Influencing intertidal food web: Implications of ocean acidification on the physiological energetics of key species the 'wedge' clam Donax faba

Ocean acidification has become increasingly severe in coastal areas. It poses emerging threats to coastal organisms and influences ecological functioning. Donax faba, a dominant clam in the intertidal zone of the Bay of Bengal, plays an important role in the coastal food web. This clam has been widely consumed by the local communities and also acts as a staple diet for shorebirds and crustaceans. In this paper, we investigated how acidified conditions will influence the physiology, biochemical constituents, and energetics of Donax faba. Upon incubation for 2 months in lowered pH 7.7 ± 0.05 and control 8.1 ± 0.05 conditions, we found a delayed growth in the acidified conditions followed by decrease in calcium ions in the clam shell. Although not significant, we found the digestive enzymes showed a downward trend. Total antioxidant was significantly increased in the acidified condition compared to the control. Though not significant, the expression level of MDA and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GST, GPX, and APX) showed increasing trend in acidified samples. Among nutrients such as amino acids and fatty acids, there was no significant difference between treatments, however, showed a downward trend in the acidified conditions compared to control. Among the minerals, iron and zinc showed significant increase in the acidified conditions. The above results suggest that the clam growth, and physiological energetics may have deleterious effects if exposed for longer durations at lowered pH condition thereby affecting the organisms involved in the coastal food web.

Polyethylene terephthalate waste derived nanomaterials (WDNMs) and its utilization in electrochemical devices

Plastics are a vital component of our daily lives in the contemporary globalization period; they are present in all facets of modern life. Because the bulk of synthetic plastics utilized in the market are non-biodegradable by nature, the issues associated with their contamination are unavoidable in an era dominated by polymers. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is extensively used in industries such as automotive, packaging, textile, food, and beverages production represents a major share of these non-biodegradable polymer productions. Given its extensive application across various sectors, PET usage results in a considerable amount of post-consumer waste, majority of which require disposal after a certain period. However, the recycling of polymeric waste materials has emerged as a prominent topic in research, driven by growing environmental consciousness. Numerous studies indicate that products derived from polymeric waste can be converted into a new polymeric resource in diverse sectors, including organic coatings and regenerative medicine. This review aims to consolidate significant scientific literatures on the recycling PET waste for electrochemical device applications. It also highlights the current challenges in scaling up these processes for industrial application.

An inexpensive and rapid diagnostic method for detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)

SARS-CoV-2 is a public pandemic health concern globally. Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab samples are used for Covid-19 viral detection. Sample collection procedure was tedious and uncomfortable and unsuitable for biochemical and CBC analysis in swab samples. Biochemistry and CBC tests are key determinant in management of Covid-19 patients. We developed a LAMP test to detect viral RNA in blood samples. LAMP is required four specific primers targeting the internal transcribed S-region and loop primers for viral RNA amplification. RNA was extracted from blood samples by TRIzol method. LAMP reaction was performed at 60 °C for 1 hour and amplicons were visualized in HNB dye. No cross-reactivity was seen with HBV, HCV, and HIV infected sample. Out of 40 blood samples, 33 samples were positive for LAMP and Q-PCR analysis, one sample was positive for LAMP and negative for Q-PCR, two samples were negative for LAMP but positive for Q-PCR, and four blood samples were negative for LAMP and Q-PCR. LAMP method has an accuracy of 92.50%, with sensitivity and specificity of 94.28% and 80%, respectively. Thus, LAMP diagnostic test has proved reliable, fast, inexpensive and can be useful for detection where the limited resources available.•LAMP method is a potential tool for detection of SARS-CoV-2.•Blood samples are the key determinant for routine diagnostics as well as molecular diagnostics.•LAMP assay is an appropriate diagnostics method which offers greater simplicity, low cost, sensitivity, and specificity than other methods in molecular diagnostics.

Evaluation of growth, primary productivity, nutritional composition, redox state, and antimicrobial activity of red seaweeds Gracilaria debilis and Gracilaria foliifera under pCO2-induced seawater acidification

The genus Gracilaria is an economically important group of seaweeds as several species are utilized for various products such as agar, used in medicines, human diets, and poultry feed. Hence, it is imperative to understand their response to predicted ocean acidification conditions. In the present work, we have evaluated the response of Gracilaria foliifera and Gracilaria debilis to carbon dioxide (pCO₂) induced seawater acidification (pH 7.7) for two weeks in a controlled laboratory conditions. As a response variable, we have measured growth, productivity, redox state, primary and secondary metabolites, and mineral compositions. We found a general increase in the daily growth rate, primary productivity, and tissue chemical composition (such as pigments, soluble and insoluble sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids), but a decrease in the mineral contents under the acidified condition. Under acidification, there was a decrease in malondialdehyde. However, there were no significant changes in the total antioxidant capacity and a majority of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, except for an increase in tocopherols, ascorbate and glutathione-s-transferase in G. foliifera. These results indicate that elevated pCO₂ will benefit the growth of the studied species. No sign of oxidative stress markers indicating the acclimatory response of these seaweeds towards lowered pH conditions. Besides, we also found increased antimicrobial activities of acidified samples against several of the tested food pathogens. Based on these observations, we suggest that Gracilaria spp. will be benefitted from the predicted future acidified ocean.

Experimental Evidence of t_{2g} Electron-Gas Rashba Interaction Induced by Asymmetric Orbital Hybridization

We report the control of Rashba spin-orbit interaction by tuning asymmetric hybridization between Ti orbitals at the LaAlO_{3}/SrTiO_{3} interface. This asymmetric orbital hybridization is modulated by introducing a LaFeO_{3} layer between LaAlO_{3} and SrTiO_{3}, which alters the Ti-O lattice polarization and traps interfacial charge carriers, resulting in a large Rashba spin-orbit effect at the interface in the absence of an external bias. This observation is verified through high-resolution electron microscopy, magnetotransport and first-principles calculations. Our results open hitherto unexplored avenues of controlling Rashba interaction to design next-generation spin orbitronics.

Clinical and genetic correlates of mitral valve pathology in patients with heritable thoracic aortic disease: results from the montalcino aortic consortium

Background

Mitral valve (MV) pathology, including prolapse and regurgitation, is a well-known cardiovascular manifestation associated with the genes that predispose to Heritable Thoracic Aortic Disease (HTAD). The extent to which there are differences in prevalence, presentation and severity of MV pathology as a function of the underlying genetic cause has not been investigated in detail.

Purpose

Assess the prevalence, presenting features and outcome of mitral valve pathology according to the underlying genetic defect in patients with HTAD.

Study design

We leveraged clinical and genetic data of a large international multicenter retrospective cohort study. Probands and relatives with a validated (likely) pathogenic (LP/P) variant in 8 HTAD genes were included. Genes were categorized in 2 groups: Group 1 encoding for components of the TGFβ pathway (TGFBR1, TGFBR2, SMAD3 and TGFB2) and Group 2 encoding for proteins involved in vascular smooth muscle cell contraction (VSMC) (ACTA2, MYLK, PRKG1, MYH11). Comparison between these groups was performed. MV pathology was defined as at least moderate MV regurgitation, MV prolapse and past MV surgeries.

Results

A total of 459 patients. 68.8% of the patients carried a variant in one of the Group 1 genes and 31.2% had a Group 2 gene variant. 52 patients (11.3%) presented MV pathology. Significant differences in MV status according to the gene group were present: 15.5% of the patients in group 1 presented MV disease, versus 2.1% in group 2, (p<0.001). Within Group 1, LP/P variants in SMAD3 were most common (32.7%), followed by TGFBR2 (25.0%) and TGFB2 (23.1%) (p=0.006). The remaining 5.8% of MV pathology cases were patients carrying ACTA2 variants. No MV pathology was found in MYLK, PRKG1 and MYH11 variant carriers.

Compared to patients without MV pathology, patients with MV pathology more often underwent aortic aneurysm repair (34.6% vs 15.5%, p<0.001). To the contrary, aortic dissection/rupture occurred less frequently in patients with MV pathology (7.7% vs 26.8%, p<0.001). No differences were observed for prevalence of congenital heart defects, left ventricular dilatation, arrhythmic events or heart failure.

Conclusion

Patients with HTAD carrying LP/P variants in genes encoding TGFβ components present more frequently with MV pathology than patients carrying variants in genes encoding proteins involved in VSMC contraction. In the latter group, only patients carrying ACTA2 variants presented MV pathology. Patients with MV pathology are more likely to undergo aortic aneurysm repair and present less frequently with aortic dissection/rupture. Whether the presence of MV pathology accelerates the diagnosis and hence leads to a more aggressive management/stricter surveillance in these patients and/or whether biological differences between these genetic entities explain these differences requires further study. These data provide tools for developing improved, gene-tailored management of patients with HTAD.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Baillet Latour FoundationFunds for Scientific Research Flanders

Scintillation light detection in the 6-m drift-length ProtoDUNE Dual Phase liquid argon TPC

DUNE is a dual-site experiment for long-baseline neutrino oscillation studies, neutrino astrophysics and nucleon decay searches. ProtoDUNE Dual Phase (DP) is a 6  ×  6  ×  6 m 3 liquid argon time-projection-chamber (LArTPC) that recorded cosmic-muon data at the CERN Neutrino Platform in 2019-2020 as a prototype of the DUNE Far Detector. Charged particles propagating through the LArTPC produce ionization and scintillation light. The scintillation light signal in these detectors can provide the trigger for non-beam events. In addition, it adds precise timing capabilities and improves the calorimetry measurements. In ProtoDUNE-DP, scintillation and electroluminescence light produced by cosmic muons in the LArTPC is collected by photomultiplier tubes placed up to 7 m away from the ionizing track. In this paper, the ProtoDUNE-DP photon detection system performance is evaluated with a particular focus on the different wavelength shifters, such as PEN and TPB, and the use of Xe-doped LAr, considering its future use in giant LArTPCs. The scintillation light production and propagation processes are analyzed and a comparison of simulation to data is performed, improving understanding of the liquid argon properties.

Investigation on characterization, antifouling and cytotoxic properties of zinc oxide nanoparticles biosynthesized by a mangrove-associated actinobacterium Streptomyces olivaceus (MSU3)

The present study was undertaken to biosynthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using a mangrove-associated actinobacterium Streptomyces olivaceus (MSU3) under in vitro conditions. The synthesized ZnONPs were structurally characterized through UV, FT-IR, TG-DTA, XRD, SEM and EDX analysis. Analysis of biosynthesized ZnONPs in UV-Vis spectroscopy showed presence of functional groups between the wavelengths 325 and 380 nm. FT-IR analysis showed the functional groups, such as halo bromide (C-Br), alkyne (C≡C), carboxylic acid (O-H), nitro (N-O), fluoro (C-F), alkene (C=C) and aromatic (R-C-H) groups, respectively, within the wave numbers between 614.30 and 3074.41 cm^-1. The crystalline poly-dispersed quasi spherical nature of ZnONPs expressed the average particle size of 37.9 nm with the 2θ values of 11.802-37.885°. Antibacterial activity of ZnONPs showed pronounced inhibitory zone (25 mm) and least MIC and MBC values (125 and 250 µg ml^-1) against Escherchia sp. In the antifouling study, ZnONPs strongly inhibited byssal thread formation in mussel Perna indica and recorded LC₅₀ value of 424.47 µg ml^-1. Mollusc foot adherence assay inferred that the ZnONPs effectively inhibited settlement of limpet Patella vulgata and showed minimal fouling (26.43%) at 350 µg ml^-1 and recorded LC₅₀ value of 218.77 µg ml^-1. Results of anticrustacean assay depicted that, ZnONPs had registered LC₅₀ value of 676.08 µg ml^-1 against Artemia salina nauplii. From this study, it could be concluded that an eco-friendly approach could be used to open a new avenue for biosynthesis of ZnONPs from a mangrove associated actinobacterium S. olivaceus (MSU3) in antifouling studies.

Influence of seawater acidification on biochemical composition and oxidative status of green algae Ulva compressa

The sequestration of elevated atmospheric CO₂ levels in seawater results in increasing acidification of oceans and it is unclear what the consequences of this will be on seaweed ecophysiology and ecological services they provide in the coastal ecosystem. In the present study, we examined the physiological and biochemical response of intertidal green seaweed Ulva compressa to elevated pCO₂ induced acidification. The green seaweed was exposed to control (pH 8.1) and acidified (pH 7.7) conditions for 2 weeks following which net primary productivity, pigment content, oxidative status and antioxidant enzymes, primary and secondary metabolites, and mineral content were assessed. We observed an increase in primary productivity of the acidified samples, which was associated with increased levels of photosynthetic pigments. Consequently, primary metabolites levels were increased in the thalli grown under lowered pH conditions. There was also richness in various minerals and polyunsaturated fatty acids, indicating that the low pH elevated the nutritional quality of U. compressa. We found that low pH reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content, suggesting reduced oxidative stress. Consistently we found reduced total antioxidant capacity and a general reduction in the majority of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in the thalli grown under acidified conditions. Our results indicate that U. compressa will benefit from seawater acidification by improving productivity. Biochemical changes will affect its nutritional qualities, which may impact the food chain/food web under future acidified ocean conditions.

Plasma cell rich acute rejection: Risk factors, treatment and outcomes

Plasma cell-rich rejection is a rare and poorly defined entity. Its treatment is not clearly defined and has universally poor prognosis. More data should be published from various transplant centers around the world to identify the treatment that has the best outcomes and to formulate treatment guidelines for these cases. It is a retrospective analysis of kidney biopsies form 2008 to 2018. Four hundred biopsied were screened and 55 were found to have features of rejection and among them, 13 had plasma cell-rich rejection. Data of treatment given and the graft survival outcomes in these cases were retrieved by medical records. One patient had complete recovery, three had graft loss and the remaining nine had permanent decline in glomerular filtration rate. Decrease in immunosuppression and presence of infection are risk factors for plasma cell-rich acute rejection (PCAR). It can be acute cell-mediated rejection (ACR)/antibody-mediated rejection (AMR)/ACR+AMR. Resistant rejection, ACR+AMR, C4d positivity, and severe interstitial inflammation are poor prognostic factors. Overzealous decrease in immunosuppression should not be done. Management of immunosuppression during infection is most critical for the development of PCAR. Bortezomib is emerging as a therapeutic modality for the treatment of PCAR.

Blood group discrepancy in Ah para-Bombay phenotype: a rare blood group variant and its clinical significance

Individuals with the rare para-Bombay phenotype have inherited defects in producing H associated with FUT1 and/or FUT2 genes. We report a case of blood group discrepancy in a para-Bombay patient from a tertiary care hospital of eastern India. A 31-year-old woman with rheumatic heart disease presented with fatigue and breathlessness and was then scheduled for valvuloplasty, for which a blood transfusion request was sent to the blood center. During pre-transfusion testing, red blood cell (RBC) testing showed group O, and serum testing showed strong reactivity with group B RBCs, weak reactivity with group O RBCs, and very weak reactivity with group A RBCs. Saliva inhibition testing and enzyme treatment of RBCs concluded the patient to be of "A_h para-Bombay" phenotype. The patient's Lewis phenotype was Le(a-b+). This patient's serum also had cold-reacting anti-IH along with anti-B. This case report highlights the importance of performing an advanced immunohematologic workup, including adsorption, elution, enzyme treatment, and saliva inhibition testing for identification of weak A or B subgroups as well as the rare para-Bombay blood group, when routine ABO typing, using forward and reverse grouping, is inconclusive. Accurate identification of blood group helps in preventing transfusion-related adverse events and encouraging safe transfusion practice.

Individuals with the rare para-Bombay phenotype have inherited defects in producing H associated with FUT1 and/or FUT2 genes. We report a case of blood group discrepancy in a para-Bombay patient from a tertiary care hospital of eastern India. A 31-year-old woman with rheumatic heart disease presented with fatigue and breathlessness and was then scheduled for valvuloplasty, for which a blood transfusion request was sent to the blood center. During pre-transfusion testing, red blood cell (RBC) testing showed group O, and serum testing showed strong reactivity with group B RBCs, weak reactivity with group O RBCs, and very weak reactivity with group A RBCs. Saliva inhibition testing and enzyme treatment of RBCs concluded the patient to be of “A_h para-Bombay” phenotype. The patient’s Lewis phenotype was Le(a–b+). This patient’s serum also had cold-reacting anti-IH along with anti-B. This case report highlights the importance of performing an advanced immunohematologic workup, including adsorption, elution, enzyme treatment, and saliva inhibition testing for identification of weak A or B subgroups as well as the rare para-Bombay blood group, when routine ABO typing, using forward and reverse grouping, is inconclusive. Accurate identification of blood group helps in preventing transfusion-related adverse events and encouraging safe transfusion practice.

An Early Breast Cancer Detection System Using Stacked Auto Encoder Deep Neural Network with Particle Swarm Optimization Based Classification Method

The demand in breast cancer’s early detection and diagnosis over the last few decade has given a new research avenues. For an individual who is suffered from breast cancer, a successful treatment plan can be specified if early stage diagnosis of non-communicable disease is done as stated by world health organization (WHO). Around the world, mortality can be reduced by cure disease’s early diagnosis. For breast cancer’s early detection and to detect other abnormalities of human breast tissue, digital mammogram is used as a most popular screening method. Early detection is assisted by periodic clinical check-ups and self-tests and survival chance is significantly enhanced by it. For mammograms (MGs), deep learning (DL) methods are investigated by researchers due to traditional computer-aided detection (CAD) systems limitations and breast cancer’s early detection’s extreme importance and patients false diagnosis high impact. So, there is need to have a noninvasive cancer detection system which is efficient, accurate, fast and robust. There are two process in proposed work, Histogram Rehabilitated Local Contrast Enhancement (HRLCE) technique is used in initial process for contrast enhancement with two processing stages. Contrast enhancements potentiality is enhanced while preserving image’s local details by this technique. So, for cancer classification, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and stacked auto encoders (SAE) combined with framework based on DNN called SAE-PSO-DNN Model is used. The SAE-DNN parameters with two hidden layers are tuned using PSO and Limited-memory BFGS (LBFGS) is used as a technique for reducing features. Specificity, sensitivity, normalized root mean square erro (NRMSE), accuracy parameters are used for evaluating SAE-PSO-DNN models results. Around 92% of accurate results are produced by SAE-PSO-DNN model as shown in experimentation results, which is far better than Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) as well as Support Vector Machine (SVM) techniques.

An Early Breast Cancer Detection System Using Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) with Animal Migration Optimization (AMO) Based Classification Method

Breast cancer can be detected using early signs of it mammograms and digital mammography. For Computer Aided Detection (CAD), algorithms can be developed using this opportunities. Early detection is assisted by self-test and periodical check-ups and it can enhance the survival chance significantly. Due the need of breast cancer’s early detection and false diagnosis impact on patients, made researchers to investigate Deep Learning (DL) techniques for mammograms. So, it requires a non-invasive cancer detection system, which is highly effective, accurate, fast as well as robust. Proposed work has three steps, (i) Pre-processing, (ii) Segmentation, and (iii) Classification. Firstly, preprocessing stage removing noise from images by using mean and median filtering algorithms are used, while keeping its features intact for better understanding and recognition, then edge detection by using canny edge detector. It uses Gaussian filter for smoothening image. Gaussian smoothening is used for enhancing image analysis process quality, result in blurring of fine-scaled image edges. In the next stage, image representation is changed into something, which makes analyses process as a simple one. Foreground and background subtraction is used for accurate breast image detection in segmentation. After completion of segmentation stage, the remove unwanted image in input image dataset. Finally, a novel RNN forclassifying and detecting breast cancer using Auto Encoder (AE) based RNN for feature extraction by integrating Animal Migration Optimization (AMO) for tuning the parameters of RNN model, then softmax classifier use RNN algorithm. Experimental results are conducted using Mini-Mammographic (MIAS) dataset of breast cancer. The classifiers are measured through measures like precision, recall, f-measure and accuracy.

Anemia prevalence in mothers with children under five years of age in Dodi Papase, Volta region of Ghana and preventive practices

Introduction/Objective

Sociodemographic factors influence the prevalence of anemia in endemic areas. The purpose of this study is to establish the prevalence and causes of anemia and to determine anemia preventive practices carried out by mothers with children under five years of age in the Kadjebi District of the Volta region of Ghana.

Methods/Case Report

This homogenous sampling study involved women of reproductive age with children less than five years of age from Saint Mary Theresa Hospital. Interview guides were administered, and the data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.

Results (if a Case Study enter NA)

A total of 150 participants were studied. 52.7% of the mothers indicated that their children had never been diagnosed with anemia; however, Hb levels recorded for these children showed that 73.3% were anemic, even though 93.8% of the mothers had been given iron supplements during their pregnancy. Furthermore, anemia prevention practices comprised of whether the child had been given any anti-malaria prophylaxis (98.4% denied / 1.6% confirmed) if the child had been dewormed in the last three months (89.9% denied / 10.1% confirmed), whether the child was given iron supplements in the last three months (59.7% denied / 40.3% confirmed), if the child had been given vitamin supplements in the last three months (24.0% denied / 76.0% confirmed).

Conclusion

Nutritional deficiencies, worm infestation, and malaria were identified as the major causes of anemia among the children. Mothers were educated about the possible causes and prevention methods of anemia.

Evaluation of COVID-19 Antigen Fluorescence Immunoassay Test for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

Introduction

Tests detecting SARS-CoV-2-specific antigen have recently been developed, and many of them are now commercially available. However, the real-world performance of these assays is uncertain; therefore, their validation is important. In this study, we have evaluated the performance of STANDARD F COVID-19 antigen fluorescence immunoassay (FIA) kit.

Methods

Nasopharyngeal samples collected from patients were subjected to the test as per manufacturer's instructions. The performance of the kit was compared with the gold standard real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

A total of 354 patients were tested with STANDARD F COVID-19 antigen FIA test kit. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of this test were found to be 38%, 99%, 96.2%, and 72%, respectively, with a diagnostic accuracy of 75.7%.

Conclusion

STANDARD F COVID-19 antigen FIA showed high specificity and positive predictive value but low sensitivity and negative predictive value.

Prospects for beyond the Standard Model physics searches at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment: DUNE Collaboration

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will be a powerful tool for a variety of physics topics. The high-intensity proton beams provide a large neutrino flux, sampled by a near detector system consisting of a combination of capable precision detectors, and by the massive far detector system located deep underground. This configuration sets up DUNE as a machine for discovery, as it enables opportunities not only to perform precision neutrino measurements that may uncover deviations from the present three-flavor mixing paradigm, but also to discover new particles and unveil new interactions and symmetries beyond those predicted in the Standard Model (SM). Of the many potential beyond the Standard Model (BSM) topics DUNE will probe, this paper presents a selection of studies quantifying DUNE's sensitivities to sterile neutrino mixing, heavy neutral leptons, non-standard interactions, CPT symmetry violation, Lorentz invariance violation, neutrino trident production, dark matter from both beam induced and cosmogenic sources, baryon number violation, and other new physics topics that complement those at high-energy colliders and significantly extend the present reach.

ICU shift related effects on sleep, fatigue and alertness levels

BACKGROUND

Shift work may lead to suboptimal sleep resulting in impaired alertness, and lowered performance levels, all of which can lead to medical errors.

AIMS

To examine fatigue, sleepiness and behavioural alertness prospectively in a tertiary level Australian intensive care unit (ICU).

METHODS

All full-time doctors providing 24-h resident cover on a 12-h day and 12-h night shift roster were invited to participate in this study. Data collected included Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), sleep and awake history, Samn-Perelli Fatigue (SPF) Scale, Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) and iOS-based Psychomotor Vigilance Test (behavioural alertness). Data about medical emergency team (MET) shifts were collected separately as they were perceived to be busier shifts.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine ICU doctors participated in this study for a consecutive 6-week period. At baseline the median (interquartile range (IQR)) ESS was 5 (3-9). Day shift leads to an increase in fatigue and sleepiness (both P < 0.01). Night shift leads to worsening in fatigue, sleepiness and psychomotor vigilance (all P < 0.01). MET shifts had a lower psychomotor vigilance than non-MET shifts. The difference in the psychomotor vigilance was mostly due to the difference in recorded lapses and response time.

CONCLUSIONS

Shift work ICU doctors experience high levels of fatigue and sleepiness. Night shifts also lead to decreased vigilance. This is even more evident in doctors working MET shifts. These factors may lead to errors. Optimal rostering may reduce these effects and improve patient safety.

Navigating the Diagnostics of COVID-19

Introduction/Objective

The recent outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) began in Hubei province, China in December 2019 and has spread worldwide at an alarming rate. With millions of individuals infected and over two hundred thousand deaths, the necessity to develop fast and efficient diagnostic methods is of high importance. Diagnostic modalities rely on a combination of epidemiology, clinical presentation, laboratory examination, and appropriate imaging to diagnose and distinguish SARS-CoV-2 from other pulmonary infections. The purpose of this paper is to report on currently available diagnostic screening methods for patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 to guide frontline healthcare workers involved with COVID-19 patient care.

Methods

An electronic literature search was performed for peer-reviewed articles published from January 1, 2020, until April 26, 2020. Articles were then reviewed and included based on the applicability to the topic.

Results

The preferred diagnostic approach is reverse transcription of the virus’ RNA followed by PCR amplification (RT-PCR). This method recognizes the gene-specific primers to target various viral protein genes, such as the envelope protein gene or the nucleocapsid protein gene, which enables this test to be both sensitive and specific toward SARS-CoV-2. However, this method has been proven to be time-consuming taking hours-to-days for the results. In order to improve the speed and efficiency of diagnostics, newer rapid diagnostic serological tests are being developed for testing SARS-CoV-2, each with its own unique advantages and disadvantages. They could potentially be used as triage tests to rapidly identify patients who are very likely to have COVID-19 in combination with other accurate diagnostic methods.

Conclusion

Therefore, a combination of diagnostic testing used in a timely manner may be beneficial for the rapid and accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2. This was evident in cases where despite initial negative RT-PCR tests for various patients, who later demonstrate chest CT scans with various degrees of consolidation and ground-glass opacity. Thus establishing the need for radiology diagnosis to be complementary to RT-PCR for COVID-19 patients. Hopefully, the continuous development and use of rapid diagnostic tests and the implementation of public health measures will help control the spread of the disease.

Incidence and risk predictors analysis of adverse donor reactions in whole blood donation

OBJECTIVE

Adverse donor reactions in normal healthy blood donors is not unusual. However, these unpleasant effects have a negative impact on donor retention. Adverse event due to blood donation is multifactorial in origin. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the frequency and type of adverse donor reactions during or after blood donation. More importantly, this study also aimed at analyzing important risk predictors of adverse donor reaction.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This was a retrospective study conducted from May 2017 to April 2019 in the department of Transfusion Medicine at a tertiary care center in eastern India. Data were stored in Microsoft excel 2016 by using a standardized format as per ISBT criteria and analyzed with software "R, version 3.5.3" to find out the various independent precipitating factor.

RESULTS

Overall, 107 donors (0.98%) experienced adverse events with 10,814 whole blood donations. The first time, females, younger age donors (18-30 years), and donors with a mean arterial blood pressure of less than 90mm of Hg were the most important independent risk factors predicting the possibility of adverse donor reaction. Donors' weight, hemoglobin, and the type of donation had not affected the frequency of adverse events.

CONCLUSION

Analysis of adverse donor reactions helps in selecting the blood donors who are at risk of donor reactions. Our study highlights the importance of proper predonation screening especially in terms of assessment of mean blood pressure, along with identification of first time and female blood donors in order to reduce untoward donor reaction.

Notes on some crinoid associated decapod crustaceans (Crustacea: Decapoda) of Lakshadweep Archipelago, Central Indian Ocean

Decapod crustaceans symbiotic with echinoderms (sea stars, brittle stars, feather stars, basket stars, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins) possess remarkable diversification in the Indo-Pacific. In the present study, seven species of decapod crustaceans symbiotic with crinoids are recorded based on collections from selected Islands (Agatti, Amini, Bangaram, Kavaratti, Kalpeni, and Minicoy) of Lakshadweep Archipelago. Of these decapods, five caridean shrimps (Alpheidae: Synalpheus carinatus (de Man, 1888), S. comatularum (Haswell, 1882), S. stimpsonii (de Man, 1888); Palaemonidae: Palaemonella pottsi (Borradaile, 1915), Pontoniopsis comanthi (Borradaile, 1915), one brachyuran crab [Pilumnidae: Permanotus purpureus (Gordon, 1934)] and one squat lobster [Galatheidae: Allogalathea elegans (Adams White, 1848)] were identified. The caridean shrimps have associated with the crinoids Comaster multifidus (Müller, 1841), Phanogenia gracilis (Hartlaub, 1893), P. distincta (Carpenter, 1888), P. multibrachiata (Carpenter, 1888) and Stephanometra indica (Smith, 1876). The brachyuran crab was observed in association with the crinoid Phanogenia gracilis whereas the squat lobsters were associated with Stephanometra tenuipinna (Hartlaub, 1890) and S. indica. Except S. stimpsonii and P. purpureus, all other species were recorded for the first time from India. Here, we provide details on morphology, distribution, habitat, and hosts for all species. We recommend further exploration of the sub-shallow coral reef areas of Lakshadweep as there will be many species that certainly remain to be discovered.

BIOIMPEDANCE SPECTROSCOPY IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH A CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS OF BREAST CANCER-RELATED LYMPHEDEMA

The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of bioimpedance spectroscopy measurements (L-Dex) in the diagnosis of breast cancer-related lymphedema. A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed of all patients that underwent surgical treatment for breast cancer at a tertiary medical center. Patients who had preoperative and postoperative evaluation for possible lymphedema by limb circumference measurements and bioimpedance were eligible for inclusion in the study. No significant demographic differences were found between the group of patients clinically diagnosed with lymphedema (N=134) and those without a clinical diagnosis of lymphedema (N=261). The ability of bioimpedance to diagnose lymphedema based on the manufacturer's criteria demonstrated low sensitivity, which was 7.5% when lymphedema was defined as an absolute L-Dex value greater than 10, and 24.6% when defined as a relative change of &gt;10 between preoperative and postoperative measurements. This corresponded with a positive predictive value of 61-71% and a negative predictive value of 67-70%. We are unable to recommend the use of bioimpedance as a screening tool or for measurement of breast cancer-related lymphedema.

Quantum chemical studies and spectroscopic investigations on 22-amino-3-methyl-5-nitropyridine by density functional theory

Quantum chemical calculations on energy and molecular structure of 2-amino-3-methyl-5-nitropyridine (2A3M5NP) have been attempted by implementing DFT/B3LYP method using 6-311G (d,p), 6-311G++ (d,p) and cc-pVTZ basis sets. The optimized geometry and the vibrational analysis for energetically most stable configuration, are carried out theoretically by using B3LYP/cc-pVTZ basis set. The computed vibrational frequencies were scaled by using scaling factors and compared with the experimental Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) solid phase spectrum in the region 4000-400 cm⁻¹ and FT-Raman spectrum in the region 4000-100 cm⁻¹. The complete vibrational assignments, analysis and correlation of fundamental modes of the compound have been carried out using the potential energy distribution (PED). The intramolecular charge transfer, hyperconjugative interaction of the compound is investigated from natural bonding orbital (NBO) analysis. The UV-Visible spectrum of 2A3M5NP was obtained with ethanol as a solvent. The electronic properties such as HOMO (Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital) and LUMO (Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital) energies are determined by B3LYP/cc-pVTZ basis set. The electronic absorption spectrum of the compound was studied from UV-Visible analysis by using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). The electron density distribution and chemical reactive sites of 2A3M5NP were analyzed from molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) analysis and frontier molecular orbital (FMO) analysis.

Anticancer Activity of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized from Brassia actinophylla Flower Extract

There are many methods to synthesize metal and metal oxide nanoparticles. In this paper, copper oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized by solution combustion method using Brassia actinophylla i.e. Schefflera actinophylla flower extract belongs to Araliaceae family. The importance of solution combustion is one of the easy and simplest methods for the synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticle. The CuO nanoparticles were synthesized at various temperatures and the characterization has been carried out by UV, FTIR, PXRD, SEM, TEM and EDAX analysis. At lower temperature, the peak was not observed but at 400 ºC, the UV peak was observed at 340 nm. The FTIR peaks observed at 1000-500 cm-1 confirms again the presence of CuO nanoparticles. The monoclinic phase and crystalline structure of nanoparticles were revealed by PXRD pattern, by Scherrer′s method the average crystalline sizes were found to be in the range of 15 to 24 nm. The size and the shape of nanoparticles were confirmed by SEM and TEM reports. The SEM images of nanoparticles show spherical in shape and free from agglomeration. TEM analysis reports the nanoparticle sizes ranging from 2 to 20 nm. The percentage of copper (52 %) and oxygen (26 %) elements were recorded in the EDAX analysis. The study of size and stability of nanoparticles were done by zeta potential values. The antibacterial activity of CuO nanoparticles were carried out against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria's by agar well diffusion method. The MTT assay was performed in order to check the anticancer activity of CuO nanoparticles against HT-29 colon cancer cells.

Pulmonary nocardiosis: Report of two cases from a tertiary care hospital

Pulmonary nocardiosis is an uncommon bacterial infection that may lead to severe disease in immunocompromised patients. The disease is rare in immunocompetent patients. Reported cases are few, and the literature is limited because disease recognition is difficult. We present a case report of two patients of pulmonary nocardiosis, who had different clinicoradiological presentations and also responded differently to treatment. Given the rising incidence of cancer, organ transplantation, and use of parenteral steroids, Nocardia is likely to attain a higher place among the causes of pulmonary infections.

Functional Assessment of Pluripotent and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Derived Secretome in Heart Disease

OBJECTIVES

Cell-based therapies have demonstrated variable degrees of success in the management of myocardial infarction and heart failure. By inducing a myocardial infarction in a rat model, the effects of secretome from human induced pluripotent stem cells (HiPSCs) and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) on cardiac function and remodeling were investigated.

METHODS

HiPSCs and hMSCs were cultured and after 12 cycles, secretome was collected. The quantification of stem cell growth factors was measured using the ELISA test. Thirty female Lewis rats underwent surgical ligation of the left coronary artery. The rats were then randomized (n=10/group) to receive one of three treatments injected into the peri-infarct area; normal saline, HiPSC and hMSC. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), fractional shortening (FS), histology and serum proteomics were evaluated in a blinded fashion both pre-operatively and at 2, 4 and 6 weeks.

RESULTS

ELISA studies revealed, Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) concentration of 3.35± 0.031 ng/ml (0.68± 0.027ng/ml) for MSC-CM group, 3.44± 0.042 ng/ml (0.78± 0.03 ng/ml) for the HiPSC-CM group, 3.2± 0.107 ng/ml (0.64±0.013 ng/ml) for the MSC-pre-group, 3.1± 0.075 ng/ml (0.71± 0.013 ng/ml) for the HiPSC-pre group and 3.3± 0.047 ng/ml (0.71± 0.014ng/ml) for the HiPSC-pre-r group at 60 min in comparison to at (0 min).Compared to non-treated (NT), HiPSC and hMSC, treated rats demonstrated significant improvement in LVEF and FS, and significant reduction in scar size (p<0.05) at 4 and 6 weeks. Proteomic analysis detected the presence of Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the serum of rats receiving HiPSC, which was absent in the NT and hMSC groups.

CONCLUSION

The current study demonstrated a significant improvement of cardiac function and remodeling in response to secretome from HiPSCs and hMSCs. These findings suggest that secretome from HiPSCs may have potential therapy for acute myocardial infarction (MI) without the need of stem cell harvesting and implantation.

Bioimpedance spectroscopy is not associated with a clinical diagnosis of breast cancer-related lymphedema

The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of bioimpedance spectroscopy measurements (L-Dex) in the diagnosis of breast cancer-related lymphedema. A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed of all patients that underwent surgical treatment for breast cancer at a tertiary medical center. Patients who had preoperative and postoperative evaluation for possible lymphedema by limb circumference measurements and bioimpedance were eligible for inclusion in the study. No significant demographic differences were found between the group of patients clinically diagnosed with lymphedema (N=134) and those without a clinical diagnosis of lymphedema (N=261). The ability of bioimpedance to diagnose lymphedema based on the manufacturer's criteria demonstrated low sensitivity, which was 7.5% when lymphedema was defined as an absolute L-Dex value greater than 10, and 24.6% when defined as a relative change of >10 between preoperative and postoperative measurements. This corresponded with a positive predictive value of 61-71% and a negative predictive value of 67-70%. We are unable to recommend the use of bioimpedance as a screening tool or for measurement of breast cancer-related lymphedema.

Data set on optimized biodiesel production and formulation of emulsified Eucalyptus teriticornisis biodiesel for usage in compression ignition engine

This data article presents the experimental values pertaining to the bio-oil extraction, optimizing biodiesel production and formulation of emulsified fuel blends of E.tereticornisis bio-oil for its use in compression ignition engine. The E.tereticornisis leaves were collected from the interior region of Puducherry, India. Soxhlet extraction process, in the presence of n-hexane, yielded 5.2% of bio-oil. Based on the free fatty acid content, base catalysed transesterification process was adopted along with use of sodium hydroxide and methanol. Optimization of biodiesel yield was carried out by varying the operating parameters. A biodiesel yield of 74.19% was obtained at eighty minutes reaction duration, 1.8 l/g ms of sodium hydroxide, 70 °C reaction temperature and 8:1 oil to molar ratio. Furthermore, the physiochemical properties improved by emulsifying the obtained biodiesel with 5% of water in presence of surfactant through experiments carried out based on Taguchi׳s DOE method.

Design and characterization of an electromagnetic probe for distinguishing morphological differences in soft tissues

We present a method for designing and optimizing an in-house designed electromagnetic probe for distinguishing morphological differences in biological tissues. The probe comprises concentric multi-wound coils, the inner being the primary coil and the outer being the detector coil. A time-varying voltage is imposed on the primary coil, resulting in an induced current in the detector coil. For highly conductive samples, eddy currents are induced in the sample and inductively couple with the electromagnetic probe. However, in weakly conducting samples, the primary coupling mechanism is found to be capacitive though there can be a non-negligible inductive component. Both the mutual inductive coupling and the capacitive coupling between the sample and the probe are detected as a change in the induced voltage of the detector coil using lock-in detection. The induced voltage in the detector coil is influenced more by the morphological structure of the specimen rather than by changes in electrical conductivity within different regions of the sample. The instrument response of the lock-in amplifier is also examined with simulated input voltage signals to relate its output to specific changes in inductive and capacitive coupling, in order to relate sample characteristics to a single voltage output. A circuit element model is used to interpret the experimental measurements. It is found that the sensitivity of the measurement for a given set of probe characteristics (resistances, inductances, and capacitances) can be optimized by adding a small amount of capacitance in the external circuit in parallel with the detector coil. Illustrative measurements are presented on animal (porcine and bovine) tissue and on human liver tissue containing a metastatic tumor to demonstrate the capabilities of the probe and measurement method in distinguishing different tissue types despite having similar electrical conductivities. Since biological tissues are multi-scale, heterogeneous materials comprising regions of differing conductivity, permittivity, and morphological structure, the electromagnetic method presented here has the potential to examine structural variations in tissue undergoing physical changes due to healing or disease.

In vitro and in vivo Uric Acid Lowering by Artificial Cells Containing Microencapsulated Genetically Engineered E. coli DH5 Cells

Increase in systemic uric acid occurs in renal insufficiency, gout, chemotherapy, and other diseases. Dialysis can lower this metabolite but is expensive. The use of drugs can, sometime, result in side effects. Therefore, a suitable affordable method for this is required. In this article, for the first time, we report the use of artificial cells containing micro encapsulated genetically engineered E. Coli DH5 cells for lowering uric acid in vitro and in vivo. Results show that this novel approach has the ability to significantly lower uric acid from 84.80±3.40 mg/dl to 9.32±0.05 mg/dl in vitro and from the plasma of the experimental animals from the control levels of 71.00±27.49 mg/dl to 20.33+17.92 mg/dl in vivo. Continued daily oral administration maintained the plasma uric acid concentration of experimental uremic rats to the normal plasma uric acid level range during the entire test period.