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Ahmed Mohieldin,1,2 Ayman Rasmy,1,3,4 Mohamed Ashour,2,5 Muath Al-Nassar,6 Rola H Ali,7,8 Fahad G El-Enezi6 1Medical Oncology, Zagazig University Hospitals, Zagazig, Egypt; 2Medical Oncology Department, Sheikha Badriya Alsabah Centre, Kuwait Cancer Control Center, Shuwaikh, Kuwait; 3Medical Oncology Department, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Medical Oncology Department, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 5Clinical Oncology, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt; 6Thoracic Oncology – Sheikha Badriya Alsabah Centre, Kuwait Cancer Control Center, Shuwaikh, Kuwait; 7Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait; 8Molecular Laboratory, Kuwait Cancer Control Center, Shuwaikh, Kuwait Introduction: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, despite advances in management, especially with targeted agents and immunotherapy. Numerous oncogenes have been identified that control the growth of these malignancies. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is a tyrosine kinase that develops distorted functioning as a result of chromosomal rearrangement. Crizotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011 for the treatment of advanced ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Patients and methods: In this chart review, we compiled data from two cancer hospitals in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia which were collected from patients with advanced NSCLC treated between January 2013 and September 2017 with crizotinib after diagnosed with ALK-positive disease. Crizotinib 250 mg BID was given orally with/without food intake. We assessed overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), duration of the response, and dose reduction/cessation.Results: De-identified data from 38 subjects were compiled. Their median age was 53 years, 65.8% were male, the 1-year OS was 88%, and the PFS was 16.5 months. Two cases (5.3%) had a complete response (CR), while 17 (44.7%) had a partial response (PR). Side effects of grade III/IV occurred, including elevated transaminase levels, diarrhea, and prolonged QT intervals, in 8% patients, with dose reduction in six patients (15.8%).Conclusion: In NSCLC, crizotinib is a viable treatment option with good response and tolerable toxicity for patients with ALK-positive advanced disease. Keywords: non-small-cell lung cancer, anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene, crizotinib, overall survival, progression-free survival

Bouslama, T., Laarif, A., Chattaoui, M., Vial, L., Lavire, C., and Doré, J., and Rhouma, A. 2023. Biochemical and molecular identification of a native Bacillus thuringiensis gv. cytolyticus isolate with insecticidal effect against the pod borer larvae (Helicoverpa armigera). Tunisian Journal of Plant Protection 18 (2): 71-91.

Study region: The Atlas Mountains of Morocco, specifically the High Oum Er-rbiaa (HOER) and Ourika catchments. Study focus: to identify the recharge processes within the semi-arid watersheds, in the Atlas Mountains, through monthly monitoring of snow, rainfall, surface water, and groundwater isotope signal, but also the usage of remote sensing data. New hydrological insights for the region: The spatial-temporal analysis of groundwater and precipitation isotopes reveals significant spatial heterogeneity, primarily influenced by the geological variations in each aquifer. Temporal variations indicate that direct recharge occurs in response to winter precipitation, whereas a delayed response is observed during the summer when snow replenishes groundwater towards the end of the melting season. The findings are further supported by the ''Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment'' (GRACE) dataset, which demonstrates that high values of Total Water Storage (TWS) align with groundwater isotopes. This highlights the substantial groundwater abstraction rate between March and June to compensate for the lack of precipitation during this period. The analysis of isotope data indicates that 50% of groundwater recharge in the upstream Jurassic aquifer and 80% in the downstream Triassic-Paleozoic aquifers in the HOER catchment is sourced from snowmelt. Similarly, in the Ourika catchment, snowmelt contributes 30% and 50% of groundwater recharge in the upstream and downstream portions of the catchments respectively. This disparity is due to different melting rates across altitudinal ranges and variations in the lithology of each catchment.

Understanding mountain climates poses many challenges, because difficult terrain leads to a sparsity of weather stations and therefore poor data availability, meaning the detailed information required to understand these complex systems is lacking. Here, we analyze eleven years of half-hourly climate observations from the Joint International Laboratory LMI-TREMA (Télédétection et Ressources en Eau en Méditerranée semi-Aride) network of weather stations in the Marrakech High Atlas, Morocco, providing detailed information about the climate in this area. Our analysis shows the mean annual near-surface temperature lapse rate is −4.63°C km−1, with an uncertainty range of −4.39 to −4.85°C km−1, lower than the standard environmental temperature lapse rate. Mean temperature lapse rates vary from −3.67°C to −5.21°C km−1 monthly, and throughout the day from −2.75°C to −7.1°C km−1, which has important implications for understanding snowpack variations at the highest elevations. Understanding precipitation is inherently complex, but our analysis shows that mean annual precipitation increases by 166 mm km−1 (150.6 to 183.7 mm km−1) with a significant snow component at the highest elevations. This analysis improves our understanding of the mountain climate system with new regional temperate lapse rates and precipitation gradients, having the potential to improve gridded climatologies and climate models, with relevance for the wider High Atlas region.

The concentration level of a certain metal in soil is often the guideline for evaluating its contamination level. In such a process, ecological standards are the guidelines for assessing ecological risks. In the presence of certain conditions, the risk of contamination can expand beyond the concerned area creating a threat that is based on mobility. Such threat cannot be overlooked and needs to be taken into consideration, as such the work below aims to assess the mobility of metallic trace elements M.T.Es (Pb, Cu, Cd, As, Ni, Cr and Zn) in different soils and mine tailing around an abandoned Pb Zeïda mine in Morocco. The sequential extraction followed a standard BCR four-step procedure and revealed that all M.T.Es were largely associated with the exchangeable and reducible fractions, exhibiting higher mobility susceptibility and bioavailability, except for As. This was consistent with the physico-chemical and mineralogical properties of the local geological composition.

Abstract Assessing biodiversity loss and species extinction is necessary to warn society and raise awareness of the impacts of ongoing climate change. Prioritizing protected areas is the pragmatic and applicable management measure under the pressure of ongoing climate change and limited resources to conserve species at risk of extinction. We developed a novel conservation index (CI) to prioritize areas and populations of an endangered mountain tree species that need protection in the face of ongoing climate change, as conservation of all populations may not be realistic. This CI integrates (1) mountain topography to identify potential refugial areas with suitable microclimates, (2) genetic diversity to assess the adaptive capacity of local populations, and (3) hypothetical climate change in the species' range. We applied this CI to Atlas cedar, an endemic and threatened species whose populations are scattered throughout the Moroccan mountains. This index provided a scale for 33 populations studied and suggests that genetically diverse populations located in rugged areas where future local climate may overlap with their current climatic niche should receive a higher conservation priority. This index may also be applicable to other mountain species with scattered populations and is likely to be more accurate if more precise climate data are used at the microrefugia scale.

The American Chemical Society’s Division of Environmental Chemistry symposium Toward Creating a Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus Community of Practice, brought together 25 cross-disciplinary speakers in five thematic areas: 1) state of the art models and approaches, 2) WEF Nexus initiatives and case studies, 3) WEF governance and stakeholder engagement, 4) chemical processes and WEF Nexus, 5) WEF education, community, and practice. Discussions included diverse perspectives from different areas of expertise and provided key take-home messages toward building a WEF community of practice. This paper summarizes those messages, drawing conclusions regarding the anticipated challenges and opportunities moving toward establishing a resource-nexus community of science and practice that includes the chemical societies. We define the community of science and practice as a bottom-up approach of formal and non-formal scientists, policy makers, practitioners, technology providers, and civil society members concerned with any aspect of water, energy, food, ecosystem resources allocation, management, governance, and financing. The roles of chemistry and chemical processes in understanding the interlinkages of nexus systems must not be overlooked. Chemistry plays an important role in the circularity of the food and agriculture system, and in providing cleaner energy, cleaner water, and more sustainable food production. The question is how to better engage the chemical society in the WEF nexus moving forward? The paper proposes the resource of health, highlighting major challenges and opportunities in the Water-Energy-Food-Health-Ecosystems (WEFH) Nexus, and highlights future steps for fostering dialogue among this broad, multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder community toward establishing an inclusive community of science and practice.

Abstract The present study focuses on the evaluation of the potential of a Tunisian Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolate named Hr1, isolated from dead and diseased pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae under laboratory and field semi-controlled conditions. The bacterial strain Hr1 showed an insecticidal activity against the pest’s neonates in comparison to the spinosad-based insecticide (Tracer 240 SC®) during bioassays under laboratory conditions. A carboxymethyl cellulose-talc (CMC-talc)-based formulation of the Bt isolate was prepared to evaluate the potential of the bacterium on tomato plants infested with H. armigera under semi-controlled field conditions with and without rain simulation. The results showed the efficacy of the formulation than the spinosad-based insecticide and the treatment with unformulated bacterium. The results also showed the persistence of Bt isolate activity even after rain-wash than the treatment with unformulated bacterium.

In the title inorganic molecular salt, (N2H5)2SiF6, the silicon atom at the centre of the slightly distorted SiF6 octahedron [range of Si—F distances = 1.6777 (4)–1.7101 (4) Å] lies on a crystallographic inversion centre. In the crystal, the ions are connected by N—H...N and N—H...F hydrogen bonds; the former link the cations into [010] chains and the latter (some of which are bifurcated or trifurcated) link the ions into a three-dimensional network. The two-dimensional fingerprint plots show that F...H/H...F interactions dominate the Hirshfeld surface (75.5%) followed by H...H (13.6%) and N...H/H...N (8.4%) whereas F...F (1.9%) and F...N/N...F (0.6%) have negligible percentages. The title compound is isostructural with its germanium-containing analogue.

Bouslama, T., Laarif, A., Soltani, A., Chaieb, I., Amri, L., and Rhouma, A. 2019. Screening chickpea lines and varieties for a possible resistance or tolerance to the pod borer Helicoverpa armigera. Tunisian Journal of Plant Protection 14 (1): 69-81.

Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) cultivation under rainfed conditions of the South Mediterranean has not been studied in depth. Under changing climate conditions, knowledge of cultivar and rootstock performances allows for the optimal use of genetic resources to improve yield and nut quality. This study aimed to evaluate growth, yield, and fruit characteristics of ‘Mateur’ and ‘Achouri’ pistachio cultivars grafted on P. vera and P. atlantica rootstocks grown in northeastern Tunisia. The research was based on three years worth of monitoring of growth, yield and fruit quality. Results showed that annual bio-climatic features had significant effects on all studied parameters. The ‘Mateur’ cultivar showed higher vigor and fruit yield than ‘Achouri’. Fruit production was higher in P. atlantica rootstock for ‘Mateur’ but similar in both studied rootstocks for ‘Achouri’. Kernel fat contents (40.7–46.8%) and fatty acid profiles were low or not affected by cultivar, rootstock and their combination. Oleic acid (C18:1) was the major fatty acid (68.94–69.22%) in kernel oil. The unsaturated/saturated fatty acid and oleic/linoleic acid ratios indicated that nuts obtained had high quality. The lower performances of ‘Achouri’ cultivar in the studied conditions may be related to low acclimation ability of this cultivar. These conditions, however, seem to be suitable for both studied rootstocks.

SuccFerr (N-[4-ferrocenyl,5-5-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl)-pent-4-enyl]-succinimide) has remarkable antiproliferative effects in vitro, attributed to the formation of a stabilized quinone methide. The present article reports in vivo results for a possible preclinical study. SuccFerr is lipophilic and insoluble in water, so the development of a formulation to obviate this inconvenience was necessary. This was achieved by complexation with randomly methylated cyclodextrins (RAMEßCDs). This supramolecular water-soluble system allowed the in vivo experiments below to proceed. Application of SuccFerr on the glioblastoma cancer cell line U87 indicates that it affects the cellular cycle by inducing a blockade at G0/G1 phase, linked to apoptosis, and another one at the S phase, associated with senescence. Using healthy Fischer rats, we show that both intravenous and subcutaneous SuccFerr: RAMEßCD administration at 5 mg/kg lacks toxic effects on several organs. To reach lethality, doses higher than 200 mg/kg need to be administered. These results prompted us to perform an ectopic in vivo study at 1 mg/kg i.v. ferrocidiphenol SuccFerr using F98 cells xenografted in rats. Halting of cancer progression was observed after six days of injection, associated with an immunological defense response linked to the active principle. These results demonstrate that the properties of the selected ferrocidiphenol SuccFerr transfer successfully to in vivo conditions, leading to interesting therapeutic perspectives based on this chemistry.

Olive mill wastewaters and olive cake are effluents generated during olive oil production process. They represent a major disposal and potentially severe pollution problem for the industry, also promising source of substances of high value. The aim of this study is the valorization of olive mill wastes (OMWW, olive cake, olive twigs and leaves) to produce enzymes with high industrial and biotechnological potential, by the solid-state fermentation technique (SSF), from isolated fungi present in olive mill wastewater and olive cake. A total of 47 strains were isolated and purified from these two residues. The metabolic potential of isolated strains was study by testing the hydrolytic enzymes activities of lipase, protease, amylase, cellulase, invertase, phytase and tannase on agar plate media containing different substrate. The monitoring of SSF has shown that the metabolic activity of these strains is extremely rapid using this technique. Our fungi collection contains a diversity of strains capable to producing a variety of enzymes of biotechnological interest.

The reduction of the use chemical pesticides in agriculture is gaining importance as an objective of decision-makers in both politics and economics. Consequently, the development of technically efficient and economically affordable alternatives as, e.g., biological control agents or practices is highly solicited. Crown gall disease of dicotyledonous plants is caused by ubiquitous soil borne pathogenic bacteria of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens species complex, that comprises the species Agrobacterium fabrum and represents a globally relevant plant protection problem. Within the framework of a screening program for bacterial Agrobacterium antagonists a total of 14 strains were isolated from Tunisian soil samples and assayed for antagonistic activity against pathogenic agrobacteria. One particularly promising isolate, termed strain MBY2, was studied more in depth. Using a Multilocus Sequence Analysis (MLSA) approach, the isolate was assigned to the taxonomic species Bacillus velezensis. Strain MBY2 was shown to display antagonistic effects against the pathogenic A. fabrum strain C58 in vitro and to significantly decrease pathogen populations under sterile and non-sterile soil conditions as well as in the rhizosphere of maize and, to a lower extent, tomato plants. Moreover, the ability of B. velezensis MBY2 to reduce C58-induced gall development has been demonstrated in vivo on stems of tomato and almond plants. The present study describes B. velezensis MBY2 as a newly discovered strain holding potential as a biological agent for crown gall disease management.

Abstract Purpose The quantity of Olive by-products does not stop increasing and a water shortage that threatens the olive tree culture; require a serious valuation of these by-products. A comparative and valorization study of two kinds of OMW; Fresh OMW (FOMW), directly issue from three-phase continuous extraction factory and Disposal Evaporation Ponds OMW (DOMW) were done. Methods Physico-chemical and biological parameters of OMWs and soil irrigated with OMWs, respectively, were determined. An antibacterial activity test of FOMW against Clinic Standard Bacteria was determined. A statistical analysis was performed for all defined parameters. Results A significant increase of pH value of 6 and a lower failure of the EC in 8.94 (mS/cm−1) were registered after OMW disposal in evaporation ponds. We registered a fall of BOD5 and COD from 61.05–116.37 (g/L) to 55.67–103.82 (g/L), respectively. A significant increment of phenol compound removal was observed after OMW disposal. However, a switch of fatty acids distribution and content was observed, which several fermentation pathways could explain took place. This result suggested by a clear shift in biomass composition. An important soil fertility after DOMW soil irrigated was traduced by an important value of the germination index (170.55%) and efficient organic matter increment of 2.3%. A CMI rate of 32.76 (μg mL−1) was determined by FOMW against different clinic standard bacteria. Conclusion A spectacular soil fertility effect was obtained from DOMW soil spreading, that efficiently evaluate the OMW biological treatment. In addition, the FOMW was valorized as its powerful antibacterial.

Olive anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum species causes dramatic losses of fruit yield and oil quality worldwide. A total of 185 Colletotrichum isolates obtained from olives and other hosts showing anthracnose symptoms in Spain and other olive-growing countries over the world were characterized. Colony and conidial morphology, benomyl-sensitive, and casein-hydrolysis activity were recorded. Multilocus alignments of ITS, TUB2, ACT, CHS-1, HIS3, and/or GAPDH were conducted for their molecular identification. The pathogenicity of the most representative Colletotrichum species was tested to olive fruits and to other hosts, such as almonds, apples, oleander, sweet oranges, and strawberries. In general, the phenotypic characters recorded were not useful to identify all species, although they allowed the separation of some species or species complexes. ITS and TUB2 were enough to infer Colletotrichum species within C. acutatum and C. boninense complexes, whereas ITS, TUB2, ACT, CHS-1, HIS-3, and GADPH regions were necessary to discriminate within the C. gloesporioides complex. Twelve Colletotrichum species belonging to C. acutatum, C. boninense, and C. gloeosporioides complexes were identified, with C. godetiae being dominant in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Tunisia, C. nymphaeae in Portugal, and C. fioriniae in California. The highest diversity with eight Colletotrichum spp. was found in Australia. Significant differences in virulence to olives were observed between isolates depending on the Colletotrichum species and host origin. When other hosts were inoculated, most of the Colletotrichum isolates tested were pathogenic in all the hosts evaluated, except for C. siamense to apple and sweet orange fruits, and C. godetiae to oleander leaves.

AAVV

The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify Rhodococcus spp. strains from almond and pistachio rootstocks and trees in Tunisia. Twenty-eight strains were identified through 16S rDNA and vicA genes amplification and sequencing. Pea bioassay was performed to determine the pathogenicity of the strains. Representative 16S rDNA and vicA sequences of eight strains from pistachio and seven strains from almond were closely related (>98% similarity) to Rhodococcus spp. accessions in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences revealed that the yellow-colored strains clustered with phytopathogenic Rhodococcusfascians. The red and orange-colored strains were separated into a different group with R. kroppenstedtii and R. corynebacteiroides isolates. Eleven strains affected the pea seedlings’ growth and exhibited different levels of virulence. The number of shoots was significantly higher in seedlings inoculated with four Rhodococcus strains, whereas the other three strains caused up to 80% of plant height reduction and reduced root secondary growth compared to non-inoculated pea seedlings. These strains, most of which are epiphytes from asymptomatic hosts, showed strong pathogenicity during pea bioassay and were established endophytically in pea tissues. Ten att and five fas genes were detected in four strains and may represent a novel model of plant pathogenic Rhodococcus virulence. The results of our survey showed that Rhodococcus is present but not prevalent in all visited orchards of almond and pistachio rootstocks and trees. Our surveys complemented the investments being made on ornamental species in Tunisia and unveiled the presence of undocumented plant-associated Rhodococcus spp. on economically important crops.

An easy synthetic protocol for the synthesis of biologically active benzimidazole, benzothiazole and benzoxazole derivatives has been demonstrated using a hybrid crystal NH3(CH2)4NH3SiF6 as a mild and efficient heterogeneous catalyst. Short reaction times, solvent-free conditions, good to excellent yields, easy reusability and use of an eco-friendly catalyst are some of the significant attributes of the present method.

The aim of the present study was to assess the population of bacteria isolated from organic and conventional soils and to identify antagonistic ones with a potential antifungal activity against some pathogenic fungi (Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum). All cultivable bacterial isolates were evaluated for their antifungal activity and the most effective ones were identified based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The results showed that among a total number of 100 bacteria isolated from soil, eight isolates displayed antifungal activity against F. oxysporum and twenty four isolates had suppressed R. solani growth. The results indicated that tested bacterial species exhibited varying degree of antagonistic potential against pathogenic fungi which ranged from 22.7% using AB95 isolate to 77.2% with AB40 and AB8 tested against F. oxysporum and from 22.7% using AB51 and AB5 to 68.1% with AB75 and AB64 tested against R. solani. DNA sequencing reaction of purified PCR amplicon was carried out using 16sF and 16sR primers. Sequence alignment with the reference sequences of the databases using BLAST was performed. The most dominant genuswas Bacillus. Phylogenetic tree was built.

Newly discovered Erwinia amylovora phages PEar1, PEar2, PEar4 and PEar6 were isolated from three different orchards in North Tunisia to study their potential as biocontrol agents. Illumina sequencing revealed that the PEar viruses carry a single-strand DNA genome between 6608 and 6801 nucleotides and belong to the Inoviridae, making them the first described filamentous phages of E. amylovora. Interestingly, phage-infected cells show a decreased swimming and swarming motility and a cocktail of the four phages can significantly reduce infection of E. amylovora in a pear bioassay, potentially making them suitable candidates for phage biocontrol.

Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolius) leaf extract was applied against two strains of the crown gall disease agent (Agrobacterium tumefaciens); strains C58 and AR125. In vitro, we used the agar well diffusion method and the extract was tested in different solvents selected according to their polarity indices, at different concentrations and different incubation temperatures. In vivo, we tested the extract prepared in different solvents on the stems of young tomato plants (cv. Firenze) which were inoculated with the strain C58.The best results were obtained with the extract prepared in hot sterile distilled water and in methanol (0.3 g.ml-1) incubated at 25 °C and 30 °C. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was evaluated to be 10-4 g.ml-1. In another aspect, to identify the nature of certain substances from S. terebinthifolius leaf extracts, we made a test of fractionation using the Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) method and phytochemical screening of the crude methanol leaf extract. We noticed the presence of alkaloids and flavonoid compounds which may be responsible for the antibacterial activity. These tests indicated that false pepper leaf extract has an antibiotic effect against Agrobacterium tumefaciens both in vitro and in vivo, which represents a conceptual approach with great promise for future biological control.

This study confirms the wheat natural infection by Alternaria species associated with black point disease of stored kernels. These species are able to produce plant mycotoxins as well as toxic metabolites, which may have consequences in the food industry and agriculture as well as in health services. Because of the tight link between fungal species and metabolite production, correct identification of the mould at the species level is required. For this purpose, morphological characters and molecular techniques based on the amplification and sequencing of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of the rDNA were used. The analysis identified six species of Alternaria, namely A. alternata, A. tenuissima, A. arborescens, A. mali, A. longipes, and A. brassicae. The most frequently isolated species were A. alternata and A. tenuissima with an overall prevalence of 36.1 and 30.6%, respectively.

This study reconstructs and interprets the changing range of Atlas cedar in northern Morocco over the last 9,000 years. A synthesis of fossil pollen records indicated that Atlas cedars occupied a wider range at lower elevations during the mid-Holocene than today. The mid-Holocene geographical expansion reflected low winter temperatures and higher water availability over the whole range of the Rif Mountains relative to modern conditions. A trend of increasing aridity observed after 6,000 years BP progressively reduced the range of Atlas cedar and prompted its migration toward elevations above 1,400 masl. To assess the impact of climate change on cedar populations over the last decades, we performed a transient model simulation for the period between 1960 and 2010. Our simulation showed that the range of Atlas cedar decreased by about 75% over the last 50 years and that the eastern populations of the range in the Rif Mountains were even more threatened by the overall lack of water availability than the western ones. Today, Atlas cedar populations in the Rif Mountains are persisting in restricted and isolated areas (Jbel Kelti, Talassemtane, Jbel Tiziren, Oursane, Tidighine) that we consider to be modern microrefugia. Conservation of these isolated populations is essential for the future survival of the species, preserving polymorphisms and the potential for population recovery under different climatic conditions.

Agrobacterium fabrum is one of the eleven Agrobacterium spp. complex species that has been observed to carry a Ti plasmid and induce crown gall, a disease causing significant damage to economically important perennial agricultural crops. Members of this species complex, including A. fabrum, are morphologically indistinguishable from one another on culture media and are known to grow together in soil and within host galls. Consequently, the tracking of this species in its natural environment requires a cautious approach to tagging strains without altering any of their ecologically important traits. A gentamicin resistant cassette (aacC1) was inserted, by homologous recombination, into a non-coding region of the A. fabrum C58 chromosome between the genes atu1182 and atu1183. The resultant strain did not show any significant in vitro growth differences compared to the wild-type strain, and the marker was stable in rich medium, both with and without selective pressure. The mutant/marked strain was indistinguishable from the parental strain for ability to induce galls, grow in bulk soil and colonize the rhizosphere of tomato plants. Easy, precise, safe and stable tagging of the A. fabrum C58 genome facilitates environmental population surveys by either simple selection or direct detection by PCR. This methodology provides understanding of the ecology of this species complex as an integral part of managing the soil microbiota for improved crown gall management.

The title compound, [NH3(CH2)4NH3]2+·SiF62−, is a hybrid built from an organic butane-1,4-diammonium dication linked to a hexafluorosilicate mineral anion. Both ions posses inversion symmetry. In the anion the Si atom is located on an inversion center, while in the cation the center of inversion is situated at the mid-point of the central —CH2—CH2— bond. The Si atom is surrounded by six F atoms, forming a slightly distorted SiF62− octahedron. These octahedra are linked to the organic cations through N—H...F hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network.

The asymmetric unit of the title organic–inorganic molecular salt, C6H18N22+·SiF62−, consists of one anion and one cation together with half of each of two cations and two anions located on inversion centres. The SiF62− octahedral anions are arranged to form sheets parallel to (011), which are linked into a three-dimensional network by the organic cations through N—H...F hydrogen bonds.

The title organic-inorganic hybrid compound, {(C7H20N2)[BiCl5]}n, consists of distorted corner-joined [BiCl6] octahedra forming zigzag polymeric anionic chains parallel to [001], separated by columns of heptylenediammonium cations. The asymmetric unit contains two crystallographically independent bismuth metal atoms, one of which lies on an inversion centre and the other on a twofold axis. In the crystal, the polymeric chains and cations are linked by N—H...Cl hydrogen bonds, forming undulating layers parallel to (110).

Olive trees (cv. Chemlali) showing typical symptoms of wilt and dieback were collected from several areas in Tunisia. Visual diagnostic, isolation and microscopic observations identified the causal pathogen as Verticillium dahliae. The pathotype was determined using specific primers pairs for D (defoliating) and ND (non-defolitating) . Artificial inoculation of olive plants resulted in typical wilting with defoliation, proving that the isolate tested was pathogenic on olive, and this isolate belongs to the D pathotype. This is the first report of the defoliating pathotype causing wilting disease on olive in Tunisia.

Chickpea plants (cv. Béja 1) showing typical symptoms of root and collar rots were collected from the Beja area (Tunisia). Visual diagnostic, isolation and microscopic observation identified the causal organism as Rhizoctonia solani. Sequence data of the ITS rDNA region confirmed the species identity and revealed that the anastomosis group of the isolate was AG2-3. Mechanical inoculation of chickpea seedlings resulted in the typical root and collar rot, proving that this isolate is pathogenic on chickpea. This is the first report of R. solani AG2-3 causing root and collar rot of chickpea in Tunisia.

Ripe and overripe olive fruits (cv. Meski, Manzanilla and Picholine) showing circular spots 1 to 10 mm in diameter, slightly depressed and reddish-brown in color, were collected from local markets and orchards located in the regions of Takelsa, Zarzis and Rgueb in Tunisia. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was isolated from symptomatic fruits and Koch’s postulates were fulfilled. This is the first report of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causing anthracnose of olives in Tunisia.

The study was designed to monitor the cleavage rate (CR) and in-vitro cultivation rate (IVC) after addition of energy sources, non-essential amino acids, and antioxidants to the Synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) and FertiCult. After in-vitro maturation and in-vitro fertilization, presumptive zygotes were cultured in one of two culture media: FertiCult media and SOF medium, supplemented with pyruvate, glucose, and sodium lactate as energy sources, as well as 10, 20, 250, 500, and 750 mg non-essential amino acids, and antioxidants. All stages of cleavage rate (CR), and in-vitro cultivation rate (IVC) of embryonic development including morula stage (MOR) and blastocyst (BLAS) have been assessed. The findings revealed that there were no significant differences in the CR between the control and other treated groups with sources of energy when added to SOF media (P > 0.05), while there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the IVC of embryonic development between groups (The percentages of MOR stage in the control, pyruvate, glucose and mixture of source of energy (MIX) were at 50%, 62.5%, 60%, and 63.6%, respectively). The highest percentage of the BLAS was recorded after SOF supplementation with glucose (40%). Similarly, there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the CR between control and FertiCult supplemented with sources of energy, while the IVC stages increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the FertiCult media supplemented with glucose, pyruvate, sodium lactate, and MIX. The percentages of the MOR stage in the control, pyruvate, glucose and mix media were at 50%, 55.6%, 55.6%, 54.5%, 57.1% respectively. The lowest percentage of the BLAS was recorded after FertiCult supplementation with pyruvate (11.1%). Replenishing the SOF maturation media with 20 mg of non-essential amino acids significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced the MOR stage (100%). There was also an improvement in the development of BLAS stage, where it reached 31.2% and 47.4% in the SOF maturation media supplemented with 10, and 750 mg non-essential amino acids, respectively. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in neither CR nor IVC between control and FertiCult supplemented with antioxidants. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the MOR stages (control, 42.9% & treated, 57.9%) and BLAS stages (control, 21.4% & treated, 42.1%) in antioxidant supplemented SOF maturation media compared to control. In conclusion, supplementation of SOF cultivation medium with energy sources, 20 mg of non-essential amino acids and antioxidant addition may improve the cleavage rate (CR) and in vitro cultivation rate (IVC) of buffalos' embryonic development., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate The Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Aswan University in Egypt discussed and approved this study. The authors certify that they have followed the journal’s ethical principles, which are listed on the author guidelines page. The manner in which this investigation was carried out the Ethical Committee of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, with authorization number 06/2023/0095, ensured that institutional and national guidelines for the care and use of animals were adhered to in accordance with OIE standards. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Conflict of interest 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. All authors have read and agreed that this version of the manuscript could be published. Study approval and animal Accordance Statement This study was conducted in accordance with Institutional and National Guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed according to the OIE standards, the Ethical Committee of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, with the permission number (06/2023/0095)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Skeletal dysplasias are a heterogeneous group of disorders presenting mild to lethal defects. Several factors, such as genetic, prenatal, and postnatal environmental may contribute to reduced growth. Fourteen families of Pakistani origin, presenting the syndromic form of short stature either in the autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant manner were clinically and genetically investigated to uncover the underlying genetic etiology. Homozygosity mapping, whole exome sequencing, and Sanger sequencing were used to search for the disease-causing gene variants. In total, we have identified 13 sequence variants in 10 different genes. The variants in the HSPG2 and XRCC4 genes were not reported previously in the Pakistani population. This study will expand the mutation spectrum of the identified genes and will help in improved diagnosis of the syndromic form of short stature in the local population., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), identifying prototypical mutations in the KIT/PDGFRA oncogenes, or in rare alternate genes, is essential for prognostication and predicting response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Conversely, wild-type GISTs (WT-GIST), which lack known mutations, have limited treatment options. Data on the mutational landscape of GISTs and their impact on disease progression are very limited in Kuwait. Using a targeted next-generation sequencing panel, we investigated the spectrum and frequency of KIT , PDGFRA , and RAS-pathway-related mutations in 95 out of 200 GISTs diagnosed at Kuwait Cancer Center from 2005 to 2023 and assessed their correlation with clinicopathological parameters. Among the 200 tumors (median age 55 years; 15-91), 54% originated in the stomach, 33% in the small bowel, 7% in the colorectum, 1.5% in the peritoneum, and 4.5% had an unknown primary site. Of the 95 molecularly profiled cases, 88% had a mutation: KIT (61%), PDGFRA (25%), NF1 (2%), and one NTRK1 rearrangement. Ten WT-GISTs were identified (stomach = 6, small bowel = 2, and colorectum = 2). WT-GISTs tended to be smaller (median 4.0 cm; 0.5-8.0) ( p = 0.018), with mitosis ≤5/5 mm 2 , and were of lower risk ( p = 0.019). KIT mutations were an adverse indicator of disease progression ( p = 0.049), while wild-type status did not significantly impact progression ( p = 0.934). The genetic landscape in this cohort mirrors that of global studies, but regional collaborations are needed to correlate outcomes with genetic variants.

Objective: This research is meant to evaluate the effectiveness of different bonding agents in minimally invasive cavity preparations at a tertiary care center., Materials and Methods: A prospective research was conducted involving patients requiring minimally invasive cavity preparations. Patients were randomly assigned to groups based on the bonding agent used. Standardized cavity preparations were performed, and bonding agent application followed manufacturer instructions. Outcome measures included bond strength and marginal adaptation. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods., Results: Bonding Agent A exhibited the highest mean bond strength (25.6 MPa) and superior marginal adaptation (mean score: 4.2) compared to Bonding Agents B and C. These differences were statistically significant ( P < 0.001 for bond strength, P < 0.05 for marginal adaptation)., Conclusion: Bonding Agent A demonstrated superior performance in achieving durable and esthetically pleasing restorations in minimally invasive cavity preparations. These findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriate bonding agents for conservative dental treatments to optimize treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences.)

Aims: Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway alteration is a major oncogenic driver in paediatric low-grade gliomas (LGG) and some adult gliomas, encompassing BRAF (most common) and non-BRAF alterations. The aim was to determine the frequency, molecular spectrum and clinicopathological features of MAPK-altered gliomas in paediatric and adult patients at our neuropathology site in Kuwait., Methods: We retrospectively searched the data of molecularly sequenced gliomas between 2018 and 2023 for MAPK alterations, revised the pathology in view of the 2021 WHO classification and evaluated the clinicopathological data for possible correlations., Results: Of 272 gliomas, 40 (15%) harboured a MAPK pathway alteration in 19 paediatric (median 9.6 years; 1.2-17.6) and 21 adult patients (median 37 years; 18.9-89.2), comprising 42% and 9% of paediatric and adult cases, respectively. Pilocytic astrocytoma and glioblastoma were the most frequent diagnoses in children (47%) and adults (43%), respectively. BRAF V600E (n=17, 43%) showed a wide distribution across age groups, locations and pathological diagnoses while KIAA1549::BRAF fusion (n=8, 20%) was spatially and histologically restricted to cerebellar paediatric LGGs. Non-V600E variants and BRAF amplifications accompanied other molecular aberrations in high-grade tumours. Non-BRAF MAPK alterations (n=8) included mutations and gene fusions involving FGFR1, NTRK2, NF1, ROS1 and MYB. Fusions included KANK1::NTRK2, GOPC::ROS1 (both infant hemispheric gliomas), FGFR1::TACC1 (diffuse LGG), MYB::QKI (angiocentric glioma) and BCR::NTRK2 (glioblastoma). Paradoxical H3 K27M/MAPK co-mutations were observed in two LGGs., Conclusion: The study provided insights into MAPK-altered gliomas in Kuwait highlighting the differences among paediatric and adult patients and providing a framework for planning therapeutic polices., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Sensitive and rapid determination of foodborne pathogenic bacteria is of practical importance for the control and prevention of foodborne illnesses. Nowadays, with the prosperous development of fluorescence assays, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-derived diagnostic strategies are extensively employed in quantitative analysis of different pathogenic bacteria in food-related matrices, which displays a rapid, simple, stable, reliable, cost-effective, selective, sensitive, and real-time way. Considering the extensive efforts that have been made in this field so far, we here discuss the up-to-date developments of FRET-based diagnostic approaches for the determination of key foodborne pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., and Bacillus cereus in complex food-related matrices. Moreover, the principle of this technology, the choosing standards of acceptor-donor pairs, and the fluorescence properties are also profiled. Finally, the current prospects and challenges in this field are also put forward.

We designed and prepared a novel N -heterocycle-based nanocatalyst by a post synthetic method, namely the [Fe 3 O 4 @DAA-BTrzPhen-Cu(ii)] composite. In this method, bistriazolyl-phenanthroline groups were stepwise synthesized on an Fe 3 O 4 substrate and used as a tetradentate nitrogenous ligand for coordinating to copper ions. The obtained nanocomposite was well characterized using FT-IR, PXRD, TGA, EDAX, ICP-OES, EDX-mapping, SEM, TEM, VSM and BET analyses, which confirm the formation of a thermostable crystalline spherical particle morphology with the particle size in the range of 17 nm to 25 nm and a magnetization value of 42 emu g -1 . Also, the catalytic activity of [Fe 3 O 4 @DAA-BTrzPhen-Cu(ii)] as a novel and magnetically separable heterogeneous nanocatalyst was evaluated in preparing various tetrasubstituted imidazole derivatives from one-pot four-component condensation of anilines, aldehydes, 1,2-diketones and ammonium acetate, and favorable products were produced with excellent yields. The stability, low Cu leaching, and heterogenous nature of the nanocatalyst were confirmed by hot-filtration and leaching tests. The copper based nanocatalyst could be easily recovered by magnetic field separation and recycled at least 8 times in a row without noticeable loss in its catalytic activity., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Introduction: Syndactyly is a common congenital limb malformation. It occurs due to embryological failure of digit separation during limb development. Syndactyly often runs in families with an incidence of about one out of every 2,500-3,000 live births., Methods: Here, we have reported two families presenting features of severe forms of syndactyly. The disorder segregated in autosomal recessive in one and in autosomal dominant manner in the second family. Search for the causative variants was carried out using whole-exome sequencing in family A and candidate gene sequencing in family B., Results: Analysis of the sequencing data revealed two novel missense variants, including p.(Cys1925Arg) in MEGF8 in family A and p.(Thr89Ile) in GJA1 in family B., Conclusion: In conclusion, the novel findings, presented here, not only expand the mutation spectrum in the genes MEGF8 and GJA1 , but this will also facilitate screening other families carrying similar clinical features in the Pakistani population., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

The treatment of real beet sugar mill effluent by a modified electrocoagulation process is proposed. An innovative design of an electromagnetic field-enhanced electrochemical cell consisting of a tubular screen roll anode and two cathodes (an inner and outer cathode) has been used. Different parameters have been investigated including current density, effluent concentration, NaCl concentration, rpm, number of screen layers per anode, and the effect of addition and direction of an electromagnetic field. The results showed that, under the optimum conditions, current density of 3.13 A/m 2 , two screens per anode, NaCl concentration of 12 g/l, and rotation speed of 120 rpm, the percentage of color removal was 85.5% and the electrical energy consumption was 3.595 kWh/m 3 . However, the presence of an electromagnetic field distinctly enhanced the energy consumption and the color removal percentage. Numerically, applying the magnetic field resulted in performing a color removal efficiency of 97.7% using a power consumption of 2.569 KWh/m 3 which is considered a distinct achievement in industrial wastewater treatment process. The strong enhancement in color removal using a low power consumption significantly reduced the required treatment cost; the estimated treatment cost was 0.00017 $/h.m 2 . This design has proven to be a promising one for the continuous treatment of beet sugar industrial effluents and to be a competitor to the currently available techniques., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led to severe health systems collapse, as well as logistics and supply delivery shortages across sectors. Delivery of PCR related healthcare supplies continue to be hindered. There is the need for a rapid and accessible SARS-CoV-2 molecular detection method in low resource settings., Objectives: To validate a novel isothermal amplification method for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 across seven sub-Sharan African countries., Study Design: In this multi-country phase 2 diagnostic study, 3,231 clinical samples in seven African sites were tested with two reverse transcription Recombinase-Aided Amplification (RT-RAA) assays (based on SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid (N) gene and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) gene). The test was performed in a mobile suitcase laboratory within 15 min. All results were compared to a real-time RT-PCR assay. Extraction kits based on silica gel or magnetic beads were applied., Results: Four sites demonstrated good to excellent agreement, while three sites showed fair to moderate results. The RdRP gene assay exhibited an overall PPV of 0.92 and a NPV of 0.88. The N gene assay exhibited an overall PPV of 0.93 and a NPV 0.88. The sensitivity of both RT-RAA assays varied depending on the sample Ct values. When comparing sensitivity between sites, values differed considerably. For high viral load samples, the RT-RAA assay sensitivity ranges were between 60.5 and 100% (RdRP assay) and 25 and 98.6 (N assay)., Conclusion: Overall, the RdRP based RT-RAA test showed the best assay accuracy. This study highlights the challenges of implementing rapid molecular assays in field conditions. Factors that are important for successful deployment across countries include the implementation of standardized operation procedures, in-person continuous training for staff, and enhanced quality control measures., 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 © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a worldwide chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease. We aimed to investigate and compare the neuroprotective impact of acetyl-l-carnitine and caloric restriction (CR) on AlCl 3 -induced AD to explore the pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies of AD. Sixty-seven adult male Wistar rats were allocated into Control, AlCl 3 , AlCl 3 -acetyl-l-carnitine, and AlCl 3 -CR groups. Each of AlCl 3 and acetyl-l-carnitine were given by gavage in a daily dose of 100 mg/kg and CR was conducted by giving 70% of the daily average caloric intake of the control group. Rats were subjected to behavioral assessment using open field test, Y maze, novel object recognition test and passive avoidance test, biochemical assay of serum phosphorylated tau (pTau), hippocampal homogenate phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, Beclin-1, Bcl-2-associated X protein, and B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) as well as hippocampal Ki-67 and glial fibrillary acidic protein immunohistochemistry. AlCl 3 -induced cognitive and behavioral deficits coincident with impaired autophagy and enhanced apoptosis associated with defective neurogenesis and defective astrocyte activation. Acetyl-l-carnitine and CR partially protect against AlCl 3 -induced behavioral, cognitive, biochemical, and histological changes, with more ameliorative effect of acetyl-l-carnitine on hippocampal apoptotic markers, and more obvious behavioral and histological improvement with CR.

Intoduction: Identification of molecular alterations associated with tumor behavior is necessary to guide clinical management. The 2022 WHO classification has organized the thyroid follicular cell-derived neoplasms into benign, low-risk and high-risk neoplasms, and emphasized the value of biomarkers that may provide differential diagnostic and prognostic information to avoid overtreatment of low risk neoplasms. This work aims to study the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression, functional and spatial dynamics in relation to specific miRNAs alterations in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and in non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) considered as models of high-risk and low-risk thyroid tumors respectively., Methods: Primary thyroid cultured cells were used for miRNA gain/loss of function and luciferase reporter assays. Paraffin embedded tissues were used for real time PCR, immuno-fluorescence stain and confocal microscopy experiments., Results: Our results showed that in PTC, EGFR mRNA is reduced as an effect of miR-146b-5p upregulation. The EGF expression is low and the ERK pathway is inhibited. The EGFR protein high cytoplasmic expression and colocalization with the endosomal/exosomal markers, ALIX and CD63, suggest the occurrence of stress-induced EGFR internalization, accumulation in endosomal vesicles and secretion via exosomes. In NIFTP EGFR transcription is increased in association with downregulation of miR-7-5p and the EGFR/ERK pathway is active indicating dependence on the canonical EGFR pathway for growth., Conclusion: Downregulation of transcript level along with cytoplasmic accumulation of undegraded protein is a new pattern of EGFR regulation associated with malignancy in thyroid. Further research is needed to elucidate the intracellular trafficking defects responsible for this specific EGFR dynamic in PTC., 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 © 2023 Al-Abdallah, Jahanbani, Ali, Al-Brahim, Prasanth, Al-Shammary and Al-Bader.)

Aims: Accurate assessment of 1p/19q codeletion status in diffuse gliomas is of paramount importance for diagnostic, prognostic and predictive purposes. While targeted next generation sequencing (NGS) has been widely implemented for glioma molecular profiling, its role in detecting structural chromosomal variants is less well established, requiring supplementary informatic tools for robust detection. Herein, we evaluated a commercially available amplicon-based targeted NGS panel (Oncomine Comprehensive Assay v3) for the detection of 1p/19q losses in glioma tissues using an Ion Torrent platform and the standard built-in NGS data analysis pipeline solely., Methods: Using as little as 20 ng of DNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, we analysed 25 previously characterised gliomas for multi-locus copy number losses (CNLs) on 1p and 19q, including 11 oligodendrogliomas (ODG) and 14 non-oligodendroglial (non-ODG) controls. Fluorescence in-situ hybridisation (FISH) was used as a reference standard., Results: The software confidently detected combined contiguous 1p/19q CNLs in 11/11 ODGs (100% sensitivity), using a copy number cut-off of ≤1.5 and a minimum of 10 amplicons covering the regions. Only partial non-specific losses were identified in non-ODGs (100% specificity). Copy number averages of ODG and non-ODG groups were significantly different (p<0.001). NGS was concordant with FISH and was superior to it in distinguishing partial from contiguous losses indicative of whole-arm chromosomal deletion., Conclusions: This commercial NGS panel, along with the standard Ion Torrent algorithm, accurately detected 1p/19q losses in ODG samples, obviating the need for specialised custom-made informatic analyses. This can easily be incorporated into routine glioma workflow as an alternative to FISH., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Cerebellar ataxias (CAs) comprise a rare group of neurological disorders characterized by extensive phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. In the last several years, our understanding of the CA etiology has increased significantly and resulted in the discoveries of numerous ataxia-associated genes. Herein, we describe a single affected individual from a consanguineous family segregating a recessive neurodevelopmental disorder. The proband showed features such as global developmental delay, cerebellar atrophy, hypotonia, speech issues, dystonia, and profound hearing impairment. Whole-exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing revealed a biallelic nonsense variant (c.496A > T; p.Lys166*) in the exon 5 of the PRDX3 gene that segregated perfectly within the family. This is the third report that associates the PRDX3 gene variant with cerebellar ataxia. In addition, associated hearing impairment further delineates the PRDX3 associated gene phenotypes., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Bacterial ghosts (BGS) are empty non-living envelopes produced either genetically or chemically. This study investigated a novel chemical protocol for the production of Neisseria meningitidis ghost vaccine using tween 80 followed by a pH reduction with lactic acid. For our vaccine candidate, both safety and immunogenicity aspects were evaluated. The ghost pellets showed no sign of growth upon cultivation. BGS were visualized by scanning electron microscopy, illustrating the formation of trans-membrane tunnels with maintained cell morphology. Gel electrophoresis showed no distinctive bands of the cytoplasmic proteins and DNA, assuring the formation of ghost cells. In animal model, humoral immune response significantly increased when compared to commercial vaccine (p < 0.01). Moreover, serum bactericidal assay (SBA) recorded 94.67% inhibition compared to 64% only for the commercial vaccine after three vaccination doses. In conclusion, this is the first N. meningitidis ghost vaccine candidate, proven to be effective, economic, and with significant humoral response and efficient SBA values; however, clinical studies should be performed.

Recurrent fusions involving neurotrophin tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) genes have been increasingly recognised in spindle cell tumours of somatic soft tissues due to the widespread use of RNA-based sequencing techniques. This heterogeneous group of neoplasms is included as an emerging entity in the current WHO Classification of Soft Tissue and Bone Tumors A subset of these tumours, associated with NTRK1 fusions, displays a distinctive phenotype in the form of monomorphic cytomorphology, patternless arrangement, perivascular and stromal hyalinisation, and CD34+/S100+/SOX10- immunoprofile. Gastrointestinal tract counterparts have been recently described with emphasis on distinction from KIT/PDGFRA/BRAF/RAS wild-type gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST). Here, we present a recently encountered intestinal spindle cell neoplasm harbouring an LMNA::NTRK1 gene fusion in a woman in her early 20s, which was initially thought to represent a GIST or a solitary fibrous tumour. Awareness of this emerging tumour type in the gastrointestinal tract is important due to treatment implications., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Carbon nanofiber-decorated graphite rods are introduced as effective and low-cost anodes for industrial wastewater-driven microbial fuel cells. Carbon nanofiber deposition on the surface of the graphite rods could be performed by the electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile/N,N-Dimethylformamide solution using the rod as nanofiber collector, which was calcined under inert atmosphere. The experimental results indicated that at 10 min electrospinning time, the proposed graphite anode demonstrates very good performance compared to the commercial anodes. Typically, the generated power density from sugarcane industry wastewater-driven air cathode microbial fuel cells were 13 ± 0.3, 23 ± 0.7, 43 ± 1.3, and 185 ± 7.4 mW/m 2 using carbon paper, carbon felt, carbon cloth, and graphite rod coated by 10-min electrospinning time carbon nanofibers anodes, respectively. The distinct performance of the proposed anode came from creating 3D carbon nanofiber layer filled with the biocatalyst. Moreover, to annihilate the internal cell resistance, a membrane-less cell was assembled by utilizing a poly(vinylidene fluoride) electrospun nanofiber layer-coated cathode. This novel strategy inspired a highly hydrophobic layer on the cathode surface, preventing water leakage to avoid utilizing the membrane. However, in both anode and cathode modifications, the electrospinning time should be optimized. The best results were obtained at 5 and 10 min for the cathode and anode, respectively.