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Experiencing the War from Miles Away
Get PDFThis Audio Feature will showcase a glimpse of how Alaa Shaheen, a Palestinian man who lives in Egypt, experiences the ongoing war and tells us some his best and worst childhood experiences in Gaza, and how this has affected him today
The Use of Photoactive Polymeric Nanoparticles and Nanofibers to Generate a Photodynamic-Mediated Antimicrobial Effect, with a Special Emphasis on Chronic Wounds
No full textThis review is concerned with chronic wounds, with an emphasis on biofilm and its complicated management process. The basics of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (PDT) and its underlying mechanisms for microbial eradication are presented. Intrinsically active nanocarriers (polydopamine NPs, chitosan NPs, and polymeric micelles) that can further potentiate the antimicrobial photodynamic effect are discussed. This review also delves into the role of photoactive electrospun nanofibers, either in their eluting or non-eluting mode of action, in microbial eradication and accelerating the healing of wounds. Synergic strategies to augment the PDT-mediated effect of photoactive nanofibers are reviewed
Recovery of copper/carbon matrix nanoheteroarchitectures from recyclable electronic waste and their efficacy as antibacterial agents
No full textInnovative solutions are urgently needed with the growing environmental hazard of electronic waste (e-waste) and the rising global threat of bacterial infections. This study addresses both issues by using e-waste to produce copper nanoparticles within a carbon matrix (Cu/C NPs), mitigating environmental hazards while exploring their antibacterial properties. Printed circuit boards from discarded computers were collected and treated with 2 M ammonium citrate dissolved in 8% ammonia solution. The leached solution was used to synthesize copper particles using ascorbic acid. The synthesized Cu/C NPs were characterized using various techniques such as EDX, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity of Cu/C NPs against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was evaluated using colony-forming unit (CFU) reduction assay and calculating the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The Cu/C NPs were found to be effective against E. coli and S. aureus with 100% and 98% CFU reduction, respectively, with MICs ranging from 250 to 375 μg mL−1 for E. coli and 375 to 750 μg mL−1 for S. aureus, according to the bacterial load. The bactericidal kinetics showed complete bacterial elimination after 5 and 7 hours for E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. This study presents a sustainable approach for utilizing e-waste and demonstrates the potential of the recovered nanoparticles for antibacterial applications
Nanoencapsulation of general anaesthetics
No full textGeneral anaesthetics are routinely used to sedate patients during prolonged surgeries and administered via intravenous injection and/or inhalation. All anaesthetics have short half-lives, hence the need for their continuous administration. This causes several side effects such as pain, vomiting, nausea, bradycardia, and on rare occasions death post-administration. Several clinical trials studied the synergetic effect of a combination of anaesthetic drugs to reduce the drug load. Another solution is to encapsulate anaesthetics in nanoparticles to reduce their dose and side effects as well as achieve their sustained release manner. Different types of nanoparticles were developed as carriers of intravenous and intrathecal anaesthetics generating platforms which facilitate drug transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Nanocarriers encapsulating common anaesthetic drugs such as propofol, etomidate, and ketamine were developed and characterized in terms of size, stability, onset and duration of loss of right reflex, and tolerance to pain in small animal models. The review discusses the types of nanocarriers used to reduce the side effects of the anaesthetic drugs while prolonging the sedation time. More rigorous studies are still required to evaluate the nanocarrier formulations regarding their ability to deliver anaesthetic drugs across the BBB, safety, and finally applicability in clinical settings
Polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan-polyethylene glycol-glycerol incorporated with Peganum harmala loaded in lipid nanocapsules as an elastic nanocomposite surgical sealant to control bleeding
No full textUncontrolled hemorrhage remains a critical threat in trauma and surgery. This study developed a novel hemostatic composite by encapsulating Peganum harmala L. seed extract (PH) with known hemostatic properties into lipid nanocapsules (PH-LNCs) and then embedding them within a polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan-polyethylene glycol-glycerol (PVA-CS-PEG-G) matrix. The composite was physically crosslinked via the dual processes of freezing-thawing and thermal crosslinking and exhibited robust mechanical properties reaching 0.434 ± 0.014 MPa and elasticity of 40.685 % ± 4.04. It also demonstrated excellent biocompatibility, surface morphology, physical stability, and ex-vivo skin deposition/permeation were assessed. The characterization of PH-LNCs revealed optimal PH-LNC formation and successful integration into the composite with particle size, zeta potential, and PDI were approximately 45.45 ± 24 nm, −16.3 ± 1.4 mV, and 0.374 ± 0.1, respectively. In vitro studies highlighted enhanced blood clotting and platelet adhesion, while in vivo experiments confirmed superior hemostatic efficacy in a mouse tail amputation model. The composite\u27s soft texture, conformability, and mechanical strength make it a promising candidate for effective traumatic wound management
Does the audit committee member’s accounting experience associated with key audit matter types?
No full textUsing a narrow view of accounting experience, this study examines the relationship between accounting experience on audit committees (ACs) and key audit matters (KAMs) in the UK. In contrast to extant research, this study distinguishes between different types of accounting experience on AC and how this relates to different types of KAMs. We also address the effects of the interplay between accounting and supervisory experiences on KAMs. Using a sample from FTSE 350, we provide robust evidence that accounting experience on ACs is an important driver of extended audit reporting quality. Moreover, we find evidence that different types of accounting experience have mostly similar effects on different types of KAMs. Further, we show that AC members with prior supervisory experience complement the role of accounting experience. Nevertheless, this complementary relationship varies between types of KAMs. Overall, our study offers important insights regarding how accounting and supervisory experience on ACs is associated with the quality of KAMs reported in the extended reports. Our results are robust to alternative sampling, model specifications, and endogeneity concerns
Fabrication of crystalline silicon nanowires coated with graphene from graphene oxide on amorphous silicon substrate using excimer laser
No full textIn this work, we report a single-step graphene-coated crystalline silicon nanowires (SiNWs) manufacturing technique. We report a one-step fabrication technique of SiNWscoated reduced graphene oxide using a krypton fluoride (KrF) excimer laser. The SiNWs have been manufactured by redistributing the silicon mass within the sample without etching any of the deposited amorphous silicon (a-Si) and then adding a synthesized graphene oxide suspension using the modified Hummers\u27 method. The process is optimized to ensure that the graphene is completely reduced and that the crystalline nanowires are formed. In order to allow full control of the dimension of the generated nanowires, the properties of the excimer laser have been investigated. Additionally, graphene-coated Si nanowires have also been synthesized to be used for gas-sensing applications in the future. In this work, we are eviting the repetition of the previously published work by the same research group for the sake of brevity. But the reader can refer to the previously published work on the study of the effect of different parameters on the SiNWs growth like the study of the effect of changing the normalized frequency on the size of the grown SiNWs in terms of length and diameter as well as other parameters mentioned in the previously published work in the references
A micro-fabricated potentiometric platform with application in a COVID-19 drug quantification and the determination of its binding affinity to a supramolecular host
No full textRecent applications in host–guest chemistry include advanced sensing technologies, drug formulations, and drug delivery. Quantification of host–guest binding constants is significant to the continued optimization of their use. Binding constants offer valuable information about the stability and affinity of the formed complex that is essential to both drug formulations and delivery. In this study a novel green, portable, disposable, and cost-efficient microfabricated potentiometric sensor is introduced and successfully applied to determine the concentration of remdesivir (RMD), a COVID-19 drug, and its binding affinity to the supramolecular host sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBEβCD) as a compatible solubilizing agent; to overcome the low water solubility of RMD which presents a significant challenge in its intravenous administration. The sensor incorporates multi-walled carbon nanotubes to improve stability and detection limits. To reduce interference effects and enhance the selectivity of the sensor for RMD, 4-tert-butyl-calix[8]arene was employed as an ionophore. A Nernstian potentiometric response for RMD over a concentration range of 1.0 × 10−3 to 1.0 × 10−6 M with a slope of 58.2 ± 0.9 mV decade−1 and a detection limit of 0.23 µM were achieved. The binding constant of the RMD-SBEβCD complex was determined to be 9.76 × 103 M−1. The proposed sensor was shown to be effective for drug quantification and measurements of binding affinities, providing valuable insights into the physicochemical properties of target drugs
Informal employment in the health sector: Examining gender disparities
No full textThis paper investigates the association between informal employment as a form of non-standard employment and the prevalence of in-work poverty for women in the health sector. We measured in-work poverty using a binary indicator that provides information on whether an individual has earnings above or below the low earnings threshold. The indicator takes into account household size and whether other household members are also in paid work. Using data from the Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey for the years 2012 and 2018 and logit models, we found that being employed within the health sector increased the likelihood of in-work poverty among non-standard employees, both men and women. However, higher risks of in-work poverty were witnessed among women working informally in the health sector compared to other sectors. This increased risk was particularly observed when comparing non-standard employment in the health sector to non-standard employment in non-health sectors. Furthermore, marital status plays a critical role in economic wellbeing, with never-married women being more susceptible to in-work poverty compared to ever-married women
BarkB2B: growing the business-to-business (B2B) marketing sector
No full textLearning outcomes: After completion of the case study, students will be able to enumerate the unique characteristics of business-to-business (B2B) versus business-to-consumer marketing, explore strategic positioning and how niche marketing can create a competitive advantage, deduce the significance of core values in corporate culture and decision-making, explore innovative partnership and talent acquisition models, infer the role of educational marketing in sectors where clients are not fully aware of their needs and apply strategic decision-making to balance short- and long-term goals in terms of profitability and growth. Case overview/synopsis: This case study tells the story of BarkB2B, a boutique marketing firm specialized exclusively in B2B marketing. Founded in Egypt in 2018, BarkB2B focused on creating long-lasting partnerships with clients in industries such as IT, logistics, construction and renewable energy. The case explores the critical aspects of BarkB2B’s business model and offers a comprehensive view of real-world challenges and opportunities in the B2B marketing landscape. It helps learners understand strategic positioning, core values in decision-making, innovative partnership-based business models, the role of educational marketing and the complexities associated with growth. It concludes by highlighting the dilemma faced by BarkB2B’s founder and managing director Naela Sakr as she reflects on the challenge of maintaining the company’s positioning while achieving greater profitability and growth. Complexity academic level: The case study is intended for undergraduate and graduate students in marketing, strategic marketing, consumer behavior and entrepreneurship courses. It is also beneficial for marketing professionals, entrepreneurs, corporate training and executive education programs. Supplementary materials: Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code: CSS 8: Marketing