Heat stress is a serious threat to tomato production. The ultrastructure and element mapping of tomato chloroplast were investigated under different nitrogen levels to explore the regulatory effect of nitrogen on tomato chloroplast under heat stress. Experiments design two temperature treatments (25°C/15°C, as control, 40°C/30°C, as severe high-temperature, SHT ) and four nitrogen levels (0.0 kg hm-2, N1; 187.5 kg hm-2, N2; 250 kg hm-2, N3, as recommended nitrogen-application; 312.5kg hm-2 , N4) for a duration of 5 days in artificial climate chamber. The results showed that heat stress led to obvious damage to the ultrastructure of tomato chloroplast, including thylakoid stacking disorder, granum destruction, and starch grain aggregation and degradation. With the increase of nitrogen level, the ratio of long and short axes of tomato chloroplasts increased, the differentiation of chloroplasts was strengthened, the number of plastoglobuli was increased and aggregated, and the degree of damage to the ultrastructure of chloroplasts was reduced. The regulatory effect of nitrogen on the ultrastructure of tomato chloroplasts under heat stress was mainly reflected in the phosphorylation degradation process of starch granules in chloroplasts. There are obvious segmentation lines of Ca, P and Cl on both sides of the inner and outer chloroplasts, and enriched in the chloroplasts, which can outline the boundary of the chloroplasts. Element mapping analysis revealed that heat stress significantly increased the contents of calcium, phosphorus and chlorine in the chloroplast of tomato leaves, while the contents of potassium was decreased. The application of nitrogen fertilizer could significantly regulate the element distribution of tomato chloroplast under heat stress, especially the regulation of phosphorus, chlorine, calcium, magnesium. These results provide new insight into the role of nitrogen using TEM-EDX mapping in the protection of tomato chloroplast under heat stress and the mechanism of heat stress tolerance in plants.

The success of Toxoplasma gondii (intracellular parasite) host cell invasion relies on the apical complex, a specialized microtubule cytoskeleton structure associated with secretory organelles. The genome encodes three isoforms of both α- and β-tubulin which are altered by specific post-translational modifications (PTMs), changing the biochemical/biophysical proprieties of microtubules, and modulating their interaction with associated proteins. Tubulin PTMs are a powerful and evolutionarily conserved mechanism to generate tubulin diversity, forming a biochemical ‘tubulin code’ that can be ‘read’ by microtubule-interacting factors. The T. gondii tubulin PTMs are: α-tubulin acetylation, α-tubulin detyrosination, Δ5α-tubulin, Δ2α-tubulin, α- and β-tubulin polyglutamylation, and α- and α-tubulin methylation. Tubulin glutamylation is a key candidate to assist microtubule remodeling in Toxoplasma, being involved in the regulation of microtubule stability, dynamics, interaction with motor proteins, and severing enzymes. The correct balance of tubulin glutamylation is achieved by the coordinated action of polyglutamylases and deglutamylating enzymes. In this work we will review and discuss the current knowledge on T. gondii tubulin glutamylation. By in silico identification of mammalian protein orthologs we explored and updated the identification of putative proteins related to glutamylation, contributing to a better understanding of the role of tubulin glutamylation in T. gondii.

Geijera Schott is a plant genus of the Rutaceae Juss. (rue and citrus) family, comprising six species which are all native to Oceania. Of the plants belonging to this genus, the most significant species that has a customary use is Geijera parviflora, which was used by Indigenous Australians, primarily as a pain reliever. Herein, a comprehensive review of the literature published on the genus Geijera from 1930-2023 was conducted. This is the first review for this plant genus and it highlights the chemical constituents reported to date, together with the range of pharmacological properties described from the various species and different parts of the plant. These properties include anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-parasitic, insect repellent, analgesic, neuroactive, and anti-cancer activities. Finally, a reflection on some of the important areas for future focused studies of this plant genus is provided.

Mulberry (Morus alba L), a significant fruit tree crop, requires magnesium (Mg) for its optimal growth and productivity. Nonetheless, our understanding of the molecular basis underlying magnesium stress tolerance in mulberry plants remains unexplored. In our previous study, we identified several differential candidate genes associated with Mg homeostasis via transcriptome analysis including xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) gene family. The XTH gene family is crucial for plant cell wall reconstruction and stress responses. These genes have been identified and thoroughly investigated in various plant species. However, there is no research pertaining to XTH genes within the M. alba plant. This research systematically examined the M. alba XTH (MaXTH) gene family at the genomic level using a bioinformatic approach. In total, 22 MaXTH genes were discovered and contained the Glyco_hydro_16 and XET_C conserved domains. The MaXTH’s were categorized into five distinct groups by their phylogenetic relationships. The gene structure possesses four exons and three introns. Furthermore, the MaXTH gene promoter analysis reveals a plethora of cis-regulatory elements; mainly stress responsiveness, growth and development, light responsiveness, and phytohormone responsiveness. GO analysis indicated that MaXTHs encode proteins that exhibit xyloglucan xyloglucosyl transferase and hydrolase activities in addition cell wall biogenesis as well as xyloglucan and carbohydrate metabolic processes. Moreover, a synteny analysis unveiled an evolutionary relationship between the XTH genes in M. alba and those in three other species: A. thaliana, P. trichocarpa, and Zea mays. Expression profiles from RNA-Seq data displayed distinct expression patterns of XTH genes in M. alba leaf tissue during Mg treatments. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis confirmed the expression of the MaXTH genes in Mg stress response. Overall, this research enhances our understanding of the characteristics of MaXTH gene family members and lays the foundation for future functional genomic study in M. alba.

Aedes aegypti is the main vector of various arboviruses including dengue, yellow fever, Zika and chikungunya virus. This mosquito species originated in Africa but has a wide range of distribution, colonising various ecological zones. The transmission dynamics of arboviruses depends on environmental factors, but also on mosquito life history traits including development time, fecundity, and longevity. The objective of the current study was to assess the Aedes aegypti immature development time, adult longevity, fecundity and body variation from different sampling localities. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were collected as eggs from different geographical zones and cohorts of mosquitoes were reared in standardized laboratory conditions to assess the life history traits parameters. Emerged adults were discriminated into morphotypes according to the density of white scales on the first abdominal tergite. The means of fecundity, longevity, development time and body size were assessed, and linear models were fitted to the traits parameters to assess the effects of other covariables. Average Aedes aegypti development time was estimated to 7.35 days; 7.40 days; 6.98 days and 7.40 days respectively for Dori, 1200 logements, Bobo-Dioulasso and Toudweogo. The fecundity did not vary across study sites and was not associated with the body size. The longevity varied according to the study sites with the mosquitoes from Bobo-Dioulasso having the longest longevity while the shortest longevity was found at Dori. Fed mosquitoes had longer longevity compared to unfed ones. Morphological identification showed that Aedes aegypti aegypti-like mosquitoes were more predominant than Aedes aegypti formosus-like mosquitoes in all the study sites, suggesting the predominance of Aedes aegypti in the urban environment. Our data suggest that the geographical origin of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Burkina Faso has a little effect on its life history traits.

Stem cells can be used to treat diabetic mellitus and complications. ω3-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) derived lipid mediators are inflammation-resolving and protective. This study found novel DHA-derived 7S,14R-dihydroxy-4Z,8E,10Z,12E,16Z,19Z-docosahexaenoic acid (7S,14R-diHDHA), a maresin-1 stereoisomer biosynthesized by leukocytes and related enzymes. Moreover, 7S,14R-diHDHA can enhance mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) functions in the amelioration of diabetic mellitus and retinal pericyte loss in diabetic db/db mice. MSCs treated with 7S,14R-diHDHA were delivered into db/db mice i.v. every 5 days for 35 days. Blood glucose levels in diabetic mice were lowered by 7S,14R-diHDHA-treated MSCs compared to control and untreated MSC groups, accompanied by improved glucose tolerance and higher blood insulin levels. 7S,14R-diHDHA-treated MSCs increased insulin+ β-cell ratio and decreased glucogan+ α-cell ratio in islets, as well as reduced macrophages in pancreas. 7S,14R-diHDHA induced MSC functions in promoting MIN6 β-cell viability and insulin secretion. 7S,14R-diHDHA induced MSC paracrine functions by increasing the generation of hepatocyte growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor. Furthermore, 7S,14R-diHDHA enhanced MSC functions to ameliorate diabetes-caused pericyte loss in diabetic retinopathy by increasing their density in retina in db/db mice. Our findings provide a novel strategy for improving therapy for diabetes and diabetic retinopathy using 7S,14R-diHDHA-primed MSCs.

This study fabricated piezoelectric fibers of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with graphene using near-field electrospinning (NFES) technology. A uniform experimental design table U*7 (7^4 ) was applied, considering weight percentage (1-13 wt%), distance between needle and disk collector (2.1-3.9 mm), and applied voltage (14.5-17.5 kV). We optimized the parameters using electrical property measurements and the Kriging response surface method. Adding 13 wt% graphene significantly improved electrical conductivity, increasing from 17.7 μS/cm for pure PVDF to 187.5 μS/cm. The fiber diameter decreased from 21.4 μm in PVDF/1% graphene to 9.1 μm in PVDF/13% graphene. Adding 5 wt% graphene increased the β-phase content by 6.9%, reaching 65.4% compared to pure PVDF fibers. Material characteristics were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), contact angle measurements, and tensile testing. Optimal parameters included 3.47 wt% graphene, yielding 15.82 mV voltage at 5 Hz and 5 N force (2.04 times pure PVDF). Force testing showed a sensitivity (S) of 7.67493 log(mV/N). Fibers were attached to electrodes for piezoelectric sensor applications. Results affirmed enhanced electrical conductivity, piezoelectric performance, and mechanical strength. The optimized piezoelectric sensor could be applied to measure physiological signals, such as attaching it to the throat under different conditions to measure the output voltage. The force-to-voltage conversion facilitated subsequent analysis.

This study explores the potential of natural compounds, including Daidzin, Luteolin, and Silibinin, as inhibitors of human monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Docking simulations were performed using Autodock Vina with Pyrx program to evaluate the binding affinities of these compounds with MAO-B. Results indicate that Daidzin, Luteolin, and Silibinin exhibit promising binding affinities with MAO-B, with Daidzin demonstrating the highest affinity. Toxicity parameters were further predicted using the PkCSM Server, confirming the low toxicity of these compounds. Overall, the findings suggest that Daidzin, Luteolin, and Silibinin have the potential to be effective and safe treatments for Parkinson's disease through their inhibition of MAO-B. Further experimental validation is warranted to support their therapeutic efficacy in clinical settings.

: (1) Background: Hepatitis B core antibodies (anti-HBc) are a marker of hepatitis B virus (HBV) exposure; hence a normal HBV serology profile is characterized by HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HBc positivity. However atypical HBV serologies occur and we aimed to determine the prevalence of an atypical profile (HBsAg+/anti-HBc-) in a cohort of people with HIV-1 (PWH) in Botswana. (2) Methods: Plasma samples from an HIV-1 cohort in Botswana (2013-2018) were used. Samples were screened for HBsAg and anti-HBc. Next generation sequencing was done using the GridION platform. Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Chi-squared tests were used for comparison of continuous and categorical variables respectively. (3) Results: HBsAg+/anti-HBc- prevalence was 13.7% (95% CI 10.1 – 18.4) (36/263). HBsAg+/anti-HBc- participants were significantly younger (p<0.001), female (p=0.02), ART naïve (p=0.04) and had detectable HIV viral load (p=0.02). There were no mutational differences in sequences isolated from participants with HBsAg+/anti-HBc- versus those with HBsAg+/anti-HBc+ serology. (4) Conclusions: We report a high HBsAg+/anti-HBc– atypical serology profile prevalence among PWH in Botswana. We caution against HBV testing algorithms that consider only anti-HBc+ samples for HBsAg testing as they are likely to underestimate HBV prevalence. Studies to elucidate the mechanisms and implications of this profile are warranted.

This article examines the biological characteristics and potential medicinal uses of the endemic plant species Scorzonera uzbekistanica, found only in Uzbekistan. The plant contains significant amounts of bio active compounds such as inulin, flavonoid, and oxyacetylene in its roots. These compounds are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and prediction properties. Traditionally used to alleviate digestive issues, this plant's potential in modern medicine should be further supported by scientific research. The study calls upon the scientific community to explore the potential applications of this endemic plant.

ATP is an essential molecule in many biocatalytic processes. The industrial implementation of these processes is hampered by the fact that they require stoichiometric quantities of this expen-sive co-factor. To avoid this problem, recycling systems are needed. This study characterizes a putative polyphosphate kinase enzyme from Burkholderia cenocepacia that can regenerate ATP from AMP. Sequence analysis shows that BcPPK2-III exhibits the characteristic structural motifs of known PPK2 enzymes, including conserved motifs Walker A and B, and the subclass-specific res-idue E137. Molecular docking simulations showed ADP had the highest binding affinity (-7.340 kcal/mol), followed by AMP (-7.284 kcal/mol), with ATP having the lowest affinity (-6.464 kcal/mol). The enzyme was overexpressed in E. coli. Protein expression and purification were monitored by SDS-PAGE and quantified by densitometric analysis. Enzymatic activity assays re-vealed that BcPPK2-III converts 70% ATP with a TTN of 334,000 after 24 hours and remains sta-ble over a pH range of 6-9 and temperatures up to 70°C. BcPPK2-III shows significant potential for industrial ATP regeneration and offers high conversion rates and stability. The enzyme's high conversion rate and stability make BcPPK2-III a promising candidate for the improvement of bio-catalytic processes that rely on ATP at industrial level.

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is an underutilized lignocellulosic biomass that has several benefits such as high availability, renewability, and biomass yield. The grass press-juice obtained from the mechanical pretreatment can be used for the bio-based production of chemicals. Lactic acid is a platform chemical that has attracted consideration due to the broad area of applications. For this reason, a more sustainable production of lactic acid is expected to increase. In this work, lactic acid was produced using complex medium at bench- and reactor scale, and the results were compared to those obtained using an optimized press-juice medium. Bench-scale fermentations were carried out in a pH-control system and lactic acid production reached about 22 g/L in com-plex medium, and 26.61 ± 1.2 g/L in press-juice medium. In bioreactor, the production yield was 0.91 ± 0.07 g/g, corresponding to 1.4-fold increase respect to the complex medium with fructose. As comparison to the traditional ensiling process, whole grass fractions of different varieties har-vested in summer and autumn was performed. Ensiling showed variations in lactic acid yields, with a yield up to 15.2% dry mass for the late-harvested samples, surpassing typical silage yields of 6-10% dry mass.

A novel Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic and mixotrophic bacterium, designated as strain LZ166T, was isolated from the bathyplagic seawater in the western Pacific Ocean. Cells were short rod-shaped, oxidase- and catalase- positive, and motile by means of lateral flagella. Growth of strain LZ166T was observed at 10-45 ℃ (optimum, 34-37 ℃), at pH 5-10 (optimum, 6-8) and in the presence of 0-5% NaCl (optimum, 1-3%). Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene showed that strain LZ166T shared the highest similarity (98.58%) with Aquibium oceanicum B7T, and formed a distinct branch within the Aquibium genus. Genomic characterization, including average nucleotide identity (ANI, 90.73-76.79%), average amino identity (AAI, 88.50-79.03%) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH, 36.1-22.2%) values between LZ166T and other species within the Aquibium genus, further substantiated its novelty. The genome of strain LZ166T was 6,119,659 bp in size with a 64.7 mol% DNA G+C content. The predominant fatty acid was summed feature 8 (C18:1ω7c and/or C18:1ω6c). The major polar lipids identified were Diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), glycolipid (GL) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG), with ubiquinone-10 (Q-10) as the predominant respiratory quinone. Genomic annotation indicated the presence of genes for a diverse metabolic profile, including pathways for carbon fixation via the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle and inorganic sulfur oxidation. Based on polyphasic taxonomic results, strain LZ166T represented a novel species of the genus Aquibium, for which the name Aquibium pacificus sp. nov., is proposed, with the type strain LZ166T (= MCCC M28807T = KACC 23148T = KCTC 82889T).

Coal fly ash (CFA) generated from coal-fired power plants (C-FPPs) is continuing to be an environmental health concern due to its potential to contaminate groundwater, surface water, air, and soil, leading to the degradation of land. This study investigated the effectiveness of Helichrysum splendidum Less. for phytoremediation of CFA-polluted sites by conducting pot trials experiments in 14 weeks. Plants of the same age were transplanted into CFA collected from Hendrina Power station to assess their potential in assimilating metallic pollutants (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) into their tissues and untreated plants were used as controls. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry was used to quantify the amount of trace elements in samples and the translocation factor (TF) and bioconcentration factor (BCF) were determined to evaluate the phytoremediation potential of Helichrysum splendidum. The results revealed that higher concentrations of As, Ni and Zn were accumulated in the aerial parts as indicated by the TF values greater than 1. In contrast, higher amounts of Cu, As and Zn were found in the roots for CFA grown plants, as demonstrated by their BCF values 1.22, 1.19 and 1.03, respectively. Although CFA medium had restricted growth of some plants as compared to the controls, the results showed an interesting removal efficiency ranging between 18.0 to 56.7% with highest reported for Cu and Zn. Gas exchange analysis revealed that photosynthetic parameters were almost similar in the CFA and control soil pots. The study can confirm that Helichrysum splendidum has phytoextraction and phytostabilization potentials and can be effectively employed for restoration of CFA dams.

We conducted a study exploring the potential of the medicinal plant Ziziphus spina-christi as a source of antimicrobial compounds. With the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, we were particularly interested in evaluating plant-derived natural products for their ability to fight infections. We collected Z. spina-christi leaves from four different regions in Sudan and extracted them with ethanol. Our phytochemical screening revealed the presence of several secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, triterpenes, sterols, tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, and reducing sugars. Alkaloids and anthraquinones were not detected. We then tested the ethanolic extracts for antimicrobial activity against a range of bacterial and fungal pathogens using the agar well diffusion method. Interestingly, we observed significant differences between the extracts from different locations. The extract from Khartoum city exhibited the highest antimicrobial potency, followed by the extracts from Al-Rahad, Al-Hidiba, and finally Al Damazin. Based on these findings, we concluded that Z. spina-christi leaves contain a diverse array of phytochemicals with potential medicinal applications. The variation in antimicrobial effects between the extracts may be attributed to environmental factors influencing the plant's chemical composition. Further research is warranted to identify the specific bioactive compounds responsible for the observed antimicrobial activities. This could pave the way for the development of plant-based antimicrobial agents to combat drug-resistant pathogens and alleviate the global public health crisis posed by the rise of antibiotic resistance.

Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci account for about 80% of infections associated with medical devices and are associated with increased virulence due to their ability to form biofilm. In this study, we aimed to construct a comprehensive reference map followed by significant pathway analysis in the proteome of S. aureus biofilm grown for 3-days as compared with 24 h planktonic using a high-resolution TMT based MS. We identified proteins associated with secondary metabolites, ABC transporters, biosynthesis of amino acids, response to stress, and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism were significantly upregulated in the 3-day biofilm. In contrast, proteins associated with virulence factors, microbial metabolism in diverse environments, translation, and energy metabolism were significantly downregulated. GO functional annotation indicated that more proteins are involved in metabolic processes, catalytic activity, and binding in biofilm, respectively. Among the significantly dysregulated proteins, hyaluronidase (hysA) in conjunction with chitinase may play a significant role in the elimination and/or prevention of biofilm development. This study advances the current S. aureus subproteomes, identified potential pathways significant to biofilm biology and helped to understand their potential role in S. aureus which may shed light on developing new therapeutic regimes including antibiofilm agents in the treatment of biofilm-infections related with implantable medical devices.

Salmonella Typhimurium is a typical Gram-Negative bacterium associated with food-borne illness threatening public health. This pathogen is reported to have caused millions of infections and thousands of hospitalizations yearly in the United States alone. Salmonella Typhimurium has a sophisticated array of virulent factors, including its flagella, which contributes significantly to its pathogenicity. Cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant, has attracted the interest of many researchers recently because of its antimicrobial properties. With the growing interest in exploring CBD’s antimicrobial properties, we, in this study, have delved into unravelling how prolonged exposure of Salmonella Typhimurium to CBD influences the expression of the flgA gene. We hypothesized that the exposure of Salmonella Typhimurium to CBD may result in flgA upregulation, causing the bacteria to withstand various stresses and potentially enhance its survival rates and pathogenicity. We have employed several assays, such as mRNA expression, motility assays, pH induction assays, nutrient starvation interventions, and biofilm analysis, to explore the influence of CBD on the pathophysiology of Salmonella Typhimurium. Our findings reveal that CBD-resistant strains exhibit enhanced resilience to extreme pH levels and motility and survive poorly under nutrient starvation, with more robust biofilm formation compared to the susceptible strains. The results contribute to the broader comprehension of CBD resistance mechanisms in bacteria. This work provides insight into the potential therapeutic interventions for controlling CBD-resistant bacterial infections. This study also underscores the essence of exploring novel alternative antimicrobial agents to tackle the ever-persistence of bacterial antibiotic resistance.

The growing demand for phycobiliproteins from microalgae generates a significant volume of by-products, such as extraction cakes. These cakes are enriched with products of interest for the cosmetic market, namely free fatty acids, particularly polyunsaturated (PUFA). In this work, two cakes, one of spirulina and one of Porphyridium cruentum, were valorized using innovative natural hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (NaDES) based on alkanediols. The most promising NaDES, as determined by physicochemical properties and screening, are mixtures of alkanediol and fatty acid. These include the mixture of 1,3-propanediol and octanoic acid (1:5, mol/mol) and 1,3-propanediol and octanoic and decanoic acid (1:3:1, mol/mol). Two extractive processes were implemented: ul-trasound-assisted extraction and an innovative mechanical process by dual asymmetric centrifu-gation. The second process resulted in the production of extracts significantly enriched in PUFA, ranging from 65 to 220 mg/g dry matter with the two cakes. The extracts and NaDES demonstrated good safety with respect to epidermal keratinocyte viability. The study of their impact on com-mensal and pathogenic cutaneous bacteria demonstrated significant effects on viability of Staphy-lococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis while preserving Corynebacterium xerosis and Cuti-bacterium acnes. These results highlight the potential of valorizing these co-products using al-kanediol-based NaDES, in a strategy combining an active vector (NaDES) and a growth regulator extract, for the management of cutaneous dysbiosis involving staphylococci.

Heavy metals are dangerous contaminants constituting a threat to human health because they persist in soils and are easily transferred into the food chain, causing damages to human health. Among heavy metals, nickel appears to be one of the most dangerous responsible for different disorders. Public health protection requires nickel detection in environment and food chains; a simple, rapid and sensitive method to detect nickel contamination is represented by biosensors. In this paper we report the setup of a whole-cell based system, in which protoplasts, obtained from Nicotiana tabacum leaves, were used as transducers to detect the presence of heavy metal ions and, in particular, nickel ions. Protoplasts were genetically modified with a plasmid containing the GFP reporter gene under the promoter region of a sunflower small HSP gene control. By this device the presence of heavy metal ions was detected. Thus, the possibility to use this whole-cell system as a novel tool to detect the presence of nickel ions in food matrices was assessed.

Soil management in orchards can have several economic and environmental implications. In this study, three different soil management systems were compared in a dry-farmed olive grove: conventional tillage (Tillage), glyphosate-based herbicide (Herbicide) and Sheep Walking. The experiment lasted eleven years (2011-2022) and was carried out after a previous trial conducted on the same plot with the same treatments and duration (2001-2011). However, in the earlier trial, the Herbicide and Sheep Walking treatments switched positions in the plot, while the tillage treatment remained in its original place. The average total accumulated olive yields between 2011 and 2022 were 225.1, 230.9, and 245.0 kg tree–1 for the Sheep Walking, Tillage, and Herbicide treatments, respectively. However, no significant differences were observed between the treatments. The levels of total organic carbon in the soil, measured in samples collected in the last year of the study, were 41.3, 33.7, and 37.3 g kg–1, respectively for the same treatments. These findings indicated that the Tillage treatment exhibited lower soil organic matter content and reduced bioavailability of some nutrients, which raises concerns about its sustainability. On the contrary, employing Sheep Walking with an appropriate stocking rate, effectively controlling vegetation in the spring, ensured favourable soil properties and olive yields comparable to the other treatments. Moreover, the Sheep Walking approach provides supplementary advantages to the farmer, including revenue from the sale of animal products and the opportunity to transition to organic farming systems, which better align with the preferences of contemporary societies.

This study investigates the efficiency of BEAM (Biologically Enhanced Agriculture Management) inoculant, derived from compost produced under Dr. David Johnson-Su's composting technique, in promoting plant growth. A winter mix of pasture comprising Oats, Tetila, unhulled Couch, and Haifa was used as the test crop. Seeds were soaked in BEAM inoculant, water (control), and a competitor product 'Companion.' Results revealed significant enhancements in germination rates, foliage growth, and root development in the BEAM-treated group compared to controls. Further research aims to identify the microbial components of BEAM and explore its potential as a suppressant for fusarium species in orchards.

Lyme disease is a highly prevalent tick-borne infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes in North America and Eurasia. Diagnosis of the early disease remains difficult with the currently approved serological tests in the absence of noticeable tick bite or erythema migrans due to presentation of non-specific symptoms and the absence of antibodies early in infection. Furthermore, it is difficult to distinguish persistence of disease and reinfection in the endemic regions. If not treated early, infection spreads throughout the body and affects most organs with disease manifestations including arthritis, musculoskeletal pain, neuroborreliosis and acrodermatitis chronicum atrophicans. Although most patients recover after antibiotic treatment, ~10-12% of show recurrence of symptoms known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). Various causes of PTLDS are not well-defined; however, the spirochete persisters, antigenic debris, dysregulation of immunological response in individuals or a combination of these factors are proposed to result in continuation of Lyme disease manifestations. Based on these considerations, this review highlights currently employed treatment approaches with antimicrobials and vaccines being tried for prevention of B. burgdorferi infection. We also summarize combinatorial approaches that could be employed to alleviate symptoms to improve the quality of life of the individuals suffering from long Lyme disease.

Marshes are an important ecosystem, acting as biodiversity hotspot, a carbon sink as well as a bioremediation site, breaking down anthropogenic waste such as antibiotics, metals and fertilizers. For participating in these metabolic activities and their capability to contribute to primary productivity, microorganisms in such habitats have become of interest to investigate. Since Proteobacteria were previously found to be abundant, and the waters are well-aerated and organic-rich, this study on the presence of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria, purple non-sulfur bacteria or aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs in marshes was initiated. Samples were collected at 7 Manitoban sites and anoxygenic phototrophs were cultivated and preliminary enumerated. A group of 14 strains, which represented the phylogenetic diversity of the isolates was further physiologically investigated. Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs and purple bacteria were present at each location and they belonged to the α- and β-Proteobacteria subphyla. Some were closely related to known heavy metal reducers (Brevundimonas) and xenobiotic decomposers (Novosphingobium, Sphingomonas). All were able to synthesize the photosynthetic complexes aerobically. This research highlights the diversity and potential contribution’s anoxygenic phototrophs make to the essential functions taking place in wetlands.

Our study investigated the innate immune response to Toxoplasma gondii infection by assessing microglial phenotypic changes and sickness behavior as inflammatory response markers post-ocular tachyzoite instillation. Disease progression in Swiss albino mice was compared with documented outcomes in BALB/c mice using identical ocular route and parasite burden (2x105 tachyzoites), with saline as control. Contrary to expectations, Swiss albino mice displayed rapid, lethal disease progression, marked by pronounced sickness behaviors and mortality within 11-12 days post-infection, while survivors showed no apparent signs of infection. Comparative analysis revealed T. gondii-infected BALB/c mice exhibited reduced avoidance of feline odors, while in-fected Swiss albino mice showed enhanced avoidance responses. There was a significant increase in microglial cells in the dentate gyrus molecular layer of infected Swiss albino mice compared to BALB/c mice and their respective controls. Hierarchical cluster and discriminant analyses iden-tified three microglial morphological clusters, differentially affected by T. gondii infection across strains. BALB/c mice exhibited increased microglial branching and complexity, while Swiss al-bino mice showed reduced shrunk microglial arbors, diminishing morphological complexity. These findings highlight strain-specific differences in disease progression and inflammatory reg-ulation, indicating lineage-specific mechanisms in inflammatory responses, tolerance, and re-sistance. These elements are critical in devising control measures for toxoplasmosis.

The present study aimed to determine the genetic diversity of isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) from presumed drug resistant tuberculosis patients from several states of Brazil. The isolates had been submitted to conventional drug susceptibility testing for first- and second-line drugs. Multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) (54.8%) was the most frequent phenotypic resistance profile, in addition to an important high frequency of pre-extensively resistant (p-XDR-TB) (9.2%). Using whole-genome sequencing (WGS), we characterized 298 Mtb isolates from Brazil. Besides analysis of genotype distribution and possible correlations between molecular and clinical data, we determined the performance of an in-house WGS pipeline with other online pipelines for Mtb lineages and drug resistance profile definition. Sub-lineage 4.3 (52%) was the most frequent genotype and the genomic approach revealed a p-XDR-TB level of 22.5%. We detected 20 novel mutations in three resistance genes, and six of these were observed in eight phenotypically resistant isolates. Cluster analysis of 170 isolates showed that 43.5% of the TB patients belonged to 24 genomic clusters, suggesting considerable ongoing transmission of DR-TB, including two interstate transmissions. The in-house WGS pipeline showed the best overall performance in drug-resistance prediction, presenting the best accuracy values to five of nine drugs tested. Significant associations were observed between suffering from fatal disease and genotypic p-XDR-TB (p = 0.03) and either phenotypic (p = 0.006) and genotypic (p = 0.0007) ethambutol resistance. The use of WGS analysis improved our understanding of the population structure of MTBC in Brazil, genetic and clinical data correlations and demonstrating its utility for surveillance efforts for spread of DR-TB, hopefully helping to avoid the emergence of even more resistant strains and to reduce TB incidence and mortality rates.

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is the bioprocess where microorganisms are cultivated in the absence of free water under control conditions. Lactic acid can be produced by fermenting grape stalks with Rhizopus oryzae in SSF. During the microorganism growth, the temperature and water content of the solid bed fluctuate, leading to areas of either dry or excessive moisture in the solid substrate. Therefore, it's crucial to control the supply of water to the matrix. In this work, we obtain lactic acid through SSF of grape stalks using Rhizopus oryzae NCIM 1299. The SSF was conducted at a fixed temperature of 35 °C, with three constant relative humidity levels: 50, 65, and 80 %RH. Mathematical models, including the Logistic and First Order Plus Dead Time models for fungal biomass growth and the Luedeking and Piret with Delay Time model for lactic acid production, were adjusted to kinetic curves. Growth kinetic parameters (Xmax, μmax, Tp, T0, Yp/x and td) were determined for all conditions. These kinetic parameters were then correlated with relative humidity using a second-degree polynomial relationship. We observed a decrease in Xmax with increasing %RH, while the value of Yp/x increased at higher %RH. Finally, the optimal variable relative humidity profile was obtained by applying the Dynamic Optimization Technique, resulting in a 15.30% increase in lactic acid production.

Lignocellulosic biomass has garnered attention as an abundant and sustainable alternative energy source that can facilitate reliable and environmentally friendly energy generation. Energy security improves, and environmental impacts diminish when bioethanol, a biofuel produced via lignocellulose-based processes, is utilized. The lignocellulosic biomass of Thysanolaena latifolia has considerable potential as a bioethanol feedstock due to its high carbohydrate content (62.4 ± 0.7%). In this study, feedstock derived from T. latifolia was pretreated with various concentrations of H3PO4 to determine the ideal conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis to convert the feedstock to fermentable sugar. The findings revealed that hydrolysis efficiency and glucose recovery yields were substantially improved compared to those of the untreated sample. Pretreated samples were enzymatically digested to produce a liquid hydrolysate. This hydrolysate was fermented without detoxification using Saccharomyces cerevisiae TISTR 5339 to produce ethanol. The results indicated that T. latifolia biomass hydrolysate is a promising long-term carbon source for ethanol production from cellulosic biomass. Furthermore, the morphological and crystallographic characteristics of the treated T. latifolia biomass were influenced by H3PO4 concentration, as indicated by the SEM images, X-ray diffractogram patterns, and crystallinity index values. Therefore, utilizing T. latifolia feedstock to produce bioethanol can enhance bioenergy sustainability.

This study investigated the inhibitory effect of Siegesbeckia orientalis ethanolic extract (SOE) on growth and metastasis of hepatic tumors in C57BL/6JNarl mice, which is the model of tumor-igenesis induced by subcutaneous injection of Hepa1-6 murine hepatoma cells on the back of mice. Feeding 25 mg SOE/kg BW daily for 14 days effectively reduced the hepatoma weight in tu-mor-bearing mice by 59.7%. SOE intervention reduced the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 gene in tumor tissue by 48.5% and down-regulated the antioxidant system, by reducing the gene ex-pression of catalase (48.0%), glutathione peroxidase (46.3%), and superoxide dismutase (32.0%). In addition, SOE intervention increased the production of ROS by 21.4%, and the gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 by 135.3%, 179.3% and 91.7%, respectively, indicating that SOE intervention promoted the acute inflammatory response. Results of H&E staining analysis showed that SOE had the ability to inhibit angiogenesis in tumor tissue. Fur-thermore, SOE treatment inhibited the expression of migration-related genes, such as MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9 and β-catenin, and the inhibition rates were 24.8%, 27.4%, 10.4% and 21.9%, respectively. These results imply that SOE had the ability to suppress tumor metastasis. On the other hand, SOE intervention decreased the serum contents of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 by 27.4%, 30.4%, and 30.7%, respectively, indicating that SOE intervention has an anti-inflammatory effect on normal tissues of mice. Since SOE intervention had no signif-icant effect on liver and kidney weights, and no mice died throughout the experiment, it shows that it is safe to feed SOE under this experimental condition. Based on the above results, SOE has a great potential to be used in the treatment of hepatoma.

Lodging poses a significant challenge to rice yield, prompting the need to identify elite alleles for lodging resistance traits to improve cultivated rice varieties. In this study, a natural population of 518 rice accessions was examined to identify elite alleles associated with plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), stem anti-thrust (AT/S), and various internode lengths: (first (FirINL), second (SecINL), third (ThirINL), fourth (ForINL), and fifth (FifINL) internode lengths). 262 SSR markers linked to these traits were uncovered through association mapping in two environmental conditions. Phenotypic evaluations revealed striking differences among cultivars, and genetic diversity assessments showed polymorphisms across the accessions. Favorable alleles were identified for PH, SD, AT/S, and 1 to 5 internode lengths, with specific alleles displaying considerable effects. Noteworthy alleles include RM6811-160 bp on chromosome 6 (which reduces PH) and RM161-145 bp on chromosome 5 (which increases SD). The study identified a total of 42 novel QTLs. Specifically, seven QTLs were identified for PH, four for SD, five for AT/S, five for FirINL, six for SecINL, five for ThirINL, six for ForINL, and four for FifINL. QTLs qAT/S-2, qPH2.1, qForINL2.1, and qFifINL exhibited the most significant phenotypic variance (PVE) of 3.99% for the stem lodging trait. AT/S, PH, ForINL and FifINL had additive effects of 5.31 kPa, 5.42 cm, 4.27cm and 4.27cm, respectively, offering insights into eight distinct cross-combinations for enhancing each trait. This research suggests the potential for cross-breeding superior parents based on stacked alleles, promising improved rice cultivars with enhanced lodging resistance to meet market demands.

Colletotrichum lini is a flax fungal pathogen, comprising differently virulent strains. In this work, we sequenced the genomes of three C. lini strains of different virulence: high virulent #390-1, medium virulent #757, and low virulent #771. We obtained more than 100× genome coverage with Oxford Nanopore Technologies reads and more than 50× genome coverage with Illumina data. To construct high-quality genomes, several assembly strategies were tested. The final assemblies were obtained using the Canu – Racon ×2 – Medaka – Polca scheme and were 54.0-55.3 Mb in length, contained 26-32 contigs, had an N50 > 5 Mb and the BUSCO completeness > 96%. Comparative analysis of the constructed genomes showed high similarity between mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. However, a rearrangement event and the loss of a 0.9 Mb contig were revealed. The candidate effectors were predicted in sets of proteins received after genome annotation. The obtained genome sequences of C. lini strains extend the knowledge on the genetic diversity of Colletotrichum species and are the basis for establishing molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity of the flax pathogen and effective control of flax anthracnose.

Background: Antibiotic resistance is an urgent issue everywhere in the globe. It is necessary to look into new sources of antibiotics to address this issue. Aim of the study: studying the purification of Corallopyronin B from various soil conditions in Egypt, as well as the antibacterial effectiveness of Corallopyronin B in preclinical animal testing and randomized human clinical trials phases 1/2. Type of the study: Screening experimental study. Methodology: Several soil conditions in Egypt were examined to create bacterial isolates that generated the antibiotic chemical Corallopyronin B. Using reversed-phase HPLC, Myxopyronin B was purified. The test antibiotic's minimum inhibitory concentration( MIC) and in vitro antibacterial activity were ascertained using the paper disc diffusion assay and the broth microdilution technique. Furthermore, in stages 1/2 of randomized clinical trials including human and animal models, pharmacokinetics, adverse drug reactions, and the in vivo antibacterial spectrum were discovered. Results: The soil bacterial isolate Corallococcus coralloides DSM 2259, grown on a Casein yeast peptone( CYP) plate, produced Corallopyronin B from its culture supernatant. At MICs more than 100 mcg/ml, the test antibiotic inhibited the growth of many Gram -ve bacteria, including Escherichia coli, while preventing the growth of numerous Gram +ve bacteria, with MICs ranging from 1 to 10 mcg/ml. Eukaryotic cells, on the other hand, including those in humans and fungi, were unharmed. The test antibiotic was shown to have a bactericidal effect by inhibiting bacterial DNA-dependent RNA polymerase( RNLP). In phases 1/2 of randomized human clinical trials, when 600 mg of the dose per 70 kg of body weight was administered SC, the Cmax was 8.6 mcg/ml at Tmax 1 hour; T1/2 reached 136 min following first-order kinetics of elimination. It stopped acting around 6-7 hours after SC was administered. In the preclinical and randomized human clinical trial phases 1/2, less than 6 percent of experimental candidates had uncommon toxicity, showing reduced bile flow. Protein binding with plasma albumin was detected which reached about 83%. Conclusion: The current work was noteworthy since it involved the production of the bactericidal antibiotic Corallopyronin B from Corallococcus coralloides DSM 2259 which was isolated from several soil environments in Egypt.

We analyze the humoral and B-cell mediated immunogenic response induced by GP5 lineal epitopes from porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) to explore the role of this protein in the protective response. For inoculation, pigs aged twenty-one days were allocated into six groups (seven pigs per group): control (PBS), vehicle (carrier), vaccinated (Ingelvac-PRRSV, MLV®), non-vaccinated and naturally infected, GP5-B and GP5-B3. Subsequently blood samples were collected and analyzed. Cytokine were measured by ProcartaPlex kit. Peptide-specific IgGs and cross-reactivity against peptides were analyzed by ELISA and B-cell subpopulations were analyzed by flow cytometry. At 2 days post-immunization (dpi), the GP5-B3 peptide increased the serum concentrations of cytokines associated to activate adaptive cellular immunity (IL-1β and IL-12). The concentration of IgGs anti-GP5-B increased in both cases at 21 and 42 dpi, while IgGs anti-GP5-B3 increased at 21 dpi and remained at the same level until 42 dpi. Also, antibody-forming/Plasma B cells (CD2+/CD21-) and primed B cells (CD2-/CD21+) from immunized pigs showed an increase at 42 dpi. Conversely the naïve B cells from immunized pigs decreased compared with the controls. Importantly, Both GP5-B and GP5-B3 peptides exhibited immunoreactivity against serum antibodies from vaccinated group, as well as non-vaccinated and naturally infected group. In conclusion, GP5-B and GP5-B3 peptides elicited immunogenicity mediated by antigen specific IgG´s and B-cell activation.

Background: Antibiotic resistance is an urgent issue everywhere in the globe. It is necessary to look into new sources of antibiotics to address this issue. Aim of the study: studying the purification of Corallopyronin B from various soil conditions in Egypt, as well as the antibacterial effectiveness of Corallopyronin B in preclinical animal testing and randomized human clinical trials phases 1/2. Type of the study: Screening experimental study. Methodology: Several soil conditions in Egypt were examined to create bacterial isolates that generated the antibiotic chemical Corallopyronin B. Using reversed-phase HPLC, Myxopyronin B was purified. The test antibiotic's minimum inhibitory concentration( MIC) and in vitro antibacterial activity were ascertained using the paper disc diffusion assay and the broth microdilution technique. Furthermore, in stages 1/2 of randomized clinical trials including human and animal models, pharmacokinetics, adverse drug reactions, and the in vivo antibacterial spectrum were discovered. Results: The soil bacterial isolate Corallococcus coralloides DSM 2259, which was grown on a Casein yeast peptone( CYP) plate, produced Corallopyronin B from its culture supernatant. At MICs more than 100 mcg/ml, the test antibiotic inhibited the growth of many Gram -ve bacteria, including Escherichia coli, while also preventing the growth of numerous Gram +ve bacteria, with MICs ranging from 1 to 10 mcg/ml. Eukaryotic cells, on the other hand, including those in humans and fungi, were unharmed. The test antibiotic was shown to have a bactericidal effect by inhibiting bacterial DNA-dependent RNA polymerase( RNLP). In phases 1/2 of randomized human clinical trials, when 600 mg of the dose per 70 kg of body weight was administered SC, the Cmax was 8.6 mcg/ml at Tmax 1 hour; T1/2 reached 136 min following first-order kinetics of elimination. It stopped acting around 6-7 hours after SC was administered. In the preclinical and randomized human clinical trial phases 1/2, less than 6 percent of experimental candidates had uncommon toxicity, which showed up as reduced bile flow. Protein binding with plasma albumin was detected which reached about 83%. Conclusion: The current work was noteworthy since it involved the production of the bactericidal antibiotic Corallopyronin B from Corallococcus coralloides DSM 2259 which was isolated from several soil environments in Egypt.

Background: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the most common type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Due to the variety of clinical manifestations, accurate diagnosis can be challenging. Here, we present a case of DLBCL that was initially misdiagnosed as a hematoma, highlighting the importance of considering malignancy in the setting of non-responsive soft tissue swelling. Methods: A 76-year-old man presented to the emergency department with right periorbital swelling and ecchymosis. The symptoms first appeared after an injury and did not resolve spontaneously. The patient was taking warfarin for atrial fibrillation. A facial bone CT revealed a large irregular homogeneous mass. An extraconal hematoma was suspected based on clinical history and radiologic findings. Incision and drainage were performed, resulting in evacuation of old blood. Despite continued drainage, the patient's symptoms worsened. A comparison with the previous CT revealed an increase in the size of the lesion. As a result, a surgical excisional biopsy was performed. Results: Biopsy of the mass showed a diffuse infiltrate of lymphocytes around the tissue. The diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was confirmed pathologically. The patient was referred to hematology for further management. Conclusions: DLBCL is a rare disease associated with a poor prognosis. Due to the previous injury and the use of anticoagulants, the patient was initially misdiagnosed as having a hematoma. This delayed the prompt diagnosis and affected the timing of treatment initiation. We must be aware that a malignant mass is a potential cause of unresponsive soft tissue swelling.

The aim this text to present the confined covariant quark model (CCQM) and review its applications to the decays of B mesons. We do so in the context of existing experimental measurements and theoretical results of other authors, which we review also. The physics principles are in detail exposed for the CCQM, the other results (theoretical and experimental) are surveyed in an enumerative way with comments. We proceed by considering successively three categories of decay processes: leptonic, semileptonic and non-leptonic.

IQGAP1 is a multi-functional scaffold protein. However, its role in B cell development and function is not known. Here, we demonstrate Iqgap1mice contained significantly increased numbers of B220+ B, B220+IgM pro/pre-B, and B220+IgM+ immature-B cells in the bone marrow. Here, we show IQGAP1 as the essential scaffold that regulates early B cell development and function. Iqgap1mice contained significantly increased numbers of B220+ B, B220+IgM pro/pre-B, and B220+IgM+ immature-B cells in the bone marrow. New-forming and follicular B cell numbers were increased, while the marginal zone B cell numbers were significantly reduced in the spleen of the Iqgap1mice. Lack of IQGAP1 reduced T-dependent and T-independent humoral responses. Mechanistically, the lack of IQGAP1 considerably decreased the phosphorylation of Mek1/2, Erk1/2, and Jnk1/2. B cells from Iqgap1mice failed to suppress IL-7R-mediated activation of Stat5a/b, an essential step for cell-cycle exit and initiate light-chain recombination, leading to a reduction in RS rearrangement frequency. Lack of IQGAP1 resulted in a significant reduction of IRF4 and IRF8 in BM B cells. Our study provides the first evidence that IQGAP1-based signalosome is essential for the development and functions of B cells.

Rising raw material prices can have a significant impact on the financial performance of the food and beverage (F&B) business. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of rising prices of staples onfinancial resilience F&B business in Indonesia. This study uses a quantitative approach with bivariate correlation analysis and secondary data from the financial reports of F&B companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange for the 2020-2022 period. The results showed that the increase in the price of basic commodities had a significant positive impact onfinancial resilience F&B company. This can be seen from the decline in the profitability and liquidity of F&B companies as a result of the increase in the price of basic commodities. Therefore, F&B companies must pay attention to and manage the risk of rising prices of basic commodities to maintainfinancial resilience and sustainable business continuity.

Autoimmune disorders and some types of blood cancer originate when B lymphocytes malfunction. In particular, when B cells produce antibodies recognizing the body’s proteins, it leads to various autoimmune disorders. And when B cells of various developmental stages transform into cancer cells, it results in blood cancers, including multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and leukemia. Thus, new methods of targeting B cells are required for various patient groups. Here, we used protein kinase inhibitors alectinib, brigatinib, ceritinib, crizotinib, entrectinib, and lorlatinib previously approved as drugs treating anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive lung cancer cells. We hypothesized that the same inhibitors will efficiently target leukocyte tyrosine kinase (LTK)-positive, actively protein-secreting mature B lymphocytes, including plasma cells. We isolated CD19-positive human B cells from the blood of healthy donors and used two alternative methods to stimulate cell maturation toward plasma cells. Using cell proliferation and flow cytometry assays, we found that ceritinib and entrectinib eliminate plasma cells from B cell populations. Alectinib, brigatinib, and crizotinib also inhibited B cell proliferation, while lorlatinib had no or limited effect on B cells. More generally, we concluded that several drugs previously developed to treat ALK-positive malignant cells can be also used to treat LTK-positive B cells.

The population of Bifidobacterium spp in faecal samples from breast-fed and formula-fed infants were investigated and developed antibiogram. The common bacterial growth media such as Man Rogos Sharpe (MRS), Brain Heart Infusion (BHI), Luria Bertani (LB) broth and Bifidobacteria agar were evaluated by the enumeration of Bifidobacterium spp. in faecal material. The results demonstrated that the population of Bifidobacterium spp. in the faecal samples of breast-fed infants is numerically high and, low in formula-fed infants. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA, (Xylose/Fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase) xfp, and RFLP map of Bifidobacteria isolates suggested a presence of possible new and different Bifidobacterium spp. The intensity of the reddish brown colour formed during the f6ppk (Fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase) assay confirms the presence of variable Bifidobacteria. The highest recovery and diversity of Bifidobacteria were obtained from Bifidobacteria agar media. Growth in various media resulted in the formation of small (SCV) and big colony variants (BCV). We understand that the various antibiotic minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values obtained by applying different media, growth conditions, after bile salt treatment, and at low pH can vary. This study concludes that the variation of microbiological conditions differentiating resistant and susceptible strains is influenced by the test conditions as well.

Influenza B virus (IBV) is a major respiratory pathogen of humans, particularly in the elderly and children and vaccines are the most effective way to control it. In previous work, incorporation of two mutations (E580G, S660A) along with the addition of a HA epitope tag in the PB1 segment of B/Brisbane/60/2008 (B/Bris) resulted in an attenuated strain that was safe and effective as a live attenuated vaccine. A third attempted mutation (K391E) in PB1 was not always stable. Interestingly, viruses that maintained the K391E mutation were associated with the mutation E48K. To explore the contribution of the E48K mutation for stability of the K391E mutation, a vaccine candidate was generated by inserting both mutations along with attenuating mutations E580G and S660A in PB1 of B/Bris (B/Bris PB1att 4M). Serial passage of the B/Bris PB1att 4M vaccine candidate in eggs and MDCK indicated high stability. In silico structural analysis revealed a potential interaction between amino acids at positions 48 and 391. In mice, B/Bris PB1att 4M was safe and provided complete protection against homologous challenge. These results confirm the compensatory effect of mutation E48K to stabilize the K391E mutation, resulting in a safer, yet still protective, IBV LAIV vaccine.

Bacterial infection poses a serious threat to human life due to its rapidly growing resistance to antibacterial drugs, which is a significant public health issue. This study was focused on the design and synthesis of a new series of 25 analogues bearing 5-cyano-6-oxo-4-substituted phenyl-1,6-dihydropyrimidine scaffold hybridized with different substituted benzene-sulfonamides through thioacetamide linker M1-25 via the treatment of the key intermediates 2-mercapto-6-oxo-4-phenyl-1,6-dihydropyrimidine-5-carbonitriles 1a-c with different 2-chloro-N-substituted benzene-sulfonamide derivatives 4a-e overnight at room temperature. The spectroscopic data of all the new compounds (IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and Mass) was studied in detail to confirm their molecular structures. The antimicrobial activity of the new molecules was studied against various Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and fungal strains. All the tested compounds showed promising broad spectrum antimicrobial efficacy, especially against K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa, with ZOI values ranging from 15 to 30 mm. Furthermore, the most promising compounds M6, M19,M 20, and M25 were subjected to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays. In addition, the anti-virulence activity of the compounds was also examined using multiple biofilm assays. The new compounds revealed promising suppressing activity of microbial biofilm formation in the examined K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa microbial isolates. Additional in silico ADMET studies were conducted to represent their oral bioavailability, drug-likeness characteristics, and human toxicity risks. The obtained data suggest the newly prepared pyrimidine-benzene-sulfonamide derivatives may serve as model compounds amenable for further optimization and development of new antimicrobial and antisepsis candidates.

Bagaza virus (BAGV) is a flavivirus that affects avian species. In Europe, it was detected for the first time in Spain in 2010, exhibiting high genetic relatedness to Israel turkey meningoencephalomyelitis virus (ITMV) isolates from Israel. After a period of epidemiological silence, BAGV re-emerged causing important outbreaks in 2019 and 2021. This study aims to characterize the newly detected strains and to elucidate if these recent outbreaks were caused by single or different virus introductions into the country. Hence, Spanish BAGV isolates from 2019 (n=3) and 2021 (n=1) outbreaks, obtained from red-legged partridges in Cádiz, were sequenced and further characterized. The phylogenetic analyses showed that they belong to two different genotypes: BAGV Genotype 1 and 2. Isolates from 2019 belong to BAGV-Genotype 1, closely related to isolates from Senegal, where BAGV has been circulating since decades. In turn, the 2021 isolate belong to BAGV-Genotype 2, closely related to those detected in Spain in 2010. Additionally, the comparison of the viral polyproteins of several BAGV isolates from both genotypes support and confirm the phylogenetic findings. To conclude, BAGV has been introduced into Spain in at least three independent occasions, with alternating genetic clades, thus confirming that BAGV is able to occasionally reach southern Europe.

Abstract: Transcription factors are crucial pre-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that can modulate the expression of downstream genes by binding to their promoter regions. DOF (DNA binding with One Finger) proteins are a unique class of transcription factors with extensive roles in plant growth and development. Our previous research indicated a decrease in iron content in chlorotic bamboo leaves. However, to our knowledge, genes related to iron metabolism pathways in bamboo species have not yet been studied. Therefore, in the current study, we identified iron metabolism-related (IMR) genes in bamboo and determined the transcription factors that significantly influence them. Among these, DOFs were found to have widespread effects and potentially significant impacts on their expression. We identified specific DOF members in Dendrocalamus latiflorus with binding abilities through homology with Arabidopsis DOF proteins, and established connections between some of these members and IMR genes using RNA-seq data. Additionally, molecular docking confirmed the binding interactions between these DlDOFs and the DOF binding sites in the promoter regions of IMR genes. The co-expression relationship between the two gene sets was further validated using q-PCR experiments. This study paves the way for research into iron metabolism pathways in bamboo and lays the foundation for understanding the role of DOF transcription factors in D. latiflorus.

Aimed to obtain purple garlic varieties, 360 bolting bulbs from the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) “Las Pedroñeras” were selected for their size, and the presence of abundant external scales. After a further selection, 243 out of the 360 bulbs were discarded due to undesired characteristics, as light purple color, high number of small cloves, cloves affected by Fusarium spp. and mites, among other. It was stablished that each bulb would give rise to a family. Thus, 117 families were planted under a random design during season 2021-2022. Either physiological, morphological and phenological traits were assessed for each family, and the affectations by pest and pathogens were also controlled. After the assessment of this trial, 103 out 117 families remained in the program, and were used for the establishment of a second trial the next season. Unlike the first trial, after the evaluations only 23 families remained in the program. There was observed a high variability for most of traits, with a great influence of families. The phenotypic behavior of families was significative influenced by environment, highlighting the need of their assessment under different environmental conditions. The high variability registered for the target sample, opens the possibility to select new garlic varieties from this PGI.

Landraces are considered a crucial component of biodiversity conservation, serving as a reservoir of genetic diversity. Consequently, the collection, cultivation and detailed characterization of such landraces constitute an inherent aspect of the world’s natural resource heritage. This effort holds promise for the development of elite varieties capable of thriving amidst continuous global climate fluctuations. In this context, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of the main agronomic attributes, physico-chemical properties, and functional quality traits of the major hot pepper landraces adapted to diverse climatic conditions in Tunisia. These landraces include ‘Dhirat’, ‘Semmane’, ‘Beldi’, ‘Nabeul’, ‘Jerid’, ‘Mahdia’, ‘Cayenne’, ‘Kairouan’ and ‘Baklouti’. Most of the pepper landraces exhibited satisfactory yields, ranging from 1163.25 to 1841.67 g plant-1 in ‘Jerid’ and ‘Kairouan’, respectively, indicating robust productivity, especially under prevailing climatic changes and high temperatures. Landraces such as ‘Baklouti’, ‘Beldi’, ‘Nabeul’, ‘Semmane’, ‘Kairouan’ and ‘Mahdia’ appear suitable for both fresh consumption and processing, owing to their favorable average fruit weight and soluble solids content. Functional quality and the levels of antioxidants, as well as radical scavenging activity, emerged as key discriminating factors among pepper landraces. Irrespective of genotype, capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin constituted the major capsaicinoids, accounting for at least 87% of the total. Total capsaicinoids ranged from 1.81 µg g−1 to 193.71 µg g−1, with ‘Baklouti’ and ‘Jerid’ identified as the most pungent landraces. Total carotenoids ranged from 45.94 µg g−1 to 174.52 µg g−1 with ‘Semmane and ‘Jerid’ exhibiting the highest levels. Considerable variation was observed in β-carotene content, spanning from 3% to 24% of the total carotenoids. α-Tocopherol content ranged from 19.03 µg g-1 fw in ‘Kair-ouan’ to 30.93 µg g-1 fw in ‘Beldi’, exerting a notable influence on the overall tocopherol content. Conversely, the other isomers were detected at very low concentrations. The total vitamin C content ranged from 132 mg 100g-1 fw in ‘Mahdia’ to 200 mg 100 g-1 fw in ‘Nabeul’, indicating relatively low genetic variability. However, large variability was detected in total phenolics content, ranging from 168.58 mg GAE kg-1 fw in ‘Beldi ‘to 302.98 mg GAE kg-1 fw in ‘Cayenne’. Among the pepper landraces tested, ‘Cayenne’ achieved the highest value of radical scavenging activity in both hydrophilic and lipophilic fractions (RSAHF and RSALF), with variations rang-ing from 59% to 120% for RSAHF and from 4% to 64% for RSALF. This study aims to: 1) preserve and enhance the value of local genetic resources, 2) identify desiderable traits for incorporation into breeding programs, and 3) develop high-quality, high-yielding cultivars capable of with-standing climate variations.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) continues to rise globally, posing significant health challenges and burdens. This metabolic disorder, characterized by elevated blood glucose levels, contributes to various complications including cardiovascular diseases, kidney failure, and stroke. While conventional diabetic drugs exist, they often come with adverse side effects, necessitating the exploration of safer and more cost-effective alternatives, particularly from natural sources like medicinal plants. This study investigates the potential of Neocarya macrophylla (Nm) Ethyl acetate leaf fraction in managing DM. Utilizing a high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model, the study explores several key aspects including effective dose determination, biological activity, impact on body mass index (BMI), and complete blood count. Statistical analysis was conducted using GraphPad Prism version 9.1. The determination of the minimum effective dose reveals that 120mg/kg of Ethyl acetate fraction of Nm reduced the blood glucose by 28.9% after 4 hours. In addition, ethyl acetate fraction (120 mg/kg) possessed the most hypoglycemic activity compared to the other fractions of Nm. The Ethyl acetate fraction of Nm at 120mg/kg significantly reduced fasting blood glucose levels compared to the diabetic control(p=0.001) and slightly decreased BMI. Furthermore, the fraction demonstrated significant improvement in the parameters of some of the blood count indices such as red blood cells (p<0.001), total white cells (p<0.01) and platelet (p<0.001) compared to the diabetic control. These findings underscore the potential of Nm as a holistic therapeutic option for managing DM and its haematological complications. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the hypoglycemic potential of Nm Ethyl acetate leaf fraction, offering valuable insights into its effectiveness, safety, and broader physiological impacts. Further research into the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects is warranted to fully harness its therapeutic potential in diabetes management.

Serine peptidases (SPs) of the chymotrypsin S1A subfamily are an extensive group of enzymes found in all animal organisms, including insects. Here we provide analysis of SPs in the yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor transcriptomes and genomes datasets and profile their expression pattern at various stages of ontogeny. A total of 269 SPs were identified, including 137 with con-served catalytic triad residues, while others 125 lacking conservation were proposed as non-active serine peptidase homologs (SPHs). Seven deduced sequences exhibit a complex do-main organization with two or three peptidase units (domains), predicted both as active or non-active. The largest group of 84 SP and 102 SPH had no regulatory domains in the propep-tide, and the majority of them were expressed only in the feeding life stages, larvae and adults, presumably playing an important role in digestion. The remaining 53 SP and 23 SPH had differ-ent regulatory domains, showed constitutive or upregulated expression at eggs or/and pupae stages, participating in regulation of various physiological processes. The majority of polypep-tidases was mainly expressed at the pupal and adult stages. The data obtained expand our knowledge on SPs/SPHs and provide a foundation for further research on the functions of this gene family in T. molitor.

Due to bacterial contamination, natural medicinal preservatives may be an alternative to enhance the quality of milk. Besides, thorough biocompatibility testing is deemed essential before integrating natural extracts into food products. To address this matter, our research focused on evaluating the antimicrobial potential of Plectranthus amboinicus, Flueggea leucopyrus, Cymbopogon citratus, and Bacopa monnieri against prevalent foodborne pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and investigating the efficacy of plant extracts as natural preservatives along with biocompatibility and toxicity assessments. The methanolic extracts of plant materials were used for measuring antimicrobial activity using the agar well diffusion method, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assays. The preservative activity was tested by isolating pathogenic organisms in a sterilized milk medium and toxicity and biocompatibility was assessed using zebrafish embryo and brine shrimp lethality assays. At a concentration of 400 mg/ml, all plant extracts demonstrated notable activity against bacterial strains. B. monnieri at 400 mg/ml exhibited particularly significant effects on S. aureus (30.3 mm ± 0.6), surpassing the positive control, gentamicin (28.3 mm ± 0.6), while also displaying pronounced activity against E. coli. F. leucopyrus, at the same concentration, showed antimicrobial activity comparable to the positive control against both S. aureus (28.0 mm ± 1.0) and E. coli (27.0 mm ± 1.0). However, as there’s weak-mild toxicity in these herbs, prior to consumption, careful consideration of their toxicity and biocompatibility is imperative for ensuring their safe use.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a bacterium that causes the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. This study employed molecular docking simulations to investigate potential interactions between natural molecules and the Fe(3+) ions import ATP-binding protein fbpC in Neisseria gonorrhoeae FA 1090. Among the screened molecules, Hypericin exhibited a remarkable binding energy of approximately -13.2 kcal/mol, indicating a robust and favorable binding affinity with the target protein. This promising outcome suggests that Hypericin could serve as a potential candidate for further exploration as a therapeutic agent against Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections. However, it is imperative to emphasize that these in silico findings necessitate experimental validation through in vitro and in vivo studies to ascertain the actual efficacy and safety of Hypericin as a treatment option.

The low-temperature environment significantly inhibits the growth and metabolism of denitrifying bacteria, leading to an excessive concentration of ammonia nitrogen and total nitrogen in sewage treatment plants during the cold season. In this study, an efficient denitrifying strain of heterotrophic nitrification–aerobic denitrification(HN-AD) bacteria named HS2 was isolated and screened from industrial sewage of a chemical factory in Inner Mongolia at 8°C. The strain was confirmed to be Achromobacter spiritinus, a colorless rod-shaped bacterium. When cultured with sodium succinate as the carbon source, a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 20-30, a shaking rate of 150-180 r/min, and the initial pH of 6-10, the Strain HS2 exhibited excellent nitrogen removal at 8°C. Through the results of whole-genome sequencing, gene amplification, and gas product detection, the Strain HS2 was determined to possess key enzyme genes in both nitrification and denitrification pathways, suggesting a HN-AD pathway of NH4+-N→NH2OH→NO2--N→NO→N2O→N2. At 8°C, the Strain HS2 could completely remove ammonia nitrogen from industrial sewage with an initial concentration of 127.23 mg/L. Microbial species diversity analysis of the final sewage confirmed Achromobacter sp. as the dominant genus, this indicated that the low-temperature denitrifying strain HS2 plays an important role in nitrogen removal of actual low-temperature sewage.

This study investigated the presence, distribution, and antimicrobial resistance profiles of extend-ed-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae in a dairy herd located in Northern Italy. A questionnaire was administered, and the feces of clinically healthy pre-weaned dairy calves, their mothers, and the cows treated for mastitis, waste milk, water, and environmental samples, were collected and inoculated on Chromagar ESBL™ medium. The questionnaire identi-fied several risk factors including administration of waste milk to male calves, lack of routine cleaning of calf feeding and housing equipment, and blanket dry cow therapy. Escherichia coli was identified by MALDI-TOF MS in the feces of 28 of 37 (75.67%) calves, 2 of 3 (66.67%) treated cows, 8 of 14 (57.15%) environmental samples, and the waste milk. Six of 14 (42.85%) environmental samples were also positive for ESBL Acinetobacter baumannii, while all fecal samples were negative. ESBL production was confirmed for all E. coli isolates based on the double disk susceptibility test (DDST), while none were carbapenemase producers. Upon minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) analysis, all of them showed multiple resistances and were categorized as multi-drug resistant (MDR). This study confirms the widespread presence of MDR, ESBL-E. coli in dairy calves and highlights their diffusion in the farm environment.

The antimicrobial quantitative structure–activity relationship of plant flavonoids against Gram-positive bacteria was established in our previous works, and the cell membrane was confirmed as a major site of action. To investigate whether plant flavonoids have similar antibacterial effects and mechanisms against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, here, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 37 plant flavonoids against Escherichia coli were determined using the microdilution broth method, and then the correlation between their lipophilic parameter ACD/LogP or LogD_7.40 value and their MIC was analyzed. Simultaneously, the correlation between the ACD/LogP or LogD_7.40 value and the MIC of 46 plant flavonoids reported in literature against E. coli was also analyzed. Both sets of results showed that there is a significant correlation between the LogP value and the MIC of plant flavonoids against Gram-negative bacteria. However, it is difficult to effectively predict the MIC of plant flavonoids against Gram-negative bacteria from their lipophilic parameters. By comparing two regression curves derived from plant flavonoids against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, it was further discovered that the antibacterial activities of most plant flavonoids against Gram-negative bacteria are stronger than those against Gram-positive bacteria when their LogP values are less than about 3.0, but the opposite is true when their LogP values are more than about 3.6. Moreover, this comparison also suggests that unlike mainly acting on the cell membrane of Gram-positive bacteria, plant flavonoids have multiple mechanisms against Gram-negative species, while the cell membrane is also an important action site among them. Combined with the correlation analyses between the enzyme inhibitory activity and the LogP value of the reported flavonoids, it was further suggested that DNA gyrase is another important target of plant flavonoids against Gram-negative bacteria.

Salmonella causes various type of disease worldwide with a remarkable pace. Salmonella enteric serotype typhi (S. typhi), a gram-negative bacterium (only cause disease in man) is the mainly causative agent of Typhoid fever. Typhoid fever is most common in poor and unprivileged developing countries of Asia and Africa. One of the major components of virulence factors produced during salmonella infection is Lipid A, which acts as a potent human immuno-modulator bacterial endotoxin. Regulation of Lipid A biosynthetic pathway occurs at second step, catalyzed by LpxC, a Zn2+ dependent metalloamidase. Systematic Screening of a pool of drug datasets like natural products library from Zinc database, Asinex database, Thiophene analogues fruitfully provided us 3 potent lead molecules s1_dl_mseq2, s1_ll_mseq2, and s2_ll_mseq8 which actively binds with LpxC enzyme and could be developed into sound inhibitors of LpxC enzyme after the application of drug development and processing strategies. Wet lab experimentation is required to validate these results for further use.

Diesel contamination of farming soils is of great concern because hydrocarbons are toxic to all forms of life and can potentially enter the food web through crops or plants used for remediation. Data on plant ability to uptake, translocate and accumulate diesel-derived compounds are controversial not only due to the probable diverse attitude of plant species but also because of the lack of a reliable method to distinguish petrogenic from biogenic compounds in plant tissues. The purpose of this study was to set up a GC-MS-based protocol enabling the determination of diesel-derived hydrocarbons in plants grown in contaminated soil for assessing human and ecological risks, predicting phytoremediation effectiveness and biomass disposal. To this aim two plant species Vicia sativa L. and Secale cereale L., belonging to two diverse vascular plant families, were used as plant models. They were grown in soil spiked with increasing concentrations of diesel fuel and the produced biomass was used to set up the hydrocarbon extraction and GC-MSD analysis. The developed protocol was also applied to the analysis of Typha latifolia L. plants, belonging to a different botanical family and grown in a long-time and highly contaminated natural soil. Results showed the possibility of distinguishing diesel-derived compounds from biogenic hydrocarbons in most terrestrial vascular plants, just considering the total diesel compounds in the n-alkanes carbon range C10-C26, where the interference of biogenic compounds is negligible. Diesel hydrocarbons quantification in plant tissues was strongly correlated (0.92<r2<0.99) to the concentration of diesel in spiked soils, suggesting a general ability of the considered plant species to adsorb and translocate relative low amounts of diesel hydrocarbons and the reliability of the developed protocol.

The goal of the current study was to discover a novel potential probiotic strain of Lactobacillus spp. with anti-Escherichia coli activity from locally produced yogurt in Tongi, Gazipur, Bangladesh, compare its antagonistic activity with a commercial probiotic mixture of several strains, and approve a novel method for confirming the viability and relative abundance of the microbial community in a probiotic mixer. We carried out 16S sequencing, 16S metagenomics, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis, and other in vitro laboratory experiments to reach this objective. The strain TY-11 was identified as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus (16S sequence accession number OQ652026). It was gram-positive, anaerobic, lactose fermenting, and round-ended rod that typically measured 0.7 to 1.3 µm by 2.2 to 9 µm. In addition to having seven probiotic characteristics, it also showed an antagonistic impact on six different pathogens, but what's more noteworthy is that E. coli was the pathogen it inhibited most strongly (inhibition zone diameter was 18.88±0.18 mm). The most important and ground-breaking finding of this work was determining the probiotic features of a new probiotic strain, TY-11, whose antibacterial activity was virtually as effective as that of the probiotic combination with three different strains. Furthermore, the results of 16S high throughput sequencing and the conventional plate count method demonstrated a strong correlation (0.999) at the genus level, indicating that the use of both of these approaches in combination may be a practical way to assess the relative abundance of the microbial community and their viability in commercially available probiotic blends.

Anorectal malformations (ARMs) represent a wide spectrum of congenital anomalies of the anus and rectum, of which more than half are syndromic. Their etiology is highly heterogeneous and still poorly understood. We report a 4-year-old girl who initially presented with an isolated ARM, and subsequently developed a global developmental delay as part of an ARID1B-related Coffin-Siris syndrome (CSS). The co-occurrence of ARMs and CSS in an individual is unexpected since both diseases are very rare. A review of the literature enabled us to identify 12 individuals with both CSS and ARMs. Among these 12 individuals, 9 had a variant in ARID1A, 2 in ARID1B, and 1 in SMARCA4. This more frequent than expected association between CSS and ARM indicates that some ARMs are likely a rare consequence of CSS, especially for ARID1A-related CSS.

This study investigated the effects of dietary garlic powder and fermented garlic powder supplementation at 1% and 2% levels on growth performance, digestive tract efficacy, blood biochemistry, immunity, and antioxidant status of Liza ramada (n=225 fish; 86.00±0.42 g) over a 60-day period. Fish fed diets supplemented with both forms of garlic at both levels exhibited significantly improved final body weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, and feed conversion ratio compared to the control group. Digestive enzyme activities (amylase, lipase, and protease) were significantly enhanced in all supplemented groups. Blood biochemical analysis revealed reduced glucose levels and increased total protein in garlic-supplemented groups, with no adverse effects on liver or kidney function markers. Immune parameters, including lysozyme activity, bactericidal activity against Streptococcus agalactiae, alternative complement pathway (ACP), and, respiratory burst (NBT) were significantly enhanced in garlic-supplemented groups, with fermented garlic showing more pronounced effects. Antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, and GPx) were also significantly increased in all supplemented groups, particularly in those fed fermented garlic. No significant differences in survival rates were observed among treatments. The results suggest that both garlic powder and fermented garlic powder supplementation, especially at the 2% level, can effectively improve growth, feed utilization, immune function, and antioxidant status in L. ramada. Fermented garlic generally demonstrated superior effects, indicating its potential as a beneficial feed additive in aquaculture. Based on these findings, it is recommended to incorporate fermented garlic powder at a 2% level in L. ramada diets to optimize growth performance and health status. Further research is warranted to investigate the long-term effects and cost-effectiveness of this supplementation strategy in commercial aquaculture settings.

Vibrio vulnificus (Vv) is a bacterial pathogen native to warm and brackish water ecosystems that can cause fatal septicemia (Vv-vibriosis) in humans and various farmed fish species. From a One Health perspective, controlling Vv-vibriosis outbreaks on farms is essential not only for animal but also for human health, as it reduces the risk of Vv transmission to humans. Electrolyzed water (EW) is a sustainable control method, exhibiting transient disinfectant properties due to the formation of hypochlorous acid (HOCl). We hypothesized that EW could effectively reduce Vv populations in aquaculture facilities, preventing outbreak emergence. To test this hypothesis, survival assays in EW were conducted under varying conditions of salinity, pH, and free available chlorine (FAC). The results indicated that an intermediate concentration of FAC had a significant bactericidal effect on Vv populations regardless of the condition and tested strain. Consequently, the strategic use of EW could serve as an eco-friendly preventive and control measure against Vv-vibriosis by significantly decreasing the bacterial load in farm water.

This study explores the critical role of DNA methylation in shaping phenotypic diversity and driving evolutionary adaptation in chickpea (Cicer arietinum). By employing whole-genome bisulfite sequencing and advanced genomic techniques, we analyzed DNA methylation patterns across various chickpea cultivars, focusing on key adaptive traits such as drought tolerance, disease resistance, seed size, and flowering time. Our results revealed significant methylation changes associated with these traits, providing novel insights into the epigenetic regulation of gene expression and its impact on phenotypic variation. Additionally, we investigated the dynamic responses of DNA methylation under different environmental stresses, highlighting the plasticity of the chickpea epigenome. This research not only enhances our understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms underlying plant evolution but also opens up new avenues for developing epigenetic-based strategies for crop improvement.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens GL18 has been proven to have good resistance ability and can promote the growth of Avena sativa cultivar ‘Qingyan 1’. Herein, Illumina high-throughput transcriptome sequencing technology was used to analyze the differential expression of genes between the interaction group (LB) and the control group (LCK) when ‘Qingyan 1’ roots interacted with GL18 bacterial suspension or sterile water for 12 h under 4 °C low-temperature stress. The gene function annotation information was obtained using Gene Ontology (GO) functional classification and enrichment analysis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis and annotation of differentially expressed genes was used to explore the related signal transduction pathway of ‘Qingyan 1’ response to cold stress induced by Bacillus GL18. The results showed that after ‘Qingyan 1’ seedlings interacted with GL18 bacterial suspension or sterile water for 12 h, comparing the LB with the LCK or CK (the control group at 26 °C), there were 12,061 and 25,489 differentially expressed genes, respectively. Their functions were mainly related to metabolic process, cellular process, catalytic activity, binding, and cellular parts, and they were significantly enriched in plant tissue growth and development, cell wall, organelle membrane synthesis, thiamine and its compounds, biosynthesis, polyamine decomposition, and other metabolic processes. Signal transduction was detected through KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, and corresponding genes, such as AUXI, PP2C, SNRK2, ABF, BRI1, and PIF4, were expressed. The expression of genes directly involved in plant growth was upregulated in the presence of GL18, as shown by real-time quantitative PCR analysis. It was speculated that the normal growth and development of ‘Qingyan 1’ under low-temperature stress promoted by GL18 is a result of the integration of multiple pathways in terms of regulating endogenous hormone metabolism, secondary metabolite synthesis, and photosynthesis.

This study investigates the impact of DNA methylation on phenotypic diversity in chickpeas (Cicer arietinum). By analyzing DNA methylation landscapes across various chickpea cultivars, we aim to decipher the evolutionary processes underlying phenotypic variation. Using bisulfite sequencing and advanced genomic techniques, we identified significant methylation patterns associated with key adaptive traits. Our findings provide novel insights into the role of epigenetic modifications in plant evolution and offer potential applications in crop improvement.

This study investigates the impact of DNA methylation on phenotypic diversity in chickpeas (Cicer arietinum). By analyzing DNA methylation landscapes across various chickpea cultivars, we aim to decipher the evolutionary processes underlying phenotypic variation. Using bisulfite sequencing and advanced genomic techniques, we identified significant methylation patterns associated with key adaptive traits. Our findings provide novel insights into the role of epigenetic modifications in plant evolution and offer potential applications in crop improvement.

The search for natural product-based biopesticides from endophytic fungi is an effective tool to find new solutions. In this study, we studied a pre-selected fungal endophyte, isolate YCC4, from the paleoendemism Persea indica, along with compounds present in the extract and the identification of the insect antifeedant and nematicidal ones. The endophyte YCC4 was identified as Phyllosticta capitalensis by molecular analysis. The insect antifeedant activity was tested by choice bioassays against Spodoptera littoralis, Myzus persicae and Rhopalosiphum padi and the in vitro and in vivo mortality was tested against the root-knot nematode Meloiydogyne javanica. Since the extract resulted an effective insect antifeedant, a strong nematicidal and lacked phytotoxicity on tomato plants, a comprehensive phytochemical study was carried out. The chemical study resulted in the identification of two new metabolites, metguignardic acid (4) and (-)-epi-guignardone I (14), along the known dioxolanones guignardic acid (1), ethyl guignardate (3), guignardianones A (5), C (2), D (7) and E (6), phenguignardic acid methyl ester (8), and the meroterpenes guignardone A (9) and B (10) and guignarenone C (12), (-)-guignardone I (13) and the phyllomeroterpenoid B (15). Among these compounds, 1 and 4 were effective antifeedants against both insect species, while 2 was only active on the aphid M. persicae. The nematicidal compounds were 4, 7 and 8. This is the first report on the insect antifeedant or nematicidal effects of these dioxolanone-type compounds. Since the insect antifeedant and nematicidal activity of the P. capitalensis extract depends on the presence of dioxolanone components, future fermentation optimizations are needed to promote the biosynthesis of these compounds instead of the meroterpenes.

A 70-year-old female with a significant medical history of hypertension, hypothyroidism, chronic back pain, and a left hip prosthetic joint infection experienced complications following a total hip replacement. After multiple revisions and eventual discharge to a rehabilitation facility, she developed surgical site bleeding and a femoral head dislocation extending into the pelvis. At our hospital, imaging revealed a failed hip arthroplasty with extensive damage and infection, necessitating complex revision surgery and an antibiotic regimen. During her treatment, she developed a diffuse rash diagnosed as vancomycin-induced hypersensitivity reaction (DRESS), prompting a switch to oral linezolid and systemic corticosteroids. Despite transient eosinophilia and elevated inflammatory markers, her condition stabilized, and she was discharged with instructions for follow-up. This case underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring and timely intervention in managing complex postoperative infections and drug reactions.

Graphene was synthesized through a two-step pyrolysis method using waste candlenut (Aleurites moluccanus) shells as the precursor. Cerium (Ce)/graphene composites were prepared via an impregnation technique. The resulting graphene and Ce/graphene were characterized using various analytical methods, including Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), and Linear Sweep Voltammetry (LSV). The bio-carbon produced predominantly exhibited a graphene structure with flat carbon morphology and an interlayer distance of 0.33 nm. This structural information is supported by XRD data, which shows a broad and weak peak at 2θ = 26° corresponding to the C (002) plane, indicative of graphene presence. FTIR, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy further confirmed the presence of graphene through the detection of Csp2 aromatic bonds and the characteristic D, G, and 2D peaks. Notably, the performance of cerium can be enhanced by the incorporation of graphene, attributed to the large surface area and chemical interactions between Ce and graphene. Consequently, candlenut-derived graphene shows potential as a supportive material for modifying the properties of cerium, thereby opening avenues for various advanced applications, such as sustainable and high-performance energy storage systems.

Onions are known not only for their culinary importance but also for their nutritional and health-promoting properties. Both properties are closely linked to its content of organosulfur compounds, which account for up to 5% of the dry weight of an onion. Given the importance of these compounds, suitable analytical methods are required for their study. Two techniques should be highlighted in this context: gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In this study, eight different onion varieties were analyzed using two distinct analytical techniques: direct thermal desorption–gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (DTD-GC-MS) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) on an LC-ESI-QqTOF instrument. Each method identified 18 different organosulfur compounds, with LC-HRMS targeting non-volatile compounds, such as cysteine sulfoxides, and GC-MS targeting volatiles, such as disulfides and trisulfides. The results obtained were studied using Pearson correlations and principal component analysis. No precise correlation was found between the initial organosulfur compounds in onions and their hydrolysates. Consequently, although GC is one of the most employed techniques in the scientific literature, the use of LC-HRMS or a combination of both techniques may offer a more comprehensive and accurate description of the metabolomic profile of onions.

Predictive studies are essential to establish fundamental data for monitoring and controlling Xylella fastidiosa infections in our country. Limited knowledge exists about how Xylella fastidiosa interacts with the plant host's immune system, leaving numerous unanswered questions regarding Xylella fastidiosa biology and its interactions with national plant hosts. Key inquiries include understanding of how the plant immune system interfaces with Xylella fastidiosa in the xylem and identifying the specific or shared mechanisms underlying the susceptibility of different hosts. Factors such as the presence of insect vectors, abundance of host plants, and climate suitability play pivotal roles in Xylella fastidiosa dispersal. We recommend that countries identified with relatively high risk, like Portugal, undertake thorough individual risk analyses. The implementation of preventive measures and, if necessary, the enhancement of surveillance systems for early detection of Xylella fastidiosa in plants and insect vectors are crucial steps. Additionally, raising awareness is of equal importance to mitigate socioeconomic and ecological impacts on their ecosystems.

Citrus species essential oils (EOs) are significant sources of bioactive compounds and demonstrate diverse therapeutic effects. However, limited documentation exists regarding the phytochemicals associated with their biological activities. This study aims to assess the antioxidant activity, plant inhibitory properties, and brine shrimp cytotoxic effects of EOs derived from three Citrus species: C. sinensis, C. limon, and C. hystrix. Utilizing chemometric analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) fingerprints, the volatile components contributing to antioxidant activity were elucidated. The peels of the Citrus samples were hydro-distillated to obtain EOs, and subsequently subjected to antioxidant, plant inhibitory, and brine shrimp cytotoxic assays. The results indicated that C. limon EO exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, while C. hystrix and C. sinensis EOs demonstrated pronounced inhibitory effects against Aetrmia salina and Lactuca sativa, respectively. GC-MS analysis facilitated the identification of key compounds in each EO. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchy cluster analysis (HCA) effectively categorized Citrus EOs based on their antioxidant properties, highlighting the proximity of C. limon and C. sinensis. Among the identified compounds, D-limonene, α-Terpineol, Caryophyllene, (+)-3-Carene, β-Pinene, (-)-Spathulenol, trans-p-Mentha-1(7),8-dien-2-ol, and trans-Verbenol were the most discriminating compounds affected the antioxidant activity of C.limon and C. sinensis EOs.

Our study explores the genetic mechanisms underlying the spotted leaf phenotype in rice, focusing on the rpt5a mutant characterized by persistent reddish-brown leaf spots from seedling stage to maturity, leading to extensive leaf necrosis. Through map-based cloning, we localized the responsible locus to a 330Kb region on chromosome 2 and identified LOC_Os02g56000 (named OsRPT5A) as the causative gene. A point mutation in OsRPT5A, substituting valine for glutamic acid, was identified as the critical factor for the phenotype. Functional complementation and generation of knockout lines in the IR64 background confirmed the central role of OsRPT5A in controlling this trait. Our study also revealed that OsRPT5A is constitutively expressed across various tissues, with its subcellular localization unaffected by mutations. Notably, we observed an abnormal accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in rpt5a mutants, suggesting a disruption in the ROS system. Complementation studies indicated OsRPT5A's involvement in ROS homeostasis and catalase activity regulation. Moreover, the rpt5a mutant exhibited enhanced resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), highlighting OsRPT5A's role in rice's pathogen resistance mechanisms. These findings elucidate the genetic basis of the spotted leaf phenotype and emphasize the intricate interplay between plant defense responses and developmental pathways.

This study aimed to identify whether gyrate atrophy of the choroid and retina (GACR) heterozygous individuals have possible clinical manifestations and to explore the potential pathogenic mechanism. In this retrospective study, we surveyed a two-generation pedigree of an individual diagnosed with GACR. Two family members underwent ophthalmological, hematologic, and genetic tests. An arginine-restricted diet with vitamin B6 supplementation was implemented; clinical assessments were repeated every 3 months during follow-up. Relative OAT mRNA expression was determined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The 19-year-old compound heterozygous daughter (OAT: c.1186C&gt;T; c.748C&gt;T), had bilateral high myopia, posterior staphyloma, chorioretinal atrophy, macular abnormalities, and elevated hematologic ornithine. The 54-year-old heterozygous mother (OAT: c.1186C&gt;T), presented with bilateral severe myopia, asymmetric posterior staphyloma, retina and choroidal capillary layer atrophy, retinal pigment epithelium abnormalities, and mildly elevated hematologic ornithine. Compared to normal individuals, the daughter and mother had 29% and 46% relative OAT mRNA expression, respectively (P&lt;0.001). We believe that this is the first report of a carrier of one OAT variant allele with mild phenotypes, suggesting that family members should be aware of the possible involvement of autosomal recessive conditions. Additional data suggests nonsense mediated decay-initiated mRNA degradation may cause GACR.

The importance of conflict analysis and safety considerations during work zone intervals at signalized intersections cannot be overstated, as these periods pose unique challenges and safety risks for both motorists and pedestrians. Work zones introduce temporary changes to traffic patterns, lane configurations, and signal timings, which can disrupt the flow of traffic and increase the likelihood of conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians. By conducting comprehensive conflict analysis, it is possible to identify potential conflict points, such as merging areas, pedestrian crossings, and lane transitions, and implement targeted safety measures to mitigate risks. Additionally, considering safety considerations during work zone intervals is paramount to safeguarding the well-being of road users and minimizing the occurrence of conflicts or collisions. Measures such as enhanced signage, temporary traffic control devices, and increased enforcement efforts can help promote compliance with traffic regulations and ensure the safe passage of vehicles and pedestrians through work zones. This study investigates the dynamics of traffic behavior and safety implications within work zones at signalized intersections, aiming to address key challenges and enhance intersection management strategies. Through comprehensive analysis, varying frequencies of Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) conflicts were observed across different movement directions, with significant occurrences identified in specific phases of the traffic signal cycle. Specifically, 69 V2V conflicts in phase #1, 181 in phase #2, 31 in phase #3, 207 in phase #4, 1 in phase #5, 274 in phase #6, 93 in phase #7, and 186 in phase #8 were recorded. Furthermore, the examination of Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) conflicts underscored the importance of prioritizing pedestrian safety, with notable occurrences observed in phases associated with pedestrian crossing movements. Meanwhile, despite the closure of left-turn movements, instances of red light running persisted, with 69 red light running events in phase #1, 181 in phase #2, 31 in phase #3, 207 in phase #4, 1 in phase #5, 274 in phase #6, 93 in phase #7, and 186 in phase #8.To mitigate these safety concerns during work zone intervals, proactive measures are essential. Strategies include improving communication through clear signage and advanced warning systems, enhancing enforcement efforts with red light cameras and increased police presence, and investing in infrastructure improvements such as temporary pedestrian facilities. Integration of real-time data from sensors, particularly LiDAR technology, offers significant advantages in detecting conflicts and red light runners during work zone intervals. LiDAR's precise, real-time data on vehicle and pedestrian movements, combined with its 360-degree coverage and high spatial resolution, facilitates accurate detection and tracking of potential conflict scenarios, contributing to enhanced intersection safety and traffic management efficiency. This study endeavored to conduct a traffic safety analysis during work zone intervals at a signalized intersection in Baltimore City, known for its high rate of traffic crashes, utilizing LiDAR sensor technology.

Corrugated board is a composite material characterized by strong orthotropy in both the elastic and plastic phases. Additionally, due to its layered structure, which consists of alternately arranged flat and wavy layers of paper, its mechanics becomes complicated. Therefore, a precisely selected set of laboratory tests is needed to correctly identify all the necessary material parameters of cardboard. The work attempts to define a full set of laboratory tests in order to determine material parameters describing the linear-elastic, orthotropic behavior of cardboard and the basic parameters defining popular plasticity criteria, such as the asymmetric orthotropic Hoffman criterion. For this purpose, sensitivity analysis and numerical models of several selected basic laboratory tests were used. Since the aim of the work is to choose appropriate laboratory tests necessary to correctly determine the material parameters of corrugated board (not its individual layers), the numerical models do not contain detailed cardboard geometry, but only its homogenized representation in the form of the flat shell models. All numerical models are based on the nonlinear finite element method and constitutive modelling in the form of UMAT subroutines implemented in the ABAQUS software. Based on the analyses, appropriate measurements and laboratory tests were indicated that are most sensitive to the material parameters sought.

Sorghum grain processing can improve the nutritional content by promoting dietary properties that contribute to food security and economic development. The quality, nutritional content, and processing properties of sorghum bicolor grain can greatly affected by the inbred line races and variance in pericarp colour.The current study assessed the influence of the Husking Fraction Time Units (HFTU) process, which employed set time units per second (S), on the variation in the nutritional profile of fifty-one inbred line sorghum varieties based on distinct pericarp colours. When the assessment of the nutritional profile was involved: dry matter, total protein besides, namely mineral (P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Zn, and Mn). The variety groups showed a significance value of (P < 0.05), indicating the study hypothesis's truth.The results demonstrated substantial impacts implied by the Husking Fraction Time Unit (HFTU) technique. This occurrence was noted when the dry matter percentage was increased in the husked products, specifically the endosperm (grits) and bran. The protein percentage redistributed by 19.2% compared to the whole grain and bran content. In comparison, the ratio of N/S was 14:1 in the S. bicolor and 12:1 in the kafirin in the bran part. Moreover, a strong correlation was observed among the examined minerals of S.bicolor and kafirin, such as the correlation between Ca: P, K: Na, and Fe: Zn attributed 80 (S) time unit, with correlation coefficients of R = 0.784 and R = 0.586, R= 517, R= 0.884, R= 0.745, and R = 0.893, respectively. At the same time, the 80 (S) time unit showed a significant effect on the colour property profile.The study results could benefit breeders and nutrition specialists in developing genotypes and processing sorghum grains, promoting research, and aiding several industrial sectors owing to the grain's adaptability and nutritional properties.

The microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum (PT) is distinguished by its rich nutrient profile, characterized by well-documented neuroprotective activities, including fucoxanthin (FX), a major carotenoid, and polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 PUFA). The current study aims to evaluate the protective effects of a standardized extract of PT (Mi136) containing 2% FX on cognitive function, oxidative stress, and inflammation parameters in a mouse model of accelerated aging. Seventy-two (72) male mice were randomly assigned to the blank control group (BC), negative control group (NC), and four similar microalgae extract of PT groups (branded as BrainPhytTM) with different human equivalent doses. From day 01 to day 51, mice in the BC group were injected with a 0.9% normal saline solution, while mice in all other groups were subcutaneously injected with D-galactose (D-Gal) at a dose of 150 mg/kg once per day, five days per week. Results indicated that, for the three higher microalgae extract of PT dose groups, spatial cognitive function, swim latency, and step-through latency impairments induced by chronic D-Gal intoxication were significantly and fully inhibited, with mean values similar to those in the BC group during each day of testing. Similar benefits were observed in biochemical analysis, specifically regarding brain and plasma levels of lipid peroxidation, TNF-α, and IL-6 markers. These data underscore the positive effects of a standardized extract of PT containing 2% FX on cognitive function parameters such as spatial working memory, long-term memory, and short-term memory through the regulation of oxidative stress and inflammation pathways.

Small-scale fisheries are significant sources of nutrition and livelihood globally. However, increasing anthropogenic activities in coastal areas of developing countries have threatened the sustainability of artisanal fisheries and species. Fisheries of Sardinella maderensis (Lowe, 1838), to which Nigeria contributes 9% of the global stock and is a significant livelihood source in the coastal communities of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, face sustainability threats. This research investigated the effects of anthropogenic activities on S. maderensis fishery in the coastal areas of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria. The study adopted a mixed-method approach involving qualitative and quantitative research methods. These include species identification, water quality analysis, land use change analysis, field surveys, focus group discussions and interviews. Results show genetic analysis of the fish samples from six stations revealed that the species had a mean of 98% similarity to Sardinella maderensis in NCBI. Multiple linear regression indicates that anthropogenic variables explained approximately 4.62% of the variance in the fish catch (p &lt; .001, R2 = .05). Water samples showed heavy metal levels were above international limits, high total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) pollution in all stations (27.56 mg/L- 3985.40 mg/L). Physiochemical analysis of water samples indicated TDS higher than acceptable limits (Mean = 24971.1 mg/L) and inadequate chlorophyll-a level (Mean = 0.01 µg/L). Hence, urgent strategies are required to mitigate anthropogenic threats through inclusive coastal management policies supporting resilient artisanal fisheries and marine spatial planning.

Protein Kinase C delta (PKCδ) has emerged as a key protective molecule against systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus), an autoimmune disease characterized by anti-double stranded (ds) DNA IgGs. Although PKCδ deficient mice and lupus patients with mutated PRKCD genes clearly demonstrate the requirement of PKCδ for preventing lupus autoimmunity, this critical tolerance mechanism remains poorly understood. We recently reported that PKCδ selectively deletes anti-dsDNA B cells in the germinal center (GC), disclosing a key B cell tolerance mechanism that prevents lupus autoimmunity. PKCδ’s tolerance function is activated by sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2), a lipid enzyme whose expression is generally reduced in B cells from lupus patients. Moreover, pharmacologic strengthening of the SMS2/PKCδ tolerance pathway alleviated lupus pathogenesis in mice. Here, we review relevant publications in order to provide mechanistic insights into PKCδ’s tolerance activity, and discuss the potential significance of therapeutically targeting PKCδ’s tolerance activity in the GC for selectively inhibiting lupus autoimmunity.

Presenting a case report on the occurrence of IgA nephropathy with hepatitis B infection in a 32-year-old male patient with main complaints of generalized weakness, easy fatigue, and bilateral swelling of the lower extremities. IgA nephropathy (IgAN), or Berger’s disease, is the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide. It is characterized by the formation of IgA1-containing circulating immune complexes and their deposition in the glomerular mesangium. Its etiology remains multifactorial and often idiopathic. IgA nephropathy alone does not have an infectious etiology; instead, it usually develops in conjunction with an infectious condition that triggers a dysregulated immune response. There is no proof that any particular infectious agent is the secondary cause of IgA nephropathy. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an infectious agent associated with renal complications, including IgA nephropathy. Symptoms include gross haematuria and mild proteinuria indicative of renal involvement. Laboratory investigations and serological tests are followed by imaging studies such as ultrasound and renal biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. The challenges encountered during the diagnostic process included overlapping symptoms and limitations of available diagnostic tests, highlighting the need for comprehensive diagnostic evaluation and multidisciplinary management approaches in similar cases. This case underscores the importance of recognizing and managing both conditions simultaneously to prevent long-term complications such as end-stage renal disease.

Anti-inflammatory agents are widely used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Nevertheless, the associated side effects of available drugs make necessary the search for new anti-inflammatory conditions. Here, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of solidagenone. Initially, we observed that a single dose of 30, 60 or 90 mg/Kg of solidagenone did not result in mortality or elicit any discernible signs of toxicity in the animals. At the same doses, solidagenone promoted a significative reduction in the migration of neutrophils in an acute peritonitis model and decreased mortality in a lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxic shock model. Interestingly, treatment with solidagenone conferred a protective effect against leukopenia and thrombocytopenia, hematological disorders commonly observed in sepsis conditions. In addition, treatment with all the doses of solidagenone promoted a significative reduction in nitric oxide, TNF-α, and IL-1β relative to the LPS-stimulated vehicle-treated cultures. Furthermore, gene expression and in silico analyses also supported the modulation of NF-κB pathway by solidagenone. Finally, in silico pharmacokinetics prediction indicated a favorable drugability profile for solidagenone. Taken together, the findings of the present investigation show that solidagenone exhibits significant anti-inflammatory properties in acute experimental models, potentially through the modulation of NF-κB signaling pathway.

Previous studies have shown that immunization within the first hours/days after birth promotes the shift from the intrauterine Th2 immune response toward the Th1 immunity resulting in lower risk of developing allergic diseases. We are currently conducting a prospective cohort study among 307 participants divided into groups based on their TB and hepatitis B vaccination status (vaccinated at birth, within the first 12 months of life or unvaccinated) and also based on whether the participants had factors contributing to the development of allergic diseases. In each group we assessed the fact of primary diagnosis of atopic dermatitis at 12 and 18 months of age. It was demonstrated that atopic dermatitis (AD) was diagnosed from birth to 12 months of age much less frequently in those infants who had received the tuberculosis (TB) vaccine from day 3 to day 7 and hepatitis B vaccine within the first 24 hours of birth, including newborns with a high risk of developing allergic diseases. The probability of onset of AD at 12 and 18 months was also lower in timely vaccinated children, even though a burdened allergic anamnesis starts playing a more central role in development of AD at this age. Our findings testify to the fact that timely BCG-M and hepatitis B vaccination can produce a protective effect against the onset of AD, yet this effect diminishes with aging.

To face the high tolerance of biofilms to antibiotics, it is urgent to develop new strategies to fight against these bacterial consortia. We describe here an innova-tive antibiofilm nano vector, consisting of a Dispersin B-permethylated-β-cyclodextrin/ciprofloxacin adamantly (DspB-β-CD/CIP-Ad). For this purpose, complexation assays between CIP-Ad and (i) unmodified β-CD and (ii) different derivatives of β-CD, that are 2,3-O-dimethyl-β-CD, 2,6-O-dimethyl-β-CD, and 2,3,6-O-trimethyl-β-CD were tested. A stoichiometry of 1/1 was obtained for the β -CD/CIP-Ad complex by NMR analysis. ITC experiments were carried out to determine Ka, ΔH, ΔS thermodynamic parameters of the complex between β-CD or its different derivatives in the presence of CIP-Ad. A stoichiometry 1/1 of β-CD/CIP-Ad complexes was confirmed with variable affinity according to the type of methylation. A phase solubility study showed increased CIP-Ad solubili-ty with CDs concentration, pointing out complex formation. The evaluation of the antibacterial activity of CIP-Ad and the 2,3-O-dimethyl-β-CD/CIP-Ad or 2,3,6-O-trimethyl-β-CD/CIP-Ad complexes was performed on S.epidermidis strains. MIC studies showed that the complex of CIP-Ad and 2,3-O-dimethyl-β-CD exhibited similar antimicrobial activity to CIP-Ad alone, while the interaction with 2,3,6-O-trimethyl-β-CD increased MIC values. Antimicrobial assays on S. epidermidis biofilms demonstrated that the synergistic effect observed with the DspB/CIP association was partly maintained with the 2,3-O-dimethyl-β-CDs/CIP-Ad complex. To obtain this "all in one" nano vector, able to destroy the biofilm matrix and release the antibiotic simultaneously, we covalently grafted DspB on three carboxylic permethylated CD derivatives with different length spacer arms. The strategy was validated by demonstrating that a DspB-permethylated-β-CD/ciprofloxacin-Ad nanovector exhibited efficient antibiofilm activity.

The CYSTM (cysteine-rich transmembrane module) protein family comprises small molecular cysteine-rich tail-anchored membrane proteins found in many eukaryotes. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains carrying the CYSTM genes YDRO34W-B and YBR056W-A (MNC1) fused with GFP were used to test expression of these genes under different stresses. The YBR056W-A (MNC1) and YDR034W-B genes are expressed under stress conditions caused by the toxic concentrations of heavy metal ions such as manganese, cobalt, nickel, zinc, cuprum, and 2.4-dinitrophenol uncoupler. YDR034W-B but not YBR056W-A is expressed under alkali and cadmium stresses. YBR056W-A is localized in intracellular membranes, while YDR034W-B is localized in the cytoplasmic membrane. The null-mutants in both genes demonstrated both decreased cell concentration and lytic phenotype when cultivated in the presence of excess manganese. This indicates the involvement of Mnc1 and YDR034W-B proteins in manganese detoxification, probably by complexation of its ion.

The World Health Organization estimated that around 66 thousand HBV are caused by needlestick injuries annually. Healthcare students should be aware of HBV transmission route and preventive measures. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward HBV among Jordanian healthcare students and its associated factor. A cross-national study conducted from March to August. The participants were asked to complete the questionnaire. It had four sections: participants' sociodemographic, knowledge, attitudes, and practices about HBV. 2322 participants were enrolled, 67.9% were females, 26.4% were medical student, 35.9% were in the 3rd year. 40% of the participants held a high level of knowledge and attitude. 63.9% of participants had good practices toward HBV. Medical students in the last year of study, encountered HBV patients , had better knowledge. Male students from medicine college, encountered HBV patients and had extra HBV courses showed better attitude. High practice level was associated with being dentistry student, at 5th year, encountered HBV patient and extras HBV courses. This study demonstrated insufficient knowledge and attitudes toward HBV, the practices level toward HBV among healthcare students was promising. Subsequently, public health efforts should modify the knowledge and attitude gaps to reinforce awareness and minimizing risks of the infection.

Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) Virus infection is major etiological factor for liver cirrhosis and/ or liver cancer. The viral protein, major contributor in predisposition of chronicity and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is Hepatitis B x (HBx) protein. Its dynamic subcellular distribution to an extent determines its multifactorial role. It is a regulatory protein which modulates viral as well as host machinery in favours to HBV persistence. An insight on HBx stabilising factors is critical for therapeutic purpose. The precise role of HBx in the pathogenesis of Chronicity of HBV is not known. Summary: This review comprehensively summarizing different mechanisms and their regulation by HBx protein with respect to chronicity and HCC emphasising viral persistence. Key Messages 1. HBx is a key protein for viral persistence. 2. Dynamic subcellular distribution of HBx determines its function. 3. HBx modulates cellular machinery to favours HBV survival. 4. HBx affects various intermediary mechanisms contributing to disease progression. 5. HBx may be a potent target to prevent the disease progression towards HCC.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) places a heavy burden on older patients and the global healthcare system. A large body of evidence suggests that exercise training is essential in preventing and treating cardiovascular disease, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we used the Drosophila melanogaster animal model to study the effects of early-life exercise training (ELET) on the aging heart and lifespan. We found in flies that age-induced arrhythmias are conserved across different genetic backgrounds. The fat body is the primary source of circulating lipoproteins in flies. Inhibition of fat body apoLpp (the flies apoB homolog) demonstrated that low expression of apoLpp reduced the development of arrhythmias in aged flies but did not affect average lifespan. At the same time, ELET can also reduce the expression of apoLpp mRNA in aged flies and have a protective effect on the heart, which is similar to the inhibition of apoLpp mRNA. Although treatment of apoLppRNAi and ELET alone had no significant effect on lifespan, the combination of apoLppRNAi and ELET extended the average lifespan of flies. Therefore, we conclude that apoLppRNAi and ELET are sufficient to resist age-induced arrhythmias, which may be related to the decreased expression of apoLpp mRNA, and that apoLppRNAi and ELET have a combined effect on prolonging the average lifespan.

The production of bio-chemicals requires the use of microbial strains with efficient substrate conversion and excellent environmental robustness, such as Bacillus coagulans spp. So far the genomes of about 50 strains have been sequenced. Herein, we report a comparative genomic analysis of nine strains on the full repertoire of CAZymes, secretion systems, and resistance mechanisms to environmental challenges. Moreover, B. coagulans Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) immune system along with CRISPR-associated Cas) genes, was also analysed. Overall, this study expands our understanding of the strains genomic diversity of B. coagulans to fully exploit its potential in biotechnological applications.

In this present work, we are reporting a novel route for the synthesis of the tetracyclic ring systems, which is a common core of crinipellin via oxidative dearomatization, cycloaddition and oxa- di-pi-methane rearrangement. We considered to exploring a route to tetracyclic core (1e) of Crinipellin and tricyclic core (1g) of Allicaol B through intermolecular diels alder reaction and photochemically 1,2 acyl shift. Moreover, docking study of compound 13 and 16has been investigated against AcrB multidrug efflux pump of Escherichia coli (PDB ID: 1T9U), main protease of SARS COV-2 (PDB ID: 6W63), DNA gyrase of Streptococcus pneumonia (PDB ID: 4Z2C), human estrogen receptor alpha (PDB ID: 3ERT), human lanosterol 14-alpha-demethylase (CYP51)(PDB ID: 3JUS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (Prostaglandin Synthase-2) (PDB ID: 1CX2). The obtained results herein are important for the exploitation of the therapeutic potential of these derivatives as antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer, antifungal or anti-inflammatory agents.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder where both T cells and B cells are implicated in pathology. However, it remains unclear how these two distinct populations cooperate to drive disease. There is ample evidence from studies in both MS patients and mouse models that Th17, B cells, and follicular T helper (TFH) cells contribute to disease. This review article describes the literature that identifies mechanisms by which Th17, TFH, and B cells cooperatively drive disease activity in MS and EAE. The curation of this literature has identified that CNS-infiltrating TFH cells act with TH17 cell to contribute to an inflammatory B cell response in neuroinflammation. This demonstrates that TFH cells and their products are promising targets for therapies in MS.

Introduction: Laeverin is an extravillous trophoblast marker playing a significant role in the trophoblast migration. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between the amniotic and serum laeverin concentrations at 16-22 weeks of gestation and the fetal and placental ultrasound measurements in healthy, unaffected pregnancies. Materials and methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study. Pregnant women with singleton pregnancies undergoing amniocentesis were recruited consecutively. Fetal structural malformations and/or aneuploidy were exclusion criteria. Fetal biometric parameters and placental growth/perfusion were measured in 44 high-risk pregnancies who had no pregnancy complication and any other chronic disease. Maternal serum and amniotic levels of laeverin were essayed with sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Serum laeverin levels are decreasing slightly with the maternal age in mid-gestation. Serum laeverin level correlated negatively slightly with head size of the fetus with the gestational length at delivery (β=-0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.03-0.01), while the amniotic laeverin level correlated strongly with the abdominal circumference of the fetus (β=-0.64, 95% CI: -0.03-0.01). Furthermore, laeverin level in the amnion correlated moderately and positively with the placental volume (β=0.46, 95% CI: 0.01-0.08). Conclusions: Laeverin levels detected in the serum and in the amniotic fluid denotes the fetoplacental growth in uncomplicated high-risk pregnancies.

HepG2 cells reconstituted with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) entry receptor sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP) are widely used as a convenient in vitro cell culture infection model for HBV replication studies. As such, it is pertinent that HBV infectivity is maintained at steady-state levels for accurate interpretation of in vitro data. However, variations in HBV infection efficiency due to imbalanced NTCP expression levels in the HepG2 cell line may affect experimental results. In this study, we performed single cell cloning of HepG2-NTCP-A3 parental cells via limiting dilution and obtained multiple subclones with increased permissiveness to HBV. Specifically, one subclone (HepG2-NTCP-A3/C2) yielded more than 4-fold higher HBV infection compared to the HepG2-NTCP-A3 parental clone. In addition, though HBV infectivity was universally reduced in the absence of polyethylene glycol (PEG), subclone C2 maintained relatively greater permissiveness under PEG-free conditions, suggesting the functional heterogeneity within parental HepG2-NTCP-A3 may be exploitable in developing a PEG-free HBV infection model. The increased viral production correlated with increased intracellular viral antigen expression as evidenced through HBcAg immunofluorescence staining. Further, these subclones were found to express different levels of NTCP, albeit with no remarkable morphology or cell growth differences. In conclusion, we isolated subclones of HepG2-NTCP-A3 which support efficient HBV production and thus provide an improved in vitro HBV infection model.

Poland suffered an epidemic of louse-borne typhus from 1916-1923, with 400,000 cases and more than 130,000 deaths. The causative factors were depressed economic conditions and a refugee crisis that engulfed Poland after World War I. The recognition of the epidemic in 1919 stimulated the creation of the League of Red Cross Societies (LRCS). However, the LCRS had limited resources and the Poles requested help from other governments and the League of Nations (LoN). The United States sent the American-Polish Relief Expedition to conduct delousing. However, the Polish-Soviet War of 1920 disrupted typhus control and exacerbated the refugee situation. The LoN belatedly organized an underfunded Epidemic Commission. The LCRS sent a research team that did ground-breaking work on the pathology of typhus. Into 1921, the epidemic continued, driven by refugees from typhus-stricken Russia. By 1924, typhus cases were finally approaching pre-World War I levels. Multiple factors lead to the amelioration of the epidemic. The repatriation of prisoners of war and displaced civilians had concluded by 1923. Also, there had been a steady influx of sanitary, food, economic, and medical aid from various organizations into Poland since 1919. Administratively, within Poland, the anti-typhus campaign was also conducted more effectively by the Extraordinary Epidemic Commissariat.

Medicago sativa L. (Alfalfa) is a globally recognized forage legume that has recently gained attention for its high protein content, making it suitable for both human and animal consumption. However, due to its perennial nature and autotetraploid genetics, conventional plant breeding requires a longer timeframe compared to other crops. Therefore, genetic engineering offers a faster route for trait modification and improvement. Here, we describe a protocol for achieving efficient transient gene expression in alfalfa through genetic transformation with the Agrobacterium tumefaciens pCAMBIA1304 vector. This vector contains the reporter genes β-glucuronidase (GUS) and green fluorescent protein (GFP), along with a selectable hygromycin B phosphotransferase gene, all driven by the CaMV 35s promoter. Various transformation parameters—such as different explant types, leaf ages, leaf sizes, wounding types, bacterial concentrations (OD600nm), tissue preculture periods, incubation periods, co-cultivation periods, and different concentrations of acetosyringone, silver nitrate, and calcium chloride—were optimized using 3-week-old plantlets raised in vitro. Results were attained from data based on the semi-quantitative observation of the percentage and number of GUS spots on different days of agro-infection in alfalfa explants. The highest percentage (76.2%) of GUS-positive alfalfa leaf explants was observed after 3 days of agroinfection at a bacterial concentration of 0.6, 2 days of preculture, 30 min of infection time, 150 µM acetosyringone, 4 mM calcium chloride, and 75 µM silver nitrate. The transient expression of genes of interest was confirmed via histochemical GUS and GFP assays. The results based on transient reporter gene expression suggest that various factors influence T-DNA delivery in the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of alfalfa.

Ground level ozone is an abiotic stress estimated to reduce mean global annual wheat yields by nearly 10%. This study in solardomes exposed an elite cultivar, and multiple lines of synthetic wheat (primary and F2) to four levels of ozone (30 ppb, 55 ppb, 80 ppb, 110 ppb) for three months, with two lines (cv Paragon and an F2 line, BC1) selected for X-ray microcomputed tomography. The uCT imaging revealed ozone’s effect on individual grain formation, both spatially within the spike and on grain shape. Reductions in grain number occurred primarily across the middle of the spike. Grain volume reductions were driven more by reduced width and depth than reduced length. Based on yield data, both lines demonstrated relative tolerance to ozone. Links between ozone’s effects on grain morphology and grain quality are also explored. These data provide information that could be utilised in wheat breeding programmes to increase tolerance to ozone of this staple food crop.

Cleomella serrulata is a native flowering plant found in North America. Even though this plant is of ecological and native medicinal importance, very little is known about the genomic makeup of Cleomella and the Cleomaceae family at large. Here we report the complete chloroplast genome of Cleomella serrulata and provide an evolutionary comparison to other chloroplast genomes from Cleomaceae and closely related families. This study confirms the taxonomic placement of Cleomella as a distinct genus, but also provides phylogenetic insights that imply potential adaptive strategies and evolutionary mechanisms driving genomic diversity of the Cleomella genus. Whole genome-based and ANI comparisons indicate that the Cleomella species form a distinct clade that is about equidistant from the other Cleomaceae genera as it is from the genera from the nearby Capparaceae and Brassicaceae. This is the first complete chloroplast-based phylogenetic comparison of Cleomella species to other related genera and helps refine the complex taxonomic distinctions of the Cleomaceae.

Phelipanche ramosa is a root parasitic plant fully dependent on host plants for nutrition and development. Once germinated, the parasitic seedling develops inside of the infected roots a specific organ, the haustorium, thanks to notably cell wall degrading enzymes of haustorial intrusive cells and induced modifications in host’s cell walls. The model plant Arabidopsis thaliana is susceptible to P. ramosa, thus mutants in cell wall metabolism, notably in pectin remodeling like Atpme3-1, are of interest in studying the involvement of cell wall degrading host’s enzymes in establishment of the plant-plant interaction. Host-parasite co-cultures in mini-rhizotrons systems revealed that parasite attachments are twice more numerous and tubercle growth is quicker on Atpme3-1 roots than on WT roots. When compared to the WT, increase in susceptibility in the mutant is associated to reduction in PME activity in roots and to lowering in the degree of pectin methylation at the host-parasite interface, as detected immunohistochemically in infected roots. In addition, both WT and Atpme3-1 responded to infestation by modulations in expression of PAE and PME encoding genes and in global related enzymes activities in roots, before and after parasite attachment. However, modulations differ in WT and Atpme3-1 and this may contribute to different pectin remodeling in roots and contrasted susceptibility to P. ramosa. By this integrative study, we could define a model of the cell wall response to this particular biotic stress and indicate for the first time the role of PME3 in this parasitic plant-plant interaction.

High-power output and high conversion efficiency are crucial in the study of microfluidic microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In our previous work, we attempted various methods to increase the power density of the MFCs, but nutrient consumption was limited to the bottom (electrode) layer of the microfluidic channel due to the diffusion limitations. In this work, long-term experiments were conducted on a new 4-electrode microfluidic MFC design, which grew Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms on upward- and downward-facing electrodes in the microchannel. It was discovered that inoculation and growth of the electroactive biofilm did not proceed as fast as the downward facing anode, which we hypothesize is due to gravity effects that negatively impacted bacterial settling on that surface. Rotating the device during the growth phase resulted in uniform and strong outputs from both sides, yielding individual power densities of 4.03 and 4.13 W m-2, which was increased to nearly double when the top- and bottom-side electrodes were operated in parallel as a single 4-electrode MFC. Similarly, acetate consumption could be doubled with the 4-electrodes operated in parallel.

Phosphite (Phi) has gained attention in agriculture due to its biostimulant effect on crops. This molecule has been found to benefit plant performance by providing protection against pathogens, improving yield and fruit quality, and improving nutrient and water use efficiency. It is still unclear how Phi enhances plant growth and protects against multiple stresses. It has been hypothesized that Phi acts by directly affecting the pathogens and interacting with the plant cellular components and molecular machinery to elicit defense responses. This study delves into elucidating the mechanisms underlying Phi’s beneficial effects on plants, revealing a complex interplay with fundamental signaling pathways. A RNA-seq study of Arabidopsis seedlings under optimal and limiting phosphate conditions helped us unveil Phi’s role in promoting plant growth by activating the expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis and signaling pathways associated with abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), and jasmonic acid (JA). Expression of ABA-related genes, known for their involvement in stress response and development regulation, is triggered by Phi treatment, contributing to enhanced resilience and growth. Simultaneously, the activation of the SA pathway, associated with defense responses, suggests Phi’s potential in bolstering plant immunity. Moreover, Phi influences JA biosynthesis and signaling, which are crucial for defense against herbivores and pathogens, thereby strengthening plants’ defenses. Our findings reveal a multifaceted mechanism through which Phi benefits Arabidopsis development. Understanding its intricate interplay with key signaling pathways opens avenues for leveraging Phi as a strategic tool to enhance plant resilience, immunity, and growth in agricultural and ecological contexts.

Understanding the genotype x environment (GE) interaction for traget trait is valuable for growers, agronomists, breeders and the seed industry. The objective of this study was to see and explore the genotype x environment interaction for grain yield of wheat to better guide genotype selection and breeding. The genotype main effect and GE interaction effect (GGE) biplots resolved the following three genotypes: 85 (ETW17-377), 82 (ETW17-374) and 13 (ETW17-281) for being the best yielding and stable. The Kulumsa site planted on 4^th of July 2017 (environment 7=E7) and the DebreZeit site on 20^th of July 2017 (E3) were the most effective environments in distinguishing the test genotypes and are thus suitable environments for future evaluation and selection with specific adaptation. Melkasa site planted on 4^th July (E9) was a representative environment where genotypes can be evaluated for wide adpaptation. The genetic covariate biplot indicated that thousand kernel weight (TKW) and plant height (PH) had significant positive associations with grain yield implying the possible concurrent indirect selection of both traits for exploiting GE interaction for grain yield of wheat.

Solventogenic Clostridium species are important for establishing sustainable industrial bioproduction of fuels and important chemicals. The inherent versatility of these species in substrate utilization and the range of solvents produced during acetone butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation make solventogenic Clostridium an attractive choice for biotechnological applications such as production of fuels and chemicals. The functional qualities of these microbes have thus been identified to be due to complex regulatory networks that play essential roles in modulating the metabolism of this group of bacteria. Genomes of solventogenic Clostridium species have relatively greater prevalence of genes that are intricately controlled by various regulatory molecules than most other species. Consequently, the use of genetic or metabolic engineering strategies that do not consider the underlying regulatory mechanisms will not be effective. Several regulatory factors involved in substrate uptake/utilization, sporulation, solvent production, and stress responses (Carbon Catabolite Protein A, Spo0A, AbrB, Rex, CsrA) have been identified and characterized. In this review, the focus is on newly identified regulatory factors in solventogenic Clostridium species, the interaction of these factors with previously identified molecules, and potential implications on substrate utilization, solvent production, and resistance/tolerance to lignocellulose-derived microbial inhibitory compounds.

Cinnamomum tamala leaf (CTL), also known as tejpat and Indian bay leaf, is used all over the world for seasoning, flavouring, and medicinal purposes. Numerous researchers are interested in exploring the nutritional and medicinal benefits of CTL due to their potential as nutraceuticals. These characteristics could be explained by the presence of several essential bioactive substances and lipid derivatives. There are no reports available on this species about its metabolites profile. In this work, rapid screen and identify chemical compounds in supercritical (SC)-CO2 extracts of CTL by use of UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE with multivariate statistical analysis approach was established in both negative and positive mode. As a results, a total of 166 compounds, including 66 monocarboxylic fatty acids, 52 dicarboxylic fatty acids, 27 fatty acid amides, and 21 others were tentatively identified based on accurate mass, and the mass spectrometric fragmentation pattern, out of which 142 compounds are common and found in all five CTL extracts. They displayed robust [M+H]+ and/or [M-H]- ions in both low- and high-energy collision-induced dissociations (CIDs). Based on chemical profiling and chemometric analysis, CTL4 (300bar/55°C) extract was found significantly more potent in other CTL’s extracts. A new mono- and di-carboxylic fatty acids, fatty acid amides and other essential bioactive compounds were separated within 20 min runtime and identified in CTL for the first time. The combination of UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE and chemometric analysis is a powerful method to rapidly screen the metabolites profile for the quality control of C. tamala leaf.

Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) is a common pathogen with high prevalence of infection in human populations. Diagnosis of H. Pylori infection is critical for its treatment, eradication, and prognosis. Biosensors have been demonstrated to be powerful for rapid onsite detection of pathogens, particularly for point-of-care test (POCT) scenarios. In this work, we propose a novel optical biosensor, based on nanomaterial porous silicon (PSi) and photonic surface state Tamm Plasmon Polariton (TPP), for detection of cytotoxin-associated antigen A (CagA) antigen of H. Pylori bacterium. We fabricated the PSi TPP biosensor, analysed its optical characteristics and demonstrated through experiments towards sensing of CagA antigen, that TPP biosensor has sensitivity of 100 pm/(ng/ml), limit of detection of 0.01 ng/ml, and specificity in terms of positive-to-negative ratio of more than six. From these performance factors, it can be concluded that TPP biosensor can serve as an effective tool for diagnosis of H. Pylori infection, either in analytical labs or in POCT applications.