The Extractive Sector: Real Estate Urbanism in Greater Cairo and its Toll on the Environment

A Global Trend Climate change compounds existing vulnerabilities that are produced by a continual interaction of political, economic and social processes (Hassanain and Martina 2021). The forces of capital constantly reconfigure city spaces to maximize the value of assets and resources. The conversion of city spaces into separate archipelagos for investment – rather than parts of a social and natural ecosystem – forces the city’s users to accept the production of an urbanization surplus, whic..

The Effects of Dietary Supplementation and Product Formulation on the Oxidative Stability of Lipids and Proteins in Meat and Meat Products

Meat and processed meats are largely consumed in the western world, but lately there has been a great concern about their possible negative impacts on human health. Consequently, there is growing interest among food scientists to better understand the diverse chemical and microbial modifications that take place during processing and storage and that can compromise the nutritional characteristics and safety of such products. In the past decades, attention has been addressed towards the study of lipid oxidation and microbial deterioration in meat and meat products, whereas the occurrence and impact of protein oxidation has been disregarded. Since protein oxidation can take place in living tissues, scientists are currently interested in highlighting its influence on meat quality and human nutrition. Recent studies have contributed to solid scientific knowledge regarding basic protein oxidation mechanisms, and in several methodologies to assess such degradation process in food. In accordance with this vision, the general objective of this PhD thesis was to study the effects of dietary supplementation, product formulation and storage conditions on the oxidative stability of lipids and proteins in meat and meat products, with the final aim to better understand the trends of these oxidative processes in such products in order to identity strategies to improve their overall quality

INSIGHTS INTO THE ROLE OF MORUS ALBA IN REVERSING OBESITY-ASSOCIATED HEPATIC STEATOSIS AND RELATED METABOLIC DISORDER IN RATS

ABSTRACTObjective: The goal of the present study was to examine the viability of Morus alba (M. alba) ethanolic extract in repression of obesity-associatedhepatic steatosis and related metabolic disorder; dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and glycemic status.Methods: Adult female albino rats were randomly assigned into four groups, eight rats each as follows: Group (1) control group received standardrodent diet for 24 weeks. The other three groups administered high cholesterol diet for 12 weeks and served as obese group, M. alba-treated group,and simvastatin-treated group.Results: The current results showed an increment in thoracic circumference (TCX) and abdominal circumferences (AC) as well as body mass index(BMI) in obese group. In addition, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance have been elucidated in obese group.Moreover, hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and bilirubinvalues were significantly increased in obese groups versus control group. On the other hand, administration of ethanolic extract of Morus alba orsimvastatin could significantly lessen BMI and in addition to improve dyslipidemia in obese group. Glucose, insulin levels, and insulin resistance valuein serum samples demonstrated a significant reduction in obese group upon treatment with M. alba ethanolic extract or simvastatin. Furthermore,noticeable depletion in hepatic MDA, NO contents, serum ALT, AST activities, and serum bilirubin level was recorded as a result of treatment witheither ethanolic extract of M. alba or simvastatin. Histopathological examination of liver tissue showed ballooning degeneration in the hepatocytes(hepatic steatosis) associated with inflammatory cells penetration in portal zone in obese group. Meanwhile, the treatment of obese groups withethanolic extract of M. alba or simvastatin was found to restore the structural organization of the liver.Conclusion: The present findings provide a novel aspect for understanding of the role of M. alba against obesity-associated liver diseases and relatedmetabolic disorder. The mechanisms underlying these effects seem to depend on the hypolipidemic potential, anti-inflammatory property, andantioxidant activity of its phytochemicals.Keywords: Obesity, Morus alba, Dyslipidemia, Hyperinsulinemia, Hyperglycemia, Hepatic steatosis

Development and validation of stability indicating spectrophotometric and HPTLC methods for determination of acemetacin

Three simple and sensitive methods were developed for the determination of acemetacin (ACM) in presence of its degradation product, indomethacin (DEG). Several methods were evaluated and are presented. Method A was based on measuring the peak amplitude of the first derivative of the ratio spectra 1DD at 244 nm. In method B, mean centering of ratio spectra method (MCR) was applied, which depends on measuring the mean centered values of ratio spectra of ACM at 234 nm. Method C provided separation of ACM from its DEG on pre-activated silica gel 60F254 HPTLC plates using hexane:ethyl acetate:glacial acetic acid (6:4:0.3, v:v:v) as developing system followed by scanning at 254 nm. The suggested methods were validated in compliance with the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines and were successfully applied for quantification of ACM in its commercial capsule. The proposed methods were also statistically compared to a reported HPLC method with no significant difference in performance; indicating the ability of the proposed method to be reliable and suitable for routine analysis of drug product

The Impact of Thyme and Oregano Essential Oils Dietary Supplementation on Broiler Health, Growth Performance, and Prevalence of Growth-Related Breast Muscle Abnormalities

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of thyme and oregano essential oils (as growth promotors), individually and in combination, on the health, growth performance, and prevalence of muscle abnormalities in broiler chickens. Six hundred day-old Cobb 500 hybrid chickens were randomized into four dietary treatment groups with three replicates each. Chicks in the control group (C) received a basal diet, while the experimental treatment groups received basal diets containing 350 mg/kg of thyme oil (T1), 350 mg/kg of oregano oil (T2), and 350 mg/kg of thyme and oregano oil (T3). Growth performance parameters were evaluated at 14, 28, and 42 days. The broilers in treatments T1 and T2 had significantly higher body weights than the control group. The feed conversion ratio was the lowest in chicks who received oregano oil, followed by those fed thyme oil. The overall prevalence of growth-related breast muscle abnormalities (including white striping and white striping combined with wooden breast) in groups receiving essential oils (T1, T2, and T3) was significantly higher than in the control group (C). The thyme and oregano oil diets showed no significant differences in antibody titers against Newcastle disease or interferon-γ (INF-γ) serum levels. In conclusion, thyme and oregano oils had a positive impact on the growth performance of broiler chickens but increased the incidence of growth-related breast muscle abnormalities

Middle Eastern Cities in a Time of Climate Crisis

The climate crisis is hitting around the world, including in the Middle East and its cities. Urban regions are exposed to increasingly frequent heat waves and floods that leave decision makers without immediate answers. In the context of this global crisis, this book addresses the need for a better understanding of the current model of urban expansion. Cities are major sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but they are also celebrated for their contribution to economic growth. The current moment is one of a large paradigm shift as climate change is now recognized as a legitimate public problem. This is especially true for city dwellers, who are increasingly exposed to climate change, the loss of biodiversity and heavy pollution while natural breathing spaces continue to shrink around them. The sixteen chapters of this book do not offer any off-the-rack or technical solutions, but they analyze the urban conundrum and the contribution of cities to the climate crisis. Some chapters focus on individual car ownership, land privatization, waste management and land use changes under the guise of development. Others explore local and contextual answers to urban governance issues. With the support of CEDEJ and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, researchers, experts and civil society actors explore the ongoing transformations of Middle Eastern urban environments and mobilities and question them in relation to the climate crisis. The contributions are based on empirical knowledge gathered in the Nile Delta, the Greater Cairo Region, Riyadh and Beirut. Without concessions to mainstream thinking, this book contributes to a better understanding of urban challenges, climate threats and policy responses in contexts marked by growing environmental inequalities

Sperm DNA fragmentation: A new guideline for clinicians

Sperm DNA integrity is crucial for fertilization and development of healthy offspring. The spermatozoon undergoes extensive molecular remodeling of its nucleus during later phases of spermatogenesis, which imparts compaction and protects the genetic content. Testicular (defective maturation and abortive apoptosis) and post-testicular (oxidative stress) mechanisms are implicated in the etiology of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF), which affects both natural and assisted reproduction. Several clinical and environmental factors are known to negatively impact sperm DNA integrity. An increasing number of reports emphasizes the direct relationship between sperm DNA damage and male infertility. Currently, several assays are available to assess sperm DNA damage, however, routine assessment of SDF in clinical practice is not recommended by professional organizations