Molecular identification, risk factors' assessment and phylogenetic analysis of Toxoplasma gondii in goats from Malakand Division, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Toxoplasma gondiiis a globally significant parasite that affects various vertebrates, including livestock, posing health risks and economic losses, particularly in poorly managed regions. A total of 450 blood specimens were randomly collected from goats (Capra hircus) of Malakand Division, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Genomic DNA was extracted, and a partial fragment of the Toxo-B1 gene was amplified and sequenced.

Genomic diversity and nutritional analysis of multi-drug resistant extended spectrum β-lactamase Producing- genes isolated from mastitic cattle milk in district peshawar, Pakistan.

The increasing incidence of resistance extended spectrum-beta lactamase (ESBL) producing become worldwide issue. The current study aimed to determine the genomic diversity of ESBL-producing in milk samples collected from cows with mastitis as well as their antibiotic sensitivity profiles and genetic identification in Peshawar, Pakistan. The california mastitis test (CMT) was initially used to verify the presence for mastitis in 700 collected milk samples.

Comprehensive insights into Klebsiella pneumoniae: unravelling clinical impact, epidemiological trends and antibiotic-resistance challenges.

Klebsiella pneumoniae, a challenging opportunistic bacterium, became a notable global health concern owing to its clinical impact, widespread epidemiology and escalating antibiotic resistance. This comprehensive review delves into the multifaceted dimensions of K. pneumoniae, with a focus on its clinical implications, epidemiological patterns and the critical issue of antibiotic resistance.

Epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in children of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Objectives: In Pakistan, cutaneous leishmaniasis is an emerging tropical disease and a very high number (>70%) of children are afflicted by this marring infection. This study aimed to scrutinise the prevalence, spatial distribution and socio-demographic and behavioural risk factors associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis in children aged <5-15  years in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Methods: A total of 1, 559 clinically confirmed records of children diagnosed with cutaneous leishmaniasis (January-December) from 2020 and 2022 were obtained from selected district hospitals.

Environmental and socio-demographic factors associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis in district Khyber, Pakistan; alarming spread of the disease to new foci.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a sand fly-borne infection of significant public health concern in Pakistan (endemic for CL). This study aimed to scrutinize the environmental and socio-economic risk factors for CL in district Khyber (located on Pak-Afghan border), Pakistan. Clinically confirmed 2881 CL case records for (January-December) 2017 and 2020 were obtained from district hospital.

Exploring the resistome, virulome, and mobilome of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates: deciphering the molecular basis of carbapenem resistance.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae, a notorious pathogen for causing nosocomial infections has become a major cause of neonatal septicemia, leading to high morbidity and mortality worldwide. This opportunistic bacterium has become highly resistant to antibiotics due to the widespread acquisition of genes encoding a variety of enzymes such as extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and carbapenemases. We collected Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from a local tertiary care hospital from February 2019-February 2021.

Correction: Nutritional analysis and characterization of carbapenemase producing-Klebsiella pneumoniae resistant genes associated with bovine mastitis infected cow's milk.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Synthesis and analysis of silica nanocarriers for pectinase immobilization: Enhancing enzymatic stability for continuous industrial applications.

Pectinolytic enzymes are among the important group of industrial enzymes that have wide applications in different food industries. In this study, pectinase-based silica nanocarriers were synthesized using co-precipitation and cross-linking techniques. The resulting silica nanoparticles were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive electron microscopy (EDEX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) for determination of its morphology, elemental composition, and crystalline pattern.

Challenges and Approaches of Culturing the Unculturable Archaea.

Since Carl Woese's discovery of archaea as a third domain of life, numerous archaeal species have been discovered, yet archaeal diversity is poorly characterized. Culturing archaea is complicated, but several queries about archaeal cell biology, evolution, physiology, and diversity need to be solved by culturing and culture-dependent techniques. Increasing interest in demand for innovative culturing methods has led to various technological and methodological advances.

Nutritional analysis and characterization of carbapenemase producing-Klebsiella pneumoniae resistant genes associated with bovine mastitis infected cow's milk.

The current study was designed to analyze nutritional parameters and to characterize carbapenemase producing-Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from bovine mastitic cow's milk. Out of 700 milk samples K. pneumoniae was identified by phenotypic and molecular techniques along with their antibiogram analysis and nutritional analysis was performed using the procedure of Association of Official Analytical Chemists.

Multidrug resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae reservoir and their capsular resistance genes in cow farms of district Peshawar, Pakistan.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major zoonotic pathogen that causes a variety of severe illnesses as well as mastitis. The distribution of mastitis-causing K. Pneumoniae and its virulence factors vary by country and geographical location.

Spatial Distribution, Seasonal Abundance and Physio-Chemical Assessment of Mosquito Larval Breeding Sites in Mardan District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Background: Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are haemotophagus insects and are vectors of many arthropod-borne diseases. Present study aimed to explore species composition, seasonal abundance, spatial distribution and physio-chemical properties of larval breeding sites of mosquitoes in District Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Methods: Both adults and larvae of mosquitoes were collected through light traps, insecticide spray, mouth aspirator and larval standard dipping method in District Mardan from May to November 2017.

Investigation of Three Morchella Species for Anticancer Activity Against Colon Cancer Cell Lines by UPLC-MS-Based Chemical Analysis.

In search of new anticancer agents, natural products including fungal compounds had been used as potential anticancer agents. The aim of this study was to investigate the anticancer activity of Morchella extracts against colon cancer cell line and UPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis for the identification of compounds. The cytotoxic activity of the three Morchella species was examined for their anti-carcinogenic properties against the colon cancer cell lines.

Co-occurrence of antibiotic resistance and virulence Genes in Methicillin Resistant (MRSA) Isolates from Pakistan.

Introduction: Methicillin resistant (MRSA) is one of the major human pathogen that is associated with hospital as well as community acquired infections and is responsible for huge amount of life-threatening diseases.

Objective: Objective of the study was to determine MRSA prevalence, their antibiotic sensitivity patterns, frequency of virulence genes (sea, seb, sed, tst, hla, hld) and their co-occurrence with resistance marker mecA among Rawalpindi and its nearby regions of Pakistani clinical isolates.

Methodology: The present study was carried out to identify the virulence and antibiotic resistance genes that co-occur in MRSA through polymerase chain reaction.

The SARS-CoV-2 differential genomic adaptation in response to varying UVindex reveals potential genomic resources for better COVID-19 diagnosis and prevention.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a pandemic disease reported in almost every country and causes life-threatening, severe respiratory symptoms. Recent studies showed that various environmental selection pressures challenge the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infectivity and, in response, the virus engenders new mutations, leading to the emergence of more virulent strains of WHO concern. Advance prediction of the forthcoming virulent SARS-CoV-2 strains in response to the principal environmental selection pressures like temperature and solar UV radiation is indispensable to overcome COVID-19.

Knowledge, attitude, and practices associated with avian influenza among undergraduate university students of East Java Indonesia: A cross-sectional survey.

Several public health strategic actions are required for effective avian influenza (AI) prevention and control, as well as the development of a communication plan to keep undergraduate students sufficiently informed on how to avoid or reduce exposure. The aim of the survey was to measure the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) toward AI among undergraduate university students in East Java, Indonesia, and observe the correlation between KAPs and the factors associated with the control and prevention of AI. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among undergraduate students to collect information about AI-related KAPs.

Analyses of ABO blood groups with susceptibility and symptomatic variations of COVID-19 infection, a questionnaire-based survey.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel respiratory disease that has led to a global pandemic and created a havoc. The COVID-19 disease severity varies among individuals, depending on fluctuating symptoms. Many infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and dengue hemorrhagic fever have been associated with ABO blood groups.

Association of Gene Polymorphism rs10865035 with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Population-Based Case-Control Study on a Pakistani Cohort.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the complex diseases with the involvement of the genetic as well as environmental factors in its onset and severity. Different genome-wide association and candidate gene studies have shown the role of several genetic variants in multiple loci/genes with ethnical and geographical variations. This study was designed to detect the association of a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs10865035 in the gene with the genetic background of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Pakistani cohort.

Encapsulation of pectinase within polyacrylamide gel: characterization of its catalytic properties for continuous industrial uses.

Pectinase as a biocatalyst play a significant role in food and textile industries. In this study, the pectinase was immobilized by encapsulation within polyacrylamide gel to enhance its catalytic properties and ensure the reusability for continuous industrial processes. 9.

Utilization of different polymers for the improvement of catalytic properties and recycling efficiency of bacterial maltase.

Current study deals with the comparative study related to immobilization of maltase using synthetic (polyacrylamide) and non-synthetic (calcium alginate, agar-agar and agarose) polymers via entrapment technique. Polyacrylamide beads were formed by cross-linking of monomers, agar-agar and agarose through solidification while alginate beads were prepared by simple gelation. Results showed that the efficiency of enzyme significantly improved after immobilization and among all tested supports agar-agar was found to be the most promising and biocompatible for maltase in terms of immobilization yield (82.

Maltose deterioration approach: Catalytic behavior optimization and stability profile of maltase from KIBGE-IB4.

Maltase is an economically valuable enzyme that is used to catalyze the hydrolytic process of maltose and yields d-glucose as a product. In this study, the catalytic behavior of maltase was optimized under various physicochemical condition. Results indicated that bacterial maltase exhibited maximum catalytic activity at 45 °C and pH-6.

Isolation and characterization of bacteriophage to control multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa planktonic cells and biofilm.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is Gram-negative bacterium, one of the leading cause of drug-resistant nosocomial infections in developing countries. This bacterium possesses chromosomally encoded efflux pumps, poor permeability of outer-membrane and high tendency for biofilm formation which are tools to confer resistance. Bacteriophages are regarded as feasible treatment option for control of resistant P.

Improvement of catalytic properties of starch hydrolyzing fungal amyloglucosidase: Utilization of agar-agar as an organic matrix for immobilization.

In this study, amyloglucosidase was immobilized within agar-agar through entrapment technique for the hydrolysis of soluble starch. Enzymatic activities of soluble and entrapped amyloglucosidase were compared using soluble starch as a substrate. Partially purified enzyme was immobilized and maximum immobilization yield (80%) was attained at 40 gL of agar-agar.

CORRIGENDUM to: Correlation of Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing Enzyme, Catalytic Polypeptide- like 3G Genetic Variant rs8177832 with HIV-1 Predisposition in Pakistani Population.

Due to oversight of an author, in the manuscript entitled "Correlation of Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing Enzyme, Catalytic Polypeptide- like 3G Genetic Variant rs8177832 with HIV-1 Predisposition in Pakistani Population" one author's name in the authors' list was erroneously published in the Journal "Current HIV Research" 2018; 16(4): 297-301.