Freshwater losses to the sea and water level decline in northwest Libya

The area studied in this investigation, located in Tripolitania, Libya, between 13º and 16º east longitude and 31º and 33º north latitude, covers about 42,000 square kilometers. It is divided topographically into two parts. They are the coastal zone to the north and the Jebel (plateau) zone to the south. Some wadis which rise in the Jebel drain northward across the area to the sea. The temperature in the area ranges from 5ºC to 19ºC in the winter and from 19ºC to 40ºC in the summer. Precipitation in the area ranges from 380 millimeters to less than 100 millimeters. The area is underlain by unconsolidated sediments and semiconsolidated rocks which dip gently seaward (northward). These are limestone, marl, sandstone, sandy limestone and quartz sand. They are Mesozoic, Tertiary, Quaternary and Recent in age. The principal aquifers in the area are the Quaternary water-bearing formations which supply the shallow wells. Miocene aquifers supply artesian wells. The source of fresh water in the area is precipitation which recharges the water-bearing formations by direct infiltration from precipitation or surface run-off in wadis. The amount of recharge is probably between 4 and 6 percent of precipitation. Groundwater discharge occurs both by natural and artificial means. The total discharge of groundwater from wells in the area is about 400 million cubic meters per year. Yield of individual wells in the area ranges from about one m³ per hour to as much as 300 m³ per hour. Quaternary aquifers have a permeability of about 2.3 m³/hr/m². Their transmissibilities range from 35 m³/hr/m at Az Zahra to about 398 m³/hr/m at Bin Ghashir. Storage coefficients range from 0.00003 at El Guea near Qarahbulli to 0.036 at Bin Ghashir. The author estimated the amount of fresh water loss to the sea by surface runoff from the area to be 138 x 10⁶ m³/yr and by subsurface flow near Aqaba Air Force Base and Qarahbulli at 15 x 10⁶ m³/yr. Considerable attention was given to the water levels in wells. The rate of water level decline was 0.25 m/yr for shallow wells and 0.5 m/yr for artesian wells near Aqaba Air Force Base, and 0.16 m/yr for shallow wells and 0.5 m/yr for artesian wells near Qarahbulli. There is no indication of major sea water intrusion in the area but groundwater contamination by sources other than sea water is evident --Abstract, pages ii-iii

A kinetic study of the reductive abilities of four polyaminocarboxylic acids (EDTA, CDTA, DTPA AND NTA) towards cerium(IV) in perchloric acid media

The reduction of Ce(IV) in HC10₄ solutions by four polyaminocarboxylic acids, which are commonly used as chelating agents, has been studied by the stopped-flow technique. The rates of reduction first increase with increasing acidity, reach maxima which are characteristic of the chelating agent and the medium, then progressively decrease with increasing the acid concentration in the media. At their maximum reactivities, trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane tetraacetic acid (CDTA) shows the highest reductive ability; this is followed by ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid (EDTA), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), and finally nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA). The observed maxima can be qualitatively explained in terms of a mechanism which involves unhydrolyzed Ce⁴⁺ species and unprotonated polyaminocarboxylic acids. A comparison with the reactivities observed in H₂SO₄ media [S. B. Hanna, R. K. Hessley, w. H. Webb and w. R. Carroll, Z. Anal. Chem., in press (1971)] is presented and a mechanism for the EDTA oxidation, consistent with salt effects and the activation parameters, is advanced --Abstract, page ii

Tablet app for child cognitive assessment in low and middle income countries

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to millions of children who face challenges in achieving their cognitive potential due to chronic poverty and other factors such as malaria and HIV infection. Scarcity of resources during early developmental stages may contribute to developmental delay in various domains, including motor, language and social-emotional, that may affect quality of life into adulthood. However, early identification of developmental delay enables early intervention, often resulting in developmental gains and a lifetime of improved capacity and fulfillment. A team from the Neuroscience research unit at Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has been actively engaged in developing and adapting measures of child development for use in Low Income Countries. Currently, assessments are conducted with paper, pencil and stopwatch. In collaboration with a Health Informatics team from the University of San Francisco (USF), a tablet app was designed and developed to replace paper and pencil assessments of children ages 6-60 months, with the aim of improving the data collection process and the integrity of the resulting data. The app is in the prototype stage, and is expected to be field-tested and evaluated next year

Activation of Nod1 and Nod2 induces innate immune responses of prostate epithelial cells

BACKGROUND Nod1 and Nod2 are cytosolic receptors which are responsible for sensing bacterial peptidoglycan derivatives. In this study, we determined whether Nod1 and Nod2 are involved in the innate immune responses of prostate epithelial cells. METHODS The expression of Nod1 and Nod2 was examined by RT‐PCR and immunohistochemistry. ELISA was performed to determine the production of cytokines/chemokines. Activation of NF‐κB and MAPK was examined using western blot analysis. RESULTS The Nod1 gene was distinctly expressed in all tested cells including DU145, PC3, and TRAMP‐C2 cells, whereas Nod2 expression was weak. Both Nod1 and Nod2 proteins were expressed in normal mouse prostate epithelia with difference of expression levels. Tri‐DAP (Nod1 agonist), but not MDP (Nod2), increased the production of IL‐8 (or KC) and IL‐6 in prostate epithelial cells. Tri‐DAP and MDP could upregulate the gene expression of COX‐2 and activate NF‐κB and MAPK. In addition, Tri‐DAP and MDP synergized with TLR agonists to induce the production of IL‐8/KC or IL‐6 in PC3 and TRAMP‐C2 cells. We finally showed that Nod1 and Nod2 were also expressed in a wide range of prostate lesions including prostate intraepithelial neoplasm (PIN), phyllodes‐like tumor, and adenocarcinoma in TRAMP (transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate) mice, even though the expression level of Nod1 and Nod2 was different. CONCLUSION These results indicate that Nod1 and Nod2 may play important roles in the innate immune response of prostate epithelial cells and the development and progression of prostate cancer. Prostate 72:1351–1358, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/92393/1/22483_ftp.pd

Inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 decreases breast cancer cell motility, invasion and matrix metalloproteinase expression

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase (COX) is the rate-limiting enzyme that catalyzes the formation of prostaglandins. The inducible isoform of COX (COX-2) is highly expressed in aggressive metastatic breast cancers and may play a critical role in cancer progression (i.e. growth and metastasis). However, the exact mechanism(s) for COX-2-enhanced metastasis has yet to be clearly defined. It is well established that one of the direct results of COX-2 action is increased prostaglandin production, especially prostaglandin E(2 )(PGE(2)). Here, we correlate the inhibition of COX-2 activity with decreased breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression. METHODS: Breast cancer cells (Hs578T, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) were treated with selective COX-2 inhibitors (NS-398 and Niflumic acid, NA). Cell proliferation was measured by staining with erythrosin B and counting the viable cells using a hemacytometer. Cell migration and invasion were measured using migration and invasion chamber systems. MMP expression was determined by enzyme immunoassay (secreted protein) and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (mRNA). RESULTS: Our results show that there is a decline in proliferation, migration and invasion by the Hs578T and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines in the presence of either low concentrations (1 μM or lower) NA or NS-398. We also report that MMP mRNA and protein expression by Hs578T cells is inhibited by NS-398; there was a 50% decrease by 100 μM NS-398. PGE(2 )completely reversed the inhibitory effect of NS-398 on MMP mRNA expression. CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that COX-2-dependent activity is a necessary component for cellular and molecular mechanisms of breast cancer cell motility and invasion. COX-2 activity also modulates the expression of MMPs, which may be a part of the molecular mechanism by which COX-2 promotes cell invasion and migration. The studies suggest that COX-2 assists in determining and defining the metastatic signaling pathways that promote the breast cancer progression to metastasis

Matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 (gelatinases A and B) expression in malignant mesothelioma and benign pleura

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), in particular the gelatinases (MMP-2 and -9), play a significant role in tumour invasion and angiogenesis. The expression and activities of MMPs have not been characterised in malignant mesothelioma (MM) tumour samples. In a prospective study, gelatinase activity was evaluated in homogenised supernatants of snap frozen MM (n = 35), inflamed pleura (IP, n = 12) and uninflammed pleura (UP, n = 14) tissue specimens by semiquantitative gelatin zymography. Matrix metalloproteinases were correlated with clinicopathological factors and with survival using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard models. In MM, pro- and active MMP-2 levels were significantly greater than for MMP-9 (P = 0.006, P<0.001). Active MMP-2 was significantly greater in MM than in UP (P=0.04). MMP-2 activity was equivalent between IP and MM, but both pro- and active MMP-9 activities were greater in IP (P=0.02, P=0.009). While there were trends towards poor survival with increasing total and pro-MMP-2 activity (P=0.08) in univariate analysis, they were both independent poor prognostic factors in multivariate analysis in conjunction with weight loss (pro-MMP-2 P = 0.03, total MMP-2 P = 0.04). Total and pro-MMP-2 also contributed to the Cancer and Leukemia Group B prognostic groups. MMP-9 activities were not prognostic. Matrix metalloproteinases, and in particular MMP-2, the most abundant gelatinase, may play an important role in MM tumour growth and metastasis. Agents that reduce MMP synthesis and/or activity may have a role to play in the management of MM. © 2003 Cancer Research UK

Kaposi's Sarcoma Associated Herpes Virus (KSHV) Induced COX-2: A Key Factor in Latency, Inflammation, Angiogenesis, Cell Survival and Invasion

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), an enigmatic endothelial cell vascular neoplasm, is characterized by the proliferation of spindle shaped endothelial cells, inflammatory cytokines (ICs), growth factors (GFs) and angiogenic factors. KSHV is etiologically linked to KS and expresses its latent genes in KS lesion endothelial cells. Primary infection of human micro vascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-d) results in the establishment of latent infection and reprogramming of host genes, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is one of the highly up-regulated genes. Our previous study suggested a role for COX-2 in the establishment and maintenance of KSHV latency. Here, we examined the role of COX-2 in the induction of ICs, GFs, angiogenesis and invasive events occurring during KSHV de novo infection of endothelial cells. A significant amount of COX-2 was detected in KS tissue sections. Telomerase-immortalized human umbilical vein endothelial cells supporting KSHV stable latency (TIVE-LTC) expressed elevated levels of functional COX-2 and microsomal PGE2 synthase (m-PGES), and secreted the predominant eicosanoid inflammatory metabolite PGE2. Infected HMVEC-d and TIVE-LTC cells secreted a variety of ICs, GFs, angiogenic factors and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which were significantly abrogated by COX-2 inhibition either by chemical inhibitors or by siRNA. The ability of these factors to induce tube formation of uninfected endothelial cells was also inhibited. PGE2, secreted early during KSHV infection, profoundly increased the adhesion of uninfected endothelial cells to fibronectin by activating the small G protein Rac1. COX-2 inhibition considerably reduced KSHV latent ORF73 gene expression and survival of TIVE-LTC cells. Collectively, these studies underscore the pivotal role of KSHV induced COX-2/PGE2 in creating KS lesion like microenvironment during de novo infection. Since COX-2 plays multiple roles in KSHV latent gene expression, which themselves are powerful mediators of cytokine induction, anti-apoptosis, cell survival and viral genome maintainence, effective inhibition of COX-2 via well-characterized clinically approved COX-2 inhibitors could potentially be used in treatment to control latent KSHV infection and ameliorate KS

Synthesis, Characterization, and Nanomedical Applications of Conjugates between Resorcinarene-Dendrimers and Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen has been reported to possess anticancer activity. In the present work, four ibuprofen conjugates of resorcinarene-Polyamidoamine PAMAM-dendrimers were synthesized with eight or 16 ibuprofen moieties. The ibuprofen was released from the dendrimers in a dependent manner. The drug-conjugated nanoresorcinarene-dendrimers showed higher cellular uptake than free ibuprofen. In vitro cytotoxicity studies were performed with free ibuprofen and with the synthesized conjugates in U251, PC-3, K-562, HCT-15, MCF-7, SKLU-1, and MDA U251 (human glioblastoma), PC-3 (human prostatic adenocarcinoma), K-562 (human chronic myelogenous leukemia cells), HCT-15 (human colorectal adenocarcinoma), MCF-7 (human mammary adenocarcinoma), SKLU-1 (human lung adenocarcinoma), and MDA-MB-231 (human mammary adenocarcinoma) cancer cell lines by different cytotoxicity assays. Ibuprofen conjugates of the first and second generations showed significant cytotoxic effects towards the human glioblastoma (U251) and human mammary adenocarcinoma (MCF-7, MDA) cell lines. Moreover, the ibuprofen conjugates improved cytotoxicity compared to free ibuprofen. Increased therapeutic efficacy was observed with specific ibuprofen conjugates of the second generation using low doses