The present investigation was aimed at evaluating the impact of earthworm grazed and
biofortified spent mushroom substrate (SMS) on natural antioxidant and nutritional properties of tomato. Results ...of the investigation reveal that earthworm grazing and
bio-fortification led to significant improvement in the physico-chemical properties of fresh SMS and its application increased the accumulation of natural antioxidants and mineral content in tomato as compared to either
biofortified SMS or fresh SMS. In particular, the earthworm grazed,
biofortified SMS (EGTHB-SMS) was found to inhibit lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation with significant increase in total polyphenol and flavonoid content in tomato. Further, it increased Fe
/Fe
chelating activity, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity compared to other treatments. The results thus suggest an augmented elicitation of natural antioxidant properties in tomato treated with EGTHB-SMS, resulting in a higher radical scavenging activity, that is highly desirable for human health. In addition, the use of SMS to enhance the nutritional value of tomato fruits becomes an environment friendly approach in sustainable crop production.
ABSTRACT
The Seyfert galaxy NGC 2639 was known to exhibit three episodes of active galactic nuclei (AGN) jet/lobe activity. We present here the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) ...735 MHz image of NGC 2639 showing a fourth episode as witnessed by the discovery of ∼9 kpc radio lobes misaligned with the previously known ∼1.5 kpc, ∼360 pc, and ∼3 pc jet features detected through the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), respectively. Using the spectral ageing software brats, we derive the ages of the ∼9 kpc, ∼1.5 kpc, and ∼360 pc episodes to be, respectively, $34^{+4}_{-6}$, $11.8^{+1.7}_{-1.4}$, and $2.8^{+0.7}_{-0.5}$ Myr, and conclude that minor mergers occurred 9−22 Myr apart. NGC 2639 shows a deficit of molecular gas in its central ∼6 kpc region. The GALEX NUV image also shows a deficiency of recent star formation in the same region, while the star formation rate surface density in NGC 2639 is lower by a factor of 5−18 compared to the global Schmidt law of star-forming galaxies. This makes NGC 2639 a rare case of a Seyfert galaxy showing episodic jet activity and possible signatures of jet-driven AGN feedback.
Objective
KCTD7‐related progressive myoclonic epilepsy (PME) is a rare autosomal‐recessive disorder. This study aimed to describe the clinical details and genetic variants in a large international ...cohort.
Methods
Families with molecularly confirmed diagnoses of KCTD7‐related PME were identified through international collaboration. Furthermore, a systematic review was done to identify previously reported cases. Salient demographic, epilepsy, treatment, genetic testing, electroencephalographic (EEG), and imaging‐related variables were collected and summarized.
Results
Forty‐two patients (36 families) were included. The median age at first seizure was 14 months (interquartile range = 11.75–22.5). Myoclonic seizures were frequently the first seizure type noted (n = 18, 43.9%). EEG and brain magnetic resonance imaging findings were variable. Many patients exhibited delayed development with subsequent progressive regression (n = 16, 38.1%). Twenty‐one cases with genetic testing available (55%) had previously reported variants in KCTD7, and 17 cases (45%) had novel variants in KCTD7 gene. Six patients died in the cohort (age range = 1.5–21 years). The systematic review identified 23 eligible studies and further identified 59 previously reported cases of KCTD7‐related disorders from the literature. The phenotype for the majority of the reported cases was consistent with a PME (n = 52, 88%). Other reported phenotypes in the literature included opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome (n = 2), myoclonus dystonia (n = 2), and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (n = 3). Eight published cases died over time (14%, age range = 3–18 years).
Significance
This study cohort and systematic review consolidated the phenotypic spectrum and natural history of KCTD7‐related disorders. Early onset drug‐resistant epilepsy, relentless neuroregression, and severe neurological sequalae were common. Better understanding of the natural history may help future clinical trials.
Carrageenans are industrially important polysaccharides with tunable viscoelastic and gelation properties. The function of polysaccharide depends on its conformation and chemical composition. ...However, the solution conformations of carrageenans are highly debated, and the structure-function relationship remains elusive. Here, we have studied the intrinsic conformational behavior of a series of carrageenan hexamers in solution, using extensive all-atom classical MD and enhanced sampling. Our findings comprehensively delineate that carrageenans containing the 3,6-anhydrous bridge (κ-C, ι-C, θ-C, and non-sulfated β-C) adopt compact helical structures as their predominant conformation in solution, whereas carrageenans without the bridge (μ-C, ν-C, and λ-C) remain as extended loosely packed helices; opposing the ‘coil-to-helix’ paradigm. Glycosidic linkages access a few allowed orientations. We hypothesize that the 3,6-anhydrous bridge, irrespective of carrageenan's sulfation pattern, is essential for stabilizing the helical conformation at the single-chain level. It provides necessary flexibility to the glycosidic linkage to sample conformations close to the experimentally derived helical structure and also prevents the sugar ring flipping. Sulfate groups mainly modify the chain stiffness due to steric and stereo-electronic effects and participate in hydrogen bonding. Such atomistic insights will be helpful for understanding the differential gelation mechanisms of carrageenans and fine-tuning polysaccharide backbone for various industrial applications.
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We consider singularly perturbed equations of the form{ε2Δu−u+up=0 in A⊂RN,u>0 in A,u=0 on ∂A, where A is a annulus and p>1. It has been conjectured for a long time that such problems possess ...solutions having m-dimensional concentration sets for every 0≤m≤N−1. For N=3 solutions with 2-dimensional and 0-dimensional concentration sets are known, while no result was available for 1-dimensional concentration sets. We answer positively this conjecture, proving the existence of solutions which concentrate on circles S1. The proof relies on work by Santra-Wei who proved the existence of solutions concentrating on a Clifford torus S1×S1 for an annulus in R4. We extend this result to equations with weights. Then we use the Hopf fibration to show that these solutions give rise to the S1-concentrating solutions in R3.
The presence of proinflammatory low-density granulocytes (LDG) has been demonstrated in autoimmune and infectious diseases. Recently, regulatory neutrophilic polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived ...suppressor cells (PMN-MDSC) were identified in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Because LDG and PMN-MDSC share a similar phenotype with contrasting functional effects, we explored these cells in a cohort of patients with SLE.
LDG and normal-density granulocytes (NDG) were isolated from fresh blood of healthy donors (HD) and patients with SLE. Associations between LDG and clinical manifestations were analysed. Multicolor flow cytometry and confocal imaging were performed to immunophenotype the cells. The ability of LDG and NDG to suppress T cell function and induce cytokine production was quantified.
LDG prevalence was elevated in SLE versus HD, associated with the interferon (IFN) 21-gene signature and disease activity. Also, the LDG-to-lymphocyte ratio associated better with SLE disease activity index than neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. SLE LDG exhibited significantly heightened surface expression of various activation markers and also of lectin-like oxidised low-density lipoprotein receptor-1, previously described to be associated with PMN-MDSC. Supernatants from SLE LDG did not restrict HD CD4
T cell proliferation in an arginase-dependent manner, suggesting LDG are not immunosuppressive. SLE LDG supernatants induced proinflammatory cytokine production (IFN gamma, tumour necrosis factor alpha and lymphotoxin alpha) from CD4
T cells.
Based on our results, SLE LDG display an activated phenotype, exert proinflammatory effects on T cells and do not exhibit MDSC function. These results support the concept that LDG represent a distinct proinflammatory subset in SLE with pathogenic potential, at least in part, through their ability to activate type 1 helper responses.
Abstract
The fields of brain‐inspired computing, robotics, and, more broadly, artificial intelligence (AI) seek to implement knowledge gleaned from the natural world into human‐designed electronics ...and machines. In this review, the opportunities presented by complex oxides, a class of electronic ceramic materials whose properties can be elegantly tuned by doping, electron interactions, and a variety of external stimuli near room temperature, are discussed. The review begins with a discussion of natural intelligence at the elementary level in the nervous system, followed by collective intelligence and learning at the animal colony level mediated by social interactions. An important aspect highlighted is the vast spatial and temporal scales involved in learning and memory. The focus then turns to collective phenomena, such as metal‐to‐insulator transitions (MITs), ferroelectricity, and related examples, to highlight recent demonstrations of artificial neurons, synapses, and circuits and their learning. First‐principles theoretical treatments of the electronic structure, and in situ synchrotron spectroscopy of operating devices are then discussed. The implementation of the experimental characteristics into neural networks and algorithm design is then revewed. Finally, outstanding materials challenges that require a microscopic understanding of the physical mechanisms, which will be essential for advancing the frontiers of neuromorphic computing, are highlighted.
Intensive and adaptive rehabilitation therapy is beneficial for post-stroke recovery. Three modes of rehabilitation are generally performed at different stages after stroke: external force-based ...control in the acute stage, assistive force-based rehabilitation in the midway of recovery and resistive force-based rehabilitation in the last stage. To achieve the above requirements, an innovative elbow exoskeleton has been developed to incorporate the three modes of rehabilitation in a single structure. The structure of the exoskeleton has been designed in such a way that the whole working region is divided into three where each region can provide a different mode of rehabilitation. Recovery rate can be varied for individuals since it depends on various parameters. To evaluate the rate of recovery, three joint parameters have been identified: range of angular movement, angular velocity and joint torque. These parameters are incorporated into the framework of planning a novel rehabilitation strategy, which is discussed in this article along with the structural description of the designed exoskeleton.
A detailed investigation on mass mortality of fishes was conducted in a small tropical reservoir- Derjang (20o50’32.0”N, 85o01’14.8″E), Odisha, India. Mortality mostly occurred in Systomus sarana ...followed by Labeo rohita, Cirrhinus mrigala, Labeo catla, Ompok bimaculatus, Labeo calbasu and Mastacembelus armatus. During 20 days of disease occurrence in May–June 2019, a total of about 3000 kg of fish died. The clinical signs in Cyprinid group were haemorrhagic spots, ulcerative lesions, rotten and pale patches in gills due to septicemic disease whereas haemorrhagic spots were the only prominent symptoms observed in Silurid group. Bacteriological isolation and identification through conventional and molecular techniques revealed that Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common pathogen recovered from S. sarana, C. mrigala and O. bimaculatus. Further Aeromonas hydrophila, Acinetobacter baumannii were isolated from L. rohita and L. catla respectively. The role of these pathogens for this disease outbreak in multiple fish species is discussed in perspective of environmental factors. Sudden environmental alternation by the supercyclone Fani (3rd May 2019) on the coastal part of Odisha might have played a key role to translate the aquatic bacteria into the virulent infective pathogens. In the experimental challenge study, isolated bacteria showed pathogenicity in respective hosts as that in the reservoir. Thus this further revealed both bacteria and fish specific virulency with a variation in LD50 values. All the gram negative bacterial isolates were found to resist ampicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and most of them were TEM gene positive. However, the bacteria were found to be susceptible to the rest of the nineteen antibiotics. These findings suggested that the sudden cyclone is an enormous threat to reservoir aquaculture, and should be taken into consideration before breeding, stocking and harvesting of fishes.
•Disease outbreak in reservoir during Summer, 2019 caused mass mortality of many freshwater fishes with septicemic symptoms•Klebsiella pnumoniae was the most dominating pathogen recovered, besides Aeromonas hydrophila and Acinetobacter baumannii•Sudden environmental alternation by the cyclone Fani might have played a key role to flare up the virulent pathogens.•Specificity and virulence of bacteria were found host-dependent with variable LD50 as revealed by challenge experiments
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