Search

Rab proteins are a key family of small GTPases that play crucial roles in vesicular trafficking, membrane dynamics, and maintaining cellular homeostasis. Studying this family of proteins is interesting as having many structural isoforms with variable evolutionary trends and wide distribution in cells. The proteins are renowned for their unique structural characteristics, which support their functional adaptability and specificity. Based on these features these proteins show different regulatory pathways and show involvement in dynamic protein-protein interactions, which is essential for intracellular signaling processes and in maintaining cellular functionality and balance. Notably, it is the first review to compile such extensive information about Rabs. Such information related to these proteins explores the molecular mechanisms in medicine based on their phylogenetic development, structural conformation changes, interaction networks, distribution, and regulation-dysregulations discussed in this review. Moreover, this review offers a consolidated resource for researchers and clinicians to understand the Rabs in different magnitudes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There is no conflict of interest declared by the author(s)., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Herein, we disclose a novel organocatalytic approach for the enantioselective synthesis of 1,4-sulfur-bridged piperidinone skeletons via sequential aza-Michael/Michael/Mannich domino reaction of 2-aminochalcones and 5-alkenyl-thiazolones. The one-pot approach catalyzed by a bifunctional squaramide catalyst furnishes bridged polycyclic compounds with five contiguous stereocenters (three tertiary, two heteroquaternary) in excellent yields (up to 95%) and stereochemical outcomes (up to 99% ee and up to >20:1 dr). The methodology offers outstanding control on regio- and chemoselectivity, showcasing broad substrate compatibility. Additionally, the reaction is scalable and postsynthetic transformation to a spirothiazolone-tetrahydroquinoline derivative further amplifies the synthetic utility of the methodology.

The global scarcity of irrigation water poses a significant challenge to the sustainable production of rice and its availability worldwide. With a growing population driving increased demand for rice, it is crucial to enhance rice production while minimizing water usage. Achieving this requires a comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions between water and nitrogen dynamics and the formulation of strategies to optimize the application of irrigation water and nitrogen fertilizers. This study aims to investigate the impact of varying irrigation regimes and nitrogen application rates on rice growth attributes, yield performance, overall crop productivity, and economic returns. In the 2021 and 2022 rice growing season, two field experiments were carried out in split plot design with four nitrogen levels in sub plots [N0: Control, N1: 75% RDN (Recommended dose of nitrogen; @ 120 kg N ha -1 ), N2: 100% RDN, and N3: 125% RDN] and four irrigation treatments in main plots [I1: recommended irrigation scheduling, I2: at field capacity (20 L m -2 ), I3: 10% depletion from field capacity (20 L m -2 ), and I4: 20% depletion from field capacity (20 L m -2 ). The experiments were replicated three times. The suggested irrigation scheduling treatment (flooded) showed improved growth characteristics, such as plant height, dry matter accumulation, leaf area index, tiller count, SPAD (Soil Plant Analysis Development) value, NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) value, leaf relative water content, and yield attributes; however, these were comparable to the application of irrigation water at field capacity. Due to improved plant growth and yield-attributing characteristics, the I1 treatment recorded the highest grain yield of 8.58 t ha -1 and 8.4 t ha -1 , although it was comparable to the I2 treatment, which had grain yields of 8.27 t ha -1 and 8.15 t ha -1 in 2021 and 2022. The grain yield reported by the N3 treatment were significantly greater than those of the N2 treatment, IN 2021 and 2022 respectively. Applying nitrogen at 125% RDN (Recommended dose of nitrogen) and irrigation water at field capacity produced the highest benefit-cost ratio (1.64), which was closely followed by the same irrigation regime and 100% RDN application (1.60 BC ratio). Comparable to irrigation at field capacity, the suggested irrigation schedule demonstrated enhanced growth features, yield attributes, productivity, and profitability. The best way to achieve the optimum growth, productivity, and profitability in transplanted rice was to provide irrigation water at field capacity and nitrogen @ 100% RDN., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics approval and consent to participate: All the authors abide by the IUCN Policy Statement on Research Involving Species at Risk of Extinction and the Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

This study investigates the water relations mechanism of Rhododendron campanulatum (D. Don) in treeline areas of the Himalayan region, emphasizing its vital role in ecosystem dynamics. The species, commonly found as krummholz forms at treeline ecotones, exhibits notable population advancement 1.4 m/yr, which could lead to the densification of the ecotone in the future. Seasonal measurements of soil moisture at depths of 15cm, 30cm, and 45cm, as well as pre-dawn (ΨPD) and mid-day (ΨMD) water potentials, and leaf conductance in the forenoon (gwAM) and afternoon (gwPM), were conducted for both trees and seedlings. Significant variations were observed among sites, seasons, and years across various parameters, including soil moisture and water potential components. The study underscores the most negative water potentials (Ψ) during winters, with ΨPD reaching -0.88 MPa for trees and -1.43 MPa for seedlings. Seasonal changes in water potential (ΔΨ) ranged from 0.11 to 0.82 MPa for trees and 0.20 to 0.90 MPa for seedlings. Osmotic potential at full turgor (OPFull) declined from winter to summer, ranging from -0.74 to -1.76 MPa in trees and -0.45 to -1.60 MPa in seedlings. Relative water content (RWC%) of seedlings varied between 68.00% and 87.40%. Leaf conductance ranged from 19.50 to 329.68 m mol m-2 sec-1 in trees and 43.60 to 331.40 m mol m-2 sec-1 in seedlings. The study highlights the adaptation of R. campanulatum and other broad-leaved evergreen species to high-altitude climatic irregularities, emphasizing the crucial role of snowmelt and monsoon rains in mitigating water stress. Osmotic adjustment and high relative water content enable R. campanulatum to cope with environmental changes, maintaining water availability for photosynthesis., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2025 Singh et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Intracellular microbes are actively present in various tumor types in low biomass and play a major role in metastasis. Eliminating intracellular microbes on a cellular level with precision remains a challenge. To address this issue, we designed a screening pipeline to characterize intracellular microbes and their interaction with host cells. We used host and microbial in-vitro lab based constant and reproducible model, host as (mammalian cancer HeLa) and microbial strain as (Escherichia coli 25922). To study the pharmacological impact on intracellular bacterial load, we used antibiotics (ampicillin, roxithromycin, ciprofloxacin) and chemotherapy drugs (doxorubicin and cisplatin) as external stimuli for both host and microbes. We found that increasing pharmacological stress does not increase microbial load inside the host cells. Eliminations of intracellular bacteria was done by using Permutation Orthogonal Arrays (POA), where we acquired optimal drug combination in particular sequence of drugs, which reduced 90-95% of intracellular microbial load. Proteomic analysis reveals that upon the invasion of Escherichia coli 25922, HeLa cells enriched ATP production pathways to activate intermediate filaments, which should be investigated closely via in-vivo models., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

A Cu(I)-Pybox-diPh catalyzed enantioselective [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of CF 3 -substituted tertiary propargylic esters as C2-bis-electrophiles with cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds as C,O-bis-nucleophiles has been reported. The methodology furnishes a variety of optically active oxygen heterocycles containing a CF 3 -substituted quaternary stereocenter in good yields and enantioselectivities. Moreover, the scalability of the reaction and transformations of chiral compounds into their derivatives demonstrated the synthetic and practical relevance of the approach.

Bioaerosol emissions during toilet flushing are an often-overlooked source of potential health risks in shared public facilities. This study systematically investigated the emission characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bioaerosols in washrooms with squat and bidet toilets under varying flushing conditions and ventilation scenarios. Using Monte Carlo simulation-based quantitative microbial risk assessment and sensitivity analysis, the study estimated the disease burden and identified key factors influencing risk. The results showed that squat toilets generated 1.7-2.6 times higher concentrations of S. aureus bioaerosols and 1.2-1.4 times higher concentrations of E. coli bioaerosols compared to bidet toilets. After the first flush, bioaerosol concentrations were 1.3-1.8 times (S. aureus) and 1.2-1.4 times (E. coli) lower than those observed after the second flush. The second flush released a higher proportion of fine bioaerosol particles (<4.7 µm), increasing inhalation risks. The disease health risk burden was consistently one order of magnitude lower after the first flush than the second one. Ventilation with a turned-on exhaust fan further reduced the risk by one order of magnitude. Sensitivity analysis identified exposure concentration as the most influential parameter, contributing up to 50% of the overall risk. This study highlights the importance of optimizing toilet design and ventilation systems to mitigate bioaerosol emissions and associated health risks. It provides actionable insights for improving public washroom hygiene and minimizing bioaerosol exposure., (© 2025 Society for Risk Analysis.)

Postoperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is a cognitive decline after general anesthesia and surgery, influenced by preexisting neurodegenerative conditions, stress, and inflammation. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is linked to a dysregulated stress response, neuroinflammation, and cognitive issues. Patients with TBI often need extracranial surgeries under general anesthesia (GA), which can increase stress, neuroinflammation, and neurodegenerative changes, raising PND risk. We will search databases like Ovid Medline and Embase for studies on cognitive function in patients with mild to moderate TBI who had extracranial surgeries under general anesthesia (GA). Screening and data extraction will be done manually and with AI-assisted tools (ASReview). Study quality will be assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Statistical analyses will include mean differences, odds ratios, and meta-regression, addressing heterogeneity, sensitivity, and publication bias using Stata/SE. By meta-analyzing clinical studies, we aim to determine if TBI and GA/surgery interact to induce PND. We will use various data sources, subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses, and meta-regression to assess factors like age, gender, and type of GA/surgery. This meta-analysis will enhance our understanding of PND risks, inform clinical practices, and highlight new research directions. The systematic review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024510980).

Exorbitant praxis of nitrogen pioneered and opened up the usage of time-specific and need-based nitrogen management. The leaf color chart (LCC), being one of the handy tool, is put to use for the estimation of the indirect leaf N, and also heightens the competence of crop N administration. Integrating leaf color chart assessments into maize cultivation practices can provide a practical and cost-effective approach for tailoring nitrogen applications, leading to improved resource-use efficiency and sustainable maize production. To perceive the specific leaf color chart (LCC) value for precision maneuvering of nitrogen in different maize hybrids, a field experiment was carried out at the research farm of Division of Agronomy, FoA, Wadura, Sopore, SKUAST-Kashmir, in the years 2019 and 2020 (Kharif seasons). Split Plot Design (SPD) employing three maize varieties (Shalimar Maize Hybrid-2 (SMH-2), Kanchan-517 and Vivek-45) in main plots and precision management of nitrogen (T 1 : Control, T 2 : Recommended Nitrogen (120 kg N ha -1 ), T 3 : 25% N as basal LCC @20 (≤ 3) kg N ha -1 , T 4 : 25% N as basal LCC @30 (≤ 3) kg N ha -1 , T 5 : 25% N as basal LCC @20 (≤ 4) kg N ha -1 , T 6 : 25% N as basal LCC @30 (≤ 4) kg N ha -1 , T 7 : 25% N as basal LCC @20 (≤ 5) kg N ha -1 and T 8 : 25% N as basal LCC @30 (≤ 5) kg N ha -1 ) in sub-plots was systemized. The pooled means indicated that SMH-2 chalked up utmost values in growth (plant height 189.4 cm) and periodic leaf area index and yield parameters with a grain yield of 6.1 t ha -1 , straw yield of 10.6 t ha -1 , respectively. The LCC value of @ 30 (≤ 5) kg N ha -1 set down statistically highest and significant grain (6.0 t ha -1 ) and straw yield (10.8 t ha -1 ) pooled over the years amidst other nitrogen management treatments, respectively. LCC @ 20 (≤ 5) kg N ha -1 turned up to have highest apparent N recovery (REN) followed by LCC @ 30 (≤ 5) kg N ha -1 whereas LCC @ 20 (≤ 4) kg N ha -1 which was at par with LCC @ 20 (≤ 5) kg N ha -1 recorded maximum agronomic efficiency (AE). LCC @ 20 (≤ 3) kg N ha -1 showed the highest physiological efficiency (PE) and partial factor productivity (Pfp). Furthermore, different rice genotypes manifested significant effects vis-à-vis Pfp and REN, which were maximum in SMH-2 contrasted with Kanchan-517 and Vivek-45. In the interim, the economics of pooled data divulged that the maximum B: C ratio was observed in SMH-2 and LCC @ 30 (≤ 5) kg N ha -1 . Therefore, site-specific nutrient management through LCC proved to be an effective strategy to maximize yield and nitrogen use efficiency in hybrid maize., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

This study investigated the interaction of Tire-wear particles (TWPs) with Zinc-Oxide nanoparticles (ZNPs) and studied their individual and combined toxic effects on Chlorella vulgaris in the co-presence of Humics. Physiological parameters, including growth, photosynthetic pigments, oxidative stress, and membrane damage, were analysed using Flow cytometry. Adsorption experiments exhibited that ZNPs were significantly absorbed by TWPs (q max = 312.49 mg/g). A positive dose-response relation concerning inhibition in growth was observed in all treatment groups, and it was associated with reduced chlorophyll levels and damaged cell membranes. A negative impact of increased concentrations of TWPs and ZNPs was observed on anti-oxidant enzymes CAT and SOD; however, the impact was more severe when combined with exposure to both contaminants. Elevated concentrations of ZNPs and TWPs led to increased ROS production, lipid peroxidation and membrane damage, which could be contributing to the observed inhibition in growth. In the combined exposure groups, the Independent Action and the Abbott toxicity models revealed a synergistic effect on growth rates, which agreed with the Integrated Biomarker model results. The current study could enhance our understanding of the interaction between TWPs and metal nanoparticles in aquatic systems and offer novel understandings of the mechanisms underlying their combined toxic effects on microalgae., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Guided access cavity preparation (GACP) is an endodontic procedure utilizing stents, guide sleeves, or dynamic guides to facilitate the proper formation of access cavities. This paper aims to evaluate the significance of research on guided access cavity preparation in endodontic treatment concerning dentin preservation. In the context of dentin preservation, this paper provides a thorough scoping review of a variety of methodologies for evaluating the accuracy of guided access cavity preparation., Materials and Methods: Article searches were conducted using Tthe keywords "Guide Access Cavity Preparation" AND "Static Guide OR 3D Printing Template" AND "Dynamic Guide through digital databases including PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Research articles published in English within the past five years (2019-2024) and in accordance with the PCC (Population, Concept, and Context) framework were also included in the study. Articles from the meta-analysis or systematic review study type, those that were not accessible in full text or in a paid format, and those that did not assess the use of guided endodontics in endodontic surgery were excluded. This scoping review adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews without Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) criteria., Results: A total of 12 articles were reviewed, encompassing various locations, designs, type, and samples, which demonstrated the use of guided access cavity preparation has significant clinical applications and can provide accurate results in endodontic therapy., Conclusion: Article searches were conducted using the keywords "Guide Access Cavity Preparation" AND 'Static Guide OR 3D Printing Template' AND" Dynamic Guide through digital databases including PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Research articles published in English within the past five years (2019-2024) and in accordance with the PCC (Population, Concept, and Context) framework were also included in the study. Articles from the meta-analysis or systematic review study type, those that were not accessible in full text or in a paid format, and those that did not assess the use of guided endodontics in endodontic surgery were excluded. This scoping review adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews without Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) criteria. Studies show that advanced technologies in guided access cavity preparation endodontic treatment can improve dentin preservation, improve accuracy and predictability, particularly for root canal anomalies and difficult teeth, but clinicians must consider limitations and clinical applications. Clinicians must evaluate the limitations and clinical applications of guided endodontic access prior to its implementation., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2025 Muryani et al.)

Ecosystem functioning and management are primarily concerned with addressing climate change and biodiversity loss, which are closely linked to carbon stock and species diversity. This research aimed to quantify forest understory (shrub and herb) diversity, tree biomass and carbon sequestration in the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary. Using random sampling methods, data were gathered from six distinct forest communities. The study identified 271 vascular plants from 208 genera and 74 families. A notable positive correlation (r 2 = 0.085, p < 0.05) was observed between total tree density and total tree basal area (TBA), shrub density (r 2 = 0.09), tree diversity (D) (r 2 = 0.58), shrub diversity (r 2 = 0.81), and tree species richness (SR) (r 2 = 0.96). Conversely, a negative correlation was found with the concentration of tree dominance (CD) (r 2 = 0.43). The Quercus leucotrichophora , Rhododendron arboreum and Quercus floribunda (QL-RA-QF) community(higher altitudinal zone) exhibited the highest tree biomass (568.8 Mg ha -1 ), while the ( Pinus roxburghii and Quercus leucotrichophora ) PR-QL (N) community (lower altitudinal zone) in the north aspect showed the lowest (265.7 Mg ha -1 ). Carbon sequestration was highest in the Quercus leucotrichophora , Quercus floribunda and Rhododendron arboreum (QL-QF-RA) (higher altitudinal zone) community (7.48 Mg ha -1 yr -1 ) and lowest in the PR-QL (S) (middle altitudinal zone) community in the south aspect (5.5 Mg ha -1 yr -1 ). The relationships between carbon stock and various functional parameters such as tree density, total basal area of tree and diversity of tree showed significant positive correlations. The findings of the study revealed significant variations in the structural attributes of trees, shrubs and herbs across different forest stands along altitudinal gradients. This current study's results highlighted the significance of wildlife sanctuaries, which not only aid in wildlife preservation but also provide compelling evidence supporting forest management practices that promote the planting of multiple vegetation layers in landscape restoration as a means to enhance biodiversity and increase resilience to climate change. Further, comprehending the carbon storage mechanisms of these forests will be critical for developing environmental management strategies aimed at alleviating the impacts of climate change in the years to come.

Persistent microplastics (MPs) accumulation in the aqueous environments is considered a threat to the ecosystem, potentially harming aquatic species and human health. In view of the escalating problem of MPs pollution in India, a comprehensive investigation of MPs accumulation in major riverine systems is necessary. The current study aims to estimate MPs abundance in surface water, sediment, and fish samples along the entire stretch of Godavari, the largest river in peninsular India. Average MPs concentrations in water lie in the range of 311-939 MPs/m 3 and 2-144 MPs/kg d.w. for sediment. Urban regions and dam reservoirs showed elevated MPs abundance, emphasizing the impact of anthropogenic activities. The μ-Raman analysis revealed PE and PP were the abundantly occurring polymers in all matrices. Polymer and ecological risk index identify most sampling sites as extremely high-risk zones, posing a potential threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health. Plotted t-SNE (t-distributed Stochastic Neighbour Embedding) revealed similarities in MPs morphology and compositions among water, sediment and fish samples. Examined MPs in edible (flesh+skin) and inedible parts (GIT and gills) of seven different fish species showed a higher average MPs abundance in edible parts (10.7 ± 14.9 MPs/fish) than gills (7 ± 8.1 MPs/fish) and GIT (6.6 ± 5.5 MPs/fish). This suggests that removing gills and GIT from fish doesn't eliminate the consumer's risk of MPs intake. Overall, our work highlights the significant MPs pollution in the Godavari River, further providing essential data on the ecological risk of MPs to guide municipal action plans, improve waste management, target high-risk areas, and raise awareness to mitigate impacts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The identification of etiology is very important when managing patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). In Pakistan, studies regarding the viral etiology in CAP are scarce. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of viral etiology in CAP patients and analyze the clinical features and their impact on prognosis. Medical records of CAP patients admitted to Aga Khan University Hospital (Karachi, Pakistan) from March 2022 to February 2023 were retrospectively reviewed, patients who had microbiological tests performed within 48 hours of the hospital admission were included, and the frequency of viral and bacterial etiology was calculated. Patients who were immunocompromised were excluded. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics were examined, and the impact on prognosis was explored. A total of 166 patients were included; 115 (69.3%) patients were identified as having pneumonia with known causative microorganisms. A total of 83 (72.1%) patients had a viral etiology alone, 18 (15.6%) had only bacterial infection, and 14 (12.2%) had a viral and bacterial co-infection. Influenza A was most frequently detected (n=46/97; 47.4%), followed by Rhinovirus/Enterovirus (n=19/97; 19.6%). Staphylococcus aureus accounted for the majority (n=18; 56.3%) of cases among bacteria. Bacterial and viral-bacterial co-infection was significantly higher among non-survivors (38.1% vs. 16.6%, p=0.034). Confusion-Urea-Respiratory Rate-Blood Pressure-Age of 65 scores of 3-5 [odds ratio (OR) 4.234; 95% confidence interval 1.156-15.501], leukocytosis (OR 0.137; 0.030-0.636), high C-reactive protein (>10mg/L) (OR 1.008; 1.001-1.014), high serum procalcitonin level (≥0.5 ng/mL) (OR 10.731; 3.018-38.153), and mechanical ventilation required (OR 47.104; 13.644-162.625) were associated with mortality. Mechanical ventilation requirement was independently associated with increased odds of mortality (OR 43.407; 8.083-233.085). Of 166 patients, 21 (12.7%) had died, with the highest percentage (28.6%) seen in the viral-bacterial coinfection group (p=0.046). To conclude, respiratory viruses are increasingly being recognized as an important etiology in CAP, with higher mortality seen in bacterial infection, whether alone or with viral co-infection.

Abies pindrow, a vital conifer in the Kashmir Himalayan forests, faces threats from low regeneration rates, deforestation, grazing, and climate change, highlighting the urgency for restoration efforts. In this context, we investigated the diversity of potential culturable seed endophytes in A. pindrow, assessed their plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities, and their impact on seed germination and seedling growth. We cultured 729 microbial isolates that were resolved into 30 bacterial and 18 fungal species across various phyla. All 48 isolates exhibited various PGP activities. Specifically, all the cultured isolates showed IAA activity with concentrations ranging from 2.07 to 8.453 μg/ml, while ammonia production ranged from 0.936 to 3.436 mM/ml. Only 18 isolates, predominantly fungi, tested positive for phosphate solubilisation. Additionally, 20 isolates exhibited the ability to inhibit the growth of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. pini. We selected four bacterial and six fungal isolates, which showed positive results for all PGP activities, to evaluate their effects on seed germination and seedling growth. Notably, seed germination rates increased by 750.9% under bacterial and consortium treatments and by 550.45% under fungal treatment. The consortium treatment also led to a 96% increase in needle count, while bacterial treatment enhanced stem length by 55.4%. Furthermore, shoot biomass also showed a significant increase with both bacterial and fungal treatments, underscoring the potential of harnessing seed endophytes to boost A. pindrow seedling health and resilience. This study underscores the crucial role of seed endophytic diversity in enhancing seed germination, seedling growth, and forest restoration efforts., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest with any person, organization, or institution., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Due to a lack of high-quality water, farmers have been compelled to use sewage water for irrigation, contaminating agricultural soils with multiple heavy metals. For the remediation of contaminated soil, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), pressmud (PM), and iron (III) oxide were used to improve the growth and phytostabilization potential of chickpea grown in contaminated soil. Contaminated soil was collected from a nearby field, receiving sewage and factory water over the last 60 years. Chickpea seeds were inoculated with metal-tolerant (lead and cadmium) rhizobacterial and rhizobial strains. It was observed that combined application of rhizobia, rhizobacteria, iron oxide, and pressmud improved shoot fresh weight (87%), root fresh weight (47.9%), root length (47.9%), nodules plant -1 (2.58 folds), photosynthetic rate (63%) and grain yield (39%) of chickpea as compared to respective untreated control in contaminated soil. Moreover, a significant decrease in the lead (75.8 and 68.1%) and cadmium (81 and 72%) concentrations due to the combined application of rhizobacteria, rhizobia, iron oxide, and pressmud was observed in shoot and root of chickpea than respective control, respectively. It can be concluded that the contaminated soil with mixed metals can be remediated, and the growth and yield of chickpea can be improved.

Salinity stress poses a significant threat to plant growth and agricultural productivity, affecting millions of hectares of land worldwide. The adverse effects of salt toxicity, primarily caused by high levels of sodium chloride in soil and water, disrupt essential physiological processes in plants, leading to reduced yields and degraded soil quality. The present study thoroughly investigated the potential involvement of hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S) and nitric oxide (NO) in facilitating salt stress tolerance in cucumbers. In this investigation, NaHS (sodium hydrogen sulfide), which is the donor of H 2 S, and SNP (sodium nitroprusside), which is the donor of NO, were used as treatments for cucumber seedlings exposed to salt stress. Additionally, L-NAME (N-nitro-L-arginine: 100 μM) and cPTIO (2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide), which are inhibitors and scavengers of NO respectively, were used to verify the involvement of NO in the presence of salinity. NaHS and SNP supplementation significantly boosted fresh weight, dry weight, plant height, and chlorophyll content, promoting growth under salt stress. These treatments raised endogenous H 2 S and NO levels, upregulating antioxidative enzymes like SOD, CAT, APX, GR, GPX, and GSTs. This response reduced oxidative damages by lowering reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation. The combined application of NaHS and SNP under salt stress offers a promising and cost-effective strategy to improve plant resilience to salinity, reduce oxidative stress, and ultimately enhance crop productivity. These findings provide important insights into the potential use of H 2 S and NO donors for sustaining agricultural production in saline environments, addressing a critical global challenge for food security., (© 2025 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.)

Objective: To assess inter-observer & intra-observer agreement of the American College of Radiology (ACR) bone reporting and data system (Bone-RADS) in the interpretation of bone tumors on computed tomography (CT)., Methods: This retrospective study included 273 bone tumors 184 (67.4 %) benign and 89 (32.6 %) malignant. Two blinded radiologists independently reviewed the CT images to assess the defined CT features of bone lesions and assign a bone-RADS category. A third observer reviewed the CT images twice with one month interval and reported the specified CT features and final bone-RADS category for bone lesions. Inter-observer and intra-observer agreement of bone-RADS were analyzed., Results: There was almost perfect inter-observer agreement between the two reviewers for all defined variables as well as bone-RADS categories (Kappa = 92.2 %). Overall intra-observer agreement was also perfect for all defined CT features and bone RADS categories with higher percentage than inter-observer one (κ = 98.3 %)., Conclusion: Bone-RADS is an effective clinical tool for practicing radiologists in the risk assessment and management of bone tumors with perfect agreement among observers. To our knowledge, no studies have been conducted for assessing reliability or validity of the recent ACR Bone-RADS using CT. Hence, this study could serve as a cornerstone for further upcoming studies to assess the reproducibility and validity of the ACR Bone-RADS., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Triple-negative breast cancer is a characteristic subtype of breast cancer that lacks the estrogen receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, and progesterone receptor. Because of its highly diverse subtypes, increased metastasis capability, and poor prognosis, the risk of mortality for people with triple-negative breast cancers is high as compared with other cancers. Chemotherapy is currently playing a major role in treating triple-negative breast cancer patients; however, poor prognosis due to drug resistance is causing serious concern. Recent studies on several phytochemicals derived from various plants being used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Traditional Korean Medicine, Ayurveda (Traditional Indian Medicine), and so on, have demonstrated to be a promising agent as a viable therapy against triple-negative breast cancer. Phytochemicals categorized as alkaloids, polyphenols, terpenoids, phytosterols, and organosulfur compounds have been demonstrated to reduce cancer cell proliferation and metastasis by activating various molecular pathways, thereby reducing the spread of triple-negative breast cancer. This review analyzes the molecular mechanisms by which various phytochemicals fight triple-negative breast cancer and offers a perspective on the difficulties and potential prospects for treating triple-negative breast cancer with various phytochemicals., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Despite significant progress in the field of human breast cancer research and treatment, there is a consistent increase in the incidence rate of 0.5 percent annually, posing challenges in the development of effective novel therapeutic strategies. The failure rate of drugs in clinical trials stands at approximately 95%, primarily attributed to the limitations and lack of reliability of existing preclinical models, such as mice, which do not mimic human tumor biology. This article examines the potential utility of canine mammary tumors as an adjunct preclinical model for investigating human breast cancer. Given the numerous similarities between canine and human breast cancer, canines present a promising alternative model. The discussion delves into the intricate molecular and clinical aspects of human breast cancer and canine mammary tumors, shedding light on the tumors' molecular profiles, identifying specific molecular markers, and the application of radiological imaging modalities. Furthermore, the manuscript addresses the current constraints of preclinical cancer studies, the benefits of using canines as models, and the obstacles linked to the canine mammary tumors model. By concentrating on these elements, this review aims to highlight the viability of canine models in enhancing our understanding and management of human breast cancer., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declared no conflict of interest., (© 2025. The Pharmaceutical Society of Korea.)

Smoke is a critical indicator of forest fires, often detectable before flames ignite. Accurate smoke identification in remote sensing images is vital for effective forest fire monitoring within Internet of Things (IoT) systems. However, existing detection methods frequently falter in complex real-world scenarios, where variable smoke shapes and sizes, intricate backgrounds, and smoke-like phenomena (e.g., clouds and haze) lead to missed detections and false alarms. To address these challenges, we propose the Multi-level Feature Fusion Network (MFFNet), a novel framework grounded in contrastive learning. MFFNet begins by extracting multi-scale features from remote sensing images using a pre-trained ConvNeXt model, capturing information across different levels of granularity to accommodate variations in smoke appearance. The Attention Feature Enhancement Module further refines these multi-scale features, enhancing fine-grained, discriminative attributes relevant to smoke detection. Subsequently, the Bilinear Feature Fusion Module combines these enriched features, effectively reducing background interference and improving the model's ability to distinguish smoke from visually similar phenomena. Finally, contrastive feature learning is employed to improve robustness against intra-class variations by focusing on unique regions within the smoke patterns. Evaluated on the benchmark dataset USTC&#95;SmokeRS, MFFNet achieves an accuracy of 98.87%. Additionally, our model demonstrates a detection rate of 94.54% on the extended E&#95;SmokeRS dataset, with a low false alarm rate of 3.30%. These results highlight the effectiveness of MFFNet in recognizing smoke in remote sensing images, surpassing existing methodologies. The code is accessible at https://github.com/WangYuPeng1/MFFNet., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Biostimulants are obtained from various sources like plants, animals, microorganisms, and industrial by-products as well as waste material. Their utilization in agriculture practices is being increased that is giving positive results. The purpose of the current study was to use plant-derived smoke (SMK) solution and biogas digestate (BGD) slurry as biostimulant to elucidate their impact on potato ( Solanum tuberosum ) performance. The experiment was conducted in lab as well as field conditions, and SMK and BGD solutions were prepared in varying concentrations such as SMK 1:500, SMK 1:250, BGD 50:50, and BGD 75:25. Foliar applications were performed thrice during experiments and data were collected related to photosynthesis, growth, pigments, and genome-wide methylation profiling. Net photosynthesis rate ( A ) and water use efficiency (WUE) were found higher in SMK- and BGD-treated lab and field grown plants. Among pigments, BGD-treated plants depicted higher levels of Chl a and Chl b while SMK-treated plants showed higher carotenoid levels. Alongside, enhancement in growth-related parameters like leaf number and dry weight was also observed in both lab- and field-treated plants. Furthermore, DNA methylation profile of SMK- and BGD-treated plants depicted variation compared to control. DNA methylation events increased in all the treatments compared to control except for SMK 1:500. These results indicate that smoke and slurry both act as efficient biostimulants which result in better performance of plants. Biostimulants also affected the genome-wide DNA methylation profile that resultantly might have changed the plant gene expression profiling and played its role in plant responsiveness to these biostimulants. However, there is need to elucidate a possible synergistic effect of SMK and BGD on plant growth along with gene expression profiling.

Terminalia bellirica and Glycyrrhiza glabra are renowned for their medicinal properties and rich antioxidant content. These plants have been integral to Ayurvedic medicine, treating various ailments for centuries. The present study investigated the nephroprotective effects of aqueous methanolic extracts of Terminalia bellirica and Glycyrrhiza glabra in a Cisplatin-induced rodent model. Both in vitro and in vivo analyses were conducted using established biomarkers of renal function, such as serum creatinine, serum urea, blood urea nitrogen, and glomerular filtration rate, to evaluate the nephroprotective effects. In addition to biochemical parameters, renal histopathology was examined through H&E staining, revealing a significant reduction in tubular and glomerular injury following the administration of the plant extracts.

Flaviviruses, which include globally impactful pathogens, such as West Nile virus, yellow fever virus, Zika virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, and dengue virus, contribute significantly to human infections. Despite the ongoing emergence and resurgence of flavivirus-mediated pathogenesis, the absence of specific therapeutic options remains a challenge in the prevention and treatment of flaviviral infections. Through the intricate processes of fusion, transcription, replication, and maturation, the complex interplay of viral and host metabolic interactions affects pathophysiology. Crucial interactions involve metabolic molecules, such as amino acids, glucose, fatty acids, and nucleotides, each playing a pivotal role in the replication and maturation of flaviviruses. These viral-host metabolic molecular interactions hijack and modulate the molecular mechanisms of host metabolism. A comprehensive understanding of these intricate metabolic pathways offers valuable insights, potentially unveiling novel targets for therapeutic interventions against flaviviral pathogenesis. This review emphasizes promising avenues for the development of therapeutic agents that target specific metabolic molecules, such as amino acids, glucose, fatty acids, and nucleotides, which interact with flavivirus replication and are closely linked to the modulation of host metabolism. The clinical limitations of current drugs have prompted the development of new inhibitory strategies for flaviviruses based on an understanding of the molecular interactions between the virus and the host., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Tuberculous meningitis, a severe complication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) infection, involves the dissemination of bacilli in the brain. This study explored the role of the sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway in regulating blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, M. tb invasion into the central nervous system (CNS), and disease progression of Central Nervous System Tuberculosis (CNS-TB) in a Balb/c mouse model. The modulation of the SHH pathway using agonist Purmorphamine (PUR) and antagonist Cyclopamine (CYC) revealed that CYC treatment led to a rapid and extensive invasion of M. tb in the brain, with bacterial loads increasing by 99 % compared to the untreated-infected group. In contrast, PUR reduced M. tb loads by 50 % and delayed disease progression. Histopathological analysis showed that CYC exacerbated inflammation and immune cell infiltration, while PUR mitigated these responses. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that CYC caused severe BBB breakdown and reactive gliosis, while PUR partially attenuated this response. Further analysis revealed that CYC upregulated Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) secretion, a key contributor to BBB disruption. These findings highlight the critical role of the SHH pathway in maintaining BBB integrity and regulating the immunopathological response during CNS-TB, opening up future scope for drug discovery. This Cyclopamine-induced model of rapid M. tb invasion and chronic inflammation provides a new tool for studying CNS-TB pathogenesis and evaluating potential therapeutic interventions targeting the SHH signaling axis. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Understanding how tuberculosis (TB) infection can spread to the brain is crucial, as this "central nervous system TB" (CNS-TB) is a serious and potentially life-threatening health complication. However, studying CNS-TB in humans is very difficult. Animal models are needed to better understand how TB gets into the brain and the resulting damage. This study in mice showed that blocking a signaling pathway called Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) allowed TB to rapidly spread to the brain, damaging the blood-brain barrier and causing severe inflammation. In contrast, activating the SHH pathway helped protect the brain from TB. These findings provide important insights that could lead to new ways to prevent or treat this dangerous form of TB., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)