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Abdulrhman Saleh Alghamdi,1,2 Abdullah Alshibani,1,2 Meshary Binhotan,1,2 Meshal Alharbi,1,2 Saleh S Algarni,2,3 Mohammed Musaed Alzahrani,1,2 Abdulmalik Nasser Asiri,1,2 Faisal Faleh Alsulami,1,2 Kamal Ayoub,2,4 Abdullah Alabdali1,2 1Department of Emergency Medical Services, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Respiratory Therapy, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, 11481, Saudi Arabia; 4Ministry of the National Guard - Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Abdulrhman Saleh Alghamdi, Emergency Medical Services, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Ext. 95186, Mail Code 3129, P.O. Box 3660, Riyadh, 11481, Saudi Arabia, Tel +96611 429 9999, Email Ghamdia@ksau-hs.edu.saPurpose: Time is critical when dealing with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients in the Emergency Department (ED), as 90 min is crucial for overall health. Using non-EMS transportation for critical patients, such as patients with acute myocardial infarction, to a hospital might delay the rapid identification of the underlying medical disease and initiating definitive treatment. We aim to evaluate the association between the mode of transportation and the D2B time in patients presenting at the ED with AMI.Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study with patients who presented at ED with AMI and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The participants were patients with confirmed AMI at the ED of King Abdullah Medical City (KAMC) from January 2019 to December 2019.Results: In total, 162 AMI patients were enrolled in the study and divided based on the method of transportation. Less than half (n=65, 40.1%) were transported with an ambulance and 97 (59.9%) patients with a private car. The door-to-balloon (D2B) time for the ambulance group was 93.6± 38.31 minutes, and the private car group was 93.8± 30.88 minutes.Conclusion: There was no statistical significance when comparing the D2B time between the private car group and the ambulance group (P = 0.1870). Finally, ambulance transport significantly shortened the time to first ED physician contact. However, it was not associated with shortened D2B time when compared to private vehicle transport.Keywords: chest pain, acute myocardial infarction, ambulance, door to balloon, emergency department

Samar Sindi,1,* Norah Hamdi,1,2,* Sabah Hassan,1,3 Magdah Ganash,1 Mona Alharbi,1 Najla Alburae,1 Sheren Azhari,1 Shadi Alkhayyat,4 Ayman Linjawi,5 Heba Alkhatabi,6,7 Aisha Elaimi,7,8 Ghadeer Alrefaei,9 Nouf Alsubhi,10 Aziza Alrafiah,7 Safiah Alhazmi1,3 1Department of Biological Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Biology, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia; 3Princess Dr. Najla Bint Saud Al-Saud Center for Excellence Research in Biotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Internal Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 5Medical Reference Clinics, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 6Hematology Research Unit (HRU), King Fahad Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Medical Laboratory Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 8Centre of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Biology, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 10Biological Sciences Department, College of Science & Arts, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Aziza Alrafiah, Tel +966‐126401000 (ext. 23495), Fax +966‐126401000 (Ext. 21686), Email aalrafiah@kau.edu.saBackground: Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies among women. Recent studies revealed that differentially methylated regions (DMRs) are implicated in regulating gene expression. The goal of this research was to determine which genes and pathways are dysregulated in breast cancer when their promoters are methylated in an abnormal way, leading to differential expression. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing was applied to analyze DMRs for eight peripheral blood samples collected from five Saudi females diagnosed with stages I and II of breast cancer aligned with three normal females. Three of those patients and three normal samples were used to determine differentially expressed genes (DEG) using Illumina platform NovaSeq PE150.Results: Based on ontology (GO) and KEGG pathways, the analysis indicated that DMGs and DEG are closely related to associated processes, such as ubiquitin-protein transferase activity, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, and oxidative phosphorylation. The findings indicated a potentially significant association between global hypomethylation and breast cancer in Saudi patients. Our results revealed 81 differentially promoter-methylated and expressed genes. The most significant differentially methylated and expressed genes found in gene ontology (GO) are pumilio RNA binding family member 1 (PUM1) and zinc finger AN1-type containing 2B (ZFAND2B) also known as (AIRAPL).Conclusion: The essential outcomes of this study suggested that aberrant hypermethylation at crucial genes that have significant parts in the molecular pathways of breast cancer could be used as a potential prognostic biomarker for breast cancer.Keywords: breast cancer, DNA methylation, biomarker, differentially methylated regions, differentially expressed gene, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing

Abdullah Alshibani,1– 3 Meshal Alharbi,1,2 Simon Conroy4 1Emergency Medical Services Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Health Sciences, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK; 4MRC Lifelong Health & Ageing Unit, University College London, London, UKCorrespondence: Abdullah Alshibani, Emergency Medical Services Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, 14611, Saudi Arabia, Email alshibania@ksau-hs.edu.saAbstract: The proportion of older adults is increasing worldwide. Frailty assessment in prehospital care was suggested to improve triage decisions and paramedics’ judgment. This study aimed to assess the scope and nature of available evidence around frailty identification in prehospital care. A systematic search of the literature was performed using MEDLINE, SCOPUS, CINHAL, and Web of Science to identify relevant articles published from January 2022 downwards. A list of indexed terms and their associated alternatives were pre-determined. Of the 71 identified and reviewed articles after removing duplicates, six articles were included in the review. Due to the heterogeneity of the included articles, the findings were described narratively. The findings of this review showed that the available evidence is limited and heterogenic. Two themes emerged from the findings of the included articles: 1) Paramedics’ Perceptions about Frailty Assessment in Prehospital Care and 2) Frailty Scores for Application in Prehospital Care. Paramedics recognised frailty assessment in pre-hospital care to be feasible and important. They highlighted the need for a simple and clear frailty score that could be used and mentioned to other healthcare professionals when handing over patients. Six frailty scores were reported to be used in prehospital care. The evidence around each frailty score is very limited. Overall, frailty assessment in prehospital care was shown to be important and feasible. Different frailty scores have been assessed for use in prehospital care. Further research investigating frailty identification in prehospital care is needed.Keywords: aging consumers, narrative analysis, health and well-being, paramedic*, emergency, older

Mukhtiar Baig,1 Sami Alzahrani,2,3 Shahad Abualhamael,4 Alanoud Alotaibi,5 Manar Alharbi,5 Thikra Almohammadi,5 Turki Alkaabi5 1Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 3Health Promotion Research Group, Deanship of Scientific Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 5Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Mukhtiar Baig, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966581083289, Email drmukhtarbaig@yahoo.comPurpose: To assess the diabetes mellitus (DM) knowledge, attitudes, preventive practices, and associated factors among a sample of adult non-diabetic Saudi residents.Methods: The present survey was conducted in April-June 2022. People from the general population were invited to participate in the study, and the data were collected using a validated questionnaire.Results: A total of 1207 non-diabetic subjects participated in the study [females 798(66.1%) and males 409(33.9%)], and the response rate was 80% (1207/1500). Two-thirds (66.86%) of non-diabetic adult community members had good knowledge of DM, 47.8% had positive attitudes, and 62.14% maintained a healthy lifestyle to avoid DM. There was a family history of DM in more than half of the subjects 723(59.9%). Participants who had a direct relative with diabetes scored higher on the knowledge question than those who did not (p< 0.001). Practice questions responses for preventing DM showed that about 459(38%) were using fatty food less frequently, and only 338(28%) and 153(12.7%) were doing physical activities 30– 60 minutes per day frequently and very frequently, respectively. Most participants were smoking tobacco, 890(73.7%), and getting checked their BP, 704(58.3%), very frequently. The participants with a master’s and Ph.D. degree were likelier to have positive attitudes and good practices than students. Individuals with a history of DM in their families were 2.10 times (OR=2.10, p< 0.001), 1.95 times (OR=1.95, p< 0.001), and 2.03 times (OR=2.03, p< 0.001) more likely to be knowledgeable, had positive attitudes and good practices than those with no DM in their family, respectively.Conclusion: Over half of the individuals possessed a positive mindset, adequate knowledge, and good practicing behavior for preventing DM. Having Master’s and Ph.D. degrees and a family history of DM were associated with a positive attitude and good practices. There is a need to expand community awareness campaigns utilizing social media channels.Keywords: knowledge, attitude, practice, adult non-diabetic, community awareness, diabetes mellitus

Sara Alnasser,1 Maryam Alharbi,1 Ahmad AAlibrahim,2 Ali Aal ibrahim,3 Osama Kentab,2 Wajdan Alassaf,2 Muna Aljahany1 1Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Emergency, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz University Hospital, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3College of Medicine, Sulaiman Al Rajhi University, Bukairiyah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Muna Aljahany, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Email msaljahany@pnu.edu.saObjective: We studied the extent and reasons for non-urgent emergency department (ED) visits in a single university hospital, their predictors, and patient outcomes to propose solutions suitable for Middle Eastern healthcare systems.Design: We conducted a retrospective review of electronic medical records, including all non- and less-urgent ED visits with complete triage records (levels 4 and 5 triage based on the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) over one year. The data on patient demographics, visit characteristics, and patient disposition were analyzed using SPSS software.Setting: The study was conducted in the ED at King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz University Hospital (KAAUH), a Saudi university hospital located within the campus of Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University.Participants: A chart review was carried out for 18,880 patients with CTAS 4 or 5 visiting the KAAUH ED between July 2020 and July 2021. Additionally, a total of “ 11,857” patients with missing triage acuity or CTAS levels 1, 2, or 3 were excluded from the study.Results: The majority (61.4%) of the 30,737 ED visits were less-urgent or non-urgent. The most common reasons for non-urgent visits were routine examination/investigation (40.9%), medication refilling (14.6%), and upper respiratory tract infection/symptoms (9.9%). Most visits (73.4%) were during weekdays and resulted in the prescription of medication (94.2%), laboratory tests (62.8%), sick leaves (4.7%), radiology examinations (3.6%), and a visit to primary healthcare clinics (family medicine) within a week of the emergency visit (3.6%).Conclusion: Less- and non-urgent ED visits often did not need any further follow-ups or admission and represented a burden better managed by a primary healthcare center. Policymakers should mitigate unnecessary ED visits through public awareness, establish clear regulations for ED visits, improve the quality of care in primary healthcare centers, facilitate booking for outpatient department appointments, and regulate the systems of payment coverage/insurance and referral by other organizations.Keywords: emergency department, triage, non-urgent visits

Safiah Alhazmi,1 Maryam Alzahrani,1 Reem Farsi,1 Mona Alharbi,1 Khloud Algothmi,1 Najla Alburae,1 Magdah Ganash,1 Sheren Azhari,1 Fatemah Basingab,1 Asma Almuhammadi,1 Amany Alqosaibi,2 Heba Alkhatabi,3,4 Aisha Elaimi,3,4 Mohammed Jan,5 Hesham M Aldhalaan,6 Aziza Alrafiah,4 Aisha Alrofaidi1 1Department of Biological Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Biology, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 3Centre of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Medical Laboratory Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 5College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 6Center for Autism Research at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Aziza Alrafiah, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O Box 80200, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966 126401000 Ext. 23495, Fax +966 126401000 Ext. 21686, Email aalrafiah@kau.edu.saIntroduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that can cause substantial social, communication, and behavioral challenges. Genetic factors play a significant role in ASD, where the risk of ASD has been increased for unclear reasons. Twin studies have shown important evidence of both genetic and environmental contributions in ASD, where the level of contribution of these factors has not been proven yet. It has been suggested that copy number variation (CNV) duplication and the deletion of many genes in chromosome 22 (Ch22) may have a strong association with ASD. This study screened the CNVs in Ch22 in autistic Saudi children and assessed the candidate gene in the CNVs region of Ch22 that is most associated with ASD.Methods: This study included 15 autistic Saudi children as well as 4 healthy children as controls; DNA was extracted from samples and analyzed using array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and DNA sequencing.Results: The aCGH detected (in only 6 autistic samples) deletion and duplication in many regions of Ch22, including some critical genes. Moreover, DNA sequencing determined a genetic mutation in the TBX1 gene sequence in autistic samples. This study, carried out using aCGH, found that six autistic patients had CNVs in Ch22, and DNA sequencing revealed mutations in the TBX1 gene in autistic samples but none in the control.Conclusion: CNV deletion and the duplication of the TBX1 gene could be related to ASD; therefore, this gene needs more analysis in terms of expression levels.Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, chromosome 22, copy number variations, Saudi autistic children, TBX1

Nonlinear properties of dust-magnetosonic (DMS) waves are studied in a multispecies thermal dusty plasma, containing electrons, ions, and negatively charged dust particles. In this context, electrons and ions are assumed as inertialess, whereas dust particles are considered mobile or fluid. Solving together the coupled set of fluid-Maxwell equations and making use of the diagonalization matrix technique, the inviscid Burgers's equations are derived and analyzed both analytically and numerically. A solitary solution is used as an initial condition at τ = 0 , resulting in the formation of localized symmetric pulses, which can develop into small-scale nonstationary (asymmetric) shocklets with temporal progression (τ > 0). This leads to the nonlinear self-steepening of waves, propagating in the form of dust-fluid speed and magnetic field profiles in a dusty magnetoplasma. It is found that self-compression of the dust-fluid speed and magnetic field profiles occurs in the direction of propagation and is significantly influenced by the plasma parameters, including the plasma beta, the ion-to-electron temperature ratio, and ion-to-dust density ratio. Additionally, the effective phase and shock speeds are analytically analyzed. The present findings may prove useful for understanding the nonlinear characteristics of DMS waves in a plasma, where dust particulates play a significant role in the self-compression of waves due to the nonlinearity effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Khloud Algothmi,1 Amal Alqurashi,1 Aisha Alrofaidi,1 Mona Alharbi,1 Reem Farsi,1 Najla Alburae,1 Magdah Ganash,1 Sheren Azhari,1 Fatemah Basingab,1 Asma Almuhammadi,1 Amany Alqosaibi,2 Heba Alkhatabi,3,4 Aisha Elaimi,3,4 Mohammed Jan,5 Hesham Aldhalaan,6 Aziza Alrafiah,4 Safiah Alhazmi1 1Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 3King Abdulaziz University, Centre of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Medical LaboratorySciencesDepartment,Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 5College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 6Center for Autism Research at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center (KFSH & RC), Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Aziza Alrafiah, P.O Box 80200, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966 126401000 Ext. 23495, Fax +966 126401000 Ext. 21686, Email aalrafiah@kau.edu.saBackground: DNA methylation (DNAm) is one of the main epigenetic mechanisms that affects gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence. Aberrant DNAm has an implication in different human diseases such as cancer, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects behavior, learning, and communication skills. Acyl-CoA synthetase family member 3 (ACSF3) encodes malonyl-CoA synthetase that is involved in the synthesis and oxidation of fatty acids. The dysregulation in such gene has been reported in combined malonic and methylmalonic aciduria associated with neurological symptoms such as memory problems, psychiatric diseases, and/or cognitive decline. This research aims to study DNAm in the transcription factor (TF) binding site of ACSF3 in Saudi autistic children. To determine whether the DNAm of the TF-binding site is a cause or a consequence of transcription regulation of ACSF3.Methods: RT-qPCR and DNA methylight qPCR were used to determine the expression and DNAm level in the promoter region of ACSF3, respectively. DNA and RNA were extracted from 19 cases of ASD children and 18 control samples from their healthy siblings.Results: The results showed a significant correlation between the gene expression of ACSF3 and specificity protein 1 (SP1) in 17 samples of ASD patients, where both genes were upregulated in 9 samples and downregulated in 8 samples.Conclusion: Although this study found no DNAm in the binding site of SP1 within the ACSF3 promoter, the indicated correlation highlights a possible role of ACSF3 and SP1 in ASD patients.Keywords: autism, DNA methylation, SP1, ACSF3, Saudi autistic children, DNAm

The -application of nanoparticles for accurate diagnosis and ample treatment to various human diseases. Despite the use of diverse polymers in nanoparticle synthesis, biosynthesis of these particles in viable, metal-tolerant microorganisms is preferred over all other prevalent procedures including chemical methods, because of its cost-effectiveness, and eco-friendliness. Diabetes is the most fifth growing trend prevalent diseases worldwide due to the lifestyle changes, physical inactivity, aging, nutrition and lack of diet nutrition. The disease spread is influenced by numerous hereditary facts, environmental causes, temporal and additional behaviour. The study purpose by using in-silico approach identify inhibitors binding with a-glucosidase against DM. The a-glucosidase protein sequence from Saccharomycescerevisiae was retrieved using NCBI and utilizing software molecular docking and AdmetSAR were perormed. AdmetSAR utilized for the identification of properties of (ligand) MgONPs associate brain blood 0.9827% barrier and human intestinal 0.9848% absorption. MgONPs biodegradation 0.77% percentage was calculated with acute oral toxicity 0.589%. Total positive and negative charged residues Arg + Lys:73, Asp + Glu: 87 were also calculated. MgONPs exhibited super hydrogen bond formation interaction with polar amino acids, including ASP 37, SER 30, and LYS 39 residues of a-glucosidase.64.28 aliphatic index with -0.670 (GRAVY) grand average hydropathicity. The 100 µg/mL specimen cytotoxic concentration would be safe to ship. The a-glucosidase amino acids (ASP 46, VAL 325 and GLU 286) have a strong binding infinity with MgONPs. The amino acids of a-glucosidase (ASP 46, GLU 286 and VAL 325) have a strong binding interaction with MgONPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is one of the important oilseed crops that is widely cultivated around the world. It has a high amount of protein content as well as other essential vitamins that are important in our daily lives. For continuous improvement, the development of novel plant species that are resistant to biotic and abiotic stress using effective genetic diversity strategies is important. In the current study, a total of 25 diverse genotypes of soybean using 21 important agro morphological traits were studied. For qualitative traits significant level of variation was found for most of the traits. For quantitative traits, the highest coefficient of variance 32.74% was found for days to flower initiation, followed by days to flower completion 29.62%, while the lowest was found for a number of pods/plants 2.96%. Based on cluster analysis, all the genotypes were separated into two groups at 25% distance and further subdivided at 75% distance, where the genotypes NARC-2 and SWAT-84 were found the most diverse. The cluster three genotypes were found to have early mature genotypes (89 ± 2.44). Based on a number of pods/plant and yield per plant, the cluster 4 genotypes were found to have a maximum number of pods/plant (98.26 ± 32.10), and (38.66 ± 6.85). Among the studied genotypes the highest grain yield (49 g) was produced by genotype C/B 28, whereas the lowest (14.56 g) was observed for C/B 7. Principal component analysis with an eigenvalue of 1.48 accounted for the total variation of 67.73%. The total seed storage proteins analysis resulted in 13 bands, and the molecular weight ranged from 15 to 170 kDa. Two-way cluster analysis was performed and all the populations were divided into two main lineages at 25% distance and further sub divided into six subgroups at distance of a 75%, where the genotypes NARC-2 and SWAT-84 were found the most diverse genotypes. These findings provide a basis for developing elite, locally adapted soybean genotypes as well as implications for understanding the diversity and relationships among these diverse Glycine max genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study focused on the exploration of bacterial community in heavy metal contaminated soil using culture dependent and independent approaches that might be applied to the bioremediation process. A total of 150 bacterial colonies were examined from the heavy metal-contaminated soil at initial level, and 25 isolates were chosen for further examination. Finally, twelve strains were chosen for future research based on their high levels of heavy metal resistance. The 10 bacterial strains i.e.,1K-10K were then characterized on the basis of their morphology and microscopic analysis. The morphological and biochemical characteristic relied on the basis of Bergey's manual of bacterial classification that 1K as Pseudomonas sp., 2K as Enterobacter sp., 3K as Streptococcus sp., 4K as Staphylococcus sp.,5K as Staphylococcus sp., 6K as Pseudomonas sp., 7K as Micrococcus sp., 8K as Staphylococcus sp., 9K as Staphylococcus sp. & 10K as Staphylococcus sp. In metagenomics analysis, the most prevalent bacteria present in samples were "Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Pseudomonas Cyanobacteria, Bacteriodes, and Sphingomonas. Among the 29 identified phyla, Chloroflexi and Tenericutes were the most dominant phyla and their relative abundance ranged from 0.75-1.00. While, on the genera level, the most abundant genera were Blautia, Rhodoplanes followed by Prevotella and Arenimonas. The relative abundance of these genera ranged from 0.75% to 1.00%. Depending on the relative abundance of taxons, the results of this study showed Proteobacteria, Synergistetes and Bacteriodes were most abundant phylum while the least abundant phylum present in heavy metal contaminated soil was Chlamydia and Tenericutes. Screening of soil-based libraries using functional and sequence-based specifications, which has disclosed information on soil microbial communities, has made it possible to identify new microbial communities. Thus, the culture dependent and independent approaches revealed that even heavy metal contaminated soil compose of diverse group of bacterial community that could be explored for bioremediation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mohamed A Abdelgawad,1 Arafa Musa,2 Atiah H Almalki,3,4 Sami I Alzarea,5 Ehab M Mostafa,2 Mostafa M Hegazy,6 Gomaa Mostafa-Hedeab,7 Mohammed M Ghoneim,6,8 Della GT Parambi,1 Rania B Bakr,1 Nayef S Al-Muaikel,9 Abdullah S Alanazi,10,11 Metab Alharbi,12 Waqas Ahmad,13 Syed NA Bukhari,1 Mohammad M Al-Sanea1 1Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf, 72341, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, 72341, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia; 4Addiction and Neuroscience Research Unit, Taif University, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf, 72341, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, 11371, Egypt; 7Department of Pharmacology, Medical College, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf, 72341, Saudi Arabia; 8Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Ad Diriyah, 13713, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf, 72341, Saudi Arabia; 10Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia; 11Health Sciences Research Unit, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia; 12Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; 13Drug and Herbal Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaCorrespondence: Mohamed A AbdelgawadDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf, 72341, Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaTel +966 595435214Email mohamedabdelwahab976@yahoo.comArafa MusaDepartment of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf, 72341, Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaTel +966 558775403Email akmusa@ju.edu.saIntroduction: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition is an imperative therapeutic approach targeting various types of cancer including colorectal, lung, breast, and pancreatic cancer types. Moreover, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is frequently overexpressed in different types of cancers and has a role in the promotion of malignancy, apoptosis inhibition, and metastasis of tumor cells. Combination therapy has been emerged to improve the therapeutic benefit against cancer and curb intrinsic and acquired resistance.Methods: Three semi-synthetic series of compounds (C1-4, P1-4, and G1-4) were prepared and evaluated biologically as potential dual epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and COX-2 inhibitors. The main phenolic constituents of Amaranthus spinosus L. (p-coumaric, caffeic and gallic) acids have been isolated and subsequently subjected to diazo coupling with various amines to get novel three chemical scaffolds with potential anticancer activities.Results: Compounds C4 and G4 showed superior inhibitory activity against EGFR (IC50: 0.9 and 0.5 μM, respectively) and displayed good COX-2 inhibition (IC50: 4.35 and 2.47 μM, respectively). Moreover, the final compounds were further evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against human colon cancer (HT-29), pancreatic cancer (PaCa-2), human malignant melanoma (A375), lung cancer (H-460), and pancreatic ductal cancer (Panc-1) cell lines. Interestingly, compounds C4 and G4 exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity with average IC50 values of 1.5 μM and 2.8 μM against H-460 and Panc-1, respectively. The virtual docking study was conducted to gain proper understandings of the plausible-binding modes of target compounds within EGFR and COX-2 binding sites.Discussion: The NMR of prepared compounds showed characteristic peaks that confirmed the structure of the target compounds. The synthesized benzoxazolyl scaffold containing compounds showed inhibitory activities for both COXs and EGFR which are consistent with the virtual docking study.Keywords: kinase inhibitors, anti-inflammatory, multitarget agents, BRAF, anticancer

Abdullah Alshibani,1,2 Jay Banerjee,1,3 Fiona Lecky,4 Timothy J Coats,3,5 Meshal Alharbi,2,5 Simon Conroy1 1Department of Health Sciences, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK; 2Emergency Medical Services Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK; 4Centre for Urgent and Emergency Care Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK; 5Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKCorrespondence: Abdullah AlshibaniDepartment of Health Sciences, College of Life Sciences, George Davies Centre, University of Leicester, 15 Lancaster Road, Leicester, LE1 7HA, UKEmail anaa3@le.ac.ukAbstract: Caring for older people is an important part of prehospital practice, including appropriate triage and transportation decisions. However, prehospital triage criteria are designed to predominantly assess injury severity or high-energy mechanism which is not the case for older people who often have injuries compounded by multimorbidity and frailty. This has led to high rates of under-triage in this population. This narrative review aimed to assess aspects other than triage criteria to better understand and improve prehospital triage decisions for older trauma patients. This includes integrating frailty assessment in prehospital trauma triage, which was shown to predict adverse outcomes for older trauma patients. Furthermore, determining appropriate outcome measures and the benefits of Major Trauma Centers (MTCs) for older trauma patients should be considered in order to direct accurate and more beneficial prehospital trauma triage decisions. It is still not clear what are the appropriate outcome measures that should be applied when caring for older trauma patients. There is also no strong consensus about the benefits of MTC access for older trauma patients with regards to survival, in-hospital length of stay, discharge disposition, and complications. Moreover, looking into factors other than triage criteria such as distance to MTCs, patient or relative choice, training, unfamiliarity with protocols, and possible ageism, which were shown to impact prehospital triage decisions but their impact on outcomes has not been investigated yet, should be more actively assessed and investigated for this population. Therefore, this paper aimed to discuss the available evidence around frailty assessment in prehospital care, appropriate outcome measures for older trauma patients, the benefits of MTC access for older patients, and factors other than triage criteria that could adversely impact accurate prehospital triage decisions for older trauma patients. It also provided several suggestions for the future.Keywords: undertriage, geriatrics, injury, emergency, paramedics, frailty

Algothmi K, Alqurashi A, Alrofaidi A, et al. Pharmgenomics Pers Med. 2022;15:131–142. The authors have advised affiliation 4 on page 131 is incorrect. The correct affiliation should read “Medical Laboratory Technology Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia”. The authors apologize for this error.

In this study, dip coating technique is used to deposit titanium dioxide (TiO2) and silver (Ag)-doped-TiO2 nanocomposite thin films on glass substrates. The obtained films are typified using different characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. Films are also tested for environmental applications related to color degradation (methylene blue). The XRD analysis confirms that the prepared nanostructures are the anatase phase of titania. The crystal sizes of annealed Ag-TiO2 as well as TiO2 thin films have been summarized across the XRD pattern and are approximately 29±1 and 23±1 nm, respectively. Additionally, the energy bandgaps of the photocatalysts (Pure-TiO2 and Ag-TiO2) are found to be around 3.3 and 3.02 eV, respectively. The photocatalytic activity of TiO2 and Ag-doped TiO2 nanocomposite thin films is tested in the same initial concentrations of methylene blue in water (3x10-5 M). The photodegradation behavior of Ag-TiO2 (3% by weight) shows a good improvement against pure TiO2 for the concentrations of methylene blue in the pseudo-first order Langmuir-Hinshelwood (LH) model of the kinetics reaction. The global pseudo-first order reaction constant, k, for these concentrations goes from less than 1.4x10-3 min-1 for TiO2 films to 5.4x10-3 min-1 for Ag-TiO2 films. This improvement is due to the incorporation of Ag, which increases the lifetime of the electrons and the separated holes, that decreases the rate of recombination (electron-hole) and which also generates reactive oxygen species. These features open the route to future applications for photocatalytic wastewater treatment and environmental remediation under solar irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study emphasized the alpha-amylase gene from Bacillus licheniformis as this species has been witnessed as the most prolific bio-factories for the alpha amylase production on industrial scales with particular reference to its wide commercial applicability. In the present study, a gene encoding alpha-amylase from an indigenously isolated B. licheniformis 208 strain was PCR amplified and sequenced. The obtained 1313 bp long nucleotide sequence (GenBank KM27230) exhibited the closest match with its homologous genes in B. licheniformis ATCC 9945A and ATCC 14580 strains. Gene translation retrieved 437 amino acid long enzyme sequence and exhibits a molecular weight of 50231.8 KDa. Other computed parameters include isoelectric point (5.95), aliphatic index (67.4), instability index (27.45), and GRAVY (-0.627) values. The structure of alphaamylase 208 was found to exhibit a 17 residues long active site, a conserved catalytic site with 3 residues, and a ligand-binding site comprised of 3 residues. Secondary structure configuration in the alpha-amylase 208 was predominated with a-helix and random coils followed by extended strands. The number of ß-turns was found comparatively less. ITASSER assigned E.C number to the BLA 208 sequence was 3.2.1.1 with extracellular origin. Deduced tertiary structure of BLA 208 showed the 7 residues long active site comprising of histidine, arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, tryptophan, histidine, and aspartic acid at position 122, 246, 248, 278, 280, 344, 345 respectively. Na, K, and Ca were observed as the ligand-binding sites existing as a metal triad. Natural selection analysis explains that the alpha-amylase gene in B. licheniformis species is under purifying or negative selection i.e. it stabilizes itself by removing the deleterious mutation. Recombination event analysis was done using GARD (Genetic algorithm for recombination detection). Although, it rather inferred the presence of two break points which were found insignificant when validated via Kishino-Hasegawa test which demonstrates topological incongruence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ciprofloxacin (CPX), is a broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone antibiotic widely used to treat bacterial infections in humans and animals. In recent years, ecological problems caused by the disposal of CPX-waste product have attracted increasing attention. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of different bacteria to remove CPX from water. The ability of five bacterial strains namely; Acenitobacter sp., Acenitobacter lwofii, Bacillus. pumilus, Burkholderia phytofirmans, and Mesorihizobium sp. were examined in this study. Tests were performed on Luria Bertani (LB) as well as on Mueller-Hinton (MH) agar at different CPX concentrations (20-100 mg L-1). All five tested bacterial strains showed growth on LB as well as on MH agar plates at all concentrations between 20 to 100 mg L-1 CPX. Three bacterial species: Acenitobacter lwofii, Bacillus pumilus, and Mesorihizobium sp. were reported more resistant to CPX of the five strains tested. In a shake flask study, the strain B. pumilus initially showed higher degradation rate (75.53%) followed by Acenitobacter lwofii (72.3%), Mesorihizobium sp. (70.32), Burkholderia phytofirmans (67.10%), and Acenitobacter sp. (63.2%) at low CPX concentration (5 mg L-1) in minimal saline media. However, Mesorihizobium sp. showed higher degradation efficiency (76.32%) at a higher CPX concentration (10 mg L-1). A group of three bacterial strains, A. lowfi, B. pumilus, and Mesorihizobium sp. showed good CPX degradation rate (95.4%), and achieved higher degradation efficiency than the single strains at 20 mg L-1 CPX concentration. Overall, the results suggest that using a combination of bacteria may be a useful tool for the remediation of antibiotic pollution. In addition, this study reveals the ability of previously isolated bacteria to biodegrade CPX as a sole source of carbon, providing new insights into the biodegradation of CPX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amylase enzyme is used in various industries due to its diverse applications. In this study, bacteria from soil sample were primarily screened on starch agar medium to identify amylase producer through the detection of prominent clear zone. Total of five soil samples namely bakery points (A-1), sugar cane juice point (A-2), Lichi chinesis garden soil (A-3), rice field (A-4) and sugar industrial waste (A-5) were used in this study. Among the 17 strains isolated from three samples A-1, A-2 and A-3 were found positive for amylase production. The strains were further screened on the production medium. The N-1 bacterial strain revealed higher enzyme activity (92.21 ± 17 IU/ml) compared to the other strain and was thus selected for further work. The strain was identified as Bacillus lichenoformis from the 16S rRNA analysis. Enzyme production was enhanced by optimizing various parameters by one factor at a time technique. The agro industrial waste rice polish was used as substrate. The optimum temperature of the enzyme was 35°C, pH 5.5 and 2% (w/v) of substrate concentration. Qualitative detection by using sodium dodecyl polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that molecular weight of enzyme was 35 kDa. This indicated that the enzyme requires a moderately high temperature and neutral pH to show greatest activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphate is the second most essential nutrient for plant growth and development. Although the soil contains abundant phosphorus, only 0.1% is used by plant roots due to the significant amount of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) present in the calcareous soil, which limits the availability of P by reacting calcium ions with phosphate ions. It leads to alkaline reactions by generating insoluble phosphate compounds such as tricalcium phosphate. Here we study to boost phosphate solubilization in PSMs as an alternate strategy. Twenty-one bacterial isolates were selected from two different crops and investigated in vitro for their plant growth potential. All bacteria show capacity for phosphate solubility by producing a clear halo zone beneath and much more around bacterial colonies on Pikovskaya agar. In contrast, on modified Pikovskaya and only seven isolates with 60% reduction in zone formation were revealed to be positive for phosphate solubilization in which SWC5 was the best phosphate solubilizers with 1.25 phosphate solubilization index, respectively. All phosphate solubilizing bacteria showed irregular pattern in lowering the pH ranging from 4.1-6.27, where maximum decreased in pH was shown by SWS10.All bacteria showed phosphate solubilization ability in Pikovskaya broth phosphomolybdate assay ranging from 6.31 to 20.9 µg ml-1 in which the highest efficiency was demonstrated by SWS10. Phosphate solubilization efficiency in the potential isolates was confirmed by the presence of PqqE gene. The presence of the pqqE gene which is involved in phosphate solubilization was found in SWC4, SWC5, SWS10, and SW14 and it was absent in SWS9, SW18, and SW21. All the bacterial isolates were phylogenetically identified by sequencing and analyzing the 16S rRNA gene. The potential isolates Pseudomonas Koreensis, Pantoea dispersa, Pseudomonas sp., Agrobacterium sp. and consortia were selected for controlled condition experiment on Triticum aestivum. The highest plant dry weight was achieved by application of consortia and Pseudomonas Koreensis by increasing 65% and 59%, respectively, compared to control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increased risk of developing severe dengue has been linked to the VEGF gene. Angiogenesis, which is involved in developing and maintaining blood vessels, is controlled by the VEGF protein. In addition to influencing immunological responses, VEGF is a major contributing factor in the increased vascular permeability seen in severe dengue patients. Technology and transportation advancements have made it possible for dengue to travel quickly, and outbreaks of the disease are now occurring in several nations across several continents, putting billions of people's life in danger. This research aimed to perform mutational analysis of VEGF in dengue serotypes 1 and 2 patients and find potential antiviral inhibitors for dengue treatment. 144 samples were analyzed, 72 cases and 72 controls. Mutational analysis was done by performing tetra arms PCR. Results showed no significant difference in allele frequency among patients and controls. 89% of samples and 96% of controls had Allele C. In comparison, 6% of samples and 3% of controls had Allele A (p<0.0001) showing heterozygous condition. Bioinformatic analysis was done to find potential antiviral phytochemicals that would be effective for the treatment of dengue. Upon bioinformatic analysis, artemisinin, sanguinarine, chelidonine, glycyrrhisoflavone, and taspine showed strong binding energies of -8.7 to -7.8 to NS-1viral protein. In conclusion, no genetic association existed between SNP and phenotypic traits of dengue. The extensive transmission and serious effects of dengue make it a serious worldwide health issue. To create efficient treatments and preventive measures to combat dengue, it is essential to understand the genetic and molecular features of the virus and host response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) is a gram-negative bacterium and a main source of nosocomial infection that mainly affect immunocompromised individuals. Methylene blue (MB) is commonly used for staining in microbiology but in this article MB is used as resisting agent against AB. The main aim of this study is to find the most possible cure against A. baunannii. Isolated strains of A. baumannii were subcultured on Muller-Hinton agar (MHA) containing MB and sub-cultured on eosin methylene blue (EMB). Then antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were determined. The A. baumannii isolates were highly inhibited by EMB medium but showed growth on MHA plates containing MB. The results infer that A. baumannii shows sensitivity against Meropenem. In-vitro studied effect of methylene blue shows inhibition against carbapenem resistance A. baumannii growth was also inhibited by EMB agar. AB strains showed sensitivity against synergistic combinational drugs (Meropenem + Amikacin), (Meropenem + Ciprofloxacin) (Imipenem + Tobramycin), these strains showed resistance against additive combinational drugs (Meropenem + Cefepime) and (Imipenem + Tobramycin), (Ciprofloxacin), (Cefepime) as compared with individually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollution caused by heavy metals is a major problem for our environment, as the high levels of exposure to these metals have harmful consequences for wildlife, vegetation, and human health. Even in trace amounts, several heavy metals, including lead, mercury, cadmium, zinc, arsenic, and nickel, not only possess carcinogenic properties but also have the capacity to cause genetic mutations. In this study, a total of 150 bacteria were isolated, out of which 25 were selected for secondary screening. After secondary screening, five strains were further processed based on their maximum tolerance level. The required indigenous metallotolerant bacterial strains were isolated and identified based on phenotypical and genotypical characterization. The phenotypical characteristics and topology of the phylogram confirm that the bacterial isolate 1LB is Kingella sp., 2LB is Listeria sp., 3LB is Bacillus sp., 4LB is Pseudomonas putida, and 5LB is Cupriavidus necator. According to the result while using LB medium, all the bacterial isolates showed the highest tolerance level against different heavy metal concentrations, i.e., 1LB and 4LB bacterial isolates showed the highest tolerance rate against copper (Cu), while 2LB and 5LB bacterial isolates showed maximum tolerance against chromium (Cr), and 3LB bacterial isolates showed the highest tolerance rate against lead (Pb). Thus, the LB medium was used for the optimization of bioremediation purposes. For bioremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil, the maximum removal efficiency was 83.80% of the 4LB bacterial strain for Pb, 90.49% of the 5LB bacterial strain for Cu, and 81.87% of the 1LB and 2LB bacterial strains for Cr in the YPG medium. Thus, the results indicate that indigenous heavy metal-tolerant bacterial strains of the area could be used for biological remediation of heavy-metal-contaminated soil, which is the most effective, economical, and environmentally friendly approach as an alternative to traditional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was conducted based on the morphological, biochemical, and SSR characterization of wild Oat (Avena fatua L.) genotypes collected from three different Districts of Malakand Division, Pakistan. A significant variance was observed across all twenty morphological parameters, indicating a high likelihood that breeding programs would introduce fresh variety into adapted oat cultivars. A substantial variation was also found for leaf length (32.55%) and stem diameter (28.33%), as compared to the number of spikelet (15.66%). The harvest index and plant height had a high and positive correlation (0.79**), while a negative correlation (-0.76**) was observed for plant height and plant biomass. All genotypes were arranged into three groups based on the cluster analysis, each having a Euclidian distance of 87%. A total of 15 bands were visible for the total seed storage proteins, out of which 10 were polymorphic and 5 were monomorphic. The entire dataset of 54 oat genotypes was split into 2 lineages (L-1 and L-2) based on two-way cluster analysis, with a genetic distance of 36.5% between them and further subdivided into three subgroups at 60% genetic distance. The SSR markers used in this study successfully amplified genomic regions from oat genotypes. Out of 5 SSRs, HVM62 showed the prominent polymorphism, and among eight alleles detected, two were monomorphic and six were polymorphic. Z48431 had the highest PIC value (0.93), followed by HVM62 (0.89). Band-14 had the highest PIC value at 0.90%, followed by bands 9 and 10 (0.80% and 0.50%, respectively). Bands 8, 11, 12, and 13 had the lowest PIC value, correspondingly. The overall findings showed a significant degree of variety in the oat genotypes growing in District Swat and Dir, which offers the potential for the introduction of distinctive diversity in well-adapted oat cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus aurantium L. is grown in developed and developing countries as its fruit is edible, and it is rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients. During the present study, a total of 18 genotypes of sour orange (Citrus aurantium L.) were selected from different locations of Dir Lower, KPK Pakistan for the estimation of genetic diversity through morphological and phytochemical characterization using GC-MS. For morphological characterization, a total of 19 parameters (12 qualitative and 07 quantitative) were recorded. A significant variation was found for most of the qualitative and quantitative traits. A significant level of coefficient of variance was observed for leaf lamina length and fruit volume (20%), leaf lamina width (16%), and the number of segments (14%), while a low level of coefficient of variance was recorded in fruit diameter (6.5%), fruit length (6.8%). Based on correlation analysis, a significant amount of correlation was found for leaf lamina width with leaf lamina length (0.598**), fruit length with fruit diameter (0.942**), fruit weight with fruit diameter (0.958**), and fruit length (0.883**), similarly fruit volume was found to have correlated with fruit diameter (0.998**), fruit length (0.945**) and fruit weight (0.960**). Principal component analysis with an Eigenvalue of (0.760) was found to account for 98.469% of the overall variation reported among the 18 Citrus aurantium L. genotypes. Through GC-MS analysis a total of 105 phytochemical compounds were identified, in the essential oil (Eos) of four Citrus genotypes, these genotypes were selected based on contrasting morphological traits, and the maximum number of compounds (28) were found in the EOs of sample 5 and sample 6. While the minimum (23) was found in sample 7. For antioxidant activities, the highest scavenging potential (43.63%) was observed in sample 8 and the lowest was recorded in sample 6 (21.48%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Diabetic retinopathy is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus that may lead to vision loss. Retinal problems are more likely to occur as the illness advances. Micro- and macro-vascular angiopathy is both linked to diabetes mellitus. Examining the impact of diabetes on blood vessels is one approach to understanding the disease's outward symptoms. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the morphology and breadth of conjunctival vessels in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus and to establish a correlation between these alterations and clinical retinal changes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology, KIMS, Koppal, Karnataka. The study included diabetic patients who voluntarily participated and were assessed at the Ophthalmology Outpatient Department (OPD). The general and ophthalmic history was taken for both cases and control. The best corrected visual acuity was estimated. Each subject, including cases and controls, had a general and ophthalmic history recorded. The anterior segment was evaluated with a slit lamp. After completing the clinical examination, the subjects underwent a conjunctival vessel imaging study using the slit lamp. The imaging included the study of conjunctival vessel morphology using ImageNet. RESULTS: Both the test and control groups are comparable in terms of age and gender. The severity of diabetic retinopathy was shown to correlate with the conjunctival width range. Mild diabetic retinopathy is characterized by a conjunctival width of 30-34 microns (mean: 34.9), moderate diabetic retinopathy by 35-39 microns (mean: 37.3), severe diabetic retinopathy by 40-44 microns (mean: 42.4), and proliferative diabetic retinopathy by 50-54 microns (mean: 45.6). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes mellitus patients have larger conjunctival arteries as the disease becomes more severe. Dilated and tortuous conjunctival arteries are visible indicators that correlate with worsening diabetic retinopathy. This could be used for screening to ensure timely referral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study presents a comparative assessment of the phytochemical contents and antibacterial activity of Parthenium hysterophorus in different solvents of varying polarities (n-hexane, acetone, and water). Extraction was carried out using orbital shaker and extracts were tested against selected bacterial strains by applying disc diffusion process. The antioxidant potential of the Parthenium weeds extract was measured in terms of total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC) and diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity. The results revealed that aqueous extracts had higher TPC values (151 µg GAE/g) relative to acetone (127 µg GAE/g) and n-hexane (118 µg GAE/g) extracts. Whereas in the case of TFC, the acetone extract exhibited higher values (31 µg QE/g) followed by n-Hexane (26 µg QE/g) and aqueous extract (5 µg QE/g). DPPH scavenging activity was higher in the case of n-Hexane extract followed by acetone and aqueous extracts. The antibacterial potential of the extracts prepared using three different solvents demonstrated that these extracts are capable of resisting bacterial activity and hence cease their function. The most prominent inhibition zones appeared in the case of nhexane extract, whereas the aqueous extract had the lowest potential to inhibit the bacterial function. The results obtained in this current study support that Parthenium weed extracts have significant antioxidant and antibacterial functions and hence can be used as an ingredient in pharmaceuticals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus fruits, that belong to the Rutaceae. family, have a great economic, nutritional, and therapeutic importance. It has long been a significant source of foreign exchange for Pakistan. Unfortunately, various diseases affect its production and quality, the deadliest of which is known as citrus canker caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri. The goal of current research was to isolate and characterize the strains causing citrus canker on the basis of phenotypical and genotypical features. Fruits with possible canker lesions were used for the isolation from the different Citrus Orchards in Khanpur, District Haripur, Pakistan. Citrus fruits, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, were sampled and evaluated during the survey. Only diseased citrus fruits yielded Xanthomonas-like bacterial strains were isolated and identified by carrying out different biochemical tests including catalase, Kovac's oxidase and KOH test. The isolated strains were further identified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by using specific ITS primers. Total of eight bacterial isolates were identified to be Xanthomonas spp. through biochemical tests and molecular results revelled the 2A and 2B bacterial isolates as., Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri. (Xcc). Thus, it was concluded that isolated strains were pathogenic bacteria, that is an actual cause of bacterial canker in commercial citrus fruits. Our findings suggested that diseased citrus fruits, could act as a source of dispersal for citrus canker in areas like Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]