Evaluating the Effects of Human Activity over the Last Decades on the Soil Organic Carbon Pool Using Satellite Imagery and GIS Techniques in the Nile Delta Area, Egypt

The study aims to clarify the relationship between soil organic carbon (SOC) and human activity under arid conditions, in the east area of the Nile Delta, Egypt. SOC is one of the critical factors in food production and plays an important role in the climate change because it affects the physio-chemical soil characteristics, plant growth, and contributes to sustainable development on global levels. For the purpose of our investigations, 120 soil samples (0–30 cm) were collected throughout different land uses and soil types of the study area. Multiple linear regressions (MLR) were used to investigate the spatiotemporal relationship of SOC, soil characteristics, and environmental factors. Remote sensing data acquired from Landsat 5 TM in July 1995 and operational land imager (OLI) in July 2018 were used to model SOC pool. The results revealed significant variations of soil organic carbon pool (SOCP) among different soil textures and land-uses. Soil with high clay content revealed an increase in the percentage of soil organic carbon, and had mean SOCP of 6.08 ± 1.91 Mg C ha−1, followed by clay loams and loamy soils. The higher values of SOCP were observed in the northern regions of the study area. The phenomenon is associated with the expansion of the human activity of initiating fish ponds that reflected higher values of SOC that were related to the organic additions used as nutrients for fish. Nevertheless, the SOC values decreased in southeast of the study area with the decrease of soil moisture contents and the increase in the heavy texture profiles. As a whole, our findings pointed out that the human factor has had a significant impact on the variation of soil organic carbon values in the Eastern Nile Delta from 1995 to 2018. As land use changes from agricultural activity to fish ponds, the SOCP significantly increased. The agriculture land-use revealed higher SOCP with 60.77 Mg C ha−1 in clay soils followed by fish ponds with 53.43 Mg C ha−1. The results also showed a decrease in SOCP values due to an increasing in land surface temperature (LST) thus highlighting that influence of temperature and ambient soil conditions linked to land-use changes have a marked impact on surface SOCP and C sequestration

Factor V G1691A (Leiden) is a major etiological factor in Egyptian Budd-Chiari syndrome patients

Objective: Budd-Chiari syndrome is a multifactorial disease in which several prothrombotic disorders may predispose patients to the development of thrombosis at this uncommon location (hepatic veins). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of inherited thrombophilia in Egyptian Budd-Chiari syndrome patients.Materials and Methods: The study included 47 Budd-Chiari syndrome patients (20 children and 27 adults). Genotyping of Factor V G1691A (Leiden), prothrombin G20210A (PT), and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T were performed using real-time PCR and fluorescence melting curve detection analysis.Results: Factor V Leiden was observed in 29 patients (61.7%). It is the only factor that caused Budd-Chiari syndrome in 18 of the patients and in 5 of the patients with inferior vena cava involvement. Myeloproliferative disease was noted in 12 (25.5%) patients, antiphospholipid syndrome in 5 (10.6%), and Behcet’s disease in 3 (6.4%). Interestingly, 3 of the children with Budd-Chiari syndrome had lipid storage disease.Conclusion: Factor V Leiden was a major etiological factor in Egyptian Budd-Chiari syndrome patients, which may have been related to the high frequency of this mutation in the study region. Factor V Leiden was also a strong thrombophilic factor and the leading cause of inferior vena cava thrombosis in these patients. Lipid storage disease should be included as a risk factor for Budd-Chiari syndrome

Validated HPLC Methodology for Pregabalin Quantification in Human Urine Using 1-Fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene Derivatization

Pregabalin (PGB) is a synthetic drug used for the treatment of central nervous system disorders and neuropathic pain. PGB is metabolized to N-Methyl pregabalin while the rest is excreted virtually unchanged in the urine. Numerous analytical techniques for measuring pregabalin have been documented. This study aimed to validate a simple, sensitive, and accurate method for PGB quantification in human urine using the HPLC technique with 1-Fluoro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene used as a derivatizing agent. One hundred and twenty urine samples were analyzed by a reversed-phase (C18) column and a mixture of acetonitrile and 50 mM KH2PO4 (pH 2.5) (60:40, v/v) as mobile phase and the flow rate was 1 ml/min and the UV detector wavelength was set to 360nm. The procedure was linear within the 10-1000 μg/ml range of PGB in urine (r > 0.99). Intraday and interday RSD precision values fell between 2.8% and 5.9%. 2.5 and 1.5 μg/ml, respectively, were determined to be the method's limits of quantification and detection. The recovery (90.8%) and statistical characteristics show that the suggested method has excellent accuracy and precision. The method is accurate, precise, reproducible, and specific, and it can be applied to regular examinations of pregabalin in urine samples

Geospatial evaluation and bio-remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils in arid zones

Introduction: Soil pollution directly impacts food quality and the lives of both humans and animals. The concentration of heavy metals in Egypt’s drain-side soils is rising, which is detrimental to the quality of the soil and crops. The key to reducing the detrimental effects on the ecosystem is having accurate maps of the spatial distribution of heavy metals and the subsequent use of environmentally sustainable remediation approaches. The objective of this work is to assess soil contamination utilizing spatial mapping of heavy metals, determine contamination levels using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and calculate both the contamination severity and the potential for bioremediation in the soils surrounding the main drain of Bahr El-Baqar. Furthermore, evaluating the capacity of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and “Actinomycetes) to degrade heavy elements in the soil.Methodology: 146 soil sample locations were randomly selected near the Bahr El-Baqar drain to examine the degree of soil pollution Ordinary Kriging (OK), method was used to map and analyze the spatial distribution of soil contamination by seven heavy metals (Cr, Fe, Zn, Cd, Pb, As, and Ni). Modified contamination degree (mCd) and PCA were used to assess the research area’s soil pollution levels. The process involved isolating, identifying, and classifying the microorganisms present in the soil of the study area. The study findings showed that variography suggested the Stable model effectively matched pH, SOM, and Cd values. Furthermore, the exponential model proved suitable for predicting Fe, Pb and Ni, while the spherical model was appropriate for Ni, Cr, and Zn.Results: The study revealed three levels of contamination, with an extremely high degree (EHDC) affecting approximately 97.49% of the area. The EHDC exhibited average concentrations of heavy metals: 79.23 ± 17.81 for Cr, 20,014.08 ± 4545.91 for Fe, 201.31 ± 112.97 for Zn, 1.33 ± 1.37 for Cd, 40.96 ± 26.36 for Pb, 211.47 ± 13.96 for As, and 46.15 ± 9.72 for Ni. Isolation and identification of microorganisms showed a significant influence on the breakdown of both organic and inorganic pollutants in the environment. The study demonstrated exceptionally high removal efficiency for As and Cr, with a removal efficiency reached 100%, achieved by Rhizopus oryzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus thuringiensis.Conclusion: This study has designated management zones for soil contamination by mapping soil pollutants, geo-identified them, and found potential microorganisms that could significantly reduce soil pollution levels

Breast Self-Examination As Perceived By North Private College Of Nursing Female Students: Arar City

Background Breast Self-Examination (BSE) is an essential screening method for detecting breast abnormalities. Regular self-examination helps women become familiar with the normal appearance and feel of their breasts, enabling them to notice any changes or unusual signs over time. Objectives This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices of female students regarding breast self-examination. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive design was adopted, recruiting 290 female nursing students from North Private College of Nursing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The participants completed a self-developed tool to assess demographic characteristics, knowledge, and self-reported practices about breast self-examination. Results A total of 77.6% of the female nursing students exhibited unsatisfactory knowledge and more than half reported unsatisfactory practices regarding BSE. The most commonly cited reason for not performing breast self-examination was a lack of knowledge on how to properly apply it. Furthermore, a highly significant positive correlation was found between the students\u27 overall knowledge and their reported BSE practices (p = 0.0001), indicating that students with better knowledge were more likely to practice BSE. Additionally, a significant relationship was observed between students\u27 knowledge of BSE and the level of their mothers\u27 education, suggesting that maternal education may influence the students\u27 understanding of BSE. Conclusion A comprehensive educational program should be developed at the community level to raise awareness and promote effective breast self-examination practices among female nursing students in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, further large-scale studies are required to confirm and validate the findings of this research

Routine versus selective plasma exchange before thymectomy in myasthenia gravis

Background: Prethymectomy plasma exchange may improve the outcome of surgery; however, the technique is associated with an increased risk of complications. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare selective versus routine plasma exchange before thymectomy in patients with myasthenia gravis. Method: We conducted a prospective multi-center cohort study to compare two protocols for plasma exchange before thymectomy. We compared the routine plasma exchange in all patients undergoing thymectomy for myasthenia gravis (group I; n= 30) versus selective exchange (Group II; n= 30). Endpoints were the duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation, plasma exchange, and operative complications. Results: There was no difference in age between both groups (30± 10.1 vs. 29± 9.2 years in Group I and II, respectively; p= 0.69). There were 17 females in Group I (56.67%) vs. 16 in group II (53.33%) (p= 0.8). Comorbidities are comparable between groups. All patients preoperative pyridostigmine, and 27 patients (90%) in Group I and 26 patients (87%) in Group II received glucocorticoids. There was no difference in pulmonary function tests between groups. Plasma exchange related complications were not different between groups. Immediate extubation was achieved in 29 patients (97%) in Group II, and after 6 hours in one patient (3.33%). In Group I, 28 patients (93%) extubated immediately, and two patients were ventilated for 7-12 hours. The mean ICU stay was 1.5 days in Group I and 1.4 days in group II (p= 0.615). The mean hospital stay was 8.5 days in Group I and 9.2 days in group II (p= 0.118). There was no significant difference in pathology between groups (p= 0.137). Conclusion: Selective plasma exchange is feasible before thymectomy for myasthenia gravis. Selective plasma exchange may decrease exchange related complications without affecting the operative outcomes

Формирование водно-солевого режима почв при многолетнем орошении городскими сточными водами в условиях Египта

The water and salt regimes of alluvial soils of lacustrine origin, and gray-brown desert soil, located in the northern part of Egypt. We consider the soil moisture regime and its formation during irrigation wastewater. Established irrigation norm for the cultivation of maize for green fodder. The processes of salinization of alluvial soils and gray-brown desert soil proved that long-term wastewater irrigation enhances the processes of colonization and saline soils when irrigated with river and groundwater into being the medium of saline.В статье рассмотрены результаты исследований водного и солевого режимов аллювиальных почв озерного происхождения и пустынных серо-бурых почв, расположенных в северной части Египта, а также водный режим почв и его формирование при орошении сточными водами. Установлена оросительная норма при возделывании кукурузы на зеленую массу. Изучены процессы засоления аллювиальных и пустынных серо-бурых почв. Доказано, что многолетнее орошение сточными водами усиливает процессы засоления и слабозасоленные почвы при их орошении переходят в разряд среднезасоленных

Estimation of key potentially toxic elements in arid agricultural soils using Vis-NIR spectroscopy with variable selection and PLSR algorithms

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) pose a significant threat to soil and the environment. Therefore, the fast quantification of PTEs is crucial for better management of contaminated sites. Versatile technique such as Visible near-infrared spectroscopy (Vis–NIRS) (350–2,500 nm) has attracted tremendous attention for assessing PTEs and has achieved promising results combined with successful multivariate analysis. This research investigated the potential of Vis–NIRS combined with partial least squares regression (PLSR) and variable selection methods to assess key PTEs (Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Pb, and Zn) in agricultural soils under arid conditions. The soil samples (80) were collected from a polluted area around Al-Moheet drainage, Minya Governorate–upper Egypt. The samples were scanned using an ASD FieldSpec-4 spectroradiometer. Simulated annealing (SA) and uninformative variable elimination (UVE) were used to select the effective wavelengths in predicting PTEs. PLSR was used to develop the spectral models using the full range (FR-PLS) and feature-selected spectra techniques SA (SA-PLS) and UVE (UVE-PLS). The results indicated that UVE-PLS models performed better than FR-PLS and SA-PLS models in predicting the key PTEs. The obtained coefficient of determination (R2) and the ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) were 0.74 and 2.48 (Cr), 0.72 and 2.03 (Pb), 0.62 and 1.86 (Cd), 0.59 and 1.78 (Cu), 0.52 and 1.68 (Co), and 0.46 and 1.41 (Zn), respectively. The results suggested that the UVE-PLS spectral model is promising for predicting Cr, Pb, and Cd, and can be improved for predicting Cu, Co, and Zn elements in agricultural soils

Results of Radial Head Prosthetic Replacement in Management of Radial Head Fracture in Terrible Triad Injury of the Elbow

Background: The “terrible triad injury of the elbow” is complex fracture dislocation injury comprising a notorious combination of elbow dislocation and fractures of the coronoid process and radial head. Objectives: The work aimed to demonstrate the results of radial head prosthetic replacement in management of fracture head of radius in terrible triad injury of the elbow in terms of clinical and radiological outcomes. Patients and methods: This is a retrospective study that includes 20 patients that fulfilled inclusion criteria, presented with terrible triad injury of the elbow to Qena University Hospital trauma unit in the period between July 2018 and August 2022, managed with prosthetic replacement of the radial head using non-modular metal spacer and reconstruction of elbow ligaments. Results: We found that most patients (18 patients, 90%) reported return to previous work and daily activity, at least14 patients (70%) reported good functional ROM in their last follow-up with mean MEPS and QuickDASH scores 76 and 37.09 points, respectively. On the other hand, there was a high rate of complications. Most significantly, two patients (10%) experienced residual valgus instability. Another two (10%) patients demonstrated heterotrophic calcification. Four (20%) patients suffered nerve injury. Conclusion: Current surgical protocols made it possible to achieve acceptable outcome and regain the joint function using economically affordable, cost-effective, non-modular prosthesis. However, there is still significant risk of long-term disability and high rate of complications