Myco-fabricated silver nanoparticle by novel soil fungi from Saudi Arabian desert and antimicrobial mechanism.

Biological agents are getting a noticeable concern as efficient eco-friendly method for nanoparticle fabrication, from which fungi considered promising agents in this field. In the current study, two fungal species (Embellisia spp. and Gymnoascus spp.) were isolated from the desert soil in Saudi Arabia and identified using 18S rRNA gene sequencing then used as bio-mediator for the fabrication of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Myco-synthesized AgNPs were characterized using UV-visible spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering techniques. Their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were investigated. In atrial to detect their possible antibacterial mechanism, Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS-PAGE) and TEM analysis were performed for Klebsiella pneumoniae treated by the myco-synthesized AgNPs. Detected properties of the fabricated materials indicated the ability of both tested fungal strains in successful fabrication of AgNPs having same range of mean size diameters and varied PDI. The efficiency of Embellisia spp. in providing AgNPs with higher antibacterial activity compared to Gymnoascus spp. was reported however, both indicated antibacterial efficacy. Variations in the protein profile of K. pneumoniae after treatments and ultrastructural changes were observed. Current outcomes suggested applying of fungi as direct, simple and sustainable approach in providing efficient AgNPs.

Characterization of Amaranthus species: ability in nanoparticles fabrication and the antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic bacteria.

The present work aimed at differentiating five Amaranthus species from Saudi Arabia according to their morphology and the ability in nanoparticle formulation. Biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized from leaf extracts of the five Amaranthus species and characterized by different techniques. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to identify the phyto-constituents of Amaranthus species. The nanoparticles (NPs) were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The antibacterial activity of the synthesized NPs was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using the agar well diffusion method. Spherical NPs varying in size and functional groups from the five plant species were demonstrated by TEM, DLS and FTIR analysis, respectively. Variations in NPs characteristics could be related to the phytochemical composition of each Amaranthus species since they play a significant role in the reduction process. EDX confirmed the presence of Ag in plant fabricated AgNPs. Antibacterial activity varied among the species, possibly related to the NPs characteristics. Varied characteristics for the obtained AgNPs may reflect variations in the phytochemical composition type and concentration among Amaranthus species used for their fabrication.

Phyto-synthesized silver nanoparticles from Sargassum subrepandum: anticancer, antimicrobial, and molluscicidal activities.

In the realm of nanotechnology, the use of algae to produce nanoparticles is an environmentally friendly, sustainable, and economically viable strategy. In the present study, the brown macroalgae Sargassum subrepandum was utilized to effectively produce silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Through various characterization techniques, the AgNPs' structural integrity was confirmed. AgNPs exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Fusarium equiseti. AgNPs showed cytotoxic effects on the MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cell line with an IC50 of 12.5 µg/ml. Treatment with AgNPs resulted in a marked reduction in cell viability, alongside evident apoptotic and necrotic morphological changes in the cancer cells. Through molecular docking studies, a deeper understanding of the interaction between AgNPs and crucial proteins related to cancer has been achieved, AgNPs showed a promising molluscicidal action on Biomphalaria alexandrina snails, a Schistosoma mansoni intermediate host. The half-lethal dose (LC50) of AgNPs was determined to be 0.84 mg/L. The potential consequences of its administration include potential disruptions to the glycolysis profile, as well as potential impacts on the steroidal hormone's estrogen and testosterone and certain kidney function tests. This study highlights the diverse uses of algae-synthesized AgNPs, ranging from healthcare to environmental management, demonstrating their importance in advancing nano-biotechnological solutions.

Biofabrication of Silver Nanoparticles Using Nostoc muscorum Lukesova 2/91: Optimization, Characterization, and Biological Applications.

Purpose: The biological synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) has become a new methodology for the eco-friendly production of NPs with high scalability and biocompatibility. Cyanobacteria are one of the most widespread microorganisms on Earth and have been proven to be successful biofactories for synthesizing NPs. It is challenging to discover new microalgae with the potential to synthesize NPs of small size with high stability. Methods: Nostoc muscorum Lukesova 2/91 was isolated, purified, and identified morphologically and genetically using microscopy and DNA sequencing. Volatile biomolecules in aqueous algal extracts were assessed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Results: Data showed that the main biomolecules were fatty acids and their esters, followed by secondary metabolites. Algal extract was used to convert silver nitrate (AgNO3) into silver NPs under various optimized parameters. 1 mM of AgNO3, 1:1 (V/V ratio of algal extract to AgNO3), 25 °C, under light illumination, for 24 h, at pH 7.4 were the optimum conditions for NP production (Nos@AgNPs). Nos@AgNPs were characterized using UV-VIS spectroscopy, FTIR, TEM, SEM, EDx, mapping, and a Zetasizer. The wavelength of Nos@AgNPs was 401.4 nm and their shapes were cubic to oval, with an average diameter of 11.8 ± 0.5 nm. FTIR spectroscopy revealed that proteins/polysaccharides could be the main reductants, whereas these molecules and/or fatty acids could be stabilizers for NP synthesis. Nos@AgNPs (86.15%) was silver and had a hydrodynamic diameter of 10.7 nm with a potential charge of -19.7 mV. Antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities of Nos@AgNPs were evaluated. Nos@AgNPs exhibited significant inhibitory activity against lung, colon, and breast cancer cells and considerable biocidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Conclusion: N. muscorum Lukesova 2/91 is an excellent source for the biofabrication of small and stable AgNPs with potent inhibitory effects against cancer and bacterial cells.

Myco-Synthesized Selenium Nanoparticles as Wound Healing and Antibacterial Agent: An In Vitro and In Vivo Investigation.

Bacterial-associated wound infections are an obstacle for individuals and the medical industry. Developing versatile, antibiotic-free therapies helps heal wounds more quickly and efficiently. In the current study, fungal metabolites were employed as a reducing agent in fabricating selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) for improved antibacterial and wound healing properties. Utilizing UV-visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electron microscopic examination, the properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were extensively evaluated. Myco-synthesized SeNPs demonstrated strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.3125 mg/mL, reducing cell number and shape distortion in scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. SeNPs' topical administration significantly reduced wound area and healing time, exhibiting the least bacterial load after six days compared to controls. After six and 11 days of treatment, SeNPs could decrease proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α production. The histopathological investigation showed a healed ulcer with moderate infiltration of inflammatory cells after exposing mice's skin to SeNPs for six and 11 days. The docking interaction indicated that SeNPs were highly efficient against the IL-6 and TNF-α binding receptors. These findings imply that myco-fabricated SeNPs might be used as topically applied antimicrobial agents for treating skin infections and wounds.

Evaluating the genotoxicity of salinity stress and secondary products gene manipulation in lime, Citrus aurantifolia, plants.

Salinity is a significant abiotic stress that has a profound effect on growth, the content of secondary products, and the genotoxicity of cells. Lime, Citrus aurantifolia, is a popular plant belonging to the family Rutaceae. The interest in cultivating this plant is due to the importance of its volatile oil, which is included in many pharmaceutical industries, but C. aurantifolia plants are affected by the NaCl salinity levels. In the present study, a comet assay test has been applied to evaluate the genotoxic impact of salinity at 0, 50, 100, and 200 mM of NaCl on C. aurantifolia tissue-cultured plants. Furthermore, terpene gene expression was investigated using a semi-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results from the two analyses revealed that 200 mM of NaCl stress resulted in high levels of severe damage to the C. aurantifolia plants' DNA tail 21.8%, tail length 6.56 µm, and tail moment 3.19 Unit. The relative highest expression of RtHK and TAT genes was 2.08, and 1.693, respectively, when plants were exposed to 200 mM of NaCl, whereas pv4CL2RT expressed 1.50 in plants subjected to 100 mM of NaCl. The accumulation of transcripts for the RTMYB was 0.951 when plants were treated with NaCl at 50 mM, and RtGPPS gene was significantly decreased to 0.446 during saline exposure at 100 mM. We conclude that the comet assay test offers an appropriate tool to detect DNA damage as well as RtHK, TAT, and pv4CL2RT genes having post-transcriptional regulation in C. aurantifolia plant cells under salinity stress. Future studies are needed to assess the application of gene expression and comet assay technologies using another set of genes that show vulnerability to different stresses on lime and other plants.

Functional annotation of rhizospheric phageome of the wild plant species Moringa oleifera.

Introduction: The study aims to describe phageome of soil rhizosphere of M.oleifera in terms of the genes encoding CAZymes and other KEGG enzymes. Methods: Genes of the rhizospheric virome of the wild plant species Moringa oleifera were investigated for their ability to encode useful CAZymes and other KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) enzymes and to resist antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the soil. Results: Abundance of these genes was higher in the rhizospheric microbiome than in the bulk soil. Detected viral families include the plant viral family Potyviridae as well as the tailed bacteriophages of class Caudoviricetes that are mainly associated with bacterial genera Pseudomonas, Streptomyces and Mycobacterium. Viral CAZymes in this soil mainly belong to glycoside hydrolase (GH) families GH43 and GH23. Some of these CAZymes participate in a KEGG pathway with actions included debranching and degradation of hemicellulose. Other actions include biosynthesizing biopolymer of the bacterial cell wall and the layered cell wall structure of peptidoglycan. Other CAZymes promote plant physiological activities such as cell-cell recognition, embryogenesis and programmed cell death (PCD). Enzymes of other pathways help reduce the level of soil H2O2 and participate in the biosynthesis of glycine, malate, isoprenoids, as well as isoprene that protects plant from heat stress. Other enzymes act in promoting both the permeability of bacterial peroxisome membrane and carbon fixation in plants. Some enzymes participate in a balanced supply of dNTPs, successful DNA replication and mismatch repair during bacterial cell division. They also catalyze the release of signal peptides from bacterial membrane prolipoproteins. Phages with the most highly abundant antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transduce species of bacterial genera Pseudomonas, Streptomyces, and Mycobacterium. Abundant mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in the rhizosphere include "antibiotic efflux pump" for ARGs soxR, OleC, and MuxB, "antibiotic target alteration" for parY mutant, and "antibiotic inactivation" for arr-1. Discussion: These ARGs can act synergistically to inhibit several antibiotics including tetracycline, penam, cephalosporin, rifamycins, aminocoumarin, and oleandomycin. The study highlighted the issue of horizontal transfer of ARGs to clinical isolates and human gut microbiome.

Acetylcholine Esterase Inhibitory Effect, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Metabolomic Profiling, and an In Silico Study of Non-Polar Extract of The Halotolerant Marine Fungus Penicillium chrysogenum MZ945518.

Major health issues, such as the rise in oxidative stress, incidences of Alzheimer's disease, and infections caused by antibiotic-resistant microbes, have prompted researchers to look for new therapeutics. Microbial extracts are still a good source of novel compounds for biotechnological use. The objective of the current work was to investigate marine fungal bioactive compounds with potential antibacterial, antioxidant, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effects. Penicillium chrysogenum strain MZ945518 was isolated from the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt. The fungus was halotolerant with a salt tolerance index of 1.3. The mycelial extract showed antifungal properties against Fusarium solani with an inhibitory percentage of 77.5 ± 0.3, followed by Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum with percentages of 52 ± 0.0 and 40 ± 0.5, respectively. The extract also showed antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains using the agar diffusion technique. The fungal extract was significantly more effective with Proteus mirabilis ATCC 29906 and Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341; inhibition zones recorded 20 and 12 mm, respectively, compared with the antibiotic gentamycin, which recorded 12 and 10 mm, respectively. The antioxidant activity of the fungus extract revealed that it successfully scavenged DPPH free radicals and recorded an IC50 of 542.5 µg/mL. Additionally, it was capable of reducing Fe3+ to Fe2+ and exhibiting chelating ability in the metal ion-chelating test. The fungal extract was identified as a crucial inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase with an inhibition percentage of 63% and an IC50 value of 60.87 µg/mL. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), 20 metabolites were detected. The most prevalent ones were (Z)-18-octadec-9-enolide and 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, with ratios of 36.28 and 26.73%, respectively. An in silico study using molecular docking demonstrated interactions between the major metabolites and the target proteins, including: DNA Gyrase, glutathione S-transferase, and Acetylcholinesterase, confirming the extract's antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. Penicillium chrysogenum MZ945518, a halotolerant strain, has promising bioactive compounds with antibacterial, antioxidant, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities.

Antibiotic-Loaded Gold Nanoparticles: A Nano-Arsenal against ESBL Producer-Resistant Pathogens.

The advent of new antibiotics has helped clinicians to control severe bacterial infections. Despite this, inappropriate and redundant use of antibiotics, inadequate diagnosis, and smart resistant mechanisms developed by pathogens sometimes lead to the failure of treatment strategies. The genotypic analysis of clinical samples revealed that the rapid spread of extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs) genes is one of the most common approaches acquired by bacterial pathogens to become resistant. The scenario compelled the researchers to prioritize the design and development of novel and effective therapeutic options. Nanotechnology has emerged as a plausible groundbreaking tool against resistant infectious pathogens. Numerous reports suggested that inorganic nanomaterials, specifically gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), have converted unresponsive antibiotics into potent ones against multi-drug resistant pathogenic strains. Interestingly, after almost two decades of exhaustive preclinical evaluations, AuNPs are gradually progressively moving ahead toward clinical evaluations. However, the mechanistic aspects of the antibacterial action of AuNPs remain an unsolved puzzle for the scientific fraternity. Thus, the review covers state-of-the-art investigations pertaining to the efficacy of AuNPs as a tool to overcome ESBLs acquired resistance, their applicability and toxicity perspectives, and the revelation of the most appropriate proposed mechanism of action. Conclusively, the trend suggested that antibiotic-loaded AuNPs could be developed into a promising interventional strategy to limit and overcome the concerns of antibiotic-resistance.

Nano-Conversion of Ineffective Cephalosporins into Potent One against Resistant Clinical Uro-Pathogens via Gold Nanoparticles.

Infections caused by resistant bacterial pathogens have increased the complications of clinicians worldwide. The quest for effective antibacterial agents against resistant pathogens has prompted researchers to develop new classes of antibiotics. Unfortunately, pathogens have acted more smartly by developing resistance to even the newest class of antibiotics with time. The culture sensitivity analysis of the clinical samples revealed that pathogens are gaining resistance toward the new generations of cephalosporins at a very fast rate globally. The current study developed gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) that could efficiently deliver the 2nd (cefotetan-CT) and 3rd (cefixime-CX) generation cephalosporins to resistant clinical pathogens. In fact, both CT and CX were used to reduce and stabilize AuNPs by applying a one-pot synthesis approach, and their characterization was performed via spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering and electron microscopy. Moreover, the synthesized AuNPs were tested against uro-pathogenic resistant clinical strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. CT-AuNPs characteristic SPR peak was observed at 542 nm, and CX-AuNPs showed the same at 522 nm. The stability measurement showed ζ potential as -24.9 mV and -25.2 mV for CT-AuNPs and CX-AuNPs, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the spherical shape of both the AuNPs, whereas, the size by transmission electron microscopy for CT-AuNPs and CX-AuNPs were estimated to be 45 ± 19 nm and 35 ± 17 nm, respectively. Importantly, once loaded onto AuNPs, both the cephalosporin antibiotics become extremely potent against the resistant strains of E. coli and K. pneumoniae with MIC50 in the range of 0.5 to 0.8 µg/mL. The findings propose that old-generation unresponsive antibiotics could be revived into potent nano-antibiotics via AuNPs. Thus, investing efforts, intellect, time and funds for a nano-antibiotic strategy might be a better approach to overcome resistance than investing the same in the development of newer antibiotic molecule(s).

Municipal wastewater viral pollution in Saudi Arabia: effect of hot climate on COVID-19 disease spreading.

The viral RNA of SARS-Coronavirus-2 is known to be contaminating municipal wastewater. We aimed to assess if COVID-19 disease is spreading through wastewater. We studied the amount of viral RNA in raw sewage and the efficiency of the sewage treatment to remove the virus. Sewage water was collected before and after the activated sludge process three times during summer 2020 from three different sewage treatment plants. The sewage treatment was efficient in removing SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA. Each sewage treatment plant gathered wastewater from one hospital, of which COVID-19 admissions were used to describe the level of disease occurrence in the area. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA-specific target genes (N1, N2, and E) was confirmed using RT-qPCR analysis. However, hospital admission did not correlate significantly with viral RNA. Moreover, viral RNA loads were relatively low, suggesting that sewage might preserve viral RNA in a hot climate only for a short time.

Morphological, Molecular and Metabolic Characterization of the Pigmented Fungus Subramaniula asteroids.

Chaetomiaceae fungi are ascosporulating fungi whose importance as human pathogens has been frequently ignored. In the current study, a new isolate of the genus Subramaniula was described. The fungus was isolated from the soil of Wadi Om Nefa'a, Hurghada in the Red Sea Governorate, Egypt. Previously, Subramaniula were misidentified as Papulaspora spp. According to molecular analysis, the fungus was identified as Subramaniula asteroids OP484336. Remarkably, this species has been found among other fungi responsible for keratitis in humans and has been recorded for the first time in Egypt. Analysing the Subramaniula asteroids' metabolic profile was one of the objectives of the current study because little is known about this family's metabolome. The fungal extract's untargeted metabolic profiling was carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC/MS), 1H and 1H-HSQC nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data, and their corresponding databases. In total, fifty-nine metabolites have been reported in the polar and non-polar extracts. The majority of polar metabolites are amino acids and carbohydrates. The non-polar extract's main components were 1-dodecanamine, N,N-dimethyl-, 1-tetradecanamine, N,N-dimethyl-, and 9-octadecenoic acid ethyl ester. The current study is the first to provide a metabolic profile of Subramaniula asteroids, which can be used in chemotaxonomical classification, antifungal drug development, and biological activity investigation of the studied species.

Soil Fungi as Biomediator in Silver Nanoparticles Formation and Antimicrobial Efficacy.

Introduction and Objectives: Biogenic agents in nanoparticles fabrication are gaining great interest due to their lower possible negative environmental impacts. The present study aimed to isolate fungal strains from deserts in Saudi Arabia and assess their ability in silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) fabrication and evaluate their antibacterial effect. Methods: Soil fungi were identified using 18s rDNA, and their ability in NPs fabrication was assessed as extracellular synthesis, then UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used for AgNPs characterization. The antibacterial activity of fungal-based NPs was assessed against one Gram-positive methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and three Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae). Ultrastructural changes caused by fungal-based NPs on K. pneumoniae were investigated using TEM along with SDS-PAGE for protein profile patterns. Results: The three fungal isolates were identified as Phoma sp. (MN995524), Chaetomium globosum (MN995493), and Chaetomium sp. (MN995550), and their filtrate reduced Ag ions into spherical P-AgNPs, G-AgNPs, and C-AgNPs, respectively. DLS data showed an average size between 12.26 and 70.24 nm, where EDX spectrums represent Ag at 3.0 keV peak. G-AgNPs displayed strong antibacterial activities against Klebsiella pneumoniae, and the ultrastructural changes caused by NPs were noted. Additionally, SDS-PAGE analysis of treated K. pneumoniae revealed fewer bands compared to control, which could be related to protein degradation. Conclusion: Present findings have consequently developed an eco-friendly approach in NPs formation by environmentally isolated fungal strains to yield NPs as antibacterial agents.

GC-MS Analysis of Potentially Volatile Compounds of Pleurotus ostreatus Polar Extract: In vitro Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic, Immunomodulatory, and Antioxidant Activities.

One strategy to manage resistant pathogens and develop potential anticancer drugs is the search for new, promising, and cost-effective medicinal benefits in the field of bioactive metabolites derived from mushrooms. In the current study, Egyptian cultivated Pleurotus ostreatus fruiting bodies polar extract was prepared to evaluate its antimicrobial activities as well as its cytotoxic effect on various cancer cell lines. The Pleurotus ostreatus polar extract (PoPE) was characterized by its phenolic and flavonoid content. The phenolics and flavonoids of PoPE were 6.94 and 0.15 mg/g, respectively. P. ostreatus polar extract showed potent antimicrobial activity against four pathogens, including Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, and Escherichia coli. PoPE was found to inhibit Fusarium oxysporum (47%), Fusarium solani (28%) as well as Rhizoctonia solani (21%). PoPE was found to be 13 times more selective and toxic to MCF-7 cells than Vero normal cells, with the lowest IC50 value (4.5 µg/mL), so they were selected to examine the potential cytotoxic effects of PoPE. In MCF-7 cells, PoPE appeared to promote cell cycle arrest in the sub-G1 stage, as well as apoptosis. It significantly increased TNF-α production while decreasing IL-6 levels. PoPE's total antioxidant capacity, lipid peroxide, and glutathione reductase activity were recorded 0.14 ± 0.02 mM/L, 15.60 ± 0.015 nmol/mL, and 9.50 ± 1.30 U/L, respectively. The existence of different bioactive metabolites was investigated via GC-MS, which confirmed the presence of 15 compounds with well-known biological activity.

Possible vertical transmission of corona virus disease 19 (COVID-19) from infected pregnant mothers to neonates: a multicenter study.

INTRODUCTION: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is highly contagious with various possible routes of transmission, resulting in high mortality globally. Controversy exists regarding the vertical transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 infection to fetuses of COVID-19-infected women. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of the vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from COVID-19-infected mothers to their neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively collected demographical and clinical characteristics of 31 COVID-19 positive pregnant women and their neonates. All mothers and neonates were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection using the real-time polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal swabs and breast milk samples. Antenatal and placental abnormalities were ultrasonically and histopathologically examined. In cord blood samples, the immunoglobins (Ig) M and IgG were estimated qualitatively. RESULTS: The women's mean age and gestational age were 31 years and 38 weeks, respectively, with 58% undergoing an elective cesarean section. Gestational diabetes was reported in 29% of cases, 64.5% of women were medically free and only 16.12% were symptomatic. A normal antenatal ultrasound was observed in 77.42% of cases. Nine cord blood samples were positive for IgG. Villous infarction (24%), villous agglutination, and chorangiosis (51%), accelerated villous maturation (21%) and reduced and hypercoiling were reported for 6.97% of the umbilical cords. Three newborns had possible vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection, of which, two were preterm and IUFD. The third neonate was born full-term, admitted to NICU and later discharged in good health. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the possibility of the direct vertical transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 infection to neonates from infected mothers. Further studies with a larger sample size are required to validate the current findings.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles by Conocarpus Lancifolius plant extract and their antimicrobial and anticancer activities.

Due to drug addiction and the emergence of antibiotic resistance in pathogens, the disease load and medication intake have risen worldwide. The alternative treatment for drug-resistant infections is Nano formulation-based antimicrobial agents. The plant extract of Conocarpus Lancifolius fruits was used to synthesize silver nanoparticles in the current study, and it was further employed as an antimicrobial and anticancer agent. Nanoparticles have been characterized by UV-visible spectrometer revealed the notable peak of λmax = 410-442 nm, which confirms the reduction of silver ion to elemental silver nanoparticles, and the biological moieties in the synthesis were further confirmed by FTIR analysis. The stability and crystalline nature of materials were approved by XRD analysis and expected the size of the nanomaterials of 21 to 173 nm analyzed by a nanophox particle-size analyzer. In vitro, synthesized materials act as an antibacterial agent against Streptococcus pneumonia and Staphylococcus aureus. The inhibition zones of 18 and 24 mm have been estimated to be antibacterial activity against both bacteria. The potency of up to 100% of AgNPs for bacterial strains was incubated overnight at 60 µg/ml. Based on our results, biogenic AgNPs reveal significant activity against fungal pathogen Rhizopusus stolonifera and Aspergillus flavus that cause leading infectious diseases. Additionally, nanomaterials were biocompatible and demonstrated the potential anticancer activities against MDA MB-231 cells after 24-hour exposure.

Partial characterization of levan polymer from Pseudomonas fluorescens with significant cytotoxic and antioxidant activity.

Microbial levan has great potential as a functional biopolymer in different fields including foods, feeds, cosmetics, and the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. In this study, a good levan producer bacterial strain of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain ES, isolated from soil in Egypt in a previous study, was used. Levan production by this strain was optimized using Plackett-Burman experimental design (PBD) to screen the critical factors of several process variables and Centered Central Composite Design (CCD) was applied for further estimation of the relationship between the variables and the response as well as optimization of the levels. Plackett-Burman (P-B) design showed a p-value 0.0144 less than 0.05 indicated the significance of the model. Sucrose, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, yeast extract and pH value showed the most significant effect on levan concentration at the values of 89.17, 65.83, 24.17, and 15.83, respectively. The purified levan polymer was characterized using different Physico-chemical methods such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to determine the main composition and functional groups in the obtained polymer. HPLC results indicated that the polymer purification increased the percentage of fructose residue from 75 up to 89. Furthermore, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy analysis showed great matching between the obtained signal for our polymer with that reported in other people's work. The obtained levan polymer exhibited cytotoxic activity against Human epidermoid Skin carcinoma and Hepatocellular carcinoma with IC50 of 469 and 222.7 µg/ml, respectively. Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH assay and the percentage of inhibition at 1000 µg/ml was found to be <50 (13.89 ± 1.07) with IC50 of (24.42 ± 0.87).

Clinical profiles associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and complications from coronavirus disease-2019 in children from a national registry in Saudi Arabia.

CONTEXT: Exploring clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) in children may help in prevention and treatment guidelines. AIMS: The aim of the to describe the spectrum of pediatric COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A multicenter, retrospective, cross-sectional study involving pediatric COVID-19 patients across all Saudi regions. METHODS: All patients aged between 2 months and 18 years with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 were included. The primary end point was the hospitalization. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Descriptive statistics were used to describe the baseline demographic data and clinical characteristics. Numerical data were explored using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Shapiro-Wilk test, while Chi-square or Fisher's exact test were used for categorical data. RESULTS: Among the 654 pediatric COVID-19 patients, 4.7% (n = 31) were hospitalized, with one patient only needing pediatric intensive care admission. Sex, breastfeeding, birth status, and the patients' living environment showed no significant association with hospitalization. Most children (80.3%, n = 525) were symptomatic, with two symptoms that were significantly associated with admission, namely, vomiting (P = 0.007) and nausea (P = 0.026). History of admission within the last year was identified in 10.4% (n = 68) children but had no association with worse outcome. The median duration of hospitalization for the entire group was 5.5 days, with longest hospital stay for age group 7-12 years (median 6 days). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 is usually a milder disease in children. Although having preexisting medical conditions was linked to a longer hospitalization, it was not associated with worse outcome. Continuous surveillance will allow additional characterization of the burden and outcomes of pediatric COVID-19-associated hospitalizations.

A review on Saudi Arabian wastewater treatment facilities and available disinfection methods: Implications to SARS-CoV-2 control.

COVID-19 pandemic has severe impacts on human health and economy worldwide. Aerosols and droplets are the major routes of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus causing COVID-19 disease. However, wastewater is a possible transmission pathway. Therefore, many studies have been published about the relation of wastewater and COVID-19 disease. Many studies have shown the presence of viral RNA in wastewater throughout the world recently. Therefore, research on wastewater treatments and disinfection methods are needed. Communities must make sure that the virus is not transmitted via treated wastewater. This review focuses on the Saudi Arabian wastewater treatment and disinfection techniques to assess the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through wastewaters. In view of the current pandemic situation, the wide analysis of wastewater treatments in Saudi Arabia is needed. The review gives guidelines to develop the wastewater treatment in Saudi Arabia.