DNA Computing: Challenges and Application

Much of our scientific, technological, and economic future depends on the availability of an ever-increasing supply of computational power. However, the increasing demand for such power has pushed electronic technology to the limit of physical feasibility and has raised the concern that this technology may not be able to sustain our growth in the near future. It became important to consider an alternative means of achieving computational power. In this regard, DNA computing was introduced based on the usage of DNA and molecular biology hardware instead of the typical silicon based technology. The molecular computers could take advantage of DNA's physical properties to store information and perform calculations. These include extremely dense information storage, enormous parallelism and extraordinary energy efficiency. One of the main advantages that DNA computations would add to computation is its self - parallel processing while most of the electronic computers now use linear processing. In this paper, the DNA computation is reviewed and its state of the art challenges and applications are presented. Some of these applications are those require fast processing, at which DNA computers would be able to solve the hardest problems faster than the traditional ones. For example, 10 trillion DNA molecules can fit in one cubic centimeter that would result in a computer that holds 10 terabytes of data. Moreover, this work focuses on whether a large scale molecular computer can be built

Intellectual Efficiency of Primary School Principals in the North within the Green Line and its Relationship to Emotional Intelligence الكفاءة الفكرية لدى مديري المدارس الابتدائية في الشمال داخل الخط الأخضر وعلاقتها بالذكاء الوجداني

Abstract: The study aimed to identify the relationship between intellectual efficiency and emotional intelligence among primary school principals in the North within the Green Line from teachers\u27 point of view. The study sample consisted of (460) primary school teachers. To achieve the study objectives, descriptive survey methodology was used. The results showed that the level of intellectual efficiency among primary school principals was high from teachers\u27 point of view, while emotional intelligence was moderate. The results revealed statistically significant differences in intellectual efficiency level among primary school principals due to qualification, in favor of Bachelor degree, while there were no statistically significant differences due to gender and experience. Also the results revealed statistically significant differences in emotional intelligence level among primary school principals due to qualification, in favor of Bachelor degree, while there were no statistically significant differences due to gender and experience. It was found that there was a statistically significant positive relationship between intellectual efficiency and emotional intelligence among primary school principals from teachers\u27 point of view. ملخص: هدفت الدراسة تعرف مستوى الكفاءة الفكرية وعلاقتها بالذكاء الوجداني لدى مديري المدارس الابتدائية في الشمال داخل الخط الأخضر من وجهة نظر المعلمين. تكونت عينة الدراسة من (460) معلماً ومعلمة من معلمي المدارس الابتدائية. ولتحقيق أهداف الدراسة، استُخدِمَ المنهج الوصفي المسحي الارتباطي بالاعتماد على الاستبانة. تمثلت أبرز النتائج التي توصلت إليها الدراسة في وجود مستوى مرتفع من الكفاءة الفكرية لدى مديري المدارس الابتدائية في الشمال داخل الخط الأخضر من وجهة نظر المعلمين، في حين أن الذكاء الوجداني كان متوسطاً. وأظهرت النتائج وجود فروق في مستوى الكفاءة الفكرية لدى مديري المدارس الابتدائية تعزى لمتغير المستوى التعليمي، لصالح البكالوريوس، في حين لم تظهر أي فروق تعزى لمتغيري الجنس والخبرة. وتبين وجود فروق في مستوى الذكاء الاجتماعي لدى مديري المدارس الابتدائية تعزى لمتغير المستوى التعليمي، لصالح البكالوريوس، في حين لم تكن هناك فروق تعزى لمتغيري الجنس والخبرة. وتبينَّ وجود علاقة ارتباطية إيجابية دالة احصائياً بين الكفاءة الفكرية والذكاء الوجداني من وجهة نظر المعلمين

Biologically guided isolation and ADMET profile of new factor Xa inhibitors fromGlycyrrhiza glabraroots usingin vitroandin silicoapproaches

Selective factor Xa inhibitors effectively block coagulation cascade with a broader therapeutic window than multitargeted anticoagulants. They have evolved as a crucial part of prevention and treatment of thromboembolic diseases and in therapeutic protocols involved in many clinical trials in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Biologically-guided isolation of specific FXa inhibitors from licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root extract furnished ten flavonoids. By detailed analysis of their1H,13C NMR and MS data, the structures of these flavonoids were established as 7,4′-dihydroxyflavone (1), formononetin (2), 3-R-glabridin (3), isoliquiritigenin (4), liquiritin (5), naringenin 5-O-glucoside (6), 3,3′,4,4′-tetrahydroxy-2-methoxychalcone (7), liquiritinapioside (8) and the two isomers isoliquiritigenin-4′-O-β-d-apiosylglucoside (9) and isoliquiritigenin-4-O-β-d-apiosylglucoside (10). All the isolated compounds were assessed for their FXa inhibitory activity usingin vitrochromogenic assay for the first time. Liquirtin (5) showed the most potent inhibitory effects with an IC50of 5.15 μM. The QikProp module was implemented to perform ADMET predictions for the screened compounds

Characterization and comprehensive genome analysis of novel bacteriophage, vB_Kpn_ZCKp20p, with lytic and anti-biofilm potential against clinical multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

IntroductionThe rise of infections by antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens is alarming. Among these, Klebsiella pneumoniae is a leading cause of death by hospital-acquired infections, and its multidrug-resistant strains are flagged as a global threat to human health, which necessitates finding novel antibiotics or alternative therapies. One promising therapeutic alternative is the use of virulent bacteriophages, which specifically target bacteria and coevolve with them to overcome potential resistance. Here, we aimed to discover specific bacteriophages with therapeutic potential against multiresistant K. pneumoniae clinical isolates.Methods and ResultsOut of six bacteriophages that we isolated from urban and medical sewage, phage vB_Kpn_ZCKp20p had the broadest host range and was thus characterized in detail. Transmission electron microscopy suggests vB_Kpn_ZCKp20p to be a tailed phage of the siphoviral morphotype. In vitro evaluation indicated a high lytic efficiency (30 min latent period and burst size of ∼100 PFU/cell), and extended stability at temperatures up to 70°C and a wide range of (2-12) pH. Additionally, phage vB_Kpn_ZCKp20p possesses antibiofilm activity that was evaluated by the crystal violet assay and was not cytotoxic to human skin fibroblasts. The whole genome was sequenced and annotated, uncovering one tRNA gene and 33 genes encoding proteins with assigned functions out of 85 predicted genes. Furthermore, comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis suggest that vB_Kpn_ZCKp20p most likely represents a new species, but belongs to the same genus as Klebsiella phages ZCKP8 and 6691. Comprehensive genomic and bioinformatics analyses substantiate the safety of the phage and its strictly lytic lifestyle.ConclusionPhage vB_Kpn_ZCKp20p is a novel phage with potential to be used against biofilm-forming K. pneumoniae and could be a promising source for antibacterial and antibiofilm products, which will be individually studied experimentally in future studies

Salp Swarm Optimization with Self-Adaptive Mechanism for Optimal Droop Control Design

The collaboration of the various distributed generation (DG) units is required to meet the increasing electricity demand. To run parallel-connected inverters for microgrid load sharing, several control strategies have been developed. Among these methods, the droop control method was widely accepted in the research community due to the lack of important communication links between parallel-connected inverters to control the DG units within a microgrid. To help to solve the power-sharing process, keep to frequency and voltage constrained limits in islanded mode microgrid system. The parameter values must therefore be chosen accurately by using the optimization technique. Optimization techniques are a hot topic of researchers; hence This paper discusses the microgrid droop controller during islanding using the salp swarm inspired algorithm (SSIA). To obtain a better fine microgrid output reaction during islanding, SSIA-based droop control is used to optimally determine the PI gain and the coefficients of the prolapse control. The results of the simulation show that the SSIA-based droop control can control the power quality of the microgrid by ensuring that the keep to frequency and voltage constrained limits and deviation and proper power-sharing occurs during the microgrid island mode during a load change

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P &lt; 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Algal-Derived Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using the Unicellular ulvophyte sp. MBIC10591: Optimisation, Characterisation, and Biological Activities

Algal-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) is an eco-friendly alternative for producing NPs with potent physicochemical and biological properties. Microalgae represent an ideal bio-nanofactory because they contain several biomolecules acting as passivation and stabilising agents during the biogenesis of NPs. Herein, a novel microalgae sp. was isolated, purified, and identified using light and electron microscopy and 18s rRNA sequencing. The chemical components of their watery extract were assessed using GC-MS. Their dried biomass was used to synthesise silver (Ag) NPs with different optimisation parameters. Ag-NPs were physiochemically characterised, and their anticancer and antibacterial effects were examined. The data showed that the isolated strain was 99% similar to the unicellular ulvophyte sp. MBIC10591; it was ellipsoidal to spherical and had a large cup-shaped spongiomorph chloroplast. The optimum parameters for synthesising Ag-NPs by unicellular ulvophyte sp. MBIC10591 (Uv@Ag-NPs) were as follows: mixture of 1 mM of AgNO3 with an equal volume of algal extract, 100 &deg;C for 1 h, and pH of 7 under illumination for 24 h. TEM, HRTEM, and SEM revealed that Uv@Ag-NPs are cubic to spherical, with an average nanosize of 12.1 &plusmn; 1.2 nm. EDx and mapping analysis showed that the sample had 79% of Ag, while FTIR revealed the existence of several functional groups on the NP surface derivatives from the algal extract. The Uv@Ag-NPs had a hydrodynamic diameter of 178.1 nm and a potential charge of &minus;26.7 mV and showed marked antiproliferative activity against PC3, MDA-MB-231, T47D, and MCF-7, with IC50 values of 27.4, 20.3, 23.8, and 40 &micro;g/mL, respectively, and moderate toxicity against HFs (IC50 of 13.3 &micro;g/mL). Uv@Ag-NPs also showed marked biocidal activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Escherichia coli was the most sensitive bacteria to the NPs with an inhibition zone of 18.9 &plusmn; 0.03 mm. The current study reports, for the first time, the morphological appearance of the novel unicellular ulvophyte sp., MBIC10591, and its chemical composition and potential to synthesise Uv@Ag-NPs with smaller sizes and high stability to act as anti-tumour and microbial agents

Oxidative Stress and Apoptotic Responses Elicited by Nostoc-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles against Different Cancer Cell Lines

Green nanoparticles represent a revolution in bionanotechnology, providing opportunities to fight life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, with less risk to the environment and to human health. Here, for the first time, we systematically investigated the anticancer activity and possible mechanism of novel silver nanoparticles (N-SNPs) synthesized by Nostoc Bahar M against the MCF-7 breast cancer cells, HCT-116 colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, and HepG2 liver cancer cells, using cell viability assays, morphological characterization with inverted light and transmission electron microscopy, antioxidants and enzymes (glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione (GSH), adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)), and western blotting (protein kinase B (Akt), phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), tumor suppressor (p53), and caspase 3). N-SNPs decreased the viability of MCF-7, HCT-116, and HepG2 cells, with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of 54, 56, and 80 &micro;g/mL, respectively. They also significantly increased LDH leakage, enhanced oxidative stress via effects on antioxidative markers, and caused metabolic stress by significantly decreasing ATPase levels. N-SNPs caused extensive ultrastructural alterations in cell and nuclear structures, as well as in various organelles. Furthermore, N-SNPs triggered apoptosis via the activation of caspase 3 and p53, and suppressed the mTOR signaling pathway via downregulating apoptosis-evading proteins in MCF-7, HCT-116, and HepG2 cells. Ultrastructural analysis, together with biochemical and molecular analyses, revealed that N-SNPs enhanced apoptosis via the induction of oxidative stress and/or through direct interactions with cellular structures in all tested cells. The cytotoxicity of Nostoc-mediated SNPs represents a new strategy for cancer treatment via targeting various cell death pathways. However, the potential of N-SNPs to be usable and biocompatible anticancer drug will depend on their toxicity against normal cells