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Liver cirrhosis is the outcome of chronic liver injury. The current study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cells versus partially differentiated mesenchymal stem cells on liver cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy. 50 adult male albino rats constituted the animal model and were divided into the following groups: control, thioacetamide, undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cells and hepatocyte growth factor-differentiated mesenchymal stem cells groups. Cognitive assessment was achieved by open field test and Y-maze task. We measured serum alanine aminotransferase, albumin and transforming growth factor-beta1, gene expression of α-smooth muscle actin, matrix metalloprotein-2, its tissue inhibitor and apoptotic markers: Bax and Bcl2, brain glial fibrillary acidic protein, synaptophysin, and dopaminergic receptors.

This research study aims to shed light on a form of water-related combat display called naumachia. Water is vital to this type of display; in addition to the necessity of ships' presence, it is one of the essential elements of the performance. This type was held in artificial lakes created specifically for such displays, and natural bodies of water were also used in rare cases. Public structures also hosted this type of display. It is mentioned in some literary works but has attracted little research interest. The phenomenon raises several questions, including whether there is archaeological evidence of this type of battle occurring within or outside public buildings. Can we confirm that it happened, or were they merely mock battles with no basis in reality? Was it an innovation that originated in Rome alone, or did it spread throughout the Roman world? Are these naval displays called naumachiae rooted in history or based on imagination? Did the Roman era have a significant number of naval battles, or were they merely naval conflicts with no historical resonance? The research follows a descriptive and analytical methodology.

Astrovirus infection significantly impacts poultry production due to its fatal effect on young birds and their ability to be transmitted by horizontal and vertical routes. In the current study, eight Egyptian duckling farms from different breeds (Moulard, Muscovy, and Pekin) with a history of sudden death accompanied by neurological signs with marked hepatitis lesions at Al-Qalyubia, Al-Sharqia, and Assuit governorates from 2022 to 2023 have been investigated. All the examined freshly dead ducklings have a history of vaccination with the live attenuated duck hepatitis vaccine. During the laboratory investigations, DAstV was successfully isolated on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of specific pathogen-free (SPF) embryonated chicken eggs (ECE) and designated as DAstV- VSVRI-CLEVB-2022 and showed the characteristic star-shaped six-point end of astrovirus when examined under the electron microscope. Molecular identification showed positive PCR amplification targeting the 434 bp of the ORF1b encoding non-structural proteins and is highly conserved of the G4260 Avastrovirus 2, sequence analysis showed that the isolated strain showed 100% similarity with duck astrovirus strain HBGT-China-2014 (KX290465.1). Pathogenicity testing of the isolated astrovirus in susceptible one-day-old ducklings, showed typical death signs of astrovirus at 31, 38, and 50 h post-infection (PI) with paint brush hemorrhagic liver surface. The above-mentioned results showed that DAstV could be one of the causative agents of acute duck hepatitis in Egypt and further investigations are recommended to prepare a local autogenous vaccine from the isolated strain with the application of strict biosecurity measures and evaluate its efficacy against the field challenge to control such a problem.

We synthesized two hybrid organic–inorganic porous polymers (HPP) through the Heck reaction of 9,10 dibromoanthracene (A-Br2) or 1,3,6,8-tetrabromopyrene (P-Br4)/A-Br2 as co-monomers with octavinylsilsesquioxane (OVS), in order to afford OVS-A HPP and OVS-P-A HPP, respectively. The chemical structures of these two hybrid porous polymers were validated through FTIR and solid-state 13C and 29Si NMR spectroscopy. The thermal stability and porosity of these materials were measured by TGA and N2 adsorption/desorption analyses, demonstrating that OVS-A HPP has higher thermal stability (Td10: 579 °C) and surface area (433 m2 g−1) than OVS-P-A HPP (Td10: 377 °C and 98 m2 g−1) due to its higher cross-linking density. Furthermore, the electrochemical analysis showed that OVS-P-A HPP has a higher specific capacitance (177 F g −1 at 0.5 A F g−1) when compared to OVS-A HPP (120 F g −1 at 0.5 A F g−1). The electron-rich phenyl rings and Faradaic reaction between the π-conjugated network and anthracene moiety may be attributed to their excellent electrochemical performance of OVS-P-A HPP.

We have successfully synthesized two types of two-dimensional conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs), Py-BSU and TBN-BSU CMPs, by using the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction of BSU-Br2 (2,8-Dibromothianthrene-5,5′,10,10′-Tetraoxide) with Py-T (1,3,6,8-Tetraethynylpyrene) and TBN-T (2,7,10,15-Tetraethynyldibenzo[g,p]chrysene), respectively. We characterized the chemical structure, morphology, physical properties, and potential applications of these materials using various analytical instruments. Both Py-BSU and TBN-BSU CMPs showed high thermal stability with thermal decomposition temperatures (Td10) up to 371 °C and char yields close to 48 wt%, as determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). TBN-BSU CMPs exhibited a higher specific surface area and porosity of 391 m2 g−1 and 0.30 cm3 g−1, respectively, due to their large micropore and mesopore structure. These CMPs with extended π-conjugated frameworks and high surface areas are promising organic electroactive materials that can be used as electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs) and gas adsorption. Our experimental results demonstrated that the TBN-BSU CMP electrode had better electrochemical characteristics with a longer discharge time course and a specific capacitance of 70 F g−1. Additionally, the electrode exhibited an excellent capacitance retention rate of 99.9% in the 2000-cycle stability test. The CO2 uptake capacity of TBN-BSU CMP and Py-BSU CMP were 1.60 and 1.45 mmol g−1, respectively, at 298 K and 1 bar. These results indicate that the BSU-based CMPs synthesized in this study have potential applications in electrical testing and CO2 capture.

This work describes the facile designing of three conjugated microporous polymers incorporated based on the ferrocene (FC) unit with 1,4-bis(4,6-diamino-s-triazin-2-yl)benzene (PDAT), tris(4-aminophenyl)amine (TPA-NH2), and tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)ethane (TPE-NH2) to form PDAT-FC, TPA-FC, and TPE-FC CMPs from Schiff base reaction of 1,1′-diacetylferrocene monomer with these three aryl amines, respectively, for efficient supercapacitor electrodes. PDAT-FC and TPA-FC CMPs samples featured higher surface area values of approximately 502 and 701 m2 g−1, in addition to their possession of both micropores and mesopores. In particular, the TPA-FC CMP electrode achieved more extended discharge time compared with the other two FC CMPs, demonstrating good capacitive performance with a specific capacitance of 129 F g−1 and capacitance retention value of 96% next 5000 cycles. This feature of TPA-FC CMP is attributed to the presence of redox-active triphenylamine and ferrocene units in its backbone, in addition to a high surface area and good porosity that facilitates the redox process and provides rapid kinetics.

This is the second-largest retrospective analysis addressing the controversy of whether adult rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) should be treated with chemotherapy regimens adopted from pediatric RMS protocols or adult soft-tissue sarcoma protocols. A comprehensive database search identified 553 adults with primary non-metastatic RMS. Increasing age, intermediate-risk disease, no chemotherapy use, anthacycline-based and poor chemotherapy response were significant predictors of poor overall and progression-free survival. In contrast, combined cyclophosphamide-based, cyclophosphamide + anthracycline-based, or cyclophosphamide + ifosfamide + anthracycline-based regimens significantly improved outcomes. Intermediate-risk disease was a significant predictor of poor chemotherapy response. Overall survival of clinical group-III patients was significantly improved if they underwent delayed complete resection. Non-parameningeal clinical group-I patients had the best local control, which was not affected by additional adjuvant radiotherapy. This study highlights the superiority of chemotherapy regimens –adapted from pediatric protocols- compared to anthracycline-based regimens. There is lack of data to support the routine use of adjuvant radiotherapy for non-parameningeal group-I patients. Nonetheless, intensive local therapy should be always considered for those at high risk for local recurrence, including intermediate-risk disease, advanced IRS stage, large tumors or narrow surgical margins. Although practically difficult (due to tumor’s rarity), there is a pressing need for high quality randomized controlled trials to provide further guidance.

There is currently a pursuit of synthetic approaches for designing porous carbon materials with selective CO2 capture and/or excellent energy storage performance that significantly impacts the environment and the sustainable development of circular economy. In this study we prepared a new bio-based benzoxazine (AP-BZ) in high yield through Mannich condensation of apigenin, a naturally occurring phenol, with 4-bromoaniline and paraformaldehyde. We then prepared a PA-BZ porous organic polymer (POP) through Sonogashira coupling of AP-BZ with 1,3,6,8-tetraethynylpyrene (P-T) in the presence of Pd(PPh3)4. In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry revealed details of the thermal polymerization of the oxazine rings in the AP-BZ monomer and in the PA-BZ POP. Next, we prepared a microporous carbon/metal composite (PCMC) in three steps: Sonogashira coupling of AP-BZ with P-T in the presence of a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) as a directing hard template, affording a PA-BZ POP/ZIF-67 composite; etching in acetic acid; and pyrolysis of the resulting PA-BZ POP/metal composite at 500 °C. Powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) measurements revealed the properties of the as-prepared PCMC. The PCMC material exhibited outstanding thermal stability (Td10 = 660 °C and char yield = 75 wt%), a high BET surface area (1110 m2 g–1), high CO2 adsorption (5.40 mmol g–1 at 273 K), excellent capacitance (735 F g–1), and a capacitance retention of up to 95% after 2000 galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) cycles; these characteristics were excellent when compared with those of the corresponding microporous carbon (MPC) prepared through pyrolysis of the PA-BZ POP precursors with a ZIF-67 template at 500 °C.