Roles of microalgae and bacteria in hydrogen production as one of the renewable energy resources

Hydrogen gas is considered to be one of the most desired alternate sources of the limited fossil energy resources of today. It shows great promise as a non-polluting fuel, but to reduce carbon dioxide releases hydrogen gas will need to be produced from renewable sources. The limited fossil fuel prompts the prospecting of various unconventional energy sources to take over the traditional fossil fuel energy source. Photosynthetic microbes can produce hydrogen using the nature plentiful resources, sunlight, the included greens, and blue-green algae [Cyanobacteria], either via direct or indirect biophotolysis. In addition, Cyanobacteria produced hydrogen through decomposing the organic compounds [Photodecomposition]. The hydrogen production by green algae could be considered as an economical and sustainable method, water utilization as a renewable resource and recycling CO[2], a greenhouse gas. Rates of hydrogen production by photoheterotrophic bacteria are higher in the case of immobilized cells than that of the suspended cells. Cyanobacteria are highly promising microorganism for hydrogen production. Cyanobacterial hydrogen production is commercially viable, in comparison to the traditional ways of hydrogen production [chemical, photoelectrical]. The present review shows the basic biology of microalgae and bacterial hydrogen production and its future prospects. While integrating the existing knowledge and technology, much future improvement and progress is to be done before hydrogen is accepted as a commercial primary energy source

Stunting is a major risk factor for overweight: results from national surveys in 5 Arab countries

We analysed data on overweight and stunting from large national surveys performed between 2001 and 2004 in 5 Arab countries [Djibouti, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen]. Overweight and stunting were defined according to new WHO growth standards. Overweight ranged from 8.9% in Yemen to 20.2% in Syrian Arab Republic. The risk ratio [RR] for overweight in stunted children ranged from 2.14 in Djibouti to 3.85 in Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. RR ranged from 0.76 in mildly stunted children of Yemen to 7.15 in severely stunted children in Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Etiological fraction in the population ranged from 7.49% to 69.76%

Chlamydia trachomatis antigen detection in female infertility

Chlamydia trachomatis is a well recognized sexually transmitted pathogen. Besides its potential to produce genital tract infection, C. trachomatis is increasingly being associated with long-term complications like infertility. The present study was undertaken to assess the role of C. trachomatis in female infertility. Women of primary and secondary infertility [n= 150] and 20 healthy term pregnant women as control group were enrolled in the study. Detailed clinical history of each patient was recorded. Hysterosalpingography was performed in all patients. Endocervical swabs were collected for culture on cycloheximide treated McCoy cell line and for antigen detection by Blocking assay antibody technique. C. trachomatis was detected in 48 [32%] of the 150 infertile women while 3 [15%] in control group was positive for C. trachomatis. Among the total 48 [32%] infertile Chlamydia positive cases, C, trachomatis was detected by both cell culture and EIA, in 22 [45.8%], 14 cases [29.5%] were positive for C. trachomatis by cell culture alone and in 12 [25%] only antigen could be detected. Chlamydial positivity was seen in 22 [24.2%] women- with primary infertility and in 26 [44.l%] with secondary infertility. A significantly high rate of C. trachomatis infection was found in infertile women and more so in asymptomatic females and in secondary infertility cases. Lack of symptoms make clinical diagnosis of chlamydial infection difficult. Screening of infertile women for C. trachomatis is therefore recommended so far early therapeutic interventions

Micronucleus assay in patients with lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and non-smoker control

This study included 96 male subjects; 40 patients with lung cancer, 36 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and 20 control subjects. 25% of cases with lung cancer and 86.1% of cases with COPD had micronucleus [MN] frequency ranging <5-<15 MN/500 cytokinesis blocked [CB] binucleated cells compared with 100% in the control group. 40% of cases with lung cancer and 13.9% of cases with COPD had 15-20 MN/500 CB binucleated cells. 35% of cases with lung cancer had 20-25 MN/500 CB binucleated cells. These differences were statistically significant. In the lung cancer group, the mean MN/500 CB binucleated cells was 18.4 +/- 4.2, in the group with COPD, it was 8.3 +/- 4.1 with 8 patients having MN in the cancer range, i.e. 12-17. The mean MN/500 CB binucleated cells in the control group was 5.4 +/- 2.5. These differences were statistically significant. All cases with lung cancer and 63.9% of cases with COPD had a mean MN frequency greater than 95% CI of the mean MN frequency for the control group. Applying logistic regression analysis for the effect of risk factors revealed that lung cancer patients, who were current or ex- smokers, had significantly higher MN frequencies than patients with COPD

Effect of estrogen on lipid profile and fibrinolytic activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

To investigate the effect of estrogen on lipid profile and fibrinolytic activity in diabetic rats, 40 male albino rats were divided into 4 groups; [1] 10 control rats: [2] 10 diabetic rats, where diabetes was induced by injection of streptozotocin 60 mg/kg sc. [bi. sugar was 300 +/- 11 mg%]: [3] 10 normal rats injected sc by 17-beta estradiol depot 70 ng/kg; and [4] 10 diabetic rats injected by 17- beta estradiol after diabetes has been well established. After one month rats were killed by decapitation and the collected blood samples were tested for fasting blood glucose level, lipid profile and plasminogen activator inhibitor type- 1 [PAI- 1] and tissue plasminogen activator [t-PA] antigens [for fibrinolytic activity] in normal and diabetic rats. 17- beta estradiol improved sign fasting blood glucose level, lipid profile [decreased triglycerides, total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein with increased high density lipoprotein. levels]. Levels of PAT-I-1 and t-PA were significantly decreased by 17- beta estradiol in diabetic rats, while PM-I was significantly decreased and t-PA showed in change in nor mal rats received 17- beta estradiol. In conclusion 1 7- estradiol improves fasting blood glucose, lipid profile and fibririolytic activity in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Estrogen hormone replacement therapy should be considered in postmenopausal women to protect them from cardiovascular risks or at least to ameliorate and delay of its morbidity and mortality if already present

Effect of inhibition of calcium channels by [nifedipine] and nigella sativa on experimentally induced hepatotoxicity

The present work was conducted to determine the protective effect of Nigella sativa and the prophylactic role of the calcium channel blocker nifedipine on liver cellular damage. Eighty rats classified into 8 equal groups. The first group was the normal control group, the second was the acetominophen induced liver damage group, the third was the nifedipine treated group, the fourth was the combined nifedipine and acetominophen treated group, the fifth was the nifedipine pretreated group. The Nigella sativa treated rats was the sixth group, the seventh group was combined Nigella sativa and acetominophen and lastly the eighth was the Nigella sativa pretreated group. The results of this study proved that Nigella sativa and nifedipine have a beneficial both protective and prophylactic effects against hepatic damage. So, the clinical trials of calcium channel blockers and Nigella satiua - in prophylaxis and early treatment of hepatic diseases on exposure of the liver to pathologic agents must be encouraged, depending mainly upon the opposing effects of both agents towards the significant increase of liver tissue calcium content by acetominophen administration. The aim of the present study is to show the prophylactic effect of both [Calcium channel blacker] nifedipine and Nigella sativa on experimentally induced hepatic toxicity

Study of hepatitis E virus infection among children with acute hepatitis in Kaliobiya Governorate

This work aimed to study the prevalence of IgG and IgM antibodies to HEV among Egyptian children presenting with acute hepatitis and jaundice [100 patients] by means of a solid phase enzyme immunoassay [EIA] based on two recombinant hepatitis E virus antigens. It was found that the prevalence of anti-HEV IgM and IgG antibodies was 8% and anti-HEV IgG alone was 16% and the total cases of HEV infection was 24%. There was no significant difference with various specific age group, sex, residence and water supply; but there was a significant difference with sewage disposal between groups as regard the causative virus

Dipyridamole echocardiography test [det], a new test to diagnose silent coronary artery disease [cad] in diabetics

Sixty cases [45 diabetics and 15 normal volunteers as control] were studied. For all cases complete medical history and examination was done. Also, fasting blood sugar, postprandial blood sugar, lipid profile, resting ECG, fundoscopy, fluorescence angiography, and DET in a dose of 0.84 mg/kg b. wt. in 10 minutes by i.v. infusion were done. Diabetic patients were classified into three groups according to their fundus status [no retinopathy, with background retinopathy, or with proliferative retinopathy]. DET was negative in all diabetics with normal fundus, while it was positive in 20% of diabetics with background retinopathy and in 66.7% of diabetics with proliferative retinopathy. Diabetics with positive DET had significant higher triglycerides and cholesterol [p <0.01] and longer duration of diabetes [p <0.01], while no significant difference in either body weight or BMI [p >0.05] was detected. It was concluded that DET could be considered as a simple screening test for diabetics with silent CAD for the early diagnosis and management of this condition. Routine fundoscopy is a helpful tool to select the cases which have the priority to be tested by DET

Study of serum immunoglobulin concentrations and other analytical variables in different types of diabetes mellitus

75 diabetic patients were the subject of this study. They were classified into 3 groups, 25 in each: group I [IDDM adult patients]; group II [NIDDM adult patients] and group III [IDDM children]. 2 groups of apparently healthy individuals of matching age and sex [25 in each] were chosen and served as control groups: one for the adult and the other for the children diabetic patients. In group 1, 52% of patients showed abnormal higher levels of IgA while, 12% showed abnormal higher levels of IgG. On the other hand 16% showed abnormal low levels of IgM. In group II percentages of patients showing abnormal immunoglobulin levels were 64%, 16% and 16% for IgA, IgG and IgM respectively. Regarding diabetic children, 12%, 4% and 8% showed abnormal levels of IgA, IgG and IgM respectively. IgA levels showed a positive significant correlation with age, disease duration, F. B. S and serum fructosamine in diabetic patients of group I. Neither correlation with age nor with disease duration was found among diabetic patients of group II and III. We concluded that abnormal serum IgA concentrations are very common in diabetic adult patients. Further research should be carried out to verify whether the determination of serum IgA is of clinical use for monitoring diabetes or evaluating its complications. Also our results, in addition to the recently reported relationship between serum fructosamine and IgA in non diabetic patients appears to throw doubt on the clinical utility of fructosamine as a measure of hyperglycemic status if IgA concentration is not taken into account especially in adult diabetic patients but can be used for diabetic children with no doubt

Myocardial affection in mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni: histopathologic and immunofluorescent observations

20 Swiss albino mice were exposed to cercarial infection of Schistosoma mansoni shedded from Biomphalaria Alexandrina snails. A group of non-infected mice were used as negative controls. An animal was sacrificed every 2 weeks from the 8[th] week following infection till the 46[th] week. Hearts of both groups were removed and specimens were sent for light microscopic and direct immunofluorescent examination. Histopathologic study revealed granulomatous schistosomatic myocarditis in 3 mice. There were no muscle fibre degeneration or attenuation, no interstitial fibrosis or mononuclear cell infiltration [apart from the schistosomal granulomas] and no endocardial affection. Vascular immunofluorescence for schistosomal egg antigen [SEA] was observed in 6 mice. The reaction was linear involving one or more layers of the coating wall. Positive immunofluorescence for SEA appeared also within the granulomatous reaction in the hearts of the 3 affected mice. No specific immunofluorescent deposits were detected over the myofibers in the infected group at any stage of infection. Thus, myocardial affection in mice infected with schistosoma mansoni was minimal. The relevance of these results to other studies and to observations in schistosomal patients was discussed

Endomyocardial biopsy in schistosomiasis: an immunological and histopathological study

To study left ventricular affection in schistosomiasis, left ventricular endomyocardial biopsies from 24 patients with schistosomal hepatic fibrosis - half of them had schistosomal cor pulmonale - were examined under light microscopy for histopathologic alteration and under fluorescent microscopy for the presence of immunofluorescence for Schistosoma mansoni egg antigen, IgG and complement C3. Serologic tests for the quantitation of IgG, IgM and complement C3 and ELISA test for antischistosoma mansoni antibodies were done. The endomyocardial biopsies revealed increased endocardial thickness and endocardial smooth muscle cell content, myocardial fiber hypertrophy, variable degrees of interstitial fibrosis and signs of myocardial fiber damage. Statistical analysis confirmed that these pathologic alterations correlated well with both cardiac immunofluorescence and serologic data. The level of pulmonary artery pressure had no relation to any of these abnormalities in patients with schistosomal cor pulmonale

Study of pathogenicity of some nocardia spp isolated from tap water of Ismailia city, Egypt

All actinomycetes isolated from canal water, Ismailia water plant and tap water were identified into 5 genera. All Nocardia isolates were identified into 3 species. Two of which, Nocardia transvalensis and Nocardia otitidus- caviarus were recorded in tap water. These species are pathogenic for human kind and animals. The pathogenicity of these isolates was tested on Swiss Albino mice. Symptomatic changes and death of mice inoculated with Nocardia suspension were recorded. The main symptoms were erythema, enduration and inflammation together with abcesses and an increase in the size of the spleen [spleenomegally]. It is concluded from these experiments that: in All Nocardia species isolated from tap water are pathogenic, at least for mice, ii] these isolates could present health hazards to human kind and needs an urgent investigation