Selective ultrasound-guided nerve root block improves outcomes for discectomy in patients with cervical disc disease: a randomized, controlled, single-blinded study.

BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that ultrasound-guided selective nerve root block could play a role in the prediction of clinical outcomes in patients with multilevel cervical disease following selective anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive ultrasound-guided selected nerve root block as a diagnostic tool (study group) or not (control group), but both groups had surgery. Pain evaluation for arm and neck pain was recorded. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores, Neck Disability Index, and MRI results were compared between groups. They were assessed every two weeks for three months, postoperatively. The percentage of patients who showed ≥ 50% reduction in their pain levels and a VAS rating of ≤2 was deemed an acceptable surgical outcome. RESULTS: Patients in the study group had significantly lower VAS scores for pain intensity than control patients at nearly all periods. This baseline pain improved significantly in the study group. A more significant proportion of patients in the study group showed a ≥50% reduction in their pain scores from baseline at weeks four, eight, and 12, and this difference was significantly lower than in the control group (P<0.05). The study group improved significantly over baseline in Neck Disability Index scores compared to control patients. Patients were highly satisfied with no significant adverse events in the study group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with multilevel cervical disease, ultrasound-guided selective nerve root block is an excellent, safe, non-radiating, and reliable test to determine the appropriate level for operation.

Semantic segmentation of microbial alterations based on SegFormer.

Introduction: Precise semantic segmentation of microbial alterations is paramount for their evaluation and treatment. This study focuses on harnessing the SegFormer segmentation model for precise semantic segmentation of strawberry diseases, aiming to improve disease detection accuracy under natural acquisition conditions. Methods: Three distinct Mix Transformer encoders - MiT-B0, MiT-B3, and MiT-B5 - were thoroughly analyzed to enhance disease detection, targeting diseases such as Angular leaf spot, Anthracnose rot, Blossom blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew on fruit, and Powdery mildew on leaves. The dataset consisted of 2,450 raw images, expanded to 4,574 augmented images. The Segment Anything Model integrated into the Roboflow annotation tool facilitated efficient annotation and dataset preparation. Results: The results reveal that MiT-B0 demonstrates balanced but slightly overfitting behavior, MiT-B3 adapts rapidly with consistent training and validation performance, and MiT-B5 offers efficient learning with occasional fluctuations, providing robust performance. MiT-B3 and MiT-B5 consistently outperformed MiT-B0 across disease types, with MiT-B5 achieving the most precise segmentation in general. Discussion: The findings provide key insights for researchers to select the most suitable encoder for disease detection applications, propelling the field forward for further investigation. The success in strawberry disease analysis suggests potential for extending this approach to other crops and diseases, paving the way for future research and interdisciplinary collaboration.

[Atypical ocular toxocariasis in a child: A case report]. / Toxocarose oculaire atypique chez un enfant : à propos d'un cas.

INTRODUCTION: Ocular toxocariasis is a rare disease, predominantly affecting children and young adolescents, and usually presenting as unilateral posterior uveitis. We report the case of a child with toxocariasis associated with serous retinal detachment. OBSERVATION: A 8-year-old child with no previous history of toxocariasis was referred for a 1-year decline in visual acuity, unimproved by optical correction, with vitreous condensation on examination, without central or peripheral granulomas, and serous retinal detachment on OCT. The diagnosis was made after extensive questioning, with evidence of contact with dogs and positive serology. Medical treatment combining corticosteroid therapy and antiparasitic therapy was initiated, and the clinical picture improved. DISCUSSION: Ocular toxocariasis is a rare infection, unilateral in 90% of cases. Its clinical manifestation in children is pars planitis, posterior uveitis with a posterior pole chorioretinal focus associated with vitreoretinal traction and/or peripheral granuloma. In our case, the patient presented with vitreous condensation only, with OCT serous retinal detachment and no peripheral or central granulomas. Positive plasma serology or ocular samples confirmed the diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Ocular toxocariasis should not be ruled out in the absence of a typical clinical picture, and seropositivity enables confirmation of the diagnosis when clinical suspicion arises.

Review on anti-alzheimer drug development: approaches, challenges and perspectives.

Alzheimer is an irreversible progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes failure of cerebral neurons and disability of the affected person to practice normal daily life activities. There is no concrete evidence to identify the exact reason behind the disease, so several relevant hypotheses emerged, highlighting many possible therapeutic targets, such as acetylcholinesterase, cholinergic receptors, N-methyl d-aspartate receptors, phosphodiesterase, amyloid ß protein, protein phosphatase 2A, glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta, ß-secretase, γ-secretase, α-secretase, serotonergic receptors, glutaminyl cyclase, tumor necrosis factor-α, γ-aminobutyric acid receptors, and mitochondria. All of these targets have been involved in the design of new potential drugs. An extensive number of these drugs have been studied in clinical trials. However, only galantamine, donepezil, and rivastigmine (ChEIs), memantine (NMDA antagonist), and aducanumab and lecanemab (selective anti-Aß monoclonal antibodies) have been approved for AD treatment. Many drugs failed in the clinical trials to such an extent that questions have been posed about the significance of some of the aforementioned targets. On the contrary, the data of other drugs were promising and shed light on the significance of their targets for the development of new potent anti-alzheimer drugs.

A new automatic sugarcane seed cutting machine based on internet of things technology and RGB color sensor.

Egypt is among the world's largest producers of sugarcane. This crop is of great economic importance in the country, as it serves as a primary source of sugar, a vital strategic material. The pre-cutting planting mode is the most used technique for cultivating sugarcane in Egypt. However, this method is plagued by several issues that adversely affect the quality of the crop. A proposed solution to these problems is the implementation of a sugarcane-seed-cutting device, which incorporates automatic identification technology for optimal efficiency. The aim is to enhance the cutting quality and efficiency of the pre-cutting planting mode of sugarcane. The developed machine consists of a feeding system, a node scanning and detection system, a node cutting system, a sugarcane seed counting and monitoring system, and a control system. The current research aims to study the pulse widths (PW) of three-color channels (R, G, and B) of the RGB color sensors under laboratory conditions. The output PW of red, green, and blue channel values were recorded at three color types for hand-colored nodes [black, red, and blue], three speeds of the feeding system [7.5 m/min, 5 m/min, and 4.3 m/min], three installing heights of the RGB color sensors [2.0 cm, 3.0 cm, and 4.0 cm], and three widths of the colored line [10.0 mm, 7.0 mm, and 3.0 mm]. The laboratory test results s to identify hand-colored sugarcane nodes showed that the recognition rate ranged from 95% to 100% and the average scanning time ranged from 1.0 s to 1.75 s. The capacity of the developed machine ranged up to 1200 seeds per hour. The highest performance of the developed machine was 100% when using hand-colored sugarcane stalks with a 10 mm blue color line and installing the RGB color sensor at 2.0 cm in height, as well as increasing the speed of the feeding system to 7.5 m/min. The use of IoT and RGB color sensors has made it possible to get analytical indicators like those achieved with other automatic systems for cutting sugar cane seeds without requiring the use of computers or expensive, fast industrial cameras for image processing.

Investigation of dissipation kinetics and half-lives of fipronil and thiamethoxam in soil under various conditions using experimental modeling design by Minitab software.

To determine the extent of pesticide buildup and their environmental contamination, the environmental half-lives of pesticides are examined. The influence of the factors affecting the half-lives of fipronil and thiamethoxam including soil type, sterilization, temperature, and time and their interactions was studied using experimental modeling design by Minitab software. Based on the dissipation kinetics data, fipronil concentrations reduced gradually over 60 days while thiamethoxam concentrations decreased strongly. Also, fipronil and thiamethoxam dissipated more rapidly in calcareous soil than in alluvial soil. Thiamethoxam, however, disappeared more rapidly than fipronil in all treatments. Incubation at 50 °C leads to rapid the pesticide degradation. For prediction of the dissipation rate, model 5 was found to be the best fit, Residue of insecticide (%) = 15.466 - 11.793 Pesticide - 1.579 Soil type + 0.566 Sterilization - 3.120 Temperature, R2 = 0.94 and s = 3.80. Also, the predicted DT50 values were calculated by a model, DT50 (day) = 20.20 - 0.30 Pesticide - 7.97 Soil Type + 0.07 Sterilization - 2.04 Temperature. The shortest experimental and predicted DT50 values were obtained from treatment of thiamethoxam at 50 °C in calcareous soil either sterilized (7.36 and 9.96 days) or non-sterilized (5.92 and 9.82 days), respectively. The experimental DT50 values of fipronil and thiamethoxam ranged from 5.92 to 59.95 days while, the modeled values ranged from 9.82 to 30.58 days. According to the contour plot and response surface plot, temperature and sterilization were the main factors affecting the half-lives of fipronil and thiamethoxam. The DT50 values of fipronil and thiamethoxam increased in alluvial soil and soil with low temperature. In general, there is a high agreement between the experimental results and the modeled results.

Prevalence of celiac-related antibodies and its impact on metabolic control in Egyptian children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: The simultaneous presence of celiac disease and type 1 diabetes (T1DM) is coupled with more hazards of comorbidities and complications. This current study aimed to screen for celiac disease in Egyptian children with type 1 diabetes and evaluate its impact on glycemic control. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was verified with 200 Egyptian children diagnosed with T1DM and having a diabetic duration of less than five years. Testing for anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG-IgA), anti-tissue transglutaminase IgG (tTG-IgG), anti-Endomysial IgA (EMA), and Hb A1c levels were done. RESULTS: The serological screening revealed that 11 cases (5.5%) tested positive; 8 children with T1DM (4.0%) showed tTG-IgA antibodies ≥ 10 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) with at least one symptom; and 3 cases (1.5%) had levels between 20 and 50 IU/ml (considering a cut-off point of 10 U/ML for positive results). Intestinal biopsy was performed for these three cases, with one case detected to have subtotal villous atrophy, resulting in an overall prevalence of celiac disease in T1DM as 4.5%. Children with positive screening exhibited a higher insulin dose, a higher HbA1c, an increased frequency of hypoglycemic attacks, and recurrent DKA compared to negative cases. A negative correlation was detected between tTG-IgA antibodies with height Z score and hemoglobin level, while a positive correlation was found between tTG-IgA antibodies and HbA1c level. CONCLUSION: Undiagnosed celiac disease in children with T1DM negatively impacted metabolic control and affected their general health.

MoO3 nanoplates reinforced the structural, electrical, mechanical, and antibacterial characteristics of polyvinyl pyrrolidone/sodium alginate polymer blend for optoelectronics and biological applications.

Organic/Inorganic nanostructures enable the development of new functional materials for optoelectronics and biological applications. In this work, nanocomposite films of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and sodium alginate (NaAlg) blend matrix (30/70 wt%) filled with molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) nanoplates were prepared using solution casting procedure. The effect of MoO3 nanoplates on structural, optical, electrical and antibacterial characteristics of pure PVP/NaAlg blend was investigated. The sizes of MoO3 nanoplates had dimensions between 90 and 420 nm with orthorhombic phase as indicated by the TEM and XRD techniques. Also, the XRD patterns of filled films suggested that the presence of crystalline phases of MoO3 within PVP/NaAlg matrix. FTIR analysis revealed the primary vibrational peaks of PVP and NaAlg, whose strength altered randomly after filling. The UV absorption increased gradually and shifted to the higher wavelength side. The alternating current (AC) conductivity and dielectric parameters were improved with increasing MoO3 concentration. The antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli increased with increase of MoO3 nanoplates concentration. The filled PVP/NaAlg-MoO3 samples displayed considerable enhancements in the values of Young's modulus (Y), tensile stress (σt) and elongation at break (εB). The obtained results imply that these nanocomposite films can be potentially used in optoelectronics and biological applications.

Impacts of Solid-State Fermented Barley with Fibrolytic Exogenous Enzymes on Feed Utilization, and Antioxidant Status of Broiler Chickens.

The present and future high demand of common cereals as corn and wheat encourage the development of feed processing technology that allows for the dietary inclusion of other cereals of low nutritional value in poultry feeding. Barley grains contain anti-nutritional factors that limit their dietary inclusion in the poultry industry. The treatment of barley with solid-state fermentation and exogenous enzymes (FBEs) provides a good alternative to common cereals. In this study, barley grains were subjected to solid-state microbial fermentation using Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis and exogenous fibrolytic enzymes. This study aimed to assess the impact of FBEs on growth, feed utilization efficiency, immune modulation, antioxidant status and the expression of intestinal barrier and nutrient transporter-related genes. One-day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308, n = 400) comprised four representative groups with ten replicates (10 chicks/replicate) and were fed corn-soybean meal basal diets with inclusions of FBEs at 0, 5, 10 and 15% for 38 days. Solid-state fermentation of barley grains with fibrolytic enzymes increased protein content, lowered crude fiber and reduced sugars compared to non-fermented barley gains. In consequence, the group fed FBEs10% had the superior feed utilization efficiency and body weight gain (increased by 4.7%) with higher levels of nutrient metabolizability, pancreatic digestive enzyme activities and low digesta viscosity. Notably, the group fed FBEs10% showed an increased villi height and a decreased crypt depth with a remarkable hyperactivity of duodenal glands. In addition, higher inclusion levels of FBEs boosted serum immune-related parameters and intestinal and breast muscle antioxidants status. Intestinal nutrient transporters encoding genes (GLUT-1, CAAT-1, LAT1 and PepT-1) and intestinal barriers encoding genes (MUC-2, JAM-2, occludin, claudins-1 and ß-defensin 1) were upregulated with higher dietary FBEs levels. In conclusion, feeding on FBEs10% positively enhanced broiler chickens' performance, feed efficiency and antioxidant status, and boosted intestinal barrier nutrient transporters encoding genes.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of New Potential Unusual Modified Anticancer Immunomodulators for Possible Non-Teratogenic Quinazoline-Based Thalidomide Analogs.

Sixteen new thalidomide analogs were synthesized. The new candidates showed potent in vitro antiproliferative activities against three human cancer cell lines, namely hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2), prostate cancer (PC3), and breast cancer (MCF-7). It was found that compounds XII, XIIIa, XIIIb, XIIIc, XIIId, XIVa, XIVb, and XIVc showed IC50 values ranging from 2.03 to 13.39 µg/mL, exhibiting higher activities than thalidomide against all tested cancer cell lines. Compound XIIIa was the most potent candidate, with an IC50 of 2.03 ± 0.11, 2.51 ± 0.2, and 0.82 ± 0.02 µg/mL compared to 11.26 ± 0.54, 14.58 ± 0.57, and 16.87 ± 0.7 µg/mL for thalidomide against HepG-2, PC3, and MCF-7 cells, respectively. Furthermore, compound XIVc reduced the expression of NFκB P65 levels in HepG-2 cells from 278.1 pg/mL to 63.1 pg/mL compared to 110.5 pg/mL for thalidomide. Moreover, compound XIVc induced an eightfold increase in caspase-8 levels with a simultaneous decrease in TNF-α and VEGF levels in HepG-2 cells. Additionally, compound XIVc induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Our results reveal that the new candidates are potential anticancer candidates, particularly XIIIa and XIVc. Consequently, they should be considered for further evaluation for the development of new anticancer drugs.

Bioactive compounds and biomedical applications of endophytic fungi: a recent review.

Human life has been significantly impacted by the creation and spread of novel species of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and virus strains that are difficult to manage. Scientists and researchers have recently been motivated to seek out alternatives and other sources of safe and ecologically friendly active chemicals that have a powerful and effective effect against a wide variety of pathogenic bacteria as a result of all these hazards and problems. In this review, endophytic fungi and their bioactive compounds and biomedical applications were discussed. Endophytes, a new category of microbial source that can produce a variety of biological components, have major values for study and broad prospects for development. Recently, endophytic fungi have received much attention as a source for new bioactive compounds. In addition, the variety of natural active compounds generated by endophytes is due to the close biological relationship between endophytes and their host plants. The bioactive compounds separated from endophytes are usually classified as steroids, xanthones, terpenoids, isocoumarins, phenols, tetralones, benzopyranones and enniatines. Moreover, this review discusses enhancement methods of secondary metabolites production by fungal endophytes which include optimization methods, co-culture method, chemical epigenetic modification and molecular-based approaches. Furthermore, this review deals with different medical applications of bioactive compounds such as antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant and anticancer activities in the last 3 years.

[Ethambutol-induced toxic optic neuropathy during treatment of tuberculosis meningitis in a child]. / Neuropathie optique toxique à l'éthambutol au cours d'une méningite tuberculeuse chez un enfant.

INTRODUCTION: Toxic optic neuropathy is a severe optic nerve injury that can compromise the prognosis for vision, justifying early clinical and ancillary diagnosis. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report the case of an 11-year-old child being treated for tuberculous meningitis with a combination of ethambutol and three other anti-bacillary drugs, referred for a rapidly progressive bilateral decline in visual acuity. On ophthalmologic examination, the visual acuity was counting fingers within 1ft in both eyes, and bilateral optic disc pallor was noted, without other associated abnormalities. Neurological imaging was unremarkable, with red-green dyschromatopsia and a bilateral cecocentral scotoma. Faced with this clinical and paraclinical picture, we arrived at the diagnosis of ethambutol toxic optic neuropathy, with a multidisciplinary decision leading to a change in the antibacillary treatment protocol. No clinical improvement was noted after 3 months of follow-up. DISCUSSION: Optic nerve toxicity is rare in children and is classically described as dose- and time-dependent. CONCLUSION: Ethambutol ocular toxicity is extremely rare in children, and the required action when detected is to discontinue the drug. Reversibility is not always assured, which requires early detection of toxic optic neuropathy by close clinical and ancillary monitoring and, above all, sensitization of the treating physicians (pediatricians, pulmonologists and neurologists).

Design, synthesis, anticancer evaluation, and in silico ADMET analysis of novel thalidomide analogs as promising immunomodulatory agents.

Immunomodulatory medications like thalidomide and its analogs prevent the production of some proinflammatory cytokines linked to cancer. A new series of thalidomide analogs were designed and synthesized in order to develop potential antitumor immunomodulatory agents. The antiproliferative activities of the new candidates against a panel of three human cancer cell lines (HepG-2, PC3 and MCF-7) were assessed in comparison to thalidomide as a positive control. The obtained results showed the relative significant potency of 18f (IC50 = 11.91 ± 0.9, 9.27 ± 0.7, and 18.62 ± 1.5 µM) and 21b (IC50 = 10.48 ± 0.8, 22.56 ± 1.6, and 16.39 ± 1.4 µM) against the mentioned cell lines, respectively. These results were comparable to thalidomide (IC50 = 11.26 ± 0.54, 14.58 ± 0.57, and 16.87 ± 0.7 µM, respectively). To see to what extent the biological properties of the new candidates are relative to those of thalidomide, the effects of 18f and 21b on the expression levels of TNF-α, CASP8, VEGF, and NF-κB P65 were evaluated. Significant reductions in the proinflammatory TNF-α, VEGF, and NF-κB P65 levels in HepG-2 cells were observed after exposure to compounds 18f and 21b. Furthermore, a sharp increase in CASP8 levels was detected. The obtained results revealed that 21b is of greater significance than thalidomide in TNF-α and NF-κB P65 inhibition. The in silico ADMET and toxicity studies showed that most of tested candidates have a good profile of drug-likeness and low toxicity potential.

Performance traits and selected blood constituents of broiler chicks as influenced by early access to feed post-hatch.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of early access to feed and water post-hatch on broiler chicks' performance. One hundred and twenty chicks were transferred from the hatchery to the rearing house and randomly divided into two groups. The first group: chicks were immediately access to feed and water (F-time 0). The second group: was held without feed and water for 24 h (F-time 24). Then, feed and water were provided ad-libitum, for both groups until 35 days of age. Results indicated that F-time 0 increased body weight and body weight gain throughout the experimental period. It increased feed intake during all experimental periods except from (22-28 days). Additionally, the F-time 0 enhanced the European production efficiency factor index. The F-time 24, increased red blood cells (RBCs) count, hemoglobin (HGB), and packed cell volume (PCV) percentage after 24 h. However, the F-time 0 had a higher RBCs count, HGB, and PCV at 35 days of age. F-time 24 increased total plasma protein, albumin, cholesterol, and triglycerides, after 24 h. In conclusion, early access to feed and water post-hatch enhances broiler chicks' performance and productivity and increases producers' revenue.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel bioactive thalidomide analogs as anticancer immunomodulatory agents.

Cancer is still a dangerous disease with a high mortality rate all over the world. In our attempt to develop potential anticancer candidates, new quinazoline and phthalazine based compounds were designed and synthesized. The new derivatives were built in line with the pharmacophoric features of thalidomide. The new derivatives as well as thalidomide were examined against three cancer cell lines, namely: hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2), breast cancer (MCF-7) and prostate cancer (PC3). Then the effects on the expression levels of caspase-8, VEGF, NF-κB P65, and TNF-α in HepG-2 cells were evaluated. The biological data revealed the high importance of phthalazine based compounds (24a-c), which were far better than thalidomide with regard to the antiproliferative activity. 24b showed IC50 of 2.51, 5.80 and 4.11 µg mL-1 compared to 11.26, 14.58, and 16.87 µg mL-1 for thalidomide against the three cell lines respectively. 24b raised caspase-8 level by about 7 folds, compared to 8 folds reported for thalidomide. Also, VEGF level in HepG-2 cells treated with 24b was 185.3 pg mL-1, compared to 432.5 pg mL-1 in control cells. Furthermore, the immunomodulatory properties were proven to 24b, which reduced TNF-α level by approximately half. At the same time, NF-κB P65 level in HepG-2 cells treated with 24b was 76.5 pg mL-1 compared to 278.1 and 110.5 pg mL-1 measured for control cells and thalidomide treated HepG-2 cells respectively. Moreover, an in vitro viability study against Vero non-cancerous cell line was investigated and the results reflected a high safety profile of all tested compounds. This work suggests 24b as a promising lead compound for development of new immunomodulatory anticancer agents.

Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification versus fluorescent in situ hybridization for screening RB1 copy number variations in Egyptian patients with retinoblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common primary intraocular malignant tumor in children. RB is mostly caused by biallelic mutations in RB1 and occurs in hereditary and non-hereditary forms according to the "two-hit" theory. RB1 mutations comprise point mutations, indels, large deletions, and duplications. Genetic testing is essential for the comprehensive treatment and management of patients with RB. AIM: The aim was to evaluate RB1 copy number variations (CNVs) using MLPA versus FISH assays in group of Egyptian patients with RB. RESULTS: 16.67% showed an RB1 deletion, abnormal methylation status, or both. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested MLPA is a fast, reliable, and powerful method and should be used as a first-line screening tool for detecting RB1 CNVs in patients with RB. Moreover, MLPA is advantageous as it evaluates the methylation status/inactivation of RB1, not possible by FISH.

Modified Benzoxazole-Based VEGFR-2 Inhibitors and Apoptosis Inducers: Design, Synthesis, and Anti-Proliferative Evaluation.

This work is one of our efforts to discover potent anticancer agents. We modified the most promising derivative of our previous work concerned with the development of VEGFR-2 inhibitor candidates. Thirteen new compounds based on benzoxazole moiety were synthesized and evaluated against three human cancer cell lines, namely, breast cancer (MCF-7), colorectal carcinoma (HCT116), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2). The synthesized compounds were also evaluated against VEGFR-2 kinase activity. The biological testing fallouts showed that compound 8d was more potent than standard sorafenib. Such compound showed IC50 values of 3.43, 2.79, and 2.43 µM against the aforementioned cancer cell lines, respectively, compared to IC50 values of 4.21, 5.30, and 3.40 µM reported for sorafenib. Compound 8d also was found to exert exceptional VEGFR-2 inhibition activity with an IC50 value of 0.0554 µM compared to sorafenib (0.0782 µM). In addition, compound 8h revealed excellent cytotoxic effects with IC50 values of 3.53, 2.94, and 2.76 µM against experienced cell lines, respectively. Furthermore, compounds 8a and 8e were found to inhibit VEGFR-2 kinase activity with IC50 values of 0.0579 and 0.0741 µM, exceeding that of sorafenib. Compound 8d showed a significant apoptotic effect and arrested the HepG2 cells at the pre-G1 phase. In addition, it exerted a significant inhibition for TNF-α (90.54%) and of IL-6 (92.19%) compared to dexamethasone (93.15%). The molecular docking studies showed that the binding pattern of the new compounds to VEGFR-2 kinase was similar to that of sorafenib.

GC-MS and in vitro antibacterial potential of Cinnamomum camphora essential oil against some clinical antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates.

OBJECTIVE: Antibiotic resistance is increasing alarmingly in all parts of the world. Cinnamomum camphora (Linn.) Presl (C. camphora) is one of the earliest herbal remedies still in use today in traditional medicine. This study aimed to analyze the component of C. camphora grown widely in Saudi Arabia (Qassim region) using GC-MS. Also, this study evaluates the in vitro antibacterial properties of C. camphora against certain clinical bacteria obtained from hospitals, including multi-drug resistant pathogens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Leaves of C. camphora tree were collected and essential oil was extracted for this study. The extract was subjected to GC-MS analysis. Eight clinical antibiotic-resistant pathogens were used in this study for the following assays: antibiotics susceptibility assay, determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), determination of minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and MIC index (MBC/MIC). RESULTS: The results show that the main components of the essential oil (EO) from the leaves of C. camphora were Eucalyptol. The EO had good antibacterial activity against eight clinical antibiotic-resistant pathogens, namely, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii (two strains), Klebsiella pneumonia (two strains), Escherichia coli (one strain), Staphylococcus aureus (two strains). CONCLUSIONS: These findings may lead to a more complete knowledge of this aromatic plant's antibacterial action against antibiotic-resistant pathogens (in vitro).

Influence of COVID-19 on lymphocyte and platelet parameters among patients admitted to intensive care unit and emergency.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to detect the effect of COVID-19 on lymphocyte and platelet parameters among Sudanese patients admitted to Intensive Care unit (ICU) and emergency (ER). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out on a total of 787 Sudanese individuals (487 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 300 apparently healthy individuals as controls, in duration between April 2020 to December 2020). Platelets (PLTs) and platelet indices, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), plateletcrit (PCT) and platelet larger cell ratio (PLCR) were investigated as part of the complete blood count (CBC) for the case and control group. Also, the neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were calculated, and the results were statistically analyzed by SPSS version 21. RESULTS: The severity of the disease was also affected by the patient's age: 262 COVID-19 cases admitted to ICU were over 50 years old, compared to only four patients in the mild group. Regarding hematological parameters, the absolute lymphocyte count, PLTs, MPV, PDW, and P-LCR were significantly different between cases and control groups (p-values = 0.000, 0.002, 0.000, 0.000, and 0.000, respectively). PLR and NLR levels were found to be significantly higher as disease severity increased; p-values = 0.000 and 0.000, respectively. The study also demonstrated that lymphopenia was associated with severe COVID-19 infection (in 93% of ICU patients, 59.9% of ER, and 9% of the mild group), while thrombocytopenia was detected only among 30.8% of ICU patients. CONCLUSIONS: Lymphopenia and thrombocytopenia are associated with severe COVID-19 infection. NLR and PLR were markedly increased with COVID-19.