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In line with the importance of Prasium majus L. (Lamiaciatae) in traditional medicine as a calming and sedative remedy, the present study was designed to reveal its chemical constituents and bioactivity potentials. Thus, after extraction and fractionation of the plant material, the obtained butanol fraction (BPm) was subjected to conventional chromatographic separation of its constituents in addition to LC-MS/MS evaluation versus some authentic standards. The study resulted in the isolation and characterisation of 8 compounds, including one new chrysoeriol derivative, majusiode ( 1 ). Structural elucidation of all isolated compounds was based on detailed investigation of their spectral data (NMR (1 & 2D), ESI-MS, IR and UV-Vis). HPLC-MS/MS analysis versus authentic samples lead to the detection of 31 constituents, including all 8 isolated compounds. The new compound ( 1 ) showed moderate AChE inhibition power (IC 50 : 163.3 ± 3.4 µg/mL) as compared to the positive control galanthamine (91.4 ± 5.2 µg/mL) and moderate DPPH • /ABTS •+ scavenging power.

The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) -13910 C > T has proved a good predictor of the incidence of lactase persistence in Europe and South Asia. Yet, this is not the case in the Near East, although this region is a passageway between the two continents. Lactase persistence is associated with cattle breeding, which originated in the Fertile Crescent of the Near East and spread later during the Middle Neolithic throughout Europe. Here we analyzed five SNPs (-13915 T > G (rs41380347), -13910 C > T (rs4988235), -13907 C > G (rs41525747), -14009 T > G (rs869051967), and -14010 G > C (rs145946881)) in three Jordanian human groups, namely the Bedouins, Jordan valley farmers, and Jordanian urban people. The SNPs -14009 T > G and -14010 G > C were not detected in the sample, -13907 C > G was virtually non-existent, -13910 C > T showed low frequencies, and -13915 T > G exhibited salient frequencies. The estimated incidence of lactase persistence was lower in the urban population (16 %), intermediate in the Jordan Valley's farmer population (30 %), and higher among the Bedouins (62 %). In explaining our findings, we postulated climatic change brought about by the aridification episode of the Arabian Peninsula and the Sahara 4200 years ago. This climatic milestone caused the collapse of the Akkadian Empire and the Old Kingdom in Egypt. Also, it could have led to a drastic decline of cattle in the region, being replaced by the domestication of camels. Loss of traditional crops and increasing dependence on camel milk might have triggered local selective pressures, mainly associated with -13915 T > G and differentiated from the ones in Europe, associated with -13910 C > T., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The process of developing therapies to treat rare diseases is fraught with financial, regulatory, and logistical challenges that have limited our ability to build effective treatments. Recently, a novel type of therapy called antisense therapy has shown immense potential for the treatment of rare diseases, particularly through single-patient N-of-1 trials. Several N-of-1 antisense therapies have been developed recently for rare diseases, including the landmark study of milasen. In response to the success of N-of-1 antisense therapy, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed unique guidelines specifically for the development of antisense therapy to treat N-of-1 rare diseases. This policy change establishes a strong foundation for future therapy development and addresses some of the major limitations that previously hindered the development of therapies for rare diseases.

The recent global COVID-19 pandemic resulted in governments enacting non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) targeted at reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2. But the NPIs also affected the transmission of viruses causing non-target seasonal respiratory diseases, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In many countries, the NPIs were found to reduce cases of such seasonal respiratory diseases, but there is also evidence that subsequent relaxation of NPIs led to outbreaks of these diseases that were larger than pre-pandemic ones, due to the accumulation of susceptible individuals prior to relaxation. Therefore, the net long-term effects of NPIs on the total disease burden of non-target diseases remain unclear. Knowledge of this is important for infectious disease management and maintenance of public health. In this study, we shed light on this issue for the simplified scenario of a set of NPIs that prevent or reduce transmission of a seasonal respiratory disease for about a year and are then removed, using mathematical analyses and numerical simulations of a suite of four epidemiological models with varying complexity and generality. The model parameters were estimated using empirical data pertaining to seasonal respiratory diseases and covered a wide range. Our results showed that NPIs reduced the total disease burden of a non-target seasonal respiratory disease in the long-term. Expressed as a percentage of population size, the reduction was greater for larger values of the basic reproduction number and the immunity loss rate, reflecting larger outbreaks and hence more infections averted by imposition of NPIs. Our study provides a foundation for exploring the effects of NPIs on total disease burden in more-complex scenarios., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Fertilized eggs initiate translation of stored mRNAs in spatially and temporally controlled manners. Here, we present a protocol for visualizing spatial and temporal translation in zebrafish embryos by fluorescence in situ hybridization and proximity ligation assay. We describe steps for labeling newly synthesized proteins and mRNA, visualizing mRNA translation and mRNA, sample mounting, and observation. Coupling detection of mRNA molecules with their translation sites is useful for understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive embryo development. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Sato et al. 1 and Takada et al. 2 ., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The protection of foodstuffs against insect pests constitutes a serious problem across the world. Synthetic chemical insecticides are the most widely used method for grain protection. Unfortunately, the harmful effects of these insecticides on human health and environment have increased the interest of researchers for botanical insecticides which are recognized as eco-friendly products. Therefore, the efficacy of Aguaria salicifolia Hook. f. ex Oliv. leaf extracts was tested against Callosobruchus maculatus F. on cowpea grain, at the dosage of 2, 4, 8 and 16 g/kg. To estimate the biological activity of leaf powder and aqueous extract, adult mortality, insect population growth reduction, grain damage and weight loss reduction tests were carried out. The repellency effect of A. salicifolia was assessed using the aqueous, methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts. The mortality was recorded at 1, 3, 5 and 6 days post-exposure. All treatments were submitted to four replications, and the experiment was carried out in a completely randomised design in the fluctuating laboratory conditions (Temp. = 23.71 ± 1.03 °C; RH. = 81.38 ± 2.03 %). Overall, all the extracts significantly exhibited insecticidal activities against cowpea bruchids. The highest dosage induced the highest mortality rates; 79.26 % and 84.08 % with aqueous extract and leaf powder , respectively. The different plant extracts considerably reduced insect population, grain damage and weight loss. The complete reduction of C. maculatus population was achieved by aqueous extract of A. salicifolia . The different solvent extracts had repellent property with repellency percentage values ranging from 30 % to 73.75 %. Considering these results, insecticidal products derived from A. salicifolia could constitute an alternative to the chemical synthetic insecticides used against C. maculatus . However, further studies are needed to be carried out concerning the mammalian toxicity and evaluation of suitable formulations of the extracts under field conditions before their promotion for grain protection., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

The brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus linnaei (Audouin, 1826), is distributed across the American continent and is formerly known as the "tropical lineage". It belongs to the Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806) species complex, referred to as R. sanguineus ( sensu lato ). Mitochondrial genome sequences are frequently used for the identification and represent reference material for field studies. In the present study, the entire mitochondrial genomes of R. linnaei (∼15 kb) collected from dogs in Mexico were sequenced and compared with available mitogenomes of R. sanguineus ( s.l .). The mitochondrial genome is ∼90% identical to the reference genome of R. sanguineus ( sensu stricto , former "temperate lineage") and > 99% identical to R. linnaei mitogenome derived from the neotype. Two additional mitogenomes were obtained and described as R. linnaei and R. turanicus from dogs in Saudi Arabia. The present study delivers a molecular reference for R. linnaei from America and complements R. linnaei mitogenomes from Africa, Asia and Australia. We propose to consider the complete mitogenome, as the reference for American R. linnaei , even when partial mitochondrial cox 1, 12S rRNA or 16S rRNA genes are characterised., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the outcomes of this study., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Life harnessing light energy transformed the relationship between biology and Earth-bringing a massive flux of organic carbon and oxidants to Earth's surface that gave way to today's organotrophy- and respiration-dominated biosphere. However, our understanding of how life drove this transition has largely relied on the geological record; much remains unresolved due to the complexity and paucity of the genetic record tied to photosynthesis. Here, through holistic phylogenetic comparison of the bacterial domain and all photosynthetic machinery (totally spanning >10,000 genomes), we identify evolutionary congruence between three independent biological systems-bacteria, (bacterio)chlorophyll-mediated light metabolism (chlorophototrophy), and carbon fixation-and uncover their intertwined history. Our analyses uniformly mapped progenitors of extant light-metabolizing machinery (reaction centers, [bacterio]chlorophyll synthases, and magnesium-chelatases) and enzymes facilitating the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle (form I RuBisCO and phosphoribulokinase) to the same ancient Terrabacteria organism near the base of the bacterial domain. These phylogenies consistently showed that extant phototrophs ultimately derived light metabolism from this bacterium, the last phototroph common ancestor (LPCA). LPCA was a non-oxygen-generating (anoxygenic) phototroph that already possessed carbon fixation and two reaction centers, a type I analogous to extant forms and a primitive type II. Analyses also indicate chlorophototrophy originated before LPCA. We further reconstructed evolution of chlorophototrophs/chlorophototrophy post-LPCA, including vertical inheritance in Terrabacteria, the rise of oxygen-generating chlorophototrophy in one descendant branch near the Great Oxidation Event, and subsequent emergence of Cyanobacteria. These collectively unveil a detailed view of the coevolution of light metabolism and Bacteria having clear congruence with the geological record., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:The authors declare no competing interest.

Background: Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is an economically important vegetable crop worldwide. Lettuce is believed to be domesticated from a single wild ancestor Lactuca serriola and subsequently diverged into two major morphologically distinct vegetable types: leafy lettuce and stem lettuce. However, the role of epigenetic variation in lettuce domestication and divergence remains largely unknown., Results: To understand the genetic and epigenetic basis underlying lettuce domestication and divergence, we generate single-base resolution DNA methylomes from 52 Lactuca accessions, including major lettuce cultivars and wild relatives. We find a significant increase of DNA methylation during lettuce domestication and uncover abundant epigenetic variations associated with lettuce domestication and divergence. Interestingly, DNA methylation variations specifically associated with leafy and stem lettuce are related to regulation and metabolic processes, respectively, while those associated with both types are enriched in stress responses. Moreover, we reveal that domestication-induced DNA methylation changes could influence expression levels of nearby and distal genes possibly through affecting chromatin accessibility and chromatin loop., Conclusion: Our study provides population epigenomic insights into crop domestication and divergence and valuable resources for further domestication for diversity and epigenetic breeding to boost crop improvement., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

(1) Background: we determined the prevalence of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) amongst people without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in rural and peri-urban areas in Botswana. (2) Methods: We screened for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) from archived plasma samples of people without HIV (n = 2135) randomly selected from the Botswana Combination Prevention Program (BCPP) (2013-2018). We sequenced 415 bp of the surface region using BigDye sequencing chemistry. (3) Results: The median age of participants was 31 (IQR: 24-46) and 64% (1360/2135) were female. HBV prevalence was 4.0% (86/2135) [95% CI: 3.3-4.9]) and ranged between 0-9.2%. Older participants (>35 years) had increased odds of HBV positivity (OR: 1.94; 95% CI: [1.32-2.86]; p = 0.001). Thirteen samples were sequenced and seven (53.8%) were genotype A, three (23.1%) were genotype D and genotype E each. Clinically significant mutations were identified in the surface region, but no classic drug resistance mutations were identified. (4) Conclusions: We report an HBV prevalence of 4.0% (95% CI 3.3-4.9) among people without HIV in rural and peri-urban communities in Botswana with varying rates in different communities. A comprehensive national HBV program is required in Botswana to guide HBV prevention, testing and management.

The study highlighted the potential of sesame seed coat (SSC), typically discarded during sesame paste processing, as a valuable resource for valorization through extracting bioactive compounds. It examined the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of SSC, and evaluated its antibacterial properties against foodborne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella Typhimurium. Additionally, SSC underwent nanoemulsion coating, analyzed using dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy, to enhance its application as a natural preservative. The research specifically focused on incorporating SSC nanoemulsion into milk to determine its effectiveness as a preservative. SSC demonstrated considerable antioxidant activity and phenolic content, with catechin identified as the predominant polyphenol. GC-MS analysis revealed seven major compounds, led by oleic acid. Notably, SSC effectively inhibited L. monocytogenes in broth at 100 mg/ml. The application of SSC and its nanoemulsion resulted in changes to bacterial morphology and a significant reduction in bacterial counts in milk, highlighting its potential as an effective natural antibacterial agent. The findings of this study highlight the potential use of SSC as a valuable by-product in the food industry, with significant implications for food preservation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Khazaal, Khalil, Osaili, Albiss, Al-Nabulsi, Louka and El Darra.)

In the current study, we evaluated the in vitro antibacterial efficacy of the roots' extracts of Jasminum officinale, Rosa damascene and Paeonia officinalis against MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) by well diffusion technique. The root extract of P. officinalis exerted a potent anti-MRSA with MIC 0.4673 µg/ml, while both J. officinale and R. damascene exhibited very weak activity. Therefore, chemical profiling of the crude extract P. officinalis roots assisted by LC-HR-ESI-MS was performed and led to the dereplication of twenty metabolites of different classes, in which terpenes are the most abundant compounds. On a molecular level, network pharmacology was used to determine the targets of active metabolites to bacterial infections, particularly MRSA. Online databases PubChem, UniProt, STRING, and Swiss Target Prediction were used. In addition to using CYTOSCAPE software to display and analyze the findings, ShinyGO and FunRich tools were used to identify the gene enrichment analysis to the set of recognized genes. The results detected the identified metabolites were annotated by 254 targets. ALB, ACHE, TYMS, PRKCD, PLG, MMP9, MMP2, ERN1, EDNRA, BRD4 were found to be associated with MRSA infection. The top KEGG pathway was the vascular smooth muscle contraction pathway according to enrichment FDR. The present study suggested a possible implication of P. officinalis roots as a potent candidate having a powerful antibacterial activity against MRSA., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Macroinvertebrate predators such as backswimmers (Heteroptera: Notonectidae), dragonflies (Odonata: Aeshnidae), and predatory diving beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) naturally inhabit aquatic ecosystems. Some aquatic ecosystems inhabited by these macroinvertebrate predator taxa equally form malaria vector larval habitats. The presence of these predators in malaria vector larval habitats can negatively impact on development, adult body size, fecundity, and longevity of the malaria vectors, which form important determinants of their fitness and future vectorial capacity. These potential negative impacts caused by aquatic macroinvertebrate predators on malaria vectors warrant their consideration as biocontrol agents in an integrated program to combat malaria. However, the use of these macroinvertebrate predators in malaria biocontrol is currently constrained by technical bottlenecks linked to their generalist predatory tendencies and often long life cycles, demanding complex rearing systems. We reviewed the literature on the use of aquatic macroinvertebrate predators for biocontrol of malaria vectors from the An. gambiae s.l. complex. The available information from laboratory and semi-field studies has shown that aquatic macroinvertebrates have the potential to consume large numbers of mosquito larvae and could thus offer an additional approaches in integrated malaria vector management strategies. The growing number of semi-field structures available in East and West Africa provides an opportunity to conduct ecological experimental studies to reconsider the potential of using aquatic macroinvertebrate predators as a biocontrol tool. To achieve a more sustainable approach to controlling malaria vector populations, additional, non-chemical interventions could provide a more sustainable approach, in comparison with the failing chemical control tools, and should be urgently considered for integration with the current mosquito vector control campaigns., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the leading cause of dementia worldwide, remains a challenge due to its complex origin and degenerative character. The need for accurate biomarkers and treatment targets hinders early identification and intervention. To fill this gap, we used a novel longitudinal proteome methodology to examine the temporal development of molecular alterations in the cortex of an intracerebroventricular streptozotocin (ICV-STZ)-induced AD mouse model for disease initiation and progression at one, three-, and six-weeks post-treatment. Week 1 revealed metabolic protein downregulation, such as Aldoa and Pgk1. Week 3 showed increased Synapsin-1, and week 6 showed cytoskeletal protein alterations like Vimentin. The biological pathways, upstream regulators, and functional effects of proteome alterations were dissected using advanced bioinformatics methods, including Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) and machine learning algorithms. We identified Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Synaptic Vesicle Pathway, and Neuroinflammation Signaling as disease-causing pathways. Huntington's Disease Signaling and Synaptogenesis Signaling were stimulated while Glutamate Receptor and Calcium Signaling were repressed. IPA also found molecular connections between PPARGC1B and AGT, which are involved in myelination and possible neoplastic processes, and MTOR and AR, which imply mechanistic involvements beyond neurodegeneration. These results help us comprehend AD's molecular foundation and demonstrate the promise of focused proteomic techniques to uncover new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD, enabling personalized medicine.

Background: The incidence of antimicrobial resistance is alarmingly high because it occurs in humans, environment, and animal sectors from a "One Health" viewpoint. The emergence of plasmid-carried mobile colistin-resistance (MCR) genes limits the efficacy of colistin, which is the last-line treatment for multidrug resistance (MDR) against gram-negative infections., Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate emergence of colistin-resistance (MCR 1-5) genes in E. coli isolated from patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Jordan., Methods: E. coli (n = 132) were collected from urine specimens. The E. coli isolated from human UTI patients were examined the resistance to colistin based on the presence of MCR (1-5). All isolates were tested against 20 antimicrobials using the standard disk diffusion method. The broth microdilution technique was used to analyze colistin resistance. In addition, the MCR (1-5) genes were detected using multiplex PCR., Results: Out of the 132 isolates, 1 isolate was colistin-resistant, having a minimum inhibitory concentration of 8 μg/mL and possessing MCR-1. All the E. coli isolates showed high resistance to penicillin (100%), amoxicillin (79.55%), cephalexin (75.76%), nalidixic acid (62.88%), tetracycline (58.33%), or cefepime (53.79)., Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first report on the presence of plasmid-coded MCR-1 in E. coli from a patient with UTIs in Jordan. This is a problematic finding because colistin is the last-line drug for the treatment of infections caused by MDR gram-negative bacteria. There is a crucial need to robustly utilize antibiotics to control and prevent the emergence and prevalence of colistin-resistance genes., Competing Interests: There are no competing interests., (Copyright: © 2024 Al Momani et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Prasiola crispa , an aerial green alga, exhibits remarkable adaptability to the extreme conditions of Antarctica by forming layered colonies capable of utilizing far-red light for photosynthesis. Despite a recent report on the structure of P. crispa 's unique light-harvesting chlorophyll (Chl)-binding protein complex (Pc-frLHC), which facilitates far-red light absorption and uphill excitation energy transfer to photosystem II, the specific genes encoding the subunits of Pc-frLHC have not yet been identified. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of P. crispa strain 4113, originally isolated from soil samples on Ongul Island, Antarctica. We obtained a 92 Mbp sequence distributed in 1,045 scaffolds comprising 10,244 genes, reflecting 87.1% of the core eukaryotic gene set. Notably, 26 genes associated with the light-harvesting Chl a / b binding complex (LHC) were identified, including four Pc-frLHC genes, with similarity to a noncanonical Lhca gene with four transmembrane helices, such as Ot_Lhca6 in Ostreococcus tauri and Cr_LHCA2 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii . A comparative analysis revealed that Pc-frLHC shares homology with certain Lhca genes found in Coccomyxa and Trebouxia species. This similarity indicates that Pc-frLHC has evolved from an ancestral Lhca gene with four transmembrane helices and branched out within the Trebouxiaceae family. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis conducted during the initiation of Pc-frLHC gene induction under red light illumination indicated that Pc-frLHC genes were induced independently from other genes associated with photosystems or LHCs. Instead, the genes of transcription factors, helicases, chaperones, heat shock proteins, and components of blue light receptors were identified to coexpress with Pc-frLHC. Those kinds of information could provide insights into the expression mechanisms of Pc-frLHC and its evolutional development., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Kosugi, Ohtani, Hara, Toyoda, Nishide, Ozawa, Takahashi, Kashino, Kudoh, Koike and Minagawa.)

The current study was designed to uncover the chemistry and bioactivity potentials of Bupleurum lancifolium growing wild in Jordan. In this context, the fresh aerial parts obtained from the plant material were subjected to hydrodistillation followed by GC/MS analysis. The main components of the HDEO were γ-patchoulene (23.79%), β-dihydro agarofuran (23.50%), α-guaiene (14.11%), and valencene (13.28%). Moreover, the crude thanolic extract was partitioned to afford two main major fractions, the aqueous methanol (BLM) and butanol (BLB). Phytochemical investigation of both fractions, using conventional chromatographic techniques followed by careful inspection of the spectral data for the isolated compounds (NMR, IR, and UV-Vis), resulted in the characterization of five known compounds, including α-spinasteryl ( M1 ), ethyl arachidate ( M2 ), ethyl myristate ( M3 ), quercetin-3- O -β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-4")-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl ( B1 ), and isorhamnetin-3- O -β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-4")-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl ( B2 ). The TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity testing of both fractions and HDEO revealed an interesting ABTS scavenging potential of the BLB fraction compared to the employed positive controls, which is in total agreement with its high TP and TF contents. Cytotoxic evaluation tests revealed that BLM had interesting cytotoxic effects on the normal breast cell line MDA-MB-231 (ATCC-HTB-26) and the normal dermal fibroblast (ATCC ® PCS-201-012) and normal African green monkey kidney Vero (ATCC-CCL-81) cell lines. Despite both the BLB and BLM fractions showing interesting AChE inhibition activities (IC 50 = 217.9 ± 5.3 µg/mL and 139.1 ± 5.6 µg/mL, respectively), the HDEO revealed an interestingly high AChE inhibition power (43.8 ± 2.7 µg/mL) that far exceeds the one observed for galanthamine (91.4 ± 5.2 µg/mL). The HDEO, BLM, and BLB exhbitied no interesting antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus , Bacillus subtilis , Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli , or Pseudomonas aeruginosa .

Goals of the investigation: This work aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles in an experimental mouse model of rotenone-induced PD and investigate the therapeutic effects of ZnO, cobalt ferrite nanoparticles, and their combination. Methods: The levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and serotonin were assessed using ELISA in the control and experimental model of PD mice. The dopa-decarboxylase expression level was assayed by real-time PCR. The expression level of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was assessed by western blot analysis. Results: Our data showed that levels of dopamine decreased in PD mice compared to normal. ZnO NP increased dopamine levels in normal and PD mice (37.5% and 29.5%; respectively, compared to untreated mice). However, ZnO NP did not cause any change in norepinephrine and epinephrine levels either in normal or in PD mice. Levels of serotonin decreased by 64.0%, and 51.1% in PD mice treated with cobalt ferrite and dual ZnO- cobalt ferrite NPs; respectively, when compared to PD untreated mice. The mRNA levels of dopa-decarboxylase increased in both normal and PD mice treated with ZnO NP. Its level decreased when using cobalt ferrite NP and the dual ZnO-cobalt ferrite NP when compared to untreated PD mice. A significant decrease in TH expression by 0.25, 0.68, and 0.62 folds was observed in normal mice treated with ZnO, cobalt ferrite, and the dual ZnO-cobalt ferrite NP as compared to normal untreated mice. In PD mice, ZnO administration caused a non-significant 0.15-fold decrease in TH levels while both cobalt ferrite and the dual ZnO-cobalt ferrite NP administration caused a significant 0.3 and 0.4-fold decrease respectively when compared to untreated PD mice. Principal conclusion : This study reveals that ZnO NPs may be utilized as a potential intervention to elevate dopamine levels to aid in PD treatment., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

An overview of freshwater fish variety worldwide and the variables influencing trends in variation between and within river basins are given in this review. Continental freshwater ecosystems are highly diverse and species-rich, housing nearly 18,000 species of fish (=50% of all fish species) in <0.5% of the total land area and providing a negligible (<0.01%) share of the planet's water supply. Large lowland tropical river basins such as the Amazon, Congo, and Mekong basins are home to the greatest freshwater fish diversity. Freshwater species of fish depth variation at the global magnitude is correlated with the total amount and variation of aquatic habitats and the environment's equilibrium overtime during the evolution of scales. The river continuum concept states that there is a predictable shift in fish species depth, diversity of species, and functional characteristics along gradients of environment from headwater to estuary. The ongoing trade of minerals and organic matter related to nearby floodplains is a strong factor in the number and variety of riverine fishes in most parts of the world (the flood pulse concept). Without coordinated conservation efforts, freshwater fishes will suffer significant losses in abundance and diversity due to the numerous threats they currently face worldwide. However, further development, adaptation, training, and guidance are needed. New technologies based on water conservation, suitable species, and local traditions are needed. Waste materials and local feed additives can also be used. Farmers should be provided with the necessary training and information., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (© The authors.)

Objectives: Improving response rates in colorectal cancer (CRC) is an urgent clinical need. This study aimed to explore the synergistic action of Lebanese rosemary essential oil (REO) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in HCT116 CRC cells., Methods: We tested the cell viability of monotherapy and combination therapy. The combination index was calculated using CompuSyn software to evaluate drug-drug interactions and the level of synergistic cytotoxicity. We also evaluated cell migration and cytopathology. Furthermore, cell apoptosis-related proteins (i.e. Bax and Bcl-2) were measured by Western blot analysis., Key Findings: The REO/5-FU combination synergistically reduced cell viability, effectively decreased cell migration, and increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in HCT116 cells. This triggered a proapoptotic morphology and initiated an apoptotic cascade in HCT116 cells, as indicated by a higher Bax/Bcl-2 ratio., Conclusions: Our results provide evidence of the REO/5-FU combination as a better approach to improve 5-FU anticancer efficacy and allow the use of lower 5-FU doses due to the adjuvant effect of REO., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

This current in vitro , ex vivo , and in vivo research aims to evaluate and analyze the linalool-zinc oxide nanocomposite (Lin-ZNP) for treating cystic echinococcosis. Lin-ZNP was synthesized using an ethanolic solution of polyvinyl alcohol. The protoscolicidal effects of Lin-ZNP were tested on hydatid cyst protoscoleces (PTS) in both in vitro and ex vivo by eosin exclusion test. The study also examined the impact on caspase-3 gene expression and the external structure of PTS. The in vivo effect was measured by examining hydatid cysts' quantity, dimensions, and weight in mice intraperitoneally infected with 0.5 mL of PTS solution containing 1,000 PTS. The antioxidant and inflammatory cytokine gene expression levels were examined using real-time PCR. Lin-ZNP significantly ( P < 0.001) killed the PTS in both in vitro and ex vivo in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The treated PTS exhibited creases and protrusions as a result of bleb formation and upregulation in the gene expression of caspase-3. Upon treatment with Lin-ZNP, there was a significant ( P < 0.001) reduction in the number, diameter, and weight of the hydatid cysts. Treatment with Lin-ZNP nanocomposite led to a significant increase in the expression of antioxidant genes and a notable decrease in oxidative stress markers, and the expression levels of IL-4 and IL-10. Lin-ZNP has the potential to act as a scolicidal agent and demonstrates promise in controlling hydatid cysts in a mouse model, attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, additional studies in clinical trials are needed to confirm the use of Lin-ZNP for treating hydatidosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Climate change is one of the main challenges, and it poses a tough challenge to the agriculture industry globally. Additionally, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are the main contributor to climate change; however, croplands are a prominent source of GHG emissions. Yet this complex challenge can be mitigated through climate-smart agricultural practices. Conservation tillage is commonly known to preserve soil and mitigate environmental change by reducing GHG emissions. Nonetheless, there is still a paucity of information on the influences of conservation tillage on wheat yield, soil properties, and GHG flux, particularly in the semi-arid Dingxi belt. Hence, in order to fill this gap, different tillage systems, namely conventional tillage (CT) control, straw incorporation with conventional tillage (CTS), no-tillage (NT), and stubble return with no-tillage (NTS), were laid at Dingxi, Gansu province of China, under a randomized complete block design with three replications to examine their impacts on yield, soil properties, and GHG fluxes. Results depicted that different conservative tillage systems (CTS, NTS, and NT) significantly ( p < 0.05) increased the plant height, number of spikes per plant, seed number per meter square, root yield, aboveground biomass yield, thousand-grain weight, grain yield, and dry matter yield compared with CT. Moreover, these conservation tillage systems notably improved the soil properties (soil gravimetric water content, water-filled pore space, water storage, porosity, aggregates, saturated hydraulic conductivity, organic carbon, light fraction organic carbon, carbon storage, microbial biomass carbon, total nitrogen, available nitrogen storage, microbial biomass nitrogen, total phosphorous, available phosphorous, total potassium, available potassium, microbial counts, urease, alkaline phosphatase, invertase, cellulase, and catalase) while decreasing the soil temperature and bulk density over CT. However, CTS, NTS, and NT had non-significant effects on ECe, pH, and stoichiometric properties (C:N ratio, C:P ratio, and N:P ratio). Additionally, conservation-based tillage regimes NTS, NT, and CTS significantly ( p  < 0.05) reduced the emission and net global warming potential of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) by 23.44, 19.57, and 16.54%, respectively, and decreased the greenhouse gas intensity by 23.20, 29.96, and 18.72%, respectively, over CT. We conclude that NTS is the best approach to increasing yield, soil and water conservation, resilience, and mitigation of agroecosystem capacity., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Sadiq, Rahim, Tahir, Alasmari, Alqahtani, Albogami, Ghanem, Abdein, Ali, Mehmood, Yuan, Shaheen, Shehzad, El-Sayed, Chen and Li.)

The unexpected foodborne outbreak in Singapore in 2015 has accentuated Group B Streptococcus (GBS, Streptococcus agalactiae ) sequence type 283 as an emerging foodborne pathogen transmitted via the consumption of contaminated raw freshwater fish. Isolation-based workflows utilizing conventional microbiological and whole-genome sequencing methods are commonly used to support biosurveillance efforts critical for the control management of this emerging foodborne pathogen. However, these isolation-based workflows tend to have relatively long turnaround times that hamper a timely response for implementing risk mitigation. To address this gap, we have developed a metagenomics-based workflow for the simultaneous detection and genomic characterization of GBS in raw freshwater fish. Notably, our validation results showed that this metagenomics-based workflow could achieve comparable accuracy and potentially better detection limits while halving the turnaround time (from 2 weeks to 5 days) relative to an isolation-based workflow. The metagenomics-based workflow was also successfully adapted for use on a portable long-read nanopore sequencer, demonstrating its potential applicability for real-time point-of-need testing. Using GBS in freshwater fish as an example, this work represents a proof-of-concept study that supports the feasibility and validity of metagenomics as a rapid and accurate test methodology for the detection and genomic characterization of foodborne pathogens in complex food matrices., Importance: The need for a rapid and accurate food microbiological testing method is apparent for a timely and effective foodborne outbreak response. This is particularly relevant for emerging foodborne pathogens such as Group B Streptococcus (GBS) whose associated food safety risk might be undercharacterized. By using GBS in raw freshwater fish as a case example, this study describes the development of a metagenomics-based workflow for rapid food microbiological safety testing and surveillance. This study can inform as a working model for various foodborne pathogens in other complex food matrices, paving the way for future methodological development of metagenomics for food microbiological safety testing., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Novel antimicrobial agents are needed to combat antimicrobial resistance. This study tested novel pentafluorosulfanyl-containing triclocarban analogs for their potential antibacterial efficacy. Standard procedures were used to produce pentafluorosulfanyl-containing triclocarban analogs. Twenty new compounds were tested against seven Gram-positive and Gram-negative indicator strains as well as 10 clinical isolates for their antibacterial and antibiofilm activity. Mechanistic investigations focused on damage to cell membrane, oxidizing reduced thiols, iron-sulfur clusters, and oxidative stress to explain the compounds' activity. Safety profiles were assessed using cytotoxicity experiments in eukaryotic cell lines. Following screening, selected components had significantly better antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against Gram-positive bacteria in lower concentrations in comparison to ciprofloxacin and gentamycin. For instance, one compound had a minimum inhibitory concentration of <0.0003 mM, but ciprofloxacin had 0.08 mM. Mechanistic studies show that these novel compounds do not affect reduced thiol content, iron-sulfur clusters, or hydrogen peroxide pathways. Their impact comes from Gram-positive bacterial cell membrane damage. Tests on cell culture toxicity and host component safety showed promise. Novel diarylurea compounds show promise as Gram-positive antimicrobials. These compounds offer prospects for study and optimization., Importance: The rise of antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens poses a significant threat to global health, underscoring the urgent need for novel antimicrobial agents. This study presents research on a promising class of novel compounds with potent antibacterial properties against Gram-positive bacteria, notably Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA . What sets these novel analogs apart is their superior efficacy at substantially lower concentrations compared with commonly used antibiotics like ciprofloxacin and gentamycin. Importantly, these compounds act by disrupting the bacterial cell membrane, offering a unique mechanism that could potentially circumvent existing resistance mechanisms. Preliminary safety assessments also highlight their potential for therapeutic use. This study not only opens new avenues for combating antibiotic-resistant infections but also underscores the importance of innovative chemical approaches in addressing the global antimicrobial resistance crisis., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The adaptive survival mechanisms of bacterial pathogens under host-induced stress are crucial for understanding pathogenesis. Recently, Uppalapati et al. revealed a unique dual function of the Gifsy-1 prophage terminase in Salmonella enterica : it acts as a transfer ribonuclease (tRNase) under oxidative stress. The Gifsy-1 prophage terminase targets and fragments tRNA Leu to halt translation and temporarily impairs bacterial growth when exposed to high levels of ROS generated by the host immune cells. This response not only preserves genomic integrity by facilitating DNA repair but also inhibits prophage mobilization, thereby aiding in bacterial survival within vertebrate hosts. This study highlights a novel intersection between phage biology and bacterial adaptive strategies., Competing Interests: Given his role as editorial board member, Dr. Chunyi Hu, had no involvement in the peer-review of this article and has no access to information regarding its peer-review. Full responsibility for the editorial process for this article was delegated to Dr. Qunxin She., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) manifests as a neurodevelopmental condition marked by challenges in social communication, interaction and the performing of repetitive behaviors. The prevalence of autism increases markedly on an annual basis; however, the etiology remains incompletely understood. Cytogenetically visible chromosomal abnormalities, including copy number variations (CNVs), have been shown to contribute to the pathogenesis of ASD. More than 1% of ASD conditions can be explained based on a known genetic locus, whereas CNVs account for 5-10% of cases. However, there are no studies on the Saudi Arabian population for the detection of CNVs linked to ASD, to the best of our knowledge. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the prevalence of CNVs in autistic Saudi Arabian children. Genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of 14 autistic children along with four healthy control children and then array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) was used to detect CNVs. Bioinformatics analysis of the aCGH results showed the presence of recurrent and non-recurrent deletion/duplication CNVs in several regions of the genome of autistic children. The most frequent CNVs were 1q21.2, 3p26.3, 4q13.2, 6p25.3, 6q24.2, 7p21.1, 7q34, 7q11.1, 8p23.2, 13q32.3, 14q11.1-q11.2 and 15q11.1-q11.2. In the present study, CNVs in autistic Saudi Arabian children were identified to improve the understanding of the etiology of autism and facilitate its diagnosis. Additionally, the present study identified certain possible pathogenic genes in the CNV region associated with several developmental and neurogenetic diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright: © 2024 Alhazmi et al.)

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a significant and pressing public health concern, posing serious challenges to effectively preventing and treating persistent diseases. Despite various efforts made in recent years to address this problem, the global trends of AMR continue to escalate without any indication of decline. As AMR is well-known for antibiotics, developing new materials such as metal containing compounds with different mechanisms of action is crucial to effectively address this challenge. Copper, silver, and chitosan in various forms have demonstrated significant biological activities and hold promise for applications in medicine and biotechnology. Exploring the biological properties of these nanoparticles is essential for innovative therapeutic approaches in treating bacterial and fungal infections, cancer, and other diseases. To this end, the present study aimed to synthesize silver@copper oxide (Ag@CuO) nanoparticles and its chitosan nanocomposite (Chi-Ag@CuO) to investigate their antimicrobial efficacy. Various established spectroscopic and microscopic methods were employed for characterization purposes, encompassing scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Subsequently, the antimicrobial activity of the nanoparticles was assessed through MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration), MBC (minimum bactericidal concentration), and well-disk diffusion assays against Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Acinetobacter baumannii Staphylococcus aureus , Staphylococcus epidermidis , and Candida albicans . The size of the CuO-NPs, Ag@CuO, and Chi-Ag@CuO NPs was found to be 70-120 nm with a spherical shape and an almost uniform distribution. The nanocomposites were found to possess a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 5 μg/mL and a minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 250 μg/mL. Moreover, these nanocomposites generated varying clear inhibition zones, with diameters ranging from a minimum of 9 ± 0.5 mm to a maximum of 25 ± 0.5 mm. Consequently, it is evident that the amalgamation of copper-silver-chitosan nanoparticles has exhibited noteworthy antimicrobial properties in the controlled laboratory environment, surpassing the performance of other types of nanoparticles., (© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

Background: Spatio-temporal running parameters and their variability help to determine a runner's running style. However, determining whether a change is due to the measurement or to a specific condition such as an injury is a matter of debate, as no recommendation on the number of steps required to obtain reliable assessments exists., Research Question: What is the optimal number of steps required to measure different spatio-temporal parameters and study their variability at different running speeds?, Methods: Twenty-five runners performed three experimental sessions of three bouts of treadmill running at 8, 10 and 12 km/h separated by 24 h. We measured cadence, stride, step, contact and flight time. We calculated the duty factor and the leg stiffness index (Kleg). Mean spatio-temporal parameters and linear (coefficient of variation, standard deviation) and non-linear (Higuchi fractal index, α1 coefficient of detrended fluctuation analysis) analyses were computed for different numbers of steps. Relative reliability was determined using the intraclass coefficient correlation. The minimal number of steps which present a good reliability level was considered as the optimal number of steps for measurement. Absolute reliability was assessed by calculating minimal detectable change., Results: To assess the mean values of spatio-temporal running parameters, between 16 and 150 steps were required. We were unable to obtain an optimal number of steps for cadence, stride and step-time variabilities for all speeds. For the linear analyses, we deduced the optimal number of steps for Kleg and the contact time (around 350 steps). Non-linear analyses measurements required between 350 and 540 steps, depending on the parameter., Significance: Researchers and clinicians should optimize experimental conditions (number of steps and running speed) depending on the parameter or the variability analysis targeted. Future studies must use absolute reliability metrics to report changes in response to a specific condition with no bias due to measurement error., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Antoine Godin reports equipment, drugs, or supplies was provided by Physio Sport Besancon and Mtraining. Antoine Godin reports administrative support was provided by Exercise Performance Health Innovation (EPHI) platform., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cancer is the most prevalent disease globally, which presents a significant challenge to the healthcare industry, with breast and lung cancer being predominant malignancies. This study used RNA-seq data from the TCGA database to identify potential biomarkers for lung and breast cancer. Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNFAIP8) and Sulfite Oxidase (SUOX) showed significant expression variation and were selected for further study using structure-based drug discovery (SBDD). Compounds derived from the Euphorbia ammak plant were selected for in-silico study with both TNFAIP8 and SUOX. Stigmasterol had the greatest binding scores (normalized scores of -8.53 kcal/mol and -9.69 kcal/mol) with both proteins, indicating strong stability in their binding pockets throughout the molecular dynamics' simulation. Although Stigmasterol first changed its initial conformation (RMSD = 0.5 nm with the starting conformation) in SUOX, it eventually reached a stable conformation (RMSD of 1.5 nm). The compound on TNFAIP8 showed a persistent shape (RMSD of 0.35 nm), indicating strong protein stability. The binding free energy of the complex was calculated using the MM/GBSA technique; TNFAIP8 had a ΔG TOTAL of -24.98 kcal/mol, with TYR160 being the most significant residue, contributing -2.52 kcal/mol. On the other hand, the SUOX complex had a binding free energy of -16.87 kcal/mol, with LEU151 being the primary contributor (-1.17 kcal/mol). Analysis of the complexes' free energy landscape unveiled several states with minimum free energy, indicating robust interactions between the protein and ligand. In its conclusion, this work emphasises the favourable ability of Stigmasterol to bind with prospective targets for lung and breast cancer, indicating the need for more experimental study., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Deterioration of physiological systems, like the cardiovascular system, occurs progressively with age impacting an individual's health and increasing susceptibility to injury and disease. Cellular senescence has an underlying role in age-related alterations and can be triggered by natural aging or prematurely by stressors such as the bacterial toxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids by CYP450 enzymes produces numerous bioactive lipid mediators that can be further metabolized by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) into diol metabolites, often with reduced biological effects. In our study, we observed age-related cardiac differences in female mice, where young mice demonstrated resistance to LPS injury, and genetic deletion or pharmacological inhibition of sEH using trans -4-[4-(3-adamantan-1- yl -ureido)-cyclohexyloxy]-benzoic acid attenuated LPS-induced cardiac dysfunction in aged female mice. Bulk RNA-sequencing analyses revealed transcriptomics differences in aged female hearts. The confirmatory analysis demonstrated changes to inflammatory and senescence gene markers such as Il-6 , Mcp1 , Il-1β , Nlrp3 , p21 , p16 , SA-β-gal , and Gdf15 were attenuated in the hearts of aged female mice where sEH was deleted or inhibited. Collectively, these findings highlight the role of sEH in modulating the aging process of the heart, whereby targeting sEH is cardioprotective. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is an essential enzyme for converting epoxy fatty acids to their less bioactive diols. Our study suggests deletion or inhibition of sEH impacts the aging process in the hearts of female mice resulting in cardioprotection. Data indicate targeting sEH limits inflammation, preserves mitochondria, and alters cellular senescence in the aged female heart.

The aim of this investigation was to explore the protective impacts and mechanisms of Anastatica hierochuntica essential oil (EOAH) against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental colitis in mice. EOAH demonstrated a reduction in DSS-induced body weight decline, disease activity index (DAI), colon length reduction, colonic tissue damage, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. The essential oil significantly mitigated the production of pro-inflammatory agents including TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-12. Further analysis revealed that EOAH's anti-inflammatory effects involved the regulation of NF-κB and PPARγ pathways, as well as the inhibition of NLRP3 activation in colitis mice. Notably, EOAH treatment elevated the levels of beneficial commensal bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, while reducing Escherichia coli levels in the mice's feces. In addition, EOAH restored the expression of occludin and ZO-1 proteins in colonic tissues affected by ulcerative colitis (UC). These findings indicate that supplementing with EOAH might offer a novel therapeutic approach for UC prevention., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Species in the anthurid isopod genus Mesanthura have specific, dorsal dark pigmentation patterning on the body. Though Mesanthura species have traditionally been distinguished mainly by differences in the dorsal pigmentation pattern in females, the stability of the pigmentation pattern within species had not been investigated, and information was lacking on ontogenetic variation in the pattern. Our study showed the following for M. miyakoensis . (1) Mancae begin to show dorsal pigmentation in the marsupium roughly 9 days before their release. (2) The pigmentation pattern in the first-instar mancae (first free-living stage) differs from that in later instars. (3) The pigmentation pattern in females is discrete and stable from putative second-instar mancae through females lacking oostegites, and distorted but recognizable in ovigerious females. (4) The pattern in males is different from and less discrete than that in females; it remains similar through the molt from subadult to adult male but changes markedly with age, leading to heavy pigmentation of the body. (5) The pigmentation pattern in mancae and females remains stable and observable after storage in ethanol for at least 13.7 months. Our results suggest that comparisons of pigmentation pattern across species in Mesanthura taxonomy should be restricted to females in the post-manca or later stages.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) encompasses a diverse range of structural and functional anomalies that affect the heart and the major blood vessels. Epidemiological studies have documented a global increase in CHD prevalence, which can be attributed to advancements in diagnostic technologies. Extensive research has identified a plethora of CHD-related genes, providing insights into the biochemical pathways and molecular mechanisms underlying this pathological state. In this review, we discuss the advantages and challenges of various In vitro and in vivo CHD models, including primates, canines, Xenopus frogs, rabbits, chicks, mice, Drosophila, zebrafish, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Primates are closely related to humans but are rare and expensive. Canine models are costly but structurally comparable to humans. Xenopus frogs are advantageous because of their generation of many embryos, ease of genetic modification, and cardiac similarity. Rabbits mimic human physiology but are challenging to genetically control. Chicks are inexpensive and simple to handle; however, cardiac events can vary among humans. Mice differ physiologically, while being evolutionarily close and well-resourced. Drosophila has genes similar to those of humans but different heart structures. Zebrafish have several advantages, including high gene conservation in humans and physiological cardiac similarities but limitations in cross-reactivity with mammalian antibodies, gene duplication, and limited embryonic stem cells for reverse genetic methods. iPSCs have the potential for gene editing, but face challenges in terms of 2D structure and genomic stability. CRISPR-Cas9 allows for genetic correction but requires high technical skills and resources. These models have provided valuable knowledge regarding cardiac development, disease simulation, and the verification of genetic factors. This review highlights the distinct features of various models with respect to their biological characteristics, vulnerability to developing specific heart diseases, approaches employed to induce particular conditions, and the comparability of these species to humans. Therefore, the selection of appropriate models is based on research objectives, ultimately leading to an enhanced comprehension of disease pathology and therapy., Competing Interests: Declared none, (© 2024 Biomedical Informatics.)

The study was conducted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 2020 and 2022. The identification, characterization, and evaluation of microbes found in hen eggs was done and it was found very important to prevent contamination caused by various harmful pathogenic microbes. It was found that contaminated eggs harbor various harmful microbes which affect health due to multiple infectious diseases. Hen eggs contain a wide variety of microbes, and several distinct approaches were utilized as well as available for achieving detailed pathogenic information. The information obtained is highly essential for people who consume eggs as a food product.  It is of the utmost importance to protect people from getting sick due to the consumption of contaminated eggs or eggs from chickens that have been infected by various harmful pathogens.  During the experiment, we found that eggs were contaminated directly or the chicken that laid the egg was contaminated. Using molecular genetic analysis, it is possible to detect pathogenic and non-pathogenic contaminations in eggs.  During present studies, the cutting-edge molecular techniques of 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology were used to carry out the objective of performing a molecular identification of the microbial communities infecting eggs. The present research is aimed at determining whether the microbial communities in hen eggs are harmful to humans. The results further indicated most bacteria have the potential to cause illness in humans including Escherichia fergusonii, Salmonella enterica, Pseudocitrobacter faecalis, Yakenella regensburgei, and Erwinia pyrifoliae. Further, research suggested that eggs need to be properly cooked and thoroughly washed to eliminate the possibility of consuming infected eggs.

Backgroud: Erigeron floribundus is a herbaceous plant used in traditional Cameroonian medicine to treat diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antidiabetic properties of the aqueous extract of E. floribundus leaves (AEEF) in diabetic rats., Methods: Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) in normal rats fasted for 16 h. Subsequently, 30 diabetic male rats were divided into groups and treated orally for 21 days with distilled water (10 mL/kg), glibenclamide (3 mg/kg) and AEEF (300, 400, and 500 mg/kg). Body weight, food and water intake, blood glucose, insulin levels, lipid and oxidative profiles, as well as some markers of liver and kidney function were assessed. Histological sections of the rats' pancreas were taken., Results: AEEF and glibenclamide significantly increased (p < 0.001) body weight and decreased food and water intake in rats. A decrease in blood glucose (p < 0.001) and an increase in insulin levels (p < 0.001) were observed in the AEEF and glibenclamide groups. AEEF caused a significant (p < 0.001) decrease in the levels of total cholesterol, LDL-c, triglycérides and coronary risk index (CRI), accompanied by a significant (p < 0.001) increase in HDL levels and HOMA-β in rats. AEEF showed an improvement (p < 0.001) in CAT and SOD activity and GSH levels accompanied by a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in malondialdehyde levels. In addition, ALAT and ASAT activity, urea and creatinine levels were significantly reduced (p < 0.001) after treatment with AEEF and glibenclamide. The extract also improved the size of Langerhans Islets in the pancreas of diabetic rats., Conclusion: AEEF contains several bioactive compounds conferring antidiabetic, anti-dyslipidemic and antioxidant properties, thus justifying its therapeutic use in the treatment of diabetes mellitus., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Inc.)

This study focused on testing the antibacterial and antifungal activity of Origanum syriacum ( O. syriacum ) and Cimbopogon winterianus ( C. winterianus ) extracts and their essential oils (EOs). The bacteria were isolated from urine samples and identified by a VITEK assay, and the fungi were isolated from spoiled food samples and further identified by MALDI-TOF. The susceptibility of the microbial isolates was assessed by determining the bacteriostatic and bactericidal/fungicidal effects by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration (MBC/MFC) broth microdilution assay and time-kill test. The antibiofilm activities were assessed by the antibiofilm screening assays. The bacterial isolates included three Gram-negative isolates ( Escherichia coli , Klebsiella pneumonia , and Citrobacter freundii ) and two Gram-positive isolates ( Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus intermedius ). The fungal isolates included Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger . The O. syriacum and C. winterianus extracts exhibited bacteriostatic and fungistatic activities (MIC 1.25-2.5 mg/mL for the bacterial isolates and 2.5-5 mg/mL for the fungal isolates). However, their EOs exhibited bactericidal (MBC 5-20%) and fungicidal (MFC 1.25-10%) activities, meaning that the EOs had a better antimicrobial potential than the extracts. The antibiofilm activities of the mentioned extracts and their EOs were relatively weak. The O. syriacum extract inhibited S. aureus , S. intermedius , and K. pneumonia biofilms at a concentration of 0.3125 mg/mL and C. albicans and A. niger biofilms at 0.625 mg/mL. No antibiofilm activity was recorded for C. winterianus extract. In addition, the packaging of grapes with C. winterianus extract preserved them for about 40 days. The results reflect the significant antimicrobial activity of O. syriacum and C. winterianus extracts and their EOs, thus suggesting their potential in food packaging and preservation.

The prevalence of obesity, characterized by an excessive accumulation of adipose tissue and adipocyte hypertrophy, presents a major public health challenge. This study investigates the therapeutic potential of two probiotic strains, Lactobacillus sakei Probio65 and Lactobacillus plantarum Probio-093, in the context of obesity. Utilizing 3T3-L1 cell-derived human adipocytes, we assessed Probio65's and Probio-093's capacity to mitigate triglyceride accumulation and influence adipocytokine production in vitro. Subsequently, an in vivo trial with male C57BL/6J mice examined the effects of both probiotic strains on adipose tissue characteristics, body weight, fat mass, and obesity-related gene expression. This study employed both live and ethanol-extracted bacterial cells. The results demonstrated significant reductions in the triglyceride deposition, body weight, and adipose tissue mass in the treated groups ( p < 0.05). Furthermore, both strains modulated adipokine profiles by downregulating proinflammatory markers such as PAI-1, leptin, TNF-α, STAMP2, F4/80, resistin, and MCP-1, and upregulating the insulin-sensitive transporter GLUT4 and the anti-inflammatory adiponectin ( p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that Lactobacillus sakei Probio65 and Lactobacillus plantarum Probio-093 are promising agents for microbiome-targeted anti-obesity therapies, offering the effective mitigation of obesity and improvement in adipocyte function in a murine model.

The interplay between lipid metabolism and immune response in macrophages plays a pivotal role in various infectious diseases, notably tuberculosis (TB). Herein, we illuminate the modulatory effect of heat-killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis (HKMT) on macrophage lipid metabolism and its implications on the inflammatory cascade. Our findings demonstrate that HKMT potently activates the lipid scavenger receptor, CD36, instigating lipid accumulation. While CD36 inhibition mitigated lipid increase, it unexpectedly exacerbated the inflammatory response. Intriguingly, this paradoxical effect was linked to an upregulation of PPARδ. Functional analyses employing PPARδ modulation revealed its central role in regulating both lipid dynamics and inflammation, suggesting it as a potential therapeutic target. Moreover, primary monocytic cells from diabetic individuals, a demographic at amplified risk of TB, exhibited heightened PPARδ expression and inflammation, further underscoring its pathological relevance. Targeting PPARδ in these cells effectively dampened the inflammatory response, offering a promising therapeutic avenue against TB., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Heterochromatin is generally associated with the nuclear periphery, but how the spatial organization of heterochromatin is regulated to ensure epigenetic silencing remains unclear. Here we found that Sad1, an inner nuclear membrane SUN-family protein in fission yeast, interacts with histone H2A-H2B but not H3-H4. We solved the crystal structure of the histone binding motif (HBM) of Sad1 in complex with H2A-H2B, revealing the intimate contacts between Sad1 HBM and H2A-H2B. Structure-based mutagenesis studies revealed that the H2A-H2B-binding activity of Sad1 is required for the dynamic distribution of Sad1 throughout the nuclear envelope (NE). The Sad1-H2A-H2B complex mediates tethering telomeres and the mating-type locus to the NE. This complex is also important for heterochromatin silencing. Mechanistically, H2A-H2B enhances the interaction between Sad1 and HDACs, including Clr3 and Sir2, to maintain epigenetic identity of heterochromatin. Interestingly, our results suggest that Sad1 exhibits the histone-enhanced liquid-liquid phase separation property, which helps recruit heterochromatin factors to the NE. Our results uncover an unexpected role of SUN-family proteins in heterochromatin regulation and suggest a nucleosome-independent role of H2A-H2B in regulating Sad1's functionality., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Recently, there has been a surge towards searching for primitive treatment strategies to discover novel therapeutic approaches against multi-drug-resistant pathogens. Endophytes are considered unexplored yet perpetual sources of several secondary metabolites with therapeutic significance. This study aims to isolate and identify the endophytic fungi from Annona squamosa L. fruit peels using morphological, microscopical, and transcribed spacer (ITS-rDNA) sequence analysis; extract the fungus's secondary metabolites by ethyl acetate; investigate the chemical profile using UPLC/MS; and evaluate the potential antibacterial, antibiofilm, and antiviral activities. An endophytic fungus was isolated and identified as Aspergillus flavus L. from the fruit peels. The UPLC/MS revealed seven compounds with various chemical classes. The antimicrobial activity of the fungal ethyl acetate extract (FEA) was investigated against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative standard strains, in addition to resistant clinical isolates using the agar diffusion method. The CPE-inhibition assay was used to identify the potential antiviral activity of the crude fungal extract against low pathogenic human coronavirus (HCoV 229E). Selective Gram-positive antibacterial and antibiofilm activities were evident, demonstrating pronounced efficacy against both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). However, the extract exhibited very weak activity against Gram-negative bacterial strains. The ethyl acetate extract of Aspergillus flavus L exhibited an interesting antiviral activity with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) value of 27.2 µg/mL against HCoV 229E. Furthermore, in silico virtual molecular docking-coupled dynamics simulation highlighted the promising affinity of the identified metabolite, orienting towards three MRSA biotargets and HCoV 229E main protease as compared to reported reference inhibitors/substrates. Finally, ADME analysis was conducted to evaluate the potential oral bioavailability of the identified metabolites.

Background: Changes develop on the facial skin as a person ages. Other than chronological time, it has been discovered that gender, ethnicity, air pollution, smoking, nutrition, and sun exposure are notable risk factors that influence the development of skin ageing phenotypes such as wrinkles and photo-ageing. These risk factors can be quantified through epidemiological collection methods. We previously studied wrinkles and photo-ageing in detail using photo-numeric scales. The analysis was performed on the ethnic Chinese skin by three trained assessors. Recent studies have shown that it is possible to use self-reported data to identify skin-related changes including skin colour and skin cancer. In order to investigate the association between risk factors and skin ageing phenotypic outcomes in large-scale epidemiological studies, it would be useful to evaluate whether it is also possible for participants to self-report signs of ageing on their skin., Aim: We have previously identified several validated photo-numeric scales for wrinkling and photo-ageing to use on ethnic Chinese skin. Using these scales, our trained assessors grade wrinkling and photo-ageing with moderately high inter-assessor concordance and agreement. The main objective of this study involves letting participants grade self-reported wrinkling and photo-ageing using these same scales. We aim to compare the concordance and agreement between signs of skin ageing by the participant and signs of ageing identified by our assessors., Method: Three trained assessors studied facial photo-ageing on 1081 ethnic Chinese young adults from the Singapore/Malaysia Cross-sectional Genetics Epidemiology Study (SMCGES) cohort. Self-reported facial photo-ageing data by the same 1081 participants were also collated and the two sets of data are compared., Results: Here, we found that self-reported signs of photo-ageing are concordant with photo-ageing detected by our assessors. This finding is consistent whether photo-ageing is evaluated through studying wrinkle variations (Spearman's rank correlation (ρ) value: 0.246-0.329) or through studying dyspigmentation patterns (Spearman's rank correlation (ρ) value 0.203-0.278). When studying individual wrinkles, both participants and assessors often detect the presence of the same wrinkle (Spearman's rank correlation (ρ) value 0.249-0.366). A weak-to-fair level of agreement between both participants and assessors (Cohen's kappa (κ) values: 0.041-0.233) persists and is statistically significant after accounting for agreements due to chance. Both the participant and the assessor are largely consistent in evaluating the extent of photo-ageing (area under curve (AUC) values 0.689-0.769) and in discerning between the presence or absence of a given facial wrinkle (area under curve (AUC) values 0.601-0.856)., Conclusion: When we analyse the overall appearance of the face, our results show that signs of photo-ageing identified by the participant are concordant with signs of photo-ageing identified by our assessors. When we focused our analysis on specific areas of the face, we found that participants were more likely to identify and self-report the same wrinkles that our assessors have also detected. Here, we found that self-reported signs of skin ageing provide a satisfactory approximation to the signs of skin ageing identified by our assessors. The ability to use self-reported signs of skin ageing should also be evaluated on scales beyond the ones discussed in this study. Currently, there are not as many photo-numeric scales for quantifying dyspigmentation patterns as there are for quantifying wrinkle variations. As Chinese skin is known to become dyspigmented more easily with age, more photo-numeric scales need to be developed and properly validated., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Many songbirds learn to produce songs through vocal practice in early life and continue to sing daily throughout their lifetime. While it is well-known that adult songbirds sing as part of their mating rituals, the functions of singing behavior outside of reproductive contexts remain unclear. Here, we investigated this issue in adult male zebra finches by suppressing their daily singing for two weeks and examining the effects on song performance. We found that singing suppression decreased the pitch, amplitude, and duration of songs, and that those song features substantially recovered through subsequent free singing. These reversible song changes were not dependent on auditory feedback or the age of the birds, contrasting with the adult song plasticity that has been reported previously. These results demonstrate that adult song structure is not stable without daily singing, and suggest that adult songbirds maintain song performance by preventing song changes through physical act of daily singing throughout their life. Such daily singing likely functions as vocal training to maintain the song production system in optimal conditions for song performance in reproductive contexts, similar to how human singers and athletes practice daily to maintain their performance., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Since the clock of antimicrobial resistance was set, modern medicine has shed light on a new cornerstone in technology to overcome the worldwide dread of the post-antimicrobial era. Research organizations are exploring the use of nanotechnology to modify metallic crystals from macro to nanoscale size, demonstrating significant interest in the field of antimicrobials. Herein, the antimicrobial activities of aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), cobalt aluminum oxide (CoAl 2 O 4 ), and aluminum doped zinc oxide (Zn 0.9 Al 0.1 O) nanoparticles were examined against some nosocomial pathogens. The study confirmed the formation and characterization of Al 2 O 3 , CoAl 2 O 4 , and Zn 0.9 Al 0.1 O nanoparticles using various techniques, revealing the generation of pure nanoscale nanoparticles. With inhibition zones ranging from 9 to 14 mm and minimum inhibitory concentrations varying from 4 mg/mL to 16 mg/mL, the produced nanoparticles showed strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and Staphylococcus aureus . Meanwhile, the bactericidal concentrations ranged from 8 mg/mL to 40 mg/mL. In culture, Zn 0.9 Al 0.1 O NPs demonstrated a unique ability to inhibit the development of nosocomial infections with high bactericidal activity (8 mg/mL). Transmission electron microscope images revealed changes in cell shape, bacterial cell wall morphology, cytoplasmic membrane, and protoplasm due to the introduction of tested nanoparticles. These results pave the way for the use of these easily bacterial wall-piercing nanoparticles in combination with potent antibiotics to overcome the majority of bacterial strains' resistance., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Type I CRISPR-Cas systems employ multi-subunit effector Cascade and helicase-nuclease Cas3 to target and degrade foreign nucleic acids, representing the most abundant RNA-guided adaptive immune systems in prokaryotes. Their ability to cause long fragment deletions have led to increasing interests in eukaryotic genome editing. While the Cascade structures of all other six type I systems have been determined, the structure of the most evolutionarily conserved type I-B Cascade is still missing. Here, we present two cryo-EM structures of the Synechocystis sp. PCC 6714 (Syn) type I-B Cascade, revealing the molecular mechanisms that underlie RNA-directed Cascade assembly, target DNA recognition, and local conformational changes of the effector complex upon R-loop formation. Remarkably, a loop of Cas5 directly intercalated into the major groove of the PAM and facilitated PAM recognition. We further characterized the genome editing profiles of this I-B Cascade-Cas3 in human CD3 + T cells using mRNA-mediated delivery, which led to unidirectional 4.5 kb deletion in TRAC locus and achieved an editing efficiency up to 41.2%. Our study provides the structural basis for understanding target DNA recognition by type I-B Cascade and lays foundation for harnessing this system for long range genome editing in human T cells., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Carotenoid cleavage oxygenases (CCOs) enzymes play a vital role in plant growth and development through the synthesis of apocarotenoids and their derivative. These chemicals are necessary for flower and fruit coloration, as well as the manufacture of plant hormones such as abscisic acid (ABA) and strigolactones, which control a variety of physiological processes. The CCOs gene family has not been characterized in Arachis hypogaea. Genome mining of A. hypogaea identifies 24 AhCCO gene members. The AhCCO gene family was divided into two subgroups based on the recent study of the Arabidopsis thaliana CCO gene family classification system. Twenty-three AhCCO genes, constituting 95.8% of the total, were regulated by 29 miRNAs, underscoring the significance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in governing gene expression in peanuts. AhCCD19 is the only gene that lacks a miRNA target site. The physicochemical characteristics of CCO genes and their molecular weights and isoelectric points were studied further. The genes were then characterized regarding chromosomal distribution, structure, and promoter cis-elements. Light, stress development, drought stress, and hormone responsiveness were discovered to be associated with AhCCO genes, which can be utilized in developing more resilient crops. The investigation also showed the cellular location of the encoded proteins and discovered that the peanut carotenoid oxygenase gene family's expansion was most likely the result of tandem, segmental, and whole-genome duplication events. The localization expresses the abundance of genes mostly in the cytoplasm and chloroplast. Expression analysis shows that AhCCD7 and AhCCD14 genes show the maximum expression in the apical meristem, lateral leaf, and pentafoliate leaf development, while AhNCED9 and AhNCED13 express in response to Aspergillus flavus resistance. This knowledge throws light on the evolutionary history of the AhCCO gene family and may help researchers better understand the molecular processes behind gene duplication occurrences in plants. An integrated synteny study was used to find orthologous carotenoid oxygenase genes in A. hypogaea, whereas Arabidopsis thaliana and Beta vulgaris were used as references for the functional characterization of peanut CCO genes. These studies provide a foundation for future research on the regulation and functions of this gene family. This information provides valuable insights into the genetic regulation of AhCCO genes. This technology could create molecular markers for breeding programs to develop new peanut lines., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aim: This study aimed to determine the kinetics of occult hepatitis B virus infections (OBI) among people with HIV (PWH)., Methods: The study used archived plasma samples from longitudinal HIV natural history studies. We identified new OBI cases and assessed risk factors for OBI using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis., Results: At baseline, 8 of 382 [(2.1%) (95% CI: 1.06-4.1)] samples tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg + ). Of the 374 HBsAg-negative samples, 76 had sufficient sample volume for HBV DNA screening. OBI positivity (OBI + ) at baseline was reported in 11 of 76 [14.7 95% CI (8.3-24.1)] HBsAg-negative (HBsAg - ) participants. Baseline HBsAg-negative samples with sufficient follow-up samples ( n  = 90) were used for analysis of newly identified OBI cases. Participants contributed 129.74 person-years to the study and were followed for a median of 1.02 years (IQR: 1.00-2.00). Cumulatively, there were 34 newly identified OBI cases from the 90 participants, at the rate of 26.2/100 person-years (95% CI: 18.7-36.7). Newly identified OBI cases were more common among men than women (61.1% vs. 31.9%) and among participants with CD4 + T-cell counts ≤450 cells/mL ( p -value = 0.02). Most of the newly identified OBI cases [55.9% (19/34)] were possible reactivations as they were previously HBV core antibody positive., Conclusion: There was a high rate of newly identified OBI among young PWH in Botswana, especially in men and in participants with lower CD4 + T-cell counts. OBI screening in PWH should be considered because of the risk of transmission, possible reactivation, and risk factors for the development of chronic liver disease, including hepatocellular carcinoma., Competing Interests: AK is the Specialty Chief Editor of the Virology Section of Frontiers in Microbiology. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer WG declared a shared affiliation with the author DG to the handling editor at the time of review. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Anderson, Phinius, Phakedi, Mudanga, Bhebhe, Tlhabano, Motshosi, Ratsoma, Baruti, Mpebe, Choga, Marlink, Glebe, Blackard, Moyo, Kramvis and Gaseitsiwe.)

Protected areas are traditionally the foundation of conservation strategy, but land not formally protected is of particular importance for the conservation of large carnivores because of their typically wide-ranging nature. In South Africa, leopard (Panthera pardus) population decreases are thought to be occurring in areas of human development and intense negative interactions, but research is biased towards protected areas, with quantitative information on population sizes and trends in non-protected areas severely lacking. Using Spatially Explicit Capture-Recapture and occupancy techniques including 10 environmental and anthropogenic covariates, we analysed camera trap data from commercial farmland in South Africa where negative human-wildlife interactions are reported to be high. Our findings demonstrate that leopards persist at a moderate density (2.21 /100 km 2 ) and exhibit signs of avoidance from areas where lethal control measures are implemented. This suggests leopards have the potential to navigate mixed mosaic landscapes effectively, enhancing their chances of long-term survival and coexistence with humans. Mixed mosaics of agriculture that include crops, game and livestock farming should be encouraged and, providing lethal control is not ubiquitous in the landscape, chains of safer spaces should permit vital landscape connectivity. However, continuing to promote non-lethal mitigation techniques remains vital., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Cassava leaf samples degrade quickly during storage and transportation from distant areas. Proper sampling and efficient, low-cost storage methods are critical for obtaining sufficient quality DNA and RNA for plant virus epidemiology and improving disease control understanding. This is useful when samples are collected from remote areas far from a laboratory or in developing countries where money and materials for virus diagnostics are scarce., Results: The effect of sample storage duration on nucleic acid (N.A.) quality on virus detection was investigated in this study. A simple, rapid, and cost-effective CTAB-based approach (M3) for single N.A. extraction was optimized and tested alongside two existing CTAB-based methods (M1 and M2) for N.A. extraction from fresh and herbarium cassava leaves stored for; 1, 8, 26, and 56 months. The amount and quality of DNA and RNA were determined using Nanodrop 2000 c U.V.-vis Spectrophotometer and agarose gel electrophoreses. The sample degradation rate was estimated using a simple mathematical model in Matlab computational software. The results show no significant difference in mean DNA concentration between M1 and M2 but a significant difference between M3 and the other two methods at p < 0.005. The mean DNA concentration extracted using M3 was higher for 1 and 8 months of leave storage. M3 and M2 produced high concentrations at 26 and 56 months of leave storage. Using a developed scale for quality score, M3 and M2 produced high-quality DNA from fresh samples. All methods produced poor-quality DNA and RNA at 8 and 26 months of leave storage and no visual bands at the age of 56 months. Statistically, there was a significant difference in the mean DNA quality between M1 and M2, but there was no significant difference between M3 and the other two methods at p < 0.005. However, Cassava brown streak virus (CBSV) and Ugandan cassava brown streak virus (UCBSV) were readily detected by RT-PCR from RNA isolated using M3. The quality of DNA declined per storage time at 0.0493 and 0.0521/month, while RNA was 0.0678 and 0.0744/month. Compared to the existing two methods, modified CTAB extracted enough high-quality N.A. in one-third the time of the existing two methods., Conclusion: Our method provides cost-effective, quick, and simple processing of fresh and dry samples, which will quicken and guide the decision on when and what type of sample to process for plant disease management and surveillance actions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)