Publications by authors named "Mahdi A"

In mice, naturally occurring and induced mutations in the suppressor of cytokine signaling-2 () gene are associated with a high growth phenotype characterized by rapid post-weaning weight gain and 30-50% heavier mature body weight. In this work, we demonstrate an electroporation-based method of producing knock-out (KO) sheep. Electroporation of dual-guide CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes targeting was performed 6 h post-fertilization in sheep zygotes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of sesame oil-pulling in periodontitis with/without Type2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), compared to Chlorhexidine, for its oral and systemic health benefits.

Material And Methods: Total of 120 periodontitis patients, without (Group A; 60)/with (Group B; 60) T2DM, underwent control (chlorhexidine 0.12%; Group A1 & B1) and test (sesame oil-pulling; Group A2 & B2) interventions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: Prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in men aged 65 years and older globally. The association of prostate cancer with deranged lipid profile and insulin levels is inconsistent and not well understood. This study aimed to analyze the serum levels of lipids, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and testosterone and to identify their association with the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer and its grading.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Immunotherapy has made recent improvements in disease-free survival (DFS) and/or overall survival (OS) in all stages of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we review the tumor microenvironment and its immunosuppressive effects and discuss how anti-angiogenic therapies may potentiate the anti-carcinogenic effects of immunotherapy. We also review all the past literature and discuss strategies of combining anti-angiogenic therapy and immunotherapy +/- chemotherapy and hypothesize how we can use this strategy for non-small-cell lung cancer in metastatic previously untreated/previously treated settings in previously treated EGFR-mutated NSCLC for the upfront treatment of brain metastases prior to radiation therapy and for the incorporation of this strategy into stage III unresectable disease.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Chinese pond turtle muscle peptide's molecular features, purification, structural characteristics, and antioxidant activity were investigated. The Flavourzyme hydrolysate demonstrated greater relative crystallinity (37.53%) than other hydrolysates using X-ray diffraction.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Curcumin (Cur) is a polyphenol phyto-compound found in turmeric () that inhibits tumorigenesis by introducing apoptosis and restricting cell survival and proliferation. This in vitro research article focuses on the pharmacodynamic interactions of Cur combined with the commercial drug doxorubicin (Doxo) to enhance the cytotoxicity of Doxo at lower doses against triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) with the chemo-protective effect against normal HEK293 cells. In this study, we observed the dose-dependent cytotoxicity, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and increased chromatin condensation in combination doses compared to single doses.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Chronic administration of Bacopa monnieri extract shows potential neuroprotective effects in animal models of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.
  • The study specifically tested Bacopaside-I (BS-I), highlighting its ability to improve motor function and reverse dopamine depletion caused by rotenone, a chemical used to induce Parkinson's-like symptoms in rats.
  • Findings suggest that BS-I increases key genetic markers and the number of dopamine-producing neurons, establishing its potential as a basis for future drug development against Parkinson’s disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Researchers have shown substantial interest in bismuth oxide/reduced graphene oxide (BiO/RGO) nanocomposites due to their superior features that are not achievable by each material alone. The growing applications and manufacturing of BiO/RGO nanocomposites have raised concerns regarding their potential human health risks. This work was designed to explore the possible toxicity mechanisms of BiO/RGO nanocomposites in two distinct mammalian cell lines, normal rat kidney cells (NRK52E) and human liver cancer cells (HepG2).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this study, an Electro-Fenton process was employed to treat high-strength alcohol distillery wastewater. The simultaneously removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), color, and turbidity were examined. The optimum value of the operational parameters including the number of electrodes and their arrangement, electrodes' interval, initial pH, and electrolyte concentration were determined by one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: This study aimed to explore attitudes, practices, and perceived barriers of primary care physicians (PCPs) toward depression screening in older people.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled PCPs from randomly selected representative primary care centers in Bahrain. A self-administered piloted semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Active optical metasurfaces use flexible materials to manipulate light in new ways, allowing for innovative human-technology interactions.
  • Researchers developed soft metasurfaces that change shape through the swelling of conducting polymers, improving upon traditional methods that face trade-offs between tuning ability and optical loss.
  • Using a specific polymer, PEDOT:PSS, they achieved dynamic color tuning and efficient beam steering while operating at low voltages, making these metasurfaces promising for wearable technology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Coverage of ChatGPT-style large language models (LLMs) in the media has focused on their eye-catching achievements, including solving advanced mathematical problems and reaching expert proficiency in medical examinations. But the gradual adoption of LLMs in agriculture, an industry which touches every human life, has received much less public scrutiny. In this short perspective, we examine risks and opportunities related to more widespread adoption of language models in food production systems.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background & objectives Overcoming the challenge of early diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) by exploring molecular biomarkers is urgently needed. With this objective, this study was designed to explore the biomarker and therapeutic potential of miRNA (miR)-363-3p in PCa pathogenesis. Methods Total participants (n=188) were enrolled, and blood and tissue samples were collected from individuals categorized into the control group (n=55), benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) group (n=60), PCa group (n=48), and castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) group (n=25).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The purpose of this research was to investigate the outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in healthcare workers, assess the incidence of infection among them, and identify factors linked to the severity of the disease.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted retrospectively in Duhok city, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, from September 2021 to January 2023.

Results: The study included 1,958 participants, of whom 1,338 (68.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

and are unique plants that show significant bioactive properties and are used for the treatment of a variety of diseases. This study assessed the nutritional values, functional properties, chemical composition, and bioactive attributes of these plants as functional nutritional supplements. Compared to , had higher fat (4.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS) occurs in patients even after mild infections, and this study investigates the link between PACS and microvascular endothelial dysfunction.* -
  • Out of 92 PACS patients, 41% showed signs of microvascular endothelial dysfunction, with increased levels of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) correlated to this dysfunction.* -
  • The findings suggest that microvascular endothelial dysfunction is common in PACS, particularly in those with rising NT-proBNP levels, highlighting the need for further research on this condition.*
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • This study investigates the role of microRNA (miR)-210 in endothelial cells and its potential therapeutic effects on diabetes-related endothelial dysfunction.* -
  • Using various mouse models and human endothelial cells, researchers discovered that lower levels of miR-210 in diabetic conditions impair endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR), but restoring its levels helps improve vascular function.* -
  • The findings suggest miR-210 could be a new target for treatment in type 2 diabetes by mitigating oxidative stress and enhancing nitric oxide production in endothelial cells.*
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Endothelial dysfunction is linked to early vascular inflammation and is a key factor in coronary artery disease, potentially leading to heart attacks.
  • The study explored whether red blood cells (RBCs) from patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) could induce endothelial dysfunction and how systemic inflammation influenced this effect.
  • Findings showed that RBCs from STEMI patients with elevated C-reactive protein levels (a marker of inflammation) impaired endothelial function by increasing arginase and oxidative stress, suggesting that inflammation plays a significant role in this dysfunction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Gram-negative bacteremia is a severe infection that is becoming more common and harder to treat due to antibiotic resistance, particularly in Lebanon where data is scarce.* -
  • A study of 2400 patients revealed that infections were mainly caused by bacteria like E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, with increasing resistance to critical antibiotics like carbapenems.* -
  • The findings highlight the urgent need for better monitoring and data collection to improve treatment strategies for gram-negative bacteremia in Lebanon, as certain resistant strains are linked to higher mortality rates.*
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: The Sentinel Node vs. Observation After Axillary Ultra-Sound (SOUND) trial reported that omission of axillary surgery was not inferior to sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in those with cT1 breast cancer and negative preoperative axillary ultrasound. The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of early breast cancer patients undergoing breast conserving surgery (BCS) at our institution in order to investigate the exportability of SOUND criteria to our patient population.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: Bacterial meningitis is a common serious infectious diseases in children with tough therapy due to resistance to commonly indicated antibacterial therapy. We sought to characterize the bacterial resistance spectrum of Bacterial meningitis in Iraqi pediatric patients.

Methods: Fifty-seven patients' CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) microbiological data were reviewed before enrollment of children (less than 4 years old), Gram-stain identification, white blood cells, protein, and glucose assays, and growing the bacterial pathogen from CSF or blood samples.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: HER2-targeted therapies have revolutionised the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. However, de novo resistance or the emergence of acquired resistance is a persistent clinical problem. Here we report that neratinib, an irreversible pan-HER inhibitor, in combination with the multi-kinase inhibitor dasatinib, currently used to treat certain leukemias, has strong anti-proliferative effects against models of HER2-positive breast cancer that are innately resistant to trastuzumab or have acquired resistance to neratinib.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dyslipidemia refers to the change in the normal levels of one or more lipid components in the bloodstream, which include triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Dyslipidemia represents a substantial source of danger for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Effectively managing dyslipidemia involves a thorough strategy that includes changing one's lifestyle and using medications that are specifically designed to target the complex processes involved in lipid metabolism.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF