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The original English novels: \"Heart Of Darkness\" by Joseph Conrad, and \"Things Fall Apart\" by Chinua Achebe clearly portray the colonialism and imperialism in Africa in general, and Nigeria and Congo in particular. Colonialism and Imperialism in Africa are claimed to be different between European writers and African ones, this comparative research compares Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness, and Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart using a qualitative-quantitative methodology to approve these claims, focusing mainly on the writers' representation and description by lexical choices. The contradictory points of view of an African writer who wrote his novel not only to narrate real facts and incidents but also to present the truth of the African society and correct the misunderstandings in his opinion to the European one who presents Africa as the primitive nation that should be exploited as possible because natives do not deserve its treasures. The corpus-stylistic analysis will be the judging tool to distinguish the way they present the places and people in the novels and illustrate the themes by the lexical choices provided throughout corpora data and the significance of the repeated patterns of nouns, adjectives, and verbs. Empirically, Achebe has shown that the Africans are proud of their culture and they are civilized, not permissive as Conrad claimed that Africa is a dark place where everything is in brooding gloom. The colonial imperialistic look at the Africans is and will always be unfair.

Agri-food wastes, produced following industrial food processing, are mostly discarded, leading to environmental hazards and losing the nutritional and medicinal values associated with their bioactive constituents. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analytical and biological evaluation of selected vegetable by-products (potato, onion, and garlic peels). The phytochemical analysis included UHPLC-ESI-qTOF-MS/MS in combination with molecular networking and determination of the total flavonoid and phenolic contents. Further, the antimicrobial, anti-osteoarthritis and wound healing potentials were also evaluated. In total, 47 compounds were identified, belonging to phenolic acids, flavonoids, saponins, and alkaloids as representative chemical classes. Onion peel extract (OPE) showed the higher polyphenolic contents, the promising antioxidant activity, the potential anti-osteoarthritis activity, and promising antimicrobial activity, especially against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Furthermore, OPE revealed to have promising in vivo wound healing activity, restoring tissue physiology and integrity, mainly through the activation of AP-1 signaling pathway. Lastly, when OPE was loaded with nanocapsule based hydrogel, the nano-formulation revealed enhanced cellular viability. The affinities of the OPE major metabolites were evaluated against both p65 and ATF-2 targets using two different molecular docking processes revealing quercetin-3,4′- O -diglucoside, alliospiroside C, and alliospiroside D as the most promising entities with superior binding scores. These results demonstrate that vegetable by-products, particularly, those derived from onion peels can be incorporated as natural by-product for future evaluation against wounds and osteoarthritis.

In recent years, medicinal plants have gained significant attention in modern medicine due to their accessibility, affordability, widespread acceptance, and safety, making herbal remedies highly valued globally. Consequently, ensuring medicinal plants’ quality, efficacy, and safety has become a critical concern for developed and developing nations. The emergence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms poses a serious global health threat, particularly in low-income regions, despite significant advancements in antimicrobial drugs and medical research over the past century. The rapid spread of these multidrug-resistant infections is primarily attributed to improper prescriptions, overuse, and unregulated access to antibiotics. Addressing these challenges, the standardization of plant-derived pharmaceuticals could pave the way for a transformative era in healthcare. Preserving and leveraging the historical knowledge of medicinal plants is essential before such valuable information is lost. Recently, there has been growing interest among natural and pharmaceutical scientists in exploring medicinal plants as potential sources of antimicrobial agents. This current review aims to identify the most common pathogens threatening human health, analyze the factors contributing to the rise of drug-resistant microorganisms, and evaluate the widespread use of medicinal plants across various countries as alternative antibiotics, highlighting their unique mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance.

Background Being a newly emerging disease, little is known about its long-lasting post-COVID-19 consequences. The aim of this work is to assess the frequency, patterns, and determinants of persistent post-COVID-19 symptoms and to evaluate the value of a proposed novel COVID-19 symptom score. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 in a hospital-based registry were included in a cross-sectional study (the hospitals including Assiut University Hospital, Assiut Chest Hospital, Aswan University Hospital, and Aswan Specialized Hospital). The patient demographics, comorbid disorders, the mean duration since the onset of the symptoms, history of hospital or ICU admittance, and the treatment taken during the acute state, as well as symptom score before and after convalescence, were recorded. Results The most frequent constitutional and neurological symptoms were myalgia (60.0%), arthralgia (57.2%), restriction of daily activities (57.0%), and sleeping troubles (50.9%), followed by anorexia (42.6%), chest pain (32.6%), gastritis (32.3%), cough (29.3%), and dyspnea (29.1%). The mean total score of acute stage symptoms was 31.0 ± 16.3 while post-COVID 19 symptom score was 13.1 ± 12.6 ( P < 0.001). The main determinants of the persistent post-COVID-19 symptoms were the need for oxygen therapy ( P < 0.001), pre-existing hypertension ( P = 0.039), chronic pulmonary disorders ( P = 0.012), and any chronic comorbidity ( P = 0.004). There was a correlation between the symptom score during the acute attack and post-COVID-19 stage ( P < 0.001, r = 0.67). The acute phase score had 83.5% sensitivity and 73.3% specificity for the cutoff point > 18 to predict occurrence of post-COVID-19 symptoms. Conclusions COVID-19 can present with a diverse spectrum of long-term post-COVID-19 symptoms. Increased acute phase symptom severity and COVID-19 symptom score > 18 together with the presence of any comorbid diseases increase the risk for persistent post-COVID-19 manifestations and severity.

Background International medical students face unique challenges in adjusting to new sociocultural environments, particularly in resource-limited settings. In Egypt, despite calls for increasing cultural diversity in medical education, limited research has explored how international students adapt and what factors influence their experience. This study aimed to assess the sociocultural adaptation of international medical students at Mansoura University to inform targeted strategies enhancing their inclusion and well-being. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among international medical students at Mansoura University between September and November 2024 using an online survey. Data were collected through convenience and snowball sampling, along with a non-probability proportionate quota based on academic year. The survey included sociodemographic items and the Sociocultural Adaptation Scale–Revised (SCAS-R), a validated tool that assesses five aspects of sociocultural adaptation on a five-point Likert scale. Results A total of 395 international students participated, with a mean SCAS-R adaptation score of 3.37 (SD = 0.69). Adaptation was highest among 1st-year students (3.52) and lower in subsequent years (2nd: 3.21; 3rd: 3.39; 4th: 3.31; 5th: 3.48). Males reported higher scores in personal interest/community involvement (3.09 vs. 2.86, p  = 0.011) and language proficiency (4.25 vs. 4.00, p  = 0.036). Arab students had significantly higher overall adaptation than non-Arabs (3.40 vs. 3.21, p  = 0.046), primarily due to stronger language proficiency (4.42 vs. 2.76, p  < 0.001). Students with sufficient income showed better adaptation in communication (3.41 vs. 3.15, p  = 0.021), ecological adjustment (3.32 vs. 2.99, p  = 0.008), and language (4.18 vs. 3.83, p  = 0.039). Conclusion The findings of this study emphasize the need for medical institutions to implement inclusive support strategies, including bilingual language training, targeted financial assistance, and sustained integration efforts beyond the first academic year. Trial registration Not applicable.

Background Pancreatic cancer remains one of the malignancies characterized by the most insidious onset and dire prognosis. Preliminary diagnostic biomarkers are essential for timely identification and improved prognosis. CircularRNA‐DLGAP4 (Circ‐DLGAP4) and microRNA‐9 (miR‐9) are intriguing, easily accessible genetic indicators for numerous diseases. Aim To quantify serum expression levels of Circ‐DLGAP4 and miR‐9 in pancreatic cancer patients and juxtapose these values with those of control persons to assess their potential as diagnostic biomarkers. It also aims to correlate their expression levels with the clinicopathological features of the disease. Method Quantitative analysis of serum samples collected from 40 pancreatic cancer patients and 40 control subjects with RT‐PCR. Results There were statistically significant elevations in blood levels of Circ‐DLGAP4 and miR‐9 in pancreatic cancer patients compared to healthy persons, with median (range) values of 8.2 (0.39–17.32), p‐value < 0.001, and 9.5 (4.06–14.7), respectively. The blood level of Circ‐DLGAP4 exhibited a significant positive correlation with the serum concentration of miR‐9 (r = 0.89, p = 0.001). Conclusions Circ‐DLGAP4 and miR‐9 serve as diagnostic biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer remains one of the malignancies characterized by the most insidious onset and dire prognosis. Preliminary diagnostic biomarkers are essential for timely identification and improved prognosis. Circ‐DLGAP4 and miR‐109 are intriguing, easily accessible genetic indicators for numerous diseases. There were statistically significant elevations in blood levels of circ‐DLGAP4 and miR‐9 in pancreatic cancer patients compared to healthy persons, with median (range) values of 8.2 (0.39–17.32), p‐value < 0.001, and 9.5 (4.06–14.7), respectively. The blood level of circ‐DLGAP4 exhibited a significant positive correlation with the serum concentration of miR‐9 (r = 0.89, p = 0.001). Cir‐DLGAP4 and miR‐9 serve as diagnostic biomarkers for pancreatic cancer.

The complexities and the economic computational infeasibility associated in some cases, with three-dimensional finite element models, has imposed a motive for many investigators to accept numerical modeling simplification solutions such as assuming two-dimensional (2D) plane strain conditions in simulation of several supported-deep excavation problems, especially for cases with a relatively high aspect ratio in plan dimensions. In this research, a two-dimensional finite element model was established to simulate the behavior of the supporting system of a large-scale deep excavation utilized in the construction of an underground metro station Rod El Farrag project (Egypt). The essential geotechnical engineering properties of soil layers were calculated using results of in-situ and laboratory tests and empirical correlations with SPT-N values. On the other hand, a three-dimensional finite element model was established with the same parameters adopted in the two-dimensional model. Sufficient sensitivity numerical analyses were performed to make the three-dimensional finite element model economically feasible. Results of the two-dimensional model were compared with those obtained from the field measurements and the three-dimensional numerical model. The comparison results showed that 3D high stiffening at the primary walls’ corners and also at the locations of cross walls has a significant effect on both the lateral wall deformations and the neighboring soil vertical settlement.