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BackgroundThe adoption rate of digital health in the health care sector is low in many countries. A facilitating factor for successful implementation and adoption of digital health is acceptance by current and future health care professionals. ObjectiveThis study was conducted to identify factors associated with willingness to use digital health tools in patient care among health care professionals and students. MethodsThis was a quantitative cross-sectional survey study conducted among health care professionals and students at a university hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A nonprobability convenience sampling procedure was used to recruit participants. Data were collected using a self-completed e-questionnaire that was distributed by email. Chi-square tests, t tests, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. ResultsWe found that 181 out of 218 health care professionals (83.0%; 75.6% [59/78] physicians; 87.1% [122/140] nurses) and 115 out of 154 students (74.7%; 80.0% [76/95] medical students and 66.1% [39/59] nursing students) were willing to use digital tools in patient care. Willingness to use digital tools was significantly associated with attitude (Adjusted Odds Ratios [AOR] 1.96; 95% CI 1.14-3.36) and self-efficacy (AOR 1.64; 95% CI 1.17-2.30) among health care professionals, and with current year of study (AOR 2.08; 95% CI 1.18-3.68) and self-efficacy (AOR 1.77; 95% CI 1.17-2.69) among students. No significant difference in willingness to use digital tools was found between physicians and nurses (P=.113), and between medical and nursing students (P=.079). ConclusionsThe findings of this study should encourage policy makers and hospital managers to implement relevant eHealth interventions within routine health care systems in Saudi Arabia. For successful implementation, digital health education programs should be implemented simultaneously, so that current and future health care professionals are able to develop required positive attitudes as well as practical skills and competencies.

Abstract Nanoparticle-based therapies are emerging as a pivotal frontier in biomedical research, showing their potential in combating infections and facilitating wound recovery. Herein, selenium-tellurium dopped copper oxide nanoparticles (SeTe-CuO NPs) with dual photodynamic and photothermal properties were synthesized, presenting an efficient strategy for combating bacterial infections. In vitro evaluations revealed robust antibacterial activity of SeTe-CuO NPs, achieving up to 99% eradication of bacteria and significant biofilm inhibition upon near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. Moreover, in vivo studies demonstrated accelerated wound closure upon treatment with NIR-activated SeTe-CuO NPs, demonstrating their efficacy in promoting wound healing. Furthermore, SeTe-CuO NPs exhibited rapid bacterial clearance within wounds, offering a promising solution for wound care. Overall, this versatile platform holds great promise for combating multidrug-resistant bacteria and advancing therapeutic interventions in wound management.

The advent of online social networks (OSNs) has catalyzed the formation of novel learning communities. Identifying experts within OSNs has become a critical component for facilitating knowledge exchange and enhancing self-awareness, particularly in contexts such as rumor verification processes. Research efforts aimed at locating authorities in OSNs are scant, largely due to the scarcity of annotated datasets. This work represents a contribution to the domain of unsupervised learning to address the challenge of authorities’ identification in Twitter. We have employed advanced natural language processing technique to transfer knowledge concerning topics in the Arabic language and to discern the semantic connections among candidates within Twitter in zero-shot learning. We take advantage of the Single-labeled Arabic News Articles Dataset (SANAD) to perform the process of extracting domain features and applying these features in finding authorities using the Authority Finding in Arabic Twitter (AuFIN) dataset. Our evaluation assessed the extent of extracted topical features transferred and the efficacy of authorities’ retrieval in comparison to the latest unsupervised models in this domain. Our approach successfully extracted and integrated the limited available topical semantic features of the language into the representation of candidates. The findings indicate that our hybrid model surpasses those that rely solely on lexical features of language and network topology, as well as other contemporary approaches to topic-specific expert finding.

This study aimed to evaluate the hydrolysates from orange peel waste (OPW) as the low-cost carbon source for lycopene production. Initially, the dilute acid pretreatment combined with enzymatic hydrolysis of OPW resulted in a total sugar concentration of 62.18 g/L. Meanwhile, a four-month adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) experiment using a d-galacturonic acid minimal medium resulted in an improvement in the growth rate of our previously engineered Escherichia coli strain for lycopene production. After evolutionary adaptation, response surface methodology (RSM) was adapted to optimize the medium composition in fermentation. The results obtained from RSM analysis revealed that the 5.53 % carbon source of orange peel hydrolysate (OPH), 6.57 g/L nitrogen source, and 30 °C temperature boosted lycopene production in the final strain. Subsequently, the optimized treatment for lycopene fermentation was then conducted in a 5 L batch fermenter under the surveillance of a kinetic model that uses the Logistic equation for strain growth (μm = 0.441 h−1), and Luedeking-Piret equations for lycopene production (Pm = 1043 mgL−1) with growth rate constant (α = 0.1491). At last, lycopene biosynthesized from OPH was extracted and analyzed for qualitative validation. Likewise, its data on phytic acid (between 1.01 % and 0.86 %) and DPPH radical scavenging (between 38.06 % and 29.08 %) highlighted the better antioxidant capacity of lycopene. In conclusion, the OPH can be used as a fermentation feedstock which opens new possibilities of exploiting fruit crop residues for food and pharmaceutical applications.

Cancer continues to be a prominent global threat, and current chemotherapy options often involve tubulin-targeting compounds disrupting microtubule function. Autophagy's role in cancer varies across cell types, tumor stages, and carcinogenic stimuli. Recent attention has focused on autophagy as a response to antimitotic drugs. Our study spotlights TubA, a myxobacteria-derived peptide with potent antimitotic properties, demonstrating notable antiproliferative effects on diverse cancer cell lines at low concentrations. Remarkably, TubA proved more effective than TubB, another myxobacterial compound. In MCF-7 cells, TubA induced autophagy, increasing LC3-I lipidation to LC3-II and enhancing lysosomal activity and acidity. Intriguingly, TubA triggered an intrinsic apoptotic pathway mediated by autophagy, evidenced by increased cathepsin B activity, cytosolic leakage, and subsequent apoptosis through cytochrome c release. In summary, our findings indicate that TubA promotes cell death via cytotoxic autophagic activity in the MCF-7 cancer cell line.

Flavonoids are natural antioxidants, found in vegetables, fruits, flowers, coffee, tea, wine, and other foodstuffs. They are well known for their health benefits, and various clinical trials have determined that a sufficient intake of flavonoids is related to lower mortality from cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, and cancer. In addition, flavonoids are of great current interest in regard to sporting activities, in that the intake of these compounds by sportsmen may both shorten their recovery periods and improve their overall health status. In this work, we present results demonstrating the antioxidant, and also prooxidant, properties of the flavonoid, galangin, which is currently under intense investigation as a health supplement. The prooxidant environment has been simulated using Cu-catalyzed-Fenton and Cu-Ascorbate systems. UV–Vis spectroscopy revealed that galangin is coordinated to Cu(II) through oxygen donor atoms from both the benzoyl (4-CO/5-OH groups) and the cinnamoyl (3-OH/4-CO) moieties of the molecule; however, the interaction occurs preferentially via the cinnamoyl unit. The radical scavenging activity of galangin and Cu(II)-galangin complexes were studied using the ABTS assay, which confirmed an inhibitory/scavenging activity of the systems studied, but chelation resulted in only a modest increase in activity. Electronic absorption titrations showed that both free galangin and the Cu(II)-galangin complex interact with DNA through hydrogen-bonding and van der Waals interactions. The values evaluated for the binding constants (K) indicate an intermediate binding strength between the given flavonoid systems and DNA. The results from gel electrophoresis have shown that, in the ROS-producing prooxidant systems, galangin provided a concentration-dependent protective effect against DNA damage via both Cu(II)-chelation and ROS-scavenging mechanisms. The ROS scavengers, l-histidine, DMSO, and SOD, confirmed the formation of singlet oxygen (1O2), hydroxyl radicals (•OH), and superoxide radical anions (O2•−).

The dynamic shifts in educational settings have led scholars to explore online social networks (OSNs) as emergent environment for learning communities. Recognized for their effectiveness in fostering lifelong learning, these online groups surpass traditional educational methods in scope and impact. However, they require meticulous management to maintain efficacy and facilitate knowledge sharing. Addressing this need, the current study introduces the objective of identifying and defining learning leaders to aid in the management of these learning communities. To achieve this, two innovative metrics have been developed, rooted in the theoretical framework of Community of Practice (CoP) and the principles of information entropy: the Learning Leader Metric (LLM) and the Weighted Learning Leader Metric (WLLM). The LLM evaluates three key areas: Learning Engagement, Expertise, and Domain Relevance, forming a comprehensive tripartite framework. In contrast, the WLLM enhances this evaluation by applying information entropy to assign varying weights to these dimensions, thus refining the assessment process while preserving computational efficiency. These metrics operate in an unsupervised manner, addressing the challenge of the absence of annotated data which is a common hurdle in supervised learning scenarios, particularly in information retrieval tasks. Tested against five established expert finding models, the empirical results of this study confirm that both LLM and WLLM demonstrate superior effectiveness in accurately identifying highly relevant experts compared to other models considered in the analysis.

Global warming-induced environmental changes have resulted in salinity fluctuations that markedly impact aquatic organisms. Consequently, the salinization of freshwater has become a major concern. Among these organisms, planarians are highly sensitive to environmental changes, especially Dugesia bursagrossa, the first freshwater planarian species identified in Saudi Arabia, which reproduces both sexually and asexually through fission. This study examined the reproductive response of sexual and asexual D. bursagrossa specimens to salinity changes. Asexual reproduction rates were found to increase with elevated salinity, whereas sexual reproduction was sensitive to high salinity, evidenced by the absence of cocoons in treated groups. This phenomenon was further explored by investigating the microtubular cytoskeleton’s organization in the sexual form’s ovary using immunolabeled α-tubulin and confocal microscopy. Results revealed a significant decline in the tubulin cytoskeleton with rising salinity levels, supporting the notion that increased salinity restricts sexual reproduction. Given that heightened salinity induces stress, the activities of malondialdehyde (MDA) and various antioxidant indicators, including glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), were evaluated. Elevated salinity led to a notable increase in MDA levels as well as reduced GSH, SOD, and CAT levels in both sexual and asexual specimens, with sexual organisms exhibiting more pronounced effects. In conclusion, salinity directly impacts the homeostasis and reproduction of D. bursagrossa, with sexual specimens facing greater challenges than their asexual counterparts.

IntroductionOsteoporosis is a systemic age-related disease characterized by reduced bone mass and microstructure deterioration, leading to increased risk of bone fragility fractures. Osteoporosis is a worldwide major health care problem and there is a need for preventive approaches.Methods and resultsApigenin and Rutaecarpine are plant-derived antioxidants identified through functional screen of a natural product library (143 compounds) as enhancers of osteoblastic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal stem cells (hBMSCs). Global gene expression profiling and Western blot analysis revealed activation of several intra-cellular signaling pathways including focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and TGFβ. Pharmacological inhibition of FAK using PF-573228 (5 μM) and TGFβ using SB505124 (1μM), diminished Apigenin- and Rutaecarpine-induced osteoblast differentiation. In vitro treatment with Apigenin and Rutaecarpine, of primary hBMSCs obtained from elderly female patients enhanced osteoblast differentiation compared with primary hBMSCs obtained from young female donors. Ex-vivo treatment with Apigenin and Rutaecarpine of organotypic embryonic chick-femur culture significantly increased bone volume and cortical thickness compared to control as estimated by μCT-scanning.DiscussionOur data revealed that Apigenin and Rutaecarpine enhance osteoblastic differentiation, bone formation, and reduce the age-related effects of hBMSCs. Therefore, Apigenin and Rutaecarpine cellular treatment represent a potential strategy for maintaining hBMSCs health during aging and osteoporosis.

This paper presents a content analytic approach to research related to in-service science teachers' professional development. The research under consideration was published in four international science education journals and three international conference proceedings specialized in science education from 2012 through 2016. A total of 204 articles (44 published in journals and 160 published in conference proceedings) were examined to identify the fields of concentration within continuous professional development (CPD) programmes, which are; focus of professional development, Types of Professional development, research purposes, research tools, Types of the data, the context of the in-service CPD programmes. The result indicated that there is increasing emphasis on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), inquiry, problem-solving and thinking. Most of the journals and conferences provide CPD as in-school and long-term training programmes subject to systematic evaluation.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly aggressive brain tumor associated with a high mortality rate, with an average survival time of less than two years. GBM treatment faces significant challenges due to its infiltrative nature, genetic diversity, protection by the blood–brain barrier (BBB), drug resistance, and post-treatment side effects. Transcription factors (TFs) play a crucial role in regulating gene expression during cancer initiation and progression. This study aimed to investigate the impact of altering the function of ONECUT-2 (OC-2) in GBM cells, focusing on metabolic activity, proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis. To confirm the successful reduction of OC-2 expression in U251 and U87 cells compared to the control cells (wild types; WT), quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed. The downregulation of OC-2 resulted in a significant decrease in metabolic activity (MTT) of U251 cells by 47 % (P = 0.0056) and U87 cells by 36.4 % (P = 0.0003) compared to WT cells. In U251 cells, OC-2 downregulation caused cell cycle arrest in both the G0/G1 phase (13.6 %) and the S/G2 phase (52.52 %) compared to WT cells. Similarly, in U87 cells, downregulation of OC-2 led to cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase (90.5 %) and the G2 phase (76.61 %) compared to WT cells. Furthermore, OC-2 downregulation significantly affected early-stage apoptosis in U251 cells (95.46 %, P = 0.0005) and U87 cells (19.64 %, P = 0.0004). Conversely, upregulation of OC-2 significantly increased the metabolic activity (MTT) of U251 cells by 94 % (P = 0.0067) and U87 cells by 58 % (P = 0.0028) compared to WT cells. These findings highlight the essential role of OC-2 in regulating the progression of GBM cells. Consequently, OC-2 represents a potential therapeutic target for inhibiting GBM. Overall, this study demonstrates that OC-2 plays a significant role in cell progression, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target for GBM treatment.

Neuroinflammation is important in the pathophysiology of several degenerative brain disorders. This study looked at the potential neuroprotective benefits of cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, against LPS-induced hippocampus damage in rodents and the principal molecular involvement of AKT/GSK3β/CREB signaling pathways. Behavioral tests revealed that cilostazol successfully corrected LPS-induced neurobehavioral impairments. Furthermore, cilostazol therapy lowered hippocampal levels of amyloid beta 1–42 (Aβ1-42) and p-tau protein, both of which are critical pathological indicators of neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, cilostazol administration suppressed LPS-induced rises in hippocampus caspase-3 and NF-κB levels while elevating rat B-cell/lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, which are implicated in neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity. Cilostazol treatment also restored the decreased phosphorylation of protein kinase B (p-AKT) and reduced the elevated levels of phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (p-GSK3β) and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in the hippocampus of LPS-treated rats. Histopathological examination revealed that cilostazol ameliorated LPS-induced brain damage with reduced neuronal loss and gliosis. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed a decrease in Iba-1 expression, indicating a reduction in microglial activation in the cilostazol-treated group compared to the LPS group. The findings advocate that cilostazol exerts neuroprotective effects against LPS-induced hippocampal injury by modulating the AKT/GSK3β/CREB pathway and curbing neuroinflammation. Cilostazol may hold promise as a therapeutic agent for neuroinflammatory conditions associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

The goal of this study was to analyse international journals and conference proceedings published from 2012 to 2016. The main results indicated that the gap between the Arab Gulf Countries (GC) and the rest of the world regarding the amounts and trends of professional development (PD) research is too wide. At the global level, the initial scanning analysis showed the publication of 161 articles on math teacher PD, including 121 articles or abstracts published in conference proceedings and 40 articles published in journals. The number of articles on math teacher PD in the GC conference proceedings and journals was only 11. The results indicated that there is growing interest in research on PD in math and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The results also showed that descriptive research received the most attention, followed by developmental and evaluative research. Most of the English-language research used qualitative methodology and mixed methodology, and hence, used observations and interviews to collect their data. At the level of Arabic-Language, GC, research, the results indicated that developmental research received the greatest attention; however, all the data collected were quantitative because the survey was the most commonly used tool in these research studies.

Tubulin is still a highly valued target in cancer chemotherapy. Agents that target tubulin and microtubule dynamic are considered to be of high therapeutic potential. We conducted a study to assess the effects of TAM1344, a synthetic cytolysin that is derived from the natural tubulysins on the proliferation of cancer cell lines. Tubulysins are a group of naturally occurring cytotoxic compounds that are produced by Myxobacteria. Our results show that TAM1344 exhibit strong antiproliferative activity against different cancer cell lines at low nanomolar concentration. The measured IC50 values in HCT116, A549 and MCF7 cancer cell lines were 0.14 nM, 0.24 nM & 0.09 nM, respectively. In a direct comparison, the three cell lines were more sensitive to the drugs than the myxobacterial natural products tubulysin-A and –B. Additionally, in HCT116 cells, TAM1344 induces destabilization and depletion of the interphase microtubules as indicated by Immunofluorescence staining. Furthermore, the spindle pools of dividing cells show unusual, condensed phenotyping, a characteristic phenotype of many anti-tubulin agents. The nuclei of treated cells look fragmented in comparison to control cells, as detected with DAPI or PI staining. Furthermore, at low concentrations, TAM1344 induces an accumulation of the cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, and therefore apoptotic induction, as indicated with flow cytometry analysis. In addition, it provoked an apoptotic process, marked by elevated caspase-3 activity. To conclude, the results indicate that TAM1344 is a novel, highly effective microtubule-targeting agent.

This study aimed to better grasp science instructors' perspectives on the argumentation-driven inquiry (ADI) teaching model through a sequential exploratory mixed-methods approach. A random sample of 184 Saudi Arabian science teachers (96 males and 88 females) completed a questionnaire. In addition, seven science teachers volunteered to participate in semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that ADI was used by science teachers less frequently than expected. This is because of the widespread belief that inquiry-based instruction, when combined with argumentation, necessitates greater classroom time and effort. Additionally, respondents reported engaging in some form of ADI on a monthly basis, once a month. Consequently, it was suggested that science teachers’ professional preparation and continuous development programs be re-evaluated to ensure that they are in line with the most recent science education standards and new approaches such as STEM, STEAM, and NGSS.

The importance of reflection in teaching and learning lies in encouraging one to view problems from different perspectives. Reflective practice can be useful in designing teacher education and sustainable professional development. Conscious reflection is an important element for helping teachers and learners in problem-solving and decision-making processes and fostering their critical-thinking abilities. The aim of the present research was to investigate teachers' views about the nature of their experiences with reflective practices and reflective teaching. A survey consisted of three dimensions used to collect the data. It was distributed to 458 (237 male and 221 female) science teachers working at high schools in Saudi Arabia. The results have indicated that teacher practices of almost all reflective activities included in the three dimensions "the extent of practicing reflection," "areas of practicing reflection," and "ways of practicing reflection" are at "high" level from their point of view. The results have also shown that there are no significant differences in the teachers' views about their practices of reflective activities related to their gender, or experiences in the teaching profession.

Long-term health consequences are influenced by circumstances that occur during pregnancy. The convergence of the maternal and fetal circulations occurs in the placenta, which is the first organ to develop. Placental pathology provides an accurate diagnosis of amniotic sac inflammation, and pathological alterations in preterm placentas provide evidence for the causes of numerous perinatal pathologies, including spontaneous preterm births. This retrospective study aimed to re-examine placentas regarded as normal by the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at our institution. Thirty-seven male and forty-seven female placentas were collected following full-term delivery, and the grading and staging of any evident inflammatory responses were evaluated and correlated with the babies’ sex. Full-thickness placental samples that were considered normal and not sent to the histopathology department were obtained from the central and marginal regions of placental discs. Morphological examination of the fresh placenta was conducted, and fetal and maternal inflammatory response syndromes were assessed. In addition, placental villitis of unknown etiology (VUE) and chronic deciduitis were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the patterns of inflammation in the placenta using anti-CD8 and anti-CD68 antibodies. The correlation between silent pathologies and clinical complications or the development of fetal inflammatory response syndrome was measured. In this study, 17 (20%) maternal and 10 (12%) fetal samples showed inflammatory responses. The frequencies of chronic deciduitis and VUE were higher among pregnant Saudi women than previously reported, probably because fetal inflammatory response syndrome goes unnoticed in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the prevalence of fetal and maternal inflammatory responses was higher in the placentas of the mothers of males than in those of females, suggesting that differences occur in the inflammatory response in the placenta depending on the sex of the newborn. Grading placental inflammation (in cases of VUE) typically predicts the degree of maternal anti-fetal cellular rejection; therefore, increasing the number of placental samples sent for microscopic inspection may be preferable because of their significance in identifying the causes of chronic disorders.

Mycotoxins are produced by more than one hundred fungi and produce secondary metabolites that contaminate various agricultural commodities, especially rice and corn. Their presence in the food chain is considered a serious problem worldwide. In recent years, a link between exposure to mycotoxins and impaired fertility has been suggested. Consequently, it has become vital to investigate the interactive effects of these mycotoxins on ovarian function. In this study, we investigated the intergenerational effects of the mycotoxin fumonisin B1 (FB1) on ovarian structure and function. Virgin Wistar albino female rats were separated into control and FB1 treatment groups and examined from day 6 of pregnancy until delivery (20 and 50 mg/kg b.w./day). The obtained female rats of the first (F1) and second generations (F2) were euthanized at 4 weeks of age, and ovary samples were collected. We found that the ovary weight index increased with the high dose of the treatment (50 mg/kg b.w./day) among both F1 and F2, in a manner similar to that observed in polycystic ovary syndrome. As expected, FB1 at a high dose (50 mg/kg b.w.) reduced the number of primordial follicles in F1 and F2, leading to an accelerated age-related decline in reproductive capacity. Moreover, it reduced the fertility rate among the F1 female rats by affecting follicle growth and development, as the number of secondary and tertiary follicles decreased. Histopathological changes were evidenced by the altered structures of most of the growing follicle oocytes, as revealed by a thinning irregular zona pellucida and pyknosis in granulosa cells. These findings are concomitant with steroidogenesis- and folliculogenesis-related gene expression, as evidenced by the decrease in CYP19 activity and estrogen receptor beta (ESR2) gene expression. Additionally, GDF-9 mRNA levels were significantly decreased, and IGF-1 mRNA levels were significantly increased. However, the results from the ovaries of the F2 treatment groups were different and unexpected. While there was no significant variation in CYP19 activity compared to the control, the ESR2 significantly increased, leading to stereological and histopathological changes similar to those of the control, except for some altered follicles. The hallmark histological feature was the appearance of vacuolar structures within the oocyte and between granulosa cell layers. Interestingly, the autophagic marker LC3 was significantly increased in the F2 offspring, whereas this protein was significantly decreased in the F1 offspring. Therefore, we suggest that the promotion of autophagy in the ovaries of the F2 offspring may be considered a recovery mechanism from the effect of prenatal FB1 exposure. Thus, autophagy corrected the effect of FB1 during the early life of the F1 female rats, leading to F2 offspring with ovarian structure and function similar to those of the control. However, the offspring, treated female rats may experience early ovarian aging because their ovarian pool was affected.

The goal of the current study was to determine the effects of the allethrin, as a pyrethroid-based insecticide, on kidney function in rat offspring. Sixty-day-old Wistar albino female rats were randomly allocated to three groups: control group and two allethrin-treated groups that were intragastrically administered with 34.2 or 68.5 mg/kg b.w. of allethrin starting from the day 6 of pregnancy until delivery. The results revealed that the high dose of allethrin (68.5 mg/kg) reduced the number of glomeruli. Results showed that the glomeruli diameter in animals treated with 34.2 mg/kg of allethrin significantly decreased when compared to the controls (p

This study aims to investigate the physicochemical characteristics of the exopolysaccharides (EPS) extracted from the microalgae species Halamphora sp., as well as to evaluate their antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti‐apoptotic activities. The crude extracellular polysaccharides from the halophilic diatom Halamphora sp. were found to be extracellular heterosulfated anionic polysaccharides containing carbohydrates (76.33 ± 1.80%), proteins (0.15 ± 0.02%), uronic acids (5.44 ± 0.08%) and sulfate (7.56 ± 0.86%). The lowest protein (0.24%) and lipid (0.15%) contents suggested that EPS was highly pure. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the carbohydrate fraction consisted of xylose, l‐galactose, d‐galactose, glucose, ribitol, mannose, and inositol with corresponding mole percentages of 40.55, 13.25, 13.00, 9.95, 9.82, 2.90, and 2.28, respectively. In vitro, tests showed a high total antioxidant capacity probably related to l‐galactose followed by d‐galactose, uronic acid, and ribitol. In addition, extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) demonstrated effective antimicrobial Gram + properties with inhibition zones ranging from 10 to 12 mm. Molecular docking showed an antiapoptotic effect, as the best docking score was generated due to the interaction of xylose and caspase 3 (−6.9 kcal/mol) and l‐galactose and caspase 3 (−5 kcal/mol). Overall, the findings of this study suggest the possibility of using the EPS extract of Halamphora sp. as an additive for nutraceutical and cosmetic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroinflammation is important in the pathophysiology of several degenerative brain disorders. This study looked at the potential neuroprotective benefits of cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, against LPS‐induced hippocampus damage in rodents and the principal molecular involvement of AKT/GSK3β/CREB signaling pathways. Behavioral tests revealed that cilostazol successfully corrected LPS‐induced neurobehavioral impairments. Furthermore, cilostazol therapy lowered hippocampal levels of amyloid beta 1–42 (Aβ1‐42) and p‐tau protein, both of which are critical pathological indicators of neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, cilostazol administration suppressed LPS‐induced rises in hippocampus caspase‐3 and NF‐κB levels while elevating rat B‐cell/lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, which are implicated in neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity. Cilostazol treatment also restored the decreased phosphorylation of protein kinase B (p‐AKT) and reduced the elevated levels of phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase‐3 beta (p‐GSK3β) and cAMP response element‐binding protein (CREB) in the hippocampus of LPS‐treated rats. Histopathological examination revealed that cilostazol ameliorated LPS‐induced brain damage with reduced neuronal loss and gliosis. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed a decrease in Iba‐1 expression, indicating a reduction in microglial activation in the cilostazol‐treated group compared to the LPS group. The findings advocate that cilostazol exerts neuroprotective effects against LPS‐induced hippocampal injury by modulating the AKT/GSK3β/CREB pathway and curbing neuroinflammation. Cilostazol may hold promise as a therapeutic agent for neuroinflammatory conditions associated with neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]