Phytochemicals of nutraceutical importance from different pear cultivars in the early stage of development.

To make full use of young pear fruit thinned from the trees for optimal fruit load during cultivation, this study explored the nutritional diversity in young fruit of seventy-nine different pear varieties, focusing on their bioactive compounds. Our results showed significant variability in total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity of pear varieties. The TPC values ranged from 0.

Implementation strategies for providing optimised tuberculosis and diabetes integrated care in LMICs (POTENTIAL): protocol for a multiphase sequential and concurrent mixed-methods study.

Introduction: Almost a quarter of patients with tuberculosis (TB) in Pakistan may also have diabetes, with an additional quarter in a pre-diabetic state. Diabetes is a risk factor for TB. When it co-occurs with TB, it leads to poorer outcomes for both conditions, considerably increasing the burden on individuals, families and the healthcare system.

Addition of new flammulina species via DNA, molecular characterization and phylogenetic investigation.

Flammulina was found frequently distributed in the District Mansehra during the present research work. The genus was ignored and not studied for prevalence previously, as F. velutipes was the exclusively reported species from the research vicinity.

Optimising 3D printed medications for rare diseases: In-line mass uniformity testing in direct powder extrusion 3D printing.

Biotinidase deficiency is a rare inherited disorder characterized by biotin metabolism issues, leading to neurological and cutaneous symptoms that can be alleviated through biotin administration. Three-dimensional (3D) printing (3DP) offers potential for personalized medicine production for rare diseases, due to its flexibility in designing dosage forms and controlling release profiles. For such point-of-care applications, rigorous quality control (QC) measures are essential to ensure precise dosing, optimal performance, and product safety, especially for low personalized doses in preclinical and clinical studies.

Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Background Antibiotics are among the most frequently prescribed medications in hospitals, yet a significant portion of their use is inappropriate, contributing to the growing global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In Pakistan, AMR has reached alarming levels with the rise of multi- and extensively drug-resistant bacteria. This study evaluates antibiotic prescribing practices and the use of culture sensitivity (CS) testing to assess the appropriateness of antibiotic therapy.

Biomass-Derived Organonanomaterials as Contrast Agents for Efficient Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a popular imaging tool that is valuable for the early detection and monitoring of malignancies because it does not involve radiation and is noninvasive. Metal-based contrast agents (CAs) are commonly used in clinical settings despite concerns about the toxicity of free metals. Therefore, finding alternative nontoxic imaging probes is vital.

Dual action tofacitinib-loaded PLGA nanoparticles alleviate colitis in an IBD mouse model.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects over 7 million people worldwide and significant side effects are associated with current therapies such as tofacitinib citrate (TFC), which is linked to increased risks of malignancy and congestive heart issues. To mitigate these systemic adverse effects, localised drug delivery via nano-sized carriers to inflamed gut tissues represents a promising approach. Herein, we aimed to optimise the synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) using a low molecular weight grade of Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) 50:50 loaded with TFC.

Fabrication of curcumin-loaded nano-micelles based on quercetin-quarternary ammonium-chitosan (Qu-QCS) conjugate and evaluation of synergistic effect with doxorubicin against breast cancer.

The applications of quarternized chitosans have achieved notable success in the development of drug-delivery systems. This study reported the preparation of quercetin-quarternized chitosan (Qu-QCS) conjugate and its application for the fabrication of stable and safe curcumin (cur) loaded nano-micelles with high targeting ability and selectivity towards the breast cancer cell lines. Moreover, doxorubicin (dox) was co-treated with the nanomicelles to enhance the efficacy and reduce the cardiotoxic effects of dox.

Knockdown of the glucosamine-6-phosphate N-acetyltransferase gene by RNA interference enhances the virulence of entomopathogenic fungi against rice leaffolder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis.

Insect cuticle acts as a first line of defense and a physical protective barrier against entomopathogens. Chitin biosynthesis pathway plays a crucial role in chitin formation in the cuticle of insects. Glucosamine-6-phosphate N-acetyltransferase (GNA) is a key enzyme in insect chitin biosynthesis that regulate the chitin formation.

Review of the Effects of Antiviral Therapy on Hepatitis B/C-Related Mortality and the Regression of Fibrosis.

Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are viral causes of Hepatitis that lead to significant worldwide mortality and morbidity through the sequelae of fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In this review, we have summarized recent studies that have examined the effects of antiviral therapy on the regression of fibrosis and the reduction in mortalities associated with the viruses. Antiviral therapy significantly decreases mortality and induces the regression of fibrosis.

Expression and characterization of a novel halophilic GH10 β-1,4-xylanase from Trichoderma asperellum ND-1 and its synergism with a commercial α-L-arabinofuranosidase on arabinoxylan degradation.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of arabinoxylan is of cost-effective strategy to yield valuable macromolecules, e.g., xylooligosaccharides (XOS).

Comparative Effects of Calcium, Boron, and Zinc Inhibiting Physiological Disorders, Improving Yield and Quality of .

Localized calcium deficiency at the tomato flower end causes a physiological disorder called blossom end rot, resulting in yield losses of up to 50 percent. Fruit cracking is another physiological disorder of tomatoes that most often occurs when the movement of water and solutes to the tomato is protracted or rapid, but the underlying cause of fruit cracking is, again, calcium deficiency. Therefore, the present field experiment was conducted with the aim of increasing yield and reducing physiological disorders in tomatoes with a foliar application of calcium and micronutrients (zinc and boron).

Immersive Technologies in Healthcare: An In-Depth Exploration of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Enhancing Patient Care, Medical Education, and Training Paradigms.

Background: Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are rapidly gaining traction in healthcare, offering transformative opportunities for patient care, medical education, and therapeutic interventions. Despite their potential, challenges remain regarding the implementation and integration of these technologies into existing healthcare practices.

Objective: This review aims to explore the current applications of VR and AR in healthcare, particularly focusing on their roles in enhancing patient care and medical training, as well as identifying research gaps that hinder their widespread adoption.

Volumetric printing and non-destructive drug quantification of water-soluble supramolecular hydrogels.

Vat photopolymerisation 3D printing is being actively explored for manufacturing personalised medicines due to its high dimensional accuracy and lack of heat application. However, several challenges have hindered its clinical translation, including the inadequate printing speeds, the lack of resins that give soluble matrices, and the need for non-destructive quality control measures. In this study, for the first time, a rapid approach to producing water-soluble vat photopolymerised matrices and a means of non-destructively verifying their drug content were investigated.

High-temperature stress in strawberry: understanding physiological, biochemical and molecular responses.

Heat stress reduces strawberry growth and fruit quality by impairing photosynthesis, disrupting hormone regulation, and altering mineral nutrition. Multi-omics studies show extensive transcriptional, post-transcriptional, proteomic and metabolomic under high temperatures. Garden strawberry is a globally cultivated, economically important fruit crop highly susceptible to episodic heat waves and chronically rising temperatures associated with climate change.

Characterising and preventing the gut microbiota's inactivation of trifluridine, a colorectal cancer drug.

The gut microbiome can metabolise hundreds of drugs, potentially affecting their bioavailability and pharmacological effect. As most gut bacteria reside in the colon, drugs that reach the colon in significant proportions may be most impacted by microbiome metabolism. In this study the anti-colorectal cancer drug trifluridine was used as a model drug for characterising metabolism by the colonic microbiota, identifying correlations between bacterial species and individuals' rates of microbiome drug inactivation, and developing strategies to prevent drug inactivation following targeted colonic delivery.

Characterization of Metronidazole, Clarithromycin and Amoxicillin Resistance Genes in Isolated from Gastroenteritis Patients.

Background: ()is a Gram-negative, microaerophilic, and spiral shape bacterium that resides inside the human stomach. The human stomach serves as its primary reservoir. Complaints about stomach complication due to infections are reported in the majority of populations around the globe.

Finite element analysis of non-ultraviolet and ultraviolet-irradiated titanium implants.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to calculate von Mises stresses, von Mises strains, deformation, principal stresses and principal elastic strains of non-UV and UV-irradiated hybrid SLA (sandblasted, large-grit, acid-etched)-coated titanium implants.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at the Institute of Dentistry, CMH Lahore Medical College. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) data of One Hundred and Thirty Eight Dio Hybrid sandblasted and acid-etched implants of identical dimensions (10 mm in length and 4.

3D printed personalized therapies for pediatric patients affected by adrenal insufficiency.

Background: Adrenal insufficiency is usually diagnosed in children who will need lifelong hydrocortisone therapy. However, medicines for pediatrics, in terms of dosage and acceptability, are currently unavailable.

Research Design And Methods: Semi-solid extrusion (SSE) 3D printing (3DP) was utilized for manufacturing of personalized and chewable hydrocortisone formulations (printlets) for an upcoming clinical study in children at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, Spain.

Prediction of Ca Binding Site in Proteins With a Fast and Accurate Method Based on Statistical Mechanics and Analysis of Crystal Structures.

Predicting the precise locations of metal binding sites within metalloproteins is a crucial challenge in biophysics. A fast, accurate, and interpretable computational prediction method can complement the experimental studies. In the current work, we have developed a method to predict the location of Ca ions in calcium-binding proteins using a physics-based method with an all-atom description of the proteins, which is substantially faster than the molecular dynamics simulation-based methods with accuracy as good as data-driven approaches.

Needle stick injuries and post-exposure prophylaxis practices among healthcare personnel working at tertiary care hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan.

Background: Healthcare workers face a high risk of blood-borne infections due to needlestick injuries, especially in developing countries like Pakistan.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of needlestick injuries, reporting practices, and post-exposure prophylaxis measures among healthcare personnel in tertiary care hospitals in Punjab.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2019.

Systematic approach of polyploidy as an evolutionary genetic and genomic phenomenon in horticultural crops.

Polyploidy is thought to be an evolutionary and systematic mechanism for gene flow and phenotypic advancement in flowering plants. It is a natural phenomenon that promotes diversity by creating new permutations enhancing the prime potentials as compared to progenitors. Two different pathways have been recognized in studying polyploidy in nature; mitotic or somatic chromosome doubling and cytogenetics variation.