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Abstract Complexation of micronutrients with complexing agents reduce undesirable reactions of fertilizers in soil water system. In the form of complex structure nutrients remain available to plants in the useable form. Nanoform fertilizer enhances the surface area of particles and less amount of fertilizer contact with large area of plant roots which reduce fertilizer cost. Controlling release of fertilizer using polymeric material like sodium alginate makes agriculture practices more efficient and cost effective. Several fertilizers and nutrients are used at a large scale to improve crop yields globally and almost more than half goes to waste. Therefore, there is a dire need to improve plant-available nutrients in soil, using feasible, environmentally friendly technologies. In the present research, complexed micronutrients were successfully encapsulated using a novel technique at nanometric scale. The nutrients were complexed with proline and encapsulated using sodium alginate (polymer). Sweet basil was subjected to seven treatments over three months in a moderately controlled environment (25 °C of temperature and 57% of humidity) to study the effects of synthesized complexed micronutrient nano fertilizers. The structural modifications of the complexed micronutrient nanoforms of fertilizers were examined, through X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The size of manufactured fertilizers was between 1 and 200 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy stretching vibration peaks at 1600.9 cm−1 (C=O), 3336 cm−1 (N–H) and at 1090.2 cm−1 (N–H in a twisting and rocking) corresponds to the pyrrolidine ring. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to analyze the chemical makeup of the essential oil of the basil plants. Essential oil yield of basil plants increased from 0.0035 to 0.1226% after treatments. The findings of the present research show that complexation and encapsulation improve crop quality, essential oil yield, and antioxidant potential of basil.

Disruption of quorum sensing pathway of pathogenic microbes is considered as novel approach to fight against infectious diseases. The current study was planned to evaluate the antibiofilm and quorum sensing inhibitory potential of Lagerstroemia speciosa . Antibacterial and antibiofilm potential of L. speciosa extracts was determined through agar well diffusion and crystal violet assay against sinusitis isolates, that is, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae , while quorum sensing inhibition efficacy of L. speciosa extracts was determined through violacein inhibition assay using Chromobacterium pseudoviolaceum as bacterial model . The methanolic extract of L. speciosa presented the highest antimicrobial activity against E. faecalis and antibiofilm activity against K. pneumoniae (77.42 ± 1.51%) , while n -hexane extract was found to be least active against all tested bacterial strains . Quorum sensing inhibition activity of L. speciosa extracts against C. pseudoviolaceum showed significant dose-dependent inhibition in violacein production by different concentrations of methanolic extract. Furthermore, none of the extracts of L. speciosa showed any hemolytic activity against human RBCs and hold considerable thrombolytic potential in comparison to streptokinase (75.9 ± .46%). In conclusion, findings suggest that L. speciosa leaves are excellent source of phytochemicals with potent antibiofilm and quorum sensing inhibition potential.

Methotrexate (MTX) is a common chemotherapeutical agent and folate antagonist with reported apoptotic activity in nucleated cells. The presented research work was planned to investigate the eryptotic effects of methotrexate after the exposure of erythrocytes to therapeutical doses (10–15 μM) of methotrexate. Eryptosis and the role of calcium in the stimulation of membrane blebbing were evaluated through the determination of mean cell volume. Oxidative stress induced by methotrexate (10–15 μM) was determined by antioxidative enzyme activities. Cytotoxic activity against human erythrocytes was examined through hemolysis assay. Exposure of erythrocytes to methotrexate results in significant reduction of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities at 10 and 15 μM in comparison to the untreated cells. Erythrocytes mean cell volume (MCV) was increased after 48 hours exposure of erythrocytes to methotrexate (10 μM). Significantly increased hemolysis percentage was observed at 10 μM after 48 hours incubation of erythrocytes with methotrexate. The results of the study suggested that the therapeutical doses (10–15 μM) of methotrexate may lead to increase in eryptotic and hemolytic activity of erythrocytes through free radical generation and subsequent calcium entry.

Background Bifenthrin is an insecticide and anti-estrogenic compound primarily used to control residential pests by depolarizing sodium gated voltage channels in the nervous system. Eryptosis, the suicidal death of erythrocytes, featured by PS exposure, membrane blebbing and cell shrinkage. Anemia is an outcome of uncontrolled eryptosis. Research Design In this study, erythrocytes were treated with different concentrations (.5-1-1.5 μM) of bifenthrin over a period of 48 hours. In order to investigate the oxidative stress induced by bifenthrin, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities were investigated. Results Obtained data indicated the decrease in the enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase) activities in bifenthrin treated cells at 1 μM concentration. In addition, measurement of cell size and confirmation of the role of calcium in the stimulation of the eryptotic activity of bifenthrin were performed. A significant increase in mean cell volume was found in the presence of bifenthrin and a decrease in mean cell volume in the presence of calcium channel blocker was observed. Similarly, there was also a significant increase in the percentage of hemolysis indicating the necrotic activity of bifenthrin. Conclusions It is concluded that the indicated doses of bifenthrin triggered oxidative stress which may lead to early cell death by eryptosis and hemolysis.

Novel therapeutic agents discovery have become crucial because humankind is experiencing issues regarding health and the environment. The present study is focusing on thrombolytic agents, which are therapeutics for cardiovascular diseases, eco-friendly, safe and can be used in comparison to synthetic agents that are associated with some side effects and their production is not environment friendly. The main objective of the present research was to evaluate the thrombolytic and cytotoxic potential of different extracts of Escherchia coli-ATCC35218. Soxhlet extraction method with ethanol was used for extraction from cells. Crude protein was extracted from the cell mass with protein extraction buffer. Crude isoprenoid quinone and polar lipids were extracted by using petroleum ether with methanol and chloroform as extraction solvent. In another method, the extracts were prepared using methanol as well as n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and water in serial extraction. These organic and aqueous extracts of E. coli were dried, weighed, dissolved in DMSO and tested for their hemolytic and thrombolytic potential. Mild to moderate percentage of thrombolytic activity was shown by these extracts and compared with citric acid (standard). Chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol soluble extracts showed significant thrombolytic activities that were 43.5% ​± ​0.06, 41.8% ​± ​0.16 and 40.5% ​± ​0.07 respectively, while citric acid showed 73.7% ​± ​0.05. Maximum hemolytic activities were shown by polar lipids, crude methanol extract and n-hexane that are 87.20% ​± ​0.08, 82.5% ​± ​0.06 and 73.46%± ​0.08 respectively as compared with 0.1% Triton X-100 (positive control) with 94.75% ​± ​0.15 hemolysis. Finally, results were analyzed statistically through analysis of variance (ANOVA). Further studies on isolation and identification of bioactive thrombolytic agents from each bioactive thrombolytic extract will help us in reporting natural thrombolytic agents from E.coli that could benefit human medically. This is one of the few reports of thrombolytics available from natural sources.

Omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor blocks the H + /K + -ATPase channels of gastric parietal cells. It is used for the treatment of peptic ulcer. Prolonged use of omeprazole may involve in inducing anemia. The key marker of eryptosis includes membrane blebbing, cell shrinkage and phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure at the cell surface. In current study, the eryptotic, oxidative as well as hemolytic effects of therapeutical doses (0.5, 1 and 1.5 µM) of omeprazole were investigated after exposing erythrocytes for 48 hours. Investigation of eryptosis was done by cell size measurement, PS exposure determination and calcium channel inhibition. As a possible mechanism of omeprazole induced eryptosis, oxidative stress was investigated by determining the catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities. Similarly, necrotic effect of omeprazole on erythrocytes was also evaluated through hemolysis measurement. Results of our study illustrated that 1.5 µM of omeprazole may induce significant decrease in superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities as well as triggered the erythrocytes shrinkage, PS exposure and hemolysis. Role of calcium was also confirmed in inducing erythrocyte shrinkage. It is concluded that the exposure of erythrocytes with 1.5 µM omeprazole may enhance the rate of eryptosis and hemolysis by inducing oxidative stress.

Biodiesel has attracted considerable interest as an alternative biofuel due to its many advantages over conventional petroleum diesel such as inherent lubricity, low toxicity, renewable raw materials, biodegradability, superior flash point, and low carbon footprint. However, high production costs, poor low temperature operability, variability of fuel quality from different feedstocks, and low storage stability negatively impact more widespread adoption. In order to reduce production costs, inexpensive inedible oilseed alternatives are needed for biodiesel production. This study utilized inedible tamarind (Tamarind indica) seed oil as an alternative biodiesel feedstock, which contained linoleic (31.8%), oleic (17.1%), and lauric (12.0%) acids as the primary fatty acids. A simple and cost-effective high vacuum fractional distillation (HVFD) methodology was used to separate the oil into three fractions (F1, F2, and F3). Subsequent transesterification utilizing basic, acidic, and enzymatic catalysis produced biodiesel of consistent quality and overcame the problem of low temperature biodiesel performance. The most desirable biodiesel with regard to low temperature operability was produced from fractions F2 and F3, which were enriched in unsaturated fatty acids relative to tamarind seed oil. Other properties such as density and cetane number were within the limits specified in the American and European biodiesel standards.

The aim of the research work was to synthesize different biologically active carbamate derivatives bearing 2-furoyl-1-piperazine and having modest toxicity. The synthesis was completed in multiple steps. The structural confirmation of all the synthesized compounds was carried out by EI-MS, IR and 1H-NMR spectral data. The enzyme inhibition and antibacterial potential of the synthesized compounds was evaluated. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of the compounds was also checked to find their utility as possible therapeutic agents. All the compounds were active against acetylcholinesterase enzyme especially 12 and 14 showed very good inhibitory potential relative to Eserine, a reference standard. Almost all the compounds showed good activities against the both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains.

Biodiesel offers an advantage only if it can be used as a direct replacement for ordinary diesel. There are many reasons to promote biodiesel. However, biodiesel cannot get wide acceptance until its drawbacks have been overcome including poor low temperature flow properties, variation in the quality of biodiesel produced from different feedstocks and fuel filter blocking. In the present study, a much cheaper and simpler method called high vacuum fractional distillation (HVFD) has been used as an alternative to produce high-quality refined biodiesel and to improve on the abovementioned drawbacks of biodiesel. The results of the present study showed that none of biodiesel sample produced from crude Azadirachta indica (neem) oil met standard biodiesel cetane number requirements. The high vacuum fractional distillation (HVFD) process improved the cetane number of produced biodiesels which ranged from 44–87.3. Similarly, biodiesel produced from fractionated Azadirachta indica oil has shown lower iodine values (91.2) and much better cloud (−2.6 °C) and pour point (−4.9 °C) than pure Azadirachta indica oil. In conclusion, the crude oil needs to be vacuum fractioned for superior biodiesel production for direct utilization in engine and consistent quality production.

This study involves effects of ethanolic extracts of leaves of Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre and Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh on hematological parameters and biochemical components of blood serum of male albino mice. The extracts were administrated orally (100 mg/ ml solvent/ Kg body weight) for 15 days and it was observed that the complete blood count (CBC) remained unaffected while cholesterol (P = 0.03) and triglyceride (P = 0.008) levels in serum were significantly elevated in P. pinnata leaf extract treated mice. Mice treated with E. camaldulensis leaf extract had significantly reduced white blood cells (P = 0.05), platelets (P = 0.05), alanine aminotransferase (P = 0.04) and significantly increased mean corpuscular hemoglobin levels (P = 0.04) as compared to control group. Our results indicated that both leaf extracts had tendency to disturb the blood biochemistry of healthy male albino mice. The effects were more pronounced in mice orally treated with E. camaldulensis leaf extract for 15 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a contagious infection of cattle caused by a virus of the Poxviridae family, genus Capripoxvirus. In Pakistan, recent outbreaks have resulted in significant nationwide mortality and economic losses. A 20-day prospective cohort study was performed on sixty infected cattle with the aim to evaluate LSD-induced oxidative stress’s genotoxic role and to determine the ameliorative effect of antioxidant therapy using principal component analysis (PCA) and a multivariable ordinal logistic regression model. LSDV was identified from scab samples and nodular lesions using RPO30-specific gene primers. The infected cattle were divided into control and treated groups. The animals were observed initially and finally on day 20 to evaluate the homeostatic, oxidative, and genotoxic changes. The animals in the treated group were administered a combination of selenium (Se) and vitamin E at the standard dose rate for five consecutive days. A substantial (p < 0.05) improvement in the hematological indices was observed in the treated group. The treated group also showed a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in levels of serum nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) post-therapy. The PCA at the final sampling data of the treated group showed that Principal Component (PC1 eigenvalue 1.429) was influenced by superoxide dismutase (SOD; 0.3632), catalase (CAT; 0.2906), and glutathione (GSH; 0.0816) and PC2 (eigenvalue 1.200) was influenced by CAT (0.4362), MDA (0.2056), and NO (0.0693). A significant correlation between serum NO (76%) and MDA levels (80%) was observed with genetic damage index (GDI) scores. The ordinal logistic regression model regarding the use of antioxidant therapy revealed 73.95-times (95%CI; 17.36–314.96) improvement in the GDI in treated animals. The multivariable ordinal logistic regression showed that each unit increase in NO and MDA resulted in a 13% increase in genotoxicity in infected individuals. In conclusion, our study revealed that LSD-induced oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation product causes genotoxicity in affected animals. Furthermore, the combined Se and vitamin E therapy significantly alleviated oxidative stress and genotoxicity in LSD-affected cattle.

Background and Objectives: Dermatological disorders are highly prevalent among children in Pakistan. The present cross-sectional study aims to identify the spectrum of dermatological conditions among children and adolescents in Pakistan. Materials and Methods: A total of 582 patients (50.9% males; 49.1% females) were included in the study based on their age (5.7 ± 4.1 years), dermatological condition, and epidemiology. The youngest patient was aged ten days, whereas the eldest was seventeen. Age criteria were further stratified into three categories: infants and toddlers (≤5 years), children (≥5 to Results: Scabies was the highest reported skin condition with 281 (45.55%) patients, followed by 114 (19.6%) with eczema, 60 (10.3%) with dermatitis, 33 (5.7%) with tinea capitis, 17 (2.9%) with tinea corporis, 16 (2.7%) with impetigo, and 15 (2.6%) with folliculitis. Other conditions include urticaria, burns, infections, pediculosis, tinea inguinalis, tinea faciei, nappy rashes, alopecia, warts, tinea incognito, tinea cruris, and acne vulgaris. The chi-squared test showed a high prevalence of tinea corporis and acne among adolescents (12–17 years), whereas eczema, dermatitis, and impetigo were more prevalent among infants and toddlers. Conclusions: Pets or livestock and poor hygiene were found to be highly reported risk factors for many dermatological conditions like scabies and fungal infections. Dermatological conditions are common in younger individuals, but unfortunately, many children do not receive the desired medical assistance.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected billions of lives and is expected to impose a significant burden on the economy worldwide. Vaccination is the only way to prevent the infection. However, convincing people to get themselves vaccinated is challenging in developing countries such as Pakistan. Therefore, a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted (n = 982 participants) all over Pakistan to evaluate the perception, knowledge, attitude, and acceptance of the general public towards the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, in general, and a booster dose of SARS-CoV-2, in particular. The highest number of participants were from the province of Punjab (84.5%), followed by Islamabad (3.8%), Sindh (3.7%), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2.7%), Baluchistan (2.6%), Gilgit Baltistan (1.4%), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (1.4%). A total of 915 participants were vaccinated against COVID-19, out of which 62.2% received one booster dose, followed by double booster doses (25.5%) and single vaccine shots (12.3%). The highest number of vaccinated participants were from Punjab (85.8%), followed by Islamabad (3.9%), Sindh (2.8%); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2.6%); Baluchistan (2.3%); Gilgit-Baltistan (1.3%); and Azad, Jammu, and Kashmir (1.2%). Among the vaccinated individuals, 71.4% were unemployed, 27.4% were employed (653), and 1.2% were retired from service. However, no significant association was observed among genders and educational levels in regard to acceptance of the booster vaccine. The outcomes of the study revealed that the increased acceptance of booster doses of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines among the public was associated with the intent of personal and family protection. Moreover, individuals with low socioeconomic status and pregnant females showed the least acceptance towards the vaccine inoculation. The study also revealed a decline trend of accepting SARS-CoV-2 vaccine among children.

The emergence of a pathogen responsible for a mysterious respiratory disease was identified in China and later called a novel coronavirus. This disease was named COVID-19. The present study seeks to determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in Pakistan. This report will exhibit a linkage between epidemiology and clinical aspects which in turn can be helpful to prevent the transmission of the virus in Pakistan. A retrospective, multiple center study was performed by collecting the data from patients' with their demographics, epidemiological status, history of co-morbid conditions, and clinical manifestations of the disease. The data was collected from 31 public-sector and 2 private hospitals across Pakistan by on-field healthcare workers. A Chi-square test was applied to assess the relationship between categorical data entries. A total of 194 medical records were examined. The median age of these patients was found to be 34 years. A total of 53.6% active cases were present including 41.2% males and 12.4% females till the end of the study. Adults accounted for most of the cases (94.3%) of COVID-19. Fever (86.60%), cough (85.05%), fatigue (36.60%), dyspnea (24.74%), and gastrointestinal discomfort (10.31%) were among the most frequently reported signs and symptoms by the patients. However, 4.12% of the total patient population remained asymptomatic. The median duration of hospital stay was found to be 14 (0–19) days. The earliest source of the spread of the virus may be linked to the foreigners traveling to Pakistan. Spread among men was more as compared to women. A few cases were found to be positive, due to the direct contact with pets or livestock. Hypertension (7.73%), diabetes (4.64%), cardiovascular conditions (2.58%) were the most common co-morbidities. The percentage mortality was 2.50% with the highest mortality among elders.