Non-nutritive sweeteners and type 2 diabetes: Should we ring the bell?

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) were thought to be healthy sugar substitutes used instead of sugar for caloric and glycemic control but evidences blaming them for contributing to type 2 diabetes (T2D) are rising. We aim to investigate whether NNS consumption prevents or causes T2D. Articles of all designs conducted on humans were retrieved from three databases in addition to manually reviewed articles.

Shisha microbiota: the good, the bad and the not so ugly.

Objective: Over the last decade, there has been a rapid expansion of the trendy water pipe smoking around the world especially among younger adults. The initial objective of this study was to identify the microbiota of the shisha, which may either be of no harm for the smoker or enhance the threat on his well-being. The total DNA for the metagenomics study was conducted on three different shishas from three different delivery shops in Jounieh, Lebanon.

Passaging impact of H9N2 avian influenza virus in hamsters on its pathogenicity and genetic variability.

Introduction: Avian influenza viruses of the H9N2 subtype have been reported to cause human infections. This study demonstrates the impact of nasal viral passaging of avian H9N2 in hamsters on its cross species-pathogenic adaptability and variability of amino acid sequences of the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) stalk.

Methodology: Three intranasal passagings of avian H9N2 in hamsters P1, P2, and P3 were accomplished.

Five years MIQE guidelines: the case of the Arabian countries.

The quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) has become a key molecular enabling technology with an immense range of research, clinical, forensic as well as diagnostic applications. Its relatively moderate instrumentation and reagent requirements have led to its adoption by numerous laboratories, including those located in the Arabian world, where qPCR, which targets DNA, and reverse transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR), which targets RNA, are widely used for region-specific biotechnology, agricultural and human genetic studies. However, it has become increasingly apparent that there are significant problems with both the quality of qPCR-based data as well as the transparency of reporting.

Preliminary comparison of different immune and production components in local and imported Saanen goats reared under a sub-tropical environment.

Three objectives were included in this research work. The first objective compared different immune components in healthy mature males, mature females, and female kids of local and imported Saanen goats, reared under a sub-tropical environment. The significantly differing immune components were the blood monocyte percent, blood CD8 count, and the total white blood cell count.

Impact of embryonic passaging of H9N2 virus on pathogenicity and stability of HA1- amino acid sequence cleavage site.

Background: Highly virulent Avian Influenza viruses might arise from avirulent strains following viral passaging. This work aims at studying the impact of embryonic passaging of H9N2 on the stability of the HA1 amino acid sequence and its relatedness to pathogenicity.

Material/methods: The original H9N2 virus was propagated for 3 consecutive passages in embryonated chicken eggs.

Comparison of the level of organic contaminants in bile and muscle of Mugil spp. following a major oil spill in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The total polyaromatic hydrocarbons (TPAH) and the total polychlorinated biphenyls (TPCB) that originate from oil spills in sea and ocean waters are toxic to fish and their offspring. The authors compare the levels of organic contaminants (TPAH and TPCB) recovered from the bile versus the dorsal muscles of 120 individual Mugil spp. that were harvested from six sites in the eastern Mediterranean following a significant heavy oil spill.

Standardisation of a new model of H9N2/Escherichia coli challenge in broilers in the Lebanon.

Primary infection by low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) predisposes for secondary infection by Escherichia coli in poultry, leading to significant economic losses. Future research in control of this ailment requires the establishment of a successful controlled challenge by avian influenza virus (AIV)/E. coli.

Simultaneous determination of genomic DNA methylation and uracil misincorporation.

Objective: To develop a method for the simultaneous measurement of 5-methylcytosine (5-metC) and 2'-deoxyuridine monophosphate (dU).

Materials And Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from the HepG2 cell line grown in experimental complete medium or in folate-depleted medium. Samples were treated with RNAse A and RNAse T1 to avoid any RNA contamination.

Folate receptor and human reduced folate carrier expression in HepG2 cell line exposed to fumonisin B1 and folate deficiency.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) induces apoptosis and decreases the cellular uptake of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. Two folate transporters (folate receptor, FR, and Reduced Folate Carrier, hRFC1) are involved in the cell uptake of folate. We aimed to study whether FB1 modifies the expression of the FR and the hRFC1 and whether its apoptotic effect is influenced by folate.

Holistic efficacy of specific nutrient synergy against avian flu virus: pathology and immunomodulation.

The authors evaluated the holistic efficacy of nine specific nutrient synergy (NS) against avian influenza virus (AIV) strain Lebanon 1 (H9N2). The study included two segments; the first was designed to determine the minimum dose among four doses (1X, 2X, 3X and 4X in which X = 24.4 mg/ml/bird) of NS, administered intraoesophageally, once per day between 7 and 14 days of age, resulting in an improvement of chicken performance without any toxic side-effects; the second aimed at reducing pathological effects and inducing immunomodulation by the determined safe dose of NS in chickens exposed to AIV.