Publications by authors named "Ahmed Elhag"

The use of geopolymers (GP) in cementitious composites provides a solution to reduce the significant carbon emissions associated with conventional cement production, thereby advancing environmentally friendly concrete construction practices. The promise of hybrid fiber-reinforced fly ash (FA)-based GP (HFGP) composites that combine microfibers and nanoparticles has not yet been fully comprehended. This research aims to enhance the mechanical and microstructural properties of HFGP blends by varying the proportion of nano calcium carbonate ( ).

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Background & Objectives: West Nile virus (WNV) is transmitted by a mosquito-borne virus whose natural reservoir is birds. Humans and horses are considered accidental hosts. Even if the vast majority of WNV infections in humans have asymptomatic or mild disease settings, serious neurological disorders with lethal outcomes can also be observed in around 1% of the cases.

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The large consumption of natural resources by the construction industry and resultant pollution have inspired the necessity to investigate the potential of eco-friendly materials, such as recycled aggregates and recycled fibers. In this study, the effect of different percentages of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) and nylon waste fibers (NWFs) was investigated on engineering performance and performance-related carbon emissions of high-performance concrete (HPC). Engineering performance indices include compressive strength (CS), splitting tensile strength (STS), water absorption (WA), and chloride ion penetration (CIP).

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Background: The canine parvovirus, with its many variants, is responsible for a pivotal and common viral infection affecting millions of dogs and other carnivore species worldwide, particularly the wild ones, which are considered as the main reservoir hosts. To that end, this study investigated the presence of canine parvovirus (CPV) in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) living in wild habitats of several regions of Turkey.

Methods: We randomly collected 630 archival fox stool specimens from rural areas of 22 provinces and used real-time PCR to detect CPV.

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Current evidence have now demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infects a wide array of mammalian animals; however, the full range of hosts and the viral circulation in companion animals remains to be clarified. In this context, as no such evidenced cases have been reported from Turkey, we aimed to screen for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid in housed dogs and cats clinically evaluated for respiratory symptoms and reared in different locations of Samsun province in the black sea region of Turkey from July 2020 to July 2021. Nasal swabs were collected from a total of 415 pets (65 cats and 350 dogs) aged between 1 and 9 years old.

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Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a well-known complication following a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and is associated with higher morbidity and mortality.

Objective: We aim to compare the risk of developing AKI after transfemoral (TF), transapical (TA), and transaortic (TAo) approaches following TAVR.

Methods: We searched Medline and EMBASE databases from January 2009 to January 2021.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of caprine herpes virus-1 (CpHV-1) and bovine herpes virus-1 (BoHV-1) in 269 goat sera collected from small-scale family farms located in six provinces within the Black Sea region of northern Turkey. The overall seropositivity for alpha-herpesvirus in the native goats was found as 19.33% using BoHV-1 glycoprotein B (gB)-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

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Pigeon aviadenovirus A and Pigeon circovirus are both DNA viruses, infect and cause severe clinical diseases in pigeons. These viruses are associated with an immunosuppression syndrome similar to 'Young Pigeon Disease Syndrome' (YPDS). This study reports the identification of a natural co-infection, with severe clinical signs (crop vomiting, watery diarrhoea, anorexia and sudden death) of Pigeon aviadenovirus A and Pigeon circovirus in a breeding pigeon flock in Central Anatolia, Turkey.

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West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus of a re-emergence importance with a wide range of vertebrate hosts. Granted, it causes asymptomatic infection, but fatal cases and neurologic disorders were also recorded, especially in humans, horses and some exposed birds. The virus is globally spread and birds are considered an amplifying and reservoir host of WNV, helping to spread the disease due to their close contact with main hosts.

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Bovine parainfluenza virus-3 (BPIV-3), also known as bovine respirovirus 3, causes serious respiratory infection in ungulates, often involving other pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria and mycoplasmas. In this study, we evaluated antibody titers against virus genotypes A (BPIV-3a) and C (BPIV-3c). We conducted a serological survey and comparison analysis of archived serum samples from small and large ruminants reared in four Turkish provinces.

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Marek's disease (MD) is an important disease of avian species and a potential threat to the poultry industry worldwide. In this study, 16 dead commercial chickens from flocks with suspected MD were necropsied immediately after death. Pathological findings were compatible with MD, and gallid alphaherpesvirus 2 was identified in PCR of spleen samples.

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Objectives:  In Saudi Arabia, more than 100, 000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported, and more than 4,000 in Al Hofuf to date. Dental healthcare personnel are at a higher risk of COVID-19 due to their exposure to saliva, blood, and aerosol/droplet during their daily practice. Their perceptions of COVID-19 drive their behaviors.

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Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a huge economic burden on the livestock industries of countries worldwide. Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is one of the most important pathogens that contributes to BRD. In this study, we report the identification and first isolation, with molecular characterization, of a new BRSV strain from lung specimens of three beef cows in Turkey that died from respiratory distress.

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Background: Camel milk is very suitable for human nutritional requirements, and its composition has similarities to mother's milk. Many scientific researches focusing on the myth of nutritional and therapeutic properties of camel milk have been brought to public attention.

Aim: This study aims to clarify the impact of early weaning on constituents and nutritional values of the milk of camels reared under a modern farming system during four months postpartum.

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In this study, livestock herders in eastern Sudan were interviewed through structured questionnaire involved 14046 animals in 151 herds (87 camel herds, 51 sheep and 13 goats) from June to September of 2016 in Showak area of Gadarif State to get some epidemiological information on contagious ecthyma (CE) infection. 102 suspected cases of CE were investigated (38 sheep, 22 goats and 42 camels) by a second questionnaire focusing on age and sex of affected animals beside number and localization of the lesions. Representative tissue samples of scab lesion scrapings were collected from a total of 36 suspected sheep, goats and camels for DNA extraction to identify PPV by quantitative real-time PCR and gel-based PCR, then a PCR protocol was used to obtain DNA fragment of B2L gene from six DNAs (2 from each animal species) for sequencing.

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Ticks are important parasites from economic and public health points of view because of their ability to reduce farm animals' productivity and transmit zoonotic diseases. We conducted this cross-sectional study between January and March 2016 and between March and April 2017 to identify tick species in West Darfur, Al-Jazeera, and the River Nile states in the Sudan and to investigate whether these ticks carry Rickettsia spp. and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus.

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Background: Cardiac support with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) is a growing field. LVAD are increasingly used for patients with advanced congestive heart failure. Multiple studies have evaluated the outcomes of cardiac support with LVAD in patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM), yet we still have conflicting results.

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The combination of lagophthalmia, euryblepharon, ectropion of lower eyelids, distichiasis, bilateral cleft lip and palate, and oligodontia comprises the blepharo-cheilo-dontic (BCD) syndrome. This combination has been found sporadically or with positive family history and inherited as an autosomal dominant condition with variable expression. We described a Saudi boy with the cardinal signs consistent with the BCD syndrome.

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