Search

The increased awareness of carbon management has prompted the scientific community towards delivering sustainable catalytic technologies, preferably from CO2.

COVID-19 is a pandemic disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is an RNA virus similar to the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the replication process. Sofosbuvir/ledipasvir is an approved drug to treat HCV infection. This study investigates the efficacy of Sofosbuvir/ledipasvir as a treatment for patients with moderate COVID-19 infection. This is a single-blinded parallel-randomized controlled trial. The participants were randomized equally into the intervention group that received Sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (S.L. group), and the control group received Oseltamivir, Hydroxychloroquine, and Azithromycin (OCH group). The primary outcomes were the cure rate over time and the incidence of serious adverse events. The secondary outcomes included the laboratory findings. 250 patients were divided equally into each group. Both groups were similar regarding gender, but age was higher in the S.L. group (p=0.001). In the S.L. group, 89 (71.2%) patients were cured, while only 51 (40.8%) patients were cured in the OCH group. The cure rate was significantly higher in the S.L. group (RR=1.75, p

A large percentage of the world’s tangible cultural heritage is made from stone; thus, it deteriorates due to physical, chemical, and/or biological factors. The current study explored the microbial community inhabiting two prehistoric sites with high cultural value in the Memphis necropolis of Egypt (Djoser and Lahun Pyramids) using amplicon-based metabarcoding and culture-dependent isolation methods. Samples were examined by epifluorescent microscopy for biological signs before environmental DNA extraction and in vitro cultivation. The metabarcoding analysis identified 644 bacterial species (452 genera) using the 16S rRNA and 204 fungal species (146 genera) using ITS. In comparison with the isolation approach, an additional 28 bacterial species (13 genera) and 34 fungal species (20 genera) were identified. A total of 19 bacterial and 16 fungal species were exclusively culture-dependent, while 92 bacterial and 122 fungal species were culture-independent. The most abundant stone-inhabiting bacteria in the current study were Blastococcus aggregatus, Blastococcus saxobsidens, and Blastococcus sp., among others. The most abundant rock-inhabiting fungi were Knufia karalitana and Pseudotaeniolina globosa, besides abundant unknown Sporormiaceae species. Based on previous reports, microorganisms associated with biodeterioration were detected on color-altered sites at both pyramids. These microorganisms are potentially dangerous as physical and chemical deterioration factors and require proper conservation plans from a microbiological perspective.

Introduction and Aim: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the commonest form of childhood leukemia. Molecular studies can provide diagnostic and prognostic information with direct impact on the patient. Recent micro RNAs (miRNAs) studies showed that aberrant expression can be used as signatures of ALL with different subtypes and predict drug resistance. The present work aimed to evaluate the expression of Plasmacytoma Variant Translocation-1 (PVT1) in Childhood ALL patients. Methodology: The study included 55 children from 2 months to 15 years old; 45 patients with ALL before receiving any treatment, and 10 control children. Long non-coding RNA PVT1 expression in plasma cells was detected by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: Lnc_PVT1 expression is upregulated by twelve-folds in ALL patients. At optimum cut-off value of 22.0, the biomarker has a sensitivity of 72% and 82% specificity to discriminate ALL patients from controls. Correlating the mean values of miR_1204gene fold expression with different subgroups concerning prognostic criteria, there was no statistical differences between age groups, gender, ALL phenotypes, cytogenetic abnormality, total leukocytes count, hemoglobin concentrations and platelet count. In contrast, statistical significance was detected with bone marrow blasts percentage, clinical response, and minimal residual disease. Conclusion: A higher expression of lnc-PVT1 was observed in ALL patients, and it had a diagnostic and prognostic potential. In addition, miR-1204 was down-regulated in pediatric ALL and associated with higher risk.

Recent industrial development and research progress in nanotechnology have led to the release of a number of nanomaterials with particle sizes (1–10 nm) which are categorized as quantum dots (QDs) in aquatic system. Disposal away of such QDs will cause potential pollution to the environment. Therefore, removal of disposed QDs from wastewater represents a challenging research subject for scientists and engineers. Hence, the objective of this study is devoted to assess the process of coagulative removal of silver quantum dots (Ag-QDs), as an example, from water by a novel super magnetic nanocomposite. Such material was aimed to prepare from the chemical combination and reaction of a generated Citrus sinensis and Citrus reticulata peels biochar (SMCsr-B) with spinel cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) as a super-magnetic source. The produced (SMCsr-B) was then crosslinked with polyurea-formaldehyde polymer (PUF) using EDA in only two minutes via microwave irradiation to produce (SMCsr-B/PUF). The SEM, EDX, FT-IR, XRD, and XPS analyses of the assembled (SMCsr-B/PUF) nanocomposite were acquired to confirm surface morphology and chemical structure. Controlling experimental factors were investigated as pH, time, and Ag-QDs pollutant concentration using microwave irradiative removal technique to establish the efficiency of coagulative adsorption of Ag-QDs onto (SMCsr-B/PUF). The solution (pH 5) was proved to exhibit the higher removal percentages of Ag-QDs in 15–25 s. SMCsr-B/PUF nanocomposite exhibited high removal efficiency as 93.12%, 92.39% and 92.48% upon using 20, 40 and 60 mg L−1 of Ag-QDs, respectively in presence of 10 mM NaCl. The kinetic and equilibrium adsorption data were best fitted to Freundlich model. The prepared SMCsr-B/PUF was successfully utilized as an efficient super magnetic nanocomposite for removal and recovery of Ag-QDs from aqueous environment.

Adoption of e-CRM has been a recent strategy in the majority of business organizations, more particularly the developing countries, and, as such, managers have strategically invested in online technologies while emphasizing the building and maintaining of worthy linkages with profitable customers. This study aims at identifying the role of CRM in enhancing port performance in regard to customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in MENA ports context. A quantitative research approach through use of questionnaire survey is used to answer the research questions and achieve the objectives of the study. Egyptian port customers and employees are used as the case study of the research for data collection, a total 403 valid questionnaires are collected form users of MENA ports, analysis and findings. Descriptive statistics is used to describe the findings and regression analysis used to describe and evaluate the relationship between the constructs. Finally, the results indicates that there is a positive relationship between E-CRM implication and port performance. Also, there is a positive relationship between E-CRM implication and customer satisfaction as well as customer loyalty. In addition, the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty is positive and statistically significant. Therefore, both customer satisfaction and customer loyalty have a positive impact on port performance as well. Moreover, the research gives recommendations for top managers and decision makers to be careful to avoid mistakes in electronic communication with customers, which enhances their confidence in this type of communication, and encourages them to use and benefit from it.

Contamination of feedstuffs with mycotoxins is considered a huge issue plaguing the poultry sector of Egypt. Therefore, the current study was conducted to examine the effect of the neglected natural mycotoxin contamination of ration on the clinicopathological picture of Escherichia coli infection in broiler chickens. A total of 240 one-day-old chicks were divided into 5 groups. The first 3 groups (1, 2, and 3) were further equally subdivided into 2 subgroups (A and B). Those in group A were fed on commercial ration treated with antimycotoxin while group B was fed on ration contaminated with mycotoxins. Groups 1, 2, and 3 were inoculated at one-day-old with E. coli O78, O128, and O157, respectively while group 4 was kept as a negative control and fed on a ration treated with antimycotoxin. Finally, group 5 was kept as positive controls and fed on a mycotoxin contaminated ration and inoculated with physiological saline. All groups contained 30 chicks. Results showed that the challenged groups fed on a ration containing mycotoxin had high mortality (23.3%) and also a high feed conversion ratio. Moreover, severe clinical symptoms, postmortem lesions, histopathological pictures, and a high rate of bacterial re-isolation were recorded. The pathological lesions were congestion of the liver, spleen, and kidneys in addition to severe pericarditis, perihepatitis, air sacullitis, ascites, and unabsorbed yolk sac. The histopathological changes included degeneration, necrosis, and liver inflammation with lymphoid depletion in the spleen and enteritis associated with sloughing of the mucosal epithelium. The obtained results were less severe in the challenged groups fed on a ration treated with antimycotoxin indicating combined action of both Escherichia coli and mycotoxins. In conclusion, the obtained results revealed that the mycotoxins even at low concentrations can augment the pathogenisity of Echerichia coli in broiler chickens.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia obtains the most desalination water from the Red Sea. In Saudi Arabia, 14 desalination plants receive water from the Red Sea, and three are located in the country’s east and rely on the Arabian Gulf. The study has observed 16 desalination plants out of 17 desalination plants in the kingdom. Most of the desalination plants in Saudi Arabia currently use the advanced technologies to produce potable water with less impact on the surrounding environment. The current study examined the variation of hydrographic parameters along all available desalination plants in Saudi Arabia. This is the first inter-annual database of hydrographic parameters in the last 4 years. The peak salinity was measured at the Duba desalination plant in 2020, and it was 67.2 ppt. During 2018, the Azizia desalination plant reported the lowest value of 36.8 ppt. The maximum temperature recorded at the Qunfudah desalination plant in 2019 was 34.6°C. In 2017, the minimum temperature was 19.1°C at the Jubail desalination plant. The level of dissolved oxygen and pH were likewise not significantly changed along the brine outflow and in the outfall, in contrast to temperature and salinity. On the basis of 4 years’ of data from observed desalination facilities, the current study sheds light on the less environmental impact with regard to hydrographic factors.

Tangible archeological sites and stone monuments are naturally decayed and deteriorated over time, providing substances that can sustain life, although they provide a complicated ecosystem characterized by low nutrition and desiccation. Stone-inhabiting bacteria (SIB) and especially members of the phylum Actinobacteria dominate such environments, particularly the members of the family Geodermatophilaceae. We used the published data of two confirmed SIB species to mine their genomes for specific molecular markers to rapidly survey the presence of SIB in cultural heritage material prior to further analysis. The search focused on the mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) synthesis pathway. MAAs are intracellular compounds biosynthesized by the shikimic acid pathway to synthesize aromatic amino acids and were found related to abiotic resistance features in microorganisms. Based on genome mining, the DAHP II (aroF) and a homolog of the Chorismate mutase gene (cm2) were found mostly in Actinobacteria and few other species. After calibration on five stone-inhabiting Actinobacteria (SIAb) species using conventional PCR, newly designed primers were successfully applied to environmental DNA extracted from two Egyptian pyramidal sites using a qPCR approach. This is the first report of aroF and cm2 as qPCR markers to detect SIAb from cultural heritage material prior to proceeding with further analysis (e.g., metagenomics and meta-barcoding analyses).

In this research, copper (II) oxide nanoparticles were prepared by an ecofriendly green method using the extract of

Son yıllarda özellikle arıtılmadan farklı sektörlerden deşarj edilen atıklar nedeniyle su kirliliği büyük bir sorun haline gelmiştir. Bunlar arasında tekstil, deri, kâğıt ve kozmetik sektörlerinin kullandığı çeşitli boya atıkları da bulunmaktadır. Kristal viyolet (CV) yaygın olarak bilinen katyonik bir boyadır ve genellikle endüstrilerde renklendirici olarak kullanılır. CV boyası 1 ppb'de olduğunda insanlar ve hayvanlar için toksik olduğu bilinmektedir. Bu nedenle, endüstriyel atık suların deşarj edilmeden önce kristal viyoletden arıtılması çevre güvenliği için oldukça önemlidir. Bu araştırma, kristal viyolet boyar maddesinın sulu çözeltilerden uzaklaştırılması için düşük maliyetli bir malzeme olarak iki farklı montmorillonit bazlı nanokilin (B1 ve B2) etkinliğini değerlendirmeyi amaçlamıştır. Nanokillerin yapısal karakterizasyonları FTIR ve TGA yöntemleri kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. CV adsorpsiyon prosesini etkileyebilecek tüm parametreler kesikli bir sistemde optimize edilmiştir. Adsorpsiyon prosesi üzerinde çeşitli faktörlerin (adsorban miktarı, temas süresi, çözelti pH’ı, farklı iyon etkisi, adsorpsiyon sıcaklığı, başlangıç boya konsantrasyonu) etkileri incelenmiştir. CV-nanokil adsorpsiyon sisteminin mekanizmasını araştırmak üzere yapılan deneylerde, adsorpsiyon kinetiğinin ve denge parametrelerinin, sırasıyla sözde ikinci dereceden kinetik modele ve Langmuir izoterm modeline daha iyi uyum sağladığını göstermiştir. B1 ve B2 adsorbanlarının maksimum adsorpsiyon kapasiteleri (qm) sırasıyla, 25oC'de 224,63 ve 45oC’de 360,30 mg/g olarak elde edilmiştir. Uygun yüzey ve CV iyon yükü kombinasyonu CV çözeltisinin düşük pH (≤7) değerlerinde elde edilmiştir. Yabancı iyon olarak NaCl iyonlarının varlığı, CV adsorpsiyon kapasitesini önemli ölçüde etkilememiştir. Sonuçlar değerlendirildiğinde, incelenen montmorillonit bazlı adsorbanların, CV boyasının giderilmesinde etkili ve uygun maliyetli adsorbanlar olduğu görülmüştür.

Muscovite flakes were applied in the synthesis of three types of sodalite with different morphologies by hydrothermal processes for 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. The synthetic sample after 72 h (S-72) showed the best surface area (105 m2/g), morphological features, and ion exchange capacity (71.3 meq/100 g). The S-72 was applied for effective retention of both Se (VI) and Se (IV) ions in batch adsorption studies. The retention capacities of Se (VI) and Se (IV) ions using S-72 sodalite are 149 mg/g and 255 mg/g, respectively after an equilibration time of 300 min and 360 min. The kinetic assessment suggested Pseudo-second order behavior for the retention of both Se (VI) and Se (IV). The equilibrium studies of their retention reactions demonstrated Langmuir isotherm behavior and monolayer form for the homogeneously adsorbed Se (VI) and Se (IV) ions on the surface of sodalite. The Gaussian energies (> 8 KJ/mol), enthalpies (

To evaluate the role of plasma level of von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF-Ag) as a possible predictor for the presence of esophageal varices (EVs) in children with chronic liver diseases (CLDs).All patients underwent upper esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and were categorized as group I (had EVs) and group II (had no EVs). The following patient data were determined: Child-Pugh score (CPS), plasma vWF-Ag, vWF-Ag/thrombocyte ratio (VITRO) score, aspartate transaminase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI) score, AST/alanine transaminase (ALT), platelet count/spleen diameter, grading of EVs (small, medium and large) and categorizing the stage of liver fibrosis.The analysis included 50 patients with CLD; 30 (60%) were female. The commonest etiological diagnoses were autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) (20%) and extra-hepatic biliary atresia (EHBA) (12%). 26% of cases were categorized as undiagnosed CLD. The CPS showed CPS-A 34%, CPS-B 44% and CPS-C 22%. The vWF-Ag was found at a high level of 243.52 ±195.97, with a highly statistically significant difference in discriminating the EVs with 74% accuracy at a cut-off value of 108.99 IU/ml,High vWF-Ag is a valuable prognostic tool for estimating the presence of EVs, and higher vWF-Ag is associated with increased grade of EVs.

In view of iridium's scarceness and high cost, Ir-containing catalysts for water electrolyzers should have low loadings and maximal utilization. Here, we studied low-Ir-content, highly active, double perovskites (Sr2MIrO6, M = Ni, Co, Sc and Fe) for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acid combining electrochemical experiments, DFT, and advanced characterization techniques. The initial OER performance depends on Ir's oxidation state and the geometric features of IrO6 frameworks, which are tuned by the choice of M. Higher oxidation states, particularly Ir6+, enhance the OER activity: Sr2NiIrO6 and Sr2CoIrO6 display potentials of ∼1.53 V at 10 mA cm−2, comparable to the best Ir-based catalysts in the literature. However, because of their less symmetric structures, perovskites with Ir6+ are less stable, prone to surface reconstruction and their cations leach under OER conditions. These results show that improved iridium-based OER electrocatalysts in acid can be designed by balancing their activity and stability.

In product design many fields overlap, starting from design ،ending with marketing, so the designer must be aware of the needs and desires of the consumer and the market in order for him to be able, through his design, to meet and satisfy them, Despite the utmost importance of research related to the design process, the companies benefit of them, as a tool for marketing research and product design development is very limited. Objectives: Access to the most efficient methods in preparing design research to achieve a competitive advantages for products. Importance: The design process is a set of stages that alternate and integrate with each other to achieve design goals, which is to achieve new and innovative design solutions for products whose primary goal is to meet the needs and desires of the user and thus obtain the best possible treatment for the product. It is worth noting that the design activity is not a stand-alone field. It is the product of the overlap of many different fields of manufacturing, marketing and other areas that affect and are affected by the product design process, and with the beginning of the 4th industrial revolution and in the presence of advanced production processes, multiple markets and competitiveness, the strong products that compete in terms of design varied Or the material, the implementation, or the idea and the competitiveness increases between companies to meet the needs of the user with the best quality and best service, and this is can be only done through marketing operations and studying the user's behavior and desires, one of the most important roles of the product designer is to give the real value to design research and present it well and Convincing the specialists in the design process in line with the needs of the consumer and addresses his emotions, which results in the product taking its appropriate share in the market. The researcher assumes that design research has an essential role in achieving a competitive advantage for a product. Also, it assumes that Expanding research methods by making use of the Internet, social networking sites, state statistics and field studies and that Product characteristics can be highlighted and clarified through design research.

Objective This position paper written by the Hepatitis Expert Team of the Federation of International Societies of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition aimed to systematically evaluate clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), medical consensus, and position papers on the use of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) to treat chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in adolescents and children in order to compare recommendations and provide the basis for developing a unified position statement. Methods MEDLINE, Cochrane-Library, National Guideline Clearinghouse and select websites of relevant societies/organizations were used to identify CPGs, medical consensus and position papers between 2011-2019. Results A total of 5 documents were analysed: 3 CPGs, 1 medical consensus, and 1 position paper. All publications were consistent in recommending DAA treatment for adolescents (12-17 years old) with chronic HCV infection. Similarly, all of these publications consistently recommended deferring therapy for children between 3 and 11 years of age until DAA became available as standard of care. Finally, none of the included publications recommended treating children younger than 3 years old. By contrast, there was significant discrepancy across the retrieved documents regarding specific DAA regimens and treatment strategies. Conclusions There is strong consensus on treating all adolescents with chronic HCV infection with DAA and on delaying therapy in younger children until these agents are approved for them. Interferon-based therapies should be avoided. Specific recommendations regarding which DAA regimen to use and treatment duration varied significantly. Key stakeholders need to convene to standardize therapeutic strategies at a global level if we are to eradicate HCV in children.

A green ZnO@polynaniline/bentonite composite (G.Zn@PN/BE) was synthesized as an enhanced adsorbent for As (V) ions. Its adsorption properties were assessed in comparison with the integrated components of bentonite (BE) and polyaniline/bentonite (PN/BE) composites. The G.Zn@PN/BE composite achieved an As (V) retention capacity (213 mg/g) higher than BE (72.7 mg/g) and PN/BE (119.8 mg/g). The enhanced capacity of G.Zn@PN/BE was studied using classic (Langmuir) and advanced equilibrium (monolayer model of one energy) models. Considering the steric properties, the structure of G.Zn@PN/BE demonstrated a higher density of active sites (Nm = 109.8 (20 °C), 108.9 (30 °C), and 67.8 mg/g (40 °C)) than BE and PN/BE. This declared the effect of the integration process in inducing the retention capacity by increasing the quantities of the active sites. The number of adsorbed As (V) ions per site (1.76 up to 2.13) signifies the retention of two or three ions per site by a multi-ionic mechanism. The adsorption energies (from −3.07 to −3.26 kJ/mol) suggested physical retention mechanisms (hydrogen bonding and dipole bonding forces). The adsorption energy, internal energy, and free enthalpy reflected the exothermic, feasible, and spontaneous nature of the retention process. The structure is of significant As (V) uptake capacity in the existence of competitive anions or metal ions.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most detected pharmaceuticals in wastewater and likely pass to drinking water. Magnetic nanocomposite has been greenly fabricated for removal of different NSAIDs; ibuprofen (IP), ketoprofen (KP), naproxen (NX), and diclofenac sodium salt (DF); from wastewater. Solid-phase fabrication of the magnetically separable nanocomposite has been optimized using iron oxide (Fe

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis is a promising technology to produce green hydrogen from renewables, as it can efficiently achieve high current densities. Lowering iridium amount in oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalysts is critical for achieving cost-effective production of green hydrogen. In this work, we develop catalysts from Ir double perovskites. Sr

In this research, copper (II) oxide nanoparticles were prepared by an ecofriendly green method using the extract of corchorus olitorus leaves (Molokhaia) as a surfactant, capping and anti-agglomeration agent. The ecofriendly green CuO NPs were characterized using different chemical and physical techniques and the results confirmed the formation of monoclinic tenorite CuO nanoparticles with an average particle size of 12 nm and BET surface area of 11.1 m2/g. The eco-friendly green CuO NPs were used in environmental remediation for the efficient catalytic degradation of direct violet dye via advanced oxidation process (AOP) in presence of H2O2. The impact of AOP environmental parameters affecting the degradation process was investigated. Moreover, the catalytic degradation of the direct violet dye using the ecofriendly green CuO NPs was studied kinetically and thermodynamically and the results showed that the catalytic degradation process agreed well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. Finally, high catalytic degradation of the direct violet dye was observed when the eco-friendly prepared green CuO NPs were placed in real water samples.

Herein, ternary composites from polypyrrole (PPy), Mn0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 (MZF), and graphite oxide (GO) were prepared to remove acid red dye (AR1) from wastewater. MZF was synthesized using spent Zn–C batteries, acid leaching, and sucrose auto-combustion processes; GO was prepared via oxidation and exfoliation of graphite. The composites were prepared by adding MZF and GO during the in-situ polymerization of pyrrole. Different PPy/MZF/GO (PMG) composites were prepared by changing the weight ratios of the PPy, MZF, and GO. We investigated the prepared composites’ structural, magnetic, and electrical/dielectric properties. We evaluated different experimental conditions’ influences on dye removal performance, such as pH, dosage, dye concentration, temperature, and contact time. XRD, FT-IR, and magnetic properties indicated that PPy completely coated the other contents. The electrical/dielectric properties improved while increasing the GO ratio. The PMG at GO content 50 wt.% (PMG50) showed the most efficient ratio for better removing AR1 from wastewater.

Background The propeller perforator flap is a variant of perforator flaps in which complete skeletonization of the perforator with venae commitantes is done to transfer the islanded flap on its pedicle with up to 180 degrees of twisting that predispose to its gradual occlusion by time. These flaps have been recently advocated for lower extremity reconstruction. However, reconstruction of the lower extremity especially in the distal third of the leg quite often involves multistage procedures that might necessitate flap re-elevation and little knowledge is available about postoperative patency of these flaps. Aim of the work The aim of this study is to assess the postoperative patency and flow pattern in twisted vascular pedicle of propeller perforator flaps used in lower extremity reconstruction. Materials and methods A Prospective study was conducted on 15 patients 18 years or older of both genders undergoing lower extremity soft tissue reconstruction by propeller perforator flaps rotated from 90 to 180 degrees at Ain Shams University Hospitals and Nasser Institute between 1st February and 31th December 2019. With exclusion of smoking, peripheral vascular diseases and diabetes mellitus, each patient was evaluated preoperatively in regards to age, gender, comorbidities, bacterial contamination or infection, cause of tissue loss. The flap size, source vessel, arc of rotation, donor site closure was analyzed. The flow pattern was evaluated by handheld Doppler device and used as a control for the study. Postoperatively, the same handheld Doppler device was used to localize the vascular pedicle, evaluate its patency and assess the flow pattern at a minimum follow up period of 3 months postoperatively in all patients. Results The mean age of the fifteen patients included was 35.3 years old. Six patients lost tissue was caused by unstable scar, while post-traumatic in the remaining. Preoperatively, four patients had osteomyelitis and four had wound infection. The rest of patients did not report any infection. Eight out of fifteen patients used perforators from peroneal vessel source, while seven patients used posterior tibial artery source. Forty percent of included participants had a 180 degrees arc of rotation, while 26.7% of participants had an arc rotation angle of 120 degrees, and 33.3% had 90 degrees. Five patients had early post-operative congestion that improved by conservative methods without de-rotation of the flap, one patient had skin graft loss over the donor site of the flap, and another patient suffered in addition to skin graft loss distal congestion leading to superficial skin necrosis. Eight patients had no complications. All patients had patent vessels with biphasic flow pattern postoperatively at a minimum of 3 months postoperatively. Conclusion The perforator propeller flaps are safe, reliable procedures and are considered as an ideal option in reconstructing small-medium defects of the middle and distal third of the leg providing similar skin texture with low rate of vascular obstruction. The present study documented patent vascular pedicle of propeller perforator flaps at three months postoperatively.

Background Inguinal hernia considered the third common disease in surgeries for adults after acute appendicitis and proctologic disorders. About 20 millions of inguinal hernia repairs are performed globally. Inguinal herniorrhaphy is frequently associated with persistent postoperative pain. Objectives The aim of this study is to assess the postoperative analgesic efficacy of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block compared to ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerves block after unilateral inguinal hernia repair regarding the pain relief, effect on hemodynamics, requirement of first supplemental doses of analgesia and total number of doses received. Patients and Methods The study was conducted on 70 randomly chosen patients aged 21 to 60 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class I or II scheduled for elective unilateral open inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia, in Ain Shams University Hospitals after approval of the medical ethical committee. Results The results of the study revealed that there is Patients receiving TAP block had significantly lower pain scores at 4 h and 6 h after operation, delay time for rescue analgesia and decrease total need of analgesic in first 24 h post operative compared with patients who received ilioinguinal/ iliohypogastric nerves block. Conclusion TAP block was effective in reducing postoperative pain scores for 4-6 hours, lowering total 24-h postoperative opioid and analgesic consumption and delaying the need for rescue analgesia after inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia, compared to ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerves block. This technique can be a promising mode of postoperative analgesia when epidural catheter insertion is contraindicated.

Muscovite/phillipsitic zeolite was introduced as a novel inorganic composite of stunning adsorption properties. The composite was investigated in the uptake reactions of Hg(II), As(V), and U(VI) as highly toxic water contaminants considering different adsorption factors. The adsorption properties of muscovite/phillipsitic zeolite are highly dependent on the pH values and the best decontamination percentages can be obtained at pH 4, pH 5, and pH 5 for Hg(II), As(V), and U(VI), respectively. The kinetic studies demonstrated adsorption equilibrium for Hg(II), As(V), and U(VI) after 360 min, 300 min, and 360 min, respectively. The equilibrium modeling suggested monolayer uptake for all the metals and represented mainly by the Langmuir model considering both the values of determination coefficient and chi-squared (χ2). The estimated maximum capacities are 117 mg/g (Hg(II)), 122.5 mg/g (As(V)), and 138.5 mg/g (U(VI)) which are higher values than several studied adsorbents. The Dubinin–Radushkevich adsorption energies of Hg(II) (19.4 kJ/mol), As(V) (25.6 kJ/mol), and U(VI) (26.47 kJ/mol) signify chemical adsorption mechanisms and close to the obtained values for the ion-exchange process. Additionally, the composite is of high reusability properties and was applied effectively for five decontamination cycles.

A green composite of organically modified bentonite supported by Co3O4 nanoparticles (OB/Co) was successfully fabricated and investigated as a potential eco-friendly, low-cost adsorbent and photocatalyst for promising removal of both malachite green dye (MG.D) and Cr(VI) ions. The composite showed high adsorption properties and achieved experimental qmax values of 223 and 139 mg/g for MG.D and Cr(VI) after equilibration times of 360 min and 480 min for the inspected contaminants, respectively. The kinetic and equilibrium inspection reflected the best description of their adsorption behaviors by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model, respectively. This revealed favorable and homogeneous uptake of both MG.D and Cr(VI) in a monolayer form with theoretical Langmuir qmax values of 343.6 and 194.5 mg/g, respectively. The theoretical adsorption energies of MG.D (0.6 kJ/mol) and Cr(VI) (0.5 kJ/mol) from the Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) model revealed physisorption properties that might be resulted from some types of Coulombic attractive forces, achieving theoretical qmax values of 226.5 and 144.6 mg/g, respectively. The suggested adsorption mechanism was confirmed by the main mathematical parameters of thermodynamic studies that revealed physical, spontaneous, and exothermic uptake processes. Also, the composite showed high photocatalytic performance under visible light, which resulted in a 100% removal percentage of 100 mg/L of MG.D and Cr(VI) after about 180 and 240 min, respectively, from the adsorption equilibrium time.

In this study, Zr-based metal organic frameworks (UiO-66) and graphene nanoplatelets UiO-66 nanocomposites (GNP/UiO-66) were prepared using acid promoted method, and used for adsorption of two different polyphenols; oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol. Different characterization techniques used for exploring the morphological and structure properties of the UiO-66 and GNP/UiO-66 nanocomposites. The adsorption of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol was studied by UiO-66 and different GNP/UiO-66 nanocomposites and results showed that most of the oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol were removed from the solution in 60 min and 180 min, respectively. The kinetic modelling of adsorption was studied. The adsorption isotherms were constructed at different pH values.