Evaluating soil quality and carbon storage in Western Ghats Forests, Karnataka, India, for sustainable forest management.

Monitoring soil quality index (SQI) and soil organic carbon (SOC) stock status of the Western Ghats (WG) forests in India is crucial for providing vital ecosystem services alongside sustainable forest management practices. However, comprehensive profile data on SQI and SOC stock across different forest types under WG forests are limited. The study evaluated SQI and SOC stock under three forest types, i.

Comparative Diversity and Functional Traits of Fungal Endophytes in Response to Elevated Mineral Content in a Mangrove Ecosystem.

This study investigates the impact of water quality, specifically elevated phosphate and zinc content, on the diversity and functional properties of mangrove fungal endophytes in two distinct mangrove forests. Mangrove plant performance is directly related to the presence of fungal leaf endophytes as these fungi could enhance plant health, resilience, and adaptability under stressed environmental conditions. Two distinct mangrove forest sites, one non-disturbed (ND) and one disturbed by aquaculture practices (D), were assessed for differences in water quality parameters.

A scoping review on recent trends in wearable sensors to analyze gait in people with stroke: From sensor placement to validation against gold-standard equipment.

The purpose of the review is to evaluate wearable sensor placement, their impact and validation of wearable sensors on analyzing gait, primarily the postural instability in people with stroke. Databases, namely PubMed, Cochrane, SpringerLink, and IEEE Xplore were searched to identify related articles published since January 2005. The authors have selected the articles by considering patient characteristics, intervention details, and outcome measurements by following the priorly set inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Optimal professional development ICT training initiatives at flagship universities.

This study explores best practices and roles of information and communication technology (ICT) in select professional development centers at 16 flagship universities. Through adopting a qualitative case study design, this study explores the strengths and weaknesses of current technology training initiatives in the selected professional development centers. As part of the research and teaching programs at flagship universities, professional development center leaders shared about the current ICT practices as well as the strengths and limitations of their own centers.

A method to improve cotton fiber length measurement for laboratory analysis.

Cotton fiber length is an essential parameter for the cotton industry and cotton research. However, differences between industry- and laboratory-scale ginning may lead to inconsistencies between research and industry results for measured length. Seedcotton from farms is processed in large industry-scale gins, while researchers typically use small laboratory-scale gins.

Comparing invasiveness of native and non-native species under changing climate in North-East India: ecological niche modelling with plant types differing in biogeographic origin.

We assess the invasive potential of Ageratum conyzoides, Hevea brasiliensis, Urena lobata and Imperata cylindrica differing in habit and biogeographic origin through ecological niche modelling in the context of the 2000 and 2050 climates of North-East (NE) India. Out of these four species, Ageratum conyzoides, Urena lobata and Imperata cylindrica are naturally occurring weed species and Hevea brasiliensis is a cultivated tree species. This study tries to address a basic question whether species with similarity in biogeographic origin may have some uniform strategy to succeed in invasion process.

Online Learning and Residents' Acquisition of Mechanical Ventilation Knowledge: Sequencing Matters.

Objective: Rapid advancements in medicine and changing standards in medical education require new, efficient educational strategies. We investigated whether an online intervention could increase residents' knowledge and improve knowledge retention in mechanical ventilation when compared with a clinical rotation and whether the timing of intervention had an impact on overall knowledge gains.

Design: A prospective, interventional crossover study conducted from October 2015 to December 2017.

Procaine and Local Anesthetic Toxicity: A Collaboration Between the Clinical and Basic Sciences.

In 1924, the Therapeutic Research Committee of the American Medical Association appointed a special committee to investigate deaths following the administration of local anesthetics. The Committee for the Study of Toxic Effects of Local Anesthetics found procaine, although a safer clinical alternative to cocaine, was capable of causing death when large doses were injected into tissues and advised that it should be used with caution. This article describes a collaboration beginning in 1928 between Dr John Lundy of the Mayo Clinic and Dr Robert Isenberger of the University of Kansas, which arose from a controversy surrounding systemic adverse reactions to procaine.

Biological studies of turmeric oil, part 3: anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of turmeric oil and fish oil in comparison with aspirin.

Turmeric and fish oil have been gaining interest as food supplements because of their beneficial properties. Turmeric oil contains sesquiterpenes and fish oil has eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), possessing anti-inflammatory activity. The present study is to evaluate and compare the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of these two natural food products with aspirin as a standard.

Biological control agent of larger black flour beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae): a nuisance pest developing in cotton gin trash piles.

The larger black flour beetles, Cynaeus angustus (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), feeds on saprophytic fungi found in gin trash piles and occasionally becomes a nuisance pest in adjacent homes and businesses. The potential of Steinernema carpocapsae 'NY 001,' as a potential control agent of larger black flour beetle under experimental conditions was examined with particular reference to the importance of soil moisture content. Without prospects of insecticides being labeled for control of larger black flour beetle in gin trash, the data presented here support further research into applications of entomopathogenic nematodes underneath gin trash piles as a way to minimize risk of larger black flour beetle populations causing nuisance to nearby homes and businesses.

Evaluation of the in vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic and in vitro anti-cancer activities of curcumin and its derivatives.

Curcumin, obtained from turmeric, has several biological properties to make it a desirable template for drug development. A lipophilic derivative of curcumin, diacetyl curcumin (DAC) and a hydrophilic derivative, diglutaryl curcumin (DGC) were synthesized and their in vivo analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities were compared with those of curcumin and aspirin. The in vitro anti-cancer activities of curcumin and the two derivatives against three cell cancer lines were compared with those against a non-cancerous cell line.

Evaluation of the in vivo anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of a highly water-soluble aspirin conjugate.

Glucose-aspirin (GA) was synthesized by conjugating aspirin (ASA) to the 3-carbon of glucose to produce a stable water-soluble aspirin derivative. The in vivo activities were compared with those of aspirin. The mouse tail flick assay showed that at 120 min.

Glucose-aspirin: Synthesis and in vitro anti-cancer activity studies.

Glucose-aspirin (GA) was synthesized by conjugating aspirin (ASA) to glucose. The water solubility and biological activity of GA was studied in comparison to aspirin. The human serum protease activity on the ester showed a slower hydrolysis rate, compared to ASA.

Ecological study of the larger black flour beetle in cotton gin trash.

The larger black flour beetle Cynaeus angustus (Leconte) thrives in cotton gin trash piles on the Southern High Plains of Texas and sometimes becomes a nuisance after invading public and private structures. For better understanding of the basic larger black flour beetle ecology in gin trash piles, we conducted a series of laboratory and semirealistic field trials. We showed (1) in naturally infested gin trash piles, that similar trap captures were obtained in three cardinal directions; (2) in a laboratory study, late-instar larvae stayed longer in larval stage in moist soil compared with drier soil; (3) in both horizontal and vertical choice experiments, late instars preferred soil with low moisture content; and (4) specifically larger black flour beetle adults, but most larvae as well, responded negatively to high moisture content in gin trash.

Natural iminosugar derivatives of 1-deoxynojirimycin inhibit glycosylation of hepatitis viral envelope proteins.

A silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) extract known to contain naturally occurring iminosugars, including 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ) derived from the mulberry tree (Morus alba L.), was evaluated in surrogate HCV and HBV in vitro assays.

Korean medicinal plant extracts exhibit antiviral potency against viral hepatitis.

Objectives: Investigation of natural ethnopharmacologic extracts exhibiting antiviral potential may lead to the discovery of new therapeutics for the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis infections. Traditional Korean medicinal herbs have been identified that exhibit potency against hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Research on the antiviral potential of naturally derived extracts is facilitated through the use of appropriate animal and liver cell culture models for these hepatotrophic pathogens.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in the woodchuck model of hepatitis B virus infection.

The Eastern woodchuck ( Marmota monax ) harbors a DNA virus (Woodchuck hepatitis virus [WHV]) that is similar in structure and replicative life cycle to the human hepatitis B virus (HBV). Like HBV, WHV infects the liver and can cause acute and chronic hepatitis. Furthermore, chronic WHV infection in woodchucks usually leads to development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within the first 2-4 years of life.

GB virus B infection of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) and associated liver pathology.

GB virus B (GBV-B) is a flavivirus that is related closely to hepatitis C virus (HCV) and induces an acute hepatitis when inoculated into several species of New World primates. Common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) are a widely available, non-endangered primate species that is susceptible to GBV-B infection and develops a characteristic acute hepatitis. Here, animals were found to be susceptible to serially passaged serum and GBV-B transcripts.

Suppression of lamivudine-resistant B-domain mutants by adefovir dipivoxil in the woodchuck hepatitis virus model.

Adult woodchucks (Marmota monax) chronically infected with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) were treated orally with lamivudine (15 mg/kg per day) for 57 weeks. After 20 weeks of treatment a 2-3 log reduction in serum WHV DNA was detected. Serum titers of WHV then increased gradually, in the presence of lamivudine treatment, reaching pre-treatment values by week 40.

Inhibition of cellular proteasome activities enhances hepadnavirus replication in an HBX-dependent manner.

The X protein (HBX) of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is not essential for the HBV life cycle in vitro but is important for productive infection in vivo. Our previous study suggests that interaction of HBX with the proteasome complex may underlie the pleiotropic functions of HBX. With the woodchuck model, we demonstrated that the X-deficient mutants of woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) are not completely replication defective, possibly behaving like attenuated viruses.

Integration of woodchuck hepatitis and N-myc rearrangement determine size and histologic grade of hepatic tumors.

Integrations of woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) DNA and rearrangements of the N-myc 2 gene have been detected frequently in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of Eastern woodchucks (Marmota monax) chronically infected with WHV. Fifty-five hepatocellular neoplasms and matched nontumor hepatic tissue specimens obtained postmortem from 13 chronic WHV carriers were analyzed and the frequency of WHV DNA integrations and of N-myc rearrangements compared in tumors of different size and histologic grade. Four small tumor nodules were classified histologically as adenomas and integrated sequences of WHV DNA were detected in two of the four tumor nodules.

Role of type 1 versus type 2 immune responses in liver during the onset of chronic woodchuck hepatitis virus infection.

Immune response messenger RNAs (mRNA) were compared in liver during self-limited (resolved) and chronic neonatal woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) infection. At week 14 postinfection (mid-acute phase), mRNAs for leukocyte markers (CD3, CD4, CD8), type 1 cytokines and related transcription factors (IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, STAT4, T-bet), and IL-10 were increased in livers from resolving infections, but mRNAs of other type 1 (IL-2) and type 2 (IL-4, STAT6, and GATA3 markers remained at baseline levels. Increased coexpression of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha mRNAs correlated in most cases with lower levels of intrahepatic WHV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA).