Protective Role of Vitamin D Against Development of Active Tuberculosis in Close Household Contacts of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Vitamin-D is known to promote innate immune responses by acting as a cofactor of VDR for induction of antimicrobial peptides like cathelicidin. Close household contacts of pulmonary tuberculosis patients are at high risk of active infection, Therefore, possible role of vitamin-D in TB prevention through cathelicidin production was studied in high-risk household contacts (HHCs) of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients. 20 HHCs of PTB patients were recruited and followed up for one year. Levels of vitamin-D (25(OH)D) and its associated molecules were evaluated at 3-months intervals for one year or until the development of active TB. 25(OH)D was measured using chemiluminescence method. Serum VDR and cathelicidin levels were measured by ELISA and VDR mRNA expression by qPCR. Throughout the study period mean range of serum 25(OH)D levels was 20.51 ± 5.12 ng/ml. VDR and cathelicidin levels however showed significant decline after six months suggesting decrease in bacterial exposure. None of the HHCs developed active infection even with high exposure to 2 + to 3 + AFB positive index cases. Mantoux positive household contacts had high levels of VDR and cathelicidin, suggestive of an early or latent phase of infection, did not develop active TB plausibly due to maintenance of adequate serum levels of vitamin-D. Optimal levels of 25(OH)D and its associated molecules during early stages of infection may serve as protective factor against development of active TB. Cohort of HHCs with severely deficient vitamin-D levels (10 ng/ml) could be followed up for a better risk assessment.

Using rare genetic mutations to revisit structural brain asymmetry.

Asymmetry between the left and right hemisphere is a key feature of brain organization. Hemispheric functional specialization underlies some of the most advanced human-defining cognitive operations, such as articulated language, perspective taking, or rapid detection of facial cues. Yet, genetic investigations into brain asymmetry have mostly relied on common variants, which typically exert small effects on brain-related phenotypes. Here, we leverage rare genomic deletions and duplications to study how genetic alterations reverberate in human brain and behavior. We designed a pattern-learning approach to dissect the impact of eight high-effect-size copy number variations (CNVs) on brain asymmetry in a multi-site cohort of 552 CNV carriers and 290 non-carriers. Isolated multivariate brain asymmetry patterns spotlighted regions typically thought to subserve lateralized functions, including language, hearing, as well as visual, face and word recognition. Planum temporale asymmetry emerged as especially susceptible to deletions and duplications of specific gene sets. Targeted analysis of common variants through genome-wide association study (GWAS) consolidated partly diverging genetic influences on the right versus left planum temporale structure. In conclusion, our gene-brain-behavior data fusion highlights the consequences of genetically controlled brain lateralization on uniquely human cognitive capacities.

Comparative analysis of soil quality and enzymatic activities under different tillage based nutrient management practices in soybean-wheat cropping sequence in Vertisols.

In the modern era, intensive agricultural practices such as agrochemicals are applied in excessive amounts to enhance agricultural production. However, imbalanced adoption of these chemicals has arisen in the dwindling of agriculture factor productivity and soil quality. To maintain soil fertility and production, these chemical fertilizers must be supplemented with organic inputs. Keeping this in the backdrop, a research trail was established during 2018-19 and 2019-20 years at Research Farm of Agriculture University, Kota, India. The treatment setup was comprised of 5 treatment modules viz., conservation tillage + organic management (CAOM), conservation tillage + chemical management (CACM), conventional tillage + chemical management (CTCM), conventional tillage + organic management (CTOM) and the package of practices (PoPs) with four replications. Results indicated that the highest organic carbon (0.68%), bacterial (29.11 × 107 cfu g-1), fungal (4.77 × 104 cfu g-1), actinomycetes populations (5.67 × 104 cfu g-1), acid phosphatase (44.1 µg g-1 h-1), urease (45.3 µg g-1 h-1) and dehydrogenase (23.3 µg triphenylformazan [TPF] g-1 h-1) activity in soil were found in the treatment of conservation organic system during both the years of study at each soil depth. In contrast to other parameters, the highest system productivity was observed with conservation chemical crop management approaches, with a soybean equivalent yield of 4615 kg ha-1 in a soybean-wheat system of production. Furthermore, the soil quality index (SQI) significantly varied from the lowest score (0.30) at 45-60 cm layer of soil in the package of practices to the highest score (0.92) at 0-15 cm layer of soil with regards to the conservation organic which shows, 206.67 percent enhancement through the soil profile of various crop management practices. The SQI variation from 0-15 to 45-60 cm soil depth was 130.0, 81.08, 60.0, 175.0 and 83.33 percent, respectively, for CAOM, CACM, CTCM, CTOM and PoPs. Amongst, different systems, the highest mean performance was noticed under the conservation organic systems for physical and biological properties. Hence, in line with the salient outcome, we may propose that the conservation chemical system needs to be followed to improve crop productivity, whereas, conservation organic seems a good option for soil health with long-term viability.

Effect of Benidipine Alone and in Combination With Bosentan and Sildenafil in Amelioration of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Experimental Model in Rats.

ABSTRACT: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a persistent condition affecting the pulmonary arteries' endothelium. Benidipine, a calcium channel blocker, possesses vasodilatory, anti-inflammatory activity, reduces oxidative stress, and inhibits the activity of Transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). The present study was designed to investigate the effect of benidipine alone and in combination with bosentan and sildenafil on monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension in a rat model. PAH was induced by a single-dose administration of MCT in rats. Animals were randomized into different groups and treated with benidipine alone and in combination with bosentan or sildenafil. Various parameters such as hemodynamic parameters, Fulton's index and oxidative stress parameters were performed. Additionally, histopathology of lung and right ventricular of heart tissue, immunohistochemistry, expression of α-SMA, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), TGF-ß, and RT-PCR, and an in vitro study using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was also carried out. Treatment of benidipine and its combination exhibited better prevention in the elevated right ventricular systolic pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, rise in oxidative stress, and increase in expression of α-SMA and TGF-ß receptor 1 compared with MCT control group rats. In HUVECs, the expression of α-SMA was increased, whereas that of eNOS decreased after TGF-ß exposure and was substantially reversed after pretreatment with benidipine. We concluded that benidipine and its combination with bosentan and sildenafil exhibit beneficial effects in MCT-induced PAH through the eNOS/TGF-ß/α-SMA signaling pathway.

Equilibrium of Dietary Patterns Between Alzheimer's Disease Patients and Healthy People: A Comprehensive Analysis Using Multiple Factor Analysis and Classification Modeling.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a particular type of dementia that currently lacks a definitive treatment and cure. It is possible to reduce the risk of developing AD and mitigate its severity through modifications to one's lifestyle, regular diet, and alcohol-drinking habits. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to examine the daily dietary patterns of individuals with AD compared to healthy controls, with a focus on nutritional balance and its impact on AD. METHODS: This study incorporated multiple-factor analysis (MFA) to evaluate dietary patterns and employed Random Forest (RF) classifier and Sparse Logistic Regression (SLR) for Variable Importance analysis to identify food items significantly associated with AD. RESULTS: MFA revealed trends in the data and a strong correlation (Lg = 0.92, RV = 0.65) between the daily consumption of processed food and meat items in AD patients. In contrast, no significant relationship was found for any daily consumed food categories within the healthy control (HC) group. Food items such as meat pie, hamburger, ham, sausages, beef, capsicum, and cabbage were identified as important variables associated with AD in RF and SLR analyses. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from MFA indicated that the diversity or equilibrium of daily diet might play a potential role in AD development. RF and SLR classifications exhibit among the processed foods, especially deli meats and food made with meat items, are associated with AD.

Biomass waste-derived carbon materials for sustainable remediation of polluted environment: A comprehensive review.

In response to the growing global concern over environmental pollution, the exploration of sustainable and eco-friendly materials derived from biomass waste has gained significant traction. This comprehensive review seeks to provide a holistic perspective on the utilization of biomass waste as a renewable carbon source, offering insights into the production of environmentally benign and cost-effective carbon-based materials. These materials, including biochar, carbon nanotubes, and graphene, have shown immense promise in the remediation of polluted soils, industrial wastewater, and contaminated groundwater. The review commences by elucidating the intricate processes involved in the synthesis and functionalization of biomass-derived carbon materials, emphasizing their scalability and economic viability. With their distinctive structural attributes, such as high surface areas, porous architectures, and tunable surface functionalities, these materials emerge as versatile tools in addressing environmental challenges. One of the central themes explored in this review is the pivotal role that carbon materials play in adsorption processes, which represent a green and sustainable technology for the removal of a diverse array of pollutants. These encompass noxious organic compounds, heavy metals, and organic matter, encompassing pollutants found in soils, groundwater, and industrial wastewater. The discussion extends to the underlying mechanisms governing adsorption, shedding light on the efficacy and selectivity of carbon-based materials in different environmental contexts. Furthermore, this review delves into multifaceted considerations, spanning the spectrum from biomass and biowaste resources to the properties and applications of carbon materials. This holistic approach aims to equip researchers and practitioners with a comprehensive understanding of the synergistic utilization of these materials, ultimately facilitating effective and affordable strategies for combatting industrial wastewater pollution, soil contamination, and groundwater impurities.

Whole chloroplast genome-specific non-synonymous SNPs reveal the presence of substantial diversity in the pigeonpea mini-core collection.

To unravel the plastid genome diversity among the cultivated groups of the pigeonpea germplasm, we characterized the SNP occurrence and distribution of 142 pigeonpea mini-core collections based on their reference-based assembly of the chloroplast genome. A total of 8921 SNPs were found, which were again filtered and finally 3871 non-synonymous SNPs were detected and used for diversity estimates. These 3871 SNPs were classified into 12 groups and were present in only 44 of the 125 genes, demonstrating the presence of a precise mechanism for maintaining the whole chloroplast genome throughout evolution. The Acetyl-CoA carboxylase D gene possesses the maximum number of SNPs (12.29%), but the Adenosine Tri-Phosphate synthatase cluster genes (atpA, atpB, atpE, atpF, atpH, and atpI) altogether bear 43.34% of the SNPs making them most diverse. Various diversity estimates, such as the number of effective alleles (1.013), Watterson's estimate (0.19), Tajima's D ( - 3.15), Shannon's information index (0.036), suggest the presence of less diversity in the cultivated gene pool of chloroplast genomes. The genetic relatedness estimates based on pairwise correlations were also in congruence with these diversity descriptors and indicate the prevalence of rare alleles in the accessions. Interestingly, no stratification was observed either through STRUCTURE, PCoA, or phylogenetic analysis, indicating the common origin of the chloroplast in all the accessions used, irrespective of their geographical distribution. Further 6194 Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequences (CAPS) markers for 531 SNPs were developed and validated in a selected set of germplasm. Based on these results, we inferred that all of the cultivated gene pools of pigeonpea have a common origin for the chloroplast genome and they possess less diversity in protein-coding regions, indicating a stable and evolved plastid genome. At the same time, all diversity analysis indicates the occurrence of rare alleles, suggesting the suitability of the mini-core collection in future pigeonpea improvement programs. In addition, the development of chloroplast genome-based CAPS markers would have utility in pigeonpea breeding programs. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03785-8.

Genome-wide survey, molecular evolution and expression analysis of Auxin Response Factor (ARF) gene family indicating their key role in seed number per pod in pigeonpea (C. cajan L. Millsp.).

Auxin Response Factors (ARF) are a family of transcription factors that mediate auxin signalling and regulate multiple biological processes. Their crucial role in increasing plant biomass/yield influenced this study, where a systematic analysis of ARF gene family was carried out to identify the key proteins controlling embryo/seed developmental pathways in pigeonpea. A genome-wide scan revealed the presence of 12 ARF genes in pigeonpea, distributed across the chromosomes 1, 3, 4, 8 and 11. Domain analysis of ARF proteins showed the presence of B3 DNA binding, AUX response, and IAA domains. Majority of them are of nuclear origin, and do not exhibit the level of genomic expansion as observed in Glycine max (51 members). The duplication events seem to range from 31.6 to 42.3 million years ago (mya). Promoter analysis revealed the presence of multiple cis-acting elements related to stress responses, hormone signalling and other development processes. The expression atlas data highlighted the expression of CcARF8 in hypocotyl, bud and flower whereas, CcARF7 expression was significantly high in pod. The real-time expression of CcARF2, CcARF3 and CcARF18 was highest in genotypes with high seed number indicating their key role in regulating embryo development and determining seed set in pigeonpea.

Potassium fractions in black soil mediated by integrated nutrient management modules under maize-chickpea cropping sequence.

A field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of the ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal (India) to study influence of different integrated nutrient management (INM) modules on soil potassium (K) fractions. The experiment comprised with twelve treatments laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications under maize-chickpea cropping sequence. The treatments included general recommended dose (GRD), soil test crop response (STCR) dose; combinations of inorganic and organic inputs and only organic modules. The soil samples were collected at crop harvest and analyzed for various K fractions viz., water soluble-K, available-K, exchangeable-K, HNO3-K, lattice-K and total-K. The results indicated that potassium fractions were significantly (p = 0.05) affected by different treatments. Different INM modules significantly enhanced significantly K availability in soil. Among various INM modules studied, treatment 11 (application of 20 t ha-1 FYM in maize with 5 t ha-1 FYM every year in chickpea) proved most beneficial for improving the soil K fractions. Findings of this type are important for K fertilizer management during crop production in areas with low soil fertility.

The Association of Psychosocial Manifestations and Quality of Life With Inflammatory Markers in SARS-CoV-2 Patients: A Study From a Dedicated COVID-19 Tertiary Care Hospital.

AIM: The second wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic adversely affected an individual's physical and psychological well-being. Events such as nationwide lockdown, isolation, social distancing, loss of jobs, and mortality among close contacts and the neighborhood had a dreadful impact on the psychological well-being of the population. At the time of conducting the present study, limited literature was available on the psychosocial manifestations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the Indian population. Hence, the present study was conducted to find out the association between depression, anxiety, stress, and quality of life with inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), D-dimer, serum ferritin, procalcitonin (PCT) in SARS-CoV-2 patients during admission and follow-up in a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: This was an observational analytical study conducted during the second wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic at a designated COVID-19 tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India. Guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; the Government of India, were used for deciding hospital admissions. Sixty patients, confirmed positive by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2, aged 18-60 years, were recruited for this study. All study subjects were screened by a rating scale for which the Hindi version of the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) questionnaire was employed, and the Hindi version of the 26-item World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) was used to assess the quality of life. Special investigations like CRP, IL-6, D-dimer, serum ferritin, and PCT were sent on day one of admission. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 63.3%, 85%, and 26.7%, respectively. The mean D-dimer level was found to be 957.32 ± 650.91 ng/ml, mean pro-calcitonin level was 1.04 ± 1.47 ng/ml, mean serum ferritin level was 722.24 ± 486.75 µg/L, mean CRP level was 65.36 ± 35.12 mg/L, and mean IL-6 level was 62.79 ± 49.05 pg/ml. The average score for the physical domain of the WHOQOL-BREF on days 7, 14, and 28 were 66.23, 77.43, and 82.18, respectively. The average score for the psychological domain on days 7, 14, and 28 were 73.93, 78.33, and 86.21, respectively. The average score for social domain on days 7, 14, and 28 were 82.63, 86.38, and 89.73, respectively. The average score for the environmental domain on days 7, 14, and 28 were 78.33, 88.78, and 90.98, respectively. The prevalence and severity of depression were significantly associated with D-dimer, CRP, ferritin, PCT, and Interleukin-6 (p<0.05). The prevalence and severity of anxiety were significantly associated with PCT, IL-6, and CRP (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 infection adversely affected our study population's mental well-being. An increased prevalence of psychosocial manifestations like depression, anxiety, and stress was noted in participants. We also concluded that increased levels of inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6, PCT, D-dimer, and serum ferritin) were associated with increased prevalence of psychiatric manifestations like depression.

Genome wide identification and characterization of the amino acid transporter (AAT) genes regulating seed protein content in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

Amino acid transporters (AATs), besides, being a crucial component for nutrient partitioning system are also vital for growth and development of the plants and stress resilience. In order to understand the role of AAT genes in seed quality proteins, a comprehensive analysis of AAT gene family was carried out in chickpea leading to identification of 109 AAT genes, representing 10 subfamilies with random distribution across the chickpea genome. Several important stress responsive cis-regulatory elements like Myb, ABRE, ERE were detected in the promoter region of these CaAAT genes. Most of the genes belonging to the same sub-families shared the intron-exon distribution pattern owing to their conserved nature. Random distribution of these CaAAT genes was observed on plasma membrane, vacuolar membrane, Endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi membranes, which may be associated to distinct biochemical pathways. In total 92 out 109 CaAAT genes arise as result of duplication, among which segmental duplication was more prominent over tandem duplication. As expected, the phylogenetic tree was divided into 2 major clades, and further sub-divided into different sub-families. Among the 109 CaAAT genes, 25 were found to be interacting with 25 miRNAs, many miRNAs like miR156, miR159 and miR164 were interacting only with single AAT genes. Tissues specific expression pattern of many CaAAT genes was observed like CaAAP7 and CaAVT18 in nodules, CaAAP17, CaAVT5 and CaCAT9 in vegetative tissues while CaCAT10 and CaAAP23 in seed related tissues as per the expression analysis. Mature seed transcriptome data revealed that genotypes having high protein content (ICC 8397, ICC 13461) showed low CaAATs expression as compared to the genotypes having low protein content (FG 212, BG 3054). Amino acid profiling of these genotypes revealed a significant difference in amount of essential and non-essential amino acids, probably due to differential expression of CaAATs. Thus, the present study provides insights into the biological role of AAT genes in chickpea, which will facilitate their functional characterization and role in various developmental stages, stress responses and involvement in nutritional quality enhancement.

Subcortical Brain Alterations in Carriers of Genomic Copy Number Variants.

OBJECTIVE: Copy number variants (CNVs) are well-known genetic pleiotropic risk factors for multiple neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders (NPDs), including autism (ASD) and schizophrenia. Little is known about how different CNVs conferring risk for the same condition may affect subcortical brain structures and how these alterations relate to the level of disease risk conferred by CNVs. To fill this gap, the authors investigated gross volume, vertex-level thickness, and surface maps of subcortical structures in 11 CNVs and six NPDs. METHODS: Subcortical structures were characterized using harmonized ENIGMA protocols in 675 CNV carriers (CNVs at 1q21.1, TAR, 13q12.12, 15q11.2, 16p11.2, 16p13.11, and 22q11.2; age range, 6-80 years; 340 males) and 782 control subjects (age range, 6-80 years; 387 males) as well as ENIGMA summary statistics for ASD, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and major depression. RESULTS: All CNVs showed alterations in at least one subcortical measure. Each structure was affected by at least two CNVs, and the hippocampus and amygdala were affected by five. Shape analyses detected subregional alterations that were averaged out in volume analyses. A common latent dimension was identified, characterized by opposing effects on the hippocampus/amygdala and putamen/pallidum, across CNVs and across NPDs. Effect sizes of CNVs on subcortical volume, thickness, and local surface area were correlated with their previously reported effect sizes on cognition and risk for ASD and schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrate that subcortical alterations associated with CNVs show varying levels of similarities with those associated with neuropsychiatric conditions, as well distinct effects, with some CNVs clustering with adult-onset conditions and others with ASD. These findings provide insight into the long-standing questions of why CNVs at different genomic loci increase the risk for the same NPD and why a single CNV increases the risk for a diverse set of NPDs.

Endless Journey of Adenosine Signaling in Cardioprotective Mechanism of Conditioning Techniques: Clinical Evidences.

Myocardial ischemic injury is a primary cause of death among various cardiovascular disorders. The condition occurs due to interrupted blood supply and vital nutrients (necessary for normal cellular activities and viability) to the myocardium, eventually leading to damage. Restoration of blood supply to ischemic tissue is noted to cause even more lethal reperfusion injury. Various strategies, including some conditioning techniques like preconditioning & postconditioning have been developed to check detrimental effects of reperfusion injury. Many endogenous substances have been proposed to act as initiator, mediators and end effectors of these conditioning techniques. Substances like adenosine, bradykinin, acetylcholine, angiotensin, norepinephrine, opioids, etc., have been reported to mediate cardioprotective activity. Among these agents, adenosine has been widely studied and suggested to have the most pronounced cardioprotective effects. The current review article highlights the role of adenosine signaling in the cardioprotective mechanism of conditioning techniques. The article also provides an insight into various clinical studies that substantiate the applicability of adenosine as a cardioprotective agent in myocardial-reperfusion injury.

Untangling breast cancer: Trailing towards nanoformulations-based drug development.

All over the world, cancer death and prevalence are increasing. Breast cancer (BC) is the major cause of cancer mortality (15%) which makes it the most common cancer in women. BC is defined as the furious progression and quick division of breast cells. Novel nanotechnology-based approaches helped in improving survival rate, metastatic BC is still facing obstacles to treat with an expected overall 23% survival rate. This paper represents epidemiology, classification (non-invasive, invasive and metastatic), risk factors (genetic and non-genetic) and treatment challenges of breast cancer in brief. This review paper focus on the importance of nanotechnology-based nanoformulations for treatment of BC. This review aims to deliver elementary insight and understanding of the novel nanoformulations in BC treatment and to explain to the readers for enduring designing novel nanomedicine. Later, we elaborate on several types of nanoformulations used in tumor therapeutics such as liposomes, dendrimers, polymeric nanomaterials and many others. Potential research opportunities for clinical application and current challenges related to nanoformulations utility for the treatment of BC are also highlighted in this review. The role of artificial intelligence is elaborated in detail. We also confer the existing challenges and perspectives of nanoformulations in effective tumor management, with emphasis on the various patented nanoformulations approved or progression of clinical trials retrieved from various search engines.

Endless Journey of Adenosine Signaling in Cardioprotective Mechanism of Conditioning Techniques: Clinical Evidence.

Myocardial ischemic injury is a primary cause of death among various cardiovascular disorders. The condition occurs due to an interrupted supply of blood and vital nutrients (necessary for normal cellular activities and viability) to the myocardium, eventually leading to damage. Restoration of blood supply to ischemic tissue is noted to cause even more lethal reperfusion injury. Various strategies, including some conditioning techniques, like preconditioning and postconditioning, have been developed to check the detrimental effects of reperfusion injury. Many endogenous substances have been proposed to act as initiators, mediators, and end effectors of these conditioning techniques. Substances, like adenosine, bradykinin, acetylcholine, angiotensin, norepinephrine, opioids, etc., have been reported to mediate cardioprotective activity. Among these agents, adenosine has been widely studied and suggested to have the most pronounced cardioprotective effects. The current review article highlights the role of adenosine signaling in the cardioprotective mechanism of conditioning techniques. The article also provides an insight into various clinical studies that substantiate the applicability of adenosine as a cardioprotective agent in myocardial reperfusion injury.

The chromosome-scale genome assembly of cluster bean provides molecular insight into edible gum (galactomannan) biosynthesis family genes.

Cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub 2n = 14, is commonly known as Guar. Apart from being a vegetable crop, it is an abundant source of a natural hetero-polysaccharide called guar gum or galactomannan. Here, we are reporting a chromosome-scale reference genome assembly of a popular cluster bean cultivar RGC-936, by combining sequencing data from Illumina, 10X Genomics, Oxford Nanopore technologies. An initial assembly of 1580 scaffolds with an N50 value of 7.12 Mb was generated and these scaffolds were anchored to a high density SNP linkage map. Finally, a genome assembly of 550.31 Mb (94% of the estimated genome size of ~ 580 Mb (through flow cytometry) with 58 scaffolds was obtained, including 7 super scaffolds with a very high N50 value of 78.27 Mb. Phylogenetic analysis using single copy orthologs among 12 angiosperms showed that cluster bean shared a common ancestor with other legumes 80.6 MYA. No evidence of recent whole genome duplication event in cluster bean was found in our analysis. Further comparative transcriptomics analyses revealed pod-specific up-regulation of genes encoding enzymes involved in galactomannan biosynthesis. The high-quality chromosome-scale cluster bean genome assembly will facilitate understanding of the molecular basis of galactomannan biosynthesis and aid in genomics-assisted improvement of cluster bean.

A Comparative Study Between Mastectomy Flap Quilting Sutures with Axillary Drain Versus Conventional Sutures with Axillary and Pectoral Drain in Reducing Post-Modified Radical Mastectomy Seroma Formation.

The aim of this study was to compare quilting suture with axillary drain versus conventional sutures with axillary and pectoral drain on the formation of seroma after modified radical mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection. The study was undertaken among 90 female patients with breast cancer who were candidates for modified radical mastectomy with axillary clearance. The intervention group (N = 43) with quilting and axillary drain placement and the control group (N = 33) without quilting with axillary and pectoral drain placement. All the patients were followed up for complications pertaining to this procedure. There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to demographic characteristics, comorbidities, pre-operative chemotherapy, post-operative pathological findings, lymph node involvement or clinical staging. The incidence of seroma formation on follow-up was significantly lower in the intervention group than that in the control group (23% versus 58%; p < 0.05) whereas there was no significant difference with respect to flap necrosis, superficial skin necrosis and wound gaping between the two groups. Furthermore, it took a shorter duration for seroma to resolve in the intervention group (4 days versus 9 days; p < 0.001) with a smaller duration of hospital stay (4 days versus 9 days; p < 0.001). The use of quilting sutures for flap fixation in order to obliterate dead space post-modified radical mastectomy with placement of axillary drain significantly reduced seroma formation along with shorter duration of wound drainage and a smaller hospital stay with only slightly increased operative time. Therefore, we recommend quilting of flap as a routine step after mastectomy.

Using rare genetic mutations to revisit structural brain asymmetry.

Asymmetry between the left and right brain is a key feature of brain organization. Hemispheric functional specialization underlies some of the most advanced human-defining cognitive operations, such as articulated language, perspective taking, or rapid detection of facial cues. Yet, genetic investigations into brain asymmetry have mostly relied on common variant studies, which typically exert small effects on brain phenotypes. Here, we leverage rare genomic deletions and duplications to study how genetic alterations reverberate in human brain and behavior. We quantitatively dissected the impact of eight high-effect-size copy number variations (CNVs) on brain asymmetry in a multi-site cohort of 552 CNV carriers and 290 non-carriers. Isolated multivariate brain asymmetry patterns spotlighted regions typically thought to subserve lateralized functions, including language, hearing, as well as visual, face and word recognition. Planum temporale asymmetry emerged as especially susceptible to deletions and duplications of specific gene sets. Targeted analysis of common variants through genome-wide association study (GWAS) consolidated partly diverging genetic influences on the right versus left planum temporale structure. In conclusion, our gene-brain-behavior mapping highlights the consequences of genetically controlled brain lateralization on human-defining cognitive traits.

Surface plasmon resonance in metal nanospheres explained with LCR circuits.

The manuscript details various simple LCR circuits to explain the experimentally observed surface plasmon resonance behavior of spherical metal nanoparticles. The results of the circuit's performance simulated using standard software like "QUCS" show similarity with SPR results in the literature, thus successfully explaining the size-effect, the influence of the surrounding dielectric medium and the proximity effect of densely packed metal nanoparticles. The study also explains these material dependent observations in terms of circuital parameters. This opens an avenue to detail the exact role of the material parameters in the influence of the surrounding dielectric medium and the proximity effect.