Rural Egypt and the public sphere: the effect of social media and the new media environment on political interaction, 2011-2015.

A large body of academic research has developed regarding the prevalence of social media in society, and its impact. Previous research has delved into this topic from the perspective of psychology, business administration, sociology, politics, law, and media communication studies. One common thread among many that can be found in a large number of these academic endeavours is the attempt to evaluate the manner in which social media impacts norms, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours. This thesis investigates this same topic through an analysis of rural citizens in Egypt in the period between 2011 and 2015. The main topic addressed in this thesis is the impact of the new media environment, specifically the synergy between social media and satellite television, on the public sphere and political interactions of rural Egypt, with the aim of assessing the role social media played in the neglected areas of Egypt during the 2011 uprisings. To do this, this thesis addresses (i) the effect of social capital on the political interaction of citizens in the public sphere with a consideration of social media access, (ii) how social media changed individual norms of political interaction within the public sphere of rural Egypt during and after 2011 due to convergence with television media, and (iii) how media coverage of the uprisings impacted micro public spheres and sentiments of empowerment and social capital in rural Egypt. It is found that rural Egypt contributed significantly to the 2011 uprisings, and their 2013 counterparts. Social capital among the rural population is shown to have had a marked effect on the development of the 2011 uprisings, as well as their success. Through primary research and supporting data, it is shown that there were four distinct stages of media use during the period of the 2011 uprisings that, when analysed, highlight that social media could not have been the primary determinant of the uprisings and their aftermath. While social media did play a role, it was not the driving factor behind the uprisings. Issues such as economic, linguistic, and infrastructural barriers prevented social media penetration from being significant enough to be the driving force it has been considered by some academics. Moreover, the state’s decision to cut Internet access early on in the timeline of the uprisings highlight that other factors were at play. Finally, the four stages of media contribution bring to light the expansion of rural Egypt’s social capital during this time, and show that this played a stronger role than had been previously thought when evaluating the 2011 uprisings. As such, other factors - social capital, interaction norms, and the public sphere - are evaluated given the findings on social media’s role

Subsurface stratigraphy and micropaleontology of the Neogene rocks, Nile Delta, Egypt

Three wells (Naf-2, Naf-3 and Naf-101), were described and sampled in order to increase understanding of the stratigraphy and micropaleontology of the North Abu Qir Field, Nile Delta, Egypt. Lithostratigraphic studies aided recognition of the following Miocene-Pliocene rock formations (from base to top); Qantara Formation, Sidi Salim Formation, Qawasim Formation, Rosetta Formation, Abu Madi Formation, Kafr El Sheikh Formation, Baltim Formation, Mit Ghamr Formation, and Bilqas Formation. Biostratigraphic studies were based on the distribution of foraminifera through the Miocene-Pliocene succession. The environmental conditions of the Neogene rocks of the studied wells are interpreted using the results of palaeoecological parameters (e.g. the total number of foraminifera (T.N.F) and planktonic/benthonic ratio (P/B)

Evaluation of some phenolic extracts against aphids (Aphis craccivora) Koch under laboratory conditions

Local farmers worldwide have complained in recent years that insect pests have become resistant to the majority of insecticides, owing to pesticide abuse. In addition, highly poisonous and harmful substances may cause health and environmental dangers. Friendly alternatives such as plant extracts are the main targets as substituents to synthetic pesticides. The present study aimed to extract total phenols from some plants and evaluate their efficacy on aphids, Aphis craccivora, under laboratory conditions. Four methanolic plant extracts from Punica granatum, Lantana camara, Portulaca oleracea and Ziziphus jujuba, containing phenolic components were evaluated against A. craccivora through: slide dipping, spraying, and leaf dipping techniques. Generally, positive relationships between the concentrations of the tested phenolic extracts and their mortality percentages were noticed in the case of slide dipping and spraying techniques. Conversely, no biological efficacy was found using the leaf dipping technique. The descending order of effectiveness of the tested extracts depending on their EC50 values was 0.017, 0.321, 1.142 and 16.114 ppm for Z. jujuba, P. oleraceae P. granatum and L. comara, respectively, in the case of the slide dipping technique. In contrast, P. granatum, L. camara, P. oleraceae and Z. jujuba had EC50 values of 0.0023, 0.017, 0.321 and 2.3409 ppm, respectively, in the case of the spraying technique. Additionally, a direct proportion was found between mortality percentages and treatment period for plant extracts under study with both techniques. After formulation and completion of additional essential field research, phenols isolated from the plants under study could be employed to combat A. craccivora

Detection of HER-2/neu, c-myc amplification and p53 inactivation by FISH in Egyptian patients with breast cancer

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. The clinical course of this disease is highly variable and clinicians continuously search for prognostic parameters that can accurately predict prognosis, and indicate a suitable adjuvant therapy for each patient. Amplification of the two oncogenes HER-2/neu and c-myc and inactivation of the tumor suppressor gene p53 are frequently encountered in breast carcinomas. The purpose of this study was to use the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for the assessment of HER-2/neu and c-myc amplification and p53 inactivation and to relate these molecular markers with the commonly used clinical and pathological factors. The study was conducted on 34 tissue samples obtained from 33 females and 1 male with breast carcinomas and 17 samples obtained from 16 females and 1 male with benign breast lesions. Results revealed that the level of HER-2/neu, c-myc and p53 in the malignant group was significantly increased as compared to the benign group. On relating the level of the molecular markers to clinicopathological factors, p53 was significantly associated with increased patient’s age. The sensitivity of the investigated markers significantly increased with larger tumor size. Concerning tumor grade, HER-2/neu and p53 showed a significant increase in low-grade tumors whereas c-myc showed a highly significant increase in high-grade tumors. With regard to disease staging, HER-2/neu and c-myc were the only markers that showed significant increase at late stages of disease. p53 and HER-2/neu were significantly associated with positive lymph nodal status. A significant correlation was obtained between the levels of the three biomarkers to each other. Conclusively, the combination of HER-2/neu, c-myc and p53 can stratify patients into different risk groups

Evaluation of health-related quality of life and muscular strength in children with beta thalassemia major

Background: Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that requires repeated blood transfusions and chelation regimes. This may lead to restrictions in physical activities, social participation as well as decreased muscle strength.Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), muscular strength and pain in children with β-thalassemia major.Patients and method: One hundred and twenty children (60 with β-thalassemia major and 60 age-matched healthy) were participated in a cross-sectional study from both sexes (57 girls and 63 boys) with ages ranging from two to twelve years. HRQoL (physical, emotional, social and school functioning), muscular strength and pain were evaluated for all children by using the pediatric quality of life inventoryTM (PedsQLTM) 4.0 generic core scale, hand-held dynamometer and visual analogue scale (VAS) respectively.Results: Children with β-thalassemia major showed a significant decrease in all domains of health-related quality of life and handgrip strength with a significant increase in VAS score (p ≤ 0.0001).Conclusions: The study concluded that thalassemia as a chronic disease has a negative impact on HRQoL and muscle strength of children in different age group.Keywords: Beta thalassemia, Quality of life, Handgrip strength, childre

Campanian–Early Eocene Stratigraphy of the Southern Galala Plateau, Eastern Desert, Egypt

Several species of larger foraminifera have been recorded in the Campanian–Early Eocene succession of the Southern Galala Plateau. These species include Orbitoides media (ARCHIAC), Omphalocyclus macropora (LAMARK) in the Campanian–Maastrichtian rocks (Gebel Thelmet Formation and Sudr Chalk) and Fallotella (Fallotella) kochanskae persica HOTTINGER & DROBNE, Fabularia zitteli HOTTINGER, Alveolina pasticillata (SCHWAGER), Glomalveolina dachelensis (SCHWAGER), Miscellanea rhomboidea KUSS & LEPPIG and Nummulites cf. subramondi DE LA HARPE in the Palaeocene– Early Eocene sediments (Southern Galala Formation). There are few intervals yielding planktonic species that contributed significantly to the determination of the age assignment for the larger foraminifera. These species include Globigerina triloculinoides PLUMMER, Morozovella uncinata (BOLLI), Morozovella trinidadensis (BOLLI), Morozovella cf. conicotruncata (SUBBOTINA), Morozovella angulata (WHITE), Planorotalites pseudomenardii (BOLLI) and Acarinina primitiva (FINLAY). These planktonic species placed the Glomalveolina dachelensis (SCHWAGER) zone as being older than the Morozovella angulata (WHITE) zone (Early–Middle Palaeocene). The occurrence of the algae Ethelia alba (PFENDER) and Neomeris plagnensis DELOFFRE further supports the referred age

Synthesis and preliminary biological screening of certain 5-aralkyl pyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acids as anticonvulsants

Synthesis of a series of 5-aralkyl pyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acid derivatives namely, 1-acetyl-4-hydroxy-5-benzyl or 5-(4-alkoxy-benzyl)-pyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acids (3a-e), 1-H-4-hydroxy-5-benzyl or 5-(4-alkoxy-benzyl)-pyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acids (4a-e), 1-acetyl-5-benzyl or 5-(4-alkoxy-benzyl)-pyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acids (8a-e), 1-H-5-benzyl or 5-(4-alkoxy-benzyl)-pyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acids (9a-e) have been accomplished. The structures of the new compounds were assigned from IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and elemental analyses. Compounds 3a-e, 4a-e, 8a-e and 9a-e were biologically screened for their anticonvulsant potential using the subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole seizures (scPTZ) assay and Gabapentin as reference standard. The 1-H-4-hydroxy-5-benzyl or 5-(4-alkoxy-benzyl)-pyrrolidine-3-carboxylic acids (4a-e) showed the highest anticonvulsant activity. Compound 4b was found to be the most potent one which exhibited 100% protection

Azides in the Synthesis of Various Heterocycles

In this review, we focus on some interesting and recent examples of various applications of organic azides such as their intermolecular or intramolecular, under thermal, catalyzed, or noncatalyzed reaction conditions. The aforementioned reactions in the aim to prepare basic five-, six-, organometallic heterocyclic-membered systems and/or their fused analogs. This review article also provides a report on the developed methods describing the synthesis of various heterocycles from organic azides, especially those reported in recent papers (till 2020). At the outset, this review groups the synthetic methods of organic azides into different categories. Secondly, the review deals with the functionality of the azido group in chemical reactions. This is followed by a major section on the following: (1) the synthetic tools of various heterocycles from the corresponding organic azides by one-pot domino reaction; (2) the utility of the chosen catalysts in the chemoselectivity favoring C−H and C-N bonds; (3) one-pot procedures (i.e., Ugi four-component reaction); (4) nucleophilic addition, such as Aza-Michael addition; (5) cycloaddition reactions, such as [3+2] cycloaddition; (6) mixed addition/cyclization/oxygen; and (7) insertion reaction of C-H amination. The review also includes the synthetic procedures of fused heterocycles, such as quinazoline derivatives and organometal heterocycles (i.e., phosphorus-, boron- and aluminum-containing heterocycles). Due to many references that have dealt with the reactions of azides in heterocyclic synthesis (currently more than 32,000), we selected according to generality and timeliness. This is considered a recent review that focuses on selected interesting examples of various heterocycles from the mechanistic aspects of organic azides

Detection of BCR/ABL Translocation in Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Egyptian CML Patients

BACKGROUND: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder of hematopoietic stem cells. It is characterized at the cytogenetic level by Philadelphia (ph) chromosome and at the molecular level by the BCR/ABL gene rearrangement. Bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are pluripotent stem cells that can differentiate into several mesenchymal tissues.AIM: To observe the biological characteristics of MSCS from CML patients and to determine whether MSCs harbor the abnormal BCR/ABL translocation similar to CML bone marrow cells.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Characterized MSCs were isolated from 12 newly diagnosed Philadelphia positive untreated CML patients.RESULTS: MSCs can be readily isolated from CML marrow and exhibit major expansion. Flow cytometry analysis revealed the typical MSC phenotype. Moreover; MSCs do not harbor the BCR/ABL translocation confirmed by karyotype and real time PCR.CONCLUSION: MSCs from CML patients express the typical MSC phenotype; and do not express the BCR/ABL gene. Since; MSCs are able to support engraftment of hematopoietic stem cells in stem cell transplantation(SCT) as well as suppress alloreactive T cells causing graft versus –host disease, this current study provides evidence that in a SCT setting of CML patients, autologous MSCs could be a source of stem cell support in future cell therapy applications

High-Pressure Metal-Free Catalyzed One-Pot Two-Component Synthetic Approach for New 5-Arylazopyrazolo[3,4-b]Pyridine Derivatives

An appropriate and efficient Q-tube-assisted ammonium acetate-mediated protocol for the assembly of the hitherto unreported 5-arylazopyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines was demonstrated. This methodology comprises the cyclocondensation reaction of 5-amino-2-phenyl-4H-pyrazol-3-one with an assortment of arylhydrazonals in an NH$_4$OAc/AcOH buffer solution operating a Q-tube reactor. This versatile protocol exhibited several outstanding merits: easy work-up, mild conditions, scalability, broad substrate scope, safety (the Q-tube kit is simply for pressing and sealing), and a high atom economy. Consequently, performing such reactions under elevated pressures and utilizing the Q-tube reactor seemed preferable for achieving the required products in comparison to the conventional conditions. Diverse spectroscopic methods and X-ray single-crystal techniques were applied to confirm the proposed structure of the targeted compounds