Free-living amoebae are ubiquitous in nature, with some species causing infections in humans and animals. Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeboflagellate, is the only species known to infect humans globally, causing primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a severe and often fatal brain infection. Infection occurs through the nasal entry when swimming or diving in warm freshwater environments. This study investigates the presence of pathogenic N. fowleri in Egyptian swimming pools, examining 100 water, dust, and swab samples from five pools in Cairo. Thermo-tolerant Naegleria-like amoebae were detected in 56% of samples, with the highest incidence in summer. Nested PCR using Mp2Cl5 gene primers specific to N. fowleri identified the amoeba in 42.2% of culture-positive samples. The majority of positive samples were water, followed by swab and dust samples. These findings suggest swimming pools as potential sources of Naegleria infection, highlighting the need for molecular diagnostic methods for rapid identification.

Cross-sectional serological and questionnaire surveys were employed on small ruminants to determine the prevalence of brucellosis, identify risk factors and public health implications. A total of 1190 blood samples were collected from shoats (876 caprine and 314 ovine) in Chifra and Ewa districts. One hundred fifty-five (13%) of the samples tested were positive using mRBPT. Further testing of the positive reactors for mRBPT with CFT revealed 147 (12.35%) seropositivity for Brucella. The result showed that among the risk factors considered in the analysis, species, sex, age, parity number, and flock size had a statistically significant effect on seropositivity (p<0.05). Goats were more than 2 times (OR=2.34) at risk of getting infected with Brucella than sheep. The seroprevalence was also significantly higher in female (13.8%) than in male (6.5%) animals. The odds of seropositivity in older animals are 2.36 times higher than that of younger ones. Individual animal seroprevalence was higher in larger flocks than in smaller ones (OR=0.68). The habit of drinking raw milk was practiced by almost all of the respondents. Poor awareness of the zoonotic importance of brucellosis and the practices of consuming raw milk and handling potentially infectious materials using bare hands pose a serious danger to small ruminant owners. There is a need for planning and implementation of joint programs by stakeholders in the prevention and control of the disease as well as raising public awareness.

The paper presents the main notions, mathematical models, and applications of the novel branch of mathematics called the Mathematical Theory of Development. This field seeks to provide a rigorous framework for understanding complex systems by integrating principles of optimization, systems theory, and developmental biology. By applying these mathematical models, researchers can better predict and manipulate the developmental processes in biological systems, enabling advancements in biotechnology and systems biology. The paper further explores the potential applications of this theory in solving real-world optimization problems, offering a new perspective on the development and evolution of complex systems.

Objective: Lipid profiles are one of the known predictors of cardiovascular diseases. Aerobic exercises are employed to reduce cardiovascular risk factors. The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of two types of aerobic exercise on lipid profiles and Castelli risk index in sedentary adult female subjects. Methods: Twenty sedentary healthy volunteer females aged 35 to 45 voluntarily participated in two types of endurance exercise for 8 consecutive weeks. Blood parameters including TC, TG, HDL, and VLDL and LDL/HDL, Chol/HDL ratios were analyzed. Results: No significant differences were found between the two types of training protocols on TC, TG, LDL, HDL, HDL to LDL and VLDL (P=0.885, 0.110, 0.607, 0.137, HDL to LDL, 0.90) levels. Both exercise types had significant effects on TC, LDL, HDL, Castelli risk index, and weight (P=0.0001, 0.0001, 0.006, 0.0001). However, no significant difference was found between the pre and post-test levels of TG and VLDL (p=0.46, 0.44), respectively. Conclusion: Aerobic exercise performed intermittently or continuously has a significant effect on reducing the Castelli risk indexes. In addition, both types of exercise are effective on weight reduction. Further research is needed to include other age groups.

The challenges of desertification and food insecurity share considerable common ground, not only in terms of their myriad biophysical, political, and socioeconomic drivers and links to the productivity of the land and soil, but also in the discourses and approaches that have informed their management. This paper reviews the elements common to both challenges and argues that due to their cross-cutting nature and the parallel pathways along which each issue has evolved, there is a strong case to be made for taking a synergistic approach towards the development of future solutions. In particular, it is argued that livelihoods and vulnerability approaches could be used as a common platform to inform more integrated interventions. This could enable multiple benefits to be harnessed for both challenges.

In the landscape of contemporary software engineering, the early detection of faults in software systems has become pivotal to ensuring robust and reliable software products. This paper investigates the application of model-based combinatorial testing techniques as a solution to this challenge. Model-based testing involves the generation of test cases derived from a conceptual model of the system, allowing comprehensive coverage of potential interactions. Through this study, we elucidate how combinatorial test design methods can be employed to identify faults at an early stage, thereby reducing the risk of defects in later development phases. Utilizing a combinatorial test design tool, we demonstrate the efficiency of these methods in generating optimized test plans, ultimately contributing to enhanced software quality and reduced development costs.