Heavy Metal’s Environmental Impact

Heavy metals are inorganic elements with something like a density of more than 5 g/cm3. Essential and non-essential heavy metals were divided into two groups based on their toxicity. Heavy metals, unlike organic pollutants, are non-biodegradable and tend to accumulate in living things. Many heavy metal ions are hazardous or carcinogenic. The majority of heavy metals, such as cadmium, copper, and zinc, are linked to pollution and hazardous concerns. There are more than 50 elements categorized as heavy metals, with 17 of them being extremely hazardous and easily accessible. Metal pollutants are often non-degradable and have no recognized homeostasis mechanism. Their mere presence in aquatic habitats is enough to have a direct or indirect impact on living systems. The anthropogenic pollution of heavy metals in ancient mining regions refers to areas where the concentration of one or more heavy metals exceeds normal values. Heavy metals disrupt cellular organelles and components in biological systems. Nanoscale zero-valent iron is a promising alternative for heavy metal cleanup. Heavy metal ions are poisonous, non-degradable, and tend to bioaccumulate and biomagnify. The purpose of this chapter is to display some heavy metals and the environmental impact of these minerals, which includes soil, plants, and humans

THE POWER OF AIRPORT BRANDING IN SHAPING TOURIST DESTINATION IMAGE: PASSENGER COMMITMENT PERSPECTIVE

To providing an empirical investigation into how affective, continuance, and normative commitment could build airport branding. A quantitative content analysis was conducted by analyzing 400 passengers' reviews of Cairo International Airport from the following platforms (Skytrax, Tripadvisor, traveller, and flight report). Affective and continuance commitment are likely to build a strong brand rather than normative commitment. Passengers’ negative experiences with airports make them feel less emotionally attached, resulting in lower levels of affective and continuance commitments. Terminal problems can decrease affective and continuance commitment among passengers. The study identified factors that affect all three types of commitments (affective, continuance, and normative) at international airports, providing significant theoretical contributions and managerial implications

Synthesis of New Fluorine Substituted Heterocyclic Nitrogen Systems Derived from p-Aminosalicylic Acid as Antimycobacterial Agents

Some new fluorine substituted heterocyclic nitrogen systems 2-17 have been synthesized from ring closure reactions of substituted p-amino salicylic acids (PAS). The Schiffs base of PAS was cyclized with chloroacetyl chloride and mercaptoacetic acid to give azetidinone 2, thiazolidinone 3, and spiro-fluoroindolothiazoline-dione 10. However, PAS when reacted directly with 4-fluorobenzoyl chloride and 5-oxazolinone yielded derivatives 4, 5, and 7. Aminomethylation of PAS using formaldehyde and piperidine or piperazine formed N-alkyl and N,N -dialkyl derivatives (11 and 12 respectively) upon fluorinated benzoylation gave compounds 13 and 14. Similarly, treatment of PAS with thiosemicarbazide 15 and subsequent cyclization with diethyl oxalate yielded the fluorinated heterocycle 17. The structures of the fluorinated heterocyclic systems have been established on the basis of elemental analysis, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, and MS spectral data. Some of the targets exhibited a high inhibition towards Mycobacterium strain with favorable log P values

Unlocking Tourism’s Potential: Pricing Strategies for the Post-COVID Renaissance

In response to the challenges faced by tourism managers in devising effective pricing strategies to overcome the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study aims to make a valuable contribution to the existing literature on tourism management and marketing. Specifically, we investigate the pricing strategies that tourists are most likely to prefer in the aftermath of the pandemic. To achieve this, we conducted semi-structured interviews with a sample size of experienced tourists in Egypt. Our findings reveal that tourists exhibit a strong inclination towards hedonic and bundling pricing strategies. This suggests that tourism managers should prioritize the incorporation of these strategies into their post-pandemic business plans. However, it is crucial for managers to carefully consider tourists’ behavioral responses to dynamic and pay-what-you-want pricing strategies, as these are influenced by various constraints that necessitate careful attention. Furthermore, our study highlights potential negative consequences associated with the implementation of the dual-pricing strategy following the pandemic. This strategy has the potential to compromise tourists’ intentions to utilize certain services, thereby leading to unfavorable behavioral outcomes for tourism destinations. The implications of this study are of practical significance for tourism managers seeking to design more effective pricing strategies to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the post-pandemic recovery period. By understanding tourists’ preferences and considering the potential drawbacks associated with certain pricing strategies, managers can make informed decisions that promote the sustainable and successful revival of the tourism industry. Moreover, our study employed the checkpoints method, which allowed us to identify respondents’ priorities for the pricing strategies during the crisis, further enhancing the validity and reliability of our findings. © 2023 by the authors.Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University; Kazan Federal University; King Faisal University, KFU: 3117, EGY-0026/20This study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Deanship of Scientific Research Ethical Committee (Grant No. 3117), King Faisal University.All authors thank the Deanship of Scientific Research, Vice Presidency for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia (Grant No. 3117), through its KFU Research Summer initiative. The researchers are supported by a full Ph.D. scholarship under the joint executive program between the Arab Republic of Egypt and Saint Petersburg State University for the second author (M.I.S), number EGY-0026/20 and Kazan Federal University for the third author (M.Y.H.), number Egy.6572/19

Proximate analysis of waste-to-energy potential of municipal solid waste for sustainable renewable energy generation

Over-dependence on virgin resources has been a major topic of social and political debates as the world's population and urbanization continue to rise. The high rate of rural–urban migration and changes in standard of living habits give rise to rapid economic activities that have an enormous impact on the gradual increase in waste generation and continued demand for electricity in urban centres. The solutions to these concerns can be achieved through efficient waste management options by waste resource utilization for energy and nutrient recovery and reduced solid waste pollution footprint. This research examined the viability of present and projected municipal solid waste streams to generate green energy through field surveys by physical characterization of the waste composition, projected waste quantity based on available population and waste data for the period 2000 – 2014, modelled methane gas generated by IPCC method, and the energy value was determined respectively. The findings indicated a high organic content of 54.1% of MSW and a per capita waste generation rate of 0.49–0.57 kg/capita/day. The waste was projected to increase from 353717.41 to 2,223497 tonnes between 2014 and 2035 at a population growth rate of 9.15%. This accounted for methane gas generated estimated to be 9.85Gg/year with an energy value of 15 MW/day in 2014 and projected to increase to 33.4 MW/day by 2035. The energy value estimated represented an increase from 6.14% to 212.74% of the allocated power supply from the national grid within the projected period. However, it is worth noting that, there are some limitations associated with the research due in part to inadequate field data which was supplemented by default model values as recommended by IPCC, although within an acceptable uncertainty band of result sensitivity. Therefore, the WTE management option can serve as a pathway for green energy integration for sustainable development

In vitro anti-inflammatory and acetylcholinesterase inhibition efficiency of plant extracts from Sinai-Egypt

635-641Ten plant extracts were prepared and tested in in vitro assays against COX-2, COX-1 and acetylcholinesterase with evaluation of their antioxidant properties. The tested extracts exhibited varied anti COX-2 effect and they were superior to celecoxibe (inhibition percentage was 42.67% at 50 µg/mL), reference drug. Lavandula coronopifolia and Scrophularia Libanotica extracts were the efficient inhibitors (100% and 91% at 50 µg/mL respectively). Launaeaspinosa and Pulicaria undulata were the powerful AChE inhibitor (IC50 values were 16.69 and 29.06 µg/mL, respectively) followed with L. coronopifolia and S.libanotica extracts (IC50 values were 61.89 and 49.83 µg/mL, respectively) and they were efficient in scavenging superoxide radicals and metal ions, nitric oxide formation inhibition, as well as, lipid peroxide production suppression. L. coronopifolia and S. Libanotica extracts can be introduced as natural cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors without affecting cyclooxygenase-1 whereas L. spinosa and P. undulata extracts were potent suppressor for AChE with robust antioxidant properties which suggest the possibility of using the four extracts, L. coronopifolia, S. libanotica, L. spinosa and P. undulata as natural agent in treating neurodegenerative disorder

In vitro anti-inflammatory and acetylcholinesterase inhibition efficiency of plant extracts from Sinai-Egypt

Ten plant extracts were prepared and tested in in vitro assays against COX-2, COX-1 and acetylcholinesterase with evaluation of their antioxidant properties. The tested extracts exhibited varied anti COX-2 effect and they were superior to celecoxibe (inhibition percentage was 42.67% at 50 µg/mL), reference drug. Lavandula coronopifolia and Scrophularia Libanotica extracts were the efficient inhibitors (100% and 91% at 50 µg/mL respectively). Launaeaspinosa and Pulicaria undulata were the powerful AChE inhibitor (IC50 values were 16.69 and 29.06 µg/mL, respectively) followed with L. coronopifolia and S.libanotica extracts (IC50 values were 61.89 and 49.83 µg/mL, respectively) and they were efficient in scavenging superoxide radicals and metal ions, nitric oxide formation inhibition, as well as, lipid peroxide production suppression. L. coronopifolia and S. Libanotica extracts can be introduced as natural cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors without affecting cyclooxygenase-1 whereas L. spinosa and P. undulata extracts were potent suppressor for AChE with robust antioxidant properties which suggest the possibility of using the four extracts, L. coronopifolia, S. libanotica, L. spinosa and P. undulata as natural agent in treating neurodegenerative disorder

Assessment of Dietary and Lifestyle Responses After COVID-19 Vaccine Availability in Selected Arab Countries

The COVID-19 pandemic has been consistently associated with unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and dietary practices. This study aimed to assess the dietary and lifestyle behaviors of adults after COVID-19 vaccine availability and their attitude toward the vaccine in selected Arab countries. A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted between October 2021 and December 2021 using Google Forms (n = 2259). A multi-component questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic characteristics, attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine, and behavioral, dietary, and lifestyle responses after easing the restriction. Participants were given a score based on the sum of positive dietary and lifestyle changes. The generalized linear models were used to identify the association between positive dietary and lifestyle changes score and sociodemographic characteristics. Weight gain during the pandemic was reported by 39.5% of the participants, 36.1% reported ever getting infected with the COVID-19 virus, and 85% received at least one dose of the vaccine. The key adverse reactions of the COVID-19 vaccine were fatigue, headache, and joint pain, and the main reason for vaccination was protection against infection. Most participants were concerned about the vaccine side effects (45.8%) and inadequate testing (50.7%). After easing of restriction, 54.3% of the participants reduced the frequency of disinfecting objects, and 58.3% joined social events. Most dietary and lifestyle behaviors remained unchanged after vaccine availability but there was an increase in the time spent behind the screen for work (50.1%) and entertainment (42.9%). The results of the multivariate regression analyses revealed that older participants (p = 0.001), those with higher education (p = 0.010), and those working from home (p = 0.040) were more likely to have higher positive dietary and lifestyle changes scores. Although most participants were concerned about vaccine safety, low vaccine hesitancy rates were observed among the study sample. The availability of the COVID-19 vaccines resulted in loosening some of the safety social measures among Arab adults but the negative impact of the pandemic on dietary and lifestyle behaviors remained unaltered