Melatonin-priming enhances maize seedling drought tolerance by regulating the antioxidant defense system.

Drought stress (DS) challenges sustainable agriculture production by limiting crop growth and development. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of melatonin-priming on enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defense mechanisms and its relation with leaf ultrastructure and stomatal traits in maize (Zea mays L) seedlings under DS (PEG-6000). DS drastically decreased seed germination, plant growth, and leaf chlorophyll content due to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Melatonin-priming significantly (P < 0.05) increased seed germination, root length, shoot length, fresh seedling weight, proline content, total soluble protein content, sugar content, chlorophyll content, and stomatal aperture size by 101%, 30%, 133%, 51%, 22%, 59%, 54%, 20%, and 424%, compared to no priming (NP) under DS, respectively. Similarly, priming improved leaf ultrastructure and reduced the amount of chlorophyll loss and oxidative damage in maize seedlings. Melatonin seed priming with 500 µM melatonin (M2) greatly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), glutathione, and ascorbate (AsA) activity, by 65%, 63%, 94%, 41%, and 55% compared to NP under DS and by 0.26%, 8%, 33%, 42%, and 15% under no-stress (NS), respectively. Melatonin-priming also reduced malondialdehyde content, electrolyte leakage, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, and superoxide anion (O2-) content by 26%, 31%, 31%, and 33% compared to NP under DS and by 8%, 18%, 10%, and 11% under NS, respectively. In response to DS, melatonin-priming also stabilized the chloroplast structure, sustained cell expansion, protected cell walls, and greatly improved stomatal traits, including stomatal number, length, and width. Our results suggest that melatonin-priming improves drought tolerance in maize seedlings by alleviating the negative effect of ROS.

Metallic CoSb and Janus Co2AsSb monolayers as promising anode materials for metal-ion batteries.

Structural symmetry breaking plays a pivotal role in fine-tuning the properties of nano-layered materials. Here, based on the first-principles approaches we propose a Janus monolayer of metallic CoSb by breaking the out-of-plane structural symmetry. Specifically, within the CoSb monolayer by replacing the top-layer 'Sb' with 'As' atoms entirely, the Janus Co2AsSb monolayer can be formed, whose structure is confirmed via structural optimization and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Notably, the Janus Co2AsSb monolayer demonstrates stability at an elevated temperature of 1200 K, surpassing the stability of the CoSb monolayer, which remains stable only up to 900 K. We propose that both the CoSb and Janus Co2AsSb monolayers could serve as capable anode materials for power-driven metal-ion batteries, owing to their substantial theoretical capacity and robust binding strength. The theoretical specific capacities for Li/Na reach up to 1038.28/1186.60 mA h g-1 for CoSb, while Janus Co2AsSb demonstrates a marked improvement in electrochemical storage capacity of 3578.69/2215.38 mA h g-1 for Li/Na, representing a significant leap forward in this domain. The symmetry-breaking effect upgrades the CoSb monolayer, as a more viable contender for power-driven metal-ion batteries. Furthermore, electronic structure calculations indicate a notable charge transfer that augments the metallic nature, which would boost electrical conductivity. These simulations demonstrate that the CoSb and Janus Co2AsSb monolayers have immense potential for application in the design of metal-ion battery technologies.

Theoretical prediction and characterization of novel two-dimensional ternary tetradymite compounds La2X2Y (X = I, Br, Cl; Y = Ge, Te) as anode materials for metal-ion batteries.

Tetradymite compounds, such as Bi2Te3, crystallizing in rhombohedral structures have triggered tremendous research interest from the scientific community because of their intriguing properties. Herein, using the state-of-the-art first-principles calculations, we identify that La2X2Y (X = I, Br, Cl; Y = Ge, Te) nanosheets exhibit a ternary tetradymite-type structure with extraordinary electrical and electrochemical properties. It is first demonstrated that the layered La2X2Y compounds exhibit weak interlayer coupling with cleavage energies in the range of ∼0.28-0.38 J m-2, allowing the ready separation of monolayers that can be synthesized by mechanical exfoliation from their bulk counterparts. Next, we predict that La2X2Ge nanosheets exhibit a semiconducting nature, and upon physical realistic strain, a Dirac cone can be realized. These findings can be exploited in the transport properties. Furthermore, we comprehensively investigated the electrochemical properties of the predicted systems to evaluate their potential use in metal-ion (Li/Na) batteries. Our detailed analyses reveal that the Li (Na) adatoms are sufficiently mobile on the surface of the studied systems. For instance, the binding energy for the Li (Na) adatom on La2I2Ge is -2.24(-1.79) eV with a diffusion barrier of as small as ∼0.31(0.20) eV. Subsequently, the maximum theoretical specific capacity for Li (Na) reaches as high as 887(1064) mA h g-1, which can be attributed to a much higher storage capacity compared to previously identified 2D anode materials. These findings substantiate that the predicted nanosheets could be synthesized to explore their potential applications in future metal-ion batteries.

Vitamin C and fruit quality consensus in breeding elite European strawberry under multiple interactions of environment.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin C is a life saving molecule. Vitamin C based breeding is need of the hour in order to provide humans an immunity boosting supplement in the form of fresh food. METHODS AND RESULTS: Multiple interactions of Anatolian Mediterranean environment were studied with cultivars ('Calinda', 'Rubygem', 'Sabrina', and 'Sahara') and fruit maturity stages. Genetic expression of six vitamin C related genes was estimated showing significantly higher expression in open field. Cultivar 'Calinda' performed better in organic acids but poor in firmness. Cultivar 'Sabrina' showed highest fruit firmness but lower commercially desired fruit quality characters. Cultivar 'Sahara' performed best for vitamin C and fruit redness, and was high in fruit size, weight, and organic acids. Chroma trends indicated simultaneous accumulation of vitamin C and anthocyanins in strawberry fruits. Transition stage of fruits was found most critical for metabolite regulation and sensitive to environmental changes. Fruits of cultivar 'Sahara' at 'Red' maturity stage expressed highest vitamin C levels (138.03 mg/100 g FW) whereas 'Turning' fruits of cultivar 'Sabrina' had lowest vitamin C content (27.80 mg/100 g FW). All studied vitamin C related genes indicate highest genetic expression for cultivar 'Sahara', except for genes FaVTC2 and FaMDHAR which exhibit highest genetic expression for cultivar 'Rubygem.' CONCLUSION: Two-way and three-way interactions between cultivars, environments, and maturity stages were significant for vitamin C and fruit quality regulation under Mediterranean climate. This indicates an absolute requisite of studying combined influences in actual field, rather than single factor, controlled, or lab experiments. Correlation analysis showed that vitamin C content in a fruit is a complex subject and mainly depends on fruit color, size, and firmness. Principal Component Analysis validated that cultivar 'Sahara' is a promising candidate for vitamin C based breeding in strawberry.

Impacts of pyrolysis temperatures on physicochemical and structural properties of green waste derived biochars for adsorption of potentially toxic elements.

This study comparatively investigated the influence of changes in pyrolysis temperature on the physicochemical, structural, and adsorptive properties of biochars derived from a green waste (Cynodon dactylon L.). For this purpose, the biophysically dried green wastes were pyrolyzed at 400 °C, 600 °C, and 800 °C under the same pyrolysis conditions. The results revealed that the physicochemical and structural properties were varied, depending upon the pyrolysis temperatures. With the increase of pyrolysis temperature, the surface functional groups were escaped, the structure became more porous (pore volume of 0.089 ± 0.001), the metal oxides were remained consistent, and the biochars turned into more alkaline nature (pH of 11.9 ± 0.2). Furthermore, as referring to the adsorptive performance for potentially toxic elements, with experimental adsorption capacity of up to 33.7 mg g-1 and removal rate up to 96% for a multi-metals containing solution, the biochars pyrolyzed at high temperature (800 °C) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those pyrolyzed at low temperature (400 °C). According to the physicochemical and structural properties, and the adsorptive performances of the biochars, the optimal pyrolysis temperature was herein recommended to be 800 °C.

Black phosphorene/blue phosphorene van der Waals heterostructure: a potential anode material for lithium-ion batteries.

Van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure-based electrodes have invoked tremendous research interest due to their intriguing properties and their capability to break the limitations of the restricted properties of single-material systems. Herein, based on first-principles approaches, we propose that the black phosphorene/blue phosphorene (BLK-P/BLE-P) vdW heterostructure can be a capable anode material for power-driving lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), as it exhibits a large theoretical capacity, together with a relatively strong binding strength compared with the individual BLK-P and BLE-P monolayers. Our calculation results show that the Li adatom prefers to intercalate into the interlayer of the BLK-P/BLE-P vdW heterostructure due to the synergistic interfacial effect, resulting in a high binding strength and a diffusivity comparable to the BLK-P and BLE-P monolayers. Subsequently, the theoretical specific capacity is found to be as high as 552.8 mA h g-1, which can be attributed to the much higher storage capacity of Li adatoms in the BLK-P/BLE-P vdW heterostructure. Furthermore, electronic structure calculations reveal that a large amount of charge transfer assists in semiconductor to metallic transition upon lithiation, which would ensure good electrical conductivity. These simulations prove that the BLK-P/BLE-P heterostructure has great potential in LIBs and is essential for future battery design.

Assessment of Drinking Water Sources for Water Quality, Human Health Risks, and Pollution Sources: A Case Study of the District Bajaur, Pakistan.

The focus of the present study was to assess the quality of different drinking water sources, impacts of poor water quality on human health, and to apportion pollution source(s) of the district Bajaur, Pakistan. Drinking water samples (n = 331) were randomly collected from springs, hand pumps, open wells, and tube wells and analyzed for physicochemical parameters including toxic elements, and bacteriological contamination (i.e., Escherichia coli). Furthermore, a questionnaire survey was conducted to record the cases of waterborne diseases in the study area. The results showed that total suspended solids and bacteriological contamination exceeded the permissible limits of the WHO in all four of the water sources. Among the potentially toxic elements, Cd, Pb, and Mn were above the permissible limits of the WHO in some samples. The hazard index for spring water was found to exceed the toxicity level (i.e., HI > 1) set by US EPA for both adults and children, while the sources from hand pumps, open wells, and tube wells were within the safe limit. The order for the overall safety level for water quality in the study area was tube wells > open wells > hand pumps > springs. The pollution source apportionment statistics revealed that both geogenic and anthropogenic activities are the sources of drinking water contamination. The results of the questionnaire survey indicated that reports of waterborne diseases were highest in respondents who took their drinking water from springs, whereas reports of diseases were moderate in respondents taking their water from open wells and hand pumps and lowest in respondents taking their water from tube wells. Based on the findings of the study, the tube well source of water is recommended for drinking water purposes.

The use of PCR technique in the identification of Mycobacterium species responsible for bovine tuberculosis in cattle and buffaloes in Pakistan.

Bovine tuberculosis is one of the important diseases of dairy and wild animals. The disease is prevalent all over the world, though developed countries have tremendously reduced the prevalence through eradication campaigns. The prevalence of disease in Pakistan on the basis of tuberculin testing or culture isolation of the organism has been reported previously. It is, however, important to use the latest diagnostic tools, i.e. PCR to confirm the type of Mycobacterium infecting the animals in Pakistan. Therefore, the present study was carried out to assess the utility of direct PCR on milk samples and nasal swabs to confirm the type of Mycobacterium infecting the animals. This study was carried out on 215 cattle and buffaloes of more than 2 years of age present at two livestock farms. The tuberculin results showed 22.5% prevalence at one farm and 25.9% at the other with an overall prevalence of 24.7%. The 92.5% of milk samples and/or nasal swabs showed positive PCR for Mycobacterium genus, 86.8% for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and 77.4% for Mycobacterium bovis. The M. bovis by PCR was detected in 13.2% of milk samples, 24.5% of nasal swabs and 39.6% of both milk samples + nasal swabs. The results suggested that there are 60% higher chance for a nasal swab to yield a positive PCR for M. bovis than the milk sample. It can be concluded from the present study that tuberculin testing is a useful method in studying the prevalence of disease as the PCR for Mycobacterium genus was positive in 92.5%, M. tuberculosis complex in 86.8% and Mycobacterium bovis in 77.4% cases.

Low Thermal Conductivity and High Thermoelectric Performance of Nb-Doped Quarternary Mixed Crystal Nb0.05W0.95-xMox(Se1-xSx)2.

Transition-metal dichalcogenide WSe2 has attracted increasing interest due to its large thermopower (S), low-cost, and environment-friendly constituents. However, its thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, of WSe2 is limited due to its large lattice thermal conductivity (κL) and low electrical conductivity. In view of WSe2 and MoS2 having the same crystal structure, here we designed and prepared Nb-doped quarternary mixed crystal (MC) Nb0.05W0.95-xMox(Se1-xSx)2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.095). The results indicate that the κL of the MC can reach as low as 0.12 W m K-1 at 850 K, being 93% smaller than that of WSe2. Our analysis reveals that its low κL originates chiefly from intense scattering of both high-frequency phonons from point defects (mainly alloying elements) and mid/low-frequency phonons from MoS2 inclusions residual within MC. In addition, the alloying of WSe2 with MoS2 causes a 5-fold increase in cation vacancies (VW‴'), leading to a large increase in hole concentration and electrical conductivity, which gives rise to a ∼7.5 times increase in power factor (reaching 4.2 µ W cm-1 K-2 at 850 K). As a result, a record high ZTmax = 0.63 is achieved at 850 K for the MC sample with x = 0.076, which is 20 times larger than that of WSe2, demonstrating that MC Nb0.05W0.95-xMox(Se1-xSx)2 is a promising thermoelectric material.

Frequency distribution of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting bubaline population of district Toba Tek Singh, Punjab, Pakistan.

The current research was conducted to define the epidemiological parameters related to the prevalence and associated risk factors of tick infestation in buffaloes in the Toba Tek Singh District of central Punjab, Pakistan. The prevalence of ticks on buffaloes was 31.21 % (352/1,128). Among the species of ticks, the prevalence of Hyalomma marginatum (75.56 %; 266/352) was higher (P < 0.05; odd's ratios (OR) = 3.09) than Rhipicephalus microplus (24.44 %; 86/352). Female buffaloes (69.60 %; 245/352) and younger animals (59.09 %; 208/352) were more heavily infested than males (30.40 %; 107/352) and adult animals (40.91 %; 144/352), respectively, whereas breed was not a determinant (P > 0.05). With regard to management and husbandry practices, the prevalence of ticks was higher in animals kept on uncemented flooring (54.55 %; 192/352; OR = 1.90) followed in order by partially cemented (28.69 %; 101/352; OR = 1.71) and fully cemented flooring (16.76 %; 59/352). With regard to feeding systems, grazing animals (64.20 %; 226/352) were more burdened compared to stall-fed animals (35.80 %; 126/352). The highest tick prevalence was recorded in closed housing systems (52.27 %; 184/352), followed by semi-closed (34.09 %; 120/352; OR = 1.53), and open housing systems (13.64 %; 48/352). Rope-tied animals (70.73 %; 249/352) were more parasitized (P > 0.05) than open (29.27 %; 103/352). Prevalence in the study district was highest in tehsil Kamalia followed in order by T.T. Singh and Gojra. The primary body area of infestation by ticks (head, neck, ear, dewlap, back, abdomen, foreleg, shoulder, hind leg, congenital areas, and tail) ranged from highest at inside thigh (17 %) to lowest at rump. In the present survey, the highest prevalence was recorded in July and lowest in December. Comparison of hematological changes showed remarkable differences between infested and non-infested animals, in the form of low values of infested animals, whereas an increment in biochemical parameter values was observed in tick-infested animals. The present study provides significant data to enhance planning for tick control program in the study area.

The global burden of fasciolosis in domestic animals with an outlook on the contribution of new approaches for diagnosis and control.

Fasciolosis is an economically important disease for livestock, as well as being zoonotic. Recent figures on the prevalence of this disease have caused alarm concerning its potential for an increased prevalence in the future. The prevalence of fascioliosis has been documented from different regions of the world, helping us identify areas where future research needs to be focused. This manuscript is a review of the current status of the disease, the pathogenic species involved, diagnostic techniques (with new modifications and comparative specificity, sensitivity, and rapidity of these tests), chemotherapy, and vaccination. This also encompasses inaccurate reports on vaccination and drug development as well as the latest technologies to find promising candidates for drugs and vaccines. Drugs with lower efficacy have been used on some farms which lead to exacerbation of the clinical disease, presumably due to the development of drug resistance. Future studies should be focused on (1) the use of the most reliable diagnostic tests for periodic monitoring of the disease, (2) insights of the ecobiology and transmission dynamics of the snail intermediate host and the best possible methods of their control, (3) in vitro and in vivo testing of chemotherapeutic compounds using sensitive methods, and (4) the identification of novel drug and vaccine candidates using modern molecular markers. This approach may help increase the reliability of chemotherapeutic agents and control nuisance, ultimately reducing the economic losses attributable to the livestock industry around the world.

Black phosphorene/SnSe van der Waals heterostructure as a promising anchoring anode material for metal-ion batteries.

Black phosphorene (BP) is a glowing two-dimensional semiconducting layer material for cutting-edge microelectronics, with high carrier mobility and thickness-dependent band gap. Here, based on van der Waals (vdW)-corrected first-principles approaches, we investigated stacked BP/tin selenide (BP/SnSe) vdW heterostructure as an anode material for metal ion batteries, which exhibits a significant theoretical capacity, along with relatively durable binding strength compared to the constituent BP and SnSe monolayers. Our calculations demonstrated that the Li/Na adatom favors insertion into the interlayer region of BP/SnSe vdW heterostructure owing to synergistic interfacial effect, resulting in comparable diffusivity to the BP and SnSe monolayers. Subsequently, the theoretical specific capacities for Li/Na are found to be as high as 956.30 mAhg-1and 828.79 mAhg-1, respectively, which could be attributed to the much higher storage capacity of Li/Na adatoms in the BP/SnSe vdW heterostructure. Moreover, the electronic structure calculations reveal that a large amount of charge transfer assists in semiconductor-to-metallic transition upon lithiation/sodiation, ensuring good electrical conductivity. These simulations verify that the BP/SnSe vdW heterostructure has immense potential for application in the design of metal-ion battery technologies.

Rational design of nitrogen (N), boron (B), and phosphorous (P) tri-doped carbon nano-spheres as advanced anode materials for sodium-ion batteries with an ultra-long lifespan.

Developing improved anode materials is critical to the performance enhancement and the lifespan prolonging of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). In this context, carbon-based nanostructures have emerged as a promising candidate. In this work, we have synthesized N, B, and P tri-doped carbon (NBPC) spheres using a one-step carbonization method. The as-prepared NBPC exhibits exceptional properties, including an expanded layer space, sufficient structural defects, and enhanced electrical conductivity. These characteristics synergistically contribute to the remarkable rate capability and ultra-long lifespan when NBPC is employed as an anode material for SIBs. The as-prepared NBPC demonstrates a reversible capacity of 290.6 mAh/g at 0.05 A/g, with a capacity retention of 98.4% after 800 cycles. Furthermore, NBPC exhibits an impressively ultra-long cycle life of 2400 cycles at 1.0 A/g with a reversible capacity of 140.2 mAh/g. First principle calculations confirm that the introduction of N, B, and P heteroatoms in carbon enhances the binding strength of sodium ions within NBPC. This work presents a novel approach for fabricating advanced anode materials, enabling the development of long-life SIBs for practical applications.

Synergistic Enhancement of Near-Infrared Emission in CsPbCl3 Host via Co-Doping with Yb3+ and Nd3+ for Perovskite Light Emitting Diodes.

Perovskite nanocrystals (PeNCs) have emerged as a promising class of luminescent materials offering size and composition-tunable luminescence with high efficiency and color purity in the visible range. PeNCs doped with Yb3+ ions, known for their near-infrared (NIR) emission properties, have gained significant attention due to their potential applications. However, these materials still face challenges with weak NIR electroluminescence (EL) emission and low external quantum efficiency (EQE), primarily due to undesired resonance energy transfer (RET) occurring between the host and Yb3+ ions, which adversely affects their emission efficiency and device performance. Herein, we report the synergistic enhancement of NIR emission in a CsPbCl3 host through co-doping with Yb3+/Nd3+ ions for perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs). The co-doping of Yb3+/Nd3+ ions in a CsPbCl3 host resulted in enhanced NIR emission above 1000 nm, which is highly desirable for NIR optoelectronic applications. This cooperative energy transfer between Yb3+ and Nd3+ can enhance the overall efficiency of energy conversion. Furthermore, the PeLEDs incorporating the co-doped CsPbCl3/Yb3+/Nd3+ PeNCs as an emitting layer exhibited significantly enhanced NIR EL compared to the single doped PeLEDs. The optimized co-doped PeLEDs showed improved device performance, including increased EQE of 6.2% at 1035 nm wavelength and low turn-on voltage. Our findings highlight the potential of co-doping with Yb3+ and Nd3+ ions as a strategy for achieving synergistic enhancement of NIR emission in CsPbCl3 perovskite materials, which could pave the way for the development of highly efficient perovskite LEDs for NIR optoelectronic applications.

Aerobic Bacterial Contamination In Platelet Concentrates At The Regional Blood Centre, Peshawar.

BACKGROUND: Platelet concentrates play a crucial role in transfusion medicine, aiding in the management of various medical conditions, including haemorrhage, thrombocytopenia, and platelet dysfunction. However, their storage conditions at 22° C present an optimal environment for bacterial growth, making them susceptible to contamination. Of particular concern is the transmission of microorganisms from the skin flora during the phlebotomy process, which can lead to the transfusion of contaminated platelet concentrates. Such contamination poses significant risks to patients, potentially resulting in morbidity and mortality. Determining the frequency and identifying causative organisms of bacterial contamination in platelet concentrates. METHODS: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at the Institute of Pathology and Diagnostic Medicine, Khyber Medical University, and the Regional Blood Center in Peshawar from May to October 2021, spanning a duration of six months. The study included 500 participants aged between 18 and 50 years (mean: 28.13±7.67 years. A simple convenient sampling technique was employed. Blood products underwent screening for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, Syphilis, and Malaria. Leaked units were excluded from the study. Platelets were prepared using a Cryofuge and subsequently subjected to culture media. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants included in the study was 28.13±7.67 years, with an age range of 18 to 50 years. Out of the total sample size of 500, there were 483 (96.6%) male participants and 17 (3.4%) female participants. Among the collected samples, bacterial growth was observed in only 11 (2.2%) platelet concentrates. The isolated organisms were Staphylococcus epidermidis, found in 7 (1.4%) platelet concentrates, and Staphylococcus aureus, found in 4 (0.8%) platelet concentrates. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial contamination of platelet bags is higher compared to developed countries. Therefore, implementing quality control procedures is necessary to reduce the risk of bacterial contamination in platelet concentrates. Additionally, employing enhanced skin disinfection techniques at the phlebotomy site can significantly minimize bacterial contamination.

Green Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Taverniera couneifolia Elicits Effective Anti-Diabetic Effect in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats.

Background: Using a variety of chemical compounds and biomolecules, researchers have been working on new antidiabetic drugs for many years. Anti-diabetic research is increasingly using nanomaterials because of their unique qualities, such as their tiny size, biocompatibility, and ability to penetrate cell membranes for drug delivery. Using extract of T. couneifolia coated with silver nanoparticles as a model for diabetes mellitus research was one of the goals of this work. Methods: Uv-Vis spectroscopy was used to measure the TAgNPs surface plasmon resonance. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the attached functional groups, XRD analysis confirmed the size and crystallinity, scanning electron microscopy revealed that the majority of the particles were spherical, and EDX performed the elemental analysis. For 21 days, alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats (N = 25, n = 5/group) were administered 10 mg/kg body weight of photosynthesized AgNPs as a standard animal model, while those in the untreated normal control group C, received distilled water as a control, diabetics who were treated with 0.5 mg/kg of body weight of glibenclamide, 10 mg/kg of methanolic T. couneifolia extract, and diabetics who were given 10 mg/kg of body weight of synthetic AgNPs derived from T. couneifolia in the DAgNPs group. At the conclusion of the treatment, lipid, liver and kidney profiles were re-examined to determine whether or not the treatment had been effective (day 21). Oral glucose doses of 2 g/kg of body weight were administered to each group, and blood glucose levels were measured at various intervals (day 21). Fasting glucose levels were measured using a glucometer. Each animal's urine was tested for leukocytes, nitrites, and bilirubin using lab-made prepared assay kits. One-way ANOVA and Dunnett's test were used for statistical analysis. Results: The surface plasmon resonance effect was examined with UV-vis, it showed a sharp peak at 412 nm. X-ray diffraction measurements indicated that the produced nanoparticles were between 15 to 31.44 nm in size. Alloxan-induced diabetic rats were fed AgNPs derived from phytosynthesized AgNPs, compared to diabetic control rats, diabetic rats treated with AgNPs showed a considerable improvement in their dyslipidemia status. Over the course of the days, it also lowered blood glucose levels. A reduction in blood glucose levels, a rise in body weight, and significant improvements in the lipid, liver, and renal profiles were also seen. Conclusions: The present findings revealed that plant mediated silver nanoparticles significantly improved the alloxan induced diabetic changes in various treated rats and might be used for the treatment of diabetes.

Seroprevalence of Sars-Cov-2 antibodies among eligible blood donors of Peshawar, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and the associated risk factors among healthy blood donors from Peshawar Pakistan, during the second and third waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The study was conducted on 4047 healthy (with no history or symptoms of COVID-19) blood donors attending regional blood center Peshawar between Nov 2020 and June 2021. Demographic data was collected and donors were screened for the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA). RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 27.27±7.13 and the majority (99%) were males. Overall, 59% (2391/4047) of the blood donors were reactive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. An increasing trend in seropositivity was observed from 45.5% to 64.8% corresponding to the second and third wave of the pandemic in Pakistan. Logistic regression analysis revealed significantly higher odds of seropositivity among male donors compared to females. Similarly, in multivariable analysis, the odds ratio for seropositivity among blood types AB, A, and B were, 1.6, 1.4, and 1.3 (CI 95%) times higher compared to blood group O (P-value ≤0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Seropositivity of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among blood donors gradually increased during the second and third wave of the pandemic in Pakistan indicating a widespread prevalence of Covid-19 in the general population. Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 varies with ABO blood types, with blood group O associated with low risk of infection.

Biogenic Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Phagnalon niveum and Its In Vivo Anti-Diabetic Effect against Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats.

Background: Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a non-communicable, life-threatening syndrome that is present all over the world. The use of eco-friendly, cost-effective and green synthesised nanoparticles (NPs) as a medicinal therapy in the treatment of T2DM is an attractive option. Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-diabetic potential of the phyto-synthesised silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) obtained from Phagnalon niveum plant methanolic extract. Methods: The green synthesised AgNPs made from Phagnalon niveum plant methanolic extract were analysed by Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and the functional groups involved in the reduction of the silver ions (Ag+) were characterised by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The size and crystallinity were assessed via X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The morphology of AgNPs was confirmed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The amount of silver (Ag) was estimated via energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. An intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg alloxan per kg albino Wistar rats' body weight, at eight weeks old and weighing 140-150 g, was used to induce diabetes mellitus (N = 25; n = 5/group). Group C: untreated normal control rats that only received distilled water, group DAC: diabetic control rats that received alloxan 200 mg/Kg body weight, DG: diabetic rats treated with glibenclamide at 0.5 mg/kg body weight, DE: diabetic rats that received methanolic P. niveum extract at 10 mg/Kg body weight, and DAgNPs: diabetic rates that received AgNPs synthesised from P. niveum at 10 mg/kg body weight. The blood glucose levels were monitored on days 0, 7, and 14, while lipid, liver, and kidney profiles were checked after dissection at the end of treatment (day 21). On the final day of the period study (day 21), an oral glucose tolerance test was carried out by administering orally 2 g/kg body weight of glucose to the respective groups, and the blood glucose level was checked. A fasting glucose level was measured using a glucometer. Urine samples were collected from each animal and analysed using lab-made assay kits for glucose, bilirubin, pH, leukocytes, and nitrite, among other factors. For statistical analyses, a one-way ANOVA and Dunnett's test were applied. Results: The green-mediated synthesis of AgNPs using P. niveum methanolic extract produced spherical and mono-dispersed NPs with a size ranging from 12 to 28 nm (average: 21 nm). Importantly, a significant reduction of blood glucose levels and an increase in body weight, as well as a remarkable improvement in lipid, liver, and kidney profiles, were noticed. Conclusions: The biosynthesised AgNPs significantly improved the abnormalities in body weight, urine, and serum levels, indicating that it is a promising anti-diabetic agent.

Urease inhibitors from Indigofera gerardiana Wall.

Three new phloroglucinol type compounds Indigoferin-A (1), Indigoferin-B (2) and Indigoferin-C (3), along with a known compound ß-sitosterol were isolated from the Indegofera gerardiana Wall. The structures of Indigoferin-A (1), Indigoferin-B (2), and Indigoferin-C (3) were deduced on the basis of spectroscopic techniques (EI-MS, HREI-MS, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, HMQC, and HMBC). The urease inhibition studies on all the four compounds have also been carried out.

Prevalence, associated determinants, and in vivo chemotherapeutic control of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting domestic goats (Capra hircus) of lower Punjab, Pakistan.

A total of 800 goats of various breeds, age, and sex were randomly selected from Muzaffargarh (M. garh) and Layyah districts of lower Punjab, Pakistan. The selected goats were visited twice a month to collect information about determinants influencing goat tick infestation prevalence. For acaricidal efficacy, 360 tick-infested adult goats were subjected to an acaricidal treatment and post-treatment quantitative assessment of tick burden. Quantification of adult tick detachment 24 h post-treatment and the duration of treatment efficacy were calculated. Overall prevalence of goat tick infestation in both study districts was 60.1% (481/800). The prevalence was higher in district M. garh than in district Layyah. Tehsil-wise prevalence in district Layyah was highest in tehsil Layyah followed in order by Chaubara and Karor. In district M. garh, highest prevalence was found in tehsil M. garh followed by Kot Addu, Alipur, and Jatoi. Hyalomma a. anatolicum (75.9%; 365/481) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (24.1%; 116/481) were the predominant species in both the districts. The highest month-wise prevalence was 56.9% and 62.7% in Layyah and M. garh districts, respectively, during July 2008, and the minimum (0%) prevalence was reported in November and December, respectively. Regarding host determinants, female goats were more heavily infested (72.8%) than males (47.5%), and younger animals were (63.5%) more burdened than older ones (56.7%). Teddy goats were the most susceptible breeds followed in order by Beetal, cross-bred, Nachi, and Dera Din Pannah. The preferred sites of attachment were inside and outside of the ear. Both the ivermectin (IVM)- and cypermethrin (CYM)-treated groups resulted in significantly lower (P < 0.05) tick counts relative to controls on all post-treatment counting days. The lowest tick burden in the IVM-treated group was significantly higher (P < 0.05) as compared to the CYM-treated group, the latter being close to zero. Hence, the in vivo efficacy trials of injectable IVM vs CYM pour-on revealed better results for the latter. These observations provided the first insights into what determinants impact goat tick infestation, and laid a foundation for planning of future control programs in the lower Punjab, Pakistan.