severe inflammation compared with FCAL <50 µg/g (75% vs. 47%, P<0.001), whereas smaller differentiation existed for EHI threshold of 42 (63% vs. 49%, P=0.35). CONCLUSION: Both EHI and FCAL were specific in their confirmation of inflammation and disease activity on MRE in patients with CD. However, MRE-detected inflammation was frequently present in the presence of low EHI and FCAL in similar proportions.

Niche suitability and spatial distribution patterns of anurans in a unique Ecoregion mosaic of Northern Pakistan.

The lack of information regarding biodiversity status hampers designing and implementing conservation strategies and achieving future targets. Northern Pakistan consists of a unique ecoregion mosaic which supports a myriad of environmental niches for anuran diversity in comparison to the deserts and xeric shrublands throughout the rest of the country. In order to study the niche suitability, species overlap and distribution patterns in Pakistan, we collected observational data for nine anuran species across several distinct ecoregions by surveying 87 randomly selected locations from 2016 to 2018 in Rawalpindi District and Islamabad Capital Territory. Our model showed that the precipitation of the warmest and coldest quarter, distance to rivers and vegetation were the greatest drivers of anuran distribution, expectedly indicating that the presence of humid forests and proximity to waterways greatly influences the habitable range of anurans in Pakistan. Sympatric overlap between species occurred at significantly higher density in tropical and subtropical coniferous forests than in other ecoregion types. We found species such as Minervarya spp., Hoplobatrachus tigerinus and Euphlyctis spp. preferred the lowlands in proximal, central and southern parts of the study area proximal to urban settlements, with little vegetation and higher average temperatures. Duttaphrynus bengalensis and D. stomaticus had scattered distributions throughout the study area with no clear preference for elevation. Sphaerotheca pashchima was patchily distributed in the midwestern extent of the study area as well as the foothills to the north. Microhyla nilphamariensis was widely distributed throughout the study area with a preference for both lowlands and montane terrain. Endemic frogs (Nanorana vicina and Allopaa hazarensis) were observed only in locations with higher elevations, higher density of streams and lower average temperatures as compared to the other seven species sampled. It is recommended to provide legal protection to amphibians of Pakistan, especially endemic species, through revision in the existing wildlife laws. We suggest studying the effectiveness of existing amphibian tunnels and corridors or designing new ones tailored to the needs of our species to prevent their local extinction due to ongoing or proposed urban development which might affect their dispersal and colonization.

Synthesis and Characterization of High-Efficiency Halide Perovskite Nanomaterials for Light-Absorbing Applications.

Inorganic perovskite materials are possible candidates for conversion of solar energy to electrical energy due to their high absorption coefficient. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) introduced a new type of device structure that has attention due to better efficiencies and interest in PSCs that has been increasing in recent years. Halide perovskite materials such as CsPbIBr2 show remarkable optical and structural performance with their better physical properties. Perovskite solar cells are a possible candidate to replace conventional silicon solar panels. In the present study, CsPbIBr2 perovskite materials' thin films were prepared for light-absorbing application. Five thin films were deposited on the glass substrates by subsequent spin-coating of CsI and PbBr2 solutions, subsequently annealed at different temperature values (as-deposited, 100, 150, 200 and 250 °C) to get CsPbIBr2 thin films with a better crystal structure. Structural characterizations were made by using X-ray diffraction. CsPbIBr2 thin films were found to be polycrystalline in nature. With increasing annealing temperature, the crystallinity was improved, and the crystalline size was increased. Optical properties were studied by using transmission data, and by increasing annealing temperature, a small variation in optical band gap energy was observed in the range of 1.70-1.83 eV. The conductivity of CsPbIBr2 thin films was determined by a hot probe technique and was found to have little fluctuating response toward p-type conductivity, which may be due to intrinsic defects or presence of CsI phase, but a stable intrinsic nature was observed. The obtained physical properties of CsPbIBr2 thin films suggest them as a suitable candidate as a light-harvesting layer. These thin films could be an especially good partner with Si or other lower band gap energy materials in tandem solar cells (TSC). CsPbIBr2 material will harvest light having energy of ∼1.7 eV or higher, while a lower energy part of the solar spectrum will be absorbed in the partner part of the TSC.

Opioid Legislation in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A State-wide Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Indiana State opioid prescription legislation has been shown to decrease overall opioid prescriptions. However, this effect has not been studied in specific diseases associated with chronic pain such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to determine the effect of state opioid prescription legislation on opioid prescribing patterns in IBD. METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis using an interrupted time-series from December 15, 2010 to July 1, 2018, with 2 time periods separated by Title 844 of the Indiana Administrative Code, in a statewide health care system capturing the majority of the state's population including all adult patients with IBD. The primary outcome was opioid prescription rate per person-year. RESULTS: In total, 9436 patients met inclusion criteria. After legislation, the total number of opioid orders per patient-year continued to increase (0.543, 95% CI, 0.528-0.558, to 0.663, 95% CI, 0.654-0.672), with fewer scripts from the emergency department (0.113, 95% CI, 0.106-0.120, to 0.092, 95% CI, 0.088-0.095) and more from outpatient providers (0.303, 95% CI, 0.292-0.314 to 0.432, 95% CI, 0.424-0.439). There were increases in biologic (0.206, 95% CI, 0.197-0.215 to 0.517, 95% CI, 0.509-0.525) and steroid (0.182, 95% CI, 0.173-0.190 to 0.237, 95% CI, 0.232-0.243) prescriptions per person-year following legislation. Factors associated with heavy opioid use included chronic steroids (odds ratio, 5.030; 95% CI, 4.176-6.054), history of IBD-related surgery (odds ratio, 2.807; 95% CI, 2.367-3.323) and current smoking (odds ratio, 2.650; 95% CI, 2.223-3.158). CONCLUSIONS: Despite legislation and the increased use of disease-modifying drugs, statewide opioid prescriptions continued to increase. The increase in opiate use, high steroid use, and significant health care utilization suggests poor underlying disease control.

State legislation, which has decreased opioid prescribing in the general population, has not had similar effects in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This is the first study assessing opioid legislation and its effects in a chronic pain condition.

The Real-World Effectiveness and Safety of Ustekinumab in the Treatment of Crohn's Disease: Results From the SUCCESS Consortium.

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the real-world effectiveness and safety of ustekinumab (UST) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: This study used a retrospective, multicenter, multinational consortium of UST-treated CD patients. Data included patient demographics, disease phenotype, disease activity, treatment history, and concomitant medications. Cumulative rates of clinical, steroid-free, endoscopic, and radiographic remissions were assessed using time-to-event analysis, and clinical predictors were assessed by using multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses. Serious infections and adverse events were defined as those requiring hospitalization or treatment discontinuation. RESULTS: A total of 1,113 patients (51.8% female, 90% prior antitumor necrosis factor exposure) were included, with a median follow-up of 386 days. Cumulative rates of clinical, steroid-free, endoscopic, and radiographic remissions at 12 months were 40%, 32%, 39%, and 30%, respectively. Biologic-naive patients achieved significantly higher rates of clinical and endoscopic remissions at 63% and 55%, respectively. On multivariable analyses, prior antitumor necrosis factor (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.49-0.99) and vedolizumab exposure (hazard ratio, 0.65; 95% confidence interval, 0.48-0.88) were independently associated with lower likelihoods of achieving endoscopic remission. In patients who experienced loss of remission, 77 of 102 (75%) underwent dose optimization, and 44 of 77 (57%) achieved clinical response. An additional 152 of 681 patients (22.3%) were dose-optimized because of primary nonresponse incomplete response to UST, of whom 40.1% (61 of 152) responded. Serious infections occurred in 3.4% of patients while other noninfectious adverse events (lymphoma [n = 1], arthralgia [n = 6], rash [n = 6], headache [n = 3], hepatitis [n = 3], hair loss [n = 3], neuropathy [n = 1], and vasculitis [n = 1]) occurred in 2.4% of patients. DISCUSSION: UST represents a safe and effective treatment option for CD, with 40% of patients from a highly refractory cohort achieving clinical remission by 12 months. The greatest treatment effect of UST was seen in biologic-naive patients, and dose escalation may recapture clinical response.

The Remediation in Enzyme's Activities in Plants: Tea Waste as a Modifier to Improve the Efficiency of Growth of Helianthus annuus in Contaminated Soil.

The remediation in plant enzymatic activities in Cd-contaminated soil was monitored through tea waste. Tea is an extensively used beverage worldwide with the release of a high quantity of tea waste utilized in the growing condition of Helianthus annuus on Cd metal contaminated soil. The study was a plan for the natural environmental condition in the greenhouse. For this purpose, four sets of plants were cultivated in triplicate and marked as (i) control, (ii) Cd stress plants, (iii) dry tea waste and Cd stress, and (iv) fresh tea waste and Cd stress. The improved efficiency of biochemical reactions in plants under Cd stress with tea waste treatment was the consequence of blocking Cd movement in the soil through adsorption on tea waste, showing that the tea waste effectively controls the mobility of Cd from the soil to the roots of the plants. Scan electron microscopy (SEM) validates the recovery of the leaves of the plants. The remediation of plant growth and enzyme activities such as amylase, peroxidase, nitrate reductase (NR), and nitrite reductase (NiR) under Cd metal-contaminated soil through tea waste was investigated. The source of tea waste in contaminated soil resulted in the recovery of the photosynthetic process and an improvement in amylase, NR, NiR, and peroxidase activities, thereby resulting in the recovery of pigments coupled with an increase in the biomass of the plants. It was suggested that tea waste acts as a good biosorbent of Cd and energy provider to the plants for normal enzyme activity under Cd stress and may be used by farmers in the future for safe and healthy crops as a cost-effective technology.

The Investigation of the Impact of Toxicity of Metals on Oxygen-Evolving Complex in Spinacia oleracea.

The current article reported the investigation of metal toxicity on the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) in Spinacia oleracea related to depletion in chloride ion concentration, an essential part of the photosystem (II). The greenhouse experiment was conducted where S. oleracea was cultivated in three replicates with control plants (plants "a") treated with tap water. Moreover, 30 ppm of Cu2+ ion solution and Pb2+ ion solution was used to irrigate the rest of the plants, labeled as plants "b" and "c", respectively, on alternative days. Advanced technologies such as Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), and UV-visible Spectrophotometry were used to monitor the essential nutrients in leaves to validate the function of the photosystem (I and II). Reduced Cl- ions contents showed that both metals (Cu2+ and Pb2+) altered the essential elements of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem (II), required to maintain the coordination structure of the Mn4CaO5 cluster. SEM analysis revealed the modified leaf structure of the S. oleracea under Cu2+ and Pb2+ accumulation due to which distorted cellular structure, reduced surface area, and the (shattered) stomatal opening compared to the plants "a" were observed. The EDS analysis of plants "b" and "c" showed high oxygen contents followed by reduced chloride contents over plants "a", reflecting the infirmity of OEC to push out oxygen, which leads to generating oxidative stress. The lower pigment concentration in leaves of metal-contaminated plants "b" and "c" impacts carbon assimilation, which is linked to the reduced stomatal opening and influences the gaseous exchange rates. Additionally, increased contents of K+ and Ca2+ may be due to self-defense mechanisms under low chloride contents to speed up oxygen evolution to protect plants against oxidative stress. It was concluded that Cu2+ and Pb2+ metal toxicity influences essential Cl- and K+ contents, which modify the photosystem II system; subsequently, a reduced growth rate was observed.

Natural and commercial antibiotic comparison with drugs modeling cell integrity cell stability of Bio-Kinetics changes under morphological topographies cells with lower toxicological characteristics for multidrug resistances problem.

Antibacterial drug-resistant strains are a serious problem of bacterial treatments nowadays and have a concern. The plant exacts of Adhatoda vasica and Calotropis procera are well-known for their role as antibiotic agents. The extraction of novel antibiotic compounds was done by HPLC-DAD, their yield is quantified by numerous solvents. The complete biological activity with antioxidants, bio-kinematicof four compounds of B-Sitosteryl linoleate, Myristyl diglucoside, D-Triglucopyranoside, and S- allylcysteine acids were studied. The supercritical fluid extraction techniques were the best strategies for higher yield, accuracy clarity, and inter, intra process of all four compounds. A. vasica and C. procera samples and investigated in six different solvents. D-Triglucopyranoside (13.81 ± 0.48%), Myristyl diglucoside (11.81 ± 0.41%), B- Sitosteryl linoleate (12.81 ± 0.48%), and s-allylcysteine acids (14.81 ± 0.31%) were higher. The design and action of compounds were applied to proper compartmental pharmacokinetic modelling for in-depth design understanding. The morphology and structure of bacterial cells with the extracted compounds upheld the permeability of cell membranes, membrane integrity, and membrane potential and lower the bacterial binding capacity the infectious index was measured in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and their alteration process. Plants have well upheld the cellular permeability The toxicity test was performed on both extracted samples with concentrations (1, 0.4, and 0.8%). The areas under plasma half-life of compounds with their solubility, abortion level were higher in four compounds showed the potential of novel antibiotics. The novel medicinal plants used as antibiotics could be the best sources of infection control as a source of future medicines with antibacterial potential solving multidrug issues of bacteria in the world.

Lab protocol for investigating impacts of climate change on frogs.

We developed a method to investigate impacts of temperature (elevated) on breeding, growth and development in endemic frogs under laboratory conditions. The method provides details on housing and rearing of larvae, taking various important measurements and observing developmental deformities. The method could also be applied to rescue approach or head-start program for amphibian species experiencing climate change elsewhere in the world. • Rearing of larvae to investigate effects of temperature on larvae • Measurement of data on growth and development • Rescue/ head-start program.

Incorporation of engineered nanoparticles of biochar and fly ash against bacterial leaf spot of pepper.

In agriculture, the search for higher net profit is the main challenge in the economy of the producers and nano biochar attracts increasing interest in recent years due to its unique environmental behavior and increasing the productivity of plants by inducing resistance against phytopathogens. The effect of rice straw biochar and fly ash nanoparticles (RSBNPs and FNPs, respectively) in combination with compost soil on bacterial leaf spot of pepper caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. The application of nanoparticles as soil amendment significantly improved the chili pepper plant growth. However, RSBNPs were more effective in enhancing the above and belowground plant biomass production. Moreover, both RSBNPs and FNPs, significantly reduced (30.5 and 22.5%, respectively), while RSBNPs had shown in vitro growth inhibition of X. campestris pv. vesicatoria by more than 50%. The X-ray diffractometry of RSBNPs and FNPs highlighted the unique composition of nano forms which possibly contributed in enhancing the plant defence against invading X. campestris pv. vesicatoria. Based on our findings, it is suggested that biochar and fly ash nanoparticles can be used for reclaiming the problem soil and enhance crop productivity depending upon the nature of the soil and the pathosystem under investigation.

Effect of Different Fertilizations on the Plant-Available Nitrogen in Soil Profile (0-100 cm): A Study on Chinese Cabbage.

The aim of this study is to analyze the variations in the plant-available nitrogen (PAN) concentrations in the soil profile. Different fertilizers were applied for Chinese cabbage plantation (CCP) in the experimental fields of the Shunyi region. The treatments used for the comparative analysis are (i) no fertilizer and plantation (NVP), (ii) no fertilizer with CCP (CTP), (iii) fertilization as urea (URP), and (iv) potassium nitrate (KNP) and chicken manure (CMP) with CCP. It was concluded that the yield was significantly high in URP, CMP, and KNP as compared to CTP. In URP, maximum PAN in soil layers 0-60 cm was recorded during crop production and in 60-100 cm after harvesting as compared to other treatments. Significant variations in soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) for the soil profile (0-100 cm) from the initial values with respect to time and treatments were observed. CMP showed maximum ammonium in the upper layers of 0-60 cm throughout the season, whereas minimum PAN was observed in NVP but increased in lower layers of 60-100 cm. In general, all fertilizers raised the PAN below the soil 60-100 cm which indicates their potential for nitrate leaching (NL).

Isolation and Identification of Bioactive Compounds from Bidens spp. Using HPLC-DAD and GC-MS Analysis and Their Biological Activity as Anticancer Molecules.

The genus Bidens a member of family Compositae, is widely documented as an ethno-medicinally important genus of plants. In the present study, anticancer potential of three ethno-medicinally important species i.e., B. bipinnata, B. biternata and B. pilosa were tested. For in-vitro evaluation, an MTT (Thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide) assay was performed against cervical cancer cells (HeLa), hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG), and adenocarcinoma human alveolar basal epithelial cells (A549). For in vivo evaluation, Artemia salina, Danio rerio, and Caenorhabditis elegans were used. Among all the tested extracts, the ethanol extract of B. biternata appeared to have highest anticancer activity, and the compounds responsible for this activity were identified to be Tris (2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl), 4-hydroxy-2,4'-dimethoxychalcone, and 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol. This is the first report of the isolation of Tris (2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphate from the genus Bidens and the first report of 4-hydroxy-2,4'-dimethoxychalcone and 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol from B. biternata. Among the isolated compounds, 4-hydroxy-2,4'-dimethoxychalcone showed the highest anticancer activity with an LD50 value of 236.7 µg/mL. Therefore, this compound carries promising potential for being established as a pharmaceutical for chemoprevention and chemotherapy.

Prediction of Neonatal Respiratory Distress Biomarker Concentration by Application of Machine Learning to Mid-Infrared Spectra.

The authors of this study developed the use of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) combined with machine learning as a point-of-care (POC) diagnostic platform, considering neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (nRDS), for which no POC currently exists, as an example. nRDS can be diagnosed by a ratio of less than 2.2 of two nRDS biomarkers, lecithin and sphingomyelin (L/S ratio), and in this study, ATR-FTIR spectra were recorded from L/S ratios of between 1.0 and 3.4, which were generated using purified reagents. The calibration of principal component (PCR) and partial least squares (PLSR) regression models was performed using 155 raw baselined and second derivative spectra prior to predicting the concentration of a further 104 spectra. A three-factor PLSR model of second derivative spectra best predicted L/S ratios across the full range (R2: 0.967; MSE: 0.014). The L/S ratios from 1.0 to 3.4 were predicted with a prediction interval of +0.29, -0.37 when using a second derivative spectra PLSR model and had a mean prediction interval of +0.26, -0.34 around the L/S 2.2 region. These results support the validity of combining ATR-FTIR with machine learning to develop a point-of-care device for detecting and quantifying any biomarker with an interpretable mid-infrared spectrum.

Therapeutic Potential of Selected Medicinal Plant Extracts against Multi-Drug Resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is Gram negative, rod shaped, facultative anaerobic bacterium, belongs to enterobacteriaceae family that causes typhoid fever in humans. This bacterium has become a super bug due to acquisition of multi drug resistance. Bacteria is transmitted through food and water contaminated with human feaces. Present study reports the screening of Adhatoda vasica, Amaranthus hybridus and Aloe barbadensis and their evaluation against multi-drug resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. Qualitative analysis of ten phytochemicals was conducted using chemical method and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS). Antibacterial activity of plants was carried out by agar well diffusion method on Mueller Hinton agar. Total tannins, total alkaloids and total flavonoids of different parts of three plants were estimated through spectrophotometer. Total tannins content in different parts of plants was present in the given order Amaranthus hybridus leaf > Aloe barbadensis leaf > Adhatoda vasica leaf > Adhatoda vasica flower > Adhatoda vasica stem. Whereas, the order of total flavonoid concentration was Amaranthus hybridus leaf > Aloe barbadensis leaf > Adhatoda vasica leaf > Amaranthus hybridus seed. Total alkaloids have order, Adhatoda vasica leaf > Amaranthus hybridus leaf > Adhatoda vasica flower > Amaranthus hybridus seed > Aloe barbadensis leaf. Results of phytochemical analysis suggested that plants have strong profile of antioxidants, total phenolic contents and various enzymes proposing them best alternate to cure bacterial infections. GC-MS analysis further confirmed stronger phytochemical profile that can be utilized as antagonists to Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi.

Utility of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring for Tumor Necrosis Factor Antagonists and Ustekinumab in Postoperative Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: In postoperative Crohn's disease (POCD), data are lacking on relationships between serum biologic concentrations and treatment outcomes. We assessed if established threshold concentrations of infliximab (IFX), adalimumab (ADA), and ustekinumab (UST) impact outcomes in POCD. METHODS: Data were extracted from POCD patients with serum biologic concentration measurements using Weill Cornell Medicine biobanks. The primary outcome compared rates of deep remission (achieving both objective [endoscopic or biomarker] and clinical [Harvey-Bradshaw index or Crohn's Disease Patient Reported Outcome-2] remission), using established serum drug level cutoffs of IFX ≥3 µg/mL, ADA ≥7.5 µg/mL, and UST ≥4.5 µg/mL. RESULTS: In 130 patients, median IFX, ADA, and UST concentrations were 10 (interquartile range [IQR], 2.9-26.9) µg/mL, 10.5 (IQR, 4.9-14.9) µg/mL, and 6.9 (IQR, 5.1-10.2) µg/mL, respectively. In patients with IFX ≥3 µg/mL, higher rates of deep remission (39% vs 0%; P = .02) existed compared with those with IFX <3 µg/mL. Similar differences existed for clinical (44% vs 9%; P = .04) and objective (83% vs 62%; P = .1) remission. In patients with ADA ≥7.5 µg/mL, rates of deep (42% vs 0%; P = .02), clinical (42% vs 0%; P = .02), and objective (88% vs 40%; P = .007) remission were higher than patients with lower concentrations. For UST, rates of deep (28% vs 17%; P = 1.0), clinical (33% vs 33%; P = 1.0), and objective (70% vs 67%; P = 1.0) remission were similar between patients regardless of drug concentration. CONCLUSIONS: In POCD, established anti-tumor necrosis factor concentrations were associated with improved outcomes. No relationship between UST concentrations and postoperative outcomes existed.

Data are lacking on therapeutic drug monitoring in postoperative Crohn's disease. The current study found that tumor necrosis factor antagonist concentrations above established drug thresholds were associated with improved outcomes. In contrast, for ustekinumab, no relationship between drug thresholds and outcomes existed.

MiRNA fine tuning for crop improvement: using advance computational models and biotechnological tools.

MiRNAs modulate target genes expression at post-transcriptional levels, by reducing spatial abundance of mRNAs. MiRNAs regulats plant metabolism, and emerged as regulators of plant stress responses. Which make miRNAs promising candidates for fine tuning to affectively alter crop stress tolerance and other important traits. With recent advancements in the computational biology and biotechnology miRNAs structure and target prediction is possible resulting in pin point editing; miRNA modulation can be done by up or down regulating miRNAs using recently available biotechnological tools (CRISPR Cas9, TALENS and RNAi). In this review we have focused on miRNA biogenesis, miRNA roles in plant development, plant stress responses and roles in signaling pathways. Additionally we have discussed latest computational prediction models for miRNA to target gene interaction and biotechnological systems used recently for miRNA modulation. We have also highlighted setbacks and limitations in the way of miRNA modulation; providing entirely a new direction for improvement in plant genomics primarily focusing miRNAs.

The Development of a Green Innovative Bioactive Film for Industrial Application as a New Emerging Technology to Protect the Quality of Fruits.

Today, the most significant challenge encountered by food manufacturers is degradation in the food quality during storage, which is countered by expensive packing, which causes enormous monetary and environmental costs. Edible packaging is a potential alternative for protecting food quality and improving shelf life by delaying microbial growth and providing moisture and gas barrier properties. For the first time, the current article reports the preparation of the new films from Ditriterpenoids and Secomeliacins isolated from Melia azedarach (Dharek) Azadirachta indica plants to protect the quality of fruits. After evaluating these films, their mechanical, specific respirational, coating crystal elongation, elastic, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), film thickness, and nanoindentation test properties are applied to apple fruit for several storage periods: 0, 3, 6, 9 days. The fruits were evaluated for postharvest quality by screening several essential phytochemical, physiological responses under film coating and storage conditions. It was observed that prepared films were highly active during storage periods. Coated fruits showed improved quality due to the protection of the film, which lowered the transmission rate and enhanced the diffusion rate, followed by an increase in the shelf life. The coating crystals were higher in Film-5 and lower activity in untreated films. It was observed that the application of films through dipping was a simple technique at a laboratory scale, whereas extrusion and spraying were preferred on a commercial scale. The phytochemicals screening of treated fruits during the storage period showed that a maximum of eight important bioactive compounds were present in fruits after the treatment of films. It was resolved that new active films (1-5) were helpful in the effective maintenance of fruit quality and all essential compounds during storage periods. It was concluded that these films could be helpful for fruits growers and the processing industry to maintain fruit quality during the storage period as a new emerging technology.