Seismic landslide hazard mapping for Greater Vancouver, British Columbia

The lower Mainland of southwest British Columbia (BC) hosts about 3.5 million people and significant infrastructures of national importance. Southwestern BC has the highest seismic risk in Canada with significant potential to cause earthquake-induced hazards including tsunamis, liquefaction and landslides. A Cascadia mega-thrust (MW 9) earthquake is predicted to generate $75 billion Canadian dollars in losses. This damage can be resulted from ground shaking or its secondary phenomena like landslides; ground shaking during earthquakes may trigger landslides that can damage or destroy buildings, bury roads and highways and kill and injure people. In Canada, during the past century and a half, landslides have caused more fatality than all other natural hazards combined. Seismic hazard mapping for landslides integrates topographic, geotechnical and seismological information to develop the earthquake-induced slope displacements map which is indicator of seismic landslide potential. In this study we use a pseudo-probabilistic Newmark displacement analyses for regional landslide susceptibility mapping and its application will be illustrated with developing earthquake induced landslide hazard map for the quadrangle in Greater Vancouver area. The predicted displacements are assigned to the defined grids to come up with the final seismic landslide hazard map. The seismic landslide hazard map predicts very low hazard level (displacementcm) for the selected region which is in agreement with the observations in our field survey in July 2018 where no signs of deformation were recorded (e.g. cracks, settlements, previous landslides, scarps)

POSSIBLE PROTECTIVE ROLE OF SODIUM SALICYLATE NANOEMULSION AND GINGER ON CISPLATIN‑INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY IN RATS (BIOCHEMICAL AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY)

Objective: To describe the preparation and characterization of nanoemulsion of sodium salicylate loaded butane tetracarboxylic acid (Bt-Sc-NPs). It also investigates the possible protective effects of Bt-Sc-NPs and\or medicinal plant ginger to evaluate the changes of liver functions, oxidative stress and histopathological investigations against cisplatin-induced hepatotoxicity. Methods: Serum was used to determine alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), δ-glutamyl transferase (δGT), serum human laminin (LN) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase1 (TIMP1). Liver tissue samples collected from the rats were used for the measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and paraoxonase 1 (PON1). Results: The beneficial effects of Bt-Sc-NPs with its anti-inflammatory effect and the medicinal ginger with its antioxidant effect were observed. Injection of rats with cisplatin significantly increased serum ALT, AST, ɤGT, TIMP1 and LN. It also increased cisplatin-induced oxidative stress by a significant elevation in liver MDA, NO content; however, a significant decrease of PON1 content. While protection with Bt-Sc-NPs or ginger significantly improved these parameters. In addition, combination of both Bt-Sc-NPs and ginger significantly induced a decrease in serum ALT, AST, ɤGT, TIMP1 and LN. It also reduced cisplatin-induced oxidative stress by the significant reduction in liver MDA, NO content and elevation of PON1 content much more than protection with Bt-Sc-NPs or ginger alone. Conclusion: Bt-Sc-NPs were synthesized using nanoemulsion with the help of homogenization and ultra-sonication waves. Combination with both of Bt-Sc-NPs and ginger showed a hepatoprotective role in ameliorating cisplatin‑induced hepatotoxicity due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects

Detection of Vitamin (D) deficiency in children and adolescents suffering from bronchial asthma in Suez Canal University Hospital, Ismailia

Background: Recent data suggest that there is a worldwide epidemic of vitamin D deficiency and lack of vitamin D has been linked to increased incidence of asthma and increased severity of asthma in children. Therefore, the examination of relationship between vitamin D and bronchial asthma was important.Objective: To determine serum vitamin D level in children and adolescents suffering from bronchial asthma and to detect the relationship between vitamin D level and asthma severity symptoms.Methods: This case–control study was conducted on 40 asthmatic children and adolescents, their ages ranged from 2-18 years who were attending to pediatric department at Suez Canal University Hospital, and were previously diagnosed as bronchial asthma according to the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) 2007. In addition, 40 age and sex matched healthy children served as a control group. All children were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, including; anthropometric measurements, and chest examination. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD)[25(OH) D], total IgE level, and peripheral blood eosinophil count were evaluated.Results: The mean age of studied asthmatic children was 5.14±2.87 years. Asthma was more reported in girls than boys (55% and 45% respectively). Asthma prevalence was higher in urban than rural areas. In our study, asthmatic patients had significantly lower vitamin D levels than controls. We found that vitamin D insufficiency in 35% of studied asthmatic children. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between vitamin D level and the severity of asthma (p <0.001).Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is relatively frequent in asthmatic patients who were attending the pediatric department at Suez Canal University Hospital. There was a significant inverse relationship between vitamin D levels and the severity of asthma symptoms.Keywords: Children, adolescences, bronchial asthma, vitamin

Drinking water quality evaluation of hand pumping wells using water quality index and standard algal toxicity testing in Mansoura and Talkha cities, Egypt

تم اختيار ستة مضخات منزلية حبشية موزعة على قرى مختلفة من مدينتي المنصورة (Mans-I, Mans-II, Mans-III) وطلخا (Talk-I, Talk-II, Talk-III)،مصر ، لتقييم جودة المياه خلال عام 2017. تم جمع عينات المياه خلال منتصف الفصول الأربعة وهي الشتاء والربيع والصيف والخريف. تم استخدام أدوات التقييم القياسية لتقييم جودة المياه اشتملت علىدالة جودة المياه (WQI) ، واختبار الطحالب القياسي للسمية.أوضحت نتائجWQI اختلافات موقعية وموسمية ملحوظة مع جودة مياه  ممتازه (WQI =90) وجيدة (WQI, 70 -89) مسجلة فقط لعينات المياه التي تم جمعها من مضخة Mans-I الموجودة في منطقة قليلة السكان وعلى بعد 50 مترًا فقط من الفرع الشرقي (دمياط) من نهر النيل. أظهرت قيمWQI للمضخات الأخرى الموجودة في المناطق المكتظة بالسكان وعلى بعد كيلومترات من فرع النيل جودة  مياه متوسطة (WQI, 50-69) أو سيئة (WQI, 25-49) حسب موسم أخذ العينات والموقع. جميع عينات المياه التي تم جمعها من مضخة Mans-I كانت غير سامة دون أي آثار مثبطة على نمو طحلب الاختبار القياسيPseudokirchneriella subcapitata. أظهرت عينات المياه المحمعة من جميع المضخات الأخرى تأثيرات سامة واضحة على نمو طحالب الاختبار مع قيم السمية(EC50) متفاوتة تتراوح بين15.8 %و 83 %.. الخلاصة ، كانت جميع عينات المياه التي تم جمعها من مضخة Mans-I آمنة للصحة بينماالعينات التي تم جمعها من مضخات أخرى يمكن أن تشكل مخاطر كبيرة على صحة الإنسان إذا استخدمت للشرب.Six house-hold Abyssinian pumps distributed in different villages of Mansoura (Mans-I, Mans-II and Mans-III) and Talkha (Talk-I, Talk-II and Talk-III) cities, Egypt, have been selected for regular seasonal water quality assessment during 2017. Water samples have been collected within the mid-periods of four seasons Standard assessment tools were employed for the integrated water quality assessment including Water Quality Index (WQI) and ISO standard algal toxicity test. WQI displayed remarkable local and seasonal variations with excellent (≥ 90) and good (70 - 89) only recorded for water samples collected from Mans-I pump located in sparsely populated area and far 50 meters only from the eastern (Damietta) branch of Nile River. WQI of other pumps located in densely populated areas and far kilometers from the Nile branch indicated either medium (50-69) or bad (25-49) quality depending on sampling season and sampling site location. All water samples collected from the pump Mans-I were non toxic without any inhibitory effects on the growth of the standard test alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Water samples from all other pumps, however, showed obvious toxic effects on test algae growth with varying EC50 values ranged between15.8% and 83%, depending on water sample and the sampling season. Concisely, all water samples collected from Mans-I pump were health safe with acceptable drinking water guidelines while samples collected from other pumps can impose great human health risks if used for drinkin

ETIOLOGY OF FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH GRAPEVINE DECLINE AND THEIR PATHOLOGICAL POTENTIAL

Decline of grapevine due to soil borne fungi was surveyed during 2013- 2015 summer growing seasons at El-Fayoum, El-Gharbeia and El-Beheira governorates, Egypt, Syndromes of declined grapevine plants included growth retardant of shoot system and root-rot as well as decrease of grapevine fruit yield  quality. Isolation trails from root of declined trees of different grapevine cultivars i.e., superior, flame seedless, King robi and crimson was carried out. The most soil borne fungi associated with root-rotted grapevine were Fusarium oxysporum Schlechtend, Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Rhizoctonia solaniKuhn and Macrophomina phaseolina(Tassi) Gold. Fusarium spp. are the main fungal associated with different infection types of declined root of grapevine either a singly or in combination with B. theobromae or R. solani as second infection type and third infection type with B. theobromae + R. solani. Under soil artificially infested with 5% (w/w) of each fungal isolates inocula of fourteen isolates obtained were varied for causing wilt and root-rot symptoms of grapevine trees and reducing growth parameters plant height, root length, root size, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root than the control. Botrydiplodia theobromae isolate No. (7)was the most caused root-rot and disease severity of shoot and root of grapevine plant(100%)  followed by Fusarium avenacum caused (87.5%) of root –rot and disease severity of shoot and root. Fouthermore, Fusarium avenacum isolate was the most fungal isolate in reducing growth parameters expect root length.  This is first record that Fusarium avenacum as a causal organism causing root rot disease of grapevine in Egypt

Structural and functional insights into non-structural proteins of coronaviruses

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are causing a number of human and animal diseases because of their zoonotic nature such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). These viruses can infect respiratory, gastrointestinal, hepatic and central nervous systems of human, livestock, birds, bat, mouse, and many wild animals. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a newly emerging respiratory virus and is causing CoVID-19 with high morbidity and considerable mortality. All CoVs belong to the order Nidovirales, family Coronaviridae, are enveloped positive-sense RNA viruses, characterised by club-like spikes on their surfaces and large RNA genome with a distinctive replication strategy. Coronavirus have the largest RNA genomes (~26–32 kilobases) and their expansion was likely enabled by acquiring enzyme functions that counter the commonly high error frequency of viral RNA polymerases. Non-structural proteins (nsp) 7–16 are cleaved from two large replicase polyproteins and guide the replication and processing of coronavirus RNA. Coronavirus replicase has more or less universal activities, such as RNA polymerase (nsp 12) and helicase (nsp 13), as well as a variety of unusual or even special mRNA capping (nsp 14, nsp 16) and fidelity regulation (nsp 14) domains. Besides that, several smaller subunits (nsp 7– nsp 10) serve as essential cofactors for these enzymes and contribute to the emerging “nsp interactome.” In spite of the significant progress in studying coronaviruses structural and functional properties, there is an urgent need to understand the coronaviruses evolutionary success that will be helpful to develop enhanced control strategies. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the structure, function, and interactions of coronaviruses RNA synthesizing machinery and their replication strategies. © 202

Suppression by central adenosine A3 receptors of the cholinergic defense against cardiovascular aberrations of sepsis: role of PI3K/MAPKs/NFκB signaling

Introduction: Despite the established role of peripheral adenosine receptors in sepsis-induced organ dysfunction, little or no data is available on the interaction of central adenosine receptors with sepsis. The current study tested the hypothesis that central adenosine A3 receptors (A3ARs) modulate the cardiovascular aberrations and neuroinflammation triggered by sepsis and their counteraction by the cholinergic antiinflammatory pathway.Methods: Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in rats pre-instrumented with femoral and intracisternal (i.c.) catheters for hemodynamic monitoring and central drug administration, respectively.Results: The CLP-induced hypotension, reduction in overall heart rate variability (HRV) and sympathovagal imbalance towards parasympathetic predominance were abolished by i.v. nicotine (100 μg/kg) or i.c. VUF5574 (A3AR antagonist, 2 µg/rat). In addition, the selective A3AR agonist, 3-iodobenzyl-5′-N-methylcarboxamidoadenosine IB-MECA, 4 µg/rat, i.c.) exaggerated the hypotension and cardiac autonomic dysfunction induced by sepsis and opposed the favorable nicotine actions against these septic manifestations. Immunohistochemically, IB-MECA abolished the nicotine-mediated downregulation of NFκB and NOX2 expression in rostral ventrolateral medullary areas (RVLM) of brainstem of septic rats. The inhibitory actions of IB-MECA on nicotine responses disappeared after i.c. administration of PD98059 (MAPK-ERK inhibitor), SP600125 (MAPK-JNK inhibitor) or wortmannin (PI3K inhibitor). Moreover, infliximab (TNFα inhibitor) eliminated the IB-MECA-induced rises in RVLM-NFκB expression and falls in HRV, but not blood pressure.Conclusion: Central PI3K/MAPKs pathway mediates the A3AR counteraction of cholinergic defenses against cardiovascular and neuroinflammatory aberrations in sepsis

A Mechanistic Study of Carbonic Anhydrase Enhanced Calcite Dissolution

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) has been shown to promote calcite dissolution (Liu, 2001, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-6724.2001.tb00531.x; Subhas et al., 2017, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1703604114), and understanding the catalytic mechanism will facilitate our understanding of the oceanic alkalinity cycle. We use atomic force microscopy (AFM) to directly observe calcite dissolution in CA‐bearing solution. CA is found to etch the calcite surface only when in extreme proximity (~1 nm) to the mineral. Subsequently, the CA‐induced etch pits create step edges that serve as active dissolution sites. The possible catalytic mechanism is through the adsorption of CA on the calcite surface, followed by proton transfer from the CA catalytic center to the calcite surface during CO2 hydration. This study shows that the accessibility of CA to particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) in the ocean is critical in properly estimating oceanic CaCO3 and alkalinity cycles

A Mechanistic Study of Carbonic Anhydrase Enhanced Calcite Dissolution

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) has been shown to promote calcite dissolution (Liu, 2001, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-6724.2001.tb00531.x; Subhas et al., 2017, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1703604114), and understanding the catalytic mechanism will facilitate our understanding of the oceanic alkalinity cycle. We use atomic force microscopy (AFM) to directly observe calcite dissolution in CA‐bearing solution. CA is found to etch the calcite surface only when in extreme proximity (~1 nm) to the mineral. Subsequently, the CA‐induced etch pits create step edges that serve as active dissolution sites. The possible catalytic mechanism is through the adsorption of CA on the calcite surface, followed by proton transfer from the CA catalytic center to the calcite surface during CO2 hydration. This study shows that the accessibility of CA to particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) in the ocean is critical in properly estimating oceanic CaCO3 and alkalinity cycles