Phytochemical Characterization and Assessment of Crude Extracts from Justicia adhatoda for Phytotoxic and Cytotoxic Activity.

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the cytotoxicity, phytotoxicity, and proximate and phytochemical analysis of methanolic extracts of the leaves of Justicia adhatoda. Methods: Methanolic leaf extract of J. adhatoda was screened for phytotoxic activity by using root length inhibition and seed germination assays. Cytotoxic activity was calculated using brine shrimp lethality bioassay. Plant extracts were also investigated for their proximate composition. The presence of several phytochemicals was tested by employing different methods. Results: Decrease in seed germination and root length, 62.67% and 83.11%, was proportional to the increasing concentration of the methanolic extract of the plant. Cytotoxicity assay results indicated that the methanolic extract possessed significant cytotoxic potential with an LC-50 of 217 µg/ml. Proximate analysis revealed that the leaves of J. adhatoda contain 9.4% moisture, 90.6% dry matter, 19.25% crude protein, 4.5% crude fat, 8.0% crude fiber, and 11.5% total ash. Conclusion: Methanolic extracts of J. adhatoda leaves showed significant cytotoxic effects and may have potential use in medicine. The J. adhatoda foliar extract shows good inhibitory effects against seed germination and root growth. Therefore, it might be used as soil additive in crops to control weeds. Further research is required to detect and isolate phytotoxins from the plant that might replace synthetic herbicides with eco-friendly herbicides.

AB082. Navigating barriers to epilepsy surgery: a national survey of patient and neurologist perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Potential barriers to epilepsy surgery can be divided into two broad groups: reluctance of patients/caregivers and deficient knowledge of neurologists. Pakistan, in particular, faces an epilepsy surgery treatment gap of 70-94%. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of neurologists and the knowledge of the patients diagnosed with epilepsy to identify the barriers to adequate provision of this modality in Pakistan. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study comprising two surveys. Records of patients diagnosed with epilepsy at our hospital during 2.5 years were retrieved from the Neurophysiology database. The second form was designed for neurologists working in Pakistan. The questionnaires were disseminated via email to neurologists and phone calls to patients. RESULTS: In the patients' survey, we obtained 194 responses from caregivers. The median age of patients was 10 years [interquartile range (IQR): 6-14 years]. We found that 74.2% (n=144) of patients were unaware of surgical options in medically refractory epilepsy (MRE). Therefore, most did not comment on it due to the limited information. Forty-eight patients (24.8%) reported more than 1 seizure per month, and 29 (60.4%) were unaware of the surgical treatment. Seizures were disabling in 88% (n=171) of patients. Patients taking more AEDs were significantly more likely to be aware of surgical options (P=0.001). In the survey from neurologists, only 6.6% (n=4) always discussed epilepsy surgery with MRE patients. Around half of the neurologists, 44.3% (n=27), had never referred a patient for epilepsy surgery. However, 95.1% (n=58) were aware of the under-utilization of epilepsy surgery, and 67.2% (n=41) believed that epilepsy surgery is under-recommended. Almost all neurologists (n=60; 98.4%) believe that comprehensive epilepsy treatment centers are required in the country. CONCLUSIONS: In our survey, we found a lack of awareness in both patients and neurologists to be a major barrier. This contrasts the literature from developed or high-income countries, where physician awareness seems adequate, and stigmas associated with surgery seem to be the major barrier. Multifaceted approaches catered to local concerns are necessary to address these hindrances.

Suicide in Healthcare Workers: An Umbrella Review of Prevalence, Causes, and Preventive Strategies.

BACKGROUND: The medical profession faces a critical challenge with the mental health of its practitioners, leading to an alarming increase in suicide rates among healthcare workers (HCW). Factors such as the culture of perfectionism, excessive workloads, and stigma against seeking help exacerbate this issue. This umbrella review synthesizes the existing literature on HCW suicide, exploring the prevalence, causes, and potential preventive strategies. METHODS: This study conducted a search of the literature from PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar until April 2, 2024. The non-exhaustive search terms used were "doctor suicide," "physician suicide," "medical professional suicide," "suicide in healthcare," "healthcare worker suicide prevention," and "causes of healthcare worker suicide." Hand-searches were also conducted. Of the 487 studies initially identified, a total of 10 systematic reviews/meta-analyses were included. RESULTS: This umbrella review collates findings from 400 primary clinical studies conducted between the years 2004 and 2023. With a focus on mental health factors contributing to suicide in HCW, there are regional and specialty-specific variations in stress prevalence in the populace. Further, anesthesiologists and psychiatrics depicted higher rates of burnout compared to other HCW; causative factors such as seeking perfection and challenging work-life balance were key when assessing suicidal behaviors in these groups. Job demand level was found to correlate directly with suicidal thoughts, specifically among psychiatric ward HCW, where access to drugs and sharp instruments is readily available. In specific contexts, female HCWs showed a standardized mortality ratio (SMR), indicating that the rate of suicide was higher among them as compared to the general female population. Interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness were effective in decreasing depression, psychological distress, and anxiety in several included studies. This umbrella review also identified major obstacles to seeking help, including stigma and the fear of professional consequences. CONCLUSION: To reduce suicide rates among HCWs, it is the need of the hour to implement evidence-based interventions and create supportive work environments that encourage mutual care for each other's emotional health. Further research is necessary to determine the effectiveness of various measures in preventing suicide among HCW.

Valve-in-valve transcatheter mitral valve replacement versus redo-surgical mitral valve replacement for degenerated bioprosthetic mitral valves: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Bioprosthetic mitral valve degeneration is traditionally treated with Redo-SMVR, but the latest ViV-TMVR procedure offers a less invasive and lower risk alternative. A systematic literature search was conducted on Cochrane Central, Scopus, and Medline (PubMed interface) electronic databases from inception till 15th April 2024. We used risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences (MD) for continuous outcomes. We included a total of eleven studies with 11,931 patients in the final quantitative and qualitative analysis. When comparing ViV-TMVR with Redo-SMVR, no significant difference was found for 30-day mortality (P = 0.13) and 1-year mortality (P = 0.91), whereas patients in the ViV-TMVR showed significantly reduced incidence of stroke (P < 0.00001), In-hospital mortality (P), bleeding complications (P = 0.003), AKI (P = 0.0006), arrhythmias (P = 0.01), LVOT obstruction (P = 0.04), and PPI (P < 0.00001). Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between either group when comparing vascular complications (P = 0.97), 2-year mortality (P = 0.60) and 3-year mortality. ViV-TMVR was associated with a significant risk of paravalvular leakage (P = 0.008). Although, ViV-TMVR reduces the risk of complications associated with Redo-SMVR, larger studies are imperative to reach conclusive results.

Safety and Efficacy of Camostat Mesylate for Covid-19: a systematic review and Meta-analysis of Randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Camostat mesylate, an oral serine protease inhibitor, is a powerful TMPRSS2 inhibitor and has been reported as a possible antiviral treatment against COVID-19. Therefore, we aim to assess the safety and efficacy of camostat mesylate for COVID-19 treatment. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing randomized controlled trials from PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, clinical trials.gov, and medrxiv until June 2023. The outcomes were pooled using Mean difference (MD) for continuous outcomes and risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous outcomes. The protocol is registered in PROSPERO with ID CRD42023439633. RESULTS: Nine RCTs, including 1,623 patients, were included in this analysis. There was no difference between camostat mesylate and placebo in producing negative PCR test results at 1-7 days (RR: 0.76, 95% CI: [0.54, 1.06] P = 0.1), 8-14 days (RR: 1.02, 95% CI: [0.84, 1.23] P = 0.87), or 15-21 days (RR: 0.99, 95% CI: [0.82, 1.19] P = 0.90); clinical resolution of symptoms at 1-7 days (RR: 0.94 (95% CI: 0.58, 1.53) P = 0.81), 8-14 days (RR: 0.91, 95% CI: [0.74, 1.11] P = 0.33, ), or 15-21 days (RR: 0.77, 95% CI: [0.40, 1.51] P = 0.45); and time to symptom improvement (MD:-0.38 weeks (95% CI: [-1.42, 0.66] P = 0.47, I2 = 85%). CONCLUSION: Camostat mesylate did not improve clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19, compared to placebo.

Development and validation of informed consent for blood transfusion questionnaire.

INTRODUCTION: Blood transfusion warrants written informed consent from the patient. However, patients have poor knowledge regarding blood transfusions as evidenced by nonstandardized information retained by patients from the informed consent discussion. The problem stems from suboptimal patient knowledge on the elements of informed consent. This study describes the development and validation of a new questionnaire to assess the knowledge on informed consent for blood transfusion from the patients' perspective. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The development phase consisted of literature review, small group discussion, expert review meeting, content, and face validity. We evaluated the psychometric properties of Informed Consent for Blood Transfusion Questionnaire (ICBTQ) using reliability test and item response theory among a sample of 95 patients in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. RESULTS: ICBTQ was formulated to include sociodemographic and knowledge sections. ICBTQ possessed excellent content validity. The face validity index (FVI) of clarity and comprehension were both 0.97. Thus, the universal FVI was 0.96. One item was added following the advice given by one of the content experts. ICBTQ had excellent face validity. For the validation phase, ICBTQ demonstrated an acceptable Cronbach's Alpha value. One item was omitted in view of low corrected item-total correlation. In the item response theory (IRT) analysis, ICBTQ exhibited good difficulty and discriminatory indexes. Assessments of item-fit indicated that all items of the model were well-fitted. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the IRT and reliability analysis, the knowledge section of the ICBTQ was psychometrically valid to be used among patients.

Evaluating the impact of efpeglenatide on cardiometabolic and safety outcomes in individuals with diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Efpeglenatide, a novel GLP-1 receptor agonist, has shown promise in improving glycemic control and inducing weight loss in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This meta-analysis assessed its therapeutic potential and safety profile. Methods: A literature search was conducted on PubMed, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Central from inception until September 2023. We selected patients with T2DM and identified and compared those receiving efpeglenatide to placebo. Outcomes assessed included fasting plasma glucose (FPG), HbA1c, body weight, BMI, and cardiometabolic parameters. Data were analyzed using a random-effects model, with results presented as mean differences (MD) for continuous outcomes and risk ratios (RR) for safety analysis, along with their respective 95% confidence intervals. Quality assessment was conducted using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results: We included 11 studies in our analysis. Efpeglenatide demonstrated significant reductions in FPG (MD = -1.53 mmol/L, 95% CI = [-2.86, -0.66], p < 0.01), HbA1c (MD = -0.84, 95% CI= [-1.08, -0.60], p < 0.01), body weight (MD = -2.24 kg, 95% CI = [-4.20, -2.00], p < 0.01), and BMI (MD = -1.61 kg/m2, 95% CI= [-2.12, -1.09], p < 0.01). However, efpeglenatide was associated with a moderate increase in the risk of gastrointestinal adverse events, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. There was a non-significant elevated risk of hypoglycemia. Conclusions: Efpeglenatide significantly improves glycemic outcomes and promotes weight loss in individuals with diabetes. However, it is associated with moderate adverse effects related to the gastrointestinal system. Thus, further trials are warranted to comprehensively assess its safety and efficacy to derive a robust conclusion. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-024-01409-3.

Investigation of mechanical and thermal behavior of fiber-reinforced silica xerogel composites.

Silica aerogels or xerogels are renowned dried gels with low density, high surface area, higher porosity, and better thermal stability which makes it suitable for aerospace, light weight structures, thermal insulation, and hydrophobic coatings. But brittle behaviour, low mechanical strength, and high manufacturing cost restrict its usage. Recently, the addition of various fibres like glass or carbon fiber is one of the best reinforcement methods to minimize the brittle behaviour. Supercritical drying technique usually used to develop aerogel that is expensive and difficult to produce in bulk quantities. Higher cost obstacle can be tackled by applying ambient pressure drying technique to develop xerogel. But researcher observed cracks in samples prepared through the ambient pressure drying technique is still a major shortcoming. The aim of this study is to systematically analyze the influence of silica gel fiber reinforcement on silica xerogels, encompassing morphology, mechanics, thermal behaviour, compression test, and thermogravimetric characteristics. The research used a low-cost precursor named Tetraethyl orthosilicate to synthesize low-cost composite Silica xerogel and glass and carbon fiber added to provide strength and flexibility to the overall composite. Silica gel works as binder in strengthening the xerogel network. The investigation employs scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the morphology of the composites, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis to affirm hydrophobic characteristics, compression tests to assess mechanical strength, and thermogravimetric tests to study weight loss under different conditions. SEM results reveals that glass fibers exhibit lower adhesion to the xerogel network compared to carbon fibers. FTIR analysis confirms the hydrophobicity of the composite silica xerogel. Compression tests showed that, under a 48% strain rate, the carbon fiber composite demonstrates superior compressive stress endurance. Thermogravimetric tests revealed a 1% lower weight loss for the carbon fiber composite compared to the glass fiber composite. This work concludes that glass and carbon fiber together with silica gel particles successfully facilitated in developing flexible, less costly, hydrophobic, and crack-free silica xerogel composites by APD. These advancements have the potential to drive innovations in material science and technology across diverse industries.

Association between exposure to ambient air pollution, meteorological factors and atopic dermatitis consultations in Singapore-a stratified nationwide time-series analysis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting approximately 20% of children globally. While studies have been conducted elsewhere, air pollution and weather variability is not well studied in the tropics. This time-series study examines the association between air pollution and meteorological factors with the incidence of outpatient visits for AD obtained from the National Skin Centre (NSC) in Singapore. The total number of 1,440,844 consultation visits from the NSC from 2009 to 2019 was analysed. Using the distributed lag non-linear model and assuming a negative binomial distribution, the short-term temporal association between outpatient visits for AD and air quality and meteorological variability on a weekly time-scale were examined, while adjusting for long-term trends, seasonality and autocorrelation. The analysis was also stratified by gender and age to assess potential effect modification. The risk of AD consultation visits was 14% lower (RR10th percentile: 0.86, 95% CI 0.78-0.96) at the 10th percentile (11.9 µg/m3) of PM2.5 and 10% higher (RR90th percentile: 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.19) at the 90th percentile (24.4 µg/m3) compared to the median value (16.1 µg/m3). Similar results were observed for PM10 with lower risk at the 10th percentile and higher risk at the 90th percentile (RR10th percentile: 0.86, 95% CI 0.78-0.95, RR90th percentile: 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.19). For rainfall for values above the median, the risk of consultation visits was higher up to 7.4 mm in the PM2.5 model (RR74th percentile: 1.07, 95% CI 1.00-1.14) and up to 9 mm in the PM10 model (RR80th percentile: 1.12, 95% CI 1.00-1.25). This study found a close association between outpatient visits for AD with ambient particulate matter concentrations and rainfall. Seasonal variations in particulate matter and rainfall may be used to alert healthcare providers on the anticipated rise in AD cases and to time preventive measures to reduce the associated health burden.

The effect of oral anticoagulants on the incidence of dementia in patients with atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Dementia is a recognized complication of atrial fibrillation (AF). Oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy can potentially be protective against this complication. Methods: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE and Embase for comparative observational studies reporting the efficacy of OAC therapy for the incidence of dementia in patients with AF was conducted from its inception until March 2023. Studies that had patients with prior use of OAC or with a previous history of dementia were excluded. Results: A total of 22 studies were included in this review involving 617,204 participants. The pooled analysis revealed that OAC therapy, including direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), was associated with a reduced incidence of dementia in AF patients. Specifically, compared to non-OAC treatment, OACs demonstrated a significant reduction in dementia incidence (HR 0.68, 95 % CI [0.58, 0.80], p < 0.00001), with similar findings observed for DOACs (HR 0.69, 95 % CI [0.51, 0.94], p = 0.02) and VKAs (HR 0.73, 95 % CI [0.56, 0.95], p = 0.02). The comparison of DOAC vs VKA revealed that DOACs are associated with reduced risk of dementia (HR 0.87, 95 % CI [0.79, 0.96], p = 0.004). Conclusion: Our SR and meta-analysis showed that the use of OAC therapy is associated with a reduced risk of dementia in individuals with AF. However, our results are limited by the potential influence of confounding bias and significant heterogeneity in the analyses.

Valve-in-Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Versus Redo-Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Aortic Stenosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Aortic stenosis is a common and significant valve condition requiring bioprosthetic heart valves with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) being strongly recommended for high-risk patients or patients over 75 years. This meta-analysis aimed to pool existing data on postprocedural clinical as well as echocardiographic outcomes comparing valve-in-valve (ViV)-TAVR to redo-surgical aortic valve replacement to assess the short-term and medium-term outcomes for both treatment methods. A systematic literature search on Cochrane Central, Scopus, and Medline (PubMed interface) electronic databases from inception to August 2023. We used odds ratios (OR) for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences (MD) for continuous outcomes. Twenty-four studies (25,216 patients) were pooled with a mean follow-up of 16.4 months. The analysis revealed that ViV-TAVR group showed a significant reduction in 30-day mortality (OR 0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43 to 0.58, p <0.00001), new-onset atrial fibrillation (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.67, p = 0.002), major bleeding event (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.45, p <0.00001) and lower rate of device success (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.53, p = 0.0003). There were no significant differences between either group when assessing 1-year mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction, postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction, and effective orifice area. ViV-TAVR cohort showed a significantly increased incidence of paravalvular leaks, aortic regurgitation, and increased mean aortic valve gradient. ViV-TAVR is a viable short-term option for older patients with high co-morbidities and operative risks, reducing perioperative complications and improving 30-day mortality with no significant cardiovascular adverse events. However, both treatment methods present similar results on short-term to medium-term complications assessment.

Spontaneous Preterm Births in Malaysia: Are There Modifiable Antenatal Risk Factors?

Background Spontaneous preterm birth (SPB) is a global public health concern with devastating health effects on SPB survivors. This study aimed to determine modifiable antenatal risk factors associated with SPB among women attending government healthcare facilities in Malaysia. Methodology A retrospective record review of 49,416 national obstetrics registry data from 2015 was conducted and analyzed using binary logistic regression based on six antenatal factor divisions. Results Mothers with pre-existing diabetes had higher odds (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.09) of delivering prematurely than mothers without diabetes. Mothers with chronic hypertension with superimposed pre-eclampsia (aOR = 2.51) and gestational hypertension (aOR = 1.44) had higher odds of experiencing preterm birth than mothers with no hypertension. Underweight mothers had higher odds (aOR = 1.27) of delivering prematurely than mothers with an ideal body mass index (18.5 to <25.0 kg/m2). Mothers with moderate anemia (hemoglobin level: 7 to <9 g/dL) had higher odds (aOR = 1.18) of preterm birth than mothers with normal hemoglobin levels (≥11 g/dL). Conclusions Maternal biomarkers, such as glucose level, blood pressure, BMI, and hemoglobin level, play an important role in reducing the rate of SPB in Malaysia. This study recommends strengthening pre-pregnancy, antenatal, and postpartum care through multidisciplinary and multi-agency team collaboration, addressing both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors and adopting a dual approach that combines preventive and curative care.

From Skin to Solution: Exploring Epicutaneous Immunotherapy for Peanut Allergy-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Peanut allergy is a leading cause of severe food reactions. This meta-analysis evaluates the efficacy and safety of epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) compared to placebo for peanut-allergic individuals. After prospectively registering on PROSPERO, we searched three databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane CENTRAL) and 2 trial registries till September 2023. Analysis was conducted via RevMan where data was computed using risk ratios (RR). The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and GRADE criteria were used to appraise and evaluate the evidence. From 4927 records, six multicenter randomized placebo-controlled trials comprising 1453 participants were included. The 250 µg EPIT group had a significant increase in successful desensitization compared to placebo (RR: 2.13 (95% C.I: 1.72, 2.64), P < 0.01, I2 = 0%), while the 100 µg EPIT group did not (RR: 1.54 (95% C.I: 0.92, 2.58), P = 0.10, I2 = 0%) (moderate certainty evidence). Moreover, there was a significant increase in local (RR: 1.69 (95% C.I: 1.06, 2.68), P = 0.03, I2 = 89%) and systemic adverse events (RR: 1.75 (95% C.I: 1.14, 2.69), P = 0.01, I2 = 0%) with EPIT. Additionally, individuals administered EPIT have an increased probability of requiring rescue medications like epinephrine (RR: 1.91 (95% C.I: 1.12, 3.28), P = 0.02, I2 = 0%) and topical corticosteroids (RR: 1.49 (95% C.I: 1.29, 1.73), P < 0.01, I2 = 0%) to treat adverse events. The association of adverse events post-treatment including anaphylaxis (RR: 2.31 (95% C.I: 1.00, 5.33), P = 0.05, I2 = 36%), skin/subcutaneous disorders like erythema or vesicles (RR: 0.93 (95% C.I: 0.79, 1.08), P = 0.33, I2 = 0%), and respiratory disorders like dyspnea or wheezing (RR: 0.94 (95% C.I: 0.77, 1.15), P = 0.55, I2 = 0%) with EPIT is inconclusive. EPIT, although effective in desensitization, is linked to an increased risk of adverse events. PROSPERO registration: CRD42023466600.

Phenolic compounds of Theobroma cacao L. show potential against dengue RdRp protease enzyme inhibition by In-silico docking, DFT study, MD simulation and MMGBSA calculation.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is no antiviral medication for dengue, a potentially fatal tropical infectious illness spread by two mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The RdRp protease of dengue virus is a potential therapeutic target. This study focused on the in silico drug discovery of RdRp protease inhibitors. METHODS: To assess the potential inhibitory activity of 29 phenolic acids from Theobroma cacao L. against DENV3-NS5 RdRp, a range of computational methods were employed. These included docking, drug-likeness analysis, ADMET prediction, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The aim of these studies was to confirm the stability of the ligand-protein complex and the binding pose identified during the docking experiment. RESULTS: Twenty-one compounds were found to have possible inhibitory activities against DENV according to the docking data, and they had a binding affinity of ≥-37.417 kcal/mol for DENV3- enzyme as compared to the reference compound panduratin A. Additionally, the drug-likeness investigation produced four hit compounds that were subjected to ADMET screening to obtain the lead compound, catechin. Based on ELUMO, EHOMO, and band energy gap, the DFT calculations showed strong electronegetivity, favouravle global softness and chemical reactivity with considerable intra-molecular charge transfer between electron-donor to electron-acceptor groups for catechin. The MD simulation result also demonstrated favourable RMSD, RMSF, SASA and H-bonds in at the binding pocket of DENV3-NS5 RdRp for catechin as compared to panduratin A. CONCLUSION: According to the present findings, catechin showed high binding affinity and sufficient drug-like properties with the appropriate ADMET profiles. Moreover, DFT and MD studies further supported the drug-like action of catechin as a potential therapeutic candidate. Therefore, further in vitro and in vivo research on cocoa and its phytochemical catechin should be taken into consideration to develop as a potential DENV inhibitor.

Unravelling the link between SARS-CoV-2 mutation frequencies, patient comorbidities, and structural dynamics.

Genomic surveillance is crucial for tracking emergence and spread of novel variants of pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2, to inform public health interventions and to enforce control measures. However, in some settings especially in low- and middle- income counties, where sequencing platforms are limited, only certain patients get to be selected for sequencing surveillance. Here, we show that patients with multiple comorbidities potentially harbour SARS-CoV-2 with higher mutation rates and thus deserve more attention for genomic surveillance. The relationship between the patient comorbidities, and type of amino acid mutations was assessed. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant tendency for mutations to occur within the ORF1a region for patients with higher number of comorbidities. Frequency analysis of the amino acid substitution within ORF1a showed that nsp3 P822L of the PLpro protease was one of the highest occurring mutations. Using molecular dynamics, we simulated that the P822L mutation in PLpro represents a system with lower Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) fluctuations, and consistent Radius of gyration (Rg), Solvent Accessible Surface Area (SASA) values-indicate a much stabler protein than the wildtype. The outcome of this study will help determine the relationship between the clinical status of a patient and the mutations of the infecting SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Characterization and in-vitro plant-based control of hindgut bacteria isolated from Odontotermes obesus Rambur (Termitidae) and Heterotermes indicola Wasmann (Rhinotermitidae).

Termites cause a serious menace to wooden structures all over the world. They rely mostly on entozoic fauna residing in their hindgut for the digestion of cellulosic and hemicellulosic materials. One of the ways to control termites is through their gut symbionts. The present study was designed to characterize the hindgut bacteria isolated from Odontotermes obesus and Heterotermes indicola. Furthermore, the growth inhibitory effect of eight tropical plant extracts was investigated to find out potential control agents for these bacterial isolates. The characterization of bacteria was carried out based on their morphology, Gram staining, biochemical and amplification of 16SrRNA gene. Amplified products were sequenced to confirm their relationship with bacterial isolates from termites of other regions. The growth inhibitory effect of ethanolic leaf extracts of eight plants was evaluated in an invitro agar well diffusion method. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis of the most effective plant was carried out to learn about bioactive agents. The results confirmed the presence of five bacteria from each termite species. The Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, and Lysinibacillus fusiformis were common to both termites whereas Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus and Lysinibacillus macrolides were found in O. obesus only and H. indicola harbor Bacillus subtilis and Shigella sonnei in addition to common three ones. Among the plant extracts of Carica papaya, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Osmium basilicum, Grevillea robusta, Eucalyptus globulus, Pongamia pinnata, Mentha longifolia, and Melia azedarach, the G. robusta > E. camaldulensis > O. basilicum were found to have growth inhibitory effects with increasing concentrations from 100 to 2000 µg/mL. The biodiversity of the bacterial fauna is important for the biological control of termites. Leaf extracts of these medicinal plants can be used to control termite infestation in an environment-friendly manner to save huge economic loss.

Development of low-cost and high-efficiency solar modules based on perovskite solar cells for large-scale applications.

Solar energy has emerged as a viable and competitive renewable resource due to its abundance and cost-effectiveness. To meet the global energy demands, there is a growing need for efficient devices with unique compositions. In this study, we designed and analyzed a perovskite solar cell (PSC) incorporating methylammonium tin iodide (CH3NH3SnI3) as the active optical absorber material, tin iodide (SnO2) as the electron transport layer (ETL), and copper thiocyanate (CuSCN) as the hole transport layer (HTL) using SCAPS-1D software for numerical investigations. Subsequently, the optimized outcomes were implemented in the PVSyst software package to derive the characteristics of a solar module based on the proposed novel solar cell composition. The objective of our research was to enhance the stability of solar cell for use in solar module. This was achieved by optimizing the thicknesses of the compositional layers which resulted in the enhancement of excess electron and hole mobilities and a reduction in defect densities, thereby leading to an improvement in the device performance. The optimization of excess electron and hole mobilities, as well as defect densities, was conducted to improve the device performance. SCAPS calculations indicated that the perovskite absorber layer (CH3NH3SnI3) may achieve the best possible performance with a maximum optimized thickness of 3.2 µm. The optimized thickness value for CuSCN-HTL and SnO2-ETL were found to be 0.07 µm and 0.05 µm respectively resulting in a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 23.57%. Variations in open circuit voltage (Voc), short circuit current (Jsc), fill factor (FF %), and quantum efficiency (QE) associated with the optimized thickness values of all layers in the ITO/SnO2/CH3NH3SnI3/CuSCN/Mo composition were critically analyzed. The use of these input parameters resulted in power creation of 557.4 W for a module consisting of 72 cells with an annual performance ratio of 80.3%. These recent investigations are expected to be effective in the design and fabrication of eco-friendly and high-performance solar cells in terms of efficiency.

Introduction of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying wAlbB Wolbachia sharply decreases dengue incidence in disease hotspots.

Partial replacement of resident Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with introduced mosquitoes carrying certain strains of inherited Wolbachia symbionts can result in transmission blocking of dengue and other viruses of public health importance. Wolbachia strain wAlbB is an effective transmission blocker and stable at high temperatures, making it particularly suitable for hot tropical climates. Following trial field releases in Malaysia, releases using wAlbB Ae. aegypti have become operationalized by the Malaysian health authorities. We report here on an average reduction in dengue fever of 62.4% (confidence intervals 50-71%) in 20 releases sites when compared to 76 control sites in high-rise residential areas. Importantly the level of dengue reduction increased with Wolbachia frequency, with 75.8% reduction (61-87%) estimated at 100% Wolbachia frequency. These findings indicate large impacts of wAlbB Wolbachia invasions on dengue fever incidence in an operational setting, with incidence expected to further decrease as wider areas are invaded.

Evaluating sustainable municipal solid waste management scenarios: A multicriteria decision making approach.

Due to increasing urbanization and population growth, municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is a significant environmental concern in developing countries. Inadequate waste management systems lead to environmental pollution, health hazards, and economic losses. While considering the challenges and limitations, policymakers and authorities need to opt for such waste management scenarios that are environmentally friendly and resolve energy issues. Ten MSWM scenarios were developed and evaluated using seven different criteria. Four multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques, namely fuzzy logic, AHP, TOPSIS, and PROMETHEE II, were employed to rank the scenarios and identify the most appropriate option for solid waste management in Lahore. This study highlights that the optimal waste management approach comprises a composition of 54% anaerobic digestion, 37% gasification, and 9% landfill technologies. These percentages collectively represent the most suitable and effective strategies for the city's waste management needs. All the MCDM techniques consistently produce similar results. These scenarios have broader applicability across cities in Central Asia and beyond. The study's findings are aligned to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly MSWM practices. These findings endorse implementing strategies and measures aimed at fostering environmental sustainability and the responsible handling of waste, serving as a valuable reference for various regions.

Innovative technologies for removal of micro plastic: A review of recent advances.

Plastics are becoming a pervasive pollutant in every environmental matrix, particularly in the aquatic environment. Due to increased plastic usage and its impact on human and aquatic life, microplastic (MP) pollution has been studied extensively as a global issue. The production of MP has been linked to both consumer and commercial practices. There is a significant amount of MP's that must be removed by wastewater treatment plants before they can be bioaccumulated. Many researchers have recently become interested in the possibility of eliminating MPs in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). Many studies have analyzed MP's environmental effects, including its emission sources, distribution, and impact on the surrounding environment. The effectiveness of their removal by various wastewater treatment technologies requires a critical review that accounts for all these methods. In this review, we have covered the most useful technologies for the removal of MP during WWTP. The findings of this review should help scientists and policymakers move forward with studies, prototypes, and proposals for significant remediation impact on water quality.