•Toxin produced by toxic phytoplankton can destabilize the plankton system.•Toxin can result stationary inhomogeneous spatial pattern formation in phytoplankton.•Oscillatory spatial pattern emerges ...in the presence of toxins.
The production of toxins by some species of phytoplankton is known to have several economic, ecological, and human health impacts. However, the role of toxins on the spatial distribution of phytoplankton is not well understood. In the present study, the spatial dynamics of a nutrient–phytoplankton system with toxic effect on phytoplankton is investigated. We analyze the linear stability of the system and obtain the condition for Turing instability. In the presence of toxic effect, we find that the distribution of nutrient and phytoplankton becomes inhomogeneous in space and results in different patterns, like stripes, spots, and the mixture of them depending on the toxicity level. We also observe that the distribution of nutrient and phytoplankton shows spatiotemporal oscillation for certain toxicity level.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Central nervous system (CNS) infections cause significant morbidity and mortality and often require neurosurgical intervention for proper diagnosis and treatment. However, neither the international ...burden of CNS infection, nor the current capacity of the neurosurgical workforce to treat these diseases is well characterized. The objective of this study was to elucidate the global incidence of surgically relevant CNS infection, highlighting geographic areas for targeted improvement in neurosurgical capacity.
A systematic literature review and meta-analysis were performed to capture studies published between 1990 and 2016. PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched using variations of terms relating to CNS infection and epidemiology (incidence, prevalence, burden, case fatality, etc.). To deliver a geographic breakdown of disease, results were pooled using the random-effects model and stratified by WHO region and national income status for the different CNS infection types.
The search yielded 10,906 studies, 154 of which were used in the final qualitative analysis. A meta-analysis was performed to compute disease incidence by using data extracted from 71 of the 154 studies. The remaining 83 studies were excluded from the quantitative analysis because they did not report incidence. A total of 508,078 cases of CNS infections across all studies were included, with a total sample size of 130,681,681 individuals. Mean patient age was 35.8 years (range: newborn to 95 years), and the male/female ratio was 1:1.74. Among the 71 studies with incidence data, 39 were based in high-income countries, 25 in middle-income countries, and 7 in low-income countries. The pooled incidence of studied CNS infections was consistently highest in low-income countries, followed by middle- and then high-income countries. Regarding WHO regions, Africa had the highest pooled incidence of bacterial meningitis (65 cases/100,000 people), neurocysticercosis (650/100,000), and tuberculous spondylodiscitis (55/100,000), whereas Southeast Asia had the highest pooled incidence of intracranial abscess (49/100,000), and Europe had the highest pooled incidence of nontuberculous vertebral spondylodiscitis (5/100,000). Overall, few articles reported data on deaths associated with infection. The limited case fatality data revealed the highest case fatality for tuberculous meningitis/spondylodiscitis (21.1%) and the lowest for neurocysticercosis (5.5%). In all five disease categories, funnel plots assessing for publication bias were asymmetrical and suggested that the results may underestimate the incidence of disease.
This systematic review and meta-analysis approximates the global incidence of neurosurgically relevant infectious diseases. These results underscore the disproportionate burden of CNS infections in the developing world, where there is a tremendous demand to provide training and resources for high-quality neurosurgical care.
Tubulin polymerization is critical in mitosis process, which regulates uncontrolled cell divisions. Here, we report a new class of pyrene-pyrazole pharmacophore (PPP) for targeting microtubules. ...Syntheses of seven pyrenyl-substituted pyrazoles with side-chain modification at N-1 and C-3 positions of the pyrazole ring were accomplished from alkenyl hydrazones via C–N dehydrogenative cross-coupling using copper catalyst under aerobic condition. Tubulin polymerization with PPPs was investigated using docking and biological tools to reveal that these ligands are capable of influencing microtubule polymerization and their interaction with α-, β-tubulin active binding sites, which are substituent specific. Furthermore, cytotoxicity response of these PPPs was tested on cancer cells of different origin, such as MCF-7, MDA-MB231, and C32, and also noncancerous normal cells, such as MCF-10A. All newly synthesized PPPs showed excellent anticancer activities. The anticancer activities and half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of all PPPs across different cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB231, and C32) have been demonstrated. 1,3-Diphenyl-5-(pyren-1-yl)-1H-pyrazole was found to be best among all other PPPs in killing significant population of all of the cancerous cell with IC50 values 1 ± 0.5, 0.5 ± 0.2, and 5.0 ± 2.0 μM in MCF-7, MDA-MB231, and C32 cells, respectively.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
A plethora of nanoarchitectures have been evaluated preclincially for applications in early detection and treatment of diseases at molecular and cellular levels resulted in limited success of their ...clinical translation. It is important to identify the factors that directly or indirectly affect their use in human. We bring a fundamental understanding of how to adjust the biocompatibility of carbon based spherical nanoparticles (CNPs) through defined chemistry and a vigilant choice of surface functionalities. CNPs of various size are designed by tweaking size (2-250 nm), surface chemistries (positive, or negatively charged), molecular chemistries (linear, dendritic, hyperbranched) and the molecular weight of the coating agents (MW 400-20 kDa). A combination of in vitro assays as tools were performed to determine the critical parameters that may trigger toxicity. Results indicated that hydrodynamic sizes are potentially not a risk factor for triggering cellular and systemic toxicity, whereas the presence of a highly positive surface charge and increasing molecular weight enhance the chance of inducing complement activation. Bare and carboxyl-terminated CNPs did present some toxicity at the cellular level which, however, is not comparable to those caused by positively charged CNPs. Similarly, negatively charged CNPs with hydroxyl and carboxylic functionalities did not cause any hemolysis.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The best treatment option for giant intracranial aneurysms (GIAs) is still debated. The authors report a case of a giant thrombosed cavernous carotid artery (CCA) aneurysm for which two sessions of ...flow diverter (FD) placement failed, leading to bilateral blindness.
A 66-year-old man presented to an outside center with a history of rapid-onset right-sided retro-orbital pain, visual deterioration, and restricted eye movements associated with headache, vomiting, and diminished sensations on the right side of the face. He was diagnosed with an unruptured thrombosed giant CCA aneurysm and was treated twice with unsuccessful FDs. At follow-up, he developed blindness in both eyes. After 1.5 years, he presented to the authors' institution with headache, vomiting, and epistaxis, for which he underwent high-flow external carotid artery-M2 segment of the middle cerebral artery bypass grafting using the radial artery as a conduit and ligation of the internal carotid artery in the neck without any added neurological deficits.
This dreadful complication of bilateral blindness after being treated with repeated unsuccessful FDs has not been reported in the literature. It could have been avoided if microsurgery had been the primary modality of treatment.
During the last few decades, the use of molecular markers, revealing polymorphism at the DNA level, has been playing an increasing part in plant biotechnology and their genetics studies. There are ...different types of markers viz. morphological, biochemical and DNA based molecular markers. These DNA based markers are differentiates in two types first non PCR based (RFLP) and second is PCR based markers (RAPD, AFLP, SSR, SNP etc.), amongst others, the microsatellite DNA marker has been the most widely used, due to its easy use by simple PCR, followed by a denaturing gel electrophoresis for allele size determination, and to the high degree of information provided by its large number of alleles per locus. Despite this, a new marker type, named SNP, for Single Nucleotide Polymorphism, is now on the scene and has gained high popularity, even though it is only a bi-allelic type of marker. Day by day development of such new and specific types of markers makes their importance in understanding the genomic variability and the diversity between the same as well as different species of the plants. In this review, we will discuss about the biochemical and molecular markers their advantages, disadvantages and the applications of the marker in comparison with other marker types.
Wilson disease (WD) is characterized by hepatolenticular degeneration, but there is no report on apoptosis and anti-apoptotic markers in WD patients with neurological manifestation (WDN). The aim of ...this study was to evaluate active caspase-3 and X-linked inhibitors of apoptosis protein (XIAP) level in WDN and correlate these with disease severity and markers of death (tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-8, malondialdehyde (MDA), and Cu) and survival signals (glutathione). Fifty-four patients with WDN and 36 healthy matched controls were included. Their severity, Burke-Fahn-Marsden (BFM) scores, blood counts, hemoglobin, serum chemistry, ceruloplasmin, and free copper and 24-h urinary copper were measured. Cranial MRI findings were noted. Serum active caspase-3, XIAP, TNF-α, IL-8, and plasma glutathione and MDA were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), flow cytometry, and spectrophotometer respectively. In the patients with WDN, active caspase-3 (0.55 ± 0.11 vs 0.38 ± 0.06 ng/ml), TNF-α (76.05 ± 29.01 vs 36.05 ± 21.01 pg/ml), IL-8 (590.19 ± 89.19 vs 193.43 ± 71.01 pg/ml), and MDA (4.92 ± 0.39 vs 3.43 ± 0.21 nmol/ml) levels were increased whereas XIAP (84.66 ± 10.39 vs 95.76 ± 10.11 ng/ml) and glutathione (GSH) (2.03 ± 0.29 vs 2.98 ± 0.27 mg/dl) levels were decreased compared to controls. Active caspase-3 was correlated with neurological severity (
r
= 0.48), BFM score (
r
= 0.37), ceruloplasmin (
r
= −0.39), hemoglobin (
r
= −0.34), and serum Cu (
r
= 0.39). XIAP levels were correlated with neurological severity (
r
= −0.40), BFM (
r
= −0.51), serum Cu (
r
= −0.42), and ceruloplasmin (
r
= 0.34). The XIAP level positively correlated with survival (GSH) and inversely with death signals (TNF-α, IL-8, MDA and free serum Cu) whereas active caspase-3 positively correlated with death (TNF-α, IL-8, serum Cu, MDA) and inversely with survival signal (GSH). Serum active caspase-3 level increased in WDN and positively correlated with the severity of disease, death signals (TNF, IL-8, MDA, and free Cu) and inversely with GSH and XIAP.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Solar cells are the sole power sources in earth bound satellites. Temperature of solar cell blanket is a very important parameter that needs to be measured accurately throughout the mission. The ...present arrangement measures solar panel temperature and not solar cell blanket temperature as needed. Solar cell temperature can be measured by using the change of its capacitance with temperature. A method to measure solar cell blanket temperature in the range −180°C to +80°C in space using solar cell itself has been explored here. Use of silicon BSR, gallium arsenide or multijunction cells has been presented. The method can accurately measure transient variation of solar cell blanket temperature.
► Solar cell blanket temperature is critical to its performance. ► A method to measure blanket temperature using solar cell capacitances is proposed. ► Usable in temperature range −180°C to +80°C and superior to existing methods.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Near Infrared Mapping Spectrograph data from the Galileo spacecraft and cryogenic laboratory reflectance measurements on hydrated compounds identified the presence of mixtures of hydrous magnesium ...sulfate, sulfuric acid, and hydrogen peroxide on the surface of Europa. Standoff Raman spectroscopy is ideally suited for exploring terrestrial Europa analog sites and Europa because of its ability to unambiguously identify minerals, organic compounds, and biomarkers inside ice. In the present work, we evaluated the performance of a standoff Raman system at various distances by measuring Raman spectra of hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, and hydrous sulfate minerals, which are predicted to be present on Europa's surface. To simulate Europa's surface environment, Raman spectra of MgSO4·7H2O, FeSO4·7H2O, gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O), dry ice (CO2‐ice), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) naphthalene and anthracene inside crushed H2O‐ice, shaved H2O‐ice, and a clear H2O‐ice block have also been measured. The PAHs were selected in this study because of their presence in the interstellar medium, comets, and meteorites. The results show that it will be possible to map out the non‐ice components on the surface and subsurface of Europa analog sites and Europa up to a distance of 120 m from a static lander and to a depth of ~10 cm inside ice.
We have evaluated the performance of a standoff Raman system at various distances by measuring Raman spectra of hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, and hydrous sulfate minerals, which are predicted to be present on Europas surface. To simulate Europas surface environment, Raman spectra of MgSO4·7H2O, FeSO4·7H2O, gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O), dry ice (CO2‐ice), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) naphthalene and anthracene inside crushed H2O‐ice, shaved H2O‐ice, and H2O‐ice block have been measured.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
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