Defect interactions in a two-dimensional sheared lamellar mesophase

The interaction between two edge dislocations in a sheared lyotropic lamellar liquid-crystalline medium is examined. The model is a mesoscale hydrodynamic model based on a free-energy functional that is minimised for a sinusoidal concentration modulation coupled with concentration and momentum equations. The defect dynamics are analysed as a function of the system size and the Ericksen number, the ratio of the shear stress and the characteristic free-energy density for deformation. Three different regimes are observed as the Ericksen number is increased when the edge dislocations are sheared towards each other, such that there is compression of layers between the defects: (a) defect motion that reduces the cross-stream separation till there is a steady spacing with plug flow between the defects, (b) defect attraction and cancellation resulting in a well-aligned state, and (c) defect creation due to a compressional instability between the defects resulting in an increase in the disorder. When the edge dislocations are sheared away from each other, such that there is extension of the layers between the defects, two distinct regimes are observed as the Ericksen number is increased: (a) bending of layers and a plug flow between the defects at their initial separation, and (b) buckling of the layers leading to creation of more defects and a dynamical steady state between defect creation and cancellation. These regimes are found to be robust for different values of the system size, from 32 to 128 layers, and for different values of the dimensionless groups that characterise the ratio of mass/momentum convection and diffusion.

Human factors in pelvic exenteration: themes in high-performing teams

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of human factors in pelvic exenteration and how team performance is optimized in the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative phases.

METHOD

Qualitative analysis of focus groups was used to capture authentic human interactions that reflect real-world multiprofessional performance. Theatre teams were treated as clusters, with a particular focus group containing participants who worked together regularly.

RESULTS

Three focus groups were conducted. Four themes emerged - driving force, technical skills, nontechnical skills and operational aspects - with a total of 16 subthemes. Saturation was reached by group 2, with no new subthemes emerging after this. There was some interaction between the themes and the subthemes. Broadly speaking, driving force led to the development of specialised technical skills and nontechnical skills, which were operationalized into successful service through operational aspects.

CONCLUSION

This study of teams performing pelvic exenteration is the first in the field using this methodology. It has generated rich qualitative data with authentic insights into the pragmatic aspects of developing and delivering a service. In addition, it shows how the themes are connected or 'coupled' in a network, for example technical and non-technical skills. In a complex system, 'tight coupling' leads to both high performance and adverse events. In this paper, we report the qualitative aspects of high performance by pelvic exenteration teams in a complex sociotechnical system, which depends on tight coupling of several themes.

Time toxicity associated with early phase clinical trial participation

BACKGROUND

Early phase cancer clinical trials (EPCTs) involve experimental drugs being used for the first time in humans. These studies are designed for dose determination and safety, and represent the most time intensive of all clinical trials for both clinicians and patients. We sought to quantify the amount of patient time consumed through EPCT participation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective audit of patients treated in the EPCT unit at Liverpool Hospital, Sydney was carried out from 2013 to 2023. We defined 'time toxicity' (TT) as a composite measure where time-toxic days were considered days with any health care system contact, including clinic visits, infusions, procedures or blood work.

RESULTS

A total of 219 patients across 36 EPCTs were included. The median age was 65 years (range 31-81 years). Patients spent a median of 29% (range 4%-100%) of their days in direct contact with the health care system during their study. Protocol-specified visits accounted for the greatest contribution to total TT in 101 (46%) patients. In 7% (n = 16) of patients, unscheduled visits due to either adverse events or cancer-related symptoms accounted for the greatest TT. TT reduced as patients completed additional cycles of treatment. Patients who completed >10 cycles spent 14% of their days interacting with health care systems compared with 35% for those who completed ≤2 cycles. No statistically significant difference in TT was noted between dose-expansion and dose-escalation studies or trials focusing on immune-oncology versus targeted therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study is the first to report TT in EPCTs with an extended follow-up. Clinicians should be aware of TT when discussing risks and benefits. TT also may not be the appropriate term when describing the time patients invest during EPCTs. Toxicity implies a negative impact, but for many patients, trial participation would be seen as positive. There should be efforts to streamline health care visits to limit TT in EPCTs.

A Potent Kalihinol Analogue Disrupts Apicoplast Function and Vesicular Trafficking in P. falciparum Malaria

Here we report the discovery of MED6-189, a new analogue of the kalihinol family of isocyanoterpene (ICT) natural products. MED6-189 is effective against drug-sensitive and -resistant P. falciparum strains blocking both intraerythrocytic asexual replication and sexual differentiation. This compound was also effective against P. knowlesi and P. cynomolgi. In vivo efficacy studies using a humanized mouse model of malaria confirms strong efficacy of the compound in animals with no apparent hemolytic activity or apparent toxicity. Complementary chemical biology, molecular biology, genomics and cell biological analyses revealed that MED6-189 primarily targets the parasite apicoplast and acts by inhibiting lipid biogenesis and cellular trafficking. Genetic analyses in P. falciparum revealed that a mutation in PfSec13, which encodes a component of the parasite secretory machinery, reduced susceptibility to the drug. The high potency of MED6-189 in vitro and in vivo, its broad range of efficacy, excellent therapeutic profile, and unique mode of action make it an excellent addition to the antimalarial drug pipeline.

Undiagnosed hypertension and associated factors among adults in the urban field practice area of AIIMS Raipur: A community-based screening survey

Introduction

Undiagnosed hypertension (HTN) increases the risk of severe consequences such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypertensive retinopathy, heart failure, and stroke. Population-based screening can be used to expose the hidden diseased mass with active disease. Thus, a screening survey was conducted to estimate the proportion of people with HTN among apparently healthy adults of age ≥30 years residing at the urban field practice area (UHTC) of AIIMS, Raipur, and also determine the predictors of undiagnosed HTN among the study participants.

Methodology

This was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted over 2 months duration in the Ramnagar area, which comes under the urban field practice area of AIIMS Raipur using the STEPS tool is an acronym of study tool provided by WHO i.e. STEPwise approach to NCD risk factor surveillance consisting of three steps viz. questionnaire for behavioural risk factors, physical measurements and biochemical measurements.

Results

In this study, 24.2% (95%, confidence interval [CI]: 20.1-28.2) of participants screened positive for HTN. The proportion of males who screened positive for HTN was 28.8% (95% CI: 22.6-35), whereas the proportion of females who screened positive for HTN was 19.6% (95% CI: 14.3-25). In this study, elderly (>60 years), male gender, daily tobacco use, greater waist circumference (male >90 cm and female >80 cm), and daily salt intake of more than 5 g were found to have higher odds of having HTN.

Conclusion

The prevalence of undiagnosed HTN in the UHTC of AIIMS Raipur was quite high.

The relationship between structure and rheology in a three-dimensional sheared lamellar mesophase

The evolution of a lamellar mesophase from an initially disordered state under shear is examined using simulations of a mesoscale model based on a concentration field ψ that distinguishes the hydrophilic and hydrophobic components. The Landau-Ginzburg free-energy functional is augmented by a term that is minimised for sinusoidal modulations in the concentration field with wavelength λ = (2π/k), and the dynamical equations are the model H equations. The structure and rheology are determined by the relative magnitudes of the diffusion time for coarsening, (λ²/D) and the inverse of the strain rate ^-1, and the Ericksen number, which is the ratio of the shear stress and the layer stiffness. When the diffusion time is small compared with the inverse of the strain rate, there is a local formation of misaligned layers, which are deformed by the imposed flow. There is near-perfect ordering with isolated defects at low values of the Ericksen number, but the defects result in a significant increase in viscosity due to the high layer stiffness. At high values of the Ericksen number, the concentration field is deformed by the mean shear before layers form via diffusion. Cylindrical structures aligned along the flow direction form after about 8-10 strain units, and these evolve into layers with disorder through diffusion perpendicular to the flow. The layers are not perfectly ordered, even after hundreds of strain units, due to the creation and destruction of defects via shear. The excess viscosity is low because the layer stiffness is small compared with the applied shear at a high Ericksen number. This study provides guidance on how the material parameters and imposed flow can be tailored to achieve the desired rheological behaviour.

Awareness About Folic Acid Supplementation in First-Trimester Pregnant Women of Rural Raipur District, Chhattisgarh, and Its Determinants: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Women are supplemented with folic acid (FA) during pregnancy as well as preconceptionally to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) in newborns. To understand the importance of FA supplementation, women need to have awareness about the same, which in turn may be influenced by different factors. It is also known that both FA and vitamin B12 deficiency tend to cause NTDs in newborns and anemia. Very few studies have studied the relationship between hemoglobin, FA, and vitamin B12 levels. In this study, we aim to estimate the level of awareness of FA supplementation among pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy and the factors determining the presence of awareness regarding the same. Also, we aim to estimate any correlation between hemoglobin, FA, and vitamin B12 levels among a subset of pregnant women.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Abhanpur Block of Raipur district in Chhattisgarh among 399 pregnant women in their first trimester of pregnancy, in which their knowledge was assessed using a pretested semistructured questionnaire. Each participant's knowledge score regarding FA supplementation was calculated and scored based on six indicators and classified as low, intermediate, and high scores. Logistic regression was applied to find out any significant association between knowledge about FA supplementation with any other sociodemographic variables. Scatter plots were used to assess the correlation of FA with hemoglobin, vitamin B12, and knowledge scores among 104 participants.

RESULTS

The majority (77.9%) of women had low knowledge scores with a mean score of 1.4 (0.15). It was found that only 45.6% of the participants knew the importance of FA supplementation, and the majority (23.1%) were informed by auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) followed by doctors. The majority (41.6%) of the study participants also did not know when to start FA, and only 1.3% knew that FA should be taken preconceptionally. On multivariable logistic regression, women who lived in joint families had significantly higher odds of having intermediate knowledge compared to those who lived in nuclear families. Although not statistically significant, there was a positive correlation between serum vitamin B12 and FA levels and also between hemoglobin and serum FA levels. However, a significant positive correlation was found between serum FA levels and the knowledge scores of the study participants.

CONCLUSION

The majority of study participants had poor knowledge and awareness regarding FA supplementation. So, health education, as well as information, education, and communication (IEC) activities, is required to improve the knowledge about FA supplementation among women of reproductive age in the community. A better understanding of FA supplementation can lead to adherence to FA consumption and prevent NTDs among newborns.

Measurement of the ν_{e}-Nucleus Charged-Current Double-Differential Cross Section at ⟨E_{ν}⟩=2.4 GeV Using NOvA

The inclusive electron neutrino charged-current cross section is measured in the NOvA near detector using 8.02×10^{20} protons-on-target in the NuMI beam. The sample of GeV electron neutrino interactions is the largest analyzed to date and is limited by ≃17% systematic rather than the ≃7.4% statistical uncertainties. The double-differential cross section in final-state electron energy and angle is presented for the first time, together with the single-differential dependence on Q^{2} (squared four-momentum transfer) and energy, in the range 1  GeV≤E_{ν}<6  GeV. Detailed comparisons are made to the predictions of the GENIE, GiBUU, NEUT, and NuWro neutrino event generators. The data do not strongly favor a model over the others consistently across all three cross sections measured, though some models have especially good or poor agreement in the single differential cross section vs Q^{2}.

A Review of the Latest Advances in Nanoparticle-Mediated Processes for Hexavalent Chromium Remediation from Water Bodies

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is a well-known carcinogen, and hence its removal from aqueous media is an important area of research in the field of environmental engineering. Adsorptive removal and catalytic reduction are the two most common techniques applied for this purpose. In this regard, nanoparticle-mediated technology has contributed significantly. In the current review article, a systematic investigation has been carried out to find the latest developments that took place in the domain of Cr(VI) removal by nanotechnology. The major portion deals with the advancement and application of the new-age materials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), g-C₃N₄, MXenes, zero-valent iron (ZVI), and their composites, for the Cr(VI) remediation purpose. Various interesting mechanisms, as proposed by different research groups, have been covered. Applications of the nanocomposites in the real wastewater scenario have also been highlighted. Different characterization techniques often conducted in order to get insight into Cr(VI) removal process have been mentioned. Some patents related to this field have been discussed. Lastly, the future scope of the nanomaterials, current challenges, feasibility of using these nanomaterials in large-scale treatment plants, etc., have been addressed before concluding the article.

P-065 PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES OF TOTALLY TRANSFASCIAL SUTURE FIXATION OF MESH WITH CLOSURE OF DEFECT IN LAPAROSCOPIC VENTRAL HERNIA REPAIR

Aim

To study the Quality of life Outcome in totally transfacial suture fixation of mesh with primary closure of defect in laparoscopic ventral hernia repair with regards to:

Materials & Methods

Patients who visited the OPD of General Surgery, KGMU, Lucknow, UP and was diagnosed as a case of symptomatic ventral and incisional hernia fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled.

Results

A total of 40 patients from OPD department of General Surgery were enrolled. Maximum numbers of patients in the study i.e. 14(35%) belong to M4. Mean BMI is 28.6. Mean defect size was 3.25 cm (Range- 2cm to 5 cm). Mean duration of hospital stay was 2.85 days. With this procedure the patients were able to resume his/her daily routines very early and a mean of 4.65 days was recorded among the 40 patients involved in the study. Also a mean of 11.6 days was recorded as the time taken to return to office works which was all within two weeks after the operation. Carolina's comfort scale measure quality of life score in pre-op and post-op period on sensation of mesh,pain sensation and limitation of movement . where the scores were added and the mean sensation of mesh at post-operative period was 0.30.

Conclusion

There was significant improvement in dimensions of body pain, physical function, vitality, emotional role, mental health and sensation of mesh in small and medium size hernia, with totally transfascial suture fixation of mesh.

A comprehensive review on BPA degradation by heterogeneous Fenton-like processes

Synthetic organic pollutants emanating continuously in the ecosystem have become a global concern because of their toxicity and persistent nature. Bisphenol A (BPA) is one such pollutant which threatens public health and safety. It is a monomer used in manufacturing plastics, polycarbonate resins, epoxy resins and is a well-recognised endocrine disruptor mimicking estrogen. BPA leaches into food and beverages stored in containers causing contamination issues. Its widespread exposure and potential toxicity is an environmental health concern. In this review, a systematic investigation has been carried out on the heterogeneous catalysts used for Fenton-like processes for BPA degradation. The Fenton-like reaction is one such reaction that is used for wastewater remediation purposes. The reaction advances through the generation of powerful oxidizing radicals like •OH and SO₄^•- in the presence of a suitable catalyst. The application of various Fenton catalysts, with their distinguished morphological characteristics, oxidizing properties, toxicity analysis, and the present state of the art of BPA degradation by these catalysts, have been documented in the current work. This review also highlights a few challenges and prospects for analysing degradation products of landfill leachate.

Evaluation of prognostic risk models for postoperative pulmonary complications in adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgery: a systematic review and international external validation cohort study

BACKGROUND

Stratifying risk of postoperative pulmonary complications after major abdominal surgery allows clinicians to modify risk through targeted interventions and enhanced monitoring. In this study, we aimed to identify and validate prognostic models against a new consensus definition of postoperative pulmonary complications.

METHODS

We did a systematic review and international external validation cohort study. The systematic review was done in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched MEDLINE and Embase on March 1, 2020, for articles published in English that reported on risk prediction models for postoperative pulmonary complications following abdominal surgery. External validation of existing models was done within a prospective international cohort study of adult patients (≥18 years) undergoing major abdominal surgery. Data were collected between Jan 1, 2019, and April 30, 2019, in the UK, Ireland, and Australia. Discriminative ability and prognostic accuracy summary statistics were compared between models for the 30-day postoperative pulmonary complication rate as defined by the Standardised Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine Core Outcome Measures in Perioperative and Anaesthetic Care (StEP-COMPAC). Model performance was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCC).

FINDINGS

In total, we identified 2903 records from our literature search; of which, 2514 (86·6%) unique records were screened, 121 (4·8%) of 2514 full texts were assessed for eligibility, and 29 unique prognostic models were identified. Nine (31·0%) of 29 models had score development reported only, 19 (65·5%) had undergone internal validation, and only four (13·8%) had been externally validated. Data to validate six eligible models were collected in the international external validation cohort study. Data from 11 591 patients were available, with an overall postoperative pulmonary complication rate of 7·8% (n=903). None of the six models showed good discrimination (defined as AUROCC ≥0·70) for identifying postoperative pulmonary complications, with the Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia score showing the best discrimination (AUROCC 0·700 [95% CI 0·683-0·717]).

INTERPRETATION

In the pre-COVID-19 pandemic data, variability in the risk of pulmonary complications (StEP-COMPAC definition) following major abdominal surgery was poorly described by existing prognostication tools. To improve surgical safety during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery and beyond, novel risk stratification tools are required.

FUNDING

British Journal of Surgery Society.

Electrochemical aspects of coinage metal nanoparticles for catalysis and spectroscopy

Down scaling bulk materials can cause colloidal systems to evolve into microscopically dispersed insoluble particles. Herein, we describe the interesting applications of coinage metal nanoparticles (MNPs) as colloid dispersions especially gold and silver. The rich plasmon bands of gold and silver in the visible range are elaborated using the plasmon resonance and redox potential values of grown metal microelectrode (GME). The gradation of their standard reduction potential values (E 0), as evaluated from the Gibbs free energy change for bulk metal, is ascribed to the variation in their size. Also, the effect of nucleophiles in the electrolytic cell with metal nanoparticles (MNPs) is described. The nucleophile-guided reduction potential value is considered, which is applicable even for bulk noble metals. Typically, a low value (as low as E 0 = +0.40 V) causes the oxidation of metals at the O2 (air)/H2O interface. Under this condition, the oxidation of noble metal particles and dissolution of the noble metal in water are demonstrated. Thus, metal dissolution as a function of the size of metal nanoparticles becomes eventful and demonstrable with the addition of a surfactant to the solution. Interestingly, the reversal of the nobility of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) microelectrodes at the water/electrode interface is confirmed from the evolution of normal and inverted 'core-shell' structures, exploiting visible spectrophotometry and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) analysis. Subsequently, the effect of the size, shape, and facet- and support-selective catalysis of gold nanoparticles (NPs) and the effect of incident photons on current conversion without an applied potential are briefly discussed. Finally, the synergistic effect of the emissive behaviour of gold and silver clusters is productively exploited.

Comparative assessment of factors affecting anxiety levels among adults attending online meditation sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic induced the governments around the world to impose harsher preventive measures like stay at home order, lock down etc., to contain the spread of infection. This measure increased the stress of the general population through isolation of masses, loss of employment, and loss of recreation. There is a dearth of quality data showing anxiety levels among the population and association of novel nonpharmaceutical measures such as online meditation with it.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study is a cross-sectional comparative study based on an online survey. The study population included 74 adult participants, out of which 30, included in the study group were attending structured online meditation sessions and 44 of the participants as a comparison group after matching age, gender, location of residence, and socioeconomic status. The data was collected using self-administered questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression was applied to ascertain factors contributing to the anxiety levels of the participants.

RESULTS

Both the groups of participants were comparable in terms of their demographic characteristics. The mean generalized anxiety disorder (GAD 7) score among the participants of online meditation program was significantly lower as compared to those not attending any online meditation. 6.7% of the participants of online meditation had GAD 7 score more than 10 as compared to 13.6% among the comparison group (P value 0.7).

CONCLUSION

"At home" mental health promotion measures such as structured online meditation can serve an important role in mitigating the mental health impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the community. Further researches are needed to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of such measures.

Male involvement in family planning in a rural area of India

Introduction:

Family planning is one of the essential health care services to promote and ensure reproductive health. Nearly 40.2 percent of men think it as a woman’s responsibility as per the National Family Health Survey 4. Not much attention has been given to the male partners in the usage of contraceptives. So, this study was conducted to assess the male participation in family planning among married males in a rural area of Chhattisgarh.

Methodology:

A sample of 365 married males were interviewed through a semi-structured questionnaire at a primary health care center.

Results:

Only 48 (13.1%) participants were using condoms or male sterilization as a method of contraception at the time of the study. Good involvement of males in family planning was found to be (10.9%) in our study. Those who were above the poverty line and educated (graduation and above) had good involvement in family planning. The chief reason cited for not opting for male sterilization by participants was fear of physical weakness followed by family opposition.

Conclusion:

The socio-cultural barrier in itself demotivates men from getting involved in the family planning program. This study recommends increasing health literacy regarding family planning among men by including it in the school curriculum and through awareness activities and counseling that influences them positively and motivates them to accept contraceptive services and shared decision making. Sterilization facilities should be made accessible to them to further encourage them.

Different endurance exercises modulate NK cell cytotoxic and inhibiting receptors

PURPOSE

Induction of IDO depends on the activation of AhR forming the AhR/IDO axis. Activated AhR can transcribe various target genes including cytotoxic and inhibiting receptors of NK cells. We investigated whether AhR and IDO levels as well as activating (NKG2D) and inhibiting (KIR2DL1) NK cell receptors are influenced by acute exercise and different chronic endurance exercise programs.

METHODS

21 adult breast and prostate cancer patients of the TOP study (NCT02883699) were randomized to intervention programs of 12 weeks of (1) endurance standard training or (2) endurance polarized training after a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). Serum was collected pre-CPET, immediately post-CPET, 1 h post-CPET and after 12 weeks post-intervention. Flow cytometry analysis was performed on autologous serum incubated NK-92 cells for: AhR, IDO, KIR2DL1 and NKG2D. Differences were investigated using analysis-of-variance for acute and analysis-of-covariance for chronic effects.

RESULTS

Acute exercise: IDO levels changed over time with a significant increase from post-CPET to 1 h post-CPET (p = 0.03). KIR2DL1 levels significantly decreased over time (p < 0.01). NKG2D levels remained constant (p = 0.31). Chronic exercise: for both IDO and NKG2D a significant group × time interaction, a significant time effect and a significant difference after 12 weeks of intervention were observed (IDO: all p < 0.01, NKG2D: all p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Both acute and chronic endurance training may regulate NK cell function via the AhR/IDO axis. This is clinically relevant, as exercise emerges to be a key player in immune regulation.

Odderon Exchange from Elastic Scattering Differences between pp and pp[over ¯] Data at 1.96 TeV and from pp Forward Scattering Measurements

We describe an analysis comparing the pp[over ¯] elastic cross section as measured by the D0 Collaboration at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV to that in pp collisions as measured by the TOTEM Collaboration at 2.76, 7, 8, and 13 TeV using a model-independent approach. The TOTEM cross sections, extrapolated to a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=1.96  TeV, are compared with the D0 measurement in the region of the diffractive minimum and the second maximum of the pp cross section. The two data sets disagree at the 3.4σ level and thus provide evidence for the t-channel exchange of a colorless, C-odd gluonic compound, also known as the odderon. We combine these results with a TOTEM analysis of the same C-odd exchange based on the total cross section and the ratio of the real to imaginary parts of the forward elastic strong interaction scattering amplitude in pp scattering for which the significance is between 3.4σ and 4.6σ. The combined significance is larger than 5σ and is interpreted as the first observation of the exchange of a colorless, C-odd gluonic compound.

Sex Differences in Pulmonary Eicosanoids and Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators in Response to Ozone Exposure

Ozone (O3) is a criteria air pollutant known to increase the morbidity and mortality of cardiopulmonary diseases. This occurs through a pulmonary inflammatory response characterized by increased recruitment of immune cells into the airspace, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and pro-inflammatory lipid mediators. Recent evidence has demonstrated sex-dependent differences in the O3-induced pulmonary inflammatory response. However, it is unknown if this dimorphic response is evident in pulmonary lipid mediator metabolism. We hypothesized that there are sex-dependent differences in lipid mediator production following acute O3 exposure. Male and female C57BL/6J mice were exposed to 1 part per million O3 for 3 hours and were necropsied at 6 or 24 hours following exposure. Lung lavage was collected for cell differential and total protein analysis, and lung tissue was collected for mRNA analysis, metabololipidomics, and immunohistochemistry. Compared to males, O3-exposed female mice had increases in airspace neutrophilia, neutrophil chemokine mRNA, pro-inflammatory eicosanoids such as prostaglandin E2, and specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) such as resolvin D5 in lung tissue. Likewise, precursor fatty acids (arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acid; DHA) were increased in female lung tissue following O3 exposure compared to males. Experiments with ovariectomized females revealed that loss of ovarian hormones exacerbates pulmonary inflammation and injury. However, eicosanoid and SPM production were not altered by ovariectomy despite depleted pulmonary DHA concentrations. Taken together, these data indicate that O3 drives an increased pulmonary inflammatory and bioactive lipid mediator response in females. Furthermore, ovariectomy increases susceptibility to O3-induced pulmonary inflammation and injury, as well as decreases pulmonary DHA concentrations.

Applications of chitosan in environmental remediation: A review

Environmental biotechnology is the use of biotechnology to develop and regulate biological systems for the remediation of environmental contamination. Nature has gifted ample material for remediation of its resources, among which chitosan is one of the most important and largely available biomaterial globally. Chitosan is a biopolymer obtained by deacetylation of chitin extracted from marine waste and its applications from drug delivery to food additives are broadly available. Chitosan exhibit several properties such as availability, low cost, high biocompatibility, and biodegradability. These properties make it biologically and chemically acceptable for use in various fields. Due to some limitations of pure chitosan, there has been a growing interest in modifying the chitosan in order to improve the original properties and widen the applications of pure phase chitosan. Various modified forms of chitosan and their associated applications are reviewed here with emphasis on their use in environmental remediation. The demand of chitosan in the global industrial market is growing which is briefly explained in this paper. Chitosan is used for water purification since a long time and still progress is going on for making it more efficient in the removal process. It can be used as a flocculent and coagulant, as an adsorbent for removing the contaminants like heavy metals, dyes, pesticides, antibiotics, biological contaminants from wastewater. Soil remediation using chitosan material is explained in this review. Various other applications such as drug delivery, food additives, tissue engineering are thoroughly reviewed.

Supported metal and metal oxide particles with proximity effect for catalysis

External influence is essential for any change to occur in this world. Similarly, the reaction path of a chemical reaction can be changed with the addition of a catalyst from outside. Sometimes a catalyst performs better when it remains associated with an inert substance, which is called a support material (SM). Improved catalyst accomplishment arises from the 'proximity effect'. Even inert supports play a role in better product formulation or environmental remediation. In this review, it has been shown how the SM, as a nest, aids the catalyst particle synergistically to perform a good job in a chemical reaction. The structure-function relationship of SM helps in catalyst activation to some extent, and produces active centres that are difficult to fully ascertain. In the text, Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H), Mars-van Krevelen (MVK), and Eley-Rideal (E-R) mechanisms are highlighted for the adsorption processes as the case may be. Again, the importance of SM for both catalyst and substrates has been consolidated here in the text. Finally, the role of the initiator and the promoter is also discussed in this review.

Covid-19 chemoprophylaxis: Ethics of prevention based on anecdotal evidence

The ongoing pandemic of Covid-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has infected more than 6 million all over the world and has caused more than 3.8 lakh fatalities till date(1) Health workers are the frontline responders and are exposed to a plethora of health hazards. Recently, an advisory by the Indian Council of Medical Research for the use of hydroxychloroquine as post-exposure prophylaxis was hailed as an outstanding initiative for the protection of healthcare workers and high risk contacts of patients. But the evidence of effectiveness available is only from in vitro studies and non-randomised control trials of insufficient sample size. Several ongoing large scale clinical trials are focused on the same research questions, the preliminary results of which are still awaited. The present study discusses the ethics of the introduction of therapeutic or preventive interventions based on limited available evidence during the ongoing pandemic of Covid-19.

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0556 Sex-Specific Relationship Between Anxiety and Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Introduction

Cardiovascular co-morbidities in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are hard to treat, perhaps due to autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction. In OSA, intermittent hypoxia and poor tissue oxygen perfusion damage endothelial and nervous tissue, potentially underlying the dysfunction. Moreover, OSA is strongly associated with anxiety, which is independently associated with ANS dysfunction. We assessed sex-specific relationships between anxiety and cardiovascular markers of ANS dysfunction in OSA.

Methods

We studied people diagnosed with OSA and healthy controls. We collected 5 minutes of wakeful resting ECG, continuous non-invasive blood pressure, and respiration data. We calculated heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV; sympathetic-vagal balance related to brainstem ANS output), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), beat-to-beat MAP variability (BPV; related to peripheral autonomic function) and breathing rate (BR). We analyzed these measures with a multivariate regression model of anxiety symptoms (generalized anxiety disorder; GAD-7 scores), sex, and group (OSA vs. control), age/BMI/AHI covariates, and Bonferroni-corrected post-hoc comparisons (p≤0.05).

Results

We analyzed 64 subjects (32 OSA: AHI [mean±SEM] 24±4events/hour, 12 female, age 52±21years, BMI 33±2kg/m2; 32 control: 19 female, age 46±2; BMI 26±1). We observed significant main effects of anxiety, BMI, AHI, sex on HRV, but only group on BPV; post-hoc comparisons revealed high BPV only in OSA females. Secondary analyses included classifying by anxiety symptoms (GAD-7≥5), showing only OSA females with anxiety had higher BPV. Males showed higher HRV. AHI and anxiety were positively correlated with HRV in OSA males. AHI was negatively correlated with BR in OSA females.

Conclusion

We observed higher anxiety associated with higher BPV in OSA, especially in females. Unexpectedly, BR was lower in OSA females; longer breaths may have led to the greater BPV. Higher HRV in males complicated by OSA severity and anxiety could be related to higher sympathetic tone. The slightly older control group may have influenced the findings. Overall, our findings suggest anxiety in OSA is associated with peripheral and centrally-mediated autonomic dysfunction, but in a sex-specific manner.

Support

National Institutes of Health R56-NR-017435 and RO1-HL-135562.

Mutations in growth hormone gene affect stability of protein structure leading to reduced growth, reproduction, and milk production in crossbred cattle-an insight

The GH has a multifaceted role in growth, reproduction, and milk production. Nonsynonymous mutations identified as L153V were observed from GH1 (L) to GH2 (V) with higher genotypic frequency for GH1 being 0.87. GH2 (V) allele was identified as a rare allele and the population followed Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. LL homozygote variant had significantly better growth, reproduction, and expected milk production at different ages in crossbred (CB) males. Reports are scanty explaining the molecular mechanism of how individuals with LV genotype were phenotypically inferior to that of wild-type LL. In the present study, it was explored that GH peptide with LV heterozygotes of GH gene, were observed to have reduced structural stability thermodynamically and thus functionally leads to reduced economic traits in CB animals. The fact was first time reported and confirmed through genomic analysis, bioinformatics, and later confirmed through immunohistochemistry. Differential expression analysis of the GH gene with respect to other genes in the hypothalamus-pituitary growth axis of CB cattle was also studied to have a complete insight of the GH gene.

Assessment of community inquisitive insight towards carcinoma breast and cervix among adolescent girls in a city of Chhattisgarh, India: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Breast and cervical cancers are two of the most common cancer diagnosed and are leading cause of death among females. Mortality and complication rates are higher in countries with lower awareness regarding breast and cervical cancer. The aim of this study is to assess the community inquisitive insight regarding breast and cervical carcinoma after sensitising them with health education.

SETTING AND DESIGN

This is a qualitative research done on adolescent school going girls. The analysis is done using the verbal and written queries during group interaction sessions after the health education regarding breast and cervical cancer was imparted.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

A community specific health education material regarding breast and cervical cancers should include information regarding normal physiological process like menstruation, available preventive, and screening and management modalities of common cancers, the explanations for myths and redressal of stigma prevailing in the specific community.

Corrigendum to "Dietary administration of Nexrutine inhibits rat liver tumorigenesis and induces apoptotic cell death in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells". [Toxicol. Rep. 2 (2014) (November) 1-11]

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2014.11.006.].

Leprosy-A raging persistent enigma

Leprosy or Hansen's disease despite having achieved the elimination target across the world, the decrease in detection of new cases has almost stagnated for the last 10 years. Southeast Asia is having the highest prevalence of leprosy among all regions in the world. The review focuses on the programmatic laggards’ post-achievement of elimination target in India, the most significant contributors to leprosy caseload in the world, and a way forward.

Tuning of Magnetic Activity in Spin-Filter Josephson Junctions Towards Spin-Triplet Transport

The study of superconductor-ferromagnet interfaces has generated great interest in the last decades, leading to the observation of spin-aligned triplet supercurrents and 0-π transitions in Josephson junctions where two superconductors are separated by an itinerant ferromagnet. Recently, spin-filter Josephson junctions with ferromagnetic barriers have shown unique transport properties, when compared to standard metallic ferromagnetic junctions, due to the intrinsically nondissipative nature of the tunneling process. Here we present the first extensive characterization of spin polarized Josephson junctions down to 0.3 K, and the first evidence of an incomplete 0-π transition in highly spin polarized tunnel ferromagnetic junctions. Experimental data are consistent with a progressive enhancement of the magnetic activity with the increase of the barrier thickness, as neatly captured by the simplest theoretical approach including a nonuniform exchange field. For very long junctions, unconventional magnetic activity of the barrier points to the presence of spin-triplet correlations.