Intra- and interspecies variation and population dynamics of Fasciola gigantica among ruminants in Sudan.

Fasciola gigantica is a widespread parasite that causes neglected disease in livestock worldwide. Its high transmissibility and dispersion are attributed to its ability to infect intermediate snail hosts and adapt to various mammalian definitive hosts. This study investigated the variation and population dynamics of F. gigantica in cattle, sheep, and goats from three states in Sudan. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) genes were sequenced successfully to examine intra and interspecific differences. ND1 exhibited higher diversity than COI, with 15 haplotypes and 10 haplotypes, respectively. Both genes had high haplotype diversity but low nucleotide diversity, with 21 and 11 polymorphic sites for ND1 and COI, respectively. Mismatch distribution analysis and neutrality tests revealed that F. gigantica from different host species was in a state of population expansion. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees and median networks revealed that F. gigantica in Sudan and other African countries had host-specific and country-specific lineages for both genes. The study also indicated that F. gigantica-infected small ruminants were evolutionarily distant, suggesting deep and historical interspecies adaptation.

Lingual adaptations of the Tarentola annularis with new insights into its papillary system adaptations: Ultrastructure, histochemistry, and immunohistochemical observations.

Our research aims to conduct a comprehensive ultrastructural, histochemical, and immunohistochemical examination of Tarentola annularis' tongue, utilizing various techniques such as light, scanning electron microscopy, and morphometric analysis. The complex papillary system consisted of four conical subtypes and one filiform type. The apex carried three conical subtypes (elongated, quadrilateral, and round); the midtongue carried two papillary types (quadrilateral conical and rectangular pointed filiform); and the hindtongue carried two conical subtypes (quadrilateral and elongated serrated). The dorsal papillary surface carried little taste pores on the foretongue and taste buds on the midtongue. The foretongue had a slightly stratum corneum that spread to coat the papillae, while the mid- and hindtongue did not. The glands are absent from the foretongue but are found in the interpapillary spaces of the mid- and hindtongue. Histochemical analysis reveals the presence of collagen fibers in the muscle bundles and the papillary core. The midtongue glands exhibited a strong reaction to AB and PAS, while the hindtongue showed moderate AB positivity and strong positive PAS. The cytokeratin expression in the foretongue papilla was positive, whereas the papillae in other regions were negative. The Tarentola annularis exhibits distinctive lingual structural characteristics due to its varied feeding habits influenced by available food particles.

Citrus clementine Peel Essential Oil Ameliorates Potassium Dichromate-Induced Lung Injury: Insights into the PI3K/AKT Pathway.

Acute Lung Injury (ALI) is a life-threatening syndrome that has been identified as a potential complication of COVID-19. There is a critical need to shed light on the underlying mechanistic pathways and explore novel therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to examine the potential therapeutic effects of Citrus clementine essential oil (CCEO) in treating potassium dichromate (PDC)-induced ALI. The chemical profile of CCEO was created through GC-MS analysis. An in vivo study in rats was conducted to evaluate the effect of CCEO administrated via two different delivery systems (oral/inhalation) in mitigating acute lung injury (ALI) induced by intranasal instillation of PDC. Eight volatile compounds were identified, with monoterpene hydrocarbons accounting for 97.03% of the identified constituents, including 88.84% of D-limonene. CCEO at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg bw exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These significant antioxidant properties were revealed through the reduction of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the restoration of reduced glutathione (GSH). In addition, inflammation reduction was observed by decreasing levels of cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and tumor growth factor-ß (TNF-α and TGF-ß), along with an increase in phosphatidylinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) and Akt overexpression in lung tissue homogenate, in both oral and inhalation routes, compared to the PDC-induced group. These results were supported by histopathological studies and immunohistochemical assessment of TGF-ß levels in lung tissues. These findings revealed that CCEO plays an integral role in relieving ALI induced by intranasal PDC and suggests it as a promising remedy.

Genetic variation and demographic history of Sudan desert sheep reveal two diversified lineages.

More than 400 million sheep are raised on the African continent, the majority of which are indigenous and are primarily reared for sustenance. They have effectively adapted to various climatic and production environments, surviving and flourishing. The genetic relationships among these sheep populations remain understudied. Herein, we sequenced the entire mitochondrial DNA control region of 120 animals from Hamary and Kabashi and their crossbreed (Hamary x Kabashi) of Sudan desert sheep (SDS) to understand their maternal-inherited genetic variation and demographic history profiles and relate those to the history of sheep pastoralism on the African continent. The results show a diversified and predominant D- loop haplogroup B (n = 102, 85%), with all other sequences belonging to haplogroup A. Most of the maternal genetic variation was partitioned between haplogroup (76.3%) while within haplogroup accounted for 23.7% of the variation. However, little genetic differentiation was observed among the two breeds and their crosses, with our results supporting a Hamari maternal origin for the crossbreed. Bayesian coalescent-based analysis reveals distinct demographic history between the two haplogroups, two breeds and their crosses. Comparison of the two haplogroup showed that haplogroup B experienced an earlier expansion than haplogroup A. Unlike the breed-based comparison, the expansion of the two breeds started roughly at the same time, around 6500 years ago, with Kabashi having a slightly greater effective population size. The maternal ancestors of SDS may have diverged before their introduction to the African continent. This study provides novel insights into the early history of these two main breeds of Sudan desert sheep and their crosses.

Metabolic rate and resource depletion in the tick Ixodes ricinus in response to temperature.

Understanding the effects of temperature on the metabolic activity and the rate of depletion of energy reserves by Ixodes ricinus can represent an important contribution to explaining patterns of tick activity and the likely impacts of environmental change on tick and tick-borne disease risk. Here, a cohort of I. ricinus nymphs, males, and females was collected and placed into incubators at temperatures of between 5 and 30 °C. The protein, carbohydrate, total lipid, neutral lipid, and glycogen levels were measured for nymphs for up to 70 days and adults up to 42 days. In nymphs, at day 0, glycogen was the most abundant metabolite followed by carbohydrate, with relatively low concentrations of protein and lipids. For males, the concentrations of different metabolites were relatively similar. In contrast, for females, concentrations of glycogen and carbohydrate were relatively low compared to those of protein and neutral lipids. Significant exponential declines in metabolite concentrations of all metabolites were detected over time for all life-cycle stages and at all temperatures. Nymphs generally showed lower rates of resource depletion than adults at all temperatures. The lower thresholds for metabolic activity were estimated to be between -10 and -5 °C. The Q10 values, which describe the thermal sensitivity of metabolic rate, were estimated to be relatively low (1.5 for nymphs, 1.71 for males, and 1.63 for females) compared to insects where they are typically around 2.5 (range: 1.5-3), and this is considered to be an adaptation to increase survival during the extended inter-feed intervals.

Determining the total energy budget of the tick Ixodes ricinus.

Precise and accessible techniques for measuring metabolic responses to environmental stress are essential to allow the likely impacts of climate and climate change on tick distribution, abundance and phenology to be predicted. A more detailed understanding of the metabolic profile of ticks may also help the complex responses to pathogen infection and effects on transmission to be evaluated. Here, a series of biochemical protocols employing spectrophotometric methods are used to determine the entire energy budget of ticks. Protein, carbohydrate, total lipid, neutral lipid and glycogen were measured in individual Ixodes ricinus nymphs and adults. Two key trends were identified: in adults, protein was relatively more abundant than in nymphs, whereas in nymphs, glycogen and carbohydrate were more abundant than in adults, with glycogen alone composing 39% of the mass of metabolites in nymphs compared to 15 and 10% in females and males, respectively. The methods used were able to successfully separate neutral lipids from the polar phospholipids and the importance of distinguishing stored from structural lipid in estimates of lipid reserves is emphasised. The results demonstrate that the spectrophotometric approaches deliver relatively rapid and reliable estimates of the total energetic budget and can be used to quantify the metabolic profiles of individual ticks, demonstrating their suitability for use in ecological and epidemiological studies.

Relationship of body mass index to sleep duration, and current smoking among medical students in Tabuk City, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Being overweight is associated with cardiometabolic risk, and lifestyles including smoking and good sleep hygiene are also implicated. We aimed to assess the dietary habit, time spent on social media, and sleep duration relationship to body mass index (BMI) among medical students in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 147 clinical phase medical students in the Medical College, University of Tabuk (Saudi Arabia) from January 2018 to May 2018. A checklist questionnaire was used to measure variables such as age, sex, smoking, level of exercise, whether taking meals and snacks regularly, eating fast food, fruit and vegetable consumption, sleep duration, time spent on social media, and breakfast skipping. Data were analyzed by IBM-SPSS version 20, using one-way ANOVA and Pearson's production-moment correlation (r). A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Participants consisted of 51% males, mean age (Mean ± SD) was 22.90±1.27 years, sleep duration was 7.50±2.17 hours, time spent on social media was 5.54±3.49 hours, body mass index was 24.8±5.19, and breakfast skipping, fast food consumption, smoking, and regular exercise were reported in 52.4%, 87.7%, 12.9%, and 36.1% respectively. A significant negative correlation was evident between BMI and sleep duration (r= -0.185, p=0.025), cigarette smokers were more likely to be obese compared to their counterparts (27.28±6.85 vs. 24.10±4.98, p=0.018). No significant statistical relationship was evident between BMI, breakfast skipping, fast food, fruit and vegetable intake, and time spent on social media. CONCLUSION: BMI was higher among smokers and those with shorter sleep duration, there was no association between BMI and other students' characteristics. Measures to smoking quitting and good sleep hygiene are recommended.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Saudi Arabic version of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS).

The Knee Injury Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) is a widely used joint-specific measure employed to evaluate pain, symptoms, activities of daily living, recreational activities, and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Although the original KOOS has been translated into many languages, a Saudi Arabic version is not available. This study aimed to culturally adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Saudi Arabic version of the KOOS in patients with knee OA. The original KOOS was translated and adapted into Saudi Arabic version over six stages according to the guidelines suggested by Beaton and recommended by the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons Outcome Committee. Patients diagnosed with knee OA (n = 136) were recruited to examine the psychometric properties, such as internal consistency that was tested using Cronbach's alpha, test-retest reliability that was analyzed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC2,1), and construct validity that examined by testing the correlations between the new version subscales, Form 36 Health Survey subscales, and the Visual Analog Scale, Spearman's correlation coefficient (rs) was used to measure the correlations. A total of 122 (89.7%) of the 136 participants with knee OA completed the second re-test of new Saudi Arabic version. Excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87-0.92) was detected in the subscales of the adapted version, as well as excellent test-retest reliability (ICC2,1 = 0.92-0.94). The pattern of correlation between the subscales of the Saudi Arabic version of the KOOS, SF-36 domains and the Visual Analog Scale for pain supported the construct validity of the adapted version. The Saudi Arabic version of the KOOS was well accepted and exhibited excellent reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity in Saudi patients with knee OA.