The Effect of Jet Grouting on Enhancing the Lateral Behavior of Piled Raft Foundation in Soft Clay (Numerical Investigation)

Soft clay soils cannot usually support large lateral loads, so clay soils must be improved to increase lateral resistance. The jet grouting method is one of the methods used to improve weak soils. In this paper, a series of 3D finite element studies were conducted using Plaxis 3D software to investigate the lateral behavior of piled rafts in improved soft clay utilizing the jet grouting method. Parametric models were analyzed to explore the influence of the width, depth, and location of the grouted clay on the lateral resistance. Additionally, the effect of vertical loads on the lateral behavior of piled rafts in grouted clay was also investigated. The numerical results indicate that the lateral resistance increases by increasing the dimensions of the jet grouting beneath and around the piled raft. Typical increases in lateral resistance are 11.2%, 65%, 177%, and 35% for applying jet grouting beside the raft, below the raft, below and around the raft, and grouted strips parallel to lateral loads, respectively. It was also found that increasing the depth of grouted clay enhances lateral resistance up to a certain depth, about 6 to 10 times the pile diameter (6 to 10D). In contrast, the improvement ratio is limited beyond 10D. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the presence of vertical loads has a significant impact on sideward resistance

Stop Turning a Blind Eye: Tobacco Smoking Among Egyptian Patients With Schizophrenia

Background: Patients with schizophrenia have considerably higher rates of mortality than general population. Multiple factors may play a role in this. Despite being a major preventable cause of death, smoking is usually overlooked when dealing with patients with schizophrenia. Understanding the pattern of smoking, its severity, and the reasons to quit might be helpful in managing patients with schizophrenia and decreasing the mortality gap.Subjects and Methods: The study included smokers divided into two groups; the first included 346 patients with schizophrenia while the second group had 150 smokers with no mental illness. Both groups were assessed and compared regarding sociodemographic variables, pattern of smoking, severity of nicotine dependence, and motivation to quit smoking.Results: Earlier age of starting to smoke, higher number of cigarettes per day, and lower dependency scores were noted in patients with Schizophrenia. Positive correlation was found between positive symptoms and severity of dependence. Specific positive symptoms were correlated to number of cigarettes per day and time before first cigarette. Patients with Schizophrenia showed a significant difference in intrinsic reasons to quit (health concerns and self-control), which were also positively correlated to their positive symptoms score. Linear regression analysis for predictors of FTND score revealed that only age, sex, and schizophrenia were significant predictors of FTND score.Conclusion: Patients with schizophrenia smoke at earlier ages and smoke more cigarettes per day, yet, have less severe dependence than non-schizophrenic counterparts. Positive symptoms play a role in their smoking pattern and severity. Health concerns and self-control are their main motives to quit smoking

CARD15/NOD2, CD14 and Toll-like 4 Receptor Gene Polymorphisms in Saudi Patients with Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a multifactorial disease with a genetic component and an observed association with genes related to the innate immune response. Polymorphisms in the CARD15/NOD2 gene, in addition to functional variants of the toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) and CD14 genes, have been associated with the development of Crohn’s disease. There is no information about the frequency of these polymorphisms in the Saudi population. We examined the frequency of the three major CARD15/NOD2 risk alleles (Leu1007fsinsC, Arg702Trp, and Gly908Arg) and the TLR4 (Thr399Il) polymorphism as well as a functional polymorphism in the promoter of the CD14–159C/T in 46 Saudi CD patients and 50 matched controls. Genotyping was performed by allele-specific PCR or by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. The mutant genotype frequencies of the Leu1007fsinsC, Arg702Trp and Gly908Arg in the patient group were 6.5, 21.7 and 6.5%, respectively, compared with frequencies of 0, 4 and 2%, respectively, in the control group. There were 15 patients who carried the mutant alleles for all three CARD15/NOD2 variants, Leu1007fsinsC, Arg702Trp and Gly908Arg, while none of the control candidates carried the three alleles. This genetic study provides evidence that the three major CARD15/NOD2 variant alleles and the CD14 –159C/T polymorphism are associated with Crohn’s disease (CD) susceptibility in the Saudi population; however, there is no evidence that the TLR4 (Thr399Il) or CARD15/NOD2 polymorphisms can be considered risk factors for Crohn’s disease

Angiogenesis and inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has gained immense attention recently due primarily to increasing prevalence. The exact disease mechanism is still unknown. There is considerable evidence of interrelation between the mechanisms of angiogenesis and the chronic inflammation of IBD. This evidence was obtained from animal models of colitis and confirmed in human studies. Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) have been found to be significantly higher in patients with IBD than in controls. In addition, it was found that these factors correlate well with disease activity and decrease with the use of steroids. Therefore pharmacological inhibition of angiogenesis has the potential to be a therapeutic strategy in IBD

The improvements of three-dimensional seismic interpretation in comparison with the two-dimensional seismic interpretation in Al-Amal oil field, Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Thirteen 2D seismic lines were interpreted with the help of well velocity and time-depth trace conversion to construct the structure-tectonic maps. This is to characterize the different stratigraphic tops of Al-Amal area, as well as to confirm the validity of the proposed structural model. Most of the available seismic data in Al-Amal area were investigated and reviewed to select the best quality set. In order to study the detailed structural elements based on the 3D seismic lines; six depth structure contour maps were constructed on the tops of Zeit, South Gharib, Belayim, Kareem, Nukhul and Matulla formations from top downward. Interpretation was aided by the missing sections detected from the available well tops and dip-meter data as well. These maps indicate that, both of Miocene and Pre-Miocene formations in Al-Amal field were affected by elongated tilted graben blocks trending in the NW–SE directions and bounded by two sets of faults, which are down throwing toward the west and eastern directions

Efficacy of spyglass-guided electrohydraulic lithotripsy in difficult bile duct stones

Background/Aims: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Spyglass-guided electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) for difficult common bile duct stones (CBD) not amenable to conventional endoscopic therapy. Design: A retrospective study evaluating the efficacy of Spyglass-guided EHL in treating difficult CBD stones, in a single tertiary care center. Patients and Methods: All patients who underwent Spyglass-guided EHL from 2012 to 2013 were compared with a historical cohort who had ECSWL. Results: A total number of 13 patients underwent Spyglass-guided EHL, 8 (61.5%) of them were males. The mean age was 46.5 ± 5.6 years. Bile duct clearance was achieved in 13 (100%) of them. Seventy-six percent required only one Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to clear the CBD, 7.7% required two ERCPs, and 15.4% required three ERCPs. Adverse effects (cholangitis) occurred in one patient (10%), whereas only 30 patients (64.4%) of the ESWL group had complete CBD stone clearance. Thirty-seven percent required one ERCP to clear the CBD, 35.6% required two ERCPs, and 20% required three ERCPs. Adverse effects happened in seven (15.5%) patients, where five (11%) had cholangitis and two (4.4%) had pancreatitis. Conclusion: Although a retrospective design with a small sample size, we concluded that Spyglass-guided EHL is an effective procedure in treating difficult CBD stones