A conceptual framework for the evaluation of fuel-cell energy systems in the UK built environment.

Energy-efficient buildings can reduce human impact on the environment. Energy efficiency is not only concerned with generating more energy using fewer resources, nor reducing energy usage, but also it is about harnessing natural resources, such as wind and sun, to produce energy. The UK government is thus promoting the adoption of renewable energy in buildings. The Fuel-Cell Energy Systems (FCES), which utilizes hydrogen from renewable sources (green hydrogen), is a prominent technology yet with little application in the UK built environment. FCESs can help in addressing the problem of intermittent supplies of renewable energy by allowing for energy storage, which could act as a buffer to meet the variability in user-demand thereby maintaining energy security. Thus, the aim of this article is to explore the application of FCES in the UK built environment by drawing on the scant literature as well as discussion with industry experts. With the recent implementation of FCESs in Scotland, the development of guidelines for evaluation of the FCES is timely. A conceptual framework for the evaluation of FCES is thus outlined in this article, which could be piloted in Scotland (and possibly elsewhere). It is argued that such framework provides a holistic and structured approach for establishing the efficacy of FCES, which is crucial for informing its wider adoption in the future and in particular when it comes to the Return-on-Investment, especially from the perspective of funders and the local community

Effect of Body Weight on Pattern of Coronary Lesions in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography at Sohag University Hospital

Background: Obesity is related to multiple risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) including hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), metabolic syndrome, and dyslipidemia, while also likely being an independent risk factor for CVD. Through multiple pathways including increased angiotensin, circulating blood volume, and total peripheral resistance, excess weight increases hypertension (HTN) risk.Objective: This study aimed to reveal the relationship between body weight and the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients referred for coronary angiography at Sohag University Hospital.Patients and methods: This was a cross-sectional hospital-based study performed on 200 patients, at Sohag University Hospital. Mean age was 56.94 ± 10.30 years. Among them, there were 175 patients (87.5%) who were overweight or obese with higher prevalence of HTN, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes. Normal weight patients were 25 (12.5%) with lower prevalence of HTN, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes.Results: According to BMI in our study, 175 patients (87.5 %) were overweight or obese, 162 patients (92.57%) of the overweight had significant coronary artery disease. 162 patients (81%) had significant coronary angiography findings (> 70% stenosis in any of the coronary arteries). They were classified to 63 patients (31.5%) had single vessel diseased, 53 patients (26.5%) had two vessels diseased, and 46 patients (23%) had three vessels diseased.Conclusion: Obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, aging and male gender were correlated with severity of CAD. Thus, reduction of weight, stoppage of smoking and control of diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia will improve outcome of coronary artery disease

Inflammatory mediators in saliva and gingival fluid of children with congenital heart defect

Objectives (a) To compare levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in children with and without congenital heart defects (CHD cases and controls) and to test whether a systemic component exists in CHD cases by controlling for gingivitis and plaque scores. (b) To correlate the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators in GCF and saliva with plaque bacterial composition among CHD cases and controls. Materials and Methods Whole un-stimulated saliva and GCF samples were collected (60 CHD cases, 60 controls [Sudan]) and were analysed for levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ra (IL-1ra) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels. These levels were correlated with the previously reported levels of four red complex bacteria. Results Significantly elevated levels of PGE2 and IL-1β in GCF and IL-1β and TNF-α in saliva were detected among CHD cases compared with controls. General linear model (GLM) analyses revealed that PGE2 and IL-1β levels remained significantly higher in GCF and saliva samples, respectively, among CHD cases after controlling for gingivitis and plaque score, whereas TNF-α and IL-10 levels were significantly lower in their GCF samples. Additionally, IL-1β level was significantly positively correlated to the counts of the four red complex species in their GCF. Conclusion In addition to higher levels of some pro-inflammatory mediators in saliva and GCF corresponding to more gingivitis in CHD cases, also a systemic inflammatory component exists and is reflected in these two oral fluids.publishedVersio

آليات تعزيز الأمن الاقتصادي والسلم الاجتماعي: رؤية فقهية معاصرة = Mechanisms of promoting economic peace and social security: a contemporary juristic perspective

يسلط هذا البحث الضوء على بعض الآليات التي تسهم في تعزيز السلم الاجتماعي والأمن الاقتصادي، وتؤدي إلى تحقيق استقرار المجتمعات، وازدهار اقتصاده، من منظور الرؤية الإسلامية المستوحاة من النصوص الشرعية ومن ممارسات الرعيل الأول الذين عاشوا بسلام ونشروا في العالم السلام. تتمثل إشكالية البحث في سؤال جوهري؛ هل للإسلام رؤية في تحقيق السلم الاجتماعي والأمن الاقتصادي؟ لقد تناول الباحث - مستقرئا آيات الكتاب المجيد، مستخدما المنهج التحليلي - هذه الآليات التي من أهمها: تحريم وتجريم الحروب وتحريم الميسر، وتقسيم المجتمع إلى طبقات، وكل ما من شأنه أن يغذّي العداوات، و يؤدي إلى تفويت مقصد الشارع من المال والثروة،. من أهم النتائج التي توصل إليها هذا البحث، أن الإسلام تشدد في تحريم الاحتكار والربح الفاحش، وأوصى بالتوزيع العادل للثروة، وعدم تكديسها في أيد قليلة، والنأي عن جمع الأرباح الهائلة من خلال استغلال حاجة المستهلك، وأن ديننا الحنيف يدعونا إلى تقريب الفوارق الاقتصادية بين الأفراد حتى لا يكون ثمة ثراء فاحش، أو فقر مدقع. ********************************************************************************* This paper highlights some of the mechanisms that contribute to the promotion of social peace and economic security and lead to the stabilization of societies and the prosperity of its economy from the Islamic perspective inspired by the Islamic text as well as the practices of the first Muslim generation who lived in peace and spread peace in the world. The primary research problem is a fundamental question: Does Islam has a vision in achieving social peace and economic security? Adapting Analytical approach, the researcher has dealt with these mechanisms the most important of which are the prohibition and criminalization of wars, the prohibition of gambling, the division of society into classes, and all that would nourish enmities. Among the most important findings of this research is that Islam strictly prohibits monopoly and obscene profit, requires equitable distribution of wealth so that it is not accumulated in a few hands and to refrain from exploiting the need of the consumer and that our religion calls us to close the economic differences among individuals so that there is no super-rich, or extreme poverty

Effects of drip irrigation frequency, fertilizer sources and their interaction on the dry matter and yield components of sweet corn

Irrigation frequency is one of the most important factors in the management of water in the agriculture sector to sustain crop productivity, especially in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Additionally, fertilizers have to be adequately applied. An experiment was carried out under a rain shelter from July to December 2012 in Malaysia to determine the effects of irrigation frequency and fertilizer sources on the growth and yield of sweet corn planted on a limed sandy clay, Ultisol, using a drip-irrigation system. This experiment was conducted using a split-plot design with four drip-irrigation frequencies (daily, once every 2 days, once every 3 days and once every 4 days) and four sources of fertilizers (NPK, goat manure, poultry manure and control). The drip irrigation was the main plot, while fertilizers were the subplot factors. The results of the study indicated that total dry matter and yield components increased with the increase in drip-irrigation frequency with values of 44% and 32% respectively. The highest growth parameters and shoot dry weight were recorded from daily irrigation intervals with goat manure, while the highest yield components were obtained from daily irrigation frequency with NPK fertilizer and poultry manure. In the light of these results, therefore, for optimum biomass of corn, high irrigation frequency with goat and poultry manure is the most viable option while yield was greatly favoured by a high irrigation frequency with NPK

القضية الكردية بين الحقوق المشروعة والتسامح المأمول: دراسة تحليلية The Kurdish issue between legitimate rights and hoped- for tolerance: analytical study

This article discusses the definition of the Kurdish issue, the legitimate rights of the Kurdish people in equality, freedom, justice and political participation as fixed rights agreed upon by people, and the call to spread goodness and tolerance and transcend intellectual slides that aim to deepen the dispute between all Muslims and reject bigotry and fanaticism that aims to crack and split Islamic societies, and the article aims to shed light on the suffering of the Kurds and their legitimate rights, and to spread tolerance and promote unity among all Muslims. Three methods have been adopted namely the descriptive and analytical methods in addition to the historical method. Among the findings: is that the Kurds are an integral part of the Islamic nation that is united under one God and one Prophet, and that our true religion recognizes all nationalities, preserves their right, and recognizes all Muslim ethnic groups , including the Kurds, to enjoy the full legitimate rights, respect thir privacy, and allow the Kurdish people to form their political unity. Keywords: The Kurds, Siyasah Shar’iyyah, Human Rights, Islamic Unit

Oral-health-related background factors and dental service utilisation among Sudanese children with and without a congenital heart defects

Background: Sudanese children with congenital heart defects (CHDs) were found to have poorer oral health than those without CHDs. The aims of this study were to: describe the patterns of oral-health-related background factors in children with and without CHD and explore any differences, and to evaluate the effects of background factors on caries and gingivitis prevalence and dental services utilisation. Methods: In this analytical cross-sectional study, caregivers of children aged 3–12 years with (CHD cases n = 111) and without CHDs (Controls n = 182), underwent face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire items covered several oral health background factors (independent variables) including: child’s health status, oral hygiene practices, dental services utilization, mother’s level of education, and caregiver’s perception and awareness of their child’s oral health. The relationship between these factors and occurrence of ‘caries’ and ‘gingivitis’ as well as ‘child’s dental services utilisation’ (dependent variables) were explored using multiple adjusted and hierarchal logistic regression analyses. Results: Compared with controls, CHD cases had lower frequencies of brushing and use of fluoridated toothpaste, and their caregivers were less knowledgeable about caries. Among CHD cases, the variables (brushing and fluoridated toothpaste use) had significant impacts on caries prevalence (odd ratio (OR) =5.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4–22.8 and OR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1–0.8 for infrequent compared to frequent ones, respectively) as well as the mother’s level of education (OR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.0–6.4). When differences in background factors were controlled for, the adjusted ORs for caries and gingivitis prevalence in CHD cases compared with controls were 1.8, (95% CI: 1.1–3.2) and 5.3 (95% CI: 2.9–9.4), respectively. Among CHD cases, the child’s age (8–12 years: OR = 11.9, 95% CI: 1.9–71.6), and the mother’s level of education (lower education: OR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.03–0.9) were significantly associated with the child’s dental services utilisation. Conclusions: Lower frequencies of brushing and use of fluoride tooth paste were reported among CHD cases, and brushing had the predominant significant impact on caries prevalence. The child’s age and the mother’s level of education were the main factors affecting the child’s (CHD cases) dental services utilisation.publishedVersio

Role of MR as Non-Invasive Procedure in Assessment of Fatty Liver Infiltration in Potential Liver Donor Versus Biopsy

Background: Significant hepatic steatosis can impact surgical results in the donor. Liver biopsy is the gold standard for hepatic steatosis diagnosis and assessment. Liver biopsy is not useful for screening or monitoring hepatic steatosis in living liver donors. MR spectroscopy and the proton density fat fraction (FF) approach have shown encouraging results in assessing hepatic steatosis. Aim and Objectives: is to correlate between the MRI-PDFF techniques as a non-invasive technique in pre-operative assessment   of quantification of liver fat in comparison to the liver biopsy. Patients and Methods: This prospective control study was conducted at the National Hepatology and tropical medicine research institute including 42adult potential hepatic donors. The duration of the study ranged from 6-12 months. Results: regarding median fat percent for selected patients (n=42) We found that correlation between both reading was significant strong positive one (spearman correlation =0.960, p<0.001). despite the recorded liver fat percent through MRI PDFF was higher in males when compared to females, this was statistically insignificant. MRI PDFF true positive was 86.8% with false positive of 50% and true negative was 50% with false negative of 13.2%. Conclusion: Noninvasive MR hepatic PDFF technique with IDEAL sequence is a precise reliable technique for quantitative assessment of hepatic steatosis with high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of It is recommended to be a part of preoperative liver evaluation in living donors and selectively performing liver biopsy in donor candidates diagnosed to have substantial steatosis based on MR PDFF findings

Effects of short- and long-term exposures of humic acid on the Anammox activity and microbial community

Humic acid has a controversial effect on the biological treatment processes. Here, we have investigated humic acid effects on the Anammox activity by studying the nitrogen removal efficiencies in batch and continuous conditions and analyzing the microbial community using Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique. The results showed that the Anammox activity was affected by the presence of humic acid at a concentration higher than 70 mg/L. In fact, in the presence of humic acid concentration of 200 mg/L, the Anammox activity decreased to 57% in batch and under continuous condition, the ammonium removal efficiencies of the reactor decreased from 78 to 41%. This reduction of Anammox activity after humic acid addition was highlighted by FISH analysis which revealed a considerable reduction of the abundance of Anammox bacteria and the bacteria living in symbiosis with them. Furthermore, a total inhibition of Candidatus Brocadia fulgida was observed. However, humic acid has promoted heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria which became dominant in the reactor. In fact, the evolution of the organic matter in the reactor showed that the added humic acid was used as carbon source by heterotrophic bacteria which explained the shift of metabolism to the favor of heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria. Accordingly, humic acid should be controlled in the influent to avoid Anammox activity inhibition.This research work is financially supported by the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and TechnologyS

Mammalian Cell Culture Clarification: A Case Study Using Chimeric Anti-CEA Monoclonal Antibodies

The extracellular expression of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in mammalian cell culture provides both opportunities and restrictions for the design of robust harvest and clarification operations. With advances in cell culture media and cell lines, it is now possible to achieve high titers of over 5 g/l for mAbs. However, Mammalian cells are sensitive to breakage due to shear stress that can result in release of proteases and other host cell proteins (HCPs) which eventually affects product stability and purity. There is larger number of mAbs undergoing clinical development and it has placed significant importance on platform technologies of process development. Generally, Centrifugation and microfiltration are the primary harvest techniques used in the industry and depth filtration is also used as a step operation on clarification. This study compares the unit operations; centrifugation, microfiltration and depth filtration for maximum recovery of monoclonal antibodies. The results have shown that the depth filtration as more suitable operation for mammalian cell culture clarification since it gives 96% recovery of mAbs in comparison to centrifugation and microfiltration. ABSTRAK: Pengungkapan luar sel dari antibodi monoklon (monoclonal antibodies ((mAbs) dalam kultur sel mamalia memberi ruang dan batasan terhadap reka bentuk penuaian yang cekap dan penerangan operasi. Dengan kemajuan dalam media sel kultur dan cell lines (produk yang berupa sel kekal yang digunakan untuk tujuan kajian biologi), kini adalah berkemungkinan untuk memperolehi titer tinggi melebihi 5g/l untuk mAbs [2]. Walaupun begitu, sel mamalia sensitif terhadap retakan disebabkan tegasan ricih yang menyebabkan pengeluaran protease dan hos sel protein yang lain, (host cell proteins (HCPs)) akhirnya mempengaruhi kestabilan dan keaslian produk. Terdapat mAbs dalam jumlah besar yang masih menjalani pembangunan klinikal dan sesungguhnya ini penting sebagai satu landasan teknologi dalam proses pembangunan. Umumnya pengemparan dan mikropenurasan merupakan teknik asas tuaian dalam industri dan penurasan dalam juga digunakan sebagai satu pengendalian langkah dalam penjelasannya. Kajian ini membandingkan operasi unit: pengemparan, mikropenurasan dan penurasan dalam untuk perolehan antibodi monoklon yang maksima. Keputusan menunjukkan penurasan dalam adalah operasi yang lebih sesuai untuk penjelasan kultur sel mamalia kerana ia memberikan perolehan 96 % mAbs berbandingkan dengan cara pengemparan dan mikropenurasan