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Abstract Background Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is a serious complication of thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke, limiting its indications and affecting treatment plans and clinical prognosis. Identifying risk factors for HT could help improve the risk–benefit ratio of thrombolytic therapy. We aimed to analyze the predictors of HT after reperfusion therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rTPA) in patients with acute ischemic stroke. This study included 115 patients who received rTPA. All patients underwent history taking, clinical examination, neurological examination including Glasgow Coma Scale and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores (NIHSS), radiological investigation, and cardiac investigation. Patients were followed up strictly every 2 h for 1st 24 h then for two weeks clinically using the NIHSS and radiologically using CT or MRI to detect HT. Results Patients with HT represented 21.7% of all patients receiving rTPA, while symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) represented 6.9%. Patients with HT had significantly higher blood pressure, respiratory rate, atrial fibrillation rate, NIHSS score, INR, prothrombin time, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and lower platelet count, LDL level, higher Fazekas score, lower ASPECT score, and prolonged onset-to-needle time. Conclusion Predicting HT in acute ischemic stroke patients is crucial for optimizing management and potentially improving outcomes. In our study, six predictors were associated with HT: higher respiratory rate, higher atrial fibrillation rate, higher NLR, lower LDL level, higher Fazekas score, lower ASPECT score, and onset-to-needle time greater than 180 min.

The study aimed to determine the present state of the use of plant genetic resources in Yemen during the period 2007–2023 and to identify potential improvements, relying on historical descriptive information as well as on primary and secondary information sources, with a focus on the case of the National Genetic Resources Center. For genebank-conserved accessions, the study identified limited achievements, the most important being the characterization and evaluation of 1,100 accessions of different crops. Significant progress was also made with the initiation of hybridization research programmes for various crops. However, the study identified several gaps and obstacles hindering the use of plant genetic resources and concluded with recommended measures to address them with the ultimate goal of effectively and efficiently using plant genetic assets to improve food and agriculture security in the country. In this regard, projects such as the ‘Rainfed Agriculture and Livestock’ funded by the World Bank, are taking steps to promote on-farm conservation of landraces of cereals and food legumes, including the establishment of Seed Producers Associations in five governorates.

Abstract The growth and productivity of crop plants are negatively affected by salinity-induced ionic and oxidative stresses. This study aimed to provide insight into the interaction of NaCl-induced salinity with Azolla aqueous extract (AAE) regarding growth, antioxidant balance, and stress-responsive genes expression in wheat seedlings. In a pot experiment, wheat kernels were primed for 21 h with either deionized water or 0.1% AAE. Water-primed seedlings received either tap water, 250 mM NaCl, AAE spray, or AAE spray + NaCl. The AAE-primed seedlings received either tap water or 250 mM NaCl. Salinity lowered growth rate, chlorophyll level, and protein and amino acids pool. However, carotenoids, stress indicators (EL, MDA, and H2O2), osmomodulators (sugars, and proline), antioxidant enzymes (CAT, POD, APX, and PPO), and the expression of some stress-responsive genes (POD, PPO and PAL, PCS, and TLP) were significantly increased. However, administering AAE contributed to increased growth, balanced leaf pigments and assimilation efficacy, diminished stress indicators, rebalanced osmomodulators and antioxidant enzymes, and down-regulation of stress-induced genes in NaCl-stressed plants, with priming surpassing spray in most cases. In conclusion, AAE can be used as a green approach for sustaining regular growth and metabolism and remodelling the physio-chemical status of wheat seedlings thriving in salt-affected soils.

ABSTRACTThe infertility of sandy soil hampers the growth of many crops. Typically, chemical fertilizers are used to handle this issue, but they are expensive and have deleterious implications on the ecosystem. A two-year field investigation was carried out on cowpea cultivated in sandy soil to assess the effects of different watering levels (70, 80, 90, and 100% of the actual irrigation requirements), chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers, and biofertilizer (Bradyrhizobium sp.), and their combinations on the morpho-physiological traits and yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp, cv. Giza 18). Overall, the findings showed that cowpea osmoregulatory molecules (sugars, proteins, and proline) demonstrated greater accumulation, with the content depending on the watering level. The applied fertilizers demonstrated improved cowpea performance at the regular watering level, with chopped potato tops outperforming other fertilizer formulations. Furthermore, the combination of water stress treatments and fertilizer formulations was impactful in relieving the detrimental consequences of water stress as it enhanced plant growth performance, production efficiency, metabolic homeostasis, nutritional value, and mineral ions composition. Subsequently, our results demonstrated agro-wastes, particularly chopped potato tops, could be an effective substitute for chemical fertilizers in sandy soils to sustainably increase soil fertility as well as cowpea yield performance.

By 2050, over 40% of the global population could face severe water stress. The 2030 Agenda explicitly integrates water resources, supply, and sanitation, emphasizing sustainability for present and future generations. Non-revenue water (NRW) creates a barrier to sustainability through energy, water loss, and money not collected through water bills. However, NRW is well recognized by water service providers, and a comprehensive solution is lacking. Addressing NRW is vital to sustainable operations and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This desk literature review investigates NRW's links with SDGs, highlighting global and local impacts, flameworking interconnections, and revealing economic, social, and environmental consequences. The study revealed that NRW not only aligns with various SDGs, particularly SDG 6 and SDG 13, but also has synergies with other goals related to energy and sustainable consumption. Reducing NRW can achieve more sustainable and resilient water systems, and contribute to the broader SDG. The cost of NRW extends beyond the financial implications for water utilities. It also encompasses the economic impacts on industries and businesses, which impacts exceeded water productivity, increased operational costs, and economic development constraints. HIGHLIGHT Explores new methods of planning and management of NRW by indicators.;

The main objective of this paper is to develop a reinforcement agent capable of effectively exploiting a specific vulnerability. Automating pentesting can reduce the cost and time of the operation. While there are existing tools like Metasploit Pro that offer automated exploitation capabilities, they often require significant execution times and resources due to their reliance on exhaustive payload testing. In this paper, we have created a deep reinforcement agent specifically configured to exploit a targeted vulnerability. Through a training phase, the agent learns and stores payloads along with their corresponding reward values in a neural network. When encountering a specific combination of a target operating system and vulnerability, the agent utilizes its neural network to determine the optimal exploitation options. The novelty of this work lies in employing Deep Reinforcement Learning in vulnerability exploitation analysis. To evaluate our proposed methodology, we conducted training and testing on the Metasploitable platform. The training phase of the reinforcement agent was conducted on two use cases: the first one has one vulnerability, and the second one has four vulnerabilities. Our approach successfully achieved the attacker’s primary objective of establishing a reverse shell with a maximum accuracy of 96.6% and 73.6% for use cases one and two, respectively.

Biotic and abiotic stress factors drastically limit plant growth and productivity through changing the physiological, biochemical, and cellular processes. In this study, 100 mM of lead (Pb) was used as an abiotic stress source, while Fusarium graminearum represented a biotic one on wheat plant. Compared to the control, Pb treatment and F. graminearum inoculation led to remarkable reductions in the wheat seedlings leaf area that reached 21 %, and 12.5 %, respectively. Moreover, the current results showed an enhanced activity of Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) that reached 173 % in the stressed wheat grains and seedlings, decreased mineral contents in N-3, P+3, K+, and Ca+2 in the shoot of wheat seedlings by 25, 42, 23 and 44 %; respectively, substantial increase (79 %) in the total soluble carbohydrates (TSC) and a highly significant reduction (28 %) in the total soluble proteins (TSP), compared with the non-treated control plants. On the other hand, wheat seed priming with weed extracts [i.e., Portulaca oleracea L. (purslane) and Beta vulgaris L. (chard)], or chemical solutions; mainly Calcium (Ca+2) and Salicylic acid (SA) applied exogenously, resulted in a noteworthy increase in the leaf area, compared with the stress treatments. Furthermore, seed priming ameliorated the toxic effects induced by Pb and F. graminearum treatments on the photosynthetic pigments; where it significantly increased the pigments content, while the chlorophyll (Chl) a/b ratio was reduced. Furthermore, priming treatments significantly increased the mineral contents (i.e., N, P, K, and Ca) and counteracted the imposed effects of stress treatments on TSC and TSP. The differential display polymerase chain reaction (DD-PCR) technique was performed to identify the variations in gene expression between the different treatments of wheat plants at three intervals of 7, 14, and 21 d old. This study aimed to investigate the use of plant extracts as potentially effective and environmentally safe green bio-control agents to control the infection of wheat plant by F. graminearum, ameliorate the biotic and abiotic stresses, and compete with the currently used deleterious chemical fungicides in the wheat farms.

Abstract Background Seaweeds are a viable bioresource for suffering plants against salt stress, as they abundant in nutrients, hormones, vitamins, secondary metabolites, and many other phytochemicals that sustain plants' growth under both typical and stressful situations. The alleviating capacity of extracts from three brown algae (Sargassum vulgare, Colpomenia sinuosa, and Pandia pavonica) in pea (Pisum sativum L.) was investigated in this study. Methods Pea seeds were primed for 2 h either with seaweed extracts (SWEs) or distilled water. Seeds were then subjected to salinity levels of 0.0, 50, 100, and 150 mM NaCl. On the 21st day, seedlings were harvested for growth, physiological and molecular investigations. Results SWEs helped reduce the adverse effects of salinity on pea, with S. vulgare extract being the most effective. Furthermore, SWEs diminished the effect of NaCl-salinity on germination, growth rate, and pigment content and raised the osmolytes proline and glycine betaine levels. On the molecular level, two low-molecular-weight proteins were newly synthesized by the NaCl treatments and three by priming pea seeds with SWEs. The number of inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers increased from 20 in the control to 36 in 150 mM NaCl-treated seedlings, including four unique markers. Priming with SWEs triggered more markers than the control, however about ten of the salinity-induced markers were not detected following seed priming before NaCl treatments. By priming with SWEs, seven unique markers were elicited. Conclusion All in all, priming with SWEs alleviated salinity stress on pea seedlings. Salinity-responsive proteins and ISSR markers are produced in response to salt stress and priming with SWEs.

Scarcity of water is a substantial impediment to the growth and yield of crop species. In this study, free-radical copolymerization was used to tailor novel formulations of superabsorbent nanocomposites (SANCs). The prepared SANCs were characterized using FT-IR spectra, SEM micrograph, TGA and X-Ray diffraction. Following SANC preparation, the swelling behavior was examined. Also, SANC's soil burial degradation and water retention were investigated. A pot trial was performed to examine the growth performance and physio-biochemical traits of Faba bean in the presence and absence of SANC under water-stress (40% FC). Water stress decreased chlorophyl and sugars contents, CAT, APX, SOD, and PPO activities. Nonetheless, water stress raised POD and GR activities, and AsA, DPPH, PMA, H2O2, MDA, and soluble proteins levels. SANC alleviated water stress by boosting Faba bean growth and physiological characteristics. SANC enhanced Chl b, carotenoids, Fv/Fm, CAT, GR and SOD, contributing to better growth of stressed Faba bean.

Prolonged drought presents a serious challenge to the agricultural sector. The main concern of this work was to assess the phenotypical, physiological, and molecular responses of five teosinte (Zea mexicana Schrad L.) genotypes (Ba, Gm1, Gm2, Gm3 and Gm4). In a two-season (2020 and 2021) field experiment, fifteen-day-old teosinte plants were subjected to well-watered (15-day watering frequency) as a control, moderate drought (25-day watering frequency), and extreme drought (35-day watering frequency) treatments. Drought negatively affected growth, yield, chlorophyll, and POD activity of all genotypes, but promoted soluble sugars and proteins, osmoregulatory molecules (glycinebetaine, amino acids, and proline), non-enzymatic antioxidants (phenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids), and SOD activity. Furthermore, long-term water stress upregulated MOCOS, Rad17, NCED1, CAT1, and P5CS genes expression, with Gm3 and Gm4 being the most drought-tolerant genotypes. These findings could be employed in breeding programs to develop tolerant genotypes to address the challenges posed by climate changes like drought.

Air pollution arising from different sources represents a serious environmental threat to all living organisms, including vegetation. Monitoring air contamination levels is necessary to detect pollution levels, regulate atmospheric pollution, and ultimately improve ambient air quality. The current study evaluated the effects of air pollutants with a focus on dust and some biochemical and physiological properties of Quercus cerris L., which is growing in Lebanon’s Ezer forest, threatened by the presence of a public road on its northern side. The studied parameters include leaf extract pH, stomatal conductance, relative water content, hydrogen peroxide, proline, carotenoids, and air pollution tolerance index. These parameters can provide reliable information about the tolerance status of plants towards pollutants. Three sites with different exposure to vehicular activities were used to conduct this study, including a control site (unpolluted) and two polluted sites (S1 and S2). The results showed a significant reduction in stomatal conductance and relative water content at polluted sites compared with the control site. Hydrogen peroxide, proline, and carotenoids showed the highest levels at the S2 site, which is indicative of the fact that Quercus cerris undergoes established physiological and biochemical changes in response to environmental stress. Based on the air pollution tolerance index (4.97-9.85) Quercus cerris is categorized as a sensitive species that can be used as a biological monitor of environmental pollution. Thus, the development and implementation of efficient environmental action plans based on biomonitoring should be considered for protecting the forests.

AIM: To share the results of a national screening program for amblyopia in school children in the north of Jordan. METHODS: This is a prospective national screening study for amblyopia. The program rolls first and second-grade children (6 to 7 years old) in the north of Jordan. The eye examination included: best-corrected visual acuity, cover-uncover test, and cycloplegic retinoscopy. Monocular visual acuity was tested using an ETDRS visual acuity chart without correction. Moreover, children were tested with full cycloplegic refraction when the test criteria were met. Unilateral amblyopia was defined as a best-corrected visual acuity difference of 2 or more lines. In comparison, bilateral amblyopia was defined as a best-corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or worse in the best eye. RESULTS: The prevalence of amblyopia for the total sample tested (n=17 203) was 2.78% (n=479). The most common cause of amblyopia was hypermetropia (64.45%), followed by previous ocular surgeries (15.1%), myopia (10.43%), strabismus (9.39%), and congenital cataract (0.63%). CONCLUSION: This is the first and only study, identi?ng modifiable risk factors in Jordanian children with amblyopia. In their first couple of years of elementary education, many Jordanian children are affected by amblyopia and pass unnoticed. A more governmental effort is needed into screening programs to improve vision in the Jordanian population.

Effective classical representations of heterogeneous systems fail to have an effect on the overall response of components on the spatial scale of heterogeneity. This effect may be critical if the effective continuum subjects' scale differs from the material's microstructure scale and then leads to size-dependent effects and other deviations from conventional theories. This paper is concerned with the thermoelastic behavior of rotating nanoscale beams subjected to thermal loading under mechanical thermal loads based on the non-local strain gradient theory (NSGT). Also, a new mathematical model and governing equations were constructed within the framework of the extended thermoelastic theory with phase delay (DPL) and the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. In contrast to many problems, it was taken into account that the thermal conductivity and specific heat of the material are variable and linearly dependent on temperature change. A specific operator has been entered to convert the nonlinear heat equation into a linear one. Using the Laplace transform method, the considered problem is solved and the expressions of the studied field variables are obtained. The numerical findings demonstrate that a variety of variables, such as temperature change, Coriolis force due to rotation, angular velocity, material properties, and nonlocal length scale parameters, have a significant influence on the mechanical and thermal waves.

Abstract Background Natural products from plants are very safe as compared to synthetic ones, so the aim of this study was to assess the in vitro antioxidant and antitumor activities of the ethanolic extracts of four Egyptian wild plant species (Varthemia candicans, Peganum harmala, Suaeda vermiculata, and Conyza dioscoridis), as well as polyphenols and flavonoid contents with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antioxidant activity of the four plant extracts was assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) to determine 50% inhibition of DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power by phosphomolybdate assay. In addition, the chemical composition of the four sample extracts was investigated using GC-MS. The total phenolic and flavonoid levels were also determined. Then, the antitumor activity of the plant extracts against HepG2 cells was determined using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Results The results showed that Varthemia candicans extract was the highest one regarding both polyphenols and flavonoid contents. Moreover, the extract of Suaeda vermiculata exhibited the lowest half maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) against DPPH, thus indicating its highest effectiveness. All studied plant extracts decreased the viability of HepG2 cells, in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and the lowest IC50 was for Suaeda vermiculata. Conclusion The investigated plant extracts showed potent antioxidant and antitumor activities in vitro due to their phytochemical contents.

The present work introduces the thermoelastic vibrations of nonlocal nanobeams resting on a two-parameter foundation. The governing equations are formulated for linear Winkler–Pasternak foundation type based on the generalized dual-phase-lag heat conduction and nonlocal beams theories. The nanobeam is subjected to a temperature ramping function. The coupled equations of the problem are formulated and solved by Laplace transform technique. The effects of the nonlocal parameter and different foundation parameters on the field variables are illustrated graphically and discussed. The results obtained are consistent with previous analytical and numerical results.

Abstract Background Chemical pleurodesis is frequently indicated to relieve symptoms imposed by large/recurrent malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Traditionally, a drain is left in the pleural space till the cessation of fluid accumulation before pleurodesis. Chest ultrasound can detect an amount of pleural fluid as less as 50 ml and can confirm apposition of the pleural surfaces which is required for successful pleurodesis. This work assessed the efficiency and safety of ultrasound-guided, single-session pleurodesis in cases with MPE. Results Seventeen of the patients completed a 2-month follow-up. The technique demonstrated a high success rate (88.2%). The mean duration from the start of pleural drainage till pleurodesis was 1.65 ± 0.70 h ranging from 1 to 3 h. A duration of 2.5 h or less was statistically proposed as a cutoff value not to exceed to predict success (sensitivity 100%, specificity 100%). The mean time for total hospital stay related to pleurodesis was 9.88 ± 3.12 h (range 4–12 h). No complications attributed to the procedure were recorded. Pleural Adherence Score and Absent Sliding Score (ASS) had a highly statistically significant correlation (p value

Yousry Esam-Eldin Abo-Amer, 1 Aisha Sabal, 2 Rehab Ahmed, 2 Nabil Fathy Esmael Hasan, 3 Rasha Refaie, 4 Sahar Mohamed Mostafa, 2 Ahmed Abdelhaleem Mohamed, 2 Mahmoud Khalil, 2 Waleed Elagawy, 5 Sherief Abd-Elsalam 6 1Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases Department, Mahala Hepatology Teaching Hospital, Gharbia, Egypt; 2Hepatology, Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases Departments, National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt; 3Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt; 4Internal Medicine Department, Helwan University, Helwan, Egypt; 5Department of Tropical Medicine, Portsaid University, Portsaid, Egypt; 6Tropical Medicine Department, Tanta University, Tanta, EgyptCorrespondence: Sherief Abd-ElsalamTropical Medicine Department, Tanta University, Tanta, EgyptTel +201063319696Email sherif.abdelbaky@med.tanta.edu.egBackground: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a very common disease that affects 25– 30% of the population in western countries. Many studies have observed the importance of H. pylori infection in the development of insulin resistance, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, the evidence from different studies was controversial. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between H. pylori infection and NAFLD in a developing country.Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study included all the attending outpatient clinics at four Major University hospitals and two research and clinical institutes in a developing country in the period between June and October 2019. Patients were assessed for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection as detected by H. pylori antigen in stool; they were also assessed for the diagnosis of NAFLD by ultrasound, fibroscan, and CAP.Results: The study was conducted on 646 patients; H. pylori infection was found to be present in 538 patients (83.3%). NAFLD (diagnosed by both U/S and Fibroscan with CAP), ALT, AST, hepatomegaly, hypertension, fasting blood sugar were significantly higher in H. pylori +ve group than H. pylori −ve group. After performing Linear regression of independent risk factors of NAFLD to prove or to refute the role of Helicobacter; H. pylori positivity, total cholesterol, degree of fatty liver by ultrasound, fasting blood sugar and diastolic blood pressure were independent risk factors for NAFLD.Conclusion: Helicobacter pylori infection was independent risk factors for NAFLD and correlated with increased degree of steatosis.Keywords: Helicobacter pylori, steatosis, fibrosis, NAFLD, prevalence, fibroscan

Abstract Background To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal ziv-aflibercept (IVZ) in the management of vitreous hemorrhage (VH) in eyes with previously lasered proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Methods In a prospective multicenter study, previously lasered eyes who had dense VH from PDR underwent intravitreal injection of ziv-aflibercept (IVZ) (1.25 mg aflibercept). Demographic characteristics of the patients, baseline and final logMar visual acuity, number of injections, VH clearance time, and need for vitrectomy were recorded. Results Twenty-seven eyes of 21 patients were included in the study. Mean age of study patients was 61.3 ± 14.1 years with mean duration of diabetes mellitus of 22.6 ± 7.8 years. Mean logMAR BCVA at baseline was 1.41 ± 1.26 (Snellen equivalent 20/514) and at the last visit 0.55 ± 0.61 (Snellen equivalent 20/70) with a mean gain of 0.86 EDTRS line (paired student t test = 5.1; p ≤ 0.001). Mean number of IVZ 2.4 ± 1.6 (range 1–6). The mean follow-up time was 11.7 ± 11.1 months (range 1–34). Mean time for visual recovery and/or VH clearance was 5.7 ± 3.3 weeks. Eyes, which required multiple injections, the interval period between injections for recurrent VH was 6.4 ± 5.2 months. No subject required vitrectomy. No ocular or systemic adverse effects were noted. Conclusions IVZ injections had good short-term safety and efficacy for the therapy of new or recurrent VH in previously lasered eyes with PDR reducing somewhat the need for vitrectomy. Trial registration: NCT02486484

Olive Mill Solid Residue (OMSR) can be utilized as a bio-sorbent in wastewater treatment. Even though several studies on OMSR as a bio-sorbent were carried out, there is still a need to investigate a simple and relatively inexpensive OMSR treatment that increases pollutant removal. In this study; OMSR is used in batch experiments to remove toxic heavy metals from aqueous solutions including Cd 2+ , Cu 2+ , and Pb 2+ ions. The effect of OMSR treatment (untreated; OMSR-U, treated with n-hexane; OMSR-H, and treated with water; OMSR-W) was investigated by chemical oxygen demand and cation exchange capacity. It was confirmed by both tests that OMSR-W was the best treatment. The same result was re-confirmed by batch uptake experiments of the heavy metal ions. Using OMSR-W as a bio-sorbent; the effect of several parameters such as pH, contact time, bio-sorbent concentration, metal ions concentration, and the presence of other metal species were studied to figure their influence on the metal ions uptake. The optimum conditions for single metal systems were found to occur at pH 5.5, an initial metal concentration of 50 mg/L, a shaking time of 60 minutes, a bio-sorbent concentration of 20 g/L. In binary metal ions solutions; Cd 2+ uptake was increased in presence of Cu 2+ or Pb 2+ . However, the uptake of Cu 2+ and Pb 2+ was decreased in presence of other metals. The equilibrium sorption data for single metal systems were described by the Langmuir isotherm model. The highest value of maximum uptake was found for Pb 2+ (4.587 mg/g) followed by Cd 2+ (4.525 mg/g) and Cu 2+ (4.367 mg/g). These results show that OMSR-W, which has a very low economical value, could be used for the treatment of wastewater contaminated with heavy metals.

Low-cost composites with high water absorption capacity were prepared by free radical copolymerization of acrylic acid (AA), acrylamide (AM) and gelatin in aqueous media using N,N' methylene bis-acrylamide (MBA) as crosslinker, potassium persulfate (KPS) as initiator and rice husk (RH) as a filler. The composites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of different parameters such as the alkaline treatment on the rice husk, the media pH and salinity and the composition of the composites on their water absorption capacity were investigated. The water retention and biodegradation tests in soil were also carried out. The optimized composite containing treated RH showed a maximum water uptake value of 825 g∙g−1 in distilled water and good resistance in saline solutions and in the pH range of 6–10. Positive effects on the soil water retention were obtained after 30 days samples of soil containing 1 wt% of superabsorbent composites still contained about 7% of the initial absorbed water. Growth attributes, photosynthetic pigments and nodulation traits of droughted peanut were improved by 60 kg∙ha−1 dosage of SAC. On the basis of the good results of water retention and controlled biodegradability in the soil, the developed composites have the potential to be used in agriculture for better water management, with relevant environmental benefits.

In this study, we aim to analyse the position of cultural Islam in Northern European countries. To this end, we examine publications in major print media. Content analysis of relevant publications gives a detailed picture of narratives produced in mass consciousness as a reaction to the presence of Islam at the local and regional level and makes it possible to identify individual trends in the evaluation of such narratives in both scientific and popular analytical literature. The growing secularization of Islamic communities in Northern Europe and changes in the value-driven behavioural algorithms of believers lead both to the polarization of Islam and changes in attitudes to Islam from outside the religion. Studies into the factors affecting the dynamics of this phenomenon have both theoretical and practical significance since they help to evaluate the most promising forms of cooperation within regional collaborations and national programmes for international partnership. The forces promoting the cultural Islam project position it as an antidote for political and radical Islam. At the same time, the main factor preventing the legitimation of cultural Islam across immigrant Moslem groups (or, more precisely, communities, i.e. associations of people originating from countries where Muslims predominate) is the relevant isolatedness of those groups and their commitment to the Ummah. The novelty of research into how Islam and culture interact within those groups is closely associated with the goal of establishing whether cultural Islam is viable as a phenomenon of collective consciousness and whether it meets the following requirements: 1) satisfying the essential need for preserving the tradition and 2) ensuring flexible adaptation to a foreign cultural context. Our analysis of the data obtained has led us to conclude that cultural Islam is gaining ground within immigrant communities and associations. This can be viewed as a practical contribution to studies into the dynamics and mechanisms of adaptation, acculturation, and, perhaps, integration of Muslims and corresponding social groups into the socio-cultural space of Northern European countries.

AIM: To evaluate the visual, refractive and clinical outcomes of non-topography-guided photorefractive keratectomy(PRK)and corneal collagen cross linking(CXL)in eyes with keratoconus.METHODS: Totally 34 cases were evaluated for uncorrected distance visual acuities(UDVA)and corrected distance visual acuities(CDVA), flat and steep keratometry readings, and complications were evaluated at 1mo, 3mo, 6mo and 12mo postoperatively.RESULTS: Thirty-four patients with mean age of 23.3±4.0 years. Statistically significant improvement was shown in UCVA and CDVA, with steadiness of refection for 1y postoperative. T-test showed a significant difference(PCONCLUSION: Simultaneous non-topography-guided PRK and CXL is safe and effective surgical alternative for keratoconus, yielding improvement in the UDVA, CDVA, and refractive status. Stabilization was achieved as early as 3mo after surgery, the only advantage of topography-guided over non-topography-guided PRK might be the minimal over correction of sphere and the cylindrical axis shift in some patients as detected by Fourier analysis of postoperative pentacam.

Robots are becoming increasingly integrated in our daily lives, providing services in civilian, industrial and military applications. Many of those applications require robots to be remotely operated and controlled through communication channels. This makes the robotic system susceptible to a class of attacks targeting the connection between the controlling client and the robot, which can render the robot unavailable. The objective of our research is to identify, estimate and prioritize the risks associated with attacks targeting the availability of the robotic system. To achieve our objective, we perform an impact oriented semi-quantitative risk assessment of the loss of availability on the well-known PeopleBot™ mobile robot platform. We experimented with several well-known attacks that can target and affect the availability of the robot. To examine the cyber-physical impacts of the attacks on the robotic system, we setup a ten-goal test area and constructed a 2D map. The robot was programmed to tour the test area while being targeted by cyber-attacks. The physical impacts of the attacks are demonstrated in this paper. The results indicate that attacks can potentially lead to loss of availability which may result in serious cyber-physical consequences.

Using magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), the thermal energy and mass transport boundary layer flow parameters of Reiner–Philippoff fluid (non-Newtonian) are numerically investigated. In terms of energy and mass transfer, non-linear radiation, Cattaneo–Christov double diffusions, convective conditions at the surface, and the species reaction pertaining to activation energy are all addressed. The stated governing system of partial differential equations (PDEs) is drained into a non-linear differential system using appropriate similarity variables. Numerical solutions are found for the flow equations that have been determined. Two-dimensional charts are employed to demonstrate the flow field, temperature and species distributions, and rate of heat and mass transfers for the concerned parameters for both Newtonian and Reiner–Philippoff fluid examples. The stream line phenomenon is also mentioned in this paper. A table has also been utilized to illustrate the comparison with published results, which shows that the current numerical data are in good accord. The findings point to a new role for heat and mass transfer. According to the findings, increasing values of solutal and thermal relaxation time parameters diminish the associated mass and thermal energy layers. The current study has significant ramifications for chemical engineering systems.

The present work focuses on the attributes of flow, heat, and mass transfer together with double diffusive Cattaneo–Christov mechanism with regards to their applications. The aim of this study is to investigate the non-Newtonian Powell–Eyring fluid flow, taking into account the twofold impact of the heat generation mechanism and the viscous dissipation due to an extensible sheet. The chemical reaction between the fluid particles and the fluid variable properties is assumed in this study. The motive behind this study is the continuous and great interest in the utilization of non-Newtonian liquids in organic and technical disciplines. This model is administered and governed by the momentum equation, energy equation, and concentration, all of which are in the form of partial differential equations. With the help of the shooting technique, the numerical solution is obtained. Graphs show the characteristics of flow, heat, and mass transfer mechanisms for various governing parameters. Additionally, significant physical non-dimensional quantities have been presented in a tabular form. The outcomes detect that increasing the Deborah number, which is connected with the mass transfer field and the chemical reaction parameter, decreases the concentration distribution.

Oyster mushroom waste (OMW) is a by-product of the agriculture industry with valuable antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, and prebiotic properties. This by-product might be a useful alternative to antibiotic growth stimulators in poultry nutrition. The purpose of this research was to test the impact of OMW on the immune responses and on the morphology of intestine of broiler chickens. Four dietary therapies with five replicas of 15 birds in each, totalling 300 day- Ross 308 broiler chickens, were utilized in this study. Control chickens were fed a mixed diet that included a maize-soybean meal complemented by 1 and 2% OMW in addition to the basal diet. Furthermore, Enramycin (125 g/kg) was added to the control diet as an antibiotic. Throughout this experiment, performance was studied as well as the immune response to the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) and intestinal morphological traits. A substantial surge was noted in body weight gain (BWG) and feed intake (FI) of chickens after the addition of 1% OMW (p ≤ 0.05). In contrast, feed supplementation with 2% OMW, compared with the control diet, produced no noteworthy increase in BWG or the feed conversion rate (FCR). Antibiotic addition, on the other hand, increased serum cholesterol (p ≤ 0.05). After 42 days, neither OMW nor antibiotic addition affected organ mass. In contrast, antibiotic addition reduced the small intestine percentage, crypt depth and villus height (p ≤ 0.05). The Newcastle disease vaccine (NDV) antibody titer improved after feed supplementation with 1% OMW comparing with the control and antibiotic diet group. Furthermore, OMW supplementation decreased the heterophil-to-lymphocyte H/L ratio (p ≤ 0.05). The use of OMW led to a reduction in the malondialdehyde (MDA) content of the breast and liver and an increase in glutathione peroxidase. It helped to reduce glutathione, glutathione reductase, and glutathione S-transferase. In conclusion, the impact of OMW were dose-dependent, and the use of 1% OMW in broiler diets enhanced their growth and immunity. Nonetheless, supplementation with 2% OMW produced conflicting results.

Drought has been recognized as a potential challenge to maize production around the world, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. The primary focus of the present study was to investigate the metabolic and physiological adjustment mechanisms as well as drought-responsive gene expression patterns in five maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes (G314, G2, G10, G123, and G326) with varying drought-tolerance capacities at the vegetative stage. Twenty-one days-old maize plants from five maize genotypes were submitted to a well-watered (10 days) watering interval as a control, mild water stress (15 day interval), and severe water stress (20 day interval) treatments in a field experiment for two successive seasons (2019 and 2020). For all maize genotypes, the results showed that water stress significantly reduced plant height, leaf area, biomass, and yield characteristics. However, water stress, which was associated with the length of the watering interval, increased the concentrations of glycine betaine, amino acids, proline, phenols, flavonoids, soluble proteins, and soluble sugars, as well as catalase and peroxidase activities. On the transcriptional level, prolonged water stress increased the expression of drought-responsive genes (LOS5, Rad17, NCED1, CAT1, and ZmP5CS1), with G10 and G123 genotypes being the most drought-resistant. Herein, genotypes G10 and G123 were shown in this study to be relatively water stress tolerant due to improved osmoregulatory, antioxidant, and metabolic activities under water stress conditions, as well as the fact that they were endowed with stress-responsive genes.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the pollution phytoremediation capacity and pollution tolerance of Solanum nigrum in two habitats varied in their pollution intensity with heavy metals. We investigated the relative contributions of the hyperaccumulator S. nigrum in eliminating some pollutants from agricultural soils such as Zn, Pb, Ni and Cd in Tanta and in the sewage water irrigated area at El-Gabal El-Asfar (GA) region. The study also concluded that heavy metals pollution resulted in a significant amendment in the primary and secondary metabolic pathways of the plant. The exposure of S. nigrum to heavy metals pollution in GA region resulted in a relative accumulation in soluble sugars, soluble proteins and free amino acids in the plant root, stem and leaves, but their levels in berry were to some extent inferior to those of Tanta region. In addition, the exposure of S. nigrum plants to sewage water effluents in GA region improved the accumulation of osmoprotectant and antioxidant molecules such as proline, glycine betaine, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Moreover, the medicinally active alkaloids have accumulated in response to sewage irrigation in various organs of GA region plants comparable with those of Tanta region.

Alina Buture, Modar Khalil, Fayyaz Ahmed Neurology Department, Hull Royal Infirmary, Hull, UK Abstract: Iatrogenic migraine aura following transseptal catheterization has only rarely been reported in the literature. We report the case of a 60-year-old female who presented with new onset of migraine with visual aura 1 day after transseptal cryoballoon catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. The patient had a 5-year history of typical migraine without aura and had never experienced visual aura before the cardiac intervention. The neurological examination, fundoscopy, and blood tests were normal. The magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed small vessel ischemia without evidence of vessel ischemic changes in the occipital lobes and large blood vessel disease. A change in the characteristics of existing migraine could occur following an iatrogenic episode, which in this case was catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. A new onset of aura is considered an indication for a brain scan as it may signify underlying new pathology. Keywords: migraine aura, iatrogenic, transseptal catheterization

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Schistosomiasis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality and has been estimated to infect over 200 million people. Diagnosis of schistosomiasis by detection of specific antibodies is likely to be more sensitive than the traditional method of diagnosis by detection of eggs in stool or urine. Therefore the present study was the first attempt to highlight the seroepidemiology of schistosomiasis among the general population of Najran City, southern of Saudi Arabia, as well as to achieve the performance of the diagnostic tests used. A total of 180 participants attending King Khaled hospital in Najran Province, Saudi Arabia, over a one year period, from September 2013 to September 2014 were screened for the presence of Schistosoma antibody in their blood serum using an indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA). Specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibody was evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Out of the 180 samples of sera tested using IHA, 32 (20 %) were found to be positive with a titer ranging from 1:160 to 1:1280, while 42(23.2 %) revealed Schistosoma IgG. A positive relationship was found between the seroprevalence of schistosomiasis and age of tested participants, especially in the age group of 20-40 years old. Additionally, prevalence of infection was more in males (36 %) than females (7.5 %), and showed statistical significance (P < 0.001). Similarly, there was significant association between the presence of Schistosoma antibodies and the nationality of residence, and education of participants (P < 0.05). The current investigation reveals an alarmingly high prevalence of schistosomiasis among participants in Najran, southern region of Saudi Arabia and this supports an urgent need to re-evaluate the current control measures and implement an integrated, targeted and effective schistosomiasis control measures.

مێژوویا كوردى یا هه‌ڤچه‌رخ یا زه‌نگینه‌ ب هژماره‌كا كه‌سایه‌تیێن كورد ئه‌ڤێن دبوارێن جیاوازدا كاركرین،د.سه‌دیق ئه‌تروشى ئێك ژوان كه‌سایه‌تیایه‌ ئه‌وێ روله‌كێ به‌رچاڤ هه‌ى دبوارێن بزاڤا سیاسیا كوردى و كارگێرى ورێڤه‌برن و بزاڤا زانستى و روشنبیرى ل عیراقێ . گرنگیا ئه‌ڤێ ڤه‌كولینێ بو وێ چه‌ندێ ڤه‌دگه‌ریت ،ئه‌ڤى كه‌سایه‌تى روله‌كێ هه‌ره‌ كاریگه‌ر هه‌بوویه‌ د بزاڤا رزگاریخوازا كوردیدا هه‌ر ژ ده‌ستپێكا سالێن چلاندا تا ناڤه‌راستا سالێن شێستان ل چه‌رخێ بیستێ، تا راده‌یه‌كى پشكدارى د دامه‌زراندنا زوربه‌ى وان كومه‌ل و رێكخراو و یانه‌و پارتێن سیاسى دا كریه‌ ئه‌ڤێن د ڤێ ماوه‌یى دا هاتینه‌ دامه‌زراندن. د.سه‌دیق ئه‌تروشى خزمه‌تێن به‌رچاڤ پێشكه‌شى كوردایه‌تیێ كرینه‌،مینا رولێ وى د گه‌شه‌كرنا داخازیێن بزاڤا رزگاریخوازا كوردى د بوارێ په‌روه‌رده‌ و فێركرنێ دا،هه‌روه‌سا رولێ وى د چاره‌سه‌ركرنا كێشه‌یێن د ناڤبه‌را پارتى دیموكراتى كوردستان و پارتاشیوعیێن عیراقێ، و هه‌ولێن وى ژبو رێكخستنا مالا كوردى و ئێكگرتنا وێ برێكا نه‌هێلانا كێشه‌یا دناڤبه‌را سه‌روكێ پارتى دیموكراتى كوردستان و مه‌كته‌با سیاسى. ژلایه‌كێ دیڤه‌ د.سه‌دیق ئه‌تروشى بزوێنه‌رێ بزاڤا سیاسیا كوردى بویه‌ ل پایته‌ختێ عیراقێ ل ده‌ستپێكا سالێن شێستان تا كوده‌تایا شواتا 1963ێ و ره‌ڤینا وى ژ به‌غدا و چونا وى بو ده‌ڤه‌رێن ئازادێن ل ژێر ده‌سه‌لاتا شورشا كوردى .

Many attempts have been made to investigate the classical heat transfer of Fourier, and a number of improvements have been implemented. In this work, we consider a novel thermoelasticity model based on the Moore–Gibson–Thompson equation in cases where some of these models fail to be positive. This thermomechanical model has been constructed in combination with a hyperbolic partial differential equation for the variation of the displacement field and a parabolic differential equation for the temperature increment. The presented model is applied to investigate the wave propagation in an isotropic and infinite body subjected to a continuous thermal line source. To solve this problem, together with Laplace and Hankel transform methods, the potential function approach has been used. Laplace and Hankel inverse transformations are used to find solutions to different physical fields in the space–time domain. The problem is validated by calculating the numerical calculations of the physical fields for a given material. The numerical and theoretical results of other thermoelastic models have been compared with those described previously.

High Mo concentrations have been detected in drinking water pumped from domestic water supply wells located in the Wadi Al Arab area, at the Irbid city, northern Jordan. The main objective of this study is to investigate hydrogeochemical processes responsible for the release of Mo in the groundwater resources. Usually Mo is a metallic element that is naturally present in the earth’s crust. However, the presence of Mo in groundwater is an important potential pollution issue. To achieve the objectives of the study, 34 water samples were collected from the whole catchment area of Wadi Al Arab and were analyzed using ICP-MS for total Mo and the other major cations, anions and heavy metals. The results obtained from the hydrogeochemical investigation show that the groundwater in Wadi Al Arab catchment area is susceptible to Mo contamination due to the chemical reactions of water with clay-rich underlying bedrock that consists mainly of shale and marl rocks. The concentration values measured at the tested wells vary from 46.6 μg/L to 1438.7 μg/L, with an average value of 397.6 μg/L. Therefore, about 70% of the analyzed water samples show Mo levels that exceed the permissible limit of 70 μg/L for drinking water according to World Health Organization. The results of geochemical modeling using VISUAL MINTEQ software show that the most abundant species of Mo mineral is molybdate ion (MoO42-), with a concentration of 30 μg/L, which accounts for more than 50% of the Mo species dissolved in groundwater. The possible source of the Mo in the groundwater in Wadi Al Arab catchment area is due to presence of oil shale and phosphate layers within the geological succession of the aquifer. Through the geochemical model, the saturation indices of the common Mo minerals were calculated. The calculated saturation indices showed that groundwater is under-saturated with respect to Mo mineral speciation, which emphasizes that natural equilibrium will never be reached.

A novel series of α-aminophosphonates containing chitosan moiety was obtained in high yields from reactions of chitosan with aromatic aldehydes and triphenylphosphite in the presence of lithium perchlorate as a catalyst. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR and 1H NMR spectral data. Compounds (1–4) showed high antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli (NCIM2065), Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter cloacae, Shigella dysenteriae, Salmonella enterica and Proteus vulgaris as Gram-negative bacteria, Bacillus subtilis (PC1219) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC25292) as Gram-positive bacteria and Candida albicans as a fungus, at low concentrations (2.5–10 mg/mL).

AIM: To evaluate the effect of different methods in managing punctual and canalicular stenosis as a complication of viral conjunctivitis.METHODS: A retrospective cohort study, including 35 cases of punctal stenosis post-viral conjunctivitis. Cases were diagnosed clinically and treated after 4wk of complete remission from epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. Patients were treated with mechanical dilatation, insertion of perforated silicon punctual plugs or the use of Mini-Monoka stent.RESULTS: Six out of 35(17.14%)had a satisfactory outcome by punctal dilatation alone. Punctal dilatation with insertion of perforated punctal plugs was done in 20 cases(57.14%). Nine cases(25.71%)had punctal dilatation with Mini-Monoka tube insertion. Disease severity and the use of Mini-Monoka silicon tube did not correlate with bilateral eye involvement or involvement of both upper and lower punctum.CONCLUSION: Management of punctal occlusion post viral conjunctivitis may be treated easily using perforated punctal plugs. Silicon intubation with Mini-Monoka might be needed to manage resistant cases.

Mohamed Khalil,1 Esam Azhar,2,3 Moujahed Kao,3 Noura Al-Kaiedi,3 Hatim Alhani,4 Ibrahim Al Olayan,5 Robert Pawinski,6,7 Kusuma Gopala,8 Walid Kandeil,7 Sameh Anis,7,9 Leen Jan Van Doorn,10 Rodrigo DeAntonio7 1Public Health and Research Development, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Medical Laboratory Technology Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, 3Special Infectious Agents Unit, Bio-Safety Level 3, King Fahad Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Maternity and Children’s Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 5Maternity and Children’s Hospital, Qassim, Saudi Arabia; 6Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals, Slough, UK; 7GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines, Wavre, Belgium; 8GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Bangalore, Karnataka, India; 9AbbVie Biopharmaceuticals GmbH, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 10DDL Diagnostic Laboratory, Rijswijk, the Netherlands Purpose: Rotavirus (RV) is a leading cause of severe gastroenteritis (GE) in children across the world. As there is a lack of epidemiological data for RV gastroenteritis (RVGE) in Saudi Arabia, this hospital-based study was designed to estimate the disease burden of RVGE and assess the prevalent RV types in Saudi children younger than 5 years of age.Patients and methods: Children hospitalized for acute GE were enrolled at four pediatric referral hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted from February 2007 to March 2008 and used the World Health Organization's generic protocol for RVGE surveillance. The Vesikari severity scale was used to assess the severity of RVGE. Stool samples were tested for RV using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Samples were further typed by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction and hybridization assay for determining the G and P types.Results: A total of 1,007 children were enrolled; the final analysis included 970 children, of whom 395 were RV positive, 568 were RV negative, and seven had unknown RV status. The proportion of RVGE among GE hospitalizations was 40.7% (95% confidence interval: 37.6–43.9). The highest percentage of RVGE hospitalizations (83.1%) was seen in children younger than 2 years of age. The highest proportion of RV among GE hospitalizations was in June 2007 with 57.1%. The most common RV types detected were G1P[8] (49.3%), G1G9P[8] (13.2%), and G9P[8] (9.6%). Before hospitalization, severe GE episodes occurred in 88.1% RV-positive and 79.6% RV-negative children. Overall, 94% children had recovered by the time they were discharged. Two children (one RV positive and one RV negative) died due to GE complications.Conclusion: RVGE is responsible for a high proportion of hospitalizations in Saudi children younger than 5 years of age. Routine RV vaccination has therefore been introduced into the national immunization program and may help reduce the morbidity, mortality, and disease burden associated with RVGE in Saudi Arabia. Keywords: disease burden, Saudi Arabia, rotavirus, RVGE, epidemiology

AIM:To evaluate Jordanian ophthalmology residency programs in achieving competencies outlined by the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) and residents’ satisfaction with available training programs in Jordan, and to highlight weakness points that may be improved and strengthened.METHODS:A closed-ended questionnaire was circulated to all ophthalmologists who completed their training in Jordanian institutions between 2006 and 2011, to measure the quality of residency training and satisfaction level with regards to clinical conferences, journal clubs, scientific lectures, wet lab sessions, simulations, outpatient clinics and operating room training. Barriers to a successful board exam were cited. All ophthalmologists had official residency training in Jordanian Hospitals; this includes military, university, governmental and private sector hospitals.RESULTS: Sixty-one questionnaires completed out of 69 circulated. Males (75.4%) were more than females. Mean age was 32.5±3.27y. A total 21 (34.4%) responders expressed an overall satisfaction, 38 (62.3%) were dissatisfied and 2 (3.3%) were equivocal. Respondents reported insufficient exposure to low-vision rehabilitation 57 (93.4%), or refraction and glasses prescription 34 (55.7%). Regarding operative experiences, the mean cataract extraction per-resident was 43 cataracts; the number of phacoemulsification surgery was 2.96 per-resident, 46 (75.4%) of responders never did a single phacoemulsification during residency. Nine (14.8%) had training in refractive surgery, and 15 (24.6%) assisted orbital surgery. Forty-four (72.1%) never assisted in vitreoretinal surgery. Among The graduates surveyed, 14 (23.0%) passed Jordanian licensing board exam at the first attempt, and felt that their residency programs adequately prepared them for the examinations.CONCLUSION:Around two thirds (62.3%) of ophthalmologists expressed dissatisfaction with residency training at Jordanian programs, further study is required to assess each program separately and evaluate the system of accreditation in Jordanian residency programs.