Enhancing functional buffalo yogurt: Improving physicochemical properties, biological activities, and shelf life using Marjoram and Geranium essential oils.

The use of essential oils (EOs) has attracted interest in the food industry due to their wide range of beneficial properties. In this study, a new functional yogurt was developed using 2 essential oils [Marjoram (M) and Geranium (G)], at 3 different concentrations (0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% vol/vol). The physicochemical properties (syneresis, viscosity, pH, and chemical composition), bioactivities (antioxidant activity, anticancer and antibacterial effects, total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC)), and sensory characteristics of the developed yogurt were evaluated. The findings indicated that the yogurts fortified with 0.6% M or G exhibited higher viscosity and lower syneresis compared with other treatments. The yogurt supplemented with 0.6% M displayed significant antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, and Escherichia coli. In addition, the yogurt enriched with Geranium and Marjoram oils at a concentration of 0.6% had notably significant (P < 0.05) higher TFC levels compared with the control sample and other concentrations. In the same context, in terms of TPC, yogurt supplemented with 0.6% Marjoram oil displayed significantly (P < 0.05) elevated levels in comparison to the other samples tested. Yogurt enriched with Marjoram oil exhibited noteworthy antioxidant activity, followed by Geranium oil compared with the control samples. The yogurt supplemented with 0.6% M demonstrated strong radical scavenging activity, while the yogurt fortified with 0.6% G showed higher anticancer activity against HepG2 human liver carcinoma cells and oxidative stress enzyme activities. Among the various concentrations of EOs tested, the yogurts fortified with 0.6% M or G EOs exhibited the most favorable outcomes, followed by 0.4% M or G. To summarize, G and M EOs can be used as a potential nutritious ingredient and as a natural preservative for milk and related products.

Salvimulticanol from Salvia multicaulis suppresses LPS-induced inflammation in RAW264.7 macrophages: in vitro and in silico studies.

Sustained inflammatory responses can badly affect several vital organs and lead to chronic inflammation-related disorders, such as atherosclerosis, pneumonia, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cancers. Salvia multicaulis is one of the widely distributed plants that contains several biologically active phytochemicals and diterpenoids with anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, finding alternative and safer natural plant-extracted compounds with good curative anti-inflammatory efficiencies is an urgent need for the clinical treatment of inflammation-related diseases. In the current study, S. multicaulis Vahl was used to extract and isolate two compounds identified as salvimulticanol and candesalvone B methyl ester to examine their effects against inflammation in murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells that were induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Accordingly, after culturing RAW264.7 cells and induction of inflammation by LPS (100 ng/ml), cells were exposed to different concentrations (9, 18, 37.5, 75, and 150 µM) of each compound. Then, Griess assay for detection of nitric oxide (NO) levels and western blotting for the determination of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression were performed. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies were employed to investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanism. Our obtained results validated that the level of NO was significantly decreased in the macrophage cell suspensions as a response to salvimulticanol treatment in a dose-dependent manner (IC50: 25.1 ± 1.2 µM) as compared to the methyl ester of candesalvone B which exerted a weaker inhibition (IC50: 69.2 ± 3.0 µM). This decline in NO percentage was comparable with a down-regulation of iNOS expression by western blotting. Salvimulticanol strongly interacted with both the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD-2) complex and the inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) kinase subunit beta (IKKß) to disrupt their inflammatory activation due to the significant hydrogen bonds and effective interactions with amino acid residues present in the target proteins' active sites. S.multicaulis is a rich natural source of the aromatic abietane diterpenoid, salvimulticanol, which exerted a strong anti-inflammatory effect through targeting iNOS and diminishing NO production in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells in a mechanism that is dependent on the inhibition of TLR4-MD-2 and IKKß as activators of the classical NF-κB-mediated inflammatory pathway.

Modelling for disability: How does artificial intelligence affect unemployment among people with disability? An empirical analysis of linear and nonlinear effects.

There is a growing debate among scholars regarding the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the employment opportunities and professional development of people with disability. Although there has been an increasing body of empirical research on the topic, it has generally yielded conflicting findings. This study contributes to the ongoing debate by examining the linear and nonlinear effects of AI on the unemployment of people with disability in 40 countries between 2007 and 2021. Using the system Generalized Methods of Moments and panel smooth transition regression, the main conclusions are as follows. First, AI reduces the unemployment of people with disability in the full sample. Second, upon disaggregating the sample based on income level (high income/non-high income) and gender (men/women), the linear model only detects an inverse correlation between AI and unemployment among people with disability in high-income countries and among men, whereas it does not influence unemployment in non-high-income countries and women. Third, the panel smooth transition regression model suggests that the effects of AI on the unemployment of people with disability and among women are only observed once artificial intelligence interest search exceeds a specific threshold level. The effects of AI in non-high-income economies and among women are not significant in the lower regime, which confirms the nonlinear association between AI and the unemployment rate of people with disability. These findings have important policy implications for facilitating the integration of people with disability into the labor market.

A machine learning approach for predicting textbook outcome after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: Peritoneal carcinomatosis is considered a late-stage manifestation of neoplastic diseases. Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC) can be an effective treatment for these patients. However, the procedure is associated with significant morbidity. Our aim was to develop a machine learning model to predict the probability of achieving textbook outcome (TO) after CRS-HIPEC using only preoperatively known variables. METHODS: Adult patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis and who underwent CRS-HIPEC were included from a large, single-center, prospectively maintained dataset (2001-2020). TO was defined as a hospital length of stay ≤14 days and no postoperative adverse events including any complications, reoperation, readmission, and mortality within 90 days. Four models (logistic regression, neural network, random forest, and XGBoost) were trained, validated, and a user-friendly risk calculator was then developed. RESULTS: A total of 1954 CRS-HIPEC procedures for peritoneal carcinomatosis were included. Overall, 13% (n = 258) achieved TO following CRS-HIPEC procedure. XGBoost and logistic regression had the highest area under the curve (AUC) (0.76) after model optimization, followed by random forest (AUC 0.75) and neural network (AUC 0.74). The top preoperative variables associated with achieving a TO were lower peritoneal cancer index scores, not undergoing proctectomy, splenectomy, or partial colectomy and being asymptomatic from peritoneal metastases prior to surgery. CONCLUSION: This is a data-driven study to predict the probability of achieving TO after CRS-HIPEC. The proposed pipeline has the potential to not only identify patients for whom surgery is not associated with prohibitive risk, but also aid surgeons in communicating this risk to patients.

Efficacy of Linezolid in the management of pneumonic COVID-19 patients. Bioinformatics-based clinical study.

INTRODUCTION: At the beginning in July 2023, there has been a significant increase in daily hospital admissions attributed to the new variant of COVID-19. Aim of this study is to explore the clinical benefits and outcomes of using linezolid in the management of pneumonic COVID-19 patients. METHODOLOGY: The study included 230 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by RT-PCR. Group 1: 118 patients were managed with Linazolid alongside steroids. Group 2: (control group) patients treated according to the Protocol for Egyptian COVID-19 management outlines and WHO guidelines (112 patients). Each patient group was categorized into 3 age groups: 20-40 years, 41-65 years, and over 65 years. Patients were carefully followed up until recovery or mortality. A docking analysis was carried out to investigate the potential of linezolid to act as an Mpro inhibitor. RESULTS: Group 1's average recovery time was 15.1 days in contrast to 18.7 days for Group 2 (control). There were no deaths reported. In silico investigations revealed that Linezolid was able to achieve a binding mode comparable to that of the co-crystalized inhibitor. CONCLUSIONS: Linazolid is considered an effective antiviral weapon against SARS-COV-2. It could be used in the management plan of pneumonic individuals due to SARS-COV-2 infection. We recommend using it to combat the current wave caused by Omicron EG-5 Variant.

Molecular networking-guided investigation of the secondary metabolome of four Morus species and their in vivo neuroprotective potential for the mitigation of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a fatal age-related neurodegenerative condition with a multifactorial etiology contributing to 70% of dementia globally. The search for a multi-target agent to hit different targets involved in the pathogenesis of AD is crucial. In the present study, the neuroprotective effects of four Morus extracts were assessed in LPS-induced AD in mice. Among the studied species, M. macroura exhibited a profound effect on alleviating the loss of cognitive function, improved the learning ability, restored the acetylcholine esterase (AChE) levels to normal, and significantly reduced the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) brain content in LPS-treated mice. To investigate the secondary metabolome of the studied Morus species, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS/MS), aided with feature-based molecular networking, was employed. Among the annotated features, aryl benzofurans and prenylated flavonoids were suggested as being responsible for the observed neuroprotective effect. Furthermore, some of the detected metabolites were proposed as new natural products such as moranoline di-O-hexoside (1), isomers of trimethoxy-dihydrochalcone-O-dihexoside (59 & 76), (hydroxy-dimethoxyphenyl)butenone-O-hexoside (82), and O-methylpreglabridin-O-sulphate (105). In conclusion, our findings advocate the potential usage of M. macroura leaves for the management of AD, yet after considering further clinical trials.

Neuromuscular Ultrasound in Polyneuropathies.

Neuromuscular ultrasound is a painless, radiation-free, high-resolution imaging technique for assessing the peripheral nervous system. It can accurately depict changes in the nerves and muscles of individuals with neuromuscular conditions, and it is therefore a robust diagnostic tool for the assessment of individuals with polyneuropathies. This review will outline the typical ultrasonographic changes found in a wide variety of polyneuropathies. In general, demyelinating conditions result in greater nerve enlargement than axonal conditions, and acquired conditions result in more patchy nerve enlargement compared to diffuse nerve enlargement in hereditary conditions. This review is data-driven, but more nuanced anecdotal findings are also described. The overall goal of this paper is to provide clinicians with an accessible review of the ultrasonographic approaches and findings in a wide variety of polyneuropathies.

Factors Associated with Opting Out of an Unrelated Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donor Registry: Differences and Similarities across Five Key Groups of Young Race/Ethnically Diverse Potential Donors in the United States.

Young adults from underserved racial/ethnic groups are critically needed as unrelated hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) donors, yet they are more likely than other groups to opt out of donation after having matched a patient. Understanding which factors are most strongly associated with opting out among young underserved racial/ ethnic registered donors compared with their White counterparts will provide the basis for specific interventions to improve donor retention. We sought to determine the key, modifiable psychosocial, registry-related, and donation-related characteristics that are uniquely associated with opting out across 5 key racial/ethnic groups of young HSC donor registry members who had been contacted as a potential match for a patient. This study examines data from a large cross-sectional survey of young (age 18 to 30) registry members shortly after they preliminarily matched a patient (CT-stage) and continued toward or opted out of donation (CT-C and CT-NI), stratified by racial/ethnic group and sex. We assessed psychosocial, registry-related, and donation-related characteristics for all participants. We used chi-squared and F tests to assess differences between racial/ethnic groups. A separate logistic regression analysis for each racial/ethnic group was conducted to quantify adjusted associations between each variable and opting out. Then, we compared these associations across the racial/ethnic groups by evaluating the interaction effect between each variable and racial/ethnic group, with the same outcome (CT-C versus CT-NI) in question. Nine hundred thirty-five participants were surveyed, including 284 White, 165 Hispanic, 191 Black, 192 Asian/Pacific Islander, and 103 Multiracial/multiethnic participants. There were significant differences across racial/ethnic groups in values/goals, religious objections to donation, HSC-related medical mistrust, and parental involvement in donation decisions. Adjusted logistic regression subgroup analyses indicated that ambivalence was strongly associated with opting out across all racial/ethnic groups. Greater focus on intrinsic life goals (e.g., raising a family, becoming a community leader, influencing social values) was associated with opting out in the Multiracial/multiethnic, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander groups. Healthcare mistrust and insufficient registry contact was a significant factor for Hispanic participants. Protective factors against opting out included remembering joining the registry (Black participants), and parental support for donation decision (Asian/Pacific Islander participants). The performance of each logistic regression model was strong, with area-under-the curve ≥.88, CT-stage outcome classification accuracy ≥89%, and good fit between expected and observed opt-out probabilities. In the analysis across different racial/ethnic groups, the only significant interaction was race/ethnicity by whether more contact with the registry would have changed the decision at CT-stage; this variable was significant only for the Hispanic group. In the within-group analysis for Hispanic participants, the "more registry contact" variable was strongly associated with opting out (odds ratio 5.8, P = .03). Consistent with a growing body of HSC donor research, ambivalence was a key factor associated with opting-out for all racial/ethnic groups. Other key variables were differentially associated with opting-out depending on racial/ethnic group. Our study highlights key variables that registries should focus on as they develop targeted and tailored strategies to enhance commitment and reduce attrition of potential donors.

Safeguarding authenticity for mitigating the harms of generative AI: Issues, research agenda, and policies for detection, fact-checking, and ethical AI.

As the influence of transformer-based approaches in general and generative artificial intelligence (AI) in particular continues to expand across various domains, concerns regarding authenticity and explainability are on the rise. Here, we share our perspective on the necessity of implementing effective detection, verification, and explainability mechanisms to counteract the potential harms arising from the proliferation of AI-generated inauthentic content and science. We recognize the transformative potential of generative AI, exemplified by ChatGPT, in the scientific landscape. However, we also emphasize the urgency of addressing associated challenges, particularly in light of the risks posed by disinformation, misinformation, and unreproducible science. This perspective serves as a response to the call for concerted efforts to safeguard the authenticity of information in the age of AI. By prioritizing detection, fact-checking, and explainability policies, we aim to foster a climate of trust, uphold ethical standards, and harness the full potential of AI for the betterment of science and society.

Antineoplastic indole-containing compounds with potential VEGFR inhibitory properties.

Cancer is one of the most significant health challenges worldwide. Various techniques, tools and therapeutics/materials have been developed in the last few decades for the treatment of cancer, together with great interest, funding and efforts from the scientific society. However, all the reported studies and efforts seem insufficient to combat the various types of cancer, especially the advanced ones. The overexpression of tyrosine kinases is associated with cancer proliferation and/or metastasis. VEGF, an important category of tyrosine kinases, and its receptors (VEGFR) are hyper-activated in different cancers. Accordingly, they are known as important factors in the angiogenesis of different tumors and are considered in the development of effective therapeutic approaches for controlling many types of cancer. In this case, targeted therapeutic approaches are preferable to the traditional non-selective approaches to minimize the side effects and drawbacks associated with treatment. Several indole-containing compounds have been identified as effective agents against VEGFR. Herein, we present a summary of the recent indolyl analogs reported within the last decade (2012-2023) with potential antineoplastic and VEGFR inhibitory properties. The most important drugs, natural products, synthesized potent compounds and promising hits/leads are highlighted. Indoles functionalized and conjugated with various heterocycles beside spiroindoles are also considered.

Induction of antimicrobial, antioxidant metabolites production by co-cultivation of two red-sea-sponge-associated Aspergillus sp. CO2 and Bacillus sp. COBZ21.

The growing spread of infectious diseases has become a potential global health threat to human beings. According to WHO reports, in this study, we investigated the impact of co-cultivating the isolated endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. CO2 and Bacillus sp. COBZ21 as a method to stimulate the production of natural bioactive substances. (GC/MS)-based metabolomics profiling of two sponge-associated microbes, Aspergillus sp. CO2 and Bacillus sp. COBZ21, revealed that the co-culture of these two isolates induced the accumulation of metabolites that were not traced in their axenic cultures. By detection of different activities of extracts of Bacillus sp. COBZ21 and Aspergillus sp. CO2 and coculture between Bacillus sp. COBZ21 and Aspergillus sp. CO2. It was noted that the coculture strategy was the reason for a notable increase in some different activities, such as the antimicrobial activity, which showed potent activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25,922, Staphylococcus aureus NRRLB-767, and Candida albicans ATCC 10,231. The antibiofilm activity showed significant biofilm inhibitory activity toward Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10,145, and Staph aureus NRRLB-767, with activity up to 53.66, 71.17, and 47.89%, while it showed low activity against E. coli ATCC 25,922, while the antioxidant activity based on the DPPH assay showed maximum activity (75.25%). GC-MS investigations revealed the presence of variable chemical constituents belonging to different chemical categories, which reflected their chemical diversity. The main components are (+-) cis-Deethylburnamine (2.66%), Bis(3,6,9,12-tetraoxapentaethylene) crowno-N,N,N',N'-tetra methylpphanediamine (2.48%), and 11-phenyl-2,4,6,8-tetra(2-thienyl)-11-aza-5,13-dithiaeteracyclo[7.3.0.1(2,8)0.0(3,7)] trideca-3,6-diene-10,12,13-trione (3.13%), respectively, for Bacillus sp. axenic culture, Aspergillus sp. CO2, Aspergillus sp. CO2, and Bacillus sp. COBZ21 coculture. By studying the ADME-related physicochemical properties of coculture extract, the compound showed log Po/w values above 5 (8.82). The solubility of the substance was moderate. In order to provide a comprehensive definition of medicinal chemistry and leadlikness, it is important to note that the latter did not meet the criteria outlined in the rule of three (RO3). The toxicity prediction of the coculture extract was performed using the ProTox II web server, which showed that the selected compound has no pronounced toxicity.

Characterization, modeling, and anticancer activity of L.arginase production from marine Bacillus licheniformis OF2.

BACKGROUND: L-arginase, is a powerful anticancer that hydrolyzes L-arginine to L-ornithine and urea. This enzyme is widely distributed and expressed in organisms like plants, fungi, however very scarce from bacteria. Our study is based on isolating, purifying, and screening the marine bacteria that can produce arginase. RESULTS: The highest arginase producing bacteria will be identified by using microbiological and molecular biology methods as Bacillus licheniformis OF2. Characterization of arginase is the objective of this study. The activity of enzyme was screened, and estimated beside partial sequencing of arginase gene was analyzed. In silico homology modeling was applied to generate the protein's 3D structure, and COACH and COFACTOR were applied to determine the protein's binding sites and biological annotations based on the I-TASSER structure prediction. The purified enzyme was undergone an in vitro anticancer test. CONCLUSIONS: L-arginase demonstrated more strong anti-cancer cells with an IC50 of 21.4 ug/ml in a dose-dependent manner. L-arginase underwent another investigation for its impact on the caspase 7 and BCL2 family of proteins (BCL2, Bax, and Bax/Bcl2). Through cell arrest in the G1/S phase, L-arginase signals the apoptotic cascade, which is supported by a flow cytometry analysis of cell cycle phases.

Metabolic and other morbid complications in congenital generalized lipodystrophy type 4.

Morbidity and mortality rates in patients with autosomal recessive, congenital generalized lipodystrophy type 4 (CGL4), an ultra-rare disorder, remain unclear. We report on 30 females and 16 males from 10 countries with biallelic null variants in CAVIN1 gene (mean age, 12 years; range, 2 months to 41 years). Hypertriglyceridemia was seen in 79% (34/43), hepatic steatosis in 82% (27/33) but diabetes mellitus in only 21% (8/44). Myopathy with elevated serum creatine kinase levels (346-3325 IU/L) affected all of them (38/38). 39% had scoliosis (10/26) and 57% had atlantoaxial instability (8/14). Cardiac arrhythmias were detected in 57% (20/35) and 46% had ventricular tachycardia (16/35). Congenital pyloric stenosis was diagnosed in 39% (18/46), 9 had esophageal dysmotility and 19 had intestinal dysmotility. Four patients suffered from intestinal perforations. Seven patients died at mean age of 17 years (range: 2 months to 39 years). The cause of death in four patients was cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death, while others died of prematurity, gastrointestinal perforation, and infected foot ulcers leading to sepsis. Our study highlights high prevalence of myopathy, metabolic abnormalities, cardiac, and gastrointestinal problems in patients with CGL4. CGL4 patients are at high risk of early death mainly caused by cardiac arrhythmias.

Biogenic selenium nanoparticles and selenium/chitosan-Nanoconjugate biosynthesized by Streptomyces parvulus MAR4 with antimicrobial and anticancer potential.

BACKGROUND: As antibiotics and chemotherapeutics are no longer as efficient as they once were, multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens and cancer are presently considered as two of the most dangerous threats to human life. In this study, Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) biosynthesized by Streptomyces parvulus MAR4, nano-chitosan (NCh), and their nanoconjugate (Se/Ch-nanoconjugate) were suggested to be efficacious antimicrobial and anticancer agents. RESULTS: SeNPs biosynthesized by Streptomyces parvulus MAR4 and NCh were successfully achieved and conjugated. The biosynthesized SeNPs were spherical with a mean diameter of 94.2 nm and high stability. Yet, Se/Ch-nanoconjugate was semispherical with a 74.9 nm mean diameter and much higher stability. The SeNPs, NCh, and Se/Ch-nanoconjugate showed significant antimicrobial activity against various microbial pathogens with strong inhibitory effect on their tested metabolic key enzymes [phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and nitrate reductase (NR)]; Se/Ch-nanoconjugate was the most powerful agent. Furthermore, SeNPs revealed strong cytotoxicity against HepG2 (IC50 = 13.04 µg/ml) and moderate toxicity against Caki-1 (HTB-46) tumor cell lines (IC50 = 21.35 µg/ml) but low cytotoxicity against WI-38 normal cell line (IC50 = 85.69 µg/ml). Nevertheless, Se/Ch-nanoconjugate displayed substantial cytotoxicity against HepG2 and Caki-1 (HTB-46) with IC50 values of 11.82 and 7.83 µg/ml, respectively. Consequently, Se/Ch-nanoconjugate may be more easily absorbed by both tumor cell lines. However, it exhibited very low cytotoxicity on WI-38 with IC50 of 153.3 µg/ml. Therefore, Se/Ch-nanoconjugate presented the most anticancer activity. CONCLUSION: The biosynthesized SeNPs and Se/Ch-nanoconjugate are convincingly recommended to be used in biomedical applications as versatile and potent antimicrobial and anticancer agents ensuring notable levels of biosafety, environmental compatibility, and efficacy.

Anti-Cancer and Anti-Oxidant Bioactive Metabolites from Aspergillus fumigatus WA7S6 Isolated from Marine Sources: In Vitro and In Silico Studies.

Cancer is a huge global disease burden. Every year, tens of millions of people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer, and more than half of them die as a result of it. The great biodiversity of the marine environment has increasingly piqued the interest of experts, especially in the field of drug discovery. The marine fungus Aspergillus fumigatus WA7S6 has been selected among a group of fungi isolated from marine sponges as it exhibits a pronounced antimicrobial activity toward a group of pathogenic microbes. The fungus has been identified genetically by amplification and analysis of its 18srRNA gene. The fungus crude extract has been obtained by cultivation of the fungus on rice media. The crude extract was tested for antibacterial activity against a variety of pathogenic microorganisms. The results demonstrated a pronounced antimicrobial action against P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, A. niger, and Candida albicans. Furthermore, we tested the antioxidant potential of the Aspergillus fumigatus WA7S6 crude extract using three different methods: ATBS, DPPH, and lipid peroxidation assays. Results showed that the crude extract WA7S6 had an IC50 value of 21.35 µg/mL. The anticancer potential of the crude extract was also evaluated against cancer cell lines such as Hela, MCF, and WI-38. The chemical profiling of the fungus extract was identified via GC-mass and in silico molecular docking of the identified compounds on heme oxygenase, as a stress protein included in cellular protection, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, suggesting that some compounds, such as 9-Tetradecynoic acid, 11-Hexadecynoic acid, methyl ester, and dehydromevalonic lactone, could be relevant for antioxidant purposes.

Structural, dielectric, and antimicrobial evaluation of PMMA/CeO2 for optoelectronic devices.

In the current report, we have successfully synthesized nanocomposites of PMMA incorporating different doping of CeO2 through a chemical approach. XRD results reflects decent matching for CeO2 nanoparticles with 29 nm crystallite size. FTIR spectroscopy demonstrates the characteristic functional groups validating the successful formation of the composite. The optical study of PMMA and the nanocomposites has proven that the optical properties such as band gap, refractive index, optical permittivity, and loss tangent factor are affected by adding CeO2 to the PMMA matrix.The peak residing around 420 nm by UV measurements is allocated to occurring electrons photoexcitation from the valence to conduction band inherent in CeO2. The dielectric measurements were achieved using broadband dielectric spectroscopy upon a wide span of frequencies (10-1-107 Hz) and within temperatures from - 10 to 80 °C with a step of 10 °C. The permittivity decreases by adding CeO2 and the dielectric parameters are thermally enhanced, however, the temperature influence is based on CeO2 content, the higher the CeO2 amount, the higher the influence of temperature. The results of the nanocomposites revealed antibacterial activity counter to gram-positive bacteria strain (S. aureus, and B. subtilis), and gram-negative bacteria (E. coli, and K. pneumoniae), yeast (C. albicans, as well as fungi (A. niger). Inherently, the change in CeO2 concentration from 0.01 to 0.1 wt% delivers maximum influence against gram-negative bacteria. These PMMA CeO2-doped composites are beneficial for optoelectronic areas and devices.

Normal CEA Levels After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Cytoreduction with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemoperfusion Predict Improved Survival from Colorectal Peritoneal Metastases.

BACKGROUND: Normal carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels (≤ 2.5 ng/ml) after resection of localized colorectal cancer or liver metastases are associated with improved survival, however, these trends are understudied for colorectal peritoneal metastases (CRPM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective single-institution study of patients with CRPM undergoing cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (CRS/HIPEC) with and without neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). CEA was measured before and after NACT and within 3 months after CRS/HIPEC. RESULTS: A total of 253 patients (mean age 55.3 years) with CRPM undergoing CRS/HIPEC had complete CEA data and 191 also underwent NACT with complete data. The median peritoneal carcinomatosis index score (PCI) of the overall cohort was 12 and 82.7% of patients had complete cytoreduction (CC0). In total, 64 (33.5%) patients had normal CEA levels after NACT with a median overall survival (OS) of 45.2 months compared with those with an elevated CEA (26.4 months, p = 0.004). Patients with normal CEA after NACT had a lower PCI found at the time of surgery than those with elevated CEA (10 versus 14, p < 0.001), 68 (26.9%) patients with an elevated preoperative CEA level experienced normalization after CRS/HIPEC, and 118 (46.6%) patients had elevated CEA after CRS/HIPEC. Patients who experienced normalization demonstrated similar OS to patients that had normal CEA levels pre- and post-surgery and improved OS compared with those with elevated postop CEA (median 41.9 versus 47 months versus 17.1 months, respectively, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Normal CEA levels after NACT and/or CRS/HIPEC are associated with improved survival for patients with CRPM. Patients that normalize CEA levels after surgery have similar survival to those with normal preoperative levels.

Silver and gold nanoparticles: Eco-friendly synthesis, antibiofilm, antiviral, and anticancer bioactivities.

For the first time in this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were green synthesized by the cost-effective and eco-friendly procedure using Cotton seed meal and Fodder yeast extracts. The biosynthesized NPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering analysis (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, the biosynthesized NPs were tested in vitro against biofilm formation by some pathogenic negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella sp., Salmonella sp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and negative bacteria (staphylococcus aureus) as well as against human denovirus serotype 5 (HAdV-5) and anticancer activity using HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells. UV-Vis absorption spectra of reaction mixture of AgNPs and AuNPs exhibited maximum absorbance at 440 nm and 540 nm, respectively. This finding was confirmed by DLS measurements that the highest intensity of the AgNPs and AuNPs were 84 nm and 73.9 nm, respectively. FTIR measurements identified some functional groups detected in Cotton seed meal and Fodder yeast extracts that could be responsible for reduction of silver and gold ions to metallic silver and gold. The morphologies and particle size of AgNPs and AuNPs were confirmed by the TEM and SAED pattern analysis. Biosynthesized AgNPs and AuNPs showed good inhibitory effects against biofilms produced by Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella sp., Salmonella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, they showed anticancer activities against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2) and antiviral activity against human adenovirus serotype 5 infection in vitro. Finally, the results of this study is expected to be extremely helpful to nano-biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and food packing applications through developing antimicrobial and/or an anticancer drugs from ecofriendly and inexpensive nanoparticles with multi-potentiality.

Production of laccase enzyme from Curvularia lunata MY3: purification and characterization.

Laccase-producing fungus (MY3) was successfully isolated from soil samples collected from Mansoura Governorate, Egypt. This fungal isolate has shown a high laccase production level over other isolated fungi. The identity of this isolate was determined by the molecular technique 18SrRNA as Curvularia lunata MY3. The enzyme purification was performed using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by Sephacryl S-200 and DEAE-Sepharose column chromatography. The denatured enzyme using SDS-PAGE had a molar mass of 65 kDa. The purified laccase had an optimum temperature at 40 °C for enzyme activity with 57.3 kJ/mol activation energy for 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) oxidation. The enzyme had an optimum pH of 5.0, and it has shown a high stability at the acidic range (4.5 to 5.5). Mn2+ and Mg2+ ions enhanced the enzyme activity, while most of the enzyme activity was inhibited by Hg2+. Some compounds such as 2-mercaptoethanol, L-cysteine, and sodium azide at a concentration of 10 mmol/L had shown a high suppression effect on the enzyme activity. The enzyme strongly oxidized ABTS and syringaldazine and moderately oxidized DMP and guaiacol. The antimicrobial activity of the purified enzyme towards three pathogenic strains (Escherichia coli ATCC-25922, Staphylococcus aureus NRRLB-767, and Candida albicans ATCC-10231) was evaluated for the potential use as an antimicrobial therapeutic enzyme.

Evaluation of Serum Neurofilament Light Chain and Nerve Ultrasound in Diabetic Neuropathy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels in individuals with diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) compared with controls, as well as to highlight the different sonographic changes in DPN and determine if NfL correlates with sonographic, clinical, and functional parameters. METHODS: Diabetic individuals with signs or symptoms consistent with peripheral nerve involvement were recruited. They were evaluated by examination, functional neuropathy severity scores, laboratory assessments (including NfL), nerve conduction studies (NCS), and ultrasound. Ultrasound was performed of the bilateral median, ulnar, tibial, fibular, sural, and vagus nerves, and cervical roots 5 and 6. Results were compared with age, sex, and body mass index matched healthy controls. RESULTS: A total of 320 nerves from 20 patients and 480 nerves from 30 controls were evaluated. NfL was significantly elevated in those with diabetes with a mean and standard deviation of 6.95 ± 2.95 pg/mL in the diabetic group and 2.83 ± 0.77 pg/mL in controls (P < .001). Nerve cross-sectional area and serum NfL levels correlated significantly with clinical and functional parameters and with each other (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Individuals with DPN have significantly higher NfL levels than healthy controls, and NfL levels correlate with ultrasonographic parameters. These findings may be useful for the diagnosis, prognosis, and disease monitoring of those with DPN, though further exploration is needed.