Translating Metabolic Reprogramming into New Targets for Kidney Cancer.

In the age of bioinformatics and with the advent of high-powered computation over the past decade or so the landscape of biomedical research has become radically altered. Whereas a generation ago, investigators would study their "favorite" protein or gene and exhaustively catalog the role of this compound in their disease of interest, the appearance of omics has changed the face of medicine such that much of the cutting edge (and fundable!) medical research now evaluates the biology of the disease nearly in its entirety. Couple this with the realization that kidney cancer is a "metabolic disease" due to its multiple derangements in biochemical pathways [1, 2], and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) becomes ripe for data mining using multiple omics approaches

Design of a Web-Based Appointment for Patient of Optometry Department at El-Beida Hospital, Libya.

It has shown that the advent of World Wide Web has revolutionized the business processes and assists the information dissemination especially in hospital all over the world. This project research on the problem that is currently facing the patients of optometry department in El-Beidal hospital Libya where patients are finding it difficult to receive medical care due to the old method of medical treatment that are in practice. A prototype is developed to help the patients in communicating and booking appointment with medical officers in Optometry Department of El-Beidal hospital Libya irrespective of time and their location. The system was tested by the prospective users and found that it is easy to use

EVALUATION OF THE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF NIGELLA SATIVA (BLACK CUMIN) OIL AGAINST VANCOMYCIN-INDUCED NEPHROTOXICITY IN RATS

Objective: The study was designed to investigate a possible protective effect of Nigella sativa (NS) against vancomycin (VAN)-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Methods: Twenty-eight adult male Albino rats were randomly divided into four groups; seven rats in each. Group I (control): The animals were treated with normal saline (2 ml/kg/day) given orally and intraperitoneally (IP); Group II: VAN was given at a dose of 400 mg/kg/day for 7 days IP and normal saline orally; Group III: NS oil was given at a dose of 2 ml/kg/day for seven days orally and normal saline IP; and Group IV: VAN 400 mg/kg/day IP in combination with NS oil 2 ml/kg/day orally for 7 days. Twenty-four hours after the last dose, the animals were sacrificed, and serum was collected to estimate urea and creatinine. Then, both kidneys were excised, one for homogenate preparation to estimate renal tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and the other for histopathological examination. Results: NS significantly decreased serum urea and creatinine compared to VAN treated group, p<0.001. NS significantly increased renal tissue GSH compared to VAN treated group p<0.001. NS lowered MDA and NGAL levels in the homogenate of renal tissues compared to their elevated levels in rats treated with VAN, but this did not achieve statistical significance. NS also ameliorated renal histopathological changes induced by VAN. Conclusion: NS has a protective effect against VAN-induced nephrotoxicity

Antimicrobial Activity of Nigella Sativa Extract Against some Bacterial and Fungal Species.

استخدمت بذور الحبة السوداء منذ آلاف السنين كتوابل ومواد حافظة للأغذية كما استخدمت هذه البذور في تعزيز الصحة ومكافحة الأمراض وخاصة في الشرق الأوسط. وفي هذه الدراسة استخلصت بذور الحبة السوداء مع 96 ٪ من الإيثانول وتم تنقيته كروماتوجرافيا بالسيليكا جيل مع مذيبات مختلفة. وأظهرت ألنتائج لمستخلصات الحبة السوداء على الفطر F. Solani أن كلا من مستخلص الهكسان والإيثانول من زيت بذور الحبة السوداء فعالية عالية مضادة للفطريات وكان قطر النمو 24 ± 2.1mm  و 28 ± 1.5  mm ،على التوالي  في حين لم يظهر F.Solani  أي حساسية لمستخلص ألأسيتون ، اثيل أسيتيت  و المائي. كما تم اختبار جميع المستخلصات كمضاد للبكتيريا  E.coli ، S.aureus K.pneumonia و Enterobacter aerogenes .  كما وجد ان مستخلص الكلوروفورم كان ساما لل E.coli مع منطقة تثبيط 18.3 ± 4.3mm  و 19.3 ± 3.5 ملم اضافة الى ان لها نفس التأثير على K.pneumonia و  Enterobacter aerogenes في حين كان تأثيرها ضعيفا على S.aureus ، في نفس الوقت الاسيتون، أثيل اسيتيت والماء لم تظهر أي تأثيرات على انواع  البكتيريا الاخرىSeeds of Nigella sativa have been employed for thousands of years as spice and food preservative these seeds have been used to promote health and fight disease especially in the Middle East. In this study black seed extracted with 96% ethanol and purified chromatographically by using silica gel column with different solvents. The purpose of this study is to evaluate effect of Nigella sativa purified oil fractions on some fungal and bacterial species. The antifungal results on Fusarium Solani showed that both hexane and ethanol fractions of black seed oil revealed high antifungal properties and the diameter of growth were 24 ± 2.1mm  and 28 ± 1.5 mm, while chloroform and methanol revealed moderate effect on Fusarium Solani, the diameter of growth were 30 ± 2.5mm and 37 ± 2.9mm. Fusarium Solani did not show any sensitivity for acetone, ethyl acetate and water fractions and the diameter of growth was between 40 to 44 mm. All seven fractions tested as antibacterial with Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aurous, Klepsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter aerogene. Hexane and chloroform fractions were toxic to the Escherichia coli with inhibition zone 18.3 ± 4.3mm and 19.3±3.5 mm also these both fractions have the same effect on Klepsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter aerogenes while having the weak effect on Staphylococcus aurous with inhibition zone ranged between 8.6 - 3.3mm. Staphylococcus aurous revealed high sensitivity to ethanol fraction with inhibition zone 22.3 ± 5.4 mm in the same time acetone, ethyl acetate and water did not show any effect on bacterial spices

OPTIMIZATION PRODUCTION CONDITIONS OF ANTIBACTERIAL METABOLITE FROM STREPTOMYCES SP.

  Objectives: The paper aimed to isolate Streptomyces strain having the ability to produce antibacterial metabolites and optimize some environmental parameters for excellent antibiotic production.Methods: Different soil samples were collected from extreme environments of desert regions at Karbala Province, Iraq. Actinomycetes were isolated using different media. The primary screening for antibacterial production was accomplished, and the antibacterial activities were tested against pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The most potent strain was chosen for optimizing some of environmental parameters to increase the bioactive metabolite production. Different parameters were studied such as culture media, temperature, pH, and agitation rate.Results: About eight Streptomyces strains were isolated from soil samples. All isolates appeared variable levels of antibiotic productions against Gram-positive and negative pathogenic bacteria, and the best one was Streptomyces sp. LHR 9. The antibacterial metabolite production from Streptomyces sp. LHR 9 was affected by various cultural parameters. Glucose soybean meal broth as a fermentation medium at pH 7 yielded the highest antibiotic production under the optimal fermentation conditions, including the temperature at 35°C with 200 rpm (revolution/min) agitation rate and 7 days incubation period.Conclusion: The Streptomyces sp. LHR 9 showed antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and negative pathogenic bacteria. It may consider as a potential source of drug production. Further study needs to purification and characterization of antibiotic and analyzes the mechanism for the antimicrobial activity of this bioactive compound

OPTIMIZATION OF MEDIUM COMPOSITION FOR ANTIBACTERIAL METABOLITE PRODUCTION FROM STREPTOMYCES SP.

  Objectives: This paper aimed to optimize some essential nutritional components (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphate) of fermentation medium necessary for the production of antibacterial metabolites from Streptomyces sp.Materials and Methods: Streptomyces sp. LH9 previously isolated from desert soil in Karbala Province, Iraq. This strain produced antibiotic against 4 pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalagtiae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For optimizing, the essential nutritional requirements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphate in fermentation media different concentrations of these sources were used to improve the antibacterial metabolite production.Results: All the studied nutritional parameters were had impacts on the antibacterial metabolite production from Streptomyces sp. LH9. The actinobacterial strain produced a highest antibiotic metabolites when was grown in the fermentation medium supplemented with 2% dextrose (as a sole carbon source), 0.05% peptone (as a sole nitrogen source), and 0.05% K2HPO4 at pH 7 and incubated under optimal conditions; at 30°C with 250 rpm (revolutions/min) agitation for 7 days.Conclusion: Streptomyces sp. LH9 was a good producer for antibacterial against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which required simple nutritional supplements in the fermentation medium. Furthermore, could be utilized the industrial waste for improving the production in the most economic manner

Effect of Solid Particle Properties on Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop in Packed Duct

This work examines numerically the effects of particle size, particle thermal conductivity and inlet velocity of forced convection heat transfer in uniformly heated packed duct. Four packing material (Aluminum, Alumina, Glass and Nylon) with range of thermal conductivity (from200 W/m.K for Aluminum to 0.23 W/m.K for Nylon), four particle diameters (1, 3, 5 and 7 cm), inlet velocity ( 0.07, 0.19 and 0.32 m/s) and constant heat flux ( 1000, 2000 and 3000 W/ m 2) were investigated. Results showed that heat transfer (average Nusselt number Nuav) increased with increasing packing conductivity; inlet velocity and heat flux, but decreased with increasing particle size.Also, Aluminum average Nusselt number is about (0.85,2.2 and 3.1 times) than Alumina, glass and Nylon respectively. From optimization between heat transfer and pressure drop through packed duct, it is found thatfinest ratio (Nuav / ?p) equal to (19.12) at (Dp = 7 cm, inlet velocity = 0.07 m/ s and 3000 W/m2 heat flux) with Aluminum as packing material

A new 4-D hyperchaotic hidden attractor system: Its dynamics, coexisting attractors, synchronization and microcontroller implementation

In this paper, a simple 4-dimensional hyperchaotic system is introduced. The proposed system has no equilibria points, so it admits hidden attractor which is an interesting feature of chaotic systems. Another interesting feature of the proposed system is the coexisting of attractors where it shows periodic and chaotic coexisting attractors. After introducing the system, the system is analyzed dynamically using numerical and theoretical techniques. In this analysis, Lyapunov exponents and bifurcation diagrams have been used to investigate chaotic and hyperchaotic nature, the ranges of system parameters for different behaviors and the route for chaos and coexisting attractors regions. In the next part of our work, a synchronization control system for two identical systems is designed. The design procedure uses a combination of simple synergetic control with adaptive updating laws to identify the unknown parameters derived basing on Lyapunov theorem. Microcontroller (MCU) based hardware implementation system is proposed and tested by using MATLAB as a display side. As an application, the designed synchronization system is used as a secure analog communication system. The designed MCU system with MATLAB Simulation is used to validate the designed synchronization and secure communication systems and excellent results have been obtained