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Abstract Background Gastric cancer stands as one of the most prevalent malignancies globally, conventional endoscopic specimens have been the primary means of diagnosing preoperative gastric histopathology, however, their limitations in capturing intra-tumor heterogeneity compromise their efficacy in evaluating angiogenesis. Perfusion Computed Tomography (P-CT) emerges as a pivotal functional imaging modality, facilitating objective assessment of tissue perfusion, serving as a marker of angiogenesis. So, our research objective was to evaluate the efficacy of CT perfusion imaging in the prediction of histological grades of gastric tumors using quantitative perfusion parameters such as permeability surface (PS), blood flow (BF), mean transient time (MTT), and blood volume (BV), in addition to the qualitative scoring system then comparing the findings with the histopathological results. Results PS and BF were statistically significant predictors of the grade of differentiation, their odds ratio (OR) was (1.05, 95% CI 1.02–1.09, for each of them) (P = 0.004, P = 0.009, respectively). MTT also emerged as a significant predictor of the grade of differentiation with an OR of 0.76 (95% CI 0.57–0.93, P = 0.025). Using multivariate logistic regression model, PS was the most potent individual P-CT predictor of differentiation of the grade and the diagnosis of poorly differentiated tumors at ≥ 39 mL/100 g/min cut off point, followed by BF at ≥ 82.2 mL/100 g/min, and MTT at

Abstract Background Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) has been demonstrated in vitro to sensitize several breast cancer cell lines and to be a safe, non-toxic drug with anti-skin cancer action in mice. Furthermore, plasmonic photothermal treatment using gold nanorods has been authorized as a novel method for in vitro and in vivo cancer therapy. Results When compared to tumor-free rats, the treatment with S. cerevisiae conjugated to gold nanospheres (GNSs) lowered Bcl-2 levels while increasing FasL, Bax, cytochrome c, and caspases 8, 9, and 3 levels. Histopathological results showed changes reflecting the ability of nanogold conjugated heat-killed yeast to induce apoptosis is greater than heat-killed yeast alone as the nanogold conjugated with heat-killed yeast showed no tumor, no hyperplasia, no granulation tissue formation, no ulceration, and no suppuration. Nanogold conjugated with heat-killed yeast-treated breast cancer group displayed normal levels of ALT and AST, indicating relatively healthy hepatic cells. Conclusion Our results proved that nanogold conjugated heat-killed yeast can initiate apoptosis and can be used as a safe non-invasive method for breast cancer treatment more effectively than the yeast alone. This, in turn, gives us new insight and a future hope for the first time that breast cancer can be treated by non-invasive, simple, safe, and naturally originated method and achieves a hopeful treatment and a novel method for in vivo cancer therapy.

Background: Testicular dysfunction is one of the common side effects that results from the treatment with oxaliplatin® as a chemotherapy drug, and pharmaceutical search for agents to relieve the side effects are underway. The current study explored the possible ameliorative and regenerative effects of Costus ethanolic extract against testicular degeneration in male rats induced by oxaliplatin. Methods: Male Wistar albino rats weighing 150-200g were divided into four groups of 10 rats each as follows: group-1 control rats; group-2 rats treated orally with the extract at 50 mg/kg/day for six weeks; group-3 rats injected oxaliplatin intraperitoneally at 10 mg/kg/week for six successive weeks; group-4 rats were injected intraperitoneally with oxaliplatin at 10 mg/kg/week combined with a daily oral dose of the Costus extract for six weeks. Results: Data from the current study revealed that the extract lowered the toxic effect of oxaliplatin on the testicular tissue samples. This was evident by the significant rise in the serum of total & free testosterone and CD4 cells, and the levels of GSH, SOD and CAT activities in the testis coupled with a marked reduction of serum TNF-α and IL-1β and testis MDA, nitric oxide levels and DNA fragmentation. Also, the extract promoted the regeneration of the histopathological structure of the testis. Conclusion: This study proposes a novel therapeutic application for the Costus extract as a therapeutic agent against testicular toxicity induced by oxaliplatin treatment through its promising anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Abstract Background High body mass index constitutes a risk for nephrolithiasis in the context of metabolic syndrome. The majority of these renal stones are either composed of Urate or Calcium Oxalate. We aimed to evaluate the ratios of urinary Calcium and Uric Acid to urinary Creatinine as an early alarming pathological sign in overweight and obese adolescents. Ninety adolescents of both sexes participated in the study. Anthropometric measures were fulfilled, and calculation of body mass index and waist to height ratio were assessed. Urinary Calcium and urinary Uric Acid to Creatinine ratios were estimated in an early morning spot urine sample. Results Males and females had comparable values for solutes/Creatinine ratios. A highly significant negative correlation was detected between urinary Urate/Creatinine ratio and age of the child (P-value 0.001). Adolescents with higher body mass index had higher urinary Calcium/Creatinine and higher urinary Urate/Creatinine ratios but P-values were insignificant in our research. Conclusion At the age range of 10 to 18 years, the sex of the adolescent has an equivocal effect on urinary concentration of both Calcium and Uric Acid. Urinary solutes/Creatinine ratio decrease significantly by age in adolescence. Overweight and obesity tend to be risk factors for higher urinary solutes ‘concentration.

Background/aim Obesity is a major risk factor for some comorbid conditions. Our goal was to study the relationship between obesity and kidney function in adolescents using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) as well as to study blood pressure (BP) in obese adolescents. Patients and methods This study included 45 male and female adolescents who visited the Child Health Clinic at the NRC, Egypt, with BMI more than or equal to 85th centile and aged 10–18 years old, and 45 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls with BMI less than 85th centile. Serum creatinine as determined by the spectrophotometric method, the estimated glomerular filtration calculated using the revised Schwartz formula, and BP were compared between the studied groups. Results The results indicated that serum creatinine and BP were significantly higher in obese patients than healthy control group (P

Abstract Background To determine the best sonographic (US) and/or Doppler features that the radiologist can use as predictors or risk factors for ovarian malignancy Results Among the examined 156 ovarian lesions, there were 53 malignant and 103 benign lesions. Most of the malignant ovarian lesions were noted in older age than in benign lesions p < 0.001. Majority of the malignant lesions had non-hyperechoic solid component (92.5%); it had the highest sensitivity of 92.5%, specificity of 97%, accuracy of 94.8%, positive predictive value of 94%, negative predictive value of 96%, and AUC of 0.94 in discrimination between benign and malignant ovarian lesions. The presence of papillary projection, the absence of wall definitions and thick wall, and thick septation were noted in 83%, 81%, and 53.8% of the malignant ovarian lesions respectively. Color flow Doppler shows neovascularity in 88.7% of the malignant lesions, 73.6% of them has central blood flow. The multivariate regression analysis revealed that the presence of non-hyperechoic solid component, new vascularity with central location of the blood flow, papillary projection, thick septa, and old age were the most significant parameters in predicting ovarian cancer in decreasing order of frequency according to their odds ratio (19.45, 7.55, 4.56, 3.45, and 1.45, respectively). Conclusions The non-hyperechoic solid component, new vascularity with central location of the blood flow, papillary projection, and thick septa were the most significant and consistent US and Doppler predictors of ovarian malignancy in addition to one clinical feature which is the old age ≥ 52 years.

Abstract Background To assess the validity and accuracy of GI-RADS classification in the prediction of malignancy and in triaging the management protocol in ovarian lesions. Results One hundred fifty-six ovarian lesions were detected in the examined 116 women. The prevalence of malignant tumors was 44%. Overall GI-RADS classification rates were as follows: 41 cases (26.3%) were classified as GI-RADS 1, 26 cases (16 .7%) as GI-RADS 2, 34 cases (21.8%) as GI-RADS 3, 14 cases (8.9%) as GI-RADS 4, and 41 cases (26.3%) as GI-RADS 5. No follow-up was done in GI-RADS 1 patients. A final diagnosis of all GI-RADS 2 ovarian masses such as functional cyst (n = 10), hemorrhagic cysts (n = 8), corpus luteal cysts (n = 6), and some GI-RADS 3 as simple cysts (n = 10) was made by spontaneous resolution of these masses at follow-up after 6 weeks. Fifteen cases of GI-RADS 3 as mature teratoma, serous and mucinous cystadenoma, endometrioma, and ovarian torsion and all GI-RADS 4 and 5 underwent laparoscopic or surgical removal of the ovarian mass with histopathological examination. The diagnostic performance of the GI-RADS in predicting the risk of malignancy in ovarian masses was as follows: 98.11% sensitivity, 95.15% specificity, 91.2% positive predictive value (PPV), 99.2% negative predictive value (NPV), and 20.2 positive likelihood ratio, and the overall accuracy was 96.2% (area under receiver operating curve (AUC) = 0.96, P < 0.001). Conclusion GI-RADS classification performs well as a reporting system of the ovarian masses with high diagnostic performance in the prediction of malignancy, and it seems to be a helpful tool in triaging management in patients with ovarian masses. Trial registration The trial was registered in the US National Library of Medicine, under clinical trial number NCT03175991. Also, the ethical committee approval number of the Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, was 17100016 on February 28, 2017.

Abstract Objective The present objective is to evaluate the antidepressant activity of caffeine. Material and methods Three groups of rats were used; control, reserpine-induced rat model of depression, and rat model of depression treated daily with caffeine. At the end of the experiment, the motor activity of rats was measured using open field test. On the next day, the animals of the three groups were sacrificed to measure levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine in the cortex and hippocampus by spectrofluorometer. In addition, the levels of lipid peroxidation (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and reduced glutathione (GSH) together with the activities of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and Na+, K+, ATPase were measured in the two studied brain regions by spectrophotometer. Results In the rat model of depression, the animals showed a significant decrease in motor activity. This was associated with significant decreases in serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine in the cortex and hippocampus. However, significant increases in the activities of AchE and Na+, K+, ATPase, and the levels of MDA and NO were recorded in both areas of rat model of depression while GSH showed a significant decrease in the hippocampus. Caffeine failed to restore the decrease in motor activity. Caffeine treatment ameliorated the changes in cortical and hippocampal norepinephrine and dopamine and hippocampal serotonin. In addition, it restored MDA and GSH levels. However, it failed to prevent the increased AchE and Na+, K+, ATPase activities, and NO levels. Conclusions The present findings indicate that caffeine has a partial antidepressant effect mediated by its antioxidant activity and enhancement of monoamine levels.

Background: Gastric cancer stands as one of the most prevalent malignancies globally, conventional endoscopic specimens have been the primary means of diagnosing preoperative gastric histopathology, however, their limitations in capturing intra-tumor heterogeneity compromise their efficacy in evaluating angiogenesis. Perfusion Computed Tomography (P-CT) emerges as a pivotal functional imaging modality, facilitating objective assessment of tissue perfusion, serving as a marker of angiogenesis. So, our research objective was to evaluate the efficacy of CT perfusion imaging in the prediction of histological grades of gastric tumors using quantitative perfusion parameters such as permeability surface (PS), blood flow (BF), mean transient time (MTT), and blood volume (BV), in addition to the qualitative scoring system then comparing the findings with the histopathological results. Results: PS and BF were statistically significant predictors of the grade of differentiation, their odds ratio (OR) was (1.05, 95% CI 1.02–1.09, for each of them) (P = 0.004, P = 0.009, respectively). MTT also emerged as a significant predictor of the grade of differentiation with an OR of 0.76 (95% CI 0.57–0.93, P = 0.025). Using multivariate logistic regression model, PS was the most potent individual P-CT predictor of differentiation of the grade and the diagnosis of poorly differentiated tumors at ≥ 39 mL/100 g/min cut off point, followed by BF at ≥ 82.2 mL/100 g/min, and MTT at < 8.4 s. Regarding the qualitative scoring system P-CT, poorly differentiated tumors generally received higher scores of PS (P < 0.001), BF (P < 0.001), and BV (P = 0.017), than well and moderately differentiated tumors, however, MTT showed that poorly differentiated tumors were more frequently scored as low compared to well and moderately differentiated tumors (P < 0.001). Conclusions: P-CT is an innovative, non-invasive biomarker for predicting gastric cancer grade by quantitative and qualitative assessment by P-CT parameters (PS, BF and MTT) with particular role of PS as the strongest individual P-CT predictor of differentiation grade followed by BF and MTT at specific cut off points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan/AgVO3 nanocomposite thin films were synthesized via solution casting method using water as solvent. Silver vanadate (AgVO3) nanoparticles were prepared separately using a chemical precipitation technique. The structure and properties of the nanocomposite films were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), swelling ratio tests, and antimicrobial assays. FTIR analysis confirmed the interaction between the amide I group of chitosan and AgVO3 nanoparticles. Increasing AgVO3 content resulted in decreased optical bandgap of the nanocomposite films. XRD patterns showed the amorphous nature of the nanocomposites. SEM images revealed evenly distributed AgVO3 nanoparticles within the chitosan matrix. The swelling ratio decreased with higher AgVO3 loading, suggesting improved hydrolytic stability. The nanocomposite films demonstrated potent antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as Candida fungus. The tunable optical properties, swelling behavior, and antibacterial effects spotlight the potential of chitosan/AgVO3 nanocomposites for versatile biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood is the preferred source of DNA as it yields large quantities of high-quality DNA. However, there are challenges associated with this process, including difficulty in finding small and thin veins, rigid veins due to aging, and individuals with phlebotomy aversion, especially children. Therefore, obtaining DNA from saliva is considered a suitable alternative that requires minimal resources and is usable in DNA assays without the need for a phlebotomist, at a lower cost compared to most DNA extraction kits that require expensive materials. The suggested frugal method relies on providing a new solution for extracting DNA from human saliva without the need for enzymes or high grade reagents or columns, which makes suitable for low budget laboratories in developing countries to manufacture it locally, it uses a phase separation with technical skills to extract the DNA from the saliva achieving safety by not using hazardous reagents, and it is a sustainable eco-friendly method that gives decent yield of good quality DNA in ~20 minutes to be used in PCR applications with a cost that is estimated to be 10 times cheaper than current used methods.

AbstractWaste is considered a significant environmental issue in modern times thus the purpose of this paper is to compare the use of different waste materials in replacing aggregates in concrete. This study investigates the potential of incorporating plastic waste (PW), textile sludge (TS), and construction and demolition waste (CDW) into concrete as sustainable alternatives to traditional construction materials, by evaluating its mechanical, durability characteristics as well as the cost related to different process of the project. The study focuses on the use of PW and TS as a replacement for fine aggregate, and CDW as replacements for coarse aggregate. Thus, four concrete mixes incorporating PW and TS were prepared, using 0% 10%, 25%, 40% replacement levels. The compressive strength of concrete with 10% plastic waste as fine aggregate was 32.49 N/mm2 showing higher results than that of TS. Furthermore, another four concrete mixes incorporating CDW were prepared, using 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% replacement levels. The compressive strength of concrete with 25% CDW was 30.90 N/mm2 indicating an increase of 2% than the control block. The study concluded that the best strategy is to incorporate construction and demolition waste as a replacement for coarse aggregate in concrete. This is because it resulted in an increase in compressive strength as well as a decrease in cost. Public Interest StatementThis article is discussing the validation of the usage of various waste materials in place of aggregates in concrete, as waste is now considered as a major environmental issue. This study examines the viability of using construction and demolition waste (CDW), textile sludge (TS), and plastic waste (PW) in concrete as sustainable substitutes for conventional building materials, which will be a milestone in reaching the concept of sustainable housing. This will be reached by assessing the material's durability and mechanical properties as well as the associated costs of various project processes. The study focuses on replacing the coarse aggregate which is the dolomite with construction and demolition and replacing fine aggregate which is the sand in this case, with Plastic waste and Textile Sludge.

Abstract Historically, fire has been essential in Southwestern US forests. However, a century of fire-exclusion and changing climate created forests which are more susceptible to uncharacteristically severe wildfires. Forest managers use a combination of thinning and prescribed burning to reduce forest density to help mitigate the risk of high-severity fires. These treatments are laborious and expensive, therefore optimizing their impact is crucial. Landscape simulation models can be useful in identifying high risk areas and assessing treatment effects, but uncertainties in these models can limit their utility in decision making. In this study we examined underlying uncertainties in the initial vegetation layer by leveraging a previous study from the Santa Fe fireshed and using new inventory plots from 111 stands to interpolate the initial forest conditions. We found that more inventory plots resulted in a different geographic distribution and wider range of the modelled biomass. This changed the location of areas with high probability of high-severity fires, shifting the optimal location for management. The increased range of biomass variability from using a larger number of plots to interpolate the initial vegetation layer also influenced ecosystem carbon dynamics, resulting in simulated forest conditions that had higher rates of carbon uptake. We conclude that the initial forest layer significantly affects fire and carbon dynamics and is dependent on both number of plots, and sufficient representation of the range of forest types and biomass density.

ABSTRACTBackground The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the training process of anesthesia residents in Cairo University Hospital regarding technical skills, operative, and critical care experience.Methods This cross-sectional survey study included two groups of anesthesia residents according to the time of their residency in relation to the pandemic (before-pandemic group [N = 44] and during-pandemic group [N = 42]). The participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding their training. The questionnaire included technical skills experience (regional anesthesia, vascular access, and advanced airway techniques, soft tissue ultrasound), operative and critical care experience, and duration of intensive care unit (ICU) rotation. The quality of training was graded as adequate, moderate, or deficient training according to the number of performed procedure/managed cases. Comparisons of continuous data were done using the Mann–Whitney test, and qualitative categorical was analyzed using the chi-square test.Results All the participants completed the questionnaire. The training in the during-pandemic group was lesser than that in the before-pandemic group for most of the technical skills except for soft tissue ultrasound which was more in the during-pandemic group. The operative experience was less in the during-pandemic group than that in the before-pandemic group. On the other hand, the ICU experience was more in the during-pandemic group than that in the before-pandemic group.Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the training program of anesthesiology residents with regard to elective procedures and produced over-training in critical care subspeciality

The construction sector is one of the most significant contributors to the carbon footprint. Buildings are primarily responsible for emitting high levels of carbon throughout their entire life cycle, from construction to operation and disposal. Researchers have discussed carbon dioxide emissions from different references and ways of reduction and mitigation techniques to cease rising temperatures and global warming. The various sources of greenhouse emissions in the construction industry are discussed in this paper to understand their negative impact better. A framework is developed for the buildings’ operational phase. It is used to quantify that effect and physical properties to measurables to assist policymakers, stakeholders, and decision-makers in making better decisions and choices to reduce carbon emissions during the operation process. This framework aims to make it more flexible, easy to use for stakeholders, involves their feedback from the beginning of the process, and applies to the ground. Furthermore, a case study was applied to the Nile University operational phase to test the eligibility of the proposed framework in calculating the carbon emissions of a medium-scale building.

Background: Testicular dysfunction is one of the common side effects that results from the treatment with oxaliplatin® as a chemotherapy drug, and pharmaceutical search for agents to relieve the side effects are underway. The current study explored the possible ameliorative and regenerative effects of Costus ethanolic extract against testicular degeneration in male rats induced by oxaliplatin. Methods: Male Wistar albino rats weighing 150-200g were divided into four groups of 10 rats each as follows: group-1 control rats; group-2 rats treated orally with the extract at 50 mg/kg/ day for six weeks; group-3 rats injected oxaliplatin intraperitoneally at 10 mg/kg/week for six successive weeks; group-4 rats were injected intraperitoneally with oxaliplatin at 10 mg/kg/ week combined with a daily oral dose of the Costus extract for six weeks. Results: Data from the current study revealed that the extract lowered the toxic effect of oxaliplatin on the testicular tissue samples. This was evident by the significant rise in the serum of total & free testosterone and CD4 cells, and the levels of GSH, SOD and CAT activities in the testis coupled with a marked reduction of serum TNF-α and IL-1β and testis MDA, nitric oxide levels and DNA fragmentation. Also, the extract promoted the regeneration of the histopathological structure of the testis. Conclusion: This study proposes a novel therapeutic application for the Costus extract as a therapeutic agent against testicular toxicity induced by oxaliplatin treatment through its promising anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep-sea habitats are currently recognized as a hot spot for mercury (Hg) accumulation from anthropogenic sources, resulting in elevated concentrations of total mercury (THg) in deep-sea megafauna. Among them, deep-sea sharks (Class Chondrichthyes) are characterized by high trophic position and extended longevity and are, therefore, at high risk for mercury contamination. Despite this, sharks are overexploited by fishing activity in increasingly deeper water, worldwide, imposing health risks to human consumption. While it is imperative to better understand long-term mercury contamination in deep-sea megafauna, few historical data sets exist to capture this process. Here we explore four decades (1985–2022) of THg accumulation in five species of deep-sea sharks (G. melastomus, E. spinax, S. rostratus, C. granulosus, and D. licha) of the ultra-oligotrophic Southeastern Mediterranean Sea (SEMS) sampled during 19 research cruises. We exhibited exceptionally high THg levels (per length/weight), the highest as 16.6 μg g−1 (wet wt.), almost entirely (98.9 %; n = 298 specimens) exceeding the limit for safe consumption (0.3–0.5 μg THg g−1 wet wt.). The maximal THg levels of the long-lived species D. licha and C. granulosus in the SEMS were enriched by a factor of ∼ 7 and >10 compared to counterpart species from other oceanic areas, respectively. We attribute this to the ultra-oligotrophic conditions of the SEMS, which cause slower growth rates and dwarfism in deep-sea sharks, resulting in an extended exposure time to mercury contamination. In the long-lived species, C. granulosus and D. licha, a temporal increase of average THg levels of ∼ 80 % was recorded between 1987–1999 and 2021–2022. This likely reflects the long-term accumulation of historical anthropogenic Hg in deep-sea environments, which is further amplified in marginal seas such as the Mediterranean, impacted by global air pollution crossroads and surrounded by land-based pollution sources. Future consumption of products from deep-sea sharks is potentially high risk to human health.

AbstractBackground Due to the rising prevalence of alcohol use disorders among young adults, the need for effective and accessible interventions has become increasingly imperative. In acknowledgment of this issue, we developed a novel intervention known as contingency management plus problem solving therapy (CM-PST). The aim of the current study was to gain insight into the perspectives on the effectiveness of the newly developed CM-PST using focus group discussion among young adults who consume alcohol regularly.Materials and Methods The study employed a qualitative research design, utilizing focus group discussions as the primary data collection method. Participants described their perceptions regarding the newly developed CM-PST. Semi-structured focus group sessions were conducted via Zoom in November 2022. A total of 19 young adults, aged 18-24 years old, participated in five focus group sessions. Data were analyzed using deductive content analysis.Results Participants demonstrated overall positive attitudes toward the novel intervention, recognizing the potential benefits, it could offer in terms of alcohol use reduction and emotional well-being. They emphasized the importance of incentives in motivating behavioral changes, as well as the practicality of problem-solving techniques in addressing everyday challenges. Additionally, participants provided valuable insights into potential barriers and implementation challenges, highlighting the need for flexible and personalized approaches to accommodate individual preferences and needs.Conclusions The results of this study contribute to the growing body of literature on innovative intervention approaches for young adults facing alcohol use issues. The findings shed light on the acceptability and perceived effectiveness of the CM-PST intervention from the perspective of the target population.

Climate change as a matter had little attention of public debate, especially in developing countries, until the recent floods caused by the dragon storms in the Middle East and the forest fires in the Mediterranean. Egypt, being strategically crucial in Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Arab world, with strong connections to other countries, aimed to go from promises to action and to discover real answers to climate change by building on past COPs. The administration assumed a more prominent role by coordinating the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27). People started to realize that this is not something only happening elsewhere in the world. Egypt took the initiative; Challenges have been assessed to reach suitable mitigation approaches, and Egypt's first NDC has been issued to meet the global agenda. Egypt's vision was to accelerate global climate action at the UNFCCC 27th Conference of the Parties (COP 27) through emissions reduction, advanced adaptation, and enhanced flow of appropriate finance, prioritizing developing countries worldwide.

Abstract Background The study aims at evaluating the effect of wearing face masks on voice and intelligibility of speech in Egyptian working individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify if there are any adverse effects of wearing face masks in the working environment. Materials and methods A cross-section analytical study was conducted on 153 participants. Personal data and data about the nature of their workplaces were collected. The evaluation included a subjective assessment of voice and intelligibility of speech using a specifically designed questionnaire addressing self-perception of voice fatigue, speech unintelligibility, received auditory feedback and breathing difficulty, and objective voice assessment by Computerized Speech Lab, while objective speech unintelligibility assessment by the Arabic Speech Intelligibility Test. Results The study revealed poor workplace acoustics and increased their self-perception of voice fatigue, speech unintelligibility, auditory feedback, and breathing difficulty while wearing masks. Medical professionals showed increased self-perception of speech unintelligibility and the received auditory feedback. No significant difference was found in absolute jitter with and without a face mask. Increasing shimmer and mean fundamental frequency and decreasing noise to harmonic ratio and maximum phonation time were found. The study revealed decreased speech intelligibility especially with the N95 mask. Conclusion Wearing face masks negatively affects communication in the workplace, with poor room acoustics. It affects both speech intelligibility and voice subjectively and objectively. It caused increased self-perception of voice fatigue and changes in objective voice parameters.