Optimization of ultrasonication and alkalinization as pretreatment methods for leachate co-digested with food waste toward maximum synergistic effects.

Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) of food waste (FW) and landfill leachate has shown promising results in enhancing the methane yield. However, leachate includes toxic and refractory compounds that may impact the decomposition process. In this research, co-digested leachate was pretreated using ultrasonication and alkalinization to manipulate its characteristics toward improved synergism with FW.

The impact of the broad range of gamma doses on follow-up fission fragment track parameters in CR-39 radiation detector.

In this study, the effect of high γ-doses on the track parameters, structure as well as optical properties of pristine and γ-irradiation CR-39 nuclear track detector (NTD) were investigated. CR-39 detectors were exposed to γ-doses from 50 up to 500 kGy and then irradiated by fission ions (F.F) of fluence from CF source.

Mitigation of endogenous oxidative stress and improving growth, hemato-biochemical parameters, and reproductive performance of Zaraibi goat bucks by dietary supplementation with Chlorella vulgaris or/and vitamin C.

This study was conducted to explore the effects of dietary inclusion of Chlorella vulgaris (CV) or/and vitamin C (VC) on growth, hemato-biochemical parameters, oxidative and antioxidant status, reproductive hormones, and semen quality variables, and scrotal-testicular dimensions of Zaraibi goat bucks. Twenty sexually mature bucks (41.49 ± 0.

Evaluation of Fat Excision versus Sparing in Lower Blepharoplasty Using Orbital Gray Scale Analysis.

Unlabelled: Orbital septum plication provides various benefits, including eliminating the necessity for a septal incision and the ability to relocate infraorbital fat in a more anatomically suitable manner. This study aimed to compare the results of traditional lower blepharoplasty with fat excision and the orbital septal plication method using orbital grey scale analysis as a new objective method for assessment.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study on patients with bilateral baggy lower eyelids who underwent traditional lower blepharoplasty with fat excision or fat-sparing technique using orbital septal plication.

Synergistic Effects Between Dietary Zinc Form Supplementation and Dietary Protein Levels on Performance, Intestinal Functional Topography, Hemato-biochemical Indices, Immune, Oxidative Response, and Associated Gene Expression of Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus.

The present study investigates the effect of different dietary protein levels suboptimum level (25%) and optimum level (35%), different Zn forms bulk zinc oxide (BZnO) or nanoparticles zinc oxide (NZnO), and their interaction on performance, intestinal topography, hematology, serum biochemical, antioxidant-immune responses, and related gene expression of Nile tilapia. Six experimental diets were formulated to contain approximately 25% and 35% crude protein and supplemented with Zn forms with 0 (normal level in ingredients), 60 mg kg BZnO and 60 mg kg nanoparticles of NZnO. Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, fingerlings (7.

Bio-desalination of brackish and seawater using halophytic algae.

Global demand for water is rising. A sustainable and energy efficient approach is needed to desalinate brackish sources for agricultural and municipal water use. Genetic variation among two algae species, species ( sp.

Efficient tailoring of platinum nanoparticles supported on multiwalled carbon nanotubes for cancer therapy.

Therapeutically targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs), which play a role in tumor initiation and relapse, remains challenging. Novel-formulated platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) supported on polybenzimidazole (PBI)-functionalized polymers and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were prepared and their effect on CSCs was evaluated. Pt-NPs showed homogenous distribution on the surface of MWCNT/PBI composites, with very narrow particle size.

Removal of Stabilized Silver Nanoparticles from Surface Water by Conventional Treatment Processes.

Engineered nanomaterials are used in many applications, including pollution sensors, photovoltaics, medical imaging, drug delivery and environmental remediation. Due to their numerous applications, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are receiving a large amount of attention. Ag NPs may occur in drinking water sources either during manufacturing, consumption and/or disposal processes.

Serum cystatin C as an indicator for early detection of diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) refers to a group of common metabolic disorders that share the phenotype of hyperglycemia. The metabolic dysregulations associated with DM causes secondary pathophysiological changes in multiple organ systems which result in various complications, responsible for the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease.

Methods: The present study was carried out on 40 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, who were recruited from those attending outpatient clinic and inpatient of Internal Medicine Department at The National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology from January 2017 to june 2017.

Characterization of embryonic cells obtained from multifetal reduction.

The multifetal reduction (MFR) procedure is usually reserved for high-order multiple pregnancies, and aspirated tissues are typically discarded. In this study, cells obtained from MFR tissue (termed multifetal reduction embryonic cells (MFR-ECs)), were characterized by genotypic and phenotypic analyses and tested by injection under the kidney capsule of nude mice. MFR-ECs were highly proliferative in culture and showed a normal karyotype by microarray CGH.

Prevalence of α-Thalassemia in the Egyptian Population.

Hemoglobinopathies are the most common monogenic diseases in the world, causing many health problems worldwide. In Egypt, thalassemia is the most common cause of chronic hemolytic anemia and correlated with significant morbidity and mortality. One thousand Egyptian newborns were screened to detect α-thalassemia (α-thal) deletions using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based DNA analysis of cord blood samples.

Tissue regeneration: Impact of sleep on stem cell regenerative capacity.

The circadian rhythm orchestrates many cellular functions, such as cell division, cell migration, metabolism and numerous intracellular biological processes. The physiological changes during sleep are believed to promote a suitable microenvironment for stem cells to proliferate, migrate and differentiate. These effects are mediated either directly by circadian clock genes or indirectly via hormones and cytokines.

Telomerase reverse transcriptase coordinates with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition through a feedback loop to define properties of breast cancer stem cells.

Telomerase and its core component, telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), are critical for stem cell compartment integrity. Normal adult stem cells have the longest telomeres in a given tissue, a property mediated by high hTERT expression and high telomerase enzymatic activity. In contrast, cancer stem cells (CSCs) have short telomeres despite high expression of hTERT, indicating that the role of hTERT in CSCs is not limited to telomere elongation and/or maintenance.

Cancer cell-soluble factors reprogram mesenchymal stromal cells to slow cycling, chemoresistant cells with a more stem-like state.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play different roles in modulating tumor progression, growth, and metastasis. MSCs are recruited to the tumor site in large numbers and subsequently have an important microenvironmental role in modulating tumor progression and drug sensitivity. However, the effect of the tumor microenvironment on MSC plasticity remains poorly understood.

Sliding mode disturbance observer-based control of a twin rotor MIMO system.

This work proposes a robust tracking controller for a helicopter laboratory setup known as the twin rotor MIMO system (TRMS) using an integral sliding mode controller. To eliminate the discontinuity in the control signal, the controller is augmented by a sliding mode disturbance observer. The actuator dynamics is handled using a backstepping approach which is applicable due to the continuous chattering-free nature of the command signals generated using the disturbance observer based controller.

Analysis of metallic and metal oxide nanomaterial environmental emissions.

The current study presents evidence on metallic and metal oxide engineered nanomaterial (ENM) emissions into the environment and an analytic perspective of the outcomes of evaluated studies with respect to different individual end points along the lifecycle trajectory. The key findings suggest that 1) the published literature on emissions of metallic ENMs is limited in both the number and information available on the characteristics of emitted ENMs; 2) the studies are classified as experimental and computational studies focused on predicting ENM emissions; 3) the majority of studies investigated ENM emissions during nanomaterial use and waste management, followed by raw material manufacturing, and finally, nano-enabled product manufacturing; 4) the studies primarily reported the concentration/quantity of emitted ENMs, whereas the physical-chemical characteristics of emitted ENMs were rarely measured or reported; and 5) the published literature primarily focused on emissions of silver and titanium dioxide ENMs and lacked similar information on other surging metallic and metal oxide ENMs such as nano-zero valent iron (nZVI), aluminum (Al), and aluminum oxide (AlO) ENMs. The evidence suggests that emitted nanoparticles into the air cover a wide range of concentrations below and above the allowable occupational exposure limits.

Adipose Stem Cells Display Higher Regenerative Capacities and More Adaptable Electro-Kinetic Properties Compared to Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

Adipose stem cells (ASCs) have recently emerged as a more viable source for clinical applications, compared to bone-marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) because of their abundance and easy access. In this study we evaluated the regenerative potency of ASCs compared to BM-MSCs. Furthermore, we compared the dielectric and electro-kinetic properties of both types of cells using a novel Dielectrophoresis (DEP) microfluidic platform based on a printed circuit board (PCB) technology.

Mesenchymal stem cells growth and proliferation enhancement using PLA vs PCL based nanofibrous scaffolds.

Electrospinning of polymers is the most commonly used technique for nanofiber fabrication. polylactic acid (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) have been shown to be ideal for nanofiber preparation in various biomedical applications, due to characteristics such as biodegradablity and their ability to promote the cell growth, similar to native tissues. The aim of this study was to develop biocompatible and biodegradable PLA and PCL-based nanofibrous scaffolds for enhancing stem cell growth and proliferation.

Clinical Efficacy of Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: Stem cell therapy is a promising therapeutic modality for advanced diabetes mellitus (DM). This study presents a meta-analysis of relevant clinical trials to determine the efficacy of stem cell therapy in DM. We aim to critically evaluate and synthesize clinical evidence on the safety and efficiency of different types of stem cell therapy for both T1DM and T2DM.

Lysosomal Storage Disorders in Egyptian Children.

Objective: To describe the spectrum, relative prevalence and molecular background of lysosomal storage disorders in Egypt.

Methods: The authors evaluated the selective screening program for the diagnosis of lysosomal storage disorders in Egyptian children presenting to the inherited metabolic disease unit at Cairo University Children's Hospital, the largest tertiary care pediatric hospital in Egypt, over a six-year period (April 2008 through April 2014). During this period, 1,065 suspected children were assessed clinically, biochemically and some genetically.

Inborn errors of metabolism detectable by tandem mass spectrometry in Egypt: The first newborn screening pilot study.

Objectives: To estimate the burden of metabolic disorders detectable by tandem mass spectrometry in Egypt, through a pilot expanded newborn screening programme at Cairo University Children's Hospital in 2008, and examining the results of 3,900 clinically at-risk children, investigated at Cairo University Children's Hospital for the same disorders over the past 7 years using the same technology.

Methods: Dried blood spots of 25,276 healthy newborns from three governorates in Upper, Middle, and Lower Egypt were screened, to give a representative sample of the Egyptian newborn population. Based on the pilot study outcomes and the results of clinically suspected children, we estimated the total birth prevalence of tandem mass spectrometry detectable metabolic disorders, and the relative frequency of several individual disorders.

The cell cycle as a brake for β-cell regeneration from embryonic stem cells.

The generation of insulin-producing β cells from stem cells in vitro provides a promising source of cells for cell transplantation therapy in diabetes. However, insulin-producing cells generated from human stem cells show deficiency in many functional characteristics compared with pancreatic β cells. Recent reports have shown molecular ties between the cell cycle and the differentiation mechanism of embryonic stem (ES) cells, assuming that cell fate decisions are controlled by the cell cycle machinery.

Programmed death-1/programmed death-L1 signaling pathway and its blockade in hepatitis C virus immunotherapy.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a public health issue that often progresses to life-threatening complications, including liver cirrhosis, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Impaired immune responses to HCV are key features of chronic HCV infection. Therefore, intervention strategies usually involve enhancing the immune responses against HCV.

Vitamin D, Parathormone and Associated Minerals among Students in Zagazig District, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and associated factors among students of age 13-18 years.

Design: Community-based cross sectional survey.

Setting: Two schools were selected using multistage sampling techniques.

An integrated science-based methodology to assess potential risks and implications of engineered nanomaterials.

There is an urgent need for broad and integrated studies that address the risks of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) along the different endpoints of the society, environment, and economy (SEE) complex adaptive system. This article presents an integrated science-based methodology to assess the potential risks of engineered nanomaterials. To achieve the study objective, two major tasks are accomplished, knowledge synthesis and algorithmic computational methodology.