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IntroductionAvian coccidiosis presents a significant challenge to the poultry industry in Egypt, highlighting the urgent need for validating new drug targets offering promising prospects for the development of advanced anticoccidials. Although numerous reports highlight the activity of lactoferrin (LF) against various microorganisms, its potential against Eimeria has not been explored. The present study evaluated the potential anticoccidial effect of LF and diclazuril in broiler chickens experimentally infected with Eimeria tenella.MethodsA total of 100 one-day-old broiler chicks were divided into five equal groups (20 each) as follows: Group 1 (G1) served as the normal healthy control group, Group 2 (G2) consisted of chickens infected with 1 × 105 sporulated E. tenella oocysts at 14 days of age, Group 3 (G3) comprised infected chickens treated with diclazuril (0.5 mL/L in drinking water) for 3 days successively, Group 4 (G4) included infected chickens treated with LF (at a dose of 250 mg/kg of diet) from one day of age until the end of the study, and Group 5 (G5) comprised infected chickens treated with both LF and diclazuril.ResultsThe positive control group (G2) experienced significant reductions in body weight (BW), BW gain, serum glucose, lipase, amylase, total antioxidant capacity, several hematological indices, and total proteins, along with alterations in various antioxidant enzymes. Conversely, serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Alkaline phosphatases (ALP), urea, creatinine, nitric oxide, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), White blood cells (WBCs), heterophils, alpha 2, beta 1, and liver contents of malondialdehyde were elevated in this group. Moreover, higher oocyst counts and lesion scores, along with histopathological alterations, were observed in G2. Remarkably, treatment with diclazuril and/or LF demonstrated potent antioxidant and anticoccidial effects, resulting in reduced shedding of oocysts, lesion scores, and lymphocytic infiltrates in the cecum. Additionally, these treatments improved the antioxidant and immune systems in chickens and restored all histopathological changes reported in the infected non-treated group (G2).ConclusionThis study offers novel perspectives on the potential anticoccidial effects of the combination of LF and diclazuril in broiler chickens infected with E. tenella, highlighting the potential synergistic actions of LF in treating poultry coccidiosis.

Large quantities of waste generated from papaya fruit processing, especially seeds, can be recovered and combined to obtain added-value products. This investigation aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties and antimicrobial activity of papaya seed powder (PSP) and papaya seed oil (PSO), and their applications as novel nontraditional food ingredients in cupcakes to promote them as high-value products. The GC–MS analysis for PSP revealed 39 compounds possess various biological activities, indicating the safety of its consumption. Papaya seeds are an excellent source of protein (27.95 %), oil (31.83 %), ash (7.86 %) and fibers (18.53 %). They have the potential to produce high-quality oleic oil with highly similar physicochemical properties and fatty acids profile as olive oil. The broad-spectrum inhibition of PSP and PSO against the tested pathogens proved their potential as natural antimicrobial agents. PSP can successfully be used (as nutritive ingredients and antimicrobial agents) in combination with wheat flour to obtain delicious and healthy nutritious chocolate cupcakes. The supplemented cupcakes (up to 15 % level) had improved quality attributes and enhanced nutritional value with respect to protein (16.89 %), ash (4.17 %) and fibers (3.28 %). PSP and PSO are safety, edible, nutritious, antimicrobial and can be processed into value-added products. They can be used as novel functional food ingredients or natural additives, providing added value to the food processing.

ABSTRACT: Locomotor disorders caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens denote one of the most detrimental issues that collectively threaten the poultry industry leading to pronounced economic losses across the world. Hence, searching for effective alternatives, especially those extracted from plant origins became of great priority targeting a partial or complete replacement of chemical antimicrobials to tackle their developing resistance. Therefore, we aimed to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Salmonella species, Mycoplasma synoviae (M. synoviae), and Escherichia coli (E. coli) recovered from 500 broilers and ducks (250 each) with locomotor disorders in various farms in Dakahlia and Sharkia Governorates, Egypt. Additionally, we assessed, for the first time, the in vitro antimicrobial effectiveness of marjoram, garlic, ginger and cinnamon essential oils (EOs) against MDR and multivirulent bacterial isolates as well as the in vivo efficiency of the most effective antibiotics and EOs either separately or in combination in the treatment of experimentally induced poultry leg disorders. The overall prevalence rates of S. aureus, E. coli, Salmonella species, and M. synoviae were 54, 48, 36, and 2%, respectively. Salmonella species and S. aureus prevailed among ducks and broilers (36 and 76%, respectively). Notably, MDR was observed in 100, 91.7, 81.1, and 78.5% of M. synoviae, E. coli, Salmonella, and S. aureus isolates, respectively. Our in vitro results displayed that marjoram was the most forceful EO against MDR and multivirulent chicken vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) and duck S. Typhimurium isolates. The current in vivo results declared that marjoram in combination with florfenicol or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid succeeded in relieving the induced duck and chicken leg disorders caused by S. Typhimurium and VRSA, respectively. This was evidenced by improvement in the clinical and histopathological pictures with a reduction of bacterial loads in the experimental birds. Our encountered successful in vitro and in vivo synergistic effectiveness of marjoram combined with florfenicol or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid recommends their therapeutic application for leg disorders and offers opportunities for reducing the antibiotics usage in the poultry industry.

Abstract Background Ginger is widely used in traditional food and folk medicine. It was known to contain monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, phenolic compounds and its derivatives as well as aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and esters. The current work aims to evaluate the antioxidant and anticancer activities of different extracts from ginger peels and residues. Methods Ginger samples were collected from local market and extracted using water and ethanol solvent. Four different antioxidant assays were used (DPPH, ABTS, potassium permanganate and methylene blue), the anticancer activity was determined using HepG2 cell line and the active ingredients for the promising extract were identified using HPLC/UV. Results The obtained results recorded that hot water extract of ginger peels was the promising extract exhibiting promising antioxidant activity. Fractionation of this promising extract was achieved by silica gel column chromatography with petroleum ether/ethyl acetate as mobile phase. Six fractions were produced. Thin layer chromatography (TLCF254) was used for separation of active compounds and bioautography confirmed their antioxidant efficiency. Higher antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity against HepG2 cell line was recorded by fraction No. 4. Cold water extract of ginger peels exhibited comparatively higher antioxidant efficiency while both aqueous peel extracts showed antibacterial efficiency against four Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains using well diffusion assay. Conclusion Ginger peels hot water extract is the promising extract as antioxidant, antiradical, antibacterial and anticancer. Graphical Abstract

Molecular autopsy is a very important tool in forensic toxicology. However, many determinants, such as co-medication and physiological parameters, should be considered for optimal results. These determinants could cause phenoconversion (PC), a discrepancy between the real metabolic profile after phenoconversion and the phenotype determined by the genotype. This study’s objective was to assess the PC of drug-metabolizing enzymes, namely CYP2D6, 2C19, and 3A4, in 45 post-mortem cases where medications that are substrates, inducers, or inhibitors of these enzymes were detected. It also intended to evaluate how PC affected the drug’s metabolic ratio (MR) in four cases. Blood samples from 45 cases of drug-related deaths were analyzed to detect and determine drug and metabolite concentrations. Moreover, all the samples underwent genotyping utilizing the HaloPlex Target Enrichment System for CYP2D6, 2C19, and 3A4. The results of the present study revealed a statistically significant rate of PC for the three investigated enzymes, with a higher frequency of poor metabolizers after PC. A compatibility was seen between the results of the genomic evaluation after PC and the observed MRs of venlafaxine, citalopram, and fentanyl. This leads us to focus on the determinants causing PC that may be mainly induced by drug interactions. This complex phenomenon can have a significant impact on the analysis, interpretation of genotypes, and accurate conclusions in forensic toxicology. Nevertheless, more research with more cases in the future is needed to confirm these results.

The interaction of nicotinic acid and thiourea with the chloride salts of Ca(II), Mg(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Fe(III) ions led to the synthesis of a unique series of metal chelates. All formed metal complexes were clarified using a variety of analytical and spectral techniques, besides magnetic moment and thermal tests. The electronic and magnetic measurements indicated that the paramagnetic chelates (3) and (4), as well as the diamagnetic complexes (1) and (2), were responsible for the tetrahedral geometrical structure. The outcomes also led to the production of square-planar, and high-spin octahedral structures for chelates (5) and (6). Thermodynamic studies using activation energy values revealed that complex (1) is more thermally stable than complex (2) and complex (3) is more stable than complex (4). Fe(III) complex exhibits higher antibacterial and antifungal activities than other metal complexes. Chelate (6) exhibits the highest rate of germination in wheat.

Yeasts are some of the most important postharvest biocontrol agents (BCAs). Postharvest oranges frequently deteriorate due to green and blue moulds, leading to significant economic losses. The purposes of the present study were to isolate blue and green moulds from infected orange fruits, to assess the ability of killer yeasts isolated from healthy orange fruits and leaves from orange orchards to control blue and green moulds and to evaluate the additive effect of BCAs in combination with 2% sodium bicarbonate (SBC), 2%, sodium benzoate (SB), 2% calcium chloride, 0.2% salicylic acid (SA) or 0.5% chitosan. Among eight fungi isolated from orange fruits showing symptoms of green and blue mulds infection, two were identified as P. digitatum and P. italicum and selected for in vitro assays. Twenty eight yeast isolates were obtained from orange leaves and from the surface of fruits. All yeasts exhibited high killer activity. Twelve yeasts reduced 22.5 –70% of P. digitatum growth while seven isolates reduced 21.1- 68.5% of P. italicum growth. The most potent yeast isolates were identified as Candida pseudotropicalis, Candida salmanticensis, Candida membranifaciens and Pichia guilliermondii. Combination of the BCAs, C. pseudotropicalis, C. salmanticensis and P. guilliermondii with SBC, CaCl2 or chitosan increased their effectiveness against P. digitatum. While combination of C. pseudotropicalis, C. membranifaciens and P. guilliermondii with these natural compounds decreased their effectiveness against P. italicum. Combination of C. membranifaciens with SA increased its effectiveness against P. digitatum. Sodium benzoate has additive effect on C. pseudotropicalis against P. digitatum and C. pseudotropicalis and P. guilliermondii against P. italicum.

Nanobiotechnology has developed as an effective technology for developing antimicrobial nanoparticles in an environmentally safe manner. In this study, green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPS) from zinc acetate solution by using lemon peels aqueous extract was characterized by UV–Visible Spectroscopy, High-resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). Anticandidal activity was investigated against three clinical multidrug resistant Candida species including two Candida albicans, one Candida glabrata and one Candida krusei using four antifungal agents by disc diffusion method and antifungal activity of ZnO NPS was assayed by disc diffusion method and determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC). Characterization studies revealed that the synthesized nanoparticles have rod shape with sizes of 13.58 - 30.70 nm. Notably, high rates of resistance were observed with the four tested antifungal agents against all Candida species and the antifungal activity of the synthesized ZnO NPS against Candida species were exhibited, with a maximum zone of inhibition of 24.5±0.5 mm against C. glabrata followed by C. albicans (19.5±0.5 mm) and C. krusei (16.0±0.0 mm). MIC and MFC for all Candida species were 0.25 and 0.5 mg/ml respectively. The cytotoxic data indicates that ZnO NPs have half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value = 230.12 ± 9.34 μg/ml on normal human lung fibroblast cell line (MRC5). In conclusion, the study elucidates that lemon peels mediated green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles have antifungal activity against different Candida species. So that it can be developed as a novel medicine for the treatment of Candida associated infections in the near future.

Background The addition of dexmedetomidine or nalbuphine to epidural bupivacaine was tested to decrease labor pain in women undergoing normal delivery.Patients and Methods Sixty-four patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups of 32 parturients, each with consent from the parturient. Groups A and B received a bolus of 12 ml volume consisting of 11 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine and 0.5 μg/ml dexmedetomidine (1 ml volume) through the epidural catheter, then a top-up dose of 6 ml volume consisting of 5 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine and 0.5 μg/ml dexmedetomidine (1 ml volume) was given when the VAS score becomes 4 or more, and a bolus of 12 ml volume consisting of 11 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine and 10 mg nalbuphine (1 ml volume) through the epidural and a top-up dose of 5 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine and 2 mg nalbuphine (1 ml volume) were given, respectively. Assessments included the VAS score, vital data monitoring, duration of stages of labor, APGAR score, and adverse effects.Results Both groups had satisfactory labor analgesia, but those in the dexmedetomidine group had lower pain scores than those in the nalbuphine group, because dexmedetomidine had a faster onset than nalbuphine.Conclusion Epidural dexmedetomidine seems to offer some advantages over epidural nalbuphine. Thus, it can be used safely as an adjuvant to epidural bupivacaine in labor analgesia.

Abstract The science of nanotechnology is expanding daily and has the potential to benefit people. Moringa oleifera is an abundant source of phenolic compounds, which are bioactive substances. It is recognised as a necessary plant because of its medicinal potential and a wide variety of health benefits. The aim of the current study is to examine the antioxidant, antibacterial, and cytotoxicity effects of five nanoparticles (La2O3, CuO, Fe2O3, Ag, and ZnO) made using bioactive chemicals in the aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaves on four human cell lines (T47D, HepG2, A549, and Wi38). The UV–visible spectroscopy analysis with a surface plasmon peak in the 300–490 nm range and the value of the zeta potential of the various biosynthesized nanoparticles ranged from + 31 to + 37 mV, indicated the repulsion between the particles and the stability of the formulation nanoparticles confirmed the formation of all nanoparticles. Additionally, the DPPH method was used to assess the antioxidant activity of five distinct metal nanoparticles. The results show that this method works in parallel and is dependent on both the concentration of NPs and the incubation time. The anticancer effect of synthesized nanoparticles against four different cell lines has been tested. The cytotoxicity assay showed a dose-dependent and time-dependent effect of nanoparticles. The obtained results conclude that acceptable potency against T47D and A549 cell lines with IC50 ranged from 38 to 210 μg/mL and 26 to 115 μg/mL, respectively. However, HepG2 and Wi38 cell lines showed relatively higher resistance against all tested nanoparticles when compared with Doxorubicin. Moreover, the antibacterial results revealed that silver nanoparticles exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against both Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. Nanoparticles' high therapeutic activity at low concentrations opens up new avenues for the development of novel therapeutic approaches against human pathogens.

Abstract Background Postoperative epidural analgesia provides superior postoperative analgesia at rest and with activity, compared with systemic opioids. However, the impact of postoperative epidural analgesia on postoperative morbidity and/or mortality remains controversial, because of the sub-optimal reliability of epidural catheters that are placed preoperatively and used for postoperative pain control. The present study used the technique of lumbar epidurography. The study aims to better understand the possible correlation between the fluoroscopic characteristics of epidural catheters following injection of contrast medium and the postoperative functional characteristics regarding analgesia. In this single-arm clinical trial, 70 patients, aged 50 to 75 years old, underwent surgical urological procedures, involving incisions up to T8 dermatome, under combined general and epidural anesthesia. At the L2-L3 level, the epidural space was reached using the loss of resistance technique before general anesthesia was induced. The catheters were threaded upwards for 4–6 cm. Preoperative epidurograms were then done by injecting a 3-ml contrast medium OmnipaqueTM (240 mg I/ml) in the epidural catheters. The epidurograms were investigated for the location of the catheter tip in relation to the vertebral body, the extent of dye spread, laterality of dye spread (midline, right, or left), and the presence or absence of dye spread anterior to the spinal cord on the lateral image. The patients were followed postoperatively while epidural analgesia was infused. Results Both the postoperative epidural infusion and postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores were lower when catheter tips ended at L1 than when they ended at L2. As the contrast’s vertical spread increases in preoperative epidurograms, the analgesic infusion rate and VAS score decrease, and the number of dermatomes insensitive to cold increases. Epidurographically right-sided catheters showed more dermatomes deficient to cold sensations on the right side, compared with mid-line and left-sided catheters. Restriction of contrast to the posterior epidural space was associated with lower VAS scores and wider anesthesia to cold. Conclusions The use of epidurography to study epidural catheters may have the potential advantage of predicting the functionality of catheters and improving the reliability of postoperative epidural analgesia.

Abstract Background Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biopolymer formed by some microbes in response to excess carbon sources or essential nutrient depletion. PHBs are entirely biodegradable into CO2 and H2O under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. It has several applications in various fields such as medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, and food packaging due to its biocompatibility and nontoxicity nature. Result In the present study, PHB-producing bacterium was isolated from the Dirout channel at Assiut Governorate. This isolate was characterized phenotypically and genetically as Bacillus cereus SH-02 (OM992297). According to one-way ANOVA test, the maximum PHB content was observed after 72 h of incubation at 35 °C using glucose and peptone as carbon and nitrogen source. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to study the interactive effects of glucose concentration, peptone concentration, and pH on PHB production. This result proved that all variables have a significant effect on PHB production either independently or in the interaction with each other. The optimized medium conditions with the constraint to maximize PHB content and concentration were 22.315 g/L glucose, and 15.625 g/L peptone at pH 7.048. The maximum PHB content and concentration were 3100.799 mg/L and 28.799% which was close to the actual value (3051 mg/l and 28.7%). The polymer was identified as PHB using FTIR, NMR, and mass spectrometry. FT-IR analysis showed a strong band at 1724 cm− 1 which attributed to the ester group’s carbonyl while NMR analysis has different peaks at 169.15, 67.6, 40.77, and 19.75 ppm that were corresponding to carbonyl, methine, methylene, and methyl resonance. Mass spectroscopy exhibited molecular weight for methyl 3- hydroxybutyric acid. Conclusion PHB–producing strain was identified as Bacillus cereus SH-02 (OM992297). Under optimum conditions from RSM analysis, the maximum PHB content and concentration of this strain can reach (3100.799 mg/L and 28.799%); respectively. FTIR, NMR, and Mass spectrometry were used to confirm the polymer as PHB. Our results demonstrated that optimization using RSM is one of the strategies used for reducing the production cost. RSM can determine the optimal factors to produce the polymer in a better way and in a larger quantity without consuming time.

Abstract The aim of this work is to develop an efficient method for detection and evaluation of the plant growth regulators produced from cyanobacteria species (Anabaena oryzae and Nostoc muscorum) cultivated on BG110, and Chlorophyta alga (Chlorella vulgaris) cultivated on BG11 in addition to the cultivation of these strains on treated sewage wastewater (TSW) combined with control media (BG11 and BG110) at different concentrations (100, 75 and 50%). Bioassays were performed on Wheat coleoptile length and Cucumber cotyledons fresh weight for indole acetic acid (IAA) and Benzyl adenine (BA) detection. In addition, application experiments of IAA and BA presence in algal extract were applied on tomato plantlets and soybean callus. The obtained results of A. oryzae and N. muscorum extracts (grown on BG110 and 100% sewage media) with optimum conc. of IAA and BA showed moderate shoot length and leaves number as well as high root initiation of tomato explant compared to control. While dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), IAA conc. as well as IAA + BA conc. showed no effect on branching and leaf expansion. The results of C. vulgaris (grown on BG11) also revealed that the shoot had high leaves number and greatest root initiation, without branching and leaf expansion. On the other hand, 100% TSW had a moderate shoot, leaves number and high root initiation. Extracts of A. oryzae and N. muscorum (grown on BG110) induced 1.5-fold increase in soybean callus fresh weight, while the growth on 100% TSW was shown to be less effective. Moreover, extract of C. vulgaris (grown on BG11) induced a moderate effect, while its growth on 100% TSW was shown to be less effective in soybean callus fresh weight increment.

The prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria has recently increased dramatically, seriously endangering human health. Herein, amoxicillin (Amoxi)-conjugated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were created as a novel drug delivery system to overcome MDR bacteria. MDR bacteria were isolated from a variety of infection sources. Phenotype, biotype, and 16S rRNA gene analyses were used for isolate identification. Additionally, Juniperus excelsa was used for the production of AuNPs. The conjugation of AuNPs with Amoxi using sodium tri-polyphosphate (TPP) as a linker to produce Amoxi-TPP-AuNPs was studied. The AuNP and Amoxi-TPP-AuNP diameters ranged from 15.99 to 24.71 nm, with spherical and hexagonal shapes. A total of 83% of amoxicillin was released from Amoxi-TPP-AuNPs after 12 h, and after 3 days, 90% of the medication was released. The Amoxi-TPP-AuNPs exhibited superior antibacterial effectiveness against MRSA and MDR E. coli strains. Amoxi-TPP-AuNPs had MICs of 3.6–8 µg mL−1 against the tested bacteria. This is 37.5–83 fold higher compared to values reported in the literature. Amoxi-TPP-AuNPs exhibit a remarkable ability against MRSA and E. coli strains. These results demonstrate the applicability of Amoxi-TPP-AuNPs as a drug delivery system to improve therapeutic action.

Lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) are identified as potent developmental neurotoxicants. Neonates are the main group receiving multiple blood transfusions. The exposure of neonates to these heavy metals (HMs) can occur through blood transfusions. This study aimed to determine the concentrations of lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) in various blood products (plasma, platelets, packed red blood cells (pRBCs), and whole blood (WB)) to explore the probability of concurrent exposure of these HMs and to identify the metal load per transfusion with risk assessment. Residual bloods from blood bank bags were collected after neonatal transfusion. Pb, Hg, and Cd concentrations were determined in 120 samples of blood products by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Pb and Cd levels were over the normal levels in 19.2 and 5.9% of all blood units, respectively. In 35 and 0.8% of blood units, the Pb and Cd concentrations, respectively, were higher than that recommended for transfusions in premature neonates. The anticipated safe value was surpassed by 2.5% for Cd of all transfusions, primarily because of WB. However, Hg was detected only in 5.8% of all samples and their concentrations were within the normal range. The concurrent neonatal exposure to Pb, Hg, and Cd was statistically significant. Hazard quotients of Hg and Cr were >1 and Pb cancer risk was 2.41 × 10−4. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first report examining Pb, Hg, and Cd in blood products other than WB and pRBCs using ICP-MS. This study demonstrated the exposure of neonates to Pb, Hg, and Cd during transfusion with a considerable amount of Pb. It confirms the significant concurrent exposure to the three HMs, which maximize their potential developmental neurotoxicity with a high probability of developing non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health effects.

A new thiosemicarbazone ligand containing an allyl group and a 5-pyrazolone derivative has been prepared. The reaction of this ligand (H2L) with chloride and nitrate salts of Co(II), Cu(II), Pd(II), and Ni(II), Cu(II) ions resulted in the formation of different chelates having variable chemical formulas. Structural characterization of H2L ligand and its chelates has been established employing microanalytical, molar conductivity, magnetic moment measurements as well as spectral techniques including IR, UV–vis, NMR, mass, XRD, and ESR spectra. The spectral and microanalytical data achieved the monobasic tridentate binding mode with the metal(II) ion through SNO and NNO donor sites in complexes (2,5) and (3,4), respectively. In addition, the thiosemicarbazone ligand acts as a neutral bidentate species (NS) and neutral or mononegative bidentate species (NO) in complexes (6) and (1), respectively. Based on electronic spectra analyses (UV–vis) and magnetic moment measurements, all chelates, with the exception of those of Co(II) and Pd(II) ions, which have square planar geometrical structures, revealed a square pyramidal structure. Furthermore, the ESR spectra of Cu(II) chelates (3–5) have been investigated, yielding 2B1g as an axial ground state. The chemical formulae for the metal chelates were determined using thermogravimetric investigations (TG and DTG), demonstrating both their thermal stability and the presence of various crystalline solvents. Metal oxide (MO) or metal with traces of carbon was the residue of the thermal degradation processes. Based on XRD analysis, the structures of allopalladium (O-dopped Pd), monoclinic CuO, and tetragonal metallic cobalt nanoparticles obtained thermally from chelates (1,3,4,6) were elucidated. Copper(II) chelates (3) and (4) display the highest anticancer activity against hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Hep G-2) testes, according to the biological studies for the ligand and some of its chelates.

The main objective of this study is to isolate actinobacteria has antifungal activity against some dermatophytes, Epidermophyton floccosum, Trichophyton rubrum, Microsporum canis, and Candida albicans, evaluation, and optimization of various cultural and nutritional conditions for maximum antifungal metabolite production. Total 64 actinobacteria were isolated from various localities in Egypt and screened for their antifungal activity against the tested fungi. Out of 64 isolates, the identified Streptomyces canescens MH7 has a good antifungal activity and inhibits the growth of the tested fungi. This isolate was capable of producing glucanase, lipase, and amylase enzymes which are important hydrolytic enzyme in the lysis of the fungal cell wall. Several growth factors were optimized to maximize the production of antifungal metabolites. Streptomyces canescens MH7 had the best antifungal activity in starch casein broth media supplemented with starch as a carbon source, potassium nitrate as a nitrogen source, salinity of 3% (w/v), pH8, incubation temperature at 30°C, incubation for 7 days, and shaking at 180 rpm.

Let G be a finite group and let N be a fixed normal subgroup of G. In this paper, a new kind of graph on G, namely the intersection graph is defined and studied. We use to denote this graph, with its vertices are all normal subgroups of G and two distinct vertices are adjacent if their intersection in N. We show some properties of this graph. For instance, the intersection graph is a simple connected with diameter at most two. Furthermore we give the graph structure of for some finite groups such as the symmetric, dihedral, special linear group, quaternion and cyclic groups.

Background: Peribulbar Anesthesia (PBA) is a relatively safe method for cataract surgery. The anesthetic volume should be adjusted according to the axial eyeball length. Thus, using Minimum Effective Volume (MEV) of local anesthetic helps avoiding unnecessary volumes, preventing increases in intra-ocular pressure, and producing satisfactory conditions for cataract surgery. This study aims to determine the MEV90 of local anesthetics in relation to eye globe axial length in peribulbar blocks for cataract surgery. Methods: Patients scheduled for cataract extraction under local anesthesia were divided according to their axial eyeball length; Group 1 included those with axial length from 22 to 24 mm, Group 2 included patients with axial length from 24.1 to 26 mm. The initial volume used was 7 mL of a solution of bupivacaine 0.5% (3 mL) + lidocaine 2% (3 mL) + hyaluronidase 150 IU (1 mL). The subsequent volumes were dependent on the response of the previous patient, by using a Bias Coin Design (BCD) and Up and Down Method (UDM) for MEV-90 determination. Results: The study was concluded with 119 patients. Sixteen patients needed supplemental volume of local anesthetic in Group 1 and thirteen in Group 2. The MEV90 for Group 1 was approximately 5.82 mL (95% CI 5.6 to 5.87 mL) and 5.45 mL for Group 2 (95% CI 5.38 to 5.91 mL). No major complications were noted. There was a negative correlation between the effective volume of LA and eye globe axial length in both groups (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The MEV90 of local anesthetics for peribulbar block show a strong and inverse correlation with eye globe axial length. This may help achieving an effective block with minimum complications.

Abstract This study aimed to assess antihyperlipidemic, cardiac and antioxidant effects as well as mode of actions of Musa paradisiaca (M. paradisiaca) leaf and fruit peel hydroethanolic extracts in nicotinamide (NA)/streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic rats. Experimental diabetes mellitus was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (60 mg/kg body weight), 15 min after intraperitoneal injection of NA (120 mg/kg body weight). NA/STZ‐induced diabetic rats were orally supplemented with M. paradisiaca leaf and fruit peel hydroethanolic extracts in a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight/day for 28 days. The treatment of NA/STZ‐induced diabetic rats with M. paradisiaca leaf and fruit peel extracts significantly decreased the elevated fasting and post‐prandial serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL‐cholesterol and vLDL‐cholesterol levels and significantly increased the lowered serum insulin level, liver glycogen content, serum HDL‐cholesterol level, homeostasis model assessment‐insulin resistance (HOMA‐IS) and HOMA‐β cell function. The elevated cardiovascular risk indices in diabetic rats were significantly improved due to treatment with M. paradisiaca extracts. Concomitant with the increase in liver glycogen content, the glucose‐6‐phosphatase activity significantly decreased reflecting the decrease in hepatic glucose output. The heart function was potentially ameliorated as manifested by decrease in the elevated serum creatine kinase‐MB, lactate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase activities after treatments of diabetic rats with M. paradisiaca extracts. The elevated liver lipid peroxidation and the decline in liver glutathione content and superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione‐S‐transferase activities were significantly reversed by treatments. Thus, it can be concluded that M. paradisiaca leaf and fruit peel hydroethanolic extracts may have antihyperlipidemic and cardioprotective potentials in NA/STZ‐induced diabetic rats. These effects may be mediated via improvements in the glycemic state, β‐cell function, tissue insulin sensitivity, and antioxidant defense mechanism.

Abstract Background Chlorella vulgaris is a microalga potentially used for pharmaceutical, animal feed, food supplement, aquaculture and cosmetics. The current study aims to study the antioxidant and prooxidant effect of Chlorella vulgaris cultivated under various conc. of copper ions. Methods The axenic green microalgal culture of Chlorella vulgaris was subjected to copper stress conditions (0.00, 0.079, 0.158, 0.316 and 0.632 mg/L). The growth rate was measured at OD680 nm and by dry weight (DW). Moreover, the Antioxidant activity against DPPH and ABTS radical, pigments and phytochemical compounds of the crude extracts (methylene chloride: Methanol, 1:1) were evaluated. The promising Cu crude extract (0.316 mg/L) further fractionated into twenty-one fractions by silica gel column chromatography using hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate as a mobile phase. Results The obtained results reported that nine out of these fractions exhibited more than 50% antioxidant activity and anticancer activity against Hela cancer cell lines. Based on IC50, fraction No. 7 was found to be the most effective fraction possessing a significant increase in both antioxidant and anticancer potency. Separation of active compound (s) in fraction No 7 was performed using precoated silica gel plates (TLC F254) with ethyl acetate: hexane (9:1 v/v) as mobile phase. Confirmation of active compound separation was achieved by two-dimensional TLC and visualization of the separated compound by UV lamp. The complete identification of the separated active compound was performed by UV- Vis- spectrophotometric absorption, IR, MS, H1-NMRT C13-NMR. The isolated compound ((2E,7R,11R)-3,7,11,15-Tetramethyl-2-hexadecenol) have high antioxidant activity with IC50 (10.59 μg/ml) against DPPH radical assay and comparable to the capacities of the positive controls, Butylated hydroxy toluene [BHT] (IC50 11.2 μg/ml) and Vitamin C (IC50 12.9 μg/ml). Furthermore, pure isolated compound exhibited a potent anticancer activity against Hela cell line with IC50 (4.38 μg/ml) compared to Doxorubicin (DOX) as synthetic drug (13.3 μg/ml). In addition, the interaction of the pure compound with Hela cancer cell line and gene expression were evaluated. Conclusions The authors recommend cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris in large scale under various stress conditions for use the crude extracts and semi purified fractions for making a pharmaco-economic value in Egypt and other countries.

Colon cancer is a major cause of cancer-related death, with significantly increasing rates of incidence worldwide. The current study was designed to evaluate the anti-carcinogenic effects of hesperetin (HES) alone and in combination with capecitabine (CAP) on 1,2 dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon carcinogenesis in Wistar rats. The rats were given DMH at 20 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)/week for 12 weeks and were orally treated with HES (25 mg/kg b.w.) and/or CAP (200 mg/kg b.w.) every other day for 8 weeks. The DMH-administered rats exhibited colon-mucosal hyperplastic polyps, the formation of new glandular units and cancerous epithelial cells. These histological changes were associated with the significant upregulation of colon Ki67 expression and the elevation of the tumor marker, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), in the sera. The treatment of the DMH-administered rats with HES and/or CAP prevented these histological cancerous changes concomitantly with the decrease in colon-Ki67 expression and serum-CEA levels. The results also indicated that the treatments with HES and/or CAP showed a significant reduction in the serum levels of lipid peroxides, an elevation in the serum levels of reduced glutathione, and the enhancement of the activities of colon-tissue superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and glutathione-S-transferase. Additionally, the results showed an increase in the mRNA expressions of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-4, as well as the proapoptotic protein, p53, in the colon tissues of the DMH-administered rats treated with HES and/or CAP. The TGF-β1 decreased significantly in the DMH-administered rats and this effect was counteracted by the treatments with HES and/or CAP. Based on these findings, it can be suggested that both HES and CAP, singly or in combination, have the potential to exert chemopreventive effects against DMH-induced colon carcinogenesis via the suppression of oxidative stress, the stimulation of the antioxidant defense system, the attenuation of inflammatory effects, the reduction in cell proliferation and the enhancement of apoptosis.

The oxidation of food emulsions causes rancidity, which reduces their shelf life. To prevent rancidity, synthetic antioxidants are widely used in the food industry. However, due to their potential health risks, researchers are exploring natural alternatives. This study aimed to investigate whether Rosa canina fruit extract (RCFE) could be used as a natural antioxidant to extend the shelf life of mayonnaise. Mayonnaise containing varying concentrations of RCFE [0.125% (T1), 0.25% (T2), 0.50% (T3), 0.75% (T4)] was compared to a mayonnaise control sample (C1) and a mayonnaise sample containing 0.02% BHT (C2) for 60 days of storage at 4 °C. RCFE was found to have high levels of total phenols content (52.06 ± 1.14 mg GAE g−1), total flavonoids content (26.31 ± 1.03 mg QE g−1), and free radical scavenging activity. The GC–MS analysis of RCFE revealed 39 different peaks, whereas the HPLC analysis showed the presence of 13 polyphenolic compounds in RCFE. The pH values of T2, T3, and T4 mayonnaise samples substantially declined as storage progressed; however, the reduction was less than that of C1 and C2. After 60 days, mayonnaise samples T2, T3, and T4 had greatly reduced peroxide and free fatty acid levels compared to C1 and C2. The mayonnaise enriched with RCFE (T3 and T4) had the most potent antioxidative ability and the lowest value of lipid hydroperoxides (peroxide value, POV) and the lowest value of thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances (TBARS). The sensory evaluation revealed that the T3 sample exhibited the highest overall acceptability. In conclusion, this study recommends that RCFE could be used as a natural preservative to enhance the shelf life of functional foods.

Abstract Background Lambda-cyhalotherin (LCT) is a pyrithroid type 2 pesticide that is broadly utilized in pest control in public health, animal health, and agriculture. Although claiming that LCT has a low mammalian toxicity, several investigations reported its mammalian hepatotoxicity by mediating oxidative stress causes severe hepatotoxicity and liver damage. Results LCT significantly decreased catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total thiol (T. thiol) and increased lipid peroxidation (LPO). mRNA and protein expression levels of p53 were upregulated, whereas Bcl-2 mRNA and protein expression levels were downregulated in LCT-intoxicated animals. Also, light microscopic and ultrastructure studies for liver tissues of LCT-intoxicated animals showed mononuclear leukocytic infiltration in the parenchyma, congested portal vein with thickened wall, and proliferation of bile duct and hepatocytes with cytoplasmic vacuolations, fatty changes, and collagen fibers. Panax ginseng co-treatment attenuated oxidative stress biomarkers. Both tested doses of Panax ginseng (100 and 200 mg /kg b. wt./day) significantly decreased p53 and elevate Bcl-2 mRNA and protein expression levels and reveals significant amelioration and restoration of normal histology and ultrastructure of liver, but 200 mg/kg b. wt. of Panax ginseng seems to be more potent. Conclusion Panax ginseng exhibited ameliorative effect against hepatic oxidative stress, apoptosis, histopathological, and ultrastructural changes induced by LCT.

Abstract Background The pre-operative period is a very stressful event for most of the individuals undergoing surgery especially the pediatric patients. So, relieving their pre-operative anxiety becomes an important concern for an anesthesiologist. Many anesthetic pre-medications are used to relieve this stress response. Of these pre-medications, midazolam and dexmedetomidine are effectively used as sedatives. The present study was planned to compare intranasal dexmedetomidine with intranasal midazolam as a pre-anesthetic medication in children. Forty-eight children aged 3–7 years, of either sex, weighing 13–22 kg, with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status 1 and undergoing elective adenotonsillectomy surgery were enrolled in this comparative prospective, double blinded, randomized clinical study. The children were divided into 2 groups: group D and group M, of 24 each. Forty-five minutes before induction of anesthesia, group D (n = 24) received intranasal dexmedetomidine at a dose of 1 μg/kg and group M (n = 24) received intranasal midazolam of 0.2 mg/kg. Results Children who were pre-medicated with dexmedetomidine had lower sedation scores, lower anxiety levels, easier child-parent separation, better mask acceptance, and lower pain scores than those who received midazolam. The incidence of emergence agitation was decreased in both groups with no significant difference. Conclusion Intranasal dexmedetomidine seems to offer some advantages compared with midazolam. Thus, it can be used effectively and safely as a pre-anesthetic medication in children undergoing any surgical procedures under general anesthesia.

Despite the great strides made in fundamental and applied research, forensic entomology is constantly growing and considered to be an interconnected scientific discipline. Indeed, there is shortage in the available scientific literature in comparison to many other legal and biological subjects as well as in the number of forensic entomologists. The main goal of this work is to clarify the importance of forensic entomology by demonstration of their applications; it can provide important information about when, where, and how a particular death occurred. It can also identify the assailant and/or the victim or might highlight in some cases, the victim’s state of neglect prior to death. It also aimed to demonstrate the impact of new emerging technologies; encouraging researchers to further pursue this line of research. More multidisciplinary research would lead to better understanding and identifying novel research areas. Consequently, that could meet scientific and legal expectations.

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between tumour-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-18, IL-23, IL-35 and Heilcobacter (H) pylori infection with T2DM. A total of 25 healthy subjects and 102 confirmed T2DM patients were enrolled in this study. Diabetic patients were subdivided into six groups according to antidiabetic therapy. Diabetic non-treated patients exhibited a significant elevation in H. Pylori- Ig-G, TNF-α, IL-18, and IL-23 levels, but a noticeable decrease in IL-35 expression was observed compared to healthy controls. Antidiabetic therapy induced a significant decrease in the level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), TNF-α, IL-18 and IL-23, while IL-35 expression was upregulated compared to diabetic controls. The results exhibited a positive correlation between H. pylori and HbA1c%, TNF-α, IL-18, and IL-23 values, and also between HbA1c% and TNF-α, IL-18 and IL-23 levels. Therefore, antidiabetic therapy decreases significantly the hyperglycemic state and circulating level of inflammatory cytokines which reflects their potential anti-inflammatory effects.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) causes Johne's disease in animals with zoonotic potential; it has been linked to many chronic diseases in humans, especially gastrointestinal diseases (GID). MAP has been extensively studied in Europe and America, but little reports were published from Africa. Sudan is a unique country with close contact between humans and livestock. Despite such interaction, the one health concept is neglected in dealing with cases of humans with GID. In this study, patients admitted to the reference GID hospital in the Sudan over a period of 8 months were screened for presence of MAP in their faeces or colonic biopsies. A total of 86 patients were recruited for this study, but only 67 were screened for MAP, as 19 did not provide the necessary samples for analysis. Both real-time PCR and culture were used to detect MAP in the collected samples and the microbial diversity in patients´ faecal samples was investigated using 16S rDNA nanopore sequencing. In total, 27 (40.3%) patients were MAP positive: they were 15 males and 12 females, of ages between 21 and 80 years. Logistic regression analysis revealed no statistical significance for all tested variables in MAP positive patients (occupation, gender, contact with animal, milk consumption, chronic disease, etc.). A unique microbiome profile of MAP-positive patients in comparison to MAP-negative was found. These findings suggest that a considerable proportion of the population could be MAP infected or carriers. Therefore, increase awareness at community level is urgently needed to decrease the risk of MAP at human/animal interface. This study represents the first report of MAP in humans in the Sudan; nevertheless, a better view of the situation of MAP in humans in the country requires a larger study including patients with other conditions.

To date, the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and booster doses has yet to be evaluated in longitudinal head-to-head studies. This single-center longitudinal study assessed the effectiveness of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, BNT162b2, and mRNA-1273 vaccines and assessed two BNT162b2 boosters in 1550 participants, of whom 26% had comorbidities. In addition, the SARS-CoV-2 antibody dynamics was monitored. A group of 1500 unvaccinated subjects was included as the controls. The study’s endpoint was the development of virologically-proven COVID-19 cases after vaccine completion, while the secondary endpoint was hospitalizations due to severe COVID-19. Overall, 23 (4.6%), 16 (3%), and 18 (3.8%) participants vaccinated with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, BNT162b2, and mRNA-1273, respectively, developed COVID-19 after vaccine completion, with an effectiveness of 89%, 92%, and 90%. Ten COVID-19 cases were reported in participants with comorbidities, three of whom were hospitalized. No hospitalizations occurred after boosters. SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels peaked 2–4 weeks after the second vaccine dose but declined after a mean of 28.50 ± 3.48 weeks. Booster doses significantly enhanced antibody responses. Antibody titers ≤ 154 U/mL were associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 emergence. Thus, COVID-19 vaccines effectively reduced COVID-19 and prevented severe disease. The vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses declined after 28–32 weeks. Booster doses induced significant maintained responses. SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels may help determine the timing and need for vaccine booster doses.

Paratuberculosis (PTB) has been reported in the Sudan in cattle and goats for more than 50 years but has never been reported in sheep. However, suspicion of the disease in a breeding flock of sheep in Khartoum North locality was made due to a history of unknown cause of loss of weight. Blood and faecal samples were collected from all animals (N = 59): harvested sera were tested for anti-Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) antibodies by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA); faeces were screened for acid-fast bacilli by Ziehl–Neelsen staining, tested for MAP DNA by recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and some faecal samples were cultured for MAP isolation. Typical MAP acid-fast bacilli were seen in 10.2% (6/59) of the faecal smears, 37.5% of the tested faecal samples (12/32) were positive for MAP DNA and only 3 (5.1%) animals were seropositive for MAP. MAP positive cultures were obtained from 2 out the 6 samples showing typical MAP acid-fast bacilli; the isolates were confirmed by real-time PCR and sequencing. As sheep are animals of utmost economic importance as the main export animals for the country, this first report of ovine PTB warrants special considerations and more investigations for planning control programmes of the disease.

Research on adolescent substance use is of utmost importance. Using local toxicological data, both prevalence and pattern of substance use (SU) and substance-related death (SRD) can be assessed to design effective prevention programs. A retrospective study of toxicology investigations of all adolescents referred to the medico-legal section of the Toxicology Unit of the University Hospital of Lille, France, for a 2-year period from 2017 to 2018. In the total sample of 1961 cases, adolescents accounted for 3.3% of the cases (n = 65). Among the adolescents, 16.9% were aged 10–14 years and 83.1% were aged >14–19 years. About 69.2% were males. Less than 70% of all presented adolescents used substances. More than two-thirds (74%) of positive detections were male. Illicit substances (43%) were the most detected substance followed by alcohol (20%) and prescription substances (20%). Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was extremely common as it was found in 29% of all adolescents. Cocaine and amphetamines were detected in 13.8% of total tested adolescents. Polysubstance use was common between alcohol and THC and among males. About one-third of deaths were due to substance use. About 54% of SRD was associated with polysubstance detection. It is recommended that illicit substances, ethanol, and prescription substances are targeted for testing among adolescents in order to provide appropriate prevention.

Abstract Background Due to rapid development of microbial resistance against chemotherapeutic agents (mostly antibiotics), it has become essential currently to screen effective, safe, cheap, and available therapeutics from various medicinal plants—like herbs—for their potential antimicrobial effect. Aim To estimate the antibacterial activity of aqueous, ethanol, and methanol extracts of each of Moringa oleifera L. leaves and Matricaria recutita L. flowers against antibiotic-resistant and sensitive bacterial strains isolated from patients having wound infections. Results In the present study, a total of one hundred clinical samples were obtained from different cases of infected wounds. Forty isolates (40%) of pure bacterial cultures were detected. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found to be the predominant agent isolated from the wound infections (32.5%) followed by Staphylococcus spp. (25%), E. coli (20%), Klebsiella spp. (20%), and Proteus mirabilis (2.5%). Sensitivity of the bacterial isolates was tested against antibiotic discs: piperacillin, ampicillin, oxacillin, pinicillin, gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, streptomycin, ceftriaxone , ceftazidime, cefoxitin, cefoperazone, cefuroxime, cefepime, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin, oflaxacin, levofloxacin, lomefloxacin, moxifloxacin, tetracycline, aztreonam, azithromycin, erythromycin, imipenem, piperacillin-tazobactum, ampicillin-sulbactam, linezolid, teicoplanin, trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole , chloramphenicol, and clindamycin. Out of the 40 bacterial strains studied, 20 isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR), 7 extensively drug-resistant (XDR) and 3 were pan drug-resistant (PDR). The in vitro susceptibility test showed that the water, ethanol (95%), and methanol (80%) extracts of Moringa oleifera L.(leaves) and Matricaria recutita L.(flowers) produced an inhibitory effect against 12 resistant MDR, XDR, and PDR test isolates, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 7.8–62.5 mg/ml. Water and methanol extracts of both plants represented good activity against most of the sensitive and resistant isolates whereas ethanol extract of both plants showed a lesser activity against nearly all of the isolates Conclusion This study had the potential value to develop antibacterial agents against resistant (MDR, XDR, and PDR) and susceptible bacteria supporting the significant use of plant extracts in treating wound infections related to bacteria and these active extracts will provide useful information for discovering new compounds with better activity and more effective against resistant (MDR, XDR, and PDR) and susceptible bacteria responsible for wound infections than currently available antibiotic agents.

Caries lesions during cement repairs are a severe issue, and developing a unique antimicrobial restorative biomaterial can help to reduce necrotic lesion recurrence. As a result, Thymus vulgaris extract was used to biosynthesize copper nanoparticles (TVE-CuNPs) exhibiting different characteristics (TVE). Along with TVE-CuNPs, commercial silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and metronidazole were combined with glass ionomer cement (GIC) to test its antibacterial efficacy and compressive strength. FTIR, XRD, UV-Vis spectrophotometry, and TEM were applied to characterize the TVE-CuNPs. Additionally, AgNPs and TVE-CuNPs were also combined with metronidazole and GIC. The modified GIC samples were divided into six groups, where groups 1 and 2 included conventional GIC and GIC with 1.5% metromidazole, respectively; group 3 had GIC with 0.5% TVE-CuNPs, while group 4 had 0.5% TVE-CuNPs with metronidazole in 1.5%; group 5 had GIC with 0.5% AgNPs, and group 6 had 0.5% AgNPs with metronidazole at 1.5%. An antimicrobial test was performed against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) by the disc diffusion method and the modified direct contact test (MDCT). GIC groups 4 and 6 demonstrated a greater antimicrobial efficiency against the two tested strains than the other groups. In GIC groups 4 and 6, the combination of GIC with two antimicrobial agents, 1.5% metronidazole and 0.5% TVE-CuNPs or AgNPs, enhanced the antimicrobial efficiency when compared to that of the other groups with or without a single agent. GIC group specimens combined with nanosilver and nanocopper had similar mean compressive strengths when compared to the other GIC groups. Finally, the better antimicrobial efficacy of GIC boosted by metronidazole and the tested nanoparticles against the tested strains may be relevant for the future creation of more efficient and modified restorations to reduce dental caries lesions.

Several reports have been shown the pivotal role of oxidative stress in the progression of diabetes mellitus and its complications. Polydatin (PD), a natural phytochemical, has wide range of pharmacological actions, however, the underlying beneficial effects in pancreas was not clarified. In the current study, using in vivo and in vitro models, we investigated the possible protective effects of PD against oxidative damage in pancreatic β-cells. Diabetic rats were examined after oral administration with PD (50 mg/kg b.wt.) for 28 days. Results revealed that PD significantly enhanced glucose tolerance and insulin secretion in the bloodstream of diabetic rats as well as lipid metabolism. Interestingly, in vivo results indicated that PD decreased the lipid peroxidation, improved the antioxidant status, and inhibited the inflammation in pancreas. Alongside, we artificially induced oxidative stress by exposing the insulin-producing RINm5F cells to hydrogen peroxide in the presence or absence of PD. The co-treatment with PD preserved cell viability, reduced ROS accumulation, as well as enhanced the anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, and cell function markers. To conclude, PD exhibited potential action in preserving β-cell function and inhibiting oxidative damage probably through its antioxidant properties. Thus, PD could be a possible therapeutic agent for diabetic patients.

In the present study, Zingiber officinale is used for the synthesis of Zingiber officinale capped silver nanoparticles (ZOE-AgNPs) and compares the antimicrobial efficacy and compressive strength of conventional glass ionomer cement (GIC) combined with ZOE-AgNPs, lyophilized miswak, and chlorhexidine diacetate (CHX) against oral microbes. Five groups of the disc-shaped GIC specimens were prepared. Group A: lyophilized miswak and GIC combination, Group B: ZOE-AgNPs and GIC combinations, Group C: CHX and GIC combination, Group D: ZOE-AgNPs + CHX + GIC; Group E: Conventional GIC. Results confirmed the successful formation of ZOE-AgNPs that was monitored by UV-Vis sharp absorption spectra at 415 nm. The X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) results revealed the formation of ZOE-AgNPs with a mean size 10.5–14.12 nm. The peaks of the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were appearing the involvement of ZOE components onto the surface of ZOE-AgNPs which played as bioreducing, and stabilizing agents. At a 24-h, one-week and three-week intervals, Group D showed the significantly highest mean inhibitory zones compared to Group A, Group B, and Group C. At microbe-level comparison, Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus aureus were inhibited significantly by all the specimens tested except group E when compared to Candida albicans. Group D specimens showed slightly higher (45.8 ± 5.4) mean compressive strength in comparison with other groups. The combination of GIC with ZOE-AgNPs and chlorhexidine together enhanced its antimicrobial efficacy and compressive strength compared to GIC with ZOE-AgNPs or lyophilized miswak or chlorhexidine combination alone. The present study revealed that The combination of GIC with active components of ZOE-AgNPs and chlorhexidine paves the way to lead its effective nano-dental materials applications.

Paratuberculosis (PTB) is a contagious and chronic enteric disease of ruminants and many non-ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), and is characterised by diarrhoea and progressive emaciation with consequent serious economic losses due to death, early culling, and reduced productivity. In addition, indirect economic losses may arise from trade restrictions. Besides being a production limiting disease, PTB is a potential zoonosis; MAP has been isolated from Crohn’s disease patients and was associated with other human diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. Paratuberculosis in sheep and goats may be globally distributed though information on the prevalence and economic impact in many developing countries seem to be scanty. Goats are more susceptible to infection than sheep and both species are likely to develop the clinical disease. Ingestion of feed and water contaminated with faeces of MAP-positive animals is the common route of infection, which then spreads horizontally and vertically. In African countries, PTB has been described as a “neglected disease”, and in small ruminants, which support the livelihood of people in rural areas and poor communities, the disease was rarely reported. Prevention and control of small ruminants’ PTB is difficult because diagnostic assays demonstrate poor sensitivity early in the disease process, in addition to the difficulties in identifying subclinically infected animals. Further studies are needed to provide more insight on molecular epidemiology, transmission, and impact on other animals or humans, socio-economic aspects, prevention and control of small ruminant PTB.

Polyhydroxybutyrates (PHBs) are macromolecules synthesized by bacteria. Because of their fast degradability under natural environmental conditions, PHBs were selected as alternatives for the production of biodegradable plastics. Sixteen PHB-accumulating strains were selected and compared for their ability to accumulate PHB granules inside their cells. Isolate AS-02 was isolated from cattle manure and identified as Bacillus wiedmannii AS-02 OK576278 by means of 16S rRNA analysis. It was found to be the best producer. The optimum pH, temperature, and incubation period for the best PHB production by the isolate were 7, 35 °C, and 72 h respectively. PHB production was the best with peptone and glucose as nitrogen and carbon sources at a C/N ratio of (2:1). The strain was able to accumulate 423, 390, 249, 158, and 144 mg/L PHB when pretreated orange, mango, banana, onion peels, and rice straw were used as carbon sources, respectively. The extracted polymer was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and GC-MS spectroscopy, which confirmed the structure of the polymer as PHB. The isolate B. wiedmannii AS-02 OK576278 can be considered an excellent candidate for industrial production of PHB from agricultural wastes.

Dental caries results from the bacterial pathogen Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and is the maximum critical reason for caries formation. Consequently, the present study aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity of a newly synthesized nanoantibiotic–Biodentine formulation. The silver nanoparticles (ROE-AgNPs) were biosynthesized from the usage of Rosmarinus officinalis L. extract (ROE) and conjugated with cefuroxime to form Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs. Using Biodentine™ (BIOD), five groups of dental materials were prepared, in which Group A included conventional BIOD, Group B included BIOD with ROE-AgNPs, Groups C and D included BIOD with Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs at concentrations of 0.5% and 1.5% cefuroxime, respectively, and Group E included BIOD with 1.5% cefuroxime. The synthesized ROE-AgNPs or Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs were characterized for conjugating efficiency, morphology, particle size, and in vitro release. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the cefuroxime, ROE-AgNPs, and Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs were additionally evaluated against cefuroxime resistant S. mutans, which furthered antibacterial efficacy of the five groups of dental materials. The UV-Visible spectrum showed the ROE-AgNPs or Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs peaks and their formation displayed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, and Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) analysis. The end result of Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs showed conjugating efficiency up to 79%. Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs displayed the highest antibacterial efficacy against S. mutans as compared to cefuroxime or ROE-AgNPs alone. Moreover, the MIC of ROE-AgNPs and Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs was detected against S. mutans to be 25 and 8.5 μg/mL, respectively. Consequently, Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs displayed that a decrease in the MIC reached to more than three-fold less than MIC of ROE-AgNPs on the tested strain. Moreover, Cefuroxime-ROE-AgNPs/BIOD was employed as a novel dental material that showed maximum antimicrobial activity. Groups C and D of novel materials showed inhibitory zones of 19 and 26 mm, respectively, against S. mutans and showed high antimicrobial rates of 85.78% and 91.17%, respectively. These data reinforce the utility of conjugating cefuroxime with ROE-AgNPs to retrieve its efficiency against resistant S. mutant. Moreover, the nanoantibiotic delivered an advantageous antibacterial effect to BIOD, and this may open the door for future conjugation therapy of dental materials against bacteria that cause dental caries.

The study aimed at identifying gender awareness of women’s role among male students. The sample consisted of (200) student from the college of art at Baghdad University and Al Qadisiyah University. The sample was selected randomly and equally from the two universities. In order to achieve this aim, a questioner of 20 items was used. The results of the study refers that male Students have Gender Awareness of Women’s role in society. The results revealed no significant differences due to university, place of residence, and marital status

Introduction : Molecular identification of collected flies is important in forensic entomological analysis guided with accurate evaluation of the chosen genetic marker. The selected mitochondrial DNA segments can be used to properly identify species. The aim of the present study was to determine the reliability of the 635-bp-long cytochrome oxidase II gene (COII) in identification of forensically important flies. Material and methods: Forty-two specimens belonging to 11 species ( Calliphoridae: Chrysomya albiceps , C. rufifacies , C. megacephala , Lucilia sericata , L. cuprina ; Sarcophagidae: Sarcophaga carnaria , S. dux , S. albiceps , Wohlfahrtia nuba ; Muscidae: Musca domestica , M. autumnalis ) were analysed. The selected marker was amplified using PCR followed by sequencing. Nucleotide sequence divergences were calculated using the K2P (Kimura two-parameter) distance model, and a NJ (neighbour-joining) phylogenetic tree was constructed. Results : All examined specimens were assigned to the correct species, formed distinct monophyletic clades and ordered in accordance with their taxonomic classification. Intraspecific variation ranged from 0 to 1% and interspecific variation occurred between 2 and 20%. Conclusions : The 635-bp-long COII marker is suitable for clear differentiation and identification of forensically relevant flies.

Background: Spinal anesthesia is the preferred anesthetic technique for elective Cesarean deliveries. Hypotension is the most common side-effect and has both maternal and neonatal consequences. This study aims to determine the minimum effective volume of hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% with fentanyl in 90% of parturients (MEV90) with different height groups undergoing cesarean section. Patients and Methods: Parturients scheduled for elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia were divided into 3 groups according to their height (ht), group 1 including those with height between 150 and 159 cm, group 2 with ht between 160 and 169 cm and group 3 patients with ht between 170 and 179 cm. The starting volumes were 2.5, 2.6 and 2.7 ml respectively. We identified 3 responses to the injected volume and the volume given to each parturient depends on the response of the previous one. Every patient was assessed for hemodynamics, degree of sensory and motor blocks. Results: Demographically, all the groups were comparable. The study was completed after recruiting 201 patients. The MEV90 for group 1 was approximately 2.62 ml (95% CI, 2.59–2.65 ml), 2.76 ml for group 2 (95% CI, 2.73–2.77 ml) and 2.80 for group 3 (95% CI, 2.76–2.81 ml). None of the babies had an Apgar score below 7 at 1 and 5 min after birth in the 3 groups. Conclusion: The volumes of hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine with fentanyl which produced effective spinal block in 90% of parturients undergoing cesarean deliveries were 2.62, 2.76 and 2.8 ml in the 3 different height groups respectively.

Paratuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), is a chronic wasting disease mainly of domestic and wild ruminants. It occurs worldwide, causing significant economic losses through decreased productivity, low fertility, increased cull rates and mortality. It is listed by the OIE (World Organization for Animal Health) as a disease of concern to trade in animals. Prevalence of this disease can be studied by detecting anti-MAP antibodies by Enzyme linked immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The aim of this study was to investigate the current prevalence of MAP infection in cattle in Khartoum State. The overall apparent prevalence of MAP infection was found to be 6.3% and 18.9% at animal and herd levels, respectively. All seropositive animals were cross-bred females of good body condition; most of them (>90%) were >3 years old and >50% were from medium-sized herds in Omdurman. No significant association (p > 0.05) was found between seropositivity and animal herd size. The prevalence of MAP infection in Khartoum State is still low to medium compared to other parts of the world, but it is comparable to those reported from other African countries. Further studies with the view of designing nationwide surveys in domestic ruminants and camels in other states of the country are needed for establishing control programmes.

Lithium is an integral drug used in the management of acute mania, unipolar and bipolar depression and prophylaxis of bipolar disorders. It has also been shown to reduce suicidal risk and short term mortality. Few experimental studies have demonstrated the thyroid toxicity caused by lithium as well as the possible protective effect of curcumin. Twenty four male albino rats were divided into three groups; group I (control group), group II received lithium carbonate daily for 6 weeks and group III received the same dose of lithium carbonate as group II concomitantly with curcumin for 6 weeks. The specimens were prepared for histopathological, immunohistochemical and biochemical examination. Lithium-induced thyroid dysfunction evidenced by the histopathological and immunohistochemical changes represented by detached cells and vacuolated cytoplasm of some follicular cells and highly significant increase in positive immunostained of thyroglobulin and caspase-3 respectively. Moreover, a significant decrease in serum free triiodothyonine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) concomitant with significantly increased thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and thyroid lipid peroxidation (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels. Curcumin counteracted lithium-induced oxidative stress and inflammation as assessed by restoration of the antioxidant defenses and diminishing of pro-inflammatory cytokines and improvements in the degenerative changes of the thyroid gland. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence that curcumin exerts thyroprotective effects against lithium carbonate mediated by its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effect as indicated by caspase-3. This report also confers that the use of this drug should be justified for long treatment under direct medical supervision.

The DNA analysis is a cornerstone in contemporary forensic sciences. DNA sequencing technologies are powerful tools that enrich molecular sciences in the past based on Sanger sequencing and continue to glowing these sciences based on Next generation sequencing (NGS). Next generation sequencing has excellent potential to flourish and increase the molecular applications in forensic sciences by jumping over the pitfalls of the conventional method of sequencing. The main advantages of NGS compared to conventional method that it utilizes simultaneously a large number of genetic markers with high-resolution of genetic data. These advantages will help in solving several challenges such as mixture analysis and dealing with minute degraded samples. Based on these new technologies, many markers could be examined to get important biological data such as age, geographical origins, tissue type determination, external visible traits and monozygotic twins identification. It also could get data related to microbes, insects, plants and soil which are of great medico-legal importance. Despite the dozens of forensic research involving NGS, there are requirements before using this technology routinely in forensic cases. Thus, there is a great need to more studies that address robustness of these techniques. Therefore, this work highlights the applications of forensic sciences in the era of massively parallel sequencing.

One of the challenges in the preparation of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is to develop new catalytic systems with improved efficiency. A hybrid iron oxide silver catalyst holds promise in solving this issue. Catalysts were prepared at room temperature by a two-step technique. First, iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared by the reduction of FeCl3 using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) at room temperature. Second, magnetic nanoparticles doped with a series of Ag nanoparticles (Ag, Ag/3 –amino propyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and Ag/poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI)). The prepared catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The catalytic activity of Fe, Ag/Fe, PEI–Ag/Fe, and APTES–Ag/Fe in methyl methacrylate (MMA) polymerization was investigated in the presence of O2, N2, NaHSO3, and benzoyl peroxide in bulk or solution conditions. The produced polymer was characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1HNMR). The structures of PEI–Ag/Fe and APTES–Ag/Fe are assumed. The conversion efficiency was 100%, 100%, 97.6%, and 99.1% using Fe, Ag/Fe, PEI–Ag/Fe, and APTES–Ag/Fe catalysts at the optimum conditions, respectively. Hybrid iron oxide silver nanoparticles are promising catalysts for PMMA preparation.

Objectives: To study the knowledge, attitudes, and practices with regard to human immunodeficiency virus infection / acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in illegal residents, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Materials and Methods: A questionnaire study was conducted among the illegal residents from four regions in Saudi Arabia: Jeddah, Makkah, Riyadh, and Jazan. Results: The survey enrolled 5,000 participants, 79%male (39.6% from Jeddah; 20% from Riyadh; and 20% from Jazan), aged between 15 and 45 years. Of the total, 1288 (25.8%) had not heard about HIV/AIDS. Knowledge of HIV transmission was poor in 90% of the respondents. Of the total, 737 had read about HIV/AIDS materials and 649 participants had been previously tested for HIV. The majority of participants (85%) held a negative attitude toward people living with HIV/AIDS. Those who were knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS expressed more a positive attitude. One-fifth (968, majority were men; single 55%, married 45%) had engaged in non-marital sexual activity. The largest proportion of the individuals who had engaged in non-marital sex were single (54.9%) followed by the married ones (40.4%). Men cited pleasure as the main reason for such activity (84.6%), whereas women (73.4%) cited financial gain. Of the respondents, 53.9 and 32.1% believed that TV and schools were the best media through which information with regard to HIV/AIDS could be imparted. Conclusions: Knowledge of HIV/AIDS, its mode of transmission, and prevention measures was poor. Educational programs specifically targeted toward this group were required.

Cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II) and cadmium(II) complexes of new 3-acetyl-4-[(4-aminophenyl)amino]-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one (HL1) derived from dehydroacetic acid and 1,4-diaminobenzene were prepared and characterized. The structural features were determined from their elemental analyses, 1H, and 13C-NMR spectra, molar conductivities, magnetic moments, IR, UVvis. spectra, thermal analyses (D.T.A. and T.G.A.) and E.S.R. measurements. Their magnetic susceptibility measurements and low conductance data provide evidence for the mono- or dimeric and non-electrolytic nature of the solid complexes. The E.S.R. spectra of copper(II) complexes show axial type symmetry with covalent or ionic bond character. The electrochemical behavior of the complexes in DMF (dimethylformamide) solvent at 298 K was studied. The biological activity of the ligand and its metal(II) complexes was also studied. The obtained complexes showed higher activities than the free ligand in protecting the Egyptian cotton fields from Spodoptera littoralis larvae.

bjectives: This study aims to study determinants for the control of diabetes and hypertension in Al Ain Ambulatory Healthcare patients. Method: This is a cross sectional observational study of patients attending ambulatory healthcare centers in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates in 2009. From a yearly audit evaluating the care of patients with diabetes and hypertension, the determinants for improved diabetes and hypertension outcomes were identified from a total of 512 patients and its association with glycemic and blood pressure control were studied. Results: From all variables studied, only the clinic where the patient was treated helped predict both improved blood sugar and blood pressure control. For patients with diabetes, poor control the year before (p