Efficient Data Management for IPFS dApps

Inefficient data management has been the Achilles heel of blockchain-based decentralized applications (dApps). An off-chain storage layer, which lies between the application and the blockchain layers, can improve space efficiency and data availability with erasure codes and decentralized maintenance. This paper presents two fundamental components of such storage layer designed and implemented for the IPFS network. The IPFS Community is a component built on top of the IPFS network that encodes and decodes data before uploading to the network. Since data is encoded with alpha entanglement codes, the solution requires less storage space than the native IPFS solution which replicates data by pinning content with the IPFS Cluster. To detect and repair failures in a timely manner, we introduce the monitoring and repair component. This novel component is activated by any node and distributes the load of repairs among various nodes. These two components are implemented as pluggable modules, and can, therefore, be easily migrated to other distributed file systems by adjusting the connector component.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figure

Rare intraoperative findings during the management of pediatric inguinal pathologies: a decade of experience

BackgroundPediatric inguinal surgeries, including procedures for inguinal hernias, undescended testes, and hydroceles, are among the most common surgical interventions in children. While these conditions are well-understood, rare intraoperative findings and anatomical variations can complicate surgical management. This study reviews a decade of experience at a single institution to evaluate the incidence, management, and outcomes of such rare findings.MethodsA retrospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary pediatric surgery center in Egypt, analyzing all inguinal surgeries performed between 2013 and 2022. Patients aged ≤14 years with complete operative records were included. Rare findings were defined as anomalies not typically encountered in standard procedures and were independently reviewed by two surgeons. Data were extracted from surgical logs, operative notes, and electronic records.ResultsAmong 8,756 patients (85.5% male, 14.5% female), rare intraoperative findings were identified in 69 cases (0.8%). These included Amyand's hernia (n = 12), looping vas deferens (n = 34), splenogonadal fusion (n = 2), complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS, n = 7), congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens (CUAVD, n = 5), crossed ectopic testes (n = 5), ureteroinguinal hernia (n = 1), Mayer–Rokitansky–Küster–Hauser (MRKH) syndrome (n = 1), and encysted hydrocele (n = 1, female). Most anomalies were identified incidentally, with management tailored to preserve function and minimize complications.ConclusionRare findings in pediatric inguinal surgery, though uncommon (<1%), necessitate surgical adaptability and awareness. Preoperative imaging and laparoscopic techniques enhance detection and management. Training programs should emphasize these anomalies to optimize outcomes

Studying the electrochemical deposition process of molybdenum from aqueous solution of molybdate ions

In this study, the tracing of the electroreduction process of molybdate ions in aqueous media at different conditions is achieved for obtaining molybdenum metal in a simple and easy way. The kinetics and the mechanism of the electroreduction of molybdate ions are studied using cathodic polarization technique. It is observed that, the speed of the electroreduction process depends on the speed of the change of the cathodic potential sweep as well as on the temperature of the electrodeposition bath. Moreover, it is observed that, at the potential range from the stationary potential (Est = 0.25 V) to −0.7 V, the electroreduction of molybdate ions occurs into two steps. Moreover it is observed that, after −0.7 V the electroreduction process of molybdate is accompanying with evolution of hydrogen

Two levels vs. one level of phallopexy in the treatment of concealed penis in patients in pediatric age group

IntroductionConcealed penis, which is the congenital type of buried penis, is a condition in which a normal-sized penis is totally or partially hidden by pubic, scrotal, or thigh skin. Several procedures had been described for its correction including phallopexy, that is, fixation of penile Buck's fascia to the sub-dermis.Aim of the workOur work aims to study the difference in outcome between performing phallopexy at one level and at two levels.Material and methodsOur study included 180 uncircumcised patients who had a concealed penis while having an average length of an outstretched penis. These patients were divided into two groups: the first one was treated with one level of phallopexy at the 3 and 9 o'clock points, while the second group was treated with the same procedure in addition to another level of stitches at the mid-penile level. The follow-up was carried out for one post-operative year regarding penile skin edema, infection, congestion, necrosis, and/or re-retraction.ResultsThe overall success rate was 96.1% for a normally-looking penis without post-operative re-retraction. Re-retraction developed in two patients (2.2%) of those who had one-level phallopexy and in five patients (5.6%) of those who had two-level phallopexy without statistical significance (FEp = .444). Penile skin edema developed in 76 patients (42.2%) being significantly lower in patients with lower body weight (p = .030*).ConclusionPhallopexy could be performed safely in the case of the concealed penis with satisfactory results. Two levels of phallopexy did not add any advantage to the post-operative results besides the fact that this may be demanding, time-consuming, and may require higher resources, so we recommend the easier one-level phallopexy in the treatment of such conditions with satisfactory results

Investigating challenges and opportunities of applying block-chain technology to reduce agrifood loss

Purpose: Agriculture plays a significant role in the Egyptian economy, accounting for 11.3 percent of the nation's gross domestic product. The agricultural industry constitutes 28 percent of the workforce, with agriculture-related employment in Upper Egypt surpassing 55 percent. However, there are many challenges facing the Egyptian agrifood sector as poor post-harvest infrastructure, exposure to high temperatures, and poor handling practices. Moreover, In response to these challenges, this research aims to investigate the prospective challenges and opportunities of applying blockchain to reduce food waste, improve agri-food security and enhance food supply chain traceability in the Egyptian agri-Food industry. The methodologies employed in this study were instrumental in achieving the study objectives, which were twofold: (1) To identify the main challenges and factors that influence the adoption of blockchain technology in the agri-food industry, drawing on existing literature, and (2) To determine the relative significance of potential barriers that may arise during the implementation of blockchain technology in the Egyptian agrifood sector.Design Methodology/Approach: The investigation was conducted using a quantitative research design, first tracing the literature to identify issues related to the adoption of blockchain technology in the agri-food industry. Additionally, a questionnaire-based methodology was used to gather data. The sample consisted of 37 participants, who were conveniently picked from seven agricultural organizations in Egypt. Findings: The findings give a full comprehension of the obstacles associated with the use of blockchain technology in the Egyptian agrifood industry which are “Scalability”, “lack of trust among users”, “lack of workforce expertise”, and “lack of Egyptian regulations governing blockchain technology adoption”. while the potential opportunities are agrifood supply chain “traceability”, “cooperation”, and “efficiency”. These findings provide a valuable contribution to enhancing management decision-making and digital strategies pertaining to the adoption of blockchain technology inside firms, as well as providing insights into efficient implementation tactics.Research Implications/Limitations: This study contributes to the existing body of literature by exploring the potential of blockchain technology in improving agri-food security and mitigating agrifood loss in Egypt as a developing country. However, there is a noticeable lack of scholarly study about the use of Blockchain technology in developing countries. Also, blockchain technology still has some challenges and limits that need to be resolved. This calls for more research and study. Practical Implications/Limitations: The findings of this study may provide agri-food managers, blockchain technology service providers, and governmental entities with useful insights that can be used in the development of effective strategies and regulations for the successful application of blockchain technologies within the Egyptian agrifood sector, with the end goal of reducing agrifood loss. However, this has yet to be proven and is just limited to the literature. Originality: The current food security issue in Egypt presents a significant risk to the country's economy. The precarious condition of Egypt's food security arises from the agricultural sector's insufficient capacity to adequately provide cereal grains, particularly wheat, and oilseeds, hence failing to satisfy even half of the nation's internal requirements. Moreover, Egypt depends on significant quantities of highly subsidized imports in order to guarantee an adequate and cheap supply of bread and vegetable oil for its population of 105 million individuals. There are several factors contributing to agri-food scarcity, one of which is food loss resulting from inefficient harvesting procedures and insufficient post-harvest management practices. Accordingly, this study presents an analysis of the potential challenges and opportunities associated with the use of blockchain technology in the agri-food sector of Egypt aiming to reduce agrifood loss and enhance food security. Additionally, this study is the first of its kind to comprehensively examine the barriers and facilitators of blockchain adoption in Egypt. Received: 14 August 2023 Accepted: 15 October 2023 Published: 15 December 2023</p

Comparative study between two-stage trans-abdominal Duhamel procedure and two-stage Soave pull-through in treatment of Hirschsprung’s disease: Clinical evaluation

Background: Hirschsprung’s disease (HD) is a congenital anomaly affecting the bowel of neonates, due to a defect in the ganglion cells presence in the colon in a caudo-cranial fashion, various surgical techniques used to correct the aganglionic segment, Duhamel procedure, Soave pull-through were used to correct the defect. Objectives: This study was conducted to compare the clinical outcome of two-stage Duhamel procedure and two-stage Soave pull-through in HD management. Patients and method: 40 patients diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s disease in the pediatric age group were enrolled in this study, 20 patients operated by Duhamel procedure, and 20 patients operated by Soave pull-through. Results: Enterocolitis was detected in 40% of patients after Soave pull-through while it was 5% in patients subjected to Duhamel procedure (p=0.020). Stricture was detected in 15% of cases subjected to Soave pull-through, Patients subjected to Duhamel procedure didn’t show stricture without significant difference. Regarding faecal continence, patients operated on by Duhamel procedure had better results compared to two-stage Soave pull-through (p<0.001). Regarding constipation, the differences were not significant between both groups. Conclusion: Two-stage trans-abdominal Duhamel procedure has significantly better results as regards post-operative continence, constipation, and enterocolitis than Soave endorectal pull-through in the management of HD

Electrochemical behaviour of selenite ions in tartaric electrolytes

In recent years, a great interest has been emerged on electrochemical preparation of semiconductor films based on selenium. Therefore, a study of electrochemical reduction of selenium could be very important. In this work, the kinetics and mechanism of the electrochemical reduction of selenite ions on the Pt cathode have been studied in the electrolyte containing selenious and tartaric acids. The study shows that electroreduction of selenite ions from tartaric electrolytes proceeds in two stages. The effect of various factors on the cathodic reduction of selenium ions has also been studied. The effective activation energy was calculated using the polarization curves of the temperature dependence of the electroreduction process of selenite ions. It was established that the process of electroreduction under investigation is proceeding by mixed kinetics, at first by concentration and then by electrochemical polarization

Electrochemical behaviour of selenite ions in tartaric electrolytes

In recent years, a great interest has been emerged on electrochemical preparation of semiconductor films based on selenium. Therefore, a study of electrochemical reduction of selenium could be very important. In this work, the kinetics and mechanism of the electrochemical reduction of selenite ions on the Pt cathode have been studied in the electrolyte containing selenious and tartaric acids. The study shows that electroreduction of selenite ions from tartaric electrolytes proceeds in two stages. The effect of various factors on the cathodic reduction of selenium ions has also been studied. The effective activation energy was calculated using the polarization curves of the temperature dependence of the electroreduction process of selenite ions. It was established that the process of electroreduction under investigation is proceeding by mixed kinetics, at first by concentration and then by electrochemical polarization

Arabidopsis thaliana SPF1 and SPF2 are nuclear-located ULP2-like SUMO proteases that act downstream of SIZ1 in plant development

Post-translational modifiers such as the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) peptide act as fast and reversible protein regulators. Functional characterization of the sumoylation machinery has determined the key regulatory role that SUMO plays in plant development. Unlike components of the SUMO conjugation pathway, SUMO proteases (ULPs) are encoded by a relatively large gene family and are potential sources of specificity within the pathway. This study reports a thorough comparative genomics and phylogenetic characterization of plant ULPs, revealing the presence of one ULP1-like and three ULP2-like SUMO protease subgroups within plant genomes. As representatives of an under-studied subgroup, Arabidopsis SPF1 and SPF2 were subjected to functional characterization. Loss-of-function mutants implicated both proteins with vegetative growth, flowering time, and seed size and yield. Mutants constitutively accumulated SUMO conjugates, and yeast complementation assays associated these proteins with the function of ScUlp2 but not ScUlp1. Fluorescence imaging placed both proteins in the plant cell nucleoplasm. Transcriptomics analysis indicated strong regulatory involvement in secondary metabolism, cell wall remodelling, and nitrate assimilation. Furthermore, developmental defects of the spf1-1 spf2-2 (spf1/2) double-mutant opposed those of the major E3 ligase siz1 mutant and, most significantly, developmental and transcriptomic characterization of the siz1 spf1/2 triple-mutant placed SIZ1 as epistatic to SPF1 and SPF2.We thank Mark Hochstrasser (Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA) for kindly providing the ulp1-ts yeast mutant strain. This research was funded by FEDER (through COMPETE), and by Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT), within the scope of project SUMOdulator (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-028459 and PTDC/BIA-PLA/3850/2012). PHC was supported by FCT (SFRH/BD/44484/2008). HA and FF were supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000007 and Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000008, respectively). The work was supported by FEDER through the COMPETE 2020-Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT, within the framework of projects 'Rede de Investigacao em Biodiversidade e Biologia Evolutiva' (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006821) and 'Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences' (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274). This research was also supported by a grant from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia (AGL2016-75819-C2-1-R) and FEDER (PCQ, AGC, ERB)