Publications by authors named "Khalil Z"

Chemical profiling of soil-derived microbes collected under the auspices of the Australian citizen science initiative Soils for Science detected two fungi, sp. S4S-07771A07 and sp. S4S-14879B01, capable of producing pullenvalenes, a rare class of triterpene glycoside.

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An investigation of ×19 soil samples collected under the auspices of the Australian citizen science initiative, Soils for Science, returned ×559 chemically dereplicated microbial isolates, of which ×54 exhibited noteworthy anthelmintic activity against either the heartworm microfilaria and/or the gastrointestinal parasite L1-L3 larvae. Chemical (GNPS and UPLC-DAD) and cultivation (MATRIX) profiling prompted a detailed chemical investigation of sp. S4S-00196A10, which yielded new anthelmintic polyketide goondapyrones A-J (-), together with the known actinopyrones A () and C ().

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Non-proteinogenic amino acids (npAAs) are valuable building blocks for the development of advanced pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. The surge in interest in their synthesis is primarily due to the potential to enhance and diversify existing bioactive molecules. This can be achieved by altering these bioactive molecules to improve their effectiveness, reducing resistance compared to their natural counterparts or generating molecules with novel functions.

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Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a rare disorder characterized by dilated lymphatic vessels in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to protein-losing enteropathy (PLE). We report the case of a 43-year-old male presenting with refractory PLE, characterized by generalized edema, chronic diarrhea, and significant weight loss over four months. Despite multiple consultations and treatments for presumed inflammatory bowel disease, his symptoms persisted, and his condition worsened.

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This case report details the unusual presentation and successful management of a 25-year-old male diagnosed with both hyperthyroidism and adrenal insufficiency. The patient initially presented with symptoms of fatigue, weight loss, and palpitations, with no significant past medical history. Further evaluation revealed elevated thyroid hormone levels and decreased cortisol levels, confirming the diagnosis of concurrent hyperthyroidism and adrenal insufficiency.

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Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (IRF) is a rare condition characterized by fibrous tissue proliferation in the retroperitoneal space, commonly affecting the ureters and other abdominal structures. This case report describes a previously undocumented presentation of IRF in a 52-year-old female, who presented with recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding and severe anemia over six months. Diagnostic workup included endoscopy, colonoscopy, abdominal computed tomography (CT), and biopsy, revealing fibrous encasement of the mesenteric vessels leading to ischemic damage and gastrointestinal bleeding.

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The revised structure, , assigned to the title natural product has been prepared by chemical synthesis using a reaction sequence involving six simple steps starting from 2,3-dimethoxybenzaldehyde and proceeding via intermediates , , and . A comparison of the NMR data acquired on synthetically derived compound with those reported for the natural product reveals an excellent match. Preliminary biological screening of compound along with analogues/precursors , , , , , , and revealed that none exhibited antibacterial, antifungal or cytotoxic effects.

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Microbiome dysbiosis has emerged as a critical factor influencing the outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). This comprehensive review delves into the intricate relationship between microbiome composition and HSCT outcomes, highlighting the mechanisms through which dysbiosis impacts engraftment, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), infection rates, and overall survival. The gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in modulating immune responses and maintaining intestinal homeostasis, both of which are crucial for the success of HSCT.

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A bioassay-guided chemical investigation of a bacterium, sp. CMB-MRB032, isolated from sheep feces collected near Bathurst, Victoria, Australia, yielded the known polyketide antimycins A4a () and A2a () as potent inhibitors of (heartworm) microfilaria (mf) motility (EC 0.0013-0.

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Subjecting the Australian marine-derived fungus CMB-M0339 to cultivation profiling using an innovative miniaturized 24-well plate format (MATRIX) enabled access to new examples of the rare class of 2,6-diketopiperazines, noonazines A-C (-), along with the known analogue coelomycin (), as well as a new azaphilone, noonaphilone A (). Structures were assigned to - on the basis of a detailed spectroscopic analysis, and in the case of -, an X-ray crystallographic analysis. Plausible biosynthetic pathways are proposed for -, involving oxidative Schiff base coupling/dimerization of a putative Phe precursor.

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Article Synopsis
  • Quartzite caves on tepuis in the Guyana Shield host unique microbes adapted to silica-rich and acidic conditions, leading to a study of their metabolic activities.
  • Researchers isolated 80 microbial strains, many of which exhibited multiple enzymatic functions and antimicrobial properties, including two notable strains producing significant antimicrobial compounds.
  • The findings suggest these previously underexplored cave environments could offer valuable microbial strains for biotechnological applications, highlighting their potential for antibiotics and other beneficial compounds.
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Article Synopsis
  • Subunit vaccines need adjuvants to stimulate an immune response, but current options often have safety concerns or limited effectiveness.
  • This study tested mannose-lipopeptide ligands as a potential way to enhance the immune response to a vaccine using a specific Group A Streptococcus (GAS) antigen.
  • The results showed that a particular mannose ligand significantly increased the production of protective antibodies without the negative side effects associated with traditional adjuvants, indicating its potential as a safer vaccine enhancer.
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Liquid crystal-based actuators are receiving increased attention for their applications in wearables and biomedical or surgical devices, with selective actuation of individual parts/fingers still being in its infancy. This work presents the design and realization of two gripper devices with four individually addressable liquid-crystal network (LCN) actuators thermally driven via printed graphene-based heating elements. The resistive heat causes the all-organic actuator to bend due to anisotropic volume expansions of the splay-aligned sample.

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Solar-assisted CO conversion into fuels and chemical products involves a range of technologies aimed at driving industrial decarbonization methods. In this work, we report on the development of a series of multifunctional metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based on nitro- or amino-functionalized UiO-66(M) (M: Zr or Zr/Ti) supported RuO NPs as photocatalysts, having different energy band level diagrams, for CO hydrogenation under simulated concentrated sunlight irradiation. RuO(1 wt %; 2.

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Despite the importance of sleep to overall health and well-being, there is a high prevalence of undiagnosed sleep disorders and adverse sleep health, particularly among vulnerable populations. Such vulnerable populations include people experiencing homelessness (PEH), refugees, and incarcerated individuals. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of the literature on sleep health and disorders among key and vulnerable populations (e.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study introduces a method called nitric oxide-mediated transcriptional activation (NOMETA) to uncover hidden microbial natural products from silent biosynthetic gene clusters found in fungi and actinomyces derived from termite nests and mangroves.
  • - Researchers used a 24-well format (MATRIX) to profile the cultivation of these microorganisms with and without nitric oxide, analyzing the chemical output through advanced techniques like UPLC-DAD and GNPS molecular networking.
  • - This approach led to the identification of a new type of triterpene glycoside called pullenvalenes A-D, characterized by a unique carbon skeleton and rare sugar components, with their structure determined through various analytical methods.
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Investigation of the secondary metabolites of CMB-CA091 isolated from the quartz-rich (tepui) soil of a cave in Venezuela yielded two new dimeric phenazine glycosides, tepuazines A and B ( and ); three new monomeric phenazine glycosides, tepuazines C-E (-); and a series of known analogues, baraphenazine G (), phenazinolin D (), izumiphenazine C (), 4-methylaminobenzoyl-l-rhamnopyranoside (), and 2-acetamidophenol (). Structures were assigned to - on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis and biosynthetic considerations, with and featuring a rare 2-oxabicyclo[3.3.

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Purpose: With dairy products and fish being major sources of iodine in Switzerland, the growing popularity of plant-based alternatives may impact iodine nutrition. This study aimed to assess the iodine content in plant-based dairy and fish alternatives available in the Swiss market and compare them with conventional products.

Methods: In 2022, a market survey was conducted in Zurich, Switzerland, to identify the plant-based dairy and fish alternatives available and assess their iodine content.

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Background: A health advisory was issued in response to a fungal meningitis outbreak linked to epidural anesthesia exposure in two plastic surgery clinics in Mexico, from January 1 to May 13, 2023. This descriptive analysis describes the neuroendovascular and neurosurgical observations and management of patients treated at a single stroke center located along the US-Mexico Border.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of fungal meningitis patients presenting between April and July 2023.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Modern subunit vaccines, while safer, struggle with poor effectiveness when given through mucosal routes.
  • * This study explored using functional polymer-based nanoparticles to improve vaccine delivery; various shapes of nanoparticles were tested without needing additional ingredients to trigger strong immune responses, even with oral administration.
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Visual sensing of humidity and temperature by solids plays an important role in the everyday life and in industrial processes. Due to their hydrophobic nature, most covalent organic framework (COF) sensors often exhibit poor optical response when exposed to moisture. To overcome this challenge, the optical response is set out to improve, to moisture by incorporating H-bonding ionic functionalities into the COF network.

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Peptide-based vaccines can trigger highly specific immune responses, although peptides alone are usually unable to confer strong humoral or cellular immunity. Consequently, peptide antigens are administered with immunostimulatory adjuvants, but only a few are safe and effective for human use. To overcome this obstacle, herein a peptide antigen was lipidated to effectively anchor it to liposomes and emulsion.

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Background And Purpose: Automated CTP postprocessing packages have been developed for managing acute ischemic stroke. These packages use image processing techniques to identify the ischemic core and penumbra. This study aimed to investigate the agreement of decision-making rules and output derived from RapidAI and Viz.

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The Australian roadside soil-derived fungus CMB-STF067 was prioritized for chemical investigation based on an SDA cultivation extract exhibiting both antibacterial properties and natural products with unprecedented molecular formulae (GNPS). Subsequent miniaturized 24-well plate cultivation profiling (MATRIX) identified red rice as optimal for the production of the target chemistry, with scaled-up cultivation, extraction and fractionation yielding four new xanthone-anthraquinone heterodimers, jugiones A-D (-), whose structures were assigned by detailed spectroscopic analysis and biosynthetic considerations. Of note, where - and were active against the Gram-positive bacteria vancomycin-resistant (IC 2.

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