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Background: Colorectal cancer ranks second as a cause of cancer deaths. Mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene, especially in exon 16, could contribute to colorectal carcinoma development. This study explored the correlations between APC gene exon 16 variations/expression and colorectal carcinoma progression. Methods: In a case-control study, blood samples from 150 colorectal carcinoma patients and 50 healthy volunteers were analyzed by PCR and sequencing for APC exon 16 variations. The APC protein expression on tissue samples was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and statistical analyses were used to examine clinicopathological correlations. Results: The sequencing analysis revealed a mutation in exon 16 of the APC gene (rs459552) in 36 % of colorectal cancer cases while absent in all non-cancer controls. Subgroup analysis by tumor grade showed higher prevalence of mutant allele in Grade II and Grade III cases, with frequencies reaching 60.0 % and 69.2 %, respectively, compared to a substantially lower prevalence of 29.4 % in Grade I patients. Immunohistochemistry showed no significant correlation between this mutation and APC expression. APC positivity proportions were 25.5 % in Grade I tumors (n = 26/102) versus 17.1 % in Grade II (n = 6/35) and 46.2 % in Grade III (n = 6/13), showing a non-significant trend of reduced positivity in higher grade tumors (p>0.05). Conclusions: The frequency of APC exon 16 mutation (rs459552) rose significantly with increasing tumor grade. Similarly, although not statistically significant, the percentage of APC positive staining increased with poorer tumor differentiation, rather than declining. Therefore, the APC exon 16 mutation and expression analysis provides insights into colorectal cancer progression, with the rs459552 mutation correlating with grade and may promoting aggression.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising materials offering exceptional performance across a myriad of applications, attributable to their remarkable physicochemical properties such as regular porosity, crystalline structure, and tailored functional groups. Despite their potential, there is a lack of dedicated reviews that focus on key physicochemical characterizations of MOFs for the beginners and new researchers in the field. This review is written based on our expertise in the synthesis and characterization of MOFs, specifically to provide a right direction for the researcher who is a beginner in this area. In this way, experimental errors can be reduced, and wastage of time and chemicals can be avoided when new researchers conduct a study. In this article, this topic is critically analyzed, and findings and conclusions are presented. We reviewed three well-known XRD techniques, including PXRD, single crystal XRD, and SAXS, which were used for XRD analysis depending on the crystal size and the quality of crystal morphology. The TGA profile was an effective factor for evaluating the quality of the activation process and for ensuring the successful investigation for other characterizations. The BET and pore size were significantly affected by the activation process and selective benzene chain cross-linkers. FTIR is a prominent method that is used to investigate the functional groups on pore surfaces, and this method is successfully used to evaluate the activation process, characterize functionalized MOFs, and estimate their applications. The most significant methods of characterization include the X-ray diffraction, which is utilized for structural identification, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), which is used for exploring thermal decomposition. It is important to note that the thermal stability of MOFs is influenced by two main factors: the metal-ligand interaction and the type of functional groups attached to the organic ligand. The textural properties of the MOFs, on the other hand, can be scrutinized through nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms experiments at 77 K. However, for smaller pore size, the Argon adsorption-desorption isotherm at 87.3 K is preferred. Furthermore, the CO2 adsorption isotherm at 273 K can be used to measure ultra-micropore sizes and sizes lower than these, which cannot be measured by using the N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm at 77 K. The highest BET was observed in high-valence MOFs that are constructed based on the metal-oxo cluster, which has an excellent ability to control their textural properties. It was found that the synthesis procedure (including the choice of solvent, cross-linker, secondary metal, surface functional groups, and temperature), activation method, and pressure significantly impact the surface area of the MOF and, by extension, its structural integrity. Additionally, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy plays a crucial role in identifying active MOF functional groups. Understanding these physicochemical properties and utilizing relevant characterization techniques will enable more precise MOF selection for specific applications.

We herein present the case of a 79-year-old female patient who presents with a single asymptomatic pulmonary nodule, melanocytic in nature, later identified as a remote secondary lesion of a primary cutaneous melanoma that was resected 22 years before presentation. Although quite atypical, the patient underwent resection of the affected pulmonary lobe; follow-up imaging did not reveal any local or distant recurrences.

Immunological phenomena have been described in infections such as infective endocarditis. However, none has been reported in the context of Babesiosis.Babesiosis is a tick-borne illness caused by the protozoa of the genus Babesia and causes infections that range from asymptomatic to severe and sometimes are fatal. This report presents the first case of ANCA/ANA positive severe babesiosis in an asplenic patient treated with repeated red blood cell exchange transfusion.

We herein present the case presenting to our facility complaining of a fever of two months duration, who underwent dental procedure. Patient was diagnosed with infective endocarditis secondary to an uncommon bacteria: Gemella haemolysans. Patient was found to have concomitant severe mitral valve regurgitation. Our patient did not have any comorbidity or risk factor beside his dental procedure. Our patient received intravenous antibiotic therapy for six weeks and was scheduled for mitral valve replacement.

Summary: Neuroanatomical evidence argues for the presence of taste sensilla in Drosophila wings; however, the taste physiology of insect wings remains hypothetical, and a comprehensive link to mechanical functions, such as flight, wing flapping, and grooming, is lacking. Our data show that the sensilla of the Drosophila anterior wing margin respond to both sweet and bitter molecules through an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ levels. Conversely, genetically modified flies presenting a wing-specific reduction in chemosensory cells show severe defects in both wing taste signaling and the exploratory guidance associated with chemodetection. In Drosophila, the chemodetection machinery includes mechanical grooming, which facilitates the contact between tastants and wing chemoreceptors, and the vibrations of flapping wings that nebulize volatile molecules as carboxylic acids. Together, these data demonstrate that the Drosophila wing chemosensory sensilla are a functional taste organ and that they may have a role in the exploration of ecological niches. : The function of Drosophila wing chemosensilla is poorly understood. GFP gene reporter assays and electrophysiology are hampered by the nano-architecture of bristles and dense chitin. Raad et al. report that the wing taste organ responds to bitter and sugar stimuli and is critical for exploration of ecological niches.

The present study aimed to examine the effect of Calotropis procera (Aiton) and its major cardenolides; calotropin and gomphogenin on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats. Osteoporotic rats were orally treated with C. procera alcoholic extract (100 mg/kg), calotropin (CLT; 100 μg/kg) and gomphogenin (GPG; 100 μg/kg) for 14 consecutive days. Bone resorption/formation biomarkers; bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and nuclear factor-κβ ligand (RANKL) as well as serum calcium and phosphorus were assessed 24 h after last doses of treatments. Serum levels of estradiol (E2) and catalase were also measured. Oral treatment with C. procera extract, CLT and GPG caused E2 restoration to normal level with a marked regulation in the RANKL/OPG axis. Serum phosphorus and calcium were up-leveled whereas BALP was downregulated. Histopathological examination, bone histomorphometric analysis and immunohistochemical staining for osteopontin (OPN) inspection further emphasized the aforementioned outcomes. The results revealed the superiority of CLT and to a lesser extent GPG osteoporotic effect over C. procera extract. Molecular docking of the two compounds on ER-α and RANKL/OPG complex showed noteworthy binding affinities which also confirmed the supremacy of CLT due to the additional hydrogen bonding of the hydroxyl groups of the sugar moiety with RANKL/OPG complex. Finally, it is concluded that CLT and GPG from C. procera hinder bone turnover by decreasing osteoclastic bone cells activity and increasing calcium mineralization thus suppressing bone remodeling and preventing bone infirmity in OVX osteoporotic rats directly via binding to RANKL/OPG complex and ER-α and indirectly through elevating level of E2., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: An important chance of nosocomial acquired infections are caused by the opportunistic bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae. Urine, wound, sputum, and blood samples were collected from all patients. This study aimed to detect the antibiotic resistance profile, the frequency of MDR, XDR, PDR, and detection of efflux pump and outer membrane permeability genes in K. pneumoniae isolates., Methods: One hundred twenty samples were collected from patients who were admitted to the Ramadi Teaching Hospitals in Al-Anbar Governorate. Fifty five of K. pneumoniae strains were collected from patients. The VITEK®2 Compact B System was used to detect the antibiotic resistance pattern of studied bacteria. The isolates were classified as MDR, XDR, or PDR based on established guidelines. The data were analyzed using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) breakpoints. PCR was used to detect the efflux pumps and porins genes., Results: Out of the 120 samples studied, 45.83 % (55) tested positive for K. pneumoniae. The isolates displayed the greatest amount of resistance to cefazolin, ceftriaxone (98.2 %), ampicillin (100 %), and ceftazidime, cefepime (90.9 %). 20 % of the isolates were found to produce metallo-lactamases, and 41.81 % tested positive for extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. Overall, the rates of multi-drug resistant (MDR), extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and pandrug-resistant (PDR) isolates were 57.2 %, 10.9 %, and 9.09 %, respectively. Additionally, the prevalence of efflux pump genes acrAB, mdtK, and tolC were 94.54 %, 14.54 %, and 89.09 %, respectively, while the porin-encoding genes ompK35 and ompK36 were found in 96.36 % and 98.18 % of the isolates., Conclusion: This investigation concluded that the study isolates had a high degree of antibiotic resistance heterogenicity. High frequencies of resistance to ampicillin, cefazolin, and ceftriaxone are present in study isolates. Most strains were categorized as MDR strains, with six being XDR strains and five being PDR strains. One of the main routes of antibiotic resistance in multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae strains is through the acrAB efflux system. The high prevalence of the acrAB, tolC, ompk35, and ompK36 genes were increases the ability of these isolates combat antimicrobial treatments., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to report., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory condition that until this date, lacks curative treatments. Previously, synthetic selective CB2 receptor (CB2R) agonists demonstrated effective preclinical anti-inflammatory activities in UC. Phycocyanin (PC), photosynthetic assistant protein isolated from Microcystis aeruginosa Kützing blue green algae, has multiple pharmacological effects, however, it's effect against UC remains unexplored. Our study aimed at investigating the therapeutic effectiveness of PC against UC, and correlating its mechanisms with CB2R agonistic activities. In silico; PC showed structural similarity with endocannabinoid receptors' ligand "Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol", target prediction studies suggested high affinity for G-coupled protein family-receptors, and molecular docking affirmed preferable affinity towards CB2R vs CB1R. In LPS-exposed-Caco-2 cell line; PC demonstrated comparable interaction with CB2R, and downregulation of CB2R, p38 and MK2 gene expressions with reference agonist "6d", and exhibited preferred selectivity towards CB2R over CB1R. In DSS-induced mice; PC-treatment ameliorated DSS-induced colon shortening, elevated disease activity index, and colonic pathological alterations. PC showed effective CB2R activation through potent anti-inflammatory activities, Treg-cell accumulation, suppression in p38MAPK/MK2 signaling, and tight junction barrier restoration as indicated by ultrastructural examinations, elevated ZO-1 and occludin protein expressions, and Ki67 immunohistochemical expression in colonic tissues. Additionally, PC alleviated intestinal dysbiosis via downregulating LPS/TLR4/NF-κB signaling and gut microbiota maintenance. Notably, PC-protective activities were abolished when co-administered with SR144528 (selective CB2 antagonist) except for gut microbiota maintenance, which was independent from CB2R activation. Our findings provide evidence of PC effectiveness against UC through acting as CB2R agonist, thus expanding its possible therapeutic application against other inflammatory diseases., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Methionine oxidation is a reversible post-translational protein modification, affecting protein function, and implicated in aging and degenerative diseases. The detection of accumulating methionine oxidation in living cells or organisms, however, has not been achieved. Here we introduce a genetically encoded probe for methionine oxidation (GEPMO), based on the super-folder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP), as a specific, versatile, and integrating sensor for methionine oxidation. Placed at amino-acid position 147 in an otherwise methionine-less sfGFP, the oxidation of this specific methionine to methionine sulfoxide results in a ratiometric fluorescence change when excited with ∼400 and ∼470 nm light. The strength and homogeneity of the sensor expression is suited for live-cell imaging as well as fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) experiments using standard laser wavelengths (405/488 nm). Expressed in mammalian cells and also in S. cerevisiae, the sensor protein faithfully reports on the status of methionine oxidation in an integrating manner. Variants targeted to membranes and the mitochondria provide subcellular resolution of methionine oxidation, e.g. reporting on site-specific oxidation by illumination of endogenous protoporphyrin IX., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assess knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of healthcare staff regarding pharmaceutical waste management; and to determine the impact of an educational programme on the KAP survey items., Design: Pre-post-test intervention study., Methods: The pre-intervention phase was performed using a sample of 530 out of 1500 healthcare workers. A predesigned interview questionnaire was used to assess KAP. Next, an educational programme was designed and offered to a subsample of 69 healthcare workers. KAP were re-assessed for the programme attendees using the same interview questionnaire, both immediately (post-test) and six months after the end of the programme (follow-up test). The parametric paired sample t-test was used to assess the difference between pre-test and follow-up test results., Results: Poor knowledge and poor practice levels (scores 50%) detected in the pre-intervention phase were found to improve to satisfactory levels (scores ≥75%) in the follow-up phase. Attitude was found to be positive (score ≥75%) in all phases of the study., Conclusion: The educational programme led to a significant improvement in KAP of healthcare staff regarding pharmaceutical waste management (P<0.001)., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)