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Ekramy M Abdelghafar,1 Ahmed H Othman,2 Mahmoud Salem Soliman,3 Ayman Kilany,4 Mohammed H Shaaban,5 Ehab H Shaker1 1Department of Anesthesia, ICU And Pain Relief, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; 2Department of Anesthesia, ICU and Pain Relief, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 3Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Management, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; 4Department of Research on Children with Special Needs, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt; 5Department of Diagnostic & Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, EgyptCorrespondence: Ehab H ShakerDepartment of Anesthesia and Pain Relief, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, EgyptTel +2-01222438820Email ehabhanafy2006@yahoo.comBackground: Superior hypogastric neurolytic block is performed to block visceral pelvic pain. This could be performed through the anterior approach guided by CT or ultrasound and through a posterior approach, guided by fluoroscopy or CT.Methods: Sixty adult patients with severe visceral pelvic pain (VAS> 70 mm) were randomly divided into two groups. Group S: SHP block was done ultrasound guided using the anterior approach and confirmed by fluoroscopy. Group F: SHP block was done fluoroscopic guided using the posterior oblique approach. The VAS (visual analog scale), duration of the technique, time of X-ray exposure, patient satisfaction score, patient global impression of change (PGIC), quality of life score, and daily morphine consumption (mg/day) were measured pre-procedure and at the 1st, 4th, 8th, and 12th week after the procedure. In addition, any side effects of the procedure were recorded.Results: There was a significant difference in VAS between the two groups (P< 0.01) (better in group S). The quality of life score was improved from the pre-procedure in both groups (P< 0.05), and morphine consumption was significantly lower in group S than in group F (P< 0.05) at the 1st, 4th, and 8th week and not significant at the 12th week. The two groups show a statistically significant difference as regards the duration of the procedure and X-ray exposure (P< 0.01). There was a statistically significant difference in the satisfactory score between the two groups at the 1st, 4th, 8th, and 12th week (P< 0.01). As regards the PGIC score, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P> 0.05). In group S, no back pain was reported, while 11 patients of group F complained from post-procedure back pain (P< 0.001).Conclusion: The anterior ultrasound guided SHPB aided by fluoroscopy is suggested to be more superior to the standard fluoroscopic guided technique in relieving pelvic cancer pain and decreasing morphine consumption.Keywords: superior hypogastric block, pelvic pain, fluoroscopy, ultrasound

Fatma A El Sherif,1 Ahmad M Abd El-Rahman,1 Ahmed H Othman,1 Samia A Shouman,2 Mervat M Omran,3 Nivin A Hassan,4 Sahar B Hassan,5 Ebrahim Aboeleuon6 1Anesthesia, ICU, and Pain Relief, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 2Cancer Biology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; 3Cancer Biology (Pharmacology and Experimental Oncology), National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; 4Cancer Biology (Pharmacology and Experimental Oncology), South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assuit University, Assiut, Egypt; 5Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assuit University, Assiut, Egypt; 6Surgical Oncology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, EgyptCorrespondence: Ahmed H Othman Tel +20 1005098394Fax +20 88 2086609Email ahmadhothman@gmail.comBackground: Serratus anterior plane (SAP) block, a novel regional anesthetic procedure, involves the anterolateral chest wall. Opioid receptors have been found on peripheral nerve terminals, so morphine may have a local action.Objective: This work aimed at exploring the analgesic efficacy of morphine added to bupivacaine in SAPB in patients for whom modified radical mastectomy was conducted and whether it is a mere local effect.Methods: Forty female patients were planned to have modified radical mastectomy participated in the study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups; Control group (C): received ultrasound-guided serratus anterior plane block with 20 mL of bupivacaine hydrochloride 0.25%; Morphine group (M): received the same in addition to 10 mg morphine sulfate. Intra- and post-operative blood samples were taken for the assessment of morphine serum levels. All patients were assessed for VAS scores during rest and movement (VAS-R and VAS-M). Time to the first request and the total amount of the rescue analgesia were recorded.Results: In group M, Morphine was not detected in the plasma of all patients. Both VAS-R and VAS-M were significantly higher in group C than in group M (P< 0.001) and (P≤ 0.003), respectively. Time to the first request of rescue analgesia was 8.5 h in group C compared to 20 h in group M (P=0.005) with a median dose of acetaminophen consumption of 2 g in group C compared to 1 g in group M (P=0.006).Conclusion: Ten mg of morphine, when added to bupivacaine in SAPB, improved postoperative analgesia in patients to whom modified radical mastectomy was conducted. This effect seems to be attributed merely to local mechanisms.Registration: The registration number of this study is NCT02962024 at www.clinicaltrial.gov.Keywords: analgesic, morphine, bupivacaine, serratus anterior, modified radical mastectomy

Hybrid MRI linear accelerators (MR-Linac) might enable individualized online adaptation of radiotherapy using quantitative MRI sequences as diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). The purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamics of lesion apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in patients with prostate cancer undergoing MR-guided radiation therapy (MRgRT) on a 1.5T MR-Linac. The ADC values at a diagnostic 3T MRI scanner were used as the reference standard.

This study introduces a novel approach by combining knowledge distillation and transfer learning to create a model that, despite its smaller size, approaches the accuracy of its much larger counterparts. It leverages a trained model from a source domain (teacher) to enhance an untrained model in a target domain (student) with significantly fewer parameters. Through transfer learning, we utilize pre-trained deep learning model parameters as initial values. This paper also explores integrating intangible cultural heritage (ICH) information with school curricula, transforming traditional knowledge presentation into intuitive, personalized displays. Our findings highlight that ICH visualization spans nine categories, with traditional arts and crafts leading with 25 items. Interestingly, only 22.58% of students understand Native American culture, pointing towards the potential for educational enhancement. The research suggests designing curriculum with varied teaching activities to improve students’ comprehensive skills.

This research delves into how design education can catalyze rural revitalization and the digital renewal of non-heritage artifacts, blending traditional values with modern innovations. By establishing a comprehensive evaluation framework, we analyzed trends across 31 provinces from 2013 to 2022, focusing on rural growth and the digitization of non-heritage cultural elements. Our methods included the entropy value and TOPSIS methods, alongside a coupled coordination degree model, uncovering that economic prosperity and enhanced living standards drive rural development, with notable digital advancements in regions such as Beijing and Guangdong. The study highlights a growing synergy between rural and digital non-heritage development, reaching moderate coordination by 2022. It underscores the transformative effect of design education on rural and digital heritage sectors, recommending the establishment of an online education platform for wider knowledge dissemination.

The growth of the aquafeed sector is highly dependent upon the availability of fish feed with a balanced nutritional composition. The use of prebiotics and probiotics can be an effective solution to increase the bioavailability of feed components. In this study, we evaluated the effect of dietary supplementation with β-propeller phytase (0, 600, 1200, 1800 and 2400 U/kg) from Bacillus and mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) (0, 2, 4 and 8 g/kg) on growth performance and nutrient digestibility of Nile tilapia over 45 days. The findings showed that adding phytase significantly (p < 0.05) increases the growth performance and nutrient digestibility; the 1200 and 1800 U/kg PHY levels showed the maximum weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) and best feed conversion ratio (FCR). Furthermore, phytase increases carcass mineral composition (phosphate and calcium). At the end of the experiment, there were no significant differences among all feeding groups in survival rates (above 90%). Regarding MOS inclusion, insignificant differences were seen in WG, SGR and SR. However, significant effects of MOS were observed on FCR, feed intake (FI) and PER when supplemented at 4 and 8 g/kg of feed. Taken together, our results suggest that supplementation of Nile tilapia feed with adequate amounts of β-propeller phytase from Bacillus and MOS increases growth performance and nutrient digestibility.

Rose and miniature rose powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera pannosa is the most important disease in greenhouses and outdoor plantations. The use of fungicides, as a control method, is detrimental to nature and paid public interest. This work was aimed to utilize ecofriendly methods represented with plant extracts and antagonistic fungi. Among 13 plant extracts tested in vitro, garlic (Allium sativum), ginger (Zingiber officinale), and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) were the most effective bioagents that resulted in a significant reduction of conidia germination. This result is supported by the greenhouse assessment of the selected extracts, in which the powdery mildew disease was reduced by up to 88.1%. The use of the commercial product of T. harzianum in the greenhouse was effective as plant extracts.

This paper analyses Grice’s maxims in two Arabic translations of Animal Farm to gain insight into the communicative principles underlying character-to-character, narrator-to-reader, and translator-to-reader interactions in fiction translation. Compared to the original, the translated character-level interactions show more frequent use of maxim hedges, more awareness of or commitment to maxims, more informative responses, and more manifestations of interpersonal relationships, politeness and propositional attitudes. They also show a preference for observing rather than flouting maxims and hence for explicating rather than implicating a meaning. By contrast, there are fewer narrator-reader implicatures, reduced persuasive power and hence a lesser reader engagement. The overall results point to a higher level of explicitness and informativeness that contributes to the conciseness and simplicity of the translational language and style. Compared to the original writer, translators provide more contextual knowledge and show more awareness of conversational maxims during the re-narration and mediation process.

Breakdown of blood-brain barrier, formed mainly by brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs), represents the major cause of mortality during early phases of ischemic strokes. Hence, discovery of novel agents that can effectively replace dead or dying endothelial cells to restore blood-brain barrier integrity is of paramount importance in stroke medicine. Although endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) represent one such agents, their rarity in peripheral blood severely limits their adequate isolation and therapeutic use for acute ischemic stroke which necessitate their ex vivo expansion and generate early EPCs and outgrowth endothelial cells (OECs) as a result. Functional analyses of these cells, in the present study, demonstrated that only OECs endocytosed DiI-labelled acetylated low-density lipoprotein and formed tubules on matrigel, prominent endothelial cell and angiogenesis markers, respectively. Further analyses by flow cytometry demonstrated that OECs expressed specific markers for stemness (CD34), immaturity (CD133) and endothelial cells (CD31) but not for hematopoietic cells (CD45). Like BMECs, OECs established an equally tight in vitro model of human BBB with astrocytes and pericytes, suggesting their capacity to form tight junctions. Ischemic injury mimicked by concurrent deprivation of oxygen and glucose (4 hours) or deprivation of oxygen and glucose followed by reperfusion (20 hours) affected both barrier integrity and function in a similar fashion as evidenced by decreases in transendothelial electrical resistance and increases in paracellular flux, respectively. Wound scratch assays comparing the vasculoreparative capacity of cells revealed that, compared to BMECs, OECs possessed a greater proliferative and directional migratory capacity. In a triple culture model of BBB established with astrocytes, pericytes and BMEC, exogenous addition of OECs effectively repaired the damage induced on endothelial layer in serum-free conditions. Taken together, these data demonstrate that OECs may effectively home to the site of vascular injury and repair the damage to maintain (neuro)vascular homeostasis during or after a cerebral ischemic injury.

Liquefaction is a phenomenon in which the strength and stiffness of a soil are reduced as a result of seismic or other dynamic effects. Liquefaction was the main reason of the huge damages caused by many earthquakes around the world. The modeling of soil behavior is the main step in the process of predicting the soil liquefaction. Currently, a large number of soil models are presented. However, only some of them can simulate this process. One of these models which can be used is model UBC3D-PLM. In this paper, the possibilities of this model are considered by modeling the seismic impact on a building with its different heights on the PLAXIS software package. The real data of Upland earthquake 1990 near Los Angeles city was used. Results of the simulation showed the difference in the behavior of the soil mass under the influence of an earthquake compared with the elastic behavior, as well as the need to use the UBC3D-PLM model to estimate the seismic impact.

The interference of climate circulation and continuous rising of surface temperature every year has caused the atmosphere composition change which gives serious impact to water resource management. Pahang is among of the affected states by El Nino that hit Malaysia in recent years which led to water depletion at several water plants. Based on the current situation, this study focuses on 1) simulate the average rain pattern using statistical downscaling; 2) identify the severity index and dry duration occurrence in the catchment area. Predicting potential changes in the climate events is important to evaluate the level of climate change in the critical region. Therefore, the integration of Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM) and Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) have been conducted to study the potential occurrence of the dry period due to climate change for year 2020s and year 2050s. The results reveal that the dry condition is high during the mid-year. The lowest SPI value is estimated to reach -2.2 which can be classified as extreme. The potential dry period is expected to increase 2.5% and 3.3% in 2020 and 2050, respectively.

Aim: Twenty compounds of 6-nitro-4-substituted quinazolines were synthesized. Materials & methods: The new derivatives were evaluated for their epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitory activity. The most potent derivatives were assessed for their cytotoxicity against colon cancer and lung cancer cells, in addition to normal fibroblast cells. Results & discussion: compound 6c showed a superior to nearly equal cytotoxicity in comparison to gefitinib, it also revealed a good safety profile. Compound 6c caused a cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in addition to induction of apoptosis. A molecular docking study was conducted on the most active compounds to gain insights of their binding mode in the active site of EGFR enzyme besides ADME prediction of their physicochemical properties and drug likeness profile.

Background: Exploration of the thoracic cavity through a thoracotomy incision for thoracic malignancies is accompanied by severe, excruciating acute postoperative pain. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of perioperative duloxetine when given as part of a multimodal analgesia in reducing the dose of opioids needed to treat acute postoperative pain after thoracotomy., Methods: Sixty patients scheduled for thoracotomy were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. The duloxetine group (D) received duloxetine 60 mg orally two hours before the surgical procedure and 24 hours after surgery, and the placebo group (P) received oral equivalent placebo capsules during the same time schedule. The primary outcome was the postoperative consumption of narcotics. Secondary outcome measures were assessment of postoperative pain scores (VAS) during rest, walking and coughing, hemodynamic variables and development of any side effects., Results: Total dose of morphine needed to treat postoperative pain in first 48 hours, intraoperative isoflurane concentrations, intra- and postoperative epidural infusion rates all were significantly lower in group D (P<0.001). Postoperative pain at rest (VAS-R) was significantly less frequent in group D compared to group P at all-time intervals so as during walking (VAS-W) (P<0.001). While during cough (VAS-C), it was comparable at all time point except at 12 hours which was significantly low in group D (P<0.001). The intra-, postoperative mean blood pressure and development of side effects were comparable between the two groups., Conclusions: Oral duloxetine used perioperatively during thoracic surgery may play an important role as multimodal analgesia for acute postoperative pain without any added side effects.

CD45 is a transmembrane glycoprotein and protein tyrosine phosphatase expressed on the surface of all nucleated hematopoietic cells. While there is increasing evidence demonstrating the involvement of CD45 in immune system regulation, no information on CD45 expression in inflammation and sepsis is currently available. Therefore, we determined the CD45 surface expression on granulocytes, lymphocytes, and monocytes in patients with COVID-19 and healthy volunteers in both absence and presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Following approval by the local ethics committee, whole blood samples were obtained from patients with COVID-19 infection on day 1 of hospital admission and healthy volunteers. Samples were incubated in absence and presence of LPS and CD45 was measured in granulocytes, lymphocytes, and monocytes using flow cytometry. In comparison with healthy individuals, COVID-19 patients showed an increased CD45 expression on the surface of granulocytes (+35%, p < 0.02) and lymphocytes (+39%, p < 0.0001), but a reduced CD45 expression on monocytes (−35%, p < 0.0001). LPS incubation of whole blood from healthy individuals increased the CD45 expression on granulocytes (+430%, p < 0.0001), lymphocytes (+32%, p = 0.0012), and monocytes (+36%, p = 0.0005), respectively. LPS incubation of whole blood samples from COVID-19 patients increased the CD45 expression on granulocytes and monocytes, and decreased the CD45 expression on lymphocytes. In conclusion, CD45 expression on leucocytes is altered: (1) in COVID-19 patients, and (2) in in vitro endotoxemia in a complex cell-specific way, thus representing a new immunoregulatory mechanism.

Background: Natural disasters may physically and psychologically affect individuals and their surrounding community. This study determines the prevalence of post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms and its association with maladaptive trauma-related cognition and resilience among adolescents post-earthquake. Materials and Methods: Data were collected, in this cross-sectional study, during an intervention program post-earthquake held in a state high school located at Lombok, Indonesia. The study sample engaged students 14-19 years of age using the purposive sampling method. The questionnaires used to measure PTS symptoms, maladaptive trauma-related cognition, and resilience were Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale-13 (CRIES-13), Child Post-Traumatic Cognitions Inventory (CPTCI), and Child and Youth Resilience Measure-Revised (CYRM-R), respectively. Results: The prevalence of PTS symptoms was 69.9%. Among the respondents, 61.37% were female and 56.48% had mothers with lower educational levels. Using multiple linear regression, the final predictors of PTS symptoms were excessive reactions (e.g., wailing loudly, miserable shrieking) of proxy during earthquake ( β = 3.283, p = 0.005), maladaptive trauma-related cognition ( β = 0.224, p = 0.002), and resilience ( β = 0.192, p < 0.001) with female gender ( β = 7.350, p < 0.001) as a control variable. Through simple linear regression, victims who witnessed injury or death during the earthquake ( p = 0.003), had a proxy died during the earthquake ( p = 0.01), and trapped victims or those who had difficulty escaping ( p = 0.01) were identified to potentially predict the occurrence of PTS symptoms, warranting further study. Conclusion: The presence of excessive proxy reactions during the earthquake, maladaptive trauma-related cognition, and resilience in adolescents exposed to a natural disaster are worth targeting and prioritizing in future post-disaster interventions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer CN declared a shared affiliation, with no collaboration, with the authors SW, LY, WC, MY, NS, RI, AO, and HD at the time of the review., (Copyright © 2021 Wahab, Yong, Chieng, Yamil, Sawal, Abdullah, Muhdisin Noor, Wd Wiredarma, Ismail, Othman and Damanhuri.)

A comprehensive stress assessment is vital in understanding the impact of the pre-slaughter procedure on animal welfare. The transportation and handling process was commonly reported to cause stress in animals. This research utilises electroencephalography (EEG) as an alternative stress indicator to non-painful acute stress measurement. EEG has been proved to be instantaneous and sensitive with specific results. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the stress level of goats subjected to two different transportation duration and the effect of lairage based on their EEG activities and blood parameters changes. Eighteen adult male goats were divided into two transportation stress groups based on the transport duration: the two-hour (TS2) and six-hour (TS6) groups. Then, each group was then again divided into three smaller groups according to the lairage duration, which was three-hour (L3), six-hour (L6), and overnight (L12) groups. Blood was sampled before transport, after transport, and during slaughter while EEG was recorded before transport, after transport, after lairage, and during slaughter. Results revealed that there was a significant decrease in beta wave activity compared to baseline in TS2 goats (P < 0.05) after transportation, whereas no significant difference was detected in the TS6 goats. At the same time, goats from the TS2 group showed increase in creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) compared to that in TS6 goats. Together with the observed cortisol concentration, these findings showed that the TS6 goats were fully adapted to the transportation stress while the TS2 goats were still under stress. As for the lairage duration, it was observed that the TS2L3 goats showed lower EEG activities than the values obtained after two-hour transportation, while lower EEG activities were found from the TS6L6 goats after six-hour transportation. Therefore, it can be concluded that three-hour lairage was adequate to lower the impact of two hours transportation stress, whereas six-hour lairage was required to reduce the impact of six hours transportation stress. Finally, it was also found that the TS6L3, TS6L6, and TS6L12 groups took a long time to die after slaughter than the TS2L3, TS2L6, and TS2L12 goats based on the time their EEG activity reached isoelectric., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of stocking density and distances on electroencephalographic changes and cortisol as welfare indicators in Brahman crossbred cattle. Sixty Brahman crossbred heifers were subjected to road transport from a cattle feedlot farm located in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang to a commercial ruminant abattoir in Shah Alam, Selangor. Animals were assigned to long (850 km) and short (450 km) distances and high (600 sqm), medium (400 sqm), and low (200 sqm) stocking densities. Results revealed that the intensity of cortisol responses and EEG parameters (such as alpha <0.001, beta < 0.001, delta < 0.001, theta < 0.001, MF < 0.001 and Ptot < 0.001) increased significantly. Long-distance transport also resulted in significantly more intense (<0.001) responses to nociception during slaughter than animals that had been transported over a shorter distance, as indicated by EEG and cortisol.

Background: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women and its metastases results in poor survival rates in patients. The ability to alter metabolism is a key attribute cancer cells use to survive within different metastatic microenvironments and cause organ failure. We hypothesized that evaluation of metabolic alterations within tumor cells could provide a better understanding of cancer metastasis. Therefore, to investigate underlying metabolic alterations during metastases, we utilized human MDA-MB-231 and mouse 4T1 models that closely mimic human breast cancer metastasis., Methods: The glycolysis and glutamine pathway-related changes were examined in bone metastatic cells by XF-24 extracellular flux analyzer and western blotting. The expression levels of genes related to metabolism were examined by PCR arrays., Results: The MDA-MB-231 cells isolated after bone metastases showed reduced glucose uptake and glycolysis compared to parental cells, suggesting that these cells could alter metabolic requirements for survival. To understand these metabolic changes, we investigated glutamine, a common and naturally occurring non-essential amino acid. Interestingly, in reduced glucose conditions both cell lines showed dependence on glutamine for cell survival, and with glutamine withdrawal significantly increasing apoptotic cell death. Glutamine was also critical for normal cell proliferation even in the presence of high glucose concentrations. To further understand this metabolic switch in metastatic cells, we examined the genes related to metabolism and identified a more than seven-fold downregulation of protein kinase C zeta (PKC-ζ) expression levels in bone-derived MDA-MB-231 cells compared to the parental population. The PKC-ζ levels were also significantly reduced in metastatic 4T1 cells compared to non-metastatic MT1A2 cells. Since PKC-ζ deficiency promotes glutamine utilization via the serine biosynthesis pathway, we examined glutamine metabolism. The ectopic expression of PKC-ζ inhibited glutamine conversion to glutamate, while mutant PKC-ζ reversed this effect. Furthermore, the gene expression levels of enzymes involved in serine biosynthesis, phosphoserine phosphatase (PSPH), phosphoserine aminotransferase (PSAT1), and phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) showed upregulation following glucose deprivation with PKC-ζ deficiency. The PHGDH upregulation was inhibited by ectopically expressing wild type but not mutated PKC-ζ in glucose-deprived conditions., Conclusions: Our results support the upregulation of serine biosynthesis pathway genes and downregulation of PKC-ζ as potential metabolic alterations for bone metastatic breast cancer cells., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study's objective was to evaluate the effects of distance and stocking density on physicochemical properties and oxidative stability of meat and acute-phase proteins in Brahman crossbred cattle transported by road under hot and humid tropical conditions. Sixty Brahman crossbred heifers were subjected to road transport from a cattle feedlot farm located in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang, to a commercial ruminant abattoir in Shah Alam, Selangor. Animals were assigned to long and short distances and high, medium, and low stocking densities. The results revealed that the intensity of response significantly increased in meat samples from animals subjected to long-distance transportation and higher stocking density. Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein and serum amyloid-A values increased considerably and were different from the baseline values recorded at preload. In conclusion, the current results revealed that the color, pH, shear force values, water holding capacity (WHC), glycogen level, and malondilaldehyde assay (MDA) concentrations in meat and acute-phase proteins (APP) were affected by both distances and stocking densities, as evidenced by the significant changes recorded from the parameters above.

This preliminary trial investigated the effect of transportation and lairage periods on physiological parameters of goats subjected to slaughter. Nine male Boer cross goats aged 8-12 months were transported for 6 h and kept at lairage for 3, 6, or 16 h (n = 3). Blood samples were collected at pre- (pre-T) and post-transportation (post-T), and post-slaughter (post-S) for determination of hematological parameters, serum enzyme, protein, and cortisol concentrations. Electroencephalogram readings were taken at pre-T, post-T, pre-slaughter (pre-S), and post-S to determine the median frequency (F 50 ) and total power (Ptot) values. At post-T, there were manifestations of stress leukogram; increase in hematocrit, total protein, and muscle enzyme concentrations; and decrease in Ptot (p < 0.05). The high pre-T cortisol concentration suggests that the goats were already under stress before transportation. Stress leukogram became less evident after lairage, indicating that the goats had recovered from the stress of transportation. Although the Ptot increased at post-S especially following 3 h of lairage, F 50 values at post-S did not differ from pre-L, suggesting that the pre-slaughter stress may have affected the pain threshold. It is suggested that after 6 h of transportation, goats should ideally be placed in lairage for a minimum period of 3 h before slaughter., (© 2021 Japanese Society of Animal Science.)

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of sea and road transport on the acute phase proteins (APP), cortisol, metabolic, haematological and electroencephalographic (EEG) responses of Brahman crossbred heifers. Sixty Brahman crossbred heifers were subjected to 14 d of transportation by sea from Darwin Port, Australia, to Pasir Gudang Port, Johor, Malaysia, and 330 km of road transportation. Results revealed that the intensity of response for most blood biochemical parameters increased significantly and were different from the baseline values taken while the animals were in Darwin Port, Australia. Haematological results obtained also revealed a significant increase and were different from the baseline values. Cortisol and APP (bovine alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and serum amyloid-A) values increased significantly and were different from the baseline values. Haematological parameters, APP, cortisol and EEG data (alpha, beta, delta and theta waves, total power and median frequency) decreased significantly following 4 and 7 days post-transport, suggesting a recovery of the animals from the stressfulness of transport. In conclusion, the current results revealed that the concentrations of biochemical and haematological parameters, cortisol, APP and EEG data were affected by both sea and road transport as evidenced by the significant changes recorded from the parameters above.

Objectives: Continuous wound infiltration of local anesthetics has been proposed as an alternative to epidural analgesia during abdominal surgery. Cytokines have a major role in inflammatory changes caused by surgery. This study aimed to compare the effects of continuous preperitoneal versus epidural analgesia on inflammatory cytokines postoperatively., Materials and Methods: Forty patients scheduled for radical cystectomy were included in this observer-blinded, randomized trial; patients were randomly assigned into 2 groups to receive; continuous preperitoneal wound infiltration (PPB) or epidural analgesia (EDB). Serum levels of interleukins (IL1β, IL6, IL10, and tumor necrosis factor α) were measured at baseline (before induction of anesthesia), preinfusion (before the start of local anesthetic infusion), 6 and 24 hours postoperatively. Visual Analog Scale at rest/movement (VAS-R/M), time to the first request of analgesia, total morphine consumption, sedation score, hemodynamics, and side effects were observed 24 hours postoperatively., Results: There was a significant reduction in IL6, IL1β and increase in IL10 in PPB compared with EDB at 6 and 24 hours postoperatively and compared with preinfusion levels (P≤0.001). In EDB, a significant increase in IL1β, IL10, and tumor necrosis factor α at 6 hours compared with preinfusion levels (P≤0.002). VAS-R/M was significantly decreased at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 hours in EDB compared with PPB (P≤0.014), with no significant difference in the mean time to the first request of analgesia and total morphine consumption between the 2 groups., Conclusion: Continuous preperitoneal analgesia better attenuated postoperative inflammatory response and provided a comparable overall analgesia to that with continuous epidural analgesia following radical cystectomy.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the splanchnic nerves has been reported as a predictable and safe technique for abdominal pain management. We compare between RFA and chemical neurolysis of bilateral thoracic splanchnic nerves in the management of refractory cancer pain., Methods: The study was conducted on 60 patients aged ≥18 years who suffered from abdominal pain (visceral pain, VAS ≥4) due to upper abdominal cancers. Participants were randomized into two groups. Group I (RF): 30 participants received a bilateral splanchnic nerve block at T10 and T11 levels using RFA. Group II (alcohol): 30 participants received a bilateral splanchnic nerve block at T11 using alcohol. Pain relief was assessed using VAS (0-10) and total daily oral opioid consumption (primary outcome)., Results: Significant reductions of VAS and global perceived effect satisfaction scores (GPES) were observed in both groups compared to baseline levels (p < 0.001); Group I had the largest reduction. MST consumption and QOL scores improved significantly in both groups (p < 0.001). Oral opioid consumption started to reduce at the end of the first post-interventional week for Group I, 0.00 (0-45 mg), and at the end of the second post-interventional week for Group II, 20.00 (0-135 mg). No major complications were recorded in either group., Conclusion: Simultaneous bilateral pain block of splanchnic nerves at the levels of T10 and T11 using RFA is more effective than using alcohol at a single level of T11 in cancer patients presenting with upper abdominal pain. The RFA intervention acted faster, provided longer duration analgesia, worked in a higher proportion of patients and had a better safety profile than the alcohol intervention., Significance: Radiofrequency ablation of the splanchnic nerves is safe and effective for relieving upper abdominal cancer pain., (© 2018 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.)

To address the growing challenges from drug-resistant microbes and tumor incidence, approaches are being undertaken to phytosynthesize metal nanoparticles, particularly silver nanoparticles, to get remedial measure. In this study, an attempt has been made to utilize a major biowaste product, pomegranate fruit peel (Punica granatum), to synthesize silver nanoparticles. The silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using the aqueous extract of pomegranate peel. The formation of synthesized AgNPs was confirmed through UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) as well as through the change of the colorless aqueous solution to a dark brown solution. Using UV-Vis spectroscopy, the dark brown solution showed a Plasmon resonance band peak at 378 nm in UV-Vis spectroscopy after reacting for 24, 48, and 72 h. The XRD report revealed that the AgNPs had a cubic structure. The TEM and SEM report showed the nanoparticles were equally distributed in the solution, with a spherical shape and size ranging from 20 to 40 nm and with an average particle size of 26.95 nm. EDX imaging also confirmed the presence of AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs were found to exhibit good antimicrobial effects on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, particularly the pathogens Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27584), Proteus vulgaris (ATCC 8427), Salmonella typhi (ATCC 14028), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213), Staphylococcus epidermidis (MTCC 3615), and Klebsiella pneumonia. The cytotoxic effects of AgNPs were also tested against a colon cancer cell line (RKO: ATCC® CRL-2577™), and it was observed that the viabilities were 56% and 61% on days 3 and 5, respectively, with exposure to 12.5 μg of AgNPs. This simple, economic, and eco-friendly method suggests that the AgNPs biosynthesized using pomegranate peel extract may be a novel, potent solution for the development of a drug for colon cancer that also has antibacterial activity.

Breast cancer metastases cause significant patient mortality. During metastases, cancer cells use autophagy, a catabolic process to recycle nutrients via lysosomal degradation, to overcome nutritional stress for their survival. The Runt-related transcription factor, Runx2, promotes cell survival under metabolic stress, and regulates breast cancer progression and bone metastases. Here, we identify that Runx2 enhances autophagy in metastatic breast cancer cells. We defined Runx2 function in cellular autophagy by monitoring microtubule-associated protein light chain (LC3B-II) levels, an autophagy-specific marker. The electron and confocal microscopic analyses were utilized to identify alterations in autophagic vesicles. The Runx2 knockdown cells accumulate LC3B-II protein and autophagic vesicles due to reduced turnover. Interestingly, Runx2 promotes autophagy by enhancing trafficking of LC3B vesicles. Our mechanistic studies revealed that Runx2 promotes autophagy by increasing acetylation of α-tubulin sub-units of microtubules. Inhibiting autophagy decreased cell adhesion and survival of Runx2 knockdown cells. Furthermore, analysis of LC3B protein in clinical breast cancer specimens and tumor xenografts revealed significant association between high Runx2 and low LC3B protein levels. Our studies reveal a novel regulatory mechanism of autophagy via Runx2 and provide molecular insights into the role of autophagy in metastatic cancer cells., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: The majority of authors and the literature recommend sugammadex dose to be calculated according to RBW without taking fat content into consideration. Our aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of sugammadex at doses of 1.5, 2, and 4 mg/kg, calculated according to ideal body weight basis, for the reversal of moderate rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade in laparoscopic bariatric surgery., Methods: One-hundred and eighty morbidly obese patients were randomly assigned into three groups according to sugammadex dose administrated (based on IBW after reaching T2 of TOF): Group I: patients were given 1.5 mg/kg. Group II: patients were given 2 mg/kg. Group III: patients were given 4 mg/kg. Both sugammadex and extubation times were recorded., Results: Sugammadex time was significantly longer in groups I and II versus III (P=0.000, 0.005 respectively). Difference between groups I and II was insignificant. The extubation time was insignificantly different in the three groups (P>0.05)., Conclusions: A dose of sugammadex of 1.5 mg/kg calculated according to IBW successfully reversed moderate rocuronium-induced NMB in laparoscopic bariatric surgeries.

Background: Pain control after bariatric surgery is a major challenge. Our objective was to study the efficacy and safety of intrathecal (IT) morphine 0.3 mg added to bupivacaine 0.5% for postoperative pain after laparoscopic bariatric surgery., Methods: After local ethics committee approval, 100 morbidly obese patients scheduled for laparoscopic bariatric surgery were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups: Group I received IT 0.3 mg morphine (0.3 mL) added to 1.2 mL of bupivacaine 0.5%; Group II received IT 0.3 mL saline added to 1.2 mL of bupivacaine 0.5%, immediately before induction of general anaesthesia. For both groups, 60 mg ketorolac and 1000 mg paracetamol were infused 30 minutes before the end of surgery. After wound closure, 20 mL bupivacaine 0.25% was infiltrated at wound edges., Results: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score was significantly lower in group I immediately, 30 minutes and 1 hour postoperatively. Time to first ambulation, return of intestinal sounds and hospital stay were shorter in group I than group II (p < 0.05); total morphine consumption was significantly lower in group I than group II (p < 0.05). Sedation score was significantly higher in group I immediately postoperatively, while at 30 minutes, 1, 2 and 6 hours postoperatively sedation scores were significantly higher in group II. Itching was significantly higher in group I., Conclusion: The addition of IT morphine to a multimodal analgesic regimen after laparoscopic bariatric surgery was an effective and safe method that markedly reduced postoperative pain, systemic opioid consumption and length of hospital stay., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interest: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

The mechanisms underlying reprogramming of growth factor signaling and metabolic pathways during bone metastasis of breast cancer are not clear. The Runt-related transcription factor (Runx2) regulates cell signaling during mammary epithelial morphogenesis and promotes invasion; therefore, we investigated its role in cell growth and metabolic signaling in bone-seeking breast cancer cells. We performed systemic inoculation of control or Runx2 knockdown invasive MDA-MB-231 cells in NOD/SCID mice, and compared parental and bone-derived variants for phenotypic and molecular alterations. The Runx2 knockdown showed early (0-2 weeks) inhibition of metastatic spread but late (4-6 weeks) outgrowth, suggesting Runx2-dependent bi-phasic response and reprogramming of metastatic cells. The late-stage tumor outgrowth of bone-derived Runx2 knockdown cells was associated with increased insulin-like growth factor- 1Rβ (IGF-1Rβ) levels. Interestingly, glucose uptake and glycolysis were reduced in the bone-derived Runx2 knockdown cells that could be further reduced by extracellular-regulated protein kinase (Erk1/2) inhibition. Furthermore, the Runx2 knockdown cells displayed activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPKα), the sensor of cellular metabolism. Importantly, the Runx2 knockdown in bone-derived cells resulted in increased sensitivity to both Erk1/2 inhibition and AMPKα activation by PD184161 and metformin, respectively, despite increased IGF-1Rβ and AMPKα levels. Our results reveal that Runx2 promotes metastatic spread of mammary tumor cells. The growth of late-stage tumor cells can be targeted by Runx2 knockdown in combination with Mek-Erk1/2 inhibition and metformin treatment.

Background: Breast surgery is an exceedingly common procedure with an increased incidence of acute and chronic pain. Pectoral nerve block is a novel peripheral nerve block alternative to neuro-axial and paravertebral blocks for ambulatory breast surgeries., Objectives: This study aims to compare the analgesic efficacy and safety of modified Pecs block with ketamine plus bupivacaine versus bupivacaine in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery., Study Design: A randomized, double-blind, prospective study., Setting: Academic medical center., Methods: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov under number: (NCT02620371) after approval by the ethics committee of South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assuit University, Assuit, Egypt. Sixty patients aged 18 - 60 years scheduled for modified radical mastectomy were enrolled and randomly assigned into 2 groups (30 patients each): Control group patients were given ultrasound-guided, Pecs block with 30 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine only. Ketamine group patients were given ultrasound-guided, Pecs block with 30 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine plus ketamine hydrochloride (1 mg/kg). Patients were followed up for 48 hours postoperatively for vital signs, VAS score, first request of rescue analgesia and total morphine consumption, sedation score, and side effects., Results: Ketamine plus bupivacaine in Pecs block compared to bupivacaine alone prolonged the mean time of first request of analgesia (18.25 ± 1.98), (12.56 ± 2.64), respectively (P < 0.001), reduced total morphine consumption (12.50 ± 4.63), (18.86 ± 6.28), respectively (P = 0.016). With no significant difference in hemodynamics, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, VAS and sedation scores, and side effects observed between the 2 groups (P > 0.05)., Limitations: This study is limited by its sample size., Conclusion: The addition of ketamine to modified Pecs block prolonged the time to first request of analgesia and reduced total opioid consumption without serious side effects in patients who underwent a modified radical mastectomy., Key Words: Ketamine, bupivacaine, pecs block, postoperative, pain, breast cancer.

Background:  Transdermal therapeutic system fentanyl with a drug release rate of 12 µg/h should be of special value in pediatric cancer pain control. Such a fentanyl formulation allows for a stepwise dose increase, similar to that reported for sustained-release morphine., Patients and Methods:  Sixty-four male and female pediatric patients with moderate to severe chronic cancer pain, ages ranging 2-14 years, were included. Patients did not receive opioids prior to enrollment. Patients were observed for pain relief using the Visual Analog Scale and the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale, play performance score, and for side effects., Results:  There was significant improvement of visual analog scale and FACES pain scores from the baseline to the second day of application (P < 0.001). By the 15th day, scores reached 1.18 ± 0.393 and 1.13 ± 0.35, respectively (P < 0.001). Play performance scale improved from the third day of application of the patch when compared with the baseline (P < 0.001), reaching 55.02 ± 8.35 (P < 0.001) at the end of the study. The sedation score increased on the second day to 2 in 10 patients and to 3 in 54 patients. By the seventh day, 56 patients had a sedation score of 1. All patients returned to baseline by the 15th day. Itching was reported in 16 cases, and erythema occurred in 10 cases. No significant side effects were reported., Conclusion:  Transdermal fentanyl was found to be an effective, safe, and well-tolerated treatment for pediatric cancer-related pain in opioid-naive patients with chronic moderate to severe pain. In this study population, evaluation of vital signs and physical examination did not suggest any safety concerns while using transdermal fentanyl., (© 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Caudal analgesia has been prolonged by the addition of various adjuvants. Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective alpha-2 agonist with sedative and analgesic properties., Objective: To investigate the effect of addition of dexmedetomidine to 0.25% bupivacaine for caudal analgesia in children undergoing major abdominal cancer surgery., Study Design: A randomized double-blind trial., Setting: Academic medical center., Methods: Forty pediatric patients, aged 3 - 12 years, weighting 10 - 40 kg, and of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I and II scheduled for major abdominal cancer surgeries under general anesthesia combined with caudal analgesia were enrolled. They were randomly allocated into 2 groups: Group I (BD): (n = 20) received 1 mL/kg bupivacaine 0.25% with dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg and group II (B): (n = 20) received 1 mL/kg bupivacaine 0.25%. Heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and oxygen saturation (SPO2) were recorded for 120 minutes. Pain was assessed immediately postoperative and at hours 2, 4, 6, 12, 18, and 24 of postoperative period by Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) score. Time to first request for analgesia and total analgesic consumption in the first 24 hours were recorded. The level of sedation was recorded using Ramsay's sedation scale [Intravenous acetaminophen 15mg/kg (perfalgan, Squibb)]. Adverse effects were recorded and treated., Results: There was significant reduction in FLACC score in group BD at 2, 4, 6, and 12 hours postoperatively compared to group B. At the eighteenth and twenty-fourth hour there was no significant difference. Time of the first rescue analgesic requirement was significantly prolonged in group BD compared to group B. The mean total consumption of rescue analgesia in the 24 hours of the postoperative period was significantly decreased in group BD (405.00 ± 215.03) mg when compared with group B (810.35 ± 200.93) mg., Limitations: This study is limited by its small sample size., Conclusion: Addition of dexmedetomidine (1 μg/kg) to caudal bupivacaine 0.25% (1 mL/kg) in pediatric major abdominal cancer surgeries achieved significant postoperative pain relief for up to 19 hours, with less use of postoperative analgesics, and prolonged duration of arousable sedation. Hemodynamic changes were statistically significant, yet of no clinical significance.

Background: Women who have survived breast cancer have hot flushes that are "significantly more frequent, severe, distressing, and of greater duration" than in other women. We compared the efficacy and safety of stellate ganglion block and pregabalin for the relief of hot flushes in breast cancer survivors., Patients and Methods: Forty patients who were breast cancer survivors and were suffering from hot flushes to the degree that they seeked for treatment were included in the study and randomly divided into two groups: group I: (N = 20) stellate ganglion block was done for the patients of this group; and group II: (N = 20) in this group, the patients received 75 mg pregabalin twice daily. In both groups self-completed daily hot flush diaries and monthly symptom questionnaires were obtained at baseline and for the following 3 months., Results: Our results showed that group I (stellate ganglion block) had significant (P < 0.05) decline in the frequency of mild, moderate, very severe, and total hot flushes in comparison with group II (pregabalin 75 mg twice daily) throughout the 3 months of follow up period., Conclusion: The stellate ganglion block had superior efficacy in the management of hot flushes in breast cancer survivors., (Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The authors report a case of bacteremia due to Rhizobium radiobacter in a preterm neonate. Although the baby recovered from the septic episode following therapy with appropriate antibiotics he succumbed to complications, mainly associated with prematurity. This case highlights a rare manifestation of R.radiobacter infection in a neonate in whom the source of the organism remained undiscovered.

In this study, we report the preliminary data on the chemical composition of Yemeni Schinus molle L. volatile oil obtained by supercritical extraction with carbon dioxide (40°C and 90 bar), SFE, and by hydrodistillation (HD). The composition of the volatile oil has been analysed by GC and GC-MS. The content of the major constituents in the oils from leaves varied in the following ranges: germacrene D 3.7% in SFE and 16.7% in HD; β-caryophyllene 19.1% in SFE and 13.5% in HD. The amount of monoterpenes constituted 4%, in all the analysed samples, while the number of sesquiterpenes was 44% in supercritical and 67% in HD oil. Some compounds were not identified by GC-MS and it will require further analysis using other analytical techniques.

Novel miniaturized polyurethane (PU) membrane sensors in an all-solid state graphite support were developed, electrochemically evaluated and used for the assay of thiopental drug. The thiopental (T) sensors are based on the formation of ion-association complexes of thiopental with copper(II) and cobalt(II)-bathophenanthroline (bphen) counter anions as electroactive materials dispersed in a polyurethane matrix. The sensors show a linear response for thiopental over the range of 1 x 10(-1) - 5 x 10(-5) M thiopental at 25 degrees C over the pH range 6 - 11 with anionic slopes of -28.7 and -28.3 mV decade(-1) with Cu- and Co-bphen thiopental membrane sensors, respectively. These sensors exhibit a fast response time (25 - 45 s), a low detection limit (5 x 10(-6) M), a long lifetime (7 weeks) and good stability. The selectivity coefficients for thiopental sensors relative to the number of interfering anions, were investigated. These sensors were used for the direct potentiometry of thiopental in a pharmaceutical formulation and human serum. Results with mean accuracy of 99.8 +/- 0.5% of nominal were obtained, which compare well with data obtained using spectrophotometric (UV-Vis) and British Pharmacopoeia (BP) methods.

The title compound, [Sn(CH(3))(2)(C(5)H(10)NO(2)S(2))(2)], has crystallographic mirror symmetry (C-Sn-C on mirror plane) and the coordination polyhedron around the Sn atom is a tetrahedron [C-Sn-C 139.3 (2) degrees and S-Sn-S 82.3 (1) degrees ] distorted towards a skew-trapezoidal bipyramid owing to an intramolecular Sn.S contact [3.0427 (6) A]. The molecules are linked into a linear chain by intermolecular O-H.O hydrogen bonds [O.O 2.646 (3) A].

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is used as a novel ionophore in plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) matrix membrane sensors for some transition metal ions. Membranes incorporating RNA and doped in Cu(2+), Cd(2+) and Fe(2+) display fast near-Nernstian and stable responses for these ions with cationic slopes of 31.1, 31.3 and 35.5 mV per decade, respectively, over the concentration range 10(-6)-10(-2) M and pH range 4-6.5. The cadmium RNA-based sensor shows no interference by Cu(2+), Fe(2+) Hg(2+) and Ag(+), which are known to interfere significantly with the solid-state CdS/Ag(2)S membrane electrode. The copper RNA-based sensor displays general potentiometric characteristics similar to those based on macrocyclic ionophores and organic ion exchangers and has the advantage of a better selectivity for Cu(2+) over some alkaline earth, divalent and transition metal ions. The iron RNA-based membrane sensor exhibits no interference by Hg(2+) and Zn(2+), which are known to interfere with other previously suggested sensors. The nature and composition of the RNA ionophore and its cadmium complex are examined using electrophoresis, Fourier-transform infrared analysis, elemental analysis and X-ray fluorescence techniques.

A novel potentiometric membrane sensor for potassium ion based on the use of rifamycin as a neutral ionophore is described. The sensing membrane is formulated with 2 wt.% rifamycin-SV, 69 wt.% dibutylsebacate plasticizer and 29 wt.% PVC. Linear and stable potential response with near-Nernstian slope of 56.7 +/- 0.2 mV decade(-1) are obtained over the concentration range 1 x 10(-1)-3 x 10(-5) M K(+). The detection limit is 0.3 microg ml(-1) K(+), the response time is 10-30 s and the working pH range is 4-11. Responses of the sensor toward alkali and alkaline earth metal ions are in the order K(+) > Rb(+) > Cs(+) > Na(+) > NH(4)(+) > Ba(2+) > Mg(2+) > Ca(2+) > Sr(2+) > Li(+). The selectivity coefficient data reveal negligible interference from transition metal ions. Direct potentiometric determination of K(+) in the presence of 10-50-fold excess of alkali and alkaline earth metals gives results with an average recovery of 99.1%, and a mean standard deviation of 1.2%. The data agree fairly well with those obtained by flame photometry.