The current work aimed to synthesize selenium and zinc nanoparticles using the aqueous extract of Ephedra aphylla as a valuable medicinal plant. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, zeta potential, and changes in the phytochemical constituents. Hence, the phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin contents were reduced in the case of the prepared samples of nanoparticles than the original values in the aqueous extract. The prepared extract of Ephedra aphylla and its selenium and zinc nanoparticles showed high potency as antioxidant agents as a result of the DPPH^• assay. The samples were assessed as anticancer agents against six tumor cells and a normal lung fibroblast (WI-38) cell line. The selenium nanoparticles of Ephedra aphylla extract revealed very strong cytotoxicity against HePG-2 cells (inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) = 7.56 ± 0.6 µg/mL), HCT-116 cells (IC₅₀ = 10.02 ± 0.9 µg/mL), and HeLa cells (IC₅₀ = 9.23 ± 0.8 µg/mL). The samples were evaluated as antimicrobial agents against bacterial and fungal strains. Thus, selenium nanoparticles showed potent activities against Gram-negative strains (Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli), Gram-positive strains (Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis), and the fungal strain Candida albicans. In conclusion, the preparation of nanoparticles of either selenium or zinc is crucial for improved biological characteristics.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Aeromonas hydrophila are major public health problems and the main cause of bacterial disease in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). This study was conducted to determine the prevalence, antibiotic resistance and some virulence genes of both V. parahaemolyticus and A. hydrophila isolates from Nile tilapia. From Manzala Farm at Dakahlia governorate, 250 freshwater fish samples were collected. The confirmed bacterial isolates from the examined Nile tilapia samples in the study were 24.8% (62/250) for V. parahaemolyticus and 19.2% (48/250) for A. hydrophila. multiplex PCR, revealing that the tlh gene was found in 46.7% (29/62) of V. parahaemolyticus isolates, while the tdh and trh virulence genes were found in 17.2% (5/29). Meanwhile, 39.5% (19/48) of A. hydrophila isolates had the 16s rRNA gene and 10.5% (2/19) had the aerA and ahh1 virulence genes. The Multiple Antibiotic Resistance indices of V. parahaemolyticus and A. hydrophila were 0.587 and 0.586, respectively. In conclusion, alternative non-antibiotic control strategies for bacterial infections in farmed fish should be promoted to avoid multidrug-resistant bacteria. Therefore, it is suggested that farmers should be skilled in basic fish health control and that molecular detection methods are more rapid and cost-effective than bacteriological methods.

Nanotechnology has been recognized as a highly interdisciplinary field of the twenty-first century, with diverse applications in biotechnology, healthcare, and material science. One of the most commonly employed non-toxic nanoparticles, magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs), is simple, inexpensive, biocompatible, and biodegradable. Several researchers are interested in the biosynthesis process of MgO NPs through chemical and physical approaches. This is because of their simplicity, affordability, and environmental safety. In the current study, green MgO-Chitosan-Pluronic F127-Escin (MCsPFE) NPs have been synthesized and characterized via various techniques like UV-visible, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Energy dispersive X-ray composition analysis, Transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray Diffraction, Photoluminescence, and Dynamic light scattering analyses. The average crystallite size of MCsPFE NPs was 46 nm, and a face-centered cubic crystalline structure was observed. Further, the antimicrobial effectiveness of NPs against diverse pathogens has been assessed. The cytotoxic potential of the nanoparticles against MDA-MB-231 cell lines was evaluated using the MTT test, dual AO/EB, JC-1, DCFH–DA, and DAPI staining procedures. High antimicrobial efficacy of MCsPFE NPs against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains as well as Candida albicans was observed. The findings concluded that the NPs augmented the ROS levels in the cells and altered the Δψm, leading to the initiation of the intrinsic apoptotic cell death pathway. Thus, green MCsPFE NPs possess immense potential to be employed as an effective antimicrobial and anticancer treatment option.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a serious infection-causing pathogen in humans and animal. In particular, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is considered one of the major life-threatening pathogens due to its rapid resistance to several antibiotics in clinical practice. MRSA strains have recently been isolated in a number of animals utilized in food production processes, and these species are thought to be the important sources of the spread of infection and disease in both humans and animals. The main objective of the current study was to assess the prevalence of drug-resistant S. aureus, particularly vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) and MRSA, by molecular methods. To address this issue, a total of three hundred samples (200 meat samples from cattle and sheep carcasses (100 of each), 50 hand swabs, and 50 stool samples from abattoir workers) were obtained from slaughterhouses in Egypt provinces. In total, 19% S. aureus was isolated by standard culture techniques, and the antibiotic resistance was confirmed genotypically by amplification nucA gen. Characteristic resistance genes were identified by PCR with incidence of 31.5%, 19.3%, 8.7%, and 7% for the mecA, VanA, ermA, and tet L genes, respectively, while the aac6-aph gene was not found in any of the isolates. In this study, the virulence genes responsible for S. aureus’ resistance to antibiotics had the highest potential for infection or disease transmission to animal carcasses, slaughterhouse workers, and meat products.

Viral latency remains one of the major barriers to the prevention and treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV persists in latent cellular reservoirs, necessitating lifelong treatment and preventing complete viral eradication. This review comprehensively explores the molecular mechanisms underlying HIV latency, therapeutic barriers, and emerging opportunities toward a functional or sterilizing cure. HIV latency is regulated through complex interactions involving integration site heterogeneity, transcriptional repression, chromatin remodeling, and epigenetic modifications that collectively maintain viral dormancy. Resting CD4+ T cells serve as the principal latent reservoir; however, persistence also occurs within lymphoid tissues, gut-associated lymphoid tissues, and the central nervous system, creating sanctuary sites resistant to immune surveillance and pharmacological intervention. Current cure strategies include the “shock and kill” approach using latency-reversing agents such as histone deacetylase inhibitors, bromodomain inhibitors, and protein kinase C agonists, as well as the “block and lock” strategy employing Tat inhibitors and epigenetic silencing agents to achieve durable viral suppression. Immunotherapeutic approaches, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, and broadly neutralizing antibodies, have demonstrated promising potential but remain limited by incomplete reservoir clearance, toxicity, and viral escape. Clinical translation is further complicated by difficulties in reservoir quantification, ethical concerns, and implementation challenges in resource-limited settings. Emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence-assisted drug discovery and personalized therapeutic modeling, provide new opportunities for optimizing HIV cure strategies. Future progress will require interdisciplinary collaboration, equitable healthcare access, and innovative interventions targeting both viral persistence and host immune dynamics.