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Abdu Aldarhami,1 Abdulrahman S Bazaid,2,3 Husam Qanash,2,3 Iqbal Ahmad,4 Fahad H Alshammari,2,3 Abdulrahman M Alshammari,2,3 Abdulrahman H Alshammari,2,3 Fahad M Aljanfawe,3 Bushra Aldamiri,5 Esraa Aldawood,6 Mashail A Alghamdi,7 Naif K Binsaleh,2,3 Nizar H Saeedi,8 Mejdi Snoussi3,9,10 1Department of Medical Microbiology, Qunfudah Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Al-Qunfudah, 21961, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Ha’il, Hail, 55476, Saudi Arabia; 3Medical and Diagnostic Research Center, University of Ha’il, Hail, 55473, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, India; 5Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 12372, Saudi Arabia; 6Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, 12372, Saudi Arabia; 7Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 8Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Ha’il, Hail, 81451, Saudi Arabia; 10Laboratory of Genetics, Biodiversity and Valorization of Bio-Resources, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, 5000, TunisiaCorrespondence: Abdulrahman S Bazaid; Husam Qanash, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Ha’il, Hail, 55476, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966 16 5358200 ext. 1713, Email ar.bazaid@uoh.edu.sa; h.qanash@uoh.edu.saIntroduction: Although Sumra and Sidr Saudi honey is widely used in traditional medicine due to its potent activity, it is unknown whether its prolonged usage has impact upon bacterial virulence or leading to reduced antibiotic sensitivity. Thus, the study aims to investigate the effect of prolonged (repeated) in-vitro exposure to Saudi honey on the antibiotic susceptibility profiles and biofilm formation of pathogenic bacteria.Methods: Several bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Acinetobacter baumannii, were in-vitro exposed ten times [passaged (P10)]to Sumra and Sider honey individually to introduce adapted bacteria (P10). Antibiotic susceptibility profiles of untreated (P0) and adapted (P10) bacteria were assessed using disc diffusion and microdilution assays. The tendency regarding biofilm formation following in-vitro exposure to honey (P10) was assessed using the Crystal violet staining method.Results: Adapted (P10) bacteria to both Sumra and Sidr honey showed an increased sensitivity to gentamicin, ceftazidime, ampicillin, amoxycillin/clavulanic acid, and ceftriaxone, when compared with the parent strains (P0). In addition, A. baumannii (P10) that was adapted to Sidr honey displayed a 4-fold increase in the minimal inhibitory concentration of the same honey following in-vitro exposure. 3-fold reduction in the tendency toward biofilm formation was observed for the Sumra-adapted (P10) methicillin resistant S. aureus strain, although there was a lower rate of reduction (1.5-fold) in biofilm formation by both the Sumra- and Sidr-adapted A. baumannii (P10) strains.Conclusion: The data highlight the positive impact of prolonged in-vitro exposure to Saudi honey (Sumra and Sider) for wound-associated bacteria since they displayed a significant increase in their sensitivity profiles to the tested antibiotic and a reduction in their ability to form biofilm. The increased bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics and a limited tendency toward biofilm formation would suggest the great potential therapeutic use of this Saudi honey (Sumra and Sidr) to treat wound infections.Keywords: Sider and Sumra honey, Saudi honey, resistance, biofilm formation, antibiotic susceptibility

Background: Knee joint osteoarthritis is the most common among older adults. The knee joint needs to be treated surgically. The prevalence of this disorder is believed to be higher than 40% among people over 60., Objective: To study public awareness about total knee replacement among the Hail population and to explore the relationship between the level of awareness and different socio-demographic factors., Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Hail, Saudi Arabia, using an online self-administered questionnaire created via Google Forms. Collected data were coded, entered, and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS; Version 23)., Results: A total of 431 participants enrolled in the study, of which 242 (56.15%) were males and 189 (43.9%) were females. Out of a total of 34 points, the average awareness score was 15 ± 6 (range: 5-33), with a mean percentage of awareness of 44.1%. The most reported causes of total knee replacement were overweight or obesity (82.6%), aging (61%), and rheumatoid arthritis (45.2%). The most known symptoms were pain (85.6%) and clicking sounds during movements (64.7%). Regarding the knowledge about the treatment, both physiotherapy and weight reduction were mentioned by 290 (67.3%), exercise by 244 (56.6%), and surgical intervention by 177 (41.1%) participants. The purpose of knee replacement surgery was to relieve pain according to 357 (82.8%) participants, improve walking quality according to 257 (59.6%) participants, and be able to do prayers (while kneeling) according to 215 (49.9%) participants. The most reported reasons that might prevent the participants from undergoing knee replacement surgery were the pain after surgery (59.4%), unavailability of surgeons (35.5%), and general complications from anesthesia (37.4%). Moreover, 188 (43.6%) participants thought that knee osteoarthritis is diagnosed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Educational level was found to be associated with awareness score ( p = .012). Conversely, gender, nationality, residence, and history of chronic disease were not found to be associated with awareness about total knee replacement ( p = .548, .357, .734, and .639, respectively)., Conclusion: An average level of awareness and knowledge regarding total knee replacement was observed. Educational level was found to be significantly associated with this awareness., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Alshammari et al.)

In recent years, numerous studies have successfully implemented machine learning strategies in a wide range of application areas. Therefore, several different deep learning models exist, each one tailored to a certain software task. Using deep learning models provides numerous advantages for the software development industry. Testing and maintaining software is a critical concern today. Software engineers have many responsibilities while developing a software system, including coding, testing, and delivering the software to users via the cloud. From this list, it is easy to see that each task calls for extensive organization and preparation, as well as access to a variety of resources. A developer may consult other code repositories, websites with related programming content, and even colleagues for information before attempting to build and test a solution to the problem at hand. In this investigation, we aim to identify the factors that led to developing the recommender. This system analyzes the recommender's performance and provides suggestions for improving the software based on users' opinions., Competing Interests: The author declares no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Fahad H. Alshammari.)

In this study, we conducted response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) to predict and estimate the optimized extraction condition of Nypa fruticans Wurmb. (NF). The effect of ethanol concentration (X 1 ; 0-100%), extraction time (X 2 ; 6-24 h), and extraction temperature (X 3 ; 40-60 °C) on the antioxidant potential was confirmed. The optimal conditions (57.6% ethanol, 19.0 h extraction time, and 51.3 °C extraction temperature) of 2,2-diphenyl-1-1picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid contents (TFC) resulted in a maximum value of 62.5%, 41.95 and 48.39 µM, 143.6 mg GAE/g, and 166.8 CAE/g, respectively. High-resolution mass spectroscopic technique was performed to profile phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Upon analyzing, total 48 compounds were identified in NF. Altogether, our findings can provide a practical approach for utilizing NF in various bioindustries., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Paper sheets represent one of the infection risk sources inside educational and administrative institutions under biological pandemics. So, the present study aimed to validate the efficiency of gamma radiation or dry heat techniques to sterilize contaminated paper sheets with different indicator pathogens while retaining their structure. The results showed that gamma radiation at 6, 12, or 24 kGy can successfully kill Gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi, and fungi such as Candida albicans. Moreover, dry heating at 100 °C for 60 min, 150 °C for 30 min, or 200 °C for 15 min can be successful in paper decontamination of all tested species. Surprisingly, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs proved that gamma radiation at 6 kGy, dry heat at 100 °C for 60 min or 150 °C for 30 min or 200 °C for 15 min, is suitable for paper sheet sterilization while maintaining their structure. Ultimately, dry heat is a simple, effective, fast, safe, and inexpensive technique for paper sterilization. It may be used as a precautionary step inside educational institutions, especially during written examination periods, to ensure a safe life for academic members during biological pandemics such as COVID-19., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Effective methods for removing harmful metals from wastewater have had a huge impact on reducing freshwater scarcity. Because of its excellent removal effectiveness, simplicity and low cost at ambient conditions, adsorption is one of the most promising purifying approaches. MXene-based nanoarchitectures have proven to be effective adsorbents in a variety of harmful metal removal applications. This owes from the distinctive features such as, hydrophilicity, high surface area, electron-richness, great adsorption capacity, and activated metallic hydroxide sites of MXenes. Given the rapid advancement in the design and synthesis of MXene nanoarchitectures for water treatment, prompt updates on this research area are needed that focus on removal of toxic metal, such as production routes and characterization techniques for the advantages, merits and limitations of MXenes for toxic metal adsorption. This is in addition to the fundamentals and the adsorption mechanism tailored by the shape and composition of MXene based on some representative paradigms. Finally, the limits of MXenes are highlighted, as well as their potential future research directions for wastewater treatment. This manuscript may initiate researchers to improve unique MXene-based nanostructures with distinct compositions, shapes, and physiochemical merits for effective removal of toxic metals from wastewater., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Microemulsified gels (μEGs) with fascinating functions have become indispensable as topical drug delivery systems due to their structural flexibility, high stability, and facile manufacturing process. Topical administration is an attractive alternative to traditional methods because of advantages such as noninvasive administration, bypassing first-pass metabolism, and improving patient compliance. In this article, we report on the new formulations of microemulsion-based gels suitable for topical pharmaceutical applications using biocompatible and ecological ingredients. For this, two biocompatible μE formulations comprising clove oil/Brij-35/water/ethanol (formulation A) and clove oil/Brij-35/water/1-propanol (formulation B) were developed to encapsulate and improve the load of an antimycotic drug, Clotrimazole (CTZ), and further gelatinized to control the release of CTZ through skin barriers. By delimiting the pseudo-ternary phase diagram, optimum μE formulations with clove oil (∼15%) and Brij-35 (∼30%) were developed, keeping constant surfactant/co-surfactant ratio (1:1), to upheld 2.0 wt % CTZ. The as-developed formulations were further converted into smart gels by adding 2.0 wt % carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a cross-linker to adhere to the controlled release of CTZ through complex skin barriers. Electron micrographs show a fine, monodispersed collection of CTZ-μE nanodroplets (∼60 nm), which did not coalesce even after gelation, forming spherical CTZ-μEG (∼90 nm). However, the maturity of CTZ nanodroplets observed by dynamic light scattering suggests the affinity of CTZ for the nonpolar microenvironment, which was further supported by the peak-to-peak correlation of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis and fluorescence measurement. In addition, HPLC analysis showed that the in vitro permeation release of CTZ-μEG from rabbit skin in the ethanolic phosphate buffer (pH = 7.4) was significantly increased by >98% within 6.0 h. This indicates the sustained release of CTZ in μEBG and the improvement in transdermal therapeutic efficacy of CTZ over its traditional topical formulations.

The comparative utilization of solar thermal or photovoltaic systems has significantly increased to fulfill the requirement of electricity and heat since few decades. These hybrid systems produce both thermal and electrical energy simultaneously. In recent times, increasing interest is being redirected by researchers in exploiting variety of nanoparticles mixed with miscellaneous base fluids (hybrid nanofluid) for these hybrid systems. This new class of colloidal suspensions has many fascinating advantages as compared to conventional types of nanofluids because of their modified and superior rheological and thermophysical properties which makes them appealing for solar energy devices. Here, we have attempted to deliver an extensive overview of the synthetic methodologies of hybrid nanofluids and their potential in PV/T and solar thermal energy systems. A detailed comparison between conventional types of nanofluids and hybrid nanofluids has been carried out to present in-depth understanding of the advantages of the hybrid nanofluids. The documented reports reveal that enhanced thermal properties of hybrid nanofluids promise the increased performance of solar thermal PV/T systems. Additionally, the unique properties such as nanoparticles concentration and type of base fluid, etc. greatly influence the behavior of hybrid nanofluidic systems. Finally, the outlook, suggestions, and challenges for future research directions are discussed., 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 © 2021 Rasheed, Hussain, Anwar, Ali, Rizwan, Bilal, Alshammari, Alwadai and Almuslem.)

Background: In Rwanda, malaria affects one in six children under five years old. Despite being preventable and treatable, malaria causes substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic burden on the Rwandan government and healthcare donors. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) agreed to consider the new malaria vaccine (RTS, S) as an additional prevention strategy. The Global Fund, a healthcare donor, is committed to donating more than fifty million US dollars over four years (2018-2021) to fight malaria in Rwanda. We estimated the potential budget impact of the adoption of RTS, S, into the Global Fund budget (as a case study) for malaria prevention in Rwanda., Methods: We developed a static budget impact model based on clinical, epidemiological, and cost (in US dollars) data from the literature, to assess the financial consequences of adding RTS, S to existing prevention strategies. Cost of treatment and prevention for the first year (without vaccine) was estimated and compared to the total cost after the fifth year (with vaccine). A one-way sensitivity analysis evaluated the robustness of the model., Results: For the 283,931children under 5 years at risk of malaria in Rwanda every year, the expected budget for first year (without vaccine) was $1,328,377.71 and for the fifth year (with vaccine) was $3,837,804, yielding a potential budget impact of $2,509,427. The cost of treating un-prevented malaria for the first year was $736,959 and for the fifth year was $61,413. The annual number of malaria treatments avoided increased from 10,095 children in the first year after introduction of vaccine to 36,701 children at the fifth year., Conclusion: With a potential budget impact of $2,509,427, the introduction of malaria vaccine for children under 5 years by Global Fund in Rwanda may be affordable when compared to the amount spent on treating children with malaria. Given that Malaria causes more harm than most parasitic diseases and disproportionally affects low-income populations, it is ethical to deploy all measures to control or eliminate Malaria, including vaccination., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© 2021 The Authors.)

The secondary metabolites profiling of Nymphaea nouchali stem (NNSE) extract was carried out using a high-resolution mass spectroscopic technique. The antioxidant effects of NNSE, as well as the underlying mechanisms, were also investigated in tert-butyl hydroperoxide ( t -BHP)-stimulated oxidative stress in RAW264.7 cells. Tandem mass spectroscopy with (-) negative mode tentatively revealed the presence of 54 secondary metabolites in NNSE. Among them, phenolic acids and flavonoids were predominant. Phenolic acids (brevifolincarboxylic acid, p -coumaroyltartaric acid, niazinin B, lalioside, 3-feruloylquinic acid, and gallic acid- O -rutinoside), flavonoids (elephantorrhizol, apigenin-6-C-galactoside 8-C-arabinoside, and vicenin-2), sialic acid (2-deoxy-2,3-dehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acid), and terpenoid (α-γ-onoceradienedione) were identified in NNSE for the first time. Unbridled reactive oxygen species/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) and redox imbalances participate in the induction and development of many oxidative stress-linked diseases. The NNSE exhibited significant free radical scavenging capabilities and was also able to reduce t -BHP-induced cellular generation in RAW264.7 cells. The NNSE prevented oxidative stress by inducing the endogenous antioxidant system and the levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) by upregulating Nrf2 through the modulation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), such as phosphorylated p38 and c-Jun N terminal kinase. Collectively, these results indicate that the NNSE exhibits potent effects in preventing oxidative stress-stimulated diseases and disorders through the modulation of the MAPK/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Our findings provide new insights into the cytoprotective effects and mechanisms of Nymphaea nouchali stem extract against oxidative stress, which may be a useful remedy for oxidative stress-induced disorders.

A protoberberine alkaloid, (-)-tetrahydroberberrubine∙acetate (THBA) was assessed for its antioxidant potential and ability to inhibit the growth of a food hazard bacterium Bacillus cereus in vitro and in situ. THBA displayed significant and dose-dependent cellular antioxidant potential against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells and decreased the ROS levels as well as increased the expression levels of SOD1 and SOD2 enzymes. The inhibitory spectrum of THBA confirmed its mechanistic role in the disruption of the membrane integrity of B. cereus as evidenced by the results of time-inactivation, cell membrane integrity, NPN membrane uptake, membrane potential, and electron microscopy analyses. Moreover, THBA inhibited biofilm formation by B. cereus and disrupted pre-established biofilms on a glass surface. Furthermore, THBA was also able to inhibit B. cereus in raw rice with a significant amount of reduction in CFU counts, suggesting its potential role as a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A novel process is developed in which thin film transistors (TFTs) comprising one binary oxide for all transistor layers (gate, source/drain, semiconductor channel, and dielectric) are fabricated in a single deposition system at low temperature. By simply changing the flow ratio of two chemical precursors, C 8 H 24 HfN 4 and (C 2 H 5 ) 2 Zn, in an atomic layer deposition system, the electronic properties of the binary oxide (Hf x Zn 1- x O 2- δ or HZO) are tuned from conducting, to semiconducting, to insulating. Furthermore, by carefully optimizing the properties of the various transistor HZO layers, all-HZO thin film transistors are achieved with excellent performance on both glass and plastic substrates. Specifically, the optimized all-HZO TFTs show a saturation mobility of ≈17.9 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , low subthreshold swing of ≈480 mV dec -1 , high I on /I off ratio of >10 9 , and excellent gate bias stability at elevated temperatures. In addition, all-HZO inverters with high DC voltage gain (≈470), and all-HZO ring oscillators with low stage delay (≈408 ns) and high oscillation frequency of 245 kHz are demonstrated. This approach presents a novel, simple, high performance, and cost-effective process for the fabrication of indium-free transparent electronics., (© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

We report reproducible multibit transparent flash memory in which a single solution-derived Ta 2 O 5 layer is used simultaneously as a charge-trapping layer and a tunneling layer. This is different from conventional flash memory cells where two different dielectric layers are typically used. Under optimized programming/erasing operations, the memory device shows excellent programmable memory characteristics with a maximum memory window of ∼10.7 V. Moreover, the flash memory device shows a stable 2-bit memory performance and good reliability, including data retention for more than 10 4 s and endurance performance for more than 100 cycles. The use of a common charge-trapping and tunneling layer can simplify the fabrication of advanced flash memories.

We report ZnO TFTs using Al2O3/Ta2O5 bilayer gate dielectrics grown by atomic layer deposition. The saturation mobility of single layer Ta2O5 dielectric TFT was 0.1 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), but increased to 13.3 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) using Al2O3/Ta2O5 bilayer dielectric with significantly lower leakage current and hysteresis. We show that point defects present in ZnO film, particularly VZn, are the main reason for the poor TFT performance with single layer dielectric, although interfacial roughness scattering effects cannot be ruled out. Our approach combines the high dielectric constant of Ta2O5 and the excellent Al2O3/ZnO interface quality, resulting in improved device performance.

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease of the large intestine whose effects are bloody diarrhea, cramping and bloating. The disease is usually relapsing and remitting. However, the cause of ulcerative colitis is not yet known. Due to this reason, finding an effective treatment has been a great challenge. The suggested medical treatment is usually composed of two portions; keeping the flare up from happening and treating the flare up when it has happened. Active flare ups are treated with corticosteroids. There are several hypothesis which suggest that ulcerative colitis could be due to the micro flora present in gut. For this reason, several researchers tried to modify the gut microflora with probiotics. However, there is no probiotics found that can induce emission faster than the placebo. The ulcerative colitis patients taking probiotics showed fewer and less severe symptoms during the flare up. This means that even though the probiotics did not end up the flare up faster, it slowed up the severity of the symptoms of the patients.