The knowledge on radioactivity content of the various radionuclides in the
soil and rocks play an important role in health physics. The main aim of this
work is to estimate the concentrations of natural radionuclides 226Ra, 228Ra,
228Th, 232Th and 40k in soil and phosphate samples and, impact of the ElSabaea
phosphate factory on the human health. This can be investigated via
gamma-ray spectroscopy by 2 × 2 inch NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. The
range of 226Ra, 232Th and 40k were from 59.7±6.7 to 638.3±31.0, from 9.4±1.4
to 40.6±6.3,from 213.1±9.5 to 798.9±30.6 in Bq/kg respectively.

The dependence of the nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) yield on the target thickness was studied. To this end, an NRF experiment was performed on 238U using a laser Compton back-scattering (LCS) γ-ray beam at the High Intensity γ-ray Source facility at Duke University. Various thicknesses of depleted uranium targets were irradiated by an LCS γ-ray beam with an incident beam energy of ∼2.475 MeV. The scattering NRF γ-rays were measured using an High-purity Germanium (HPGe) detector array positioned at scattering angles of 90° relative to the incident γ-beam. An analytical model for the NRF reaction yield (NRF RY model) is introduced to interpret the experimental data. Additionally, a Monte Carlo simulation using GEANT4 was performed to simulate the NRF interaction for a wide range of target thicknesses of the 238U. The measured NRF yield shows the saturation behavior. The results of both of the simulation and the analytical model can reproduce the saturation curve of the scattering NRF yield of 238U against the target thickness. In addition, we propose a method to deduce the precise integral cross section of the NRF reaction by fitting the NRF yield dependency on the target thickness without any absolute measurements.

This paper describes the fundamental mechanism for the formation of a 3 dimensional porous template
during the anodization of Al with less than 1at. % Cu percentages. It is known that the presence of Cu
impurities in an Al film introduces horizontal pores interconnecting the vertically aligned porous
structure of the anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) template. We show that the formation of these
horizontal pores is accompanied by current density oscillations when the anodization is performed at a
constant voltage. The frequency of these oscillations is directly related to the horizontal interpore
distance. We propose a mechanism that links the current density oscillations to the Cu accumulation at
the metal/oxide interface through the cyclic change in anode potential. The distance between the
horizontal pores is found independent on the current density, temperature, and electrolyte
concentration. Instead, it was found that the spacing between the vertical pores and thus the
anodization voltage determines the spacing between the horizontal pores. A model based on the plastic
flow of the alumina barrier layer was suggested to link the spacing between the horizontal and the
vertical pores. These results provide important insights in the formation of 3D AAO templates. In addition, we show the fabrication of rigid 3D metal nanomeshes by electrochemical deposition into
these 3D porous templates.

A novel In2O3 nanoparticles modified glassy carbon paste electrode (In2O3NPs/GCPE) was prepared and
applied for selective and sensitive electrochemical determination of luteolin (LU). Scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) was used for the characterization of In2O3NP modifier and its morphology on the
surface of GCPE. The modified electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activities with respect to LU
oxidation, with good reproducibility. The electrochemical parameters such as surface concentration (),
electron transfer coefficient (˛) and the standard rate constant (ks) of LU at the modified electrode were
calculated. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the proposed sensor exhibited a rapid response
to LU in a linear range from 9.98 × 10−9 M to 8.84 × 10−8 M LU and a low detection limit was found to
be 1.99 × 10−10 M LU. The analytical performance of this sensor was evaluated for the detection of LU in
spiked human biological fluids and in thyme as a real sample with good accuracy and precision.

A novel In2O3 nanoparticles modified glassy carbon paste electrode (In2O3NPs/GCPE) was prepared and
applied for selective and sensitive electrochemical determination of luteolin (LU). Scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) was used for the characterization of In2O3NP modifier and its morphology on the
surface of GCPE. The modified electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activities with respect to LU
oxidation, with good reproducibility. The electrochemical parameters such as surface concentration (),
electron transfer coefficient (˛) and the standard rate constant (ks) of LU at the modified electrode were
calculated. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the proposed sensor exhibited a rapid response
to LU in a linear range from 9.98 × 10−9 M to 8.84 × 10−8 M LU and a low detection limit was found to
be 1.99 × 10−10 M LU. The analytical performance of this sensor was evaluated for the detection of LU in
spiked human biological fluids and in thyme as a real sample with good accuracy and precision.

One hundred and seven mesophillic isolates of Clostridium were isolated from agricultural soils cultivated with different plants in Assuit Governorate, Egypt. Eighty isolates (out of 107) showed the ability to produce ABE (Acetone, butanol and ethanol) on T6 medium ranging from 0.036 to 31.89 g/L. The highest numbers of ABE producing isolates were obtained from soil samples of potato contributing 27 isolates, followed by 18 isolates from wheat and 10 isolates from onion. On the other hand, there were three native isolates produced ABE more than those produced by the reference isolate C. acetobutylicum ATCC824 (11.543 g/L). The three isolates were identified based on phenotypic and gene encoding 16S rRNA as C. beijerinckii ASU10 (KF372577), C. chauvoei ASU55 (KF372580) and C. roseum ASU58 (KF372581). The highest ABE level from substandard and surplus dates was produced by C. beijerinckii ASU10 (24.07 g/L) comprising butanol 67.15% (16.16 g/L), acetone 30.73% (7.4 g/L) and ethanol 2.12% (0.51 g/L), while C. roseum ASU58 and C. chauvoei ASU55 produced ABE contributing 20.20 and 13.79 g/L, respectively. ABE production by C. acetobutylicum ATCC824 was 15.01 g/L. This study proved that the native strains C. beijerinckii ASU10 and C. roseum ASU58 have high competitive efficacy on ABE production from economical substrate as substandard and surplus date fruits. Additionally, use this substrate without any nutritional components is considered a commercial substrate for desired ABE production.

One hundred and seven mesophillic isolates of Clostridium were isolated from agricultural soils cultivated with different plants in Assuit Governorate, Egypt. Eighty isolates (out of 107) showed the ability to produce ABE (Acetone, butanol and ethanol) on T6 medium ranging from 0.036 to 31.89 g/L. The highest numbers of ABE producing isolates were obtained from soil samples of potato contributing 27 isolates, followed by 18 isolates from wheat and 10 isolates from onion. On the other hand, there were three native isolates produced ABE more than those produced by the reference isolate C. acetobutylicum ATCC824 (11.543 g/L). The three isolates were identified based on phenotypic and gene encoding 16S rRNA as C. beijerinckii ASU10 (KF372577), C. chauvoei ASU55 (KF372580) and C. roseum ASU58 (KF372581). The highest ABE level from substandard and surplus dates was produced by C. beijerinckii ASU10 (24.07 g/L) comprising butanol 67.15% (16.16 g/L), acetone 30.73% (7.4 g/L) and ethanol 2.12% (0.51 g/L), while C. roseum ASU58 and C. chauvoei ASU55 produced ABE contributing 20.20 and 13.79 g/L, respectively. ABE production by C. acetobutylicum ATCC824 was 15.01 g/L. This study proved that the native strains C. beijerinckii ASU10 and C. roseum ASU58 have high competitive efficacy on ABE production from economical substrate as substandard and surplus date fruits. Additionally, use this substrate without any nutritional components is considered a commercial substrate for desired ABE production.

One hundred and seven mesophillic isolates of Clostridium were isolated from agricultural soils cultivated with different plants in Assuit Governorate, Egypt. Eighty isolates (out of 107) showed the ability to produce ABE (Acetone, butanol and ethanol) on T6 medium ranging from 0.036 to 31.89 g/L. The highest numbers of ABE producing isolates were obtained from soil samples of potato contributing 27 isolates, followed by 18 isolates from wheat and 10 isolates from onion. On the other hand, there were three native isolates produced ABE more than those produced by the reference isolate C. acetobutylicum ATCC824 (11.543 g/L). The three isolates were identified based on phenotypic and gene encoding 16S rRNA as C. beijerinckii ASU10 (KF372577), C. chauvoei ASU55 (KF372580) and C. roseum ASU58 (KF372581). The highest ABE level from substandard and surplus dates was produced by C. beijerinckii ASU10 (24.07 g/L) comprising butanol 67.15% (16.16 g/L), acetone 30.73% (7.4 g/L) and ethanol 2.12% (0.51 g/L), while C. roseum ASU58 and C. chauvoei ASU55 produced ABE contributing 20.20 and 13.79 g/L, respectively. ABE production by C. acetobutylicum ATCC824 was 15.01 g/L. This study proved that the native strains C. beijerinckii ASU10 and C. roseum ASU58 have high competitive efficacy on ABE production from economical substrate as substandard and surplus date fruits. Additionally, use this substrate without any nutritional components is considered a commercial substrate for desired ABE production.

Background : The effect of genistein on different types of cells has been investigated. However, its effect on the nervous system is still unclear. The aim of the present work is to explore the effect of genistein on rat neuroblastoma B35 cells.

Methods : The effect of genistein on the proliferation of B35 cells, its cytotoxicity, the cell-cycle distribution, the ultra-structural changes and the induction of apoptosis were determined using MTT assay, LDH assay, Flow-cytometric analysis, transmission electron microscopy and Hoechst staining, respectively. Furthermore, Real-time quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to examine the transcriptional and post-translational alterations of the G2/M cell-cycle arrest marker cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21waf1/cip1 and the apoptosis-related genes after genistein treatment.

Results : Genistein significantly inhibits cell survival, slightly elevates the release of lactate dehydrogenase and induced apoptosis in B35 cells. Genistein increased the number of cells at S-phase and induced cells to accumulate at the G2/M phase. These G2/M arrested cells are associated with a marked up-regulation of p21waf1/cip1 at both the mRNA and protein levels. We observed that genistein up-regulates pro-apoptotic Bax with concurrent down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Conclusion : These observations suggest that the anticancer effect of genistein on B35 neuroblastoma cells is mediated through multiple cellular pathways including G2/M cell-cycle arrest and the induction of apoptosis.