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The present study described the most recent findings concerning the abundance and distribution of plastic in water, sediment, and fauna in the Nile River of Upper Egypt as an interesting research point. The findings revealed that plastics were abundant in the water, sediments, fish, and crayfish throughout the sites. The Nagaa Hammadi site has the highest abundance of meso- and macroplastics in its water and sediment. African catfish had the highest abundance of meso- and macroplastics compared to the other species, while Nile tilapia had no meso- or macroplastics in its alimentary canal or gills in all sites. The Edfu site has the highest abundance of mesoplastics in the alimentary canals of African catfish, while the Nagaa Hammadi site has the highest abundance of mesoplastics in the gills, and macroplastics appeared only in the alimentary canal of African catfish from the El-wasta site. Only mesoplastics were found in the crayfish’s alimentary canal, with the Nagaa Hammadi site having the highest abundance. No macroplastics were detected in the crayfish’s gills or alimentary canal. Additionally, this work lets us understand how plastics behave in freshwater environments, and it is a step toward decision-makers taking appropriate measures to reduce their risk.

Malnutrition has adverse impacts on under-five children with pneumonia. The purpose of this study was to address the prevalence and impact of malnutrition on under-five years children with pneumonia, admitted to a tertiary large children hospital in Upper Egypt. This study is a prospective case-control study. All under-five children diagnosed with pneumonia who were admitted to Assiut University Children’s Hospital (AUCH) from January 1 st to December 31st, 2021, were enrolled. Based on their nutritional assessment, the studied participants were classified into 2 groups: (1): Children with pneumonia and with nutritional deficiency considered as cases, and (2): Children with pneumonia and without nutritional deficiency considered as controls. Three hundred-fifty cases and 154 control subjects were enrolled, respectively. 93.4%, 31.1%, and 61.7% of the cases had underweight, stunting, and wasting, respectively. Among those cases, there were significant differences between survivors and non-survivors with regard to some clinicodemographic factors, laboratory parameters, and anthropometric parameters. Lack of compulsory vaccination, presence of sepsis, and blood transfusion (OR 2.874, 95% CI 0.048 – 2.988, p = 0.004, 2.627, 0.040 – 2.677, p = 0.009, and 4.108, 0.134 – 3.381, p < 0.001, respectively) were significant independent predictors for mortality among malnourished children with pneumonia.     Conclusion : Malnutrition has a high prevalence in under-five children with pneumonia in our locality. It has adverse effects on the outcomes and in-hospital mortality of those children. Lack of compulsory vaccination, presence of sepsis, and blood transfusion were significant independent predictors of mortality in malnourished children with pneumonia. Larger multicenter studies are warranted. What is Known: • Malnutrition has adverse impacts on under-five children with pneumonia. • Malnutrition could be a reason for in-hospital mortality among under-five children with pneumonia. What is New: • Malnutrition has a high prevalence in under-five children with pneumonia in Upper Egypt, with its adverse effects on the outcomes and mortality of those children. • Lack of vaccination, presence of sepsis, and blood transfusion are significant independent predictors of mortality in malnourished children with pneumonia in Upper Egypt.

Fish are a source of high-quality protein with low cholesterol, but they are susceptible to parasitic infections, which have a significant impact on aquaculture, in addition to their zoonotic potential. The present study estimated parasitic infections and evaluated the diversity of zoonotic parasites in freshwater Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt. A total of 300 samples were randomly collected from the Assiut Governorate. These fish were examined for both ectoparasites and endoparasites, followed by the experimental infection of mice with encysted metacercariae (EMC) for the retrieval of the adult worms. The overall prevalence of the variable parasites was 82% (246 of 300). Both ecto- and endoparasites were detected in 41% (123 of 300) of the examined fish. The identified ectoparasites were Gyrodactylus, Dactylogrus, Cichlidogyrus, Trichodina and Icthyophthirius multifiliis, in 5%, 4%, 22%, 6% and 4% of the fish, respectively. The endoparasites were trematodes (Orientocreadium batrachoides 3%), nematodes (Contracaecum. 2%), acanthocephala (Acanthosentis tilapiae 25%) and protozoa that included Isospora and Eimeria spp., in 1% and 8% of fish, respectively. Myxobolus was detected in 2% of the examined fish. The overall prevalence of encysted metacercariae (EMC) was 95% (285 of 300), while infection with macroscopic EMC had a prevalence of 37% and microscopic EMC had a prevalence of 58%. The adult worms recovered from the experimental infections were Prohemistomum vivax and Mesostephanus spp., which belong to the family Cyathocotylidae. Collectively, these findings reflect the relatively high occurrence of parasites among the studied fish, confirming the necessity of strict measures to control infection.

The emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) resulted in a worldwide devastating effect with a diagnostic challenge. Identifying risk factors of severity aids in assessment for the need of early hospitalization. We aimed to demonstrate, for the first time, the clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, to identify the predictors of severity and to describe the antimicrobial resistance profile in patients from Upper Egypt. Demographic characters, clinical presentations, laboratory, and radiological data were recorded and analyzed. Presence of other respiratory microorganisms and their sensitivity patterns were identified using the VITEK2 system. Resistance-associated genes were tested by PCR. The study included 260 COVID-19 patients. The majority were males (55.4%) aged between 51 and 70 years. Hypertension, diabetes, and ischemic heart disease were common comorbidities. Main clinical manifestations were fever (63.8%), cough (57.7%), dyspnea (40%) and fatigue (30%). According to severity, 51.5% were moderate, 25.4% mild and 23% severe/critical. Lymphopenia, elevated CRP, ferritin, and D-dimer occurred in all patients with significantly higher value in the severe group. Age >53 years and elevated ferritin ≥484 ng/mL were significant risk factors for severity. About 10.7% of the COVID-19 patients showed bacterial and/or fungal infections. , and were the predominant isolated bacteria while and were the predominant isolated fungi. All Staphylococci were methicillin-resistant and carried the gene. Gram-negative isolates were multidrug-resistant and carried different resistance-associated genes, including , and Older age and elevated serum ferritin were significant risk factors for severe COVID-19. Bacterial co-infection and multidrug resistance among patients with COVID-19 in Upper Egypt is common. Testing for presence of other co-infecting agents should be considered, and prompt treatment should be carried out according to the antimicrobial sensitivity reports.

Background Synanthropic filth flies thrive in human and animal habitats, posing health risks through the transmission of infectious agents. They breed on organic waste, including animal feces, making them carriers of various pathogens. In Egypt, where livestock farming is common and poor sanitation, these flies may contribute to zoonotic disease transmission. The current study investigates parasitic infections in filth flies from three livestock farms in Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt, highlighting their role as vectors for zoonotic infections, particularly Cryptosporidium , via morphological and molecular tools. Methods A total of 12,749 flies were collected from the study sites via sweep nets. After taxonomic identification, the flies were examined microscopically for parasites using various concentration and staining techniques. Positive samples were further confirmed for infections, particularly for Cryptosporidium parasites, via nested PCR and sequence analysis targeting the COWP and SSU rRNA genes. Results This study revealed the presence of several fly species from seven dipteran families, particularly the family Muscidae, primarily Musca domestica , which presented a high parasite infestation rate of 96.6%. This study revealed a high prevalence of various protozoans and helminths in the collected flies . Cryptosporidium was the most prevalent parasite (64.4–100%), infecting all fly species. Entamoeba and Balantidium were also significant, especially in M. domestica (22.6–90.1%, 8.9–100%), Fannia canicularis (10.5–74.4%, 44.2–88.2%), and Borborillus vitripennis (11.1–50%, 37.2–91.4%). Giardia, Trichuris, and Trichostrongylidae had low to moderate prevalence in multiple fly species . Mites are commonly detected on fly exoskeletons, with high infestation rates observed in Musca domestica (77–100%) and Physiphora alceae (66.7–100%). The present study also reported sporadic infections with Trichomonas , Toxocara vitulorum , and pseudoscorpions, along with notable midge larval infestations (52.1%), mainly at site B. Parasitic infections were highest in autumn and spring, with the lowest rates in winter. Molecular identification confirmed the presence of the zoonotic species Cryptosporidium parvum and Cladotanytarsus gedanicus . Conclusion This study revealed that zoonotic parasites exist in flies and pose potential risks when they are found near humans. Cryptosporidium parvum is the prevalent parasite causing diarrhea outbreaks in animals. This is the first genetic evidence of Cladotanytarsus gedanicus midge from Upper Egypt.

The history of Ptolemaic Egypt has usually been doubly isolated--separated both from the history of other Hellenistic states and from the history of ancient Egypt.The Last Pharaohs, the first detailed history of Ptolemaic Egypt as a state, departs radically from previous studies by putting the Ptolemaic state firmly in the context of both Hellenistic and Egyptian history. More broadly still, J. G. Manning examines the Ptolemaic dynasty in the context of the study of authoritarian and premodern states, shifting the focus of study away from modern European nation-states and toward ancient Asian ones. By analyzing Ptolemaic reforms of Egyptian economic and legal structures,The Last Pharaohsgauges the impact of Ptolemaic rule on Egypt and the relationships that the Ptolemaic kings formed with Egyptian society. Manning argues that the Ptolemies sought to rule through--rather than over--Egyptian society. He tells how the Ptolemies, adopting a pharaonic model of governance, shaped Egyptian society and in turn were shaped by it. Neither fully Greek nor wholly Egyptian, the Ptolemaic state within its core Egyptian territory was a hybrid that departed from but did not break with Egyptian history. Integrating the latest research on archaeology, papyrology, theories of the state, and legal history, as well as Hellenistic and Egyptian history,The Last Pharaohsdraws a dramatically new picture of Egypt's last ancient state.

PurposeThe key purpose of this study is to investigate the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) among farmers in Qena Governorate of Upper Egypt farmers' use of ICTs in Qena Governorate, one of Upper Egypt's largest agricultural governorates.Design/methodology/approachA semi-structured questionnaire survey, as well as some personal interviews, was used to collect detailed information about farmers' use or non-use of ICTs. The study's participants included 131 farmers.FindingsRespondents were mostly males who were married and had an average level of education and age. The majority of respondents had 26–30 years of work experience. The majority of them used ICTs for 4–6 h per day. All respondents used ICTs to learn about new agricultural products, increase land productivity, gather market information and learn about livestock. Mobile phones, social media and the internet were identified as the most useful and simple-to-use technologies by all respondents. Illiteracy, a lack of knowledge and awareness and the cost of CITs were discovered to have an impact on respondents' use of information.Originality/valueThe significance of this study stems from the hotly debated topic of the need to use technology tools in agriculture, whether for agricultural work or communication with others. ICTs provide a variety of new ways to communicate and exchange information and knowledge.

The Albian/Cenomanian reservoir is one of the two main reservoirs composing the petroleum system in the Komombo Basin. However, these reservoirs have not previously been studied in detail. Therefore, a detailed study of the reservoirs is performed. Six boreholes, three vertical seismic profiles and twenty 2D seismic lines are integrated in the Petrel™ Schlumberger modeling software to build a 3D structural model for the Albian/Cenomanian reservoir. This model represents a framework for the subsequent 3D facies and petrophysical models of the studied reservoir. The interpretation of the created maps and 3D models shows two normal fault directions: NW–SE and NE–SW, where the NW–SE direction is dominant, creating a major half-graben system. Conventional well log analyses are performed for the available wells. The results are used in subsequent facies and petrophysical modeling. The thickness of the Albian/Cenomanian reservoir ranges from about 137 to 411.5 m. Petrographic analyses were conducted on two cores retrieved from the Albian/Cenomanian cycles covering the depth interval of 1323–1352 m in well AB-5. Most of the samples consist of quartz arenite and feldspathic arenite. The 3D facies model of the reservoir shows that the sandstone has a large probability distribution in the study area compared to the shale and siltstone. The 3D petrophysical models imply that the Albian/Cenomanian reservoir has good to very good reservoir quality. The main issue for the reservoir is the high water saturation values. In contrast, the hydrocarbon saturation is restricted to some parts of the basin.

Two main reservoirs are producing in Komombo Basin: the first one belongs to the C Member of the Six Hills Formation, and the second belongs to the Albian/Cenomanian cycle. The C Member reservoir lacks detailed studies. Therefore, a detailed study of this reservoir is needed. 3D geological reservoir modeling of the C Member reservoir can be a pertinent part of an overall strategy for the development of hydrocarbon fields in Komombo Basin. Five boreholes, three vertical seismic profiles and twenty 2D seismic reflection sections are integrated in Petrel™ modeling software for building 3D structural, facies and petrophysical models for the C Member reservoir. The constructed 3D structural model reveals the presence of two normal faults, in NW–SE and NE–SW directions. A detailed petrophysical evaluation was performed for the available wells. The resulted facies/petrophysical parameters are then used as input in the processes of facies and petrophysical modeling. The C Member reservoir exhibits thickness values ranging from about 91.5 to 426.5 m. The constructed 3D facies model of the studied reservoir depicts that the shale beds have the large probability distribution in the study area with the comparison of the sandstone and siltstone beds. The created 3D petrophysical models reveal that the C Member reservoir has a fair reservoir quality. This reservoir exhibits, generally, high water saturation values in most parts of the study area, while the hydrocarbon saturation is restricted to the depocenter of the basin.

Background Climate change in the upcoming years will raise the health burden of zoonotic parasites. As a liver fluke, Fasciola depends on certain climate conditions to complete its life cycle and is significantly influenced by climate changes. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the increasing prevalence of human fascioliasis and climate changes in Upper Egypt. Methods Records of Fasciola cases in Assiut Governorate in Upper Egypt were evaluated between September 2018 and March 2023. The annual and monthly climate parameters of the region’s temperature and humidity acquired from ERA5 and FLDAS were investigated between 2000 and 2023. Results A total of 303 patients were included. The mean age was 33.9 ± 17.4 years; 57.1% were females, and the majority were rural residents. Positive correlations were found between temperature and the recorded cases in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022 ( r  = 0.92, 0.41, 0.61, and 0.60, respectively). In 2018 and 2022, humidity and Fasciola frequency had a significant positive correlation ( r  = 0.97 and 0.49, respectively). An outbreak of fascioliasis was recorded in September 2018, coinciding with the peak temperature and high humidity levels, exceeding the average climatology range from 2000 to 2017. The recorded cases exhibited a seasonal pattern, with peaks in hot, humid summer and autumn. Conclusion The rise of human fascioliasis in Upper Egypt is influenced by local climate characteristics. A climate-based map of Fasciola distribution using forecast risk models is needed to predict future outbreaks and for better control.