Use of K-Y Jelly on Throat Packs for Postoperative Sore Throat after Nasal Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction Postoperative sore throat (POST) is a fairly common side effect of general anesthesia. The K-Y jelly is a well-known lubricant used in many medical procedures. Objective In this randomized study, we evaluated the use of throat packs soaked with K-Y jelly for POST outcomes in patients submitted to nasal surgery. Methods The present double-blinded, randomized, controlled study included 140 ASA I-II patients undergoing nasal surgery under general anesthesia. Patients received either or K-Y jelly or water-soaked X-ray detectable throat packs fully inserted into the mouth to occlude the oropharynx. Results Comparison between the studied groups regarding the severity of POST assessed by visual analog scale revealed significantly lower POST levels in the K-Y jelly group on recovery from anesthesia, and at 2, 4, and 6 hours postoperatively. Conclusions The use of K-Y jelly-soaked throat packs was associated with less severe POST after nasal surgery.

Prepartum behaviors as early indicators for postpartum energy associated biomarkers status in Holstein dairy cows.

Our main aim was to investigate the predictive value of prepartum behaviors such as total daily rumination (TDR), total daily activity (TDA) and dry matter intake (DMI) as early indicators to detect cows at risk for hyperketonemia (HYK), hypoglycemia (HYG) or high non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) status in the first (wk1) and second week (wk2) postpartum. In a case control study, 64 Holstein cows were enrolled 3 weeks before the expected time of calving and monitored until 15 days in milk (DIM). Postpartum blood samples were taken at D3 and D6 for wk1 and at D12 and D15 for wk2 to measure beta-hydroxybutyrate, NEFA and glucose concentration. Ear-mounted accelerometers were used to measure TDR and TDA. DMI and milk yield were obtained from farm records. Relationships between the average daily rate of change in prepartum TDR (ΔTDR), TDA (ΔTDA), and DMI (ΔDMI) with postpartum HYK, HYG and NEFA status in wk1 and wk2 post-partum were evaluated using linear regression models. Models were adjusted for potential confounding variables, and covariates retained in the final models were determined by backward selection. No evidence was found to support the premise that prepartum ΔTDR, ΔTDA or ΔDMI predicted postpartum HYK, HYG or NEFA status in wk1 or in wk2. Overall, prepartum ΔTDR, ΔTDA and ΔDMI were not effective predictors of HYK, HYG or NEFA status in the first 2 weeks postpartum.

Randomized clinical trial evaluating the effects of administering acidogenic boluses at dry-off on udder health, milk yield, and herd removal.

Acidogenic boluses can mitigate potential negative effects of high milk yield at dry-off on udder health. This randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the effect of administering acidogenic boluses at dry-off on dry period IMI dynamics and on milk production parameters, somatic cell count linear score (LSCC), clinical mastitis (CM), and herd removal in the next lactation. A total of 901 cows from 3 dairy farms were randomly allocated to a control (CON, n = 458; no administration of acidogenic boluses at dry-off) or treatment group (TRT, n = 443; administration of 2 acidogenic boluses at dry-off). Quarter milk samples were collected at dry-off and after calving and submitted for bacteriological milk culture. The effects of treatment on the presence of quarter-level postpartum IMI, cure of existing IMI, and acquisition of new IMI, and on the prevalence of cow-level high LSCC (LSCC ≥4) in the first 30 d in milk (DIM) were analyzed using mixed effects logistic regression. Mixed linear regression was used to analyze cow-level milk production parameters (i.e., milk yield, fat corrected milk, fat and protein yield, and LSCC) in the first 90 DIM and until 300 DIM. For CM and herd removal, Cox proportional hazard regression models were used. In addition to treatment group, lactation group at dry-off, presence of high LSCC in the last test-day, average milk yield in the week before dry-off, presence of CM in the lactation of enrollment, and biologically relevant interactions were offered in all models. There was no evidence of a difference in IMI dynamics or in milk, fat corrected milk, protein or fat yields in the subsequent lactation between groups. The TRT group had a lower LSCC in the first 2 mo postpartum compared with the CON group (2.58 ± 0.3 vs. 2.92 ± 0.3 and 2.42 ± 0.3 vs. 2.81 ± 0.3, for first and second month postpartum). The prevalence of high LSCC in the first 30 DIM was 9.1% lower in the TRT compared with the CON group (16.3% vs. 25.5%; risk difference: -9.2; 95% CI: -15.8, -2.5). Cows in the TRT group exhibited reduced hazards of CM in the subsequent lactation compared with cows in the CON group (HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.89) as well as a reduced hazard of herd removal (HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.77, 0.88). The administration of acidogenic boluses as a component of dry-off management is a promising approach to maintain good udder health and reduce the hazard of CM and herd removal during the subsequent lactation.

Exosomal miRNA-mediated intercellular communications and immunomodulatory effects in tumor microenvironments.

Extracellular communication, in other words, crosstalk between cells, has a pivotal role in the survival of an organism. This communication occurs by different methods, one of which is extracellular vesicles. Exosomes, which are small lipid extracellular vesicles, have recently been discovered to have a role in signal transduction between cells inside the body. These vesicles contain important bioactive molecules including lipids, proteins, DNA, mRNA, and noncoding RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs). Exosomes are secreted by all cells including immune cells (macrophages, lymphocytes, granulocytes, dendritic cells, mast cells) and tumor cells. The tumor microenvironment (TME) represents a complex network that supports the growth of tumor cells. This microenvironment encompasses tumor cells themselves, the extracellular matrix, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, blood vessels, immune cells, and non-cellular components such as exosomes and cytokines. This review aims to provide insights into the latest discoveries concerning how the immune system communicates internally and with other cell types, with a specific focus on research involving exosomal miRNAs in macrophages, dendritic cells, B lymphocytes, and T lymphocytes. Additionally, we will explore the role of exosomal miRNA in the TME and the immunomodulatory effect.

Informational video impact before caesarean delivery on anxiety and satisfaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety prior to caesarean section can lead to a negative birth experience, which may affect different aspects of woman's life in the long term. Improving preoperative information may result in lower anxiety leading to a more positive birth experience. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the impact of informational video before planned caesarean delivery on maternal anxiety and satisfaction. METHODS: Four different databases were searched from inception till March 2023. We selected randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared educational or informative videos about the aspects of the expected caesarean delivery process versus no preoperative information in the control group. No language restrictions were imposed. We used Revman software during performing our meta-analysis. Our main outcomes were preoperative and postoperative anxiety as well as maternal satisfaction post-procedure. RESULTS: Six RCTs were retrieved with a total number of 702 patients. Informative video significantly reduced the anxiety level before caesarean delivery in comparison with the control group (MD = -4.21, 95% CI [-5.46, -2.95], p<0001). Moreover, the postoperative anxiety level was significantly improved in the informational video group (MD = -4.71, 95% CI [-7.06, -2.36], p<0001). In addition, there was a significant improvement in maternal satisfaction score after caesarean delivery among the informational video group (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Informational video prior to caesarean delivery decreases preoperative and postoperative anxiety levels with improvement in maternal post-procedure satisfaction. However, the existing evidence is limited by several shortcomings, chiefly small sample size. More trials with larger sample size are required to confirm our findings.

The efficacy of metformin as adjuvant to chemotherapy on IGF levels in non-diabetic female patients with progressive and non-progressive metastatic breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Some studies have shown that metformin inhibits the proliferation of breast cancer (BC) cells via multiple ways. One of these mechanisms is through the indirect control of the IGF-route mediated via the activation of the AMPK-LKB1 pathway in the liver, which leads to a decrease in blood glucose and insulin levels. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of metformin as adjuvant to chemotherapy on IGF levels in female patients with progressive and non-progressive metastatic BC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this trial, 107 women receiving chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) were divided into two groups: the metformin group received 500 mg of metformin twice daily, whereas the control group did not receive any metformin. All patients received chemotherapy according to the South Egypt Cancer Institute's (SECI) established regimen. The level of IGF-1 was determined in the blood at the initiation of therapy (baseline) and at six months post treatment. RESULTS: No substantial differences were noted regarding IGF-1 levels in both groups at baseline (IGF-1 average level was 40.74 ± 36.16 vs. 32.06 ± 20.00 in the metformin and the placebo group, respectively, p = 0.462). While after six months, the mean IGF-1 level was 37.62 ± 31.35 vs. 39.12 ± 2 5.93 in the metformin and placebo groups, respectively, (p = 0.170). CONCLUSIONS: Metformin as an adjuvant to chemotherapy in MBC patients had no significant effect on reducing IGF-l levels which promotes the inhibition of the proliferation of BC cells in MBC patients.

Filling of the resultant cavity after curettage of benign bone tumours is still controversial.

INTRODUCTION: Benign bone tumours occur most commonly during the first through third decades of life and often weaken the bones, which may predispose them to pathological fractures. Great diversity and debate in the management of primary bone tumours are based on the tumour extent. There has been an increasing trend toward the intra-operative filling of these lesions. We hypothesised that in some benign bone tumours, filling the resulting cavity after curettage was unnecessary. This study was carried out to determine whether it is necessary to fill the resultant cavity after the curettage of benign bone tumours and to represent various fillers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of patients diagnosed as benign bone tumours according to the Enneking classification who underwent simple or extended curettage at Menoufia university-Orthopedic Oncology Division (with or without grafting or filling) during the surgical treatment (Jan 2015 to Feb 2020). A review of the medical records was done. Lesions' size (length, width and depth) was measured on plain radiographs using the image j program. When applicable, degrees of filling of the resultant cavity were classified into four categories, according to Modified Neer's classification. Functional evaluation using the musculoskeletal tumour society (MSTS) score was reviewed. RESULTS: Overall, 88 patients diagnosed with a primary bone tumour and who received the surgical intervention were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 22.61+13.497 (3-58) years. There were 48 males and 40 females (54 right and 34 left). The mean follow-up period was 28.09+16.13 months. The most common location was the distal femur in 15 patients, the proximal femur in 10 patients and the proximal tibia in 12 patients. The most common diagnosis was giant cell tumour in 20 patients, followed by UBC in 19 patients, ABC in 15 patients and enchondroma in 13 patients. Twenty-three patients had simple curettage, while 65 patients had extended curettage. Mean MSTS was 28.78±1.68. Fifty-five lesions were classified according to modified Neer's classification.Thirtty-two patients were classified as type 1 with complete healing,22 patient was classified as type 2 with partial healing, and only one was classified as a recurrent lesion. Seven patients (7.9%) developed local recurrences. CONCLUSION: Filling the resulting cavity after the removal of the pathological tissues is usually necessary but not always required. This is determined by the type of lesion and the size of the resulting cavity following curettage. Individualised surgery is required; additional fixation should be considered.

Impact of Envenomation With Snake Venoms on Rabbit Carcass Decomposition and Differential Adult Dipteran Succession Patterns.

The current study investigates the postmortem successional patterns of necrophagous dipteran insects and the rabbit carcass decomposition rate upon envenomation with snake venom. In total, 15 rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus L. (Lagomorpha, Leporidae), were divided into 3 groups (5 rabbits each; n = 5); the first and second groups were injected with lethal doses of venoms from the Egyptian cobra, Naja haje L. (Squamata, Elapidae), and the horned viper, Cerastes cerastes L. (Squamata, viperidae), respectively. The third group (control) was injected with 0.85% physiological saline and euthanized with CO2. The carcass decomposition stages: fresh, bloating, decay, and dry were recorded and monitored. Data revealed that envenomation shortened the decomposition process by 3 d, 20% shorter than the control. The overall succession pattern of fly species revealed a lower abundance during the fresh stage, which peaked during the decay stage, and declined to the minimum number in the dry stage at the end of the 15-d experimental duration. A total of 2,488 individual flies, belonging to 21 species of 10 families, were collected from all experimental carcasses. The Calliphoridae, Muscidae, and Sarcophagidae were the most abundant and diverse families, whereas the other seven families were rare and least abundant. Although C. cerastes venom was significantly less lethal than N. haje, it showed a faster carcass decomposition process and a higher impact on fly abundance. These data showed that envenomation impacts insect succession and carcass decomposition, which should be taken into account when using insects in forensic investigations since envenomation with snake venoms is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

Significant response to Pembrolizumab for metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in patient with Netherton syndrome.

Background: Netherton syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disease that presents with a triad of symptoms which include atopic diathesis, ichthyosis linearis circumflexa, and hair shaft abnormality termed "Bamboo Hair". Netherton syndrome patients can develop cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) in unusually young age. Pembrolizumab is the first line treatment for locally advanced and recurrent/metastatic cSCC. Case presentation: A 44-year-old man with a history of Netherton syndrome and multiple skin squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed with locally advanced and recurrent/metastatic cSCC two years ago. He was started on Pembrolizumab as a treatment for his cSCC. The immunotherapy course was well tolerated with no significant side effects including the expected immune related adverse events seen in patients treated with this medication. PET/CT scan showed significant regression of his disease consistent with partial response according to the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors. Discussion: Incurable and recurrent cSCC tends to metastasize, leading to an extremely poor long-term prognosis, and the treatment options for locally advanced or metastatic disease are few. Pembrolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) showed a benefit in patients with various tumors including squamous cell carcinoma, but using this drug which is working by enhancing the immunity against tumor in patient with altered immunity like Netherton syndrome was a bit of a challenge, in terms of both effectiveness and safety. Conclusion: Pembrolizumab had a effective and safe treatment profile when it was used as a monotherapy for treating a Netherton syndrome patient diagnosed with locally advanced and recurrent/metastatic cSCC.

Superior Hypogastric Plexus Block for Pain Management Post-Hysterectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of superior hypogastric plexus (SHP) block in pain relief among women undergoing hysterectomy. Cochrane Library, PubMed, ISI web of science, and Scopus were searched from inception to May 2021 for the available randomized clinical trials (RCTs). We included RCTs that compared SHP block (intervention group) to saline (control group) in hysterectomy. Our primary outcomes were pain scores at different time intervals using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Our secondary outcomes were postoperative opioid consumption within 24 hours and postoperative nausea and vomiting incidence. We extracted the available data from included studies and pooled them in a meta-analysis model using RevMan software. Four RCTs with a total number of 289 patients met our inclusion criteria. The VAS pain scores were significantly declined at post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), 2, 6, and 12 hours postoperatively among SHP block group (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was reported in VAS pain score 1 day postoperatively between intervention and control groups. Moreover, SHP block significantly reduced the postoperative opioid consumption and incidence of nausea and vomiting (p = 0.03 & p = 0.003). In conclusion, superior hypogastric plexus block effectively reduces postoperative pain, opioid consumption, and incidence of nausea and vomiting post-hysterectomy.

Effects of dietary barley inclusion and glucanase supplementation on the production performance, egg quality and digestive functions in laying ducks.

This study evaluated the effects of barley inclusion and glucanase supplementation on the productive performance and digestive function in laying ducks. The experiment used a randomized design with a 5 × 2 factorial arrangement of 5 graded levels of barley (0%, 15%, 30%, 45% and 60%) with or without 1.5 g/kg ß-1,3-1,4-glucanase (15,000 U/kg). During the experimental period of 120 d, the weight and total number of eggs within each pen were recorded daily, and egg quality was determined every 4 wk. At the end of the experiment, 3 randomly selected ducks within each replicate were sacrificed, then duodenal digesta and jejunal mucosa was collected. Dietary inclusion of barley had no effects on egg production, daily egg mass or FCR, but supplementation with glucanase improved egg production and FCR (P < 0.01). Barley did not affect feed intake of laying ducks, but glucanase tended to increase feed intake (P = 0.09). Neither barley nor ß-glucanase had effects on the egg quality variables, except for yolk color score, which was decreased with increasing barley supplementation. Glucanase, but not barley, increased the activity of chymotrypsin and amylase in duodenal digesta. Barley inclusion affected the activity of alkaline phosphatase and maltase in jejunal mucosa (P < 0.05), but ß-glucanase had no effects on the activity of these brush border enzymes. Barley inclusion increased the glucan content in duodenal digesta, but supplementation of glucanase to barley-based diet reduced digesta glucan content and reduced total volatile fatty acids and increased the proportion of acetic acid in cecal contents. The results indicate that, without glucanase, the optimal dietary barley level in the diets of laying ducks is about 13% for maximal production performance; glucanase supplementation of the barley diets improved production performance, probably through enhancing digestive function.

H2S-Sensing Studies Using Interdigitated Electrode with Spin-Coated Carbon Aerogel-Polyaniline Composites.

In this paper, carbon aerogel (CA)-polyaniline (PANI) composites were prepared and first applied in the study of H2S gas sensing. Here, 1 and 3 wt% of as-obtained CA powder were blended with PANI to produce composites, which are denoted by PANI-CA-1 and PANI-CA-3, respectively. For the H2S gas-sensing studies, the interdigitated electrode (IDE) was spin-coated by performing PANI and PANI-CA composite dispersion. The H2S gas-sensing properties were studied in terms of the sensor's sensitivity, selectivity and repeatability. IDE coated with PANI-CA composites, as compared with pristine PANI, achieved higher sensor sensitivity, higher selectivity and good repeatability. Moreover, composites that contain higher loading of CA (e.g., 3 wt%) perform better than composites with lower loading of CA. At 1 ppm, PANI-CA-3 displayed increased sensitivity of 452% at relative humidity of 60% with a fast average response time of 1 s compared to PANI.

Developing a new genic SSR primer database in faba bean (Vicia faba L.).

The goal of this research was to develop a new genetic database of simple sequence repetition (SSR) primers for faba and classify them according to their target genes and respective biological processes. Approximately 75,605 and 148,196 previously published genomic and transcriptomic faba sequences, respectively, have been used to detect possible SSRs. The numbers of identified SSRs from each dataset were 25,502 and 12,319, respectively. The distribution of different repeat classes indicated that trinucleotides represent the largest number of repeat counts, followed by dinucleotides. The extracted genic SSR sequences were used to design 1091 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers, of which only 238 (21.8%) primers target genomic sequences and the other 853 PCR primers targeted transcriptomic sequences. The annotation of gene-targeted SSRs showed that approximately 897 genes were targeted by our SSR primers. Approximately 1890 gene ontology (GO) identification codes have been obtained. The GO keywords were distributed among distinct molecular cell features. The highest redundancies involved 554 technical words, 196 domains, and 160 molecular feature phrases. These GO codes belonged to the general level of GO and included molecular function, cellular component, and biological process (544, 670, and 676 GOs, respectively). Twenty-seven SSR PCR primers were synthesized to 12 Egyptian faba bean genotypes. Approximately 11 SSR provided one to two PCR bands, whereas other SSRs provided only one sharp band with polymorphic band size. There were 13 polymorphic primers. The polymorphism information content was 0.3, which implied moderate informativeness.

Pathogenesis of dysgeusia in COVID-19 patients: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: The novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic had intense social and economic effects. Patients infected with COVID-19 may present with a series of conditions. A considerable number of patients express taste and smell disturbances as a prodromal, coexistent, or as the only manifestation of COVID-19 infection. The objective of the present review is to review the hypothetical mechanisms of action and etiopathogenesis of dysgeusia in COVID-19 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multiple scientific databases were explored, including PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Cochrane-library, LILACS, Livivo and OpenGrey. All types of articles that discussed the pathogenesis of dysgeusia were included, while articles that described dysgeusia without detail about its mode of action were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 47 articles, with different designs, were included in this review. These articles suggested direct viral neural invasion to olfactory and gustatory nerves, viral cytotoxicity to taste buds, angiotensin II imbalance, augmented pro-inflammatory cytokines, and disturbances in salivary glands and sialic acid. COVID-19 induced-dysgeusia was also associated with systemic diseases, medications, zinc, chemicals, and disinfectants. CONCLUSIONS: The most likely cause of transient dysgeusia in COVID-19 is peripheral neurotropism and direct toxicity to taste buds or olfactory epithelium. Other factors may also play a contributory role in dysgeusia, such as a defect in the quality and quantity of saliva, pro-inflammatory cytokines, angiotensin II accumulation, systemic diseases, hypozincemia, and excessive use of chemicals.

Seasonal variation in indoor concentrations of air pollutants in residential buildings.

Indoor concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, CO, and CO2 were measured in 25 naturally ventilated urban residences during the winter and summer seasons in Alexandria, Egypt. Ambient air samples were also collected simultaneously for comparison to indoor measurements. Furthermore, data for air exchange rates, home characteristics, and indoor activities during sampling were collected. It was found that the average indoor PM10, PM2.5, CO, and CO2 concentrations for all homes in winter were 119.4 ± 30.9 µg/m3, 85.2 ± 25.8 µg/m3, 1.6 ± 0.8 ppm, and 692.4 ± 144.6 ppm, respectively. During summer, the average indoor levels were 98.8 ± 21.8 µg/m3, 67.8 ± 14.9 µg/m3, 0.5 ± 0.5 ppm, and 558.2 ± 66.2 ppm, respectively. The results indicate that the indoor daily averages of PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for all selected homes in the two sampling periods. For CO and CO2 levels, the indoor daily averages for all monitored homes were less than the WHO guideline and the American National Standards Institute/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ANSI/ASHRAE) Standard 62.1, respectively. A strong seasonal variability was observed, with air quality being particularly poor in winter. Due to increased ventilation rates in summer, indoor levels of air pollutants were strongly dependent on ambient levels, while in winter the indoor concentrations were more strongly affected by indoor sources due to increased human activities and poor ventilation. In addition, stronger indoor/outdoor correlation of air pollutants' levels was found in summer than in winter probably due to higher ventilation and infiltration in the summer. The study also attempted to understand the potential sources and the various determinants that influence indoor PM, CO, and CO2 concentrations in the two seasons. The findings can assist policymakers to better understand the indoor air pollution problem and to provide a sound basis for the development of proper national IAQ standards in Egypt.Implications: Personal exposure is considerably influenced by indoor air pollution which increases health risks. Assessment of indoor air quality has become a more significant issue in Egypt as people tend to spend most of their time inside buildings, especially in their homes. Currently, there is a lack of research on residential indoor air quality in Egyptian cities in terms of the spatial and temporal variation which prevents an accurate assessment of the current situation to develop effective mitigation measures and to establish national indoor air quality standards. This article is considered the first research studying the effect of seasonality on indoor concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, CO, and CO2 in urban residences in Alexandria. It also studies the indoor/outdoor relationship of air pollutants' levels and identifies their major sources as well as the various determinants that influence their indoor concentrations.

Meso/Microporous Carbons from Conjugated Hyper-Crosslinked Polymers Based on Tetraphenylethene for High-Performance CO2 Capture and Supercapacitor.

In this study, we successfully synthesized two types of meso/microporous carbon materials through the carbonization and potassium hydroxide (KOH) activation for two different kinds of hyper-crosslinked polymers of TPE-CPOP1 and TPE-CPOP2, which were synthesized by using Friedel-Crafts reaction of tetraphenylethene (TPE) monomer with or without cyanuric chloride in the presence of AlCl3 as a catalyst. The resultant porous carbon materials exhibited the high specific area (up to 1100 m2 g-1), total pore volume, good thermal stability, and amorphous character based on thermogravimetric (TGA), N2 adsoprtion/desorption, and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analyses. The as-prepared TPE-CPOP1 after thermal treatment at 800 °C (TPE-CPOP1-800) displayed excellent CO2 uptake performance (1.74 mmol g-1 at 298 K and 3.19 mmol g-1 at 273 K). Furthermore, this material possesses a high specific capacitance of 453 F g-1 at 5 mV s-1 comparable to others porous carbon materials with excellent columbic efficiencies for 10,000 cycle at 20 A g-1.

Outdoor and indoor factors influencing particulate matter and carbon dioxide levels in naturally ventilated urban homes.

The present study investigated indoor and outdoor concentrations of two particulate matter size fractions (PM10 and PM2.5) and CO2 in 20 urban homes ventilated naturally and located in one congested residential and commercial area in the city of Alexandria, Egypt. The results indicate that the daily mean PM2.5 concentrations measured in the ambient air, living rooms, and kitchens of all sampling sites exceeded the WHO guideline by 100%, 65%, and 95%, respectively. The daily mean outdoor and indoor PM10 levels in all sampling sites were found to exceed the WHO guideline by 100% and 80%, respectively. The indoor PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were significantly correlated with their corresponding outdoor levels, as natural ventilation through opening doors and windows allowed direct transfer of outdoor airborne particles into the indoor air. Most of the kitchens investigated had higher indoor concentrations of PM2.5 and CO2 than in living rooms. The elevated levels of PM2.5 and CO2 in domestic kitchens were probably related to inadequate ventilation. The current study attempted to understand the sources and the various indoor and outdoor factors that affect indoor PM10, PM2.5 and CO2 concentrations. Several domestic activities, such as smoking, cooking, and cleaning, were found to constitute important sources of indoor air pollution. The indoor pollution caused by PM2.5 was also found to be more serious in the domestic kitchens than in the living rooms and the results suggest that exposure to PM2.5 is high and highlights the need for more effective control measures. Implications: Indoor air pollution is a complex problem that involves many determinant factors. Understanding the relationships and the influence of various indoor and outdoor factors on indoor air quality is very important to prioritize control measures and mitigation action plans. There is currently a lack of research studies in Egypt to investigate determinant factors controlling indoor air quality for urban homes. The present study characterizes the indoor and outdoor concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, and CO2 in residential buildings in Alexandria city. The study also determines the indoor and outdoor factors which influence the indoor PM and CO2 concentrations as well as it evaluates the potential indoor sources in the selected homes. This research will help in the development of future indoor air quality standards for Egypt.

High-Molecular-Weight PLA-b-PEO-b-PLA Triblock Copolymer Templated Large Mesoporous Carbons for Supercapacitors and CO2 Capture.

High-molecular-weight PLA440-b-PEO454-b-PLA440 (LEL) triblock copolymer was synthesized through simple ring-opening polymerization (ROP) by using the commercial homopolymer HO-PEO454-OH as the macro-initiator. The material acted as a single template to prepare the large mesoporous carbons by using resol-type phenolic resin as a carbon source. Self-assembled structures of phenolic/LEL blends mediated by hydrogen bonding interaction were determined by FTIR and SAXS analyses. Through thermal curing and carbonization procedures, large mesoporous carbons (>50 nm) with a cylindrical structure and high surface area (>600 m2/g) were obtained because the OH units of phenolics prefer to interact with PEO block rather than PLA block, as determined by FTIR spectroscopy. Furthermore, higher CO2 capture and good energy storage performance were observed for this large mesoporous carbon, confirming that the proposed approach provides an easy method for the preparation of large mesoporous materials.

Influence of probiotic and yeast culture supplementation on selected biochemical and immunological parameters of growing lambs.

This study was carried out to evaluate the potential effects of 90 days-long dietary supple- mentation of probiotic and yeast culture on immunity condition of lambs. Fifteen Rahmani growing male lambs (about 5 months old and 23.21±2.75 kg body weight) were randomly allo- cated to three equal groups consisting of 5 animals each. The animals in the first group, served as a control (group C), were fed a basal diet without any supplementation. The lambs in the second and third group were fed the basal diet supplemented with probiotic (group Y) or yeast culture (group YC), respectively. The probiotic consisted of live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae) alone, while the yeast culture was composed of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the media on which it was grown. In group Y and YC, each lamb was supplemented daily with 0.5 g and 7.0 g of live yeast and yeast culture, respectively. Blood samples were collected before feeding the supplements and then every 15 days until the day 90th. Total and differential leucocytic counts, total protein, albumin, IgA, IgG and IgM levels were measured in blood. There were insignificant (p>0.05) variations in the levels of total and differential leucocytic counts and total protein among the groups throughout the experiment. However, significant differences (p⟨0.05) were found in globulin, IgA, IgG and IgM in both (Y) and (YC) groups, but the effect of yeast culture seems to be better than that of the probiotic. In conclusions, the obtained results indicate that the tested probiotic and yeast culture improve the immunological status of lambs.

Mesoporous Carbons Templated by PEO-PCL Block Copolymers as Electrode Materials for Supercapacitors.

In this study, samples of activated mesoporous carbon are fabricated with pore structures with cylinder and gyroid nanostructures through the templating effect of amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide-block-caprolactone) (PEO-PCL) and by using specific resol/PEO-PCL weight ratios (e.g., 60:40 for cylinders; 55:45 for gyroids). After carbonization and KOH activation, the activated mesoporous carbons were tested as electrode materials for electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) supercapacitors. The electrochemical properties were examined by using three-electrode (6 m KOH(aq) as electrolyte) and CR2032 coin-cell (1 m tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF4 )/CN as the electrolyte) systems. The gyroid carbon samples provided specific capacitances higher than those of the cylinder carbon samples in both aqueous and organic systems: 155 F g-1 compared with 135 F g-1 in 6 m KOH(aq) , and 105.6 compared with 96 F g-1 in 1 m TEABF4 /MeCN, after 100 charge/discharge cycles. It is suspected that the bi-continuous mesochannels of the gyroid-type activated mesoporous carbons provided a relatively higher effective adsorption surface area; in other words, the greater surface area for energy storage originated from a moderate pore size and an interconnected pore structure.