Scientifica最新文献

{"title":"Farm Typologies of Banana and Plantain Smallholders: Agricultural Practices and Disease Constraints in Department of Huila, Colombia.","authors":"Paula Bermeo-Fúquene, Edgar Mauricio Rico-Sierra, Edinson Bayardo Parra-Alferes, Diego Alberto Navarro-Niño, Angela Maria Vargas-Berdugo, Edgar Herney Varón-Devia, Eleonora Rodríguez-Polanco","doi":"10.1155/sci5/3357641","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/3357641","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bananas and plantains (<i>Musa</i> spp.) are among the most widely cultivated crops in tropical regions and are consumed worldwide. These agricultural systems provide fundamental products in the Colombian basket of goods and generate the highest domestic rural employment. However, multiple crop types and diverse technologies implemented in <i>Musa</i> have not yet been characterized. This study aimed to classify smallholder <i>Musa</i> crop systems in one of the most productive <i>Musa</i> Department (Huila) and assess their relationships with the existing coffee system in this region. Seventy-four farmers were interviewed in six municipalities of Huila, Colombia. The questionnaire-based interview included four aspects related to producers: socioeconomic, locality, crop establishment, and crop management. Additionally, land use for <i>Musa</i> and coffee was assessed geographically. Based on producer answers, descriptive, proportional flow diagrams, factor analysis of mixed data (FAMD), hierarchical clustering on principal components (HCPC), and correlation analyses were performed. Most participants interviewed were male (91%, <i>n</i> = 67), had an elementary or high school education level (91%, <i>n</i> = 67), and were over 29 years old (96%, <i>n</i> = 71). Four groups of <i>Musa</i> crop systems were identified in four locations based on the implementation of Good Agricultural Practices and the main disease registered: (i) no Good Agricultural Practices certification (GAPc) in the southern subregion; (ii) GAPc in the center subregion; these two items show elephantiasis as the main disease; (iii) no GAPc in the center subregion; and (iv) GAPc in the northeastern subregion; these two clusters register Sigatoka as the main disease. All banana system localizations and 87.9% of plantain systems are highly suitable for coffee production. These findings support local government plans and <i>Musa</i> farm decision-making aimed at increasing <i>Musa</i> production in Huila, Colombia.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"3357641"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782326/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145952968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Constituents of <i>Phyllanthus emblica</i> Fruit Ameliorate Hyperlipidemia Through the Modulation of SREBPs, HMG-CoA Reductase, and LDL Receptor Pathway.","authors":"Syed Abdul Kuddus, Md Hasanuzzaman Shohag, Quamrul Islam Yaseen, Labiba Ahmed, Anika Tabassum Kashfia, Fatema Binte Islam, Sabrin Islam Khan, Reatul Karim, Muhammad Maqsud Hossain, Md Ashraful Alam, Ferdous Khan","doi":"10.1155/sci5/7941857","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/7941857","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The current study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with antioxidant-rich <i>Phyllanthus emblica</i> fruit powder (PEF) in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemic Wistar rats. <i>In silico</i> pharmacokinetic activity prediction and molecular docking studies were performed for several bioactive compounds of the <i>P. emblica</i> fruit. Wistar rats were arranged into four groups and fed one of the following four diets: standard diet (Control), 2% (w/w) PEF-supplemented standard diet (Control + PEF), HFD, and 2% (w/w) PEF-supplemented HFD (HFD + PEF). The treatment was continued for 8 weeks, after which the effects of PEF on oxidative stress, fat deposition, plasma lipids, and gene expression of relevant proteins were explored. Several proteins involved in lipid metabolism and homeostasis interact with bioactive phenolic compounds, such as ellagic acid, quercetin, catechin, kaempferol, and chrysin. The presence of these compounds in the <i>P. emblica</i> fruit was confirmed by HPLC analysis. <i>In vivo</i> experiments showed that HFD-induced increased oxidative stress, mesenteric fat weight, and harmful plasma lipids were reduced significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) due to the feeding of PEF-supplemented HFD. On the other hand, HFD-mediated reductions in antioxidant enzyme activity and the level of HDL cholesterol were restored in rats fed with PEF. The HFD-mediated increase in the transcript levels of SREBP-1c, SREBP-2, and HMGCR reductase was significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) suppressed by feeding PEF with a parallel increase in the expression of LDLR. However, the increased expression of LXRα, PPARγ, and FABP4 was not changed by PEF feeding, although these proteins strongly interacted with several compounds of PEF. This study demonstrated that a PEF-supplemented diet can reduce HFD-induced hyperlipidemia by modulating the expression of SREBP-1c, SREBP-2, HMG-CoA reductase, and LDL receptor at the transcriptional level.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"7941857"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782344/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145952564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Incorporation of <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> subsp. <i>plantarum</i> Dad-13 Into Chocolate Processing: The Effect on Physical, Nutritional, and Probiotics Viability During Storage.","authors":"Titiek Farianti Djaafar, Tri Marwati, Anna Fajariyah, Nendyo Adhi Wibowo, Novia Nur Aini, Mifta Gatya, Imelda Damarwati, Hariya Amalina, Gabriela Belinda Aulia, Endang Sutriswati Rahayu, Tyas Utami, Rini Yanti, Ulyatu Fitrotin","doi":"10.1155/sci5/5511985","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/5511985","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chocolate with added functional value has become increasingly popular due to growing consumer health awareness. <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> subsp. <i>plantarum</i> Dad-13 isolated from <i>dadih</i> (fermented buffalo milk) is a potential probiotic strain exhibiting various health benefits. Probiotic chocolate was formulated by adding <i>L. plantarum</i> Dad-13. The experiments were performed in triplicate. The safety parameters of the chocolate, including microbial and heavy metal contamination, were evaluated to ensure its safety for consumption. Changes in probiotic chocolate's physical, nutritional, and microbial properties were compared to those of nonprobiotic chocolate. Storage trials were further conducted to better understand the viability of probiotics in the chocolate products. The chocolate used in this study was safe for consumption, as indicated by the low contamination levels. Chocolate supplemented with <i>L. plantarum</i> Dad-13 had similar nutritional characteristics to nonprobiotic chocolate. However, the addition of probiotics slightly altered its physical characteristics, resulting in broader melting properties, although this remained within a tolerable range. Storing the chocolate at low to moderate temperatures (4-20°C) could maintain the viability of <i>L. plantarum</i> Dad-13 above 8 log CFU/g for up to 30 days of storage, demonstrating its promising potential as a novel probiotic chocolate product.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"5511985"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782336/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145953009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing Quality Characteristics of Buckwheat (<i>Fagopyrum esculentum</i>) Flour: Effects of Germination and Nixtamalisation Processes.","authors":"Kazeem Koledoye Olatoye, Abiola Folakemi Olaniran, Oluwatobi Ibukun Adeyemo, Adeniyi Ayokanmi Koledade, Faith Oluwatoyosi Agaja, Oluwatobi Victoria Obayomi","doi":"10.1155/sci5/9935662","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/9935662","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Buckwheat is a pseudo-cereal with chemical, functional and application comparable to wheat but possesses higher antinutrient contents, which limit their digestibility and broader utilisation. The study investigated the effects of germination and nixtamalisation on the quality characteristics of buckwheat flour. Germination and nixtamalisation processes were carried out using limewater and potassium hydroxide. Whole, germinated buckwheat flour (GBW), organically nixtamalised buckwheat flour and synthetically nixtamalised buckwheat flour (SNBW) were produced and analysed for nutritional composition (proximate and mineral contents), antinutrients (phytate, oxalate, tannin and saponin) and antioxidant properties (phenol, flavonoids, ferric-reducing antioxidant power and total antioxidant), physicochemical and functional properties (water absorption capacity [WAC], oil absorption capacity (OAC), swelling capacity (SC) and bulk density (BD), and data were analysed using ANOVA at <i>α</i> _0.05. Germination and nixtamalisation processes significantly increased the moisture content (5.67%-8.67%; <i>p</i> < 0.05, ash (1.67%-4.30%; <i>p</i> value <i>p</i> < 0.05), crude protein (11.43%-14.91%; <i>p</i> < 0.05), fibre (10.20%-13.20%) and fat (5.0%-15.0%) but reduced the carbohydrate (61.52%-50.43%) of buckwheat flour. Protein digestibility of buckwheat flour was significantly improved (65.11%-78.14%). Similar trends were observed for the mineral content and antioxidant properties of the treated flours. The antinutritional properties of flour samples were reduced by both germination and nixtamalisation. Germinated buckwheat showed higher lightness (<i>L</i>), redness (<i>a</i>) and light intensity (<i>E</i>) compared with nixtamalised ones. Germination and nixtamalisation significantly influenced the pH, WAC, OAC, SC, solubility and bulk density of the buckwheat flour, which ranged between (4.94-8.91), (74.67-190.33 mL/g), (72.00-84.00 mL/g), (6.28-9.87 mL/g), (15.67-52.67 mL/g) and (0.8-0.85 g/mL), respectively. The application of germination and nixtamalisation processes significantly improves the protein digestibility, mineral content, and acidity of buckwheat flour as compared to whole buckwheat. Thus, these methods of processing have been proven to further enhance the qualitative attributes of buckwheat flour, promoting its expanded application in the food sector.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"9935662"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782338/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145952943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mapping the Landscape of Anti-Breast Cancer Drug Discovery in Saudi Arabia: A Bibliometric Analysis (2019-2023).","authors":"Azizah M Malebari, Abdulrahman A Alghelis, Rashad S Alzahrani, Anfal S Aljahdali","doi":"10.1155/sci5/6991810","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/6991810","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Breast cancer, the most prevalent cancer worldwide, poses a significant public health challenge, especially in the advanced stages. According to the Saudi Health Council (2020), breast cancer is also the leading cancer in Saudi Arabia with recent increases in incidence rates. Over the past two decades, Saudi Arabia has made significant advancements in anti-breast cancer drug discovery driven by increased research funding, improved access to scientific resources, and enhanced education. This study aims to highlight Saudi Arabia's contributions to this field through a bibliometric analysis of anti-breast cancer drug discovery research published between 2019 and 2023. Using a comprehensive search strategy, 943 publications were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database and analyzed. Bibliometric tools such as VOSviewer and Microsoft Excel were used to highlight trends in publication output, research areas, and collaboration networks. The results reveal a steady increase in Saudi publications, rising from under 100 in 2019 to over 250 in 2023. The primary research areas were Chemistry (43.69%), Pharmacology/Pharmacy (23.65%), and Biochemistry (22.80%). Elsevier and MDPI were the leading publication platforms, while King Saud University was identified as the primary source of research funding (17.60%). Co-authorship networks revealed strong collaborations between Saudi institutions and international partners. The most frequent keywords reflected key research priorities within Saudi institutions, \"anticancer\", \"molecular docking\", and \"nanoparticles\". The most commonly studied therapeutic targets were EGFR, Caspase, and VEGF with a diverse range of therapeutic approaches including pyrimidines, nanoparticles, and natural products. This analysis highlights Saudi Arabia's growing contributions to the field of breast cancer drug discovery and provides a foundation for future research and collaboration.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"6991810"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782350/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145952971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of Unsaponifiable Matter in Unripe <i>Pistacia atlantica</i> Fruits: Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity and <i>α</i>-Amylase Inhibitory Effect.","authors":"Mokhtar Benmohamed, Mohamed Harrat, Mohammed Messaoudi, Amar Djemoui, Ahmed Souadia, Barbara Sawicka, Ayomide Victor Atoki, Mohamed Yousif","doi":"10.1155/sci5/8016775","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/8016775","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study provides a comprehensive characterization of the unsaponifiable matter (USM) in oils extracted from <i>Pistacia atlantica</i> fruits during prematurity phases (unripe and semiripe stages) from two distinct biogeographical regions in Algeria (Sougaa and Bousdraya). Notably, quantitative analysis revealed substantial variations in bioactive compound concentrations: tocopherols ranged from 3.10 to 17.88 mg <i>α</i>TE/g USM, sterols from 844.45 to 871.36 mg <i>β</i>S/g USM, and carotenoids from 15.22 to 20.76 mg <i>β</i>CE/g USM, demonstrating the significant phytochemical richness of early developmental stages. The USM components were quantified using validated spectrophotometric methods, with parallel evaluation of antioxidant and <i>α</i>-amylase inhibitory activities. The most remarkable finding was the exceptional antioxidant potency of semiripe fruits from Bousdraya (BRF), showing IC₅₀ = 0.49 mg/mL, representing one of the strongest antioxidant activities reported for <i>Pistacia</i> species unsaponifiable fractions. The unripe sample from Sougaa (SRC) exhibited the highest USM yield (10.45%) along with superior carotenoid and sterol concentrations. Furthermore, semiripe fruits from Sougaa (SRF) demonstrated the strongest <i>α</i>-amylase inhibition (34.58 μmol acarbose Eq/g USM), highlighting their potential for diabetes management applications. Correlation analysis revealed a strong negative relationship between tocopherol content and antioxidant activity (<i>r</i> = -0.92), confirming their role as primary radical scavengers. The results provide crucial insights for developing functional ingredients for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries targeting oxidative stress and glycemic control. Initial stages of <i>Pistacia atlantica</i> fruit development represent an underappreciated source of valuable bioactive compounds. These results clearly indicate that an optimal harvesting strategy must consider both geographic origin and phenological stage, depending on the desired functional profile (e.g., semiripe BRF for strong antioxidant activity, immature SRC for maximum USM, and carotenoid/sterol yield). The key role in this activity was confirmed by a strong, statistically significant, negative correlation between tocopherol content and the IC₅₀ value (<i>r</i> = -0.92). However, the highest alpha-amylase inhibition activity, significantly different from the immature samples (<i>p</i> < 0.05), was achieved by semiripe samples from Sougaa (SRF, 34.58 p.m. 1.33 mµmol AACE/g USM) and BRF, suggesting that other, statistically uncorrelated (<i>r</i> approx. 0.01 for tocopherols) compounds are responsible for this effect. In terms of content, the immature sample from Sougaa (SRC) was statistically superior in terms of carotenoid and sterol content. These findings definitively confirm that the selection of harvest site and time is critical for maximizing the functional quality of the oil.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"8016775"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782327/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145952940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Computational Identification of Potent Multitarget Natural Ligands for Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutics.","authors":"Nadia Sharif, Ayesha Bibi, Rakhshinda Sadiq, Iffat Ullah, Abdul Rauf, Muhammad Tayyab Arshad, Shahid Bashir, Hafsa Zamir, Sawaira Gull, Taqwa Anwar, Emmanuel Laryea","doi":"10.1155/sci5/1132636","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/1132636","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Alzheimer's disease (AD), a complex neurodegenerative disorder, urgently necessitates a multitarget therapeutic approach. This study presents a novel in silico framework targeting a unique combination of four AD-relevant proteins-sortilin, clusterin, tau, and amyloid-beta (Aβ)-not previously explored together in multitarget docking studies. The study leveraged a comprehensive computational strategy integrating ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) and ProTox-3.0 analyses with AutoDock Vina molecular docking, binding, and bond interaction via SiteMap/CASTp and PLIP, respectively. Fifteen novel natural ligands and three established AD reference drugs (donepezil, memantine, and rivastigmine) were assessed against four key AD proteins: sortilin, clusterin, Aβ peptide, and tau. Pharmacokinetic and toxicity predictions revealed favorable drug-likeness for many ligands, 4-tert-amylphenol, allicin, apigenin, and resveratrol, which exhibited high gastrointestinal absorption but varied in blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeation, solubility, and drug-likeness. Ligands, such as apigenin, cyanidin, and galantamine, demonstrated favorable oral bioavailability and lead-likeness. Nevertheless, predicted toxicity profiles revealed potential hepatotoxicity concerns for ligands like 4-tert-amylphenol and berberine. Comparison with reference drugs highlighted the importance of optimizing ADME properties and minimizing toxicity. Molecular docking results consistently highlighted ginkgolide with multitarget binding to sortilin (-16.29 kcal/mol), clusterin (-13.98 kcal/mol), and tau (-10.63 kcal/mol). Critical interactions were identified, including binding to the aggregation domain of tau via HIS329. Other promising natural ligands, including ginsenosides, berberine, and apigenin, also exhibited strong multitarget interactions. Ginsenosides were a notable lead, demonstrating key molecular contacts with ILE141 on sortilin and directly targeting the Aβ core at ALA4. Apigenin also showed strong binding to the tau repeat domain at ILE328. Notably, memantine displayed significant binding to both sortilin and Aβ, forming a hydrogen bond with the amyloidogenic ILE5 residue. The study identified several potent multitarget binding capabilities compounds, offering compelling avenues for developing novel, more effective therapeutics for AD.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"1132636"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782343/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145952948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Agromorphological Characterization and Variability Among Maize Hybrids in the Mid-Hills of Far-West Nepal.","authors":"Ram Chandra Bhatta, Akriti Risal, Asmita Shrestha, Sandesh Thapa, Mahendra Prasad Tripathi","doi":"10.1155/sci5/7227870","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/7227870","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The experiment was conducted using an alpha lattice design with two replications for each genotype, comprising 20 maize hybrids obtained from CIMMYT and NMRP, including two check varieties. The treatment genotypes were assessed during the spring season of 2024 at the agronomy farm of Gokuleshwor College, Baitadi. The tallest plant height of 293.298 cm was recorded in genotype RH-12, while the shortest, 231.598 cm, was observed in RML-95/RML-140. The observed variation among genotypes indicated that selection can be effectively carried out based on traits such as days to 50% anthesis, days to 50% silking, anthesis-silking interval, number of rows per cob, number of grains per row, cob length, cob diameter, and grain yield. Most of the evaluated morphological traits showed a strong correlation with grain yield, depicting that indirect selection could effectively enhance yield potential. Among the hybrids, CAH 1817 stood out with the highest grain yield, followed closely by NH2226 and VH 18567. These varieties show great potential and could be strong candidates for promoting higher-yielding maize hybrids in Nepal.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"7227870"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782325/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145952976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antibacterial Effect of Prodigiosin on Uropathogenic <i>Escherichia coli</i>.","authors":"Nikhitha Joshy, Biranthabail Dhanashree","doi":"10.1155/sci5/6668394","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/6668394","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation are becoming more common in uropathogenic <i>Escherichia coli</i> (UPEC). Hence, the study aims to determine the antibiogram of commonly prescribed antibiotics and assess prodigiosin's antibacterial activity against UPEC. During the study, 175 UPEC isolates were identified biochemically, and their antibiogram was studied by the VITEK 2 system. Prodigiosin was extracted from <i>Serratia marcescens</i> MTCC 97. The MIC of prodigiosin against UPEC strains was detected by the microbroth dilution method. The majority of the UPEC strains (<i>n</i> = 135) had MIC between 15 and 30 mg/mL. No significant association was observed between the MIC of prodigiosin and the antibiogram. Biofilm assay was performed by the microtiter plate method using media with and without added prodigiosin. In media without prodigiosin, most UPEC isolates were nonbiofilm formers (NBF-55.42%), followed by weak (21.14%), moderate (MBF-13.71%) and strong biofilm formers (SBF-9.7%). When the same test was performed in media with added prodigiosin, NBF decreased to 30.28%, while SBF, MBF and WBF increased to 20%, 26.85% and 22.85%, respectively. This change in biofilm production was statistically significant (<i>p</i> < 0.05, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). The effect of prodigiosin on <i>fim</i>H virulence gene was evaluated using PCR. The <i>fim</i>H gene was present in 159 (90.85%) isolates cultured in medium devoid of prodigiosin, whereas in prodigiosin-containing media, 132 (83.01%) isolates were positive for the <i>fim</i>H gene and 27 (16.98%) were negative (<i>p</i> < 0.05, McNemar's test), suggesting that the <i>fim</i>H-negative isolates had either considerable suppression of the gene's transcription or gene expression pathways. Further, biofilm production increased when prodigiosin inhibited the <i>fim</i>H gene, suggesting a gene-dependent reaction that may have compelled UPEC to adopt a stress-response phenotype that favours nonspecific surface attachment to form biofilm for survival. Therefore, the effect of prodigiosin on biofilms seems to be associated with the expression of <i>fim</i>H, indicating a gene-dependent response.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"6668394"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782346/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145953006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Potential Protective Effects of EGCG Against Epilepsy-Induced Damage in Rats by Mitigating Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis.","authors":"Sarah Alatawi, Manal S Albalawi, Ruba M Alfaifi, Rand Al-Twalhy, Manal D Al-Johani, Danah Alanazi, Rinad M Al-Otaibi, Hanan M Hassan, Mohammed M H Al-Gayyar","doi":"10.1155/sci5/8209714","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/8209714","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We conducted this study to evaluate the protective effects of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) against epilepsy in rats, with a specific focus on its potential to mitigate oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Epilepsy was induced in rats using pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), followed by treatment with 20 mg/kg of EGCG. The effects of EGCG were assessed on seizure severity and frequency, as well as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. Brain sections were stained with cresyl violet and immune-stained with anti-Nrf2 antibody. Furthermore, expressions and concentrations of B-Cell Lymphoma 2 (BCL2), Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor-2 (Nrf2), nuclear factor κB (NFκB), BCL2-associated X (BAX), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and Interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) in brain tissues were analyzed. Rats showed significant behavioral improvement following EGCG treatment. Analysis of the dentate gyrus sections demonstrated a modest increase in the staining intensity of Nissl granules after EGCG. Additionally, EGCG was observed to increase the expression levels of BCL2, Nrf2, and Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1), while concurrently reducing the expression of BAX, NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-1β. In conclusion, EGCG demonstrates protective effects against epilepsy. The underlying mechanisms may be attributed to its capacity to increase antioxidant activity by the upregulation of Nrf2 and HO-1. EGCG appears to mitigate inflammation by downregulating NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-1β, thereby decreasing cellular apoptosis through the downregulation of BAX and upregulation of BCL-2.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"8209714"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782337/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145952796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}