Minia University

About: Minia University is a education organization based out in Minya, Egypt. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 4967 authors who have published 8986 publications receiving 108384 citations.

Prevalence and Some Possible Mechanisms of Colistin Resistance Among Multidrug-Resistant and Extensively Drug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract: Background and aim The emergence of colistin-resistant strains is considered a great threat for patients with severe infections. Here, we investigate the prevalence and some possible mechanisms of colistin resistance among multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed using disc diffusion methods while colistin resistance was detected by agar dilution method. Possible mechanisms for colistin resistance were studied by detection of mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes by conventional PCR, detection of efflux mechanisms using Carbonyl Cyanide 3-Chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), studying outer membrane protein profile and Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) profile of resistant isolates. Results It was found that MDR and XDR represented 96% and 87% of the isolated P. aeruginosa, respectively, and colistin resistance represented 21.3%. No isolates were positive for mcr-2 gene while 50% of colistin-resistant isolates were positive for mcr-1. Efflux mechanisms were detected in 3 isolates. Protein profile showed the presence of a band of 21.4 KDa in the resistant strains which may represent OprH while LPS profile showed differences among colistin-resistant mcr-1 negative strains, colistin-resistant mcr-1 positive strains and susceptible strains. Conclusion The current study reports a high prevalence of colistin resistance and mcr-1 gene in P. aeruginosa strains isolated from Egypt that may result in untreatable infections. Our finding makes it urgent to avoid unnecessary clinical use of colistin.

Effect of Sodium Butyrate on Intestinal Health of Poultry – A Review

Abstract: Abstract Health of the intestine is one of the main reasons that affects the bird’s performance, and thus the economic yield in the poultry sector. Various studies have examined how to improve the intestinal health using dietary supplements, including organic acids such as sodium butyrate (SB). The efficacy of the dietary supplementation in poultry is often assessed using an important parameter such as intestinal integrity, which is often assessed as a measure of high villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth, or count of goblet cell numbers. In broilers, the villus length and width were increased by the addition of dietary SB. Since, at day 21 and 42, the villus length was increased by 55 and 27%, and 39 and 18% for birds fed 0.5 and 1 g/kg, respectively, compared with the control diet. Furthermore, SB plays an important role in development of poultry intestinal epithelium. It can be employed by the intestinal epithelial cells as an energy source to stimulate their differentiation and proliferation, and to improve intestinal barrier function. SB is effective against acid intolerant species such as Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens and E. coli. In addition, use of butyric acid at 0.6% reduced the pH of gastrointestinal segments. For this, SB could be a potential alternative in maintaining the health of gastrointestinal tract and improving the productive performance of poultry. This review refers to the expanding horizons in the research on SB supplementation in poultry health and nutrition.

Tree Growth Based Optimization Algorithm for Parameter Extraction of Different Models of Photovoltaic Cells and Modules

Abstract: Among all renewable energy sources, solar cells are considered the most popular solution for a clean source of energy and have a wide range of applications from few watts to Megawatt industrial and domestic loads Building a precise mathematical model based on nonlinear equations for solar cells as well as photovoltaic (PV) modules is an essential issue for reasonable performance assessment, control and optimal operation of PV energy systems In the current study, a novel optimization algorithm, Tree Growth Algorithm (TGA), is applied for accurate and efficient extraction of the unknown solar cell and PV module parameters TGA is applied for estimating the unidentified parameters of PV models Single diode model (SDM), double diode model (DDM) and three diode model (TDM) are investigated in the mathematical models of both solar cells and PV modules The obtained results from the application of TGA to achieve this objective are compared with different algorithms reported in the literature Moreover, the results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm of TGA superior to other reported methods The good matching of the I-V characteristic curve of the computed parameters with those of the measured data from the manufacturer’s PV modules/cells datasheet proved that the proposed TGA may function as a competitor to the methods provided in literature for parameters’ identification of PV of solar cells

Fractionation of platinum, palladium, nickel, and copper in sulfide–arsenide systems at magmatic temperature

Abstract: Experimentally derived phase relations of arsenide in sulfide melt are presented to quantify the fractionation paths of As-bearing sulfide melts When a natural sulfide melt reaches arsenide saturation, a separate Ni–PGE-rich arsenide melt exsolves The arsenic saturation concentration in an Fe–Ni–Cu sulfide melt is between 05 and 15 wt% The affinities of the chalcophile metals for an immiscible arsenide melt follow the order Pt > Pd > Ni ≫ Fe ≈ Cu In natural systems, arsenide exsolution will be triggered by the activity of the nickel arsenide components dissolved in sulfide melt, Ni being the most common base metal with strong affinity to the Asn− anionic species Arsenic may have a major effect on the fractionation paths of sulfide melts even if no separate arsenide phase forms Arsenic, and probably many other chalcogens and metalloids in magmatic melts, may undergo associations with Pt and Pd well before discrete PGE minerals become stable phases