Development and experimental validation of a machine learning model for the prediction of new antimalarials.

A large set of antimalarial molecules (N ~ 15k) was employed from ChEMBL to build a robust random forest (RF) model for the prediction of antiplasmodial activity. Rather than depending on high throughput screening (HTS) data, molecules tested at multiple doses against blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum were used for model development. The open-access and code-free KNIME platform was used to develop a workflow to train the model on 80% of data (N ~ 12k).

Assessment of smartphone-based active distraction in association with audioanalgesia for overcoming airotor-related anxiety in children: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Most children experience distress while visiting a dentist, above which the sound of the airotor and suction machine results in fear and difficulty in performing further procedures.

Methods: This was a randomized controlled parallel-group study of 40 children aged 6-13 years who required cavity preparation via the airotor. The children were randomly allocated to either Group 1 (Piano music app; active distraction combined with audio analgesia) or Group 2 (basic behavioural guidance alone).

Bidirectional approach of Punica granatum natural compounds: reduction in lung cancer and SARS-CoV-2 propagation.

The spreading of COVID-19 has posed a risk to global health, especially for lung cancer patients. An investigation is needed to overcome the challenges of COVID-19 pathophysiology and lung cancer disease. This study was designed to evaluate the phytoconstituents in Punica granatum peel (PGP), its anti-lung cancer activity, and in silico evaluation for antiviral potential.

COVID-19 status and utilisation of essential maternal and child healthcare services during the pandemic in Ahmedabad, India.

Background: Access to essential healthcare services is pertinent to the achievement of universal health coverage in any nation. The COVID-19 lockdown was used to mitigate the spread of the pandemic. Consequently, there was a reduction in the Utilisation of Basic Healthcare Services (UBHS) in diverse dimensions.

Tooth vitality and periapical healing: is Biodentine at par with MTA in regenerative endodontics?

Design: The study is a prospective, double-blinded randomised control trial that compares the mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Biodentine as the pulp space barrier material after induction of a periapical blood clot by over-instrumentation for endodontic regeneration in single-rooted mature permanent anterior tooth (closed apex) with apical periodontitis (periapical pathology of more than 3 mm) and having necrosed pulp. A total of 36 patients were included in the study and after randomisation were allocated equally to both the groups out of which 31 patients returned for follow-up over an 18-month period. The treatment protocol consisted of two separate appointments.

Optimized convolutional neural network using African vulture optimization algorithm for the detection of exons.

The detection of exons is an important area of research in genomic sequence analysis. Many signal-processing methods have been established successfully for detecting the exons based on their periodicity property. However, some improvement is still required to increase the identification accuracy of exons.

Blockchain enabled traceability in the jewel supply chain.

This article examines the potential of blockchain technology to revolutionize the jewelry supply chain by enhancing trust, transparency, and efficiency. Utilizing Ethereum, we developed a blockchain network tailored to the industry's needs. Blockchain operates as a secure, immutable ledger, ensuring data integrity and transparency while preventing fraud and tampering due to its decentralized nature.

Optimized PID controller and model order reduction of reheated turbine for load frequency control using teaching learning-based optimization.

Load frequency control (LFC) systems in power grids face challenges in maintaining stability while managing computational complexity. This research presents an optimized approach combining model order reduction techniques with Teaching Learning-Based Optimization (TLBO) for PID controller tuning in single-area LFC systems. Three reduction methods-Routh Approximation, Balanced Truncation, and Hankel Norm Approximation-were implemented to reduce system order from 4th to 2nd order, achieving a 47.

Essential oils modulate virulence phenotypes in a multidrug-resistant pyomelanogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolate.

Pyomelanogenic P. aeruginosa, frequently isolated from patients with urinary tract infections and cystic fibrosis, possesses the ability to withstand oxidative stress, contributing to virulence and resulting in persistent infections. Whole genome sequence analysis of U804, a pyomelanogenic, multidrug-resistant, clinical isolate, demonstrates the mechanism underlying pyomelanin overproduction.

Advancing ex vivo functional whole-organ prostate gland model for regeneration and drug screening.

Model organisms are vital for biomedical research and drug testing but face high costs, complexity, and ethical issues. While newer techniques like organoids and assembloids have shown improvements, they still remain inadequate in addressing all research needs. In this study, we present a new method for maintaining the prostate gland of the earthworm, Eudrilus eugeniae ex vivo and examine its potential for regeneration and drug screening.

Applying YOLOv6 as an ensemble federated learning framework to classify breast cancer pathology images.

The most common carcinoma-related cause of death among women is breast cancer. Early detection is crucial, and the manual screening method may lead to a delayed diagnosis, which would delay treatment and put lives at risk. Mammography imaging is advised for routine screening to diagnose breast cancer at an early stage.

Identifying falsified COVID-19 vaccines by analysing vaccine vial label and excipient profiles using MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry.

The rapid development and worldwide distribution of COVID-19 vaccines is a remarkable achievement of biomedical research and logistical implementation. However, these developments are associated with the risk of a surge of substandard and falsified (SF) vaccines, as illustrated by the 184 incidents with SF and diverted COVID-19 vaccines which have been reported during the pandemic in 48 countries, with a paucity of methods for their detection in supply chains. In this context, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation-time of flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry (MS) is globally available for fast and accurate analysis of bacteria in patient samples, offering a potentially accessible solution to identify SF vaccines.

A Novel Rhodamine Functionalized Schiff Base Type Ratiometric Fluorescent Chemosensor for the Sensing of Hg Ions; Experimental and Theoretical Approach.

A new Rhodamine functionalised Schiff Base sensor 3',6'-bis(diethylamino)-2-((4-hydroxybenzylidene)amino)spiro[isoindoline-1,9'-xanthen]-3-one (SBRB1) was designed and synthesized. The recognition ability of sensor SBRB1 towards Hg was studied by using UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescence results showed that the sensor SBRB1 has specific selectivity as well as sensitivity towards Hg among other competitive metal ions as the fluorescence intensity at 479 nm quenched only in the presence of Hg.

Impact of operating parameters on the electrooxidation of methylene blue and ciprofloxacin: a comprehensive analysis and degradation pathway.

In recent decades, freshwater bodies have experienced significant stress due to the excessive disposal of dyes from textile industries and waste antibiotic discharges from pharmaceutical industries. The continuous disposal of these substances may harm the natural ecosystem and generate antibiotic resistance in living organisms. Conventional treatment facilities are inadequate in treating these contaminants effectively, leading to a focused interest in advanced technologies, such as electrooxidation.

The microplastic menace: a critical review of its impact on marine photoautotrophs and their environment.

Seaweeds contribute to the energy input in marine communities and affect the chemical makeup, species composition, nutrient availability, pH, and seawater oxygen levels. However, the annual introduction of 28.5 million tons of plastic waste into oceans makes up 85% of marine litter, which is expected to grow fourfold in the next 25 years, causing a rise in concern for human health and the environment.

Forest fire probability zonation using dNBR and machine learning models: a case study at the Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR), Odisha, India.

Forests play a vital role in environmental balance, supporting biodiversity and contributing to atmospheric purification. However, forest fires threaten this balance, making the identification of forest fire probability (FFP) areas crucial for effective mitigation. This study assesses forest fire trends and susceptibility in the Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR) from 2012 to 2023 using four machine learning models-extreme gradient boosting tree (XGBTree), AdaBag, random forest (RF), and gradient boosting machine (GBM).

Valorization of nano-scrap carbon iron filings as heterogeneous electro-Fenton catalyst for the removal of anticancer drug: insight into degradation mechanism.

This study employs mechanically synthesized nano-scrap carbon iron filings (nSCIF) as a cost-effective and sustainable catalyst in heterogeneous electro-Fenton process. The catalytic behaviour of nSCIF was studied for the oxidation of cytarabine (CBN) under the influence of various experimental parameters such as pH, catalyst dose and applied current density. The highest removal efficiency (~ 99%) was achieved in 90 min of reaction at pH 3, 0.

Burden of blindness and visual impairment associated with corneal opacities in India.

Purpose: To obtain national-level data on current burden of blindness and visual impairment (VI) due to corneal opacities (CO) and their epidemiological determinants in India.

Methods: A cross-sectional, population-based survey was conducted in 31 districts for population aged ≥50 years using Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) V.6 methodology and 6 districts for population aged 0-49 years.

Molecular xenomonitoring of Wuchereria bancrofti infection in three different evaluation settings of lymphatic filariasis elimination programme in India.

Background: Molecular xenomonitoring (MX) is one of the recommended post-validation surveillance tools to detect early signals of lymphatic filariasis (LF) infection. This study reports the MX results of Culex quinquefasciatus transmitted Wuchereria bancrofti in three evaluation units of different settings in India.

Methods: Female Cx.

Fish gut symbiotic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis: RSM optimization for its extracellular lipase enzyme production, lipase-protein purification, characterization, and docking analysis.

Lipase enzymes play a vital role in digestion and nutrient metabolism in host organisms, with symbiotic bacteria producing abundant enzymes, carbohydrates, vitamins, and other nutrients. This study aimed to isolate, identify, and screen lipase-producing bacteria from the gut of Systomus sarana, optimize enzyme production using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), and characterize the extracted lipase protein. A total of 11 bacterial strains were isolated and identified through 16S rRNA sequencing.

Sustainable Refinery Waste Management through Biotechnological Interventions: Health Impacts, Historical Successes, and Emerging Solutions.

In today's highly competitive and interconnected global market, economic achievement and prosperity are essential needs for every individual. However, in recent years, the "science of sustainability" has gained popularity due to mounting evidence of the damaging impacts of environmental issues. Lately, the expansion of petroleum industries and refineries has led to a substantial rise in the production of refinery oily waste.

Exploring the Diagnostic Landscape: Portable Aptasensors in Point-of-care Testing.

Aptamers, discovered in the 1990s, have marked a significant milestone in the fields of therapeutics and diagnostics. This review provides a comprehensive survey of aptamers, focusing on their diagnostic applications. It especially encapsulates a decade of aptamer, encompassing research, patents, and market trends.

Toxicological profile of Acovenoside A as an active pharmaceutical ingredient - prediction of missing key toxicological endpoints using in silico toxicology methodology.

Acovenoside A, a cardenolide glycoside from Acokanthera oppositifolia, demonstrates significant therapeutic potential in cardioprotection and oncology, particularly against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, its toxicological profile requires thorough evaluation for safe pharmaceutical application. For this purpose a comprehensive in silico methods were applied, including ACD/Labs Percepta, STopTox, admetSAR 3.

Exosome-mediated CRISPR/Cas delivery: A cutting-edge frontier in cancer gene therapy.

Cancer is considered the second most common disease globally. In the past few decades, many approaches have been proposed for cancer treatment. One among those is targeted therapy using CRISPR-Cas system which plays an irreplaceable role in translational research through gene editing.

A pilot randomized controlled trial evaluating haemostasis with fibrin glue during surgery for proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of fibrin glue in preventing early recurrence of vitreous haemorrhage following surgery for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Design: Single masked randomized-controlled clinical trial SUBJECTS: Consecutive patients with vitreous haemorrhage due to PDR undergoing primary vitreoretinal surgery were screened. After completing all vitreoretinal manoeuvres including endo-cautery to bleeders, infusion pressure was gradually reduced to 5 mmHg.