Enhancing waste classification accuracy with Channel and Spatial Attention-Based Multiblock Convolutional Network.

Municipal waste classification is significant for effective recycling and waste management processes that involve the classification of diverse municipal waste materials such as paper, glass, plastic, and organic matter using diverse techniques. Yet, this municipal waste classification process faces several challenges, such as high computational complexity, more time consumption, and high variability in the appearance of waste caused by variations in color, type, and degradation level, which makes an inaccurate waste classification process. To overcome these challenges, this research proposes a novel Channel and Spatial Attention-Based Multiblock Convolutional Network for accurately classifying municipal waste that utilizes a unique attention mechanism for enhancing feature learning and waste classification accuracy.

Environmental Pollutants as Emerging Concerns for Cardiac Diseases: A Review on Their Impacts on Cardiac Health.

Comorbidities related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and environmental pollution have emerged as serious concerns. The exposome concept underscores the cumulative impact of environmental factors, including climate change, air pollution, chemicals like PFAS, and heavy metals, on cardiovascular health. Chronic exposure to these pollutants contributes to inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction, further exacerbating the global burden of CVDs.

The Impact of Rural Alimentation on the Motivation and Retention of Indigenous Community Health Workers in India: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Rural health care delivery remains a global challenge and India is no exception, particularly in regions with Indigenous populations such as the state of Jharkhand. The Community Health Centres in Jharkhand, India, are staffed by Indigenous workers who play a crucial role in bridging the health care gap. However, their motivation and retention in these challenging areas are often influenced by a complex mix of sociocultural and environmental factors.

Aging and MPTP Sensitivity Depend on Molecular and Ultrastructural Signatures of Astroglia and Microglia in Mice Substantia Nigra.

Both astroglia and microglia show region-specific distribution in CNS and often maladapt to age-associated alterations within their niche. Studies on autopsied substantia nigra (SN) of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and experimental models propose gliosis as a trigger for neuronal loss. Epidemiological studies propose an ethnic bias in PD prevalence, since Caucasians are more susceptible than non-whites.

Microstructural abnormalities of the dentato-rubro-thalamo-cortical tract in tremor dominant Parkinson's disease and essential tremor plus syndrome.

Purpose: The dentato-rubro-thalamo-cortical tract (DRTC) is considered to play a crucial role across tremor disorders including tremor dominant Parkinson's disease (TDPD) and essential tremor plus (ETP). This study aims to comprehensively evaluate microstructural integrity of the DRTC using single-compartment, i.e.

Tunable Focusing Liquid Crystal Lenses: The Challenges and the Opportunities.

The utilization of liquid crystals (LC) as materials has enabled the enlargement of lenses with the potential to alter their focus. Tunable LC lenses with adjustable focus are essential for optical imaging, sensing, and detection devices. This technology offers many benefits, such as the ability to adjust focus, operate with low power, and be easily made.

Crafting tailored, well-defined block copolymers of cyclic esters with an organomagnesium initiator.

An organomagnesium complex containing an imino-phosphanamidinate ligand was found to be a competent catalyst for the ROP of -LA and ε-CL as well as their copolymerization sequential addition of monomers, resulting in the formation of PCL--PLA diblock copolymer. The polymers obtained were characterized by H, C, DOSY NMR, DSC, TGA, POM, and SEM.

How depression impacts on road traffic accidents among older adults and elderly Indians: Evidence from large scale nationally representative survey.

Introduction: With increased urbanization the prevalence of important public health problems like road traffic accidents (RTA) and depression are surging. This study was aimed to determine the association between RTA and depression among Indian population aged ≥45 years.

Methods: Using Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) dataset (April 2017-December 2018), we have conducted this study among older adults (45-59 years) and elderly (≥60 years) Indians.

Polypyrrole functionalized MoS for sensitive and simultaneous determination of heavy metal ions in water.

Assessing heavy metal ion (HMI) contamination to sustain drinking water hygiene is a challenge. Conventional approaches are appealing for the detection of HMIs but electrochemical approaches can resolve the limitations of these approaches, such as tedious sample preparation, high cost, time consuming and the need for trained professionals. Here, an electrochemical approach is developed using a nano-sphered polypyrrole (PPy) functionalized with MoS (PPy/MoS) by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry for the detection of HMIs.

C19orf12 gene variants causing mitochondrial membrane protein-associated neurodegeneration (MPAN).

Mitochondrial membrane protein-associated neurodegeneration (MPAN) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by spastic paraplegia, parkinsonism and psychiatric and/or behavioral symptoms caused by variants in gene encoding chromosome-19 open reading frame-12 (C19orf12). We present here seven patients from six unrelated families with detailed clinical, radiological, and genetic investigations. Childhood-onset patients predominantly had a spastic ataxic phenotype with optic atrophy, while adult-onset patients were presented with cognitive, behavioral, and parkinsonian symptoms.

Synthesis, Trans-Cis Photoisomerization, Fluorescence Decay Studies of Methoxy Ester Functionalized Alkoxy Side Chain Azobenzene Compounds and Their Photoluminescence Dynamics.

In this study, a series of new methoxy ester functionalized core fluorinated, chloro-fluorinated azobenzene derivatives were synthesized. The molecular structures of the azobenzene derivatives (3a-3c and 4a-4c) were confirmed through various analytical methods, with variations in the alkoxy chain length on one end of the aromatic ring. Optical absorption studies of 3a, 3b revealed π-π* transitions around 368-392 nm.

Trehalose extricates impaired mitochondrial and autophagy dysregulation in patient iPSC-derived macular corneal dystrophy disease model.

Background: Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs) represents a powerful tool for elucidating the underlying disease mechanisms. Macular corneal dystrophy (MCD) is an intractable and progressive bilateral corneal disease affecting the corneal stroma due to mutation/s in carbohydrate sulfotransferase 6 (CHST6) gene. The underlying molecular mechanisms leading to MCD are unclear due to a lack of human contextual model and limited access to affected corneal stromal keratocytes (CSKs) from MCD patients.

Clinicopathological study of a rare neuroectodermal neoplasm of the cranium.

Purpose: Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is a rare, rapidly growing pigmented neoplasm originating from the neural crest. Predominantly affecting infants, it commonly occurs in the head and neck region. MNTI is often locally aggressive with a high recurrence rate.

Distribution and association of road traffic accident with depression among Indian population aged 45 years and above: nested multilevel modelling analysis of nationally representative cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: The prevalence of important public health problems like road traffic accidents (RTA) and depression are surging. This study was aimed to estimate distribution and determine the association between RTA and depression among Indian population aged 45 years and above: overall and stratified into age group, gender and across states/union territories as aspirants, achievers, and front runners.

Methods: Using Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) dataset (April 2017-December 2018), we have conducted this study among middle aged (45-59 years) and older adults and elderly (≥ 60 years) Indians.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on People with Dementia and their Caregivers: A Multiphase Observational Study from India.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had multifaceted and enduring impacts on people with dementia and their caregivers; however, our understanding of the long-term outcomes remains limited. We aimed to explore the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on cognitive symptoms and vaccination rates in people living with dementia.

Methods: This study was conducted as a part of a longitudinal study design in two specialized hospitals in South India.

Tuning the electronic dimensionality and bandgap in CsAgBiX (X = Br, Cl) for photovoltaic applications: a DFT-1/2 study of cation disorder.

Nontoxic, stable, and experimentally realized lead-free halide double perovskites, CsAgBiX (X = Br, Cl), attracted much attention for solar cell applications. However, their reduced electronic dimensionality and indirect (wide) bandgap, limiting solar energy absorption efficiency, are not mostly suitable. To address such issues, we employ the computationally efficient DFT-1/2 + SOC method to study the electronic structure of cation-ordered and cation-disordered materials comparatively.

Optical coherence tomography as an adjunct tool to assess response to treatment in cerebral venous thrombosis: A prospective longitudinal study.

Introduction: Papilledema, due to raised intracranial pressure (ICP) is commonly seen in cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) and can have serious complications. This study reports the quantitative assessment of papilledema through the measurement of the Peripapillary choroidal thickness (ChT) and Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods: We conducted a prospective longitudinal study of 30 subjects with CVT.

Pregnant Women Presenting to Psychiatric Emergency Services: A Retrospective Chart Review from India.

Background: Managing psychiatric emergencies during pregnancy is often challenging, as the safety of both the mother and the unborn fetus needs to be considered. This study aimed to examine the nature of psychiatric emergencies in pregnancy, their management, and clinical outcomes in women presenting to a psychiatry emergency room (ER).

Methods: Charts of perinatal women consulting psychiatry ER between January 2016 and June 2021 were reviewed for the nature of the psychiatric emergency, pregnancy details, psychiatric symptoms, sociodemographic information, medical comorbidities, clinical diagnosis, and care plan.

Neuroprotective effects of nutraceuticals and natural products in traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a global healthcare concern with considerable mortality and morbidity. Early diagnosis and timely treatment are critical for optimal clinical prognosis in TBI patients. Injury to the brain tissue following TBI is categorized into primary and secondary injury events, with the former being acute, while the latter evolves over a long period.

Nested multilevel modelling study of smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption among middle aged and elderly Indian adults: distribution, determinants and socioeconomic disparities.

Introduction: The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) shows a drop in tobacco use worldwide. Despite the drop, there still continues to be a significant number of tobacco users in India. Research on tobacco use among young persons is commonly prioritised in India, while studies on tobacco use among middle-aged (45-59 years) and elderly (≥ 60 years) adults are noticeably lacking.

A dual-functional rhodamine B and azo-salicylaldehyde derivative for the simultaneous detection of copper and hypochlorite: synthesis, biological applications and theoretical insights.

A multifunctional rhodamine derivative containing azo-salicylaldehyde (BBS) was designed and synthesized as a colorimetric and fluorescence turn-on probe for the selective detection of copper cations (Cu) and hypochlorite anions (OCl) in aqueous media. In the presence of Cu, the probe BBS exhibited turn-on absorption and fluorescence change at 554 nm and 585 nm, respectively. The binding mechanism of BBS with Cu induces the opening of a spirolactam ring in the rhodamine moiety by the formation of a metal-ligand complex, achieving 10-fold enhancement in fluorescence and quantum yield, along with a binding constant of 1 × 10 M and a detection limit of 2.

Clinical characteristics and functional outcomes of pediatric Guillain-Barré syndrome admitted to the Neuro-intensive care unit: a decade-long retrospective observational study.

Background: Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) remains a significant contributor to acute flaccid paralysis in pediatric patients worldwide. Despite its impact, studies focusing on pediatric GBS requiring intensive care unit (ICU) management are limited. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring the clinical and outcome characteristics of pediatric GBS necessitating ICU care.

Quinoline hybrid derivatives as effective structural motifs in the treatment of tuberculosis: Emphasis on structure-activity relationships.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB/Mtb) is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), a highly infectious serious airborne illness. TB usually affects the lungs, in 25 % of patients (children or immune impaired adults), mycobacteria can enter the blood stream and infect other bodily areas such the meninges, pleura, lymphatic system, genitourinary system, bones, and joints. Currently, the most challenging aspect of treating this illness is the ineffectiveness of the most potent first-line anti-TB medications, isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, which can result in multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB), and in rare instances, completely drug-resistant TB (TDR-TB).