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The green synthesis approach has drawn a lot of interest as an environmentally friendly and sustainable acceptable means of producing a diverse range of nanoparticles (NPs). This piece described a rapid approach for synthesizing selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) with grape seed extract. A biologically active composition of selenium-chitosan nanoparticles (Se-chitosan NPs) has been prepared and characterized using, ultraviolet–visible, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and zeta potential and size distribution experiments. To study the anticancer activity of prepared NP cytotoxicity (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay of chitosan nanoparticles (Chito-NPs), SeNPs were tested on two cancer cell lines: A549 and normal cell line (HK-2). In addition to a series of morphological changes, induction of apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and mitochondrial membrane potential. The results showed that the synthesized NPs were spherical with 55.285 and 30.9 nm, for SeNPs and Se-chitosan NPs, respectively. In the A549 cell line, SeNPs and Se-chitosan NPs exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity, with an IC50 for Chito-NPs of 24.09 µg/mL, whereas for SeNPs it was 18.56 µg/mL. Conversely, normal cell lines (MCF-10) were not significantly cytotoxically affected by SeNPs and Se-chitosan NPs. Additionally, SeNP and Se-chitosan NP treatment resulted in increased ROS generation and caused mitochondrial dysfunction. Based on ROS-mediated pathways, the results demonstrated that Chito-NPs, SeNPs, and Se-chitosan NPs cause apoptosis and death in A549 cells. As nanotherapeutics, Chito-NPs, SeNPs, and Se-chitosan NPs appear to offer a great deal of unrealized potential based on these findings. Further investigation is warranted and clinically significant to elucidate the specific therapeutic potential and safety of these NPs when applied in vivo. In this work, we show that exposure to SeNPs, Chito-NPs, and Se-chitosan NPs alters the human lung cancer cell line A549’s ROS route of signaling, thereby causing the induction of apoptosis.

Abstract Background Cholera persists as a global public health threat, endangering the lives of vulnerable societies including the MENA region where many countries are facing recent cholera outbreaks. The present study aimed to characterize the knowledge, attitude, and practices status related to cholera in six MENA countries in the MENA region. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured, validated questionnaire and distributed across different social media platforms in Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen between December 2022 and January 2023. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine factors associated with knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to cholera. Results A total of 2971 participants were included in the study, of which 62.5% were females; with a mean age of 34.8 ± 12.3 years; 85.4% heard about cholera; and 1.9% experienced cholera infection during cholera outbreaks in their countries. Among those who heard about cholera, 50.7% had adequate knowledge, 67.3% had desirable attitudes, and 50.3% reported good practices. Multivariate analysis revealed that being older, highly educated, employed, working in the medical field, and living in an outbreak country were the significant predictors affecting good knowledge. Additionally, good attitudes were significantly increased by older ages, females, those working in the medical sector, and those living in an outbreak country. Whereas working in the medical sector and having a larger number of people living in the same house significantly decreased the practice scores. Conclusions Raising community awareness about fecal-oral diseases transmitted via contaminated food or water, such as cholera, is crucial. This can be achieved by organizing targeted awareness campaigns for the whole community. Furthermore, mandatory educational workshops and programs for medical professionals are essential, as they serve as role models for the community.

Abstract Background Anxiety may be induced in the dental clinics, which is an essential learning environment for undergraduate dental students. This could have a negative impact on clinical performance. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of clinical anxiety among a sample of Dental students and to determine possible precipitating factors for clinical anxiety among them. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out among 3rd and 4th year dental students at King Salman International University using the modified 34 items of Moss and McManus clinical anxiety questionnaire. Results 263 students participated. Dental students reported higher incidence of clinical anxiety (60.8%), particularly with different dental treatment plan procedures related clinical situations fulfilling 31.2 out of mean score of anxiety all (74.0 ). Females had higher anxiety score in all domains than males, the same trend noticed in students who reported dental phobia and previous bad dental experiences (P

Sepsis is a potentially catastrophic organ dysfunction arising from an infection-induced immunologic reaction leading to severe inflammation, progression of septic shock, and damage to body organs. Sepsis is marked by noticeable hepatotoxicity caused by activating oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptotic mechanisms. Through Cecal Ligation and Puncture (CLP) in rats, our study is the first to investigate the potential preventive effect of the antihypertensive medicine “Nebivolol” on sepsis-induced hepatotoxicity at a molecular level. Six groups of sixty albino Wistar rats (male) were randomly assigned. Biochemical and oxidative stress markers of liver function were measured. Additionally, apoptosis- and inflammatory-related gene and protein expressions were examined. Finally, the liver tissues were examined for histological assessments. The hepatic architecture was considerably altered by CLP, which also resulted in marked elevations of blood aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total and direct bilirubin levels, and hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA). In contrast, it decreased serum albumin level, hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and glutathione (GSH) level. It also significantly elevated all hepatic inflammatory mediators (Interlukin-6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α), and Interlukin-1 beta (IL-1β)) and alleviated Interlukin-10 (IL-10). It magnified the expression of p-AKT/t-AKT, p-JNK1/2/t-JNK1/2, and p-p38/t-p38 proteins, raised Matrix Metalloproteinase 2/9 (MMP 2/9) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) gene transcriptions, and lessened Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) gene expression. In contrast, Nebivolol administration dramatically mitigated all biochemical and histological changes obtained by CLP. The present finding demonstrated that Nebivolol succeeded, for the first time, in improving the hepatic injury obtained from CLP-evoked sepsis through modulating oxidative stress, inflammatory mediators, and apoptotic pathways through targeting the crosstalk between protein kinase B (AKT), NF-κB, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), making Nebivolol a hopeful treatment for hepatic injury.

Water scarcity is one of the major critical affecting arid climate countries. In addition, population growth and climate change are threatening the sustainable development of water resources in the upcoming decades. Therefore, managing groundwater can solve water scarcity such that sustainable development is ensured for future generations. Hence, it is crucial to assess the current quantity of groundwater by analyzing groundwater variables. Thus, natural groundwater recharge could be utilized as an indicator to assess groundwater quantity conditions. This study aims to estimate natural groundwater recharge in an arid unconfined aquifer. El-Qaa plain in Sinai, Egypt was chosen as a case study. Recharge was estimated taking into consideration spatial and temporal variability. To accomplish this, the WetSpass (Water and Energy Transfer between Soil, Plants, and Atmosphere under quasi-Steady State) model was applied. The model was run using morphological, landuse – land cover and climate data from 1986 to 2015 with a monthly time step. To calibrate the model, the isotope signature of δ18O and δ2 H of water was analyzed to determine the natural groundwater recharge of the aquifer. The obtained recharge value was utilized as a reference value for the calibration process. The results were validated using a finite-difference groundwater flow model (MODFLOW). The recharge values were imported to MODFLOW followed via a transient run from 2000 to 2011. The validation was conducted by comparing the simulated groundwater level with the observed ones. After validation process, the inter-annual and seasonal variability of recharge were determined, and a relationship between recharge and other hydrological parameters was deduced. In addition, the recharge distribution was mapped to depict the recharge spatial variability. The results show that the current recharge rate ranges from approximately 8.10 to 16.62 mm/yr, with a mean annual recharge rate of nearly 12.36 mm/yr. The study might be useful for hydrogeologists for determining potential recharge in the study area, groundwater modelers for developing a reliable groundwater flow model, and decision-makers for planning appropriate future sustainable development through water resources management.

BACKGROUND: Treatment for fluoroquinolone-resistant multidrug-resistant/rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR TB) often lasts longer than treatment for less resistant strains, yields worse efficacy results, and causes substantial toxicity. The newer anti-tuberculosis drugs, bedaquiline and delamanid, and repurposed drugs clofazimine and linezolid, show great promise for combination in shorter, less-toxic, and effective regimens. To date, there has been no randomized, internally and concurrently controlled trial of a shorter, all-oral regimen comprising these newer and repurposed drugs sufficiently powered to produce results for pre-XDR TB patients. METHODS: endTB-Q is a phase III, multi-country, randomized, controlled, parallel, open-label clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of a treatment strategy for patients with pre-XDR TB. Study participants are randomized 2:1 to experimental or control arms, respectively. The experimental arm contains bedaquiline, linezolid, clofazimine, and delamanid. The control comprises the contemporaneous WHO standard of care for pre-XDR TB. Experimental arm duration is determined by a composite of smear microscopy and chest radiographic imaging at baseline and re-evaluated at 6 months using sputum culture results: participants with less extensive disease receive 6 months and participants with more extensive disease receive 9 months of treatment. Randomization is stratified by country and by participant extent-of-TB-disease phenotype defined according to screening/baseline characteristics. Study participation lasts up to 104 weeks post randomization. The primary objective is to assess whether the efficacy of experimental regimens at 73 weeks is non-inferior to that of the control. A sample size of 324 participants across 2 arms affords at least 80% power to show the non-inferiority, with a one-sided alpha of 0.025 and a non-inferiority margin of 12%, against the control in both modified intention-to-treat and per-protocol populations. DISCUSSION: This internally controlled study of shortened treatment for pre-XDR TB will provide urgently needed data and evidence for clinical and policy decision-making around the treatment of pre-XDR TB with a four-drug, all-oral, shortened regimen. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT03896685. Registered on 1 April 2018; the record was last updated for study protocol version 4.3 on 17 March 2023.

Bike-sharing systems (BSSs) have become commonplace in most cities worldwide as an important part of many smart cities. These systems generate a continuous amount of large data volumes. The effectiveness of these BSS systems depends on making decisions at the proper time. Thus, there is a vital need to build predictive models on the BSS data for the sake of improving the process of decision-making. The overwhelming majority of BSS users register before utilizing the service. Thus, several BSSs have prior knowledge of the user's data, such as age, gender, and other relevant details. Several machine learning and deep learning models, for instance, are used to predict urban flows, trip duration, and other factors. The standard practice for these models is to train on the entire dataset to build a predictive model, whereas the biking patterns of various users are intuitively distinct. For instance, the user's age influences the duration of a trip. This endeavor was motivated by the existence of distinct user patterns. In this work, we proposed divide-and-train, a new method for training predictive models on station-based BSS datasets by dividing the original datasets on the values of a given dataset attribute. Then, the proposed method was validated on different machine learning and deep learning models. All employed models were trained on both the complete and split datasets. The enhancements made to the evaluation metric were then reported. Results demonstrated that the proposed method outperformed the conventional training approach. Specifically, the root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) metrics have shown improvements in both trip duration and distance prediction, with an average accuracy of 85% across the divided sub-datasets for the best performing model, i.e., random forest.

Fish swim bladders are considered a traditional marine aquatic food that has medicinal and nutritional properties. Sulfate glycosaminoglycans (SBSG) obtained from fish swim bladders may have anti-angiogenic activity. However, the anti-angiogenic activity of SBSG and its mechanism has not been reported. Therefore, the present study investigated the effect of SBSG on angiogenesis and examined molecular pathways in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) using cell viability, chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay, tube formation assay, and proteomic analyses. The results demonstrated that the SBSG significantly (P

Itraconazole (ITZ) is a highly effective antifungal agent. However, its oral application is associated with systemic toxicity and poor topical use. The present study aims to improve the antifungal activity of ITZ by loading it into bioadhesive niosomes. This approach is considered to enhance the ocular permeation of ITZ, thereby boosting its efficacy against fungal infections. Therefore, it was encapsulated into niosomes (F1) and subsequently coated with hyaluronic acid (HA; F2), chitosan (CS; F3), or a bilayer of CS/HA (F4). In addition, they were further incorporated into pH-sensitive in situ gels. This dual approach is expected to increase the amount of corneal-permeated ITZ, facilitating more effective management of ocular fungal infection.Firstly, the niosomes were prepared by hydrating proniosomes using span 60, cholesterol, and phospholipid. ITZ-niosomes showed an increase in vesicle size from 165.5 ± 3.4 (F1) to 378.2 ± 7.2 nm (F3). The zeta potential varied within −20.9 ± 2.1 (F1), −29.5 ± 3.1 (F2), 32.3 ± 1.9 (F3), and 22.6 ± 1.3 mV (F4). The high EE% values ranged from 78.1 ± 2.2 % to 86.6 ± 2.9 %. Regarding ITZ release, F1 demonstrated a high release profile, whereas bioadhesive niosomes showed sustained release patterns. Furthermore, in situ gels containing niosomes displayed excellent gelling capacity and viscosity. Remarkably, F3 laden-in situ gels (F3-ISG) demonstrated the highest ex vivo corneal permeability of ITZ and antifungal activity with a safety effect. These results indicate that F3-ISG presents a promising strategy for boosting the ocular delivery of ITZ, that could help in treating ocular fungal infections.

The objective of the present study was to identify the main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) associated with cultured meat production to increase awareness about the crucial factors that can potentially affect the growth and development of this industry. A SWOT analysis was performed using food science scholars (n = 250) and veterinary professionals (n = 150) as the respondents using an interview schedule and a questionnaire in the form of a Google form was used for meat scientists (n = 50). Being related to the field of meat and food production, their opinion is of paramount importance. Most of the respondents were male (70.0 %, 64.67 %, and 51.20 % for meat scientists, veterinary professionals, and food scholars, respectively) who ate meat as a part of their regular diet (86.0 %, 79.25 %, and 61.25 %, respectively) and perceived cultured meat as unnatural. The ‘skilled human resources’ (80.85 % of meat scientists), ‘available knowledge in the field’ (66.60 % of veterinary professionals), and ‘low carbon footprint’ (63.04 % of food scholars) were perceived as the main strengths. The meat scientists (93.33 %) and veterinary professionals (78.0 %) perceived ‘small-scale and high-cost of production’ as the main weakness. Also, meat scientists (93.33 %) perceived the ‘sophisticated nature of the technology’ and food scholars (61.20 %) considered ‘funding for further research’ as a major weakness. Both the meat scientists (87.23 %) and veterinary professionals (83.30 %) perceived ‘high demand for meat products’ whereas food scholars (61.20 %) considered ‘lower use of land and water’ as the major opportunity. Both the meat scientists (91.30 %) and food scholars (72.0 %) perceived a ‘lack of information about consumer acceptance’ whereas veterinary professionals (74.60 %) considered ‘oligopolistic markets’ as the major threat. Our results have led to a better understanding of various crucial factors related to cultured meat. This can help to develop the right strategic planning and take proactive measures to mitigate the impact of threats and weaknesses. Right strategic planning and proactive measures can have a pivotal role in the social acceptance and the future expansion of this industry.

The micellization properties of rhamnolipids (RLs) in extreme electrolyte concentrations and temperatures have gained considerable attention due to their broad industrial applications. In this study, the aggregation behavior, specifically the micellization pattern (critical micelle concentration (CMC)) of RLs produced from a newly isolated thermophilic strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a harsh environment of an oil field, was investigated by a spectrophotometric method at various temperatures (293–393 K) and electrolyte concentrations (NaCl: 2–20%). The result indicated that the CMC values (0.267–0.140 mM⋅dm−3) were both electrolyte- and temperature-dependent exhibiting a U-shaped trend as temperature and NaCl concentration increased. Variations in NaCl concentration and temperature also affected the standard Gibbs free energy (ΔGomic), enthalpy (ΔHomic), and entropy (ΔSomic) of micellization. The molecule also showed stability at a broad range of temperatures, pH, and NaCl concentrations. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis confirmed the similarity in composition between the crude extract and the commercial RL with Rf values of 0.72 for mono-rhamnolipids and 0.28 for di-rhamnolipids. FTIR analysis confirmed the chemical nature particularly key aliphatic functional groups present in the fatty acid tail of RLs and the -COC- bond in the structure of the rhamnose moiety. Additionally, LC-ESI-QTOF analysis confirmed corresponding ionic fragments of mono- and di-rhamnolipids congeners. Furthermore, the antimicrobial potential was determined against different human pathogens in the absence and presence of NaCl by measuring zones of inhibition. The result revealed enhanced inhibitory effects against Gram-positive pathogens (S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and L. monocytogene), with zones of inhibition of 26, 30, and 20 mm in the presence of NaCl. These findings underline the role of NaCl in the micellization of RL molecules and highlight their importance in environmental applications, pharmaceuticals, and various life science sectors.

IntroductionDental caries, caused by oral microbial pathogens, are a global health concern, further exacerbated by the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Bioactive proteins and peptides (BAPs) exhibit potent antimicrobial properties, targeting multiple cellular mechanisms within pathogens, reducing the likelihood of resistance development. Given the antimicrobial potential of BAPs, this study aimed to compare the efficacy of BAPs extracted from cultivated (Pleurotus ostreatus, PoC) and wild (Pleurotus ostreatus, PoW) mushrooms against pathogens responsible for dental caries.MethodsBAPs were extracted from both PoC and PoW using a TCA-acetone method. Antimicrobial activities were tested against seven bacteria and one fungus using agar well diffusion and MIC determination. Antibiofilm activity was assessed via modified CV assay, while DPPH and erythrocyte lysis tests evaluated free radical scavenging.ResultsPoC showed superior antimicrobial efficacy, with lower MIC and MBC values, and disrupted biofilm integrity at increasing concentrations. PoW exhibited better antioxidant activity with higher DPPH scavenging, though its antimicrobial efficacy was slightly lower than PoC.DiscussionBoth PoC and PoW BAPs inhibited dental pathogens, with PoC showing stronger inhibition against MRSA and nystatin-resistant Candida albicans. This suggests BAPs may target additional cellular mechanisms beyond membranes, PBPs, and ergosterols. Despite PoW’s stronger antioxidant properties, both BAPs had comparable antibiofilm activity. These findings suggest complementary actions of BAPs from PoC and PoW both, in treating dental caries, offering broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antioxidant benefits.

Using deep learning or artificial intelligence (AI) in research with animals is a new interdisciplinary area of research. In this study, we have explored the potential of thermal imaging and AI in pig research. Thermal cameras play a vital role in obtaining and collecting a large amount of data, and AI has the capabilities of processing and extracting valuable information from these data. The amount of data collected using thermal imaging is huge, and automation techniques are therefore crucial to find a meaningful interpretation of the changes in temperature. In this paper, we present a complete pipeline to extract temperature automatically from a selected Region of Interest (ROI). This system consists of three stages: the first one checks whether the ROI is completely visible to observe the thermal temperature, and then the second stage uses an encoder–decoder structure of a convolution neural network to segment the ROI, if the condition was met at stage one. In the last stage, the maximum temperature is extracted and saved in an external file. The segmentation model showed good performance, with a mean Pixel Class accuracy of 92.3%, and a mean Intersection over Union of 87.1%. The extracted temperature observed by the model entirely matched the manually observed temperature. The system showed reliable results to be used independently without human intervention to determine the temperature in the selected ROI in pigs.

New spiro-piperidine derivatives were synthesised via the eco-friendly ionic liquids in a one-pot fashion. The in vitro antileishmanial activity against Leishmania major promastigote and amastigote forms highlighted promising antileishmanial activity for most of the derivatives, with superior activity compared to miltefosine. The most active compounds 8a and 9a exhibited sub-micromolar range of activity, with IC50 values of 0.89 µM and 0.50 µM, respectively, compared to 8.08 µM of miltefosine. Furthermore, the antileishmanial activity reversal of these compounds via folic and folinic acids displayed comparable results to the positive control trimethoprim. This emphasises that their antileishmanial activity is through the antifolate mechanism via targeting DHFR and PTR1. The most active compounds showed superior selectivity and safety profile compared to miltefosine against VERO cells. Moreover, the docking experiments of 8a and 9a against Lm-PTR1 rationalised the observed in vitro activities. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed a stable and high potential binding to Lm-PTR1.