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The exponential growth of obesity rates is a pressing issue, as it is now firmly established as a primary driver behind the development of metabolic disorders. Natural products are crucial in drug discovery, prompting an increasing need for further research on bioactive compounds to understand molecular and pharmacological mechanisms and expand available clinical treatments for various diseases. We set out to investigate the therapeutic potential of Retama raetam (RR) extract, a natural compound, in alleviating testicular degeneration and improving sperm quality and quantity in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus. An eight-week high-fat diet (HFD) was administered to type 2 diabetic rats, and then a modest dose of 35 mg/kg of STZ was injected intraperitoneally. The experiment planned to assess the influence of RR extract on the steroidogenesis pathway. For twelve weeks, the rats were given medications orally. The testicular degeneration caused by HFD/STZ is shown by decreasing the accessory sexual glands while reducing the quality of sperm characters and testosterone levels with significantly increased pad fat and leptin levels. Furthermore, administration of RR extract effectively counteracted HFD/STZ-induced oxidation through enhancing the antioxidant status of the testicular tissue through significantly increased SOD and GSH accompanied by decreasing MDA. HFD/STZ rats showed decreased expression of CYP17, STAR, 3βHSD, and BCL2 genes, along with increased BAX gene expression. However, treatment with RR in HFD/STZ rats led to decreased BAX expression and increased expression of CYP17, STAR, 3βHSD, and BCL2 genes, indicating a restoration of gene expression values similar to the control group. The binding site of Bax showed a strong affinity for several bioactive compounds found in R. raetam. The findings from this study suggest that Retama raetam (RR) has the potential as a therapeutic adjunct for managing complications related to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). These findings afford credence to the idea that RR can be useful in treating infertility associated with type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current study examined the boosting impacts of Withania somnifera leaf extract from Taif area (high-altitude area) against hepatic and renal toxicity induced by diclofenac in experimental rats. Withania is highly grown on Taif area as environmental herb with multiple functions. Diclofenac is non-steroidal medication used for treatment of pain but over dose has severe side effects. Thirty-two adult Wistar rats of male type were subdivided into 4 groups. The control rats (group 1) received saline. Second group received diclofenac (50 mg/kg BW intraperitoneally) at days 4 and 5. Third group received W. somnifera leaf extract (250 mg /kg body weight) for 6 days. The fourth protective group, received W. somnifera leaf extract plus diclofenac for 6 days as shown in groups 2 and 3. Diclofenac significantly increased serum AST, ALT, and decreased albumin and total proteins levels. It also increased serum concentrations of uric acid and creatinine. In addition, it increased lipid peroxidation, and decreased reduced glutathione and superoxide dismutase levels. Diclofenac increased inflammatory cytokines secretion and up-regulated hepatic oxidative stress genes (HO-1; hemoxygenase-1 and Nrf2nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) and renal inflammatory transcriptional markers (TGF-β1; transforming growth factor-beta1 and COX-2; cycloxygenas-2). In parallel, hepatic caspase-3 expression was up-regulated as an apoptotic marker, while Bcl2; (B-cell lymphoma 2) mRNA expression was down regulated as anti-apoptotic marker. W. somnifera pre-administration in the protective group ameliorated the altered parameters induced by diclofenac. In conclusion, W. somnifera leaf extract has the potential to antagonize side effects of diclofenac by regulating the pathways of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis/antiapoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living at high altitude (HA) represent several risks to living organism mainly including oxidative stress and its associated metabolic disorders and hypoxia with its associated metabolic alterations. The focus of this study was to investigate the alteration of transcriptome in response to HA in Taif region. Two groups of rats were used in this study; sea level (SL) and high altitude (HL). RNA was isolated from rat liver and used in cDNA library construction, sequencing, and transcriptome analysis. Mapping of clean reads to the reference genome differed between SL and HL especially mapping to introns, where SL had more reads mapped to introns than HL. Co-expression of genes revealed that 754 genes were uniquely expressed in SL, 680 genes were uniquely expressed genes in HL, and 10197 genes were co-expressed in both groups. A total of 483 deferentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in HL compared to SL of which 250 were downregulated and 233 were upregulated. DEGs were used in the gene ontology (GO) and the KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Forty-two GO terms were enriched including 15 biological process (BP) and 27 molecular functions (MFs), whereas no cellular components were enriched. The enriched terms included iron transport, transmembrane transport, oxidation- reduction process, ATP synthesis coupled proton transport, passive transmembrane transporter activity, and heme binding. Twenty-seven KEGG pathways were enriched including linoleic acid metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, chemical carcinogenesis, necroptosis, and steroid hormone biosynthesis. Results of this study will contribute to us in depth understanding of HA impact on biological systems and how to enhance life at HA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human or animal populations living at high altitude developed biological acclimations to adapt to a difficult climate described by reduced oxygen availability. The conditions of high altitude affect the gut microbiota composition. Metagenomics, or the examination of microbial communities, exploit propels in sequencing advancement and assessment strategies to completely look at microbial communities. We used metagenomics examination to analyze the gut bacterial between the experimental group presented to the high-elevation hypoxic condition (H) and the control group at sea level (S). Therefore, the relative abundance was analyzed at levels of Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species of Bacteria in both examined areas. Result indicated that the relative abundance of Firmicutes increased in H level (55.3%) but Bacteroidetes decreased (7.2 %) but at S level, Firmicutes was 23.7% and Bacteroidetes was 18.5%. Class Bacilli was the major at H level (49.4%) while Bacteroidia was the dominat (18%) at S level. Order Lactobacillales (48.7%) at H level was the dominat but at S level, Bacteroidales was the major order 17.9%. Helicobacter was the main Genus (12%) at S level, meanwhile, Lactobacillus (47.8%) at H level was the dominant. The dominant Species at S level was Helicobacter apodemus (9.4%) but Lactobacillus acidophilus was the main species at H level with a ratio of 17.4%. Our finding revealed that Lactobacillus was the dominant at H level. This genus use fermentation of carbohydrates to produce the lactic acid as a major end-product and grow better under microaerophilic conditions. This may indicate the reason of the increase of this Genus in H region (low oxygen environment). Other investigations are needed to examine the metabolism of these bacteria in both regions to assess their correlation with organisms living at high altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the effect of local application of platelet rich fibrin in myringoplasty for perforated dogs' tympanic membranes. Material and methods: forty four dogs were subjected to large central tympanic perforation (at least two quadrant) in right ears and Follow up for 8 weeks and further were divided into two equal groups randomly by lottery. Group (A): study group: PRF was been used in repairing dry chronic tympanic perforation in dogs in their right ears. Group (B): control group: PRF was not been used only trimming of the edges of tympanic membrane perforation. Closure of perforated tympanic membrane with platelet-rich fibrin membrane was assessed by healing. Results: Percentage of healing of study group was 47.5% versus 25% among control group. There were statistically significant difference between Study Group and Control Group regarding Healing at 8 weeks. Percentage of healing of study group was 90% versus 75% among control group. Conclusion: PRF membrane could be used successfully in the repair of tympanic membrane perforation and wound healing. This method could be more frequently preferred in the future in various areas as it is an autogenous material which is safe and effective, easy to use, and has low costs, while it does not prolong operating time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was carried out to detect the effect of the environmental temperature on the postmortem histological and molecular changes and their synchrony with the time since death (TSD). A total of 30 male, albino mice were sacrificed by decapitation. Carcasses have been divided into two groups, 15 in each group. The first group left at room temperature (25±3 °C) and the second one kept in the refrigerator (4 °C). Tissue specimens from livers and kidneys have been taken at a definite time interval (0, 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours after death). Tissue specimens were processed into paraffine-embedded sections stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin to investigate the histological changes. Liver and kidney taken directly after death from both animal groups showed the normal structures. However, time-dependent degenerative changes have been seen in both organs throughout the postmortem time periods (6, 12, 24, and 36 hours after death). These changes influenced both the tissue architectural configuration and the cellular integrity. The cellular changes involved cytoplasmic and nuclear elements. The cytoplasmic changes ranged from partial to complete vacuolation. The nuclear changes included pyknosis, karyorrhexis, and karyolysis. Preserving animal carcasses at a lower temperature delayed the progression of these changes. Also, the molecular findings showed that the integrity of DNA from liver and kidney either kept at room temperature or in refrigerator (4 °C) was lost in a time-dependent manner. Yet, DNA degradation occurred at a slower rate at low temperatures. In conclusion, it was evident that holding the carcasses of mice at lower temperatures may delay degenerative changes and DNA degradation. Moreover, the association of both histological and molecular testing may support each other in the determination of the TSD, especially in the earlier postmortem periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biotic and abiotic factors including the agricultural implementation can modify soil acidification. We hypothesized that soil pH should as repercussion, alter the plant physiological and physical properties and eventually affect insect herbivores including agricultural pests. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of seven levels of soil pH on the performance of cowpea aphid Aphis craccivora on Vicia faba. Significant relationships between soil pH and growth of host bean seedlings or development and reproduction of the aphid were detected. Data demonstrated significant differences in the total longevity, the pre-reproductive, reproductive, post-reproductive and pre-viviparity periods. Within a suitable range of pH for bean growth between pH 5.3 and pH 7.2, the aphid performance was worse on seedlings growing better, however, under unfavorable extreme pH conditions, plant quality measured as height did not affect the aphids anymore and their performance was uniformly low except the case in pH 8.1 condition in which the best aphid reproduction was observed. The results confirm that soil pH affect the performance of cowpea aphid A. craccivora and also exhibited strong influence on the growth of broad bean plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The desert plant, Lotus corniculatus (Fabaceae), inhabits the Saudi Arabian Sahara Desert. In these areas the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Orthoptera, Acrididae), feeds on L. corniculatus containing the plant allelochemical linamarin; a cyanogenic glucoside that is usually toxic to polyphagous insects. Under laboratory conditions this plant was fed to S. gregaria. Haemolymph proteins and allelochemicals detoxification in S. gregaria, fed on L. corniculatus were assessed. Female 5th instar nymphs were reared on L. corniculatus or on wheat seedlings, Triticum aestivum, as control. In insects, glutathione-S-transferase is one of the most important detoxifying enzymes. The activity of glutathione-S-transferase (in units /gram) in the mid-gut tissues of 5th instar nymph females fed on L. corniculatus was significantly higher than in those fed on T. aestivum. The quantity of haemolymph proteins (in mg 100µl1) in adult locust females resulting from nymphs fed on L. corniculatus was significantly less than it was in females fed on T. aestivum. Decreasing protein synthesis in the adult females of S. gregaria might be related to detoxifying toxic compounds in L. corniculatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular characterization of the parasitoid, Blaesoxipha rufipes was studied for the first time using cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and the ribosomal 12S genes to assist with species identification. Parasitoid samples were collected from five localities to examine the molecular variability of B. rufipes in western Saudi Arabia. The partial 12S and COI sequences were investigated using two analytical methods (maximum-parsimony and neighbor-joining). The A, C, G and T base compositions were 37.9%, 10.6%, 14.5% and 37%, respectively, for the 12S genes, and 27.9%, 17.5%, 16.8% and 37.8%, respectively, for the COI genes. The pairwise genetic distances (D) among the studied populations ranged from 0.006 to 0.012 in the 12S gene and from 0.002 to 0.05 in COI gene. The sequence of COI showed 97 base substitutions among and within the populations. Of these substitutions, only one amino acid changed at position 189. The array of amino acid sequences resembles the sequences of previously studied species of Blaesoxipha. Consequently, it could be concluded that the studied populations of B. rufipes showed low genetic variability, indicating that fragmentation and/or other ecological factors have some impact on them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variations of the two coccinellid predators; Coccinella undecimpunctata L. and Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) within and between distant populations in Saudi Arabia were studied by partial sequencing of three mitochondrial genes i.e., COI gene and ribosomal 12S and 16S. Samples were collected from four distant localities for C. undecimpunctata (Jazan, Jeddah, Taif and Madinah) and from six distant localities for H. variegate (Jazan, Jeddah, Taraba, Madinah, Riyadh and Tabouk). Concatenated sequences (1354 bp) were manipulated by three analytical methods (maximum parsimony, neighbor-joining and maximum-likelihood) producing one fixed tree. The A, C, G and T base compositions were 36.8, 14.5, 10.5 and 38.2%, respectively. The pair-wise genetic distances (D) among the studied populations ranged from 0.0013 to 0.0041 in case of C. undecimpuntata and from 0.0048 to 0.0128 in case of H. variegata. Tree topology did not discriminate among and within populations of both species, except of Tabouk population for H. variegata which showed one cluster of all individuals. It may be concluded that the studied populations of both coccinellids showed low genetic variability. Therefore, this confirms that it has not structured along geographically separated populations in both the studied species; the genetic variability was slightly affected by either fragmentations or ecological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]