Rationally construction of 2D & 3D material on h-BN @ SnO2/TiO2 micro-sphere enables for photocatalytic debasement of textile cloth dyes in waste water treatment

Affordable and swiftly available h-BN@SnO2/TiO2 photocatalysts are being developed through an easy hydrothermally approach was used urea as boric acid precursors. With their constructed photo catalysts, the effect of h-BN@SnO2/TiO2 has been investigated under the assessment of Adsorption agents utilizing X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive spectroscopic analysis (SEM/EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and Burner Emit Teller (BET) isotherm testing methods, which also indicated that SnO2/TiO2 and h-BN have been tightly bound together. Because turquoise blue (TB) and Methyl orange (MO) fabric dyes can be found in the industrial wastewater being processed, the photo catalytic degradation process happens to be applied. According to the advantageous linkages of h-BN@SnO2/TiO2 photocatalysts, fantastic efficacy in breakdown towards hazardous compounds has been found. For the decomposition of Turquoise blue (TB) and Methyl orange (MO), the h-BN@SnO2/TiO2 catalysts proved the best performance stability (0.0386 min-1 and 1.524min-1) but were significantly 22 times quicker. Optical catalysis has additionally demonstrated extraordinary resilience and durability throughout five reprocessed efforts. On top of that, an approach enabling photocatalytic breakdown of harmful substances upon h-BN@SnO2/TiO2 has been presented.

Pyto-Architechture of Ag, Au and Ag-Au bi-metallic nanoparticles using waste orange peel extract for enable carcinogenic Congo red dye degradation

Ecologically inspired to develop silver, gold and silver/gold bimetallic nanoparticles from discarded orange peel extract. The plant-derived compounds included in discarded orange peel extract have been accountable for the development of Ag, Au and Ag-Au bimetallic nanoparticles, that might be used in the biosynthetic process. The qualitative assessment of developed silver, gold and silver/gold bimetallic nanoparticles has been performed by UV-visible, XRD pattern, FT IR analysis, TEM/HRTEM, EDX and BET isotherm analysis. In this investigation, the photocatalytic effect of developed silver, gold and silver/gold bimetallic nanoparticles on Congo red dye breakdown efficiency was achieved at 96%, 94%, and 99.2%, respectively. Due to prolonged electron-hole recombination process was investigated using UV irradiation and reused for up to 5 consecutive runs without significant loss of photocatalytic activity. Moreover, silver, gold, and silver/gold bimetallic nanoparticles manufactured in an environmentally benign manner could potentially contribute to the ecological cleanup.

Green waste immobilized Ag/Cu feather like Bi-matrix on garment dye decomposes and their bio-efficacy

This paper describes a simple phyto-remediation of feather-like silver/copper bi-matrix (BMs) was constructed by employing pommagrant waste peel (PWP) extract as crucial role of reducing agent and chelating agents. Numerous strategies, including UV-Visible, XRD, SEM-EDX, and TEM and BET isotherm were used to analysis the optical, structural, surface area and functional properties. Ag/Cu BPNMs of TEM characterization shows feather-like architectural features with constrained size and shape. The Ag/Cu co-catalytic nanoparticles have a particle size of 34-64 nm. The photocatalytic efficiency of Ag/Cu BMs was investigated using a garment dye, Congo red (CR), at successive time intervals under halogen lamp exposure. For Ag/Cu bimetallic nanoparticles, the photocatalytic degradation rate was recorded to be 100% after 40 min which is caused by adsorption of Congo red dye molecules on Ag/Cu and their degradation by reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are free hydroxyl radicals such as •OH and O2• ions that have high oxidizing capacity. The developed Ag/Cu BMs shown effective bacteriostatic action against many infections.

Influenza vaccine: a review on current scenario and future prospects

Vaccination is a crucial tool in preventing influenza, but it requires annual updates in vaccine composition due to the ever-changing nature of the flu virus. While healthcare and economic burdens have reduced, the virus remains a challenge. Research conducted over the past decade has revealed pathways for improvement through both basic and clinical studies. Viral surveillance plays a vital role in the better selection of candidate viruses for vaccines and the early detection of drug-resistant strains.This page offers a description of future vaccine developments and an overview of current vaccine options. In the coming years, we anticipate significant changes in vaccine production, moving away from traditional egg-based methods towards innovative technologies such as DNA and RNA vaccines. These newer approaches offer significant advantages over traditional egg-based and cell culture-based influenza vaccine manufacturing.

Toward Burnout Prevention: Can One Short Virtual Reality Relaxation and Mindfulness Training Session for Staff and Patients Decrease Stress and Improve Subjective Sense of Wellbeing?

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Mental wellness of healthcare workers has deteriorated recently, increasing burnout rates. Cancer patients are also often highly distressed, reporting fear, pain, and fatigue. Relaxation and mindfulness training have been shown to decrease stress and anxiety. Currently, the use of virtual reality (VR) for relaxation and mindfulness for cancer patients and oncology clinical staff is an ongoing area of research. We aimed to test the preliminary efficacy of incorporating an innovative digital therapeutic (DTx) we developed at our center in this population.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Cancer patients and clinic staff from one institution's Gastrointestinal and Radiation Oncology departments participated in the immersive VR-enhanced relaxation and mindfulness experience for this IRB-exempt study. Users completed a pre-VR survey via iPad assessing baseline knowledge and practice of stress reduction techniques, baseline stress, and familiarity with VR. In the VR app deployed on an Oculus Quest 2, users chose a relaxing water scene (e.g., stream, beach) and optional soothing background music. Users could also choose a relaxation or mindfulness training audio track. A post-VR survey assessed whether the experience affected their subjective stress and sense of wellbeing ("Yes" or "No") as well as the feasibility of using the app. A binomial test on a single proportion was used to test whether more participants (>50%) indicated their stress was reduced following the VR training than did not. Post-VR qualitative verbal feedback was also collected to identify future changes to the VR app.

RESULTS

Six patients, a patient's son, and forty-three employees used the VR app. Users were aged ≤ 30 years old (18%), 30-50 years (60%), and 50-70 years (22%). Users completed the VR experience in a median of 14 min (IQR: 11-19 min). In the pre-survey, most (78%) reported they felt stress at this point in their lives. In the post-survey, significantly more than the expected proportion of participants (>50%) reported feeling less stressed after using the VR app (88%, n = 44, p <0.001). Most (90%) reported that the VR app improved their subjective sense of wellbeing. All (100%) users reported it was easy to learn the VR controls. Nearly all (96%) reported they would be interested in using this VR app again, including 30% and 38% who reported they would be "extremely likely" and "very likely," respectively, to use the app again.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest our VR relaxation and mindfulness training was well accepted and could be integrated into the hospital setting in short sessions. Further work should be done based on participant feedback to expand the offerings of this VR app to offer a wider range of relaxation experiences and gamified psychological interventions that can help de-stress, recharge, and build resiliency.

Childhood-Onset Lupus Nephritis in the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Registry: Short-Term Kidney Status and Variation in Care

OBJECTIVE

The goal was to characterize short-term kidney status and describe variation in early care utilization in a multicenter cohort of patients with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) and nephritis.

METHODS

We analyzed previously collected prospective data from North American patients with cSLE with kidney biopsy-proven nephritis enrolled in the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry from March 2017 through December 2019. We determined the proportion of patients with abnormal kidney status at the most recent registry visit and applied generalized linear mixed models to identify associated factors. We also calculated frequency of medication use, both during induction and ever recorded.

RESULTS

We identified 222 patients with kidney biopsy-proven nephritis, with 64% class III/IV nephritis on initial biopsy. At the most recent registry visit at median (interquartile range) of 17 (8-29) months from initial kidney biopsy, 58 of 106 patients (55%) with available data had abnormal kidney status. This finding was associated with male sex (odds ratio [OR] 3.88, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.21-12.46) and age at cSLE diagnosis (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.01-1.49). Patients with class IV nephritis were more likely than class III to receive cyclophosphamide and rituximab during induction. There was substantial variation in mycophenolate, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab ever use patterns across rheumatology centers.

CONCLUSION

In this cohort with predominately class III/IV nephritis, male sex and older age at cSLE diagnosis were associated with abnormal short-term kidney status. We also observed substantial variation in contemporary medication use for pediatric lupus nephritis between pediatric rheumatology centers. Additional studies are needed to better understand the impact of this variation on long-term kidney outcomes.

Automatic Segmentation of Psoriasis Skin Images Using Adaptive Chimp Optimization Algorithm-Based CNN

Psoriasis is a severe skin disease that is surveyed outwardly by dermatologists. In recent years, computer vision is the major solution for diagnosing the psoriasis skin disease by segmenting the infected skin images. Besides, many researchers had presented efficient machine learning techniques for segmenting the psoriasis skin images. Nevertheless, accuracy and time consumption of the model are further to be improved. Thus, in this work, we present adaptive chimp optimization algorithm (AChOA)-based convolutional neural network (CNN) which is introduced for automatic segmentation of psoriasis skin images. After pre-processing, the input images are segmented using AChOA-CNN model where weight and bias values of CNN are optimized with the AChOA. The search ability of ChOA is enhanced by adapting the chaotic sequence based on tent map. At final, from the segmented output images, artifacts are removed by applying the threshold module. From the simulation, we attain 97% of accuracy.

Outcome of Management of Mandibular Sub condylar Fractures Based on Classification System Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine the amount of ramal height shortening and degree of displacement of sub condylar fracture that should be considered for effective management of mandibular sub condylar fractures using cone-beam computed tomography.

Patients and Methods

A prospective study of forty-two patients, who presented with unilateral sub condylar fracture was done. All patients were classified into Class I, II and III based on the degree of displacement of fractured segment and amount of ramal height shortening measured using cone-beam computed tomography. The treatment protocol was closed reduction and maxillomandibular fixation for Class I patients and open reduction and internal fixation for Class II and III patients. Outcomes of treatment were measured postoperatively 2 weeks, 1 and 3 months clinically. The variables, such as mouth opening, lateral and protrusive movements, deviation, pain and occlusion were studied.

Results

Among forty-two patients, twenty had Class I fractures, twelve had Class II fractures and ten had Class III fractures. Overall, no statistically significant differences were found between Class I and Class II groups in terms of functional outcomes and there were statistically significant differences between Class I and III groups. Class I fractures can be considered for closed method and open reduction is recommended for Class II and III fractures. The sample was composed of 42 patients grouped as follows: Class I (n = 20), Class II (n = 12), and Class III (n = 10) for treatment of sub condylar fractures. There were no significant differences between the three groups for the study variables at baseline, except for mouth opening and pain. There was significant difference in mouth opening between Class I and III cases (p 0.001) and insignificant difference in mouth opening in Class I and II cases (p 0.98). Persistent pain was elicited more in surgical Class II and III (n = 5) than non-surgical cases Class I (n = 0) on 3 months follow-up.

Conclusion

The study emphasises on use of three-dimensional diagnostic modality like cone-beam computed tomography for accurately classifying sub condylar fractures. The results favour closed reduction for mildly displaced Class I cases and surgical management of significantly displaced Class III fractures. The need for open reduction for Class II patients classified using CBCT is negligible assessing risks associated with surgical procedure which is contradictory to our protocol which requires a further comparative evaluation among Class II group.

Assessment of the efficacy of olopatadine 0.1% in the treatment of vernal keratoconjunctivitis in terms of clinical improvement based on total ocular symptom score and ocular surface disease index

Purpose

The main objective of this study is to explore the efficacy of olopatadine 0.1% treatment in the resolution of symptoms of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) among the Indian population.

Methods

This single-center, prospective cohort study involved 234 patients with VKC. Patients were treated with olopatadine 0.1%, twice daily for a period of 12 weeks and then followed up in 1^st week, 4^th week, 3^rd month, and 6^th month. The extent of relief in the symptoms of VKC was measured using total ocular symptom score (TOSS) and ocular surface disease index (OSDI).

Results

In the present study, the dropout rate was 5.6%. Total of 136 males and 85 females with a mean age of 37.68 ± 11.35 years completed the study. TOSS score reduced from 58.85 to 5.06 and the OSDI score reduced from 75.41 to 11.2 with statistical significance (P < 0.01) from 1^st week to 6^th week after olopatadine 0.1% treatment. The data showed relief in subjective symptoms of itching, tearing, and redness, and relief in discomfort in functions related to ocular grittiness, visuals like reading, and environmental like tolerability in dry conditions. Further, olopatadine 0.1% was effective in both males and females, and patients across ages 18-70 years.

Conclusion

Based on TOSS and OSDI scores, the findings of this study validate safety and tolerability as revealed by low adverse effects and moderate efficacy of olopatadine 0.1% in reducing VKC symptoms in a broader age group (18-70 years) of both genders.

Spectral characterization and biological evaluation of biomolecules from the peels of three orange fruits: a comparative study

The present work was designed to investigate the presence of bioactive chemicals in the reaction mixtures (RMs) of peels of Valencia, Mandarin, and African navel oranges, through GC-MS and FT-IR studies. Limonene, a unique compound, is present in the RMs of the three orange peels. Moreover, hexadecanoic acid 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl) ethyl ester was identified in the RMs of all the three-orange peels. The RM of Mandarin orange exhibited potent cytotoxic effect against MCF-7 ATCC human breast cancer cells (HBC). All the three RMs exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against the human pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 700603), Salmonella choleraesis (ATCC 10708), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), and Proteus mirabilis (ATCC 299).

Spinal Cord Sarcoidosis Occurring at Sites of Spondylotic Stenosis, Mimicking Spondylotic Myelopathy: A Case Series and Review of the Literature

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease, with intramedullary spinal cord involvement seen in <1% of cases. This case series illustrates the clinical presentations and imaging findings of 5 patients with intramedullary spinal neurosarcoidosis occurring at sites of spondylotic spinal canal stenosis, which can be indistinguishable from spondylotic myelopathy with cord enhancement. Both entities are most common in middle-aged men and present with weeks to months of motor and sensory symptoms. On imaging, both can have focal spinal cord enhancement and longitudinally extensive signal abnormality centered at or just below the level of spinal canal stenosis. On the basis of our experience, we suggest that in patients with cord enhancement centered at or just below a site of spinal canal stenosis, consideration should be given to chest imaging and lymph node biopsy when applicable, to assess for the possibility of underlying sarcoidosis before surgical decompression.

Embedded Foreign Bodies in the Maxillofacial Region: Our Experience

Impacted Foreign Bodies (FB) within the maxillofacial region are often inadequately diagnosed during the initial examination. Proper evaluation and management are mandatory to avoid untoward consequences. We depict a series of five cases with impacted FBs, managed case-specifically, along with an algorithm for dealing FBs in the maxillofacial region.

Intraarticular steroids as DMARD-sparing agents for juvenile idiopathic arthritis flares: Analysis of the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Registry

BACKGROUND

Children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who achieve a drug free remission often experience a flare of their disease requiring either intraarticular steroids (IAS) or systemic treatment with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). IAS offer an opportunity to recapture disease control and avoid exposure to side effects from systemic immunosuppression. We examined a cohort of patients treated with IAS after drug free remission and report the probability of restarting systemic treatment within 12 months.

METHODS

We analyzed a cohort of patients from the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry who received IAS for a flare after a period of drug free remission. Historical factors and clinical characteristics and of the patients including data obtained at the time of treatment were analyzed.

RESULTS

We identified 46 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Of those with follow up data available 49% had restarted systemic treatment 6 months after IAS injection and 70% had restarted systemic treatment at 12 months. The proportion of patients with prior use of a biologic DMARD was the only factor that differed between patients who restarted systemic treatment those who did not, both at 6 months (79% vs 35%, p < 0.01) and 12 months (81% vs 33%, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

While IAS are an option for all patients who flare after drug free remission, it may not prevent the need to restart systemic treatment. Prior use of a biologic DMARD may predict lack of success for IAS. Those who previously received methotrexate only, on the other hand, are excellent candidates for IAS.

New Thiazole Acetic Acid Derivatives: A Study to Screen Cardiovascular Activity Using Isolated Rat Hearts and Blood Vessels

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the major causes of mortalities worldwide. In the present research, new synthetic derivatives of thiazole were studied using isolated hearts and blood vessels of rats. The heart and thoracic aorta were tested with six new synthesized thiazole acetic acid derivatives (SMVA-10, SMVA-35, SMVA-40, SMVA-41, SMVA-42 and SMVA-60), and the data obtained were statistically analyzed and compared. Isolated rat hearts were used to record the changes in developed tension and heart rate, while thoracic aortas were used to measure the contractile response, before and after treatments. Analysis of the results indicated a significant (p < 0.01) increase in developed tension with the addition of SMVA-35, SMVA-40, SMVA-41 and SMVA-42, which was augmented in the presence of adrenaline without affecting the heart rate. On the other hand, acetylcholine significantly decreased the developed tension, which was significantly reversed (p < 0.01) in the presence of compounds (SMVA-35 and SMVA-60). However, in the presence of SMVA-35 and SMVA-40, acetylcholine-induced bradycardia was significantly (p < 0.01) reduced. Furthermore, only SMVA-42 induced a dose-dependent contractile response in the isolated blood vessel, which was abolished in the presence of prazosin. Therefore, it can be concluded that some of the new synthesized thiazole derivatives exhibited promising results by raising the developed tension without changing the heart rate or blood vessel function, which could be helpful in failing heart conditions. However, more research is required to fully comprehend the function, mechanism and effectiveness of the compounds.

POS0267 OUTCOMES DURING AND AFTER LONG-TERM TOCILIZUMAB TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH GIANT CELL ARTERITIS

Background

Data on the long-term efficacy and safety of tocilizumab (TCZ) for giant cell arteritis (GCA), including incidence and timing of disease relapse after TCZ discontinuation, is limited.

Objectives

We aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of GCA patients treated with TCZ in a real-world setting.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of GCA patients treated with TCZ for >9 months at a single center between 2010-2021. Time to relapse and annualized relapse rate during and after TCZ treatment, prednisone use and safety were assessed. Relapse was defined as the re-appearance of clinical manifestations of GCA that required treatment intensification regardless of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. The duration of TCZ treatment was determined as per the best clinical judgement of the treating rheumatologist.

Results

A total of 57 GCA patients were followed for a mean (SD) period of 3.4 (1.7) years. Baseline characteristics and treatments received are shown in Table 1. Patients were maintained on their initial TCZ course for a mean (SD) period of 2.0 (1.3) years. The initial TCZ course lasted >12 months in 50 (88%) patients. During the initial TCZ course, 8 (14.0%) patients relapsed. Kaplan-Meier (KM) estimated relapse rates on TCZ were 10.5% and 14.9% at 12 and 18 months, respectively (Figure 1A). TCZ was discontinued due to long-term remission in 37 (64.9%) patients and after an adverse event in 6 (10.5%) patients. Of the 43 patients stopping TCZ due to remission or adverse event, 19 (44.2%) subsequently relapsed. KM estimated relapse rates after TCZ discontinuation were 30.4% and 44.0% at 12 and 18 months, respectively (Figure 1B). Overall, 12 patients received more than one TCZ course. The aggregation of all TCZ courses (mean 2.5 years) and all periods off TCZ following the initial TCZ treatment (mean 0.9 years) showed that 11 (19.3%) patients relapsed while on TCZ and 20 (35.1%) patients relapsed during time off TCZ. An analysis adjusting for age, sex, prednisone dose at initiation of first TCZ course, and disease type (new onset vs. relapsing) at initiation of first TCZ course showed an annualized relapse rate (95% CI) of 0.1 (0.0-0.2) during TCZ treatment and 0.4 (0.3-0.7) off TCZ (rate ratio 0.2, p<0.0001). By the end of follow up, 42 (73.7%) patients were able to wean off prednisone. During the study, 12 serious adverse events occurred in 11 (19.3%) patients. Among those 12 events, 3 (25%) were related or possibly related to TCZ exclusively (i.e., soft tissue infection, bacteremia, and COVID-19), 3 (25%) to prednisone exclusively (i.e., osteoporotic fracture, diabetic ketoacidosis and stroke), and 2 (16.7%) to either TCZ or prednisone (i.e., pneumonia and sepsis).

Table 1.

Baseline characteristics and treatments

GCA patients(n = 57)Age, mean (SD)70.1 (9.3)Female sex39 (68.4)New onset disease at TCZ initiation18 (31.6)Initial TCZ treatment 4 mg/Kg intravenously monthly2 (3.5) 8 mg/Kg intravenously monthly13 (22.8) 162 mg subcutaneously every 2 weeks6 (10.5) 162 mg subcutaneously weekly36 (63.2)On prednisone at TCZ initiation57 (100)Prednisone dose (mg) at TCZ initiation, mean (SD)32.3 (21.7)Patients receiving >1 TCZ course12 (21.1)Duration of initial TCZ course (years), mean (SD)2.0 (1.3)Total duration of TCZ treatment (years), mean (SD)2.5 (1.6)*

Values represent number and (%) unless otherwise specified. *Aggregated time on tocilizumab (TCZ)

for those patients that received more than 1 TCZ course. GCA, giant cell arteritis; SD, standard deviation.

Conclusion

Long-term TCZ treatment was efficacious in maintaining disease remission and sparing the use of prednisone in patients with GCA. Over 40% of patients stopping TCZ after long-term remission or adverse event relapsed following TCZ discontinuation.

Acknowledgements

This study was sponsored by Genentech, Inc.

Disclosure of Interests

Mark Matza: None declared, Nicholas Dagincourt Employee of: Working for Genentech, Inc., as employees of Everest Clinical Research, Shalini Mohan Shareholder of: Genentech, Inc., Employee of: Genentech, Inc., Andrey Pavlov Employee of: Working for Genentech, Inc. as an employee of Everest Clinical Research, Jian Han Shareholder of: Genentech, Inc., Employee of: Genentech, Inc., John H. Stone Consultant of: Roche, Grant/research support from: Roche, Sebastian Unizony Grant/research support from: Research funding from Genentech, Inc.

Strategic analysis of intimate partner violence (IPV) and cycle of violence in the autobiographical text -When I Hit You

Objectives

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a globally recognized societal problem that requires intensive research to raise public awareness.

Aim

Accordingly, the purpose of the study is to analyze IPV at the physical, psychological, and social aspects of abuse.

Method

The methodology of the study correlates IPV to the personal experiences of notable Indian writer, Meena Kandasamy, according to the autobiographical account of her abusive married life in the award-winning novel When I Hit You, which depicts the horrible treatment of women by their perpetrators within a closed sphere. To substantiate, the selected autobiographical work is compared with Lenore Edna Walker’s prominent Cycle of Violence theory, which best describes why women become victims and also the abuser’s tactics in controlling the women in a violent relationship.

Results

The study’s findings suggest that IPV, a serious global problem, requires government intervention and severe legal enforcement to protect women’s lives from the clutches of the abuser.

Growth, biochemical, and antioxidant response of pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) grown in fly ash amended soil

The present study was carried out to determine the impact of FA application on growth performance, biochemical parameters, and antioxidant defense activity of Calendula officinalis. The results revealed that under a low dose of FA (40%) amended soil, the plant growth performance and metal tolerance index (MTI) were increased compared to control plants and further decreased with increased FA application (60%, 80%, and 100% FA). In addition, the incorporation of 40% FA in soil not only improved the physicochemical properties of soil but also increased the biochemical parameters in the Calendula plant, however, these parameters declined under high FA applications. It was also observed that antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, CAT, POD, and APX) in leaves of Calendula officinalis increased at high FA application (100% FA) to combat heavy metal stress from FA. The overall study suggests that 40% FA amended soil is the best suitable dose for growing Calendula officinalis and can be considered as metal tolerant species for phytoremediation of 40% FA amended soil.Novelty statement: Fly ash (FA) management is a major problem nowadays. The present study was carried out for FA utilization and to determine the impact of FA amended soil on growth performance, antioxidant properties, and biochemical attributes of Calendula officinalis. This is a sustainable approach in which waste (FA) utilization was done simultaneously with the enhancement in response of the medicinally potent Calendula species. The novelty of this study also suggests that Calendula has phytoremediation potential for remediation of heavy metal polluted soil. Further, the relationship between the growth, biochemical parameters, and antioxidant defense mechanism of Calendula grown on FA amended soil was studied which has not been studied so far. It was found that Calendula is a hyperaccumulator that can adapt to heavy metal stress from FA due to its ability to mitigate oxidative damage. Statistical analysis (ANOVA, Duncan's multiple range test, and PCA) was done for the results obtained using SPSS (11.5) and Origin 8 Pro software.

Social determinants of health influence disease activity and functional disability in Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

BACKGROUND

Social determinants of health (SDH) greatly influence outcomes during the first year of treatment in rheumatoid arthritis, a disease similar to polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA). We investigated the correlation of community poverty level and other SDH with the persistence of moderate to severe disease activity and functional disability over the first year of treatment in pJIA patients enrolled in the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Registry.

METHODS

In this cohort study, unadjusted and adjusted generalized linear mixed effects models analyzed the effect of community poverty and other SDH on disease activity, using the clinical Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score-10, and disability, using the Child Health Assessment Questionnaire, measured at baseline, 6, and 12 months.

RESULTS

One thousand six hundred eighty-four patients were identified. High community poverty (≥20% living below the federal poverty level) was associated with increased odds of functional disability (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.28-2.60) but was not statistically significant after adjustment (aOR 1.23, 95% CI 0.81-1.86) and was not associated with increased disease activity. Non-white race/ethnicity was associated with higher disease activity (aOR 2.48, 95% CI: 1.41-4.36). Lower self-reported household income was associated with higher disease activity and persistent functional disability. Public insurance (aOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.06-2.29) and low family education (aOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.14-3.12) was associated with persistent functional disability.

CONCLUSION

High community poverty level was associated with persistent functional disability in unadjusted analysis but not with persistent moderate to high disease activity. Race/ethnicity and other SDH were associated with persistent disease activity and functional disability.

An innovative approach of bioremediation in enzymatic degradation of xenobiotics

Worldwide, environmental pollution due to a complex mixture of xenobiotics has become a serious concern. Several xenobiotic compounds cause environmental contamination due to their severe toxicity, prolonged exposure, and limited biodegradability. From the past few decades, microbial-assisted degradation (bioremediation) of xenobiotic pollutants has evolved as the most effective, eco-friendly, and valuable approach. Microorganisms have unique metabolism, the capability of genetic modification, diversity of enzymes, and various degradation pathways necessary for the bioremediation process. Microbial xenobiotic degradation is effective but a slow process that limits its application in bioremediation. However, the study of microbial enzymes for bioremediation is gaining global importance. Microbial enzymes have a huge ability to transform contaminants into non-toxic forms and thereby reduce environmental pollution. Recently, various advanced techniques, including metagenomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics are effectively utilized for the characterization, metabolic machinery, new proteins, metabolic genes of microorganisms involved in the degradation process. These advanced molecular techniques provide a thorough understanding of the structural and functional aspects of complex microorganisms. This review gives a brief note on xenobiotics and their impact on the environment. Particular attention will be devoted to the class of pollutants and the enzymes such as cytochrome P450, dehydrogenase, laccase, hydrolase, protease, lipase, etc. capable of converting these pollutants into innocuous products. This review attempts to deliver knowledge on the role of various enzymes in the biodegradation of xenobiotic pollutants, along with the use of advanced technologies like recombinant DNA technology and Omics approaches to make the process more robust and effective.

Development of nanoporous textile sludge based adsorbent for the dye removal from industrial textile effluent

The development of a novel textile sludge based activated carbon (TSBAC) adsorbent and its performance for the treatment of textile dyeing effluent, have been explained in this paper. TSBAC was prepared by the thermal treatment of textile effluent treatment sludge followed by the chemical activation using phosphoric acid. Characterization of TSBAC resulted in enhanced specific surface area (123.65 m²/g) along with the presence of active surface functional groups including -OH, -COOH, -CO. TSBAC showed superior adsorption capacity for methylene blue (123.6 mg/g), reactive red 198 (101.4 mg/g), and reactive yellow 145 (96.8 mg/g) individually, and from the synthetic textile effluent (106 mg/g). The pseudo-second order model and Langmuir isotherm model were found to be fitted well with batch experimental data. The results of the continuous column studies showed that adsorption capacity for methylene blue, reactive red 198, reactive yellow 145 are 101.8 mg/g, 76.6 mg/g, and 75.1 mg/g respectively, and the synthetic textile effluent resulted in an adsorption capacity value of 79.1 mg/g. The reuse potential of TSBAC was proved by effective dye removal up to six reuse cycles. The leachability studies proved that the used adsorbent could be safely disposed of without any harmful effect to the environment.