Exploring chemical space, scaffold diversity, and activity landscape of spleen tyrosine kinase active inhibitors

This study aims to comprehensively characterize 576 inhibitors targeting Spleen Tyrosine Kinase (SYK), a non-receptor tyrosine kinase primarily found in haematopoietic cells, with significant relevance to B-cell receptor function. The objective is to gain insights into the structural requirements essential for potent activity, with implications for various therapeutic applications. Through chemoinformatic analyses, we focus on exploring the chemical space, scaffold diversity, and structure-activity relationships (SAR). By leveraging ECFP4 and MACCS fingerprints, we elucidate the relationship between chemical compounds and visualize the network using RDKit and NetworkX platforms. Additionally, compound clustering and visualization of the associated chemical space aid in understanding overall diversity. The outcomes include identifying consensus diversity patterns to assess global chemical space diversity. Furthermore, incorporating pairwise activity differences enhances the activity landscape visualization, revealing heterogeneous SAR patterns. The dataset analysed in this work has three activity cliff generators, CHEMBL3415598, CHEMBL4780257, and CHEMBL3265037, compounds with high affinity to SYK are very similar to compounds analogues with reasonable potency differences. Overall, this study provides a critical analysis of SYK inhibitors, uncovering potential scaffolds and chemical moieties crucial for their activity, thereby advancing the understanding of their therapeutic potential.

Unveiling the Latest Advancements in Vanadium Carbide MXene based Supercapacitors and their Future Trends

Vanadium-carbide-based MXenes have bewitched the scientific community due to their distinctive characteristics, which make them potential candidates for several technological applications, such as supercapacitors (SCs), batteries, gas separation, biological sensors, and desalination. This article provides an overview of recent developments in the synthesis and applications of vanadium-carbide MXene in SCs. Vanadium carbide is one of the most difficult MXenes to synthesize, and various synthesis techniques, including electrochemical exfoliation and chemical etching, have been utilized to fabricate this material. Additionally, the review article also emphasizes the potential use of vanadium carbide MXene as SCs. Finally, the paper concludes with the challenges faced in the synthesis process and the prospects of vanadium carbide MXene-based material fabrication. Overall, this review article provides in-depth and detailed information on recent research on vanadium carbide MXene and its possible uses.

Incidence and molecular characterization of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli of avifauna origin in Pakistan

Members of Enterobacteriaceae are known to produce extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) which hydrolyze the beta-lactam group of antibiotics. The existence of ESBL-producing Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) harbored by urban avifauna was investigated in this study. Dropping samples (n= 180) were collected from six different bird species in the district Jhang, Punjab province, Pakistan. Isolation and identification of ESBL isolates were made by using cefotaxime- (4 mg/L) supplemented MacConkey agar and double disc synergy test (DDST). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for the detection of four different ESBL genes including blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaSHV and blaOXA. A total of 42.69% isolates were confirmed as ESBL via DDST including 30.64% S. enterica and 49.54% E. coli. The incidence of ESBL S. enterica and ESBL E. coli was found highest in egret (Ardea alba) and pigeon (Columba livia) as 64.28% and 78.95%, respectively. The blaCTX-M gene was detected in 57.89% and 64.81% of isolates of S. enterica and E. coli, respectively. Among other genes in S. enterica and E. coli, blaTEM (21.05%, 20.4%); blaSHV (15.78%, 9.26%), and blaOXA (5.26%, 5.56%) were detected, respectively. All of the tested isolates were found resistant to at least one of the thirteen antimicrobial agents except meropenem. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the incidence and genetic diversity of ESBL bacteria associated with urban avifauna in Pakistan. The urban avifauna can serve as a potential subject of bio-surveillance to monitor the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.

Molecular detection and therapeutic study of Trypanosoma brucei evansi from naturally infected horses in Punjab, Pakistan

Trypanosomiasis is one of the severe pathogenic infections, caused by several Trypanosoma species, affecting both animals and humans, causing substantial economic losses and severe illness. The objective of this study was to determine the molecular diagnosis and the risk factors associated with trypanosomiasis in District Jhang, Punjab, Pakistan. For this purpose, blood samples were randomly collected from 200 horses. A predesigned questionnaire was used to collect data on risk factors before the sample collection. The microscopy examination through Giemsa staining, formol gel test and PCR techniques were used to find the prevalence. The prevalence was recorded as 22.5% with microscopy examination, 21% through formol gel test and 15.5% with PCR based results. Analysis of risk factors associated with Trypanosoma brucei evansi occurrence was carried out using Chi-square test. It showed the prevalence of Trypanosoma brucei evansi was significantly (p⟨0.05) associated with sex, age, rearing purpose and body condition whereas non-significantly (p⟩0.05) with insects control practices. This study supports the idea that PCR is a sensitive, robust and more reliable technique to diagnose trypanosomiasis. It was concluded that Trypanosoma brucei evansi is widely prevalent in Jhang (Pakistan), highlighting a dire need to develop control strategies and education programmes to control this disease in developing countries.

Framework for the analysis of renewable energy grid policies in the context of COVID-19

COVID-19 is a severe global pandemic that has caught the whole world unprepared. In the absence of a clear timeline for this pandemic to end, it is need of the hour to investigate the effect of this pandemic on both previous and anticipated investments. Global economic unrest has hindered the ramping deployment of Renewable energy projects.The most quick actions that may be taken to mitigate the effects and to up-rise the investment portfolio policies are a very critical tool in hands of government for a very immediate effect have also been made without keeping the context of COVID-19 into account.New variants of diff rent nature are being discovered and every now and then new lock downs are happening. In this context different policies have to be evaluated under the pandemic scenario. A case study of a large scale renewable energy project for a higher education institute in Pakistan is being used to measure the difference during COVID and pre COVID times. This paper provides a framework to investigate the impact of COVID on renewable energy system projects under current net-metering, net-billing and self-consumption policies. A recent investment in a photovoltaic system is assessed based on previously projected financial benefits versus the pandemic effected ones. This research concludes that investing in photovoltaic systems are still a viable option even in an extreme pandemic situation with less than 0.5 years increase in payback period, and the government can still provide a stimulus for investing in green energy by implementing net-metering policies on a larger scale.

Effect of garlic supplementation on zootechnical performance and hepato-renal functions in nitrate-treated rabbits

The effect of garlic supplementation on zootechnical performance and hepato-renal functions of rabbits exposed to experimental nitrate poisoning was evaluated. Adult male 6-8 week-old albino rabbits (n= 24) were randomly divided into four groups (A - D) and subjected to nitrate intoxication through the oral administration of sodium nitrate solution at 2 ml/kg bodyweight per day for 40 days. Group A was a control that received no treatment except sodium nitrate. Rabbits in groups B and C were treated with 1% methylene blue solution (2 mg/kg bodyweight per day) and aqueous garlic extract (500 mg/kg bodyweight per day) through intraperitoneal and oral routes, respectively. Rabbits in group D were treated with both 1% methylene blue solution (2 mg/kg bodyweight per day, intraperitoneally) and aqueous garlic extract (500 mg/kg bodyweight per day, orally). On completion of the treatment period, the groups were compared in growth performance, biochemical profile and histopathological changes of hepato-renal tissues. Although the total feed consumption of the groups remained comparable, Group C showed relatively better weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Likewise, garlic extract significantly increased the serum bilirubin concentration and reduced the level of other biochemical attributes in comparison with control animals. The hepatic and renal tissues of Groups C and D remained normal, whereas those of the control group exhibited distinct histopathological alterations. It was concluded that garlic supplementation ameliorated the deleterious effects of nitrate intoxication on production performance and hepato-renal functions of rabbits.

Untapped renewable energy potential of crop residues in Pakistan: Challenges and future directions

Sustainability in power generation mainly depends on the transition from fossils to sustainable energy resources. Biomass from the crop residue has huge potential for renewable power generation, but it is still not utilized to its full potential. This study presents a comprehensive methodology to evaluate and forecast the current and future availability of selective crop residue to generate renewable energy. A forecast model incorporating historical trends in the crop yield has been developed in MATLAB and implemented for crop residue based biomass resource assessment of five primary crops (wheat straw, rice husk, rice straw, cotton straw, corn stover, and bagasse) in order to estimate the energy generation potential for Pakistan from 2018 till 2035. It was found that about 40 million tonnes of crop residue was available in Pakistan for power generation in the year 2018 considering a residue removal (availability) factor of 50%. This translates to an estimated potential of about 11,000 MW of electricity generation capacity using crop residue derived biomass for 2018. This capacity is predicted to gradually increase up to 16,000 MW by the year 2035 based on the trends in the growth of crop production since 2001. The suitability of a potential region for the installation of 100 MW biomass-fired power plants was also assessed by calculating crop residue density and an equivalent collection radius (R_e) of 50 km (km). Punjab province of Pakistan, being an agricultural province, with relatively better road infrastructure can sustain crop residue based power plants of up to 7000 MW cumulative capacity at various locations. The challenges, such as economic, logistics, regulatory and political barriers, in generating renewable energy from biomass along with their potential solutions were also discussed. The study also provides a baseline for future research to evaluate and forecast the growth in bio-power generation potential of any biomass resource in a region based on crop yield and area of the region.

Detection of Viruses in Sweetpotato from Honduras and Guatemala Augmented by Deep-Sequencing of Small-RNAs

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) plants become infected with over 30 RNA or DNA viruses in different parts of the world but little is known about viruses infecting sweetpotato crops in Central America, the center of sweetpotato domestication. Small-RNA deep-sequencing (SRDS) analysis was used to detect viruses in sweetpotato in Honduras and Guatemala, which detected Sweet potato feathery mottle virus strain RC and Sweet potato virus C (Potyvirus spp.), Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus strain WA (SPCSV-WA; Crinivirus sp.), Sweet potato leaf curl Georgia virus (Begomovirus sp.), and Sweet potato pakakuy virus strain B (synonym: Sweet potato badnavirus B). Results were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of the amplicons. Four viruses were detected in a sweetpotato sample from the Galapagos Islands. Serological assays available to two of the five viruses gave results consistent with those obtained by SRDS, and were negative for six additional sweetpotato viruses tested. Plants coinfected with SPCSV-WA and one to two other viruses displayed severe foliar symptoms of epinasty and leaf malformation, purpling, vein banding, or chlorosis. The results suggest that SRDS is suitable for use as a universal, robust, and reliable method for detection of plant viruses, and especially useful for determining virus infections in crops infected with a wide range of unrelated viruses.

Development of swine-specific DNA markers for biosensor-based halal authentication

The pig (Sus scrofa) mitochondrial genome was targeted to design short (15-30 nucleotides) DNA markers that would be suitable for biosensor-based hybridization detection of target DNA. Short DNA markers are reported to survive harsh conditions in which longer ones are degraded into smaller fragments. The whole swine mitochondrial-genome was in silico digested with AluI restriction enzyme. Among 66 AluI fragments, five were selected as potential markers because of their convenient lengths, high degree of interspecies polymorphism and intraspecies conservatism. These were confirmed by NCBI blast analysis and ClustalW alignment analysis with 11 different meat-providing animal and fish species. Finally, we integrated a tetramethyl rhodamine-labeled 18-nucleotide AluI fragment into a 3-nm diameter citrate-tannate coated gold nanoparticle to develop a swine-specific hybrid nanobioprobe for the determination of pork adulteration in 2.5-h autoclaved pork-beef binary mixtures. This hybrid probe detected as low as 1% pork in deliberately contaminated autoclaved pork-beef binary mixtures and no cross-species detection was recorded, demonstrating the feasibility of this type of probe for biosensor-based detection of pork adulteration of halal and kosher foods.

Computerized stereotactic brain biopsies: an experience of 15 patients at Ayub Teaching Hospital

BACKGROUND

Deep seated lesions of the brain cannot be approached by conventional neurosurgical approach stereotactic system offers minimally invasive and accurate approach to such lesions. This study was carried out with an objective to determine the safety, efficacy and diagnostic yield of stereotactic biopsies of brain lesions using Brown-Roberts-Wells (BRW) system.

METHODS

This study was carried out in patients with intracranial lesions at Ayub teaching hospital Abbottabad from September 1999 to October 2003. Suitable patients with intra cranial lesions underwent computerized stereo tactic biopsy with BRW system. Tissue specimens were analyzed in histopathology department of the Ayub Medical College and results were obtained. Data was analyzed via computer software SPSS 8.0 version for windows.

RESULTS

Fifteen patients were selected for stereotactic brain biopsy. Age ranged from 15 years to 54 years. Among them 09 (60%) were male and 06 (40%) were female patients. Out come of the procedure was highly promising in terms of safety and positive diagnostic yield in 14 patients (93.3%), and histopathalogical validity of results (93.3%). Only one patient suffered mild neurological deficit (6.7%), one patient had inconclusive tissue diagnosis and invalid result (6.7%). biopsy proven lesion was astrocytoma in 04 patients (26.7%), anaplastic astrocytoma in 04 (26.7%), gliomatosis in 02 (13.3%), tuberculomas in 03 (20.0%). metastatic adenocarcinomas in 01 (6.7%) and lymphoma in 01(6.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that computerized stereotactic brain biopsy is safe and effective procedure with a high diagnostic yield at our center.

Initial-rate method for the determination of pantoprazole in pharmaceutical formulations using 1-fluoro 2,4-dinitrobenzene

A simple and selective kinetic spectrophotometric method for the determination of pantoprazole in pharmaceutical preparations is described. The procedure is based upon a kinetic investigation of the reaction of the drug with 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene in DMSO at room temperature. The absorbance of the coloured product was measured at 420 nm. The plot of the logarithm of the initial rate of the reaction vs. the logarithm of molar concentration of pantoprazole is linear over the range 10-20 microg x ml(-1). The procedure retains its accuracy in the presence of a large excess of its degradate, sulfenic acid, which is prepared by degradating the pure drug in borate buffer of pH 8 at room temperature for seven days. The results are validated statistically and through recovery studies. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of pantoprazole in commercial tablets. Statistical comparison of the results with the reference method shows excellent agreement and indicates no significant difference in accuracy and precision.