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The detrimental impacts of nickel (Ni) pollution on human health and plant growth are irrefutable. Taurine (TRN) is a sulfur-containing non-proteinogenic amino acid with potent antioxidant and cellular membrane protection properties, alongside the capacity to regulate plant defense responses under stress conditions. However, the potential remedial role of TRN on Ni-induced phytotoxic effects is unexplored. Consequently, this study employed bottle gourd (Lagenaria sicerariaL.), a globally important vegetable crop, as a model plant to examine the interactive effects of Ni stress and TRN on growth, secondary metabolism, osmolytes accumulation, ascorbate (ASA) and glutathione (GSH) pool, methylglyoxal, and ROS detoxification system. A pot experiment was conducted in a fully randomized design with four replicates of each treatment. Nickel stress (100 and 150 µM) was applied to the 20-day plants as nickel chloride (NiCl2). After one week of stress administration, TRN (100 and 200 mg L−1) was applied as a foliar application. Plants were harvested scrupulously to record data 10 days after TRN supplementation. The results revealed a discernible reduction in growth, biomass production, photosynthetic pigments, leaf relative water content, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, total soluble proteins, and nitrate reductase activity under Ni stress. Further, Ni stress exacerbated oxidative stress, as indicated by a significant surge in superoxide radicals (O2•‾), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), and membrane electrolyte leakage (EL), alongside methylglyoxal (MG) and Ni accumulation. However, exogenous TRN shielded bottle gourd plants from Ni-induced oxidative insult, primarily by boosting the antioxidant and glyoxalase systems that helped assuage ROS and MG, respectively. Moreover, TRN ascended plant resilience to Ni stress by improving ASA and GSH pool, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), osmolytes (proline and glycine betaine), antioxidant pigments, and secondary metabolism with a concomitant decrease in leaf and root excess Ni buildup. Taurine lessened Ni phytotoxic effects by augmenting plant architecture, ASA-GSH pools, osmolytes accumulation, antioxidative and glyoxalase systems with concurrent fall in oxidative stress, and excess Ni accumulation in plant tissues.

Coumarin (COU) is an essential phenolic compound safeguarding plants under environmental constraints. Coumarin-induced salinity tolerance is reported in tomato, wheat and sorghum. However, the underlying mechanism by which COU mediates stress tolerance is not established, particularly under manganese (Mn) toxicity. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to examine COU-mediated regulation of Mn tolerance mechanism in sesame. Plants were subjected to two Mn levels (450 and 750 mg kg–1), given as MnSO4. Sesame seeds were primed in different doses of COU (0, 50, 100, and 150 mg L–1). Coumarin effects on photosynthesis, SPAD values, glyoxalase system, osmolyte accumulation, secondary metabolism, ROS generation and detoxification, ascorbate–glutathione cycle and ions homeostasis were studied in sesame. Our results manifested a notable drop in growth, chlorophyll contents, leaf relative water content, photosynthesis, and nutrient acquisition in plants under Mn toxicity. Further, excess Mn substantially increased oxidative damage mirrored as higher endogenous levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide radical (O2•–), malondialdehyde, and electrolyte leakage. Coumarin protected plants from oxidative injury by strengthening the activities of ascorbate–glutathione cycle enzymes under Mn toxicity. Histochemical studies revealed lesser H2O2and O2•–generation in plants administered COU under Mn toxicity. Besides, COU brought a significant fall in the methylglyoxal levels by increasing the activities of glyoxalase enzymes. Moreover, proline and glycine betaine accumulation were several folds greater in plants pre-treated with COU under Mn toxicity. Coumarin lessened chlorophyll degradation, bettered photosynthesis, and abridged oxidative injury that might have enhanced tolerance to Mn toxicity.

Introduction The effect of diabetes mellitus on morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting has remained uncertain, and conflicting conclusions have been reported in clinical trials. Evidence suggests that coronary artery bypass in patients with diabetes mellitus carries a higher risk of stroke, renal failure, perioperative complications, and sternal wound infection. This study evaluated the frequency of acute renal dysfunction after coronary artery bypass in diabetic patients, and the associated risk factors.Method This cross-sectional observational study included 135 patients with diabetes (111 males and 24 females with a mean age 51 years and a body mass index of 27.44?kg m-2), who underwent elective coronary artery bypass from March 2015 to October 2015. Data were collected prospectively in 2 tertiary care centers. Renal dysfunction was assessed by serum creatinine levels preoperatively and at 24 and 48?h postoperatively.Results Fifteen percent of patients were found to have postoperative renal dysfunction. Univariate analysis revealed that patients with increased serum creatinine preoperatively were at greater risk of developing renal dysfunction after coronary artery bypass (p?=?0.00). On multivariable binary logistic regression analysis, preoperative serum creatinine level was the only independent predictor of postoperative renal dysfunction; age, body mass index, dyslipidemia, hypertension, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and aortic crossclamp time showed no significant association.Conclusion Diabetic patients with increased serum creatinine preoperatively are at greater risk of kidney damage postoperatively; therefore, these patients should be monitored and treated critically in the perioperative period.

Background Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and accounts for 13.7% of deaths in countries like Pakistan. Its association with stress has not been well considered in our setup. Patients with coronary artery disease admitted for coronary artery bypass grafting may have a high prevalence of stress that might increase the risk of adverse outcomes.Methods 60 patients with coronary artery disease admitted to the Civil Hospital Karachi for coronary artery bypass graft surgery from January 1 to March 31, 2012, were evaluated using a stress evaluation scale.Results Stress of varying degrees was found to be a significant independent risk factor in patients with coronary heart disease. Analysis of our collected sample of patients with stress showed 60% with high stress (p?=?0.025) and 36.7% moderate stress (p?=?0.0025). An appreciable relationship was found between stress and patient age, sex, body mass index, blood group, and the incidence of myocardial infarction.Conclusion Our study found evidence of an independent causative association between psychological stress and coronary heart disease, of a similar order to the more conventional coronary heart disease risk factors.