ZnSe-rGO nanocomposites as photocatalysts for purification of textile dye contaminated water: A green approach to use wastewater for maize cultivation.

Disputes about the probable availability of safe water and the efficacy of processed wastewater are key issues that necessitate a suitable solution to enhance the quality of clean water. The current research emphasizes the synthesis of ZnSe-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites (ZnSe:rGO) with different weight ratios of rGO (represented as X = 0.6, 1 and 1.6 g)via one-step hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic performance for the degradation of methyl violet (MV) dye was investigated under visible light irradiation by varying the reaction parameters. The crystal structure, elemental composition, surface functionality and morphology of the synthesized ZnSe-XrGO nanocomposites were estimated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) techniques. UV-visible spectroscopy was used to investigate the optical properties. The highest efficiency is obtained for ZnSe-XrGO in 1:1 and it showed pseudo 1st order behavior with rate constant of 0.0167min-1and 94 % photodegradation of MV in just 3 h. Furthermore, hazardous effects of MV were investigated on the germination and growth of Zea mays seeds by giving them aqueous solution of MV (0, 8, 12, 24 and 48 ppm) and the decontaminated water after photodegradation of MV with the synthesized photoactive composite. The results showed profound negative effect on both germination and seedling growth at higher concentration (>12 ppm) of the dye solution. No hazardous effects were observed on both these parameters when it was given the dye degraded water which reflects the practical use of the synthesized catalyst for water remediation. The current study fulfills the goal of designing an efficient visible-light active nano-photocatalyst and its direct applicability on life sciences for water purification.

Frequency and association of Epstein-Barr Virus genotype in rheumatoid arthritis patients of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an immune-mediated, polyarthritis linked with various genetic and environmental causative agents. Among environmental triggers, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is considered the most potent etiological agent. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of EBV and its genotypes in RA patients and to investigate their association with clinical and laboratory parameters of RA. METHODOLOGY: This study included blood samples of RA and control healthy individuals (100 each). Blood samples along with clinical and laboratory parameters were collected from patients after consent in the Department of Rheumatology, at Lady Reading Hospital, in Peshawar Pakistan. Blood samples were processed for DNA extraction followed by PCR amplification for EBV detection and genotype discrimination. RESULTS: RA patients were 85 females and 15 males with a mean age of 40.13±14.05 years. EBV Type-1 was detected in 45% of RA and 9% of control cases. The mean disease duration of RA patients was 6.61±6.23 years. Out of 100 diseased patients, 43% were seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (SPRA) and showed a significant correlation with a family history of RA in EBV-positive individuals (P = 0.017). The demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters of RA patients showed a non-significant association with EBV. Moreover, only a family history and Serum creatinine of RA patients showed a significant association with EBV (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.022 respectively). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that EBV-1 is prevalent and associated with RA. Further investigation is required for detailed genetic analysis of EBV to determine its possible role in modulating the immune system in RA.

The possible "calming effect" of subchronic supplementation of a standardised phospholipid carrier-based Melissa officinalis L. extract in healthy adults with emotional distress and poor sleep conditions: results from a prospective, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Background: Emotional distress conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress, and poor sleep are widespread health problems that have a significant impact on people's lives. Conventional drugs are commonly prescribed to treat emotional distress and poor sleep conditions; however, these medications have several limitations and have shown multiple side effects. Over recent years botanicals-based pharmacological agents have gained increasing research and clinical interest in the management of emotional distress and sleep disorder. Of note, Melissa officinalis L. (MO) leaf extract has demonstrated considerable neuropharmacological properties both in animal and human studies and has emerged as a promising natural "calming agent." However, research in this area is limited, and more studies are needed to validate its efficacy in amelioration of emotional distress and poor sleep conditions. Objectives: We aimed to assess the pharmacological effects of subchronic supplementation of an innovative standardised phospholipid carrier-based MO aqueous extract on emotional distress and poor sleep conditions. Design: A 3-week prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, double-blinded clinical trial was conducted in 100 healthy adults complaining of a moderate degree of depression, anxiety, or stress, with scores of ≥14, ≥10, and ≥19, respectively, in the self-report Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42) or poor sleep, as indicated by the score of >5 in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale. In addition, the impact of emotional distress and/or poor sleep on participants' mental wellbeing, emotional feelings, and quality of life was also assessed using the self-reported Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) scale, and quality of life (WHO-QoL-BREF) scale, respectively. Results: Oral supplementation of 200 mg of phospholipid-based MO aqueous extract (Relissa™) tablets twice a day (i.e., 400 mg/day) for 3 weeks led to significant improvements in the depressive mood, anxiety, stress, positive and negative affect (emotional feelings), overall mental wellbeing, and quality-of-life scores (all p values <0.001). Supplementation of MO extract was well tolerated, and no treatment-emergent effects or serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the phospholipid carrier-based MO aqueous extract possesses considerable neuropharmacological properties, and its supplementation may provide a promising therapeutic option for the management of moderate emotional distress and/or poor sleep conditions. Clinical Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT05602688.

A computational overview on phylogenetic characterization, pathogenic mutations, and drug targets for Ebola virus disease.

The World Health Organization declared Ebola virus disease (EVD) as the major outbreak in the 20th century. EVD was first identified in 1976 in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. EVD was transmitted from infected fruit bats to humans via contact with infected animal body fluids. The Ebola virus (EBOV) has a genome size of ∼18,959 bp. It encodes seven distinct proteins: nucleoprotein (NP), glycoprotein (GP), viral proteins VP24, VP30, VP35, matrix protein VP40, and polymerase L is considered a prime target for potential antiviral strategies. The current US FDA-approved anti-EVD vaccine, ERVERBO, and the other equally effective anti-EBOV combinations of three fully human monoclonal antibodies such as REGN-EB3, primarily target the envelope glycoprotein. This work elaborates on the EBOV's phylogenetic structure and the crucial mutations associated with viral pathogenicity.

A systemic approach to explore the mechanisms of drug resistance and altered signaling cascades in extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The persistence of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) continue to pose a significant challenge to the treatment and control of tuberculosis infections worldwide. XDR-MTB strains exhibit resistance against first-line anti-TB drugs, fluoroquinolones, and second-line injectable drugs. The mechanisms of drug resistance of MTB remains poorly understood. Our study aims at identifying the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), associated gene networks, and signaling cascades involved in rendering this pathogen resistant to multiple drugs, namely, isoniazid, rifampicin, and capreomycin. METHODS: We used the microarray dataset GSE53843. The GEO2R tool was used to prioritize the most significant DEGs (top 250) of each drug exposure sample between XDR strains and non-resistant strains. The validation of the 250 DEGs was performed using volcano plots. Protein-protein interaction networks of the DEGs were created using STRING and Cytoscape tools, which helped decipher the relationship between these genes. The significant DEGs were functionally annotated using DAVID and ClueGO. The concomitant biological processes (BP) and molecular functions (MF) were represented as dot plots. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We identified relevant molecular pathways and biological processes, such as cell wall biogenesis, lipid metabolic process, ion transport, phosphopantetheine binding, and triglyceride lipase activity. These processes indicated the involvement of multiple interconnected mechanisms in drug resistance. Our study highlighted the impact of cell wall permeability, with the dysregulation of the mur family of proteins, as essential factors in the inference of resistance. Additionally, upregulation of genes responsible for ion transport such as ctpF, arsC, and nark3, emphasizes the importance of transport channels and efflux pumps in potentially driving out stress-inducing compounds. This study investigated the upregulation of the Lip family of proteins, which play a crucial role in triglyceride lipase activity. Thereby illuminating the potential role of drug-induced dormancy and subsequent resistance in the mycobacterial strains. Multiple mechanisms such as carboxylic acid metabolic process, NAD biosynthetic process, triglyceride lipase activity, phosphopantetheine binding, organic acid biosynthetic process, and growth of symbiont in host cell were observed to partake in resistance of XDR-MTB. This study ultimately provides a platform for important mapping targets for potential therapeutics against XDR-MTB.

A case of consecutive molar pregnancies followed by choriocarcinoma.

Gestational trophoblastic disease is a very rare event. We report a case of 38 years old woman with 7 consecutive molar pregnancies followed by choriocarcinoma diagnosed at hysterectomy.