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The enormous industrial usage of nickel during its manufacture and recycling has led to widespread environmental pollution. This study was designed to examine the ability of Gelidium amansii biomass to biosorb Ni2+ ions from an aqueous solution. Six independent variables, including contact time (1.0 and 3.0 h), pH (4 and 7), Ni2+ concentration (25 and 200 mg·L−1), temperature (25°C and 50°C), G. amansii biomass (1.0 and 4.0 g·L−1), and agitation mode (agitation or static), were investigated to detect the significance of each factor using a Plackett–Burman design. The analysis of variance for the Ni2+ biosorption percentage indicated that three independent variables (contact time, temperature, and agitation–static mode) exhibited a high level of significance in the Ni2+ biosorption process. Twenty experiments were conducted containing six axial, eight factorial, and six replicates points at center points. The resulting face-centered central composite design analysis data for the biosorption of Ni2+ exhibited a very large variation in the removal percentage of Ni2+, which ranged from 29.73 to 100.00%. The maximum Ni2+ biosorption percentage was achieved in the 16th run with an experimental percentage quantified as 100.00% under the experimental conditions of 3 h of incubation time and 45°C with 100 rpm for agitation speed.

Bio-fertilizers are the most important and effective method used to reduce the quantities of chemical fertilizers consumed and reduce dependence on them in agricultural production to avoid their harmful effects on the environment and public health as well as reduce the cost of agricultural production in light of increasing pollution and under adverse conditions for production and climate change. A bio-fertilizer depends primarily on the use of beneficial microorganisms such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to improve the uptake of nutrients, improve plant growth, productivity, and grain yield. Crop production faces many challenges, and drought is one of the majority of the significant factors limiting crop production worldwide, especially in semi-arid regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of AMF and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), plus three rates of the recommended dose of phosphorus (RDP) fertilizer on yield, yield components, and nutrients uptake, in addition to evaluating the beneficial effects of these combinations to develop Phosphorus (P) management under three levels of irrigation water, i.e., three irrigations (normal or well-watered), two irrigations (moderate drought), and one irrigation (severe drought) on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The results showed that the treatment with AMF bio-fertilizer yielded the highest values of plant height, spike length, spike weight, number of grains/spike, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield, and harvest index. Moreover, the grain and straw uptake of nitrogen (N), P, and potassium (K) (kg ha−1) in the two seasons under the three levels of irrigation, respectively, were superior followed by the inoculation by PSB. While the treatment without bio-fertilizer yielded the lowest values of these traits of barley, the treatment with bio-fertilizer yielded the increased percentage of the grain yield by 17.27%, 17.33% with applying AMF, and 10.31%, 10.40% with treatment by PSB. Treatment with AMF or PSB (Phosphorien), plus rates of phosphorus fertilizer under conditions of irrigation water shortage, whether irrigation was performed once or twice, led to an increase in grain yield and other characteristics compared to the same fertilization rates without inoculation. The results of this study showed that the use of bio-fertilizers led to an increase in plant tolerance to drought stress, and this was demonstrated by an increase in various traits with the use of treatments that include bio-fertilizers. Therefore, it is suggested to inoculate the seeds with AMF or PSB plus adding phosphate fertilizers at the recommended dose under drought conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water-retaining and yield-increasing capacity of super-absorbent polymer (SAP) are essential for soil remediation in arid and semi-arid areas. Water availability is an increasing challenge to plant development and crop yield. During the growing seasons in 2021 and 2022, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the addition of different amounts of SAP on the development and yield of green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv Bronco) under varying water deficit stresses, compared with the control treatment without SAP and water deficit stress. The results demonstrated that a 50% reduction in water requirement (WR) resulted in significant decreases in leaf fresh weight, specific leaf area, leaf total chlorophyll content, pod number, leaf free water content, pod fresh weight per plant, and yield. Decreases were also found in pod total chlorophyll content, carotenoids, dry matter and total protein, leaf proline content, and crude fiber content. Additionally, leaf water saturation deficit was significantly increased under the stress compared with the full irrigation at 100% WR. However, irrigation at 75% WR increased pod contents of ascorbic acid, total sugars, and leaf bound water. The current study also indicated that addition of SAP significantly enhanced the above-mentioned growth characteristics under irrigation at 50% and 75% WR. Treatment with SAP at 3 g/plant was the most effective in mitigating the adverse effects of water deficiency, especially at the irrigation rate of 75% WR. Pearson's correlation analysis showed significantly positive correlations between the growth parameters, as well as pod yield, under water stress and SAP. This study provides a promising strategy for green bean cultivation by adding SAP to soil to alleviate water shortage stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a Gram-negative bacterium, is recognized for its adaptability and opportunistic nature. It poses a substantial challenge in clinical settings due to its complicated antibiotic resistance mechanisms, biofilm formation, and capacity for persistent infections in both animal and human hosts. Recent studies revealed a potential zoonotic transmission of P. aeruginosa between animals, the environment, and human populations which highlights awareness of this microbe. Implementation of the One Health approach, which underscores the connection between human, animal, and environmental health, we aim to offer a comprehensive perspective on the current landscape of P. aeruginosa management. This review presents innovative strategies designed to counteract P. aeruginosa infections. Traditional antibiotics, while effective in many cases, are increasingly compromised by the development of multidrugresistant strains. Non-antibiotic avenues, such as quorum sensing inhibition, phage therapy, and nanoparticle-based treatments, are emerging as promising alternatives. However, their clinical application encounters obstacles like cost, side effects, and safety concerns. Effectively addressing P. aeruginosa infections necessitates persistent research efforts, advancements in clinical development, and a comprehension of host-pathogen interactions to deal with this resilient pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study targeted developing a novel Zinc oxide with alpha hematite nanoflowers (NFs)-loaded bee venom (Bv) (Bv-ZnO@αFe2O3 NFs) as a bio-natural product from bees to combine both the advantages of combination magnetic properties and the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm properties on isolated coliform bacteria from the effluent of wastewater treatment plants. About 24 isolates of treated wastewater isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR). The phylogenetic grouping of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumonia (K. pneumonia) showed that the largest group was Group A, followed by Group B2 and Group B1. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), The X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM− EDX) validated the coating operation's contact with Bv onto ZnO@αFe2O3 NFs. According to high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED), pattern analyses for prepared nanoformulations exhibited a spherical shape of αFe2O3 (~9–15 nm), and floral needle shapes with uniform distribution of size with aggregation of ZnOαFe2O3 and Bv-ZnO@αFe2O3 NFs around (~100–200 nm). The toxicity of Bv-ZnO@αFe2O3 NFs was comparable up to 125 µg mL−1, when it reached 64.79% (IC50, 107.18 µg mL−1). The antibacterial activity showed different zones of inhibition against different isolates. The biofilm inhibitory activity of NPs and NFs showed a highly significant reduction (p < 0.001) in treated biofilms with ZnO@αFe2O3 and Bv-ZnO@αFe2O3. In essence, ZnO@αFe2O3 and Bv-ZnO@αFe2O3 NFs are promising antimicrobials for inhibiting the growth and biofilm of MDR E. coli and K. pneumonia isolates, thereby, biocontrol of wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The care of a child receiving chemotherapy has a significant impact on the parents and family structure, which has been explored in depth in a few studies in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this study is to further explore the lived experiences of Saudi Arabian parents in caring for their children receiving chemotherapy. Methodology: A qualitative descriptive design was used in this study with a sample of 17 parents of children receiving chemotherapy. The participants were recruited using the snow-balling technique throughout the community, as well as from the University Hospital, Pediatric Oncology Department. The data were collected via in-person and virtual methods using semi-structured, open-ended interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The findings of the study were placed into two main themes: family experience and stages of disease. Family experiences include the parents and siblings' experiences. The stages of disease include three sub-themes: the pre-diagnosis phase, diagnosis phase, and treatment phase. Conclusion: The cancer journey had a huge impact on the parents and siblings. The study revealed important findings related to the experiences during the stages of diseases and lived experiences of parents and siblings including psychological, physiological, social, and financial impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The approval of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines and obtaining herd immunity raise the optimism about seeing the end of this pandemic but vaccine hesitancy or refusal to vaccinate is a major threat to progress toward achieving herd immunity. In this study, we identify baseline knowledge, myths, misconceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors toward the COVID-19 vaccine. This help to develop new strategies to raise awareness, correct misconceptions and improve acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. This study aim is to evaluate the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine among population in Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted among target people who were more than 11 years old in Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia using the snowball sample study. A self-administered online questionnaire was used that evaluates the knowledge and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine among this population. Results: The results show that the participants' high knowledge of COVID-19 translates into good and safe practices, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health workers worldwide should concentrate on enlightening and building faith among the unsure and reluctant population regarding security, effectiveness, and adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusions: The study findings are useful to the policymakers and healthcare professionals who are working on vaccine awareness programs of COVID-19. The findings conclude that the health education interventions should be directed to population of Qassim, Saudi Arabia, at high risk of contracting COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among diabetes complications, diabetic foot disease (DFD) is the most common and the most preventable complication. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of foot care among type two diabetes mellitus (DM) patients attending the Diabetic and Endocrine Center at King Fahad Specialist Hospital in Buraydah‑Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A descriptive cross‑sectional facility‑based study was conducted randomly among type two diabetic patients; respondents were 260 patients. Participants were interviewed using a pretested semi‑structured questionnaire. Results: Of the total studied patients, 54.2% were males with median age of 58 years. Majority 56.5% of patients had good knowledge and 56.9% had good practices regarding diabetic foot care. The mean knowledge score was 4.0 (±1.86) out of 6. About 39.2% of participants received advice regarding foot care from their physicians. Only 41.5% of the patients examined their feet daily, 41.9% carefully dried between the toes after washing, and 40.8% were walking barefooted at home. About 68.5% of the participants had a history of diabetic foot complications. A significant statistical association was found between the good knowledge and patients’ age, educational level, family monthly income, duration of diabetic illness and having prior knowledge regarding foot care (P‑value <0.05). While, good practice of the participants towards the diabetic foot care was found to be statistically associated with the family monthly income and the prior knowledge regarding diabetic foot care (P‑value <0.05). Conclusion: Our study revealed that more than half of the participants had good knowledge and practices of diabetic foot care. However, the role of physicians and medical staff in annual foot examination and health education is crucial. An awareness program implementation for diabetic foot care is highly needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an error in affiliation 4 for author Duaa Alammari. The correct affiliation 4 is: College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.By Rakan K. Alhabib; Noara Alhusseini; Anas G. Aboalsamh; Ghaith Adi; Aya Ismail; Amro Hajja; Duaa Alammari; Ziad Khalil; Maha A. Alharbi and Sarah K. AlbahitiReported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]