Age-related changes in testicular histological structure, testosterone level, libido and semen traits in male Coturnix quail.

To investigate the effect of age in male quail on testicular weight and histology, sexual libido and semen characteristics, a study was performed on 100 quails at 10, 16, 22, 28 and 34 weeks of age. The body and testicular weights were significantly (p < .05) higher at 16 and 22 than at 28 weeks of age. The circumference and diameter of the seminiferous tubules were significantly (p < .05) higher at 28 and 34 than at 10 and 16 weeks of age. Histological evaluation of testicular slices revealed advanced and effective seminiferous tubes as early as 10 weeks, while spermatogenic activity peaked at 16 weeks of age. The highest semen volume, sperm motility and sperm concentration were observed at weeks of age and then decreased gradually with age. At the same time, the testosterone level and libido were significantly (p < .05) higher at 22 than at 10 weeks of age. Furthermore, the age was positive (p < .05), correlated to seminiferous tubule circumference and diameter, and negative (p < .05), correlated to sperm concentration. In conclusion, the age of quail markedly affected the testicular histological structure, libido, testosterone level and semen characteristics.

Effects of varying dietary microalgae levels on performance, egg quality, fertility, and blood biochemical parameters of laying Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica).

This experiment was carried out to investigate the nutritional value of Spirulina and Dunaliella (SD) combination levels (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 g/kg) that affected the laying Japanese quail's efficiency, egg quality, fertility, and blood biological indicators. A total of 150 adult Japanese quails, aged 8 wk, were divided into 5 treatments at random, each consisting of 30 quails. There were 5 duplicates for every treatment, with 2 male and 4 female quails in each. Comparing the addition of various concentrations of a mixture of SD to the control treatment, the results showed no substantial rise in egg production, egg weight, or egg mass. When compared to the control group, final body weight (FBW) was improved with SD supplementation. The quails in control consumed more feed intake (FI) (p < 0.05), and they were different from the groups who got SD therapy in that they had a regular feed conversion ratio (FCR). The percentages of hatchability and fertility increased when SD was added to quail meals at up to 1.00 g/kg. When compared to the control quail, the quail supplemented with SD levels showed a non-significant rise in albumin%, yolk%, Haugh unit, and unit surface shell weight (USSW), as well as an increase in eggshell percentage and a drop in egg shape index (p < 0.05). Renal and hepatic enzyme functioning improved when SD was added to the diets. Additionally, lipid profile indicators were reduced by SD supplementation (except low-density lipoprotein-LDL). Moreover, compared to the control, incorporating SD led to a nonsignificant rise in immunoglobulin concentrations (IgG and IgM). In conclusion, adding SD to the diet can improve body weight, lipid profile, immunological response, and liver and kidney functions in Japanese quail.

New application to remediate drinkable groundwater from excess of hardness ions by using sodalite bearing modified illite.

Calcium Hardness (Ca. H) and total Hardness ions in drinkable groundwater cause great problems for the entire world especially, the population communities which are located far from surface water sources. The present study investigates the use of Sodalite Bearing Modified Illite (SBMI) as a sustainable and new technique to eliminate these ions from drinkable groundwater to compatible with the instruction of the World Health Organization. The methodology was achieved by using a new method to remove these ions' excess calcium Hardness and total Hardness depending on two main processes; the adsorption as a first step and the coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation process as a second step. The results of this study were achieved through conducting three tasks; (1) Chemical analysis surveys for all the groundwater wells, to determine the areas which are more affected by these salts, and plot them on the location maps. (2) Conducting the alkaline modification of the Illite ore to obtain the (SBMI) which has a high surface area and high adsorption ability, and it had been characterized by using XRD, XRF, SEM, and FTIR techniques. (3) The experimental studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of the modified Illite on raw groundwater containing a high concentration of hardness ions, through the batch studies to determine the factors which affected its ability for removing these ions from groundwater. The present study illustrated that the removing efficiency for both total hardness (Ca. H + Mg. H) and calcium hardness (Ca. H) reached about 98%. Finally, the present study recommended using this technique, when there is a requirement for large quantities of treated water at a low cost.

Effectiveness of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) or bay leaf (Laurus nobilis L.) powder in improving the quality of Labneh.

BACKGROUND: Herbs and spices are natural ingredients that have been widely used not just as food flavouring but also for their health attributes. The antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer components present in them enhance the health and medical status of human beings. The present study aims to produce Labneh fortified with cardamom and bay leaf powder to enhance the quality and shelf life. METHODS: Cardamom or bay leaf powder were added separately at the ratios of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1% (w/w) to Labneh and the treatments were compared with a control without cardamom or bay leaf powder during storage (at 5 ±1°C for 40 days). RESULTS: The total solids, fat, ash, carbohydrate and fiber contents were insignificantly higher in Labneh containing cardamom or bay leaf powder than control. The titratable acidity of Labneh gradually increased, whereas the pH values decreased by increasing the concentration of cardamom or bay leaf powder during the storage period. No significant differences were found in any textural parameters between Labneh containing condiments and control, except for that containing 1% cardamom or bay leaf powder, which exhibited higher hardness during the storage period. Minerals, antioxidants activity (RSA%), total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoids content (TFC) increased with the increase of the added percentage of cardamom or bay leaf powder compared to control. Due to the stimulatory effect of cardamom and bay leaves on Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), the viability of the total bacterial count (TBC) gradually increased as the level of those condiments increased. The control became moldy after 10 days of cold storage while Labneh containing condiments remained unspoiled with yeasts and moulds for up to 30 days of cold storage. Sensory evaluation indicated that 1% addition of cardamom and 0.75% of bay leaf powder to Labneh improved quality and extends the shelf life of Labneh up to 30 days at 5 ±1°C. CONCLUSIONS: Labneh supplemented with cardamom or bay leaf powder can be considered as a novel product with acceptable quality and extended shelf life.

Median Nerve Affection in Hypertensive Patients with and without Diabetes High-Resolution Ultrasound Assessment.

PURPOSE: Diabetes is a documented risk factor for peripheral neuropathy. It was reported that associated hypertension could increase this risk. The present study aimed to assess the effect of hypertension and diabetes on median nerve using high-resolution ultrasound. METHODS: The study includes 50 hypertensive patients (HTN group), 50 diabetic patients (DM group), 50 patients with coexisting diabetes and hypertension (HTN + DM group) and 50 healthy controls. Median nerve affection in the studied groups was studied by vibration perception thresholds (VPT). The median nerve cross-sectional area was determined at the nerve cross-sectional area of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel by high-resolution ultrasound. Clinical symptoms were assessed using Toronto Clinical Severity Score (TCSS). RESULTS: There was significantly higher median nerve CSA in all patient groups in comparison to controls. HTN + DM group had significantly higher median nerve CSA when compared with DM group. Patients with peripheral neuropathy in HTN + DM and DM groups had significantly higher median nerve CSA than patients without. Using ROC curve analysis, it was shown that median CSA could successfully distinguish patients with peripheral neuropathy from patients without in HTN + DM group [AUC (95% CI): 0.71 (0.54-0.89)] and in DM group [AUC (95% CI): 0.86 (0.72-0.99)]. CONCLUSION: Hypertensive patients with and without diabetes have significantly higher median nerve CSA when compared with controls.

Novel elimination method of iron and manganese ions from drinkable groundwater in Assiut, Egypt, by using sodalite-bearing modified illite.

The world's interest now is focusing on the applying of the principles of sustainable development in managing natural resources, especially in managing freshwater, which is one of the greatest challenges the whole world face. In this paper, the illite ore was tested to remove the excess of iron and manganese from groundwater which is used for drinking and household purposes in Assiut. To accomplish this goal, the study was based on two directions. The first direction focused on achieving a physicochemical analytical survey for all the groundwater produced by wells in Assiut governorate, and its averages are plotted on GIS maps, to illustrate the difference in the concentrations of iron and manganese. However, the second direction focused on the preparation and examination of the modified illite ore, and it was characterized by using XRD, SEM, FT-IR, and XRF techniques. The results showed that the sodalite-bearing modified illite (SBMI) was able to remove the excess of iron and manganese from raw groundwater with the efficiency of 99% and 97%, respectively.

Correlation of circulating miRNA-33a and miRNA-122 with lipid metabolism among Egyptian patients with metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is defined as a group of interrelated biochemical, clinical, and metabolic factors that directly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. MicroRNA-33a (miR-33a) and MicroRNA-122 (miR-122) play a crucial role in various biological processes by regulating the gene expression level through post-transcriptional mechanisms, and alterations of their levels are associated with lipid and glucose metabolic disorders. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the correlation of miR-33a and miR-122 with obesity indices and glycemic parameters in a cohort of Egyptian patients. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using TaqMan assay was carried out to estimate the expression levels of miR-33a and miR-122 in serum samples of 100 patients diagnosed as having metabolic syndrome and 50 healthy controls. All patients (100%) had type 2 diabetes (by both history and laboratory assessment) and 70% were obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). RESULTS: Compared to controls, patients had significantly higher serum expression level of miR-33a (p value < 0.001) and miR-122 (p value = 0.0016). miR-33a was less expressed (downregulation expression) with 0.8 fold change in the patient group (obese and diabetic) compared to healthy controls, while miR-122 was highly expressed (upregulation expression) in the patient group of patients with 1.9 fold change. Clinical parameters as body mass index (BMI), wrist circumference (Wc), weight (Wt), and height (Ht) (all p < 0.001); total cholesterol (TC) (p = 0.0115); and triglyceride (TG) (p = 0.0286), all were significantly higher in patients compared to the healthy group. Both miRNAs show statistically significant correlations with clinical and biochemical parameters (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Circulating miR-33a and miR-122 might be convincing as possible biomarkers for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.

Polystyrene nanoplastics exposure caused defective neural tube morphogenesis through caveolae-mediated endocytosis and faulty apoptosis.

Growing evidence demonstrated that bioaccumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) in various organisms including human beings caused destructive effects on health. Nanoplastics may adversely affect fetal development potentially since they can pass through the placental barrier. However, very little has been known about the embryonic toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics, especially in embryonic neurulation, the early developmental stage of the fetus, as well as the corresponding mechanisms. In this study, we first observed that 60- or 900-nm PS-NPs (especially 60-nm PS-NPs) could cross mouse placentas and affect developing mice fetuses. To avoid the indirect adverse effects derived from the restricted placenta, we employed early chick embryos as a developmental model to evaluate direct adverse effects of PS-NPs on embryo/fetal development, revealing suppressive effects on embryo development and an increased frequency of congenital abnormalities (especially in the nervous system), including neural tube defects. Thus, we focused on the potential negative effects of PS-NPs on neurulation, the earliest stage of nervous system development. Using caveolin-1 immunofluorescent staining of SH-SY5Y cells exposed to PS-NPs-GFP, we demonstrated that PS-NPs were internalized by SH-SY5Y cells via caveolae-mediated endocytosis. Transmission electron microscopy; LC3B immunofluorescent staining; and Atg7, Atg5, p62 and LC3B western blot results revealed that autophagy was activated in SH-SY5Y cells exposed to PS-NPs. However, PS-NPs were not degraded by the autophagic-lysosomal system given the lack of LAMP1 changes and minimal PS-NPs-GFP and LAMP1 colocalization. Furthermore, the cytoplasmic accumulation of PS-NPs caused faulty apoptotic cell death in SH-SY5Y cells and the developing neural tube as revealed by c-caspase3 immunofluorescent staining. Thus, defective neural tube morphogenesis, as demonstrated by neural tube defects, occurred during embryogenesis in the context of PS-NP exposure.

Clinical, cellular, and molecular characterisation of cardiac rhabdomyoma in tuberous sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Rhabdomyoma is the most common cardiac tumour in children. It is usually associated with tuberous sclerosis complex caused by mutations in TSC-1 or TSC-2 genes. This tumour typically regresses by unknown mechanisms; however, it may cause inflow or outflow obstruction that necessitates urgent surgery. Here we investigate the clinical features and the genetic analysis of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex presenting with large rhabdomyoma tumours. We also investigate the potential role of autophagy and apoptosis in the pathogenesis of this tumour. METHODS: All the patients with cardiac rhabdomyoma referred to Aswan Heart Centre from 2010 to 2018 were included in this study. Sanger sequencing was performed for coding exons and the flanking intronic regions of TSC1 and TSC2 genes. Histopathological evaluation, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting were performed with P62, LC3b, caspase3, and caspase7, to evaluate autophagic and apoptotic signaling. RESULTS: Five patients were included and had the clinical features of tuberous sclerosis complex. Three patients, who were having obstructive tumours, were found to have pathogenic mutations in TSC-2. The expression of two autophagic markers, P62 and LC3b, and two apoptotic markers, caspase3 and caspase7, were increased in the tumour cells compared to normal surrounding myocardial tissue. CONCLUSION: All the patients with rhabdomyoma were diagnosed to have tuberous sclerosis complex. The patients who had pathogenic mutations in the TSC-2 gene had a severe disease form necessitating urgent intervention. We also demonstrate the potential role of autophagy and apoptosis as a possible mechanism for tumourigenesis and regression. Future studies will help in designing personalised treatment for cardiac rhabdomyoma.

An Investigation of Fibulin-2 in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited heart muscle disease, with a prevalence of at least 1 in 500 in the general population. The disease is pleiotropic and is characterized by an increased stiffness of the myocardium, partly due to changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM), with elevated levels of interstitial fibrosis. Myocardial fibrosis is linked to impaired diastolic function and possibly phenotypic heterogeneity of HCM. The ECM consists of a very large number of proteins, which actively interact with each other as well as with myocardial cells. The role of other multiple components of the ECM in HCM has not been defined. Fibulin-2 is a glycoprotein component of the ECM, which plays an important role during embryogenesis of the heart; however, its role in adult myocardium has not been adequately studied. We here describe, for the first time, abnormal expression of fibulin-2 in the myocardium in patients with HCM as compared to normal controls. This abnormal expression was localized in the cytoplasm of myocardial cells and in the interstitial fibroblasts. In addition, fibulin-2 levels, measured by ELISA, were significantly elevated in the serum of patients with HCM as compared to normal controls.

Cor Triatriatum Sinister (Divided Left Atrium): Histopathologic Features and Clinical Management.

BACKGROUND: Cor triatriatum sinister (CTS), or divided left atrium, is a rare congenital cardiac disease in which the left atrium is divided into 2 chambers by a fibromuscular diaphragm that will cause blood flow obstruction to the left ventricle. Recent animal studies suggested the role of hyaluronidase-2 (HYAL-2) deficiency as a risk factor for developing CTS. The histopathologic features of this diaphragm and our surgical experience with the management of this disease are reviewed. METHODS: Ten patients underwent surgical correction of CTS between 2010 and 2018. All patients had complete clinical and imaging evaluation. The fibromuscular diaphragms were histologically evaluated with myosin, troponin, vimentin, smooth muscle actin, and HYAL-2 to characterize the structure of the CTS diaphragm. RESULTS: All patients underwent excision of CTS diaphragm using cardiopulmonary bypass with no early mortality. Most patients had the classic form of CTS in which the diaphragm separates the pulmonary and the vestibular chambers with no atrial septal defect. The histologic studies demonstrated the presence of fibrous, mesenchymal cells, along with cardiac muscle cells, at the site of membrane attachments. HYAL-2 enzyme was expressed in the CTS diaphragm. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical repair of CTS provides satisfactory results with low risk of death. Our histologic studies revealed the cellular composition of the CTS diaphragm. HYAL-2 deficiency may not explain the pathogenesis of CTS, and further studies are needed to evaluate the complex mechanisms involved in the development of this disease.

Association of Serum 25-Hydroxyl Vitamin D Deficiency and Age-Related Cataract: A Case-Control Study.

PURPOSE: To study the relation between the serum 25-hydroxyl vitamin D (OH D) level and the occurrence of age-related cataract in a case-control study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 325 cataract patients and 385 control individuals of both sexes were examined for the 25-OH D level using the chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) technology. RESULTS: Mean 25-OH D level in cataract patients was 7.6 ± 5.5 ± 11.2 ng/mL and median was 5.6 (2.6-31.9), while in the control group, mean 25-OH D level was 18.5 ± 9.6 ng/mL and median was 17.8 (3.4-37.8) (p value < 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference among the different types of cataracts with the lowest level in nuclear cataract. CONCLUSION: 25-OH D levels in all enrolled individuals were below the reference levels with a severe deficiency in cataract patients. These results might highlight the role of deficiency of 25-OH D in age-related cataract patients.

Molecular diagnosis of Entamoeba spp. versus microscopy in the Great Cairo.

Amoebiasis is a human disease produced by Entamoeba histolytica which causes widespread mortality and morbidity worldwide through diarrheal disease and abscess establishment in parenchymal tissues such as liver, lung, and brain. The true prevalence of infection is unknown for most areas of the world due to the difficulty to characterise Entamoeba histolytica versus other non-pathogenic amoebas with identical morphology, as Entamoeba dispar, and Entamoeba moshkovskii. To overcome microscopy misidentification issues, we tested a nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a real-time PCR on 194 stool samples collected from incoming dysentery patients in Cairo hospitals diagnosed with E. histolytica by microscopy. Nested PCR showed only 20 (10.3%) samples positive to E. histolytica and 17 (8.7%) to E. dispar. The real-time PCR detected only 19 and 11 samples positive to E. histolytica and E. dispar respectively, showing less sensitivity than the nested PCR. The data show that prevalence of E. histolytica in Cairo is lower when specific diagnosis methods are used instead of traditional microscopy, allowing to differentiate between morphologically identical human amoebas species.