Exploring testicular miRNA profiles during developmental stages in Dezhou donkeys: A preliminary insight.

Testicular development and spermatogenesis are complex phenomena controlled by various genetic factors, including miRNA-based post-transcriptional gene expression regulation. Exploring the miRNA expression patterns during testicular development in Dezhou donkeys would enhance our understanding of equine fertility and spermatogenesis. In this investigation, we examined the testicular miRNA profiles at various stages of development. The experimental animals were divided into three groups based on their developmental stages: 2 months old (juvenile: n = 3), 12 months old (adolescent; n = 3) and 24 months old (adult; n = 3) donkeys. Total RNA was extracted from dissected testicles for miRNA sequencing and analysis. In total, 586 miRNAs, including 451 known miRNAs and 135 novel miRNAs, were identified. Among identified miRNAs, 315 displayed age-dependent expression differences. The levels of miRNA expression in the juvenile group were significantly higher than in the adolescent or adult groups. The MiR-483 exhibited the maximum fold change between juvenile and adolescent groups. Several screened genes, including SLC45A4 and TFCP2L1, have been linked to male reproductive pathways in donkeys. In addition, miR-744 was predicted to regulate SPIN2B, a gene implicated in spermatocyte cell cycle progression and genomic integrity of spermatozoa. These results contribute to our comprehension of microRNA regulation during testicular development and spermatogenesis in Dezhou donkeys. The identified microRNAs and their target genes have the potential to serve as biomarkers for evaluating the reproductive capacity of stud donkeys.

Effect of vigorous-intensity physical activity on incident cognitive impairment in high-risk hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the effect vigorous physical activity (VPA) on the risk of incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and probable dementia among individuals with high-risk hypertension. METHODS: Baseline self-reported frequency of VPA was categorized into low VPA (<1 session/week), and high VPA (≥1 session/week). We used multivariate Cox regression analysis to examine the association of VPA categories with incident MCI and probable dementia events. RESULTS: Participants in the high VPA category, compared with low VPA, experienced lower events rates (per 1000 person-years) of MCI (13.9 vs 19.7), probable dementia (6.3 vs 9.0), and MCI/probable dementia (18.5 vs 25.8). In the multivariate Cox regression model, high VPA, compared with low VPA, was associated with lower risk of MCI, probable dementia, and MCI/probable dementia (HR [95% CI]: 0.81 [0.68-0.97], 0.80 [0.63-1.03], and 0.82 [0.70-0.96]), respectively. DISCUSSION: This study provides evidence that VPA may preserve cognitive function in high-risk patients with hypertension. HIGHLIGHTS: Hypertension is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment Physical activity (PA) is associated with a lower risk of decline in cognition The effect of ≥1 sessions of vigorous-intensity PA (VPA) per week was assessed This analysis included SPRINT MIND trial participants with high-risk hypertension ≥1 VPA sessions/week was associated with lower risk of future cognitive impairment.

Chemical Profiling, in-vitro biological evaluation and molecular docking studies of Ruellia tweediana: An unexplored plant.

Many Ruellia species have been utilized in traditional medicine and despite the prevalent use of Ruellia tweediana in folk medicine, its antioxidant potential and polyphenol content have not been investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the medicinal value of R. tweediana by evaluating its total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid contents (TFC), GC-MS analysis, antioxidant, antibacterial, and enzyme inhibition activities. The TPC and TFC of the extract/fractions were assessed using the Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum trichloride methods, respectively. To determine the antioxidant capacity, five different assays were used: DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, and metal chelating assays. The inhibition activity against α-glucosidase, α-amylase, cholinesterases, and lipoxygenase enzymes was also analyzed. Furthermore, GC-MS was performed for chemical screening of non-polar fraction. The methanol extract showed the maximum TPC (167.34 ± 2.23 mg GAE/g) and TFC (120.43 ± 1.71 mg RE/g) values among all the tested samples. GC-MS screening of the n-hexane fraction showed the presence of 40 different phytoconstituents. The results demonstrated the highest scavenging potential of the methanol extract against DPPH (167.79 ± 2.75 mg TE/g) and ABTS (255.32 ± 2.91 mg TE/g) radicals, as well as the metal-reducing capacity measured by CUPRAC (321.34 ± 3.09 mg TE/g), FRAP (311.32 ± 2.91 mg TE/g), and metal chelating assay (246.78 ± 10.34 mg EDTAE/g). Notably, the n-hexane fraction revealed the highest α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition activity (186.8 ± 2.84 and 179.7 ± 4.32 mg ACAE/g, respectively) while methanol extract showed highest acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition activity (198.6 ± 3.31 and 184.3 ± 2.92 mg GALE/g, respectively). The GC-MS identified Lupeol showed best binding affinity with all docked enzymes as compared to standard compounds. The presence of bioactive phytoconstituents showed by GC-MS underscores the medicinal importance of R. tweediana, making it a promising candidate for natural medicine.

Efficacy of Adeno-Associated Virus Serotype 9-Mediated Gene Therapy for AB-Variant GM2 Gangliosidosis.

GM2 gangliosidoses are a group of neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders that are characterized by the accumulation of GM2 gangliosides (GM2), leading to rapid neurological decline and death. The hydrolysis of GM2 requires the specific synthesis, processing, and combination of products of three genes-HEXA, HEXB, and GM2A-within the cell's lysosomes. Mutations in these genes result in Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff disease, or AB-variant GM2 gangliosidosis (ABGM2), respectively. ABGM2, the rarest of the three types, is characterized by a mutation in the GM2A gene, which encodes the GM2 activator (GM2A) protein. Being a monogenic disease, gene therapy is a plausible and likely effective method of treatment for ABGM2. This study aimed at assessing the effects of administering a one-time intravenous treatment of single-stranded Adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (ssAAV9)-GM2A viral vector at a dose of 1 × 1014 vector genomes (vg) per kilogram per mouse in an ABGM2 mouse model (Gm2a-/-). ssAAV9-GM2A was administered at 1-day (neonatal) or 6-weeks of age (adult-stage). The results demonstrated that, in comparison to Gm2a-/- mice that received a vehicle injection, the treated mice had reduced GM2 accumulation within the central nervous system and had long-term persistence of vector genomes in the brain and liver. This proof-of-concept study is a step forward towards the development of a clinically therapeutic approach for the treatment of patients with ABGM2.

Exploring the hidden treasures of Nitella hyalina: a comprehensive study on its biological compounds, nutritional profile, and unveiling its antimicrobial, antioxidative, and hypoglycemic properties.

Macroalgae has the potential to be a precious resource in food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. Therefore, the present study was carried out to identify and quantify the phyco-chemicals and to assess the nutritional profile, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic properties of Nitella hyalina extracts. Nutritional composition revealed0.05 ± 2.40% ash content, followed by crude protein (24.66 ± 0.95%), crude fat (17.66 ± 1.42%), crude fiber (2.17 ± 0.91%), moisture content (15.46 ± 0.48%) and calculated energy value (173.50 ± 2.90 Kcal/100 g). 23 compounds were identified through GC-MS analysis in ethyl acetate extract, with primary compounds being Palmitic acid, methyl ester, (Z)-9-Hexadecenoic acid, methyl ester, and Methyl tetra decanoate. Whereas 15 compounds were identified in n-butanol extract, with the major compounds being Tetra decanoic acid, 9-hexadecanoic acid, Methyl pentopyranoside, and undecane. FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of alcoholic phenol, saturated aliphatic compounds, lipids, carboxylic acid, carbonyl, aromatic components, amine, alkyl halides, alkene, and halogen compounds. Moreover, n-butanol contains 1.663 ± 0.768 mg GAE/g, of total phenolic contents (TPC,) and 2.050 ± 0.143 QE/g of total flavonoid contents (TFC), followed by ethyl acetate extract, i.e. 1.043 ± 0.961 mg GAE/g and 1.730 ± 0.311 mg QE/g respectively. Anti-radical scavenging effect in a range of 34.55-46.35% and 35.39-41.79% was measured for n-butanol and ethyl acetate extracts, respectively. Antimicrobial results declared that n-butanol extract had the highest growth inhibitory effect, followed by ethyl acetate extract. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was reported to be the most susceptible strain, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, while Candida albicans showed the least inhibition at all concentrations. In-vivo hypoglycemic study revealed that both extracts exhibited dose-dependent activity. Significant hypoglycemic activity was observed at a dose of 300 mg/kg- 1 after 6 h i.e. 241.50 ± 2.88, followed by doses of 200 and 100 mg/kg- 1 (245.17 ± 3.43 and 250.67 ± 7.45, respectively) for n-butanol extract. In conclusion, the macroalgae demonstrated potency concerning antioxidant, antimicrobial, and hypoglycemic properties.

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Objective: To find out the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in Northwest General Hospital and Research center Hayatabad, Peshawar over a duration of 15 months (December 2020 - March 2022). Every patient was tested through regular laboratory investigations. Diabetes mellitus was established according to WHO standards of fasting plasma glucose >126 mg/dl or two hours postprandial glucose level of 200 mg/dl. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Mean and standard deviation was used for quantitative data. Frequency and percentages were used for qualitative data. Shapiro Wilk's test was done to find the normality of the data. Results: Out of a total of 360 candidates, 129 (36%) individuals were non-diabetic and 231 (64%) candidates were diabetic. Among the diabetic patients, 64 (28%) were female and 167 (72%) were males with a ratio of 1:2.6 respectively. Conclusion: Prevalence of diabetes was 64% among the CABG population. Since the prevalence of diabetes can significantly affect the outcomes of people undergoing CABG, it is essential to generate awareness regarding diabetes among healthcare workers as well as the general population. More extensive research is needed to be carried by various health care centers to figure out the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in cardiac surgery patients.

Quantitative phytochemical profile, cholinesterase enzyme inhibition assay, antibacterial and antioxidant activities of Sarcococca saligna.

Aqueous methanol extracts of Sarcococca saligna leaves and roots were used in this work to explore its phytochemical contents, antioxidant, enzyme inhibition and antibacterial activities. Total phenolic contents were found to be in higher concentrations then total flavonoids contents in aqueous methanolic extracts of leaves. Antioxidant activity was performed using DPPH radical scavenging assay. In our findings both leaves and roots extracts were found to show substantial antioxidant potential. Aqueous methanolic extracts of both the leaves and roots gave significant inhibition against butyryl cholinesterase whereas against acetyl cholinesterase extracts of roots gave significant inhibition. The results were compared with the standard drug Eserine. The aqueous methanolic extract of leaves, roots and crude saponins isolated from leaf extracts gave moderate to significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains using agar disc diffusion method. According to the conclusions, S. saligna possesses significant antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and antibacterial activities. Hence it is assumed that S. saligna has the potential to be used in the discovery and development of new bioactive compounds.

Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms During the COVID-19 Emergency Period: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study in Professional Football.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of our study was to establish the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among professional football (ie, soccer; hereinafter "football") players during the COVID-19 emergency period, drawing comparisons with players assessed before exposure to the COVID-19 emergency period. DESIGN: Observational comparative cross-sectional study by means of electronic questionnaire. SETTING: Professional football. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 468 female (mean age: 22.8 years) and 1134 male (mean age: 26.0 years) players participated. The non-COVID-19 comparison group consisted of 132 female (mean age: 23.1 years) and 175 male (mean age: 24.8 years) professional footballers. INTERVENTION: N/A. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Anxiety symptoms were measured with the validated Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 and depressive symptoms with the validated Patient Health Questionnaire 9. Both instruments have been widely used in both clinical and research settings among different populations, showing excellent psychometric properties. RESULTS: During the COVID-19 emergency period, the 2-week prevalence of symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder and depression was 18.2% and 21.6%, respectively, among female professional footballers and 15.5% and 12.9%, respectively, among male players. The 2-week prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among professional footballers was significantly higher during the COVID-19 emergency period than before the global pandemic (P < 0.01). Differences were most pronounced for those worried about the playing future. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 emergency period is associated with increased symptoms of anxiety and depression in professional footballers, especially among those worried about their future as players.

Compritol-Based Alprazolam Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Sustained Release of Alprazolam: Preparation by Hot Melt Encapsulation.

The current study was designed to investigate the feasibility of incorporating the water-insoluble lipophilic drug Alprazolam (Alp) into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) to offer the combined benefits of the quick onset of action along with the sustained release of the drug. Therefore, compritol-based alprazolam-loaded SLNs (Alp-SLNs) would provide early relief from anxiety and sleep disturbances and long-lasting control of symptoms in patients with depression, thereby enhancing patient compliance. The optimized Alp-SLNs analyzed by DLS and SEM showed consistent particle size of 92.9 nm with PI values and standard deviation of the measurements calculated at <0.3 and negative surface charge. These characteristic values demonstrate the desired level of homogeneity and good physical stability of Alp-SLNs. The SLNs had a good entrapment efficiency (89.4%) and high drug-loading capacity (77.9%). SEM analysis revealed the smooth spherical morphology of the SLNs. The physical condition of alprazolam and absence of interaction among formulation components in Alp-SLNs was confirmed by FTIR and DSC analyses. XRD analysis demonstrated the molecular dispersion of crystalline alprazolam in Alp-SLNs. The in vitro release study implied that the release of Alp from the optimized Alp-SLN formulation was sustained as compared to the Alp drug solution because Alp-SLNs exhibited sustained release of alprazolam over 24 h. Alp-SLNs are a promising candidate to achieve sustained release of the short-acting drug Alp, thereby reducing its dosing frequency and enhancing patient compliance.

Modifiable Risk Factors associated with Post-Operative Bleeding and transfusion requirements in Cardiac Surgery.

Objectives: In this study we determine the modifiable factors related to bleeding and transfusion in post-cardiac surgery patients who underwent open heart surgery. Methods: This is a retrospective study that include two hundred patients who had undergone open heart surgery (OHS) at Northwest General Hospital and Research Center from December 2018 to July 2021. Platelet count and hemoglobin level were measured in the pre-operative period. Results: This study included both male and female patients. Postoperative platelets were counted as follow: 50-100 x109 L in 3.0% cases, 101-150 x109 L seen in 27.5% cases, and >150 x 109 L in 69.5% cases which required transfusion. We have also reported the increased requirement of transfusion of blood and blood products in patients with pre-operative hemoglobin (Hb) < 10 g/dl. Conclusion: Correction of pre-op Hb, post-op platelet count and total bypass time are the significant and preventable parameters in patients undergoing cardiac surgery if proper pre-op assessment of the patient is performed.

Pathogenesis of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy and Role of miRNA.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is characterized as abnormal function and structure of myocardium associated with diabetes irrespective of other cardiac risk factors like hypertension or coronary artery disease (CAD). The pathogenesis of DCM was not well understood in the past due to its complexity but it has been discovered recently. Various factors are found to be associated with the onset of DCM including impaired calcium handling, remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM), increased oxidative stress, altered metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction, and endothelial dysfunction. Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are also found to be of great importance in the pathogenesis of DCM. Different miRNAs like miR-126, miR-24, miR-1, miR-155, miR-499, and miR-199a are found to be associated with different types of heart diseases like CAD and myocardial infarction. Studies have shown that the miRNA plays a crucial role in the development of DCM and it was found that the expression levels of different miRNAs differ in patients as compared to healthy individuals. This review focuses on the pathogenesis of DCM and various factors involved in the onset of diabetic car-diomyopathy. Moreover, the probable role of miRNA in the pathogenesis of DCM is also discussed.

Analysing the essential proteins set of Plasmodium falciparum PF3D7 for novel drug targets identification against malaria.

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium falciparum is an obligate intracellular parasite of humans that causes malaria. Falciparum malaria is a major public health threat to human life responsible for high mortality. Currently, the risk of multi-drug resistance of P. falciparum is rapidly increasing. There is a need to address new anti-malarial therapeutics strategies to combat the drug-resistance threat. METHODS: The P. falciparum essential proteins were retrieved from the recently published studies. These proteins were initially scanned against human host and its gut microbiome proteome sets by comparative proteomics analyses. The human host non-homologs essential proteins of P. falciparum were additionally analysed for druggability potential via in silico methods to possibly identify novel therapeutic targets. Finally, the PfAp4AH target was prioritized for pharmacophore modelling based virtual screening and molecular docking analyses to identify potent inhibitors from drug-like compounds databases. RESULTS: The analyses identified six P. falciparum essential and human host non-homolog proteins that follow the key druggability features. These druggable targets have not been catalogued so far in the Drugbank repository. These prioritized proteins seem novel and promising drug targets against P. falciparum due to their key protein-protein interactions features in pathogen-specific biological pathways and to hold appropriate drug-like molecule binding pockets. The pharmacophore features based virtual screening of Pharmit resource predicted a lead compound i.e. MolPort-045-917-542 as a promising inhibitor of PfAp4AH among prioritized targets. CONCLUSION: The prioritized protein targets may worthy to test in malarial drug discovery programme to overcome the anti-malarial resistance issues. The in-vitro and in-vivo studies might be promising for additional validation of these prioritized lists of drug targets against malaria.

Evaluation of hematological parameters as an indicator of disease severity in Covid-19 patients: Pakistan's experience.

BACKGROUND: The severity of COVID-19 could be evaluated by examining several blood parameters mainly white blood cell (WBC) count, granulocytes, platelet, and novel hemocytometric markers neutrophils to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR), and lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR). The current study was conducted to investigate alteration in blood parameters and their association with the severity and mortality of COVID-19 patients. METHODOLOGY: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted retrospectively, a total of 101 COVID-19 positive patients were examined: 52 were mild, 24 were moderate, 09 were severe, and 16 were critically diseased patients. We also recorded 16 deaths associated with the critical group. The overall mean age observed in our study was 48.94 years, where the mean age for critical individuals was 62.12 ± 14.35 years. RESULTS: A significant association between the disease severity and elevation in blood parameters were observed. The WBC's and granulocyte count were significantly increased (p value <0.001) while the mean platelet count (165.0 × 109 /L) and red blood cell volume distribution width (RDW) were decreased in the critical group (57.86%) compared to mild group's patients (177.3%) (p = 0.83). The lymphocytes count was decreased in critical patients (1.40 × 109 /L) compared to mild patients (1.92 × 109 /L) (p = 0.28). A significant association was observed in platelet-lymphocyte ratio (p < 0.001), Neutrophil-Lymphocyte ratio (p = <0.001), and Lymphocyte-Monocyte ratio (0.011). CONCLUSION: These blood parameters could be used as a suitable biomarker for the prognosis and severity of COVID-19. Evaluating novel hemograms NLR, PLR, and LMR can aid clinicians to identify potentially severe cases at early stages, initiate effective management in time, and conduct early triage which may reduce the overall mortality of COVID-19 patients.

Frequency of intra-aortic balloon pump insertion and associated factors in coronary artery bypass Grafting in a tertiary care hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To find the incidence of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) induction and factors associated with its insertion in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: This retrospective observational non interventional study was conducted at Cardiac Surgery Department, North West General Hospital and Research Center, Peshawar from December 2018 to March 2020. The total sample size was 360 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The research was piloted in the cardiac operation theatre then cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) of Northwest General Hospital and Research center Hayatabad Peshawar. Data was collected from 360 patients scheduled for CABG. Total numbers of patients in whom IABP was inserted and factors associated with IABP insertions were noted. All the information was collected on a specifically prepared Form. Data was entered and evaluated in statistical package for social sciences form 25. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 360 patients were observed who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We determined the frequency of IABP induction and the factors related to it. Gender distribution among patients who were assisted with IABP was 43% female and 57% male. IABP induction was done for most of moderately to severely reduced ejection fraction patients. Other factors related to patients who required IABP support were previous myocardial infarction 100%, hypertension 86%, diabetes mellitus 64%, coronary end-arterectomy 21% and smoking 7%. The results were analyzed. We have used the (SPSS) version 25 and Chi-square test for analysis in which the P-value less than 0.00001 is statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Incidence of insertion of IABP among CABG population was 3.9% in our hospital. It is an essential support to post CABG patient with left ventricular dysfunction after cardiopulmonary bypass with moderate to severely reduced ejection fraction, Myocardial infarction, hypertension, diabetes mellitus. Smoking and endarterectomy were not significantly related to IABP induction in our study. Multicenter study is still required to find out the other factors governing the IABP insertion.

Comparison of light-emitting diodelights vs fluorescent light phototherpy for the treatment of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in preterm infants - Randomised Control Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the mean treatment duration of phototherapy when done with light-emitting diodelights versus fluorescent lights for the treatment of unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia in preterm infants. METHODS: The randomised controlled trial was conducted at Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, Pakistan, from September 12, 2015, to March 11, 2016, and comprised patients with unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia. Detailed history, including demographic information, were noted. The patients were divided into two groups using computergenerated random number tables. Group A received light-emitting diode light phototherapy and group B received fluorescent light phototherapy. Initially complete blood count with peripheral film, retic count, coombs test, blood group, serum bilirubin level (total, direct, indirect) were done. Serum bilirubin was checked by bilirubinometre 6hourly till the end of treatment. Data analysis was done using SPSS 20.. RESULTS: There were 460 patients divided into two equal groups of 230(50%) each. Mean age was 32.34}2.28 weeks in Group A and 32.21}2.11weeks in Group B. In Group A, 116(50.43%) subjects were boys and 114(49.57%) were girls. In Group B, 120(52.17%) were boys and 110(47.83%) were girls. Mean duration of treatment was recorded as 36.83+2.09 hours in Group A and 45.66+2.52 hours in Group B. (p=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The mean duration of treatment of phototherapy with light-emitting diodelights lights was significantly shorter compared to fluorescent lights.

Enrichment, spatial distribution of potential ecological and human health risk assessment via toxic metals in soil and surface water ingestion in the vicinity of Sewakht mines, district Chitral, Northern Pakistan.

This study focuses on enrichment, spatial distribution, potential ecological risk index (PERI) and human health risk of various toxic metals taken via soil and surface water in the vicinity of Sewakht mines, Pakistan. The samples of soils (n = 54) of different fields and surface water (n = 38) were analyzed for toxic metals including cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn) and molybdenum (Mo). Soil pollution level was evaluated using pollution indices including geo-accumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF), degree of contamination (CD), enrichment factor (EF) and PERI. CF showed moderate contamination of soil with Cd, Co, Fe and Mo, while Igeo values indicated moderate accumulation of Cu. For Cd, EF> 1.5 was found in agricultural soils of the study area. PERI findings presented a very high ecological risk (PERI > 380) at two sites (4%), considerable ecological risk at four sites (7.4%). Non-carcinogenic risk from exposure to Fe in soil was higher than limit (HI > 1) for both children and adults. Moreover, carcinogenic risk postured by soil contaminants i.e. Cd, Cr, Co and Ni in children was higher than their limits (except Pb), while in adults only Co posed higher risk of cancer than the limit (10-4) through soil exposure. Non-carcinogenic risks in children due to Cd, Co, Mo via surface water intake were higher than their safe limits (HQ > 1), while in adults the risk order was Cr > Cd > Cu > Pb > Co > Mo. Moreover, carcinogenic risk exposure due to Co > Cd > Cr > Ni from surface water (except Pb) was higher than the tolerable limit (1 × 10-4) both for children and adults. However, Pb concentrations in both soil and surface water exposure were not likely to cause cancer risk in the local population.

Turnabout Is Fair Play: Herbivory-Induced Plant Chitinases Excreted in Fall Armyworm Frass Suppress Herbivore Defenses in Maize.

The perception of herbivory by plants is known to be triggered by the deposition of insect-derived factors such as saliva and oral secretions, oviposition materials, and even feces. Such insect-derived materials harbor chemical cues that may elicit herbivore and/or pathogen-induced defenses in plants. Several insect-derived molecules that trigger herbivore-induced defenses in plants are known; however, insect-derived molecules suppressing them are largely unknown. In this study, we identified two plant chitinases from fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) larval frass that suppress herbivore defenses while simultaneously inducing pathogen defenses in maize (Zea mays). Fall armyworm larvae feed in enclosed whorls of maize plants, where frass accumulates over extended periods of time in close proximity to damaged leaf tissue. Our study shows that maize chitinases, Pr4 and Endochitinase A, are induced during herbivory and subsequently deposited on the host with the feces. These plant chitinases mediate the suppression of herbivore-induced defenses, thereby increasing the performance of the insect on the host. Pr4 and Endochitinase A also trigger the antagonistic pathogen defense pathway in maize and suppress fungal pathogen growth on maize leaves. Frass-induced suppression of herbivore defenses by deposition of the plant-derived chitinases Pr4 and Endochitinase A is a unique way an insect can co-opt the plant's defense proteins for its own benefit. It is also a phenomenon unlike the induction of herbivore defenses by insect oral secretions in most host-herbivore systems.

Hydrodynamic confinement and capillary alignment of gold nanorods.

Controlling the alignment and orientation of nanorods on various surfaces poses major challenges. In this work, we investigate hydrodynamic confinement and capillary alignment of gold nanorod assembly on chemically stripe-patterned substrates. The surface patterns consist of alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic micrometer wide stripes; a macroscopic wettability gradient enables controlling the dynamics of deposited suspension droplets. We show that drying of residual liquid on the hydrophilic stripes gives rise to spatially localized deposition and alignment of the nanorods. Moreover, a universal relation between the extent of order within the single layers of nanoparticles and the lateral dimension of the deposits is presented and discussed.