Insights into the antibacterial mode of action of cress polysaccharide-mediated NiO nanoparticles Yusra Jamil, Mansoor Ali, Sajid Ali, Douglas Law, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei, Ayaz Ahmad Scientific Reports, 2026 The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance necessitates the development of alternative antibacterial strategies. In this study, nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) were synthesized using cress (Lepidium sativum) seed mucilage polysaccharides (CSP) as a green reducing and stabilizing agent. The formation of CSP-mediated NiO nanoparticles (CSP-NiO) was confirmed through extensive characterization using UV-Visible, FTIR, XRD, SEM, and EDX techniques. The CSP-NiO NPs exhibited minimal erythrocyte toxicity (< 5% hemolysis at 200 µg/mL) and dose-dependent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium tetani) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) bacteria, with MIC values ranging from 25 to 50 µg/mL. The mechanistic investigations revealed increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, membrane disruption (evidenced by protein leakage), and genomic DNA damage in treated bacterial cells. These findings suggest that CSP-NiO NPs exert antibacterial effects through oxidative stress, leading to membrane disruption and genomic DNA damage, thereby establishing them as a sustainable nanomaterial platform for future antimicrobial applications.
Foliar bio-stimulant application at flower initiation optimizes chickpea productivity and grain quality in rainfed environments Muhammad Awais Bashir Khan, Muhammad Asif, Muhammad Mansoor Javaid, Majeeda Rasheed, Sezai Ercisli, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei, Ahmed Fathy Yousef, Muhammad Moaaz Ali BMC Plant Biology, 2026 Abstract Bio-stimulants are emerging as effective agents to improve crop performance under abiotic stress, particularly in rain-fed systems. This two-year field study evaluated the effects of foliar-applied bio-stimulant (Actibion) (1250 mL ha− 1) composed of various amino acids including aspartic acid (1.21%), glutamic acid (3.14%), proline (1.15%) at different growth stages—flower initiation (FI), pod initiation (PI), and both (FPI) on chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) growth, yield, and grain quality under rain-fed conditions in Pakistan. Treatments were compared with water spray and an unsprayed control in a randomized complete block design. Foliar application at the flower initiation stage significantly enhanced key growth parameters, increasing plant height by ~ 22%, pod length by ~ 14%, leaf area index by ~ 23%, and chlorophyll content by ~ 19%, relative to control. Seed yield improved by over 50% across both seasons. Grain nutrient contents (N, P, K) and protein concentration also increased significantly with bio-stimulant application at FI. This treatment yielded the highest net economic returns, demonstrating both agronomic and financial benefits. These findings suggest that foliar application of bio-stimulant at flower initiation is a promising, sustainable approach to enhance chickpea productivity and nutritional quality under rain-fed conditions. Graphical abstract
Phytosociological analysis and floristic composition of fabaceae species assessing human impact and edaphic variables Muhammad Majeed, Adam Khan, Sidra Saleem, Wajid Zaman, Hamada E. Ali, Muhammad Sirab Khan, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei, Nabeela Mahmood Scientific Reports, 2026 The study of plant communities and their floristic composition provides a significant ecological insights, particularly into the extent and nuances of alterations in natural vegetation resulting from anthropogenic activities. This study aimed to verify the absence of anthropogenic influence on native flora by identifying the floristic composition and evaluating phytosociological characteristics in District Jhelum, Pakistan. Field surveys were conducted across various seasons during 2019–2020. A random vegetation sampling approach was used to establish ten sample plots (10 × 10 m²) at each of the 23 sites (73 stations). Three transects per site and three quadrats per transect were sampled, resulting in a total of 657 quadrats. A total of 32 species, belonging to the Fabaceae family were recorded, comprising 11 (34.4%) tree species, 16 (50%) herbaceous species, and 3 (11.5%) shrub species. The dominant species were Dalbergia sissoo, followed by Neltuma juliflora and Acacia farnesiana, while Senna occidentalis was identified as a rare species. Cluster analysis (CA) and two-way cluster analysis (TWCA) categorized the native vegetation into three distinct groups/associations. Vegetation group 1 included 26 stations and a total of 29 plant species. The dominant species of this group was Neltuma juliflora (344.1 ± 313.9), whereas the co-dominant was Dalbergia sissoo (319.7 ± 252.1). Group 2 contained 29 stations with 27 species, in which the leading species was Acacia farnesiana (676.4 ± 358.7), followed by Neltuma juliflora (673.3 ± 289.9). Group 3 comprised 19 stations with only six plant species. Acacia nilotica was dominant (749.9 ± 146.0) species of this group, followed by Dalbergia sissoo (669.0 ± 321.2), Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) demonstrated that soil moisture (SM), soil phosphate (SP), phosphorus (P), and organic matter (OM) were key edaphic variables (p > 0.05), influencing species distribution and associations. This study provides a comprehensive sampling framework and emphasized the substantial relationship between edaphic factors and vegetation, highlighting the ecological importance of the family Fabaceae. These findings offer valuable insights for the restoration and conservation of native flora in the Jhelum region. However, to better understand regional biodiversity further in-depth studies covering a broader geographical area of the Jhelum region are required.
Genomic resources for two apex avian predators from Saudi Arabia: Falco biarmicus and Falco peregrinus Andrea Zuccolo, Nahed Mohammed, Abdulmajeed Fahad Alrefaei, Sara Mfarrej, Umair Toor, Luis F Rivera, Saule Mussurova, Arnab Pain, Fiona McCarthy, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei, Rod A Wing G3 Bethesda Md, 2026 Falcons (genus Falco) are a rapidly diversified bird clade, with 38 species evolving over the past ∼7.5 million years. Despite their ecological and evolutionary significance, high-quality genomic resources remain limited. Here, we present two chromosome-level genome assemblies for Falco peregrinus and Falco biarmicus, enabling detailed analyses of genome architecture, gene content, transposable elements (TEs), and structural variation. Using PacBio HiFi sequencing, we generated highly contiguous assemblies (N50: 60.76–77.83 Mb) with >97% BUSCO completeness. Comparative analyses with Gallus gallus and Falco rusticolus revealed strong synteny among Falco species, whereas extensive chromosomal rearrangements were observed in comparison with the more distantly related Gallus gallus. TEs account for 7.43–8.44% of the genomes, with LINEs (CR1) and DNA transposons (Mutator, CACTA) predominating. Contigs belonging to the W sex chromosome were identified based on their significantly higher TE content (30% or more) compared to autosomes and the Z chromosome. Gene prediction, informed by long-read RNA Iso-Seq, identified 18,638–19,858 genes per genome, aligning with prior Falcon annotations. Importantly, we recovered key immune and sensory gene families, including MHC class I/II, innate immune receptors, and 24–25 olfactory receptor genes. We detected 8,746 structural variants, over 40% of which involved TEs, underscoring their role in genome polymorphism. These assemblies provide a valuable resource for investigating avian chromosome evolution, TE dynamics, and species-specific adaptations. They also establish a foundation for comparative genomics, population genetics, and conservation efforts in falcons.
Mediterranean Diet: Potential Health Benefits, Barriers to Adherence and Intervention Strategies Sneha Gunnoo, Shadma Siddiqui, Zaynab Toorabally, Mohamad Fawzi Mahomoodally, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei, Rajesh Jeewon Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science, 2026 The Mediterranean diet (MD) is widely recognized as a healthy eating pattern linked to a lower risk of chronic diseases and better overall health. Despite strong scientific evidence supporting its benefits, many populations, especially outside Mediterranean regions, show low adherence to the MD. This narrative review aims to analyse existing research on nutritional knowledge, adherence levels, benefits, and barriers to following the Mediterranean diet among adults. Relevant peer-reviewed articles, systematic reviews, and observational studies published in the past twenty-five years were examined using electronic databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, and other renowned databases. Studies were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Included studies were peer-reviewed articles published within the last twenty-five years, focusing on adults and examining the Mediterranean diet in relation to adherence, nutritional knowledge, health outcomes, or barriers. Studies older than twenty-five years, or those not directly relevant to the research topic were excluded. The results show that greater nutritional knowledge is associated with better adherence to the MD, while limited awareness, misconceptions, and lack of practical skills hinder compliance. Common barriers include high perceived costs, limited availability of key foods, cultural food preferences, time constraints, and inadequate cooking skills. Additionally, socioeconomic and environmental factors play significant roles in shaping dietary behaviour. Overall, the review identifies significant gaps between knowledge and practice, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and among underrepresented populations in Africa and Asia, where research on Mediterranean diet awareness and adherence remains limited. Important methodological and conceptual gaps also persist, including inconsistent definitions of the diet and limited generalizability of findings across diverse populations. These gaps underscore the need for culturally tailored nutrition education and supportive food environments. These findings provide a solid foundation for future research, and a dire need to evaluate nutritional knowledge and barriers of Mediterranean diet adherence among adults in different community settings with a potential to reduce the increase in non-communicable diseases.
Therapeutic Potential of Newly Synthesized Oxadiazole-Benzothiazole Derivatives in Chronic Epilepsy: A Study on Seizure Suppression, Antioxidant Activity, and Mtor Pathway Modulation in a Ptz-Induced Model Amber Mahmood Minhas, Arif‐ullah Khan, Neelum Gul Qazi, Humaira Nadeem, Fawad Ali, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei, Sajid Ali Chemistryselect, 2026 Epilepsy is a chronic neurodegenerative disease characterized by recurrent and unprovoked seizures linked to neuronal hyperexcitability and network dysfunctioning. Increasing evidence proposed a pivotal relation between neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, further associated with the pathogenesis and progression of epilepsy. The present study investigates the neuroprotective effect of newly synthesized 2‐{[5‐(2‐aminophenyl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl]sulfanyl}‐N‐(1,3‐benzothiazol‐2‐yl)acetamide (MA) and N‐(1,3‐benzothiazol‐2‐yl)‐2‐{[5‐(3‐hydroxyphenyl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazol‐2‐yl]sulfanyl}acetamide (MS) in the pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)‐induced chronic model of epilepsy. Mice were kindled using sub‐convulsive dose of PTZ (40 mg/kg) over 15 days. Treatment of animals with MA and MS (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg) notably reduced the number, severity and frequency of seizures in a dose‐dependent manner. Our results elaborated that MA and MS remarkably enhance glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) and glutathione sulfotransferase (GST) while decreased lipid peroxidation (LPO) level in MA/MS treated animal in comparison to the PTZ‐induced disease control group. MA and MS also downregulated the level of different inflammatory cytokines such as IL‐6 (interleukin‐6) and TNF‐α (Tumor necrosis factor‐α), nuclear factor kappa B (pNFκB) and upregulate the BDNF expression. Furthermore, the administration of mTOR‐inhibitor (Sirolimus) with MA and MS produced enhanced seizure suppression, suggesting a link to mTOR modulation. These results were further supported by molecular dynamic (MD) simulation studies and the protein fold expression of mTOR‐mRNA. Our findings demonstrate that MA and MS showed promising antiepileptic effect, mediated through antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and mTOR pathway modulation. The multifaceted effects of compounds highlight them as promising neurotherapeutics lead molecules for epilepsy and related neurodegenerative disorders.
BREEDING RANGE EXPANSION OF THE BLACK-WINGED KITE (ELANUS CAERULEUS): EVIDENCE FROM THE KING ABDULAZIZ ROYAL RESERVE, SAUDI ARABIA Mohammed H. Altalhi, Abdelwahab Chedad, Nuwayyir Mohammad Alshammari, Abdulaziz M. Al-Qahtani, Hazem A. Al-Asmari, Abdulrahaman S. Alzahrani, Hussein H. Alkhamis, Abdullah M. Alowaifeer, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaeic Zoology and Ecology, 2026 Between January and May 2025, fieldwork conducted in the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, supplemented by data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), revealed new insights into the distribution and breeding behaviour of the Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) in Saudi Arabia. Observations confirmed the presence of both juvenile and adult individuals across seasons and led to the discovery of an active nest containing three eggs in a Ziziphus tree, providing concrete evidence of local breeding. The species was primarily observed in habitats in Al-Rawdah characterized by dense Ziziphus stands and surrounding open areas that support rodent populations its primary prey. National occurrence data (n = 220) highlighted seasonal trends, with peaks in March and October, suggesting a partially migratory cycle that combines local reproduction with irruptive dispersal. These findings confirm a significant expansion of the species nesting range, facilitated by habitat availability, increased prey abundance linked to land-use changes, and the establishment of protected areas. The study underscores the importance of continuous monitoring, adaptive habitat management, and the integration of new breeding sites into conservation frameworks to support the sustainable expansion of the species in the region.
Challenges and update on fungal endophytes: classification, definition, diversity, ecology, evolution and functions Chunfang Liao, Mingkwan Doilom, Rajesh Jeewon, Kevin D. Hyde, Ishara S. Manawasinghe, K. W. Thilini Chethana, Abhaya Balasuriya, Subasingha Appuhamilage Dilini Thakshila, Mei Luo, Ausana Mapook, Zin Hnin Htet, Vidyamali Koodalugodaarachchi, Nimeshi Wijekoon, Ramesh K. Saxena, Indunil C. Senanayake, Nuwan D. Kularathnage, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei, Wei Dong Fungal Diversity, 2025
Evaluating microbial products as potential SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors Shreynish Joy Mawooa, Hema Bikoo, Yojna Chumrah, Khooleshwari Devi Boodhun, Karishma Daworaz, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei, Rajesh Jeewon Traditional Medicines and Natural Products as Preventive and Therapeutic Agents Against Covid 19 A Promising Response to the Global Unprecedented Pandemic, 2024
The gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) genome Andrea Zuccolo, Sara Mfarrej, Mirko Celii, Saule Mussurova, Luis F Rivera, Victor Llaca, Nahed Mohammed, Arnab Pain, Abdulmajeed Fahad Alrefaei, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei, Rod A Wing G3 Genes Genomes Genetics, 2023
