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Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) is the most diagnosed tumor among women worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and causes of low relative dose intensity (RDI) < 85% for taxane-based chemotherapy regimens used in the treatment of BC in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH). Methods: This was a retrospective study that included 303 BC patients, treated with taxane-based chemotherapy protocols at SQUH. RDI was calculated for each chemotherapy regimen and causes and predictors of low RDI < 85% were identified. Prophylactic and therapeutic supportive measures for certain toxicities were studied. Results: 50.8% of the patients had neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 38% had adjuvant chemotherapy, and 11.2% of patients were given palliative treatment. AC-T and AC-THP were the most used regimens (40.3% and 17.2%). Mean RDI of used taxane-based chemotherapy regimens was 93.4%. Dose delays, dose reductions, and treatment discontinuation occurred in 36.6%, 14.8%, and 11.5%, respectively. Thirty-eight patients (12.5%) had low RDI < 85% which was reduced to 9.9% after the use of an alternative taxane. Age and chemotherapy intent were significant risk factors. 83.8% received primary granulocyte colony stimulating factor. Conclusion: An optimal RDI greater than 85% was achieved in most cases. Furthermore, prophylactic and therapeutic supportive measures were widely used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The incidence of infective endocarditis (IE) in patients undergoing redo mitral valve (MV) surgery was evaluated. The outcomes of all the patients and the patients' specific characteristics were recorded. The patients were analyzed to further the research of IE in this population. Method: This was a retrospective review of patients admitted for redo MV surgery with a prospective follow-up of electronic medical records at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2009 to 2019. Pre/intra/post-operative factors contributing to mortality, morbidity, and freedom of adverse events were analyzed. Result: A total of 211 patients underwent redo MV surgery, and 41 patients (19.4%) had IE; and 51% of this subset of patients, 21 individuals, developed IE after the initial MV surgery. MV stenosis was moderate/severe in 50 patients. Furthermore, MV regurgitation was present in 89 patients. Multivariate analysis of the data revealed multiple factors influencing mortality: age, peripheral vascular disease, concomitant procedures, peripheral vascular disease, red blood cell transfusions, preoperative mechanical valves, and active IE. In-hospital Mortality was 10.9%. The one-, five-, and ten-year survival was 88%, 79%, and 69% across all patients. Conclusion: Although redo MV surgery has acceptable outcomes; the presence of IE or concomitant procedures is a significant health detriment in these patients. Our study highlights the need for careful patient management and more in-depth research in this area to improve patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, H. Botany is the property of Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Biosecurity is a set of practices applied to prevent the introduction and spread of diseases in animal farms. Mastitis is one of the most important diseases affecting dairy cows worldwide.This work aimed to evaluate the impact of biosecurity practices, environmental hygiene, and sanitation on milk quality, quantity, and prevalence of subclinical mastitis in some Egyptian dairy cattle farms. Along six months, Daily milk yield (DMY) was recorded and the total average milk production (TAMP) was calculated for six randomly selected cows of each of three farms (in Giza, Ismailia, and Alexandria Governorates, Egypt). A detailed questionnaire was also designed and filled out to detect the different biosecurity practices and hygienic levels. Milk, water, feed, and bedding samples were collected. In addition, swabs from workers' hands, cows' teats (before and after sanitation with Iodine 1% solution), equipment, and milking parlour surfaces were collected to assess the milk quality and environmental hygiene. Total bacterial count (TBC) and total coliform count (TCC) were determined. Subclinical mastitis (SCM) was detected using the White Side Test (WST). The obtained data revealed variable biosecurity practices in the investigated farms with different levels of environmental hygiene. A negative correlation was detected between the produced quantity and microbial quality of produced milk, besides the prevalence of SCM. Data reflected the negative impact of poor environmental hygiene on milk production and highlighted the role of following proper sanitary measures and biosecurity practices for improving milk production in dairy farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide industrialization has grown at a rapid pace, contaminating water resources, particularly with phenolic pollutants that pose a risk to aquatic systems and human health. The goal of this study is to create an inexpensive magnetic composite that can effectively remove nitrophenol (o-NP) using adsorptive means. In this instance, a nonanyl chitosan (N-Cs) derivative was synthesized and then combined with activated petroleum coke (AP-coke) and magnetic Fe3O4 to boost its adsorbability towards o-NP and to facilitate its separation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and zeta potential were employed to characterize the magnetic composite. The experimental results indicated that the Fe3O4/AP-coke/N-Cs composite possesses a greater affinity toward o-NP with a maximal efficiency reached 88% compared to 22.8, 31.2, and 45.8% for Fe3O4, AP-coke and N-Cs, respectively. The equilibrium adsorption data coincided with the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherm models, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 291.55 mg/g at pH 6, whereas the pseudo second order kinetic model offered the best fit to the experimental data. Besides, the developed adsorbent preserved satisfactory adsorption characteristics after reuse for five successive cycles. The proposed adsorption mechanism involves the H-bonding, π-π interaction, hydrophobic interactions and electron donor-acceptor interactions. These findings hypothesize that the constructed magnetic composite could efficiently remove nitrophenols from polluted water with high performance and ease-separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Egyptian Poultry Science Journal is the property of Egyptian Poultry Science Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The current study was conducted during 2022 and 2023 seasons on plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) cv. Kelsy was planted in sandy soil under a drip irrigation system in a private Farm located at Salah Al-Abd Village, Bostan Region, Nubaria, Behaira Governorate, Egypt to study the effect of foliar application of molybdenum 0.5 g/L, boron at 0.5 g/L, seaweed extract at 2000 ppm, moringa leaf extract at 4000 ppm, molybdenum 0.5g/L + boron 0.5g/L, molybdenum 0.5g/L + seaweed extract 2000ppm, molybedem0.5g/L + moringa extract 4000ppm, boron 0.5g/L + seaweed extract 2000ppm, boron 0.5 g/L + moringa extract 4000 ppm, seaweed extract 2000 ppm + moringa extract 4000 ppm and molybdenum 0.5g/L + boron 0.5g/L + moringa extract4000ppm + seaweed extract 2000 ppm as compared to the control treatments on vegetative growth and yield characteristics. The trees were planted at 3 x 3.5 m in sandy soil under a drip irrigation system. Sixty uniform trees of the same age, growth and size were randomly chosen. The foliar application of the twelve treatments was arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in five replicates during the two seasons. The trees were sprayed three times; before flowering, after fruit set and after one month after the second spraying. The obtained results showed that the application of the seaweed extract, moringa extract, boron and molybdenum individually or in combination effectively increased the vegetative growth attributes and fruit yield. The best results were obtained by the application of 0.5 g/L boron + 0.5 g/L molybdenum + seaweed extract + moringa extract in both seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper evaluated experimentally an innovative sun tracking concentrated solar still under Egyptian climatic conditions during the summer of 2022. The proposed system consists of a 120-cm-diameter parabolic reflector mirror that tracks the sun using a dual axis tracking system, a cylindrical solar still with a volume of 3.7 L positioned in its focal point, and a concentration ratio of 12.5. The performance of the concentrated solar still was investigated in the context of two critical parameters. First, three feed water salinity (17, 27, 37) ppt samples were evaluated, followed by four percentages of saline water filling ratio (26.5, 39.8, 53.1, 66.3)%. Increasing the salinity of the feed water had no effect on solar still productivity, but increasing the saline water filling ratio did. The daily cumulative productivity of the system was 6 kg/m2 with an optimal filling ratio of 53.1%, a daily efficiency of 42.88%, and an average cost of freshwater production of 0.0489 $/L. The proposed system also had the highest instantaneous efficiency of 61.77% and the highest distilled water productivity rate of 0.941 kg/h m2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: General anaesthesia is standard of care for patients undergoing robot assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). However, postoperative pain and bladder discomfort remains an issue, and optimising pain management could improve recovery and promote earlier home discharge. The main objective of this trial was to evaluate if patients receiving spinal anaesthesia are more frequently home ready at 8 pm on the same day compared with multimodal pain management following RALP under general anaesthesia. Methods: This pragmatic, randomised controlled, multicentre trial was performed between January 2019 to December 2021. Patients undergoing RALP under general anaesthesia were randomised to either multimodal analgesia using parecoxib and morphine intra‐operatively (Group GM) or spinal anaesthesia with bupivacaine and sufentanil (Group GS). The primary aim, home readiness, was assessed using a post‐anaesthesia discharge scoring system. Results: Of 202 patients analysed, 27% patients reached home readiness criteria after 12 h, 46% after 24 h and 79% after 48 h, without differences between the groups. Urge to pass urine was greater in group GM than in group GS (p ⟨0.001) and lasted for a median of two hours in both groups. More patients expressed satisfaction with postoperative care in group GS (p ⟨0.001). No other significant differences were found between the groups. Discussion: We found no difference in time to home readiness between the groups. Approximately one‐fourth of the patients achieved home readiness the same day after surgery without difference between the groups. Fewer patients had urge, and patient satisfaction was greater in group GS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: To eradicate atherosclerotic diseases, novel biomarkers, and future therapy targets must reveal the burden of early atherosclerosis (AS), which occurs before life-threatening unstable plaques form. The chemical and biological features of microRNAs (miRNAs) make them interesting biomarkers for numerous diseases. We summarized the latest research on miRNA regulatory mechanisms in AS progression studies, which may help us use miRNAs as biomarkers and treatments for difficult-to-treat diseases. Recent Findings: Recent research has demonstrated that miRNAs have a regulatory function in the observed changes in gene and protein expression during atherogenesis, the process that leads to atherosclerosis. Several miRNAs play a role in the development of atherosclerosis, and these miRNAs could potentially serve as non-invasive biomarkers for atherosclerosis in various regions of the body. These miRNAs have the potential to serve as biomarkers and targets for early treatment of atherosclerosis. Summary: The start and development of AS require different miRNAs. It reviews new research on miRNAs affecting endothelium, vascular smooth muscle, vascular inflammation, lipid retention, and cholesterol metabolism in AS. A miRNA gene expression profile circulates with AS everywhere. AS therapies include lipid metabolism, inflammation reduction, and oxidative stress inhibition. Clinical use of miRNAs requires tremendous progress. We think tiny miRNAs can enable personalized treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticides cannot be stopped today, but at the same time, it is impossible to accept the use of them without understanding their fate and behavior in the environment to accomplish their purpose and avoid their risks. To determine the behavior of thiobencarb in two common Egyptian soil types, clay soil and sandy clay loam soil, the adsorption–desorption isotherms, leaching, and dissipation processes were tested. Also, the obtained experimental data were modeled to predict the different processes and to determine the characteristic parameters of each process. Thiobencarb residues were measured by GC–MS and UV–Vis Spectrophotometer. The results indicated that thiobencarb dissipation is consistent with the 1st-order kinetic model, and the half-life is 10.61 days in clay soil and 10.24 days in sandy clay loam soil. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlich isotherm model fit the experimental adsorption and desorption data. Both thiobencarb adsorption and mobility were significantly correlated. Compared with sandy clay loam soil, thiobencarb adsorption was greater in clay soil, producing S-type isotherms, whereas desorption in clay soil was lower, producing C-type isotherms. The leaching of thiobencarb is moderate in clay soil and sandy clay loam soil. However, it was significantly more leachable in sandy clay loam soil than in clay soil. Hence, it is very important to manage and pay attention to the irrigation of rice crop in order to prevent the leaching potential of herbicide thiobencarb and the threat to groundwater resources, as well as to avoid reducing weed control efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are currently available for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. SGLT2i acts by inhibiting renal SGLT2, thereby increasing glucosuria and lowering serum glucose. Recent trials are emerging supporting a role for SGLT2i irrespective of the diabetic status pointing towards that SGLT2i have other mechanisms of actions beyond blood sugar control. In this review, we will shed light on the role of this group of medications that act as SGLT2i in non-diabetics focusing on pre-clinical and clinical data highlighting the mechanism of renoprotection and effects of SGLT2i in the non-diabetic kidneys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pressing demand for clean water worldwide has increased attention to developing innovative desalination processes. In this work, the second law of thermodynamics is used to examine and assess two coupled desalination systems: a separation-based reverse osmosis (RO) system and a thermal desalination-based humidification–dehumidification (HDH) system. The HDH unit configuration used here is based on the working principle of the heat pump, where the process is open-air, open-water, and air-heated. The RO system is equipped with a pressure exchanger (PX) and has been examined under various operating circumstances, such as different feed water pressures, salinities, and flow rates. To improve the system's sustainability, a solar photovoltaic system (PV) was integrated. An exergy model was used to precisely evaluate the system components and the hybrid systems by employing a proper exergy efficiency definition. The evaluation of the second law of thermodynamics for the RO–HDH–PX and RO–HDH–PX–PV systems indicated maximum efficiencies of 23% and 23.25%, respectively. A cost analysis was also performed on the hybrid RO–HDH–PX–PV desalination system using two approaches: the first included a battery storage system, whereas, in the second, the battery was not considered. When a battery storage system is included, the cost per cubic meter varies from USD 3.22 to USD 5.10. In contrast, it varies from USD 3.96 to USD 7.12 without a battery storage system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The facile synthesis of manganese-substituted cobalt ferrite (MCFO) nanoparticles (NPs) as a potential effective adsorbent for the adsorption of cerium(III) and iron(III) from the aqueous nitric acid medium is carried out in this work. The characterisation of the MCFO NPs was done using different spectroscopic tools such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry. The effecting parameters for the adsorption of cerium(III) and iron(III) ions from HNO3 acid using MCFO NPs were investigated using the batch technique. The obtained results indicate the effectiveness of MCFO NPs for recovery of cerium(III) and iron(III) ions from the nitric medium. The isotherm study showed that the adsorption process obeys the Langmuir model. In contrast, the kinetic study indicated that cerium(III) and iron(III) adsorption from an aqueous nitric acid medium was fitted to a pseudo-second-order model. The adsorption capacities were found to be 130 and 161 mg/g for cerium(III) and iron(III), respectively. The separation feasibilities of cerium(III) and iron(III) from an aqueous nitric acid solution were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to investigate the potentiality of using avian β-defensin-1 peptide as a candidate agent against coccidiosis infection in broiler chicken.We employed an in-silico analysis to study the primary structure of β-defensin-1 peptide as well as its 3-D and molecular dynamic structures. This will also enable obtaining adequate information about the mode of action of these peptides and the intra-cellular transduction pathways. The results revealed no significant difference among groups of broiler chicken in terms of body weight before the Eimeria challenge.The results of our study indicated a significant reduction in oocyst count in birds administered β-defensin-1 peptide treatment, vis-a-vis healthy birds. The treated group showed a 2–3 times reduction in oocyst count, compared to the positive control group. The Eimeria oocysts count evaluated for birds administered with β-defensin-1 after the Eimeria challenge showed a significant difference. The study indicated significant reduction and down-regulation in the level of expression of β-defensin 1 and 4 in the control and treatment groups.This electrostatic profile and hydrophobicity regulate the functioning of this peptide. The results may help in the development of novel approaches that could be used as alternatives or adjunct to the existing means of coccidiosis control in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an affliction impacting the quality of life of millions of people worldwide. An approach used in the management of Type 2 DM involves the use of the carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzyme inhibitor, acarbose. Although acarbose has long been the go-to drug in this key approach, it has become apparent that its side effects negatively impact patient adherence and subsequently, therapeutic outcomes. Similar to acarbose in its mechanism of action, bee propolis, a unique natural adhesive biomass consisting of biologically active metabolites, has been found to have antidiabetic potential through its inhibition of α-amylase. To minimize the need for ultimately novel agents while simultaneously aiming to decrease the side effects of acarbose and enhance its efficacy, combination drug therapy has become a promising pharmacotherapeutic strategy and a focal point of this study. Methods: Computer-aided molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations accompanied by in vitro testing were used to mine novel, pharmacologically active chemical entities from Egyptian propolis to combat Type 2 DM. Glide docking was utilized for a structure-based virtual screening of the largest in-house library of Egyptian propolis metabolites gathered from literature, in addition to GC–MS analysis of the propolis sample under investigation. Thereafter, combination analysis by means of fixed-ratio combinations of acarbose with propolis and the top chosen propolis-derived phytoligand was implemented. Results: Aucubin, identified for the first time in propolis worldwide and kaempferol were the most promising virtual hits. Subsequent in vitro α-amylase inhibitory assay demonstrated the ability of these hits to significantly inhibit the enzyme in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 of 2.37 ± 0.02 mM and 4.84 ± 0.14 mM, respectively. The binary combination of acarbose with each of propolis and kaempferol displayed maximal synergy at lower effect levels. Molecular docking and MD simulations revealed a cooperative binding mode between kaempferol and acarbose within the active site. Conclusion: The suggested strategy seems imperative to ensure a steady supply of new therapeutic entities sourced from Egyptian propolis to regress the development of DM. Further pharmacological in vivo investigations are required to confirm the potent antidiabetic potential of the studied combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simmondsia chinensis (Link) C.K. Schneider (Jojoba) is a valuable shrub that can bear harsh conditions and is cultivated in many countries globally. Its prominence originates from the unique oil that constitutes more than 50% of the seeds. The great economic value of jojoba oil is highlighted in many fields, especially the cosmetic industry. The remaining meal, which is rich in proteins, constitutes a good source for cattle feeding. However, the presence of antinutritional principles in the meal limited its use and encouraged the researchers to find different ways for its detoxification. The detoxification ways of jojoba meal included physical, biological, and chemical treatments. The phytochemical composition of the oil was deeply studied, but for the remaining plant, only few studies have reported its chemical composition. Jojoba oil composed of wax esters (97%), fatty acids, fatty alcohols, sterols, and small percentage of vitamin E. Jojoba possesses a long traditional history. It has been used in folklore for treatment of cold, dysuria, and obesity. Many recent studies reported its medicinal and pharmacological properties like antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti‐acne, anti‐psoriasis, wound healing, and hepatoprotective activities. Many of these biological activities have been attributed to the presence of several phytochemicals such as simmondsin and phenolic compounds. In this review, the authors will highlight the previous phytochemical studies, medicinal applications of jojoba oil and different plant parts, and the various ways of meal detoxification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is looked upon nowadays as the potential major catalyst for the fourth industrial revolution. In the last decade, AI use in Orthopaedics increased approximately tenfold. Artificial intelligence helps with tracking activities, evaluating diagnostic images, predicting injury risk, and several other uses. Chat Generated Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT), which is an AI-chatbot, represents an extremely controversial topic in the academic community. The aim of this review article is to simplify the concept of AI and study the extent of AI use in Orthopaedics and sports medicine literature. Additionally, the article will also evaluate the role of ChatGPT in scientific research and publications. Level of evidence: Level V, letter to review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flat heat pipe (HP)-phase change material (PCM) hybrid system used for thermal regulation of simulated PV is investigated experimentally. Three PCMs; Rubitherm RT-25 H (RT25), Rubitherm RT-35 H (RT35), and Rubitherm RT-44 H (RT44) coupled with the HP are tested for best cooling system. Impact of using one or two heat sinks compared with PCM only is studied. The results show that RT25 achieves lowest PV temperature, while RT44 achieves highest energy storage. Compared to RT25 and RT44, RT35 is considered the best for PV cooling and PCM energy storage. Including heat sinks reduces PV temperature and melting time and increases energy storage rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the inspection of imported grown Lily (Lilium spp.) plants (Acapulco cultivar), symptoms of Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris (Ca. P. astris) infestation was observed in the experimental fields of the Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza governorate. The observed disease symptoms included stunting, scorched and leaf discoloration, flowering bud failure, and reduced quality of bulbs. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was the key technique employed in this study. Four pairs of primers were used in PCR analysis. In the first amplification, a universal primer pair P1/P7 was used to amplify a 1.8 kbp DNA fragment of the rRNA operon. In the second nested amplification, the universal primer pairs R16F2n/R16R2 (F2n/R2) and R16F0/R16R1 (F0/R1) and the specific P1/Ayint were used to detect 1.2, 1.44, and 1.5 kbp, respectively, from aster yellows group phytoplasma infecting plants. Containment of phytoplasma infestation in lily was obtained through a periodical spray of infected lily plants with tetracycline hydrochloride antibiotic. Lily plants are vegetatively propagated. This allows the spread of this phytoplasma to several economic crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Egyptian Poultry Science Journal is the property of Egyptian Poultry Science Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present study investigated the effect of diminazene, lisinopril, or valsartan on adenine‐induced chronic kidney disease (CKD) in rats. The animals were divided into five groups (n = 6). The first and second groups received normal diet and adenine in the feed at a dose of 0.25% w/w for 35 days, respectively. The third, fourth, and fifth groups were treated as the second group but also received diminazene (15 mg/kg/day), lisinopril (10 mg/kg/day), and valsartan (30 mg/kg/day), respectively, for 35 days. Adenine significantly increased plasma urea, creatinine, neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin (NGAL), calcium, phosphorus, and uric acid. In addition, adenine increased urinary albumin/creatinine ratio and N‐Acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosaminidase (NAG)/creatinine ratio and reduced creatinine clearance. Adenine also significantly increased the plasma concentrations of inflammatory cytokines (plasma tumor necrosis factor–alpha [TNF‐α] and interleukin‐1beta [IL‐1β]) and significantly reduced antioxidant indices (catalase, glutathione reductase [GR], and superoxide dismutase [SOD]). Histopathologically, renal tissue from adenine‐treated rats showed necrosis of renal tubules, tubular casts, shrunken glomeruli, and increased renal fibrosis. All drugs ameliorated adenine‐induced biochemical and histopathological changes. The protective effect of the three drugs used is, at least partially, due to their anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Our results show that administration of diminazene, lisinopril, or valsartan had a comparable effect on the reversal of the biochemical and histopathological indices of adenine‐induced CKD in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair is an alternative to reconstruction; however, suture tape support may be necessary to achieve adequate outcomes. Purposes: To investigate the influence of suture tape augmentation (STA) of proximal ACL repair on knee kinematics and to evaluate the effect of the 2 flexion angles of suture tape fixation. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Fourteen cadaveric knees were tested using a 6 degrees of freedom robotic testing system under anterior tibial (AT) load, simulated pivot-shift (PS) load, and internal rotation (IR) and external rotation loads. Kinematics and in situ tissue forces were evaluated. Knee states tested were (1) ACL intact, (2) ACL cut, (3) ACL repair with suture only, (4) ACL repair with STA fixed at 0° of knee flexion, and (5) ACL repair with STA fixed at 20° of knee flexion. Results: ACL repair alone did not restore the intact ACL AT translation at 0°, 15°, 30°, or 60° of flexion. Adding suture tape to the repair significantly decreased AT translation at 0°, 15°, and 30° of knee flexion but not to the level of the intact ACL. With PS and IR loadings, only ACL repair with STA fixed at 20° of flexion was not significantly different from the intact state at all knee flexion angles. ACL suture repair had significantly lower in situ forces than the intact ACL with AT, PS, and IR loadings. With AT, PS, and IR loadings, adding suture tape significantly increased the in situ force in the repaired ACL at all knee flexion angles to become closer to that of the intact ACL state. Conclusion: For complete proximal ACL tears, suture repair alone did not restore normal knee laxity or normal ACL in situ force. However, adding suture tape to augment the repair resulted in knee laxity closer to that of the intact ACL. STA with fixation at 20° of knee flexion was superior to fixation with the knee in full extension. Clinical Relevance: The study findings suggest that ACL repair with STA fixed at 20° could be considered in the treatment of femoral sided ACL tears in the appropriate patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Essential tips on TIPS block - clarifications" addresses concerns raised by a reader regarding a previously published article on the triple injection peri-sartorius (TIPS) block for postoperative analgesia after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The concerns raised include the similarity between TIPS and dual subsartorial block (DSB) and the injection of 20 ml 0.5% bupivacaine at the distal adductor canal. The authors clarify that TIPS and DSB have different anatomical courses and that the concentration of the local anesthetic used in the study was 0.25%. They also mention ongoing research comparing TIPS and DSB. The article concludes by stating that the primary results of the research are promising. [Extracted from the article]

In this study, Poly-o-toluidine sulfochromate (POTSC) nancomposite was synthesised for adsorption of Cu(II) from aqueous solutions. The structure of POTSC nanocomposites was characterised by FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and TG-DTA techniques. The calculated average crystallite size of OTS and POTSC was 15 and 24 nm respectively. The effects of various parameters such as pH, adsorbent weight, time, and initial Cu(II) concentration on the absorption capacity have been studied. Results showed that the adsorption maximum occurs at pH 5 and adsorption equilibrium was achieved in 30 min. The adsorption capacity of Cu(II) was found to be 30.3 mg/g and kinetic modelling was used to described the adsorption mechanism of Cu(II). The isotherm study reveals that the adsorption data provided by the Langmuir model is stronger than that of Freundlich. The adsorption efficiencies of Cu (II), Zn(II), Ni(II), Ga(II), and Cd(II) on POTSC nanocomposite were 77, 7, 22.7, 2, and 2.8% respectively, which implied that POTSC nanocomposite is good selectivity for Cu (II) than other cations. POTSC nanocomposite may be used to separate copper radionuclides from the irradiated targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is an important marker of total burden of coronary atherosclerosis. Furthermore, it is a measure of subclinical atherosclerotic disease that correlates well with the cardiovascular risk. The aim of our study was to determine the role of the different lipid parameters in prediction of calcification in coronary arteries using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). METHODS: This study was conducted on 120 patients presenting to the clinic with typical or atypical chest pain or dyspnea on exertion, or equivocal stress test results along with standard cardiac risk factors; they all underwent computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography. A total calcium score was determined by summing individual lesion scores from each of our anatomic sites: left main (LM), left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCX), and right coronary artery (RCA). The amount of calcium present in the coronary arteries was scored according to Agatston score, and patients were divided into 2 groups based on absence (group I) and presence (group II) of CAC. Clinical characteristics, lipid ratios, and a full blood count were calculated and compared between both groups. RESULTS: Mean and standard deviation (SD) for age of group I was 52.4 ± 8.4 years, while that of group II was 53.7 ± 7.9 (P > 0.005). Patients in group II had a higher total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), TC/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and LDL/HDL-C ratio, and lower HDL levels. TC/HDL ratio and LDL/HDL ratio were found to be good predictors of calcium using a regression analysis model. Finally, at a cut-off value of ≥ 3.108, LDL/HDL ratio showed a sensitivity of 58.8% and specificity of 84.6% in prediction of coronary calcium, while TC/HDL ratio ≥ 4.742 showed a sensitivity of 60.3% and specificity of 88.5%. CONCLUSION: Amongst the different lipid parameters, TC/HDL-C and LDL/HDL ratio were found to be good predictors of presence of CAC in coronary arteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local farmers worldwide have complained in recent years that insect pests have become resistant to the majority of insecticides, owing to pesticide abuse. In addition, highly poisonous and harmful substances may cause health and environmental dangers. Friendly alternatives such as plant extracts are the main targets as substituents to synthetic pesticides. The present study aimed to extract total phenols from some plants and evaluate their efficacy on aphids, Aphis craccivora, under laboratory conditions. Four methanolic plant extracts from Punica granatum, Lantana camara, Portulaca oleracea and Ziziphus jujuba, containing phenolic components were evaluated against A. craccivora through: slide dipping, spraying, and leaf dipping techniques. Generally, positive relationships between the concentrations of the tested phenolic extracts and their mortality percentages were noticed in the case of slide dipping and spraying techniques. Conversely, no biological efficacy was found using the leaf dipping technique. The descending order of effectiveness of the tested extracts depending on their EC50 values was 0.017, 0.321, 1.142 and 16.114 ppm for Z. jujuba, P. oleraceae P. granatum and L. comara, respectively, in the case of the slide dipping technique. In contrast, P. granatum, L. camara, P. oleraceae and Z. jujuba had EC50 values of 0.0023, 0.017, 0.321 and 2.3409 ppm, respectively, in the case of the spraying technique. Additionally, a direct proportion was found between mortality percentages and treatment period for plant extracts under study with both techniques. After formulation and completion of additional essential field research, phenols isolated from the plants under study could be employed to combat A. craccivora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sentiment analysis is a common and challenging task in natural language processing (NLP). It is a widely studied area of research; it facilitates capturing public opinions about a topic, product, or service. There is much research that tackles English sentiment analysis. However, the research in the Arabic language is behind other high-resource languages. Recently, models such as bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT) and generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) have been widely used in many NLP tasks; it significantly improved performance in NLP tasks, especially sentiment analysis. However, Arabic was not a priority in their development. Several models focusing on Arabic have recently begun to pave the way for the latest technologies, such as ARBERT, MARBERT, and others. We used multiple datasets for training and testing-ASAD-A Twitter-based Benchmark Arabic Sentiment Analysis Dataset, ArSarcasm-v2, and SemEval-2017. We propose an ensemble learning approach that combines the multilingual model(XLM-T) and the monolingual model(MARBERT) to overcome the intricacies of the Arabic language that are difficult to address with a single model. It also addresses the problem of imbalanced data using a combination of focal loss and label smoothing. The experiments showed that our ensemble learning approach outperforms the state-of-the-art models on all the used datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The release of cesium ions in the environment is considered to be a dangerous pollutant. The present work deals with the gamma irradiation synthesis of novel adsorbent sustainable hydrogel from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/beeswax (BW) and its investigation for the uptake of cesium (I) from aqueous solutions. The characterization of synthesized PVA/BW hydrogel was provided by FTIR, SEM, XRD and gel content in addition to the water absorbency. The obtained results indicated that the prepared composite provides advantages over conventional preparation techniques. The batch technique experiments were occurred to investigate the adsorption kinetics, capacity, and optimum conditions for the uptake of cesium (I) by PVA/BW. The obtained data show that the maximum adsorption capacity of PVA/BW for cesium ion was estimated and it was provided at a contact time of 1.0 hr, pH = 3, and adsorbed dose of 0.10 g. The calculated thermodynamic parameters show that the adsorption of cesium ions by PVA/BW was an endothermic and spontaneous process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adsorption behavior of Ba2+, Co2+, and Sr2+ ions from aqueous solutions by sulfonated poly (acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene) (ABS-SO3H) was investigated. The structure of (ABS-SO3H) was confirmed using available spectroscopic tools such as Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and FT-IR together with DSC and TGA analyses in addition to EDX spectra. Various parameters including contact time, pH, adsorbent weight, and the initial metal concentration that affect the adsorption process, were investigated. The results indicated that the removal of Ba2+, Sr2+, and Co2+ increased with the increasing pH of a solution until pH =7 at a contact time of 1 h. The maximum adsorption capacity was calculated, and it was found to be 157.3, 107.5, 177 mg/g for Ba2+, Co2+, and Sr2+ ions, respectively. The kinetic study indicated that the adsorption process of Ba2+, Sr2+, and Co2+ using ABS-SO3H could be fitted to the pseudo second-order kinetic model (R2 =0.998). The Freundlich isotherm could be used to interpret the adsorption mechanism of Ba2+, Sr2+, and Co2+ by (ABS-SO3H). The separation feasibility of Ba2+, Sr2+, and Co2+ from a simulated aqueous solution was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioethanol-derived biomass is a green sustainable source of energy that is highly recommended as an efficient alternative to the replacement of fossil fuels. However, this type of bioethanol production is always expensive with very low bioethanol concentration. Therefore, this work aims to represent a facile and green approach for bioethanol production with high concentration and purity as well as reasonable cost from corn stover (CS). The goal of this study is to characterize CS and its treated samples with maleic acid (CSM) using various characterization analyses, such as proximate and ultimate analysis, HHV, TGA, FTIR, SEM, and CHNS. The bioethanol production stages: Pretreatment, enzymatic degradation, fermentation, and finally bioethanol separation and purification via the pervaporation process, which have been investigated and optimized are associated with the economic analysis. The optimum operating condition of the pretreatment process was 2% maleic acid, 1:20 solid-to-liquid ratio at 45 psi, 120 °C, and 1 h of operation in the autoclave. This process contributes to 53 and 45% lignin and hemicellulose removal, 98% cellulose recovery, and a glucose yield of 741 mg/dL. The yeast isolate succeeded in the production of 1230 mg/dL of bioethanol. This isolated yeast strain was close to Pichia nakasei with a similarity of 98%, and its amplified 18S rRNA gene sequence was deposited in GenBank with the accession number MZ675535. Poly (MMA-co-MA) membrane was synthesized, characterized, and its efficiency for increasing the bioethanol concentration was evaluated using the integrated pervaporation technique. The techno-economic analysis is presented in detail to evaluate the process profitability, which achieves a considerable profit for the whole duration of the project without any losses as it reaches a net profit of USD 1 million in 2023, reaching USD 2.1 million in 2047 for a company with a capacity of 32 thousand tons per year. The sequential strategy offers a promising approach for efficient bioethanol production under mild and environmentally friendly conditions that enable its implication industrially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For combined reconstruction of both the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), there is no consensus regarding which graft should be tensioned and fixed first. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine which sequence of graft tensioning and fixation better restores normal knee kinematics. The hypothesis was that ACL-first fixation would more closely restore normal knee kinematics, graft force, and the tibiofemoral orientation in the neutral (resting) position compared with PCL-first fixation. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A total of 15 unpaired human cadaveric knees were examined using a robotic testing system under the following 4 conditions: (1) 89.0-N anterior tibial load at different knee angles; (2) 89.0-N posterior tibial load at different knee angles; (3) combined rotational 7.0-N·m valgus and 5.0-N·m internal rotation load (simulated pivot shift) at 0°, 15°, and 30° of flexion; and (4) 5.0-N·m external rotation load at 0°, 15°, and 30° of flexion. The 4 evaluated knee states were (1) intact ACL and PCL (intact), (2) ACL and PCL deficient (deficient), (3) combined anatomic ACL-PCL reconstruction fixing the ACL first (ACL-first), and (4) combined anatomic ACL-PCL reconstruction fixing the PCL first (PCL-first). A 9.0 mm–diameter quadriceps tendon autograft was used for the ACL graft, tensioned with 40.0 N at 30° of flexion. A 9.5 mm–diameter hamstring tendon autograft (gracilis and semitendinosus, quadrupled loop, and augmented with an additional allograft strand if needed), tensioned with 40.0 N at 90° of flexion, was used for the PCL graft. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between ACL-first and PCL-first fixation regarding knee kinematics. ACL-first fixation restored anterior tibial translation to the intact state at all tested knee angles, while PCL-first fixation showed higher anterior tibial translation than the intact state at 90° of flexion (9.05 ± 3.05 and 5.87 ± 2.40 mm, respectively; P =.018). Neither sequence restored posterior tibial translation to the intact state at 30°, 60°, and 90° of flexion. At 15° of flexion, PCL-first fixation restored posterior tibial translation to the intact state, whereas ACL-first fixation did not. Conclusion: There were no differences in knee laxity between ACL-first and PCL-first fixation with the ACL graft fixed at 30° and the PCL graft fixed at 90°. Clinical Relevance: This study showed that there was no evidence to support the use of one tensioning sequence over the other in single-stage multiligament knee reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We report our experience with transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy (LN) for giant hydronephrosis (GH) and compare the outcome data with open nephrectomy (ON). Patients and methods: The retrospective data of 88 patients (52 males and 36 females) who underwent LN or ON for treatment of GH in the period between October 2015 and December 2019 were investigated. LN was performed in 38 patients, while 50 patients underwent ON. We compared the two groups for success, operative time, and intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results: The mean age of the patients in the LN group was 45.8 ± 11.4 years, and it was 44.7 ± 10.8 years in the ON group. The mean operative time in the LN group was statistically significantly longer when compared with the ON group195 ± 18 min versus 127 ± 22 min (p = 0.01).The estimated blood loss was significantly greater in the ON group (p = 0.01). However, no patients required blood transfusions in either group. The visual analog pain (VAP) scores were significantly higher on both day 1 and day 2 in the ON group 3.6 ± 0.9 and 2 ± 0.7 versus 2.7 ± 0.6 and 1.4 ± 0.5 in LN group, (p = 0.01). Conclusion: LN for GH is feasible, safe, and efficacious. Compared to open surgery, the laparoscopic approach resulted in significantly shorter hospital stays, decreased morbidity, and quicker recovery. Some tips and tricks could help to do it in an easier way and reduce the operative time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is of heterogeneous pathogenesis and caused by alterations of multiple genes. CircRNAs act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in numerous tumors and could be novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Few studies had incorporated circRNAs in AML. Aim of the Work: Assessment of circANXA2, circ0075001, and circFBXW7 gene expressions in AML patients. Evaluation of their relations with clinical, cytogenetic, and overall survival outcome to emphasize their diagnostic role and prognostic impact. Methods: This study was carried out on 120 subjects (66 AML patients and 54 controls). All subjects were subjected to gene expressions assay for circANXA2, circ0075001, circFBXW7 by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Prominent overexpression of circANAX2 and circ0075001 in patients than control (P < 0.001), whereas circFBXW7 was markedly downregulated in patients than in control (P < 0.001). Moreover, circANXA2 with AUC 0.824, P < 0.001, had a sensitivity of 74.24%, specificity 88.89% whereas circ0075001 with AUC 0.855, P < 0.001, had the highest sensitivity of 83.33% and specificity 79.63%, and circFBXW7 with AUC 0.826, P < 0.001, had a sensitivity of 75.76% and specificity 74.07% in the distinction of AML patients from controls. Additionally, we find out that high expression of circANXA2 and circ0075001 correlated significantly with splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, less differentiated FAB subtypes (M5, M7), short overall survival, and had an adverse cytogenetic pattern. Conclusion: CircANXA2, circ0075001, and circFBXW7 gene expressions could serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers for AML disease. Moreover, CircANXA2 and circ0075001 exert poor prognostic effects on AML patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evergreen shrub Duranta erecta "Golden Edge" is utilized for ledges, summer color, and expanding specimens in landscaped gardens. It is projected that the landscaping and gardening of these places will suffer due to a lack of non-saline irrigation water and fewer ornamental species that can grow in these conditions. Thus, pot experiments were conducted in the seasons of 2021 and 2022 to investigate the impact of diluted seawater (DSW), which was assigned as the main plot, and nano-silica (SiO2NPs) and nano-silver (AgNO3NPs), which were situated as the subplot. The data gathered indicated that the "Golden Edge" D. erecta survival rate was 100% up to 30% DSW. Whitest at 40 and 50%, there was little chance of survival. DSW levels had adverse effects on vegetative growth traits (plant height, branches per plant, stem diameter, fresh and dry weights of aerial parts, roots per plant, and leaf greenness degree), chemical composition (N, P, K, Si and total carbohydrates and water content%), and relative to the control (tap water). With rising DSW% during the two seasons, the values of these attributes significantly and gradually dropped. On the other hand, DSW increased proline content, Na, and Cl% when compared to the control. Nevertheless, SiO2NPs and AgNO3NPs applications at 150 and 300 mg/l of each considerably enhanced vegetative and chemical features except for Na and Cl%, which decreased in comparison to the control. In some cases, the rate of 300 mg/l AgNO3NPs and 300 mg/l SiO2NPs had no appreciable variations in their effects on the maximum significant values of vegetative characteristics, N, P, K, total carbohydrates %, and proline content. While the control had the highest Na and Cl% results. The highest plant water content and Si content were given at the same time by 150 and 300 mg/l SiO2NPs. The interaction between 300 mg/l AgNO3NPs and irrigation with tap water (control) produced the greatest values of the abovementioned traits, apart from Na and Cl% and proline content, whose highest values were recorded for the plants irrigated by 30% DSW combined with non-sprayed and 300 mg/l AgNPs, respectively. Also, the plants that received tap water irrigation and were successively sprayed with 150 and 300 mg of SiO2NPs during the two seasons had the highest water content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mn-substituted Co–Zn ferrite nanomaterials with the general form Co0.8−x Mnx Zn0.2 Fe2O4 (x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3) were prepared using the coprecipitation method. Based on X-ray diffraction, it can be confirmed that all samples have a single-phase cubic structure with an average crystallite size ranging from 23.46 to 32.66 nm. In addition, the lattice parameter increased from 8.32 to 8.37 Å. In this study, the theoretical density was calculated, and the Fourier-transform infrared spectra of the prepared samples were investigated. Further, the cation distribution of the system was estimated. The proposed cation distribution was confirmed by calculating the theoretical lattice parameter and comparing it with the experimental lattice parameter. We conducted transmission electron microscopy to confirm the obtained particle size. At room temperature, the electrical measurements of the prepared samples were performed using the LCR circuit as a function of frequency up to 5 MHz. In this study, we obtained enhanced dielectric properties by substituting Mn ions in the Co–Zn ferrite. As the Mn concentration increases, the AC resistivity of the samples increases. Consequently, the dielectric loss decreases, and its minimum value can be observed at x = 0.2, making the Co–Mn–Zn ferrite suitable for applications in the microwave frequency range. The results show that all dielectric properties exhibit a normal behavior with frequency. We obtained an improvement in the dielectric properties of the prepared samples, making them suitable for use in high-frequency applications due to the substitution by Mn ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the use of radar and optical satellite imagery for flood hazard mapping and monitoring around the archaeological sites of the Wadi Baba area, situated at Sinai (Egypt) and well known for its heritage treasures belonging to diverse historical periods and civilizations from the Pharaonic, Nabateans, Christian, and Islamic eras. Although this area is located in an arid to semi-arid climatic region, it is intermittently flooded due to torrential rainstorms. To assess the amount of rainfall expected and its impacts on heritage sites, satellite Sentinel-1 (C-Band) and Tropical Rainfall Monitoring Mission (TRMM) data were jointly used with measurements from meteorological stations and the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Envi5.1, ArcGIS 10.4.1, Snap 6.0, and the GEE platform were used to process optical and radar data, which were further analysed using the ArcHydro model. In this study, the TRMM accumulated rainfall data acquired on 17 January 2010, Sentinel-1 radar images between 2017 and 2019, and Sentinel-1 data captured from 1 to 30 March 2020 processed by GEE platform were chosen to assess the effects of flood events on the archaeological sites in the study area. The results indicated that the study area is exposed to flood risk that significantly threatens these heritage sites. Based on that, mitigation strategies were devised and recommended to mitigate the flood hazard impact around the archaeological areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peaches are grown in many Egyptian orchards for local and global fresh market sales. The interior fruit tissue breakdown (IFTB), often resulting in decayed peaches, is a severe problem during marketing. Therefore, to minimize FTB of peaches, in this study, gum arabic (GA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were mixed with different concentrations of salicylic acid (SA) (0, 1, and 2 mM) and were applied as edible coating to extend the shelf life of peach fruits. Mature peaches were selected and harvested when peaches reached total soluble solid content (SSC: 8.5%) and fruit firmness of about 47 N. Fruits were coated and stored at room temperature (26 ± 1 °C and air humidity 51 ± 1%) for 10 days during two seasons: 2020 and 2021. Fruit coated with GA/PVP-SA 2 mM showed a significant (p < 0.05) inhibition in degrading enzyme activities (CWDEs), such as lipoxygenase (LOX), cellulase (CEL), and pectinase (PT), compared to uncoated and coated fruits during the shelf-life period. Hence, cell wall compartments were maintained. Consequently, there was a reduction in browning symptoms in fruits by inhibiting polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities. Thus, the fruit skin browning index showed almost no symptoms. The lipid peroxidation process and ionic permeability declined as well. The result suggests that, by applying GA/PVP-SA 2 mM as an edible coating, fruit tissue breakdown can be minimized, and the shelf life of peach can be extended up to 10 days without symptoms of tissue breakdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Egyptian Poultry Science Journal is the property of Egyptian Poultry Science Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Egyptian Poultry Science Journal is the property of Egyptian Poultry Science Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Jordan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences is the property of University of Jordan and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)