DeBo: Contrast enhancement for image registration using binary differential evolution and bat optimization.

Image registration has demonstrated its significance as an essential tool for target recognition, classification, tracking, and damage assessment during natural catastrophes. The image registration process relies on the identification of numerous reliable features; thus, low resolutions, poor lighting conditions, and low image contrast substantially diminish the number of dependable features available for registration. Contrast stretching enhances image quality, facilitating the object detection process.

Factors associated with anxiety and fear of falling in older adults: A rapid systematic review of reviews.

Background: Anxiety disorders are prevalent amongst older adults and negatively impact their quality-of-life and health. Anxiety disorders often go undetected or are misattributed to age-related changes. The aim of this systematic review of reviews, was to synthesize existing evidence on risk factors associated with anxiety in older adults to improve opportunities for early detection and intervention.

Ambiguous Clinical Presentations and Imaging Findings in Genetic Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

This case series underscores the crucial role of genetic testing and a multidisciplinary approach to the management of genetic dilated cardiomyopathy. It also highlights the importance of distinguishing dilated cardiomyopathies from other cardiomyopathies to personalize patient care.

Redox potential tuning by calcium ions in a novel c-type cytochrome from an anammox organism.

The electrochemical potentials of redox-active proteins need to be tuned accurately to the correct values for proper biological function. Here we describe a diheme cytochrome c with high heme redox potentials of about +350 mV, despite having a large overall negative charge which typically reduces redox potentials. High resolution crystal structures, spectroelectrochemical measurements and high-end computational methods show how this is achieved: each heme iron has a calcium cation positioned next to it at a distance of only 6.

Development and in vitro tuning of empagliflozin-containing dissolvable microneedle patch for enhanced transdermal delivery.

This painless method allows drugs to penetrate the outer skin layer, offering several advantages over alternative administration routes, including ease of use and the ability to bypass enterohepatic circulation. Among transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS), microneedle patches (MNPs) are emerging as an innovative approach for minimally invasive drug delivery, enhancing the skin permeation of substances ranging from macro to micro sizes. This study explores dissolvable microneedle patches (dMNPs) as a novel method to improve the systemic delivery of empagliflozin, an SGLT-2 inhibitor, commonly used to manage type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Electrifying energy storage by investigating the electrochemical behavior of CoCrO/graphene-oxide nanocomposite as supercapacitor high performance electrode material.

This study reports novel three-step electrochemical fabrication of CoCrO/graphene-oxide nanocomposite on glassy carbon electrode including sequential synthesis of graphene-oxide using modified Hummer's method, CoCrO nanoparticles using sol-gel method and the cost-effective co-precipitation technique for nanocomposite formation. The resulting nanocomposite was subjected to comprehensive analytical and morphological analysis. X-ray diffractometry (XRD) confirms nanocomposite formation with reduced average crystallite size value of 26.

The Impact of Zinc Supplementation on Hyperglycemia and Complications of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Type 2 DM) constitutes a major public health problem. Zinc (Zn), a critical micronutrient in the human body, serves as a potent antioxidant, and is closely linked to the development and progression of Type 2 DM. However, limited evidence explored the speculated putative mechanism of Zn repletion improving insulin sensitivity and severity in patients with Type 2 DM.

Complete genome sequence of a novel bipartite begomovirus infecting butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) in India.

In India, plants from the non-cultivated, horticultural, and agricultural categories are commonly infected with various begomoviruses, most of which produce yellow mosaic, bright yellow mosaic, or curling symptoms on leaves. In this study, the complete genome of a new bipartite begomovirus causing yellow mosaic disease (YMD) in butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) was characterized using rolling-circle amplification followed by restriction digestion, cloning, and sequencing to obtain the full-length DNA-A (2727 nt) and DNA-B (2648 nt) sequences.

In ovo sodium butyrate administration differentially impacts growth performance, intestinal barrier function, immune response, and gut microbiota characteristics in low and high hatch-weight broilers.

Background: Hatch weight (HW) affects broiler growth and low HW (LHW) often leads to suboptimal performance. Sodium butyrate (SB) has been shown to promote growth through enhanced intestinal health. This study investigated how broilers with different HW responded to in ovo SB injection and whether SB could enhance gut health and performance in LHW chicks.

A comprehensive review of Lavandula stoechas L (Ustukhuddus) plant: Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and In silico Studies.

Lavandula stoechas L., also referred to as French lavender or Spanish lavender, is a well-known medicinal plant with a strong presence in traditional medicine systems. This review provides an overview of the existing research progress on L.

Associations of perceived neighbourhood and home environments with sedentary behaviour among adolescents in 14 countries: the IPEN adolescent cross sectional observational study.

Background: Understanding environmental correlates of sedentary behaviour (SB) among young people is important as such data can identify approaches to limit sedentary time. This paper estimates associations of parent-reported neighbourhood and adolescent-reported home environments with SB among adolescents aged 11-19 years from 14 countries.

Methods: In the International Physical activity and the Environment Network (IPEN) Adolescent Study (an observational, cross-sectional multi-country study), adolescents wore a triaxial accelerometer for seven days that assessed sedentary time (ST).

Synergistic anticancer effects of interleukin-21 combined with therapeutic peptides in multiple cancer cells.

Background: Interleukin-21 (IL-21) is a cytokine produced by various cell types, including T cells, natural killer cells, myeloid cells, and B cells, and has a broad range of potential applications in cancer therapy. To improve the therapeutic index, we explored the use of fusion technologies that involved linking other anticancer peptides to the IL-21 gene using specific linkers.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the anticancer potential of IL-21 and IL-21 fusion proteins.

Chemically modified filter paper with Jaman fruit extract for visual sensing of milk freshness.

Developing a non-toxic, cost-effective, and user-friendly indicator for detecting milk freshness and spoilage, with potential applications in smart packaging, presents a significant challenge. In this study, we extracted natural anthocyanins (ACNs) from Jaman (Syzgium cumini) and incorporated it in to filter paper. The presence of ACNs in the extract was confirmed through UPLC-MS/MS analysis.

Unlocking the effect of film thickness on the thermoelectric properties of thermally evaporated Cu Se thin films.

Miniaturization is crucial to realize thermoelectric (TE) devices as an energy source for smart utilities. The present work reports the bulk-like value realized in Cu Se thin films in the mid-temperature range. The effect of varying the film thickness on the structural and TE properties were systematically studied, and the obtained results were compared with that of their bulk counterpart.

Active restoration efforts drive community succession and assembly in a desert during the past 53 years.

Regreening efforts in deserts have been implemented globally to combat land degradation and desert expansion, but how they affect above- and belowground community succession and assembly processes remains unknown. Here, we examined variations in plant and soil microbial community attributes along a 53-year restoration chronosequence following the establishment of straw checkerboard barriers (SCBs) in the Tengger Desert of China. This approach is a combination of fixing shifting sand and adding organic material (straw) simultaneously to expedite vegetation restoration by enhancing the success of plant establishment.

Pain in the upper back is prevailing more than pain in the lower back amongst workers of building construction; a cohort study.

Construction is hazardous for workers' health. This study identifies the prevalence of spinal pain vis-à-vis associated occupational and socioeconomic factors, amongst 600 workers (from 20 construction sites, occupied at 7 work stages). We extracted data from the Nordic-Musculoskeletal-Disorders-Questionnaire and analysed in association with personal and occupational traits, using R-language.

Exploration of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in gastric cancer patients through next generation sequencing: implications for diagnosis and therapy.

Objectives: The study aims to characterize BRCA1/2 mutations in Pakistani gastric cancer (GC) patients, identifying unique pathogenic variants and evaluating their potential as diagnostic biomarkers, while also exploring therapeutic avenues for personalized treatment strategies.

Methodology: In this study, we investigated the role of Breast Cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and Breast Cancer gene 2 (BRCA2) mutations in Pakistani GC patients and their functional implications using Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS).

Results: Through NGS, we identified a total of 19 mutations in BRCA1 and 11 mutations in BRCA2, all with high mutation quality scores.

In vitro pharmacological evaluation of Methanolic leaf extract of for antifungal and anti-breast cancer activities.

Background: Medicinal plants remained the primary choice worldwide from several centuries due to many therapeutic effects in the management of infectious and non-infectious diseases. Therefore, exploration of new medicinalplants as a green medicine has the major concern of many research groups. Microbial infections and different types of cancers in human are among the common health problems both in developing as well as in developed countries.

Pharmacokinetic profile of novel multi-layer stable effervescent tablet: a cross-over study with an established European brand in healthy young male adults.

Effervescent formulation helps in faster and better absorption of drugs, especially those that are rapidly soluble in water. However, these tablets require special packaging in order to prevent them from absorbing moisture, hence increasing cost. We compared an effervescent tablet prepared using an in-house developed method (multi-layer tablet with acid and base part separated by an inert layer) to a European effervescent tablet (Efferalgan®) in a single-center, randomized cross-over study among twelve healthy volunteers.