Search

Abstract Even though legumes are valuable medicinal plants with edible seeds that are extensively consumed worldwide, there is little information available on the metabolic variations between different dietary beans and their influence as potential anti-cholinesterase agents. High-resolution liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry in positive and negative ionization modes combined with multivariate analysis were used to explore differences in the metabolic profiles of five commonly edible seeds, fava bean, black-eyed pea, kidney bean, red lentil, and chickpea. A total of 139 metabolites from various classes were identified including saponins, alkaloids, phenolic acids, iridoids, and terpenes. Chickpea showed the highest antioxidant and anti-cholinesterase effects, followed by kidney beans. Supervised and unsupervised chemometric analysis determined that species could be distinguished by their different discriminatory metabolites. The major metabolic pathways in legumes were also studied. Glycerophospholipid metabolism was the most significantly enriched KEGG pathway. Pearson’s correlation analysis pinpointed 18 metabolites that were positively correlated with the anti-cholinesterase activity. Molecular docking of the biomarkers to the active sites of acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase enzymes revealed promising binding scores, validating the correlation results. The present study will add to the metabolomic analysis of legumes and their nutritional value and advocate their inclusion in anti-Alzheimer’s formulations.

Abstract Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic systemic mycosis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii species complexes and is of increasing global importance. Maintaining continued surveillance of the antifungal susceptibility of environmental C. neoformans and C. gattii isolates is desirable for better managing cryptococcosis by identifying resistant isolates and revealing the emergence of intrinsically resistant species. Relevant research data from Egypt are scarce. Thus, this study aimed to report the genetic diversity of C. neoformans and C. gattii species complexes originating from different environmental sources in Egypt, antifungal susceptibility profiles, antifungal combinations, and correlations of susceptibility with genotypes. A total of 400 environmental samples were collected, 220 from birds and 180 from trees. Cryptococcus spp. were found in 58 (14.5%) of the samples, 44 (75.9%) of the isolates were recovered from birds and 14 (24.1%) from trees. These isolates were genotyped using M13 polymerase chain reaction-fingerprinting and URA5 gene restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Of the 31 C. neoformans isolates, 24 (77.4%), 6 (19.4%) and one (4.4%) belonged to VNI, VNII, and VNIII genotypes, respectively. The 27 C. gattii isolates belonged to VGI (70.4%), VGII (18.5%), and VGIII (11.1%) genotypes. Non-wild type C. neoformans and C. gattii isolates that may have acquired resistance to azoles, amphotericin B (AMB), and terbinafine (TRB) were observed. C. gattii VGIII was less susceptible to fluconazole (FCZ) and itraconazole (ITZ) than VGI and VGII. C. neoformans isolates showed higher minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to FCZ, ITZ, and voriconazole (VRZ) than those of C. gattii VGI and VGII. Significant (P

Abstract Background Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma “HCC”) remains a significant health issue without prompt detection and appropriate prevention. By interacting with each other, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) can form gene regulatory networks. Specifically, we aim to determine whether the lncRNAs (HOTTIP, H19, and HOTAIR) and miRNA-152 interact in a significant manner in the progression of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients to HCC. This is followed by the question of whether these biomarkers can be used to diagnose and prognose noninvasively. We used online computational techniques to predict which miRNA group is likely to affect the lncRNAs being examined. This study involved 133 participants. 103 patients with HCV were included in the study, which was divided into two groups: Group I, with 65 cases of chronic liver disease without HCC, and Group II, with 38 cases of chronic liver disease with HCC. In addition, 30 healthy volunteers served as controls. In this study, a qRT-PCR was used to test gene expression. Results A consistent reverse correlation has been observed between lncRNAs and miRNA-152 as the disease progresses. Conclusion According to our findings, the studied biomarkers may be useful as noninvasive biomarkers for prognosis in patients with HCV Genotype 4 who develop liver cirrhosis and HCC. Many miRNAs, including miRNA-19a and miRNA-106a, may interact with lncRNAs that have been investigated in addition to miRNA-152.

Abstract Background Fabaceae plays a crucial role in African traditional medicine as a source of large number of important folk medication, agriculture and food plants. In a search of potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory candidates derived from locally cultivated plants, the flowers of Tipuana tipu (Benth.) Lillo growing in Egypt were subjected to extensive biological and phytochemical studies. The impact of the extraction technique on the estimated biological activities was investigated. Methods The flowers were extracted using different solvents (aqueous, methanol, water/methanol (1:1), methanol/methylene chloride (1:1), and methylene chloride). The different extracts were subjected to antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP) and anti-inflammatory (COX-2 and 5-LOX) assays. The methanol extract was assessed for its inhibitory activity against iNOS, NO production, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (NF-KB, TNF-R2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The composition-activity relationship of the active methanol extract was further investigated using a comprehensive LC–QTOF-MS/MS analysis. The major identified phenolic compounds were further quantified using HPLC-DAD technique. The affinity of representative compounds to iNOS, COX-2, and 5-LOX target active sites was investigated using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Results The methanol extract exhibited the highest radical scavenging capacity and enzyme inhibitory activities against COX-2 and 5-LOX enzymes with IC50 values of 10.6 ± 0.4 and 14.4 ± 1.0 µg/mL, respectively. It also inhibited iNOS enzyme activity, suppressed NO production, and decreased the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In total, 62 compounds were identified in the extract including flavonoids, coumarins, organic, phenolic, and fatty acids. Among them 18 phenolic compounds were quantified by HPLC-DAD. The highest docking scores were achieved by kaempferol-3-glucoside and orientin. Additionally, molecular dynamics simulations supported the docking findings. Conclusion The flower could be considered a potentially valuable component in herbal medicines owing to its unique composition and promising bioactivities. These findings encourage increased propagation of T. tipu or even tissue culturing of its flowers for bioprospecting of novel anti-inflammatory drugs. Such applications could be adopted as future approaches that benefit the biomedical field.

Abstract Background Infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii are becoming a rising public health problem due to its high degree of acquired and intrinsic resistance mechanisms. Bacterial lipases penetrate and damage host tissues, resulting in multiple infections. Because there are very few effective inhibitors of bacterial lipases, new alternatives for treating A. baumannii infections are urgently needed. In recent years, Brassica vegetables have received a lot of attention since their phytochemical compounds have been directly linked to diverse antimicrobial actions by inhibiting the growth of various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, yeast, and fungi. Despite their longstanding antibacterial history, there is currently a lack of scientific evidence to support their role in the management of infections caused by the nosocomial bacterium, A. baumannii. This study aimed to address this gap in knowledge by examining the antibacterial and lipase inhibitory effects of six commonly consumed Brassica greens, Chinese cabbage (CC), curly and Tuscan kale (CK and TK), red and green Pak choi (RP and GP), and Brussels sprouts (BR), against A. baumannii in relation to their chemical profiles. Methods The secondary metabolites of the six extracts were identified using LC-QTOF-MS/MS analysis, and they were subsequently correlated with the lipase inhibitory activity using multivariate data analysis and molecular docking. Results In total, 99 metabolites from various chemical classes were identified in the extracts. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) revealed the chemical similarities and variabilities among the specimens, with glucosinolates and phenolic compounds being the major metabolites. RP and GP showed the highest antibacterial activity against A. baumannii, followed by CK. Additionally, four species showed a significant effect on the bacterial growth curves and demonstrated relevant inhibition of A. baumannii lipolytic activity. CK showed the greatest inhibition (26%), followed by RP (21%), GP (21%), and TK (15%). Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) pinpointed 9 metabolites positively correlated with the observed bioactivities. Further, the biomarkers displayed good binding affinities towards lipase active sites ranging from −70.61 to −30.91 kcal/mol, compared to orlistat. Conclusion This study emphasizes the significance of Brassica vegetables as a novel natural source of potential inhibitors of lipase from A. baumannii.

Progress in jet grouting technology has been focused on the cutting-edge observer of jets, which aims to generate large columns of jet grouting and increase the activity of construction sites. Since jet grouting techniques vary from conventional grouting methods to modern techniques, they can be used in a variety of soil types and their application areas are expanding quickly. So, grouting methods have become very popular methods for subsoil strengthening. This article includes finding the physical and mechanical properties of the soil of the AL-Rashdia site, using a single-jet grouting machine and a steel model to test concrete piles and jet piles, and a double-jet grouting machine to compare the results obtained from laboratory model of one-dimensional jet grouting column pile with those of a one-dimensional concrete pile. The comparison showed that the settlement of the jet pile was smaller than that of the concrete pile and the bearing load was higher with jet columns giving a high bearing capacity comparable with the concrete pile. Shen’s method is more adequate to find the ultimate bearing load and the settlement for this load. Also, the ultimate pile ratio was 115.63% for the jet column, and the ultimate pile ratio for the concrete column was 123.49%. The compressive strength of the core sample of jet columns was large which improved the bearing capacity of the foundation.

This study investigated a digital reform initiative, rated excellent by the government, of one higher education institution (HEI) in an Arab State in the Gulf. The focus of the study was to develop a digital typology, while exploring the leadership attributes that characterized the core leadership team, as they accomplished the migration towards a digital culture in one year, within a context where faculty members showed resistance against digitalization. The study was conducted immediately after the implementation of the initiative that took place over the course of one year, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all the six key individuals in the leadership team who led this initiative. Data was analyzed using content-based analysis. Findings of the study were used to synthesize a 5D typology for digital leadership attributes: (1) Digital competence; (2) Digital culture; (3) Digital Differentiation; (4) Digital governance; and (5) Digital advocacy. The paper provides in depth discussion how these attributes supported the adaptive ability of a Higher Education Institution towards accepting digitalization.

Abstract Two-dimensional bismuthene material is characterized with promising and superior optical, electrical and other characteristics. The application of 2D-bismuthene or its composites in water remediation of As(V) was not previously investigated. Consequently, embedded bismuthene into zinc aluminum bismuth-layered double hydroxide (ZnAlBi LDHs-embedded-Biene) was simply fabricated as a novel nanosorbent. Bismuthene (Biene) was prepared by bottom up hydrothermal reaction, while ZnAlBi LDHs was synthesized by a coprecipitation method followed by hydrothermal treatment process. Characterization of ZnAlBi LDHs-embedded-Biene referred to a crystalline mesoporous structure of globular particles with 5–8 nm. It was confirmed that the nanosorbent exterior surface is functionalized with metal oxides and metal oxyhydroxide, while exchangeable carbonate anion existed in the nanosorbent inner layer. Therefore, arsenate uptake was favored by both exterior electrostatic attraction and anion exchange processes. The highest uptake capacity of As(V) by ZnAlBi LDHs-embedded-Biene was detected at pH 3 and contact time 30 min providing 94.67% removal by using 5 mg L−1 As(V) concentration. The ionic strength factor proved a good selectivity of the nanosorbent toward As(V) ions. Thermodynamic behavior of interaction between As(V) and nanosorbent was emphasized as exothermic and spontaneous process, while the kinetic evaluation indicated that the pseudo-second order was the best-fitting expression. The application of ZnAlBi LDHs-embedded-Biene in the adsorptive uptake process of As(V) ions from various water samples referred to elevated uptake percentages as 93.29% and 90.52% by 5 mg L−1 and 10 mg L−1 As(V), respectively. The adsorbed As(V) onto ZnAlBi LDHs-embedded-Biene exhibited excellent recyclability and re-usage up to five cycles to affirm that the designed ZnAlBi LDHs-embedded-Biene has a great prospect for utilization in water purification from As(V).

Background: Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) biofilm is grown not only on medical devices but also on different substrata and is considered a potential hazard in the food industry. Quorum sensing (QS) plays a serious role in the synthesis of biofilm with its surrounding extracellular matrix enabling irreversible connection of the bacteria. Aim: The present study directed to determine the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance patterns, and biofilm formation ability of B. cereus in meat and meat products in Egypt. Methods: A total of one hundred and fifty meat and meat product samples were included in this study. The samples were transferred to the Bacteriology Laboratory for further bacteriological examination. Thereafter, the antimicrobial, antiquorum sensing and antibiofilm potential of apple cider vinegar (ACV) on B. cereus were evaluated. Results: Thirty four samples out of 150 samples (22.67%) were positive for B. cereus. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that all B. cereus isolates were resistant to ampicillin and colistin however none of them were resistant to ciprofloxacin and imipenem. All multidrug resistant (MDR) B. cereus isolates (n = 12) could produce biofilms with varying degrees; among them, 6 (50%), 3 (25%) and 3 (25%) isolates were weak, moderate and strong biofilm producers, respectively. Interestingly, the ACV exhibited marked inhibitory activities against B. cereus isolates with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranging from 2 to 8 μg/mL. Moreover, it showed a good antibiofilm activity (> 50% reduction of biofilm formation) after exposure of biofilm producing B. cereus isolates to the minimum biofilm inhibitory concentrations 50 (MBIC50) of 4 μg/mL. Reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) revealed down-regulation of biofilm genes (tasA and sipW) and their regulator (plcR) in strong biofilm producers in comparison to those of the control. Conclusion: Our study is the first report, which spotlight on the ACV activity against B. cereus biofilm and its consequence as a strong antibacterial and antibiofilm agent in food industry and human health risk. [Open Vet J 2024; 14(1.000): 186-199]

BACKGROUND: A class of endogenous single-stranded short noncoding RNAs known as microRNAs (miRNAs) has become important epigenetic regulators of physiological and pathological processes in numerous disorders. They regulate the posttranscriptional expression of many genes to control basic cellular pathways and functions. Many research indicates that miRNAs play a role in the initiation and progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OBJECTIVE: This study was comprehensively focused on the role of miRNA-146a and impaired cellular functions in RA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case–control study was conducted on a total of 90 samples, comprising 30 control samples and 60 RA patient samples. Samples of patients were chosen from the Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba Hospital located in Kerbala Governate. RNAClean XP Kit and an RNase-Free DNase Set were used to isolate and purify total RNA. Through statistical analysis, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine how effectively the predicted value worked. RESULTS: Patients with RA were shown an increasing level of the folding change of miRNA-146a when compared to the control groups. A comparison of serum level of miRNA-146a fold change in different body mass index (BMI) groups was also performed. The level of folding change was shown a massive increasing that was seen with increasing BMI. It was found that miRNA-146a and folding change were highly significant risk factors in RA. CONCLUSION: MiRNAs-164a may be an appealing alternative for usage as biomarkers in clinical applications such as prognosis and disease detection.

This research deals with modifying improvement techniques by using a new technology depending on the properties of the subsoil and the surrounding soil. Jet grouting is one of these techniques utilized instead of normal deep foundations, such as piles, peers, and raft foundations, because it increases the bearing capacity, reduces the settlement, and decreases permeability. In this research, the effect of double-pile and (2*2) jet column piles was studied in the laboratory by employing a jet grouting machine for sand soil, and the results were compared with those of similarly distributed concrete piles. Moreover, the two groups were theoretically analyzed with the 3D ABAQUS finite element software. It was found that with the jet pile, the applied load is greater and the settlement is smaller than that with the concrete pile. The ultimate pile ratio obtained through laboratory tests in the (2*1) jet pile and the concrete pile groups was 71.2% and 75%, respectively. The settlement ranged from 0.00135 to 0.00148 m with the jet pile and ranged from 0.034 to 0.035 m with the concrete pile.