Nitrogen is an essential element for maize growth, but excessive application can lead to various environmental and ecological issues, including water pollution, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity loss. Hence, developing maize hybrids resilient to low-N conditions is vital for sustainable agriculture, particularly in nitrogen-deficient soils. Combining ability and genetic relationships among parental lines is crucial for breeding superior hybrids under diverse nitrogen levels. This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity of maize inbred lines using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and evaluate their combining ability to identify superior hybrids under low-N and recommended conditions. Local and exotic inbred lines were genotyped using SSR markers, revealing substantial genetic variation with high gene diversity (He = 0.60), moderate polymorphism information content (PIC = 0.54), and an average of 3.64 alleles per locus. Twenty-one F1 hybrids were generated through a diallel mating design using these diverse lines. These hybrids and a high yielding commercial check (SC-131) were field-tested under low-N and recommended N conditions. Significant variations (p < 0.01) were observed among nitrogen levels, hybrids, and their interaction for all recorded traits. Additive genetic variances predominated over non-additive genetic variances for grain yield and most traits. Inbred IL3 emerged as an effective combiner for developing early maturing genotypes with lower ear placement. Additionally, inbreds IL1, IL2, and IL3 showed promise as superior combiners for enhancing grain yield and related traits under both low-N and recommended conditions. Notably, hybrids IL1×IL4, IL2×IL5, IL2×IL6, and IL5×IL7 exhibited specific combining abilities for increasing grain yield and associated traits under low-N stress conditions. Furthermore, strong positive associations were identified between grain yield and specific traits like plant height, ear length, number of rows per ear, and number of kernels per row. Due to their straightforward measurability, these relationships underscore the potential of using these traits as proxies for indirect selection in early breeding generations, particularly under low-N stress. This research contributes to breeding nitrogen-efficient maize hybrids and advances our understanding of the genetic foundations for tolerance to nitrogen limitations.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging epidemic; it is a negative diagnosis that depends mainly on the presence of hepatic steatosis with or without inflammation after exclusion of other chronic liver diseases and excess alcohol intake. However, the new definition of MAFLD is a shift towards a diagnosis of inclusion based on the presence of metabolic dysfunction, regardless of alcohol consumption or other concomitant liver diseases. Given the growing relevance of the disease, data on hepatologists' views and understanding of NAFLD are limited, we aimed to determine hepatologists' awareness and expertise of NAFLD screening, diagnosis, and therapeutic options as well as the influence of changing the NAFLD name to MAFLD on awareness of the fatty liver disease (FLD). Most of the hepatologists agreed that NAFLD can cause serious hepatic illness and may be linked to metabolic risk factors, necessitating a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. Hepatologists have a poor understanding of NAFLD care. The shift in terminology from NAFLD to MAFLD will be more known to hepatologists, and it may offer a better awareness of FLD. A multicenter online questionnaire of 655 hepatologists was carried out, giving a sample of 207 respondents. A survey composed of 36 questions was used to assess the level of hepatologists' awareness and practices in the screening, diagnosis, and management of NAFLD/MAFLD, as well as their familiarity with the nomenclature change from NAFLD to MAFLD. A total of 207 hepatologists were included, of which 107 (51.4%) were males, with a mean age was 36.4 years. 50.2% (n=104) of the hepatologists were oriented with NAFLD. Only 41 (19.8%) realized that NAFLD may frequently result in severe hepatic disease. NAFLD is rarely screened by the majority of the participating hepatologists (118, 57%), and (135, 65.2%) of them use liver biopsy for diagnosis of NAFLD. In (104, 50.2%) of hepatologists, changing the nomenclature of NAFLD was relatively familiar. Furthermore, 71.9% of hepatologists thought that the new nomenclature offers a better awareness of FLD. A small percentage of hepatologists agreed that NAFLD can cause serious hepatic illness and may be linked to metabolic risk factors, and around half of them realize that NAFLD necessitates a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. Hepatologists have a poor understanding of NAFLD care. The shift in terminology from NAFLD to MAFLD will be more known to hepatologists, and it may offer better awareness of FLD.

AbstractThe development of an efficient and stable electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), based on earth‐abundant components, represents a crucial step toward cost‐effective and environmentally friendly hydrogen production. This study presents the utilization of a dinuclear copper catalyst, denoted as [Cu‐Gly‐SB] (Complex 1), for HER under both aqueous and non‐aqueous conditions. In non‐aqueous settings, the catalyst achieves excellent HER performance, requiring only a 270 mV overpotential when acetic acid is used as the proton donor. Notably, in fully aqueous conditions, complex 1 attains a remarkable current density of 18.8 mA ⋅ cm−2 at −0.7 V vs. RHE in cyclic voltammetry. The kobs value of ≈2.7×104 s−1 in aqueous solution at pH 7.0 further underlines the superior catalytic performance of 1, outperforming most non‐noble‐metal molecular catalysts functioning in fully aqueous solutions. The robust stability of 1 is demonstrated through controlled potential electrolysis (CPE) over a span of 48 hours, achieving an impressive catalytic current of 11.0 mA ⋅ cm−2 at −0.39 V. Moreover, the catalytic current gradually increases with higher reduction potentials, reaching a substantial 100 mA ⋅ cm−2 at an overpotential of 590 mV during CPE &gt;48 hours. Thorough characterizations further confirm the molecular nature of the catalyst.

Introduction: This meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy of preservation of the intercostobrachial nerve (ICBN) versus its dissection for patients who underwent breast surgery. Methods: The authors searched Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Scopus from inception until March 2023. Records were screened for eligible studies, and all relevant outcomes were pooled as an odds ratio (OR) with the corresponding 95% CI in the meta-analysis models using RevMan version 5.4. Results: These results from 11 studies (1021 patients) favored preservation of the ICBN over its dissection in terms of anaesthesia and hypaesthesia [OR 0.50, (95% CI, 0.31–0.82); P = 0.006] and [OR 0.33, (95% CI, 0.16–0.68); P = 0.003], respectively. Whereas the overall effect favored ICBN dissection over preservation in the case of hyperaesthesia [OR 4.34, (95% CI, 1.43–13.15); P = 0.01]. Conversely, no significant variance was detected between the two groups in terms of pain [OR 0.68, (95% CI, 0.28–1.61) P = 0.38], paraesthesia [OR 0.88, (95% CI, 0.49–1.60); P = 0.68], and analgesia [OR 1.46, (95% CI, 0.05–45.69); P = 0.83]. Conclusion: This meta-analysis revealed that the preservation of the ICBN has a significant effect on the disturbance of sensory parameters of hypaesthesia and anaesthesia when compared to its dissection. Further studies with larger sample sizes are recommended to precisely compare both techniques on a wider range of parameters.

To compare Expectant management to systemic methotrexate in the management of persistent pregnancy of unknown location with beta-hCG levels below the discrimination zone. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 71 women with persistent pregnancy of unknown location. They were divided into two groups according to the applied management; Group 1, (n = 40) who were managed expectantly and Group 2 (n = 31) who were given a single dose of methotrexate. Data variables were collected and analyzed to evaluate whether expectant management was as effective as methotrexate. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding age, parity, gestational age, body mass index and day seven beta-hCG. Success rates were (32 patients (80%) and 28 patients (90.3%) in expectant management and methotrexate groups, respectively (P > 0.05). The mean values for day zero and day four beta-hCG were significantly higher and the mean duration for complete recovery was statistically shorter in the methotrexate group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding prior ectopic, percentage of beta-hCG level drop on day four and day seven, success rate, occurrence of sequelae and patient satisfaction that area under the curve (AUC) for group 1 (expectant management) is 0.566 at 95% Confidence Interval of (0.388: 0.745). Expectant management is an effective and safe alternative to single-dose methotrexate for persistent PUL with beta-hCG levels below the discrimination zone.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), involving both Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), represents a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disease due to an uncontrolled, ongoing inflammatory response to intestinal bacteria in those with genetic susceptibility. MicroRNA (miRNA) extrusion from relevant remote organs or tissues is reflected in the expression of miRNAs in serum and plasma. Both UC and CD patients had higher blood levels of expressed miR-199a. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) ANRIL is a proinflammatory gene that mediates nuclear factor κB to play a role in inflammatory diseases, such as IBD. The aim of the current study is to investigate the potential role of both miR-199a and ANRIL in diagnosing IBD in adult patients. Sixty-seven IBD patients diagnosed clinically, radiologically, endoscopically, and histologically were included in this prospective cohort study. Participants were classified into 3 groups: the UC group (n = 35), the CD group (n = 32), and the control group (n = 30). Demographics, history taking, laboratory characteristics, and treatments were recorded. Tumor necrosis factor α , miR-199a, and ANRIL were measured. The findings suggested that miR-199a and ANRIL might be associated with the occurrence or progression of IBD because both genes were substantially expressed in the peripheral blood of patients with this condition. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the detection of miR-199a and ANRIL had a predictive sensitivity of 62.9% and 88.6% and a specificity of 70.7% and 96.7% for the occurrence of UC cases, respectively, and a predictive sensitivity of 72.4% and 46.9% and a specificity of 96.7% and 34.7% for the occurrence of CD cases, respectively. Both miR-199a and ANRIL are abundant in the sera of IBD adult Egyptian patients (UC and CD). Both can represent a noninvasive marker for early disease diagnosis.

Polymeric poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-lipid hybrid nanoparticles (PNPs)-based therapy are powerful carriers for various therapeutic agents. This study was conducted to evaluate the chemotherapeutic potential of free 5-flurouracil (5FU) and synthetized 5FU-PNPs and impact on p53-dependent apoptosis in mammary carcinomas (MCs) grown in mice. Breast cancer cells were injected in Swiss albino female mice and 2 bilateral masses of MC were confirmed after one week. Mice were distributed to five experimental groups; Group 1: MC control group. Groups 2 and 3: MC + free 5FU [5 or 10 mg per kg] groups. Groups 4 and 5: synthetized MC+ 5FU-PNPs [5 or 10 mg per kg] groups. Medications were administered orally, twice weekly for 3 weeks. Then, tumors were dissected, and sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) while the other MC was used for measuring of cell death and inflammatory markers. Treatment with 5FU-PNPs suppressed the MC masses and pathologic scores based on HE-staining. Similarly, greater proapoptotic activity was recorded in 5FU-PNPs groups compared to free 5FU groups as shown by significant upregulation in tumoral p53 immunostaining. The current results encourage the utility of PNPs for improving the antitumor effect of 5FU. The chemotherapeutic potential was mediated through enhancement of tumoral p53-mediated p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) genes. Additional studies are warranted for testing the antitumor activity of this preparation in other mouse models of breast cancer.

AbstractA new highly efficient and eco‐friendly protocol utilizing ultrasonic irradiation was established for the assembly of 2‐amino‐4H‐pyran‐3‐carbonitriles series. Outstanding yields (97–99 %) and better reaction profiles were accessible utilizing the atom‐economical approach. Further, three fused pyrimidines were accessible through cyclization reactions of 2‐amino‐5‐oxo‐4‐(thiophen‐2‐yl)‐5,6,7,8‐tetrahydro‐4H‐chromene‐3‐carbonitrile (8 l) with various reagents under sustainable conditions. Moreover, the anti‐proliferative activity of the assembled imidazopyrimidines was in vitro evaluated against three human cancer cell lines, MCF7 (breast cancer), HepG2 (liver cancer), and A549 (lung cancer), and one normal human cell line, MCF‐10 A (human mammary cell line). In comparison to Doxorubicin, the criterion drug, all of the tested compounds exhibited potent cytotoxic effects. The relationship between activity and structure was also addressed. Noteworthy, the quantum chemical investigations of the assembled molecules using Density Functional Theory (DFT) have been studied and found to agree with the observed anti‐proliferative activities. In addition, the docking studies demonstrated that the studied compounds possess low binding energies towards three selected proteins (6ENV‐MCV‐7, 4b3z‐Lung, and HepG2‐2JW2). Finally, the electron distribution on the surface of the assembled compounds has been evaluated by ESP.

Our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) intervention for pain and anxiety relief during outpatient hysteroscopy. Various databases were searched for available clinical trials from inception until June 2023. We selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared virtual reality intervention versus standard care among women undergoing outpatient hysteroscopy. We used Revman software to perform our meta-analysis. The primary outcome was the pain score during the procedure. The secondary outcomes were anxiety during the procedure and pain post-procedure. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to assess pain and anxiety. Six RCTs were retrieved, involving a total of 457 patients. Virtual reality was associated with a significant reduction in pain score during the procedure in comparison with the control group (MD = -1.43, 95% CI [-1.69, -1.16], p < 0.001). In addition, there was a significant decrease in anxiety during the procedure among the virtual reality group compared to the control group (p = 0.01). The pain score post-procedure significantly decreased within the virtual reality group (MD = -1.52, 95% CI [-1.78, -1.26], p < 0.001). Virtual reality technology is a simple, feasible, and effective intervention for reducing pain and anxiety during outpatient hysteroscopy. More trials are required to confirm our findings.

A 95-day feeding study was carried out to evaluate the impact of complete replacement of fish oil by plant oils in the growth performance, feed consumption fatty acid and body composition of juvenile rabbitfish, Siganus rivulatus. There were four treatments i.e., A (fish oil diet), (linseed oil diet), C (soybean meal oil diet) and D (sunflower oil diet). The experimental trial was conducted in twelve 1.5-m3 fiber glass tanks (n=3). Spinefoot rabbitfish juveniles had an average initial weight of 0.948 g ± 0.124 g and they were stocked at 50 fish per tank. Fish fed diet A showed significantly better growth rate, final body weight, and total body weight than fish fed on the other diets. Moreover, the best FCR was observed for diet A followed by diet C and diets B and D had the worst FCR. Fish body composition for crude protein, dry matter, ashes and gross energy at the end of the trial had not differed between the treatments. The highest polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was found in fish fed diet A followed in decreasing order by diets D, B, and C. Fish oil is a better dietary lipid source for Spinefoot rabbitfish juveniles, Siganus rivulatus, than plant oils. Among plant oils, soybean oil was better than linseed oil and sunflower oil as the main dietary fat source.