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A systematic study was carried out on Nafion® 112 membranes to evaluate the effects of different electric field strengths on the structural and electrical properties of the membranes. The membranes were subjected to different electric field strengths (0, 40, 80, and 140 MV/m) at a temperature of 90 °C. Proton conductivity was measured using an LCR meter, revealing that conductivity values varied with the electric field strengths, with the optimal conductivity observed at 40 MV/m. Positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) spectroscopy provided insights into the free volume structure of the membranes, showing an exponential increase in the hole volume size as the electric field strength increased. It was also found that the positronium intensity of the Nafion® 112 membranes was influenced by their degree of crystallinity, which decreased with higher electric field strengths. This indicates complex interactions between structural changes and the effects of the electric field. Dielectric studies of the membranes were characterized over a frequency range of 50 Hz to 5 MHz, demonstrating adherence to Jonscher’s law. The Jonscher’s power law’s s-parameter values increased with the electric field strength, suggesting a transition from a hopping conduction mechanism to more organized ionic transport. Overall, the study emphasizes the relationship between the free volume, crystallinity, and macroscopic characteristics, such as ionic conductivity. The study highlights the potential to adjust membrane performance by varying the electric field.

Significant copper mineralization are observed to be associated, in most cases, with some radioactive anomalies related to increased uranium and thorium contents in Southern Sinai, Egypt. These mineralizations are related to intense post-magmatic, structurally controlled hydrothermal activities in many localities. Wadi Khosh El-Daba area is one of these locations which is mainly composed of monzogranites dissected by andesite dyke and pegmatite vein. This work deals with the application of ground magnetic and self-potential methods to establish the magnetic sources governing the mineralization, to interpret the significant trends that affected the study area, and to delineate the mineralized zones. The magnetic data were processed, enhanced and interpreted using advanced techniques, such as the first-order vertical derivative (FVD), the tilt derivative (TD), Euler deconvolution (ED), and source parameter image (SPI). The main structural lineaments/contacts that control the distribution of hydrothermal alterations and mineral distributions are oriented to the NW–SE, NE–SW, and NNW–SSE directions. The self-potential (SP) data show that there are numerous mineralized zones; most of them are distributed mainly along the structural lineaments deduced from the magnetic study. The quantitative interpretation revealed that the mineralized bodies are at shallow depths ranging from 5.6 m to 12.7 m, with half-width from 5 m to 13 m. These bodies are shallow to moderate dipping towards the south and north directions. Based on this study an anomaly map is originated to locate the preferred structural elements that may be controlling the mineralization in the area for further future exploration.

Bostonite rocks are widely spread in the Central Eastern Desert (CED) of Egypt, they are found in the form of sills or dykes injected in the Precambrian rocks. Postgeosynclinal (Hammamat) sediments were intruded by Postorogenic bostonites. The study of this area, using ground geophysical methods, aimed at tracking the radioactive mineralization under the surface, based on the possible association of this radioactive mineralization with some other mineralizations such as sulphides. The application of the self-potential survey shows that the highest negative anomalies are associated with the South El-Atshan bostonite sill and its contact zones. The depths to the centres of some selected anomalies range from 5.7 m to 24 m, half-widths oscillate from 6 to 32 m, with shallow dips towards the west and east directions. The horizontal-loop electromagnetic (HLEM) survey, which was conducted using four frequencies, revealed the presence of two conductive bodies. These conductive bodies possess narrow widths and depths, ranging from 25 m to 27 m, dipping towards the west direction with shallow angles of 25° and 40°, respectively. In addition, the induced polarization (IP) profile shows high chargeability values reaching more than 7.9 mV/V at depths starting from about 10 m to about 35 m. This zone corresponds to a high-resistance zone that may reflect a subsurface disseminated mineralization. The integration of the results obtained using the three techniques makes it possible to determine the most appropriate zones for the development of exploration in the area of investigation.

Abstract During the past few decades, classical in‐person communication has been enriched by opportunities for telemedicine. We are in a learning healthcare environment that takes advantage of the opportunities of telemedicine and in‐person consultations, reconciling the individuality of the patient and his/her psoriasis. A working group of experts in telemedicine was installed by the International Psoriasis Council (IPC) to formulate the opportunities and limitations of telemedicine in the diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis. The working group formulated statements on various aspects of telemedicine according to the nominal group technique to reach a consensus on these statements and explore the variation of opinions. Thirty‐six statements regarding teledermatology and psoriasis were agreed upon by the IPC working group. The value and necessity for the implementation of teledermatology in dermatologic healthcare practices for psoriasis are essential. Management of psoriasis through teledermatology is feasible with a few exceptions. In this communication, the statements are presented and discussed in the context of the available literature, and finally, a call to action by IPC is formulated related to these statements.

Abstract Background The Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) has been clinically reappraised in several studies conducted mainly in the US and Europe. This report describes the methodology used to conduct one of the Middle East's largest clinical reappraisal studies. The study was carried out in conjunction with the World Mental Health Qatar—the first national psychiatric epidemiological study of common mental disorders in the country. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic consistency of core modules of the newly translated and adapted Arabic version of the CIDI 5.0 against the independent clinical diagnoses based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐5 (SCID‐5). Methods Telephone follow‐up interviews were administered by trained clinicians using the latest research edition of the SCID for DSM‐5. Telephone administered interviews were key in the data collection, as the study took place during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Results Overall, within 12 months, 485 interviews were completed. The response rate was 52%. Quality control monitoring documented excellent adherence of clinical interviews to the rating protocol. Conclusions The overall methods used in this study proved to be efficient and effective. For future research, instrument cultural adaptation within the cultural context is highly recommended.

This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of gamma irradiation process (5 kGy) on the total phenolic contents, antioxidant activity and curcumin content of turmeric powder. Also, this study was aimed to investigate the influences of aqueous extract gamma-irradiated turmeric on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardio-nephrotoxicity in male rats. The result indicates that the total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and curcumin content of turmeric powder were significantly increased by γ-irradiation. The results of biological study revealed that inoculation of DOX (3 mg/kg b.w./week/6 weeks) to rats induced cardiac and renal dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress with significant reduction of cardiac and renal antioxidant parameters compared to control group. Co-administration of DOX with either raw (RTAE) or γ-irradiated turmeric aqueous extract (GTAE) (100 mg/kg b.w/day/6 weeks) significantly reduced side effects of DOX which evidenced by significant reduction in the oxidative parameter (malondialdehyde), cardiac markers, kidney function and inflammatory factors (TNF-a and IL-6) associated with elevation in the antioxidant parameters (glutathione content, superoxide dismutase and catalase) in kidney and heart tissues compared to DOX-group. So, the results concluded that gamma irradiation (5 kGy) can be effective in increasing the in vivo and in vitro antioxidant potential as well as enhancing the medicinal value of turmeric against tissues damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted for two purposes, the first is to study the effect of gamma irradiation at different doses (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 kGy) on the fungal growth, total phenolics, antioxidant activity, oil contents and fatty acid composition of sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum). The second objective is to investigate the in vitro inhibitory effect of aqueous extract of gamma-irradiated sesame seeds (Irr. SSAE) on a-amylase and a-glucosidase and in vivo hypoglycaemic effect in alloxan-diabetic rats. The results observed that gamma-irradiation of sesame seeds at different doses induced significant increase in the total phenolic contents and antioxidant activity, significant decrease in the free fatty acids, fungal growth and colony formation and no significant change in the oil contents and fatty acid composition compared to raw seeds. Also, the inhibitory activity on a-amylase and a-glucosidase of Irr. SSAE (2 kGy) is significantly higher than that of RSSAE. The results revealed that treatment of alloxan-diabetic rats with Irr.SSAE (200 mg/Kg B.WT/8 weeks) significantly reduced hyperglycaemia, the activities of liver enzymes, level of lipid profile contents, malondialdehyde (MDA) and level of inflammatory factors (TNF-a and IL-6) associated with noticeable attenuation of alloxan-induced hypoinsulinaemia and significantly increased level of HDL-C with an enhancement in hepatic total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and level of glutathione content (GSH) relative to the diabetic rats. In conclusion, gamma radiation could be an effective treatment for decontaminating and extending the shelf-life of sesame seeds without destroying its bioactive compounds. In addition, Irr.SSAE is a potent inhibitor of a-amylase and a-glucosidase and has beneficial effects in the treatment of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To see if pre-treatment 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic tumor volume (MTV) might predict occult axillary lymph node metastases (ALNM) in luminal early breast cancer (BC) with negative axilla on clinical examination, radiological studies, and conventional 18F-FDG PET/CT interpretation. Methods: Out of 330 consecutive patients with early BC who were referred for preoperative staging, only 110 female patients with luminal early BC who had biopsy-proven axillary lymph node (ALN) status and negative axilla on clinical examination, radiological studies, and conventional 18F-FDG PET/CT interpretation, were eligible for analysis. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), SUVmean, MTV, total lesion glycolysis (TLG), and clinicopathological features were determined. Via ROC analysis, we determined the optimal cutoff values for SUVmax, SUVmean, MTV, and TLG of the primary tumor to predict ALNM. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify the most potent PET metabolic parameters to predict ALNM. Results: Pathologic ALNM was identified in 29.1% of cases; 40.6% of them had lymphovascular invasion (LVI) compared to 9% of the ALN-negative group (P < 0.0001). The median MTV of tumors with ALNM was significantly higher than that of the ALN-negative group (P = 0.049). The best cutoff value of MTV was > 4.83. In univariate analysis, MTV (P = 0.005) and LVI (P < 0.0001) were significantly associated with ALNM, and in multivariate analysis, both MTV (P = 0.002) and LVI (P < 0.0001) were confirmed to be independent predictors for ALNM. Conclusions: In early luminal BC with clinically and radiologically negative axilla, including negative conventional interpretation of PET/CT, the inclusion of MTV has an added value in predicting ALNM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Misconceptions among psoriatic patients often lead to a negative impact on disease outcomes. Objectives: Our main target was knowledge assessment among a sample of psoriatic patients in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region where data are scarce. Methods: The present study is a cross‐sectional descriptive survey. It consists of an online questionnaire comprising 19 questions designed to assess psoriasis knowledge and five demographic questions. The questionnaire link was posted on the official Facebook page of the Kasr Al Ainy Psoriasis Unit (KAPU). Results: The questionnaire was taken by 527 participants, but only 396 responses were complete and adequate for analysis. The mean psoriasis knowledge score was higher in females (P = 0.005) and participants with advanced education degrees (P < 0.001). Patients reporting regular follow‐ups with dermatologists were more likely to acknowledge joint involvement (P = 0.044) but also incorrectly assume biologics are a final cure (P = 0.038). In addition, they were more likely to assume psoriasis affects pregnancy (P = 0.013). Patients with a family history of psoriasis showed a better mean knowledge score than those without (P = 0.01). Only 54.55% of participants reported knowledge of possible disease exacerbation by drugs. A minority (26.77%) of our patients responded that a diet change could not permanently cure psoriasis. Conclusion: This study reports knowledge gaps in a cohort of Arabic‐speaking psoriasis patients, especially regarding areas of extracutaneous involvement, the hereditary nature of the disease, and the effect of psoriasis on pregnancy and fertility. Most participants were unaware that biological therapy and a change in diet do not offer a permanent cure. Dermatologists in our region must reach out to their patients and correct the various misconceptions reported in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Melasma is a common condition that affects a patient's quality of life. Metformin is a cheap, well-tolerated and relatively safe medication that is widely prescribed for the treatment of diabetes. Topical metformin has shown promising results in treating melasma as well as several other dermatological conditions such as acne and recalcitrant central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia. Objectives To study the efficacy and safety of a once-weekly topical metformin-30%-loaded peel-off mask for treating melasma. Methods Twenty female patients with melasma were recruited for the application of a metformin mask and placebo mask to either side of the face once weekly for 12 weeks. The hemi-Melasma Area Severity Index (hemi-MASI) was calculated at baseline, at each visit and 12 weeks after the end of treatment. Results At baseline, the hemi-MASI score matched between both metformin and placebo sides [7.1 (SD 2.6) and 7.1 (SD 2.6), respectively, P = 0.99]. At the end of the active treatment period, the metformin side showed a significantly better improvement in hemi-MASI score in comparison with placebo [68% (SD 0.2%) improvement on the metformin side in contrast to 20% (SD 0.2%) on the placebo side]. Although scores decreased 3 months after stopping the active treatment [52% (SD 0.2%) improvement on the metformin side compared with the placebo side 15% (SD 0.2%)], they were still significantly better than baseline. No adverse effects were reported. Conclusions Topical metformin-loaded peel-off masks can be a promising, safe and effective treatment for melasma. Although applied only once weekly, metformin peel-off masks show comparable efficacy to previously reported daily usage formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic study was carried out on Nafion® 112 membranes to evaluate the effects of different electric field strengths on the structural and electrical properties of the membranes. The membranes were subjected to different electric field strengths (0, 40, 80, and 140 MV/m) at a temperature of 90 °C. Proton conductivity was measured using an LCR meter, revealing that conductivity values varied with the electric field strengths, with the optimal conductivity observed at 40 MV/m. Positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) spectroscopy provided insights into the free volume structure of the membranes, showing an exponential increase in the hole volume size as the electric field strength increased. It was also found that the positronium intensity of the Nafion® 112 membranes was influenced by their degree of crystallinity, which decreased with higher electric field strengths. This indicates complex interactions between structural changes and the effects of the electric field. Dielectric studies of the membranes were characterized over a frequency range of 50 Hz to 5 MHz, demonstrating adherence to Jonscher's law. The Jonscher's power law's s-parameter values increased with the electric field strength, suggesting a transition from a hopping conduction mechanism to more organized ionic transport. Overall, the study emphasizes the relationship between the free volume, crystallinity, and macroscopic characteristics, such as ionic conductivity. The study highlights the potential to adjust membrane performance by varying the electric field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Qatar is a high-income country with 90% of the population being economic migrants from low income countries. Due to this unique population composition, it has been suggested that Qatar may not follow suicide trends of high-income countries. Additionally, there is paucity of information on suicidal trends and rates due to social and cultural reasons. The Covid-19 pandemic has additionally impacted mental health of migrants differently form native Qataris. Objectives This study explores suicidal behavior trends among individuals attending the main Emergency Department in the state of Qatar for mental health emergencies. The study also compared these trends for pre-pandemic period to early post pandemic period. Methods A cross-sectional study of individuals attending the main emergency department of the country from 1st December 2019 to 30th June 2020 was carried out using a composite data collection form. This identified 799 individuals presenting with mental health emergencies. Suicidal behaviors, relevant sociodemographic data, along with factors known to be associated with suicidal behaviors were collected for this group. Results 24.9% (n = 199) of the sample presented with suicidal behaviors. Younger age (31.16 ± 9.497), current hopelessness (70; 54.7%), history of suicidal thoughts (50; 47.2%), history of suicidal attempts (43; 34.7%), history of self-harm thoughts (35; 39.3%), history of self-harm attempts (41; 37.6%) were highly significantly associated with suicidal behavior (p

The safety performance of nuclear power plants (NPPs) is a very important factor in evaluating nuclear energy sustainability. Safety analysis of passive and active safety systems have a positive influence on reactor transient mitigation. One of the common transients is primary coolant leg rupture. This study focused on guillotine large break loss of coolant (LB-LOCA) in one of the reactor vessels, in which cold leg rupture occurred, after establishment of a steady-state condition for the VVER-1000. The reactor responses and performance of emergence core cooling systems (ECCSs) were investigated. The main safety margin considered during this simulation was to check the maximum value of the clad surface temperature, and it was then compared with the design licensing limit of 1474 K. The calculations of event progression used the engineering-level RELAP5/SCDAPSIM/MOD3.5 thermal-hydraulic program, which also provide a more detailed treatment of coolant system thermal hydraulics and core behavior. The obtained results show that actuation of ECCSs at their actuation set points provided core cooling by injecting water into the reactor pressure vessel, as expected. The peak cladding temperature did not overpass the licensing limit during this LB-LOCA transient. The primary pressure above the core decreased rapidly from 15.7 MPa to 1 MPa in less than 10 s, then stabilizes up to the end of transient. The fuel temperature decreased from 847 K to 378 K during the first 30 s of the transient time. The coolant leakage reduced from 9945 kg/s to approximately 461 kg/s during the first 190 s in the transient. Overall, the study shows that, within the design of the VVER-1000, safety systems of the have inherent robustness of containing guillotine LB-LOCA.

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the main cause of disability and mortality in individuals under the age of 45 years. Elucidation of the molecular and structural alterations in brain tissue due to TBI is crucial to understand secondary and long-term effects after traumatic brain injury, and to develop and apply the correct therapies. In the current study, the molecular effects of TBI were investigated in rat brain at 24 h and 1 month after the injury to determine acute and chronic effects, respectively by Fourier transform infrared imaging. This study reports the time-dependent contextual and structural effects of TBI on hippocampal brain tissue. A mild form of TBI was induced in 11-week old male Sprague Dawley rats by weight drop. Band area and intensity ratios, band frequency and bandwidth values of specific spectral bands showed that TBI causes significant structural and contextual global changes including decrease in carbonyl content, unsaturated lipid content, lipid acyl chain length, membrane lipid order, total protein content, lipid/protein ratio, besides increase in membrane fluidity with an altered protein secondary structure and metabolic activity in hippocampus 24 h after injury. However, improvement and/or recovery effects in these parameters were observed at one month after TBI.

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

Abstract Background There is conflicting results of few published human 18F-FDG PET/CT studies about BAT activation in breast cancer (BC). The aim of the study is to evaluate the association between the levels of BAT metabolic activity detected by 18F-FDG PET/CT and clinicopathological characteristics of a tumor in patients with primary BC. Results BAT was activated in 16 out of 157 (10.2%) consecutive female patients with BC who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT for initial evaluation. The majority of patients (15/16) had bilateral uptake in the supraclavicular regions. The mean values of the highest SUVmax and total metabolic activity (TMA) of activated BAT were 13.3 ± 9.9 and 79.6 ± 45, respectively. Median outdoor temperature was significantly lower in the activated BAT group (P value=0.035). Patients with BAT activation tended to have a lower median primary tumor size and primary SUVmax, but not statistically significant than those without BAT activation. BAT activation was significantly more frequent among younger age groups (14/16) and patients with lower body mass index (BMI) (10/16), but it was insignificantly more frequent among estrogen receptor-positive (ER+), progesterone receptor-positive (PR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor2 negative (HER2-), invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), grade II, luminal B subtype, high Ki-67 expression level, patients with positive nodal metastasis, and in patients without distant metastasis. TMA was significantly higher among HER2+ patients (P value=0.019), but insignificantly higher among the younger age groups, stages I and II, invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), grade I, luminal B subtype, ER+, PR−, higher Ki-67 expression level, patients with positive nodal, and distant metastasis. BMI and patient’s age were the significant independent predictor factors for BAT activation on multivariate regression analysis. Conclusion BAT activation in young age females is sex hormone-dependent, positively associated with less aggressive molecular subtypes of BC, less frequent in patients with distant metastasis. BAT activation may be a prognostic factor that carries a better prognosis in BC.

Significant copper mineralization are observed to be associated, in most cases, with some radioactive anomalies related to increased uranium and thorium contents in Southern Sinai, Egypt. These mineralizations are related to intense post-magmatic, structurally controlled hydrothermal activities in many localities. Wadi Khosh El-Daba area is one of these locations which is mainly composed of monzogranites dissected by andesite dyke and pegmatite vein. This work deals with the application of ground magnetic and self-potential methods to establish the magnetic sources governing the mineralization, to interpret the significant trends that affected the study area, and to delineate the mineralized zones. The magnetic data were processed, enhanced and interpreted using advanced techniques, such as the first-order vertical derivative (FVD), the tilt derivative (TD), Euler deconvolution (ED), and source parameter image (SPI). The main structural lineaments/contacts that control the distribution of hydrothermal alterations and mineral distributions are oriented to the NW-SE, NE-SW, and NNW-SSE directions. The self-potential (SP) data show that there are numerous mineralized zones; most of them are distributed mainly along the structural lineaments deduced from the magnetic study. The quantitative interpretation revealed that the mineralized bodies are at shallow depths ranging from 5.6 m to 12.7 m, with half-width from 5 m to 13 m. These bodies are shallow to moderate dipping towards the south and north directions. Based on this study an anomaly map is originated to locate the preferred structural elements that may be controlling the mineralization in the area for further future exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Histopathology and immunohistology remain the gold standard for breast cancer diagnostic. Yet, these approaches do not usually provide a sufficiently detailed characterization of the pathology. The purpose of this work is to demonstrate for the first time that elemental analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy microscopic examination of breast tissue sections can be merged into one dataset to provide a single set of markers based on both organic molecules and inorganic trace elements. For illustrating the method, 6 mammary tissue sections were used. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy images reported a fingerprint of the organic molecules present in the tissue section and laser ablation elemental analysis (LA-ICP-MS) images brought inorganic element profiles. The 6 tissue sections provided 31 106 and 150,000 spectra for FTIR and LA-ICP-MS spectra respectively. The results bring the proof of concept that breast tissue can be analyzed simultaneously by FTIR spectroscopy and laser ablation elemental analysis (LA-ICP-MS) to provide in both case reasonably high resolution images. We show how to bring the images obtained by the two methods to a same spatial resolution and how to use image registration to analyze the data originating from both techniques as one block of data. We finally demonstrates the elemental analysis is orthogonal to all FTIR markers as no significant correlation is found between FTIR and LA-ICP-MS data. Combining FTIR and LA-ICP-MS imaging becomes possible, providing two orthogonal methods which can bring an unprecedented diversity of information on the tissue. This opens a new avenue of tissue section analyses providing unprecedented diagnostic potential.

One filed experiment was carried out to study the effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza fungi and three preceding winter crops, i.e., Meskawy cultivar of Egyptian clover berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.), Careem cultivar of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) and Sakha 94 cultivar of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and five fertilizer combinations as treatments of NPK mineral and bio fertilizer which included 100% NPK (T1), 75% NPK + arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMFs) (T2), 50% NPK + arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMFs) (T3), 75% NPK + mycrobein (T4) and 50% NPK + mycrobein (T5) on maize intercropping with cowpea. The results showed that berseem was the best as a preceding crop and gave the highest values of maize and cowpea, followed by sugar beet as a preceding crop. While wheat recorded the lowest values. Fertilizer treatments had significant effect on all maize and cowpea traits. The treatment 75% NPK + arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMFs) (T2) gave the highest values. Meanwhile, no significant differences were found between fertilizer treatments T1 (100% NPK mineral) and T2 (75% NPK + arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMFs)) combination on all studied characters of maize. The interaction had a significant effect on most studied characters of maize and cowpea in the two growing seasons. The cultivation of the two components of intercropping after berseem with T2 fertilizer recorded the highest values. Mixing the third cut of cowpea with maize straw increased significantly the quality and digestibility of forge in both seasons. Planting after berseem and T2 fertilizer gave the highest values as yield advantageous for land equivalent ratio (LER) and relative crowding coefficient (K) which recorded 1.51 and 1.6 and 9.45 and 15.35 in the first and second seasons, respectively. The increases in net return were 3955.67 and 5062.50 L.E., which equates to a percentage of 34.25 and 44.71%, by cultivation intercropping component after berseem and T2 fertilizer treatment (75% NPK + arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMFs)) compared with maize pure stand in first and second seasons, respectively.

Human carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) (hCA) isoforms I, II, IX, and XII were investigated for their inhibitory activity with a series of new Schiff’s bases based on quinazoline scaffold 4–27. The hCA I isoform was efficiently inhibited by Schiff’s bases 4–6, 10–19, 22–27 and had an inhibition constant (Ki) value of 52.8–991.7 nM compared with AAZ (Ki, 250 nM). Amongst the quinazoline derivatives, the compounds 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 16, 18, 24, 26, and 27 were proven to be effective hCA II inhibitors, with Ki values of 10.8–52.6 nM, measuring up to AAZ (Ki, 12 nM). Compounds 2–27 revealed compelling hCA IX inhibitory interest with Ki values of 10.5–99.6 nM, rivaling AAZ (Ki, 25.0 nM). Quinazoline derivatives 3, 10, 11, 13, 15–19, and 24 possessed potent hCA XII inhibitory activities with KI values of 5.4–25.5 nM vs. 5.7 nM of AAZ. Schiff’s bases 7, 8, 9, and 21 represented attractive antitumor hCA IX carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) with KI rates (22.0, 34.8, 49.2, and 45.3 nM, respectively). Compounds 5, 7, 8, 9, 14, 18, 19, and 21 showed hCA I inhibitors on hCA IX with a selectivity index of 22.46–107, while derivatives 12, 14, and 18 showed selective hCA I inhibitors on hCA XII with a selectivity profile of 45.04–58.58, in contrast to AAZ (SI, 10.0 and 43.86). Compounds 2, 5, 7–14, 19–23, and 25 showed a selectivity profile for hCA II inhibitors over hCA IX with a selectivity index of 2.02–19.67, whereas derivatives 5, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, and 22 showed selective hCA II inhibitors on hCA XII with a selectivity profile of 4.84–26.60 balanced to AAZ (SI, 0.48 and 2.10).

Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is an attractive transmission technique for high-bit-rate communication systems. However, high Peak to Average Power Ratio (PAPR) of transmitted signals is a major shortcoming for Multi-Carrier Modulation (MCM) system such as the OFDM system. Traditional OFDM implementations use common Fourier filters for data modulation and demodulation via the Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) and the FFT operations respectively, in this paper the Fast Discrete Curvelet Transform (FDCT) is proposed for OFDM in order to reduce the PAPR. The software CurveLab, used in this work is available at http://www.curvelet.org. The proposed system used FDCT via both Unequispaced Fast Fourier Transform (USFFT) and Wrapping. In terms of PAPR, the results show that both transforms used in this work gives better PAPR results, FDCT via USFFT and FDCT via Wrapping are given approximately about 7.7 dB reduction compared to traditional OFDM. Moreover, the results show that the BER performance of the considered system nearly matches the theoretical BPSK BER performance in an Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) channel.

Background Adult female acne (AFA) is characterized by a relapsing eruption of acne in women aged ≥ 25 years. It can be slower to respond to traditional adolescent acne treatments. Usually, androgens promote acne by stimulating sebum production, while oestrogens have the -opposite effect by reducing sebum output when present in adequate quantities. Oestradiol is a female sex hormone that has its highest absolute serum levels and highest oestrogenic activity during the reproductive years. Peel-off facial masks have been suggested to intensify the effect of added active ingredients by forming an occlusive film after drying. Objectives To study the safety and efficacy of weekly topical oestradiol 0.05% in the treatment of AFA. Methods Twenty women with AFA were subjected to once-weekly application of an oestradiol 0.05% mask or placebo mask to either side of their face for 8 weeks. An acne lesion count was performed at baseline, at each visit and 8 weeks post-treatment. Results At the end of the treatment period, the treated side showed significant improvement in comedones, papules and pustules. Although lesion counts increased 2 months post-treatment, they remained significantly less common on the oestradiol-treated side compared with the side of the face treated with placebo. No side-effects were reported. Limitations included the small number of patients studied and the short follow-up period. The oestradiol effect was not studied at the cellular or molecular levels. Conclusions Topical oestradiol peel-off masks may be a promising convenient, safe and effective treatment for AFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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