Ureases in nature: Multifaceted roles and implications for plant and human health - A review.

Urease, a multifunctional enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea into ammonia, plays a pivotal role in nitrogen metabolism across diverse organisms. While essential for survival, its unregulated activity is implicated in numerous pathologies, including peptic ulcers, nephropathy, and gastric cancer, as well as agricultural challenges such as soil ammonium depletion and reduced nitrogen-use efficiency. Beyond its canonical enzymatic function, urease engages in protein-protein interactions with bioactive counterparts like jaburetox, canatoxin, and soyuretox plant-derived proteins with insecticidal, antifungal, and membranolytic properties.

Exploring experiences of less-than-full-time postgraduate medical training in Ireland and options for future improvement: a qualitative study.

Objectives: Irish healthcare has struggled with attrition and emigration. Reasons include long working hours and work-life balance. Worldwide interest in less-than-full-time (LTFT) postgraduate medical training is increasing.

Unraveling key genes and pathways involved in Verticillium wilt resistance by integrative GWAS and transcriptomic approaches in Upland cotton.

Verticillium dahliae Kleb, the cause of Verticillium wilt, is a particularly destructive soil-borne vascular disease that affects cotton, resulting in serious decline in fiber quality and causing significant losses in cotton production worldwide. However, the progress in identification of wilt-resistance loci or genes in cotton has been limited, most probably due to the highly complex genetic nature of the trait. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism behind the Verticillium wilt resistance remains poorly understood.

Benzothiazole Derived Ether Hybrids as Potent Anti-Thymidine Phosphorylase Agents: Synthesis, In Vitro, and Computational Investigations.

This work is based on the synthesis of new ether derivatives bearing benzothiazole (BTA) scaffold through multistep reaction process. Initially, BTA was prepared by refluxing 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde with aminothiophenol having sodium metabisulfite in dimethylformamide (DMF); subsequently, the product was further refluxed with different substituted benzyl and alkyl bromides in acetone to get ether hybrids of BTA in good yields. Structurally, these compounds were confirmed by means of H, C-NMR, and mass spectrometry and evaluated for in vitro thymidine phosphorylase (TP) inhibitory activity.

Decision making model for evaluation of TPACK knowledge constructs as critical success factors for language learning classes.

The aim of this article is to investigate the key success factors of technology, pedagogy and content knowledge (TPACK) in language learning classrooms. We used multi criteria decision making (MCDM) technique namely analytical hierarchy process (AHP) along with group decision making (GDM) in order to classify and rank the critical factors involved in TPACK. The classification and ranking of each factor of TPACK systematized and regularized the importance of technology-driven teaching and learning in language classrooms.

Copper(II) complexes of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde Schiff bases: synthesis, activity and computational studies.

Background: Due to the divers biological applications of Cu(II) complexes, we in this study reports the various Cu(II) complexes. The study aims to synthesize and assess new Cu(II) complexes as powerful β-glucuronidase inhibitors.

Methods: Five Schiff base ligands and their complexes were synthesized, characterized, and screened against β-glucuronidase inhibitory activity.

Barriers to Care: Examining the Unique Obstacles of Indigenous American Patients With Acute Neurosurgical Injuries.

Background And Objectives: Historically, Indigenous American (IA) populations have faced barriers to adequate health care. Although IA people experience higher rates of traumatic brain injury-related mortality than other racial groups in the United States, attributes of their neurosurgical care have not been evaluated. We demonstrate and compare care patterns and outcomes in IA and non-IA adults with acute neurosurgical injuries and identify disparities limiting access to medical care.

Resolving Taxonomic Ambiguities in Ascaris Species: Insights From a Scanning Electron Microscopy Study of Ascaris lumbricoides.

Ascariasis, caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides, is a major public health issue, especially in developing nations such as Pakistan. It impacts millions, causing significant morbidity through starvation, stunted growth in children, and a variety of gastrointestinal issues. The taxonomy of the Ascaris genus, notably the distinction between A.

Effective remote clinical teaching: leveraging technology to improve Radiology Case readouts.

The shift to remote learning in medical education is rapidly evolving and likely permanent. The recent increase in remote radiology staffing presents challenges for both educators and trainees. However, many of the barriers to teaching can be overcome by technology.

Green Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Biosynthesized from Butea monosperma Flowers and Glycyrrhiza glabra Roots and their Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties.

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the principal global health problems, and it is imperative to develop new drugs to reduce the spread of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms. The flower extract of Butea monosperma and the root extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra are used to green synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using zinc acetate dihydrate. We characterized the biosynthesized ZnO-NPs using various techniques.

Rising Cesarean Section Rates in Pakistan: Analyzing Frequency and Key Risk Factors in a Tertiary-Care Hospital.

The increasing frequency of cesarean sections (CS) has emerged as a significant public health concern, particularly in Pakistan. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of CS and its contributing factors among mothers in an underdeveloped region of the country. Data were collected from 250 delivery cases using a self-developed questionnaire.

A Clinical Algorithm for Screening Compensated Advanced Chronic Liver Disease Utilizing Ultrasonography, Platelet Count, and Albumin Levels, With Transient Elastography as Reference.

Background and aims Compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD) refers to asymptomatic patients with advanced fibrosis who do not yet exhibit clinical or radiological signs of portal hypertension. Early detection of cACLD is essential for effective risk stratification and timely management, potentially preventing progression to more severe and irreversible stages of liver disease. Transient elastography (TE) is the primary diagnostic method for cACLD, with several diagnostic thresholds commonly used.

Augmented Reality Versus Freehand Spinopelvic Fixation in Spinal Deformity: A Case-Control Study.

Purpose: This study sought to compare screw placement accuracy and outcomes between freehand (FH) and AR-guided pelvic fixation. While pelvic fixation is a critical technique in spinal deformity surgery, S2-alar iliac (S2AI) screw placement poses challenges.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study of 50 consecutive patients who underwent spinopelvic fixation at a single institution.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Thoracic Back Pain.

Thoracic back pain is a common site for inflammatory, neoplastic, metabolic, infectious, and degenerative conditions, and may be associated with significant disability and morbidity. Uncomplicated acute thoracic back pain and/or radiculopathy does not typically warrant imaging. Imaging may be considered in those patients who have persistent pain despite 6 weeks of conservative treatment.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Imaging of Suspected Intracranial Hypotension.

The clinical syndrome of intracranial hypotension refers to the symptoms caused by cerebrospinal fluid hypovolemia and is primarily characterized by postural headaches, but can be associated with a multitude of other neurological symptoms. Imaging plays a critical role in helping to establish a diagnosis of intracranial hypotension, localize the source of cerebrospinal fluid leak, and assist in directing targeted treatments. Using the best available evidence, this document provides diagnostic imaging recommendations for the workup of intracranial hypotension across various clinical presentations.

Novel Anti-Tumor Effect of Natural Products from Aloe vera Resin and their In-Vitro/In-Silico Targeting Mechanism of Carbonic Anhydrase-II and IX.

Human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) plays a vital role in the development and progression of tumors in hypoxic conditions. Herein we report the hCA-II and hCA-IX activities of natural products isolated from Aloe vera (L.) Burm.

Babesia bigemina and Theileria annulata infections in cattle: molecular detection, phylogenetic analysis, and assessment of risk factors.

Babesia bigemina and Theileria annulata are tick-borne protozoans that cause piroplasmosis in cattle, resulting in huge damages to the livestock industry. The prevalence of these infections depends on various intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors. In Pakistan, there is no information regarding the molecular characterization of Babesia bigemina and the risk factors associated with piroplasmosis.

Navigating ambiguity: A novel neutrosophic cubic shapley normalized weighted Bonferroni Mean aggregation operator with application in the investment environment.

The Neutrosophic Cubic Shapley Normalized Bonferroni (NC-SNWBM) method represents a cutting-edge approach to decision making theory, combining three distinct mathematical frameworks the neutrosophic cubic sets (NCS), Shapley values, and the Bonferroni aggregation operator. This innovative method addresses the challenges posed by uncertainty, vagueness, and imprecision in decision-making (DM) processes, offering a comprehensive and versatile tool for handling complex and dynamic scenarios. Neutrosophic cubic sets offers a strong platform to handle ambiguous and vague data due to three components Membership Grade (MG), Non-Membership Grade (NMG) and Indeterminancy Grade (IG) in data.

PatCen: A blockchain-based patient-centric mechanism for the granular access control of infectious disease-related test records.

The recent global outbreaks of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, yellow fever, and Ebola have highlighted the critical need for robust health data management systems that can rapidly adapt to and mitigate public health emergencies. In contrast to traditional systems, this study introduces an innovative blockchain-based Electronic Health Record (EHR) access control mechanism that effectively safeguards patient data integrity and privacy. The proposed approach uniquely integrates granular data access control mechanism within a blockchain framework, ensuring that patient data is only accessible to explicitly authorized users and thereby enhancing patient consent and privacy.

Protonation State-Induced Unfolding of Protein Secondary Structure in the Gas Phase.

The combination of infrared spectroscopy (IR) and ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) has revealed that protein secondary structures are retained upon transformation from aqueous solution to the gas phase under gentle conditions. Yet the details about where and how these structural elements are embedded in the gas phase remain elusive. In this study, we employ long time scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to examine the extent to which proteins retain their solution structures and the impact of protonation state on the stability of secondary structures in the gas phase.

The Mechanisms of Cadmium Stress Mitigation by Fungal Endophytes from Maize Grains.

Maize is a crucial staple crop that ensures global food security by supplying essential nutrients. However, heavy metal (HM) contamination inhibits maize growth, reduces output, and affects food security. Some endophytic fungi (EFs) in maize seeds have the potential to enhance growth and increase dry biomass, offering a solution to mitigate the negative effect of HM contamination.

African swine fever; insights into genomic aspects, reservoirs and transmission patterns of virus.

African swine fever is a hemorrhagic disease of pigs with high mortality rates. Since its first characterization in 1921, there has been sufficient information about African swine fever virus (ASFV) and related diseases. The virus has been found and maintained in the sylvatic cycle involving ticks and domestic and wild boars in affected regions.

Synthesis, in vitro, and in silico study of novel pyridine based 1,3-diphenylurea derivatives as tyrosinase inhibitors.

Tyrosinase inhibitors are studied in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors as tyrosinase enzyme is involved in the biosynthesis and regulation of melanin, hence these inhibitors are beneficial for the management of melanogenesis and hyperpigmentation-related disorders. In the current work, a novel series of diphenyl urea derivatives containing a halo-pyridine moiety (5a-t) was synthesized via a multi-step synthesis. In vitro, tyrosinase inhibitory assay results showed that, except for two compounds, the derivatives were excellent inhibitors of human tyrosinase.