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Hypertension is one of the most common and complicated disorders associated with genetic and environmental risk factors. The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is important in the renin-angiotensin-system pathway. The gene expression of ACE has been investigated as a possible hypertension marker. This study investigates the association between polymorphisms within the ACE1 and ACE2 genes and hypertension susceptibility in a Jordanian population. The study comprised a total of 200 hypertensive patients and 180 healthy controls. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to genotype the candidate polymorphism (rs4646994) of the ACE1gene. The Luminex DNA array technique was used for genotyping SNPs (rs4359, rs4344, rs4341, rs4343, and rs2106809) of the ACE1 and ACE2 genes. Our findings suggest no association between SNPs and hypertension regarding allelic and genotypic frequencies. However, rs4359 was significantly associated with diet (pP = 0.049), know HTN (P = 0.042), and number of years DM (P = 0.003). rs4341 was associated with diet (P = 0.032), peripheral vascular disease (P = 0.005), and chronic kidney disease (p = 0.049). While rs4343 was associated with diet (P = 0.031), diabetes mellitus (P = 0.032), and other medication (P = 0.025). Furthermore, the haplotypes of four SNPs of the ACE1 gene showed no significant association with HTN patients and healthy controls. Our findings indicate no association between the polymorphisms in the ACE gene and the risk of hypertension development in the Jordanian adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a common respiratory disorder that causes intermittent upper airway collapse during sleep and can lead to various acute cardiovascular complications. Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular hospitalization and all-cause mortality. Our study aimed to investigate the prevalence of individuals with AF and those considered at high risk for OSA. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a population comprising patients who had visited KAUH cardiology clinics between 2017– 2019; subjects were categorized into AF patients and general cardiology patients. Patients were surveyed for OSA using the Berlin Questionnaire to assess the degree of OSA symptoms and to classify patients into high- or low-risk groups based on their responses. Results: Of the 656 patients, 545 met our inclusion criteria, of whom 192 were diagnosed with AF. Comparable demographic characteristics were observed between the AF and non-AF groups, barring higher rates of obesity (p=0.001) and smoking (p=0.042) in the AF group. The prevalence of high-risk OSA was significantly higher in AF patients (68.2%) compared to non-AF patients (29.4%), with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.473 times (95% CI: 1.434 − 4.266, p=0.001) greater for AF. The age, gender, and BMI categories did not differ significantly between the two groups. Binary logistic regression revealed significant associations between OSA and risk factors such as asthma (OR=4.408, 95% CI: 2.634– 7.376, p=0.001). Conclusion: These results serve to display a statistically significant increase in high-risk OSA in existing AF patients, irrespective of the presence of conventional OSA risk factors; this could imply a more immediate and direct relationship between both diseases and calls to include routine screening for OSA in patients diagnosed, newly or otherwise, with AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observational evidence on an anomalous low saline pool due to excess rainfall and runoff during September 2020 in the South Eastern Arabian Sea (SEAS) is explained based on in-situ and satellite/reanalysis datasets. The study shows the presence of a low saline pool in the coast to offshore section between 10 and 14°N, which is associated with weak winds (3–5 m/s) and surface currents (0.1–0.2 m/s), compared to the long-term average. The pool is observed with strong vertical temperature gradient of 4°C and salinity gradient of 3.5 psu in the upper 20 m column. Cyclonic eddy in the central SEAS influences the distribution of low saline pool which suppress the coastal upwelling in the region. However, active upwelling is observed (surface temperature <26°C) in the southern transects (8–9°N) associated with strong wind (>6 m/s) and surface current (>0.2 m/s) which is also supported with weak rainfall and runoff. The high phytoplankton biomass in the nutrient-rich active upwelling region supports high zooplankton biomass. Contrastingly, the low saline pool region experienced low nitrate and phosphate concentration resulting into less chlorophyll concentration and that might be a plausible reason for the low zooplankton biomass. Research highlights: An unusual low saline pool was observed in the mixed layer of SEAS during fag end of SW monsoon 2020. Anomalous rainfall and runoff associated with weak wind, currents lead to the formation of the low saline pool. Cyclonic eddy observed in the region defined the flow within and the overall pattern of the pool region. The low saline pool inhibits coastal upwelling to the subsurface in the central SEAS. The low saline pool resulted in a stratified water column in the upper layer leading to reduced phytoplankton concentration and zooplankton biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The unprecedented global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has imposed huge challenges on the healthcare facilities, and impacted every aspect of life. This has led to the development of several vaccines against COVID-19 within one year. This study aimed to assess the attitudes and the side effects among Arab communities after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine and use of machine learning (ML) tools to predict post-vaccination side effects based on predisposing factors. Methods: An online-based multinational survey was carried out via social media platforms from 14 June to 31 August 2021, targeting individuals who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine from 22 Arab countries. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and chi-square tests were used to analyze the data. Moreover, extensive ML tools were utilized to predict 30 post vaccination adverse effects and their severity based on 15 predisposing factors. The importance of distinct predisposing factors in predicting particular side effects was determined using global feature importance employing gradient boost as AutoML. Results: A total of 10,064 participants from 19 Arab countries were included in this study. Around 56% were female and 59% were aged from 20 to 39 years old. A high rate of vaccine hesitancy (51%) was reported among participants. Almost 88% of the participants were vaccinated with one of three COVID-19 vaccines, including Pfizer-BioNTech (52.8%), AstraZeneca (20.7%), and Sinopharm (14.2%). About 72% of participants experienced post-vaccination side effects. This study reports statistically significant associations (p < 0.01) between various predisposing factors and post-vaccinations side effects. In terms of predicting post-vaccination side effects, gradient boost, random forest, and XGBoost outperformed other ML methods. The most important predisposing factors for predicting certain side effects (i.e., tiredness, fever, headache, injection site pain and swelling, myalgia, and sleepiness and laziness) were revealed to be the number of doses, gender, type of vaccine, age, and hesitancy to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusions: The reported side effects following COVID-19 vaccination among Arab populations are usually non-life-threatening; flu-like symptoms and injection site pain. Certain predisposing factors have greater weight and importance as input data in predicting post-vaccination side effects. Based on the most significant input data, ML can also be used to predict these side effects; people with certain predicted side effects may require additional medical attention, or possibly hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lesser known coastal upwelling in the North Eastern Arabian Sea (NEAS) during summer monsoon, its associated dynamics and forcing mechanisms is elucidated for the first time using basin scale monthly time-series in-situ and satellite data. The presence of cool upwelled waters along northwest coast of India from July to early October with an associated increase in productivity was evident in both data. The low level Findlater jet blows towards west coast of India with high wind magnitude (10–12 m/s) during summer monsoon generates strong Ekman transport (1416 kg/m/s) at offshore and Ekman pumping velocity (1.349 m/s) at coastal region initiates upwelling. It was identified that the currents and remote forcing also regulate upwelling along the region. Although upwelling seems to exist along the northwest coast, it was weaker (25.5 °C) compared to the southwest coast where the SST dropped to 24 °C. The upwelling was observed in the south during June as a surface process, while it was observed along the northwest coast of India by the end of August. Even though the onset of upwelling in the NEAS and South Eastern Arabian Sea (SEAS) had a lag of two months, the recession of upwelling happened during late and early September respectively. The cause for the lag in the onset and cessation of upwelling between SEAS and NEAS is attributed to the propagation of Kelvin waves and southwest monsoon winds. The study also reveals that temperature and chlorophyll profiles show bi-modal peaks of high and low associated with winter cooling (winter) and upwelling (summer). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Singhbhum craton of eastern India is bestowed with several metal deposits such as iron, manganese, chromite, and platinum group of elements (PGE). Iron and manganese ores are associated with banded iron formations of Paleoarchean greenstone belts, and chromite and PGEs are associated with mafic-ultramafic rocks of Mesoarchean Baula- Nuasahi and Sukinda belts. Earlier studies indicate a hydrothermal origin of PGE mineralisation. Here, the occurrence of micron-sized gold grain and base metal sulfides in the Mesoarchean Mayurbhanj Gabrro Anorthosite Complex (GAC) are reported. These gabbros are considered coeval with Mayurbhanj granites and comprise of plagioclase, clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene, amphiboles, minor quartz, chlorite, and accessory opaque mineral phases. Scanning Electron Microscopic study shows the occurrence of a ∼3 µm sized sub-rounded gold spherule in feldspar, along with disseminated grains of sulphides of varying sizes. Geochemical analysis reveals that the Sarat-Ghat exposure of Mayurbhanj GAC contains an appreciable amount of gold and PGE (∑PGEs up to 1094 ppb and Au up to 396.5 ppb). The presence of sulphide minerals and intense alteration of feldspars and pyroxenes in the mineralised zone points towards a hydrothermal origin. This lithounit warrants a detailed appraisal to understand the nature and extent of gold and PGE mineralisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolutionary nature of the Neoarchean basement, concealed below 66 Ma Deccan Large Igneous Province, remains largely unknown. We present here detailed results of integrated geoscientific investigations, carried out on 43 basement cores that cover an entire 270 m thick column, penetrated by the KLR-1 deep scientific borehole, drilled in the epicentral zone of 1993 Killari earthquake (Maharashtra, India). They dominantly contain high velocity-high density, halogen-rich, retrogressed and metasomatized amphibolite to granulite facies mid-crustal rocks, with intercalations of TTG, which were subjected to temperatures between 540 and 860 °C and pressure 5–7 kb, equating to 15–21 km emplacement depth. The granitic-gneissic layer, typical of the upper crust, appears absent. Geochemically, these iron-rich rocks are characterized by wide variation in which SiO2, MgO and FeOT contents vary from 45.12 to 69.96 wt% (avg. 58.11 wt%), 0.18–11.95 wt% (avg. 4.22 wt%), and 0.34–22.92 wt% (avg. 9.01 wt%) respectively. Measured FeOT contents are even higher than the normal lower crust. The granulite rocks exhibit tholeiite affinity, while amphibolite (which dominate the lithology) and TTG rocks show calc-alkaline character. Further, chondrite and primitive mantle normalized plots, show consistent and complimentary REE patterns (except in HREE), with negative Eu anomalies and LILE enrichment, indicating source rock fractionation. Well-marked depletion in Nb–Ta, Zr–Hf, subordinate depletion in Sr and Ba, and their distinct calc-alkaline to tholeiite character, indicate their subduction zone/arc-related affinity. In addition, large-scale crust-mantle interaction and pervasive metasomatism, have led to considerable alteration to the basic fabric of the rock thereby making it weak and characterized by reduced velocities due to biotitization and substantial Fe-enrichment. Quite likely, earthquake nucleation in intraplate stable regions may have a close link with mantle metasomatism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pancreas is a pear-shaped flat organ resembling the letter L, and yellowish to pink in color. This organ is of medical significance since it is associated with two life-threatening diseases including diabetes mellitus and pancreatic cancer. This study was conducted on male rabbits which were assigned into 3 age groups (6-month-old, 1-year-old, and 3-year-old rabbits). Physiological and histological changes of the pancreas were studied in the adopted age groups. The physiological aspect and the histological structure of the pancreas were also studied by the analysis of the level of pancreatic gland hormones and hormonal changes. Based on the results, there were significant differences in the concentration of pancreatic gland hormones. Insulin level in the second study group was more than that in the first and third groups, while the highest concentration of blood sugar (glucose) was observed in the third group, compared to the first and second. Although the basic structure of the pancreas was similar in all samples, changes were observed in the tissue structure of the pancreas throughout the process of aging. By the increase of age (from 1 to 3 years old), Langerhans islets increased in size, contained alpha and beta cells that were surrounded by a loose connective tissue in the third stage. Moreover, no significant difference was observed in the diameters of cells that produced enzymes at all stages of life. Physiological and histological changes indicated that age plays a role in the function and structure of the pancreas gland during different stages of life. In addition, this study indicated that the hormonal variability of the pancreas is closely related to the histological composition of gland components. Therefore, further studies on the role of factors, such as gender, different breeds, or environmental conditions seem to be necessary and may provide more information on factors that may affect the effectiveness and activity of the pancreas gland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Plant Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Idiopathic palmoplantar hidradenitis (IPPH) is a disorder that mainly affects the palms and soles of children. Although many cases have been reported to occur after recreational swimming activities, whether IPPH is caused by intense physical activity or by Pseudomonas infection has yet to be proven. We report a case of a 3-year-old girl who presented with IPPH after swimming in a pool with evidence of P. aeruginosa contamination, further solidifying the association between Pseudomonas and IPPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal currents consist of wind-driven, tidal, surface wave and geostrophic flows. These currents have a major role for nearshore sediment transport, but the measured data availability on coastal currents for the Indian coast is relatively less. This study analyze the variability of coastal currents along with the tides at nearshore and offshore waters during two different seasons (fag end of summer monsoon and initial stage of pre-monsoon) at Vengurla, west coast of India. Results of this study exhibited that the tides at Vengurla are mixed semi-diurnal dominated by solar constituent during summer monsoon (September to October); whereas the lunar constituents dominates during pre-monsoon (February to March). The nearshore current was dominated by the westward flow (sluggish current) during monsoon and south eastward flow during pre-monsoon, whereas the offshore flow (strong current) showed seasonality. At offshore, southerly current dominated during summer monsoon, whereas the northerly current played a major role during pre-monsoon. The current profile analysis at offshore revealed that the gradation of strong current at the surface to the sluggish nature of currents at the bottom and were comparatively higher during summer monsoon than pre-monsoon periods. This study revealed a complex pattern among winds, tides and currents at offshore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The main objective of this study is sought to determine the impacts of PCSK9, WDR12, CDKN2A, and CXCL12 polymorphisms on warfarin sensitivity and responsiveness in Jordanian cardiovascular patients during the initiation and stabilization phases of therapy. Methods: This study took place at the anticoagulation clinic at Queen Alia Heart Institute (QAHI) in Jordan. DNA samples were collected from 212 cardiovascular patients and 213 healthy controls. Genomic SNPs genotyping was conducted using the MassARRAY System at the Australian Genome Research Facility. Results: This study assessed 10 polymorphisms (rs11206510 within the PCSK9 gene, rs6725887 and rs7582720 within the WDR12 gene, rs4977574, rs10757278, and rs1333049 within the CDKN2A gene, rs2862116, rs7906426, rs1746048, and rs268322 within the CXCL12 gene) in 212 Jordanian cardiovascular patients. Carriers of CDKN2A rs1333049, rs10757278, and PCSK9 rs11206510 polymorphisms had an increased risk of resistance during the initiation phase of warfarin therapy compared to those who do not carry it, or those who are carrying one polymorphism only (P < 0.05), while carriers of CXCL12 rs7906426 polymorphism had similar increased risk but during the stabilization phase of warfarin therapy (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Carriers of CXCL12 rs2862116 polymorphism had an increased risk to be warfarin extensive responders compared to those with no or only one polymorphism (P = 0.01). However, the presence of PCSK9 rs11206510 polymorphism affects the warfarin maintenance doses (P ˃ 0.0001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the hydrography and vertical current structure along the shelf edge of South East Arabian Sea (SEAS) during summer and winter monsoons based on current profiles from moving Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP). During summer monsoon, SEAS was characterized by upwelling with low saline water at the surface along the southern sector (8° N to 11° N). During winter, thermal structure was vertically homogeneous in the upper 80 m, and intrusion of low saline Bay of Bengal waters were found up to 14° N. In the southern sector, turbidity was more than the northern sector during winter and summer seasons. ADCP-derived current profiles during summer along 200-m isobath show dominant northward flow in the south, and southeasterly in the north as part of the West India Coastal Current (WICC). A comparison between ADCP current profiles and Ekman currents during summer indicates dominance of remote forcing (coastal Kelvin waves) over the local wind forcing in the 8–9° N sector whereas a combined influence of both remote forcing and wind in the 9–15° N sector. During winter, the direction of surface current reversed and was poleward generally except at the southern sector (7–8° N) where the flow was southwestward. Sector-wise comparison of ADCP and Ekman current showed less influence of wind on current fields throughout the sector except at south; wind has a major role in the current generation, whereas along the 8–15° N sector, the remote forcing dominates over the wind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the attitude and perception toward antiplatelet/anticoagulant agents in patients with cardiovascular diseases among dentists in the northern district of Jordan and to compare the current practice of Jordanian dentists and the recently published guidelines regarding the management of patients taking antiplatelet/anticoagulant drugs before dental procedures. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on dentists and dental interns working at the dental clinics in northern Jordan, including dental clinics at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) and the private sector. The total sample size comprised of 128 subjects (78 dentists from JUST and 50 private practitioners). The participants were interviewed using a preformed questionnaire to assess their knowledge and perceptions regarding the antiplatelets and the anticoagulant agents. Results: Approximately 61.5% of participants from JUST university and 20.0% of those in the private sector were aware of the use of clopidogrel (P < 0.0001). Although the overall awareness regarding other antiplatelets such as prasugrel was very low (8.6%), dentists from JUST (12.8%) showed a significantly higher level of awareness compared to the private practitioners (2.0%) (P = 0.049). More than 70% of the participants from JUST and only 46.0% of the private practitioners were aware of the consequences of interrupting treatment with clopidogrel in patients with coronary stents (P = 0.002). Almost both the participants from JUST (25.78%) and the private sector (24.22%) are consulting the cardiologists with similar frequencies before interrupting the treatment with the antiplatelet/anticoagulant agents. Participants who have clinical PhD qualifications are more aware of the recent clinical guidelines and the newest agents compared to others. Conclusions: The awareness regarding the newest antiplatelet/anticoagulant agents is poor among the dentists in northern Jordan. However, the majority (62.3%) of them realize the consequences of interrupting such treatments in patients with coronary stents. Unfortunately, only a quarter of the dentists are consulting the cardiologists before interrupting the treatment with the antiplatelet agents. Proper education, courses, and workshops should be performed to the dentists to improve their knowledge about this critical issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Plant Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aims: This study aimed to utilize a validated sleep questionnaire as a screening tool for symptoms and risk of obstructive sleep apnea in patients undergoing coronary catheterization in Jordan. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional design was used to screen adult patients undergoing coronary catheterization for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The Berlin sleep questionnaire was used to record nocturnal and daytime symptoms of OSA and to stratify patients into "low-risk" or "high-risk" for OSA. Coronary artery disease was defined as ≥50% intraluminal stenosis in at least one coronary vessel. Results: A total of 398 patients were studied, mean age was 58.7 years (SD=10.70), ranging from 21-92 years, and 68.6% were males. Based on the Berlin sleep questionnaire's definition, 176 patients (44.2%) were at high-risk for obstructive sleep apnea. Snoring was reported by 61%; loud in 42.1%, and frequent in 62%. Daytime sleepiness was reported by 36%, and 18.9% had fallen asleep while driving. Witnessed apnea during sleep was less reported (7.8%). Prevalence of symptoms and risk of OSA were not different between patients with and without coronary artery disease, P>0.05. In addition, logistic regression indicated that there was no significant association between risk of OSA and coronary artery disease, adjusted (odds ratio=0.93, 95% Confidence Interval=0.60-1.44, P=0.752). Conclusions: Symptoms and risk of obstructive sleep apnea were common among adult Jordanians undergoing coronary catheterization. There was no association between risk of obstructive sleep apnea and coronary artery disease. Larger studies are needed to assess the role of screening for obstructive sleep apnea in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study show the similarity as well as contradictory event among the four different wind data based on monthly, seasonally and annual wind pattern over Indian Ocean. All the four reanalysis wind sources exhibit almost similar trend in their annual as well as monthly average wind pattern, however there is no strong similarity at their peak condition in space and time. The statistical analysis, based on Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and correlation coefficient (R), exhibited that the ECMWF and NCMRWF wind shows comparatively good agreement with the moored buoy data than the NCEP/NCAR and NCEP/CFSR wind under the seasonal reversing wind pattern occurs across the consecutive monsoons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimation of Longshore Sediment Transport Rate (LSTR) in the littoral zone is essential for managing and developing any coastal zone. Numerical models are powerful tool to understand and investigate various processes responsible for LSTR in a systematic manner since direct measurement of LSTR is a difficult task. A one dimensional LITDRIFT model was implemented along the Vengurla coast for estimation of LSTR and to analyze the sensitivity of each input parameters towards the computation of LSTR. Major input parameters required for the estimation of LSTR are nearshore wave climate, bathymetry, and sediment characteristics. The nearshore wave data at a depth of 15 m were collected using wave rider buoy in 2015 is used in the present study. Field observations were carried out to survey the regional bathymetry and sediment characteristics. Annual net LSTR along Vengurala coast is relatively less and varies from −7778 to −9015 m3 with an average of −8511 m3. The net direction of LSTR is towards south and gross LSTR is 1.18 × 105 m3/year. The LSTR reveals more sensitivity to coastline orientation and wave direction. A 1° changes in coastline angle and wave direction causes approximately 3000 m3/month difference in LSTR. Moreover, wave height, wave period, and bed roughness has an important role for controlling LSTR. The model results help to identify the role of each parameter contributing towards LSTR estimation and a similar model approach can be applied to other coasts for estimating LSTR in an accurate way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose In low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria, women present with advanced breast cancer at an earlier age. Given the limited resources, development of screening programs that parallel resource capabilities of low- and middle-income countries is imperative. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perceptions, practices, and barriers regarding clinical breast examination (CBE) screening in a lowincome community in Nigeria. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional survey of women age 40 years or older in Ife, Nigeria, using multistaged sampling was performed. Information on sociodemographics, knowledge of breast cancer, screening practices, and willingness to participate in CBE screening was obtained using an intervieweradministered questionnaire. Results Atotal of1,169womenwhoseagesrangedfrom40to86years (meanage,47.7years; standarddeviation, 8.79 years) were interviewed. The majority of women (94%) knew about breast cancer, whereas 27.5% knew someonewho had had breast cancer, themajority of whom(64.5%) had died of the disease. Of the36%ofwomen whohadbreast screening recommendedto them, only19.7%hadanactualCBE.Of these, only6%hadit in the last year. The majority of women (65.4%) were willing to have regular CBEs and did not care about the sex of the examiner in most instances. Lack of perceived need was the reason cited by women unwilling to participate. Conclusion The majority of women were aware of breast cancer and knew it as a fatal disease. With the relatively encouraging number of those willing to be examined, a carefully designed CBE program coupled with advocacy to correct uneducated beliefs seems promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of FME Transactions is the property of University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Egyptian Journal of Agricultural Research is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We consider discouraged arrival of Markovian queueing systems whose service speed is regulated according to the number of customers in the system. We will reduce the congestion in two ways. First we attempt to reduce the congestion by discouraging the arrivals of customers from joining the queue. Secondly we reduce the congestion by introducing the concept of service switches. First we consider a model in which multiple servers have three service rates μ1, μ2, and μ (μ1≤μ2<μ), say, slow, medium, and fast rates, respectively. If the number of customers in the system exceeds a particular point K1 or K2, the server switches to the medium or fast rate, respectively. For this adaptive queueing system the steady state probabilities are derived and some performance measures such as expected number in the system/queue and expected waiting time in the system/queue are obtained. Multiple server discouraged arrival model having one service switch and single server discouraged arrival model having one and two service switches are obtained as special cases. A Matlab program of the model is presented and numerical illustrations are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Egyptian Journal of Agricultural Research is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Th( n, γ) reaction cross-section at average neutron energies of 13.5, 15.5 and 17.28 MeV from the Li( p, n) reaction has been determined for the first time using activation and off-line γ-ray spectrometric technique. The Th( n, 2 n) cross-section at 17.28 MeV neutron energy has also been determined using the same technique. The experimentally determined Th( n, γ) and Th( n, 2 n) reaction cross-sections from the present work were compared with the evaluated data of ENDF/BVII and JENDL-4.0 and were found to be in good agreement. The present data, along with literature data in a wide range of neutron energies, were interpreted in terms of competition between Th( n, γ), ( n, f), ( n, nf) and ( n, xn) reaction channels. The Th( n, γ) and Th( n, 2 n) reaction cross-sections were also calculated theoretically using the TALYS 1.2 computer code and were found to be in good agreement with the experimental data from the present work but were slightly higher than the literature data at lower neutron energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an alternative project delivery system where there is a need for mass production of housing units while, at the same time, allowing recipients to finish the units in their own way to avoid the problem of them redoing the work if the units are not what they really need. Large numbers of the recipients of governmental houses in Kuwait tend to remodel their newly-awarded houses to fit their needs. When carried out on a large scale, this represents a waste of resources on public funding and imposes costs on the occupants of the government housing units. As a result, this paper suggests that the National Housing Authority (NHA) in Kuwait should consider delivering a “partially constructed houses system” to avoid the substantial rebuilding activities carried out by a large number of occupants. This study documents the effect of the partially constructed housing approach on reducing the waiting period and cost of construction, and on meeting recipients’ expectations. In addition, the study recommends different alternative options for when construction should be stopped by the NHA and then continued by the recipients to complete the houses to their own satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal zone acts as a major interface between the ocean and continents. Harbours located in this zone face grave problems from sedimentation, which is a global issue for most of the harbours of the world. Dredging which counter acts sedimentation, brings about innumerable environmental impacts — both positive and negative. As a case study, this paper reports the impacts of dredging conducted at Cochin harbour which is the second largest port along the west coast of India; this port is a nodal center in trade and commerce connecting south east Asia to European sector. The harbour operation mainly depends on maintenance form of dredging bringing about impacts which have both direct and indirect effects in the long term. The important parameters selected for this study are salinity, current, extinction coefficient, turbidity, nutrients, chlorophyll and bottom fauna. An assessment is made on both positive and negative impacts which indicate rise in turbidity, changes in nutrient content and biota. The current practice on dredging is conducive to harbour operations, regulating the material made available to the near shore areas and highlights the possible venues for utilization of spoil for reclamation of land and wetland development. A flow chart identifies the areas vulnerable to impacts arising out of dredging and its consequential environmental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3-D) CAD and walk-thru are promising technologies in design and construction. While gaining widespread acceptance in design, the use of 3-D and walk-thru during the construction phases of projects is evolving slowly. One significant barrier to acceptance includes lack of documented cost/benefit analysis. Experimental results reported herein provide quantitative evidence of the advantages of 3-D CAD and walk-thru for planning construction projects. The results provide strong evidence of the practical benefits and appropriate areas of application for 3-D CAD and walk-thru technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of rhythmic beach cusps in foreshore regions are of persistent research interest to coastal researchers, engineers with respect to their formation in beaches. Morphometric and sediment analysis were used to study beach cusp morphology at Vengurla beach, a gentle slope beach characterized by medium sand. The cusp dimensions such as spacing, elevation, amplitude and depth were measured for detailed analysis. The distinctive sediment characteristics between the horn and the bays of the cusp are different and cusp measurements show a high level of irregularity. Horns and bays have medium sand, but sorting is varying. Sorting variations clearly demonstrated the difference in energy condition between horns and bay. Negative skewness of few horn samples has been correlated with erosional trend. Based on the grain size analysis result, it was observed that Vengurla beach cusps follow the regular grain size distribution pattern. Additionally, the low-intensity rip currents were also noticed in the study area. The rate of occurrence and strength of rip currents are decided by the nearshore bathymetry and play an imperative role in rip current formation. The present study is based upon the field measurements along Vengurla coast and contributes to morphometric analysis of beach cusps. Regarding beach cusps, there are no documented databases along the Indian coast. Understanding the beach cusp formation and its seasonal changes along the beaches will be useful for effective coastal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented discussing a retrospective review of cases of patients in Nigeria diagnosed with breast cancer and placed on cyclical chemotherapy regimes.

A ten year review (1980-1989) of 59 neonates presenting with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) to Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, the main referral centre for neonatal surgery in Ireland, is presented to determine the outcome and make suggestions for improvements. CDH was more common in males (34M, 25F). The hernia was present on the left side in 47 cases and 11 cases were right sided. Overall mortality was 35.6%, with increased mortality for right-sided hernia (54.5%). Mean gestation period for survivors was 39 weeks and for non-survivors was 36 weeks. Fifty-two (88.1%) patients presented with symptoms within first six hours after birth. Nineteen of 59 patients (32%) did not have their airways secured with an endotracheal tube at the time of arrival in the hospital. Recurrent chest infections and gastro-oesophageal reflux were the most common long term complications. The prognosis was better for late presenters. A period of prolonged ventilatory stabilisation with appropriate inotropic support to help correct acidosis before surgery improved results. Surgery should be postponed until ventilatory stabilisation is established. A protocol for safe transport of patients to the referrral centre is recommended. It is advisable that all patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia be intubated as soon as the diagnosis is made and that a doctor accustomed to airway management accompanies the patient to the neonatal surgical centre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]