The Risk of Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma; A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is an emerging disorder that has gained global attention throughout the past era. The present meta-analysis was performed to retrieve the risk of BIA-ALCL from population-based epidemiological studies. Factors associated with BIA-ALCL were evaluated to identify patients at higher risk of BIA-ALCL. METHODS: A systematic literature search was executed throughout 12 databases. All epidemiological studies encompassing patients with breast implants either for aesthetic or reconstructive purposes and reported the risk of BIA-ALCL were included. Studies reported the risk factors of BIA-ALCL were included. RESULTS: The present meta-analysis included 17 articles, encompassing 525,475 patients with breast implants. There were 254 patients with BIA-ALCL with a mean duration to the diagnosis of BIA-ALCL of 13.16 years (95% CI 11.7-14.6, P < 0.001). There were 44 patients with textured breast implants and two with smooth implants. Patients with breast implants were 28.86 times more at high risk of BI-ALCL (95% CI 3.123-266.681). The risk ranged from 0 to 1 per 1000 cases with breast implants, with a similar risk among patients seeking aesthetic and reconstructive surgeries. The risk was 0 to 1 case per 1000 cases among patients with textured breast implants. There was a significant association between the history of breast cancer and BIA-ALCL (P = 0.0016). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis confirmed the association between breast implants and ALCL. There was a similar risk of BIA-ALCL among patients with aesthetic or reconstructive surgeries. Patients with a history of breast cancer were at higher risk of BIA-ALCL. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

The Monitoring of Accumulations of Elements in Apple, Pear, and Quince Fruit Parts.

In this study, the distribution of biogenic macro and micro element contents in the peel, pulp, and seeds of some cultivated fruits was observed. The element concentrations of these fruits, which have high commercial value and consumption in the world, were analyzed with ICP-OES. In the "Golden" and "Starking" apple varieties, the lowest and highest calcium amounts were detected in the pulp and seed parts of the fruits, respectively. Additionally, the lowest and highest calcium amounts of pear and quince fruits were found in the seed and pulp and peel and seed parts of the fruits, respectively. Potassium amounts of "Golden" and "Starking" apple parts were established to be between 3585.82 (seed) and 3930.87 mg/kg (pulp) and 3533.82 (peel) and 5671.55 mg/kg (pulp), respectively. Potassium amounts of pear and quince fruit parts were measured to be between 2340.65 (seed) and 5405.97 mg/kg (pulp) and 4455.23 (seed) and 8551.12 mg/kg (pulp), respectively. Iron quantities of the parts of "Golden" and "Starking" apple fruits were established from 4.80 (pulp) and 17.14 mg/kg (seed) to 7.80 (pulp) and 14.53 mg/kg (peel), respectively. While the Fe quantities of pear fruit parts are found to be between 4.51 (pulp) and 15.40 mg/kg (peel), the Fe contents of the parts of quince fruits were determined to be between 5.59 (pulp) and 27.27 mg/kg (peel). Zinc quantities of the parts of pear and quince fruits were recorded to be between 8.43 (pulp) and 12.71 mg/kg (seed) and 0.96 (pulp) and 37.82 mg/kg (seed), respectively. In fruit parts, the highest element was found in the seed, followed by pulp and peel in decreasing order.

Revolutionizing scandium detection in real samples: Unleashing the power of sol-gel-based optical sensor.

The development of a highly selective and ultra-sensitive optical sensor for detecting scandium (Sc3+) ions involves incorporating the reagent 2,3-dichloro-6-(3-carboxy-2-hydroxy-1-naphthylazo)quinoxaline (DCHNAQ) into a silica sol-gel thin film on a glass substrate. This innovative approach utilizes tetraethoxy-silane (TEOS) as the precursor, maintaining a sol-gel pH level of 4.5, a water-to-alkoxide ratio of 5:1, and a DCHNAQ concentration of 5.0 × 10-4 M. A detailed exploration of the impact of sol-gel parameters on the sensing capabilities of the developed sensor has been meticulously undertaken. This innovative sensor demonstrates remarkable selectivity in evaluating Sc3+ ions over a dynamic range of 7.5-170 ng/mL, with limits of quantification and detection recorded at 7.3 and 2.20 ng/mL, respectively. Consistent results are achieved with a minimal RSD of 1.47 and 0.94% for Sc3+ ions at 50 and 100 ng/mL, respectively, coupled with a swift response time of three min. Assessments of interference demonstrate a noteworthy preference for Sc3+ions, accomplished by enclosing DCHNAQ within the sol-gel framework and making optimal structural modifications to the doped sol-gel. The sensor offers straightforward regeneration using a 0.25 M EDTA solution, exhibiting complete reversibility. Comparative analysis with other methodologies underscores the efficacy in determining Sc3+ions in various reference materials, including plant leaves, fish, water, alloys, ores, and monazite samples.

An ensemble learning model for forecasting water-pipe leakage.

Based on the benefits of different ensemble methods, such as bagging and boosting, which have been studied and adopted extensively in research and practice, where bagging and boosting focus more on reducing variance and bias, this paper presented an optimization ensemble learning-based model for a large pipe failure dataset of water pipe leakage forecasting, something that was not previously considered by others. It is known that tuning the hyperparameters of each base learned inside the ensemble weight optimization process can produce better-performing ensembles, so it effectively improves the accuracy of water pipe leakage forecasting based on the pipeline failure rate. To evaluate the proposed model, the results are compared with the results of the bagging ensemble and boosting ensemble models using the root-mean-square error (RMSE), the mean square error (MSE), the mean absolute error (MAE), and the coefficient of determination (R2) of the bagging ensemble technique, the boosting ensemble technique and optimizable ensemble technique are higher than other models. The experimental result shows that the optimizable ensemble model has better prediction accuracy. The optimizable ensemble model has achieved the best prediction of water pipe failure rate at the 14th iteration, with the least RMSE = 0.00231 and MAE = 0.00071513 when building the model that predicts water pipe leakage forecasting via pipeline failure rate.

Gamma Irradiated Pasteurella multocida Vaccine induces strong humoral immunity and protects rabbits from disease.

Pasteurella multocida is affecting a multitude of animals and severely affects livestock production. Existing vaccines are mostly chemically inactivated and do not lead to wide protection. Irradiated vaccines are enjoying a renaissance and the concept of "replication defficient but metabolically active" vaccines was recently evaluated in several vaccine trials. P. multocida was isolated from the nasal swab, blood, and lung swab samples from infected rabbits. Gamma irradiation of P. multocida for inhibition of replication was evaluated at an optimized irradiation dose of 10 Kgy established. Four groups of rabbits were (mock) vaccinated with a commercial P. multocida vaccine and three irradiated formulations as liquid, lyophilized formulations with added Trehalose and lyophilized-Trehalose with an "activation" culturing the irradiated bacteria for 24 in broth. Evaluation of humoral immune response by ELISA showed that all three irradiated vaccines produced an effective, protective, and continued IgG serum level after vaccination and bacterial challenge. The IFN-γ expression is maintained at a normal level, within each individual group however, the lyophilized trehalose irradiated vaccine showed peak mean of IFN-γ titer at one week after booster dose (day 21) which was statistically significant. Cumulatively, the results of this study show that gamma-irradiated P. multocida vaccines are safe and protect rabbits against disease. Moreover, Rabbits' immunization with the three irradiated formulations avoided adverse side effects as compared to commercial polyvalent vaccine, the body weight gain for the irradiated vaccine groups indicates less stress compared to the commercial polyvalent vaccine.

Impact of the Antioxidant Hydroxytyrosol on the Quality of Post-Thawed Stallion Semen.

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of including hydroxytyrosol (HT) antioxidant on the viability of sperm after the processes of cooling and freezing. HT antioxidants were used in the HF-20 extender at concentrations of 1.25, 2.5, 5, and 10 µg/ml. The HF-20 extender was a basic extender and was used for the control group. The post-thawed semen exhibited significantly higher total motility in the 2.5 HT and 10 HT treatment groups than the control group. The straight line velocity (VSL) of the 2.5 HT group exhibited a significantly high value compared with the control group. However, the average path velocity (VAP), linearity (LIN), straightness index (STR), and wobble (WOB) revealed identical findings across all groups. The findings of the analysis of HOST, normal morphology, major abnormalities, and minor abnormalities revealed that there were no significant differences between the HT groups and the control groups. Nevertheless, the use of HT antioxidant for freezing semen led to a notable enhancement (p < 0.05) in both acrosome integrity and vitality tests when compared to the control group. In this case, the lower quantities of HT (1.25 and 2.5 µg/ml; p < 0.05) preserve the DNA fragmentation compared with the 5 HT, 10 HT, and control groups. In conclusion, the HT antioxidant has shown the capacity to enhance the quality of frozen-thawed spermatozoa and positively influence the viability and integrity of DNA inside the frozen-thawed spermatozoa. Additional research should be conducted to assess the fertility potential of cryopreserved stallion semen.

Surgical outcomes of robotic versus conventional autologous breast reconstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Breast reconstruction is an integral part of breast cancer management. Conventional techniques of flap harvesting for autologous breast reconstruction are associated with considerable complications. Robotic surgery has enabled a new spectrum of minimally invasive breast surgeries. The current systematic review and meta-analysis study was designed to retrieve the surgical and clinical outcomes of robotic versus conventional techniques for autologous breast reconstruction. An extensive systematic literature review was performed from inception to 25 April 2023. All clinical studies comparing the outcomes of robotic and conventional autologous breast reconstruction were included for meta-analysis. The present meta-analysis included seven articles consisting of 783 patients. Of them, 263 patients received robotic breast reconstruction, while 520 patients received conventional technique. Of note, 477 patients received latissimus dorsi flap (LDF) and 306 were subjected to deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap. There was a significantly prolonged duration of surgery (MD 58.36;95% CI 32.05,84.67;P < 0.001) and duration of anaesthesia (MD 47;95% CI 16.23,77.77;P = 0.003) among patients who underwent robotic surgery. There was a similar risk of complications between robotic and conventional surgeries. The mean level of pain intensity was significantly lower among patients who received robotic breast surgery (MD- 0.28;95% CI - 0.73,0.17; P = 0.22). There was prolonged length of hospitalization among patients with conventional DIEP flap surgery (MD- 0.59;95% CI - 1.13,- 0.05;P = 0.03). The present meta-analysis highlighted the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of robotic autologous breast reconstruction. This included the successful harvesting of LDF and DIEP flap with acceptable surgical and functional outcomes.

The use of dienogest in treatment of symptomatic adenomyosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Adenomyosis is a gynaecological problem that impacts women's quality of life by causing dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, and menorrhagia. The search continues for the best medical treatment for symptomatic adenomyosis. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the role of dienogest, an oral progestin, in reducing pain and bleeding associated with adenomyosis. Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched in January 2024. The primary outcome was pain scores for dysmenorrhea, whereas secondary outcomes were chronic pelvic pain (CPP), uterine volume (UV), and menorrhagia. One comparison was performed comparing outcomes in symptomatic adenomyosis before and after treatment with dienogest. Pooled analysis of included studies reported a statistically significant reduction of dysmenorrhea pain score after dienogest treatment (mean difference -5.86 cm on a 10-cm visual analogue scale, 95 % CI -7.20 to -4.53, I2 = 97 %). Regarding chronic pelvic pain, a meta-analysis of included studies showed a significant decline in pain after treatment (standardized mean difference -2.37, 95 % CI -2.89 to -1.86, I2 = 60 %). However, uterine volume did not differ significantly after treatment (mean difference -4.65 cm3, 95 % CI -43.22 to 33.91). Menorrhagia was improved significantly after treatment (Peto odds ratio 0.07, 95 % CI 0.03 to 0.18). In conclusion, dienogest seems to be effective in controlling painful symptoms and uterine bleeding in women with adenomyosis at short and long-term therapy.

Structural and functional characterization of the role of acetylation on the interactions of the human Atg8-family proteins with the autophagy receptor TP53INP2/DOR.

The Atg8-family proteins (MAP1LC3/LC3A, LC3B, LC3C, GABARAP, GABARAPL1 and GABARAPL2) play a pivotal role in macroautophagy/autophagy through their ability to help form autophagosomes. Although autophagosomes form in the cytoplasm, nuclear levels of the Atg8-family proteins are significant. Recently, the nuclear/cytoplasmic shuttling of LC3B was shown to require deacetylation of two Lys residues (K49 and K51 in LC3B), which are conserved in Atg8-family proteins. To exit the nucleus, deacetylated LC3B must bind TP53INP2/TP53INP2 (tumor protein p53 inducible nuclear protein 2) through interaction with the LC3-interacting region (LIR) of TP53INP2 (TP53INP2LIR). To examine their selectivity for TP53INP2 and the role of the conserved Lys residues in Atg8-family proteins, we prepared the six human Atg8-family proteins and acetylated variants of LC3A and GABARAP for biophysical and structural characterization of their interactions with the TP53INP2LIR. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments demonstrate that this LIR binds preferentially to GABARAP subfamily proteins, and that only acetylation of the second Lys residue reduces binding to GABARAP and LC3A. Crystal structures of complexes with GABARAP and LC3A (acetylated and deacetylated) define a ß-sheet in the TP53INP2LIR that determines the GABARAP selectivity and establishes the importance of acetylation at the second Lys. The in vitro results were confirmed in cells using acetyl-mimetic variants of GABARAP and LC3A to examine nuclear/cytoplasmic shuttling and colocalization with TP53INP2. Together, the results demonstrate that TP53INP2 shows selectivity to the GABARAP subfamily and acetylation at the second Lys of GABARAP and LC3A disrupts key interactions with TP53INP2 required for their nuclear/cytoplasmic shuttling.

Probing protein aggregation through spectroscopic insights and multimodal approaches: A comprehensive review for counteracting neurodegenerative disorders.

Aberrant accumulation of protein misfolding can cause aggregation and fibrillation and is one of the primary characteristic features of neurodegenerative diseases. Because they are disordered, misfolded, and aggregated proteins pose a significant setback in drug designing. The structural study of intermediate steps in these kinds of aggregated proteins will allow us to determine the conformational changes as well as the probable pathways encompassing various neurodegenerative disorders. The analysis of protein aggregates involved in neurodegenerative diseases relies on a diverse toolkit of biophysical techniques, encompassing both morphological and non-morphological methods. Additionally, Thioflavin T (ThT) assays and Circular Dichroism (CD) spectroscopy facilitate investigations into aggregation kinetics and secondary structure alterations. The collective application of these biophysical techniques empowers researchers to comprehensively unravel the intricate nature of protein aggregates associated with neurodegeneration. Furthermore, the topics covered in this review have summed up a handful of well-established techniques used for the structural analysis of protein aggregation. This multifaceted approach advances our fundamental understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving neurodegenerative diseases and informs potential therapeutic strategies.

Pediatric Unilateral Chronic Sinusitis: Clinical and Radiological Patterns Compared to Adults.

Introduction: Upper respiratory tract infections and sinusitis are more prevalent in children than in adults. Unilateral sinusitis is not uncommon disease. Our aim was to analyze the disease characteristics in children with unilateral sinusitis and compare them with those of adults. Materials and Methods: This study included 124 patients with unilateral chronic sinusitis divided according to age into two groups: pediatric group ≤18 years (66 cases) and adult group >18 years (58 cases). The groups were compared in terms of demographic data, side, clinical manifestations and radiological findings. Results: In pediatric patients, the most common inflammatory pathology was antrochoanal polyps, followed by allergic fungal sinusitis. On the other hand, chronic sinusitis without nasal polyps is the most common in adults, followed by antrochoanal polyps. The mean duration of clinical manifestations before diagnosis in pediatric patients was significantly shorter than that in adults (P=0.001). The most common symptoms in both pediatric and adult patients were anterior nasal discharge and nasal obstruction. Proptosis was significantly higher in pediatric group than in adult group (P=0.015). On computed tomography (CT), the most commonly affected sinus in both pediatric and adult patients was the maxillary sinus followed by the anterior ethmoid sinus. Bone expansion, erosion and involvement of adjacent structures were significantly higher in pediatric patients (P=0.028, 0.027 respectively). Conclusion: Pediatric patients have a high incidence of antrochoanal polyps and allergic fungal sinusitis as unilateral inflammatory lesions. These lesions require surgical management. Inflammatory paranasal sinus lesions in pediatric patients have a shorter duration of clinical manifestations and a higher incidence of bone erosion and involvement of adjacent structures; therefore, early diagnosis and management prevent complications.

Stable Clinical and Radiological Outcomes at Medium and over 5 Year follow up of Calcaneus Fracture Open Reduction Internal Fixation using a Sinus Tarsi Approach.

The Sinus Tarsi Approach is increasingly growing in popularity for open reduction internal fixation of calcaneus fractures. Multiple studies have demonstrated favorable short-term results compared to the traditional extensile L incision, however long-term data over 5 years is currently limited to a single retrospective case series. Following local ethical approval, all patients who had completed a minimum 5 years from time of operation were contacted with a standardised telephone questionnaire completed. This followed a previous retrospective chart review, with follow up telephone or clinic consultation performed by Davey et al of this cohort at mean 35 months. Thirty-four fractures (31 patients) completed minimum 5 year follow up from the eligible group of 54 fractures (49 patients). Regarding functional outcomes, a significant improvement in mean Maryland Foot Score was observed between short- (mean 35.8 months) and medium-term (mean 81.9 months) of 77.6 (SD 15.0) to 86 (SD 7.9). (p=0.0082.) There was no significant difference in postoperative and long term radiographic Bohler's angle. (p=0.9683.) Eleven feet (32%) proceeded to require reoperation, with removal of metal performed in 10 (29%), fusion in 2 (6%) and skin grafting following wound breakdown for 1 (3%). Four feet (12.9%) experienced post operative wound complications, including 3 (9.68%) cases of infection and 2 (6.45%) of delayed wound healing. This study demonstrated stable clinical and radiographic outcomes over 5 years following Calcaneus Fracture Open Reduction Internal Fixation using a Sinus Tarsi Approach, supporting its continued usage when treating intraarticular calcaneus fractures for which operative intervention is indicated.

Investigation of accumulation of element contents in some wild and cultivated dried fruits.

In this study, the moisture and biogenic element quantities of most wild and cultivated edible dried fruits were investigated. Macroelements found in highest amounts in fruits were K, P, Ca, and Mg. While K quantities of the fruits are recorded between 5212.77 ("white myrtle") and 25550.60 mg/kg ("black nightshade"), P amounts of the fruits were characterized to be between 949.08 (black myrtle) and 4420.75 mg/kg ("black nightshade"). Ca and Mg amounts of the fruits were assessed to be between 359.83 (plum) and 4330.89 mg/kg ("yellow hawthorn") to 214.98 (plum) and 1852.04 mg/kg ("black nightshade"), respectively. Fe and B quantities of the fruitss were established to be between 2.69 ("black myrtle") and 60.13 mg/kg (cherry) to 3.76 ("black myrtle") and 76.25 mg/kg (sour cherry), respectively. In general, except for white and black myrtle fruits, it is thought that other fruits can be good sources of P, K, and Fe. P contents of "laurel cherry," "cherry," "black nightshade," and "Fragrant black grapes" were found partly high than those of other fruits. "Cherry laurel," "sour cherry," "cherry," "pear," "black nightshade," "black fig," and "hawthorn (yellow)" fruits contain more K than other fruits.

Biochar enhances the growth and physiological characteristics of Medicago sativa, Amaranthus caudatus and Zea mays in saline soils.

Biochar is a promising solution to alleviate the negative impacts of salinity stress on agricultural production. Biochar derived from food waste effect was investigated on three plant species, Medicago sativa, Amaranthus caudatus, and Zea mays, under saline environments. The results showed that biochar improved significantly the height by 30%, fresh weight of shoot by 35% and root by 45% of all three species compared to control (saline soil without biochar adding), as well as enhanced their photosynthetic pigments and enzyme activities in soil. This positive effect varied significantly between the 3 plants highlighting the importance of the plant-biochar interactions. Thus, the application of biochar is a promising solution to enhance the growth, root morphology, and physiological characteristics of plants under salt-induced stress.

HPLC-ESI/MS-MS metabolic profiling of white pitaya fruit and cytotoxic potential against cervical cancer: Comparative studies, synergistic effects, and molecular mechanistic approaches.

Natural approach became a high demand for the prevention and treatment of such diseases for their proven safety and efficacy. This study is aimed to perform comparative phytochemical analysis of white pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) peel, pulp and seed extracts via determination of total flavonoid content, phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity, coupled with HPLC-ESI/MS-MS analysis. Further, we evaluated the synergistic cytotoxic potential with Cisplatin against cervical cancer cells with investigation of underlying mechanism. The highest content of phenolics and antioxidants were found in both seed and peel extracts. The HPLC-ESI/MS-MS revealed identification of flavonoids, phenolic acids, anthocyanin glycosides, lignans, stilbenes, and coumarins. The cytotoxicity effects were evaluated by MTT assay against prostate, breast and cervical (HeLa) and Vero cell lines. The seed and peel extracts showed remarkable cytotoxic effect against all tested cell lines. Moreover, the selectivity index confirmed high selectivity of pitaya extracts to cancer cells and safety on normal cells. The combined therapy with Cisplatin effectively enhanced its efficacy and optimized the treatment outcomes, through the apoptotic ability of pitaya extracts in HeLa cells, as evaluated by flow cytometry. Besides, RT-PCR and western blotting analysis showed downregulation of Bcl-2 and overexpression of P53, BAX among HeLa cells treated with pitaya extracts, which eventually activated apoptosis process. Thus, pitaya extract could be used as adjuvant therapy with cisplatin for treatment of cervical cancer. Furthermore, in-vivo extensive studies on the seed and peel extracts, and their compounds are recommended to gain more clarification about the required dose, and side effects.

Comparison of sequential and mixture injections of opioids and hyperbaric bupivacaine for subarachnoid block for lower segment caesarean section: a randomised controlled study.

INTRODUCTION: Opioids are commonly added to local anaesthetic for subarachnoid block for caesarean section due to their synergistic effects. The physiochemical characteristics of opioids suggest premixing with hyperbaric bupivacaine may limit their distribution within the CSF. We studied the effect of a separate injection with a combination of bupivacaine, morphine and fentanyl on block characteristics, haemodynamic changes, postoperative pain and patient satisfaction. METHOD: Following ethical approval and informed consent, a prospective double-blinded randomised controlled trial was performed in a university hospital. A total of 126 patients undergoing caesarean section were randomised to two groups. In group M, the premixed group, patients received 12 mg of hyperbaric bupivacaine, 20 mcg of fentanyl and 100 mcg of morphine injected as a single mixture. In group S, the separate injection group, patients received the same drugs in separate injections. Measurements included haemodynamics, block distribution, intra- and postoperative pain, as well as patient satisfaction. RESULTS: Patients in both groups had similar block height, time to maximum sensory block, time to block regression and motor block. However, haemodynamics were different between the groups. The proportion of systolic hypotension episodes was greater in group S [159/1320 (12.05%)] than group M [113/1452 (7.78%)], with P = 0.0002. Moreover, a greater amount of ephedrine was administered in group S than group M, with values 12.09 (8.1) and 9.09 (8.5) mg respectively (P = 0.001). Additionally, postoperative pain, as measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), was greater in group M, with a VAS of 4.6 (1.7), vs. group S, which recorded a VAS of 3.8 (2.0) (P = 0.017). CONCLUSION: Sequential injection of intrathecal opioids and hyperbaric bupivacaine resulted in greater early haemodynamic instability and slightly better postoperative analgesia without any difference in block height or patient satisfaction. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04403724.

Chemical, biochemical, and bioactivity studies on some soda lakes, Wadi El-Natrun, Egypt.

Wadi El-Natrun is one of the most observable geomorphological features in the North-Western Desert of Egypt; it contains several old saline and saline soda lakes. This study investigates physicochemical and biochemical characteristics and estimates the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TVC), and bioactivities of sediment, cyanobacteria, and brine shrimp (Artemia salina) in soda lakes, i.e., El-Hamra Lake 1 (H1) and El-Hamra Lake 2 (H2). These soda lakes are unique extreme ecosystems characterized by high pH (> 9.3), high alkalinity, and salinity. Some extremophilic microorganisms are hosted in this ecosystem. The results revealed that the chemical water type of studied lakes is soda-saline lakes according to the calculated percentage sequence of major cations and anions. Sodium ranked first among major cations with an abundance ratio of e% 58, while chloride came first among anions with an abundance ratio of e% 71, and bicarbonate and carbonate occupied the last rank with an abundance of 6%. The biochemical investigations showed that TPC and TVC are present in concern contents of sediment, cyanobacteria, and brine shrimp (A. salina) which contribute 89% of antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activities. Thus, this study helps better understand the chemical and biochemical adaptations in soda lake ecosystems and explores natural sources with potential applications in antioxidant-rich products and environmental conservation efforts.

Genetic and virological characteristics of a reassortant avian influenza A H6N1 virus isolated from wild birds at a live-bird market in Egypt.

The first detection of a human infection with avian influenza A/H6N1 virus in Taiwan in 2013 has raised concerns about this virus. During our routine surveillance of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in live-bird markets in Egypt, an H6N1 virus was isolated from a garganey duck and was characterized. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Egyptian H6N1 strain A/Garganey/Egypt/20869C/2022(H6N1) has a unique genomic constellation, with gene segments inherited from different subtypes (H5N1, H3N8, H7N3, H6N1, and H10N1) that have been detected previously in AIVs from Egypt and some Eurasian countries. We examined the replication of kinetics of this virus in different mammalian cell lines (A549, MDCK, and Vero cells) and compared its pathogenicity to that of the ancestral H6N1 virus A/Quail/HK/421/2002(H6N1). The Egyptian H6N1 virus replicated efficiently in C57BL/6 mice without prior adaptation and grew faster and reached higher titers than in A549 cells than the ancestral strain. These results show that reassortant H6 AIVs might pose a potential threat to human health and highlight the need to continue surveillance of H6 AIVs circulating in nature.

Bat-borne H9N2 influenza virus evades MxA restriction and exhibits efficient replication and transmission in ferrets.

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) of subtype H9N2 have reached an endemic stage in poultry farms in the Middle East and Asia. As a result, human infections with avian H9N2 viruses have been increasingly reported. In 2017, an H9N2 virus was isolated for the first time from Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus). Phylogenetic analyses revealed that bat H9N2 is descended from a common ancestor dating back centuries ago. However, the H9 and N2 sequences appear to be genetically similar to current avian IAVs, suggesting recent reassortment events. These observations raise the question of the zoonotic potential of the mammal-adapted bat H9N2. Here, we investigate the infection and transmission potential of bat H9N2 in vitro and in vivo, the ability to overcome the antiviral activity of the human MxA protein, and the presence of N2-specific cross-reactive antibodies in human sera. We show that bat H9N2 has high replication and transmission potential in ferrets, efficiently infects human lung explant cultures, and is able to evade antiviral inhibition by MxA in transgenic B6 mice. Together with its low antigenic similarity to the N2 of seasonal human strains, bat H9N2 fulfils key criteria for pre-pandemic IAVs.

Genetic Potential of Newly Developed Maize Hybrids under Different Water-Availability Conditions in an Arid Environment.

Drought is a crucial environmental stress that tremendously impacts maize production, particularly under abrupt climate changes. Consequently, breeding drought-tolerant and high-yielding maize hybrids has become decisive in sustaining its production and ensuring global food security under the global fast-growing population. The present study aimed to explore drought tolerance and agronomic performance of newly developed maize inbred lines and their hybrids. Ten newly developed maize inbred lines were crossed with two high-yielding testers using a line × tester mating design. The developed twenty hybrids alongside two high-yielding commercial hybrids were evaluated under water-deficit (5411 m3/ha) and well-watered (7990 m3/ha) conditions in dry summer climate conditions. Highly significant variations were detected among the evaluated hybrids for all studied agronomic traits under well-watered and water-deficit conditions. The inbred lines L10 and L6 were particularly notable, demonstrating the most significant negative general combining ability (GCA) effects for earliness, which is crucial for stress avoidance in both environmental settings. Inbred lines L11, L7, L6, and L1 also showed the highest positive and most significant GCA effects for key yield traits, indicating their potential as parents in breeding programs. The crosses L-10×T-1 and L-6×T-2 were outstanding for their heterotic effects on earliness in days to tasseling and silking. Similarly, the crosses L-4×T-2 and L-1×T-1 excelled in plant and ear heights under both irrigation regimes. The hybrids L-1×T-2 and L-7×T-1 demonstrated superior heterosis for chlorophyll content, number of rows per ear, and overall grain yield. Additionally, hybrids L-11×T-1 and L-11×T-2 exhibited remarkable heterotic effects for the number of grains per row, number of rows per ear, 100-kernel weight, and grain yield, highlighting their potential in breeding for productivity. Based on drought tolerance indices and cluster analysis, the cross combinations L-11×T-1, L-11×T-2, L-7×T-1, and L-1×T-2 were classified as the most drought-tolerant crosses. The principal component analysis highlighted traits such as days to tasseling, days to silking, chlorophyll content, plant height, ear height, number of grains per row, number of rows per ear, and 100-kernel weight can be taken as selection criteria for improving grain yield in maize breeding programs under limited water conditions. Based on the summarized results, the identified genetic materials could be considered promising under both conditions and hold potential for future breeding programs.