Preprocessing of microcirculatory images.

This thesis project consists of the development of a computerized image processing system to preprocess microvascular images of the mouse Latisimus Dorsi Muscle (LDM). This research has been conducted in association with the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Louisville. The input to the system is a set of 35 or more overlapping microscopic fields or sub_images containing segments of the LDM microcirculation, the output is an adjacent single montage encompassing the entire LDM microvasculature. The developed system presents practical solutions to the problems of image registration, overlap resolution, and image segmentation, in addition, the results of this project include simple geometrical measurements of the microvascular system such as length, tortuosity, and directionality. In future projects, the measurements should be further analyzed to study the LDM microcirculation. The entire system was written in C/C++ languages, and the Bluestone\u27s UIM/X GUI builder. The system was implemented on the Speed School\u27s HP-9000 Unix system. The system also takes advantage of the image processing libraries (ImageMagick) available on the system

Assessing the performance of insulating fluids via point of statistical inference view

In this paper, the statistical inference is used in order to study the performance or aging of the insulating fluids. Transformer oil is used as an example of insulating fluids. The insulation property of insulating oil or transformer oil is lost by consumption. Breakdown tests are performed to check oil’s efficiency, but the cost of these tests is not inexpensive. Hence this statistical study aims to reduce the cost of these tests by applying statistical inference approaches to censored data. The Type-II Gumbel distribution fits well real-life data which contains failure times to breakdown of an insulating fluid between electrodes. The Type-II hybrid censored scheme is proposed to assess the study and also to reduce the cost of breakdown tests in practical tests.Publisher's Versio

Organic Matter Assessment And Paleoenvironmental Changes Of The Middle Jurassic Main Source Rocks (Khatatba Formation) In The North Western Desert, Egypt: Palynofacies And Palynomorph Perspectives

The Middle Jurassic in the north Western Desert, Egypt, was a time of complex tectonics and increased environmental perturbations attributed to the predominant sedimentation of organic carbon-rich fine siliciclastic and carbonate deposits of the Khatatba Formation. Although some studies have addressed the hydrocarbon potential and source rock characteristics of the Khatatba Formation, a regional-scale investigation of the prevalent paleoenvironmental conditions and organic matter characteristics is still necessary. In this study, the Khatatba Formation is investigated for detailed palynofacies analysis and palynomorph composition to assess organic matter kerogen types and reconstruct the depositional paleoenvironmental patterns on a regional scale. For this purpose, 116 drill cuttings were collected from five wells in the Matruh, Shushan, and Dahab-Mireir Basins. Moderately diverse assemblages of spores, pollen, and dinoflagellate cysts are reported. Age-diagnostic dinoflagellate cysts, including Adnatosphaeridium caulleryi, Dichadogonyaulax sellwoodii, Korystocysta gochtii, Wanaea acollaris, and Pareodinia ceratophora, along with occasional records of Systematophora areolate and Systematophora penicillate, defined a Bajocian–Callovian age. Based on particulate organic matter (POM) composition, four palynofacies assemblages (PFAs) are identified. PFA-1 is the most common within the Khatatba Formation in the five studied wells. It contains high proportions of phytoclast fragments versus low contents of amorphous organic matter (AOM) and palynomorphs and is defined by a gas-prone kerogen Type III. PFA-2 is comprised of moderate abundances of AOM and phytoclast characteristics of oil-prone kerogen Type II. PFA-3 is dominated by phytoclasts and moderate to low proportions of AOM and palynomorphs of kerogen Type III, whereas PFA-4 consists of AOM and palynomorphs defining kerogen Type II. PFA-1 indicates predominant deposition in proximal active fluvio-deltaic sources to marginal marine conditions with enhanced contributions of terrestrial/riverine influx. PFA-2 and PFA-3 reveal deposition under an enhanced dysoxic to anoxic proximal inner neritic shelf due to the abundant occurrences of spores and coastal to shallow marine dinoflagellate cysts. PFA-4 suggests deposition under enhanced suboxic to anoxic distal inner neritic conditions because of enhanced AOM and abundant proximate and some chorate dinoflagellate cysts. Thus, the Middle Jurassic experienced a predominantly marginal to shallow water column in this part of the southern margin of the Tethyan Ocean where the Matruh, Shushan, and Dahab-Mireir Basins were located

Effect of Foot Refelexology on Preeclampsia

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of foot reflexology on mean arterial blood pressure, Serum Cortisol level, proteinuria and quality of life in pregnant women suffering from mild preeclampsia. Subjects and Methods: Sixty mild preeclamptic pregnant women were selected randomly from Out Patient Clinic of Obstetrics Department in Minia University Hospital in Minia to participate in this study. Their ages were between 20-36 years old. Their body mass index less than 35 kg/m2. They were divided randomly into two equal groups (A & B); Group A (control group): It comprised thirty pregnant women with mild preeclampsia who were treated by antihypertensive drugs only while group B (study group): It comprised thirty pregnant women with mild preeclampsia who were treated by antihypertensive drugs and foot reflexology sessions (25 minutes, 2 sessions weekly for 8 weeks). Assessment: Mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), Serum Cortisol level and proteinuria were assessed before and after treatment for all patients in both groups (A&B), as well as quality of life was evaluated through World Health Organization quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL). Results: revealed that, between groups; pretreatment, there was insignificant difference between both groups A & B in MABP, serum cortisol level, proteinuria and WHOQOL questionnaire scores. While post treatment, there was significant difference between both groups A &B in MABP, serum cortisol level, proteinuria and WHOQOL questionnaire scores [in favor of group B (more decrease in MABP, serum cortisol level and proteinuria; and more increase in WHOQOL questionnaire scores)]. Conclusion: Foot reflexology is an effective modality in decreasing MABP, serum cortisol level and proteinuria, as well as enhancing the quality of life of mild preeclamptic pregnant women

Genetic diversity of Ardi goat based on microsatellite analysis

The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic variability of Ardi goats found in the central regions of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia using 14 microsatellite markers. Allelic richness was considerably high in this population indicating high genetic polymorphism as expected heterozygozity was 0.675. Furthermore, the population showed deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in seven loci. Mean polymorphic information content value was found to be 0.553. Inbreeding coefficient was 0.183 suggesting moderate level of inbreeding. There was also no-significant heterozygote excess on basis of different models of infinite allele. These tests along with the mode-shift test of Ardi goat indicated no bottleneck recently. Thus, it can be recommended that the Ardi genetic variability should be maintained for its unique genetic resources, and there is a scope for further improvement in productivity through an appropriate management and breeding program. In general, results of this study can be used to establish a base of national conservation strategy of Ardi goat population in Saudi Arabia.Key words: Ardi goat, genetic diversity, microsatellite markers, inbreeding, bottleneck

MHD natural convection in an inclined cavity filled with a fluid saturated porous medium with heat source in the solid phase

A numerical investigation of unsteady magnetohydrodynamic free convection in an inclined square cavity filled with a fluid-saturated porous medium and with internal heat generation has been performed. A uniform magnetic field inclined with the same angle of the inclination of the cavity is applied. The governing equations are formulated and solved by a direct explicit finite-difference method subject to appropriate initial and boundary conditions. Two cases were considered, the first case when all the cavity walls are cooled and the second case when the cavity vertical walls are kept adiabatic. A parametric study illustrating the influence of the Hartmann number, Rayliegh number, the inclination angle of the cavity and the dimensionless time parameter on the flow and heat transfer characteristics such as the streamlines, isotherms and the average Nusselt number is performed. The velocity components at mid section of the cavity as well as the temperature profiles are reported graphically. The values of average Nusselt number for various parametric conditions are presented in tabular form

Clinical Profile of Non-Motor Symptoms in Patients with Essential Tremor: Impact on Quality of Life and Age-Related Differences

Background: Identifying the clinical phenotypes of non-motor symptoms (NMSs) of essential tremor (ET) among different populations is necessary due to their impact on the quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to investigate the clinical phenotype and impact of NMSs on QoL in Egyptian patients with ET. Methods: Thirty ET patients were compared to 30 matched controls. Subjects were evaluated by the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale, Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Pittsburgh Sleep quality Index, and the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire. Both groups were divided into two subgroups of younger (45 years, 16 patients) groups, to investigate age-related differences. Results: ET patients showed significantly worse cognition, depression, anxiety, sleep and NMSS domains (p < 0.001), compared to controls, that negatively affected and predicted QoL. Older patients had more cognitive impairment (p = 0.003) and worse sleep/fatigue (p = 0.032) and sexual functions (p = 0.006), compared to younger group. Discussion: The study supports that NMSs are integral part of ET, negatively affect QoL, and similarly affect younger and older patients. Therefore, NMSs should be explored for proper care of ET patients

Effect of combined treatment with cryotherapy plus chemo- radiotherapy versus chemo- radiotherapy alone in a non-small-cell lung cancer

Background:In end-stage patients when all management options have been used, will often develop compromise of their airways as the cancer continues to progress. Endobronchial therapy options may help to relieve some of their symptoms, allowing improvement in their shortness of breath as they go home in combination with other palliative therapies. Objective: To compare the safety; efficacy; and clinical outcome of endobronchialcryotherapy combined with chemotherapy and/ or radiotherapy versus chemo-radiotherapy alone on patients with Non-small cell lung cancer. Patients and method(s): A prospective randomized clinical trial was carried out on 60 patients, diagnosed as bronchogenic carcinoma non-small cell lung cancer type (NSCLC). The patients attended the hospital in the chest department, Qena Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University. Assessment of the patients was done and randomly assigned into two groups.Group1, Include 30 patients subjected to chemotherapy, radiotherapy and endobronchialcryotherapy.Group2 ,Include include 30 patients subjected to chemotherapy and radiotherapy alone. Result(s): There was significant response meat in symptomatology in Group (1) cryotherapy with regard to cough (P value .000) , dyspnea (P value .000) and haemoptysis (P value .000) . Also, from the functional point of view, in group 1 there were significant improvement to cryotherapy was achieved in FVC(P value .000) , FEV1 (P value .000) , PEFR (P value .000) , and 6MWT (P value .000) . However, there were no significant difference in group 2 between the incidence of improvement in FVC , FEV1 , PEFR , and 6MWT. Conclusion:There wasbenifical effect of combination of endobronchialcryotherapy to patients with lung cancer plus chemo and/ or radiotherapy in the form of improved symptoms and lung functions