Interpretation of multispectral and infrared thermal surveys of the Suez Canal Zone, Egypt

Remote sensing airborne surveys were conducted, as part of the plan of rehabilitation, of the Suez Canal Zone using I2S multispectral camera and Bendix LN-3 infrared passive scanner. The multispectral camera gives four separate photographs for the same scene in the blue, green, red, and near infrared bands. The scanner was operated in the microwave bands of 8 to 14 microns and the thermal surveying was carried out both at night and in the day time. The surveys, coupled with intensive ground investigations, were utilized in the construction of new geological, structural lineation and drainage maps for the Suez Canal Zone on a scale of approximately 1:20,000, which are superior to the maps made by normal aerial photography. A considerable number of anomalies belonging to various types were revealed through the interpretation of the executed multispectral and infrared thermal surveys

Teas: Direct test on quality and antioxidant activity using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy

Abstract. The manufactured teas may conveniently be divided into three classes: Green teas, Oolongs (delicate black teas), and Black Teas. Several indirect methods are employed to measure the antioxidant activity of tea extracts that is basically takes place by monitoring the inhibition of oxidation of a suitable substrate using the extracts of antioxidant materials from the studies systems. This study is concerned with the results of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy that is utilized to investigate several categories of green and black teas: Twining Green Tea (TGT) of London, Rabea Green Tea (RGT) of Saudia, Chinese Green Tea (CGT) of China, English Breakfast Tea (EBT) of Ahmed Tea-London, and Rabea Black Tea (RBT) of Saudia. Three EPR signals from all the studied samples are observed. The assignment of these signals will discussed and correlated with the quality of leaves. Mainly, two paramagnetic species are considered to be responsible for the observed EPR signals; manganese(II)-protein system of the leaves and a stable free radical of aromatic origin. The study will provide facts on the dependency of radical signal on the oxidative degradation procedures of the studied samples. The intensity and feature of Mn(II)-EPR-signal is found to be related to the disintegration of tea leaves

THE EFFECTS OF DIABETES MELLITUS ON THE RESPONSE TO PEGINTERFERON-ALPHA IN COMBINATION WITH RIBAVIRIN THERAPY IN EGYPTIAN CHRONIC HEPATITIS C PATIENTS

Objective:The present study aimed to determine whether type 2 diabetes mellitus influences the response to antiviral therapy with peg-interferon alpha plus ribavirin in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C. Methods:All patients were treated with peginterferon alpha 2 b (1.5 μg/Kg/body weight) subcutaneously plus oral ribavirin application in a dose ranging from 800-1200 mg/day and followed after 12 w of therapy. Results: The present study indicated that, non-significant changes were observed in liver function, kidney function, thyroid function tests, tumor marker, immunological analysis, hematological parameters, viral load and degree of cirrhosis between both groups’ baselines, while the only significant difference was regarded in glucose level. However, diabetic group showed a significant decrease in response to antiviral therapy as compared to non-diabetic hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. Furthermore, significant decrease in serum liver enzymes activity and total bilirubin level as compared to baseline levels in both groups, while there were a significant increase in alanine transaminase (ALT) activity and total bilirubin level in diabetic group as compared to non-diabetic HCV group after treatment. Also, significant decreases in hemoglobin concentration, white blood cells and platelet counts, in both groups after treatment as compared to there before treatment while diabetic group showed significant decreases in hemoglobin concentration and white blood cells count when compared with non-diabetic HCV group after treatment. Conclusion: Type 2 diabetes mellitus influence the response to antiviral therapy with peginterferon plus ribavirin in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C

Some Chemical Aspects of Tetrahydro-1-thiopyran-4-one Derivatives

3,5-Diarylmethylene-2,6-diphenyltetrahydrothiopyran-4-thiones, 2, reacted with two or four moles of bromine to form 3-aryimethylene 5-bromoarylmethylene- 2,6-dipheny1tetrahydrothiopyran- -4-thione, 3, and 3-arylmethylene-5-bromoarylmethylene-2,6-dibromo- 2,6-diphenyltetrahydrothiopyran-4-thione, 5, respectively. Compound 2a reacted with amines giving 2,6-diphenyl-5-iminophenylmethyl- 3-phenylmethylenetetrahydrothiopyran-4-thiones, 6. Diphenydiazomethane and 9-diazofluorene converted 2a into 4-diphenylethylene- 2,6-dipheny1-3,5 diphenylmethylenetetrahydrothiopyran, 7, and 2,6-diphenyl-3,5-diphenylmethylene-4-(9-fluorenylidene) tetrahydrothiopyran, 8, respectively. Compounds 2 with copper-bronze afforded 3,3\u27,5,5\u27-tetraarylmethylene-2,2\u27 ,6,6\u27-tetraphenyl-Lr-thio- 4,4\u27 dipyranylidenes

Optical Properties of Bismuth Borate Glasses Doped with Zinc and Calcium Oxides

Some bismuth-borate oxide glass' samples were prepared by the fast quenching method, where B2O3 was replaced with equal concentrations of ZnO and CaO. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to examine the internal structure and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) to identify building units and bonds throughout the studied structural matrices. XRD showed that all samples have short range order structural nature, while FTIR demonstrated some of Zn2+ acted as glass network formers and all Bi3+ acted as glass. UV-visible measurements and calculations showed a decreasing in the energy band gap from 3.83 eV to 1.73 eV with decreasing B2O3 content. Also with decreasing B2O3 content, both real refractive index and metallization factor decreased from 3.1 to 1.9 and from 0.56 to 0.71, respectively. For the studied glass' samples, density and molar volume showed inverted behaviors, where the density decreased while the molar volume increases with decreasing B2O3

Amenability of heap leaching technology on uranium extraction from Gattar and El Missikat area, Eastern Desert, Egypt: A kinetic approach

Studies of uranium heap leaching from different uranium mineralization situated in Eastern Desert of Egypt was investigated via batch experiments, followed by its optimum condition applicationon column percolationtests.The optimum process operating parameters were implemented on large column scale in order to make more condition control and evaluate the time and reagents needed in the large scale. The results show thatleaching efficiency of GIIattained about 78.3% with 34kg/ton acid consumption in a 44 days period, while leaching efficiency of El-Missikat attained about 86.6% with 28kg/ton acid consumption in a 40 days period.Kinetics reaction models of column tests have been investigated to optimize the column leaching behavior. Based on the leaching results of two mineralized samples, the rate of the uranium metal dissolution is controlled by the chemical reaction and the diffusion reaction but diffusion reaction control was more predominate than a chemical reaction control

Practical Needs in Assessing Response to Therapy in Operated Brain High Grade Glioma According to Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology Criteria

Background: Tumors known as gliomas begin in the brain or spine's glial cells and might spread throughout the body.  An effort was made to improve tumor response evaluation and end point selection through the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) working group. Objective: To standardize the assessment method and results reporting by applying MRI-RANO criteria in detecting glioma response to surgical treatment. Patients and Methods: This was a prospective cohort study included 12 patients (4 males and 8 females) whose mean age was 53.6 ± 15.1years. Included patients are those who were operated and pathologically proved as brain glioma grade IV (GBM). They underwent post-operative MRI within 48 hours and are available for follow up MRI after 3 months. Imaging modalities applied in both MRI exams were conventional magnetic resonance imaging, MRI diffusion weighted images, and contrast imaging. RANO criteria were applied. Results: According to RANO criteria, none of the lesions had pseudo response or pseudo progression. However, two thirds (66.7%) had progressive disease and one third (33.3%) had complete response. There was statistically significant association between MRI findings 3 months postoperative and RANO criteria as patients with compete response had statistically significant decrease on measurable solid components, diffusion restriction, post contrast enhancement and all lesions had grade I edema with no mass effect or midline shift compared to patients with progressive disease. 4 cases that showed complete response category had fulfilled all the RANO criteria, while 8 cases with category progressive disease had fulfilled more than one of the described RANO criteria. Conclusion: RANO criteria are an effective tool to be used in interpretation of MRI for follow-up of surgically operated glioma patients to detect their response

Protective Effects of Simvastatin, a Lipid Lowering Agent, against Oxidative Damage in Experimental Diabetic Rats

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the possible protective effects of simvastatin (SMV) against oxidative stress in streptozotocin- (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced experimentally in rats by i.p. injection of STZ in a dose of 60 mg/kg bwt. After 5 weeks of STZ injection, there were apparent reductions in the animal body weight and significant increase in blood glucose, HbA1c, urea, creatinine, AST, ALT, and lipid profiles with a concomitant decrease in total hemoglobin, plasma glutathione and vitamin C as compared to the control group. The treatment with SMV at a dose (10 mg/kg, orally) normalized all the above-mentioned biochemical parameters in STZ-induced diabetic rats. In vitro studies confirmed the free radical scavenging and antioxidant activity of SMV. Therefore, the present results revealed that SMV has a protective effect against STZ-induced oxidative damage by scavenging the free radicals generation and restoring the enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant systems