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A review on the immunomodulatory properties of functional nutraceuticals as dietary interventions for children to combat COVID-19 related infections
COVID-19 is a significant threat to humanity in the present day due to the rapid increase in the number of infections worldwide. While most children may be spared of the direct mortality effects of the disease, those with weak immune systems are prone to adverse effects. Child mortality increases due to the stress caused to the health care system that disrupts essential health care needs such as immunisation and antenatal care. The use of functional foods (FF) aids in disease-prevention as they are known to have protective effects against COVID-19 by boosting childrens cellular and humoral immunity. Plant components such as glycyrrhizin, epigallocatechin gallate, allicin, and fucoidan exhibit antiviral properties against various viruses, including SARS-CoV 2. Microbial foods that are made of probiotics, can enhance immunity against various respiratory viruses. Food enriched with additives such as lactoferrin, piperine, and zinc can boost immunity against COVID-19. With proper definitive drug therapy not available for treating COVID-19 and most of the disease management tools rely on symptoms and non-specific supportive care, developing a functional paediatric formulation will prevent further deterioration in infant health. It is wise to investigate the toxicological aspects of Functional Foods components especially when formulating for children. The safe limits of ingredients should be strictly followed during FFs formulation. Stronger regulations with advanced analytical techniques can help to formulate functional foods into the mainstream in child nutraceuticals. The purpose of this review is to compile collective information on the functional nutraceuticals specifically for infants and children up to the age of 10 years that could confer immunity against COVID-19 and other related viruses. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. 2023, The Author(s). -
A Revitalising Approach towards Aging: Unveiling the Potential Use of Probiotics for Wellness in Elderly Populations
Probiotics have emerged as a potential alternative for treating various diseases affecting general population. Mounting data suggests that probiotics can be beneficial for older individuals, who often have weakened immune systems and are more susceptible to illnesses. Dysbiosis commonly occurs in elderly individuals, which is implicated as a major reason for various diseases. The effectiveness of probiotics is influenced by the specific strain and the dosage administered. Extensive studies have shown how probiotics affect prevalent issues, such as functional bowel diseases and other gastrointestinal disorders. Probiotics exert their effects by synthesizing different microbial peptides, such as bacteriocins, antibiotics, lipopolysaccharides, short-chain fatty acids, butyric acid, propionic acid and other specific secretory metabolites. The common probiotics that are found to benefit the health of elderly populations include Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bacillus subtilis, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium breve Further research is necessary to delve into the mechanism of action for both existing and novel probiotic strains for use in combating or aiding in diseases. Genetically, modified probiotics can be potentially used in the future to deliver immunity-restoring genes and as oral mode of vaccination in humans. Fecal microbiota transplantation has been gaining interest, used to restore gut conditions, and has also been linked to alleviating neurodegenerative diseases. The focus of this review was to present the available evidence on the immunomodulatory effects of probiotics in the elderly population; aiming to gain a better understanding of their mechanism of action and to assess the progress made in utilizing probiotics as therapeutic interventions. 2023 JHSMR. Hosted by Prince of Songkla University. All rights reserved. -
A road map on nanostructured surface tuning strategies of carbon fiber paper electrode: Enhanced electrocatalytic applications
Impressive characteristics of carbon fiber paper (CFP) electrodes propound greater demand in electrochemical applications. CFP has a network structure composed of interwoven carbon fibers (CFs). The macroporous structure, chemical inertness, high conductivity, low cost, corrosion resistance, good electrical properties, mechanical strength, and self-standing capabilities have led to the large-scale acceptance of CFP. This review appraises the current progress of CFP based electrodes for electrocatalytic applications in the field of electrochemical sensors, electrochemical capacitors, batteries, electro Fenton oxidation, electrooxidation of alcohols, water splitting, hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) together with the different fabrication strategies on the CFP substrate in an organized manner. The different modifiers used for surface tuning of CFP addressed in this review are the conducting polymers, carbon-based nanomaterials, transition metal dichalcogenides/phosphides/carbides, and nanostructured metal oxides. 2022 Vietnam National University, Hanoi -
A road map on synthetic strategies and applications of biodegradable polymers
Biodegradable polymers have emerged as fascinating materials due to their non-toxicity, environmentally benign nature and good mechanical strength. The toxic effects of non-biodegradable plastics paved way for the development of sustainable and biodegradable polymers. The engineering of biodegradable polymers employing various strategies like radical ring opening polymerization, enzymatic ring opening polymerization, anionic ring opening polymerization, photo-initiated radical polymerization, chemoenzymatic method, enzymatic polymerization, ring opening polymerization and coordinative ring opening polymerization have been discussed in this review. The application of biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles in the biomedical field and cosmetic industry is considered to be an emerging field of interest. However, this review mainly highlights the applications of selected biodegradable polymers like polylactic acid, poly(?-caprolactone), polyethylene glycol, polyhydroxyalkanoates, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) and polytrimethyl carbonate in various fields like agriculture, biomedical, biosensing, food packaging, automobiles, wastewater treatment, textile and hygiene, cosmetics and electronic devices. 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. -
A Scoping Review on the Factors Affecting the Adoption of Robo-advisors for Financial Decision-Making
Robo-advisors have recently gained popularity as an algorithm-based method of simplifying financial management. The present study explores the factors that lead many potential consumers to use Robo-advisors in financial decisions. Adopting a scoping review approach formulated by Arksey and O'Malley, the study examines the factors affecting the acceptance and usage of financial Robo-advisors in different parts of the world. The results suggest that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, trust in technology, financial knowledge, investing experience, cost-effectiveness, facilitating conditions, and intrinsic motivation are positively related to adopting Robo-advisors. On the contrary, anxiety, risk perception, investor age, data security, and behavioral biases negatively influence the investor attitude toward Robo-advisors. This creates a barrier to the diffusion of financial Robo-advisors among the investors. The study concludes by providing recommendations to service providers, policymakers, and marketers for the speedy distribution and acceptance of algorithms for the public's financial decision-making. The study identifies gaps in the existing literature and suggests areas for future research for aspiring academics. 2024 University of Pardubice. All rights reserved. -
A Short Review on Recent Applications of Chitosan Biopolymer in Gene and Drug Delivery
The battle of the human race with genetic disorders was prevailing from the time immemorial. Revolutions and modernizations in science and technology have clearly improved our understanding regarding the molecular basis of genetic disorders thereby aiding in designing new therapeutic interventions in their treatment and prevention. With the advent and development of gene therapy in the last few decades, promising windows were opened for treatment and prevention of genetic disorders and cancer. Despite of its remarkable significance in medicine, the common practice of using viral vectors as gene delivery agents has created controversies and concerns among the scientific community. This made the research focus on biobased polymers as alternative non-viral vector systems for gene and drug delivery for treating genetic disorders and cancer. Chitosan is a cationic polymer that can be easily tailored to serve as gene and drug delivery due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Their structural integrity and stability have made them widely used for various applications in the biomedical field. Chitosan and its derivatives have gained more attention as vectors for gene delivery and cancer therapy in the past decade. The amenability of structural modification, non-toxicity and high biodegradability of chitosan derivatives can make them prospective carriers for controlled drug delivery in future. 2022 Chemical Publishing Co.. All rights reserved. -
A study on the impact of brand preference and furniture on consumer preference of coffee houses
The food and beverage industry in India is developing at a rapid pace. These changes need to be met by the various sectors and runners in the business to be able to satisfy their customers. This statement applies most importantly for the coffee house industry, as today consumers are looking to use these spaces for different purposes. The study revolves around the coffee houses in Bangalore, India. The social aspects of the food and beverage industry, inclined towards coffee houses will be studied with various elements. It aims at studying the impact of elements including music, brand preference, taste preference, furniture, lighting and crown, on consumer preference to visit a coffee house. A total of 371 responses were collected, which included corporate and students residing in Bangalore. 2019 by Advance Scientific Research. -
A survey of the studies on Gallai and anti-Gallai graphs
The Gallai graph and the anti-Gallai graph of a graph G are edge disjoint spanning subgraphs of the line graph L(G). The vertices in the Gallai graph are adjacent if two of the end vertices of the corresponding edges in G coincide and the other two end vertices are nonadjacent in G. The anti-Gallai graph of G is the complement of its Gallai graph in L(G). Attributed to Gallai (1967), the study of these graphs got prominence with the work of Sun (1991) and Le (1996). This is a survey of the studies conducted so far on Gallai and anti-Gallai of graphs and their associated properties. 2021 Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University. -
A Survey on P4 Challenges in Software Defined Networks: P4 Programming
Software Defined Networking (SDN) has been a prominent technology in the last decade that increases networking programmability. The SDN philosophy decouples the application, control, and data plane to increase the network programmability. The data plane is an essential but unsolved component that receives less attention than control and application planes. Traditionally, the data plane uses fixed functions that forward packets using a limited number of protocols. The P4 (Programming Protocol-independent Packet Processors) language makes it possible to program SDN data plane, which push the SDN to the next level. In the research community and industry, programming the data plane has garnered significant attention. Surprisingly, there has been no comprehensive reviews of programmable data-plane switches, which have many advantages in today's networks. The authors reviewed the evolution of networks from legacy to programmable data planes, explained the fundamentals of programmable switches, and summarized the network generation from traditional to programmable networks. In this paper, SDN is described from a P4-centric standpoint and discusses over 75 related research papers. Several taxonomies for the field are provided, outline potential research areas, and provide greater details regarding the patterns that have led to the development of this technology. 2013 IEEE. -
A SWOT analysis of integrating cognitive and non-cognitive learning strategies in education
Students must receive the knowledge and skills they require for succeeding in a constantly changing world. Meeting each student's diverse needs, nevertheless, is difficult. For the purpose to promote student development and improve educational outcomes, this review study attempts to give a thorough conceptual framework for integrating both cognitive and non-cognitive learning methodologies. While non-cognitive learning focuses on social and interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and resilience, cognitive learning involves the acquisition of intellectual skills and critical thinking. Both types of education are essential for children's holistic development. Integrating non-cognitive and cognitive approaches in education sector has several advantages. It promotes a well-rounded education by offering a balanced approach that addresses the intellectual, emotional, and social elements of student progress. To support the suggested conceptual framework, a thorough analysis of recent research on the subject is conducted. The implementation of cognitive and non-cognitive learning in the present condition is examined through a bibliometric analysis, which identifies research trends and gaps. In addition, a SWOT analysis has been done to assess the advantages, disadvantages, opportunities, and threats related to these strategies. The issues and areas that require additional research and development are better understood due to this analysis. The research's conclusions demonstrate the importance of adopting a well-rounded educational strategy which considers various demands of students. The education system can encourage academic performance, critical thinking, socio-emotional well-being, and prepare students for success in a variety of spheres of life by integrating cognitive and non-cognitive learning. It also points out the research gaps and underlines the value of further study for enhancing comprehension and cognitive and non-cognitive learning methodologies' application. 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. -
A Systematic Review of Fish-Based Biomaterial on Wound Healing and Anti-Inflammatory Processes
Objective: To conduct a systematic literature review to study the effects of fish-based biomaterials on wound healing in both in vivo and in vitro animal models. Approach: This review covers the study reported in different articles between 2016 and August 2022 concentrating mainly on the cytotoxicity evaluation of different fish-based biomaterials on inflammation, reepithelialization and wound healing. Significance: This review shows considerable amount of research work carried out with fish-based biomaterials and collagen for treating burn wounds. Surprisingly there are only a few commercial products developed so far in this particular regard for surgical purpose and therefore, there is a way out and need for developing medical support product from fish-based biomaterials to treat and cure wounds. Recent Advances: Three-dimensional skin bioprinting technique is a large-scale solution for severe burn wounds that requires collagen as a raw material for printing, wherein fish collagen can be used in place of bovine and porcine, as it is biocompatible, promotes cell proliferation, adhesion, and migration, and degrades enzymatically. In the recent times, there are a few fish-based surgical products that have been formulated by Kerecis in United States. Critical Issues: The different fish-based biomaterial products are all mere supplements taken in orally as food or supplements till date and there is no proper proven medications that has been formulated so far in the field of wound healing and inflammation based on fish biomaterials except the surgical products that can be finger counted. Future Directions: Fish-based biomaterials are known for the medicinal properties that are used throughout the world and further investigations should be carried out to understand the actual physiochemical properties of its derivatives for the discovery of novel products and drugs. Copyright 2024 by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. -
A Systemic Review on Omicron Variant of SARS-CoV-2
As the new strains spread around the world, scientists have been trying to learn more about the different strains, especially Omicron, and how SARS-CoV2 acts in general. Studying historical trends of virus spread and the structure of the virus and its strains, as well as all the mechanisms it needs to survive, can help identify the symptoms and diagnose and treat the disease. The research has shown that the new strains, including Omicron, have a higher rate of mutation and transmissibility. Additionally, due to the rapid spread of the virus, there has not been a significant amount of time to understand the severity of the infection. To better understand the novel variants, a detailed analysis of the basic pathophysiology of the virus is needed. This includes transcriptome analysis for the recombination index to identify variation in the strand. This aided in the diagnostic process, and therapeutics for mutants of the virus could be treated. The Omicron strain is particularly threatening due to its rapid transmission rate and its property of immune evasion, which can make it less vulnerable to vaccination. 2023 Biomedical & Pharmacology Journal. -
A Thorough Review of Deep Learning in Autism Spectrum Disorder Detection: From Data to Diagnosis
Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted neurodevelop-mental condition with significant heterogeneity in its clinical presentation. Timely and precise identification of ASD is crucial for effective intervention and assistance. Recent advances in deep learning techniques have shown promise in enhancing the accuracy of ASD detection. Objective: This comprehensive review aims to provide an overview of various deep learning methods employed in detecting ASD, utilizing diverse neuroimaging modalities. We analyze a range of studies that use resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rsfMRI), structural MRI (sMRI), task-based fMRI (tfMRI), and electroencephalography (EEG). This paper aims to assess the effectiveness of these techniques based on criteria such as accuracy, sensitiv-ity, specificity, and computational efficiency. Methods: We systematically review studies investigating ASD detection using deep learning across different neuroimaging modalities. These studies utilize various preprocessing tools, at-lases, feature extraction techniques, and classification algorithms. The performance metrics of interest include accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, F1-score, recall, and area under the curve (AUC). Results: The review covers a wide range of studies, each with its own dataset and methodolo-gy. Notable findings include a study employing rsfMRI data from ABIDE that achieved an accuracy of 80% using LeNet. Another study using rsfMRI data from ABIDE-II achieved an im-pressive accuracy of 95.4% with the ASGCN deep learning model. Studies utilizing different modalities, such as EEG and sMRI, also reported high accuracies ranging from 74% to 95%. Conclusion: Deep learning-based approaches for ASD detection have demonstrated significant potential across multiple neuroimaging modalities. These methods offer a more objective and data-driven approach to diagnosis, potentially reducing the subjectivity associated with clinical evaluations. However, challenges remain, including the need for larger and more diverse da-tasets, model interpretability, and clinical validation. The field of deep learning in ASD diagnosis continues to evolve, holding promise for early and accurate identification of individuals with ASD, which is crucial for timely intervention and support. 2024 Bentham Science Publishers. -
Advancement and Challenges of Biosensing Using Field Effect Transistors
Field-effect transistors (FETs) have become eminent electronic devices for biosensing applications owing to their high sensitivity, faster response and availability of advanced fabrication techniques for their production. The device physics of this sensor is now well understood due to the emergence of several numerical modelling and simulation papers over the years. The pace of advancement along with the knowhow of theoretical concepts proved to be highly effective in detecting deadly pathogens, especially the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein of the coronavirus with the onset of the (coronavirus disease of 2019) COVID-19 pandemic. However, the advancement in the sensing system is also accompanied by various hurdles that degrade the performance. In this review, we have explored all these challenges and how these are tackled with innovative approaches, techniques and device modifications that have also raised the detection sensitivity and specificity. The functional materials of the device are also structurally modified towards improving the surface area and minimizing power dissipation for developing miniaturized microarrays applicable in ultra large scale integration (ULSI) technology. Several theoretical models and simulations have also been carried out in this domain which have given a deeper insight on the electron transport mechanism in these devices and provided the direction for optimizing performance. 2022 by the authors. -
Advancements in Sustainable Techniques for Dried Meat Production: an Updated Review
Dried meat is one of the ethnic and aesthetic food products popular among global civilizations and communities. The background of the production is associated with several methods practiced conventionally in the olden days. This review focused on investigating the advantages, challenges, research gaps, and technological intervention in dried meat production in the modern era. Moreover, it presented a gestalt of cutting-edge thermal and non-thermal food processing technologies and their effectiveness in extending shelf life. It delved into the specific characteristics of dried meat, including biochemical, sensory, and microbiological properties and processing techniques, and addressed the contamination sources. The pros and cons of various drying methods like hot-air drying, vacuum pulsed electric field, microwave-assisted techniques, and non-thermal drying processes are comprehended. The impact on meat's structural properties, nutritional value, shelf-life, quality control, and food safety are thoroughly presented. Moreover, the review explored the biochemical dynamics of the drying process and underscored the health risks associated with mycotoxin contamination in dried meat products. Furthermore, the study also presented the avenues of AI-based platforms and non-destructive technology for validating the quality of dried meat products. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024. -
Advancements in thiol-yne click chemistry: Recent trends and applications in polymer synthesis and functionalization
The 2022 Nobel Prize in chemistry brought the world's attention to click chemistry, a field as fascinating as its name, characterized by attractive features like high yield, stereospecificity, and broad scope. Since its inception, click chemistry has been synonymous with copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne reactions, owing to their remarkable advantages. However, as the field advanced, there has been a proactive search to develop metal-free alternatives for more biocompatible applications. This led to the extensive adoption of thiol-ene click reactions in the past decade. Yet, due to the growing requirement for polymers with complex architecture and functionality, in recent years, thiol-yne click reactions have come to the forefront with additional advantages over its ene counterparts, allowing the addition of two thiols to an alkyne. This review provides a concise overview of some of the significant developments in polymer synthesis and functionalization utilizing thiol-yne click chemistry. The focus is primarily on radical-mediated thiol-yne reactions, considering the substantial body of work in this area. Moreover, the review provides adequate discussion on other mechanistic pathways like nucleophilic and metal-catalyzed thiol-yne reactions that have gained traction recently. 2024 Elsevier Ltd -
Advances in Carbon-Element Bond Construction under Chan-Lam Cross-Coupling Conditions: A Second Decade
Copper-mediated carbon-heteroatom bond-forming reactions involving a wide range of substrates have been in the spotlight for many organic chemists. This review highlights developments between 2010 and 2019 in both stoichiometric and catalytic copper-mediated reactions, and also examples of nickel-mediated reactions, under modified Chan-Lam cross-coupling conditions using various nucleophiles; examples include chemo- and regioselective N-arylations or O-arylations. The utilization of various nucleophiles as coupling partners together with reaction optimization (including the choice of copper source, ligands, base, and other additives), limitations, scope, and mechanisms are examined; these have benefitted the development of efficient and milder methods. The synthesis of medicinally valuable or pharmaceutically important nitrogen heterocycles, including isotope-labeled compounds, is also included. Chan-Lam coupling reaction can now form twelve different C-element bonds, making it one of the most diverse and mild reactions known in organic chemistry. 1 Introduction 2 Construction of C-N and C-O Bonds 2.1 C-N Bond Formation 2.1.1 Original Discovery via Stoichiometric Copper-Mediated C-N Bond Formation 2.1.2 Copper-Catalyzed C-N Bond Formation 2.1.3 Coupling with Azides, Sulfoximines, and Sulfonediimines as Nitrogen Nucleophiles 2.1.4 Coupling with N, N -Dialkylhydroxylamines 2.1.5 Enolate Coupling with sp 3-Carbon Nucleophiles 2.1.6 Nickel-Catalyzed Chan-Lam Coupling 2.1.7 Coupling with Amino Acids 2.1.8 Coupling with Alkylboron Reagents 2.1.9 Coupling with Electron-Deficient Heteroarylamines 2.1.10 Selective C-N Bond Formation for the Synthesis of Heterocycle-Containing Compounds 2.1.11 Using Sulfonato-imino Copper(II) Complexes 2.2 C-O Bond Formation 2.2.1 Coupling with (Hetero)arylboron Reagents 2.2.2 Coupling with Alkyl- and Alkenylboron Reagents 3 C-Element (Element = S, P, C, F, Cl, Br, I, Se, Te, At) Bond Forma tion under Modified Chan-Lam Conditions 4 Conclusions. 2021 Georg Thieme Verlag. All rights reserved. -
Advances in detecting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) using molecular receptors and nanostructured assemblies
The detection and quantification of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are crucial due to their widespread use and potential impact on human health and the environment. This review provides a comprehensive survey of the recent advancements in sensing technologies for NSAIDs, focusing on molecular receptors and nanostructured assemblies. Molecular receptors based on different fluorescent molecules such as anthracene, naphthalimide, squaraine, quinoline, BINOL, etc. offer high selectivity and sensitivity for NSAID detection. In parallel, nanostructured assemblies including CdSe/ZnS, Cd/S quantum dots (QDs), carbon dot-containing imprinted polymers, Ag and Au nanoparticles (NPs), hydrogel-embedded chemosensors, etc. were utilized for NSAID detection. This review highlights the different binding pathways with the change of various photophysical properties combining molecular recognition elements with nanomaterials to develop innovative sensors that achieve rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of NSAIDs. The review also discusses current challenges and future prospects in the field and based on reported designed receptors and nanostructured assemblies. To the best of our knowledge, no reviews have been reported on this topic so far. Thus, this review will fruitfully guide researchers to design various new molecular receptors and nanostructured materials to detect NSAIDs. 2024 RSC. -
Advances in suicide prevention: Critical overview of the gaps in suicide risk assessments, multimodal strategies, medicolegal risks, and the emerging evidence
The CDC reports that the United States has the highest suicide rates in over 80 years. Numerous public policies aimed at reducing the rising suicide rates, such as Aetna's partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the zero-suicide initiative, continue to challenge these attempts. It, therefore, remains imperative to explore the shortcomings of these efforts that hamper their efficiency in reducing suicide rates. Advancements in research over time have sparked scientific skepticism, encouraging re-evaluation of established concepts. The current paper tests prevalent assumptions and arguments to uncover a scientifically informed approach to addressing rising suicide rates in clinical settings. The Author(s), 2024. -
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Insights and New Prospects in Disease Pathophysiology, Biomarkers and Therapies
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder marked by the gradual loss of motor neurons, leading to significant disability and eventual death. Despite ongoing research, there are still limited treatment options, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding of the diseases complex mechanisms and the identification of new therapeutic targets. This review provides a thorough examination of ALS, covering its epidemiology, pathology, and clinical features. It investigates the key molecular mechanisms, such as protein aggregation, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and excitotoxicity that contribute to motor neuron degeneration. The role of biomarkers is highlighted for their importance in early diagnosis and disease monitoring. Additionally, the review explores emerging therapeutic approaches, including inhibitors of protein aggregation, neuroinflammation modulators, antioxidant therapies, gene therapy, and stem cell-based treatments. The advantages and challenges of these strategies are discussed, with an emphasis on the potential for precision medicine to tailor treatments to individual patient needs. Overall, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of ALS research and suggest future directions for developing effective therapies. 2024 by the authors.