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The modified orthogonal frame is an important tool to study analytic space curves whose curvatures have discrete zero points. In this article, by using the modified orthogonal frame, Mannheim curves and their partner curves are investigated in Minkowski 3-space. Some characterizations according to the curvatures and torsions of the curves are given. Finally, some relations under the conditions for Mannheim curves and their partner curves to be generalized helices are presented. All the possible cases for the partner curves to be spacelike and timelike are considered in the whole of the article.

Asmaa Gomaa,1 Naglaa Allam,1 Aisha Elsharkway,2 Mohamed El Kassas,3 Imam Waked1 1Hepatology Department, National Liver Institute, Shebeen EL Kom, 2Endemic Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, 3Endemic Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt Abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health burden in Egypt, where it bears the highest prevalence rate in the world. Estimates for prevalence are based upon data reported from the 2008 and 2015 Egypt Demographic Health Surveys. In this review, we demonstrate the prevalence results of both surveys and analyze the difference in the results. The overall HCV prevalence is estimated to be declining. However, the clinical impact of chronic HCV infection is expected to grow considerably. A mathematical model shows that by increasing the rate of treatment, the expected number of patients will decline significantly in 2030. The current and expected future burden of chronic HCV infection to the Egyptian economy, including direct and indirect costs due to disability and loss of lives, has been estimated and discussed in this review. The economic burden will continue to grow, but a model shows that the introduction of highly effective therapies will result in a significant reduction in the cumulative total economic burden of HCV by 2030. In recognition of the HCV tremendous health and economic burden, the Egyptian government established the National Committee for Control of Viral Hepatitis to implement an integrated nationwide strategy to provide patient care and ensure global treatment access. This review illustrates the epidemiological and disease burden aspects of HCV in Egypt in addition to introducing the national plan and program for managing HCV, which has been successful so far in treating a large number of patients, with the aim of achieving disease control and eventual elimination in Egypt. Keywords: hepatitis C in Egypt, prevalence, HCV burden, treatment strategy

This study examined the effect of the synbiotic product (PoultryStar®me) on Fayoumi and Cobb chickens upon exposure to Salmonella typhimurium (ST) infection and compared the responses of Fayoumi and Cobb chickens to ST infection. Fayoumi and Cobb chicks were fed synbiotic 1 g/kg feed from the first day. At 21 days of age, the chicks were orally challenged with 3 × 1012 cfu ST. At 72 h post-infection (pi), Fayoumi chickens showed significantly lower bacterial loads in their livers than Cobb chickens (p

Haloxylon articulatum, commonly known as the salt tree have diverse medicinal benefits. The phytochemical content, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties of the methanolic extract were assessed. The extract demonstrated a high concentration of flavonoids and phenolic components, with a Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) of 186 ± 3 µg QE/mg extract and a Total Phenolic Content (TPC) of 188.1 ± 0.4 µg GAE/mg extract. Bioactive substances with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities, such as quercetin, rutin, chrysin, and caffeic acid, were detected by LC-MS analysis. Through IC50 values of 28.88, 14.13, and 23.03 µg/mL for DPPH, β-carotene, and ABTS tests, respectively, the extract demonstrated considerable antioxidant activity. Antibacterial activity was reported against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with bactericidal effects indicated by MIC and MBC values. The extract also exhibited potent antifungal activity against Thielaviopsis paradoxa and Alternaria sp. These results suggest that H. articulatum extract is a promising source of natural antioxidants and antimicrobial agents with potential therapeutic applications.

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) in the ICU is one of the life-threatening situations that may need renal replacement therapy (RRT). Survival benefit of early initiation of RRT is still not proven. There is still a debate whether early or late RRT significantly affects morbidity and mortality.Methods This is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that was conducted on 94 critically ill subjects with stage 2 AKI, according to KDIGO classification, who were on invasive mechanical ventilation. Recruited subjects were selected only if they failed to respond to furosemide stress test after volume status optimization. Subjects were randomly assigned into two groups according to timing of RRT initiation. In the early group, RRT was initiated without the presence of urgent indications for hemodialysis, whereas in the late group, RRT was implemented only in the presence of one or more of urgent indications such as severe metabolic acidosis or hyperkalemia. Primary outcomes of the study were ICU mortality and length of stay. Secondary outcomes included recovery of renal function in addition to duration of mechanical ventilation.Results There was no statistically significant difference in the primary outcomes, namely ICU mortality and ICU length of stay. About 51.1% of the subjects survived in the early RRT group, whereas 46.8% survived in the late group (p = .680). Although duration of mechanical ventilationwas not significantly different (p = .486), recovery of renal functionand less dependency on RRT after discharge, were significantly higher in the early RRT group (p = < .001).Conclusion Even after choosing AKI patients who failed to respond to furosemide stress test, timing of RRT initiation did not affect survival, ICU length of stay or duration of mechanical ventilation. However, early RRT may have positive effect on RRF for survived patients.

This study presents an initial exploration of the phytochemical composition and biological properties of Salsola foetida, a wild plant native to southeastern Algeria. The investigation encompassed an analysis of the biochemical content, phytochemical profile, and bioactivity of the plant’s aerial parts. The biomass of S. foetida was found to comprise 51.2 ± 0.4% ash, with elemental analysis revealing the presence of carbon, oxygen, calcium, sodium, chlorine, magnesium, potassium, and sulfur. Carbohydrates were identified as the predominant constituents, surpassing the levels of proteins and lipids. Phytochemical screening, coupled with Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) analysis, confirmed the presence of various secondary metabolites, including alkaloids and phenols. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis further delineated a spectrum of phenolic compounds, with rutin emerging as the predominant compound at 1.59 µg/ml. Quantification revealed a noteworthy phenolic content of 67.1 ± 0.2 µg GE/mg ED. The extract exhibited robust radical scavenging effects, with the radical 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) being 61.8 ± 0.2 μg/ml, along with protective effects against H2O2-induced hemolysis and the ability to reduce ferric ions. Additionally, the extract demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antidiabetic activities. Notably, it exhibited considerable sunscreen properties, boasting a sun protected factor (SPF) value of 21 ± 1. Overall, S. foetida presents promising antioxidant activity and a spectrum of potential biological activities, underscoring its significance as a novel antioxidant candidate for applications in animal nutrition, medicine, and natural product research.

Abstract The continuous search for simple, noninvasive methods for assessing liver fibrosis remains very important to help risk-stratify and follow-up patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance and accuracy of six serological noninvasive scores for the assessment of liver fibrosis in comparison to liver histopathology. This retrospective cohort study included data from 19501 patients with chronic HCV infection who had liver biopsies as an HCV treatment prerequisite within the Egyptian national HCV treatment program. Six noninvasive scores (FIB-4, APRI, King’s score, Fibro-Q, fibrosis index, Fibro-α score) were evaluated and compared to liver histopathology data in assessing different stages of liver fibrosis. The diagnostic performance for each score was assessed using the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC). All six noninvasive scores were statistically significant for predicting different stages of liver fibrosis. Four scores (FIB-4, King’s score, APRI, and Fibro Q) had a better diagnostic performance for predicting different fibrosis stages. FIB-4, followed by the King’s score, performs better in identifying patients with advanced fibrosis at cutoffs of 2.01 and 16.7, respectively, with AUROC of 0.71 for both, and in predicting cirrhosis at cutoffs of 2.21 and 17.4, respectively with AUROC 0.82 for both. Using noninvasive scores for fibrosis assessment is very important, especially in limited resource settings, to rapidly stratify patients who need more specialized care.

Background Ultrasound-guided needle biopsy (USGNB) allows for precise and immediate viewing of pleural lesions, effusions, and needle placement without ionizing radiation. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of US-guided tru-cut needle pleural biopsy in diagnosing unexplained exudative pleural effusion compared to medical thoracoscopy (MT), focusing on safety, accuracy, time, and cost of the treatment. Patients and methods This observational cross-sectional research was conducted on 40 patients over 18 years old, of both sexes, with unexplained exudative pleural effusion. The patients were randomly separated into two equal groups. The girst group is USGNB and the second group is MT. Results Group II exhibited substantially greater costs, sedation levels, procedure duration, biopsy site discomfort, surgical emphysema, lung expansion failure, and psychological distress compared to group I (P

Abstract Ultrasonography with color Doppler is the most quantitative analysis method for intra-renal parameters. There is a wide variation between authors in the measurement site and referencing the inter-lobar resistivity index (RI) in felines. Our objective is to morphometrically and ultrasonographically investigate the normal renal dimensions and vasculatures and draw up a normal reference value for the renal inter-lobar artery resistivity index (RI) using a Pulsed wave-Doppler ultrasonography. A total of twelve adult domestic cats were sedated and treated according to IACUC regulation guidelines to be examined using Doppler ultrasound. The same cats were used for morphometric investigation and divided into three groups regarding the used technique. The size difference between the right and left kidneys is slight, measuring 17 g (weight), 3.65 ± 0.06 cm (length), 2.54 ± 0.08 cm (width), and 2.21 ± 0.03 cm (thickness) for the right kidney, and about 15 g, 3.42 ± 0.06 cm, 2.32 ± 0.05 cm, and 2.13 ± 0.03 cm for the left one, respectively. There are three patterns of renal arteries’ point of origin. The mean RI values of both kidneys were 0.57 ± 0.08 (0.50–0.67) in the right kidney and 0.60 ± 0.08 (0.51–0.69) in the left kidney. The gross examination and ultrasonography measurements did not have a statistically different effect on the actual renal dimensions. Moreover, 0.69 is considered the standard resistivity index (RI) threshold of the feline inter-lobar artery with no correlation to the animal’s body weight.

Abstract This paper presents a detailed kinematic and dynamic model of nonuniform skid steering for tracked vehicles on level terrain and uniform skid steering slopes. The objective is to find the required forces applied on both tracks to achieve the desired turning, aiding in determining the needed engine power for effective turning operation. The vehicle kinematics during turning is presented, followed by a complete dynamic analysis that considers the effect of centrifugal and inertia forces, as well as adhesion with the ground. The dynamic analysis of turning on slopes is developed, where the cases of turning while moving uphill and downhill are considered. Moreover, simulation analysis using MATLAB model is conducted to investigate the main turning characteristics on both level terrain and slopes. The model can accurately predict the required forces on both tracks for effective turning, and can aid in the design of more efficient tracked vehicles. Generally, the findings of this study can inform the design of more efficient tracked vehicles by providing insights into the needed driving forces and the required power to achieve the desired radius of turning at a specific vehicle speed.