Angular distributions of differential cross
sections for the interaction of K+ mesons with 12C
nucleus at beam momenta of 635, 715, and 800 MeV/c
have been analyzed using 3α-particle model of 12C.
Differential cross sections for inelastic transitions to
the 2+ (4.44 MeV) and 3− (9.64 MeV) states in 12C
are calculated, and deformation lengths δ2 and δ3 are
extracted and consistent with other works. Good agreement with experimental data of elastic and inelastic K±-12C scattering is obtained.

The main goal of this study was the detection of complex
surface and internal structures of limestone bedrock over
the entire area planned for urban development on the lower
Eocene plateau, west of Assiut, Egypt. A 2.5D shallow seismic
refraction survey provided sufficient resolution for mapping
faults and karst at the scale required for civil engineering
plans. "e 3D P-wave seismic velocity map was developed
from integration of a series of 2D spreads recorded along a
2D grid using only inline spreads.
A karstic limestone bedrock is interpreted across the study
area possessing several significant material property changes
that must be compensated for during engineering designs. It
was found that the P-wave seismic velocities of this bedrock
range from 2800 to 4500 m/s with depths to the bedrock
ranging from 3 to 35 m. Some of the karstic features of the
limestone bedrock associated with faulting were found. "e
locations of the subsurface karstic features, which are exposed
only occasionally in outcrops on the surface, must be considered
during layout and design of foundations for urban
projects associated with economic growth. Special care must
be taken during planning of heavy structures associated with
urban and industrial projects over these karstic limestone
bedrock to avoid collapse or failure of the buildings.
determines layer velocities and thicknesses, but also defines
depths to bedrock and major structural features critical for
civil engineering projects, such as construction of buildings,
bridges, tunnels, dams, highways, and other projects. In this
study, we found it especially useful for detecting karstic features
below the overburden and structures such as sinkholes,
cavities, faults, and pinnacled rockheads.
"e study area measures approximately 3 km2 (Figure 1).
"e site is located on a limestone plateau in middle Egypt
and is considered the best location for urban expansion and
construction of new suburbs and communities (Abdel Aati,
1995) for the following reasons:
1) "e site is located in a safe area, protected from the environmental
pollution from the Assiut cement factory.
2) "e area is extensive and distinguished by hard soil suitable
for the foundation and building.
3) "e area was not earthquake-prone, based on historical
observations.
4) "is area is rarely affected by rainfalls or flash floods.
5) "e abundant natural earth resources suitable for building
materials and stones, such as limestone, gravel, and sand
are quarried in the surrounding areas.

Elevated levels of type I interferon (IFN) during type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) are associated with a defective immune response. In the present study, we investigated whether blocking type I IFN signaling during streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced T1D in mice improves lymphocyte proliferation and escape from continuous apoptosis. Three groups of mice were examined: diabetic mice, type I IFN signaling-incompetent diabetic mice, and control nondiabetic mice. We first found that diabetes induction was accompanied by an elevation in the plasma levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), hydroperoxide, malondialdehyde (MDN), and the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 α , IL-1 β , IL-6, and CXCL10. Blocking type 1 IFN signaling in diabetic mice significantly decreased the levels of oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokines. In addition, lymphocytes from diabetic mice exhibited a marked reduction in their proliferative capacity, increased apoptosis, upregulation of the exhaustion marker PD-1, and aberrant phosphorylation of STAT1, STAT2, AKT and I κ B- α . Interestingly, following the blocking of type I IFN signaling in diabetic mice, the lymphocytes exhibited restored proliferative capacity, decreased apoptosis, normal expression of PD-1, and normal phosphorylation of STAT1, STAT2, AKT and I κ B- α . Our data suggest that elevated levels of type I IFN during T1D trigger lymphocyte exhaustion and a defective lymphocyte-medicated immune response.

Platelets are non-nucleated cellular elements that play
a role in haemostasis, innate immunity, and inflammation. Plateletlinked inflammation seems essentially related to the capacity of platelets to secrete cytokines, chemokines, and related molecules upon stimulation or state change. Moreover, platelets display receptors for numerous types immune effectors and regulators. This secretory function confers to platelets a regulatory role in immunity.Platelets also exhibit non-self infectious danger detection molecules
on their surfaces, particularly from the Toll-like receptor (TLR)family; through TLR expression, platelets can bind infectious agents and also deliver different signals for the secretion of cytokines and chemokines. Platelets may therefore be regarded as a neglected component of immune cell regulators, and they contribute to some interesting aspects in bridging innate and adaptive immunity. Further, platelets may sense several types of infectious pathogens and limit microbial colonization by sequestering these pathogensand releasing immunomodulatory factors. This review aims,firstly, to revisit some functions that platelets exert directly in anti-infection immunity; it presents experimentally driven arguments in favour of a role for the TLR in regulating certain immune activities. This paper then aims at discussing the role of platelet-originating cytokines in transfusion and at deciphering the circumstances where they are harmful
for the patient; nonetheless, besides the harmful side of proinflammatory products released by platelets, they may be some benefits, that are also presented.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have shown that the offspring of mothers who experience diabetes mellitus during pregnancy are seven times more likely to develop health complications than the offspring of mothers who do not suffer from diabetes during pregnancy. The present study was designed to investigate whether supplementation of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic pregnant mice with thymoquinone (TQ) during pregnancy and lactation improves the risk of developing diabetic complications acquired by their offspring.

METHODS: Three groups of pregnant female mice were used: non-diabetic control dams (CD), diabetic dams (DD), and diabetic dams supplemented with TQ (DD + TQ) during pregnancy and lactation (n = 10 female mice in each group).

RESULTS: Our data demonstrated a marked decrease in the number of neonates born to DD, and these neonates showed a marked increase in their mean body weight (macrosomic pups) compared to those born to CD and DD + TQ. The induction of diabetes during pregnancy and lactation resulted in macrosomic pups with several postpartum complications, such as a marked increase in their levels of blood glucose, free radicals, plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha), and lipids, and a tendency toward abnormal obesity compared to the offspring of CD. By contrast, macrosomic offspring born to DD exhibited a marked reduction in plasma cytokine levels (IL-2, -4 and -7), an obvious reduction in the number of circulating lymphocytes, decreased proliferation of superantigen (SEB)-stimulated lymphocytes and aberrant AKT phosphorylation. Interestingly, the supplementation of DD with TQ during pregnancy and lactation had an obvious and significant effect on the number and mean body weight of neonates. Furthermore, TQ significantly restored the levels of blood glucose, insulin, free radicals, plasma cytokines, and lipids as well as lymphocyte proliferation in the offspring.

CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the nutritional supplementation of DD with the natural antioxidant TQ during pregnancy and lactation protects their offspring from developing diabetic complications and preserves an efficient lymphocyte immune response later in life.

The stratigraphy, sedimentology and syn-depositional tectonic events (SdTEs) of the Upper Cretaceous/
Paleogene (K–P) succession at four localities in north Eastern Desert (NED) of Egypt have been studied.
These localities are distributed from south-southwest to north-northeast at Gebel Millaha, at North
Wadi Qena, at Wadi El Dakhal, and at Saint Paul Monastery. Lithostratigraphically, four rock units have
been recorded: Sudr Formation (Campanian–Maastrichtian); Dakhla Formation (Danian–Selandian);
Tarawan Formation (Selandian–Thanetian) and Esna Formation (Thanetian–Ypresian). These rock units
are not completely represented all over the study area because some of them are absent at certain sites
and others have variable thicknesses. Biostratigrapgically, 18 planktonic foraminiferal zones have been
recorded. These are in stratigraphic order: Globotruncana ventricosa Zone (Campanian); Gansserina gansseri,
Contusotruncana contusa, Recimguembelina fructicosa, Pseudohastigerina hariaensis, Pseudohastigerina
palpebra and Plummerita hantkenenoides zones (Maastrichtian); Praemurica incostans, Praemurica uncinata,
Morozovella angulata and Praemurica carinata/Igorina albeari zones (Danian); Igorina albeari, Globanomanlina
pseudomenradii/Parasubbotina variospira, Acarinina subsphaerica, Acarinina soldadoensis/
Globanomanlina pseudomenardii and Morozovella velascoensis zones (Selandian/Thantian); and Acarinina
sibaiyaensis, Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis/Morozovella velascoensis zones (earliest Ypresian). Sedimentologically,
four sedimentary facies belts forming southwest gently-dipping slope to basin transect have
been detected. They include tidal flats, outer shelf, slumped continental slope and open marine hemipelagic
facies. This transect can be subdivided into a stable basin plain plus outer shelf in the extreme
southwestern parts; and an unstable slope shelf platform in the northeastern parts. The unstable slope
shelf platform is characterized by open marine hemipelagic, fine-grained limestones and fine siliciclastic
shales (Sudr, Dakhla, Tarawan and Esna formations). The northeastern parts are marked by little
contents of planktonic foraminifera and dolomitized, slumped carbonates, intercalated with basinal
facies. Tectonically, four remarkable syn-depositional tectonic events (SdTEs) controlled the evolution
of the studied succession. These events took place strongly within the Campanian–Ypresian time interval
and were still active till Late Eocene. These events took place at: the Santonian/Campanian (S/C)
boundary; the Campanian/Maastrichtian (C/M) boundary; the Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/P) boundary;
and the Middle Paleocene–Early Eocene interval. These tectonic events are four pronounced phases
in the tectonic history of the Syrian Arc System (SAS), the collision of the Afro-Arabian and Eurasian
plates as well as the closure of the Tethys Sea.

The stratigraphy, sedimentology and syn-depositional tectonic events (SdTEs) of the Upper Cretaceous/
Paleogene (K–P) succession at four localities in north Eastern Desert (NED) of Egypt have been studied.
These localities are distributed from south-southwest to north-northeast at Gebel Millaha, at North
Wadi Qena, at Wadi El Dakhal, and at Saint Paul Monastery. Lithostratigraphically, four rock units have
been recorded: Sudr Formation (Campanian–Maastrichtian); Dakhla Formation (Danian–Selandian);
Tarawan Formation (Selandian–Thanetian) and Esna Formation (Thanetian–Ypresian). These rock units
are not completely represented all over the study area because some of them are absent at certain sites
and others have variable thicknesses. Biostratigrapgically, 18 planktonic foraminiferal zones have been
recorded. These are in stratigraphic order: Globotruncana ventricosa Zone (Campanian); Gansserina gansseri,
Contusotruncana contusa, Recimguembelina fructicosa, Pseudohastigerina hariaensis, Pseudohastigerina
palpebra and Plummerita hantkenenoides zones (Maastrichtian); Praemurica incostans, Praemurica uncinata,
Morozovella angulata and Praemurica carinata/Igorina albeari zones (Danian); Igorina albeari, Globanomanlina
pseudomenradii/Parasubbotina variospira, Acarinina subsphaerica, Acarinina soldadoensis/
Globanomanlina pseudomenardii and Morozovella velascoensis zones (Selandian/Thantian); and Acarinina
sibaiyaensis, Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis/Morozovella velascoensis zones (earliest Ypresian). Sedimentologically,
four sedimentary facies belts forming southwest gently-dipping slope to basin transect have
been detected. They include tidal flats, outer shelf, slumped continental slope and open marine hemipelagic
facies. This transect can be subdivided into a stable basin plain plus outer shelf in the extreme
southwestern parts; and an unstable slope shelf platform in the northeastern parts. The unstable slope
shelf platform is characterized by open marine hemipelagic, fine-grained limestones and fine siliciclastic
shales (Sudr, Dakhla, Tarawan and Esna formations). The northeastern parts are marked by little
contents of planktonic foraminifera and dolomitized, slumped carbonates, intercalated with basinal
facies. Tectonically, four remarkable syn-depositional tectonic events (SdTEs) controlled the evolution
of the studied succession. These events took place strongly within the Campanian–Ypresian time interval
and were still active till Late Eocene. These events took place at: the Santonian/Campanian (S/C)
boundary; the Campanian/Maastrichtian (C/M) boundary; the Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/P) boundary;
and the Middle Paleocene–Early Eocene interval. These tectonic events are four pronounced phases
in the tectonic history of the Syrian Arc System (SAS), the collision of the Afro-Arabian and Eurasian
plates as well as the closure of the Tethys Sea.

The synthesis of indeno[2,1-e]pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyrazin-5-onewas achieved by intramolecular FriedeleCrafts
reaction of the acid chloride 3-methyl-1,6-diphenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b] pyrazine-5-carboxylic acid chloride
(4) using AlCl3 in boiling CS2. Compound 4 proved to be a versatile compound for the synthesis of several
Indenopyrazolopyrazinone derivatives. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of selected derivatives
were evaluated.

The synthesis of indeno[2,1-e]pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyrazin-5-onewas achieved by intramolecular FriedeleCrafts
reaction of the acid chloride 3-methyl-1,6-diphenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b] pyrazine-5-carboxylic acid chloride
(4) using AlCl3 in boiling CS2. Compound 4 proved to be a versatile compound for the synthesis of several
Indenopyrazolopyrazinone derivatives. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of selected derivatives
were evaluated.