Ecotoxicity and environmental safety assessment of two-dimensional niobium carbides (MXenes).

Two-dimensional (2D) MXenes have gained great interest in water treatment, biomedical, and environmental applications. The antimicrobial activity and cell toxicity of several MXenes including Nb4C3Tx and Nb2CTx have already been explored. However, potential side effects related to Nb-MXene toxicity, especially on aquatic pneuma, have rarely been studied. Using zebrafish embryos, we investigated and compared the potential acute toxicity between two forms of Nb-MXene: the multilayer (ML-Nb4C3Tx, ML-Nb2CTx) and the delaminated (DL-Nb2CTx, and DL-Nb4C3Tx) Nb-MXene. The LC50 of ML-Nb4C3Tx, ML-Nb2CTx, DL-Nb2CTx, and DL-Nb4C3Tx were estimated to be 220, 215, 225, and 128 mg/L, respectively. Although DL-Nb2CTx, and DL-Nb4C3Tx derivatives have similar sizes, DL-Nb4C3Tx not only shows the higher mortality (LC50 = 128 mg/L Vs 225 mg/L), but also the highest teratogenic effect (NOEC = 100 mg/L Vs 200 mg/L). LDH release assay suggested more cell membrane damage and a higher superoxide anion production in DL-Nb4C3Tx than DL-Nb2CTx,. Interestingly, both DL-Nb-MXene nanosheets showed insignificant cardiac, hepatic, or behavioral toxic effects compared to the negative control. Embryos treated with the NOEC of DL-Nb2CTx presented hyperlocomotion, while embryos treated with the NOEC of DL-Nb4C3Tx presented hyperlocomotion, suggesting developmental neurotoxic effect and muscle impairment induced by both DL-Nb-MXene. According to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FSW) Acute Toxicity Rating Scale, all tested Nb-MXene nanosheets were classified as "Practically not toxic". However, DL-Nb4C3Tx should be treated with caution as it might cause a neurotoxic effect on fauna when it ends up in wastewater in high concentrations.

Leveraging wastewater surveillance for managing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and concerned pathogens during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been proven effective for the monitoring of infectious disease outbreaks during mass gathering events and for timely public health interventions. As part of Qatar's efforts to monitor and combat the spread of infectious diseases during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ (FWC'22), wastewater surveillance was used to monitor the spread of SARS-CoV-2, human enterovirus, and poliovirus. The screening covered five major wastewater treatment plants servicing the event locations between October 2022 and January 2023. Viruses were concentrated from the wastewater samples by PEG precipitation, followed by qRT-PCR to measure the viral load in the wastewater. As expected, SARS-CoV-2 and enterovirus RNA were detected in all samples, while poliovirus was not detected. The concentration of SARS-CoV-2 was correlated with population density, such as areas surrounding the World Cup venues, and with the number of reported clinical cases. Additionally, we observed temporal fluctuations in viral RNA concentrations, with peak levels coinciding with the group stage matches of the FWC'22. This study has been useful in providing public health authorities with an efficient and cost-effective surveillance system for potential infectious disease outbreaks during mega-events.

Cell based and In vivo systematic evaluation of some Egyptian plant extracts targeting breast cancer.

The prevalence of breast cancer as a significant public health concern necessitates continued exploration of natural resources for novel anti-cancer agents is crucial. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Anticancer activity of plant extracts on monolayer breast cancer cell line (MCF7) with lower levels of toxicity towards normal (RPE1) underwent further assessment using a three-dimensional model (3D). The extract's effects were investigated through multiple assays including apoptosis induction using quantifying cleaved cytokeratin-18 (CK18) and DNA fragmentation. Additionally, the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax was quantitative using real-time PCR. The median lethal dose (LD50) was determined by the acute oral toxicity, while biomarkers associated with tumorigenesis, metastasis, and cell death were quantified by ELISA. RESULTS: Limoniastrum monopetalum and Bauhinia variegata exhibited the most potent antitumor efficacy among the investigated extracts. They demonstrated potent cytotoxicity against MCF7 with no significant effect on hTERT RPE-1, with an IC50 of 100 µM. The extract demonstrated effectiveness in killing cancer cells within 3D tumor-like structures, induced apoptosis through caspase-3 activation and cleavage of cytokeratin-18, up-regulated the tumor suppressor p53, down-regulated the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 gene, and caused DNA fragmentation. Acute oral toxicity studies in mice indicated low toxicity, and in a syngeneic mouse tumor model, the extract significantly inhibited tumor growth, suggesting its potential for further development. CONCLUSION: Limoniastrum monopetalum and Bauhinia variegata exhibited the most potent antitumor efficacy among the investigated extracts.

Mechanistic Insights into Bisphenol A-Mediated Male Infertility: Potential Role of Panax Ginseng Extract.

. The escalating prevalence of male infertility in the contemporary era across the globe can be largely attributed to environmental pollution, which is the common etiological factor due to the ubiquitous presence of the environmental contaminants. Bisphenol A is recognized as an endocrine-disrupting chemical that has adverse effects on both male and female reproductive systems. On the other hand, numerous studies have demonstrated that Panax ginseng possessed the potential to improve male infertility parameters; promote spermatogenesis, recover the quality and motility of sperm and enhance testicular functions as it acted as a natural androgen supplement. The objective of this review is to offer a summary of the findings obtained from the current research data on the insult of bisphenol A (BPA) on male infertility and its supposed mode of action, as well as shed light on the potent ameliorative role of Panax ginseng extract, with a special focus on the mechanism behind its action. This review delivers a clear understanding of BPA mechanism of action on male infertility and the presumed risks deriving from its exposure. Also, this review provides evidence for the functional role of Panax ginseng extract in restoring male fertility.

Automatic brain-tumor diagnosis using cascaded deep convolutional neural networks with symmetric U-Net and asymmetric residual-blocks.

The use of various kinds of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques for examining brain tissue has increased significantly in recent years, and manual investigation of each of the resulting images can be a time-consuming task. This paper presents an automatic brain-tumor diagnosis system that uses a CNN for detection, classification, and segmentation of glioblastomas; the latter stage seeks to segment tumors inside glioma MRI images. The structure of the developed multi-unit system consists of two stages. The first stage is responsible for tumor detection and classification by categorizing brain MRI images into normal, high-grade glioma (glioblastoma), and low-grade glioma. The uniqueness of the proposed network lies in its use of different levels of features, including local and global paths. The second stage is responsible for tumor segmentation, and skip connections and residual units are used during this step. Using 1800 images extracted from the BraTS 2017 dataset, the detection and classification stage was found to achieve a maximum accuracy of 99%. The segmentation stage was then evaluated using the Dice score, specificity, and sensitivity. The results showed that the suggested deep-learning-based system ranks highest among a variety of different strategies reported in the literature.

Development of a functional cake with probiotics and micro-encapsulated essential oils: Evaluation of nutritional properties, liver protection, and immune boosting.

This study used probiotics and micro-encapsulated clove and cinnamon oils to develop a functional cream-stuffed cake based on sweet potatoes flour and rice flour instead of wheat flour. The cake was evaluated for its physical, chemical, and sensory properties and its antioxidant capacity. The protective effect of the cake against liver injury and immunosuppression induced by thioacetamide injection in male rats was also evaluated. The study found that eugenol and cinnamaldehyde were the majority of volatile compounds in the essential oils used in the cake, with values of 78.73 % and 81.57 %, respectively, as determined by GC-MS analysis. The viable counts of added probiotics in the cake ranged from 13.15 to 11.21 log CFU/g and were still above the threshold for health benefits. The cake had an increased dietary fiber and protein content while containing a low-fat percentage compared to a commercial cake sample. The innovative cake also contained higher levels of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, and zinc. The antioxidant capacity of the cake was evaluated, and it was found to contain 1827.23 mg GAE/100 g of total phenols and 97.13 mg QE/100 g of flavonoids. The cake was also found to have antioxidant activity and was effective in protecting the liver from oxidative stress and inflammation and reducing immunodeficiency associated with liver damage.

Revision to the musculoskeletal domain of the BILAG-2004 index to incorporate ultrasound findings.

OBJECTIVES: To improve the definitions of inflammatory arthritis within the musculoskeletal (MSK) domain of the BILAG-2004 index by incorporating imaging findings and clinical features predictive of response to treatment. METHODS: The BILAG MSK Subcommittee proposed revisions to the BILAG-2004 index definitions of inflammatory arthritis, based on review of evidence in two recent studies. Data from these studies were pooled and analysed to determine the impact of the proposed changes on the severity grading of inflammatory arthritis. RESULTS: The revised definition for severe inflammatory arthritis includes definition of 'basic activities of daily living'. For moderate inflammatory arthritis, it now includes synovitis, defined by either observed joint swelling or MSK US evidence of inflammation in joints and surrounding structures. For mild inflammatory arthritis, the definition now includes reference to symmetrical distribution of affected joints and guidance on how US may help re-classify patients as moderate or no inflammatory arthritis. Data from two recent SLE trials were analysed (219 patients). A total of 119 (54.3%) were graded as having mild inflammatory arthritis (BILAG-2004 Grade C). Of these, 53 (44.5%) had evidence of joint inflammation (synovitis or tenosynovitis) on US. Applying the new definition increased the number of patients classified as moderate inflammatory arthritis from 72 (32.9%) to 125 (57.1%), while patients with normal US (n = 66/119) could be recategorized as BILAG-2004 Grade D (inactive disease). CONCLUSIONS: Proposed changes to the definitions of inflammatory arthritis in the BILAG-2004 index will result in more accurate classification of patients who are more or less likely to respond to treatment.

Appropriateness and clinical outcomes of short sustained low-efficiency dialysis: A national experience.

Sustained low-efficiency dialysis (SLED) is usually performed over 6-12 h among hemodynamically unstable patients. Conduction of 4-h SLED may spare time and manpower during hospitalization. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective observational study to explore the appropriateness and clinical outcomes of 4-h SLED among critically ill patients admitted to our center from 1/06/2016 to 1/06/2020. Renal parameters including blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, and bicarbonate were determined on the day of dialysis before SLED and within 24 h after SLED, and clinical outcomes including, acute kidney injury (AKI) recovery, in-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, 180-day mortality, and re-admission with AKI, were evaluated. Of the 304 patients included, 69.4% were male. The majority of patients were from the Middle East (65.8%), followed by 28.6% from Asia. Four-hour SLED resulted in a significant improvement in the renal parameters. Recovery from AKI was observed in 25.4%, in-hospital mortality rate was 48.7%, while the 30- and 180-day mortality outcomes were 3.2 and 9.6%, respectively, and re-admission with AKI was observed in 16.9%. Our findings suggest that 4-h SLED significantly improved renal parameters and was associated with favorable clinical outcomes in terms of survival and AKI recovery, suggesting possible utilization of SLED shorter than 6 h in the acute settings to preserve time and manpower for procedures.

Marine Bacterial Community Structures of Selected Coastal Seawater and Sediment Sites in Qatar.

Severe environmental conditions can have a diverse impact on marine microorganisms, including bacteria. This can have an inevitable impact on the biofouling of membrane-based desalination plants. In this work, we have utilized indicator bacteria such as total coliform, fecal coliform, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as 16S rRNA sequencing, to investigate the impact of environmental conditions and spatial variations on the diversity of bacterial communities in the coastal waters and sediments from selected sites in Qatar. The concentration levels of indicator bacteria were affected by increasing temperatures and pH, and by decreasing salinity of seawater samples. Diversity indices and the molecular phylogeny demonstrated that Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Cyanobacteria were the dominant phyla in all locations. The most abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at the family level were from Flavobacteriaceae (27.07%, 4.31%) and Rhodobacteraceae (22.51%, 9.86%) in seawater and sediment, respectively. Alphaproteobacteria (33.87%, 16.82%), Flavobacteria (30.68%, 5.84%), and Gammaproteobacteria (20.35%, 12.45%) were abundant at the species level in both seawater and sediment, while Clostridia (13.72%) was abundant in sediment only. The results suggest that sediment can act as a reservoir for indicator bacteria, with higher diversity and lower abundance compared to seawater.

Characterization and stability evaluation of Egyptian propolis extract nano-capsules and their application.

The increasing demand for natural products and biotechnological activities from bees facilitate their widespread use in food preservation and beneficial effects on humans. This study aimed to prepare and characterize the nano-capsules of Qaluiobia (PQG) governorates propolis extracted with water, ethanol and supercritical fluid-carbon dioxide at 50 °C with co-solvent. Propolis bioavailability was analyzed and introduced to prepare crackers to extend their shelf life. Nano-encapsulation was examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and antioxidant activity. Ethanol and supercritical fluid-carbon dioxide (SCF-CO2) at 50 °C with ethanol as co-solvent recorded higher yield, antioxidant activities, total phenolics and total flavonoids. SCF-CO2 extracts had a higher flavonoid concentration. It was revealed that propolis nano-capsules had high-temperature stability and cytotoxic effects against the three tested human cancer cell lines (i.e. PC3, MCF7 and HePG2). The higher overall acceptability of crackers fortified with PQG was achieved with SCF-CO2 at 50 °C and ethanol extract nano-capsules, i.e. 86.57% and 86.29% respectively. The higher ability to retain antioxidant activity reduces the increase of peroxide value (PV), preventing rancidity and increasing the shelf life of crackers during the storage period. Practical application: This study can provide a suitable method for extracting bioactive compounds from propolis, and improve the biological properties and activities by nano-encapsulation, also reveals the extent of its use as a natural antioxidant and anticancer and its application in bakery products as a functional food.

Comparative Analysis of Perovskite Solar Cells for Obtaining a Higher Efficiency Using a Numerical Approach.

Perovskite materials have gained considerable attention in recent years for their potential to improve the efficiency of solar cells. This study focuses on optimizing the efficiency of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by investigating the thickness of the methylammonium-free absorber layer in the device structure. In the study we used a SCAPS-1D simulator to analyze the performance of MASnI3 and CsPbI3-based PSCs under AM1.5 illumination. The simulation involved using Spiro-OMeTAD as a hole transport layer (HTL) and ZnO as the electron transport layer (ETL) in the PSC structure. The results indicate that optimizing the thickness of the absorber layer can significantly increase the efficiency of PSCs. The precise bandgap values of the materials were set to 1.3 eV and 1.7 eV. In the study we also investigated the maximum thicknesses of the HTL, MASnI3, CsPbI3, and the ETL for the device structures, which were determined to be 100 nm, 600 nm, 800 nm, and 100 nm, respectively. The improvement techniques used in this study resulted in a high power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.86% due to a higher value of VOC for the CsPbI3-based PSC structure. The findings of this study demonstrate the potential of perovskite materials as absorber layers in solar cells. It also provides insights into improving the efficiency of PSCs, which is crucial for advancing the development of cost-effective and efficient solar energy systems. Overall, this study provides valuable information for the future development of more efficient solar cell technologies.

Size-optimized simvastatin-loaded TPGS modified lipid nanocapsules for targeting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma: Role of PTEN/AKT signaling.

OBJECTIVES: Novel D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) modified lipid nanocapsules (LNC) were prepared with the aim of improving the effectiveness of simvastatin (SIM) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study, therefore, sought to investigate the effect of size-optimized SIM-loaded LNC on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HCC, providing insights on the implication of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)/protein kinase B (AKT) axis. METHODS: Two optimized SIM-loaded LNCs with particle sizes 25 nm (SIM-LNC25) and 50 nm (SIM-LNC50) were prepared and biodistribution studies were performed. The anticancer effect of the prepared LNC was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. The anti-migratory potential and EMT suppression through PTEN/AKT axis modulation were also explored. RESULTS: SIM-LNC50 was superior to SIM-LNC25 in both in vitro and in vivo experiments, as evidenced by cytotoxicity assays, tumor histopathology, and enhanced apoptosis. SIM-LNC50 also alleviated the migratory potential of HCC cells. Moreover, EMT markers implied a transition of tumor cells toward the epithelial rather than the mesenchymal phenotype both in vitro and in vivo. PTEN/AKT axis modulation was also evident with SIM-LNC50. CONCLUSION: The present study, therefore, suggests the efficacy of the 50 nm particles in SIM-loaded LNC in HCC by targeting EMT via modulating the PTEN/AKT signaling axis.

Exploring the potential of intranasally administered naturally occurring quercetin loaded into polymeric nanocapsules as a novel platform for the treatment of anxiety.

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent forms of psychopathology that affects millions worldwide. It gained more importance under the pandemic status that resulted in higher anxiety prevalence. Anxiolytic drugs such as benzodiazepines have an unfavorable risk/benefit ratio resulting in a shift toward active ingredients with better safety profile such as the naturally occurring quercetin (QRC). The delivery of QRC is hampered by its low water solubility and low bioavailability. The potential to enhance QRC delivery to the brain utilizing polymeric nanocapsules administered intranasally is investigated in the current study. Polymeric nanocapsules were prepared utilizing the nanoprecipitation technique. The best formula displayed a particle size of 227.8 ± 11.9 nm, polydispersity index of 0.466 ± 0.023, zeta potential of - 17.5 ± 0.01 mV, and encapsulation efficiency % of 92.5 ± 1.9%. In vitro release of QRC loaded polymeric nanocapsules exhibited a biphasic release with an initial burst release followed by a sustained release pattern. Behavioral testing demonstrated the superiority of QRC loaded polymeric nanocapsules administered intranasally compared to QRC dispersion administered both orally and intranasally. The prepared QRC loaded polymeric nanocapsules also demonstrated good safety profile with high tolerability.

Vitamin D ameliorates diethylnitrosamine-induced liver preneoplasia: A pivotal role of CYP3A4/CYP2E1 via DPP-4 enzyme inhibition.

Growing evidence has indicated that vitamin D (Vit D) regulates cell proliferation and differentiation in cancer cells. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to investigate the possible beneficial effects of Vit D on diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver preneoplasia. The effect of Vit D on HepG2 cells was investigated using MTT assay. Additionally, liver preneoplasia was induced in Swiss male albino mice by giving overnight fasted animals 5 consecutive doses of DEN (75 mg/kg/week). Oral treatment with Vit D (200 IU/kg/day) was initiated either 2 weeks before DEN (first protocol) or 1 week after the first dose of DEN injection (second protocol). At the end of the experiment, tissue levels of GGT, DPP-4, TNF-α, IL-6, CYP2E1, and CYP3A4 were also estimated. Moreover, the histopathological study of liver tissue and immunohistochemical detection of GST-P, PCNA, and NF-κB were performed. Vit D exerted a significant cytotoxic effect on HepG2 cells via significantly increasing BAX, p53, and BAX/Bcl2 ratio, and significantly decreasing Bcl2 mRNA expression. In both in vivo protocols, Vit D was capable of normalizing relative liver weight, PCNA, altered hepatocellular foci, and ductular proliferation. Moreover, Vit D significantly reduced the DEN-induced elevation of AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, DDP-4, TNF-α, IL-6, CYP2E1, liver DNA damage, GST-P, NF-κB, nuclear hyperchromasia/pleomorphism, cholestasis, and inflammatory cell aggregates, but significantly increased CYP3A4 content. In conculsion, current results reflect the potential impact of Vit D in the management of early stages of liver cancer.

Determinants of vaccine adherence among non-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients in Qatar.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health problem. Reduced innate and adaptive immunological responses predispose CKD patients to infections. Despite the clinical and epidemiological importance of CKD and the great value of vaccination as a prophylactic measure, the utilization of recommended vaccines in Qatar has not yet been evaluated. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the level of influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B vaccination and the predictors of adherence to these recommended vaccines among non-dialysis CKD patients receiving renal ambulatory care in Qatar from 1 September 2020 to 30 April 2021. Complete vaccination was defined as receiving the three vaccines, and partial vaccination was defined as receiving one or two vaccines. The full and partial vaccination predictors were assessed using multivariate logistic regression and reported as odds ratio (OR) with p<0.05 indicating statistical significance. RESULTS: 416 non-dialysis CKD patients were included in our analysis. 73% were males; the mean age was 56 ± 15 years. More than 50% of the patients were from the Middle East, followed by 36% from Asia. Most patients had concurrent hypertension, concurrent diabetes mellitus, and were stage V CKD. Only 12% of the patients were fully vaccinated, while 73% received partial vaccination. The predictors of vaccination included age, gender, Asian origin, employment, living conditions, concurrent medical conditions, CKD stage, allergy to medications, and use of injectable medications. Only stage V CKD positively predicted adherence to full and partial vaccinations in non-dialysis CKD patients. CONCLUSION: There is very low adherence to the recommended vaccines in CKD patients, with a prevalence of complete vaccination of 12% only. Increased public awareness about the importance of vaccination in CKD may improve the adherence rates among these patients in Qatar.

Genetic landscape of a large cohort of Primary Ovarian Insufficiency: New genes and pathways and implications for personalized medicine.

BACKGROUND: Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), a public health problem, affects 1-3.7% of women under 40 yielding infertility and a shorter lifespan. Most causes are unknown. Recently, genetic causes were identified, mostly in single families. We studied an unprecedented large cohort of POI to unravel its molecular pathophysiology. METHODS: 375 patients with 70 families were studied using targeted (88 genes) or whole exome sequencing with pathogenic/likely-pathogenic variant selection. Mitomycin-induced chromosome breakages were studied in patients' lymphocytes if necessary. FINDINGS: A high-yield of 29.3% supports a clinical genetic diagnosis of POI. In addition, we found strong evidence of pathogenicity for nine genes not previously related to a Mendelian phenotype or POI: ELAVL2, NLRP11, CENPE, SPATA33, CCDC150, CCDC185, including DNA repair genes: C17orf53(HROB), HELQ, SWI5 yielding high chromosomal fragility. We confirmed the causal role of BRCA2, FANCM, BNC1, ERCC6, MSH4, BMPR1A, BMPR1B, BMPR2, ESR2, CAV1, SPIDR, RCBTB1 and ATG7 previously reported in isolated patients/families. In 8.5% of cases, POI is the only symptom of a multi-organ genetic disease. New pathways were identified: NF-kB, post-translational regulation, and mitophagy (mitochondrial autophagy), providing future therapeutic targets. Three new genes have been shown to affect the age of natural menopause supporting a genetic link. INTERPRETATION: We have developed high-performance genetic diagnostic of POI, dissecting the molecular pathogenesis of POI and enabling personalized medicine to i) prevent/cure comorbidities for tumour/cancer susceptibility genes that could affect life-expectancy (37.4% of cases), or for genetically-revealed syndromic POI (8.5% of cases), ii) predict residual ovarian reserve (60.5% of cases). Genetic diagnosis could help to identify patients who may benefit from the promising in vitro activation-IVA technique in the near future, greatly improving its success in treating infertility. FUNDING: Université Paris Saclay, Agence Nationale de Biomédecine.

Optimized Green Extraction of Polyphenols from Cassia javanica L. Petals for Their Application in Sunflower Oil: Anticancer and Antioxidant Properties.

The total phenolic content (TPC) from Cassia javanica L. petals were extracted using ethanolic solvent extraction at concentrations ranging from 0 to 90% and an SCF-CO2 co-solvent at various pressures. Ultrasound-assisted extraction parameters were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). Antioxidant and anticancer properties of total phenols were assessed. An SCF-CO2 co-solvent extract was nano-encapsulated and applied to sunflower oil without the addition of an antioxidant. The results indicated that the best treatment for retaining TPC and total flavonoids content (TFC) was SCF-CO2 co-solvent followed by the ultrasound and ethanolic extraction procedures. Additionally, the best antioxidant activity by ß-carotene/linoleic acid and DPPH free radical-scavenging test systems was observed by SCF-CO2 co-solvent then ultrasound and ethanolic extraction methods. SCF-CO2 co-solvent recorded the highest inhibition % for PC3 (76.20%) and MCF7 (98.70%) and the lowest IC50 value for PC3 (145 µ/mL) and MCF7 (96 µ/mL). It was discovered that fortifying sunflower oil with SCF-CO2 co-solvent nanoparticles had a beneficial effect on free fatty acids and peroxide levels. The SCF-CO2 method was finally found to be superior and could be used in large-scale processing.

Novel Approach Using shRNA of IQGAP1 for Colon Cancer Therapy: HCT116 as a Surrogate Model Colorectal Carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) represents life-threatening problems worldwide. IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 1 (IQGAP1) is acting as oncogenesis regulators. RNAi is proposed as promising cancer therapeutics. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this work to explore the consequences of the IQGAP1 silence as a goal for treating CRC using the HCT166 cells as a model for human colon cancer. METHODS: RNAi technology was used to design a short specific sequence of RNA (shRNA) to silence the IQGAP1 oncogene. The impact of IQGAP1 silencing on IQGAPs, Ras, IL-8, and TRAIL was investigated. Furthermore, the effect of IQGAP1 silencing on cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, and invasive capacity was investigated. RESULTS: The present results revealed that IQGAP1 shRNA-treated HCT166 cells showed no invasive capacity compared to the control cells. The silencing of IQGAP1 induced remarkable downregulation of IQGAP1, RAS (H&K), IL-8, CXCR1, CXCR2, NF-kB, BCL-2, and apoptosis of HCT166 cells. On the contrary, IQGAP2, IQGAP3, DR4, DR5, CASP-3, and BAX genes were significantly up-regulated. CONCLUSION: The IQGAP1 regulates the expression of IQGAPs, Ras, IL-8 receptors, and the apoptotic network. Therefore, the silence of IQGAP1 is a promising strategy for colon cancer therapy.

Psychosocial profiles and their correlation with physical diagnosis in temporomandibular disorders, a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE: To assess representative psychosocial features in a group of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients from Jordan using Axis II of the Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) protocol. METHODS: Ninety-eight TMD patients were examined according to Axis I DC/TMD protocol in addition to assessment of their pain-related disability, psychological distress, and stress reactivity. RESULTS: Just under half of the patients (49%) had high intensity of characteristic pain (self-reported TMJ-related pain) and one-third (32%) had high levels of pain-related disability. Furthermore, significant proportions of patients expressed moderate-severe degrees of distress and stress reactivity (41% and 39%, respectively). Significant correlations were identified between the Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS) and each of the pain-related TMD subgroups. CONCLUSION: TMD patients are susceptible to high levels of pain-related psychosocial impairment, and clinicians should be aware of the possible correlations between the physical TMD diagnosis and specific psychosocial features during treatment planning.

Application of human RNase P normalization for the realistic estimation of SARS-CoV-2 viral load in wastewater: A perspective from Qatar wastewater surveillance.

The apparent uncertainty associated with shedding patterns, environmental impacts, and sample processing strategies have greatly influenced the variability of SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in wastewater. This study evaluates the use of a new normalization approach using human RNase P for the logic estimation of SARS-CoV-2 viral load in wastewater. SARS-CoV-2 variants outbreak was monitored during the circulating wave between February and August 2021. Sewage samples were collected from five major wastewater treatment plants and subsequently analyzed to determine the viral loads in the wastewater. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in all the samples where the wastewater Ct values exhibited a similar trend as the reported number of new daily positive cases in the country. The infected population number was estimated using a mathematical model that compensated for RNA decay due to wastewater temperature and sewer residence time, and which indicated that the number of positive cases circulating in the population declined from 765,729 ± 142,080 to 2,303 ± 464 during the sampling period. Genomic analyses of SARS-CoV-2 of thirty wastewater samples collected between March 2021 and April 2021 revealed that alpha (B.1.1.7) and beta (B.1.351) were among the dominant variants of concern (VOC) in Qatar. The findings of this study imply that the normalization of data allows a more realistic assessment of incidence trends within the population.