Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) use caches to provide on-chip bandwidth as a way to address the memory wall. However, they are not always efficiently utilized for optimal GPU performance. We find that the main source of this inefficiency... more
Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) use caches to provide on-chip bandwidth as a way to address the memory wall. However, they are not always efficiently utilized for optimal GPU performance. We find that the main source of this inefficiency stems from the tightly-coupled design of cores with L1 caches. First, such a design assumes a per-core private local L1 cache in which each core independently caches the required data. This allows the same cache line to get replicated across cores, which wastes precious cache capacity. Second, due to the many-to-few traffic pattern, the tightly-coupled design leads to low per-core L1 bandwidth utilization while L2/memory is heavily utilized.To address these inefficiencies, we renovate the conventional GPU cache hierarchy by proposing a new DC-L1 (DeCoupled-L1) cache – an L1 cache separated from the GPU core. We show how decoupling the L1 cache from the GPU core provides opportunities to reduce data replication across the L1s and increase their band...
Research Interests:
This study empirically estimates the critical parameters of private sector demand determinants for employment in Egypt by using annual time series-cross section data (1990-2007) and by applying a fixed effects panel Seemingly Unrelated... more
This study empirically estimates the critical parameters of private sector demand determinants for employment in Egypt by using annual time series-cross section data (1990-2007) and by applying a fixed effects panel Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) model. The empirical results confirm that, in both long run and short run, there are positive and significant relationship between the private demand for employment and real private domestic product and real private investment. On the other hand, there is unexpected positive and significant relationship between the private demand for employment and the real wages in the long run, and negative and insignificant relationship in the short run. The study also confirm that, if private demand for employment is one percent out of equilibrium, a 44 percent adjustment towards equilibrium will take place within the first year.
Research Interests:
Arguments on dollarization and its effect on the economy have been published mainly on economics and financial journals, yet, little is known about Somalia’s unofficial dollarization. To contribute in that matter, this paper presents the... more
Arguments on dollarization and its effect on the economy have been published mainly on economics and financial journals, yet, little is known about Somalia’s unofficial dollarization. To contribute in that matter, this paper presents the effect of dollarization on Somali economy. The study is carried out using literature analysis. The study found out that dollarizing Somali economy brings severe economic turmoil including an absolute failure to achieve price stability in the local market. In addition, adopting this policy impedes achieving strong financial management system in the country. The study recommends that policymakers and business community should try to lessen the reliance on US dollar and encourage the use of a basket of currencies (in the short-run) while strengthening the use of local currency (in the long-run). Adopting such strategy will facilitate to avoid recurrent financial crisis which might happen if the use of US dollar as an internal currency is collapsed.
Research Interests:
Value prediction holds the promise of significantly improving the performance and energy efficiency. However, if the values are predicted incorrectly, significant performance overheads are observed due to execution rollbacks. To address... more
Value prediction holds the promise of significantly improving the performance and energy efficiency. However, if the values are predicted incorrectly, significant performance overheads are observed due to execution rollbacks. To address these overheads, value approximation is introduced, which leverages the observation that the rollbacks are not necessary as long as the application-level loss in quality due to value misprediction is acceptable to the user. However, in the context of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), our evaluations show that the existing approximate value predictors are not optimal in improving the prediction accuracy as they do not consider memory request order, a key characteristic in determining the accuracy of value prediction. As a result, the overall data movement reduction benefits are capped as it is necessary to limit the percentage of predicted values (i.e., prediction coverage) for an acceptable value of application-level error. To this end, we propose a ...
Research Interests:
In this paper, we prove the existence and uniqueness of a nonlinear perturbed stochastic fractional integro-differential equation of Volterra-Ito type involving nonlocal initial condition by using the theory of admissibility of integral... more
In this paper, we prove the existence and uniqueness of a nonlinear perturbed stochastic fractional integro-differential equation of Volterra-Ito type involving nonlocal initial condition by using the theory of admissibility of integral operator and Banach fixed-point principle. Also the stability and boundedness of the second moments of the stochastic solution are studied. In addition, an application to fractional stochastic feedback system is presented.
This research work presents a new implementation of the CMOS electric-field sensor, titled as Differential Electric Field Sensitive Field Effect Transistor (DeFET). The DeFET is successfully used in detection of small partials and it is a... more
This research work presents a new implementation of the CMOS electric-field sensor, titled as Differential Electric Field Sensitive Field Effect Transistor (DeFET). The DeFET is successfully used in detection of small partials and it is a suitable candidate to be used in biochemical and environmental applications. The developed implementation of the DeFET provides an improved sensitivity, thus it can be used to detect tiny particles in the range of nano meter scale. The direct application of the proposed sensor is the air pollution and environmental detection. The chip is implemented using 180 nm CMOS technology; it contains both the actuation and sensing parts. The sensors are distributed in two different arrays (uniform and nonuniform arrays).
Background: Within the UK, COVID-19 has contributed towards over 103,000 deaths. Although multiple risk factors for COVID-19 have been identified, using this data to improve clinical care has proven challenging. The main aim of this study... more
Background: Within the UK, COVID-19 has contributed towards over 103,000 deaths. Although multiple risk factors for COVID-19 have been identified, using this data to improve clinical care has proven challenging. The main aim of this study is to develop a reliable, multivariable predictive model for COVID-19 in-patient outcomes, thus enabling risk-stratification and earlier clinical decision-making. Methods: Anonymised data consisting of 44 independent predictor variables from 355 adults diagnosed with COVID-19, at a UK hospital, was manually extracted from electronic patient records for retrospective, case–control analysis. Primary outcomes included inpatient mortality, required ventilatory support, and duration of inpatient treatment. Pulmonary embolism sequala was the only secondary outcome. After balancing data, key variables were feature selected for each outcome using random forests. Predictive models were then learned and constructed using Bayesian networks. Results: The propo...
Research Interests:
Background and objectives: The primary objective was to evaluate the benefit of training with virtual reality simulation. The secondary objective was to describe the short-term skill acquisition obtained by simulation training and to... more
Background and objectives: The primary objective was to evaluate the benefit of training with virtual reality simulation. The secondary objective was to describe the short-term skill acquisition obtained by simulation training and to determine the factors affecting its magnitude. Materials and Methods: We prospectively performed a three-stage evaluation: face, constructive, and predictive to evaluate the training with a laparoscopic simulator with haptic feedback. The participants (n = 63) were divided according to their level of experience into three groups: 16% residents; 46% specialists and 38% were consultants. Results: Face evaluation demonstrates the acceptance of the design and realism of the tasks; it showed a median score of eight (IQR 3) on a Likert scale and 54% of participants (n = 34) gave the tissue feedback a moderate rating. Constructive evaluation demonstrates the improvement of the participants in the training session and the ability of the designed task to disting...
Research Interests:
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has created serious challenges to anesthesiologists. As hospitalized patients’ respiratory function deteriorates, many... more
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has created serious challenges to anesthesiologists. As hospitalized patients’ respiratory function deteriorates, many will require endotracheal intubation. Airway management of infected patients risks aerosolization of viral-loaded droplets that pose serious hazards to the anesthesiologist and all health care personnel present. The addition of an enclosure barrier during airway management minimizes the hazard by entrapping the droplets and possibly the aerosols within an enclosed space adding additional protection for health care workers. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of different barrier enclosure techniques during tracheal intubation and extubation.
Research Interests:
Aluminium (Al) toxicity in acidic soils limits crop production worldwide. We evaluated eleven genotypes of Brassica juncea (Mustard) under Al stress on basis of their growth and shortlisted two best among them for further comparative... more
Aluminium (Al) toxicity in acidic soils limits crop production worldwide. We evaluated eleven genotypes of Brassica juncea (Mustard) under Al stress on basis of their growth and shortlisted two best among them for further comparative analysis. Our objective was to elucidate individual and differential oxidative damage and defence response elicited by Al treatment in selected mustard genotypes, ‘Pusa Tarak’ and ‘Pusa Vijay’. Thirty-day-old plants of both genotypes were subjected to Al stress for a period of 24 h and 72 h. Concentration of superoxides was visible much higher in leaves of ‘Pusa Vijay’ both at 24 h and 72 h, also confirmed by oxidative stress marker thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The activities of the enzymatic antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and catalase (CAT) were significantly higher in ‘Pusa Tarak’ compared to control and ‘Pusa Vijay’ at both time stages. Levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants glutathiones and ascorbates were already higher in ‘Pusa Vijay’; however, Al treatment increased their levels in both genotypes with non-significant changes on inter-genotypes basis. More and significant decline by Al in chlorophylls was observed in ‘Pusa Vijay’. Interestingly, increase in proline content by Al was much prominent in ‘Pusa Tarak’ compared to ‘Pusa Vijay’. The in vitro antioxidant capacity estimation of mustard genotypes, evaluated by measuring 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and hydroxyl radical scavenging (HRSA) activities proved that extract of ‘Pusa Tarak’ can detoxify more radicals than ‘Pusa Vijay’. We conclude that ‘Pusa Tarak’ can upregulate cellular antioxidants and osmoregulation, and quench more radicals compared to ‘Pusa Vijay’. The results will contribute for selection of better Brassica genus to be grown in Al rich acidic soils, and help in designing strategies for crop breeding and cultivation.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Late presentation of lateral condylar fractures of the humerus is not an uncommon problem in children, and to lesser extent, in adults. The various surgical interventions for repairing the fracture, correcting the deformity, or even... more
Late presentation of lateral condylar fractures of the humerus is not an uncommon problem in children, and to lesser extent, in adults. The various surgical interventions for repairing the fracture, correcting the deformity, or even performing anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve as a single procedure or in combination, especially in adults, is still a controversial topic, with a paucity of literature regarding this. There is a risk of loss of the available preoperative range of motion, nonunion, and avascular necrosis. In 19 patients with late presentation of lateral humeral condyle fracture, we assessed the results of only corrective osteotomy and internal fixation with lateral incision without anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve with regard to deformity correction, union, and functional results using the Mayo Elbow Performance Score with at least 24 months of follow-up. All patients (14 men, 5 women; average age, 29.1 years) had Milch type 2, 18 patients presented with cubitus valgus deformity, 1 presented with cubitus varus deformity, and 8 patients had tardy ulnar nerve symptoms. Late-presenting lateral condylar fractures could be managed surgically with our procedure alone even if they have a tardy ulnar neuritis, with excellent results in 17 patients and good results in 2 patients. In situ fusion, deformity correction, and internal fixation is a valuable method for the management of late-presenting lateral condylar fractures in adults.
Research Interests:
The interest in the use of monoterpenes for insect pest and pathogen control originates from the need for pesticide products with less negative environmental and health impacts than highly effective synthetic pesticides. The expanding... more
The interest in the use of monoterpenes for insect pest and pathogen control originates from the need for pesticide products with less negative environmental and health impacts than highly effective synthetic pesticides. The expanding literature on the possibility of the use of these monoterpenes is reviewed and focused on the effects of limonene on various bioorganisms. Limonene is used as insecticide to control ectoparasites of pet animals, but it has activity against many insects, mites, and microorganisms. Possible attractive effects of limonene to natural enemies of pests may offer novel applications to use natural compounds for manipulation of beneficial animals in organic agriculture. However, in few cases limonene-treated plants have become attractive to plant damaging insects and phytotoxic effects on cultivated plants have been observed. As a plant-based natural product limonene and other monoterpenes might have use in pest and weed control in organic agriculture after phy...
Research Interests:
Enteric septicemia of catfish, columnaris disease and streptococcosis, caused by , and , respectively, are the most common bacterial diseases of economic significance to the pond-raised channel catfish industry. Certain management... more
Enteric septicemia of catfish, columnaris disease and streptococcosis, caused by , and , respectively, are the most common bacterial diseases of economic significance to the pond-raised channel catfish industry. Certain management practices are used by catfish farmers to prevent large financial losses from these diseases such as the use of commercial antibiotics. In order to discover environmentally benign alternatives, using a rapid bioassay, we evaluated a crude extract from the roots of muscadine against these fish pathogenic bacteria and determined that the extract was most active against . Subsequently, several isolated compounds from the root extract were isolated. Among these isolated compounds, (+)-hopeaphenol () and (+)-vitisin A () were found to be the most active (bacteriostatic activity only) against , with 24-h 50% inhibition concentrations of 4.0 ± 0.7 and 7.7 ± 0.6 mg/L, respectively, and minimum inhibitory concentrations of 9.1 ± 0 mg/L for each compound which were a...
Research Interests:
(Schumach.) Milne-Redhead. (Leguminosae) is used for various medicinal purposes in African countries. Phytochemical investigation of yielded two compounds newly isolated from natural sources, 2-methoxyclovan-9-ol (), and... more
(Schumach.) Milne-Redhead. (Leguminosae) is used for various medicinal purposes in African countries. Phytochemical investigation of yielded two compounds newly isolated from natural sources, 2-methoxyclovan-9-ol (), and methyl--3-hydroxylabd-8(17)-en-15-oate (), along with 14 known compounds (-). Compounds and (alepterolic acid) showed potential selectivity towards with IC 7.89 and 3.42 μM, respectively. Compound showed activity towards and Amastigote with IC 3.84 and 7.82 μM, respectively. The structure activity relationship (SAR) of the isolated metabolites suggested that hydroxylation at C-2 enhances the antiprotozoal activity towards in sesquiterpenes and . Similarly hydroxylation at C-3 in labdane diterpenes elevates the antiprotozoal activity towards
Research Interests:
The study aimed at investigating the hepatic effect of direct acting anti-hepatitis C virus drugs (DAAs), sofosbuvir (Sof) and daclatasvir (Dac), in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury in rats. Animals were allocated to 7 groups: a... more
The study aimed at investigating the hepatic effect of direct acting anti-hepatitis C virus drugs (DAAs), sofosbuvir (Sof) and daclatasvir (Dac), in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury in rats. Animals were allocated to 7 groups: a normal control group, a TAA group (receiving TAA 50 mg/kg, i.p. twice weekly), two TAA groups receiving either a low or a high dose of Sof (Sof-L and Sof-H; 41.1 mg/kg and 82.2 mg/kg, respectively), two TAA groups receiving either a low or a high dose of Dac (Dac-L and Dac-H; 6.2 mg/kg and 12.4 mg/kg, respectively), and a TAA group receiving both Sof-L and Dac-L. After 6 weeks, TAA significantly elevated the serum activities of liver enzymes, along with histopathological evidence of liver injury. These findings were associated with a significant increase in a fibrotic marker (tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase-1 - TIMP-1), proinflammatory cytokine (tumor necrosis factor alpha - TNF-α), and oxidative stress parameters (malondialdehyde [MDA] content, a...
Research Interests:
Cilostazol and verapamil are widely used cardiovascular drugs, explored a beneficial effect on different organs-induced toxicities. We investigated whether the Nrf2 (nuclear erythroid factor 2) and its downstream pathway may be involved... more
Cilostazol and verapamil are widely used cardiovascular drugs, explored a beneficial effect on different organs-induced toxicities. We investigated whether the Nrf2 (nuclear erythroid factor 2) and its downstream pathway may be involved in the protective role of these drugs against TAA-induced renal damage. Renal biomarkers (creatinine and urea) and histopathology were observed. Antioxidant and oxidant indicators; superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total nitrite (NO) were also measured. Antioxidant markers like; Nrf2/hemoxegenase-1 (HO-1) and NADPH quinone oxidoreductase -1 (NQO-1) expressions were determined by ELISA and immunohistochemistry. Cilostazol and verapamil pre-treatment improved serum creatinine and urea elevation. Examined drugs have also an ameliorative effect on TAA-induced elevation in MDA and NO activities and antioxidant enzymes; SOD and GSH. Additionally, the pre-treated drugs significantly up-regulated Nrf2/HO-1/NQO-...
Research Interests:
To investigate the natural history of Stargardt disease (STGD1) using fixation location and fixation stability. Multicenter, international, prospective cohort study. Fixation testing was performed using the Nidek MP-1 microperimeter as... more
To investigate the natural history of Stargardt disease (STGD1) using fixation location and fixation stability. Multicenter, international, prospective cohort study. Fixation testing was performed using the Nidek MP-1 microperimeter as part of the prospective, multicenter, natural history study on the Progression of Stargardt disease (ProgStar). A total of 238 patients with ABCA4-related STGD1 were enrolled at baseline (bilateral enrollment in 86.6%) and underwent repeat testing at months 6 and 12. Outcome measures included the distance of the preferred retinal locus from the fovea (PRL) and the bivariate contour ellipse area (BCEA). After 12 months of follow-up, the change in the eccentricity of the PRL from the anatomic fovea was -0.0014 degrees (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.27 degrees, 0.27 degrees; P = .99). The deterioration in the stability of fixation as expressed by a larger BCEA encompassing 1 standard deviation of all fixation points was 1.21 degrees squared (deg) (95%...
Research Interests:
Rosuvastatin calcium (ROSCa) is a poorly soluble drug with bioavailability not exceeding 20%. Decreasing the particle size may enhance its solubility, dissolution rate and bioavailability. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to... more
Rosuvastatin calcium (ROSCa) is a poorly soluble drug with bioavailability not exceeding 20%. Decreasing the particle size may enhance its solubility, dissolution rate and bioavailability. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to prepare ROSCa nanoparticles by wet milling technique using planetary ball mill. The codesign between formulation and stabilization of nanoparticles was studied to achieve both high dissolution as well as bioavailability. ROSCa nanosuspensions was prepared by wet milling technique using planetary ball mill, by applying milling ball size of 0.1 mm at speed of 800 rpm for 3 cycles each cycle composed of 10 minutes. HPMC, PVP k-30, pluronic F-127, Tween 80 and PEG 6000 were used as stabilizers. The nanosuspensions were then freeze-dried, and the dried nanoparticles were evaluated for particle size, zeta potential, in-vitro dissolution test, XRPD and in-vivo study. ROSCa nanoparticles stabilized with 10% PVP (P3) had a good stability with smallest particle ...
Research Interests:
We describe an unusual case of an isolated close-range shotgun injury to the thumb with substantial osseous loss and intact vascularity, followed by treatment with the Masquelet technique and iliac crest tricortical bone autograft... more
We describe an unusual case of an isolated close-range shotgun injury to the thumb with substantial osseous loss and intact vascularity, followed by treatment with the Masquelet technique and iliac crest tricortical bone autograft reconstruction. Gunshot injuries to the thumb with concomitant soft-tissue and osseous loss are devastating. Reconstruction depends on the level of the injury, the severity of the soft-tissue and osseous damage, and the viability of the digit, as well as patient factors, including occupation, physical demands, and expectations.
Research Interests:
Domperidone (DOP) is extensively applied orally in the management of nausea and vomiting. Upon oral administration, its bioavailability is very poor due to its poor solubility in alkaline media. Therefore, the aim of this work was to... more
Domperidone (DOP) is extensively applied orally in the management of nausea and vomiting. Upon oral administration, its bioavailability is very poor due to its poor solubility in alkaline media. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate DOP-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (DOP-SLNs) in order to sustain its release pattern and to enhance oral bioavailability. DOP-SLNs were prepared using four different lipids. Prepared DOP-SLNs were characterized for "polydispersity index (PDI), particle size, zeta potential, % entrapment efficiency (% EE), and drug release behavior." Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study was carried out to illustrate the physical form of DOP and excipients. The morphology of DOP-SLNs was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Pharmacokinetic study on optimized DOP-SLN in comparison to tablet was performed in rats. The "particle size, PDI, zeta potential, and % EE" of optimized formulation (F5) were recorded as 201.4 nm...
Research Interests:
Phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic extract offruits yielded four new compounds (-) along with eleven known compounds (-). The crude extract exhibited significant activity towards cannabinoid receptors (CB1: 103.4% displacement; CB2:... more
Phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic extract offruits yielded four new compounds (-) along with eleven known compounds (-). The crude extract exhibited significant activity towards cannabinoid receptors (CB1: 103.4% displacement; CB2: 68.8% displacement) and possibly allosteric interaction withandopioid receptors (-49.7 and -53.8% displacement, resp.). Compoundwas found to be possibly allosteric forandopioid receptors (-88.4 and -27.2% displacement, resp.) and showed moderate activity (60.5% displacement) towards CB1 receptor. Compoundexhibited moderate activity towards cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 (47.9 and 42.3% displacement, resp.). The known compounds (-) exhibited prominent activity towards cannabinoid receptors: pomiferin () (ICof 2.110 and 1.318 M for CB1 and CB2, resp.), auriculasin () (ICof 8.923 M for CB1), warangalone () (ICof 1.670 and 4.438 M for CB1 and CB2, resp.), and osajin () (ICof 3.859 and 7.646 M for CB1 and CB2, resp.). The isolated compounds were also ...
Research Interests:
To compare different metrics and acquisition modes of fixation stability as a new visual function biomarker in a large cohort of patients with ABCA4-related Stargardt disease from the multicenter prospective ProgStar study. Fixation was... more
To compare different metrics and acquisition modes of fixation stability as a new visual function biomarker in a large cohort of patients with ABCA4-related Stargardt disease from the multicenter prospective ProgStar study. Fixation was tested during a separate fixation exam and also dynamically during a sensitivity exam, using fundus-tracking microperimetry (Nidek MP-1). Fixation data were analyzed using the bivariate contour ellipse area (BCEA), the 2/4 degree method, and the Fujii classification. In a total of 235 patients, the mean BCEA was larger when measured during the sensitivity exam (418 eyes; 12.5 vs. 4.6 deg2 during the fixation task in 427 eyes). Correlations between the two tests were generally weak. Fixation stability during the sensitivity test was significantly correlated with visual acuity. Comparing the BCEA values and the corresponding Fujii categories for these eyes revealed ranges of overlap where an eye with one defined BCEA value can fall into each of the thr...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
New outcome measures for treatment trials for Stargardt disease type 1 (STGD1) and other macular diseases are needed. Microperimetry allows mapping of light sensitivity of the macula and provides topographic information on visual function... more
New outcome measures for treatment trials for Stargardt disease type 1 (STGD1) and other macular diseases are needed. Microperimetry allows mapping of light sensitivity of the macula and provides topographic information on visual function beyond visual acuity. To measure and analyze retinal light sensitivity of the macula in STGD1 using fundus-controlled perimetry (microperimetry). This was a multicenter prospective cohort study. A total of 199 patients and 326 eyes with molecularly confirmed (ABCA4) STGD1 underwent testing with the Nidek MP-1 microperimeter as part of the multicenter, prospective Natural History of the Progression of Atrophy Secondary to Stargardt Disease (ProgStar) study. Sensitivity of 68 retinal loci was tested, and the mean sensitivity (MS) was determined; each point was categorized as "normal," "relative," or "deep" scotoma. Mean sensitivity and the number of points with normal sensitivity, relative, or deep scotomas. Mean (SD) pa...
Research Interests:
The purpose of this study is to compare radiographic outcomes of patients treated with dorsal spanning plates with previously reported normal values of radiographic distal radius anatomy and compare the results with prior publications for... more
The purpose of this study is to compare radiographic outcomes of patients treated with dorsal spanning plates with previously reported normal values of radiographic distal radius anatomy and compare the results with prior publications for both external fixation and internal fixation with volar locked plates. Patients with complex distal radius fractures including dorsal marginal impaction pattern necessitating dorsal distraction plating at the discretion of the senior authors (M.A.T. and M.A.I.) from May 30, 2013, to December 29, 2015, were identified and included in the study. Retrospective chart and radiograph review was performed on 19 patients, 11 male and 8 female, with mean age of 47.83 years (22-82). No patients were excluded from the study. All fractures united prior to plate removal. The average time the plate was in place was 80.5 days (49-129). Follow-up radiographs showed average radial inclination of 20.5° (13.2°-25.5°), radial height of 10.7 mm (7.5-14 mm), ulnar varia...
Research Interests:
The eastern Mediterranean region is comprised of 22 countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the... more
The eastern Mediterranean region is comprised of 22 countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Since our Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010), the region has faced unrest as a result of revolutions, wars, and the so-called Arab uprisings. The objective of this study was to present the burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors in the eastern Mediterranean region as of 2013. GBD 2013 includes an annual assessment covering 188 countries from 1990 to 2013. The study covers 306 diseases and injuries, 1233 sequelae, and 79 risk factors. Our GBD 2013 analyses included the addition of new data through updated systematic reviews and through the contribution of unpublished data sources from collaborators, an updated version of modelling software, and several improvements in our methods. In this systemati...
Research Interests:
Green tea (GT)-derived catechins; epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in particular are commonly used nutraceuticals for their free-radical scavenging activity (FRSA). The influence of photodegradation on the protective power of GT... more
Green tea (GT)-derived catechins; epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in particular are commonly used nutraceuticals for their free-radical scavenging activity (FRSA). The influence of photodegradation on the protective power of GT nutracenticals against oxidative stress was thoroughly explored. Photodegradation of GT extracts was carried out and monitored using orthogonal stability-indicating testing protocol; in vitro and in vivo assays. Total polyphenol content (TPC) and FRSA were determined spectrophotometrically while EGCG was selectively monitored using SPE-HPLC. In vivo assessment of photodegraded samples was investigated via measuring a number of biomarkers for hepatic oxidative stress and apoptosis (caspase-3, inducible nitric oxide synthase, nitric oxide, mitogen-activated protein kinase, glutathione, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, nuclear factor kappa beta, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor) as well as liver damage (alanine transaminase and aspartate tra...
Research Interests:
Chemical Engineering, Food Science, Oxidative Stress, Antioxidants, Polyphenols, and 15 moreLiver, Tea, Reactive Oxygen Species, Animals, Male, Glutathione, NF-kappa B, Dietary Supplements, Camellia sinensis, Plant extracts, Food Sciences, Catechin, Aspartate Aminotransferases, Mitogen- Activated Protein Kinases, and In Vitro Techniques
A set of diphenyl ether derivatives bearing different heterocycles were synthesized from 4-phenoxybenzohydrazide 1 in good yield. Synthesized compounds were screened against a broad panel of viruses in different cell cultures and some of... more
A set of diphenyl ether derivatives bearing different heterocycles were synthesized from 4-phenoxybenzohydrazide 1 in good yield. Synthesized compounds were screened against a broad panel of viruses in different cell cultures and some of the compounds showed promising antiviral properties. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Research Interests:
Abstract The impact of waste accumulation can be highly drastic for many communities in developing countries. In Egypt, the issue gets more challenging as there are no clearly-defined strategies for an efficient management of solid waste,... more
Abstract The impact of waste accumulation can be highly drastic for many communities in developing countries. In Egypt, the issue gets more challenging as there are no clearly-defined strategies for an efficient management of solid waste, which inflicts serious environmental risks on Egyptian communities and drains a considerable portion of the local economy. This study aims to improve solid waste management in Egypt by exploring the options by which solid waste can be sustainably managed, and reviewing international models of sustainable management systems. Eventually, a strategy is formulated for the sustainable management of solid waste on the local scale of Egypt.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Two new diterpene glycosides have been isolated from a commercial extract of the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana. Compound 1 was shown to be 13-[(2-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-β-d-xylopyranosyl)oxy]ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid... more
Two new diterpene glycosides have been isolated from a commercial extract of the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana. Compound 1 was shown to be 13-[(2-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-β-d-xylopyranosyl)oxy]ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid β-d-glucopyranosyl ester (rebaudioside R), while compound 2 was determined to be 13-[(2-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)oxy]ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid 2-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl ester (rebaudioside S). Six additional known compounds were identified, dulcoside B, 13-[(2-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)oxy]ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid β-d-glucopyranosyl ester, eugenol diglucoside, rebaudioside G, 13-[(2-O-6-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl-3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)oxy]ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid β-d-glucopyranosyl ester, and rebaudioside D (3), respectively. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined based on comprehensive 1D and 2D NMR (COSY, HSQC, and HMBC) studies. A high-quality crystal of compound 3 allowed conf...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Novel, cyclic peptidomimetics were synthesized by facile acylation reactions using benzotriazole chemistry. Microbiological testing of the synthesized compounds revealed an exceptionally high activity against Candida albicans with a... more
Novel, cyclic peptidomimetics were synthesized by facile acylation reactions using benzotriazole chemistry. Microbiological testing of the synthesized compounds revealed an exceptionally high activity against Candida albicans with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) two orders of magnitude lower than the MIC of the antifungal reference drug amphotericin B. A strikingly high activity was also observed against three Gram-negative bacterial strains (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus vulgaris), two of which are known human pathogens. Thus the discovered chemotype is a potential polypharmacological agent. The toxicity against mammalian tumor cells was found to be low, as demonstrated in five different human cell lines (HeLa, cervical; PC-3, prostate; MCF-7, breast; HepG2, liver; and HCT-116, colon). The internal consistency of the experimental data was studied using 3D-pharmacophore and 2D-QSAR.
Research Interests:
Despite being harvested thousands of years ago, wind energy was neglected during the industrial revolution because of the strong dependence on fossil fuels. However, after the alarming decrease in the fossil fuels reserves, many have... more
Despite being harvested thousands of years ago, wind energy was neglected during the industrial revolution because of the strong dependence on fossil fuels. However, after the alarming decrease in the fossil fuels reserves, many have drawn their attentions back to a renewable energy technology, especially the wind energy. This paper presents some of the new designs that are being tested, including slotted blades and tubercles design models. The experimental results are used to validate the numerical studies that are being conducted parallel to the experiments for better understanding and more detailed results. The new slotted blade design produced more power compared to the straight blade for lower wind speeds, while the tubercle blades showed better power performance in severe wind conditions and a more steady behavior under unsteady and higher wind velocities.
Research Interests:
Background The National Eye Institute 39-Question Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-39) is an indicator of vision-related quality of life (QoL). The NEI VFQ-39 is used to assess the QoL in patients with non-infectious posterior... more
Background The National Eye Institute 39-Question Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-39) is an indicator of vision-related quality of life (QoL). The NEI VFQ-39 is used to assess the QoL in patients with non-infectious posterior uveitis, intermediate uveitis, or panuveitis, treated with subconjunctival (SCJ) or intravitreal (IVT) sirolimus as an immunomodulatory therapeutic (IMT) agent, delivered subconjunctivally (SCJ) or intravitreally (IVT) (the SAVE Study). Thirty subjects with non-infectious uveitis were randomized (SCJ:IVT, 1:1) for a prospective clinical trial. The 39-Question Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-39) was administered at baseline (BL), month 6 (M6), and month 12 (M12) visits. The survey measures self-reported vision health status for patients with chronic eye disease and assesses the effects of visual impairment on both task-oriented visual function and general health domains. In accordance to the NEI-VFQ Manual, each patient’s questionnaire was converted to...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... 22 Mr. Nasr El Deen Bin Mohamed Marouk, (Member) Director, Ministry of Justice (Algeria). 23Dr. Brigadier Fadel Daher, (Member) Conseiller du Ministre de l'Interieur et des Municipalites pour les Affaires Arabes et... more
... 22 Mr. Nasr El Deen Bin Mohamed Marouk, (Member) Director, Ministry of Justice (Algeria). 23Dr. Brigadier Fadel Daher, (Member) Conseiller du Ministre de l'Interieur et des Municipalites pour les Affaires Arabes et Internationales, Ministry of Interior (Lebanon). ...
Research Interests:
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a unique bacterium in that it shares a common place with a number of chemical compounds which are used commercially to control insects important to agriculture and public health. Although other bacteria,... more
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a unique bacterium in that it shares a common place with a number of chemical compounds which are used commercially to control insects important to agriculture and public health. Although other bacteria, including B. popilliae and B. sphaericus, are used as microbial insecticides, their spectrum of insecticidal activity is quite limited compared to Bt. Importantly, Bt is safe for humans and is the most widely used environmentally compatible biopesticide worldwide. Furthermore, insecticidal Bt genes have been incorporated into several major crops, rendering them insect resistant, and thus providing a model for genetic engineering in agriculture.This review highlights what the authors consider the most relevant issues and topics pertaining to the genomics and proteomics of Bt. At least one of the authors (L.A.B.) has spent most of his professional life studying different aspects of this bacterium with the goal in mind of determining the mechanism(s) by w...
Research Interests:
High fructose consumption is currently linked to metabolic disorders including insulin resistance and dyslipidemia as well as hepatic steatosis. Dimethyl dimethoxy biphenyl dicarboxylate (DDB) is a hepatoprotectant with antioxidant and... more
High fructose consumption is currently linked to metabolic disorders including insulin resistance and dyslipidemia as well as hepatic steatosis. Dimethyl dimethoxy biphenyl dicarboxylate (DDB) is a hepatoprotectant with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study therefore is to evaluate the effect of DDB on high fructose-induced metabolic disturbances and hepatic steatosis in a rat model. Male Wistar rats were allocated into three groups: control, fructose-fed (10% in drinking water and 10% in diet), and fructose-fed DDB (300 mg/kg, orally)-treated groups. Rats were fed a high-fructose diet for 6 weeks, while DDB was administered for an additional 2 weeks. High-fructose consumption elevated serum glucose and insulin levels and impaired oral glucose tolerance test, revealing insulin resistance. It also increased serum triglycerides and alanine aminotransferase as well as visceral fat content and decreased serum high-density lipoprotein. Additionally, histopat...
Research Interests:
One known and three new potent, selective, and nontoxic anti-MRSA metabolites, kaempferol…
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Several authors have shown the applicability of modified black oil (MBO) approach for modeling gas condensate and volatile oil reservoirs. MBO approach could adequately replace compositional simulation in many applications (including... more
Several authors have shown the applicability of modified black oil (MBO) approach for modeling gas condensate and volatile oil reservoirs. MBO approach could adequately replace compositional simulation in many applications (including water influx or water injection applications). Changing separator conditions during the history of the simulation run still needs compositional simulation, since PVT properties are calculated for specific separator conditions in black-oil and MBO approaches. Some commercial simulators have treated changes in separator conditions for black-oil applications. However, and to the best of our knowledge, no such treatment exists for the MBO approach. In field operations of volatile oils and gas condensates, however, separator conditions often change because these volatile fluids are usually separated through three and more separation stages, when wellhead pressure allows. We often see that the well stream is usually rerouted to lower pressure separators at la...
Research Interests:
To compare the retinal sensitivity measurements obtained with two microperimeters, the Micro-Perimeter 1 (MP-1) and the Optos optical coherence tomography (OCT)/scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) in subjects with and without... more
To compare the retinal sensitivity measurements obtained with two microperimeters, the Micro-Perimeter 1 (MP-1) and the Optos optical coherence tomography (OCT)/scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) in subjects with and without maculopathies. Forty-five eyes with no known ocular disease and 47 eyes with maculopathies were examined using both microperimeters. A contrast-adjusted scale was applied to resolve the different stimuli and background luminance existing between the two devices. There was a strong ceiling effect with the MP-1 in the healthy group, with 90.1% (1136 of 1260) test points clustered at 20 dB. The mean sensitivity for the corresponding points in the OCT/SLO was 25.8 ± 1.9 dB. A floor effect was also observed with the OCT/SLO in the maculopathy group with 9.7% (128 of 1316) points clustered at 9-dB values. The corresponding mean sensitivity in the MP-1 was 1.7 ± 3.9 dB. A regression equation between the two microperimeters was established in the common 10 to19 dB inte...
Research Interests:
Mathematics and Medicine
Dynamic-contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is a useful noninvasive tool for monitoring tumor angiogenesis and assessing therapeutic response. One major problem that prevents an accurate estimation of pharmacokinetic... more
Dynamic-contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is a useful noninvasive tool for monitoring tumor angiogenesis and assessing therapeutic response. One major problem that prevents an accurate estimation of pharmacokinetic parameters is partial-volume effect (PVE). A multi-tissue compartmental modeling (CM) technique supported by convex analysis of mixtures (CAM) is used to overcome the PVE by clustering pixels and constructing a simplex whose vertices are of a single compartment type. CAM uses the identified pure-volume pixels to estimate the kinetics of the tissues under investigation. This paper reports an enhanced version of CAM-CM to identify pure-volume pixels more accurately. This includes the consideration of the neighborhood effect on each pixel and the use of a barycentric coordinate system to identify more pure-volume pixels and to test those identified by CAM. The enhanced CAM achieved root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.00348 ± 0.000019, lower than the RMSE ...
Research Interests:
Hemodialysis (HD) may adversely affect the immune system. It is established that intercurrent infection rate and severity may be increased in prevalent HD patients. Moreover, hepatitis C viral infection, a common infection in many HD... more
Hemodialysis (HD) may adversely affect the immune system. It is established that intercurrent infection rate and severity may be increased in prevalent HD patients. Moreover, hepatitis C viral infection, a common infection in many HD centers, may further inhibit the immune system. To our knowledge, no previous study in the literature has attempted to investigate the possible effects of hepatitis C seropositivity on rate and severity of intercurrent infection in prevalent HD patients. The aim of this study was to assess the peripheral blood CD16-natural killer cells, CD4/CD8 ratio, as well as rate of intercurrent infection in hepatitis C seropositive prevalent HD patients as compared with hepatitis C seronegative prevalent HD patients. Twenty hepatitis C seropositive stable prevalent HD patients (group A), as well as another twenty hepatitis C seronegative stable prevalent HD patients (group B), were randomly selected from our HD unit and enrolled in the study. Both groups were similar in age, sex, body mass index, and duration of HD. Diabetics, smokers, and cases with advanced liver disease (Child classification stages B and C) were excluded from the study. A third group (group C) of 10 apparently healthy subjects (of similar age, sex, and body mass index), was also enrolled in the study. All subjects were investigated by complete blood count, routine chemistry, assessment of peripheral lymphocytes CD3,CD16, CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8 ratio by flow cytometer, as well assessment of intercurrent infection frequency retrospectively (since the start of HD therapy and seroconversion in HD patients, and prospectively for a period of six months. Although we detected statistically significant higher frequency of intercurrent infection in both HD groups compared with the healthy group, we did not detect significant differences between hepatitis C seropositive and seronegative groups regarding frequency or severity of intercurrent infection. Moreover, we did not detect significant differences among the three studied groups regarding levels of CD16, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8 ratio in peripheral lymphocytes. It may be concluded that hepatitis C seropositive prevalent HD patients are not at increased risk of intercurrent infection as compared with hepatitis C seronegative prevalent HD patients, contrary to what is reported in hepatitis C seroconverted organ transplant candidates.