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Background: The large animal-related injuries are emerging major trauma but remain underestimated public health problem worldwide. We aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, mechanisms and patterns of horse and camel-related injuries (HCRIs) in a Middle Eastern country., Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients who were hospitalized due to HCRIs was conducted. Data included patient's demographics, mechanism of injury, anatomical location and severity of injury, and hospital outcomes., Results: Between November 2007 and December 2021, there were 273 hospitalized patients with HCRIs representing1.3 % of the total trauma admissions. Of these, 145 (53.1 %) and 128 (46.9 %) were horse (HRI) and camel-related injuries (CRI) respectively. The most common presenting age group of the cohort was 20-29 years and 88 % were males. Patients with HRIs were younger (27.5 ± 11 years) than CRIs (34 ± 13.5 years). Injuries to the extremities were the most common (62 % vs. 40 %), followed by the head injury (25.5 % vs. 31 %) among the HRIs and CRIs, respectively. The most common mechanism of injury was falling off followed by getting kicked by the HCRIs. Major trauma (ISS ≥12) was found in 23 % of HRIs (47.5 %) and CRIs (52.5 %). Only 5 % of patients had shock index >0.90 on admission; two thirds were due to CRIs. There were four fatalities (1.5 %), all attributed to traumatic brain injury, of which three were due to HRIs and one due to CRIs., Conclusion: This study reveals that HCRIs predominantly affect young adult males and may involve serious injuries, exhibit distinct injury patterns, however, it is associated with low mortality. Preventive measures need to be revisited., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The present investigation reports a comprehensible and responsive strategy for identifying atrazine in several conditions using an extensive electrochemical method. CdS Quantum dots were synthesized via a greener approach, and their formation was endorsed by numerous characterization techniques such as FTIR, SEM, Raman, UV-Vis, and XRD. Owing to the splendid electrocatalytic behavior, Green CdS quantum dots (QDs) of crystallite size ∼2 nm was opted as the sensor material and were, therefore, incorporated on the bare carbon paste electrode's surface. The developed sensor demonstrated an impressive outcome for atrazine sensing accompanied by superior selectivity and sensitivity. The lower detection limit (LLOD) of 0.53 μM was attained using the developed sensor in a linear concentration range of 10-100 μM. Furthermore, the practical pertinence of the developed sensor was examined on distilled water, wastewater, and fresh liquid milk, resulting in a tremendous retrieval of atrazine (91.33-99.8%)., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

As insects such as cockroaches can endure high radiation, flourish in unsanitary circumstances, thrive on germ-infested feed, and can even digest the organic polymer cellulose, the gut microbiota of these species likely produces enzymes contributing to their ability to digest a variety of materials. The use of cockroaches as a bio-resource to eliminate plastic is discussed. We explore whether species such as cockroaches are a potential bio-resource to eliminate plastic pollution and contribute to the sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations as well as the global community to reduce and/or eliminate plastic pollution., (© 2023 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology Reports published by Applied Microbiology International and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Acanthamoeba are known to cause a vision threatening eye infection typically due to contact lens wear, and an infection of the central nervous system. The ability of these amoebae to switch phenotypes, from an active trophozoite to a resistant cyst form is not well understood; the cyst stage is often resistant to chemotherapy, which is of concern given the rise of contact lens use and the ineffective disinfectants available, versus the cyst stage. Herein, for the first time, a range of raloxifene sulfonate/sulfamate derivatives which target nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase enzymes, were assessed using amoebicidal and excystation tests versus the trophozoite and cyst stage of Acanthamoeba. Moreover, the potential for cytopathogenicity inhibition in amoebae was assessed. Each of the derivatives showed considerable anti-amoebic activity as well as the ability to suppress phenotypic switching (except for compound 1a). Selected raloxifene derivatives reduced Acanthamoeba-mediated host cell damage using lactate dehydrogenase assay. These findings suggest that pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase enzymes may be valuable targets against Acanthamoeba infections., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The blood sample from 60 Damani does were collected and genomic DNA was extracted, and DNA integrity were investigated. A 447 bp promoter fragment of the GDF9 gene was amplified and Sanger sequenced for the identification of GDF9 gene polymorphism. Three novel SNPs were identified at positions g. 97(T > A), g. 142 (G > G) and g. 313(C > T) in the promoter region of the caprine GDF9 gene which significantly ( P  < 0.05) influenced litter size, body measurement, and milk production traits in Damani goats. The genotype CT of SNP1 significantly ( P  < 0.05) improved litter size, genotype GG of SNP2 significantly ( P  < 0.05) enhanced milk production, while the genotypes CC of SNP3 significant ( P  < 0.05) increased body measurement traits in Damani goats. Moreover, in SNP1 loss of 3 transcription factors (TF) binding sites occurred, SNP2 caused loss of two TFs binding sites, and SNP3 caused loss of a single TF binding site. Similarly, SNP1 and SNP2 caused the gain of three new potential TF binding sites, and SNP3 caused gain of two new TF binding sites. It is concluded that caprine GDF9 gene could be used as a candidate gene for litter size, milk production and body measurement traits in Damani goats through marker-assisted selection for future breeding program.

Corn crop grown and ensiled at high temperature have lower water soluble carbohydrates (WSC), epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population, lactic acid concentration, fermentation quality and aerobic stability. This study systematically investigated the effects of heterofermentative LAB (hetLAB), homofermentative LAB (homLAB), molasses and their mixture (MIX) on in-silo fermentation characteristics, chemical profiles, Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) carbohydrate subfractions, in vitro digestibility (DMD), microbial count, and post-ensiling aerobic stability of whole crop corn silage during hot summer (30 to 45°C) condition. Corn hybrids (P30K08 and DK6789) were ensiled at targeted dry matter (DM) of 330 g/kg for 0, 3, 7, 21, and 150 days in 3 L silos, without additive (CCS) or treated with hetLAB (4×10 6 cfu/g Lactobacillus buchneri ), homLAB (1×10 6 cfu/g of L. plantarum ), molasses (3% of fresh forage) or MIX (half of individual doses of homLAB, hetLAB and molasses) additives. The CCS, homLAB, hetLAB, molasses, or MIX treated chopped material of each hybrid were ensiled in 16 replicate silos at a density of 260 kg of DM/m 3 . Compared to CCS, the additives significantly improved silage nutritional and fermentation quality, DM digestibility ( in vitro ), count of LAB, DM recovery and aerobic stability, and decreased counts of yeast and mold. Among the inoculants, the homLAB and MIX inoculated silages had greatest improvement in fermentation quality and nutritional value. The homLAB produced corn silage with the highest ( P < 0.05) content of lactic acid, and soluble carbohydrates, and lowest contents of acetic acid, NH 3 -N and pH, demonstrating desirable and restricted in silo fermentation. On the other hand, the hetLAB inoculated silages had the greatest ( P < 0.05) value of acetic acids, highlighting greater aerobic stability. Interestingly, the MIX silages followed the hetLAB in acetic acid value and homLAB in lactic acid value. Notably, without additive stable pH was not achieved during 21 days, with application of molasses, hetLAB and the MIX inoculants stable pH was achieved during 7 days, and with homLAB stable pH was achieved during the first 3 days of ensiling. The greatest numbers of viable LAB were recorded in homLAB (8.13 log cfu/g) and MIX (7.89 log cfu/g) inoculated silages, while the lowest for CCS (6.29 log cfu/g). The lowest yeast (1.48 log cfu/g) and mold (0.22 log cfu/g) were recorded for hetLAB inoculated silage. The greatest ( P < 0.05) DM recovery was recorded for hetLAB (97.3%) and MIX (96.9%), and the lowest for the control silage (92.9%). All additives significantly improved the aerobic stability of corn silage, and the greatest value of >72 h was recorded for hetLAB and MIX inoculats, and the lowest for CSC (25 h). In conclusion, additives application can improve fermentation quality, nutritional value, DM recovery and aerobic stability of whole crop corn silage under hot summer conditions of the tropics. The MIX inoculant showed potential to improve in-silo fermentation, and aerobic stability at the same time, however, further investigation are required, particularly with respect of dose rate., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Khan, Khan, Tang and Tan.)

Surface waterbodies being primary source of water for human consumption are being investigated for its quality globally. This study evaluated water quality in three rivers (River Nfifikh, Hassar and El Maleh) of Mohammedia prefecture, Morocco in terms of heavy metals occurrence during two seasons of winter and spring. The heavy metals analyzed were cadmium, iron, copper, zinc, and lead. Heavy metal pollution index was derived to quantify water quality and pollution. Hazard quotient and carcinogenic risk were calculated to determine possible health risk. Modelling and prediction were performed using random forest, support vector machine and artificial neural network. The heavy metal concentration was lower in the winter season than in the spring season. Heavy metal pollution index (H.P.I.) was in the range of 1.5-2 during the winter season and 2-3 during the spring season. In the Nfifikh river, Cd 2+ and Fe were the main polluting heavy metal. H.Q. was < 1 in all three rivers, which signified no adverse health effect from exposure to heavy metals. However, carcinogenic risk assessment revealed that 1 in every 100 people was susceptible to cancer during the life span of 70 years. Based on the control point reference, it was found that Mohammedia prefecture as river water was already contaminated before it entered the prefecture boundary. This was again validated with the water lagoon Douar El Marja which is located near the industrial zones of Mohammedia prefecture. Future studies are required to investigate pollution of rivers prior to their entry in Mohammedia prefecture to identify potential source and adopt mitigation measures accordingly., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus led to over 626 million infections and 6.5 million deaths worldwide and forced to cancel or postpone several sporting events. Effective control techniques are therefore urgently required to avoid COVID-19 spread at these local and global events. This narrative review addressed the healthcare and research efforts on the intersections between COVID-19 and major professional sports leagues worldwide, with special reference to the FIFA World Cup football 2022. This explained how the broader transformation of COVID-19 from being a potential risk to an urgent pandemic public health emergency, caused the world of Football to halt between February and March 2020. This review could add to the growing literature on the importance of scientific research in understanding the relationship between mass sports events and COVID-19 trajectory, concerning studies conducted globally and particularly for the recommencement of major professional football competitions. The information outlined in the article may help sports organizations understand the risks associated with sports and their settings and improve their preparedness for future events under unprecedented circumstances. There were tremendous global healthcare and research efforts to deal with this unprecedented pandemic. The successful FIFA World Cup football tournament was an indicator of the success of these efforts ., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Background: Cochlear implants (CIs) restore hearing to deafened patients. The foreign body response (FBR) following cochlear implantation (post-CI) comprises an infiltration of macrophages, other immune and non-immune cells, and fibrosis into the scala tympani, a space that is normally devoid of cells. This FBR is associated with negative effects on CI outcomes including increased electrode impedances and loss of residual acoustic hearing. This study investigates the extent to which macrophage depletion by an orally administered CSF-1R specific kinase (c-FMS) inhibitor, PLX-5622, modulates the tissue response to CI and neural health., Main Text: 10- to 12-week-old CX3CR1 + /GFP Thy1 + /YFP mice on C57BL/6J/B6 background was fed chow containing 1200 mg/kg PLX5622 or control chow for the duration of the study. 7 days after starting the diet, 3-channel cochlear implants were implanted in the ear via the round window. Serial impedance and neural response telemetry (NRT) measurements were acquired throughout the study. Electric stimulation began 7 days post-CI until 28 days post-CI for 5 h/day, 5 days/week, with programming guided by NRT and behavioral responses. Cochleae harvested at 10, 28 or 56 days post-CI were cryosectioned and labeled with an antibody against α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) to identify myofibroblasts and quantify the fibrotic response. Using IMARIS image analysis software, the outlines of scala tympani, Rosenthal canal, modiolus, and lateral wall for each turn were traced manually to measure region volume. The density of nuclei, CX3CR1 + macrophages, Thy1 + spiral ganglion neuron (SGN) numbers, and the ratio of the α-SMA + volume/scala tympani volume were calculated. Cochlear implantation in control diet subjects caused infiltration of cells, including macrophages, into the cochlea. Fibrosis was evident in the scala tympani adjacent to the electrode array. Mice fed PLX5622 chow showed reduced macrophage infiltration throughout the implanted cochleae across all time points. However, scala tympani fibrosis was not reduced relative to control diet subjects. Further, mice treated with PLX5622 showed increased electrode impedances compared to controls. Finally, treatment with PLX5622 decreased SGN survival in implanted and contralateral cochleae., Conclusion: The data suggest that macrophages play an important role in modulating the intracochlear tissue response following CI and neural survival., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Urea is recognized as one of the most frequently used adulterants in milk to enhance artificial protein content, and whiteness. Drinking milk having high urea concentrations which causes innumerable health disputes like ulcers, indigestion, and kidney-related problems. Therefore, herein, a simple and rapid electroanalytical platform was developed to detect the presence of urea in milk using a modified electrode sensor. Calcium oxide nanoparticles (CaO NPs) were green synthesized and used as a catalyst material for developing the sensor. Synthesized materials formation was confirmed by different techniques like FTIR, UV-visible, XRD, SEM-EDX, and Raman spectroscopy. The carbon paste electrode (CPE) was modified using the CaO NPs and used as a working electrode during the analysis followed by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) techniques. The fabricated calcium oxide modified carbon paste electrode (CaO/CPE) successfully detected the presence of urea in the lower concentration range (lower limit of detection (LLOD) = 0.032 µM) having a wide linear detection range of 10-150 µM. Adsorption-controlled electrode process was achieved at the scan rate variation parameter. The leading parameters like the selectivity, repeatability, and stability of the CaO/CPE were investigated. The relative standard deviation of sensor was ± 3.8% during the interference and stability study., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The surge of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria (ARB) in the environment is poised to be the next health threat. World Health Organisation's (WHO's) Global Antimicrobial Surveillance System (GLASS) report indicates that developing countries may be at a greater risk. Among various factors, the major driver here could be untreated wastewater and poor sanitation. Bacteria are extremely adaptable to their surroundings and develop Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) when exposed to antibiotics and other pollutants that cause microbial stress. Thus, untreated domestic wastewater drains could easily become hotspots for the occurrence of ARBs. This study reports surveillance of sewage-carrying drains across four urban cities in India and demonstrated the presence of ARBs in the bacterial community against 7 classes of antibiotics, namely, β-Lactams, Chloramphenicol, Glycopeptides, Macrolides, Tetracycline, Third Generation Cephalosporin, and Quinolones. Untreated domestic wastewater flowing in target drains was collected twice a month, for a period of six months and the microbial community was subjected to Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AST) by plate assays. The zone of inhibition was recorded and interpreted as per the interpretive chart of The Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) & The European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST). The total number of samples showing resistance against antibiotics was used to define an Antibiotic Resistance Index (ARI), calculated for all 20 sampling sites (drains). Results demonstrated that the highest ARI was observed in Delhi and Mumbai, ranging from 0.81 to 0.92 in Delhi and 0.49-0.56 in Mumbai. This surveillance study reveals the antibiotic resistance pattern of the representative bacterial community in the drains and goes beyond few targeted bacterial species. The alarming presence of antibiotic resistant bacterial community highlights the concern of ARBs being the next looming health threat. This report aims to demonstrates the importance of considering sewage surveillance on routine basis by state authorities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Archana Bharadwaj Siva reports financial support was provided by Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology CSIR., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Arthroscopic surgery for the posterior compartment in elbow has been used in the treatment of many pathologies. The direct posterior portal has been commonly used for this compartment. However, this portal involves penetrating the triceps brachii tendon responsible for extensor mechanism. This can possibly lead to poor performance during recovery and portal wound sensation with scar formation. An accessory posterolateral portal can be used as a substitute with adequate viewing and working space in all areas of the posterior compartment. This report describes in detail on how to manage pathologies in the posterior compartment without using direct posterior portal and instead using accessory posterolateral, posterolateral, and direct lateral portals., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the Arthroscopy Association of North America.)

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are highly associated with both vitamin D deficiency and obesity, two prevalent health conditions worldwide. Arterial stiffness, an independent predictor of CVDs, is particularly elevated in both conditions, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain elusive, hindering effective management of CVDs in this population. We recruited 20 middle-aged Emiratis, including 9 individuals with vitamin D deficiency (Vit D level ≤20 ng) and obesity (BMI ≥30) and 11 individuals as control with Vit D level >20 ng and BMI <30. We measured arterial stiffness using pulse wave velocity (PWV) and performed whole transcriptome sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and enriched pathways. We validated these findings using qRT-PCR, Western blot, and multiplex analysis. PWV was significantly higher in the vitamin D deficient and obese group relative to controls (p ≤ 0.05). The DEG analysis revealed that pathways related to interleukin 1 (IL-1), nitrogen metabolism, HIF-1 signaling, and MAPK signaling were over-activated in the vitamin D deficient and obese group. We found that HIF-1alpha, NOX-I, NOX-II, IL-1b, IL-8, IL-10, and VEGF were significantly upregulated in the vitamin D deficient and obese group (p < 0.05). Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of arterial stiffness in vitamin D deficiency and obesity, demonstrating the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in this process. Our findings suggest that these biomarkers may serve as potential therapeutic targets for early prevention of CVDs. Further studies are needed to investigate these pathways and biomarkers with larger cohort., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2023 The Authors.)

The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of inclusion of Pleurotus florida treated wheat straw in the total mixed rations (TMRs) on feed intake, growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and nitrogen retention in male buffalo calves. As a pilot study, four TMRs, i.e., TMR1 having 0% P. florida treated wheat straw (FTWS), TMR2 (20% FTWS), TMR3 (40% FTWS), and TMR4 (60% FTWS) with berseem hay as basal diet, were formulated. Sixteen Nili-Ravi male buffalo calves (aged 10-12 months, weighing 73 ± 2.50 kg) were divided into four equal groups and randomly assigned one of four TMRs. A significant increase (P < 0.05) was observed in all nutrients intake, their digestibility, weight gain, and nitrogen retention with TMRs incorporated with FTWS. Highest feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 2.63 was noted with TMR1-0% and the lowest FCR (1.80) with TMR4-60%, on the other hand. In conclusion, the TMR4 (60% FTWS) has the potential to increase the weight gain, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen retention, and feed efficiency in buffalo calves. Therefore, inclusion of 60% Pleurotus florida treated wheat straw is recommended as TMRs with berseem hay based basal diet for feeding buffaloes calves., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: We sought to assess the risk of COVID-19 and seasonal flu including respiratory syncytial (RSV) and influenza viruses during the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 in Qatar with full capacity of spectators. We also, evaluated the post-event attitude toward resumption of mass football events., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which spectators (age ≥ 18 years) were invited for reverse-transcription PCR testing for COVID-19 and seasonal flu. At the same time, between 7 and 14 days after the event, the participants completed a self-administered questionnaire regarding their concerns during the tournament., Results: The tournament included 16 international football teams from the Arab countries. As per the study protocol, 10,000 spectators were approached and 6,475 participated. Among the participants, 4,195 (65.1%), 2,253 (34.9%) and 27 (0.4%) were vaccinated with 2 doses, vaccinated with 3 doses, and recovered from SARS-Cov-2 infection, respectively. There were 61 (0.9%), 41(0.6%) and 11(0.2%) participants who tested positive for COVID-19, RSV and influenza (A/B), respectively. The average cycle threshold (Ct) value for COVID-19 positive cases was 26.1±7.3. Among those who were electronically approached, 6,102 completed the survey whereas 373 had incomplete survey. Overall, 2069 (33.9%) participants reported symptoms that theoretically could be related to COVID-19, of them 39 had positive PCR test (1.9%). Spectators (94.3%) were optimistic about returning sport events to the pre-pandemic status., Conclusions: There was no significant increase in the daily COVID-19 cases during FIFA Arab Cup 2021 with a full capacity of spectators. Therefore, upcoming mass football events can be held safely.

This investigation is centered on the effectiveness of methylene blue (MB), a cationic dye, adsorbed from an aqueous media by H 3 PO 4 activated papaya skin/peels (PS PAC ), with initial pH (2-10), contact time (30-180 min), MB dye concentration (varying from 10 to 50 mg/L), and MB dose (0.1-0.5 gm). The findings show that the best optimal conditions for MB dye removal occur at a 6 pH, 0.3 gm dose of PS PAC adsorbent for 10 mg/L MB dye concentration, with 90 min of contact time. To optimize and validate the extraction efficiency of MB dye, a response surface methodology (RSM) study was conducted using a central composite design (CCD) with a regression model showing R 2  = 0.9940. FT-IR spectroscopy shows, CO, and O-H stretching functional groups while FE-SEM is assessed to supervise morphological features of the PS PAC adsorbent. The peak adsorption capacity with 46.95 mg/g for the Langmuir isotherm model conveniently satisfies the adsorption process with R 2  = 0.9984 while with R 2  = 0.999, a kinetic model, pseudo-second-order, confirms MB dye adsorption by PS PAC adsorbent. Moreover, thermodynamic parameters including ΔGᵒ, ΔH°, and ΔS° were computed and found to be spontaneous and exothermic. Furthermore, regeneration studies employed with NaOH (0.1 M) and HCl (0.1 M) solution media show an acceptable MB removal efficiency consecutive up to three cycles. The study highlights that H 3 PO 4 papaya skin/peel (PS PAC ) is an effectual, sustainable, reasonably available biosorbent to remove industrial cationic dyes disposal., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors confirm that they have no known financial conflicts or personal connection that could have perceived to influence the work reported in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Vitamins are needed in trace amounts in dietary formulations for poultry; however, they are critical for the health, maintenance, and performance of important body organs. Broilers have a lot of leg issues because of their rapid development and lack of exercise. Because of commercial broilers have limited access to direct sunlight, vitamin D supplementation in the feed is critical to reducing the risk of bone deformation and maximizing development. Vitamin D deficiency causes skeletal abnormalities, which may lead also to financial problems. The latest scientific findings on the source, metabolism, mechanisms of action, and functions of vitamin D in broilers are the subject of this review paper.

Soil salinity is a global issue that limits plant growth in agricultural fields and contributes to food crisis. Salt stressors impede plant's ionic, osmotic, and oxidative balance, as well as a variety of physiological functions. Exposure to salinity stress manifest considerable ROS clustering, entailing modification in performance of various organelles. To deal with salinity, plants use a variety of coping strategies, such as osmoregulation, ion-homeostasis, increased antioxidant synthesis, and so on. Nitric oxide (NO) is a pivotal signalling molecule that helps facilitate salt stress-induced physiological plant responses. A variety of evidences point to NO being produced under similar stress conditions and with similar kinetics as hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). The interplay between H 2 O 2 and NO has important functional implications for modulating plant transduction processes. Besides, NO and calcium (Ca 2+ )-dependent pathways also have some connection in salt stress response mechanisms. Extensive crosstalk between NO and Ca 2+ signalling pathways is investigated, and it suggests that almost every type of Ca 2+ channel is under the tight control of NO, and NO acts as a Ca 2+ mobilising compound and aids in signal reliance. The review provides insights into understanding recent advances regarding NO's, Ca 2+ and H 2 O 2 role in salt stress reduction with entwine signaling mechanisms., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Amyloidosis is caused by abnormal protein deposition in various tissues, including the lungs. Pulmonary manifestations of amyloidosis may be categorized by areas of involvement, such as parenchymal, large airway and pleural involvement. We describe four distinct manifestations of amyloidosis involving the lung and review their clinical, radiological and pathological features and summarize the evidence for treatment in each of these presentations. We describe alveolar-septal amyloidosis, cystic amyloid lung disease, endobronchial amyloidosis and pleural amyloidosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Nauman A. Khan MD-no conflict of interest to declare. Bharat S. Bhandari MD-no conflict of interest to declare. Soma Jyothula MD-no conflict of interest to declare. Daniel Ocazionez MD-no conflict of interest to declare. Jamie Buryanek MD-no conflict of interest to declare. Pushan P. Jani MD-no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The development and operation of a nanosensor for detecting the poisonous 1-chloro-3-ethylamino-5-isopropylamino-2,4,6-triazine (Atrazine) are described in this study for the first time. The carbon electrode (CE) surface was modified with cysteine-substituted naphthalene diimide to create this sensitive platform. The developed nanosensor (NDI-cys/GCE) was evaluated for its ability to sense Atrazine using differential pulse voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry. To achieve the best response from the target analyte, the effects of several parameters were examined to optimize the conditions. The cysteine-substituted naphthalene diimide significantly improved the signals of the Atrazine compared to bare GCE due to the synergistic activity of substituted naphthalene diimide and cysteine molecules. Under optimal conditions, atrazine detection limits at the (NDI-cys/GCE) were reported to be 94 nM with a linear range of 10-100 μM. The developed sensing platform also showed positive results when used to detect the atrazine herbicide in real tap water, wastewater, and milk samples. Furthermore, a reasonable recovery rate for real-time studies, repeatability, and stability revealed that the developed electrochemical platform could be used for sample analysis., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Naegleria fowleri is a free-living thermophilic flagellate amoeba that causes a rare but life-threatening infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), with a very high fatality rate. Herein, the anti-amoebic potential of carboxamide derivatives possessing sulfonyl or sulfamoyl moiety was assessed against pathogenic N. fowleri using amoebicidal, cytotoxicity and cytopathogenicity assays. The results from amoebicidal experiments showed that derivatives dramatically reduced N. fowleri viability. Selected derivatives demonstrated IC 50 values at lower concentrations; 1j showed IC 50 at 24.65 μM, while 1k inhibited 50% amoebae growth at 23.31 μM. Compounds with significant amoebicidal effects demonstrated limited cytotoxicity against human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells. Finally, some derivatives mitigated N. fowleri-instigated host cell death. Ultimately, this study demonstrated that 1j and 1k exhibited potent anti-amoebic activity and ought to be looked at in future studies for the development of therapeutic anti-amoebic pharmaceuticals. Further investigation is required to determine the clinical relevance of our findings., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The Trauma Quality Improvement Program (American College of Surgery (ACS-TQIP)) uses the existing infrastructure of the Committee on Trauma programs and provides feedback to participating hospitals on risk-adjusted outcomes. This study aimed to analyze and compare the performance of the Level I Hamad Trauma Centre (HTC) with other TQIP participating centers by comparing TQIP aggregate database reports. The primary goal was to pinpoint the variations in adult trauma outcomes and quality measures, identify areas that need improvement, and leverage existing resources to facilitate quality improvement., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for the TQIP data from April 2019-March 2020 to April 2020-March 2021. We used the TQIP methodology, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and outcomes., Results: There were 915 patients from Fall 2020 and 884 patients from Fall 2021 that qualified for the TQIP database. The HTC patients' demographics differed from the TQIP's aggregate data; they were younger, more predominantly male, and had significantly different mechanisms of injury (MOI) with more traffic-related blunt trauma. Penetrating injuries were more severe in the other centers. During the TQIP Fall 2020 report, the HTC was a low outlier (good performer) in one cohort (all patients) and an average performer in the remaining cohorts. However, during Fall 2021, the HTC showed an improvement and was a low outlier in two cohorts (all patients and severe TBI patients). Overall, the HTC remained an average performer during the report cycles., Conclusions: There was an improvement over time in the risk-adjusted mortality, which reflects the continuous and demanding effort put together by the trauma team. The ACS-TQIP for the external benchmarking of quality improvement could be a contributor to better monitored patient care. Evaluating the TQIP data with emphases on appropriate methodologies, quality measurements, corrective measures, and accurate reporting is warranted.

Acanthamoeba castellanii is the causative agent of fatal encephalitis and blinding keratitis. Current therapies remain a challenge, hence there is a need to search for new therapeutics. Here, we tested embelin (EMB) and silver nanoparticles doped with embelin (EMB-AgNPs) against A. castellanii. Using amoebicidal assays, the results revealed that both compounds inhibited the viability of Acanthamoeba, having an IC 50 of 27.16 ± 0.63 and 13.63 ± 1.08 μM, respectively, while causing minimal cytotoxicity against HaCaT cells in vitro. The findings suggest that both samples induced apoptosis through the mitochondria-mediated pathway. Differentially expressed genes analysis showed that 652 genes were uniquely expressed in treated versus untreated cells, out of which 191 were significantly regulated in the negative control vs. conjugate. Combining the analysis, seven genes (ARIH1, RAP1, H3, SDR16C5, GST, SRX1, and PFN) were highlighted as the most significant (Log2 (FC) value ± 4) for the molecular mode of action in vitro. The KEGG analysis linked most of the genes to apoptosis, the oxidative stress signaling pathway, cytochrome P450, Rap1, and the oxytocin signaling pathways. In summary, this study provides a thorough framework for developing therapeutic agents against microbial infections using EMB and EMB-AgNPs., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Despite the availability of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and screening facilities at various health centers in Saudi Arabia, the annual death rate due to cervical cancer is high. Therefore, knowledge and awareness are essential for self-care and educating others, particularly among healthcare students. The present descriptive, cross-sectional study explored female pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to cervical cancer. A total of 140 students participated in the survey. The survey was conducted for the period between April 2022 to September 2023. We observed a good knowledge score and positive attitudes among 8.5% and 93.5% of participants, respectively. A total of 10% of the study participants reported good practice scores. Most participants had never been screened for cervical cancer (94.3%). Among the non-screened subjects, feeling healthy and lacking information were the participants' significant reasons for not screening for cervical cancer. A positive history of cancer related to smoking significantly impacted the knowledge score ( p = 0.050). The current study reveals that healthcare awareness programs for cervical cancer and HPV vaccination are necessary at the level of educational institutions to improve public health.

Herein, we report a novel, simple, specific, accurate and cost-friendly validated reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method for the quantification of second generation sulphonylurea based antidiabetic drug, glibenclamide (GLB) in rat plasma and its application to calculate pharmacokinetic parameters in wistar rats. The internal standard used was flufenamic acid. The chromatographic separation was conducted on C 18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm x 5 μm, Agilent-Zorbax, SB) using isocratic elution with mobile phase containing Acetonitrile: Water (1:1; v/v) pH adjusted to 4.0 with 0.03 % glacial acetic acid and detected by photo-diode array as detector. Calibration curves made in the rat plasma were linear in the range of 50-1200 ng/ml with r 2  = 0.998. The LLOQ was 40 ng/ml. This method was effectively applied for pharmacokinetic studies of Glibenclamide following administration through oral route as solid dispersion formulation to Wistar rats. Several methods are available in the literature which can be employed for the quantification of Glibenclamide but such methods are tedious, provide lower sensitivity, less simultaneous resolution and are time-consuming. Therefore the present methods suits best for the quantification of Glibenclamide from Wistar rats., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Ni x Mg 1-x Fe 2 O 4 (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6) nanoparticles were symphonized via combustion with microwave assistance in the presence of Tamarindus indica seeds extract as fuel. Nanoparticles nature, size, morphology, oxidation state, elemental composition, and optical and luminescence properties were analysed using PXRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, and HRTEM with SAED, XPS, UV-Visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy. PXRD analysis confirms that synthesized nanoparticles are spinel cubic and have a 17-18 nm average crystalline size. Tetrahedral and octahedral sites regarding stretching vibrations were confirmed by FTIR analysis. SEM and HRTEM data it is disclosed that the morphology of synthesized nanoparticles has nano flakes-like structure with sponge-like agglomeration. Elemental compositions of prepared nanoparticles were confirmed through EDX spectroscopy. XPS Spectroscopy confirmed and revealed transition, oxidation states, and elemental composition. The band gap and absorption phenomenon were disclosed using UV-visible spectroscopy, where the band gap declines (2.1, 2, 1.6, 1.8 eV), with increase in nickel Ni x Mg 1-x Fe 2 O 4 (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6) doping. Photoluminescence intensity reduces with an incline in nickel doping, was confirmed and disclosed using photoluminescence spectroscopy. Dyes (Methylene blue and Rhodamine B) degradation activity was performed in the presence of NDMF nanoparticles as a photocatalyst, which disclosed that 98.1% of MB dye and 97.9% of RB dye were degraded in 0-120 min. Regarding initial dye concentration and catalyst load, 5 ppm was initiated as the ideal initial concentration for both RB and MB dyes. 50 mg catalyst dosage was found to be most effective for the degradation of MB and RB dyes. In comparison, pH studies revealed that photodegradation efficiency was higher in neutral (MB-98.1%, RB-97.9%) and basic (MB-99.6%, RB-99.3%) conditions than in acidic (MB-61.8%, RB-60.4%) conditions., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Endometrial cancer (EC), the most common adenocarcinoma, represents 90% of uterine cancer in women with an increased incidence of occurrence attributed to age, obesity, hypertension, and hypoestrogenism. Being the most common gynecological malignancy in women, it shows a relation with the activation of different components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which is predominantly involved in maintaining blood pressure, salt, water, and aldosterone secretion, thereby playing a significant role in the etiology of hypertension. The components of the RAS, i.e., ACE-I, ACE-II, AT1R, AT2R, and Pro(renin) receptor, are widely expressed in both glandular and stromal cells of the endometrium, with varying levels throughout the different phases of the menstrual cycle. This causes the endometrial RAS to implicate angiogenesis, neovascularization, and cell proliferation. Thus, dysfunctioning of the endometrial RAS could predispose the growth and spread of EC. Interestingly, the increased expression of AngII, AGTR1, and AGTR2 showed advancement in the stages and progression of EC via the prorenin/ATP6AP2 and AngII/AGTR1 pathway. Therefore, this review corresponds to unraveling the relationship between the progression and development of endometrial cancer with the dysfunction in the expression of various components associated with RAS in maintaining blood pressure., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Khan, Elsori, Rashid, Tamanna, Chakraborty, Farooqi, Kar, Sambyal and Kamal.)

With the rise of antibiotic resistance globally, coupled with evolving and emerging infectious diseases, there is an urgent need for the development of novel antimicrobials. Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are a new generation of eutectic mixtures that depict promising attributes with several biological implications. DES exhibit unique properties such as low toxicity, biodegradability, and high thermal stability. Herein, the antimicrobial properties of DES and their mechanisms of action against a range of microorganisms, including bacteria, amoebae, fungi, viruses, and anti-cancer properties are reviewed. Overall, DES represent a promising class of novel antimicrobial agents as well as possessing other important biological attributes, however, future studies on DES are needed to investigate their underlying antimicrobial mechanism, as well as their in vivo effects, for use in the clinic and public at large., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

MXene is an incredibly promising two-dimensional material with immense potential to serve as a high-performing separating or barrier layer to develop advanced membranes. Despite the significant progress made in MXene membranes, two major challenges still exist: (i) effectively stacking MXene nanosheets into defect-free membranes and (ii) the high fouling tendency of MXene-based membranes. To address these issues, we employed sulfonated polydopamine (SPD), which simultaneously serves as a binding agent to promote the compact assembling of Ti 3 C 2 T x MXenes (MX) nanosheets and improves the antifouling properties of the resulting sulfonated polydopamine-functionalized MX (SPDMX) membranes. The SPDMX membrane was tested for challenging surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water separation with an impressive efficiency of 98%. Moreover, an ultrahigh permeability of 1620 LMH/bar was also achieved. The sulfonation of PD helps in improving the antifouling characteristics of SPDMX by developing a strong hydration layer and enhancing the oleophobicity of the membrane. The underwater SPDMX membrane appeared superoleophobic with an oil contact angle of 153°, whereas the ceramic membrane exhibited an oil contact angle of 137°. The SPDMX membranes showed an improved flux recovery (31%) compared to the nonsulfonated counterpart. This work highlights the appropriate functionalization of MXene as a promising approach to developing MXene membranes with high permeation flux and better antifouling characteristics for oily wastewater treatment.

In order to elucidate the effect of shear and cooling process on structural, thermomechanical, and physical properties of polymer melt, excess entropy, a thermodynamic quantity is calculated from radial distribution function generated from equilibrated parts of the molecular simulation trajectories. The structural properties are calculated, which includes the density of polypropylene melt, end to end distance, radius of gyration of the polypropylene polymer chain, and monomer-monomer radial distribution function. Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation was employed to investigate the role of the applied shear rate on the properties of polypropylene. Furthermore, a range of cooling rates were employed to cool the melt. Thermomechanical properties, such as Young's modulus, and physical properties, such as glass transition temperature, were determined for different cases. Results showed that slow cooling and high shear substantially improved the Young's modulus and glass transition temperature of the i-PP. Furthermore, a two-body contribution to the excess entropy was used to elucidate the structure-property relationships in the polymer melt as well as the glassy state and the dependence of shear and cooling rate on these properties. We have used the Rosenfeld excess entropy-viscosity relationship to calculate the viscous behavior of the polymer under a steady shear condition., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Fabrication of large-area ionic covalent organic framework membranes (iCOMs) remains a grand challenge. Herein, the authors report the liquid water and water vapor-assisted fabrication of large-area superprotonic conductive iCOMs. A mixed monomer solution containing 1,3,5-triformylphloroglucinol (TFP) in 1,4-dioxane and p-diaminobenzenesulfonic acid (DABA) in water is first polymerized to obtain a pristine membrane which subsequently underwent crystallization process in mixed vapors containing water vapor. During the polymerization stage, water played a role of a diluting agent, weakening the Coulombic repulsion between sulfonic acid groups. During the crystallization stage, water vapor played a role of a structure-directing agent to facilitate the formation of highly crystalline, large-area iCOMs. The resulting membranes achieved a proton conductivity value of 0.76 S cm -1 at 90 °C under 100% relative humidity, which is among the highest ever reported. Using liquid water and water vapor as versatile additives open a novel avenue to the fabrication of large-area membranes from covalent organic frameworks and other kinds of crystalline organic framework materials., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Carotenoids are plant pigments with light filtering and antioxidant properties that deposit in human tissues, including retina and skin. Descriptive characteristics and covariates of carotenoid status in macula and skin have been examined in adults; however, similar studies in children are limited. Thus, this study aimed to delineate how factors of age, sex, race, weight status, and dietary carotenoid intake relate to macular and skin carotenoids in children., Methods: Children (7-13 y, N = 375) completed heterochromatic flicker photometry to assess macular pigment optical density (MPOD). Participants underwent anthropometrics to measure weight status (BMI percentile [BMI%]), and parent/guardian provided demographic information. Subsample data were available for skin carotenoids (N = 181), assessed using reflection spectroscopy, and dietary carotenoids (N = 101) using the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire. Relationships between skin and macular carotenoids were assessed using partial Pearson's correlations controlling for age, sex, race, and BMI%. Relationships between dietary carotenoids and macular and skin carotenoids were assessed using stepwise linear regression including age, sex, race, and BMI% in the model., Results: Mean MPOD was 0.56 ± 0.22 and skin carotenoid score was 282 ± 94.6. There was no significant correlation between MPOD and skin carotenoids (r = 0.02, P = 0.76). BMI% was negatively associated with skin (stdβ = -0.42, P < 0.001), but not macular carotenoids (stdβ = -0.04, P = 0.70). Neither MPOD nor skin carotenoids were associated with age, sex, or race (all P > 0.10). MPOD was positively associated with energy-adjusted reported lutein + zeaxanthin intake (stdβ = 0.27, P = 0.01). Skin carotenoids were positively associated with energy-adjusted reported carotenoid intake (stdβ = 0.26, P = 0.01)., Conclusions: The mean MPOD values in children were higher than what has been reported in adult populations. Previous studies in adult samples report an average MPOD of 0.21. Although macular and skin carotenoids were not related, they were associated with dietary carotenoids relevant to the respective tissues; however, skin carotenoids may be more susceptible negative influence from higher weight status., (Copyright © 2023 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To determine whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with metal artifact reduction sequencing is superior to conventional knee MRI in the evaluation of an injured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft, where visualisation on conventional MRI can be limited by the metal artifact from fixation devices., Methods: Eighteen patients underwent conventional MRI sequence (proton density fat saturated [PDFS]) and two types of metal artifact reduction sequencing MRI (WARP, slice encoding for metal artifact correction (SEMAC); Siemens) following a secondary injury to their ACL reconstructed knee. Six raters with experience in knee MRI evaluation reviewed sagittal PDFS, WARP, and SEMAC sequences, providing semi-quantitative grades for visualisation and diagnostic confidence assessing the ACL, posterior cruciate ligament , menisci, tibial and femoral tunnel margins, and articular cartilage. Intra-class correlation coefficients for inter-rater reliability were evaluated. The 6-rater mean scores for the visualisation and diagnostic confidence derived from each sequence were compared using the Friedman test for multiple paired samples., Results: No statistically significant difference in the ACL visualisation among the sequences was found (p ​= ​0.193). Further, a subgroup analysis was performed in cases evaluated as "moderately blurry" or "indistinct ACL visualisation" on PDFS (58% of cases). SEMAC significantly improved diagnostic confidence in ACL visualisation (p ​= ​0.041) and ACL graft rupture (p ​= ​0.044) compared to PDFS. There was no statistically significant difference in the inter-observer reliability between sequences. The WARP sequence added 2.84 ​± ​0.69 ​min, while SEMAC added 2.95 ​± ​0.40 ​min to the standard knee MRI scan time., Conclusion: use of the SEMAC metal reduction sequence significantly improved diagnostic accuracy and confidence in the detection of ACL graft rupture in cases where the ACL was moderately blurry or indistinct on the PDFS sequence. This sequence should be considered as an adjunct to conventional PDFS in cases where graft visualisation is limited by the metal artifact from fixation devices., Level of Evidence: III., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Cerebrovascular disease is the third most familiar cause of mortality worldwide and in Bangladesh. The reported prevalence of stroke in Bangladesh is 0.3%. Age, high serum glucose, elevated admission blood pressure, fever, large infarction size, and hyperhomocysteinemia has been reported to be risk factor for early post-stroke neurological deterioration. Early serum homocysteine level estimation can predict the early prognosis of ischemic stroke. In a developing country like Bangladesh, an earlier stroke outcome prediction for guiding therapeutic approach is essential. This study aimed to specify the role of estimating serum homocysteine during the early phase of acute ischemic stroke to assume an early prognosis that would guide- a management plan, the need to stay in the hospital and the need for intervention. This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed at the Department of Medicine, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh from October 2021 to April 2022. Radiologically confirmed all ischemic stroke patients admitted at the Department of Medicine, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, during the study period fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in this study. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used. Data was collected using a pre-designed case record form. Quantitative data were represented as mean and standard deviation and qualitative data as frequency and percentage. The comparison was made by Chi-square test and independent samples t-test using SPSS (version 26.0). During the study period, among 716 stroke patients, 59 ischemic stroke patients were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 64.0±11.72 years. After 72 hours of supportive treatment, early neurological outcomes were observed using NIHSS scoring. Out of 59 patients, the condition of 45(76.0%) patients improved or remained stable (END-) and the state of 14(24.0%) patients worsened (END+). Elderly age-raised temperature and elevated blood glucose level are known to increase infarction size, but only elevated temperature (p value 0.009) has statistical significance in this study. The mean homocysteine level ±SD was 20.22±6.95μmol/L, which is above the normal (<15μmol/L). The level was above average for both outcome groups. Serum homocysteine level was significantly higher in END(+) group (31.59±2.98μmol/L) than END(-) group (16.69±2.66μmol/L) and p value was <0.001.

Crocodiles are renowned for their resilience and capacity to withstand environmental stressors, likely influenced by their unique gut microbiome. In this study, we determined whether selected gut bacteria of Crocodylus porosus exhibit anti-inflammatory effects in response to stress, by measuring nitric oxide release, interleukin 1-beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and prostaglandin E2 in cerebrovascular endothelial cells. Using the Griess assay, the findings revealed that among several C. porosus gut bacterial isolates, the conditioned media containing the metabolites of two bacterial strains (CP27 and CP36) inhibited nitric oxide production significantly, in response to the positive control, i.e., taxol-treatment. Notably, CP27 and CP36 were more potent at reducing nitric oxide production than senloytic compounds (fisetin, quercetin). Using enzyme linked immunosorbent assays, the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, PGE2), was markedly reduced by treatment with CP27 and CP36, in response to stress. Both CP27 and CP36 contain a plethora of metabolites to exact their effects [(3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol, 5-methoxytryptophan, nifedipine, 4-chlorotestosterone-17-acetate, 3-phenoxypropionic acid, lactic acid, f-Honaucin A, l,l-Cyclo(leucylprolyl), 3-hydroxy-decanoic acid etc.], indicative of their potential in providing protection against cellular stress. Further high-throughput bioassay-guided testing of gut microbial metabolites from crocodiles, individually as well as in combination, together with the underlying molecular mechanisms, in vitro and in vivo will elucidate their value in the rational development of innovative therapies against cellular stress/gut dysbiosis., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and brain tumors are debilitating neurological conditions that pose significant challenges in current medical practices. Existing treatment options for AD primarily focus on symptom management, and brain tumors often require aggressive therapeutic approaches. Novel disease-modifying strategies and therapeutic agents are urgently needed to address the underlying causes of AD pathogenesis and improve brain tumor management. In recent years, nanoparticles (NPs) have shown promise as valuable tools in diagnosing and managing various brain disorders, including AD. Among these, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have garnered attention for their unique properties and biomedical potential. Their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) with ease opens up new possibilities for targeted drug delivery and neuroprotection. This literature review aims to explore the versatile nature of CNTs, which can be functionalized with various biomolecules or substances due to their sp2 hybridization. This adaptability enables them to specifically target cells and deliver medications under specific environmental conditions. Moreover, CNTs possess an exceptional capacity to penetrate cell membranes, making them valuable tools in the treatment of AD and brain tumors. By delving into the role of CNTs in biomedicine, this review sheds light on their potential in managing AD, offering a glimpse of hope for effective disease-modifying options. Understanding the mechanisms of CNTs' action and their capabilities in targeting and delivering medication to affected cells will pave the way for innovative therapeutic strategies that can improve the lives of those afflicted with these devastating neurological conditions. The exploration of CNTs as a dual therapeutic arsenal for both brain tumors and Alzheimer's disease holds great promise and may usher in a new era of effective treatment strategies for these challenging conditions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsori, Rashid, Khan, Sachdeva, Jindal, Kayenat, Sachdeva, Kamal, Babker and Fahmy.)

Implementing unified municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is often difficult due to socio-economic variables. However, spatial GIS models and statistical analysis of solid waste characterized by the weekdays, weekends, and festivals can somewhat mitigate the variance and assist with selecting suitable waste management methods. This paper presents the example of Rajouri, India, to propose a suitable MSWM based on Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) intensity maps and statistical findings. The considered region was divided into different sample sites based on the local population density, and Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) was collected from four locations in each site on weekdays, weekends, and festivals. Compositional analysis of the MSW was then used to generate spatial IDW models in QGIS 3.22.7 to interpolate MSW generation over the entire area. Finally, statistical analysis was conducted to gain insight into the waste generation and accumulation trends. The results show that Rajouri produces 245 tonnes of waste daily (per capita: 0.382 kg/day) with a large organic fraction compared to other waste categories. Besides, waste generation is observed to increase over weekends and festivals due to increased consumption of material goods. Composting could serve as a vector for municipal solid waste because of its increased organic component and cost constraints. However, further research on the potential segregation techniques for the organic fraction of solid waste is needed., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The hypertension specialist often receives referrals of patients with young-onset, severe, difficult-to-control hypertension, patients with hypertensive emergencies, and patients with secondary causes of hypertension. Specialist hypertension care compliments primary care for these complex patients and contributes to an overall hypertension control strategy. The objective of this study was to characterize hypertension centres and the practice patterns of Canadian hypertension specialists., Methods: Adult hypertension specialists across Canada were surveyed to describe hypertension centres and specialist practice in Canada, including the following: the patient population managed by hypertension specialists; details on how care is provided; practice pattern variations; and differences in access to specialized hypertension resources across the country., Results: The survey response rate was 73.5% from 25 hypertension centres. Most respondents were nephrologists and general internal medicine specialists. Hypertension centres saw between 50 and 2500 patients yearly. A mean of 17% (± 15%) of patients were referred from the emergency department and a mean of 52% (± 24%) were referred from primary care. Most centres had access to specialized testing (adrenal vein sampling, level 1 sleep studies, autonomic testing) and advanced therapies for resistant hypertension (renal denervation). Considerable heterogeneity was present in the target blood pressure in young people with low cardiovascular risk and in the diagnostic algorithms for investigating secondary causes of hypertension., Conclusions: These results summarize the current state of hypertension specialist care and highlight opportunities for further collaboration among hypertension specialists, including standardization of the approach to specialist care for patients with hypertension., (© 2023 The Authors.)

The major cause of hyperglycemia can generally be attributed to β-glucosidase as per its involvement in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This clinical condition leads to liver carcinoma (HepG2 cancer). The phthalimides and phthalamic acid classes possess inhibitory potential against glucosidase, forming the basis for designing new phthalimide and phthalamic acid analogs to test their ability as potent inhibitors of β-glucosidase. The study also covers in silico (molecular docking and MD simulations) and in vitro (β-glucosidase and HepG2 cancer cell line assays) analyses. The phthalimide and phthalamic acid derivatives were synthesized, followed by spectroscopic characterization. The mechanistic complexities associated with β-glucosidase inhibition were identified via the docking of the synthesized compounds inside the active site of the protein, and the results were analyzed in terms of the best binding energy and appropriate docking pose. The top-ranked compounds were subjected to extensive MD simulation studies to understand the mode of interaction of the synthesized compounds and binding energies, as well as the contribution of individual residues towards binding affinities. Lower RMSD/RMSF values were observed for 2c and 3c , respectively, in the active site, confirming more stabilized, ligand-bound complexes when compared to the free state. An anisotropic network model was used to unravel the role of loop fluctuation in the context of ligand binding and the dynamics that are distinct to the bound and free states, supported by a 3D surface plot. An in vitro study revealed that 1c (IC 50 = 1.26 µM) is far better than standard acarbose (2.15 µM), confirming the potential of this compound against the target protein. Given the appreciable potential of the candidate compounds against β-glucosidase, the synthesized compounds were further tested for their cytotoxic activity against hepatic carcinoma on HepG2 cancer cell lines. The cytotoxicity profile of the synthesized compounds was performed against HepG2 cancer cell lines. The resultant IC 50 value (0.048 µM) for 3c is better than the standard (thalidomide: IC 50 0.053 µM). The results promise the hypothesis that the synthesized compounds might become potential drug candidates, given the fact that the β-glucosidase inhibition of 1c is 40% better than the standard, whereas compound 3c holds more anti-tumor activity (greater than 9%) against the HepG2 cell line than the known drug.

Melatonin is a pleiotropic, nontoxic, regulatory biomolecule with various functions in abiotic stress tolerance. It reverses the adverse effect of heat stress on photosynthesis in plants and helps with sulfur (S) assimilation. Our research objective aimed to find the influence of melatonin, along with excess sulfur (2 mM SO 4 2- ), in reversing heat stress's impacts on the photosynthetic ability of the mustard ( Brassica juncea L.) cultivar SS2, a cultivar with low ATP-sulfurylase activity and a low sulfate transport index (STI). Further, we aimed to substantiate that the effect was a result of ethylene modulation. Melatonin in the presence of excess-S (S) increased S-assimilation and the STI by increasing the ATP-sulfurylase (ATP-S) and serine acetyltransferase (SAT) activity of SS2, and it enhanced the content of cysteine (Cys) and methionine (Met). Under heat stress, melatonin increased S-assimilation and diverted Cys towards the synthesis of more reduced glutathione (GSH), utilizing excess-S at the expense of less methionine and ethylene and resulting in plants' reduced sensitivity to stress ethylene. The treatment with melatonin plus excess-S increased antioxidant enzyme activity, photosynthetic-S use efficiency (p-SUE), Rubisco activity, photosynthesis, and growth under heat stress. Further, plants receiving melatonin and excess-S in the presence of norbornadiene (NBD; an ethylene action inhibitor) under heat stress showed an inhibited STI and lower photosynthesis and growth. This suggested that ethylene was involved in the melatonin-mediated heat stress reversal effects on photosynthesis in plants. The interaction mechanism between melatonin and ethylene is still elusive. This study provides avenues to explore the melatonin-ethylene-S interaction for heat stress tolerance in plants.

Purpose: This study assessed the relationship between neuroelectric indices of attention and inhibition and academic skills in children 4-6 years-old. We hypothesized that modulation of the P3 and N2 components would be related to academic skills., Methods: Participants (N = 27, 16 female) completed The Woodcock Johnson Early Cognitive and Academic Development Test to assess general intellectual abilities (GIA) and early academic skills (EAS). Electroencephalography was recorded during an auditory oddball task to elicit P3 and N2 components. Two-step linear regressions including age, sex, income, and GIA assessed relationships between P3 and N2 modulations and EAS., Results: P3 peak amplitude (R 2 =0.765, β=0.379, p = 0.030) and N2 mean (R 2 =0.759, β=0.302, p = 0.039) and peak (R 2 =0.759, β=0.303, p = 0.038) amplitude modulation were positively related to EAS., Conclusion: Upregulation of P3 and N2 components was associated with EAS independent of GIA. Therefore, neuroelectric assessments of attention and inhibition may a biomarker of academic achievement in early childhood., 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 © 2023 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The ameliorative effect of ethanolic extract of M. oleifera (MOEE) leaves in combination with curcumin against seizures, cognitive impairment, and oxidative stress in the molecular docking of PTZ-induced kindled rats was performed to predict the potential phytochemical effects of MOEE and curcumin against epilepsy. The effect of pretreatment with leaves of M. oleifera ethanolic extracts (MOEE) (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg, orally), curcumin (200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg, orally), valproic acid used as a standard (100 mg/kg), and the combined effect of MOEE (250 mg/kg) and curcumin (200 mg/kg) at a low dose on Pentylenetetrazole was used for (PTZ)-induced kindling For the development of kindling, individual Wistar rats (male) were injected with pentyletetrazole (40 mg/kg, i.p.) on every alternate day. Molecular docking was performed by the Auto Dock 4.2 tool to merge the ligand orientations in the binding cavity. From the RCSB website, the crystal structure of human glutathione reductase (PDB ID: 3DK9) was obtained. Curcumin and M. oleifera ethanolic extracts (MOEE) showed dose-dependent effects. The combined effects of MOEE and curcumin leaves significantly improved the seizure score and decreased the number of myoclonic jerks compared with a standard dose of valproic acid. PTZ kindling induced significant oxidative stress and cognitive impairment, which was reversed by pretreatment with MOEE and curcumin. Glutathione reductase (GR) is an enzyme that plays a key role in the cellular control of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, activating GR can uplift antioxidant properties, which leads to the inhibition of ROS-induced cell death in the brain. The combination of the ethanolic extract of M. oleifera (MOEE) leaves and curcumin has shown better results than any other combination for antiepileptic effects by virtue of antioxidant effects. As per the docking study, chlorogenic acid and quercetin treated with acombination of curcumin have much more potential.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, and the survival rate remains low despite advances in diagnosis and treatment. The progression of lung cancer is a multifaceted and dynamic phenomenon that encompasses interplays among cancerous cells and their microenvironment, which incorporates immune cells. Exosomes, which are small membrane-bound vesicles, are released by numerous cell types in normal and stressful situations to allow communication between cells. Tumor-derived exosomes (TEXs) possess diverse neo-antigens and cargoes such as proteins, RNA, and DNA and have a unique molecular makeup reflecting tumor genetic complexity. TEXs contain both immunosuppressive and immunostimulatory factors and may play a role in immunomodulation by influencing innate and adaptive immune components. Moreover, they transmit signals that contribute to the progression of lung cancer by promoting metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, and immunosuppression. This makes them a valuable resource for investigating the immune environment of tumors, which could pave the way for the development of non-invasive biomarkers that could aid in the prognosis, diagnosis, and immunotherapy of lung cancer. While immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) immunotherapy has shown promising results in treating initial-stage cancers, most patients eventually develop adaptive resistance over time. Emerging evidence demonstrates that TEXs could serve as a prognostic biomarker for immunotherapeutic response and have a significant impact on both systemic immune suppression and tumor advancement. Therefore, understanding TEXs and their role in lung cancer tumorigenesis and their response to immunotherapies is an exciting research area and needs further investigation. This review highlights the role of TEXs as key contributors to the advancement of lung cancer and their clinical significance in lung immune-oncology, including their possible use as biomarkers for monitoring disease progression and prognosis, as well as emerging shreds of evidence regarding the possibility of using exosomes as targets to improve lung cancer therapy., (© 2023. Italian National Cancer Institute ‘Regina Elena’.)

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been utilized in various biomedical applications including diagnostics and drug delivery. However, the cellular and metabolic responses of cells to these particles remain poorly characterized. In this study, we used bacteria ( Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis ) and a fungus ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) as model organisms to investigate the cellular and metabolic effects of exposure to different concentrations of citrate-capped spherical AuNPs with diameters of 5 and 10 nm. In different growth media, the synthesized AuNPs displayed stability and microorganisms exhibited uniform levels of uptake. Exposure to a high concentration of AuNPs (10 12 particles) resulted in a reduced cell division time and a 2-fold increase in cell density in both bacteria and fungus. The exposed cells exhibited a decrease in average cell size and an increase in the expression of FtsZ protein (cell division marker), further supporting an accelerated growth rate. Notably, exposure to such a high concentration of AuNPs did not induce DNA damage, envelope stress, or a general stress response in bacteria. Differential whole proteome analysis revealed modulation of ribosomal protein expression upon exposure to AuNPs in both E. coli and S. cerevisiae . Interestingly, the accelerated growth observed upon exposure to AuNPs was sensitive to sub-minimum inhibitory concentration (sub-MIC) concentration of drugs that specifically target ribosome assembly and recycling. Based upon these findings, we hypothesize that exposure to high concentrations of AuNPs induces stress on the translation machinery. This leads to an increase in the protein synthesis rate by modulating ribosome assembly, which results in the rapid proliferation of cells.

Election prediction using sentiment analysis is a rapidly growing field that utilizes natural language processing and machine learning techniques to predict the outcome of political elections by analyzing the sentiment of online conversations and news articles. Sentiment analysis, or opinion mining, involves using text analysis to identify and extract subjective information from text data sources. In the context of election prediction, sentiment analysis can be used to gauge public opinion and predict the likely winner of an election. Significant progress has been made in election prediction in the last two decades. Yet, it becomes easier to have its comprehensive view if it has been appropriately classified approach-wise, citation-wise, and technology-wise. The main objective of this article is to examine and consolidate the progress made in research about election prediction using Twitter data. The aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art practices in this field while identifying potential avenues for further research and exploration., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2023 Alvi et al.)

The aluminum nanocomposite is fabricated through squeeze stir casting method where CNT, SiC/B 4 C powder has been used as a reinforcement in an aluminum matrix. Squeeze action in stir casting opted due to proper reinforcement of 2 vol% of CNT in the matrix. The boron carbide and silicon carbide have been added by 8 and 12 vol% in the matrix. Uniform distribution of reinforcement and phase analysis has been shown by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and XRD analysis. The formation of intermetallic compounds like Al 3 BC and Al 4 C 3 , dislocation forests, and the interaction of the reinforcement with the matrix are all confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The micro-mechanical behavior of aluminum nanocomposites was investigated using nano indentation. The nano hardness, Vickers hardness, and Young's modulus of 12 vol% B 4 C compared with 12 vol% of SiC are increased by 12%, 23%, and 16%, respectively, and the same trend has been observed for the 8 vol% B 4 C reinforced composite. The model analysis for Young's modulus has been done and the experimental value for the modulus of elasticity of the composite are validated and not find such differences significantly. The surface topography was determined, furrow scratches and wear scars, and it was discovered that B 4 C reinforced composites have reduced stripping pits inside the wear marks, as well as lower wear width and depth. Wear analysis is essential because abrasive encounters result in substantial damage owing to larger pits and bigger wear scars., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)