Comparison of active site mutations at subsite + 2 of Anoxybacillus ayderensis A9 β-glucosidase for hydrolysis of pNPG and polydatin.

β-glucosidase from Anoxybacillus ayderensis A9 (BglA9) is a potent enzyme for enzymatic hydrolysis of polydatin to resveratrol. Based on structural and bioinformatics analysis an area near + 2 subsite of the active site pocket of BglA9 was selected and single point mutations were introduced with the aim to enhance the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme towards pNPG and polydatin. The active site region selected for mutations is non-conserved between different glycoside hydrolase family 1 (GH1) enzymes and is located at the end of β-strand 6.

A deep convolutional neural network-based novel class balancing for imbalance data segmentation.

Retinal fundus images provide valuable insights into the human eye's interior structure and crucial features, such as blood vessels, optic disk, macula, and fovea. However, accurate segmentation of retinal blood vessels can be challenging due to imbalanced data distribution and varying vessel thickness. In this paper, we propose BLCB-CNN, a novel pipeline based on deep learning and bi-level class balancing scheme to achieve vessel segmentation in retinal fundus images.

A shape-controlled non-symmetric quaternary refinement scheme.

The interpolating and approximating refinement schemes are well-studied algorithms to generate smooth curves and surfaces. In this paper, we propose a novel non-symmetric refinement scheme that combines the strengths of interpolating and approximating refinement algorithms. The construction of the proposed scheme is derived from a classical 5-point approximating refinement scheme, which is systematically translated to new positions using displacement vectors.

Cloning and expression of chromate reductase from Bacillus paramycoides S48 for chromium remediation.

This study explores the production and characterization of chromium reductase from Bacillus paramycoides S48, focusing on its ability to effectively reduce toxic hexavalent chromium to less harmful chromium. The strain exhibited 65% reduction in Cr(VI) within 96 h at 30 °C. Clear morphological and functional group shifts on strain S48 cell surface treated with metal were noted using analytical tools i.

Structural insights and predictive modelling of a novel anti-HER2 scFv and Leptulipin: a newly designed immunotoxin protein for HER2 positive cancers.

Targeted therapy is one crucial therapeutic approach frequently employed in cancer treatment. In almost 30% of human breast cancers, a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor named the HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) is overexpressed, establishing HER-2 as a promising target for cancer treatment. The goal of the current work is to computationally design and analyze a new chimeric protein that could selectively target HER2-positive breast cancer cells based on a single polypeptide chain variable fragment and leptulipin (an anticancer peptide) fusion.

Identification of mutations in five Pakistani families with Epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a group of neurological conditions characterized by epileptic seizures, which are episodes that may vary from brief and nearly undetectable to long periods of vigorous shaking. Due to high rates of close family marriages (consanguinity) in the Pakistani population, families with multiple affected individuals showing novel or known epilepsy phenotypes are likely to present. The present study aimed to identify the genetic causes of epileptic conditions (isolated or syndromic) in selected families.

Organoselenium compounds as an enriched source for the discovery of new antimicrobial agents.

The urgent need for novel antifungal drugs is underscored by the limited number of antifungal agents in clinical development and the global spread of fungal resistance. This study highlights the potential of organoselenium compounds as a new source of scaffolds with promising antifungal activity against a variety of fungal strains. Analysis of over 300 000 compounds screened by the Community for Open Antimicrobial Drug Discovery (CO-ADD) for antibacterial and antifungal activity identified 233 organoselenium derivatives.

Effects of high dietary threonine supplementation on growth performance, health biomarkers, and intestinal histology in cyclic heat-stressed broilers.

Background And Aim: Heat stress (HS) negatively impacts poultry production by reducing growth performance and compromising physiological health. Nutritional strategies, particularly amino acid supplementation, are explored to mitigate these adverse effects. This study evaluates the impact of high dietary threonine supplementation on growth performance, health biomarkers, oxidative status, meat quality, and intestinal histology in cyclic HS broilers.

Novel thiosemicarbazones of coumarin incorporated isatins: synthesis, structural characterization and antileishmanial activity.

Leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease affecting 0.7 to 1.3 million people annually, has only a few toxic therapeutic options.

Sirtuin 2 inhibitor AGK2 exerts antiviral effects by inducing epigenetic suppression of hepatitis B virus covalently closed circular DNA through recruitment of repressive histone lysine methyltransferases and reduction of cccDNA.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to be a global health concern because current treatments such as interferon-α and nucleos(t)ide analogs cannot fully eliminate the virus due to persistence of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and integrated HBV DNA. Earlier research suggests that AGK2, a selective SIRT2 inhibitor, suppresses HBV replication by modifying key signaling pathways. This study aimed to further explore the anti-HBV effects of AKG2, particularly its effects on the epigenetic landscape of cccDNA.

Molecular mechanisms and breeding strategies for enhancing wheat resilience to environmental stresses: The role of heat shock proteins and implications for food security.

Wheat is a major staple crop that plays a pivotal role in global food security. However, its productivity is increasingly compromised by environmental stresses such as heat, drought, salinity and heavy metal toxicity. The broad understanding of molecular mechanisms responsible for wheat resilience is reviewed, with a particular focus on heat shock proteins (HSPs) as key mediators of stress adjustment.

A Novel Biallelic Variant in IHH Causing Acrocapitofemoral Dysplasia in a Pakistani Family.

Background: Acrocapitofemoral dysplasia (ACFD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, characterized by postnatal onset of disproportionate short stature with short limbs, brachydactyly, cone-shaped epiphysis, narrow thorax, and relatively large head. To date, only three homozygous missense mutations have been reported in the signaling amino terminal domain (201-308 amino acids) of the IHH gene in three ACFD families from Belgian, Dutch, and Turkish ethnicities.

Methods: In the present study, we have investigated two patients in a Pakistani family affected with ACFD.

From Salvador Dali and Von Gogh to BRASH: a case-based systematic literature review of digoxin induced BRASH syndrome.

BRASH stands for Bradycardia, Renal Failure, Atrioventricular (AV) Nodal Blockade, Shock, and Hyperkalemia. It is a relatively new clinical entity. BRASH treatment focuses on managing each component simultaneously while identifying and addressing the underlying cause early to halt the cascade, especially in emergencies.

Design and evaluation of PNA-based novel pronucleotide analogues targeting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase to combat COVID-19.

The emergence of highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 variants emphasizes the need for antiviral drugs that can adapt to evolving viral mutations. Despite widespread vaccination efforts, novel variants and recurrence cases raise concerns about COVID-19. Although repurposed drugs like Remdesivir, a nucleoside inhibitor, offer treatment, there is still a critical need for alternative drugs.

A pathogenic COL7A1 variant highlights semi-dominant inheritance in dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa.

Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa is a rare subtype of inherited epidermolysis bullosa, caused by variants in the collagen type VII alpha 1 chain (COL7A1) gene (MIM120120). Both autosomal dominant and recessive inheritance has been reported with variable phenotype. We investigated a Pakistani family with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa via exome sequencing and identified a pathogenic nonsense variant in COL7A1 NM_000094 c.

Visible light induced photocatalytic degradation of norfloxacin using xC-TiO.

In recent years, antibiotic pollution has become a major environmental concern. The extensive production and widespread use of prescribed antibiotics have significantly impacted ecosystems. The main objective of the present study is to investigate the photocatalytic degradation of the antibiotic norfloxacin (NFX) under visible light.

Structure switching aptamer enhance sensitivity and specificity of photonic crystal-based sensors for RSV-G protein detection.

Photonic crystal-based aptasensors for viral proteins detection offer the advantage of producing visible readouts. However, they usually suffer from limited sensitivity and high non-specific background noise. A significant contributing factor to these issues is the use of fixed-conformation aptamers in these sensors.

Precision measurement for effective pollution mitigation by evaluating air quality monitoring systems in linguistic Pythagorean fuzzy dombi environment.

Air quality is a major concern for human health, with pollutants linked to respiratory problems and chronic illnesses. Air quality monitoring systems are essential for measuring and tracking pollutants in indoor and outdoor environments. In the various disciplines of fuzzy environments, the aggregation operators are indispensable components of the decision-making process and possess a significant capacity to manage unpredictable and ambiguous data.

Synthesis of drimanyl indole fragments of drimentine alkaloids and their antibacterial activities.

Two types of drimanyl indole fragments of drimentine alkaloids were synthesized and evaluated their in vitro antibacterial activities using minimum inhibitory concentration. Analysis of structure-activity relationship against Ralstonia solanacearum revealed that fragment I exhibited superior inhibitory activity compared to fragment II. Notably, free NH of the indole motif was essential for antibacterial activity, while COH of the drimane skeleton was beneficial for enhancing the inhibitory effect.

Blockchain Factors in the Design of Smart-Media for E-Healthcare Management.

According to the current situation of deep aging globally, how to provide low-cost and high-quality medical services has become a problem that the whole society needs to consider. To address these challenges, we propose an e-healthcare management system leveraging the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain technologies. Our system aims to provide comprehensive, reliable, and secure one-stop services for patients.