Methanolic and Aqueous Extracts of Corn Silk as Corrosion Inhibitor for Mild Steel in Hydrochloric Acid at Different Temperatures

This research work presents a study on the methanolic and aqueous extracts of corn silk for their corrosion inhibitive effect on mild steel in 0.5M HCl media at 303K, 313K and 323K using the weight loss method. Various concentrations of Corn Silk Methanolic Extract (CSME) and Corn Silk Aqueous Extract (CSAE) (0.1w/v, 0.2w/v, 0.3w/v, 0.4w/v and 0.5w/v) were prepared from the shadow-dried corn silk. Inhibition efficiency of 95.07%, 90.91%, 83.40%; and 79.43%, 72.55%, 66.30% was obtained respectively for CSME and CSAE at 303K, 313K and 323K for the highest concentration of extracts (0.5w/v). The Inhibition efficiency increased with increase in concentration of the extracts and decreased as temperature increased. The results obtained from both extracts were compared and it showed that the methanolic extract was a better inhibitor than the aqueous extract. From this present work, both extracts was shown to be most effective at 303K than at 313K and 323K. It was observed that both extracts inhibited the corrosion of mild steel in acidic media through physical adsorption by forming a barrier on the surface of the metal. Data obtained obeyed Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The Kinetic study of the process proposed a first order reaction type. The usefulness of a waste material as corrosion inhibitor is once more reported

Spatial and temporal (non)binding of audio-visual stimuli: effects on motor tracking and underlying neural sensory processing

Objectives: Compare the steady-state evoked potentials (SSEPs) of spatially or temporally congruent and incongruent audio-visual stimuli and evaluate how congruency affects the motion tracking of visual stimuli. Research question: Does spatial or temporal congruency of audio-visual stimuli affect motion tracking and evoke differential SSEPs? Methods: We use EEG frequency-tagging techniques to investigate the selective neural processing and integration of visual and auditory information in the tracking of a moving stimulus and how spatial and temporal (in)congruency between the two modalities modulate these sensory neural processes and synchronization performance.Participants were instructed to track a red dot flickering at 15 Hz that oscillated horizontally with a complex trajectory on a computer screen by moving their index finger. An auditory pure tone with continuous pitch modulation at 32 Hz was presented with lateralised amplitude modulations in left and right audio channels (panning) that were, in Experiment 1, either spatially congruent or incongruent (same direction vs. opposite direction vs. no panning), and in Experiment 2, either temporally congruent or incongruent (no delay vs. medium or large delay), with the oscillating visual stimulus. Results: Both experiments yielded significant EEG responses at the visual (15 Hz) and auditory (32 Hz) tagging frequencies. Further, in Experiment 1 participants had lower performance and larger amplitudes at the auditory frequency during no panning condition. No significant correlation between the two measures was found. In Experiment 2 no changes in the amplitude of the EEG responses or in performance were found. Conclusion: The movement synchronization performance and the neural processing of visual and auditory information were not influenced by phase congruency manipulation. For spatial congruency, the moving auditory stimuli led to better performance, irrespective of congruency, when compared to the non moving sound. Importantly, there were no significant responses at 17 and 47 Hz corresponding to the intermodulation frequencies of 15 and 32 Hz, suggesting an absence of global integration of visual and auditory information. These results encourage further exploration of the conditions that may result in the selective processing of visual and auditory information and their integration in the motor tracking of moving environmental objects

The effect of the menstrual cycle on physical characteristics (speed, strength, and endurance) in women in Saudi Arabia

The increasing participation of women in sports has raised interest in understanding how the menstrual cycle, specifically estrogen, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH), affects athletic performance. These hormones fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, which is divided into the early follicular phase, ovulatory period, and mid-luteal phase, each with distinct hormonal profiles. While estrogen is believed to have an anabolic effect on skeletal muscle and influence substrate metabolism, progesterone may have an antiestrogenic effect, potentially affecting physical performance. However, research on the impact of these hormone fluctuations on performance yields contradictory results. Some studies report improved performance during various menstrual cycle phases, while others find no significant differences. Additionally, the effects of oral contraceptives (OCPs) on muscle strength and function remain unclear. Menopause, characterized by a decline in skeletal muscle mass and bone density, is associated with reduced physical performance in women. More research is needed to understand the effects of estrogen and progesterone fluctuations on physical performance in women, emphasizing the importance of gender-specific research and guidelines for optimizing athletic performance.

Seasonality of submesoscale flows in the ocean surface boundary layer

A signature of submesoscale flows in the upper ocean is skewness in the distribution of relative vorticity. Expected to result for high Rossby-number flows, such skewness has implications for mixing, dissipation and stratification within the upper ocean. An array of moorings deployed in the Northeast Atlantic for one year as part of the OSMOSIS experiment reveals that relative vorticity is positively skewed during winter even though the scale of the Rossby number is less than 0.5. Furthermore, this skewness is reduced to zero during spring and autumn. There is also evidence of modest seasonal variations in the gradient Rossby number. The proposed mechanism by which relative vorticity is skewed is that the ratio of lateral to vertical buoyancy gradients, as summarized by the inverse gradient Richardson number, restricts its range during winter but less so at other times of the year. These results support recent observations and model simulations suggesting the upper ocean is host to a seasonal cycle in submesoscale turbulence

CMV-Responsive CD4 T Cells Have a Stable Cytotoxic Phenotype Over the First Year Post-Transplant in Patients Without Evidence of CMV Viremia

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a known cause of morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant recipients. While primary infection is controlled by a healthy immune system, CMV is never eradicated due to viral latency and periodic reactivation. Transplantation and associated therapies hinder immune surveillance of CMV. CD4 T cells are an important part of control of CMV reactivation. We therefore investigated how CMV impacts differentiation, functionality, and expansion of protective CD4 T cells from recipients of heart or kidney transplant in the fi rst year post-transplant without evidence of CMV viremia. We analyzed longitudinal peripheral blood samples by flow cytometry and targeted single cell RNA sequencing coupled to T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing. At the time of transplant, CD4 T cells from CMV seropositive transplant recipients had a higher degree of immune aging than the seronegative recipients. The phenotype of CD4 T cells was stable over time. CMV-responsive CD4 T cells in our transplant cohort included a large proportion with cytotoxic potential. We used sequence analysis of TCR ab to identify clonal expansion and found that clonally expanded CMV-responsive CD4 T cells were of a predominantly aged cytotoxic phenotype. Overall, our analyses suggest that the CD4 response to CMV is dominated by cytotoxicity and not impacted by transplantation in the first year. Our findings indicate that CMV-responsive CD4 T cells are homeostatically stable in the first year after transplantation and identify subpopulations relevant to study the role of this CD4 T cell population in post-transplant health

21st century research in urban WASH and health in sub-Saharan Africa: methods and outcomes in transition

Tackling global inequalities in access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) remains an urgent issue - 58% of annual diarrhoeal deaths are caused by inadequate WASH provision. A global context of increasing urbanisation, changing demographics and health transitions demands an understanding and impact of WASH on a broad set of health outcomes. We examine the literature, in terms of health outcomes, considering WASH access and interventions in urban sub-Saharan Africa from 2000 to 2017. Our review of studies which evaluate the effectiveness of specific WASH interventions, reveals an emphasis of WASH research on acute communicable diseases, particularly diarrhoeal diseases. In contrast, chronic communicable and non-communicable health outcomes were notable gaps in the literature as well as a lack of focus on cross-cutting issues, such as ageing, well-being and gender equality. We recommend a broader focus of WASH research and interventions in urban Africa to better reflect the demographic and health transitions happening. Abbreviations: CBA: Controlled Before and After; GSD: Government Service Delivery; IWDSSD: International Drinking-Water, Supply and Sanitation Decade (IDWSSD); KAP: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices; IBD: Irritable Bowel Diseases; MDG: Millennium Development Goals; NTD: Neglected Tropical Diseases; PSSD: Private Sector Service Delivery; SDG: Sustainable Development Goals; SSA: Sub Saharan Africa; SODIS: Solar Disinfection System; STH: Soil Transmitted Helminths; RCT: Randomised Control Trial; WASH: Water Sanitation and Hygiene; WHO: World Health Organization

Development of HDAC Inhibitors Exhibiting Therapeutic Potential in T-Cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia

Epigenetic targeting has emerged as an efficacious therapy for hematological cancers. The rare and incurable T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) is known for its aggressive clinical course. Current epigenetic agents such as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are increasingly used for targeted therapy. Through a structure-activity relationship (SAR) study, we developed an HDAC6 inhibitor KT-531, which exhibited higher potency in T-PLL compared to other hematological cancers. KT-531 displayed strong HDAC6 inhibitory potency and selectivity, on-target biological activity, and a safe therapeutic window in nontransformed cell lines. In primary T-PLL patient cells, where HDAC6 was found to be overexpressed, KT-531 exhibited strong biological responses, and safety in healthy donor samples. Notably, combination studies in T-PLL patient samples demonstrated KT-531 synergizes with approved cancer drugs, bendamustine, idasanutlin, and venetoclax. Our work suggests HDAC inhibition in T-PLL could afford sufficient therapeutic windows to achieve durable remission either as standalone or in combination with targeted drugs.Peer reviewe

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London