Microbiological Quality of Alternative Water Sources in the Urban Environment

( J. P. S. Sidhu ),( W. Ahmed ),( L. Hodgers ),( K. Smith ),( S. Toze ) 한국물환경학회 2017 한국물환경학회·대한상하수도학회 공동 춘계학술발표회 Vol.2017 No.-

In Australia, decreasing rainfall, frequent drought and population growth in urban environments, along with an overall desire to achieve greater water sustainability, has increased the demand for alternative water sources such as stormwater, roof-harvested rainwater, and treated wastewater effluent. The potential public health risks associated with alternative water sources predominantly originate from the presence of enteric viruses, pathogenic bacteria, and protozoan parasites. Empirical data on the presence of pathogens is a prerequisite to accurately determine human health risks and the extent of treatment required prior to use for potable and nonpotable purposes. We have carried out a number of targeted studies on the microbiological quality of the roof-harvested rainwater, stormwater, and treated wastewater effluent in the Southeast Queensland (Australia). The main of aim these studies was to collect quantitative data on the presence of pathogens and make an assessment of the potential health risk associated with water reuse. A dedicated survey of the roof-harvested rainwater tanks in Brisbane has shown the presence of Campylobacter spp. (21%), Salmonella spp., (4%), and Giardia lamblia (13%). In addition, opportunistic pathogens Legionella spp. (99%) and Mycobacterium intracellulare (78%) were also detected\. The numbers of bacteria ranged up to 3.1 x 10⁶ PCR detectable units (pdu) L^-1 for Legionella spp., 9.6 X 10⁵ pdu L^-1 for P. aeruginosa, 6.8 X 10⁵ pdu L^-1 for M. intracellulare, 6.6 x 10⁵ pdu L^-1 for Acanthamoeba spp., 1.1 x 10⁵ pdu L^-1 for M. avium, and 9.8 X 10³ pdu L^-1 for L. pneumophila. The presence of potential opportunistic pathogens in tank water may present health risks if un-treated water is for potable and non-potable use in the house. Stormwater runoff from two urban catchments with different drainage area, impervious area, and land use, a potential source of pollution and population density was collected and analyzed for the presence of pathogens and fecal indicator bacteria. The mean FIB numbers in water samples collected after the storm event ranged from 10 ³ to 10⁴ L^-1 for E. coli and 10 ⁴ to 10⁵ L^-1 for Enterococcus spp. Salmonella enterica numbers varied between 10 to 2400 MPN L^-1. Human adenovirus (HAdV) numbers in the stormwater varied between 10 to 10³ pdu L^-1, human polyomavirus (HPyV) numbers varied between 1 to 10³ pdu L^-1. Torque teno virus (HTtV) numbers varied between 10 to 7.45 x 10³ pdu L^-1. Somatic coliphages (Microviridae) was also widely prevalent with numbers varying between 10 to 10³ pdu L^-1. The results of this study suggest that enteric virus and bacterial pathogens frequently occur in the stormwater runoff in significant numbers which could lead to increased human health risks. A quantitative survey HAdV, HPyV, HTtV and somatic coliphage (Microviridae) numbers in influent and effluent samples was carried out from three wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) employing an activated sludge process to produce secondary treated effluent in Brisbane. HPyV, HAdV, HTtV and Microviridae were consistently detected in the primary influent in high numbers (10⁵ to 10⁶ pdu L^-1) and secondary treated effluent (10² to 10³ pdu L^-1) across all three treatment plants. Under appropriate conditions, WWTPs with activated sludge process could be an effective treatment barrier with > 3 log10 removal of enteric. The results confirm the occurrence of enteric viruses in significant numbers in secondary treated effluent, tertiary treatment may be required prior to effluent reuse or discharged into the environmental to prevent exposure of people to health hazards.

Increased Hypermethylation of Glutathione S-Transferase P1, DNA-Binding Protein Inhibitor, Death Associated Protein Kinase and Paired Box Protein-5 Genes in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Saudi Females

Hafez, Mohamed M.,Al-Shabanah, Othman A.,Al-Rejaie, Salim S.,Al-Harbi, Naif O.,Hassan, Zeinab K.,Alsheikh, Abdulmalik,Theyab, Abdurrahman I. Al,Aldelemy, Meshan L.,Sayed-Ahmed, Mohamed M. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.2

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer (BC) with higher metastatic rate and both local and systemic recurrence compared to non-TNBC. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) secondary to oxidative stress is associated with DNA damage, chromosomal degradation and alterations of both hypermethylation and hypomethylation of DNA. This study concerns differential methylation of promoter regions in specific groups of genes in TNBC and non-TNBC Saudi females in an effort to understand whether epigenetic events might be involved in breast carcinogenesis, and whether they might be used as markers for Saudi BCs. Methylation of glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1), T-cadherin (CDH13), Paired box protein 5 (PAX5), death associated protein kinase (DAPK), twist-related protein (TWIST), DNA-binding protein inhibitor (ID4), High In Normal-1 (HIN-1), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (p16), cyclin D2 and retinoic acid receptor-${\beta}$ ($RAR{\beta}1$) genes was analyzed by methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) in 200 archival formalin-fixed paraffin embedded BC tissues divided into 3 groups; benign breast tissues (20), TNBC (80) and non-TNBC (100). The relationships between methylation status, and clinical and pathological characteristics of patients and tumors were assessed. Higher frequencies of GSTP1, ID4, TWIST, DAPK, PAX5 and HIN-1 hypermethylation were found in TNBC than in non-TNBC. Hypermethylation of GSTP1, CDH13, ID4, DAPK, HIN-1 and PAX5 increased with tumor grade increasing. Other statistically significant correlations were identified with studied genes. Data from this study suggest that increased hypermethylation of GSTP1, ID4, TWIST, DAPK, PAX5 and HIN-1 genes in TNBC than in non-TNBC can act as useful biomarker for BCs in the Saudi population. The higher frequency of specific hypermethylated genes paralleling tumor grade, size and lymph node involvement suggests contributions to breast cancer initiation and progression.

Bendable RuO₂/graphene thin film for fully flexible supercapacitor electrodes with superior stability

Cho, Sangeun,Kim, Jongmin,Jo, Yongcheol,Ahmed, Abu Talha Aqueel,Chavan, H.S.,Woo, Hyeonseok,Inamdar, A.I.,Gunjakar, J.L.,Pawar, S.M.,Park, Youngsin,Kim, Hyungsang,Im, Hyunsik ELSEVIER SCIENCE 2017 JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS Vol.725 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Ruthenium oxide (RuO<SUB>2</SUB>) is fabricated on graphene (Gr)-coated Copper (Cu) foil by using a cathodic electroplating technique for flexible supercapacitor electrode applications. The electrochemical properties of the RuO<SUB>2</SUB>/Gr/Cu electrode are investigated with a conventional three electrode configuration in 0.5 M H<SUB>2</SUB>SO<SUB>4</SUB> electrolyte. The graphene insertion layer plays a key role in improving the structural and electrochemical properties of the RuO<SUB>2</SUB> electrode film under the bent condition. The electrode exhibits a specific capacitance of 1561 F g<SUP>−1</SUP> (0.015 F cm<SUP>−1</SUP>) at a scan rate of 5 mV s<SUP>−1</SUP> and a significantly improved retention of 98% under the bent condition. The flexible RuO<SUB>2</SUB>/Gr/Cu electrode exhibits a high energy density of ∼13 Wh kg<SUP>−1</SUP> at a power density of ∼21 kW kg<SUP>−1</SUP>. The excellent capacitance retention and electrochemical stability of the flexible RuO<SUB>2</SUB>/Gr/Cu electrode are due to the improved mechanical adhesion between the RuO<SUB>2</SUB> and the current collector. This flexible RuO<SUB>2</SUB>/Gr/Cu film could be used as a supercapacitor electrode with a high capacity and long-cycle life for the next-generation flexible electronic applications.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> A binder-free Bendable RuO<SUB>2</SUB> thin film is fabricated on a graphene/Cu substrate using an electroplating method. </LI> <LI> Electrochemical energy storage properties of RuO<SUB>2</SUB> are investigated for supercapacitor applications. </LI> <LI> Excellent capacitance retention and electrochemical stability are obtained. </LI> </UL> </P>

Filter orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing scheme based on polar code in underwater acoustic communication with non-Gaussian distribution noise

Ahmed, Mustafa Sami,Shah, Nor Shahida Mohd,Al-Aboosi, Yasin Yousif,Gismalla, Mohammed S.M.,Abdullah, Mohammad F.L.,Jawhar, Yasir Amer,Balfaqih, Mohammed Electronics and Telecommunications Research Instit 2021 ETRI Journal Vol.43 No.2

The research domain of underwater communication has garnered much interest among researchers exploring underwater activities. The underwater environment differs from the terrestrial setting. Some of the main challenges in underwater communication are limited bandwidth, low data rate, propagation delay, and high bit error rate (BER). As such, this study assessed the underwater acoustic (UWA) aspect and explored the expression of error performance based on t-distribution noise. Filter orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing refers to a new waveform candidate that has been adopted in UWA, along with turbo and polar codes. The empirical outcomes demonstrated that the noise did not adhere to Gaussian distribution, whereas the simulation results revealed that the filter applied in orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing could significantly suppress out-of-band emission. Additionally, the performance of the turbo code was superior to that of the polar code by 2 dB at BER 10-3.

ABCB1 and BMI1 mRNA expression in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia: impact on imatinib efficacy

Ahmed M. L. Bedewy,Shereen M. Elmaghraby,Noha S. Kandil 대한혈액학회 2019 Blood Research Vol.54 No.1

BackgroundATP-binding cassette transporters are important in the mechanism of multidrug resistance. ABCB1 displays a high affinity for imatinib. BMI1 is a polycomb group protein thought to be overexpressed in leukemic cells.MethodsThis study was conducted to investigate the prognostic value of ABCB1 and BMI1 ex-pressions in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Expression levels were measured in 81 patients newly diagnosed with CML and 20 healthy controls by real time reverse tran-scription-PCR. ResultsThe ABCB1 expression levels did not differ between patients with CML and controls. Low ABCB1 mRNA levels were observed in patients who achieved an optimal response com-pared to suboptimal and resistant cases (P=0.005). Non-responders showed the highest ABCB1 levels. ABCB1 expression did not affect the progression-free survival (PFS) of patients. BMI1 expression was higher in patients than that in controls (P=0.001). Patients in advanced phases expressed higher levels of BMI1 than those in the chronic phase (P=0.004). High BMI1 expression was associated with a shorter PFS.ConclusionABCB1 mRNA expression may serve as a predictor of the optimal response to imatinib treatment in patients with CML. BMI1 expression was higher in the accelerated and blastic crisis phases of CML and associated with a shorter PFS.

Removable shear connector for steel-concrete composite bridges

Ahmed S.H. Suwaed,Theodore L. Karavasilis 국제구조공학회 2018 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.29 No.1

The conception and experimental assessment of a removable friction-based shear connector (FBSC) for precast steel-concrete composite bridges is presented. The FBSC uses pre-tensioned high-strength steel bolts that pass through countersunk holes drilled on the top flange of the steel beam. Pre-tensioning of the bolts provides the FBSC with significant frictional resistance that essentially prevents relative slip displacement of the concrete slab with respect to the steel beam under service loading. The countersunk holes are grouted to prevent sudden slip of the FBSC when friction resistance is exceeded. Moreover, the FBSC promotes accelerated bridge construction by fully exploiting prefabrication, does not raise issues relevant to precast construction tolerances, and allows rapid bridge disassembly to drastically reduce the time needed to replace any deteriorating structural component (e.g., the bridge deck). A series of 11 push-out tests highlight why the novel structural details of the FBSC result in superior shear load-slip displacement behavior compared to welded shear studs. The paper also quantifies the effects of bolt diameter and bolt preload and presents a design equation to predict the shear resistance of the FBSC.

One-step facile route to copper cobalt sulfide electrodes for supercapacitors with high-rate long-cycle life performance

Ahmed, Abu Talha Aqueel,Chavan, Harish S.,Jo, Yongcheol,Cho, Sangeun,Kim, Jongmin,Pawar, S.M.,Gunjakar, Jayavant L.,Inamdar, Akbar I.,Kim, Hyungsang,Im, Hyunsik Elsevier 2017 Journal of alloys and compounds Vol.724 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>The impressive electrochemical energy storage performance of Earth-abundant ternary copper cobalt sulfide (CCS) thin film electrodes that are prepared on stainless steel substrates via a simple and cost-effective hydrothermal process is demonstrated. The optimized CCS electrode shows a high specific capacitance of ∼516 F/g at a current density of 10 A/g, a good rate capability of ∼72% at a high current density of 50 A/g, and a good cycling retention of ∼66% with a coulombic efficiency of ∼99% after 10,000 charge-discharge cycles. The CCS electrode exhibits a high energy density of ∼35.2 Wh/kg at a power density of ∼6.6 kW/kg. The excellent electrochemical supercapacitor properties of the CCS electrode are a result of a synergetic effect between the uniform full coverage, robust adhesion, and desired chemical composition. A low charge transfer resistance, resulting from the large electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) and good diffusion, significantly contributes to the enhanced electrochemical supercapacitor performance. This excellent CCS electrode material has the potential to become a low-cost and long-cycle life electrode for the next-generation high-power-capacity supercapacitors.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> A binder-free CuCo<SUB>2</SUB>S<SUB>4</SUB> electrode is synthesized using one-pot hydrothermal deposition. </LI> <LI> Superior electrochemical energy storage-deliver performance is demonstrated. </LI> <LI> High specific capacitance, excellent rate performance, and high rate long-term cyclic stability are obtained. </LI> </UL> </P>

The prognostic value of glucocorticoid receptors for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Ahmed M. L. Bedewy,Shereen M. EL-Maghraby,Noha S. Kandil,Waleed R. El-Bendary 대한혈액학회 2015 Blood Research Vol.50 No.4

BackgroundTherapeutic protocols used in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are widely varia-ble, and glucocorticoids (GCs) are essential components in ALL treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the distribution of prominent glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene polymorphic variants among adult ALL patients. We also investigated the association be-tween GR messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) isoform expressions and the response to chemotherapy.MethodsFifty-two newly diagnosed Philadelphia-negative adult ALL patients and 30 healthy control subjects were enrolled in this study. Genotyping was carried out using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. GR mRNA isoform ex-pressions were assayed by quantitative real-time PCR.ResultsALL patients in this study had a median age of 34 years (range, 18‒75). GR expression was associated with complete remission (P=0.03), while GR mRNA expression was sig-nificantly higher in GC resistant patients (P=0.032) and in non-responders (P=0.019). However, there were no significant associations with GC resistance. The BclI polymorphic variant of the GR gene was the most frequent in adult ALL patients and was not associated with the GC response. Both higher GR expression and lower GR expression were asso-ciated with achievement of complete remission, while higher GR expression was asso-ciated with GC-resistance.ConclusionOur data suggest that the level of GR isoform expression may be useful in predicting GC response, achievement of complete remission, and better event-free survival in ALL patients. However, further evaluation with a larger cohort of patients is warranted.

ABCB1 and BMI1 mRNA expression in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia: impact on imatinib efficacy

Ahmed M. L. Bedewy,Shereen M. Elmaghraby,Noha S. Kandil 대한혈액학회 2019 Blood Research Vol.54 No.1

BackgroundATP-binding cassette transporters are important in the mechanism of multidrug resistance. ABCB1 displays a high affinity for imatinib. BMI1 is a polycomb group protein thought to be overexpressed in leukemic cells.MethodsThis study was conducted to investigate the prognostic value of ABCB1 and BMI1 ex-pressions in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Expression levels were measured in 81 patients newly diagnosed with CML and 20 healthy controls by real time reverse tran-scription-PCR. ResultsThe ABCB1 expression levels did not differ between patients with CML and controls. Low ABCB1 mRNA levels were observed in patients who achieved an optimal response com-pared to suboptimal and resistant cases (P=0.005). Non-responders showed the highest ABCB1 levels. ABCB1 expression did not affect the progression-free survival (PFS) of patients. BMI1 expression was higher in patients than that in controls (P=0.001). Patients in advanced phases expressed higher levels of BMI1 than those in the chronic phase (P=0.004). High BMI1 expression was associated with a shorter PFS.ConclusionABCB1 mRNA expression may serve as a predictor of the optimal response to imatinib treatment in patients with CML. BMI1 expression was higher in the accelerated and blastic crisis phases of CML and associated with a shorter PFS.

The prognostic value of glucocorticoid receptors for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Ahmed M. L. Bedewy,Shereen M. EL-Maghraby,Noha S. Kandil,Waleed R. El-Bendary 대한혈액학회 2015 Blood Research Vol.50 No.4

BackgroundTherapeutic protocols used in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are widely varia-ble, and glucocorticoids (GCs) are essential components in ALL treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the distribution of prominent glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene polymorphic variants among adult ALL patients. We also investigated the association be-tween GR messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) isoform expressions and the response to chemotherapy.MethodsFifty-two newly diagnosed Philadelphia-negative adult ALL patients and 30 healthy control subjects were enrolled in this study. Genotyping was carried out using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. GR mRNA isoform ex-pressions were assayed by quantitative real-time PCR.ResultsALL patients in this study had a median age of 34 years (range, 18‒75). GR expression was associated with complete remission (P=0.03), while GR mRNA expression was sig-nificantly higher in GC resistant patients (P=0.032) and in non-responders (P=0.019). However, there were no significant associations with GC resistance. The BclI polymorphic variant of the GR gene was the most frequent in adult ALL patients and was not associated with the GC response. Both higher GR expression and lower GR expression were asso-ciated with achievement of complete remission, while higher GR expression was asso-ciated with GC-resistance.ConclusionOur data suggest that the level of GR isoform expression may be useful in predicting GC response, achievement of complete remission, and better event-free survival in ALL patients. However, further evaluation with a larger cohort of patients is warranted.