Feasibility of some adaptation measures of on-farm irrigation in Egypt under water scarcity conditions

-------------------------------------------------- To cite th is article / Pou r citer cet article Abstract. The aim of this investigation is to evaluate some proposed adaptation measures in order to overcome the projected impacts of climate change over on-farm irrigation system in Egypt. Improve irrigation systems efficiencies, change irrigation systems, and deficient irrigation were evaluated by using multi-criteria approach of evaluation. Adaptation measures were studied under current climate conditions and climate change projections of IPCC SRES scenarios for years 2025s, 2050s and 2100s, and evaluated regarding to the change in crop-water demands, change in crop-yield, change in water use efficiency, irrigation-energy requirements and the abetment cost. Improving surface irrigation efficiency was likely had a higher potentiality to overcome the negative impacts of climate change in old land. Deficit irrigation had negative effects on overcoming the impacts of climate change, but it could be acceptable for the conditions that the water saving is more important than crops reduction. Keywords. Improved surface irrigation -Climate change -Irrigation efficiency -Deficit irrigation -Irrigation energy. Faisabilité de certaines mesures d'adaptation d'irrigation à la ferme e

Carotid body dysregulation contributes to Long COVID symptoms

Patients with long COVID suffer from breathlessness during exercise, leading to exercise intolerance. We know that SARSCoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can infect carotid bodies which is a small sensory organ that sends signals to the brain for regulating breathing and blood pressure. This is called the carotid chemoreflex. However, itis not clear if SARS-CoV-2 infection affects carotid chemoreflex. Here, we examine whether the normal functioning of carotid chemoreflex is disrupted in non-hospitalised patients with long COVID and if this is linked to excessive breathing during exercise. Our study shows that carotid chemoreflex is more sensitive in long COVID patients, who areotherwise healthy. The carotid bodies could be a good therapeutic target for treating breathlessness in patients with long COVID

Myocardial inflammation, injury and infarction during on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Abstract Background Myocardial inflammation and injury occur during coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. We aimed to characterise these processes during routine CABG surgery to inform the diagnosis of type 5 myocardial infarction. Methods We assessed 87 patients with stable coronary artery disease who underwent elective CABG surgery. Myocardial inflammation, injury and infarction were assessed using plasma inflammatory biomarkers, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) using both late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIO). Results Systemic humoral inflammatory biomarkers (myeloperoxidase, interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and c-reactive protein) increased in the post-operative period with C-reactive protein concentrations plateauing by 48 h (median area under the curve (AUC) 7530 [interquartile range (IQR) 6088 to 9027] mg/L/48 h). USPIO-defined cellular myocardial inflammation ranged from normal to those associated with type 1 myocardial infarction (median 80.2 [IQR 67.4 to 104.8] /s). Plasma hs-cTnI concentrations rose by ≥50-fold from baseline and exceeded 10-fold the upper limit of normal in all patients. Two distinct patterns of peak cTnI release were observed at 6 and 24 h. After CABG surgery, new LGE was seen in 20% (n = 18) of patients although clinical peri-operative type 5 myocardial infarction was diagnosed in only 9% (n = 8). LGE was associated with the delayed 24-h peak in hs-cTnI and its magnitude correlated with AUC plasma hs-cTnI concentrations (r = 0.33, p 10-fold the 99th centile upper limit of normal that is not attributable to inflammatory or ischemic injury alone. Peri-operative type 5 myocardial infarction is often unrecognised and is associated with a delayed 24-h peak in plasma hs-cTnI concentrations

Chemopreventive effects of curcumin analogs in DMH-Induced colon cancer in albino rats model

Synthesis and preclinical safety evaluation in mice and rats of Curcumin (1) and curcumin analogs (2, 3) were done. Besides, the chemopreventive effects in DMH-induced colon cancer in albino rats model were performed. Sections of mammary gland, heart, kidney, liver, spleen, and colon were done. Administration of the prophylactic treatment for four weeks before the induction of cancer by DMH, showed that compound 3 is the most active one. Chemopreventive treatment with different forms of curcumin extracts for 2 and 4 weeks caused a reduction in the number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) especially compound 3. Chemopreventive treatment with different forms of curcumin extracts for 2 and 4 weeks caused a reduction in the number of tumor cells

Rapid Detection of Recurrent Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer in Urine Using ATR-FTIR Technology

Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) accounts for 80% of all bladder cancers. Although it is mostly low-grade tumors, its high recurrence rate necessitates three-times-monthly follow-ups and cystoscopy examinations to detect and prevent its progression. A rapid liquid biopsy-based assay is needed to improve detection and reduce complications from invasive cystoscopy. Here, we present a rapid spectroscopic method to detect the recurrence of NMIBC in urine. Urine samples from previously-diagnosed NMIBC patients (n = 62) were collected during their follow-up visits before cystoscopy examination. Cystoscopy results were recorded (41 cancer-free and 21 recurrence) and attenuated total refraction Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra were acquired from urine samples using direct application. Spectral processing and normalization were optimized using parameter grid searching. We assessed their technical variability through multivariate analysis and principal component analysis (PCA). We assessed 35 machine learning models on a training set (70%), and the performance was evaluated on a held-out test set (30%). A Regularized Random Forests (RRF) model achieved a 0.92 area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) with 86% sensitivity and 77% specificity. In conclusion, our spectroscopic liquid biopsy approach provides a promising technique for the early identification of NMIBC with a less invasive examination

Impacts of Dietary Supplementations of Orange Peel and Tomato Pomace Extracts as Natural Sources for Ascorbic Acid on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Plasma Biochemicals and Antioxidant Status of Growing Rabbits

The effect of dietary orange peel (OPE) and tomato pomace extract (TPE) supplementations on growth performance, plasma biochemicals, carcass characteristics and antioxidant status of growing male rabbits were investigated. A total of 96 rabbits (5 weeks old) were distributed into four groups. The first group received untreated pelleted diet (control). The second group was fed a diet containing ascorbic acid (AA; 1.0 g/kg diet), while the third and fourth groups consumed diets supplemented with 200 gm of OPE or (TPE, respectively. Our results indicated that OPE and TPE contained 59, 14.03 mg ascorbic acid/100 g DM, respectively. Growth performance, except feed conversion ratio, and carcass weight were improved by dietary supplementations. Dietary supplementations decreased kidneys, abdominal, back fats and ether extract of meat. Plasma protein and globulin levels were high in rabbits fed AA and TPE-supplemented diets. Low plasma total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations were observed in rabbits fed the supplemented diets. Plasma AA was increased in rabbits fed AA and OPE-supplemented diets. Rabbits fed OPE and TPE-supplemented diets had great SOD activity. The best economic efficiency was recorded by rabbits fed the supplemented diets. Dietary supplementations of OPE and TPE could effectively improve growth performance, antioxidative status, modulate AA level in plasma and meat and lower plasma total cholesterol and LDL

Efficient water use through environmentally sound hydroponic production of high quality vegetables for domestic and export markets in Mediterranean countries: final report

This project will develop the integrated low cost technology "ECOPONICS" as a hydroponics system with high water use efficiency (WUE) for water savings and reuse of drainage water. ECOPONICS will produce for domestic and export markets quality fruity vegetables with high nutritional and aroma values to be grown under the unique environmental and climatic conditions of the Mediterranean region, suited to the needs of smallholders as well as horticultural enterprises