Association between Sputum Culture Conversion and Body Mass Index among Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Patients in Punjab, Pakistan: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Background: The global challenge of Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) presents a substantial public health concern, requiring extended and complex treatment regimens. Understanding the factors impacting treatment results, particularly sputum culture conversion and Body Mass Index (BMI), is crucial. This retrospective cohort investigation conducted in Punjab, Pakistan, sought to explore the correlation between BMI and sputum culture conversion in individuals diagnosed with MDR-TB.

Key wound healing genes as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma: an integrated in silico and in vitro study.

Background: Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma (UCEC) is a prevalent gynecologic malignancy with complex molecular underpinnings. This study identifies key woundhealing genes involved in UCEC and elucidates their roles through a comprehensive analysis.

Methods: In silico and in vitro experiments.

Exploring the influence of spiritual leadership on proactive customers service performance.

This study examines the interaction between spiritual leadership and employee proactive service performance in the competitive hospitality industry. Using social exchange theory (SET) and conservation of resources (COR) theory as frameworks, we propose a model where organizational identification and employee voice mediate the relationship between spiritual leadership and proactive service performance. Additionally, we explore how service climate moderates these mediating effects.

Sulfonium-based polymethacrylamides for antimicrobial use: influence of the structure and composition.

We are facing a shortage of new antibiotics to fight against increasingly resistant bacteria. As an alternative to conventional small molecule antibiotics, antimicrobial polymers (AMPs) have great potential. These polymers contain cationic and hydrophobic groups and disrupt bacterial cell membranes through a combination of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions.

Eco-friendly Synthesis of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Using Parietaria alsinifolia Extracts and Evaluation of Biological Applications.

The current research was conducted to synthesize Parietaria alsinifolia-mediated iron oxide nanoparticles (P.A@FeONPs) using the green and eco-friendly protocol. The biosynthesized P.

A Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Opioid Dispensing Competencies in Final-Year Pharm-D Students: A Multicenter Study from Punjab, Pakistan.

Background: The opioid crisis continues to be a public health concern worldwide due to the high rates of misuse and associated mortality. Opioid dispensing competencies are critical for pharmacy graduates to promote the rational use of opioids.

Purpose: To evaluate the opioids dispensing competencies among the final year Pharm-D students in Punjab, Pakistan.

An Optimal Internet of Things-Driven Intelligent Decision-Making System for Real-Time Fishpond Water Quality Monitoring and Species Survival.

Smart fish farming faces critical challenges in achieving comprehensive automation, real-time decision-making, and adaptability to diverse environmental conditions and multi-species aquaculture. This study presents a novel Internet of Things (IoT)-driven intelligent decision-making system that dynamically monitors and optimizes water quality parameters to enhance fish survival rates across various regions and species setups. The system integrates advanced sensors connected to an ESP32 microcontroller, continuously monitoring key water parameters such as pH, temperature, and turbidity which are increasingly affected by climate-induced variability.

A novel study on the structure of left almost hypermodules.

The concept of left almost hypermodule evolves as a novel extension in the field of abstract algebra, specifically within the broader framework of hypermodules. The left almost hypermodule is characterized by a set endowed with two operations, evincing properties that extends across traditional module theory and hypermodules. This abstract intents to provide a succinct overview of salient attributes and prospective implications of the left almost hypermodule, stimulating further exploration of its properties and applications.

An efficient image encryption algorithm using 3D-cyclic chebyshev map and elliptic curve.

With the development of internet technologies, it is now usual to communicate enormous amounts of text and visual data over networks, which calls for stringent procedures to guarantee confidentiality and integrity throughout transmission. An important part of safeguarding image communication over secure channel is cryptography. This study proposes an effective way to secure sensitive data by creating tamper-proof cryptosystems and authentication mechanisms.

Roman urdu hate speech detection using hybrid machine learning models and hyperparameter optimization.

With the rapid increase of users over social media, cyberbullying, and hate speech problems have arisen over the past years. Automatic hate speech detection (HSD) from text is an emerging research problem in natural language processing (NLP). Researchers developed various approaches to solve the automatic hate speech detection problem using different corpora in various languages, however, research on the Urdu language is rather scarce.

Unravelling mutational signatures with plasma circulating tumour DNA.

The use of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) to profile mutational signatures represents a non-invasive opportunity for understanding cancer mutational processes. Here we present MisMatchFinder, a liquid biopsy approach for mutational signature detection using low-coverage whole-genome sequencing of ctDNA. Through analysis of 375 plasma samples across 9 cancers, we demonstrate that MisMatchFinder accurately infers single-base and doublet-base substitutions, as well as insertions and deletions to enhance the detection of ctDNA and clinically relevant mutational signatures.

Dielectric Metasurfaces for Broadband Phase-Contrast Relief-Like Imaging.

The visualization of transparent specimens in traditional light microscopy is impeded by insufficient intrinsic contrast, prompting the development of advanced contrast-enhancement methodologies to transmute minute phase discrepancies into detectable amplitude alterations. While existing methods excel in either phase-contrast imaging (contrast-enhanced image of whole objects) or relief-like imaging (deceptive three-dimensional images), it would be of great significance to seamlessly integrate both capabilities in the same device. Here, we propose a novel metasurface-assisted half-side phase-contrast technique capable of simultaneous phase-contrast and relief-like imaging across the visible spectrum, which is realized by introducing a ±π/2 phase shift to a half-side diffracted wave emitted by the objects.

Relationship of visceral adiposity index (VAI) and visceral body fat among metabolically obese normal weight individuals from Pakistan.

Background: An increasing number of people throughout the world are suffering with visceral obesity. Accumulation of visceral fat is a pathogenic manifestation of global fat dysfunction, that leads to inflammation, atherosclerosis, abnormal lipid levels, and high blood pressure.

Methods: This association study was conducted at Department of Medicine, Mayo Hospital Lahore, Pakistan.

Plant growth regulators improve the yield of white lupin (Lupinus albus) by enhancing the plant morpho-physiological functions and photosynthesis under salt stress.

Background: White lupin (Lupinus albus L.) is a multi-purpose, climate resilient, pulse crop with exceptionally high protein content that makes it a suitable alternative of soybean in livestock feed. Although white lupin grows well on marginal sandy soils, previous studies have reported its sensitivity towards salinity stress.

mAm sequesters PCF11 to suppress premature termination and drive neuroblastoma differentiation.

N,2'-O-dimethyladenosine (mAm) is an abundant mRNA modification that impacts multiple diseases, but its function remains controversial because the mAm reader is unknown. Using quantitative proteomics, we identified transcriptional terminator premature cleavage factor II (PCF11) as a mAm-specific reader in human cells. Direct quantification of mature versus nascent RNAs reveals that mAm does not regulate mRNA stability but promotes nascent transcription.

Functional potential of chitosan-metal nanostructures: Recent developments and applications.

Chitosan (Cs), a naturally occurring biopolymer, has garnered significant interest due to its inherent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and minimal toxicity. This study investigates the effectiveness of various reaction strategies, including acylation, acetylation, and carboxymethylation, to enhance the solubility profile of Cs. This review provides a detailed examination of the rapidly developing field of Cs-based metal complexes and nanoparticles.

Phylogenetic analysis of selected species of Asteraceae on the basis of RPS 11 Gene.

The Asteraceae family is a prominent group of flowering plants found across the globe, with the exception of Antarctica. The Asteraceae family is a largest flowering family pivotal group in plant evolution and diversification. Despite its importance, the genetic diversity within this family remains understudied.

Enhancing smartphone security with human centric bimodal fallback authentication leveraging sensors.

Smartphones store valuable personal information, necessitating robust authentication methods to protect user data. This research proposes a lightweight bi-model fallback authentication technique that combines dynamic security questions and finger pattern recognition using inertial measurement units. The dynamic security questions are generated based on the smartphone's usage behavior, while the owner's finger movements are captured using four different inertial sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, gravity sensor, and magnetometer.

Corporate social responsibility: A Driver for green organizational climate and workplace pro-environmental behavior.

In line with the United Nation's sustainable development goals (SDGs), the unsustainable use of scarce natural resources and worldwide environmental degradation call for the immediate implementation of green behaviors across all organizations. As environmental issues originate from human activities, they necessitate the realization and execution of employees' workplace pro-environmental behaviors (WPEB) and their stimulators. Drawing on social exchange and social identity theories, this study first investigates the mediating role of green organizational climate in the relationship between various forms of perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employees' WPEB.

A SURF and SVD-based robust zero-watermarking for medical image integrity.

Medical image security is paramount in the digital era but remains a significant challenge. This paper introduces an innovative zero-watermarking methodology tailored for medical imaging, ensuring robust protection without compromising image quality. We utilize Sped-up Robust features for high-precision feature extraction and singular value decomposition (SVD) to embed watermarks into the frequency domain, preserving the original image's integrity.

Dinaphthodiospyrol H: a natural α-glucosidase inhibibitor extracted from L.f.

The roots of L.f., known for their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antidiabetic properties, are the source of dimeric naphthoquinones, including dinaphthodiospyrol H.