Probing Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Legumes Using Raman Spectroscopy.

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by symbiotic bacteria plays a vital role in sustainable agriculture. However, current quantification methods are often expensive and impractical. This study explores the potential of Raman spectroscopy, a non-invasive technique, for rapid assessment of BNF activity in soybeans.

Synthesis and characterization of a pH/temperature-dual responsive hydrogel with promising biocompatibility features for stimuli-responsive 5-FU delivery.

The tunable properties of stimuli-responsive copolymers or hydrogels enable their application in different fields such as biomedical engineering, tissue engineering, or even drug release. Here we introduce a new PNIPAM-based triblock copolymer material comprising a controlled amount of a novel hydrophobic crosslinker 2,4'-diacryloyloxy benzophenone (DABP) and acrylic acid (AAc) to achieve lower critical solution temperature (LCST) between ambient and body temperatures. The dual stimuli-responsive p(NIPAM--DABP--AAc) triblock copolymer material and hydrogel were synthesized, and their temperature and pH-responsive behaviors were systematically investigated.

Vulnerability to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) / Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among adolescent girls and young women in India: A rapid review.

Limited evidence is available on the vulnerability of Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) to sexual risk behaviour and STI/HIV. Though there are almost no statistics available on vulnerability, related literature suggests that AGYW have low awareness about sexual risk behaviour/ transmission and the prevalence of STI/HIV, making them vulnerable. We conducted a rapid review of peer-reviewed studies addressing transmission network, prevalence, incidence awareness, common determinants of sexual risk behaviour/STI/HIV, health-seeking behaviour and existing interventions addressing the situation among AGYW (age 15-24) to inform the evidence gap in this crucial area of research.

Sumoylation of methionine adenosyltransferase alpha 1 promotes mitochondrial dysfunction in alcohol-associated liver disease.

Background And Aims: Methionine adenosyltransferase alpha1 (MATα1) is responsible for the biosynthesis of S-adenosylmethionine in normal liver. Alcohol consumption enhances MATα1 interaction with peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase NIMA-interacting 1 (PIN1), which blocks MATα1 mitochondrial targeting, resulting in lower mitochondrial MATα1 content and mitochondrial dysfunction in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) in part through upregulation of cytochrome P450 2E1. Conversely, alcohol intake enhances SUMOylation, which enhances cytochrome P450 2E1 expression.

Association of macular hole intraretinal fluid and visual acuity.

Objective: This study investigates the association between preoperative intraretinal fluid (IRF) area and preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in surgically repaired idiopathic macular holes (MH). This study further evaluates other prognostic indices related to MH repair that may assist clinicians' understanding of MH operative management.

Design: Retrospective cohort study conducted at a single institution.

Outcomes in patients with retinal vein occlusion with good baseline visual acuity.

Background: Intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) are first-line therapy for macular oedema in retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Appropriate management for RVO with good visual acuity at diagnosis has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study is to analyse the visual and anatomic outcomes from anti-VEGF treatment among RVO patients with good vision at baseline.

Evidence and gap map report: Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) interventions for strengthening HIV prevention and research among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Background: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), aged 15-24 years, are disproportionately affected by HIV and other sexual and reproductive health (SRH) risks due to varying social, cultural, and economic factors that affect their choices and shape their knowledge, understanding, and practices with regard to their health. Socio-Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) interventions targeted at strengthening the capabilities of individuals and their networks have supported the demand and uptake of prevention services and participation in biomedical research. However, despite growing global recognition of the domain, high-quality evidence on the effectiveness of SBCC remains scattered.

Toxicity evaluation of iron oxide nanoparticles to freshwater cyanobacteria Nostoc ellipsosporum.

The extensive usage of iron oxide nanoparticles (FeO NPs) in commercial and biomedical applications raises the risk of releasing their remains into the aquatic ecosystems and this could possibly cause cytotoxic effects on aquatic organisms. Thus, the toxicity assessment of FeO NPs on cyanobacteria, which are primary producers at the bottom of food chain in aquatic ecosystems, is essential to gain information about the potential ecotoxicological threat on aquatic biota. The present study investigated the cytotoxic effects of FeO NPs on Nostoc ellipsosporum using different concentrations (0, 10, 25, 50 and 100 mg L) to track the time-dependent and dose-dependent effects and compared with its bulk equivalent.

Functional Imaging of Mitochondria in Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using Flavoprotein Fluorescence.

Purpose: Oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Oxidized mitochondrial flavoprotein fluorescence (FPF) may serve as a quantifiable biomarker of oxidative stress, reported as either mean score for the entire image (intensity) or variability (heterogeneity). This study examines FPF intensity and heterogeneity across a large patient cohort of various Beckman stages of AMD.

Active Learning Assisted MCCI to Target Spin States.

Strongly correlated systems and their accurate solutions have been challenging to quantum chemistry. Several methods have been developed over the years for the accurate understanding of such systems, and selected configuration interaction and Monte Carlo configuration interaction (MCCI) form important classes of systems in this category. However, MCCI is plagued by slow convergence.

Functional imaging of mitochondria in genetically confirmed retinal dystrophies using flavoprotein fluorescence.

Background: Whether by indirect oxidative stress or direct genetic defect, various genetic retinal dystrophies involve mitochondrial stress. Mitochondrial flavoprotein fluorescence (FPF), reported as either average signal intensity or variability (heterogeneity), may serve as a direct, quantifiable marker of oxidative stress.

Materials And Methods: This observational study enrolled patients with genetically confirmed retinal dystrophies between January and December 2021.

Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment Patterns and Outcomes in Retinal Vein Occlusion in Routine Clinical Practice.

Background And Objective: To characterize treatment patterns for retinal vein occlusion (RVO)-related macular edema (ME) in routine clinical practice and its impact on long-term best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central subfield thickness (CST).

Patients And Methods: Retrospective study of 365 eyes with branch RVO (BRVO) or central/hemi-RVO (CRVO/HRVO)-related ME between 2003 and 2020. Regression analysis identified factors associated with maintenance injection interval (MII).

Opioid Prescription in Ophthalmology and the Impact of a Decision Support Tool in Reducing Excess Dosing.

Purpose: To characterize opioid prescribing in ophthalmology and to determine the impact of an alert system on opioid prescription patterns.

Design: Retrospective pre- and post-implementation study.

Methods: The study population included individuals aged ≥18 years who received opioids written by ophthalmologists within a tertiary care center between January 3, 2015, and November 3, 2021, in the context of an opioid alert system.

The structure and functional mechanism of eyespot in Chlamydomonas.

Light plays a crucial role in photosynthesis, photoperiodism, and photomorphogenesis. Algae have a specialized visual system to perceive the light signal known as eyespot. A typical eyespot is an orange-colored, membranous structure packed with pigmented granules.

Artifacts of Care: The Collection of Medical Records by Families in North India.

In India, where there is no centralized medical records system, biomedical care providers rely on families to explain their child's illness and to carry records of any previous treatment the child may have received. Drawing on discussions of documentation, I argue that in the context of medical treatment for pediatric seizures, (1) families collect medical records to enable and shape their child's medical treatment, and (2) such a merging of medical and familial care is necessitated by the nature of their child's illness and the structure of the Indian healthcare system. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Meerut and New Delhi, this paper attends to practices of record keeping to understand the demands biomedical institutions place on families for the treatment of their child's seizures.

PROTOCOL: Social and behaviour change communication interventions for strengthening HIV prevention and research among adolescent girls and young women in low- and middle-income countries: An evidence and gap map.

Despite progress in several dimensions of the global HIV response, there seems to be a significant gender and age disparity. Numerous organizations consider it a top priority to accelerate HIV prevention programming among Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) as unequal gender norms, limited agency and voice, and reduced access to resources put them at higher HIV risk. Gender and age have also been identified as critical gaps within prevention research to ensure the development of biomedical interventions that are responsive to the biological and social needs of AGYW.

Biosynthesis and extraction of high-value carotenoid from algae.

Algae possess a considerable potential as bio-refinery for the scale-up production of high-value natural compounds like-carotenoids. Carotenoids are accessory pigments in the light-harvesting apparatus and also act as antioxidants and photo-protectors in green cells. They play important roles for humans, like-precursors of vitamin A, reduce the risk of some cancers, helps in the prevention of age-related diseases, cardiovascular diseases, improve skin health, and stimulates immunity.

Factors influencing students' satisfaction with continuous use of learning management systems during the COVID-19 pandemic: An empirical study.

COVID-19 has impacted educational processes in most countries: some educational institutions have closed, while others, particularly in higher education, have converted to online learning systems, due to the advantages offered by information technologies. This study analyzes the critical factors influencing students' satisfaction with their continuing use of online learning management systems in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the integration of social cognitive theory, expectation confirmation theory, and DeLone and McLean's IS success model, a survey was conducted of 181 UK students who engaged with learning management systems.

Ruthenium (II) Catalyzed C(sp )-H Bond Alkenylation of 2-Arylbenzo[d]oxazole and 2-Arylbenzo[d]thiazole with Unactivated Olefins.

Functionalization of the bio-relevant heterocycles 2-arylbenzo[d]oxazole and 2-arylbenzo[d]thiazole has been achieved through Ru(II)-catalyzed alkenylation with unactivated olefins leading to selective formation of the mono-alkenylated products. This approach has a broad substrate scope with respect to the coupling partners, affords high yields, and works for gram scale synthesis using a readily available Ru-based catalyst. Mechanistic studies reveal a C-H activation pathway for the dehydrogenative coupling leading to the alkenylation.

Survival and Clinical Outcomes with Telotristat Ethyl in Patients with Carcinoid Syndrome.

Purpose: The TELEACE study showed reductions in tumor size in patients with neuroendocrine tumors, receiving telotristat ethyl in US clinical practice. Here, we report progression-free survival, time to tumor progression, changes in carcinoid syndrome symptoms, and indictors of overall health.

Patients And Methods: This was a retrospective, single arm, pre-post medical chart review of patients with locally advanced or metastatic neuroendocrine tumors and documented carcinoid syndrome receiving telotristat ethyl for at least 6 months.

Antiproliferative Effects of Telotristat Ethyl in Patients with Neuroendocrine Tumors: The TELEACE Real-World Chart Review Study.

Purpose: Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) associated with carcinoid syndrome (CS) overproduce serotonin, mediated by tryptophan hydroxylase-1 (TPH1). The TPH inhibitor telotristat ethyl (TE) reduces peripheral serotonin and relieves CS symptoms. We conducted a real-world clinical practice study to explore the effects of TE on tumor growth in patients with NETs and CS.

Molecular circuit of heterocyst differentiation in cyanobacteria.

Differentiation commitment is one of the most complex mechanisms to study in biological science. One of the model systems used for understanding differentiation complexity is heterocyst development in cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria have the capability of biological nitrogen fixation due to highly differentiated heterocyst cells.