Smokeless tobacco: knowledge, attitudes and usage in Pakistan.

Background: Smokeless tobacco (SLT) encompasses products that are not burnt but instead consumed orally or nasally. One-third of tobacco is consumed in the smokeless form in South Asia. Despite its widespread usage, there has been limited empirical research on the prevalence and factors influencing SLT consumption in Pakistan.

SEPT5 overexpression predicts poor prognosis and promotes progression through feedback regulation of HIF-1α in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), a predominant subtype of renal cell carcinoma, significantly contributes to the heightened morbidity and mortality in individuals diagnosed with urologic tumors. The challenges posed by high malignancy at the initial diagnosis of ccRCC, therapeutic resistance, and unfavorable patient prognosis remain largely unresolved. Our findings indicate that SEPT5 is upregulated in ccRCC and this upregulation is associated with an adverse prognosis for ccRCC patients.

Advances in the impact of ASS1 dysregulation on metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells.

ASS1(argininosuccinate synthase 1) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the urea cycle, catalyzing the synthesis of argininosuccinate from citrulline and aspartate to ultimately produce arginine and support cellular metabolism. Increasing evidence suggests that ASS1 is commonly dysregulated in the tumor microenvironment, promoting tumor cell metastasis and infiltration. With a deeper understanding of tumor metabolic reprogramming in recent years, the impact of ASS1 dysregulation on abnormal tumor metabolism has attracted growing interest among researchers.

Metabolomic Analysis of Nicotine-Induced Metabolic Disruptions and Their Amelioration by Resveratrol.

This study investigates the metabolic disruptions caused by nicotine (NIC) exposure, with a particular focus on amino acid and lipid metabolism, and evaluates resveratrol (RSV) as a potential protective agent. Mice were divided into four groups: control (CON), NIC-exposed, NIC + RSV-treated, and RSV-only. NIC exposure resulted in significant weight loss, elevated glucose levels, altered lipid profiles, and organ damage, particularly in the liver and kidneys.

Addition of Bevacizumab to Chemotherapy and Its Impact on Clinical Efficacy in Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

: Cervical cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality in females. One of the most successful therapeutic modalities to date is suppressing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated angiogenesis. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets VEGF-A.

Evaluation of stripe rust resistance and analysis of resistance genes in wheat genotypes from Pakistan and Southwest China.

Introduction: Stripe rust, caused by f. sp. , poses a significant threat to wheat quality and production worldwide.

Strained Mechanical and Fracture Analyses of Armchair-Chiral-Zigzag-Based Carbon Nanotubes Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged as one of the most capable and interesting materials in recent decades and have extraordinary mechanical properties (MPs) and resourceful applications in bioengineering and medicine. Equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to investigate the structural and MPs of armchair, chiral, and semiconducting and metallic zigzag single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) under varying temperature (K) and compressive and tensile strains ±γ (%) with reactive bond-order potential. New results elaborate on the buckling and deformation mechanisms of the SWCNTs through deep analyses of density profiles, radial distribution functions, structural visualizations, and stress-strain interactions.

Understanding the socioeconomic dimensions of antibiotic resistance: a critical marketting perspective of healthcare stakeholders.

Objective: To explore the socioeconomic dimensions of antimicrobial resistance, emphasising the risks associated with imprudent use of antibiotics and the consequent emergence of drug-resistant "superbugs."

Methods: The study employed constructivist grounded theory to investigate the perspectives of stakeholders, including physicians, patients, pharmacists, sales managers, and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) employees. In-depth interviews were conducted with these stakeholders at their workplaces in 2022 and 2023, and transcripts were meticulously transcribed for analysis.

Into the Neuroscape: Perceptions of Pakistani Medical Students and Recent Graduates toward Neurosurgery.

 Neurosurgery receives several applicants every year, but the decreasing size of the neurosurgery workforce in Pakistan despite evidence of initial student interest is perplexing. Therefore, it is vital to evaluate the perspective of medical students and recent graduates to get a holistic view of perceptions toward neurosurgery.  A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of medical students and recent graduates from different medical colleges.

Pathology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with particular focus on vascular endothelium and epithelial injury and their therapeutic potential.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remains a challenging disease with no drugs available to change the trajectory. It is a condition associated with excessive and highly progressive scarring of the lungs with remodelling and extracellular matrix deposition. It is a highly "destructive" disease of the lungs.

Optimization of waste biomass demineralization through response surface methodology and enhancement of thermochemical and fusion properties.

This study examines the impact of leaching with dilute hydrochloric acid solution on the reduction of ash content and the thermal degradation behavior of sugarcane bagasse. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to statistically design the experiments and investigate the effect of three independent variables: treatment time, solid-to-liquid ratio, and reagent concentration. The leaching conditions were further optimized and experimentally validated for maximum ash reduction for suitability of treated biomass as feedstock for thermochemical conversion technologies.

The Mechanism of TRIM21 Inhibiting the Invasion and Migration of ccRCC by Stabilizing ASS1.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is characterized by its aggressive invasion and metastasis, presenting significant clinical challenges. Gaining insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying its progression is crucial for the development of effective therapeutic strategies. Addressing a critical knowledge gap in understanding ccRCC tumorigenesis, this study aims to elucidate the expression patterns of TRIM21 in ccRCC, unravel its impact on ccRCC patient prognosis, and investigate the regulatory role of TRIM21 in ASS1 expression and urea cycle dysregulation within the context of ccRCC.

Biochemical investigation of FOXP3 genetic polymorphism and its association with biochemical parameters in pre-eclampsia patients.

This study addresses the pivotal question of the association between FOXP3 gene polymorphism and pre-eclampsia (PE), employing the Tetra ARMS PCR method for analysis. PE, a multifaceted disorder marked by hypertension and organ dysfunction during pregnancy, led to an exploration of FOXP3 due to its integral role in immune regulation and its implication in various autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. The primary objective was to discern the relationship between FOXP3 gene polymorphism (rs2232365) and the risk of PE.

A Review on Architecting Rationally Designed Metal-Organic Frameworks for the Next-Generation Li-S Batteries.

The modern era demands the development of energy storage devices with high energy density and power density. There is no doubt that lithium‒sulfur batteries (Li‒S) claim high theoretical energy density and have attracted great attention from researchers, but fundamental exploration and practical applications cannot converge to utilize their maximum potential. The design parameters of Li-S batteries involve various complex mechanisms, and their obliviousness has resulted in failure at the commercial level.

Cadmium (Cd) detoxification and activation of plant defense enzymes in wheat (Triticum aestivum) through the use of endophytic Bacillus thuringiensis and Salix alba root powder.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal and a threat to the ecosystem therefore the current investigation was designed to use endophytic bacteria from the Salix alba roots and to investigate its plant growth promoting and Cd detoxification ability with and without Salix alba root powder. In a complete randomized design (CRD), the cadmium sulfate was applied at the rate of 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg soil. The Bacillus thuringiensis (Accession # MW979616) was identified from Salix alba roots.

Flavonoids as modulators of metabolic reprogramming in renal cell carcinoma (Review).

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is distinguished by its varied metabolic reprogramming driven by tumor suppressor gene dysregulation and oncogene activation. Tumors can adapt nutrient uptake and metabolism pathways to meet the altered biosynthetic, bioenergetic and redox demands of cancer cells, whereas conventional chemotherapeutics and molecular inhibitors predominantly target individual metabolic pathways without addressing this adaptability. Flavonoids, which are well‑known for their antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory properties, offer a unique approach by influencing multiple metabolic targets.

Unravelling the role of WRKY transcription factors in leaf senescence: Genetic and molecular insights.

Background: Leaf senescence (LS), the final phase in leaf development, is an important and precisely regulated process crucial for plant well-being and the redistribution of nutrients. It is intricately controlled by various regulatory factors, including WRKY transcription factors (TFs). WRKYs are one of the most significant plant TF families, and several of them are differentially regulated and important during LS.

Innovative lipid nanoparticles: A cutting-edge approach for potential renal cell carcinoma therapeutics.

The kidney plays a crucial role in regulating homeostasis within the human body. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common form of kidney cancer, accounting for nearly 90 % of all renal malignancies. Despite the availability of various therapeutic strategies, RCC remains a challenging disease due to its resistance to conventional treatments.

Exploring Medical Student Experiences of Trauma in the Emergency Department: Opportunities for Trauma-informed Medical Education.

Purpose: During the third-year emergency medicine (EM) clerkship, medical students are immersed in traumatic incidents with their patients and clinical teams. Trauma-informed medical education (TIME) applies trauma-informed care (TIC) principles to help students manage trauma. We aimed to qualitatively describe the extent to which students perceived the six TIME domains as they navigated critical incidents during their EM clerkship.

Wood biochar induced metal tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.) plants under heavy metal stress.

Due to metal toxicity, widespread industrialization has negatively impacted crop yield and soil quality. The current study was aimed to prepare and characterize biochar made from wood shavings of Pinus roxburghii and to determine the plant growth promoting and heavy metal detoxification of cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) contaminated soil. FTIR SEM coupled with EDX characterization of biochar was performed; Cd and Cr were used at a rate of 20 mg/kg.