Study on the effect of wormseed plants; artemisia cina L. and chamomile; matricaria chamomilla L. on Growth Parameters and Immune Response of African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus

A number of 420 fingerlings of catfish were used to examine the effect of wormseed plants and chamomile on the growth parameters and on non-specific immune response of the African catfish; Clarias gariepinus. Both types of herbs were used in rates of 1, 3 and 5% with 3 replicates per each of the 6 treatments. The 7th treatment was kept as a control group. The experimented catfish were fed with the 7 examined diets in the rate of 3% of fish biomass for 1 month. Different growth parameters as well as blood parameters were estimated to evaluate the growth performance and immune response of the experimented catfish. Results revealed that wormseed plants Artemisia cina L. in the rate of 3 and 5% and chamomile Matricaria chamomilla. L. in the rate of 1% showed the best figures of growth parameters as well as immune response parameters of the examined catfish

Protective effect of camel milk as anti-diabetic supplement: biochemical, molecular and immunohistochemical study

Background: Diabetes is a serious disease affects human health. Diabetes in advanced stages is accompanied by general weakness and alteration in fats and carbohydrates metabolism. Recently there are some scientific trends about the usage of camel milk (CM) in the treatment of diabetes and its associated alterations. CM contains vital active particles with insulin like action that cure diabetes and its complications but how these effects occur, still unclear.Materials and Methods: Seventy-five adult male rats of the albino type divided into five equal groups. Group 1 served as a negative control (C). Group 2 was supplemented with camel milk (CM). Diabetes was induced in the remaining groups (3, 4 and 5). Group 3 served as positive diabetic control (D). Group 4 served as diabetic and administered metformin (D+MET). Group 5 served as diabetes and supplemented with camel milk (D+CM). Camel milk was supplemented for two consecutive months. Serum glucose, leptin, insulin, liver, kidney, antioxidants, MDA and lipid profiles were assayed. Tissues from liver and adipose tissues were examined using RT-PCR analysis for the changes in mRNA expression of genes of carbohydrates and lipid metabolism. Pancreas and liver were used for immunohistochemical examination using specific antibodies.Results: Camel milk supplementation ameliorated serum biochemical measurements that altered after diabetes induction. CM supplementation up-regulated mRNA expression of IRS-2, PK, and FASN genes, while down-regulated the expression of CPT-1 to control mRNA expression level. CM did not affect the expression of PEPCK gene. On the other hand, metformin failed to reduce the expression of CPT-1 compared to camel milk administered rats. Immunohistochemical findings revealed that CM administration restored the immunostaining reactivity of insulin and GLUT-4 in the pancreas of diabetic rats.Conclusion: CM administration is of medical importance and helps physicians in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.Keywords: Camel milk, Diabetes, Gene expression, Immunohistochemistr

Promising Deep Semantic Nuclei Segmentation Models for Multi-Institutional Histopathology Images of Different Organs

Nuclei segmentation in whole-slide imaging (WSI) plays a crucial role in the field of computational pathology. It is a fundamental task for different applications, such as cancer cell type classification, cancer grading, and cancer subtype classification. However, existing nuclei segmentation methods face many challenges, such as color variation in histopathological images, the overlapping and clumped nuclei, and the ambiguous boundary between different cell nuclei, that limit their performance. In this paper, we present promising deep semantic nuclei segmentation models for multi-institutional WSI images (i.e., collected from different scanners) of different organs. Specifically, we study the performance of pertinent deep learning-based models with nuclei segmentation in WSI images of different stains and various organs. We also propose a feasible deep learning nuclei segmentation model formed by combining robust deep learning architectures. A comprehensive comparative study with existing software and related methods in terms of different evaluation metrics and the number of parameters of each model, emphasizes the efficacy of the proposed nuclei segmentation models

Adsorption Refrigeration Technologies

This chapter introduces a comprehensive overview about the principles, challenges and applications of adsorption refrigeration systems (ARSs), as a promising sustainable solution for many of cooling and heating applications. In addition to the features and the basics of ARSs, the following topics have been covered such as characteristics of working pairs, trends in improving the heat and mass transfer of the adsorber; advanced adsorption cycles and performance and operational data of some adsorption refrigeration applications. In some details, the operating range and the performance of ARSs are greatly affected by the employed working adsorbent/refrigerant pairs. Therefore, the study, development and optimum selection of adsorbent/refrigerant pairs, particularly the composite adsorbents, can lead to improving the performance and reliability of ARSs. Regarding the enhancement of heat and mass transfer in the adsorbent bed, two methods are commonly used: one is the development of adsorbents through different coating technologies or new materials such as metal-organic frameworks, and the second is the optimization of the adsorber geometrical parameters and cycle modes. Finally, a brief on some adsorption chillers applications have started to find their share in markets and driven by solar or waste heats

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF CAMEL MILK AS ANTI-DIABETIC SUPPLEMENT: BIOCHEMICAL, MOLECULAR AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

Background: Diabetes is a serious disease affects human health. Diabetes in advanced stages is accompanied by general weakness and alteration in fats and carbohydrates metabolism. Recently there are some scientific trends about the usage of camel milk (CM) in the treatment of diabetes and its associated alterations. CM contains vital active particles with insulin like action that cure diabetes and its complications but how these effects occur, still unclear. Materials and Methods: Seventy-five adult male rats of the albino type divided into five equal groups. Group 1 served as a negative control (C). Group 2 was supplemented with camel milk (CM). Diabetes was induced in the remaining groups (3, 4 and 5). Group 3 served as positive diabetic control (D). Group 4 served as diabetic and administered metformin (D+MET). Group 5 served as diabetes and supplemented with camel milk (D+CM). Camel milk was supplemented for two consecutive months. Serum glucose, leptin, insulin, liver, kidney, antioxidants, MDA and lipid profiles were assayed. Tissues from liver and adipose tissues were examined using RT-PCR analysis for the changes in mRNA expression of genes of carbohydrates and lipid metabolism. Pancreas and liver were used for immunohistochemical examination using specific antibodies. Results: Camel milk supplementation ameliorated serum biochemical measurements that altered after diabetes induction. CM supplementation up-regulated mRNA expression of IRS-2, PK, and FASN genes, while down-regulated the expression of CPT-1 to control mRNA expression level. CM did not affect the expression of PEPCK gene. On the other hand, metformin failed to reduce the expression of CPT-1 compared to camel milk administered rats. Immunohistochemical findings revealed that CM administration restored the immunostaining reactivity of insulin and GLUT-4 in the pancreas of diabetic rats. Conclusion: CM administration is of medical importance and helps physicians in the treatment of diabetes mellitus

INSULIN-MIMETIC ACTIVITY OF STEVIOSIDE ON DIABETIC RATS: BIOCHEMICAL, MOLECULAR AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY

Background: Stevioside has been used as a medication for reducing glucose levels in diabetic patients. The exact mode of action is still unclear. Therefore, the current study outlines the molecular and biological roles of stevioside in treatment of diabetes. Materials and Methods: induced diabetic male wistar rats treated with stivioside and metformin as therapy for diabetic rats. Biochemical, molecular and histopathological studies have been done to evaluate the therapeutic effect of stevioside on minimizing levels of glucose in diabetic rats. Results: Stevioside administration normalized kidney and liver biomarkers, restored alterations in antioxidants activity and lipid profiles. Moreover, stevioside increased insulin and leptin secretion that are decreased in diabetic rats to the normal levels.For mRNA expression, stevioside up-regulated the expressions of PK and IRS-1 genes which are down-regulated in diabetic rats, and was very effective in down-regulation of CPT-1 mRNA expression. At the cellular levels; stevioside normalized the histopathological changes induced in pancreas. Conclusion: Stevioside has insulin like effects and it is useful for diabetic patient’s therapy

Tobacco Smoking, Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Cessation Perceptions by Dental Students in Al Madinah, a Conservative Saudi Society

Objective: To explore the prevalence of tobacco use and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in dental students and to investigate their perceptions on the role of dentists in tobacco cessation activities. Material and Methods:  A questionnaire-based study was conducted in a public university in Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire investigated demographic factors, tobacco use practices, SHS exposure, and student perceptions of tobacco cessation activities. Descriptive statistics and statistical significance of differences between demographic groups were calculated. Results: A total of 228 students participated with 43.0% (n=98) males and 57.0% (n=130) females. A proportion of 30.7% (n=70) of the participants smoked tobacco, and these constituted 51 males (73%) and 19 females (27%). Only 39 students (15 females and 24 males) indicated their method of tobacco use, which was mainly cigarettes and waterpipes. One in two students was exposed to SHS. Non-smokers had better awareness of the health hazards of SHS (p<0.001), and were more likely to adopt tobacco cessation activities recommended by dentists (p<0.05). Conclusion:  A substantial proportion of dental students in a very conservative religious area smoke tobacco and are exposed to SHS. Their perceptions of the harms of SHS and attitudes on cessation need improvement. The influence of culture and religion in shaping health risk behaviors in conservative communities needs to be verified

The effect of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation on anthropometric, glycemic, lipid, oxidative stress, and hormonal parameters in individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effect of the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on various cardiometabolic risk factors and hormonal parameters in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We searched PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases without language restrictions until May 2023 to find randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the impact of ALA supplementation on anthropometric, glycemic, lipid, oxidative stress, and hormonal parameters in women with PCOS. Outcomes were summarized using the standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) in a random-effects model. An I2 statistic of >60% established significant between-study heterogeneity. The overall certainty of the evidence for each outcome was determined using the grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluations system. Seven RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The ALA group had significant reductions in fasting blood sugar (fasting blood sugar (FBS), n=7 RCTs, SMD, −0.60; 95% CI, −1.10 to −0.10; I2=63.54%, moderate certainty of evidence) and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), n=4 RCTs, SMD, −2.03; 95% CI, −3.85 to −0.20; I2=96.32%, low certainty of evidence) compared with the control group. However, significant differences were observed between the groups in body mass index, insulin, estrogen, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, total cholesterol, malondialdehyde, or total antioxidant capacity profiles. ALA supplementation improves FBS and HOMA-IR levels in women with PCOS. ALA consumption is an effective complementary therapy for the management of women with PCOS