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Aisha Javed,1 Shah Rukh Abbas,1 Muhammad Uzair Hashmi,1 Noor Ul Ain Babar,2 Irshad Hussain2 1Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan; 2Department of Chemistry, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, 54792, PakistanCorrespondence: Shah Rukh AbbasDepartment of Industrial Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, H-12, Islamabad, PakistanTel +92 3355449622; +92 51-9085-6125Email sabbas@asab.nust.edu.pkBackground: Mycobacterium tuberculosis’ rapid detection is still a formidable challenge to have control over the lethal disease. New diagnostic methods such as LED fluorescence microscopy, Genexpert, Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) are limited on efficacy spectrum owing to their high cost, time-intensive and laborious nature, in addition their low sensitivity hinders their robustness and portability. Electroanalytical methods are now being considered as an excellent alternative, being currently employed for efficient detection of the analytes with the potential of being portable. This report suggests label-free electrochemical detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) via its marker, insertion sequence (IS6110).Methods: In this pursuit, graphene oxide-chitosan nanocomposite (GO-CHI), a biocompatible matrix, having a large electroactive area with an overall positively charged surface, is fabricated and characterized. The obtained GO-CHI nanocomposite is then immobilized on the ITO surface to form a positively functionalized electrochemical sensor for the detection of Mtb. DNA probe, specific for the IS6110, was electrostatically anchored on a positively charged electrode surface and the resistance of charge transfer was investigated for the sensitive and specific (complementary vs non-complementary) detection of Mtb by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry techniques.Results: The cyclic voltammetry was found to be diffusion controlled facilitating the absorption of analyte on the electrode surface. The label-free “genosensor” was found to detect a hybridization efficiency with a limit of detection of 3.4 pM, and correlation coefficient R2=0.99 when analysed over a range of concentrations of DNA from 7.86 pM to 94.3pM. The genosensor was also able to detect target DNA from raw sputum samples of clinical isolates without DNA purification.Conclusion: This electrochemical genosensor provides high sensitivity and specificity; thus offering a promising platform for clinical diagnosis of TB and other infectious diseases in general.Keywords: label-free detection, DNA genosensor, Mycobacterium detection, tuberculosis, graphene oxide nanocomposites, GO nanocomposites electrochemical sensing

PM2.5 is a typical air pollutant which has harmful health effects worldwide, particularly in the developing countries such as China due to significant air pollution. The objectives of this study were to investigate the spatio-temporal pattern of PM2.5 concentration in Jiangsu Province, China. The data were collected from 72 monitoring stations between 2018-21 and the HYSPLIT model was used to study the transport pathways of air masses. According to the obtained results, the concentration of PM2.5 was obvious during the study duration. The results show that the concentration of PM2.5 was constantly decreased from 2018 to 2021, while the level of PM2.5 was higher in winter and lower in summer in Jiangsu. The backward trajectory analysis revealed that the trajectories were originated from the Siberia, Russia and passed thorough Mongolia and northwestern parts of China then reached at the study spot. These air masses played a significant role in aerosol pathway and affect the air quality of Jiangsu.

Introduction and Importance: Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) is a rare autoimmune disorder that causes unilateral inflammation of the cerebral cortex and can lead to drug-resistant epilepsy and progressive neurological decline. Although the emergence of RE following COVID-19 has not been well documented, it emphasizes the need to understand the impact of COVID-19 on neurological health. This case emphasizes the importance of early recognition and intervention to prevent adverse outcomes related to post-COVID-19 neurological complications., Case Presentation: A 30-year-old woman, recently diagnosed with COVID-19, experienced recurrent seizures that primarily affected the left side of her body. Despite medical management, signs of progressive weakness and altered consciousness were observed. Neurological examination, imaging, and electroencephalography confirmed a diagnosis of post-COVID-19 RE. Despite conservative management, the patient's condition continued to deteriorate, ultimately resulting in fatal outcomes., Clinical Discussion: The relationship between COVID-19 and autoimmune responses, which can lead to neurological complications, such as RE, is a matter of concern. Accurate diagnosis of RE depends on imaging and EEG studies; however, a definitive diagnosis often requires histopathological examination. The management of RE involves the use of anti-seizure medications and surgical interventions to control symptoms and improve outcomes. However, the unusual presentation of this case, along with challenges in diagnosis and treatment, underscores the need for increased awareness and extensive research on the neurological consequences of COVID-19., Conclusion: This case underscores the severe neurological consequences that can emerge after COVID-19, emphasizing the need for prompt identification and intervention. Additional research is essential to improve the comprehension and management of the neurological aftermath of COVID-19 with the ultimate goal of enhancing patient outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Time synchronization among smart city nodes is critical for proper functioning and coordinating various smart city systems and applications. It ensures that different devices and systems in the smart city network are synchronized and all the data generated by these devices is consistent and accurate. Synchronization methods in smart cities use multiple timestamp exchanges for time skew correction. The Skew Integrated Timestamp (SIT) proposed here uses a timestamp, which has time skew calculated from the physical layer and uses just one timestamp to synchronize. The result from the experiment suggests that SIT can be used in place of multiple timestamp exchanges, which saves computational resources and energy., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2024 Hashmi et al.)

Background: Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP), also known as pink tooth or Gunther disease, is a rare hereditary disorder caused by an enzyme mutation in the heme biosynthesis pathway, which leads to the accumulation of immature and non-physiological protoporphyrin rings in various tissues. CEP is characterized by sun-exposed bullous skin lesions, hemolytic anemia, red/brown urine, and teeth staining., Case Presentation: We present a unique case of a 10-year-old Asian boy with CEP who presented with recurrent epistaxis, an unusual presentation for this condition. Based on clinical presentation and laboratory findings, including elevated urine uroporphyrin and coproporphyrin I and III levels, microcytic anemia, a higher red cell distribution width (RDW), and a lower platelet count, a thorough assessment and detailed workup resulted in a diagnosis of CEP. The patient underwent a successful splenectomy and recovered without any complications., Conclusion: This case report aims to raise awareness among healthcare professionals about the uncommon and atypical presentation of CEP and its management options., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Methylene blue (MB) and its compounds are investigated for their potential benefits in the management of Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is a widely seen neuropathological disorder characterized by the gradual decline of cognitive abilities, ultimately leading to the development of severe dementia. It is anticipated that there will be a significant increase in the prevalence of AD due to the aging population. Histopathologically, AD is distinguished by the presence of intracellular tangles of neurofibrillary tissues (NFTs) and extracellular amyloid plaques within the brain. MB is a thiophenazine dye with FDA approval for treating several illnesses. Its ease in crossing the blood-brain barrier and potential therapeutic use in central nervous system diseases have increased interest in its application for treating AD. The literature review includes randomized clinical trials investigating MB's potential benefits in treating AD. The findings of the studies indicate that the administration of MB has demonstrated enhancements in cognitive function, reductions in the accumulation of plaques containing beta-amyloid, improvements in memory and cognitive function in animal subjects, and possesses antioxidant properties that can mitigate oxidative stress and inflammation within the brain. This review evaluates the modern and latest research on the application of MB for treating AD., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Hashmi et al.)

Advancement and development in bone tissue engineering, particularly that of composite scaffolds, are of great importance for bone tissue engineering. We have synthesized polymeric matrix using biopolymer (β-glucan), acrylic acid, and nano-hydroxyapatite through free radical polymerization method. Bioactive nanocomposite scaffolds (BNSs) were fabricated using the freeze-drying method and Ag was coated by the dip-coating method. The scaffolds have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) to investigate their functional groups, surface morphology, and phase analysis, respectively. The pore size and porosity of all BNS samples were found to be dependent on silver concentration. Mechanical testing of all BNS samples have substantial compressive strength in dry form that is closer to cancellous bone. The samples of BNS showed substantial antibacterial effect against DH5 alpha E. coli . The biological studies conducted using the MC3T3-E1 cell line via neutral red dye assay on the scaffolds have found to be biocompatible and non-cytotoxic. These bioactive scaffolds can bring numerous applications for bone tissue repairs and regenerations.

Extensive utilization of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) has raised concerns of their safety profile upon interaction with biological system. In past decade, various nanoparticles (NPs) with excellent antimicrobial potential have been synthesized, a majority of which have struggled with the established toxicity in biological systems. The NPs safety is still a hot debate and various strategies are being adopted to overcome this giant limitation. This paper successfully reports comparative toxicity profiles of previously synthesized antimicrobial NPs in our lab and concludes the effectiveness of biologically synthesized NPs for its safe usage in biological systems. In this study, five of our previously synthesized NPs that showed excellent antimicrobial potential were compared for their in vivo toxicity and corresponding radical scavenging activities. Based on lowest morbidity, mortality, weight loss, toxicity and agglomeration profile, best NPs with highest antimicrobial potentials were screened out and used for further biomedical applications. The previously reported NPs used in this study included Aerva javanica synthesized nanoparticles (AjNPs), Heliotropium crispium synthesized nanoparticles (HcNPs), and violacein capped nanoparticles (VNPs), these showed least toxicity upon in vivo histological analysis. AjNPs among them showed maximum safety and efficacy profile and consistently showed least production of reactive oxygen species, least mortality and morbidity rate as compared to other groups. Present study establishes that all these biologically synthesized NPs and specifically AjNPs can be efficiently employed as antimicrobial agents as they have not exhibited toxic profile and have shown least accumulation into the organs such as liver spleen and kidney., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

An improved active packaging system was developed for fresh fruits using silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) coupled with calcium alginate (Ca-ALG). For the synthesis of AgNPs aqueous, ethanol and methanol extracts of Artemisia scoparia (AS) were used. These AgNP's were characterized using UV-Vis, SEM, EDS, AFM, FTIR and gel electrophoresis. Ethanol extract of AS (ASE) produced AgNPs with smallest size in comparison to aqueous AS (ASA) and methanol extract of AS (ASM). AgNPs synthesized from ASE had a size range of 12.0-23.3 nm and were tested on Human Corneal Epithelial Cells to evaluate their cytotoxicity. At 0.05 ng/mL of AgNP's concentration, no toxic effects were observed on the evaluated cell line. Therefore, 0.05 ng/mL of AgNPs mixed with edible coating of Ca-ALG were applied on strawberries and loquats as active coating to increase their shelf life. Significant improvement was observed in the quality parameters of strawberries and loquats such as microbial analysis, acidity loss, soluble solid content loss, weight loss and quality decay. Ca-ALG coating incorporated with AgNPs enhanced the shelf life of strawberries and loquats in comparison to no treatment and simple Ca-ALG coatings. This study provides an insight to food industry to extend the shelf life of fresh fruits using AgNP's formulated coatings., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to study the efficacy and safety of chamomile for the treatment of state anxiety, generalized anxiety disorders (GADs), sleep quality, and insomnia in human. Eleven databases including PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane Central, and Scopus were searched to retrieve relevant randomized control trials (RCTs), and 12 RCTs were included. Random effect meta-analysis was performed by meta package of R statistical software version 3.4.3 and RevMan version 5.3. Our meta-analysis of three RCTs did not show any difference in case of anxiety (standardized mean difference = -0.15, 95% CI [-0.46, 0.16], P = 0.4214). Moreover, there is only one RCT that evaluated the effect of chamomile on insomnia and it found no significant change in insomnia severity index (P > 0.05). By using HAM-A scale, there was a significant improvement in GAD after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment (mean difference = -1.43, 95% CI [-2.47, -0.39], P = 0.007), (MD = -1.79, 95% CI [-3.14, -0.43], P = 0.0097), respectively. Noteworthy, our meta-analysis showed a significant improvement in sleep quality after chamomile administration (standardized mean difference = -0.73, 95% CI [-1.23, -0.23], P < 0.005). Mild adverse events were only reported by three RCTs. Chamomile appears to be efficacious and safe for sleep quality and GAD. Little evidence is there to show its effect on anxiety and insomnia. Larger RCTs are needed to ascertain these findings., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Introduction Corrosive ingestion is a grave public health problem. It is a medical emergency and shows diverse clinical presentations. The ingestion of corrosive substances has devastating effects on upper gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts and the corrosive injury is associated with numerous life-threatening complications. The present study aims to explore the clinico-epidemiological characteristics of patients of corrosive ingestion presenting at a tertiary care hospital of Multan, Pakistan. Method The target study population consists of all the patients with primary diagnosis of corrosive ingestion who presented to the department of thoracic surgery, Nishtar Medical University Hospital Multan, Pakistan, from January 2016 to December 2017. The follow-up cases and the cases with ingestion of substances other than corrosives were not included in the study. All the included cases were evaluated by detailed history, thorough physical examination and the necessary investigations. The post-cor-rosive tissue damage was classified accord-ing to Zargar's classification system. All the demographic data and other variables were measured and recorded using a Performa. The data were analyzed by using computer program SPSS 21 version. Results The total study population was 206 patients. There were 135 females (65.5%) and 71 male patients (34.5%). Age ranged from 2 to 42 years (mean 23.44 ± 7.19). Only seven cases were found in the age group of 2-7 years. The residents of rural areas showed a slightly increased inclination towards corrosive ingestion. One hundred and ten cases were unmarried (53.4%) while 90 patients were married (43.7%). The incidence of corrosive ingestion was much high in illiterate/less educated patients belonging to the groups of lower socio-economic status. One hundred and ninety-seven patients ingested corrosive substances deliberately with the suicidal intention (95.6%). The acid used as bathroom cleaner and the laundry bleaches were the most commonly used corrosive agents. In 166 cases the corrosive materials were already present at home for domestic purposes (80.6%), but 18 subjects particularly purchased these corrosive substances to commit suicide. The quantity of ingested material ranged between 10 ml and 150 ml with a mean of 42.6 ml ± 33.2. The shortest hospital stay was one day, and the longest one was 60 days. Esophagus and oropharyngeal area were the most common site which sustained the corrosive injury, whereas corrosive injury to duodenum was least frequent (34.5 %). Conclusion Corrosive ingestion is a serious medical problem and it requires a multidisciplinary approach and a good coordination between different medical specialists. Underprivileged teenager females of rural areas are more likely to ingest corrosive materials with suicidal intention. In most of the ingestions, household cleaning products are used. Only the patients with severe corrosive injury should be admitted to intensive care units. Enforcing regulations for the manufacturers of household cleaning products can significantly reduce the incidence of this potentially fatal condition., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Multifunctional magnetic nanosystems have attracted an enormous attention of researchers for their potential applications in cancer diagnostics and therapy. The localized nanotherapies triggered by the external stimuli, like magnetic fields and visible light, are significant in clinical applications. We report a liposomal system that aims to treat cancer by magnetic hyperthermia, photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy simultaneously. The liposomes enclose clinically used photosensitizer m-THPC (Foscan) and anti-cancer drug doxorubicin, in its hydrophobic lipid bilayers, and contains magnetite nanoparticles in hydrophilic core. Three different sizes of magnetic nanoparticles (10, 22 and 30nm) and liposomes (40, 70 and 110nm) were used in this study. Magnetite single domain nanoparticles forming the magnetic core were superparamagnetic but liposomes expressed slight coercivity and hysteresis due to the clustering of nanoparticles in the core. This enhanced the heating efficiency (specific power loss) of the liposomes under an AC field (375kHz, 170Oe). Cell viability and toxicity were studied on HeLa cells using MTT assay and proteomic analysis. Confocal and fluorescence microscopy were used to study the photosensitizer's profile and cells response to combined therapy. It revealed that combined therapy almost completely eliminated the cancer cells as opposed to the separate treatments. Magnetic hyperthermia and photodynamic therapies were almost equally effective whereas chemotherapy showed the least effect., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.)