Demand Side Energy Saving though Proper Construction Practices and Materials Selection

Energy consumed during the construction of buildings and structures, including the embodied energy of the concrete and other construction materials, represent a considerable percentage that may reach 40% of the total energy consumed during the whole service life of the structure. Reducing energy consumed in the construction practices along with reducing the embodied energy of concrete and building materials, therefore, are of major importance. Reducing concrete's embodied energy represents one of the major green features of buildings and an important tool to improve sustainability, save resources for coming generations and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, different methods to reduce concrete's embodied energy are discussed and their effect on demand side energy are assessed. Using local materials, pozzolanic blended cements, fillers, along with specifying 56 days strength in design are discussed and assessed. Proper mix design, quality control and proper architectural design also affect and reduce embodied energy. Improving durability, regular maintenance and scheduled repair are essential to increase the expected service life of buildings and hence reduce overall resources consumption and reduce energy. These effects are discussed and quantified. Construction practices also consume considerable amount of energy. The effect of transporting, conveying, pouring, finishing and curing concrete on energy consumption are also discussed

Promoting EFL learning towards peaceful global citizenship

This paper addresses SDG target 4.7 through the lens of Nancy Fraser’s (2008) conceptualisation of parity-of-participation. Her three-pillar conceptualisation includes the equitable distribution of material wealth, egalitarian status among all people, and equal access to representation. This paper attempts to apply her three pillars of participation to the primary classroom which has rarely been attempted before and never in the context of a middle income country. Drawing on interviews, surveys and drawingswith nearly 400 primary-school children in Egypt, we explore how they perceive participation within their classrooms and how participation may influence learning and future life. We conclude by noting that there is an irony in some children’s responses, whereby they display a strong ambition to speak English well, yet believe that they will learn to speak by being passive and silent in the classroom. Other children, however, critique the status quo and suggest more participatory approaches to learning English that will both improve their English mastery and model parity-of-participation in ways that may support their development into adults who strive to live peacefully together as global citizens

Association of ghrelin and leptin with reproductive hormones in constitutional delay of growth and puberty

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Constitutional delay of growth and puberty (CDGP) is a variation of the onset and timing of pubertal development without a defined endocrine abnormality. Recently published studies indicate that leptin and ghrelin play a role in puberty initiation and progress. They have been implicated in regulation of GnRH secretion, with ghrelin having inhibitory and leptin, facilitatory effects. We hypothesized that elevated ghrelin and reduced leptin concentrations could be implicated in altering the tempo of puberty in adolescents with CDGP. So in the current study we evaluate variations in leptin and ghrelin levels in adolescent boys with CDGP, the relationships between both hormones and reproductive hormones including LH, FSH and testosterone were also evaluated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study enrolled 23 adolescent boys with CDGP and 20 healthy controls matched for age and sex. Weight, height, BMI, testicular volume, bone age, bone age delay, serum FSH, LH, testosterone, leptin and ghrelin were assessed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Adolescent boys with CDGP had significantly lower leptin and higher ghrelin than normal controls. Leptin was positively correlated with BMI, bone age, testicular volume, FSH, LH and testosterone and negatively correlated with delayed bone age and ghrelin. Ghrelin was negatively correlated with BMI, bone age, testicular volume, FSH, LH and testosterone. With multiple regression analysis BMI, FSH, LH, testosterone and ghrelin remained independently correlated with leptin while BMI, LH and testosterone remained independently correlated with ghrelin.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Elevated serum ghrelin and decreased leptin concentrations and their associations with reproductive hormones may explain the sexual immaturity in adolescent boys with CDGP.</p

An inexpensive method of small paraffin tissue microarrays using mechanical pencil tips

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tissue microarray technology has provided a high throughput means of evaluating potential biomarkers in archival pathological specimens. This study was carried out in order to produce tissue microarray blocks using mechanical pencil tips without high cost.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Conventional mechanical pencil tips (Rotring Tikky II Mechanical Pencil 1.0 mm) were used to cut out 1 mm wax cylinders from the recipient block, creating from 36 to 72 holes. Three cores of tumor areas were punched out manually by using the mechanical pencil tips from donor paraffin embedded tissue blocks and transferred to the holes of the paraffin tissue microarrays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>This technique was easy and caused little damage to the donor blocks. We successfully performed H&E slides and immunodetection without substantial tissue cylinder loss.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our mechanical pencil tip technique is the most inexpensive easy technique among the literature. It also takes a reasonable amount of time and reduces antibody consumption during immunohistochemistry</p

HPLC-DAD-MS/MS profiling of phenolics from Securigera securidaca flowers and its anti-hyperglycemic and anti-hyperlipidemic activities

AbstractSecurigera securidaca (L.) Degen & Döefl., Fabaceae, has been widely used in the Iranian, Indian and Egyptian folk medicine as antidiabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic remedy. Phenolic profiling of the ethanolic extract (90%) of the flowers of S. securidaca was performed via HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis in the positive and negative ion modes. The total polyphenols and flavonoids in the flowers were determined colorimetrically, and the quantification of their components was carried out using HPLC-UV. Total phenolics and flavonoids estimated as gallic acid and rutin equivalents were 82.39±2.79mg/g and 48.82±1.95mg/g of the dried powdered flowers, respectively. HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis of the extract allowed the identification of 39 flavonoids and eight phenolic acids. Quantitative analysis of some flavonoids and phenolics (mg/100g powdered flowers) revealed the presence of isoquercetrin (3340±2.1), hesperidin (32.09±2.28), naringin (197.3±30.16), luteolin (10.247±0.594), chlorogenic acid (84.22±2.08), catechin (3.94±0.57) and protocatechuic acid (34.4±0.15), in the extract. Moreover, the acute toxicity, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of the extract were investigated using alloxan induced diabetes in rats in a dose of 100, 200, and 400mg/kgbwt. The ethanolic extract was safe up to a dose of 2000mg/kg. All tested doses of the flower extract showed marked decrease in blood glucose level by 31.78%, 66.41% and 63.8% at 100, 200 and 400mg/kgbwt, respectively, at p<0.05. Regarding the anti-hyperlipidemic effect, a dose of 400mg/kg of the flower extract showed the highest reduction in serum triacylglycerides and total cholesterol levels (68.46% and 51.50%, respectively at p<0.05). The current study proved the folk use of the flowers of S. securidaca as anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic agent which could be attributed to its high phenolic content

‘The teacher who helps children learn best’: affect and authority in the traditional primary classroom

This paper draws on the views of nearly 400 Year 5 pupils across nine classes in three government primary schools in Alexandria, Egypt. It explores how they perceived the role of affect in their classroom; and their teachers’ authority. By presenting pupils with sentences to complete, our research explored how the prevailing traditional approach to teaching influenced pupils in their English classroom. We also collected data by interviewing 38 pupils individually and carrying out Group Interviews with the pupils’ teachers. We concluded that pupils were acutely aware of how their feelings and their relationship to the teacher influenced their capacity to learn cognitively. Many of them said that they did not respect those teachers who refused to exercise an ethic of care in the classroom. In these cases, they did not see their teachers as authoritative; and pupils’ learning was impeded

CHEMICAL PROFILE OF TWO JASMINUM SAMBAC L. (AIT) CULTIVARS CULTIVATED IN EGYPT–THEIR MEDIATED SILVER NANOPARTICLES SYNTHESIS AND SELECTIVE CYTOTOXICITY

Objective: Evaluation of two Jasminum sambac L. (Ait) cultivars; Arabian Nights (JSA) and Grand Duke of Tuscany (JSG) ethanolic leaves extracts as reducing agents for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and evaluation of their cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer and 5637 bladder cancer cell lines and chemical profiling of the two cultivars. Methods: The synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by the two cultivars and characterization of AgNPs by ultraviolet (UV)–visible spectroscopy, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared&nbsp;Spectroscopy (FTIR). Additionally, the use of The high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array-mass-mass-spectroscopy (HPLC-PDA-MS/MS) for chemical profiling of both cultivars and evaluation of total leaves extracts and corresponding nanoparticles towards MCF-7 and 5637 cell lines compared to aneuploidy immortal keratinocyte (Ha Cat) normal cells by neutral cell assay. Results: The green synthesized AgNPs (of an average size range of 8.83 and 11.24 nm for JSA and JSG, respectively) exhibited cytotoxicity against MCF-7 and 5637 cell lines. The IC50 was determined for each total extract JSA (15.29±2.16 μg/ml) and JSG (20.28±1.20 μg/ml) and corresponding AgNPs 17.32±2.22 μg/ml and 6.32±1.01μg/ml for JSA and JSG, respectively. The IC50 of JSA and JSG against 5637 bladder cancer cell line were 13.76±1.11 μg/ml and 50.69±3.75 μg/ml, while the corresponding AgNPs showed IC50 of 5.54±0.88 μg/ml and 27.89±2.84 μg/ml, respectively. The HPLC-PDA-MS/MS allowed the identification of 59 compounds; 10 simple phenols, 17 flavonoids; quercetin and kaempferol glycosides, 2 lignans, and 30 secoiridoids; oleuropein, molihauside, and sambacoside. Conclusion: This study proved that JSA is an excellent source for the synthesis of AgNPs with optimum characters and enhanced activities toward MCF-7 and 5637 cell lines in correlation to identified compounds

Serum interferon-alpha level in first degree relatives of systemic lupus erythematosus patients: Correlation with autoantibodies titers

AbstractBackground and objectivesInterferon-α (IFN-α), a cytokine with both antiviral and immune-regulatory functions, was suggested as a useful tool which can evaluate current systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and identify patients who are at risk of future disease flares. In the current study, serum IFN-α levels and associated demographic, and serological features in Egyptian SLE patients and their first degree relatives (FDRs) in comparison to unrelated healthy controls (UHCs) were examined, in order to identify individuals at the greatest risk for clinical illness.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, blood samples were drawn from 54 SLE patients, 93 of their FDRs who consented to enroll into the study and 76 UHCs. Measurement of serum IFN-α by a modified ELISA was carried out. Data were analyzed for associations of serum IFN-α levels with autoantibodies titer.ResultsMean serum IFN-α in FDRs was statistically higher than the UHCs and lower than in SLE patients (P<0.0001) and it was correlated with ANA titer (r=0.6, P<0.0001) and anti ds DNA titer (r=0.62, P<0.0001).ConclusionIFN-α is a crucial player in the complicated autoimmune changes that occur in SLE and serum IFN-α can be a useful marker identifying persons who are at risk of future disease development

DNA Fingerprinting, Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oil isolated from the Fruits of Serenoa repens W. Bartram

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from the fruits of Serenoa repens W. Bartram by hydrodistillation has been studied by GC/MS analysis. The analysis of the essential oil revealed the presence of 60 identified compounds (monoterpene and sesquiterpene) oxygenated and non-oxygenated compounds in the oil sample including about 53 compounds which were not reported in GC/MS analysis of the essential oil before. GC/MS analysis revealed 4-(1-methylethyl)-Benzaldehyde to be the major constituent of the essential oil of the fruits 58.56% followed by 2-Caren-10-al and 3-Caren-10-al (11.83% and 2.87%, respectively). So far nothing could be traced concerning the oil biological activity. The antimicrobial sensitivity as well as the MIC against different fungal, gram positive and gram negative strains was carried out. The antimicrobial snsitivity was higher as antifungal followed by the Gram-positive strains, and Gram-negative bacteria strains compared to the positive controls. The essential oil showed high selective antimicrobial potential (MIC 1.95–62.5 μg/mL for bacteria; and MIC 3.9–31.25 μg/mL for fungi). DNA fingerprinting of the cultivated leaves were carried out for authentication of the plant. Keywords: Serenoa repens, essential oil, 4-(1-methylethyl)-Benzaldehyde, Antimicrobial, GC/MS, DNA

FORMULATION AND ASSESSMENT OF A HERBAL HAIR CREAM AGAINST CERTAIN DERMATOPHYTES

Objective: Developing an herbal antifungal formulation containing eruca and garlic oils against highly resistant dermatophytes (Malassezia fufur AUMC No. 5173, Microsporum canis bodin AUMC No. 5490 and Trichophyton mentagrophytes AUMC No. 5501. 5501) and assessment of garlic oil thiosulfonates during the ex vivo percutaneous permeation through albino rat skin.Methods: Assay of antifungal activity was performed by filter paper disc method and agar well diffusion method. The components of volatile constituents and fixed oil of eruca seeds were studied using GC/MS. Thiosulfinates in garlic oil were analyzed by HPLC/UV. Both oils were incorporated into hair cream using span 60 and brij 58 at three different concentrations (2, 4 and 6% w/w) and alliin, was ex vivo evaluated using albino rat skin mounted on Franz diffusion cells.Results: The two oils have a synergistic effect on the first and additive effect on the second and the third fungi. The main constituents in eruca are 4-(methyl thio) butyl isothiocyanate (82%) for volatile constituents and erucic acid (40%) for the fixed one. The highest flux for alliin (0.337±0.0015 mg/cm2/hr) was obtained at a 4% surfactant concentration.Conclusion: Combination of oils has a high activity on the selected dermatophytes. Formulation of an herbal hair cream using span 60 and Brij 58 with a concentration 4% gives the highest permeation rate for alliin in garlic oil.Keywords: Eruca, Garlic, Dermatophytes, Quantitative determination and Ex-vivo permeatio