Evaluation of the protective efficacy of immunoglobulin Y (IgY- antibodies) prepared against Walterinnesia aegyptia snake venom in Saudi Arabia

Four groups of eight chickens were immunized intramuscularly with Walterinnesia aegyptia snake venoms mixed with Freund's complete adjuvant during the period from 1st October 2009 to 1st October 2011 at the Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. Three weeks later, the injections were repeated with the venoms in incomplete Freund's adjuvant. Three boosters were given with the venoms at three weeks intervals. The immunoglobulin Y (IgY)-antibodies was extracted by ammonium sulphate-caprylic acid method, the antibody titer were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay and the protective efficacies of the extracted immunoglobulins were performed. IgY-preparation extracted by ammonium sulphate-caprylic acid method showed lack of low molecular weight bands (non-immunoglobulin proteins) and the bands representing IgY-antibodies, which have molecular weights ranging from 180 to 200 kDa, appeared sharp and clear. Moreover, evaluation of the protective value of the IgY - antibodies prepared revealed that, one milliliter of extracted IgY-antibodies containing 15 mg/ml anti-W. aegyptia venom specific IgY could produce 100% protection against 50 LD50 and 75% protection against 60 LD50. Laying hens could be used as an alternative source of polyclonal antibodies against W. aegyptia snake venoms due to several advantages as compared with mammals traditionally used for such purpose.Keywords: Snake venom, Walterinnesia aegyptia, immunoglobulins Y, protective efficacy, caprylic aci

ANTIBACTERIAL EFFICACY OF FIVE NATURAL ESSENTIAL OILS USED IN YEMEN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Background and objective: Due to the increasing resistance to synthetic antibiotics and preservatives, there is growing interest in exploring natural alternatives. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial potential of five commercially available essential oils in the Yemeni market Azadirachta indica (Neem), Moringa oleifera, Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary), Salvia officinalis, and Origanum majorana against selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Method: Agar diffusion was used to investigate the antibacterial activity of essential oils from five plants: Azadirachta indica (neem), Moringa oleifera, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), Salvia officinalis, and Origanum majorana. Result:  Significant differences in the inhibitory effects of the plant oils of neem, Moringa oleifera, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Origanum majorana against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were found during the antimicrobial screening process. Nearing the effectiveness of gentamicin (25 mm), Salvia officinalis and neem oils demonstrated the highest action against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (22 mm and 20 mm inhibition zones, respectively). Rosmarinus officinalis, on the other hand, demonstrated a low level of efficacy (10 mm). Most oils were less effective against Gram-negative organisms, and E. coli showed resistance to all save Rosmarinus officinalis (12 mm). Conclusions: These results demonstrate the potential of oils produced from plants, especially Origanum majorana, neem, and Salvia officinalis, as antibacterial agents against Gram-negative bacteria highlights the need for more research into maximizing their use, either alone or in combination with other antibiotics, despite their encouraging efficacy against Gram-positive bacteria.                     Peer Review History: Received 9 April 2025;   Reviewed 14 May 2025; Accepted 20 June; Available online 15 July 2025 Academic Editor: Dr. Ahmad Najib, Universitas Muslim Indonesia,  Indonesia, [email protected] Reviewers: Antonio José de Jesus Evangelista, Federal University of Ceará, UFC, Brazil, [email protected] Prof. Abdulwahab Ismail Al-kholani, Dean of Faculty of Dentistry at 21 September University, Yemen. [email protected]

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

Laparoscopy in management of appendicitis in high-, middle-, and low-income countries: a multicenter, prospective, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency worldwide. Differences between high- and low-income settings in the availability of laparoscopic appendectomy, alternative management choices, and outcomes are poorly described. The aim was to identify variation in surgical management and outcomes of appendicitis within low-, middle-, and high-Human Development Index (HDI) countries worldwide. METHODS: This is a multicenter, international prospective cohort study. Consecutive sampling of patients undergoing emergency appendectomy over 6 months was conducted. Follow-up lasted 30 days. RESULTS: 4546 patients from 52 countries underwent appendectomy (2499 high-, 1540 middle-, and 507 low-HDI groups). Surgical site infection (SSI) rates were higher in low-HDI (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.33-4.99, p = 0.005) but not middle-HDI countries (OR 1.38, 95% CI 0.76-2.52, p = 0.291), compared with high-HDI countries after adjustment. A laparoscopic approach was common in high-HDI countries (1693/2499, 67.7%), but infrequent in low-HDI (41/507, 8.1%) and middle-HDI (132/1540, 8.6%) groups. After accounting for case-mix, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.42-0.71, p < 0.001) and SSIs (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.14-0.33, p < 0.001). In propensity-score matched groups within low-/middle-HDI countries, laparoscopy was still associated with fewer overall complications (OR 0.23 95% CI 0.11-0.44) and SSI (OR 0.21 95% CI 0.09-0.45). CONCLUSION: A laparoscopic approach is associated with better outcomes and availability appears to differ by country HDI. Despite the profound clinical, operational, and financial barriers to its widespread introduction, laparoscopy could significantly improve outcomes for patients in low-resource environments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02179112

Search for Dark Matter and Supersymmetry with a Compressed Mass Spectrum in the Vector Boson Fusion Topology in Proton-Proton Collisions at root s=8 TeV

Peer reviewe

Reductions in malaria and anaemia case and death burden at hospitals following scale-up of malaria control in Zanzibar, 1999-2008

Background: In Zanzibar, the Ministry of Health and partners accelerated malaria control from September 2003 onwards. The impact of the scale-up of insecticide-treated nets (ITN), indoor-residual spraying (IRS) and artemisinin-combination therapy (ACT) combined on malaria burden was assessed at six out of seven in-patient health facilities. Methods. Numbers of outpatient and inpatient cases and deaths were compared between 2008 and the pre-intervention period 1999-2003. Reductions were estimated by segmented log-linear regression, adjusting the effect size for time trends during the pre-intervention period. Results: In 2008, for all age groups combined, malaria deaths had fallen by an estimated 90% (95% confidence interval 55-98%)(p < 0.025), malaria in-patient cases by 78% (48-90%), and parasitologically- confirmed malaria out-patient cases by 99.5% (92-99.9%). Anaemia in-patient cases decreased by 87% (57-96%); anaemia deaths and out-patient cases declined without reaching statistical significance due to small numbers. Reductions were similar for children under-five and older ages. Among under-fives, the proportion of all-cause deaths due to malaria fell from 46% in 1999-2003 to 12% in 2008 (p < 0.01) and that for anaemia from 26% to 4% (p < 0.01). Cases and deaths due to other causes fluctuated or increased over 1999-2008, without consistent difference in the trend before and after 2003. Conclusions: Scaling-up effective malaria interventions reduced malaria-related burden at health facilities by over 75% within 5 years. In high-malaria settings, intensified malaria control can substantially contribute to reaching the Millennium Development Goal 4 target of reducing under-five mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015