In the present study, a novel application of microbial osmotic fuel cell (MOFC) for simultaneous treatment of real wastewater, bioenergy generation and desalination of real oilfield produced water is ...investigated. A three-chambered MOFC provided with forward osmosis (FO) membrane and cation exchange membrane (CEM) was inoculated with activated sludge and fueled with actual domestic wastewater. Real oil produced water having initial total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration of 49,200mg/L was used as a draw solution for the desalination mid chamber. Results revealed that maximum removal efficiency of COD from real wastewater, TDS removal efficiency from actual produced water, power density, current density, and power yield were 92%, 80%, 48.52mW/m2, 136.30mA/m2, and 7.46W/kg CODR, respectively. A mathematical model was developed to predict the performance of MOFC. It was found that the predicted results were in a good agreement with experimental results with a correlation coefficient up to 0.989, indicating the validity of the suggested model for this bio-electrochemical-osmotic system within the selected range of operating conditions.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Objectives
Cross‐cultural sleep research is critical to deciphering whether modern sleep expression is the product of recent selective pressures, or an example of evolutionary mismatch to ancestral ...sleep ecology. We worked with the Hadza, an equatorial, hunter‐gatherer community in Tanzania, to better understand ancestral sleep patterns and to test hypotheses related to sleep segmentation.
Methods
We used actigraphy to analyze sleep‐wake patterns in thirty‐three volunteers for a total of 393 days. Linear mixed effects modeling was performed to assess ecological predictors of sleep duration and quality. Additionally, functional linear modeling (FLM) was used to characterize 24‐hr time averaged circadian patterns.
Results
Compared with post‐industrialized western populations, the Hadza were characterized by shorter (6.25 hr), poorer quality sleep (sleep efficiency = 68.9%), yet had stronger circadian rhythms. Sleep duration time was negatively influenced by greater activity, age, light (lux) exposure, and moon phase, and positively influenced by increased day length and mean nighttime temperature. The average daily nap ratio (i.e., the proportion of days where a nap was present) was 0.54 (SE = 0.05), with an average nap duration of 47.5 min (SE = 2.71; n = 139).
Discussion
This study showed that circadian rhythms in small‐scale foraging populations are more entrained to their ecological environments than Western populations. Additionally, Hadza sleep is characterized as flexible, with a consistent early morning sleep period yet reliance upon opportunistic daytime napping. We propose that plasticity in sleep‐wake patterns has been a target of natural selection in human evolution.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
At the end of August 2020, a surge in the number of cases in the Jazan region has been observed. The number of reported cases by 19th of August in the Jazan region was more than 300, which exceeded ...the number of reported cases in larger regions such as Riyadh, and Makkah. This study aims to measure compliance by the public with COVID-19 preventive measures.
This study was a cross-sectional, field-based observational assessment of compliance by individuals in public settings with COVID-19 preventive measures in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. The assessment was performed in the last week of July 2020. The assessment was based on observing the actual compliance of individuals and different establishments in the Jazan region with COVID-19 preventive measures. To perform the field observations, a standardised check-list was adopted from COVID-19 preventive measures in the community, which was developed by the Saudi Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC).
A total of 1096 individuals were observed in 69 different locations in the Jazan region. Compliance by the observed individuals was variable depending on the age group, the setting and the recommended preventive practice. The findings indicate very low compliance of specific precautionary measures within public parks in comparison to other measured settings. Proportions of individuals not compliant with mask-wearing instructions varied according to settings and age group from 5% in malls and shopping areas to nearly 83% in public parks. Additionally, Proportions of children not compliant with mask-wearing instructions was higher in comparison to adults in all observed settings.
The findings of this study identified variability in the levels of compliance with specific preventive measures against COVID-19. Further assessment is needed to explore factors associated with the limited observed compliance, in particular with regard to limited compliance to precautionary measures applied in specific settings and compliance of children to mask-wearing instructions.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
We present our results on measurements of the neutral hydrogen (HI) mass fraction in galaxy cluster environment of a nearby cluster Abell 262 (A262), and investigate the possible physical processes ...that lead to our estimation of HI mass fraction in this cluster. We conduct a spectroscopic analysis to define a true cluster membership around Abell radius of the cluster, from which we estimate the virial mass of the whole cluster based on the velocity dispersion analysis, and later use data from a 21-cm single-pointing observation to deduce the global HI mass fraction in the cluster. It is found that the HI mass, MHI, and HI mass fraction, FHI, of A262 are equal to be about (4.33±0.32)×1011M☉ and (1.01±0.09)×10-3, respectively, in which the latter agrees with previous findings. We have also shown that the fraction of stellar mass in A262 is about (8.25±0.14)×10-3, and falls within the range of the widely accepted value. We discuss several physical mechanisms that contribute to the derived HI mass fraction of A262. We also emphasize that the FHI can be used as a proxy of efficiency of physical processes in clusters, if we have a large sample of galaxy clusters with available HI data.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a grave and prevailing neurodegenerative disease, characterized by slow and progressive neurodegeneration in different brain regions. Aluminum (Al) is a potent and widely ...distributed neurotoxic metal, implicated in the neuropathogenesis of AD. This study aimed to evaluate the possible neurorestorative potential of Vitis vinifera Leaves Polyphenolic (VLP) extract in alleviating aluminum chloride (AlCl3)-induced neurotoxicity in male rats.
AlCl3 neurotoxicity induced a significant decrease in brain/serum acetylcholine (ACh) contents and serum dopamine (DA) levels, along with a significant increment of brain/serum acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities. In addition, Al treatment resulted in significantly decreased serum levels of both total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and significantly increased serum levels of both interleukin-6 (IL-6) and total homocysteine (tHcy), as compared to control. Behavioral alterations, assessed by the T-maze test, showed impaired cognitive function. Furthermore, AD-brains revealed an increase in DNA fragmentation as evidenced by comet assay. AlCl3 induction also caused histopathological alterations in AD-brain. Treatment of AD-rats with VLP extract (100mg/kg body weight/day) improved neurobehavioral changes, as evidenced by the improvement in brain function, as well as, modulation of most biochemical markers, and confirmed by T-maze test, the histopathological study of the brain and comet assay. The current work indicates that the VLP extract has neuroprotective, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-amnesic activities against AlCl3-induced cerebral damages and neurocognitive dysfunction.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
This study describes the development of two highly sensitive and selective sensor-assisted fluorescence immunoassays for the trace determination of copper ions, Cu(
ii
) residues, in food samples. ...These assays were the microwell-based fluoroimmuoassay (FIA) and the kinetic exclusion assay (KinExA). FIA and KinExA were assisted by a microplate reader and a KinExA™ 3200 immunosensor, respectively. Both FIA and KinExA were developed utilizing the same antibody, capturing reagent, and fluorescence signal-generating reagent. The antibody was a mouse monoclonal antibody, designated as 8D66, that specifically recognized the Cu(
ii
)-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid complex (Cu(
ii
)-EDTA) but did not recognize Cu(
ii
)-free EDTA. The capturing reagent was Cu(
ii
)-EDTA covalently linked to bovine serum albumin protein (Cu(
ii
)-EDTA-BSA). The fluorescence-generating reagent was an anti-mouse IgG conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate (IgG-FITC). Both FIA and KinExA involved competitive binding reactions between Cu(
ii
)-EDTA complexes, formed in the sample solution, and Cu(
ii
)-EDTA-BSA conjugate which has been immobilized onto microwell fluorescence assay plates (in FIA) or polymethylmethacrylate beads (in KinExA) for a limited quantity of binding sites of 8D66 antibody. The conditions of both FIA and KinExA were investigated, and the optimum procedures were established. Both FIA and KinExA were validated, and all validation parameters were acceptable. Many different metal ions that are commonly encountered in food samples did not interfere with Cu(
ii
) analysis by both FIA and KinExA. Both assays were applied to the determination of Cu(
ii
) in food samples with satisfactory accuracy and precision. Both assays were compared favorably with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Comparative evaluation of FIA and KinExA revealed that KinExA had higher sensitivity and better precision than FIA, whereas, both assays had comparable accuracy. Both FIA and KinExA were superior to the existing atomic spectrometric methods for Cu(
ii
). The proposed FIA and KinExA are anticipated to effectively contribute to assessing Cu(
ii
) concentrations and controlling the exposure of humans to its potential toxicities.
This study describes the development of two highly sensitive and selective sensor-assisted fluorescence immunoassays for the trace determination of copper ions, Cu(
ii
) residues, in food samples.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, UL, UM, UPUK
Absorption and emission measurement were made on ruby (Cr:Al2O3) crystal with 0.5 wt. %). The results for optical absorption spectra of Cr3+:Al2O3 single crystal are shows two strong absorption bands ...at 408 nm and 558 nm in the range spectrum between 390 nm and 600 nm, meanwhile three broad absorption bands at 205 nm, 227 nm and 255 nm in range spectrum between 190 nm and 370 nm. The emission band when excited by UV light at 205 nm, 227 nm and 255 nm were detected and centered at 321 nm. The emission band by the excitation of 408 nm was found at 465 nm, 671 nm, 692 nm and 710 nm. Meanwhile, the emission band under the excitation of blue light at 490 nm was detected at 671 nm, 692 nm and 710 nm. The emission band at 671 nm, 688 nm, 695 nm and 710 nm were detected from excitation by green light with wavelength at 532 nm and 558 nm.
UPLC-MS/MS profiling of Cassia glauca leaves extract revealed the identification of 10 flavonoids. Kaempferol 3-O-β-D-rutinoside was isolated and studied for its cytotoxic activity. It showed high ...cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 (IC50 of 4.6±0.038 μg/ml) and HepG-2 (IC50 of 8.2±0.024 μg/ml) cancer cell lines, compared to the leaves extracts, their Ag nanoparticles, and doxorubicin. Moreover, Kaempferol 3-O-β-D-rutinoside exerted a synergistic cytotoxic effect with doxorubicin on MCF-7 cell lines. It was discovered as kinases and aldose reductase inhibitor while rationalizing its cytotoxic activity through molecular docking study. Thus, it is expected that the cardiotoxic effects of doxorubicin can be also decreased by using Kaempferol 3-O-β-D-rutinoside due to its aldose reductase inhibitory effect. These findings suggested that Kaempferol 3-O-β-D-rutinoside could be used in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs to increase the sensitivity to their cytotoxic activity and protect against their side effects.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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