Effect of exogenous leptin on blood pressure, urinary protein excresion, endothelial activation and ace2 expression during pregnancy in the rat / Hisham Saleh Ibrahim

Raised leptin levels have been reported in placentae and serum of women with elevated blood pressure and proteinuria during pregnancy. The role of leptin in this however remains unclear. ACE2 is a new member in RAAS, which is reported to have hypotensive and anti-inflammatory effect and its suppression leads to increased blood pressure and endothelial activation. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of leptin and xanthenone (ACE2 activator) administration on systolic blood pressure (SBP), proteinuria and serum markers of endothelial activation during pregnancy in Sprague-Dawley rats. Eighty female Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 12- 13 weeks were randomised into 10 groups, Group 1 acted as a control non-pregnant group and given saline (NSNP)

English speakers' common orthographic errors in Arabic as L2 writing system : an analytical case study

PhD ThesisThe research involving Arabic Writing System (WS) is quite limited. Yet, researching writing errors of L2WS Arabic against a certain L1WS seems to be relatively neglected. This study attempts to identify, describe, and explain common orthographic errors in Arabic writing amongst English-speaking learners. First, it outlines the Arabic Writing System’s (AWS) characteristics and available empirical studies of L2WS Arabic. This study embraced the Error Analysis approach, utilising a mixed-method design that deployed quantitative and qualitative tools (writing tests, questionnaire, and interview). The data were collected from several institutions around the UK, which collectively accounted for 82 questionnaire responses, 120 different writing samples from 44 intermediate learners, and six teacher interviews. The hypotheses for this research were; a) English-speaking learners of Arabic make common orthographic errors similar to those of Arabic native speakers; b) English-speaking learners share several common orthographic errors with other learners of Arabic as a second/foreign language (AFL); and c) English-speaking learners of Arabic produce their own common orthographic errors which are specifically related to the differences between the two WSs. The results confirmed all three hypotheses. Specifically, English-speaking learners of L2WS Arabic commonly made six error types: letter ductus (letter shape), orthography (spelling), phonology, letter dots, allographemes (i.e. letterform), and direction. Gemination and L1WS transfer error rates were not found to be major. Another important result showed that five letter groups in addition to two letters are particularly challenging to English-speaking learners. Study results indicated that error causes were likely to be from one of four factors: script confusion, orthographic difficulties, phonological realisation, and teaching/learning strategies. These results are generalizable as the data were collected from several institutions in different parts of the UK. Suggestions and implications as well as recommendations for further research are outlined accordingly in the conclusion chapter

Synthesis of Uracil Containing Precursors and Analogues Of Cylindrospermopsin

The thesis covers three topics: i) Synthesis of the uracil D-ring precursor of the cylindrospermopsin alkaloids: this study entailed the preparation of compounds I and II which were shown to be a RHS D-ring precursor in the synthesis of the cylindrospermopsin alkaloids. Compound I was prepared in 3 steps and in 24% overall yield from dibenzylurea whilst II was prepared from either diethyl 1,3-acetonedicarboxylate in 5 steps and 9% overall yield or barbituric acid in 5 steps and 16% overall yield. ii) Preparation of analogues of cylindrospermopsin: the synthesis of the cylindrospermopsin analogue III was achieved in 6 steps and 12% overall yield from the literature compound 2,6-dimethoxypyrimidine-4-carboxaldehyde. iii) Preparation and enzymatic studies on 2.4-dinitrobenzamide pro-drugs: the known pro-drugs IV (X = Cl, Br, I), were prepared and found to be good substrates for the enzyme NfsA NTR. These can thus be considered as alternative pro-drugs to the usually employed CB 1954 in combination with NfsA NTR for human chemotherapy

Advanced plasmonic interfaces for optimized light trapping in photovoltaics

Plasmonic interfaces are integrated to photovoltaic devices to enhance light trapping and improve efficiency. The optimum thickness of the spacer layer used to passivate the absorber layer and adjust its distance from the metal nanoparticles remains unclear. We integrate plasmonic interfaces consisting of Ag nanoparticles and silicon nitride spacers of different thicknesses to the back of a-Si:H absorber to investigate the optimum thickness of the spacer layer and use the photocurrent in a-Si:H to indicate the enhancement in light-trapping. For integration to the back or front of the device, the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is shifted and broadened into the red with increased spacer layer thickness and the effect is more pronounced for integration to the back. An appreciable enhancement of photocurrent in a-Si:H is consistent with this broadening of LSPR and has a critical dependence on spacer layer thickness

HUBUNGAN TINGKAT STRES DENGAN TINGKAT DYSMENORRHOEA PADA SISWI KELAS X DAN XI SMK BHAKTI KARYAKOTA MAGELANG TAHUN 2014

Prevalence rate of menstruation pain is about 45-95% in productive women. This problem interferes 50% reproductive women and 60-85% teenager causing much absence on school and office. Commonly, among 50-60% women need analgetic to overcome this problem (Annathayakheisha, 2009 in Sukini dkk, 2012).This research aims to know the correlation between stress level with dysmenorrhoea level on students of grade X and IX of SMK Bhakti Karya Magelang City year 2014.The type of this research is correlative analytic using cross sectional design and accidental sampling. The samples taken are students of grade X and XI who undergo dysmenorrhoea and meet the inclusion and exsclusion requirements, those 138 students. The data is taken between April 1 and April 30, 2014 applying quetionaire as its instrument.The result shows that more respondents are said to be normal and have light dysmenorrhoea, those are 15 respondents (55,6%), while more respondents who undergo very heavy stress feel heavy dysmenorrhoea, those are 3 students (60,0%). Kendall’s Tau test result that is computerized analysis shows 0,344 in t number. So, the conclusion is that there is positive correlation between stress level with dysmenorrhoea level on students of grade X and XI of SMK Bhakti Karya Magelang City year 2014.Hopefully, students who undergo dysmenorrhoea will increase the knowledge about the cause of dysmenorrhea and its management especially considering psychological condition. Besides, institution, particularly conselling teacher is hoped to give consultation for students for managing and preventing stress on teenagers to avoid the health disturbance especially reproduction health.

BUILDING PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURE FOR KARATE COACHES AND RELATION TO THE LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE

تهدف هذه الدراسة لباء مقياس نفسي لمدربي الكاراتيه و التعرف على تأثيره على مستوى الانجاز من خلال بناء مقياس للانجاز ، العلاقة مابين حالتهم النفسية ومستوى انجازاتهم. قام الباحثان باستعمال مقياس نفسي مناسب لطبيعة الدراسة ، وتم تطبيق البحث على مجموعة من مدربي الكاراتيه المسجلين بالاتحاد المصري للعبة حيث بلغ عدد المدربين عينة الدراسة (98) مدرب . أظهرت نتائج الاختبار مايلي : - أمكن التعرف على الأبعاد الاساسية للمقياس النفسى لمدربى رياضة الكاراتيه وهى ( مهارات الاتصال ، أحترام الذات ، القدرة على قيادة الفريق ) . - وجود علاقة إرتباطية دالة عند مستوى 0.05 بين درجات أبعاد المقياس . - وجود علاقة إرتباطية دالة عند مستوى 0.05 بين درجات عبارات السمات النفسية للمدرب . - مستوى السمات النفسية ( مهارات الاتصال ، أحترام الذات ) لمدربى رياضة الكاراتيه الذين يتميزون بعدد سنوات خبرة أكثر من عشرون عاماً مرتفع مقارنة بمستوى تلك السمات لدى المدربين الذين يتميزون بسنوات خبرة أقل من عشرون عاماً. - وجود علاقة بين مستوى الانجاز ومحاور المقياس النفسى لمدربى الكاراتيه . وتوصي الدراسة بتطبيق هذا البحث على عينة أكبر من مدربي الكاراتيه ، وكذلك الاهتمام بتنمية السمات الشخصيى لدى مدربي الالعاب القتاليةObjective of the Research The research aims to build a psychological measure to the karate coaches and identify: R The relationship of psychological measure with achievement of the karate coach through: 1) Building psychological measure for the achievement level of karate coaches; 2) To identify the relationship between psychological situation of their coaches and their level of achievement 3) Research Procedures 4) Research Approach: Researchers used questionnaire approach due to its suitability to the nature of the study. 5) Research Sample: Researchers selected research sample randomly from karate coaches registered with Egyptian Union of (98) coach Conclusions: The conclusions made by the Researcher of results related to using Statistical Treatments, the following conclusions were derived: * Identifying the basic dimensions of psychological measure for karate coaches (skills of: communication, self-esteem and ability to lead the team, * Availability of associative relation at the level of (0.05) between the measure dimensions; * Availability of associative relation at the level of (0.05) between the psychological traits of the coach; * The level of psychological traits (communication skills and self-esteem) for karate coaches who are experienced of more than twenty years compared to the level of those traits for the coaches who have experience that less than twenty years; * Relationship between the achievement level and pivots of psychological measure of the karate coaches. Recommendations Due to the distinguish nature of this research, within the limitations of abstracts, the Researcher recommends the following: To apply the measure on the largest samples of same specialization and other samples of fighting sports in order to identify the psychological traits of those coaches; Pay attention to develop psychological traits of karate coaches, specially fighting sports in general

Recycling chocolate aluminum wrapping foil as to create electrochemical metal strip electrodes

The development of low-cost electrode devices from conductive materials has recently attracted considerable attention as a sustainable means to replace the existing commercially available electrodes. In this study, two different electrode surfaces (surfaces 1 and 2, denoted as S1 and S2) were fabricated from chocolate wrapping aluminum foils. Energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to investigate the elemental composition and surface morphology of the prepared electrodes. Meanwhile, cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were used to assess the electrical conductivities and the electrochemical activities of the prepared electrodes. It was found that the fabricated electrode strips, particularly the S1 electrode, showed good electrochemical responses and conductivity properties in phosphate buffer (PB) solutions. Interestingly, both of the electrodes can respond to the ruthenium hexamine (Ruhex) redox species. The fundamental results presented from this study indicate that this electrode material can be an inexpensive alternative for the electrode substrate. Overall, our findings indicate that electrodes made from chocolate wrapping materials have promise as electrochemical sensors and can be utilized in various applications

Hubungan Tingkat Stress dengan Tingkat Dysmenorrhea pada Siswi Kelas X dan XI di SMK Bhakti Karya Kota Magelang Tahun 2014

Prevalence rate of menstruation pain is about 45-95% in productive wo-men. This problem interferes 50% reproductive women and 60-85% teenager cau-sing much absence on school and office. Commonly, among 50-60% women need analgetic to overcome this problem (Annathayakheisha, 2009 in Sukini dkk, 2012).This research aims to know the correlation between stress level with dysmenorrhoea level on students of grade X and IX of SMK Bhakti Karya Magelang City year 2014.The type of this research is correlative analytic using cross sectional de-sign and accidental sampling. The samples taken are students of grade X and XI who undergo dysmenorrhoea and meet the inclusion and exsclusion requirements, those 138 students. The data is taken between April 1 and April 30, 2014 applying quetionaire as its instrument.The result shows that more respondents are said to be normal and have light dysmenorrhoea, those are 15 respondents (55,6%), while more respondents who undergo very heavy stress feel heavy dysmenorrhoea, those are 3 students (60,0%). Kendall’s Tau test result that is computerized analysis shows 0,344 in t number. So, the conclusion is that there is positive correlation between stress level with dysmenorrhoea level on students of grade X and XI of SMK Bhakti Karya Magelang City year 2014.Hopefully, students who undergo dysmenorrhoea will increase the know-ledge about the cause of dysmenorrhea and its management especially considering psychological condition. Besides, institution, particularly conselling teacher is hoped to give consultation for students for managing and preventing stress on teenagers to avoid the health disturbance especially reproduction health.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles inhibits quorum sensing and virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Background: Quorum sensing inhibitionis an advanced strategy that aims to interfere with bacterial cell-to-cell communication systems (quorum sensing), which regulate virulence factors production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in order to overcome the globalcrisis of antimicrobial resistance.Objectives: Study the potential quorum sensing inhibitory effect of Zinc oxide (ZnO)nanoparticlesin Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the impact on production of virulence factors.Methods: Quorum sensing inhibitory effect of ZnO was evaluated by assessing its ability to reducePseudomonas aeruginosa virulence factors production; rhamnolipids, pyocyanin, pyoverdin, hemolysins, elastase and proteases. Furthermore, qRT-PCR was performed to determine ZnO inhibitory effect onQS-regulatory geneslasI, lasR,rhlI, rhlR, pqsA and pqsR that control virulence factors secretion. Moreover, mice survival test was conducted to investigate the influence of ZnO on Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced mortality in vivo.Results: ZnO revealed a statistically significant reduction in the production of QS-controlled virulence factors rhamnolipids, pyocyanin, pyoverdin, hemolysins, elastase and proteases. Furthermore, ZnO exhibited a significant decrease in the relative expression of QS-regulatory geneslasI, lasR,rhlI, rhlR,pqsA and pqsR. Additionally, ZnO significantly reduced the pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vivoConclusion: ZnO nanoparticles can be used as a quorum sensing inhibitor in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections either as an adjuvant or alternative to conventional antimicrobials.Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, ZnO, quorum sensing, virulence inhibition