Occurrence of selected antibiotics in urban rivers in northwest Pakistan and assessment of ecotoxicological and antimicrobial resistance risks.

Antibiotics in aquatic systems of developing countries are a growing concern, particularly with the potential ecological risks and emergence of antimicrobial resistance. In Pakistan, antibiotics are widely consumed and released untreated into rivers, however, there is little information on their occurrence and potential risks. In this study, the concentrations and risk assessment of three commonly consumed antibiotics, ciprofloxacin (CIP), amoxicillin (AMX), and cefixime (CFM) belonging to different classes of fluoroquinolone, penicillin, and cephalosporin respectively were investigated in the Kabul River and its two tributaries, Bara River and Shah Alam River in the northwest region of the country.

Food safety and biological control; genomic insights and antimicrobial potential of Bacillus velezensis FB2 against agricultural fungal pathogens.

Development of natural, broad-spectrum, and eco-friendly bio-fungicides is of high interest in the agriculture and food industries. In this context, Bacillus genus has shown great potential for producing a wide range of antimicrobial metabolites against various pathogens. A Bacillus velezensis strain FB2 was isolated from an agricultural field of National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE) Faisalabad, Pakistan, exhibiting good antifungal properties.

Agonistic antibacterial potential of Loigolactobacillus coryniformis BCH-4 metabolites against selected human pathogenic bacteria: An in vitro and in silico approach.

Lactic acid bacteria are known to produce numerous antibacterial metabolites that are active against various pathogenic microbes. In this study, bioactive metabolites from the cell free supernatant of Loigolactobacillus coryniformis BCH-4 were obtained by liquid-liquid extraction, using ethyl acetate, followed by fractionation, using silica gel column chromatography. The collected F23 fraction effectively inhibited the growth of pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus) by observing the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC).

Crash Caesarean Delivery: How to Optimise Decision-to-Delivery Interval by Initiating a Novel Code? A Clinical Audit.

Background: Many resource-constrained centres fail to meet the international standard of 30 min of decision-to-delivery interval (DDI) of Category-1 crash caesarean deliveries. However, specific scenarios like acute foetal bradycardia and antepartum haemorrhage necessitate even faster interventions.

Methods: A multidisciplinary team developed a "CODE-10 Crash Caesarean" rapid response protocol to limit DDI to 15 min.

The Antibacterial and Larvicidal Potential of Bis-(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate from .

Lactic acid bacteria produce a variety of antibacterial and larvicidal metabolites, which could be used to cure diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria and to efficiently overcome issues regarding insecticide resistance. In the current study, the antibacterial and larvicidal potential of Bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate isolated from BCH-1 has been evaluated. Bioactive compounds were extracted by ethyl acetate and were fractionated by gradient column chromatography from crude extract.

Endophytic GW controlling weed and an effective biostimulant for wheat growth.

Wheat crop has to compete with several weeds including , a noxious weed that alone is responsible for 30-70% losses in the yield annually. Because of the environmental concerns associated with conventional methods, researchers are on a continuous hunt to find clean alternatives in order to manage weeds. Fungi have shown promising weedicide potential in lab studies.

Bioprotection of Zea mays L. from aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus by Loigolactobacillus coryniformis BCH-4.

Fungal infection causes deterioration, discoloration, and loss of nutritional values of food products. The use of lactic acid bacteria has diverse applications in agriculture to combat pathogens and to improve the nutritional values of cereal grains. The current research evaluated the potential of Loigolactobacillus coryniformis BCH-4 against aflatoxins producing toxigenic Aspergillus flavus strain.

Biodegradation and Subsequent Toxicity Reduction of Co-contaminants Tribenuron Methyl and Metsulfuron Methyl by a Bacterial Consortium B2R.

AllyMax is a widely used herbicide formulation in wheat-rice cropping areas of the world. The residues of its active ingredients, tribenuron methyl (TBM) and metsulfuron methyl (MET), persist in soil and water as co-contaminants, and cause serious threats to nontarget organisms. This study was performed to assess the potential of a bacterial consortium for the degradation and detoxification of TBM and MET individually and as co-contaminants.

Identification of three novel pathogenic mutations in cystathionine beta-synthase gene of Pakistani intellectually disabled patients.

Background: Classical homocystinuria (HCU) is an autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism, which is caused by the cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS: encoded by ) deficiency. Symptoms of untreated classical HCU patients include intellectual disability (ID), ectopia lentis and long limbs, along with elevated plasma methionine, and homocysteine.

Methods: A total of 429 ID patients (age range: 1.

Differential Root Exudation and Architecture for Improved Growth of Wheat Mediated by Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria.

Phosphorous (P) deficiency is a major challenge faced by global agriculture. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) provide a sustainable approach to supply available phosphates to plants with improved crop productivity through synergistic interaction with plant roots. The present study demonstrates an insight into this synergistic P-solubilizing mechanism of PSB isolated from rhizosphere soils of major wheat-growing agro-ecological zones of Pakistan.

Syzygium cumini(L.),Skeels fruit extracts: In vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory properties.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels is an important medicinal plant utilized in the health care systems of Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. S.

High levels of blood glutamic acid and ornithine in children with intellectual disability.

Aminoacidopathies are inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) that cause intellectual disability in children. Luckily, aminoacidopathies are potentially treatable, if diagnosed earlier in life. The focus of this study was the screening of aminoacidopathies in a cohort of patients suspected for IEMs.

Elucidating the pyrolysis reaction mechanism of Calotropis procera and analysis of pyrolysis products to evaluate its potential for bioenergy and chemicals.

The present study was focused on evaluating the bioenergy potential of waste biomass of desert plant Calotropis procera. The biomass was pyrolyzed at four heating rates including 10 °Cmin, 20 °Cmin, 40 °Cmin, and 80 °Cmin. The pyrolysis reaction kinetics and thermodynamics parameters were assessed using isoconversional models namely Kissenger-Akahira-Sunose, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa, and Starink.

Mass spectrometric analysis of lipid A obtained from the lipopolysaccharide of .

Haemorrhagic septicaemia is mainly caused by an opportunistic pathogen, , a major threat to the livestock dependent economies. The main endotoxins are lipopolysaccharides. The lipid A, a key pathogenic part of lipopolysaccharides, anchors it into the bacterial cell membrane.

Gut bacteria of Cuora amboinensis (turtle) produce broad-spectrum antibacterial molecules.

Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to human health, hence there is an urgent need to discover antibacterial molecule(s). Previously, we hypothesized that microbial gut flora of animals are a potential source of antibacterial molecules. Among various animals, Cuora amboinensis (turtle) represents an important reptile species living in diverse ecological environments and feed on organic waste and terrestrial organisms and have been used in folk medicine.

Cochliobolus sp. acts as a biochemical modulator to alleviate salinity stress in okra plants.

Salinity stress can severely affect the growth and production of the crop plants. Cheap and reliable actions are needed to enable the crop plants to grow normal under saline conditions. Modification at the molecular level to produce resistant cultivars is one of the promising, yet highly expensive techniques, whereas application of endophytes on the other hand are very cheap.

Successful Pregnancy Outcome in a Recipient With Simultaneous Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Who Underwent Posttransplant Metabolic Surgery.

Although chronic kidney disease decreases fertility, kidney transplantation provides restoration of fertility in women, enabling them to get pregnant. Data available from registries have shown that pregnancy is feasible in solid-organ transplant recipients without significant impact on long-term graft function. Despite these reassuring data, some studies have reported that one-third of female transplant recipients are still actively being counseled against pregnancy.

Cinnamic acid as an inhibitor of growth, flavonoids exudation and endophytic fungus colonization in maize root.

Cinnamic acid (CA) is an allelochemical that inhibits the growth of root promoting soil microorganisms. To prevent the growth of soil microbes, CA modulates several metabolic pathways in host plants and soil microbes. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of CA on maize root growth, exudation of secondary metabolites and its interaction with beneficial endophyte Pz11.

Glycyrrhiza glabra HPLC fractions: identification of Aldehydo Isoophiopogonone and Liquirtigenin having activity against multidrug resistant bacteria.

Background: Medicinal plants have been founded as traditional herbal medicine worldwide. Most of the plant's therapeutic properties are due to the presence of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, glycosides, tannins and volatile oil.

Methods: The present investigation analyzed the High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) fractions of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Aqueous, Chloroform, Ethanol and Hexane) against multidrug resistant human bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa).

LC-MS/MS-based determination of chloramphenicol, thiamphenicol, florfenicol and florfenicol amine in poultry meat from the Punjab-Pakistan.

A simple, reliable and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based confirmatory method was redeveloped and validated for the simultaneous determination of chloramphenicol, thiamphenicol, florfenicol and florfenicol amine in chicken muscles. The analytes were extracted from minced chicken muscle with acetonitrile and ammoniated water mixture. A second extraction with ethyl acetate was followed by evaporation and dissolution of the residue in ammoniated methanol before defatting with n-hexane.

Multiple Mycotoxins in Rice: Occurrence and Health Risk Assessment in Children and Adults of Punjab, Pakistan.

Mycotoxin contamination in rice can create a health risk for the consumers. In this study, the measurement of 23 mycotoxins in rice samples ( = 180) was performed using a validated LC-MS/MS method. A food frequency questionnaire was used to get rice consumption data for the assessment of mycotoxin dietary exposure, before calculating the health risk in adults and children of north and south regions of the Pakistani Punjab province.

Bioenergy potential of Wolffia arrhiza appraised through pyrolysis, kinetics, thermodynamics parameters and TG-FTIR-MS study of the evolved gases.

This study evaluated the bioenergy potential of Wolffia arrhiza via pyrolysis. The biomass was collected from the pond receiving city wastewater. Oven dried powdered biomass was exposed to thermal degradation at three heating rates (10, 30 and 50° C min) using Thermogravimetry-Differential Scanning Calorimetry analyzer in an inert environment.

Aminoacidopathies: Prevalence, Etiology, Screening, and Treatment Options.

Inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) are a group of inherited metabolic disorders which are caused by mutations in the specific genes that lead to impaired proteins or enzymes production. Different metabolic pathways are perturbed due to the deficiency or lack of enzymes. To date, more than 500 IEMs have been reported with most of them being untreatable.

LC-MS/MS based method development for the analysis of florfenicol and its application to estimate relative distribution in various tissues of broiler chicken.

Florfenicol, a broad spectrum bacteriostatic antibiotic belonging to amphenicol class, is widely used in poultry and livestock for the treatment of various infections. The major metabolite of florfenicol in different animal species is florfenicol amine which is exploited as the marker residue for the determination of florfenicol. Analysis of florfenicol merely by solvent extraction cannot determine the accurate amount of the drug present in incurred tissues (muscle, liver and kidney) of treated birds, as indicated by this study.

Punica granatum peel extracts: HPLC fractionation and LC MS analysis to quest compounds having activity against multidrug resistant bacteria.

Background: Medicinal plants are rich source of traditional herbal medicine around the globe. Most of the plant's therapeutic properties are due to the presence of secondary bioactive compounds.

Methods: The present study analyzed the High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) fractions of Puncia granatum (peel) extracts (aqueous, chloroform, ethanol and hexane) against multidrug resistant bacterial pathogens (Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus).