Text extraction from scene images is a defy subject in light of low resolution, complex background and textual style/text size varieties. In this paper, we design a scheme to detect text based on shape features like Euler Number, a number of pixels for each region which candidate to be a character and vertical distances as a geometric feature between these regions. We divide these features into base features to collect the text regions, and the other features as a filter to discard the non-text regions. We use some threshold with the features either those to extract text regions or to discard non-text regions. The proposed method outperforms some existed method through the basis metric.

The distribution of the natural radioisotopes 238U, 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in addition to their radiological parameters in granitic rock samples from five different localities (Gebel El-Missikat, Gebel El-Gidamy, Gebel Ria El-Garra, Gebel El-Aradiya, and Gebel Kab Amira) in the central area of the Eastern Desert, Egypt, was measured using high purity germanium (HPGe) detector-based γ-spectrometry. The average activity concentrations of 238U, 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in all five studied areas are higher than the corresponding global average values. The highest average activity concentrations of 238U and 226Ra were observed in Gebel El-Missikat, whereas the highest average value of 232Th activity concentration was found at Gebel El-Gidamy, and the highest concentration of 40K was obtained at Gebel El-Aradiya. The radiological hazard parameters radium equivalent (Raeq), external hazard index (Hex), internal hazard index (Hin), absorbed dose rate (ADR), annual effective dose rate (AEDR) outdoors, annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE), and excess lifetime cancer risks (ELCR) were calculated to assess the radiation hazards associated with the rock samples. The average values of these parameters are higher than the recommended reference levels. The obtained data provide a valuable future database for estimating the impact of radioactive contamination in the studied area and in the places where the rocks are used.

The kinetics and mechanism of permanganate oxidation of pyruvic acid in aqueous perchlorate at a constant ionic strength of 2.0 mol dm−3 have been investigated spectrophotometrically. The pseudo-first-order plots showed two distinct phases for the reaction, characterized as induction and auto-acceleration periods. The induction phase is relatively slow at the early stages of reaction and is followed by a faster process. The rate law for the oxidation was described by the sum of two exponential terms. The oxidation showed overall second-order kinetics with respect to the reactants in the initial slow phase. However, second-order kinetics was not maintained throughout the faster second stage. The effects of added salts lead to the conclusion that Mn(III) and/or Mn(IV) play the main role in the reaction kinetics of the second stage. A reaction mechanism consistent with the kinetic results is suggested and discussed.

The kinetics and mechanism of reduction of hexacyanoferrate (III) by biodegradable chondroitin-4-sulfate (CS) in alkaline solutions at a constant ionic strength of 1.0 mol dm−3 have been investigated spectrophotometrically. The kinetic results indicated that the reaction was first-order dependence in the oxidant and fractional-order kinetics with respect to the [CS]. The influence of the base on the oxidation rates indicates that the reaction was base-catalyzed. A kinetic evidence for formation of 1:1 intermediate complexeswas revealed. The kinetic parameters have been evaluated and a tentative reaction mechanismconsistentwith the kinetic results obtained is suggested and discussed.

Corrosion inhibition of aluminum (Al) in hydrochloric acid by anionic polyelectrolyte chondroitin-4-sulfate (CS) polysaccharide has been studied using both gasometrical and weight-loss techniques. The results drawn from these two techniques are comparable and exhibit negligible differences. The inhibition efficiency was found to increase with increasing the inhibitor concentration and decreased with increasing temperature. The inhibition action of CS on Al metal surface was found to obey both of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The factors affecting the corrosion rates such as the concentration and geometrical structure of the inhibitor, concentration of the corrosive medium, and the temperature were examined. The kinetic parameters were evaluated and a suitable corrosion mechanism consistent with the results obtained is discussed.

Recent developments in the literature have demonstrated that curcumin exhibit antioxidant properties supporting its anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive and antitumoral activities against aggressive and recurrent cancers. Despite the valuable findings of curcumin against different cancer cells, the clinical use of curcumin in cancer treatment is limited due to its extremely low aqueous solubility and instability,which lead to poor in vivo bioavailability and limited therapeutic effects. We therefore focused in the present study to evaluate the anti-tumor potential of curcumin analogues on the human breast carcinoma cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, as well as their effects on non-tumorigenic normal breast epithelial cells (MCF-10). The IC50 values of curcumin analogue J1 in these cancer cell lines were determined to be 5 ng/ml and 10 ng/ml, in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells respectively. Interestingly, at these concentrations,the J1 did not affect the viability of non-tumorigenic normal breast epithelial cells MCF-10. Furthermore, we found that J1 strongly induced growth arrest of these cancer cells by modulating the mitochondrial membrane potentials without significant effect on normal MCF-10 cells using JC-1 staining and flow cytometry analysis. Using annexin-V/PI double staining assay followed by flow cytometry analysis, we found that J1 robustly enhanced the induction of apoptosis by increasing the activity of caspases in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cancer cells. In addition, treatment of breast cancer cells with J1 revealed that, in contrast to the expression of cyclin B1, this curcumin analogue vigorously decreased the expression of cyclin A, CDK2 and cyclin E and subsequently sensitized tumor cells to cell cycle arrest. Most importantly, the phosphorylation of AKT, mTOR and PKC-theta in J1-treated cancer cells was markedly decreased and hence affecting the survival of these cancer cells. Most interestingly, J1-treated cancer cells exhibited a significant inhibition in the activation of RhoA followed by reduction in actin polymerization and cytoskeletal rearrangement in response to CXCL12. Our data reveal the therapeutic potential of the curcumin analogue J1 and the underlying mechanisms to fight breast cancer cells.

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The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of yeast against mycotoxicosis induced by Aspergillus parasiticus and Fusarium tricinctum as common fungal contaminants on albino rats. 60 albino rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups: (A, B and C), each contain 20 animals. Group A: rats were kept as a control group was feed on uncontaminated feed and drinking water without any treatments. Group B: animals were feed contaminated diet with aflatoxins in level of 0.5 mg/kg ration and diacetoxyscirpenol in level of 10mg/kg ration. Group C: animals were feed contaminated diet as in group B. mixed with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (2g/kg of feed) during the whole time of the experiment. At the end of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th month, respectively, five animals from each group were weighted and dissected. Tissue samples were obtained from liver, kidneys and intestine for histopathological examination by light and electron microscope. The rats showed reduction of body weight and weight gain in group B. Addition of yeast to contaminated diet in the group C improved this reduction. Histopathological and ultrastructural studies revealed pathological changes in liver and kidney in group B. administration of yeast improve the intensity and the prevalence of the lesions and enhances the immune response of the body against mycotoxicosis (Lymphocytes and plasma cells).

The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of yeast against mycotoxicosis induced by Aspergillus parasiticus and Fusarium tricinctum as common fungal contaminants on albino rats. 60 albino rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups: (A, B and C), each contain 20 animals. Group A: rats were kept as a control group was feed on uncontaminated feed and drinking water without any treatments. Group B: animals were feed contaminated diet with aflatoxins in level of 0.5 mg/kg ration and diacetoxyscirpenol in level of 10mg/kg ration. Group C: animals were feed contaminated diet as in group B. mixed with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (2g/kg of feed) during the whole time of the experiment. At the end of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th month, respectively, five animals from each group were weighted and dissected. Tissue samples were obtained from liver, kidneys and intestine for histopathological examination by light and electron microscope. The rats showed reduction of body weight and weight gain in group B. Addition of yeast to contaminated diet in the group C improved this reduction. Histopathological and ultrastructural studies revealed pathological changes in liver and kidney in group B. administration of yeast improve the intensity and the prevalence of the lesions and enhances the immune response of the body against mycotoxicosis (Lymphocytes and plasma cells).