RESUMEN

In genomic research, identifying the exon regions in eukaryotes is the most cumbersome task. This article introduces a new promising model-independent method based on short-time discrete Fourier transform (ST-DFT) and fine-tuned variational mode decomposition (FTVMD) for identifying exon regions. The proposed method uses the N/3 periodicity property of the eukaryotic genes to detect the exon regions using the ST-DFT. However, background noise is present in the spectrum of ST-DFT since the sliding rectangular window produces spectral leakage. To overcome this, FTVMD is proposed in this work. VMD is more resilient to noise and sampling errors than other decomposition techniques because it utilizes the generalization of the Wiener filter into several adaptive bands. The performance of VMD is affected due to the improper selection of the penalty factor (α), and the number of modes (K). Therefore, in fine-tuned VMD, the parameters of VMD (K and α) are optimized by maximum kurtosis value. The main objective of this article is to enhance the accuracy in the identification of exon regions in a DNA sequence. At last, a comparative study demonstrates that the proposed technique is superior to its counterparts.

RESUMEN

For several years, time-series prediction seems to have been a popular research topic. Sales plans, ECG forecasts, meteorological circumstances, and even COVID-19 spreading projections are among its uses. These implementations have inspired several scientists to develop an optimum forecasting method; however, the modeling method varies as the implementation domain evolves. Telemetry data prediction is an important component of networking and information center control software. As a generalization of such a fuzzy system, the concept of an intuitionistic fuzzified set was created, which has proven to become a highly valuable tool in dealing with indeterminacy (hesitation) as in-network. Indeterminacy is frequently overlooked in applying fuzzified time-series prediction for no obvious cause. We introduce the concept of intuitionistic fuzzified time series within a current study to deal with non-determinism with time-series prediction. Also, it seems to be an intuitionistic fuzzified time-series prediction framework. Using time-series information, the suggested intuitionistic fuzzified time-series predicting approach employs intuitionistic fuzzified logical relationships. The suggested method's effectiveness is tested using two-time sequence data sets. By contrasting the predicted result with some other intuitionistic timing series predicting techniques utilizing root-mean-square inaccuracy and averaged predicting errors, the usefulness of the suggested intuitionistic fuzzified time-series predicting approach is demonstrated.

RESUMEN

The novel coronavirus pandemic has led to morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Until now, it is a highly virulent contagion attacking the respiratory system in humans, especially people with chronic diseases and the elderly who are most vulnerable. A majority of afflicted are those suffering from cardiovascular and coronary diseases. In this review article, an attempt has been made to discuss and thoroughly review the mode of therapies that alleviate cardiac complications and complications due to hypercoagulation in patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Presently a host of thrombolytic drugs are in use like Prourokinase, Retelapse, RhTNK-tPA and Urokinase. However, thrombolytic therapy, especially if given intravenously, is associated with a serious risk of intracranial haemorrhage, systemic haemorrhage, immunologic complications, hypotension and myocardial rupture. The effects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus upon the cardiovascular system and coagulation state of the body are being closely studied. In connection to the same, clinical prognosis and complications of thrombolytic therapy are being scrutinized. It is noteworthy to mention that myocardial oxygen supply/demand mismatch, direct myocardial cells injury and acute plaque rupture are the multiple mechanisms responsible for acute coronary syndrome and cardiac complications in Covid-19 infection. However, this review has limitations as data available in this context is limited, scattered and heterogenous that questions the reliability of the same. So, more multi-centric studies involving representative populations, carried out meticulously, could further assist in responding better to cardiac complications among Covid-19 patients.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The present study deals with the impact of the pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 on the ambient air quality in the capital city of India. Real-time data were collected from eight continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations measuring important air quality parameters (NO2, PM10 and PM2.5). Results revealed that the city's air quality had improved significantly during the lockdown period due to COVID-19 outbreak. The concentration of gaseous and particulate matter during the lockdown period (March-May 2020) declined significantly compared with the preceding years' data from the same timeframe. However, the ambient air quality deteriorates with the onset of unlocking phases and post-monsoon season (October 2020). Higher concentration of NO2, PM10 and PM2.5 were recorded at industrial (S1 and S2) and hotspot (S4 and S5) sites. The lowest concentrations of studied pollutants were observed during the first phase of lockdown (March 24 - May 14, 2020). The present study, once again, establishes the direct effect of anthropogenic activities and deteriorating ambient air quality of Delhi.

RESUMEN

The development of polydopamine (PDA) coatings with a nanometer-scale thickness on surfaces is highly desirable for exploiting the novel features arising from the specific structure on the molecular level. Exploring the mechanisms of thin-film growth is helpful for attaining desirable control over the useful properties of materials. We present a systematic study demonstrating the growth of a PDA thin film on the surface of mica in consecutive short deposition time intervals. Film growth at each deposition time was monitored through instrumental techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), water contact angle (WCA) analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Film growth was initiated by adsorption of the PDA molecules on mica, with subsequent island-like aggregation, and finally, a complete molecular level PDA film was formed on the surface due to further molecular adsorption. A duration of 60-300 s was sufficient for complete formation of the PDA layer within the thickness range of 0.5-1.1 nm. An outstanding feature of PDA ultrathin films is their ability to act as a molecular adhesive, providing a foundation for constructing functional surfaces. We also explored antimicrobial applications by incorporating Ag nanoparticles into a PDA film. The Ag NPs/PDA film was formed on a surgical blade and then characterized and confirmed by SEM-EDS and XPS. The modified film inhibited bacterial growth by up to 42% on the blade after cutting through a pork meat sample.

RESUMEN

Novel bichromophoric materials TR-A and TR-B consisting of an entirely new combination of TPE and RhB units were developed to explore the optimum conditions of energy modulations via pH variation and Cu(2+) interaction at various water contents of CH3CN. Interestingly, TR-A and TR-B, at 60 and 70% water contents, respectively, favored the optimum Cu(2+)-mediated energy modulations from TPE to RhB and thus achieve the brightest orange emissions of free RhB with complete disappearance of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) from TPE. Furthermore, various micellar conditions of triton-X-100, SDS, and CTAB were employed to adjust energy modulations of TR-A and TR-B at high water contents (at 80 and 90%, respectively). The incorporation of RhB into triton-X-100 micellar cavities disrupted AIE from TPE; thus, none of the energy modulations from TPE to RhB occurred even in the presence of Cu(2+) ion. Interestingly, the micellar conditions of anionic surfactant (SDS) favored the increased local concentration of Cu(2+) ions in the vicinity of scavangable RhB and facilitated the generation of noncyclic free RhB in situ via bright-orange emissions.

RESUMEN

We report an amphiphilic perylene diimide (1), a bimolecular analog of l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), as a reversible fluorescence switching probe for the detection and sensing of cationic surfactants and Fe(3+)/Cu(2+) in an aqueous media respectively by means of host-guest interactions driven assembly and disassembly of 1. Photophysical studies of 1, going from dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (State-I) to pure aqueous medium (State-II), suggested the formation of self-assembled aggregates by displaying very weak fluorescence emission along with red shifted broad absorption bands. Interestingly, the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) could disassemble 1 in miceller conditions by restoring bright yellow fluorescence and vibronically well-defined (Franck-Condon progressions A0-0/A0-1 ≈ 1.6) absorption bands of 1 over other neutral and anionic surfactants (State-III). Owing to the metal chelating nature of L-DOPA, 1 was able to sense Fe(3+) and Cu(2+) among a pool of other metal ions by means of fluorescence switching off state, attributed to metal interaction driven assembly of 1 (State-IV). Such metallosupramolecular assemblies were found to reverse back to the fluorescence switching on state using a metal ion chelator, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA, State-III), further signifying the role of metal ions toward assembly of 1. Formation of assembly and disassembly could be visualized by the diminished and increased yellow emission under green laser light. Further, the assembly-disassembly modulation of 1 has been extensively characterized using infrared (IR), mass spectrometry, microscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. Therefore, modulation of the molecular self-assembly of PDI derivative 1 in aqueous media (assembled state, State-II) by means of host-guest interactions provided by micellar structures of CTAB (disassembled state, State-III), metal ion (Fe(3+) and Cu(2+)) interactions (assembled state, State-IV) and metal ion sequestration using DTPA (disassembled state, State-III) is viewed as a supramolecular reversible fluorescence switching off-on probe for cationic surfactant CTAB and Fe(3+)/Cu(2+).

RESUMEN

Toxic metals accumulation in brain has a significant role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by accelerating amyloid ß (Aß) peptide aggregation. Aß has high affinity for iron and copper resulting in the generation of neurotoxic hydrogen peroxide, oxidative stress and free radical formation. Water-soluble conjugated polyfluorene derivative poly(9,9-bis(6-sulphate hexyl) fluorene-alt-1,4-phenylene) sodium salt (P1) binds Fe(3+) heme proteins selectively in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), including ferritin in the Aß fibrils and diminishes their accumulation. Hence, therapeutic strategies involving clearance of Aß from brain plaques, metal removal, structurally modifying the aggregates, and preventing them from aggregating again into toxic polypeptides are vital strategies to control AD pathogenesis.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

A new method based on the electrostatic interaction of a novel anionic water soluble polymer P1 with a positively charged polypeptide Arg6 was developed for a continuous and real time turn on assay for the enzymatic activity of trypsin under alkaline conditions with a limit of detection of 0.17 nM. This method was also able to screen the inhibitors of trypsin. P1 fluorescence intensity was significantly decreased by the positively charged Arg6 due to the electrostatic interaction, whereas the enzymatic action recovered P1 fluorescence due to the fragmentation of Arg6 into small positively charged fragments and these were unable to quench the P1 fluorescence. Therefore, by triggering the fluorescence intensity change, it was possible to assay the enzymatic activity. Use of water soluble conjugated polymer P1 and no labeling on the substrate enhances the utility of this method significantly.

RESUMEN

Because of the toxicity caused by the heme redox-active iron proteins, their elevated levels, localization, and accumulation in the brain, many forms of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease, occur as a result of which the brain becomes vulnerable to oxidative stress, ultimately resulting in neuronal death. An anionic water-soluble conjugated polyfluorene derivative poly(9,9-bis(6-sulfate hexyl) fluorene-alt-1,4-phenylene) sodium salt (P1) that binds Fe³âº proteins with very high selectivity and sensitivity is reported here. The photophysical properties of P1 were modified by the interaction with ferric heme-containing proteins cytochrome c (Cc), methemoglobin (MetHb), and hemin. P1 was found to be highly sensitive toward Fe³âº heme proteins as compared to nonmetalloproteins. We observed that the respective activities of ferric heme proteins were inhibited and proteins were unfolded, due to modification in their heme microenvironment in the presence of the polymer P1. The observations reported in this article provide the first example for the use of a water-soluble conjugated polymer in applications, such as (1) to detect small quantities of iron proteins in aqueous medium/physiological condition with the highest K(sv) values of 2.27 × 108 M⁻¹ for Cc, 3.81 × 107 M⁻¹ for MetHb, and 5.31 × 107 M⁻¹ for hemin; (2) to study the physiological effects of heme metalloproteins; (3) to visualize the folding events in real time; and (4) the inhibition activity of metalloproteins can be selectively studied using a conjugated polymer based assay system rapidly without interference from nonmetalloproteins at biological pH. All this is achieved by generating optical events, taking advantage of the bright fluorescence of anionic polyfluorene P1 in this case, that can be observed and monitored by modification in the absorption and emission color in real time.

Asunto(s)