Genetic Polymorphisms of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 1 (ACE1) and ACE2 Associated With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome COVID-19 in the Palestinian Population.

As a key enzyme of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a validated receptor for SARS-CoV-2, linking RAS to COVID-19. Functional ACE1/ACE2 gene polymorphisms likely cause an imbalance in the ACE1/ACE2 ratio, triggering RAS imbalance and may contribute to COVID-19 complications. This study aimed to investigate four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ACE1 and ACE2 genes, three for ACE1 (rs4343, rs4342, rs4341) and one for ACE2 (rs2285666), in patients with COVID-19 among the Palestinian population.

Anticancer, antioxidant, and antibacterial activity of chemically fingerprinted extract from Cyclamen persicum Mill.

In the last few decades, researchers have thoroughly studied the use of plants in Palestine, one of them is Cyclamen persicum Mill. (C. persicum).

Aldose reductase (-106) C/T gene polymorphism and associated risk factors with proliferative diabetic retinopathy in Palestine: A cross sectional study.

Background And Aims: Genetic variants play a crucial role in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the relationship between aldose reductase () (C106T) polymorphism with proliferative DR and associated risk factors in Palestinian type 2 diabetic patients.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted at St John Eye Hospital-East Jerusalem in 2020-2021 on patients with DR.

Association of rs2236757 and rs10735079 Polymorphisms with Susceptibility to COVID-19 Infection and Severity in Palestine.

The clinical course and severity of COVID-19 vary among patients. This study aimed to investigate the potential correlation between the gene polymorphisms of the interferon receptor () rs2236757 and oligoadenylate synthetase 3 () rs10735079 with the risk of COVID-19 infection and its severity among Palestinian patients. The study was conducted between April and May 2021 on 154 participants who were divided into three groups: the control group (RT-PCR-negative,  = 52), the community cases group (RT-PCR-positive,  = 70), and the critically ill cases (ICU group;  = 32).

Tracking the geographical origin of Plasmodium falciparum causing a rare severe case of malaria imported into Palestine, a zero-indigenous case area.

Background: Malaria cases in non-endemic zero-indigenous case areas are most likely to have been imported whatever of the route of importation. In countries recently declared malaria-free and now without local transmission, imported cases remain a threat to re-introduction of the disease and a burden on the health system.

Case Presentation: Three days after returning from a long trip to malaria- endemic countries; Abyei-Sudan, Chad and Uganda, a 41-year-old male resident from Jericho, Palestine, suffered paroxysms of fever, general fatigue, myalgia, arthralgia, headache, and a strong desire to vomit.

Machine learning techniques for identifying mental health risk factor associated with schoolchildren cognitive ability living in politically violent environments.

Introduction: Mental health and cognitive development are critical aspects of a child's overall well-being; they can be particularly challenging for children living in politically violent environments. Children in conflict areas face a range of stressors, including exposure to violence, insecurity, and displacement, which can have a profound impact on their mental health and cognitive development.

Methods: This study examines the impact of living in politically violent environments on the mental health and cognitive development of children.

Assessment of antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities of plant extract.

The most efficient and safe source of medications is the natural and traditional medications which are produced from plants and herbs. In this study, () was tested to explore its total phenolic and flavonoids contents. Antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities were assessed as well.

Assessment and Prediction of Depression and Anxiety Risk Factors in Schoolchildren: Machine Learning Techniques Performance Analysis.

Background: Depression and anxiety symptoms in early childhood have a major effect on children's mental health growth and cognitive development. The effect of mental health problems on cognitive development has been studied by researchers for the last 2 decades.

Objective: In this paper, we sought to use machine learning techniques to predict the risk factors associated with schoolchildren's depression and anxiety.

Genomic epidemiology of the first epidemic wave of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Palestine.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the novel coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to cause a significant public-health burden and disruption globally. Genomic epidemiology approaches point to most countries in the world having experienced many independent introductions of SARS-CoV-2 during the early stages of the pandemic. However, this situation may change with local lockdown policies and restrictions on travel, leading to the emergence of more geographically structured viral populations and lineages transmitting locally.

Genomic retargeting of p53 and CTCF is associated with transcriptional changes during oncogenic HRas-induced transformation.

Gene transcription is regulated by distant regulatory elements via combinatorial binding of transcription factors. It is increasingly recognized that alterations in chromatin state and transcription factor binding in these distant regulatory elements may have key roles in cancer development. Here we focused on the first stages of oncogene-induced carcinogenic transformation, and characterized the regulatory network underlying transcriptional changes associated with this process.

MiR-16-1-3p and miR-16-2-3p possess strong tumor suppressive and antimetastatic properties in osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is an aggressive malignancy affecting mostly children and adolescents. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in OS development and progression. Here we found that miR-16-1-3p and miR-16-2-3p "passenger" strands, as well as the "lead" miR-16-5p strand, are frequently downregulated and possess strong tumor suppressive functions in human OS.

WW-Domain Containing Protein Roles in Breast Tumorigenesis.

Protein-protein interactions are key factors in executing protein function. These interactions are mediated through different protein domains or modules. An important domain found in many different types of proteins is WW domain.

ANALYSIS OF PHENOLIC AND FLAVONOIDS OF WILD PLANT EXTRACTS BY LC/PDA AND LC/MS AND THEIR ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY.

Background: Ephedra is among Palestinian medicinal plants that are traditionally used in folkloric medicine for treating many diseases. Ephedra is known to have antibacterial and antioxidant effects. The goal of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant activity of different extracts from the plant growing wild in Palestine, and to analyze their phenolic and flavonoid constituents by HPLC/PDA and HPLC/MS.

Anticancer Activity, Antioxidant Activity, and Phenolic and Flavonoids Content of Wild Plant Extracts.

, commonly referred to as white salsify, is an edible herb used in folk medicine to treat cancer. Samples of plant grown wild in Palestine were extracted with different solvents: water, 80% ethanol, and 100% ethanol. The extracts were analyzed for their total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity (AA).

The Search for Violacein-Producing Microbes to Combat Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis: A Collaborative Research Project between Secondary School and College Research Students.

In this citizen science-aided, college laboratory-based microbiology research project, secondary school students collaborate with college research students on an investigation centered around bacterial species in the local watershed. This study specifically investigated the prevalence of violacein-producing bacterial isolates, as violacein has been demonstrated as a potential bioremediation treatment for outbreaks of the worldwide invasive chytrid, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). The impact of this invasion has been linked to widespread amphibian decline, and tracking of the spread of Bd is currently ongoing.

miR-27a and miR-27a* contribute to metastatic properties of osteosarcoma cells.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone tumor in adolescents and young adults. The essential mechanisms underlying osteosarcomagenesis and progression continue to be obscure. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have far-reaching effects on the cellular biology of development and cancer.

The ubiquitin E3 ligase ITCH enhances breast tumor progression by inhibiting the Hippo tumor suppressor pathway.

The Hippo kinase pathway is emerging as a conserved signaling pathway that is essential for organ growth and tumorigenesis. Recently, we reported that the ubiquitin E3 ligase ITCH negatively regulates LATS1, thereby increasing YAP activity, which leads to increased cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis. Here, we investigated the role of ITCH in breast tumorigenesis.

WWOX, the common fragile site FRA16D gene product, regulates ATM activation and the DNA damage response.

Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer. The WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) is a tumor suppressor spanning the common chromosomal fragile site FRA16D. Here, we report a direct role of WWOX in DNA damage response (DDR) and DNA repair.