Assessment of cyclone risk and case study of Gaja cyclone using GIS techniques and machine learning algorithms in coastal zone of Tamil Nadu, India

Cyclones can cause devastating impacts, including strong winds, heavy rainfall, storm surges, and flooding. The aftermath includes infrastructure damage, loss of life, displacement of communities, and ecological disruptions. Timely response and recovery efforts are crucial to minimize the socio-economic and environmental consequences of cyclones. To accelerate the time-consuming risk assessment process, particularly in geographically diverse regions, a blend of multi-criteria decision-making and machine learning models was utilized. This novel approach swiftly assessed cyclone risk and the impact of the Gaja cyclone in Nagapattinam, India. The method involved assigning weights to distinct criteria, unveiling notable vulnerability aspects like elevation, slope, proximity to the coast, distance from cyclone tracts, Lu/Lc, population density, proximity to cyclone shelters, household density, accessibility to healthcare facilities, NDVI, and levels of awareness. Daddavari, Ettugudi, Kodikarai, Vedharanyam, Velankanni, and Thirupoondi face high/extreme cyclone risk. Nagore, Nagapattinam, Pillai, Enangudi, and Sannanllur have low/no threat. To further enhance the precision of the study, machine learning algorithms like SVM, SAM, and MLC were deployed. These models were instrumental in generating pre- and post-cyclone land use maps. The influence of Gaja cyclones effects shows decreasing of agriculture land from 34% to 30%, aquaculture increase 1%, barren land decrease from 8% to 6%, Built-up land decrease from 15% to 13%, land with scrub and salt pan also decrease from 21% to 17% and 10%-8%. Mostly effect of Gaja cyclone is dramatic increase of water body from 8% to 21%. Conducting cyclone risk zone analysis and pre/post-cyclone Land Use Land Cover (LULC) detection in Nagapattinam offers valuable insights for disaster preparedness, infrastructure planning, and climate resilience. This study can enhance understanding of vulnerability and aid in formulating strategies to mitigate cyclone impacts, ensuring sustainable development in the region.

Fetal growth analysis from ultrasound videos based on different biometrics using optimal segmentation and hybrid classifier

Birth defects and their associated deaths, high health and financial costs of maternal care and associated morbidity are major contributors to infant mortality. If permitted by law, prenatal diagnosis allows for intrauterine care, more complicated hospital deliveries, and termination of pregnancy. During pregnancy, a set of measurements is commonly used to monitor the fetal health, including fetal head circumference, crown-rump length, abdominal circumference, and femur length. Because of the intricate interactions between the biological tissues and the US waves mother and fetus, analyzing fetal US images from a specialized perspective is difficult. Artifacts include acoustic shadows, speckle noise, motion blur, and missing borders. The fetus moves quickly, body structures close, and the weeks of pregnancy vary greatly. In this work, we propose a fetal growth analysis through US image of head circumference biometry using optimal segmentation and hybrid classifier. First, we introduce a hybrid whale with oppositional fruit fly optimization (WOFF) algorithm for optimal segmentation of segment fetal head which improves the detection accuracy. Next, an improved U-Net design is utilized for the hidden feature (head circumference biometry) extraction which extracts features from the segmented extraction. Then, we design a modified Boosting arithmetic optimization (MBAO) algorithm for feature optimization to selects optimal best features among multiple features for the reduction of data dimensionality issues. Furthermore, a hybrid deep learning technique called bi-directional LSTM with convolutional neural network (B-LSTM-CNN) for fetal growth analysis to compute the fetus growth and health. Finally, we validate our proposed method through the open benchmark datasets are HC18 (Ultrasound image) and oxford university research archive (ORA-data) (Ultrasound video frames). We compared the simulation results of our proposed algorithm with the existing state-of-art techniques in terms of various metrics.

Deciphering agr quorum sensing in Staphylococcus aureus: insights and therapeutic prospects

The emergence of superbugs like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus exposed the limitations of treating microbial infections using antibiotics. At present, the discovery of novel and convincing therapeutic methods are being executed increasingly as possible substitutes to conventional antibiotic therapies. The quorum sensing helps Staphylococcus aureus become more viable through their signaling mechanisms. In recent years, targeting the prominent factors of quorum sensing has obtained remarkable attention as a futuristic approach to dealing with bacterial pathogenicity. The standard antibiotic therapy intends to inhibit the organism by targeting specific molecules and afford a chance for the evolution of antibiotic resistance. This prompts the development of novel therapeutic strategies like inhibiting quorum sensing that can limit bacterial virulence by decreasing the selective pressure, thereby restricting antibiotic resistance evolution. This review furnishes new insights into the accessory gene regulator quorum sensing in Staphylococcus aureus and its inhibition by targeting the genes that regulate the operon. Further, this review comprehensively explores the inhibitors reported up to date and their specific targets and discusses their potentially ineffective alternative therapy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

New Insights into Prospective Health Potential of ω-3 PUFAs

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid are the two essential long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) promoting human health which are obtained from diet or supplementation. The eicosanoids derived from ω-6 and ω-3 PUFAs have opposite characteristics of pro- and anti-inflammatory activities. The proinflammatory effects of ω-6 PUFAs are behind the pathology of the adverse health conditions of PUFA metabolism like cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, and inflammatory diseases. A balanced ω-6 to ω-3 ratio of 1-4:1 is critical to prevent the associated disorders. But due to modern agricultural practices, there is a disastrous shift in this ratio to 10-20:1. This review primarily aims to discuss the myriad health potentials of ω-3 PUFAs uncovered through recent research. It further manifests the importance of maintaining a balanced ω-6 to ω-3 PUFA ratio.

RECENT FINDINGS

ω-3 PUFAs exhibit protective effects against diabetes mellitus-associated complications including diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, and proteinuria. COVID-19 is also not an exception to the health benefits of ω-3 PUFAs. Supplementation of ω-3 PUFAs improved the respiratory and clinical symptoms in COVID-19 patients. ω-3 PUFAs exhibit a variety of health benefits including anti-inflammatory property and antimicrobial property and are effective in protecting against various health conditions like atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, COVID-19, and neurological disorders. In the present review, various health potentials of ω-3 PUFAs are extensively reviewed and summarized. Further, the importance of a balanced ω-6 to ω-3 PUFA ratio has been emphasized besides stating the diverse sources of ω-3 PUFA.

A content recommendation system for e-learning using enhanced Harris Hawks Optimization, Cuckoo search and DSSM

The e-learning is necessary in this fast internet world, especially during this pandemic situation, to continue education without any interruption and it is used reduce the educational cost significantly when reduces the energy loss. Generally, machine learning and deep learning algorithms are used to identify patterns that facilitate learning and help learners understand concepts easily. Many content recommendation systems are available for assisting learners as e-learning applications by providing the required study materials. Despite the fact that existing recommendation systems struggle to provide precise content to e-learners due to the availability of a massive volume of data on the internet and other repositories. For this purpose, we propose a new content recommendation system for recommending suitable content to learners according to their interests and learning capabilities. The proposed content recommendation system employs a newly proposed semantic-aware hybrid feature optimizer that incorporates new optimization algorithms such as the Enhanced Personalized Best Cuckoo Search Algorithm (EpBestCSA) and the Enhanced Harris Hawks Optimization Algorithm (EHHOA) for selecting suitable features that aid in improving prediction accuracy, as well as a newly proposed Deep Semantic Structure Model (DSSM) that incorporates Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). According to the experimental results, the proposed model outperforms other recommendation systems in terms of precision, recall, f-measure, and prediction accuracy. The ten-fold cross validation is done to test the performance of the proposed methodology.

Phytochemical screening of ethanolic extracts of Cuminum cyminum L. seeds along with the evaluation of antidiabetic properties by molecular docking approach

In this contribution, ethanolic extracts of Cuminum cyminum (C. cyminum) seeds were evaluated in terms of phytochemical content, total phenol and flavonoid contents. As far as the analytical techniques are concerned, UV-Vis, FTIR, HPLC, NMR (1H and ¹³C) and ESI-MS were performed. The binding capacity of five different antidiabetic enzymes was tested by in silico molecular docking studies. The HPLC, UV-Vis, FTIR, NMR and ESI-MS data highlighted the presence of seven biologically active molecules e.g. α-pinene, β-pinene, Δ³-carene, ρ-cymene, α-terpineol, cuminaldehyde and linalool. The results coming from the in silico molecular docking studies showed that such phytochemicals present in the cumin seed extracts play an important role in the activity of key enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Therefore, C. cyminum is proven to be useful for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and its major secondary complications.

Detection and Classification of Skin Cancer Using Unmanned Transfer Learning Based Probabilistic Multi-Layer Dense Networks

Skin cancer is one of the most dangerous cancers that may occur for different age groups of people. As a result, early identification of skin cancer has the potential to save millions of lives. In Traditional machine learning approaches, there are various drawbacks in detection and classification of skin lesions. As a result, to achieve the robust performance, initially the joint trilateral and bilateral filter (JTBF) with convolutional auto encoder and decoder (CAED)-based preprocessing method is used to enhance the skin lesion and also removes hair from lesions. Then, transfer learning-based probabilistic multi-layer dense networks (PMDN) method-based unmanned Transfer learning segmentation method is adapted for accurately detecting the cancer region on skin lesions. Further, transfer learning convolution neural network (TL-CNN) is used to extract the features from the segmented region, which extracts the detailed inter-disease-dependent (IDD) and intra-disease specific (IDS) features. Finally, Alexa Net model is trained and tested with the IDD, IDS features and classifies the eight different skin cancer types. The complexity of the transfer learning networks is optimized by the using the Adam optimizer. Finally, the simulation results show that the proposed model resulted in superior segmentation, feature extraction, and classification performances as compared to conventional approaches. Further, the proposed method achieved 99.937% segmentation accuracy, 99.47% feature extraction accuracy, and 99.27% classification accuracy on ISIC-2019 public challenge dataset.

Insight into the Dynamics of Water Conveying Silver and Aluminium Oxide Nanoparticles on a Moving Cylinder Subject to Variable Surface Temperature and Lorentz Force

MHD and variable surface temperature are examined numerically in this article to see how they affect the unsteady type natural convection flow of a hybrid nanofluid on a moving vertical cylinder. Nanoparticles of Ag and Al2O3 are considered in the water-based hybrid nanofluid. Using the Crank-Nicolson method, the equations governing flow and heat transport are unravelled. To test the present numerical approach validity, the results are matched to those found in the literature for similar problems and found to be extremely congruent with those findings. Analysis of temperature and velocity portraits, as well as Cf (skin friction coefficient) and Nux (Nusselt number) for each vital parameter, has been illustrated. This study found that by escalating the magnetic parameter, Nux and Cf of Ag–Al2O3/water can be reduced. Also, increasing Gr can be used to augment the Cf and Nux of Ag–Al2O3/water. Further, by increasing δ2, a lower skin friction coefficient and a higher Nusselt number can be achieved. The current findings are useful to the thermal flow processing of magnetic nanomaterials in the metallurgy industries and chemical engineering.

A new insight into the diverse facets of microRNA-31 in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) have been reported as an emerging biomarker in many cancer types. They are used as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and could be considered therapeutic targets in treating the same.

Main body

Studies have proven that miRNAs play an essential role in molecular cancer pathophysiology, including oral squamous cell carcinoma. Distinct expression profiles of different miRNAs have been demonstrated in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Among the miRNAs, the miR-31 has strong potential as a unique biomarker in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and the increased expression was correlated to a poor clinical outcome with a likely contribution to oral carcinogenesis.

Short conclusion

The recent research on different aspects of miR-31 as a biomarker and also its potential application in the development of therapy for oral squamous cell carcinoma has been focused in this review.

Graphical abstract

Effect of Allium sativum on blood pressure among hypertensive clients: An Interventional study

Introduction: In India greater than over a hundred and forty million human beings are believed to be stricken by excessive blood stress within side the U. S. and the range is anticipated to go the 214 million mark in 2030. Hypertension is the main chance thing of aerobic vascular disease. Garlic can assist to alter the body’s blood stress. Whether blood stress is low or excessive, garlic can assist equalize it, Garlic facilitates fortify body’s defenses towards allergies. It facilitates in loosen the plaque from the artery walls. It regulates blood sugar levels. Objectives: The goal of the examiner has been to assess the effectiveness of alliums’sativum on blood stress amongst hypertensive clients. Methods: Descriptive studies layout changed into tailored with 60 samples who met the inclusion standards within side the selai village, Thiruvallur. Self structured questionnaire technique changed into used to gather the data. Data changed into analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Result. Out of the 60 samples, Hypothesis H2 is proved that Garlic consumption changed into discovered to be powerful in discount of blood strain amongst sufferers with high blood pressure within side the decided on non-public variables. Theexaminer effects suggests that the demographic variable statistically massive affiliation with post-check degree of Alliums’sativum p<0.05 degree. There is a full-sized instinct ion that the publish take a look at imply rating of systolic BP within side the experimental organizationturned into 119.sixty seven with trendy deviation 11.89 and the publishtake a look atimplyrating of systolic BP within side them an inpulate organization turned into 128.33 with trendy deviation 15.10. The calculated scholarindependent ‘t’take a look atprice of t = 2.470 turned intolocated to be statistically full-size at p<0.01 level. And the publishtake a look atimplyrating of diastolic BP within side the experimental organizationturned into 80.33 with trendy deviation 9.28 and the publish take a look at imply rating of diastolic BP within side the manipulate organization turned into 87.33 with trendy deviation 10.15. The calculated scholar independent’s’ take a look at price of t = 2.788 turned into located to be statistically noticeably full-size at p<0.01 level. Conclusion. This shows that Alliums’sativum is the powerful and smoothapproach to lessen hypertension. Allium sativum additionally enables to enhance the LDL cholesterol level, which may alsodecrease the hazard of Heart disease.

Moisture Tolerant Pit and Fissure Sealant: A Literature Review

Even in the 21st century, dental caries are considered a global burden, severely upsetting the health and quality of life of those affected. Apart from the fluoride use and regular oral hygiene, one of the most important prophylactic approaches against caries occurrence is the sealing of pits and fissures. Pit and fissure sealants are a core part of the preventive program in pediatric dentistry and should be considered as a key component of minimally invasive dentistry due to their broad patient benefit. The primary sealant efficacy measure is retention. If the sealant remains bonded to the tooth and offers a good seal, then it is right to expect the occurrence of caries to be diminished. Traditional pit and fissure sealants are hydrophobic. These materials are based on bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate (bis-GMA) and other monomers requiring a dry field which is hard to achieve in an oral environment, especially for children. This review highlights the literature on the effectiveness of moisture tolerant pit and fissure sealant, which are the hydrophilic pit and fissure sealant, and a general overview of the pit and fissure sealant materials used for sealing occlusal surfaces, its classification as well as indications and possible side effects. How to cite this article: Priscilla S, GS P, Mohandoss S. Moisture Tolerant Pit and Fissure Sealant: A Literature Review. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2022;15(2):233-239.

Association of Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) in Relation to Disease Activity in Lupus

Introduction: Among the various clinical and biochemical parameters which are employed to monitor the disease activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Mean Platelet Volume, which is a platelet activation biomarker has been recently studied. We intended at evaluating the MPV in patients with active SLE and comparing it with the same patients who were in clinical remission, and to study the correlation between MPV and SLEDAI. We also studied the correlation between MPV and ESR, complements C3 and C4. Methods: This is a prospective study conducted for a period of 12 months, in which 50 consecutive patients who were recently diagnosed with SLE according to the SLICC classification criteria were included. Complete blood count with MPV levels along with ESR, were measured at the first visit to the hospital and were repeated at every visit till they attained clinical remission. Analysis of MPV was done at first visit and at remission. Complements C3 and C4 was done at the first visit and at remission. The results were then tabulated and statistically analysed using SPSS 25. A Pearson’s correlation test was done to assess the relation between MPV, ESR and SLEDAI. Results: Patients with active disease had a decreased MPV as compared to those in clinical remission (10.91fl, 13.11fl, p=0.011). We observed a weak positive correlation between MPV and SLEDAI (r=0.034, p=0.011). We observed no correlation between MPV and ESR, C3 and C4. Meanwhile, SLEDAI showed a positive correlation with C3 and C4; there was no correlation with ESR though. Conclusion: MPV is reduced in patients with active SLE and displayed an inverse correlation with SLEDAI.

A content analysis of social media on outbreak of infodemic amidst COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

With so much content on social media platforms about COVID-19, determining which information is reliable can be a daunting task. Hence, this study is aimed to analyze various posts with regard to COVID-19 on various social media platforms for their reliability and also examined various factors that influence information reliability.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted, with 934 samples related to coronavirus pandemic published on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook using systematic random sampling. We adopted the criteria given by Paul Bradshaw and modified to assess the characteristics of the samples. Training and calibration of the investigators were carried out for 3 consecutive days before beginning the study. The data were analyzed using the Chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression to estimate the odds ratios.

RESULTS

Out of 934 samples studied, only 570 (61%) were found to be reliable of which 243 (42.6%) were from Twitter, 117 (20.6%) from Instagram, and 210 (36.8%) from Facebook. We found that the reliability of the information on social media platforms is significantly influenced by network (odds: 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-1.52; P = 0.036), content (odds: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.69-1.92; P = 0.009), contextual update (odds: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.24-1.53) and age of the account (odds: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.64-2.09; P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that the reliability of the social media posts significantly depends on the network, contextual update, and age of the account. Hence, cross verifying the information from a reliable source is the need of the hour to prevent panic and mental distress.

In silico docking analysis of selective bioactive compounds of Phyllanthus acidusaqueousfruit extractagainst MAPK1

Introduction and Aim: Phyllanthus acidus L.Skeels (Family: Phyllanthaceae) or Star Gooseberry which bears small, edible, juicy, sour, yellow berries fruit is known as a “liver tonic” in ayurvedic medicine. However, the behavior of the plant fruit or its constituents in cell apoptosis/cell survival is unknown. Hence, the purpose of thepresent study was to perform an in silico docking of selective bioactive compounds of aqueous extract of fruit of P.acidus (PAFAE) against MAPK1. Mitogen activated protein kinase is a family of serine threonine specific protein kinases- MAPK1/ERK1/2, JNK1-3, p38MAPK and ERK5.Activation ofMAPK1 promotes cell survival in certain tissues by inhibiting proapoptotic proteins and by stimulating anti apoptotic factors.   Methodology: In silico docking studies was carried out using bioinformatics tools.The active compounds (Trihomovitamin D3; 2Z,6Z,8Z,12E Hexadecatetraenoic acid, Methyl prednisolone, Hydroxysalmeterol and Tridesacetoxykhivorin) ofP.acidus aqueous fruit extract were docked against MAPK1 resulting in receptor-ligand complex.   Results: The binding energy is correlated with the probability of affinity and stable bound between ligand and its receptor.   Conclusion: The molecular docking study of selective bioactive compounds of PAFAE with MAPK1 protein revealed that Tridesacetoxykhivorinand Methyl Prednisolone, is having good interaction in favorable pose with MAPK1 as shownfrom theireffective binding energy(-7.79kcal/mol and -7.19 kcal/mol), strong bond length and interactions with active site of MAPK1.

Parameters Optimization of Dissimilar Friction Stir Welding for AA7079 and AA8050 through RSM

Aluminium alloy is widely used in engineering application, and it can be classified based on the constituent elements or alloying elements. Aluminium alloy is preferred for the nature of its tensile strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance in this research to make a dissimilar friction stir welding joint of aluminium alloys 7079 and 8050 materials. The tensile strength of the weld joint is estimated by the influence of the response surface methodology approach. The welding is carried out by preferred process parameters with a tool speed of 1000–2500 rpm, tool pin diameter of 2–6 mm, welding speed of 50–300 mm/min, and tool shoulder diameter of 10–20 mm. The ANOVA analysis and the prediction of tensile strength were conducted efficiently. From the RSM analysis, the tool pin diameter mostly modified the output of the result.

Observation on the morphological and gonadal aspects of Cladonema radiatum (Class: Hydrozoa) from Tuticorin Bay, Southeast coast of India

Studies on the hydrozoan fauna (Phylum: Cnidaria; Class: Hydrozoa) of the Indian waters during the 20th century were few in number (Nagale and Apte, 2013a, b). They originated in the early 1900s (Annandale, 1907; Ritchie, 1910, Thornely, 1916, Gravely, 1927), focussing on the taxonomy of hydroids in the 1960s along the southern coast, including Lakshadweep and Andaman Islands (Mammen, 1963, 1965a, b) and in the 1980s along the northern coast (Venugopalan Wagh, 1986). Species of the hydrozoan family Cladonematidae (Anthoathecata; Capitata) include benthic, creeping and swimming hydroids comprising four genera viz., Cladonema, Eleutheria, Staurocladia and the nomen dubium Dendronema (Schuchert, 2021). Cladonema differs from other genera of Cladonematidae by the branched tentacles either with an adhesive structure or cnidocytes and having nematocysts in oral knobs (Ghory et al., 2020 Farias et al., 2020). The taxonomy of Cladonema is uncertain and species in the genus have undergone several rounds of grouping and splitting. Gershwin Zeidler (2008) gave a detailed account of 13 putative species of Cladonema. However, Schuchert (2021) considered six species to be valid viz., C. radiatum, C. californicum, C. myersi, C. novaezelandiae, C. pacificum and C. timmsii. Studies on the genus Cladonema from Indian waters are patchy, with a brief report of its occurrence among other hydroids (Sastry and Chandramohan, 1989; Santhakumari and Nair, 1999; Arun et al., 2018). Among these records from India, C. myersi was collected from an experimental aquarium with seawater from an unknown location (Prasad, 1961). The present study documents the occurrence and describes the morphology and gonadal features of Cladonema radiatum from Tuticorin Bay, Gulf of Mannar, Southeast coast of India.

Effect of chewing Azadirachta indica (neem) and Ocimum sanctum (tulsi) leaves on salivary acidogenicity: A comparative study

Background:

Dental caries is an infectious disease affecting majority of children in the modern world. An acidogenic diet brings down plaque pH, leading to dental caries. However, certain foods bring about rapid reversal of plaque pH after an acidogenic challenge. Azadirachta indica and Ocimum sanctum leaves which are anticariogenic show promise in this regard.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the salivary pH reversal phenomenon by chewing A. indica and O. sanctum leaves after an acidogenic challenge.

Materials and Methods:

Forty caries-free children were selected and randomly divided into two groups. The resting salivary pH and salivary pH after eating chocolate was measured using a pH meter at time intervals of 5, 30 and 60 min. The children were then instructed to chew A. indica and O. sanctum leaves after chocolate consumption, and salivary pH was again measured at 5, 30 and 60 min. The change in salivary pH was assessed.

Statistical Analysis:

The data obtained were analyzed using Student's t-test (two tailed, dependent) to find the significance of the study parameters. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05.

Results:

Chewing A. indica and O. sanctum leaves after chocolate consumption increased salivary pH to statistically significant values at 5, 30 and 60 min.

Conclusion:

The observations of the study show that chewing of A. indica and O. sanctum leaves reversed the drop in salivary pH levels after an acidogenic challenge.

An Empirical Study on Image Segmentation Techniques for Detection of Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is a crucial predicament in most of western countries including Europe, Australia and America. It is quite often curable whenever perceived and treated early. The significant hazard factors related are skin shading, deficiency of sun-lights, atmosphere, age, and hereditary. The most ideal approach to distinguish melanoma is to perceive another spot in the skin or recognize that is fluctuating in size, shape and shading. Early detection of skin malignancy can stay away from death. Finding of the skin ailment relies upon the extraction of the anomalous skin locale. Right now, methods to separate the skin injury districts are proposed and their outcomes are looked at dependent on the measurable and surface properties. In this study, the myriad kind of features of Dermoscopy image analysis has been thoroughly explores. Moreover, disparity segmentation techniques for detecting Melanoma Skin Cancer are discussed. The ultimate aim of this discussion is to provide suggestions for carrying a future research based about this relevance and limitations.

Exopolysaccharides from probiotic bacteria and their health potential

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) are extracellular macromolecules excreted as tightly bound capsule or loosely attached slime layer in microorganisms. They play most prominent role against desiccation, phagocytosis, cell recognition, phage attack, antibiotics or toxic compounds and osmotic stress. In the last few decades, natural polymers have gained much attention among scientific communities owing to their therapeutic potential. In particular the EPS retrieved from probiotic bacteria with varied carbohydrate compositions possess a plenty of beneficial properties. Different probiotic microbes have unique behavior in expressing their capability to display significant health promoting characteristics in the form of polysaccharides. In this new era of alternative medicines, these polysaccharides are considered as substitutes for synthetic drugs. The EPS finds applications in various fields like textiles, cosmetics, bioremediation, food and therapeutics. The present review is focused on sources, chemical composition, biosynthetic pathways of EPS and their biological potential. More attention has been given to the scientific investigations on antimicrobial, antitumor, anti-biofilm, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities.

Evaluation of healing by Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) using Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) + β -Tricalcium Phosphate (β -TCP) and Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) + β -Tricalcium Phosphate (β - TCP) in periapical lesions: Case report

When teeth have responded poorly to conventional endodontic treatment or when they cannot be treated adequately by nonsurgical means, surgical endodontics remains the treatment of choice. Healing of apical lesions occurs by repair, most of the time. "Repair is the healing of a wound by tissue that does not fully restore the architecture or function of the affected unit". Since this is not ideal, newer regenerative procedures that aim to restore lost tissue have been introduced. β -Tricalcium phosphate is an alloplastic bone graft material that forms a scaffold for closing the bony defect. It is osteoconductive. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) are platelet concentrates, rich in growth factors and they promote regeneration by osteoinduction. This article describes cases of bone augmentation with a combination of PRP + β -TCP and PRF + β -TCP for treatment of the chronic periapical lesion. The cases were followed for six months and one year and healing was evaluated quantitatively using cone beam computed tomography.

Diurnal and seasonal variations in surface methane at a tropical coastal station: Role of mesoscale meteorology

In view of the large uncertainties in the methane (CH₄) emission estimates and the large spatial gaps in its measurements, studies on near-surface CH₄ on regional basis become highly relevant. This paper presents the first time observational results of a study on the impacts of mesoscale meteorology on the temporal variations of near-surface CH₄ at a tropical coastal station, in India. It is based on the in-situ measurements conducted during January 2014 to August 2016, using an on-line CH₄ analyzer working on the principle of gas chromatography. The diurnal variation shows a daytime low (1898-1925ppbv) and nighttime high (1936-2022ppbv) extending till early morning hours. These changes are closely associated with the mesoscale circulations, namely Sea Breeze (SB) and Land Breeze (LB), as obtained through the meteorological observations, WRF simulations of the circulations and the diurnal variation of boundary layer height as observed by the Microwave Radiometer Profiler. The diurnal enhancement always coincides with the onset of LB. Several cases of different onset timings of LB were examined and results presented. The CH₄ mixing ratio also exhibits significant seasonal patterns being maximum in winter and minimum in pre-monsoon/monsoon with significant inter-annual variations, which is also reflected in diurnal patterns, and are associated with changing synoptic meteorology. This paper also presents an analysis of in-situ measured near-surface CH₄, column averaged and upper tropospheric CH₄ retrieved by Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) onboard Earth Observing System (EOS)/Aqua which gives insight into the vertical distribution of the CH₄ over the location. An attempt is also made to estimate the instantaneous radiative forcing for the measured CH₄ mixing ratio.

Compressive myelopathy secondary to atlantoaxial dislocation in a child with congenital hypothyroidism: A case report

Atlantoaxial dislocation (AAD) occurs secondary to joint laxity between C1 and C2 vertebrae, resulting in loss of normal articulation and movement. Etiology of AAD could be genetic, inflammatory, or rarely traumatic. Majority of children with AAD are syndromic (such as Down syndrome) or genetic (such as Ehler–Danlos syndrome or Marfan syndrome). To the best of literature search, there were no reports of AAD among children with congenital hypothyroidism. This case highlights an uncommon association of AAD presenting with features of compressive myelopathy in a child with congenital hypothyroidism. Early detection and neurosurgical intervention could possibly avert this irreversible neurological damage.

First case report of isolated aspergillus dacryoadenitis

We report a case of isolated Aspergillus dacryoadenitis. A 23-year-old male presented with dull ache, diffuse swelling in superolateral quadrant of the right orbit and proptosis for 4 months. Ocular examination showed conjunctival congestion, discharge in the fornix and palpable lacrimal gland (LG) mass. Routine hematological investigations followed by computed tomography scan of orbits were done. He did not respond to a course of systemic and topical antibiotics. Lateral orbitotomy with extended lid crease incision was performed with excision biopsy of LG. Abundant blackish material was found in the LG intraoperatively. The specimen was sent for histopathological examination (HPE). HPE report showed Aspergillus. Thorough ENT and systemic evaluation ruled out any other site with the fungus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of Aspergillus infection in LG.

A study on Evaluation of efficacy of bethanechol in the management of chemoradiation-induced xerostomia in oral cancer patients

Objectives:

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common oral cancer. Radiotherapy with concomitant chemotherapy is an ideal treatment modality largely used for oral cancers, which precipitates many side effects, of which the most challenging and debilitating side effect is xerostomia. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of bethanechol in patients with xerostomia following chemoradiation therapy for oral cancer.

Materials and Methods:

Fifty patients with xerostomia postchemoradiation therapy, aged between 30 and 65 years, were selected based on selection criteria. Thirty patients in the study group were administered 25 mg bethanechol three times daily (TDS) and 20 patients in the control group with placebo capsules. The subjective symptoms of oral dryness were periodically evaluated at baseline, at the end of 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd weeks using a self-reported questionnaire. Salivary analysis such as whole resting saliva and whole stimulated saliva (WSS) volumes, amylase, pH and sodium potassium ratio were evaluated before and 3 weeks after bethanechol and placebo therapy.

Results:

Twenty-four (80%) patients in bethanechol group and only 2 (10%) patients in control group showed subjective improvement in oral dryness at the end of 3^rd week. A significant difference was found between two groups in whole resting and stimulated saliva volume, pH and amylase. However, there was no statistically significant difference in sodium potassium ratio with insignificant adverse effects after 3 weeks of bethanechol therapy.

Conclusions:

25 mg bethanechol (TDS) has shown subjective improvement in oral dryness in 24 (80%) patients with significant improvement in whole resting and WSS volumes, pH and salivary amylase with insignificant adverse effects.

Carbon sequestration capacity of sediments, algae, and zooplankton from fresh water aquaculture ponds

The contribution of aquaculture and allied activities to the emission of green house gases and consequently to global warming is an emerging concern among environmentalists in the recent past. However, there exists ample scope for aquaculture activities to sequester carbon and thus compensate for the carbon emissions linked to aquaculture. This article attempts to elucidate the carbon sequestration capacity of sediments, algae, and zooplankton from fresh water aquaculture ponds. The percent organic carbon in the pond sediments ranged from 0.39 to 1.31 with an average value of 0.912 ± 0.321 whereas the carbon sequestration capacity ranged from 0.442 to 1.882 MgC/ha (1 Mg = 10(6) g) with an average value of 1.018 ± 0.447 MgC/ha. In the case of zooplankton and algae from pond, the percent organic carbon was 7.688 ± 0.196 and 2.354 ± 0.047, respectively, whereas the total estimated carbon burial rate was 0.009 ± 0.005 and 0.150 ± 0.003 MgC/ha, respectively. These findings are discussed with the previous reports available at present and are found to be in comparable ranges.

Bilateral presence of two root canals in maxillary central incisors: A rare case study

Success in root canal treatment is achieved after thorough cleaning and shaping followed by complete obturation of the canal system. Therefore, endodontic therapy requires specific and complete knowledge of the internal and external dental anatomy, and its variations in presentation. The internal anatomy of the maxillary central incisor is well-known and usually presents one root canal system. This case report describes an endodontic treatment of traumatized both maxillary central incisors with two canal systems. Knowledge of dental anatomy is fundamental for proper endodontic practice. When root canal treatment is performed, the clinician should be aware that both external and internal anatomy may be abnormal.

Radix entomolaris: 2 case reports and clinical guidelines for endodontic management

Variations in dental anatomy and root canal systems are often reported in the dental literature. Among them, Radix entomolaris (RE) is the presence of an additional lingual root in mandibular molars. Though RE appears relatively infrequently, knowledge of the condition will aid in its management. This article presents 2 case reports of RE and clinical guidelines for endodontic management.

Ex vivo fracture resistance of endodontically treated maxillary central incisors restored with fiber-reinforced composite posts and experimental dentin posts

Aim:

To compare the fracture resistance of teeth restored with fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) posts and experimental dentin posts milled from human root dentin.

Materials and Methods:

Thirty maxillary central incisors were divided into three groups of ten each. Twenty teeth were restored with FRC posts and solid dentin posts and numbered as Groups 2 and 3 respectively while Group 1 acted as the control, without any post. The teeth were loaded at 135° angle to their long axes after core build-up and the failure loads were recorded.

Results:

One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni multiple comparisons revealed a significant difference among test groups with the control group showing the highest fracture resistance, followed by the dentin post group and lastly the FRC post group.

Conclusions:

Teeth restored with dentin posts exhibited better fracture resistance than those restored with FRC posts.

Comparison of the remineralization potential of CPP-ACP and CPP-ACP with 900 ppm fluoride on eroded human enamel: An in situ study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this in situ study was to compare the remineralization potential of pastes containing CPP-ACP and CPP-ACP with 900 ppm fluoride on human enamel softened by a cola drink.

DESIGN

Forty-five enamel specimens obtained from human third molar teeth were eroded in a cola drink for 8 min and then attached to intra-oral devices worn by five volunteers. The specimens were subjected to three different in situ remineralization protocols using: (1) CPP-ACP (Group I), (2) CPP-ACP with 900 ppm fluoride (Group II), and (3) saliva (Group III, control). Vickers microhardness measurements were obtained at baseline followed by demineralization and remineralization stages.

RESULTS

The CPP-ACP, CPP-ACP with 900 ppm fluoride and saliva controls resulted in 46.24%, 64.25% and 2.98% increase in post-erosion microhardness values, respectively. One-way ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences in the mean microhardness values between pastes containing CPP-ACP and CPP-ACP with 900 ppm fluoride.

CONCLUSIONS

Both CPP-ACP and CPP-ACP with 900 ppm fluoride substantially remineralized the softened enamel, with the CPP-ACP and fluoride combination showing higher remineralization potential than CPP-ACP. This study confirmed the synergistic effect of fluoride with CPP-ACP on remineralization of eroded enamel.

Structural elucidation of propargylated products of 3-substituted-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiols by NMR techniques

Propargylation of 3-substituted-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiols, which predominantly exist as their thione tautomers, was carried out with the view to synthesize different heterocycles and study their biological activity. Three different products namely, a mono S-propargyl and two S,N-dipropargyl regioisomers, arising from N1/N2 substitution, were isolated and characterized. Unambiguous structural elucidation of the regioisomers of S,N-dipropargyl derivatives was achieved by means of (13)C-(1)H HMBC technique. The proportion of the regioisomers was found to vary with the substituent on the 1,2,4-triazole thiols. No product corresponding to N4 substitution was isolated from any of the reactions carried out.

Pregnancy outcomes in pre-gestational and gestational diabetic women in comparison to non-diabetic women--A prospective study in Asian Indian mothers (CURES-35)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Diabetes can complicate pregnancy but it is not the major complication of pregnancy. Though prevalence of diabetes is alarmingly high among Indians there have been very few studies assessing the effect of diabetes on pregnancy outcomes, particularly comparing pre-gestational diabetes mellitus [PGDM] and gestational diabetes [GDM] with non-diabetic mothers.

METHODS

Pregnant women attending the Dr. Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre, a tertiary care centre for diabetes in Chennai in southern India were selected for the study. PGDM and GDM were defined using standard criteria. Out of the 245 pregnant women with diabetes registered at the centre, follow up data was available for 225, which included 79 PGDM and 146 GDM subjects. Non-diabetic controls (n=30) were recruited from the ongoing population based study the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (CURES). Details of outcome variables including abortions, mode of delivery, congenital anomalies and neonate's birth weight were documented.

RESULTS

Women with PGDM had significantly higher fasting plasma glucose [p<0.001] and fructosamine [p<0.001] levels compared to GDM. Proportion of women who underwent abortions was 0% in non-diabetic controls, 10.1% in PGDM and 2.7% in GDM and the difference between PGDM and GDM was statistically significant [p = 0.04]. Prevalence of 'low birth weight' babies in the study groups were, 14.3% in non-diabetic mothers, 12.3% in PGDM and 8.2% in GDM. The prevalence of 'large babies' was higher in GDM [27.6%] and PGDM [19.2%] groups compared to non-diabetic controls [7.1%] but the differences reached statistical significance only in the GDM group [p = 0.04]. Prevalence of congenital anomalies was 0% among non-diabetic controls, 3.8% in PGDM and 1.4% in GDM but the differences did not reach statistical significance. A significant increase in frequency of abortions [trend chi square = 5.67, p = 0.017] and 'low birth weight' babies [trend chi square = 4.761,p = 0.029] was observed with increasing fructosamine levels in the diabetic mothers.

CONCLUSION

Women with diabetes have worse pregnancy outcomes compared to non-diabetic mothers with and those with pre-gestational diabetes fare worse than those with gestational diabetes. The study emphasizes the fact that strict glycemic control is extremely important during pregnancy.

Gill lesions in the major carp, Labeo rohita exposed to lethal and sublethal concentrations of tannery effluent

The major carp, Labeo rohita were exposed to (0.873%) lethal and sublethal (0.073%) concentrations of tannery effluent for 24h and 40 days respectively under static bioassay condition. The surface architecture of gill revealed severe damages such as : fusion and clumping in the middle and distal parts of the primary lamellae, swelling and deterioration of the cells. The interlamellar space was filled either with hyperplastic epithelial or mucous cells. Secondary lamellae lost their identity and appeared finger like in structure in the lethal concentration and necrosis was observed in the primary and secondary epithelium. Swelling of primary and secondary epithelial cells was evident in sublethal concentration.

Long-term follow up of multibacillary leprosy patients with high BI treated with WHO/MDT regimen for a fixed duration of two years

Forty-six, newly detected, previously untreated multibacillary (MB) patients with a bacterial index (BI) of > or = 3+ who had received WHO/MDT for 2 years were followed up for a total duration of 424 person-years and a mean duration of 9.26 +/- 2.98 years per patient. The BIs of the patients continued to fall, and all of the patients, except one, reached skin-smear negativity. WHO/MDT was well accepted and well tolerated. Relapse, which was defined as an increase in the BI of 1+ or more with or without clinical evidence of activity, was observed in only one patient, giving a relapse rate of 2.2% or 0.23 per 100 person-years in patients with a BI of > or = 3+ after long-term follow up. This patient was started on a second course of WHO/MDT to which he responded favorably. WHO/MDT for a fixed duration of 2 years for MB patients as recommended by the WHO is vindicated.