Search

Heart failure (HF) is a common cause of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Despite advances in treatment, the prognosis remains poor. Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors decrease HF events by 27–39% in high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Moreover, the DAPA-HF and EMPEROR-Reduced studies randomized patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) with or without diabetes mellitus to receive guideline-directed medical therapy versus guideline-directed medical therapy plus an SGLT-2 inhibitor. Both studies showed the benefits of SGLT-2 inhibitors. In addition, SGLT-2 inhibitors have shown improvement according to the EMPEROR-Preserved study of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Therefore, a panel of cardiology experts from the Egyptian Atherosclerosis and Vascular Biology Association (EAVA) revised the literature for SGLT-2 inhibitors in HF, along with the recommended indications and contraindications, and this article presents their consensus on the topic. The panel concluded that SGLT-2 inhibitors have significantly benefited patients with chronic HFrEF, as indicated through the DAPA-HF and EMPEROR-Reduced trials. The panel recommended early use of dapagliflozin 10 mg or empagliflozin 10 mg in patients with symptomatic chronic HFrEF, whether diabetic or non-diabetic, to ameliorate HF hospitalization rate, mortality, symptoms, and decline in renal function.

Background Despite, a large number of bioactive anthraquinones (AQs) isolated from host-living fungi, only plant-derived AQs were introduced in the global consumer markets. Host-living fungi represents renewable and extendible resources of diversified metabolites to be exploited for bioactives production. Unique classes of AQs from fungi include halogenated and steroidal AQs, and absent from planta are of potential to explore for biological activity against urging diseases such as cancer and multidrug-resistant pathogens. The structural diversity of fungal AQs, monomers, dimers, trimers, halogenated, etc… results in a vast range of pharmacological activities. Aim of review The current study capitalizes on uncovering the diversity and distribution of host-living fungal systems producing AQs in different terrestrial ecosystems ranging from plant endophytes, lichens, animals and insects. Furthermore, the potential bioactivities of fungal derived AQs i.e., antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral (anti-HIV), anticancer, antioxidant, diuretic and laxative activities are assembled in relation to their structure activity relationship (SAR). Analyzing for structure–activity relationship among fungal AQs may facilitate bioengineering of more potential analogues. Withal, elucidation of AQs biosynthetic pathways in fungi is discussed from different fungal hosts to open up new possibilities for potential biotechnological applications. Such comprehensive review unravels terrestrial host-living fungal systems as a treasure trove in drug discovery, in addition to future perspectives and trends for their exploitation in pharmaceutical industries. Key Scientific Concepts of Review Such comprehensive review unravels terrestrialhost-living fungal systems as a treasure trove in drug discovery, in addition to future perspectives and trends for their exploitation in pharmaceutical industries.

Continual application of synthetic insecticides for mosquito larvae control has resulted in sever problems as build-up of mosquito resistance beside to negative impacts on human health and environment. Discovering new and affordable bio-insecticidal agents with high efficiency, cost effective and target specific become a crucial need. The current study assessed the larvicidal activity of eight methanolic algal extracts belong to three different algal divisions against the 3rd larval instar of Culex pipiens L. (Diptera: Culicidae). Comparative studies showed that four species of red and green algal extracts exhibited good larvicidal activity. Galaxaura elongata and Jania rubens (Rhodophyta), Codium tomentosum and Ulva intestinales (Chlorophyta) showed higher larvicidal potencies than Padina boryana, Dictyota dichotoma, and Sargassum dentifolium (Phaeophyta) and Gelidium latifolium (Rhodophyta). The maximum level of toxicity was achieved by exposure to G. elongata extract with LC50 (31.13 ppm), followed by C. tomentosum (69.85 ppm) then J. rubens (84.82 ppm) and U. intestinalis (97.54 ppm) while the lowest toxicity exhibited by G. latifolium (297.38 ppm) at 72h post- treatment. The application of LC50 values of G. elongate, J. rubens, C. tomentosum, and U. intestinalis extracts affected the activities of antioxidant enzymes viz. superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase as oxidative stress markers. An increase of antioxidant enzymes activities was recorded. Therefore, a significant elimination of free radicals, causing toxic effects. Overall, this study casts light on the insecticidal activity of some algal extracts, suggesting the possibility of application of these bio- agents as novel and cost- effective larvicides.

Culex pipiens mosquitoes considered as vectors for many arboviruses such as the West Nile virus and encephalitis virus showing a global impact on human health. The natural management of the aquatic stages of this pest is crucial for maintaining an insecticide-free and sustained environment. The present work focused on studying the biological and biochemical effects of the entomopathogenic fungi: Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana, and Paecilomyces lilicanus, against 3rd instar larvae of Culex pipiens laboratory colony. The results revealed that M. anisopliae showed maximum larval mortality (88%) with the lowest lethal time (LT50) (22.6 hrs) at 108 spores/ml followed by B. bassiana (73.33%) with LT50 (38.35 hrs), while P. lilicanus showed minimum percent mortality (65%) with highest LT50 (51.5 hrs). The median lethal concentration (LC50) values were found to be 1.027 × 105 spores/ml for M. anisopliae, 1.24 × 106 spores/ml for B. bassiana, while it was 8.453 × 106 spores/ml for P. lilicanus. A reduction in female fecundity, number of hatched eggs, pupation and adult emergence percentage were recorded. The biochemical analysis of the treated larvae revealed different quantitative decrease in total soluble proteins, lipids, and carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes compared to control. Histopathological effects of fungal infection upon insect cuticles, muscles, and midgut were investigated. Based on the obtained results, M. anisopliae proved its superior virulent effect as a bio-control agent against Cx. pipiens.

This experimental study was done at the Biological Control Laboratory, Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Sakha, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt. We aimed to estimate the impact of different cold (10 °C) storage durations [0 (non-cold-stored parasitized eggs), 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, and 30 days], on Trichogramma evanescens (Westwood) (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) during the pupal stage using the eggs of Sitotroga cerealella after exposing to T. evanescens. The emergence percentage of non-cold-stored eggs of S. cerealella was higher than all cold-stored durations. Also, the female’s percentages of T. evanescens in the cold storage durations were lower than the non-cold storage one, and they were influenced by extended cold storage durations. There were non-significant differences in the female’s longevity of T. evanescens obtained from 0, 3, and 6 days cold-stored parasitized eggs of S. cerealella at 10 °C, but it began to decrease from those produced after 9 days of cold-stored eggs. In addition, the emergence percentage in F1 progeny of T. evanescens was greater than 50% until 21 days of cold storage. It could be concluded that cold storage reduced the % emergence, % females, female’s longevity, and emergence percentage in F1 progeny of T. evanescens. For a successful biological control program, the decrease of T. evanescens performance after cold storage durations should be considered in mass production, and the release percentage should be increased by the equivalent of a lack of % emergence. Also, the economic importance of using cold storage periods in commercial mass rearing should be assessed in the biological control program.

Nutraceuticals have gained immense importance in poultry science recently considering the nutritional and beneficial health effects of their constituents. Besides providing nutritional requirements to birds, nutraceuticals have beneficial pharmacological effects, for example, they help in establishing normal physiological health status, prevent diseases and thereby improve production performance. Nutraceuticals include amino acids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc. which are important for preventing oxidative stress, regulating the immune response and maintaining normal physiological, biochemical and homeostatic mechanisms. Nutraceuticals help in supplying nutrients in balanced amounts for supporting the optimal growth performance in modern poultry flocks, and as a dietary supplement can reduce the use of antibiotics. The application of antibiotic growth enhancers in poultry leads to the propagation of antibiotic-resistant microbes and drug residues; therefore, they have been restricted in many countries. Thus, there is a demand for natural feed additives that lead to the same growth enhancement without affecting the health. Nutraceuticals substances have an essential role in the development of the animals’ normal physiological functions and in protecting them against infectious diseases. In this review, the uses of amino acids, vitamins and minerals as well as their mode of action in growth promotion and elevation of immune system are discussed.

Background The gut microbiome has become a hot topic in recent years with increasing reports on the positive role of a well-balanced gut microbiota composition for one's health and well-being. A number of dietary factors can modulate gut composition, although few publications have focused on common daily beverages impact on the gut microbiome. Coffee is a worldwide beverage consumed mostly as black coffee that is originally derived from green coffee beans post roasting. To enhance the taste and aroma, green coffee is typically roasted and to further affect its chemical composition and rationalize for the different health outcomes. Roasted seeds contain a high caffeine levels versus phenolic acids i.e., chlorogenic acid enrichment in green coffee suggestive that they interact differently with gut microbiota and to affect its metabolism. Scope and approach The present review provides a mechanistic insight on the effects of black and green coffee chemicals on the gut microbiome. We present herein the first comprehensive review of how coffee natural bioactive such as caffeine and chlorogenic acid and its process derived chemicals i.e., melanoidins can specifically influence gut homeostasis, and likewise via gut microbiota-mediated coffee chemicals metabolism. Key findings and conclusions The role of gut microbiota in affecting coffee chemicals and the potential of mining metagenomics data to uncover gut microbiome community and carbohydrate active enzyme (CAZyme) profile associated with coffee consumption are presented for the first time. Moreover, our metagenomics analysis in silico showed a decrease in abundance in either Desulfofarcimen or Mycoplasma genera, confirmed the basic coffee-gut microbial enzymes repertoire found in the literature and highlights for the first time the coffee CAZyme biomarkers encoded by the human gut microbiome.

Florfenicol (FFC) is a synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotic and garlic has a bactericidal action against coliforms. This study was carried out to compare the antimicrobial, immunological and biochemical effects of florfenicol and garlic, for their ability to treat enteropathogenic Escherichia coli serotype O55: H7 infection in rabbits. Four groups (G1-G4) were included. G1 group was the negative control; G2 group was the infected with a field-isolated strain of E. coli and untreated; G3 group was the infected+treated with FFC for 5 days; and G4 group was the infected+treated with garlic tablets for 14 days. The rabbits were observed for clinical signs, growth performance and mortality rates. Garlic-infused disks had a larger clear zone of inhibition than other antibiotic disks. Garlic treatment improved growth performance, biochemical parameters, and immunological response and reduced the fecal shedding and histopathological lesions in E. coli O55: H7 infected rabbits compared to the other groups. Colonization of E. coli more rapidly declined in G3 & G4 than in G2. Hepatic and intestinal gene expressions; tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were significantly elevated in G2 compared to the other groups, and their levels were elevated more in G3 than in G4. Serum interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and phagocytic activity were significantly elevated in G4 compared to G3. G3 revealed macrocytic hypochromic anaemia that was confirmed histopathologically by moderate haematopoiesis of the bone marrow. In conclusion, garlic powder can reduce rabbit colibacillosis, like FFC, and can enhance the immune status of rabbits.

A 60-day experiment was performed to assess the efficacy of dietary Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharides (ASP) in attenuation of sub-lethal thallium (Tl) toxicity in Nile tilapia. Six experimental groups (in triplicates) were designed where a fish group was raised in clean water and fed basal diet and served as control (CONT), two groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.15% and 0.30% ASP (ASPL and ASPH), Tl-intoxicated group exposed to 1/10 of 96-h LC50 (= 41.9 μg/L), and two other groups were fed 0.15% and 0.30% ASP and concomitantly exposed to 41.9 μg Tl/L (ASPL-Tl and ASPH-Tl). At the end of the experiment, fish behavioral responses, clinical signs, survivability, growth, whole-body composition, intestinal digestive enzymes, serum biochemical parameters, hepatic antioxidative biomarkers, and transcription of stress and apoptosis genes were assessed. Results showed that the whole-body composition, intestinal α-amylase and protease enzymes, serum AST and blood urea levels, and hepatic GSH were not significantly different among groups (P 0.05). The Tl-intoxicated fish group was off food, had darkened skin, showed restlessness and hyperexcitability, and high mortalities. FBW, WG, SGR and FI were significantly decreased alongside increase FCR in the Tl-exposed group. Tl exposure caused significant increases (P 0.05) in intestinal lipase enzyme and serum indices such as ALT, creatinine, total cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and cortisol levels. Moreover, a significant decreases in hepatic CAT and SOD enzyme activities and significant increases in hepatic MDA contents were also noticed (P 0.05). Furthermore, Tl exposure induced significant upregulation of hepatic HSP70 and apoptosis-related genes (p53 and caspase 3). Interestingly, dietary supplementation with ASP in ASPL-Tl and ASPH-Tl groups modulated the parameters mentioned above but still not reached the CONT values. Altogether, this study suggests that ASP could be beneficial in the modulation of sub-lethal Tl toxicity effects in Nile tilapia. Additionally, we can conclude that using natural feed supplements such as ASP in aquafeed might be necessary for maintaining the overall health performances of Nile tilapia.

Background Atopic dermatitis is characterized by impaired skin barrier and altered cutaneous innate immunity. The estimated prevalence among Egyptian children was 10–12%. Several studies suggest that it may be associated with systemic comorbidities other than the spectrum of atopy, such as metabolic syndrome and other inflammatory conditions. The aim of this study is to compare the profile of systemic conditions of diabetes, dyslipidemia, and multiple inflammatory markers in children with and without diagnosed atopic dermatitis. Methods One hundred atopic dermatitis patients and 101 normal controls were collected from outpatient clinic based on their clinical condition, both had measurement of body mass index, blood sugar, serum insulin, lipid profile, C reactive protein, and gamma-glutamyl transferase. Results Children diagnosed with atopic dermatitis had significantly higher levels of body mass index (34.7 ± 5.7 vs 26.1 ± 4.9), fasting glucose (143.2 ± 30.3 vs 100.8 ± 16.0), serum insulin (11.3 ± 4.4 vs. 4.6 ± 3.0), serum triglycerides (194.1 ± 38.1 vs 156.2 ± 31.6), total cholesterol (198.4 ± 27.7 vs 163.7 ± 27.7), alkaline phosphatase (229.4 ± 89.8 vs. 189.4 ± 46.8), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (54.7 ± 19.9 vs 34.3 ± 9.5), C-reactive protein level was approximately four times higher (19.9 ± 13.2 vs 5.1 ± 3.4) and the immunoglobulin E level was approximately 10 times higher (2050.3 ± 843.8 vs 252.7 ± 103.1) than in controls Conclusion We found a positive relationship of atopic dermatitis with both diabetes and hyperlipidemia among children, and positive dose-response relationship of several non-traditional biomarkers of C-reactive protein, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and alkaline phosphatase with the presence and severity of atopic dermatitis.

It was aimed at determining which polyphenolic compound(s) in pomegranate mesocarp extract (PME) is liable for the antioxidant, anti-glycation and anti-CD36 activities.The PME was fractionated usin...

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases worldwide and Staphylococcus aureus colonization and secondary infections occur in the majority of AD patients. Allergic sensitizations against microbial antigens have been discussed as possible trigger factors of AD. Recently, we reported IgE sensitization against fibronectin-binding protein 1 (FBP1), an essential virulence component in S. aureus, in a subgroup of patients suffering from AD. To expand these findings by investigating delayed-type immune reactions, the objective of this study was to detect and phenotypically characterize FBP1-specific T cells as possible trigger factors in AD. Methods Immunodominant T-cell epitopes were mapped by proliferation testing of patient-derived FBP1-specific T-cell lines after stimulation with single 15mer peptides, which were derived from different functional domains of the FBP1 sequence. Major histocompatibility complex class II tetramers carrying immunodominant epitopes successfully stained T helper cells in 8 out of 8 HLA-matched, IgE-sensitized AD patients. Results Cytokine profiling of multimer-sorted cells revealed that predominantly the type 2 cytokines IL-13 and IL-4 were secreted by these cells. In contrast, IL-17, the marker cytokine for response to extracellular pathogens, was scarcely detectable. Conclusions We demonstrate that FBP1 contains immunodominant peptides that induce a specific pro-inflammatory T helper cell response with increased Th2 levels that can drive an allergic inflammation in sensitized AD patients.

Cryopreservation is a modern technique which assists in the preservation of genetic material from oocytes and embryos for a long time. However, elevated vulnerability to cryopreservation due to the large accumulation of intracellular lipids within oocytes or embryos avoids success of this method. These lipids remain the main crucial factor limiting survival rates of oocytes and embryos after thawing. Lipid ingathering in the oocyte cytoplasm augments lipid peroxidation (LPO) and oxidative stress increases the apoptosis process, declines the viability after thawing, declines cytoskeleton actin filament injuries, lowers the blastocyst rates and reduces cryotolerance in the early stages of embryo development. There have been several attempts to reduce the ingathering of intracellular lipids in oocytes or embryos during the cryopreservation process, in that way enhancing the competence of cryopreserved oocytes or embryos and increasing their viability. One of the most applied agents for chemical delipidation is forskolin. Forskolin exhibited a possible part in improving the oocytes cryopreservation through stimulating cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production. The main purpose of cAMP modulation is to provide energy to sustain the mammalian oocytes´ meiotic arrest. The purpose of the existing article is to assess and offer more evidence concerning the forskolin utilization as a modulator of cAMP during the cryopreservation of oocytes and its influence on meiosis completion and the reorganization of cytoplasm, which are prerequisites for the development of oocytes in addition to the contribution to fertilization and subsequently, the development of embryos.

Objectives: to assess and compare skeletal,dental and soft tissue changes of three RME protocols using conventional Hyrax, Hybrid Hyrax, and four miniscrew supported Hyrax using alternated expansion and constriction. Methods: 21 patients enrolled in this study with Class III maxillary deficiency, with an average age of 10.5±6 months, and allocated into three groups of seven patients each. Maxillary expansion was done with conventional Hyrax in Group I. Group II: RME with Hybrid Hyrax. Group III: skeletal four-point supported custom-made Hyrax with four palatal micro-implants and alternating rapid maxillary expansion and contraction. A cephalometric tracing of standardized cephalometric x-ray was performed for each patient before and after expansion for various linear and angular measurements and statistically analyzed Results: SNA angle increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) from pretreatment to post-expansion stage in all groups. There was a statistically significant difference between Groups II and III. When the three Groups were compared, a considerable forward movement of point A was detected in both Group I and Group II. The forward movement of point A, the angle of facial convexity and upper lip prominence improved considerably in GII. Conclusion: Hybrid Hyrax (Group II) showed a significant improvement in forward position of point A concomitant with a significant sagittal skeletal, dental and soft tissue profile improvement.

Background The association between childhood diarrheal disease and linear growth faltering in developing countries is well described. However, the impact attributed to specific pathogens has not been elucidated, nor has the impact of recommended antibiotic treatment. Methods The Global Enteric Multicenter Study enrolled children with moderate to severe diarrhea (MSD) seeking healthcare at 7 sites in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. At enrollment, we collected stool samples to identify enteropathogens. Length/height was measured at enrollment and follow-up, approximately 60 days later, to calculate change in height-for-age z scores (ΔHAZ). The association of pathogens with ΔHAZ was tested using linear mixed effects regression models. Results Among 8077 MSD cases analyzed, the proportion with stunting (HAZ below −1) increased from 59% at enrollment to 65% at follow-up (P < .0001). Pathogens significantly associated with linear growth decline included Cryptosporidium (P < .001), typical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (P = .01), and untreated Shigella (P = .009) among infants (aged 0–11 months) and enterotoxigenic E. coli encoding heat-stable toxin (P < .001) and Cryptosporidium (P = .03) among toddlers (aged 12–23 months). Shigella-infected toddlers given antibiotics had improved linear growth (P = .02). Conclusions Linear growth faltering among children aged 0–23 months with MSD is associated with specific pathogens and can be mitigated with targeted treatment strategies, as demonstrated for Shigella.

Intra-specimen and day-to-day variations of Fasciola egg counts in stools were investigated for 16 cases of established fascioliasis. For each case six Kato slides from a single stool sample were examined daily for 5 consecutive days. The results indicated the presence of significant intra-specimen variations in more than one-third of the examined series, while the inter-specimen variation was almost negligible. The sensitivity of the Kato-Katz test for diagnosing Fasciola infection with three Kato slides from the same specimen or on different days ranged from 96.0%-99.1%. The examination of three Kato smears from a single stool specimen, which is more feasible in field studies, would give an accurate diagnosis of fascioliasis. Used as such, the Kato-Katz technique is highly sensitive in the diagnosis of fascioliasis

The deadliest insect, Culex pipiens, plays a critical role in the transmission of multiple diseases to livestock, animals, and humans. In the current work, the waste of Mangifera indica (Mango) seed kernels was extracted with ethyl acetate to profile the gallotannins components. Moreover, the major compounds pentagalloyl glucose (PGG) and mangiferin were isolated and their larvicidal activity against C. pipiens was determined. A total of 20 secondary metabolites were annotated based on high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array (PDA) detector and mass spectrometry (MS) detection. PGG and mangiferin were isolated and identified depending on different chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The extract exhibited good larvicidal activity against the 3rd larval instar of C. pipiens with LC50 value of 64.02 µg/ml, whereas those of pentagalloyl glucose and mangiferin were 169.38 and 232.15 µg/ml, respectively. The tested extract and the two isolated secondary metabolites exploited significant alterations for the tested enzymes (acetylcholinesterase, carboxylesterase, α-esterases, glutathione S-transferase, and cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase) compared to the untreated larvae with p

Japanese quail originated from the wildlife environment and was first domesticated in Japan in 1595. Japanese quail has widely distributed in various parts of the world. This bird is characterized by its rapid growth rate, high rate of egg production, much lower space requirements, small size, good reproductive potential, short life cycle, resistance to diseases, early sexual maturity (from 39 to 50 days), better laying ability and shorter time of hatching compared with the different species of poultry. All these characteristics rendered it an excellent laboratory animal and a good economical animal protein source (for both egg and meat). Thermal stress was found to be the major limiting variable in poultry production, directly influencing bird welfare conditions. Previous research showed that heat stress in the production environment, induced by high ambient temperatures, may have a direct detrimental effect on welfare, meat quality, carcass characteristics, productivity, egg mass and egg quality. Furthermore, heat stress directly decreases quails' reproductive performance. As tiny, ground-dwelling birds, quail may appear unable to handle extreme temperatures, yet they have methods of fighting the heat. This review will help in developing and strengthening the core of the quail-based poultry sector. In addition, it provides aggregate information on the characteristics of the quail bird as a production unit in poultry farms as well as being an animal model for laboratory experiments. Also, this review provided deep insight into the domestication process and the impact of heat stress on production characteristics, which altered the domestic or Japanese quail substantially.

Background Linseed or flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L) is an ancient perennial plant species regarded as a multipurpose plant mostly due to its seed unique richness in omega-3 fatty acids. The extensive biochemical analysis of linseed further resulted in the identification of its other components i.e., lignans with potential applications in the improvement of human health. Linseed oil that amount for 40% of its seed weight is an edible oil in demand as a dietary supplement owing to its several health benefits. Scope and approach This comprehensive review based on research papers and patents capitalizes on linseed oil, the major product of linseed with emphasis on the interrelationship between extraction methods, holistic chemical composition, sensory characters, and nutritional value. Overview of the different analytical approaches for linseed oil analysis and its quality control assessment is presented i.e., adulteration detection highlighting for each application advantages and limitations. Key findings and conclusions Different oil extraction as well as processing methods are reviewed and in context to their influence on the final oil quality and/or biological effects. The review recapitulates on the rancidity prevention approaches to ensure best oil quality and shelf life. The extraction method as well as the pretreatments appeared to dramatically affect the yield and the quality of the oil.

Rodents carry many ectoparasites, such as ticks, lice, fleas, and mites, which have potential public health importance. Middle Eastern countries are hotspots for many emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, such as plague, leishmaniasis, Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Q fever, due to their ecological, socioeconomic, and political diversity. Rodent ectoparasites can act as vectors for many of these pathogens. Knowledge of rodent ectoparasites is of prime importance in controlling rodent ectoparasite-borne zoonotic diseases in this region. The current systematic review and meta-analysis performs a comprehensive synthesis of the available knowledge, providing an evidence-based overview of the ectoparasites detected on rodents in Middle Eastern countries. Following a systematic search in Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science, a total of 113 published articles on rodent ectoparasites were studied and analyzed. A total of 87 rodent species were documented, from which Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, and Rattus rattus were found to be the most common. Fleas were the most reported ectoparasites (87 articles), followed by mites (53), ticks (44), and lice (25). Xenopsylla cheopis, Polyplax spinulosa, Ornithonyssus bacoti, and Hyalomma rhipicephaloides were the most commonly described fleas, lice, mites, and ticks, respectively. Based on the reviewed articles, the median flea, louse, mite, and tick indices were highest in Israel (4.15), Egypt (1.39), Egypt (1.27), and Saudi Arabia (1.17), respectively. Quantitative meta-analysis, using a random-effects model, determined the overall pooled flea prevalence in the Middle East as 40% (95% CI: 25–55, I2 = 100%, p < 0.00001), ranging between 13% (95% CI: 0–30, I2 = 95%, p < 0.00001) in Iran and 59% (95% CI: 42–77, I2 = 75%, p < 0.00001) in Israel. The overall pooled louse prevalence was found to be 30% (95% CI: 13–47, I2 = 100%, p < 0.00001), ranging between 25% in Iran (95% CI: 1–50, I2 = 99%) and 38% in Egypt (95% CI: 7–68, I2 = 100%). In the case of mites, the pooled prevalence in this region was 33% (95% CI: 11–55, I2 = 100%, p < 0.00001), where the country-specific prevalence estimates were 30% in Iran (95% CI: 4–56, I2 = 99%) and 32% in Egypt (95% CI: 0–76, I2 = 100%). For ticks, the overall prevalence was found to be 25% (95% CI: 2–47, I2 = 100%, p < 0.00001), ranging from 16% in Iran (95% CI: 7–25, I2 = 74%) to 42% in Egypt (95% CI: 1–85, I2 = 100%). The control of rodent ectoparasites should be considered to reduce their adverse effects. Using the One Health strategy, rodent control, and precisely control of the most common rodent species, i.e., Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, and Rattus rattus, should be considered to control the rodent-borne ectoparasites in this region.

An experiment was conducted in the Research Farm of Sids. Beni Suef governorate - Egypt in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 seasons. The obtained results showed that Planting date on 5th Nov. with the two cultivars Balady and Sids-40, recorded the highest emergence percentage after 3 weeks from planting in both seasons whereas the early planting date 25th Sep. gave the lowest emergence percentage. Light cloves weight significantly increased emergence after three weeks from planting, compared with the plants which were planted by heavy cloves weight and medium cloves weight for Balady and Sids-40 cultivars respectively in both seasons. Early planting date (Sep.25 and Oct.15) with medium and heavy cloves weight gave the highest plant height and number of leaves. Also, recorded higher mean values of bulb yield and its components, of the two tested garlic cultivars than the late planting date (Nov.5) in both seasons. Downy mildew severity was increased on Sids-40 cultivar more than Balay cultivar. The early planting in September revealed the lowest disease severity compared with November planting date, in both cultivars. No significant differences observed for the effect of clove size on disease severity, in both cultivars. The population of leaves microorganism such fungi or bacteria play a meaningful role of increasing or decreasing downy mildew severity, whereas the earliest planting increasing of the microbial population which effected on the reduced of downy mildew severity. Also, in both growing seasons, an inverse relationship between garlic clove size and disease severity of downy mildew was found.

In the current study, evaluation the ability of three isolates of Sclerotium rolfsii isolated from tomato, bean and cabbage to infect their host plants and two non-host plants was carried out. Tomato plants were strongly affected with the three isolates of the pathogen followed by cabbage plants, whereas common bean plants were the least in this respect. Six species of Trichoderma were examined for their bio-control potentials against S. rolfsii the causative of root rot in tomato, common bean and cabbage. In vitro antagonistic test showed that T. koningii exhibited high inhibitory effect as the percentage of inhibition value was higher in case of S. rolfsii (tomato isolate) followed by T. harzianum with S. rolfsii (bean isolate) and S. rolfsii (cabbage isolate). Under greenhouse conditions; T. koningii, T. viride and T. harzianum showed the highest antagonistic effect against the three isolates of S. rolfsii in pots experiment. Microscopic examinations showed that most of Trichoderma spp. grew over mycelia of the tested pathogen with surrounded, coiling, lysis of hyphae and collapse of mycelium. T. koningii and T. viride exhibited the best performance regarding to the defense enzyme secretion; chitinase and β-glucanase followed by T. harzianum. Also, all the tested Trichoderma spp. produced Indole acetic acid (IAA) and Gibberellic acid (GA) as a plant growth promoting substances in variable values.

Honey is considered a broad nutritional substance with nutritional, vital and therapeutic value due to its distinctive ingredients. Therefore, the determination of its purity is of utmost importance. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of different feed types on sugars profiles of citrus honey. In this work, three types of foods presented to honey bee colonies were studied: invert sugar, sucrose solution and natural nectar. The honey produced from this feeding was characterized by equal levels of glucose and fructose in the case of invert sugar and high level of sucrose in the case of feeding with a solution of sucrose and the ideal composition for nectar of citrus trees that were represented in 42.1%, 35.5%, 0.9% and 1.6% for fructose, glucose, sucrose, and maltose, respectively. This provides a clear imprint of natural honey sugars (sugar profile), and opens the way for further research in this area to uncover ways of adulteration with honey

Salvadora persica L. is also known as Arak (in Arabic) and Peelu (in Urdu). Its frequent use as a toothbrush (miswak) is highly recommended by Prophet Muhammad. With a long history in folk medicine for centuries, S. persica was used in oral hygiene, food, cosmetics, fuel, and even as a medicine. Previous phytochemical investigation of its different parts afforded different classes of secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, glycosides, sterols, terpenes, carbohydrates and alkaloids. Organic sulfur-containing compounds and elemental sulfur are also present. In addition, there is a huge research on its biological potentials and industrial applications. Many pharmacological activities were reported experimentally, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, sedative, anticonvulsant, anti-osteoporosis, antidiabetic, hypo-lipidemic, in addition to wound-healing, antidepressant and antitumor activities. Recently, a possible activity against COVID-19 protease was documented by molecular docking. This review tries to provide a recent detailed documentation of folk and modern uses of S. persica, focusing on the possible relations between its chemical constituents, pharmacological properties, and industrial applications. Moreover, a brief about recent analytical and validation methods for the major antimicrobial component is reported.

Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT) is an acute highly contagious respiratory disease of chickens. It has significant economic importance due to mortalities and the drop in egg production. In this study, seventy samples from different layer farms were collected from the outbreaks that occurred in Kalubia province, Egypt, at the period from February 2018 till May 2019 to detect ILTV by molecular characterization through polymerase chain reaction assay (PCR) as well as isolation on the specific pathogen free- embryonated chicken eggs (SPF-ECEs) through chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) route. Post mortem examination of infected chickens revealed hemorrhagic tracheitis with fibrino-hemorrhagic casts and caseated materials. The PCR revealed amplification of a 688bp fragment of Infected Cell Protein 4 (ICP4) gene. Following that, seven samples were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. Sequence analysis of the ICP4 gene of these samples revealed complete identity with TCO (tissue culture origin) vaccines and the vaccine-related strains, which were previously isolated from Giza, Sharkia, Kafrelsheikh, and Fayoum provinces through the years 2007 to 2018. Inoculation of ILTV PCR positive samples on SPF-ECE appeared as yellowish-white pock lesions on the inoculated CAM from the first passage. From these results, we can say that ILTV circulating in Egypt is a vaccinal strain that regains its virulence from the back passage in birds and causes outbreaks all over the country.

Background: The role of immune response to chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is complex; and the specific T-cell response to this infection can determine the duration and the extent of liver disease. Objective: This study aimed at assessing the profile of Tlymphocyte subpopulations in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and its association with HBV replication. Methodology: The case group included 50 CHB patients with normal liver function tests (LFTs); and the control group included 50 age and sexmatched healthy individuals. The HBV markers, LFTs and serum viral load were measured in cases. Blood CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocyte subpopulations and the CD4/CD8 ratio were assessed in both groups by flow cytometry. Results: Our results showed significantly higher CD8 T-cells; significantly lower CD3 and CD4 T-cells; markedly reduced CD4/CD8 ratio in the cases as compared to the controls (P

Antibiotic resistance is looming problem in broiler production globally and there has been an increasing interest to look for sustainable alternatives to antibiotics. Yeast and its derived products are recognized as potential feed additives because of their beneficial impacts on poultry. Particularly, yeast exhibited positive effects on the humoral immunity by increasing serum immunoglobulin (Ig) A levels. Moreover, yeast and its products showed immune adjuvant-like properties that helped the broilers chicken to develop faster and stronger innate immune response under pathogenic challenges. Use of yeast and its products as prebiotic/probiotic improves the gut architecture mainly by improving the gut development and gut microbiome, reduction in colonization of pathogens through competitive exclusion, binding of toxins and enhancing digestion and absorption of nutrients. These unique properties of yeast and yeast products enhance animal welfare and productivity; warrant them to be used as a promising feed additive. This article, therefore, provides insights into the functional role of yeast and its products in the broiler diets and highlights its importance as a commercially viable alternative of synthetic antibiotic growth promoters in the broiler feed industry.

A carrion-related arthropod database is important for each locality especially temperate ecosystems. The present study aims to document baseline data about the decomposition process of indoor rat carrions and the diversity and succession pattern of the forensically important arthropods fauna that colonize these carrions. Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four experimental rat models, killed by cervical dislocation, electric shock, drowning or slaughtering. The orders Diptera and Coleoptera were the main necrophagous arthropods that supported the decomposition process. Calliphoridae was the first insect family that colonized the carrions and lasted till the beginning of the dry decay stage. The succession pattern and the abundance of associated arthropods did not differ between control and drowning group. In the control and drowning groups, the insects of the order Diptera predominated the overall insect fauna (57.14%) followed by Coleoptera (42.85%), while their proportions were 50–50% in the electrocuted group. The slaughtered group showed 50, 42.85, and 7.14% for Diptera, Coleopteran, and Hymenoptera, respectively. This study submitted additional information in the context of forensic entomology, and provides a reference for the succession pattern and its influence on the decomposition process in the summer season in Egypt.

Pyridaben, an inhibitor of mitochondrial electron transport at complex I, is authorized in Egypt as an insecticide/acaricide for strawberries and cucumbers; thus the investigation of residues in the final consumed product is essential as to ensure consumer safety and trade barriers. Therefore, residue trials were conducted according to the in force and more critical Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) as to investigate the dissipation rate of the compound on both crops and the terminal residues in the final products. Results showed that the residue decline fits a first-order decay process with calculated half-lives of 1 and 6.4 days for cucumbers and strawberries, respectively. Dietary risk assessment was performed based on the risk quotients (RQ) method and the EFSA PRIMo model demonstrating that the dietary exposure to pyridaben residues from cucumber and strawberry consumption, applied either according to the in force or more critical GAPs, does not pose unacceptable health risk to Egyptian and European consumers.

Dietary melanoidins are late stage Maillard reaction products (MRPs), browning colorants and predominantly high molecular weight (HMW) chemicals. They originate through polycondensation reactions of reducing sugars and proteins or amino acids upon thermal processing. Their presence in several daily food and beverages (i.e. coffee, beer, honey, bakery products, chocolate, grilled meat) contribute to food sensory characters (i.e. color, aroma, and flavor). Additionally, melanoidins exhibit many biological attributes (i.e. antioxidant, anti-obesity, antibacterial activity and impact on gut microbiota as prebiotics). However, dissecting melanoidins specific biological and functional characteristics in relation to their metabolism and gut interaction with link to their chemical structures has yet to be reported in literature. For a better understanding of melanoidins benefits and flavor properties in processed foods, this review represents a state of the art comprehensive insight of its formation mechanism and chemistry in relation to their functionalities and health effects. Further, a compile of the factors affecting melanoidins production to optimize for the best flavor attributes while minimizing hazardous compounds is presented. This study presents the first analysis of melanoidins gut interaction in context to its different action mechanisms.

Di-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is a global environmental pollutant. Human exposure to DEHP occurs through environmental sources. Community exposure (food, air, water) as well as medical settings’ exposure impose crucial effects on the human health. DEHP had been reported to have cytotoxic, immunotoxic, genotoxic, and reproductive toxic properties. This work aims to assess the possible toxic effects of DEHP on adult albino rats' lungs and to evaluate the possible protective effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) using body weight and relative lung weight parameters. Assessment of DHEP toxicity is measured by biochemical, histopathological and immunohistochemical methods. Fifty male adult albino rats were divided into five equal groups as follows: Group Ι (Negative control group), Group ΙΙ (Positive control group), Group IΙΙ (NAC-treated group): was given NAC orally (200 mg/kg/day), Group IV (DEHP-treated group): was given DEHP orally (3gm/kg once daily for 4 weeks) and Group V: (DEHP + NAC-treated group): was treated with DEHP concomitantly with NAC at the same previous doses. The results of the present study revealed that DEHP has significantly increased the lipid peroxidation level and significantly reduced glutathione content (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and catalase activity. The histological results of group IV showed inflammatory cellular infiltration of the lungs associated with interstitial edema, hemorrhage and inter-alveolar septal thickening that were markedly reduced in group V. Also, group V, showed a significant decrease in the collagen fibers accumulation and in caspase-3 expression as compared to group IV. Conclusion: treatment with NAC can protect against DEHP induced pulmonary toxicity in rats by decreasing oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis.

The myth of Osiris was an important myth in Ancient Egypt since antiquity, this is proved by its presence in the Pyramid Texts. According to the myth, Seth dismembered his brother Osiris into fourteen parts, that were buried later at fourteen different Egyptian sites in Upper and Lower Egypt. Most of these burial places became cult centers for the god. Two specific centers were more important and received actual and symbolic visits, namely AbDw, capital of the 8th Nome of upper Egypt, where Osiris’ head was thought to be buried and Ddw, capital of the 9th Nome of lower Egypt, where Osiris’ vertebral column was thought to be buried. These two cult centers were mentioned in religious books, they had fixed annual festivals and were linked to god Osiris’ epithets and titles. The research aims at analyzing these two cult centers, their historical background before and during being a cult center of the god Osiris. The paper also aims at comparing between the two cult centers in regards to festivals and ceremonies, their existence in religious contexts and the timing when they flourished. The paper ends with a main conclusion.

The experiments were carried out during 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 seasons. Greenhouse experiments carried out at Department of Plant pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University. Field experiments were carried out at Kaha Vegetable Research Farm, Kaliobia Governorate. Compared with untreated infected garlic plants Sids-40 cultivar, all foliar applications with aqueous extracts of each of henna (Lawsonia inermis), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), mixtures of them at levels 5% and 10% for each extract or Ridomil plus (2.5g /L) showed significant decrease in purple blotch severity and resulted in significant increases in phenolic compounds, oxidative enzymes activity i.e., CAT, POD and PPO during two growing seasons. However, significant decreases of proline content were resulted in the treated infected leaves during both seasons. Spraying with licorice and mixtures of extracts at5% and10% resulted the highest significant decreases of disease severity under both greenhouse and field conditions. Also, licorice at10% exhibited the highest values of plant length, fresh and dry weight of plants, values of bulb weight, total yield at harvest and after curing. Mycelial inhibition test proved that all extracts have an inhibitory effect on mycelial growth of A. porri and licorice extract exhibited the highest effect, even still lower than Ridomil Plus effect. It can be concluded that all aqueous extracts tested were able to reduce the disease severity as a result of either direct microbial growth inhibition or induction of garlic plant resistance against A. porri, thus as well was associated with improved plant growth parameters and garlic yield.

Acrylamide (ACR) has been previously associated with male sexual dysfunction and infertility. Eruca sativa (L.) (arugula or rocket) have been widely used in traditional remedies in Mediterranean region and western Asia and was known for its strong aphrodisiac effect since Roman times. The current study was designed to investigate LC/MS analysis of total ethanol extract Eruca sativa (L.) and the efficiency and mechanism of action of Eruca sativa seed extract (ESS) in reducing hypogonadism induced by acrylamide in male rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups (n = 7): control group, Eruca sativa seed extract (ESS) at doses of 100 and 200 mg\kg, acrylamide (ACR), ACR + ESS 100 mg/kg, and ACR + ESS 200 mg/kg. The animals received ACR at a dose of 10 mg/kg b.wt for 60 days. Sperm indices, testicular oxidative stress, testosterone hormone, and testicular histopathology and immunohistochemistry of PCNA and caspase-3 were investigated. Moreover, the expression level of testicular B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) genes was evaluated. In respect to the LC/MS of total ethanol extract Eruca sativa (L.) seed revealed tentative identification of 39 compounds, which belongs to different classes as sulphur-containing compounds, flavonoids, phenolic acid, and fatty acids. Administration of ESS extract (100, 200 mg/kg) improved semen quality, diminished lipid peroxidation, enhanced testicular antioxidant enzyme, restored serum testosterone level, and reduced testicular degeneration and Leydig cell death in the rats intoxicated with ACR. However, the effects of ESS at the dose of 200 mg/kg were similar to that of control group. Furthermore, ESS treatment significantly induced anti-apoptotic effect indicated by elevation of both Bcl-2 and Bax expressions. Nutriceutics of ESS extract protects testis against ACR-induced testicular toxicity via normalizing testicular steroidogenesis, keeping Leydig cells, and improving oxidative stress status.

Background Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone pathways reduces blood pressure and proliferation of vascular smooth muscles and may therefore reduce the risk of stroke. We tested the hypothesis that patients taking angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) for at least 6 months have fewer postoperative strokes after non-neurological, noncarotid, and noncardiac surgeries than those who do not. Methods We considered adults who had noncardiac surgery at the Cleveland Clinic between January 2005 and December 2017. After excluding neurological and carotid surgeries, we assessed the confounder-adjusted association between chronic use of ACEIs/ARBs (during 6 preoperative months) and the incidence of postoperative stroke using logistic regression models. Results Postoperative strokes occurred in 0.26% (27/10,449) of patients who were chronic ACEI/ARBs users and in 0.18% (112/62,771) of those who were not. There was no significant association between ACEI/ARB use and postoperative stroke, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.15 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91-1.44; P=0.24). Secondarily, there was no association between exposures to ACEIs and postoperative stroke, versus no such exposure (adjusted odds ratio 0.88, 95% CI: 0.65-1.19; P=0.33). Similarly, there was no association between exposure to ARBs and postoperative stroke, versus no such exposure (adjusted odds ratio 1.05, 95% CI: 0.75-1.48; P=0.75). Conclusion We did not detect an effect of chronic ACEI/ARB use on postoperative strokes in patients who had non-neurological, noncarotid and noncardiac surgery; however, power was extremely limited.

The present study maybe is the first attempt in Egypt to evaluate the effect of Entomocidal proteins (Cry toxins) from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)Cry 1Ac and Cry 2Ab againstthe Egyptian cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis. The cotton leafworm one of the important Lepidopteran species is the most important pests in cotton fields. It can be controlled using Genetically Modified (GM) crops expressing insecticidal Bt proteins like Bt cotton and Bt corn. The long-term success of this technology demands pest resistance management. Important information for the successful management of resistance is the baseline susceptibility of the different target pests to the different Bt proteins. The data on baseline susceptibility should enable risk assessors and managers to assess whether GM cotton produces a Bt protein in a high-dose to specific target organisms and resistance has evolved during the commercial cultivation of this GM cotton event. During this study, the toxicity of Cry 1Ac and Cry 2Ab from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis to larvae of S. littoralis was assessed using first instar larvae with diet incorporation bioassays. Larvae reared (4 generations) from 2 populations of S. littoralis collected from major cotton-growing regions of Sohag and Assuit Governorates were tested. The LC50 for the Assuit strain was 140.11 and 88.54 µg/ml forCry 1Ac and Cry 2Ab, respectively. While, the LC50 for the Sohag strain was 410.75 and 37.62 µg/ml for Cry 1Ac and Cry 2Ab, respectively. On the other hand, the laboratory strain was more sensitive for the same Cry’s (Cry 1Ac and Cry 2Ab) the LC50 was13.40 and 0.23 µg/ml, respectively. The lethal concentration (LC50) against S. littoralis for 2nd and 4th instars larvae when using the B. thuringiensis as spores (commercial product) was 1.16 and 2.49 for 2nd and 4th instars, respectively. This study is very important as a preliminary step and baseline ahead of the commercial cultivation and production of Genetically Modified cotton (Bt cotton).

Phytochemical investigation of Sophora secundiflora alkaloid fraction led to isolation of one new quinolizidine alkaloid (1) 13-methoxyanagyrine together with six known ones (2–7). The insecticidal activity of 70% methanol extract of leaves of S. secundiflora, S. tomentosa and the isolated alkaloids were assessed against 3rd instar larvae of Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) using different concentrations and mortality rate was recorded. Sophora tomentosa extract showed highest mortality rate with median lethal concentration LC50 3.11 ppm after 24 h and 0.66 ppm after 48 h and anagyrine (6) exhibited remarkably insecticidal activity with LC50 value of 3.42 ppm after 24 h of exposure. Additionally, cytotoxic activity of alkaloid fraction of S. secundiflora, S. tomentosa and isolated alkaloids was also studied using crystal violet assay against MCF-7 and HEPG-2 cell lines. Anagyrine (6) exhibited IC50 values of 27.3 ± 0.7 and 30.2 ± 0.9 µg/mL against MCF-7 and HEPG-2 cancer cells, respectively.

The development of different approaches to use agricultural residues as a source of high value-added products, become a must, especially after the problems emerged due to their accumulation. This contribution demonstrates the potential of agricultural residues, Linuim usitatissium (flax seed) and Nigella sativa (black seed) peels, as raw materials for the production of bioactive products, botanical insecticides, against Cx. pipiens, with deep analysis to their chemical constituents by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the larvicidal efficacies of the three crude extracts (methylene chloride, petroleum ether and methanol 70%) from the two plant waste peels were evaluated for the first time against the late third instar larvae of Cx. pipiens. Results indicated different lethal doses in larvae depending on the efficacy of organic solvent used. For both compounds methanol 70% extracts produced the highest dry yield. The most efficient solvent is petroleum ether in case of both flax and Black seed peels. Petroleum ether extract exhibited the highest toxicity against Cx. pipiens with an LC50 of 69.6383 ppm. The same results for black seed indicated that petroleum ether was the most efficient against Cx. pipiens with an LC50 of 40.7748 ppm. The study revealed for the first time the type of phytochemical constituents presents in peels of flax and black seeds using GC–MS analysis which revealed twenty-eight constituents among extracts of flax and black seed peels ranging from to 58.8711% to 99.99% of the total extracts. GC–MS profiling showed that a five constituents, 9-2-Methyl-Z, Z-3, 13 octadecadienol (terpenoid), 9,17-Octadecadienal, (Z)-, Nonanoic acid, 9-oxo-, methyl ester, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid Z,Z and Octasiloxane, 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7,9,9,11,11,13,13,15,15-hexadecamethyl- have insecticidal activity beside many other biological activities as recorded from a variety of botanical extracts. While the constituents like Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester and cis-9-Hexadecenal, both of them are larvicidal, cis-Vaccenic acid and 9-Oxononanoic acid showing only an insecticidal activity beside Undecanoic acid the mosquito repellent. The other six constituents Linoelaidic acid, Oleic Acid, Z-2-Octadecen-1-ol, 1-Methoxy-3-hydroxymethylheptane, Cis-11,14–Eicosadieonic acid-methyl ester and Heptasiloxane, 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7,9,9,11,11,13,13-tetradecamethyl- are constituents of other plant extracts which showed as a whole an insecticidal activity.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a biological sensor that integrates environmental, metabolic, and endogenous signals to control complex cellular responses in physiological and pathophysiological functions. The full-length AhR encompasses various domains, including a bHLH, a PAS A, a PAS B, and transactivation domains. With the exception of the PAS B and transactivation domains, the available 3D structures of AhR revealed structural details of its subdomains interactions as well as its interaction with other protein partners. Towards screening for novel AhR modulators homology modeling was employed to develop AhR-PAS B domain models. These models were validated using molecular dynamics simulations and binding site identification methods. Furthermore, docking of well-known AhR ligands assisted in confirming these binding pockets and discovering critical residues to host these ligands. In this context, virtual screening utilizing both ligand-based and structure-based methods screened large databases of small molecules to identify novel AhR agonists or antagonists and suggest hits from these screens for validation in an experimental biological test. Recently, machine-learning algorithms are being explored as a tool to enhance the screening process of AhR modulators and to minimize the errors associated with structure-based methods. This chapter reviews all in silico screening that were focused on identifying AhR modulators and discusses future perspectives towards this goal.

Seeds of domesticated Vicia (vetch) species (family Fabaceae-Faboideae) are produced and consumed worldwide for their nutritional value. Seed accessions belonging to 16 different species of Vicia-both domesticated and wild taxa-were subjected to a chemotaxonomic study using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) analyzed by chemometrics. A total of 89 metabolites were observed in the examined Vicia accessions. Seventy-eight out of the 89 detected metabolites were annotated. Metabolites quantified belonged to several classes, viz., flavonoids, procyanidins, prodelphinidins, anthocyanins, stilbenes, dihydrochalcones, phenolic acids, coumarins, alkaloids, jasmonates, fatty acids, terpenoids, and cyanogenics, with flavonoids and fatty acids amounting to the major classes. Flavonoids, fatty acids, and anthocyanins showed up as potential chemotaxonomic markers in Vicia species discrimination. Fatty acids were more enriched in Vicia faba specimens, while the abundance of flavonoids was the highest in Vicia parviflora. Anthocyanins allowed for discrimination between Vicia hirsuta and Vicia sepium. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on employing UPLC-MS metabolomics to discern the diversity of metabolites at the intrageneric level among Vicia species.

Over the past decades, several tools have been developed for food pathogen detection, including proteomics, metabolomics, immunological, biosensor, and nucleic acid-based approaches. Although these techniques are reliable and precise, they are time-consuming, technically challenging, and costly. Hence, it is necessary to develop rapid techniques for food pathogen detection, which can be performed at the household level. DNAFoil mechanism is a portable, completely self-administered, on-site DNA test that does not need expensive instru-ments or settings to confirm food pathogen detection in as little as 30 min. DNAFoil was used successfully for detecting food contamination and adulteration with pork derivatives (down to 0.1%) and vegetal components (down to 0.01%), respectively. In this study, initial validation experiments of DNAFoil were investigated to detect Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella contamination. To confirm the specificity of the proposed method toward Salmonella, 18 different Salmonella strains, 6 non-Salmonella bacteria, and 2 fungi were investigated; also, in the case of Listeria monocytogenes, five bacterial strains, two fungi, and Listeria monocytogenes were investigated. The results stated that the Swiss Decode Salmonella and L. monocytogenes solutions can detect as few as 1 and 10 copies of DNA per microliter, respectively. The results also showed that the accuracy of our method ranges between 92 and 100%, while the precision value ranged between 88 and 100%. In terms of quality control applicability, DNAFoil Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes reactions could be visually detected with the naked eye using a lateral flow strip, which could be used for in-place quality control during manufacturing and also can be used for more lab tests. In terms of cost, DNAFoil is usually much cheaper than the traditional detection methods. Therefore, DNAFoil is proposed as a promising and universal detection technology for food pathogens.

The micromorphological variation of the leaf and pollen grain characteristics in two species of Nicotiana was examined using a light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These species are Nicotiana glauca R.C. Graham (wild species) and Nicotiana tabacum L. (cultivated species). The leaves are simple. The other leaf micromorphological features presented variation. The leaf architectural characteristics were also observed. Leaf venation is pinnate brochidodromous. The epidermal cell shape, on the abaxial leaf surface, is polygonal to irregular in Nicotiana glauca but it is so adaxially in all the two species the cells are irregular on both the epidermal layers. The anticlinal walls are either straight or sinuous. The leaves are amphistomatic. The stomata are commonly anomocytic to anisocytic. Foliar trichomes are glandular and non-glandular. Some of the foliar micromorphological characters as viewed under SEM were beneficial in species identification. The pollen shape is prolate with aperture tricolpate without opercula, the colpi shallow sunken with their ends acute. The exine sculpture is reticulate with granulate or granulate-microperforated to fine granulate and irregularly reticulate to perforate. Keywords: Leaf micromorphology- Pollen grains - Light microscope (LM); Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)- Nicotiana Solanaceae -Nicotianoideae.

The current research deals with the synthesis and validation of the novel Ag-eugenol nanoemulsion (O/W). The synthesized Ag-eugenol nanoemulsion was validated by DLS, TEM, FT-IR, UV–VIS spectral analysis; TEM reveals the particles an average size of 30 nm and SEM images confirm spherical morphology of particles. Zeta potential measurements, presented a negative average zeta potential of − 25 mV. EDX analysis showed typical absorption peaks at 0.25 keV and 3 keV that confirm the presence of AgNPs. Elemental mapping of Ag-eugenol nanoemulsion confirms the presence of silver, eugenol moiety and the AgNPs are nucleated by eugenol moiety. Eugenol, eugenol nanoemulsion (5 µg/ml), AgNPs (25 ppm) and Ag-eugenol nanoemulsion (12.5 ppm AgNPs: eugenol 2.5 µg/ml) solutions were tested for their antimicrobial potency against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Proteus vulgaris. Ag-eugenol nanoemulsion was effective against both tested fungi; A. fumigatus and C. albicans with MIC 12.5:2.5 ppm:µg/ml and 6.25:1.25 ppm:µg/ml, respectively, comparing to a negative effect of eugenol nanoemulsion.

Cryptosporidium is one of the commonest opportunistic parasites. But, its chemotherapeuticoptions are limited, with controversy about the role of apoptosis in cryptosporidiosis. Caspasesare key molecules of apoptosis. The study assessed the role of apoptosis in cryptosporidiosisby studying the relationship between the effects of phenyl vinyl sulfone (PVS), nitazoxanide(NTZ) and combined therapy on Cryptosporidium parvum infection and caspase 3immunostaining. Ninety female laboratory bred Swiss Albino mice were divided into twomajor groups; immunocompetent and immunosuppressed. Both groups were divided into thefollowing subgroups, for each one respectively: negative control (1 & 6), infected control (2& 7), infected treated with PVS (3 & 8), infected treated with NTZ (4 & 9) and infected treatedcombined (5 & 10). Sacrification were done on 18th day post infection.Histopathological study of ileum was done and endogenous developmental stages werecounted. Also, caspase 3 immunohistochemical staining was carried out on ileal sections.Combined therapy in groups 5 &10 showed the highest reduction in mean number of endogenousdevelopmental stages as in G10 (P

Background Caviar, salt-cured unfertilized roe of sturgeon fish, is a food delicacy associated with royalty and nutritive properties since prehistoric times. The drastic decline in wild sturgeon populations has led to an increased aquaculture production of caviar roe and its substitutes from other species i.e. lumpfish, herring, tobiko, cod, shad and mullet. Fish roes are highly nutritive foods comprising a myriad of biochemical components with several health benefits viz. high quality protein, polyunsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals which are influenced by its biodiversity, fish farming and industrial processing. Scope and approach We provided in this review extensive knowledge regarding interspecies compositional variability among roe produced by different fish species, with respect to the impact of fish farming, different processing methods and storage conditions on caviar/roe quality. Different quality control methods viz. biochemical, analytical and molecular methods, for evaluating caviar authenticity and biodiversity of roe products are summarized as essential tools to assess roe counterfeiting and/or mislabeling. Key findings and conclusions Biochemical markers for discriminating the roe origin (wild vs. domesticated fish) are highlighted with lipid profiles being more efficient than protein analysis. Molecular genetic techniques were also posed as competent species-discriminatory tools. Other underexploited tools were introduced as future perspectives viz. color measurements and computer vision, as rapid non-destructive methods. Intelligent packaging should be sought as a valuable method for monitoring roe freshness. The full health benefits of roe, as a promising functional food, are not yet fully capitalized upon which warrants future research to prove its efficacy using mechanistic and clinical studies.

Highlight Investigated in heavy metal bio-accumulation in red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and Common pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) collected in Zliten Coast, Libya.Based on the samples collected, the muscle tissue of fish species may be considered suitable for human consumption.The metal concentration levels observed were in range of acceptable limits proposed by regulations of WHO and FAO.AbstractThe current study aimed to determine the heavy metal concentration like as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) in the liver, gills, gonad and muscles in two fish species (red mullet (Mullus barbatus), and common Pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) collected from the Zliten coast in Libya. The levels of heavy metals were determined by using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed that the concentration of heavy metals in the sampled fishes less than the permissible limits for human consumption. In addition, the bioaccumulation for Cu, Pb, Cd, and Hg by both fish species was: liver >gills > gonads > muscles, while Zn follows the sequence: gonads > liver > gills > muscles.

Herbs and plant metabolites/extracts are gaining wide attention owing to their multiple beneficial health effects, medicinal values, and nutraceutical properties, particularly in the present era of...