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This study investigates the hazardous effects of lead on the histological and genotoxic parameters of the fish, Oreochromis niloticus. Present work was conducted in a series of three steps. In first step, acute toxicity, LC50 and lethal lead concentration were measured using Probit analysis method. LC50 value and lethal concentration for O. niloticus was measured as 77.673 mgL-1 and 150.924 mgL-1, respectively. In second step, histological changes were assessed by preparing slides of tissues of the gills, liver and kidney of both control and Pb-stressed O. niloticus and examining the respective tissues under the light microscope. The inferences showed significant histological alterations (p<0.05) in the gills of Pb-exposed fish including necrosis, edema, vascular congestion, shortening and curling and lifting of the epithelium of secondary lamella in gills. The cellular degeneration and dilation of sinusoids in liver and loss of hemopoietic tissue, necrosis and edema in kidney was observed. Histomorphometry of the liver showed a decrease in diameter of the central vein and hepatocyte along with an increase in width of sinusoids. The histomorphometry of kidney showed an increase in the diameter of renal corpuscle, glomerulus, proximal and distal convoluted tubules. The nuclear anomalies were studied in the RBCs of fish. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test was conducted to compare nuclear abnormalities and the frequency of micronuclei among the control and lead-treated fish groups. Results declared an increased micronucleus, notched and de-shaped nuclei frequency, in RBCs of fish exposed to lead as compared to control group.

Utilizing pulsed laser deposition, a film of EuO 1- x was deposited onto a Si(001) substrate with MgO buffer and compared to the same heterostructure with an additional BaTi 2 O 5 thin film on top of the EuO 1- x surface. X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicates the films crystallize into a preferred EuO(111) orientation; it also reveals the clear presence of EuSi 2, which suggests Si or Eu diffuses across the MgO buffer layer. EuO 1- x films exhibit a ferromagnetic (FM) signature and temperature-dependent exchange bias, indicated by MOKE measurements, suggesting the presence of a magnetic order well above the EuO Curie temperature with possible origins in charge carrier density near the interface. In comparison, an antiferromagnetic character persists well above the EuO Curie temperature of 69 K and the enhanced Curie temperature of 150 K for BaTi 2 O 5 films grown on the EuO 1- x films. The antiferromagnetic behavior is not seen in thicker EuO 1- x thin films when integrated with other ferroelectric (FE) phases of the BaO-TiO 2 system, suggesting an origin in the perturbed charge population at the BaTi 2 O 5 /EuO 1- x interface.

Introduction: Acute Appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency encountered in emergency departments. To prevent the rate of negative appendectomies, different systems i.e. Alvarado score and Appendicitis Inflammatory Response Score (AIR) scores were used, but their diagnostic accuracy in Asian population is questionable. Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPASA) score has showed promising results in the recent literature. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of Alvarado, AIR and RIPASA scores in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis., Methods: Alvarado, AIR and RIPASA scores were prospectively applied to 132 included patients that were admitted with provisional diagnosis of acute appendicitis and then their surgery was performed in General Surgery Unit, Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar, Pakistan from 1st January 2022 to 31st July 2022. Final diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology report and scores were correlated with final report. Cut off value of score >7, >5 and >7.5 were set for Alvarado, AIR and RIPASA score, respectively according to previous literature. Statistics analysis was done for all 3 scoring systems on SPSS version 23., Results: Of 132 patients, there were n = 79(59.8%) males and n = 53(40.2%) females. Mean age was 24 years (SD ± 11.6) with youngest patient of 9 years and oldest one was 70 years old. Negative Appendectomy rate was 8.3%(n = 11). RIPASA score was superior to AIR and Alvarado score in Sensitivity, NLR, Accuracy and Area under the Curve. AIR score performed better in specificity, NPV, PLR compared to RIPASA and Alvarado score., Conclusion: RIPASA score is an overall better scoring system in diagnosing acute appendicitis in compared to Alvarado and AIR score., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Alternative approaches and/or modified approaches to tackle resistance in gut microbes are need of the hour. The current study was planned to find the resistance modulation and toxicity potential of sodium alginate stabilized MgO nanoparticles and antibiotics against Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) isolated from the gut of Houbara bustard bird ( n = 105 fecal samples). The preparations consisted of gel stabilized ampicillin (G+A), gel stabilized MgO and ampicillin (G+M+A), gel stabilized MgO and cefoxitin (G+M+C), gel stabilized tylosin (G+T), gel stabilized MgO and tylosin (G+M+T), and gel stabilized MgO (M+G). The fecal samples showed 53% (56/105) prevalence of E. coli which was found to be significantly ( p < 0.05) associated with most of the assumed factors and resistant to multiple drugs. G+M+T showed the lowest (4.883 ± 0.00 μ g/mL) minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) followed G+M+C, G+M+A, G+A, M+G, and G+T. Significant reduction ( p < 0.05) in MIC with respect to incubation interval found at the 16 th hr for G+M+A, G+A, and G+M+C that further remained nonsignificant ( p > 0.05) onwards until the 24 th hr of incubation. In the case of G+T and M+G, significant reduction in MIC was found at the 20 th hr and 24 th hr of incubation. Ecotoxicology and histopathology trials on snails showed mild changes in MICs of the preparations. The study thus concluded increasing drug resistance in E . coli of houbara bird while sodium alginate stabilized MgO nanoparticles and antibiotics were effective alternative antibacterial composites with mild toxicity., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Afshan Muneer et al.)

In thirst for economic growth, economies are engaged in anti-environmental activities that drive them towards climate change and CO 2 emissions. Extensive CO 2 emissions is a serious threat around the globe, especially in low-income countries that can prove detrimental to the environment. To prevent the worst impacts of carbon emission, it becomes necessary to explore the cause of CO 2 emissions. In this vein, this work is conducted to evaluate the determinants of CO 2 emissions in low-income countries spanning from 2000 to 2020. For estimation of models, panel data techniques are employed. The outcome of the study revealed that trade FDI, urbanization, and GDP per capita are the main contributing factors to environmental degradation. Trade openness has also impacted environmental degradation positively but insignificantly. In contrast, population density and domestic credit to private sector (DCPS) have negatively impacted low-income countries' carbon emissions. The study extended important policy implications to low-income countries' governments and environmental policymakers., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Large amounts of antimicrobials are used in salmonid aquaculture in Chile. Most are used in marine aquaculture, but appreciable amounts are also employed in freshwater aquaculture. Much research and many publications have examined transferable antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from marine salmon farms, but much less attention has been paid to this area in freshwater salmon farming. A recent paper by Domínguez et al. (2019) has as least in part remedied this situation. We now comment on some of its interpretations and have attempted to point out its areas of strength and weakness in light of the published scientific literature. Seen in this setting, the important results presented by Domínguez et al. (2019) underline the need for increased awareness of the challenge to animal and human health posed by excessive use of antimicrobials in aquaculture., (© 2019 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Heterostructures consisting of 10 Å thick chromia films and 50 Å thick titania films display significant exchange bias at and above room temperature. Chromia films ∼10 Å thick were deposited by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) of Cr at room temperature in ultrahigh vacuum on 50 Å thick TiO 2- x (111) films ( x < 0.3) also deposited epitaxially by MBE on Al 2 O 3 (0001). Cr deposition yields increased Ti(III) formation in the titania substrate and the formation of a Cr 2 O 3 overlayer, without Cr/Ti interfacial mixing, as determined by in situ photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). In situ low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and XPS data indicate that the chromia overlayer is hexagonally ordered and ∼10 Å thick. Longitudinal and polar magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) measurements at 285-315 K provide evidence of strong exchange bias between the boundary layer magnetization of chromia and the ferromagnetic substrate. These data demonstrate the robust room-temperature interaction of the boundary layer magnetization of a multiferroic antiferromagnet with a d 0 ferromagnetic substrate.