THE USE OF SIMULATION TO EVALUATE AND ENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE OF PASSPORTS AND CIVIL AFFAIRS SECTOR

In this thesis, the proposed project intends to study the use of Decision Support Systems in simulating Gaza Civil Affairs and Passports Directorate (GCAPD) through identifying the current environment, analyzing the status, and proposing a new system using simulation to determine the optimal number of service providers for the system in order to reduce the postponement of the public services

Chemical screening identifies the β-Carboline alkaloid harmine to be synergistically lethal with doxorubicin.

Despite being an invaluable chemotherapeutic agent for several types of cancer, the clinical utility of doxorubicin is hampered by its age-related and dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. Co-administration of dexrazoxane as a cardioprotective agent has been proposed, however recent studies suggest that it attenuates doxorubicin-induced antitumor activity. Since compounds of natural origin present a rich territory for drug discovery, we set out to identify putative natural compounds with the view to mitigate or minimize doxorubicin cardiotoxicity. We identify the DYRK1A kinase inhibitor harmine, which phosphorylates Tau that is deregulated in Alzheimer's disease, as a potentiator of cell death induced by non-toxic doses of doxorubicin. These observations suggest that harmine or other compounds that target the DYRK1A kinase my offer a new therapeutic opportunity to suppress doxorubicin age-related and dose-dependent cardiotoxicity

Better Heat And Power Integration Of An Existing Gas-oil Plant In Egypt Through Revamping The Design And Organic Rankine Cycle

Objective: The current study aims mainly to Maximize Condensate Recovery (NGLs), focusing on a gas processing train of Gas-Oil Separation Plant (GOSP) located in Egypt with a capacity of 4,230 kmole/h. Methods: The research study accounts for the constraint of Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) specification, which makes the storage in floating roof tanks is of a great risk. The study proposes the installation of the cryogenic train that recovers condensates (C4+). This train comprises of compression unit, expansion unit, three-phase separators and a re-boiled absorber. The problem of RVP will no longer exist because of the re-boiled absorber achieving RVP according to export specifications (RVP below 82.74 kPa). Heat integration is applied over the whole process to minimize the reliability of the external utilities. Further, an Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is introduced to the existing unit for more heat integration to develop useful work from process waste heat. Furthermore, both environmental emissions of CO2 and economic implications are investigated. Results: Energy integration played a vital role in decreasing the compressing power by about 31%, the cooling load by about 81%, and eliminating the heating load leading to zero CO2 emissions. Conclusion: The new energy-integrated retrofit scenarios exceed the recommended revamping schemes by previous works and base case in all aspects of condensate recovery, energy-saving, environmental concerning and economics

The effect of Bombyx mori larvae extract in reducing the toxicity of methotrexate in pregnant female albino rats

Methotrexate (MTX) is an anticancer agent which is used alone or in combination with other anticancer agents in the treatment of breast cancer, epidermoid cancers of the head and neck, cutaneous T cell lymphoma, and lung cancer. Bombyx mori larvae have a huge value as health food especially for cardiac and diabetic patients, bronchial asthma, primary trigeminal neuralgia, vocal nodules and polyps and in the treatment of facial palsy and pain. In the present study meeting occurred under the normal conditions and about 40 pregnant female rats were used. Herein the pregnant females will be divided into five groups;  group 1 will be used as negative control received distilled water, group 2 will used as positive control and recived buffer of Bombyx mori larvae extract,  group 3 was treated with MTX at the 12th day of gestation (at organogenesis phase), group 4 was treated with Bombyx mori larvae  extract at 7th , 9th , 11th ,13th  and 15th days of gestation (during the oraganogensis  period), & group 5 was injected by MTX the 12th day of  gestation as well as bombyx mori larvae extract at 7th ,9th ,11th ,13th  &15th days of gestation. Animals of all groups will be sacrificed at 20th day, the end of gestation periods. Then livers of all pregnant rats were removed for examination. The obtained results showed decrease in maternal body weight gain plus increase in the abortion rate and uterine weight in the MTX-treated group. In addition, MTX induced an elevation in the examined liver oxidative stress biomarkers plus myeloperoxidase activity and decrease in reduced glutathione content and catalase activity; in mothers. Histopathological studies of liver tissues showed congestion of central vein of mothers in MTX group showing ballooning degeneration of hepatocytes, perivascular inflammatory cells infiltration and strong deposition of collagen fibers. Noteworthy, Bombyx mori larvae induced marked improvement in injuries associated with MTX administration. Keywords: Methotrexate, Bombyx mori larvae, Pregnant female rats, Hepatotoxicity

Assessment of the Relation between Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen and Tumor Node Metastasis Staging of Colorectal Cancer

Background: Although awareness via cancer screenings and the knowledge of therapy modalities has increased, the burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) is much more pronounced in developing countries. Objective: This study was aimed to estimate serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in preoperative CRC patients and to determine the associations between serum CEA levels and tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage.Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study included 36 patients with CRC (stages IV) attending at Department of General Surgery, Zagazig University Hospitals. Patients scheduled preoperatively for sigmoidoscopy were prepared by an enema and examined by using standard video endoscopes. The CEA levels were estimated preoperatively for all patients. Results: CEA level among the studied cases ranged from 0 to 23 ng/dl with mean 6.39 ng/dl and median 4.5ng/ml. Also 58.3% had CEA level ≤ 5 ng/ml. There were no statistical significance relations between the CEA and age or sex distribution. But there was a statistical significance increase in frequency of smoking among cases had CEA level >5 ng/ml. There was no statistical significance relation between site and diameter of lesions and CEA level among the studied cases.Conclusions: It could be concluded that there is a meaningful link between TNM stage and CEA level. However, normal levels of CEA will not rule out CRC diagnosis, and these patients should be investigated in detail

Fortification role of Curcumin against renal and testicular toxicity of synthetic food dye brilliant blue in rats

Increasing awareness has been lately paid to the toxicity of synthetic additives used in food. The main aim of this study was to survey the renal and testicular toxicity of synthetic food dye brilliant blue. Administration of the BB changed body and relative organs weights, serum creatinine, urea (BUN), uric acid and serum FSH, LH, testosterone levels. This study proved that BB induced oxidative damage as manifested by significant increase in Lipid peroxidation with disorganization in the activity of glutathione peroxidase, protein carbonyl and reactive oxygen species content. Histopathological changes include: infiltration and vacuolation in kidney. In addition; degeneration and necrosis of spermatogoneal cells lining seminiferous tubules in testis. Furthermore; BB induced appotosis via activation of casp-3. Administration of curcumin with BB attenuated the cytotoxic effects of brilliant blue on kidney and testis tissues and reducing apoptotic cell death as well as improved the redox status of kidney and testis. Keywords:  Brilliant blue dye, Curcumin, Kidney, Testis, Histopathology, Rats

Analysis of the essential oil extract from the aerial parts of southernwood herb (Artemisia abrotanum L.) that grown in Iraq by GC/MS

Objective: this research is to identify the chemical composition of essential oil of the aerial parts of A.abrotanum L. that grown in Iraq and used recently only for decorative purpose. Method: After collection of the aerial parts the essential oil extracted by hydro-distillation using Clevenger apparatus, then the oil are analyzed by GC/MS. Result: The obtained results show the presence of 14 compounds. The most important constituents are: Eucalyptol (1, 8-cineole), O-cymene, Camphor, Terpineol, Borneol, Longipinocarvone, Limonene, and Aromadendrene. Conclusion: This study analyzes the chemical constituents of the essential oil of A.abrotanum. The essential oil extracted by hydrodistillation then analyzed by GC/MS. 14 Compounds were identified. Due to good result obtained from the essential oil from this plant so further studies chemically and clinically of the active compounds is required