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The present study was carried out in Hayat Abad Industrial Estate located in Peshawar to assess the levels of cadmium (Cd) that were present in the soil as well as the plant parts (Roots and shoots). To evaluate the phytoremediation potential of the plants different factors i.e. Bioconcentration Factor (BCF), Translocation Factor (TF), and Bioaccumulation Coefficient were determined. These plants were grown in their native habitats (BAC). We have analysed, cadmium concentration from soil which are collected from 50 different locations ranged from 11.54 mg/Kg (the lowest) to 89.80 mg/Kg (highest). The maximum concentration (89.80 mg/Kg) of cadmium was found in HIE-ST-16L Marble City and HIE-ST-7 Bryon Pharma (88.51 mg/Kg) while its minimum concentration (12.47 mg/Kg) were detected in the soil of Site (HIE-ST-14L Royal PVC Pipe) and (11.54 mg/Kg) at the site (HIE-ST-11 Aries Pharma). Most plant species showed huge potential for plant based approaches like phyto-extraction and phytoremediation. They also showed the potential for phyto-stabilization as well. Based on the concentration of cadmium the most efficient plants for phytoextraction were Cnicus benedictus, Parthenium hysterophorus, Verbesina encelioides, Conyza canadensis, Xanthium strumarium, Chenopodium album, Amaranthus viridis, Chenopodiastrum murale, Prosopis juliflora, Convolvulus arvensis, Stellaria media, Arenaria serpyllifolia, Cerastium dichotomum, Chrozophora tinctoria, Mirabilis jalapa, Medicago polymorpha, Lathyrus aphaca, Dalbergia sissoo, Melilotus indicus and Anagallis arvensis. The cadmium heavy metals in the examined soil were effectively removed by these plant species. Cerastium dichotomum, and Chenopodium murale were reported to be effective in phyto-stabilizing Cd based on concentrations of selected metals in roots and BCFs, TFs, and BACs values. Resumo O presente estudo foi realizado em Hayat Abad Industrial Estate, localizado em Peshawar, para avaliar os níveis de cádmio (Cd) que estavam presentes no solo, bem como nas partes da planta (raízes e brotos). Para avaliar o potencial de fitorremediação das plantas foram determinados diferentes fatores, ou seja, Fator de Bioconcentração (BCF), Fator de Translocação (TF) e Coeficiente de Bioacumulação. Essas plantas foram cultivadas em seus habitats nativos (BAC). Analisamos a concentração de cádmio do solo coletada em 50 locais diferentes, variando de 11,54 mg/Kg (o mais baixo) a 89,80 mg/Kg (o mais alto). A concentração máxima (89,80 mg/Kg) de cádmio foi encontrada em HIE-ST-16L Marble City e HIE-ST-7 Bryon Pharma (88,51 mg/Kg) enquanto sua concentração mínima (12,47 mg/Kg) foi detectada no solo do local (HIE-ST-14L Royal PVC Pipe) e (11,54 mg/Kg) no local (HIE-ST-11 Aries Pharma). A maioria das espécies de plantas mostrou um enorme potencial para abordagens baseadas em plantas, como fitoextração e fitorremediação. Eles também mostraram o potencial de fitoestabilização. Com base na concentração de cádmio, as plantas mais eficientes para fitoextração foram Cnicus benedictus, Parthenium hysterophorus, Verbesina encelioides, Conyza canadensis, Xanthium strumarium, Chenopodium album, Amaranthus viridis, Chenopodiastrum murale, Prosopis juliflora, Convolvulus arvensis, Stellaria media, Arenaria serpyllifolia, Cerastium dichotomum, Chrozophora tinctoria, Mirabilis jalapa, Medicago polymorpha, Lathyrus aphaca, Dalbergia sissoo, Melilotus indicus e Anagallis arvensis. Os metais pesados de cádmio no solo examinado foram efetivamente removidos por essas espécies de plantas. Cerastium dichotomum e Chenopodium murale foram relatados como eficazes na fitoestabilização do Cd com base nas concentrações de metais selecionados nas raízes e nos valores de BCFs, TFs e BACs.

A series of new 5-(arylidene/heteroarylidene)-2-(morpholinoimino)-3-phenylthiazolidin-4-ones (3–30) was synthesized. Cytotoxic effectiveness of these products was done against three cancerous cell lines (MCF-7, HepG-2, and SKOV-3) by standard SRB method. Fortunately, compounds 5, 7, 11, 12, 17, and 18 were found to be the most active against all the tested cell lines, comparable to doxorubicin. Apoptosis was determined using flow cytometry along with cell cycle analysis and supported by a molecular docking. The products 5, 7, and 12 induced a significant early-and late-apoptotic effect against all tumor cells while the products 5, 7, 11, and 12 significantly arrested all cancer cells in the S and G2 phases. Finally, a molecular docking was attempted to investigate the binding mode of the identified compounds 5 and 7 in with VEGFR-2-KDR receptor.

Waddah M AlAlmaei Asiri,1 Ayed A Shati,2 Saleh M Al-Qahtani,2 Youssef A Al-Qahtani,2 Mohammed S Aldarami,3 Fahad D Alamri,4 Huda S Alshahrani,5 Syed Esam Mahmood6 1Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Child Health, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Surgery, King Abdullah Hospital, Bisha, Saudi Arabia; 4College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Psychiatry, Abha Psychiatric Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Ayed A Shati, Department of Child Health, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 641, Abha, Saudi Arabia, Email shatiayed@gmail.comBackground: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects young children in social relatedness and communication besides other characteristics. A community’s awareness and early intervention services in diagnosing and treating autistic children are essential for preventing the expected complications, eg language delay, social interaction, and intellectual ability.Aim: To assess the parent’s knowledge and perceptions regarding autism and its associated clinical features and effects.Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted targeting all available parents aged 18 years or more living in Aseer region. Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire from randomly selected parents who attended outpatient clinics at Abha Maternity and Children Hospital and Aseer Central Hospital. Parents’ knowledge regarding autism was assessed covering general knowledge, clinical features, social effects, consequences, and curability.Results: A total of 477 parents participated. Parents’ ages ranged from 18 to 85 years. 261 (54.7%) parents were male and 216 (45.3%) were females. Nearly 65.6% of parents were university graduates and 28.3% had a secondary level of education. About 50.9% of the parents know that genetics play a major role in causing autism, 69.6% think that most children with autism have special talents or abilities, 64.2% know that delayed language development is one of the main symptoms of autism, 61.2% also know that repetitive movements of the hands and head are a common symptom of autism. About 36.9% of parents think that diagnosing a child with autism will lead to discrimination against the child, 33.3% of parents think that autism is a rare condition in this country compared to the West.Conclusion: The study showed that parents had poor knowledge levels regarding autism and its related clinical features, especially male parents with low levels of education. On the other hand, their perception of the disease and its frequency in the study area was satisfactory.Keywords: autism, children, parents, awareness, perception, Aseer, Saudi Arabia

We report the preparation and cytotoxicity of two new eugenol derivatives that contain 1,3,4-oxadiazole, as novel inhibitors of thymidylate synthase; these derivatives are shown to be promising chemotherapeutic agents.

This study was carried out for microscopically and molecularly detection of Giardia duodenalis (G. duodenalis) in lambs of Wasit province, Iraq, during October 2020 to March 2021. An overall 120, 100 diarrheic and 20 non-diarrheic, lambs of different ages and sexes were subjected for sampling the fresh fecal samples that tested by light microscope as well as by the PCR assay. Additionally, venous blood samples were collected to evaluate the parameters of hematology, serum minerals and total protein. Of 120 fecal samples, 3 (2.5%) were positive by light microscopy and 19 (15.83%) were positive by PCR assay. The positive samples of microscopy and PCR were detected in diarrheic feces only. Also, microscopically positive samples were observed only in fecal smears stained with Giemsa. For hematology, although the findings of total RBCs, PCV, Hb, MCV, MCH and MCHC revealed no significant differences (P>0.05) in their values, platelets were reduced significantly reduction (P£0.41) in positive lambs by microscopy. For serum minerals, the concentration of K was reduced significantly (P£0.018) in positive lambs by microscopy and positive lambs by PCR assay when compared to negatives; however, no significant variation (P>0.05) were seen in values of Na, chloride and total protein. In conclusion, positive findings of PCR revealed a significant association between Giardia infection and diarrhea. It emphasized that fecal samples of diarrheic lambs should be tested 3-4 times to avoid false-negative results due to intermittent excretion. Our findings confirmed effective role of PCR in diagnosis of infection. Hence, biomolecular methods are of great importance in clinical and epidemiological surveys. In addition, molecular classification tools are important to understand the pathogenesis and host range of Giardia isolates derived from a variety of animals and human.

Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) produced from Ageratum conyzoides leaves extract, as well as their antifungal effectiveness against a variety of plant pathogens were investigated. Absorption peaks at 3674, 3264, 2980, 2940, 2096, 1739, 1545, 1370, 1080 and 700 cm−1 were recorded for the formed nanoparticles using FTIR analysis. According to SEM, XRD and UV spectroscopy results, nanoparticles have spherical and semi- spherical shape, size of 34 to 205 nm with a resonance wavelength at 460 nm. Ageratum conyzoides-AgNPs showed moderate antifungal activity against Penicillium expansum, Macrophomina phaseolina, Alternaria alternata, Drechslera halodes and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici. The fabricated NPs from leaves of A. conyzoides can be applied as antifungal agent. Bangladesh J. Bot. 51(3): 439-444, 2022 (September)

This study presents a green protocol for the fabrication of a multifunctional smart nanobiocomposite (NBC) (ZnO-PIACSB-TiO2) for secure antimicrobial and antibiofilm applications. First, shrimp shells were upgraded to a polyimidazolium amphiphilic chitosan Schiff base (PIACSB) through a series of physicochemical processes. After that, the PIACSB was used as an encapsulating and coating agent to manufacture a hybrid NBC in situ by co-encapsulating ZnONPs and TiO2NPs. The physicochemical and visual characteristics of the new NBC were investigated by spectral, microscopic, electrical, and thermal methods. The antimicrobial indices revealed that the newly synthesized, PIACSB-coated TiO2–ZnO nanocomposite is an exciting antibiotic due to its amazing antimicrobial activity (MIC/MBC→0.34/0.68 μg/mL, 0.20/0.40 μg/mL, and 0.15/0.30 μg/mL working against S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa, respectively) and antifungal capabilities. Additionally, ZnO-PIACSB-TiO2 is a potential fighter of bacterial biofilms, with the results being superior to those of the positive control (Cipro), which worked against S. aureus (only 8.7% ± 1.9 biofilm growth), E. coli (only 1.4% ± 1.1 biofilm growth), and P. aeruginosa (only 0.85% ± 1.3 biofilm growth). Meanwhile, the NBC exhibits excellent biocompatibility, as evidenced by its IC50 values against both L929 and HSF (135 and 143 µg/mL), which are significantly higher than those of the MIC doses (0.24–24.85 µg/mL) that work against all tested microbes, as well as the uncoated nanocomposite (IC50 = 19.36 ± 2.04 and 23.48 ± 1.56 µg/mL). These findings imply that the new PIACSB-coated nanocomposite film may offer promising multifunctional food packaging additives to address the customer demand for safe, eco-friendly food products with outstanding antimicrobial and antibiofilm capabilities.

Malposition of the branch pulmonary arteries (MBPA) is an unusual malformation characterised by anomalous origin of both pulmonary arteries from the main pulmonary trunk. To date, only few cases have been reported. Herein, we present the first case report of a 3-day-old, full-term male neonate with the lesser form of crossed pulmonary arteries in Saudi Arabia detected by echocardiography and confirmed by cardiac CT. Crossed pulmonary arteries is not a rare anomaly, but it is a somewhat underreported anomaly, and their recognition is important because it is usually associated with other CHDs, airway obstruction, extra-cardiac anomalies, and certain genetic syndromes.

Background: Diabetes mellitus cause wide spectrum of ophthalmic complications including cataract and glaucoma. Pseudo exfoliation (PEX), although it is an age related,can lead to the development of glaucoma (secondary open angle glaucoma), but the exact mechanism is not well understood, and was described to be associated with different causes like ethnic, genetic, environmental and other organic causes, and a controversy exist about its relation with diabetes mellitus. Aim: To the impact or the association of state of diabetes mellitus with psudoexfoliation (PEX) and open angle glaucoma (OAG). Methodology: This is an observational descriptive cross sectional, case control study included; 214 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients aged 45–72 years, and 214 as control non diabetic persons attending The Specialized Center for Endocrinology and Diabetes – Baghdad, the capital of Iraq between May2020– Jan 2021. Results: Of the 214 diabetic patients 66 (30.84%) were having PEX, versus 12(5.6%), in the control group, with p value < 0,001, and of these 66 patients 44(67.5%) were females and 22 (32.5%) males with ratio 2:1, p value non-significant. Mean age for PEX group was 40.36 ± 4.2 SD, versus 52.43±3.2 SD in non-PEX, with significant p value.

Some growth biomarkers of germinated pea (Pisum sativum L.) using 1% yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae Meyen ex E.C. Hansen) extract was investigated. Seeds of pea were cultivated in the clay soil and irrigated by 1% yeast extract and/or foliar spray for 20 days. The highest values of 49 kDa apyrase, NTP, ADP substrate analysis, amino acids content, protein content and photosynthetic pigments were recorded from an addition of yeast extract to the soil along with foliar spray. NTP and ADP substrate activities analysis in the leaves were found to increase between 11.69 and 0.13%, 49 kDa gene expression between 15.77 and 0.86%, amino acids and protein contents between 40.15 and 2.85% and photosynthetic pigments between7.80 and 1.54%, when yeast extract was added to the soil or/and in the form of foliar spray then effect was more than the untreated control. Yeast extract may be used as a natural bio-fertilizer instead of harmful synthetic chemicals. Bangladesh J. Bot. 51(2): 255-262, 2022 (June)

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) used in this study were prepared from Ziziphus jujuba Mill. aqueous pericarp extract. Potent antibacterial activity was recorded from AgNPs–Z. jujuba pericarp against P. Pseudomonas aeruginosa > K. Klebsiella pneumoniae > M. Micrococcus luteus > S. Staphylococcus aureus > P. Proteus mirabilis > S. Shigella flexneri. Less antifungal activity was found against phytopathogenic fungi with inhibition efficacy of P. Penicillium expansum > M. Macrophomina phaseolina > A. Alternaria alternata > D. Drechslera halodes, F. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. UV-Vis spectral analysis of formed AgNPs– Z. jujuba was recorded at 450 nm and three characteristic diffraction peaks observed at 2Φ =38.235, 43.95 and 64.42. FTIR patterns were located in the region of 4000–400 cm−1 and AgNPs particle size were noticed in between 20 and 71 nm with spherical shape embedded in bio-materials. These findings indicate that AgNPs–Z. jujuba pericarp aqueous extract could be utilized to control various bacterial infections to human and as well as against phytopathogenic fungi. Bangladesh J. Bot. 51(2): 305-312, 2022 (June)

PRUNE 1- related disorder, is a neurodevelopmental problem characterized by microcephaly, hypotonia, and variable central nervous system abnormalities, it is a unique uncommon autosomal recessive disease caused by a homozygous or compound heterozygous mutation in the PRUNE1 gene on chromosome 1q21.4. Here we report a 15 months old girl who presented with characteristic features compatible with Prune syndrome informed of severe developmental delay, progressive microcephaly, hypertelorism, micrognathia and low set ears. The neurological evaluation revealed profound central hypotonia and spastic limbs with increased deep tendon reflexes. At the age of 15 months, she became more flaccid, with multiple hospitalizations because of recurrent aspiration, refractory seizure and severe gastroesophageal reflux disease. Eye examination showed severe optic atrophy. Further molecular genetic analysis revealed a homozygous variant c.383G>A – P(Arg128Gln)-chr1:150997134.

Background Viscum orientale is a largely used parasitic plant with traditional medicinal properties. They are considered to possess the medicinal properties of host tree which they grow on. It’s a least explored plant with ethanopharmacological importance. As a result, the current work aimed to investigate the biological effects of Viscum orientale extract and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) generated from it. Methods AgNPs synthesized using Viscum orientale plant extract and analysed on time dependent series and was characterized using Ultra Violet UV–visible spectra, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Further using disc method anti-microbial assay was performed following antioxidation screening using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), reducing power and nitric oxide content and heamgglutination with human blood. Results On green synthesis using silver, the phyto contituents of plant Viscum orientale effectively reduced silver ions at 3-4 h of continuous stirring to form AgNPs. UV–vis spectra showed a typical peak of AgNPs at 480 nm. The FTIR analysis confirmed the covering of silver layers to bio-compounds of the extract. SEM analysis represented AgNPs as spherical morphologies ranging from 119–222 nm. AgNPs exhibited impressive zone of inhibition against Escherichia coli (8.1 ± 0.3 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (10.3 ± 0.3 mm), Bacillus subtilis (7.3 ± 0.3 mm), Bacillus cereus (8.2 ± 0.3 mm), Salmonella typhi (7.1 ± 0.2 mm). AgNps exhibited efficiency against DPPH at EC50 value of 57.60 µg/ml. and reducing power at EC50 of 53.42 µg/ml and nitric oxide scavenging of EC50 of 56.01 µg/ml concentration. Further, anthelmintic activity results showed synthesized nanoparticles significant reduction in the paralysis time to 5.4 ± 0.3 min and death time to 6.5 ± 0.6 min in contrast to the individual factors. On hemagglutination using AgNPs, above 80 µg/ml of concentration showed very significant effect on comparison with water extract. Conclusion Synthesized AgNPs using Viscum orientale water extract displayed versatile biological activity than individual extract. This study has forecasted a new path to explore more on this AgNPs for further research.

Background The yellow jasmine flower (Jasminum humile L.) is a fragrant plant belonging to the Oleaceae family with promising phytoconstituents and interesting medicinal uses. The purpose of this study was to characterize the plant metabolome to identify the potential bioactive agents with cytotoxic effects and the underlying mechanism of cytotoxic activity. Methods First, HPLC–PDA-MS/MS was used to identify the potential bioactive compounds in the flowers. Furthermore, we assessed the cytotoxic activity of the flower extract against breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line using MTT assay followed by the cell cycle, DNA-flow cytometry, and Annexin V-FITC analyses alongside the effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS). Finally, Network pharmacology followed by a molecular docking study was performed to predict the pathways involved in anti-breast cancer activity. Results HPLC–PDA-MS/MS tentatively identified 33 compounds, mainly secoiridoids. J. humile extract showed a cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 breast cancer cell line with IC50 value of 9.3 ± 1.2 µg/mL. Studying the apoptotic effect of J. humile extract revealed that it disrupts G2/M phase in the cell cycle, increases the percentage of early and late apoptosis in Annexin V-FTIC, and affects the oxidative stress markers (CAT, SOD, and GSH-R). Network analysis revealed that out of 33 compounds, 24 displayed interaction with 52 human target genes. Relationship between compounds, target genes, and pathways revealed that J. humile exerts its effect on breast cancer by altering, Estrogen signaling pathway, HER2, and EGFR overexpression. To further verify the results of network pharmacology, molecular docking was performed with the five key compounds and the topmost target, EGFR. The results of molecular docking were consistent with those of network pharmacology. Conclusion Our findings suggest that J. humile suppresses breast cancer proliferation and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis partly by EGFR signaling pathway, highlighting J. humile as a potential therapeutic candidate against breast cancer.

A major part of any biological system on earth involves microorganisms, of which the majority are yet to be cultured. The conventional methods of culturing microbes have given fruitful outcomes yet have limitations. The curiosity for better understanding has led to the development of culture-independent molecular methods that help push aside the roadblocks of earlier methods. Metagenomics unifies the scientific community in search of a better understanding of the functioning of the ecosystem and its component organisms. This approach has opened a new paradigm in advanced research. It has brought to light the vast diversity and novelty among microbial communities and their genomes. This review focuses on the development of this field over time, the techniques and analysis of data generated through sequencing platforms, and its prominent interpretation and representation.

Purpose The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is 4.8% in adults worldwide. In the treatment process, Polypharmacy which is defined as concomitant use of ≥ 5 medications in a prescription is common and it may lead to untoward Drug-drug interactions. Methods A population-based, cross sectional study was conducted following joining the data from Iranians Health Insurance Service prescriptions in 2015 and 2016 with patients data from STEPwise approach to risk factor Surveillance 2016 survey in Iran. Epidemiology of polypharmacy was evaluated among Metabolic syndrome patients, and association between polypharmacy and individual and sociodemographic factors was assessed with polypharmacy being the dependent variable. Potentially Inappropriate Medication was evaluated among the ≥ 60 year-olds and, as the dependent variable, its association with individual and sociodemographic factors as well as polypharmacy was evaluated. Drug-drug interactions were assessed using LexiComp® software. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the associations. Results Out of 2075 patients, 10.3% had polypharmacy. There was significant association between polypharmacy with age and area of living (p p

Objective: In order to achieve development goals, in addition to providing students with physical health, their mental and social health should be considered as a necessity and priority in development programs. This program, called the Nemad Project in Iran was formally established in 2015. This study aims to explore the challenges of the Nemad project in Iranian schools based on stakeholders' views. Method: The present qualitative study, with a contractual content analysis approach, was conducted on 21 experts in the field of social harm prevention and mental health promotion at the senior, intermediate, and operational levels in educational institutions and schools, Ministry of Health, the Judiciary and the Planning and Budget Organization. These experts also included project technical officers. Participants were selected using snowball and purposeful sampling methods. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed by coding, classification, and extraction of the main themes. Results: Six main themes were derived that included inefficiency in resource management (with subcategories of inadequate facilities and equipment, inadequate human resource management, and information management system deficiencies), weakness in program organization (with subcategories of poor cross-sectoral and weak inter-sectoral subgroups), challenges of laws/regulations/policies (with sub-categories of defective protocols and guidelines and lack of specific task descriptions), barriers and challenges to implementation of policies (with macro and school policy implementation subcategories), structural factors (with subcategories of financial resources allocation problems, inconsistency in managerial levels, and deficiencies in decision-making principles), weaknesses in educational processes (with subcategories of inadequate teacher education, weaknesses in parenting courses, and weaknesses in student education), and ultimately, weaknesses in monitoring and evaluation (with the subcategory of lack of a monitoring and evaluation system). Conclusion: According to experts, implementation of mental and social programs in schools is not in a desirable situation and is faced with certain challenges. To enhance the management of the Nemad project in Iranian schools, it is necessary to compile flowcharts of service delivery and inter-device communication, allocate resources to meet the expectations of each organization, do performance-based budgeting, take a comprehensive look at parental issues, and design a system of monitoring and evaluating the requirements.

Background: multiple choice questions (MCQs) test is the most popular assessment tool that used in medical schools, faculty training on construction of MCQs and peer review are the main factors that contributing to have a good quality MCQs test. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of these two factors on the quality of MCQs test. Methods: an extensive training program was conducted for the staff members who participated in teaching and assessment of undergraduate medical students of clinical biochemistry and psychiatric courses during the academic year 2020-2021. Post-test item analysis was used to compare pre-training with post-training item analysis parameters. The Chi-square test was applied, the level of significance was 5%. Results: The difficulty index showed great improvement in the number of items which lie in the acceptable range of difficulty from 16% and 25% before the training program, to 61% and 42% after the training program for psychiatry and clinical biochemistry courses respectively. This is significantly different (P0.05). No significant improvement was noticed in biochemistry course regarding this aspect. The percentage of test items where all distracters were functioning was increased from 11% to 41% in psychiatry course (P value=0.0002), and from 12% to 46%, in biochemistry course (P value=0.0001). This is a significant improvement. Reliability after the training program and peer review processes also increased in both courses. However, this is not statistically significant. Conclusions: A dramatic improvement was observed in the quality of MCQs after peer review and training program. We recommend adopting training program on construction of MCQs to be mandatory for all medical school staff members in Saudi Arabia.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is one of the most serious and common complications of diabetes, with between 15 and 70% of new-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus worldwide presented with diabetic ketoacidosis. Supraventricular tachycardia, however, is an infrequent complication of diabetic ketoacidosis. We present the case of a child with a new-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus with supraventricular tachycardia as a complication of paediatric diabetic ketoacidosis. The patient received intravenous fluid resuscitation, insulin, and potassium supplementation and subsequently developed stable supraventricular tachycardia initially, confirmed on a 12-lead electrocardiogram despite a structurally normal heart and normal electrolytes. Vagal manoeuvers failed to achieve sinus rhythm. The patient went into respiratory distress and was intubated, for mechanical ventilation. She received one dose of adenosine with successful conversion to sinus rhythm and a heart rate decreased from 200 to 140 beats per minutes. We conclude that supraventricular tachycardia can occur as a complication of diabetic ketoacidosis, including in new-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, a combination of acidosis, potassium derangement, falling magnesium, and phosphate levels may have precipitated the event. Here, we report a case of supraventricular tachycardia as a complication of paediatric diabetic ketoacidosis.

Protecting children and developing their well-being have become a great concern in Iran. But policies and services for in-need or at-risk children often follow unintegrated and even incongruous approaches. To address this gap, this study aimed to develop a promoted approach to child welfare to integrate the practices and policies. The conventional qualitative content analysis was applied to in-depth interviews conducted with child welfare experts in Iran. Purposeful and theoretical sampling was used until data saturation was gained by fifty-six qualitative interviews. The interviews were analysed simultaneously using MAXQDA 2018 software. Findings of the study present an approach to reform and promote child welfare in Iran, including four main categories: (i) custodianship of government to child welfare issues; (ii) the holistic, universal and systemic approach to the child welfare system, (iii) child-centred approach; and (iv) family-centred approach. According to the experts’ opinion, in the first place, it is necessary to accept the government’s custodial and responsible role for children that allow authorities to intervene in families regarding children’s best interests. Also, the child-centred approach should be addressed more profoundly and both family-centred and child-centred approaches should be developed concurrently and intently.

A novel series of thiazolium ionic liquids (TILs) bound to chloride (2a–c), tetrafluoroborate (BF4) (3a–c), and bis-(trifluoromethanesulfonimide) (Tf2N) anions (4a–c) was synthesized and their physicochemical characteristics were investigated.

Compounds 10 and 14 arrest the cell cycle at the G1 phase and induce apoptosis without any necrosis in MDA-MB-231 cells.

In the present study, the binding affinity of 52 bioactive secondary metabolites from Wedelia trilobata towards the anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) protein (PDB: 2W3L) structure was identified by using in silico molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. The molecular docking results demonstrated that the binding energies of docked compounds with Bcl-2 protein ranged from −5.3 kcal/mol to −10.1 kcal/mol. However, the lowest binding energy (−10.1 kcal/mol) was offered by Friedelin against Bcl-2 protein when compared to other metabolites and the standard drug Obatoclax (−8.4 kcal/mol). The molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the Friedelin-Bcl-2 protein complex was found to be stable throughout the simulation period of 100 ns. Overall, the predicted Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity (ADMET) properties of Friedelin are relatively better than Obatoclax, with the most noticeable differences in many parameters where Friedelin has no AMES toxicity, hepatotoxicity, and skin sensitization. The ADMET profiling of selected compounds supported their in silico drug-likeness properties. Based on the computational analyses, the present study concluded that Friedelin of W. trilobata was found to be the potential inhibitor of the Bcl-2 protein, which merits attention for further in vitro and in vivo studies before clinical trials.

Introduction: The use of plant extracts in the green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles is one of the simplest, most practical, economical, and ecologically friendly methods for avoiding the use of toxic chemicals.Method: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized, employing a high-efficiency, non- toxic, cost-effective, green, and simple technique that included the use of Salacia oblonga root extract (SOR) as a capping agent compared to synthetic nanoparticles. The use of S. oblonga can be seen in traditional medicines for treating diabetes, obesity, rheumatism, gonorrhea, asthma, and hyperglycemia. The objectives of the current study were to green synthesize S. oblonga root extract silver nanoparticles (SOR-AgNPs), characterize them, and study their antioxidant, antibacterial, and antidiabetic activities.Result: The shape of SOR-AgNPs was spherical, at less than 99.8 nm in size, and exhibited a crystalline peak at XRD. The green synthesized SOR-AgNPs showed significant antioxidant properties like DPPH (80.64 μg/mL), reducing power capacity (81.09 ± SEM μg/mL), nitric oxide (96.58 μg/mL), and hydroxyl (58.38 μg/mL) radical scavenging activities. The MIC of SOR-AgNPs was lower in gram-positive bacteria. The SOR-AgNPs have displayed efficient inhibitory activity against α-amylase, with an EC50 of 58.38 μg/mL. Analysis of capping protein around the SOR-AgNPs showed a molecular weight of 30 kDa.Discussion: These SOR-AgNPs could be used as antibacterial and antidiabetic drugs in the future as it is cheap, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly. Bio-fabricated AgNPs had a significant impact on bacterial strains and could be used as a starting point for future antibacterial drug development.

Constrained clustering is a semi-supervised task that employs a limited amount of labelled data, formulated as constraints, to incorporate domain-specific knowledge and to significantly improve clustering accuracy. Previous work has considered exact optimization formulations that can guarantee optimal clustering while satisfying all constraints, however these approaches lack interpretability. Recently, decision-trees have been used to produce inherently interpretable clustering solutions, however existing approaches do not support clustering constraints and do not provide strong theoretical guarantees on solution quality. In this work, we present a novel SAT-based framework for interpretable clustering that supports clustering constraints and that also provides strong theoretical guarantees on solution quality. We also present new insight into the trade-off between interpretability and satisfaction of such user-provided constraints. Our framework is the first approach for interpretable and constrained clustering. Experiments with a range of real-world and synthetic datasets demonstrate that our approach can produce high-quality and interpretable constrained clustering solutions.

The COVID-19 pandemic at its peak compelled students to stay home and adapt to the distance learning system. The world has gone through phases of fear and respite in the recent years. There have been a number of studies related to student learning via online teaching during the pandemic. Now, as the vaccination coverage picks up and the pandemic appears to have achieved a plateau, it is time to take a view of students’ perceptions of online learning and its effectiveness in skill development during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assesses the students’ preferences and perceptions regarding offline and online learning post-COVID-19 lockdown and with the resumption of offline classes. A cross-sectional study was conducted at King Khalid University, Aseer region, from the period of 1 January 2022 to 30 January 2022. A convenience sampling technique was utilized to collect data from female students. Data analysis was conducted by using SPSS version 22.0. A total of 480 students participated in the study, their mean age was 19.79 ± 1.48. More than half of the students (64%) still fear getting COVID-19 as they continue with the in-person or offline classes despite having completed their doses of vaccination. Almost half of the students have difficulty in waking up after the recommencement of offline classes. The majority (77%) felt tired after starting offline classes, and 63% felt unhappy after starting offline classes again. The majority of students believe that, with offline classes, they have difficulty in time management and concentration. The majority of students believed that, with online classes, they are more comfortable in gaining knowledge and learning, more alert, more satisfied, and gain higher scores in exams. The majority of students preferred the online mode of learning, with about 72% of students wishing to continue online learning in the future. This research underlines the influence of fear of getting COVID-19 after the commencement of face-to-face learning amongst the students. Students were more inclined to continue with online classes because of fear of getting COVID-19, despite having full doses of the vaccination in Saudi Arabia. There is a need for a better understanding of students’ motivations and coping mechanisms during the pandemic.

Lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) is a major risk factor for amputation in diabetic patients. The advanced glycation end products (AGEs)/endothelin-1 (ET-1)/nitric oxide synthase (NOS) axis-mediated femoral artery injury with and without metformin has not been previously investigated. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was established in rats, with another group of rats treated for two weeks with 200 mg/kg metformin, before being induced with T2DM. The latter cohort were continued on metformin until they were sacrificed at week 12. Femoral artery injury was established in the diabetic group as demonstrated by substantial alterations to the femoral artery ultrastructure, which importantly were ameliorated by metformin. In addition, diabetes caused a significant (p < 0.0001) upregulation of vascular tissue levels of AGEs, ET-1, and iNOS, as well as high blood levels of glycated haemoglobin, TNF-α, and dyslipidemia. All of these parameters were also significantly inhibited by metformin. Moreover, metformin treatment augmented arterial eNOS expression which had been inhibited by diabetes progression. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between femoral artery endothelial tissue damage and glycemia, AGEs, ET-1, TNF-α, and dyslipidemia. Thus, in a rat model of T2DM-induced LEAD, an association between femoral artery tissue damage and the AGEs/ET-1/inflammation/NOS/dyslipidemia axis was demonstrated, with metformin treatment demonstrating beneficial vascular protective effects.

Background Patients with diabetes often receive multiple drug regimens termed ‘polypharmacy’. Since polypharmacy imposes excessive cost, we evaluated the prescriptions of patients with diabetes regarding polypharmacy, and its association with HbA1c levels and cost. Method 102 million prescriptions of Iranian health insurance data in 2015 and 2016 were overlapped with STEPS Iran 2016 survey database. Then, 2075 Metabolic syndrome patients were selected. Among the patients who consumed anti diabetes medications; individual and sociodemographic factors, and polypharmacy were assessed and association between these factors and HbA1c levels were quantified using logistic regression. Each patient’s prescription costs in 2015 and 2016 and its association with individual and sociodemographic factors as well as polypharmacy was assessed using linear regression. Results Out of 2075 metabolic syndrome patients, 205 patients had diabetes according to their fasting blood glucose in 2015 and 2016. HbA1c was significantly more controlled (≤7%) in urban areas. No significant association existed between polypharmacy and HbA1c levels. Medication cost was significantly higher in male patients, patients above 80 years, and patients with >12 years of education (p< 0.05). Area of living and wealth index had no significant association with cost. Conclusion Although diabetic patients with polypharmacy significantly pay more money for their prescriptions, no significant difference was observed between their HbA1c levels.

Introduction: Vaccines are an important part of the COVID-19 pandemic response plan. This study was undertaken to find out the percentage of supporters in the Saudi population for COVID-19 vaccination among children, and to assess the study population’s perceptions towards COVID-19 vaccination among children. Material and Methods: This nationwide study adopted a cross-sectional survey of adult participants, conducted by trained medical students. The anonymous questionnaire was published on social media tools. Statistical analysis was conducted using two-tailed tests. Results: Six hundred and twenty (620) participants were recruited for this study. Nearly 17.0% of participants had a chronic health problem/comorbidity. About 28.7% of the study participants reported having COVID-19 infection. The COVID-19 vaccine was received among 94.7% of the study respondents. The majority of the vaccination supporters (89.0%) wanted to get the third dose. There was a statistically significant association between the participant’s attitudes towards getting vaccinated themselves, and their attitude towards children’s vaccination. Vaccine newness, as a reason for hesitating to get vaccinated, was most reported among non-vaccine supporters. False religious beliefs were found to significantly influence the opposing attitude towards children’s vaccination. Conclusion: Health professionals and policy makers should implement and support strategies to ensure children are vaccinated against COVID-19. They also need to educate parents and families regarding the importance of vaccination against COVID-19.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic hormonal and metabolic disorder in which our body cannot generate necessary insulin or does not act in response to it, accordingly, ensuing in discordantly high blood sugar (glucose) levels. Diabetes mellitus can lead to systemic dysfunction in the multiorgan system, including cardiac dysfunction, severe kidney disease, lowered quality of life, and increased mortality risk from diabetic complications. To uncover possible therapeutic targets to treat diabetes mellitus, the in silico drug design technique is widely used, which connects the ligand molecules with target proteins to construct a protein-ligand network. To identify new therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes mellitus, Azadirachta indica is subjected to phytochemical screening using in silico molecular docking, pharmacokinetic behavior analysis, and simulation-based molecular dynamic analysis. This study has analyzed around 63 phytochemical compounds, and the initial selection of the compounds was made by analyzing their pharmacokinetic properties by comparing them with Lipinski’s rule of 5. The selected compounds were subjected to molecular docking. The top four ligand compounds were reported along with the control drug nateglinide based on their highest negative molecular binding affinity. The protein-ligand interaction of selected compounds has been analyzed to understand better how compounds interact with the targeted protein structure. The results of the in silico analysis revealed that 7-Deacetyl-7-oxogedunin had the highest negative docking score of −8.9 Kcal/mol and also demonstrated standard stability in a 100 ns molecular dynamic simulation performed with insulin receptor ectodomain. It has been found that these substances may rank among the essential supplementary antidiabetic drugs for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is suggested that more in vivo and in vitro research studies be carried out to support the conclusions drawn from this in silico research strategy.

Additional file 1.

Additional file 1: Table S1. Genes related to 24compounds. Table S2. GO Analysis. Table S3. KEGG Pathwaysanalysis.

Chlorothiazide, with the brand name Diuril, is used as a diuretic as well as an antihypertensive drug. This medicine with very slight solubility in water and low permeability is categorized in the class IV of Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) and possess low bioavailability. Therefore, enhancement of the drug solubility would be of great importance to reduce its dosage and consequently side effects. Decrement of Chlorothiazide particles size to micro/nano scale using a supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2)-based method can be an efficient approach to enhance its bioavailability and therapeutic efficiency. To select and design a proper supercritical micronization/nanonization method, solubility of Chlorothiazide in scCO2 should be determined which is conducted in this work by gravimetric method. In this study, solubility of Chlorothiazide in scCO2 was obtained at various operating conditions (308–338K and 130–290 bar). It was found between 0.417 £ 10− 5 to 1.012 £ 10− 5 mol mol− 1 (mole fraction) for Chlorothiazide. Moreover, the obtained values were correlated through five empirical models (Chrastil, Mendez-Santiago and Teja (MST), Kumar- Johnston (K-J), Bartle, and Garlapati-Madras), as well as SRK and PR equations of state. All of the mentioned models have shown satisfactory correlation accuracy for the drug solubility. Meanwhile, the K-J model with the minimum AARD% value of 3.15 and the PR-EoS with the mean AARD% value of 6.51 have the highest precision to fit the experimental data. Also, the extrapolative ability of the mentioned empirical models to predict the Chlorothiazide solubility outside the considered range of operating conditions was investigated. yes

The emergence of resistance by biofilm-forming bacteria has reached alarming and dangerous levels that threaten human civilization. The current study sought to investigate the antibiofilm potential of green-synthesized silver nanoparticles, mediated by a new Streptomyces strain. Zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used to analyze the biosynthesized AgNPs. Results revealed that silver nanoparticles had a size of (5.55 and 45.00 nm) nm and a spherical shape, with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption at 400–460 nm in the UV-vis spectra establishing the formation of Streptomyces-Ag-NPs. The biosynthesized AgNPs showed a pronounced antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, the obtained Streptomyces-AgNPs exerted biofilm inhibition activity against nosocomial hospital-resistant bacteria, including Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. The mechanism of biogenic AgNPs antibacterial action was visualized using TEM, which indicated the AgNPs accumulation and disruption of bacterial cell membrane function. Additionally, a molecular docking study was conducted to evaluate the binding mode of AgNPs with an Escherichia coli outer membrane. Furthermore, the cytotoxic profile of the AgNPs was evaluated toward three cell lines (MCF-7, HepG2 & HCT 116), and the low cytotoxic effects of the obtained nanoparticles indicated their possible medical application with low risks to human health.

Ovarian cancer ranks seventh in the most common malignant tumors in females and seriously threatens women's reproductive health. Natural sources may lead to basic research on potential bioactive components as lead compounds in drug discovery and, ultimately, therapeutic treatments for ovarian cancer and other diseases. Alzheimer's disease (AD) and ovarian cancer are complex diseases of aging that impose an enormous public health burden worldwide. Additionally, people with AD have low levels of acetylcholine in their brains. Enzymes called cholinesterases break down acetylcholine in the brain. If their action is inhibited, more acetylcholine is available for communication among brain cells. In this study, pregnanolone, diethylstilbestrol (DES), flavokawain C, and methyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate molecules obtained excellent-to-good inhibitory against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) enzymes with IC

The present work describes the chemical preparation of Schiff bases derived from 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (L1–L5) and their Co(II) metal complexes. The evaluation of antimicrobial and anticancer activities against MCF-7 cell line and human lung cancer cell line A-549 was performed. The aforementioned synthesized compounds are characterized by spectroscopic techniques and elemental analysis confirms successful synthesis. The results from the above analytical techniques revealed that the complexes are in an octahedral geometry. The antimicrobial activity of the synthesized Schiff base ligands and their metal complexes under study was carried out by using the agar well diffusion method. The ligand and complex interactions for biological targets were predicted using molecular docking and high binding affinities. Further, the anticancer properties of the synthesized compounds are performed against the MCF-7 cell line and human lung cancer cell line A-549 using adriamycin as the standard drug.

Insecticides and toxicants abound in nature, posing a health risk to humans. Concurrent exposure to many environmental contaminants has been demonstrated to harm myocardial performance and reduce cardiac oxidative stress. The purpose of this research was to study the protective effect of vitamin C (Vit C) on quinalphos (QP)-induced cardiac tissue damage in rats. Eighteen albino male rats were randomly categorised into three groups (n = 6). Control, QP group: rats received distilled water. QP insecticide treatment: an oral administration of QP incorporated in drinking water. QP + Vit C group: rats received QP and Vit C. All the experiments were conducted for ten days. Decline of cardiac antioxidant biomarkers catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GPx) along with increased proinflammatory markers tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) indicated oxidative and inflammatory damage to the heart following administration of QP when compared to control rats. The light microscopic and ultrastructure appearance of QP-treated cardiomyocytes exhibited cardiac damage. Administration of Vit C showed decreased oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers, confirmed with histological and electron microscopic examination. In conclusion, Vit C protected the heart from QP-induced cardiac damage due to decreased inflammation and oxidative stress.

This study evaluated the protective effect of resolvin D1 (RVD1) against cadmium chloride (CdCl2 )-induced hippocampal damage and memory loss in rats and investigated if such protection is mediated by modulating the PTEN/PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Adult male Wistar rats (n = 18/group) were divided as control, control + RVD1, CdCl2 , CdCl2 + RVD1 and CdCl2 + RVD1 + bpV(pic), a PTEN inhibitor. All treatments were conducted for 4 weeks. Resolvin D1 improved the memory function as measured by Morris water maze (MWM), preserved the structure of CA1 area of the hippocampus, and increased hippocampal levels of RVD1 in the CdCl2 -treated rats. Resolvin D1 also suppressed the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukine-6 (IL-6), inhibited nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) p65, stimulated levels of glutathione (GSH), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), and Bcl2 but reduced the expression of Bax and cleaved caspase 3 in hippocampi of CdCl2 -treated rats. Concomitantly, it stimulated levels and activity of PTEN and reduced the phosphorylation (activation) of PI3K, Akt and mTOR in hippocampi of CdCl2 -treated rats. In conclusion, RVD1 attenuates CdCl2 -induced memory loss and hippocampal damage in rats mainly by activating PTEN-induced suppression of PI3K/Akt/mTOR, an effect that seems secondary to its' anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory potential.