Application of next-generation sequencing to identify different pathogens.

Early and precise detection and identification of various pathogens are essential for epidemiological monitoring, disease management, and reducing the prevalence of clinical infectious diseases. Traditional pathogen detection techniques, which include mass spectrometry, biochemical tests, molecular testing, and culture-based methods, are limited in application and are time-consuming. Next generation sequencing (NGS) has emerged as an essential technology for identifying pathogens. NGS is a cutting-edge sequencing method with high throughput that can create massive volumes of sequences with a broad application prospects in the field of pathogen identification and diagnosis. In this review, we introduce NGS technology in detail, summarizes the application of NGS in that identification of different pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and analyze the challenges and outlook for using NGS to identify clinical pathogens. Thus, this work provides a theoretical basis for NGS studies and provides evidence to support the application of NGS in distinguishing various clinical pathogens.

Novel Neuroprotective Potential of Bunchosia armeniaca (Cav.) DC against Lipopolysaccharide Induced Alzheimer's Disease in Mice.

Bunchosia armeniaca (Cav.) DC (Malpighiaceae) is one of the well-known traditionally used remedies worldwide. This study aims to explore the leaves' metabolome via Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight-Liquid-Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and to investigate the neuroprotective effect of leaves using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced Alzheimer's disease model. Mice were administered LPS (0.25 mg/kg/day; intraperitoneal) as well as methanolic extract (BME), dichloromethane (BDMF), and butanol (BBF) fractions (each 200 mg/kg/day; oral) for one week. BME and BBF improved behavioral activity on the Y maze test, decreased brain content of inflammatory markers such as nuclear factor kappa B and interleukin 1 beta, and prevented the elevation of cytochrome P450 2E1, and glial fibrillary acidic protein compared to the LPS-administered group. Histopathological examination of several brain parts confirmed the neuroprotective effect of the tested extracts. In addition, BBF exhibited higher activity in all tested in vitro antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibition assays. Metabolic profiling offered tentative identification of 88 metabolites, including mainly flavonoids, phenolic acids, and coumarins. Several detected metabolites, such as quercetin, apigenin, baicalin, vitexin, and resveratrol, had previously known neuroprotective effects. The current study highlighted the possible novel potential of B. armeniaca in preventing memory impairment, possibly through its antioxidant effect and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, inflammatory and oxidative stress mediators.

Fluorescent Biosensors for the Detection of Viruses Using Graphene and Two-Dimensional Carbon Nanomaterials.

Two-dimensional carbon nanomaterials have been commonly employed in the field of biosensors to improve their sensitivity/limits of detection and shorten the analysis time. These nanomaterials act as efficient transducers because of their unique characteristics, such as high surface area and optical, electrical, and magnetic properties, which in turn have been exploited to create simple, quick, and low-cost biosensing platforms. In this review, graphene and two-dimensional carbon material-based fluorescent biosensors are covered between 2010 and 2021, for the detection of different human viruses. This review specifically focuses on the new developments in graphene and two-dimensional carbon nanomaterials for fluorescent biosensing based on the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism. The high-efficiency quenching capability of graphene via the FRET mechanism enhances the fluorescent-based biosensors. The review provides a comprehensive reference for the different types of carbon nanomaterials employed for the detection of viruses such as Rotavirus, Ebola virus, Influenza virus H3N2, HIV, Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Hepatitis B virus (HBV). This review covers the various multiplexing detection technologies as a new direction in the development of biosensing platforms for virus detection. At the end of the review, the different challenges in the use of fluorescent biosensors, as well as some insights into how to overcome them, are highlighted.

Oral and Topical Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Jatropha integerrima Leaves Extract in Relation to Its Metabolite Profile.

Jatropha integerrima Jacq., family: Euphorbiaceae, is used in India and subtropical Africa to treat different skin conditions. In this study we evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of J. integerrima leaves extract (JILE) using rat paw edema model. The extract was administered orally (200 and 400 mg/kg) or applied topically as creams at 2.5, 5, and 10% strength. Four hours post-treatment, maximum reduction of edema volume by 63.09% was observed after oral administration of JILE (400 mg/kg) as compared to indomethacin with 60.43%. The extract anti-inflammatory effect was accompanied by a decrease in NO, prostaglandin PGE2, TNF-α and PKC levels by 19, 29.35, 16.9, and 47.83%, respectively. Additionally, topical applications of JILE showed dose dependent reduction in paw edema and resulted in normalized levels of PGE2, TNF-α, and PKC when used as 10% cream. Signs of inflammations were reduced or absent from paw tissue of animals receiving JILE either orally or topically. Finally, liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of JILE resulted in the annotation of 133 metabolites including 24 diterpenoids, 19 flavonoids, 10 phenolic acid conjugates, 8 cyclic peptides, 6 phytosterols, 4 sesquiterpenes, and 4 coumarins. Several of the annotated metabolites have known anti-inflammatory activity including vitexin, isovitexin, fraxitin, scopeltin, stigmasterol, and many diterpenoidal derivatives.

Role of perioperative parathormone hormone level assay after total thyroidectomy as a predictor of transient and permanent hypocalcemia: Prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The researchers are trying to evaluate the measurement of: Intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and serum total calcium (sCa) levels for predicting hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy (TT). METHODS: The sample of this single center prospective study consists of (100) patients, where (77) females and (23) males with an age range between (28) and (65) (the mean level is, 48.17 ± 6.54). These selected patients underwent total thyroidectomy (TT) in the general surgery department, Benha university hospital from the period of June 2019 to February 2020. Levels of sCa and iPTH were measured aat several times preoperatively, 10 min, 48 h, 3, 6, 9 months, and 1 year after being after gone TT. RESULTS: Among the entire study sample, 23 patients (23%) developed transient hypoparathyroidism and hypocalcemia (˂8.5 mg/dl), none of them developed permanent hypoparathyroidism and hypocalcemia. The cut-off point of PTH has been 10 min after TT was at 23 pg/mL as it was the best compromise between sensitivity and specificity for predicting hypocalcaemia. It has been found that Patients who have a PTH greater than 23 pg/mL can be discharged safely after 24 h. Patients who have PTH of less than 23 pg/mL were observed for an additional 24 h, and the study found that timely treatment initiation is recommended. A PTH ˂ 10 pg/mL measured at 48 h after surgery had a sensitivity, specificity as well as an accuracy of 100%, for predicting hypocalcemia after TT. The accuracy of a single PTH concentration at 48 h was useful for predicting hypocalcemia [Area under receiver-operator characteristic curve (AUC) 1; confidence interval (CI), 95%, 0.85-0.94]. CONCLUSION: Patients with iPTH ˂ 10 pg/mL, and sCa levels ˂ 7.4 mg/dL are at higher risk of developing hypoparathyroidism and hypocalcemia after TT.

Evaluation of ultrasonic axillary dissection in preservation of intercostobrachial nerve and lymphatic sealing in breast cancer patients: Randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Electrocautery has been shown to be associated with excessive serous drainage which may lead to many complications in patients with breast cancer needing dissection of the axillary lymph nodes. The Harmonic Focus could outperform electrocautery in dissection of axillary lymph nodes, resulting in shortening of the operative times and minimize postoperative complications. This study aims to compare the mean axillary drain production and the axillary numbness frequency in axillary lymph node dissection (ANLD) during Modified Radical Mastectomy (MRM) and breast conservative surgery (BCS) between the use of harmonics scalpel and electrocautery. METHODS: This study includes 40 patients presented with early breast cancer (T1 and T2) underwent BCS or MRM in general surgery department, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University Hospital during the period from January 2017 to September 2019. The patients randomly assigned into 2 groups; group A: subjected to ANLD using Harmonic Focus tool and group B: subjected to ANLD using electrocautery. Operative time, total drainage volume, blood loss, duration of the drain and frequency of axillary numbness were recorded. RESULTS: This study shows that using Harmonic in axillary dissection considerably reduced operating time, total drainage volume, blood loss, days of hospital stays and reduced axillary numbness level in comparison to conventional electrocautery. CONCLUSION: Compared to the normal electrocautery, the harmonic focus dissection has major advantages in lowering postoperative drainage, blood loss intra-operative and lower incidence of axillary numbness in breast cancer axillary dissection, without affecting operating time.

[Determination of Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus pulmonarius and Paxillus involutus toxicity over Artemia salina]. / Determinación de la toxicidad de Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus pulmonarius y Paxillus involutus sobre Artemia salina.

We report the toxicity of ethanolic extracts in Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus pulmonarius and Paxillus involutus over that obtained in Artemia salina. P. involutus showed the highest toxicity (LC50 = 94.4 microg/ml), similar to that detected using potassium dichromate pattern. P. pulmonarius and P. ostreatus did not show toxicity over A. salina in concentrations lower than 1,000 microg/ml.

C-Phycocyanin inhibits cell proliferation and may induce apoptosis in human HepG2 cells.

C-Phycocyanin (C-Pc) is one of the major biliprotein pigments of unicellular cyanbacterium of Spirulina platenesis, it has nutritional, medicinal, and hepatoprotectant application. The growth and multiplication of human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2) under the effect of different concentrations of C-PC (0.8, 1.75, 3.5 and 7.0 microg/ml) against untreated cells as control for 24h were investigated. The results showed that the proliferating cells in presence of C-PC reached 70, 51, 44, and 39%, respectively. The results revealed that the greatest reduction in proliferation of cells was recorded at 7.0 microg/ml and LC50 at 1.75 microg/ml of C-PC. In parallel, to the previous results HCl-denatured MG-P revealed that in mass of cells there is a pattern of apoptosis because the expanded cytoplasmic area (bluish-green) reduced and appeared faintly red as C-PC concentration increased. Moreover, the cells lost all the nuclear entities then, become fragmented and having no nuclear remnants. The C-PC may be a new potential anti-cancer drug for therapy of human hepatoma cells.

Determinación de la toxicidad de Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus pulmonarius y Paxillus involutus sobre Artemia salina

Se presentan los resultados obtenidos en un estudio sobre la toxicidad de losextractos etanólicos de Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus pulmonarius y Paxillusinvolutus sobre Artemia salina. P. involutus presentó la mayor toxicidad(CL50 = 94,4 mg/ml), que fue similar a la observada con el patrón de dicromatode potasio. P. pulmonarius y P. ostreatus no presentaron toxicidad sobreA. salina en concentraciones inferiores a 1.000 mg/ml(AU)

We report the toxicity of ethanolic extracts in Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotuspulmonarius and Paxillus involutus over that obtained in Artemia salina.P. involutus showed the highest toxicity (LC50 = 94.4 mg/ml), similar to thatdetected using potassium dichromate pattern. P. pulmonarius and P. ostreatusdid not show toxicity over A. salina in concentrations lower than 1,000 mg/ml(AU)

Actividad antiinflamatoria de amirona y 4 7-dimetoxiapigenina aislados de Alnus acuminata / Anti-inflammatory activity of amyrone and Apigenin-4, 7- dimethylether isolated from Alnus acuminata

El presente trabajo determinó el efecto antiinflamatorio de -amirona (olean-13(18)-en-3-ona) y 4', 7-dimetoxiapigenina (5-hidroxi-4,7-dimetoxiflavona), aislados de Alnus acuminata (Betulaceae), por el método del edema plantar en ratas hembra, en dosis de 30, 60 y 100 mg/kg y de 30, 60 y 80 mg/kg respectivamente. Ambas sustancias mostraron una actividad antiinflamatoria significativa. El efecto más alto de -amirona se presentó a la primera hora en las tres dosis ensayadas comparable con el efecto antiinflamatorio obtenido a las tres horas con el patrón indometacina en la dosis de 5 mg/kg, mientras que el mejor efecto de 4,7-dimetoxi-apigenina se observó a la tercera hora, en las tres dosis ensayadas, siendo de un nivel comparable en las dosis de 60 y 80 mg/kg al presentado por el patrón indometacina en la dosis de 5 mg/kg

Contribución al estudio farmacognóstico de algunas especies de coca cultivadas en Colombia / Contribution to the pharmacognostic study of some species of coca grown in Colombia

En el presente trabajo se realizó un estudio macroscópico y microscópico de las hojas de cinco taxa del género Erythroxylum, que permite una identificación adecuada de las mismas