Newly developed CeO2 and Gd2O3-reinforced borosilicate glasses from municipal waste ash and their optical, structural, and gamma-ray shielding properties.

From the useless municipal solid waste (MSW) ashes, CeO2, Gd2O3 and CeO2 + Gd2O3 doped borosilicate glasses were organized via melting-quenching procedure. Various optical, structural, physical and radiation shielding parameters were examined towards the influence of 100 kGy of γ-radiation. UV-visible NIR spectra revealed UV peaks at 351, 348 and 370 nm corresponding to the trivalent states of Ce3+ and Gd3+ ions, while, photoluminescence (PL) spectra displayed asymmetric broad excitations of Ce3+ and Gd3+ ions due to 4f → 5d transitions, and emission intense bands at 412, 434, and 417 nm. CIE chromaticity shows that Gd3+ ions increase the luminescence of Ce3+. FTIR absorption bands revealed an overlapping between tetrahedral groups of silicate (SiO4), with trigonal (BO3) and tetrahedral (BO4) units of borate. The influence of 100 kGy obtains quite reduction in UV-visible NIR and PL peaks, large stability in FTIR and ESR spectra, and stability of thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) as well. The whole data revealed optical, structural and physical stability of glasses after irradiation besides an enhancement in microhardness owing to more structural compactness and high bonding connectivity. Radiation shielding parameters from Phy-X/PSD program showed higher values of mass (MAC) and linear attenuation coefficients (LAC), and effective atomic number (Zeff) in the order of; glass Ce+Gd > glass Ce > glass Gd. Ce + Gd doped glass revealed also the lowest half value layer (HVL) comparing to other shielding commercial concretes. The study recommends the beneficial and economical use of the useless MSW ash to produce CeO2 and/or Gd2O3 borosilicate glasses with hopeful radiation shielding features.

Fabrication and characterization of different PbO borate glass systems as radiation-shielding containers.

Three borate glasses of 50, 35, and 15 mol% PbO-doped Ce, Sb, or Mn ions were fabricated via the melting-annealing procedure. Their structural features were inspected before and after 250 kGy of gamma irradiation using FTIR and ESR techniques. The spectra of the ESR and FTIR vibrational bands remain constant, with a minor reduction in N4 and an enhancement in density values after irradiation, indicating the large structural stability and glass compactness. Many radiation shielding parameters were studied, such as gamma dose rate (µSv/h), dose transmission %, lifetime cancer risk %, macroscopic effective removal cross-section (∑R), mass stopping power, and projected range values ​​were considered for protons particles by SRIM Monte Carlo simulation code and ESTAR program. The whole data reveals the high radiation shielding efficiency of the glasses compared to other standard shields to be used as glass immobilizers for radioactive wastes or storage containers, e.g., for nuclear medicine units in hospitals.

Anti-leukemic activity of microRNA-26a in a chronic lymphocytic leukemia mouse model.

Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The Eµ-TCL1 transgenic mouse develops a form of leukemia that is similar to the aggressive type of human B-CLL, and this valuable model has been widely used for testing novel therapeutic approaches. Here, we adopted this model to investigate the potential effects of miR-26a, miR-130an and antimiR-155 in CLL therapy. Improved delivery of miRNA molecules into CLL cells was obtained by developing a novel system based on lipid nanoparticles conjugated with an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody. This methodology has proven to be highly effective in delivering miRNA molecules into leukemic cells. Short- and long-term experiments showed that miR-26a, miR-130a and anti-miR-155 increased apoptosis after in vitro and in vivo treatment. Of this miRNA panel, miR-26a was the most effective in reducing leukemic cell expansion. Following long-term treatment, apoptosis was readily detectable by analyzing cleavage of PARP and caspase-7. These effects could be directly attributed to miR-26a, as confirmed by significant downregulation of its proven targets, namely cyclin-dependent kinase 6 and Mcl1. The results of this study are relevant to two distinct areas. The first is related to the design of a technical strategy and to the selection of CD38 as a molecular target on CLL cells, both consenting efficient and specific intracellular transfer of miRNA. The original scientific finding inferred from the above approach is that miR-26a can elicit in vivo anti-leukemic activities mediated by increased apoptosis.

An automated confirmatory system for analysis of mammograms.

This paper presents an integrated system for the automatic analysis of mammograms to assist radiologists in confirming their diagnosis in mammography screening. The proposed automated confirmatory system (ACS) can process a digitalized mammogram online, and generates a high quality filtered segmentation of an image for biological interpretation and a texture-feature based diagnosis. We use a serial of image pre-processing and segmentation techniques, including 2D median filtering, seeded region growing (SRG) algorithm, image contrast enhancement, to remove noise, delete radiopaque artifacts and eliminate the projection of the pectoral muscle from a digitalized mammogram. We also develop an entire-image texture-feature based classification method, by combining a Rough-set approach to extract five fundamental texture features from images, and then an Artificial Neural Network technique to classify a mammogram as: normal; indicating the presence of a benign lump; or representing a malignant tumor. Here, 222 random images from the Mammographic Image Analysis Society (MIAS) database are used for the offline ACS training. Once the system is tuned and trained, it is ready for the automated use for the analysis and diagnosis of new mammograms. To test the trained system, a separate set of 100 random images from the MIAS and another set of 100 random images from the independent BancoWeb database are selected. The proposed ACS is shown to be successful in confirming diagnosis of mammograms from the two independent databases.

A green synthetic approach to the synthesis of Schiff bases from 4-amino-2-thioxo-1,3-diazaspiro[5.5]undec-4-ene-5-carbonitrile as potential anti-inflammatory agents.

A green, novel, rapid, and efficient protocol is developed for the synthesis of various Schiffbases from 4-amino-2-thioxo-1,3-diazaspiro[5.5]undec-4-ene-5-carbonitrile using ammonium chloride as a very inexpensive and readily available reagent in refluxing ethanol. High yields, easy work-up, and short reaction times are advantages of this environmentally benign procedure. The prepared compounds were screened for their anti-inflammatory activity "at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight", which revealed promising activities relative to indomethacin used as a reference standard in this study.

Molecular characterization of the pathogenic plant fungus Rhizoctonia solani (Ceratobasidiaceae) isolated from Egypt based on protein and PCR-RAPD profiles.

Twenty-one isolates of Rhizoctonia solani were categorized into three anastomosis groups consisting of AG-4-HG-I (eight isolates), AG-2-2 (nine isolates) and AG-5 (four isolates). Their pathogenic capacities were tested on cotton cultivar Giza 86. Pre-emergence damping-off varied in response to the different isolates; however, the differences were not significant. Soluble proteins of the fungal isolates were electrophoresed using SDS-PAGE and gel electrophoreses. A dendrogram of the protein banding patterns by the UPGMA of arithmetic means placed the fungal isolates into distinct groups. There was no evidence of a relationship between protein dendrogram, anastomosis grouping or level of virulence or geographic origin. The dendrogram generated from these isolates based on PCR analysis with five RAPD-PCR primers showed high levels of genetic similarity among the isolates from the same geographical locations. There was partially relationship between the genetic similarity and AGs or level of virulence or geographic origin based on RAPD dendrogram. These results demonstrate that RAPD technique is a useful tool in determining the genetic characterization among isolates of R. solani.

HLA class II DRB1 resistance and susceptible markers in hydatidosis Saudi patients in association to the clinical course and gender.

Hydatidosis constitutes a major public health problem in kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The variability on susceptibility to hydatidosis has been related to the HLA system. So this study aimed to identifying the possible association between the class-II HLA-DRB1 alleles with the occurrence of hydatidosis and the clinical course in Saudi patients using Micro SSP HLA-DRB1 kits. Since HLA-disease associations might vary in relation to gender, so this study aims also to determining the HLA-DRB1 alleles- hydatidosis association in relation to gender. The results proved that HLA-DR16 and HLA-DR7 alleles were the suitable markers of susceptibility association while HLA-DR1 and HLA-DR10 alleles might confer protection against hydatidosis. All the previous susceptible and resistance associations were statistically significant. Also, the majority of the female patients (81.8%) had HLA-DR14 compared to 9.1% of female controls while 50% of the male patients had HLA-DR7 compared to 4.5% of male controls. These results were statistically associated and this is the first study that found an association between certain HLA-DRB 1 alleles and the occurrence of human hydatidosis in relation to gender. Also, significant relations were detected between HLA-DR16 and hepatic and single cyst, HLA-DR7 and lung cyst, HLA-DR14 and combined cysts. Also, no statistical significance was found between other cystic characteristics and any one of the susceptible HLA-DRBs. On conclusion beside the role HLA-DRB 1 on the susceptibility or the resistance to hydatidosis disease occurrence among Saudi population also it may have an important role in the prevalence of the disease in relation to gender.

An X-ray Compton scatter method for density measurement at a point within an object.

A non-rotating method for non-intrusively determining the electron density at a point embedded within an object, without full imaging, is presented. Advantage was taken of the multienergetic nature of X-ray photons to devise a dual energy-group multiple-detector scattering scheme for density determination. A measurement model that relates the density of the object to the detector response was formulated, then inverted to determine the electron density at the monitored point. Normalization factors were calculated to compensate for the wide energy distribution of the X-ray photons, and account for other system parameters. In addition, the spread in the source and detectors fields-of-view was accommodated by calculating in advance the volume of the inspection voxel. The method was experimentally applied to a variety of geometries and materials, showing that the electron density can be calculated with a reasonable uncertainty.

Landmine detection: the problem and the challenge.

This paper explores the role of radiation methods in addressing the problem of detecting landmines. The application of neutron activation analysis, with an isotopic source or a pulsed neutron generator, is discussed. The use of neutron moderation as an indicator of the presence of a landmine is also explored. In addition, information provided by measuring scattered photons (gamma- and X-rays) is examined.

Algorithms for density and composition-discrimination imaging for fourth-generation CT systems.

This paper shows that if the off-beam idle detectors in the detection ring of a fourth-generation x-ray computed tomography (CT) system are used to measure the scattered radiation, it is numerically feasible to reconstruct electron-density images to supplement the conventional attenuation-coefficient images of transmitted radiation. It is also shown that by combining these two images, composition changes can be detected with the aid of an effective-atomic-number indicator. The required image-reconstruction algorithms are developed and tested against Monte Carlo simulated measurements, for a variety of phantom configurations. In spite of the relatively poor statistical quality of scattering measurements, it is demonstrated that electron-density images of reasonable quality can be obtained. In addition, it is shown that composition discrimination is possible for materials of effective atomic number greater than five, in the photon energy range of a typical medical x-ray CT system operating at 102 kVp. The obtained supplementary electron-density and composition images can be useful in radiotherapy planning and for studying tumour histology, as well as in industrial and security applications where identification of materials based on density and composition is important.

Skin dose from radionuclide contamination on clothing.

Skin dose due to radionuclide contamination on clothing is calculated by Monte Carlo simulation of electron and photon radiation transport. Contamination due to a hot particle on some selected clothing geometries of cotton garment is simulated. The effect of backscattering in the surrounding air is taken into account. For each combination of source-clothing geometry, the dose distribution function in the skin, including the dose at tissue depths of 7 mg cm(-2) and 1,000 mg cm(-2), is calculated by simulating monoenergetic photon and electron sources. Skin dose due to contamination by a radionuclide is then determined by proper weighting of the monoenergetic dose distribution functions. The results are compared with the VARSKIN point-kernel code for some radionuclides, indicating that the latter code tends to underestimate the dose for gamma and high energy beta sources while it overestimates skin dose for low energy beta sources.

Radioactivity of phosphate ore, superphosphate, and phosphogypsum in Abu-Zaabal phosphate plant, Egypt.

A measurement of the radioactivity content of phosphate ore material, phosphatic fertilizer (superphosphate), and by-product phosphogypsum in the Abu-Zaabal phosphate plant, Egypt, has been carried out. According to the results of gamma-ray spectroscopy analysis, 238U was found in concentrations of 523, 473, and 134 Bq kg-1; 226Ra in concentrations of 514, 301, and 411 Bq kg-1; 232Th in concentrations of 37, 24, and 19 Bq kg-1; and 40K in concentrations of 19, 3, and 16 Bq kg-1 for the analyzed materials, respectively. The data are discussed and compared with those given in the literature for some other countries in light of permissible radiation dose rates.

Determination of beam orientation in radiotherapy planning.

A computer-assisted method for selecting beam orientation in a one-step procedure is presented. Inverse and adjoint techniques are developed to obtain the best beam directions. Both methods rely on determining the "path of least resistance" to radiation from the tumor location to the surface of the section. The effectiveness of beam directions is then determined by monitoring the dose distribution along the section boundary. The inverse and adjoint calculations are performed for three tumor cases using a two-dimensional discrete ordinates transport code. The proposed treatment plans from these calculations are verified against typical treatment plans. The new techniques improved the dose distribution in the treated section. The inverse calculations are useful in sections involving low-density tissues. The adjoint technique can effectively deal with multiple target volumes and/or sections with complex geometry. The proposed method is potentially useful in selecting beam orientations for three-dimensional planning systems and in determining beam intensities in rotational and conformal therapy.

Optimal design of radiation compensators.

A method to achieve the optimal design of radiation therapy compensating filters in multibeam situations is proposed. Dose distribution is optimized such that it approaches the prescribed value in the target zone, is minimized everywhere else, and does not exceed designated limits at vulnerable regions. Field shapes, sizes, and weights, together with filter thicknesses that take into account missing tissues and body heterogeneities, are calculated as a result of this process. The dose distribution, after the application of the calculated filters and beams, is also predicted. The method is rigorous, and its accuracy depends only upon the accuracy of the applied dose calculation method. Examples are discussed and verified using data obtained from Theraplan 300L treatment planning system.

Oxypertine in tardive dyskinesia: an 8-week controlled study.

In a double-blind placebo controlled trial of oxypertine in the treatment of tardive dyskinesia, 33 patients with chronic schizophrenia received either oxypertine or placebo. At the end of eight weeks, the results showed that oxypertine was superior to placebo at a statistically significant level.