Ligating Behavior Of Some Sulphur Containing Benzotriazole Derivatives Towards Some Transition Metal Ions And Their Biological Effect

Abstract: New Cu 2+ and Ni 2+ complexes of N 1 -phenyl-2-[1H-1,2,3-bezotriazol-1-yl] 3-phenyl-3-oxopropane thioamide, HL, has been synthesized and characterized by different spectral and magnetic measurements and elemental analysis. The spectral studies indicated that HL exist in the thion form in the solid state and the IR spectra of the complexes indicated that the ligand act as monobasic bidentate ligand giving distorted tetragonal structure in case of Cu 2+ and square planar structure in case of Ni 2+ , which was the reason of their different antimicrobial activity. Thermal decomposition of both complexes showed similar steps

Evaluative study between calculated and measured DVHs for advance techniques of radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer Patients

This study aims to use 3DVH software (Sun Nuclear Corporation, Melbourne, FL, USA) to compare the dose that was predicted by treatment planning system (TPS) with the measured dose obtained by ArcCHECK dosimetric device using two advance treatment techniques: Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). Thirty prostate cancer patients who were treated with VMAT and re- planned with IMRT using Eclipse planning system were studied. The percentage dose differences (%DDs) were calculated using 3DVH software for planning target volume (PTV) and risk organ (OARs). The correlations between %DD and the gamma pass rate (GPR) (3%/3mm, 2%/2mm and 1%/1mm) criterion were examined. Both the DVHs calculated by 3DVH and the one projected by TPS were compared using the different parameters for PTV and OAR. In VMAT technique, the %DD was less than 3% for PTV and 4% for OAR while the IMRT technique recorded %DD less than 2% for PTV and 4% for OAR. 3DVH was somewhat more consistent with the planned VMAT verification data compared to ArcCHECK, with a mean gamma pass rate of 99.34% for the 3%/3 mm criterion Based on our results, VMAT is especially beneficial for prostate most cancers treatment

Desert Farming Benefits from Microbial Potential in Arid Soils and Promotes Diversity and Plant Health

BACKGROUND: To convert deserts into arable, green landscapes is a global vision, and desert farming is a strong growing area of agriculture world-wide. However, its effect on diversity of soil microbial communities, which are responsible for important ecosystem services like plant health, is still not known. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We studied the impact of long-term agriculture on desert soil in one of the most prominent examples for organic desert farming in Sekem (Egypt). Using a polyphasic methodological approach to analyse microbial communities in soil as well as associated with cultivated plants, drastic effects caused by 30 years of agriculture were detected. Analysing bacterial fingerprints, we found statistically significant differences between agricultural and native desert soil of about 60%. A pyrosequencing-based analysis of the 16S rRNA gene regions showed higher diversity in agricultural than in desert soil (Shannon diversity indices: 11.21/7.90), and displayed structural differences. The proportion of Firmicutes in field soil was significantly higher (37%) than in the desert (11%). Bacillus and Paenibacillus play the key role: they represented 96% of the antagonists towards phytopathogens, and identical 16S rRNA sequences in the amplicon library and for isolates were detected. The proportion of antagonistic strains was doubled in field in comparison to desert soil (21.6%/12.4%); disease-suppressive bacteria were especially enriched in plant roots. On the opposite, several extremophilic bacterial groups, e.g., Acidimicrobium, Rubellimicrobium and Deinococcus-Thermus, disappeared from soil after agricultural use. The N-fixing Herbaspirillum group only occurred in desert soil. Soil bacterial communities were strongly driven by the a-biotic factors water supply and pH. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: After long-term farming, a drastic shift in the bacterial communities in desert soil was observed. Bacterial communities in agricultural soil showed a higher diversity and a better ecosystem function for plant health but a loss of extremophilic bacteria. Interestingly, we detected that indigenous desert microorganisms promoted plant health in desert agro-ecosystems

Optimal Scheduling of Hybrid Sustainable Energy Microgrid: A Case Study for a Resort in Sokhna, Egypt

This paper is focused on analyzing, investigating, and designing a hybrid energy system based on sustainable or renewable resources, namely solar and wind energy, in addition to using a diesel generator and battery storage to supply a small resort in Suez, Egypt. The resort is located in Sokhna, which is on the Suez gulf and is about 50 km from the Suez governorate and 100 km from Cairo, Egypt. The Sokhna coast has plenty of high solar radiation and wind energy all year. At the same time, the Egyptian government is building many wind and photovoltaic projects there. Thus, it is expected that it will be very economic to use solar and wind energy in that area to supply the resort. The optimal combinations of energy resources to meet the load demand under various scenarios are considered. The optimal mix of sources is investigated with and without the presence of the grid. The cropped outcomes show that the hybrid energy system, which is also in the presence of the grid, is a very economical solution that provides the resort with an acceptable energy cost. The cost of energies (CoEs) is equal to 0.0441 and 0.0443 $/kWh for cases 2 and 4 (with grid), respectively. However, the CoEs are equal to 0.141 and 0.134$/kWh for cases 1 and 3 (without grid), respectively

Titer improvement of mycophenolic acid in the novel producer strain Penicillium arizonense and expression analysis of its biosynthetic genes

Abstract Mycophenolic acid (MPA) is the active ingredient in the most important immunosuppressive pharmaceuticals. It has antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-psoriasis, and antitumor activities. Therefore, its overproduction in addition to gene expression analysis was our main target. Through this study, we isolated a novel potent mycophenolic acid (MPA) producer strain of the genus Penicillium from the refrigerated Mozzarella cheese and it was identified with the molecular marker ITS and benA genes as P. arizonenseHEWt1. Three MPA overproducer mutants were isolated by exposing the wild type to different doses of gamma-rays, and the fermentation conditions for the highest production of MPA were optimized. The results indicated that MPA amounts produced by the mutants MT1, MT2, and MT3 were increased by 2.1, 1.7, and 1.6-fold, respectively, compared with the wild-type. The growth of both mutant and wild-type strains on PD broth, adjusted to pH 6 and incubated at 25 °C for 15 d, were the best conditions for maximum production of MPA. In a silico study, five orthologs genes of MPA biosynthesizing gene clusters in P. brevicompactum were predicted from the genome of P. arizonense. Sequencing and bioinformatic analyses proved the presence of five putative genes namely mpaA, mpaC, mpaF, mpaG, and mpaH in the P. arizonense HEWt1 genome. Gene expression analysis by qRT-PCR indicated an increase in the transcription value of all annotated genes in the three mutants over the wild type. A highly significant increase in the gene expression of mpaC, mpaF, and mpaH was observed in P. arizonense-MT1 compared with wild-type. These results confirmed the positive correlation of these genes in MPA biosynthesis and are the first report regarding the production of MPA by P. arizonense. Kew word. Mycophenolic acid, Penicillium arizonense, mutagenesis, gene expression

Optimal Scheduling of Hybrid Sustainable Energy Microgrid: A Case Study for a Resort in Sokhna, Egypt

This paper is focused on analyzing, investigating, and designing a hybrid energy system based on sustainable or renewable resources, namely solar and wind energy, in addition to using a diesel generator and battery storage to supply a small resort in Suez, Egypt. The resort is located in Sokhna, which is on the Suez gulf and is about 50 km from the Suez governorate and 100 km from Cairo, Egypt. The Sokhna coast has plenty of high solar radiation and wind energy all year. At the same time, the Egyptian government is building many wind and photovoltaic projects there. Thus, it is expected that it will be very economic to use solar and wind energy in that area to supply the resort. The optimal combinations of energy resources to meet the load demand under various scenarios are considered. The optimal mix of sources is investigated with and without the presence of the grid. The cropped outcomes show that the hybrid energy system, which is also in the presence of the grid, is a very economical solution that provides the resort with an acceptable energy cost. The cost of energies (CoEs) is equal to 0.0441 and 0.0443 $/kWh for cases 2 and 4 (with grid), respectively. However, the CoEs are equal to 0.141 and 0.134$/kWh for cases 1 and 3 (without grid), respectively

Diffusion weighted MRI of mediastinal masses: Can measurement of ADC value help in the differentiation betw

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of measurement of ADC value in the differentiation between benign and malignant mediastinal lesions. Patients and methods: 42 patients with 52 mediastinal lesions were included in this study. They underwent diffusion weighted MRI with b values of 1000 and 0 s/mm2. ADC value measurement and histopathological diagnosis were done for each lesion. Correlation between ADC value and histopathology was done through statistical analysis. Results: 32 lesions were malignant and 20 lesions were benign. The mean ADC value for the malignant lesions was significantly lower than the mean ADC value for benign lesions (P value <0.001). The mean ADC value for malignant lesions was 0.91 ± 0.23 × 10−3 mm2/s while for the benign lesions it was 1.80 ± 0.55 × 10−3 mm2/s. The cutoff point of the ADC value differentiating malignant from benign mediastinal lesions was 1.15 × 10−3 mm2/s with sensitivity of 95%, specificity of 93.8%, positive predictive value of 90.5%, and negative predictive value of 96.8% and accuracy of 94.4%. Conclusion: Diffusion weighted MRI and measurement of ADC value are very helpful in the differentiation between benign and malignant mediastinal lesions

Reviewing treatment outcomes of tuberculosis patients at Zagazig Chest Hospital (2008–2012)

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of major critical heath problem worldwide, where drug treatment is fundamental for controlling TB promoting cure of the patient and breaking the chain of transmission when treatment is completely and correctly followed. Aim of the study: Aim of the study is to assess the treatment outcomes of TB patients at Zagazig Chest Hospital and to identify factors associated with poor outcomes in a trial to achieve the national tuberculosis program (NTP) goals. Patients and methods: This is a cohort study that was carried out at Zagazig Chest Hospital which was in part retrospective and prospective in other part. Analysis of data of 290 tuberculous patients was done where 10 cases were excluded. Demographic, socioeconomic data were reported in addition to radiological, bacteriologic histopathological diagnostic data and history of previous treatment of TB and the used anti-tuberculous treatment regimens with application of directly observed therapy short course (DOTS) strategy. Treatment outcomes were assessed for all patients and were classified either as successful or unsuccessful. Results: Successful treatment outcome was reported in 231 (82.5%) TB cases versus 49 (17.5%) cases with unsuccessful treatment. Successful outcome was significantly associated with middle age (16–35 years) (51.5%) (P < .05), well education (78.8%) (P < .001), absence of history of contact with positive TB case (96.1%) (P < .001), mild to moderate advanced X-ray picture (95.5%) (P < .001) and absence of previous history of anti-tuberculous treatment (87.1%) (P < .01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis for risk factors for unsuccessful outcome revealed that illiteracy (P < .001), history of contact to positive TB cases (P < .001) and far advanced chest X-ray of pulmonary TB (P < .001) were considered as significant predictors. Conclusions: A high rate of successful treatment is reported with application of the NTP (2012) guidelines which was associated with middle age of the patients (16–35 years), well education, mild to moderate advanced X-ray picture and absence of either history of contact with positive TB case or previous history of anti-tuberculous treatment(new case). Illiteracy, history of contact to positive TB cases, far advanced chest X-ray of pulmonary TB and previously treated cases on CAT II regimen could be considered as predictors of unsuccessful outcome

Fetal gender, serum human chorionic gonadotropin, and testosterone in women with preeclampsia

Objectives Evaluation of the association between fetal gender, serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, and serum testosterone, and preeclampsia. Methods Case-control study conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. 120 patients divided into study group (patients with preeclampsia subdivided into mild and severe) and control group (normotensive women). Interventions Fetal gender was determined. Serum testosterone and HCG levels were estimated at 32 weeks or at the time of diagnosis of preeclampsia (study group) or recruitment (control group). Results Positive association between the male gender of the fetus and preeclampsia. Increased HCG and Testosterone were associated with developing preeclampsia. Conclusion The mechanism of preeclampsia could be androgen-mediated. There is a significant correlation between serum HCG and testosterone and preeclampsia