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Laser cleaning has been observed to alter the surface properties of steel surfaces. The change in surface properties is greatly affected by the laser parameters and therefore, the selection of appropriate laser parameters is paramount. In this work, a study on the treatment combination of laser power, scan speed, pulse repetition rate, and hatch distance on the surface hardness and the mass percentage of iron is conducted via response surface methodology using a central composite design. The factors and interactions that significantly affect the response were identified by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The microhardness was measured using a Vickers hardness testing machine and the mass percentage of iron was obtained by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. The hardness value was observed to remain almost unchanged or increase by more than 200 % and steel was completely reduced to even 100 % pure iron at different laser parameters. The responses were approximated by a second-order regression model and the R-squared values for the models of hardness and mass percentage of iron are 84 % and 80 % respectively. The model can be used to predict the parameters that result in the desired surface hardness and iron content during cleaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) are just one of the attractive graphene-based nanomaterials that are rapidly emerging and have sparked the interest of many industries. These small stacks of platelet-shaped graphene sheets have a unique size and morphology that quickly disperse into other materials such as polymers, resulting in higher-value composite materials with improved thermal, conductivity, and mechanical capabilities. A detailed analysis of reinforced High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) using different sizes (2, 15, 25 μm) and compositions (8, 10, 15 wt.%) of Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNP) has been conducted. The microstructure of the HDPE/GNP nanocomposites was extensively examined during the melt blending and injection moulding processes. Based on the results, the nanocomposites with different sizes of GNP exhibited dissimilar behaviour with different compositions. Furthermore, scanning electron microscope (SEM) results indicated a homogeneous dispersion for GNP in melt mixing. Moreover, thermogravimetric (TG) data demonstrate that increasing filler showed a slight increase in the material's thermal stability. The use of GNP improved mechanical properties, as evidenced by the increases in Young's modulus of yield strength from around 100 MPa to over 400 MPa. This study provides a practical reference for the industrial preparation of polymer-based graphene nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepiolite is a naturally occurring clay mineral of sedimentary origin and is a magnesium hydrosilicate. Sepiolite has been widely used as an additive raw material in ceramics and cement industry, pharmaceutical, cleaning-detergent, paper, paint, cosmetic agriculture, fertilizer, etc. In this study, the natural radioactivity levels, radon emanation coefficients and radon exhalation rates of 30 sepiolite samples collected from open three sepiolite quarries (Beylikova, Polath and Sivrihisar) in Central Anatolia region of Turkey were determined by using a gamma-ray spectrometry with an HPGe detector. The average absorbed gamma dose rates directly measured in Beylikova, Polath and Sivrihisar open three sepiolite quarries located in Central Anatolia region of Turkey were found as 59, 65, and 64 nGyh–1, respectively. The average activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in 30 sepiolite samples collected from those quarries were found as 38.6, 12.4, and 67.4 Bqkg–1, respectively. The average emanation coefficient and exhalation rate of radon of sepiolite samples were determined as 22 % and 0.065 Bqkg–1h–1, respectively. Also, radiological parameters (outdoor absorbed gamma dose rate, annual effective dose rate, external and internal index) were estimated to evaluate the use of sepiolite samples as additive raw materials in the building sector.

A comparative analysis is performed for the properties of two Fenton-type catalysts in the oxidation of sulfur-containing compounds with hydrogen peroxide and the desulfurization of crude oil. The catalysts are based on Cu(I) and Fe(III), and Mo(VI) and W(VI) polyoxometalates. Heterogeneous samples are imidazolium salts chemically immobilized on surfaces of silochrome and contain the iron and copper chloride complexes or phosphomolybdic and phosphotungstic acid anions. Thiophene (T), dibenzothiophene (DBT), methylphenyl sulfide (MPS), and a diesel fraction with an initial amount of sulfur of 1080 ppm are used as model substrates. It is found that the order of reactivity of thiophene substrates depends on the nature of metal-containing anions: thiophene > DBT on the Cu and Fe catalysts and DBT > thiophene on the polyoxometalate catalysts. This effect is explained using literature data. The catalyst based on phosphotungstic acid allows desulfurization of the diesel fraction of oil to amounts of sulfur of < 10 ppm, which meets today's environmental standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The normal chromosomal pattern in Nili-Ravi buffalo was studied from the lymphocytic culture of 5 each of the female and male animals kept at Livestock Experiment Station, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Micro method for culturing lymphocytes was used for chromosome analysis with slight modification. The chromosomal spread trapped at metaphase stage revealed that 2n diploid number of chromosomes in female and male was 50. The female had 48 autosomes and 2 X-chromosomes. The male had also 48 autosomes along with one X and y chromosomes. The number of meta/submetacentric and acrocentric autosomal chromosomes was 10 and 38, respectively in both the male and female animals. The sex chromosomes in male and female animals were acrocentric.

Seed categories and crop varieties play an important role in wheat production in Egypt, which effect on genetic purity of wheat genotypes. So, this investigation aimed to study the effect of seed sources and varieties on yield and its attributes. Two field experiments were conducted at the Experimental Farm of Giza Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza Governorate, Egypt, during two successive winter growing seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 on the optimum sowing date 15th of November. Four wheat varieties (Misr1, Gemmeiza 11, Giza 168 and Sids 12) and their seed categories (Basic, Certified and Farmer saved seeds) were used in this study. Yield and its attributes and off- type percentage were estimated in the field experiment, further more phenol color reaction and ISSR technology were carried out at Seed Technology Department Laboratory. The results indicated significant differences between wheat varieties and its seed categories for the most traits. Gemmeiza 11 variety gave the highest value in most studied traits i.e., flag leaf chlorophyll content SPAD, flag leaf area, spike length, No of spikes/m², No of grains/spike, 1000-grain weight and grain yield/fad., while the lowest value of those traits were recorded by Misr 1 variety. For the effect of seed categories on yield and yield attributes, basic seeds gave the greatest value for all characters, except for plant height where farmer seed recorded the highest value. Meanwhile insignificant effects were obtained from seed categories on flag leaf chlorophyll content SPAD. The interaction effects between varieties and seed categories indicated that Gemmeiza 11 and Sids 12 varieties with Basic and Certified seed categories gave the highest value of most traits, while Misr 1 Varity with farmer seed category gave the lowest value for yield traits. Insignificant effects were noticed between wheat varieties for the off- type % while seed categories showed highly significant effects where, Farmer saved seed recorded the highest value and Basic seed gave the lowest value for this trait. Wheat varieties showed different color reaction to phenol while seed categories took the same pattern in phenol color reaction for each variety. Eight ISSR primers were used for fingerprinting the four wheat varieties and their seed categories produced 97 band, 31 of them were polymorphic (68.04%) polymorphism. The highest level of polymorphism was observed in primer HB-12 which showed 95.00% polymorphism, while the lowest polymorphism was 28.57% in primer HB-09. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two field experiments were conducted during two consecutive summer seasons of 2014 and 2015 in an administrative field at Diarb Negm District, Sharkia Governorate, under Agronomy Department supervision, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Egypt. The aim of this study was to investigate the response of two yellow maize hybrids (Single Cross 176 and Three-way Cross 352) to three plant densities (20000, 24000 and 30000 plants/fad.), and nitrogen-farmyard combination fertilizer levels (60, 80 and100 kg N/fad., without addition of farmyard manure (FYM) and 60 kg N/fad.+20 m3 FYM/fad., 80 kg N/fad.+ 20 m3 FYM/fad., and 100 kg N/fad.+20 m3 FYM/ fad.) under clay soils conditions. The obtained results could be summarized as follows: The tried three maize plant densities had different effects on plant height (cm), ear diameter and length (cm), number of rows/ear, number of kernels/row, 100-kernel weight, kernel weight/ear, and biological yield (ton/fad.) during both seasons and their combined analysis, but the differences among the tried three maize plant densities on aforementioned traits did not reach the level of significance. Results of the first season and the combined analysis detected significant differences among the tried plant densities on ear yield/fad. Where, ear yield/fad., and grain yield/fad., in the first season and combined analysis, harvest index and grain: stover ratio in the two seasons and their combined analysis were significantly increased due to increasing maize density from 20000 or 24000 and up to 30000 plants/fad. Maize SC 173 cultivar appeared to produced taller plants, longer ears and larger number of kernels/row than TWC 352 cultivar. The later produced larger ear diameter, number of rows/ear, 100-kernel weight, kernel weight/ear, ear yield/fad., grain and biological yields/fad., than SC 173 one. No significant differences between two maize cultivars regarding harvest index and grain: stover ratio was observed. The first and the second increments in nitrogen levels up to 100 kg N/fad., with or without addition of farmyard manure was accompanied by a significant increase in ear diameter (cm), ear length (cm), number of rows/ear, number of kernels/row, 100-kernel weight (g), kernel weight/ear (g), ear yield/fad., grain and biological yields (ton/fad.) but harvest index and grain: stover ratio were reduced during both seasons and their combined analysis. These results finally recommend sowing maize cultivar TWC 352 with dense planting of 30000 plants/fad., and raising nitrogen level up to 80 kg N/fad., with addition of farmyard manure to maximize grain yield/fad., under the experimental site and other likely environmental condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

استهدفت الدراسة إلقاء الضوء على إنتاج عسل النحل ومدى جدواه الاقتصادية، وقياس أثر بعض التغيرات المحتملة وكذلك الحصول على قروض على جدوى الاستثمار في نشاط تلك المشروعات، ودراسة العوامل التي تؤثر على نتاج عسل النحل، واعتمدت الدراسة على بيانات ثانوية، وأخرى ميدانية من خلال إستمارة إستبيان لعينة عمدية بمحافظة الشرقية بلغ حجمها 75 منحة بثلاث سعات مختلفة هي أقل من 50 خلية، (50 إلى 100 خلية، وأكثر من 100 خلية، ومن أهم نتائج الدراسة: وجود انخفاض معنوي إحصانية في عدد الخلايا الخشبية على مستوى الجمهورية ومحافظة الشرقية بمعدل بلغ حوالي36.92، 2.86ألف خلية على الترتيب خلال الفترة 2000-2016، وجود انخفاض معنوي إحصائية في الإنتاج الكلي من عسل النحل على مستوى الجمهورية ومحافظة الشرقية بمعدل سنوي بلغ حوالي224.6، 15.6طن على الترتيب، اتجاه مساحة البرسيم وإجمالي مساحة المحاصيل المزهرة بمحافظة الشرقية للإنخفاض بمعدل سنوي معنوي إحصائية بلغ حوالي1.82، 0.71ألف فدان على الترتيب، بلغ صافي الربح للخلية الخشبية للسعات الإنتاجية حوالي 180، 216، 254 جنية، بمتوسط عام بلغ 213 جنية. أما هامش المنتج بلغ حوالي 30%، 35%، 39% على الترتيب، بمتوسط عام 34.4% بعينة الدراسة، تشير تقديرات مؤشرات تحليل الاستثمار لمشروعات تربية وإنتاج عسل النحل بمحافظة الشرقية أنها ذات جدوى اقتصادية عالية، حيث قدر صافي القيمة الحالية للسعات الإنتاجية الثلاث بحوالي 65.87، 151.22، 146.33ألف جنيه على الترتيب، بينما بلغت فترة استرداد رأس المال المستثمر للسعات الثلاث حوالي 2.5، 2.29، 2.11سنة على الترتيب. أما معیار نسبة المنافع إلى التكاليف فقد بلغ حوالي1.25، 1.49، 1.54على الترتيب، وبتقدير معدل العائد الداخلي للسلعات الإنتاجية الثلاث بلغ حوالي 39.8%، 43.6%، 47.56% على الترتيب، أما على مستوى عينة الدراسة ككل بلغ معیار صافي القيمة الحالية حوالي 130 . 54 ألف جنيه، بينما فترة استرداد رأس المال المستثمر بلغت حوالي 2.4سنة، ومعيار نسبة المنافع إلى التكاليف فقد بلغ حوالي 1.41، وأخيرا بلغ معدل العائد الداخلي حوالي 41.5%، وتبين أن من أهم العوامل المؤثرة على إنتاج كمية عسل النحل بعينة الدراسة الميدانية هي عدد الخلايا بالمنحل، كمية السكر، وعدد مرات نقل المنحل، أما العوامل المؤثرة على إنتاج عسل النحل بمحافظة الشرقية من خلال البيانات الثانوية المنشورة فكانت عدد الخلايا الخشبية، المساحة المزروعة بمحصول البرسيم، المساحة المزروعة بمحاصيل الموالح ككل. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted at field experiment in Mit Ghamer District, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, during 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons. The study aimed to find out the effect of sowing dates (November 15th, November 30th and December 15th), cultivars (Giza 171, Sids 12 and Gemmiza 11) and planting densities (300, 400 and 500 grains/m2) on yield and yield attributes of wheat. The early wheat sowing on 15th Nov. appeared to be produced the highest plant height, spike length, number of grains/spike, weight of grains/spike, 1000-grain weight and grain yield/fad. Varietal differences effected significantly on yield and yield attributes where, Gemmiza 11 cultivar appeared to be produced the highest plant height, spike length, grain weight/spike, 1000-grain weight and grain yield per fad. While Giza 171cultivar tended to produce the highest number of spikes/m2. On other hand, dense planting of 500 grains/m2 obtained the highest number of spikes per m2, as well as, grain yield/fad., as compared with the other two planting densities. While, light density (300 grains/ m2) gave the highest grain number/spike and grain weight /spike. Regarding the significant interaction between the studied factors on almost yield and yield attributes, showed that early sowing on 15th Nov. obtained the highest grain yield/fad., with Gemmiza 11 and Sids 12 cultivars when dense planting of 500 grains/m2 were applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Aim was to assess the efficacy and safety of incisional infiltration of lidocaine and epinephrine vs. lidocaine only to reduce postcesarean section (C/S) pain. Material and Methods: It was a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blinded clinical trial that was conducted in two tertiary hospitals in Egypt and included 153 women undergoing C/S under general anesthesia. They were randomly divided into the following two groups: Group I (control group, number= 78), in which the wound was infiltrated before skin closure with 20 mL of 2% lidocaine, and Group II (study group, number= 75), in which the wound was infiltrated before skin closure with 20 mL of 2% lidocaine and epinephrine. The primary outcomes were the time to first analgesic (TFA) request (minutes) and the postoperative pain scores that were measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The secondary outcomes included the duration of C/S, onset of mobilization, onset of breastfeeding, duration of hospital stay, local or systemic side effects of lidocaine and epinephrine, postoperative pyrexia, and postoperative wound infection. Results: The pain score determined using VAS after 1 and 2 h was significantly decreased in Group II than in Group I. However, at 4.8 and 16 h, these results were significantly reversed in Group II than in Group I. The cumulative postoperative opioid consumption was significantly less in Group II than in Group I (50 vs. 90 mg). The onset of mobilization, onset of breastfeeding, and duration of hospital stay was significantly shorter in Group II than in Group I, whereas the TFA request was significantly longer in Group II. Conclusion: Administering epinephrine with 2% lidocaine prolongs the anesthetic effect and reduces the opioid analgesic dose postoperatively required, thereby enhancing patient recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation was conducted in both laboratory and under field conditions to study the effect of some seed treatments on germination and seedling growth and to determine the relationship between viability and vigour measurements as well as their relationship with field emergence for six maize genotypes namely Giza 2, Sc 10 and 128 and Twc hybrids 321, 323 and 324. The seed treatments were included control, soaking in water, GA3, ascorbic acid, osmopriming operation (PEG 8000), soaking in zinc solution and gamma irradiation treatment. Field emergence experiments were conducted during both testing seasons (2012 and 2013) at Kafr El- Hamam Research Station on May, 15th, for the two years. The results indicated that Giza 2 ~ariety followed by hybrid Twc 321 recorded higher values of most viability and vigour measurements included germination (% ), good seedling (%),seedling length, tetrazolium potential (l-5) (%),and field emergence(%). However, hybrid Sc 10 obtained higher germination (%) in cold test. Soaking com seed in ascorbic acid improved vigour and viability measurements whereas gave the higher good seedling (% ), seedling vigour index and seedling length, as well as GA3 recorded longer seedling. The higher field emergence (%) was obtained by control treatment, soaking in zinc solution, soaking in GA3, osmopriming operation and soaking in ascorbic acid while seed soaking in water gave the higher field emergence index. On the other hand, seed irradiated by gamma rays recorded lower values of most viability and vigour measurements and field emergence. Highly significant correlation were observed between field emergence of maize and each of germination (% ), good seedling (% ), TZ-potential (% ), TZ energy ( 1- 2) (%) and field emergence index, on contrary, it was insignificantly correlated with electrical conductivity and cold tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]