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Abstract Indacaterol, a β2 agonist prescribed for long-term management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. In this study the first MISPE cartridges was developed using indacaterol as a template for its selective extraction from rat lung tissues, enabling precise pharmacokinetic evaluation at the drug’s site of action. A molecular imprinting polymer was synthesized using indacaterol as a template, methacrylic acid as a functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker with a molar ratio (1: 4: 20). The polymer was characterized by a high binding capacity of 9840 ± 0.86 and high selectivity with an imprinting factor of 4.53 ± 0.12. The synthesized polymer was utilized as a sorbent in solid-phase extraction to purify and extract indacaterol from lung tissue matrix. The optimum molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) conditions were 20.0 mg of molecular imprinting polymer and non-imprinting polymer, acetonitrile as the loading solvent, acetonitrile: water (20: 80; by volume) as the washing solvent, and methanol: acetic acid (90: 10; by volume) as the eluting solvent. A pharmacokinetic study was performed for indacaterol in rat lungs using the synthesized and optimized MISPE cartridge as a tool for sample purification. These parameters were determined in the lung tissues of rats emphasizing the local exposure of indacaterol to its target organ. The Cmax and Tmax were 51.020 ± 2.810 µg mL− 1 and 0.083 ± 0.001 h, respectively. The AUC 0−24 and AUC0 − inf were 175.920 ± 1.053 and 542.000 ± 5.245 µg h mL− 1, respectively. The elimination rate constant was 0.014 ± 0.00012 h− 1 and the half-life time was 48.510 ± 0.012 h. This study successfully developed and optimized MISPE cartridges using indacaterol as a template, enabling precise pharmacokinetic evaluation in rat lung tissues. The cartridges demonstrated high binding capacity and selectivity, providing crucial insights into the local exposure of indacaterol at its site of action.

Background Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a challenging heterogenous hematologic malignancy characterized by suboptimal outcomes. Genetic characterization of AML enhanced the understanding of individualized patient’s risk and led to the development of new therapeutic strategies. Gene expression analysis facilitates detection of new diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers. This necessitates the expansion of diagnostic testing with higher throughput technologies, such as targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS).Objectives To study the expression profiles of MECOM and BAALC genes in a cohort of newly diagnosed Egyptian AML patients via Oncomine Myeloid Research assay (OMA) by NGS technology in addition to studying their potential prognostic role and impact on overall survival (OS).Methods The OMA was used to evaluate the expression levels of MECOM and BAALC genes and five control genes (FBXW2, PUM1, TRIM27, PSMB2, and EIF2B1), in twenty-four newly diagnosed AML patients by NGS technology, using RNA extracted from bone marrow aspirate (BMA) specimens.Results Gene expression analysis of MECOM and BAALC genes revealed that MECOM overexpression was significantly associated with the presence of lymphadenopathy and the high MECOM median expression level was significantly associated with lower hemoglobin concentrations at presentation. BAALC overexpression showed significant associations with the presence of CD34, the presence of wild type NPM1 mutation, and the absence of FLT3-ITD mutations. However, BAALC underexpression was significantly associated with normal cytogenetics, while its overexpression was associated with adverse and favorable cytogenetics, with a statistically significant difference between them (p = 0.049)*. Statistically significant positive correlation was found between BAALC expression levels and postinduction BM blast percentages. Among these two genes, only high BAALC expression had significantly shorter OS in AML patients based on the log rank test (p = 0.037)*.Conclusion BAALC expression might be a specific molecular marker used for the assessment of prognosis and OS in AML patients and might be used in the future as targeted therapy in AML, aiming to improve patient outcomes and OS.

Abstract Background Subclinical venous thromboembolism is a hidden pathology which may present with catastrophic consequences if not diagnosed at an early stage. This study was undertaken to estimate the occurrence and associated risk factors of subclinical deep vein thrombosis after lung resection for lung cancer patients. A prospective observational cohort study was performed in a tertiary cardiothoracic surgery center. One hundred fifty patients who underwent different types of lung resection for lung cancer were enrolled. Caprini’s risk score was assessed in all patients. All patients received prophylactic stockings and anticoagulants. On the 5th postoperative day, a duplex venous ultrasound of bilateral lower limbs was performed on every asymptomatic patient. Results Out of 150 patients enrolled in the study, 147 patients completed the study. Four patients (2.72%) developed subclinical deep vein thrombosis. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (n = 143) post-lung resection and no DVT and group 2 (n = 4) with post-lung resection subclinical DVT. No patient developed postoperative clinical DVT. The incidence was found to be highest in the group of individuals who had a longer stay in the ICU (odds ratio 37.9) (p = 0.04). Among the various pathologies, the incidence was higher in patients who received preoperative chemotherapy (odds ratio 21.9) (p = 0.001). One patient in the subclinical DVT group (25%) died, while no mortality was observed in the no DVT group. Conclusions The incidence of subclinical deep vein thrombosis is low in the postoperative period among patients undergoing lung resection for lung cancer if appropriate prophylactic measures are applied. However, patients receiving preoperative chemotherapy and those with longer periods of immobilization are at a higher risk of developing postoperative DVT despite anticoagulant prophylaxis. Due to the sample size and design limitations, the mentioned risk factors could be associated with DVT not a cause of DVT. It might be justified to screen these high-risk groups to detect subclinical DVT to allow for post-discharge prophylaxis.

ObjectivesAscites, often associated with critical pathologies such as liver cirrhosis or bowel perforation, can be complicated by fungal infection, increasing mortality especially in intensive care settings and demanding rapid diagnosis and adequate treatment. Traditional microbiological diagnostic methods have limited sensitivity in accurately identifying fungal pathogens in ascitic fluid. Alternative diagnostic methods may offer important insights to enable guiding of antifungal therapy and refining empirical treatment strategies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of next-generation sequencing methods to identify specific fungal pathogens responsible for ascitic fluid infections.MethodsWe prospectively collected 50 ascitic fluid samples from ICU patients with suspected ascites infection. In addition to standard culture-based microbiological testing, an ascitic fluid aliquot underwent fungal DNA isolation and was analyzed by next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods for identification of fungal species.ResultsOf 50 ascitic samples collected, five samples showed growth of Candida spp. in culture. After DNA isolation and ITS2 PCR, detectable amplification was achieved in 10 samples. Sequencing of the 50 patients’ samples identified facultative pathogenic fungi in 19 patients. In 15 cases, culture alone would not have permitted the identification of all facultative pathogenic fungi. The identification of fungal DNA by sequencing was significantly associated with poor patient outcome and a number of clinical parameters.ConclusionsOur results show a higher sensitivity for NGS-based diagnostic methods in the identification of ascitic fluid fungal infections compared to culture-based diagnostics. This may be beneficial especially for patients in a critical care setting, who have an increased prevalence of comorbidities and high mortality. The implementation of such methods in standard diagnosis will require increased standardization of the workflows and interpretation of the sequencing results with respect to patients’ clinical picture.

Abstract Recent advancements in the field of biomedical engineering have underscored the pivotal role of biodegradable materials in addressing the challenges associated with tissue regeneration therapies. The spectrum of biodegradable materials presently encompasses ceramics, polymers, metals, and composites, each offering distinct advantages for the replacement or repair of compromised human tissues. Despite their utility, these biomaterials are not devoid of limitations, with issues such as suboptimal tissue integration, potential cytotoxicity, and mechanical mismatch (stress shielding) emerging as significant concerns. To mitigate these drawbacks, our research collective has embarked on the development of protein-based composite materials, showcasing enhanced biodegradability and biocompatibility. This study is dedicated to the elaboration and characterization of an innovative suture fabricated from human serum albumin through an extrusion methodology. Employing a suite of analytical techniques—namely tensile testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA)—we endeavored to elucidate the physicochemical attributes of the engineered suture. Additionally, the investigation extends to assessing the influence of integrating biodegradable organic modifiers on the suture's mechanical performance. Preliminary tensile testing has delineated the mechanical profile of the Filament Suture (FS), delineating tensile strengths spanning 1.3 to 9.616 MPa and elongation at break percentages ranging from 11.5 to 146.64%. These findings illuminate the mechanical versatility of the suture, hinting at its applicability across a broad spectrum of medical interventions. Subsequent analyses via SEM and TGA are anticipated to further delineate the suture’s morphological features and thermal resilience, thereby enriching our comprehension of its overall performance characteristics. Moreover, the investigation delves into the ramifications of incorporating biodegradable organic constituents on the suture's mechanical integrity. Collectively, the study not only sheds light on the mechanical and thermal dynamics of a novel suture material derived from human serum albumin but also explores the prospective enhancements afforded by the amalgamation of biodegradable organic compounds, thereby broadening the horizon for future biomedical applications.

Abstract In this work, the effect of adding Magnesium Oxide (MgO) and Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles to enhance the properties of the bone cement used for hip prosthesis fixation. Related to previous work on enhanced bone cement properties utilizing MgO and TiO2, samples of composite bone cement were made using three different ratios (0.5%:1%, 1.5%:1.5%, and 1%:0.5%) w/w of MgO and TiO2 to determine the optimal enhancement ratio. Hardness, compression, and bending tests were calculated to check the mechanical properties of pure and composite bone cement. The surface structure was studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Setting temperature, porosity, and degradation were calculated for each specimen ratio to check values matched with the standard range of bone cement. The results demonstrate a slight decrease in porosity up to 2.2% and degradation up to 0.17% with NP-containing composites, as well as acceptable variations in FTIR and setting temperature. The compression strength increased by 2.8% and hardness strength increased by 1.89% on adding 0.5%w/w of MgO and 1.5%w/w TiO2 NPs. Bending strength increases by 0.35% on adding 1.5% w/w of MgO and 0.5% w/w TiO2 NPs, however, SEM scan shows remarkable improvement for surface structure.

Abstract Vilanterol is a once-daily dose inhaler prescribed for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This study involved an investigation of vilanterol stability under acidic, basic, oxidative, thermal, and photolytic stress conditions. UPLC method was developed and validated for the analysis of vilanterol with its degradants. The drug was stable under photolytic and thermal stress conditions and degraded under acidic, basic, and oxidative stress conditions. Degradation kinetics was performed for acidic, basic and oxidative stress conditions. Kinetics parameters, K, half-life time (t1/2) and shelf-life time (t90) were assessed, and the degradation followed first order reaction. The method was linear from 0.10 to 100.00 µg mL−1 with accuracy, inter-day and intra-day precision from 99.45 to 100.02%, 0.391–0.694 and 0.041–0.345, respectively. Mass spectrometry was employed to elucidate the structure of the degradants, and the results revealed that certain degradation products were comparable to vilanterol metabolites. The World Anti-Doping Agency has prohibited the presence of vilanterol and its metabolites in athletes’ urine except for exercise bronchoconstriction with limited dose. So, quantification of vilanterol in the presence of its degradants was performed in human urine. The results revealed that the method was linear in range of 1.00 to 100.00 µg mL−1. Samples collection and experimental protocol was performed according to the guidelines of the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Pharmacy, the British University in Egypt with approval No. CH-2305.

This paper is dedicated to a numerical study of natural convection through a cavity with finned surface where its base temperature is variable with linear profile. An approach based on modelling of internal fluid flow around a finned surface in laminar and at steady state conditions is used. Thermal and hydrodynamic aspects of the fluid flow were analyzed through the numerical resolution of equations of fluid dynamics. For this purpose, we have developed a computer code (in Fortran 90) based on the finite volume method. The studied model consists of a rectangular cavity where vertical walls are thermally insulated, the horizontal ones are maintained at different temperatures: cold and constant temperature on the upper wall and hot temperature with linear profile on the lower wall. The Rayleigh number used is in the range of 103 to 106 and the Prandtl number is fixed at 0.71. The plotted results are related to temperature distribution, streamlines, velocity fields as well as the mean Nusselt number.

With the rapid digital developments, the practice and study of VR/AR technologies reached almost all the design disciplines by considering different applications. Therefore, there is continuous pressure on design education, where course programs in graphic design, media design, fashion design, and product design must promptly incorporate these new technologies and create complete unity between the various design professions. This paper provides a careful examination of case studies in literature and consideration of utility for the profession through a curriculum of virtual and augmented reality technologies with specifications that suit multiple areas of design (product and graphic design). This approach demystifies these new technologies from the design process to product marketing. Interviews and discussions were conducted with a sample of approximately 100 participants (60% students, 30% design educators, 10% designers, and employers). The study included different universities from UAE, Egypt, and Italy. During the academic year 2020/2021. Furthermore, the results of this research were applied to design the "Virtual Reality and its Derivatives" course within the new study plan of the Graphic Design Department, College of Mass Communication at Ajman University in the United Arab Emirates.