Pilot deployment of a community health care worker in distributing and offering the COVID-19 AgRDT in Tanzania.

A pilot implementation of the rapid diagnostic test program was performed to collect evidence of the feasibility, acceptability, and uptake of the COVID-19 AgRDT in Tanzania. We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study in the community to provide quantitative details of the pilot implementation of the antigen rapid diagnostic test (AgRDT) in Tanzania. This study was undertaken between March 2022 and September 2022. The pilot was implemented by distributing and offering test kits to people suspected of having COVID-19 in Dar es Salaam through community health workers. A total of 1039 participants consented to participate in the survey. All the participants reported having heard about the disease. The radio was the main source (93.2%) of information on COVID-19. With regard to prevention measures, approximately 930 (89.5%) of the respondents thought that COVID-19 could be prevented. Approximately 1035 (99.6%) participants reported that they were willing to have a COVID-19 AgRDT test and wait for 20 min for the results. With regard to the participants' opinions on the AgRDT device, the majority 907 (87.3%) felt comfortable with the test, and 1,029 (99.0%) were very likely to recommend the AgRDT test to their friends. The majority of participants 848 (83.1%) mentioned that they would be willing to pay for the test if it was not available for free. The results suggest overall good acceptance of the COVID-19 AgRDT test. It is evident that the use of trained community healthcare workers allows easy screening of all possible suspects and helps them receive early treatment.

One-Pot, Four-Component Reaction for the Design, Synthesis, and SAR Studies of Novel Pyridines for Insecticidal Bioefficacy Screening against Cowpea Aphid (Aphis craccivora).

In this paper, novel pyridines 2-8 were designed and synthesized via the one-pot, four-component reaction of 2-formylphenyl 4-tolylsulfonate with malononitrile, ammonium acetate, and phenols or 2-thioxo-1,3-thiazolidin-4-one or 6-aminopyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione under microwave irradiation in an aqueous solution of water and ethanol (1:1 ratio). The structures of new pyridines 2-8 were elucidated by elemental and spectral analyses such as IR, 1H NMR, and 13CNMR. This application has many advantages, such as having easy workup, eco-friendliness, reaction time being short (6-13 min), high production (94-98%), inexpensiveness, and avoiding the use of harmful solvents. Moreover, all compounds have been investigated as insecticidal agents against cowpea aphid (Aphis craccivora) insects, and the toxicity effect was studied, followed by the structure-activity relationship. From the LC50 values, it has been found that compounds 7 and 8 were excellent and promising insecticidal agents, with LC50 values of 0.05 and 0.09 ppm against nymphs and 0.93 and 1.01 ppm against adults of cowpea aphid. Furthermore, the obtained results indicated that compounds 2-8 can be applied as insecticidal agents for the control of cowpea aphids and to protect agricultural crops from this destructive pest, which effects crop production and causes major economic damage.

Novel guanidine derivatives targeting leukemia as selective Src/Abl dual inhibitors: Design, synthesis and anti-proliferative activity.

A new series of benzene-sulfonamide derivatives 3a-i was designed and synthesized via the reaction of N-(pyrimidin-2-yl)cyanamides 1a-i with sulfamethazine sodium salt 2 as dual Src/Abl inhibitors. Spectral data IR, 1H-, 13C- NMR and elemental analyses were used to confirm the structures of all the newly synthesized compounds 3a-i and 4a-i. Crucially, we screened all the synthesized compounds 3a-i against NCI 60 cancer cell lines. Among all, compound 3b was the most potent, with IC50 of 0.018 µM for normoxia, and 0.001 µM for hypoxia, compared to staurosporine against HL-60 leukemia cell line. To verify the selectivity of this derivative, it was assessed against a panel of tyrosine kinase EGFR, VEGFR-2, B-raf, ERK, CK1, p38-MAPK, Src and Abl enzymes. Results revealed that compound 3b can effectively and selectively inhibit Src/Abl with IC500.25 µM and Abl inhibitory activity with IC500.08 µM, respectively, and was found to be more potent on these enzymes than other kinases that showed the following results: EGFR IC500.31 µM, VEGFR-2 IC500.68 µM, B-raf IC500.33 µM, ERK IC501.41 µM, CK1 IC500.29 µM and p38-MAPK IC500.38 µM. Moreover, cell cycle analysis and apoptosis performed to compound 3b against HL-60 suggesting its antiproliferative activity through Src/Abl inhibition. Finally, molecular docking studies and physicochemical properties prediction for compounds 3b, 3c, and 3 h were carried out to investigate their biological activities and clarify their bioavailability.

The effect of an anti-malarial herbal remedy, Maytenus senegalensis, on electrocardiograms of healthy Tanzanian volunteers.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapy necessitates the search for new, more potent antiplasmodial compounds, including herbal remedies. The whole extract of Maytenus senegalensis has been scientifically investigated for potential biological activities both in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating strong antimalarial activity. However, there is a lack of data on the electrocardiographic effects of M. senegalensis in humans, which is a crucial aspect in the investigation of malaria treatment. Assessing the electrocardiographic effects of M. senegalensis is essential, as many anti-malarial drugs can inadvertently prolong the QT interval on electrocardiograms. Therefore, the study's objective was to evaluate the electrocardiographic effects of M. senegalensis in healthy adult volunteers. METHODS: This study is a secondary analysis of an open-label single-arm dose escalation. Twelve healthy eligible Tanzanian males, aged 18 to 45, were enrolled in four study dose groups. A single 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed at baseline and on days 3, 7, 14, 28, and 56. RESULTS: No QTcF adverse events occurred with any drug dose. Only one volunteer who received the highest dose (800 mg) of M. senegalensis experienced a moderate transient change (△QTcF > 30 ms; specifically, the value was 37 ms) from baseline on day 28. There was no difference in maximum QTcF and maximum △QTcF between volunteers in all four study dose groups. CONCLUSIONS: A four-day regimen of 800 mg every 8 h of M. senegalensis did not impact the electrocardiographic parameters in healthy volunteers. This study suggests that M. senegalensis could be a valuable addition to malaria treatment, providing a safer alternative and potentially aiding in the battle against artemisinin-resistant malaria. The results of this study support both the traditional use and the modern therapeutic potential of M. senegalensis. They also set the stage for future research involving larger and more diverse populations to explore the safety profile of M. senegalensis in different demographic groups. This is especially important considering the potential use of M. senegalensis as a therapeutic agent and its widespread utilization as traditional medicine. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04944966. Registered 30 June 2021-Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04944966?term=kamaka&draw=2&rank=1.

A selective colorimetric chemosensor for detecting Ni(II) in aqueous solutions based on 4-[{[4-(3-chlorophenyl)-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]hydrazono}methyl]phenyl 4-methyl benzene sulfonate (CTHMBS).

Among the toxic heavy metals, Ni(II) can cause a variety of side effects on human health, such as allergy, cardiovascular and kidney diseases, lung fibrosis, lung, and nasal cancer. It is therefore critical from a public health and environmental perspective to determine and monitor Ni(II) ions in drinking water, foods, and environmental samples. In this study, a novel selective chemosensor (4-[{[4-(3-Chlorophenyl)-1,3-Thiazol-2-yl]Hydrazono}Methyl]phenyl4-methylBenzene Sulfonate (CTHMBS) was developed for the colorimetric detection of Ni(II) in aqueous medium. The presence of Ni(II) led to a distinct naked-eye color change from yellow to reddish-brown in aqueous solution. To examine the binding mechanism of CTHMBS to Ni(II), UV-vis spectroscopy analysis and DFT calculations were conducted. The detection limit of CTHMBS for Ni(II) was 11.87 µM, and the sensing ability of CTHMBS for Ni(II) was successfully carried out in real water samples.

Design, Characterization and SAR Studies of Novel Bioactive Benzylideneacetophenone Derivatives as Insecticidal Agents against Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Unintentional environmental effects brought on by insecticides encourage the creation of safer substitutes. A very polyphagous migrating lepidopteran pest species in Africa called S. Frugiperda causes terrible damage. In the current paper, treatment of 4-acetylphenyl 4-methylbenzenesulfonate with different aromatic aldehydes in the presence of NaOH afforded benzylideneacetophenones. The structure of the newly prepared compounds were proved by different spectroscopic techniques such as IR, 1 H-NMR, 13 C NMR, and elemental analysis. We looked at the association between contact with S. frugiperda and stricture reaction to examine their harmful effect. Additionally, S. frugiperda was used for testing the newly created compounds for their ability to kill insects. The majority of substances have been proven to be effective and promising. It has been found that 4-[3-(4-Methylphenyl)prop-2-enoyl]phenyl-4-methyl benzenesulfonate (4) was the most active with an LC50 =3.46 mg/L of 2nd instar larvae and LC50 =9.45 mg/L of 4th instar larvae. Moreover, some of biological and histopathological aspects of the synthesized products were investigated under laboratory conditions.

Fabrication of Antibacterial and Antioxidant ZnO-Impregnated Amine-Functionalized Chitosan Bio-Nanocomposite Membrane for Advanced Biomedical Applications.

Developing a variety of safe and effective functioning wound dressings is a never-ending objective. Due to their exceptional antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and healing-promoting properties, functionalized chitosan nanocomposites have attracted considerable attention in wound dressing applications. Herein, a novel bio-nanocomposite membrane with a variety of bio-characteristics was created through the incorporation of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) into amine-functionalized chitosan membrane (Am-CS). The developed ZnO@Am-CS bio-nanocomposite membrane was characterized by various analysis tools. Compared to pristine Am-CS, the developed ZnO@Am-CS membrane revealed higher water uptake and adequate mechanical properties. Moreover, increasing the ZnONP content from 0.025 to 0.1% had a positive impact on antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. A maximum inhibition of 89.4% was recorded against Escherichia coli, with a maximum inhibition zone of 38 ± 0.17 mm, and was achieved by the ZnO (0.1%)@Am-CS membrane compared to 72.5% and 28 ± 0.23 mm achieved by the native Am-CS membrane. Furthermore, the bio-nanocomposite membrane demonstrated acceptable antioxidant activity, with a maximum radical scavenging value of 46%. In addition, the bio-nanocomposite membrane showed better biocompatibility and reliable biodegradability, while the cytotoxicity assessment emphasized its safety towards normal cells, with the cell viability reaching 95.7%, suggesting its potential use for advanced wound dressing applications.

To What Extent Does Arginine Reduce the Risk of Developing Necrotizing Enterocolitis?

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and neonatal sepsis are polar opposite diseases that are commonly encountered in the NICU. Concerning the frequency of these pathologies, NEC is regarded as being a much rarer condition, whereas neonatal sepsis is slightly more commonly encountered. However, neonatal sepsis can present with varying clinical presentations and, if caught late, can be detrimental to the patient. Many different modes of therapies have been studied for both conditions at different levels of pathologies, from a microscopic to a macroscopic level, leading to an assessment of treatment approaches. With the different ongoing treatment protocols being studied, one such therapy under investigation that does stand out is the use of L-arginine in both conditions. The L-arginine, being an essential amino acid, has many basic biological roles in developing neonates. It mainly involves the production of nitric oxide (NO), a potent vasodilator, which is particularly important in the development of vasculature in almost every organ. In premature infants, poorly developed vasculature makes them more susceptible to injury, therefore increasing the risk of diseases such as NEC and the severity of diseases such as neonatal sepsis. By assessing the uses of L-arginine and its application towards treating conditions like NEC and neonatal sepsis, we aim to identify its potential benefits as a treatment and its potential applications in clinical practice by understanding its basic functions and role in the pathophysiology of NEC and neonatal sepsis.

Understanding Sociodemographic Factors and Reasons Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitance among Adults in Tanzania: A Mixed-Method Approach.

Although studies on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy are being undertaken widely worldwide, there is limited evidence in Tanzania. This study aims to assess the sociodemographic factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and the reasons given by unvaccinated study participants. We conducted a mixed-method cross-sectional study with two components-health facilities and communities-between March and September 2022. A structured questionnaire and in-depth interviews were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. A total of 1,508 individuals agreed to participate in the survey and explained why they had not vaccinated against COVID-19. Of these participants, 62% indicated they would accept the vaccine, whereas 38% expressed skepticism. In a multivariate regression analysis, adult study participants 40 years and older were significantly more likely to report not intending to be vaccinated (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.28; 95% CI, 1.01-1.61; P = 0.04) than youth and middle-aged study participants between 18 and 40 years. Furthermore, female study participants had a greater likelihood of not intending to be vaccinated (AOR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.19-1.90; P = 0.001) than male study participants. The study identified fear of safety and short-term side effects, and lack of trust of the COVID-19 vaccine; belief in spiritual or religious views; and belief in local remedies and other precautions or preventive measures as the major contributors to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Tanzania. Further empirical studies are needed to confirm these findings and to understand more fully the reasons for vaccine hesitancy in different demographic groups.

Superior antibody immunogenicity of a viral-vectored RH5 blood-stage malaria vaccine in Tanzanian infants as compared to adults.

BACKGROUND: RH5 is a leading blood-stage candidate antigen for a Plasmodium falciparum vaccine; however, its safety and immunogenicity in malaria-endemic populations are unknown. METHODS: A phase 1b, single-center, dose-escalation, age-de-escalation, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial was conducted in Bagamoyo, Tanzania (NCT03435874). Between 12th April and 25th October 2018, 63 healthy adults (18-35 years), young children (1-6 years), and infants (6-11 months) received a priming dose of viral-vectored ChAd63 RH5 or rabies control vaccine. Sixty participants were boosted with modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) RH5 or rabies control vaccine 8 weeks later and completed 6 months of follow-up post priming. Primary outcomes were the number of solicited and unsolicited adverse events post vaccination and the number of serious adverse events over the study period. Secondary outcomes included measures of the anti-RH5 immune response. FINDINGS: Vaccinations were well tolerated, with profiles comparable across groups. No serious adverse events were reported. Vaccination induced RH5-specific cellular and humoral responses. Higher anti-RH5 serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses were observed post boost in young children and infants compared to adults. Vaccine-induced antibodies showed growth inhibition activity (GIA) in vitro against P. falciparum blood-stage parasites; their highest levels were observed in infants. CONCLUSIONS: The ChAd63-MVA RH5 vaccine shows acceptable safety and reactogenicity and encouraging immunogenicity in children and infants residing in a malaria-endemic area. The levels of functional GIA observed in RH5-vaccinated infants are the highest reported to date following human vaccination. These data support onward clinical development of RH5-based blood-stage vaccines to protect against clinical malaria in young African infants. FUNDING: Medical Research Council, London, UK.

Intelligent Traffic Model for Unmanned Ground Vehicles Based on DSDV-AODV Protocol.

Traffic systems have been built as a result of recent technological advancements. In application, dependable communication technology is essential to link any system needs. VANET technology is used to communicate data about intelligent traffic lights, which are focused on infrastructure during traffic accidents and mechanisms to reduce traffic congestion. To ensure reliable data transfer in VANET, appropriate routing protocols must be used. This research aims to improve data transmission in VANETs implemented in intelligent traffic lights. This study investigates the capability of combining the DSDV routing protocol with the routing protocol AODV to boost AODV on an OMNET++ simulator utilizing the 802.11p wireless standard. According to the simulation results obtained by analyzing the delay parameters, network QoS, and throughput on each protocol, the DSDV-AODV routing protocol performs better in three scenarios compared to QoS, delay, and throughput parameters in every scenario that uses network topology adapted to the conditions on the road intersections. The topology with 50 fixed + 50 mobile nodes yields the best results, with 0.00062 s delay parameters, a network QoS of 640 bits/s, and a throughput of 629.437 bits/s. Aside from the poor results on the network QoS parameters, the addition of mobile nodes to the topology influences both the results of delay and throughput metrics.

Design and Synthesis of Pyridine and Thiazole Derivatives as Eco-friendly Insecticidal to Control Olive Pests.

Treatment of p-tosyloxybenzaldehyde (1) with ethyl cyanoacetate afforded ethyl 2-cyano-3-(4-{[(4-methylphenyl)sulfonyl]oxy}phenyl)acrylate (2) which reacted with some active methylene derivatives under microwave irradiation in presence of ammonium acetate yielded pyridine derivatives 3-7. On the other hand, when treatment of compound 1 with thiosemicarbazide gave 4-tosyloxybenzylidenethiosemicarbazone (8), which allowed to react with some active methylene compounds, such as: ethyl bromoacetate, chloroacetonitrile or phenacyl bromide derivatives gave thiazole derivatives 9-13. The structure of all products were confirmed by elemental and spectroscopic analyses such as IR, 1 H-NMR, 13 CNMR and mass spectra. The advanced of this method are short reaction time (3-7 min), excellent yield, pure products, and low-cost processing. In the final category, the toxicological characteristics of all compounds were tested towards Saissetia oleae (Olivier, 1791) (Hemiptera: Coccidae). With respect to the LC50 values. It has been found that compound 3 possesses the highest insecticidal bioefficacy compared with other products, with values of 0.502 and 1.009 ppm, for nymphs and adults female, respectively. This study paves the way towards discovering new materials for potential use as insecticidal active agents.

Green Synthesis of Novel Pyridines via One-Pot Multicomponent Reaction and Their Anti-Inflammatory Evaluation.

A functional and environmentally green procedure for the design of novel pyridine 5a-h and 7a-d derivatives through two pathways is presented. The first pathway is via a one-pot, four-component reaction of p-formylphenyl-4-toluenesulfonate (1), ethyl cyanoacetate (2), acetophenone derivatives 3a-h or acetyl derivatives 6a-d, and ammonium acetate (4) under microwave irradiation in ethanol. The advantages of this method are an excellent yield (82%-94%), pure products, a short reaction time (2-7 min), and low-cost processing. The second pathway was obtained by the traditional method with treatment of the same mixture under refluxing in ethanol, which afforded the same products, 5a-h and 7a-d, in less yield (71%-88%) and over a longer reaction time (6-9 h). The constructions of the novel compounds were articulated via spectral and elemental analysis. Overall, the compounds have been designed, synthesized, and studied for their in vitro anti-inflammatory activity using diclofenac as a reference drug (5 mg/kg). The most potent four compounds, 5a, 5f, 5g, and 5h, showed promising anti-inflammatory activity.

Physiological and developmental dysfunctions in the dengue vector Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) immature stages following treatment with zinc oxide nanoparticles.

The medical value of mosquitoes attracted researchers worldwide to search for a valuable way to control such serious insects. The continuous development of resistance against chemical insecticides pushed toward looking for novel and promising compounds against mosquitoes. In this study, the toxicity and physio-developmental effects of 10-30 nm spherical zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) in aqueous suspension was addressed against the first larval instar of Culex pipiens mosquito. The calculated value of LC50 was about 0.892 g/L while the sub lethal concentration LC20 recorded about 0.246 g/L. Larvae treated with ZnONPs suffered reduced growth rate, longer developmental period and malformations in the breathing tube. Furthermore, the treated larvae showed clear abnormal appearance of the gastric caeca and midgut epithelia under transmission electron microscope (TEM). These abnormalities appeared as condensation of the nuclear chromatin, abnormal shape or absence of microvilli, highly increased amount of smooth endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasm and appearance of numerous vacuoles. Additionally, ZnONPs interfered with several biochemical pathways such as induction of oxidative stress which appeared in the form of increased levels of hydrogen peroxide and inability to activate the detoxifying enzymes alkaline phosphatase (ALP), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPX). On the contrary, the activity of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) increased in treated larvae. Furthermore, LC20 and LC50 of ZnONPs inhibited the growth rate of the larval gut fauna in vitro. These results clearly show that ZnONPs target several tissues leading to serious alteration in the physiological and developmental processes in C. pipiens mosquito larvae.

Enhanced QoS Routing Protocol for an Unmanned Ground Vehicle, Based on the ACO Approach.

Improving models for managing the networks of firefighting unmanned ground vehicles in crowded areas, as a recommendation system (RS), represented a difficult challenge. This challenge comes from the peculiarities of these types of networks. These networks are distinguished by the network coverage area size, frequent network connection failures, and quick network structure changes. The research aims to improve the communication network of self-driving firefighting unmanned ground vehicles by determining the best routing track to the desired fire area. The suggested new model intends to improve the RS regarding the optimum tracking route for firefighting unmanned ground vehicles by employing the ant colony optimization technique. This optimization method represents one of the swarm theories utilized in vehicles ad-hoc networks and social networks. According to the results, the proposed model can enhance the navigation of self-driving firefighting unmanned ground vehicles towards the fire region, allowing firefighting unmanned ground vehicles to take the shortest routes possible, while avoiding closed roads and traffic accidents. This study aids in the control and management of ad-hoc vehicle networks, vehicles of everything, and the internet of things.

Design, Synthesis, and SAR Studies of Some Novel Chalcone Derivatives for Potential Insecticidal Bioefficacy Screening on Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Spodoptera frugiperda is a species of the order Lepidoptera. It is one of the species of fall armyworm moths distinguished by its larval life stage, is found in different regions of Africa, and can cause incredible damage. This is the first report produced by the preparation of an indexed combinatorial library of novel chalcone derivatives 3a-k via treatment of 4-formylphenyl4-methylbenzenesulfonate (1) with some acetyl compounds 2a-k in the presence of NaOH. The structures of the synthesized compounds were proven by different spectroscopic techniques such as infrared, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and elemental analyses. In this work, we studied their toxicity effect against S. frugiperda, followed by a structure-reaction relationship. Moreover, newly prepared chalcone derivatives were tested as insecticides using S. frugiperda. It has been found that most compounds have good to excellent potential effectiveness. Among all of the compounds, 3b, 3g, and 3j exhibited excellent effectiveness. Furthermore, compound 3c showed the most activity, with LC50 = 9.453 ppm of the second instar larva and LC50 = 66.930 of the fourth instar larva .

Pumice as a Novel Natural Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Designation of 3,4-Dihydropyrimidine-2-(1H)-ones/thiones under Solvent-Free Conditions.

In this study, pumice is used as a novel natural heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2-(1H)-ones/thiones via the one-pot multi-component condensation of aromatic aldehydes, urea/thiourea, and ethyl acetoacetate or acetylacetone in excellent yields (up to 98%). The physical and chemical properties of the catalyst were studied. Their geochemical analysis revealed a basaltic composition. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction showed that it is composed of amorphous materials with clinoptilolite and heulandites zeolite minerals in its pores. Moreover, pumice has a porosity range from 78.2-83.9% (by volume) and is characterized by a mesoporous structure (pore size range from 21.1 to 64.5 nm). Additionally, it has a pore volume between 0.00531 and 0.00781 m2/g and a surface area between 0.053 and 1.47 m2/g. The latter facilitated the reaction to proceed in a short time frame as well as in excellent yields. It is worth noting that our strategy tolerates the use of readily available, cheap, non-toxic, and thermally stable pumice catalyst. The reactions proceeded smoothly under solvent-free conditions, and products were isolated without tedious workup procedures in good yields and high purity. Indeed, pumice can be reused for at least five reuse cycles without affecting its activity.

Efficient and Recoverable Bio-Organic Catalyst Cysteine for Synthesis, Docking Study, and Antifungal Activity of New Bio-Active 3,4-Dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones/thiones Under Microwave Irradiation.

An eco-friendly green bio-organic catalyst and low-cost 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones/thione derivatives 4-7 have been synthesized using a high-yield, synthetic method via a one-pot, three-component process between 4-formylphenyl-4-methylbenzenesulfonate (1), thiourea, or urea and ethyl acetoacetate or acetylacetone under microwave irradiation in aqueous media of water and ethanol (3:1 ratio) as a green solvent in the presence of cysteine as a new green bio-organic catalyst. The reaction between compound 1, 4-(carbamothioylhydrazono) methyl]phenyl 4-methyl benzenesulfonate (3c), and ethyl acetoacetate or acetylacetone under the same condition afforded novel pyrimidines. Similarly, compound 1 was allowed to react with a mixture of 4-(carbamothioylhydrazono)methyl]phenyl 4-methyl benzenesulfonate (3c) and ethyl acetoacetate or acetylacetone under the same condition to afford pyrimidine derivatives 8 and 9. Excellent yields (90-98%) were obtained within short reaction times, and problems associated with the toxic solvents used (cost, safety, and pollution) were avoided. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by elemental and spectral analyses. All compounds were studied using molecular docking, and their antifungal activity was investigated.

MP-SeNPs; A Promising Cytokines Suppressor in Benzo[a]pyrene-Induced Mammal Tissue Injury in Rats.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> <i>Moringa peregrina</i> (family Moringaceae) is a common flowering plant found in the Arabian Peninsula, Horn of Africa and Southern Sinai, Egypt. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective activity of MP-SeNPs against BaP-induced mammal tissue injury in rats. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> MP-SeNPs were prepared and characterized in terms of particle size and zeta potential. Furthermore, the IC₅₀ of MP-SeNPs against the Mcf7 breast carcinoma cell line and LD₅₀ was evaluated. Adult albino rats weighing approximately 187±10 g was used to assess the lung protective activity of MP-SeNPs (28.7 and 71.75 mg kg¹ b.wt.) against BaP-induced mammal tissue injury in rats. <b>Results:</b> The mean particle size of MP-SeNPs was 134.69±8.24 nm with negative zeta potential of +26.04 with the observed shapes of nano particle was spherical. Also, IC₅₀ of MP-SeNPs against Mcf7 breast carcinoma cell line = 89.57 µg mL¹ and LD₅₀ equals and 1435 mg kg¹ b.wt., respectively. The daily oral administration of MP-SeNPs at concentrations of 28.7 and 71.75 mg kg¹ b.wt. for 30 days to rats treated with BaP (20 mg kg¹ b.wt.) resulted in a significant improvement of IL-2, IL-6 and IL-10. Oral administration of MP-SeNPs, on the other hand, increased the levels of SOD, GPx, TNF-α, iNOs and GSH as well as decreased the level of MDA in mammal tissue of BaP-treated rats. Furthermore, MP-SeNPs almost normalized these effects in mammal tissue histoarchitecture and MRI examination. <b>Conclusion:</b> The biochemical, histological and MRI findings incurrent study demonstrated that MP-SeNPs have protective activity against BaP-induced mammal tissue injury in rats.

Clinical observations and molecular detection of Type-A influenza virus in some of the family Equidae in eastern Saudi Arabia winter-2019.

OBJECTIVES: In the current study, we are investigating the viral causes of some respiratory clinical signs in some animals belongs to the family Equidae in eastern Saudi Arabia (ESA) during winter- 2019. We observed the progression of severe respiratory clinical signs among some horses, donkeys, and ponies in the ESA. Animals showed rapid respiration, fever, nasal discharges (started as serous then changed into mucopurulent with the progression of the infection per some animals). We conducted a longitudinal study to monitor the progression of this outbreak. We conducted molecular surveillance for the influenza virus Type-A using real-time PCR and regular RT-PCR. We also conducted a serosurveillance of the virus in sera of the tested animals using the commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The molecular detection of the Influenza virus type-A virus from nasal swabs of the affected animals using the real-time PCR results clearly showing that 35.1% of the tested horses, donkeys, and ponies were positives. Further confirmation was achieved by reporting the seroconversion of some of the affected animals. Several attempts were conducted to isolate the circulating influenza strains using the embryonated chicken eggs were unsuccessful. This was based on the absence of any amplicons in the harvested embryonated egg fluids using some oligonucleotides for the common influenza virus genes (HA, NA, M, and N). Meanwhile, ELISA results revealed the detection of the antibodies in sera of horses and donkeys 72.9%. Seroconversion was reported in many animals several weeks after the onset of the outbreak. Taken together all these pieces of evidence, we confirm an influenza virus type-A outbreak among the tested animals during winter 2019.