How Virtual Hand Representations Affect the Perceptions of Dynamic Affordances in Virtual Reality.

User representations are critical to the virtual experience, and involve both the input device used to support interactions as well as how the user is virtually represented in the scene. Inspired by previous work that has shown effects of user representations on the perceptions of relatively static affordances, we attempt to investigate how end-effector representations affect the perceptions of affordances that dynamically change over time. Towards this end, we empirically evaluated how different virtual hand representations affect users' perceptions of dynamic affordances in an object retrieval task wherein users were tasked with retrieving a target from a box for a number of trials while avoiding collisions with its moving doors.

Integrating conservation agriculture with intensive crop diversification in the maize-based organic system: Impact on sustaining food and nutritional security.

Introduction: Developing an intensive sustainable model and feeding a rising population are worldwide challenges. The task is much more daunting in the North Eastern Himalayas, where, low productive maize ()- fallow is the main production system in the upland. To increase farm productivity, nutritional security, and energy dietary returns while maintaining environmental sustainability and economic viability, short-duration crops must be included in the maize-fallow system.

Alterations of adipokines, pancreatic hormones and incretins in acute and convalescent COVID-19 children.

Background: The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), accountable for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), may cause hyperglycemia and additional systemic complexity in metabolic parameters. It is unsure even if the virus itself causes type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM or T2DM). Furthermore, it is still unclear whether even recuperating COVID-19 individuals have an increased chance to develop new-onset diabetes.

Intraoperative Infusion of Dextran Confers No Additional Benefit after Carotid Endarterectomy but Is Associated with Increased Perioperative Major Adverse Cardiac Events.

Background: Intraoperative dextran infusion has been associated with reduction of an embolic risk in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Nonetheless, dextran has been associated with adverse reactions, including anaphylaxis, hemorrhage, cardiac, and renal complications. Herein, we aimed to compare the perioperative outcomes of CEA stratified by the use of intraoperative dextran infusion using a large multiinstitutional dataset.

Mechanical, microstructural and fracture studies on inconel 825-SS316L functionally graded wall fabricated by wire arc additive manufacturing.

This paper presents a novel method that uses the cold metal transfer based wire arc additive manufacturing process to fabricate functionally graded Inconel 825-SS316L walls. The optical micrograph of Inconel 825 exhibits continuous and discontinuous dendritic structures. The SS316L region comprises 5% of δ-ferrite in primary austenitic (γ) dendrites which was confirmed by the Cr/Ni ratio of 1.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on immunity to latent tuberculosis infection.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that poses a major health threat and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Following exposure to () bacilli, hosts who fail to clear end up in a state of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), in which the bacteria are contained but not eliminated. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is a noncommunicable disease that can weaken host immunity and lead to increased susceptibility to various infectious diseases.

Facile Synthesis and Characterization of Cupric Oxide Loaded 2D Structure Graphitic Carbon Nitride (-CN) Nanocomposite: In Vitro Anti-Bacterial and Fungal Interaction Studies.

The active and inexpensive catalyst cupric oxide (CuO) loaded foliar fertilizer of graphitic carbon nitride (-CN) is investigated for biological applications due to its low cost and easy synthesis. The synthesized CuO NPs, bulk g-CN, exfoliated -CN, and different weight percentages of 30 wt%, 40 wt%, 50 wt%, 60 wt%, and 70 wt% CuO-loaded -CN are characterized using different analytical techniques, including powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The nanocomposite of CuO NPs loaded -CN exhibits antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria ( and ) and Gram-negative bacteria ( and ).

Systemic Levels of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Post-Treatment Modulation in Tuberculous Lymphadenitis.

Pro-inflammatory cytokines are potent stimulators of inflammation and immunity and markers of infection severity and bacteriological burden in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Interferons could have both host-protective and detrimental effects on tuberculosis disease. However, their role has not been studied in tuberculous lymphadenitis (TBL).

Short-term visual outcome with sclerocorneal contact lens on irregular cornea.

Purpose: The purpose is to study the change in visual acuity obtained with sclerocorneal contact lens (SCL) in patients with irregular corneal astigmatism.

Methods: A prospective pre-post observational study was designed to include consecutive consenting patients with irregular corneal astigmatism and best-corrected visual acuity worse than 6/12 and fitted with SCL. Visual acuity was assessed using Snellen charts before fitting SCL and 1 week after the fit and converted to the equivalent logMAR units for analysis.

Levels of Complement Components in Children With Acute COVID-19 or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome.

Importance: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a severe and unrestrained inflammatory response with multiorgan involvement, which occurs within a few weeks following the resolution of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. The complement system is a vital part of the innate immune system and plays a role in COVID-19 pathogenesis.

Objective: To examine and compare the levels of complement components and regulators along with complement activation products in the different clinical spectrum of children with SARS-CoV-2 and a control group.

Above and below-ground growth, accumulated dry matter and nitrogen remobilization of wheat () genotypes grown in PVC tubes under well- and deficit-watered conditions.

The continuing decline in water resources under the ever-changing climate compels us to re-orient our focus to a more sustainable practice. This study investigates the performance of wheat genotypes viz. HD-2967, HD-3086, HD-3249, DBW-187, and HD-3226 under well- and deficit-watered conditions for their root-traits, biomass and nitrogen accumulation and remobilization, and water use efficiencies, grown in PVC-tubes.

Health inequities around gender, disability and internal migration: are local governments doing enough.

Setting: The Kerala health system in India has more than 25 years of decentralised implementation experience. Decentralization could assist in addressing health disparities such as gender, disability, and migration.

Objective: To explore how inequity issues comprising gender, disability and internal migrations were being addressed at present by the decentralised Kerala health system.

Molecular docking analysis of VEGF with compounds from tomato.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is linked with Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Therefore it is of interest to document data on the molecular docking analysis of VEGF with compounds from tomato for consideration drug discovery. Data shows that compounds Kaempferol-3-O, Quercetin, Naringenin & Rutin show optimal binding.

Twelve-Month Outcomes of Simultaneous Translabyrinthine Resection and Cochlear Implantation.

Objective: Audiometric outcomes at 12 months following simultaneous translabyrinthine (TL) resection of vestibular schwannoma (VS) and cochlear implantation (CI).

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Expanded access protocol (EAP) program for access to investigational products for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Introduction/aims: Expanded access protocols (EAPs) are a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-regulated pathway for granting access to investigational products (IPs) to individuals with serious diseases who are ineligible for clinical trials. There is limited information about the use of EAPs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); the aim of this report is to share the design, operational features, and costs of an EAP program for ALS.

Methods: The program was launched in 2018 at a single center.

Sepsis in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit: An Updated Review.

Sepsis remains among the most common causes of mortality in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Extensive literature is available regarding managing sepsis in pediatric patients without CHD. Because the cardiovascular pathophysiology of children with CHD differs entirely from their typical peers, the available diagnosis and management recommendations for sepsis cannot be implemented directly in children with CHD.

Deep tubewell use is associated with increased household microbial contamination in rural Bangladesh: Results from a prospective cohort study among households in rural Bangladesh.

Deep tubewells are important sources of arsenic mitigation in rural Bangladesh. Compared to commonly available shallow tubewells, deep tubewells tap into deeper low-arsenic aquifers and greatly reduce exposure to arsenic in drinking-water. However, benefits from these more distant and expensive sources may be compromised by higher levels of microbial contamination at point-of-use (POU).

Unusual case of a free anterolateral thigh flap partial necrosis in a COVID-19 positive young male following extremity reconstruction.

Free flap procedure provides an overall success rate of 97%, which decreases to 85% in hypercoagulable states. COVID-19, as a pro-thrombotic disorder, therefore seems detrimental to free flap survival. We encountered a case of unique pattern of free flap partial failure in a young male who underwent extremity reconstruction.

Chitinase and indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase are prognostic biomarkers for unfavorable treatment outcomes in pulmonary tuberculosis.

Introduction: Chitinase, Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenesae-1 (IDO-1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) are candidate diagnostic biomarkers for tuberculosis (TB). Whether these immune markers could also serve as predictive biomarkers of unfavorable treatment outcomes in pulmonary TB (PTB) is not known.

Methods: A cohort of newly diagnosed, sputum culture-positive adults with drug-sensitive PTB were recruited.

Comparison of the free thinned anterolateral thigh perforator flap with the free medial sural artery perforator flap for reconstruction of head and neck, and extremity defects.

BACKGROUNDThe free anterolateral thigh (ALTP) and free medial sural artery perforator (MSAP) flaps are time tested donor for head and neck, and extremities defect reconstruction. Proponents of either flap have concluded each as workhorse flap in their large cohort studies. However, we could not find any literature comparing the donor morbidities, or recipient site outcomes of these flaps, objectively.

Correlation of arterial PaCO to end tidal CO in children undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgery: An observational study.

Background And Aims: The reliability of end tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO) as a measure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO) in pediatric laparoscopy is unclear. We evaluated the correlation of arterial to end tidal P(a-ET) CO during pediatric laparoscopy at two hours of pneumoperitoneum as the primary objective. We also compared P(a-ET) CO and alveolar to arterial oxygen gradient P(A-a) O and haemodynamics at fixed time points during surgery.