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Using geochemical and pumping test data from 80 groundwater wells, the chemical, hydrologic, and hydraulic properties of the fractured Eocene carbonate aquifer located west of the Al-Minya district, the Western Desert, Egypt, have been characterized and determined to guarantee sustainable management of groundwater resources under large-scale desert reclamation projects. The hydrochemical data show that groundwater from the fractured Eocene carbonate aquifer has a high concentration of Na+ and Cl− and varies in salinity from 2176 to 2912 mg/L (brackish water). Water–rock interaction and ion exchange processes are the most dominant processes controlling groundwater composition. The carbonate aquifer exists under confined to semi-confined conditions, and the depth to groundwater increases eastward. From the potentiometric head data, deep-seated faults are the suggested pathways for gas-rich water ascending from the deep Nubian aquifer system into the overlying shallow carbonate aquifer. This mechanism enhances the dissolution and karstification of carbonate rocks, especially in the vicinity of faulted sites, and is supported by the significant loss of mud circulation during well drilling operations. The average estimated hydraulic parameters, based on the analysis of step-drawdown, long-duration pumping and recovery tests, indicate that the Eocene carbonate aquifer has a wide range of transmissivity (T) that is between 336.39 and 389,309.28 m2/d (average: 18,405.21 m2/d), hydraulic conductivity (K) between 1.31 and 1420.84 m/d (average: 70.29 m/d), and specific capacity (Sc) between 44.4 and 17,376.24 m2/d (average: 45.24 m2/d). On the other hand, the performance characteristics of drilled wells show that well efficiency ranges between 0.47 and 97.08%, and well losses range between 2.92 and 99.53%. In addition to variations in carbonate aquifer thickness and clay/shale content, the existence of strong karstification features, i.e., fissures, fractures or caverns, and solution cavities, in the Eocene carbonate aquifer are responsible for variability in the K and T values. The observed high well losses might be related to turbulent flow within and adjacent to the wells drilled in conductive fracture zones. The current approach can be further used to enhance local aquifer models and improve strategies for identifying the most productive zones in similar aquifer systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neoproterozoic granitic rocks of Mount Abu Kibash and Tulayah in the central Eastern Desert of Egypt are of geodynamic interest and provide us with important information about the evolution and growth of the northern part of the Arabian–Nubian Shield (ANS) continental crust. They are primarily composed of granodiorites and syenogranites based on new field, mineralogical, and geochemical analyses. The granodiorites are marked by an enrichment of LILEs such as Sr, K, Rb, Ba compared to HFSEs like Nb, Ta, Ti and show a higher concentration of LREEs relative to HREEs. This composition suggests a subduction-related setting and aligns with the characteristics of subducted I-type granites in the ANS. Chemistry of the analyzed primary amphiboles in the investigated granodiorites support a calc-alkaline nature, mixed source and subduction-related setting. The granodiorites represent an early magmatic phase in this setting, likely formed from a mix of mantle-derived mafic magmas and lower crust material, with subsequent fractional crystallization. On the other hand, syenogranites exhibit high SiO2 (72.02–74.02 wt%), total alkali (7.82–8.01 wt%), and Al2O3 (13.79–14.25 wt%) levels, suggesting their derivation from peraluminous (A/CNK > 1) parental magmas. Their REE-normalized patterns are flat with a pronounced negative Eu anomaly, typical of post-collisional A2-type granites worldwide. These rocks originated from the partial melting of a juvenile lower crustal source (tonalite) in a post-collisional setting, driven by lithospheric delamination that facilitated mantle upwelling and underplating to the lower crust. Interaction between the upwelled mantle and lower crust led to fertilization (enrichment with HFSE and alkalis) of the lithosphere before partial melting. Fractional crystallization coupled with less considerable crustal assimilation are the main magmatic processes during the evolution of these rocks. The transition from subduction to post-collisional setting was accompanied by crustal uplifting, thickening and extensional collapse of ANS continental crust that caused emplacement of large masses of A-type granites in the northern ANS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flash floods are a major threat to life and properties in arid regions. In recent decades, Egypt has experienced severe flash floods that have caused significant damage across the country, including the Red Sea region. The aim of this study is to map the flood hazards in flood-prone areas along the Red Sea region using a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based morphometric analysis approach. To evaluate the flood hazard degree, the adopted methodology considers various morphometric parameters such as basin area, slope, sinuosity index, shape factor, drainage intensity, circularity ratio, and curve number. GIS techniques were employed to delineate the watershed and the drainage network. The delineated watershed was used together with the digitized maps of soil and land use types to estimate the curve number and the morphometric parameters for each subbasin. The flood hazard degrees are calculated based on the considered morphometric parameters and distinguished based on a five-degree scale ranging from very low to very high. Results indicate that 47% of the study area has a very high flood hazard degree. Furthermore, morphometric analysis results align with the runoff results simulated by a hydrological model, where, for example, basins with a high to very high hazard degree exhibited high runoff. This suggests the influence of physical characteristics on the hydrological behavior of the watershed and further validates the morphometric analysis presented in this work. The results presented here can help policy planners and decision-makers develop appropriate measures to mitigate flash floods and achieve sustainable development in arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To determine the prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in adult diabetic patients during 3 years. Patients and methods This is a cross-sectional study that was carried out on the adult diabetic population who attended a large private referral ophthalmology center in Assiut City, Upper Egypt for 3 years. All cases were subjected to full history taking, ophthalmological examination, and dilated fundus examination for evidence of DR, and besides, the associated systemic complications were assessed. Results The study included a total of 2178 cases and the prevalence of DR was 18.2%. DR was more prevalent in females than males (67.9% vs. 32.1%). Also, DR was significantly associated with insulin use, moderate and poor control of diabetes mellitus, uncontrolled hypertension (HTN), dyslipidemia, and nephropathy (P<0.01 for all). The risk factors for DR were; older age (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.69; 95% CI =0.91–1.97; P≤0.01), female sex (AOR 1.65; 95% CI =1.21–1.86; P =0.02), smoking (AOR 1.73; 95% CI =1.41–2.11; P =0.02), longer duration of DM (> 15 years) (AOR 2.87; 95% CI =2.48–3.29; P ≤0.01), insulin use (AOR 1.42; 95% CI =0.94–1.65; P=0.03), poor control of DM (AOR 3.98; 95% CI =3.69–5.41; P≤0.01), presence of HTN (AOR 2.62; 95% CI =2.37–2.89; P≤0.01) and dyslipidemia (AOR 1.65; 95% CI =1.42–2.02; P=0.03). Conclusion The prevalence of DR in adult diabetic patients was 18.2% and the significant risk factors for DR (arranged descendingly in power) were; poor control of DM, longer duration of DM (> 15 years), presence of HTN, smoking, high age, dyslipidemia, female sex, and insulin use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy is increasing continuously because it is renewable, unlimited, and clean energy. In the past, generation systems depended on non-renewable sources such as oil, coal, and gas. Therefore, this paper assesses the performance of a 51 kW PV solar power plant connected to a low-voltage grid to feed an administrative building in the 6th of October City, Egypt. The performance analysis of the considered gridconnected PV system is carried out using power system simulator for Engineering (PSS/E) software. Where the PSS/E program, monitors and uses the power analyzer that displays the parameters and measures some parameters such as current, voltage, total power, power factor, frequency, and current and voltage harmonics, the used inverter from the type of grid inverter for the considered system. The results conclude that when the maximum solar radiation is reached, the maximum current can be obtained from the solar panels, thus obtaining the maximum power and power factor. Decreasing total voltage harmonic distortion, a current harmonic distortion within permissible limits using active harmonic distortion because this type is fast in processing up to 300 microseconds. The connection between solar stations and the national grid makes the system more efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microfacies studies were carried out on the Middle Miocene Marmarica Formation exposed at the Gabal Western Bahi El-Din and Gabal El-Najdeen, the Siwa Oasis, northwestern Desert (Egypt). It was distinguished into the lower, middle, and upper members. Eleven microfacies types were recognized, which include skeletal lime-mudstone, dolomitic lime-mudstone, intraclastic wackestone, bryozoan wackestone, foraminiferal wackestone, foraminiferal bryozoan packstone, glauconitic molluscan packstone, molluscan intraclastic packstone, pelletal peloidal skeletal packstone, dolostones, and claystone microfacies. This formation includes several types of emergence- meter-scale cycles (shallowing-upward). Field observations and petrographic analyses revealed that these cycles consist of pure carbonates and mixed siliciclastic carbonates. These cycles consist of four types of gradual cycles and six types of non-gradual cycles. The gradual emergence cycles indicate a balance between the rate of subsidence, sea level oscillations, and sedimentation rate. The non-gradual cycles indicate an irregular balance between sedimentation rate and subsidence rate. The non-gradual cycles denote high-frequency sea level variation and/or short-term sea level oscillations, which are associated with high carbonate formation. The depositional environments of the Marmarica Formation are restricted to lagoonal at the base, followed upward to open marine conditions. Both environments most probably characterize the platform setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant global health concern. The prevailing genotype of HCV in Egypt is 4a, commonly referred to as GT‐4a. A significant proportion exceeding 50% of patients infected with HCV experience extrahepatic manifestations (EHMs), encompassing a diverse range of clinical presentations. These manifestations, including essential mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC), can serve as initial and solitary indicators of the disease. The complete understanding of the pathogenesis of EHM remains unclear, with autoimmune phenomena being recognized as the primary causative factor. In this study, we examined the predictive significance of T‐cell subpopulations in relation to the occurrence and prognosis of cryoglobulinemia in HCV patients. A total of 450 CHC genotype four treatment naïve patients were enrolled in this analytic cross‐sectional study after thorough clinical, laboratory, and radiological examinations. All patients underwent laboratory investigations, including testing for cryoglobulin antibodies and measurements of CD4 and CD8 levels; two groups were described according to their test results: Group 1 consists of patients who have tested positive for cryoglobulin antibodies and Group 2 consists of patients who have tested negative for cryoglobulin antibodies. The exclusion criteria encompassed individuals with HIV infection or chronic HBV infection. Additionally, pelvi‐abdominal ultrasonography was performed. Our study included 450 treatment naïve CHC patients (59% male, mean age 50.8 years). The patients were categorized according to their cryoglobulin antibodys test results into two groups: group A, CHC patients with cryoglobulin antibodies (Abs) negative (364 patients), and group B, CHC patients with cryoglobulin Ab positive (86 patients). Group B demonstrated a higher average age, elevated international normalized ratio, more prolonged duration of HCV infection, lower albumin, higher alanine aminotransferase, higher aspartate aminotransferase, higher bilirubin, lower CD8, lower CD4, and lower CD4:CD8 ratio. In contrast, 27 out of 86 (31.40%) patients in group B had symptoms; 85.8% had purpura and arthralgia, 74.3% had paresthesias, 86.7% had weakness, and 12.2% had non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. The levels of CD4 and CD8 were found to be decreased in chronic HCV patients with MC. T‐cell subpopulation serves as a reliable indicator for assessing the prevalence and prognosis of MC in individuals with genotype 4 chronic hepatitis C. However, additional research is needed to further understand the development and spread of various emerging infectious diseases. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that a critical threshold may exist beyond which EHM reaches a point of no return. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary goal of this study is to analyze the hydrogeochemical properties and assess the groundwater quality for drinking, domestic, and irrigation purposes in West El Minia, Egypt. Major components were determined in 49 groundwater samples to evaluate water quality in the study area. Principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), geostatistics, and spatial mapping were used to identify the chemical components and processes that influence groundwater quality and highlight areas of health risks. According to the TDS values, about 22% of the groundwater samples are suitable for drinking. Due to the elevated values of hardness in the examined water, none of the water samples are suitable for use in a household. The majority of groundwater samples are acceptable for irrigation based on the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), Kelley ratio (KR), magnesium hazard (MH), and permeability index, and some can be adequately treated. The study indicated that different groundwater characteristics (such as TDS, Na+, K+, HCO3−, Cl−, and SO42−) do not comply with WHO requirements in some regions, which may pose a threat to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, groundwater is a valuable natural resource that may be relied upon for irrigation and drinking needs. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the groundwater geochemistry in the West of El Qusiya, Assuit, Egypt. Groundwater suitability for irrigation has been estimated with some methods, for instance, electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), Killey ratio (KR), magnesium hazard (MH), permeability index (PI), Piper trilinear diagram, and USSL diagram. The Piper diagram shows that the sodium and potassium (Na+K) kind dominates the water chemistry, followed by the mixed type. The principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), cluster analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA), and Pearson correlation matrix analysis (PCMA) statistical methods reveal that the physicochemical parameters of water collected from the Eocene and Pleistocene aquifers are produced from mixed origins. The geogenic origin reflects the lithologic impact of aquifers matrix and water interactions, in addition to anthropogenic sources caused by infiltration of secondary salts initiated due to fertilizers and agriculture water. These factors are the controller for groundwater's ionic (Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Cl−, SO42−, and HCO3−) variation in the area studied. Based on SAR, KR, and PI results, groundwater is acceptable for irrigation. Consistent with RSC, MH, and Na% results, approximately 50% of the groundwater samples are unsuitable for irrigation use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The El-Minia district is a location of interest for future urban development. Using hydrochemistry and electrical resistivity studies, this work aimed to evaluate the groundwater potentiality and it's suitable for various uses. The groundwater potential in the study area was evaluated based on 24 VESs (vertical electrical soundings), and its quality was determined based on the analyses of 57 groundwater samples. EC (salinity index), Na% (salt hazard), SAR (ratio of sodium adsorption), chloride risks, SSP (soluble sodium percentage), MH (magnesium hazard), and other indicators were used to determine whether the collected water samples were suitable for irrigation. Four layers in the study area are mentioned in the geoelectrical cross-sections that have been constructed. The first is made up of silt and clay from the Nile River, while the second is made up of sandy clay, which has a resistivity range of 15 to 32 Ohm.m and a range thickness of 2 to 68 m. Dry limestone makes up the third layer; its resistivity ranges from 1222 to 3000 Ohm.m and its thickness varies between 75 and 95 m. The Eocene aquifer in the research area is represented by the final layer, which has a thickness of more than 250 m and resistivity values that range from 602 to 860 Ohm.m. Most groundwater samples that were collected are safe for drinking; however, none of them are fit for home usage because of their extreme hardness. According to the SAR and US diagram, RSC, KR, and PI, most groundwater samples from the Pleistocene and Eocene aquifers are fit for irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims to study the situation of seeds production, foreign trade, and the gap for vegetable seeds, as well as the situation and the achievements of the national program of vegetable seeds production. The research used the descriptive statistics, given the recent launch of the program in 2019. The results reveal that the value of Egypt's vegetables seeds exports and imports represents 6.74% and 55.56% of total seeds exports & imports respectively during 2015-2020, therefore, the gap (deficit) of vegetable seeds was reached an average of LE 761.3 million representing 61.74% of the total value of the deficit for seeds in Egypt. While the national program for VSP achieved during the year 2022, about 0.41% of the total seeds needed to cultivate the crops targeted by the program, and 2.4% of the quantity of imported seeds for these crops. As well as there are 316 breeds of vegetable crop seeds that were produced, 26 of registered hybrids, 17 promising hybrids, 4 hybrids under registration. According to the results achieved, the research presents the following recommendations: - Conducting further studies to evaluate the achievements of the national program for VSP and to evaluate the productivity of vegetable seeds produced by the national program VSP to determine the extent of the program's success in equalizing the productivity of its imported counterpart. - Devoting high attention to direct the activities of the national program for VSP to produce seeds that are compatible with different types of soil in the horizontal expansion projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this review to summarize the current status of information about the Alkhumra hemorrhagic fever caused by Alkhumra hemorrhagic fever virus an Arboviral infection. This virus was identified in Alkhumra district of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 1995 from a butcher patient. The infected individual develops symptoms febrile flu-like illness, hemorrhagic manifestations and less like encephalitis. Several cases have been reported from various locations of Saudi Arabia and a few from Egypt and is further expanding in tropical and subtropical regions of Western Asia. The virus is transmitted to human by direct contact to animal, raw meat, and biproducts as well as either tick or mosquito bites. Based on the recent status, a great concern of public health was raised with the AHFV epidemics and infection. Currently, there is no effective vaccine and antiviral therapeutics against AHFV. So, there is an urgent need to design and develop an effective preventive measure using interdisciplinary approach. This review will provide the status of research work based on the latest published information about AHFV. The provided information will be highly useful to design the effective preventive measures to control the disease in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute, self-limited febrile disease of unidentified cause that mostly affects children less than 5 years of age. This work aimed to provide an appropriate Egyptian evidence-based consensus on clinical practice recommendations for the management of Kawasaki disease. The main objective of this study, which employed the Delphi method, was to reach a consensus among experts on a treat-to-target management approach for KD. Results: The expert panel was confined to an online survey (n=26), and all the expert completed the three rounds. At the conclusion of round 3, a total of 17 recommendation items were gathered, which were divided into two sections. The range of respondents (ranks 7–9) who agreed with the recommendations was 92.3 to 100%. All 17 clinical standards identified by the scientific committee were written in the same way. There have been algorithms proposed for managing various KD conditions. Conclusion: The developed evidence-based consensus recommendations for the diagnosis and management of KD represent an up-to-date document that focuses on clinical management questions which are generally posed to health care professionals involved in the management of KD. This guideline was developed considering experience with and availability of treatment and diagnostic options in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TWO fieldexperiments were carried out at El-Serw Agricultural Research Station, Damietta Governorate, Egypt during two successive winter growing seasons of 2018/ 2019 and 2019/2020 to study the effect of mole drains (with 2 and 4 m distance and 30 and 40 cm depth) and two planting methods (basins and furrows) on saline soil chemical properties, fertilely and productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Sakha 93) productivity. The obtained data showed that, increasing in mole depth and decrease the distance between the moles reduced sail pH, EC, ESP and the content of OM and available N, P and K. These decreases with furrows planting method were higher than those found with basins planting method. In addition, the high straw and grains yields (kgfed-1 ) of wheat plants as well as its content and uptake of N, P, K and protein were found with 2 m distance and 40 cm depth of mole drains in furrow planting methods. These results concluded that, under saline soil conditions, furrows planting method performed than basins one with applying mole drains as well as application of both organic and mineral fertilizer in suitable amounts and forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater contamination by heavy metals is a worldwide serious issue due to its severe risks to human health. In the present study, a total of 49 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for eleven trace elements (Al, Cr, Cd, As, Zn, Se, Sn, Ni, Pb, Mn, and Cu) in the west of Minia area, Egypt, to determine groundwater contamination by heavy metals and their impact on groundwater use for drinking and human health as a result. Multivariate statistics, geospatial mapping, and health risk assessment approaches are used to evaluate the potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic hazards in the research area and determine both natural and anthropogenic consequences of identified trace elements on local groundwater quality. The heavy metal concentrations (in µg/l) in the groundwater samples were found to be in the following order: Zn (154.5) > Al (40) > As (37.4) > Sn (32) > Cr (28.4) > Hg (25.6) > Cu (21.8) > Cd (16) > Ni (15.4) > Pb (6.5). Heavy metals measurements revealed that As, Hg, and Cu do not meet WHO Guidelines Values, indicating a risk to human health from the consumption of groundwater. Zn > Al > As > Sn > Cr > Hg > Cu > Se > Cd > Ni > Pb was shown to be the order of the mean values of chronic daily heavy metal consumption for new-borns, children, and adults. Continuous oral intake of groundwater loaded with heavy metals could result in carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic concerns, posing serious health dangers to people throughout the life course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to measure the effect of digital transformation on employment in Egypt, in addition to developing some proposed measures to sustain the digital vision in the New Republic to reduce unemployment. So, this study tries to contribute to this discussion, which attracted the attention of the two researchers to the problem of this research. EViews 12 Software was used as this study depended on the autoregressive distributed lag methodology, which gives the best results in the long run, and is considered one of the most suitable models with the sample size used in this research. The sample size consisted of 18 observations extended from 2003 to 2020. As well as, the Vector Auto‐Regression model was used to test the relationship between variables in order to test hypotheses as it is characterized by dealing with the variables entering the system as correlated internal variables. The study results showed that the unemployment variable did not have a causal effect on the independent variables, while the education variable and the Gross domestic product variable had a causal and positive effect on the independent variables that express the transformation digital where the significance value was less than 5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macro- and micromorphological features of the studied species from subtribe Coronillinae are examined by light and scanning electron microscopy. The study has revealed that morphological (habit, leaves, inflorescence, flowers, pods and seeds), anatomical (stem and leaf) and seed characters are of taxonomic significance for differentiation between the studied species. The results have clearly shown that Hippocrepis areolata Desv. is differentiated into two varieties, glabra Pamp. and sinuosissima Pomel., and these varieties are new to Egypt (var. nova). Numerical analysis has been carried out and a phenogram illustrating the relationship between the studied taxa is drawn by calculating the average taxonomic distance. A key for identification of the the studied species is also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wilson's disease (WD) is a rare genetic disorder of copper metabolism that results in dysfunction of copper excretion into bile leading to its accumulation in the liver, brain, cornea, and kidney. Only a few epidemiological studies about WD have been carried out, with limited available data about the disease. The most common liver disease in Egypt is viral hepatitis, which masks other liver diseases, especially in adults. This review describes the establishment of the first specialized WD clinic in the Assiut Liver Center, Upper Egypt. This multidisciplinary clinic comprises stakeholders working in WD management from different specialties, including hepatologists, pediatric hepatologists, neuropsychiatrists, dieticians, radiologists, pathologists, and ophthalmologists. Over 2 years since the launch of the WD clinic in February 2020, a total of 64 WD suspected cases were referred to our center. The WD clinic at the Assiut Liver Center is a step to provide an integrated service for neglected diseases like WD. Besides the provided integrated services for WD patients, a family screening program is applied with satisfying results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Management of motor complications -especially wearing off- in advanced PD is very challenging. Zonisamide (ZNS) is an antiepileptic drug that showed beneficial effects in motor symptoms of PD in previous studies. Methods: To determine the efficacy and safety of ZNS in motor symptoms of advanced PD, we conducted a one month double blinded randomized placebo-controlled crossover study in Egypt. PD patients with Hoehn & Yahr stage ≥ 2 (onstate) and at least 2 hours off time daily were randomized to one of three groups: ZNS 25mg, ZNS 50mg and placebo. Primary outcome measure was change in off time based on part IV MDS-UPDRS (Movement disorders society-Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale). Secondary outcome measures were: change in on time based on part IV MDS- UPDRS, change in total score MDS-UPDRS, score of part III MDS-UPDRS. Results: Of 69 patients enrolled in the study and underwent randomization to the 3 groups, 49 patients completed one month follow-up. Only 26 patients underwent crossover and 20 patients completed one month follow-up. So, the total number of patients analyzed at 1 month was: 69 patients (25 patients ZNS 25mg group, 18 patients ZNS 50 mg group and 26 patients placebo group). Both ZNS 25 and 50 mg groups showed significant improvement of total MDS-UPDRS score, Tremors ON score and part 4. Except for sedation, there was no significant adverse effects in both ZNS 25,50 mg groups as compared to placebo. Conclusion: ZNS (25,50 mg) is safe and effective in improving motor symptoms of advanced PD as adjunctive therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three‐dimensional (3D) reservoir modelling and basin analysis were performed for the Siwa Basin in the North‐Western Desert of Egypt. An integrative study from the available data were done, including geochemical data to construct a 1D basin model, petrophysical data to realize the characteristics of the reservoir, and geological data to understand the subsurface geologic setting, has been undertaken. Basin modelling was done for the Siwa A1‐X well to determine the burial and thermal history, sedimentation rate, level of maturity, and finally the event chart for the petroleum system. Siwa Basin comprises one petroleum system. The source rock is represented by the Palaeozoic Dhiffah, Desouky, and Zeitoun formations, with fair to good organic richness, producing oil and gas, which entered the oil window in 143.91, 162.87, and 167.31 Ma, and entered the wet gas in 138.75, 141.82, and 143.63 Ma, with sedimentation rate varying from low to high 543.96, 22.79, and 1,404.46 m/Ma, respectively. The Safa Member (Khatatba Formation) is the main reservoir, with hydrocarbon saturation reaching up to 80%, and with a low subsidence rate of 76.43 m/Ma. The Original Oil In Place for the new prospects is 197.177 Stock Tank Barrel (STB), while for the oil reserve is 50.618 Stock Tank Barrel (STB). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Coniacian–Santonian Matulla Formation is one of the important reservoirs in the July oilfield, Gulf of Suez Basin. However, this formation is characterized by uncertainty due to the complexity of reservoir architecture, various lithologies, lateral facies variations and heterogeneous reservoir quality. These reservoir challenges, in turn, affect the effectiveness of further exploitation of this reservoir along the Gulf of Suez Basin. In this work, we conduct an integrated study using multidisciplinary datasets and techniques to determine the precise structural, petrophysical, and facies characteristics of the Matulla Formation and predict their complex geometry in 3D space. To complete this study, 30 2D seismic sections, five digital well logs, and core samples of 75 ft (ft = 0.3048 m) length were used to build 3D models for the Matulla reservoir. The 3D structural model shows strong lateral variation in thickness of the Matulla Formation with NW–SE, NE–SW and N–S fault directions. According to the 3D facies model, shale beds dominate the Matulla Formation, followed by sandstone, carbonate, and siltstone beds. The petrophysical model demonstrates the Matulla reservoir's ability to store and produce oil; its upper and lower zones have good quality reservoir, whereas its middle zone is a poor quality reservoir. The most promising areas for hydrocarbon accumulation and production via the Matulla reservoir are located in the central, southeast, and southwest sectors of the oilfield. In this approach, we combined multiple datasets and used the most likely parameters calibrated by core measurements to improve the reservoir modeling of the complex Matulla reservoir. In addition, we reduced many of the common uncertainties associated with the static modeling process, which can be applied elsewhere to gain better understanding of a complex reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to present the manifestations of juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) across Egypt, to focus on age at onset and gender-driven influence on disease characteristics, and to compare findings to other countries. Methods: The study included 404 Egyptian children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presenting to one of the specialized rheumatology centers corresponding to 13 major governorates. Juvenile cases age was ≤ 16°years at the time of recruitment. The SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) and damage index (DI) were assessed. Results: The mean age was 13.2 ± 2.4°years; 355 females and 49 males (7.2:1), and the disease duration was 2.3 ± 1.6 years, while age at disease onset was 11.1 ± 2.5°years. Their SLEDAI was 13.5 ± 12.3, and DI, 0.36 ± 0.78. The overall estimated prevalence of childhood-SLE patients in the recruited cohort in Egypt was 1/100,000 population (0.24/100000 males and 1.8/100000 females). 7.4% developed pre-pubertal SLE (≤ 7 years); 73.3%, peri-pubertal; and 19.3% during early adolescence. The differences according to age group were equal for gender and clinical manifestations except skin lesions present in 59.3% of pre-pubertal onset, 74.6% of peri-pubertal, and 84.2% of adolescents (p = 0.029), and renal involvement in 73.8% of peripubertal, 62.1% of pre-pubertal and 58.9% of adolescents (p = 0.03). Laboratory investigations, SLEDAI, and DI were similar among age categories. Lupus nephritis was more common in Egypt compared to JSLE from other countries. Conclusion: Our large multicenter study identified that female gender influenced disease characteristics with more frequent skin involvement. Skin lesions were significantly higher in adolescents, while renal involvement in peri-pubertal children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

October oil field is considered one of the most prolific areas in the central Gulf of Suez, which recently suffered a lack of production in some areas, in addition to some wells that have begun to deplete, which negatively affects the economic value of this field. 3D integrated reservoir model on five wells has been performed to simulate the subsurface structural setting, petrophysical modelling, and distribution of facies modelling of the Late Cretaceous Matulla Formation and Early Miocene Asl Member of Upper Rudeis Formation, which are the main oil‐bearing reservoirs in this study. Structural modelling controlled by the incorporation of explained structures, horizons, and picked zones for 3D grid express northwest–southeast to northeast–southwest fault systems, whilst facies modelling has enabled the spatial distribution of lithologic facies within the established 3D structural model reflecting two types of facies: marine carbonates and lagoon shale, and the petrophysical modelling explained a complete distribution of the petrophysical characteristic of the Matulla and Asl oil reservoirs revealed good reservoir characteristics, which are high net pay, high effective porosity, low shale content, low water saturation, and high hydrocarbon saturation. Therefore, three new commercial promising areas were identified to raise the productive value of this field according to the three‐way dip closure, petrophysical results, and the facies distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thermal injuries are one of the leading causes of disability and death, particularly in low and middle income countries, yet its epidemiology in Egypt is under- reported. Thermal trauma is a significant health problem that has physical, psychological, and economic repercussions on affected patients. Objective: Our aim was to analyze the epidemiological and clinical features of thermal injury patients. Patients and methods: This retrospective study was done on one hundred patients with thermal injuries admitted to Al-Azhar University Hospitals. Data were collected from patient's files. Results: The highest incidence of thermal injuries was seen in 3rd and 4th decade age group (65 cases) while the lowest incidence was those < 10 years (5 cases). Fire predominates in both genders (more than 50%) followed by hot liquids. Electrical injures represented the lowest cause. The most commonly injured part was upper limbs. Thermal injury covering less than 10% of total body surface area (TBSA) represented 28% of studied cases, while 40% of studied cases had injury covering 10-20% of TBSA and those with 21-30% injury of TBSA were 25% of cases. Majority of cases had thermal injuries of third degree (62 cases). Eighteen cases died; 8 cases died early from dehydration and shock, 6 cases from infection and 4 cases from surgical interventions. Conclusion: Thermal injuries are public health problem accounting for a substantial proportion of all trauma admissions at Al-Hussein Hospital. These injuries and deaths are preventable, provided a community-specific preventive program is implemented with a strong educational component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity in Egypt is an escalating challenge due to the ever‐increasing water demands and limited resources. Economically, agricultural drainage water reuse (ADWR) in irrigation is an essential option to cope with freshwater shortage. However, it requires environmentally sound management to minimize possible risks on irrigated soils and human health. Consequently, this research aims at assessing and managing the reuse process by developing a statistically based quality control model capable to investigate the observed and expected capability of the process. Additionally, complementary corrective actions and the decision models were proposed when the reuse processes operate in violation of the standards. These models were tested and validated using data collected from the year 2015 to 2019 at the Delengat pump station in the Western Nile Delta region, which mixes the Delengat drain water with the El‐Hager irrigation canal. After raising the awareness amongst the farmers and providing them adequate sanitation services, it was inferred that the ADWR process could provide safe drainage water to be mixed with fresh water. Based on the performed simulations, both models proved to be systematic, quantitative, suitable for computers, and helpful in making informed decisions concerning the sustainability of the reuse process under future water uncertainty. Practitioner points: ▪In Egypt, drainage water reuse is an essential option to cope freshwater shortage.▪A statistically based quality control model was developed to investigate the capability of the agriculture drainage water reuse process.▪Additionally, complementary corrective actions and decision models were proposed when the reuse processes operate in violation of the standards.▪Both the models proved helpful in making informed decisions concerning the sustainability of the reuse process under the future water uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water contamination by mutagenic microchemicals is a worldwide problem. To evaluate the overall water quality and identify the source(s) of pollutants (B, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Cd, and Cr) in different watercourses in middle-upper Egypt, we analyzed 66 surface water samples collected from the significant waterways. In addition to trace pollutants, 15 physicochemical parameters (pH, Temperature, EC, alkalinity, DO, BOD, COD, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3-, SO42-, Cl-, and NO3-) were measured. Multivariate statistical approaches such as exploratory principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and correlation matrix analysis were applied to explore the sources of the contaminants. Data reveal that surface water quality in the investigated area is threatened by high concentrations of trace elements, which are higher than the permissible limits recommended by WHO guidelines and Egyptian standards for drinking water and irrigation purposes. Statistical analyses suggest that surface water contamination is the result of interference of natural (geogenic related to rock–water interaction) and human (interrelated to agrogenic and domestic sewage) inputs. The study will help decision-makers to take appropriate actions for freshwater sustainable management and protection. Moreover, surface water should be treated before use for drinking purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to present the epidemiology, clinical manifestations and treatment pattern of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Egyptian patients over the country and compare the findings to large cohorts worldwide. Objectives were extended to focus on the age at onset and gender driven influence on the disease characteristics. Patients and method: This population-based, multicenter, cross-sectional study included 3661 adult SLE patients from Egyptian rheumatology departments across the nation. Demographic, clinical, and therapeutic data were assessed for all patients. Results: The study included 3661 patients; 3296 females and 365 males (9.03:1) and the median age was 30 years (17–79 years), disease duration 4 years (0–75 years) while the median age at disease onset was 25 years (4–75 years). The overall estimated prevalence of adult SLE in Egypt was 6.1/100,000 population (1.2/100,000 males and 11.3/100,000 females).There were 316 (8.6%) juvenile-onset (Jo-SLE) and 3345 adult-onset (Ao-SLE). Age at onset was highest in South and lowest in Cairo (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: SLE in Egypt had a wide variety of clinical and immunological manifestations, with some similarities with that in other nations and differences within the same country. The clinical characteristics, autoantibodies and comorbidities are comparable between Ao-SLE and Jo-SLE. The frequency of various clinical and immunological manifestations varied between gender. Additional studies are needed to determine the underlying factors contributing to gender and age of onset differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geochemical studies were applied to evaluate the possible source rocks of Cretaceous–Eocene formations in the October oil field, including pyrolysis analysis data such as total organic carbon (TOC %), generating source potential (S2), production index (PI), oxygen, and hydrogen indices (OI, HI) and (Tmax). Three source rocks are characterized by fair to good and very good TOC%, which are Thebes, Duwi, and Abu Qada formations with kerogen type I and type II, respectively, and some samples are in the type III region reflecting the degree of maturation and can generate oil and gas. 1D basin models were constructed for five wells to simulate the multi‐tectonic phases and multiple burial histories, migration path, and event chart in the study area. The sedimentation rates from Cretaceous to Palaeocene age are characterized by low burial rate sedimentation, low to medium in the Eocene age, and high burial rate and rapid sedimentation in the Miocene and post‐Miocene age. The petroleum system of the October oil field was studied, and two petroleum systems can be recognized, according to the integration studies between the source rock evaluation and petroleum basin modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic there were several barriers to treatment access and medication adherence in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. There is no information regarding the RA patient health status in Egypt during the COVID-19. Thus,the aim of this work was to study the impact of the pandemic on RA patients through a patient-reported questionnaire and to determine the influence of gender, geographic regions. This multi-centre study initiated by the Egyptian College of Rheumatology (ECR) was conducted on 1037 RA patients attending rheumatology clinics from 10 governorates. The questionnaire provided covered socio-demographic data, health/disease status, information/knowledge about COVID-19 and medical/family history of the infection. Patients mean age was 44.2 ± 12.3 years;855 females and 182 males; 539(52%) from rural and 497(48%) from urban areas. 41.8% reported a striking difficulty to obtain hydroxychloroquine during the pandemic. The majority (70%) considered maintaining a regular visit to the rheumatologist in addition to remote contact mainly by phone (44.4%) or via WhatsApp (33.1%), in particular among male and urban patients. Urban patients were more likely to be infected by COVID-19 (12.9% vs 6.2%; p < 0.0001) than rural. Northern cities had more patients with suspected COVID-19 (13.9% vs 6.1%; p < 0.0001); was significantly associated with more disease flares (30.8% vs 5.8%) with subsequent change in the RA treatment (20.9% vs 6.4%; p < 0.0001). Patients with RA faced remarkable difficulty to obtain their medications with subsequent change in their disease status. The challenges of the pandemic have hastened changes in the way we deliver health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a formula for estimating the mean flow velocity of the Nile River, Egypt. The proposed formula is presented in the form of the commonly used Manning equation. The derived relationship can be directly incorporated into numerical models and used by hydraulic professionals. The formula is developed using a large database of field measurements from the Nile River and its canals. Its accuracy is assessed using both collected field and laboratory data. The collected field data were used for testing the prediction performance of several equations, and the predictive skill of Karim's formula is adapted for the Nile River conditions. Despite the complexity of the water flow of the Nile River, which has been significantly altered by humans, and the river's small energy slopes and very high relative flow depths, the predictions obtained using the proposed formula are consistent with the measurements. The mean normalized error and root mean square error for the predicted mean velocities of the Nile River are 11.455% and 0.0945 m s−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inland waterways are an environmentally friendly and efficient mode of transport. At locations along the Nile River, Egypt, navigation is hindered requiring expensive, resource‐intensive corrective. An increasing number of navigational bottlenecks have occurred between 1982 and 2015 because of changing river channel morphologies. This study provides a suitable method for evaluating navigation conditions within a reach of the Nile River. A 2D morphological model combined with a geographic information system application was created to assess the navigability of a reach of the Nile River, and different maintenance strategies were evaluated. Different scenarios of varying water levels, dredging operations, flow discharge fluctuations, and river channel morphological changes were considered. Results reveal that dredging operations, alone, cannot be adopted as a permanent solution for navigation bottlenecks, with the riverbed returning to its original state within 10 years. An important output of the method is the generation of reach scale hydro‐morphodynamic maps that show the main morphological features, navigation bottlenecks, and navigation conditions. These maps aid in the development of strategic navigability plans and in evaluating long‐term improvement measures. The method presented is applicability to large river systems worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic government (e‐government) implementation has played a key role in developing government business processes in order to improve efficiency in data processing, as well as achieving transparency and accuracy. However, although there are benefits of e‐government implementation, there is the problem of employees' resistance to change, as people tend to resist any kind of new system. This research was conducted for the purpose of examining the effect of employees' resistance to change including resistance to modern technology, fear of loss of control, feelings of insecurity, fear of inability to implement change, and fear of workload increasing, on implementing an e‐government system represented in performance dimensions (efficiency and effectiveness) in Egypt. This paper reflects the lack of research into resistance to change in the specific context of e‐government implementation in Egypt. We surveyed 400 respondents in several public organizations in Egypt to investigate the impact of such resistance, in order to determine which behaviors can affect any of the implemented e‐government dimensions. The study also determines the differences between employees' responses to implementing the new system depending on variables such as gender, age, educational level, job position, and level of experience. The results reveal that fear of loss of control and fear of workload increasing affect all dependent variables significantly, while feelings of insecurity does not affect efficiency significantly. Resistance to modern technology and a fear of inability to implement change do not have significant effects on the dependent variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrocarbon potential is determined by the quantity and quality of organic matter encountered in the Jurassic sediments in two wells at the Northern Western Desert. It utilizes to define the zones of oil and gas using the well logging data for calculates the total organic carbon (TOC). The evaluation of source rock has been based on two steps; the first one depended on the geochemical parameters including TOC, S1, S2, Tmax, and Vitrinite reflectance (Ro %) of two wells JG-1 and JD-4. The second step was to calculate (TOC) from wireline logs. The well log types utilized in such kind of analysis are the density log, sonic log, resistivity log and gamma-ray log. The stratigraphic sequence, in the studied wells ranges in age from Paleozoic to Recent. The present work focuses on the Jurassic rocks represented by Khatatba Formation as they include the main source horizon. Based on the obtained results, Jurassic sediments called as fair to excellent source rock potential. The genetic type of organic matter can be identified through the study of pyrolysis data, which indicate that is rich in mixed oil and gas-prone kerogen except few samples reflect type I organic facies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcareous nannofossil, carbonate content, and δ18O and δ13C data were utilized to reveal the nature of the Paleocene-Eocene (P-E) boundary at the Gunnah section, Western Desert, Egypt. The uppermost Tarawan Formation (Fm.), Esna Fm., and the lowermost, Farafra Fm., were included in this study. Lithostratigraphically, the Esna Fm. was subdivided into the Hanadi, Dababiya Quarry, and Mahmiya Members. Three calcareous nannofossil zones (NP7/8, NP9, and NP10) and four subzones (NP9a, NP9b, NP10a, and NP10b) were recognized. The biostratigraphic significances of calcareoust nannofossil bioevents associated with the P-E boundary at the study section were discussed. The base of the Eocene was placed at the base of the Dababiya Quarry Member in coincidence with the base of subzone NP9b, which is coincident with the LOs of Rhomboaster cuspis , R. calcitrapa , R. bitrifidia , Pontosphaera pulchra , and Zygrhablithus bijugatus. However, Discoaster araneus first occurred about 3 m below the base of subzone NP9b. The global decreases of the δ13C and δ18O values and carbonate contents across the P-E boundary were documented in the Gunnah section, which represents one of the most expanded and complete P-E sequences in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is a very important source of drinking and irrigation water especially in areas with little to no surface water sources. In the western desert of Egypt, groundwater acts as the main source of irrigation in the new reclamation project. The authors of the article used major constituents and trace elements chemistry as well as bacteriological and biological water analysis to assess the hydrogeochemical characteristics in the western bank of the River Nile, West El-Minia District. In order to fulfill the scope of work for this study, 88 groundwater samples were collected from the Pleistocene aquifer which represents the main aquifer in the study area. The groundwater samples were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+), major anions (HCO−3, SO42−and Cl−) and trace metals (Mn, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, As, Hg, Se, Al, Cd, Cr, B, and Fe). Microbiological and microscopic studies of the collected water samples were carried out to determine the micro-organisms’ in order to confirm the safety of the water for human consumption. Also, statistical analysis and hydrogeochemical modeling were used to interpret the collected data. The study revealed that in all the collected water samples, alkaline earth metals have values higher than alkalies and are of meteoric origin. The groundwater chemistry is mainly controlled by rock weathering with a secondary contribution from anthropogenic sources. Forty-nine percent (49%) of analyzed water samples have trace constituents above the recommended limits for water use for drinking and irrigation purposes. The highest linear correlation was shown between TDS and EC, HCO3, Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+, all macro-components and chlorides, between boron and chrome, as well as cobalt and lead. All sampled waters were classified as Ca-HCO3 water type and calcite precipitate in all collected water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly‐fractionated garnet‐bearing muscovite granite represents the marginal granitic facies of the Abu‐Diab multiphase pluton in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt. New electron microprobe analyses (EMPA) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) data from garnets are reported, in order to constrain their origin and genesis. Garnet in the Abu‐Diab host granite is euhedral to subhedral, generally homogeneous and, in rare cases, it shows weak zonation. The garnet contains appreciable amounts of MnO and FeO, with lesser amounts of MgO and CaO, yielding an end‐member formula of Sps61–72Alm25–35Prp1–4Adr0–1. Moreover, it is depleted in large ion lithophile elements (LILE) with lower values of Ba, Nb and Sr relative to the primitive mantle. Additionally, it contains high concentrations of HREE and Y and their REE pattern shows strong negative Eu anomalies. The garnet was crystallized under relatively low temperature (646°C–591°C) and pressure (< 3 kbar) conditions. The textural and chemical features indicate that the garnet is magmatic in origin and is chemically similar to that from highly‐fractionated A‐type granite. It was probably formed at the expense of biotite in a highly‐evolved MnO‐rich magma and/or by hydroxyl complexing of Mn during the ascending fluid phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcareous nannofossil, δ13C, δ18O, and carbonate content data were used to define and reveal the variations across the latest Paleocene-earliest Eocene interval at the Misheiti Section, Central Sinai, Egypt. The upper part of Tarawan Formation, the Esna Formation, and the lowermost Thebes Formation were included in this study. In this study, the Esna Formation is informally divided into Hanadi/Mahmiya and Abu Had members. Four calcareous nannofossil zones (NP9, NP10, NP11, and NP12) and four subzones (NP9a, NP9b, NP10a, and NP10b) were recognized. The biostratigraphic importance of significant calcareous nannofossil bioevents associated with the P/E boundary was discussed. The LOs of Rhomboaster spp., Discoaster araneus, and/or D. anartios were used to delineate the base of earliest Eocene Subzone NP9b within the lower part of the Esna Formation. The global decreases of δ13C, δ18O, and carbonate contents at the P/E boundary were documented in the study section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is an important freshwater source for agricultural, drinking and industrial use in arid areas. The present study integrates geographic information system (GIS), hydrochemistry, and factor analysis to assess groundwater quality under expanding agricultural activities in Qena Governorate, Egypt. A total of 73 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids, major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+), major anions (HCO3-,Cl-, SO42-, F-), and total hardness. The spatial distribution of these analyzed physico-chemical parameters was mapped with GIS. According to the World Health Organization and Egyptian water standards, the computed water quality index shows that about 62% of the groundwater wells are suitable for drinking. Groundwater suitability for irrigation was assessed on the basis of sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), Kelley ratio (KR), magnesium hazard (MH). It is found that 99% of the wells are suitable for irrigation when considering the values of EC, and SAR only. However, only 50% of the wells are suitable for irrigation if Na+%, RSC, and KR are considered. Hydrochemical classification and factor analysis indicate that the groundwater is Na+-Cl-(58%) and MgCl (23%) dominant which signifies the role of evaporation under intensive irrigation and hot climate. Dissolution of evaporites loads the system with Na+ and Cl- whereas return flow from irrigation transports solutes to groundwater. Increasing Mg2+ is due to dolomitic dissolution and the use of fertilizers. Moreover, ionic exchange activities increase Na+ concentration in the groundwater at the expense of Ca2+, but does not affect Mg2+. The integration of traditional hydrochemical analysis and GIS with factor analysis is useful to understand the factors controlling groundwater chemistry and may aid decision makers toward effective groundwater quality management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with widespread Egyptian Tertiary basaltic rocks, Mir Tertiary basaltic dykes from the Western Desert of Egypt show distinct mineralogical and geochemical characteristics that provide insights into the nature of their mantle source and geotectonic evolution as well as melting and crystallization conditions. Their mineralogical features (i.e., presence of orthopyroxene and lack of olivine) distinguish them from the other Egyptian Tertiary basalts. They have basaltic andesite compositions (SiO2 = 53.55–55 wt.%, Na2O + K2O = 4.64–4.8 wt.%, MgO = 2.66–3.02 wt.%) with tholeiitic character. Temperature of crystallization ranges from 1,112°C to 1,140°C for plagioclase; from 1,085°C to 1,123°C for clinopyroxene; and from 1,034°C to 1,090°C for orthopyroxene. These results are in harmony with petrographic observations which suggest early crystallization of plagioclase, followed by simultaneous crystallization of plagioclase and clinopyroxene, and soon thereafter by orthopyroxene crystallization. Titanomagnetite–ilmenite intergrowths indicate oxygen fugacity (ƒO2) of −12.09 and −9.4 log units, suggesting crystallization at relatively oxidized conditions. Their temperature ranges from 959°C to 1,125°C, suggesting that the titanomagnetite joins the crystallized phases at early stages and continued until later stages. Mir basaltic andesite (MBA) has low Ni (15–27.9 ppm), Cr (19.8–48.5 ppm), and Sc (20–25 ppm) concentrations together with high FeOt/MgO ratios (3.18–3.58) relative to primitive basalts, arguing for their evolved nature. They have sub‐chondritic Nb/Ta ratios (15.5–17) similar to ocean–island basalts and higher than those of continental crust, ruling out a significant effect of crustal contamination. The high La/Nb (>1.4) with the negative Nb, Ta, and Ti anomalies on the primitive mantle‐normalized patterns most likely indicates that their primary magma was derived from partial melting of a mantle source previously metasomatized by influx of subduction‐related slab fluids/melts. Moreover, the super‐chondritic Zr/Hf ratios (39.55–55.21) and the negative K and Ti anomalies point to carbonate metasomatism of their mantle source. This inference is further supported by their high (K2O + Na2O)/TiO2 ratios (>1) which are comparable with experimentally produced carbonated peridotite melts. The high Zr/Y (average 9.75) and La/Yb ratios (8.6–10) of the MBA suggest that they were generated via low degrees of partial melting. Indeed, modelling calculations indicate generation by lower melting degrees (<10%) of a garnet‐bearing lherzolite mantle source. The melting region was at the garnet stability field suggesting a deeper origin (exceeds ~85 km) for MBA. Field and geochemical characteristics of the Egyptian Tertiary volcanism proved that it is spatially and temporally related to extension that has occurred during Red Sea rifting. Extension most likely due to the NE–SW tensional stresses which reactivated the old fractures and triggered mafic magma generation through passive upwelling of the asthenospheric mantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Liver transplantation (LT) has emerged as an established therapeutic option for patients with chronic liver disease. Patients with end-stage liver disease are at high risk of infection with multidrug-resistant organisms, which may affect the outcome of LT. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of pre-transplant infection on the outcome of living-donor LT. Methods: Prospective follow-up was done for 50 patients with chronic liver disease who had had LT performed from September 2013 to December 2017. We divided patients into group 1 (patients who had had infection within 3 months before transplantation with adequate treatment [n=20]), and group 2 (patients without infection [n=30]). Both groups were followed for 4 months post-operatively. Results: Patients with high Modelfor End-Stage Liver Disease scores were more susceptible to infection pre- and post-operatively, and chest infection was the most common infection pre-transplant. There were no significant statistical differences regarding hospital and ICU stay and post-operative course between the groups, but the mortality rate was higher in group 1 (40%) than in group 2 (23.3%), and the causes of mortality in the group 1 were mainly due to medical causes (infections and sepsis, 75%) versus 28.6% in group 2. Conclusion: Liver-cell failure and concomitant infection 3 months before LT with adequate treatment had no significant statistical differences regarding hospital, ICU stay, or medical complications, but post-operative infection and mortality rate were more frequent in group 1 and the causes of mortality were mainly medical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are a major cause of severe illness and death in immunocompromised patients, especially those with blood cancers. Diagnosing these infections is challenging due to nonspecific symptoms and the limited sensitivity of traditional culture-based methods. Recently, rapid non-culture-based diagnostics, such as the 1,3- beta-D-glucan (BDG) assay, have become important adjuncts to standard diagnostic tools. Objective: To determine the diagnostic performance of BDG as an adjunct diagnostic strategy for IFIs in patients with hematological malignancies. Subjects and Methods: Fifty-one patients were enrolled from the Hemato-oncology Department of Ain Shams University Hospital in Egypt from May 2022 to April 2023. The enrolled subjects were classified into healthy controls (n= 13), pathological controls (n= 13), and IFIs cases group (n = 25), patients were subjected to BDG test, complete blood count (CBC) with differential, highly sensitive-C reactive protein (hs-CRP), and (Microbiological cultures and/or histopathological examination). Results: At a cut-off of 187.21 pg/ml the maximum efficacy of the BDG test was achieved concerning the cases versus total controls with a sensitivity of 84%, specificity of 84.6%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 84.6%, positive predictive value (PPV) 84%, and efficacy of 84.3%. Conclusions: Identifying the BDG antigen can be a useful diagnostic approach for IFIs when applied in the appropriate clinical context, such as in patients with weakened immune systems, low white blood cell counts, or blood cancers, by a healthcare professional who is well-informed about the test's strengths and weaknesses and can customize its use for optimal clinical decision-making in each patient's case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To identify risk factors and state demographics of a cohort of patients from upper Egypt experiencing hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) retinopathy. This was an observational study. This study was conducted in Sohag University Hospital, Egypt. Patients and methods The medical records of the rheumatology department were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients who stopped taking HCQ owing to its induced visual troubles. Ten patients were identified and were subjected to complete ophthalmological examination in addition to automated perimetry and optical coherence tomography of the macula. Results All patients (nine females and one male) had received HCQ 200mg twice daily for years. The mean age was 59.1 years, mean real weight was 83.3 kg, mean height was 1.63 m, mean ideal body weight was 56.72 kg, and the mean daily dose per kg of ideal weight was 7.14 mg/kg/day, whereas the mean daily dose per kg of real weight was 4.85 mg/kg/day. Conclusion Calculation of HCQ dose according to the ideal weight is a better predector of retinal toxicity than real body weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral and whole-rock chemistry of Red Sea rift-related Tertiary basalts from south Quseir city, central Eastern Desert of Egypt is presented to investigate their petrogenesis and relationship to tectonic processes. The south Quseir basalts (SQB) are classified as high-Ti (TiO >2 wt.%) subalkaline transitional lava emplaced in an anorogenic tectonic setting. Their Mg# varies from 48 to 53 indicating the evolved nature of the SQB. Pearce element ratios suggest that the SQB magmas evolved via fractional crystallization of olivine + clinopyroxene ± plagioclase, but the absence of Eu anomalies argues against significant plagioclase fractionation. Clinopyroxene compositions provide evidence for polybaric fractionation of the parental mafic magmas. Estimated temperatures of crystallization are 1015 to 1207 °C for clinopyroxene and 1076 to 1155 °C for plagioclase. These values are interpreted to result from early stage crystallization of clinopyroxene followed by concurrent crystallization of clinopyroxene and plagioclase. The incompatible trace element signatures of the SQB (La/Ba = 0.08-0.10 and La/Nb = 0.89-1.04) are comparable to those of ocean island basalts (OIB) generated from an asthenospheric mantle source unaffected by subduction components. Modeling calculations indicate that the SQB primary magmas were derived from ~4-5% partial melting of a garnet-bearing lherzolite mantle source. The NE Egyptian basaltic volcanism is spatially and temporally related to Red Sea rifting and to the local E-W striking faults, confirming a relationship to tectonic activity. Our results suggest that the extensional regime associated with Red Sea rifting controlled the generation of the Egyptian basalts, likely as a result of passive upwelling of asthenospheric mantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most of the main canals in Egypt, such as the Mit Yazid canal, the tail end regions have a high dependence on agricultural drainage water. The current study aims to improve the situation in tail regions by mixing the drainage water with the surface water at head reaches while maintaining environmental standards. Simulations and water quality models (HEC-RAS model) were used to validate the proposed solutions. The study investigated two scenarios to lift 10.50 and 12.0 m3/s of drainage water at the head reach. The results showed that it is possible to considerably increase the flow to downstream areas while maintaining water quality standards. The study is important as municipal water and its effluent is increasing while irrigation water is decreasing, and therefore, the dependence of tail end farmers on polluted drainage water will increase. The situation in these regions will be unsustainable unless the burden is distributed between the head and tail regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Chronic hepatitis C is associated with many extrahepatic manifestations that impact and impair the quality of life. Hepatitis C virus ( HCV) infection has a high prevalence in Egypt and carries with the diagnosis many social impacts and stigmatization correlates that further impair social function. This might negatively impact patients and their sexual function. Sexuality and sexual function have not been studied well in patients with HCV, especially in women. Aim To investigate sexual dysfunction in Egyptian women with chronic hepatitis C. Main Outcome Measures Female Sexual Function Index ( FSFI) scores of patients with hepatitis C, both total and for individual domains, were compared with those of controls. Methods The self-administered FSFI questionnaire was completed by 112 sexually active female patients with chronic hepatitis C without liver cirrhosis prior to initiation of therapy by pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Their results were compared to those of 225 age- and socioeconomic class-matched sexually active healthy females. Results Significantly more patients than controls had questionnaire scores below the threshold of female sexual dysfunction ( FSD) (79% vs. 21%, P < 0.05), and the mean total score for the patients was significantly lower than that for controls (19.54 ± 6.2 vs. 28.43 ± 4.9 P < 0.001). The patients' scores in all domains of the questionnaire were significantly lower than those of the controls. Conclusion Chronic hepatitis C negatively impacts female sexual function, affecting all domains of the sex cycle; this warrants further studies and needs to be addressed as part of a comprehensive therapy plan to improve patients' quality of life. Elshimi E, Morad W, Mohamad NE, Shebl N, and Waked I. Female sexual dysfunction among Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C. J Sex Med 2014;11:768-775. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A door-to-door survey, including every household, was conducted for all inhabitants of Al Quseir City (33,283), Red Sea Governorate, Egypt by three specialists of neurology as well as nine senior staff members of neurology and 15 female social workers to assess the epidemiology of major neurological disorders. Over six phases, from July 1, 2009 to January 31, 2012, screening of all eligible people in the population was carried out, by which case ascertainment of all major neurological disorders included in the study was done according to the accepted definitions and diagnostic criteria of the World Health Organization. The order of frequency of prevalence of the studied neurological disorders was dementia (3.83% for those aged > 60 years), migraine (2.8% for those aged . 8 years), stroke (6.2/1000 for those aged > 20 years), epilepsy (5.5/1000), Parkinson's disease (452.1/100,000 for those aged > 40 years), cerebral palsy (3.6/1000 among children , 18 years), spinal cord disorders (63/100,000) dystonia (39.11/100,000), cerebellar ataxia (30.01/100,000), trigeminal neuralgia (28/100,000 for those aged > 37 years), chorea (21.03/100,000), athetosis (15/100,000), and multiple sclerosis (13.74/100,000). The incidence rates of stroke, epilepsy, and Bell's palsy were 181/100,000, 48/100,000, and 98.9/100,000 per year, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fig production in Egypt is in continuous decline because many diseases, particularly those caused by viruses, are compromising this crop. RT-PCR assays were conducted on 60 fig samples collected from three Egyptian fig-growing provinces (Ismailia, Qena and North Sinai), from the three main fig varieties (cvs. Sultany, Abode and El-Adasy), to investigate the presence of Fig leaf mottle-associated virus 1 (FLMaV-1), Fig leaf mottle-associated virus 2 (FLMaV-2), Fig mild mottle-associated virus (FMMaV) and Fig mosaic virus (FMV). The overall average incidence of infection reached 90%, with a peak of 95% in Ismailia province. All four viruses were detected in tested samples, with infection rates of 68.3% for FLMaV-1, 35% for FLMaV-2, 28.3% for FMMaV and 46.7% for FMV. This is the first report of the presence of these viruses in Egypt and offers a preliminary insight on the unsatisfactory sanitary status of fig in this country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Post-collisional alkaline magmatism (∼610–580Ma) is widely distributed in the northern part of the Neoproterozoic Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS), i.e. the northern part of the Egyptian Eastern Desert and Sinai. Alkaline rocks of G. Tarbush constitute the western limb of the Katharina ring complex (∼593±16Ma) in southern Sinai. This suite commenced with the extrusion of peralkaline volcanics and quartz syenite subvolcanics intruded by syenogranite and alkali feldspar granite. The mineralogy and geochemistry of these rocks indicate an alkaline/peralkaline within-plate affinity. Quartz syenite is relatively enriched in TiO2, Fe2O3, MgO, CaO, Sr, Ba and depleted in SiO2, Nb, Y, and Rb. The G. Tarbush alkaline suite most likely evolved via fractionation of mainly feldspar and minor mafic phases (hornblende, aegirine) from a common quartz syenite parental magma, which formed via partial melting of middle crustal rocks of ANS juvenile crust. Mantle melts could have provided the heat required for the middle crustal melting. The upper mantle melting was likely promoted by erosional decompression subsequent to lithospheric delamination and crustal uplift during the late-collisional stage of the ANS. Such an explanation could explain the absence or scarce occurrence of mafic and intermediate lithologies in the abundant late- to post-collisional calc-alkaline and alkaline suites in the northern ANS. Moreover, erosion related to crustal uplift during the late-collision stage could account for the lack or infrequent occurrence of older lithologies, i.e. island arc metavolcanics and marginal basin ophiolites, from the northern part of the ANS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Podiform chromitites hosted in serpentinites (after harzburgite and dunite) and talc-carbonate rocks from the Abu Meriewa–Hagar Dungash district (MHD), Eastern Desert of Egypt, together with metagabbros, pillow metavolcanics, and metasediments, form an ophiolitic mélange formed during the Neoproterozoic Pan-African Orogeny. The chromitites show massive, disseminated, and nodular textures. Chromite cores in chromitites have high and restricted ranges of Cr# (0.65–0.75) and Mg# (0.64–0.83), implying primary compositions not affected by metamorphism. Therefore, they are used as reliable indicators of parent magma composition and tectonic affinities of these highly metamorphosed rocks. On the contrary, the altered rims are high-Cr, low-Fe3+ spinel (rather than ferritchromit) enriched in Cr, Fe, and Mn, and depleted in Al and Mg (Cr# = 0.75–0.97, Mg# = 0.29–0.79), due to equilibration with interstitial silicates during regional metamorphism up to transitional greenschist–amphibolite facies at about 500–550°C. The primary chromite compositions suggest derivation from a high-Mg tholeiitic, to possibly boninitic, parental magma in a supra-subduction zone (arc–marginal basin) environment, similar to the spatially associated metavolcanic rocks. The MHD chromitites are most probably formed by melt–rock interaction mechanisms. The high Cr# of the investigated chromites suggests high degrees of partial melting of a depleted harzburgite source by interaction with primitive basaltic melt of deeper origin followed by mixing. Such Cr-rich chromites are common in chromitites from the Eastern Desert of Egypt, implying broad thermal anomalies, possibly linked to an important geodynamic feature of the Arabian–Nubian Shield (ANS) evolution. This could revive interest in models that involve asthenospheric uprise, related to plume interaction or most probably due to oblique convergence of arc terranes during early evolution of the ANS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]