Average collision velocity of single yeast cells during electrochemically induced impacts.

We recorded current-time (i-t) profiles for oxidizing ferrocyanide (FCN) while spherical yeast cells of radius (rc ≈ 2 µm) collided with disk ultramicroelectrodes (UMEs) of increasing radius (re ≈ 12-45 µm). Collision signals appear as minority steps and majority blips of decreased current overlayed on the i-t baseline when cells block ferrocyanide flux (JFCN). We assigned steps to adsorption events and blips to bouncing collisions or contactless passages. Yeast cells exhibit impact signals of long duration (Δt ≈ 15-40 s) likely due to sedimentation. We assume cells travel a threshold distance (T) to generate collision signals of duration Δt. Thus, T represents a distance from the UME surface, at which cell perturbations on JFCN blend in with the UME noise level. To determine T, we simulated the UME current, while placing the cell at increasing distal points from the UME surface until matching the bare UME current. T-Values at 90°, 45°, and 0° from the UME edge and normal to the center were determined to map out T-regions in different experimental conditions. We estimated average collision velocities using the formula T/Δt, and mimicked cells entering and leaving T-regions at the same angle. Despite such oversimplification, our analysis yields average velocities compatible with rigorous transport models and matches experimental current steps and blips. We propose that single-cells encode collision dynamics into i-t signals only when cells move inside the sensitive T-region, because outside, perturbations of JFCN fall within the noise level set by JFCN and rc/re (experimentally established). If true, this notion will enable selecting conditions to maximize sensitivity in stochastic blocking electrochemistry. We also exploited the long Δt recorded here for yeast cells, which was undetectable for the fast microbeads used in early pioneering work. Because Δt depends on transport, it provides another analytical parameter besides current for characterizing slow-moving cells like yeast.

Bacillus safensis filtrate-based ZnO nanoparticles control black heart rot disease of apricot fruits by maintaining its soluble sugars and carotenoids.

Black heart rot is a serious disease of apricot and it has been reported to be caused by Alternaria solani, around the world. The present research was designed to control this disastrous disease using zinc oxide nanoparticles (b-ZnO NPs). These NPs were synthesized in the filtrate of a useful bacterium (Bacillus safensis) and applied to control black heart rot of apricot. After synthesis, the reduction of b-ZnO NPs was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy, at 330 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra ensured the presence of multiple functional groups (alcohols, phenols, carboxylic acids, nitro compounds and amines) on the surface of b-ZnO NPs. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis elucidated their average size (18 nm) while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrograph described the spherical shape of b-ZnO NPs. The synthesized b-ZnO NPs were applied in four different concentrations (0.25 mg/ml, 0.50 mg/ml, 0.75 mg/ml, 1.0 mg/ml) under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. These NPs were very efficient in inhibiting mycelial growth (85.1%) of A. solani at 0.75 mg/ml concentration of NPs, in vitro. Same concentration also performed best, in vivo, and significantly reduced disease incidence (by 67%) on self-inoculated apricot fruit. Apart from this, application of b-ZnO NPs helped apricot fruit to maintain its quality under fungal-stress conditions. The decay of apricot fruit was reduced and they maintained greater firmness and higher weight. Moreover, b-ZnO NPs treated fruits controlled black heart rot disease by maintaining higher contents of ascorbic acid, soluble sugars and carotenoids. These b-ZnO NPs were produced in powder form for their easy carriage to the farmers' fields.

Emissivity Correction and Thermal Pattern Reconstruction in Eddy Current Pulsed Thermography.

Emissivity variations are one of the most critical challenges in thermography technologies; this is due to the temperature calculation strongly depending on emissivity settings for infrared signal extraction and evaluation. This paper describes an emissivity correction and thermal pattern reconstruction technique based on physical process modelling and thermal feature extraction, for eddy current pulsed thermography. An emissivity correction algorithm is proposed to address the pattern observation issues of thermography in both spatial and time domains. The main novelty of this method is that the thermal pattern can be corrected based on the averaged normalization of thermal features. In practice, the proposed method brings benefits in enhancing the detectability of the faults and characterization of the materials without the interference of the emissivity variation problem at the object's surfaces. The proposed technique is verified in several experimental studies, such as the case-depth evaluation of heat-treatment steels, failures, and fatigues of gears made of the heat-treated steels that are used for rolling stock applications. The proposed technique can improve the detectability of the thermography-based inspection methods and would improve the inspection efficiency for high-speed NDT&E applications, such as rolling stock applications.

Estimating Average Velocities of Particle Arrival Using the Time Duration of the Current Signal in Stochastic Blocking Electrochemistry.

In stochastic blocking electrochemistry, microparticles generate individual current steps when they adsorb on a microelectrode and decrease the current and flux of a redox mediator reacting at the surface. The amplitude of the current step informs on particle size and landing locus, while step frequency correlates with particle transport. Here, we report a new method to estimate the average arrival velocities of single rod-shaped bacteria (bacilli). The method relies on simulating the nearby threshold distance from the surface where the bacillus no longer perturbs mediator flux and the current step approaches zero. We estimated the average velocities of bacillus arrival by dividing the threshold distance over the current step duration, a parameter that here we detect for the first time and increases with bacillus length. By comparing diffusional fluctuations to bacillus average velocity, we estimated diffusion and migration contributions as a function of bacterium size. Average arrival velocities increase with bacillus length at the same time as migration intensifies and diffusion weakens. Our analysis is universal and more effective in determining transport mode contributions than the present approach of comparing theoretical and experimental step frequencies. Uncertainty in landing locus is inconsequential because the step duration used to calculate the average arrival speed already contains such information and knowing bacillus electrophoretic mobility or ζ-potential is not needed. Additionally, by simulating and assigning edge landings to the most repeated values of current steps in a recording, we obtain bacilli lengths and widths similar to scanning electron microscopy, from which we infer landing orientation.

First Report of Fruit Rot of Cherry and Its Control Using Fe2O3 Nanoparticles Synthesized in Calotropis procera.

Cherry is a fleshy drupe, and it is grown in temperate regions of the world. It is perishable, and several biotic and abiotic factors affect its yield. During April-May 2021, a severe fruit rot of cherry was observed in Swat and adjacent areas. Diseased fruit samples were collected, and the disease-causing pathogen was isolated on PDA. Subsequent morphological, microscopic, and molecular analyses identified the isolated pathogen as Aspergillus flavus. For the control of the fruit rot disease of cherry, iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs) were synthesized in the leaf extract of Calotropis procera and characterized. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of synthesized Fe2O3 NPs showed the presence of capping and stabilizing agents such as alcohols, aldehydes, and halo compounds. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis verified the form and size (32 nm) of Fe2O3 NPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the spinal-shaped morphology of synthesized Fe2O3 NPs while X-ray diffraction (EDX) analysis displayed the occurrence of main elements in the samples. After successful preparation and characterization of NPs, their antifungal activity against A. flavus was determined by poison technique. Based on in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity analyses, it was observed that 1.0 mg/mL concentration of Fe2O3 can effectively inhibit the growth of fungal mycelia and decrease the incidence of fruit rot of cherry. The results confirmed ecofriendly fungicidal role of Fe2O3 and suggested that their large-scale application in the field to replace toxic chemical fungicides.

Oral Manifestations of Psychotropic Drugs on the Oral Cavity: Observational Study.

AIM: This study aims to detect the prevalence of oral manifestations in patients with psychiatric disorders on psychotropic medications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 46 patients above the age of 18 years who have been diagnosed with psychiatric illness and under psychotropic medications were included in this study. Thorough case history and oral findings were recorded. Patients with already existing systemic illness and other oral manifestations were excluded from this study. RESULTS: Out of 46 patients, 34 patients presented with oral manifestations such as xerostomia, sialorrhea, geographic tongue, candidiasis, and burning mouth syndrome, secondary to the use of psychotropic medications. The oral manifestations were significantly higher in the patients under antipsychotics (80.0%), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (66.7%), antiepileptics (55.6%), antidepressants (44.4%), benzodiazepine (44.4%), and tricyclic antidepressants (13.7%). CONCLUSION: The commonly used psychotropic medications to treat patients with psychiatric illnesses such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, tricyclic antidepressants, antidepressants, and benzodiazepines exhibited several oral manifestations. However, long-term use of these medications seems to cause oral changes. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Awareness among psychiatrists about oral changes associated with the use of psychotropic medication will assist them to make necessary modifications in the prescriptions. Dental practitioners will be able to recognize these changes early in the course of the condition and provide appropriate treatment.

Dynamics of Collisions and Adsorption in the Stochastic Electrochemistry of Emulsion Microdroplets.

Current-time recordings of emulsified toluene microdroplets containing 20 mM Ferrocene (Fc), show electrochemical oxidation peaks from individual adsorption events on disk microelectrodes (5 µm diameter). The average droplet diameter (∼0.7 µm) determined from peak area integration was close to Dynamic Light Scattering measurements (∼1 µm). Random walk simulations were performed deriving equations for droplet electrolysis using the diffusion and thermal velocity expressions from Einstein. The simulations show that multiple droplet-electrode collisions, lasting ∼0.11 µs each, occur before a droplet wanders away. Updating the Fc-concentration at every collision shows that a droplet only oxidizes ∼0.58% of its content in one collisional journey. In fact, it would take ∼5.45 × 106 collisions and ∼1.26 h to electrolyze the Fc in one droplet with the collision frequency derived from the thermal velocity (∼0.52 cm/s) of a 1 µm-droplet. To simulate adsorption, the droplet was immobilized at first contact with the electrode while the electrolysis current was computed. This approach along with modeling of instrumental filtering, produced the best match of experimental peaks, which were attributed to electrolysis from single adsorption events instead of multiple consecutive collisions. These results point to a heightened sensitivity and speed when relying on adsorption instead of collisions. The electrochemical current for the former is limited by the probability of adsorption per collision, whereas for the latter, the current depends on the collision frequency and the probability of electron transfer per collision (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 16923-16931).

High Performance Air Breathing Flexible Lithium-Air Battery.

Lithium-oxygen (Li-O2 ) batteries possess the highest theoretical energy density (3500 Wh kg-1 ), which makes them attractive candidates for modern electronics and transportation applications. In this work, an inexpensive, flexible, and wearable Li-O2 battery based on the bifunctional redox mediator of InBr3 , MoS2 cathode catalyst, and Fomblin-based oxygen permeable membrane that enable long-cycle-life operation of the battery in pure oxygen, dry air, and ambient air is designed, fabricated, and tested. The battery operates in ambient air with an open system air-breathing architecture and exhibits excellent cycling up to 240 at the high current density of 1 A g-1 with a relative humidity of 75%. The electrochemical performance of the battery including deep-discharge capacity, and rate capability remains almost identical after 1000 cycle in a bending fatigue test. This finding opens a new direction for utilizing high performance Li-O2 batteries for applications in the field of flexible and wearable electronics.

Evaluation of Malnutrition and Quality of Life in Patients Treated for Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Oral and oropharyngeal cancer is a debilitating disease with high morbidity and mortality. Depending on the site and extent of the involvement of the cancer and the type of treatment modality, these patients can develop pain, trismus, xerostomia, dysphagia, and taste disturbances, compromising them socially and nutritionally. The aim of the study was to evaluate malnutrition and quality of life in patients treated for oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Methodology. A cross-sectional study was conducted which included 97 patients treated for oral and oropharyngeal cancer. The quality of life of the selected patients was assessed by using a validated European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer's Quality of Life Questionnaire, Head and Neck and Mandibular Function Impairment Questionnaire. Pre- and posttreatment weight of the patients were assessed, and weight loss of ≥10% of pretreatment weight was considered as malnutrition. The chi-square test was used to correlate the symptoms with the quality of life. A paired t test was used to assess the differences in weight before and after treatment, and a p value of <0.005 was considered as significant. RESULTS: The most commonly reported symptoms were xerostomia (93.81%), pain (81.44%), and dysphagia (76.3%). A total of 40.2% of the individuals in the study had malnutrition. Malnutrition was comparatively lower in the group who had nutritional supplements. CONCLUSION: The quality of life in patients treated for oral and oropharyngeal cancer deteriorates immediately after the treatment; however, it significantly improves over time.

Child education in the time of pandemic: Learning loss and dropout.

The disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the education sector at an unprecedented scale. In order to contain the spread of the virus, a large number of countries across the globe have shut their schools to handle the pandemic. However, it has adversely affected students' learning and school attendance. In this regard, we assess the impact of COVID-19 on the learning loss, school dropout, and the economic costs in term of foregone earnings for children in Pakistan. The study finds a substantial decrease in Learning Adjusted Years of Schooling (LAYS) with worsening consequences for girls than boys. Likewise, the aggregate economic cost amounts to 107 billion dollars when adjusted for human capital utilisation. Besides, our simulation results suggest that about 7.2 million children dropout due to a reduction in household expenditure by 50 percent. In comparison, the dropout is more pronounced at the primary level of schooling. The results recommend that the government design robust social protection and remote education strategies to mitigate school closure's adverse effect on children's learning. The emphasis should be rather on the long run strategies to cope with a resilient education system of futuristic orientation.

Health-related quality of life among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Pakistan.

PURPOSE: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of pulmonary TB patients has not been assessed in Pakistan. We assessed self-reported HRQoL of pulmonary TB patients in Karachi, Pakistan utilizing the EQ-5D and EQ-VAS prior to, during, and after completion of TB treatment. METHODS: We enrolled 226 pulmonary TB patients in a longitudinal cohort study. Health-utility scores were estimated by the EQ-5D five dimensions and the EQ-Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at baseline (month 0) and each monthly follow-up visit until treatment completion at month 6. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to investigate effect of time into treatment on EQ-5D and EQ-VAS scores. RESULTS: EQ-5D health utility and EQ-VAS scores increase with treatment progression. For the enrolled TB patients, the mean EQ-5D utility scores more than doubled from 0.43 to 0.88, p < .001, effect size η2 = 0.40 from treatment initiation to treatment completion. CONCLUSION: Perceived HRQoL of TB patients improves with treatment progression. This can inform targeted treatment plans as well as TB policy and funding for high-burden countries.

Synthesis, antibacterial, antioxidant activity and QSAR studies of novel 2-arylidenehydrazinyl-4-arylthiazole analogues.

A novel series of 2-arylidenehydrazinyl-4-arylthiazole analogues (3a-p) was designed and synthesized in excellent yields using a rapid, simple, efficient methodology. Sixteen novel compounds were screened for in vitro antimicrobial activities against eleven bacteria, namely, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Citrobacter freundii, Cronobacter sakazakii, Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli, Yersinia pestis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All 16 compounds showed significant anti-bacterial activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In particular, compound 3g showed potent inhibition of E. coli and K. pneumonia, compound 3i inhibited E. faecalis, compound 3n S. tythi and E. faecalis, and compound 3c E. coli and C. sakazakii. In fact, our results indicate that most of the compounds synthesized exhibit strong antibacterial activity. The qualitative structure-antibacterial activity relationships (QSAR) were studied using the physicochemical and quantum-chemical parameters of the ab initio Hartree-Fock model at the RHF/6-31G level of theory. A good qualitative correlation between predicted physicochemical parameters (log P and polar surface area (PSA)) and antibacterial activity has been found. The synthesized compounds were also evaluated for antioxidant activity. Compounds 3j, 3a and 3i exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity, with IC50 values of 0.66, 0.81, and 1.08 µM, respectively, which were comparable to that of ascorbic acid (IC50 0.87 µM). The promising antibacterial and antioxidant activities of some of these synthesized 2-arylidenehydrazinyl-4-arylthiazole derivatives, together with the results of quantum-chemical studies, could be helpful for the development of drugs to combat diseases caused by microorganisms and oxidative stress.

Assessment of variations in the nasopalatine canal on CBCT: considerations from an anatomical point of view.

PURPOSE: The nasopalatine canal (NPC) is one of the most significant anatomical markers in the anterior maxillary region. Its location is quite important, especially for implant placement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to use cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to evaluate the morphology, size, and anatomic variations of the NPC. METHODS: A total of 150 individual CBCT images were assessed in various sections to evaluate the dimensions, morphology, and extent of the NPC. Reformatted sagittal images were chosen to classify the shape and course of the canal. The Student's t-test, the χ² test, and Pearson correlation coefficients were used. RESULTS: The NPC was longer in males than in females, and the mediolateral diameter of the canal was greater in older adults. In sagittal sections, the canal predominantly exhibits a cylindrical shape, while a spindle shape is the least common. In coronal sections, a single shape is most frequently observed, with a Y-shape being the least common. Regarding the orientation of the canal, slanted canals are more prevalent, whereas vertically curved canals are rare. Typically, 2 canal openings are observed, with 4 openings being the least common. CONCLUSION: The current study highlights the challenges associated with identifying the anatomical appearance and variations of the NPC. Consequently, possessing a thorough understanding of this anatomy is essential before undertaking any surgical procedures, such as implant placement. This knowledge helps prevent complications such as nerve injury-related loss of sensation, bleeding due to blood vessel injury, and the development of a nasopalatine duct cyst following trauma to the canal during surgery.

Accessory lingual mental foramen: A case report of a rare anatomic variation.

INTRODUCTION: The mandibular nerve and the mental foramen have occasionally shown variations in its anatomy. This report aims to present a case of lingual mental foramen recognised on three-dimensional cone beam computed tomographic imaging (CBCT). CASE REPORT: Routine Orthopantomogram (OPG) and CBCT images were evaluated to assess the status of impact third molars in a 31-year-old female who had visited the dental clinics in our institution. The OPG image failed to reveal any anatomic variation in the position of the mental foramen. On tracing the course of the mandibular canal in CBCT images, two foramina were traced at the region of premolar. One opened towards the buccal cortical plate at the normal position of the mental foramen and an accessory lingual mental foramen had an opening on the lingual cortical bone at the same level as the mental foramen. CONCLUSION: Understanding variations of the mental foramen is extremely essential in dentistry to carry out successful anaesthetic or surgical interventions and to avoid complications such as nerve damage or excessive bleeding.

A comparative analysis of sphenoid and frontal sinuses using cone beam computed tomography for sex determination.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate linear measurements of the frontal sinus (FS) and sphenoid sinus (SS) for sex identification on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Methods: A comparative CBCT analysis was conducted on 200 full field of view (FOV) scans taken as part of routine dental investigations. Dimensions of the bilateral frontal and sphenoid sinuses were measured. Intra- and interobserver reliability were calculated. Independent t tests were used to compare the various parameters between sexes. Stepwise discriminant function analysis was used to determine sex. Additionally, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity were also determined. A p value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 200 CBCT scans were included in the study. The mean age (±SD) among males was 25.66 (±7.11) and that among females was 24.64 (±5.12). The ROC curve revealed that the right length of the frontal sinus showed the greatest accuracy in sex identification in comparison to other linear measurements of the FS and SS. The results of our study indicated that the equation obtained from stepwise discriminant function analysis can aid in sex determination with an accuracy of 76.5 %. Conclusion: Our findings support the sexual dimorphism of linear measurements of FS and SS. There was an improvement in the accuracy of sex prediction when the linear measurements of FS and SS were considered in combination rather than in isolation. The derived equation can be an adjunctive tool for sex identification for the representative population.

Condensation of the N-terminal domain of human topoisomerase 1 is driven by electrostatic interactions and tuned by its charge distribution.

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is pivotal in forming biomolecular condensates, which are crucial in several biological processes. Intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) are typically responsible for driving LLPS due to their multivalency and high content of charged residues that enable the establishment of electrostatic interactions. In our study, we examined the role of charge distribution in the condensation of the disordered N-terminal domain of human topoisomerase I (hNTD). hNTD is densely charged with oppositely charged residues evenly distributed along the sequence. Its LLPS behavior was compared with that of charge permutants exhibiting varying degrees of charge segregation. At low salt concentrations, hNTD undergoes LLPS. However, LLPS is inhibited by high concentrations of salt and RNA, disrupting electrostatic interactions. Our findings show that, in hNTD, moderate charge segregation promotes the formation of liquid condensates that are sensitive to salt and RNA, whereas marked charge segregation results in the formation of aberrant condensates. Although our study is based on a limited set of protein variants, it supports the applicability of the "stickers-and-spacers" model to biomolecular condensates involving highly charged IDRs. These results may help generate reliable models of the overall LLPS behavior of supercharged polypeptides.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Antioxidant Therapy in Enhancing the Quality of Life of Chronic Pancreatitis Patients: A Systematic Review.

Chronic pancreatitis (CP), an inflammatory disease characterized by irreversible pancreatic changes and progressive fibrosis, significantly impairs patients' quality of life. This systematic review aims to assess the efficacy of antioxidant therapy in enhancing the quality of life of CP patients. Focusing on the role of oxidative stress in CP pathogenesis, we explored several databases for studies evaluating the impact of antioxidant supplementation. The review included randomized controlled trials and cohort studies reporting pain frequency, intensity, and overall quality of life measures. Findings from these studies present a mixed view of the efficacy of antioxidants in CP, with some suggesting benefits in symptom management, while others show inconsistency in improving patient outcomes. The review concludes that while antioxidant therapy holds potential, especially in symptom alleviation, there is a need for more rigorous, larger-scale studies to confirm its effectiveness in CP management and to establish standardized treatment protocols. The incorporation of antioxidants into CP treatment plans should be approached with personalized care, considering the varied responses observed in different patient populations.

On the Physical Layer Security of Federated Learning Based IoMT Networks.

Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) connects different medical devices, health sensors and hospital records to data platforms using wireless communications. Federated Learning (FL) is an emerging collaborative learning technique that can be beneficial for IoMT due to reduced communication overhead and enhanced security. This paper provides an overview of different architectures used in FL and potential approaches for FL based IoMT. We also discuss how Physical Layer Security (PLS) can be used for efficient privacy preservation of data in FL based IoMT. We highlight the recent work in this area and major research challenges related to PLS assisted FL in IoMT. We also provide a case study demonstrating that clustering of IoMT devices (such that a single device in each cluster acts as a cluster head) enhances the secrecy rate of the FL based IoMT network as compared to its non-clustered counterpart. Finally, we also discuss future opportunities and open research questions related to PLS assisted FL in IoMT.