We present a combined environmental epidemiologic, genomic, and bioinformatics approach to identify: exposure of environmental chemicals with estrogenic activity; epidemiologic association between endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) and health effects, such as, breast cancer or endometriosis; and gene-EDC interactions and disease associations. Human exposure measurement and modeling confirmed estrogenic activity of three selected class of environmental chemicals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), bisphenols (BPs), and phthalates. Meta-analysis showed that PCBs exposure, not Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, increased the summary odds ratio for breast cancer and endometriosis. Bioinformatics analysis of gene-EDC interactions and disease associations identified several hundred genes that were altered by exposure to PCBs, phthalate or BPA. EDCs-modified genes in breast neoplasms and endometriosis are part of steroid hormone signaling and inflammation pathways. All three EDCs–PCB 153, phthalates, and BPA influenced five common genes—CYP19A1, EGFR, ESR2, FOS, and IGF1—in breast cancer as well as in endometriosis. These genes are environmentally and estrogen responsive, altered in human breast and uterine tumors and endometriosis lesions, and part of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways in cancer. Our findings suggest that breast cancer and endometriosis share some common environmental and molecular risk factors.

This study aimed to assess hand hygiene knowledge, perception, and practices of visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque in Al Madinah City, Saudi Arabia. Using a self-administered electronic questionnaire, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among domestic residents, who visited the mosque between 31 July and 3 August 2020. Participants’ demographic data, hand hygiene knowledge, perception, and practices were collected. Four hundred participants aged 18–65 (median 36) years completed the survey, of which 215 (53.8%) were female. The visitors’ mean knowledge score about hand hygiene was 6.4 (± standard deviation (SD) 1.35) of total 12. Most participants (392, 98%) were aware of the role of hand hygiene in preventing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19); nevertheless, 384 (96%) said hand hygiene lowers body immunity and 316 (79%) thought <60% alcohol is sufficient for hand disinfection. Males had a higher knowledge score than females (6.46 (±1.41) vs. 6.14 (±1.27), p = 0.02) and, visitors who had no formal education scored higher than those with post-graduate education (6.88 (±1.45) vs 5.73 (±1.12), p = 0.01). Washing hands with soap and water was the predominant method practiced after a meal (365, 91.7%), after toilet visit (354, 88.5%), after touching a surface (262, 65.7%), after waste disposal (332, 83.2%), and when hands were visibly dirty (357, 89.5%). Al Madinah visitors had moderate knowledge about hand hygiene, but demonstrated some knowledge gaps and negligence in practice that are crucial to curb the spread of COVID-19.

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This work evaluated in vitro antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antibacterial properties of Salvia officinalis (S. officinalis) and Mentha suaveolens (M. suaveolens) essential oils (EO). The EOs were extracted, and their chemical composition was determined using GC-MS analysis. The in vitro antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antibacterial activities of S. officinalis and M. suaveolens EO were shown to be remarkable. Furthermore, S. officinalis EO demonstrated better antioxidant findings (using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP test) than M. suaveolens EO ( p < 0.5 ). There were no significant differences in the inhibitory effects of the EOs on α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities in the antidiabetic assays. All of the examined bacterial strains (10 different strains), with the exception of P. aeruginosa, demonstrated significant sensitivity to the tested EOs, with M. suaveolens EO exhibiting better activity than S. officinalis EO. Thus, the research indicated that EO from these two medicinal plants has considerable potential for application in the formulation of antibacterial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic pharmaceuticals. However, more research studies are required to interpret the pharmacologic action of the studied EOs and their principal constituents and to confirm their safety.

Wound healing consists of several continuous phases involving various cells and chemical intermediates. As a rich source of nutrition elements, honey has proved to have potential benefits in the treatment of various diseases. The present study was designed to investigate the healing effect of a honey mixture with selected essential oils on chemical and thermal wound models in rabbits. Dressing mixtures of Thymus vulgaris honey with three essential oils (Origanum vulgare, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Thymus vulgaris) were prepared and applied daily in the treatment groups. These essential oils were rich in phytochemicals and had significant antibacterial activity against four selected ATCC bacterial strains. Madecasol ointment was used as a standard control. The healing effect of the mixtures was evaluated by measuring wound surface area and comparing healing time. The results showed that the healing rate in the treatment groups was significantly higher than that of the untreated group and standard group. The best healing effect for burns was seen in the mixture of honey and Thymus vulgaris essential oil, which had wound closure rates of 85.21% and 82.14% in thermal- and chemical-induced burns, respectively, and showed the shortest healing time (14 days) in comparison to other groups. Therefore, it can be concluded that honey mixtures have significant beneficial effects on skin wound healing and, thus, they may be used as a healing agent in different types of wounds in humans after specific clinical trials.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, research indicates that the COVID-19 disease susceptibility varies among individuals depending on their ABO blood groups. Researchers globally commenced investigating potential methods to stratify cases according to prognosis depending on several clinical parameters. Since there is evidence of a link between ABO blood groups and disease susceptibility, it could be argued that there is a link between blood groups and disease manifestation and progression. The current study investigates whether clinical manifestation, laboratory, and imaging findings vary among ABO blood groups of hospitalized confirmed COVID-19 patients. This retrospective cohort study was conducted between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 in King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Demographic information, clinical information, laboratory findings, and imaging investigations were extracted from the data warehouse for all confirmed COVID-19 patients. A total of 285 admitted patients were included in the study. Of these, 81 (28.4%) were blood group A, 43 (15.1%) were blood group B, 11 (3.9%) were blood group AB, and 150 (52.6%) were blood group O. This was almost consistent with the distribution of blood groups among the Saudi Arabia community. The majority of the study participants (79.6% [n = 227]) were asymptomatic. The upper respiratory tract infection ( P = .014) and shortness of breath showed statistically significant differences between the ABO blood group ( P = .009). Moreover, the incidence of the symptoms was highly observed in blood group O followed by A then B except for pharyngeal exudate observed in blood group A. The one-way ANOVA test indicated that among the studied hematological parameters, glucose ( P = .004), absolute lymphocyte count ( P = .001), and IgA ( P = .036) showed statistically significant differences between the means of the ABO blood group. The differences in both X-ray and computed tomography scan findings were statistically nonsignificant among the ABO age group. Only 86 (30.3%) patients were admitted to an intensive care unit, and the majority of them were blood groups O 28.7% (n = 43) and A 37.0% (n = 30). However, the differences in complications’ outcomes were statistically nonsignificant among the ABO age group. ABO blood groups among hospitalized COVID-19 patients are not associated with clinical, hematological, radiological, and complications abnormality.

Soil salinity stress has become a serious roadblock for food production worldwide since it is one of the key factors affecting agricultural productivity. Salinity and drought are predicted to cause considerable loss of crops. To deal with this difficult situation, a variety of strategies have been developed, including plant breeding, plant genetic engineering, and a wide range of agricultural practices, including the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and seed biopriming techniques, to improve the plants’ defenses against salinity stress, resulting in higher crop yields to meet future human food demand. In the present review, we updated and discussed the negative effects of salinity stress on plant morphological parameters and physio-biochemical attributes via various mechanisms and the beneficial roles of PGPR with 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate(ACC) deaminase activity as green bio-inoculants in reducing the impact of saline conditions. Furthermore, the applications of ACC deaminase-producing PGPR as a beneficial tool in seed biopriming techniques are updated and explored. This strategy shows promise in boosting quick seed germination, seedling vigor and plant growth uniformity. In addition, the contentious findings of the variation of antioxidants and osmolytes in ACC deaminase-producing PGPR treated plants are examined.