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This study evaluates the combined effects of cobalt (Co) application and nitrogen (N) fertilization on faba bean ( Vicia faba ) growth, yield, and nutritional quality under field conditions during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 growing seasons. Field experiments were conducted at the Research and Production Station in El-Nubaryia, Egypt, using a split-plot design with three replicates. Nitrogen fertilizer levels (100%, 75%, 50%, and 25% (NH₄)₂SO₄) were applied to main plots, and cobalt concentrations (with and without 12 ppm) were applied to subplots. Cobalt treatment significantly enhanced root nodule formation, nitrogenase activity, and overall plant growth, especially under higher nitrogen levels. The highest positive effects on nodulation, yield components (such as number of pods and seed yield), and nutritional content (N, P, K, Mn, Zn, Cu) were observed at 100% nitrogen, followed by 75% and 50% nitrogen treatments. The results indicated that spraying with cobalt with 75% nitrogen fertilization was better or equal to 100% nitrogen fertilization without cobalt, which saves 25% of nitrogen fertilization. Cobalt improved faba bean productivity and nutrient content, particularly when combined with optimal nitrogen levels, suggesting its potential role in sustainable agriculture. The study underscores the beneficial impact of cobalt and nitrogen synergy in enhancing crop productivity and nutritional value.

Metastatic breast cancer is an incurable form of breast cancer that exhibits high levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. Angiotensin II has been linked to various signaling pathways involved in tumor cell growth and metastasis. The aim of this study is to investigate, for the first time, the anti-proliferative activity of azilsartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker, against breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 at the molecular level. Cell viability, cell cycle, apoptosis, colony formation, and cell migration assays were performed. RT-PCR and western blotting analysis were used to explain the molecular mechanism. Azilsartan significantly decreased the cancer cells survival, induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, and inhibited colony formation and cell migration abilities. Furthermore, azilsartan reduced the mRNA levels of NF-kB, TWIST, SNAIL, SLUG and bcl2, and increased the mRNA level of bax. Additionally, azilsartan inhibited the expression of IL-6, JAK2, STAT3, MMP9 and bcl2 proteins, and increased the expression of bax, c-PARP and cleaved caspase 3 protein. Interestingly, it reduced the in vivo metastatic capacity of MDA-MBA-231 breast cancer cells. In conclusion, the present study revealed, for the first time, the anti-proliferative, apoptotic, anti-migration and EMT inhibition activities of azilsartan against breast cancer cells through modulating NF-kB/IL-6/JAK2/STAT3/MMP9, TWIST/SNAIL/SLUG and apoptosis signaling pathways.

This study investigated the effects of cobalt treatments on the growth, yield, and chemical composition of sweet fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare cv. Dulce) in both pot and field experiments conducted over two growing seasons. The experimental design was structured as a completely randomized block design. In the pot experiment, cobalt was applied at concentrations of 0.0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 mg L⁻¹. For the field experiment, the concentrations tested were refined to 0.0, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 mg L⁻¹ based on preliminary results to better assess the impact on sweet fennel growth and yield. Vegetative growth, yield parameters, and chemical constituents were evaluated 60 and 120 days after sowing. The results indicated that a cobalt concentration of 16 mg L⁻¹ significantly enhanced plant growth, yield, and nutritional quality. Specifically, plant height, leaf number, fresh and dry weights, bulb dimensions, and total yield per feddan showed substantial increases compared to the control. Chemical analysis revealed improvements in macronutrients, micronutrients, total proteins, carbohydrates, soluble sugars, phenolic content, vitamins C and A, and oil content at this optimal cobalt level. However, higher concentrations (20 mg L⁻¹) led to a slight decline in some metrics, suggesting a potential toxicity threshold. The composition of essential oils also improved with cobalt treatment, with significant increases in key components such as α -pinene, camphene, and fenchone. These findings demonstrate that cobalt supplementation at 16 mg L⁻¹ can significantly enhance the growth, yield, and quality of sweet fennel, although excessive levels may have adverse effects. Graphical abstract

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are synthetic broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents that have been recently repurposed to anticancer candidates. Designing new derivatives of FQs with different moieties to target DNA topoisomerases could improve their anticancer efficacy. The present study aimed to synthesize a novel ciprofloxacin derivative, examine its anticancer activity against HepG2 and A549 cancer cells, and investigate the possible molecular mechanism underlying this activity by examining its ability to inhibit the topo I/II activity and to induce the apoptotic and necro-apoptotic pathways. Molecular docking, cell viability, cell migration, colony formation, cell cycle, Annexin V, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, ELISA, and western blotting assays were utilized. Molecular docking results showed that this novel ciprofloxacin derivative exerted dual topo I and topo II binding and inhibition. It significantly inhibited the proliferation of A549 and HepG2 cancer cells and decreased their cell migration and colony formation abilities. In addition, it significantly increased the % of apoptotic cells, caused cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase, and elevated the LDH release levels in both cancer cells. Furthermore, it increased the expression of cleaved caspase 3, RIPK1, RIPK3, and MLKL proteins. This novel ciprofloxacin derivative exerted substantial dual inhibition of topo I/II enzyme activities, showed antiproliferative activity, suppressed the cell migration and colony formation abilities for A549 and HepG2 cancer cells and activated the apoptotic pathway. In addition, it initiated another backup deadly pathway, necro-apoptosis, through the activation of the RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL pathway.

Strong interparticle forces (IPFs) in ultrafine powders lead to agglomeration and poor fluidization quality posing a major challenge in many industrial processes. This study investigates the use of a high-energy microjet to improve the fluidization of nanosilica. A 200 μm nozzle was used to inject a secondary flow at a sonic velocity of 312 m/s, creating intense, localized turbulence. Analysis of local pressure drop transients confirmed that this energy input effectively de-agglomerated the powder, particularly in the lower bed. The combination of the microjet with a primary inlet gas flow produced a substantial improvement in fluidization, achieving a maximum bed expansion of approximately ten times the initial height. Furthermore, by conducting successive runs, we demonstrated a significant persistence effect. The bed retained its improved hydrodynamic characteristics, responding more rapidly in subsequent runs, implying an irreversible microjet-induced change in the powder’s agglomerate structure.

Cardiac toxicity is a public health issue that can be caused by both environmental and occupational exposures. The current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of carvedilol (CV), Acetovanillone (ACET), and their combination for ameliorating cadmium (Cd)-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and necroptosis. Rats were assigned to; the normal group, Cd group (2 mg/kg; i.p., single dose), and the other three groups received orally CV (10 mg/kg), ACET (25 mg/kg), and CV plus ACET, respectively and a single dose of Cd. Oral administration of CV, ACET, and their combination significantly dampens cardiac oxidative injury by increasing antioxidants GSH and SOD levels, while it decreases MDA and NADPH oxidase levels mediated by decreasing cardiac abundance of Nrf2, HO-1, and SIRT1 and downregulating KEAP-1 and FOXO-3 levels. Also, they significantly attenuated inflammatory response as indicated by reducing MPO and NOx as well as proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 mediated by downregulating TLR4, iNOS, and NF-κB proteins expression as well as IκB upregulation. Moreover, they potently counteracted cardiac necroptosis by downregulating RIPK1, RIPK3, MLKL, and caspase-8 proteins expression. Of note, the combination of CV and ACET have marked protection that exceeded each drug alone. Conclusively, CV ad ACET potently mitigated Cd-induced cardiac intoxication by regulating NADPH oxidase, KEAP-1/Nrf2/HO-1, SIRT1/FOXO-3, TLR4/NF-κB/iNOS, and RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL signals.

Background Feline parvovirus (FPV) causes feline panleukopenia (FPL) and cerebellar ataxia (CA) in cats. to date, only two complete Egyptian VP2 sequences have been available in GenBank. To investigate FPV diversity And evolution in Egypt, we generated 24 complete VP2 sequences from diseased cats during two FPV activity peaks in 2023 (January-February and November-December). Egyptian sequences were Analyzed with 967 global references to assess selection pressure and phylogenetic relationships. In silico predictions of VP2 Antigenic sites, 3D structure, and phosphorylation potential were performed to evaluate the impact of identified mutations. Results Egyptian sequences showed 99.3–100% nt And 99.8–100% aa identity among themselves, And 98.6–100% nt And 98.4–100% aa identity with global references. The overall dN/dS ratio was 0.121, with codon 101 under positive selection. Compared to the prototype FPV-b strain (M38246), Egyptian strains had 32 mutations (3 nonsynonymous: Ala5Thr, Ile101Thr, and Thr390Ala; 29 synonymous), forming 19 nt And 3 aa sequence types. Notably, Thr390Ala was unique to Egyptian sequences and absent from all global references. Phylogenetically, Egyptian strains formed two subclades: one composed solely of sequences carrying Thr390Ala ( n  = 13), And Another including the remaining 11 sequences clustering with 19 global strains sharing the synonymous mutation C135T in addition to A927G and/or A1236G. The Thr390Ala variant predominated in the first peak (11/17, 64.7%) but declined in the second (2/7, 28.6%). Residue 390 lies within an epitope-rich region (aa 350–450) and was predicted to be a phosphorylation site. Thr390Ala caused a modest drop in epitope score, disrupted local hydrogen bonding, and abolished predicted phosphorylation. Conclusions Beyond expanding the global dataset with the largest number of Egyptian full-length VP2 sequences to date, this study highlights the Thr390Ala mutant as a classic example of evolutionary trade-off: it emerged and predominate during the first peak, potentially as an immune escape variant, but declined in the second peak, likely due to structural constraints and competition with fitter variants. Despite strong purifying selection, this case illustrates that FPV evolution is not entirely static. This underscores the need for continuous genetic monitoring to capture viral evolution in real time and inform effective control strategies.

In Egypt, pharmaceuticals consumption increased dramatically owing to the population growth and the unrestricted sale manner. Accordingly, the occurrence and fate of nine common pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) were scrutinized at a sewage treatment plant (STP) in Giza, Egypt. The levels of these PhACs were assessed in different the wastewater treatment stages and dewatered sludge phase using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode arrays detector. The average concentrations of the total PhACs detected in influent, primary sedimentation effluent (PSE) and final effluent (FE) were 227, 155 and 89 µg L −1 , respectively. The overall removal efficiency of the individual PhACs ranged from 18 to 72% removal. The occurrence trend revealed that biodegradation and adsorption are the concurrently removal mechanisms of the studied PhACs. The overall consumption per day in West of Greater Cairo was estimated based on influent concentration of STP. Sulfamethoxazole, paracetamol and diclofenac were detected with the highest levels in the influent of STP, PSE and FE as well as in the dewatered sludge. Furthermore, the high concentrations of these compounds in the sludge confirm the adsorption pathway removal of theses PhACs. The risk quotient (RQ) assessment for the detected PhACs in FE is greatly higher than the predicted non-effect concentration (PNEC). Conclusively, the FE of STP is considered a risky source for PhACs in adjacent surface water.

Renal ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury is characterized by an unexpected impairment of blood flow to the kidney. Azilsartan is an angiotensin receptor blocker that is approved for the management of hypertension. The present study aimed to investigate, on molecular basics, the nephroprotective activity of azilsartan on renal IR injury in rats. Rats were assigned into four groups: (1) Sham group, (2) Azilsartan group, (3) IR group, and (4) IR/Azilsartan-treated group. Histological examination and renal function were evaluated. Levels of KIM-1, HMGB1, caspase 3, GPX, SOD, NF-κB, and p53 proteins were investigated using ELISA. mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL6, IL10, TNF-α, NF-κB, p53, and bax were assessed by qRT-PCR. Expression of p38, JNK, and ERK1/2 proteins was investigated by Western blotting. IR injury resulted in tissue damage, elevation of creatinine, BUN, KIM-1, HMGB1, caspase 3, NF-κB, and p53 levels, decreasing GPX and SOD activities, and up-regulation of NF-κB, IL-1β, IL6, TNF-α, p53, and bax genes. Furthermore, it up-regulated the expression of phosphorylated/total ratio of p38, ERK1/2, and JNK proteins. Interestingly, treatment of the injured rats with azilsartan significantly alleviated IR injury-induced histopathological and biochemical changes. It reduced the creatinine, BUN, KIM-1, HMGB1, caspase-3, NF-κB, and p53 levels, elevated GPX and SOD activities, down-regulated the expression of NF-κB, IL-1β, IL6, TNF-α, p53, and bax genes, and up-regulated IL10 gene expression. Furthermore, it decreased the phosphorylated/total ratio of p38, ERK1/2, and JNK proteins. Azilsartan exhibited nephroprotective activity in IR-injured rats via its antioxidant effect, suppression of inflammation, attenuation of apoptosis, and inhibition of HMGB1/NF-κB/p38/ERK1/2/JNK signaling pathway.

Timely diagnosis is essential for managing feline panleukopenia (FPL), a devastating disease of cats caused by feline parvovirus (FPV) or canine parvovirus variants (CPV-2a, -2b, -2c). To support swift clinical decisions, point-of-care (PoC) antigen kits offer frontline tools. Given their cost and availability advantages, CPV-specific kits are often used off-label in cats; however, their interchangeability with manufacturer-matched FPV-specific kits remains unverified. This study assessed the diagnostic agreement between paired canine- and feline-specific PoC parvovirus antigen tests from two manufacturers. Fifty cats (30 with acute gastroenteritis, 20 healthy) were tested using all test formats. All cats underwent PCR and sequencing for parvovirus typing. Tests from the same manufacturer showed near-perfect or perfect agreement for result interpretation (Cohen's κ: 0.919 and 1.000). This strong inter-kit concordance also extended to test line intensity (  = 0.908 and 1.000). Antigen-positive results were limited to diseased cats, mirroring the distribution of PCR positives. The latter included all the 30 cases, and were typed by sequencing as follows: 28 FPV, 1 CPV-2a, and 1 CPV-2c. All kit types detected FPV and CPV variants, and agreement within each manufacturer's paired kits was consistent across detected viral types. This preliminary evidence suggests that for two manufacturers, CPV antigen tests were non-inferior to their FPV counterparts, supporting flexible, cost-effective FPL diagnosis in cats, regardless of implicated parvovirus types.