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Abstract Apple scab disease causes significant losses in apple crop production. In the north western Himalayas of India, the indiscriminate use of triazole fungicides to manage apple scab has led to the emergence of triazole-resistant strains of V. inaequalis. To investigate the resistance profile in three Venturia inaequalis populations collected from North, South and Central Kashmir, baseline sensitivity assays were conducted on 30 V. inaequalis isolates unexposed to any fungicides. The mean ED50 value and discriminatory dose of difenoconazole and flusilazole were determined to be 0.584, 0.15 µg ml−1 and 0.018, 0.02 µg ml−1 respectively. The assessment at these discriminatory doses revealed a major shift in sensitivity against both fungicides. The sequencing of conserved region-2 of CYP51A1 revealed that the resistant isolates have TTT (Phenylalanine) instead of TAT (Tyrosine) codon at position 133. Moreover, the same mutation was observed in some shifted isolates which confirmed that this mutation is not solely responsible for the development of resistance. From linear mixed-model regression analyses, the fitness parameters of resistant isolates were assessed which revealed that except for oxidative stress at 1 mm H2O2 (wherein a decreased micro colony growth linearly increases with resistance), there is no fitness cost associated with the development of resistance against difenoconazole and flusilazole. Meanwhile, the resistance against both fungicides is phenotypically stable. Consequently, it is speculated that these populations are unlikely to regain their sensitivity even in the absence of these frequently used fungicides.

The objective of the current research was to assess and gain insight into the perceptions held by dental students enrolled in the clinical program at Qassim University regarding the specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS). A survey-based cross-sectional study was carried out at the dental clinics of Qassim University, following approval from the Dental Research Center of the university. The study targeted a population consisting of 80 dental interns and undergraduate students (BDS) enrolled at Qassim University. From each academic year (third year to interns), a random selection of 20 students was made, ensuring representation from both male and female sections. Upon analyzing the data regarding the intern and class year of dental students, it was found that there were no statistically significant associations with regard to question 3: “What do you perceive as the most commonly performed procedure by oral and maxillofacial surgeons in practice?” (P = 0.759a). Among intern and dental students, a significant majority identified extraction of the third molars as the most frequent procedure carried out. The lowest percentage (70.4%) was reported among the intern classes, whereas the highest percentage (91.7%) was reported among the fourth-year students. The perceptions of dental students toward OMFS undergo changes during their undergraduate training. By gaining a deeper understanding of these perceptions, the academic faculty specialized in OMFS can enhance their ability to educate students and, in turn, strengthen the overall specialty.

In today's world, the proliferation of electronic devices has led to a significant increase in electronic waste (e-waste) generation, necessitating the development of innovative approaches for sustainable management. E-waste recycling, which involves the recovery of valuable materials from discarded electronic devices, has emerged as a promising solution to the growing e-waste problem. This article presents an analysis of the current state of research on e-waste management, encompassing various recycling approaches, including mechanical, chemical, and biological methods. The analysis revealed that most of the research on e-waste management has focused on the development of recycling technologies, with a significant emphasis on the use of chemical methods. However, there is a growing interest in the use of biological methods, such as bioreactors and microbial technologies, for e-waste management. Many challenges including lack of uniform regulations, inadequate infrastructure, and high cost of recycling technologies were initiated. The formation of product reuse through remanufacturing, and the deployment of effective recycling facilities are necessary for the management of e-waste. The challenge is to develop innovative and cost-effective solutions to e-waste management (plastic-based e-waste and metals-based e-waste). Several technologies are currently applied to plastic-based e-waste and metals-based e-waste management. primary, secondary, and tertiary recycling of plastic-based e-waste and metallurgical approaches for metals-based e-waste are ideal methods for e-waste management. Furthermore, the techno-economic feasibility of different e-waste recycling approaches was estimated. The analysis suggests that while some recycling approaches are economically viable, there is a need for more research to optimize the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of these methods.

Abstract The cold stress susceptibility of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) curtails its cultivation, with significant impact in temperate regions and on cropping seasons. To unravel genomic regions responsible for cold stress resilience, a diverse set of fifty genotypes encompassing cultivated, wild species, and landraces were genotyped using genotyping-by-sequencing. Over two years and six trials employing both early and late sowing, these lines were evaluated. Illumina-based next-generation sequencing produced up to 3 million reads per sample from individually sequenced library pools. The Tassel pipeline yielded 10,802 variants, subsequently filtered to 3,854 SNPs for genome-wide association analysis (GWAS). Employing clustering methods (population structure) via TASSEL, SNPhylo, and Kinship matrix, the fifty genotypes clustered into four distinct gene pools. The GWAS for cold tolerance in tomato integrated key traits including yield. Using six independent phenotypic datasets representing various environments, the study identified 4,517 significant marker-trait associations for cold tolerance traits. Notably, pivotal variations (> 10%) in cold stress tolerance, particularly proline content, were linked to marker-trait associations. Additionally, 5,727 significant marker-trait associations for yield and yield-related traits were unveiled, shedding light on fruit yield and directly associated attributes. The investigation pinpointed 685 candidate genes across all examined traits, including 60 genes associated with biological processes within these genomic regions. Remarkably, 7 out of the 60 genes were directly linked to abiotic stress tolerance, functioning as stress-responsive genes either directly or indirectly. The identified genes, particularly those associated with stress response, could hold the key to enhancing cold tolerance and overall crop productivity in tomato cultivation.

Abstract Background To decipher the capability of Methyl Jasmonate (MeJA) in resisting cold stress in Solanum lycopersicum assessment regarding various physiological parameters in response to diverse doses of MeJA was done. Low temperature (LT) were given to the plants with MeJA (J1C, J2C, J3C) or without MeJA (LT) application. MeJA in the form of foliar spray was given before stress, during stress and after stress. Three concentrations of MeJA were used under normal and LT stress conditions that includes of J1 (0.5 µM), J2 (10 µM), and J3 (15 µM). Results Oxidative stress, growth characteristics, stress tolerance parameters, antioxidant response and photosynthetic parameters were investigated. In our current study we observed that oxidative stress markers declined by MeJA supplementation under cold stress conditions. MeJA boosted antioxidant enzyme activity along with photosynthetic parameters. The best concentration of MeJA was J2 based on results obtained. This is the first study related to MeJA best dose screening in Solanum lycopersicum under LT stress conditions. Conclusion The LT stress in the Solanum lycopersicum plant was reduced by MeJA. The adverse consequences of LT stress can be significantly attenuated by the J2 concentration of MeJA. So, the optimal concentration of MeJA supplied exogenously to LT stressed Solanum lycopersicum can be a smart strategy to mitigate harmful impact of LT stress on detox system and overall growth of plant.

Abstract Background The optimal revascularization strategy in patients with left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease in the emergency setting is still controversial. Thus, we aimed to compare the outcomes of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) vs. coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with and without emergent LMCA disease. Methods This retrospective cohort study included 2138 patients recruited from 14 centers between 2015 and 2019. We compared patients with emergent LMCA revascularization who underwent PCI (n = 264) to patients who underwent CABG (n = 196) and patients with non-emergent LMCA revascularization with PCI (n = 958) to those who underwent CABG (n = 720). The study outcomes were in-hospital and follow-up all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Results Emergency PCI patients were older and had a significantly higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease, lower ejection fraction, and higher EuroSCORE than CABG patients. CABG patients had significantly higher SYNTAX scores, multivessel disease, and ostial lesions. In patients presenting with arrest, PCI had significantly lower MACCE (P = 0.017) and in-hospital mortality (P = 0.016) than CABG. In non-emergent revascularization, PCI was associated with lower MACCE in patients with low (P = 0.015) and intermediate (P

Hylemariam Mihiretie Mengist,1,* Zunera Khalid,2,* Fentahun Adane3 1Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia; 2School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science & Technology of China, Langfang, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hylemariam Mihiretie Mengist, Email hylemariam@gmail.comBackground: COVID-19 is still instigating significant social and economic chaos worldwide; however, there is no approved antiviral drug yet. Here, we used in silico analysis to screen potential SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) inhibitors extracted from the essential oil of Thymus schimperi which could contribute to the discovery of potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 phytochemicals.Methods: The absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) profiles of compounds were determined through SwissADME and ProToxII servers. AutoDock tools were used for molecular docking analysis studies, while Chimera, DS studio, and LigPlot were used for post-docking studies. Molecular dynamic simulations were performed for 200 ns under constant pressure.Results: All compounds exhibited a bioavailability score of ≥ 0.55 entailing that at least 55% of the drugs can be absorbed unchanged. Only five (9%), nine (16%) and two (3.6%) of the compounds showed active hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and immunotoxicity, respectively. Except for flourazophore P, which showed a little mutagenicity, all other compounds did not show mutagenic properties. On the other hand, only pinene beta was found to have a little cytotoxicity. Five compounds demonstrated effective binding to the catalytic dyad of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro substrate binding pocket, while two of them (geranylisobutanoate and 3-octane) are found to be the best hits that formed hydrogen bonds with Glu166 and Ser144 of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro.Conclusion: Based on our in silico analysis, top hits from Thymus schimperi may serve as potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 compounds. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are recommended to characterize these compounds for clinical applications.Keywords: structural analysis, SARS-CoV-2, main protease, inhibitors, Thymus schimperi