The Karary University (Arabic: جامعة كرري) is a university based in the city of Omdurman in the state of Khartoum, Sudan.The university was established in 1996 as a public university funded by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The Karary Academy of Technology was conceived as tertiary educational institution that would prepare engineering and technological students to meet the needs of the armed forces and military industries, and to guide the relevant scientific research.In 2011, according to Centro de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales, Madrid, the university ranked 10,494 in the world, fourth in Sudan. In Sudan, it ranked behind the University of Khartoum, Sudan University of Science and Technology, National Ribat University and ahead of the International University of Africa.
The investigation examined the protective potential of aqueous extract of Morinda lucida leaf (ML) on aluminium chloride (AlCl3)-mediated testicular damage in rats (male) and determined if its secondary metabolites could modulate proteins linked with erectile dysfunction. Rats in the treatment groups were administered 30 mg/kg bw AlCl3, with doses of 125 mg/kg bw and 250 mg/kg bw of the plant extract. Phytocompounds identified in the plant were also screened for potential phosphodiesterase-5 and arginase inhibitor molecules. After 21 days of treatment, sperm count in the animal group treated with only AlCl3 decreased significantly, though with no effect on sperm motility. Administration of ML improved sperm morphology in the extract-treated group compared to the untreated group. Moreover, the leaf extract reversed the elevated myeloperoxidase activity, IL-6, TNF-α, and nitrite concentration observed in the untreated group to near control levels in the plant treatment groups. Molecular docking analysis showed that stigmasterol (-10.2 kcal/mol) and oruwacin (-8.2 kcal/mol) had the best respective binding energies against the phosphodiesterase-5 and arginase proteins. The 300 ns dynamics simulation further revealed the compounds' good stability at the enzymes' active sites. Further experiments will be required to determine the potential alternative therapeutic interventions of the plant in preserving male fertility.
Bacterial sepsis is a life-threatening syndrome caused by a dysregulated immune response to infection. Despite advances in therapeutic strategies, it remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide. This study developed a redox-responsive, biomimetic hybrid lipid-polymer nanocarrier (SC-HLPN) incorporating a novel stearic acid-cystamine-chlorogenic acid (S-ss-CG) conjugate with polyethylenimine (PEI) to target the ADAM10 receptor and its associated inflammatory pathway (NLRP3 inflammasome activation). The design enables binding to ADAM10, scavenging its natural substrate, alpha-hemolysin (A-H), and the selective release of antibiotics within the sepsis microenvironment by reducing condition-triggered disulfide bond cleavage, resulting in the release of vancomycin (VCM). The S-ss-CG conjugate was synthesized and characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and LC/MS. Its interactions with ADAM10 and A-H were confirmed in silico, showing binding affinities of -53.55 kcal/mol and -36.29 kcal/mol, respectively, and validated in vitro via microscale thermophoresis (MST), with dissociation constants of 16.766 µM (ADAM10) and 1.8661 µM (A-H). The optimized SC-HLPN demonstrated favorable physicochemical properties, high biocompatibility, and stability. Under reducing conditions, particle size increased due to disulfide bond cleavage, enabling accelerated VCM release, achieving complete release within 48 hrs, compared to 72 hrs under physiological conditions. Moreover, SC-HLPN exhibited superior in vitro antibacterial activity, with lower minimum inhibitory concentrations and faster killing kinetics than bare VCM. It also showed potent antioxidant capacity, protected cells from intracellular ROS, and exerted strong anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-induced cells. In a murine MRSA sepsis model, SC-HLPN achieved 88.3% bacterial clearance, significantly reduced IL-1β, IL-18, and IL-6 levels by 3.7, 2.8, and 1.8-fold, respectively, and mitigated organ injury. These results highlight the promise of S-ss-CG as a multifunctional platform for targeted and efficient antibiotic delivery in the treatment of sepsis.
We have recently demonstrated that 7-O-methylpunctatin (MP), a novel homoisoflavonoid, suppresses inflammation-induced arterial pathogenesis. However, the precise biochemical mechanisms underlying its atheroprotective effects remain elusive. In this study, we employed various in silico studies to elucidate MP’s plausible potential and the specific molecular pathways through which it exerts its influence on atherosclerosis. Our analysis of MP’s pharmacokinetic, physicochemical, and toxicological properties revealed a profile characterized by favorable absorption, efficient metabolism and excretion, and minimal toxicity. Through target identification and protein-protein interaction analyses, we identified ALOX5 as a pivotal hub gene—an enzyme critically involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Furthermore, we identified ten transcription factors and four kinases as potential targets. Molecular mechanics/generalized-born surface area calculations, complemented by time-scale molecular dynamics simulations, revealed that MP binds to ALOX5 with high affinity, modulating its structural stability, rigidity, compactness, overall folding pattern, and residual correlations and motions. These findings corroborate previous in vitro and in vivo investigations that underscore the anti-atherosclerotic effects of ALOX5 inhibition, thereby positioning MP as a promising therapeutic candidate for combating atherosclerosis.
Background: Malaria, a life-threatening disease, remains a major public health challenge, particularly in Sudan, where it causes significant morbidity and mortality. This review aimed to comprehensively review and explore malaria research in Sudan in the Scopus database and identify cited articles from 1956 to 2024. Methods: A bibliometric and thematic analysis was conducted to explore research on malaria in Sudan. On May 18, 2025, we searched the Scopus database for documents (reviews OR articles) published between 1956 and 2024, using a Boolean search strategy with title-based terms. The aim was to gain comprehensive insights into the growth of malaria research in Sudan, identify key contributions from authors, countries, and institutions, and highlight emerging research topics. Data were analyzed using VOS viewer (version 1.6.6) and the Biblioshiny tool. Results: A total of 252 documents on malaria in Sudan were analyzed, showing a steady publication trend from 1978 to 2022, with a peak in 2004 (17 documents). Citation impact peaked in 2014 (3.6 citations/article) and declined in 2023. Sudan was the leading contributor (138 articles, 55%), with Adam I. from the University of Khartoum as the most prolific author (90 publications, h-index 26). “Malaria Journal” was the most active journal among 105 journals (36 articles, JIF 2.4). “Malaria,” “Sudan,” and “Plasmodium falciparum” were the most explored keywords by authors. Thematic mapping indicated that the emerging themes focused on “thrombocytopenia,” “Anopheles stephensi,” and “antibodies. Keyword analysis did not highlight “ACT-resistant malaria” as an emerging or high-centrality topic. Conclusion: National and international efforts are needed for restarting malaria control in Sudan. Our findings provide an overview of the global status and potential trends of malaria in Sudan. This can assist in exploring the knowledge structure and offers insights for future research on malaria in Sudan.
Refractive errors such as hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism are common in childhood. They may interfere with learning when uncorrected, particularly when near blur and increased accommodative demand reduce reading efficiency and sustained attention. We conducted a systematic review of observational and interventional studies evaluating associations between refractive errors and cognitive or academic outcomes in children and adolescents. PubMed, Embase, and Scopus were searched from inception to January 2025, and reference lists of eligible articles were hand-searched. Twenty-five studies were included: 16 cross-sectional or other nonrandomized analytical studies, 4 cohort studies, and 5 randomized studies. The included studies spanned preschool and school-aged populations across diverse geographic settings and assessed outcomes including early literacy, attention, visual-motor integration, reading speed, grades, and standardized academic performance. Across preschool studies, uncorrected hyperopia showed a consistent association with poorer early literacy and attention-related outcomes. In school-based studies, observational evidence generally linked uncorrected refractive error or reduced habitual visual acuity to lower academic attainment. Interventional and randomized evidence suggests that spectacle provision can produce modest improvements in reading efficiency and mathematics performance in some settings, including gains of approximately 0.1 standard deviations in some cluster-randomized trials. However, effects varied across programs and were often sensitive to adherence, timing of outcome assessment, implementation intensity, and outcome measurement. Heterogeneity in exposure definitions, outcome measures, and reporting limited quantitative pooling and supports cautious interpretation. Risk of bias was mainly related to confounding in observational studies, limited masking and adherence in randomized studies, and residual uncertainty across heterogeneous evidence. Overall, the evidence indicates that timely detection and correction of refractive errors may support children's learning, although certainty is limited by heterogeneity, risk of bias, and inconsistent outcome reporting. Future studies should prioritize standardized educational outcomes, rigorous control of confounding, and sustained strategies to optimize spectacle wear.
