Radioactive risk assessment of beach sand along the coastline of Mediterranean Sea at El-Arish area, North Sinai, Egypt.

Beach sand includes various levels of natural radioactivity, which can cause health effects. The natural radioactivity was measured in the beach sand along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea at the east of the El-Arish area, Egypt. Using the HPGe spectrometer, the contribution of radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the gamma emitted radiation illustrated that the 226Ra, 232Th and 40K activity concentrations are 8.8 ± 3.9, 30.8 ± 12.2 and 106.9 ± 46.8 Bq kg-1, respectively, which is lower than the reported worldwide limit 33, 45 and 412 Bq kg-1. The radioactive hazards associated with the beach sand along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea at the east of the El-Arish area were investigated. The obtained results among the radiological hazard parameters, the radium equivalent content (Raeq), the absorbed dose rate (Dair), annual effective dose (AED), external (Hex) and internal (Hin) hazard indices were estimated. Moreover, the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) and the annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE) were also computed and illustrated their values less than the recommended levels. Multivariate statistical approaches like Pearson correlation, the principal component analysis (PCA) and the hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were applied to investigate the correlation between the radionuclides and the corresponding radiological hazard variables. Based on the statistical analysis, the 226Ra and 232Th mainly contribute to the radioactive risk of beach sand. Finally, no significant risk of the public associated with utilizing beach sand in building materials.

Variables affecting quality of life after Radical cystectomy and neobladder substitution: Egyptian National Cancer Institute experience.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the functional outcomes and quality of life beyond 1 year, in patients treated with radical cystectomy and orthotopic diversion for invasive bladder cancer. To investigate various potential contributing factors on patient's quality of life after radical cystectomy and urinary diversion via orthotopic neobladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo; including a total of 97 patients who underwent radical cystectomy and orthotopic diversion. Functional and sexual outcome and patient QoL were assessed by ICIQ-SF, IIEF-5 and QLQ-C30 questionnaires. Potential association of patient QoL with pre-and intraoperative variables was studied. RESULTS: Our results show that preoperative ECOG performance status 0 (P=0.0001), and nerve sparing surgery (P=0.001), were associated with high QoL and functional outcomes. On the contrary, ECOG performance status 2, preoperative comorbidities as ischemic heart diseases (P=0.01), recurrence (0.041), adjuvant chemotherapy (P=0.017) and radiotherapy (P=0.001) were associated with low QoL on univariate analysis. However, only ECOG performance status 2 (P<0.0001), incontinence (P<0.0001), non-nerve sparing surgery (P=0.001) and ureteric stricture (P=0.001) were independent predictors of worse QoL on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Orthotopic bladder is associated with increased morbidity. Attention should be given to preoprative patient characteristics at the time of patient selection, and intraoperative quality of functional preservation.

Impact of in vitro fertilization by fresh and frozen semen on developmental competence and cryotolerance of buffalo embryos.

Production of high quality embryos in vitro needs an efficient in vitro fertilization (IVF). Seminal origin is one of the important factors that affects the success of in vitro embryo production. So our goal was to determine the effect of using fresh and frozen semen in fertilization on developmental competence and cryo-survival of buffalo embryos. Buffalo oocytes were matured and fertilized in vitro by fresh and frozen semen. After embryos evaluation, good quality morula and blastocysts were vitrified using 0.25 ml straws and the post-warmed viability was assessed by further culture for 24 h. There was no significant difference in cleavage rate between embryos derived from fresh and frozen semen, whereas the rate of embryo development to the morula (P<0.05) and blastocysts (P<0.01) stages was significantly decreased in embryos derived from frozen compared to fresh semen. After warming the vitrified embryos, there was no significant difference between embryos derived from fresh and frozen semen in the percentages of morphologically viable embryos. However, 24 h after culture, the rate of morphologically normal and survived embryos was increased (P<0.05) in embryos derived from fresh compared to the frozen semen. In conclusion, in buffalo, the use of fresh semen could improve the rate of embryo development and their crytolerance compared to the frozen semen.

The catalytic reactions in the Cu-Li-Mg-H high capacity hydrogen storage system.

A family of hydrides, including the high capacity MgH2 and LiH, is reported. The disadvantages these hydrides normally display (high absorption/desorption temperatures and poor kinetics) are mitigated by Cu-hydride catalysis. This paper reports on the synthesis of novel CuLi0.08Mg1.42H4 and CuLi0.08Mg1.92H5 hydrides, which are structurally and thermodynamically characterized for the first time. The CuLi0.08Mg1.42H4 hydride structure in nanotubes is able to hold molecular H2, increasing the gravimetric and volumetric capacity of this compound. The catalytic effect these compounds show on hydride formation and decomposition of CuMg2 and Cu2Mg/MgH2, Li and LiH, Mg and MgH2 is analyzed. The Gibbs energy, decomposition temperature, and gravimetric capacity of the reactions occurring within the Cu-Li-Mg-H system are presented for the first time. First principles and phonon calculations are compared with experiments, including neutron spectroscopy. It is demonstrated that the most advantageous sample contains CuLi0.08Mg1.92 and (Li) ∼ Li2Mg3; it desorbs/absorbs hydrogen according to the reaction, 2CuLi0.08Mg1.42H4 + 2Li + 4MgH2 ↔ 2CuLi0.08Mg1.92 + Li2Mg3 + 8H2 at 114 °C (5.0 wt%) - 1 atm, falling within the proton exchange membrane fuel cell applications window. Finally the reaction 2CuLi0.08Mg1.42H4 + MgH2 ↔ 2CuLi0.08Mg1.92 + 5H2 at 15 °C (4.4 wt%) - 1 atm is found to be the main reaction of the samples containing CuLi0.08Mg1.92 that were analyzed in this study.

Primary versus secondary ureteroscopy for pediatric ureteral stones.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcome of primary versus secondary ureteroscopy for pediatric ureteral stones. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review study that included 66 children aged less than 12 years, who were subdivided into two groups: Group A, which included 42 children who had undergone primary ureteroscopy without pre-stenting; and Group B, which included 24 children who had undergone ureteroscopy after ureteric stenting. Kidneys, ureters and bladder radiographs were done on the first postoperative day to assess the degree of stone clearance and stent position. RESULTS: Age, gender, stone location and stone size were not significantly different between both groups. In Group A, 31 (73.8%) children required ureteric dilation, 13 (31%) had a tight ureter that failed to respond to dilation, 25 (59.5%) displayed complete stone clearance, and of these, 13 (52%) needed postoperative stenting. One child experienced ureteric injury during stone disintegration and was stented for two weeks. Children in Group B experienced a 95.8% complete stone clearance rate, with no ureteric injury reported; postoperative stenting was performed in three (12.5%) children.. CONCLUSION: Secondary ureteroscopy is preferable over primary ureteroscopy in pediatric populations because of a significantly lower need for ureteric dilation, shorter procedure time and better stone clearance rate..