Obesity-related data derived from multiple complex systems spanning media, social, economic, food activity, health records, and infrastructure (sensors, smartphones, etc.) can assist us in ...understanding the relationship between obesity drivers for more efficient prevention and treatment. Reviewed literature shows a growing adaptation of the machine-learning model in recent years dealing with mechanisms and interventions in social influence, nutritional diet, eating behavior, physical activity, built environment, obesity prevalence prediction, distribution, and healthcare cost-related outcomes of obesity. Most models are designed to reflect through time and space at the individual level in a population, which indicates the need for a macro-level generalized population model. The model should consider all interconnected multi-system drivers to address obesity prevalence and intervention. This paper reviews existing computational models and datasets used to compute obesity outcomes to design a conceptual framework for establishing a macro-level generalized obesity model.
Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with damage of cells of both innate and adaptive immunity, which results in immune system’s impairment leading to secondary ...infections. Microbiological evaluation helps in diagnostic as well as antimicrobial stewardship leading to accurate treatment of COVID-19 infected patients. Aim: To evaluate superadded bacterial and fungal infections in COVID-19 infected patients and to evaluate bacterial and fungal infections in COVID-19 non infected patients admitted with Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital in Delhi, India, over a period of eight months (May to December, 2020). Respiratory samples, received from indoor patients with history of ARI, were processed for COVID-19 (TrueNat Real Time Polymerase chain reaction) as well as for bacterial and fungal cultures following Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Identification and susceptibility pattern was evaluated by Vitek2 compact system (bioMérieux, Inc. Durham, North Carolina/USA). Quality control strains used were American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) Staphylococcus aureus 29213, Escherichia coli 25922 and Candida parapsilosis ATCC 22019. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) levels were standardised as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline, 2020. All statistical analysis was done by Chi-square test using Software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Results: Total patients admitted with the history of ARI were 542; COVID-19 Positive Group (CPG) included 115 (21.22%) while COVID-19 Negative Group (CNG) included 427 (78.78%). Growth in bacterial and fungal cultures in CPG was 59.13% (68/115) while in CNG; it was 47.78% (204/427). Among the bacterial isolates, most common isolate was Klebsiella pneumoniae {CPG: 41.93% (26/62); CNG: 36.72% (76/207)}, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa {CPG: 33.87% (21/62); CNG: 31.88% (66/207)}. Fungal isolates in CPG was 19.48% (15/77) (p-value 0.0445). On comparing Antimicrobial Susceptibility (AST) pattern of Enterobacterales in both CPG (n=36) and CNG (n=102), no statistically significant difference was observed. Co-morbid conditions were found mostly in CNG 89% (140/158) with ARI while only 11% (18/158) was found in CPG. Conclusion: Secondary respiratory infections are quite common amongst COVID-19 positive patients. However, growth in culture, type of isolates, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) was almost similar with COVID-19 non infected patients admitted with ARI. Co-morbidity had the similar impact as COVID-19 infection with respect to co-infections.
In December 2019, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) appeared and spread worldwide, triggering a pandemic of respiratory illness. So, there was an urgent need for vaccines ...worldwide. The mRNA-based vaccines are undergoing an accelerated phase of development during this pandemic. WHO has issued interim guidelines for administering the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine against COVID-19 based on advice given by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE). The significant future directions for study would be comparing and elucidating the immune processes triggered by mRNA vaccine platforms, developing existing methods focused on these mechanisms, and introducing new clinical trials of these vaccines against additional disease targets.
This study aims to reveal the important role and contribution of the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine to COVID-19 vaccinology.
Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine could be the keystone of modern vaccinology in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the need for strategies women can use to protect themselves from HIV infection, a new class of product commonly referred to as vaginal 'microbicides' has been under development for the ...past few decades. Several leading products currently in development contain antiviral agents delivered in a vaginal ring.
Research published over the past year reports advances in identification and continued formulation of specific antiviral agents that have potential for delivery in vaginal rings, including drug combinations for HIV, other sexually transmitted infections and contraception. Most products are antiretroviral reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Advances in vaginal ring design have also been reported; some of these are designed to release specific antiviral agents, while other designs could be used for multiple drugs. This review focuses both on antiviral agents and vaginal ring designs.
Over the past year, advances continued to be made in the development of vaginal rings to deliver antiviral agents for prevention of HIV. An array of antiviral agents and vaginal ring designs to deliver these products are at various stages in the product pipeline process. Results from the first efficacy trials of an antiretroviral-containing vaginal ring are expected soon and will inform the continued development of this important product class.
Four new water-soluble bidentate ligands, namely, (cyclopentadienyl)ethyl-1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphadamantane (1), 1,2-bis-(1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantan-6-yl) ethane (2), ...1,3-bis-(1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaaadamantan-6-yl) propane (3) and 1,4-bis-(1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantan-6-yl) butane (4) have been synthesized and characterized by multi-nuclear NMR (
1
H,
13
C and
31
P), elemental analysis and mass spectrometry. Compound 1 was synthesized by using two different synthetic routes in excellent yields and is also the first example of water-soluble chelating cyclopentadienyl ligand containing 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane.
Biocompatibility, low toxicity, ease of functionalization, ecologically sustainable synthesis, and a diverse variety of applications have all contributed to the current popularity of fluorescent ...carbon quantum dots (CQDs), a relatively new rising star among zero-dimensional carbon nanomaterials. However, expensive precursors and production, as well as a time-consuming procedure, frequently restrict the economic design that must be addressed. In this work, we report an economical, sustainable and green synthesis of fluorescent CQDs co-doped with N and Ca from mustard (Brassica) flower extract without the need of additional doping element precursors. The quasi-circular or polygonal shaped CQDs were revealed to be yellow-greenish fluorescent in nature with outstanding photo-stability and excellent water solubility, with an average diameter of 4.38 nm and a relative quantum yield of about 15%. The compositional analysis, crystallinity, and functional groups contained in as-synthesized N,Ca-co-doped CQDs were determined by XPS, XRD, and FTIR analysis, respectively. The presence of dominant sp3 hybridized carbons over sp2 was confirmed by 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The plausible fluorescence mechanisms are also proposed. Additionally, a biodegradable bioplastic derived from corn starch was used to develop an N, Ca-co-doped CQDs@bioplastic composite in order to demonstrate how it may be used to produce down-conversion light emitting diodes and optical displays. The impact of CQD concentrations and pH sensitivity were investigated further.
Display omitted
Carbon quantum dots (CQDs)-based composite as a luminescent down-conversion materials are gaining importance nowadays because of many favorable factors including stable fluorescence, ease of ...functionalization, tuning of emission in visible range etc. In this work, we report an economical, sustainable and green synthesis of CQDs derived from mustard (Brassica juncea) flower extract. The as-synthesized CQDs were unintentionally doped with nitrogen and calcium without the inclusion of any doping element precursors. However, phosphorus was intentionally doped to improve the luminescent characteristics of as-synthesized CQDs. The morphological, structural, and physicochemical properties of P-doped CQDs were examined. The quasi-circular or polygonal-shaped CQDs, with an average diameter of 3.4 nm, emerged to produce yellow-greenish fluorescence upon UV stimulation, demonstrate outstanding photostability, and had a quantum yield of up to 18.2%. Furthermore, the ecologically friendly and biodegradable bioplastic is attractive as a solid phase dispersion matrix of CQDs. Hence, this work revealed the effect of phosphorus doping on solid-state fluorescence in the down-conversion of LEDs and UV tubes by producing a composite constructed through inserting CQDs into the solid-state matrix of corn-starch-based bioplastic.
Display omitted
•Effect of intentional P-doped in N,Ca-doped CQDs@bioplastic composite is reported.•Intentional P-doped CQDs were synthesized from Brassica juncea flower extract.•Down-conversion of LEDs and UV tubes have been demonstrated.•Influence of pH on fluorescence properties have also been investigated.
An improvement of solid-state fluorescence from a luminous nanocomposite made from corn-starch-based bioplastic by adding intentionally Cu-doped carbon quantum dots (CQDs) has been reported. An ...affordable, environmentally sustainable, one-step hydrothermal technique was employed to synthesize CQDs from
Brassica juncea
flower extract. The morphological, structural, and physicochemical characteristics of the material were investigated. The quasi-circular shaped CQDs have been found to have a size distribution of 2–5 nm, to have yellow-greenish fluorescence upon UV stimulation, to have excellent photostability, and to be highly water soluble, with a quantum yield of up to 18.4%. Interestingly, the fluorescence spectra of intentionally Cu-doped CQDs (hereafter N, Ca, Cu-doped CQDs) were found to be brighter after 280 nm illumination than unintentional one. Furthermore, as a solid-phase dispersion matrix of CQDs, the environmentally benign and biodegradable bioplastic is appealing. As a result, this work demonstrated the effect of Cu-doping on solid-state fluorescence in the down-conversion of UVC tubes via a composite constructed by inserting CQDs into the solid-state matrix of corn-starch-based bioplastic nanocomposite, which demonstrated vivid greenish-yellow emission in the electroluminescent spectra with CIE chromatic coordinates (0.33, 0.58 vs. 0.31, 0.67).
•Solid-state fluorescence from Zn-doped CQDs@bioplastics nanocomposite is reported.•Zn-doped CQDs were synthesized from Brassicca juncea flower extract.•UVC-tube down-conversion was demonstrated with ...bioplastic nanocomposite.•Zn-doped bioplastic nanocomposite emits more brightly than the unintentional one.•CIE chromatic coordinates of (0.39, 0.56 vs. 0.29, 0.55) were obtained.
The enhancement of solid-state fluorescence from nanocomposite bioplastics containing intentionally Zn-doped carbon quantum dots (CQDs) has been reported. For the synthesis of CQDs from Brassica juncea flower extract, an economical, ecologically sustainable, and one-step hydrothermal method was used. The morphological, structural, and physicochemical properties were examined. The quasi-circular shaped CQDs, with an average diameter of 4.7 nm, were discovered to emit yellow-greenish fluorescence upon UV stimulation, to have exceptional photostability, and to be highly water soluble, with a quantum yield of up to 18%. Furthermore, a commercial UVC-tube wrapped with bioplastic nanocomposite emitted a greenish-yellow colour where intentionally Zn-doped CQDs@bioplastic nanocomposite emits more intensely than an unintentional one with CIE chromatic coordinates (0.39, 0.56 vs. 0.29, 0.55).
PDF
