Mythical Reverence and Rational Reasoning Towards Nature: A discussion

The ancient art of storytelling is flavoured with numerous myths. Literature reflects this in various forms of writing. One can find numerous myths in association with religion and culture. Primitive men worshipped nature, as it seemed to be superior to human power. They looked at the environment in awe. And myths prevailed on nature in the ancient era. Later on, men raised questions against these myths based on scientific arguments. They found that these myths were laid to preserve nature. Humans need a healthy environment to live a healthy life. Thus it is mandatory for them to safeguard it. With time humans started disregarding these myths saying that science is more important. Thus the reverence towards nature is also neglected which leads to disrespect and carelessness towards the environment. The present paper focuses on the myths prevalent in Southern India with particular reference to Tamil literature and also points out the mythical reason behind preserving nature. It explores how the human race failed to safeguard nature by neglecting the ancient myths. It attempts to prove that science is there to restore the environment and not to degrade

Taxi Ride Based on Voice Alert System

Previous applications are not well efficient as they provide voice alerts only for the tagged locations whereas in this application voice alerts are given for any location to the user, in terms of time and distance. It would be useful even when we are out of home language/place. It is an integration of Google Maps and voice Alert. In this application, once the cab is booked it gives voice alert to the user about its current location and time it would reach the user\u27s location. This application also allows the user to know about the required nearby locations. The user can also pin any new landmark for their personal USAge into Google maps

Absorption Spectroscopic Studies of Chip-scale Rubidium Atomic Vapour Cells in a Compact 3D Printed Magneto-Optic Package

This paper describes the design, development and spectroscopic studies of chip-scale Rb atomic vapour cell developed in the authors’ laboratory. A compact magneto-optic package for the chip-scale Rb cell comprising of TEC integrated VCSEL source, silicon p-i-n photo detector and a hemispherical lens for light collimation is reported. The package is manufactured using commercial 3D printing technology. A PC based data acquisition system has been developed to provide real time analysis of the captured spectral data of the Rb chip by laser interrogation of the D1 hyperfine transition. Doppler broadened absorption resonance lines of technological importance have been recorded for transitions 85Rb(2S1/2 F=2→2P1/2 F′ =2,3) having absorption amplitude 1.24 V and FWHM 850 MHz and 87Rb(2S1/2 F=2 →2P1/2 F′ =1,2) has absorption amplitude 0.47 V and FWHM 567 MHz at cell temperature of 70 oC . Further, the chip-scale Rb atomic cell in the magneto-optical package will be explored to develop atomic sensors for space applications

Unbiased Metagenomic Sequencing for Pediatric Meningitis in Bangladesh Reveals Neuroinvasive Chikungunya Virus Outbreak and Other Unrealized Pathogens.

The burden of meningitis in low-and-middle-income countries remains significant, but the infectious causes remain largely unknown, impeding institution of evidence-based treatment and prevention decisions. We conducted a validation and application study of unbiased metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to elucidate etiologies of meningitis in Bangladesh. This RNA mNGS study was performed on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from patients admitted in the largest pediatric hospital, a World Health Organization sentinel site, with known neurologic infections (n = 36), with idiopathic meningitis (n = 25), and with no infection (n = 30), and six environmental samples, collected between 2012 and 2018. We used the IDseq bioinformatics pipeline and machine learning to identify potentially pathogenic microbes, which we then confirmed orthogonally and followed up through phone/home visits. In samples with known etiology and without infections, there was 83% concordance between mNGS and conventional testing. In idiopathic cases, mNGS identified a potential bacterial or viral etiology in 40%. There were three instances of neuroinvasive Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), whose genomes were >99% identical to each other and to a Bangladeshi strain only previously recognized to cause febrile illness in 2017. CHIKV-specific qPCR of all remaining stored CSF samples from children who presented with idiopathic meningitis in 2017 (n = 472) revealed 17 additional CHIKV meningitis cases, exposing an unrecognized meningitis outbreak. Orthogonal molecular confirmation, case-based clinical data, and patient follow-up substantiated the findings. Case-control CSF mNGS surveys can complement conventional diagnostic methods to identify etiologies of meningitis, conduct surveillance, and predict outbreaks. The improved patient- and population-level data can inform evidence-based policy decisions.IMPORTANCE Globally, there are an estimated 10.6 million cases of meningitis and 288,000 deaths every year, with the vast majority occurring in low- and middle-income countries. In addition, many survivors suffer from long-term neurological sequelae. Most laboratories assay only for common bacterial etiologies using culture and directed PCR, and the majority of meningitis cases lack microbiological diagnoses, impeding institution of evidence-based treatment and prevention strategies. We report here the results of a validation and application study of using unbiased metagenomic sequencing to determine etiologies of idiopathic (of unknown cause) cases. This included CSF from patients with known neurologic infections, with idiopathic meningitis, and without infection admitted in the largest children's hospital of Bangladesh and environmental samples. Using mNGS and machine learning, we identified and confirmed an etiology (viral or bacterial) in 40% of idiopathic cases. We detected three instances of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) that were >99% identical to each other and to a strain previously recognized to cause systemic illness only in 2017. CHIKV qPCR of all remaining stored 472 CSF samples from children who presented with idiopathic meningitis in 2017 at the same hospital uncovered an unrecognized CHIKV meningitis outbreak. CSF mNGS can complement conventional diagnostic methods to identify etiologies of meningitis, and the improved patient- and population-level data can inform better policy decisions

Pan-viral serology implicates enteroviruses in acute flaccid myelitis.

Since 2012, the United States of America has experienced a biennial spike in pediatric acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)1-6. Epidemiologic evidence suggests non-polio enteroviruses (EVs) are a potential etiology, yet EV RNA is rarely detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)2. CSF from children with AFM (n = 42) and other pediatric neurologic disease controls (n = 58) were investigated for intrathecal antiviral antibodies, using a phage display library expressing 481,966 overlapping peptides derived from all known vertebrate and arboviruses (VirScan). Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of AFM CSF RNA (n = 20 cases) was also performed, both unbiased sequencing and with targeted enrichment for EVs. Using VirScan, the viral family significantly enriched by the CSF of AFM cases relative to controls was Picornaviridae, with the most enriched Picornaviridae peptides belonging to the genus Enterovirus (n = 29/42 cases versus 4/58 controls). EV VP1 ELISA confirmed this finding (n = 22/26 cases versus 7/50 controls). mNGS did not detect additional EV RNA. Despite rare detection of EV RNA, pan-viral serology frequently identified high levels of CSF EV-specific antibodies in AFM compared with controls, providing further evidence for a causal role of non-polio EVs in AFM

A critical review on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/zinc oxide (ZnO) based piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators

In the recent era of energy crisis, piezoelectric and triboelectric effects are surfacing out of several research topics. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and its copolymers are well known piezoelectric polymers due to their high piezoelectricity and widely used in flexible devices. PVDF is greatly utilized in preparation of triboelectric layer also due to its higher electronegative nature amongst common polymers. On the other hand, zinc oxide (ZnO) has been studied widely to investigate its multifunctional properties including piezoelectricity, pyroelectricity and antibacterial activity. This versatile material can be prepared, using low cost and environmental friendly routes, in various morphologies. Various research is already performed to capture the synergistic effect of reinforcing ZnO within PVDF polymeric matrix. This work firstly describes the basic principles of piezoelectric and triboelectric effects. Thereafter, piezoelectric and triboelectric performances of PVDF and ZnO based materials are briefly depicted based on their structures. Finally, challenges and future scopes, associated with the mechanical energy harvesting from such materials, are highlighted

Genomic and serologic characterization of enterovirus A71 brainstem encephalitis

OBJECTIVE: In 2016, Catalonia experienced a pediatric brainstem encephalitis outbreak caused by enterovirus A71 (EV-A71). Conventional testing identified EV in the periphery but rarely in CSF. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and CSF pan-viral serology (VirScan) were deployed to enhance viral detection and characterization. METHODS: RNA was extracted from the CSF (n = 20), plasma (n = 9), stool (n = 15), and nasopharyngeal samples (n = 16) from 10 children with brainstem encephalitis and 10 children with meningitis or encephalitis. Pathogens were identified using mNGS. Available CSF from cases (n = 12) and pediatric other neurologic disease controls (n = 54) were analyzed with VirScan with a subset (n = 9 and n = 50) validated by ELISA. RESULTS: mNGS detected EV in all samples positive by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) (n = 25). In qRT-PCR-negative samples (n = 35), mNGS found virus in 23% (n = 8, 3 CSF samples). Overall, mNGS enhanced EV detection from 42% (25/60) to 57% (33/60) (p-value = 0.013). VirScan and ELISA increased detection to 92% (11/12) compared with 46% (4/12) for CSF mNGS and qRT-PCR (p-value = 0.023). Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the EV-A71 strain clustered with a neurovirulent German EV-A71. A single amino acid substitution (S241P) in the EVA71 VP1 protein was exclusive to the CNS in one subject. CONCLUSION: mNGS with VirScan significantly increased the CNS detection of EVs relative to qRT-PCR, and the latter generated an antigenic profile of the acute EV-A71 immune response. Genomic analysis confirmed the close relation of the outbreak EV-A71 and neuroinvasive German EV-A71. A S241P substitution in VP1 was found exclusively in the CSF.Grants supporting this project include the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the American Academy of Neurology award FAN-1608-25607 (R.D.S.), Clinical Research Training Scholarship P0534134 (P.S.R.), Sandler and William K. Bowes Jr Foundations (M.R.W., J.L.D., L.M.K., H.A.S., K.C.Z.), Rachleff Family Foundation (M.R.W.), and NINDS of the NIH under award K08NS096117 (M.R.W.) and F31NS113432 (K.E.L.). This study was partially supported by a grant from the Spanish National Health Institute [grant number PI15CIII-00020] and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER funds). UCSF Biomedical Sciences Program (I.A.H., K.E.L.), UCSF Medical Scientist Training Program (K.E.L.), and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub (J.E.P., W.W., C.K.C., J.L.D., E.D.C.) also supported this project.S

Wild Type and Gain of Function Mutant TP53 can Regulate the Sensitivity of Pancreatic Cancer Cells to Chemotherapeutic Drugs, EGFR/Ras/Raf/MEK, and PI3K/mTORC1/GSK-3 Pathway Inhibitors, Nutraceuticals and Alter Metabolic Properties

TP53 is a master regulator of many signaling and apoptotic pathways involved in: aging, cell cycle progression, metastasis, and metabolism. Most pancreatic cancers are classified as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC). The tumor suppressor gene TP53 is mutated frequently (50-75%) in PDAC. Different types of TP53 mutations have been observed including gain of function (GOF) point mutations and various deletions of the TP53 gene resulting in lack of the protein expression. Most PDACs have point mutations at the KRAS gene which result in constitutive activation of KRas and multiple downstream signaling pathways. It has been difficult to develop specific KRas inhibitors and/or methods that result in recovery of functional TP53 activity. To further elucidate the roles of TP53 in drug-resistance of pancreatic cancer cells, we introduced wild-type (WT) TP53 or a control vector into two different PDAC cell lines. Introduction of WT-TP53 increased the sensitivity of the cells to multiple chemotherapeutic drugs, signal transduction inhibitors, drugs and nutraceuticals and influenced key metabolic properties of the cells. Therefore, TP53 is a key molecule which is critical in drug sensitivity and metabolism of PDAC