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Salwa Bay is an elongated, narrow bay which extends southwards from the Gulf of Bahrain down to the Saudi-Qatari border, separating the peninsula of Qatar from Saudi Arabia. The present study aims to investigate the degree of heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) contamination and the associated health risks in surface sediments of the Salwa Bay, Saudi Arabia. Thirty samples were collected for analysis of Ni, Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn, and As using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Several contamination and health risk indices, and multivariate analysis were applied. The following order was detected for average concentrations of metal(loid)s (μg/g dry weight): Cr (5.56) > Zn (4.63) > Ni (4.43) > As (2.34) > Pb (1.66) > Cu (1.51). The coastal sediments exhibit a significant enrichment in As, moderate enrichment in Pb, Zn, Cr, and deficiency to minimal enrichment for Ni, and Cu. Sediment quality guidelines indicated that HMs do not pose a risk to the benthic communities in Salwa Bay area. The average hazard index values ranged from 0.00002 to 0.0038 in adults and from 0.0002 to 0.0353 in children. This suggests that there is no significant possibility of non-carcinogenic effects to the people inhabiting the coastline of Salwa Bay. The results of the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) for As, Cr, and Pb were below 1 × 10−4, indicating no carcinogenic health risk except for a few sediment samples showing elevated levels of Cr and As.

In exploring nature's potential in addressing liver-related conditions, this study investigates the therapeutic capabilities of flavonoids. Utilizing in silico methodologies, we focus on flavone and its analogs (1–14) to assess their therapeutic potential in treating liver diseases. Molecular change calculations using density functional theory (DFT) were conducted on these compounds, accompanied by an evaluation of each analog's physiochemical and biochemical properties. The study further assesses these flavonoids' binding effectiveness and locations through molecular docking studies against six target proteins associated with human cancer. Tropoflavin and taxifolin served as reference drugs. The structurally modified flavone analogs (1–14) displayed a broad range of binding affinities, ranging from -7.0 to -9.4 kcal mol⁻¹, surpassing the reference drugs. Notably, flavonoid (7) exhibited significantly higher binding affinities with proteins Nrf2 (PDB:1 × 2 J) and DCK (PDB:1 × 2 J) (-9.4 and -8.1 kcal mol⁻¹) compared to tropoflavin (-9.3 and -8.0 kcal mol⁻¹) and taxifolin (-9.4 and -7.1 kcal mol⁻¹), respectively. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that the docked complexes had a root mean square deviation (RMSD) value ranging from 0.05 to 0.2 nm and a root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) value between 0.35 and 1.3 nm during perturbation. The study concludes that 5,7-dihydroxyflavone (7) shows substantial promise as a potential therapeutic agent for liver-related conditions. However, further validation through in vitro and in vivo studies is necessary.Key insights from this study include: • Screening of flavanols and their derivatives to determine pharmacological and bioactive properties using ADMET, molinspiration, and pass prediction analysis. • Docking of shortlisted flavone derivatives with proteins having essential functions. • Analysis of the best protein-flavonoid docked complexes using molecular dynamics simulation to determine the flavonoid's efficiency and stability within a system.

The DC microgrids possess numerous pros, including enhanced reliability, increased efficiency, and a less complicated control system. Further, they provide a simplified system that facilitates the incorporation of renewable energy sources (RES), battery storage systems, and DC loads. DC microgrids improve resource coordination and utilization, thus offering a potential alternative to modern energy systems. DC power systems have unique features that make protecting DC microgrids from different types of faults very hard. These include large DC capacitors, low-impedance DC cables, no natural zero-crossing points, and significant transient current and voltage changes that happen very quickly. Also, solid-to-ground faults could result in a rapid increase in DC fault current. Therefore, a cost-effective and reliable system protection mechanism capable of detecting, locating, and isolating faults is crucial to preventing DC microgrids from experiencing power outages and failures. This paper presents a machine-learning-based protection approach for DC microgrids. The proposed methodology relies solely on measuring the current passing through the positive terminal at bus_1 in the modified IEEE 14-bus configuration. During the measurement, the DC microgrid encountered several fault scenarios. The gathered data is analyzed to train a supervised machine-learning method that uses medium-gaussian support vector machines and bagged tree classification algorithms. The effectiveness of this method was evaluated by conducting tests on a particular subset of the collected data using the trained model. The proposed protection technique was verified using MATLAB/Simulink software under several pole-pole (P-P) and pole-ground (P-G) fault conditions. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed protection approach is practical and reliable across all fault scenarios. It is highly accurate at identifying and detecting precise fault locations without any errors.

Ground simulation methods have gained significant research attention due to their effectiveness. We propose a ground simulation method for space laser communication with a transmission distance of 53,000 km in free space using the laser as a means of information transmission. The simulation is verified using artificial intelligence and pattern recognition techniques, with Fresnel diffraction adopted as a mathematical model to represent the system and its architecture, facilitating the creation of Matlab/Simulink blocks for simulation. OptiSystem was used to calculate the power from the transmission distance. The transmission distance determined from the system is 53,000 km, with a receiving power of $2.72\times 10^{-10}$ W. The simulations demonstrated that the power transmitted from an Earth station at arbitrary distances up to 53,000 km in space could be used to determine the power received by the receiving station. Prediction models were integrated into mathematical models to validate the results. The model’s performance was tested with up to 20% additive noise, including signal scattering, background radiation, and interference. A ladder network with entanglement and an isochronous neighbourhood function exhibited high performance in accurately predicting the output at low computation cost compared to other models. The optimized deep Bayesian network technique, on the other hand, showed a high prediction rate and accuracy, albeit at the expense of high computational cost.

This study investigates the processes leading to karst development in the southeastern part of Riyadh city extending up to Al Kharj. Numerous solution features such as sinkholes, collapsed dolines, and solution caverns are common in the area. The role of water in the development of the karst features was investigated using an integrated geological and hydrochemical approach. Geological investigations included the petrographic analysis of rock samples collected from zones of intense karstification with special emphasis on mineral dissolution. The study showed that the Sulaiy Formation is commonly fractured, brecciated, foliated, and contains numerous cavities, vugs, and openings. These features have formed by mineral dissolution by circulating groundwater, which has removed anhydrite beds from the underlying Arab–Hith sequence. Karstification likely started from the tectonically weak zones when there was more groundwater recharge. Studies show that during the early to mid-Holocene period, the climate in the Arabian Peninsula was humid, promoting groundwater recharge and subsequent mineral dissolution, though the process of karstification must have started much earlier. Hydrochemical findings reveal that mineral dissolution (halite and calcium sulfate) is the main process affecting groundwater chemistry. The Piper plot revealed two main hydrochemical facies: the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)–(Cl+ SO42−) Type (Type A) and the (Na+ + K+)–(SO42− + Cl) Type (Type B). Most of the samples belong to Type B, typical of groundwater facies affected by dissolution of halite and anhydrite mineral. The absence of the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)–(CO32− + HCO3−) type of groundwater facies indicates a lack of recent groundwater recharge and the removal of carbonate minerals from the system through precipitation, as evidenced by the saturation indices. Plots of the major ionic pairs (cations vs. anions) in groundwater indicate strong halite and gypsum/anhydrite dissolution. Of the three carbonate minerals, calcite has the highest average saturation index followed by aragonite and dolomite. This suggests significant past rock–water interaction leading to carbonate dissolution. Presently, any additional calcium or carbonate ions introduced into the water lead to calcite precipitation. The study indicates that the process of karst development may not be active today. Currently, groundwater chemistry is mainly influenced by rock–water interaction leading to gypsum/anhydrite dissolution, which has resulted in a high concentration of Na+, Ca2+, Cl− and SO42− ions in groundwater. The dissolution of gypsum and halite from the Hith Formation weakens the structural integrity of the overlying Sulaiy Formation, creating large underground cavities. These cavities increase the risk of roof collapse, leading to cover-collapse sinkholes as the roof becomes too thin to support the weight above.

Reservoir characteristics and source rock geochemistry are essential for petroleum system investigation as they reveal reservoir quality and hydrocarbon generation capability, respectively. The primary Karama oil field reservoir of Abu El Gharadig Basin is the limestone-sand-shale Abu Roash G (AR/G) Member. This study examines AR/G, analyzes source rocks for maturity and organic elements, and defines the main reservoir lithotypes and evaluates reservoir properties. Five well log datasets and an AR/F pyrolysis analysis on another well were used in this study to characterize the AR/G’s 168-foot effective thickness and assess the AR/F source-rock maturation. The effective porosity is up to 30%. The highest shale concentration was 24% in central and western parts of the field. Therefore, drilling development wells in this area, especially east and north, demands caution. The composition and vertical and lateral lithofacies variations of the defined reservoir in the Karama field region are a significant control of its petrophysical properties. The pyrolysis of AR/F revealed 1.32–5.84% content of organic matter. That content qualifies AR/F as a hydrocarbon source if thermal maturity is reached. Type I and type II kerogen in the Abu Roash F Member suggests oil production. The Abu Roash G Member and Upper Bahariya (UB) formation produce oil and gas due to their own type II and III kerogen. GC biomarker data suggests that the research area is predominantly maritime, with most samples showing environmental degradation. The area under consideration has one reservoir, AR/G, and three members of source rocks in AR/F&G and UB. AR/G electrofacies revealed various lithotypes and flow units.

Compliance with feed safety standards and practices on the farm promotes sustainable livestock production and can positively affect the environment and human health. This study aims to examine farmers' on-farm adoption of feed safety practices and determine the differences in adoption according to the socio-economic characteristics of farmers. An online survey was conducted to collect the study data. The study participants consisted of 442 livestock farmers in Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia. The study findings revealed that farmers highly adopted categories of feed purchasing (77.9 %) and feed mixing and distribution (75.05 %), whereas they were considered as a moderate level adoption regarding feed storing (70.9 %). The cluster analysis results showed two main patterns of adoption— “high adopters” and “moderate adopters”—based on the average level of adoption for 25 feed safety practices examined. The cluster of “high adopters” accounted for 59.9 % of the sample and had higher average adoption in all practices examined. The findings revealed that there are significant differences between the two segments of farmers, corresponding to gender, membership in livestock association, extension contact, raising sheep, and feeding system. This study proposes the regular monitoring of farms to ensure strict adherence to feed safety regulations, with the implementation of awareness and capacity development initiatives pertaining to feed safety concerns.

A total of 886 valves of the pearl oyster Pinctada were collected from 12 sites in Al-Uqair beach along the Saudi Arabian Gulf coast in January 2021 in order to document their taphonomic signatures. Thirteen ichnospecies of 5 ichnogenera were identified and illustrated. These traces were produced by clionid sponges (Entobia cretacea, E. ovula, E. geometrica, E. laquea, E. cateniformis, Entobia isp.), durophagous drillers (Oichnus paraboloides, O. ovalis, O. simplex, and Oichnus isp.), traces of vermetid gastropods (Renichnus isp.) polychaete annelids (Caulostrepsis isp.) and barnacle attachment scars (Anellusichnus circularis). The Pinctada shells act as hard substrate for colonization by serpulid worm, Spirorbis sp., bryozoans, barnacles, and other bivalves. Ichnogenus Oichnus was the most abundant (53.73%), followed by Entobia (44.58%), Anellusichnus (0.51%), Caulostrepsis (0.34%), and Renichnus (0.84%). The thin-shelled and smooth skeletons of Pinctada were preferable for the abundant durophagous drillers (Oichnus traces) and clionid sponges (Entobia traces) during the lifetime of the pinctadas, in contrast to endolithic bivalves (Gastrochaenolites borings) which need thicker seashells for the settlement. Occurrence of different encrusters and bioeroders on the internal surfaces of many pinctadas confirmed the postmortem origin of the signatures. Disarticulation, fragmentation, and abrasion among the collected pinctadas might be attributed to their mode of life as epifaunal byssate, filter-feeder bivalves in the shallow littoral and sublittoral zones of the continental shelf under strong currents conditions.

Zaki F Aref,1 Shamardan Ezz Eldin S Bazeed,2 Mohammed H Hassan,3 Abeer S Hassan,4 Ali A Ghweil,2 Mennatallah Ali Abdelrhman Sayed,5 Alaa Rashad,6 Haggagy Mansour,6 Aida A Abdelmaksoud1 1ENT Department, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 2Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology Department, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 3Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 4Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 5King Salman International University, El Tor, Egypt; 6Department of Chest Diseases and Tuberculosis, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, EgyptCorrespondence: Mohammed H Hassan, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt, Tel +20 1098473605, Email Mohammedhosnyhassaan@yahoo.com; mohammedhosnyhassaan@med.svu.edu.egPurpose: Anosmia or hyposmia, with or without taste changes, are common symptoms that occur in SARS-CoV-2 infection and frequently persist as post-COVID-19 manifestations. This is the first trial to assess the potential value of using local ivermectin in the form of a mucoadhesive nanosuspension nasal spray to treat post-COVID-19 anosmia.Methods: It is a controlled, randomized trial. Participants were recruited from South Valley University Hospitals in Qena, Upper Egypt, from the ENT and Chest Diseases Departments and outpatient clinics. Patients with persistent post COVID-19 anosmia were randomly divided into two groups, the first group “ivermectin group” included 49 patients treated by ivermectin nanosuspension mucoadhesive nasal spray (two puffs per day). The second group included 47 patients “placebo group” who received saline nasal spray. Follow- up of anosmia [using Visual analogue scale (VAS)] in all patients for three months or appearance of any drug related side effects was done.Results: The mean duration of pre-treatment post COVID-19 anosmia was 19.5± 5.8 days in the ivermectin group and 19.1± 5.9 days in the placebo group,p˃0.05. Regarding the median duration of anosmia recovery, the ivermectin group recovered from post COVID-19 anosmia in 13 days compared to 50 days in the placebo group, p˂ 0.001. Following the first week of ivermectin nanosuspension mucoadhesive nasal spray therapy, the ivermectin group had a significantly higher percentage of anosmia recovery (59.2%) than the placebo group (27.7%), p˂ 0.01, with no significant differences in recovery rates between the two groups at 1, 2, and 3 months of follow up, p˃0.05.Conclusion: In the small number of patients treated, local Ivermectin exhibited no side effects. In persistent post-COVID-19 anosmia, it could be used for one week at the most as the treatment was extended to one, two and three months, with no difference in recovery compared to the placebo treatment.Trial Registration No: NCT04951362.Keywords: post-COVID-19 anosmia, ivermectin, nanosuspension mucoadhesive nasal spray

BackgroundAlthough estrogen (ERα/ERβ), progesterone (PGR), and androgen (AR) receptors are pathologically altered in colorectal cancer (CRC), their simultaneous expression within the same cohort of patients was not previously measured.MethodsERα/ERβ/PGR/AR proteins were measured in archived paired normal and malignant colon specimens (n =120 patients) by immunohistochemistry, and results were analyzed by gender, age (≤50 vs. ≥60 years), clinical stages (early-stage I/II vs. late-stage III/IV), and anatomical location (right; RSCs vs. left; LSCs). Effects of 17β-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), and testosterone alone or combined with the specific blockers of ERα (MPP dihydrochloride), ERβ (PHTPP), PGR (mifepristone), and AR (bicalutamide) on cell cycle and apoptosis were also measured in the SW480 male and HT29 female CRC cell lines. ResultsERα and AR proteins increased, whilst ERβ and PGR declined markedly in malignant specimens. Moreover, male neoplastic tissues showed highest AR expression, whilst ERβ and PGR weakest alongside ERα strongest expression was seen in cancerous tissues from women aged ≥60 years. Late-stage neoplasms also revealed maximal alterations in the expression of sex steroid receptors. By tumor location, LSCs disclosed significant elevations in ERα with marked declines in PGR compared with RSCs, and ERα strongest alongside PGR weakest expression was detected in advanced LSCs from women aged ≥60 years. Late-stage LSCs from females aged ≥60 years also showed weakest ERβ and strongest AR expression. In contrast, male RSC and LSC tissues exhibited equal ERβ and AR expression in all clinical stages. ERα and AR proteins also correlated positively, whereas ERβ and PGR inversely, with tumor characteristics. Concomitantly, E2 and P4 monotherapies triggered cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in the SW480 and HT29 cells, and while pre-treatment with ERα-blocker enhanced the effects of E2, ERβ-blocker and PGR-blocker suppressed the E2 and P4 anti-cancer actions, respectively. In contrast, treatment with the AR-blocker induced apoptosis, whilst co-treatment with testosterone hindered the effects. ConclusionsThis study advocates that protein expression of sex steroid receptors in malignant tissues could represent prognostic markers, as well as hormonal therapy could provide an alternative strategy against CRC, and their efficacies could be dependent on gender, clinical stage, and tumor location.

This study reports on the synthesis and characterization of novel perfluorinated organic polymers with azo- and azomethine-based linkers using nucleophilic aromatic substitution. The polymers were synthesized via the incorporation of decafluorobiphenyl and hexafluorobenzene linkers with diphenols in the basic medium. The variation in the linkers allowed the synthesis of polymers with different fluorine and nitrogen contents. The rich fluorine polymers were slightly soluble in THF and have shown molecular weights ranging from 4886 to 11,948 g/mol. All polymers exhibit thermal stability in the range of 350–500 °C, which can be attributed to their structural geometry, elemental contents, branching, and cross-linking. For instance, the cross-linked polymers with high nitrogen content, DAB-Z-1h and DAB-Z-1O, are more stable than azomethine-based polymers. The cross-linking was characterized by porosity measurements. The azo-based polymer exhibited the highest surface area of 770 m2/g with a pore volume of 0.35 cm3/g, while the open-chain azomethine-based polymer revealed the lowest surface area of 285 m2/g with a pore volume of 0.0872 cm3/g. Porous structures with varied hydrophobicities were investigated as adsorbents for separating water-benzene and water-phenol mixtures and selectively binding methane/carbon dioxide gases from the air. The most hydrophobic polymers containing the decafluorbiphenyl linker were suitable for benzene separation, while the best methane uptake values were 6.14 and 3.46 mg/g for DAB-Z-1O and DAB-A-1O, respectively. On the other hand, DAB-Z-1h, with the highest surface area and being rich in nitrogen sites, has recorded the highest CO2 uptake at 298 K (17.25 mg/g).

High levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in water bodies negatively affect the biota of aquatic ecosystems and surrounding environments. A risk assessment investigation of the levels and distribution of PTEs in the seawater of the Jazan coastal area, southwest Saudi Arabia, was conducted. Thirty-two surface seawater samples were collected, and contamination (Cd) and heavy metal pollution (HPI) indices, as well as multivariate statistics, were applied. The average PTE levels (µg/L), in descending order of magnitude, were Cu (2.56), Pb (2.27), Ni (1.30), Cr (1.28), Zn (1.04), Sb (0.36), Co (0.22), and Cd (0.06). A fluctuating pattern without a fixed direction was detected in the spatial distribution of these metals, with increased pollution being linked to high metal levels as shown by some samples. The HPI indicated low pollution in 50% of the samples and medium pollution in the remaining 50%, whereas the Cd indicated low contamination with PTEs. The absence of significant correlations between pairs of metals indicated different sources of metal pollution. Lithogenic sources are implicated in the supply of Co, Ni, Pb, and Sb, whereas Cr was mainly derived from an anthropogenic source, and combined lithogenic and anthropogenic sources are believed to have contributed Cu and Zn to the area. It is proposed that urbanization, agriculture, and industry are among the potential anthropogenic sources of pollutants on the Jazan coastline. Soils generated on the undifferentiated Quaternary rocks along the investigated area are the main lithogenic sources.

A proximity-coupled graphene patch-based full-duplex antenna is proposed for terahertz (THz) applications. The antenna provides a 10 dB impedance bandwidth of 6.06% (1.76 − 1.87 THz). The input ports of the proposed design are isolated from each other by −25 dB. The aspect ratio of the graphene-based radiating patch and the physical parameters of the antenna is selected for obtaining the single-mode operation. The dimensions (length and width of graphene) of the proposed antenna have been opted to operate in two higher-order orthogonal modes, and these modes remain intrinsically isolated. The utilization of the graphene material provides flexibility in tuning the antenna response. Graphene-based patch exhibits good electrical conductivity, electrical conductance controllability, and plasmon properties. The graphene-based antennas perform better than their metallic counterparts, especially in the THz frequency range. The radiation properties of the graphene material are more prominent due to no-ohmic losses. Moreover, its chemical potential may be altered by applying a bias voltage to its surface conductivity, which modifies the surface impedance value of graphene. Therefore, with a small footprint, graphene acts as an excellent radiator at extremely high frequencies.

DNA methylation is a crucial epigenetic mark connected to conventionally changing the DNA bases, typically by adding methyl groups into DNA bases. Methylation of cytosine at the C5 position (5-methylcytosine) occurs mostly in the context of cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotides, the methylation of which has important impacts on gene regulation and expression. However, the mechanistic details of this reaction are still debatable concerning the concertedness of the key reaction steps and the roles played by the base that abstracts the proton in the β-elimination and water molecules at the active site. To gain a deeper insight into the formation of 5-mehtylcytosine, an extensive density functional theory (DFT) study was performed with the B3LYP functional in conjunction with different basis sets. Our study has clearly established the mechanistic details of this methylation approach, based on which the roles of conserved active site residues, such as glutamic acid and waters, are well understood. Our results show that the reaction of 5-methylcytosine follows a concerted mechanism in which water molecules are critically involved. Moreover, arginine and alanine give more significant catalytic effects than glutamic acid on the 5-methylcytosine process. Considering the effect of Alanine, Arginine, and one water bridging molecule, the activation energy is 31 kJ mol−1 calculated at B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory.

A new Schiff base, 4-((1E,2E)-3-(furan-2-yl)allylidene)amino)-N-(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl) benzene-sulfonamide (L), was synthesized by thermal condensation of 3-(2-furyl)acrolein and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and the furan Schiff base (L) was converted to a phenol Schiff base (L’) according to the Diels–Alder [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction and studied experimentally. The structural and spectroscopic properties of the Schiff base were also corroborated by utilizing density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Furthermore, a series of lanthanide and transition metal complexes of the Schiff base were synthesized from the nitrate salts of Gd, Sm, Nd, and Zn (L1, L2, L3, and L4), respectively. Various spectroscopic studies confirmed the chemical structures of the Schiff-base ligand and its complexes. Based on the spectral studies, a nine-coordinated geometry was assigned to the lanthanide complexes and a six-coordinated geometry to the zinc complex. The elemental analysis data confirmed the suggested structure of the metal complexes, and the TGA studies confirmed the presence of one coordinated water molecule in the lanthanide complexes and one crystalline water molecule in the zinc complex; in addition, the conductivity showed the neutral nature of the complexes. Therefore, it is suggested that the ligand acts as a bidentate through coordinates to each metal atom by the isoxazole nitrogen and oxygen atoms of the sulfur dioxide moiety of the SMX based on FTIR studies. The ligand and its complexes were tested for their anti-inflammatory, anti-hemolytic, and antioxidant activities by various colorimetric methods. These complexes were found to exhibit potential effects of the selected biological activities.

Colon cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide, and its incidence is increasing. Despite advances in medical science, the treatment of colon cancer still poses a significant challenge. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of Adiantum pedatum (AP) extract and/or piceatannol on colon cancer induced via phenylhydrazine (PHZ) in terms of the antioxidant and apoptotic pathways and histopathologic changes in the colons of male albino rats. The rats were randomly divided into eight groups: control, AP extract, piceatannol (P), PHZ, PHZ and AP treatments, PHZ and P treatments, PHZ and both AP and P, and PHZ and prophylaxis with both AP and P. The results demonstrated that PHZ induced oxidative damage, apoptosis, and histopathological changes compared to the control group. However, the administration of AP or P or AP + P as therapy or prophylaxis significantly ameliorated these changes and upregulated the colonic mir-145 and mRNA expression of P53 and PDCD-4 while downregulating the colonic mRNA expression of PI3K, AKT, c-Myc, CK-20, SOX-2, OCT-4, and NanoG compared to the PHZ group. These findings suggest that the candidate drugs may exert their anti-cancer effects through multiple mechanisms, including antioxidant and apoptotic activities.

Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are two of the emerging techniques used in creating more significant opportunities in smart dairy farming (SDF). Currently, the demand for milk is continuously increasing due to the world's growing population. Thus, some suppliers are inclined towards adopting fraudulent practices such as introducing adulterants into milk to eliminate the demand and supply gap. Conventional detection techniques require specific chemicals and equipment to determine the presence of adulterants in milk. Though effective, this technique has the downsides of producing qualitative results that are laborious, time-consuming and the same milk sample cannot be further analyzed for other adulterants. Hence, this paper presents an IoT-based solution to detect adulterants in milk by measuring its pH and electrical conductivity (EC) parameters. To achieve this, a fuzzy logic system was designed in MATLAB® using the Fuzzy Logic Toolbox™ and implemented on an arduino mega microcontroller to analyze the impurities present in milk samples through hardware implemented. This research revealed that milk's pH and EC values with no adulteration range from 6.45 to 6.67 and 4.65 mS/cm to 5.26 mS/cm, respectively. Finally, the collected data is stored in the cloud using the ThingSpeak™ web platform, interconnected with an IoT (ESP8266 Wi-Fi module).

Here, a compact, dual band, 4-elements multi-input and multi-output (MIMO) antenna diplexer is designed to use in wireless local area network (WLAN) applications. The antenna is accomplished in a planar profile by employing Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) technology. To reduce the size of a single element by 75%, a quarter-mode substrate integrated waveguide (QMSIW) technology is introduced. The QMSIW is realized by bisecting the full-mode SIW along the two magnetic walls and considering the quarter-mode for the operation. Initially, two-QMSIW cavities of distinct dimensions are designed to operate in two frequency bands, 5.2 GHz and 5.8 GHz, respectively. Later, two more radiating elements operating at the same frequencies are integrated with a 2-elements antenna. For better polarization decoupling, the identical elements are placed perpendicular to each other, and a parasitic metallic strip loaded with shorting vias is placed between two identical frequency antenna elements; hence, the port isolation is improved up to −25 dB. The antenna covers a bandwidth of 1.8% in the lower frequency band while 2.2% in the upper frequency band. The antenna prototype is fabricated, and its results are verified with experimental data. It is observed that the measured results are closely following the simulated results.

Methylation at C5 position of cytosine (5 mC) is the most abundantly occurring methylation process at CpG island, which has been well known as an epigenetic modification linked to many human diseases. Recently, another methylation approach has been discovered to show that DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) promote the addition of the methyl group at position 3 to yield 3 mC. The existence of 3 mC can cause severe damages to the DNA strand, such as blocking its replication, repair, and transcription, affecting its stability, and initiating a double-strand DNA break. To gain a deeper insight into the formation of 3 mC, we have performed density functional theory (DFT) modeling studies at different levels of theory to clearly map out the mechanistic details for this new methylation approach. Our computed results are in harmony with pertinent experimental observations and shed light on a crucial off-target activity of DNMTs.

The Yanbu industrial city along the Red Sea coast includes industries associated with crude oil and natural gas production and refining and support industries that produce manufactured goods for domestic and/or internal consumption. This study investigates the potential environmental impact and the possible sources of heavy metals (HMs), and it evaluates the quality of coastal surface seawater in the vicinity of Yanbu, along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. Thirty seawater samples have been collected and analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) in order to determine the concentration values of Fe, Cr, Pb, Sb, Mn, Cu, Zn, Al, Ni, As, Cd, Co, and Hg. Reported HMs averages (μg/L) are in the following sequence: Ni (4.424) > As (4.297) > Cu (2.447) > Zn (1.667) > Al (1.133) > Fe (0.983) > Cr (0.723) > Mn (0.328) > Cd (0.309) > Pb (0.276) > Sb (0.238) > Co (0.144) > Hg (0.058). The contamination index (Cd) showed low contamination levels in all of the analyzed samples, whereas the index of heavy metal pollution (HPI) revealed medium contamination levels in 28 samples and low levels in two samples. Reported high HMs variations within samples are attributed to the multiplication of sources. The statistical analyses indicated anthropogenic sources for Cd, Co, Hg, Zn, and Ni, which may have originated from industrial, farming, or fishing activities around Yanbu city, while the remaining metals might be originated from combined lithogenic and human sources.

The contamination of seawater with anthropogenic factors is a global challenge because of its negative impacts on marine environments and coastal societies. Therefore, assessing water contamination is crucial. The present work uses pollution indices and multivariate statistical analyses to document high-level heavy metal concentrations and identify potential polluters by analyzing 35 seawater samples collected from Al-Uqair coastline, Arabian Gulf, Saudi Arabia. The total content of heavy metals (HMs) (μg/L) ranged from 7109 to 7398 for Sr, 7.00–14.50 for Cr, 3.30–9.90 for Zn, 3.00–8.80 for Fe, 4.40–7.60 for As, 1.20–6.90 for Ni, 2.30–4.70 for V, 1.10–3.80 for Cu, 2.50–3.10 for Se, 0.31–1.43 for Al, 0.18–1.10 for Hg, 0.04–0.08 for Cd, 0.09–0.43 for Pb, and 0.02–0.10 for Sb. The recorded average concentrations of HMs were below the maximal admissible concentration of the World Health Organization (WHO). The heavy-metal pollution index (HPI) indicates that 14.29% of the water samples were below medium pollution, and 85.71% were below high pollution. All seawater samples were categorized under low contamination and good water on the basis of the degree of contamination (Cd) and water pollution index (PIj), respectively. Multivariate analysis indicates mixed anthropogenic and natural sources for the investigated metals, with increasing control of the anthropogenic factors for Cr, Zn, As, V, Ni, Se, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, and Cd; and the control of natural factors for Sr, Fe, and Al.

Pre-eclampsia (PE) accompanying acute liver and kidney injury has remained a master cause of both fetal and maternal mortality and morbidity. Vasoactive mediators, oxidative stress and inflammatory imbalanceshave an important role in PE pathogenesis. Apelin is an adipokine that improves endothelial dysfunction; has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects; moreover, its level reduced during PE. This study aimed to explore the effects of apelin-13 administration on preeclampsia-associated renal dysfunction and proteinuria. Thirty-three pregnant female rats were divided into three groups; group: 1 (normal pregnant rats), group: 2 (preeclamptic rats); where rats were injected subcutaneously with 75 mg L-NAME/ kg body weight/day beginning from 9th to 20th day of pregnancy andgroup 3 (apelin-13 treated preeclamptic rats); In which L-NAME-induced preeclamptic rats were subcutaneously injected with 6 × 10−8 mol apelin-13/kg body weight/twice daily starting from 6th to 20th day of pregnancy. In all groups, mean arterial blood pressure, total urine protein, serum urea, creatinine, nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), interleukin–6 (IL-6) and malondialdhyde (MDA) were measured. Histopathological examination of kidney tissues was also done. preeclamptic rats showed significantly increased mean arterial blood pressure, total urine proteins, serum urea, creatinine, ET-1, IL-6, and MDA, but revealed a significantly decreased serum NO level. On the other hand, apelin treatment significantly improved these parameters together with amelioration of kidney histoarchitecture in the treated group. In conclusion, apelin may be a potentially curative candidate for prohibiting kidney damage and have a therapeutic benefit in PE rat models.

Background. Timely detection of the progression of the highly contagious coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is of utmost importance for management and intervention for patients in intensive care (ICU). Aim. This study aims to better understand this new infection and report the changes in the various laboratory tests identified in critically ill patients and associated with poor prognosis among COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU. Methods. This was a retrospective study that included 160 confirmed SARS-CoV-2-positive patients. Results. Elevated serum ferritin, D-dimer, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and nonconjugated bilirubin levels were present in 139 (96%), 131 (96%), 107 (68%), 52 (34%), and 89 (70%) patients, respectively. Renal parameters were abnormal in a significant number of cases with elevated creatinine and blood urea nitrogen in 93 (62%) and 102 (68%) cases, respectively. Hematological profiles revealed lower red blood cell count, hemoglobin, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes in 90 (57%), 103 (65%), 89 (62%), 105 (73%), 35 (24%), and 119 (83%) cases, respectively. The neutrophil count was found to increase in 71.3% of the cases. There was significantly higher mortality (83%) among patients older than 60 years p=0.001 and in female patients (75%) p=0.012. Patients with lung diseases had a poor outcome compared to patients with other comorbidities p=0.002. There was a significant association between elevated D-dimer levels and increased mortality p=0.003. Elevated levels of AST, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and bilirubin were significantly associated with unfavorable outcomes. Conclusion. Different parameters can be used to predict disease prognosis, especially the risk of poor prognosis. Accurate diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression from the early stages will help in reducing mortality and unfavorable outcomes.

Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the commonest causes for maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Imbalances of angiogenic factors, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response have a role in the pathogenesis of PE. Data regarding the circulating apelin level and its role in PE remains controversial. This study was formulated to assess the serum apelin level in PE, investigate its correlation with some inflammatory, oxidative stress, and angiogenic proteins in a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor; the N (gamma)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced rat model of PE and determine whether apelin administration could protect against development of PE. 40 healthy adult female albino rats and 10 adult male albino rats were used in this study. The pregnant female rats were randomly divided into three groups: group 1 (normal pregnant group), group 2 (PE-induced group), injected subcutaneously with 75 mg L-NAME/kg bodyweight/day starting from day 9 to 20 of gestation, and group 3 (PE-induced group supplemented with apelin (PE + apelin)); PE induced as before and simultaneously subcutaneously injected with apelin-13 (6 × 10−8 mol/kg bodyweight/twice daily) beginning from day 6 to 20 of gestation. In all groups, blood pressure and urine protein were determined at gestation days (GD) 0, 10, and 18. Moreover, serum apelin, placental growth factor (PLGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), soluble endoglin (sEng), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels and serum superoxide dismutase enzyme (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities of all groups were estimated at the end of experiment. Placental histopathological examination was also performed. PE-induced rats showed significantly decreased serum apelin levels. Moreover, they showed significantly increased blood pressures, urine proteins, sFlt-1, sEng, and IFN-γ (mean arterial blood pressure, urine proteins, sFlt-1, sEng, and IFN-γ showed significant negative correlations with serum apelin level), but it showed significantly decreased VEGF, PLGF, IL-10, SOD, and CAT (VEGF, PLGF, IL-10, and SOD showed significant positive correlations with serum apelin level). In contrast, exogenous apelin administration significantly ameliorated these parameters together with improvement in the placental histoarchitecture in the apelin-supplemented PE group. This study demonstrated the protective effects of apelin administration on the pathogenesis of PE.

In optical communication systems, the main aim is to control and limit the unwanted Crosstalk (CT) effects on wavelength divisions multiplexing (WDM) channel, which degrade the transmission performance. To do this, a simple approximate formula was presented for calculating the CT of multiwaveguide directional coupler (DC) using Finite Differences (FD) method. Through this formula, the input power can be controlled to be entered from one specified channel, which is required in some applications. Then, the evolution of the power has been determined without using Beam Propagation Method (BPM). The purpose of this paper is to calculate the CT for arbitrary input channel. Result obtained from this formula are in a complete agreement with the previous works for two and three waveguide directional couplers.

The conversion of brown grease using pyrolysis reactions represents a very promising option for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals. Brown grease forms a mixture of alkanes, alkenes, and ketones at a temperature above 300°C at atmospheric pressure. This work is a computational study of the detailed reaction mechanisms of brown grease pyrolysis using DFT methodology. Prior experimental investigations confirmed product formation consistent with a set of radical reactions with CO2 elimination, as well as ketone by product formation, CO forming reactions, and formation of alcohols and aldehydes as minor byproducts. In this work, computational quantum chemistry was used to explore these reactions in greater detail. Particularly, a nonradical pathway formed ketone byproducts via the ketene, which we refer to as Pathways A1 and A2. Radical formation by thermal decomposition of unsaturated fatty acids initiates a set of reactions which eliminate CO2, regenerating alkyl radicals leading to hydrocarbon products (Pathway B). A third pathway (Pathway C) is an alternative set of radical reactions, resulting in decarbonylation and formation of minor byproducts. The results of the calculations are in good agreement with recent experimental studies.

Aim: The present study was aimed to establish a protocol for the evaluation of the in vitro potency of commercial inactivated Newcastle disease virus (NDV) oil-adjuvanted vaccines using hemagglutination test (HA) and blocking ELISA (B-ELISA) based on polyclonal antibodies. Materials and Methods: Aqueous phases from a total of 47 batches of inactivated NDV vaccines manufactured by 20 different companies were extracted with isopropyl myristate. The viral antigen in each sample was detected and quantified by a standard HA test and a B-ELISA assay. To verify the efficiency of the antigen extraction method used in the batches which showed HA and to test the validity of using in vitro antigen quantification by HA and B-ELISA tests, a subset of 13 batches (selected from the total 47 batches) was inoculated in groups of 3-4-week-old specific pathogen-free chickens using the recommended vaccine dose. The immunogenicity of the selected vaccine batches was assessed by the NDV-hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers in individual serum samples collected 4 weeks after vaccination. Further, the efficacy of the vaccines and their protection rates were determined by a challenge test carried out for the vaccinated chickens with the Egyptian 2012 isolate of the virulent NDV genotype VII. Results: A strong correlation was observed between HA titers and B-ELISA mean titers in the tested 47 batches (R2=0.817). This indicated the possibility of using the latter in vitro assays for vaccine potency assessment. The recommended protective NDV antigen titer measured by B-ELISA was determined to be 28 ELISA units per dose. The comparison between the HA titers of the aqueous extracts of test vaccines and the corresponding results of in vivo potency assays (i.e., immunogenicity and efficacy), including antibody titers in the serum of vaccinated birds, indicated that the efficiency of the antigen extraction used may interfere with obtaining a strong correlation between the in vitro and in vivo results. Conclusion: HA or B-ELISA tests can be used as rapid and cost-effective alternatives to traditional in vivo potency tests for vaccine potency assessment by quantifying the NDV antigen present in aqueous phase extracts of the tested vaccines. The latter in vitro protocol, however, requires efficient extraction of the antigen to be able to obtain good correlation with the traditional in vivo potency tests.

This contribution sets out to compute thermochemical and geometrical parameters of the complete series of chlorinated isomers of thiophene based on the accurate chemistry model of CBS-QB3. Herein, we compute standard entropies, standard enthalpies of formation, standard Gibbs free energies of formation, and heat capacities. Our calculated enthalpy values agree with available limited experimental values. The DFT-based reactivity descriptors were used to elucidate the site selectivity for the chlorination sequence of thiophene. The relative preference for chlorination was found to be in accord with the thermodynamic stability trends inferred based on the H scale. Calculated Fukui indices predict a chlorination sequence to ensue as follows: 2-chloro → 2,5-dichloro → 2,3,5-trichloro → 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorothiophene.

The research aims to identify the current situation of red meat, poultry meat, and fish in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Forecasting, food gap until 2020 for these meat and its impact on the future prospects for its imports has also examined. This will help to design reliable policies for the production, import and export of meat in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The research problem is the increase of domestic consumption of meat due to population growth and inadequate domestic production. This summation the contribute to increase the deficit in the agricultural and food trade balance. The study referee to relative stability in the average production of red meat in the Kingdom during the period (2000-2014) amounting to 120.2 thousand tons, while production increased from both poultry and fish at an annual rate of about 6.2, 3.85 thousand tons, representing about 1.2 %, 4.6% of average annual production of 514.8, 82.2 thousand tons, respectively. At the same time red meat consumption in Saudi was relatively stable and swings around average during the study period amounting to 238.8 thousand tons, while increasing consumption of poultry meat, and fish at an annual rate significantly statistically amounted to about 39.7, 6.2 thousand tons, representing about 4.0%, 3.3 % of the annual average consumption of about 1003.9, 186.6 thousand tons, respectively. Results revealed that avirtual food gap in Saudi Arabia in each of red meat, poultry meat and fish amounted to about 118.6, 489.2, 104.4 thousand tons, respectively. However, according to the results, food gap has increased from both red meat and fish to reach about 169.2 , 247.5 thousand tons, respectively, While domestic production of poultry meat has achieved surplus in all the years of study, an average of 139 thousand tons , which indicates the presence of extravagance in consumption with an average share of Saudi Arabia's per capita, 39.7 kg , which is close to three times, as much as the average international per capita, estimated at 15.0 kg average for the period (2011-2014). Results of using Holt Winter,s two- parameters model to predict showed increasing of the virtual food gap from red meat , poultry meat and fish, reaching around 168.95, 822.0, 136.3 thousand tons respectively during 2020.

This contribution presents a comprehensive computational study on the reactions of secondary ozonide (SOZ) with ammonia and water molecules. The mechanisms were studied in both a vacuum and the aqueous medium. All the molecular geometries were optimized using the B3LYP functional in conjunction with several basis sets. M06-2X, APFD, and ωB97XD functionals with the full basis set were also used. In addition, single-point energy calculations were performed with the G4MP2 and G3MP2 methods. Five different mechanistic pathways were studied for the reaction of SOZ with ammonia and water molecules. The most plausible mechanism for the reaction of SOZ with ammonia yields HC(O)OH, NH3, and HCHO as products, with ammonia herein acting as a mediator. This pathway is exothermic and exergonic, with an overall barrier height of only 157 kJ mol−1 using the G3MP2 method. All the reaction pathways between SOZ and water molecules are endothermic and endergonic reactions. The most likely reaction pathway for the reaction of SOZ with water involves a water dimer, in which the second water molecule acts as a mediator, with an overall barrier height of only 135 kJ mol−1 using the G3MP2 method. Solvent effects were found to incur a significant reduction in activation energies. When the second H2O molecule acts as a mediator in the reaction of SOZ with water, the barrier height of the rate-determining step state decreases significantly.

Osama Gheith, Torki Al-Otaibi, Hany MansourDepartment of Nephrology, Hamed Al-Essa Organ Transplant Center, Ibn Sina Hospital, Shuwaikh, KuwaitAbstract: Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) remain the cornerstone of immunosuppression after renal transplantation despite their adverse effects. Some CNIs have well known negative impacts on the cardiovascular system, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, new onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT), neurotoxicity, hypertrichosis, and nephrotoxicity. Many clinical trials dealing with CNI avoidance or elimination were associated with higher risk of rejection of the transplanted organ. New generation CNIs are concerned with modifying CNI molecules so that they become more potent and are suitable for patients with suboptimal adherence with less adverse effects. In this review, we address these issues.Keywords: calcineurin inhibitors, organ transplant, rejection

Objectives: Explore antibiotic use, assess conformity with evidence-practice guidelines, and describe knowledge and attitudinal factors among Lebanese dentists. Methods: National cross-sectional telephonic survey, using a standardized questionnaire addressing demographic, educational and professional data, usual antibiotics prophylactic and curative prescription pattern and influential factors, knowledge concerning antibiotics use in selected patient-populations, and attitude regarding antimicrobial resistance. Analyses used descriptive statistics, and bivariate analysis to observe predictors of higher knowledge. Results: the overall response rate for the study was around 21%. 322 dentists participated. On average, 17.51% of consultations resulted in antibiotic use; previous antibiotic experience mostly influenced prescriptions (81.3%). Referral of pregnant and lactating women and cardiac patients, when antibiotics are needed, was high (26.9%, 28.5% and 79.4%, respectively). Macrolides were the dominant first-line antibiotics in penicillin allergy (47.4%). Penicillins were most common for pregnant and lactating women. Penicillins (95.0%), 2g (63.9%), and 1 hour pre-procedure (34%) were the main components of prophylaxis for cardiac patients. Prophylactic and curative use varied widely; few dentists exhibited guideline-conform prescriptions. Mean knowledge scores of prophylaxis for cardiac and non-cardiac patients, and antibiotics’ side effects were predominantly poor (46.75±14.82, 39.21±33.09 and 20.27±18.77, respectively over 100). Practicing outside Beirut, undergraduate qualification in Lebanon, and post-graduate qualification predicted higher knowledge. 75.9% acknowledged the contribution of dentistry-based prescribing to antibiotic resistance and 94.7% knew at least one cause of resistance. Conclusions: Dentists show positive attitude towards antimicrobial resistance. Yet, they lack uniformity in antibiotic stewardship. Poor knowledge and guideline-incongruent prophylactic and therapeutic prescribing are observed. Development of targeted interventions is needed to promote judicious antibiotic use within Lebanese dentistry.

The removal of toxic metal ions (iron and manganese) from aqueous solution by adsorption was studied. The batch process was used either to remove each metal ion singly or both metals as a multi-component system. The adsorbents used were low-cost materials, viz. palm fruit bunch and maize cob. The adsorption isotherms demonstrated that the adsorbents behaved in a favourable manner towards metal ion adsorption. The adsorption capacities for iron ions on palm fruit bunch and maize cob were in the 57–80% range and for the manganese ion in the 50–79% range for initial concentrations between 1 ppm and 10 ppm. With mixtures of both metal ions, removal of iron ions from the mixture was in the 54–79% range and for the manganese ion in the 54–76% range. The extended Langmuir model gave poor agreement with the data for the adsorption of mixtures of the two metal ions while the P-factor model yielded good agreement.