St. Louis limestone, stratigraphy and petrography, near its type locality

The St. Louis Limestone of the Upper Meramecian Series, Mississippian System, is typically lithographic, light-to light-olive gray in color, dense, and fractures conchoidally. It is brecciated, especially in the lower part, and contains some chert nodules. Oolites are present close to the top of the formation. The Salem-St. Louis contact is placed at the base of the lowest breccia zone and the top of Salem is characterized by crystalline quartz and abundance of chert nodules. The appearance of typical Ste. Genevieve oolites with sand-size quartz grains indicates the St. Louis-Ste. Genevieve contact. The St. Louis Limestone is characterized by dominance of fine-grained texture (micritic) with fossil fragments and minor spar. Foraminifers and bryozoans are the main fossil constituents followed by algae, crinoid fragments and corals. Of the corals, Lithostrotionella and Lithostrotion are significant but of less obvious correlative value. Brachiopods and gastropods are present but to a lesser extent. The formation has about 3 to 5 percent insoluble residues (except close to the boundaries), consisting mostly of quartz. The degree of dolomitization is widely variable from one section to another. The St. Louis Limestone is high in CaD content except in the dolomitized zones. The explanation of the origin of brecciation in the St. Louis Limestone presents some difficulty. The St. Louis Limestone is tentatively subdivided into three units. The deposition of limestone was continuous from Salem through St. Louis time under quiet and shallow water environments. In the study area, the St. Louis Limestone is used for cement manufacture and road construction --Abstract, page ii

Petrography, diagenesis and environment of deposition of the Gasconade Formation, Lower Ordovician, southern Missouri

The Gasconade Formation (Lower Ordovician) has been studied in the surface and subsurface in the Ozarks of Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma. The formation is mostly dolomite with a sandstone member at the base (Gunter) and frequent occurrences of chert bodies of different shapes particularly in the middle part. The dolomite crystals in the lower and upper parts are subhedral to euhedral of equicrystalline to two-size fabric and range in size from 300-600 microns, and subhedral to anhedral of variable fabric and smaller size in the middle part. A sequence of cloudy and clear areas, named zoning, characterizes the euhedral crystals. Three different types of zoning are recognized; type A, cloudy interior-clear rims; type B, clear interior-cloudy rims and type C, a combination of both or repetition of either, the latter being the most common. Pellets, oolites, intraclasts, fossils, and algal (cryptozoan) structures characterize the formation especially the middle part. The Gunter sandstone is bimodal to polymodal. Post-dolomitization solution affected the dolomite and sandstone of the formation causing stylolites, rim and center corrosion, secondary mineral growth and pyrite replacement in dolomite and quartz. Both the dolomite and chert in the Gasconade Formation have been formed by replacement. Dolomite replacement occurred in three phases, early, middle (main) and late. Over 90 percent of the original carbonate has been dolomitized during the main phase of dolomitization. Chert replacement occurred in two phases, early and late. The early phase of chertification either interrupted or occurred soon after the main phase of dolomitization. The Gasconade Formation was deposited in the intertidal zone of a shallow sea. During the deposition of the middle part of the formation, the sea was shallower than during the deposition of either the lower or the upper parts. The diagenesis of the formation follows the following sequence: early phase of dolomitization; middle (main) phase of dolomitization; early phase of chertification; late phase of chertification and late phase of dolomitization --Abstract, pages ii-iii

Blind image separation based on exponentiated transmuted Weibull distribution

In recent years the processing of blind image separation has been investigated. As a result, a number of feature extraction algorithms for direct application of such image structures have been developed. For example, separation of mixed fingerprints found in any crime scene, in which a mixture of two or more fingerprints may be obtained, for identification, we have to separate them. In this paper, we have proposed a new technique for separating a multiple mixed images based on exponentiated transmuted Weibull distribution. To adaptively estimate the parameters of such score functions, an efficient method based on maximum likelihood and genetic algorithm will be used. We also calculate the accuracy of this proposed distribution and compare the algorithmic performance using the efficient approach with other previous generalized distributions. We find from the numerical results that the proposed distribution has flexibility and an efficient resultComment: 14 pages, 12 figures, 4 tables. International Journal of Computer Science and Information Security (IJCSIS),Vol. 14, No. 3, March 2016 (pp. 423-433

Platelet activating factor and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in children with refractory epilepsy

Background: Epilepsy is an important common and diverse group of symptom complexes characterized by recurrent spontaneous seizures. It is estimated that about 5-10% of all cases of epilepsy eventually become refractory. It has been suggested that inflammation plays a role in epilepsy. In refractory epilepsy, an inflammatory response is produced that leads to rapid release of pro-inflammatory cytokines as platelet activating factor (PAF) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the plasma levels of the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and platelet activating factor (PAF) in children with refractory epilepsy to explore their role in the pathogenesis of refractory epilepsy. Methods: The present study was carried out in Tanta University Hospital, Pediatric Department, Neurology unit. Forty (40) children with idiopathic refractory epilepsy (25 males and 15 females) their age ranging between 4-15 years were included in the study. The control group consisted of thirty healthy children, 20 males and 10 females aged 5 years to 13 years. The serum levels of MCP-1 and PAF were measured for children with refractory epilepsy and the control children. Results: Children with refractory epilepsy had significantly higher serum levels of PAF (P < value 0.001) and significantly higher serum level of MCP-1 (P < value 0.001) in comparison to the control children. Also there was a significant correlation between the duration of refractory epilepsy and the serum levels of PAF and MCP-1. Conclusion: Higher serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokines PAF and MCP-1 in children with refractory epilepsy suggest that both, PAF and MCP-1, may play a role in the pathogenesis of refractory epilepsy. Keywords: Platelet activating factor, Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, Neuroinflammation, Refractory epilepsyEgypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2012;10(1):13-1

Determination of insecticides malathion and lambda-cyhalothrin residues in zucchini by gas chromatography

AbstractA sensitive gas chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of malathion and lambda-cyhalothrin (λ-cyhalothrin) insecticide residues in zucchini. The developed method consists of extraction with acetone, purification and partitioning with methylene chloride, column chromatographic clean-up, and finally capillary gas chromatographic determination of the insecticides. The recoveries of method were greater than 90% and limit of determination was 0.001ppm for both insecticides. The method was applied to determine residues and the rate of disappearance of malathion and λ-cyhalothrin from fruits of zucchini (open field treatment, 50cc of Malason/Cormandel 57% EC (emulsifiable concentrate) for 100L of water, 20cc of LAMBDA SUPER FOG 5% liquid for 100L of water). The insecticide incorporated into the plants decreased rapidly with a half-life time around 0.77day (18.5h) for malathion and 4days for λ-cyhalothrin. It is not recommended to use zucchini before 12h of malathion application. For λ-cyhalothrin, the preharvest interval is 5days. Four market samples were chosen from different regions from A.R.E. and all of them showed no residues of malathion or λ-cyhalothrin

GUAVA DIE-BACK IN EGYPT: THE CAUSAL AGENT AND PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF BOTRYODIPLODIA THEOBROMAE PAT

Guava die-back disease is a destructive disease. It causes serious yield losses and reduced guava fruits. Inspection of guava plant for die-back revealed that Beheira governorate had the highest frequencies of all isolated fungi from natural infected guava trees, followed by Alexandria, while Kafr El-Sheikh obtained the lowest frequency. Botryodiplodia theobromae gave the highest frequency of isolated fungi from natural infected guava trees during seasons 2015 and 2016, followed by Alternaria alternata, Alternaria sp., whereas Colletotrichum gloeosperiodes, Phomopsis sp., and Nigrospora sp. obtained minor frequency. The highest frequency of Botryodiplodia theobromae was observed at Beheira, followed by Alexandria governorate. Meanwhile, the lowest frequency was found at Kafr El-Sheikh. Pathogenicity test indicated that Botryodiplodia theobromae was the most pathogenic fungus. RAPD analysis of DNA by using three random primers exhibited five groups of DNA bands with first primer, six groups with second primer and five groups with the third primer and the overall similarities between isolates were arranged from 69 to 100% with P1, from 62 to 100% with P2 and from 33 to 100% with P3. The present study aimed to finding correlation between these isolates groups which resulted of RAPD, its pathogenesis and its geographical isolated locations. Ten isolates of B. theobromae represented ten locations of five governorates in Egypt were tested to evaluate the ability of pathogenesis in guava transplants cultivar Banaty at pots under experiments greenhouse conditions for artificial inoculation. The obtained results were exhibited that all tested isolates were clearly pathogenic to guava transplants and produced typical symptoms of guava die-back disease. Such isolates were differences of differed in their pathogenicity. The  ten isolates were coded according to their locations by three random primers (B.W.1, A.B.2, D.S.3, Q.K.4, A.A.5, B.N.6, K.Q.7, Q.S.8, D.B.9 and K.D.10). Isolate code No. Q.K.4 was the most virulent, followed by D.S.3 and Q.S.8, respectively which isolated of Qalyoubia and Damietta governorates. Meanwhile isolates K.D.10, A.A.5, K.Q.7 were moderately pathogenic, they were isolated from Kafr El-Sheikh and Alexandria, while A.B.2 and B.N.6 were the lowest pathogenic isolates isolated from Alexandria and Beheira governorates

CHEMICAL CONTROL OF GUAVA DIE-BACK AND RESPONSE OF GUAVA CULTIVARS TO THE DISEASE IN EGYPT

Guava (Psidium guajava L.,) die-back disease caused by Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat., is a destructive disease, considered one of the most important and economic disease of guava. Amistar Top 325-32.5% E.C. gave the highest decreasing of linear growth and amount of growth of isolate code No., Q.K.4., followed by Camzin 50% W.P., Monceren 25% W.P. and Montro 30% E.C. Meanwhile, Ridomil Gold/Plus 42.50% W.P., Copral 50% W.P., Eminent 12.50% E.W. and Thiovat Jet 80% W.G. exhibited a lowest effect in reducing of linear growth and amount growth of B. theobromae isolate code No., Q.K.4. Amistar Top 325-32.5% E.C. was the most efficient fungicide in reduce disease incidence and disease severity infield of B. theobromae isolate code No., Q.K.4., followed by Camzin 50% W.P., Monceren 25% W.P., Montro 30% E.C. Meanwhile, Ridomil Gold/Plus 42.50% W.P., Copral 50% W.P., Eminent 12.50% E.W. and Thiovat Jet 80% W.G. showed a lowest efficient in reducing the disease incidence and disease severity. Soil drench method of fungicides application was the higher efficient method in elimination of percentage of disease incidence and disease severity followed by foliar spray application, relatively. Banaty transplant was the most susceptible cultivar to the all tested B. theobromae isolates, whereas cultivar Gizy Ahmr was the lowest susceptible with the same isolates, information about cultivar reaction of guava transplants against B. theobromae is still scanty

Comparison between polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofiber and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofiber/hydroxyapatite (HA) for removal of Zn2+ ions from wastewater

AbstractNanocomposites in the form of continuous and aligned polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers have been obtained by the electrospinning process. These fibers were used as matrix for hydroxyapatite (HA). PVA and PVA/HA nanofibers were fabricated and crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (GA). The hybrid of polymer with ceramics (HA) shows good properties of large surface area and good porosity that were demonstrated by different characterization techniques such as FTIR, SEM, XRD and EDX which illustrate the ratio of HA. The prepared nanofibrous membranes are used for removal of Zn2+ from simulated water. The potential of these synthesized sorbents to remove Zn2+ ions from aqueous solutions was investigated in batch experiments, where several parameters such as the sorbate/sorbent’s contact time, initial Zn2+ ions concentration and sorbent dosage were investigated. The equilibrium concentration of Zn2+ ions was identified by the atomic absorption spectrophotometry and the adsorption process was studied by the isotherm models such as Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin. The Zn2+ adsorption process for PVA and PVA/HA nanofibrous membranes was fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models respectively