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Background: Although breast cancer management has generally improved, there is still a standing challenge represented by the triple-negative breast cancer whose recurrence is highly frequent, disease-free survival shortened, and the overall survival is extremely poor. The Aim of Work: Compare between the total response rate of using gemcitabine/cisplatin versus paclitaxel/gemcitabine regimens to treat the metastatic triple-negative breast cancer cases. Materials and Methods: A random clinical trial method carried out on patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who attended to the Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Suez Canal University, in 2016/2017. A random assignment used to allocate patients who are qualified to: Group (A) to receive cisplatin /gemcitabine (cisplatin 75 mg/m² on day 1; gemcitabine 1000 mg/m² on days 1 and 8) or Group (B) to receive paclitaxel/gemcitabine (paclitaxel 175 mg/m² on day1; gemcitabine 1000 mg/m² on days 1 and 8) every 3 weeks for eight cycles at maximum or until the development of disease progression or the intolerable toxic effect. Results: Cases of triple-negative breast cancer were 144 (20.9%) and those of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer were 110 (15.98%). Within a-12-month follow-up period, the total response rate of Group (A) was significantly higher than Group (B) (69.1% versus 47.3%, respectively). In addition, the median disease-free survival of Group (A) was significantly higher than that of the Group (B) (mean 7.18 versus 5.49 respectively). Conclusion: Cisplatin/gemcitabine can be used alternatively, even a superior regimen to paclitaxel/gemcitabine, for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn were studied in soil, plants, three grasshopper species (Aiolopus thalassinus (Fabricius, 1781), Calephorus compressicornis (Latreille, 1804), and Acrotylus patruelis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1838)), and a mantid (Miomantis paykullii Stål, 1871), to estimate the scale of spatial influence of a point pollution source, to investigate metal bioaccumulation up the soil-plant-grasshopper-mantid food chain, and to assess these insects as ecological bioindicators. Plant, insect, and soil sampling was undertaken simultaneously from grass margins of an arable farmland near an industrial complex in Al-Tebbin. Correlation analyses revealed a pollution gradient, with samples closest to the industrial activities having the highest concentrations of heavy metals. Sigmoid curves indicated that the influence radius of the industrial zone for heavy metal contamination in soil, plants, and grasshoppers was in the range of 3.0-4.0 km. The average concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the three grasshopper species were 4.9, 4.0, 73.9, 210, 5.2, 12.0, and 224.2 mg/kg, respectively, while those in the predaceous mantid were 9.0, 7.9, 106.4, 400, 14.8, 23.0, and 463.7 mg/kg, respectively. The metal content did not increase from soil to grasses, but at plant-primary consumer level, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were biomagnified, and, in general, all metal concentrations increased with an increase in the trophic level (i.e., secondary consumer). In light of this site-dependent accumulation of heavy metals and their biomagnification patterns, the investigated acridids can be considered bioindicators of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article studies the complex mass and energy interactions between the reformer and the reduction furnace in an iron plant based on Midrex technology. The methodology consists in the development of rigorous first principle models for the reformer and the reduction furnace, in addition to models for auxiliary units such as heat recuperator, scrubber and compressor. In this regard, a one-dimensional heterogeneous model for the catalyst tubes which takes into account the intraparticle mass transfer resistance was developed for the reformer unit, while the furnace was modelled with bottom-firing configuration. As for the reduction furnace, the mathematical model was based on the concept of shrinking core model. The furnace was modelled as a moving bed reactor taking into consideration the effects of water gas shift reaction, steam reforming of methane and carburisation reactions. The model was first validated using data from a local iron/steel plant and was then simulated to determine key output variables such as bustle gas temperature, degree of metalisation, carbon content, ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide, reductants to oxidants ratio and required compression energy. The effects of key input parameters on the performance of the plant were studied. These parameters included recycle ratio, scrubber exit temperature, injected oxygen flow rate, flow rate of natural gas after reformer, to transition zone, to reformer and to cooling zone. Useful profiles were compiled to illustrate the results of the sensitivity analysis. These results may serve as guidelines for a further optimisation of the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater irrigation is often practiced in arid regions, which can increase the chance of heavy metals contaminating the agricultural system. This contamination poses risks to both the environment and human health. This research looked into how cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) move through a food chain involving soil, plants, and arthropods. The study was conducted in El-Gabal El-Asfar, Egypt, comparing treated and untreated wastewater irrigation areas. Six soil-irrigated sites and one reference site were sampled for soil, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), two grasshopper species (Aiolopus thalassinus and Calephorus compressicornis), and a wolf spider (Hogna ferox). The samples were analyzed for their heavy metal content. Metal concentrations in all components of the wastewater irrigated system were significantly higher compared to the reference site. The wolf spider and the soil contained the highest levels of Cd, Pb, and Cu, while the greatest concentrations of Zn were found in the spider and grasshoppers. Despite limited transfer from soil to plant, trace elements biomagnified within the terrestrial food chain, specifically from grasshoppers to wolf spiders. The correlation analysis of metal levels between soils, plants, and arthropods in the present study reflects its transfer across the trophic levels. It suggests that dietary intake is the main source of metal accumulation in arthropods. The present study, therefore, quite clearly indicated the possibility of heavy metal biomagnification in terrestrial food chains of wastewater-irrigated agroecosystems. Continuous monitoring and management of such systems are advocated to avoid environmental and public health risks., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)