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The objective of this study was to characterize the factors that influence the outcome of exposure to hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 4 (HCV-G4) and the course of recent infection. In this longitudinal study, we prospectively assessed the clinical, genetic, virological, and immunological parameters and retrospectively determined single-nucleotide polymorphisms at interleukin-28B (IL-28B) rs12979860 in a well-characterized large cohort recently exposed to HCV-G4. A total of 136 subjects with acute HCV (new viremia, seroconversion, and HCV-specific T-cell responses) were identified. Forty-eight subjects (35%) had spontaneous viral clearance and 88 subjects developed chronic HCV of which 42 subjects were treated with pegylated interferon monotherapy, with a sustained virologic response (SVR) rate of 88%. Twenty-six subjects developed HCV-specific T-cell immune responses without detectable viremia or seroconversion. IL-28B-CC (odds ratio (OR) 14.22; P<0.0001), multispecific T-cell responses (OR=11.66; P<0.0001), >300 IU/l alanine aminotransferase (ALT) decline within 4 weeks (OR=6.83; P<0.0001), jaundice (OR=3.54; P=0.001), female gender (OR=2.39; P=0.007), and >2.5 log10 HCV-RNA drop within 8 weeks (OR=2.48; P=0.016) were independently associated with spontaneous clearance. ALT normalization and undetectable HCV-RNA predicted SVR. Exposed apparently uninfected participants had a higher frequency of IL-28B-CC than patients with unresolved acute HCV (P<0.001). IL-28B-CC was associated with multispecific T-cell response (r(2)=0.0.835; P<0.001). IL-28B-CC genotype, multispecific HCV T-cell responses, rapid decline in ALT, and viral load predict spontaneous clearance and response to acute HCV-G 4 therapy. IL-28B-CC genotype correlates with developing early multispecific T-cell responses. These findings have important implications for predicting the outcome of HCV exposure and acute infection and identifying patients likely to benefit from therapy.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli is a major foodborne pathogen posing a critical threat to public health, particularly through the contamination of animal products. The increasing prevalence and virulence of MDR E. coli strains underscore the urgent need for alternative antimicrobial strategies. This study aimed to synthesize and characterize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using Stevia rebaudiana as a sustainable capping and reducing agent, aligning with green chemistry principles. Of the 120 fish samples, 74.2% (89/120) were positive for E. coli contamination. Among the identified E. coli strains, 77.8% (119/153) were classified as MDR. Resistance profiling revealed 22 distinct patterns, and seven highly resistant and virulent strains were selected for further analyses. The eco-friendly auto-combustion synthesis of ZnO-NPs produced nanoparticles with semi-spherical to hexagonal shapes and an average size ranging from 12 to 25 nm. Scanning Electron Microscope–Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDS) confirms that ZnO-NPs primarily consist of zinc (37.5%) and oxygen (19.9%), with carbon (42.6%) indicating the green synthesis process. ZnO-NPs demonstrated potent, dose-dependent antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against the selected MDR E. coli strains. Additionally, mechanistic studies revealed that ZnO-NPs disrupt bacterial cell membranes, alter cellular morphology, and interfere with DNA integrity. These findings highlight the potential of eco-friendly ZnO-NPs as a promising nanomaterial for enhancing food safety and addressing the growing challenge of MDR foodborne bacteria.

Sex-specific nutritional requirements, mating behavior, and parental care can potentially affect food selection and consumption in animals. However, relatively little is known about how sex and reproduction influence food use by aquatic herbivores. We measure male:female ratios in the field and studied sexual differences in algal food choice and feeding rates for the amphipod Gammarus aequicauda from a desert saline lake, where it is the most abundant mesograzer during the colder months. We also assessed the effects of precopulatory pairing and female egg development on feeding behavior. Males were more numerous than females over two sampling periods and significantly preferred one algal species in each of three pairwise food-choice combinations tested. Females were moderately less selective, expressing a preference in only two of these experiments, but showed significantly higher total consumption and feeding rates than males in most assays. When males and females expressed similar preferences, the magnitude of these preferences (% differences in consumption between the algae offered) was statistically equivalent for both sexes. Patterns of compensatory feeding on less nutritious algae were significant and similar for both sexes. Mated pairs had reduced feeding rates compared to unpaired females, but not unpaired males. In contrast, no short-term differences in feeding rates were detected for males and females separated from precopula or between females at two stages of egg development. Variations in population sex ratios and reproductive cycles can potentially modulate interactions between aquatic consumers and their food sources.

Background Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), which have high rates of recurrence, amputation, and death, are a significant complication in the therapy of diabetes. Chronic inflammation, vascular dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy are the results of their etiology, which includes dysregulated glucose homeostasis. These elements contribute to the poor clinical outcomes of DFUs and their complexity. Exosomes, which are natural nanovesicles that promote intercellular communication by transporting functional molecular cargos such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, are being investigated as novel treatment approaches for diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). These exosomes present a viable therapy option for DFU because they can alter cellular functions and promote wound healing. Methods To improve wound healing in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), we assessed the safety and effectiveness of Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cell (WJ-MSC) exosomes in this study. 110 individuals with persistent DFUs participated in our research. Three groups were randomly selected from among the participants. For 4 weeks, the first group got weekly topical application of WJ-MSC exosome along with standard of care (SOC); the second control group received SOC alone; and the third placebo group received SOC together with CMC (the exosome vehicle). While effectiveness outcomes comprised the rate of wound closure and the duration to full epithelialization, safety endpoints included the frequency of adverse events. Results According to our study’s findings, 53 patients (62%) had fully recovered by the end of the study, and the treated group had a significantly higher percentage of patients who had fully recovered than the control group. The treated group’s mean time to fully recover was 6 weeks (range: 4–8 weeks), while the controls were 20 weeks (range: 12–28 weeks). Conclusions Our research proved that MSC-Exos is a viable treatment option for DFUs. MSC-Exos provide a multimodal approach to improve wound healing outcomes in diabetes patients.

Face recognition is an algorithm that is capable of identifying or verifying a query face from multiple faces in the enrollment database. It poses a challenging problem in the field of image analysis and computer vision, especially for applications that deal with video sequences, face re-identification, or operate on intensity images and require fast processing. In this work, we introduce a high speed face recognition technique along with a high speed FPGA implementation. It uses a new similarity measure to estimate the distance between the query face and each of the database face images. The distance metric is the sum of the standard deviations between multiple histograms, which are calculated from each row of the query and database images. The lowest distance score refers to the database face that matches the query. The proposed technique is independent from the ambient illumination and outperforms the well-known face recognition algorithm “Eigenfaces” (it performs the face recognition 16× faster when both algorithms run on the same platform). Furthermore, we exploit data parallelism in our proposed algorithm to design a hardware accelerator and to implement it on an FPGA prototyping board. The results show 10x execution time improvement in comparison to the software version.

The rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in food products poses a significant threat to public health, necessitating innovative and sustainable antimicrobial solutions. This study investigates the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using Stevia rebaudiana extracts to evaluate their antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against MDR Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from sold fish samples. The obtained results show that the contamination with S. aureus reached 54.2% in the tested fish samples (n = 120), underscoring the urgent need for effective interventions. ZnO-NPs were successfully synthesized and characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, FT-IR, XRD, and TEM, confirming their formation with an average size of 15.7 nm and reflecting their suitability for antimicrobial and biological applications. ZnO-NPs exhibited potent antibacterial activity, with a maximum inhibition zone of 24.4 ± 0.4 mm at 20 μg/disk, MIC values of 6.25–25 μg/mL, and MBC values of 12.5–50 μg/mL. Additionally, biofilm formation was inhibited by up to 92.1% at 250 μg/mL. Our mechanistic study confirmed that ZnO-NPs damage bacterial membranes and DNA, leading to the intracellular leakage of cell components that lead to bacterial cell lysis. The use of S. rebaudiana in ZnO-NP synthesis aligns with green chemistry principles, offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional antibiotics and enhancing the bioactivity of ZnO-NPs, and may address the growing issue of antimicrobial resistance, thereby contributing to improved food safety and public health protection.

Estuaries are heavily impacted by pollutants from different sources such as urban sewage, industrial waste and agricultural runoff. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are very concerning pollutants to estuarine wildlife, but little is known about their impact on microscopic biota such as zooplankton. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of a model EDC, the 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), on two copepod species inhabiting the Basque coast (Southeastern Bay of Biscay) estuaries: Acartia clausi (autochthonous neritic species) and Acartia tonsa (non-indigenous brackish species). Female copepods were collected at population maximum time (spring for A. clausi and summer for A. tonsa) and exposed individually to 5 ng/L (low), 5 µg/L (medium) and 500 µg/L EE2 (high) doses, from environmental concentrations found in sewage effluents to toxicological concentrations. After 24 h exposure, the survival rate of experimental individuals was checked and the lethal concentration LC50 was calculated. The number of egg-producing females and the amount of egg laying and egg hatching were recorded. The integrated biomarker index (IBR) was calculated to integrate the overall effects of EE2 exposure. Both species had reduced survival rates at 500 µg/L, and the LC50 was lower in A. tonsa (158 µg/L) compared to A. clausi (398 µg/L). The number of eggs laid was significantly reduced in A. clausi at EE2 medium and high doses, while a reduction in the number of eggs in A. tonsa was observed only at the high dose. However, no significant differences were detected in the egg hatching success of exposed A. clausi and A. tonsa. IBR index showed that EE2 had the most detrimental effects on A. tonsa and A. clausi females at the 500 µg/L dose. In conclusion, after 24 h of exposure, EE2 reduced female copepod survival and disrupted reproductive output, but only at high non-environmentally relevant concentrations.

Objective The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in moderate to severe monosensitized and polysensitized allergic rhinitis patients. Methods In this study,75 patients with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis were randomized to receive SLIT ( n  = 50) or placebo ( n  = 25) for 1-year duration. Subjective and objective evaluations were performed at baseline and then at 6 and 12 months of therapy. Allergen-specific IgG and nasal smear for eosinophilic count were studied at baseline and 12 months. Results SLIT demonstrated a significant reduction of total nasal symptom scores (TNSS), Juniper Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) scores, total medication score (TMS), and visual analogue scale score (VAS) ( P  < .001) when compared with placebo. Serum sIgG levels increased in the SLIT group at 12 months compared with placebo group ( P  < .001). Nasal smear for eosinophilic count decreased in SLIT group at 12 months. No relevant systemic symptoms were registered. Conclusion SLIT is an effective, safe, and well-tolerated treatment for allergic rhinitis.

Background Gilbert syndrome (GS) is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder of bilirubin glucuronidation which has not been investigated in Egypt. This longitudinal study investigated the frequency, clinical course, genetic profile and health related quality of life in Egyptian adults. Methods An initial cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the frequency of Gilbert syndrome among Egyptian adults. Subjects fulfilling the criteria of GS were enrolled into the study and prospectively followed for the clinical features, risk factors for hyperbilirubinemia, health related quality of life [Short form-36 Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2) and Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ)], vitamins assessment and UGT1A1 polymorphisms. Results One hundred and one subjects fulfilled the criteria of GS with a prevalence of 8.016%. Recurrent jaundice was the only presentation in 47 (56.627%) GS subjects and jaundice was associated with abdominal pain, dyspepsia or loss of appetite in 54 (53.465%) subjects. A significant difference in 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 levels was detected between GS patients and control subjects ( P  <  00001). Twelve subjects with GS developed significant unconjugated bilirubinemia during direct antiviral therapy (DAAs) therapy for HCV despite achieving sustained virologic response. Pregnancy was associated with significant exacerbation of unconjugated bilirubin which persisted through pregnancy. Risk factors for clinical jaundice included general anesthesia, pregnancy, fasting > 12 h, pregnancy, and low calorie weight losing plans, systemic infections, and intensive physical effort. During jaundice attacks, subjects with GS had significant differences in vitality, role emotional, social functioning, worry and general health domains of the SF-36v2 and CLDQ compared to controls. The homozygous polymorphism A(TA)7TAA was the most frequent polymorphism in Egyptians with GS. Conclusion Gilbert syndrome is a frequent inherited disorder in Egypt. In a substantial percentage of subjects with GS, episodes of jaundice are associated with other symptoms and nutritional deficiencies which result in impairment of HRQOL. Screening, counseling, monitoring and individualized health care are recommended for subjects with GS in the setting of anesthesia, pregnancy, treatment with DAAs, deliveries, surgery and weight loss plans.

Foetal MR imaging is widely accepted as an adjunct to foetal ultrasonography; however, there are many controversies regarding its importance and indications. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate foetuses with different midline cerebral abnormalities, to determine the prevalence of these anomalies, to define the role of foetal MRI, and to compare MRI and ultrasound (US) result with postnatal MRI findings. Seventy-eight pregnant women who had foetuses with CNS abnormalities detected by sonogram were included. Foetuses with midline anomalies were selected and evaluated by anomaly scan foetal US, pre- and postnatal MRI. Midline brain anomalies were found in 47.4% of foetuses with brain anomalies. Holoprosencephaly was found in 24.3% of midline anomaly foetuses, corpus callosum abnormalities (ACC) were detected in 40.5%, midline intracranial mass lesions in 2.7%, and midline posterior fossa anomalies in 32.4%. An agreement between MRI and US in the main diagnosis was in 56.76% of cases; MRI added information to US findings in 43.2% of cases, and US added information to MRI findings in 8.1% of cases. In evaluating midline cerebral anomalies, US and MRI are complementary techniques. US is the primary survey, and MRI can add additional information and/or change the main diagnosis.