Cross-sectional analysis of soft drinks consumption patterns post-taxation in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Sweetened soft drinks consumption contributes to the increasing prevalence of obesity in Saudi Arabia. In 2017, Saudi Arabia began imposing tax on sugar-sweetened drinks to combat obesity.

Aim: To investigate the determinants of soft drinks consumption patterns among adults in Saudi Arabia 5 years after consumer tax implementation.

Situation analysis of sugar‑sweetened beverages taxation in Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Background: Significant attention is being given to the role of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in the increasing rates of obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).

Aim: To document the different approaches being used by EMR countries in implementing the sugar-sweetened beverages taxation.

Methods: This study used data on indirect taxes levied on SSBs by the 22 EMR countries and territories collected by WHO between July 2022 and June 2023.

Synthesis of triangular lignin photonic crystal nanoparticles: Investigating solvent effects and dialysis optimization.

Synthesizing nanoparticles with controlled shapes has been highly desirable for nanoparticle assembly research but is fraught with challenges. While the production of traditional spherical lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) has evolved as a solution to address the highly changeable and complex chemical structure of lignin, more complicated geometries with photonic nature are still needed for optical applications. This work represents the first study to fabricate a novel triangular lignin photonic crystal nanoparticle via a green technique that combines solvent shifting and acid precipitation.

Insights into the emerging immune checkpoint NR2F6 in cancer immunity.

NR2F6 has emerged as a key player in immune regulation, especially in cancer immunity. It has indeed been reported that NR2F6 could suppress the anti-tumor immune response, and has therefore been suggested as possible target in cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we will start by describing the complex structure of the NR2F6 gene and its multifaceted biological functions.

The impact of digital literacy and technology adoption on financial inclusion in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Emerging countries face specific challenges in mobilizing the transformative potential of digital technology to achieve financial inclusion. While previous studies emphasize the role of digital infrastructure and technology adoption in financial inclusion, gaps remain in understanding how digital literacy and specific technologies, like blockchain, influence financial inclusion across diverse emerging regions. This study investigates the joint effect of digital literacy and blockchain adoption on financial inclusion in Africa, Asia, and Latin America from 2011 to 2021.

Advances in structural modification of fucoidans, ulvans, and carrageenans to improve their biological functions for potential therapeutic application.

Marine sulfated polysaccharides constitute a class of bioactive polymers commonly found in cell walls of macroalgae. Among these macromolecular substances, fucoidans, ulvans, and carrageenans have attracted considerable attention providing interesting therapeutic properties affected by a combination of various structural factors, such as sulfation pattern, molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and glycosidic linkages. Remarkably, chemical modification, enzymatic hydrolysis and crosslinking are promising approaches for developing the application of these polysaccharides through enhancement and/or addition of new biological properties.

Exploring the role of leaves distillation waste as a green inhibitor for carbon steel in acidic environment: an integrated study.

In this study, the assessment of the leaves' co-product resulting from the hydrodistillation process was conducted to evaluate its anticorrosive potential for carbon steel in the hydrochloric acid medium. Phytochemical analysis of this biomass revealed its abundance in terms of polyphenols and flavonoids; hence the determination of total polyphenol content recorded a value of 75.4 mg GAE per g extract.

Prostruc: an open-source tool for 3D structure prediction using homology modeling.

Introduction: Homology modeling is a widely used computational technique for predicting the three-dimensional (3D) structures of proteins based on known templates,evolutionary relationships to provide structural insights critical for understanding protein function, interactions, and potential therapeutic targets. However, existing tools often require significant expertise and computational resources, presenting a barrier for many researchers.

Methods: Prostruc is a Python-based homology modeling tool designed to simplify protein structure prediction through an intuitive, automated pipeline.

Chemical composition, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties of essential oils from asso. and caball. from Morocco: and evaluation.

Introduction: Morocco is home to a remarkable diversity of flora, including several species from the Artemisia genus. This study aims to thoroughly examine the chemical composition of essential oils derived from Artemisia species and assess their antibacterial and antioxidant properties through in vitro experiments and in silico simulations.

Methods: Samples of Artemisia herba-alba Asso.

A rare cause of dyspnea: Mounier Kuhn syndrome.

Mounier-Kuhn syndrome, also known as tracheobronchomegaly, is a rare clinical and radiological condition characterized by tracheobronchial dilatation and recurrent respiratory infections. Patients may be asymptomatic or present with severe respiratory illnesses. A CT scan is sufficient to confirm the diagnosis.

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the opposite sinus with interarterial course: A case report.

An anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the opposite sinus (R- ACAOS) with interarterial course is a very rare congenital anomaly with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death. A 29-year-old woman was admitted for exertional angina pectoris. A coronary computed tomography angiography with 3D multiplanar reconstruction revealed an R-ACAOS running between the aorta and pulmonary artery with high anatomical features and no ischemia-induced at the stress test.

Unexpected cause of dyspnea: A case of pleomorphic adenoma in the trachea.

Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most common benign histological form of salivary gland tumors, particularly in the parotid gland, primarily affecting women between the ages of 40 and 60. However, its occurrence in the trachea is very rare. This article reports the case of a 48-year-old woman presenting with progressive dyspnea and weight loss, initially suspected of having a pulmonary embolism.

Corrigendum to "Quantitative and stability study of the evolution of a thermoelastic body" [MethodsX 10 (2023) 101983].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.

Urinary biomonitoring of exposure to glyphosate and its metabolite amino-methyl phosphonic acid among farmers and non-farmers in Morocco.

Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide in global agriculture, poses potential health risks due to environmental and dietary exposure. This study evaluated urinary concentrations of glyphosate and its metabolite, amino-methyl phosphonic acid (AMPA), among farmers and non-farmers in Morocco's Fez-Meknes region, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Glyphosate was detected in 57.

Therapeutic potential of 3-acetyl coumarin against polycystic ovarian syndrome induced by letrozole using female rats.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a heterogeneous endocrine disorder characterized by ovarian cysts, anovulation, endocrine variations, which includes oligo-amenorrhea along with associated subfertility and hyperandrogenism manifested as acne, hirsutism, and male-pattern alopecia. Coumarins are fused benzene and pyrone ring systems that exhibit a wide spectrum of bioactivities. This study aimed to investigate the effects of 3-acetyl coumarin (3-AC) on polycystic ovarian syndrome in female rats.

Theoretical and Electrochemical Evaluation of Cannabis Sativa L. Extracts as Corrosion Inhibitors for Mild Steel in Acidic Medium.

The corrosion of metals in acidic environments remains a significant challenge, driving the search for sustainable and eco-friendly inhibitors derived from natural sources. This study evaluates the corrosion inhibition potential of three extracts from Cannabis sativa L., namely ethanol extract (EET), hexane extract (EHX), and dichloromethane extract (EDM), for mild steel in a 1 M HCl acidic medium.

Sequence-Specific Minor Groove Binders in Labeling and Single-Molecule Analysis of DNA.

The ability to address specific sequences within DNA is of tremendous interest in biotechnology and biomedicine. Various technologies have been established over the past few decades, such as nicking enzymes and methyltransferase-directed sequence-specific labeling, transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), the CRISPR-Cas9 system, and polyamides of heterocycles as sequence-specific DNA minor groove binders. Pyrrole-imidazole polyamides have been reported to recognize predetermined DNA sequences, and some successful attempts have demonstrated their potential in regulating gene expression.

Adherence to Mediterranean diet in Moroccan school-age adolescents: sociodemographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle determinants.

Background: Despite its benefits, the Mediterranean diet (MD) is abandoned or not adopted by the younger generations in most Mediterranean countries.

Objective: The aim here was to examine some factors determining adherence to MD in Moroccan school-age adolescents.

Material And Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a school setting among 386 students (148 boys and 238 girls), aged 14 to 18 years, randomly selected and from different socioeconomic strata.

Mineral elements of some wild plants of traditional uses in the Moroccan Rif Mountains.

Background: Wild edible plants (WEPs) that are part of the Mediterranean diet and used in Moroccan traditional food and therapy are now less or not used. This requires their valorization to avoid the threat of their disappearance. The objective of this work was therefore to determine the mineral content in the parts of some WEPs species used for their health benefits in the Rif in Morocco.

Antibacterial and antifungal activities of Moroccan wild edible plants selected based on ethnobotanical evidence.

Background: Despite the extensive literature focusing on identifying novel antimicrobials of plant origin, little work has been undertaken to examine the antimicrobial activity of wild edible plants.

Objective: The current research aimed to determine the in vitro antimicrobial activity of methanolic extract of some common wild edible plants.

Material And Methods: Disc diffusion and broth micro dilution methods were used to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of extracts of , , , , , , and against known human microorganisms' pathogens.

2-Chloro--(4-hy-droxy-phen-yl)acetamide.

The title compound, CHClNO, is significantly distorted from planarity, with a twist angle between the planes through the hy-droxy-benzene and acetamide groups being 23.5 (2)°. This conformation is supported by intra-molecular C-H⋯O and N-H⋯Cl contacts.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analyses, crystal voids, inter-molecular inter-action energies and energy frameworks of 3-benzyl-1-(3-bromoprop-yl)-5,5-di-phenyl-imidazolidine-2,4-dione.

The title mol-ecule, CHBrNO, adopts a cup shaped conformation with the distinctly ruffled imidazolidine ring as the base. In the crystal, weak C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds and C-H⋯π(ring) inter-actions form helical chains of mol-ecules extending along the -axis direction that are linked by additional weak C-H⋯π(ring) inter-actions across inversion centres. The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯H (51.

Synthesis, crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of 2-{4-[(2-chloro-phen-yl)meth-yl]-3-methyl-6-oxopyridazin-1-yl}--phenyl-acetamide.

In the title mol-ecule, CHClNO, the 2-chloro-phenyl group is disordered to a small extent [occupancies 0.875 (2)/0.125 (2)].

Jejuno-jejunal intussusception secondary to feeding jejunostomy tube: a case report.

Feeding jejunostomy is a simple and common procedure used to provide enteral nutrition. Acute intestinal intussusception on a jejunostomy tube is a rare complication that can have catastrophic consequences and often requires urgent surgical intervention. We report the case of a 45-year-old female patient with a stenosing hypopharyngeal tumor leading to complete aphagia.

[Effectiveness and tolerance of azathioprine as first-line treatment for multiple sclerosis: a case study from Morocco].

Introduction: the purpose of our study is to evaluate the efficacy of azathioprine as first-line treatment in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) or progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS), who were supposed to be treated with beta-interferons but, due to limited resources, received azathioprine instead.

Method: among the 31 patients, 17 had relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), 11 had primary progressive MS (PPMS), and 3 had secondary progressive MS (SPMS). Patients received azathioprine orally at a dose of 3 mg/kg/day over 2 years.