Ecotoxicity of hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)] in soil presents predominate threats to agricultural production with the increase of soil Cr contamination.

The relative severity between chromium (Cr)-mediated ecotoxicity and its bioaccumulation has rarely been compared and evaluated. This study employed pot incubation experiments to simulate the soil environment with increased Cr pollution and study their effects on the growth of crops, including pepper, lettuce, wheat, and rice. Results showed that increasing total Cr presented ascendant ecotoxicity in upland soils when pH > 7.5, and significantly reduced the yield of pepper, lettuce and wheat grain by 0.3-100 %, whereas, this effect was weakened even reversed as the pH decreased. Surprisingly, a series of soils with Cr concentration of 22.7-623.5 mg kg-1 did not cause Cr accumulation in four crops over the Chinese permissible limit. The toxicity of Cr was highly associated with extractable Cr, where Cr (VI) made the greater contributions than Cr (III). Conclusively, the ecotoxicity of Cr poses a greater environmental issue as compared to the bioaccumulation of Cr in crops in upland soils, while extractable Cr (VI) makes the predominant contributions to the ecotoxicity of Cr as the total Cr increased. Our study proposes a synchronous consideration involving total Cr and Cr (VI) as the theoretical basis to establish a more reliable soil quality standard for safe production in China.

Effect of haemodialysis practice guideline on dialysis indicators and haemodynamic complications among patients undergoing haemodialysis.

To assess the effect of haemodialysis practice guidelines on dialysis indicators and haemodynamic complications, the comparative study was conducted at the dialysis unit of Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, and comprised patients undergoing haemodialysis who were divided into intervention group A in which updated haemodialysis practice guidelines were used, and control group B in which routine base dialysis was given. Data was collected using a self-structured tool. Data was analysed using McNemar test and Mann-Whitney U-test with p<0.05. Compared to baseline, there was a significant improvement in post-intervention ratio of effective removal of clearance (K) resulting from the treatment characterised by time (t) in the patient with a specific volume of distribution (V), or Kt/V, median & IQR 0.83(0.355) vs 1.21(0.11) and percentage of urea reduction ratio with median & IQR 49(12) vs. 66.5(18.65) (p<0.05). Intradialytic hypotension was found in 17(56.6%) subjects in group B and in 4(13.4%) in group A (p=0.002). Intradialytic hypertension was found in 8(25.6%) patients in group B and 1(3.4%) in group A (p=0.039). It is recommended that dialysis be performed in accordance with the most recent clinical guidelines in order to improve practices and to increase haemodialysis effectiveness.

Microbial-induced calcium precipitation: Bibliometric analysis, reaction mechanisms, mineralization types, and perspectives.

Microbial-induced calcium precipitation (MICP) refers to the formation of calcium precipitates induced by mineralization during microbial metabolism. MICP has been widely used as an ecologically sustainable method in environmental, geotechnical, and construction fields. This article reviews the removal mechanisms of MICP for different contaminants in the field of water treatment. The nucleation pathway is explained at both extracellular and intracellular levels, with a focus on evaluating the contribution of extracellular polymers to MICP. The types of mineralization and the regulatory role of enzyme genes in the MICP process are innovatively summarized. Based on this, the environmental significance of MICP is illustrated, and the application prospects of calcium precipitation products are discussed. The research hotspots and development trends of MICP are analyzed by bibliometric methods, and the challenges and future directions of MICP technology are identified. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis for further understanding of the MICP phenomenon in water treatment and the effective removal of multiple pollutants, which will help researchers to find the breakthroughs and innovations in the existing technologies, with a view to making significant progress in MICP technology.

Regularized ensemble learning for prediction and risk factors assessment of students at risk in the post-COVID era.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on students' academic performance. The effects of the pandemic have varied among students, but some general trends have emerged. One of the primary challenges for students during the pandemic has been the disruption of their study habits. Students getting used to online learning routines might find it even more challenging to perform well in face to face learning. Therefore, assessing various potential risk factors associated with students low performance and its prediction is important for early intervention. As students' performance data encompass diverse behaviors, standard machine learning methods find it hard to get useful insights for beneficial practical decision making and early interventions. Therefore, this research explores regularized ensemble learning methods for effectively analyzing students' performance data and reaching valid conclusions. To this end, three pruning strategies are implemented for the random forest method. These methods are based on out-of-bag sampling, sub-sampling and sub-bagging. The pruning strategies discard trees that are adversely affected by the unusual patterns in the students data forming forests of accurate and diverse trees. The methods are illustrated on an example data collected from university students currently studying on campus in a face-to-face modality, who studied during the COVID-19 pandemic through online learning. The suggested methods outperform all the other methods considered in this paper for predicting students at the risk of academic failure. Moreover, various factors such as class attendance, students interaction, internet connectivity, pre-requisite course(s) during the restrictions, etc., are identified as the most significant features.

Ammonium nitrogen and phosphorus removal by bacterial-algal symbiotic dynamic sponge bioremediation system in micropolluted water: Operational mechanism and transformation pathways.

Construct a bacteria-algae symbiotic dynamic sponge bioremediation system to simultaneously remove multiple pollutants under micro-pollution conditions. The average removal efficiencies of NH4+-N, PO43--P, total nitrogen (TN), and Ca2+ were 98.35, 78.74, 95.64, and 84.92 %, respectively. Comparative studies with Auxenochlorella sp. sponge and bacterial sponge bioremediation system confirmed that NH4+-N and TN were mainly removed by bacterial heterotrophic nitrification - aerobic denitrification (HN-AD). PO43--P was removed by algal assimilation and the generation of Ca3(PO4)2 and Ca5(PO4)3OH, and Ca2+ was removed by algal electron transfer formation of precipitates and microbially induced calcium precipitation (MICP) by bacteria. Algae provided an aerobic environment for the bacterial HN-AD process through photosynthesis, while respiration produced CO2 and adsorbed Ca2+ to promote the formation of calcium precipitates. Immobilization of Ca2+ with microalgae via bacterial MICP helped to lift microalgal photoinhibition. The bioremediation system provides theoretical support for research on micropolluted water treatment while increasing phosphorus recovery pathways.

Intelligent tumor tissue classification for Hybrid Health Care Units.

Introduction: In the evolving healthcare landscape, we aim to integrate hyperspectral imaging into Hybrid Health Care Units to advance the diagnosis of medical diseases through the effective fusion of cutting-edge technology. The scarcity of medical hyperspectral data limits the use of hyperspectral imaging in disease classification. Methods: Our study innovatively integrates hyperspectral imaging to characterize tumor tissues across diverse body locations, employing the Sharpened Cosine Similarity framework for tumor classification and subsequent healthcare recommendation. The efficiency of the proposed model is evaluated using Cohen's kappa, overall accuracy, and f1-score metrics. Results: The proposed model demonstrates remarkable efficiency, with kappa of 91.76%, an overall accuracy of 95.60%, and an f1-score of 96%. These metrics indicate superior performance of our proposed model over existing state-of-the-art methods, even in limited training data. Conclusion: This study marks a milestone in hybrid healthcare informatics, improving personalized care and advancing disease classification and recommendations.

Fully Endoscopic Retrosigmoid Approach for Cerebellopontine Angle Tumors.

BACKGROUND: Fully endoscopic or endoscope-controlled approaches are essentially keyhole approaches in which rigid endoscopes are the sole visualization tools used during the whole procedure. At the early attempts of endoscope-assisted cranial surgery, it was noted that rigid endoscopes enabled overcoming the problem of suboptimal visualization when small exposures are used. The technical specifications and design of the currently available rigid endoscopes are associated with a group of unique features that define the endoscopic view and lay the basis for its superiority over the microscopic view during brain surgery. Fully endoscopic retrosigmoid approach for cerebellopontine angle tumors is a minimally invasive approach that is not routinely practiced by neurosurgeons, with few series published so far. Unfamiliarity with the technique, steep learning curve, and concerns about inadequate exposure, neurovascular injury, and decreased visibility may explain this fact. In this chapter we elaborate on the surgical technique and nuances of the fully endoscopic retrosigmoid approach and present an overview of the published series. METHODS: From a prospective database of endoscopic procedures maintained by the senior author, clinical data, imaging studies, operative charts, and videos of cases undergoing fully endoscopic retrosigmoid approach for cerebellopontine angle tumors were retrieved and analyzed. The pertinent literature was also reviewed. RESULTS: The surgical technique of the fully endoscopic retrosigmoid approach was formulated. CONCLUSION: The endoscopic technique has many advantages over the conventional procedures. In our hands, the technique has proven to be feasible, efficient, and minimally invasive with excellent results.

Co-targeting CDK 4/6 and C-MYC/STAT3/CCND1 axis and inhibition of tumorigenesis and epithelial-mesenchymal-transition in triple negative breast cancer by Pt(II) complexes bearing NH3 as trans-co-ligand.

In search of potential anticancer agents, we synthesized SNO-donor salicylaldimine main ligand-based Pt(II) complexes bearing NH3 as co-ligand at trans-position (C1-C6). These complexes showed similarity in structure with transplatin as the two N donor atoms of the main ligand and NH3 co-ligand were coordinated to Pt in trans position to each other. Each complex with different substituents on the main ligand was characterized thoroughly by detailed spectroscopic and spectrophotometric methods. Four of these complexes were studied in solid state by single crystal X-ray analysis. The stability of reference complex C1 was measured in solution state in DMSO­d6 or its mixture with D2O using 1H NMR methods. These complexes were further investigated for their anticancer activity in triple-negative-breast (TNBC) cells including MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-436 cells. All these complexes showed satisfactory cytotoxic effect as revealed by the MTT results. Importantly, the highly active complex C4 anticancer effect was compared to the standard chemotherapeutic agents including cisplatin, oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Functionally, C4 suppressed invasion, spheroids formation ability and clonogenic potential of cancer cells. C4 showed synergistic anticancer effect when used in combination with palbociclib, JQ1 and paclitaxel in TNBC cells. Mechanistically, C4 inhibited cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4/6 pathway and targeted the expressions of MYC/STAT3/CCND1/CNNE1 axis. Furthermore, C4 suppressed the EMT signaling pathway that suggested a role of C4 in the inhibition of TNBC metastasis. Our findings may pave further in detailed mechanistic study on these complexes as potential chemotherapeutic agents in different types of human cancers.

An Expedient Approach to Access Phenalenones via Unconventional [1,2]-Phospha-Brook Rearrangement/Carbonyl Migration.

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted phenalenones from para-quinone methides (p-QMs) and acenaphthoquinone is described. The reaction involves P(NMe2)3-mediated [1,2]-phospha-Brook rearrangement followed by Lewis acid-assisted 1,2-carbonyl migration to afford the 2,3-disubstituted phenalenones. The developed protocol tolerates a broad range of substrates to form a variety of phenalenones in good to excellent yields. Moreover, the utility of the synthesized phenalenones is also demonstrated by performing its transformations to other adducts.

Exploring optimal drug targets through subtractive proteomics analysis and pangenomic insights for tailored drug design in tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, ranks among the top causes of global human mortality, as reported by the World Health Organization's 2022 TB report. The prevalence of M. tuberculosis strains that are multiple and extensive-drug resistant represents a significant barrier to TB eradication. Fortunately, having many completely sequenced M. tuberculosis genomes available has made it possible to investigate the species pangenome, conduct a pan-phylogenetic investigation, and find potential new drug targets. The 442 complete genome dataset was used to estimate the pangenome of M. tuberculosis. This study involved phylogenomic classification and in-depth analyses. Sequential filters were applied to the conserved core genome containing 2754 proteins. These filters assessed non-human homology, virulence, essentiality, physiochemical properties, and pathway analysis. Through these intensive filtering approaches, promising broad-spectrum therapeutic targets were identified. These targets were docked with FDA-approved compounds readily available on the ZINC database. Selected highly ranked ligands with inhibitory potential include dihydroergotamine and abiraterone acetate. The effectiveness of the ligands has been supported by molecular dynamics simulation of the ligand-protein complexes, instilling optimism that the identified lead compounds may serve as a robust basis for the development of safe and efficient drugs for TB treatment, subject to further lead optimization and subsequent experimental validation.

Clinical and genetic investigation of 14 families with various forms of short stature syndromes.

Skeletal dysplasias are a heterogeneous group of disorders presenting mild to lethal defects. Several factors, such as genetic, prenatal, and postnatal environmental may contribute to reduced growth. Fourteen families of Pakistani origin, presenting the syndromic form of short stature either in the autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant manner were clinically and genetically investigated to uncover the underlying genetic etiology. Homozygosity mapping, whole exome sequencing, and Sanger sequencing were used to search for the disease-causing gene variants. In total, we have identified 13 sequence variants in 10 different genes. The variants in the HSPG2 and XRCC4 genes were not reported previously in the Pakistani population. This study will expand the mutation spectrum of the identified genes and will help in improved diagnosis of the syndromic form of short stature in the local population.

Butane Tetracarboxylic Acid Grafted on Polymeric Nanofibrous Aerogels for Highly Efficient Protein Absorption and Separation.

Developing high-performance and low-cost protein purification materials is of great importance to meet the demands for highly purified proteins in biotechnological industries. Herein, a facile strategy was developed to design and construct high-efficiency protein absorption and separation media by combining aerogels' molding techniques and impregnation processes. Poly (ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) nanofibrous aerogels (NFAs) were modified by grafting butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) over them in situ. This modification was carried out using polyphosphoric acid as a catalyst. The resulting EVOH/BTCA NFAs exhibited favorable comprehensive properties. Benefiting from the highly interconnected porous structure, good underwater compressive properties, and abundant absorption ligands, the obtained EVOH/BTCA NFAs possessed a high static absorption capacity of 1082.13 mg/g to lysozyme and a short absorption equilibrium time of about 6 h. A high saturated dynamic absorption capacity for lysozyme (716.85 mg/g) was also realized solely by gravity. Furthermore, EVOH/BTCA NFAs displayed excellent reusability, good acid and alkaline resistance, and unique absorption selectivity performance. The successful synthesis of such aerogels can provide a potential candidate for next-generation protein absorbents for bio-separation and purification engineering.

Synthesis of calix (4) resorcinarene based amphiphilic macrocycle as an efficient nanocarrier for Amphotericin-B to enhance its oral bioavailability.

The supramolecular-based macrocyclic amphiphiles have fascinating attention and find extensive utilization in the pharmaceutical industry for efficient drug delivery. In this study, we designed and synthesized a new supramolecular amphiphilic macrocycle to serve as an efficient nanocarrier, achieved by treating 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde with 1-bromotetradecane. The derivatized product was subsequently treated with resorcinol to cyclize, resulting in the formation of a calix(4)-resorcinarene-based supramolecular amphiphilic macrocycle. The synthesized macrocycle and intermediate products were characterized using mass spectrometry, IR, and 1H NMR spectroscopic techniques. The amphotericin-B (Amph-B)-loaded and unloaded amphiphiles were screened for biocompatibility studies, vesicle formation, particle shape, size, surface charge, drug entrapment, in-vitro release profile, and stability through atomic force microscopy (AFM), Zetasizer, HPLC, and FT-IR. Amph-B -loaded macrocycle-based niosomal vesicles were investigated for in-vivo bioavailability in rabbits. The synthesized macrocycle exhibited no cytotoxicity against normal mouse fibroblast cells and was found to be hemocompatible and safe in mice following an acute toxicity study. The drug-loaded macrocycle-based vesicles appeared spherical, nano-sized, and homogeneous in size, with a notable negative surface charge. The vesicles remained stable after 30 days of storage. The results of Amph-B oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics revealed that the newly tailored niosomal formulation enhanced drug solubility, protected drug degradation at gastric pH, facilitated sustained drug release at the specific target site, and delayed plasma drug clearance. Incorporating such advanced niosomal formulations in the field of drug delivery systems has the potential to revolutionize therapeutic outcomes and improve the quality of patient well-being.

Enabling High Reversibility of Zn anode via Interfacial Engineering Induced by Amino acid Electrolyte Additive.

Despite possessing substantial benefits of enhanced safety and cost-effectiveness, the aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) still suffers with the critical challenges induced by inherent instability of Zn metal in aqueous electrolytes. Zn dendrites, surface passivation, and corrosion are some of the key challenges governed by water-driven side reactions in Zn anodes. Herein, a highly reversible Zn anode is demonstrated via interfacial engineering of Zn/electrolyte driven by amino acid D-Phenylalanine (DPA) additions. The preferential adsorption of DPA and the development of compact SEI on the Zn anode suppressed the side reactions, leading to controlled and uniform Zn deposition. As a result, DPA added aqueous electrolyte stabilized Zn anode under severe test environments of 20.0 mA cm-2 and 10.0 mAh cm-2 along with an average plating/stripping Coulombic efficiency of 99.37%. Under multiple testing conditions, the DPA-incorporated electrolyte outperforms the control group electrolyte, revealing the critical additive impact on Zn anode stability. This study advances interfacial engineering through versatile electrolyte additive(s) toward development of stable Zn anode, which may lead to its practical implementation in aqueous rechargeable zinc batteries.

Fine-tuning of organic optical double-donor NLO chromophores with DA-supported functional groups.

New strategic chromophores with updated fine-tuning of previously reported BLD1 and BLD3 chromophores were designed. BLD1 and BLD3 have silicon functional groups on the donor unit, and the bridge has a good chance of self-assembling, so in the present study we fine-tuned the isolating groups to the bulky cyclic alkene to improve their dipole moment and organic electro-optic (OEO) properties as well. To demonstrate the impact of cyclic alkenes on the electron-donating groups in sensible NLO chromophore designs, a thorough analysis and comparison of the chromophore synthesis, UV-Vis calculations, solvatochromic behavior of the chromophore, DFT quantum mechanical calculations, thermal stabilities, and much lower dipole moments was conducted.

Design and synthesis of novel dihydropyridine- and benzylideneimine-based tyrosinase inhibitors.

Tyrosinase (TYR) inhibitors are very significant as they inhibit enzyme tyrosinase activity, and its inhibition is vital for skin care, anticancer medication, and antibrowning of fruits and vegetables. This work presents a novel and economical route for the preparation of new synthetic tyrosinase inhibitors using amlodipine (4). The novel conjugates 6 (a-o) were designed, synthesized, and characterized by spectroscopic analyses, including Fourier transform infrared and low- and high-resolution mass spectroscopy. The purified compound 4 was refluxed with various aldehydes and ketones 5 (a-o) for 5-8 h in methanol at 60°C-90°C. This research modified the drug in a step-by-step manner to develop therapeutic properties as a tyrosinase inhibitor. The structures of synthesized ligands 6 (a-o) were established based on spectral and analytical data. The synthesized compounds 6 (a-o) were screened against tyrosinase enzyme. Kojic acid was taken as standard. All the prepared compounds 6 (a-o) have good inhibition potential against the enzyme tyrosinase. Compounds 6o, 6b, 6f, and 6k depicted excellent antityrosinase activity. Compound 6k, with an IC50 value of 5.34 ± 0.58 µM, is as potent as the standard kojic acid (IC50 6.04 ± 0.11 µM), standing out among all synthesized compounds 6 (a-o). The in silico studies of the conjugates 6 (a-o) were evaluated via PatchDock. Compound 6k showed a binding affinity score of 8,999 and an atomic contact energy (ACE) value of -219.66 kcal/mol. The structure-activity relationship illustrated that the presence of dihydropyridine nuclei and some activating groups at the ortho and para positions of the benzylideneimine moiety is the main factor for good tyrosinase activity. The compound 6k could be used as a lead compound for drug modification as a tyrosinase inhibitor for skin care, anticancer medication, and antibrowning for fruits and vegetables.

Preparation of Peptoid Antifreeze Agents and Their Structure-Property Relationship.

The development of nontoxic and efficient antifreeze agents for organ cryopreservation is crucial. However, the research remains highly challenging. In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of peptoid oligomers using the solid-phase submonomer synthesis method by mimicking the amphiphilic structures of antifreeze proteins (AFPs). The obtained peptoid oligomers showed excellent antifreeze properties, reducing the ice crystal growth rate and inhibiting ice recrystallization. The effects of the hydrophobicity and sequence of the peptoid side chains were also studied to reveal the structure-property relationship. The prepared peptoid oligomers were detected as non-cytotoxic and considered to be useful in the biological field. We hope that the peptoid oligomers presented in this study can provide effective strategies for the design of biological cryoprotectants for organ preservation in the future.

Improving Access to Anti-HDV Testing: Development and Validation of an Affordable In-House ELISA Assay.

In certain low-income nations, the hepatitis Delta virus and hepatitis B virus (HBV) pose a serious medical burden, where the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is greater than 8%. Especially in rural places, irregular diagnostic exams are the main restriction and reason for underestimation. Utilizing serum samples from a Pakistani isolate, an internal ELISA for the quick identification of anti-HDV was created, and the effectiveness of the test was compared to a commercial diagnostic kit. HDV-positive serum samples were collected, and a highly antigenic domain of HDAg antigen was derived from them. This antigenic HDAg was expressed in a bacterial expression system, purified by Ni-chromatography, and confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. The purified antigen was utilized to develop an in-house ELISA assay for anti-HDV antibody detection of the patient's serum samples at very low cost. Purified antigens and positive and negative controls can detect anti-HDV (antibodies) in ELISA plates. The in-house developed kit's efficiency was compared with that of a commercial kit (Witech Inc., USA) by the mean optical density values of both kits. No significant difference was observed (a P value of 0.576) by applying statistical analysis. The newly developed in-house ELISA is equally efficient compared to commercial kits, and these may be useful in regular diagnostic laboratories, especially for analyzing local isolates.

Applicability of SCoT markers in unraveling genetic variation and population structure among sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) germplasm.

BACKGROUND: Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) holds significant importance as a crop globally cultivated for sugar production. The genetic diversity present in sugar beet accessions plays a crucial role in crop improvement programs. METHODS AND RESULTS: During the present study, we collected 96 sugar beet accessions from different regions and extracted DNA from their leaves. Genomic DNA was amplified using SCoT primers, and the resulting fragments were separated by gel electrophoresis. The data were analyzed using various genetic diversity indices, and constructed a population STRUCTURE, applied the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA), and conducted Principle Coordinate Analysis (PCoA). The results revealed a high level of genetic diversity among the sugar beet accessions, with 265 bands produced by the 10 SCoT primers used. The percentage of polymorphic bands was 97.60%, indicating substantial genetic variation. The study uncovered significant genetic variation, leading to higher values for overall gene diversity (0.21), genetic distance (0.517), number of effective alleles (1.36), Shannon's information index (0.33), and polymorphism information contents (0.239). The analysis of molecular variance suggested a considerable amount of genetic variation, with 89% existing within the population. Using STRUCTURE and UPGMA analysis, the sugar beet germplasm was divided into two major populations. Structure analysis partitioned the germplasm based on the origin and domestication history of sugar beet, resulting in neighboring countries clustering together. CONCLUSION: The utilization of SCoT markers unveiled a noteworthy degree of genetic variation within the sugar beet germplasm in this study. These findings can be used in future breeding programs with the objective of enhancing both sugar beet yield and quality.

Self-Assembly Study of Block Copolypeptoids in Response to pH and Temperature Stimulation.

Polypeptoids with well-designed structures have the ability to self-assemble into nanomaterials, which have wide potential applications. In this study, a series of diblock copolypeptoids were synthesized via ring-opening polymerization followed by click chemistry and exhibited both temperature and pH stimulation responsiveness. Under specific temperature and pH conditions, the responsive blocks in the copolypeptoids became hydrophobic and aggregated to form micelles. The self-assembly process was monitored using the UV-Vis and DLS methods, which suggested the reversible transition of free molecules to micelles and bigger aggregates upon instituting temperature and pH changes. By altering the length and proportion of each block, the copolypeptoids displayed varying self-assembly characteristics, and the transition temperature could be tuned. With good biocompatibility, stability, and no cytotoxicity, the polypeptoids reported in this study are expected to be applied as bionanomaterials in fields including drug delivery, tissue engineering, and intelligent biosensing.