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The efficiency of using zeolite nano-clay and silica sand in removing iron from groundwater is investigated experimentally as an application of in situ remediation technique using permeable reactive barrier (PRB). In the first stage of the study batch experiments were conducted on coarse silica sand and fine silica gravel to determine their iron removal efficiency from contaminated water. The results showed that the removal efficiency was about 51.90% for coarse silica sand while fine silica gravel failed to reduce the iron concentration in water. A mix of zeolite nano-clay and coarse silica sand with a ratio of 1:30 was tested. It was found that iron removal efficiency significantly increases to about 99.70%. The linear adsorption isotherm was found to be the most representative for the adsorption of iron onto coarse silica sand and the mix of nano-clay and coarse silica sand with distribution coefficients equal 0.0009 and 0.001, respectively. In the second stage a glass sand tank with coarse silica sand and a mix of zeolite nano-clay and coarse silica PRBs was constructed. The sand tank was used to investigate the effect of sampling time, head difference, iron concentration, nano-clay dosage, and thickness of permeable reactive barrier on the iron removal efficiency. The results indicated that increasing iron concentration and head difference decreases iron removal efficiency. The mix of zeolite nano-clay and coarse silica sand improves iron removal efficiency. Furthermore, increasing nano-clay dosage slightly increases the removal efficiency. However, increasing the thickness of filter layer (i.e., PRB) significantly improves the removal efficiency. Finally, the experimental model data were used to test the capability of a numerical contaminant transport model to predict the removal efficiency. The MT3DMS numerical model included within the Groundwater Modeling System (GMS) was used along with the different experimental data to obtain reaction rate values as calibration parameters for linear isotherm. Reaction rates that yield modeling results matching experimental data were obtained.

This paper proposes a system to enhance the classroom experience. The system is based on having an FPGA in every classroom. This FPGA performs facial recognition to take attendance. It also analyzes the video stream to report on participation and attention and to detect violence. In addition, the system processes readings from different sensors to adjust the class environment for enhancing the learning experience. All classrooms are connected together and to the principal’s office. Reports are sent daily from the school to the district. Next, fault tolerance is studied at the FPGA level. It is shown how to tolerate the failure of an FPGA and still have the system operate normally till this failure can be repaired (which may take a relatively long time in developing countries). Fault-free and faulty scenarios are simulated on Riverbed Modeler and results prove that the system is operating correctly and that the delays are acceptable.

The objective of this study is to characterize the seroprevalence of anti-dengue (DENV) and anti-chikungunya (CHIKV) antibodies among blood donors residing in Qatar who are Middle East and North Africa (MENA) nationals and non-nationals. Sera were collected from adult blood donors in Qatar from 2013 to 2016 and tested for anti-DENV and anti-CHIKV IgG using commercial microplate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Age-specific seroprevalence was summarized by region/nationality: Asia (India, Philippines), Middle East (Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, Yemen), North Africa (Egypt, Sudan), Qatar. The adjusted odds of anti-DENV and anti-CHIKV IgG seropositivity was estimated by logistic regression. Among 1,992 serum samples tested, Asian nationals had higher adjusted odds of being seropositive for anti-DENV antibodies compared to nationals of the Middle East (aOR 0.05, 95% CI 0.04–0.07), North Africa (aOR 0.14, 95% CI 0.10–0.20), and Qatar (aOR 0.01, 95% CI 0.01–0.03). Asian nationals also had higher adjusted odds of being seropositive for anti-CHIKV antibodies compared to those from the Middle East (aOR 0.14, 95% CI 0.07–0.27), North Africa (aOR 0.50, 95% CI 0.26–0.96), and Qatar (aOR 0.38, 95% CI 0.15–0.96). The adjusted odds of being anti-DENV seropositive was higher among anti-CHIKV seropositive adults, and vice versa (aOR 1.94, 95% CI 1.09–3.44), suggesting co-circulation of these viruses. DENV and CHIKV exposure is lower in Qatar and MENA nationals compared to Asian nationals suggesting a lower burden of DENV and CHIKV disease in the MENA. Antibodies to both viruses were detected in nationals from most MENA countries, supporting the need to better understand the regional epidemiology of these viruses.

OBJECTIVE To study ziprasidone monotherapy for major depressive disorder, defined according to the DSM-IV. METHOD One hundred twenty outpatients were enrolled between June 2008 and September 2010 in a 12-week study that was divided into two 6-week periods according to the sequential parallel comparison design. Patients were randomized in a 2:3:3 fashion to receive ziprasidone for 12 weeks, placebo for 6 weeks followed by ziprasidone for 6 weeks, or placebo for 12 weeks. The main outcome measure was the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17), with the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Self-Rated (QIDS-SR), and Clinical Global Impressions-Severity of Illness scale (CGI-S) serving as the study secondary measures. RESULTS One hundred twenty patients (53 women [44.1%]) were randomized to treatment. The mean (SD) age of these patients was 43.7 (11.0) years. Mean (SD) baseline HDRS-17, CGI-S, and QIDS-SR scores were 19.9 (5.0), 4.3 (0.6), and 15.6 (3.0), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in reduction of depressive symptoms, response rates, or remission rates between ziprasidone- or placebo-treated patients. This was true for both the study primary as well as secondary outcome scales. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, treatment with ziprasidone monotherapy was not associated with any statistically significant advantage in efficacy over placebo. Although studies involving larger sample size would be required to have adequate statistical power to detect treatment differences smaller than 2.5 points on the HDRS-17, such differences would be of questionable clinical relevance. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00555997.

The outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection acquired in childhood is uncertain because of the diversity of the epidemiological and clinical features of infection and disease. The aim of this study was to determine the outcome of HCV infection in 105 Egyptian children who tested positive for HCV antibody (anti-HCV). The data of 105 anti-HCV-positive children presenting to the Pediatric Hepatology Unit, Cairo University Children's Hospital, between 1995 and 2002, were retrospectively analysed for risk factors. Seventy-four children with available polymerase chain reaction results were further analysed clinically, serologically and histologically. The age range was 1.3-22 years, with a mean of 11.2 +/- 4.9 years. History of blood transfusion was found in 81 children (77%). HCV RNA was detected in 58.1% of 74 children. Persistently elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were present in 40 patients (54.1%). Hepatitis B virus markers (HBsAg and/or anti-HBc) were detected in 18 patients (24.3%). Twenty-six of the 43 HCV RNA-positive children underwent a diagnostic liver biopsy that showed chronic hepatitis in 19 patients (73.1%), cirrhosis in one case only (3.8%), and normal biopsy findings in seven children (26.9%). Blood transfusion remains a major risk of HCV transmission among Egyptian children. HCV infection is not always benign in the childhood period. ALT levels remain elevated in half of the children and histological abnormalities are detected in three quarters of HCV RNA-positive cases.

Objective: To determine the predictors of core temperature on arrival in the intensive care unit (ICU) after cardiac surgery. Design: Prospective, randomized trial. Setting: Tertiary care medical center, operating rooms (ORs), and ICU. Patients: 72 patients presenting for coronary artery bypass surgery. Interventions: Randomized assignment for ambient OR temperature (16–18°C vs. 21–23°C) and rewarming endpoint on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB; nasopharyngeal and urinary bladder temperatures ≥36.5°C and 34.0°C, respectively, vs. nasopharyngeal and urinary bladder temperatures ≥37.5°C and 36.0°C, respectively) at the time of separation from bypass. Measurements and Main Results: The best (and only significant) predictor of core temperature on arrival in the ICU was rewarming endpoint at the time of separation from CPB ( p = 0.004). Patient weight, height, body habitus, and nitroprusside administration did not significantly predict core temperature. Ambient temperature affected only body temperature when the duration of time in the OR after separation from bypass was prolonged (>90 min). A weighted average body temperature was a better predictor of complete rewarming than was any single monitoring site. Conclusions: To reduce the incidence of hypothermia after cardiac surgery, the most important variable is rewarming endpoint achieved before separation from bypass. A warm ambient temperature (>21°C) may be beneficial if the duration of time in the OR after bypass is prolonged (>90 min).

Holistic claims about evidence are a commonplace inthe philosophy of science; holistic claims aboutmeaning are a commonplace in the philosophy oflanguage. W. V. Quine has advocated both types ofholism, and argued for an intimate link between thetwo. Semantic holism may be inferred from theconjunction of confirmation holism andverificationism, he maintains. But in their recentbook Holism: a Shopper's Guide, Jerry Fodor andErnest Lepore (1992) claim that this inference isfallacious. In what follows, I defend Quine's argumentfor semantic holism from Fodor and Lepore'smulti-pronged attack.

Human fascioliasis (HF) is an increasingly recognized public health problem in Egypt. During the past two years we diagnosed HF in 40 Egyptian children. Diagnosis was based on some or all of the following criteria: fever, tender hepatomegaly and high eosinophilia (febrile eosinophilic syndrome), presence of Fasciola hepatica eggs in stools, and/or serodiagnosis using the indirect haemagglutination test (IHAT). Eight of the 40 children had failed to respond to previous treatment with praziquantel. All children were treated with triclabendazole in a dose of 10 mg/kg as a single oral dose. Within 2 months, 31 children (78 per cent) were cured as evidenced by clinical well-being, normalization of eosinophil counts, Fasciola antibody titres, and absence of Fasciola hepatica eggs in stools. The remaining nine cases achieved clinical and laboratory cure after a second dose of triclabendazole. No side-effects were encountered in any of the cases. We conclude that triclabendazole is an effective, well-tolerated, easy to administer drug that should be considered in HF.

There are many computer programs assisting in the landscape designing process of sites and projects that fall under the list of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software. These programs aid designers in developing the urban design of sites particularly without affecting the other aspects of the design. In this paper, there is a comparative rating of the most commonly used computer programs to assist in this area, which is conducted through a set of scientific criteria for classification and rating. This will help landscape stakeholders to select the appropriate program depending on the nature and size of the project. The problem tackled in this research is the lack of knowledge and reluctance of some landscape designers to use CAD programs to assist in this field. This paper aims to introduce landscape designing CAD programs to assist in the site designing process and to help those interested in this field to select the appropriate program according to the nature of their projects.

We consider the question: under what circumstances can the concept of adaptation be applied to groups, rather than individuals? Gardner and Grafen (2009, J. Evol. Biol.22: 659-671) develop a novel approach to this question, building on Grafen's 'formal Darwinism' project, which defines adaptation in terms of links between evolutionary dynamics and optimization. They conclude that only clonal groups, and to a lesser extent groups in which reproductive competition is repressed, can be considered as adaptive units. We re-examine the conditions under which the selection-optimization links hold at the group level. We focus on an important distinction between two ways of understanding the links, which have different implications regarding group adaptationism. We show how the formal Darwinism approach can be reconciled with G.C. Williams' famous analysis of group adaptation, and we consider the relationships between group adaptation, the Price equation approach to multi-level selection, and the alternative approach based on contextual analysis.

We aimed to identify why female students in Qatar decide to become nurses and how the students perceived the community attitude towards nursing. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was distributed to all (57) female students of the four academic classes of the Nursing Unit, University of Qatar for the academic year 1999-2000. The two commonest reasons for joining the nursing profession were an interest in medical services and the humanitarian nature of nursing. There were 33 (57.89%) students who considered there was a negative community attitude towards nursing mainly due to the presence of male patients and colleagues and the working hours. A mass media campaign and govemmental support were two strategies suggested to change this.

The effect of premedication with an oral antacid (magnesium trisilicate), oral cimetidine or a combination of both was studied in 80 patients undergoing elective Caesarean section. Twenty patients served as untreated controls. Seventy per cent of the patients were in the high risk range for acid aspiration pneumonitis (pH less than 2.5 plus gastric content volume greater than 25 ml). Antacid therapy was effective in raising pH but the gastric volume remained high in 50 per cent of the patients. Cimetidine was effective in decreasing gastric volume and raising pH but the pH was still less than 2.5 in two patients. None of the patients given the cimetidine-antacid combination were in the high risk range for acid aspiration pneumonitis. The combination of an oral dose of cimetidine 400 mg, three to four hours before the operation followed by 20 ml of magnesium trisilicate one hour preoperatively proved to be the most efficacious regimen for prophylaxsis against Mendelson's syndrome in elective Caesarean section. Recent reports have suggested that non-particulate antacids (e.g., sodium citrate) may be preferable to particulate antacids such as magnesium trisilicate.

Summary Three groups each of 20 patients scheduled to undergo operations on hand or forearm, received supraclavicular brachial plexus blocks with 25 ml lignocaine 1.5%. Patients in the control group did not suffer from pain and were not asked to do muscular exercise. Patients with acute trauma of the upper limb formed the pain group and showed significantly decreased latency for onset of analgesia, partial and complete muscle paralysis. Patients in the muscle exercise group were free of pain and were asked to do muscular exercise for 5 minutes after injection of the lignocaine. Onset of analgesia, partial and complete muscle paralysis was significantly more rapid than in both control and pain groups. Changes in the duration of block were not significant. It is concluded that pain and muscular exercise enhance the onset of brachial plexus blockade.

The effects of continuous lumbar epidural analgesia for normal labour were studied in 28 women with pre-eclampsia and in 15 normal women who served as control. Maternal hemodynamics, acid-base and blood gas findings were examined. Newborn infants were assessed by Apgar Scores together with umbilical vein and artery blood gas and acid-base values. Mild significant reduction in maternal mean arterial blood pressure occurred in the pre-eclamptic patients which was corrected easily by intravenous crystalloid infusion. Maternal and newborn acid-base and blood gas findings showed no significant changes between the pre-eclamptic and control groups. Apgar Scores in both groups were good. The study indicates that continuous epidural analgesia is a useful form of therapy in the management of normal labour in women with pre-eclampsia.

SummaryFifty-seven patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were started on either fluphenazine decanoate or flupenthixol decanoate injections in a double-blind trial just prior to discharge into the community. During the six month follow-up 30 per cent dropped out of the treatment. Of those observed for six months, 7 per cent relapsed, 54 per cent experienced depressive symptoms and 88 per cent extrapyramidal side-effects. Analysis of both clinical data and the ratings failed to discriminate between the two drugs.

Systemic absorption of irrigating fluid during TUR prostatectomy under spinal anaesthesia was measured in 40 patients and correlations made under clinical, hemodynamic and laboratory observations. Results showed that the CVP monitoring is a helpful parameter in early detection of the hypervolemic hyponatremic syndrome. Serial determination of serum sodium level is important in detecting hyponatremia. Out of the 40 patients, one patient developed acute hypervolemic hyponatremic syndrome. The syndrome was detected early by the significant rise in CVP and the drop in serum sodium level and P.C.V. Intravenous infusion of 250 ml hypertonic saline slowly was followed by marked diuresis and uneventful recovery.

This study was carried on two groups each of 10 patients undergoing major maxillofacial or orthopedic operations. Hypotensive anesthesia was conducted using SNP and labetalol. Labetalol produced hypotension without tachycardia which was evident in the SNP group. Blood sugar increased significantly in both groups. Serum insulin level decreased significantly in the SNP group, while in the labetalol group it showed an insignificant increase.

The effect of premedication with an oral antacid (magnesium trisilicate), oral cimetidine or a combination of both was studied in 80 patients undergoing elective Caesarean section. Twenty patients served as untreated controls. Seventy per cent of the patients were in the high risk range for acid aspiration Pneumonitis (pH 25 ml). Antacid therapy was effective in raising pH but the gastric volume remained high in 50 per cent of the patients. Cimetidine was effective in decreasing gastric volume and raising pH but the pH was still