Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract comprising Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Their etiologies are unknown, but they are charac...Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract comprising Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Their etiologies are unknown, but they are characterised by an imbalanced production of pro-inflammatory mediators, e.g., tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, as well as increased recruitment of leukocytes to the site of inflammation. Advantages in understanding the role of the inflammatory pathways in IBD and an inadequate response to conventional therapy in a large portion of patients, has over the last two decades lead to new therapies which includes the TNF inhibitors (TNFi), designed to target and neutralise the effect of TNF-α. TNFi have shown to be efficient in treating moderate to severe CD and UC. However, convenient alternative therapeutics targeting other immune pathways are needed for patients with IBD refractory to conventional therapy including TNFi. Indeed, several therapeutics are currently under development, and have shown success in clinical trials. These include antibodies targeting and neutralising interleukin-12/23, small pharmacologic Janus kinase inhibitors designed to block intracellular signaling of several pro-inflammatory cytokines, antibodies targeting integrins, and small anti-adhesion molecules that block adhesion between leukocytes and the intestinal vascular endothelium, reducing their infiltration into the inflamed mucosa. In this review we have elucidated the major signaling pathways of clinical importance for IBD therapy and highlighted the new promising therapies available. As stated in this paper several new treatment options are under development for the treatment of CD and UC, however, no drug fits all patients. Hence, optimisations of treatment regimens are warranted for the benefit of the patients either through biomarker establishment or other rationales to maximise the effect of the broad range of mode-of-actions of the present and future drugs in IBD.展开更多
In k-means clustering, we are given a set of n data points in d-dimensional space R^d and an integer k and the problem is to determine a set of k points in R^d, called centers, so as to minimize the mean squared dista...In k-means clustering, we are given a set of n data points in d-dimensional space R^d and an integer k and the problem is to determine a set of k points in R^d, called centers, so as to minimize the mean squared distance from each data point to its nearest center. In this paper, we present a simple and efficient clustering algorithm based on the k-means algorithm, which we call enhanced k-means algorithm. This algorithm is easy to implement, requiring a simple data structure to keep some information in each iteration to be used in the next iteration. Our experimental results demonstrated that our scheme can improve the computational speed of the k-means algorithm by the magnitude in the total number of distance calculations and the overall time of computation.展开更多
目的 以活体^1H-MRS作为参考标准，评价三倍回波梯度回波序列对肝脏脂肪含量的量化。方法 此前瞻畦研究经伦理委员会批准，且所有病人签署了书面知情同意书。37例2型糖尿病病人（男31例，女6例，平均年龄56岁）采用3．0 T MR设备先对...目的 以活体^1H-MRS作为参考标准，评价三倍回波梯度回波序列对肝脏脂肪含量的量化。方法 此前瞻畦研究经伦理委员会批准，且所有病人签署了书面知情同意书。37例2型糖尿病病人（男31例，女6例，平均年龄56岁）采用3．0 T MR设备先对肝脏第VII段行单体素^1H-MRS，经T1和T2衰减的校正，通过4．7ppm（1ppm表示10^-6）水峰和1．3ppm甲基计算肝脏脂肪含量。展开更多
Dear Editor, In plants, the transport of sugars from the site of biosynthesis to the site of utilization or storage relies on sugar transporters located in different subcellular compartments and different vascular cel...Dear Editor, In plants, the transport of sugars from the site of biosynthesis to the site of utilization or storage relies on sugar transporters located in different subcellular compartments and different vascular cell types. The SWEET sugar transporter family is one such class and is represented by 17 members in Arabidopsis. AtSWEET1 was the first plant SWEET transporter to be characterized; it acts as a glucose uniporter in multiple systems （Chen et al., 2010）.展开更多
To keep the concept of a safe food supply to the consumers, animal feed industries world over are showing an increasing interest in the direct-fed microbials（DFM） for improved animal performance in terms of growth o...To keep the concept of a safe food supply to the consumers, animal feed industries world over are showing an increasing interest in the direct-fed microbials（DFM） for improved animal performance in terms of growth or productivity. This becomes all the more essential in a situation, where a number of the residues of antibiotics and/or other growth stimulants reach in milk and meat with a number of associated potential risks for the consumers. Hence, in the absence of growth stimulants, a positive manipulation of the rumen microbial ecosystem to enhance the feedstuff utilization for improved production efficiency by ruminants has become of much interest to the researchers and entrepreneurs. A few genera of live microbes（i.e., bacteria, fungi and yeasts in different types of formulations from paste to powder） are infrequently used as DFM for the domestic ruminants. These DFM products are live microbial feed supplements containing naturally occurring microbes in the rumen. Among different DFM possibilities, anaerobic rumen fungi（ARF） based additives have been found to improve ruminant productivity consistently during feeding trials. Administration of ARF during the few trials conducted, led to the increased weight gain, milk production, and total tract digestibility of feed components in ruminants. Anaerobic fungi in the rumen display very strong cell-wall degrading cellulolytic and xylanolytic activities through rhizoid development, resulting in the physical disruption of feed structure paving the way for bacterial action. Significant improvements in the fiber digestibility were found to coincide with increases in ARF in the rumen indicating their role. Most of the researches based on DFM have indicated a positive response in nutrient digestion and methane reducing potential during in vivo and/or in vitro supplementation of ARF as DFM. Therefore, DFM especially ARF will gain popularity but it is necessary that all the strains are thoroughly studied for their beneficial properties to have a confirmed ‘g展开更多
To improve the nutritional value and the palatability of air-dried rice straw, culture broth of the lactic acid bacteria community SFC-2 was used to examine the effects of two different treatments, fermentation and ad...To improve the nutritional value and the palatability of air-dried rice straw, culture broth of the lactic acid bacteria community SFC-2 was used to examine the effects of two different treatments, fermentation and adsorption. Air-dried and chopped rice straw was treated with either fermentation for 30 d after adding 1.5 L nutrient solution（50 m L inocula L–1, 1.2×1012 CFU m L–1 inocula） kg–1 straw dry matter, or spraying a large amount of culture broth（1.5 L kg–1 straw dry matter, 1.5×1011 CFU m L–1 culture broth） on the straw and allowing it to adsorb for 30 min. The feed quality and aerobic stability of the resulting forage were examined. Both treatments improved the feed quality of rice straw, and adsorption was better than fermentation for preserving nutrients and improving digestibility, as evidenced by higher dry matter（DM） and crude protein（CP） concentrations, lower neutral detergent fiber（NDF）, acid detergent fiber（ADF） and NH3-N concentrations, as well as higher lactic acid production and in vitro digestibility of DM（IVDMD）. The aerobic stability of the adsorbed straw and the fermented straw was 392 and 480 h, respectively. After being exposed to air, chemical components and microbial community of the fermented straw were more stable than the adsorbed straw.展开更多
Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the sixth most common cancer in the world.The majority of patients with HCC present with unresectable disease.These patients have historically had limited treatment options secondary to...Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the sixth most common cancer in the world.The majority of patients with HCC present with unresectable disease.These patients have historically had limited treatment options secondary to HCC demonstrating chemoresistance to the currently available systemic therapies.Additionally, normal liver parenchyma has shown intolerance to tumoricidal radiation doses,limiting the use of external beam radiation.Because of these limitations,novel percutaneous liver-directed therapies have emerged. The targeted infusion of radioactive microspheres (radioembolization)represents one such therapy. Radioembolization is a minimally invasive transcatheter therapy through which radioactive microspheres are infused into the hepatic arteries that supply tumor. Once infused,these microspheres traverse the hepatic vascular plexus and selectively implant within the tumor arterioles.Embedded within the arterioles, the 90Y impregnated microspheres emit high energy and low penetrating radiation doses selectively to the tumor.Radioembolization has recently shown promise for the treatment of patients with unresectable HCC. The objective of this review article is to highlight twocurrently available radioembolic devices(90Y,188Rh)and provide the reader with a recent review of the literature.展开更多
Objective:To investigate antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Callistemon viminalis(C.viminalis)leaves.Methods:The essential oil of C.viminalis leaves obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC/MS.Differe...Objective:To investigate antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Callistemon viminalis(C.viminalis)leaves.Methods:The essential oil of C.viminalis leaves obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC/MS.Different extracts were tested for total phenolic and flavonoid contents and in vitro antioxidant(DPPH assay)and antibacterial(agar disc diffusion and 96-well micro-plates methods)actives.Results:Fourteen components were identified in the essential oil,representing 98.94%of the total oil.The major components were 1,8-cineole(64.53%)andα-pinene(9.69%).Leaf essential oil exhibited the highest antioxidant activity of(88.60±1.51)%comparable to gallic acid,a standard compound[(80.00±2.12)%].Additionally,the biggest zone of inhibitions against the studied bacterial strains was observed by the essential oil when compared to the standard antibiotic(tetracycline).The crude methanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction had a significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains.Conclusions:It can be suggested that C.viminalis is a great potential source of antibacterial and antioxidant compounds useful for new antimicrobial drugs from the natural basis.The present study revealed that the essential oil as well as the methanol extracts and ethyl acetate fraction of C.viminalis leaves exhibited highly significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains.展开更多
An efficient protein extraction method is crucial to ensure successful separation by two-dimensional electrophoresis （2-DE） for recalcitrant plant species, in particular for grapevine （Vitis vinifera L.）. Trichlor...An efficient protein extraction method is crucial to ensure successful separation by two-dimensional electrophoresis （2-DE） for recalcitrant plant species, in particular for grapevine （Vitis vinifera L.）. Trichloroacetic acid-acetone （TCA-acetone） and phenol extraction methods were evaluated for proteome analysis of leaves and roots from the Tunisian cultivar ＇Razegui＇. The phenol-based protocol proved to give a higher protein yield, a greater spot resolution, and a minimal streaking on 2-DE gels for both leaf and root tissues compared with the TCA-based protocol. Furthermore, the highest numbers of detected proteins on 2-DE gels were observed using the phenol extraction from leaves and roots as compared with TCA-acetone extraction.展开更多
AIM: To explore the approaches exerted by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to improve Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathophysiology.METHODS: MSCs were harvested from bone marrow of femoral bones of male rats, grow...AIM: To explore the approaches exerted by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to improve Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathophysiology.METHODS: MSCs were harvested from bone marrow of femoral bones of male rats, grown and propagated in culture. Twenty four ovariectomized animals were classified into 3 groups: Group (1) was control, Groups (2) and (3) were subcutaneously administered with rotenone for 14 d after one month of ovariectomy for induction of PD. Then, Group (2) was left untreated, while Group (3) was treated with single intravenous dose of bone marrow derived MSCs (BM-MSCs). SRY gene was assessed by PCR in brain tissue of the female rats. Serum transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were assayed by ELISA. Brain dopamine DA level was assayed fluorometrically, while brain tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and nestin gene expression were detected by semi-quantitative real time PCR. Brain survivin expression was determined by immunohistochemical procedure. Histopathological investigation of brain tissues was also done.RESULTS: BM-MSCs were able to home at the injured brains and elicited significant decrease in serum TGF-β1 (489.7 ± 13.0 vs 691.2 ± 8.0, P < 0.05) and MCP-1 (89.6 ± 2.0 vs 112.1 ± 1.9, P < 0.05) levels associated with significant increase in serum BDNF (3663 ± 17.8 vs 2905 ± 72.9, P < 0.05) and brain DA (874 ± 15.0 vs 599 ± 9.8, P < 0.05) levels as well as brain TH (1.18 ± 0.004 vs 0.54 ± 0.009, P < 0.05) and nestin (1.29 ± 0.005 vs 0.67 ± 0.006, P < 0.05) genes expression levels. In addition to, producing insignificant increase in the number of positive cells for survivin (293.2 ± 15.9 vs 271.5 ± 15.9, P > 0.05) expression. Finally, the brain sections showed intact histological structure of the striatum as a result of treat展开更多
Chronic kidney disease （CKD） patients are endangered with the highest mortality rate compared to other chronic diseases. Cardiovascular events account for up to 60% of the fatalities. Cardiovascular calcifcations af...Chronic kidney disease （CKD） patients are endangered with the highest mortality rate compared to other chronic diseases. Cardiovascular events account for up to 60% of the fatalities. Cardiovascular calcifcations affect most of the CKD patients. Most of this calcification is related to disturbed renal phosphate handling. Fibroblast growth factor 23 and klotho defciency were incriminated in the pathogenesis of vascular calcification through different mechanisms including their effects on endothelium and arterial wall smooth muscle cells. In addition, deficient klotho gene expression, a constant feature of CKD, pro-motes vascular pathology and shares in progression of the CKD. The role of gut in the etio-pathogenesis of systemic infammation and vascular calcifcation is a newly discovered mechanism. This review will cover the medical history, prevalence, pathogenesis, clinical relevance, different tools used to diagnose, the ideal timing to prevent or to withhold the progression of vascular cal-cification and the different medications and medical procedures that can help to prolong the survival of CKD patients.展开更多
A large subset of corneal pathologies involves the formation of new vessels(neovascularization), leading to compromised visual acuity. This article aims to review the clinical causes and presentations of corneal neova...A large subset of corneal pathologies involves the formation of new vessels(neovascularization), leading to compromised visual acuity. This article aims to review the clinical causes and presentations of corneal neovascularization(CNV) by examining the mechanisms behind common CNV-related corneal pathologies, with a particular focus on herpes simplex stromal keratitis,contact lenses-induced keratitis and CNV secondary to keratoplasty. Moreover, we reviewed CNV in the context of different types of corneal transplantation and keratoprosthesis, and summarized the most relevant treatment available so far.展开更多
Metastatic colorectal cancer to the liver is associated with a uniform poor prognosis without treatment. Advances in therapy over the past decades have now allowed surgical resections of the liver to occur with a low ...Metastatic colorectal cancer to the liver is associated with a uniform poor prognosis without treatment. Advances in therapy over the past decades have now allowed surgical resections of the liver to occur with a low morbidity and mortality. Improvements in chemotherapy regimes have paralleled technical improvements and now allow a new group of patients to become eligible for surgical resection. This chapter will review the recent advances in surgical and chemotherapeutic regimes in metastatic colorectal cancer to the liver.展开更多
AIM:To develop and test an Arabic version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25(NEI-VFQ-25).METHODS:NEI-VFQ-25 was translated into Arabic according to WHO translation guidelines. We enrolled a...AIM:To develop and test an Arabic version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25(NEI-VFQ-25).METHODS:NEI-VFQ-25 was translated into Arabic according to WHO translation guidelines. We enrolled adult consenting patients with bilateral chronic eye diseases who presented to 14 hospitals across Egypt from October to December 2012, and documented their clinical findings. Psychometric properties were then tested using STATA.RESULTS:We recruited 379 patients, whose mean age was(54.5±15)y. Of 46.2% were males, 227 had cataract,31 had glaucoma, 23 had retinal detachment, 37 had diabetic retinopathy, and 61 had miscellaneous visual defects. Non-response rate and the floor and ceiling numbers of the Arabic version(ARB-VFQ-25) were calculated. Internal consistency was high in all subscales(except general health), with Cronbach-α ranging from0.702-0.911. Test-retest reliability was high(intraclass correlation coefficient 0.79).CONCLUSION:RB-VFQ-25 isareliableandvalidtool for assessing visual functions of Arabic speaking patients. However, some questions had high non-response rates and should be substituted by available alternatives. Our results support the importance of including self-reported visual functions as part of routine ophthalmologic examination.展开更多
A novel Ag-alumina hybrid surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy （SERS） platform has been designed for the spectroscopic detection of surface reactions in the steady state. Single crystalline and faceted silver （Ag） ...A novel Ag-alumina hybrid surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy （SERS） platform has been designed for the spectroscopic detection of surface reactions in the steady state. Single crystalline and faceted silver （Ag） nanoparticles with strong light scattering were prepared in large quantity, which enables their reproducible self-assembly into large scale monolayers of Raman sensor arrays by the Langrnuir-Blodgett technique. The close packed sensor film contains high density of sub-nm gaps between sharp edges of Ag nanoparticles, which created large local electromagnetic fields that serve as ＂hot spots＂ for SERS enhancement. The SERS substrate was then coated with a thin layer of alumina by atomic layer deposition to prevent charge transfer between Ag and the reaction system. The photocatalytic water splitting reaction on a monolayer of anatase TiO2 nanoplates decorated with Pt co-catalyst nanoparticles was employed as a model reaction system. Reaction intermediates of water photooxidation were observed at the TiO2/solution interface under UV irradiation. The surface-enhanced Raman vibrations corresponding to peroxo, hydroperoxo and hydroxo surface intermediate species were observed on the TiO2 surface, suggesting that the photo-oxidation of water on these anatase TiO2 nanosheets may be initiated by a nucleophilic attack mechanism.展开更多
For many years, ruminant nutritionists and microbiologists have been interested in manipulating the microbial ecosystem of the rumen to improve production efficiency of different ruminant species. Removal and restrict...For many years, ruminant nutritionists and microbiologists have been interested in manipulating the microbial ecosystem of the rumen to improve production efficiency of different ruminant species. Removal and restriction of antibiotics subtherapeutic uses from ruminant diets has amplified interest in improving nutrient utilization and animal performance and search for more safe alternatives. Some bacterial and fungal microorganisms as a direct-fed microbial（DFM） can be the most suitable solutions. Microorganisms that are commonly used in DFM for ruminants may be classified mainly as lactic acid producing bacteria（LAB）, lactic acid utilizing bacteria（LUB）, or other microorganism＇s species like Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Propionibacterium, Megasphaera elsdenii and Prevotellabryantii, in addition to some fungal species of yeast such as Saccharomyces and Aspergillus. A definitive mode of action for bacterial or fungal DFM has not been established; although a variety of mechanisms have been suggested. Bacterial DFM potentially moderate rumen conditions, and improve weight gain and feed efficiency. Fungal DFM may reduce harmful oxygen from the rumen, prevent excess lactate production, increase feed digestibility, and alter rumen fermentation patterns. DFM may also compete with and inhibit the growth of pathogens, immune system modulation, and modulate microbial balance in the gastrointestinal tract. Improved dry matter intake, milk yield, fat corrected milk yield and milk fat content were obtained with DFM administration. However, the response to DFM is not constant; depending on dosages, feeding times and frequencies, and strains of DFM. Nonetheless, recent studies have supported the positive effects of DFM on ruminant performance.展开更多
Analyzing big data, especially medical data, helps to provide good health care to patients and face the risks of death. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on public health worldwide, emphasizing the ne...Analyzing big data, especially medical data, helps to provide good health care to patients and face the risks of death. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on public health worldwide, emphasizing the need for effective risk prediction models. Machine learning (ML) techniques have shown promise in analyzing complex data patterns and predicting disease outcomes. The accuracy of these techniques is greatly affected by changing their parameters. Hyperparameter optimization plays a crucial role in improving model performance. In this work, the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm was used to effectively search the hyperparameter space and improve the predictive power of the machine learning models by identifying the optimal hyperparameters that can provide the highest accuracy. A dataset with a variety of clinical and epidemiological characteristics linked to COVID-19 cases was used in this study. Various machine learning models, including Random Forests, Decision Trees, Support Vector Machines, and Neural Networks, were utilized to capture the complex relationships present in the data. To evaluate the predictive performance of the models, the accuracy metric was employed. The experimental findings showed that the suggested method of estimating COVID-19 risk is effective. When compared to baseline models, the optimized machine learning models performed better and produced better results.展开更多
This work was held to study the effect of chitosan nanoparticles and loaded N on the wheat plants. A field study was conducted during the winter season 2021/2022 cultivated with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on sandy s...This work was held to study the effect of chitosan nanoparticles and loaded N on the wheat plants. A field study was conducted during the winter season 2021/2022 cultivated with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on sandy soil at the experimental unit of the Faculty of Agriculture farm-Suez Canal University-Ismailia-Egypt. Results may indicate that the application of foliar chitosan NPs.-loaded nitrogen in different concentrations has been employed to enhance plant growth and productivity, Nano-chitosan loaded with N (500 mg/L) yielded the most grains and was more effective than the control and nano-chitosan loaded N (250 mg/L, 750 mg/L).展开更多
基金Supported by Grants from the Foundation of Aase and Ejnar Danielsenthe Foundation of Axel Muusfeldtthe A P Mφller Foundation("Fonden til Lgevidenskabens Fremme")
文摘Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract comprising Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Their etiologies are unknown, but they are characterised by an imbalanced production of pro-inflammatory mediators, e.g., tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, as well as increased recruitment of leukocytes to the site of inflammation. Advantages in understanding the role of the inflammatory pathways in IBD and an inadequate response to conventional therapy in a large portion of patients, has over the last two decades lead to new therapies which includes the TNF inhibitors (TNFi), designed to target and neutralise the effect of TNF-α. TNFi have shown to be efficient in treating moderate to severe CD and UC. However, convenient alternative therapeutics targeting other immune pathways are needed for patients with IBD refractory to conventional therapy including TNFi. Indeed, several therapeutics are currently under development, and have shown success in clinical trials. These include antibodies targeting and neutralising interleukin-12/23, small pharmacologic Janus kinase inhibitors designed to block intracellular signaling of several pro-inflammatory cytokines, antibodies targeting integrins, and small anti-adhesion molecules that block adhesion between leukocytes and the intestinal vascular endothelium, reducing their infiltration into the inflamed mucosa. In this review we have elucidated the major signaling pathways of clinical importance for IBD therapy and highlighted the new promising therapies available. As stated in this paper several new treatment options are under development for the treatment of CD and UC, however, no drug fits all patients. Hence, optimisations of treatment regimens are warranted for the benefit of the patients either through biomarker establishment or other rationales to maximise the effect of the broad range of mode-of-actions of the present and future drugs in IBD.
文摘In k-means clustering, we are given a set of n data points in d-dimensional space R^d and an integer k and the problem is to determine a set of k points in R^d, called centers, so as to minimize the mean squared distance from each data point to its nearest center. In this paper, we present a simple and efficient clustering algorithm based on the k-means algorithm, which we call enhanced k-means algorithm. This algorithm is easy to implement, requiring a simple data structure to keep some information in each iteration to be used in the next iteration. Our experimental results demonstrated that our scheme can improve the computational speed of the k-means algorithm by the magnitude in the total number of distance calculations and the overall time of computation.
文摘目的 以活体^1H-MRS作为参考标准，评价三倍回波梯度回波序列对肝脏脂肪含量的量化。方法 此前瞻畦研究经伦理委员会批准，且所有病人签署了书面知情同意书。37例2型糖尿病病人（男31例，女6例，平均年龄56岁）采用3．0 T MR设备先对肝脏第VII段行单体素^1H-MRS，经T1和T2衰减的校正，通过4．7ppm（1ppm表示10^-6）水峰和1．3ppm甲基计算肝脏脂肪含量。
文摘Dear Editor, In plants, the transport of sugars from the site of biosynthesis to the site of utilization or storage relies on sugar transporters located in different subcellular compartments and different vascular cell types. The SWEET sugar transporter family is one such class and is represented by 17 members in Arabidopsis. AtSWEET1 was the first plant SWEET transporter to be characterized; it acts as a glucose uniporter in multiple systems （Chen et al., 2010）.
基金financial support provided under the Network Project of ICAR on ‘VTCC’ to carry the research further in this direction
文摘To keep the concept of a safe food supply to the consumers, animal feed industries world over are showing an increasing interest in the direct-fed microbials（DFM） for improved animal performance in terms of growth or productivity. This becomes all the more essential in a situation, where a number of the residues of antibiotics and/or other growth stimulants reach in milk and meat with a number of associated potential risks for the consumers. Hence, in the absence of growth stimulants, a positive manipulation of the rumen microbial ecosystem to enhance the feedstuff utilization for improved production efficiency by ruminants has become of much interest to the researchers and entrepreneurs. A few genera of live microbes（i.e., bacteria, fungi and yeasts in different types of formulations from paste to powder） are infrequently used as DFM for the domestic ruminants. These DFM products are live microbial feed supplements containing naturally occurring microbes in the rumen. Among different DFM possibilities, anaerobic rumen fungi（ARF） based additives have been found to improve ruminant productivity consistently during feeding trials. Administration of ARF during the few trials conducted, led to the increased weight gain, milk production, and total tract digestibility of feed components in ruminants. Anaerobic fungi in the rumen display very strong cell-wall degrading cellulolytic and xylanolytic activities through rhizoid development, resulting in the physical disruption of feed structure paving the way for bacterial action. Significant improvements in the fiber digestibility were found to coincide with increases in ARF in the rumen indicating their role. Most of the researches based on DFM have indicated a positive response in nutrient digestion and methane reducing potential during in vivo and/or in vitro supplementation of ARF as DFM. Therefore, DFM especially ARF will gain popularity but it is necessary that all the strains are thoroughly studied for their beneficial properties to have a confirmed ‘g
基金supported by the National Key Technology Research and Development Program of China during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2012BAD14B01)the Special Fund for Agro-Scientific Research in the Public Interest, China (201303080)
文摘To improve the nutritional value and the palatability of air-dried rice straw, culture broth of the lactic acid bacteria community SFC-2 was used to examine the effects of two different treatments, fermentation and adsorption. Air-dried and chopped rice straw was treated with either fermentation for 30 d after adding 1.5 L nutrient solution（50 m L inocula L–1, 1.2×1012 CFU m L–1 inocula） kg–1 straw dry matter, or spraying a large amount of culture broth（1.5 L kg–1 straw dry matter, 1.5×1011 CFU m L–1 culture broth） on the straw and allowing it to adsorb for 30 min. The feed quality and aerobic stability of the resulting forage were examined. Both treatments improved the feed quality of rice straw, and adsorption was better than fermentation for preserving nutrients and improving digestibility, as evidenced by higher dry matter（DM） and crude protein（CP） concentrations, lower neutral detergent fiber（NDF）, acid detergent fiber（ADF） and NH3-N concentrations, as well as higher lactic acid production and in vitro digestibility of DM（IVDMD）. The aerobic stability of the adsorbed straw and the fermented straw was 392 and 480 h, respectively. After being exposed to air, chemical components and microbial community of the fermented straw were more stable than the adsorbed straw.
文摘Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the sixth most common cancer in the world.The majority of patients with HCC present with unresectable disease.These patients have historically had limited treatment options secondary to HCC demonstrating chemoresistance to the currently available systemic therapies.Additionally, normal liver parenchyma has shown intolerance to tumoricidal radiation doses,limiting the use of external beam radiation.Because of these limitations,novel percutaneous liver-directed therapies have emerged. The targeted infusion of radioactive microspheres (radioembolization)represents one such therapy. Radioembolization is a minimally invasive transcatheter therapy through which radioactive microspheres are infused into the hepatic arteries that supply tumor. Once infused,these microspheres traverse the hepatic vascular plexus and selectively implant within the tumor arterioles.Embedded within the arterioles, the 90Y impregnated microspheres emit high energy and low penetrating radiation doses selectively to the tumor.Radioembolization has recently shown promise for the treatment of patients with unresectable HCC. The objective of this review article is to highlight twocurrently available radioembolic devices(90Y,188Rh)and provide the reader with a recent review of the literature.
基金funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University with the research group project No.RGP-VPP-010
文摘Objective:To investigate antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Callistemon viminalis(C.viminalis)leaves.Methods:The essential oil of C.viminalis leaves obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC/MS.Different extracts were tested for total phenolic and flavonoid contents and in vitro antioxidant(DPPH assay)and antibacterial(agar disc diffusion and 96-well micro-plates methods)actives.Results:Fourteen components were identified in the essential oil,representing 98.94%of the total oil.The major components were 1,8-cineole(64.53%)andα-pinene(9.69%).Leaf essential oil exhibited the highest antioxidant activity of(88.60±1.51)%comparable to gallic acid,a standard compound[(80.00±2.12)%].Additionally,the biggest zone of inhibitions against the studied bacterial strains was observed by the essential oil when compared to the standard antibiotic(tetracycline).The crude methanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction had a significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains.Conclusions:It can be suggested that C.viminalis is a great potential source of antibacterial and antioxidant compounds useful for new antimicrobial drugs from the natural basis.The present study revealed that the essential oil as well as the methanol extracts and ethyl acetate fraction of C.viminalis leaves exhibited highly significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains.
文摘An efficient protein extraction method is crucial to ensure successful separation by two-dimensional electrophoresis （2-DE） for recalcitrant plant species, in particular for grapevine （Vitis vinifera L.）. Trichloroacetic acid-acetone （TCA-acetone） and phenol extraction methods were evaluated for proteome analysis of leaves and roots from the Tunisian cultivar ＇Razegui＇. The phenol-based protocol proved to give a higher protein yield, a greater spot resolution, and a minimal streaking on 2-DE gels for both leaf and root tissues compared with the TCA-based protocol. Furthermore, the highest numbers of detected proteins on 2-DE gels were observed using the phenol extraction from leaves and roots as compared with TCA-acetone extraction.
文摘AIM: To explore the approaches exerted by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to improve Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathophysiology.METHODS: MSCs were harvested from bone marrow of femoral bones of male rats, grown and propagated in culture. Twenty four ovariectomized animals were classified into 3 groups: Group (1) was control, Groups (2) and (3) were subcutaneously administered with rotenone for 14 d after one month of ovariectomy for induction of PD. Then, Group (2) was left untreated, while Group (3) was treated with single intravenous dose of bone marrow derived MSCs (BM-MSCs). SRY gene was assessed by PCR in brain tissue of the female rats. Serum transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were assayed by ELISA. Brain dopamine DA level was assayed fluorometrically, while brain tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and nestin gene expression were detected by semi-quantitative real time PCR. Brain survivin expression was determined by immunohistochemical procedure. Histopathological investigation of brain tissues was also done.RESULTS: BM-MSCs were able to home at the injured brains and elicited significant decrease in serum TGF-β1 (489.7 ± 13.0 vs 691.2 ± 8.0, P < 0.05) and MCP-1 (89.6 ± 2.0 vs 112.1 ± 1.9, P < 0.05) levels associated with significant increase in serum BDNF (3663 ± 17.8 vs 2905 ± 72.9, P < 0.05) and brain DA (874 ± 15.0 vs 599 ± 9.8, P < 0.05) levels as well as brain TH (1.18 ± 0.004 vs 0.54 ± 0.009, P < 0.05) and nestin (1.29 ± 0.005 vs 0.67 ± 0.006, P < 0.05) genes expression levels. In addition to, producing insignificant increase in the number of positive cells for survivin (293.2 ± 15.9 vs 271.5 ± 15.9, P > 0.05) expression. Finally, the brain sections showed intact histological structure of the striatum as a result of treat
文摘Chronic kidney disease （CKD） patients are endangered with the highest mortality rate compared to other chronic diseases. Cardiovascular events account for up to 60% of the fatalities. Cardiovascular calcifcations affect most of the CKD patients. Most of this calcification is related to disturbed renal phosphate handling. Fibroblast growth factor 23 and klotho defciency were incriminated in the pathogenesis of vascular calcification through different mechanisms including their effects on endothelium and arterial wall smooth muscle cells. In addition, deficient klotho gene expression, a constant feature of CKD, pro-motes vascular pathology and shares in progression of the CKD. The role of gut in the etio-pathogenesis of systemic infammation and vascular calcifcation is a newly discovered mechanism. This review will cover the medical history, prevalence, pathogenesis, clinical relevance, different tools used to diagnose, the ideal timing to prevent or to withhold the progression of vascular cal-cification and the different medications and medical procedures that can help to prolong the survival of CKD patients.
文摘A large subset of corneal pathologies involves the formation of new vessels(neovascularization), leading to compromised visual acuity. This article aims to review the clinical causes and presentations of corneal neovascularization(CNV) by examining the mechanisms behind common CNV-related corneal pathologies, with a particular focus on herpes simplex stromal keratitis,contact lenses-induced keratitis and CNV secondary to keratoplasty. Moreover, we reviewed CNV in the context of different types of corneal transplantation and keratoprosthesis, and summarized the most relevant treatment available so far.
文摘Metastatic colorectal cancer to the liver is associated with a uniform poor prognosis without treatment. Advances in therapy over the past decades have now allowed surgical resections of the liver to occur with a low morbidity and mortality. Improvements in chemotherapy regimes have paralleled technical improvements and now allow a new group of patients to become eligible for surgical resection. This chapter will review the recent advances in surgical and chemotherapeutic regimes in metastatic colorectal cancer to the liver.
文摘AIM:To develop and test an Arabic version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25(NEI-VFQ-25).METHODS:NEI-VFQ-25 was translated into Arabic according to WHO translation guidelines. We enrolled adult consenting patients with bilateral chronic eye diseases who presented to 14 hospitals across Egypt from October to December 2012, and documented their clinical findings. Psychometric properties were then tested using STATA.RESULTS:We recruited 379 patients, whose mean age was(54.5±15)y. Of 46.2% were males, 227 had cataract,31 had glaucoma, 23 had retinal detachment, 37 had diabetic retinopathy, and 61 had miscellaneous visual defects. Non-response rate and the floor and ceiling numbers of the Arabic version(ARB-VFQ-25) were calculated. Internal consistency was high in all subscales(except general health), with Cronbach-α ranging from0.702-0.911. Test-retest reliability was high(intraclass correlation coefficient 0.79).CONCLUSION:RB-VFQ-25 isareliableandvalidtool for assessing visual functions of Arabic speaking patients. However, some questions had high non-response rates and should be substituted by available alternatives. Our results support the importance of including self-reported visual functions as part of routine ophthalmologic examination.
文摘A novel Ag-alumina hybrid surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy （SERS） platform has been designed for the spectroscopic detection of surface reactions in the steady state. Single crystalline and faceted silver （Ag） nanoparticles with strong light scattering were prepared in large quantity, which enables their reproducible self-assembly into large scale monolayers of Raman sensor arrays by the Langrnuir-Blodgett technique. The close packed sensor film contains high density of sub-nm gaps between sharp edges of Ag nanoparticles, which created large local electromagnetic fields that serve as ＂hot spots＂ for SERS enhancement. The SERS substrate was then coated with a thin layer of alumina by atomic layer deposition to prevent charge transfer between Ag and the reaction system. The photocatalytic water splitting reaction on a monolayer of anatase TiO2 nanoplates decorated with Pt co-catalyst nanoparticles was employed as a model reaction system. Reaction intermediates of water photooxidation were observed at the TiO2/solution interface under UV irradiation. The surface-enhanced Raman vibrations corresponding to peroxo, hydroperoxo and hydroxo surface intermediate species were observed on the TiO2 surface, suggesting that the photo-oxidation of water on these anatase TiO2 nanosheets may be initiated by a nucleophilic attack mechanism.
文摘For many years, ruminant nutritionists and microbiologists have been interested in manipulating the microbial ecosystem of the rumen to improve production efficiency of different ruminant species. Removal and restriction of antibiotics subtherapeutic uses from ruminant diets has amplified interest in improving nutrient utilization and animal performance and search for more safe alternatives. Some bacterial and fungal microorganisms as a direct-fed microbial（DFM） can be the most suitable solutions. Microorganisms that are commonly used in DFM for ruminants may be classified mainly as lactic acid producing bacteria（LAB）, lactic acid utilizing bacteria（LUB）, or other microorganism＇s species like Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Propionibacterium, Megasphaera elsdenii and Prevotellabryantii, in addition to some fungal species of yeast such as Saccharomyces and Aspergillus. A definitive mode of action for bacterial or fungal DFM has not been established; although a variety of mechanisms have been suggested. Bacterial DFM potentially moderate rumen conditions, and improve weight gain and feed efficiency. Fungal DFM may reduce harmful oxygen from the rumen, prevent excess lactate production, increase feed digestibility, and alter rumen fermentation patterns. DFM may also compete with and inhibit the growth of pathogens, immune system modulation, and modulate microbial balance in the gastrointestinal tract. Improved dry matter intake, milk yield, fat corrected milk yield and milk fat content were obtained with DFM administration. However, the response to DFM is not constant; depending on dosages, feeding times and frequencies, and strains of DFM. Nonetheless, recent studies have supported the positive effects of DFM on ruminant performance.
文摘Analyzing big data, especially medical data, helps to provide good health care to patients and face the risks of death. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on public health worldwide, emphasizing the need for effective risk prediction models. Machine learning (ML) techniques have shown promise in analyzing complex data patterns and predicting disease outcomes. The accuracy of these techniques is greatly affected by changing their parameters. Hyperparameter optimization plays a crucial role in improving model performance. In this work, the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm was used to effectively search the hyperparameter space and improve the predictive power of the machine learning models by identifying the optimal hyperparameters that can provide the highest accuracy. A dataset with a variety of clinical and epidemiological characteristics linked to COVID-19 cases was used in this study. Various machine learning models, including Random Forests, Decision Trees, Support Vector Machines, and Neural Networks, were utilized to capture the complex relationships present in the data. To evaluate the predictive performance of the models, the accuracy metric was employed. The experimental findings showed that the suggested method of estimating COVID-19 risk is effective. When compared to baseline models, the optimized machine learning models performed better and produced better results.
文摘This work was held to study the effect of chitosan nanoparticles and loaded N on the wheat plants. A field study was conducted during the winter season 2021/2022 cultivated with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on sandy soil at the experimental unit of the Faculty of Agriculture farm-Suez Canal University-Ismailia-Egypt. Results may indicate that the application of foliar chitosan NPs.-loaded nitrogen in different concentrations has been employed to enhance plant growth and productivity, Nano-chitosan loaded with N (500 mg/L) yielded the most grains and was more effective than the control and nano-chitosan loaded N (250 mg/L, 750 mg/L).
