In-silico structural modelling of cytochrome complex proteins of white turmeric (Curcuma zedoaria)

Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe (white turmeric) is a perennial herbaceous plant of family Zingiberaceae and mainly found in the wild areas of tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The cytochrome proteins in plants play important roles in promoting their growth and development, as well as protecting them from stresses and diseases. Cytochrome proteins like psbF, psbE, petB, petD, petN, petG, and ccsA play important roles in degradation of mis-folded proteins, ATP formation, cyclic electron flow and biogenesis of c-type cytochrome of C. zedoaria. However, due to lack of structural availability of these C. zedoaria cytochrome proteins in structural databases, the physiochemical parameters of sequences were estimated using Expasy ProtParam web tool. Self-Optimized Prediction Method with Alignment (SOPMA) server and MODELLER version 9.23 were used for modelling along with Qualitative Model Energy Analysis (QMEAN) and Protein Structure Analysis (ProSA) servers were implemented for validating the secondary and tertiary structures of these proteins. The obtained QMEAN4 values of the modelled cytochrome proteins were -2.04, -1.20, -3.01, -1.57, -2.11, -1.74 and -12.87. The Z-scores obtained from ProSA server were 0.5, -0.83, -1.5, -0.58, -0.02, 0.14 and -3.73. All seven modelled structures have been submitted to protein model database (PMDB). The derived results will be helpful in further investigations towards determining the crystal structure of the hypothetical proteins, structural motifs, physiochemical properties, and also protein-protein interaction studies of various cytochrome proteins

Global burden of 288 causes of death and life expectancy decomposition in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BACKGROUND Regular, detailed reporting on population health by underlying cause of death is fundamental for public health decision making. Cause-specific estimates of mortality and the subsequent effects on life expectancy worldwide are valuable metrics to gauge progress in reducing mortality rates. These estimates are particularly important following large-scale mortality spikes, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. When systematically analysed, mortality rates and life expectancy allow comparisons of the consequences of causes of death globally and over time, providing a nuanced understanding of the effect of these causes on global populations. METHODS The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 cause-of-death analysis estimated mortality and years of life lost (YLLs) from 288 causes of death by age-sex-location-year in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations for each year from 1990 until 2021. The analysis used 56 604 data sources, including data from vital registration and verbal autopsy as well as surveys, censuses, surveillance systems, and cancer registries, among others. As with previous GBD rounds, cause-specific death rates for most causes were estimated using the Cause of Death Ensemble model-a modelling tool developed for GBD to assess the out-of-sample predictive validity of different statistical models and covariate permutations and combine those results to produce cause-specific mortality estimates-with alternative strategies adapted to model causes with insufficient data, substantial changes in reporting over the study period, or unusual epidemiology. YLLs were computed as the product of the number of deaths for each cause-age-sex-location-year and the standard life expectancy at each age. As part of the modelling process, uncertainty intervals (UIs) were generated using the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles from a 1000-draw distribution for each metric. We decomposed life expectancy by cause of death, location, and year to show cause-specific effects on life expectancy from 1990 to 2021. We also used the coefficient of variation and the fraction of population affected by 90% of deaths to highlight concentrations of mortality. Findings are reported in counts and age-standardised rates. Methodological improvements for cause-of-death estimates in GBD 2021 include the expansion of under-5-years age group to include four new age groups, enhanced methods to account for stochastic variation of sparse data, and the inclusion of COVID-19 and other pandemic-related mortality-which includes excess mortality associated with the pandemic, excluding COVID-19, lower respiratory infections, measles, malaria, and pertussis. For this analysis, 199 new country-years of vital registration cause-of-death data, 5 country-years of surveillance data, 21 country-years of verbal autopsy data, and 94 country-years of other data types were added to those used in previous GBD rounds. FINDINGS The leading causes of age-standardised deaths globally were the same in 2019 as they were in 1990; in descending order, these were, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lower respiratory infections. In 2021, however, COVID-19 replaced stroke as the second-leading age-standardised cause of death, with 94·0 deaths (95% UI 89·2-100·0) per 100 000 population. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the rankings of the leading five causes, lowering stroke to the third-leading and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to the fourth-leading position. In 2021, the highest age-standardised death rates from COVID-19 occurred in sub-Saharan Africa (271·0 deaths [250·1-290·7] per 100 000 population) and Latin America and the Caribbean (195·4 deaths [182·1-211·4] per 100 000 population). The lowest age-standardised death rates from COVID-19 were in the high-income super-region (48·1 deaths [47·4-48·8] per 100 000 population) and southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania (23·2 deaths [16·3-37·2] per 100 000 population). Globally, life expectancy steadily improved between 1990 and 2019 for 18 of the 22 investigated causes. Decomposition of global and regional life expectancy showed the positive effect that reductions in deaths from enteric infections, lower respiratory infections, stroke, and neonatal deaths, among others have contributed to improved survival over the study period. However, a net reduction of 1·6 years occurred in global life expectancy between 2019 and 2021, primarily due to increased death rates from COVID-19 and other pandemic-related mortality. Life expectancy was highly variable between super-regions over the study period, with southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania gaining 8·3 years (6·7-9·9) overall, while having the smallest reduction in life expectancy due to COVID-19 (0·4 years). The largest reduction in life expectancy due to COVID-19 occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean (3·6 years). Additionally, 53 of the 288 causes of death were highly concentrated in locations with less than 50% of the global population as of 2021, and these causes of death became progressively more concentrated since 1990, when only 44 causes showed this pattern. The concentration phenomenon is discussed heuristically with respect to enteric and lower respiratory infections, malaria, HIV/AIDS, neonatal disorders, tuberculosis, and measles. INTERPRETATION Long-standing gains in life expectancy and reductions in many of the leading causes of death have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the adverse effects of which were spread unevenly among populations. Despite the pandemic, there has been continued progress in combatting several notable causes of death, leading to improved global life expectancy over the study period. Each of the seven GBD super-regions showed an overall improvement from 1990 and 2021, obscuring the negative effect in the years of the pandemic. Additionally, our findings regarding regional variation in causes of death driving increases in life expectancy hold clear policy utility. Analyses of shifting mortality trends reveal that several causes, once widespread globally, are now increasingly concentrated geographically. These changes in mortality concentration, alongside further investigation of changing risks, interventions, and relevant policy, present an important opportunity to deepen our understanding of mortality-reduction strategies. Examining patterns in mortality concentration might reveal areas where successful public health interventions have been implemented. Translating these successes to locations where certain causes of death remain entrenched can inform policies that work to improve life expectancy for people everywhere. FUNDING Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

A novel modified differential evolution algorithm optimized fuzzy proportional integral derivative controller for load frequency control with thyristor controlled series compensator

In this paper, a novel evolution (MDE) algorithm optimized fuzzy PID controller is proposed for load frequency control (LFC) of interconnected power system with the consideration of nonlinearity. The gains of the fuzzy PID controller are optimized using different strategies of DE algorithm. Then, modification in DE algorithm is proposed for the best strategy by a simple but effective scheme of changing two of its most important control parameters (step size and crossover probability) with an objective of achieving improved performance. Additionally, a thyristor controlled series compensator (TCSC) model is developed which is suitable for LFC problem. The performance of fuzzy PID controller coordinated with TCSC has been investigated. Finally the proposed approach is investigated under randomly load. Keywords: Load frequency control (LFC), Generation rate constraint (GRC), Fuzzy logic controller (FLC), Differential evolution (DE) algorithm, Thyristor controlled series compensator (TCSC

Efficacy of intravenous dexamethasone to reduce incidence of postoperative sore throat: A prospective randomized controlled trial

Background: Sore throat and hoarseness are common complications of endotracheal intubation. It may be very distressing for the patient and may lead to sleep disturbances and unpleasant memories. Materials and Methods: This prospective double-blinded randomized control trial was aimed to determine the efficacy of prophylactic intravenous dexamethasone to reduce the incidence of postoperative sore throat at 1 hour after tracheal extubation. Ninety six patients of either sex aged between 18 to 60 years scheduled for elective surgeries needing general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation, were randomly allocated into two groups A and B. The patients received either intravenous 0.2 mg/kg dexamethasone (group A, n = 48) or normal saline (group B, n = 47) just before induction. Trachea was intubated with appropriate size disposable endotracheal tubes for securing the airway. Follow up for the incidence of sore throat, cough and hoarseness was done at 1, 6 and 24 hours post-extubation. Results: At 1 hour post-extubation, the incidence of sore throat in the control group was 48.9% compared with 18.8% in the dexamethasone group (P<0.002). Conclusions: Prophylactic intravenous dexamethasone in a dose of 0.2 mg/kg can reduce the incidence of postoperative sore throat at 1 hour post-extubation by around 30%, with the efficacy being around 60%

GENETIC POLYMORPHISM OF PROLIFIC GENES IN GOAT - A BRIEF REVIEW

Animal geneticists’ unvarying endeavor to maximize profit from livestock can be achieved by improving the genetic potential using appropriate selection methods. Genetic selection is an important tool for gaining maximum benefit from livestock. The improved reproductive efficiency and increased fertility rate of animal will ultimately pave the way for economic benefit of farmers. However, improvement of reproductive traits through selection is usually difficult to accomplish due to low heritability of traits. Therefore, immense efforts are being made to search some of major genes that would influence fecundity of animal. In this present context we focus on various SNPs of prolific genes associated with prolificacy in goat

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Not AvailableThe present study was conducted to assess the effect of oxytetracycline hydrochlo-ride (OTC) in rohu, Labeorohita, with graded doses viz., 80 (1×), 240 (3×), 400 (5×) and 800 (10×) mg kg−1 fish biomass day−1 respectively through feed. Four hundred and fifty healthy rohu juveniles (20 ± 0.12 g) were fed for 30 days followed by 10 days of withdrawal period. Each 10 days intervals, five fish were randomly sampled for blood, serum and tissue for estimation of growth, non-specific immune parameters, enzy-matic activities and retention of OTC in muscle tissue. The results showed that there was no significant difference (p > .05) on growth in the treated fish compared with the control. Respiratory burst activity, myeloperoxidase activity, bacterial haemag-glutination and haemolysis activities were enhanced significantly (p < .05) on 10th and 20th day in the fish fed with 80 and 240 mg kg−1 biomass day−1 respectively during the feeding trial compared with the control. Lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phos-phatase activity increased significantly (p < .05) in the fish fed with 400 and 800 mg kg−1 biomass day−1 respectively compared with the control. Liquid chromatography– mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry study of muscle tissue reveals that OTC was retained in muscle tissue in a dose dependent manner and significantly (p < .05) low-est level (0.44 ± 0.03 ppb) was observed on 40th day in the treated fish fed with 80 mg kg−1 biomass day−1. Hence, 80 mg kg−1 fish biomass day−1 of OTC may be adhered in L. rohita for treating the fish through feed with 10 days of withdrawal period.Not Availabl

Internal jugular vein: peripheral vein adrenocorticotropic hormone ratio in patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone-dependent Cushing′s syndrome: ratio calculated from one adrenocorticotropic hormone sample each from right and left internal jugular vein during corticotrophin releasing hormone stimulation test

Background: Demonstration of central: Peripheral Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) gradient is important for diagnosis of Cushing's disease. Aim: The aim was to assess the utility of Internal Jugular Vein (IJV): Peripheral vein ACTH ratio for diagnosis of Cushing's disease. Materials and Methods: Patients with ACTH-dependent Cushing's Syndrome (CS) patients were the subjects for this study. One blood sample each was collected from right and left IJV following intravenous hCRH at 3 and 5 min, respectively. A simultaneous peripheral vein sample was also collected with each IJV sample for calculation of IJV: Peripheral vein ACTH ratio. IJV sample collection was done under ultrasound guidance. ACTH was assayed using Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA). Results: Thirty-two patients participated in this study. The IJV: Peripheral vein ACTH ratio ranged from 1.07 to 6.99 (n = 32). It was more than 1.6 in 23 patients. Cushing's disease could be confirmed in 20 of the 23 cases with IJV: Peripheral vein ratio more than 1.6. Four patients with Cushing's disease and 2 patients with ectopic ACTH syndrome had IJV: Peripheral vein ACTH ratio less than 1.6. Six cases with unknown ACTH source were excluded for calculation of sensitivity and specificity of the test. Conclusion: IJV: Peripheral vein ACTH ratio calculated from a single sample from each IJV obtained after hCRH had 83% sensitivity and 100% specificity for diagnosis of CD