Updates on traditional methods for combating malaria and emerging Wolbachia-based interventions.

The escalating challenge of malaria control necessitates innovative approaches that extend beyond traditional control strategies. This review explores the incorporation of traditional vector control techniques with emerging Wolbachia-based interventions. Wolbachia, a naturally occurring bacteria, offers a novel approach for combatting vector-borne diseases, including malaria, by reducing the mosquitoes' ability to transmit these diseases. The study explores the rationale for this integration, presenting various case studies and pilot projects that have exhibited significant success. Employing a multi-dimensional approach that includes community mobilization, environmental modifications, and new biological methods, the paper posits that integrated efforts could mark a turning point in the struggle against malaria. Our findings indicate that incorporating Wolbachia-based strategies into existing vector management programs not only is feasible but also heightens the efficacy of malaria control initiatives in different countries especially in Pakistan. The paper concludes that continued research and international collaboration are imperative for translating these promising methods from the laboratory to the field, thereby offering a more sustainable and effective malaria control strategy.

Exploring the synergistic effects of indole acetic acid (IAA) and compost in the phytostabilization of nickel (Ni) in cauliflower rhizosphere.

Heavy metals (HMs) contamination, owing to their potential links to various chronic diseases, poses a global threat to agriculture, environment, and human health. Nickel (Ni) is an essential element however, at higher concentration, it is highly phytotoxic, and affects major plant functions. Beneficial roles of plant growth regulators (PGRs) and organic amendments in mitigating the adverse impacts of HM on plant growth has gained the attention of scientific community worldwide. Here, we performed a greenhouse study to investigate the effect of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA @ 10- 5 M) and compost (1% w/w) individually and in combination in sustaining cauliflower growth and yield under Ni stress. In our results, combined application proved significantly better than individual applications in alleviating the adverse effects of Ni on cauliflower as it increased various plant attributes such as plant height (49%), root length (76%), curd height and diameter (68 and 134%), leaf area (75%), transpiration rate (36%), stomatal conductance (104%), water use efficiency (143%), flavonoid and phenolic contents (212 and 133%), soluble sugars and protein contents (202 and 199%), SPAD value (78%), chlorophyll 'a and b' (219 and 208%), carotenoid (335%), and NPK uptake (191, 79 and 92%) as compared to the control. Co-application of IAA and compost reduced Ni-induced electrolyte leakage (64%) and improved the antioxidant activities, including APX (55%), CAT (30%), SOD (43%), POD (55%), while reducing MDA and H2O2 contents (77 and 52%) compared to the control. The combined application also reduced Ni uptake in roots, shoots, and curd by 51, 78 and 72% respectively along with an increased relative production index (78%) as compared to the control. Hence, synergistic application of IAA and compost can mitigate Ni induced adverse impacts on cauliflower growth by immobilizing it in the soil.

Facet-engineering strategy of phosphogypsum for production of mineral slow-release fertilizers with efficient nutrient fixation and delivery.

Phosphogypsum (PG) presents considerable potential for agricultural applications as a secondary primary resource. However, it currently lacks environmentally friendly, economically viable, efficient, and sustainable reuse protocols. This study firstly developed a PG-based mineral slow-release fertilizer (MSRFs) by internalization and fixation of urea within the PG lattice via facet-engineering strategy. The molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that the binding energy of urea to the (041) facet of PG surpassed that of the (021) and (020) facets, with urea's desorption energy on the (041) facet notably higher than on the (021) and (020) facets. Guided by these calculations, we selectively exposed the (041) dominant facet of PG, and then achieving complete urea fixation within the PG lattice to form urea-PG (UPG). UPG exhibited a remarkable 48-fold extension in N release longevity in solution and a 45.77% increase in N use efficiency by plants compared to conventional urea. The facet-engineering of PG enhances the internalization and fixation efficiency of urea for slow N delivery, thereby promoting nutrient uptake for plant growth. Furthermore, we elucidated the intricate interplay between urea and PG at the molecular level, revealing the involvement of hydrogen and ionic bonding. This specific bonding structure imparts exceptional thermal stability and water resistance to the urea within UPG under environmental conditions. This study has the potential to provide insights into the high-value utilization of PG and present innovative ideas for designing efficient MSRFs.

Assessing the efficacy of cinnamon compounds against H. pylori through molecular docking, MD Simulations and ADMET analyses.

Antibiotics are the drugs that are used for the management of microbial diseases. However, these conventional synthetic drugs can harmfully affect the human health. Since phytochemicals are extracted from natural sources and, are hence relatively safer for human health, they are the enticing alternatives in this regard. Cinnamon is also one of those plants which is being employed as herbal medication for centuries against certain microbial infections due its significant therapeutic effectiveness. A well-known pathogenic bacterium called H. pylori causes a wide range of illnesses in human body. This pathogen's pathogenicity is determined by certain virulent proteins. In this study, some of such proteins, which included virB4, virB8, and virB9 were selected to evaluate the therapeutic efficiency of cinnamon compounds. These proteins were identified in different isolates of H. pylori. The structural modelling of all these proteins were performed initially in order to proceed them for molecular docking analysis. While, the docking studies illustrated that one of the cinnamon compounds, cinnamyl acetate, showed significant binding interactions with virB4 and virB9. However, benzyl benzoate which is another cinnamon compound, docked well with virB8. Afterwards, the MD simulations were incorporated to explore the interaction motions and structural stability of all the docked complexes. In this regard, the resultant maps of Bfactor, eigenvalues and elastic network model, among other factors ensured the structural stabilities of all the respective complexes. After these crucial estimations, benzyl benzoate and cinnamyl acetate underwent the ADMET investigation to assess their pharmacokinetic characteristics. SwissADME and ADMETLab 2.0 server were employed for this investigation. The compiled findings these servers revealed that both, benzyl benzoate and cinnamyl acetate, exhibited a significant level of pharmacokinetic and drug-likeness conformity.

In-silico characterization of LSDV132 protein divulged its BCL-2-like nature.

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) belongs to Poxviridae family. This virus possesses various proteins which impart potential functions to it including assembly of newly synthesized viruses in the replication cycle and forming their structure. LSDV132 protein is also one of such proteins. Its key characteristics were unknown because, no any relevant study was reported about it. This study aimed to investigate its characteristic features and essential functions using several bioinformatics techniques. These analyses included physiochemical characterization and exploring the crucial functional and structural perspectives. Upon analysis of the physiochemical properties, the instability index was computed to be 30.89% which proposed LSDV132 protein to be a stable protein. Afterwards, the phosphorylation sites were explored. Several sites were found in this regard which led to the hypothesis that it might be involved in the regulation of apoptosis and cell signaling, among other cellular processes. Furthermore, the KEGG analysis and the analysis of protein family classification confirmed that the LSDV132 protein possessed Poxvirus-BCL-2-like motifs, indicating that it might be responsible in modulating the apoptosis of host cells. This crucial finding suggested that the protein under study possessed BCL-2-like features. Proceeding this very important finding, the molecular docking analysis was performed. In this context, various viral BCL-2 inhibitors were retrieved from the ChEMBL database for docking purpose. The docking results revealed that pelcitoclax exhibited best docking scores i.e., -9.1841 kcal/mol, among all of the other docked complexes. This fact signified that this compound might serve as an inhibitor of LSDV132 protein.

Efficient Adsorbent Derived from Phytolith-Rich Ore for Removal of Tetracycline in Wastewater.

In recent decades, the tetracycline (TC) concentration in aquatic ecosystems has gradually increased, leading to water pollution problems. Various mineral adsorbents for the removal of tetracyclines have garnered considerable attention. However, efficient adsorbents suitable for use in a wide pH range environment have rarely been reported. Herein, a phytolith-rich adsorbent (PRADS) was prepared by a simple one-step alkali-activated pyrolysis treatment using phytolith as a raw material for effectively removing TC. PRADS, benefiting from its porous structure, which consists of acid- and alkali-resistant, fast-adsorbing macroporous silica and mesoporous carbon, is highly desirable for efficient TC removal from wastewater. The results indicate that PRADS exhibited excellent adsorption performance and stability for TC over a wide pH range of 2.0-12.0 under the coexistence of competing ions, which could be attributed to the fact that PRADS has a porous structure and contains abundant oxygen-containing functional groups and a large number of bonding sites. The adsorption mechanisms of PRADS for TC were mainly attributed to pore filling, hydrogen bonding, π-π electron-donor-acceptor, and electrostatic interactions. This work could offer a novel preparation strategy for the effective adsorption of pollutants by new functionalized phytolith adsorbents.

Autophagy related genes mediated mitophagy in yeast, mammals and higher plants.

Autophagy is classified into macro-autophagy and micro-autophagy. Two major types of autophagy in the complex eukaryotic organism are microautophagy and macroautophagy. During microautophagy, cytoplasmic components that need to be degraded are taken up by lysosomes in animals and by vacuole in yeast and plants via the invagination of tonoplast. While macroautophagy is initiated after the formation of a cup-shaped membrane structure, a phagophore develops at cargo that grows in size and is sealed by double-membrane vesicles to form autophagosome; a generalized mechanism for degradation of the organelle. Autophagic removal of damaged mitochondria is a conserved cellular process to maintain a healthy mitochondrion called Mitophagy. In plants and animals, mitophagy has crucial roles in stress responses, senescence, development, and programmed cell death. Mitophagy appears in mammals, fungi, and plants but many genes that controlled mitophagy are absent from plants. Numerous studies have been conducted by using ATG mutants for the identification of functional roles of Autophagy Related Genes (ATG) required during the autophagy process at various steps like; auto phagosome formation, ATG protein recruitment, etc. The role of more than 25 ATG genes in mitophagy has been discussed in this review paper. The main parameters, reviewed and summarized in this review paper, are the name of species, common name, function, domain, deletion, induction, and localization of these autophagy-related genes in the cell. This review will facilitate the students, researchers, and academics for their further research insights.

Multifunctional Nanoclay-Based Hemostatic Materials for Wound Healing: A Review.

Bleeding to death accounts for around 30-40% of all trauma-related fatalities. Current hemostatic materials are mainly mono-functional or have insufficient hemostatic capacity. Nanoclay has been recently shown to accelerate hemostasis, improve wound healing, and provide the resulting multifunctional hemostatic materials antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and healing-promoting due to its distinctive morphological structure and physicochemical properties. Herein, the chemical design and action mechanism of nanoclay-based hemostatic, antibacterial, and pro-wound healing materials in the context of wound healing are discussed. The physiological processes of hemostasis and wound healing to elucidate the significance of nanoclay for functional wound hemostatic dressing design are outlined. A summary of the features of various nanoclay and product types used in wound hemostatic dressings is provided. Nanoclay can be antimicrobial due to the slow release of metal ions and has an abundant surface charge allowing for high affinity for proteins and cells, which can activate the coagulation reaction or facilitate tissue repair. Nanoclay with a microporous structure can be used as drug carriers to create composites critical for inhibiting bacterial growth on wounds or promoting the regeneration of vascular, muscle, and skin tissues. Directions for further research and innovation of nanoclay-based multifunctional materials for hemostasis and tissue regeneration are explored.

Palygorskite-Derived Ternary Fluoride with 2D Ion Transport Channels for Ampere Hour-Scale Li-S Pouch Cell with High Energy Density.

Although various excellent electrocatalysts/adsorbents have made notable progress as sulfur cathode hosts on the lithium-sulfur (Li-S) coin-cell level, high energy density (WG ) of the practical Li-S pouch cells is still limited by inefficient Li-ion transport in the thick sulfur cathode under low electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) and negative/positive (N/P) ratios, which aggravates the shuttle effect and sluggish redox kinetics. Here a new ternary fluoride MgAlF5 ·2H2 O with ultrafast ion conduction-strong polysulfides capture integration is developed. MgAlF5 ·2H2 O has an inverse Weberite-type crystal framework, in which the corner-sharing [AlF6 ]-[MgF4 (H2 O)2 ] octahedra units extend to form two-dimensional Li-ion transport channels along the [100] and [010] directions, respectively. Applied as the cathode sulfur host, the MgAlF5 ·2H2 O lithiated by LiTFSI (lithium salt in Li-S electrolyte) acts as a fast ionic conductor to ensure efficient Li-ion transport to accelerate the redox kinetics under high S loadings and low E/S and N/P. Meanwhile, the strong polar MgAlF5 ·2H2 O captures polysulfides by chemisorption to suppress the shuttle effect. Therefore, a 1.97 A h-level Li-S pouch cell achieves a high WG of 386 Wh kg-1 . This work develops a new-type ionic conductor, and provides unique insights and new hosts for designing practical Li-S pouch cells.

Real-world effectiveness of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccines against variant of concerns: meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has killed over 6 million people worldwide, making it the worst global health disaster since the 1918 influenza pandemic. Experts have worked to establish the source, track and analyse the disease, and produce treatment and preventative guidelines. Inactivated vaccines have little evidence of efficacy compared to mRNA and adenoviral vector vaccines; however, three doses of both mRNA and inactivated vaccines appear to provide significant and lasting protection against severe disease and mortality. This study examines inactivated vaccine effectiveness data by disease status, age, gender, primary immunisation, booster doses, and SARS-CoV2 virus types. METHODS: We conducted a quantitative epidemiological meta-analysis study to assess the vaccine effectiveness of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines. Data extraction was performed on the selected studies, and data analysis was conducted using a random-effects model to determine consolidated assessments of vaccine effectiveness. Subgroup analyses were conducted for gender, age, disease level, and vaccine status, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the results. RESULTS: The overall effect size of inactivated COVID-19 vaccinations was statistically significant (p-value<0.05), suggesting that complete vaccination should be the primary method of vaccination. Partial vaccination was associated with lower levels of vaccine effectiveness (70.18 95% CI 57.33-83.02) than complete vaccination (79.52 95% CI 67.88-91.71)) and booster vaccination (84.22 95% CI 74.34-94.10), suggesting that it is essential to finish the recommended vaccine series and receive booster doses. Fig.-3: Partially vaccinated individuals showed a vaccine effect size of 70.18 (95% CI 57.33-83.02), indicating that the vaccine was moderately effective in preventing COVID-19 among this group. Fully vaccinated individuals showed a vaccine effect size of 79.52 (95% CI 67.88-91.71), indicating a higher level of vaccine effectiveness. Finally, booster-vaccinated individuals showed a vaccine effect size of 84.22 (95% CI 74.34-94.10), indicating the highest level of vaccine effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Inactivated COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing COVID-19, and complete vaccination and booster vaccination are associated with higher levels of vaccine effectiveness compared to partial vaccination. These findings highlight the importance of completing the recommended vaccine series and receiving booster doses to provide greater protection against COVID-19.

Effects of Different Aquafeed Sources on Growth Performance, Oxidative Capacity, and Fatty Acid Profile of Three Carps Reared in the Semi-Intensive Composite Culture System.

The current experiment is designed to evaluate the effect of different aquafeeds (farm-made versus commercial) on growth, body composition, oxidative capacity, and fatty acid profile in the semi-intensive composite culture system. For this, 1,100 fingerlings/acre having initial body weight and length, Labeo rohita (61.34 g, 171 mm), Catla catla (71.45 g, 181 mm), and Cyprinus carpio (30.80 g, 91 mm) were randomly distributed to 16 ponds and randomly fed on eight different diets (n = 2 pond/diet) in a completely randomized research design. Aquafeed were farm-based diets (D1-D2) and commercial aquafeed (D3-D8). The farm-made diets contained various crude protein levels of maize gluten (24.9%) and rice polish (7.3%), whereas commercial diets were procured from commercial feed plants (AMG, Supreme, Aqua, Star Floating, Hi-Pro, and Punjab feed). The growth performance of carps (L. rohita and C. catla) was significantly improved (p < 0.05) by feeding D3 as compared to other diets. Similarly, white blood cell concentration was greater (p < 0.05) in all species fed by D3 than in those fed on D7, D8, D5, D6, D1, and D2 fed groups, respectively. Alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and alanine phosphatase activities were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the D3-fed L. rohita, C. catla, and C. carpio compared with those fed on the rest of the treatments. The activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were also higher (p < 0.05) for the D3 fed L. rohita, C. catla, and C. carpio than those fed on the rest diets. The groups fed on D3 and D4 had greater (p < 0.05) concentrations of myristic (14), palmitic acid (16), and stearic (18) acids than those fed on the rest of the commercial diets. However, meat chemical composition was similar (p > 0.05) across the treatments. These results also prove that the increase in the dietary protein level and lipid content can improve the fish's body's crude protein and fat levels. Feeding D3 improved the production performance, oxidative status, and fatty acid profile in composite major carps culture systems. Thus, based on growth, survival, and body composition, it is concluded that D3 and D4 may be recommended for a commercial culture of major carps. Dietary treatments had no significant impact (p > 0.05) on water's physical-chemical properties. Calcium content and alkalinity varied (p < 0.05), with D5 showing the lowest calcium and the highest alkalinity.

A Weibull process monitoring with AEWMA control chart: an application to breaking strength of the fibrous composite.

In recent times, there has been a growing focus among researchers on memory-based control charts. The Exponentially Weighted Moving Average (EWMA) and Cumulative Sum (CUSUM) charts and the adaptive control charting approaches got the attention. Control charts are commonly employed to oversee processes, assuming the monitored variable follows a normal distribution. However, it's worth noting that this assumption does not hold true in many real-world situations. The use of the algebraic expression for normalization, which can be used for all kinds of skewed distributions with a closed-form distribution function, using the proposed continuous function to adapt a smoothing constant, motivates this study. In the present manuscript, we design an EWMA statistic-based adaptive control chart to monitor the irregular variations in the mean of two parametric Weibull distribution and use Hasting approximation for normalization. The adaptive control charts are used to update the smoothing constant according to the estimated shift. Here we use the proposed continuous function to adapt the smoothing constant. The average run length and standard deviation of run length are calculated under different parameter settings. The effectiveness of the proposed chart is argued in terms of ARLs over the considered EWMA chart through Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation method. The proposed chart is examined, followed by a real data set to demonstrate the design and application procedures.

Comparative efficacy of different salt tolerant rhizobial inoculants in improving growth and productivity of Vigna radiata L. under salt stress.

Worldwide, salinity severely affects agricultural production of crops such as mung bean in arid and semi-arid regions. In saline conditions, various species of Rhizobium can be used to enhance nodulation and induce salinity tolerance in maize. The present study conducted a pot experiment to determine the efficiency of three rhizobial isolates under different salinity conditions, such as 1.41, 4 and 6 dS m-1, on mung bean growth parameters, antioxidant status and yield. Results revealed that salt stress imparted adverse effects on the growth, antioxidants, yield and nodulation of mung bean. Under high salt stress conditions, fresh weights were reduced for roots (78.24%), shoots (64.52%), pods (58.26%) and height (32.33%) as compared to un-inoculated control plants. However, an increase in proline content (46.14%) was observed in high salt stressed plants. Three Rhizobium isolates (Mg1, Mg2, and Mg3), on the other hand, mitigated the negative effects of salt stress after inoculation. However, effects of Mg3 inoculation were prominent at 6 dS m-1 and it enhanced the plant height (45.10%), fresh weight of shoot (58.68%), root (63.64%), pods fresh weight (34.10%), pods number per plant (92.04%), and grain nitrogen concentration (21%) than un-inoculated control. Rhizobium strains Mg1, and Mg2 expressed splendid results at 1.41 and 4 dS m-1 salinity stress. The growth promotion effects might be due to improvement in mineral uptake and ionic balance that minimized the inhibitory effects caused by salinity stress. Thus, inoculating with these strains may boost mung bean growth and yield under salinity stress.

Adaptive multivariate dispersion control chart with application to bimetal thermostat data.

Adaptive EWMA (AEWMA) control charts have gained remarkable recognition by monitoring productions over a wide range of shifts. The adaptation of computational statistic as per system shift is the main aspect behind the proficiency of these charts. In this paper, a function-based AEWMA multivariate control chart is suggested to monitor the stability of the variance-covariance matrix for normally distributed process control. Our approach involves utilizing an unbiased estimator applying the EWMA statistic to estimate the process shift in real-time and adapt the smoothing or weighting constant using a suggested continuous function. Preferably, the Monte Carlo simulation method is utilized to determine the characteristics of the suggested AEWMA chart in terms of proficient detection of process shifts. The underlying computed results are compared with existing EWMA and existing AEWMA charts and proved to outperform in providing quick detection for different sizes of shifts. To illustrate its real-life application, the authors employed the concept in the bimetal thermostat industry dataset. The proposed research contributes to statistical process control and provides a practical tool for the solution while monitoring covariance matrix changes.

Solutions of fuzzy advection-diffusion and heat equations by natural adomian decomposition method.

In this article, we present an algorithm for computing analytical solutions of linear fuzzy advection-diffusion equations and one-dimensional fuzzy heat equations involving an external source. The fuzzy problems can be solved by using the natural transform and Adomian decomposition method. The results obtained through the natural Adomian decomposition method are calculated in a series form that converges rapidly to the exact solution. To enhance the practicality of our work, we provide examples to illustrate our findings.

Effect of probiotics on hematological parameters of male and female Wistar rats.

In the present study, the effect of probiotics on the hematology of Wistar rats was examined. Locally isolated Lactobacillus plantarum MZ707748 (Pro 1), L. plantarum MZ710117 (Pro 2), Weisella confusa MZ727611 (Pro 3), and L. plantarum MZ735961 (Pro 4) were used. One strain of probiotic, L. acidophilus-14 (Pro 5), was purchased commercially. Different groups were designed as G1, G2, G3, G4, and 5, G5/PC consisting only pro 5 and NC & 0 day were untreated. Different groups have different probiotics like G1 containing Pro 1 and Pro 2, G2 comprising Pro 3 and Pro 4, G3 containing Pro 2, Pro 3 and Pro 5, G4 having Pro 1-5, and G5 containing Pro 5. A complete count of blood, serum chemistry, fecal analysis, and histopathological examination of the thymus and liver were done. Statistical differences were seen in the complete blood count parameters (p < 0.05). No difference was observed in AST, ALT, bilirubin, albumin, IL-6, and IgA (p > 0.05) except for TP, creatinine, and globulin (p < 0.05). Fecal strains of probiotic groups were antibiotic-resistant. In males, Lactobacillus helveticus OQ152020, Enterococcus lactis OQ1519891, E. faecium OQ152017, L. gasseri OQ152017, and E. lactis OQ152019 were isolated from positive control, G1, G2, G3, and G4 respectively. In females, Enterococcus sp. OP800231, Limosilactobacillus fermentum OQ151985, E. lactis OP800267, L. plantarum OP800244, and E. faecium OQ151988 were isolated from positive control, G1, G2, G3 and G4, respectively. It was concluded that all probiotic strains were safe to use and had beneficial effects on the hematology of Wistar rats.

Nodular Posterior Scleritis With Associated Choroiditis Masquerading As A Choroidal Tumour: A Case Report.

A case of nodular posterior scleritis in a 25-year-old male who presented with a 14-day history of unilateral decline in vision, pain, and redness in his right eye. Slit lamp examination of the right eye revealed dilated episcleral vessels present nasally as well as a choroidal mass at the nasal periphery of the fundus, associated with choroidal oedema. Systemic evaluation and imaging of the choroidal mass were performed to rule out choroidal tuberculoma and choroidal metastasis. Ultrasound B-scan of the right eye showed marked thickening of the nasalsclera resulting in sympathetic choroidal oedema without the characteristic T-sign. Nodular posterior scleritis with associated choroiditis, was diagnosed without any underlying systemic illness. The patient was immediately started on systemic steroids and later on subcutaneous Methotrexate as advised by the rheumatologist, to which he responded well and his vision significantly improved from 6/60 to 6/9, gradually during his treatment course.

The Rate of Negative Appendicectomy and Perforated Appendicitis As Quality Indicators of the General Surgical Service in a District General Hospital in Cavan, Republic of Ireland.

Introduction Appendicitis is a common surgical condition that can be difficult to diagnose due to its varied clinical presentations. Surgical removal of the inflamed appendix is often necessary, and the appendix is sent for histopathological assessment to confirm the diagnosis. However, in some cases, the analysis may return a negative result for acute inflammation, known as a negative appendicectomy (NA). The definition of NA varies among experts. While negative appendicectomies are not ideal, they are accepted by surgeons to reduce the rate of perforated appendicitis, which can have severe consequences for patients. A study was conducted to investigate the rates of negative appendicectomies and their impact at a local district general hospital in Cavan, Republic of Ireland. Methods The study was conducted retrospectively from January 2014 to December 2019 on patients who were admitted with suspected appendicitis and underwent appendicectomy for appendicitis, regardless of age and sex. The researchers excluded patients who underwent elective, interval, and incidental appendicectomies. Data were collected on patient demographics, duration of symptoms prior to presentation, the intraoperative appearance of the appendix, and the histology results of the appendix specimens. Descriptive statistics and the Chi-squared test were used for data analysis with the help of IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 26. Results The study retrospectively reviewed 876 patients who underwent an appendicectomy for suspected appendicitis between January 2014 and December 2019. The age distribution of patients was non-uniform, with 72% presenting before the third decade. The overall perforated appendicitis rate was 7.08%, and the overall negative appendicectomy (NA) rate was 21.3%. A subset analysis showed a statistically significant lower NA rate in females than in males. The NA rate decreased significantly over time and has been sustained since 2014 at around 10%, which is consistent with other published studies. The majority of the histology findings were uncomplicated appendicitis. Discussion This article discusses the challenges of diagnosing appendicitis and the need to reduce unnecessary surgeries. Laparoscopic appendectomy is the standard treatment, with an average cost of £2222.53 per patient in the UK. However, patients with negative appendicectomies (NA) have longer hospital stays and higher morbidity than uncomplicated cases, making it crucial to reduce unnecessary surgeries. The clinical diagnosis of appendicitis is not always straightforward, and the rate of perforated appendicitis increases with a longer duration of symptoms, particularly pain. The selective use of imaging in suspected appendicitis could reduce NA rates, but a statistical difference has not been proven. Scoring systems like the Alvarado score have limitations and cannot be relied upon alone. Retrospective studies have limitations, and biases and confounding variables must be considered. Conclusion The study found that a thorough investigation of patients, particularly with preoperative imaging, can decrease the rate of unnecessary appendectomies without increasing the rate of perforation. This could save costs and reduce harm to patients.

Computational Modeling, High-Level Soluble Expression and In Vitro Cytotoxicity Assessment of Recombinant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Azurin: A Promising Anti-Cancer Therapeutic Candidate.

Azurin is a natural protein produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa that exhibits potential anti-tumor, anti-HIV, and anti-parasitic properties. The current study aimed to investigate the potential of azurin protein against breast cancer using both in silico and in vitro analyses. The amino acid sequence of Azurin was used to predict its secondary and tertiary structures, along with its physicochemical properties, using online software. The resulting structure was validated and confirmed using Ramachandran plots and ERRAT2. The mature azurin protein comprises 128 amino acids, and the top-ranked structure obtained from I-TASSER was shown to have a molecular weight of 14 kDa and a quality factor of 100% by ERRAT2, with 87.4% of residues in the favored region of the Ramachandran plot. Docking and simulation studies of azurin protein were conducted using HDOCK and Desmond servers, respectively. The resulting analysis revealed that Azurin docked against p53 and EphB2 receptors demonstrated maximum binding affinity, indicating its potential to cause apoptosis. The recombinant azurin gene was successfully cloned and expressed in a BL21 (DE3) strain using a pET20b expression vector under the control of the pelB ladder, followed by IPTG induction. The azurin protein was purified to high levels using affinity chromatography, yielding 70 mg/L. In vitro cytotoxicity assay was performed using MCF-7 cells, revealing the significant cytotoxicity of the azurin protein to be 105 µg/mL. These findings highlight the potential of azurin protein as an anticancer drug candidate.

Silver nanoparticles protect tillering in drought-stressed wheat by improving leaf water relations and physiological functioning.

The tillering phase of wheat (Triticum aestivum ) crops is extremely susceptible to drought. We explored the potential of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in protecting wheat genotypes from drought injury during this sensitive stage. After treating with AgNPs (60ppm), the plants were submitted to different water levels; i.e. 100% field capacity (FC), 75% FC (mild drought), 50% FC (moderate drought) and 25% FC (severe drought) from 15 to 41days after sowing (tillering phase). Leaf physiological data were collected at stress termination, while yield attributes were recorded at crop maturity. We found that increasing drought intensity significantly impaired leaf physiology and grain yield of both studied genotypes. Compared with control, moderately and severely drought-stressed plants produced 25% and 45% lesser grain yield per spike, respectively (averaged across genotypes and years of study). Likewise, moderate and severe drought reduced photosynthesis by 49% and 76%, respectively, compared with control. In contrast, AgNPs significantly restored leaf physiological functioning and grain yield formation at maturity. For example, under moderate and severe drought, AgNPs-treated plants produced 22% and 17% more grains per plant, respectively, than their respective water-treated plants. Our study suggests that exogenous AgNPs can protect wheat crops from drought during early development stages.