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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-derived messengers which have been playing an important role in the inflammation and pathogenesis of lung diseases. EVs contain varieties of DNA, RNA, and membrane receptors through which they work as a delivery system for bioactive molecules as well as intracellular communicators. EV signaling mediates tumor progression and metastasis. EVs are linked with many diseases and perform a diagnostic role in lung injury and inflammation so are used to diagnose the severity of diseases. EVs containing a variety of biomolecules communicate with the recipient cells during pathophysiological mechanisms thereby acquiring the attention of clinicians toward the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of EVs in different lung diseases. In this review, we summarize the role of EVs in inflammation with an emphasis on their potential as a novel candidate in the diagnostics and therapeutics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and sarcoidosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-derived messengers which have been playing an important role in the inflammation and pathogenesis of lung diseases. EVs contain varieties of DNA, RNA, and membrane receptors through which they work as a delivery system for bioactive molecules as well as intracellular communicators. EV signaling mediates tumor progression and metastasis. EVs are linked with many diseases and perform a diagnostic role in lung injury and inflammation so are used to diagnose the severity of diseases. EVs containing a variety of biomolecules communicate with the recipient cells during pathophysiological mechanisms thereby acquiring the attention of clinicians toward the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of EVs in different lung diseases. In this review, we summarize the role of EVs in inflammation with an emphasis on their potential as a novel candidate in the diagnostics and therapeutics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and sarcoidosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kidney stones are associated with increased chances of chronic kidney disorders, kidney failure, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorders globally. This case–control study is designed to investigate the fluctuations in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte-to-high-density lipid (HDL) ratio by comparing healthy subjects with cases suffering from kidney stones. Hematological and biochemical assays from 117 blood samples of cases and 117 control, collected between October 2021 to June 2022, were inferred by applying statistical tests. After t-test, various hematological parameters of diseased and control samples showed significant differences which comprise hemoglobin, neutrophils, lymphocytes, NLR, eosinophils, MCV, MCHC, RBCs, WBCs, and monocytes. Our investigation gives evidence of the differentiation of kidney stone patients because of the CBC and lipid profile results. These results can be utilized as a promising indicator for the analysis of kidney stones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Insomnia is a common condition that may be caused by or coexist with other medical or psychological illnesses. Nearly a quarter of a billion people across the globe suffer from insomnia frequently. Lemborexant, a dual orexin receptor antagonist, is a recently authorized hypnotic-based medication for insomnia. The purpose of this systematic review is to further investigate its efficacy and safety profile, with the primary goal of comparing the effects of two FDA-approved doses of lemborexant, 5 mg and 10 mg (LEM5 and LEM10, respectively). Materials and methods: PubMed, Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Cochrane Central were searched for relevant literature, and studies were considered if they compared the efficacy and safety of lemborexant 5 mg to lemborexant 10 mg. This study comprised clinical trials. Results: A total of 6 studies were evaluated for efficacy and safety of lemborexant therapy. They reported a significant betterment in values pertaining to sleep efficacy, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, total sleep time, sleep quality, ISI score, and morning alertness. The results presented a dose-dependent pattern and showed slight variation with the different dosages. The most prevalent side effects noted were somnolence, headaches, and dizziness, with infections like UTIs and upper respiratory tract infections also being commonly reported. The incidence is rather ambiguous and not sincerely dose-dependent. The differences between results for LEM5 and LEM10 do not exhibit a wide variation, although slight dose-dependent alterations are noted. Conclusion: Lemborexant is well integrated with the amelioration of sleep disturbances in insomniac patients, as shown by a decrease in eSOL and sWASO and a rise in sSE, sTST, quality of sleep, and morning alertness. Effects last 12 months after therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter to the editor discusses a case-control study on the use of continuous irrigation with thrombolytics for intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). The study introduces a new method called IRRAfow, which shows promising results in reducing drain days and days-to-clearance of ventricular outflow compared to standard treatment. However, the study has limitations such as a small sample size and the need for further research to validate the findings and assess the device's safety. The authors suggest addressing these considerations to enhance the study's scientific robustness. [Extracted from the article]

This letter to the editor responds to an article titled "Treatment of two-level degenerative cervical disk diseases based on an algorithmic anterior approach: a multicenter prospective study." The authors express appreciation for the study's contribution to the treatment of two-level degenerative cervical disk disease but raise some concerns. They suggest that age should be considered when determining treatment options, with younger patients potentially benefiting from more motion-preserving operations and older patients from anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). The authors also emphasize the importance of including information about patients' trauma histories, osteophytes, medical history (such as smoking and arthritis), comorbidities, and revision procedures in future studies. [Extracted from the article]

Heavy metal (HM) contamination of the environment is a serious threat to sustainable crop production. Among the HMs, chromium (Cr) is one of the most toxic HMs that is known to negatively affect growth and metabolic activities of diverse crop plants. The present study was designed to investigate the ameliorative role of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) under Cr stress in two maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars showing differential sensitivity to Cr tolerance. ALA is a biosynthesis precursor and it has a dominant regulatory effect related to physiological, respiratory, and photosynthesis processes in various plant species. Three concentrations of Cr (0, 5, and 10 mg kg−1) were tested under the graded levels of ALA application (0, 12.5, and 25 mg L−1). The results indicated that Cr stress differentially reduced plant growth attributes, gas exchange characteristics, photosynthetic pigments, and biomass in both the cultivars. Oxidative stress increased as evidenced in the form of electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) accumulation in plants. The anti-oxidative enzyme activities, that is, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD) both in the leaves and roots of maize cultivars decreased due to Cr stress. The concentration of Cr increased in roots and shoots of maize under Cr levels without ALA. Under Cr stress, ALA exogenous application markedly enhanced plant growth, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange capacity, and biomass. Furthermore, ALA application decreased the Cr-induced oxidative stress in maize cultivars by improving the activities of CAT, POD, and SOD in plants. After ALA application, the Cr concentrations and total Cr uptake by plants differently decreased in both cultivars. The 6103 cultivar of maize was found to be a tolerant cultivar against Cr stress due to its strong defensive system with a higher rate of antioxidant enzyme activities. On the other hand, the other maize cultivar (9108) was found to be a sensitive cultivar against Cr stress due to its weak defense system with higher contents of reactive oxygen species. These findings suggest that ALA can play a regulatory role in maintaining optimum plant growth and efficient photosynthetic processes under Cr-challenged habitats in maize. Thus, ALA application may be used as a sustainable remedial strategy to alleviate Cr-induced stress in maize cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent carnivore distributions in eastern Pakistan are poorly documented. In an effort to fill knowledge gaps, we combined field and laboratory molecular approaches to identify the large- and mid-sized mammalian carnivores in Murree, Kotli Sattian, and Kahuta National Park in Rawalpindi, Punjab. A total of 23 sites, each with a transect of 1–4 km in length, were identified and visited monthly over 24 months in 2016–2018. Fecal samples (n = 317) were collected and identified to species in the field based on morphology, odor, and additional signs. A subset (n = 150) of these samples was genetically identified to species using primers designed to amplify an informative region of the canid, felid, mustelid, and viverrid mitochondrial control region. Identified carnivore species for the park include leopard, leopard cat, jungle cat, red fox, golden jackal, small Indian civet, and Canis spp. For leopard, red fox, and golden jackal, field identification rates were accurate at a true-positive rate ≥ 63%. However, there was a notably high rate of field misidentification of putative jungle cat and yellow-throated marten samples, most of which were genetically identified as leopard cat or non-Carnivora samples. We mapped fecal sample presence points based on both morphological and genetically confirmed samples. For five of six dyadic combinations of pairwise species segregation patterns, there was evidence of high rates of non-random co-occurrence of red fox and jackal (p ≤ 0.05). For the other five pairwise combinations, no statistical support was found for non-random distribution. Such findings reiterate the need to combine field and molecular approaches when using fecal samples to survey communities, and underscore the need for broader studies of the carnivore communities of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pot experiment was performed to examine the role of foliar applied mannitol (M) in chromium (Cr) stress alleviation in different maize cultivars. Two maize cultivars, one tolerant (6103) and one sensitive (9108) to chromium stress, were grown in soil treated with three concentrations of Cr (0, 5, and 10 mg kg−1) and three levels of mannitol (0, 50, and 100 mg L−1). Chromium stress decreased the overall growth of plants by reducing the plant height, root/shoot dry weight, chlorophyll contents, and enzymatic activities, while exacerbated the severity of reactive oxygen species in both maize cultivars. Chromium-induced reduction in growth attributes of maize plants was relatively higher in sensitive cultivar than that of tolerant one. Uptake of Cr by the plants and its translocation from roots to shoots increased with increasing concentration in the soil. However, foliar application of mannitol significantly alleviated the Cr stress and improved growth, biomass, and photosynthetic pigments of maize plants. Mannitol also considerably reduced Cr contents in leaves and roots of both cultivars. Hence, it is concluded that mannitol can be helpful for crops grown on heavy metal, especially Cr, contaminated soils for remediation purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Publisher's note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-023-06601-6. [Extracted from the article]

Copper (Cu) is an essential micronutrient for normal plant growth and development, but in excess, it is also toxic to plants. The present study investigated the influence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in enhancing Cu uptake and tolerance as well as the morphological and physiological responses of Brassica napus L. seedlings under Cu stress. Four-week-old seedlings were transferred to hydroponics containing Hoagland's nutrient solution. After 2 weeks of transplanting, three levels (0, 50, and 100 μM) of Cu were applied with or without application of 2.5 mM EDTA and plants were further grown for 8 weeks in culture media. Results showed that Cu alone significantly decreased plant growth, biomass, photosynthetic pigments, and gas exchange characteristics. Cu stress also reduced the activities of antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT) along with protein contents. Cu toxicity increased the concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as indicated by the increased production of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (HO) in both leaves and roots. The application of EDTA significantly alleviated Cu-induced toxic effects in B. napus, showing remarkable improvement in all these parameters. EDTA amendment increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes by decreasing the concentrations of MDA and HO both in leaves and roots of B. napus. Although, EDTA amendment with Cu significantly increased Cu uptake in roots, stems, and leaves in decreasing order of concentration but increased the growth, photosynthetic parameters, and antioxidant enzymes. These results showed that the application of EDTA can be a useful strategy for phytoextraction of Cu by B. napus from contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]