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Tabuk region is one of the largest regions in Saudi Arabia in terms of area. The most important challenges that can face agriculture in the region are weeds and environmental damage resulting from human activities. This study was prepared to know the relationship between the physical and chemical components of soil and the spread of weeds in the farms of the region. So field trips were conducted to the study area, then the area was divided into 4 sites, each site was divided into three parts, then divided into ten squares with an area of 1 m² . The plant species were identified and named according to the flora books of Saudi Arabia. A total of 65 samples with an amount of 1 kg of soil were collected to a depth of one foot from more than one location. The correlation between the distribution of study sites on the coordination axes (CCA), and the first axis (AX1) was positive with the phosphorous element (r = 0.58). The second axis showed a positive correlation with chlorine (r = 0.46) and calcium (r = 0.42), and a negative correlation with each of the soil organic matter (r = -0.62), soil pH (r = -0.65). The third axis also showed a negative correlation with HCO3 bicarbonate (r = -0.69) and EC (r = 0.42). The distribution of plants and their relationship to soil factors showed that there are ten plant species whose presence is associated with phosphorous. Multi-dimensional analysis trends for locations and plant species in the study area in Tabuk region using the TWA program TWINSPAN, Coordination (DCA: DECORANA) led to the division into four plant communities and their distribution was related to soil properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The region of the Arab peninsula has a diversity of plants and animals. Grazing on natural rangeland plants may have a neutral, positive, or negative impact on both animals and plants as well depending on several factors. Grazing environmental forces includes herbivory, physical impact, and deposition. When animals graze on plants, they show a hierarchy that leads to understanding instinctive responses and behavioral activities. Mouth anatomy of goats gives them the merit of capability of selecting plants in the range, while that of sheep enables them to graze quite near the ground. Preference is a behavioral trait that includes the proportional selection of plant species from a group of two or more. Animal behavioral preference in governed by abundance of a plant species, its morphological features, the animal species in question and the variety of species available. Animals have two distinct acquired behaviors (i.e. evolutionary and field acquired). Forage quality and quantity were inversely proportional to the ratio of spent time to graze in group to the region taken in the landscape, to be concluded that wild plants affect grazing animals by modifying their behaviors to adapt the current situation in the range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation revealed that there are 42 species belonging to fifteen families in eleven governorates of KSA. The highest number (seven) and percentage (20.60%) of introduced species were recorded in Dammam and Riyadh, while, the lowest values were recorded in the regions of Al-Baha, AlGhat and Jizan (one and 2.94%). As for Al-Baha a large number of introduced species (nineteen, 46.34%) were recorded, nearly half of the number of species examined, while no invasive species were recorded in Bisha, Dammam, and Tabuk. The life growth of the introduced species ranges from trees to young weeds. Phanerophytes (45%) had the highest proportion of life expectancy for the introduced plants, followed by Therophyte (40%) and Chamaephytes (15%), while the highest percentage (63%) among life ratios of the introduced and invasive plants was recorded for Therophyte, and the percentage of life growth of introduced plants indicates the dominance of herbs among other life forms. Regarding the total growth of life, the highest recorded percentage was in herbs (50%), followed by shrubs (19.05%), trees (16.67%), bush (9.52%) and grass (4.76%). The biological growth of weeds was dominant for the invasive plant species, followed by trees in the introduced species, and shrubs and trees in the introduced and invasive species. These indicate that the annual species and invasive weeds are better adapted to the environmental conditions in the studied areas in KSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and etiology of kidney failure (KF) among children below 15 years of age receiving chronic dialysis in Saudi Arabia and describe their dialysis modalities., Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 8 August 2022, encompassing all 23 pediatric dialysis centers in Saudi Arabia. Data gathered comprised patient demographics, causes of KF, and the dialysis methods employed. Collected data underwent analysis to determine prevalence of children undergoing chronic dialysis, discern underlying causes of KF, and evaluate distribution of patients across different dialysis modalities., Results: The prevalence of children on chronic dialysis is 77.6 per million children living in Saudi Arabia, equating to 419 children. The predominant underlying cause of KF was congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT), representing a substantial 41% of cases. Following this, others or unknown etiologies accounted for a noteworthy 25% of cases, with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) comprising 13%, glomerulonephritis at 11%, and congenital nephrotic syndrome contributing 10% to etiological distribution. Regarding dialysis modalities employed, 67% of patients were on peritoneal dialysis (PD), while the remaining 33% were on hemodialysis (HD)., Conclusions: This first nationwide study of pediatric chronic dialysis in Saudi Arabia sheds light on the prevalence of children undergoing chronic dialysis and underlying causes of their KF, thereby contributing to our understanding of clinical management considerations. This research serves as a stepping stone for the development of national registries., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Pediatric Nephrology Association.)

Background and objectives: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of immature myeloid cells. Immune checkpoint molecules such as programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3) are essential for controlling anti-tumor immune responses. This study aims to explore the correlation between specific genetic variations (SNPs) in the PDCD1 (rs2227981) and LAG3 (rs12313899) genes and the likelihood of developing AML in the Saudi population. Material and methods : total of 98 Saudi AML patients and 131 healthy controls were genotyped for the PDCD1 rs2227981 and LAG3 rs12313899 polymorphisms using TaqMan genotyping assays. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship between the SNPs and AML risk using several genetic models. Results : The results revealed a significant association between the PDCD1 rs2227981 polymorphism and increased AML risk. In AML patients, the frequency of the G allele was considerably greater than in healthy controls (OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.31-2.81, p = 0.00080). The GG and AG genotypes were associated with a very high risk of developing AML ( p < 0.0001). In contrast, no significant association was observed between the LAG3 rs12313899 polymorphism and AML risk in the studied population. In silico analysis of gene expression profiles from public databases suggested the potential impact of PDCD1 expression levels on the overall survival of AML patients. Conclusions : This study provides evidence for the association of the PDCD1 rs2227981 polymorphism with an increased risk for AML in the Saudi population.

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is able to grow and complete its life cycle while being rooted in highly saline soils. Which of the many well-known salt-tolerance strategies are combined to fine-tune this remarkable resilience is unknown. The precise location, whether in the shoot or the root, where these strategies are employed remains uncertain, leaving us unaware of how the various known salt-tolerance mechanisms are integrated to fine-tune this remarkable resilience. To address this shortcoming, we exposed date palm to a salt stress dose equivalent to seawater for up to 4 weeks and applied integrative multi-omics analyses followed by targeted metabolomics, hormone, and ion analyses. Integration of proteomic into transcriptomic data allowed a view beyond simple correlation, revealing a remarkably high degree of convergence between gene expression and protein abundance. This sheds a clear light on the acclimatization mechanisms employed, which depend on reprogramming of protein biosynthesis. For growth in highly saline habitats, date palm effectively combines various salt-tolerance mechanisms found in both halophytes and glycophytes: "avoidance" by efficient sodium and chloride exclusion at the roots, and "acclimation" by osmotic adjustment, reactive oxygen species scavenging in leaves, and remodeling of the ribosome-associated proteome in salt-exposed root cells. Combined efficiently as in P. dactylifera L., these sets of mechanisms seem to explain the palm's excellent salt stress tolerance., (© 2023 The Authors. The Plant Genome published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Crop Science Society of America.)

Our present study focuses on examining the thermal, structural and luminescent characteristics of sodium barium metaphosphate glasses doped with Sm 3+ . Glass samples with molar compositions (100 - y )[(50P 2 O 5 )-(50- x Na 2 O)-( x BaO)]- y Sm 2 O 3 , where x = 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and y = 0.3 and 1% were first synthesized by conventional melt quenching and later dehydroxylated under a constant N 2 flow to ensure final glasses with a very high degree of chemical and optical homogeneity and free of water. Upon the addition of BaO and Sm 2 O 3 , refractive index, molar mass, density, glass transition temperature and dilatometric softening temperature exhibited an increase, whereas the coefficient of thermal expansion showed a decrease. The FTIR spectra analysis reveals a network depolymerization that intensifies with rising BaO concentration, ultimately transitioning from a modifier oxide to a glass-forming element, at higher BaO concentrations. All doped samples exhibited prominent absorption bands in the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) regions, as revealed by the optical absorption spectra. The Na 2 O modifier demonstrated greater influence on Sm 3+ emission compared to BaO, a phenomenon that can explained by the moderation of the local ligand field strength resulting from this substitution. With an increase in Sm 2 O 3 concentration from 0.3 to 1 mol%, the experimental lifetimes of the 4 G 5/2 level decrease, primarily attributed to the presence of energy transfer mechanisms. A discussion of Judd-Ofelt parameter analysis and glass radiation properties will be presented., Competing Interests: 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., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Our research introduces a novel ternary nanocomposite consisting of polyethyl methacrylate/polyvinyl chloride-Zinc sulphide nanoparticles (PEMA/PVC@ZnS). Zinc sulphide (ZnS) nanoparticles were produced via a chemical method and then dispersed at different concentrations (0.02, 0.05, 0.08, and 0.1 wt%) in a single step within the PEMA/PVC blend. The resulting PEMA/PVC@ZnS nanocomposite films were analyzed to investigate their spectroscopic and electrical properties. The dielectric parameters of the samples were also studied in detail. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data indicated an increase in the amorphous region and demonstrated the interaction between ZnS and PEMA/PVC. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) results confirmed the specific interactions in PEMA/PVC@ZnS nanocomposites. The synthesized films showed a distinct absorption band at 432 nm, which was attributed to the ZnS surface plasmon resonance. As the concentration of ZnS in PEMA/PVC increased, the band gap energies decreased for both direct and forbidden transitions. Optical parameters such as the extinction coefficient (k), refractive index (n), dielectric constants ( ε ' and ε ''), optical conductivity (σ (opt. ), and photoluminescence (PL) were also studied. The values of dielectric permittivity and dielectric modulus from AC measurement of PEMA/PVC@ZnS nanocomposite films increased with increasing ZnS content. The data suggest that PEMA/PVC@ZnS nanocomposite films exhibit excellent optical and electronic properties, making them suitable for use in various electric and optoelectric applications., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2023 The Author.)

Introduction: The search for biomarkers to predict radiosensitivity is important not only to individualize radiotherapy of cancer patients but also to forecast radiation exposure risks. The aim of this study was to devise a machine-learning method to stratify radiosensitivity and to investigate its association with genome-wide copy number variations (CNVs) as markers of sensitivity to ionizing radiation., Methods: We used the Affymetrix CytoScan HD microarrays to survey common CNVs in 129 fibroblast cell strains. Radiosensitivity was measured by the surviving fraction at 2 Gy (SF2). We applied a dynamic programming (DP) algorithm to create a piecewise (segmented) multivariate linear regression model predicting SF2 and to identify SF2 segment-related distinctive CNVs., Results: SF2 ranged between 0.1384 and 0.4860 (mean=0.3273 The DP algorithm provided optimal segmentation by defining batches of radio-sensitive (RS), normally-sensitive (NS), and radio-resistant (RR) responders. The weighted mean relative errors (MRE) decreased with increasing the segments' number. The borders of the utmost segments have stabilized after partitioning SF2 into 5 subranges., Discussion: The 5-segment model associated C-3SFBP marker with the most-RS and C-7IUVU marker with the most-RR cell strains. Both markers were mapped to gene regions (MCC and SLC1A6, respectively). In addition, C-3SFBP marker is also located in enhancer and multiple binding motifs. Moreover, for most CNVs significantly correlated with SF2, the radiosensitivity increased with the copy-number decrease.In conclusion, the DP-based piecewise multivariate linear regression method helps narrow the set of CNV markers from the whole radiosensitivity range to the smaller intervals of interest. Notably, SF2 partitioning not only improves the SF2 estimation but also provides distinctive markers. Ultimately, segment-related markers can be used, potentially with tissues' specific factors or other clinical data, to identify radiotherapy patients who are most RS and require reduced doses to avoid complications and the most RR eligible for dose escalation to improve outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Tobiasz, Al-Harbi, Bin Judia, Majid Wakil, Polanska and Alsbeih.)

This research paper aims to fabricate flexible PVA/Cs/TiO 2 nanocomposite films consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), chitosan (Cs), and titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) for application in energy storage devices. The samples were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques. The impact of TiO 2 on the electrical impedance, conductivity, permittivity, and energy efficiency of the PVA/Cs was determined in a frequency range of 100 Hz to 5 GHz. The XRD, FTIR, and EDX results showed the successful fabrications of the PVA/Cs/TiO 2 . The SEM and AFM images illustrated that the TiO 2 was loaded and distributed homogenously in PVA/Cs chains. In addition, the electrical conductivity was enhanced from 0.04 × 10 -7 S.cm -1 of PVA/Cs to 0.25 × 10 -7 S.cm -1 and 5.75 × 10 -7 S.cm -1 , respectively, for the composite PVA/Cs/0.01TiO 2 and PVA/Cs/0.1TiO 2 , and the dielectric constant grew from 2.46 for PVA/Cs to 7.38 and 11.93, respectively. These results revealed that modifications were made to the produced films, paving the way for using the composite PVA/Cs/TiO 2 films in different energy applications, such as electronic circuits and supercapacitors.

Air breakdown is generated by a 1064 nm nanosecond pulsed laser beam, and laser energy deposited in the breakdown ( E d ), transmitted through the plasma region ( E t ) and carried away by the shock wave ( E s ) is estimated for the incident laser energy ( E i ) range of 60-273 mJ. The E d is approximately 85% of E i at 60 mJ, rapidly increasing to 92% at 102 mJ. The shock wave front velocity and radius are measured as a function of E i and propagation distance. The shock wave velocity nicely follows the v ∝ E i 0.3 trend predicted by the laser-supported detonation wave model. The Sedov-Taylor theory is used to estimate E s , which rapidly increases with E i , but E i to E s conversion linearly decreases from 83% to 48%. At lower values of E i , most of the laser energy is carried away by the shock wave, whereas the laser energy used in plasma heating or released in the form of electromagnetic and thermal radiation becomes important at higher laser energies. This implies that laser energy partitioning is highly dependent on the value of incident laser energy. These findings provide important insights into the fundamental physics of air breakdown and will be useful in a variety of applications such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, laser ignition, and laser propulsion.

The present work aimed to fabricate a set of hybrid bioactive membrane in the form of bio-nanocomposite films for dental applications using the casting dissolution procedures. The formulation of the targeted materials was consisting of cellulose acetate/bioactive glass/hydroxyapatite/carbon nanotubes with a general abbreviation CA-HAP-BG-SWCNTs. The nanocomposites were characterized using XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX and Raman spectroscopy. XRD, FTIR and SEM characters confirm the nanocomposites formation with good compatibility. The fabricated materials had a semi crystalline structure. The mechanical and thermal properties, as well as contact angle and bioactivity of the fabricated nanocomposites were investigated. The SEM images for showed beehive-like architectures with a thicker frame for the second material. All fabricated materials showed good thermal behaviors. Furthermore, the agar diffusion antimicrobial study showed that the prepared nanocomposites do not exhibit an antibacterial activity against five pathogenic bacterial strains. Additionally, cytotoxicity of a dental nanocomposite filling agent was evaluated. Vero normal cells were incubated with test materials for 72h at 37 °C and 5% CO 2 . Cell viability was detected using a SRB assay. All nanocomposites were mildly to non-cytotoxic to Vero cells at high concentration in contrast to the inhibitory effect of doxorubicin which was added at 10-fold lower concertation than the nanocomposites. Hence, the proposed nanocomposite is promising candidates for dental applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) has been identified as an immunosuppressive molecule involved in the negative regulation of T cells. It is highly expressed in several types of autoimmune diseases and cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). (1) Objective: To explore the association between CTLA-4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and risk to (CRC) in the Saudi population. (2) Methods: In this case-control study, 100 patients with CRC and 100 matched healthy controls were genotyped for three CTLA-4 SNPs: rs11571317 (-658C > T), rs231775 (+49A > G) and rs3087243 (CT60 G > A), using TaqMan assay method. Associations were evaluated using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for five inheritance models (co-dominant, dominant, recessive, over-dominant and log-additive). Furthermore, CTLA-4 expression levels were evaluated using quantitative real-time PCR (Q-RT-PCR) in colon cancer and adjacent colon tissues. (3) Results: Our result showed a significant association of the G allele (OR = 2.337, p < 0.0001) and GG genotype of the missense SNP +49A > G with increased risk of developing CRC in codominant (OR = 8.93, p < 0.0001) and recessive (OR = 16.32, p < 0.0001) models. Inversely, the AG genotype was significantly associated with decreased risk to CRC in the codominant model (OR = 0.23, p < 0.0001). In addition, the CT60 G > A polymorphism exhibited a strong association with a high risk of developing CRC for the AA genotype in codominant (OR = 3.323, p = 0.0053) and in allele models (OR = 1.816, p = 0.005). No significant association was found between -658C > T and CRC. The haplotype analysis showed that the G-A-G haplotype of the rs11571317, rs231775 and rs3087243 was associated with high risk for CRC (OR = 57.66; p < 0.001). The CTLA-4 mRNA gene expression was found significantly higher in tumors compared to normal adjacent colon samples ( p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions : Our findings support an association between the CTLA-4 rs231775 (+49A > G) and rs3087243 (CT60 G > A) polymorphisms and CRC risk in the Saudi population. Further validation in a larger cohort size is needed prior to utilizing these SNPs as a potential screening marker in the Saudi population.

This article aims to investigate the analytical nature and approximate solution of the radiated flow of electrically conductive viscous fluid into a porous medium with slip effects (RFECVF). In order to build acceptable accurate solutions for RFECVF, this study presented an efficient Levenberg-Marquardt technique of artificial neural networks (LMT-ANNs) approach. One of its fastest back-propagation algorithms for nonlinear lowest latency is the LMT. To turn a quasi-network of PDEs expressing RFECVF into a set of standards, the appropriate adjustments are required. During the flow, the boundary is assumed to be convective. The flow and heat transfer are governed by partial differential equations, and similarity transform is the main tool to convert it into a coupled nonlinear system of ODEs. The usefulness of the constructed LMT-ANNs for such a modelled issue is demonstrated by the best promising algebraic outputs in the E-03 to E-08 range, as well as error histogram and regression analysis measures. Mu is a controller that oversees the entire training procedure. The LMT-ANNs mainly focuses on the higher accuracy of nonlinear systems. Analytical results for the improved boundary layer ODEs are produced using the Variational Iteration Method, a tried-and-true method (VIM). The Lagrange Multiplier is a powerful tool in the suggested method for reducing the amount of computing required. Further, a tabular comparison is provided to demonstrate the usefulness of this study. The final results of the Variational Iteration Method (VIM) in MATLAB have accurately depicted the physical characteristics of a number of parameters, including Eckert, Prandtl, Magnetic, and Thermal radiation parameters., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The artificial intelligence based neural networking with Back Propagated Levenberg-Marquardt method (NN-BPLMM) is developed to explore the modeling of double-diffusive free convection nanofluid flow considering suction/injection, Brownian motion and thermophoresis effects past an inclined permeable sheet implanted in a porous medium. By applying suitable transformations, the PDEs presenting the proposed problem are transformed into ordinary ones. A reference dataset of NN-BPLMM is fabricated for multiple influential variants of the model representing scenarios by applying Lobatto III-A numerical technique. The reference data is trained through testing, training and validation operations to optimize and compare the approximated solution with desired (standard) results. The reliability, steadiness, capability and robustness of NN-BPLMM is authenticated through MSE based fitness curves, error through histograms, regression illustrations and absolute errors. The investigations suggest that the temperature enhances with the upsurge in thermophoresis impact during suction and decays for injection, whereas increasing Brownian effect decreases the temperature in the presence of wall suction and reverse behavior is seen for injection. The best measures of performance in form of mean square errors are attained as 7.1058 × 10 - 10 , 2.9262 × 10 - 10 , 1.1652 × 10 - 08 , 1.5657 × 10 - 10 and 5.5652 × 10 - 10 against 969, 824, 467, 277 and 650 iterations. The comparative study signifies the authenticity of proposed solver with the absolute errors about 10 -7 to 10 -3 for all influential parameters results., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Microbial Electrolysis Cells (MECs) are one of the bioreactors that have been used to produce bio-hydrogen by biological methods. The objective of this comprehensive review is to study the effects of MEC configuration (single-chamber and double-chamber), electrode materials (anode and cathode), substrates (sodium acetate, glucose, glycerol, domestic wastewater and industrial wastewater), pH, temperature, applied voltage and nanomaterials at maximum bio-hydrogen production rates (Bio-HPR). The obtained results were summarized based on the use of nanomaterials as electrodes, substrates, pH, temperature, applied voltage, Bio-HPR, columbic efficiency (CE) and cathode bio-hydrogen recovery (C Bio-HR). At the end of this review, future challenges for improving bio-hydrogen production in the MEC are also discussed.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are an environmentally friendly technology and a source of renewable energy. It is used to generate electrical energy from organic waste using bacteria, which is an effective technology in wastewater treatment. The anode and the cathode electrodes and proton exchange membranes (PEM) are important components affecting the performance and operation of MFC. Conventional materials used in the manufacture of electrodes and membranes are insufficient to improve the efficiency of MFC. The use of nanomaterials in the manufacture of the anode had a prominent effect in improving the performance in terms of increasing the surface area, increasing the transfer of electrons from the anode to the cathode, biocompatibility, and biofilm formation and improving the oxidation reactions of organic waste using bacteria. The use of nanomaterials in the manufacture of the cathode also showed the improvement of cathode reactions or oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). The PEM has a prominent role in separating the anode and the cathode in the MFC, transferring protons from the anode chamber to the cathode chamber while preventing the transfer of oxygen. Nanomaterials have been used in the manufacture of membrane components, which led to improving the chemical and physical properties of the membranes and increasing the transfer rates of protons, thus improving the performance and efficiency of MFC in generating electrical energy and improving wastewater treatment.

The potential of the surface dielectric barrier discharge technique (SDBD) was evaluated to decontaminate the date palm fruit. Preliminary investigations emphasized that Aspergillus niger fungus was predominant in most date samples as a post-harvest infestation. The influence of SDBD techniques on the viability of A. niger isolated from date varieties was investigated and documented. Physical and chemical characterizations of treated dates were assessed, and statistical correlation coefficients were calculated and elucidated. A 4 log 10 reduction of A. niger radial growth was observed at 3 min exposure/15 days of incubation. Simultaneous reductions in pH, water activity, and moisture content of treated dates were observed when compared to untreated dates. Statistical analysis showed a positive correlation between physical and chemical variables with the viability of A. niger in treated samples. Therefore, we believe that SDBD treatment will be a promising technique for decontaminating date fruits from attacked fungi, which will positively impact sustainable food security and consumer health., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Checkpoint programmed death-1 (PD-1) has been identified as an immunosuppressive molecule implicated in the immune evasion of transformed cells. It is highly expressed in tumor cells in order to evade host immunosurveillance. In this study, we aimed to assess the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of PD-1 and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the Saudi population. For this case-control study, the TaqMan assay method was used for genotyping three SNPs in the PD-1 gene in 100 CRC patients and 100 healthy controls. Associations were estimated using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for multiple inheritance models (codominant, dominant, recessive, over-dominant, and log-additive). Moreover, PD-1 gene expression levels were evaluated using quantitative real-time PCR in colon cancer tissue and adjacent colon tissues. We found that the PD-1 rs10204525 A allele was associated with an increased risk of developing CRC (OR = 2.35; p = 0.00657). In addition, the PD-1 rs10204525 AA homozygote genotype was associated with a high risk of developing CRC in the codominant (OR = 21.65; p = 0.0014), recessive (OR = 10.97; p = 0.0015), and additive (OR = 1.98; p = 0.012) models. A weak protective effect was found for the rs2227981 GG genotype (OR = 2.52; p = 0.034), and no significant association was found between the rs2227982 and CRC. Haplotype analysis showed that the rs10204525, rs2227981, rs2227982 A-A-G haplotype was associated with a significantly increased risk of CRC (OR = 6.79; p =0.031).

To cope with the shortage of filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, healthcare institutions were forced to reuse FFRs after applying different decontamination methods including gamma-irradiation (GIR). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of GIR on the filtration efficiency (FE) of FFRs and on SARS-CoV-2 detection. The FE of 2 FFRs types (KN95 and N95-3 M masks) was assessed at different particle sizes (0.3-5 µm) following GIR (0-15 kGy) delivered at either typical (1.65 kGy/h) or low (0.5088 kGy/h) dose rates. The detection of two SARS-CoV-2 RNA genes (E and RdRp4) following GIR (0-50 kGy) was carried out using RT-qPCR assay. Both masks showed an overall significant (P < 0.001) reduction in FE with increased GIR doses. No significant differences were observed between GIR dose rates on FE. The GIR exhibited significant increases (P ≤ 0.001) in the cycle threshold values (ΔCt) of both genes, with no detection following high doses. In conclusion, complete degradation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be achieved by high GIR (≥ 30 kGy), suggesting its potential use in FFRs decontamination. However, GIR exhibited adverse effects on FE in dose- and particle size-dependent manners, rendering its use to decontaminate FFRs debatable., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

We tested the hypothesis that differences in DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair fidelity underlies differences in individual radiosensitivity and, consequently, normal tissue reactions to radiotherapy. Fibroblast cultures derived from a radio-sensitive (RS) breast cancer patient with grade 3 adverse reactions to radiotherapy were compared with normal control (NC) and hyper-radiosensitive ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) cells. DSB repair and repair fidelity were studied by Southern blotting and hybridization to Alu repetitive sequence and to a specific 3.2-Mbp Not I restriction fragment on chromosome 21, respectively. Results for DNA repair kinetics using the Not I fidelity assay showed significant differences ( P < 0.001) with higher levels of misrepaired (misrejoined and unrejoined) DSBs in RS and ATM compared with NC. At 24-h postradiation, the relative fractions of misrepaired DSBs were 10.64, 23.08, and 44.70% for NC, RS, and ATM, respectively. The Alu assay showed significant ( P < 0.05) differences in unrepaired DSBs only between the ATM and both NC and RS at the time points of 12 and 24 h. At 24 h, the relative percentages of DSBs unrepaired were 1.33, 3.43, and 12.13% for NC, RS, and ATM, respectively. The comparison between the two assays indicated an average of 5-fold higher fractions of misrepaired ( Not I assay) than unrepaired ( Alu assay) DSBs. In conclusion, this patient with increased radiotoxicity displayed more prominent misrepaired than unrepaired DSBs, suggesting that DNA repair fidelity is a potential marker for the adverse reactions to radiotherapy. More studies are required to confirm these results and further develop DSB repair fidelity as a hallmark biomarker for interindividual differences in radiosensitivity., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Alsbeih, Al-Harbi, Ismail and Story.)

First-line antituberculosis (anti-TB) compounds have been considered as proven components of the Directly Observed Treatment-Short course (DOTS). Drug therapy against tuberculosis has been categorized as I, II, or III following the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program guidelines. Anti-TB are drugs are quite common and show limited adverse effects. However, first-line anti-TB compounds mediated DOTS therapy and were found with several complications. Thus, those drugs have been discontinued. Therefore, the present study was designed to find out the possible impact of socioeconomic, income, and educational status on the adverse effects of drugs and their therapeutic episodes in patients targeted with a combination of tuberculosis intervention. This study found that an increased incidence of tuberculosis was found in patients who have finished high school, contributing to a high percentage of adverse effects. Notably, adverse events were shown maximally in poor patients compared with rich- or high-income patients. On the contrary, a high prevalence of adverse events was shown to be increased in partially skilled workers compared with full-skilled workers. Consequently, adversely considerable events were implicated to be raised in patients associated with minimal socioeconomic class. Such interesting factors would help in monitoring such events in experimental patients., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Regenerative medicine is a field that aims to influence and improvise the processes of tissue repair and restoration and to assist the body to heal and recover. In the field of hard tissue regeneration, bio-inert materials are being predominantly used, and there is a necessity to use bioactive materials that can help in better tissue-implant interactions and facilitate the healing and regeneration process. One such bioactive material that is being focused upon and studied extensively in the past few decades is bioactive glass (BG). The original bioactive glass (45S5) is composed of silicon dioxide, sodium dioxide, calcium oxide, and phosphorus pentoxide and is mainly referred to by its commercial name Bioglass. BG is mainly used for bone tissue regeneration due to its osteoconductivity and osteostimulation properties. The bioactivity of BG, however, is highly dependent on the compositional ratio of certain glass-forming system content. The manipulation of content ratio and the element compositional flexibility of BG-forming network developed other types of bioactive glasses with controllable chemical durability and chemical affinity with bone and bioactivity. This review article mainly discusses the basic information about silica-based bioactive glasses, including their composition, processing, and properties, as well as their medical applications such as in bone regeneration, as bone grafts, and as dental implant coatings.

There is a growing interest in standardizing gene-disease associations for the purpose of facilitating the proper classification of variants in the context of Mendelian diseases. One key line of evidence is the independent observation of pathogenic variants in unrelated individuals with similar phenotypes. Here, we expand on our previous effort to exploit the power of autozygosity to produce homozygous pathogenic variants that are otherwise very difficult to encounter in the homozygous state due to their rarity. The identification of such variants in genes with only tentative associations to Mendelian diseases can add to the existing evidence when observed in the context of compatible phenotypes. In this study, we report 20 homozygous variants in 18 genes ( ADAMTS18, ARNT2, ASTN1, C3, DMBX1, DUT, GABRB3, GM2A, KIF12, LOXL3, NUP160, PTRHD1, RAP1GDS1, RHOBTB2, SIGMAR1, SPAST, TENM3 , and WASHC5 ) that satisfy the ACMG classification for pathogenic/likely pathogenic if the involved genes had confirmed rather than tentative links to diseases. These variants were selected because they were truncating, founder with compelling segregation or supported by robust functional assays as with the DUT variant that we present its validation using yeast model. Our findings support the previously reported disease associations for these genes and represent a step toward their confirmation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Maddirevula, Shamseldin, Sirr, AlAbdi, Lo, Ewida, Al-Qahtani, Hashem, Abdulwahab, Aboyousef, Kaya, Monies, Salem, Al Harbi, Aldhalaan, Alzaidan, Almanea, Alsalamah, Al Mutairi, Ismail, Abdel-Salam, Alhashem, Asery, Faqeih, AlQassmi, Al-Hamoudi, Algoufi, Shagrani, Dudley and Alkuraya.)

Composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer, potassium carbonate (K 2 CO 3 ) salt, and silica (SiO 2 ) filler was investigated and optimized in this study for improved ionic conductivity and potential window for use in electrochemical devices. Various quantities of SiO 2 in wt.% were incorporated into PVA-K 2 CO 3 complex to prepare the CPEs. To study the effect of SiO 2 on PVA-K 2 CO 3 composites, the developed electrolytes were characterized for their chemical structure (FTIR), morphology (FESEM), thermal stabilities (TGA), glass transition temperature (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)), ionic conductivity using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and potential window using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). Physicochemical characterization results based on thermal and structural analysis indicated that the addition of SiO 2 enhanced the amorphous region of the PVA-K 2 CO 3 composites which enhanced the dissociation of the K 2 CO 3 salt into K + and CO 3 2 - and thus resulting in an increase of the ionic conduction of the electrolyte. An optimum ionic conductivity of 3.25 × 10 - 4 and 7.86 × 10 - 3 mScm - 1 at ambient temperature and at 373.15 K, respectively, at a potential window of 3.35 V was observed at a composition of 15 wt.% SiO 2 . From FESEM micrographs, the white granules and aggregate seen on the surface of the samples confirm that SiO 2 particles have been successfully dispersed into the PVA-K 2 CO 3 matrix. The observed ionic conductivity increased linearly with increase in temperature confirming the electrolyte as temperature-dependent. Based on the observed performance, it can be concluded that the CPEs based on PVA-K 2 CO 3 -SiO 2 composites could serve as promising candidate for portable and flexible next generation energy storage devices.

Aim and Objective: This study aimed to digitally analyze the 3-dimensional variations existing between conventional impressions and intraoral scans made in edentulous maxillae., Materials and Methods: Ten ( n = 10) edentulous maxillae of patients seeking a maxillary complete denture were scanned using an intraoral scanner. The same participants were subject to the conventional impression procedure for the fabrication of maxillary complete dentures. The dentures' intaglio surfaces were scanned and superimposed over their corresponding IOS files with a 2-base best-fit alignment. Deviation analyses were calculated using the digital subtraction technique. Four anatomical regions were preselected to evaluate the deviations at these sites (posterior palatal seal, anterior border seal, the crest of the ridge and palate)., Results: Based on the results and color maps of all selected regions, the overall difference between the two scans [IOS and denture intaglio surface scanning (DISS)] was not significant. The IOS technique allowed for predictable outcomes of treatment compared to those observed with conventional impression. The palatal area seems to be the region with the least deviation, while the highest incidence of discrepancy was reported in the anterior border seal., Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the IOS technique allowed the capturing of intraoral tissues and their immediate interpretation and transfer to a designing software making the impression procedure faster and easier., Clinical Significance: The computer-aided design (CAD)/computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technologies can help overcome many limitations related to conventional impressions and therefore should be well investigated to improve the edentulous patient's quality of life.

Acinetobacter spp. has gained fame from their ability to resist difficult conditions and their constant development of antimicrobial resistance. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, susceptibility testing, OXA carbapenemase-encoding genes, and RAPD-genotyping of multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii incriminated in hidden community-acquired infections in Egypt. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was assessed phenotypically using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Also, Modified-Hodge test (MHT) was carried out to detect the carbapenemases production. Multiplex-PCR was used to detect the carbapenemase-encoding genes. Furthermore, the genetic relationship among the isolated strains was investigated using RAPD fingerprinting. The bacteriological examination revealed that, out of 200 Gram-negative non-fermentative isolates, 44 (22%) were identified phenotypically and biochemically as Acinetobacter spp. and 23 (11.5%) were molecularly confirmed as A. baumannii . The retrieved A. baumannii strains were isolated from urine (69%), sputum (22%), and cerebrospinal fluid (csf) (9%). The isolated A. baumannii strains exhibited multidrug resistance and the production rates of carbapenemases were 56.5, 60.9, and 78.3% with meropenem, imipenem, and ertapenem disks, respectively. The bla OXA-24 -like genes were the most predominant among the tested strains (65.2%), followed by bla OXA-23 (30.4%) and bla OXA-58 (17.4%), in addition, the examined strains are harbored IMP, VIM, and NDM genes with prevalence of 60.9, 43.5, and 13%, respectively, while KPC and GES genes were not detected. RAPD-PCR revealed that the examined strains are clustered into 11 different genotypes at ≥90% similarity. Briefly, to the best of our knowledge, this study is the first report concerning community-associated A. baumannii infections in Egypt. The high prevalence of hidden multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) A. baumannii strains associated with non-hospitalized patients raises an alarm for healthcare authorities to set strict standards to control the spread of such pathogens with high rates of morbidity and mortality.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between abnormal hemoglobin (Hb) level and stroke severity (as assessed by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS]). The study further aimed to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of stroke patients in the middle region of Saudi Arabia., Methodology: We performed a retrospective review of all medical records of the stroke patients who were treated at a major hospital in Qassim province between 2016 and 2018. Reviewed data (n = 400) included demographics, Hb level on admission, type of stroke (ischemic vs. hemorrhagic), stroke risk factors, and NIHSS scores. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used to assess the univariate association between NIHSS and Hb level. Regression statistics were utilized to examine the effect of abnormal Hb level on NIHSS scores while controlling for the other study variables. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences., Results: Sixty-nine percent of the patients were men. More young women than men (≤39 years) had a stroke. Ischemic stroke is considerably more common than hemorrhagic stroke (a ratio of 12.7:1). ANOVA test showed that the mean score of NIHSS was significantly lower among patients with a normal Hb level. Regression showed that NIHSS scores were significantly associated with abnormal Hb level, in terms of low and high level., Conclusions: This study demonstrated further evidence of the association between abnormal Hb level NIHSS. Thus, our results emphasize the predictive importance of Hb level on identifying individuals who might be at higher risk of worse neurological outcomes after stroke. Physicians need to be cognizant of the negative effect of abnormal Hb level on the outcomes of stroke patients., (Copyright: © International Journal of Health Sciences.)