Design, synthesis, molecular docking study, and α-glucosidase inhibitory evaluation of novel hydrazide-hydrazone derivatives of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid.

A series of novel Schiff base derivatives (1-28) of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid were synthesized in a multi-step reaction. All the synthesized Schiff bases were obtained in high yields and their structures were determined by 1HNMR, 13CNMR, and HR-ESI-MS spectroscopy. Except for compounds 22, 26, 27, and 28, all derivatives show excellent to moderate α-glucosidase inhibition. Compounds 5 (IC50 = 12.84 ± 0.52 µM), 4 (IC50 = 13.64 ± 0.58 µM), 12 (IC50 = 15.73 ± 0.71 µM), 13 (IC50 = 16.62 ± 0.47 µM), 15 (IC50 = 17.40 ± 0.74 µM), 3 (IC50 = 18.45 ± 1.21 µM), 7 (IC50 = 19.68 ± 0.82 µM), and 2 (IC50 = 20.35 ± 1.27 µM) shows outstanding inhibition as compared to standard acarbose (IC50 = 873.34 ± 1.67 µM). Furthermore, a docking study was performed to find out the interaction between the enzyme and the most active compounds. With this research work, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid Schiff base derivatives have been introduced as a potential class of α-glucosidase inhibitors that have remained elusive till now.

Synthesis, molecular docking and DFT analysis of novel bis-Schiff base derivatives with thiobarbituric acid for α-glucosidase inhibition assessment.

A library of novel bis-Schiff base derivatives based on thiobarbituric acid has been effectively synthesized by multi-step reactions as part of our ongoing pursuit of novel anti-diabetic agents. All these derivatives were subjected to in vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory potential testing after structural confirmation by modern spectroscopic techniques. Among them, compound 8 (IC50 = 0.10 ± 0.05 µM), and 9 (IC50 = 0.13 ± 0.03 µM) exhibited promising inhibitory activity better than the standard drug acarbose (IC50 = 0.27 ± 0.04 µM). Similarly, derivatives (5, 6, 7, 10 and 4) showed significant to good inhibitory activity in the range of IC50 values from 0.32 ± 0.03 to 0.52 ± 0.02 µM. These derivatives were docked with the target protein to elucidate their binding affinities and key interactions, providing additional insights into their inhibitory mechanisms. The chemical nature of these compounds were reveal by performing the density functional theory (DFT) calculation using hybrid B3LYP functional with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The presence of intramolecular H-bonding was explored by DFT-d3 and reduced density gradient (RGD) analysis. Furthermore, various reactivity parameters were explored by performing TD-DFT at CAM-B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) method.

Novel benzimidazole derivatives as effective inhibitors of prolyl oligopeptidase: synthesis, in vitro and in silico analysis.

Background: This research aims to discover novel derivatives having potential therapeutic applications in treating conditions related to prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) dysfunction. Method: Novel benzimidazole derivatives have been synthesized, characterized and screened for their in vitro POP inhibition. Results: All these derivatives showed excellent-to-good inhibitory activities in the range of IC50 values of 3.61 ± 0.15 to 43.72 ± 1.18 µM, when compared with standard Z-prolyl-prolinal. The docking analysis revealed the strong interactions between our compounds and the target enzyme, providing critical insights into their binding affinities and potential implications for drug development. Conclusion: The significance of these compounds in targeting POP enzyme offers promising prospects for future research in the field of neuropharmacology.

The different risk of new-onset, chronic, worsening, and advanced heart failure: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis.

AIMS: Heart failure (HF) is a chronic and progressive syndrome associated with a poor prognosis. While it may seem intuitive that the risk of adverse outcomes varies across the different stages of HF, an overview of these risks is lacking. This study aims to determine the risk of all-cause mortality and HF hospitalizations associated with new-onset HF, chronic HF (CHF), worsening HF (WHF), and advanced HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a systematic review of observational studies from 2012 to 2022 using five different databases. The primary outcomes were 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality, as well as 1-year HF hospitalization. Studies were pooled using random effects meta-analysis, and mixed-effects meta-regression was used to compare the different HF groups. Among the 15 759 studies screened, 66 were included representing 862 046 HF patients. Pooled 30-day mortality rates did not reveal a significant distinction between hospital-admitted patients, with rates of 10.13% for new-onset HF and 8.11% for WHF (p = 0.10). However, the 1-year mortality risk differed and increased stepwise from CHF to advanced HF, with a rate of 8.47% (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.24-9.89) for CHF, 21.15% (95% CI 17.78-24.95) for new-onset HF, 26.84% (95% CI 23.74-30.19) for WHF, and 29.74% (95% CI 24.15-36.10) for advanced HF. Readmission rates for HF at 1 year followed a similar trend. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis of observational studies confirms the different risk for adverse outcomes across the distinct HF stages. Moreover, it emphasizes the negative prognostic value of WHF as the first progressive stage from CHF towards advanced HF.

Heavy metals mitigation and growth promoting effect of endophytic Agrococcus terreus (MW 979614) in maize plants under zinc and nickel contaminated soil.

Introduction: Heavy metals such as iron, copper, manganese, cobalt, silver, zinc, nickel, and arsenic have accumulated in soils for a long time due to the dumping of industrial waste and sewage. Various techniques have been adapted to overcome metal toxicity in agricultural land but utilizing a biological application using potential microorganisms in heavy metals contaminated soil may be a successful approach to decontaminate heavy metals soil. Therefore, the current study aimed to isolate endophytic bacteria from a medicinal plant (Viburnum grandiflorum) and to investigate the growth-promoting and heavy metal detoxification potential of the isolated endophytic bacteria Agrococus tereus (GenBank accession number MW 979614) under nickel and zinc contamination. Methods: Zinc sulfate and nickel sulfate solutions were prepared at the rate of 100 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg in sterilized distilled water. The experiment was conducted using a completely random design (CRD) with three replicates for each treatment. Results and Discussion: Inoculation of seeds with A. tereus significantly increased the plant growth, nutrient uptake, and defense system. Treatment T4 (inoculated seeds), T5 (inoculated seeds + Zn100 mg/kg), and T6 (inoculated seeds + Ni 100 mg/kg) were effective, but T5 (inoculated seeds + Zn100 mg/kg) was the most pronounced and increased shoot length, root length, leaf width, plant height, fresh weight, moisture content, and proline by 49%, 38%, 89%, 31%, 113%, and 146%, respectively. Moreover the antioxidant enzymes peroxidase and super oxidase dismutase were accelerated by 211 and 68% in contaminated soil when plants were inoculated by A. tereus respectively. Similarly the inoculation of A. tereus also enhanced maize plants' absorption of Cu, Mn, Ni, Na, Cr, Fe, Ca, Mg, and K significantly. Results of the findings concluded that 100 mg/kg of Zn and Ni were toxic to maize growth, but seed inoculation with A. tereus helped the plants significantly in reducing zinc and nickel stress. The A. tereus strain may be employed as a potential strain for the detoxification of heavy metals.

Exposure Assessment of Essential and Potentially Toxic Metals in Wheat-Based Sweets for Human Consumption: Multivariate Analysis and Risk Evaluation Studies.

In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the negative impact of unforeseen contaminants such as metals in commonly consumed food items, which pose a threat to human well-being. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to evaluate the levels of these contaminants to guarantee the safe consumption of these food items. The goal of the current research is to determine the levels of essential (EMs: Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, and Zn) and potentially toxic metals (PTMs: Al, Cr, Ni, As, Cd, and Pb) in various brands of wheat-based sweets. One hundred samples were collected and analysed via flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Also, the current study was to investigate the distribution, correlation, and multivariate analysis of 13 metals (Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Al, Cr, Ni, As, Cd, and Pb). Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to interpret the metals' association. The concentration (mg/kg) ranges of EMs were, in order, Mg (12.70-65.67), Ca (24.02-209.12), Mn (1.32-9.61), Fe (4.55-111.23), Co (0.32-8.94), Cu (2.12-8.61), and Zn (2.60-19.36), while the concentration (mg/kg) ranges of PTMs were, in order, Al (0.32-0.87), Cr (0.17-5.74), Ni (0.36-1.54), Cd (0.16-0.56), and Pb (0.14-0.92), and As was not detected in any sample under investigation. The HCA data revealed that Co, Al, and Ni form clusters with other metals. Sweets are prepared at high temperatures, and the elevated temperatures can increase the likelihood of Ni and Al leaching from stainless steel. Tolerable dietary intake (TDI) values for Ni were higher than the values established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The CR value found for the Ni and Cr was at the threshold level of cancer risk, if an amount of 25 g were to be used over a lifetime. In a nutshell, this study highlights the monitoring of EM and PTM levels in wheat-based sweets, and from a food safety perspective, the study is important for consumers of wheat-based sweets.

The environmental sustainable development goals and economic growth: an empirical investigation of selected SAARC countries.

Environmental SDGs, or Sustainable Development Goals, are a set of targets outlined by the United Nations to address the most pressing environmental issues of our time. These goals aim to promote sustainable development by addressing issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. By achieving these goals, we can safeguard the planet's resources for future generations while improving the quality of life for people around the world. This research investigates the effect of environmental SDGs on economic growth (GDPGRO) at the disaggregated level, with two dimensions: economic and social goals. Using panel data from selected SAARC countries between 2000 and 2020, we employ a panel ARDL (PMG) technique. The finding of this study shows that increasing access to SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 13 (climate action), and SSDGs (social Sustainable Development Goals) is negatively associated with potential decreases in economic growth which can occur in several ways, such as increased government spending and taxes, redistributive policies, and regulations that increase costs for businesses. Promoting SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) can lead to long-term economic growth. SDG 15 (life below water) and ESDGs (economic Sustainable Development Goals) have a positive relationship with economic growth by conserving and sustainably using terrestrial ecosystems that can contribute to economic growth in the long term. ESDGs lead to increased income, improved living standards, and reduced poverty and inequality. Policies should prioritize disaster risk mitigation, align climate change goals with sustainable development goals, and promote sustainable production and consumption. This can be achieved by incentivizing cleaner energy sources and sustainable cities. To balance economic growth with sustainability, policies should encourage responsible business practices and sustainable industries.

Novel flurbiprofen clubbed oxadiazole derivatives as potential urease inhibitors and their molecular docking study.

In this study, twenty eight novel oxadiazole derivatives (5-32) of the marketed available non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), (S)-flurbiprofen (1), were synthesized via I2 mediated cyclo-addition reaction in better yields. The synthesized hydrazone-Schiff bases were cyclized with iodine by using potassium hydroxide as a base in DMSO solvent to obtain oxadiazole derivatives (5-32). Structures of the synthesized products were confirmed with HR-ESI-MS, 1H-NMR spectroscopy and CHN analysis. After structure confirmations all analogs were evaluated for urease (in vitro) inhibitory activity. Amongst the series, fourteen compounds 20, 26, 30, 24, 21, 16, 28, 31, 32, 7, 19, 13, 10, and 6 were found to be excellent inhibitors of urease enzyme, having IC50 values of 12 ± 0.9 to 20 ± 0.5 µM, better than the standard thiourea (IC50 = 22 ± 2.2 µM), whereas the remaining fourteen derivatives displayed good to moderate activity. The in silico study was executed to analyse the interaction between the active site of the enzyme (urease) and the produced compounds. The docking study revealed that compounds 20, 26, 30, 24, 21, 16, 28, 31, 32, 7, 19, 13, 10, and 6 had lower docking scores than the standard compound thiourea and revealed better interactions with the urease enzyme.

The impact of pandemic-related social distancing regulations on exercise performance-Objective data and training recommendations to mitigate losses in physical fitness.

Introduction: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, governmental restrictions led to the closure of sports facilities for several months. To date, only subjective and fitness-tracking related data on physical activity during the pandemic are available. Using data of a chip-controlled fitness circuit, training data as a measure of physical performance before and after the lockdown during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic will show the impact of the training interruption on exercise performance in middle-aged and older adults. The re-training data are analyzed, to extract practical recommendations. Methods: Objective training data of 17,450 participants [11,097 middle-aged (45-64 yrs), 6,353 older (≥65 yrs)] were exported from chip-controlled milon® fitness circuit systems before and after the first COVID-19 related lockdown in Germany. The change in the product of training weight (sum of lifting and lowering the training weight) and repetitions on the leg extension resistance exercise device (leg score) between the last three training sessions before the lockdown and the first ten training sessions after individual training resumption as well as the last training session before the second lockdown in October 2020 was analyzed. Results: Participants who trained with high intensity before the lockdown, experienced deleterious effects of the training interruption (middle-aged group: -218 kg, older group: ~-230.8 kg; p < 0.001 for change in leg score from to post-lockdown) with no age effect. Participants training with a leg score of more than 3,000 kg did not resume their leg score until the second lockdown. Conclusion: The interruption of training in a fitness circuit with combined resistance and endurance training due to the lockdown affected mainly those participants who trained at high intensity. Apparently, high-intensity training could not be compensated by home-based training or outdoor activities. Concepts for high-intensity resistance training during closure of sports facilities are needed to be prepared for future periods of high incidence rates of infectious diseases, while especially vulnerable people feel uncomfortable to visit sports facilities. Trial registration: Identifier, DRKS00022433.

Regional management of worsening heart failure: rationale and design of the CHAIN-HF registry.

AIMS: Heart failure (HF) is a progressive disease in which periods of clinical stability are interrupted by episodes of clinical deterioration known as worsening heart failure (WHF). Patients who develop WHF are at high risk of subsequent death, rehospitalization, and excessive healthcare costs. As such, WHF could be seen as a separate disease stage and precursor of advanced HF. Whether WHF has a substantial health, societal, and economic impact evidence regarding its multifactorial nature and the specific barriers in treatment, including advanced HF therapies, remains scarce. The CHAIN-HF registry aims to describe the incidence, characteristics, current treatment, and outcomes of WHF. Additionally, it will promote structured regional collaboration and educate on increasing awareness for WHF and describe the implementation of guideline directed medical therapy and utilization of advanced HF therapies in a collaborative network. METHODS AND RESULTS: The CHAIN-HF registry is a prospective, observational, and multicentre study from the collaborating hospitals (Rijnmond HF Network) in the Rotterdam area. Unselected and consecutive patients (irrespective of ejection fraction) with a WHF event will be included. Comprehensive data including demographics, co-morbidities, treatment, and in-hospital and post-discharge outcomes will be collected. Notably, data on socio-economic status, treatment decisions, and referral for advanced HF therapies will be included. CONCLUSIONS: CHAIN-HF will be the first prospective, dedicated WHF registry in a collaborative network of hospitals that will provide robust real-world evidence on the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of WHF. Moreover, it will provide information on of the value of regional collaboration to improve awareness and outcomes of WHF.

Impact of subsectors of agriculture and economic growth on CO2 emissions in Pakistan: evidence from Environmental Kuznets Curve.

Modernization produces carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions but is also able to achieve sustainable agriculture growth by introducing the concept of renewable energy into the agriculture sector, and through this process reduce the CO2 emissions in the country. The main objective of this research is to check the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis with CO2 emissions and economic development in renewable energy and agriculture subsectors such as fisheries and crop production in Pakistan. This study covers the time period 1984 to 2020. We have applied the autoregressive distribution lag (ARDL) bound test. The results indicate the existence of long-term association among all variables in the model. The result of co-integration in the short run shows a negative relationship between CO2 emissions and crop production in the current time period, and it shows a positive correlation with the first lag of CO2 emission, which means that current crop production reduces the CO2 emissions by 32% during a year, while in the lag period, it will increase in the short run. In the long run, a 1% increase in crop production will reduce the CO2 emission by 86%. Renewable energy shows a negative relation with CO2 emissions in the short run; a 1% increase in renewable energy will reduced the CO2 by 0.017%. Our results support the existence of the EKC hypothesis for Pakistan. In light of the findings, it is suggested that policy makers should focus more on renewable energy to decrease the level of CO2 as much as possible. Moreover, the government must provide subsidies for machines used for cropping and give special attention to subsectors such as livestock and fisheries.

Effect of sodium alginate supplementation on weight management and reproductive hormones in polycystic females.

Dietary fiber is getting attention these days due to its tendency to improve the reproductive performance in human beings. Sodium alginate (SA) is one of the natural dietary fibers. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of SA on serum insulin, blood sugar, lipid profile, estrogen and testosterone in polycystic (PCOS) females. A single in vivo trial was conducted on thirty adult PCOS females (25 ± 5 years old) with a body mass index (BMI) of 27.5 ± 3.5 kg m-2. Blood samples of all PCOS females were drawn for the initial biochemical analysis and considered as the negative control (NC). A complete randomized design was used to divide the NC group into three equal subgroups (n = 9) i.e. SA3: with 0.03 g; SA6: with 0.06 g per kg body weight per day of sodium alginate; the positive control (PC): metformin 500 mg day-1 for 60 days (two months). A significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the body weight, BMI, blood sugar, serum insulin, lipids and testosterone was observed, while a significant incremental effect (p < 0.05) was observed in the high-density lipoprotein level. The percentages of some physical parameters were also improved like obesity, menstrual cycle, physical activity, psychological issues and hirsutism. Therefore, the study concluded that SA exhibited therapeutic potential for weight management and the improvement of serum testosterone in PCOS females.

Spatiotemporal variation of climate of different flanks and elevations of the Qinling-Daba mountains in China during 1969-2018.

Climate change exhibits great variation on different flanks and at different elevations in the same mountain range. To investigate the complexity of the geographic patterns of climate and phenology in the Qinling-Daba mountains (QDM), in the North-South transition zone of China, this study analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of daily air temperature and precipitation data measured at 118 national weather stations (1969-2018). The principal findings were as follows. (1) Overall, a significant trend of warming was detected in all seasons over the past 50 years, with rates of increase of 0.347, 0.125, 0.200 and 0.302 °C/10a, in spring, summer, autumn and winter, respectively. Precipitation did not show significant variation at most stations in different seasons. (2) The rising rate of air temperature varied considerably between different flanks. Generally, air temperature change on northern flanks was greater than on southern flanks in all seasons. The tendency of air temperature change was greater in spring and winter than in summer and autumn on different flanks in the QDM. (3) The rate of increase in high-elevation regions was greater than in low-elevation regions in summer, autumn and winter, e.g., 0.440, 0.390 and 0.456 °C/10a at 3000-4000 m and 0.205, 0.218 and 0.303 °C/10a at 0-1000 m, respectively. However, in spring, the rate of increase in low-elevation regions were higher than in high-elevation regions, e.g., 0.369 °C/10a at 0-1000 m and 0.317 °C/10a at 3000-4000 m.

Molecular identification and characterization of measles virus genotypes circulating in Afghanistan, 2008-2018.

The measles virus (MV) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years of age. Molecular identification of circulating wild-type MV) strains is a vital component of the measles elimination program. We received 159 oral swab samples from Afghanistan during 2008-2018. Viral RNA was extracted, followed by one-step RT-PCR and positive amplicons were subject to sequencing for genotype identification. Out of 159 total samples, 52% (83/159) were detected positive by RT-PCR. Genotype D4 was identified from 2.4% (2/83), genotype H1, 4.8% (4/83), and genotype B3, 92.7% (77/83) cases, respectively.

Temperature and precipitation gradients determine biomass in Birch (Betula spp.) and Fir (Abies spp.) in Eurasia.

Forest ecosystems are sinks of atmospheric carbon and maintain annual temperature. On the other hand, climate change entails changes in all the biota structures and functions, including forest cover and biomass. Temperature and precipitation are the main deterministic factors in species biomass change. Therefore, we compared the biomass of Betula spp. and Abies spp. at the stand level along trans-Eurasian hydrothermal gradients. We analyzed the biomass database of Betula and Abies forest stands in Eurasia. Climate variables explained about 14 and 16% of the total biomass variability in Betula and Abies, respectively. Our results showed that increasing temperature and precipitation positively impacted fir biomass. However, a negative impact was reported on needles and branches due to insufficient humidity. In birch forests, positive trends occur from cold to warm climate zones, but only when there is inadequate water supply. A negative correlation was reported in the moist areas. Most of the birch biomass components only increased in the precipitation gradient in cold climate zones. This positive trend transformed to negative in warm zones (except for branches). We modeled the possible temporal biomass change of tree species based on its territorial pattern in Eurasia using the principle of space-for-time substitution. The developments of models for the main forest-forming species of Eurasia allow us to predict changes in the productivity of the forest cover of Eurasia.

Value of 18F-FDG pet/CT for prognostic assessment in patients with infective endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: 18F-FDG PET/CT is a valuable diagnostic tool in infective endocarditis (IE). However, the prognostic value is unclear. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/CT in native valve endocarditis (NVE) and prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). METHODS: We retrospectively included 76 patients treated for definite IE (NVE and PVE) that underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT between January 2016 and December 2018. Clinical, echocardiographic and 18F-FDG PET/CT (pathologic valvular 18F-FDG uptake, extracardiac complications (ECC)) data were collected. The primary endpoint was defined as mortality or recurrence of IE at a one-year follow-up. RESULTS: Pathologic valvular 18F-FDG uptake was detected in 32 of 57 (56.1%) patients, 30% (9/30) in NVE and 85.2% (23/27) in PVE group. Atrial fibrillation (OR 3.90, 95% CI = 1.14-16.3), prior anticoagulation treatment (OR 6.37, 95% CI = 1.89-26.7), large vegetation (≥ 10 mm) (OR 4.05, 95% CI = 1.14-16.1), perivalvular complications (OR 7.22, 95% CI = 1.68-55.1) and abscess (OR 10.9, 95% CI = 1.84-283) were associated with positive PET/CT. Extracardiac complications were found in 27 of 76 (35.5%) patients, 42.9% (18/42) in the NVE and 26.5% (9/34) in the PVE group. Pathological valvular tracer uptake (HR 1.20, 95% CI = 0.43-3.37) or extracardiac complications (HR 0.58, 95% CI = 0.21-1.62) were not associated with the occurrence of the primary endpoint. CONCLUSION: Our study could not demonstrate a prognostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in IE, but confirms high diagnostic performance, which may compromise prognostic significance by accelerated optimal treatment because of earlier diagnostic certainty.

Relationship between Lipoprotein(a) and cardiovascular risk factors-data from 4602 participants of the ELITE study.

Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is becoming increasingly important as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Since no effective therapy currently exists other than lipid apheresis, the recommendation remains to optimally adjust all other cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF). In a Northwest German population study, the frequency of elevated Lp(a) levels and all other CVRF was investigated. The aim was to investigate whether individuals with elevated Lp(a) levels were also more likely to have other CVRFs. To date, 4602 individuals have been enrolled in the study, and blood pressure, weight, lipids, diabetes, medications, and pre-existing conditions were recorded in addition to Lp(a). In addition, questionnaires assessed physical activity, psychological stress, depression, and brain dysfunction. All participants received detailed individual recommendation about their CVRF and its treatment. In the further follow-up of 5 years, it will be examined how persons with elevated Lp(a) implemented these recommendations in comparison with participants without elevated Lp(a). The first group Lp(a) <75 nmol/L consisted of 3550 (80.2%), the Lp(a) 75-120 nmol/L group of 341 (7.4%) and the Lp(a) >120 nmol/L of 538 (11.7%). 81.6% of all participants had one or more CVRF. Age, sex, and prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and exercise did not differ among the 3 groups. As expected, LDL-Cholesterol was significantly elevated in the Lp(a) >120 nmol/L group despite significantly more frequent use of statins. Significantly more often hypertensive patients were found in the Lp(a) >120 nmol/L group who were inadequately controlled by medication and significantly less often persons without further CVRF. No differences existed in the frequency of psychological stress, depression, and mild cognitive impairment. CVRF occur with comparable frequency in individuals with elevated Lp(a) levels. However, individuals with Lp(a) above 120 nmol/L were more likely to have poorly controlled blood pressure, elevated LDL-C, and less likely to have no other risk factors. This underlines that in case of Lp(a) elevation all further CVRF should be intensively adjusted, especially in case of strongly elevated values >120 nmol/L. However, these recommendations have not been adequately implemented in clinical care in this population to date.

Bacillus pumilus induced tolerance of Maize (Zea mays L.) against Cadmium (Cd) stress.

Heavy metals contaminate the soil that alters the properties of soil and negatively affect plants growth. Using microorganism and plant can remove these pollutants from soil. The present investigation was designed to evaluate the induced effect of Bacillus pumilus on maize plant in Cadmium (Cd) contaminated soil. Three different concentrations of Cd (i.e. 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 mg kg-1) were applied in soil under which maize plants were grown. The germination percentage, shoot length, leaf length, number of leaves, root length, fresh weight and nutrient uptake by maize plant were determined. The experiment was conducted by using complete randomized design (CRD) with three replicates. The result indicated that germination percentage, Shoot length, leaf length, root length, number of leaves, and plant fresh weight were reduced by 37, 39, 39, 32 and 59% respectively at 0.75 mg kg-1 of CdSO4 concentration but when maize seeds inoculated with Bacillus pumilus significantly increased the germination percentage, shoot length, leaf length, number of leaves, plant fresh weight at different concentrations of CdSO4. Moreover, the plant protein were significantly increased by 60% in T6 (0.25 mg kg-1 of CdSO4 + inoculated seed) and Peroxidase dismutase (POD) was also significantly higher by 346% in T6 (0.25 mg kg-1 of CdSO4 + inoculated seed), however, the Superoxide dismutase (SOD) was significantly higher in T5 (0.75 mg kg-1 of CdSO4 + uninoculated seed) and was 769% higher as compared to control. The Cd contents in Bacillus pumilus inoculated maize roots and shoots were decreased. The present investigations indicated that the inoculation of maize plant with Bacillus pumilus can help maize plants to withstand Cd stress but higher concentration of Cd can harm the plant. The Bacillus pumilus has good potential to remediate Cd from soil, and also have potential to reduce the phyto availability and toxicity of Cd.

Biosynthesis Pathways, Transport Mechanisms and Biotechnological Applications of Fungal Siderophores.

Iron (Fe) is the fourth most abundant element on earth and represents an essential nutrient for life. As a fundamental mineral element for cell growth and development, iron is available for uptake as ferric ions, which are usually oxidized into complex oxyhydroxide polymers, insoluble under aerobic conditions. In these conditions, the bioavailability of iron is dramatically reduced. As a result, microorganisms face problems of iron acquisition, especially under low concentrations of this element. However, some microbes have evolved mechanisms for obtaining ferric irons from the extracellular medium or environment by forming small molecules often regarded as siderophores. Siderophores are high affinity iron-binding molecules produced by a repertoire of proteins found in the cytoplasm of cyanobacteria, bacteria, fungi, and plants. Common groups of siderophores include hydroxamates, catecholates, carboxylates, and hydroximates. The hydroxamate siderophores are commonly synthesized by fungi. L-ornithine is a biosynthetic precursor of siderophores, which is synthesized from multimodular large enzyme complexes through non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs), while siderophore-Fe chelators cell wall mannoproteins (FIT1, FIT2, and FIT3) help the retention of siderophores. S. cerevisiae, for example, can express these proteins in two genetically separate systems (reductive and nonreductive) in the plasma membrane. These proteins can convert Fe (III) into Fe (II) by a ferrous-specific metalloreductase enzyme complex and flavin reductases (FREs). However, regulation of the siderophore through Fur Box protein on the DNA promoter region and its activation or repression depend primarily on the Fe availability in the external medium. Siderophores are essential due to their wide range of applications in biotechnology, medicine, bioremediation of heavy metal polluted environments, biocontrol of plant pathogens, and plant growth enhancement.

School role in improving parenting skills and academic performance of secondary schools students in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: This research investigated the association between school role in improving parenting skills and the academic performance of secondary school students. And to examine the role of student gender, literacy status of the parents and parental importance to children education in the association between school role in improving parenting skills and students' academic performance. METHODS: A multistage stratified random sampling technique was adopted to portray information from 448 students on a Likert scale. Chi-square, Kendall's Tau-c tests were used to determine the direction and strength of association among variables. RESULTS: The results depicted that the association of children's academic performance was found significant (P = 0.000) and positive (Tau-c = 0.215) with school capacitating parents how to monitor and discuss schoolwork at home with children, assisting parents in setting academic goals for children (P = 0.000, Tau-c = 0.225). Moreover, the respondent's gender, parent literacy status and parental importance to children's education explained variation in the association between school role in improving parenting skills and children's academic performance. CONCLUSIONS: The school role in improving parenting skills significantly and positively contributed to children's academic performance. Moreover, boys, children of literate parents and children whose parents give more importance to their education with school active role in improving parenting skills were more liable to score higher grades.