Dr Mohammed Mahmoud Youssif

BACKGROUND: Cryptosporidium parvum, a leading cause of diarrhea, is responsible for millions of food and waterborne illnesses in humans and animals worldwide. Launaea spinosa (Asteraceae family) is a common herb found in the desert of the Mediterranean region, encompassing the peninsula of Sinai. Traditionally, it has been utilized for managing gastrointestinal issues and inflammation.

METHODS AND FINDINGS: The present study aimed to assess Launaea spinosa (LS) extracts viz. ethyl acetate (LS-EtOAc), ethanol (LS-EtOH), and n-butanol (LS-BuOH), of different polarities against C. parvum in experimentally infected mice based on immunological, biochemical, histo- and immunohistochemical assays. Extracts were characterized via UHPLC-ESI-LIT-Orbitrap-MS and metabolite profiles were subjected to correlation modeling with bioactivities via supervised Partial Least Square (PLS) to identify active agents. Most L. spinosa extracts reduced fecal C. parvum oocyst count and mucosal burden (P < 0.05) than untreated infected mice, with LS-BuOH (200 mg/kg) exerting the highest reduction percentage (97%). These extracts increased immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels in infected and treated mice at all examined days post treatment. Also, the highest Interferon-Gamma (IFN-γ) and Interleukin-15 (IL-15) levels were obtained after 10 days of post inoculation (dPI), which were restored to a healthy state after 21 days, concurrent with a decrease in Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-α) (P < 0.001). The increased liver enzyme (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase) levels with infection were likewise reduced with extract administration. The LS extracts caused a significant increase in antioxidant glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (P < 0.001). Examination of colon tissue revealed that infected-treated mice with LS extracts exhibited a reduction in the expression of cleaved caspase-3, damage score, and degenerative changes. Metabolite profiling of different L. spinosa extracts led to the identification of 86 components, primarily phenolic acids, flavonoids, triterpenoid saponins, and fatty acids, with the first report of sulfated triterpenoid saponins in Launaea genus. PLS regression analysis revealed that bioeffects were significantly positioned close to LS-BuOH extract (R2: 0.9) mostly attributed to triterpenoid saponins and flavonoid glycosides.

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated potential anti-cryptosporidial effects of LS extracts, especially LS-BuOH, suggesting its potential for inclusion in future nutraceuticals aimed at C. parvum treatment.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death globally. Excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is detrimental to cardiomyocytes (CMs), triggering inflammation, inducing cell death, disrupting calcium homeostasis, and leading to arrhythmia. Thus, ROS is considered a common pathological factor in CVDs. Although the efficacy of antioxidants targeting ROS is currently limited, nanotechnology offers opportunities to develop antioxidants with improved selectivity and bioavailability, which can effectively prevent or treat oxidative stress-related CVDs. Cerium oxide nanozymes (CeONZs) can efficiently scavenge excessive ROS by mimicking the activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes. However, their nanosafety and efficacy in human CMs remain unclear, posing a critical issue to be addressed before clinical applications. Due to the scarcity of primary human CMs, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and their derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) provide a valuable source for modeling CVDs and their therapeutic interventions. This chapter presents a preparation method for CeONZs and outlines the assessment of their biosafety and antioxidant efficacy in hPSC-CMs.

Application of advanced techniques and machine learning (ML) for designing and predicting the properties of engineered hydrochar/biochar is of great agro-environmental concern. Carbon (C) stability and phosphorus (P) availability in hydrochar (HC) are among the key limitations as they cannot be accurately predicted by traditional one-factor tests and might be overcome by engineering the pristine HC. Therefore, the aims of this study were (1) to determine the optimal production conditions of engineered swine manure HC with high C stability and P availability, and (2) to develop the best ML models to predict the properties of HC derived from different feedstocks. Pristine- (HC) and FeCl3 impregnated swine manure-derived HC (HC-Fe) were produced by hydrothermal carbonization under different pH (4, 7, and 10), reaction temperature (180, 220, and 260 ℃), and residence time (60, 120, and 180 min) and characterized using thermo-gravimetric, microscopic, and spectroscopic analyses. Also, different ML algorithms were used to model and predict the hydrochar solid yield, properties, and nutrients content. FeCl3 impregnation increased Fe-phosphate content, while it reduced H/C and O/C ratios and hydroxyapatite P content, and therefore improved C stability and P availability in the HC-Fe as compared to HC, particularly under lower pH (4), temperature of 220 ℃, and at 120 min. The generalized additive ML model outperformed the other models for predicting the HC properties with a correlation coefficient of 0.86. The ML analysis showed that the most influential features on the hydrochar C stability were the H and O contents in the biomass, while P availability in HC was more dependent on the C, N and O contents in biomass. These results provided optimal production conditions for Fe-engineered manure hydrochar and identified the best performing ML model for predicting hydrochar properties. The main implication of this study is that it offers a high potential to improve the utilization of biowastes and produce biowaste-derived engineered hydrochar with high C stability and P availability on a large scale.

Application of advanced techniques and machine learning (ML) for designing and predicting the properties of engineered hydrochar/biochar is of great agro-environmental concern. Carbon (C) stability and phosphorus (P) availability in hydrochar (HC) are among the key limitations as they cannot be accurately predicted by traditional one-factor tests and might be overcome by engineering the pristine HC. Therefore, the aims of this study were (1) to determine the optimal production conditions of engineered swine manure HC with high C stability and P availability, and (2) to develop the best ML models to predict the properties of HC derived from different feedstocks. Pristine- (HC) and FeCl3 impregnated swine manure-derived HC (HC-Fe) were produced by hydrothermal carbonization under different pH (4, 7, and 10), reaction temperature (180, 220, and 260 ℃), and residence time (60, 120, and 180 min) and characterized using thermo-gravimetric, microscopic, and spectroscopic analyses. Also, different ML algorithms were used to model and predict the hydrochar solid yield, properties, and nutrients content. FeCl3 impregnation increased Fe-phosphate content, while it reduced H/C and O/C ratios and hydroxyapatite P content, and therefore improved C stability and P availability in the HC-Fe as compared to HC, particularly under lower pH (4), temperature of 220 ℃, and at 120 min. The generalized additive ML model outperformed the other models for predicting the HC properties with a correlation coefficient of 0.86. The ML analysis showed that the most influential features on the hydrochar C stability were the H and O contents in the biomass, while P availability in HC was more dependent on the C, N and O contents in biomass. These results provided optimal production conditions for Fe-engineered manure hydrochar and identified the best performing ML model for predicting hydrochar properties. The main implication of this study is that it offers a high potential to improve the utilization of biowastes and produce biowaste-derived engineered hydrochar with high C stability and P availability on a large scale.

Background Medical students are the future doctors and play an essential role in the management of health issues. Their understanding of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not only required but also necessary to provide the best possible care to patients. The present study aimed to assess medical students’ knowledge about AD within the context of the recent reform of the Egyptian medical educational system, which switched to competency-based instead of outcome-based education since 2017.
Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students in public and private Egyptian medical schools. Between August and November 2024, an anonymous self-administered questionnaire was uploaded to Google Forms and distributed online through commonly used social media platforms. The Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS), a validated and reliable tool, was used for the measurement of AD-related knowledge. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the factors associated with having good or poor knowledge about AD among participants.
Results In total, 1100 medical students were included through convenience and snowball sampling methods; their mean age was 20.9 ± 1.9 years, 55.5% were males, 59.6% were in their clinical years, and 15.6% had a positive family history of AD. The students’ mean knowledge score was 19.10 ± 2.96 out of 30, representing 63.7% of answers correct, with a range of scores between 9 and 29. About 70.8% of the sample had good knowledge. The highest percentage of correct answers was for the treatment and management domain (76.5%), while the lowest percentage was for the caregiving domain (52.2%). Predictors of good knowledge were females [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.33 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–1.76, p = 0.043], attending a public university [aOR = 1.62 (95% CI: 1.09–2.41), p = 0.015), clinical year students [aOR = 1.53 (95% CI: 1.07–2.16), p = 0.018], living in an urban area [(aOR = 1.67 (95% CI: 1.23–2.25), p < 0.001], and having higher family monthly income [aOR = 1.75 (95% CI: 1.13–2.72), p = 0.012].
Conclusions The study highlights gaps in Egyptian medical students’ knowledge of AD. Knowledge gaps were found in domains of caregiving and risk factors, urging educators and policymakers to enhance curricula, particularly preclinical curricula, with a specific focus on some socio-economic determinants.

Background/objective: Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are recognized to experience challenges with muscle function. However, there is a lack of knowledge about muscle and hand grip strength in autism. Therefore, the study aims to assess the handgrip and pinch strength of ASD and typical children. Material and method: This study enrolled 45 participants of both sexes, 27 males and 18 females, aged 6-12 years old; 24 (13 females and 11 males) were typically developing children and 21 (5 females and 16 males) had ASD. The outcome measures were hand grip and pinch strength, with the handheld dynamometer assessing handgrip strength and the hydraulic pinch gauge evaluating pinch grip. The hydraulic pinch gauge measured the pinch strengths of the key, tripod, and pulp grips. Both groups were assessed on both their dominant and non-dominant sides. Result: A comparison of the ASD group with the control group revealed that children with ASD exhibited lower values of the hand grip, key pinch, tripod pinch, and pulp pinch strengths for both hands (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The hand and pinch strengths of ASD children are lower than those of typically developing children. Therefore, the evaluation process for children with ASD should include hand and pinch strengths as a standard component. Furthermore, the rehabilitation program for ASD should prioritize enhancing hand strength.