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Anthelmintic activity of 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione-based metallodrugs
Numerical investigation of segmental baffle design in shell and tube heat exchangers with varying inclination angles and spacing
A cross-tissue transcriptome-wide association study identified susceptibility genes for age-related macular degeneration
Spatial disparities and dynamics in the high quality agricultural development in Heilongjiang Province of China
Probabilistic assessment of passive earth pressures considering spatial variability of soil parameters and design factors
Severe deviation in protein fold prediction by advanced AI: a case study
Clinical and dermoscopic assessment of the efficacy of topical trichloroacetic acid 70% versus methoxsalen 0.2% paint in stable acral vitiligo
Abstract Loss and absence of melanocytes due to a number of factors is responsible for vitiligo; known to be the commonest disorder of pigmentation. The aim of the study was to assess clinically and dermoscopically the efficacy of topical trichloroacetic acid 70% versus methoxsalen 0.2% paint in stable acral vitiligo. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group a (n = 35) received topical 0.2% methoxsalen every other day for 4 months duration with dermoscopic follow up while group b (n = 35) received received topical TCA 70% application at the clinic every two weeks for 4 months with dermoscopic follow up. The majority of subjects in both groups experienced either no or mild improvement. In TCA group, mean improvement was 4.0 ± 11.6% with range of 0–60% while in the methoxsalen group, mean improvement was 0.57 ± 3.3% with range of 0–20% (p = 0.051). The majority of patients reported poor satisfaction. Both modalities did not demonstrate a significant clinical nor dermoscopic response. TCA 70% had a lower effective rate than other studies probably due to resistance of acral vitiliginous lesions to treatment in comparison to other sites of the body. Further larger multi centre studies with different concentration and combination modalities are required to detect promising treatments for vitligo.
Overlying strata movement law and rockburst prevention & control for fully mechanized top coal caving face in extra-thick coal seams
Comprehensive analysis of antimicrobial resistance dynamics among broiler and duck intensive production systems
Abstract Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health challenge requiring cross-sector action, with research largely focused on chickens, leaving ducks underexplored. This study examines AMR dynamics in Ross 308 broilers and Cherry Valley ducks over 15 months and 15 stocking periods under consistent rearing conditions. A total of 96 pooled samples were collected: 50 from broiler farms (26 biological, 24 environmental) and 46 from duck farms (24 biological, 22 environmental). Using next-generation shotgun sequencing, 3,665 distinct AMR types were identified: 1,918 in broilers and 1,747 in ducks. Host-specific AMRs comprised 25.3% in broilers and 18% in ducks, while 56.7% were shared. AMR diversity declined across production phases, with broilers losing 641 types and ducks losing 308, yet AMR frequencies increased significantly by the finisher phase (p < 0.0001). Based on in silico data, prophylactic antibiotic use significantly reduced the prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria in both poultry species (p < 0.05). Hospital-acquired infection-associated AMRs were higher in broilers than in ducks at the start of production but declined significantly by the end of the rearing period (p < 0.0001). Above-average resistance markers accounted for approximately 10% of all detected resistance determinants. Tetracycline and phenicol resistances emerged as the most prevalent. 13 high-resistance carrier (HRC) species were shared between both hosts. Broiler-specific HRCs exhibited significantly higher abundances (relative frequency: 0.08) than duck-specific HRCs (relative frequency: 0.003, p = 0.035). The grower phase emerged as a critical intervention point. In farm environments 15 broiler-specific and 9 duck-specific biomarker species were identified, each strongly correlated with poultry-core HRCs (correlation coefficient > 0.7). Broiler exhibited higher abundances of key resistance genes, with tetracycline resistance predominantly associated with Bacteroides coprosuis, Pasteurella multocida, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Despite its limitations, this research provides key insights into AMR trends in two major poultry types, guiding targeted interventions and sustainable management strategies.
Estimation of yield and nitrogen use efficiencies in hybrid maize varieties through site specific nitrogen management based on leaf color chart (LCC)
Abstract Exorbitant praxis of nitrogen pioneered and opened up the usage of time-specific and need-based nitrogen management. The leaf color chart (LCC), being one of the handy tool, is put to use for the estimation of the indirect leaf N, and also heightens the competence of crop N administration. Integrating leaf color chart assessments into maize cultivation practices can provide a practical and cost-effective approach for tailoring nitrogen applications, leading to improved resource-use efficiency and sustainable maize production. To perceive the specific leaf color chart (LCC) value for precision maneuvering of nitrogen in different maize hybrids, a field experiment was carried out at the research farm of Division of Agronomy, FoA, Wadura, Sopore, SKUAST-Kashmir, in the years 2019 and 2020 (Kharif seasons). Split Plot Design (SPD) employing three maize varieties (Shalimar Maize Hybrid-2 (SMH-2), Kanchan-517 and Vivek-45) in main plots and precision management of nitrogen (T1: Control, T2: Recommended Nitrogen (120 kg N ha–1), T3: 25% N as basal LCC @20 (≤ 3) kg N ha−1, T4: 25% N as basal LCC @30 (≤ 3) kg N ha−1, T5: 25% N as basal LCC @20 (≤ 4) kg N ha−1, T6: 25% N as basal LCC @30 (≤ 4) kg N ha−1, T7: 25% N as basal LCC @20 (≤ 5) kg N ha−1 and T8: 25% N as basal LCC @30 (≤ 5) kg N ha−1) in sub-plots was systemized. The pooled means indicated that SMH-2 chalked up utmost values in growth (plant height 189.4 cm) and periodic leaf area index and yield parameters with a grain yield of 6.1 t ha–1, straw yield of 10.6 t ha–1, respectively. The LCC value of @ 30 (≤ 5) kg N ha–1 set down statistically highest and significant grain (6.0 t ha–1) and straw yield (10.8 t ha–1) pooled over the years amidst other nitrogen management treatments, respectively. LCC @ 20 (≤ 5) kg N ha–1 turned up to have highest apparent N recovery (REN) followed by LCC @ 30 (≤ 5) kg N ha-1 whereas LCC @ 20 (≤ 4) kg N ha–1 which was at par with LCC @ 20 (≤ 5) kg N ha-1 recorded maximum agronomic efficiency (AE). LCC @ 20 (≤ 3) kg N ha–1 showed the highest physiological efficiency (PE) and partial factor productivity (Pfp). Furthermore, different rice genotypes manifested significant effects vis-à-vis Pfp and REN, which were maximum in SMH-2 contrasted with Kanchan-517 and Vivek-45. In the interim, the economics of pooled data divulged that the maximum B: C ratio was observed in SMH-2 and LCC @ 30 (≤ 5) kg N ha–1. Therefore, site-specific nutrient management through LCC proved to be an effective strategy to maximize yield and nitrogen use efficiency in hybrid maize.
Composite acoustic system for low-frequency sound absorption
Abstract Absorption of low-frequency sound is a difficult engineering problem because long-wave sound energy is poorly dissipated. Traditional sound absorbing materials such as porous materials, microperforated sheets or sound absorbing wedges have a poor low-frequency sound absorption performance. In this work a porous composite absorbing plate connected with a resonant cavity is developed to absorb low frequency sounds. The special developed sound-absorbing plate is rigid and consists of a more fibrous layer (up to approx. 3.0 mm thick) and a more plastic, thin polymer surface layer (up to approx. 0.5 mm thick). The walls of resonant cavity are rigid and smooth. By changing the angle between the absorbing plate and the direction of the incident sound wave and changing the length of the cavity, it is possible to create acoustic systems with a given level of sound absorption and in a given low-frequency range. The larger the angle, the maximum absorption occurs for sounds of lower frequencies. As the cavity length increases, the range of maximum absorption occurring at the resonant frequency shifts towards lower frequencies and the maximum value of the sound absorption coefficient increases. The results are compared with composite variant without a polymer surface layer.
Evaluating the reflux suppression properties of Gaviscon Infant powder with different milk formulations using an in vitro model of the infant stomach
Abstract Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is common in babies and infants and is characterized by effortless regurgitation (with or without vomiting), which is a common symptom of other infant conditions, including cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA). Various milk formulations are commercially available to help manage GER and CMPA symptoms (extensively hydrolyzed [eHF], partially hydrolyzed [pHF], and amino-acid formulas [AAF]). We aimed to understand if an alginate product (Gaviscon Infant powder) worked as intended in the presence of different milk formulations. A previously evaluated artificial infant stomach model simulated an internal pressure-inducing reflux event (five reflux events performed at 5 min intervals). Suppression activity of Gaviscon Infant combined with eHF, pHF, and AAF was assessed by measuring the height that the refluxate event traveled up a tube mimicking the infant esophagus, alongside a benchmark unhydrolyzed formulation (uHF) with Gaviscon Infant and a negative control without Gaviscon Infant. Each experiment was repeated six times per formulation in a random order. Gaviscon Infant combined with each milk formulation produced a lower height of refluxate versus the negative control. When formulations combined with Gaviscon Infant were grouped by category (eHF, pHF, AAF), two or more products from each category showed a lower refluxate height than the benchmark (uHF). There was a significant difference in median refluxate height (p = 0.0011 in Wilcoxon rank sum test) when comparing Gaviscon Infant combined with eHF against Gaviscon Infant combined with pHF, AAF, or uHF (benchmark). Refluxate height did not change significantly between events one and five for each milk formulation combined with Gaviscon Infant. In an artificial infant stomach model, Gaviscon Infant combined with different milk formulations (uHF, eHF, pHF, AAF) produced a lower refluxate height compared with a negative control (uHF without Gaviscon Infant), suggesting that Gaviscon Infant suppresses reflux as intended when used with different milk formulations.
Hemoglobin mediates the link between the ‘weekend warrior’ physical activity pattern and diabetic retinopathy
Adaptive genetic algorithm based deep feature selector for cancer detection in lung histopathological images
Abstract Cancer is a global health concern because of a significant mortality rate and a wide range of affected organs. Early detection and accurate classification of cancer types are crucial for effective treatment. Imaging tests on different image modalities such as Histopathology images, provide valuable insights into the cellular and architectural features of tissues, allowing pathologists to make diagnosis, determine disease stages, and guide treatment decisions. They are an essential tool in the study and understanding of diseases, aiding in research, education, and patient care. Convolutional neural network based pretrained deep learning models can be used successfully to detect lung cancer. In this study, we have used a channel attention-enabled deep learning model as a feature extractor followed by an adaptive Genetic Algorithm (GA) based feature selector. Here, we calculate the fitness score of each chromosome (i.e., a candidate solution) using a filter method, instead of a classifier. Further, the GA optimized feature vector is fed to the K-nearest neighbors classifier for final classification. The proposed method shows a promising result with an overall accuracy of 99.75% on the LC25000 dataset, which is a publicly available dataset of lung histopathological images. The source code for this work can be found https://github.com/priyam-03/GA-Feature-Selector-Lung-Cancer.