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

BIOAVAILABILITY STUDY OF ONDANSETRON GEL IN RABBITS AND HUMAN VOLUNTEERS APPLING UPLC AS ANALYTICAL TOOL AND EVALUATION OF THE ANTIEMETIC EFFECT OF ONDANSETRON GEL IN CISPLATIN-INDUCED EMESIS IN RATS

Objective: This study was undertaken to determine the bioavailability of ondansetron gel in experimental animals and humans applying UPLC as an analytical tool and evaluation of the antiemetic effect of ondansetron gel in cisplatin-induced emesis in rats. Methods: Ondansetron gel (F13: sodium alginate 7% w/w) was used, marketed I. V. ondansetron (Zofran) ® was chosen as reference. The bioavailability study in rabbits was selected as a parallel design using nine healthy rabbits divided into three groups whereas, bioavailability study in humans was an open-label, wherein 6 healthy subjects administered ondansetron gel. The potential effect of ondansetron gel was evaluated for the prevention of different phases of emesis motivated by exposure to antineoplastic drugs (cisplatin) by determination of body weight loss, water and food intake applying kaolin-pica model in rats using seventy-two rats divided into six groups. Results: Ondansetron gel (0.5%) showed detectable plasma concentration 22.833±2.17 ng/m1 after ¼ h and 419.55±2.17 ng/ml after 1-h post-treatment in rabbits and human respectively and concentration was maintained above-reported minimum effective concentration for more than 2.5 h for rabbits and 7 h for humans compared to 1.75 h after I. V. administration. The ondansetron gel significantly reduces all phases of cisplatin-induced emesis and a decrease in body weight, water, and food consumption was significantly attenuated. Conclusion: Based on the high efficacy of gel on emesis induced by cisplatin, and its high bioavailability, transdermal ondansetron gel could be a promising convenient system to prevent nausea and vomiting following administration of antineoplastic drugs

Finite element analysis of the behavior of bonded composite patches repair in aircraft structures

This paper aims to analyze the multi-effects of the glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite patch to repair the inclined cracked 2420-T3 aluminum plate. Three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) was used to study the effect of GFRP composite patch with different stacking composite laminate sequence, [0°]4, [90o]4, [45o]4, [0o/45o]2s and [0°/90°]4s on the crack driving force, J-integral, of inclined cracked 2420-T3 aluminum plate. Furthermore, the effects of patch geometry, number of layers, single or double side patch and crack incline angle are described. The present results show that the patch has a high effect in case of a crack in pure mode I. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the composite patch is increasing with the crack length increases. Moreover, the efficiency of the composite patch has a high effect by changing the fiber orientation, the number of layers, and the single or double side patch

Irisin in Adolescent Type 1 Diabetic Patients and its Relation to Diabetes Control and Atherosclerosis

AIM: The objective of this was to determine the role of irisin in adolescent type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients. METHODS: This study was conducted on 65 patients with T1D and 50 healthy individuals as control group. Serum irisin, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid profile, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL), urinary albumin/creatinine ratio; carotid intimal medial thickness (cIMT), and aortic intimal medial thickness (aIMT) were evaluated for all participant. RESULTS: HbA1c, lipid profile, albumin/creatinine ratio, OxLDL, irisin, aIMT and cIMT were significantly higher in diabetic patients. Irisin had a positive correlation with age of diabetic patients, onset of diabetes, mid arm circumference, waist/height ratio, body mass index, HbA1c, and cIMT. CONCLUSION: Irisin is a marker for detection of diabetes control and early detection of subclinical atherosclerosis. Irisin had a relation with obesity

Stability Indicating Spectrophotometric Methods Determination of Nicardipine in the Presence of its Alkaline Induced Degradation Products

Objective: Derivative, ratio spectra derivative and ratio difference spectrophotometric methods were developed and validated for simultaneous determination of Nicardipine (NIC) in the presence of its alkaline induced degradation products. Methods: In these methods the overlapped spectra of NIC and its alkaline induced degradation products were well resolved by measuring the amplitudes of first derivative (D1) spectra and the second derivative (D2) at 382.3 and 239 nm, respectively. NIC was determined by ratio spectra derivative by measuring the amplitude at 244 nm. The ratio difference spectrophotometric method was developed in which the difference between amplitudes at 237.5 nm and 260 nm of the ratio spectra were recorded. The linearity range for the applied methods was 2-18 μg/ml.Results: All the developed methods were validated according to ICH Guidelines, NIC was determined with acceptable accuracy and precision.Conclusion: These methods were suitable as stability indicating methods for the determination of NIC in the presence of its alkaline induced degradation products either in bulk powder or in a pharmaceutical formulation. Statistical analysis of the results with those obtained by applying a reported method has been carried out revealing high accuracy and good precision.Keywords: Nicardipine, Spectrophotometry, Pharmaceutical preparations, Stability indicating, derivative, ratio derivative and ratio differenc

Production of Polysaccharides (Xanthan gum) by Xanthomonas campestris pv. Sesame

Many microorganisms and plants were found produce polysaccharides which are widely varying in their composition and structure. The extracellular polysaccharide produced by   Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, is chemically analyzed and used industrially. However, only the xanthan gum which was ranking as the best among the ten polysaccharides was used commercially in large amounts. The xanthan gum has numerous applications in food and other industries. The present study was aiming to investigate the capacity of X; campestris pv. sesami for the production of xanthan gum, using culture media containing different carbon sources. The properties of the produced material were investigated (pH, viscosity, and chromatographic analysis using thin layer chromatography).  The results showed that the weight of the product was increasing with time reaching about 9.8g at the tenth day compared to only 2.1g on the second day. The results of the effect of different carbon sources indicated that sucrose was the best giving 9.0 g in the 7th day compared to only 1.5g by raffinose. The pH was changing from 6.7 at the beginning of the experiment to 4.2 in the tenth day. However, the viscosity of the inoculated sucrose medium was found to increase from 2.4 unit at the second day to 9.7 units after ten days. Analysis on paper chromatography showed that the produced polysaccharide contains mannose, glucuronic acid, glucose, rhamnose but no ribose nor trehalose or fructose were detected. The results indicated that the investigated bacterium was producing large amounts of xanthan gum. Although, Xanthan gum was discovered in 1950s its substantial commercial production began in 1964 and in 1969, the USA, Food and Drug Administration authorized its use in food. Xanthan gum, now has numerous uses in food and other industries. Further studies should be carried on other isolates  of the bacterium   X. campestris pv. sesami and more chemical analysis are needed

QUANTITATIVE POLLEN ANALYSIS OF BEE HONEY AT CERTAIN APIARIES IN QALYUBIA GOVERNORATE AND AVAILABLE HONEY IN LOCAL MARKET, EGYPT

A new proposal method for quantitative pollen analysis of pollen grains in each gram of bee honey was described, using aNeubauer improved chamber for leucocytes and erythrocytes counting. The study was conducted at the Bee Research Unit, Dept. of plant protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Shoubra El-kheimah, Al Qalyubia, Egypt on 36 samples of citrus and clover honeys. 18 samples were collected from 5 apiaries under study in Qalyubia Governorate; Kanater, Shalakan, Tookh, Khankah and Shoubra El kheimah and 18 samples were collected from local market in 5 Governorates in Egypt; Cairo, Giza, Qalyubia, Gharbia and Sharqia, during their seasons of production in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The results showed that 2.8 % of the samples were poor in their content of pollen grains (2000-10000 pollen grains /g honey), 77.8 % of the samples were rich in their content of pollen grains (10000-50000 pollen grains /g honey), 11.1% of the samples were more rich in their content of pollen grain (50000 -100000 pollen grains /g honey) and 8.3% of the samples were very rich in their content of pollen grain (>100000 pollen grains /g honey)

Study of congenital malformations in infants and children in Menoufia governorate, Egypt

Congenital anomalies is one of the main causes of physical disabilities, stillbirths and neonatal deaths. The exact etiology of most congenital anomalies is unidentified but genetic and environmental causes are accused.We aimed to study congenital anomalies regarding frequency, clinical pattern and associated risk factors.A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 infants and children with congenital anomalies attended to our pediatric genetic clinic at Menoufia University Hospital from October 2016 to October 2017. Detailed history taking, clinical examination and investigations including cytogenetic study were done.Out of 100 cases, 51% have isolated anomalies and 49% have multiple anomalies, 14.2% had chromosomal abnormalities, 44.8% were diagnosed as genetic syndromes, while we did not reach the final diagnosis in 40.8% of cases. According to the ICD-10 classification of congenital anomalies musculoskeletal system anomalies were the most common in 48% of cases, followed by anomalies of the eye, ear, face and neck in 44% of cases. Anomalies of nervous system, circulatory system, genital organs, urinary system, chromosomal abnormalities, cleft lip and cleft palate occur in 26%, 22%, 18%, 12%, 7% and 6% of cases respectively.Gastrointestinal anomalies in only 4% of cases taking into account that one case may have more than one affected system. According to the guidelines for case classification for the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 2003, 51% had major anomalies, 18% had minor anomalies while 31% had both. Some cases had undergone immediate intervention e.g. meningomyelocele, encephalocele, omphalocele and gastroschisis. While other cases required later intervention e.g. hypospadius, cleft palate and cleft lip. Male gender, consanguineous marriage and lack of maternal folic acid supplementations were found in 54%, 43% and 59% of cases respectively, constituted the main risk factors.Subjects and methods: proper physical examination, cytogenetic and molecular studies are important for the early intervention so prevention will be possible.Keywords: Anomalies, Chromosomal, Congenital, Dysmorphic, Syndrome, Diagnosi