The development of improved biomaterials with regenerative and antibacterial properties is crucial for tissue healing, as wound infections continue to be a significant obstacle. This work used a rat excision wound model to examine the histological and antibacterial evaluations of an AgNP-HG wound-healing agent. Before being used in living organisms, silver nanoparticles were created, mixed with a biocompatible hydrogel and studied. AgNP-HG, blank hydrogel, conventional therapy (povidone-iodine), and untreated control were the four groups into which thirty-two Wistar rats were randomly assigned (n = 8 each). During the course of 21 days, we monitored the following: wound contraction, epithelialization period, microbiological burden, and histological alterations. Wound contraction was considerably improved in the group that received AgNP-HG treatment, reaching 91.8 ± 3.4% on day 14 and 99.2 ± 0.6% on day 21, in contrast to 72.6 ± 4.8% and 88.4 ± 3.1%, respectively, in the control group that did not get treatment (p < 0.001). In the group treated with AgNP-HG, the time it took for epithelialization to occur was 12.3 ± 1.1 days, while in the control group it was 18.7 ± 1.5 days. Quantitative microbiological analysis demonstrated a substantial reduction in bacterial load in the AgNP-HG-treated group, decreasing from 6.2 ± 0.4 to 2.1 ± 0.3 log CFU/g tissue by day 14. This corresponds to a 4.1 log10 reduction (approximately 12,500-fold or >99.99% decrease) compared to the control group (p < 0.01). Histopathological analysis of wounds treated with AgNP-HG showed low infiltration of inflammatory cells, increased neovascularization, enhanced fibroblast proliferation, dense collagen deposition and rapid reepithelialization. In comparison to the control group, the AgNP-HG group had significantly higher histological wound-healing scores (17.8 ± 1.2) (p < 0.001). Based on these results, hydrogel containing silver nanoparticles has great promise as a therapeutic dressing for the treatment of acute and chronic wounds, since it speeds up the healing process and reduces the risk of microbial contamination.
The study investigated serum Bcl2 protein levels in association with the BCL2 SNP rs2279115 genetic marker to identify its effect on the development of T2DM in patients. T2DM patients had low serum BCL-2 (22.59 ± 31.42 ng/mL vs. 42.22 ± 51.03 ng/mL; p = 0.023) and high insulin and HOMA-IR, with low HOMA-IS (p < 0.001). Though the CA genotype was more prevalent among the patients (48% vs. 20%), the AA genotype was more common among the controls (67%) than the patients (35%). Decrease BCL-2 expression were correlated with inherited susceptibility and higher T2DM risk with the C allele. The elevated frequency of the C allele in T2DM patients and its correlation to reduced Bcl-2 protein level to polymorphism rs2279115 has a functional effect on the regulation of apoptosis in patients. This result indicates that this genetic variant It may represent a genetic risk factor that increases an individual’s susceptibility to diabetes by weakening the mechanisms for â-cell survival in the pancreas.
Diarrhea is a common symptom in cats, and there are many causative agents, including giardia and this study was designed and conducted after providing suitable conditions and materials for experimental infections and animals monitoring throughout the study period to assess the clinical, immunological and histological status resulting from this experimental giardiasis in cats, compare the efficacy of kefir and metronidazole, and their combined therapy to observe improvements and the role of both probiotic and pharmacological treatment in improving the disease status and the pathological changes. An experimental giardiasis infection was created for the study, and the animals were then divided into five groups: a healthy group, an infected group that was left untreated, and the other three groups that received various treatments with Kefir, metronidazole and combined (kefir and metronidazole), respectively. In addition to evaluating immunological markers (IgA, IL-6, and IL-10) and conducting histological analyses of the small intestine, clinical signs were tracked every day. The therapeutic response of each group was evaluated in terms of reducing infection severity, improving clinical signs, enhancing the immune response, and histological recovery by comparing the study groups. The infected group also showed a slow progression of clinical symptoms, including lethargy, loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea. Continuous cases were associated with decline in overall health and persisting and persisting intestinal disorders, especially in untreated animals, where symptoms worsened with in the first few days of infection. Through the cases tracking, significant immunological differences were observed, indicating the development of an inflammatory response and impaired mucosal immunity, suggesting an active immune response. These immunological differences are caused by the infection. Compared to the healthy animal, histological study revealed significant pathological changes in the small intestine, such as intestinal villus damage, epithelial degeneration, increase immune infiltration, leading to an inflammatory state and decrease in intestinal tissue efficiency. The differences in therapeutic efficacy were clearly observed between groups. Kefir played a more prominent role than in metronidazole in intestinal healing by reducing inflammation, enhancing effective immunity, improving intestinal tissue integrity, which was reflected in improving clinical signs. However, the combination of kefir and metronidazole achieved the best results across various clinical, immunological and histological parameters. This demonstrates that probiotics and pharmacologic therapy have the most effective and complementary effect in combating the infection.
Medically, abortion is defined as the loss of a foetus before its full term, twenty weeks in the mother’s uterus, including types of abortions such as spontaneous abortion and recurrent miscarriage. There are many infections that cause the fetus to die. Enterococcus faecalis are gram-positive bacteria that are dangerous because they make biofilm, release toxins and enzymes, and have genes that make them resistant to antibiotics. They are also very resistant to chloroxylenol and chlorhexidine, which are common hospital disinfectants. A case-control study that comprised a total of one hundred specimens, fifty specimens from spontaneous abortions and fifty specimens from normal pregnancy outcomes (control group), was analyzed for Enterococcus faecalis prevalence and to investigate the distribution of the virulence gene cytolysin (cylA) in various age groups in women. Every specimen had positive cultures on differential culture media. All patients were positive for the cylA gene in Enterococcus faecalis and thirty percent. The control group’s healthy pregnant women evaluated the strains positively. for the cylA toxin when Enterococcus faecalis isolates were examined for the presence of the cylA gene. The results showed that there were notable variations in infection rates (P0.05) between the patient and control groups, especially in the age ranges of 23–28 and 29–34 years. The age range of 29–34 has the highest share in the patient group and the age group of 23–28 shows the highest percentage of infection in the control group. In conclusion, the efficiency of the cylA gene detection PCR assay assesses the difference in infection prevalence between the patient and control groups.
The environmental acidification and alkalinity have been posing a continuous threat to the survival of aquatic organisms. Several investigators have been conducted studies on various aspects of prawn; however, least information is available on the physiological and metabolic aspects pertaining to the prawn on acute exposure to altered pH media. In view of these lacunae and owing to the importance of the problem towards applied aquaculture farms, the present study has been under taken. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the effect of altered pH on the compensatory mechanisms of tissue metabolism in prawn Litopenaeus vannamei. The prawns, Litopenaeus vannamei were obtained from prawn hatcheries at Otturu, near Thummalapenta, Kavali, Nellore district Andhra Pradesh. They were maintained under laboratory conditions at room temperature (27.5°C±0.5°c) salinity (25ppm) pH (7.4±0.1) and exposed to 12hrs dark and 12 hours photoperiod. The prawns were fed daily with a standard commercial diet. The prawns of standard size and weight such as 6.0±0.5 gms were selected for the present study. After acclimatization to the laboratory condition, the prawns were divided into control (7.4±0.1), Acidic (6.5±0.1) and alkaline (9.0) for 24 hours (acute exposure). Then different parameters in protein metabolism has been studied. The soluble and structural protein levels were significantly decreased in muscle tissue of experimental prawn than control, indicate the possible elevation in proteolytic activity or their mobilization into other metabolic pathways. The free amino acid levels showed an altered patterns both pH media. In acidic medium they were elevated in muscle of prawn indicates their reduced breakdown or increased proteolytic activities. The elevated free amino acid content supports their active participation in the osmotic and ionic activities under imposed acidic stress. The free amino acid content was decreased in muscle tissue on exposure to alkaline medium, which envisages their active mobilization into deamination reaction. The AAT and ALAT activities were significantly elevated in muscle tissue on exposure to acidic and alkaline media. The rate of increase was greater in the alkaline medium than in acidic medium. The elevated activities might be due to increased transamination reaction under imposed pH stress.
The genetics behind this condition provides significant insight into its pathology and is the result of various influences. Genetic changes (SNPs) on two transcription factors (i.e. genes that regulate cell function) KLF14 (rs4731702, C/ T) and TCF7L2 (rs7903146, C/T) associated with how well your pancreas functions and produces insulin (and therefore diabetes). Researchers have shown that the SNPs associated with these genes can increase the likelihood of T2DM among various populations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether these SNPs are associated with increased or decreased risk of T2DM in a case-control (compared for age and gender) group of subjects. Blood DNA was extracted and genotyped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tetra- and ARMS techniques. Genotype and allele frequencies were calculated and differences between case and control were assessed using chi-square tests for statistical significance with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) being calculated according to codominant, dominant, recessive and over dominant modes of inheritance/ testing styles. The threshold for significance was determined to be P< 0.05. In association with the KLF14 gene, the TCF7L2 gene and TCF7L2 genotypes (for T2DM patients v. controls) as measured by genotype frequencies show that the CT genotype of rs4731702 (KLF14) is present at a statistically significant higher rate among T2DM patients (42.17% v. 14.06%, respectively) with an OR = 4.456 (95% CI: 1.9459–10.2042, P = 0.0004). Testing using the dominant inheritance model (CTTT v. CC) also provided evidence of increased T2DM risk for T2DM patients (OR = 4.2648 [95% CI: 2.0694–8.7895; P = 0.0001]). Evaluation of the T allele frequency for T2DM patients (35.54%) v. T2DM controls (16.41% OR = 2.8095 [95% CI: 1.5959–4.9459; P = 0.0003]) provided evidence that one would be at increased risk of developing T2DM. For TCF7L2 rs7903146 there was a statistically significant lack of the CT genotype among T2DM patients (59.04% v. 18.75%; OR = 6.2451 [95% CI: 2.9057– 13.4222; P = 0.0001) meaning that individuals with CC genotype would likely develop T2DM. Further confirmation that individuals will develop T2DM with a CT genotype is evidence that TT genotype provides statistically significant protection against developing T2DM (OR = 0.1414 [95% CI: 0.06669–0.2998; P = 0.0001). Lastly, individuals with at least one C allele with rs7903146 would have a higher risk of developing T2DM when compared to the individual with the T allele. The OR was 2.6083 (95% CI: 1.6037–4.2421; P = 0.0001). Hence, the evidence supports genetic mapping of potential new drugs aimed at treating T2DM could be possible. In conclusion, the results indicate a significant relationship between KLF14 rs4731702 and TCF7L2 rs7903146 gene polymorphisms and T2DM risk, with increased risk for those with a heterozygous CT genotype in both genes and a decreased risk for those with the TCF7L2 TT genotype. Thus, we confirm these polymorphisms as potential genetic markers for T2DM risk, and further support the idea that transcriptional dysregulation contributes to the etiology of T2DM.
This study was conducted to determine the cytotoxic activity of nanocurcumin-vincristine combination against HL-60 cell lines. Firstly, Curcuma longa rhizomes was extracted using ethanol (99.9%) and curcumin was partially purified from this ethanolic extract. Then, nanocurcumin was prepared chemically using sol-gel method and was characterized using AFM. SEM, UV-VIS and FTIR tests and results appeared that nanocurcumin was spherical in shape with average diameter 68.86 nm. After that, the cytotoxic effect of each of curcumin, nanocurcumin, vincristine and nanocurcumin-vincristine combination were detected by MTT assay and results showed that all compounds exhibited high cytotoxic effect against cancer cells and relatively low effect of normal cell. Finally, the HCS, ROS, cell cycle arrest and caspase 8 and caspase 9 assay was evaluated for nanocurcumin-vincristine combination and all results appeared the potent impact of nanocurcumin-vincristine combination on leukemia cells.
Sociocultural diversity in India, provides a unique context for human-wildlife conflict, which is driven by intensifying competition for resources between human populations and wildlife. This study focuses on the comparative analysis of community perceptions towards human-wildlife conflict (HWC) in the eastern and western foothills of Himalayas managed under different administrative frameworks: Haridwar in Uttarakhand and Jalpaiguri in West Bengal. Using a mean dataset of 70 survey items from 600 respondents (300 respondents from both states), we employed Pearson and Spearman correlations alongside Bayesian inference which revealed a high degree of landscape-level synchrony (Spearman’s =0.714), suggesting that systemic ecological pressures like habitat fragmentation are consistent in both the region. However, significant divergence was noted in the climate driven conflict in Uttarakhand with higher scores for water scarcity. The study also found that significant polarization (r=0.631) exists regarding severity issues, which shows the impact of the conflict is not uniform within the communities. Bayesian multi-group models identified West Bengal males as the group perceiving the highest conflict intensity (Posterior M=3.82). The males in both states showed higher results than females, highlighting the intersectional nature of HWC exposure. These findings suggest that while the ecological drivers of HWC are consistent across both the local mitigation measures should be socially tailored to address gendered and regional disparities.
Listeria monocytogenes is one of the most fatal pathogens of public health significance worldwide. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of listeria antigens in meat and poultry products in Baghdad using listeria ELISA kit. A total of 400 samples (200 meat; 100 beef and 100 lamb, and 200 poultry) were evaluated from three major sources; butcher shops, poultry retail shops and major supermarkets and central markets. Genotyping using PCR and antibiotic sensitivity testing were carried out on the positive samples. A total of 8.25% or 33 samples proved the presence of L. monocytogenes with a confidence interval of 5.66 to 11.42% using the 95% confidence interval. The prevalence was significantly different between these two broader categories. The prevalence varied based on location of sampling (p>0.05), with the highest contamination rate observed in samples from poultry retail shops, followed by butcher shops and supermarkets. The predominance of serogroup IIa (54.5%) as well as IVb (27.3%) is a major finding of the genotyping results. Tetracycline resistance was identified in the 36.4% (12/33) of the isolates. The resistance to erythromycin and erythromycin-trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was 12.1% (4/33) and 9.1% (3/33), respectively. Three isolates (9.1%) had multiple drug resistance to 3 antibiotic classes. These isolates (two of them are poultry and one of them red meat) were serogroup IIa (n=2) and IVb (n=1). They were resistant to tetracycline, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin resistance/doxycycline resistance. It can be ascertained that the current work fills an imperative data gap in identifying that L. monocytogenes is a common contaminant in the Iraqi meat chain, with a higher risk associated with poultry.
The search for highly selective medicinal substances that lessen toxicity to healthy cells, while combating malignant cells is one of the most important modern trends in cancer treatment. This study’s objective was to assess the cytotoxic and anti-cancer effects of Staphylococcus aureus and propolis extract separately and in combination on the lines of HDFn (normal cells) and HK-1 (nasopharyngeal cancer cells), with IC50 values to be determined and synergistic effect analysis between them. The results of the MTT test showed that propolis extract had a dose-dependent toxic effect, with the vitality of HK1 cells decreased from 88.73% at a concentration of 25 µg/ml to 40.62% at 400 µg/ml, compared to a smaller reduction in normal cells (from 96.18% to 71.72%). The IC50 value of propolis in HK-1 cells was about 95.58 µg/ml, demonstrating remarkable and selective inhibitory efficacy towards cancer cells. S. aureus showed a clear toxic effect, with the vitality of HK1 cells decreasing to 51.42% at the highest concentration (1×106 cells/mL), compared to 73.64% in HDFn cells, indicating a higher sensitivity of cancer cells to bacterial agents. Remarkably, the combined treatment (propolis + bacteria) showed a strong synergistic effect, with the vitality of HK-1 cells decreasing to 37.96%, which is lower than the effect produced by each individual agent, while the vitality of normal cells remained at 73.84%. The IC50 value of the mixture was recorded at 188,745 cells/mL in HK-1 compared to 548,452 cells/mL in HDFn, confirming high selectivity. These results show that the combination of propolis and S. aureus products significantly enhances selective toxicity via synergistic mechanisms, making it a promising candidate for the development of innovative anti-cancer therapeutic strategies.
Freshwater fish are important for both ecosystems and people, but their health is increasingly affected by parasites and poor water quality. The present study investigates the prevalence and pathological impact of cestode parasites in Mastacembelus armatus, collected from selected freshwater bodies of the Sagar district, Madhya Pradesh, India, to understand how cestode (tapeworm) infections impact on fish health. Researchers used a complete approach that included parasite identification, tissue analysis under a microscope, advanced scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with elemental analysis (EDS), blood and biochemical tests. The results showed that the parasites have specialized structures to attach to the fish’s intestine and absorb nutrients. Infected fish showed clear signs of tissue damage in their intestine, liver, and gills such as inflammation, cell death, and tissue breakdown. SEM-EDS analysis revealed surface damage and the presence of heavy metals in the affected organs. Blood tests showed anemia and stress-related changes, including low hemoglobin and red blood cell levels, and increased ALT and AST. The water quality in fish habitats was found to be poor, with high levels of temperature and low oxygen conditions that make fish more vulnerable to infections. This study shows that environmental pollution and parasite infections together harm fish health. It highlights the need for regular parasite checkup and better water management to protect freshwater fish and their habitats.
Earthworms, particularly Eisenia fetida, are key bioindicator organisms for testing the toxicity of chemicals in soils. Chlorpyrifos, a widely used contact organophosphate insecticide, is applied against numerous insect pests of crops and vegetables. This study focused on the effects of Chlorpyrifos toxicity on E. fetida behaviour, survival and composting efficiency by determining the LC50 (Lethal Concentration 50) value, and evaluating the residual effect of Chlorpyrifos in cauliflower waste and on E. fetida using HPLC. The methodology involved a standard 14-day acute toxicity tests and a 30-day composting efficiency test, in accordance with the OECD guidelines. The lethal concentration determined using Probit analysis yielded a critical LC50 value of 0.434 mg/kg. Surviving earthworms consistently displayed weight loss and changes in body coloration and their activity became slow as days passed by. In the composting efficiency test using pre-digested cauliflower waste, 100% mortality occurred rapidly, within two to three minutes of introduction. Earthworms exhibited severe shock, agitated and restless movement, coiling, curling, and bulging/swelling of the clitellum and body. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis confirmed the presence of residual Chlorpyrifos in the cauliflower waste samples and the tissue samples of the earthworm. The highest Chlorpyrifos concentration was detected in fresh cauliflower waste (5,837 mg/L at 218 nm). Dead earthworm tissues exposed to high Chlorpyrifos mixed soil (0.5 mg/kg) accumulated high levels, up to 2,443 mg/L at 218 nm and 2,711 mg/L at 250 nm.
Cytokines serve as critical mediators of immune responses and their regulation is highly sensitive to external stressors. This study investigated the modulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, TNF- and IL-1) across different biological In leishmania infected rats. Liver, spleen and serum samples were analyzed for cytokine concentrations across three time points under various exposure doses (25, 50 and 100 million pro mastigote). The study revealed a complex interplay between localized tissue activity and systemic regulation. Anti-inflammatory IL-10 showed sharp hepatic increases at 25 million promastigote and 100 million promastigote, indicating rapid activation of tissue-protective pathways. Conversely, pro-inflammatory TNF- and IL-1 exhibited robust, dose-dependent activation, particularly in the liver and spleen at high doses (100 million pro mastigote). The findings demonstrate that cytokine responses are highly compartmentalized and influenced by both dose intensity and exposure duration, shifting between inflammatory activation and immunosuppressive phases.
Aspergillus spores generally enter the lung gradually; nevertheless, due to human immunity, the spores cause a range of infectious, allergy, and respiratory diseases. Aspergillosis is more common in people who have severe immunodeficiency. The purpose of this study is to genotype Aspergillus species recovered from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens. Lavage samples were cultivated on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar SDA and a small piece of mycelia was subjected to DNA extraction, Synthesis and sequencing of Internal transcribed Spaser ITS, bioinformatics analysis, and Aspergillus species genotyping. In Lung Lavage, novel strains of A. terreus, A. sydowii, A. niger and A. tubingensis were discovered. Many homozygous and heterozygous mutations were common frequently in the same site of sequence. It has been discovered that several genotypes were displayed in Aspergillus species based on sequencing comparison with reference strains stored in Genbank and the pulmonary Aspergillosis with A.sydowii, A. terreus, A. tubingensis and A. niger have been reported for the first time.
Plants are the core materials in the traditional medicines. Global population is vastly utilizing plant-derived medicines in concern to the safety and affordability. In the performed study, the aqueous extract of O. sennoides leaves were screening for phyto-contents that conveyed alkaloids, quinones, tannins, cardiac glycosides, phenols, saponins, flavonoids and carbohydrates. The antioxidant studies conveyed stupendous radical scavenging performance that included 65.76% of DPPH inhibition, 73.74% of nitric oxide inhibition, 78.42% of ABTS inhibition and 64.26% of hydroxyl radical inhibition. Bovine serum denaturation inhibition assay conveyed 77.50% of inhibition in the denaturation of albumin by the O. sennoides leaf aqueous extract. The fungi such as Rhizopus oryzae, Trichophyton rubrum, Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans were inhibited by the aqueous leaf extract of O. sennoides at 60 µg/mL dose with maximum inhibitory zone for Candida albicans (18.5 ± 0.66 mm). In the antibacterial assay, it was clear that the leaf extract demonstrated dose-related bactericidal activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa as well as Streptococcus mutans with 22.2 ± 0.75 mm and 17.7 ± 0.56 mm as inhibition zone. The present result showed that the leaf extract of O. sennoides Produced important chemical profile and tested their bioactivity including antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal, which is proved to be effective.
Perimenopause is linked to hormonal changes and oxidative stress that hinder reproductive function. This research examined the protective effects of Urtica dioica extract on oxidative stress indicators and the expression of GnRH-I and GnRH-II genes in a VCD-induced perimenopausal rat model. Forty adult female Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups (n=10 per group): Control, VCD, Urtica dioica and VCD + Urtica dioica. VCD (160 mg/kg/day, solubilized in maize oil) and/or Urtica dioica extract (100 mg/kg/day) were supplied orally for a duration of 20 days. The overall duration of the experiment was 52 days. Markers of oxidative stress (GSH, MDA) were evaluated, and the expression of GnRH-I and GnRHII genes was quantified using qPCR. VCD markedly decreased GSH levels and elevated MDA levels, accompanied by the elevation of GnRH-I and GnRH-II expression (p<0.05). Treatment with Urtica dioica markedly enhanced antioxidant measures and normalized GnRH gene expression (p<0.05). Urtica dioica demonstrates protective benefits against oxidative stress and regulates GnRH gene expression, indicating possible therapeutic applications in perimenopausal circumstances.
Gram-positive bacteria lack a key component of their outer membrane, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which acts as an effective physical barrier against environmental threats and serves as an endotoxin and major structural component in Gram-negative bacteria. The results showed that LPS stimulation elicits diverse host immune responses to Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella, Klebsiella), reflecting significant differences between experimental groups and across time periods, as well as to Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus, Streptococcus). Significant increases in CD14 and TLR4 levels were observed in both the Gram-negative and LPS-stimulated groups, indicating activation of the classical CD14-TLR4 signaling axis associated with LPS recognition. In response to pathogens, particularly with regard to T and B cell activation, IL-21 and IL40 levels showed marked changes reflecting the interconnectivity of innate and adaptive immunity. Overall, these results confirm that anti- bacterial immune response, particularly Gram-negative bacteria via LPS, begins with the activation of pattern recognition receptors (CD14 and TLR4) followed by the stimulation of the cytokine network (IL-21 and IL-40), leading to effective coordination between innate and adaptive immunity.
Helicobacter pylori remains one of the most prevalent human pathogens worldwide, causing chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers and gastric malignancies. Genetic variations in innate immune receptors, particularly TLR4, have been proposed to influence the host immune response and susceptibility to infection; however, results remain inconsistent across populations. This paper aimed to investigate the potential association of TLR4 gene polymorphisms (rs4986791 and rs4986790) and the susceptibility to H. pylori-induced peptic ulcer disease in Iraqi patients. Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood and genotyped using allele-specific primers. DNA purity and concentration were verified using NanoDrop spectrometry. Genotype and allele frequencies were compared between the H.pylori positive and negative groups using chi-square and haplotype analysis. No statistically significant association was observed between rs4986790 or rs4986791 (P > 0.05). However, carriers of the A-T haplotype showed a non-statistically significant trend toward increased risk (odds ratio 2.36, P = 0.117). Taken together, these results suggest that TLR4 polymorphisms may not exert a significant independent influence on H. pylori susceptibility in the Iraqi cohort studied. However, potential cumulative or genetic interactions should not be ruled out. Future large scale, multicenter studies that integrate genetic, bacterial, and host environmental factors are needed to clarify these associations.
Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary is located in eastern-central Bihar. It is known for its rich biodiversity and healthy population of Gangetic Dolphin. In the present study three extensive surveys were carried out during July to Dec 2025 in whole stretch of the sanctuary and adjoining areas, to document the avifauna. Altogether, a total of 126 species belonging to 17 orders and 44 families were observed in all three surveys. A total of 34 species (26.98%) were migratory birds comprised of winter migratory ducks, waders and short-distance migrants. A total of 43 species (34.13%) were songbirds while most of the birds (83 species; 65.87%) belong to non-passerines groups. A few species could not be identified due to inadequate observation, while a number of interesting and uncommon species were also observed. It includes the sightings of interesting species such as Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus, Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus, Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius, Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax, Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus and Small Pratincole Glareola lactea. Habitat degradation and natural resource harvesting are the major threats for the sustainability of avifauna of this area.
Increasing accumulation of poultry feathers poses significant environmental and economic challenges, while they can represent valuable biomaterials simultaneously. This study explores an efficient and sustainable approach to convert chicken feather keratin (CFK) and citrus peel pectin (CPP) into a biodegradable composite. Keratin from poultry feathers was extracted by alkali hydrolysis and pectin from citrus peel through acid-assisted extraction. The maximum yield of 87.3 and 31.6 % was obtained in keratin and pectin extraction, respectively. Films were prepared from these biopolymers separately, and a composite film was prepared by blending both polymers with glycerol and NaOH in specific proportions. They were tested for physical, mechanical, and biodegradation properties. The keratin film exhibited a tensile strength of 6.34 ± 0.46 MPa, Young’s modulus of 8.94 ± 0.15 MPa, and elongation at break of 77.15 ± 0.39%, whereas the pectin film showed values of 9.53 ± 0.62 MPa, 17.53 ± 0.50 MPa, and 59.25 ± 0.19%, respectively. The composite film displayed intermediate tensile strength (8.40 ± 0.40 MPa) and Young’s modulus (13.33 ± 0.14 MPa), while maintaining good flexibility (68.19 ± 0.52%), indicating a balanced combination of mechanical properties. All films were insoluble in water, partially soluble in acetic acid (47.84–54.12%) and hydrochloric acid (67.99–77.18%), and nearly completely soluble in sulpfuric acid (96.09–100%). Biodegradation studies showed 99.72–100% mass loss in compost soil and 81.63–88.72% in natural soil after 15 days. Among the tested formulations, the keratin–pectin composite film demonstrated the most favorable balance of strength, flexibility and biodegradability, suggesting its promising application for further development as a biodegradable packaging material. This waste valorization strategy supports sustainable material development through circular bioeconomy principles.
