Respiratory viral infections significantly negatively impact animal welfare and have significant financial implications in the poultry industry. This study aimed to determine the frequency of the ...most economically relevant respiratory viruses that circulated in Egyptian chicken flocks in 2022.
Chickens from 359 broiler flocks in five different Egyptian governorates in the Nile Delta (Beheira, Gharbia, Giza, Monufiya, and Qalyoubia) at marketing time (33-38 days of age) were used in this study. Combined oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs and tissue samples were collected from clinically diseased or freshly dead birds suffering from respiratory disease. Avian influenza (AI)-H5, AI-H9, Newcastle disease (ND), and infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were analyzed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.
Of the 359 flocks examined, 293 tested positive, whereas 66 were completely negative for the four viruses evaluated, with the highest positive results in Beheira. Out of 293 positive flocks, 211 were positive for a single virus, with Beheira having the highest rate, followed by Qalyoubia, Giza, and Monufiya. ND virus (NDV) was found to be the highest across all governorates, followed by IBV, AI-H9, and AI-H5. A double infection was detected in 73 flocks with either H9 or ND, or both H9 and IB could coinfect each other. The most common viral coinfections were H9 + IB, ND + IB, and ND + H9. Giza had the highest prevalence of ND + H9, H9 + IB, and ND + IB coinfection in the governorates, followed by Monufiya and Beheira. Only six out of 359 flocks were tribally infected with ND + H9 + IB in Giza, Monufiya, and Beheira governorates. On the basis of the number of flocks and the month of the year, July had the lowest number of flocks (23), while September and October had the highest number (48 flocks). Positive flock numbers were highest in October and lowest in January.
From January to October 2022, prevalent respiratory viral infections (H5N1, NDV, H9N2, and IBV) were detected in broiler chickens across the Delta area governorate, according to the findings of the present study. In addition, IBV and H9, either alone or in combination, significantly contributed to the respiratory infection observed in broiler chickens. Regardless of the type and origin of the vaccine used, it is not possible to protect broiler chickens from the development of the infection and the subsequent dissemination of the virus into the poultry environment. In the presence of face-infectious field virus mutations, poultry vaccinations must be regularly reviewed and updated, and poultry farms must take further biosecurity measures.
Aspergillosis is a disease that affects several species of birds and causes substantial losses in the poultry business. The purpose of the investigation was to identify the pathogen responsible for a ...respiratory outbreak among juvenile ducklings.
An epidemic of Aspergillosis infected a total of 800 Muscovy ducks that were being reared in El-Beheira Governorate. Tissue samples were obtained to isolate suspected fungi from diseased birds and the hatchery environment. In addition, identification and molecular characterization were performed on the obtained fungal isolates.
Affected birds displayed acute respiratory manifestations such as difficulty breathing, gasping for air, nasal discharge, and a mortality rate of up to 28.1%. Postmortem examination revealed bronchitis, tracheitis, congested lungs, air sacculitis, severe multifocal granulomatous pneumonia, a congested, enlarged liver, and a congested kidney with nephritis. Mycological examination revealed seven
(
spp. isolates from ducklings and six from hatcheries. Isolate colonial morphology and microscopical examination were as follows:
, and four untypable isolates. These isolates were further identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the internal transcribed spacers (ITSs) gene was detected. Four representative isolates were submitted for sequencing and further phylogenetic analysis. The source of duckling infection might be linked to the hatchery environment due to the observed similarity of isolates from both affected birds and the hatchery, as evidenced by phylogenetic analysis.
Our findings demonstrated the significance of appropriate hatchery control in preventing infection in young ducklings. Furthermore, the use of molecular identification techniques would be helpful for tracing the source of infection and rapid diagnosis of
in the field.
Abstract
Intracellular Ca
2+
signals control several physiological and pathophysiological processes. The main tool to chelate intracellular Ca
2+
is intracellular BAPTA (BAPTA
i
), usually introduced ...into cells as a membrane-permeant acetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA-AM). Previously, we demonstrated that BAPTA
i
enhanced apoptosis induced by venetoclax, a BCL-2 antagonist, in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). This finding implied a novel interplay between intracellular Ca
2+
signaling and anti-apoptotic BCL-2 function. Hence, we set out to identify the underlying mechanisms by which BAPTA
i
enhances cell death in B-cell cancers. In this study, we discovered that BAPTA
i
alone induced apoptosis in hematological cancer cell lines that were highly sensitive to S63845, an MCL-1 antagonist. BAPTA
i
provoked a rapid decline in MCL-1-protein levels by inhibiting mTORC1-driven
Mcl-1
translation. These events were not a consequence of cell death, as BAX/BAK-deficient cancer cells exhibited similar downregulation of mTORC1 activity and MCL-1-protein levels. Next, we investigated how BAPTA
i
diminished mTORC1 activity and identified its ability to impair glycolysis by directly inhibiting 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) activity, a previously unknown effect of BAPTA
i
. Notably, these effects were also induced by a BAPTA
i
analog with low affinity for Ca
2+
. Consequently, our findings uncover PFKFB3 inhibition as an Ca
2+
-independent mechanism through which BAPTA
i
impairs cellular metabolism and ultimately compromises the survival of MCL-1-dependent cancer cells. These findings hold two important implications. Firstly, the direct inhibition of PFKFB3 emerges as a key regulator of mTORC1 activity and a promising target in MCL-1-dependent cancers. Secondly, cellular effects caused by BAPTA
i
are not necessarily related to Ca
2+
signaling. Our data support the need for a reassessment of the role of Ca
2+
in cellular processes when findings were based on the use of BAPTA
i
.
Purpose
This paper aims to clarify the relationship between the slurry erosion and one of the case hardening treatments, i.e. boronizing in this study, for AISI-5117 steel alloy. AISI-5117 steel ...alloy was used because of its variety applications in the field of submarine equipment. Most of the slurry erosion factors such as velocity, impact angle and mechanism of erosion were studied at different impact angles.
Design/methodology/approach
At first, the samples were prepared and subjected to the boronizing treatment in controlled atmosphere. By using a slurry erosion test-rig, all experiments for studying the slurry erosion factors were carried out. Moreover, the studied specimens were investigated via scanning electron microscope, optical microscope and X-ray diffraction to study the erosion mechanism in the different conditions.
Findings
It was expected that the boronization of the AISI-5117 steel would increase its slurry erosion resistance due to its positive impact on the surface hardness. However, the results observed show the opposite, where the boronization of AISI-5117 steel decreased its slurry erosion resistance as implied by the increase of the mass loss percentage at all impact angles.
Originality/value
This research, for the first time, exhibits the effect of boronizing treatment on the slurry erosion in different impact factors accompanied by the erosion mechanism at each impact angle.
Objective:
The aim of our study is to assess the clinico-electrophysiological profile of children with Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) in Upper Egypt and to compare the efficacy of plasmapheresis versus ...other treatment modalities.
Patients and methods:
This was a retrospective study of children from January 2010 to October 2014 diagnosed as GBS. It included 62 cases.
Results:
Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP) was the most prevalent type of GBS in our locality. As regards the treatment, 32 cases received plasmapheresis while 30 patients received intravenous immunoglobulin. We found a significant decrease in the duration of hospitalization and a significant increase in the number of children with complete recovery in cases treated with plasmapheresis.
Conclusion:
GBS is not uncommon in children of Upper Egypt, with AIDP the most prevalent type. Plasmapheresis is the best treatment modalities for GBS as it reduces the duration of hospital stay and hastens the recovery of those children.
Purpose
This paper aimed to analyze removed particles from stationary specimen-aluminum (Al-99.92) produced by vibratory cavitation erosion tests in distilled water and glycerol-water mixtures.
...Design/methodology/approach
The particle morphology which include particle surface topography, size distribution, particle size parameters and particle shape parameters were examined for distilled water and glycerol-water mixtures having different viscosities.
Findings
The results showed that the variation of size parameters with viscosity was very similar to the variation of weight loss with viscosity. Both the size parameters and weight losses show a monotonic decrease in going from distilled water to glycerol-water mixtures having viscosity about 10.1 cSt, beyond which the change is very small. On the other hand, the shape parameters were much less sensitive to distinguish between the particles produced in water and glycerol-water mixtures. The mechanism of cavitation erosion is investigated in detail through observations of the removed particles. The particle surfaces topography demonstrated that the mechanism in water and glycerol-water mixtures was fatigue failure.
Originality/value
Cavitation often occurs in almost all machines that handle liquids, especially at high speeds, leading to irreparable damage of the components of these machines. Elucidation of such complex phenomenon demands full characterization of the erosion mechanism and controlling parameters inherent to it, so that cavitation erosion can be prevented or at least be reduced through adequate information and collection of relevant data under different operating conditions. Very few studies have been made to approach the viscosity effect upon cavitation erosion from the particle analysis standpoint. The aim of the present work is to identify the effect of liquid viscosity on the size, shape characteristics of the erosion particles and their morphological features. The prevailed mechanisms of wear and particle generation have been proposed based on the acquired information from particle analysis.
Objectives The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcome of the recalled upper minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (MIAVR) J-shaped technique and full standard median sternotomy techniques ...aortic valve replacement (AVR). Background Over the past 20 years, MIAVR has evolved into a safe, well-tolerated, and efficient surgical treatment option for aortic valve disease. It has been shown to reduce postoperative morbidity, providing faster recovery and rehabilitation, shorter hospital stays, and better cosmetic results, as it reduces the incidences of wound infection owing to small incision length, especially in our diabetic fatty Egyptian female patients. Patients and methods Between September 2017 and March 2019, this study included 50 patients with isolated aortic valve disease. A total of 25 patients (group A) underwent (MIAVR) J-shaped technique and 25 patients (group B) underwent standard AVR, and they were compared with each other. Results In operative data, there were highly significant differences between both groups regarding aortic cross-clamp time, total bypass time, and total operative time (P < 0.001). In postoperative data, there were highly significant differences regarding total hospital stay, pain score in the first, second, third, and fourth day to hospital discharge; and patient satisfaction (P < 0.001). There was a significant difference in duration of ICU stay (P = 0.033). There were no mortalities in both groups. Conclusion MIAVR is a feasible procedure despite the narrow operative field that induced long operative times. It is safe with minimal postoperative morbidities, early rehabilitation, and less postoperative pain. Moreover, MIAVR provided cosmetically better wound results, which was immensely satisfying to the patients.
Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H9N2 virus is one of the major poultry pathogens associated with severe economic losses in the poultry industry (broiler, layers, breeders, and grandparents' ...flocks), especially in endemic regions including the Middle East, North Africa, and Asian countries. This work is an attempt to evaluate the efficacy of whole inactivated H9N2 vaccine (MEFLUVAC
H9) in turkey poults kept under laboratory and commercial farm conditions. Here, 10,000 white turkey poults (1-day old) free from maternally derived immunity against H9N2 virus were divided into four groups; G1 involved 10 vaccinated birds kept under biosafety level-3 (BLS-3) as a laboratory vaccinated and challenged group, while G2 had 9970 vaccinated turkeys raised on a commercial farm. Ten of those birds were moved to BLS-3 for daily cloacal and tracheal swabbing to check for the absence of any life-threating disease, before conducting analyses. G3 (10 birds) served as a non-vaccinated challenged control under BSL-3 conditions, while G4 (10 birds) was used as a non-vaccinated and non-challenged control under BSL-3 conditions. Sera were collected on days 7-, 14-, 21-, and 28-post-vaccinations to monitor the humoral immune response using a hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test. At these same intervals, cloacal and tracheal swabs were also checked for any viral infection. The challenge was conducted 28 days post-vaccination (PV) using AI-H9N2 in BSL-3 by intranasal inoculation of 6-log10 embryo infective dose
(EID
). At 3-, 6-, and 10-days post-challenge, oropharyngeal swabs were taken from challenged birds to quantify viral shedding by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The results of this study showed that vaccinated groups (G1/2) developed HI titers of 1.38, 4.38, 5.88, and 7.25 log
in G1 vs. 1.2, 3.8, 4.9 and 6.2 log
in G2 when measured at 7-, 14-, 21- and 28-days PV, respectively, while undetectable levels were recorded in non-vaccinated groups (G3/4). Birds in G3 showed 90% clinical sickness vs. 10% and 20% in G1/2, respectively, over a 10-day monitoring period following challenge. Vaccinated birds showed a significant reduction in virus shedding in terms of the number of shedders, amount of shed virus and shedding interval over the non-vaccinated challenged birds. Regarding mortality, all groups did not show any mortality, which confirms that the circulating H9N2 virus still has low pathogenicity and cannot cause mortality. However, the virus may cause up to 90% clinical sickness in non-vaccinated birds vs. 10% and 20% in laboratory- and farm-vaccinated birds, respectively, highlighting the role of the vaccine in limiting clinical sickness cases. In conclusion, under the current trial circumstances, MEFLUVAC
-H9 provided protective seroconversion titers, significant clinical sickness protection and significant reduction in virus shedding either in laboratory- or farm-vaccinated groups after a single vaccine dose.
PDF
