Ameliorative role of bioactive compounds against lead-induced neurotoxicity.

Lead (Pb) is an environmental toxin ubiquitously present in the human environment due to anthropogenic activities and industrialization. Lead can enter the human body through various sources and pathways, such as inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact, leading to detrimental health effects. The majority of lead that enters the body is removed by urine or feces; however, under chronic exposure conditions, lead is not efficient, as lead is absorbed and transferred to numerous organs, such as the brain, liver, kidney, muscles, and heart, and it is ultimately stored in mineralizing tissues such as bones and teeth.

Early muscular training and immobilization in external rotation could reduce the recurrence rate in first-time shoulder dislocators among young rugby athletes.

Background: Among rugby players, anterior shoulder dislocation is challenging to treat during the in-season period. It often leads to recurrent shoulder instability and requires prolonged rest post-surgery. No studies have determined the effectiveness of immobilization, early muscle strength training, or both in preventing reinjury in this population.

Gymnema saponin-induced lipid flip-flop identifies rigid membrane phenotype of methicillin resistant S. aureus and enhances it's antibiotic susceptibility.

Our previous study revealed that lipid flip-flop inducing phytochemicals from Gymnema sylvestre increase membrane permeability of antimicrobials in S. aureus. However, their lipid flipping and membrane permeabilizing effect on methicillin resistant S.

Advantage of Leaky expression, Acid solubilization and CHAPS in the production of cost-effective Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2.

The aim of this study was to purify BMP-2 in an easy and time-efficient way. We have developed a new method in which BMP-2 is produced through leaky expression in E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells as inclusion bodies, eliminating the need for inducer Isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG).

Emergence of fungal hybrids - potential threat to humans.

Fungal hybrids arise through the interbreeding of distinct species. This hybridization process fosters increased genetic diversity and the emergence of new traits. Mechanisms driving hybridization include the loss of heterozygosity, copy number variations, and horizontal gene transfer.

Baseline characteristics of patients in the Chinese Bronchiectasis Registry (BE-China): a multicentre prospective cohort study.

Background: Bronchiectasis is a disease with a global impact, but most published data come from high-income countries. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of patients with bronchiectasis in China.

Methods: The Chinese Bronchiectasis Registry (BE-China) is a prospective, observational cohort enrolling patients from 111 hospitals in China.

Nanoring interactions with bio-relevant molecule: A quantum chemical approach to C and BN systems.

This study investigates the interaction of a synthetic bio-relevant molecule with C and BN nanorings, exploring their potential applications in sensing and drug delivery. Employing Density Functional Theory (DFT) at the ωB97XD level with the 6-31G(d,p) basis set, we computed the adsorption and electronic properties of the resulting nanocomplexes. A total of ten distinct configurations were identified for the interactions, with adsorption energies ranging from -6.

Lanthanides doped NaLaMgWO phosphors for anti-counterfeit applications.

Luminescence of NaLaMgWO doped with lanthanide activators Tb, Eu and Er are reported. These activators exhibit characteristic emission spectra. Either the emission colour or the excitation spectrum distinguishes between these activators.

Good fat vs bad fat in Milk: A molecular level Understanding of Indian cow milk using confocal Raman microscopy.

Milk, a complex fluid renowned for abundance of vitamins and immune-boosting antibodies, holds a pivotal position in human nutrition. The research delves into the fundamental constituents of milk, focusing on cis-fatty acids (cis-FA), trans-fatty acids (trans-FA), and theα-helixstructure found in proteins. These constituents are instrumental in the determination of milk quality and its nutritional value.

Evaluation of antibacterial and antifungal activities of a commercially available herbal mouthwash in accordance with the PN-EN 1040 and EN 1650 standards.

Periodontitis is complex microbial plaque induced condition. In this study, HiOra herbal mouthwash widely marketed in India, achieved a 5-log reduction in standard fungi and bacterial strains within 60 min. Thereby demonstrating antibacterial and antifungal activity similar to chlorhexidine and accordance with the PN EN 1040 and EN 1650 standards.

Interatomic Coulombic decay in lithium-doped large helium nanodroplets induced by photoelectron impact excitation.

Irradiation of condensed matter with ionizing radiation generally causes direct photoionization as well as secondary processes that often dominate the ionization dynamics. Here, large helium (He) nanodroplets with radius ≳ 40 nm doped with lithium (Li) atoms are irradiated with extreme ultraviolet (XUV) photons of energy hν ≥ 44.4 eV and indirect ionization of the Li dopants is observed in addition to direct photoionization of the He droplets.

Anomalous pumping in the non-Hermitian Rice-Mele model.

We study topological charge pumping (TCP) in the Rice-Mele (RM) model with irreciprocal hopping. The non-Hermiticity gives rise to interesting pumping physics, owing to the presence of skin effect and exceptional points. In the static one-dimensional (1D) RM model, we find two independent tuning knobs that can drive the topological transition, namely, non-Hermitian parameter $\gamma$ and system size $N$.

Automated Classification of Cardiac Arrhythmia using Short-Duration ECG Signals and Machine Learning.

Accurate detection of cardiac arrhythmias is crucial for preventing premature deaths. The current study employs a dual-stage Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and a median filter to eliminate noise from ECG signals. Subsequently, ECG signals are segmented, and QRS regions are extracted for further preprocessing.

Comparative evaluation of PD-L1 expression and tumor immune microenvironment in molecular subtypes of muscle-invasive bladder cancer and its correlation with survival outcomes.

Objectives: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized treatment of platinum-refractory advanced bladder cancer, offering hope where options are limited. Response varies, however, influenced by factors such as the tumor's immune microenvironment and prior therapy. Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is stratified into molecular subtypes, with distinct clinicopathologic features affecting prognosis and treatment.

Development and Beta Validation of an mHealth-Based Hearing Screener (SRESHT) for Young Children in Resource-Limited Countries: Pilot Validation Study.

Background: The prevalence of hearing loss in infants in India varies between 4 and 5 per 1000. Objective-based otoacoustic emissions and auditory brainstem response have been used in high-income countries for establishing early hearing screening and intervention programs. Nevertheless, the use of objective screening tests in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as India is not feasible.

Molecular epidemiology and phylogenetic insights of lumpy skin disease in cattle from diverse agro-ecological regions of Punjab, Pakistan.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an emerging, highly contagious transboundary disease of bovines caused by the Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), responsible for substantial economic losses to the dairy, meat, and leather industries in Pakistan as well as various countries around the world. Epidemiological information on LSD is scarce in Punjab, Pakistan. Therefore, a molecular epidemiological study was conducted in two agro-ecologically diverse districts (Bhakkar and Jhang) of Punjab, Pakistan.

Critical behavioral traits foster peer engagement in Online Mental Health Communities.

Online Mental Health Communities (OMHCs), such as Reddit, have witnessed a surge in popularity as go-to platforms for seeking information and support in managing mental health needs. Platforms like Reddit offer immediate interactions with peers, granting users a vital space for seeking mental health assistance. However, the largely unregulated nature of these platforms introduces intricate challenges for both users and society at large.

The dependence of shugoshin on Bub1-kinase activity is dispensable for the maintenance of spindle assembly checkpoint response in Cryptococcus neoformans.

During chromosome segregation, the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) detects errors in kinetochore-microtubule attachments. Timely activation and maintenance of the SAC until defects are corrected is essential for genome stability. Here, we show that shugoshin (Sgo1), a conserved tension-sensing protein, ensures the maintenance of SAC signals in response to unattached kinetochores during mitosis in a basidiomycete budding yeast Cryptococcus neoformans.

Casein Kinases 2-dependent phosphorylation of the placental ligand VAR2CSA regulates Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes cytoadhesion.

Placental malaria is characterized by the massive accumulation and sequestration of infected erythrocytes in the placental intervillous blood spaces, causing severe birth outcomes. The variant surface antigen VAR2CSA is associated with Plasmodium falciparum sequestration in the placenta via its capacity to adhere to chondroitin sulfate A. We have previously shown that the extracellular region of VAR2CSA is phosphorylated on several residues and that the phosphorylation enhances the adhesive properties of CSA-binding infected erythrocytes.

Optimizing costs and sustainability for gamma knife radiosurgery: A cost and breakeven analysis at India's largest neurosurgery centre.

Background: Establishing and maintaining gamma knife facility incurs significant costs, mandating healthcare institutions to meticulously assess financial implications for sustainability.

Methods: This study explores the financial implications of setting up and operating a Gamma Knife facility, with an aim to ascertain user charges for achieving breakeven. The study was conducted from January to June 2019 at the largest neurosurgery centre of an Institute of National Importance (INI), in Delhi, India.

Ambivalent partnership of the Drosophila posterior class Hox protein Abdominal-B with Extradenticle and Homothorax.

Hox proteins, a sub-group of the homeodomain (HD) transcription factor family, provide positional information for axial patterning in development and evolution. Hox protein functional specificity is reached, at least in part, through interactions with Pbc (Extradenticle (Exd) in Drosophila) and Meis/Prep (Homothorax (Hth) in Drosophila) proteins. Most of our current knowledge of Hox protein specificity stems from the study of anterior and central Hox proteins, identifying the molecular and structural bases for Hox/Pbc/Meis-Prep cooperative action.

Direct Evidence of Anomalous Peierls Transition-Induced Charge Density Wave Order at Room Temperature in Metallic NaRu2O4.

In the field of quantum materials, understanding anomalous behavior under charge degrees of freedom through bond formation is of fundamental importance, with two key concepts: Dimerization and charge order at different cation sites. The coexistence of both dimerization and charge ordering is unusually found in NaRu2O4, even in its metallic state at room temperature. Our work unveils the origin of the interplay of these effects within metallic single-crystalline NaRu2O4.

Exploring the therapeutic potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists in the management of obstructive sleep apnea: a comprehensive review.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a prevalent sleep disorder marked by repeated episodes of partial or complete upper airway obstruction during sleep, which leads to intermittent hypoxia and fragmented sleep. These disruptions negatively impact cardiovascular health, metabolic function, and overall quality of life. Obesity is a major modifiable risk factor for OSA, as it contributes to both anatomical and physiological mechanisms that increase the likelihood of airway collapse during sleep.