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Diabetes mellitus (DM) represents a heterogeneous and multifactorial metabolic disorder, leading to diverse economic challenges and health complications, significantly affecting individuals’ lives. Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) stands as the predominant form of diabetes, with its onset influenced by a range of genetic and environmental factors. Currently, conventional diabetic medications are employed in clinical practice, but they may entail certain side effects. Fortunately, diverse natural polysaccharides extracted from plants exhibit antidiabetic properties, which have been demonstrated to effectively mitigate hyperglycemia, reverse insulin resistance, and forestall complications associated with diabetes. Consequently, exploring the utilization of these polysaccharides as adjuncts to conventional therapies has emerged as a novel research direction in recent years. Thus, this review centers on the extraction, purification, and characterization of plant polysaccharides, providing an overview of the advancements in the antidiabetic effects and mechanisms of natural polysaccharides. This perspective offers fresh insights to explore potential research domains and enhances understanding for the development of diabetic drugs derived from polysaccharides.

Background and AimsBreast cancer remains a significant global health concern, necessitating the exploration of novel therapeutic strategies. Despite advancements in cancer therapeutics, effective treatments with minimal side effects remain elusive. Natural sources, such as camel milk, harbor bioactive compounds such as lactoferrin peptides, which hold promise as anticancer agents. This study investigated the potential of camel milk-derived lactoferrin peptides against breast cancer cells through a combined in silico and in vitro approach. By integrating computational modeling with experimental assays, we aimed to elucidate the anticancer mechanisms of these peptides and provide insights for their optimization as anticancer therapeutics.MethodsIn silico analysis involving pepetid design, and validation, then molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations was used to explore peptide-protein interactions and stability. Peptides were synthesized and tested for anticancer activity using MTT assays on MCF-7 cells, with HDFa normal cells used as controls.ResultsResults of this study showed that camel milk-derived lactoferrin peptides, particularly PEP66, exhibited strong anticancer activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells, with the lowest IC50 value (52.82 μg/mL) compared to other peptides. In silico molecular docking and dynamics simulations revealed that PEP66 formed stable interactions with key residues in the HER2 catalytic site, indicating its potential as an effective anticancer agent. The selectivity index (SI) of PEP66 (3.19) also suggested lower toxicity to normal cells compared to cancer cells, reinforcing its therapeutic potential. Hydrogen bonding analysis highlighted key residues involved in stabilizing peptide-protein complexes, while molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated the stability of these interactions over time. Notably, PEP66 exhibited the highest stability and formed significant interactions with essential residues in the HER2 catalytic site, suggesting its potential as an effective anticancer agent.ConclusionCamel milk-derived lactoferrin peptides show promise as anticancer agents against breast cancer cells. The multidisciplinary approach employed in this study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying their activity, paving the way for rational design strategies to enhance their efficacy. Further experimental validation is warranted to validate the anticancer potential of these peptides and advance their development as novel therapeutic agents for breast cancer treatment.

Background and aims: Cancer continues to be a significant source of both illness and death on a global scale, traditional medicinal plants continue to serve as a fundamental resource of natural bioactive compounds as an alternative source of remedies. Although there have been numerous studies on the therapeutic role of Phoenix dactylifera, the study of the role of peptides has not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to investigate the anticancer activity of lectin peptides from P. dactylifera using in silico and in vivo analysis.Methods: Different computational tools were used to extract and predict anticancer peptides from the true lectins of P. dactylifera. Nine peptides that are bioactive substances have been investigated for their anticancer activity against MCF-7 and T47D (two forms of breast cancer). To counteract the unfavorable effects of mitotane, the most potent peptides (U3 and U7) were combined with it and assessed for anticancer activity against MCF-7 and HepG2.Results:In silico analysis revealed that nine peptides were predicted with anticancer activity. In cell lines, the lowest IC50 values were measured in U3 and U7 against MCF-7 and T47D cells. U3 or U7 in combination with mitotane demonstrated the lowest IC50 against MCF-7 and HepG2. The maximum level of cell proliferation inhibition was 22% when U3 (500 µg/mL) and 25 µg/mL mitotane were combined, compared to 41% when 25 µg/mL mitotane was used alone. When mitotane and U3 or U7 were combined, it was shown that these bioactive substances worked synergistically with mitotane to lessen its negative effects. The combination of peptides and mitotane could be regarded as an efficient chemotherapeutic medication having these bioactive properties for treating a variety of tumors while enhancing the reduction of side effects.

IntroductionThe emergence of bacterial pathogens in environmental hosts represents a major risk to public health. This study aimed at characterizing seven novel environmental strains of K. quasipneumoniae using a genomic approach which was misidentified by phenotypic methods in a previous batch of 27 species thought to be K. pneumoniae.MethodsWhole-genome sequencing was performed using the Illumina platform, and the generated raw reads were de novo assembled. Comparative genomic, resistome, virulome, mobilome, and phylogeny were then investigated using dierent bioinformatics tools.ResultsSix strains were identified as K. quasipneumoniae subsp similipneumoniae and one as K. quasipneumoniae subsp. quasipneumoniae. All isolates were resistant to ampicillin, cephalexin, and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and harbored the fosA, blaOKP types, oqxB, and oqxA genes. One isolate additionally harbored a gene cassettes consisting of blaSHV−1, blaOXA−1, aac(6′)-Ib-cr, catB genes. The aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme gene aph(3”)-Ia was bracketed by two insertion elements. Plasmid analyses showed that IncFIBK was the most prevalent plasmid, circulating in six isolates, while one isolate exhibited seven different plasmids. The isolates have virulence genes responsible for capsule formation, lipopolysaccharide, iron uptake aerobactin (iutA), salmochelins (iroE, iroN), enterobactin siderophore, adherence, and biofilm formation (mrkA, mrkB, mrkC, mrkD, mrkF, and mrkH).ConclusionOur study highlights the ecology and transmission of K. quasipneumoniae (which have the ability to disseminate to other environmental sources including animals) outside the clinical setting and the contribution of water, vegetables, and table surfaces as potential reservoirs of farm-to-fork transmission of disease via local markets in Khartoum, Sudan.

The liver as an organ is important for the metabolism of drugs and toxins. However, it is not immune from environmental insults. Exposure of liver cells to carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) results in the generation of tricholoromethyl radicals, which induce liver toxicity. This study aims at investigating the ameliorative effect of the cinnamon aqueous extract (CAE) against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in male albino rats. Hepatotoxicity was induced in rats through the intraperitoneal administration of 0.5 mL kg-1 body weight of CCl4. The analyses of the results obtained showed significant reduction in the levels of serum biochemical markers for 400 and 600 mg kg-1 bw of CAE protected rats as compared with CCl4 group. In addition, CAE administration reversed liver tissue damaged via increased antioxidants markers. Histopathological examination of CAE treatment on rats showed improved changes to the liver damage caused by CCl4 with no evidence of steatosis and inflammation. This result hence suggests that CAE has marked hepatoprotective and healing activities against CCl4-induced liver damage and could serve as a suitable candidate in drug discovery for the treatment of liver toxicity.

The presence of antimicrobial-resistance genes (ARGs) in mobile genetic elements (MGEs) facilitates the rapid development and dissemination of multidrug-resistant bacteria, which represents a serious problem for human health. This is a One Health study which aims to investigate the co-occurrence of antimicrobial resistance determinants among clinical and environmental isolates of K. pneumoniae and E. coli. Various bioinformatics tools were used to elucidate the bacterial strains’ ID, resistome, virulome, MGEs, and phylogeny for 42 isolates obtained from hospitalized patients (n = 20) and environmental sites (including fresh vegetables, fruits, and drinking water) (n = 22). The multilocus sequence typing (MLST) showed that K. pneumoniae belonged to ten sequence types (STs) while the E. coli belonged to seventeen STs. Multidrug-resistant isolates harbored β-lactam, aminoglycoside resistance determinants, and MGE were detected circulating in the environment (drinking water, fresh vegetables, and fruits) and in patients hospitalized with postoperative infections, neonatal sepsis, and urinary tract infection. Four K. pneumoniae environmental isolates (7E, 16EE, 1KE, and 19KE) were multidrug-resistant and were positive for different beta-lactam and aminoglycoside resistance determinants. blaCTX-M-15 in brackets of ISEc 9 and Tn 3 transposases was detected in isolates circulating in the pediatrics unit of Soba hospital and the environment. This study documented the presence of bacterial isolates harboring a similar pattern of antimicrobial resistance determinants circulating in hospitals and environments. A rapid response is needed from stakeholders to initiate a program for infection prevention and control measures to detect such clones disseminated in the communities and hospitals.

Staphylococcus epidermidis is part of the normal human flora that has recently become an important opportunistic pathogen causing nosocomial infections and tends to be multidrug-resistant. In this investigation, we aimed to study the genomic characteristics of methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis isolated from clinical specimens. Three isolates were identified using biochemical tests and evaluated for drug susceptibility. Genomic DNA sequences were obtained using Illumina, and were processed for analysis using various bioinformatics tools. The isolates showed multidrug resistance to most of the antibiotics tested in this study, and were identified with three types (III(3A), IV(2B&5), and VI(4B)) of the mobile genetic element SCCmec that carries the methicillin resistance gene (mecA) and its regulators (mecI and mecR1). A total of 11 antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) was identified as chromosomally mediated or in plasmids; these genes encode for proteins causing decreased susceptibility to methicillin (mecA), penicillin (blaZ), fusidic acid (fusB), fosfomycin (fosB), tetracycline (tet(K)), aminoglycosides (aadD, aac(6′)-aph(2′’)), fluoroquinolone (MFS antibiotic efflux pump), trimethoprim (dfrG), macrolide (msr(A)), and chlorhexidine (qacA)). Additionally, the 9SE strain belongs to the globally disseminated ST2, and harbors biofilm-formation genes (icaA, icaB, icaC, icaD, and IS256) with phenotypic biofilm production capability. It also harbors the fusidic acid resistance gene (fusB), which could increase the risk of device-associated healthcare infections, and 9SE has been identified as having a unique extra SCC gene (ccrB4); this new composite element of the ccr type needs more focus to better understand its role in the drug resistance mechanism.

Hepatic antioxidant enzymes as oxidative stress biomarkers were investigated and correlated with the identified dominant gut microbial phyla. The results showed that while the antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) levels were reduced in the polluted PO site, significant elevation (*P ≥ 0.05) was observed at the clean reference CR site indicating negative correlation to pollution stress. On the other hand, among five significant bacterial genera, Lactobacillus and Vagococcus showed a positive relationship to the oxidative pollution stress between PO and CR sites. Diversity and bacterial richness had been observed in the PO site compared to the CR site. As a result, 429,346 sequences were obtained from the pooling of 20 samples identified into 10 phyla and 79 genera in which Firmicutes was dominant in both PO and CR sites. The number of common OTUs was 221 for both CR and PO samples. The results revealed that under the stressed environmental state, the homo-lactic Vagococcus genus is dominant over the hetero-lactic Lactobacillus, which uses less energy in the derived process.

Hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKP) strains possess distinct characteristics such as hypermucoviscosity, unique serotypes, and virulence factors associated with high pathogenicity. To better understand the genomic characteristics and virulence profile of the isolated hvKP strain, genomic data were compared to the genomes of the hypervirulent and typical K. pneumoniae strains. The K. pneumoniae strain was isolated from a patient with a recurrent urinary tract infection, and then the string test was used for the detection of the hypermucoviscosity phenotype. Whole-genome sequencing was conducted using Illumina, and bioinformatics analysis was performed for the prediction of the isolate resistome, virulome, and phylogenetic analysis. The isolate was identified as hypermucoviscous, type 2 (K2) capsular polysaccharide, ST14, and multidrug-resistant (MDR), showing resistance to ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, cephalexin, and nitrofurantoin. The isolate possessed four antimicrobial resistance plasmids (pKPN3-307_type B, pECW602, pMDR, and p3K157) that carried antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) (blaOXA-1,blaCTX-M-15, sul2, APH(3″)-Ib, APH(6)-Id, and AAC(6′)-Ib-cr6). Moreover, two chromosomally mediated ARGs (fosA6 and SHV-28) were identified. Virulome prediction revealed the presence of 19 fimbrial proteins, one aerobactin (iutA) and two salmochelin (iroE and iroN). Four secretion systems (T6SS-I (13), T6SS-II (9), T6SS-III (12), and Sci-I T6SS (1)) were identified. Interestingly, the isolate lacked the known hypermucoviscous regulators (rmpA/rmpA2) but showed the presence of other RcsAB capsule regulators (rcsA and rcsB). This study documented the presence of a rare MDR hvKP with hypermucoviscous regulators and lacking the common capsule regulators, which needs more focus to highlight their epidemiological role.

Expansin increases cell wall extensibility to allow cell wall loosening and cell expansion even in the absence of hydrolytic activity. Previous studies showed that excessive overexpression of expansin gene resulted in defective growth (Goh et al., 2014; Rochange et al., 2001) [1,2] and altered cell wall chemical composition (Zenoni et al., 2011) [3]. However, the molecular mechanism on how the overexpression of non-enzymatic cell wall protein expansin can result in widespread effects on plant cell wall and organ growth remains unclear. We acquired transcriptomic data on previously reported transgenic Arabidopsis line (Goh et al., 2014) [1] to investigate the effects of overexpressing a heterologus cucumber expansin gene (CsEXPA1) on the global gene expression pattern during early and late phases of etiolated hypocotyl growth. Keywords: 3â² mRNA sequencing, Cell wall, Expansin, Hypocotyl, QuantSeq

Expansin is a cell wall loosening protein without hydrolytic activity, which allows cell expansion by influencing cell wall extensibility. Previous studies showed that the suppression of expansin genes (EXPA1, EXPA3, EXPA5 and EXPA10) resulted in defective organ growth and altered cell wall chemical composition [1,2]. However, the molecular mechanism on how the suppression of non-enzymatic expansin expression can result in widespread effects on plant cell wall and organ growth is still unclear. In this study, we performed transcriptomic analysis on the hypocotyls of previously reported transgenic Arabidopsis line [1] to investigate the effects of expansin gene suppression on the global gene expression pattern, particularly on the cell wall related genes.

Background:. Management of traumatic lower extremity injuries requires a skill set of orthopedic surgery and plastic surgery to optimize the return of form and function. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed comparing demographics, injuries, and surgical outcomes of patients sustaining lower extremity traumatic injuries receiving either orthoplastic management or nonorthoplastic management. Methods:. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis, Cochrane, and GRADE certainty evidence guidelines were implemented for the structure and synthesis of the review. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, and CINAHL databases were systematically and independently searched. Nine studies published from 2013 through 2019 compared 1663 orthoplastic managed patients to 692 nonorthoplastic managed patients with traumatic lower extremity injuries. Results:. Orthoplastic management, compared to nonorthoplastic management likely decreases time to bone fixation [standard mean differences: −0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.46 to −0.25, P < 0.0001; participants = 1777; studies = 3; I2 = 0%; moderate certainty evidence], use of negative pressure wound therapy [risk ratios (RR): 0.03, 95% CI: 0.00–0.24, P = 0.0007; participants = 189; studies = 2; I2 = 0%; moderate certainty evidence] with reliance on healing by secondary intention (RR: 0.02, 95% CI: 0.00–0.10, P < 0.0001; participants = 189; studies = 2; I2 = 0%; moderate certainty evidence), and risk of wound/osteomyelitis infections (RR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.23–0.61, P < 0.0001; participants = 224; studies = 3; I2 = 0%; moderate certainty evidence). Orthoplastic management likely results in more free flaps compared to nonorthoplastic management (RR: 3.46, 95% CI: 1.28–9.33, P = 0.01; participants = 592; studies = 5; I2 = 75%; moderate certainty evidence). Conclusion:. Orthoplastic management of traumatic lower extremity injuries provides a synergistic model to optimize and expedite definitive skeletal fixation and free flap-based soft-tissue coverage for return of extremity form and function.

Background:. Within the past decade, poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB) biosynthetic mesh has been introduced as a potential alternative to traditional biologic and synthetic mesh in ventral hernia repair (VHR). The aim of this study was to systematically assess clinical outcomes with the P4HB in VHR. Methods:. A literature search identified all articles published in 2000 involving the use of P4HB in VHR. Descriptive statistics were used to synthesize collective data points, including postoperative outcomes. A pooled analysis of postoperative outcomes was performed using chi-square test and Fisher exact test. Results:. Across 7 studies, the P4HB was used in 453 patients. The mean rate of surgical site infection (SSI) was 6.8% (31/453), reoperation 10.7% (30/281), and recurrence 9.1% (41/453). At an average follow-up of 26.8 months, the incidence of recurrence was 10.4% (28/270). Onlay was significantly associated with increased recurrence (14.2% versus 4.4%, P = 0.001). Among sublay placements, there was no difference in recurrence in clean (Center for Disease Control [CDC] 1) or contaminated (CDC >1) wounds (2.7% versus 6.1%, P = 0.585), but contaminated wounds were associated with increased SSI (2.7% versus 15.2%, P = 0.028). Ventral Hernia Working Group grade 2 and 3 did not have different incidences of recurrence (8.0% versus 5.1%, P = 0.526) nor SSI (5.1% versus 14.6%, P = 0.265). Conclusions:. Overall, clinical outcomes of the P4HB mesh in VHR are acceptable. The P4HB mesh serves as a reliable alternative to traditional synthetic and biologic mesh across a range of defect characteristics and patient health conditions. Further research is needed to better understand the conditions in which it may provide a clinical benefit over traditional mesh types.

Background:. The prevalence of complex abdominal wall defects continues to rise, which necessitates increasingly sophisticated medical and surgical management. Insurance coverage for reconstructive surgery varies due to differing interpretations of medical necessity. The authors sought to characterize the current insurance landscape for a subset of key adjunctive procedures in abdominal wall reconstruction, including component separation and simultaneous ventral hernia repair with panniculectomy (SVHR-P) or abdominoplasty (SVHR-A), and synthesize a set of reporting recommendations based on insurer criteria. Methods:. Insurance companies were selected based on their national and state market share. Preauthorization criteria, preauthorization lists, and medical/clinical policies by each company for component separation, SVRH-P, and SVRH-A were examined. Coverage criteria were abstracted and analyzed. Results:. Fifty insurance companies were included in the study. Only 1 company had clear approval criteria for component separation, while 38 cover it on a case-by-case basis. Four companies had clear approval policies for SVHR-P, 4 cover them on an individual case basis, and 28 flatly do not cover SVHR-P. Similarly, 3 companies had clear approval policies for SVHR-A, 6 cover them case by case, and 33 do not cover SVHR-A. Conclusions:. Component separation and soft tissue contouring are important adjunctive AWR procedures with efficacy supported by peer-reviewed literature. The variability in SVHR-P and SVHR-A coverage likely decreases access to these procedures even when there are established medical indications. The authors recommend standardization of coverage criteria for component separation, given that differing interpretations of medical necessity increase the likelihood of insurance denials.

Summary:. Incisional hernias, especially those below the arcuate line, pose a unique challenge to reconstructive surgeons, as no consensus exists for repair strategy. An innovative approach is presented and illustrated. The “corset repair” involves placing an onlay mesh partially beneath released bilateral external obliques. A detailed technical review is provided to illustrate the benefits of this technique particularly in large defects and in hernia after abdominal flap harvest. Hernia recurrence and surgical site occurrence rates were reviewed and analyzed for a cohort of corset repair patients between December 2016 and January 2020. Twenty patients were included. All defects were successfully closed. Zero patients experienced hernia recurrence. Eight patients (40%) had a surgical site occurrence, of which 5 (63%) were either observed or managed non-operatively. Two of the surgical site occurrences were deep surgical site infections: 1 required surgical intervention for suspected mesh infection and the other did not. One patient (5%) developed hematoma 23 months post-operatively. The “corset repair” technique represents a modification to a classic technique for hernia repair. It is feasible and may be advantageous especially for large or challenging repairs below the arcuate line. It has promising results on early follow-up, and further research is needed to evaluate long-term efficacy.

Summary:. Facial rejuvenation is a rapidly advancing field in aesthetic medicine. Minimally invasive techniques represent a powerful tool for rejuvenation, and fillers are a popular modality with which to restore and optimize facial proportions. Currently, our filler armamentarium is characterized by products with an increasing variety of biochemical compositions warranting tailored injection approaches. An intimate knowledge of anatomy, product characteristics, and appropriate injection techniques is essential to achieve optimal results while maintaining patient safety. Here, we review facial anatomy, structural changes secondary to aging, appropriate filler selection, safe injection techniques, and complications.

Background: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most resistant bacteria to antibiotics. S. aureus is an important, widespread pathogen that can cause a variety of infectious diseases in humans and animals. Phages have been recognized as natural, safe, highly specific and effective alternatives agents to antibiotics for preventing and treating bacterial infections caused by MRSA. Therefore, this study aims at the characterization of a novel isolated lytic phage, vB&#95;SauP&#95;ASUmrsa123., Methods: Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus MRSA were obtained on Mannitol Salt Agar and Baird Parker Agar plates and confirmed using VITEK 2. Sewage and clinical samples were used to isolate specific phages for S. aureus MRSA, and plaque assays were used for host range determination on Luria-Bertani (LB) media. The phage morphology of the isolated phage was determined by transmission electron microscopy. The phage's whole genome sequencing was identified., Results: A total of 25 isolates of Staphylococci were obtained from different clinical sources and showed typical colonies on Baird-Parker and Mannitol Salt Agar plates. The VITEK 2 automated system revealed that all 25 isolates were confirmed as S. aureus (MRSA). Two of the most antibiotics-resistant isolates were further confirmed using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. A lytic phage was detected against the MRSA isolates tested In Vitro, namely vB&#95;SauP&#95;ASUmrsa123. The phage belonged to Rountreeviridae family based on morphological properties observed by TEM and the host range of the isolated phage was tested on the 25 clinical MRSA isolates in Vitro. The one-step growth curve of the isolated phage showed that the latent period was about 55 min, and the burst size was estimated at 167 PFU. The whole genome sequencing and annotation of genes revealed that phage vB&#95;SauP&#95;ASUmrsa123 contained a linear dsDNA with a size of about 17,155 bp with predicted 24 ORFs. Analysis of its genome provides valuable information approximately the variety of phages belonging to the staphylococcal phages class I., Conclusion: A lytic Podo Phage vB&#95;SauP&#95;ASUmrsa123 was identified against S. aureus MRSA isolates and its genome was sequenced. The phage was found to be eligible for potential application in biocontrol., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The growth of material science and technology places high importance on creating better processes for synthesizing copper nanoparticles. Thus, an easy, ecological, and benign process for producing copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) has been developed using Priestia sp. bacteria utilizing a variety of low-cost agro-industrial wastes and byproducts. The biosynthesis of CuNPs was conducted using glucose medium and copper ions salt solution, then it was replaced by utilizing low-cost agro-industrial wastes. UV-visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), High-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM), Attenuated Total Reflectance and Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), and zeta potential were used to characterize the biosynthesized CuNPs. The cytotoxicity of CuNPs using Vero -CCL-81 cell lines, and antibacterial and antitumor properties using human colon epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma Caco-2-HTB-37 cell lines were assessed. The UV-visible and DLS studies revealed CuNPs formation, with a maximum concentration of 6.19 ppm after 48 h, as indicated by a 0.58 Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) within 450 nm and 57.73 nm particle size. The 16S rRNA gene analysis revealed that Priestia sp. isolate is closely related to Priestia megaterium and has been deposited in the NCBI GenBank with accession number AMD 2024. The biosynthesis with various agro-industrial wastes indicated blackstrap sugar cane molasses being the most effective for reducing CuNPs size to 3.12 nm owing to various reducing and stabilizing active compounds. The CuNPs were free of contaminants, with a sphere-shaped structure and a cytotoxicity assessment with an IC 50 of 367.27 μg/mL. The antibacterial activity exhibited by the most susceptible bacteria were Bacillus cereus ATCC 11788 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 with inhibition zones of 26.0 mm and 28.0 mm, respectively. The antitumor effect showed an IC 50 dose of 175.36 μg/mL. Based on the findings, the current work sought to lower product costs and provide a practical solution to the environmental contamination issues brought on by the buildup of agricultural wastes. In addition, the obtained CuNPs could be applied in many fields such as pharmaceuticals, water purification, and agricultural applications as future aspects., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Rice husk, an agricultural waste from the rice industry, can cause serious environmental pollution if not properly managed. However, rice husk ash (RHA) has been found to have many positive properties, making it a potential replacement for non-renewable peat in soilless planting. Thus, this study investigated the impact of a RHA composite substrate on the growth, photosynthetic parameters, and fruit quality of cucumber (Yuyi longxiang variety) and melon (Yutian yangjiaomi variety). The RHA, peat, vermiculite, and perlite were blended in varying proportions, with the conventional seedling substrate (peat:vermiculite:perlite = 1:1:1 volume ratio) serving as the control (CK). All plants were cultivated in barrels filled with 10L of the mixed substrates. The results from this study found that RHA 40 (RHA:peat:vermiculite:perlite = 4:4:1:1 volume ratio) significantly enhanced substrate ventilation and positively influenced the stem diameter, root activity, seedling index, chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), and transpiration rate (Tr) of cucumber and melon plants. Additionally, plant planted using RHA 40, the individual fruit weight of cucumber and melon found to increase by 34.62% and 21.67%, respectively, as compared to the control. Aside from that, both cucumber and melon fruits had significantly higher sucrose, total soluble sugar, vitamin C, and soluble protein levels. This subsequently improved the activity of sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase in both cucumber and melon. In conclusion, the RHA 40 found to best promote cucumber and melon plant growth, increase plant leaf photosynthesis, and improve cucumber and melon fruit quality, making it a suitable substrate formula for cucumber and melon cultivation in place of peat., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The goal of the current study is to evaluate the heavy metal rainfall contamination in the vicinity brought on by the Erbil Steel Factory in Iraq during the study period. The study's findings revealed the concentration of all studied heavy metals in the precipitation near and around the factory is significantly higher than that of the rural area of Barzan village which is used as a control site. The average concentration of the metals is in descending order manganese (Mn) > lead (Pb) > iron (Fe) > arsenic (As) > cobalt (Co) > selenium (Se) > mercury (Hg) > and cadmium (Cd) for the polluted site. The geo-accumulation index (I-geo) of the heavy metal Mn in the rainfall around the steel factory site is 6.28 > 5 which indicates extreme contamination. While the Igeo values of Cd, As, and Fe are 4.87, 4.54, and 4.04 > 4 that indicate heavy to extreme contamination, for Pb, 3.80 > 3 indicates moderate to heavy contamination, Cd 1.68 > 1 indicates moderate contamination, Hg 0.46 > 0 indicates uncontaminated to moderate contamination, and Se - 0.36 < 0 indicates uncontaminated. The pollution load index (PLI) of the rainwater around the steel factory site is 13.46 > 1, demonstrating that the area is highly metal-contaminated., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

In areas with limited water resources, the reuse of treated drainage water for non-potable purposes is increasingly recognised as a valuable and sustainable water resource. Numerous pathogenic bacteria found in drainage water have a detrimental impact on public health. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the current worldwide delay in the production of new antibiotics may make the issue of this microbial water pollution even more challenging. This challenge aided the resumption of phage treatment to address this alarming issue. In this study, strains of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and their phages were isolated from drainage and surface water from Bahr El-Baqar and El-Manzala Lake in Damietta governorate, Egypt. Bacterial strains were identified by microscopical and biochemical examinations which were confirmed by 16 S rDNA sequencing. The susceptibility of these bacteria to several antibiotics revealed that most of the isolates had multiple antibiotic resistances (MAR). The calculated MAR index values (> 0.25) categorized study sites as potentially hazardous to health. Lytic bacteriophages against these multidrug-resistant strains of E. coli and P. aeruginosa were isolated and characterized. The isolated phages were found to be pH and heat stable and were all members of the Caudovirales order as recognized by the electron microscope. They infect 88.9% of E. coli strains and 100% of P. aeruginosa strains examined. Under laboratory conditions, the use of a phage cocktail resulted in a considerable reduction in bacterial growth. The removal efficiency (%) for E. coli and P. aeruginosa colonies increased with time and maximized at 24 h revealing a nearly 100% reduction after incubation with the phage mixture. The study candidates new phages for detecting and controlling other bacterial pathogens of public health concern to limit water pollution and maintain adequate hygiene., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Dominant optic atrophy (DOA), MIM # 605290, is the most common hereditary optic neuropathy inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. Clinically, it presents a progressive decrease in vision, central visual field defects, and retinal ganglion cell loss. A biallelic mode of inheritance causes syndromic DOA or Behr phenotype, MIM # 605290. This case report details a family with Biallelic Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1). The proband is a child with a severe phenotype and two variants in the OPA1 gene. He presented with congenital nystagmus, progressive vision loss, and optic atrophy, as well as progressive ataxia, and was found to have two likely pathogenic variants in his OPA1 gene: c.2287del (p.Ser763Valfs*15) maternally inherited and c.1311A>G (p.lIle437Met) paternally inherited. The first variant is predicted to be pathogenic and likely to cause DOA. In contrast, the second is considered asymptomatic by itself but has been reported in patients with DOA phenotype and is presumed to act as a phenotypic modifier. On follow-up, he developed profound vision impairment, intractable seizures, and metabolic strokes. A literature review of reported biallelic OPA1-related Behr syndrome was performed. Twenty-one cases have been previously reported. All share an early-onset, severe ocular phenotype and systemic features, which seem to be the hallmark of the disease.

The unexpected onset smell and taste disability was being recognized as a COVID-19 related symptom. Loss of smell might occur alone or be followed by other COVID-19 symptoms, such as a dry cough, fever, headache, and shortness of breath. Other virus infections have been linked to anosmia (parainfluenza, rhinovirus, SARS, and others), affecting up to 20% of the adult population, which is much less common than SARS-CoV-2 infection. A hypothesis about the pathophysiology of post-infectious olfactory loss is that viruses could make an inflammatory response of the nasal mucosa or directly damage the olfactory neuroepithelium. However, in patients with COVID-19, loss of smell may occur without other rhino logic symptoms or suggestive nasal inflammation. According to evidence, anosmia-related SARS-CoV-2 could be a new viral syndrome unique to COVID-19. Furthermore, through experimental intranasal inoculation in mice, SARS-CoV-2 can be inoculated into the olfactory neural circuitry. This disease has not had the required focus, most likely because it is not life-threatening in and of itself. Though patients' quality of living is significantly reduced as their olfactory ability is lost, resulting in lowering and inadequate appetite, excessive or unbalanced food consumption, as well as an overall sense of insecurity. This review aims to give a quick overview of the latest epidemiological research, pathological mechanisms for the dysfunction of smell, and taste in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. In addition, the initial diagnosis and treatment options for dysfunction are also discussed., (© 2022 The Authors.)

&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Phosphorus (P) is one of the most limiting nutrients for plant growth. Phosphorus deficiency is limiting crop production in many agricultural soils worldwide. The application of phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (PSB) to soils can replace or partially reduce using of inorganic P fertilizers. A bacteriophage, or phage, is a virus that infects a bacterial cell, taking over the host cell's genetic material. The four phages were propagated, purified, studied for the morphological properties, finally studying the genetic diversity. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Obtained, examined the efficiency and identification of bacteria for solubilizing phosphorus. Isolation, studying the properties and studying genetic diversity. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; Four virulent phages (Bv&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;, Bv&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, Bv&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; and Bv&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;) specific for &lt;i&gt;Bacillus velezensis&lt;/i&gt; were isolated from the Egyptian soil. The &lt;i&gt;Bacillus&lt;/i&gt; phages were purified by alternative low and high-speed centrifugation methods. Electron micrographs showed that phages appeared to be a member of the &lt;i&gt;Siphoviridae &lt;/i&gt;family based on their structure and particle morphology (the particles have a head and long non-contractile tail). Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) technique was performed to determine the properties of viral proteins. It was found that the Bv&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; virus had five structural proteins, while Bv&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and Bv&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; virus had eight structural proteins and finally, the Bv&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; virus had ten structural proteins. The purity and quantity of isolated DNAs were determined spectrophotometrically. Data showed that the concentration of Bv&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; DNA was 0.75 μg, Bv&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; DNA and Bv&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; DNA was 0.60 μg and finally Bv&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; DNA 0.55 μg μL&lt;sup&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;. The analysis of genetic material of &lt;i&gt;B. velezensis&lt;/i&gt; phages was determined based on both the ISSR-PCR technique and the effect of restriction enzymes. Data showed different amplification patterns with all phages. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; The bacteriophages of &lt;i&gt;B. velezensis&lt;/i&gt; were isolated from soil, propagated, purified, study some of its properties.

Previous study has shown the antimicrobial activities of mucus protein extracted from Anabas testudineus. In this study, we are interested in characterizing the anticancer activity of the A. testudineus antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). The mucus was extracted, fractioned, and subjected to antibacterial activity testing to confirm the fish's AMPs production. The cytotoxic activity of each fraction was also identified. Fraction 2 (F2), which shows toxicity against MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 were sent for peptide sequencing to identify the bioactive peptide. The two peptides were then synthetically produced and subjected to cytotoxic assay to prove their efficacy against cancer cell lines. The IC 50 for AtMP1 against MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 were 8.25 ± 0.14 μg/ml and 9.35 ± 0.25 μg/ml respectively, while for AtMP2 it is 5.89 ± 0.14 μg/ml and 6.97 ± 0.24 μg/ml respectively. AtMP1 and AtMP2 treatment for 48 h induced breast cancer cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by upregulating the p53, which lead to upregulate pro-apoptotic BAX gene and downregulate the anti-apoptotic BCL-2 gene, consequently, trigger the activation of the caspase-3. This interaction was supported by docking analysis (QuickDBD, HPEPDOCK, and ZDOCK) and immunoprecipitation. This study provided new prospects in the development of highly effective and selective cancer therapeutics based on antimicrobial peptides., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Abstract: Shock-induced anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (SIAION) is a known type of optic neuropathy in patients who experienced shock related to different etiologies such as anemia and severe intradialytic hypotension like in our patient. Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is the most common acute unilateral known type of optic neuropathy in older patients with vasculopathic risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obstructive sleep apnea. Although SIAION and NAION are similar optic neuropathies due to ischemia and, in particular, hypotension, they may have different pathogenic mechanisms (e.g., acute shock or intradialytic hypotension vs nocturnal hypotension), laterality (e.g., unilateral vs bilateral), and severity (e.g., light perception or worse vision). We presented a case with restricted diffusion on the apparent diffusion coefficient and the diffusion weighted imaging confined to the optic disc head in a patient with pallid edema after intradialytic hypotension. Although DWI of the optic nerve is neither 100% specific nor 100% sensitive for ischemia, we believe that restricted diffusion of the optic nerve head in our case is a clinico-radiologic correlate to pallid edema in SIAION., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 by North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society.)

Abstract: A 42-year-old Algerian man presented for binocular oblique diplopia, hypersomnolence with drop attacks, bilateral hearing loss, and thoracic pain. He had a right thalamomesencephalic hemorrhage due to an underlying cavernous malformation treated with subtotal surgical resection. On neuro-ophthalmic examination, the patient had a left relative afferent pupillary defect and a right oculosympathetic efferent pupillary defect (i.e., Horner syndrome) in addition to other thalamomesencephalic eye and neurologic signs (right fourth nerve palsy, hearing loss, hemiparesis, and thalamic pain). Clinicians should recognize the localizing value of this unique constellation of mesencephalic afferent and efferent pupillary defects., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 by North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society.)

&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Phages specific to actinomycetes are common, active in the soil and gladly detected. Soil streptomycetes are having antibiosis activities against numerous bacteria, fungi and plant viruses. Thus, this study was designed to isolate, purify and characterize some streptomycetes active against some microorganisms from soil followed by isolation of their specific phages. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Antagonistic activities of these streptomycetes isolates were tested against &lt;i&gt;Bacillus subtilis&lt;/i&gt;,&lt;i&gt; Pseudomonas&lt;/i&gt; sp., &lt;i&gt;Serratia&lt;/i&gt; sp. and &lt;i&gt;Aspergillus niger&lt;/i&gt;. To confirm their biological characterization of the streptomycetes isolates under investigation, the 16SrRNA gene was also used. The presence of specific lysate actinophages in the soil samples were tested by spot test technique and then propagated and purified for further characterization. The morphology of the purified actinophages was determined by electron microscopy. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The five selected &lt;i&gt;Streptomyces&lt;/i&gt; isolates having effective antagonistic activity were biologically and molecularly identified as &lt;i&gt;Streptomyces sclerogranulatus &lt;/i&gt;(QQ06), &lt;i&gt;Streptomyces mutabilis &lt;/i&gt;(QQ07), &lt;i&gt;Streptomyces heilongjiangensis &lt;/i&gt;(QQ08), &lt;i&gt;Streptomyces sparsus &lt;/i&gt;(QQ09) and &lt;i&gt;Streptomyces purpurascens &lt;/i&gt;(QQ10) strains. Electron micrographs showed the presence of filamentous virus-like particles with lengths of 21.4×928.57, 25×750, 21.4×857.14, 21.4×885.7 and 21.4×857.14 nm specific to &lt;i&gt;Streptomyces&lt;/i&gt; strains QQ06, QQ07, QQ08, QQ09 and QQ10, respectively and belong to the family Inoviridae. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; Phage of Inoviridae was considered as the first time against streptomycetes isolates, therefore, additional and advanced studies should be carried out at the level of molecular characterization.

In this study, two native duckweeds (Lemna minor and Azolla pinnata) were cultivated in Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) to extract nutrients from the effluent. Five grams of A. pinnata and 2 g of L. minor were transferred to 2 L POME (Initial concentrations: 198 mg/L COD, 4.3 mg/L nitrates, pH 9.53, 4 mg/L phosphate, 2.98 mg/L ammonia) with four different dilutions (2.5%, 5%, 10%, 15%) under greenhouse conditions. Samples of POME were taken every two days up to 10 days. Growth parameter, phosphate, ammonia, nitrates, pH, and COD were monitored within 10 days to select the most suitable growth medium for both plants. Results showed that 2.5% POME dilution had positive effect on L. minor growth and A. pinnata (wet weight increased by 8.7 g and 9.8 g, respectively), with all plants able to survive until the final day of exposure. The highest removal of ammonia was accomplished in 5% POME dilution by A. pinnata (98%) and L. minor (95.5%). The maximum phosphate removal was obtained in 10% POME dilution with 93.3% removal by A. pinnata and 86.7% by L. minor. Significant COD removal in 15% POME was obtained by L. minor (78%) and A. pinnata (66%). Both plants responded positively to the phytoremediation process, especially for A. pinnata which showed significant decreases in all parameters. The nutrient extraction by both plants from POME showed a positive effect on growth parameter, which has further promising potential to be used as animal feedstock., 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 © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Postoperative hemorrhages are relatively common complications of surgical procedures including craniotomies, and these typically occur at or near the operative site. Bleeding in remote areas (e.g., posterior fossa) after supratentorial craniotomy can occur and may be associated with a high morbidity and mortality. Although remote cerebellar hemorrhage after craniotomy is well described, remote pontine hemorrhage is less common. We describe a bilateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia due to an RPH after otherwise uncomplicated resection of a frontal meningioma. Clinicians should be aware that neuro-ophthalmic findings can occur from hemorrhages remote from the operative site.

Background: To describe the various neuro-ophthalmic presentations, key exam features, and clinical findings associated with 5 common primary and secondary intracranial malignancies., Evidence Acquisition: Retrospective PubMed search and review of published case reports, case series, observational studies, book chapters, and review articles examining the neuro-ophthalmic features of intracranial malignancies including primary glial neoplasms (e.g., glioblastoma multiforme), primary and secondary lymphoma, intracranial metastases, carcinomatous/lymphomatous meningitis, and intracranial germ cell tumors. The search strategy used to perform the retrospective review included the aforementioned tumor type (e.g., glioblastoma multiforme) and the following terms and Boolean operators: AND ("visual loss" OR "papilledema" OR "diplopia" OR "ophthalmoplegia" or "neuro-ophthalmology" OR "proptosis")., Results: The rate of growth and the location of an intracranial tumor are essential factors in determining the neuro-ophthalmic presentation of certain intracranial malignancies. Primary malignant brain glial neoplasms commonly present with visual afferent complaints (e.g., unilateral or bilateral visual acuity or visual field defects, bitemporal or homonymous hemianopsia), pupil abnormalities (relative afferent pupillary defect), and optic atrophy or papilledema. Primary intraocular lymphoma (with or without central nervous system lymphoma) typically presents as a painless bilateral vitritis. Secondary intracranial malignancies have variable afferent and efferent visual pathway presentations. Carcinomatous/lymphomatous meningitis is associated with diplopia (e.g., multiple ocular motor cranial neuropathies with or without vision loss from papilledema or compressive/infiltrative optic neuropathy). Intracranial germ cell tumors can present with a chiasmal syndrome or dorsal midbrain syndrome., Conclusion: Intracranial malignancies can present with neuro-ophthalmic symptoms or signs depending on topographical localization. Specific neuro-ophthalmic presentations are associated with different malignant intracranial tumors. Clinicians should be aware of the common malignant intracranial tumors and their associated clinical presentations in neuro-ophthalmology.

A 74-year-old man with vasculopathic risk factors presented to the emergency room with a chief complaint of peripheral vision loss resulting from an intracranial hemorrhage in his right parietal and occipital lobes. Urgent craniotomy and ventriculostomy led to a stable clinical condition with subsequent development of a crossed quadrant homonymous hemianopsia (checkerboard visual field) due to a new right parieto-occipital infarct superimposed on a prior left occipital infarct. This uncommon visual field defect represents juxtaposed homonymous quadrantanopias that produce a striking checkerboard appearance that is almost pathognomonic for bilateral occipital lesions.

Background: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) remain one of the most important health challenges in not only developing countries but also developed countries. Discussing STDs in the Saudi society is considered taboo, as social factors and ethics give rise to many obstacles. This study evaluates the knowledge of STDs among young adult students enrolled in Albaha University., Methods: This research is a cross-sectional study involving 1902 young adult students registered at Albaha University. STDs knowledge scores (STDs-KSs) were calculated using a predesigned and validated STDs knowledge questionnaire with 27 items adapted from previously developed questionnaires., Results: The estimated overall mean of STDs-KS was 7.95 ± 4.29. Female participants showed a significantly higher mean of STDs-KS, compared to males (8.51 ± 4.14 vs. 7.32 ± 4.38, p < 0.0001). Participants registered in health sciences programs showed higher STDs-KS, compared to participants from arts and sciences programs ( p < 0.0001)., Conclusions: Evidence from this study suggests a lack of STDs knowledge among young adults. To promote STDs awareness among this population, more health educational programs should be included in school curricula at the late stages of secondary education., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Xanthone is an organic compound mostly found in mangosteen pericarp and widely known for its anti-proliferating effect on cancer cells. In this study, we evaluated the effects of xanthone crude extract (XCE) and α-mangostin (α-MG) on normoxic and hypoxic human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells and their toxicity towards zebrafish embryos. XCE was isolated using a mixture of acetone and water (80:20) and verified via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Both XCE and α-MG showed higher anti-proliferation effects on normoxic HepG2 cells compared to the control drug, 5-fluorouracil (IC 50 = 50.23 ± 1.38, 8.39 ± 0.14, and 143.75 ± 15.31 μg/mL, respectively). In hypoxic conditions, HepG2 cells were two times less sensitive towards XCE compared to normoxic HepG2 cells (IC 50 = 109.38 ± 1.80 μg/mL) and three times less sensitive when treated with >500 μg/mL 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). A similar trend was seen with the α-MG treatment on hypoxic HepG2 cells (IC 50 = 10.11 ± 0.05 μg/mL) compared to normoxic HepG2 cells. However, at a concentration of 12.5 μg/mL, the α-MG treatment caused tail-bend deformities in surviving zebrafish embryos, while no malformation was observed when embryos were exposed to XCE and 5-FU treatments. Our study suggests that both XCE and α-MG are capable of inhibiting HepG2 cell proliferation during normoxic and hypoxic conditions, more effectively than 5-FU. However, XCE is the preferred option as no malformation was observed in surviving zebrafish embryos and it is more cost efficient than α-MG.

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) are reported to show a high degree of cancer cell selectivity with potential use in cancer imaging and therapy. Questions remain about the mode by which the ZnO NPs cause cell death, whether they exert an intra- or extracellular effect, and the resistance among different cancer cell types to ZnO NP exposure. The present study quantifies the variability between the cellular toxicity, dynamics of cellular uptake, and dissolution of bare and RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp)-targeted ZnO NPs by MDA-MB-231 cells. Compared to bare ZnO NPs, RGD-targeting of the ZnO NPs to integrin αvβ3 receptors expressed on MDA-MB-231 cells appears to increase the toxicity of the ZnO NPs to breast cancer cells at lower doses. Confocal microscopy of live MDA-MB-231 cells confirms uptake of both classes of ZnO NPs with a commensurate rise in intracellular Zn(2+) concentration prior to cell death. The response of the cells within the population to intracellular Zn(2+) is highly heterogeneous. In addition, the results emphasize the utility of dynamic and quantitative imaging in understanding cell uptake and processing of targeted therapeutic ZnO NPs at the cellular level by heterogeneous cancer cell populations, which can be crucial for the development of optimized treatment strategies., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

On page 1310 J. S. Merzaban, A. E. Porter, and co-workers present fluorescently labeled RGD-targeted ZnO nanoparticles (NPs; green) for the targeted delivery of cytotoxic ZnO to integrin αvβ3 receptors expressed on triple negative breast cancer cells. Correlative light-electron microscopy shows that NPs dissolve into ionic Zn(2+) (blue) upon uptake and cause apoptosis (red) with intra-tumor heterogeneity, thereby providing a possible strategy for targeted breast cancer therapy. Cover design by Ivan Gromicho., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

In this study, we isolated and characterized a Siphoviridae phage isolated from the vicinity of a religious structure (Kaaba) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The phage was designated as φBM and characterized using transmission electron microscopy, restriction digestion of its DNA, and host range. Electron micrograph indicated that φBM phage has an icosahedral head with diameter of about 65 ± 5 nm and long, non-contractile tail with length of about 300 ± 10 nm and width of about 17 ± 2 nm, respectively. On the basis of the φBM phage morphology, we thus propose that φBM represents a member of Siphoviridae phages. The φBM phage was shown to be able to infect Bacillus megaterium and two other Bacillus species and has no effect on other tested bacteria. φBM was stable over the pH range of 5-9, chloroform resistant and stable at 4 °C. A one-step growth experiment showed a latent period of about 40 min and a burst size of approximately 65 per infected cell. The purified bacteriophage appeared to consist of ten proteins. The genome size was estimated to be ∼38 kb. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the isolation of a bacteriophage from Kaaba a heavily trafficked holy site in Saudi Arabia.

The possibility of making use of the phenome non of Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) to control viruses achieved by the soaking treatment of tomato seeds cv. Castl Rock with three growth forms to Bacillus circulans, Pseudomonas fluorescens 2 and Trichoderma harzianum against Tomato mosaic tobamovirus (ToMV) infection. All the application forms of beneficial biotic inducers were reduced the mean number of ToMV local lesions on Datura metel. P. fluorescens 2 was found to be the best treatment in three forms on reduction of local lesion number 42.2, 32.7 and 38.1 of microbial liquid culture, microbial cells or spores and microbial culture filtrate forms, respectively, while the highest mean numbers of local lesions were 51.5, 61.7 and 73.5 of microbial liquid culture, microbial cells or spores and microbial culture filtrate, respectively for T. harzianum. The microbial culture filtrate form was more effective than other microbial forms to reduce mean number of ToMV local lesions to B. circulans, P. fluorescens 2 and T. harzianum isolates, 40.7, 32.1 and 51.5, respectively. The individual microbial isolates on all three microbial forms able to vary ToMV local lesions similarity (homologous or heterologous) and morphology (size center and surrounded with halo or without halo) compared with TMV mother strain.

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify the types, causes, and other factors associated with traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) in the permanent teeth of children in Mosul, Iraq., Methods: Data were collected from the dental records of 6- to 12-year-old children with TDIs who attended the Pediatric Dental Clinic at the Mosul University School of Dentistry between October 2006 and October 2010. The gathered data included: demographic information, when and where the injury occurred, type of dental injury, cause of injury, and the time elapsed between the TDI and dental care. Data were evaluated using the chi-square test., Results: A total of 294 children with TDIs were examined and treated. The highest frequency of TDIs was among 12-year-old children (29%), with more males being affected (P<.001). The most common type of injury was enamel-dentin fracture (56%). The most frequent cause of TDIs was falls (53%). The majority of the injuries happened outdoors (55%), and 37% of the cases occurred in the Fall. Only 5% of patients sought dental care within 24 hours of the injury., Conclusion: This 4-year retrospective study showed that the majority of children with TDIs sought dental treatment after one month of the injury. Educating parents and teachers about the benefits of trauma prevention and immediate treatment of injuries is a must.