Dryland ecosystems experience seasonal cycles of severe drought and moderate precipitation. Desert plants may develop symbiotic relationships with root endophytic microbes to survive under the ...repeated wet and extremely dry conditions. Although community coalescence has been found in many systems, the colonization by functional microbes and its relationship to seasonal transitions in arid regions are not well understood. Here we examined root endophytic microbial taxa, and their traits in relation to their root colonization, during the dry and wet seasons in a hot desert of the southwestern United States. We used high-throughput DNA sequencing of 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer gene profiling of five desert shrubs, and analyzed the seasonal change in endophytic microbial lineages. Goodness of fit to the neutral community model in relationship to microbial traits was evaluated. In summer, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidia increased, although this was not genus-specific. For fungi, Glomeraceae selectively increased in summer. In winter, Gram-negative bacterial genera, including those capable of nitrogen fixation and plant growth promotion, increased. Neutral model analysis revealed a strong stochastic influence on endophytic bacteria but a weak effect for fungi, especially in summer. The taxa with higher frequency than that predicted by neutral model shared environmental adaptability and symbiotic traits, whereas the frequency of pathogenic fungi was at or under the predicted value. These results suggest that community assembly of bacteria and fungi is regulated differently. The bacterial community was affected by stochastic and deterministic processes via bacterial response to drought (response trait), beneficial effect on plants (effect trait), and likely stable mutualistic interactions with plants suggested by the frequency of nodule bacteria. For fungi, mycorrhizal fungi were selected by plants in summer. The regulation of beneficial microbes by plants in both dry and wet seasons suggests the presence of plant–soil positive feedback in this natural desert ecosystem.
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•Functional microbes in desert plant roots and the seasonal transition were studied.•In winter, Gram-negative bacteria capable of nitrogen fixation efficiently increased.•In summer, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increased compared to winter.•Stochastic process affected root endophytic bacterial community but weakly for fungi.•Presence of plant-soil positive feedback were suggested in a natural hot desert.
Strombidae is one of the major molluscan families in Sudan and due to their opercula, has tremendous economic value. In traditional Sudanese homemade perfumes and body care cosmetics, Strombidae ...family operculum is one of the main ingredients. Their fumigation generates a charming odor preferred by Sudanese people, used for body smoke baths by married women. Moreover, these fumes are believed to treat several gynecological disorders. In this study, we attempted to confirm the presence of volatiles with pleasant odors and compounds with pharmaceutical importance in the Strombidae opercula. Volatiles from the smoke and soak extracts of the burned opercula were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Furthermore, polar components from the methanol extract of opercula powder were isolated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI–MS), and UV spectra. The elemental and metal contents were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP–MS). GC–MS analysis revealed several phenols, aldehydes, ketones, and other functional fragrant and volatile constituents. Further, two compounds were purified from the methanol extract of Strombidae opercula, and named compounds B and D, which were identified as cyclo-(Tyr–Gly) and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, respectively. ICP–MS analysis revealed the presence of various elements and metals at different levels. These findings support the historical and traditional practices and usage of the Strombidae opercula in therapeutic and esthetic products. The opercula contains many biologically active compounds and produces smoke containing volatile scent compounds, which might provide alternative pharmaceuticals and cosmetic ingredients that can cooperate to improve the manufacturing of numerous medical products.
•Strombidae family one of the molluscan families in Sudan.•Strombidae operculum is a main ingredient of traditional Sudanese perfumes.•Strombus tricornis operculum showed several odorous conistituents in the smoke.•S. tricornis opercula's detected constituents are known for their health benefits.
Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major pathogen associated with chronic periodontitis, produces several virulence agents in the outer cell membrane, including gingipains and hemagglutinins. These ...virulence factors enable the bacteria to adhere to periodontal tissue and degrade host proteins to obtain the nutrients needed for dental plaque formation. P. gingivalis TDC60 was recently identified as the most aggressive P. gingivalis strain to dates. In this study, we isolated a known pregnane glycoside, argeloside I, from the aqueous extract of Solenostemma argel leaves. Argeloside I completely hindered the growth of P. gingivalis TDC60 and inhibited the production of hemagglutinins as well as Arg- and Lys-specific gingipains. Our results demonstrate a new function of pregnane glycosides. Argeloside I may be a candidate for reducing the risk associated with P. gingivalis TDC60 and its adhesion factors.
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•Porphyromonas gingivalis TDC60 strain has higher pathogenicity than other strains.•Solenostemma argel leaf extract reduced the growth of TDC60 strain.•Argeloside I was isolated from S. argel leaves.•Argeloside I showed significant inhibitory activity against TDC60 pathogenicity.
•This is the largest cumulative descriptive study to date on the 10-year survival in GBM.•The 10-year survival rate in the population with GBM is established 0.71%.•OS was positively correlated with ...the length of PFS and inversely related with age at diagnosis.
Glioblastoma (GBM) is among the most deadly neoplasms associated with one of the worst 5-year overall survival (OS) rates among all human cancers. The aim of this systematic review is to present all cases with OS of a decade or more and to perform a descriptive analysis of the group.
This systematic review was conducted in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. A comprehensive search for relevant articles was performed on PubMed, Embase and Google Scholar for a period until June 10, 2016, using the following search words: glioblastoma multiforme, glioblastoma, GBM, long-term survival/survivors. Reports containing cases with the long-term survival of 10 years or longer were included in the review.
The search produced 36 studies with 162 cases published in the years 1950–2014. The rate of long survivors in the cohort studied was established 0.76%. Mean age at diagnosis, OS and PFS were 31.1 ± 11.1, 15.9 ± 6.3, 11.9 ± 5.6 years respectively. Total and subtotal resections were found in 82 and 58 patients respectively. Nine cases received a biopsy alone. No statistical differences were found in a comparison of PFS, OS and age between total and subtotal resection groups. A regression analysis showed a significant correlation between PFS and OS, with an inverse relationship stated between age at diagnosis and OS.
The 10-year survival rate in the cohort studied with GBM was estimated 0.71%. OS was positively correlated with the length of PFS and inversely related with age at diagnosis.
Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major periodontitis pathogen that produces several virulence factors including hemagglutinins. These proteins, which are vital molecules, allow P. gingivalis to uptake ...iron and heme by attaching, aggregating, and lysing erythrocytes. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory activity of the aqueous extract of Monechma ciliatum seeds against the hemagglutination activity of P. gingivalis. M. ciliatum is a Sudanese medicinal herb that grows in arid and semi‐arid lands of tropical Africa. The water extracted from dry powdered seeds was partitioned using ethyl acetate followed by reversed‐phase chromatography, thin‐layer chromatography, ESI‐MS, and NMR analysis resulting in the isolation of four compounds identified as oleic acid, coumarin, 1,2‐dioleoylglycerol, and 1,3‐dioleoylglycerol with MICs of 15–100 μg/ml against hemagglutination. We believe that the isolation and purification of these compounds will expand the application of M. ciliatum as a natural therapeutic or preventative agent.
Practical applications
Monechma ciliatum or black mahlab is a famous medicinal plant that grows in some parts of arid and semi‐arid areas of tropical Africa including western Sudan. Despite its nutritional and traditional medical applications, no studies have evaluated its anti‐hemagglutination activity against periodontal pathogens. In this study, four active compounds (oleic acid, coumarin, 1,2‐dioleoylglycerol, and 1,3‐dioleoylglycerol) were isolated and identified from an aqueous extract of M. ciliatum seeds. The isolated compounds revealed high levels of inhibitory activity against all hemagglutinin agents secreted by Porphyromonas gingivalis. This evidence of inhibitory activity will encourage the application of M. ciliatum effectively as a functional food or therapeutic agent to prevent periodontal diseases in the early stages.
Cases of large bowel closed-loop phenomenon with cecal perforation are extremely rare, especially when extracolonic epiploic appendage and peritoneal bands are the cause. However, sporadic cases ...exist in the literature with various presentations, but very few occur in patients in the abdomen without a previous scar.
An 89-year-old Sudanese farmer was admitted to the emergency department with 9-day history of generalized colicky abdominal pain, abdominal distension, anorexia, persistent vomiting, and constipation. Given his clinical presentation and assessment, he was diagnosed with peritonitis due to a perforated viscus in a virgin abdomen. Operative exploration revealed an extraluminal left-sided omento-epiploic band that resulted in closed-loop colonic obstruction with secondary multiple cecal perforations. Standard right hemicolectomy with adhesiolysis was done. Postoperative wound infection and hypoalbuminemia were treated, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 9 on a regular oral diet.
Although this condition is rare, it can be extremely dangerous, requiring prompt investigation and surgical intervention. It usually occurs secondary to raised intraluminal pressure with subsequent ischemia of the cecal wall. Through this case report, we aim to reflect on this rare experience, shedding light on the benign, extracolonic pathologies that can be life threatening or even fatal.
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•Homocholine share high structural and metabolic similarities with choline.•Microbial metabolism of homocholine affects all kingdoms of life.•This first genomic study elucidates the ...catabolic pathway of homocholine.•Complete sequence information of key homocholine degrading genes was obtained.•This work allows better understanding of microbial catabolism of homocholine.
Microbial transformation of homocholine plays a central role in many biological systems and influence on all kingdoms of life. Here, we used suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) approach to screen for genes that differentially expressed in response to homocholine by Pseudomonas sp. strain A9 and to gain deep acknowledge about the gene expression and sequences of homocholine degrading enzymes. Twenty-seven differentially expressed genes were identified and were found to involve in the uptake and metabolism of homocholine as well as physiological responses of strain A9 to this compound. Of them, fragments of homocholine dehydrogenase (hcdH), β-alanine betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (bABALDH), β-alaninebetaine CoA transferase (hcdD), 3-hydroxypropionate dehydrogenase (hcdB), and malonate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (hcdC) genes were detected. After excessive experiments of PCR and sequencing, the full-length sequences of these key genes were identified. Interestingly, a complete sequence of a unique gene cluster (6.2kbp) of hcd (homocholine degrading) genes that contain the genes hcdD, hcdB, hcdC, and hcdR was obtained. The sequence information of these essential genes will enhance our understanding of homocholine catabolic pathway in microorganisms and will help in identifying better inhibitors or activators of these enzymes to either improve or suppress their activity depending on the importance of the formed metabolite.
The current work aims at determining and assessing the total and bioavailable concentrations of some heavy metals, besides some properties, in soil samples from agricultural, industrial, and ...residential areas in Sudan. The GIS maps show similar trend of all examined metals in Marawi (the Northern state) area and different trends in other areas. Cluster analysis of the total contents of heavy metals shows the classification of 18 locations in Alhasahisa area in one group while the rest of locations from the three examined areas scattered in other nine groups with high variations.
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