Microbiome properties in the root nodules of Prosopis cineraria, a leguminous desert tree

We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the total microbiome and transcriptionally active microbiome communities in the roots and root nodules of Prosopis cineraria, an important leguminous tree in arid regions of many Asian countries. Mature P. cineraria trees growing in the desert did not exhibit any detected root nodules. However, we observed root nodules on the roots of P. cineraria growing on a desert farm and on young plants growing in a growth chamber, when inoculated with rhizosphere soil, including with rhizosphere soil from near desert tree roots that had no nodules. Compared to nearby soil, non-nodulated roots were enriched with Actinobacteria (e.g., Actinophytocola sp.), whereas root nodules sampled from the desert farm and growth chamber had abundant Alphaproteobacteria (e.g., Ensifer sp.). These nodules yielded many microbes in addition to such nitrogen-fixing bacteria as Ensifer and Sinorhizobium species. Significant differences exist in the composition and abundance of microbial isolates between the nodule surface and the nodule endosphere. Shotgun metagenome analysis of nodule endospheres revealed that the root nodules comprised over 90% bacterial DNA, whereas metatranscriptome analysis showed that the plant produces vastly more transcripts than the microbes in these nodules. Control inoculations demonstrated that four out of six Rhizobium, Agrobacterium, or Ensifer isolates purified from P. cineraria nodules produced nodules in the roots of P. cineraria seedlings under greenhouse conditions. The best nodulation was achieved when seedlings were inoculated with a mixture of those bacterial strains. Though root nodulation could be achieved under water stress conditions, nodule number and nodule biomass increased with copious water availability. .IMPORTANCEMicrobial communities were investigated in roots and root nodules of Prosopis cineraria, a leguminous tree species in arid Asian regions that is responsible for exceptionally important contributions to soil fertility in these dramatically dry locations. Soil removed from regions near nodule-free roots on these mature plants contained an abundance of bacteria with the genetic ability to generate nodules and fix nitrogen but did not normally nodulate in their native rhizosphere environment, suggesting a very different co-evolved relationship than that observed for herbaceous legumes. The relative over-expression of the low-gene-density plant DNA compared to the bacterial DNA in the nodules was also unexpected, indicating a very powerful induction of host genetic contributions within the nodule. Finally, the water dependence of nodulation in inoculated seedlings suggested a possible link between early seedling growth (before a deep root system can be developed) and the early development of nitrogen-fixing capability.

Evaluation of naked-eye sensing and anion binding studies in meso-fluorescein substituted one-walled calix[4]pyrrole (C4P)

In this paper, we have design, synthesized and fully characterized a new meso-fluorescein substituted one-walled calix[4]pyrrole (C4P7), obtained from simple and easily available starting materials such as fluorescein, 4-hydroxyacetophenone and pyrrole. The anion sensing studies reveal that the C4P7 system displays selective and sensitive naked-eye sensing towards fluoride, phosphate, and acetate anions with the limit of detection of 4.27 mg L-1, 6.4 mg L-1, and 5.94 mg L-1, respectively. Moreover, the C4P7 receptor displays good results of binding (host-guest, 1 : 1) towards a variety of anions. The 1 : 1 binding stoichiometry was further confirmed by means of Job's plots. TD-DFT calculations showed that the HOMO-LUMO gap decreases in all the complexes (C4P7@anions) in comparison to the free C4P7 system. The authors are of the opinion that this work may provide a good platform to explore calix[4]pyrrole chemistry in the arena of recognition/sensing of biologically significant analytes in future studies.

C3-Symmetric Indole-Based Truxenes: Design, Synthesis, and Photophysical Studies

In recent years, truxenes and related polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have engrossed ample interest of the scientific community because of their ease of synthesis, functionalizations, and use as building blocks for the synthesis of fullerene fragments, liquid crystals, larger polyarenes, and C3-tripod materials. In the present work, we have disclosed an ingenious method for the construction of various indolo-truxene hybrid molecules in good yields (52-90%), by means of the acid-catalyzed cotrimerization, Friedel-Crafts acylation, and Fischer indole synthesis, and fully characterized them through the standard spectroscopic techniques. The photophysical properties of the thus-prepared compounds have also been investigated using steady-state absorption and fluorescence and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy techniques. Moreover, the density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations have been studied to correlate them with the measured photophysical properties of the synthesized indolo-truxene derivatives.

Investigation of Photoluminescence and Optoelectronics Properties of Transition Metal-Doped ZnO Thin Films

Thin films of zinc oxide (ZnO) doped with transition metals have recently gained significant attention due to their potential applications in a wide range of optoelectronic devices. This study focuses on ZnO thin films doped with the transition metals Co, Fe, and Zr, exploring various aspects of their structural, morphological, optical, electrical, and photoluminescence properties. The thin films were produced using RF and DC co-sputtering techniques. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that all the doped ZnO thin films exhibited a stable wurtzite crystal structure, showcasing a higher structural stability compared to the undoped ZnO, while the atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging highlighted a distinctive granular arrangement. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was employed to confirm the presence of transition metals in the thin films, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was utilized to investigate the presence of chemical bonding. The optical characterizations indicated that doping induced changes in the optical properties of the thin films. Specifically, the doped ZnO thin film's bandgap experienced a significant reduction, decreasing from 3.34 to 3.30 eV. The photoluminescence (PL) analysis revealed distinguishable emission peaks within the optical spectrum, attributed to electronic transitions occurring between different bands or between a band and an impurity. Furthermore, the introduction of these transition metals resulted in decreased resistivity and increased conductivity, indicating their positive influence on the electrical conductivity of the thin films. This suggests potential applications in solar cells and light-emitting devices.

Flexor Hallucis Longus Transfer And V-Y Plasty: An Effective Treatment Modality for Chronic Achilles Rupture - A Case Series

Introduction

To assess outcomes of FHL transfer and V-Y plasty for chronic Achilles rupture due to insertional Achilles tendinopathy.

Materials and methods

A case series of 12 patients was conducted between 1st January 2017 and 31st December 2018. The patients had short flexor hallucis longus tendon transfer with gastrocnemius lengthening by V-Y plasty for Achilles tendon rupture. Patients were allowed full weight bearing at six weeks post-operatively, and were followed up at three months and six months post-operatively, when the range of motion of the ankle was examined, and the outcome was assessed using the EFAS score.

Results

Of the 12 patients in the study, the majority were males; the mean age was 50.6±8.96 years. A significant improvement in dorsiflexion and plantarflexion was noted at the six-month follow-up compared to the three-month follow-up (P=<0.001 for both). When compared to the normal side, dorsiflexion and plantarflexion of the affected ankle were significantly less at three months but were comparable at six months post-operatively. A significant improvement was noted in the mean EFAS score at the six-month follow-up (25.5±5.71) compared to three months (18.6±0.90) post-surgery (P=0.001). Males were also noted to have significantly higher EFAS scores at their six-month follow-up than females (P=0.022). In contrast, a negative correlation was noted between the European Foot and Ankle Society (EFAS) score at the final follow-up and age (P=0.011).

Conclusion

FHL tendon transfer with V-Y plasty in chronic Achilles rupture due to insertional Achilles tendinopathy is an effective procedure resulting in the restoration of the ankle range of motion and improvement in functional scores.

Facile synthesis and anion binding studies of fluorescein/benzo-12-crown-4 ether based bis-dipyrromethane (DPM) receptors

Two novel fluorescein as well as benzo-12-crown-4 ether functionalized dipyrromethane receptors (DPM3 and DPM4) have successfully been synthesized. The anion (used as their TBA salts) binding studies of thus prepared DPM3 and DPM4 receptors were evaluated by the UV-visible spectrophotometric titrations. Binding affinities as well as the stoichiometry were determined through the UV-visible titrations data with the involvement of the BindFit (v0.5) package available online at https://supramolecular.org. Moreover, binding events were validated by means of the comparison of the partial 1H-NMR spectrum of the simple host molecule with that of the host-guest complex, and the 1 : 1 stoichiometry were further confirmed by the Job's method of continuous variation. From the results, we observed the binding constant (Ka) values of DPM3/DPM4 with various tested anions in the range of 516.07 M-1 to 63789.81 M-1, depending upon the nature/shape/size of the anions. Moreover, the anion-π interactions were confirmed by the partial 1H-NMR spectral data, and further supported by the literature reported systems. The authors hope that such types of valued receptors will be benefitted in future for the recognizing/binding of a variety of biologically important anions.

The clinical impacts of the controlling nutritional status score on patients with Hodgkin lymphoma

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical importance and potential mechanisms of controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score as a prognostic tool for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Diagnosed with HL, 307 patients were included in the study. Patients' demographic data, stages, B symptoms, extranodal involvement, presence of bulky disease, laboratory findings, treatments, treatment responses, nutritional status, and overall survival (OS) rates were evaluated from the hospital records. The primary endpoint of our study was to evaluate and classify newly diagnosed HL patients under the CONUT score. The secondary endpoint was to indicate any relationship between nutritional status, CONUT score, and other prognostic factors and OS.

RESULTS

Of 307 patients (173 males, 134 females), the mean age was 41.58±16.26 (ranging between 18-82 years). The most common type of malignancy was nodular sclerosis (72.53%). To the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the best cut-off point was 2.5 to predict mortality. Eigthy-five (27.7%) and 222 (72.3%) patients had ≥3 and ≤2 CONUT scores, respectively. Twenty-four (10.80%) and 23 (27.10%) cases were also mortal in the patients with ≤2 and ≥3 CONUT scores, respectively (p<0.001). Survival times were significantly lower in those with higher (≥3) CONUT scores (p<0.001) than among the other patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Evaluation of nutritional status plays an important role in the response and survival of those with hematological malignancies. Malnutrition can reduce patients' tolerance to chemotherapy and increase the risk of secondary infections. In this study, undernutrition evaluated with the CONUT score was demonstrated to be a potential independent prognostic factor for OS in patients with HL.

A message recovery attack on multivariate polynomial trapdoor function

Cybersecurity guarantees the exchange of information through a public channel in a secure way. That is the data must be protected from unauthorized parties and transmitted to the intended parties with confidentiality and integrity. In this work, we mount an attack on a cryptosystem based on multivariate polynomial trapdoor function over the field of rational numbers Q. The developers claim that the security of their proposed scheme depends on the fact that a polynomial system consisting of 2n (where n is a natural number) equations and 3n unknowns constructed by using quasigroup string transformations, has infinitely many solutions and finding exact solution is not possible. We explain that the proposed trapdoor function is vulnerable to a Gröbner basis attack. Selected polynomials in the corresponding Gröbner basis can be used to recover the plaintext against a given ciphertext without the knowledge of the secret key.

Efficient Blind Signal Separation Algorithms for Wireless Multimedia Communication Systems.. [DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2869492/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

This paper studies the problem of multi-user blind signal separation (BSS) in wireless communications. The existing separation algorithms work on quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK). Through this work two proposed algorithms were presented to enhance the BSS performance. The first proposed algorithm uses wavelet denoising to remove noise from the received signals in time domain. It adopts different modulation techniques such as minimum shift keying (MSK), quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), and Gaussian minimum shift keying (GMSK) then uses several BSS algorithms such as independent component analysis (ICA), principle component analysis (PCA), and multi user kurtosis (MUK) algorithms. The second proposed algorithm transfers the problem of BSS to transform domain and uses wavelet denoising to reduce noise effect on received mixture. BSS with Discrete Sine Transform (DST) and Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) were investigated and compared to time domain performance. Minimum square error (MSE) and signal to noise ratio (SNR) were used as the evaluating metrics. Simulation results proved that in time domain, MUK with QPSK gives best performance and wavelet denoising was found to enhance the performance of BSS under all conditions. Signal separation in transform domain was found to give better performance than that in time domain due to the energy compaction process of these transforms and noise reduction due to their averaging effect.

Adaptive genetic algorithm for user preference discovery in multi-criteria recommender systems

A Multi-Criteria Recommender System (MCRS) represents users' preferences on several factors of products and utilizes these preferences while making product recommendations. In recent studies, MCRS has demonstrated the potential of applying Multi-Criteria Decision Making methods to make effective recommendations in several application domains. However, eliciting actual user preferences is still a major challenge in MCRS since we have many criteria for each product. Therefore, this paper proposes a three-phase adaptive genetic algorithm-based approach to discover user preferences in MCRS. Initially, we build a model by assigning weights to multi-criteria features and then learn the preferences on each criteria during similarity computation among users through a genetic algorithm. This allows us to know the actual preference of the user on each criteria and find other like-minded users for decision making. Finally, products are recommended after making predictions. The comparative results demonstrate that the proposed genetic algorithm based approach outperforms both multi-criteria and single criteria based recommender systems on the Yahoo! Movies dataset based on various evaluation measures.

Cumulative antimicrobial susceptibilities for respiratory clinical isolates of Mycobacterium avium Complex, Mycobacterium kansasii, and Mycobacterium abscessus from Pakistan 2018 to 2022

Background

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are increasingly identified as causes of protracted pulmonary infections. Antibiotic susceptibility testing requires microdilution methods, which are often unavailable in laboratories in resource-poor settings. We report cumulative antibiograms for the most frequently isolated clinical pulmonary NTM from Pakistan to inform empiric antibiotic management of initial NTM infections.

Methods

We analyzed data from 2018 to 2022 for the most frequently isolated and clinically relevant NTM isolated from respiratory specimens, i.e., Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), Mycobacterium abscessus group (MAG), and Mycobacterium kansasii (MK). Antibiograms were developed using the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute's M39ED5 standard. Percentage susceptibilities and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

Results

Over 4 years, 529 NTM, comprising 209 MAC, 249 MAG, and 71 MK were analyzed. For MAC and MAG, where clarithromycin (CLR)-based regimens are recommended, CLR was active for 94.8% (95% CI 91.3-96.9), and 77.5% (95% CI 71.4-82.7) isolates, respectively. Combination regimens comprising 3 active drugs CLR + linezolid (LZD) + moxifloxacin for MAC and CLR + LZD + Amikacin for MAG had 98.4% (95% CI 95.9-99.4) and 68.9% (95% CI 62.3-74.8) coverage for pulmonary disease, respectively. For MK, 91.5% (95% CI 82.8-96.1) isolates were susceptible to rifampin (RIF), with a combination of RIF + CLR covering 88.7% (95% CI 79.3-94.2) of MK pulmonary infections, respectively.

Conclusions

These data can inform empiric treatment guidance for the most common NTM pulmonary infections, i.e., for MAC, MAG, and MK disease in Pakistan.

Systems genetics identifies miRNA-mediated regulation of host response in COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 vary greatly in their disease severity, ranging from asymptomatic infection to severe disease. The regulation of gene expression is an important mechanism in the host immune response and can modulate the outcome of the disease. miRNAs play important roles in post-transcriptional regulation with consequences on downstream molecular and cellular host immune response processes. The nature and magnitude of miRNA perturbations associated with blood phenotypes and intensive care unit (ICU) admission in COVID-19 are poorly understood.

RESULTS

We combined multi-omics profiling-genotyping, miRNA and RNA expression, measured at the time of hospital admission soon after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms-with phenotypes from electronic health records to understand how miRNA expression contributes to variation in disease severity in a diverse cohort of 259 unvaccinated patients in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. We analyzed 62 clinical variables and expression levels of 632 miRNAs measured at admission and identified 97 miRNAs associated with 8 blood phenotypes significantly associated with later ICU admission. Integrative miRNA-mRNA cross-correlation analysis identified multiple miRNA-mRNA-blood endophenotype associations and revealed the effect of miR-143-3p on neutrophil count mediated by the expression of its target gene BCL2. We report 168 significant cis-miRNA expression quantitative trait loci, 57 of which implicate miRNAs associated with either ICU admission or a blood endophenotype.

CONCLUSIONS

This systems genetics study has given rise to a genomic picture of the architecture of whole blood miRNAs in unvaccinated COVID-19 patients and pinpoints post-transcriptional regulation as a potential mechanism that impacts blood traits underlying COVID-19 severity. The results also highlight the impact of host genetic regulatory control of miRNA expression in early stages of COVID-19 disease.

Phenotypes of cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel mutants: probing the nature of native channels

Plant cyclic nucleotide gated channels (CNGCs) facilitate cytosolic Ca²⁺ influx as an early step in numerous signaling cascades. CNGC-mediated Ca²⁺ elevations are essential for plant immune defense and high temperature thermosensing. In the present study, we evaluated phenotypes of CNGC2, CNGC4, CNGC6, and CNGC12 null mutants in these two pathways. It is shown CNGC2, CNGC4, and CNGC6 physically interact in vivo, whereas CNGC12 does not. CNGC involvement in immune signaling was evaluated by monitoring mutant response to elicitor peptide Pep3. Pep3 response cascades involving CNGCs included mitogen-activated kinase activation mediated by Ca²⁺ -dependent protein kinase phosphorylation. Pep3-induced reactive oxygen species generation was impaired in cngc2, cngc4, and cngc6, but not in cngc12, suggesting that CNGC2, CNGC4, and CNGC6 (which physically interact) may be components of a multimeric CNGC channel complex for immune signaling. However, unlike cngc2 and cngc4, cngc6 is not sensitive to high Ca²⁺ and displays no pleiotropic dwarfism. All four cngc mutants showed thermotolerance compared to wild-type, although CNGC12 does not interact with the other three CNGCs. These results imply that physically interacting CNGCs may, in some cases, function in a signaling cascade as components of a heteromeric channel complex, although this may not be the case in other signaling pathways.

Explorations of CRISPR/Cas9 for improving the long-term efficacy of universal CAR-T cells in tumor immunotherapy

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T therapy has shown remarkable success in discovering novel CAR-T cell products for treating malignancies. Despite of successful results from clinical trials, CAR-T cell therapy is ineffective for long-term disease progression. Numerous challenges of CAR-T cell immunotherapy such as cell dysfunction, cytokine-related toxicities, TGF-β resistance, GvHD risks, antigen escape, restricted trafficking, and tumor cell infiltration still exist that hamper the safety and efficacy of CAR-T cells for malignancies. The accumulated data revealed that these challenges could be overcome with the advanced CRISPR genome editing technology, which is the most promising tool to knockout TRAC and HLA genes, inhibiting the effects of dominant negative receptors (PD-1, TGF-β, and B2M), lowering the risks of cytokine release syndrome (CRS), and regulating CAR-T cell function in the tumor microenvironment (TME). CRISPR technology employs DSB-free genome editing methods that robustly allow efficient and controllable genetic modification. The present review explored the innovative aspects of CRISPR/Cas9 technology for developing next-generation/universal allogeneic CAR-T cells. The present manuscript addressed the ongoing status of clinical trials of CRISPR/Cas9-engineered CAR-T cells against cancer and pointed out the off-target effects associated with CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. It is concluded that CAR-T cells modified by CRISPR/Cas9 significantly improved antitumor efficacy in a cost-effective manner that provides opportunities for novel cancer immunotherapies.

Recent Advancements in Ion-Pair Receptors

Over the past two decades, non-covalent chemistry has introduced various promising artificial receptors and revolutionized the host-guest chemistry. These versatile receptors have particularly been entertained in sensing and recognizing of diverse neutral molecules and/or ionic entities (e. g. anions, cations and ion-pair) of particular interest. Notably, supramolecular chemistry had given birth to a plethora of important molecules, explored in the chemical, biological, environmental, and pharmacological world to resolve the critical issues related to the human health while keeping environmental concerns in mind. Amongst the various types of supramolecular monotopic receptors (anions, cations, and neutral molecules), heteroditopic receptors (ion-pair receptors) consisting of distinct binding sites in one system for both cation and anion, have gained much interest from the scientific community in recent past because of their unique binding abilities. Interestingly, these promising artificial receptors have shown potential applications in sensing, recognition, transport and extraction processes besides their uses in salt/waste purification. Bearing the importance of these systems in mind, we intended to report the recent developments in ion-pair chemistry. Herein, we divided the whole document into three main sections; first one describes the introduction and history of the ion-pairs receptors. The second portion highlights the synthesis and applications of ion-pair receptors in sensing, recognition, molecular machines, photoswitching behaviour, extraction and transport properties, whereas the last part of this manuscript provides concluding remarks as well as future prospects of ion-pair receptors. We hope that this manuscript will be helpful to stimulating researchers around the globe to find out the hidden opportunities in this and related areas.

Dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]thiophene (DTT): an emerging heterocyclic building block for future organic electronic materials & functional supramolecular chemistry

Heterocyclic compounds being potent biochemical materials are ubiquitous molecules in our life. Amongst, the five membered aromatic ring systems, thiophene has emerged as a remarkable entity in organic electronics owing to its (i) high resonance energy, (ii) more electrophilic reactivity than benzene, (iii) high π-electron density, (iv) planar structure and, (v) presence of vacant d-orbital in addition to the presence of loosely bind lone-pairs of electrons on sulfur atoms. In recent past, thiophene-fused molecule namely, dithienothiophene (DTT) has attracted a tremendous attention of the researchers worldwide due to their potential applicability in organic electronics such as in solar cells, electrochromic devices (ECDs), organic field effect transistors (OFETs), organic limiting diodes (OLEDs), fluorescent probes, redox switching and so forth because of their (i) higher charge mobility, (ii) extended π-conjugation, and (iii) better tuning of band gaps, etc. In this particular review article, we envisioned to report the recent advancements made on the DTT-based architectures not only because of the potential applicability of this valuable scaffold in organic electronic but also to motivate the young researchers worldwide to look for the challenging opportunities related to this privileged building block in both material sciences and functional supramolecular chemistry.

Profile: Maternal and Child Health Surveillance System in peri-urban areas of Karachi, Pakistan

A Maternal and Child Health Surveillance System (MCHSS) was set up by the department of pediatrics and child health, Aga Khan University, Pakistan in peri-urban areas of Karachi to provide a platform for various research projects. It was established in five low-socioeconomic communities in a stepwise manner between  2003 and 2014. The total area currently under surveillance is 18.6 km2 covering a population of 302,944. We maintain a record of all births, deaths, pregnancies, and migration events by two monthly household visits. Verbal autopsies for stillbirths, deaths of children under the age of five years and adult female deaths are also conducted. For over a decade, the MCHSS has been a platform for a variety of studies describing the burden of various infectious diseases like typhoid, pneumonia and diarrhea, evaluation of effectiveness of various treatment regimens for neonatal sepsis, assessment of the acceptance of hospitalized care, determination of the etiology of moderate to severe diarrhea, assessment of burden and etiology of neonatal sepsis and a multi-center cohort study measuring the burden of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths. More recently we have also established a bio-repository of the well-characterized maternal and newborn cohort. Through a well-established MCHSS, we aim to provide concrete evidence base to guide policy makers to make informed decisions at local, national, and international levels.

A Study of the Structural and Surface Morphology and Photoluminescence of Ni-Doped AlN Thin Films Grown by Co-Sputtering

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is a semiconductor material possessing a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure with a large band gap of 6.2 eV. AlN thin films have several potential applications and areas for study, particularly in optoelectronics. This research study focused on the preparation of Ni-doped AlN thin films by using DC and RF magnetron sputtering for optoelectronic applications. Additionally, a comparative analysis was also carried out on the as-deposited and annealed thin films. Several spectroscopy and microscopy techniques were considered for the characterization of structural (X-ray diffraction), morphological (SEM), chemical bonding (FTIR), and emission (PL spectroscopy) properties. The XRD results show that the thin films have an oriented c-axis hexagonal structure. SEM analysis validated the granular-like morphology of the deposited sample, and FTIR results confirm the presence of chemical bonding in deposited thin films. The photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra exhibit different peaks in the visible region when excited at different wavelengths. A sharp and intense photoluminescence peak was observed at 426 nm in the violet-blue region, which can be attributed to inter-band transitions due to the incorporation of Ni in AlN. Most of the peaks in the PL spectra occurred due to direct-band recombination and indirect impurity-band recombination. After annealing, the intensity of all observed peaks increases drastically due to the development of new phases, resulting in a decrease in defects and a corresponding increase in the crystallinity of the thin film. The observed structural, morphological, and photoluminescence results suggest that Ni: AlN is a promising candidate to be used in optoelectronics applications, specifically in photovoltaic devices and lasers.

The association between body fat percentage and self-reported depression in the United Arab Emirates

Background

The United Arab Emirates Healthy Future Study (UAEHFS) is one of the first large prospective cohort studies in the region which examines causes and risk factors for chronic diseases among adult UAE nationals. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between body fat percentage (BF%) and the eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) as a screening instrument for depression among the UAEHFS pilot study participants.

Methods

We analyzed the UAEHFS pilot data to investigate the association between BF% and PHQ-8 adjusted for age and gender. We used multivariate logistic ordinal regression model. To impute missing values, 100 multiple imputations (MI) were performed using multivariate imputation of classification and regression tree. The statistical analysis was performed using R Statistical Software (version 4.2.0)

Results

Out of 517 participants, data from 487 (94.2%) were analyzed after excluding participants who didn't fill out the questionnaires. The median age was 30 years (Interquartile Range: 23 - 38). There were more males (67.8%) than females in the UAEHF pilot data. Approximately, 64 (13.1%) of the participant reported depression. The prevalence of obesity was 35.2% in this study population. The estimated odds ratio of BF% from the fitted multivariate logistic ordinal regression model was OR = 1.046 (95% CI: 1.012-1.08), and OR = 1.03 (95% CI: 1.003-1.057) for the omitted data, and MI (sensitivity analysis) respectively.

Conclusions

High body fat percentage was statistically significantly associated with high risk of reporting depression. Additional research is needed, using the main UAEHFS data (after recruitment is complete), to further investigate the association between body fat percentage and depression.

Key messages

• Our results can help contribute to the knowledge based on current and potential population mental health in the UAE and Gulf Region.

• The main finding of this study that excess body fat is associated with an increased risk of developing depression and vice versa; thus, this could add to the future direction of mental health research.

Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES)-Mediated One-Pot Multicomponent Green Approach for Naphthalimide-Centered Acridine-1,8-dione Derivatives and Their Photophysical Properties

An efficient and green methodology to assemble various functionalized naphthalimide-centered acridine-1,8-dione derivatives involving a one-pot multicomponent protocol has successfully been developed. Herein, a variety of aromatic aldehydes, 1,3-diketones, 1,8-naphthanoic anhydride, and hydrazine hydrate have been condensed under a reusable, inexpensive, and biodegradable deep eutectic solvent (DES) of N,N'-dimethyl urea and l-(+)-tartaric acid to obtain the desired targets under operationally mild reaction conditions with outstanding conversions. Strikingly, in this strategy, the DES plays a dual role of a catalyst and solvent and was recycled efficiently in four consecutive runs with no substantial drop in the yield of the desired product. Interestingly, the easy recovery and high reusability of the DES make this simple yet efficient protocol environmentally desirable. Moreover, the preliminary photophysical properties of thus-prepared valuable molecules have also been investigated by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and fluorescence spectroscopy.

Effect of Bias Voltage on Adhesion and Corrosion Resistance of Titanium Nitride Coated Stainless Steel Substrate

In this work, the adhesion and corrosion resistance of TiN coating by magnetron sputtering on stainless steel substrates under different bias voltages conditions (-50 V and-100 V) was investigated. AFM was used for surface roughness and grain size analysis, XRD for phase identification, Rockwell C for adhesion and nanoindentation for hardness and elastic modulus. According to AFM the coating deposited at-100V bias had decreased surface roughness, the value decreased from 2.7 nm (for-50V sample) to 1.8 nm, this was due to an etching like process which occurs when ions with higher energies start hitting the surface. The coated samples came under HF1 adhesion parameter which is the highest class of adhesion in the model on the basis of Rockwell C adhesion test. nanoindentation hardness and elastic modulus results of-50 V and-100V were found to be 224 GPa and 182 GPa, respectively and the value of hardness, 16 GPa and 22 GPa, respectively. The corrosion behavior of TiN coatings were studied in 3.5wt. % NaCl solutions using Tafel Extrapolation, Cyclic Polarization and Open Circuit Potential. It was noted on the basis of these corrosion tests that, as bias voltage is increased, it leads to the formation of more densely packed, fine grained columnar structures with less pores, which decreases the chances of corrosion. .

Understanding the role of corporate social responsibility and sustainable supply chain management in shaping the consumers’ intention to use sharing platforms

Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) in sharing economy platforms supports resource management and achieves environmental sustainability. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an essential pillar of sustainability, but the link between CSR and SSCM has been missing in the literature. Therefore, the current study intends to examine the connection between CSR and SSCM practices in sharing economy-based platforms. This study has applied the means-end theory to understand customer intention in the sharing economy. The data of 379 respondents from five main cities of Pakistan have been collected through convenience sampling. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) has been used to test the proposed conceptual model. The study results show that the corporate social responsibility approach adopted by the sharing economy platforms improves internal supply chain management that drives customers’ intention to use sharing economy platforms. Green concern has a significant moderating effect on customers’ tendency toward environmental issues and solutions. However, findings revealed that eco-design in the sustainable supply chain does not affect customer purchase intention in sharing economy platforms. The study findings provide practical implications to organizations focusing on sustainable supply chain management practices in the sharing economy.

12 Trends in Neck of Femur Fracture Incidence in EU15+ Countries From 1990–2017

Background

Neck of femur fractures (NOFF) pose significant socio-economic costs to society with a high degree of morbidity and mortality. Its incidence rate has been collated within the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database; however, to date, no comparison across countries has been reported.

Method

NOFF age-standardised incidence rates (ASIR) per 100,000 population were extracted from the GBD database for European Union (EU) 15+ countries over the period 1990 to 2017. Joinpoint regression analysis of the data identified trends in ASIR and associated estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC). These were analysed by specified timeframe, country, and gender.

Results

Of the 19 EU15+ countries, 11 (58%) had overall increases in NOFF ASIRs in 2017 compared to 1990. The median ASIRs were 240/100,000 and 322/100,000 for males and females, respectively, in 1990. By 2017, this had increased to 259/100,000 and 325/100,000, respectively. Females consistently had relatively higher NOFF ASIRs with a median gender fracture gap of 62/100,000 in 2017. Males had a higher percentage change in increasing ASIRs, with a smaller percentage change in decreasing ASIRs for all included countries. The highest national ASIRs was observed in Australia, followed by Finland and Belgium. Conversely the Mediterranean countries demonstrated the lowest ASIRs, closely followed by the USA.

Conclusions

Despite significant advances in primary and secondary hip fracture prevention strategies over the 28-year study period, significant increases in NOFF ASIRs among most EU15+ countries were observed, especially with respect to gender.

The Genome of the Mimosoid Legume Prosopis cineraria, a Desert Tree

The mimosoid legumes are a clade of ~40 genera in the Caesalpinioideae subfamily of the Fabaceae that grow in tropical and subtropical regions. Unlike the better studied Papilionoideae, there are few genomic resources within this legume group. The tree Prosopis cineraria is native to the Near East and Indian subcontinent, where it thrives in very hot desert environments. To develop a tool to better understand desert plant adaptation mechanisms, we sequenced the P. cineraria genome to near-chromosomal assembly, with a total sequence length of ~691 Mb. We predicted 77,579 gene models (76,554 CDS, 361 rRNAs and 664 tRNAs) from the assembled genome, among them 55,325 (~72%) protein-coding genes that were functionally annotated. This genome was found to consist of over 58% repeat sequences, primarily long terminal repeats (LTR-)-retrotransposons. We find an expansion of terpenoid metabolism genes in P. cineraria and its relative Prosopis alba, but not in other legumes. We also observed an amplification of NBS-LRR disease-resistance genes correlated with LTR-associated retrotransposition, and identified 410 retrogenes with an active burst of chimeric retrogene creation that approximately occurred at the same time of divergence of P. cineraria from a common lineage with P. alba~23 Mya. These retrogenes include many biotic defense responses and abiotic stress stimulus responses, as well as the early Nodulin 93 gene. Nodulin 93 gene amplification is consistent with an adaptive response of the species to the low nitrogen in arid desert soil. Consistent with these results, our differentially expressed genes show a tissue specific expression of isoprenoid pathways in shoots, but not in roots, as well as important genes involved in abiotic salt stress in both tissues. Overall, the genome sequence of P. cineraria enriches our understanding of the genomic mechanisms of its disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance. Thus, it is a very important step in crop and legume improvement.

Determinants of agricultural competitiveness: the case of pineapple production among smallholders in Johor, Malaysia

Pineapple is a tropical fruit that contains great nutritional values and fine flavour with high export potential and provides income generation for many smallholders in Malaysia. In 2019, Malaysia exported pineapple-based products worth RM419 million. Therefore, this paper aimed to analyse the competitiveness of pineapple in Malaysia, which was relatively understudied in the literature, especially in Asia. In this study, the level of competitiveness of fresh pineapple production among smallholders at the farm level was evaluated using an extension to the Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM). The extension provides a disaggregate analysis that has allowed the development of the distribution of competitiveness scores for each pineapple production at individual farms, taking into consideration the drawbacks of the use of aggregated data. In the second stage of the analysis, the multiple regression method was used to examine the key determinants that affected the competitiveness of pineapple production. A sample of 191 smallholders was randomly selected in Johor. The results demonstrated that Malaysian smallholders particularly in Johor had strong comparative advantages in the production of pineapple. The findings showed the Social Cost Benefit (SCB) value was less than 1, which means at a social price, the average smallholders were socially profitable and internationally competitive. However, by using disaggregated data, the results proved that some smallholders were not producing social profits where 29% of them remained uncompetitive internationally. Apart from that, the results of regression analysis revealed that the competitiveness of pineapple production was significantly influenced by age, working experience, farm size and the variety of pineapple. To conclude, the study presented recommendations for the potential enhancement of viability and competitiveness of pineapple smallholders.

P-691 Assessment of ovarian vascularity by three-dimensional vaginal power Doppler on day seven of menstrual cycle to predict the number of eggs collected in antagonist cycle

Study question

Could ovarian vascularity indices on day 2 and 7 of stimulation, measured by 3-dimensional (3D) vaginal power Doppler, predict after controlled ovarian stimulation?

Summary answer

Ovarian vascularity index (VI) on day 7 may be an indicator of poor (&lt;three mature eggs collected) ovarian responses to gonadotropins.

What is known already

Poor and/or hyper ovarian responses to gonadotropins may be related to cycle cancellation during controlled ovarian stimulation (COS). In this context, gonadotropin dose is often individualized using patient features that predict ovarian response (such as age, antral follicular count (AFC) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH)). In parallel, ovarian vascularity color doppler is a valuable evaluation method to predict the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and the growth/maturity of Graafian follicles. The aim of the present study is to estimate the utility of 3-dimensional vaginal power Doppler and ovarian vascular flow indices in the prediction of the number of mature occytes collected after COS.

Study design, size, duration

A prospective study was conducted on 296 couples undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle at Al Hadi Laboratory and Medical center, Beirut, Lebanon. It was performed between January 2020 and dec 2021. Couples were categorized into poor responders group (3 or less metaphase II (MII) eggs collected) (36.1%), high responders group (16 or more MII eggs collected) group ( 6.7%), and normal responders group (more than 3 and less than 16 MII eggs collected) (57,2%).

Participants/materials, setting, methods

On the second and seventh day of the menstrual cycle, ovarian volume and vascularity parameters (vascularity index (VI), flow index (FI), and vascularity flow index (VFI)) were measured using the 3D power Doppler and the Virtual Organ Computer-Aided Analysis. On day 2 , the antral follicle count was evaluated and a blood sample for AMH testing was collected. Women included in the study have undergone COS using GnRH antagonist protocol.

Main results and the role of chance

Mean age was 35,88+/- 6 year , day2 VI and day2 VFI correlates with the number of egg collected (p = 0.014 and 0.045 respectively).

9 parameters were used to predict poor and high ovarian responses (Age, AMH, AFC, day2 VI, day2 FI , day2 VFI , day7 VI, day7 FI and day7 VFI) in a Receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curve model .

Ovarian day7 FI significantly predicted poor ovarian response to gonadotropins (p = 0.038) with an area under the curve of 0.679. AFC predicted also poor ovarian response to gonadotropins (p = 0.006) . In parallel, AFC significantly predicted high ovarian response to gonadotropins (p = 0.002) and AUC (0.778) while all other 3D doppler parameters couldn’t predict high responders.

Limitations, reasons for caution

It will be necessary to perform a prospective analysis on a broad sample size to validate these findings. In addition, it will be interesting to assess the impact of ovarian vascularity on pregnancy outcomes.

Wider implications of the findings

Assessing ovarian vascularity during ovarian stimulation can help reduce the rate of cycle cancellation. In addition, more studies are welcomed in the field to unravel the mechanisms behind altered ovarian vascularity and to test the possibility of restoring normal ovarian physiology.

Trial registration number

Not Applicable

Colchicine anti-inflammatory therapy for non-intensive care unit hospitalized COVID-19 patients: results from a pilot open-label, randomized controlled clinical trial

Systemic inflammation is a hallmark of severe coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Anti-inflammatory therapy is considered crucial to modulate the hyperinflammatory response (cytokine storm) in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. There is currently no specific, conclusively proven, cost-efficient, and worldwide available anti-inflammatory therapy available to treat COVID-19 patients with cytokine storm. The present study aimed to investigate the treatment benefit of oral colchicine for hospitalized COVID-19 patients with suspected cytokine storm. Colchicine is an approved drug and possesses multiple anti-inflammatory mechanisms. This was a pilot, open-label randomized controlled clinical trial comparing standard of care (SOC) plus oral colchicine (colchicine arm) vs. SOC alone (control arm) in non-ICU hospitalized COVID-19 patients with suspected cytokine storm. Colchicine treatment was initiated within first 48 hours of admission delivered at 1.5 mg loading dose, followed by 0.5 mg b.i.d. for next 6 days and 0.5 mg q.d. for the second week. A total of 96 patients were randomly allocated to the colchicine (n=48) and control groups (n=48). Both colchicine and control group patients experienced similar clinical outcomes by day 14 of hospitalization. Treatment outcome by day 14 in colchicine vs control arm: recovered and discharged alive: 36 (75.0%) vs. 37 (77.1%), remain admitted after 14-days: 4 (8.3%) vs. 5 (10.4%), ICU transferred: 4 (8.3%) vs. 3 (6.3%), and mortality: 4 (8.3%) vs. 3 (6.3%). The speed of improvement of COVID-19 acute symptoms including shortness of breath, fever, cough, the need of supplementary oxygen, and oxygen saturation level, was almost identical in the two groups. Length of hospitalization was on average 1.5 day shorter in the colchicine group. There was no evidence for a difference between the two groups in the follow-up serum levels of inflammatory biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ferritin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT pro-BNP). According to the results of our study, oral colchicine does not appear to show clinical benefits in non-ICU hospitalized COVID-19 patients with suspected cytokine storm. It is possible that the anti-inflammatory pathways of colchicine are not crucially involved in the pathogenesis of COVID-19.

AB0908 Treating to target of psoriasis: An evidence-based consensus on clinical practice recommendations

Background

The Tight Control of psoriatic arthritis (TICOPA) trial revealed a treat to target (T2T) strategy has led to improved clinical outcomes in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The heterogeneity of the disease, the feasibility of therapy and the associated comorbidities made the implementation of such strategy in routine care a real challenge. There is a high need for establish real world recommendations for the T2T approach in PsA tailored to the disease activity status, the Psoriasis manifestations as well as the individual patient’s requirements.

Objectives

to provide up-to-date, evidence-based and consensus-based recommendations for Treat-to-Target management of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and its associated clinical manifestations.

Methods

14 key clinical questions were identified by scientific committee according to the Patient/ Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes and Timing (PICOT) approach. Literature Review team performed a systematic review to summarize evidence advocating the benefits and harms of available pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies for PsA. Subsequently, recommendations were formulated. The level of evidence was determined for each section using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine (CEBM) system. A 3-round Delphi process was conducted with 19 experts. All rounds were conducted online. A consensus was achieved on the direction and the strength of the recommendations.

Results

An online questionnaire were sent to expert panel who participated in the three rounds (response rate 100%). At the end of round 3, a total of fifty-one recommendation items, categorized into 6 sections to address the main 6 PsA categories, were obtained. Agreement with the recommendations (rank 7-9) ranged from 89.5-100%. Consensus was reached (i.e.≥75%of respondents strongly agreed or agreed) on the wording of all the 51 clinical standards identified by the scientific committee. Algorithms for the management of PsA have been suggested.

Conclusion

These recommendations provide an updated consensus on the pharmacological treatment of PsA and strategies to reach optimal treat to target outcomes in in common clinical scenarios, based on a combination of evidence and expert opinion. Best treatment decisions should be tailored to each individual patient situation.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

POS1168 TREAT TO TARGET OF GOUT: AN EVIDENCE-BASED CONSENSUS ON CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES

Background

New therapies, management approaches and evidence regarding the management of gout have become available over the past years. This triggered the need for updated recommendations for the management of gout.

Objectives

to develop an up-to-date consensus evidence-based clinical practice guideline for the management of gout including recommendations for management of acute gout flares, optimum usage of urate lowering therapy for chronic gout as well as patient education and lifestyle guidance.

Methods

An extensive systematic literature review was performed, and evidence-based recommendations were extrapolated, based on 16-key questions identified according to population, intervention, comparator, and outcomes (PICO) approach. For each item, the level of evidence was determined using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine (CEBM) system. These were evaluated by a panel of 17-experts via online surveys over a 2-round Delphi process.

Results

At the end of round 2, a total of 30-recommendation items, categorized into 10 domains to were obtained. Agreement with the recommendations (rank 7-9) ranged from 90-100%. Consensus was reached (i.e.≥75%of respondents strongly agreed or agreed) on the wording, the grade of recommendation and level of evidence of all the 30 clinical standards identified by the scientific committee. The guideline emphasized that all gouty patients should be screened for comorbidities. Based on this, an algorithm for treat to target management approach tailored to the individual patient’s needs and associated comorbidities has been outlined.

Conclusion

This work provides updated evidence-based recommendations for the prevention and treatment of acute as well as chronic gouty arthritis. It provides an approach for physicians and patients making decisions on the management of gout. It will also facilitate improvement and uniformity of care.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

DMSO-assisted environmentally benign synthesis of benzo[c]-chromeno[4,3,2-gh]phenanthridines by remote oxidative hetero cross-coupling cyclization and aromatization reaction

An unprecedented metal-free and catalyst-free synthesis of benzo[c]chromeno[4,3,2-gh]phenanthridine derivatives, a class of 1,6-diheterophenalenoid heterocycle, is reported for the first time. The oxidative cross-coupling reaction for the remote cyclization is achieved through the in situ generated o-quinone methide intermediate followed by an electrocyclic ring closure reaction. The aromatization of the cyclohexane ring is achieved by sequential H shift, hydroxylation, and elimination reaction. DMSO-assisted concomitant cyclization and aromatization reactions are also disclosed for the first time.

Synthesis of Novel One-Walled meso-Phenylboronic Acid-Functionalized Calix[4]pyrrole: A Highly Sensitive Electrochemical Sensor for Dopamine

Facile access to new one-walled meso-substituted phenylboronic acid-functionalized calix[4]pyrrole (C4P) has been revealed for the first time, starting from cost-effective and easily accessible materials. The structures of both the intermediate dipyrromethane (DPM) and the targeted functionalized C4P have been confirmed by means of ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, IR, and HRMS spectral data. The voltammetric investigations of the functionalized C4P films cast over a glassy carbon electrode (C4P-GCE) clearly establish the redox stability and redox accessibility of the boronic acid functional moiety present in the C4P framework. We demonstrate that the presence of the unique boronic acid functionality in the C4P endows it with an excellent potential for the highly sensitive electrochemical sensing of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA). A linear correlation between the strength of the Faradaic signals corresponding to the electro-oxidation of DA over C4P-GCE and the concentration of DA was observed in a concentration range as wide as 0.165-2.302 μM. The C4P-GCE has revealed exceptional stability and reproducibility in the electrochemical sensing of DA, with a nanomolar level limit of detection as low as 15 nM.

Predicting household sign up for solar energy: an empirical study based on the extended theory of planned behavior

Purpose

This study aims to understand households’ adoption of small-scale solar energy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that cause due to conventional energy consumptions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is quantitative in nature and households were selected as unit of analysis. Online data has been collected from seven main cities of Pakistan to understand households’ intention to use small-scale solar energy for domestic consumption. A total of 370 valid data were analyzed through partial least square structural equation modeling.

Findings

The study findings reveal that publicity information, attitude green norm and perceived behavioral control are the strongest predictors of households’ intention to use small-scale solar energy.

Practical implications

The considered model practically contributes to the literature by understanding households’ intention to adopt solar technologies that are viable means to conserve conventional energy and preserve the environment through less emission of carbon dioxide. In addition to this, understanding the green norm of households is imperative in a developing country, Pakistan where climate risk is high. Understanding household’ green norms would help marketers and practitioners to design and introduce new and more efficient renewable technologies that maintain environmental sustainability.

Originality/value

This study has contributed to theory of planned behavior (TPB) by the inclusion of publicity information and green norms. Previous studies focused on the environmental benefits of using renewable energy sources. This study added novel antecedents into TPB that help to understand the adoption of small-scale solar energy for domestic consumption.

A Reinforcement Learning-Based Framework for Crowdsourcing in Massive Health Care Internet of Things

Rapid advancements in the internet of things (IoT) are driving massive transformations of health care, which is one of the largest and critical global industries. Recent pandemics, such as coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), include increasing demands for ubiquitous, preventive, and personalized health care to be provided to the public at reduced risks and costs with rapid care. Mobile crowdsourcing could potentially meet the future massive health care IoT (mH-IoT) demands by enabling anytime, anywhere sense and analyses of health-related data to tackle such a pandemic situation. However, data reliability and availability are among the many challenges for the realization of next-generation mH-IoT, especially in COVID-19 epidemics. Therefore, more intelligent and robust health care frameworks are required to tackle such pandemics. Recently, reinforcement learning (RL) has proven its strengths to provide intelligent data reliability and availability. The action-state learning procedure of RL-based frameworks enables the learning system to enhance the optimal use of the information as the time passes and data increases. In this article, we propose an RL-based crowd-to-machine (RLC2M) framework for mH-IoT, which leverages crowdsourcing and an RL model (Q-learning) to address the health care information processing challenges. The simulation results show that the proposed framework rapidly converges with accumulated rewards to reveal the sensing environment situation.

An Efficient and Versatile Deep Eutectic Solvent-Mediated Green Method for the Synthesis of Functionalized Coumarins

Herein, we report a green and efficient synthetic route for the construction of diverse functionalized coumarins in good-to-excellent yields (60-98%) via the Pechmann condensation. The optimized synthetic route involves a biodegradable, reusable, and inexpensive deep eutectic solvent (DES) of choline chloride and l-(+)-tartaric acid in a ratio of 1:2 at 110 °C. Interestingly, phloroglucinol and ethyl acetoacetate, upon reaction, furnished the functionalized coumarin (20) in 98% yield within 10 min. On the other front, the same DES at relatively lower reaction temperature (90 °C) was found to provide the bis-coumarins in decent yields (81-97%) within 20-45 min. Moreover, this particular method was found to be quite effective for large-scale coumarin synthesis without noteworthy reduction in the yields of the desired products. Noticeably, in this versatile approach, the DES plays a dual role as solvent as well as catalyst, and it was effectively recycled and reused four times with no significant drop-down in the yield of the product.

A novel color image encryption scheme based on a new dynamic compound chaotic map and S-box

In modern technological era image encryption has become an attractive and interesting field for researchers. They work for improving the security of image data from unauthorized sources. Chaos theory, due to its randomness and unpredictable behaviors, is considered favorite for the purpose of image encryption. This paper proposes a diffusion based image encryption algorithm by using chaotic maps. Firstly a chaotic map (piecewise linear chaotic map) is used for the generation of S-box, then it is used for the pixel values modification to generate element of non-linearity. After this these modified values are further diffused with another random sequence, generated by tent logistic chaotic map. Finally the color components of pre-encrypted image are mixed with each other so that the developed randomness uniformly distributed in them. For image data we develop non-linearity and diffusion by using S-box and then more randomness is added in the pre-encrypted image with the help of Boolean operation XOR. The use of this combination of chaotic maps along with S-box and Boolean operation XOR is a different technique, that provides satisfactory results for security aspects and also works efficiently.

Third-order neutral differential equations of the mixed type: Oscillatory and asymptotic behavior

In this work, by using both the comparison technique with first-order differential inequalities and the Riccati transformation, we extend this development to a class of third-order neutral differential equations of the mixed type. We present new criteria for oscillation of all solutions, which improve and extend some existing ones in the literature. In addition, we provide an example to illustrate our results.

Recent developments in calix[4]pyrrole (C4P)-based supramolecular functional systems

Recent advances with calix[4]pyrrole-based supramolecular functional entities in the fields of molecular recognition (receptors, sensors, and metal ion caged systems), self-assembly (polymers), photo/pH-responsive molecular switches and catalysis are reviewed.

An expeditious and highly efficient synthesis of substituted pyrroles using a low melting deep eutectic mixture

An expeditious green method for the synthesis of diverse valued substituted pyrroles through a Paal-Knorr condensation reaction, using a variety of amines and 2,5-hexanedione/2,5-dimethoxytetrahydrofuran in the presence of a low melting mixture of N,N'-dimethylurea and L-(+)-tartaric acid (which acts as a dual catalyst/solvent system), has fruitfully been revealed. Herein, we have disclosed the applicability of this simple yet effective strategy for the generation of mono- and dipyrroles in good to excellent yields. Moreover, C₃-symmetric tripyrrolo-truxene derivatives have also been assembled by means of cyclotrimerization, Paal-Knorr and Clauson-Kaas reactions as crucial steps. Interestingly, the melting mixture was recovered and reused with only a gradual decrease in the catalytic activity (over four cycles) without any significant drop in the yield of the product. This particular methodology is simple, rapid, environmental friendly, and high yielding for the generation of a variety of pyrroles. To the best of our knowledge, the present work reveals the fastest greener method reported up to this date for the construction of substituted pyrroles by utilizing the Paal-Knorr synthetic protocol, achieving impressive yields under operationally simple reaction conditions without involving any precarious/dangerous catalysts or unsafe volatile organic solvents.