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The development of resistance against antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections along with the prevalence of medication residues presents significant public health problems globally. Antibiotic-resistant germs result in infections that are difficult or impossible to treat. Decreasing antibiotic effectiveness calls for rapid development of alternative antimicrobials. In this respect, nanoparticles (NPs) of copper oxide (CuO) manifest a latent and flexible inorganic nanostructure with noteworthy antimicrobial impact. Green synthesis of CuO NPs was performed in the current study, which was then doped with varying amounts of ginger (Zingiber officinale, ZO) and garlic (Allium sativum, AS) extracts. In low and high doses, the synthesized compound was used to measure the antimicrobial effectiveness against pathogenic Escherichia coli. The present research successfully demonstrated a renewable, eco-friendly synthesis technique with natural materials that is equally applicable to other green metal oxide NPs.

Uncertainty in climatic and weather conditions may result in lodging. Lodging is a most chronic constraint, which is causing tremendous yield reduction in crop plants; therefore, better understanding to control lodging-induced adversities or to enhance lodging resistance in cereals is imperative. In this review, we presented a contemporary synthesis of the existing data regarding the effects of lodging on growth and yield of cereals. Moreover, we highlighted key factors which trigger the detrimental effects of lodging in cereals. Numerous morphological, anatomical, and biochemical traits in plants that can influence lodging risk have also been discussed. These traits showed significant correlation with lodging resistance in cereals. At end, we tried to link our hypothetical concepts with previous evidences and provided a comprehensive summary of all the possible management approaches that can be used to further control lodging effects on cereals. The selection of a management option though is based on cereal type and genotype; nonetheless, different agronomic approaches including seeding rate, sowing time, tillage system, crop rotation, and fertilizer application help in reducing lodging risk in cereals.

This research aims to evaluate Al-Al joints fabricated by overcasting liquid 2024 Al alloy onto Zn-electroplated 2024 Al alloy solid inserts followed by solidification under pressure. The effects of three most influencing process parameters including squeeze pressure, die temperature and melt temperature on the mechanical properties of as-casted and aged overcast joints were investigated. Response surface methodology with central composite design was employed for experimental design and development of empirical models. The observed responses in this research include ultimate tensile strength and hardness. Adequacy and validity of the developed models were verified through ANOVA and confirmation experiments, respectively. For both as-casted and aged overcasting conditions, the results revealed melt temperature as the most significant process parameter affecting ultimate tensile strength and hardness followed by die temperature and squeeze pressure. The comparative analysis of the two conditions suggested aged overcasting as the better alternative which resulted in 5.7~9.8 and 3.6~12.4% improvement in ultimate tensile strength and hardness, respectively.

Objective: This research aimed to analyze the prevalence, molecular characteristics, toxinotyping, alpha toxin production potential, and antibiotic resistance pattern of Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) isolates in meat samples collected from various sources.Methods: Sixty meat samples were screened for alpha toxin using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, revealing a positivity rate of 13.3%, predominantly in raw poultry meat. Subsequent culturing on Perfringens agar identified nine samples harboring characteristic C. perfringens colonies, primarily isolated from raw poultry meat. Molecular confirmation through 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing authenticated twelve isolates as C. perfringens, with nine strains exhibiting genetic resemblance to locally isolated strains. Toxinotyping assays targeting alpha toxin-specific genes confirmed all nine isolates as type A C. perfringens, with no detection of beta or epsilon toxin genes. Hemolytic assays demonstrated varying alpha toxin production potentials among isolates, with accession number OQ721004.1 displaying the highest production capacity. Moreover, antibiotic resistance profiling revealed multi-drug resistance patterns among the isolates.Results: The study identified distinct clusters within C. perfringens strains, indicating variations. Phylogenetic analysis delineated genetic relatedness among strains, elucidating potential evolutionary paths and divergences.Conclusion: The findings underscore the need for robust surveillance and control measures to mitigate the risk of C. perfringens contamination in meat products, particularly in raw poultry meat. Enhanced monitoring and prudent antimicrobial stewardship practices are warranted in both veterinary and clinical settings to address the observed antibiotic resistance profiles and prevent foodborne outbreaks.

Background Bovine mastitis results in significant economic losses for the dairy industry globally due to milk production losses and decreased herd efficiency. This research aimed to isolate, select, and characterize indigenous lactobacilli with probiotic properties. A total of 40 lactobacilli were isolated from healthy milk samples of cattle and identified at the species level through 16S rDNA sequencing. All isolates were initially screened for antimicrobial activity, and selected isolates underwent in vitro assessment of probiotic properties. Results Among the lactobacilli isolates, varying levels of activity (9 to 19 mm) against cattle mastitogens; Stapylococcus aureus ( Staph. aureus ), Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and Streptococcus dysgalactiae ( Strep. dysgalactiae ) were observed in the well diffusion assay. These isolates demonstrated auto-aggregation (ranging from 14.29 ± 0.96% to 62.11 ± 1.09%) and co-aggregate (ranging from 9.21 ± 0.14% to 55.74 ± 0.74%) with mastitogens after 2 h. Lactobacillus ( Lb. ) plantarum CM49 showed sensitivity to most antibiotics tested and exhibited strong inhibitory effects, with mean log10 reductions of 3.46 for Staph. aureus , 2.82 for E. coli , and 1.45 for Strep. dysgalactiae in co-culture experiments. Furthermore, Lb. plantarum CM49 significantly decreased the adhesion rate of mastitogens on the bovine mammary cell line and mouse model, demonstrating its potential effectiveness in preventing mastitis. Conclusion It is concluded that Lb. plantarum CM49 has remarkable probiotic potential with activity against cattle mastitogens in the laboratory and cell culture and competitively excludes mastitogens from bovine mammary cells and ameliorates Staph. aureus- induced mastitis in mice.

Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) severely impair rice growth, yield, and grain quality. This study assessed the role of exogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in mitigating Pb and Cd toxicity in aromatic rice ‘Guixiangzhan’. Treatments included the control (no Pb, Cd, or GABA), GABA (1 mM), Pb (800 mg/kg of soil)+GABA, Cd (75 mg/kg of soil)+GABA, Pb+Cd+GABA, Pb, Cd, and Pb+Cd without GABA. GABA improved chlorophyll and carotenoid, protein, proline and GABA contents whilst reducing oxidative stress under Pb/Cd toxicity. GABA application regulated antioxidant enzyme activities, net photosynthesis, and gas exchange, while its effects on nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase were variable. Compared with Pb+Cd, the grain yields were 34.03%, 31.94%, 15.88%, 24.86%, and 17.32% higher in (Pb, Cd, Pb+Cd)+GABA, Pb, and Cd treatments, respectively. Furthermore, GABA reduced Pb and Cd accumulation in aboveground parts, while Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn levels varied across treatments. Cd translocation was more from root-to-leaves, while Pb translocation was more from leaves-to-grains. Grain Pb and Cd positively correlated with their root, stem, and leaf contents but negatively with mineral nutrients. Overall, exogenous GABA mitigated Pb and Cd toxicity in aromatic rice.

Background Changing climate is causing erratic rainfall and prolonged drought periods, thus posing serious threats to crop productivity. Owing to severity of drought events, it is imperative to take proactive measures to enhance the resilience of drought sensitive crops like rice. Therefore, the present study was carried out to improve the drought stress tolerance in rice through gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) application. Methods The experiment was included four GABA concentrations i.e., 0 mM as control, 1 mM, 1.5 mM, and 2 mM, two water levels i.e., 100% and 50% field capacity (referred as FC100 for well-watered and FC50 for drought conditions, respectively), and two fragrant rice cultivars i.e., Super Basmati and Basmati-515. Results The findings unveiled a comprehensive improvement in various parameters with GABA application in fragrant rice under both well-watered (FC100) and water-limited (FC50) conditions, compared to the control. Specifically, GABA induced enhancements were observed in plant height, root length, fresh weight, dry weight, total soluble protein content, and total free amino acid content across both cultivars. Moreover, GABA application significantly improved peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities, alongside elevating anthocyanin levels, while concurrently reducing H 2 O 2 contents in both FC100 and FC50 treatments. Furthermore, the positive impact of GABA extended to morphological traits, with notable increases in panicle length, total tillers and productive tillers per hill, branch and grain numbers per panicle, and 1000-grain weight for Super Basmati and Basmati 515 cultivars under both water regimes, compared to Ck. Similarly, the grain yield increased by 31.01% and 27.32% under FC100 and 36.85% and 27.71% under FC50 in Super Basmati and Basmati-515, respectively, in response to GABA application, compared to Ck. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) revealed significant variances attributed to Dim1 and Dim2, with 86.1% and 4.0% of the variance, respectively, across three bi-plots encompassing rice cultivars, water levels, and GABA treatments. Notably, all tested indices, except for H 2 O 2 and non-productive tillers per hill, exhibited positive correlations amongst themselves and with rice yield, further emphasizing the beneficial effects of GABA application on fragrant rice under well-watered and drought conditions. Conclusions GABA significantly improved fragrant rice performance under both well-watered (FC100) and water-limited (FC50) conditions. Moreover, integrating GABA application into rice cultivation practices could not only improve the crop resilience to drought stress but also potentially benefiting the future food and nutritional security globally. However, however; further research is needed to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the functionality of GABA in fragrant rice, particularly under drought conditions.

Background Orthopaedic surgery remains one of the least gender-diverse medical specialties, with women making up a small fraction of practicing surgeons despite increasing female enrolment in medical schools. The “leaky pipeline” phenomenon describes the progressive loss of female trainees due to systemic barriers such as implicit bias, workplace discrimination, inequitable surgical training opportunities, and inadequate work-life balance policies. Understanding the factors contributing to female trainee attrition is essential for fostering gender equity in orthopaedic surgery. Main body Female orthopaedic trainees face unique challenges, including stereotypes that question their physical capability, limited access to mentorship and sponsorship, and an unsupportive workplace culture. Many report experiencing discrimination, microaggressions, and exclusion from leadership pathways. Additionally, disparities in surgical case assignments limit skill development and career advancement, further discouraging retention. Work-life balance remains a major concern, as rigid training schedules and insufficient parental leave policies force many female trainees to reconsider their career paths. These systemic barriers contribute to higher attrition rates and hinder efforts to diversify the orthopaedic workforce. To address these issues, institutions must implement targeted reforms. Formal mentorship and sponsorship programs can support female trainees in securing leadership roles and competitive fellowships. Equitable case distribution policies are necessary to ensure fair training opportunities. Institutional commitment to creating inclusive environments through bias training and zero-tolerance policies for discrimination can help improve retention. Additionally, introducing family-friendly policies, such as flexible scheduling and structured parental leave, can make orthopaedic surgery a more viable career choice for women. Early outreach initiatives should also be expanded to encourage female interest in the specialty. Conclusion Gender disparities in orthopaedic surgery persist due to longstanding systemic challenges. Without targeted interventions, the leaky pipeline will continue to exclude talented female surgeons, limiting diversity, innovation, and patient care. Institutional commitment to mentorship, equitable training opportunities, and supportive workplace policies is essential for retaining female trainees and achieving gender equity in orthopaedics. Addressing these barriers will ensure that success in the field is determined by skill and dedication rather than gender.