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Abstract The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) has revolutionized healthcare by bringing real-time monitoring and data-driven treatments. Nevertheless, the security of communication between IoMT devices and servers remains a huge problem because of the inherent sensitivity of the health data and susceptibility to cyber threats. Current security solutions, including simple password-based authentication and standard Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) approaches, typically do not achieve an appropriate balance between security and low computational overhead, resulting in the possibility of performance bottlenecks and increased vulnerability to attacks. To overcome these limitations, we present an intelligent two-phase dual authentication framework that improves the security of sensor-to-server communication in IoMT environments. During the registration phase, our framework is based on Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) for rapid key exchange, and during real-time communication, our framework uses the Advanced Encryption Standard Galois Counter Mode (AES-GCM) to encrypt data securely. The efficiency of the proposed framework was rigorously tested through simulations that evaluated encryption-decryption time, computational cost, latency, and packet delivery ratio. The security resilience was also evaluated against man-in-the-middle, replay, and brute force attacks. The results show that encryption/decryption time is reduced by over 45%, overall computational cost by 45.38%, and latency by 28.42% over existing approaches. Furthermore, the framework achieved a high packet delivery ratio and strong defense against cyber threats for maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of the medical data across IoMT networks. However, the dual authentication approach doesn’t affect the functionality of medical IoT devices while enhancing IoMT security, which makes it an ideal integration option for existing healthcare systems.

Abstract Steganography is used to hide sensitive types of data including images, audio, text, and videos in an invisible way so that no one can detect it. Image-based steganography is a technique that uses images as a cover media for hiding and transmitting sensitive information over the internet. However, image-based steganography is a challenging task due to transparency, security, computational efficiency, tamper protection, payload, etc. Recently, different image steganography methods have been proposed but most of them have reliability issues. Therefore, to solve this issue, we propose an efficient technique based on the Least Significant Bit (LSB). The LSB substitution method minimizes the error rate in the embedding process and is used to achieve greater reliability. Our proposed image-based steganography algorithm incorporates LSB substitution with Magic Matrix, Multi-Level Encryption Algorithm (MLEA), Secret Key (SK), and transposition, flipping. We performed several experiments and the results show that our proposed technique is efficient and achieves efficient results. We tested a total of 165 different RGB images of various dimensions and sizes of hidden information, using various Quality Assessment Metrics (QAMs); A name of few are; Normalized Cross Correlation (NCC), Image Fidelity (IF), Peak Signal Noise Ratio (PSNR), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Quality Index (QI), Correlation Coefficient (CC), Structural Similarity Index (SSIM), Mean Square Error (MSE), Entropy, Contrast, and Homogeneity, Image Histogram (IH). We also conducted a comparative analysis with some existing methods as well as security analysis which showed better results. The achieved result demonstrates significant improvements over the current state-of-the-art methods.

Brucellosis is a disease that poses a higher risk of transmission to animals and people who have close interactions with them, such as farmers. Therefore, the present study was designed to determine the seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis and associated risk factors in Kasur, Punjab, Pakistan. One hundred pooled milk samples from 100 smallholder mixed herds of cows and buffaloes with a total study population of 425 animals (277 cattle and 148 buffalos) with a range of up to seven animals in each herd were collected and tested through a milk ring test (MRT). Blood samples were collected from the animals of MRT-positive herds and then subjected to an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA) for the presence of antibodies against Brucella abortus. Of the 100 herds, 16 % (n = 16) were MRT-positive. In MRT-positive herds, 77 animals (43 female cattle, three male cattle, 21 female buffaloes, and ten male buffaloes) were present; 32 (41.6 %) were i-ELISA seropositive, with the highest seropositivity (54.8 %) observed in buffaloes as compared to cows (32.6 %). Almost 38 % of the farmers were unaware of brucellosis. Herd-level risk factors indicated Brucella seropositivity increased in herds with recent abortion history and bull exchange during breeding. Conversely, herds with veterinary assistance exhibited a decreased Brucella seropositivity. The findings highlight the need for a government-led awareness campaign emphasizing routine screenings, especially for breeding bulls, to stop further disease spread. Early detection and management can enhance animal health, milk production, and livestock holders' economic well-being., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests, and this study was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Obesity plays a crucial role in the development of metabolic disorders including diabetes, coronary and renal diseases. There are several factors involved in the pathology of obesity, including chronic inflammation and exposure to environmental contaminants. Recently, the cholinergic co-hydrolyzing enzyme BChE has been associated with clinical conditions such as diabetes and obesity. This study aims to investigate the levels of BChE and inflammatory markers in the serum, as well as the association between two specific BCHE gene variants (rs1803274 and rs3495) and the risk of obesity in the Pakistani population., Methods: The study recruited 350 people with obesity and 200 volunteers with no obesity. Proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) levels were quantified using ELISA kits, while the analysis of BCHE gene SNPs rs1803274 (K-variant) and rs3495 was conducted using the tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation-PCR (tetra-ARM-PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methods, respectively. Additionally, clinico-pathological parameters HDL, LDL, BMI, Homa-IR, insulin, glucose, blood pressure was also assessed in subjects of current study., Results: Results showed significantly higher levels of BChE, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the obesity group compared to the group without obesity. Furthermore, the obesity group exhibited higher blood pressure and LDL levels, as well as lower HDL levels when compared to group without obesity. Logistic regression analysis revealed a relationship between obesity and higher BChE activity, blood pressure, LDL, and lower HDL levels. The study also found a statistically significant association between the BCHE gene SNPs rs1803274 (K-variant) and rs3495 and the risk of obesity (OR = 2.01; CI = 1.21-3.33; p = 0.0063; OR = 1.80; CI = 1.09-2.96, respectively)., Conclusions: In conclusion, the study suggests that BChE and inflammatory cytokines play a significant role in the development and pathogenesis of obesity and can also act as good diagnostic biomarkers for obesity and its related metabolic disorders., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics approval: The study was approved by the Ethical Review Board of the Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI/BIO/ERB/2021/52). Consent to participate: Consent for the participation in study was obtained from volunteers. A proforma with the information relating to obesity category, age, sex, work practices, dietary habits and other demographic aspects was designed and filled for each participating individual with their consent., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Background: Patent ductus arteriosus is one of the most common cardiac conditions affecting the neonates. Considering the lack of studies done on this topic in healthcare settings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, this study aims to find out the comparative effectiveness of paracetamol and ibuprofen in management of PDA in our healthcare setting to conclude a better management option for the condition., Objective: To find and compare the effectiveness of paracetamol and ibuprofen in the closure of patent ductus arteriosus in preterm neonates., Methodology: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Department of Nursery and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan, from 10th April 2024 to 10th October 2024. A total of 256 neonates of both genders with patent ductus arteriosus were included. Group A received oral paracetamol, and Group B received oral ibuprofen. The effectiveness of the treatments was evaluated at the end of the treatment period., Results: The age range in this study was from 48 to 96 h, with a mean age of 71.79 ± 13.10 h in Group A and 73.40 ± 11.81 h in Group B. Efficacy was observed in 107 (83.6%) patients in Group A compared to 90 (70.3%) patients in Group B, showing a statistically significant difference (P = 0.011)., Conclusion: Our study has concluded that paracetamol is more effective than ibuprofen in closing patent ductus arteriosus. The trials were retrospectively registered at NIH Trial Registry (NCT06601114) https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06601114 dated 15/09/2024., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: The ethical standards outlined in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its subsequent revisions, or similar guidelines, were followed in the conduct of this study. The Khyber Medical College’s Institutional Research and Ethical Review Board (IREB) granted ethical approval (797/DME/KMC). Informed consent: was obtained from the parents of patients in a language that they comprehend. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Heavy metal pollution is a growing environmental concern as it causes the degradation of wetlands by affecting the organisms at different trophic levels. Shorebirds typically feed on benthic invertebrates including polychaete worms, crustaceans and molluscs. Thus, the assessment of bioconcentration of heavy metals in shorebirds provides an insight into the extent of bioaccumulation of these hazardous metals in the upper trophic levels. We studied the variation in the bioconcentration of hazardous heavy metals (chromium, lead and cadmium) in the faeces of 12 species of shorebirds (belonging to different foraging guilds including Endangered Great Knot, Vulnerable Grey Plover, Broad billed Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper and Near Threatened Eurasian Oystercatcher, Ruddy Turnstone and Dunlin) in relation to trends in their abundance over a period of five years (2019-2023). The study spanned over three different habitats (mudflats, mangroves and sand beaches) of Kadalundi Vallikkunnu Community Reserve (KVCR) and adjoining sand beaches, which are important wintering/ stop-over sites for the migrant shorebirds that provide abundant nutritional resources for the foraging shorebirds. We demonstrate that there has been a drastic increase in the heavy metal concentration in shorebird faeces from 2019 to 2023. Further, the findings indicate that predating and biofilm-grazing shorebirds in mangrove habitats, as well as small-bodied shorebirds in general are exposed to high levels of heavy metals. This study highlights that heavy metals in the coastal habitats are increasing and that there are potential risks from exposure to foraging shorebirds. Heavy metals have known adverse effects on shorebirds. Our study shows that reducing pollution and protecting community reserves alongside their surrounding habitats are crucial to combat biodiversity loss and maintain diversity in these areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Nickel (Ni) is required in trace amounts (less than 500 µg kg -1 ) in plants to regulate metabolic processes, the immune system, and to act as an enzymatic catalytic cofactor. Conversely, when nickel is present in high concentration, it is considered as a toxic substance. Excessive human nickel exposure occurs through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact, ultimately leading to respiratory, cardiovascular, and chronic kidney diseases. Due to anthropogenic activities, the nickel concentrations in various environmental scenarios have progressively risen to levels as high as 26,000 ppm in soil and 0.2 mg L -1 in water; surpassing the established safety threshold limits of 100 ppm for soil and 0.005 ppm for surface water. Nickel is required by various plant species for facilitating biological processes; in the range of 0.01-5 µg g -1 (dry weight). When present in excess, nickel toxicity in plants (10-1000 mg kg -1 dry weight mass) causes many disrupted metabolic processes; leading to lower growth, altered development, hindered seed germination, chlorosis, and necrosis. To tackle any metal-linked pollution issues, various remediation approaches are employed to remove heavy metals (especially nickel) and metalloids including physicochemical, and biological methods. Based on literature, the physicochemical methods are not commonly used due to their costly nature and the potential for producing secondary pollutants. Interestingly, bioremediation is considered by many practitioners as an easy-to-handle, efficient, and cost-effective approach, encompassing techniques such as phytoremediation, bioleaching, bioreactors, green landforming, and bio-augmentation. Operationally, phytoremediation is widely utilized for cleaning up contaminated sites. To support the phytoremediative processes, numerous nickel hyperaccumulating plants have been identified; these species can absorb from their surroundings and store high concentrations of nickel (through various mechanisms) in their biomass, thereby helping to detoxify nickel-contaminated soils via phytoextraction. The microbe-assisted phytoremediation further optimizes the nickel detoxification processes by fostering beneficial interactions between microbes and the nickel-hyperaccumulators; promoting enhanced metal uptake, transformation, and sequestration. Microbe-assisted phytoremediation can be categorized into four subtypes: bacterial-assisted phytoremediation, cyanoremediation, mycorrhizal-assisted remediation, and rhizoremediation. These diverse approaches are likely to offer more effective and sustainable remediative strategy to ecologically restore the nickel-contaminated environments., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declared that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Depression, a global health concern with significant implications for suicide rates, remains challenging to treat effectively with conventional pharmacological options. The existing pharmaceutical interventions for these illnesses need daily dosing, are accompanied by various adverse effects, and may exhibit limited efficacy in certain cases. However, hope emerges from an unlikely source-Psilocybin, a natural hallucinogen found in certain mushrooms. Recently, this enigmatic compound has garnered attention for its potential therapeutic benefits in addressing various mental health issues, including depression. Psilocybin alters mood, cognition, and perception by acting on a particular subtype of serotonin receptors in the brain. It's feasible that these shifts in consciousness will promote healing development, offering a novel approach to depression management. This comprehensive review explores psilocybin, derived from specific mushrooms, and its implications in the treatment of depression. The study examines new perspectives and therapeutic possibilities surrounding psilocybin, addressing existing gaps in academic literature. It delves into its biosynthesis, unique mechanisms of action, therapeutic applications, and anti-depressive effects. By uncovering the potential of this mind-altering substance, the review aims to advance psychiatric care, offering hope to those globally affected by depression., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interests: The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests. We assure the integrity and quality of our research work. It is also stated that there is no plagiarism in this work and all points taken from other authors are well cited in the text. This study is completely independent and impartial. Research Involving Human Participants and/or Animals: N/A. This research did not involve human participants and/or animals. Informed Consent: N/A. This research did not involve human participants., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)