Abstract Background: Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) remain one of the leading causes of morbidity and Published: June 15, 2026 hospitalization among preschool children worldwide. particularly in low- and middle- income countries. Vitamin D plays a crucial immunomodulatory role in respiratory health by enhancing innate immunity and maintaining epithelial barrier integrity. However, vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among children, including those living in sun- rich regions such as Libya. Objectives: This study aimed to assess serum vitamin D levels among preschool children admitted with ARTIs at Gharyan Central Teaching Hospital and to evaluate the association between vitamin D status, disease severity, and recurrence. Methods: A cross-sectional observation study was conducted among 100 preschool children aged 1-6 years admitted with clinically diagnosed ARTIs between January and December 2025. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 79 eligible participants were included in the final analysis. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were measured and categorized according to Endocrine Society guidelines. Associations between vitamin D levels, ARTIs severity, and recurrence were analysed using chi-square tests and logistic regression models. Results: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were highly prevalent, affecting 87.3% of the studied children. Although lower vitamin D levels were more frequently observed among children with moderate and severe ARTIs, the association with disease severity was not statistically significant (p=0.115). In contrast, a significant association was identified between low vitamin D levels and recurrent ARTIs (p=0.019). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among preschool children hospitalized with ARTIs and is significantly associated with recurrent infections. Improving vitamin D status may contribute to reducing the recurrence of ARTIs in this population.

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide contagious disease of humans and other warm-blooded animals, including birds. Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite responsible for Toxoplasmosis disease, which is clinically manifested chiefly in pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. Clinical complications include abortion and stillbirths, encephalitis, pneumonia, brain and eye damage, and neonatal mortality. The genus Toxoplasma was first proposed in 1908 by Nicolle and Manceaux following the identification of asexual stages of similar parasites in the tissues of birds and mammals, and merozoites in the blood of North African rodents, Ctenodactylus gundi. At about the same time, Splendore independently described Toxoplasma in laboratory rabbits in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Darling probably found it in man in Panama in the same year. Although several species were named, during the 1930s, it was shown that these were identical to the type species T. gondii. During the 1960, scientists provided evidence for the coccidian nature of the parasite. Then, between 1960 and 1970, the heterogeneous life cycle was elucidated by the discovery of sexual stages in the small intestine of cats, which followed the induction of infection in intermediate hosts by inoculation with cat feces. This review seeks to study the parasite and its responsibility to cause disease, condition prevalence, clinical manifestations accompanied by infection, and treatment protocols.

Nanotechnology is a modern technology and has many applications that include the manufacture of molecules or particles in the range of the nanoscale. Nanotechnology from the Greek word nano, meaning "dwarf". Nanoparticles are defined as single particles whose dimensions do not exceed 100 nanometers. The unique properties and features of nanoparticles are due to their small size, in addition to their chemical composition and surface structure. Different materials at the nanoscale lead to the development of new properties in industrial products, resulting in a real and impressive increase in industrial and medical applications. In this review, we will learn about this technology, its history, and the characteristics and shapes of nanoparticles. The focus will be on the application of nanotechnology in medicine, particularly in engineering living tissues with nanoscale scaffolds that simulate the functions of the extracellular matrix (ECM) to promote tissue recovery, replacement, and regeneration. It turns out that stem cells attached to a scaffold are more successful in adapting to their environment and performing the task of regeneration. The nerve endings in the body are attached to the scaffolding by weaving between the openings. This will cause them to act as a bridge to connect the cut sections. Over time, the scaffolds will dissolve and exit the body safely, leaving intact nerves in place. Some of the successfully used scaffolds are briefly identified, such as bone scaffolds, cardiac muscle scaffolds, and spinal cord engineering.