Dr Mohammed Mahmoud Youssif

Application of advanced techniques and machine learning (ML) for designing and predicting the properties of engineered hydrochar/biochar is of great agro-environmental concern. Carbon (C) stability and phosphorus (P) availability in hydrochar (HC) are among the key limitations as they cannot be accurately predicted by traditional one-factor tests and might be overcome by engineering the pristine HC. Therefore, the aims of this study were (1) to determine the optimal production conditions of engineered swine manure HC with high C stability and P availability, and (2) to develop the best ML models to predict the properties of HC derived from different feedstocks. Pristine- (HC) and FeCl3 impregnated swine manure-derived HC (HC-Fe) were produced by hydrothermal carbonization under different pH (4, 7, and 10), reaction temperature (180, 220, and 260 ℃), and residence time (60, 120, and 180 min) and characterized using thermo-gravimetric, microscopic, and spectroscopic analyses. Also, different ML algorithms were used to model and predict the hydrochar solid yield, properties, and nutrients content. FeCl3 impregnation increased Fe-phosphate content, while it reduced H/C and O/C ratios and hydroxyapatite P content, and therefore improved C stability and P availability in the HC-Fe as compared to HC, particularly under lower pH (4), temperature of 220 ℃, and at 120 min. The generalized additive ML model outperformed the other models for predicting the HC properties with a correlation coefficient of 0.86. The ML analysis showed that the most influential features on the hydrochar C stability were the H and O contents in the biomass, while P availability in HC was more dependent on the C, N and O contents in biomass. These results provided optimal production conditions for Fe-engineered manure hydrochar and identified the best performing ML model for predicting hydrochar properties. The main implication of this study is that it offers a high potential to improve the utilization of biowastes and produce biowaste-derived engineered hydrochar with high C stability and P availability on a large scale.

Background Medical students are the future doctors and play an essential role in the management of health issues. Their understanding of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not only required but also necessary to provide the best possible care to patients. The present study aimed to assess medical students’ knowledge about AD within the context of the recent reform of the Egyptian medical educational system, which switched to competency-based instead of outcome-based education since 2017.
Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students in public and private Egyptian medical schools. Between August and November 2024, an anonymous self-administered questionnaire was uploaded to Google Forms and distributed online through commonly used social media platforms. The Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS), a validated and reliable tool, was used for the measurement of AD-related knowledge. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the factors associated with having good or poor knowledge about AD among participants.
Results In total, 1100 medical students were included through convenience and snowball sampling methods; their mean age was 20.9 ± 1.9 years, 55.5% were males, 59.6% were in their clinical years, and 15.6% had a positive family history of AD. The students’ mean knowledge score was 19.10 ± 2.96 out of 30, representing 63.7% of answers correct, with a range of scores between 9 and 29. About 70.8% of the sample had good knowledge. The highest percentage of correct answers was for the treatment and management domain (76.5%), while the lowest percentage was for the caregiving domain (52.2%). Predictors of good knowledge were females [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.33 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–1.76, p = 0.043], attending a public university [aOR = 1.62 (95% CI: 1.09–2.41), p = 0.015), clinical year students [aOR = 1.53 (95% CI: 1.07–2.16), p = 0.018], living in an urban area [(aOR = 1.67 (95% CI: 1.23–2.25), p < 0.001], and having higher family monthly income [aOR = 1.75 (95% CI: 1.13–2.72), p = 0.012].
Conclusions The study highlights gaps in Egyptian medical students’ knowledge of AD. Knowledge gaps were found in domains of caregiving and risk factors, urging educators and policymakers to enhance curricula, particularly preclinical curricula, with a specific focus on some socio-economic determinants.

Background/objective: Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are recognized to experience challenges with muscle function. However, there is a lack of knowledge about muscle and hand grip strength in autism. Therefore, the study aims to assess the handgrip and pinch strength of ASD and typical children. Material and method: This study enrolled 45 participants of both sexes, 27 males and 18 females, aged 6-12 years old; 24 (13 females and 11 males) were typically developing children and 21 (5 females and 16 males) had ASD. The outcome measures were hand grip and pinch strength, with the handheld dynamometer assessing handgrip strength and the hydraulic pinch gauge evaluating pinch grip. The hydraulic pinch gauge measured the pinch strengths of the key, tripod, and pulp grips. Both groups were assessed on both their dominant and non-dominant sides. Result: A comparison of the ASD group with the control group revealed that children with ASD exhibited lower values of the hand grip, key pinch, tripod pinch, and pulp pinch strengths for both hands (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The hand and pinch strengths of ASD children are lower than those of typically developing children. Therefore, the evaluation process for children with ASD should include hand and pinch strengths as a standard component. Furthermore, the rehabilitation program for ASD should prioritize enhancing hand strength.

OBJECTIVE: Bone tissue is the chief target for lead (Pb) in chronic exposure. This study aimed to demonstrate the relation between the blood lead levels (BLL) and serum levels of 1,25 dihydroxy cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) and type I collagen cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTX-1) as a biomarker of bone turnover among some Egyptian workers occupationally exposed to Pb in the smelting process. The study also targeted to identify any clinical manifestations indicative of skeletal system affection and their association with the performed investigations.

METHODS: A total of 48 smelter workers and 48 administrative controls participated in the study. All subjects underwent comprehensive medical and occupational history taking and detailed clinical examinations, with a particular focus on symptoms indicative of skeletal system involvement. These symptoms included generalized bony aches, low back pain, joint pain, restricted joint movement, a history of fractures from minor trauma, and delayed fracture healing. BLL, as well as serum levels of vitamin D3 and CTX-1, were measured in all participants.

RESULTS: Smelter workers exhibited significantly higher prevalence of bony aches, low back pain, joint pain, and past fractures from minor trauma compared to controls. The BLL and serum CTX-1 levels were significantly elevated in the exposed group, while serum vitamin D3 levels were notably lower. Logistic regression analysis revealed that BLL significantly predicted bony aches and low back pain. Additionally, serum vitamin D3 and CTX-1 levels were significant predictors of low back pain and joint pain, respectively, among exposed workers. The measured parameters were significantly correlated with one another and with the duration of employment in the exposed group.

CONCLUSION: Significant associations between manifestations of skeletal system affection, BLL, and serum levels of vitamin D3 and CTX-1 were detected among smelter workers with chronic occupational exposure to Pb.

Paclitaxel (PTX)-induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN) is a disabling side effect of PTX, which adversely affects the life quality of cancer patients. Flavonoids such as hesperidin methyl chalcone (HMC) and taxifolin (TAX) can alleviate neuropathic pain via their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, and antinociceptive properties. The current study aimed to assess the efficacy of HMC and TAX in preventing PIPN individually or in combination. Pretreatment with HMC and TAX mitigated PTX-induced mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia, cold allodynia, and thermal hyperalgesia as well as restore the normal histological architecture. Remarkably, neuropathic pain was relieved by suppression of nerve growth factor (NGF), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), and transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1), which ultimately lead to reduced calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Furthermore, both HMC or TAX enhanced nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), leading to elevated glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) along with lowered malondialdehyde (MDA), which in turn, downregulated nuclear factor kappa B P65 (NF-κB P65) and its phosphorylated form and eventually reduced tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) then lowered the apoptotic indices. Promisingly, the combination of both agents was superior to each drug alone through targeting more diverse signaling pathways and achieving synergistic and comprehensive therapeutic effects. In conclusion, pretreatment with HMC and TAX separately or in combination alleviated PIPN via modulating NGF/p38 MAPK/NF-κB P65/TRPV1/CGRP pathway.

Building on Contingency Theory, this study investigates the effects of contingent factors – such as situational factors like teaching auditing ethics and the methods used (active vs. passive) – and cognitive factors like moral intensity on accounting students’ moral decision-making (i.e. moral sensitivity, moral judgment, motivation, and moral character). A 2 × 2 factorial experimental design was employed to test the research hypotheses. The ANOVA results revealed that teaching auditing ethics alone do not fully explain ethical behavior. However, when auditing ethics is combined with teaching methods and moral intensity, it significantly affects ethical decision-making. Specifically, a simple effects analysis indicated that active teaching methods are superior to passive ones in raising students’ awareness of the complexity of ethical dilemmas and the importance of acting ethically, especially when faced with high-materiality ethical issues. The findings also revealed that passive teaching methods, such as traditional lectures and readings, have an impact on students’ moral decision-making similar to not teaching auditing ethics at all. Practical and public policy implications are discussed.