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This study describes the preparation, physicochemical characterization, controlled release, and bioavailability of chitosan nanoparticles (CTSNPs) loaded with salvianolic acid B (SlB) and tanshinone IIA (TnA). It also aimed to assess their antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogen. SlB and TnA were loaded on CTSNPs with ionic gelation method. They were then in vitro characterized via infrared and electron microscopy. SlB/TnA/CTSNPs showed excellent colloidal properties (size 129.3 nm and zeta-potential + 31.8 mV); the encapsulation efficiency (EE) of SlB/CTSNPs and TnA/CTSNPs was 51.43 and 88.36%, respectively. The loading capacity (LC) of SlB/CTSNPs and TnA/CTSNPs was 7.85 and 12.61%, respectively. SlB and Tan II were released in vitro from SlB/TnA/CTSNPs for over 45 h, demonstrating that these NPs are effective at regulating the release of SlB and TnA. SlB/TnA/CTSNPs outperformed chitosan, SlB, and TnA alone in terms of bactericidal efficacy against foodborne pathogens (Staphylococcus aureusand SalmonellaTyphimurium). S. aureuswas more susceptible than S.Typhimurium. After only 10 h of exposure, the scanning microscopic pictures of bacteria treated with SlB/TnA/CTSNPs revealed that cells had completely exploded or lysed. In terms of health and food safety, these eco-friendly nanosystems could be a desirable substitute for synthetic preservatives.

The aim of this work is to measure the influence of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) on growth performance, carcass traits, renal and hepatic indices, immunity, lipid profile, antioxidant status, blood minerals, digestive enzymes, and cecal microbiota in broilers. 300 unsexed one-week-old Arbor Acre broiler chicks in total were randomly assigned into 5 treatment groups of 60 chicks per eachwhich were divided into 5 replicates of 12 chicks. The 1st group (G1) was given basal diet (only); the 2nd group (G2), the 3rd group (G3), the 4th group (G4) and the 5th group (G5) were given basal diet treated with CuNPs at a rate of 5, 10, 15, and 20 mg/kg diet, respectively. The result revealed a significant improvement (P< 0.01) in performance paramters where the best values of body weight, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were achieved at 15 mg/kg diet (CuNPs). Moreover, CuNPs supplementation significantly (P< 0.05) improved carcass traits specially carcass, dressing, giblets, and liver percentage, particularly at 15 mg/kg diet which revealed the best results. Furthermore, CuNPs supplementation at all tested levels increased the immune organ's weight (spleen and thymus). Plasma total protein and globulin were increased with CuNPs supplementation at levels 10 to 20 mg/kg diet. CuNPs supplementation (10–20 mg/kg diet) significantly improved liver and renal function by lowering the levels of AST, creatinine and uric acid. Moreover, CuNPs supplementation significantly (P< 0.05) improved lipid profile indicated by decreased the levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol as well as malondialdehyde (MDA). CuNP supplementation significantly improved broiler immunity indicated by increased IgA, IgM, complement (C3) and lysozyme, where CuNPs at 15 and 20 mg/kg diet revealed the best results. CuNPs supplementation increased reduced glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) as well as increased blood minerals (Cu, Fe, P, and Ca). Also, the digestive enzymes of broiler chicks treated with CuNPs significantly increased (P< 0.05), such as lipase, protease, and amylase enzymes. The findings revealed a significant elevation in total bacterial count (TBC) and lactic acid bacteria and significantly decreased total yeast and mold count (TYMC), E. coli, Salmonellaand Coliform. In conclusion, CuNPs supplementation significantly improves performance, carcass yield, renal and hepatic indices, lipid profile, immunity, antioxidants, blood minerals, digestive enzymes, and cecal microbiota of broiler chicks.

Purpose: In today's dynamic and competitive environment, innovation is a key requirement for hotels to survive, be profitable and sustain their competitive advantages. However, because the study of innovation in the hospitality industry has only developed recently, little is still known about its determining factors. Given this, this study aims to theorize and test with empirical data the effects of two key dimensions of strategic planning (i.e. participation and flexibility) on innovation. Design/methodology/approach: Using a fully standardized questionnaire, data were gathered from a sample of 150 hotels in Dubai, by a professional market research firm, through face-to-face interviews. The study hypotheses are tested with partial least squares structural equation models. The study has three limitations: first, its data are cross-sectional and the analyses are post hoc; second, it uses single informants; and third, the sample was primarily from a single setting, i.e. Dubai. Findings: The study argues that participation and flexibility in strategic planning are positively related. It also argues that flexibility is positively related to innovation and that flexibility mediates the effects of participation in strategic planning on innovation. Empirical support is found for all the examined relationships. Originality/value: The study takes place in a unique setting (i.e. Dubai, United Arab Emirates) where research on organizational innovation has been rather limited to date. The findings have important implications for the stream of literature in this field and for practitioners and sustaining competitive advantages of hotels.

Candidagenus includes many hazardous and risky species that can develop resistance toward various antifungal types. Metals nanoparticles (NPs) possess powerful antimicrobial actions, but their potential human toxicity could limit their practices. The algal polysaccharide fucoidan (Fu) was extracted from the macro-brown algae, Cystoseira barbata, analyzed, and used for biosynthesizing nanoparticles of silver (Ag-NPs) and selenium (Se-NPs). The extracted Fu had elevated fucose levels (58.73% of total monosaccharides) and exhibited the main biochemical characteristic of customary Fu. The Fu biosynthesis of Ag-NPs and Se-NPs was achieved via facile direct protocol; Fu-synthesized NPs had 12.86 and 16.18 nm average diameters, respectively. The ultrastructure of Fu-synthesized NPs emphasized well-distributed and spherical particles that were embedded/capped in Fu as combined clusters. The Fu/Ag-NPs and Fu/Se-NPs anticandidal assessments, against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Candida parapsilosis, revealed that both NPs had powerful fungicidal actions against the examined pathogens. The ultrastructure imaging of subjected C. albicansand C. parapsilosisto NPs revealed that Fu/Ag-NPs and Fu/Se-NPs triggered remarkable distortions, pore formation, and destructive lysis in cell surfaces within 10 h of exposure. The innovative usage of C. barbataFu for Ag-NP and Se-NP synthesis and the application of their composites as powerful anticandidal agents, with minimized human toxicity, are concluded.

The case focuses on automatic factory (AF), a small-sized manufacturing company; which produces and sells multiple construction products in the United Arab Emirates. For years, AF made operating profits, but during 2011-2013 it recorded operating losses, which the company management was anxious to have explained. AF's main concern was to acquire actionable knowledge and diffuse it throughout the company's hierarchy. To remedy the failing situation, an organisational learning activities model was adopted that would put the company on a sustainable footing and save it from dissolution. The aim of the present case study is to discuss and analyse this situation, using relevant management accounting techniques as a means of organisational learning. Participants are encouraged to discuss and analyse the AF's cost structure, breakeven analysis and sales mix, emphasising that such techniques should overlap with the learning activities undertaken by the company.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world, particularly in Egypt. Limited data are available concerning the national seroprevalence and the possible modes of transmission of HCV in the pediatric age group. The aim of this study was to obtain a better estimate of the national hepatitis C seroprevalence and the possible risky exposures among healthy school children in Alexandria; the second biggest city in Egypt. HCV knowledge and counseling for school children were also investigated. A total of 500 school children, age between 6 and 15 years were evaluated for HCV seropositivity and interviewed for potential disease risk factors. The seropositivity for Anti-HCV Ab was 2.8 %. About 71.4 % of seropositive children were 10–15 years old. Urban residence, chronic disease, male circumcision and invasive procedures were detected as significant risk factors for acquiring HCV infection among the studied children. The level of awareness of hepatitis C among school children was very low (3.6 %) and was correlated with the age and educational level. HCV infection continues to occur in children and is frequently unrecognized. This mandates immediate intervention and robust control strategies in the settings of exposure combined with health education programs to limit further HCV spread.

Despite the use of prophylactic antiemetics, breakthrough nausea and vomiting either in the hospital or after discharge is still a major problem. It has been reported that the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after day–case gynecological laparoscopic surgery exceeds 50.

The implementation of innovative managerial practices (IMPs) and manufacturing techniques is viewed as having considerable implications for management accounting practices. This study aims at exploring the relationships among levels of implementation of various IMPs, computerised manufacturing techniques (CMTs) and automated stock-handling systems (ASHSs) on one hand, and levels of deployment of advanced management accounting practices (AMAPs) in Egyptian manufacturing firms on the other. The paper presents findings from interviewing managers of 240 Egyptian manufacturing firms operating in the biggest three industrial areas in Egypt in mid-2005. The findings provide unequivocal evidence supporting the hypothesised significant positive correlations between levels of implementation of IMPs/CMTs and levels of deployment of AMAPs. In contrast, the hypothesised significant positive correlation between levels of implementation of ASHSs and levels of deployment of AMAPs is found to be influenced by firms’ size, industry area and type firms belong to. The study findings contribute to AMAP literature in Egypt.

Effective management accounting systems can provide critical tools and techniques for managing contemporary companies, particularly in competitive global environments. Using a survey of Canadian manufacturing companies, this study investigates the deployment of contemporary management accounting practices (CMAPs), as well as several contingent factors associated with their deployment, namely: industry size and sector, geographic region, and managers' expertise and skills. The findings suggest that CMAPs play important, but still evolving, roles in Canadian manufacturing companies. In addition, the regions and the industries in which the companies operate, along with managerial expertise and skills in some cases, appear to be significantly associated with the deployment of CMAPs. In particular, the Central and Western regions exhibit significant associations with the deployment of several CMAPs.

Background : The kidney is a major site of daily vitamin B12 (B12) processing. It filters transcobalamin (TC) II-bound B12 (holoTCII; the transport protein that delivers its B12 to all cells) and reabsorbs holoTCII in the proximal tubule via megalin, a multiligand receptor for TCII. The process, its quantitation, and the roles of TCI and TCII are still poorly characterized in normal subjects or in renal failure, in which serum B12 levels often rise. It is assumed that this rise in serum B12 reflects decreased renal clearance, but little is known about the details. The fractional excretion (FE) has not been measured but would be expected to approach zero for an essential vitamin, denoting a 100% tubular reabsorption. We characterized the tubular reabsorption and urinary excretion of B12 and holoTCII, as well as quantitating the distribution of serum B12 among its TC carriers (because B12 does not circulate unbound) in normal subjects and patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods: Serum and 24-hour urine B12 (Roche assay) and holoTC II (Axis-Shield assay) were measured directly in 10 AKI patients and 10 control subjects. AKI was diagnosed by a recent increase in BUN/creatinine 3 times their baseline; glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was 12 ± 9 ml/min. Normal subjects were selected who had no renal co-morbidities and had a normal BUN/creatinine and glomerular filtration rate (GFR = 95 ± 36). Holo-nonTCII, which is identical to holoTCI in serum but whose nature is still undefined in urine, was calculated by subtracting holoTCII from (total) B12. FE, a measure of the filtered amount that is not reabsorbed, was calculated for B12, holoTCII, and holo-nonTCII. Group data were compared using ANOVA, with log transformation for skewed distributions. Correlation coefficients were calculated by Spearman rank test. Results: Serum total B12 (p<0.001), holo-TC II levels (p=0.005), and serum holoTCI levels (p<0.005) were significantly increased in AKI (see Table). Consonant with the importance of tubular reabsorption of B12, reabsorption fell and FE of B12 increased 4.4- fold in AKI (p<0.001), and FE of holoTCII increased 3.2-fold (p=0.007). Nevertheless, the 24-hour excretion of B12 and holo-TCII did not change significantly from normal in AKI, presumably because reduced GFR counterbalanced the decreased tubular reabsorption and increased FE. Serum, urine, and FE findings for holo-nonTCII, whose levels exceeded holoTCII in both serum and urine, resembled those for total B12 and holoTCII (Table). Moreover, relatively less B12 was found as holoTCII in urine in AKI than in control subjects (11.7% ± 7.2 vs. 20.2% ± 6.4; p=0.012) and more was found as holo-nonTCII; these ratios did not differ in AKI serum, however. B12 AKI Serum (pmol/l) 1611±1153* Urine (pmol/24hr) 115±88 Fractional Excretion (%) 0.70±0.35* Controls 369±100 75±32 0.15±0.08 * p <0.001 ** p≤0.005 ▴ p=0.007 TCII AKI 232±148** 13±16 0.50±0.39▴ Controls 100±76 14±8 0.15±0.10 NonTCII AKI 1378±1128** 102±81 1.13±1.33* Controls 269±100 60±26 0.19±0.14 Conclusion: The patients with AKI revealed an approximately fourfold increase in FE of B12, holoTCII, and holo-nonTCII (possibly TCI) compared with controls. This indicates a dramatic loss of tubular reabsorption, consistent with the tubular necrosis of AKI. Although there is no significant difference in the 24-hour urinary output of B12 and the TCs, our data show that urinary B12 excretion is neither increased nor decreased in AKI. Presumably, this reflects in part, a balance between reduced glomerular filtration and reduced tubular reabsorption. The diminished reabsorption of B12 and holoTCII probably arises from disruption of uptake by tubular megalin, which requires further documentation. One net result of the previous events is a rise in serum B12, holoTCII and non-holoTCII in AKI. The serum B12 elevation has been described in the past and is particularly striking in this study, as is the new observation of TC I (non-holoTCII). It is presumed to reflect the loss of normal glomerular filtration, as discussed, but the possibility of contributions from extrarenal sources and events must also be considered.

Background: The kidney is a major site of daily vitamin B12 (B12) processing. It filters transcobalamin (TC) II-bound B12 (holoTCII; the transport protein that delivers its B12 to all cells) and reabsorbs holoTCII in the proximal tubule via megalin, a multiligand receptor for TCII. The process, its quantitation, and the roles of TCI and TCII are still poorly characterized in normal subjects or in renal failure, in which serum B12 levels often rise. It is assumed that this rise in serum B12 reflects decreased renal clearance, but little is known about the details. The fractional excretion (FE) has not been measured but would be expected to approach zero for an essential vitamin, denoting a 100% tubular reabsorption. We characterized the tubular reabsorption and urinary excretion of B12 and holoTCII, as well as quantitating the distribution of serum B12 among its TC carriers (because B12 does not circulate unbound) in normal subjects and patients with acute kidney injury (AKI).