Effects of gamma irradiation on salted and frozen mullet fish during storage period

The objective of the present study was to investigate the influence of gamma irradiation on decontamination of microbial loud of salted and frozen mullet fish. Mullet fish samples were divided into two groups: The first group was frozen at – 20C° and the second group was dry salted with ordinary commercial refined salt at ratio 1 kg fish / 0.8 kg. Each group was subjected to 0, 2.5 and 5 kGy of gamma irradiation doses before storage period. The results showed that, gamma irradiation hadn’t any significant (P?0.05) effects on the chemical composition and minerals content of mullet fish samples under investigation. Gamma irradiation doses (2.5 and 5.0 kGy) had not significant remarkable effect at P?0.05 on sensory properties (appearance, odor, texture and color) of dry and frozen mullet fish samples neither at zero time nor during storage periods. Microbial aspects (total bacterial counts, coliform bacteria, salmonella, sporeforming bacteria and total molds and yeasts) were detected. Also it could be concluded that, gamma irradiation had a significant (P?0.05) decrease effects on microbial loud and improve the microbiological safety of salted and frozen mullet fishes without any adverse effects on their chemical contents and quality. Keywords: key words, Gamma irradiation, Salting, freezing, Mullet fish, Minerals, Microbial loud

Determination of caffeine in roasted and irradiated coffee beans with gamma rays by high performance liquid chromatography

The present study was carried out to investigate a simple, quick and organic solvent saving procedure for the high performance liquid chromatography determination of caffeine in two different coffee beans (Indonesian and Brazilian) which roasted at two different temperatures (150 & 220 ºC) and irradiated at 3, 6, and 9 kGy doses by gamma rays. A linear calibration curve was generated with caffeine concentration ranging from 0.005 to 0.25 mg/g with correlation coefficient (R2= 0.9995, n=4) and relative standard deviation ? 2.1 %. The developed procedure provided a 7.3 x 10-9 mg/g and 2.2 x 10-8 mg/g limit of detection and limit of quantification, respectively. The developed method was repeatable and could be applied to determine trace amounts of caffeine in popular irradiated coffee beans with three different irradiation doses. Moreover, irradiation treatments at doses up to 9 kGy showed no significant effect on the caffeine content. Keywords: Caffeine determination; High performance liquid chromatography;  Coffee bean; Roasting; Gamma rays; Statistical analysi

Concurrent Acquisition of a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in Diverse Influenza H5N1 Clade 2.2 Sub-clades

Highly pathogenic Influenza A H5N1 was first identified in Guangdong Province in 1996, followed by human cases in Hong Kong in 1997 1,2. The number of confirmed human cases now exceeds 300 and the associated Case Fatality Rate exceeds 60% 3. The genetic diversity of the serotype continues to increase. Four distinct clades or sub-clades have been linked to human cases 4-7. The gradual genetic changes identified in the sub-clades have been attributed to copy errors by viral encoded polymerases that lack an editing function, thereby resulting in antigenic drift 8. We report here the concurrent acquisition of the same polymorphism by multiple, genetically distinct, clade 2.2 sub-clades in Egypt, Russia, Kuwait, and Ghana. These changes are not easily explained by the current theory of “random mutation” through copy error, and are more easily explained by recombination with a common source. The recombination role is further supported by the high fidelity replication in swine influenza 9 and aggregation of single nucleotide polymorphisms in H5N1 clade 2.2 hemagglutinin 10

Investigation of the Axial Rotor Thrust in Centrifugal Compressors استقصاء الدفع المحورى على العضور الدوار فى الضواغط النابذة

الهدف من البحث هو دراسة وتحليل والتعين الدقيق للدفع المحورى علىالعضو الدوار فى الضواغط الطاردة المرکزية. نشرح العوامل التى تؤثر علىالدفع المحورى مثل زيادة الأحمال على ضاغط ثانى أکسيد الکربون عنأوضاع التشغيل التصميمية له . کما تتضمن العوامل تأثير وجود Fouling مع الغاز مما ينتج عنه تراکم على الأسطح الداخلية لدفاعات العضو الدوارفيتسبب فى زيادة الدفع المحورى وتقليل من أداء الضاغط . يتناول البحثشرح العلاقة مابين الدفع المحورى للعضو الدوارفى وجود نسبة Foulingمع الغاز فى خلال فترة زمنية محددة من بعد عمل عمرة کاملة لضاغط ثانىأکسيد الکربون . بعد الدراسة والتحليل نقف على کيفية تقليل الدفع المحورىعلى العضو الدوار وذلک بوضع اسطوانة اتزان على العضور الدوار لخلققوى معاکسة له تتناسب مع جميع الظروف التشغيلية لضاغط ثانى أکسيدالکربون بحيث أن الدفع المحورى للعضو الدوار بعدها لا يتعدى 50 % منحمل الکرسى. النتائج النهائية التى تم الحصول عليها: عند استخدام قطراسطوانة اتزان = 158.6686 mmt D تکون أعلى قيمة للدفع المحورى عنأوضاع التشغيل المختلفة للضاغط هى 93.193 % من حمل الکرسى. عنداستخدام قطر اسطوانة اتزان = 186.065 mmt D تکون أعلى قيمة للدفعالمحورى عن أوضاع التشغيل المختلفة للضاغط هى 73.35 % من حملالکرسى. عند استخدام قطر اسطوانة اتزان = 174.595 mmt D تکونأعلى قيمة للدفع المحورى عن أوضاع التشغيل المختلفة للضاغط هى41.22 % من حمل الکرسى مع وجود Fouling مع الغاز وعند أقصى حملللضاغط بعد العمرة فى عدم وجود Fouling مع الغازهى 0 % من حملالکرسى وهذا يعتبرأنسب قطر يستخدم لاسطوانة الاتزان (Balance drum)لان الدفع المحورى يکون أقل من % 50 من حمل الکرسى.Abstract: This article is a study, analysis, and determine accurately the axial rotor thrust for centrifugal compressors. Are explained the factors that affect axial rotor for carbon dioxide compressor during operating conditions. Also, the effect of the existence of fouling with gas, results in the accumulation of fouling on the internal surfaces of the impellers leading to an increase in axial rotor thrust and reduction of the performance of the compressor. The relationship between axial rotor thrust and fouling ratio with time is discussed after complete overhaul for the carbon dioxide compressor. The axial rotor thrust on the carbon dioxide compressor is reduced by placing balance drum on rotor of the compressor in the opposite direction of the axial force which is suitable for all operating conditions of the compressor. The resultant axial force didn’t exceed 50 % of rated bearing load, and the analysis method is then approved to be effective. The residual thrust load for high pressure rotor for the compressor before modification at design operating condition is equal to 13.68 % of rated bearing load, while at the high load without fouling effect for the compressor is equal to 58.47 % of rated bearing load and compressor with fouling effect is equal to 110.9 % of rated bearing load. When using the balance drum diameter Dt =158.6686 mm, the highest value of axial thrust force is equal to 93.193 % of rated bearing load. When using the balance drum diameter Dt =174.595 mm, the highest value of axial thrust force is equal to 41.22 % of rated bearing load. When using the balance drum diameter Dt =186.065 mm, the highest value of axial thrust force is equal to 73.35 % of rated bearing load

Alternative technique using dual source CT imaging for assessment of myocardial perfusion

AbstractPurposeTo elucidate the diagnostic role of multidetector DSCT for the assessment of myocardial perfusion in correlation with coronary luminal integrity in a single CT scan while both tubes were operated in single energy mode.Methods and materialThirty-five patients were subjected to single acquisition contrast-enhanced, ECG-gated DSCT of the heart at rest. Postprocessing was performed generating two image sets: coronary CT angiographic images (cCTA) and myocardial perfusion images (CTP) for respective correlative assessment of coronary luminal integrity and myocardial perfusion. Perfusion defect was detected subjectively using gray scale images and the color coded first pass and color overlaid late enhancement (color attenuation) images were used for semi-objective evaluation and final objective and quantitative confirmation by density measurement.ResultsSignificant correlation and good agreement between the findings of DSCT myocardial perfusion and the findings of stenosis and its degree on cCTA on a segmental basis is noted with Cohen’s Kappa=0.67 and prevalence and bias adjusted Kappa=0.71 emphasizing the high diagnostic value of DSCT myocardial perfusion as compared to cCTA as the gold reference standard.ConclusionWe propose that comprehensive evaluation of coronary artery morphology and myocardial perfusion in patients with CAD could be achieved by single reproducible non-invasive contrast enhanced CT acquisition using DSCT scanners while operated in single energy mode with high sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy, it also has the potential to be the first, independent and stand out imaging choice in such field

Trialing a Smart Face-recognition Computer System to Recognize Lost People Visiting the Two Holy Mosques

This paper describes an integrated recognition system for identifying faces of the people. The work is intended to help recognizing lost, missing, dead, and found unknown people visiting the Grand Mosques during Hajj and Umrah seasons in the two Holy cities of Makkah and Medina in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The importance of this work is assumed increasing as the number of visitors will increase aiming to reach the total estimated number of pilgrims around 30 million as planned by the Saudi government in year 2030. The proposed technique is tested by studying faces of 100 Hajj visiting people taken randomly from 25 countries where every person is pictured from different angles and in different situations and behaviors. The different pictures built a new testing database specialized for the changes expected on faces due to Hajj & Umrah situations, which was named HUFRD (Hajj & Umrah Face Recognition Database). The study gave interesting results. It is just in its beginning phase where more accuracy as well as sophisticated image processing techniques would be involved for the promising future

Genetic Characterization of Coenzyme A Biosynthesis Reveals Essential Distinctive Functions during Malaria Parasite Development in Blood and Mosquito

Coenzyme A (CoA) is an essential universal cofactor for all prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. In nearly all non-photosynthetic cells, CoA biosynthesis depends on the uptake and phosphorylation of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid or pantothenate). Recently, putative pantothenate transporter (PAT) and pantothenate kinases (PanKs) were functionally characterized in P. yoelii. PAT and PanKs were shown to be dispensable for blood stage development, but they were essential for mosquito stages development. Yet, little is known about the cellular functions of the other enzymes of the CoA biosynthesis pathway in malaria parasite life cycle stages. All enzymes of this pathway were targeted for deletion or deletion/complementation analyses by knockout/knock-in plasmid constructs to reveal their essential roles in P. yoelii life cycle stages. The intermediate enzymes PPCS (Phosphopantothenylcysteine Synthase), PPCDC (Phosphopantothenylcysteine Decarboxylase) were shown to be dispensable for asexual and sexual blood stage development, but they were essential for oocyst development and the production of sporozoites. However, the last two enzymes of this pathway, PPAT (Phosphopantetheine Adenylyltransferase) and DPCK (Dephospho-CoA Kinase), were essential for blood stage development. These results indicate alternative first substrate requirement for the malaria parasite, other than the canonical pantothenate, for the synthesis of CoA in the blood but not inside the mosquito midgut. Collectively, our data shows that CoA de novo biosynthesis is essential for both blood and mosquito stages, and thus validates the enzymes of this pathway as potential antimalarial targets

Dermatological Lesions of Cholesterol Embolization Syndrome and Kaposi Sarcoma Mimic Primary Systemic Vasculitis: Case Report Study

Primary systemic vasculitis can present with a wide spectrum of manifestations ranging from systemic non-specific features such as fever, malaise, arthralgia, and myalgia to specific organ damage. We describe two cases of cholesterol embolization syndrome and Kaposi sarcoma mimicking primary systemic vasculitis, both of which were characterized by features such as livedo reticularis, blue toe syndrome, a brown, purpuric skin rash, and positive p-ANCA associated with Kaposi sarcoma. Establishing the right diagnosis was challenging, and thus we aim in this study to highlight the possible ways to distinguish them from primary systemic vasculitis. Keywords: Dermatological lesions, Cholesterol embolization syndrome, Kaposi sarcoma, vasculitis mimic

The role of lymphoid tissue SPARC in the pathogenesis and response to treatment of multiple myeloma.

BACKGROUND: Despite the significant progress in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), the disease remains untreatable and its cure is still an unmet clinical need. Neoplastic transformation in MM is initiated in the germinal centers (GCs) of secondary lymphoid tissue (SLT) where B cells experience extensive somatic hypermutation induced by follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) and T-cell signals. OBJECTIVE: We reason that secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), a common stromal motif expressed by FDCs at the origin (SLTs) and the destination (BM) of MM, plays a role in the pathogenesis of MM, and, here, we sought to investigate this role. METHODS: There were 107 BM biopsies from 57 MM patients (taken at different time points) together with 13 control specimens assessed for SPARC gene and protein expression and compared with tonsillar tissues. In addition, regulation of myeloma-promoting genes by SPARC-secreting FDCs was assessed in in vitro GC reactions (GCRs). RESULTS: SPARC gene expression was confirmed in both human primary (BM) and secondary (tonsils) lymphoid tissues, and the expression was significantly higher in the BM. Sparc was detectable in the BM and tonsillar lysates, co-localized with the FDC markers in both tissues, and stimulation of FDCs in vitro induced significantly higher levels of SPARC expression than unstimulated controls. In addition, SPARC inversely correlated with BM PC infiltration, ISS staging, and ECOG performance of the MM patients, and in vitro addition of FDCs to lymphocytes inhibited the expression of several oncogenes associated with malignant transformation of PCs. CONCLUSION: FDC-SPARC inhibits several myelomagenic gene expression and inversely correlates with PC infiltration and MM progression. Therapeutic induction of SPARC expression through combinations of the current MM drugs, repositioning of non-MM drugs, or novel drug discovery could pave the way to better control MM in clinically severe and drug-resistant patients