Solute transport and geochemical modeling of the coastal quaternary aquifer, Delta Dahab Basin, South Sinai, Egypt

The wadi dahab delta is in a dry, arid coastal zone within Egypt’s south Sinai Peninsula’s eastern portion. The primary water source is the Quaternary coastal alluvial aquifer. The groundwater salinity varies from 890to 8213 mg/L, with a mean value of 3417 mg/L. The dissolved major ions have been used to calculate the seawater mixing index(SWMI) using a linear equation that discriminates the groundwater mostly affected by water–rock interaction(SWMI 1>) and other samples mixed with Seawater(SWMI < 1). The isotopic composition of groundwater for specifically chosen groundwater samples ranges from-0.645‰ to +5.212‰ for δ^(18)O and from-9.582‰ to + 22.778‰ for δ^(2)H, where the seawater represented by a Red Sea water sample(δ^(18)O + 1.64‰-δ^(2)H + 9.80‰) and reject brine water are considerably enriched the isotopic groundwater values. The geochemical NETPATH model constrained by the dissolved significant ions, isotopes, and the rock aquifer forming minerals as phases indicate the mixing percent with the seawater ranges from 9% to 97% of seawater from 91% to 3% of original recharge water. According to the SEAWAT 3-D flow models, seawater has penetrated the Northeastern Dahab delta aquifer, with the intrusion zone extending1500 m inland. The salt dissolution, upwelling of saline water, recharge from the upstream mountain block, and seawater encroachment are the primary aspects contributing to the deterioration of groundwater quality. These findings may have significance for effective groundwater withdrawal management in arid locations worldwide with similar hydrogeological systems.

Hepatic hemangioma:What internists need to know

Hepatic hemangioma(HH)is the most common benign liver tumor and it is usually found incidentally during radiological studies.This tumor arises from a vascular malformation;however,the pathophysiology has not been clearly elucidated.Symptoms usually correlate with the size and location of the tumor.Less commonly the presence of a large HH may cause life-threatening conditions.The diagnosis can be established by the identification of HH hallmarks in several imaging studies.In patients that present with abdominal symptoms other etiologies should be excluded first before attributing HH as the cause.In asymptomatic patient’s treatment is not required and follow up is usually reserved for HH of more than 5 cm.Symptomatic patients can be managed surgically or with other non-surgical modalities such as transcatheter arterial embolization or radiofrequency ablation.Enucleation surgery has shown to have fewer complications as compared to hepatectomy or other surgical techniques.Progression of the tumor is seen in less than 40%.Hormone stimulation may play a role in HH growth;however,there are no contraindications for hormonal therapy in patients with HH due to the lack of concrete evidence.When clinicians encounter this condition,they should discern between observation and surgical or non-surgical management based on the clinical presentation.

Abdominal compartment syndrome among surgical patients

Abdominal compartment syndrome(ACS)develops when organ failure arises secondary to an increase in intraabdominal pressure.The abdominal pressure is determined by multiple factors such as blood pressure,abdominal compliance,and other factors that exert a constant pressure within the abdominal cavity.Several conditions in the critically ill may increase abdominal pressure compromising organ perfusion that may lead to renal and respiratory dysfunction.Among surgical and trauma patients,aggressive fluid resuscitation is the most commonly reported risk factor to develop ACS.Other conditions that have also been identified as risk factors are ascites,hemoperitoneum,bowel distention,and large tumors.All patients with abdominal trauma possess a higher risk of developing intra-abdominal hypertension(IAH).Certain surgical interventions are reported to have a higher risk to develop IAH such as damage control surgery,abdominal aortic aneurysm repair,and liver transplantation among others.Close monitoring of organ function and intra-abdominal pressure(IAP)allows clinicians to diagnose ACS rapidly and intervene with target-specific management to reduce IAP.Surgical decompression followed by temporary abdominal closure should be considered in all patients with signs of organ dysfunction.There is still a great need for more studies to determine the adequate timing for interventions to improve patient outcomes.

Guardians of the Corn: The Snake, The Bat and the Toad in Pre-Columbian Mayan Art of the Classic Period (ca. 250-900 CE)

The conflict and congruity of dualistic approaches to the world inundate the illustration of agricultural production in the Pre-Columbian Art of the Maya.Crop production is co-dependent on human factors,environmental factors and animal factors.The symbiosis of these elements generated success or failure in harmony with the natural world.This paper explores the relationship of three animals to successful crop production with particular attention placed on the cane toad,as this creature has often been confused with frogs or underplayed in earlier academic research.The cane toad is a powerful force in organic farming,functioning as a deterrent to destructive pests.In addition,the cane toad produces powerful hallucinogenic substances for humans,while at the same time,repelling predators with its bitter taste,acrid smell and poison.This bufo-toxin is a powerful substance that links the toad with the Underworld origins of the maize.

The Downward Breaststroke Kick Makes Fast Speed and Increased Lactate Acid

In this study,we assess the effectiveness of utilizing a downward breaststroke kick with regard to the overall time,max speed and velocity per stroke when using a downward breaststroke kick technique.We analyzed breaststroke kick of knee angles from 8 elite world class swimmers.The downward breaststroke kick used in breaststroke competitions resulted in improvements average of 100 yard or 100 meter breaststroke from 1:05.10 s to 1:01.97 s.Increases in performance max speed and velocity per stroke among 9 elite world class swimmers are highly correlated to duration of the kick aerodynamic buoyant farce in breaststroke.The downward breaststroke kick also resulted in an increase in lactate acid.

What we learned in the past year in managing our COVID-19 patients in intensive care units?

Coronavirus disease 2019 is a pandemic,was first recognized at Wuhan province,China in December 2019.The disease spread quickly across the globe,spreading stealthily from human to human through both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals.A multisystem disease which appears to primarily spread via bio aerosols,it has exhibited a wide clinical spectrum involving multiple organ systems with the respiratory system pathology being the prime cause of morbidity and mortality.Initially unleashing a huge destructive trail at Wuhan China,Lombardy Italy and New York City,it has now spread to all parts of the globe and has actively thrived and mutated into new forms.Health care systems and Governments responded initially with panic,with containment measures giving way to mitigation strategies.The global medical and scientific community has come together and responded to this huge challenge.Professional medical societies quickly laid out“expert”guidelines which were conservative in their approach.Many drugs were re formulated and tested quickly with the help of national and international collaborative groups,helping carve out effective treatment strategies and help build a good scientific foundation for evidencebased medicine.Out of the darkness of chaos,we now have an orderly approach to manage this disease both from a public health preventive and therapeutic standpoint.With preventive measures such as masking and social distancing to the development of highly effective and potent vaccines,the public health success of such measures has been tempered by behavioral responses and resource mobilization.From a therapy standpoint,we now have drugs that were promising but now proven ineffective,and those that are effective when given early during viral pathogenesis or later when immune dysregulation has established,and the goal is to help reign in the destructive cascade.It has been a fascinating journey for mankind and our work here recapitulates the evolution of various aspects of critical care and other inpatient practices which continue to evolve.

A Serratia marcesens Strains Involved in Cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>) Boll Infection by a Prokaryote

A boll infection caused by non-traditional cotton pathogens was first reported to occur in the southeastern U.S. Cotton Belt (year 2000) and has since spread to Texas causing significant yield losses. This study was aimed towards investigating the verde plant bug (Creontiades signatus) link between interior boll disease in Texas, USA. Using glasshouse grown bolls, bacteria recovered from locules with disease symptoms from field-grown cotton bolls caged with the piercing-sucking C. signatus were analyzed for the capacity to inflict the disease. For pathogenicity testing, spontaneously generated rifampicin resistant (Rifr) variants were utilized to track the antibiotic resistant bacterium and deter growth of endophytic and contaminating bacteria. To simulate C. signatus feeding, a needle (31 gauge) was employed to inoculate bolls at 13 - 15 days after flower bloom. Bacterial suspensions ranged from 101 - 106 colony forming units/ml. Field infection symptoms were duplicated after two weeks of bacterial exposure. Infectious strains were best categorized as Serratia marcescens based on traditional carbon utilization and enzyme production testing, and a 99% nucleotide sequence identity of 16S ribosomal DNA. Putative S. marcescens representatives isolated from rotted bolls exposed to C. signatus were shown to reproduce field infection symptoms upon inoculation into greenhouse grown fruit. Serratia spp. can inflict disease in alfalfa, cucurbits, and sunflower. The presented data are the first to definitively show that a Serratia sp. has the capacity to infect cotton.

Genomics in medicine: A new era in medicine

The sequencing of complete human genome revolutionized the genomic medicine.However,the complex interplay of gene-environment-lifestyle and influence of non-coding genomic regions on human health remain largely unexplored.Genomic medicine has great potential for diagnoses or disease prediction,disease prevention and,targeted treatment.However,many of the promising tools of genomic medicine are still in their infancy and their application may be limited because of the limited knowledge we have that precludes its use in many clinical settings.In this review article,we have reviewed the evolution of genomic methodologies/tools,their limitations,and scope,for current and future clinical application.

Role of proning and positive end-expiratory pressure in COVID-19

The novel coronavirus,which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in early 2020 has brought with itself major morbidity and mortality.It has increased hospital occupancy,heralded economic turmoil,and the rapid transmission and community spread have added to the burden of the virus.Most of the patients are admitted to the intensive care unit(ICU)for acute hypoxic respiratory failure often secondary to acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS).Based on the limited data available,there have been different opinions about the respiratory mechanics of the ARDS caused by coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Our article provides an insight into COVID-19 pathophysiology and how it differs from typical ARDS.Based on these differences,our article explains the different approach to ventilation in COVID-19 ARDS compared to typical ARDS.We critically analyze the role of positive end-expiratory pressure(PEEP)and proning in the ICU patients.Through the limited data and clinical experience are available,we believe that early proning in COVID-19 patients improves oxygenation and optimal PEEP should be titrated based on individual lung compliance.

质谱成像中的计算策略综述

质谱成像(MSI)已广泛应用于蛋白质组学、代谢组学、脂质组学和糖组学,以及与组织医学诊断和临床应用相关的生物医学研究领域。质谱成像能提供生物组织样本中空间分子组成的信息。由于MSI数据量异常庞大,人工数据解析和可视化分析的低效率、低精度已成为了研究中的瓶颈。因此,近年来在MSI的相关研究中出现了各种计算算法协助数据解析。本文综述了MSI最常用的计算策略及其在生物医学研究中的应用,涵盖了MSI数据预处理、降维、聚类、分类等数据分析方法和MSI软件工具包的最新研究成果。