Permanent art

This audio documentary attempts to discuss Egypt’s rising tattoo community within a society that is heavily opposed to it. Three young people share their tattoo stories in a society that is heavily opposed to them – why they got them, how they got them and what people think of them. This documentary sheds light on the preexisting taboos surrounding tattoos within the Egyptian society as a result of certain religious beliefs

Antibody responses to acute COVID-19 infection; assessment via multiplex LABScreen COVID Plus Assay

Background: Understanding the profile of antibody responses following acute COVID-19 infection is required. Aim: to describe the pattern of IgG anti-COVID-19 antibody production in patients with acute infection using the LABScreen COVID Plus assay. Results: The overall seropositivity was 69/73(94.5%). Anti-Spike, Spike 1 and spike S2 subunits were positive in 78.1%, while anti spike receptor binding domain  (RBD) was detected in 68.4% and anti nucleocapsid protein in 61.6%. The overall positivity of the assay reached 100.0% during the second week post symptoms. The mean fluorescent intensities (MFI) of anti-Spike S1 was higher in the second week than the first week, p < /em>=0.03. MFI of anti-Spike S2 was significantly higher in PCR positive patients in comparison with the negative ones, p < /em>=0.006. When compared to the RT-PCR results; the overall antibodies positivity, anti-Spike, and anti-Spike2 antibodies had sensitivities (100% and 84.7%) and specificities (28.6% and 50.0%) and accuracies (86.3% and 78.1%).  Patients' outcome correlated significantly with the time of hospital admission, p < /em>=0.001. Conclusion: COVID-19 IgG antibodies are detectable with considerable frequencies during the first two weeks post infection. Anti S2 antibodies correlates well with the RT-PCR results. The LABScreen COVID Plus is a sensitive assay for the detection of post-acute COVID-19 infection antibody responses.Background: Understanding the profile of antibody responses following acute COVID-19 infection is required. Aim: to describe the pattern of IgG anti-COVID-19 antibody production in patients with acute infection using the LABScreen COVID Plus assay. Results: The overall seropositivity was 69/73(94.5%). Anti-Spike, Spike 1 and spike S2 subunits were positive in 78.1%, while anti spike receptor binding domain  (RBD) was detected in 68.4% and anti nucleocapsid protein in 61.6%. The overall positivity of the assay reached 100.0% during the second week post symptoms. The mean fluorescent intensities (MFI) of anti-Spike S1 was higher in the second week than the first week, p < /em>=0.03. MFI of anti-Spike S2 was significantly higher in PCR positive patients in comparison with the negative ones, p < /em>=0.006. When compared to the RT-PCR results; the overall antibodies positivity, anti-Spike, and anti-Spike2 antibodies had sensitivities (100% and 84.7%) and specificities (28.6% and 50.0%) and accuracies (86.3% and 78.1%).  Patients' outcome correlated significantly with the time of hospital admission, p < /em>=0.001. Conclusion: COVID-19 IgG antibodies are detectable with considerable frequencies during the first two weeks post infection. Anti S2 antibodies correlates well with the RT-PCR results. The LABScreen COVID Plus is a sensitive assay for the detection of post-acute COVID-19 infection antibody responses

Ultra-wideband CMOS power amplifier for wireless body area network applications: a review

A survey on ultra-wideband complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) power amplifiers for wireless body area network (WBAN) applications is presented in this paper. Formidable growth in the CMOS integrated circuits technology enhances the development in biomedical manufacture. WBAN is a promising mechanism that collects essential data from wearable sensors connected to the network and transmitted it wirelessly to a central patient monitoring station. The ultra-wideband (UWB) technology exploits the frequency band from 3.1 to 10.6 GHz and provides no interference to other communication systems, low power consumption, low-radiated power, and high data rate. These features permit it to be compatible with medical applications. The demand target is to have one transceiver integrated circuit (IC) for WBAN applications, consequently, UWB is utilized to decrease the hardware complexity. The power amplifier (PA) is the common electronic device that employing in the UWB transmitter to boost the input power to the desired output power and then feed it to the antenna of the transmitter. The advance in the design and implementation of ultra-wideband CMOS power amplifiers enhances the performance of the UWB-transceivers for WBAN applications. A review of recently published CMOS PA designs is reported in this paper with comparison tables listing wideband power amplifiers' performance

Septate or bicornuate uterus: Accuracy of three-dimensional trans-vaginal ultrasonography and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging

AbstractObjectiveTo estimate the accuracy of 3-dimensional transvaginal ultrasonography (3D-TVUS), hysterosalpingography (HSG) and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the differentiation between septate and bicornuate uterus.Patients and methodsThirty-six patients with suspected septate or bicornuate uterus on 2D ultrasound or hysterosalpingography (HSG) underwent 3D-TVUS examination, MR imaging, diagnostic laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. HSG was performed only for those patients who did not undergo the procedure before (21 patients), we retrospectively revised the hysterosalpingography of 15 patients performed outside our hospital with acceptable quality.ResultsHSG showed sensitivity of 77.4%, specificity of 60% and overall accuracy of 75% in the differentiation between the septate and bicornuate uterus. MRI showed sensitivity of 93.5%, specificity of 80%, PPV of 96.6% and negative predicative value of 66.6%, with overall accuracy of 91.6%. The 3D ultrasound showed the highest diagnostic parameters, with sensitivity of 96.7%, specificity of 100%, PPV of 100% and negative predicative value of 83.3%, with overall accuracy of 97.2%.ConclusionsTransvaginal 3-D ultrasonography is accurate for diagnosis and differentiation between septate uterus and bicornuate uterus. We recommend 3-D transvaginal ultrasonography as the first and only mandatory step in the assessment of the uterine cavity in patients with a suspected septate or bicornuate uterus, especially before planning surgery. MRI should be preserved for patients in whom 3D TVS is not possible like virgins

Assessment of 25 (OH) Vitamin D in Neonates with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy

Background: Vitamin D is a hormone that affects a wide range of functions within the body. Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a serious disease that may lead to permanent brain injury.Objective: The present study aimed to study vitamin D status in hypoxic ischemic in encephalopathy.Patients and methods: A case control study carried out in newborn intensive care unit (NICU) of Zagazig University Children Hospitals. Total number of cases that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria was 49 full term neonates with HIE divided according to Sarnat stages: stage I; 20 full term neonates, stage II; 15 full term neonates and stage III; 14 full term neonates. Cases were compared to 16 healthy controls. Results: There was a statistical significant increase in Apgar score 1, 5, 10 in control group compared to all cases groups. There were no statistical significant differences between the studied groups in relation to CBC results. There was a statistical significant difference between the different stages of HIE in CRP and pH. There was a statistical significant increase in frequency of hypoxic change in stage III compared to stage II and I. All stages of HIE showed statistical significant increase in frequency of vitamin D deficiency compared to control group. Stage III had statistical significant increase in frequency of vitamin D deficiency compared to stage I and II.Conclusion: Serum 25(OH) vitamin D insufficiency is present in the majority of term HIE neonates. 25 (OH) vitamin D was significantly deficient in stage III more than stage I and II

Optimiranje fizikalno-kemijskih parametara, djelomično pročišćavanje i karakterizacija izvanstanične alkalne lipaze iz novog soja plijesni Curvularia sp. DHE 5

Thirty isolated fungal strains were screened for lipase production using Phenol Red plates, containing tributyrin as lipidic substrate, and a novel fungus identified genetically as Curvularia sp. DHE 5 was found as the most prominent strain. Various agro-industrial substrates were evaluated as inert supports for lipase production in solid-state fermentation. The highest yield of lipase ((83.4±2.2) U/g on dry mass basis) was reported with wheat bran medium after seven days of fermentation at pH=7.0, temperature of 30 °C, 70 % moisture content, inoculum size of 1.27·107 spore/mL and 2 % olive oil as an inducer. Supplementation of the medium with 0.05 % KCl as an ion source further increased lipase production to (88.9±1.2) U/g on dry mass basis. The enzyme was partially purified through ammonium sulphate fractionation (40 %) followed by dialysis, and its optimum pH and temperature were reported at 8.0 and 50 °C, respectively, with remarkable pH and thermal stability.U radu je ispitana proizvodnja lipaze iz 30 izolata plijesni na podlozi s tributirinom pomoću fenolnog crvenila, pri čemu se najviše istaknuo izolat koji je genetički identificiran kao novi soj plijesni Curvularia sp. DHE 5. Ispitana je mogućnost korištenja različitog agroindustrijskog otpada kao inertnih podloga za proizvodnju lipaze fermentacijom na čvrstoj podlozi. Najveći prinos lipaze od (83,4±2,2) jedinica po gramu suhe tvari dobiven je u podlozi s pšeničnim mekinjama nakon sedam dana fermentacije pri pH-vrijednosti od 7,0; temperaturi od 30 °C, 70 %-tnom udjelu vlage, veličini inokuluma od 1,27·107 spora po mililitru i s dodatkom 2 %-tnog maslinovog ulja. Dodatak 0,05 % KCl kao izvora iona dodatno je potaknuo proizvodnju lipaze na 88,9±1,2 jedinica po gramu suhe tvari. Enzim je djelomično pročišćen (40 %) frakcioniranjem pomoću amonijeva sulfata i dijalizom, te se pokazao izuzetno stabilinim, s optimalnom pH-vrijednosti od 8,0 i optimalnom temperaturom od 50 °C

Neurofibromatosis type 1 and multiple sclerosis: Genetically related diseases

Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder with involvement of both the cutaneous and nervous systems. Patients are susceptible to neurological complication in the form of tumors of the brain and spinal cord. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the myelinated axons in the central nervous system. Unlike MS, none of the neurological complications of NF1 is demyelinating. The association of these two diseases in the same patient is rare and could be genetically related. Early detection of the presence of MS in patients with NF1 is of utmost importance as treatment will certainly decrease further neurological disability. Here we report the first Egyptian lady with this association

Design a Combined Machine for Seedbed Preparation

Soil preparation is a very important part of the grain production process as it is necessary to maximize the possible yield. The mechanical soil preparation assists better water and air circulation and fertilizer dissolving in soils, which can increase the grain yield. The aim of this investigation was to design a new combined machine for seedbed preparation in one trip and assesses its effect on some soil physical properties and crop yield. Field experiments were carried out on clay loam, three diverse tillage methods were conducted under the same conditions of soil moisture content, operating speed and plowing depth. The tillage methods were: new combined (NCM), traditional method (TM) and no tillage method (NT). Results Clarified that the new combined machine achieved better values of the soil physical properties and increased onion yield compared to the other tillage methods. The (NCM) decreasing soil bulk density by 19% based on (NT) method and 12% based on (TM). It also increasing soil total porosity by 35.16% based on (NT) method and 8% based on (TM). The (NCM) maximizing crop yield by 63.5% and 48.2% based on crop yield in (NT) and (TM) respectively. The obtained results recommended using NCM in seedbed preparation for onion crop which planted in clay loam soil under the studied conditions. 

Deformation Study of Papandayan Volcano using GPS Survey Method and Its Correlation with Seismic Data Observation

Papandayan volcano located in the southern part of Garut regency, around 70 km away from Bandung city, West Java. Many methods carried out to monitoring the activities of volcano, both continuously or periodically, one of the monitoring method is periodically GPS survey. Basically those surveys are carried out to understand the pattern and velocity of displacement which occurred in the volcano body, both horizontally and vertically, and also others deformation elements such as; translation, rotation and dilatation. The Mogi modeling was also used to determine the location and volume of the pressure source which caused deformation of volcano body. By comparing seismic activity and the deformation reveal from GPS measurement, before, during and after eruption, it could be understood there is a correlation between the seismicity and its deformation. These studies is hoping that GPS measurement in Papandayan volcano could be one of supported method to determine the volcano activities, at least in Papandayan volcano