Publications by authors named "Anwar Hashem"

Unlabelled: The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance and need for accessible safe, effective, and versatile vaccine platforms. While approved SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been instrumental in saving lives and reducing healthcare and economic burdens, the induction of mucosal immunity remains an unmet need. Here, we engineered and evaluated a non-replicating adenovirus 5 (rAd5)-based vaccine expressing the SARS-CoV-2 S1 subunit (rAd5-SARS2-S1).

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The current study aims to identify research hotspots and trends in Monkeypox (MPX). A total of 2655 MPX-related articles published from 1961 to 2023 were extracted from the Scopus database. Data were analyzed using Scopus Analytics, Microsoft Excel, Bibliometrix, and VOSviewer.

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The nucleoprotein (NP) of type A influenza virus (IAV) is highly conserved across all virus strains, making it an attractive candidate antigen for universal vaccines. While various studies have explored NP-induced mucosal immunity, here we interrogated the mechanistic differences between intramuscular (IM) and intranasal (IN) delivery of a recombinant adenovirus carrying NP fused with a bifunctional CD40 ligand. Despite being less effective than IM delivery in inducing systemic cellular immune responses and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), IN immunization elicited superior antigen-specific recall humoral and cellular response in the nasal associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) of the upper respiratory tract, the initial site of immune recognition and elimination of inhaled pathogens.

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The effectiveness of mRNA vaccines largely depends on their lipid nanoparticle (LNP) component. Herein, we investigate the effectiveness of DLin-KC2-DMA (KC2) and SM-102-based LNPs for the intramuscular delivery of a plasmid encoding B.1.

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Background Coronaviruses (CoVs) pose significant health risks to humans, with recent outbreaks like severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) underscoring their zoonotic potential. Dromedary camels () have been implicated as intermediate hosts for MERS-CoV, prompting heightened surveillance efforts. This study aims to identify non-MERS-CoV CoVs in imported camels at the Jeddah seaport, Saudi Arabia, using molecular techniques.

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Background: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus is a highly pathogenic virus that poses a significant threat to public health.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to develop and characterize novel mouse monoclonal antibodies targeting the spike protein S1 subunit of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV).

Methods: In this study, three mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against MERS-CoV were generated and characterized using hybridoma technology.

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Helminth-derived proteins have immunomodulatory properties, influencing the host's immune response as an adaptive strategy for helminth survival. Helminth-derived proteins modulate the immune response by inducing anti-inflammatory cytokines, promoting regulatory T-cell development, and ultimately favouring a Th2-biased immune response. This systematic review focused on helminth-derived proteins and explored their impact on reducing inflammatory responses in mouse models of colitis.

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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer globally and presents a significant challenge owing to its high mortality rate and the limitations of traditional treatment options such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. While these treatments are foundational, they are often poorly effective owing to tumor resistance. Immunotherapy is a groundbreaking alternative that has recently emerged and offers new hope for success by exploiting the body's own immune system.

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The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) are highly pathogenic human coronaviruses (CoVs). Anti-CoVs mAbs and vaccines may be effective, but the emergence of neutralization escape variants is inevitable. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 enzyme are the getaway receptors for SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV, respectively.

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Background: Adaptive humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 has mainly been evaluated in peripheral blood. Human secondary lymphoid tissues (such as tonsils) contain large numbers of plasma cells that secrete immunoglobulins at mucosal sites. Yet, the role of mucosal memory immunity induced by vaccines or natural infection against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants is not fully understood.

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Epithelial cancer cells rely on the extracellular matrix (ECM) attachment in order to spread to other organs. Detachment from the ECM is necessary for these cells to seed in other locations. When the attachment to the ECM is lost, cellular metabolism undergoes a significant shift from oxidative metabolism to glycolysis.

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High seroprevalence rates of several phleboviruses have been reported in domestic animals and humans in sandfly-infested regions. Sandfly Fever Sicilian virus (SFSV) and Toscana virus (TOSV) are two of these viruses commonly transmitted by sandflies. While SFSV can cause rapidly resolving mild febrile illness, TOSV could involve the central nervous system (CNS), causing diseases ranging from aseptic meningitis to meningoencephalitis.

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Background: The excessive inflammatory responses provoked by SARS-CoV-2 infection are critical factors affecting the severity and mortality of COVID-19. Previous work found that two adjacent co-occurring mutations R203K and G204R (KR) on the nucleocapsid (N) protein correlate with increased disease severity in COVID-19 patients. However, links with the host immune response remain unclear.

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The use of oncolytic viruses (OVs) in combination with cytokines, such as IL-12, is a promising approach for cancer treatment that addresses the limitations of current standard treatments and traditional cancer immunotherapies. IL-12, a proinflammatory cytokine, triggers intracellular signaling pathways that lead to increased apoptosis of tumor cells and enhanced antitumor activity of immune cells via IFN-γ induction, making this cytokine a promising candidate for cancer therapy. Targeted expression of IL-12 within tumors has been shown to play a crucial role in tumor eradication.

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Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype is characterized by aggressive clinical behavior and poor prognosis patient outcomes. Here, we show that ADAR1 is more abundantly expressed in infiltrating breast cancer (BC) tumors than in benign tumors. Further, ADAR1 protein expression is higher in aggressive BC cells (MDA-MB-231).

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Misdiagnosing suspected COVID-19 individuals could largely contribute to the viruses transmission, therefore, making an accurate diagnosis of infected subjects vital in minimizing and containing the disease. Although RT-PCR is the standard method in detecting COVID-19, it is associated with some limitations, including possible false negative results. Therefore, serological testing has been suggested as a complement assay to RT-PCR to support the diagnosis of acute infections.

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Phage therapy has recently attracted a great deal of attention to counteract the rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In comparison to monophage therapy, phage cocktails are typically used to treat individual and/or multi-bacterial infections since the bacterial agents are unlikely to become resistant as a result of exposure to multiple phages simultaneously. The bacteriolytic effect of phage cocktails may produce efficient killing effect in comparison to individual phage.

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Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial virus (RSV) infections together contribute significantly to the burden of acute lower respiratory tract infections. Despite the disease burden, no approved RSV vaccine is available. While approved vaccines are available for influenza, seasonal vaccination is required to maintain protection.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study explores the relationship between human mobility, livelihood activities, and malaria risk in Jazan, Saudi Arabia, aiming to improve malaria elimination strategies in the region.
  • It involved a case-control design with 261 participants, including 81 confirmed malaria cases and 180 controls, who were interviewed about their travel history and livelihood activities.
  • Findings suggest that recent travel from home villages, along with certain agricultural activities, may increase the risk of malaria infection, indicating the need for targeted interventions in the area.
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Metastatic melanoma has less frequency, but considered as the most dreaded cancer. The combination of nivolumab & ipilimumab is proving their mettle in treating metastatic melanoma. The patients when administered with the combination of nivolumab & ipilimumab have shown improved median progression free survival, objective response rate and overall survival rate compared with nivolumab and ipilimumab monotherapy.

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Background: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a rare progressive and chronic motor neuron degenerative disease for which at present no cure is available. In recent years, multiple genes encode kinases and other causative agents for ALS have been identified. Kinases are enzymes that show pleiotropic nature and regulate different signal transduction processes and pathways.

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Considering the global trend to confine the COVID-19 pandemic by applying various preventive health measures, preprocedural mouth rinsing has been proposed to mitigate the transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 in dental clinics. The study aimed to investigate the effect of different mouth rinses on salivary viral load in COVID-19 patients. This study was a single-center, randomized, double-blind, six-parallel-group, placebo-controlled clinical trial that investigated the effect of four mouth rinses (1% povidone-iodine, 1.

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Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious issue and a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Caregivers of TBI patients experience psychological distress and a variety of social and financial issues. The present study aims to investigate the caregiver's burden and the factors that influence this burden.

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